A/N: Day 4 of Taang Week! I feel like I'm pretty decent with the sappy stories, so here's a story to get your taangy feels going. Be on the look out for a new chapter to my longer story sometime soon as well. As always; Read, Review, and Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I wonder how many creative ways I can say I don't own ATLA...
"Why is this so hard? You can do this..just walk up to her and say something like, 'Toph, I know we've been traveling together for a while and it's made me realized..that..I love you.'" said a stressed out airbender to his flying lemur.
Momo tilted his head and chirped quizzically. They were alone in the open area of the Western Air Temple while everyone else was on their own agenda. Sokka and Zuko went out to hunt for something for the group's dinner as Toph decided to tag along. Katara followed with them to get fresh water, but that was only a weak alibi to cover the fact that she was keeping a worried eye on them. There was no point in asking his previous lives for advice because he already knew their responses.
"Love is hard when you're young, but it gets better."advised Roku.
"Defeat all of her enemies and make her an island." answered Kyoshi sharply.
"Just do whatever comes naturally and go with the flow. Unless she's captured by Koh. Then slay that beast!" warned Kuruk.
"What's the point of all this wisdom when it doesn't help me at all?" groaned Aang as he laid on his back. Momo flew tight circles around him and laid on his chest to take a leisurely nap. Just as Aang's eyes started to slowly close, the stone floors of the temple began to shake and there was only one explanation.
"You can't just bury people up to their neck, Toph!" yelled Katara as the group returned.
"Sparky got out just fine! What's the problem?" barked back Toph in retaliation.
"It took both of us over an hour to dig Sokka out!" retorted Katara, pointing at Sokka who was walking with an arm over Zuko;s shoulder for support.
"I'm sick of all this splashing and earth quaking! Can't we have just one quiet day?" exclaimed Sokka.
"Maybe if some people were more responsible and stop acting like a child." answered Katara with her head held high.
"I'm not acting like a child, you're just overreacting, as usual!" roared Toph.
"Guys, calm down. It's okay." said Aang cooly a he stepped between the two waring benders.
"I am calm!" screamed both Toph and Katara at Aang at the same time.
Sokka, Zuko, and Aang sat on the sidelines as the two women continued yelling and fighting. Rocks and shards of ice were flying in every direction as the men would occasionally dodge the debris with minimal movement.
"How long have they been like this?" asked Aang, leaning to his right to ask Zuko.
"We got Sokka out a while ago, so…few hours I guess." replied Zuko, sighing and shaking his head.
"Why did she bury you guys then?"
"How should we know? You know Toph does whatever she wants." shrugged Sokka.
"…So Sokka said something stupid didn't he?" whispered Aang to Zuko.
"No! I didn't do anything this time!" rebutted Sokka.
"Sokka and I were talking about how he wanted to go back to Kyoshi to stay with Suki for a while, Katara showed up, and then Toph buried the both of us." answered Zuko rubbing the bridge of his nose and controlling his breathing.
"So nothing happened really?" questioned Aang. The two older guys shrugged and shook their heads. "Okay, Zuko, just calm down Katara."
"Why not me?! I'm her brother." whined Sokka as Zuko nodded to accept his responsibility.
"Cause he won't say something to make things worse. Remember the Hawky situation?" reminded Aang.
"Oh yeah…I'm an idiot." accepted Sokka.
"Just a little." joked Zuko.
"Enough!" shouted Aang at the top of his lungs as he stepped between the two women. Katara and Toph were panting as they maintained vicious eye contact. Zuko took Katara's hand and walked off. Aang took Toph's hand they walked to an adjacent courtyard.
"Is this where you tell me not to go so hard on Sugar Queen and to act more mature, Twinkle Toes?" asked Toph, blowing her bangs out of her eyes and wiping the sweat from her forehead.
"Kind of. I just want to know what happened so this doesn't happen again." answered Aang, keeping his focus on a small flame he was juggling around his hand.
"Nothing! i was just messing with Snoozles and Sparky when Katara freaked out on me." shrugged Toph, sitting on a small stone pillar she created from the ground.
"You know I've gotten better at reading heart rates right? Believe it or not, I do learn something from our training sessions." chuckled Aang.
"Ugh, fine. I guess I got a little upset." admitted Toph.
"I could tell. So what really happened?" Aang inquired.
"So Snoozles was gushing over his little fan girl, being all mushy and everything." started Toph.
"And that made you upset? He's been with her forever now." said Aang trying to understand.
"I know, i know, but then Katara came over and Sparky's heart beat shot up and I just lost it." sighed Toph.
"So what's the problem? Zuko always acts weird around her." asked Aang.
"I just don't get it. Probably cause I don't know what they look like, but I don't know. I just wish…" Toph trailed off quietly, looking away. The small flame Aang was holding went out as he looked over at her hesitance.
"Wished what?" pushed Aang.
"I wish people got that way about me, you know? They just see me as a little sister or something." she admitted. Aang's face immediately turned red, knowing how he felt about her and his inability to confess his feelings.
"I'm sure people do." assured Aang, taking a seat next to her. He was struggling with tell her how he felt.
"Probably, but Sparky and Snoozles don't even react when I'm around the same way. Your heart rate is always fast, so that doesn't count." replied Toph.
"So how do you know what I'm like when you're not around?" asked Aang trying to build courage.
"I don't I guess. I don't care about looks, because you know," said Toph waving her hand in front of her eyes." But I know Katara and Suki must be really beautiful because how those two dunderheads react around them."
"Toph, I know you don't realize it, but you are really beautiful." he reassured her as he put his hand on hers.
"You're just being sweet and sappy Twinkle Toes." responded Toph trying to keep keep a tough persona, wiping tears from her eyes at his genuine sentiment.
"I mean it. You're amazing." said Aang softly, brushing her bangs from her eyes and wiping away her tears. He leaned in closer to her and slowly kissed her. Shocked at this revelation, Toph returned the kiss hesitantly at first but came to cherish his warmth. He caressed her blushing cheek and smiled against her lips.
"And if you ever forget, I'll remind you everyday of how beautiful you are." whispered Aang as they lost themselves in each other's embrace.