Avatar: The Last Airbender Darkfic Comment Meme

[attackfish]

So I just finished writing something so impossibly sweet that I swear all my teeth just rotted in my head from it.  And since I have to write floranna's fic for help_haiti  (and her request is full of lovely angst) I need to get myself in a darker writing groove.  To further this goal, I’m watching Criminal Minds, and I’m asking you guys to send me your darkest, most angst producing prompts for Avatar: The Last Airbender.  Comment with up to five, and I’ll guarantee you at least one commentfic.  I’ll probably answer with more, knowing me.  weirdlet  and floranna  get seven requests and a guarantee of two fics, because I spawned a wild AU in weirdlet ’s head, that she has been writing delightfully twisted installments for, and because I delayed writing floranna’s promised fic to work on my novel.

Please no rape or sexually explicit requests.  I’m a big believer that there needs to be more gen darkfic in fandom.

Ganked from avocado_love .


Meme Closed and Finished

Despite the fact that I asked for no requests involving rape or sexually explicit requests, my brain decided to take me there all on its own in two instances.  I've done my best to warn as accurately as I can in both in a way that the warnings themselves are non-triggery.  I'd also like to put up a blanket warning for violence.

Fics:

for florannahelp_haiti :
Azula's lightning strike on Zuko has some far more serious consequences
Zuko hurt his leg on the run and it won’t heal:  Part One l Part Two l Part Three l Part Four l Part Five l Part Six l Part Seven
*Warning for heavily implied Rape by Coercion and Sexually Abusive Dialogue* Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child continued from Zhao: Wedded and bedded (AU of Sun Child), both of which are AUs of weirdlet 's Sun Child AU

for[Bad username or site: � animikii @ livejournal.com] :
Suki’s just as calmly insane as Azula is. She just hides it better

for weirdlet :
Zhao: Wedded and bedded (AU of Sun Child)  continued in Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child, (*Warning for heavily implied Rape by Coercion and Sexually Abusive Dialogue*) both of which are AUs of weirdlet 's Sun Child AU
Koh's eggs
Eric Bogle’s “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda”
I sometimes imagine Jet's hiding a set of stripes under his shirt- how'd he come to experience such a flogging?

for blue_lacquer :
Zhao helps his chances of being promoted by getting rid of his competition
What Chit Sang did to end up in the Boiling Rock
Zhao destroying part of Wan Shi Tong’s library
The Omashu Earth Kingdom resistance succeeds in killing Mai’s family (but not her)

for avocado_love :
Why exactly the turtle-ducks fear Azula so much
Lao Bei Fong will do anything to keep his daughter safe, even from herself
Zuko: Directly after the Agni Kai
Bonus: some fluffy Toph/Zuko, all grown up (not dark)

for clockwerkchaos :
At the North Pole something goes wrong with La, and the Fire Nation sinks beneath the sea

for yma2 :
The story of Lu Ten’s death
Zuko finds his mother (or more accurately, Ursa finds him)
Aang isn’t rescued by the Blue Spirit and is imprisoned for a long time Part One l Part Two

for beboots :
S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence continued in Zuko breaks down in front of the Gaang and further continued in The Gaang in Ba Sing Se
Jet decides NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee are firebenders before he acts

Comments

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Ooh... now this, I like. I mean, Zhao's dialogue hit me like a kick to the chest (especially that one about Zura flinching D: ), but I like that Zura's already turning this to her (and Lan Min's!) advantage. :) You know, I've never been more glad to read a fic where Zhao dies?

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

*Snerk* Zhao's an awesome character in a lot of ways, but he's still a nasty son of a bitch. I love him for it, and love to make him pay for it. Glad to know you liked it too.

I'm still taking requests if you want to drop a few.

Re: Bonus: AU of “Sun Child”, Zura’s pregnant with Zhao’s child

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Another request? Hmm... I'll feel horrible requesting bad stuff to happen to my favourite characters, but... ;)

What if, at any point during the first or second season, Iroh died, leaving Zuko without his influence?

What if Jet decided NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee were firebenders, and just did as his instincts told him to? (They'd never failed him before, after all...)

S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

“Zuko, remember that plant that I thought might be tea?”

“You didn’t.” Zuko stared at his uncle’s back furiously.

“I did.” He turned around without a trace of guilt, face swollen and blotchy. “And it wasn’t.

Zuko recoiled. “Yah!”

Iroh kept his voice level, scratching the blotches determinedly. “When the rash spreads to my throat I will stop breathing.” Then he whipped out a branch tipped with a spray of pinkish berries. “But look what I found! These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade plant. That, or macahoni berries that cause blindness.” He popped a handful into his mouth.

“What are you doing!” Zuko grabbed his uncle’s arm and pounded his back, but it was too late. Iroh had already swallowed. “Are you crazy? We need to get help.”

“But where are we going to go?” Iroh whimpered. “We’re enemies of the Earth Kingdom, and fugitives from the Fire Nation.”

“If the Earth Kingdom, discovers us, they’ll have us killed.” Zuko mused.

“But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we’ll be turned over to Azula.”

Zuko glanced at his uncle speculatively. “Earth Kingdom it is.”

“No!” Iroh snatched his nephew’s wrist. “You could be killed! If these are the bacui berries I’ll be fine, I don’t want to risk you!”

Zuko grabbed his uncle’s wrist with his already imprisoned hand and pulled. “Come on.”

Iroh didn’t move. “We wait.”

~*~

The sun moved lower down the sky before Iroh’s vision began to blur. “Nephew,” he rasped.

Wordlessly, Zuko helped him to his feet. Iroh’s feet faltered. His breathing came hoarse and shallow, and Zuko kept supporting him. The evening fell over them, and in the distance, village lights glowed on the horizon. Zuko’s shoulder ached, and all he could hear was his uncle’s noisy broken gasps. They got louder before they stopped entirely.

~*~

The air from around the fire hit him hard in the chest, flinging him hard into the street. The moan came out of his mouth choked and small, and he closed his eyes. The battle kept up around him. Fire ripped through the air above him. That was it. It didn’t matter anymore. Azula was going to capture the Avatar, bring him home, lock him away, drag Zuko along if she felt like bothering, get the throne. He closed his eyes and did his best not to care.

There was a scream before the sounds stopped, except for a couple of whining groans. Zuko kept his eyes closed and sighed.

“Hey, that guy’s heart’s still beating.” Zuko didn’t pay attention until a foot dug into his ribs. He opened his eyes, then closed them against the setting sun. Pulling his feet under himself, he levered his way to his feet shakily.

“Toph, get back,” the Water Tribe girl yelled, but Zuko had already shifted into a bending stance.

Stomping her foot, Toph opened up the ground beneath him. He fell until she stomped her foot again, closing it around his shoulders. “Don’t even think about it, Sparky.”

Zuko snarled. “Where’s Azula?”

“She ran off.” Toph cocked her head and smirked. “Why? Thinking of following her.”

He squirmed. “No.”

The Avatar skidded to a halt right in front of Zuko’s makeshift prison. “Are you okay? I saw you go flying, she must have hit you pretty hard.”

“I’m fine,” he snapped. “Just let me out.”

“Don’t you dare, Toph,” the Water Tribe girl called. “You have no idea what he can do.”

Zuko glared at her, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Maybe we should take him with us.”

“What? No!” The water arched around her and lashed the air.

The Water Tribe boy squeaked. “Are you out of you’re mind?”

“Hey, you have no idea how skinny he feels.” She folded her arms.

The Avatar looked from the earthbending girl to the Water Tribe pair and back again, biting his lip. “Alright, let’s get him on Appa.”

“No!” Zuko howled, but Toph brought her arms back and pushed. The earth surged up and plopped him down in the bison’s saddle.

The Water Tribe girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she climbed in next to him. “That girl, Azula, said you were family?”

“She’s my sister, so?”

The Water Tribe pair shared a look, and the girl uncorked her waterskin to heal the burns on the boy’s arm and chest.

Re: S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Huzzah! :D

... although I really shouldn't be pleased that I technically caused Iroh's death. D: You picked a good way for him to go - realistically fitting within canon (doesn't make me wibble any less, though). I do like that Zuko stayed with his uncle until the end. ;_;

I'm glad that you left the fic on a slightly more uplifting note, though. :) For some reason, I really liked Toph's “Hey, you have no idea how skinny he feels” comment. Even a Toph who never knew Iroh realizes that Zuko isn't all bad. :)

I also liked that "look" that Sokka and Katara shared after hearing that it was Zuko's sister that did this to him. :) Nice little moment.

In short... thank you so much for writing this! :D

Re: S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Lol, you bad bad person, you, we're all going to a special hell. Zuko right now is this close to crying, poor kid, in front of the gaang and everything. I love Toph. IloveherIloveherIloveher. And she kind of makes Zuko want to die.

Those Water Tribe sibs, such a nice healthy family relationship.

Re: S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[beboots.livejournal.com]

I noticed a few extra things I liked about this snippet, after a second reading an hour or so later!

Did Zuko actually just almost give up there? That's definitely different. Loss of Iroh, mayhap?

Also, Iroh dying because he was unwilling to seek help because it may put his nephew at risk for capture? Daaamn... ;_;

I do love how Toph is totally unconcerned about whatever possible "threat" that Zuko might pose (i.e.: none), though. XD I also totally didn't even notice that Aang was one of the first to actually show concern for Zuko's well-being. :)

Re: S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Ooh, rereading! *blushes*

Zuko's having a depressive episode, poor baby, losing his last bit of family will do that, but I always kind of imagined what was going through his head as he lay there until Iroh helped him up.

Yeah, and it's eating at Zuko. Poor baby feels horribly guilty.

Toph's like "You think he can actually do anything? This, this is me laughing at you."

Aang's a good boy.

Re: S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, no Iroh to tell him to "get up" and give him a hand anymore... ;_; Seriously, I believe that Iroh is the sole reason that Zuko didn't go completely insane after his father tried to burn half of his face off.

"You think he can actually do anything? This, this is me laughing at you." XD That sounds like Toph.

"Zuko right now is this close to crying, poor kid, in front of the gaang and everything." ;_; (I would love you forever if you actually wrote this happening - Zuko actually breaking down in front of his (now former?) enemies.)

Re: S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Iroh is Zuko's rock, and I think you're right. Zuko would hate to admit it, but I think you're right.

I told you I love Toph.

Aha! Now I have an excuse! That's now next on the list after I finish the fic I'm finishing up for Floranna.

Re: S2, Iroh dies, leaving Zuko without his influence

[beboots.livejournal.com]

*glees quietly*

Continuation: Zuko breaks down in front of the Gaang

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

I think he might be Toph's pet now.

~*~

His arm was numb. The little earthbending girl, Toph, he reminded himself, was wrapped around it like a spider-snake, giving off enormous fake snores as the rest of the Avatar’s companions slept on oblivious. As he felt the sun rise, he tried to ease her arms down to slip his free, but she just tangled around him tighter, eyes still closed. “I know you’re awake,” he hissed.

“Yeah?” she whispered, “I know I’m awake too.”

“Let go!” He yanked his arm, and she obliged, waving as he rolled backwards down the bison’s side and onto the ground. The bison rumbled.

“Uh!” A spire of rock punted him back into the saddle.

Toph clicked her tongue. “Not at all rooted, are you, Sparky?” Before rolling back over, the Water Tribe boy blinked sleepily at them both. Zuko summoned up a scowl. Toph had latched back onto his arm.

~*~

Zuko spent the day brooding in the saddle, occasionally peering over the edge to watch the Avatar failing to learn to earthbend. When the Water Tribe girl dropped a bowl in front of him, he picked it up listlessly, and put it back down. “Toph’s right, you are skinny.” The Water Tribe girl narrowed her eyes. “What, haven’t you been eating?” Zuko glowered.

The Water Tribe boy glanced over. “Hey, you gonna eat that?” Zuko handed it over.

“Sokka!” she yelled. “Don’t you dare.”

Sokka froze. “But Katara!”

“Give it back.”

“I don’t want it, okay?” Zuko snapped, launching himself over the side of the saddle and sliding down to the ground. A pillar of stone hit him as soon as he landed, boosting him back into the saddle. “Stop doing that!” he cried. “Just let me leave, okay?”

Another rock spike deposited Toph next to him, and she threw her arm around his shoulders.

“You’re not going to try to capture Aang again, are you?” Katara eyed him sharply.

“No.” He tried to shrug her off, but Toph hung on tight.

“I can tell you’re lying!” Toph sang.

“Just let me go!”

The Avatar fluttered down into the saddle on the last word. “What’s going on?”

“Where would you go, anyway?” Sokka asked, spearing a piece of meat out of Katara’s bowl when she wasn’t looking. “We’re nowhere near the coast, your ship’s gotta be,” he spread his arms wide. “Weeks away on foot.”

“It got blown up.”

“Seriously?” Sokka snickered.

Zuko hunched his shoulders.

“What about your uncle?” the Avatar asked cheerfully.

“He’s dead, okay?” He shouted, but as soon as the last word left his mouth, his face crumpled. “He screwed up and...” Tears poured from his good eye and splattered on the saddle leather.

The earthbending girl, Toph’s, arm moved lower until she had pulled him into a tight hug. He didn’t know what to do. Before he’d even realized it, his arm was around her and he was sobbing into her shoulder. The others stared. He could feel them staring.

He tried to catch his breath, but it kept catching in his throat as whines. At last, he swiped the tears off his cheeks and broke away, voice hoarse. “I guess you think I’m part of your gang now.”

The all looked away.

“Yeah, well, I’m not,” he muttered. Toph grabbed back onto him.

Re: Continuation: Zuko breaks down in front of the Gaang

[beboots.livejournal.com]

*Glees more loudly* "I think he might be Toph's pet now." That sentence just made my day. Seriously, though, I love the way you've written their interactions. Especially this bit: "A spire of rock punted him back into the saddle." XD CONCUSSIONS AND BROKEN RIBS ARE HOW SHE SHOWS AFFECTION! You totally know that Toph uses Earthbending to move people around. :3 I also love the image of Toph clutching (an unwilling) Zuko by the arm.

And daaamn... not wanting to eat. ;_; Not healthy.

I love that Sokka just takes his food after being given it. XD SO in-character. The “It got blown up.”/“Seriously?” exchange was also awesome. I think it's very in-character for the GAang to still assume that Zuko has his ship. They haven't heard much news from the Fire Nation, right?

I liked the way Zuko explained/half-explained what happened to Iroh. ;_; (And that it was Aang who obliviously asked after Zuko's Uncle, because he's a nice kid like that.) I also do think that it's very in-character for Zuko to react that way to his uncle's death - we saw his expression when Azula blasted Iroh in The Chase.

Also, that last line? Excellent. :3 Oh, clingy!Toph... :3

In short: thank you so much for writing this! :D You made me ridiculously happy! (kind of like... inverted Zuko feelings?)

Re: Continuation: Zuko breaks down in front of the Gaang

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

ZUKO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THIS AND IT JUST FREAKS THE HELL OUT OF HIM. When they get lost in the desert, Zuko's the only one who's actually happy, because Toph doesn't know how to bounce him around with the sand. ZUKO BALL!

Yeah, Zuko's swinging back and forth from apathetic to completely freaking out. Not at all healthy. Kid has no idea how to handle grief. They're probably going to dig the full story out of him later, but right now, Zuko doesn't even realize he's only barely coherent. Iroh's his stability, and right now, things aren't really computing.

Sokka's like "What, he doesn't want it!" And of course he misses all the signs that maybe messing with Zuko's not such a good idea right then. Oh Sokka.

Toph says no, you do NOT get away that easy ;)

So the more miserable I make Zuko, the better you feel? You horrible horrible person.

Re: Continuation: Zuko breaks down in front of the Gaang

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

Zuko needs a nice obsessive project to throw himself into. I think that's how he's dealt with prettymuch everything that life's ever thrown at him.

Re: Continuation: Zuko breaks down in front of the Gaang

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

This is so true, and that's so unhealthy.

Re: Continuation: Zuko breaks down in front of the Gaang

[beboots.livejournal.com]

"ZUKO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THIS AND IT JUST FREAKS THE HELL OUT OF HIM." ZUKO NEEDS TO LEARN HOW TO SPEAK TOPH'S LANGUAGE. Except that he probably would never actually hit a girl (unless she's Katara, in his way, or Azula, who is an insane psychopath). I mean, I don't think he'd find it honourable to hit girls he actually likes. Probably.

"They're probably going to dig the full story out of him later, but right now, Zuko doesn't even realize he's only barely coherent. Iroh's his stability, and right now, things aren't really computing." ;_; Well-said. He's just spiralling out of control inside, isn't he?

Hey, perhaps Toph will become his new ROCK! :D Not that Iroh can be replaced, but Toph's pretty solid, being from the Earth Kingdom and all. Plus, she doesn't seem like the time to put up with his whining, within reason.

Oh oblivious Sokka. :)

And yep, I suppose I am a horrible person. D: Really, it's the hurt-comfort I like, you know? And you can't really have meaningful "comfort" without first having the "hurt", so...

Re: Continuation: Zuko breaks down in front of the Gaang

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

He tries to learn, really he does, but he can't make himself really hit her, and she just laughs at him. "You call that love tap a punch, Sparky? Stop it, that tickles."

You, you you! You're making me want to write more, like when Zuko gets to Ba Sing Se and votes for hightailing it out of there (and thereby earns Toph's eternal devotion), and the ramifications of the Fire Prince being there, and and and...

Re: Continuation: Zuko breaks down in front of the Gaang

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Do it do it do it! Follow your inspiration! (I have no selfish motives whatsoever! ;) ) Seriously, you can't have enough Toph & Broken!Zuko (or regular Zuko) bonding. Perhaps you could still get Zuko in an apron! I do so love Ba Sing Se. You could also theoretically have an angstful moment when it finally hits Zuko that he has arrived in Ba Sing Se - gotten beyond the wall that his uncle tried so hard to get through... the city that claimed his cousin's life.

Jet decides NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee are firebenders before he acts

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Jet’s eyes widened on the other side of the station. The hook swords flew th his hands and he crashed through the crowd, world narrowing to that gentle, sinister whisp of steam rising off the tea cup in the old man’s hand.

The cup tumbled to the floor.

“What are you doing firebending your tea?” the boy who had called himself Lee hissed, looming over his uncle. “For a wise old man, that was a pretty stupid move!”

The old man gazed miserably at the puddle of steaming tea on the station floor. I know you’re not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but-”

The edged hand guard slammed into the pillar around the old man’s throat. “They’re firebenders!” he shouted to the station.

Heads turned all around them. The old man’s legs smashed into his stomach and under his ribs. Snarling, Lee slammed his open hand into Jet’s throat as he staggered back. Before he could breathe again, they had disappeared.

~*~

From behind one of the pillars, Zuko and Iroh listened, waiting. Jet leapt onto the base of a pillar across the station from their hiding place. “I know they’re firebenders!” He shouted to the crowd. “I saw the old man heating his tea!”

Zuko jabbed his elbow into his uncle’s ribs.

“And then the kid actually said that he had been firebending, I heard him!”

Iroh stuck his tongue out at his nephew.

Jet drove his fist into the air. “After we’ve travelled all this way, are we going to take this, the last safe place? Are we going to let them take Ba Sing Se too?”

The crowd roared. Zuko and his uncle exchanged a desperate look and made a break for it.

~*~

Their feet pounded the sand until Iroh slumped to the ground, unable to run any more. “So?” his nephew snapped, panting. “What now?”

“I hear Whale Tail Island is beautiful this time of year,” he replied querulously.

Zuko put his head in his hands. “Oh Agni, why.”

Re: Jet decides NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee are firebenders before he acts

[beboots.livejournal.com]

Yep, I love how it was, in the end, Zuko's reaction to his uncle's firebending that gave them away. XD Awesome.

Also, threat of lynching? Very believable, especially amongst a group of desperate refugees like there would be in that situation. Nicely done!

Re: Jet decides NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee are firebenders before he acts

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

This Jet? Not arrested by the Dai Li and grows up to be the head of organized crime in Ba Sing Se when he's very old and much wiser. This Zuko and Iroh? Meet up with the gaang when the gaang goes to Whale Tail Island, chasing after Appa. This Zuko? even more convinced the spirits get their kicks taunting him.

I always thought that Iroh and Zuko were incredibly lucky no one else saw the tea. They're surrounded by frightened desperate people, and they're the enemy. Not a safe situation.

Heh, couldn't resist the two of them giving each other a silent hard time about how Jet found out.

Re: Jet decides NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee are firebenders before he acts

[beboots.livejournal.com]

A meeting on Whale Tale island? HILARIOUS. That takes some coincidence!

Yep, I definitely think that Iroh and Zuko give each other a hard time ALL the time. ;)

Re: Jet decides NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee are firebenders before he acts

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Zuko: This is unbelievable! You can't tell me the Spirits don't hate me now, Uncle!
Iroh: They don't hate you, nephew, they just love you in all the wrong ways.

Re: Jet decides NOT to gather proof that Mushi and Lee are firebenders before he acts

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

-!

*dies giggling at that last one*