Disclaiming, disclaiming, disclaiming. Avatar=not mine. Yet. ;)

Chapter Two

I tried not to breathe, not to walk, not to be as Zuko and I walked down the hallway towards my old room. Just us. Zuko and Toph. Alone. Just like last time…

"Toph?"

I turned to see…oh, wait, can't…Zuko. I could smell his earthy scent, and was more than a little turned on. "Yes?"

"You look….lonely." There was something in his voice…something husky, pitched low like desire. But that's ridiculous, cause I'm Toph. There is nothing desirable about me.

"I'm not sure how you look," I said honestly, trying to change the subject. Of course I was lonely. I loved him and wanted him, and he was with Mai.

"Toph…come here."

The events following were disastrous…a complete and total loss of control between both of us. One night, and everything fell apart.

"Toph?"

Though I knew he was there, I jumped about a foot off the ground. "Don't do that, Sparky!"

His hesitation filled the air. "I'm…sorry. Your room is being renovated, so you have a choice. Normally, you could choose between Katara and Suki, but after you…left, Katara and Aang started rooming together, and so did Suki and Sokka. You can either room with Iroh or…me."

I tried to ignore my insides bursting with joy. The chance to watch him sleep again…no. "You don't room with Mai?" I asked, a little too icily for an earthbender.

"Mai…died. Five years ago."

Five years? When I left? What does that mean? "Oh…I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "No. It wasn't…" he stopped and laughed, "your fault."

"What's with the laughing?" That's me, Toph Bei Fong, master of earth and subtlety.

He chortled. "I'll tell you later." At a look from me, he corrected himself, "Soon."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm probably not interested, anyway."

The laughing died down. "Not anymore."

Now, that piqued my curiosity, but I decided to not pester him about it. I grew up some over the past five years, and I don't just mean being nineteen. I lost some annoying abilities, and gained some more adult-like ones.

"So….what's your answer?"

What? "Um…was there a question?"

He smiled. "Iroh or me?"

Iroh, Iroh, Iroh, Iroh…"You." What? No! What the hell, Toph?

He seemed a little taken aback, but he sounded fine with it. "Okay. Do you remember where my room is?"

Vividly. "Um…yes." I blushed as I remembered my last night in it.

He must have picked up on the vibe, because I felt his skin warm. "Well…I'll meet you there, okay? There's something I have to do."

I wondered what it was, but just said, "Okay," and began to walk the familiar hallways to Zuko's room.

"I walk a lonely road," I softly sang, "the only one I've ever known." (My favorite song by my favorite band, Purple Evening).

"Toph!"

I turned to feel someone fling themselves onto me. "Um…hello."

"It's Suki!"

I looked at her (pointlessly). "Nuh-uh…Suki was smaller! Her voice was lighter."

I could sense the joy. "Yes, but…oh, Toph, I'm pregnant!"

I blinked. "Well….that was unexpected."

She laughed. "Oh, Toph! It's so exciting!"

We chatted for a few minutes before I continued on to (gulp) Zuko's room. When I got there, I thought about making a small palate for myself on the floor. I then promptly collapsed on Zuko's bed and fell asleep.

BTW, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is full and copyrighted property of Green Day.