A Few Notes;

~This chapter is dedicated to a good cause. Namely, feeding the hungry. Enjoy Carml.

~I wrote this chapter a long ass time ago and, to be honest, I have forgotten what's going on lol. *shrug* Let me know how it is and errors and blah blah blah.

~Yet again (this is like the third time), I forgot to put a disclaimer in to a fic. So here it is, the one and only time I'm saying it. I, NonFiction, own nothing in this fic and earn nothing from it. So shove it.

Chapter 4: I Against I

"So what do you want to do?"

Katara was snapped back into reality as Toph elbowed her in the ribs. She had been thinking about Zuko and Azula. The last time she had seen the would be Fire Lord, she was in what would be a sad state, if Katara wasn't certain the woman didn't have a shred of actual human emotion in her. But despite that, Zuko remained at the very least a decent older brother. And even though Katara knew for a fact that the Fire Lord thought his sister was "a monster," he somehow still was still trying to repair their relationship.

"I don't know," Katara said as she focused, trying to play off her thoughts. They had been walking around the Royal City, trying to pass the time until the party, "I am a guest after all, maybe I should get Zuko something for his birthday."

Toph scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous. What do you get someone who already has everything?"

"So then what are you giving him?" Katara replied, letting her tone slip into a more mischievous domain.

The petite earthbender's mind flashed to her conversation with Zuko the previous afternoon, and a gentle grin materialized on her face, "Isn't it obvious? The gift of my presence. Best gift there is." Toph said, blowing the bangs out of her face.

The waterbender smiled at Toph's very Toph-like answer and wondered briefly if that was truly all she was getting Zuko. They wandered through the streets of the city, and everywhere they went, people were bowing to the little earthbender left and right. Toph smiled sometimes in acknowledgement but otherwise was unphased, which left Katara with the impression that this was a very common and normal occurrence.

"You're pretty popular here for being a stranger in a strange land." Katara noted as they passed a cabbage vendor waving his produce in every would-be costumer's face as they passed.

Toph smiled. It was easy to forget, now that they were all back together, that none of them really knew anything about what she and Zuko had done in the years passed, "This land might be strange, but I'm no stranger. I'm the Fire Lord's right hand lady, his personal bodyguard, head of the Palace Guard, and officially speaking, have a general's rank in the Military. But I never use that one. Zuko would try to make me attend meetings."

"That sounds like total overkill," Katara remarked with mild surprise at Toph's plethora of titles, "You must have a lot of responsibility."

"Actually," Toph replied, "Everything basically boils down to one thing. It's my job to keep Zuko safe." Another group of passersby bowed to Toph before continuing on their way, "And every single person in this city knows that I will not hesitate to tear them limb from limb to ensure that."

Something in Toph's tone was so serious, so matter-of-factly, maybe it was the fact that she called the firebender by name but it made Katara pause mid step. If it were anyone other than her that had spoken those words, she would have passed them off as exaggeration. But she knew Toph was being dead serious and would not put it past her to literally tear someone's arm off, "Zuko must mean a whole lot to you."

Toph didn't stop walking, even though she felt Katara give pause, "He's all I have. I guess."

That simple statement was enough to make the waterbender stare at her friend in shock. It was very unlike her to say something so mushy. Katara rejoined Toph's side as they pushed on through the crowds and entered into a crowded market, "To be honest, I was surprised to see how close you two are. Not what I was expecting at all. But I like it. It's kind of cute."

It was now Toph's turn to stop in her tracks. And as she spun around and thrust a finer up into Katara's face she made sure to make her tone as menacing as possible, "You're entering into dangerous waters, Sugar."

"You know, reacting like that just confirms my suspicions." Katara said as she stared somewhat cross-eyed at Toph's finger.

Toph groaned, disappointed with herself for being so easy to read. Katara had been in the country for less than twenty-four hours, and already she had picked up on her 'Zuko problem.' And Toph knew that she had just all but shouted out her feelings toward Zuko were slightly more than platonic. Which was slightly more than annoying, and she didn't bother responding as she dropped her finger and continued on walking once again. She was well aware exactly how close she had become to the Fire Lord, and if she were to be honest with herself, it scared the hell out of her. Both emotions were entirely new territory. Their relationship had entered an awkward phase in which they were simultaneously just friends and something a lot more. She had not just grown accustomed to his presence; she had become dependent on it. There was never a time when she was not aware of his location. If they weren't in the same room, then she was constantly searching out his vibrations through the earth under her toes.

At first she tried to justify it as just doing her duty. It was her job to know where Zuko was and protect him, after all. But being the human lie detector that she was, she was acutely aware when someone was being untruthful. Even if they were lying to themselves. Even if that someone was her. She wasn't sure when it happened, but she and Zuko had become closer and closer until the only step left was now to-

"So are we just not going to talk or what?"

Toph's thoughts halted as Katara's voice broke her concentration. However, she didn't regret it. She had given the subject plenty of thought already. "And what do you want me to say? I'm secretly in love with Zuko and I can't wait to run back to the palace and jump into his arms?"

Katara snickered at her friend's choice of words, "Hey, you said it, not me."

Toph groaned again, "Shut up already, woman."

"So…" the waterbender started, curious how far she could push Toph without getting sunk into the ground, "Between us, is that a yes?"

"Yes what?" Top spat out irritated.

Katara rolled her eyes, "There's something going on with you and our esteemed Fire Lord, right?"

"Wrong."

"Oh come on, Toph."

As soon as the she set foot within the palace grounds, Toph stomped down, sending vibrations through the stone beneath her toes. As her senses were assaulted with tactile feedback, she did her best to sort through the various footsteps and heartbeats to locate Zuko. There were a lot of people in the palace, more than usual, in fact. But she found Zuko right where she expected him to be. And thankfully, as far as she could tell, he was alone, probably not wanting to be bothered by any bureaucratic nonsense on his birthday, she figured.

Katara watched as Toph stilled for a moment, when suddenly a smile spread across her face. She looked delighted at something, "What's up, Toph?"

The earthbender was already walking briskly towards the main gate, "He's already back."

Katara chased her friend through the twists and turns of the palace corridors. Toph was moving at quite a few steps above her normal lazily relaxed pace, and even though she was taller, Katara found herself quickening her stride to keep up. When the earthbender reached the heavy metal doors of the throne room she came to a halt and threw them open with enough force and ease to make Katara assume that more that a little casual metalbending was involved.

"How'd it go?" the earthbender asked as she made her way towards Zuko's throne. As she got nearer, she could tell something was different with the Fire Lord. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. But when Zuko's voice met her ears, there was no possible way she could mistake it.

"She wished me a happy birthday, Toph."

Somehow, his voice made Toph melt. It was overflowing with something she rarely heard from Zuko, tranquility. She smiled as she reached the steps up to the firepit. Toph knew the Fire Lord very well, and knew how much it meant to him for his sister to say those simple words. In essence, she knew all Zuko really wanted was a loving, normal family. Granted, she and Iroh had tried to fill the gap, but Toph knew all too well the toll the day of Sozin's Comet took on Zuko. Having to confine his sister and father, deserving though they were, to a cell for the rest of their lives was very hard on him. Not long after he was coronated, Zuko had told her he almost regretted not having them executed. They were monsters, he had told her. Proud and powerful monsters. The type of monsters that deserved an execution, not rotting away to nothing in a dingy prison. But he couldn't do it. He couldn't have them killed.

Since then, Toph had stood behind Zuko as he made his decision to repair his relationship with his sister. And though she voiced her concerns, she was grateful that at least Zuko didn't have the delusion of trying to make nice with his father. But what she thought was delusional slowly became a reality.

It became a weekly ritual to walk, much to Zuko's dismay and the Palace Guard's strong protests, to the coastland facility that housed his sister's cell. Over time, she listened as Azula's reactions to their presence transformed from the initial feral spitting and scratching attempts to sane, semi-civil conversations. As more and more years passed by, their weekly visitations never ceasing, Toph sat amazed as she witnessed a change in Azula that she would never have believed if she hadn't been there. Eventually, Azula's words became docile. And though her speech never lost its biting, and insulting in Toph's opinion, inflection, there was an unmistakably affectionate undertone. Zuko and his sister spoke almost as normally as any other set of siblings, and more than once, Toph had been drawn into the conversation. Sometimes she would sit and listen as Azula told her stories about their childhood, with Zuko occasionally chiming in, usually to contest something. And if she were honest with herself, she never heard Zuko's voice so lit up as when they had a good session with Azula. And that simple fact made her happy.

But there was always a part of her that was weary. Even if Zuko was quick to forgive and forget, she was not. Toph still recalled the ease and the completeness with which Azula lied. It was unsettling for the earthbender, as she relied on her ability to detect truthfulness in her everyday interactions with people. And though she had grown accustomed to being around the former princess, she never left behind her suspicions that Azula was still playing them all, just waiting for the most opportune moment to strike.

Even so, the effect she had on Zuko was undeniable. And for that at least, Toph was grateful. She put her hand on the Fire Lord's shoulder, "I'm glad, Zuko."

The Fire Lord covered the hand on his shoulder with his own, "Me too."

Katara watched her two friends with a sad sort of happiness. The very notion of the thought was contradictory, like most of her life had seemed as of late. Toph and Zuko were, quite simply, in love. And she had the sneaking suspicion that they both knew it well. How could they not when it would be quite obvious to any random passerby? The way Zuko looked at Toph was intense, like they were all that existed. It gave Katara the feeling that she could light them both on fire at this very moment and neither of them would be any the wiser. As the realization registered, she suddenly was overcome with the feeling of being a very nearly invisible third wheel. So, as casually as she could, she exited the throne room. Whether it was to give them some privacy, or to quell the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach, she had yet to decide.

"There she goes," Toph said as she freed her hand from Zuko's and took a seat on the arm of his throne, "She wouldn't stop bugging me about you the whole time we were out. She's convinced we're in love or something. She's crazy."

"Very crazy," Zuko confirmed with a nod.

"And annoying," Toph added, blowing the hair out of her face and resting her back against the Fire Lord's shoulder.

"Extremely annoying," Zuko agreed again.

Toph sighed, "Lets just stop hanging out with her."

The exasperation in Toph's voice made Zuko chuckle quietly. No matter how annoyed the earthbender was with Katara, they had too strong of a friendship. And Zuko knew well that Toph was just venting, "If it makes you feel any better, I was pestered about you the whole time you were out too."

This perked Toph up with interest, "Aww, Zula gave you an earful huh?"

"You know she hates you calling her that," Zuko reminded the girl leaning against him.

"No one gets out of the nicknames. She should be glad I adopted yours instead of sticking with the original PsychoBitch," Toph felt Zuko rumble with muted laughter and she smiled to herself before she continued, "So what did sister dearest have to say?"

"Well, to be honest, I'm not sure you want to know."

"You know, I gotta say, hanging around in a palace, being pampered by servants and all, yeah not really what I was expecting," Sokka leaned back, resting his head against the couch and took a deep breath, "BORING!"

Haru shifted his gaze away from Jin as she held up yet another dress. She had been trying on kimonos for the party nearly the entire morning, but somehow he wasn't sick of it yet. As he looked at Sokka out of the corner of his eye, he shrugged, "I don't know, beats my place in Ba Sing Se."

"Everything beats your place in Ba Sing Se. It smells," Jin replied dully as she twirled in front of a mirror in examination of herself.

"Hah, she got you, Mustachio." Sokka laughed as Jin gave him a wink.

The earthbender grunted in mild annoyance, "I wish you guys would stop calling me that. I haven't had a mustache in-"

"A week," Jin interrupted as she plopped down onto the sofa between Sokka and Haru, "He shaved it a right before you guys picked us up."

Sokka looked at the pair, Jin giggling and Haru frowning, just a moment before bursting out in unbridled laughter. After a moment, he threw an arm around Jin's shoulder in something akin to a headlock, grinning as an even more intense grimace spread across Haru's face, "Jin, we are officially hanging out more. You're awesome."

At that moment, Suki reentered the common room Zuko had provided them from the bathroom she and Jin were using to try on outfits, "How do I look?"

Sokka snapped into attention as he took in the woman in front of him. Suki was in a pale brown kimono with a red maple leaf pattern and a yellow sash. She had her hair done up in what the warrior could only guess was some sort of high society Fire Nation style. There were strands of her auburn locks falling loose, and it gave her a sort of dishelved, flustered look. Which did nothing but bring a smile to his face. Even if she got sick of hearing it, he never let a chance pass him by to remind her how beautiful she was. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he grinned at her, "You look gorgeous, babe."

Suki laughed a little at the dopey smile on her boyfriend's face, "Oh yeah? Flattery isn't gonna help you get any."

Sokka leaned forward a little more, letting a devilish grin take his face as he examined Suki, "Who says I need any help?"

At that, Haru cleared his throat, "Not that I'm disinterested in you love life," after an elbow in the ribs from Jin he continued, "But I would like something to eat. Anyone hungry?"

"I could eat," Sokka volunteered as he stood up and wrapped an arm around Suki's waist. Which only made her role her eyes.

"How surprising," said the Kiyoshi warrior.

"Actually, I'm kind of hungry too," Jin answered after popping up off the couch, "Why don't we go find the kitchen in this place?"

"Sounds good to me," Suki agreed as she shimmied out of Sokka grasp and grabbed Jin by the hand, "Let's change first and then we'll go."

Haru shook his head in amusement, "Women."

After Suki and Jin exited in more casual and comfortable clothing, the foursome wandered out into the palace in what they had come to the consensus was the general direction of the kitchen. As they roamed, idle chitchat passed the time and kept their minds off the increasingly bothersome hunger pangs. Suki listened as everyone related the trivial aspects of their lives since they parted ways. It was a little surprising, but the four of them were getting along very well. And as she watched her boyfriend loop Jin and Haru each under an arm and begin conversing somewhat animatedly with them, she couldn't help but feel a little lighthearted.

After a short while, a few gruff looking firebenders pointed them towards the kitchen most affably. Which made Suki smile. Everyone was in such a good mood. She began to wonder if it had anything to do with today being Zuko's birthday. She had heard a lot of rumors that there was a great deal of unrest in the Fire Nation, that a large number of citizens were displeased with Zuko's rule. The Red Dragon of the Fire Nation, as he was dubbed by the world, was the center of a lot of conflict. She had even heard that off of the main land, dissenters had risen up in rebellion, the vast majority of which were former Ozai supporters. But here, in the palace, everything was genuinely tranquil.

"Hey, you're falling behind, babe."

Suki snapped into attention to find Sokka looking at her with a cocked eyebrow and a crooked smirk.

"Sorry," the Kiyoshi warrior admitted as she rejoined Sokka's side, "Guess I was lost in thought?"

Sokka's smirk transformed itself into an authentic smile at the upward inflection in his girlfriend's voice, "Oh yeah? Whatcha thinking about, hmm?"

Suki glanced at the Water Tribesman out of the corner of her eye and mimicked his favorite gesture by throwing out an arm around his neck and drawing him in closer so she could speak right in his ear, "Zuko."

Arching his eyebrows in feigned hurt, Sokka shied away from Suki, "Should I be jealous?"

"Hmm…" Suki glanced ahead to see Haru and Jin had already entered the kitchen, so deciding to have a little fun at Sokka's expense, she spun on her heel to face him, "Well, he's a king. Taller then you. A better fighter than you. Oh so much more handsome than you. So… Maybe you should be, yeah."

"You know, when you say things like that, it really hurts my feelings," Sokka huffed and crossed his arms.

Suki smirked and slipped into his arms, truly appreciative of how easy going they were able to be around each other, "Aww I didn't know my big manly man even had feelings. I'm so sorry."

"Ah I see. Zuko is more handsome, a better fighter, taller, and royalty, but you stick with me because I have that manly allure." Sokka released his arms and turned to stretch, discreetly flexing his muscles in the process, "Yeah I gotta admit, I am the epitome of masculinity. No doubt about it."

From behind him, Suki rolled her eyes as he rose his arms in another display of his 'masculinity,' "Yeah, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night, Ponytail," the Kiyoshi warrior grabbed his wolftail and gave it a playful tug, knocking him off balance, "Now lets go. I'm still hungry."

Sokka laced his fingers in between Suki's as he took her hand and started into the kitchen. It was, unsurprisingly, very fancy. As a man who had grown up in the South Pole, he was used to cutting into raw seal-whale meat with nothing but bone knives and the dutiful edge of his boomerang. Therefore, in contrast, what was laid out before him became all the more impressive. Many of the surfaces were made out of some sort of brushed metal and topped in polished wood. There were several table laid out somewhat sporadically by a counter that hid the back of the kitchen from view. All in all, it was somewhat small, and in occurred to the warrior that this was indeed a kitchen and not a dining room. The tables were more likely for the staff then for anyone actually wanting a meal.

But what really caught his eye wasn't any of the features of the kitchen, but two people sitting at one of the tables tucked quietly in the corner. Aang and Katara sat across from each other and seemed to be in the middle of a conversation. They hadn't even noticed them yet.

"Look at that."

Sokka felt Suki nudge him in the arm, "Yeah I can see."

"Maybe we should give them some space? They could use it." Suki looked around, finding that Jin and Haru had already come to the same conclusion and had quietly slipped out.

Sokka felt a tugging on his arm and realized Suki was pulling him back in the direction they came from. Throwing one more glance over his shoulder as he allowed himself to be hauled away, he could only hope those two settled whatever it was between them. It was getting annoying.

Okay done. This chapter was shorter, but it had a little bit of everything. There was hints at the plot (omg i no ther actuly is 1? wat?), there was some fluff, okay no violence, but violence will take the spot light soon enough. Also, I guess I forgot how much I wrote, so that 1 or 2 chapter till the good stuff I told you about last chapter was wrong. It's more like 1 or 2 from this point on, but whatever.

Read and Review. Or I will find you and punch you in the throat while you sleep.