Cali2003
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(With Wonder and Care) Reach for Far-flung Dreams by Erisenyo
Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender
29 Sep 2022
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Sokka has seen more documentaries than Zuko probably cares to count about NASA’s various missions. He once made Katara watch a compilation of his favorite rocket launches and he can name, in order, all 365 manned space flights ever to leave Earth. He has the Curiosity rover tattooed on the back of his shoulder and the solar system wrapped around his bicep and he’s wanted to be an astronaut since he was old enough to realize what that was, has wanted to visit the Kennedy Space Center and see a rocket launch since he learned it existed.
Little does he know that today is the day it’s finally going to happen.
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That Love You've Been Looking For by Erisenyo for MTB
Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender
17 Nov 2023
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Sokka is on a tour of the Earth Kingdom along with the Water Tribe delegation. Two months of travel throughout the Earth Kingdom to build relationships. Two months to make deals, reestablish trade routes, show off Water Tribe crafts and explore Earth Kingdom goods in return.
Though this type of exploration maybe wasn't quite what was intended...
The sixty-one days until Sokka next sees Zuko suddenly can't go fast enough.
(Fully written, updates every other Friday)
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Bookmarked by Cali2003
13 Nov 2025
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Burning Bright Verse - This is absolutely hilarious, I swear I had to take breaks I was laughing that hard.
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Zuko had never excelled at anything. Azula was a prodigy. Uncle always knew what to say. And Father... Father was strong, iron-like. But Zuko had only ever been good at surviving. Putting one foot in front of the other in a grim show of stubborn determination, gritting his teeth and bearing it. Survival was all he had ever been taught. He knew how to do it. So when he was kidnapped by the Southern Water Tribe, he expected to fight as he always had. He didn’t expect to be taught instead how to live.
In a warring land, the Water Tribe forgave the enemy in an act of defiance. For this, he was torn from them, and this time, his wounds won't heal so easily.
Forced back into nothing but survival, the last person Zuko expected to see was Hakoda's son. Hakoda was a promise of safety. The relentless blue of Sokka’s eyes was a promise of happiness. Zuko could have both if he just reached out his hands, but he found them clutching into fists. After all, he’d been burned one too many times.
But hey, at least between Hakoda and Sokka, Zuko could appreciate the family resemblance of pure, asinine stubbornness.
PODFIC AND TRANSLATIONS AVAILABLE
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- English
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- 414,665
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- 46/53
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Bookmarked by Cali2003
19 Aug 2025
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I've tried to keep it vague, but beware: spoilers below!
Description: This is a staple "Zuko captured by the Southern Water Tribe" fic, with the initial trope following a similar plot to MuffinLance's Salvage, before diverging and becoming so much more. Zuko is taken prisoner on Chief Hakoda's ship part-way through Book 1 of the ATLA series, where he finds himself alone amongst his enemies. After a rocky few weeks and a trip to the South Pole, tentative bonds begin to form among the tribesmen and their prisoner, where many of the characters begin to realise war is not as black and white as it seems. While sailing with the fleet towards Chameleon Bay, Zuko is rudely torn away from his newfound friends, and embarks on a new journey, truly alone, where his limits are pushed further than they ever have been before. His eventual reunion with the Southern Water Tribe is both happy and sad, as Zuko is undeniably and irrevocably changed, and now needs his friends more than ever to help him navigate his emotions and his place in the world, as the war between the Four Nations comes to a head.
Opinion: I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THIS FIC. IT IS AMAZING. Hella's characterisation of Zuko is my favourite of all the fics I've read, and it really does feel true to his canon personality. His bond with Chief Hakoda is so warming, and feels like something the show is missing with regards to Zuko's character development. I have absolutely fallen in love with all of Hella's OCs; they are so well written and feel so natural - I can't imagine the story without them any more (Zi Se, Kanut, and Tomkin HAVE MY HEART!). Zuko's eventual reunion with the Gaang is so perfect, with everyone being just the right amount of reasonable - not too stubborn to forgive, but not too quick to forget either. Sokka and Zuko's friendship forms towards the end of the fic, with the last chapter (as of now; chapter 44) ending just as it blossoms into something more. I can't wait to see where Hella takes this story in the future, and I know I'll have my fingers and toes crossed for a proper Zukka relationship as well as an Azula redemption arc <3
Disclaimer: While the topics covered in this fic aren't too heavy, there are still graphic descriptions of violence and wounds described throughout most of the story, as well as some trickier mental health stuff - particularly towards the end. Chapters 19–22 are significantly heavier than the rest of the story, though (in my opinion), so maybe watch out for those!
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Summary
Mid-Season-One Zuko is held for ransom by Chief Hakoda. Ozai's replies to the Water Tribe's demands are A+ Parenting. Hakoda is… deeply concerned, for this son that isn't his, and who might be safer among enemies than with his own father.
Podfic and translations in Dutch, German, Hungarian, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian now available! See chapter one author notes for links.
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- English
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- 127,168
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- 20/20
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Bookmarked by Cali2003
17 Aug 2025
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Comfort read 💟
This characterisation of Zuko and Hakoda feels mostly true to canon, however this does shift towards the end. It is still an amazing read nonetheless!
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The letter was never supposed to be read, least of all by Sokka. But then, things happen every day that aren’t supposed to, in war.
Or,
On a particularly hopeless night, Zuko sends out a messenger hawk to nowhere. He didn’t realize that his messenger hawk is deeply committed to completing the job. And that Sokka happens to be traveling straight through nowhere, at the time.
Series
- Part 1 of Burning Bright
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 221,516
- Chapters:
- 30/30
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- 5
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Bookmarked by Cali2003
10 Nov 2025
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While the imprisonment in this book is much shorter than many of the others listed here - and its not the primary cause of Sokka and Zuko's relationship - I still have to include this fic in this collection because:
A) The imprisonment does change things
and
B) Its simply an amazing work I never want to lose!
This fic is just one part of a much larger universe - one which extends beyond just the 3 instalments included in the series. The author has written many more 'one-shot' style sequels, as well as some longer works which occur after the end of Book 3 (-of the 'Burning Bright' verse, which this book is the first part of). The whole collection is over 1,500,000 words long, and it is AMAZING.
It does contain a considerable number of explicit scenes - so that might be something to keep in mind... But the violence is quite minimal, which is very enjoyable considering that is NOT the case with many of the fics in this collection... This universe can offer a nice change of pace if one has just finished reading something rather heavy :D (speaking from experience - its nice to read something lighter every so often!!!)