Title: Growing up Normal
Author: DarkHairedVeela
Summary: What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU
Inspiration: YOU READERS WHO I REALLY DON'T DESERVE
Warnings: Language
Pairings: Toko (Toph/Zuko)
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r ELEVEN

Toph couldn't get the maniacal grin off her face when she entered the arena. No one knew who she was here thanks to her disguises. She used to fight as herself but then things got sticky with the Royal Families frequent visits. So with the help of her manager, Wei, and Hashi, Toph built an entirely new person: The Blind Bandit—a blind young woman that dressed in flowing layers of black and covered her face too fight. It was hard to convince the fans of Earth Rumble of the transition from Toph Bei Fong to the Blind Bandit. Somehow, it worked.

Wei really was a miracle worker.

"You're cutting it kind of close, don't you think?" A voice spoke out over the deafening roars that bounced around the arena. Toph smiled at the sound of Wei's voice.

"Not at all," she smirked, turning and following her manager to the changing rooms for competitors.

Wei shook her head with mirth, "You might be good, kid, but I could drop you. Drop you for other, more serious fighters." She paused. "Who show up on time and don't make me grey prematurely."

"I think gray would look gorgeous on you."

Wei glared. "Don't be a smart ass."

Toph laughed. Once they entered the changing rooms she tossed her bag against the most secluded corner she could find. "So how does the competition look?" she asked, wiggling her toes against the stone trying to get a good feel of the earthbenders around her.

Wei shrugged. "Boring."

"I heard The Boulder was coming out of retirement."

Wei's mood brightened at the mention of her childhood friend. "Oh yes, he's back."

"How's his new son?" Toph asked, more excited than she thought she would have been.

"Good. Maybe after the match The Boulder can introduce you to him."

"Maybe," Toph smiled.

"Alright, I'll let him know," Wei smiled. "Go ahead and get dressed." With a pat on her shoulder Wei left to let Toph get in the zone.

It was essential, in Tophs mind anyway to get in the right mindset for these kinds of fights. What too many people didn't understand was that the Blind Bandit wasn't perfect—pretty damn close. It wasn't just her and her opponent in the ring. The crowds were always jeering and shouting—trying to get into her head. Trying to mess her up. Then there were her constant companions, Sorrow and Suffering that liked to nip at her ankles just to make her feel uncomfortable. When Toph fought she could always feel Lu Ten's breath down her neck and the burning glare of Ozai.

And oddly enough, Zuko was there too—reminding her who she was. His voice would permeate her mind and clench at her heart. Bei Fong? He had said when they first met. There had been awe and excitement in his voice.

Toph briefly wondered why she was so quick to hate him. He was only a kid. He couldn't have understood what sort of pain his family would cause the once small city of Gaoling. And honestly, he wasn't all that different from Lu Ten—a little bit quieter, angrier but so much alike. What if the roles were switched? What if Lu Ten was the one she hated and Zuko the one she loved . . .?

Toph snorted. Yeah, right.

She reached inside her sack and began her transformation into the Blind Bandit.

It was a simple outfit, made out of flowing dark cloth that was light as air and billowed with her every movement. Wei told her that it was covered in sequins that sparkled dimly in the light. It was quite honestly her favorite piece of clothing that she owned, which was a big thing for Toph since liking something that was visually pleasing was kind of hard for her. The best part about the Blind Bandit's wardrobe was the way it exposed Toph's back, and more specifically her tattoo. It was a series of dark black lines that exploded and curved from the length of her spine to her sides and shoulders.

The Boulder had done it for her about a year before.

The dark clothes. The tattoo. The blindfold. And the transformation was complete and Toph was reading to kick some major butt.

O.0.O.0.O

"Come 'ere," Rolin murmured, when Azula approached her usual seat at the bar. She smiled at the sound of his voice and let him wrap his arms around her waist and pull her close. She leaned into his neck, engulfed in his sharp, minty scent.

"Hello," she murmured, kissing his collarbone.

"Nice disguise," he tugged at her green robe and her wild loose hair.

"What disguise?" she smirked, blinking innocently.

Rolin guffawed, pulling away from her to lean against the bar. She copied his movements leaning towards him instinctively. She'd been seeing him for about a year now. At first things started pretty casually and he hadn't even known her true identity. But he was smart and figured out her heiritage within a couple of months. Azula had expected him to drop her; instead he seemed to hold on to her even tighter.

"I love you, and I don't care if world conquest is what brought you to me. We were meant to be together."

Azula smiled at the memory. Rolin always spoke boldly, almost harshly, but then again so did she.

Rolin nudged her with his shoulder, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "What are you thinking about?" he sing songed in his rough, raspy voice that made her senses light on fire as if she had never meditated under the sun.

"You, when you first told me you loved me," she whispered nonchalantly. She barely glanced at him for a mere second before having his lips crash into her own. Azula placed a hand against his neck, holding him near.

When she pulled away, Rolin lightly rested his chin on her head, his arm coiled around her shoulders. "I am a hopeless romantic after all."

Azula laughed, burrowing as far into his neck as she could. She would miss him—when her father sent her away. She burrowed further. Only pain would come out of this "soon-to-be-engagement". She should tell him, but the longer she sat there with him; talked with him; laughed with him the weaker her resolve became.

I hate him, she thought thinking of her father. Why wasn't he proud of her anymore? What did she do wrong to deserve this sort of fate? Azula would do anything for Rolin—she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life but her family was standing in her way. As she looked at Rolin, speaking animatedly about a man squawking like a mouseturkey the other night at the bar, she felt a sinking, almost overwhelming sense of dread wash over her. Would she have to choose between her family and the only guy that could make her happy?

Ungh. She took a large gulp of Rolin's saki.

.

. .

. . .

. .

.

It's not a long chapter at all. And yeah it's been a massively long time. And the only excuse I have is "school" but that's still pretty LAME-O huh? No idea when the next chapter is but seriously, I'm never giving up on this story, I love it too. And there really isn't enough Toko out there soooo. Please leave a review.

I edited and uploaded the prologue as well so go check it out. I really only changed the ages around so re reading it is notttt necessary. But yea.