Deep breath, thrust, exhale as fire teased the pads of his fingers. Another deep breath, following the blast of heat with a quick swipe of his foot, dipping to brace his hands against solid earth as fire flashed in a bright wave.
It was a faint tremor in the ground beneath his hands that had Zuko leaping up and away moments before narrow pillars of stone shot towards him. A quick twist in the air landed him on the balls of his feet, flame crackling betwixt his fingers as he faced his attacker.
He got a flash of pale eyes and a wide grin before the ground went soft and began sucking at his feet. Breathing a curse, Zuko channeled fire through his feet in a quick burst, pulling free of grasping earth. He shot off two fire blasts, which Toph deflected with a twist of her wrist, the slab of stone turning black from the impact.
The moment his feet touched the ground he was running, unable to contain his wild grin as fire and earth turned the ground to charred rubble.
The air shimmered with heat and dust when the spar ended, Zuko's arms pinned against his sides by stone's embrace. He shook his hair out of his eyes as bare feet padded closer. "You're getting better," Toph grinned. "It took me a whole two minutes to pin you down this time."
"I think I'd manage a lot better if you'd stop attacking me every time I practice my kata," Zuko pointed out with a scowl. He tried to wiggle his fingers, and met immovable stone on all sides.
Thin shoulders shrugged. "Kata shmata. Only real sparring makes the lessons stick." She stomped her foot and the stone fell away, making Zuko brush the dust off his clothes. "Think of it as practice, since I doubt most assassins are going to give you a heads up before they try to kill you."
True, but he wasn't about to encourage her by admitting it. Attacking him in his private garden was one thing, but he wouldn't put it past her to get creative. He wouldn't put it past her to attack him in his private chambers. "What are you doing here? I thought you were keeping Aang company while he visited."
Bare toes tapped against the ground, blind eyes narrow. "Uncle said today's Council session was pretty entertaining."
Zuko snorted. Pretty words laced with poison, subtle side glances akin to light shining on the edge of a dagger. There was nothing entertaining in dealing with men and women that promised their allegiance even as they tested the strength of their new Fire Lord.
His people had always lived by a brutal code, bound by blood and loyalty. If the Fire Nation was a dagger, the hundred year war had honed them all with a vicious edge. It was going to take years before the new peace could gentle his people.
"You knew this wasn't going to be easy," Toph stated, making Zuko wonder just how she'd known what he was thinking. She laughed. "I can feel you scowling from here."
Right. Add mind reading to the already terrifyingly adept Earth Bender's list of skills.
Walking closer, Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't expect it to be easy. I don't even mind the power games." He smiled. "It wouldn't be home without them." The smile fell away. "I just want our people to heal."
"Sometimes healing hurts, and its easier to run from the pain than accept it." Toph tilted her head. Her blind eyes couldn't focus on him, but he felt her regard as a heavy weight. "Don't beat yourself up about it, Sparky. You're doing what you can."
Hard to argue with a girl that could put him through a wall with a flick of her finger. Zuko smirked. "At least I have your vote of confidence."
"As if you need anything else." Toph curled her fingers together behind her head, unaffected by the bangs that fell into her eyes. She hesitated, bare feet scuffing at the torn earth. "So…I heard there's some sort of festival happening tonight."
"To celebrate the Summer Solstice." A day when the barrier between their world and the Spirit realm grew thin. The festival was meant to show their respect to the spirits, an appeasement of sorts to keep them from interfering in their every day lives.
Toph dug her toes into the earth. "I heard there's going to be dancing?"
Zuko swallowed; hoping she couldn't sense the blush that was beginning to climb his cheeks. "Uh yeah, you could say that."
The dancing was mainly for couples, established and those still in the stages of courting. He'd never danced himself, though he knew the steps. There had been a time when he'd considered asking Mai, but what had once been a budding relationship had long since withered away. They were friends now, of a sorts.
Zuko didn't know for sure when he'd started seeing a potential for more in his friendship with Toph. Long enough that the thought of dancing with her made his chest grow tight and his heart pound.
Toph sighed. "Look, I'm not good at this kind of thing. Do you wanna go with me or not?"
Zuko sputtered, feeling his heart drop down to his toes before bouncing back up to lodge in his throat. "What! Do you know what you're asking?"
Blind eyes fixed him with a narrow glare, and Zuko half expected the earth to open up and swallow him. "I had a little chat with Uncle."
That explained the way Uncle had been smiling earlier. That meddle-some old man was going to find pepper in his precious Jasmine tea for not warning him.
Toph huffed, turning away. "If you don't want to go you should just say so." Her voice was brusque, but Zuko could hear the hurt.
Zuko lunged after her. "Wait! I want to go with you!"
"You do?" Zuko heard disbelief, and hope as fragile as his own.
He swallowed before speaking, his voice rough. "Yes. I want to go with you."
Toph's answering smile made him wonder why he'd ever had any doubts.