Author's Disclaimer: I don't own anything belonging to "Avatar: The last Airbender." Nathing.
Author's notes: Into Suki's pregnancy. Betcha can't guess who their kid is :P Feel free to leave any comment or review.
CharlieBarrow: thanks for tacking on here.
Nickmack101: and updated! Well you know who Lin's mommy is…. Let's just say I have plot coming up :P That line from the show about the sister's parentage will be used loosely here. Myahhaha.
"Tumbling boulder: The Toph files"
Chapter six "Kyoshi Island"
"Come on," Suki said gently. "My parents will be expecting us."
She leaned back in the carriage, one hand on her belly. Barely a bump could be seen, and Toph could find it every time she touched her lover. She lounged beside the Kyoshi Warrior, one foot hooked over her knee casually.
"And I'm to be your traveling companion?" she asked somewhat testily. Suki was dancing a game of back and forth over their status. They still had no mating marks. Suki was carrying her child. And only when away from anyone that knew them, did she relax and hang on Toph's every touch. It was starting to annoy her. Suki acted like being her lover was a lesser status for some reason. But moreover, as the time passed, it was becoming disconcerting.
Zuko's soldiers and Toph's student metalbenders had all been sent home two weeks ago. The days had passed in traveling and staying in highly pricey inns. They had shared touch and embrace, and Toph was startled when Suki's belly began to protrude. Slightly now, but it would be bigger.
"For now…." Suki bit her lip seeing the dart of anger passing over her lover's face. She clasped her hand. "Please, until I get it sorted, don't let them know. They'll want to see I'm alright. Then we can go. I promise."
Toph huffed beside her. "FINE." But when Suki took her hand, she clasped it firmly between her own. She was placated when Suki laid her head on her shoulder. When the carriage bounced to a halt, Toph almost growled when Suki lifted her head and pushed away from her. Gently but she was still putting space between them.
"And I'll need to visit the shrine as well…."
Toph didn't need to ask which one. Kyoshi's Shrine held all of the past Avatar's artifacts and clothing and Toph knew it was important to her lover. "Of course, sugar lips."
Suki giggled at her and the pair were greeted by random villagers. Many hailed Suki, asking about the Kyoshi Warriors left at the Fire Nation royal palace. Suki laughed and answered questions while Toph waited, aloof beside her. She could read Suki's aura easily and she was tired. Toph's fists flexed. She wanted to urge everyone away, but this was where Suki had grown up. She'd have to wait and exercise some of Aang's precious patience. And boy was it an exercise.
"Suki!" A burly mustachioed man elbowed through the well-wishers and bodily hugged her. Toph tensed beside her, the earth rumbling under her feet, but Suki told her all was fine.
"Dad! Toph, this is my dad. Dad, this is…my friend."
Toph almost winced openly. "Hi. Pleased ta meetcha."
Soon her hand was pumped up and down and Toph had to fight her instincts to sock him with a rock. A woman came close, calling out for Suki and Toph was introduced to her mother as well. To say she felt rather uncomfortable was an understatement. What else could she say? 'Hi, I knocked up your daughter and we're not mated?' THAT would have gone over well. And with half the village watching too.
"We're glad to see you, Suki!" her father laughed. Her mother took her arm and guided her toward the family home.
"Why didn't you come with the other Kyoshi Warriors?" she asked. Parents of the other warriors left behind milled around, then went about their business.
Suki coughed. "Fire Lord Zuko asked our help in clearing out some bandits."
"We got 'em," Toph added helpfully.
"Well then! Let's sit down and hear all about it."
Toph tried not to sigh out loud.
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"Right here….this is her fan."
Toph let Suki guide her hand over a long object, her fingertips trying to be light. Kyoshi's fan was a rare artifact of the past century, and the curator of the Kyoshi Shrine gave a moan of dismay as Suki let her friend lay hands on it.
Toph chuckled beside her. "Long piece o' work there."
"You should see her boots and clothes. She was a very tall lady."
Toph shrugged; she knew her lover meant it as a figure of speech. "Tall, huh?"
"Oh yeah. When Aang borrowed her clothing, it dwarfed him."
"Why do I imagine 'borrow' wasn't the term you were going for?"
"You know me so well, love."
Toph was glad to hear the euphemism. Suki's parents were far from them and she was enjoying being with her lover even if she couldn't put her hands all over her at present.
"Your parents seem well."
"They are…" Suki squeezed her hand. "If you want to see your parents…"
Toph laid her hand over hers. "Maybe. One day soon."
Suki was placated and they left the shrine, back out into the bright sunshine. Could she bring her lover to see her parents? They would welcome her, especially a child on the way. The thought gave Toph pause. They had been more accepting, especially when she did more "adult" things. Like becoming Chief of police. The happy letters she'd gotten surprised her. But maybe they saw it as settling down, becoming responsible.
"Please say we're not staying at your folks tonight," Toph murmured. She was soothed when Suki laced her chi through hers.
"Not tonight. What I have in mind deserves some privacy."
Toph perked. "We could go to that inn in the next village."
"Yes. One with a hot springs hopefully."
Tophi's blood boiled.
"Yeeeeah, gotta get you to myself," Toph teased. Really, her heart was pounding. The hot springs reminded her of their first time in the natural hot springs round Princess Azula's home on Ember Island. Their first few times, really….
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The goodbyes to her parents took awhile longer. Toph waited as patiently as she could. In the carriage ride to the next village, Tophi cupped Suki's jaw in her hand and leaned to kiss her. She pushed comforting feelings through her chi and was pleased when Suki melted into her. They traded soft and hot kisses back and forth. Toph was pleased when Suki's hand settled over her thigh, rubbing upward.
"Feeling better, babe?" Toph grinned against her lips. Suki settled against her, lying her head along her shoulder.
"It was good seeing everyone. And my folks…."
Their precarious relationship hung over them like a shroud. Toph wanted the impending dread over and gone with. But as they got settled into their inn room, she couldn't bring herself to stress her lover. Her child was fatiguing her at times as it were.
Toph settled Suki into the bed, and sat across from her, rubbing her feet.
Suki, nestled against the pillows, gave a laugh to her. "I'm not that huge yet."
"No….not yet." Toph pressed a kiss to her knee and settled for her other leg. "Out of those robes, woman."
"Don't tell me what to do," Suki teased. But Tophi heard the rustling of fabric as she eased out of her Kyoshi Warrior robes. Tophi's palms moved over bare flesh. She settled over the protrusion of Suki's belly.
"Where do…" she began. There was silence between them. But Suki's fingers twined through hers.
"I don't know."
Tophi resolved to be strong and press ahead. "Do you…want to have it here?" With her parents, she meant. Suki sighed.
"I'm not sure….it would make sense."
Tophi coughed. She rubbed her belly warmly. "We could go to my parents. They'd welcome us." She was fairly certain it wouldn't upset their world THAT much. In fact, her mother might be beside herself at the prospect of Toph giving her a grandchild.
"Perhaps…" Suki tugged on her hands to come up further on the bed. "Hold me?"
"Sure." Toph wrapped her arm around Suki's shoulder, letting her settle in. Her calloused fingers ran through her lover's shoulder length hair. "We really do need to figure out where…"
"We'll be fine," Suki assured her. Toph allowed herself to believe her. Her heart did stupid things when she felt the double pulse of chi from her and she wanted to be a good partner. But Suki hadn't spoken of anything past the baby's upcoming birth. Things like what name should they pick seemed inconsequential when Toph had no word about where they would go after that. She swallowed.
As Suki fell asleep against her, Tophi's troubling thoughts kept her awake far longer.
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Suki finished her letter. The old woman at the messenger hawk story took a few silvers and smiled at her. She sealed her letter and addressed it to royal palace in the fire Nation. It had been a few more weeks and she was bordering on insubordination with as few replies as she'd given.
Zuko, of course, had been concerned when his soldiers returned without her. She'd sent a couple of letters before citing further random skirmishes she needed to aid the Republic City help from. His soldiers were fine to go ahead back to the Fire Nation without her. His last response had asked when she'd come back to the capital. It didn't need to be said he was worried for her. Suki's current letter read that she needed a few more months to eject the left-over dissenters.
The subterfuge worked, but for how long could it last? Suki handed the sealed letter to the woman. She laid a hand on her larger belly. Toph was waiting, sightless eyes focused on something across the way. Her chi roiled around, and Suki stroked it across the pathway. She was happy to see Toph react to her, smiling to herself. The metalbender made her way to her and took her outstretched hand. Toph only faltered slightly, taking her hand by touch alone.
"Where to now?" Toph asked her gruffly. Suki squeezed her hand.
"Let's keep going and find out."
Toph nodded. Suki brushed her bangs out of her face and leaned to kiss her.
End for now
End notes: Stay strong, my lovelies. Sorry this one was short. More plot in next one!
Pen 6/16/2019