Love Hurts
Chapter 1: Hard Realities
**I don't own Avatar…even though I wish I did…
"I'M ACTING LIKE A WHAT?!?" The pleasant banter that was present less than five minutes ago had already turned into an ugly, warped, twisted screaming match, but had now reached the point of no return. There would be no friendly make up session. There would only be the victor and the victim.
"YOU, TOPH BEI FONG, ARE ACTING LIKE THE SELFISH, HATEFUL, JEALOUS, BITTER HARPY THAT YOU TRULY ARE!" Aang had never lost the control that would send him into the Avatar State since he learned to fully control it over 4 years ago, but today he found himself dangerously close to it.
Aang had expected the boulder that came flying toward his head, but he had forgotten how quickly Toph could create the hard mass of earth and propel it forward. He had barely flinched out of the way when he felt the earth tremble beneath him with enough strength to uproot the nearby trees. Even though he was furious, he still had to admire the strength Toph had. He also had to admit that it was a bad idea to approach Toph about this while they were alone in the woods. Any other time, Aang would have hung his head and apologized to Toph before it reached this point, but, this time was different. He would not give into her. He was right and he was going to make her realize it.
The earth had been so alive and loud with the rumbling of Toph's approach that when she stopped an inch from Aang's face the silence that followed was eerie and foreboding.
"Fine." The way Toph's tone had gone from passionately angry to calmly nonchalant panicked Aang. "If that is really how you feel, I'm gone. After all, why should I bother pretending anymore? I'm sick of this place and I'm sick of you. Everyone else in the world may depend on you for help, but I don't. I can take care of myself and I damn sure don't need you complicating my life." She turned and sauntered toward the house as Aang stood frozen, watching her and wondering how she had turned him into the victor as well as the victim.
Aang spent the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening in the woods, much to the displeasure of Toph. Toph loved the house they had all built together in the middle of the woods shortly after the war was over. She loved that it was completely made out of every possible rock type imaginable, from the floors, and the walls, and the ceiling, to the beds, the desks, the chairs, the dressers, and the doors, making her vision crystal clear. She loved how even though everything was made out of rock, her friends still found ways to make it homey and comfortable, even if she wasn't a big fan of all the cushions that tended to hinder her vision slightly. She loved that in the fireplace stood solid magma, waiting to be heated by one of her beloved fire benders. But, most of all, she loved that it was on their own island, a hundred miles north of Kyoshi Island. There was so much earth around her that Toph felt truly at home. But in a time like this she wanted to be outside where she could smash everything around her and not wonder if her destruction would cause her grief later. All the house did now was bring back memories.
It was meant to be a home for all of them to live together in, but no one realized the stress that reconstruction would instill in everyone, or the duties that couldn't be ignored for even a day. So after one night in the house, they all left either to rebuild their nation, help rebuild other nations, or stop the underground renegade fire gangs that kept popping up. The house stood empty of those who were supposed to inhabit it, slowly collecting dust and new, unexpected tenants. Hog monkeys were sleeping in Karata's room, grunting and flinging feces at each other, staining the walls that Toph knew Katara slaved away on, trying to make the perfect replica of her room at the South Pole. Toph had walked in on a platypus bear tossing around the chair in Sokka and Suki's room. Spider snakes had made a home in the corners, under the bed, and around the desk in Aang's room. But worst of all, a skunk bear was hidden in the closet of Toph's room. It took here nearly a week to wash that smell out of her clothes, and hair, and skin. It took Toph four times as long to completely rid the house of the unwanted visitors and restore the house to its former glory.
It had only been a day since Toph had finished evacuating the animals and cleaning up their mess when an unexpected visitor arrived. He showed up late that night, as a storm raged outside. Toph felt him land on the porch and immediately ran to him, recognizing the delicate, dainty way his feet seemed to barely touch the ground. As she burst through the door she sensed the shock and surprise that radiated from his quickened heart rate and the defensive position he took. She knew it was him, and she could have leapt into his arms in sheer joy of seeing one of her friends again after two years, but something about his tone made her back away.
"Toph." His voice was icy and hard, as if he would rather be standing next to anyone, even Fire Lord Ozai. This wasn't the Twinkletoes that she trained; this wasn't even the Twinkletoes that defeated the Fire Lord. This was a different Aang, an Aang that had felt more pain and suffering even though that should have been a thing of the past.
It wasn't until almost a week later that Aang was finally able to tell Toph about HER and what SHE had done to him. Toph had always been a rub-a-little-dirt-in-it-and-you'll-be-fine-girl, but after hearing Aang's confession, she felt, for the first time in her life, useless. There was nothing she could do to ease Aang's feelings of self hatred and mourning.
Aang stayed with her for almost a year before finally becoming himself again. He seemed to finally be over HER. She had truly believed him when he said he found someone else, someone better, someone who was perfect for him. It seemed only natural that she and Aang should get together. They were opposites and opposites attract. Life had been nothing but sweet and perfect until early this afternoon, when the perfect world around her came crumbling down.
She shook herself out of her memories and walked to her room. She knew what she had to do, but knowing didn't make it any easier. She grabbed her bag, filled it with food, and walked out the door, not even stopping to look back and remember the greatness of the last two years, or even to say goodbye to Aang. She knew he would be leaving soon anyway, to help HER, even when she didn't deserve it, even when Toph had become what she never thought she would be, reliant on him. It was time to go back to the house she grew up in, but could never consider home. There was someone there waiting for her, and although she felt nothing for him compared to what she felt for Aang, she knew that it was her only choice now. That if she stayed, she would really become the hateful, jealous, bitter harpy that Aang proclaimed her to be. And she couldn't let that happen, if only because it would mean Aang was right and that was one thing she never wanted him to be right about.
So this is my first story...review and tell me if you like it!! Thanks!