Thank you all for the reviews last chapter. I'm going to try and reply to them all today! But in the mean time enjoy!
Yuck Factor: 0 of 10
Fluff Factor: 4 of 10 You have been warned! U.u
The others waited patiently outside as Toph regained her barrings, but what they didn't know was that a few choice words were being exchanged.
"This is why I do the cooking! I knew that I should have helped you!" Toph crossed her arms as she sat up against the bed. She rolled her eyes and mouthed 'blah, blah blah.' She dropped her head backwards and let her hands fall to the bed with a huff. She shot her hand out and grabbed the back of Zuko's pants and jerked him onto the bed. She grabbed him by the neck and pulled his head back so that it rested in her lap. She bent down and kissed him hard. He stared at her with wide eyes as she pulled back. He sat up still staring at her, and once she felt his pulse calm down she hit him hard on the shoulder.
"WOMAN!" He growled rubbed his still sun burnt arm. She shook her head.
"Listen to me, Sparky.." Uh oh, she only called him that when he was about to get in trouble. "I may be your wife, but I can still hold my own. If I want to cook in MY kitchen I am going to." Zuko narrowed his eyes and shook his head, knowing fully well that it do any good.
"I know that . But dammit I can't have you falling around! What if you would have hit your head!?" She clenched her fist in the sheets as her face started to turn red.
"What if I hit YOU in the head?!" He put his hands on his hips.
"Hit me in the head and expect leech-beetles in your next bath." Toph swung her legs over the bed and stood up. She stood right in front of him.
"You just try it buddy, and you'll be sleeping on the floor for a month!" She said poking him in the chest with each syllable. Zuko wasn't one to give up.
"How would you know I was on the floor and not in the village?!" Zuko felt her temperature spike as he watched her face turn dark. He might be in trouble.
"Yeah? I guess you would be at the brothel, huh?!" Zuko felt the danger level shoot up in the room. He took a step back.
"I didn't say that!" Toph narrowed her cotton eyes. She knew she had this round won. He didn't even have a good come back.
"But you were thinking it!" Zuko frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.
"No, I was not!" Toph frowned and turned her back on him crossing her arms over her chest. She stuck her nose up and closed her eyes. He hated when she did that., and she was going to use that to her full advantage.
"Toph. Turn around here and lo...listen to me!" He knew as soon as he said, well almost said it, he was in deep quicksand. Sher shoulders fell as she looked to the ground. She walked over to the clothes chest. She sat down on her knees and ran her hand over the wood until she came to the latch. She pushed the lid open and began running her fingers over the clothes.
Zuko watched her warily. He had expected her to start throwing rocks, try to beat him to a pulp, or at least stomp her feet and scream. But instead, she was quietly digging through a chest, looking for something. He took a cautious step towards her, and when he wasn't turned into a boulder sandwich had sat down cross legged next to her. She pulled a pair of pants out of the chest. Zuko watched with an arched eyebrow as she fell back on the floor. She slipped the legs on and pulled them up over her bum as her night clothes slid up, giving Zuko a glimpse of the pale skin of her waist. He smiled as he watched her. She sat up and pulled the shirt off, tossing it into the chest as she pulled out her shirt and tunic. Zuko couldn't just watch any more. He moved behind her and pulled her long black hair out of her collar. He smoothed it down her back and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Toph? What are you doing?" She frowned.
"I told you. Aang's in trouble. I'm going to find him." She turned in his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't know. I just need to know he is okay." Zuko rested his head on hers and rubbed her back.
"He's the avatar. He'll be okay." She smiled and closed her blind eyes.
"This is all real sweet and everything, but I'm starving." Sokka interrupted from the doorway. Zuko shot a glare at the boy. Sokka 'eeped' and slammed the door as a fire ball hurdled toward him. Toph slapped Zuko playfully on the chest.
"Temper." He tightened his arm around her and pressed her tight against him.
"Who are you to talk?"
Not much had been said about Toph's incident in the kitchen, nor about her feeling of Aang. Not much was said at all as they ate. Midway through the meal Katara excused herself. Haru watched his wife take their child off to nurse, then turned to look back at Toph.
"Just what do you mean? Did you see something? What happened?" Toph frowned and pushed the dumplings around with her chopstick.
"I don't know...all the sudden I had a sharp pain through my ears. When I woke up, I just knew..." Sokka looked up at the girl with a mouthful of noodles. He slurped them up and took on a serious face.
"Then we need to go and check on him." He said looking first to his brother-in-law then over to Zuko. Zuko nodded.
"I agree." Toph shook her head with a smile.
"One problem." She said flatly. The three men looked at her.
"What?" Sokka said with a frown.
"Katara." All three men frowned. "Which one of you are going to tell her she can't come?" All three men fought the urge to squirm in their chairs. Zuko looked over to Haru.
"You're her husband. You can order her not to ..DAMMIT!" He growled as Toph pinched him hard on the thigh. She smiled.
"Careful what you say..." She leaned over to him so only he could hear. " It might come back to haunt you Sparky." Sokka swallowed the piece of beef he had stuffed in his mouth and looked at Haru with a nod.
"That's kinda true. You are her husband. You should be the one to tell her."
"She's your sister." Sokka nodded.
"True, but you are kinda the reason she can't come." Haru frowned.
"Well I have to live with her!" Haru hissed.
"You could be replaced! I have to be her brother for life!" Sokka retorted as he stuffed a bean roll in his mouth. Haru frowned. Zuko arched his good brow.
"If you are both done with the over emphasizing, there is still the fact that Katara is in no condition to travel to Guioda City." Toph nodded as she mopped up the juice on her plate with the last dumpling.
"Nor can she leave Chyiana. The baby still needs to be nursed every hour. She's still too young for bear-cow, or lizard-goat milk." The men nodded to each other but remained silent. Toph growled and stood up.
"You are all a bunch of cowards."
Katara looked up as there was a gentle knock on the door. She pulled her feeding shawl over the child's face and her shoulder. She made sure that she was adjusted, one last time.
" Come in." She watched as Toph walked in and shut the door. Katara frowned.
"What is it Toph?" Toph laced her knuckles behind her head and smiled. This is gonna be like old times.
"Katara, we are going to find Aang and you can't come" Katara darted her eyes to glare at the woman.
"What?!"
"Think about it! You were almost killed in labor; your body hasn't healed yet; you can't leave the baby with someone, and you can't take her with us. It might be dangerous. That and you would only slow us down." Katara's face turned red and she narrowed her eyes.
"Slow you down!" Toph held up her hand to cut off Katara.
"No. Don't argue. We have already talked about it, and it's a finale decision. Whether your husband stays with you or goes with us is between you and him." She said and walked out the door shutting it behind her. She sat down on the chest next to the extra room and waited.
Zuko was gathering up the plates, and happened to be walking past the the kitchen when the door flew open. He cussed as the plates crashed to the floor. Katara stomped past him. She switched The baby into one hand and grabbed a handful of her husband's hair, dragging him out the door. Zuko and Sokka exchanged a look. Toph knelt down and began to help Zuko pickup the clay plates. Zuko smiled as she touched his hand.
"You did that on purpose."
"I like the feel of your skin. So what?" He rolled his eyes.
"You know what I meant." Toph smiled wildly as she stood up with her arms full of dishes.
"Of course." They took the plates and dropped them in the wash basin. Zuko looked over his blind one as she milled about the kitchen. He would have never believed that someone that couldn't see could move so well. He chuckled lightly. She was still surprising him. She turned to face him with a frown.
"What is so funny?"
"You set up Haru."
"No, I didn't. I merely gave Katara her options." Zuko nodded and walked over to her.
"Oh and what were they?" He said looking down at her from less than a foot away. She smiled and pushed him away playfully.
"Her husband can stay with her, or go with us." Zuko closed his eyes in a frown.
"You set him up." She shook her head and crossed her arms.
"No, I didn't. I know what my husband would do."
Interactive time!! Let me know what y'all think Haru should do. Should he go with the gang to find out if Aang is okay, or should he stay with his wife and child? Don't forget to tell me why! XD This is so fun! R&R
