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"The people who denied who they were or where they had been were in the greatest danger. They were blind sleepwalkers on tightropes, fingers scoring thin air."
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My past two Avatar fanfictions have been Sokka/Toph centric one shots. I've decided to do a multi chaptered story centered on Zuko/Toph. Basically, they're horribly lonely people with horrible childhoods who connect.
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Enjoy.
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(evening)
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He runs a hand through his hair, looking out at the restaurant. The occupants are all quietly immersed within their own worlds, the smell of black tea strong in the evening. A small group of university students had claimed the back corner for the sake of access to the outlets for their laptops and gazed endlessly into open textbooks decorated with neon sticky notes.
"They won't give you any problem tonight," Iroh told him, setting down two fresh tea pots on the counter. "Exam season for them. That old lady in the back reading will leave soon." He pointed to the woman with grey hair flipping idly through the pages of a thick book.
Zuko nodded.
"Sometimes a girl will come in late when the rest of them have left. You take extra care with her." The phone rang shrilly from the back. Iroh hurried away from the counter and into the kitchens only to remerge within seconds. "My ride is here. You take good care of the Dragon for me, nephew."
The old man fumbled for his jacket and umbrella, face pale and weary.
"Safe travels," Zuko managed to spit out just before Iroh fled the shop and into the pouring rain.
He halted at the door way, turning.
"She's your sister, Zuko."
The door jingled merrily and loudly as the door opened and shut.
He bit back a series of unpleasant words, keeping in mind the young girl perched at the counter with a large mug of tea in front of her. She looked up suddenly, arching a brow. "Family problems?"
He gave her a skeptical look, eyeing the worn copy of Twilight in her hands. "Mind your own business."
She exhaled loudly. "I'm Meng. You ought to be nicer to customers, you know. My Aunt Wu tells me all the time that friendly service equals friendly customers."
"Do you need a refill?"
Meng looked surprised. "No."
"Good."
He walked away from her and sat up in the tall barstool behind the cash. The rain was coming down hard and slowly the tea shop was emptying. The old lady left, throwing a few crumpled ones in the tip jar, and was followed by the students out into the night. Meng glared at him before calling for a taxi and taking her leave as well.
The door jingled loudly.
She threw her hood back, wiping her hand over her forehead to catch the raindrops. "Iroh," she called out as she made her way slowly towards the cash where he sat. "I'm running late tonight." She sighed as she fumbled for the stool. "All these papers. They never end, I swear."
He watched her.
"What tea would you recommend tonight? It's freezing out there."
Zuko leaned forward, raising an eye brow. She kept her gaze on her lap, shrugging off her rather bright red jacket and placing it on the back of her chair. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders, damp with the rain fall.
"Hi?"
She jumped, eyes widening. "Iroh?"
"He left."
She grasped her jacket tightly in her hands. "When did he leave?"
"An hour ago. He left for Japan." Zuko frowned. "Can I get you anything?"
"No thank you." She slipped the jacket on, pulling her hood up. "Have a nice night."
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The phone rang loudly from the back. Zuko got it on the last ring, "Jasmine Dragon."
"Your sister will be fine, they tell me."
"Uncle."
"Nephew."
"I don't care about Azula."
Iroh sighed. "She's deeply hurt. They've got her under surveillance to ensure she doesn't try to hurt herself again. Much unresolved conflict."
"I'm watching the store as a favour. I do not care about Azula." Zuko ground out. "She's dead to me."
There was a pause.
"Did the girl come today?"
"What girl?"
"She's the blind one."
"She's blind?"
He could hear his Uncle laugh loudly. "You didn't know?"
"She didn't have a dog or anything. How was I supposed to know?"
"Toph is a peculiar one. Anyways, I should check into my hotel now. I will call you soon. Take care, Zuko."
Zuko hung up.
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It was almost midnight the next night she came in.
He hates working at the Jasmine Dragon at night, watching the hours of the evening fade away. It's depressing watching the sunset melt away into midnight, stars becoming sharper and sharper like rusted nails in the sky. He hates the people that come in and out, how nothing binds them down.
Zuko hates not being able to leave.
He watches her intently, the way her hands ghost over the chairs and tables as she makes her way to the counter. "Iroh?"
"Still gone."
She wrinkled her nose as she hopped up onto the stool. .
Zuko folded his arms and leaned against the wall, eying the emptied tables and chairs behind her. "Do you want tea?"
"I did walk into a tea shop, right?"
He snorts. "What type do you want?"
"Just a green tea. Nothing in it."
"He likes to talk about you quite a bit about you." Zuko mumbled as he grabbed a clean tea cup from the rack.
She rests her elbows on the surface of the counter and stretches her back our, cracking and popping her spine. "He talks quite a bit about everything. Iroh has some crazy stories."
Zuko nodded. "He does."
"Is he your father?"
"Uncle."
"Cool."
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Sunrise emerges slowly.
She's long gone and he's finally leaving the Jasmine Dragon.
("So, who are you anyways?")
("Zuko.")
("I'm Toph.")
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