A/N: This chapter is over 10,000 words long... Wow. Just... wow.
Surely that warrants a review or two, right? XD But in all seriousness, I hope everyone enjoys the update. Having fun with the story! Still lots more to come!
Nicole (Guest): Thank you for the facts, Nicole. Never knew this! I'll try to keep them in mind. As for the barefoot thing, I know most Earthbenders were barefoot, though at the school, I would assume that most of the students would have some kind of footwear on. Hence why Zuko's reaction was more quizzical than it might have been otherwise.
MrHoodman2132: I'm glad you like the story, man! Yeah, I try to go into as much detail as I can whenever I believe it calls for it. It's both a blessing and a curse, really lol. Appreciate the support!
Tokolover (Guest): Thank you! Oh, and fitting name. I too love Toko. XD
Chapter 7: Surprises
How could he be such a fool?
There were worse things that Zuko had cursed under his breath, but that was what appeared to sum it up best for him. Pacing across the small but still spacious length of his room, the scarred teen's mind was still racing over what had happened just a short hour ago.
"Zuko…" Aang had said to him, that ever familiar smile gracing his features. "How'd you like to hang with us again after school?"
'No!'
'Absolutely not!'
'I don't have time for that.'
Any of those choices would have proved sufficient. In fact, they were swirling in the forefront of Zuko's mind. He had realized he was starting to grow fond of these people in some way, and he knew that the longer he hung out with them, the more painful it would be whenever he either had to say goodbye, or when they inevitably betrayed him like all of his other so-called 'friends'.
But he had been weak…
"Alright… I mean, it could be fun, I guess… I'd like that." Zuko had officially responded.
Yes. Yes of course he would 'like that', but that wasn't really the point, now was it?
Sure, he and his Uncle had moved far away, but his father was one powerful man… The influence he had over the Fire Nation culture could not be underestimated; not by a longshot.
Zuko often had fears… Fears of his father returning. What if he somehow found him? What if he did something to someone that didn't even deserve it like his Uncle or this new group he was hanging around? What if he hurt Azula, even-
Zuko huffed out a sigh, crashing on his bed to sit on it, putting his hands over his face.
'Azula…' He thought, the name echoing throughout his mind.
His relationship with her used to be… great. Near perfect, as a matter a fact. And then it all came crashing down… on that fateful night.
The night that changed everything forever.
The night he got his scar, the night his own sister had betrayed him, and the night… his mother had died.
In Azula's defense, she did not get to witness the struggle. She was in the other room, actually. And when the shouting match between he, Ursa and Ozai had concluded? When everything really went down? It hadn't lasted but mere seconds.
Azula rushed into the room when everything was all said and done… She looked… looked-
'Scared? Hurt? Confused?…' Zuko prattled off guesses in his mind.
Zuko groaned, shaking his head to rid himself of the memories. He couldn't think about it… not now! He just… couldn't go back to that place.
It was too painful.
As tears threatened to stain his face, Zuko held them back, wiping the tear away from his scarred eye that refused to escape from his damaged tear duct. His hand brushed over his scar, albeit unwillingly.
This only seemed to intensify the painful memories. His chest began to tighten, and in an instant, everything felt real again.
Zuko immediately stood back up to his feet. He needed to do something to forget about all this! He needed- He needed… something-
'You could always hang out with your new friends.' Zuko could almost hear his Uncle Iroh's voice in his mind.
He shook those thoughts away.
'No…' He scrambled for an excuse. 'I- I said I wasn't going to! I'll just contact Aang, and tell him that this was all a bad idea-'
No sooner than Zuko started thinking up ways to back out of this plan concocted by his 'acquaintances', his phone began to ring.
Startled by the noise, the Firebender instinctively reached for the device, which vibrated on the small nightstand beside his bed.
Zuko's face immediately lit up and his heart suddenly felt whole again…
It was Mai.
Honestly, this was just what he needed! Someone to actually talk to. Someone he knew wouldn't betray him.
"Hi, Mai." Zuko answered the phone, a rare smile painted on his face.
"Hey, Zuko." His girlfriend responded, in her usual dull tone.
"It's honestly really good to hear from you…" Zuko admitted, relief evident in his sigh. "I had the weirdest day at that new school… Certainly not as chaotic as yesterday, but… infinitely more confusing."
"Mhm…" He could hear her response. Certainly not a proper reply, but definitely a sign to continue talking.
"Well, there was… this girl, and she hangs out in this group that I find myself communicating with. They're more acquaintances of mine than anything, but anyway…"
He trailed off momentarily.
"And yeah, this girl… she's an Earthbender. And well… I guess that part isn't important, but uhm…" He stutters awkwardly, definitely not used to discussing his day to Mai.
It had always been Mai discussing things to him. So when he finally got to do so here, he was, for lack of a better term: unprepared.
"Okay, there's an Earthbender girl…" Mai repeated. "And?"
"And… well, she gave me money. Money for free, just to get lunch today. Isn't that weird? It's the weirdest thing, right?" Zuko expressed.
There was a brief pause, but Mai's response came quickly.
"Well, not really…" Mai seemed nonchalant in her answer. "Well, maybe around here in Capital City, but it's pretty common in other places."
Zuko blinked, shocked by such a thing.
"Really?" The scarred teen was in disbelief.
"Yeah…" Mai simply responded, casually looking at her nails in boredom on the other end. "It's just a show of courtesy, or… something like that. If you got out much from the city… it's something you would know."
Zuko sighed, conceding that point.
"Yeah, I… really haven't ventured out much beyond Capital City before now… have I?" Zuko muttered.
"Doesn't seem like it." Mai sighed, laying on her bed. "Especially with Chief Hardass as your father. Sounds almost as frustrating as my own father…"
Zuko's expression remained frozen, as he blinked in response.
'Well at least your father loves you… and doesn't burn your face… or kill your own mother-'
Zuko forced his eyes closed, taking a deep breath and letting himself exhale. They were starting to come back again. He couldn't let the memories surface. This was the whole reason he was talking to Mai.
But for Mai, it seemed her reasons for calling were far different.
"Listen, Zuko…" Mai sighed. "We need to talk."
Zuko stiffened. He was no fool. Like anyone in a relationship, those were the three words you never wanted to hear. They almost never led anywhere pleasant.
But in his denial, he refused to think pessimistically. Maybe she just wanted a favor. Or maybe Mai just wanted to talk about some other serious topic.
"O- Okay…" Zuko couldn't keep the stutter out of his reply.
Mai was silent on the other end for a few seconds, as if mentally clashing with herself what to say next… How to approach this.
"It's over…" She decided to be blunt and direct.
Zuko's heart shrunk, and it felt like it had dropped into the pit of his stomach. He had tried to deny it coming to this point, but… it appeared it was only inevitable.
"W- What are you saying?" Zuko's denial made a last ditch effort to protect his sanity. "What's over?"
Mai closed her eyes on the other end. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. And she didn't exactly wish to hurt him. But she needed to be honest with him, and with herself.
"There's somebody else, Zuko…" Mai gave her reply, well aware that he knew what she meant. "Somebody… that understands me."
"What about me!?" Zuko's voice grew louder, and more distressed. "I understand you! Who else could possibly-"
"Zuko!" Mai spoke firmly. Zuko went silent. She took a deep breath, certainly feeling some guilt by now. But she knew she had already crossed the point of no return. She needed to do this. "I know how hard this must be-"
"It is hard! It's devastating! Are you serious, Mai!?" Zuko's emotions continued to spill over, small flames even huffed from his mouth as he finished that sentence.
"-But I have to be honest with you, and with myself!" Mai spoke up, continuing while trying not to miss a beat. "I love you, Zuko. I do… I really do. Just not… in that way, anymore."
Zuko stayed silent. Mai did the same. This lasted for an uncomfortable thirty seconds, before Mai was forced to respond.
"Zuko?" She wanted to make sure he was okay and still there.
"Who…" Zuko stated plainly.
"What?" Mai didn't understand at first.
"Who, Mai? Who is this other guy that you're so infatuated with now?" He almost demanded.
"I don't have to tell you that…" Mai defended.
"Okay, fine…" Zuko accepted, albeit rather aggressively. "Then what does this mean for us? For us now?"
Mai stayed silent, as if wondering that herself.
"Did they mean nothing to you, Mai?" Zuko's tone was now soft, as if on the brink of tears that he wouldn't allow himself to spill. "These past couple of years spent together in love? And all the years prior as friends?"
"Zuko, I never said that-" Mai spoke with as much emotion as he had ever heard before.
"You might as well have!" The Firebender exclaimed. "Breaking up with me over the phone? You could at least have had the decency to have said it to my face!"
"I've been meaning to do this for awhile now!" Mai shouted back. "I was going to sooner, actually. But then… you left."
They both remained silent once more, Zuko trying to quell his anger and Mai trying to keep the guilt from stacking any higher.
"I'm sorry, Zuko…" Mai sighed. "I would like it if we could stay friends. But I think that, at least for awhile, we shouldn't talk to each other… Not until we've had time to heal."
"But-"
"Goodbye, Zuko…" Mai said, hanging up before Zuko could protest any further.
And thus, Zuko's worst nightmare had been all but confirmed to him…
Mai, one of his best friends… The girl he thought was the love of his life… had just broken up with him. Left him essentially abandoned…
Like he was nothing…
Zuko allowed the phone to slip from his grasp, and fall onto his bed. His body was pleading with him to let his tears out, but Zuko wouldn't allow it. Not now… He couldn't be weak any longer!
The scarred teen laid on his bed, curled up, his arms wrapping around his knees that he drew in. This couldn't be happening… This absolutely could not be happening right now!
He had trusted Mai with all his heart! And if he couldn't trust her, then… who could he trust, if anyone?
'Uncle…' Zuko concluded, allowing himself a sigh. 'That's it… He's the only one.'
Though, Zuko knew that if his Uncle Iroh somehow betrayed him, that would be it… That would be the final straw… There would be no hope left for him at that point.
Zuko had too many holes in his heart, and voids left behind. And now it seemed another had just opened up…
He wished more than anything that he could find some way to patch those holes in his heart. Even if just temporarily, with no consequence of having everything backfire on him again.
"Zuko!"
The Firebender jumped, startled, when he heard the familiar voice of his Uncle call to him from down the stairs.
"Yes, Uncle?" Zuko called back.
"Aang from next door has come by to see you!" Iroh called back, sounding cheerful.
'Aang…' Zuko frowned in thought. He had been so caught up with his conversation with Mai, he had forgotten to go over to Aang's to cancel the plans. 'Well… I suppose I should just do that now.'
Opening his bedroom door, Zuko quickly found himself walking down the stairs and into the living room.
Iroh turned back with a smile, walking away from the door and towards the kitchen, to give him some privacy. It appeared that he had been filled in on some of the 'details' by Aang while at the front door.
"Hey, Zuko!" Aang smiled, standing just outside. "Sokka and Katara just left and are about to pick up Toph. They're coming to get us after that. You ready to go?"
Well, this was it. This was where Zuko had to tell Aang to cut everything off, and that he wasn't feeling up to it. And yet, before Zuko spoke, he looked at the Air Nomad's features.
He looked so innocent, so cheery, so optimistic… so happy.
Zuko figured he should add that to the list of things he envied about Aang. His life seemed just so perfect.
And yet, Zuko knew for a fact that it wasn't. Aang had expressed to him, very sorrowfully, that his mother was no longer with him. Just like his own…
And still, somehow, he seemed to maintain a positive outlook on life and the world at large. But how? How was that possible?
And it was that which Zuko envied. He wanted to know- needed to know… how Aang could do that.
It was exactly because of how excited Aang looked about all this that caused Zuko's hardened expression to soften once more.
Zuko was going to be weak again… He, himself, could already sense it.
But he didn't care…
As weird as it sounded in his head, he couldn't let Aang down. Not for his own selfish reasons…
"Yeah…" Zuko finally answered the Airbender's question, forcing a grin. "How long do we have?"
"About ten, maybe fifteen minutes." Aang shrugged. "Give or take…"
Zuko nodded in understanding, as Aang looked behind him, pointing back with his thumb.
"We can go to my house if you want. You know, while we wait." Aang suggested.
Zuko's gaze fell upon the house across the street. Honestly… he liked visiting there yesterday. Well, except getting beaten in a sparring match by a Sophomore Earthbender, who was also blind!
But it was mostly good…
Zuko finally made his decision, stepping outside his house and closing the front door behind him, motioning across the street.
"Lead the way, Airhead." Zuko quite obviously teased, a hint of a smirk on his features.
Aang stood frozen at first, surprised to actually hear a playful quip coming from Zuko's mouth, but he soon found himself smirking as well, lightly slugging the Firebender's shoulder not unlike Toph; the only difference being it didn't hurt near as much.
"Whatever you say, Jet…" Aang teased in return, the both of them knowing that 'Airhead' is what Jet had been calling Aang, before beginning to lead the way to his house.
"You're hilarious…" Zuko sarcastically responded with a roll of his eyes, following suit.
The walk across the street wasn't that arduous a task; it was an effort that didn't even take a full minute to accomplish. Approaching the familiar yellow and inviting colored house, Aang opened the front door, and in they went.
It felt so weird… to simply walk in without even so much as a knock or sign that he was here. Sure, Zuko liked Aang well enough so far, but it was something he wasn't at all used to yet…
The smell of the house was the very next thing that Zuko recognized. Taking a few whiffs, the Firebender was met with… a very delicious and alluring scent. One that felt… strangely familiar to him.
"Dad! Zuko and I are here!" Aang called into what looked like their kitchen.
"Alright, Aang!" Gyatso called back to his son, the sound of pans and other kitchen appliances clanking in the next room.
Noticing Zuko's thoughtful expression and glance towards the kitchen, Aang decided to enlighten him on what was going on.
"My Dad's in there making fruit pies." Aang grinned. "It's an Air Nomad delicacy."
"Fruit pies…" Zuko hummed, looking downcast. He had never had that before, so he didn't know what had seemed so familiar about this.
"Yep!" Aang confirmed. "Wanna see? We got time to kill, anyway."
The scarred teen didn't reply at first. Did he want to see what a fruit pie was? Well, not really. How was staring at food gonna help time move any quicker?
But then again… it did beat sitting on the couch in silence.
"Sure…" Zuko relented with a brief nod, allowing Aang to lead the way.
As the two entered the kitchen, the smell became a lot stronger. The kitchen counters were fully occupied as Gyatso worked on the food, and judging by the look of things… he was planning on preparing a large quantity of it.
"Woah…" Aang voiced. It seems even he was taken aback by how much was getting done here.
Gyatso cocked a brow, taken a bit by surprise after hearing his voice. However, after recognizing that it was his son and Zuko, the older Air Nomad gave a friendly smile.
"Ah, hello Zuko." Gyatso greeted the new guest of his house. "How are you this afternoon?"
Zuko's shoulders slumped, and he had to stifle a sigh. What had happened just minutes ago with Mai was still very fresh in his mind.
'It could certainly be better…' Is what Zuko would like to have said. But instead, he lied, keeping things casual.
"I'm good…" Zuko answered Gyatso, bowing traditionally. "It is an honor to be in your home, once again."
Gyatso had to chuckle, not so much at the gesture, as much as it was he wasn't all that used to the formality.
"Well any friend of my son's is a friend of mine." Gyatso gave a bow all his own, if only to humor him. "Not to mention… your Uncle has proven to be quite the Pai Sho player." He smirked.
Zuko couldn't stop the corners of his lips from tugging upwards, the image of the two old men being so passionate over a board game coming to his mind.
"Believe me…" Zuko shook his head. "Uncle doesn't let me forget it. That, or how much he likes tea."
"Oh, I had some of your Uncle's tea!" Aang said. "Just a little bit, though. It was really good!"
Gyatso nodded, humming his own agreement.
"I've never been one for tea, admittedly…" Zuko responded softly, as if his Uncle had super hearing.
"Really?" Aang gasped, surprised that the nephew of such an adamant tea lover believed the opposite. "Why not?"
"All it is, is boiled water and tea leaf extract." The Firebender shrugged. "It's nothing more than hot leaf juice."
"I think you misjudge the power of tea, young Firebender…" Gyatso chuckled, preparing to take something out of the oven. "But we all have our opinions."
"Here, Dad…" Aang quickly pitched in, moving over to one of the bowls. "I'll stir this batter while you take that out of the oven."
"Thank you, Aang…" Gyatso smiled, internally grateful for his assistance.
Zuko could only stand there just beyond the kitchen's doorway, unsure of how to really respond… or even if he should. Honestly, this was completely out of his element.
His thoughts went back to how great a relationship Aang and Gyatso seemed to have with one another… Zuko wished more than anything that he had a father that loved him. But he was happy for Aang in any case. He deserved to have someone there for him, especially since his mother was gone.
"Would you boys like to try one?" Gyatso asked, adding different colored icings on top of the freshly baked fruit pies.
"Aren't these supposed to go to the bakery later?" Aang wondered, surprised by the question.
Zuko raised a brow of intrigue.
"You work at a bakery?" He found himself asking before he could stop himself.
"Well, not yet." Gyatso chuckled. "It's not opened just yet. Our grand opening is this weekend!"
"Yeah, and he isn't just gonna work there. He's the owner!" Aang smiled proudly, as if he had been waiting a long time for this.
"Really?" Zuko's golden eyes widened a bit.
"Indeed…" Gyatso confirmed. "Aang and I have lived in Gaoling for a few years now, but during that period… I often spent my days working at the local grocery store's bakery."
The older Airbender's smile grew, earning a similar reaction out of Aang as he continued to stir.
"My coworkers finally encouraged me to open up my own business. I wasn't sure in the beginning, but…" Gyatso looked downcast, as if reflecting. "Oh, I'm certain my Yangchen would have wanted me to pursue my lifelong dream."
"Yangchen?" Zuko questioned.
Aang and Gyatso looked at each other, bittersweet expressions plastered on their faces.
"Yeah…" Aang nodded. "She was my mother."
"Oh…" Zuko's looked to the side, as realization struck him. "I'm… sorry. I'll bet that she… was very lovely, and would support you in these endeavors."
"She was…" Gyatso nodded, closing his eyes in remembrance. "I miss her with each passing day. Aang and I both…"
Aang nodded to himself, as if to agree with that. The stirring stopped at that point, and he backed away from the bowl.
"Thank you, Aang…" Gyatso smiled, finishing applying the icing and grabbing the bowl.
After a bit more silence, Gyatso decided to change topics to something more positive.
"I don't believe either of you answered my question…" The older Air Nomad teased. "Would you both like one fruit pie? I'm certain there will be plenty to go around when I give out samples later."
"As long as there's cherry." Aang grinned.
"I know you well, Aang…" Gyatso chuckled, already handing him one. "You already know there is."
Aang graciously accepted it with a grin, quickly biting into it. Satisfaction instantly became prominent in his expression, as if it were one of his favorite things to eat.
Zuko would not admit it to anyone, but his mouth was watering by this point too. He had a bag of Fire Flakes at school that day, courtesy of that 'Jin' girl, but that was it. He was so hungry, and everything in this kitchen smelled so good!
He would be a fool not to accept…
"Zuko?" Gyatso offered, motioning to the pan.
"…Does that one come with blueberry?" Zuko pointed at the one with blue icing swirled over the top of it.
"As a matter a fact… it does!" Gyatso smiled, putting it on a plate for him.
To anyone who knew Zuko on an intimate level when it came to desserts, they would know that he absolutely loved blueberry; which was ironic, considering the colors of the Fire Nation were a darker red. But he honestly couldn't get enough of them.
After a moment of hesitation, Zuko bit into an Air Nomad fruit pie for the first time. And just like that, all his worries began to float away. His eyes widened, savoring the sweet blueberry taste of the dessert.
Memories quickly started to fade back to him: positive ones this time. And in that moment, he knew why this was so familiar!
Ursa, his mother, used to bake all the time! This was when he was way younger, of course. In fact, she had been the very cause of his liking for blueberries. Her blueberry pie, not to be confused with a fruit pie, was his favorite thing ever! He couldn't exactly confirm it, but he seemed to recall Azula really liking it as well…
But… that was all they really were now: memories. Memories of a distant past… One that he couldn't go back to if he tried…
Even still, Gyatso's Air Nomad fruit pie proved to be a worthy reminder of simpler and better times…
"You like it?" Aang questioned with a grin, though he seemed to already know the answer, judging by Zuko's uncharacteristically satisfied expression.
Zuko's only response to this was a nod, continuing to eat the dessert. It wasn't like he could put it into words, anyway.
"The secret… is in the gooey center." Gyatso smiled, using his Airbending to swirl out the fruity center of a pie that hadn't had icing applied to it. "They can come either with or without icing. It is something new we're trying, to see what people like best."
"I like them either way!" Aang made his opinion known. "You know… as long as it's cherry."
"Yes, yes. I know." Gyatso chuckled. "You're so much like your mother… Ever the cherry lover! I, for one, much prefer the sweeter taste of a strawberry…"
Zuko finished his fruit pie quickly, the warm and gooey flavor of the blueberry doing a lot to help him forget… recent events. It obviously wasn't a permanent remedy, but it certainly was a big help.
"I think Zuko liked his." Aang chuckled, finishing up his dessert soon after.
Zuko's gaze shifted to the side, a bit embarrassed by how quickly he had eaten it. Honestly, he didn't even take proper eating etiquette into consideration; he just enjoyed it and soaked himself in the pleasant memories it provided him.
"Uhm… yeah." Zuko spoke nervously. "Sorry…"
"Sorry?" Gyatso seemed stunned. "My boy, there is nothing to be apologizing for… Honestly, I am flattered you enjoyed it so much. I just hope now that everyone else shares your enthusiasm." He chuckled.
"I'm… sure they will." Zuko forced a small grin, feeling almost compelled to still explain himself in some way. "I… have always liked blueberry. My mother used to bake all the time… when I was a child."
"Ah, I see…" Gyatso gave a friendly smile. He didn't ask about his mother, because judging by what small details he had received from Iroh the day prior, he knew it was likely still hard on Zuko. "I'm sure she was quite the baker, herself. I would have loved to have tried whatever she made."
"Yeah…" Zuko sighed.
'I wish I still could…' He lamented.
The sudden sound of honking outside caused all three of them to jump, startled.
"Oh…" Aang looked at his phone on instinct. "I guess Sokka's here. That was quicker than I thought."
"Have fun, you two! Aang, if I'm not back home when you get back, that means I'm still at the bakery. I'll keep you updated." Gyatso informed.
"Okay, Dad. See ya!" Aang waved, making his way to the front door.
"Good luck on your new business, Mr. Chen…" Zuko gave a traditional bow of respect.
Gyatso returned it, but chuckled.
"Call me 'Gyatso', Zuko…" The older man smiled, very genuine, a lot like his uncle's. "Maybe next time I see you, I'll make more of the blueberry fruit pies." He finished with a wink.
The Firebender forced a grin, nodding his head, before following Aang out the door. Now came the time where the fun would truly begin, and see just what the hell Sokka and everyone had cooked up…
Zuko froze in his tracks. Seeing Aang approach the car, he noticed someone else standing near the driver's window, speaking to Sokka.
"Uncle?" Zuko called out in shock.
Iroh turned to face Zuko, a genuine smile on his features, before he and Aang bowed to one another.
"Hello again, Iroh." The Airbender grinned. "You got the thing?"
"I did…" Iroh confirmed with a nod.
"'Thing'? What thing?" The golden orbs of Zuko's eyes widening in stunned confusion.
"You'll find out!" Sokka poked his head out of his window, still sitting in the driver's seat. "Now come on! You going or what?"
Zuko sighed, though did not respond to that with words. He instead followed Aang's lead, who got in the back seat from the driver's side, sitting in the middle. Looking inside, Zuko could see Katara sitting in the front passenger's seat, while Toph sat beside Aang on the passenger side. This meant that Zuko's only option was to sit behind Sokka in the backseat on the driver's side.
"What are you planning, Uncle?" Zuko shook his head, standing beside Iroh, who could only look at him knowingly.
"It is not what I have planned, but what your friends have planned. I merely helped." Iroh winked, before heading towards the front door to Aang's house. "Now if you will excuse me, I promised Gyatso I would help him at his bakery today. He said I could even hand out some of my tea if I desired. And really… how could I not accept?"
"Aww, a bakery?" Sokka frowned, his stomach already grumbling. "I wish I thought of that-"
"Stick to the plan, Sokka…" Katara tried to keep him on track.
"Ugh… Fine." Sokka conceded, as Zuko finally took his seat, shutting the car door.
Not even a second went by after the door was shut before Sokka was backing out of the driveway and taking off down the road.
"Hello, Aang. Zuko. Nice of you to join us." Katara greeted, turning around with a friendly smile, her cerulean eyes sparkling in the sunlight shining through the car windows.
"Y- Yeah… Wouldn't miss it." Aang smiled, clearly trying to keep his emotions in check, his face threatening to flush pink.
'He has it BAD…' Zuko mentally acknowledged, not intending on focusing too hard on it.
Toph could only roll her eyes and sigh. If anything, she looked a bit better than she did at school earlier, but there was still a hint of something peeving her.
'No doubt made worse by my lashing out earlier…' Zuko mentally scolded himself, a frown presenting itself.
Zuko turned to look out his window, not wanting to focus on that right now… He would make it up to her… but later.
How would he do that? Well… he didn't really know. But he was sure something would come up at some point.
'Why do you even care? You hardly even know her.' Another part of Zuko tried to reason with himself.
Zuko looked down for a moment. Good question. But he found a simple answer to that.
'Because you made an already bad situation worse. The least you can do is make amends to someone who tried to help you.'
And that was that internal argument settled…
"So, what's the plan, guys?" Aang finally asked, clearing his throat. "Are we going out to eat first or-"
"Yes!" Sokka reinforced his response very heavily.
"…Okay, then." Aang softly replied.
Katara sighed, looking back to Aang.
"Believe me, Sokka was very adamant we all get food first." The Waterbender said.
"Hey, I know Zuko's hungry…" Sokka tried to justify with a shrug. "All he had was a small bag of Fire Flakes. I know I'd be starving if that's all I had all day."
"Yes, Snoozles. I'm sure that's the reason." Toph spoke up, not quite believing it, herself. Since they weren't on solid ground, she couldn't exactly confirm that it was a lie, but she knew Sokka well enough to know he just wanted food.
"What? It is." Sokka reaffirmed.
"Uh huh…" Katara expressed her disbelief, smirking in his direction.
"But… hey." Sokka made a turn down another road. "If we all get food out of it too… it doesn't hurt anything, right? That's all I'm saying."
"Okay, that's nice." Toph sighed. "But where are we eating?"
"Well first…" Sokka made sure to remember. "We gotta go meet up with Suki and Yue. They're both at Suki's house, and they're gonna follow us since we couldn't all fit in one vehicle."
"Oh…" Toph's sightless eyes widened, before her annoyed expression instantly returned. "I almost forgot about that…" She muttered that last sentence.
Katara noticed it return, as did Zuko. Even Aang seemed to have caught onto the fact that something was going on with Toph. Sokka didn't catch onto it, however, as he was too focused on the road and going over what delicious food he would soon be ingesting in his mind.
'So it has something to do with… Suki?' Zuko went over it in his head. 'Or was it Yue…? I don't know. I'm sure I'll figure it out sooner or later.'
"Luckily Suki's house is just a couple more blocks down the way." Sokka pointed out, at a stop sign in the distance. "At this stop sign, we make a left… then her house is at the end of the road."
Toph kept her arms folded over her chest, her sightless eyes purposelessly glancing out her window. She definitely wasn't in the mood to talk. At least… not right now.
Finally turning down the road he had mentioned earlier, it didn't take long for Sokka to reach the house. It honestly looked pretty nice! Like most of the houses in town, it was made of stone, so the Earthbenders who constructed it could have an easier time in building it. The front yard was well maintained, and there stood Suki and Yue, both chatting amongst each other as they waited.
"Hey, Suki! Yue!" Sokka called out, rolling down his window.
Suki and Yue stopped talking, and walked up to Sokka's car with a smile.
"About time you showed up!" Suki teased. "We were about to leave without you."
"Yeah, well… we got a bit sidetracked." Sokka vaguely stated, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"He likes to overplan…" Katara smirked, shedding some light on things.
"Hello, Zuko." Yue waved with a grin, upon noticing him. Taken aback, Zuko could only return the gesture.
"I was wondering where he was…" Suki chuckled, before putting her hands on her hips. "You have him stuck in the backseat, Sokka?"
"Hey, don't blame me." Sokka defended, jerking his head towards the passenger seat. "Ask Katara. In her words, it was, and I quote: 'her seat'."
"The backseat gets stuffy…" Katara flushed, unsure how else to justify it.
"Yeah, well, how do you think I feel?" Zuko sighed.
"He's got a point, Sugar Queen…" Toph shrugged. "Mopey is… how tall are you again?"
Zuko's shoulders slumped, as he casted a glare of annoyance the Earthbender's way.
"Tall enough to where I border on feeling claustrophobic back here…" Zuko groaned. "And I think I like 'Sparky' better."
"Oh, so you did like 'Sparky'?" Toph raised a quizzical eyebrow.
"That's not what I said!" Zuko growled, trying to justify his response.
"No, no… Don't worry." Toph smiled. "I read you loud and clear, Sparky…"
Zuko could only sigh, burying his face into the back of the driver's seat.
"You're still pretty mopey, though." Toph's grin never faltered, sticking her left foot up, still barefoot, and resting it on the center console.
"Appreciate it…" Zuko sighed, keeping his head buried. Aang and Katara looked amongst the two of them with slight amusement, while Sokka went over some directions with Suki and Yue.
'I almost forgot how frustrating she could be…' Zuko internally groaned. 'Oh well… whatever makes her less sad at the end of the day. Though I still wish I knew what she had against Yue- Or was it Suki? Ugh! I'll figure it out later…'
"Well, have we decided where we're going yet, Sokka?" Yue finally asked the ultimate question. "To eat?"
Sokka could only grin.
"Oh, I think I know a place we'll all be satisfied with…"
"Sokka…" Katara folded her arms in annoyance. "Remind me to never let you pick where we eat out ever again."
"Oh come on, Katara!" Sokka nervously chuckled, as the Gaang walked inside the restaurant. "It won't be so bad."
"I think you could have gotten a little more creative than fast food, though, Sokka…" Yue had to agree with Katara.
"Yeah…" Aang gulped. "I've never really liked going to these places. Not my thing."
"Vegetarian. Yeah, yeah… I know." Sokka sighed. "Look, guys, I know it isn't everyone's first choice… but it's pretty close to the b-"
The Water Tribe senior quickly cut himself off, almost spoiling the surprise.
"-the place we're going next, anyway." Sokka finished, narrowly avoiding that blunder.
Zuko cocked a brow at this, wondering where that 'place' could be, before just looking forward as they waited in line.
"Personally, I don't really mind it…" Toph shrugged. "Sometimes something quick and easy is the way to go… Plus the burgers here are pretty good."
"Yeah! See there?" Sokka gave an almost smug grin, wrapping an arm around the Earthbender. "Toph likes it…"
Toph's face was painted red, a hint of a blush crossing her features, as she timidly hid her expression behind her bangs.
Besides Katara, who knew of her crush on Sokka for quite a long time now, this was something that didn't go unnoticed by Zuko once again.
'Okay, so that almost reaffirms my earlier suspicion that she likes Sokka… But what's the connection with Suki or Yue?' The Firebender tilted his head thoughtfully.
Hearing his stomach growl, Zuko's face flushed as well, as the Gaang glanced over at him. They all shared a giggle, much to his own embarrassment.
It seemed playing detective would have to wait… until after food.
"How is that even possible…?" Zuko muttered, honestly a bit overwhelmed. It seemed the rest of the Gaang was in the same boat, honed in on a certain Water Tribe senior.
"Sokka, that's your fifth burger!" Katara scolded. "Surely you are not this hungry!"
Sokka let out a belch, before patting his chest.
"Hey, I told you I was…" Sokka shrugged. "You just didn't believe me."
"When you said you 'were so hungry you could eat 5 burgers', I thought you were exaggerating!" Katara's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Honestly, it's kinda impressive." Toph giggled. "I could hardly stomach two. Let alone five."
"Disgustingly weird…" Suki cocked a brow, before smirking. "But yeah, impressive."
Toph's eyes narrowed, before taking a sip of her drink. She wasn't supposed to agree!
Shoving his half eaten burger in front of him, Zuko once again noticed this exchange; one of the rare times where Katara didn't, too busy scolding Sokka on 'healthy eating habits' to do so.
'So… Suki agrees with her about Sokka and… she gets mad?'
Zuko let that thought settle for a moment, before sighing and finishing off his drink.
'Girls are confusing…' Zuko deduced, deciding to just give up for now.
It wasn't like it was his business, anyway. Maybe he could let her spar him another good time and she'd start feeling better.
It wouldn't be pleasant for him, exactly, but it wasn't like he knew what girls liked…
'Clearly…' Zuko reminded himself, his thoughts drifting back to Mai.
He promised himself he would try to forget about it, but now that he had a moment to think… the pain started to come back.
As she finished her own drink off, Toph cocked a brow, sensing something strange; as if someone's heartbeat was changing drastically, to one of sorrow or distress.
No, thankfully Sokka wasn't succumbing to a heart attack after eating an unhealthy amount of fast food… yet.
The change, she noticed… was coming from Zuko. And out of seemingly nowhere.
'But why…?' Toph wondered.
"Okay, Sokka… I think you've had about enough." Katara grinned, pulling him away from the table once he finished his burger.
Sokka seemed like he was complaining, but his mouth was full.
"Uh huh, I agree." Katara nodded. "We should get going."
Everyone had to chuckle at that, Aang taking a final bite out of his salad, before standing up and following them. Yue and Suki followed close behind, leaving only Toph and Zuko.
Knowing they were out of earshot, Toph turned to Zuko, who looked rather confused.
"Well?" Zuko put up a hand. "Aren't you gonna let me out?"
"What's wrong with you?" Toph questioned, rather vaguely for Zuko's taste.
"…What do you mean?" The scarred teen had to confirm.
"You look upset about something… er well, I don't know if you look upset. But judging by your heartbeat, I can tell you're more mopey than usual." Toph said.
Zuko's shoulders slumped, as he looked momentarily surprised.
"How did you-"
"Earthbending, remember?" Toph grinned, before tapping her foot on the floor. "Have to be touching the ground, though. Or at least… some kind of earth. It's hard to really tell in the car, because everything's moving."
Zuko remained silent for a moment, before seeing this as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
"I could ask the same thing of you…" Zuko stated.
Toph's face fell for a split second. And it was a rare sight indeed to catch genuine surprise on her face. Seeing her caught off guard, that's when Zuko truly knew for certain, something was bothering her as well.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Sparky…" Toph's eyebrows furrowed. "And don't change the subject!"
"I want to say I'm sorry, by the way…" Zuko did exactly that; changing the subject.
"…What- Sorry for what?" The Earthbender seemed genuinely confused.
"For lashing out at you… in the hallway before PE." Zuko confirmed, his tone genuine. "I noticed something was wrong during lunch, and I was trying to figure out what was bothering you. But instead of helping like I should have, I… let my anger get the better of me when yours did."
Toph was silent after that. She didn't speak; only let his words settle in.
"Only, I would assume you had good reason to be upset. But I didn't. At least… not at that moment." Zuko sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, while Toph sat there with pursed lips. What expression she held, Zuko wasn't sure; nor was he certain of what she felt. "So… yeah. I just want to make sure there's no hard feelings or anything."
The silence went on between them for a little bit longer. By this point, it started to worry Zuko. Had he overstepped his boundaries again?
"Toph?" Zuko frowned.
He was met with a swift punch to the shoulder, which caused Zuko's gold eyes to widen in surprise.
"Ow! Agni, what the hell-" He hissed, cursing under his breath as he rubbed the affected area.
"You still didn't answer my question, Sparky…" Toph was smiling now.
"Ugh… Was that a yes? Or a no?" Zuko continued to hold his throbbing shoulder, his tone holding more of a firm annoyance, referring to if she forgave him or not.
"That was a yes. I forgive you." Toph's grin never faltered, before she pointed a finger in his face. "But only if you stop changing the subject and answer the question!"
Zuko glanced off to the side. He honestly… didn't want to talk about this right now. Or really at all. The thought of explaining it to someone he hardly even knew on a personal level didn't help ease his mind any better, either.
But… then again, maybe that's what made her the perfect person to tell this to. If she hardly knew him, then the worst she could do was judge him. And if she did, well, that was her problem.
Having someone to vent to, though, could only prove to be a benefit. Keeping his emotions bottled up inside was dangerous, and was honestly the root of where most of his anger came from. His uncle had tried explaining that to him so many times before this, but it was only just now that it all started to make sense.
Toph folded her arms, tapping her foot on the ground, as if impatiently awaiting a response.
Zuko exhaled, making his decision.
"Well-"
The sound of a car horn honking outside was heard, startling the both of them before Zuko could explain. Looking out the window with a slight glare, Sokka could be seen in his car shrugging, wondering what was taking them so long.
"Oh, right…" Toph giggled. "I guess we should get going. Count yourself lucky, Sparky. I'll let you explain later."
She finally slid out from the booth they sat at, before heading outside. Zuko could only follow suit, silently agreeing that they had kept the others waiting long enough.
Now to see just where this 'other place' they were talking about was, and what was so special about it.
"Well, here we are!" Sokka grinned, parking his car alongside Suki's.
"So… this is the big surprise?" Zuko questioned, his tone rather neutral. Honestly, he wasn't sure how he felt about this.
"You sound almost disappointed, Zuko." Katara smirked. "Don't like the water?"
"That's not it…" Zuko sighed, as everyone piled out of their vehicles. He looked out in the distance, at a relatively empty part of the beach. "I just didn't bring any swimming trunks, and I hate tanning."
"Gotcha covered!" Sokka grinned, tossing something at Zuko.
Zuko's reflexes allowed him to catch it with ease, but his expression formed into an unsettled grimace.
"…Where did you get ahold of my swimming trunks from?" Zuko almost didn't want to know the answer.
"No, no! I swear! It's not as creepy as it sounds!" As Suki and Yue looked at Sokka as well, casting almost judgemental glares. "That's honestly where your uncle came in, Zuko. Aang told him about the beach idea, and how we wanted to keep everything under wraps. So just as you guys came outside, he brought everything you could need for the beach to my car!" He sounded almost proud.
"'Everything I could need'." Zuko repeated his words. "So basically… my swimming trunks."
"Pretty much." Sokka shrugged.
Zuko held the trunks out in front of him: red and gold, the colors of his typical attire and of the Fire Nation. He knew the trunks would fit him well, coming down to just above the knee. It would be enough for swimming, which was all that mattered.
"And where are we supposed to change?" The Firebender questioned, a horrid thought coming to his mind. "I hope you don't expect me to do so out here in the open."
"Don't worry. There's changing rooms just down there." Aang pointed out in the distance, to a small looking building.
"Speaking of which…" Katara grinned, finally having her swimming suit in hand. "See you guys down there!"
The Waterbender was the first one to take off towards the beach.
"Hold on, Katara! Wait up!" Aang exclaimed, taking off and hoping to catch up with her.
"We'll see you down there, Sokka!" Suki smiled as the Water Tribe senior dug for his own swimming trunks.
Suki and Yue giggled, waving to Sokka and Zuko respectively, earning a smile from both guys.
"Hmph…" Toph rolled her sightless eyes, and with swimsuit in hand, decided to just stick with them.
It would be better than trying to find her way through all this annoying sand… It made her Earthbending 'vision' all… fuzzy.
"Ready?" Sokka patted Zuko on the back, finally finding his swimming trunks and locking his car doors.
Zuko saw the others in the distance, each of them making their way to the changing rooms. He figured they might as well get going, so they didn't fall too far behind.
A brief nod from Zuko was all Sokka needed, and with that, the two were well on their way.
"Hey, no fair!" Aang laughed, as Katara used her Waterbending to splash him with a sizable wave.
"It's not my fault I'm a Waterbender." Katara smirked, allowing some water to coil around her body to show off.
Deciding to get even, Aang got a devious grin on his face, before looking at an oncoming wave about to crash into the shore. The moment it crashed in front of him, a quick motion of his hand was all he needed to send a strong gust of wind into the wave, which blew directly into Katara's face.
The Waterbender squealed in delighted surprise, though feigned annoyance not long after she was hit.
"You got my hair wet!" Katara acted more peeved than she actually was.
Aang could only shrug, his response nonchalant.
"Hey… It's not my fault I'm an Airbender." He threw her words right back at her.
"Oh, it's on now…" Katara challenged, preparing to bend more water.
As Aang dodged, he couldn't help but stare her way. But mostly… at the swimming suit she was wearing. Her bottom was a solid white in coloration, with her chest wraps matching. This color contrasted beautifully with her caramel colored skin and bright blue eyes. Not to mention her hourglass shaped figure and fit physique.
All of these thoughts left Aang completely zoning out, caught in a trance. And it was because of this that Katara was able to hit him with another sizable wave.
"Haha! Couldn't dodge that one, could you?" Katara teased, a victorious smirk on her face.
Aang's cheeks flushed, as he crossed his arms.
"Hey, no fair! The- The Sun was in my eyes!" He made up an excuse.
"Whatever you say…" Katara rolled her eyes, as they reset their positions.
From the shore, Suki and Yue laid beside each other, tanning in the Sun. Their swimsuits were also fairly simple, wearing shorts and chest wrappings just like Katara. Only Suki's was a dark red in color, and Yue's a light blue.
Aang's swimming trunks weren't overly complex either, yellow and red in coloration like his usual attire, coming down to just above his knees.
Toph sat off to the side in the sand, deciding to make use of this time to work on her Sandbending. It wasn't like it was impossible to bend sand for her, but it was something she definitely hadn't had much time to work on.
It wasn't like she preferred the alternative. She absolutely hated the water! She couldn't see at all in there, and the water made everything murky. It just wasn't worth it at all, in her opinion.
Playing in the sand was much more preferable than stupid water… At least sand was earth.
Toph only owned one swimsuit, and honestly? That was fine with her. It wasn't like she planned on going swimming, anyway, but why not dress for the occasion?
The Earthbender wore brown shorts, longer than those on the other girls. They came down to just above her knees like the guys' trunks. Wrapped around her chest, though, were orange colored wrappings, keeping her breasts concealed but allowing her fit stomach to remain on display.
Taking the place of her typical green and yellow headpiece now rested an orange one, matching the color of her chest wrappings and completing the outfit.
"Alright!" Toph was snapped out of her concentration from Sandbending, as Sokka's presence made itself known. "Time to hit the water!"
Sokka's trunks were no different than Zuko's or Aang's, save for the purplish color that his were.
Looking at Aang and Katara still splashing each other a good distance away, Sokka grinned, before looking at Suki and Yue.
"Are either of you two gonna swim?" The Water Tribe senior asked them.
"No thanks, Sokka. I'm probably just gonna tan." Suki politely refused.
"I might later. But I'll probably just tan for now too." Yue smiled.
"Hm, well… okay. More Ocean for me!" Sokka shrugged, accepting their responses.
Toph allowed some of the sand to slip from her grasp, another scowl starting to form on her face.
'Oh, so Sokka can ask THEM if they wanna swim but not me?' Toph seethed with frustration.
She quickly allowed herself to snap out of that, though, realizing how unfair that argument really was. Whether she liked it or not, she was blind, and has already expressed plenty of times around them her displeasure of swimming.
So why would Sokka ask her? It wasn't fair to assume that he would.
'But if I asked HIM, though…'
Toph's smile widened, getting what was, in her mind, a brilliant idea!
"Oh, Sokka?" Toph called out to him, just as his toes dipped into the water.
Sokka cocked a brow, before turning around, approaching the Earthbender.
"Yeah, Toph? What is it?" He questioned her.
"I was actually… wondering something." Toph eased into the question.
"Okay." Sokka nodded. "What is it, Toph? Anything…"
Toph began to blush, as she nervously pitched her idea.
"I was wondering if… you could maybe teach me. You know… how to swim."
"Really?" Sokka's blue eyes widened. "You want to… learn how to swim?" He seemed taken aback.
'Well, not really.' Toph's mind was detesting what she was doing. 'But as long as this gets me closer to Sokka…'
"Yeah…" Toph responded with a grin. "I think it could be fun. You know… to at least experience. I'll need someone close to me at all times, though. I'm still blind."
Seeing Katara and Aang still occupied, and with her hearing that Suki and Yue weren't up to swimming, Sokka assumed it only made sense that she would ask him for this.
"Well… okay." Sokka grinned. "If that's what you wanna do, I'll help out."
Toph began to blush, before standing up and holding out her hand. Sokka quickly took it, and the two slowly began to make their way towards the water.
'That'll show 'em…' Toph smirked, as if sensing Suki and Yue looking in their direction. She was honestly glad to finally get one over on them, even if it was just this once.
As soon as Toph's feet touched the water, however, she instantly began to pale. Now that she had succeeded in getting this far, now was the matter of actually going through with it.
"Don't even worry about it, Toph…" Sokka grinned, taking her to waist deep water. "We'll go at a pace you're comfortable at, and if it gets to be too much, I'll go back to shallower water. Alright?"
Toph nodded her head, still very unsure about this, but decided to trust him.
"Okay…" The Earthbender sighs, trying to keep her composure.
Just as it looked like Sokka was about to begin, his stomach grumbled, and a look of horror crossed over his features.
'Oh no…' Sokka mentally began to freak out, his stomach now starting to ache.
"I'm ready when you are, Snoozles." Toph stood ready, while Sokka now definitely was not.
"I… left something out on the beach. I'll be back in just a minute. Don't go anywhere, okay?" Sokka didn't wait for a response, as he rushed for the shore.
"O…kay?" Toph raised a brow of confusion, doing what she was told. She didn't exactly catch the lie either, since she was out in the water.
The last one out of the changing rooms, Zuko was finally dressed in his red and gold swimming trunks, ready to have whatever fun he could-
"Zuko!"
The Firebender flinched, caught off guard when he saw an overly ecstatic Sokka running full force at him.
"Zuko… Thank the Spirits. I need a favor, okay?" Sokka asked him, obviously trying to make this conversation quick.
"…Okay-"
"Okay, so I ate those five burgers, right?"
"…Right-"
"And Katara said it was a bad idea, right?"
"I don't know-"
"And I didn't listen, right?"
"I mean… I guess you didn't-"
"Okay, so… here's the thing." Sokka cut Zuko off once again, making it a habit. "I promised Toph that I would teach her swimming, but then I really, really had to use the bathroom like… right now."
Zuko's shoulders slumped, looking very unamused.
"What are you saying?" Zuko questioned.
"Can you teach Toph the thing? Please?" Sokka gave puppy eyes. "I don't know how long I'll be! You're a strong swimmer, aren't you?"
"…I mean, I would say so. But I'm not so sure that-"
"Thanks, Zuko!" Sokka sighed in relief, hugging him, much to Zuko's displeasure. "You're the best! Okay, gotta go! Good luck!"
The Water Tribe senior shoved past Zuko, and towards the bathrooms, leaving Zuko with a rather… unexpected task.
'I wish he would stop cutting me off…' Zuko internally groaned, rolling his eyes as he stepped further out onto the beach, where he saw Suki and Yue basking in the Sun's rays. Though Zuko hated tanning as an activity, as a Firebender, he did like his fair share of Sun every now and again.
Looking in the water, Aang and Katara appeared to be playing some sort of game, while the distant figure of Toph appeared to be standing by herself, her arms folded.
Whether that was out of annoyance or just being cold, Zuko had no idea… But he figured he would find out soon enough.
With a sigh, Zuko stepped into the water, flashing a grin to Suki and Yue when they looked in his direction, before setting his sights back on the Earthbender.
Just before Zuko could open his mouth to state his presence, Toph beat him to it.
"Finally… There you are, Sokka! What took you so long?" She stated with a grin.
'Wait… Sokka?' Zuko blinked. 'She thinks I'm Sokka?'
Zuko knew full well they're standing on solid ground, which consisted of the sandy bed of the Ocean, but didn't quite understand the limitations of Toph's seismic sensing abilities when in the water or on sand.
'But, I thought she could see-'
"We doing this, or what?" Toph unfolded her arms, though noticeably had a shiver to her movements. So it appeared she was cold, after all. At least it wasn't the alternative…
'I can't start yet. I have to let her know I'm here-'
Zuko's thoughts were cut off by one of Toph's sighs, as she closed the distance and turned around. The Firebender's cheeks lit up, as did his entire body, as she grabbed his wrists and allowed him to wrap his arms around her.
"I… won't learn how to swim by just standing here." Toph spoke again, a bit of color staining her cheeks as well. "So let's just… go for it!"
It seemed she was really trying to push herself to go through with this swimming lesson, and that she didn't get along too well with water.
Instead of doing what he should have done and stated his presence, Zuko… complied with her request wordlessly, tightening his grip around her, and pushed off into deeper water.
Toph began to breathe heavily, her grip tightening around Zuko's hand as she held it. A gesture which… he allowed.
'I can't stay silent forever!' Zuko reasoned with himself. 'But what if I startle her? Wouldn't that be dangerous out in this deeper water?'
It was a mental struggle that Zuko would continue fighting, as simultaneously, he kept his left arm firmly around Toph's body and afloat, while his right hand was interlocked with hers', clearly a gesture of reassurance.
"Maybe- Maybe don't go much further than this, Sokka." Toph gulped. "Maybe… a little shallower?"
Zuko instantly followed her request, going a bit shallower, but enough to where it felt like a genuine swimming experience.
Toph finally relaxed more, and knowing that she wasn't about to be let go… started to embrace the position she was in.
She started to pay more attention to her swimming guide's features…
'Spirits…' Toph's sightless eyes widened, feeling the firm chest resting against her back. 'He's a lot more muscular than I THOUGHT he was…'
Not to mention those broad shoulders and hard biceps she felt… Toph unconsciously began to smile, her cheeks flushing a bright red.
As if she couldn't crush on the Water Tribe boy any more… his physical body was amazing! This completely subverted all expectations of what she had expected.
It was even better than she'd hoped.
Of course, Toph wasn't one to worry about looks, but… a good physique never hurt anyone, right?
Toph continued kicking her legs, but it was really Zuko doing most of the work. And once she realized this, she just let him lead her where he wanted, while she coasted. She leaned further back into his chest, feeling his heartbeat against her back.
'And he feels so WARM too…' Toph dreamily acknowledged, settling into his embrace. Unbeknownst to her, Firebenders simply had higher natural body temperatures, and could even adjust it accordingly.
This process went on for maybe another twenty minutes, in which case Sokka finally came out from the bathrooms.
Noticing this, Zuko, who was more caught up in the moment than he cared to admit, widened his eyes. He knew now was the time to stop this swimming lesson, before Toph found out who it actually was and killed him!
Noticing his heartbeat speed up drastically, Toph began to snap out of her stupor.
"Huh? What's going on?" Toph wondered aloud. "You okay, Snoozles?"
Zuko said nothing. He couldn't. All he could do was continue to lead Toph back towards land.
Sokka walked towards the water with a grin, about to say something, before Zuko shot him a fiery glare. The Water Tribe senior stopped at the edge of the water, but complied with his silent request.
Finally stepping onto land, Zuko zoomed past Sokka, catching Toph's attention.
"Hold on, Sokka!" Toph called out to him, catching the real Sokka's attention. He cocked a brow, before sending a look Zuko's way.
Zuko could only shrug, a sign that said 'I'll tell you later'.
"I… just wanted to say, I really enjoyed that." Toph smiled, a blush on her cheeks. "Even if you were a lot quieter than usual." She threw a tease in there.
Now out of the water, she stepped closer to the actual Sokka, able to sense enough in the dry sand to recognize him.
"So… yeah." Toph smirked, slugging his arm. "Thanks, Snoozles. It was… different, to say the least."
Sokka rubbed his arm, glancing one more time back at Zuko, before deciding to answer.
"No problem, Toph…" He forced a grin.
Toph maintained her smile, before stepping past the Water Tribe senior. It was at that moment that she recognized Zuko's presence.
"Oh, there you are, Sparky. Didn't even see you there." Toph chuckled. "Planning on doing any swimming?"
Zuko remained silent. Almost uncomfortably so…
"…Yeah." Zuko forced a grin, a blush staining his cheeks. "Something like that."
Toph stood silent for a few seconds, the Firebender and Water Tribe senior equally as nervous, before to their relief, she gave a shrug, chalking it up to weirdness.
She then walked back to her original spot, deciding to spend the rest of her time practicing her Sandbending.
"…"
"…"
The two seniors stood together in silence, trying to catch their breath.
"Zuko?" Sokka finally broke the silence.
"…Yeah?" Zuko responded.
"We… have a lot to talk about later, huh?" Sokka recognized.
The Firebender sighed, before looking into his cerulean eyes.
"Yeah…" Zuko confirmed. "I suppose we do."