Crossing Paths and Blowing Sand

[u/mamafl]

This has become one of my favorite Zutara fics. Features:

Aged up Zuko at 20, Katara 18, Aang 14

Jet lives and redeems himself

Truce during the trip to the library in the desert

Ba sing se shenanigans

Headcanon of Southern Water Tribe courtship featuring acts of service for the couple. The whole family partakes in courtship with helping the courted member feel welcome.

Sokka and Suki being together

Uncle Iroh being a meddler

June teasing

https://archiveofourown.org/works/65279419/chapters/167943541 Crossing Paths And Blowing Sand - Chapter 1 - ErsatzErmine - Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005) [Archive of Our Own]

Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. I saved it.

[u/meerkatsova]

This one is soooo good. The following line had me laugh out loud and may be one of my favorite lines ever:

"...she’d [been with] two boys, and they had both committed war crimes.

It wasn’t a good pattern."

(Context: In regards to Jet and Zuko)

[u/mamafl → u/meerkatsova]

Yes, this part with June is hilarious

Some text, Zutara is together.

“I see you made up with your girlfriend,” June sneered, taking a long drink of whiskey.

“Fucking right I did,” Zuko replied. Okay, Katara had to admit to herself – that level of confidence was pretty damn attractive on him.

The bounty hunter shifted to taunting. “She’s still too pretty for you, you know.”

[u/meerkatsova → u/mamafl]

Yessss. So good. 😆

[u/mamafl → u/meerkatsova]

This is one of the funniest Hakoda versions I read. His take on Katara’s love life. Him is Jet on the first line.

Hakoda sighed. “And the choice is him or Zuko?”

“Seems likely.”

Zuko risked looking over his shoulder. Hakoda was staring back at him, with narrowed eyes and an extremely dark expression. Jet’s dislike of Zuko was absolutely nothing compared to this man’s clear, seething desire to gut him like a fish. “These are tough times,” Hakoda grumbled.

Shit.

[u/mamafl → u/meerkatsova]

Poor girl, this is funny.

[u/scherezade7]

yes!!!!!I was obsessed with this fic! So many snarky lines! Jet's redemption threw me off for a bit but it IS a Zutara fic. I'm realizing that I really enjoy fics where Zuko is awkward at times AND intelligent AND capable AND confident.
There are so many fics where he's just portrayed as a himbo or an emotional punching bag for Katara. This was just a fun, sexy read.

[u/mamafl → u/scherezade7]

Yes, I prefer a balance of Zuko being strong and confident. To show development. Katara does not need to make him an emotional punching bag all the time.

[u/mamafl]

This one features Yon Rha dying. I liked the take on this as well.

[u/Doom_Corp → u/mamafl]

Might want to put that under spoilers because it's a relatively new fic but I commented the same that I appreciate that change. A kid who has never killed might have trouble, a rebel that's been on the run for years and is no longer a child by any margin won't.

[u/mamafl → u/Doom_Corp]

Just marked it as spoiler.

[u/Doom_Corp → u/mamafl]

Oh! I meant just the plot point above. The rest are generic enough that can be in fic tags that don't explicitly explain how a redemption race etc happens

[u/mamafl → u/Doom_Corp]

Got it, cannot mark a comment as spoiler so I tagged the whole thread.

[u/mamafl]

Also, check out the fic below by the same author

https://archiveofourown.org/works/66437512/chapters/171314407 The Bird In Hand - Chapter 1 - ErsatzErmine - Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005) [Archive of Our Own]