the distant call of a nightbird

“My paper-writing days are over. Academia didn’t work well for me.”

“You’re a teacher. You’re still in academia.”

“Well, yeah,” I said. “But I mean, you know, academia. With scientists and peer review and—”

“And assholes who get you kicked out of your university?” She raised an eyebrow. “And who got all your funding cut off and ensured you never got published again?”

“Yeah. That.”

and baran al-hashimi, you deserved a storyline of genuine professionalism and being a good teacher as a contrast to your predecessor. about how you have an uphill battle with a department that's been rigid and set in its ways.

cause on one hand, since zuko and katara's relationship never explicitly turns romantic, I think it spared their dynamic from the weird pitfalls that the writing suffered from when it came to the canon romances. and what we do get from the canon zk dynamic is a really compelling and cohesive narrative arc: enemies -> resentful co-captives -> empathizing co-captives -> ...mayyyybeee allies? -> ENEMIES 2.0 -> "Mr. Sorry For Betraying You" & "Ms. No Worries I'll Just Kill You Next Time :)" -> Southern Raiders "I fear only one person has ever understood me and I hate the guy" + "the guy" accomplices -> brief spy interlude -> Friends <3 -> synergetic teammates -> Co-Usurpers -> literally laid his life down for her