A/N: Thank you everyone for being so patient. I want to say a huge thank you to DeepAzulaEyes, my wonderful beta and I'd like everyone to pray for my other beta, AStormIsBrewing, who is swamped with college applications. Thank you and don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, and I want Toph's costume. )

Chapter 8

Saturday came far too soon for Zuko. Unlike the previous weekend, he was not looking forward to visit this member of the family. But Azula was still family, even if she was a little crazy. As Iroh drove, Zuko's thoughts kept turning to the past week and Toph. The blind girl had acted oddly for the first half of the week and then had almost returned to normal after the martial arts club. He was surprised that she wore a tight shirt and tighter jeans on Friday and had actually looked…gorgeous. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her on Friday. Katara had smirked in a knowing way every time the junior had caught him staring at Toph during lunch, and he had glared at her and tried to avoid looking at Toph.

Toph had known he couldn't keep his eyes off of her and he caught her blushing whenever he stumbled over an answer to a question she asked. The only time she didn't blush was when Hahn had hit on her and asked her to Aang's party after biology.

"I'm going with Sunshine," Toph had told the snotty junior with a frown and Hahn had turned to glare at Zuko.

Zuko had glared right back and he knew there would be trouble with Hahn. That was the last thing he needed. He already had an enemy in Jet, though Jet's friends all got along with Zuko, and now, because the scarred teen hung out with Toph, Hahn had singled him out.

"Something troubling you?" Iroh asked as they moved onto another freeway.

Zuko glanced at his uncle, disturbed out of his thoughts, and frowned.

"No," Zuko replied simply before turning to look out the window to watch the buildings fly by.

Iroh just smiled. "You have seemed different this week, and I noticed the young lady acting a little differently as well. Is there something going on between the two of you?"

Zuko glanced back at his uncle and saw Iroh almost grinning with a sparkle in his eyes.

"No," Zuko growled before turning back to the window and turning his iPod up.

Iroh just nodded and continued to smile as Zuko's thoughts kept going back to Toph and how beautiful and feminine she had looked on Friday. He had tried to avoid relationships since his last and only girlfriend, but now he found himself starting to like another girl. And liking Toph was odd, but nice. She didn't care about his scar, his anger, his fights, and could take care of herself. But she was so tomboyish that he had just become friends with her at first, but now he was seeing her differently. He growled deep in his throat at the confusing emotions and tried to push Toph out of his head, but she only came back stronger.

"I don't know," he finally said after half an hour of silence.

Iroh turned to him and smiled. "As I said before, she is a good influence on you, Nephew," Iroh said as he moved to the slow lane to exit the freeway. "And the heart decides what it wants for itself. Logic can never rule the heart, no matter how we wish it would."

Zuko nodded and frowned again.

"And she reminds me of my dear Titania," Iroh sighed. "So strong, yet so open and caring. You know you can tell her, if you wish."

Zuko sighed and nodded. He knew, and he had come close to telling Toph everything. But he was still nervous about telling anyone about his past. He was drawn out of his thoughts as Iroh pulled into the secure parking lot of the old school. Iroh got out first, and, before he had nodded, Zuko got out and headed towards the entrance.

"Let's get this over with," Zuko sighed.

Iroh nodded sadly and entered the lobby behind Zuko and immediately went to the front desk. Zuko glanced around at the school and home. Several teens and people in their early twenties walked around and some seemed distant and a bit loopy. Zuko moved away from those. He knew that this was a special school and home for the mentally unstable, but some seemed more unstable than usual. Iroh turned back to him and nodded, smiling at the scarred teen before leading the way deeper into the school.

"She is in the lounge," Iroh said as they climbed a set of stairs. "Zuko, don't let your anger rule, you know she just will make it worse."

Zuko nodded and opened the door to the lounge as Iroh stayed in the hallway. The scarred teen scanned the couches and chairs before finding his sister talking with a girl with black hair. He almost backed out of the lounge before Azula's golden eyes settled upon him and she smirked. Frowning, Zuko steeled himself and walked over to her.

"Hello Zuzu," she said smugly. "You remember Mai, don't you?"

Zuko glanced at his ex-girlfriend and nodded, seeing Mai look away from him, obviously irritated.

"Don't stand there gawking," Azula said with her usual smirk. "Sit, and tell me how you've been."

She turned to Mai as Zuko sat in a chair between the two girls. "It's terrible," Azula whispered to Mai as she glanced at her brother. "My own brother doesn't visit me that much, and acts like a savage when he does."

Zuko just frowned at Azula and kept his mouth shut.

"But enough about your lack of manners, Zuzu," Azula said as she turned back to Zuko. "How have you been? It's been, what, three months?"

"Yeah, life's ok," he replied. "How have you been?"

"Oh, perfect," Azula replied with a smile. "I've graduated high school early and am now doing several college courses including advanced calculus and physics, as well as organic chemistry. Are you still moving a lot?"

Zuko just nodded once to the simple question, but scowled at his sister.

"That must be hard. I wonder if you'll ever graduate high school," Azula said as she studied her older brother.

"I'll graduate," he replied and glanced at Mai. "How have you been, Mai?"

Mai crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at him. "Life is dull," she replied in her monotone.

Azula smirked at Zuko and started asking about his school, if he was going out with anyone, and just turned to Mai to whisper in her friend's ear as Zuko answered with one word answers or frowned at his sister. Finally fed up with his sister, and having spent an hour in her presence, Zuko got up and Azula stood up as well.

"Not leaving so soon, are you?" Azula asked as she pouted out her lower lip.

"Yeah," Zuko replied. "See you later," he said before he walked out of the lounge.

Once he was outside the doors, he leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. It had taken all his willpower to control himself in Azula's presence and not rise to her bait. He had let it slip that he had a friend who was a girl, but nothing else. He knew that their father had managed to contact Azula in the past, and any information he gave Azula could be passed on to Ozai. Zuko stood up and was about to walk to the entrance to leave when Mai hurried out of the door and her silver eyes landed on him.

"You know you didn't have to leave," she stated as she frowned at him.

"Yes, I did," he replied.

"And how you left?" she asked him as anger entered her tone and she narrowed her silver eyes at him. "A note?! Zuko, that is one of the stupidest ways to break up with someone."

"I had to move that day," Zuko told her, starting to scowl. "You don't understand…"

"Understand what? That you won't let anyone in? That you're angry with your father? You won't let anyone in, or tell anyone what's bothering you, and until you do, you'll always be angry and hurt!"

Zuko was about to reply in anger about how much better his life had gotten since he had met Toph, but stopped as his thoughts ran through his head. Mai's expression turned to astonishment as Zuko's face fell in realization that he had let Toph in a little and had actually liked it.

"You have let someone in, haven't you?" she asked as she studied him.

"No, not yet," Zuko replied in a softer tone and Mai's face fell further. "I'm sorry Mai, it just didn't work out between us. I have to go," he said and hurried past Mai and down the stairs. He found his uncle talking with the receptionist in a flirting manner and stalked up to him. "Time to go," he told his uncle and Iroh nodded.

Iroh smiled once more at the receptionist before he led the way out to the car and they started the long drive back home. As they drove, Zuko remembered his relationship with Mai and the note he had left her. They had both had hatred towards the world and that was one of the reasons they got along so well. Also, she was his sister's friend and he had liked her when they were kids. He had found out that she had liked him too as a kid, and they had started dating. But he had refused to tell her what had happened, even though he knew Azula had told Mai some of the details. And then word had come that he was in town, and Iroh and Zuko had moved immediately. The scarred teen regretted leaving Mai with a note, but it had been the only way. He couldn't let her know where he was going since she was so close to Azula, and in the few weeks leading up to his moving, all he and Mai had done was fight.

Zuko had found out later from one of Azula's smug remarks that Mai had told Azula about her dating Zuko the week before Iroh and Zuko had moved. Zuko assumed his sister had passed on the information to their father. He had vowed to never let anyone get that close to him again, and there he was, letting Toph in. He sighed as his thoughts turned to Toph. He hoped he could keep their friendship, and forced it into his mind to not take it any further than that.

When they pulled into the driveway, Zuko pulled out his phone as he got out of the car, but Iroh stepped up to him and his calm but stern face stopped Zuko from calling Toph.

"I know Mai was there," the old man said sadly. "But just because one relationship turned bad doesn't mean all of them will. Keep an open mind and remember that relationships are a joint effort. Both parties must be willing."

Zuko just stared at his uncle and then Iroh grinned. "Have fun shopping for a costume," Iroh said as he handed Zuko a hundred before turning to go into his house, humming a song.

Zuko just stared after his uncle before he looked down at his cell phone. He quickly called Toph and was answered by her cheerful voice.

"Hey Sunshine, you ok?"

"Yeah," he replied. "You ready?"

"Yep, be right out," she said before she hung up the phone. He waited a minute and soon she opened her door and he was surprised that she was wearing another tight shirt. This one was dark green and she had nice black jeans on, obviously designer jeans that started just below her hips and hugged every curve of her lean body.

"Hey Sunshine," she said with a smile as she walked up to him. "It's only a short walk away. My mom told me of a shop by the beach."

"Um…ok," he said as he caught himself staring at her chest before he made himself lift his eyes to hers. She was looking at him oddly, and he found that the dark green shirt was making her green eyes sparkle. Her bangs were off to the side and it looked as if she was wearing a hint of makeup and lip gloss.

She smiled again before she started walking and Zuko walked next to her as he took a deep breath to control himself. "So, how was your day?" she asked.

"Not so great," Zuko replied as he started to glance her way before willing his eyes to focus on the sidewalk in front of him.

"Why, is your mom not doing well?" Toph asked him.

He risked a quick glance at her and saw her worried as she turned her head to face him. Zuko's eyes darted down to her full, pink lips and he wondered what it would feel like to kiss her. He tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and made himself pay attention to where he was going.

"No, I didn't see my mom. I saw my sister, she's a real pain," he replied as evenly as he could.

XXXXX

Toph nodded as she heard Zuko's anger in his tone as he mentioned a sister. She felt bad for him, his family seemed so messed up, and she didn't know how many other hidden family members were out there.

"She can't be that bad," Toph said with a smile.

"She is," Zuko replied and the anger got more intense. "She's crazy."

Zuko retreated into silence and Toph did as well as she thought about what he had told her, and his actions of the past few days. Katara had pestered her all week about her liking Zuko and had tried to convince Toph to find a way to see if Zuko liked her back. After Wednesday, when Toph had finally yelled at Katara to leave her alone, she went home to find that Katara had called her mother and all her comfortable, baggy clothes had mysteriously disappeared. Thankfully she kept a spare set in a secret place and had worn those Thursday. But on Friday, she was forced to wear some of the clothes her mother had bought or designed for her.

When she had shown up on Zuko's doorstep on Friday, she was shocked by his reaction. He stuttered and kept turning towards her as they walked. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her, and she knew she was making a fool out of herself as she blushed every time he stuttered or got caught staring at her. The dumbass had nearly ruined the nice feeling she was getting at actually looking pretty, but Zuko had stood tall next to her as she told Hahn she was going to the party with her friend. She knew Zuko hated making another enemy, but she was the one who was going to teach Hahn a lesson. Zuko could beat Jet up, and she could beat Hahn up, and they both would feel better.

She caught herself blushing as Zuko tripped again and she knew he was looking at her as they reached the beach. She smiled shyly at him and turned to head downtown. Katara had come over that morning to talk to her and help her pick out some clothes that Toph would be comfortable with. Anything that was pink, frilly, or had lace was immediately thrown out, and Katara had finally managed to convince Toph to let her put some makeup on the blind girl. And, by Zuko's reaction, his tripping and erratic breathing, he was worse than he had been on Friday. As they walked, she heard him take a deep breath and his hair moved against his shirt as he willed himself to stare straight ahead.

"So…what are thinking about?" he finally asked cautiously. "About costumes, I mean," he said in a hurried breath.

Toph smiled and felt her cheeks heat up in a blush again. She tried to hide it behind her bangs, but Katara had done her hair too, and her bangs refused to fall in front of her face.

"I dunno," she replied. "I can't see them, so I don't care. Make it comfortable and make it have pants, and I'll be happy."

"Ok," he said as they turned onto Main Street. "What's the name of the place?"

"Costumes Unlimited," Toph sighed.

She heard him nod and they walked on for a bit until he stopped. "Here it is," he said calmly before walking into the shop. Toph smiled at him as he kept the door open for her. His breath quickened as she was pushed into him by an older lady hurrying out and Toph quickly stepped away from Zuko and listened. Since it was a week before Halloween, the place was busy, very busy. She heard a lot of people moving around each other and the aisles, occasionally bumping into each other. Toph shrank back into the wall and a little into Zuko as three more people hurried out through the open door. She heard Zuko curse under his breath as someone stepped on his foot before he let the door close and looked around as well.

"Wow, busy place," he muttered to which Toph nodded. To her surprise, he took her hand and started pulling her into the crowd. "Better get this over with," he said and Toph blushed as his warm hand kept a strong but gentle hold on hers.

XXXXX

Zuko felt slightly protective of Toph as she shrank back against him as the noise of the busy shop overwhelmed both of them. He thought about heading out and finding another place, but with this being the last weekend before Halloween, every place would be just as busy or worse. He looked down at Toph and saw fear flash over her features quickly. He knew they had to get it over with.

"Wow, busy place," he muttered under his breath and saw Toph nod. He grabbed her hand so that they wouldn't get separated and started pulling her into the crowd. "Better get this over with," he said as he pulled her towards the adult section. After five minutes of fighting the crowds, he finally got them to the adult aisle which thankfully was less crowded than the rest of the store. He looked at the costumes and started to move on before he realized his hand was still joined with Toph's.

"Sorry," he muttered as he dropped her hand and felt his cheeks heat up in a blush. He caught her blushing too and quickly moved to look at the costumes. There were a lot of monsters and sexy costumes, but he knew her parents would never approve of those. Also most of them had skirts, and as much as the thought of seeing Toph in a skirt came into his mind, he knew she wouldn't go for them. He started looking for something simple for himself and found a pirate costume. It was almost a cross between a pirate and a renaissance costume with black pants, a loose red shirt and fake boot coverings. It was obviously styled off of the Pirate of the Caribbean movies, and it looked simple, but comfortable.

Zuko glanced around to find the female counterpart to the costume as Toph stepped closer to him to avoid being crushed by a few girls giggling over the sexy costumes. He found two female counterparts, one with a short skirt and glanced around until his eyes landed on the other. It had black pants like the male costume, but a white shirt that hung off the shoulders and a green bodice as well as the fake boot coverings. Smiling slightly, he picked it up and the male costume he liked and turned to Toph.

"What size are you?"

"Small," she said with a smirk. "I wear a size three in jeans. Why? Did you find one already?"

"I think so," Zuko replied, firmly keeping his eyes on her eyes. "They're pirates, but they also have a renaissance feel. Yours has pants, and a bodice. You ok with that?"

"Let me try it on," Toph replied with a small smile.

Zuko nodded and grabbed her hand again before heading to the back where the dressing rooms were. Once there, he dropped her hand again and they waited for twenty minutes until a cheerful girl in way too much pink came out and smiled at them.

"Are you both trying costumes on?" she asked with a grin.

"Just me," Toph told the girl and turned back to Zuko.

He handed her the female costume and the girl in pink led Toph back to the dressing room. Zuko glanced around and found an empty seat. There he waited for ten minutes and watched mothers and fathers dragging their children around, or children dragging their parents around to different costumes. Toph finally came back out, blushing, but in her normal clothes as the girl in pink followed her out.

"Thanks, Ty Lee," Toph said back to the girl before turning to Zuko. "Come on, let's get these and leave."

Zuko nodded and grabbed her hand again before he started heading to the cash register. There they both waited another ten minutes before Zuko finally could pay for both costumes. Toph looked at him in surprise, but he just shrugged.

"Thank my uncle," he told her as the man handed him back some change.

Toph nodded and Zuko grabbed her hand again to lead her out of the store as quickly as he could. Once they were outside again, Zuko let her hand go and took a deep breath to try and control his racing heart and sweaty hands. He knew he had been too familiar with Toph in the costume shop, but she hadn't protested and he did not want to have to fight the crowds any more than he already had to. They walked slowly down Main Street and Toph smiled as the smell of fruit came to them.

"Come on," she said with a smile before she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the frozen yogurt shop they were passing. Once they were inside, she immediately let his hand go and Zuko caught her blushing as he tried to control his own features. They waited in line and got some frozen yogurt with fruit on it before they headed out to walk to the beach and started eating their treats.

Zuko glanced at her a few times as they walked and ate, but both of them remained silent. He knew she was just as confused about her emotions as he was, and out of an unsaid truce, neither talked about it or the awkwardness that had come over both of them. They stopped at the railing between the beach and path and just watched the waves and the couple of people enjoying the last of fall's warmth on the beach.

"Soooo," Toph started awkwardly as she finished her frozen yogurt and Zuko tossed his empty cup into the trash can a few feet from him. "I was wondering…what do you look like?"

Zuko turned to stare at her in shock and saw her head bowed and her cheeks a bright pink.

"Why would you want to know that?" he asked cautiously.

She turned towards him and she smiled at him, but continued to blush, though this blush seemed to be more from embarrassment.

"I've heard…a lot of girls think you're really handsome, and, well, I've been curious." He frowned and she continued in a faster tone. "I already know who you are, so your looks don't matter to me. Heck, I don't even know what I look like."

Zuko thought for a minute. He knew if he told Toph what he looked like, he would have to explain his scar, and maybe the story behind it. He tried to think of how he could say it and not tell her everything, but so much about her made him want to spill his whole life story. She frowned as the silence continued and took it the wrong way.

"Look, I know you're angry about something, and hold resentment, and you're also cautious, but that's not who you are. You're smart, kind, courteous, and accept a person for who they are, not because of what they look like or anything that's different about them. And you're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for, though you're hurt about something," she said as she continued to frown up at him before her face became softer and her voice turned so low, he had to strain to hear her. "And you're my best friend. I'm worried about you."

He was shocked at how well she had read him, and it was kind of scary how close she had become to him.

"Can I tell you what you look like first?" he asked quietly.

Toph nodded and Zuko glanced around, making sure they were alone before he started talking in a low tone.

"You're really pretty," he started as he studied her. "The first thing I noticed about you was your eyes. They're a misty green as if there's a layer over them, hiding their true color. And it was kind of weird how they didn't focus, but they show so much emotion. Your hair is a beautiful, shiny black, but you hide your face too much with it. I'd like to see it down more, but I understand keeping it out of the way." Toph smiled and Zuko moved back to her face. "Your skin is pale, but perfect and your lips…your mouth," he said after he caught himself staring at her lips. "Your mouth is the perfect size and shape for your face. You look like a beautiful porcelain doll, but anyone who meets you knows that's not who you are."

He had noticed Toph frown at the doll comment, but she became interested when he said that wasn't who she was. Zuko glanced down at her body, but made himself focus on her face as he continued.

"You're strong," he told her, "and emit a feeling of power, but more like physical or spiritual power. You're smart, funny, and sarcastic and have this mischievous little smirk that tells everyone that meets you who you are. But, there's something else. You've been hurt before, but try and hide it. It's almost like there's a little girl still inside of you and you try and cover her up with the strength you've found."

Toph tore her eyes away from his and ducked her head. "But I understand," Zuko sighed as he turned to stare out at the waves crashing onto the sand as the tide came in. He had tried to keep his voice and tone calm as he described her, but his feelings intruded and he knew he had painted her in an almost romantic light before he described her attitude.

"Wow," she breathed. "So that's what it was like. I'm sorry," she said as she turned her head away from him.

"Nothing to be sorry for," Zuko said with a small smile. "I like you just the way you are."

He wanted to say as just a friend, but that stuck in his throat and he couldn't bring himself to lie to her after he had bared his soul to her in a way. She turned back to him and smiled back. "Ok, thanks. Now describe what you look like."

He nodded and took a deep breath. "I have dark hair, almost black, and usually let it hang loose to shield myself as you use your bangs to shield your face. My eyes are an unusual color outside of my family. They're gold. I have a simple face, but…" Zuko stopped before going onto his scar and Toph looked at him expectantly. "My scar is on the left side of my face. Its dark red around my left eye, which is half closed from the damage and then that fades to a lighter red around my eye and back towards my left ear. Some hair by my ear won't grow back and my left eyebrow won't ever come back."

He stopped and glanced at her and saw Toph deep in thought. Then she turned and smiled at him. "You forgot tall and have a nice body. I know, I felt it when I pinned you," she said with a smirk and Zuko let out a small laugh.

"My mom's probably wondering where I've disappeared to," Toph sighed as she pushed herself off the rail. "Coming, Sunshine?"

Zuko smiled and walked with her back towards their houses. He was glad she had accepted his scar without asking for the story behind it and the awkwardness that had come up between them had dissipated a little. They walked further and Zuko sighed in despair as he saw many cars parked outside his house.

"What's wrong?" Toph asked.

"My uncle has his Pai Sho friends over," Zuko sighed. "If I don't lock myself in my room, I'll be bugged by them to join and hear stories about the old times."

Toph giggled. "Aw, they can't be that bad. I know Fong has gone over a few times to play with your uncle. Do you have a TV in your room?"

"No," Zuko answered her.

"Ok, then come over to my place and watch movies. My dad isn't home and Mom shouldn't mind if we're in the living room."

Zuko nodded. "Ok, let me tell my uncle."

Toph nodded and followed him into his house, but stayed in the entryway as Zuko went to the family room and found his uncle, Fong, Mr. Jeong and Mr. Pokku along with a few other people.

"Uncle, I'll be at Toph's house," Zuko said when he caught his uncle's eye.

Iroh nodded and grinned. "Very good, Nephew. Did you two work things out?"

Zuko scowled at his uncle, but shrugged. Iroh merely nodded with a knowing look on his face and Zuko turned back to Toph. She questioned him with her expression, but he just smiled at her.

"So, what kind of movies do you like?" he asked her as he led the way out of his house.