Thoughts on the idea of Zuko eventually learning to lightning bend post-series because he finally got to the point of being able to fully accept and move past all the awful shit that he went through?
Okay so once more disclaimer, i love how in the show Zuko did not have to learn lightning bending but instead was able to face his father by knowing how to redirect it. Anyhow, I love this idea and it put this scene in my head:
It was a nice evening, and that despite the fact there was a great thunderstorm coming over Ba Sing Se. Or maybe especially because of that, since it was the reason that Zuko, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki and Toph had interrupted their tour through the town to seek refuge in the Jasmin Dragon together. Seeing his nephew surrounded by his friends, so relaxed and always with a small smile on his face, never failed to make him happy as well. Iroh watched them from the door frame to the kitchen from where he had juts gotten new tea. Sokka was now pretending to bend the lightning that struck outside from time to time by snapping his fingers.
“You know, that is not how you actually lightning bend, right?” Zuko interrupted his little performance.
“Well, my deepest apologies you highness if I put dishonor on your high art of beding lighting.” Sokka dramatically took a deep bow. “Would you care to enlighten us on the matter?”
Iroh smiled. Of course Sokka would ask that. That boy seemed to be curious about everything, and never seemed to stop until he fully understood how something worked. He would make a great member of the white Lotus one day, he thought.
“Well, I never said I could it myself. Uncle once tried to teach me but it literally just blew up in face because of my inner turmoil back then” For a moment, Zuko seemed lost in the memory of back then, and a trace of the old pain returned into his his eyes. It quickly vanished, however, as Katara softly put her hand on his shoulder, and he continued speaking new enthusiasm. “But in theory, if you were to do it, you would first have to divide the positive and negative energy to create an imbalance.”
“Like so?” Sokka made a motion that looked like his was slow clapping.
“No, more like this.” Zuko made the required circular motion with his arms “And then you would have to let them collide.”
At first, Iroh could not believe his eyes. But suddenly, there it was, with no shadow of doubt. A small lightning, flickering around his nephews hands and dipping his surprised face in purple light. He closed his eyes for a moment as he felt tears in them. Yet, he could not prevent one from running down his cheek when he heard Zuko call him, proud like a little kid that had produced his first flame: “Uncle, uncle look! I can lightning bend!”
Zuko's crew. T_T I'm now convinced every night had some sort of family activity soused with boiler room hooch. Zuko has zero poker face on mahjong night, while Jee wipes everyone clean with his RBF. And let's not forget Zuko and Aang are Azula-lightning-scar buddies, too. In through the chest and out through the back.
SOBBING!! you are so right about everything omg. I mean zuko lived on the ship with that crew for three whole years, and like. ok yeah he was at peak bastard mode during that time but they MUST have bonded in some way!! Mandatory game night at least once a week! zuko might be shitty at table games but they find out he obliterates everyone at charade.
And AAA OMFG DID U READ MY MIND. I DO HAVE a doodle of aang & a very crispy zuko being “mortal wound from azula” buddies lmao. Slapped some color on it just for you. mwah.
(while we’re at it they also have an epic tsungi horn duo going on as a side gig)
Ellie can have 2 girlfriends. As a treat.
After the war when Zuko tells everyone everything that happened when he went back to the Fire Nation, ‘Ty Lee needs help untangling her braid’ becomes everyone’s excuse for getting someone out of the room.
Katara wants to spend time with Aang but Sokka’s there? “Ty Lee needs help untangling her braid”
Sokka found a really big bug in his room and he needs Suki to get rid of it, but Aang won’t leave? “Ty Lee needs help untangling her braid”
One day Azula wants to talk to Zuko alone, but he’s with Ty Lee so Azula looks her dead in the eye and says “Ty Lee needs help untangling her braid”
Ty Lee just nods and says “sounds serious” and leaves
Jet graduates from food theft to swiping angsty tea servers
I love how for most of The Boiling Rock Part 1 Zuko’s just going around like ‘you know who’s great? Uncle. I miss him a lot. He’s my favorite person and I will fight you for him” completely unprompted
what a soft kid, I love him so much
Ohmygods Jee in the cooler talking about how it’s nothing compared to the North Pole 😭
And then hearing Zuko get put in the one next to his and immediately thinking ‘must get him out of here’
I love this so much 💜💜💜
oh gosh, really glad you liked the drabble!
And yeah -- all of Zuko’s crew would probably go into “protect child mode”, mostly because they can all remember when zuko was ACTUALLY a child. hell, to lt jee zuko is STILL a child and still needs to be protected n
Oh no Hunter so baby boy 😭😭😭
How long do you think it took Zuko to sew the dummy blue spirit mask?
frequent zukka trope I love to see lol