Trust Me

Chapter One: Ivy and Envy

As dawn spread over the city of Ba Sing Se, Zuko, along with his Uncle, awoke. Like most Firebenders they awakened as the sun escaladed into the sky. Zuko typically didn't like waking up so early, but this morning was entirely different. For once, he and the rest of the gaang were able to make it through a full night of sleep. And yesterday was to thank for that. Yesterday was the day Aang had defeated Firelord Ozai. Technically, the Airbender hadn't shut him off entirely being that he was still alive. However, taking away his ability to bend fire, Zuko's father would no longer be a problem to them. That was all that ultimately mattered.

Several hours later, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Suki woke up to a delicious meal served by Iroh. Zuko, who had already eaten, was sitting at the end of the dining table writing a letter to his girlfriend, Mai.

"Awe, does Sparky miss his girlfriend?" said Toph sarcastically. The rest of them busted out laughing. Zuko's face turned a bit pink.

"Shut up," he mumbled.

"What's that? I couldn't hear you," she teased.

He got up quickly, "Yeah, bet you couldn't see me either."

Toph got up as well. Apparently they were still a bit beaten and sore from yesterday. It obviously just made them a little bitter.

Either way, the two had very short fuses which made a terrible combo.

"Calm down you two," said Iroh as he also stood then walked in between the two benders. He gave his nephew a warning look.

"She started it," he stated like a tempered child.

"Toph was only joking Zuko, you know that," said Suki sitting across the table next to Sokka.

"No I wasn't!" shouted the Earthbender with a red face of anger.

"Stop fighting over nothing. Go and finish your letter Zuko. We will talk later after you have both settled down."

He looked at his uncle, considering snapping back at Toph. Taking a deep breath Zuko decided to be the bigger person and just let it go. Nodding his head, he walked away.

"Someone's tired," said Katara.

"Yeah, yeah," she looked over at the Waterbender, "Pass me the jam."

She rolled her eyes and slid it over to her.

As the rest of the gaang went back to enjoying breakfast, Iroh walked over with a big tray of jasmine tea.

Once Zuko was back into his room, he continued writing his letter to Mai. Being that the war was over, he had told her all about where he currently was and where he was soon to be, which was by her side, hoping to take his rightful place at the throne. Little did he know; Mai still remained close to Azula and Ty Lee.

Giving out this information would only lead his sister over to them. Everyone knew how upset she was over the loss of their father, unlike Zuko. That's the main reason why the gaang decided to wait a while before returning him back to the Fire Nation. They felt it would be best to go back after he and his uncle had the chance to rest up a bit. That way they could be prepared for whatever she decided to throw at them.

After attaching his letter to Sokka's hawk, he sent it off into the bright morning sky, intending it to arrive to Mai before nightfall.

Later, after Zuko and Toph had calmed down, the gaang began making their way into the forest behind Ba Sing Se. Instead of heading into one of the local shops, Iroh wanted to find some fresher herbs to use in his tea. Having nothing better to do, they all decided to join him.

"Are we done yet?" complained Sokka after just fifteen minutes of walking. He thought he was through with all of the searching crud. They already found and took care of their last mission.

Suki took his hand, "C'mon Sokka, it isn't that bad."

"Yeah for you maybe, but…"

As Sokka drabbled on, Toph heard nothing as she watched the two walking hand in hand. After all they had been through as a team she grew fonder and fonder towards the warrior. It was girly and pointless in her opinion. But after she slipped the news to Katara one night, the girl told her never to lose hope, just as she hadn't with Aang. It was also that night that Katara spilled her secret to Toph about her feelings for him. She simply gave her the same advice she received earlier from the other girl. The only difference was things didn't work out for Toph.

With that being said, yesterday's events made the Earthbender more upset. What happened between her and Sokka made her like him even more than before. She didn't even think that was possible…

-Flashback-

"Get away from me!" shouted Toph as one of the Firebenders was trying to push her off the Fire Nation airship. She wasn't too great with trying to feel where others were with no earth under her feet.

The two were trying to take care of these soldiers while Aang and Katara were fighting their own battles on the ground below.

Quickly, Sokka swung his boomerang at the Firebender and saved Toph for a brief moment. As the enemy fell from the blow he knocked into the younger girl, sending her slowly down the side.

"Toph!" he ran as fast as possible and reached her hand almost a moment too late. She whimpered as her body was slung over, miles from the ground.

"It's okay," Sokka tightened his grip, "I got you," he choked out as he desperately tried pulling her back, using all his strength.

"Let go!" shouted the other warrior. Suki and the rest of the Kyoshi warriors had successfully took over the other Fire Nation ship.

Sokka loosened his grip, knowing that Suki would catch her. She was only a few inches below the two.

"Are you crazy?" Toph had no idea what was going on being that her feet were useless dangling in mid-air.

"Don't worry Toph, you'll be fine," he went to release his hold on her hand, but she squeezed harder.

"Trust me."

At those words, Toph left her life in his hands, literally, as she let him go.

Screaming as she fell through the air, she was grateful when Suki and the others had a small net to catch her. Not that she fell very far. It was just a safety precaution.

Moments later, Sokka jumped down. Instead of running over to his girlfriend, he went to the Earthbender and gave her a reassuring hug as her face was still pale from everything she just went through.

"You trusted me," he laughed over her shoulder.

Toph gave a small smile when he pulled back, "I trust you."

-End Flashback-

Since then Toph truly knew her feelings towards Sokka. There was no longer a doubt about it. Unfortunately, seeing the two in front of her only made her heart tighten.

"Hey, what about this?" said Aang facing Iroh with a greenish plant in his hands.

"Aang!" shouted Katara running over and knocking it out of his hands. She bended some water to cleanse them.

"What?" he said confused.

"That would be poison ivy," Iroh chuckled as he walked along with his small basket of herbs and spices.

He stared at his hands wide-eyed and frantically began wiping them all over his clothes.

"It's okay, it's okay," said Katara taking his hands, "I took care of it already."

Sokka and Suki laughed as they passed by.

Aang looked up at her as she held onto his hands and planted a little kiss on her cheek.

Katara couldn't help but blush as she smiled at him. The two had been a thing long before the fight, but had not made it official until now.

As Katara took Aang's hand and led him along to keep up with the rest of the gaang, Toph crossed her arms and 'watched' the two couples from behind in envy.