Zuko And Azula Would Have Been A Terrifying Finely Oiled Machine If Ozai Didn’t Do His Whole Let’s

SKDJFKLAJHFIA I SHOULD BE STUDYING WTF IS WRONG WITH MEESKNFDEJHGSOLIGK

there is a serious lack of discussion about how mai is zuko’s safe space. we see this in their first appearance together (that’s not a flashback). when mai asks him a simple question, “aren’t you cold?” and zuko, who has a hard time opening up and expressing emotions that aren’t anger or angst, freely and openly starts to tell her his worries about going back to the fire nation. and while people love to chastise mai on her reply, “I just asked if you were cold, I didn’t ask for your whole life story”, I think they misunderstand her approach to this. zuko is worrying and overthinking about something he cannot change, something that will only drive him crazy and she tries to distract him with a joke. and it might fall flat, but she realises this and suddenly she is comforting him with her touch. her hand reaching out so casually towards scar like it’s not a big deal, because it’s not. they’ve known each other for a long time, they’ve grown up together and their relationship was a long time coming. and zuko leans into her hand, and her kiss, without thinking twice about it. because mai is familiar, and mai is comfort and that can be seen when you contrast it to song’s attempting at touch his scar, and how quickly he was to stop her. but it’s not only this moment that showcases mai as his safe space, but also when he’s back in the fire nation. when he’s stressed out and going through a tumultuous time, not knowing what’s right and wrong or what he should do next, it’s mai he goes to. we see this in “nightmares and daydreams” when he spends all day at her house, when he can’t stand being in the palace anymore, mai and her house and her bedroom is his safe space. and here we see her trying to comfort him, trying to say the war meeting is stupid, it would be be boring anyway, and shall we go for a ride around town? it’ll be fun… and even though he’s still sad, he goes back to her house on the day of the war meeting and she’s making him tea. and even when he does get invited to the all day war meeting, she goes to the palace with him and waits for him all day, to see if it went well and to comfort him if it didn’t. when he says that it was everything he thought wanted it to be, she’s immediately happy for him, reaching out to touch him with a smile on her face. mai is who zuko feels safe and comfortable around, even in his vulnerable moments and it’s something we should talk about.

CRYING IM SOS ACRED BECAUSE FYM MAI MIGHT NOT BE IZUMI’S MOM

60 days until ashes of the academy!

[ID: A digital illustration of Fire Lord Zuko holding a golden egg, his cheek against it. The atmosphere is dark, the egg lit up gold, along with Zuko's eyes and scar. End ID]

found a wip from a year ago ill definitely never be touching again

One day the world will acknowledge that "Ursa loved Azula" and "Azula didn't feel loved by Ursa" are not mutially exclusive sentences and the world will we beautiful then

im so funny IM SO FUNNY.

guys zuko’s not dead trust me. the slow laugh that will slowly journey from my throat to your cochlea will forever vibrate in your skull once seven havens comes out and we’ll find out that zuko’s actually chilling in the spirit world and is very very very very very alive and i am not in denial

One of my favourite ship specific dynamics is when Mai is broken up with/aloof or mean towards Zuko and he's just there teasing her/being vaguely flirty

Personal take: Even in 2025, I adore Maiko being emo teens 😄. I hope they keep their emo vibes in the future content.

Ps: imagine Izumi being a sweet girl, all smiles and giggles, while being raised by two edgy parents 😆

POV: zuko doing a total 180 at the end of season two of ATLA after a whole season of slowly improving as a person and finally listening to his uncle