Fight

Aang hated fighting with Toph. It was always a constant struggle for dominance between the two. They were natural opposites. Aang thought nothing would be able to sate the ongoing quest for victory.

"Why don't you just give up?" she taunted from across the field. She launched another attack at him, one that barely missed crushing his head. It wasn't the danger that drew him to this game he loathed. It was the experience of using all he had, all that was left of the airbenders, to wipe that stupid smirk off her face.

"Never."

Lecture

Toph walked across the campus as fast as she could, trying to hold back the rage that threatened to bubble up. Of course, Aang chose that perfect moment to come smiling up to her, as if everything was right in the world.

"Hey, Toph! What's up?"

"The sky."

Aang sensed something was wrong, but instead of backing off, he decided to get her out of her funk.

"Guess what?" he said.

"Could we not? I mean really, Aang, I'm not in the mood. I feel…frustrated."

Aang opened the door to the lecture hall where the class was held. He followed her up to the back row at the top of the ampitheatre where she liked to sit.

"Anything I can do to help?"

A devilish smirk appeared on her face, making Aang regret the question.

Meditate

Aang heard Toph sigh again from where she sat on the floor. He was sitting on the window sill, legs crossed, letting the setting sun soak into him. He opened one eye to see her laying on the floor, letting Momo tie knots in her hair.

"Bored?" he asked.

"Of course."

He patted the space next to him. "You should try it. It's very calming."

Toph groaned and picked herself up, then sat next to Aang. He told her the correct way to position her body, then relaxed himself into his own pose. A minute hadn't passed before Toph sighed again. Aang choose to ignore her, and looked deep into himself. He felt his spirits lift, relaxing his muscles and sending him into a deep sense of serenity. That was, until, someone started rubbing his ears.

"Uh…Toph?"

"What? I'm bored."

"I know that but…that's very distracting."

"Well fine. I'll just do something else."

"Thank you." Aang cleared his mind again, letting Momo's unintelligible chirps relax him into a state of… a pair of hands went from his shoulders, moving slowly across his back, and down into his lap where fingers started pushing past the waist band of his pants.

"TOPH!" Aang gasped, scrambling from her grasp and onto the floor. "You shouldn't- I-I can't.. UGH!" Aang disappeared from the room, leaving Toph laughing until tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Finally," she said, kicking her feet up on the window. "That'll teach him to stay out of my seat."

Lectures II

"Toph we-mmm really shouldn't be- oh, crap!"

"What's wrong?" she panted beneath him. "We still have our cothes on, for now." She had her arms wrapped around his neck, laying on the floor of the lecture hall. No one could see them due to the position of the seats.

"But someone could hear us- please stop doing that with your hands!"

"Are you sure?" Toph smiled, taking her hands from his ears. "I don't think you're in the position to negotiate." She kissed him again, and knit her fingers in his thick hair. "We'll just have to be quiet," she purred.

"We could be missing something important," he said, trying to will himself not to give into his girlfriend. Toph talked him into a lot of things, but making out on the floor during a lecture was a step up the ladder. He felt Toph press into him, making him bite back the noise that flew from his throat.

"Well?" she asked.

"They post the notes online, right?"

"That's more like it."

Ice

Toph blew her breath into her mittens. She was against coming to the South Pole, for obvious reasons. It was cold. There was ice. She couldn't see. But she underestimated the meaning of cold when she finally agreed to go. No, it wasn't simply winter, it was arctic. Aang opened the flap to her igloo and joined her by the fire.

"There's penguin sledding outside," he said, clearly wanting her to leave her fetal position and join the festivities.

"Great, why don't you go ahead without me? I'll be there when all this snow melts."

Aang surprised her by laughing. "It won't melt, Toph. In fact, this is fall. You haven't seen winter yet."

"I'm not staying here a minute longer than necessary," she grumbled, snuggling into the furs. If the Water Tribes got something right, it was how to kill something. Toph felt the fire slowly dying, and she reached out for another log. Her hands came up with nothing but frost.

"Be a sport and go get me some wood," she said.

"Can't."

"Why?" she said evenly, trying to control her temper.

"There aren't any trees anywhere on the continent, Toph. All parchment, wood, and matches come from the boardering countries. The next shipment isn't for another week."

Toph buried her face in her hands. "So, I basically get to freeze my ass off until some stupid boat comes with firewood? What do these people do to keep warm?"

"They're used to the cold. But when it gets bad they usually stay active to raise their body tempurature."

"I'm not moving an inch. What else do they do?" she asked. She heard Aang shift beside her, ringing a gust of cold air across her face. She pulled the furs closer around her body and fought back a shiver. Suddenly, a warmth began spreading across her back, up her shoulders, and around her torso. Aang had sat directly behind her, letting his legs fall in length with hers. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his face to her cheek.

"There's always firebending," he joked. He noticed she was unusually still. "You okay?"

"Mmm hmm. Better, now. Thanks."

Stroll

"Well," Aang said. "I didn't learn a thing, thanks to you."

"Oh please, don't pretend you didn't like the distraction," Toph said, lazily holding his hand as they walked out of class. "Come up to my room and we can study."

"I don't know," Aang replied.

"Oh, come on! Don't be such a baby."

"I just… I'm not ready, Toph," he said, shrinking away in discomfort. She stopped walking, letting their hands break apart.

"You will if you love me," she said. There was no hint of a joke on her face as they stared each other down. Suddenly Aang snickered, causing Toph to break into laughter. It was the same old playful banter they shared.

"Oh, man. What is wrong with us?" she said, trying to contain herself.

"I don't know," Aang laughed, taking her hand again and continued walking down the path. "That's not fair, by the way."

"What isn't?" Toph asked, sobering up.

"You trying to say it first."

Toph glanced up at him with confusion written on her face. "Say what first?"

Aang took her face in his hands and brought his lips down to hers. She released a startled gasp before deepening the kiss. "I love you," he whispered against her mouth. When they finally broke for air, Toph staggered away as if drunk.

"Do you want to come upstairs?"

Aang rolled his eyes."So not happening."

"Oh come on!"

Fun

Toph listened to Aang buzz with excitement as they trudged through the snow in the arctic wasteland that made the South Pole. He tried to talk her into trying some of the rare tribal delicacies, but whenever a vendor offered sea prunes, Aang would stiffen and decline, then surpress a shudder as they hurried away.

"Get into the spirit, Toph."

"It's too cold for the spirit," she said. She was happy for her older friends. Sokka and Suki had made their return to the South Pole, welcoming a baby boy into their family.

"Isn't it so exciting, though?" he beamed. "It seems like only yesterday you were hanging for your life on the edge of an airship, headed to destroy the Earth Kingdom."

"Yeah, good times."

Aang sighed. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

XXXXX

Katara sucked her teeth at yet another bruise on Aang's arm. He was mumbling about how Toph cheated during their snow ball fight.

"Toph, I thought you hated the snow."

She smiled from where she sat in the corner. "I did until I found out there were rocks buried under layers of snow out here."

"Those rocks are used for our weapons, Toph," Katara scolded.

Toph shrugged in return. "Well, at least you guys won't have to dig for them."

Formal

It wasn't the fact that she knew no one would approach her at the freshman ball in her university. It wasn't the fact that she had to sit and watch everyone else dance while she made the excuse that her feet hurt in the heels anyway. No, that wasn't why Toph felt emptier than usual. It was the fact that the only person who'd even talk to her during the forced social event was sick with the flu. Toph sighed and ran her fingers over the smooth material of her dress. She checked her cell phone, hoping Aang felt well enough to even try to call. He begged her to go, to take pictures and share them when it was over. He still didn't comprehend that when it came to meeting new people.. Toph didn't click. She wasn't social. She certainly tried to be, but she always felt out of step. A new song came on, a song she recognized, a song she wished she could dance to. She'd look silly dancing by herself. A finger tapped her bare shoulder.

"I thought you were sick," she said, joining Aang on the dance floor. She was so relieved by his arrival that her stomach did flips. She could see the bags beneath his eyes, the sluggish way he moved.

"I got better," he lied. "Just, don't stand too close."

"You'll make yourself worse," she warned, coming close anyway.

"I couldn't let you be alone the whole night. What if some guy tried to hit on you?"

Choking

Toph kept her palms to the ground, stopping every few seconds or so to take a deep breath and fight off the coughs that shook through her body. She shyed away from the flames licking up the coloumns of books that lined the wooden walls. She checked her crumbling surroundings again; everyone made it out of the library. She only had to save herself before the ceiling caved in. She heard Katara bending from outside, Sokka barking orders for people to stay back. There was a feather light pulse coming from a room at the far end of the hall. Toph bended herself underground, sucking in the fresh oxygen before heavy smoke could taint it. She found herself beneath the room where the heartbeat came from, and bended herself inside.

"Aang! What in Shu's name are you still doing inside?"

The avatar choked out a strangled cough and crouched to the ground. "I just emptied this room then the door got stuck. Are we the last ones?"

The ceiling caved then, making both benders press against the door to keep from being crushed beneath the burning support beams.

"Yeah, we've got to move. Follow me," she said, putting all her focus into the ground at her feet. A large shard of earth broke down the door, causing the fire to flare wildly.

"Get down!" Aang yelled, throwing them both to the ground before the fire could react to the air that came from the other side. "Don't let go of me, Toph! As long as you have breath in your body, don't you ever let go!"

Outside, Katara's efforts were gwearing thin. "I need more water!" she yelled, raising her hands to find the pull of her element among the ever growing crowd. This is why she hated cities. Too many accidents, not enough rescuers. People didn't act that way in her tribe. But here, no one stopped to help, they stopped to look. Sokka and few Kyoshi warriors pushed the crowd back, threatening a few who wanted a closer look while Zuko steadied himself to try to contain the flames. Suddenly, the windows blew out, as if an explosion happened. The closest people were knocked back several feet, wiping the soot from their eyes.

"No!" Katara screamed. She rushed towards the door, which hung open, large flames coming from inside. Zuko grabbed her roughly, knocking both of them to the ground.

"Let me go!" she screamed. "They're still inside! Toph, Aang! No!"

Cough

Aang collapsed on Toph's futon and kicked off his shoes.

"Told you you'd get sick," she teased, taking the expensive earrings from her ears.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," Aang said, closing his eyes. He coughed into his jacket sleeve, then fell back on the couch. "I hate being sick."

"I don't know anyone who enjoys it," she said, walking to the couch and sitting down. He rested his head on her lap. "Thanks for being there," she said.

"It was worth it."

Splash

Aang splashed Toph again, dodging her fist that came close to his face.

"Cut it out, Twinkle Toes."

"Admit I saved your life," he said.

"Pfft," Toph snorted. "I found you cowering like a little girlbehind a bookcase when I found you. I was the hero that day."

"Were not," Aang challenged. He bended a funnel of wind to mess her hair again. "Just say I saved your life and I'll leave you alone."

Toph reached out to hit him again, but he danced away just in time. Instead she bended a rock, causing him to lose balance and fall head first into the pond. Turtle ducks swam up to him, nipping at his ears.

"Ow!" he said, standing and bending the water from his clothes. "You could have burned to death if I hadn't told you to get down."

"And your spirit would probably still be trying to find a way to open a wooden door," Toph shot back.

Katara looked out at the courtyard in the center of the fire palace. She sighed at the sight of Toph and Aang and what seemed to he a heated discussion.

"They still trying to figure out how they got out alive?" Zuko asked, coming up behind her.

"Yup."

"When should we tell them that I actually put out the fire?"

Katara turned to look at the Fire Lord. "Excuse me? You put out the fire?"

Rain

Toph kicked at the flattened tire of her car. She hated the drunken bastards who decided to leave a glass bottle in the street. She hated her dangerous nature of speeding with no headlights. Aang told her she'd hit something. She was expecting a dog, or someone's baby, but not an empty bottle on the raniest night of the year. Aang stood from instecting the tire and shook his head.

"We're stuck," he said, as if the fact hadn't already been known. He wiped the drops that hung on his eyelashes. "Please tell me your phone is working?"

"Shit," Toph said, pulling the touch screen from her back pocket. Sure enough, it had been soaked.

"No phone, and no spare. Now what do we do?"

Aang looked down the dark street. "Well, the campus is ten miles up the road. And the closest rest stop was about five miles back…"

"I'm not going anywhere in this rain," Toph said, shrinking at the thunder that rumbled through the sky. They got back in the car, locking the doors and turned on the heat, shivering at the low temperature. "Who builds a college in the middle of nowhere anyway?" Toph said, looking at the miles of trees ahead.

"Well, it's not all bad," Aang said.

"Are you kidding? We're stuck here all night. We'll run out of gas, we'll freeze to death in this rain, and what if there's a flash flood? I refuse to die out here!" Toph ranted.

"Well," Aang started. "At least we're alone."

Toph stared up into thse grey eyes and smiled. "You choose now of all times to get in the mood?"

Aang shrugged. "Can't blame a guy for trying. And you're not giving me much choice. I mean, seeing you all wet like that is…taking my mind places."

Toph laughed. "You're unbelievable, Twinkle Toes."

"…Is that a yes?"

"Get over here, Aang."

Flowers

Aang clutched the bouquet in his sweaty hands, and continued pacing on the hill. He knew for a fact that he wasn't welcome in the extravagant Bei Fong estate, but he felt he had an obligation as a friend. He looked at the fresh panda-lillies, knowing full well what they represented. He laughed at the distant memory of climbing a volcano to retrieve one for Katara. The world seemed so different back then. Everything was easier. Aang took another deep breath. How hard was it to deliver some stupid flowers? He couldn't just leave them at the door, they'd be thrown away.

If he gave them to a servant, Toph would kill him once she ound out he stopped by without a hello. He needed to tell her the reason for his lengthy absence in person, then explain the shocking revalation he made while meditating. He let his child like instincts guide him as he leapt over the fence and into the garden. He ducked behind a bush when a guard walked by, and waited for the man to leave. Just like seven years before, there was a tremble through the earth, followed by him being thrown several feet in the air. He landed on his feet that time, and looked around for the bender responsible.

"What are you doing here, Twinkle Toes?" she said, placing her hands on her hips.

"I won't answer to that," Aang said, playing along. "It's not manly." He opened his arms in time for her to come crushing into him, half angry, and half relieved at his return. The flowers fell to the ground, unnoticed. Their message had been given in a simple hug.

Heart Beat

Toph snuggled deeper into the warm embrace of her boyfriend's bare chest, listening to the slow, steady rythym of Aang's heart beat. She didn't want to open her eyes and ruin the most perfect moment of her life. Aang was still sleeping, his arms limp on her back. He'd been right about the night before not being all bad. Of course it was, for her, but only at first. She realized then that he knew her inside and out. Anywhere else would have been too cliché. Anything planned would have been ruined. In the rain, the dramatic scene of them being stranded, in the back of her most prized possession was absolutely perfect. Aang stirred beneath her, running his hands along her back. They opened their eyes at the same time and stared for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak, but she put a finger to his lips. She moved up to his level and kissed him full on the lips.

"I love you," she said, letting him take them both back into their oasis in the midst of a storm.

New

Toph stiffened at the voice. Though she fully understood exactly how the world worked, she wouldn't allow herself to accept it. She stood abruptly, letting the delicate tea cup fall to the floor. She ignored the hand that reached out to catch it. Toph tried to steady her breath, waving off the assistant that started to approach. Instead she stood up straight and relaxed her shoulders, smoothing the wisps of grey hair that fell into her sightless eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said, in her withered, old voice. "Excuse me for a moment- what did you say your name was again?"

"Korra," the young woman responded. Toph was out of the room before the teardrops could fall.

_!_!_!_!_!_

Okay, okay, I know I'm supposed to be updating the good times, but I absolutely love writing these shorts. Anyone else super stoked for Korra? Anyone? No? That's alright. I saw the trailer and I still can't stop smiling.