ChapterTwenty-Eight: Toph

I could feel the rough plaster of the wall against my palms and back but nothing else. Aang's body was pushed firmly into me, holding me up. My legs wrapped around his waist, my feet willingly off the ground.

His lips burned at my throat and his hands gripped under my thighs fully supporting my weight.

Aang shifted slightly, his palms leaving my thighs and reached for my hands. He grasped them one at a time, slowly pulling me away from my only form of sight.

Everything went dark. My senses narrowing down to the only thing I could feel. The wall at my back, and his firm torso pressing into mine. Aang moved with tact. Practiced touches and careful kisses peppered my jaw line before he found my lips once more. He stole the air from my lungs.

Just when I thought I'd suffocate he'd pull away leaving me panting. Even then I couldn't catch my breath, I guzzled down gulps and gulps of air that never reached my lungs. I had never wished more that we were in the Spirit World so I could see him instead of being shoved against a wall.

Weeks had passed since we left the Fire Nation and this was now a common occurrence. We'd arrive home after fixing up the city or attending a meeting with the White Lotus and before Iroh got back our lips would meet and our fingers roamed experimentally.

This particular day, however, it seemed Aang wasn't patient enough to wait and had me slammed up against the closest wall he could find once we entered the house.

He was trembling against me. I wigged so he'd put me down but he only gripped tighter, as though I'd disappear if he did.

"I've been waiting all day to kiss you…" Aang's voice was as gentle as a summer breeze, my heart warming.

"And touch you.." the innocent, almost childlike voice vanished, replaced by a husky deep tone he knew drove me crazy. I could feel his hands release my own and glide up my waist by my ribs, his thumbs just barely brushing up against either breast.

It was torture and I arched into him releasing a small moan from deep in my throat. "Iroh will be home-" I reminded but Aang paid no mind to my words as his lips captured mine again and his fingers clutched onto my thighs once more.

"I don't care.." he broke apart before slipping his hands down and cupping my ass. I couldn't take this anymore. My own hands flew to the ties on my tunic and I was pulling it off before Aang could stop me, throwing it somewhere behind him. He stilled against me before hesitantly placing his palms to my warm stomach.

The tips of his fingers like a spirit's touch, gliding up around my nipples, over my shoulders to the middle of my back where my upper binding was fastened in a simple knot.

He gripped it tightly and kissed me harder as though he was restraining himself. "Toph…" he all but pleaded. We'd come to this very crossroad more times than I could count, as though the act of removing my bindings was something that we couldn't come back from. But I didn't care, I just wanted to feel him. I couldn't stop the groan that fell from my lips and I held his face in my palms, my tongue down his throat encouraging him just to-

"Agni!" A foreign voice shouted, Aang effectively dropping me on the ground. I briefly wondered how two master bender's gifted with seismic senses were unaware of Iroh's presence before it was too late.

He stood in the doorway, his shock giving away to disappointment. He took the few steps towards us. Dropping my tunic in my lap, I gripped it to my chest, my cheeks flaring in embarrassment and maybe something like guilt.

"Aang, my room now." I could feel his heart palpitating as he followed Iroh to his room, the door slamming shut behind him.

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Iroh kept Aang and I's schedule jumbled, making it impossible for us to run across one another at home when he wasn't there.

After a very long and awkward speech about safe sex I was mortified enough to keep a respectful distance from Aang. But it didn't last. Four nights after our scolding Aang snuck into my room and we were out my window minutes later.

We ran and giggled and joked and kissed until we were a safe distance away, hidden underneath the city in the catacombs that nearly killed him.

I could feel his heart beating faster as we approached a small waterfall hidden inside. Almost like I could feel his agony, feel the lightning stop his heart in the very spot I stood. I choked out a sob and wondered why he'd bring us back here.

"Is this where-" he shook his head.

"Azula had concealed herself behind me. I hadn't even seen her. I was so focused on Zuko and the dozens of Dai Li agents that flooded the tunnel. Guru Pathik told me that if I just...let her go. I could control the Avatar state and unlock my thought chakra. The chakra dealt with earthly attachment. All this time I assumed Katara was the only one who I was attached to.

"So when I let her go, I figured I'd be able to go in and out of the Avatar state at will like the past Avatar's. But that's not what happened. I stayed in the transition stage, and Azula took her shot. I was dead before I hit the ground. I always wondered if there was someone else blocking my chakra, that that's why I couldn't fully unlock it."

My heart was pounding. Mind swirling with the influx of information that I never dared to ask. What had truly happened underneath this city.

"Katara brought you back…" my voice sounded so small. The words hardly carried to his ears.

"Yea she did. She saved my life, she brought me back. And I will always be indebted to her. And I will always love her."

I suddenly felt very awkward. And maybe even stupid. Koh's words ringing in my ears. 'In the end, he will choose her..'

"But you've saved me too; before I took down Ozai. I was in the Avatar state, and I was going to end him. But even after everything I just couldn't…as soon as I turned my back Ozai was ready. But I could sense him. I anticipated the blow before he could make it. A gift only one person could have taught me. And when it mattered most I was ready because of you."

The air fell stagnant. Neither of us said anything until I couldn't help it anymore.

"Can I see it? The scar?" I watched as Aang sat crisscrossed before reaching for my hand to join him. I did wordlessly and a minute later light flooded my eyes and I was staring at clouded silvery eyes.

His bottom lip quirked up in a small smile as I watched him stand in front of me, hands finding the ties on his golden robes. I flushed as the fabric peeled away layer after layer revealing lightly tanned skin and slightly toned muscles.

He turned his back to me and I gasped, my hand flying to cover my mouth. I stood and touched the damaged flesh, seeing it for the first time. The wound healed now and I was grateful I didn't see it when it happened. Tears fell that I couldn't control, anguish washing over me at the friend I could have lost.

Aang spun to face me. And before I could say anything his lips were softly on mine, my palms splayed out on his chest before he released me.

"I brought that picture you asked for…" I perked up my mood suddenly light instead of somber. I watched as Aang fished the photo from his pocket and unfolded it in front of me.

My eyes landed on her azure ones on the right side of the image almost immediately, she was tucked in between Sokka and Zuko. "She's absolutely gorgeous…" I blushed furiously at the words. But Aang seemed unbothered, like he expected this reaction.

"She is quite pretty isn't she?" I followed his gaze to the far left side of the paper where I stood, smiling up at Iroh. I leaned against Aang seeing the obvious affection swirling in his eyes for me and I allowed myself to foolishly hope.

Hope that he would actually consider me over her.

But while he stared lovingly at me, my eyes still hovered over the bronzed beauty.

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Hey guys! Ik Ik it's Wednesday. I'm an airplane mechanic for the AirForce and I promise it's not nearly as cool as it sounds. I don't have much time to write during the week when I have to work. But good news is I only work one more day this week then I'm free for two whole weeks so I'll be able to update a little faster. I'm hoping to add chapter 29 on Saturday, maybe even sooner!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)