Zutara Week

Day 3- Pain

Disclaimer: Mike and Bryan created Kataang. I would hate them if they weren't also the creators of the original Zutarian, Jun. I think they just made her so that we wouldn't go insane and throw food at them.

Here goes it!

Author's Note: Okay, not yet! (My bad! ^.^) This is supposed to take place after 'The Ember Island Players'. Also this has nothing to do with my other Zutara Week fics. OH! You guys left me reviews! YAY! Some weren't too nice, but I don't care! (So HA!) One person (I don't remember the name… I only remember important things.) said yesterday's entry for this epic holiday was "kinda creepy". In case you didn't notice, you can't really write about Zuko's past/ memories and such without being creepy. Also, you no like? You no read! Someone else pointed out that the area could be cleaned up and Katara would more than likely do that for him. I agree. It could and she would. Just not at that point in time. The point I was trying to get across was that Zuko, like the garden, had changed. It was supposed to be about him realizing how much he'd changed. Whoever said they wanted me to continue that fic, I'm thinking about it. Oh, and I love the comment about the little Zutara girl! (Squee!) I kind of think she would look like the little girl from the second episode (The one that says, "Aang, don't go! I'll miss you!" Aww…) except with some Fire Nation physical traits, of course. Anyways… I know that was long, but I had to respond to my (Mostly awesome) reviewers! Okay… Here goes it!

Once back to their current dwelling, Aang started a fire for everyone to sit around. It was quiet. No one wanted to think about the horrible play they had just seen. It brought out the true personalities in everyone. Not only that, but all the qualities of the small group were exaggerated to an embarrassing degree. They ate dinner in a shy atmosphere. Finally, people started to wander off in search of sleep, the scarred man and the fierce Waterbender included.

The Avatar was left with his boomerang-wielding companion as well as his blind Earthbending teacher. More awkward silence. Toph seemed to be the quietest of the three, which led Sokka to suspicions. "Toph, are you…okay? You've been pretty quiet ever since the play ended." She had her face pointed at the fire, unable to see anything other than a blur of orange. "Yeah… I'm fine." She suddenly looked alert and focused, as if she knew something they didn't. A sneaky smirk crept onto her pale face as the blind girl angled her head toward the boys. "So… What did you think about that play?" Toph asked casually. Aang and Sokka exchanged a funny look.

"Um… It was pretty bad…" Aang reached awkwardly for the back of his neck. "I'll say!" Sokka started. "What… do you think that scene was all about when…" They looked at her, curiously. "When what, Toph?" Aang was genuinely interested now. "…Never mind. It's just… When Sparky and Sugarqueen were stuck in that cave…" The Avatar didn't like where this was going. "What? What about it?" His voice grew louder. Sokka turned to her. He was curious now, too. "What do you guys think happened?" Sokka was a little irritated at the thought of his sister and the Fire Lord's son- "What? Nothing!" With that, Aang stood and stomped off in search of a place to retire for the night.

Toph laughed a little. "What about you?" She seemed so serious about it. "I don't know… I think the play was totally off, though… I mean, the rest of it was overdone and kind of inaccurate… So, I guess that part…" Sokka trailed off from his rambling. Toph shifted her feet and frowned. She knew something. "I'm going to bed… You should rest up, too." She nodded and they roamed off in different directions. He fell asleep soon afterward and she… didn't.

He couldn't believe what he had just heard. He didn't think that much of the scene earlier… Now his friends were coming to their own conclusions. He sighed hard and smoke came out his nose. He wanted to just tell them what happened in that crystal-lit cavern, but something stopped him. He felt his heart skip a beat at his next thought. What if the play was right… Not about what happened, of course, but what that actress said… What if it was true? As his mind fluttered across what ifs, one caught him off guard. What if he felt the same way? He nearly stumbled out of his hiding place. No… She's Water Tribe! He gripped his hair in his hands. It was then he realized his feelings for her. No wonder he was always trying to earn her trust! He gripped harder. He couldn't bear the thought of being without her. He was in love.

Toph came around the corner of a wall and continued walking. She didn't stop walking until she came around a pillar where a certain Firebender was sitting. He looked up. She smiled. She knew. "Sparky and Sugarqueen…" He sighed, which she took as an invitation to sit down next to him. "I felt your heartbeat speed up when we were talking about that play." He blushed. She grinned harder. "I don't know what happened down there," She tilted her head toward the banished prince. "And believe me, I don't wanna know…"He smiled a little. "But I know you like her."

He couldn't deny it. "She just now stopped hating me. We're in the middle of a war. My nation killed her mother…" He closed his eyes as he bowed his head. A frown swept across Toph's face. "I know what you're getting at…" He looked to her hopefully. She shook her head. "Your heartbeat speeds up when you see her… Lately it's gotten faster. Hers…" He buried his scarred face in his hands. She put a hand awkwardly on his back. "Doesn't." He finished for her. She stood. "Look, I know you. I know you won't do anything to Aang…" He was confused now. "So I'm going to tell you something. If it weren't for him…" He gasped at the realization. He stood. "Thank you. I'm going to head down to the beach… I need to think." She nodded. "I understand."

He walked off toward the sand. Tears fell on the way. He wiped them on his forearm and pressed on in the direction of the ocean. Finally, when he was out of earshot (And Toph's "sight"), he fell to his knees and screamed. This wasn't the kind of love you could take back. It hurt. He couldn't tell her. If it weren't for him… He cried harder. His breath came in gasps. He pounded his fists in the sand. This had to be some kind of punishment. It had to be…

He was shocked when he heard footsteps behind him. They were light. They were hers. She put a hand on his shoulder. He shoved it off. "Look at me." He looked up at her face, but didn't dare to meet her eyes. She had been crying, too. His good eye widened. She squatted next to him. "I came to check on you… Toph said you wanted to be alone. I- I told her I was coming to find you anyway… and she… She kept trying to get me to stay away…for…some reason…" He nodded. He understood.

"I knew she was hiding something… So I came…" He looked away. Her face was too painfully beautiful in the moonlight. "And…?" She caught her breath. "…Now's not the right time… Not yet." With that, she stood and walked away. He was left sitting in the dark, astonished. It would happen someday. There was still hope. Then he remembered what Toph said. The pain came back. The Waterbender felt it, too, as she hid behind a tree… sharing his tears. But I mean it. I've had eyes for you since the day you first captured me.

Author's Notes…Yay!

Yeah, I know.

That was pretty bad.

I liked the idea, but I couldn't figure out how to end it.

And then Toph decided to butt in.

You just don't say no to Toph.

So, then he ended up on the beach.

Apparently he wanted to go to the beach.

I didn't come up with it. I started it and the characters finished it.

Yeah… I don't know…

Don't tell me you hate it. I know you do.

Please tell me what went right, though!

It'll seriously make me feel better about this fic.

No flaming! No one cares what flamers think!

No, seriously. You can flame this one now.

OH! What did you think of the quote? I went online to make sure I got it exactly right.

I liked the quote… If my opinion matters at all…