#tsrd

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For everyone who was wondering about the quote at the end of Ten Strides in the Right Direction, it comes from a novel by Julio Cortázar called Hopscotch. It is now my definitive Zutara quote. Especially when you see the last bit. Here it is:

“What most people call loving consists of picking out a woman and marrying her. They pick her out, I swear, I’ve seen them. As if you could pick in love, as if it were not a lightning bolt that splits your bones and leaves you staked out in the middle of the courtyard... I think it’s just the opposite. Beatrice wasn’t picked out, Juliet wasn’t picked out. You don’t pick out the rain that soaks you to a skin when you come out of a concert.” ― Julio Cortazar

I dunno. I just feel that this really speaks to Zutara as a ship. I don't think either of them would ever deliberately pick one another as the person they wanted to love. It would just be something that happens to them. (There are also the literal Zutara references of lightning in a courtyard and rain soaking you to the skin, but you all got that.)

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I just want to say that I’m so thankful to have had all of you on this ride. I seem to say this a lot with my Zutara fics, but Ten Strides in the Right Direction really took on a mind of its own and turned into something so much more than I expected. Honestly, I never expected to write Zutara set in Book 3 because I love the concept of them growing together after the war so much. (I am really a post-canon fix-it type of person.) But... Here we are.

Originally, I just wanted to fill the gaps left in Zuko and Katara’s relationship by canon. But by the time I wrote Chapter 3, I knew where this was going. I knew what the last sentence of this fic was going to be. From Chapter 4 on, I was writing towards this particular ending.

I treasure every single reader who has undertaken this journey with me. All of you mean more to me than you could ever know and I hope that you’ll explore some of my other works and stick with me for future projects. ❤️

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

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Looking at her, even out of the corner of his eye, becomes too difficult. The firebender looks down, studies the calloused planes of his hands as he slumps over his knees. They remind him of Ozai’s hands, long fingered and capable of inflicting everlasting damage. They’re ugly and they’re terrifying.

His palms and fingers are calloused from the hilts of his swords and the heat of his element. They are not the hands Katara expects to belong to a prince. Oddly enough, they remind her of the hands of her people. Blisters from heat, like accidental burns from cooking over a fire. Callouses like those on her elders’ hands, the ones that come from ships’ ropes and weighty nets brimming with fish. Strange, she thinks, to find similarities to one’s homeland in the hands of someone her people would find so decidedly other.

I posted these two excerpts in response to an ask a while back. Bringing them back right now because I am so excited to hit post on the latest chapter of Ten Strides. These contrasting points of view on Zuko’s hands felt intrinsic to the story and they’re probably some of my favorite lines I’ve written for Zutara Month. Can’t wait for you all to finally have both of them. 💜

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*writes down some experimental ideas*

*throws them out into the ether*

Happy Chapter Ten of Ten Strides in the Right Direction, everyone!

(Yeah. It’s a parade alright. An angst parade.)

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

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

Here is the next chapter of Ten Strides!

Thank you all SO much for your continuous support and kindness! I don’t have the words to adequately describe how much your love for this story means to me. I really enjoyed writing it, but started developing this sort of...dissatisfaction with it after looking it over one too many times in the editing process. Every nice comment is helping me realize that it’s not as bad as I’d feared. 💜💜

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

Here’s your Friday update of Ten Strides!!

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Thanks for all of your well-wishes! I am indeed feeling better.

Here's the latest chapter of Ten Strides!

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