Mmhm^^ The thing that's been in my head forever has been just some innkeeper's daughter in the Fire Nation, opening up the shutter on a lantern and blowing until the wick catches, like in Practical Magic.

politically handled!Zuko- I like to think that he'd come into his own eventually, but it would definitely start out with needing some help. Zuko was raised to be a prince, if not an heir, for the first thirteen years of his life- Toph and Mai just have more of a finger on the pulse and practical experience right now. And he'd have to put on an appearance of knowing what he's doing, otherwise there's gonna be a huge push to return Ozai, Azula, or Any Popular Ranking General on the throne. Iroh might be of help there, though.