Soon after the war Aang and Toph fell together in love. They were one of those couples that were so in sync they seemed made for one another, understanding the meanings behind each glance, touch, and word they shared. They endured together, fought together, and helped change the world side by side.
After the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai, the avatar's group separated on their own missions to help the nations recover. Zuko became Fire Lord and immediately was immersed in reforming the Fire Nation. Sokka returned home to apprentice under his father and learn of his future chiefly duties. Katara traveled the nations with an elite group of healers who aided those who had suffered most from the war. And Suki returned home a war hero and the new leader of the Kyoshi warriors.
Toph didn't want to return home, didn't want to feel idle. So she stayed with the avatar, traveling with him on his endless journey to maintain peace and balance. They adventured to new places, met new people, faced new challenges, and they did it together.
Aang pushes through the woods, dragging along a confused looking Toph. The two seventeen year olds were taking advantage of a day free of work and Aang had an idea on just the way to spend it.
"Where are we going?" she asks for what seems the millionth time. She acted reluctant but hid the odd giddiness that brewed inside her whenever they were together and suppressed the excitement she felt from being spontaneous.
"Like you can't feel what's ahead." He replied sarcastically, still bending branches away to clear a path and avoiding tripping over rocks. Toph had to detangle her long hair from a few branches because she took to wearing it down when she wasn't working but neither let their hands separate the whole while.
"What's so great about a pond? I'm sure you think it's pretty but I'm not really one for sight-seeing."
Aang ignored the blind joke but once he pushed past the last layer of greenery and laid eyes on the pond, he took a moment to admire its beauty. It sparkled under the blazing sun that was perched in the middle of the sky. The day was beautiful, the scent of the forest surrounding and the sounds of restless birds filled the air. It made him more excited about his plan.
"We are here for a picnic." He said, guiding Toph to the wicker basket and blanket he had set out earlier.
Toph grew excited. "Lunch time?"
He smiled, "A special lunch time."
"What makes it special?" she was now more hesitant.
"I made it all myself and might I say it looks rather delicious." Cooking for themselves was a rare occurrence. People always made sure the heroes of the world had food in arms reach. Toph blushed slightly at the memory of her attempt to cook breakfast for the two of them and setting fire to the kitchen, a room she doesn't allow herself to enter anymore.
They plopped down onto the blanket and ate their lunch, sharing jokes and laughter between bites.
"That wasn't too bad," said a disbelieving Toph who was cozy in Aang's lap and let her fingers run across his chin where he was attempting to grow hair.
Aang answered smugly, "And so now we've found something I do better than you."
-20 minutes later-
Both Aang and Toph lay limp, belly-first in the grass, parallel one another.
"I am so sorry," Aang muttered, his eye lids drooping and covered in sweat. He had just finished holding back Toph's hair as it was her turn to vomit into the bushes, "So I guess neither of us can cook."
There was silence as they both tried to keep the contents of their stomachs in place.
"I'm fine with take-out noodles for the rest our lives," Toph breathed out.
Aang said nothing but let a small smile slide onto his face despite the twisting stomach cramps, throbbing headache, and lack of overall energy all because Toph planned on ordering noodles with him forever.
They were best friends.
Aang still in his night clothes, dragged himself to the big chestnut wardrobe that sat in his spacious room in Ba Sing Se. Still with sleep still in his eyes, he pulled open the elegant, hand-painted door and to his surprise was crushed by a limp bodied Toph who flopped out with the likeness of a dead body.
"Ugh." He groaned from his squished place on the wooden floor underneath the eart bender. Another one of her pranks. He figured she'd never grow out of them.
Toph succumbed to a fit of laughter but remained on top of Aang who, after recovering from the surprise, joined in on the laughing. This was not a new prank to him.
"How many times is that now?" He asked, now smiling stupidly.
"Like eight. You aren't mad, right?" Toph asked him teasingly.
"Never."
"Good, cause you're my favorite victim," she said with a smile and pressed her lips to his.
They were partners.
The room was still. Outside the sun was setting, giving the room and orange glow. The bedroom window was open, letting in the afternoon breeze and the chirping of crickets.
However, the serene moment was lost on Toph. Her feet were up and crossed on the bed to block out the world. She sat in silence facing away from the door with an unnatural stillness. Her milky green eyes stared into nothing. She remained this way for hours, maybe minutes, it could have been days but she didn't notice.
On the outside she was as responsive as a statue and her breathing was calm and steady. On the inside her stomach ached, her chest felt hollow, and her thoughts whirled around chasing each other. Thoughts that told her she should have visited more, been more forgiving, told her she deserved the pain for being so stubborn.
She was so wrapped up in these poisonous feelings that she didn't notice when the only air bender on Earth cracked open the door. He came searching for Toph after he had heard the news. Her mother had passed away the previous night. How unprepared she was to lose her mother at only the age of twenty, her mom would miss so much. It only weighed on her more that she hadn't paid a visit in over a year.
Aang took an unsure step into the room and closed the door behind him. When the door clicked shut, Toph noticed the addition to the room and knew immediately who it was. She didn't move or acknowledge him.
Aang took slow steps until he was right beside her and sat next to her on the neatly made bed. They both faced the window, light only on their fronts. She remained silent, afraid that if she made any movement, she'd break and her emotions would spill out. He said nothing as well. There was nothing he could say. But he could be there for her and he would.
He reached over and simply held her hand. And that was all it took. She let her wall crumble, might as well, Aang would only climb over it. He was the only one who could. Her calm demeanor turned to choking sobs. She leant over to press her flushed face into his shoulder where her tears stained his robes. His other hand rested on her head, careful not to muss her trademark bun.
He let her cry on him because that's what she needed. He knew despite being as stubborn and strong as the element she bends, even a rock needs a rock.
They were lovers.
"Flying bison."
"Correct."
"Yes! My turn." Toph took control of the floating soapstone bison and began molding it into her own creation. The two sat on a bench in the court yard of the gang's vacation home on Ember Island. Toph sat facing Aang, her legs strewn over his lap and his hand on her knees as she worked on the little rock.
"Done," she claimed.
"A panda lily," he replied confidently.
"Correct, your turn."
Aang took over the rock and with his free hand shaped it to match the image in his head. He was taking several minutes, smoothing it and eliminating blemishes. Toph grew impatient with the unusual attention to detail. She used her bending to sense the stone.
"Why is it taking you so long to make a ring? Look, I guessed it, my turn now." She tried to take back the piece of earth suspended in the air but Aang snatched it away and his other hand pushed her face back. "Hey, what's going on?"
"This is for you." Aang held out on his palm the little rock that was now a small ring and was delicately carved to look like it was wrapped in flowered vines.
Toph took the ring and let her fingers run over it lightly, studying its appearance through her hands. She was silent, her face unreadable as she continued to feel the ring. Her breath caught when she felt an engraving on the inner side of the accessory reading'Forever'.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
"It's a promise. I know we have a lot going on with our duties but one day, when everything is better, I want you to know I can-want to be yours completely."
Toph felt her throat restrict and palms get sweaty. They were only twenty-two. Well into marrying age if they were anybody else. But Aang was the avatar, busy maintaining the balance of a world that almost a decade after the war only managed a fragile peace. And Toph was busier than ever before nurturing her metal bending academy that was just a few years old.
Aang was her favorite person in the world and if she were to get married, she'd want to be married to him but the very idea had the fearless Toph Bei Fong scared to her core. She never figured she would be married in the past and couldn't possibly know if that was what she wanted in the future but in the current moment, creeping over the fear, was unmistakable happiness.
"Did you just propose a future proposal?" She decided to return to her teasing voice that was a little breathless.
"I believe so," he replied in the same tone.
She felt confused and pressured but without another thought said, "Well then I accept." And instead of getting that feeling of dread one experiences right after they've done something wrong or made a mistake, she felt relieved…and excited.
"Woah, really?" Aang asked surprised.
"Uh, yeah. Do you want me to change my mind?"
"No! No, I just wasn't sure you would go for it."
Toph looked thoughtful. "I wasn't sure either until two seconds ago but then I remembered…I love you."
"And I love you." He kissed her sweetly and slowly. His hands got lost in her ebony hair and her arms secured themselves around his neck as their kiss deepened and the passion grew.
It was so easy for them to get lost in each other and the love they shared. But what they didn't know was soon, their love wouldn't be enough.
I don't know what this is. I embellished this really old fic I wrote and I have no idea where the story is going but I'm excited to find out.