Well everyone, here is chapter three. Thank you to all my reviewers, I love hearing back from you, especially about what you want to happen plot-wise.
Also the rating on this has been changed to M. There is no mature content in this chapter, (there will be in upcoming ones unless my reviewers wish otherwise), but mature topics are brought up, so I changed it to be safe.
Hope you all enjoy, and let me know what you think!
--
Zuko walked slowly through the busy market streets. He stopped occasionally to inspect some trinket or another, always gradually moving in the direction of the outer wall, mostly just because it gave him a destination.
He was interested to see the blend of cultures within the city. All around he saw people in Earth Kingdom greens, but he also spotted a large number of blue-clad Water Tribe denizens, and also many wearing the purple and pale turquoise of the surrounding islands. All seemed to be quite comfortable together in the crowd. He saw few firebenders, and those that he did spot seemed uneasy and out of place. Several had taken up positions on street corners, putting up a small display of their bending powers in the hopes of gleaning a few coins. Zuko's heart fell to see his people so alienated.
He made his way toward the nearest performer, a young boy dressed in brilliant red. He stood for several moments, watching the display. The boy twirled and shifted, seeming to dance, as the flames twined up and down his arms. His control was wonderful. Seven years ago, he would been drafted into the army faster than he could blink. With control like that, he would have easily made it to Lieutenant, maybe even higher. Now...now he was lowered to dancing with flames on street corners for money. Zuko shook his head.
He dropped a few coins onto the boy's rug before departing. What was firebending without war? He asked himself. Waterbending could be used to water crops, to nourish the soil, to grow, and Earthbending could be used just as easily to build, and create as to destroy, but firebending?
He was distracted then by a large cart crossing in front of him, nearly crushing his foot.
"Hey! Watch where you're going, rockhead!" The cart driver yelled angrily.
Zuko jumped back and navigated around the cart, ignoring the cart drivers continued insults. He successfully completed the labyrinth of the market and found the steps to the wall. Hoping the view was worth all the stairs, he began to climb.
--
Toph shuffled from foot to foot in front of the rug seller's stall. Bored out of her mind. Tozu had insisted upon bringing her here before they made their way to the wall, explaining that he was thinking of buying a new carpet and he wanted her advice on the pattern.
"What about this one?" He asked, cheerfully oblivious to her obvious disinterest.
Toph rolled her eyes. "No, no I definitely like..." She pointed to a random carpet, hoping it was ugly. "That one. That's the one you want."
Unbeknownst to her, she had gotten lucky. Tozu eyed the puce monstrosity with a faint feeling of nausea. "Really dearest? That one in particular?"
Hearing the disgust in his voice, Toph could barely keep herself from smiling. She had a strong desire to punch the air in victory. Instead, she put on her best sad face.
"But Tozu...honey...don't you like it? There's just something about the pattern that...that calls to me. I really think it's the right rug for you." She batted her eyes flirtatiously.
"Oh, certainly dear, it's...lovely. But why don't we head over to the wall. It's almost sundown. I'll come back and buy the carpet--some other time."
Toph nearly laughed out loud at his blatant lie, but as long as they were leaving the carpets, she was happy.
--
Zuko ambled along the edge of the wall without a clear destination. He had a sneaking suspicion that his Uncle had sent him to the wall for a particular reason, and he had a hunch that that reason involved Toph and her date. Most likely he was supposed to accidentally run into them at some time. Well, it looked like Iroh was out of luck, because Zuko couldn't see them anywhere.
--
Tozu led Toph up the steep steps of the outer wall, to the place where they would (hypothetically) be able to look out over the plains and enjoy the sunset. Though what she really wanted was just to go home by this point, she had never been one to give up, so she sat with Tozu on the blanket he provided, and hoped that his conversation skills had improved since they last spoke.
"So...it's uh, really pretty here. Don't you think?" Tozu asked, scooting closer to her.
Apparently they hadn't. She attempted to move away.
"I'll take your word for it."
--
Zuko had spotted them, he had seen Tozu first actually, with that large head of his, but now Zuko could see that Toph was indeed beside him. He watched them make their way to the edge of the wall, watched Tozu spread out a large blanket, which they sat on. Zuko moved closer, trying to get a better look at Toph, she looked so different.
Her masses of inky black hair were pulled back messily, no longer in the bun she wore as a child. Though her face was turned, he could make out the soft curve of her cheek and the slim line of her neck. His eyes traveled downwards, her body had matured also, she was still small, and sinewy, but there was a softness about her, a feminine quality she had never had before. Of course, the breasts probably helped with that.
Somewhat shocked at his own thoughts, he turned away. Remember you're married Zuko, he warned himself.
Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the pair.
He couldn't hear what they were saying, but everything seemed to be going fine until Tozu leaned in...
And kissed her.
Zuko felt the outer wall begin to shake. The nearest guards had noticed as well, but merely shrugged, there were often earthbending scuffles on the wall, it was a popular spot.
Zuko however, started to move towards them, closer and closer until he could hear their voices.
Toph was furious. "What were you doing? I told you no already!" She stomped her foot angrily and the wall shuddered. Tozu shook his head.
"I thought you were playing hard to get." He replied arrogantly "It's not as though you'll have many offers, working in a Tea Shop, even if you're pretty. But I have money enough for both of us! Can't you see that we'd be perfect together..." His voice tapered to a whine.
"Can't I see? Of course I can't see! I'm blind!" She was shouting now.
"Just keep your voice down. People are staring at us!" His tone was annoyed now.
"I don't care about people! I only wanted someone different, Tozu! But you had to be like every other idiot...you had to be like him, didn't you?"
"Toph, come on, I don't know why your so upset, but let's talk this over somewhere else." He grabbed her arm and attempted to pull her after him.
Bad move. Thought Zuko.
The earth beneath Tozu's feet betrayed him. The rocks shifted and swirled, shaking him down onto his knees.
The square of earth around Toph was perfectly still. She shifted into a bending stance. Suddenly, she was acutely aware of her breathing. Each breath she took felt like fire in her veins, coursing through her body, and she began to move. At first Zuko, watching from further off, could see no effect, but then he realized that the moves she was using were not strictly earthbending moves, his Uncle had been teaching her.
Toph extended her sight far underground until she felt it. Hot, bubbling rock, coursing through the middle of the earth. A pulsing heartbeat. She exhaled, unconsciously incorporating Iroh's training into her moves as the molten rock shot to the surface. Zuko raced to her, this was not going to be good.
He reached her just as the first spurt of magma broke the surface.
"Toph, you need to stop this, now. You're loosing control, someone is going to be hurt." He tried to keep his voice even, calm. He was careful not to touch her, any movement might throw her off.
Her moon-pale eyes turned to him, questioning. "Sparky?"
"Toph, you have to let go." Her fists unclenched slowly, and the magma receded underground, the crack that it had opened sealing with it's departure. Tozu was several feet away, attempting to look inconspicuous. Those who had gathered to watch left hurriedly, muttering about how it hadn't been a real fight, anyway, and attempting to get their money back from those who had been taking bets.
Once Toph had stopped shaking, Zuko made his way over to Tozu. The boy was wearing the same haughty expression he had in the shop.
"What exactly did you think you were doing?" Zuko's voice snapped out at him.
"Oh it's you again." Tozu arched an eyebrow, "My girlfriend and I were just having a disagreement. Why do you care?"
"I just do! And I don't ever want to see you near her again. You understand?"
"And who are you to tell me what I can and can't do?"
Zuko had had enough. Flames burst from within his palms, he held one up to Tozu's face, singeing the boy's eyebrows a bit and not caring.
"Just. Stay. Away." He growled, exasperated. Tozu nodded quickly, and Zuko moved back to where Toph was standing slightly shaken, but grinning triumphantly.
"Let's get you back to the shop."
--
Iroh was waiting for them with a freshly brewed pot of tea. Toph, who had recovered from her slightly shaken state on the walk back, eyed it with suspicion.
"It's not that Vanilla Orange Blossom stuff is it old man? I'd hate to choke on bad tea and die before I can make you feel horrible about setting me up on a marvelously awful date."
"It was that bad?"
Zuko answered for her. "It was bad. Though judging by the way you sent me after them, you had your doubts that it would work out well also."
Iroh nodded. "Well, of course I hoped there was a chance that it would, but mostly, I just wanted him to stop hanging around the shop. He didn't even like tea."
Toph made a face at him. "Well, it's a good thing you sent Sparky. Even if he was a bit slow when it came to helping out."
Zuko shrugged, "Well I thought you had it under control. I had no idea you had been studying Uncle's techniques."
Iroh sat up at this news. "Did they work? What happened?"
Toph grinned wickedly. "Magma, old man."
"Truly?"
"Truly."
Iroh smiled. Zuko half-listened as his Uncle and the blind girl discussed ways to incorporate the new technique into her repertoire for Earth Rumble XII.
Eventually, after several of what Zuko judged to be overly-theatrical yawns, his Uncle departed for bed, claiming that he needed his beauty rest'. Toph snorted at the idea, but waved him goodnight and went to make another pot of tea.
She returned to find Zuko gazing into the fire that sat in the middle of the room. Not knowing if he was in a talkative mood, she settled down on one of the large pillows and nursed her tea.
After a while he spoke, "It's been a long time since I've seen you."
"Seven years actually. But who's counting?"
He smiled. "It's good to see you again. I was just--remembering. Remembering when I first met you. You were the first one to take me into the group. I don't think I ever thanked you."
He looked over at her, where the firelight reflected in those pale eyes. She was beautiful. It was funny, because seven years ago he never would have thought that she could be. She was always just a little girl, scuffed up with dirt.
"You don't need to thank me Sparky. After today, I'll call it even."
"I'm just glad I was there."
She smiled. "I am too." She sighed. "I shouldn't have agreed to go with him."
"But Uncle set you up!"
"Yeah, but I should have backed out. I knew it wasn't going to end well. He just--just reminded me of someone else is all. And I liked the fact that he thought I was pretty."
He nodded and they said nothing for a while. Toph remembered that she had left Zuko's tea cup in the kitchen, so she made her way downstairs to get it.
Zuko's thoughts turned to Mai. What would she think if she knew the thoughts he had had? He knew she had long ago sought her pleasures in other places, the fire of their marriage had died years ago, and she was not the kind to go unsatisfied. And though he knew of her trysts, he had never felt tempted to be unfaithful, never even looked at another woman appraisingly until today. And why Toph? Why did he feel such a strong connection with the earthbender? He rubbed his temples, wishing his headache away. There was something about her, a passion that was everything his wife lacked. He shook his head. Still, he hoped Mai was recovering well.
Toph returned and handed him his tea. He sipped quietly, still thinking of his wife.
As if reading his mind, Toph spoke;
"So how's Mai? I haven't heard from her since the wedding. Any progress on the baby-making?" She winked saucily.
His teeth clenched involuntarily. Mai's inability to get pregnant was another source of problems within their marriage, and with her usual bluntness, Toph had pounded that sore spot right where it hurt.
"I thought my Uncle had taught you some control, Toph. Enough to keep you from acting like a child." He growled, letting his emotions get the better of him. What was he doing? He couldn't take out his problems on her!
His response riled her, especially after her loss of control that evening.
"Oh did I hit a nerve, Sparky? Are you having some problems...performing?" She asked, eyes held innocently wide.
His anger got the better of him. In three strides he had crossed the room, he towered over her, menacing. "What happens between Mai and I is none of your business, just because we were friends once doesn't give you the right--"
"So just because we haven't seen each other we stopped being friends?" She stepped forward angrily, poking her finger hard into his chest. "You've changed, Zuko. You're not the boy I used to go to for advice anymore."
He nodded.
"That's right. I'm not."
He was suddenly aware of their proximity. She stood mere inches away from him, her pale eyes glinting in anger as she looked up at him. He had a strong urge to take her face in his hands, to brush the wayward strands of hair from her eyes, and to lower his lips to hers. Softly, he brushed a finger along her cheek.
Toph forgot how to breathe. She held perfectly still as his hand traced it's way down her face, down to the gentle curve of her neck. She shuddered slightly.
The small movement brought her out of her trance. The moment broken, she jumped back, away from him and raced towards her room.
"Toph. No. Wait! Come back!"
He called after her, but to no avail. He heard the door to her room slam shut, and the thundering of noise which meant there was probably also a boulder blocking the entrance.
He sighed, and slumped onto one of the available pillows, cradling his head in his hands.
What was he thinking?
