Hello my wonderful readers!
I've had this idea playing in my head for a bit, so I thought I would write it out. Today felt like a heavy day, so what better way to lighten it than with some Kataang!?
I hope you enjoy the read! 😊
Disclaimer:
I do not own ATLA or any of its characters. If I did, this would not be a fanfiction, it would have been part of the show.
"Getting fire flakes," her voice rang out as she left her seat.
Toph had been just about to take her seat again when she heard the tension in the waterbender's voice.
"First girlfriend," Katara mumbled under her breath, "I oughta water-whip them right out of here."
She huffed, stomping as she marched away from Aang and a few friends from his brief stint in the Fire Nation school system. Distracted, the Avatar continued chatting away with his friends while the waterbender left, fuming.
Toph felt the frustration reverberating within Katara as she marched past the earthbender. With a puff of air to blow at the heavy bangs on her face Toph followed her, choosing to be a dutiful friend today.
They were in the Fire Nation this week to celebrate Zuko and Mai's engagement. Before they made it to the Capital City, Aang had insisted they stop by to visit some of his friends in the Eastern Fire Nation. Though neither Katara nor Toph was very enthusiastic about making the pitstop, the pair of friends chose to humor him. They had landed to a warm reception from OnJi and a group of others from the school.
Katara's voice as she greeted the group was tersely. Not enough for Aang to catch, even after so long knowing the waterbender, but definitely easy for Toph to catch. She chose to ignore it rather than prod at the Sugar Queen today. She just wanted to get this trip over with so that she wouldn't have to fly on Appa again for a while -or be subject to the sounds of what Sokka had so accurately deemed gave him the oogies years ago.
Despite her initial hesitation for the stop, Toph had to admit it had been surprisingly fun to chat with the group whose lives they had impacted those years ago. Aang had spent the day laughing and showing the group his usual airbending tricks and gushing about Katara. Toph may or may not have also jumped in to show off some of her metal bending abilities. No big deal. As much as she hated to admit it, she turned to Aang and told him she was actually enjoying herself. She especially enjoyed the delicious meat they got to eat while at the Fire Nation Bazaar.
Katara didn't seem to be having as much fun. Her heart had been in a frenzy all day and it was beginning to annoy the master metal bender. Now as she slowed her pace, with steps still heavy and mumblings still going, Toph could finally address it with her.
"Alright, what's wrong with you," she said in her usual gruff manner as she caught up with the waterbender, already feeling the drumbeat of her heart growing madder.
"Nothing, I don't know what you're talking about," her voice was curt as she continued at a brisk pace.
"Okay, that was an obvious lie. C'mon Sweetness, you're not acting so sweet today. What gives?"
She heard Katara sigh heavily. Her footsteps stopped, but there was a very present exasperation in the air. Toph stood before her, waiting. Listening to the shifts in her breath, feeling the slight rocking of her stance from heel to toe, heel to toe.
Evidently, Katara was very bothered. Toph chose to bite her tongue and continued to patiently wait for her friend to speak.
"We've been together for nearly three years, Toph. Three," irritation dripping from her words.
Toph shrugged, not entirely sure where this was going or if she really cared.
"I should have tagged along with the other sappy couple instead of you and Twinkle Toes," she grumbled before addressing her friend, "Why does it matter how long you've been together? What, did he forget your anniversary or something?"
Katara huffed again, her heartbeat still pounding, heels still rocking. She heard the crack of knuckles.
"They keep calling me his first girlfriend," she said quietly, through what sounded like gritted teeth.
Still, Toph was confused.
"Okay...And aren't you? Or are you really going to tell me that Twinkle Toes was some kind of playboy before I met you all," she let the sarcasm fall thickly between her and Katara.
She felt a small whoosh of air as Katara threw her arms up. Yep, that frustration was still there.
"Yes, I'm his first girlfriend! But I'm not his first girlfriend!"
She sounded exasperated, like she had been arguing this point for a long time. The earthbender cocked her head and crossed her arms.
"What does that mean? You're first, but you're not first? I know I can't exactly read, but was there another definition of first that I didn't pick up somewhere along the way?"
"Ughh! First, Toph. Like out of a series. As though there will be others after me," she scoffed, "But there won't be. I'm it, Toph."
The master metal bender's eyebrows shot up. The confidence in that statement was a little unexpected, but Toph could not disagree with her. She knew that Aang wanted no one other than the master waterbender that had freed him from the iceberg. Even someone with no sight could see that.
"Well, I'm not arguing that point," she turned her head in the direction of the group of friends still catching up at a table in the bazaar outdoor eating area with a scowl on her face.
"So, these people," she nodded towards them, "they're referring to you as his first girlfriend because they expect you to break up?"
Katara's heartbeat was slowing to a steadier beat now, the frustration no longer fully consuming her. There went another sigh.
"Well, OnJi said it jokingly and then her friend Shu went along with it," the confidence had left her voice, "But they're not the first to say it. And I think some of them mean it. His acolytes, random nobles we meet… Even King Kuei asked him if he planned to marry a woman from noble blood in the future."
Toph grimaced. She knew the king had certain social ineptitudes, but that was a comment she could say was nothing more than stupidity. And the others, well, they were irrelevant. It was hard for Toph to understand how Katara could let them get to her.
"Katara, those people don't know what they're saying. Why would you let them get to you?"
A sound escaped her friend as though she had opened her mouth to speak, but she just huffed instead. Toph continued, hoping she could get her friend to feel better so they could move on from this topic. She was not one for relationship advice and boy talk.
"Besides, isn't your dad like Chief of the Southern Water Tribe? Doesn't that make you kind of noble-blooded?"
"Chieftain. He's Head Chieftain," Katara corrected, ignoring the rest of the earthbender's points.
"Same thing. Listen, you said so yourself, you're it. Who cares what they think," Toph flailed her arms out, tired of the conversation.
The waterbender began walking away again, more slowly this time. Toph followed her.
"I just, I hate when they look at me and think that I'm somehow not good enough for the Avatar. I know I shouldn't care, but...I do. You don't see the way they look at him."
Toph plopped herself on a bench outside of a building and patted the seat next to her, feet still firmly planted on the ground. Katara sat next to her, the glumness vibrating in her the way frustration had been just a while earlier.
"You're right, I don't see the way they look at him. But I think all that matters is the way you two look at each other. And if your heartbeats are any indication, you two look at each other like there is no one else on the planet! And I may not have been around for everything, but I know Twinkle Toes' heartbeat has never done that around anyone but you."
"Really," she could hear the smile in her voice, heartbeat picking up again with a different feeling.
"Yes. You, on the other hand...Let's just say I knew there was something between you and Jet, and you and Haru way back then…," the earthbender laughed.
"Wait, what? No! That is not true," Katara's voice wavered.
Toph broke out laughing.
"I'm kidding, Sweetness. I could tell you had a little thing for them, but nothing compares to the annoying drumbeat of your heart at even the mention of your precious Aang."
As if on cue, her heartbeat sped up. A small chuckle escaped her.
"You're right, Toph. All that matters is how he and I feel about each other and the future we see with each other," the waterbender gave Toph a one-armed hug from her spot on the bench.
"Okay, okay. Enough sappiness. Let's not do this again. You and Aang really love each other. Stop letting what other people think get in your head. It's like you said, you're it for him," she shrugged Katara's arm off her shoulder, "I'm pretty sure Twinkle Toes would go into the Avatar State if he heard you talking like that, so keep your-"
Toph paused, feeling a set of familiar footsteps coming their way. Light as air.
"She's right you know," Aang's voice cut in, "Talk like that could send me right into glow-mode."
His heart was pounding too. Toph threw her head back and retched internally. Oogies.
Katara leapt from the bench and into Aang's arms. The smooching sounds were enough to send Toph over the edge.
"You two were gone for a while, so I got a little worried. It doesn't take that long to get fire flakes," he laughed, "But I am glad I caught this piece of your conversation. What's wrong, Sweetie?"
"I, uh…," Katara stuttered, and Toph could tell she didn't want to discuss this with him right then.
Dutiful friend duties were not done quite yet.
"Maybe you should talk about this later? All your friends are waiting for you," Toph pointed out.
She heard a small exhale escape Katara as she left Aang's arms and began walking back towards the group.
"Katara, wait up—"
"I never did get those fire flakes, so I'll go get them now! I'll meet you two back with the group in a bit," she shouted back as she went towards a building.
Toph stood, dusting herself off as though she had just finished a battle. That was enough relationship talk a month. Aang stood waiting for her, his foot tapping.
She hoped he would not need some kind of advice or emotional support right then. She wasn't built for long bouts of sappiness.
As they began walking together, she was glad to have some silence.
After a few steps, he let out a small laugh, "You are right, you know. Katara is it for me. I'm going to marry her one day, Toph. No doubt about it."
Toph exhaled and lightly punched the Avatar.
"Well, Twinkle Toes, I can't say I'm surprised," and she was being honest, "Just warn me before the proposal so I can stay as far away from the annoying racing hearts and oogies that day."
"Hey," he sounded indignant.
Toph laughed.
I kind of like how this turned out. Hope you did too. 😊
Until next time!