Snoffy

header by @deriroga | Snoffy on Ao3 | she/her | beware problematic content

[snoffyy]

Zuko has always been the type of person who would do anything for family. So when Katara lacks the funds for an opportunity of a lifetime and Zhao of all people offers a solution by sleeping together, he figures he's got nothing to lose.

... He just didn't expect Zhao to be more interested in the 'sleeping' part.

For @atlararepairmonth week 5: World’s Worst Souvenir.

Featuring Zhao/Zuko in which Zhao is the world’s worst souvenir.

[snoffyy]

I just wanted to say that i love your writing style!! And the way you characterize Zhao, you made him my fave! Can i ask what was the thought process or inspiration on giving him redemption? Also also i love Calidity and i can’t wait to see what you come up with for the next chapters! I have been rereading Calidity for a while!! And each time is like the first!

Hey there, thanks for reaching out!

I'm really glad you enjoy Zhao's characterisation, and oh, gosh, he's actually your fav? 😭😭😭 Thank you so much for reading Cali, I have officially outlining all remaining chapters and looks like we've got 9 more to go! (Oh boy...)

Hmmm, that's a good question!

To start with, I think what drew me to Zhao is how much of a contradictory character he is. He's conniving and manipulative yet at the same time, he's never one to shy away from the truth and usually always gives his honest opinion (one of the only characters to ever straight up give the truth to Zuko regarding his mission and Ozai.) He's a very, very clever fellow who makes stupid decisions because of his own pride which leads to his eventual downfall. And yet there always seemed to be something more about him. What exactly went down between him and Jeong Jeong? How did he climb the ranks so quickly for someone relatively young? How did he find Wan Shi Tong's library? So many questions that we will never get answered. So it became a little like a thought experiment for me. What would happen if we tweak something in his life? What if the circumstances around him were changed to force him to really look at himself and go: huh... am I going too far? Because I fully believe he is capable of this. The one continuous theme running through my fics is that first, we must address his pride. Knock him down a couple pegs and it's a wonder how many possibilities open up.

Another thing is that Zhao is an inherently selfish character. And that's something to lean into. A turning point in redeeming him as a character is to give him something or someone to care about without any strings attached. I find great satisfaction in forcing him to go through this process as it really digs into him as who he is as a person. To me, he will always be selfish. He will always be prideful. But it changes. He's not a fully evil character, yet to take away his selfishness or his pride is to take away a core part of his character. Rather, he reframes it in his mind and as a result, the narrative is reframed. After all, even villainous characters can have their moments and the best villains are the ones who are not caricatures of evil. Give them depth, and they become painfully human.

I know that there are certain... er, proclivities that fandom perceive of him, but I honestly see no basis behind it. That is something I try to be careful of, of course, but the fact remains that he's capable of being more than a two-dimensional villain. He is raw and human and that is something I do my best to get across.

So I think the answer to the question is: he poses as a very difficult character to write but I enjoy the challenge. He embodies the worst of excessive pride and ambition but we see inklings of a what if scattered throughout the show. I like these what ifs because there really is so much potential for him. He really is quite a fascinating character if you take the time to dig deep. If you can narratively explore a possible redemption for Ozai and Azula, I see no reason why we can't try to create a universe where Zhao gets dragged kicking and screaming into redemption. That's what fanfics are for!

(Although don't get me wrong, I do like a villainous Zhao too haha).

I hope that answers your question!

[snoffyy]

PLEASEEEEE UPDATE MAELSTROM. I REREAD IT SO OFTEN. It's my all-time favorite fanfic (or not, no pressure. Just know I love it and appreciate your work.)

Hey!! I'm so sorry, I've been neglecting Maelstrom to tackle Calidity because I really want to get that thing finished T-T

I will come back to it! Writing is just taking a lot out of me lately (thank you, full-time job) but it's the priority once Cali is finally done!

Thank you for dropping by though and letting me know your thoughts. I'm gobsmacked it's your all-time fav.

Just so you know though, I spent the whole afternoon re-reading Maelstrom (and what I've got written of it) and dang, now I'm really missing this fic. I'm thinking of working on it here and there in the background and once I'm ready to come back to it I should hopefully have a few chapters in-stock :)

Here's an excerpt:

“I don’t dance,” Zhao yelled above the clamour surrounding them.

“Neither do I!” Zuko laughed, “But fuck it, we’re here so we might as well!”

They’d been pushed right in the middle of the mass of writhing bodies, but somehow Zhao can only pay attention to Zuko. He watched the reflection of the lights in molten gold eyes, the playful smirk that danced across pink lips, the challenging quirk of his one remaining eyebrow.

For all the strict rules and regulations that have surrounded them their entire life, dance had never been part of their curriculum. Zhao had never cared for it before, and he didn’t think he ever would. He remembered, sometimes, that his father would mention having been forced to learn a few traditional dances to sate the nagging of his own parents. And if Zhao recalled correctly, his father had thrown his head back, laughing boisterously as he claimed that he possessed two left feet.

Remembering such a detail did not boost Zhao’s confidence in the impromptu dance he was about to be dragged into.

He didn’t have time to think about it; Zuko threw his arms around his neck, tugging him into the beat of the music. Zhao doesn’t know where to place his hands, so he covertly glanced around them for guidance. Eventually he settled them across the small of Zuko’s back.

He didn’t even know where to start. How to start. His joints were stiff, limbs awkward and still, petrified to stone. He took solace in the fact that Zuko had no idea what he was doing either. Out of instinct, they both shot looks around them, seeking some sort of instruction, some sort of reassurance that they weren’t making fools of themselves and were indeed on the right track.

Then again, searching the twisting forms around them, there was no strict guideline to adhere to; not when everyone else was dancing freely, picking up movements and motions as they came to them, disorder more apparent than order.

“Stop overthinking it,” Zuko said, and Zhao had to lean in to catch the words over the clanging instruments, the orchestra of whoops and laughter.

But fine. Sure. He let impulsivity lead the way, attempting to loosen his limbs from the entrapment of self-consciousness and just…

It was awkward. They fumbled and stumbled and generally got into each other’s way with every turn they made and every step they took. More than once one of them has to flail their arms about to regain balance after tripping over the other’s foot. They nearly crash into other dancers more times than they can count and have bumped into people just as many times.

Their efforts are pathetically abysmal compared to the seasoned dancers or even amateurs that populated the city centre. Uncoordinated, clumsy, doltish.

But it’s the most fun they’ve had in a long time.

And suddenly they don’t care they accidentally step on each other. The elbow that catches the other in the side doesn’t throb dully. The startled yelp as they avoid someone else sounds like any other joyful cry.

At the climax of the music he picked Zuko up and twirled him around in a circle. The prince threw his head back and laughed, and Zhao thought he’d never seen anything so beautiful.

Because that was what Zuko was, is, will be: beautiful.

In every sense of the word, with all its meanings and subtleties.

And as Zhao looked up at the prince, at the wide smile, the crinkle of mirth in the corner of his eyes, heart lodged in his throat, lungs caught mid-breath, he couldn’t help thinking he was looking at the sun in all its blazing glory.

The music stopped and they came together again. There was something tugging at him like how the tides called – a siren’s song that attempted to beguile him into closing those few inches between their faces and press their lips together.

But the song screeched to a halt at its crescendo, hesitancy reaching out, grasping the notes, breaking them down into rests and stops until the melody had disintegrated, fading back into the usual clamour of a festival, sizzling cooking stations and chattering crowds overtaking the golden moment they shared in a world spun out of fairy tales.

He doesn’t take the plunge and the moment passes, but he doesn’t miss the slight flush stained across the prince’s cheeks nor the way he avoids his gaze as if to meet it is to spell his doom. Then again, it could’ve been the exertion forcing the heat to rise in their cheeks, the uncertainty of what to do after they let go of each other’s bodies that causes them to shuffle awkwardly, unsure of what to do or what to say now that they’ve finished their dance.

“I think I saw candied cherry tomatoes over in the back.” Zuko blurted out, eyes darting towards Zhao. The blush was gone, replaced with a tentative smile. “I didn’t know the Earth Kingdom had them. Wanna go try them out?”

“Right. Sure.” Zhao cleared his throat, as if to chase away the memory of that timid look on the prince’s face. He’d never seen an expression like that on Zuko before. Normally so hot-headed and impulsive, it was a startling change from the usual scowl seemingly permanently carved into his mouth.

The glaze ended up being too thick, the cherry tomatoes not as flavourful as those in the Fire Nation, but Zhao couldn’t bring himself to care. Not if it kept pulling laughter out of Zuko when he caught sight of Zhao’s grimace as he tried to dig sugar out of his teeth.

Zhao was stupidly, foolishly attracted to the former crown prince of the Fire Nation, and somehow, he couldn’t care less.

[kim14820]

I got the chance to draw fan art for my favorite ship (Zhaoko is seriously so good!) and for my favorite novel<3

If you’re interested in reading it (and I highly recommend it) 👉 click here!

Zhao design has changed quite a bit. He younger now, and he has short hair. (I’m not entirely sure if he still keeps his sideburns in the story, but I love them—and honestly, if I don’t draw them, it just doesn’t feel like Zhao somehow…) I spent about a day figuring out how I wanted to design his hair. I did draw a couple of other versions too, but this one ended up being my favorite 🤤💗

As for Zuko, he hasn’t changed that much. He’s pretty similar to how he is in Book Three—just with slightly longer hair. (I imagine his hair would be about the same length as, or maybe even longer than, when he was on Ember Island with Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai.) Because of that, I spent way less time drawing him compared to Zhao. And that little chibi moment there… I’ll admit it—I drew it purely to satisfy myself. I just really wanted to see them being in love 💔💔

A little bonus💗

(I was inspired by some chapters in the novel)

[snoffyy]

I AM LOOKING RESPECTFULLY 👀

This is so beautiful, thank you so, so much. I am HONOURED that you've created such gorgeous pieces for Calidity. The absolutely exhausted expressions on their faces are so on point (probably my fault for making them go through so much bs 😅).

That little bonus GETS ME so much. It's so sweet and tender but almost melancholic and comforting and you are an absolute wizard.

The chibis are so cute!! I really can't say enough about how much I love this. Thank you again for drawing these messy idiots, this was such a pleasant surprise and I will be thinking about this for a long time coming ❤❤❤

[snoffyy]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Hi folks, been a while :)

My thesis has been submitted and I am ready to come back into writing, as evident by me finally updating this thing 🥳🥳🥳

Looking forward to catching up with all the fandom haps! I hope you’ve all been well 💕

[suzistan420-deactivated20250110]

Be the zhaoko you want to see in the world.

Note: I need to get a better camera, I use a second hand 5 year old Android phone and it shows.

[snoffyy]

Every so often I get the sudden urge to write a new fic and tbh I'd rather that than write my thesis.

My Zhaoko roots are calling.

Fire blazed past the prince’s face, a hair’s breadth from skimming scarred flesh. His reaction was like that of a spooked animal, cringing away, fear shuttering over his features in the briefest flash before the prince’s eyes squeezed tightly shut.

“Do not flinch,” Zhao barked. “You think the enemy will take it easy on you? They’ll see your scar and pick it out for what it is – weakness. You can’t afford that.”

Prince Zuko’s lips thinned. “I know.”

Without warning, Zhao fired another plume of pure heat. This time, the prince did not flinch. Instead, he dropped, letting the fire sail over him, and struck with a swing of his arm, fire hurtling in an arc towards Zhao’s face.

Zhao dissipated it easily enough, and as the prince rose from his crouch, he couldn’t help smirking, meeting those golden eyes that were teeming with unbidden ferocity.

Perhaps there truly was something of the royal line in the prince, after all.

“Well done,” Zhao said. A rare word of praise, and one that Prince Zuko was clearly not expecting, if the way he startled was any indication. “Now do it again.”

[snoffyy]

Trick or Treat! Share a snippet, headcanon, art, or vibes with your followers, then pass it on. 🎃

Aw man, there's quite a lot of stuff just lying around in my docs ahaha! It was quite hard to choose, but here's a snippet from the heart surgeon au, less on the fried fish and more on Katara's first encounter with a certain doctor...

“What’s the first rule of medicine?”

Katara startled mid-step, but recovered swiftly within the next second, schooling her face into placidness before the doctor could pick up on it.

Show no weakness, the senior medical students had whispered to her, eyes darting around as if the doctor was about to manifest out of the shadows at the first hint of badmouthing, right then and there in the secluded walls of the university.

But it didn’t matter, because the doctor’s eyes fixed on her fumble like a hawk, and the slightest downturn of the severe line of his mouth told her that as far as first impressions went, Katara had already made a blunder.

Was he talking about the Hippocratic Oath?

“I believe it’s about respecting the scientific gains of those before us –” she began.

“No,” the doctor cut her off. “Not the Hippocratic Oath. What do you think is the first rule of medicine?”

Katara’s brow furrowed. Was there such a rule? For all the minute details and idiosyncrasies they had learnt throughout their first few years of medical school, this wasn’t exactly something they’d covered.

Patient-centred care? Ethics and morality? Research-based treatments?

They reached the door to the clinic, and the doctor swung it open, gesturing for her to enter first. Katara entered, taking in the sterile smell of the room, the white walls, and posters of the cardiopulmonary system tacked around.

The doctor shut the door again and turned around with a flourish.

“The first rule of medicine,” he announced, sharp eyes boring into hers, “is you can’t save everyone.”

Katara blinked. “Pardon?”

The doctor’s mouth twitched into something that was almost a wry smile.

“You can’t save everyone,” he repeated, a heavy exhaustion laden in his eyes. “What will you do when you come out of surgery, bow your head to the patient’s family, and tell them that all your efforts weren’t enough and now they must say their goodbyes? What will you do when you stand there, biting your tongue as they scream at you, calling you every name in the book, threatening to sue you?”

Katara remained silent.

“We are not miracle workers,” the doctor said, his voice softening ever so slightly. “And at the end of the day, you pick yourself up, and you move on to the next task. But if you’ve done the best you could’ve done, then that is all you can aspire to. Remember that when you come into the OR with me next week.”

Katara forced herself to nod.

“Right,” the doctor clapped his hands together. “Now stop looking like your pet died. We have patients to see, and I don’t want a sulky-looking intern being the first thing they see when they come in. Stay on your toes, and you might make it through this rotation relatively unscathed.”

Waspish, snappish, and ironically far more grumpy-looking than Katara could be ever be, it was like every glimpse of that softened doctor had completely disappeared.

“Yes, Doctor,” she said, trying not to sound too flabbergasted.

The doctor smirked wryly, and as he cracked the door open again to collect the patient file outside, he threw over his shoulder, “Just call me Zhao.”

[snoffyy]

Hey! BEAUTIFUL PERSON AWARD! Once you are given this award you’re supposed to paste it in the asks of 8 people who deserve it. If you break the chain nothing happens, but it's sweet to know someone thinks you’re beautiful inside and out. 💕

((You know you deserve this🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤))

AHHHHHHHHH you're so sweet ;-; such a lovely surprise to open up after some absence!

Thank you so much, and right back at you!!!!! 💜💜💜

[snoffyy]

Arrhythmia

“Have you considered using a reusable cup?”

Zhao glanced up at Yue, his usual takeaway cup already in his hands, his heel already in a half-turn to head back to the hospital.

“Uh,” he said eloquently. “No, not really.”

Mostly because he kept losing his travel mugs and cups. It came with rushing around the place all the time. He’d take a sip, write a report, get up to do something else, take another sip if he remembered, hurry off to a consultation, and…

By the time he remembered he’d had coffee in the first place, he was usually already at home, belatedly realising that he couldn’t quite remember if he’d put it in his clinic, in the staffroom, or lying around literally anywhere but on his person.

So no, he hadn’t considered a reusable cup in a long, long time.

Yue wrinkled her nose at him and brought out a reusable coffee cup from under the counter, setting it in front of him.

“Here,” she said. “I’ve been trialling these. They’re cute, aren’t they?”

It was cute. Not that he’d ever admit it even under torture. Cartoonish koi patterned the baby blue cup, the same koi that were featured in the café’s logo. It was sickeningly cute, and if Jee saw him using it, he’d never let Zhao live it down.

Zhao was going to paste a name label on it, wasn’t he?

“How much?”

Yue waved him off. “Bring it the next time you come here for coffee, and it’s on the house.”

.

He still had the cup. It had been weeks, and he still had it. Yue had been beyond pleased with him, as if managing to not lose a cup was some insurmountable achievement. It certainly had nothing to do with the happy little smile she would proffer whenever he came by with cup in hand.

No, it most certainly did not have anything to do with that.

And he didn’t care if it was some Pavlov conditioning thing because it was not, it was simply him making use of the gift because if he didn’t, it would be a waste, and he didn’t like waste. There was no other reason, none at all, because he was all about pragmatics and not fixating on pretty smiles or cheerful anecdotes or watching someone putter around with their nose scrunched up in concentration as they experimented with enough syrups and flavourings to make his head spin.

“Do you mind helping me keep record of what I’m doing?” Yue asked distractedly, pushing a notepad and pen in his direction. “Sorry. I’d usually try do it myself, but it’s a lot easier with two people.”

“Of course,” Zhao said, because he was a pragmatic person up to the task and would not get distracted by anything as ridiculous as a dollop of whipped cream adorably adorning Yue’s nose.

Frankly, it was ridiculous. How was he to know that over time, somewhere between all the coffee and pastries, he’d find himself sitting here writing notes about how many pumps of hazelnut syrup she’d dumped into a cup when he knew for a fact that he still had to write three letters to his patients’ GPs.

But he didn’t care. He was too busy dutifully jotting down the dashes of cinnamon and cocoa she was sprinkling into the drink.

Caramel drizzle.

Sprinkles?

Whipped cream.

Conclusion, Zhao wrote, she has produced a sugary monstrosity.

Yue’s face suddenly appeared next to his, her wide blue eyes examining the notepad.

“Did you get everything?”

“Yes,” Zhao said, handing it over.

She took the notepad, tilting her head as she scanned his writing, her brow furrowing more and more with every second.

And then her face broke out into a grin.

“Oh my,” Yue said gleefully. “You have terrible doctor handwriting!”

She turned the notepad towards him, and Zhao couldn’t help cringing at the sloppy, slanted mess that was scribbled along the lines. He should’ve slowed down, he knew. But he had been distracted by the deft flicks of her hands, the way she’d scrutinise between two different syrups, and how she deliberated between toppings by tapping a slender finger against her chin.

He must’ve looked a little too downtrodden, as Yue softened, patting his shoulder.

“It’s fine. Honestly, it’s still legible. I can read it.”

He wasn’t offended, not really. He was more surprised that he’d gotten so distracted by Yue that he’d forgotten everything else that had been happening. It was then that the strange, squirming feeling in his gut suddenly made sense.

His mouth was already moving before his brain could form a semblance of logical thought, and much to his mortification, the words that came out of his mouth were:

“My digits are usually fine, though. Maybe I could give you my number instead?”

If there were ever a merciful higher being, they should have taken pity on him and put him out of his misery. A comet could come careening through the sky, hurtling towards him to smear him into atoms, and he would be grateful.

He’d have to find a new favourite café. And maybe a new favourite barista too. There were many coffeeshops around the hospital, after all. Or, if the shame were to follow him everywhere, he could put in a request to transfer to a different hospital. Or he could go private. There was no shortage of work for surgeons.

Or he could take an extended vacation. When was the last time he’d went on proper leave?

Yue started giggling. Then outright laughing. She muffled her mouth with a hand, but there was a delighted glint in her eye, a rising flush evident even against her tanned skin.

“I think,” she said with a wide grin once she’d composed herself, “I’d like that very much.”

He stared, helpless, and it occurred to him that not only had he figured out what the strange feeling was, but he was also completely, utterly fucked.

[snoffyy]

Chasm

There were creatures in the ocean. This, Yue had known all her life. Turtle seals, whale-walruses, koala otters… these were creatures everyone within the tribe was familiar with. Revered them, in a way. They gave her people food, warmth, clothing, tools. Every creature had purpose, and every purpose was thanked. Here, in the harsh, biting cold, their lives depended on it.

But there were other creatures. Stories of humans with fish tails. Translucent fins, scintillating scales, sleek, powerful muscles. They’d fascinated Yue when she was younger, and though there was enough evidence to prove these creatures were out there, most people went a lifetime without catching a glimpse of them.

Mermaids.

Every region of the world hosted them. Even in the bitter poles, they were there. Somewhere out there, at least.

Sometimes, Yue wondered if they led much more different lives than their land-dwelling counterparts.

Or, at least, Yue thought, as she clasped the betrothal necklace chained around her throat, if they led easier lives.

.

Ever since her engagement had been announced, Yue found herself wandering to the edge of the city to stare at the sunset, as if to count down the days of relative freedom she had left. It was peaceful outside of the towering walls, and the waters had always looked so pretty under the light of the setting sun.

“It’s my duty,” Yue said unconvincingly to the lapping waters. “I have to marry him. If I don’t, it will cause strife within the tribe. I have to. I must.”

The waters didn’t reply, of course.

“We can cooperate,” Yue continued. “My father wouldn’t have approved the betrothal if Hahn was unreasonable. I’m sure, at the very least, we can unite our interests in protecting the city.”

Below the waters, Yue thought she saw the shadowy mass of a seal animal flit briefly.

“The only reason my father would break the engagement is if Hahn did something truly terrible or if… I don’t know, he was accidentally killed during a hunt.”

A splash, and gentle ripples spread in a circular pattern. Yue smiled slightly. So she was correct; there had been an animal lurking within the waters.

“I shouldn’t say that,” Yue chided herself. “That’s horrible.”

.

Day after day, she returned to the waters, sometimes sitting in silence, sometimes talking about her day. More often than not, she’d unspool her thoughts about her impending marriage to Hahn. And without fail, the same animal she’d spotted that day would accompany her. She never managed to discern what animal it was, but she’d spy hints of it, from the dark mass travelling beneath the ice to the ripples and splashes it would make as if to agree with her words.

It was likely a large animal if the size of the splashes were any indication. She knew little else. Of its colouring, of its shape, of anything that could’ve given a hint as to what she was spilling her thoughts to.

One day, Yue had brought along a piece of raw meat, curious to see if it was a carnivorous animal. She’d tossed it into the water close to where she had seen the last indication of a splash before she returned home.

What a surprise it was to see the meat sitting on the ice the next day, completely untouched. As soon as she peered over the edge of the ice, a large splash caught her right in the face, the sound of a tail slapping against the water the only confirmation that it was the creature clearly miffed by her offering.

Raw seaweed? Tossed back.

Seal blubber? A tentative nibble taken out of a corner before it was left on the ice as well.

Finally, she brought a bowl of soup, setting it next to the water’s edge as if in offering.

The next day, an empty bowl greeted her.

It was amusing, in a way. Though Yue had to wonder what sort of high-intelligence animal had been keeping her company.

“What are you?” she finally asked after a week of leaving plated meals. “Who are you?”

A splash, and in the sunset, Yue stared, wide-eyed, as a long tail arched out of the ocean, water sluicing off glimmering crimson scales. It was nothing she had ever seen before. An indescribable beauty, almost otherworldly…

And then it was gone, slipping back into the water silently.

“Mermaid…” she breathed.

.

It was her secret, and it was supposed to remain her secret. Though the mermaid never fully revealed themselves, they seemed to be more comfortable with showing off their tail, lazily flicking it above the waves every so often or even giving her a glimpse as they dove into the depths.

Sometimes, if she was very lucky, she’d even see a flash of pale skin.

But she should’ve known that Hahn would grow curious. He’d been curious for a while, asking – no, demanding – to know where she ran off to at the end of every day.

She just hadn’t anticipated that he’d follow her.

“So this is what you’ve been doing every day?”

Yue paled, turning around to see Hahn pinning her with a fathomless stare.

“You’re giving our food to some animal?” Hahn scoffed. Then he seemed to remember himself, and a sickly-sweet smile spread across his face. “Sorry. I just meant, Yue, surely if you wanted to feed the animals, it’d be better to give them scraps instead?”

“They… have different tastes,” Yue managed.

“They’re just animals,” Hahn sighed. “They’ll be happy with bones. Besides, all animals are good for is for food and clothing. You know this, Yue.”

“They’re not…” Yue bit her lip. “Never mind.”

“Come on, let’s go.”

Yue reluctantly turned to head back with her fiancé, though not without gently setting the bowl of stew on the ice.

.

A week before the wedding, Hahn followed her out onto the ice again, this time with a spear.

“What are you doing with that?” Yue asked warily, hesitant to peer over the edge as she usually would.

Hahn smirked, flicking his hair out of his face. “Hunting. The wedding is in a week, and I’m supposed to provide the centrepiece of the banquet.”

“Right,” Yue said guardedly. “What are you planning on hunting?”

Her heart sank when Hahn approached the edge of the ice, the gleaming edge of the spear made sharper yet under the rays of the setting sun.

“I came out the other day at noon,” Hahn grinned. “And I saw something move underwater. It must’ve been your little friend. Red scales, too. There isn’t anything here that has red scales. Something that exotic would make our wedding the wedding of the century.”

“You can’t!” Yue protested. “That’s not a simple-minded animal, it’s… it’s…”

“It’s what, Yue?” Hahn asked, scanning the waters. “Come on, you can’t possibly think it’s a pet.”

“No,” Yue grabbed his arm, “but trust me when I say you can’t. Please, don’t do this. There are other animals that you can hunt, just not this one.”

Hahn’s eyes hardened. “Let go, Yue. You don’t know what you’re talking about. I knew I should’ve brought this up with your father. Do you even know what animal it is?”

“It’s not an animal,” Yue admitted. “Hahn, you can’t kill them.”

“Them?” Hahn echoed.

He was to be her husband, wasn’t he? It made sense to trust him, to divulge her secrets. How else was a relationship supposed to work? But reluctance stayed her hand, and she found herself at a loss for words.

“You can’t,” she repeated weakly.

And then, a trill.

Melodic, deep, crooning. Yue had heard many a song in her life. The greatest musicians in the Northern Water Tribe had sung at grand celebrations, fantastic orators reciting poems and stories of old. And yet none of them could compare to what she was hearing.

Hahn, on the other hand, was completely entranced. Enthralled in a way that was unnatural. Certainly not in the way he dropped his spear, stumbling closer to the edge, his eyes fixated on something in the water.

“Hahn,” Yue tugged at his arm, trying to shake off the reverie. “Hahn, get away from the water.”

“No,” Hahn murmured. “No. Let me go. I… I need to go to… I need to…”

Something, someone, crested out of the ocean. A head of brown hair, amber eyes, a proud nose. A man.

A man? Human?

No. A smattering of red scales crawled up the man’s neck, as crimson as the tail Yue had seen over the past few weeks.

Mermaid?

The man opened his mouth, revealing sharp teeth.

And then he sang.

Hahn tore himself out of Yue’s grip, diving into the water in a mad scramble. She shouted in alarm, reaching out for him, but her hand missed him by miles, and with a resounding splash, Hahn started desperately swimming towards the man.

And the man… the merman, dove towards Hahn, still trilling that haunting melody. It happened faster than Yue could comprehend. One moment Hahn was bobbing in the water, and the next, he was gone, dragged into the depths, not even a spread of blood in the water to indicate he was ever there.

Neither Hahn nor the merman resurfaced again.

.

She blamed it on a piranha shark.

Her father accepted the explanation after one look at her tear-streaked face. The rest of the tribe too believed her story after Hahn’s corpse was fished out of the ocean the next day, several bites taken out of him, piranha shark teeth embedded into the open wounds.

Too ambitious, she heard the warriors sigh as they dressed his body. He shouldn’t have tried to hunt a piranha shark. Land animals would have been easier. At least he’d have more of a chance on the tundra.

Two weeks later, Yue returned to the ice edge.

She hadn’t even needed to wait a minute before the man appeared before her, resting his arms on the ice. Amber eyes peered at her curiously, surprisingly warm for someone who clearly had no qualms drowning a person.

“Why did you do it?” Yue asked.

The merman lifted a brow in amusement. “He wanted to kill me.”

His voice was deep. It had no underlying musical quality to it, unlike that night. But Yue still remained wary, making sure she was more than an arm’s length away from the water.

“I was going to stop him.”

The merman hummed, tail flicking behind him. His fins were broad, powerful, sending a strong ripple with such a lackadaisical action. “Hmm. I’m sure.”

“I didn’t know mermen could be so violent,” Yue admitted.

At that, he perked up, grinning as if she had unwittingly told a joke that only he understood.

“Merman,” he repeated, chuckling. “How quaint.”

Then he trilled once more, and the same thrall from that night overtook her. But before she could attempt to shake it off, he vanished into the waters, leaving her alone once more.

She had an epiphany, then. The trills, the singing, the drowning…

She paled. How could she forget? Mermaids dominated the fantastical tales she adored, but there were other creatures out there. Other creatures that did not possess nearly the same innocent reputation mermaids did.

No, not merman, indeed.

Siren.

[snoffyy]

i actually don’t remember much of what happened in LoK but irosami cute hehe

She snuck into his thoughts like dream into sleep. Perhaps it all started when he noticed a wisp of sable hair, entwined with the wind, ensnaring him as he watched, mesmerised by the way it whipped around her face with no dance or rhythm. Or it could have been her lipstick, bright and glossy, imprinting an image in his mind even as he turned away.

Would it have been her wit, sharp as it was? The cunning, insightful gleam in jade eyes? Or the silhouette of her figure, outlined in the dusk?

He thought of her more often than he saw her. Flitting, always on the edge of his mind. Ever since he saw her standing at port. Ever since he forgot that the Avatar was standing next to her, his vision unable to shift away from a being of utter ethereality.

Asami.

It was a name. Just a name. He’d memorised hundreds – perhaps thousands – of names in his life thus far. He could recall the names of Fire Lords generations long past. He could recite the names of all Fire Nation nobility in his sleep. And yet… and yet, her name came to him faster than any other.

But there was war and there was strife.

And there was Asami.

He kept quiet, of course. What right did he have when duty bound him?

And after? After, he still remained silent. A burn on his shoulder, a bruise on his side. Mottled and scarred, but nothing he was no stranger to.

“Hey.”

Iroh bit the flesh of his cheek.

Asami stepped outside, sidling next to him. Her hair was down, pale face peeking out at him. No makeup. Not even that damning lipstick. Why was it then, that he still couldn’t look away?

“Miss Sato,” he rasped. “What are you doing out here? You should be resting.”

She cast her eyes at his arm, a derisive, almost judging glint in her eye. “You stole my line, General.”

A ghost of a smile graced his face. He couldn’t help it; not when she propped a hand on her hip, every intention to scold him already collecting on her tongue.

“Thank you,” he said abruptly. “You were integral to our victory.”

She slowly smiled. “I just did what I had to.”

“You underrate yourself,” Iroh returned her smile.

“I know what I’m worth,” Asami’s eyes seemed to burn into his. “You should head to bed, General Iroh. It’s a long day tomorrow.”

“And you?” Iroh challenged.

Asami laughed softly, and Iroh would never want anyone to know the way his ears strained for the sound, inscribing it deep into memory.

“I’ll retire too,” she said. “Goodnight, General.”

She offered one more smile, and then turned, heading inside, leaving him standing alone on the balcony again. She was gone, she was gone, but still, he watched the doorway, picturing her ghost, their short conversation replaying in a hypnotic loop.

[snoffyy]

New Zhayu AU

Zhao is a moderately successful podcast host and narrator with a show that straddles history, spiritualism, military practice through the ages, philosophy, and — weirdly — all things astronomical. Not horoscopes, but more of a Farmer’s Almanac approach to lunar phases and how various cultures may have interpreted seasons and calendars according to the night sky.

Yue is a grad student studying politics (?), medicine (?), arctic climate conservation (?) and is recommended the podcast by a friend who admits: “I don’t really know anything about what he talks about, I just find his voice puts me to sleep.”

Stressed from school and naturally interested in at least a few of his talking points, Yue subscribes and turns into an avid listener.

Sorry for the delay in answering!

tbh I don't listen to podcasts myself; never managed to get into them. But I love the idea, especially with the fact Zhao would definitely use a podcast as his outlet to nerd out lmao.

Below is a little something I tinkered with based on the AU hehe:

“No idea who this guy is, but he puts me to sleep – not because he’s boring or anything! Although, heh, okay, fine, I don’t always understand what he’s talking about. He’s into a lot of niche topics. Anyway! I know you’ve been looking for new podcasts, and this guy has a really soothing voice. You’ll know what I mean.”

She’d been curious the first time. Late in the night, having submitted her assignment at 2:32 AM, her fingers aching and her brain in a fog. She was a night owl anyway. But even so, the adrenaline-fuelled wave that had carried her through her mad dash to get her assignment completed hadn’t yet subsided.

Without anything else to do, she’d looked up the podcast her friend had recommended and selected the most recent one. The description had told her it was on the Old Farmer’s Almanac and how it differed from the modern versions. It seemed to be an incredibly dry topic, but Yue had thought to give it a chance when she noticed that the podcast had a surprisingly high following.

It started there. When the host began talking about how the changes in weather patterns could be chalked up to climate change and how the constellations had differed in position since then because of a natural phenomenon called precession, Yue found herself finishing the episode in the blink of an eye before mindlessly scrolling back down and starting from the very first one.

The Knowledge Seeker was what the podcast was called. An apt name, she thought, when the host would discuss topics she’d barely, if ever, given thought to at all. It almost became a game to figure out who this guy was just from listening to his voice and picking apart the topics he’d chosen. He likely had a military background, given the familiar, knowing way he’d spoken about the origins of naval slang, and how the insight he had when talking about past battles was unparalleled.

Over time, she slowly familiarised herself with his speaking habits. The confident drawl of his words, the thoughtful pauses between sentences, the way he enunciated every syllable, forming each word with clarity and precision. He spoke like he was used to speaking to large crowds, the cadence of his voice mesmerising and compelling her to hang onto his every word.

Yue had no idea when or how her obsession started, but the podcast became her solace on bad days, a balm to her weariness, and a release from the stress of studying.

“… animals have long played a role in military settings,” the host was saying in this week’s episode, several months after she had first subscribed. “In fact, and this is a personal story of mine, I suppose I should divulge the meaning behind this podcast’s name.”

Yue straightened up, setting down her pencil. Whoever the host was, he was a reclusive man, rarely letting slip of anything about his personal life.

“When I left the navy, I left with, um, PTSD. About a year after I left, my friend called me and said he was bringing something over to me: a puppy he’d found in a box behind the public library. I was in a bad state at the time and reacted poorly to the news. But, stubborn bastard he is, he brought the dog over and, well, I guess the dog grew on me because he’s still with me now. In fact, he’s currently sitting on my feet because holding me hostage is apparently his favourite way of taking a nap.”

A chuckle, and Yue was not ashamed to admit she’d replayed it several times over.

“His name is Seeker. He’s the cutest fucking thing in the world as well as the most spoilt thing. I suppose the latter is on me. I never learned how to say no when my friend brought him over, and I never managed to learn after that.”

Yue couldn’t help cracking a smile. Somehow, she couldn’t imagine him as a doting pet owner, but here he was, rambling on about his dog’s annoying habits with an obviously fond voice. Eventually, he must’ve realised that he had gone off on a tangent, as he abruptly cleared his throat and returned to discussing messenger birds.

.

She was standing directly behind a man at one of the local coffeeshops, wondering if she should try sneak a photo of his adorable dog. It looked like a Shiba Inu, curled tail wiggling excitedly as it rested its front paws against the counter wall. A red collar was barely visible around its neck, buried by a thick scarf of fur.

Yue really wanted to sink her fingers into that fur.

“Black coffee and a little something for your pupper,” the barista’s voice broke Yue out of her canine reverie as she looked back up just in time to see the man accept his cup of coffee along with a smaller cup filled with whipped cream.

“Thank you.”

His voice was deep, honeyed and warm. There was something familiar about his voice, but Yue couldn’t put her finger on it. Maybe she’d heard it in passing one time on campus. This was a coffeeshop beloved by students, after all. Although, the man did sound like he was older. Maybe a professor?

She didn’t catch any glimpse of his face. Only the slope of broad shoulders, a ramrod straight back, and neatly combed brown hair. But what truly caught her attention was when, as the man stepped out of the coffeeshop, he clicked his fingers at his dog and said –

“Come on, Seeker.”

The world seemed to slow around her as Yue whipped her head back towards the man, craning desperately to see if she could, just for a moment, catch sight of his face. But it was too late. A swarm of students passed by, swallowing up man and dog from view.

Oh, come on.

Yue internally cursed at herself. Figures the one time she did manage to coincidentally stumble upon the elusive podcast host, she failed to recognise his voice despite listening to it almost every night. For who else could it have been? She’d practically engrained his voice into her head, and yet – and yet…

“Coffee’s ready, miss.”

Yue jerked her head up, meeting the friendly gaze of the barista who plonked her sugary concoction onto the counter.

“Oh – thanks,” she stuttered. “Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

The barista winked. “The dog?”

Yue stubbornly denied the heat clawing up her neck. “Yes, the dog.”

“He comes in every Friday afternoon,” the barista said slyly. “Always with his dog. You should say ‘hi’ sometime. He’s grumpy, but he means well.”

“The dog, you mean?” Yue said somewhat drily.

The barista’s smile broadened.

Yue was about to say something else, when, catching sight of the clock on the wall, her heart nearly jolted to a stop.

“Thanks for the drink,” she said hurriedly, snatching her frappe. She had five minutes before class started, and the lecture theatre was on the other side of campus. There was no time to be thinking of cute dogs and cute men right now.

No, not cute men. She didn’t even see his face.

Yue ducked out of the coffeeshop to join the teeming mass of students, picking up the pace as the minutes started ticking down.

And if anyone asked; no, she had not been on the lookout for tall men or fluffy dogs during her sprint across campus.

[crookedmouth-mountainbones]

For @snoffyy and their delightful, touching, coffeeshop/heart-surgeon AU. Commission by the lovely @it-is-sooz-again who I would definitely work with again.

[snoffyy]

ASDFGHJKL ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!

Omg omg omg omg nooooo Crooked, you did not! 😭😭😭

It’s beautiful!!!! I’ve been staring at it for ages and I’ll continue staring for... idk, a week straight??? THE DETAILS. THE LATTE HEART. THE TUI AND LA PAINTING. COFFEE BAGS. THE CUPS ARE SO DAMN PRETTY TOO. THE IV POLES AS PART OF THE FRAME? GENIUS. Even the counter omg I love that texture. AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW PRETTY YUE IS?? It’s everything. Her soft expression, her hairstyle, just... GAH.

AND ZHAO. I love love love the stethoscope slung around his shoulders like he rushed in during a short break just to see a certain pretty barista. And the red scrubs are such a nice touch too. I can see him wearing red scrubs outside of the OR because he’s extra and he likes the colour red. If anyone asks, he’ll just deadpan that he’s representing the cardiovascular system. God, but his expression just GETS me cos he’s so soft for Yue but also hesitant and I bet he doesn’t even know he’s making that expression at her even though he’s SO OBVIOUS.

The whole colour scheme of the cafe is amazing. So mellow yet cosy and a little old-fashioned but that’s what drew Zhao in in the first place (besides Yue, of course).

A massive thank you to @it-is-sooz-again​ for breathing visual life to this au. It’s beautiful, and I’ll likely never be able to express the amount of awe I feel in writing.

To @crookedmouth-mountainbones​, an equally massive thank you. I’m beyond delighted you’ve enjoyed this little au of mine spawned from the random thoughts I’ve had in hospitals. I never in a million years anticipated that someone would commission art for it, but it’s here and I love it so, so much. 

[snoffyy]

In the heart surgeon AU, does Yue’s café have a name?

I am terrible at coming up with names, so no, I don't have a particular name in mind 😅

Maybe 'Oasis'? I'm not too sure. Open to suggestions, though!

On that note, you may have also noticed that I've avoided using Zhao's title. Calling him 'Doctor' or even cutting it off just before he can reveal his last name lol. I am aware Zhao is usually a last name anyway, but heh, I'm not known to be creative with names!

[snoffyy]

Not me crawling back into fandom with more grumpy surgeon Zhao trash -

“… surgical management of this aortic aneurysm with… any ideas?”

Blank faces stared back at him. Zhao sighed.

“ANH. Which stands for…?”

A spark of realisation flickered in the face of one of the students up front. They tentatively raised their hand, calling out, “Autologous normovolemic haemodilution?”

Finally.

“Yes,” Zhao said, trying to not let his impatience leak into his voice. This group of students were… quiet, to say the least. “However, the patient’s blood tests revealed that their haemoglobin was not at the desired levels. Why would that be, judging from the biometric data on screen?”

He pointed at the projector screen, a table of values neatly collated (and hastily thrown together one afternoon in-between dictating reports).

Another hand.

“The patient is underweight, so their total blood volume and red cell mass would be below normative range?”

“Very good,” Zhao nodded, tapping the spacebar on his laptop to get to the next slide. “Therefore, I prescribed erythropoietin and an intravenous infusion of iron to increase their haemoglobin levels. I am happy to note that they responded well to treatment and was able to enter surgery as scheduled. A fairly standard procedure. They received postoperative erythropoietin and iron and was discharged. Any questions?”

Several hands flew up.

“Seeing that the patient was underweight, did that influence your decision on the procedure you used for extracorporeal circulation?”

“Not necessarily. I settled on retrograde autologous priming, RAP, as you know it, because it has been proven to be a safer and less invasive procedure for both adult and paediatric patients,” Zhao answered. “Patient safety, of course, is paramount, and I don’t see the benefit in taking unnecessary risks.”

Another question was echoed back at him, and he answered dutifully, mind helplessly wandering back to so many years ago, when he was the student sitting at the front, confusion swirling in his head as he tried to make sense of the case study, the surgeon sitting on the panel seemingly untouchable and intimidating beyond their years.

And now he was the surgeon, taking the place of that almost enigmatic professional with the perfect poker face and unerring air.

Sometimes, he wondered how he ended up here.

.

Closing hours was Zhao’s favourite time at the café. Only a scant few weeks ago, he’d hesitated to stay that long, but Yue had managed to convince him that she didn’t mind and that she enjoyed having someone to chat to while she closed shop. Trust her to insist sending her staff home earlier while she took on the last few tasks herself.

“So, why medicine?”

He jolted out of his chamomile daze (Yue had cut him off after his second cup of coffee, the nerve of her) to raise his head in the direction of her voice.

“Pardon?”

“Why medicine?” she repeated. “I don’t think I’ve ever asked you.”

Where to even begin? His reasons for entering study into medicine was a convoluted process, and a cause of strife for much of his life. At times it felt like he was putting up a front, unwilling to admit that medicine wasn’t his first love; an almost unspoken blasphemy he shouldn’t be divulging.

But something urged him to tell Yue. Something innate knew she wasn’t the type to judge or hold implicit bias against him. She was simply someone who, over the months he’d spent getting to know through simple interactions of buying coffee, had integrated herself into his routine without him noticing or minding.

“My parents wanted me to do medicine,” Zhao confessed. “They were the type who would drag me to tutoring sessions every day after school, made me study ahead of the school curriculum, and told everyone that I was going to study medicine in the future. They never did that for any of my siblings. I was the eldest, so I suppose they placed all their expectations on me. But for whatever reason, I did well enough academically and passed all the applications and interviews to land myself a spot in med school.”

Yue paused in the middle of cleaning to stare at him, surprised.

“But it wasn’t all on them. I met my roommate and eventually best friend in undergrad,” Zhao said, a fond smile beginning to involuntarily form. “His name was Lu Ten. Now he was the type of person you knew was going to get into med school when he told you he wanted to. He was… brilliant. We suffered through pre-med together, got through the applications together, and got our acceptance letters at the same time. He was an inspiration, and he inspired me to keep going. I wanted to make a difference in the world, not necessarily through healthcare, but in any way I could. It was his drive that drew me in, made me feel that I could be my own person. I don’t know what I would’ve done without him. But…” his smile dropped. “I found out soon enough.”

Yue planted a hand over his, squeezing briefly before she lifted away again, empathetic knowing shining in her eyes.

“What happened?” she still asked quietly.

“Freak accident,” Zhao whispered. “Walking home late at night, got caught between a gang war, and…” he mimed cocking a gun. “Only casualty. Innocent bystander with a brilliant future ahead of him, and he was gone. Just like that. I was at a practical that day and I’d lost my stethoscope, so he lent me his. I still have it.”

He always carried it around in his bag. Still shiny and clean, as new as it was the day Lu Ten had given it to him with a laugh and a tease that he’d better not lose this one or it was going to be counted towards his student debt.

He barely used the stethoscope. It had become something close to a good luck charm. And something told him he wouldn’t throw it away even if it fell into tatters.

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Yue said, eyes brimming with empathy.

Zhao let out a slow breath. “Med school was… a chore. I went through the modules wondering if I should even be there. My parents paid my school fees. They were, uh, well-off, and I suppose it became a matter of pride that I didn’t just up and quit.”

“Something must’ve changed your mind,” Yue surveyed him sharply. “You wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

Zhao ducked his head to conceal a small grin. “I was actually looking up different degrees and jobs. I was tempted to join the navy when I was scheduled to visit a rural hospital in the middle of nowhere for an observation. And that visit changed everything. It’s funny, because I was supposed to be there for mainly ophthalmology, but then one of the cardiac surgeons offered for me to sit in on one of their appointments, and I thought, ‘What the hell? Sure.’”

“Your eureka moment,” Yue laughed. “I can relate. First time I steamed milk correctly, I knew I found my role.”

“Exactly like that,” Zhao curled his hands tighter around the mug. “The cardiovascular system made sense to me. It was the integration point for me to understand all the other systems. I loved it. And seeing it in practice, everything seemed to unravel and connect all at once.”

Yue leaned against the counter. “I’m glad you found your calling.”

“But at the same time, I hated that I loved it,” he admitted. “Something my parents had been pushing me towards my whole life, and the moment I observed my first cardiology appointment, I wanted it as badly as they did. I was at the point of wanting to drop out and go no contact, but then… something just clicked, as cliché as it is to say it. I eventually went no contact with my family anyway, but I walked away with something that I had come to love.”

“My dad didn’t like the idea of me starting my own business,” Yue glanced at one of the paintings hanging on the walls. “He came around eventually. I can’t imagine how hard it was for you to walk away from your family, no matter how much you disagreed with them.”

“It was hard,” Zhao traced the patterns whorled around the mug’s rim. “And harder yet to admit that I came to enjoy the one thing they kept pushing me to do. But I loved medicine in my own way. Just like how you’ve crafted your café in your own way.”

She smiled, and it was in that moment, it felt like a barrier had broken down between them and Zhao was being seen in a way he hadn’t in a long, long time.

“I’m not a very good teacher,” he blurted out, not knowing why. “I go to the panels at local medical schools anyway, but I’m not Lu Ten. He’d have loved it. He wanted to go into paediatrics. I could never.”

“But you’re here now,” Yue said gently. “And you’re making a difference. You like it, don’t you?”

He thought for a long moment, Yue’s smile overlapping with his memories of Lu Ten’s. Any one of the patients he’d had could have been a Lu Ten to someone. Any one of them could have been a Yue. There were people out there worth saving, and then there were people that made saving worth it. Sometimes, there were those that were both.

He wondered how he’d almost forgotten that.

“Yes…” he said softly, watching Yue begin puttering around again with her spray bottle and rag. “I suppose I do.”

[valtiels-darkness]

Zhaoko has stolen my skull...

Okay... It's not my fault for stumbling onto @snoffy and reading their take on Zhao in general.

Usually, if i read anything with Zhao/Zuko, Zhao is used as a plot device. Antagonistic and cruel. Like normal. But noooooo, this author had to go and give him a story and make him and that pairing likable.

I'm stuck in rair pair hell again. Thaaaaaanks.

If anyone is looking for a challenge for writing some fics. I have a load of prompts and ideas xD

[snoffyy]

AHAHAHA what a delight it was to randomly check out a few tags only to discover this post. Thank you so much for the mention! I’m delighted beyond words that you’ve found Zhao likable - and to the point of getting dragged into rare pair hell? I’m very sorry, but also not sorry 😂

And while I admittedly haven’t been able to write very much lately, it brings me endless amounts of joy to know that somewhere out there, someone has been thinking of this pairing.

Thank you again! What a delightful find amidst everything else that has been going on <3