Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or Muse.

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Toph's POV

I wandered around the streets afterschool searching for a way to get to Twinkle Toes' house. He hadn't been at school today and I needed somebody to get me my daily carbs.

Walking and looking up at the sky on the deserted sidewalk I began to wonder if he was okay. Even though I normally didn't care about things like people, Aang was different. I wasn't sure how to explain it but he just was. He made me feel completely different than when I am with my parents, Mrs. Fitzgerald or Evian and Danielle. He made me feel things that I swore I'd never feel in a million years.

I chuckled.

He made me want to dress up for him and look my best. But I'd never gotten the nerve to actually do that. Plus, the more I thought about it, wasn't it better to have someone love me for who I am?

I stopped walking.

Did I really just say…love? I smacked my head and crossed my arms. How stupid is that? I don't need love. Heck, I don't even want like! But…somehow…when I thought of Aang not loving me but…liking me I couldn't help but get giddy – for lack of a better word. And although the sensations he'd given me by just brushing my knee against his were unwanted…I probably wouldn't mind them that much if it happened again.

And the kiss….

But it was weird. It made my stomach twist in a very uncomfortable way, then all the blood entered my cheeks and my throat would sort of close up but I could still speak – thank God.

It made me feel sort of vulnerable and I wasn't too sure that I liked that. I made a mental note to punch Twinkle toes the next time I saw him for making me feel so weak.

I looked around and noticed that I was just a block away from where his house was and I remembered why I had truly come to visit him.

Sure, I wanted my daily intake of calories and carbs that only Twinkle Toes could supply but I also came to ask him a favor. I walked a little faster towards his house. I just wanted to get this over with.

Two minutes on his front porch just staring at the door and I still hadn't knocked. I was beginning to have doubts about this. What if he said no, then what?

I growled mentally. Stupid Aang making me have doubts! I pressed the doorbell hard and fast, angry at myself for having doubts. I was Toph Bei Fong. A girl who knew what she wanted and exactly how she wanted it. If I told you to get me eggs–over–easy then you better bring me some damn eggs–over–easy. Anything else was unacceptable (though in the end I probably wouldn't care as long as I got something in my stomach). But still!

At the peak of my anger I barely noticed a small thud making its way to my sensitive ears from the inside of his house. What was taking him so long!? I twisted the doorknob and found that it was unlocked. Why the heck would he leave his door unlocked? Anyone could waltz up in there and shoot him if they felt like it.

I opened the door and the first thing I noticed was a blanket all crumpled up on the floor. When the blanket moved I got into a defensive position. I saw a messy mop of brown hair and let out a sigh.

"Twinkle Toes! Why weren't you at school today!?"

He groaned. The blanket fell away from his face as he tried to stand. Upon looking at his face I rushed to his side, holding him up with my arms.

"Whoa, are you sick or something?"

Meekly, he nodded.

"Then why in the world did you get out of bed?"

He looked at me.

"Oh," I said with realization, my mouth a wide 'O'. I smiled. "My bad."

His head hung low and he was sort of drooping and heavy in my arms. "Dear Lord, Twinkle Toes. Next time you're sick just stay in bed and let me rant!" I heaved and supported most of his weight on my arms and proceeded to carry him back up the stairs to his room so he could freaking rest. Honestly, did I have to do everything? First carrying my mom up the stairs when she passed out and then Twinkle Toes? Honestly, people needed to start thinking for themselves.

I finally made it up the stairs; with much difficulty may I add. Twinkle Toes wasn't as light as his nickname suggested. Underneath the geeky look he had muscle, and boy was it heavy.

I looked around and tried to figure out which room was his. I guess it was the only one that was open. Inside, I found a bed with light blue sheets with an even lighter arrows going straight down in a linear pattern on his bed. When I took a look at the blanket around his shoulders I noticed that it seemed to have the same kind of arrow the same color as the one on his sheets but this time it was just one.

What a strange comforter set, I thought.

With a grunt and a heave I dumped him on his bed, none too gently, and made sure he was at least covered. But before I raised the comforter completely I caught a glimpse of his abs underneath his rumpled shirt. I looked up at his face to make sure he couldn't see the blush. His eyes were shut and his mouth slightly parted. Like mine, his cheeks were stained red but what did he have to blush about. I touched his arm, ignoring the electricity in my fingers, and noticed that he was sort of cold. I put the back of my palm on his forehead and quickly removed it. He was slightly hot but the rings around his eyes showed that he didn't get much sleep last night which is probably why he had passed out. I looked around for a cold cloth, or an icepack but I found none.

What I did find was a note on his desk top.

If you get worse don't hesitate to call me, Aang.

- Love Dad

Stupid Twinkle Toes. Why didn't he call his dad? Now I was stuck with taking care of him, seeing as he couldn't move and his dad hadn't written his phone number down. I could search through his room for it but something about searching for stuff in a boys room just screamed trouble.

I headed downstairs into the kitchen for an icepack and a towel. I was seriously kidding myself. When it came to curing sicknesses I knew nothing. But I figured that if I cooled him down it'd be fine…right? I went upstairs while trying to review what my nurse had done when I was little and sick.

I say nurse because my parents were too busy to take care of me. Not that they didn't care. I mean, they were protective and busy, not heartless. They would come into my room at night and just sort of stand there, unsure of what to do. My mom was afraid to hurt me in my condition and my dad was just completely clueless on how to deal with a sick child. But when the nurse came in for a midnight check up they would pester her with questions about my health. So, even though they didn't really care for me personally when I was sick, I knew that somewhere they cared. They just had a hard time showing it.

Growing up with a rich, prestigious family can do that to you. And I certainly was no exception to this trait.

I put the towel on his forehead and laid the icepack on top of it. I forgot to get another rag to wipe off his sweaty…innocent…cute…Ah! No! I did not just think he was cute! Especially when he's so sick! I felt…guilty almost. But I couldn't help but to admit that a sweaty Twinkle Toes was hot.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You suck," I said out loud, not caring if he heard or not. "What the hell are you doing to me? I h -." The word wouldn't come out so I tried again. "I ha –." It still wouldn't come out. In exasperation I yelled, "I strongly dislike you!"

I scooted up a chair and sat down next to his chest. His face showed no emotion and he seemed to be in the throes of sleep.

With my arms crossed I began talking, "Okay…I lied. I don't dislike you. In fact, believe it or not…I kinda want to be like you. But not in a creepy stalkerish way. I mean, you have a dad who shows you that he cares – he left you a note by the way. And to me, it seems like you have a lot of freedom. My parents…have their moments but I don't know…I guess I want more." I chuckled. "That's the spoiled rich girl talking. But I know that their busy so we can afford the lavish lifestyle…sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be better to be living like you." I thought about that before I rushed for an explanation. "Not that I think you're poor or anything! It's just that, you know, you budget and spend wisely as to where I can buy five houses if I wanted to and have them demolished without blinking an eye at the dollar figures. You're life seems…nice. Except for maybe when you're sick." I looked down at his sleeping face.

It felt good to say these things. Normally, I'd wait till I was alone to yell out or punch what I felt but something about this moment seemed…right, for me to speak up, to get it all off of my chest.

I wasn't the kind of girl who used a diary, mostly because writing just takes up time. Why write when you can bottle it up and throw it all into a punching bag later? It certainly worked for me. It's how I got through life: on the fine line between sanity and insane asylum. It certainly made life a bit interesting.

I guess, in a wierd way, this was sort of like 'opening up'. Even though it was to Twinkle Toe's unconscience body, it was still something, right?

I looked down at him and saw a stray strand of hair was sticking to his face. I reached over to brush it off and I felt his hot breath smooth over my wrist. I jerked my hand back and shoved it underneath my other arm, as if I was afraid of an alien wanted it for experimentation.

I sighed and stared up at the ceiling. The hours dragged on and gradually his head cooled down, filling me with relief that was soon replaced by worry as to why he hadn't woken up yet. He was still breathing so I took that as a sign that I hadn't killed him with my poor nursing skills. I mean, I wasn't a complete numbskull when it came to stuff like this. But I barely even knew the basics so as the hours passed I became unsure of myself.

But Twinkle Toes wasn't burning up anymore and his temperature seemed to correspond to that of my forehead. I put on a half-melted icepack on top of the damp towel just to make sure it wouldn't flare up again. I found myself questioning myself constantly. Was I doing the right thing?

The setting sun cast dark shadows that played with Aang's face. His room seemed lively while he was asleep. I gazed at the bright yellow sun in the orange colored sky with stripes of dark purple and black.

All of the doubts in my mind weighed heavily on my body; on top of other things. School had been a drag and tired me out more than usual. I closed my eyes and a song came to my head.

Normally, I don't sing. At least, not in anyone's presence. I have a secret place for that. But Twinkle Toes wasn't waking up anytime soon, so I figured, what the hell?

It was sort of a fast song. Sort of techno-ish. But I sang it slow. I took my time hearing the lyrics as they rolled from my mouth.

Everything about you is how I wanna be
Your freedom comes naturally
Everything about you resonates happiness
Now I won't settle for less

Give me all the peace and joy in your mind

Everything about you pains my envying
Your soul can't hate anything
Everything about you is so easy to love
They're watching you from above

Give me all the peace and joy in your mind
I want the peace and joy in your mind
Give me the peace and joy in your mind

Everything about you resonates happiness
Now I won't settle for less

Give me all the peace and joy in your mind
I want the peace and joy in your mind
Give me the peace and joy in your mind

During the song my head had been slowly falling down and my words had gotten softer near the end. Softly, it fell onto his chest. A yawn over came me and I closed my eyes.

Today was an exhausting day. First my little 'confession', if you could even call it that. I'd personally call it a tirade but I didn't really care at that moment if I was politically correct or not. Second, having to stay up and watch someone who was sleeping really was not the best remedy for staying awake.

Before I drifted off to sleep to the sounds of his deep and even breaths I glared at the comforter.

"You make me sleepy…."

Soon the sandman came and poured a truck load of his magic on top of me and I drifted off to sleep into a very strange dream.

A/N:

Dear me. I hate busy weekends. But I managed to get out a chapter on Sunday, like I said. I wish I could have made it longer but I think this is fine.

Anywho, the next chapter will be up, hopefully by next Saturday or Sunday, hopefully earlier but this week seems to be full of homework for me. I can just feel it. Tuesday's the latest.

Please review with comments on how this chapter was, or what you would have liked to have seen, how the story is progressing…blah blah blah. Do with that what you will.

I'd like to know how I'm doing and there's nothing like constructive criticism to help with that!

Oh, and the song is Bliss by Muse. Great band. And I do not own the song or them...sadly.

Love: Lola of the Peaches

=]