HEY! I've been gone for long eh? Well, I'm not sure about now but this story or idea's been really bugging me and you know, it was Valentine's day. I know that I'm a bit late or like really late but this is supposed to be for Valentine's day or something?

Oh, and I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or anything of the sort but when I'm older, I will avenge them somehow, you just wait.

Random Thoughts: Crack Pairing

JeToph(?): Your Heartbeat

There it was again. That heartbeat… She's heard of it before and it's been carved into her mind since she heard it. A heartbeat… a heartbeat that was so emotional.

She's never heard of a heartbeat like that until that day. It was fast yet slow at the same time. Was that even possible? She was even sure that a heartbeat like that never existed. But somehow Toph Bei Fong was proven wrong when she met Jet. Or heard him in this case.

There was nothing special about him. He just had a little affair with Katara, like all other boys they've met along the way. Apparently, he was her first love and he betrayed her?

Toph didn't really know what the heck that boy did to them but Katara sure did make a scene out of it. Just like that one Zuko incident too. But then again, she never really bothered to care or muddle herself into their problems. It's theirs and theirs alone.

But the point is, Jet had that one little heartbeat because of Katara. She was the cause of it all. All he ever really wanted was just to gain her trust again but no, she just had to go and be… her and make him do that one little thing that Toph hated the most: Lie.

He had lied and told Katara that everything was going to be okay. He wouldn't die. All kinds of lie to make Katara trust him, to leave him an begone. Leave with the Avatar, be happy and safe from harm. That's what he wanted her to be because he knew that he wouldn't make it. He was gonna die right then and there yet he still had the nerve to go and lie to Katara again. Such guts huh?

His heartbeat… she would never forget. It was painful, so painful that even Toph couldn't take it. There were so many emotions going on she almost had to mute everything around her to clearly hear all the emotions spilling out of him that moment. Few of the emotions Toph picked up from him was content. That fool, right when he was about to die he felt content? In fact, Toph even thought he might've been happy before the moment he died. She wasn't even sure if he was dead or not but in that moment when he was speaking his last breath she was sure that it was his time to go.

When he was happy at that time, was it because he got to see Katara's face before going? Was that it? Maybe it was because even before when she first met him his heart made little flips and jumps as Katara was near him. He was even surprised when Katara had listened to him a few.

There was that one ounce of sadness Toph had detected when he was speaking his last words with Katara. Was he sad that he wouldn't be able to see her anymore? What was up with him? He had so many emotions going on.

Was it frustration Toph heard in his heartbeat when he told Katara not to care about him? To leave him and he'll be alright? Was he angry that Katara was trying to save him but that would also cost the lives of her and her teammates? What was he thinking?! He should have just let her save him… but he was a fool and he was in love.

Guilt. That was probably written all over his face but since Toph was blind, she couldn't have seen it but she did feel it among other emotions coming off from him. He was probably guilty because of all his past actions. Everything he's done to hurt that one person he loved the most, Katara.

Was it that he had cared for Katara? Was it that she felt in the bottom of her stomach? Because she definitely knew that in the midst of Jet's feelings towards Katara that moment, he had cared for her at least. He had wanted her to trust him and he wanted her somewhere safe.

Toph knew for sure that more than anything in that moment of witnessing Jet's death, Katara was being loved and Jet slowly and slowly regretting everything that he's ever done. Toph was not jealous. Why should she be? She wasn't jealous of how Katara was almost instantly loved by someone else, no. She was not jealous.

Toph was… surprised… or maybe shocked that what Jet had been feeling for Katara that moment was… the truth. Jet didn't have a crush like Aang did on Katara. He wasn't conflicted of his feelings for her or was he hiding it from her. He openly showed the to her. She just kind of rejected it. Jet didn't feel the need or luck or confidence Haru had when he was with Katara. He didn't feel the need to woo her heart like Haru always does when he's near katara. He didn't even really had the need or want to betray Katara like that so-called banished prince Zuko either. He didn't want to betray Katara.

Another thing Toph knew for sure was that Jet was openly lying. He wasn't that good or that bad. It was just that… maybe because of the situation, they had to believe what he was saying in order to get Appa. Maybe Katara just wanted to believe him one last time or something but anybody can tell that he was clearly not speaking the truth. He was clearly lying that he would be alright but he wasn't and it hurted.

Toph was not one to pick sides but she felt that Jet died nearly unfair. She's felt many emotions, much more sadder events than this and yet, Jet will always be the one who died a sad and miserable death for Toph.

She's felt how angry Aang can be, how sad, happy etc. But she's never felt anything like that ever. To feel so much emotion like that is unbearable. She never knew that it was possible to even feel so much emotion in one time. She's felt the way Sokka had loved for his dad and for Yue and Suki. She's felt it when he was happy or sad but never like Jet. Same thing with Katara. She knows how easy it was to make her angry, tip her off the wrong side but she's never really felt anyone with so many emotions.

That was the first time she's ever felt anything like that. Another was that Jet was lying for Katara's sake. He wasn't lying for him or because that's just how he is. He was lying for her sake and Toph almost thought that that was endearing and it was very hard for Toph to find anything endearing unless it was her winning a match and crowds, her own teammates, were cheering for her.

In that one small moment she felt that Jet's actions towards Katara was endearing. Toph also felt that it wasn't fair how Jet was treated. Sure, Haru was considered a friend and nothing more, Aang was also a friend and nothing more, Zuko was the enemy or in this case 'frenemy' but that was still all better than Jet's situation. The one who broke her heart, betrayed her, stepped over her feelings, used her but is now a nothing to her? That was worse than Aang being friendzoned by Katara.

It was painful for Jet to have let Katara go. It was painful to let that one person who could heal you go. He was so close to living yet he let it go away. He was so close to having Katara's attention and care yet he let it go. It was painful for him both mentally, emotionally, and physically. He could have made so many decisions there and it was to let her go and sacrifice himself.

He was being so selfless and all Toph's ever heard about him was how he was so selfish even to the point of sacrificing a town for his own personal needs and satisfaction. Jet was so selfless then that Toph thought Katara might've mixed up the words selfish and selfless for each other. Maybe it was because Toph had a late entrance on meeting Jet and learning more about him. Maybe it was something like that but when Toph 'saw' with her own 'eyes', Jet was the exact opposite of what everyone's told her about him.

Even as Jet was dying and they were fleeing from that awful place Toph was sure that Katara had never once glanced back to make sure that he was okay. She didn't even tear down that much. Not that Toph was expecting much but really, that was Katara's first love right? Toph knows that being betrayed hurts a lot but not even daring to look back at him was just hurtful. That was one thing about katara, she holds a very strong grudge against anyone's who's gotten on her bad side or betrayed her. It took Jet to speak his last dying breaths for her to even trust him for a little bit.

Jet was hurt inside out and katara opted to finally listen to him when he was dying in that one last breath. He was seriously hurt and she… Katara is just so… Katara. And as they left, Toph merely says quietly that he's lying. She can feel it in the way he speaks, his fake laughs and his attempts to make Katara leave him. He was just so bad at lying that it even got to Toph but it was a whole different story with Katara. She wasn't hating on Katara. Well, not a lot. She's just complaining is all. She still wonders how Katara even managed to not look back at Jet.

Toph could actually feel Jet's eyes close as he whispers that last part. But what can she do? SHe's already made her mind that she wasn't going to do anything about it. Katara's made her mind. Jet's made his mind that he would rather die earning a little bit of her trust than to live and still have her hate and despise him. Another thing Toph knew for sure that time was that she pitied, she actually pitied someone, Jet for having said that.

But now, all that is in the past and she needs to learn how to let it all go? No way, Toph wouldn't do that. It was impossible for her to forget that heartbeat. To her, that was an individual heartbeat. In a way, it was special to her. She was not in love with Jet, she didn't have a crush, she didn't fall in love at first sight. She just felt that his heartbeat was different from others. It was special in the way that no others can compare. With a heart that holds that much emotion, it was never going to be just another heartbeat to Toph. It's already engraved in Toph's heart and it would stay that way.

Years after that incident, it was still the only heart that Toph had found to have beaten like that, to have felt that many emotions. Katara's heartbeat was not like that. The most Katara could ever hold in one beat was maybe a hint of anger mixed with irritation and annoyance. Sokka was clearly excitement and boastfulness. Aang was and will always be happiness and bliss. Suki was calm and peaceful. Zuko was more uptight, on guard and much more of annoyance than Katara including irritation and anger but then again, when was he ever not angry?

So to say, Jet's heart, In Toph's words, held about a thousand feelings at one time and it never ceases to amaze Toph. That was maybe why Toph couldn't ever forget that heartbeat. It was an on of a kind of heartbeat to her.

It was finally fading into Toph's mind that that was the last time she'd ever cross a heartbeat like that. It was finally going to end there. That was going to be the last time she;s ever heard of something so painful like that yet here it was again, thumping under her feet, beating next to her ear.

Toph stops breathing for a moment to concentrate on the heartbeat. She's in the middle of a street in the Earth Kingdom, town unknown since she was just a traveler and couldn't and was too lazy to bother asking an old lady for directions and name of the town. There were many other heartbeats around her including many, many pairs of feet. She scrunched her nose and eyebrows as she tries to concentrate.

She doesn't mean to be a stalker but this was going to be the closest she'll ever get to hearing that type of heartbeat again. She can feel that the heartbeat was fast. The person was lying, she can tell by the way it ran. But there was something else. Fear? Was that what it was? Pity? Uncertainness? She came closer to the heartbeat and listened in on the conversation.

"Who told you to do that you piece of scum?!" A deep, loud voice boomed over. Toph could faintly tell that there was a fat lady who had her hands on her hips as she tapped a foot to the floor. There was a man who was on his knees. His heartbeat, it matched the rate of Jet's and it had just the right amount of emotions mixed inside too.

"I'm sorry, lady, I'll try to do better?" He half asked, unsure of what the lady's reaction would be.

"What do you mean do better?! You stole from me!" Toph noticed that there were three boys who were near her. They were hiding behind a tree. Their heartbeats were racing. By then Toph understood what was going on. Je-the 'man' was lying-no, taking blame for what the kids did.

"Look, I said I was sorry. I was hungry, I had no food and you know… "

"No, I don't know." The lady yelled at him and he flinched.

Why was she making it so hard for him? Toph sighed. Not only was he an okay liar he liked to beat around the bush too.

"You're going to have to pay for those."

"I have no money. How would I be able to pay for it?"

"What do you mean how?" The lady raised a brow at him and sized him up. "You're not that bad looking you know? If you wore clothes right for your age and act like it, you may be even handsome."

Toph almost gagged. That lady was not thinking what Toph's thinking she is doing, is she?

"You can always pay with your body." That lady gave Je-the ma- ugh! Let's just name him Jet for now. Anyways, she gave Jet an ugly smile.

Toph shuddered. "Okay, time to stop beating around the bush Toph." She told herself. She walked closer to them and threw a rock at the lady's head.

"Hey! Who did that?!" She turned around and looked around her surrounding. She saw no one behind her and looked back and saw Toph walking up to her.

"Did you do that you brat?!"

Toph frowned. "I'm not a brat anymore, I'm eighteen already! And no, I didn't throw that rock, I'm blind." She waved a hand in front of her face.

The fat woman gasped a little. "You're blind!" Toph rolled her eyes as if it wasn't the most obvious thing ever.

"I just told you that, fatty." The Jet on the floor shifted a little making Toph narrow her eyes. What was he up to?

"Did you just call me 'fatty'?"

"Are you deaf? Do I have to repeat everything I say?"

"Hey! Leave her alone! Your problem is with me, not her. And you! You eighteen year old brat, learn to know your place. No one asked you to help." Toph could tell that by the sound of his voice he was irritated. Toph rolled her eyes and pouted.

Toph turned around to face this 'Jet' and crossed her arms. "What's your problem? If someone is trying to help you, let them." She huffed and turned back to the annoying woman.

"Didn't you just hear him? If he wants to be my slave, let him."

Toph coughed before chuckling. "What are you? Are you a man or a woman?"

The lady got fed up with her and was about to hit her but Toph moved just in time to dodge the fat lady and slammed her down onto the floor hard.

"Don't. Touch. Me." With that said Toph let go of her and walked away cooly.

The fat lady and Jet was still in their spots, too shocked to move.

"Hey!" Toph yelled over her shoulder. "It's nice knowing you made it out alive although you were clearly lying to her!"

Toph clenched her hands into fists. She refuses. She refuses to admit that it was nice to hear and feel that heartbeat once more. She refuses to think that it was nice to know that there was a heartbeat like that. She refused to believe that she thought it was nice to know that she didn't make all this up.

She told that to herself even when a tear rolled down her cheeks. She wiped it away as fast as it came. As she wiped at her cheeks furiously more and more tears came rolling down. She hiccuped and it turned into a sob. It felt… nice… to have known that he survived it all. All that pain that was handed down to him because of one person. One woman that had once loved him.

Jet watched the sun set behind her retreating figure and felt a pain in his chest. He didn't know her. He barely remembers that they met at Lake Laogai. They had that little connection and yet he felt like he has betrayed her somehow. Why does he feel like he's betrayed her somehow?

What was up with him? What was up with her? Why was she shaking as he nears her form? Was that a sob that escaped her lips? Why were there tears in her eyes as he pulls her into a hug?

"Why did you believe me? Even though they all said that I was evil I was bad, why? Why'd you have to go and be a hero to me all over again?"

He never let her go. He feared that if he did he would have to see her tear-stained face. He didn't love her and yet he feels like he's owe her his whole entire life.

Why had she believed him when no one else did? Was she in some way stupid?

In all honesty, Why?