Surprise. Aang had surprised Toph quite a few times. First the lightness in his foot steps. Then he came finding her to the Bei-Fong state. Then he met her parents. Boy, this guy sure was stubborn. Just as much as Toph was. Then he yelled at her in the dessert so horribly, just after she saved his sorry butt from being buried alive. His outburst had worsen the guilt she felt for letting go of Appa, no matter how much she knew that she couldn't have had helped it. If it wasn't for Katara, Toph would have broken down to pieces. Whatever! Time had healed her. She held no grudge what so ever. Toph was so used to people treat her like as if she was actually a rock. As if she doesn't feel. So, little did she care about it.
Back in the Fire Nation Aang again surprised Toph by being a fancy dancer. Who knew Twinkle Toes could dance? He surprised her by having guts to finally win Katara over! She was the first to notice they were kissing in the corridor of Jasmine Dragon. Toph had broke in to a very toothy grin and nudged Iroh to their direction. Iroh's 'oh!' had drawn everyone's attention and they had broke in to loud round of applause.
So it had happened. They went their separate ways. Sokka with Suki, back to Kyoshi Island. Zuko with Mai, running the fire nation. Katara and Aang, often travelling. For the first two years Toph had joined them. The gang met annually at Fire nation royal palace to help Zuko untangle the diplomatic problems. All was well for a good two years. Then Toph had settled down in Jasmine Dragon for a while saying she needed a break. Actually she had felt like she was disturbing the two lovers who were growing up. They were exactly not behaving like young lovers. May be because they weren't alone. They could do with some quality time together, just with each other. Toph had thought. No matter how hard Aang and Katara had tried to get her back on Appa, Toph had simply said no. I miss Iroh's tea so much; I think I'll stay for a while. She had said smiling.
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Amazed. Aang had been always amazed by Toph. First by her power. Then by her personality. He did not know how to say sorry for yelling at her in the dessert. Nor did she ever bring it up. He was amazed by the way she easily forgave him and move on with no grudge. He had forgotten to ask her if she was feeling OK after she almost drowned at Serpent's Pass. When he remembered that he did not, it was little too late and would have been awkward to ask her then. She would have eyed him with sarcasm. Even so he was still amazed by the way she pulled herself together after that fatal accident. Her worst fear after all was drowning. Aang was yet again amazed by how she had been right about Zuko at the western air temple. He was amazed by her ability to see through people and understand them so precisely. She was not ever carried away by her emotions and Aang was amazed. Toph never surprised Aang. She just amazed him. But after two years of travelling after war, she suddenly surprised him by saying she was staying. For tea? OK, it was Iroh's tea, but still! No matter how hard they, him and Katara, had tried to know the real reason behind her decision or to get her come back with them, they had failed. What could they do? Once Toph made her mind no one can change it. She was, after all, rock-like. Stubborn. So they bid good bye till they meet again. I will miss you! Toph had said giving him and Katara a quick hug and punches each.
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Now after a year and a half, they were back together in Jasmine Dragon. As Appa landed in front of the tea shop all rushed towards him grinning ear to ear. All were there, Zuko, Mai, Iroh, Sokka, Suki… But not Toph.
After warm welcoming hugs they went inside.
"So where is Toph?" Asked Katara and Aang almost in unision.
Others shared a look. "Upstairs" said Zuko. "Asleep" said Suki.
"Asleep?" Asked Katara narrowing her eyes. "Why?" came Aang's voice. They both sounded surprised. Toph may be a late riser but it wasn't like her to sleep in broad daylight.
"She is ill. Down with a fever." Said Iroh. "She needs to rest and will be OK in couple of days." He added hastily as Katara and Aang got to their feet.
Aang was yet again surprised. Ill and Toph were two words that he had never thought of using together would be possible. Unless you count out the word 'ill tempered'. It was like the moment they found out that the fire nation had defeated Omashu in the days of war.
"But what happened?" Katara asked trying to get to the stairs. But Suki stopped her. "Let her sleep for now. It's just a viral flu. She might have gotten it from one of her students."
"Her students?" Aang asked.
"Yeah, she's been teaching earth bending to quite a few for the last year." Iroh replied.
"But Katara can heal her. Let's go check on her." Aang said starting to walk as well.
"I don't think so Aang. If it's not a wound or cut, I only can stabilize her condition. The fever will take its time to wear off." Katara said walking beside him.
Suki groaned. "yeah… just go and wake her up! I spent two hours convincing her to sleep."
"We'll be just taking a peek. Don't worry Suki" Aang assured her.
As they entered the room in which Toph was sleeping, an odd smell of jasmine filled their nostrils. "What is that?" Aang asked sniffing the air.
"We had to apply this oil and massage her head." Suki said rolling her eyes. "She was thick enough to take a bath saying she was feeling rather hot, just after her fever went up. Right after that Toph suffered a severe headache."
Katara shook her head in disbelief of Toph's action as she bent over her sleeping form and examined her closely. Her hair was down in long ebony curls. Suki had brushed the bangs away from her eyes. Her forehead was sweaty and her breaths were shallow. Katara bended some water from the bowl on the bedside cabinet to her palm and felt Toph's forehead. As the cool liquid touched her skin, Toph twitched in bed. Her eyes slowly opened. She blindly reached and caught Katara's wrist. "Sugar Queen?" She said in a hyper tone hastily sitting up.
"Hey.. hey u need to-" Katara started but abruptly stopped as she found herself been hugged in the middle by Toph.
"Where is the Air head?" She asked parting from Katara.
"Right here." Said Aang air bending himself to the other side of the bed and taking her to a friendly embrace. Toph returned the gesture with a grin. Both Katara and Aang felt it. She was burning up. Both of them were surprised by how little Toph was affected by her weak physical condition. She was chatting merrily with them for another half an hour until Katara insisted her to sleep. (Suki kept tutting her to it). So Toph unwillingly fell asleep with the help of a sleeping draught Iroh brewed for her.
Others left the room leaving Aang and Katara with Toph. They watched as Toph slept rather uncomfortably. After a half an hour or so, she started fidgeting in her sleep. Her forehead wrinkled her face sweaty and her breaths shallow. It seemed like Toph was suffering from a severe headache.
"Katara!" Aang, who was sitting at the edge of the bed in which Toph slept, called in a worried voice.
Katara stood up from her chair and rushed towards Toph. She sat on the bed taking Toph's head to her lap. Katara bended a little water to her finger tips and gently rubbed either side of Toph's forehead as she sang a lullaby her mother used to sing to her, in a low whisper to Toph's ears.
You're my sun my moon my stars that gleam
My love for you as ocean deep
Now sleep my darling darling sweet
Sleep my darling sleep…
Toph slowly stopped fidgeting and relaxed. Her arm unconsciously wrapped around Katara as her breath became steady.
Aang watched in surprise, his mouth agape. "She might have killed you if she was awake. Toph hates to be pampered."
Katara smiled as she lifted her head. "No she does not. She'd been pampered for 12 years of her life and she does not want anyone to think that she likes it. She is on denial about liking it. Just like you."
Aang frowned at this. "Like me? I don't hate been pampered. In fact I love it." He said a little loud.
"Hush!" Katara said pointing at Toph who was sleeping like a baby. "It's not about being pampered, it's about being on denial." She added as she continued to stroke Toph's hair.
"On denial?" Aang asked in confusion.
"We were travelling with Toph. And it was great fun." Katara said as a dreamy look rose to her blue eyes.
"Yeah. It was." Aang agreed smiling.
"And it wasn't as fun when she stayed behind, was it?" Katara asked. There was no complaint or hurt in her voice. It was just a fact.
Aang rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Well… you know, it wasn't all bad. We had a good time together, didn't we?"
"oh yeah. Until we realized we were extremely bored." Katara chuckled.
Aang couldn't help but join her. "Yeah. But what are you on about? Me on denial?"
"you know, you've been hyper about seeing Toph again. You've been going on and on about her sarcastic remarks blah blah blah-" Katara started.
"So were you!" Aang said blushing a little.
"Yeah! but not as much as you!" Katara teased. "I missed her as a dear friend but you were absolutely head over hee-"
"Hey what are you cra-" Aang said standing up.
"Oh shut it Aang." Katara said as she patted Toph's head unconsciously. "That's why I say you are on denial."
"I am not!" Aang said.
"Yes you are!" Katara sneered.
"Am NOT!" Aang scolded.
"YES YOU ARE!" Katara retorted.
"NO I AM NOT!" Aang roared.
"GEEZ!" it was Toph. She sat up rubbing her eyes. "WILL YOU TWO QUIT SHOUTING?"
Apparently she was jerked awake by the row and thoroughly annoyed. "I think my head's gonna split!"
Aang blushed in to a deep shade of red as Katara started massaging Toph's forehead again.
"Sorry! We were just-" She stammered looking uncomfortably at Aang.
"Why were you shouting anyways?" Toph asked drowsily. It seemed hat she had not heard a word clearly.
"umm… Aang will tell you! Won't you Aang?" Katara said hurriedly as she started walking towards the door leaving a much taken aback Aang and a drowsy but fully awake Toph behind. She turned at the door and added, "Oh and by the way, I broke up with Aang almost ten months ago coz I couldn't stop being an older sis to him. And now I'm dating Haru. You remember the earth-bender, don't you?"
"Huh?" Toph turned to Aang, completely forgetting about her aching head. "What was that all about Twinkle Toes?" She asked in bewilderment.
Aang gulped. "well… umm…" He rubbed the back of his neck sitting down on the bed beside Toph. Oh boy! This isn't gonna be easy!