“Even if the fast flow of a stream is divided by a boulder, finally it becomes one again - in the same way although we may now be separated, in the end we will be reunited”
I commissioned an artwork by the wonderful and talented Nissou based on a scene from my fanfic, Fire in the Hearth on AO3.
This is from Chapter 10: DANCE
Here's a little taste...
Zuko turned to Toph.
He closed the space between them, his breath growing shallow with every step.
Toph was blushing with the same intensity of her outfit.
She stood still as Zuko stopped in front of her.
His eyes wandered over her again. He wished she would lift her face so he could see her properly.
He hesitated. “Can I have this dance?”
Toph’s head snapped in agreement, but her body did not move.
“Can I have your hand?” he asked.
She jolted, then held her hand out in wait. He paused for only a moment, before taking it in his. Their fingers closed around each other, the vibration of his heart shooting through her.
He was surprised. The usually steady Toph was trembling slightly in his grasp.
He squeezed her hand tighter.
“I don’t do the twirling thing,” Toph said seriously.
He smiled as a small huff escaped him. “Don’t worry. No twirling,” he whispered, leaning closer.
...
The rest and everything that happened before (so much drama) and after (even more drama!), can be found here!!!
:･ﾟ✧:･.☽˚｡･ﾟ✧:･.:
(Gushing time: oh my spirits, look at how gorgeous and buff Toph is! And Zuko so handsome! The height difference! Aaaaahhh their outfits literally looked like that in my mind! Aaaaahhhh! I am so overjoyed, I can't stop staring at them! This is magic! Its magic!)
It's a little late for me to post this here, but I don't want to abandon my Tumblr account :3 I have to upload something sometimes so it doesn't stay empty ✨
Mastery is a throne that eventually feels like a cage
I wanted to share my thoughts on this drawing inspired by the movie. After watching it 2nd time, throughout her time as a teacher, she remarks how bored she is. I believe it’s more than just a comedic beat. By the end of the movie, we still see her in the same restless boredom. She is so proficient that it seems teaching has become a repetitive loop. Nothing in the teaching setting actually challenges her anymore. This drawing captures right after the adrenaline of the final battle fades. She’s realizing that being the ‘Greatest Earthbender’ is kind of a double-edged sword: being a master in a room of beginners feels less like a win and more like being stuck in a cage. She needs a mountain she can’t move yet. What breaks her out of the cage is the gaang. If it weren’t for Aang, she never would have found the friends she considers family. She’s had real adventures and challenges that make her feel free, but it is because she craves connection. It would’ve been amazing to see this arc developed with more depth in the movie. Since most of the gaang’s character journey felt a bit flat toward the end.
