Chapter Three

I'm Bringing Sassy Back

Note: Thank you for reading! Reviews are always welcomed =) I hope you continue to enjoy.

The field trip begins. Subsequent scenes and drabbles follow no timeline. Time span between scenes can be three days apart or three weeks.

Zuko clenched his fists. The map had to be a fake. Miles of uncharted land and each village a four hour hike from each other. There was nothing on the map that indicated these villages even existed. He couldn't believe they had hid her in a place where she was forced to live an entirely new life. What's more, he couldn't believe his father had lied to him… again. Zuko felt the heat in his fingertips digging into his skin.

"Watch it!" A hard punch on the arm snapped him awake. Zuko turned his head to Toph, who was frantically flapping her green skirt now singed with black markings. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Toph, I'm sorry!" he said quickly. "I wasn't—"

"I know we're both hungry, Your Highness," she cut him off, "but do you think you could have the decency to wait until I'm asleep before making me into a five course meal?"

"I'm sorry. Here, let me help." He reached for the hem of her dress where a small spark continued to breathe, then felt the earth move beneath his feet. Before he knew it, he was lying on his back.

"You have to come up with a better excuse than that, Hot Hands."

Zuko stared into the water, trying hard not to look at his own reflection. Instead he focused all his attention on the unusual rumbling of dead leaves floating by. Call it crazy, but it seemed the brook was uncomfortable with the presence of two benders staying nearby.

"Is something bothering you?"

The voice startled him and suddenly he was looking at his scar in the water. He turned away and decided to look at Toph's reflection instead. A much more pleasant view.

"I'm just thinking," he said quietly. He offered a smile. "I'm fine, really."

"Oh." She walked away, but her voice wasn't far. "You're a good liar, but you're not as good as your sister."

Zuko cringed. Even though he had triumphed in the end, Azula's life-long torments still haunted him. He hated hearing her name, and even more so being reminded that she was his sister.

"What is it? You might as well tell me, Your Highness—I'm all you have out here."

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it." He thought she would leave it at that because she didn't say a word for a minute or two.

"Coward." It was barely a whisper, but the wind carried it over crisp and clear.

"What did you call me?" he asked. He turned around and saw Toph unrolling her sleeping bag, as if picking a fight was nothing more to her than casual conversation.

"I called you a coward," she said simply. "You're afraid to trust anyone with your feelings. You're afraid that I'll judge you. You're afraid that a helpless little girl like me won't be able to handle all your emotional burdens."

"I don't think that at all," he said through gritted teeth.

"You're lying again."

He groaned. No matter what he said, she would always be able to tell what he was feeling. But, he didn't want to tell her that the maps were a forgery, that his father had fibbed and that she had fell for it. He knew had to be honest with her, but not today. He just couldn't hurt her.

"I'm just anticipating on all the times I'm going to have to save you, little Miss Bei Fong," he said in his most convincing voice.

She stood silent for a moment. "You really think that, don't you?"

Zuko smiled and shrugged. Then the ground grumbled fiercely. He went off balance and felt himself falling backwards into the water. A loud splash sounded followed shortly by Toph's voice.

"You just watch, Princess, by the end of this trip, I'll be the one saving your butt!"

Zuko sat up in the water and stared at Toph through wet, matted bangs. He took a deep breath and exhaled.

She screamed when she felt the warmth of a flame on the bottom of her dress ready to set her skirt ablaze. She scrambled into the water and lost her footing. She went tumbling forward and found herself lying right on top of Zuko.

"You almost lit me on fire!" she exclaimed. She suddenly gasped and shoved him back into the water, pushing herself up in the process. "Ugh. You just don't give up, do you?"

Note: Naughty Zuko? Or all unintentional?