r/ZutaraNation • u/RotWieBlut • Jan 06 '25
FanFiction What fic are you constantly refreshing AO3 for?
I’m curious, because I can’t be the only one haha. Mine are the following, in no particular order: 1. The King’s Pet or the Pet’s King (Call me Katto sequel) This one was a mistake. I was never that into Mulan growing up so I thought I wouldn’t be into CMK but I gave it a shot because people kept talking about it and it was finished. Well I was wrong, I’m obsessed with it and also, the second part is still a WIP. So I’m kind of screwed. The last update was so good and cathartic that I’m alright with waiting, especially since this fanfic has been in the works for 9 years and I just stumbled into it a month ago.
The Virgin and the Psychopath Another one of those really good ones that just takes quite a while to update because yea, good things do take an awful lot of time to cook.
Salt and Scale Don’t really need to go into detail, same as above, but this time I knew what I was signing up for.
The worst thing that could happen This one hurts, a lot. I love it so much but I swear it updates like 3 times a year. It’s my favourite arranged marriage fic and yes I’ve read Incendiary :). I prefer arranged marriage fics where they’re best friends scheming together and have the same history as in the show over them being forced into it as enemies or strangers, but that’s just me.
I’m sure I’m forgetting some but these four.. yeah. I recommend them all with my whole heart but the wait and the anxiety that they might be abandoned might not be for everyone.
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u/meerkatsova Painted Lady Jan 07 '25 edited Jan 07 '25
Omg yes to so many of these! Delicate (it updated recently and the speed at which I RAN), Virgin & the Psychopath, Salt and Scale, Love & War (Blutaraverse), Everything Changed, forgetting is a kind of mercy, The nation of fire and absolutely, terrible, horrible, idiotic, wonderful ideas (Jinverse)
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u/mamafl Zutara 💜 Jan 07 '25
I follow what is on the list except Love & War and virgin & the psychopath. Have not read those but will check them out.
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u/RotWieBlut Jan 07 '25
Not super familiar with Love & War, but the Virgin and the Psychopath is a wild one. It’s basically a character study into what Katara would be like without her defining quality, her compassion. What you’re left with is a story where everything else that’s great about her shines through: her bravery, intelligence and fairness. She is written so well and as someone who struggles with empathy sometimes (as is fairly common with neurodivergent people), it honestly moved me to tears because she is definitely not portrayed as a monster, not even a bad person.
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u/scherezade7 Zutara 💜 Jan 08 '25
Your quick summary above has me intrigued. I will give it a chance...
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u/mamafl Zutara 💜 May 01 '25
I started reading the Virgin and the Psychopath and love it so far. It is a what if on Katara without her compassion and she is enjoyable. The story also captures Zuko’s acceptance of her, which we see in canon. I love the development of the dynamics with the Gaang with the change in Katara.
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u/sigmagram Mar 08 '25
Is love and war removed? I can't seem to find it! Do you have the link if it's still up?
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u/meerkatsova Painted Lady Mar 08 '25
It's still up! It's part of the Blutaraverse so if you haven't read the earlier stories in the series, I'm linking you to the series page. If you have, you can access Love and War from there as well 😊
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u/sigmagram Mar 08 '25 edited Mar 08 '25
Omg thank you!!! I could've sworn that this author went by a different name a few years ago!! I have read the exact same series back in 2021/22 and the author's name was seraluci (I just checked my fics review doc, and found my old reviews!) But then, the works disappeared and I had a hard time finding it again. They'd also written a one shot called "Customs", which was also really lovely
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u/DramaticChoice7165 Jan 07 '25
Salt and Scale is one for me too😭 Also Sealskin, Uncharted Waters, & forgetting is a kind of mercy. ESPECIALLY that last one😭😭
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u/meerkatsova Painted Lady Jan 10 '25
I just devoured Uncharted Waters. This is definitely a new one of my favorites. Thanks for the recco!
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u/tectonictigress Jan 11 '25
100% agree with forgetting is a kind of mercy - I need to do a re-read, it handles the complex emotions and characters so well, aside from Zutara I think Sokka is my next favorite character in that fic
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u/cruck1980 Jan 07 '25
Love & war Delicate Man in the wood mask
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u/mamafl Zutara 💜 Feb 21 '25
Started reading the man in the wood mask. Pretty good. Love Hakoda, Kya, and of course the Blue Spirit.
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u/homurao Jan 07 '25
The Crevasse!! I strongly recommend it
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u/IAmReallyNotMilk Jan 07 '25
Ha, that’s mine! Guess I’d better get writing 😂 next one nearly done tbf
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u/homurao Jan 08 '25
omg i love your work so much!! it’s my favorite on-going fic, but i already told you that 100 times on ao3😅❤️
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u/meerkatsova Painted Lady Jan 10 '25
I just read it all thanks to this post. Just wanted you to know the absolute PAIN you put me through. So good. I cannot wait for the next chapter. Your prose is absolutely beautiful.
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u/scherezade7 Zutara 💜 Jan 08 '25
Yes! I recently found it and it was so beautiful and made me cry with where it left off
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u/scherezade7 Zutara 💜 Jan 08 '25
Another one for the "watch list" for WIPs Zutara.... "Everything Changed" by chthonic_dream https://archiveofourown.org/works/41015355/chapters/149910535
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u/scherezade7 Zutara 💜 Jan 07 '25 edited Jan 08 '25
Another story, in addition to some that have been mentioned that I've been watching (and others that I will go look for -thanks for the recs!)
It's the 3rd installment of the Worst Prisoner Series by Emletish. Books 1 and 2 made me snort in laughter...it's a snarky version of the story but with Zutara flavor. She did update book 3 in October and that made me so happy
https://archiveofourown.org/works/21656509/chapters/51642910
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u/scherezade7 Zutara 💜 Jan 08 '25
Just came across another fic that I'm intrigued by...Brightest Night or Darkest Days https://archiveofourown.org/works/15686937/chapters/36448719
It's a bit of a darker spin and Zuko is a bit out of character...and there's a component of soul mate/chi bonding happening...but it grapples with some of the core dilemmas that Zutara would face as people who are opposites in so many ways
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u/RotWieBlut Jan 08 '25
Ha ha yes I just posted about it! I’m enjoying it so far, even though they’re both OOC. I think the plot explains why they’re so weird with each other tho, but I swear it reads like a 2010ish fic sometimes. I’m at a bit where Katara is pissy because she’s on her period and I’m here like.. okaay alright, sure.. Fun plot though, so I’m willing to accept the cringier stuff.
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u/scherezade7 Zutara 💜 Jan 08 '25
haha..yes. agree..there's a more modern sensibility with this story. zuko and katara are definitely OOC but not totally unbelievable.
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u/tectonictigress Jan 11 '25
“Forgetting is a kind of mercy” is the one fic I’ll drop everything for when it updates - https://archiveofourown.org/works/57283453/chapters/145712458
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u/scherezade7 Zutara 💜 Jan 11 '25
I just read this because of your comment and I simultaneously want to hug you and push you! This got me feeling all kind of ways…. And I just want Zutara to admit that they still love each other 😭😭😭😭
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u/tectonictigress Jan 14 '25
🥺🥺🥺🥺 if you haven’t seen it already, the author has some side one shots in the same series
But yea tbh nothing has quite been up to par with this one for me, I keep writing my own fanfics in my head of this fic about What really happened in ba sing see
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u/tangreene Jan 07 '25
I'm with you on #4!! I just finished rereading it and now here I am just 🫠
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u/RotWieBlut Jan 07 '25
I know right!! I’m always gushing in the comments of each update. The image of Zuko in midnight blue robes standing behind Katara in a flowy magenta lounge dress, sitting in his fancy chair during the council meeting lives rent free in my head 24/7. Truly power couple goals!!
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u/Kalloen_aka_ Jan 13 '25
Salt and Scale and Delicate for sure. And the one about Zuko as a firefighter (the title escapes me)
But I'm also looking at this thread to make sure no one is still waiting on updates from me for anything 😭🤣
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u/scherezade7 Zutara 💜 Jan 16 '25
So, Thicker Than Water is a newer fic that has me intrigued https://archiveofourown.org/works/61039636/chapters/155939230
It has some typical setups - Katara left with Aang after the coronation but is not with him anymore; she has not kept in touch with Zuko or been back in the Fire Nation since leaving; the Northern and Southern Water Tribes have a tenuous alliance but the North is plotting something.
But what has my interest piqued is the falling out between Katara and Zuko is because she opposed Zuko’s plan of having Azula sent to a healing/mental facility due to her breakdown - she wanted Azula punished for attacking Katara (Agni Kai)and Aang (Ba Sing Se) instead. Katara also isn’t much of a healer in this story but she has been sent to help the Fire Nation supposedly with an outbreak but really it’s to help heal Iroh who has been poisoned.
Also, Zuko seems to be really isolated and a bit of a mess (there’s some weird, possibly transactional relationship going on between him and Jun the Bounty Hunter which has been hinted at so far and I’m kinda appalled by it but the author is firm that Zutara is endgame and will be happy).
Anytime I get an update alert for this, I get excited to see how the author is trying to move the plot along and how the characters are being developed with their darkness and trauma…and of course, how Zutara will reconcile.
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u/Lady-Iskra Painted Blue Jan 06 '25
Incendiary by Roslynwrites 😫😫😫