a/n This is my first fanfiction, go a head and flame if you want, but don't be to harsh
This is a oneshot for Twilight Rose 2's May contest, it's a triangle of sorts between Zuko, Toph and Sokka, takes place postwar
please don't flame the pairing, and if there are any grammar or spelling errors i apologize, i editted as best i could (if anyone wants to be a beta reader let me know)
disclaimer: me no own
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"I'm not sure, maybe it's too much-
"No."
"But what if she doesn't-
"She's blind, Zuko, she won't care what you're wearing."
Blood rushed to the firelord's cheeks. Of all people, he knew she wouldn't care what he wore, but he was getting desperate, and the waterbender was affectively deflating all of his excuses. "Katara. . ." he trailed off.
"Look Zuko, you're the firelord, people are already talking about your wedding-
"Katara!"
"And I know Toph likes you."
Zuko glared at the pushy peasant, wondering, once again, what had possessed him to tell her of his feelings to the little, blind earthbender.
Toph, Sokka, Katara and even Aang had come from all corners of the globe to join the celebration of Zuko's twenty first birthday.
Toph had arrived the day earlier, bringing with her a rush of unwanted emotions for the firelord, ones he had tried to forget. Zuko was still in awe that Toph hadn't known instantly what he was thinking, the rate his heart had been beating.
"If Toph can't see, why do we need candles!?" Zuko flung his arms in an attempt to be dramatic, but only succeed in ruffling the royal sleeves.
Katara took a deep breath; the firebender was testing her patience, "It doesn't matter if she can't see them, they set an atmosphere!" Zuko was prepared to fight that point to, but Katara quickly added, "Plus they smell nice."
Zuko rolled his eyes, but lit the candle Katara presented to him. He had to admit, they did smell nice, kind of.
Over the past few hours the two benders had been preparing the royal garden, creating the most romantic setting. Candles floated across the pond, their reflections glowing in harmony with the blazing sunset. Beneath the sloping willow that overlooked the water was a soft picnic blanket, with cliché red and white checks. A woven basket, courtesy of Katara, perched at the tip of the blanket, brimming with goodies.
Over the past few hours Zuko had deduced two things, one, women are insane, and two, the devil has blue eyes.
XxXx
Toph hadn't been suspicious when Zuko invited her to a privet diner. The two hadn't seen much of each other since she arrived, and the earthbender was eager to tease 'Sparky' about certain marriage rumors she had been hearing.
She had been surprised when she was escorted, not to the dining area, but to a luscious garden. She wiggled her bare toes appreciatively in the cool grass.
Her acute sense of smell was picking something up, something almost sweet, though it was more calming than anything. It was almost like those candles her mother used to burn, essence or something.
Toph could feel Zuko standing underneath a mighty tree. With what could only be a blanket sprawled under his feet. A picnic?
Had her thoughts not been so tangled up, she may have realized that sitting on the ground would ruin the expensive, and beautiful (or so she was told) dress that she wore, something Katara would later kill her for.
"Hey." Zuko's greeting was hesitant, and his heart was close to beating some record, Toph was sure.
"Hey Sparky." Pasting a cheesy grin across her face, Toph ran into the open arms of Zuko. He smelt of cinnamon, a sent Toph found soothing. His arms bristled with natural warmth. It had been too long, much too long. The brief moment he held her, was much too short.
When he pulled away, Toph felt disappointment creep into her, but shoved it aside.
"Toph. . ." he began, his still racing heart was accompanied by blazing cheeks. "It's, it's really good to see you." He managed to sputter out.
"Great to be here too," Toph responded cheekily, still grinning.
Silence.
Swiftly, Toph punched the firelord in his arm, "What's all this I hear about you getting married?"
If it was even possible, Zuko's heart sped up even more, and his cheeks were even hotter. "That's actually what I want to talk to you about," he gulped.
Something inside Toph clicked, her grin was harder to support now, "what, do you have a crush or something?"
"It's a little more then a crush," Zuko whispered from the ground. Since when was he sitting?
Just keep smiling, Toph coached herself, "It's not Sugar Queen, is it?" Her tone was as teasing and light as she could manage.
". . .No," Zuko was having even more trouble talking then Toph, "it's you."
The world stopped.
XxXx
Sokka gulped the last of his drink. He had been drowning his sorrows in liquor since his sister told him of Zuko's plan. That had been, oh, about three hours ago. Only Aang knew of his feelings for Toph, and now it was too late.
Of course Toph liked Zuko.
The firelord had everything, was everything the earthbender would ever need.
Sokka was just, Sokka.
The bartender plopped another drink in front of the warrior. Sokka gave him a tipsy smile of thanks. This was his fifth. Or sixth. Or maybe seventh. . . It could easily be eight too. . .
Taking a thoughtful sip Sokka wondered how long he'd been in the bar, alone. Hadn't Aang been there at one point? Right, he left because 'monks don't drink'. Yeah right.
A slamming door jarred Sokka out of his ponderings. He turned to see the object of his affections, his sun on a rainy day, the flame that heated his heart, and a bunch of other corny phrases people said about the ones they loved when they were drunk, Toph.
The earthbender stumbled over to the bar, slid into the seat next to Sokka, and ordered a beer in a daze. The drink was dropped in front of her, and she downed it in a single gulp. It wasn't until a second drink was place in front of her did Toph even glance his way.
"Hey Snozzles." After only a single drink her words were slurred. Her ghostly, pale, green eyes were strained, and held an expression Sokka had never seen on the girl before. Defeat.
"Whua's the matter Toph?" It only occurred to him then that Toph should be in the garden enjoying a romantic diner with Zuko, planning their wedding and what they'd name their kids, at this time, not in a bar with him.
Toph slurped the rest of her second drink, than belched loudly. She giggled at the sound, in a cute drunk way.
"You're so drunk." Sokka teased, smirking triumphantly that he had noticed.
"'M not!" she protested.
"Pfft, weakling, took you like, two," gulp "three, drinks to get totally blown."
Toph punched him, hard, "you call me weak?! You are totally drunk."
The defeated look had disappeared by now; she was in a happy drunk daze. Toph gulped another drink. Sokka had burst out laughing at something that could only be funny to someone passed their sixth drink, but stopped as he saw Toph's eyes widen, and the blind seventeen-year-old dashed from the room.
Sokka glanced at her empty glasses, reliving each gulp, and set off to the bathroom. He didn't think twice (when does Sokka ever?) before entering the girl's room. He slipped into the stall Toph had collapsed in, and held her ebony hair away from her face as she emptied her stomach. Sokka couldn't help but marvel at how silky the blind girl's hair was. He rubbed her back in circular motions, slightly surprised he was managing all this in his drunken state.
Finally Toph leaned back from the water basin, breathing deeply. Sokka let the girl's hair fall from hands. "Drank too fast." He informed her.
Toph merely nodded. She turned to him. Her hair was a mess, there was vomit smeared on her lips, and her skin was sickly pale. "You're too pretty to be drunk." He murmured as Toph wiped her lips, she froze in the action. Sokka didn't seem to notice the girl's hesitance, as he ran his fingers across her cheek. "You're too good for me," he mumbled, hardly aware he was saying it aloud, "Belong with Zuko." He whispered, defeated this time. "Can't love you. Not supposed to love you." His eyes were locked on Toph's unseeing ones. "I do."
The distance between them evaporated. Lips locked in drunken passion, and for a moment, it was heaven.
Toph had to go and ruin it all. She wasn't drunk enough to forget Zuko.
Sokka's drinks were catching up with him; he swayed, almost falling onto Toph. The earthbender struggled to her feet, pulling the swords master up with her.
Slinging one of Sokka's arms over her shoulders, Toph supported him down the hallway. Sokka was over a head taller then her, so it was awkward to say the least, but she struggled on, all the way from the bar, to Sokka's room.
She was too tired to make it any farther, dropping Sokka onto his bed, Toph flopped beside him. The two drunks fell asleep instantly, completely comfortable in a position that should have been awkward.
XxXx
Aang had located Katara sometime around midnight, voicing his concerns about her brother. Katara had been more then a little shocked to learn of Sokka's feelings towards Toph. Guilt had overwhelmed the waterbender, as she remembered bragging to him that she had pretty much secured the fact that Toph and Zuko would get together.
The two had hurried to the bar, but Sokka wasn't there. The bartender mentioned Sokka and Toph had both been in the bar a few hours ago, but left in quite a hurry. It was surprising to hear Toph had drunk. The earthbender never indulged in liquor, claiming it made bending hard, which made it hard for her to 'see'.
The next place to check was their rooms. Sokka's was closest, so the waterbender and avatar hurried to his room.
It was hard to decipher the looks on their faces when they found Sokka and Toph cuddled together on the bed. It was either shock or belief, or somewhere in between.
A quick glance between the two benders was enough to decide what they should do.
As to avoid an angry, hung over swords master, and quick tempered earthbending master, they would let them sleep. Toph and Sokka could figure everything out in the morning, and then explain to Zuko.
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well, that's it, i'm leaving the ending open, so you can choose whether Toph goes with Zuko, or Sokka
now please review, it only takes a few seconds!