One of those things by larissa
"The moral of the story is boy loves girl and so on, but the way it unfolds is yet to be told." Prettiest friend, Jason Mraz
There were some things that Toph Bei Fong had always had a hard time getting used to.
Her parents' absurd protectiveness, the way others seemed to pity her, the darkness that some people seemed to just be born with and, well, changes in general. She would always find herself bothered by these, rolling her eyes or clenching her fists, because it was just too much to take in.
After some time, she discovered she didn't have to. Under the alias of the Blind Bandit – or the Runaway, as she would come to be known as ―, the girl had been able to just do something about the injustices of life. She'd found wit and strength in herself, when no one else was there.
Then, just like that, they were there.
The avatar and his gang ― the Boomerang Squad or whatever, as Sokka had always tried to name them ― had appeared suddenly, without any sort of foretelling. It wasn't all that dramatic, if you didn't count how they'd been imprisoned, how her father had reacted and how it had ended up with her running away from home.
Ok, maybe it was kind of dramatic.
Still, it didn't matter. Toph had finally found some people that accepted her for who she was. Together, they explored the world her family had hidden from her. She learnt about cruelty, unfairness and the responsibilities that seeing so much could thrust upon you, but she also found out what real friendship meant and how truly powerful it could be.
They fought against the darkest of it all and came out victorious.
Toph smiled, lowering her head in order to hide her expression from the others.
It was a bit strange to be back with them all, traveling on Appa. It was something they hadn't been able to do since the war had ended, given how terribly busy they'd been with its repercussions. There had been the matter with a few fire nation rogues that had resisted after the failure of their master, and then the whole ordeal with reorganizing the nations and calming their resentments. It took the group five years and a lot of compromising to finally be able to gather.
"Seriously, Sokka? Hasn't Suki taught you anything about woman's rights?" Sweetness' voice reached Toph's ears, louder than it had been for the past hour.
"He doesn't really mean that." Fan girl stepped in, with a smile in Katara's direction. She, then, turned to her husband. "Do you?" Her tone was still kind, but it had that dangerous edge that had been the reason why the earthbender had always liked Suki. The girl had some balls.
Sokka muttered something in agreement, a subdued response that only made Toph's grin grow wider.
Whipped.
The group had become her family, in the time they'd taken to defeat Ozai. Having them with her made her a better person and Toph loved them for it more than she'd ever confess.
Katara was like a big sister, taking care of them and looking out for her, even when all the Bei Fong girl wanted was to be free of anyone's protective grasp. The waterbender would let her be free when the time was right and, when it wasn't, she would try her best to keep her focused on what had to be accomplished. She was sweet, almost sickeningly so, responsible and something that Toph had never wanted, but had always needed.
Sugar queen had grown on her in a way Toph hadn't thought possible.
It probably hadn't hurt for her to be so absolutely badass when it came to keeping the ones she loved safe.
"Look, all I'm saying is that there's a reason there aren't many female soldiers going around the nations. Not every country is ready to break such traditions!"
Toph flinched. Snoozles' high-pitched statement wasn't going to go well with the other girls.
"Just because you're a chauvinistic pig, it doesn't mean every other man is. Besides, they are stupid traditions!"
The pained shout from Sokka that came next just confirmed that Toph had been right.
The man would never learn.
At his twenty one years old, he was basically the same boy he'd been all those years ago: emotionally oblivious, sarcastic and, of course, an obnoxious meat lover.
He had grown, though, becoming much more centered than he'd been during the year of the war.
Their relationship hadn't changed that much. He was still much more like a "bro" than a brother to her. With Sokka, she could be disgusting, she could say rude things and laugh it out like it hadn't meant anything, because, between the two of them, it never did. His tactless ways went well with her bluntness. When Toph wasn't well, he would notice and ask about it without the circling around the matter that Katara would do.
Snoozles accepted there were things Toph wouldn't tell him, and maybe that was why he was the one to whom she usually went with her problems. He would laugh or scowl or shrug, being much more rational than protective, as Zuko or Katara would have been.
There had been a time, when she was so, so young, that she'd seen him with some sort of romantic interest. Older and, why not say it, wiser, Toph understood they would have never worked out.
Earth, that would have been a boring relationship. No spark what so ever.
"I refuse to be pulled into this discussion, Katara. You know I don't see any differences between gender when it comes to combat. If you don't remember, I grew up with Mai, Ty Lee and Azula, knowing those three little girls could rip my chest open any time, and I wouldn't even put up a good fight."
There was a round of laughter that Toph couldn't help herself but join.
"Don't say that, Zuko! It's not manly!"
Katara rolled her eyes, hitting her brother with the dull surface of his boomerang.
"I feel like we've been through this, Sokka. He's not the one wearing the pony tail!"
"Hey! This is a warrior's wolf tail! Very different."
There was a moment of silence while everyone glared at the water tribe man.
"And what's wrong with a ponytail, anyway?"
This time, Toph really wasn't able to hold her laughter.
"Oh, Sparky, you crack me up."
His scowl deepened.
It was always like this.
After the war was done, Zuko was the one to take Toph in, since, back then, Katara and Aang were together, and traveling with them would have been too uncomfortable. Sokka had had to go back home, in order to rebuild the village, and Suki had her warriors and her island to take care of.
Zuko had been alone and kind of miserable. Not that the last part was so strange, since he'd been pretty miserable almost his whole life. Still, having his sister lose her mind and his father lose his bending couldn't be easy. His already dysfunctional family had been completely torn apart.
In a way, he'd needed her.
Loud, stubborn and still very young, Toph would force him to take a break from his responsibilities, from his worries, and just enjoy the fact that, despite everything that had happened, Zuko was also just a kid. Their escapades were childish, of course, and there was never any doubt that the relationship between them went no further then sibling love.
Mai had been quite glad with this fact, since she wouldn't have enjoyed being seen as the cheated girlfriend.
The earthbender had turned into the younger sister Zuko had never truly had, someone he could spoil and protect, someone he could trust. And trust her he did, having Toph be the first one to know about the conflicts between the freedom fighters and the fire nation people, about Mai's death in one of those battles, about the pain such a loss had brought him.
Things had certainly changed since then. After years of arguments and ill tempered comments, Zuko and Katara had finally admitted to themselves - and each other - that their feelings went well beyond just friendship. Their courtship had been quite strange to witness. There had been a lot of witty remarks, passionate fights and awkward mornings in which Toph would run into one of them leaving the other's bedroom.
"Ok, since you guys insist on this subject, why don't you take this conversation to the woods, where you can gather the things to use to prepare our dinner." Suki's voice had finally lost its sweetness and assumed a demanding tone.
"I couldn't agree more. Getting hungry here, boys." Toph added from her spot on the outskirts of the meadow, putting her feet up on a rock. "Maybe Twinkletoes can make us one of those fruity tarts of his."
Her friendship with Fan Girl was something that she hadn't really anticipated.
Toph liked her, sure. Suki was a really good fighter, a bit of a feminist, and a great source of entertainment when it came to making fun of her. She was less sugary than Sweetness, which was great, and could carry her own weight. Yet, there had been no clear sign that the two of them had much in common. They were both tough, but the resemblance ended there.
Suki was a girl-girl. She liked clothes, make up and talking about her feelings. Toph liked rocks, dirt and inflicting pain.
In time, the Kyoshi warrior showed herself to be much more than that, though. She took upon herself to lead Toph through what it meant to be a girl, since Katara was a bit occupied with her position as the water tribe ambassador. It wasn't the most pleasant experience they could share but it had done the trick in getting them to be friends.
Katara looked around, her step faltering as she obviously didn't find what she'd been looking for.
"Where is Aang, anyway?"
The boy's name didn't make her heart flutter, it didn't make her tremble, nor did it cause a rush of those guilty vibrations that Toph had gotten so used to with the beginning of Katara and Zuko's relationship. The waterbender said it worriedly, in the same way she would have been if the disappeared party had been her brother, Suki or even the Bei Fong girl.
Toph tried to pretend such absence of reaction hadn't made her glad.
"He went out a few hours ago, with Appa. Apparently, he forgot something on Omashu. A scroll, I think."
The indifference in Sokka's tone was enough to calm Katara's worries and still piss her off.
"Ok, Sweetness, will you shut up? You've been keeping us on our toes the entire morning. I have enough stress back home, with the prissy nobles and responsibilities. Relax or I'll earthbend you back to the palace."
That seemed to do it.
Katara sat back down, aiming a glare at her friend. Sokka and Zuko tried to refrain from laughing, which resulted in a very strange coughing fit that didn't fool anyone.
They received glares as well.
"Did I lose something?"
The question came in a whisper, and Toph had to suppress a startled gasp.
Aang had gotten pretty good in sneaking up on her. His newly found stealth was something that she both admired and loathed.
"Just the usual. Snoozles being an idiot and Sugar Queen putting him on his place." Toph answered in a low tone, realizing that the avatar remained unseen by the others, who were already engaged in a conversation about some other mindless matter.
A throaty laugh came from the boy at her left, as he angled himself to stay hidden behind the bush of round berries Momo had been eating earlier that day.
"Let's get out of here. I'm not in the mood for taking over dinner duty again. Last time they fought, Katara refused to prepare anything and we all know nor Zuko, nor Sokka can cook, even if their lives depended on it."
Ignoring the feeling of his hand on her knee, Toph grimaced, remembering the last Sokka-prepared meal. Special specialty of red meaty balls, that was how the boy had called it, back then. After a bite out of it, though, the group wasn't even sure the dish was actually made of meat, but it had become quite clear that Sokka was a warrior, not a cook.
The memory was enough to get Toph back on her feet. In the next moment, Aang wasn't by her side anymore.
"Okay, Lily Livers, I'm gonna head out!" She yelled, dusting herself off.
"Where are you going?" Even though she couldn't see it, Toph was sure that Zuko was staring at her in mistrust, unsure of her real intentions.
She grinned at the thought.
"Well, Sparks, that's for me to know, and for you not to." The girl said, a mischievous tone that was sure to irritate the fire lord itching in her speech.
Sokka frowned.
"That's not how the saying goes."
Toph scoffed, turning to her friend with a mocking expression.
"That, I know. Do you know what I don't, though? Care!" And she burst into laughter, giving her back to the group and walking into the woods.
The water tribe boy crossed his arms and pouted, much to the others amusement.
"Were they always this silly?" Zuko leaned towards Katara and asked in a low voice, adopting an incredulous expression. In response, Katara smiled kindly back at him and nodded.
"I think they're getting better, actually."
Aang, Toph thought, was another thing entirely.
There was really no comparison on how their relationship had changed. Back then, on the days of the war, they had been master and student, captive and savior. One had given the other a ray of hope, when they'd been so helpless. They were a bit of fun in each other's world.
Toph had this stable, headstrong kind of energy that helped Aang stay grounded, and allowed him to forget about his responsibilities sometimes, even when Sugar Queen and Snoozles were so focused that they seemed to ignore what the pressure could do to the avatar. Despite her tough exterior and her blindness, because of her special way of seeing the world, of feeling it, the earthbender could tell when there was the lightest of shifts in everyone's emotions. It would change their heartbeat, their breathing, their tone of voice, and even their steps.
Twinkletoes had meant everything she'd been looking for since she'd first understood the reality of her situation: freedom. Being born in a very rich family, with a disability like hers, the girl had always been kept in a golden cage, surrounded by things that were supposed to make her satisfied, but didn't. The people around her were fakes, with smiles that were just too big and polite words that never said what they really wanted. And, then, he'd appeared, the first real challenge she'd ever met. Aang showed her what friendship, loyalty and hard work meant, what liberty felt like.
And she loved it, she loved him.
Maybe it had started then, with all her glee and his actions and their connection. Maybe not. They'd been such kids then, so full of joy and so empty of… well, everything else.
"What are you thinking?"
Toph had been walking for a couple of minutes and hadn't even realized his approach. Again.
His abilities were developing quickly, since now he could actually take joy in the lessons. It was something that gave the girl mixed feelings, since it both meant that her student was growing and that he would eventually surpass her. She wouldn't be needed then, and where would that leave her? In a ship back to Ba Sing Se?
She shook her head, clearing her mind from such reveries.
"Nothing important, really. Katara just reminded me about the amount of work that will be waiting for me back at the palace."
Aang was now facing her, his tall lean body hovering over her petite form in a way that showed the earthbender he wasn't buying her excuses.
"You called her Katara. You never call us by our names." The distress in his tone made something twist in her stomach. "What's the problem, Toph?
She huffed, trying to sidestep him and failing miserably.
"My only problem right now, Twinkles, is you. I thought we were going to do something fun!"
For a moment, he seemed to hesitate, his weight shifting from his right to his left leg.
"This conversation isn't over," He began with a pout. "but I want to show you something. Come!"
Aang took Toph's hand, leading them through the densest part of the woods. His movements were light as ever and the girl found herself smiling as she remembered how many times he'd done just that, taken her hand and pulled her towards adventure.
"Look, if it's Komodo rhinos again, I'll just say it now: try to get it to fly while I'm on its back and you'll be dead meat by the end of the day."
Her warning was met with a ringing laughter and a tightening of his grip on her hand.
This wasn't a strange situation for them. Being the youngest of the group, they had found in each other the want to explore the wonders of their world. It had been kept from the two of them for so long; Aang with the whole "being frozen in an iceberg for a hundred years" ordeal and, of course, Toph with her golden cage.
Their friendship had changed and grown in these little quests. It would become a silent agreement of theirs, to meet every other month and find some new place, a new escapade. They would ride rhinos, explore a deserted island, get into bending contests, crash a festival, etcetera.
Sometimes, it wouldn't be anything that special. Just the two of them, on a new place, laughing, talking and creating mischief. If there was something wrong, it would be made right. If one of them felt down, the other was there to pick up the pieces. It wasn't really as mushy as it sounded, but it still strengthened the bond between them.
So much so that Toph was unsure of where they stood.
Aang had always been the hardest one to read, because of the way he walked and the way he presented himself. Gentle footsteps, almost never touching the earth, were kind of his thing. With time, the girl had gotten used to it, had even began to identify the shifts in the air currents, instead of only focusing on the ground.
But the shifts didn't tell her about his heartbeats, it didn't tell her of shaking legs, doubling knees, nor of butterflies on stomachs.
And she hated how, in time, with practice, he would be able to read on her all the things she could never feel in him.
"Okay, we're here." He muttered, forcing her to crouch down on the earth, his hand still on hers.
Toph frowned, unsure of where "here" was. She could feel creatures near, and their sizes differed. They felt familiar, but not like any flock of animals they'd met before.
"And where would that be, exactly?"
Even without her sight, the Bei Fong girl could basically feel the grin that formed itself on Aang's lips.
"This is the reason why I wanted you all to come with me in this trip." He tugged at her hand, pulling her through the bush and into the creatures' visual camp. "These are flying bisons. A whole lot of them."
For a moment, Toph felt herself freeze, completely taken back by this piece of information. Until that moment, she'd always assumed Appa was the last of his kind, just like the avatar was the last airbender. It hit her how similar the forms were to Aang's bison, how they moved and interacted.
A tear unknowingly rolled down her cheek.
"Twinkletoes, this is amazing!"
The girl couldn't help herself, she flung her arms around Aang's neck and hugged him. The boy responded immediately, encasing her into a spinning embrace.
The feeling of her body flushed against his was unknown and a deep blush rose to Toph's cheeks as she realized this. Thankfully, with her face buried in his neck, Aang couldn't see her reaction to such proximity. When they came apart, though, her cheeks seemed merely flushed.
"Come, I want you to feel one of them. I almost couldn't believe they were real before actually touching one."
He was tugging at her elbow, trying to get her closer. The girl bit her lower lip gently, feeling the animals shift with their presence.
"I don't know, Aang. They don't seem to like the fact that we're here."
He seemed to consider this, looking around for a bit, before turning back to her.
"Nonsense. They are perfectly calm." The boy paused, itching his head to a side, as if to take a better look at her. "What? Have I finally found a creature that the best earthbender in the world fears?"
Toph pulled her elbow away from him with an indignant exclamation.
"I don't do fear, Airhead. You should know this by now."
The other chuckled in response.
"Great! I'll guide you with them."
And, with that, he moved until he was behind her and grabbed the girl's hands, extending them in front of her.
Toph blinked, unsure of how he could so easily refute her denials.
"You need to be delicate with them. Bisons are loyal creatures, they will protect each other, but they accept people without problem."
Well, there certainly were many things Toph could be thinking at such a point, like how soft the animal's fur felt between her fingertips, or how someone seemed to be approaching through the woods, or even how there was a fire ant tickling her fingertips. Still, there was only one thing that occupied her mind at that moment.
Aang.
His breath on her neck, his chest against her back, the heat coming from the skin of his bare arms onto hers.
"He seems to like you, see? This is just a baby, though. The mother is right here, of course. She wouldn't let anyone untrustworthy get close." Aang continued, before letting go of her fingers and tracing his hands up her arms. He lowered his head until it was resting on her shoulder and smiled into her hair. "See? No reason to worry."
Except, there was. The feeling he was giving her was a whole big reason to worry. Her arms still tingled from his touch, and Toph felt her focus slip as his unshaven chin rubbed against her shoulder. She turned her head to him slowly, downcast sightless eyes meeting his gray ones. She couldn't see it, but the change in his breathing told Toph that she wasn't the only one being affected by their closeness.
Aang blinked once, his eyes shifting from her pale green orbs to her lips. He couldn't think straight as his body seemed to react on its own, pulling the girl closer to him, twirling her so she would be turned to him.
Sending all kind of prudence to the depths of hell, Toph climbed up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
The instant her lips touched his, Aang was a goner. He brought one hand to her hair, pulling it down, and another to her hip. Toph smiled into the kiss, pushing her tongue into his mouth, her hands roaming through his chest and neck.
The girl moaned, feeling heat pour onto her lower abdomen as the boy made circling movements with his fingers on her hipbone. The sound only seemed to incite the avatar, because he groaned loudly before lowering his lips to her neck.
"Wow, ok, this is R-rated, I should not be here."
The couple was startled apart, and both tried to fix themselves, running hands through hair and redoing shirt buttons that they hadn't even realized had been undone.
Meanwhile, Suki was still walking aimlessly, looking lost as she tried to find the path she'd come from.
Back to her right mind, Toph was able to process the thought that Fan Girl probably was spending too much time with Sokka. After all, wasn't she supposed to be the tactful one?
"Ahm, Suki, could you please stop?"
Aang's voice was shy and gentle, and Toph smiled at how the tone in his voice reminded her of how her teachers back home would talk to her when trying to get her to cooperate.
"I'm okay. I didn't see anything." This time, as she tried not to turn to them, the earthbender realized there was an amused undertone to her words. With a shock, Toph realized the other girl must have been smiling. "No secret here. No bet won. Go back to doing whatever you were doing."
Finally being able to uncover the trail she'd come from, Suki went back into the woods. Aang, though, was still rooted to his spot, looking between where the nonbender had just disappeared and where Toph was.
"Twinkletoes, what are you doing? We have to follow her!"
Her exclamation seemed to wake him up, because the avatar nodded and started to go in the direction Suki had gone. Before actually penetrating the woods, though, he turned back, took Toph's face into his hand and kissed her again.
This time, it was short and sweet.
"I had to do it one more time, before you kick me back into a hundred years ago." He explained with a smirk, wrapping his hand around her wrist and pulling her into the agglomeration of trees.
"So, where did you guys disappear to, anyway? We thought you wouldn't make it for dinner." Katara asked, as she poured a bit of soup into their bowls.
Toph didn't say anything, chewing on a piece of rabbit's leg. Aang, by her side, swallowed whatever had been in his mouth and glanced at the earthbender.
"Well, I showed Toph some animals I found on the other side of the woods." His attempt of a nonchalant tone was ridiculous and Toph almost burst into laughter, but she was able to stop herself, as Sugar Queen seemed to have bought his explanation.
"Did you guys have fun? You were gone for some time." By Sokka's right, Suki went into a coughing fit. The boy turned to her, obviously worried.
Ignoring Fan Girl's outburst, the Bei Fong girl smiled at Snoozles, intertwining her fingers with Aang's behing her back, in order to hide it from the rest of the group.
"Yeah, I guess you can say that."
Changes had always been a specially difficult thing for the greatest earthbender in the whole world, since it just wasn't in her nature to adapt. It was clearly between some of the things that Toph Bei Fong had a hard time getting used to.
This change, though, wasn't one of those things.
AN: Ok, this might have sucked. I'm not sure yet. I hope people enjoy it, though. It took me a while. Don't forget to make your opinion known; review!