Title: Dealings and Feelings
By: nemozyme a.k.a. stratowhick
Pairing: tophxzuko
Genre: Romance
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Summary: Zuko is foolishly head over heels with Katara. Aang's playing tricks on everyone. Iroh takes Sokka under his wing and all Toph wants is her cliff.

.One.

Toph was on her way to her favorite spot.

The Great Canyon of the Fire Nation was the perfect place to relax for an Earth Bender like Toph. There were huge cliffs on either side of a river that ran towards the setting sun. It was rocky and dusty and there was just so much earth in that place.

It may look like a dead piece of land to some lowlife. But to Toph, the Great Canyon was an Earth Bender's heaven on the elemental world.

The canyon wasn't a secret per se. Its just that the terrain towards the canyon was dangerous so there were rarely people over there. Only the occasional archeologists and healers looking for a rare and important find.

So as Toph earth bended her way towards a cliff, she was surprised to feel a presence when she arrived on top. She quickly identified this presence as Zuko, prince of the Fire Nation.

"Chill, Fire Prince."

Toph revealed herself, coming out behind a boulder with her hands high up in the air.

"Oh, it's just you." Zuko eased his fighting stance and sheathed his double scimitars back. There was a pause then Zuko cleared his throat.

"Hey there," he said in forced casualness. "How's it going?"

"It's going great," she answered, purposely making her tone flippant. "What's the matter, Sulky Prince? You don't look like--"

"And how would you know how I look?" Zuko cut her off sharply.

"Just a figure of speech," Toph defended. "Geez."

Toph suddenly regretted revealing herself to the Prickly Prince. She could've just been sensible and looked for another cliff to relax and watch the sun set. It didn't matter that there was a 'TOPH RULES' inscription on this cliff's side. She could just get Aang to make her another one, in another cliff, among millions of others.

She was all ready to bid her rude good-bye and leave when she heard Zuko sigh a pitiful sigh.

It sounded so Path-e-tic.

And serious at the same time.

So even if the insults, the jeers, and the hearty laugh were on the tip of her tongue, she managed to hold them all back. Just barely.

Completely ignoring the 'Go Away' vibe, Toph plopped down beside Zuko.

"So. What's the matter?" she tried again. "Why do I feelthat you don't look right?"

"And why do you care, Blind Bat-shit?"

Toph wondered how other people managed to be nice allthe time. Because from her experience, when she tries to be nice, they throw it back to her face.

"Just get your ugly face out of my sight, alright?"

Toph growled and clenched her fists in irritation. Why do I even bother?

"Look here, Prickly Prince," Toph demanded. "Just tell me what's wrong with you, so you can get the heck off of my cliff!"

Zuko scoffed. "Your cliff? For the last thousand years, this territory's been under the Fire Nation. This cliff is as good as mine than it is yours, Earth Ben--DER!"

Taking advantage of Zuko's blabbing, Toph earth bended the two of them underground and towards the side of the cliff where she knew the inscription was located.

"Oh, so now you want to keep my mouth shut and bury me?!" Zuko exclaimed indignantly as they resurfaced on canyon soil bended like a spoon coming out of the cliff.

"See there, Princey," she indicated with a nod of her head. "That, is a testament of my ownership of this fine cliff."

"It says AANG RULEZ."

"WHAT?!" Toph squeeked. The soil-spoon suddenly shook dangerously. "That Aang tricked me! Argh! Avatar or not, he's going down!"

"Good for him. Can we go back now?"

Toph ceased the shaking and sensed Zuko's increased heart rate, his shortness of breath and the very, very slight inflection of his voice. These symptoms could mean one thing, Toph grinned wickedly. A fear of great heights and the bottom of the unknown!

She bended the soil-spoon into a rocket and made sure that it crumbled Aang's work of art first before it zoomed upwards.

Zuko lost his cool and scampered on the ground when they reached the top of the cliff. He looked a little green but Toph had no mercy. She quickly grabbed the back of his collar and threateningly showed him the inky black bottom of the cliff.

"Talk. Or I'll shove you down."

Prince Zuko refused to budge to such threats that easily. He scowled and glared but eventually, he sighed tiredly in defeat. "It's Katara," he answered quietly. "She always runs off when she sees me. Even if I corner her down and try to chat her up, she completely brushes me off."

Toph didn't know how to reply to that. She thought that it was just another I-lost-to-Aang-in-another-sparring-match kind of problem but it turned out to be some yucky girl problem. Which, Toph thought, I have no clue in such area. So she remained quiet and let him continue.

"It's like I have this disgusting plague!" Zuko said bitterly. "Tell me, does she have anything against scars?"

Toph groaned loudly. "Could you put a cork to that vanity crisis?" She threw Zuko to safe land and plopped beside him. "It's more like she has something against you being a Fire Nation citizen, if you ask me."

"But the four nations have come into peace three years ago!" Zuko argued heatedly. "We may have our differences and mistakes, but we now live under a harmonious whole."

Toph wanted to laugh heartily at Zuko's naivety but somehow, she managed to control herself.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Prickly Prince. But some prejudices aren't easily erased," she pointed out. "The Fire Nation has wrecked havoc in the world for more than a hundred years. In my tabulation table, it beats three years of peace by a landslide."

"Well, what am I gonna do then?" he complained. "Wait for another hundred years so then it'll be equal?"

"That is possible," Toph nodded in agreement, "or you could simply forget about her and just choose another one from your fangirl harem. I highly recommend you pick someone from the Fire Nation because they have less conflicting beliefs."

As soon as she said that, Toph felt Zuko's anger rise like bubbling magma.

"I CAN'T. JUST. FORGET ABOUT HER!" Zuko exploded, as if by saying the word "forget", he'll do exactly that. "Katara is sweet and caring and beautiful!" he defended. "I knowshe's the perfect girl for me. I already like her too much to just give up on her that easily," he added softly.

"Well then, if I can't change your mind..." Toph began in a serious tone, "...good luck convincing her that she's the one for you." She rose and stretched out. "I have a feeling you'll be needing it."

"So, that's it? Just good luck?" Zuko stared in disbelief. "After pouring my heart out, you're not even going to help me?"

"But I just did."

"Well then, help me more!"

Toph snorted. "Or what? You're gonna set me ablaze? Please. I can take on a spoiled rotten prince like you anytime."

"If Katara becomes my girlfriend, I won't bother you with anything ever again," Zuko declared. "You have my word."

When Toph remained silent and unimpressed, Zuko changed tactics. "T-Toph, please," he stuttered uncharacteristically. "Now that you know my problem, I need your help. I mean...you-you're friends with Katara, right? Don't you want your friend to be happy?"

Toph hummed thoughtfully. "Royalty begging for my help does sound a little empowering. And a lifetime of your absence from my personal space sounds even more appealing."

"So you'll do it?" Zuko asked hopefully.

"Wait. I'm not sure about this..." Toph faked. When she felt Zuko's hopefulness dwindle just a bit, she went in for the ace. "But if, for example, I say: can you add a thousand gold pieces to that...?"

"Then I'll say: No problem. I've got plenty."

Toph smiled deviously. Zuko didn't even think twice. He must be dumb or just really, really desperate.

Debating which was which brought a headache to life.

"Oh, what the heck," Toph gave up. She stepped forward, bringing the two of them toe to toe. "You've got yourself a--"

"Don't say D-E-A-L or this whole thing will backfire!" Zuko hissed out.

Toph blew her bangs in exasperation.

"Call it whatever you want," Toph poked his chest. "But in Toph speak-- we've got ourselves a deal."

And without any accord, Toph grabbed Zuko's hand, shook it, and the deal was sealed.

TBC