Arranged Love Story
After their form practice, they ventured to the market. Aang decided he wouldn't mind staying at the private inn a few more days before they made the long journey to the Southern Air Temple. He said he wanted to rest more after the stress of the wedding.
Toph had politely agreed- it's not like she really cared either way, but she was just going to let him do whatever he wished. That was her job as a wife now, wasn't it?
They walked silently down the streets, and Toph wasn't quite sure what to say. She just wasn't quite sure how to feel about him, period. His niceness was throwing her off. He was… too friendly. But not in a creepy way? It was hard to not trust him, and to hold herself back in case he hadn't shown his true colors yet.
She could practically feel him keep glancing at her, seconded by his fast heart rate. Was he nervous?
What kind of dork is nervous to walk with his wife?
"So… what kind of foods do you like?" Aang asked as they paused in front of a fruit stand.
Toph hesitated before she answered honestly, "I'm actually kind of a picky eater. I like most fruits, but I can't stand most vegetables."
Aang nodded, "What do you eat most then?"
"Eh, anything with rice and meat will keep me happy." She shrugged.
"Oh…" Aang rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Um, I should tell you, air nomads are vegetarian…"
Toph internally screamed in horror.
Was she never going to eat meat again?!
"That's… fine." Her voice broke.
Aang chuckled at her obvious anguish. "I'm not gonna tell you to stop eating it, just that it isn't readily available at the temple."
She released a breath of relief. As long as he wasn't banning her from meat, she didn't care how hard it would be to find. Not that she knew how to prepare it herself…
Toph tried not to flinch as Aang patted her head and laughed. "I'm sure we will travel a lot, you'll be able to eat meat then."
She nodded and smiled brightly. "Sounds like a plan to me."
Aang bought a lot of fruit from the vendor before they carried on. Toph wondered, "Do you travel often, since you're a nomad?"
Toph felt him shrug, the benefits of being out in public was that she could see everything, though she had to be subtle about it. She played along when Aang guided her elbow to the next stand.
"I'd say I'm at the temple most of the time, but I do quick trips pretty often. I've got friends all over so I visit them a lot."
Her eyes widened as she felt a spike of jealousy. Friends?
What would it be like to be able to go wherever, whenever you pleased, and actually make friends? Toph wouldn't know.
"What are your friends' names?" She asked while trying to take one of the heavy baskets from his hands. He just pulled it away from her further.
"Well, there's Katara and Sokka at the South Pole. Sokka is married though, so he goes back and forth between the South Pole and Kyoshi Island where his wife, Suki, is. They're gonna have a kid soon! We all go way back. And Katara just got engaged to my friend Zuko- I introduced them so it's all thanks to me-"
Toph laughed before holding up her hand. "Wait up, that wouldn't be Zuko as in the Prince of the Fire Nation right?"
"Oh yeah, he is. But he's like, third in line for the throne or something."
She shook her head in awe. She supposed as the Avatar, he would be friends with literal royalty.
They started to make their way back to the private inn. Aang lifted the heavy baskets onto his shoulders so she'd stop trying to help him. The showoff.
"Anyways, those are all my best friends, and I occasionally visit some other people if I'm in their area. A lot of times, Gyatso and I will go to the different temples together just to catch up with people. And we do a lot of trading."
He sure was a chatterbox. But Toph didn't really mind listening. And it was so easy to talk to him, she caught herself feeling more comfortable around him by the minute.
"Where have you traveled to, Toph?" He asked her as they passed the city's edge.
She snorted. "Uh, my backyard?"
Aang turned to her sharply. "You've never left Gaoling?!"
"Well, that's an exaggeration, I guess." She allowed. "My parents have taken me to big parties to show me off. One time we even went all the way to Ba Sing Se. But that's as far as I've gone anywhere. I've never been to another nation."
"Ah, that's right. That big party for the birth of King Kuei's daughter- that's when we first met."
Toph blinked in surprise. She thought back, "I… suppose it was."
Why did he remember that?
They arrived at the inn and Aang transferred both baskets to one arm so he could hold out his hand for her to take as she walked up the wooden steps.
He was a gentleman, but he was also definitely a show off.
"Well, I think it's a total crime you've never been out of the Earth Kingdom. Which will soon be rectified!"
Toph giggled, "I guess so, since we'll go to your temple soon."
"Right…" His voice sounded a little off, but she chalked it up to him lifting the heavy baskets onto the counter as he said it.
Since there were no maids here, Toph wanted to pull her weight at least a little bit. So she reached into one of the baskets and pulled out an item. She felt it for a second. Maybe a banana? She set it down in the designated fruit bowl on the counter.
Aang laughed, "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to help put the food away!" Toph defended, reaching into the bag again. She felt something rough and pulled it out, feeling its shape. She even raised it to her nose and sniffed it a little before wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Ew. Is this broccoli?"
"No. It's cauliflower." His voice sounded highly amused.
Toph grimaced, "That's even worse."
Aang chuckled. "Cauliflower is versatile. Also, you put squash in the fruit bowl."
"Ugh." Toph handed him the vegetable. "I'm gathering that I will be of no help to you in here."
"That's probably a good deduction."
She waved her hand at his amusement and got out of his hair.
Look at me rolling out the next chapter so quickly. Have some domestic Taang :)
Also, I have to get eye surgery on Thursday and it might take a few weeks for my vision to recover, so I might go MIA for a while. Send me some good vibes friends.
