#lizanthium

- Did Iroh and Zuko talk about this arranged marriage before Zuko was sent to the SWT? Does he understand why Iroh did it and that Iroh loves him very, very much or is it just... Rejection and abandonment? Does Zuko look at Hakoda protecting his kids from the demands of the North or whatever and just feel small inside because nobody did that for him, he thinks?

- Who is officially next in line for the throne, then? Is it Azula? Has growing up around Iroh helped her a little? Will Zuko being away from the palace but Uncle being there and paying her special attention start to make things in her crack, but maybe in ways that are seen sooner and attended to sooner? Does our girl get lots more love and help???? (And does it all just hit the fan when Zuko comes back to visit and even though she has been healing it's just Too Much to have an 'usurper and his wife who clearly wants to take over the Fire Nation' there and Ozai is in her head/her ear and that's how the Agni Kai happens?)

-Is Sokka the next chief of the North? Bc I am so behind this idea. Even if Yue still had to sacrifice herself, Arnook adopting Sokka as his heir because of how Sokka treated Yue and the tribe and is just a GOOD LEADER is, admittedly, a headcanon of mine that's stayed with me for many years. So I'd be (even more) feral for that to be the case in this fic.

- Who points out first that Zuko's anger and prickliness and aloofness is a defence mechanism? Like an animal baring teeth first because its learned if it doesn't the hurt will be so much worse? Does Katara notice or is it Aang, all sad eyes and sorry heart, who has one of his Wise Moments and quietly tells Katara his observations after one more blow up between ZK and one more time of Zuko shrugging away from Sokka's hand on his shoulder and Aang's attempt to lean on him as they sat side by side?

-This Zuko is probably going to be even more reticent of touch and it HURTS MY SOUL. Iroh was around, sure, but he was busy. And Ozai and Azula were there, too. THIS KID LIVED WITH THE PERSON WHO BURNED HIM DAMN IT. FOR YEARS. And you cannot convince me he doesn't have other little Scars here and there. Shaped like fingers, probably.

"Do you know how difficult it is for a Firebebder to get burned? It's like drowning a Waterbender. Possible, but it takes deliberate, continuous force."

- Zuko finding family Zuko finding family Zuko finding family DADKODA AND ZUKO. GRAN GRAN AND ZUKO.

- Honestly just like... Kanna coming in with new parkas "for her grandkids" and putting one on Sokka and making note of some measurements to change. And then doing the same for Katara. And then beckoning Zuko who comes, confused, and gets very flustered when there's a parka for him, too. She guessed his measurements bc this is the first time so her fussing around him to make notes of what to change so it's Perfect and Zuko is just overcome and blushing. Soft.

-The first time Zuko gets sick or injured in the SWT and he does what he was taught to do (and which Iroh never could/never really knew how to make him unlearn): downplay it, hide it, suffer alone until it's gone. And then KATARA THE HEALER who was raised in family not letting him be. Other people come visit. Aang sits and reads to him. And Zuko finally just yells at them because he's so confused??? And they're all confused??? And then things get explained and it's just this firm, measured, "Well, you're in the SWT now and we do things differently here when somebody is sick."

-Them visiting the Fire Nation and Zuko is required to wear FN clothes (for handwave reasons ignore the plot hole) and he's the only one and Katara gets fed up with how he's being treated by some people so our girl gets herself some FN clothes and wears them the next day. And Zuko sees her marching forward in FN clothes to support him and he just about gets down on his knees in front of her right then and there his heart is hers she owns his everything he's a goner.

-Zuko. Lying. On. His. Unscarred. Side. To. Hold. Katara. That means so much of his senses are dulled. DO YOU KNOW THE TRUST????? HOW SAFE HE MUST FEEL TO DO THAT????? ESPECIALLY THIS ZUKO WHO SPENT YEARS IN THE PALACE WITH OZAI AND AZULA WHO ARE BOTH SNEAKY AND QUIET AND HE PROBABLY NEVER FELT LIKE HE COULDN'T BE ALERT AT ALL TIMES THERE AND NOW HE'S JUST SO SAFE I'M NEVER GETTING OVER THIS PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

- Zuko warming Katara water for a hot bath in the early days when they're still learning to get along. And he wants to do something nice for her and it comes across so awkward but she's actually so touched and it's adorkable.