Guitars and Stars
The Gaang goes on a camping trip. Sequel to I Hate Creepy Songs. Tokka and Hints at Kataang and Zutara. (Vote on the poll on my Profile for which you want to win.) AU.
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Chapter 1: Plans
A/N: Yo people! I'm back. So regards to the finale, I definitely liked it but COME ON AANG YOU WERE ALL KICK ASS AND SHOULD'VE KILLED HIM. WHAT THE HELL. And the Sokka protecting Toph Tokka-ness was great 'cept for the Sukka right before and after it. It's ok though, I've convinced myself that in the spin-off, they will all be older and Tokka happiness will occur. And what with the un-answered question-y-ness! YES WHERE IS ZUKO'S MOM? WE'RE STILL WAITING.
--If you haven't read "I Hate Creepy Songs", you actually haven't missed too much. Toph and Sokka are dating. There are some key things that will come into play…so I do recommend you read it. Um…I hinted…err-basically said- that Zuko and Aang both like Katara. Oh, and I use…naughty words. That's all I can say as far as small details go. Yeah…so you should still read it.
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TOPH PoV
"NO. There's no way I'm going camping with all of you!"
I went to get off Zuko's living room couch, but Sokka grabbed my hand and pulled me back down. "Why not? Camping's fun. You get to…swim and…Go on hikes and…and…stuff."
I sighed. "Right…Swimming. Awesome, sounds like my kinda fun."
"Ohhhh…heh heh. Right. I forgot. You hate swimming."
SOKKA PoV
You'd think after being Toph's boyfriend for nearly a month I'd remember the things she hates.
Aang was sitting upside down on the chair across from me, his head on the floor and feet on the top of the chair, blowing bubbles. "Which is funny considering Sokka's one of the fastest guys on the swim team."
Toph stuck her tongue out at Aang.
"First of all." I puffed out my chest. "I am the fastest."
Toph punched me in the gut. "Liar."
"What's he lying about?" Katara had just entered Zuko's house. She'd been at her volunteer job at the animal shelter, feeding kittens.
Aang tried to sit right side up but ended up crashing to floor and in the process, spilling bubble soap all over himself and the rug.
Still, he managed to be at Katara's side in a split second and say, "Sokka thinks he's the fastest on the swim team, and Toph thinks he's lying."
Katara raised an eyebrow at me. Shit. "Really? That's funny. I seem to recall that Sokka swims the Butterfly and the current record holder at our school is not Sokka, but Haru."
Toph laughed. "That pretty boy swims faster than you?"
I groaned.
Katara seemed to want to continue and while I was mid-groanage (I sooo made that word up and you're going to deal with it. – A/N) said, "I, on the other hand, am the school's record holder in the breaststroke, with a time of 1:17:00. Close to state qualifiers."
I bit back, "But it isn't state qualifying. So, Ha Ha."
Then I realized something. Toph and Aang had managed to change the subject on me. I turned Toph and pointed my finger in her face. "You are SO going camping with us this weekend, and you're going to like it."
TOPH PoV
I sighed again and pushed Sokka's hand away from my head. "If you say so, but I don't think my parents'll go for it."
"Ooo! Phone Time!"
I heard Sokka open his phone and press 2 buttons.
I cocked my head. "How did you dial my number? You only pressed two buttons."
KATARA PoV
Sokka was blushing. He rubbed the back of his neck with the hand that wasn't holding the Phone, and said, "You're first on my contacts list Toph."
Now it was Toph's turn to blush.
Although it had been almost a month since my brother and Toph had started dating, I still couldn't get over it. As weird as it appeared to me, they seemed to be crazy about each other.
I think what bothers me the most, is that I was the only one who couldn't see it. Maybe I was too focused on sports and school and volunteering to study my friends, but I didn't think I was that oblivious.
Although adapting to their relationship was hard for me to do, Zuko and Aang seemed to be around me a lot more. They really came through for me when I was confused and weirded out. The two of them were great friends.
When I snapped back into reality, I heard Sokka laughing nervously. "Alright Mrs. Bei Fong. I'll make sure that I stay out of Toph's tent."
When Sokka said that, Toph and him each blushed uncomfortably and shifted slightly away from each other.
He continued replying though. "Yes, Mrs. Bei Fong, Just this weekend. Friday to Sunday, it'll only be two nights. Uhuh."
He looked over at Toph and smiled evilly, while Mrs. Bei Fong said something. "Yes. Toph realllly wants to go."
Toph proceeded to punch him, yet again, in the gut.
"Yes Mrs. Bei Fong Katar-Ugh!" He groaned and clutched his stomach. For a blind girl Toph had a kick-ass punch.
He gasped for breath and continued, "Katara will be happy to watch out for Toph and make sure she's ok."
Sokka said that sentence slow and enunciated it really well. And the whole time he was glaring at me with a look that read "PLEASE!"
"What's that?" He continued. "You want to talk to Katara? Ok. Here she is."
Sokka stared at me with wide eyes, and handed the phone to me.
"Now Katara darling," I heard Mrs. Bei Fong's voice. "I'm sure you know that Sokka and my precious Toph have gotten quite involved lately."
I sighed, her "precious Toph"? I didn't like where this was going. "Uhhhhh, yeah."
"I want you to make sure that they don't partake in to much…physical activity. I want you to watch them like a hawk and make sure nothing serioushappens. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Mrs. Bei Fong."
This was definitely going to be an interesting weekend. She'd just basically told me to keep Toph and Sokka from kissing or being any where near each other. I was going to get creamed by both of them if they found out about this. I'd have to make sure that my interruptions were "coincidental". But I could handle it. I was always up for a challenge and I'd take it on a 100.
Suddenly I heard a door upstairs open and then shut.
I turned my head to the stairs. It was Zuko. He was wearing loose black shorts and jogging sneakers. He had his Ipod in and was bobbing his head to the music, eyes closed.
I then noticed how fit his chest was. He had a six-pack. You'd think I would've noticed this before, considering he's a diver and I go to all the swimming/diving meets to support Sokka; being the good sister that I am.
ZUKO PoV
I stretched my arms and then opened my eyes. I looked up and saw Katara leaning against the wall across from me. Had she come to see me? By herself? Here I was half naked, about to go running, and KATARA was visiting me? Life was good.
As I approached Katara, the rest of the living room came into view. I realized that Katara had in fact, not come to visit me alone. Everyone else was here too. Aang was on the window seat, looking at a Humming bird outside, and Toph and Sokka were sitting comfortably next to each other on the sofa.
The amazing moment that had almost happened suddenly became awkward.
Here I was still half-naked, but now Aang, Sokka and Toph were here too. Shit.
"What the hell's going on? Why are you all here?"
Toph was the first to reply. "Because, Dumb ass, you have the biggest, accessible house."
I smiled. Even though Toph was insulting me, I still got amusement out of her verbal abuse.
"But I moved out of my dad's mansion 2 weeks ago. I live with my Uncle Iroh now. This is just a normal house."
"Let me repeat myself Zuko. YOU. HAVE. THE. BIG-EST. AC-CESS-I-BLE. HOUSE." She jabbed Sokka's shoulder. "Sokka and Muffin over there, live in a 2 story house with 7 rooms.
Not big.
Aang lives in a trailer with a Green house out back.
Not cool.
I live in my parents' house, which yes, is also a mansion, but the key words are My Parents.
No freedom.
So what does that leave?"
I sighed. "My house. But that doesn't answer my other question. WHY are you here?"
Sokka jumped up and grinned wildly at me. "We're going CAMPING!"
"NO! We're not." I said firmly.
"Yes!"
"Not a chance!"
"Please?"
"Nuh uh."
"Come on!"
"Is Aang going?"
"Yup!"
Wonderful.
"Katara's going?"
"Definitely."
That makes up for Aang, I suppose.
I turned to Toph. "Toph? You're even going?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, Don't look at me. I'm being forced against my will."
Sokka put his arm over my shoulder, "And you are too Zuko."
"What? No I'm not."
Sokka plainly pointed over my shoulder to where my Uncle had just popped in.
"Yes, you are Zuko. You need to take a break from training and relax. You need to stop and smell the tea and drink it too." My uncle motioned to the cup of tea in his hand and took a sip.
My Uncle was the best person in my life and I take his advice to heart, whether it's actually when he says it, or when I need it the most. When I mess up. This was one of those moments I apparently needed it now.
I sighed. "Fine."
Sokka sat back down next to Toph and I sat on the other side of her. I looked at Toph and knowingly said, "This is gonna suck, isn't it?"
She smiled. "Trips with Sokka usually do." She grabbed his hand. "Except for the more recent ones."
Oh Barf. As happy as I was for the pair…come on. Really? With me right there? Barf.
"So what's the plan Sokka?" Aang seemed very happy when he asked this.
"We're going to stay on Wonderland Island in the Thousand Islands. We'll need to take two cars and it's a 4 hour drive."
"Holy Shit Sokka. What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Toph…I…"
"4 HOURS?"
"Uhuh?"
Toph tightened her hand into a fist and then loosened it again. "I'll spare you this once. But Really…WHY FOUR HOURS?"
"It sounded…cool?"
Toph groaned. "Of course it did. What goes on inside your brain never ceases to amaze me."
I turned to Sokka. "So you said that we need to take two cars? Whose should we take? I have one, you have one, Katara has one and so does Aang…so which two are we taking?"
Sokka scratched his head. "I dunno."
Katara broke in, "I'll make this a little easier. I've only had my license a year and don't want to drive for four hours. So count my car out."
Something in Sokka's brain seemed to register with this. "So then we shouldn't take Aang's car either?"
Aang was in a daze but seemed to have heard his name and said, "I'm fine with driving for four hours…"
Toph suddenly realized something. "I vote we take Aang's and Zuko's 'cause Sokka's car will probably end up breaking down again and then we'll meet some freaks and go get coffee and end up meeting this weird 'king' and then there'll be a shoo-muhumph."
Sokka put his hand over her mouth, "That's enough Toph, they don't need to know everything. So Aang's and Zuko's it is?"
Everyone nodded in agreement. "So we're leaving tomorrow then!" Sokka jumped up and again said, "We're going CAMPING!"
"Great." I mumbled.
"We're going…camping."
Toph sighed. "I hear ya
Zuko."
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A/N:
BTW, in NY State, 1:17 is actually close to state qualifying. It's like 1:15 or 1:13, I don't remember exactly seeing as I don't really swim it...
As far Aang blowing bubbles upside down goes, He just keeps them in his car, ok? That's why he 'randomly' had bubbles with him. It's physically impossible for me to do the upside down thing though. I tried and ended up with bubbles in my mouth and…on my bedroom floor, like Aang…Hee hee. Ali and Chrissy on the other hand can do it, but Chrissy was giggling her face off the whole time. I recommend you try it. Especially if one of your friends is spazzy like Chrissy…or me! SOOO Fun!
Regarding the Toph being first on the contacts list thing, Chrissy and Ali were like "That doesn't make any sense." And it's simple; if you put a space before the name, it shows up first! And Sokka did it because Toph's his girlfriend. (If you have a problem with this, I say: Deal!)
Zuko's a diver, not a swimmer. I think he could handle the kick ass thrill of being a diver, and the diver's I know are crazy amazing. So yeah, Zuko's a crazy freaking amazing diver, the end.
Yeah, So. Wonderland Island. I don't think it really exists, but all the places are going to be named after things in Alice in Wonderland. (Ali's slightly obsessed with that as well)
For my IHCS's readers, don't worry, Fate Man and Son will be introduced soon…ish.
Reviews please! –Mandi (Toruh)