This is my first fanfic ever, so I would appreciate some feedback. Also, this is only the first part of the projected story. So, if I get 5 good reviews asking for more, I will finish it.
Needless to say, I do not own the characters, world, and the places in this story. I don't own AtLA because if I did, Toph would have had some romantic entanglement in the show.
The sky was aflame with the colors of another waning day as sunset approached marking the end of the summer day. The Avatar watched the sun slowly disappear under the infinite ocean horizon as he lazily lay on top of the ridge which gave him an unobstructed view of the beautiful sight. He sat there reminiscing about the previous years. Over two years ago, Aang and his friends defeated Fire Lord Ozai, stopped the fleet of airships and ushered in a new era of peace. However, ushering an era was not a simple task.
Aang started his political career immediately after the defeat of Ozai. It didn't last long. It was hard for him to determine what really made him leave politics. Maybe it was the need to follow the consistent schedule of being in said city by this time then flying across the world for the next meeting and the long, boring meetings lasting hours. Maybe it was the infuriating loopholes and ploys that he had to cut through. Regardless, he left to journey the world, like he did a hundred years ago.
Fire Lord Zuko had his hands full with the Insurrection, a rebel group loyal to the Phoenix King. After a year and eight months of spies, stings and other such undercover operations; the Insurrection leader was finally apprehended. Within three weeks, the organization fell apart. There was continued dissent for Zuko and his leadership, but such was the life of a politician.
Sokka took over as leader of the Southern Water Tribe and took Suki as his wife. The wedding was a few days before Polar night which Aang envied because whenever he saw a sunset, like the one he saw now, it would forever be associated with the day long sunset of Sokka and Suki's beautiful wedding.
Katara returned home. She was homesick and had grown tired of nomadic life. Aang had suffered from separation anxiety and had to return to the south pole every few weeks for almost a year. Katara tried to convince Aang to stay but he had been a nomad all his life. His life was always a journey and never a destination.
Toph returned home after everyone else had left and after a few hours, she promptly ran away again. She caught up with the Avatar hours after he had left her in Gaoling. When he left her there, he felt remarkably hallow. It was the second time in his life he felt all alone, the first being when he ran away that faithful night.
As he sat there watching the stars blink into existence, he thought about how lucky he was that he didn't feel that way now. His thoughts were interrupted when he felt someone approach him from behind.
"Enjoying your personal time, Twinkle Toes?" Toph inquired as she approached him.
"Not really..." Aang responded.
"Well, you won't mind fixing me my dinner then." Toph said in her matter of fact tone.
He couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, alright. I'll fix us some dried seaweed and rice," he said as he walked back to camp.
Aang watched as Toph grimaced "Ugh... Again? I miss Sokka and his meat packed menu..." The earthbender whined.
Aang laughed. "You must really hate my seaweed and rice if you miss Sokka's 'meat packed' cooking."
An hour later, Toph was rinsing off the last of the dishes while Aang airbended them dry and put them away in their proper bag. It was routine; flying, camp setup, training, meals, sleep, pack up, and repeat. It suited them both just fine. For Toph, it meant freedom; the one thing her parents deprived her of and, therefore, the only thing she desired. For Aang, it was a return to what he was before he was the boy in the iceberg; an air nomad. He no longer had to worry about an impending showdown or ridiculous politics.
The were headed to Omashu for an earthbending rematch with King Bumi. Every few months or so, Toph returned to give Bumi another chance to beat the greatest earthbender in the world. Aang grew more and more concerned for the health of his old friend, especially with the force of the boulders Toph threw. He knew from experience how much damage they did.
By now there was a roaring fire that sent a thick smoke cyclone straight into the star filled sky. The two bending masters rolled out their sleeping bags and settled in. Toph had stopped building her earth tents so as not to interrupt Aang's favorite time of the day, star gazing.
Toph didn't see how small dots in the sky would be so remarkable that Aang would look forward to it everyday. Not that she didn't try to understand. Every so often, when they laid down for sleep; she would ask Aang, "What is it about stars that you like so much?"
After probably a hundred times of being asked that question, it still surprised the young Avatar how he could not answer her. "I don't know... I guess I like it because I'm supposed to."
"What kind of answer is that?" Toph asked. She sat upright in mock outrage. "Why do I gotta stop building my earth tents so you can gaze out for a reason you can't explain."
"I never said you had to stop making your earth tents." Aang replied. "In fact, I don't know why you stopped."
Toph face palmed inside her mind. She was being considerate because now that it was just her and Aang, she didn't feel the need to shut the world out. But she didn't want to admit to Aang that he was different from everybody else. "Well, I guess I'll throw one up." Which she did, immediately.
"It really is a shame. I think you would really love the starlight." Aang said moving on.
"Oh no. I can't see a bunch of dots millions of miles away. How will I survive?" Toph replied, sarcastically.
"Good night, Toph." Aang said smiling.
"Good night, Aang." Toph whispered so that he couldn't hear.