AN: off to the fire nation! Whew this is going by quickly. Aang is learning a special skill from Toph. Hopefully he isn't as blocked as beforeā¦
Everything is packed and ready to go. Appa is well-rested, eager to begin another thrilling journey. Aang is his usual cheerful, optimistic self. Even Iroh seems to be smiling more, excited to return to the Fire Nation. Toph is the only one frowning.
"What are we going to do with Hope?" she asks during a quiet moment. "I mean, she can't exactly go into battle with us. We're headed for dangerous things."
"You don't have to worry about that," Iroh answers, stepping forward. "I will take care of her when we arrive. She, Appa, and Momo will be safe in the palace." Toph nods her agreement. Aang lets out a breath; he seems to be relieved his pets will be taken care of as well.
"We will fly to the edge of the Earth Kingdom and board a ship to the Fire Nation," Iroh explains. "We can't risk letting the rebels know the Avatar is close, and Appa is easily spotted in the skies. You two will have to go into hiding until things are settled, one way or another." Aang gulps audibly. Toph squeezes his hand when she feels his pulse falter. He grips onto her hand tightly.
"Okay, then," Toph says. "I guess there's nothing else left to do here." Everyone climbs onto the sky bison without another word.
A small figure on a black-as-night ship stands alone, facing the water. Her sightless eyes wander over the dark landscape. Despite it being early fall, nights at sea are cold. Toph breaths in the salty smell, feeling liberated after a month in a city she still despises. It's so open out here. So big.
"Where's Hope?" a quiet voice says. Of course, Toph knew it was Aang. Being a metalbender has its perks, and she can see everything on the iron ship, so to speak.
"Asleep," she answers in a whisper, although she's not sure why. No one's around. Maybe she doesn't want to disturb the peace. "It's been a long day."
Aang nods. They flew non-stop on Appa for twenty-one hours before they reached the shoreline. They've been on board for five hours, and neither of them really slept much. It'll take at least a week to get to the Fire Nation.
A pair of strong arms wraps themselves around the tiny girl's body. She turns herself toward the boy they belong to, accepting the warmth his body offers. Her own arms slide around his neck. When he dips his head to rest on hers, her eyebrows furrow on confusion.
"Are you growing your hair back?" she asks Aang, reaching for his head.
"Yeah," he says with a half-smile. "Since we have to go into hiding, I guess it's best if no one recognizes me." A genuine smile graces Toph's lips.
"Just like old times." She pulls away from their embrace awkwardly, remembering the moment they shared after he healed Hope. She scratches the back of her neck absentmindedly. "I think I should go to bed now."
"Okay," Aang says. Toph is hit with a sudden desperation. She doesn't want to go to bed alone. She wants him there with her to chase away the nightmares that sometimes haunt her. But she knows better than to ask. It would be too weird. Kicking a pebble that somehow made its way onto the ship, she turns to walk to her chambers.
"Wait," Aang says. Toph halts, wondering what he's about to say. "Do that again."
"Do what again?" The airbender walks toward her, excited about something.
"Kick the ship." Without bothering to ask why, Toph does so. "I saw that."
"Of course you saw that. You're not the blind one," Toph establishes, rolling her cloudy eyes.
"No, I mean, I saw that the way you see things." Toph hears the smile in his voice, and she grins as well, finally catching on.
"So you've been practicing." She rips a piece of metal from the floor like it was paper and hands it to him. With his best effort, Aang is able to make a tiny dent in it.
"I'm still no good at actually bending the metal, but I can sense vibrations in it like you can. I'm making progress," Aang says.
"That's great, Twinkle Toes," Toph praises. "Keep working on it. Seeing with metal is a lot harder than see with earth, but you managed to master that."
"Thanks to you," he says softly. Toph's cheeks heat up.
"Well, goodnight." She waves and walks to her bedroom. She can feel his gaze on her back, and she hopes he's smiling as big as she is.
That night, Toph dreams that strips of metal come to life and attack Aang. She tries to help, but she's glued to her spot, forced to watch helplessly. When she wakes screaming, no one is there to comfort her. No strong arms embrace her. No voice tells her it's going to be okay.
Aang stays awake most nights long after Toph has gone to bed. He looks out to the water, amazed by the sight he sees. Since the first day they set sail, the days and nights have been cloudy and bleak. But this night is clear. Millions of stars are visible in the black sky and are reflected on the smooth water of the ocean perfectly. It looks like the ship is floating in space. Aang's heart breaks when he realizes Toph will never see something this beautiful.
Breathing deeply, as he has been taught by all the teachers he's had, Aang concentrates on the vibrations under his feet.
"Feel the earth inside the metal," Toph's voice echoes in his head. "It's there. You have to know that to bend it. Like healing or lightning, it's just an extension of its mother element. In order to control it, you have to extend yourself. See the earth."
The railing Aang has been holding onto gives in and breaks off. He smiles to himself. Progress, he thinks. He twists the metal rod, willing it to change shape at his command. Metalbending makes him feel so strong. No wonder Toph likes it so much.
AN: aw that was cute. And fluffy. Sorry about that. Most of the action in this Romance/Adventure story is toward the end, so you'll just have to wait a while. Again, sorry.
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