Core Skills
by LizBee
Notes: Written in answer to the "Suggest a fic I will never, ever write" meme. SQBR suggested a high school AU, and I thought, "Well, you never see Australian high schools in these AUs..." (Allegations that I was too sleepy to US-pick may in fact be correct.) Warnings for abuse recovery, underage drinking, mental illness, ableist attitudes.
"Whoa," said Katara, at the same time as Sokka said, "Look at that."
Toph counted to three, and when no further explanation was forthcoming, she punched Sokka and said, "Yes? What are you all gawking at?"
"Azula's back," said Katara in a hushed voice.
"I heard they committed her after her dad was arrested," said Suki.
"She doesn't look crazy," said Sokka. "She looks-"
"Expensive," said Toph. She could hear the click of well-made shoes on the concrete path, and a whiff of Chanel perfume seemed to trail in Azula's wake.
The rumours spread over the next few hours, passed in notes and texts, Facebook IMs and tweets. Azula had tried to kill her brother. Azula had tried to kill herself. Her mother had to make a hefty donation to the hospital before they released her.
"The doctors made her sign a release, saying they can't be sued if Azula kills anyone," Jin said in maths.
"I'm amazed she hasn't killed Zuko," Smellerbee said in modern history. "Unless she did, and they just haven't caught her yet."
"That's ridiculous," said Katara over lunch. "Aang's in class with Zuko right now." She showed them the picture Aang had tweeted an hour earlier, of him and Zuko pulling stupid faces in the university library.
"I wish I could skip a million grades and go straight to uni," said Toph darkly. "Not that my parents would let me. 'Oh, Toph, don't you have a hard enough time at a normal school?'"
"They really said that to you?" Suki asked.
"No one's parents are as weird as Toph's," said Sokka.
"Not even Zuko and-"
"Okay, except Zuko's dad."
"Why does everything have to come back to that family?" Toph asked, but no one bothered to answer.
"She's been kept back a year," Hide was saying, "because she went crazy right before exams-"
"The proper term is 'had a psychotic breakdown'," said Song.
"Went mental, whatever. Point is, she's been-"
Toph had heard Azula's footsteps approaching, but didn't bother saying anything to the guy who still thought it was funny to steal her cane. Azula stopped in the threshold.
"I don't tolerate tardiness," Mr Pakku snapped, not even bothering to turn around from the whiteboard. "Special circumstances or not."
A whisper went around the class, quickly silenced when Pakku cleared his throat.
"Sit with Bei Fong," he said. "She'll need your assistance."
"Talk about the crazy leading the blind," someone whispered. Toph ignored it. Azula - stumbled.
"Don't think I'll do your share of the work," Azula hissed when she had taken her seat.
"Good," Toph snapped.
"If everyone is quite finished," said Pakku, "let's discuss algae."
"We can't work at my house," said Toph. "Sorry, but if you knew my mother, you'd understand."
"I don't exactly bring guests home these days," said Azula.
In three months of working together, it was the closest she had come to mentioning her family.
"What are you doing in my flat?" Zuko asked.
"Developing sporophytes," said Azula.
"...I should have guessed."
"Oh, Zuzu," there was a trace of Azula's old, casual arrogance in her voice, "isn't Mum always telling us to spend more time together?"
"I don't think she meant for you to break into my flat. Hi, Toph."
"Hi, Zuko."
"Mai let us in. Does Mum know you're living together?"
"We're not - I mean - look, try not to make a mess with your sporomites or whatever. And stay out of my booze."
Naturally, they got into his booze.
Last year Azula had been famous for her Dad's-gone-to-Sydney-for-the-weekend house parties, at which every major hook-up and drama of the school seemed to have played out. This year, all had been quiet.
"I did burn the house down," Azula pointed out when Toph asked about it. "And I'm not supposed to mix alcohol with my medication."
"Uh-" Toph waved in what she guessed was the general direction of what Zuko probably still thought of as his Jagermeister.
"I never did like following the rules." Azula pressed the bottle into Toph's hand. "And it's not like you're going to take advantage of me, right?"
"When I kiss you," said Toph, "I plan for both of us to be sober."
Azula said nothing. Toph held her breath.
"Fair enough," said Azula at last, and she slipped her hand into Toph's.
"What were you even thinking?" Zuko demanded. "Mum seems to think this was my fault-"
"Please, like she ever holds you responsible for anything-"
"And Katara keeps telling me you spend too much time with Toph and I need to say something, God knows what-"
"It's okay," said Toph, "I'm awake and in the room and listening. No need to talk like I'm not here."
"Good," said Zuko. "You can call your dad and tell him you're alive and sober, and that I had nothing to do with you passing out drunk on my couch."
"I suppose you want me to replace your Jagermeister," said Azula.
"Yes! I mean, wait, no, you're underage. How would you even - oh, never mind." He pulled out a chair - Toph winced at the loud scraping sound - and sat down heavily. "Why did you even decide to start drinking again? I though they said-"
"Dr Yugoda thought visiting Dad might be beneficial to my recovery." Azula's voice was flat. "She was wrong."
"Oh. Sorry."
"Also I'm gay."
"So then there was awkward hugging, and then their mother turned up, and all in all," Toph finished, "it was pretty much the worst intervention-slash-coming out I've ever been forced to witness."
"Sounds rough," said Katara. "I guess I spent so long thinking of Azula as the bitch-queen of the school, I forgot she went through the same stuff as Zuko."
"Yeah." Toph ate her last McNugget. "And for your information, I'm spending time with Azula because we have a biology project due in three weeks."
"I know! I'm sorry I've been so horrible about it."
"Yeah, well. She did spend most of primary school making your life hell." Toph hesitated. "I kind of have a crush on her."
"Kind of?"
"Kind of definitely?"
"Like in a ... romantic way?"
"Like in a massively gay lesbian way." Toph realised she was blushing, and covered by stealing Katara's Coke. "And I don't think my parents are going to be crying and hugging if I tell them. Well, maybe, but not in a supportive way."
"No. Not at all."
"What do I do, Katara?" Toph demanded. "You're the expert on mushy feelings! Tell me what to do!"
Katara was silent for a while. Eventually she said, "Well, your first priority is to pass biology."
Azula didn't turn up at school for a week. Toph sent a dozen text messages, then called. It went to voicemail.
She wasn't at Zuko's place, and when Toph went around to the little house Azula shared with her mother, she wasn't there either.
"She's at the old house," Ursa said, the strain evident in her voice. "She'll come home when it's dark."
"Should I go?"
"She doesn't want me there. Maybe you should try."
The old house had been big, practically a mansion. Toph had only been there a few times - Zuko had spent the last few years avoiding it, mostly couch-surfing with friends or crashing at his uncle's - but she remembered the way.
Even after eight months, it still smelled like smoke.
"I thought you might come," said Azula. "Is my mother with you?"
"No." Toph sat down beside her, on the cold grass. "What's it look like?"
"A shell. The walls are still standing, but the roof collapsed. The trees closest to the house are gone, but the weeds are thick and green."
"I'd have thought it would have been torn down by now."
"The insurance company is being difficult."
"Figures."
Azula's breath caught in her throat and she choked out, "I wish I could burn it down all over again."
Toph didn't know what to say, but she found Azula's hand and squeezed it. Azula sort of laughed and pulled her in close and kissed her.
"It's okay," Toph told her between kisses. She wasn't sure she believed it herself, but it was somehow comforting just to say it. And between them, she figured they could make it true.
end