time is filled with beginners

I think I’m too old of a lady for tumblr, plus it makes my browser crash all of the time. Is there a critical period for gifs? If so, I missed it.

Fact: it took saying “ableism” out loud about five or six times before I figured out the pronunciation.

(“ah-blee-ism? Ey-bah-lee-ism? Ehy-bul-ee-ism …OHHHHH. Able-ism.”)

There I go, an information professional, staying informed. Good grief.

So! CATALOGER’S NOTES: I watched the entire series of Avatar in the week before Christmas, and I loved every minute! Unfortunately, I discovered that the fandom for A:tLA is a terrifying world full of songfics, highschool AUs, shipwars, terrible characterization, and spelling errors (to name the less egregious horrors). Being a lady with (hopefully!) discerning tastes, I compiled a list of fics I have enjoyed, and I share it with you here. 

I ship canon ships, though there’s little in the way of love stories below, and I love genfic; I have read and enjoyed every one of the fics below, though it is by no means a comprehensive list. Sadly, if you like long, careening opuses that deliver plot and romance and daring—these are pretty much oneshots. But! I hope this is helpful to you. 

Grouped according to a vague internal timeline. 

Pre-series

Close Your Eyes, cupid-painted-blind
Because your eyes will only show the truth, and the truth is not what you want to see. | Kanna escapes the Northern Water Tribe and travels south, always south.

Hunter’s Moon, mekosuchinae
Miss Hama has much to do. (Spoilers for The Puppetmaster, some horror elements.)

Tradition, Shadow Wasserson
Aang is a master airbender. It is written on his skin. (Obligatory tattoo fic)

In media res

The Boy from Babel, Lavanya_six
AU. All four nations speak different languages.

Speech Acts, ferricent
What if bending was a form of sign-language?

One Kind of Good-bye, Tiamat’s Child
How we comfort each other, how we comfort the dead. Katara and Aang discuss cultural approaches to mourning.

Moon Chant, PallaPlease aka mekosuchinae 
Katara, Aang, and the moon full above.

honeysuckle, PallaPlease aka mekosuchinae
The memory of a ghost in full bloom. (Aang, Katara, and Sokka stumble into the wreckage of a house and find what they do not seek.)

a rose is a rose, PallaPlease aka mekosuchinae
“They’re called roses,” Aang says, importantly. He hop-floats onto a tree branch above the flower bush and crosses his legs, hands gripping his ankles. He puffs his chest out, straightens his shoulders, eager to prove - something, she thinks, though she isn’t sure what.

Care, Scorpling
Four days without food and the scent of the peaches makes his hollow insides burn. Four days, and Smellerbee doubles over when the hungercramps hit her. Jet clenches his fists, then unclenches them, slowly.

Physician, Heal Thyself, Serendipity1
Katara overextends a metaphor and under-appreciates her own needs. Still, life goes on. (Katara/Aang, spoilers for The Awakening)

The Flying Hours, peri_peteia
Then talk not of inconstancy / false hearts and broken vows | Mai loves Zuko, and sends Suki to the Western Air Temple. (slight AU)

Lessons in Thin Air, Lisse
What Zuko learns at the Western Air Temple, whether he wants to or not. Spoilers through 313.

Male Bonding, peripeteia & wildgoosery
As much as she intensely dislikes it, Katara understands why Zuko had to join them. What she doesn’t understand is why he and Sokka have to spend every waking moment in each other’s company. (Pre-Southern Raiders)

Never Say Too Much, handyhunter
Longshot, Smellerbee and Jet from their arrival in Ba Sing Se to the end of the series.

Post-series / Legend of Korra speculation

Listen for the Sound, peri_peteia
Three times Toph misses home and one time she doesn’t.

Game On, mekosuchinae
Mai, Zuko, and Iroh play a game of Pai Sho. (Zuko/Mai)

Disengagement, LizBee
Zuko thinks a return to the traditional Fire Nation marriage would be a good thing. Mai thinks Zuko is an idiot.

Evidence, LizBee
Reputable historical sources prove that Fire Lady Mai’s activities were confined to the traditional duties of the Fire Lord’s wife. Of the so-called history popular among women, the less said the better.

Turnabout, mekosuchinae
This most recent growth spurt has been very kind to Aang. IT’S A FLUSTER-OFF. (Katara/Aang)

Echoes in Time, ArtemisRae
Avatar Aang cannot shake the feeling that he’s been here before. (Katara/Aang, with a healthy side-dose of Avatar Kyoshi).

Descent, mekosuchinae
Katara is looking for her husband. Koh knows where he is.

Fidelity, peri_peteia (formerly Rawles)
Five times Sokka fell in love.

The Ground on Which I Stand, amyraine
When faced with the consequences of his decision on the day of the comet, Aang makes a rash decision regarding Ozai and has to deal with the fallout. (Ignores the post-series graphic novels due out in 2012.)

Disclosure, peri_peteia
Sex, Zuko discovered, was a very troublesome thing. (Zuko and Mai get married and fail, as always, to communicate. Iroh offers advice. Zuko flails. Non-explicit.)

The How and the Why of It, mekosuchinae
Uncle Sokka says Haibo has a natural curiosity. (Kidfic, canon pairings)

“What’s wrong?” Mama says at dinner. “You haven’t touched your boiled sea prunes.”
“She’s a smart girl,” Dad says.
“Eat your sea prunes,” Mama says and Dad sighs real big.

The Wind in the Sail, amyraine
Tenzin treads the thin line between his mother’s people and his father’s ghosts. (Set in between The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.)

Four Times Sokka and Toph Drank Irresponsibly, mekosuchinae
So that was fun. 

Mom’s in the ER, sister’s at a party, little bro is playing video games—

and I

I

am drinking a loneliness margarita.

I have been drinking the same loneliness margarita for over two hours now.