Sick and Cold
Aang watched as Toph slept soundly on her small futon. Her chest rised with every quiet, quick breath she took. She was wrapped around tightly with heavy, blue blankets, but she still looked cold. A small cough would escape her half-opened mouth every now and then. She would often shift slightly, and Aang would brush the hair away if it fell on her face. Every time she shivered, he would wrap the blankets tighter around her.
"Is she awake yet?"
Aang jumped slightly and turned around. "Oh, hey Katara. Toph's still sleeping."
The water tribe girl made her way to Toph's side and kneeled down. She took off one of her thick, indigo mittens to feel the girl's forehead. "Her fever's gone down," she said. Katara squeezed the blankets tighter around the smaller girl to help retain her body heat. "I'll be back again in a few minutes with her lunch. You need anything?"
"Nah. I'm good," Aang answered and smiled slightly.
She nodded as she put her mitten back on and headed towards the opening of the small hut. "And Aang?"
"Huh?"
"Get some rest. It's just a cold."
"Yeah. I will." He nodded.
With a worried glance back, Katara made her way outside.
From the futon, Toph groaned softly.
Aang gasped. "Toph! You're awake!"
"What? You think I was asleep?" She replied groggily with her usual sarcasm. "With all the talking and touching and moving, I don't think it's possible to stay unconscious."
He grinned, happy to have his friend finally awake.
"It's so cold!" Toph whimpered.
Aang stood up and looked around the small hut. "I can't find any blankets."
Toph growled from under her sheets. "I hate the South Pole. And if the North Pole is anything similar, I hate it there too. Why did you have to drag me all the way here? I never wanted to come. I was perfectly fine back in the Fire Nation. At least they had decent weather there. But noooo. You insisted we go. And now I'm stuck here-" She said, slapping her futon. Thump. "-in this insanely-" Thump. '-freezing-" Thump. "-and getting sick-" Thump. "How the hell does anyone even survive in this..." She thrust her arms out. "in this...this...ughh..."
"Place?" He offered, smiling happily.
"This...place...shouldn't even be considered a place." She rolled her body around to lie on her stomach. Her face was buried deep into her pillow. "It's unbearable," she mumbled into it. "If there were ever a time I'd give up earth for fire, it'd be now. And that's really saying something because I would give up my life before giving up earth. See what you've done to me, Aang?"
Aang chucked softly and eyed her with curiosity.
"How do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Live." She replied. "Here. It's humanly impossible, and somehow you manage to do it."
"Katara and Sokka and all the other people from the Northern and Southern Water Tribes can."
"Excluding them. Their ancestors developed some sort of...anti-freezing mechanism in their bodies that's passed down from one generation to the next. It's already born into them, so they don't count."
Aang raised an eyebrow at her. His crooked smile and twinkling eyes showed his amusement. "The temperature at the Air Temples are pretty cold too. Though I agree, this place is way colder. I'm just used to it, I guess."
Toph snorted, shivering under the thick blankets. She clutched on tighter to them.
"Plus," he added. "it does help being a firebender and all."
"I hate you and Zuko," Toph grumbled.
"What about Iroh?"
"Nah," she replied, raising her head off the pillow. She turned to lay on her side. "Can't ever be mad at old Gramp Pops."
Aang shook his head and laughed lightly. "There are really no other blankets here. You're using all the extras."
"And I'm still cold!" She complained and coughed two times. "Which one of your stupid spirit friends did this? Tell me so I can head over to the Spirit World and give 'em a good, well-deserved ass-whooping."
"I told you to wear another sweater when you went out," he said. "But you didn't listen, and you got sick."
"I already had like 5 pounds of coats stacked up on me. I didn't think any more would fit. Besides, I was already as warm as anyone could get in this damn place."
"And I warned you about the water," Aang reminded her.
"This whole area is made up of snow and ice. I kinda already knew that the first time I stepped foot on here," Toph replied sarcastically.
Aang rolled his eyes. "I was talking about the waterbending. I told you it gets really wet down there."
"So I got a little splashed. Big deal."
"You kidding me?" He asked exasperatedly. "You were soaked through! It's no wonder you got sick. Why didn't you just listen to me and brought the umbrella?"
"Because I didn't want to look like an idiot being the only one carrying that weird thing around," she countered. "Besides, I thought if I got wet, I would've asked one of those waterbender dudes to bend the water off of me."
"But no one did because anyone who offered, you downright refused. And you got sick."
"I didn't need anyone to help me."
"You didn't want anyone to."
"I can take care of myself by myself," Toph stated.
"Well, you sure took care of yourself real nicely."
"Shut up, Twinkletoes."
He grinned, knowing this victory was his to savor. "I'll go ask for more blankets then," said Aang, making his way towards the exit.
"Don't bother. No amount of blankets will keep me warm in this crazy place. Get you butt over her, Baldie."
He did as told, already used to her demands. "Katara'll be in with your lunch in a while," he said as he walked towards her.
Toph grabbed at his clothes clumsily. "Come on," she mumbled, pulling him onto the futon.
"Wha- Wha- are you doing?" He asked, pulling away out of reflex, but despite her cold and weakened strength, she still managed to keep a firm grip.
"Making you my warming bag."
"Ah!" Aang yelled out as he was forcefully dragged in next to her. He landed with an 'oof'.
"Get in," she commanded.
"Huh? Wha-?"
Growling, Toph threw the covers onto him. The sudden burst of cool air made her shiver heavily. She coughed a few times, not bothering to cover her mouth. She quickly squeezed herself on him. "You're so warm," she said, sighing happily, though she herself was still not.
Aang's regular intake of air was not enough as his heart thumped faster. His breathing came quicker and imbalanced, and he struggled to keep it at a constant rate. Heat rise to his cheeks at their sudden close, very, very close, proximity. He watched, frozen in place, as she got comfortable against him. She rested her her head next to his left shoulder on the pillow. A few strands of her hair ticked his pinked face. "T-Toph?" He managed to squeak out, his voice a few octaves higher than usual. "I-I don't know about this."
"What? Why?" She asked, snuggling closer. He could feel the coolness of her hands through his clothes. "Is there something wrong with what we're doing?"
"What if someone sees us?"
"So? You're only here to keep me warm, right? There's nothing wrong with that. So what if someone catches us, huh?"
"But..."
"But nothing, Twinkletoes." Her face was was tilted towards his, and with each word she spoke, he could feel the warm from her mouth. "Now shush up." She placed a cool finger softly on his lips.
He still seemed unsure, but did not dare argue the girl. His body remained stiff as he kept a constant lookout of the things around him.
A few minutes later, Toph spoke up again. "It's still a bit cold, don't you think?"
"Um...I feel fine..." He shrugged.
"I don't." She rubbed her hands together. They were cold, but the friction did little to help. She grunted in disbelief.
Aang watched as she shifted into different positions around him. She pushed harder against his body in hopes of capturing more heat. She stuck her hands under his sides. She made him wrap his arms around her, much to his embarrassment and discomfort. He pulled up a few blankets to cover up to her shoulders. But nothing worked to make her satisfied.
"Idiot! Why did you bring me here?!" She yelled out in defeat. Toph moaned and slumped on Aang. Her head dropped next to his, and their cheeks touched—one cold and one warming up. "My hands are still cold," she whined. "They're all icy and numb and stiff."
He shook his head. Never in his 12 years of life (or 112 if you prefer) had he ever met anyone so unable to withstand the cold.
Toph laid on her side with narrowed eyes as Aang watched her cautiously. Slowly, a small smile crept onto her thinking face.
"Um, why are you smiling like that?" He asked carefully.
"Because I think I know how to get my hands heated up," she grinned.
He raised his eyebrow.
"H-Hey! What are you doing?!" He shouted. He fought as hands tried grabbing his sash, trying to loosen it. "Stop! Stop!" He struggled to keep them away from him. He would've been able to successfully escape had there not been any blankets tying him down.
"Relax, Twinkletoes," she told him, nonetheless bothered by her actions. He looked at her in a confused, horrified expression. In one swift move, she got his belt off.
Aang jerked away in surprise. He desperately tried to yank it out from her, but he missed as Toph flinged it away somewhere behind the futon. "What was that for?!"
"I just wanted to do that."
"Ah!" Freezing hands slipped inside his golden robe and grasped onto him. He thrashed about uselessly. "Cold!" He tried to push her away, but she was a tight clinger. "Toph! Stop! It's cold!" He felt a shiver go through him as icy fingers moved over his skin.
"Stop moving!"
He frozed in terror.
"Ahh... Much better."
"i-I really don't think we should be doing this," he said anxiously.
"And what makes you think that?"
"W-What if they get the...the wrong idea?" He asked worriedly.
"Wrong idea?" She repeated with innocence, cocking her head. "What wrong idea?"
"That...That...we're..." He trailed off.
Toph moved her head up. "Doing it?" She mumbled into his ear. She tried not to snicker as she felt his heartbeats skyrocket. He felt goosebumps rise from his skin. Heat was, literally, radiating off of him; She was able to feel it.
Aang stuttered as he tried to make out some words, but it came out in a mess, a few sounds, undecipherable.
Toph laughed out loud. "Please. Like anyone would ever think that. We're only 12, not 14 year-olds. Maybe in a few years, Twinkles." She tapped his nose with one of her cold pointing fingers. "In the meantime, pure thoughts."
He laughed weakly. "Yeah...I-I'll do that."
The two kids became silent again. The warmth between them was inviting, and it lured the two young benders into unconsciousness. They soon fell into a deep and dreamless slumber.
--
"Aang? Aang?"
Aang felt soft fingers poke at his back. They were careful not to touch the middle where the scar was, the one created by Azula's deadly lightning.
"Aang, wake up," the person whispered.
He groaned and rubbed his eyes with the back of his right hand, yawning loudly. His other arm was still wrapped around the sleeping young earthbender.
"Afternoon, Sleepyhead," the voice greeted. "Had a nice nap?"
Aang cracked open his eyes reluctantly to see Katara balancing a tray with one hand. She grinned brightly down at him. He groaned again. "How long was I out?" He asked, sitting up. His voice was raspy so he cleared his throat.
"Don't know. At least a couple of minutes. Maybe 20?" She answered, pulling back her free hand to hold the tray properly. "I brought Toph her lunch. Um, you eating in here too or are you gonna join the rest of us?"
"Huh? Uh..." He looked down next to him to see Toph's slender figure still by his side. Her hands were still under his clothes, now very much warm. He blushed as he turned back to face Katara. She kept smiling gently. "Um...I-I don't know. I'm not hungry yet."
"K. Well, you better get hungry soon. The food goes quick," said Katara. She set the tray down on the floor. A delicious looking bowl of chicken soup on a blue platter, a silver spoon, a blue handkerchief, and a small cup filled with purple liquid, most likely Toph's medicine, were all neatly organized on it. "Apparently Iroh's a great cook...and Zuko's learning..." She stood up and made her way to the tent's exit. "See you." She turned to look back at them before finally leaving, the same smile still plastered onto her dark skinned face.
"K, bye," he said faintly, a little too late. He turned back to the sleeping Toph. He wondered whether he should wake her or not. She looked so tranquil and content. He sighed. The soup was going to get cold. He tentatively reached for her arms and pulled them out from under his robe as softly as he could, trying his best not to disturb her. She didn't wake. He slipped himself out of the heavy layers and off the bed, barely moving the mattress. He found his sash and tied it back on securely around his clothes. "Toph?" He said. "Toph?" He whispered, and shook her softly.
'What?' was her unenthusiastic, muffled reply. She shifted to doze on her left side. "I'm tired. Leave me alone whoever you are."
"Toph, it's me. Wake up. Aren't you hungry?" Aang replied. "Katara brought you your lunch."
"Lunch?" Toph asked, confused.
"Chicken soup. It smells really yummy," he lied. The aroma of chicken soup smelled horrible to him, maybe enough to make him puke, but it was probably only because he was a vegetarian.
Toph opened her eyes halfway, groaning. She sniffed around for a few seconds. Something in the room did smell nice. She sat up, unwillingly exposed again to the harsh cold. Coughing, she pulled the sheets up against herself, Aang helping. Her hair was a bit matted, but she didn't care as she blindly searched for her green headband. Aang found it and gave it to her. She slipped it on, not bothering to do the bun, but kept her usual, long bags to cover her small face. "Where's the food?" She asked. The scrumptious fragrance of chicken soup had made her hungry almost instantaneously.
Aang took the bowl and spoon off the tray. He stirred the soup around, almost transparent steam rising from it. Toph removed her hands out from her blankets to reach for the bowl, but Aang pushed them back in. He slowly used the spoon to grab some of the liquid and held it out next to her mouth. "Open," he said.
"You don't have to feed me," she said dryly.
"I want to."
"I'm not a baby."
"I never said you are one," replied Aang. "Here, open up and drink it."
Rolling her eyes and sighing dramatically, she opened her mouth. He moved the spoon to the tip of her lips. Her mouth closed over it. "Ow!" She yelped. "Hot! Hot!" Her hands flew to her mouth, almost knocking the bowl and spoon out of his grip.
With quick reflexes (of a waterbending master), he moved them away and bended the liquid that had came out before it spilled onto her sheets, spoon and bowl still held in between his fingers. "Sorry!"
"Ow, that burned, you dunderhead!"
"Sorry! Sorry!"
"You're not a very good mother," she smirked.
Aang frowned and replied, "I'm not a mother."
"It's Ok, Aang. My mother wasn't a very good mother either," she laughed.
Aang smiled as he scooped up some more soup with the spoon. He blew at it so that it was neither too hot nor too cold, courtesy of his airbending and firebending skills. "Open." Annoyed still, she opened her mouth, and he fed it to her. He got some more soup, blew at it, told her to open, and fed. Soon they got into the rhythm of things and enjoyed the lunch in peaceful silence, except for the occasional displeased grunts from the small earthbender.
Aang scooped up the last of the chicken soup and fed it to her. He dropped the spoon into the bowl with a clank and placed the bowl onto the platter. Then he picked up the cup with Toph's vile looking purple medicine. "Here," he said, handing it to her.
She took it and sniffed at it, making a disgusted face. "Ugh! No thank you. The smell of it is nauseating."
"C'mon, Toph. It's just your medicine."
"It smells worse than Omashu's sewers, and I bet it tastes just as bad. No way in hell am I drinking it."
"But you need it to get better."
"I can get better on my own. Leave it to my immune system."
"But your medicine will help your immune system."
"I said no!" She yelled sternly. "Now good night." She huffed and laid back down heavily on her futon, cold yet again.
"It's still the afternoon," Aang muttered, heaving a breath. He set the cup back on the tray. There was no point arguing Toph when she'd made up her mind. Katara would deal with it later. He sat on the floor with legs pulled in to his chest and absentmindedly watched everything but the curled up figure in bed.
"Stupid South Pole weather. C-Cold," she grumbled, a shiver crawling up her spine. "Aang!"
He didn't respond, not even the slightest twitch in his body.
"Aang!" She said again.
Still, he did not move. He didn't even flinch.
"Damn it! AANG!"
Only then did he closed his eyes and covered his ears to her ear piercing scream. "Not until you take it."
"No. Now get over here!"
He stayed in his spot, ignoring the easily annoyed, frustrated girl.
After many more failed attempts, Toph finally contemplated over it. "Fine," she said angrily through tightly clenched teeth. She was never one to accept defeat, but in this case, it was necessary that she give in. "Hand it over." She stuck her hand out, and Aang gave her the cup. Toph bit her lip, hesitating for a second, and closed her eyes as she quickly gulped it down, trying not to taste the despicable fluid. She made gagging noises and started coughing. "I'm ready to kill the person who created this repulsive drink," she stated venomously. "Can I please go and regurgitate it?"
"Good job, Sifu Toph," praised Aang. "I knew you could handle it." He laughed.
"Shut up, Skinny," she responded, sensing he was trying to poke fun at her. "And get in."
He happily complied, bouncing up lightly off the ground, wind caressing her face, and obediently climbing inside the sheets. He wrapped his arms around her slim body as she pressed herself against him. Both fell soundly asleep next to each other again.
I had this idea for a few days, no idea where it came from, but I finally decided to write it down. Haven't written or posted anything in awhile. First one this year. Whoo. It came out to be way longer than I expected. I guess that's a good thing. (?) This is the longest story I've ever written. -_- I felt it got kinda pointless when I was finishing it, so...yeah. Hope my little..uh..drabble?...was a bit fun to read.
Oh, and, is it just me, or does it seem like that foam guy has rabies?