Long Overdue - A TAANG Story


[Author's Notes: In the TV series they leave many conflicts unresolved, and I think that is a big mistake as well an opportunity for these two to grow even closer. (Maybe that is why they did it, or they would have added some TAANG to the series) This story isn't an offshoot of 'A Kiss in the Night of Ba Sing Se,' and so Aang and Toph are not involved. Young men can be dense and thus need to be prodded into understanding just because things aren't said, doesn't mean they don't exist.

Time has passed, and now Aang is ready to make amends. How this plays out… well, read on!

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own the Avatar: The Last Airbender

So as always… On with the Story!]


Chapter Two

Failure to Thrive

Aang ended up not eating as well. He fed Momo the tart and tossed the bowl of curry rice into the campfire. He watched as it popped and burned in the fire's crimson flame.

He could see the form of her shelters on the opposite side of the small oasis. There were two of them, and he reasoned that the smaller one was probably the bathroom.

The thought of attempting to apologize again crossed his mind. He had never seen Toph so upset, so he chose discretion to be the better part of valor. He didn't want her to come out slinging rocks his way, figuratively or literally.

The Avatar placed a water jug outside of her door and saw that it was gone. Aang was grateful that she had accepted that small token. He gazed up into the clear starry night, but all he could see was Toph. See her crying from his shameless antics. "AAUUGGG!" he screamed into the air! "I'm such a fool! HOW COULD I BE SO STUPID! I'M SO ASHAMED OF MYSELF!"

Inside of her enclosure, Toph could hear his anguish and it made her, well happy. "Maybe I'll forgive him, in the morning," she said to herself with a sigh of relief. "I know it's been a while since we were together, but does he watch Sugar Queen take a piss? Of course, he does. She probably holds it for him when he goes. Those two probably wipe each other's butts," she laughed. "Wow, just thinking about how Katara thought she was pregnant a couple of months back, is weird. Mai and Zuko split up as well as Sokka and Suki; I guess nothing lasts forever. Here I am on a trip with a practically married man! Am I a total moron too? I just assumed Sweetness would be with us or I would never have agreed to this! I guess she just sees me as some plain little, blind kid. I'm no threat at all in her eyes. What if I did tell her? What if I told her that Aang and I did it, right there on the beach. She may have kissed him first, but I laid him. Probably be the last thing I said before entering the Spirit World," Toph thought with a shudder. "Best let sleeping moose-lions rest."

As Aang laid on Appa's side, sinking into the thick fur of the bison. The beast let out a low moan of contentment. "Yeah buddy, it's good to be next to you too. Sorry for all the noise. I know you like her, and she likes you too. It's me she's having a hard time with."

Unexpectedly, he heard the door of her earth tent open. Aang pretended to be asleep as he listened to her footsteps getting closer.

"I know you're awake Twinkle Toes," Toph said as she approached holding the chattering lemur by the scruff of his neck.

"Ah, why and what's with Momo?"

"I'm just returning your fellow pervert to you! This little deviant slipped into my room and grabbed my boob right on the nipple! What have you been teaching him Twinkle Toes, or should I say Pervy Boy?"

"Sorry Toph, he probably thought it was the world's biggest peach bun with a juicy bug on top." Aang chuckled nervously. "Even though he can see pretty good in the night, I can see how he could make that mistake with your, smooth, fair skin."

The earthbender grimaced. "Is that how you see my tits too? A bun with a bug on it?"

"No, no, I don't see them that way. I was just trying to explain what Momo did. I actually see them as sweet, young melons, soft and... ripe, so very ripe," he exclaimed in a heated tone at the end.

Toph shook her head. "You should stop drooling all over poor Appa, you perverted idiot," the earthbender said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"And you should stop being so beautiful. But since neither one of us can quit, I guess I'll just continue to dream about those glorious breasts!"

"Do what you want. I can't stop you from dreaming," Toph replied with a smirk as she checked to make sure she put her nightshirt on correctly.

The night was sweltering hot, especially inside of her shelter. At least standing out here speaking with Aang, she could feel a cool breeze, be it a small one.

"Hey Twinkle Toes, I think I'm a bit hungry, now. Do you have any of those tarts left or did you scarf them all down?"

Just the way she spoke to him formed a lump in his throat and told him all was forgiven.

"Sure… sure Sifu. I'll get you one. I also have some sweet wine (non-alcoholic), do you want a drink of that?" he anxiously asked.

"I suppose if you don't have anything, uh, stronger?" she countered. "We are of age."

Aang smiled. "I know, but I choose not to dull my mind."

"What mind, Twinkle Toes?"

Aang rolled his eyes at her witty comeback.

"If you must have something, stronger, I think Sokka may have left some of that Water Tribe moonshine in the saddle the last time we visited the South Pole. He calls it his emergency cold relief," the air nomad explained as he walked over to the massive saddle. "I can't vouch for how good it is, but Sokka says that it'll cure what ails ya."

Toph laughed and smiled a full toothy grin. "If Snoozles says it's okay, then I'll try it."

"Not really any place to sit around here, but Appa is available. He's really comfy, and he's not flying," Aang espoused pointing to the hairy beast. "No matter what, he's the best seat in the house tonight."

"I can't disagree with you there, Twinkle Toes. I miss just hanging out with him and Momo too," Toph laughed as she first petted the creature's side and then fell back into him with a giggle. Appa was already asleep after a full day of flying and didn't even notice the diminutive woman nuzzling his fur. The little lemur casually looked down at the person making all the commotion, curling back up into a tighter ball on his big furry buddy.

There was a small cool breeze that blew through the palm and fig trees. For the overheated earthbender, it was like a lifeline as she spread out her arms and legs to catch as much as she could of it. Toph even unbuttoned the top two of her nightshirt so that the breeze could circulate. The thought of stripping it off did occur, but she dismissed it just as quickly knowing that Pervy Boy would probably lose control of himself. She could hear him rummaging through the saddle and even whistling some unfamiliar tune. "You're so simple, Twinkle Toes," she sighed.

The Avatar lit a fire in his hand because there was no moonlight. The new moon would be cresting tomorrow evening. His bending afforded enough illumination for Aang to see through the side compartments. "There you are," he stated exuberantly as he pulled out what looked like a waterskin that had three large x's written on both sides. He also grabbed his satchel of egg custard tarts.

Aang flew off the gondola to land directly on the opposite side of the campfire to retrieve some utensils he had left there. He gathered them up and began making his way back over to his companion. As he approached, the flickering of the campfire was shining on Toph's face, Her long, thick raven hair framed her face, but her bangs were also pulled to the side, exposing her foggy jade green eyes. Aang adored those eyes and was happy to see them when he could. He also noted how sheer her nightshirt appeared to be. In the humid, hot air, it clung to her curvaceous form. Toph had pulled the long gown up to her milky white thighs, but shadow kept him from seeing any further up.

"Katara please forgive me for what I'm thinking right now."

As she heard him coming, Toph modestly pulled her shirt down to cover her knees. Even though he was a bit disappointed, it did help him focus. He saw her nuzzling Appa like a kid. Evidently, Toph loved the feel of Appa's extremely down-like fur, but so did he.

As Aang bent a table and a couple of seats from the ground, he could hear Toph giggling and laughing to herself. He placed the items he brought on the table. He sat the table with plates and cups as well as a spoon, just in case. Toph leaped to her feet and stood beside him.

She smiled as she tilted her head up. "Appa smells so clean and fresh! It's like being in the evening sky," she said taking in a deep breath. "How come I never noticed that before Twinkle Toes?"

Aang chuckled lightly. "Possibly Sifu, when we're flying, you're so scared that there's not much else on your mind."

Toph nodded. "Good point Twinkle Toes."

Aang could also smell her as she was standing upwind of him. The sharp sourness of her sweat also had a tinge of sweetness to it. The Avatar found the combination as pleasant as the company.

Toph now got a whiff of herself. "Ugh, I stink!" she exclaimed sticking out her tongue in disgust. "How can you stand being around me?"

Aang shrugged his shoulders. "It's not so bad. You must have been sweating a lot in your tent. You can wash up after you have something to eat Sifu."

Her sightless eyes shifted his way. "Are you planning to peek in on me again, Pervy Boy?"

Aang smiled. "As much as I would like to, I know that would hurt your feelings, so I'll make you a washroom right over the edge of the pool, and I'll sit behind Appa till you're finished, deal? I don't trust me either."

The Avatar's sincerity and concern were slowly restoring her trust in the young man. She could feel he was candid about everything he said. His desire to peek brought a tint of red to her pale cheeks and she took it as more than a subtle compliment.

"Deal, but why don't I move downwind of you…"

"No, you don't have to Toph. I already set your place at the table."

Her face furled suspiciously. "What are you up to Pervy Boy? Am I hanging out somewhere?"

"Everything is covered Sifu," he proclaimed with a smile. "I just thought you wouldn't want to be smelling me… is all."

Toph walked up closely on Aang, close enough to make his cheeks flush. She took in a deep breath, right around his armpit.

"But you smell good tonight Twinkle Toes. Did you take a bath or something before I came out?"

Aang took a step back to create some space. "Yeah. I decided to wash up so that I could get some sleep with it being so hot here. I was kind of rancid myself after going all day. I figured that since you were in your room, it was safe to clean up."

A troubling thought came to the earthbender's mind. "Twinkle Toes, do… do you have clothes on?"

"I have on my trunks, but I can't sleep comfortably in my clothes. Why'd you ask, Sifu?"

"Uh, no reason. Let's eat Twinkle Toes, and I can't wait to take that bath."

Aang started laughing as if she had just told a joke.

Toph placed her hands on her hips. "What's so funny, Meathead?"

"Sorry, sorry, but I remember when 'the bath' was a swear word to you, Toph. We almost had to beg you to take one!" Aang laughed even louder as he watched the embarrassed expression on her face. "Katara had to drag you out and hose you down! You would be kicking and swearing all the while like she was trying to kill you!"

Before Aang could settle back down, the earthbender's look of dismay reignited his laughter.

"Ha, ha, laugh it up! That witch traumatized me! I never took a bath in cold water in all my life, before Katara decided I needed to discover what 'real life' was. Do you know what's it like to get a blast of cold water, right up the poop chute? I can tell you; it's not right! I think she just enjoyed torturing a kid, that sadistic freak! When I learned that she could heat water as well as freeze it, I was so pissed off; I buried all her wraps and loincloths."

Aang was not only surprised but impressed. "Wow, you did that Sifu? She thought some animal must have taken them. I remember her accusing poor Momo. That's hilarious!"

Toph stuck out her chest proudly. "Yep, that's because I made it look like paw prints leaving her tent! If she knew it was me, I knew she'd be making me wash those funky rags! But, I must say, I loved how Zuko kept staring at her when she ran around the camp that week. One minute he's talking normally, and then here comes Sweetness, trotting by and he just went blank. I bet Miss Water Bags was jiggling all over the place. I remember her walking behind everyone so that they wouldn't know she had lost her underwear. I'm sure you appreciated the view too, right Pervy Boy?"

Aang sighed as he stared into the earthbender's sightless, muted green eyes that reflected the flickering of the campfire's flames. "I think, I appreciated a much more breathtaking view in you, Sifu?"

It was his tone that broke the reverie. Toph turned her face away from his, the heat of her blush matching that of the fire they sat beside. "Uh, so where's the food, I'm starving," Toph said after she regained her calm.

Aang pulled a tart out of the satchel and placed it on her plate. He then poured her some sweet wine. "Here you are, Sifu. I hope you enjoy it."

Toph picked up the tart, and to her surprise and pleasure, it was ice cold.

"Wow, did you make this cold for me Twinkle Toes?" she asked, savoring the rich sweetness of the custard.

"I wish I could take credit for it. Sokka made this thing he called a cold box. We can put ice in the bottom of it, and somehow it won't melt for a long time. It then keeps all kind of things cold and fresh. We put one on Appa's saddle. When we're traveling, I just check it every couple of days and replenish the ice."

"For an idiot, Snoozles is really smart, isn't he?"

"Yeah, the smartest guy I know, Sifu."

They continued their lighthearted remembering until they had finished eating.

Toph stretched her hands over her head, and the thought of needing a bath desperately rode up her nostrils. "Okay, whew, that was strong! I really need a bath Twinkle Toes. You don't seem to mind me, but I can't take myself anymore!" she declared standing from the table.

"I'll go make the washhouse," Aang replied as he stood, cracking his knuckles.

"Oh, Aang, I… uh, only brought one nightshirt with me and I don't want to put this stinky thing back on. Can I borrow a shirt or something from you?"

"I've got you covered Sifu, just leave it to me."

Toph was enjoying the makeshift bathhouse. Aang had fashioned a bench under the water. When she sat on it, it allowed the water to cover her breast. She washed with an expensive bar of fragrant soap she purchased in Ba Sing Se. The aroma drifted on the air and found a certain young man masturbating to the sound of the splashing water.

The sweet scent filled his head with memories of her flashing him during the day, even though they were unintentional. Also, he had gotten an eyeful through the thin nightshirt. It didn't take long for him to release, stifling his moan of satisfaction.

"Sorry for using you as fapping fodder, Sifu."

He finished just in time to hear her call his name.

"Twinkle Toes, what did you give me and where is it."

"I put it right inside of the door. I have you a pair of trunks, just like mine."

Toph giggled at the apparent joke as she picked up a pullover tunic. It felt much thicker than her nightshirt, but it was cool to the touch. As she pulled it over her head, she relished that fresh, clean laundered scent. It draped over her body, almost coming down to her knees. "You've certainly have grown a lot of Twinkle Toes."

Toph rubbed the shirt over her breast. "No girl, don't get excited! If you give in now, this is just another booty call, and you'll be sad again. Yeah, he's walking man-candy, but don't let your sweet tooth get the better of you!"

Toph carefully examined herself, making sure nothing was exposed. She didn't want to give Pervy Boy any more free looks. The tunic not only seemed modest, but it also felt cooler than her gown. With a downward stroke of her hands, the bathhouse disappeared.

"Did you peek?" was her first question.

"Nope, I stayed behind Appa the whole time. Just like I promised."

Toph leaned her head to the side, diagnosing his reply. She felt something off in his answer, but overall, he was being honest.

"Good Twinkle Toes, because if you had, I was gonna kick you where it hurt the most!"

"Then it's a good thing I didn't," he replied covering his crotch, just in case an earth pillar was headed his way. "How's the shirt, Sifu?"

"Well, you certainly know me Twinkle Toes. I'm a sucker for freshly washed stuff," she announced playfully, "What material is this? It seems sturdy but very cool?" she asked walking in his direction.

"Linen," he replied as he stepped around Appa and froze in his tracks. Toph's pixyish appearance staggered him physically. The way his tunic fit her caused his heart to thump loudly in his chest as his arms and legs went limp, dropping the mighty Avatar to his knees.

She was startled by his reaction as well. "What's wrong, Aang? You're acting like… well, I don't know how you're acting! Why are you on your knees? Why the minute you saw me your heart went all crazy fast? Is linen sheer or something?" she asked not knowing if she should get angry again.

Aang shook his head even as he answered. "No, it's not see through Toph, quite the opposite. I just didn't think you would look so damnably cute in my shirt! WOW! I've never seen someone so beautiful!"

The earthbender covered her mouth even as her whole body seemed to flush. The stunning truth of his words made her heart skip a beat. She thought to run, but her legs just wouldn't obey. Also bending appeared to out of the question because she just couldn't focus.

"You're not being fair Twinkle Toes! I thought Sweetness was the prettiest thing on two legs."

Aang staggered to his feet. "I've would have agreed with you until I had that vision in the swamp. Did I ever tell you I chased you? Yeah, I ran smack dab into Katare, but I was really after you."

Toph stood sideways, trying to minimize her visage. "Uh, why did you chase me?" she asked wanting to get his mind off of her body. His staring made it feel as though she was completely naked.

"I felt like I do now Sifu, and I just didn't want it to end," he retorted as his voice began to crack.

"You're not right Twinkle Toes! How could you do this to me again?" she cried out wiping at the streams of tears that fell from her tightly closed eyes. "You… used my love against me! You knew I loved you, and you used me! You took and left me empty!"

Aang didn't know what to do so he just stood where he was. "I was afraid Toph. I… uh, wanted… I wanted to restore my people, and I thought Katara…"

"I know, you've already told me ten times! Katara said that she would help you any way she could. And you already know I think that is just a load of hog-bullshit! Why do you want to revive people who failed? I understand that they were your family, but they failed in life Aang!"

"They didn't fail, they were murdered," Aang yelled back angrily. "That bastard Sozin killed them!"

Toph took a defensive stance. "Yes, and spirits damn him to the Abyss! But when it came time to fight, to live, they tried to get a little boy to do their dirty work! How about that Avatar before you, what's his name Riku?"

"Roku," Aang corrected her in a gruff voice.

"Yeah, that guy. If he had grown a pair and did what he had to do in the first place, none of this would have happened, and millions of people, including yours, would not have perished!"

"So you think this is Avatar Roku's fault?"

Toph let out a loud sigh. "Not just that idiot, but all the fools who refused to take responsibility in their own lifetime, Twinkle Toes. You once told Katara and me that the air nomads were taught to uphold justice and virtue. Yet when the Fire Nation under Sozin first attacked the Earth Kingdom, they did nothing to help those provinces! They just sat back and thought the Avatar was gonna swoop in and fix everything! Well, sorry folks, he didn't! So now Aang, you're not only the last airbender but the Avatar! Who saw that coming? I don't think it's a coincidence that the comet came before you could become a fully realized thing to save them. You probably would have died with them. I heard one of your people showed some guts!"

"It was my master. Gyatso, he fought them."

"Now that guy, Gyatso, was a real man! Katara told me how he took down a bunch of those firebending creeps. Just think about if all those airbenders would have fought? Don't you think even Sozin would have seen it wasn't possible to defeat them? Fire needs air, your people controlled air…"

"But what Gyatso did was taboo!" Aang wept holding his head. "He… he… wasn't suppose to…"

"What Aang? He wasn't supposed to fight back? He wasn't supposed to survive or defend his people? What a fucked up teaching! Don't you see Aang? He was the only one who saw the error! That's why they were all slaughtered, they believed a lie Aang and you want to bring that lie back? Why?"

"It's the only way I know!" he yelled, clenching his fists.

"No, it's not! Aang, you've been in this world for seven years, the only airbender alive. So, you're telling me you've learned nothing in seven years? Look, I know before the airbenders were, stupid sheep, they were warriors. Bloodthirsty maniacs that almost destroyed every other nation but Water, who was their allies. Then they do a one-eighty and become these, uh, do nothing idiots. So what we see now is air getting blasted out of existence because they refused to accept their warrior side, and letting half of the Water Tribe die as well. Don't you see the irony in all of this, Aang?"

Her words hit home in his mind. "So what do I do now, Toph?"

She shrugged. "I'm tired, I'm frustrated, and I want a drink, Twinkle Toes. You're the Avatar, figure it out. Where is that moonshine?"