Chp.36: Rewind

Toph combed her hair from inside her room as she heard Zuko in the other room with her father. It was the next day and she was prepared(or not) to ask him 'out'. She refused to say to herself that this was a date for the two. Not a date but a... rescue. Yeah, a rescue for her dear friend that put her up to this. Her dear friend that set this all up. Toph grinded her teeth in thinking this. No, a dear friend that needed a rescue from a first date with a guy that intimidated her. Toph sighed and smiled. She continued brushing her hair when she immediately let the comb fall. What are you doing? Toph thought to herself. You don't need to get yourself ready! She opened the door and once she caught a sound of his voice she closed the door and rushed back to pick her comb up. I need this. And she finished getting herself ready. Once she was done she quietly opened the door and walked over to him. She poked him on the back and both him and her father look over. "Sweetie, what would you like? We're a little busy."

"Uh... I need to speak to Z- Hiraku. You know, lay some ground rules," she nodded and gulped.

"Ground rules?" Zuko and Mr. Bei Fong both say.

"Yeah, ground rules. So, come with me, Hiraku," and she dragged Zuko away with her out of her father's sight.

"You have ground rules for me?"

"No, I just said that to get you away." Zuko switched weight on his feet.

"What do you mean?"

"Katara... needs me for something."

"Ok?"

"She has a date. With Wong. And...," she thought quickly "; she asked me to tag a long. But I can't go without you because you're my body guard." That works.

"This sounds like a date," Zuko says, starting to develop a grin.

"A date!? No, of course not! I just... need you to take me so my parents won't flip. No, yeah, if I didn't need a body guard I wouldn't take you with me."

"Really?"

"Yes! This is a privilege if you don't want to go fine, I don't need-"

"Okay, okay, I'll go," he looks at her and smiles again, not convinced enough.

"I'm serious though. You are not my date. You're just there to protect me, okay?"

"When have you ever needed someone to protect you," he muttered. She hit him roughly on the arm, causing him to rub it in pain. "Ow, you didn't have to do that."

"Yeah, well, too bad. It's tomorrow at 7:00. In Jasmine Garden."

"Okay."

"... okay," and Toph left repeating that word over and over again. Okay.

The next day when Toph was done and ready, she walked out of her room and let her father drive her all the way to Jasmine Garden, which was a restaurant with artificial leaves and flowers hanging on the tables and arm rests. Toph wore a t-shirt with a green and black plaid design and black skinny jeans with a fine gauge green scarf. Her father waited around until they successfully found Katara and Wong sitting at a table. Zuko apparently had not yet arrived. Her father kissed her on the cheek and went on his way back to the car. She sat down with them on the opposite side and remained quiet. Awkwardness overtook the table. "I'm sure Zuko will show up, Toph."

"No, yeah, I know," She tried to sound fine and untroubled but in her mind the thoughts of the possibility of Zuko standing her up boiled within. She wanted herself to believe that he wouldn't do that... right? Her stomach wrung in knots. He wouldn't...

Toph was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice that Wong and Katara had started up a conversation on their own until her name erupted from one of their lips. "Toph?" She snapped back to reality and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Oh, uh, yeah?"

"Zuko's coming."

"What?" Impossible, for a minute she was actually certain that he would stand her up.

"He's walking over here-"

"Over here, Zuko!" Katara waved her hand up and caught his eye. He walked over to them and sat next to Toph. "Where were you?"

"Um... Just a little late. Traffic started picking up." Katara nodded and he took a seat next to Toph.

"So... Toph, I didn't know you had a thing with Zuko." Both Toph and Zuko, who were slouching in their chairs, jerked up in their seat.

"What?" Zuko asked blindly.

"Uh, no," Damn. Damnit Wong, how am I supposed to get out of this one? "He's my body guard," she said. Wong nodded, still confused since she didn't exactly answer his question.

"He's your WHAT!?" Katara screeched. But before anyone could say anything else, a waiter came by.

"Hello, would you like to order now?" He had soft brown hair, fair colored skin, green piercing eyes, and a smile that could capture any woman's heart. Katara, once she caught sight of him, melted down into her chair. Wong had not noticed. But his features had no effect on the blind Toph.

"Um, yes, please," Wong flipped through his menu. He ordered his food. "What would you like Katara," he nudged her and she sprung back to life.

"I'll have whatever you're having." Then Zuko ordered and asked Toph what she'd like.

"It doesn't matter. Just give me whatever you're having." The waiter scribbled the orders down on a piece of paper and smiled back at them.

"Your orders will be here in a while," and he left. Katara cleared her throat and tried to act calm.

"So, how did Zuko come about to be your body guard, Toph?"

"Well... my dad sort of... you know what," she rested her head on her hand "; I don't know."

"Zuko?" He shrugged.

"Can we not talk about that?" Toph asked.

"Why-?" Katara asked.

"Do you work, Zuko? Other than being Toph's bodyguard."

"No, I'm trying to get a part-time job, though."

"Where do you want to work?"

"I don't know, maybe somewhere like Starbucks."

"My friend works at Starbucks. She didn't really like the pay," Toph said. Wong smiled.

"Is your friend snobby?"

"Yes, she is."

"I thought so."

"I always thought Starbucks was a good place to work," Katara tried to warm up to the conversation. The waiter finally came back with plates of food. He set them down on Katara's and Wong's side.

"The remaining food will take a while." And with a zip, he left on his way.

"Maybe I'll be a waiter," Zuko said with a smirk.

"You wouldn't last a second as a waiter, Sunshine."

"Pfft," Wong covered his mouth "; Sunshine?" Zuko glared at him.

"Isn't that what you used to call him when you guys used to pretend to be together?" Katara said, smiling heartily.

"Wait what? They used to pretend to be together?"

"Yeah, it was because of some stupid bet or something."

"Hey, hey, it was not stupid, alright? Sunshine here, was just so full of himself and his ego that I had to show him who was boss," she crossed her arms. Zuko scoffed.

"You're just mad because I caught you off guard."

"I'm lost," Wong stated.

"Okay, so, when Zuko and Toph met, a couple of days later, Toph was ranting about how 'awesome she was at sparring'."

"I am awesome at sparring, okay." Wong laughed.

Rewind

Toph sat on a bench with Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Suki, ranting on about her own awesomeness. "I'm the best at sparring, Twinkle Toes! No doubt about it!" Zuko came and joined them. Hearing this, he snorted. "What? Don't believe me, Snark Pants?" Everybody giggled at Zuko's new nickname, making Zuko glare at her for the first time.

"No, I don't," Zuko stated, making the girl gasp ", and don't call me that!"

"I'll take that as a challenge, Clueless"

"Fine!" A grin was placed defiantly on his face. All of them, except for Sokka , signaled him not to take the challenge. He was clueless by this. She's a girl, he thought, an obnoxious girl who I thought looked good, obviously not.

The next day came and Toph walked home. Despite being the end of school and children and teens walking home, the streets were pretty desolate. Zuko, a ways in back of Toph, caught sight of her and rushed to her, trying to catch her off guard. Once he got to her he turned her around and pinned her down. She showed an unemotional expression, while Zuko grinned happily. "Ha, see. I got you off guard." Her cherry chapsticked lips formed into a wide grin.

"You guys really are stubborn, huh?" Zulo looked away and muttered.

"She is," Toph knocked him hard on his shoulder. "Ow! You never get tired of that, do you?" She laughed.

"Nope, I knew, even since the first time, that I was going to enjoy hitting you."

"When was that?"

"What? The first time I hit him? Hm... I think it was when I first told him about my eyes."

"Like I'll ever forget that."

"Yeah, you were pretty stupid."

Rewind

She pulled back her ebony bangs revealing- yes, it was indeed a pair of sightless eyes. Zuko never expected her to be actually blind. "Don't you ever try to overprotect me! I can take care of myself perfectly," she said as she released her bangs, making them land softly on her face again.

"But you're-how do you-"

"The Blind Bandit"

"-Oh… right. But how do you walk without-" Toph sighed.

"That I can't tell you. My parents don't even know I walk in this school a lone and without help. There's supposed to be this really buff guy escorting me wherever I go. God knows where he's at. Probably at McDonald's or something. See, I made a deal with him. He doesn't escort me and leaves me a lone, but we tell my parents he does, so he gets paid. You tell nobody of this except for the people who already know. Who are Katara, Aang, Sokka, Suki, Azula-"

"Even Azula knows!?"

"-She butts in to much, as I was saying, Ty Lee, Mai, and now you. Not even the principle knows."

"Alright, I'll keep my mouth shut… Dull Eyed…-"

"Don't call me that!"

"I wasn't! I just figured out what Mai meant." Toph grunted and paused for a while, then punched Zuko hard in the arm and stood. "Ow! What was that for!?"

"Who would have known Zuko would turn into the 'really buff guy escorting her wherever she goes'." They laughed.

"Mai really hated Toph then. I still don't know why. You were her boyfriend at the time, Zuko. Do you know why?"

"She was probably jealous."

"Ha!" Toph had a grin ear-to-ear printed right on her face.

Rewind

He arrived at the school, and Toph was with Mai, arguing. Zuko bit his lip and rushed to them, but before he got a chance to speak once he was next to them Toph shoved her hand in front of Zuko's face, without looking at him. "Don't even try to break this up!" Zuko's mouth opened, wanting to say something, but he shut it. "Listen, Emotional Rant!" Zuko wanted to laugh at that. It was funny how Toph mocked Mai of her lack of emotion.

"Emotional Rant!? Is that your new nickname for me!?"

"Yes, it is! Or would you prefer Dull Eyed!?" Mai growled.

"Look who's talking!" Toph's face flushed, making Zuko utterly confused. What did she mean? "Ha! See, I got you, Miss Popular!" Toph's face recovered.

"Is that the best you could do, Emotional Rat?" Mai gasped and was ready to hit Toph, hit the heck out of her, but Zuko held Mai back. "I told you, Overprotective Stalker! Don't try to break this up! I can take care of myself!"

"What?" Zuko was confused at his nickname. Stalker?

"You heard me! Now let go of her so she can try to hit me!"

"But-"

"Really, though, Miss Popular was a horrible nick name." The waiter came with the plates and placed them in their spots. He smiled again and left.

"So was Stalker."

"It wasn't Stalker. It was Overprotective Stalker."

"Same thing."

"Nuh-uh."

"Man, you guys gave me a heart attack at the party." They all stood quiet. "The wedding."

"Oh," both Zuko and Toph say. They both remembered well enough what happened that day. Or night.

Rewind

Katara was about to leave when Toph called after her.

"Yeah, Toph?" Toph placed her hands on Katara's cheeks and tried on a serious face.

"Katara, you know I love you right-?"

"Toph, are you-?"

"- you're the best sister I could have," she hiccupped. Katara closed her eyes and sighed, then pierced a glare at Zuko.

"Did you give her something, Zuko!? Her breath stinks and she's about to lecture me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zuko says in a sarcastic tone as he smiles deviously. Katara frowned and took Toph by the arm to a long straight line on the floor.

"Walk on that line, Toph."

"Ok," she says in a deeper tone as her eyes widen and roll. "I'm uh just tipsy… Katara!"

"Walk!"

"Psh," she tried walking in the line, but she swayed and stumbled.

"You're not tipsy, Toph!" she grunted. "Zuko!!"

"What?' he says flatly.

"Get over here. Now," she says sternly. Zuko walked over to her and tried walking in a straight line, but he too was drunk. "My god-… stay here," she left to Aang and came back with him. "Aang they're drunk!"

"Even Toph?"

"Yes!!"

"…," he walked in front of Zuko and snapped his fingers. Zuko leaned back.

"Whoa, dude. Personal hygiene!" Aang looks at him stupidly.

"Don't you mean personal space," he corrects him. Zuko stares at him for some seconds.

"What?"

"You… are a hopeless drunkie, my friend." Zuko laughs and puts an arm around Aang's shoulder.

"You soon will, too," and he chuckled.

"Ok, you guys just sit where you were… for the whole night! I don't want you guys going in car crashes and stuff."

"Whatever," they both answer.

"Wow Zuko," Wong laughs. Zuko only shrugged.

"That's not all, though! These two get a room in a hotel and have me shooting fire works!"

Rewind

Zuko and Toph both came out of the hotel room, closing the door, as Katara came rushing, the rest following after her. "Are you guys alright-?" she eyed them. "What's wrong with your clothes? Toph, you're shirt is inside out and backwards. Zuko, your shirt is stained red…!?" She gasped.

"Katara, I'm sure they didn't do anything bad, I mean," he laughed nervously "; right guys?" They didn't respond.

"Well, to get a shirt backwards and inside out, it has to be removed," she eyes Zuko scornfully and evilly but he just stared at her bluntly. Katara grabbed Toph's shoulder and pulled her with the rest. "If I find out that you did something with her, you will be drowned toast," she raised her eyebrow and left with Toph to another room.

"Noo," Toph whined "; I want to be with Zuko!" Katara sat Toph down and looked at her.

"No, you don't, Toph… Just, try to get some sleep." Azula and Suki entered the room seconds later and sat around Toph.

"Well that's disturbing," Azula began "; Toph and my idiot of a brother, Zuzu, sleeping together."

"He's an idiot," Toph agreed. She grinned. "An idiot." Katara stared at Toph with wide open eyes and frantically searched for Suki's arm.

"Why is she smiling, Suki, why is she smiling?"

"I… don't know, Katara," Suki frowned. "let's just hope the worst hasn't happened."

Toph's face was beet red. "Someone's blushing," Wong says with a mocking smile.

"I AM NOT BLUSHING!" People around looked at them, making Toph sink into her chair, face red as ever. Zuko's face was more like pink. Blushing, but not as much as his stubborn companion. Katara and Wong shot each other a stare and cracked up laughing. Zuko scratched his head impatiently, still blushing at the memories. Then, the waiter with the breath-taking smile arrived. But he was not smiling.

"Can you quiet it down a little, you're disturbing the others."

"We're sorry," Katara says. The waiter nods and leaves. "Okay, let's start eating before they kick us out." Zuko and Toph both glimpse at each other, then begin eating. Katara and Wong didn't take long to start talking to each other, excluding the other two from the conversation. But it wasn't like they wanted to talk after the little trip to memory lane. They simply ate their food in silence. Time started buzzing by.

Zuko noticed that Toph was having some trouble cutting her steak, so, without warning, Zuko attempts to help. His right hand lands on hers. She stops mid-cutting. The warm feeling on her face comes back all over again. "You're doing it wrong." He puts pressure into it and cuts across. After he finishes and lets go of her, he stares at her for a couple of seconds, then returns to his meal. Toph just stays frozen in place. And somewhere deep inside her head, she thinks: Can I rewind that again?

A/N: The date isn't done yet. No, oh, no, no, no. Zuko still needs to figure out that it's a date...