Team: Earth Kingdom
Round: Three
Category: Themed (Security)
Prompts: joy, maroon, "I can't believe I didn't think of that."
Word count: 1,666

While Fire Lord Zuko's coronation was indeed a grand affair, it paled in comparison to the after-party that had commenced. Aang flitted about the crowd in true airbender style, making official Avatar appearances, greeting a few friends here and there, and performing an occasional party trick or two. As long as he didn't slow down, he wouldn't have to stop and think about anything too unsettling—like an epic battle with the late Fire Lord Ozai—or anything too uncertain—like what on earth should he do next?

The darkening sky reminded him that come morning, too many plaguing questions would demand answers. Aang released a shaky breath when music began playing in the courtyard nearby. Dusky hues of violet and blue swept over a sea of dancers, casting their stark Fire Nation attire in a shroud of maroon. Aang laughed as he thought of On Ji and Shoji who had led him to believe that—

"Dancing has been discouraged in the Fire Nation for so long, it brings me great joy to see we've still got the groove." Iroh's voice interrupted Aang's reverie.

"So, it's true? You guys don't dance?" Aang had assumed he'd encountered an overly strict schoolmaster, but surely not a nationwide dismissal of something so wonderful as the art of dancing.

"Speak for yourself," Iroh said with a wink before joining the whirl of maroon now dappled with specks of brown, green, and blue. Aang's chest swelled at the scene. The world was already changing right here before his eyes.

It was much to his nephew's chagrin that Iroh had decidedly gone "all out" for a proper shindig. Zuko wouldn't be caught dead on the dance floor, if anything, to avoid his uncle's antics. The newly crowned Fire Lord moved casually through the crowd, choosing his conversations very diplomatically. Aang watched his friend from a distance for a few minutes. Zuko was a born leader, he admitted to himself, eliciting both feelings of pride and insecurity.

When the food was finally served, dancers and diplomats alike were more than ready to eat. A hush fell over the crowd as Iroh called for attention, contending they had many reasons to celebrate. Words spilled from parched lips as he spoke of the end of the war, a new era to usher in peace and prosperity, the forming of alliances and hope for international cooperation, the forging of friendships and the reuniting of families…

At this point in Iroh's speech, Aang's mind began to wander. His arm ached from holding his glass up for the toast, and the bubbles from the beverage inside beckoned him to sneak a small sip. It had been years since he'd had champagne. He even had to challenge the server to get his own pour at all—"I am not underage. I'm 112-years-old. Almost 113!"

A quick scan across the courtyard confirmed that Aang wasn't the only one who wished Iroh would stop waxing poetic. Sokka's attempt at making Suki's head an armrest was met with a smirk and an elbow jab from his armorclad girlfriend. Next to them, Ty Lee scrunched up her face in hard concentration as she precariously balanced her champagne flute on one finger. Mai carried her usual bored expression, complemented by a dramatic huff that lifted the fringe from her forehead.

Aang glanced over at Katara who let out a perceivable sigh and leaned against the broad chest of her father, Chief Hakoda. Aang smiled at the sight, knowing they were both so happy and grateful to be together again. Katara stifled a yawn, and fluttering eyelids indicated she was fading fast. She had spent the better part of the day healing Zuko to help him regain strength for the coronation ceremony. Aang remembered feeling slighted that there hadn't been enough time to go over his own speech with Katara earlier that afternoon.

Judging from how exhausted the Fire Lord looked now, a healing session would also be needed after tonight's festivities. Another pang of jealousy struck the young Avatar with renewed intensity. He hated how Zuko's pain persisted when Katara's energy was already clearly drained. He resented that Katara would ignore her own needs and offer to help anyway. But mostly, Aang didn't want to think about the two of them spending more time together. Pushing these notions away, he redirected his attention just in time for the final words of Iroh's toast.

"Home is not confined to a place or dependent on your purpose. Home is where your people are, whomever or wherever they may be."

A series of vague murmurs and resonant clinks followed. After a beat, the void filled with lively chatter once again, yet Aang simply stood there, vacant—empty. The feelings he always tried so hard to ignore resurfaced and threatened to suffocate him.

I have no people. I have no home.

He began moving slowly through the crowd, only catching snippets of attempts at conversation.

"How was your first taste of champagne, buddy?"

It wasn't my first. Words were caught in Aang's throat along with the burn of alcohol.

"When are you coming to visit the Earth Kingdom?"

I just got back from the Earth Kingdom, actually.

"Hey, can I have a ride on your bison sometime, Avatar?"

His name is Appa. My name is Aang. But I'm not a person, really. Just a position…

"Have you seen Toph? I've been looking for her all night, and I can't find her anywhere!"

This statement was jarring enough to pull Aang out of his momentary funk. "Wha—?"

"Toph. Missing. Since the coronation." Sokka made frantic hand gestures for emphasis.

"I guess she doesn't like parties," Aang said with a shrug.

Blue eyes narrowed at him. "I can't believe I didn't think of that."

"Have you looked for any rock tents? That's where she goes to hide, you know."

Sokka scratched his chin. "Nothing on the palace grounds. Could she be underground?"

They both lit up with the same idea at the same time. "The secret bunker under the volcano!" they declared in unison.

It had been much easier to navigate the network of tunnels with Toph's assistance on the Day of Black Sun. Aang regretted how lax he had become with his earthbending, but eventually he carved a passageway to a small room where they found their friend sprawled across an ornate throne.

"How dare you approach the Melon Lord!" Toph bellowed. "Speak your business, then leave my presence!"

Sokka laughed and started to say something snarky in response, but Aang tugged at his elbow as a warning. He could tell Toph wasn't in a joking mood.

"Err, Sokka? Let me, uhh, handle this, OK? Just go on back to the party. We'll be up soon," Aang whispered.

"Handle what, Twinkletoes?" Toph snorted. "You think I can just be handled? And I'm NOT going to some stupid party!"

Sokka looked hesitantly at Aang, but then the earthbender's anger rumbled through the ground in a series of tremors. "Alright, buddy, as you wish. Just don't get buried alive in here." He glanced back and forth between his friends. "If you don't make it, I'll send reinforcements."

Aang listened to Sokka's retreating footsteps, then sighed. "Toph, I—"

"I know what you're going to say. That friendships are important, and I should just—"

"You don't feel like you belong up there."

"What?"

Aang earthbent himself a chair from the ground and plopped down in it, only just realizing how exhausted he was from a full day's activity not to mention the whirlwind of emotions. "Look, Sokka has his family and Suki, too. Suki has the Kyoshi Warriors. Katara has her father, Gran Gran, and their tribe. Zuko has Iroh and maybe Mai, although it's hard to tell with her. Everyone will probably go their separate ways now, and I doubt you're planning to go back to your parents."

"You're not talking about me, Aang." Toph shifted in her seat. "You're talking about yourself. You don't feel like you belong, do you?"

"But I'm not the one hiding in a volcano."

"You can still be hiding in plain sight."

"Says the person who can't see."

"I can see enough to know you're hiding something."

Aang relented with a low growl. "Fine. I don't feel like I belong, either. But I'm supposed to as the Avatar, right? Make sure everyone gets along and keep the balance between people. I don't belong to any one nation, but to all of them. Then why do I—" Tears sprang to his eyes as the words died in his throat.

"Aang, just because the Avatar represents all people doesn't mean you are not a person. You have needs, too. It's OK to want a home and a people to call your own. You lost that, and even though the war is over, you won't get it back."

"So, what do I do?" Aang choked on a few sobs, then added. "What do we do? Iroh says home is where your people are."

Toph climbed down from her perch and crossed the chamber to where Aang was sitting. She placed calloused hands on his shaking shoulders and lightly squeezed them. "I think… we should find new people, Aang. Then, maybe we will be home."

Aang closed his eyes and shook his head. He deemed the task too daunting, especially since he'd listed off how his friends already had someone else. Well, except for…

He reached up and gently cupped his hand over Toph's, noticing a slight tremble in her frame when he did. He didn't know the full extent of what his next statement would mean for their future together. All he knew was that in this moment, he felt at peace—for the first time in as long as he could remember.

"Toph, will you—" he swallowed thickly. "Will you be my people?"

The earthbender responded by punching him in the shoulder, which of course, Aang understood to mean her answer was yes.

A/N: Oh my, did I attempt to write from Aang's perspective? Sorry he was so sad panda! Did I sneak some hinting at Zutara in there? Well, I ship what I ship, what can I say? Oh... and Taang? That could be a thing. Sure, I'll go with that.