A Kiss in Ba Sing Se

[A/N: This is an A/U story. The Toph character does feel inferior to Katara and so in order to compete for Aang's affections pulls out all the stops. Aang is a boy with near infinite power and is being offered love and comfort from the two girls most dear to him.

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights or titles to the characters of Avatar: The Last Airbender. ]

Chapter 13

Tears

The young earthbender was attempting to rise to her feet once more, but with little success. The very stones around her that she once commanded with ease seemed to mock her every attempt. Even the frail material of her blouse felt like a burden as she let it slip off, enjoying the release.

Her attention now focused on the one who caused her condition, "Why... why did you do that," she cried in frustration. "It was ours... all ours... and you...you just gave it to her? Just like it was... a ... a ... toy or something to be played with?" she accused, falling back into the dirt.

Aang started to get the picture. He had offended her and treated this special happening between them loosely. From the start he knew it was special, but... he also wanted to know the roots of this wondrous gifting. He felt shame rising up in him.

"I really can't tell her I was only experimenting with Katara, she would have a fit for sure," he thought, fighting the waves of want and frustration that coursed through him. There was also the overwhelming feeling to just grab the half dressed girl and... finish, he was resisting.

"P-please... Toph...I-I didn't Toph, I told you... it didn't work with her," he stuttered, his vision blurring.

She desired him so badly as well that she was grinding her teeth, "Th-that's nnot... th-the p...point, num... numbskull!"

He was now on his knees, deeply panting. "Th-th-then wha..wha.. what ...issss... the point?" he gasped, shaking his head to see her. By the spirits, he wanted to see her... and that sheer bar!

She placed her head in hands, "I-if yyou," she sighed, "...d-don't know... then you... sh-should've, nn-never come here... in the first place."

He watched her slump, and his heart sank as well, "Toph," he said softly, "I... I didn't... I-I w-wa-wasn't th-thinking," he confessed steadying himself.

She was about to answer him again but paused. "J-just ssshut up! You... you... you... stupid head!" she yelled, flopping back to lay against the wall of the shelter. "Why... why... would... ssshould, I-I expect you... to understand... anything! Especially... how, how I feel!"

Aang took in an deep breath as he tried to stand again, but his legs gave way. With a second breath, he crawled over on all fours, determined to close the distance in every way. He sat down across from her, "Okay... Toph, I don't understand how you feel. I admit it. Why, don't you explain it to me?" he said in a remarkably clear voice, that surprised even him.

She shrugged, "What difference would it make... if that force... or whatever, hadn't clipped your wings, you'd be be hugging with Suga right now, and I'd be a another useless rock in this pit, " also finding it easier to speak with him closer to her.

Aang watched as her large smoky green eyes began to glisten. His jaw tightened and as he balled his fist realizing the pain he was causing her. He was just beginning to understand just how deeply her feeling really ran.

"So what am I suppose to say now O wise Avatar, ...I mean... what do you want to hear?" she asked as her bottom lip started to quiver.

"Oh no, no, no, no... please Toph," he begged moving up to his knees as he folded his hands.

Her face scrunched up and she let loose a high pitched cry that reverberated off the walls of the small shelter. He thought it would deafen him for sure as a ringing resounded after it. What was amazing was the deluge of tears that began to fall from her misty jade eyes. He had never seen her, nor anyone for that matter, not even Katara, cut loose like this!

Toph started pulling at her plaits with all her remaining strength, "STUPID... STUPID... STUPID... UGLY... BROKEN GIRL!" she vehemently spat out, as she then started to punch herself in the head.

He grabbed both her wrists,pinning her flailing fists to his chest, "STOP IT TOPH! DON'T HURT YOURSELF! I LOVE YOU!" he desperately cried.

"LIAR! You were willing to leave me... just like them... willing to throw me away the first chance you got, once you saw you made a mistake!" she snarled, jerking back, trying to extricate her hands from his iron grip.

Aang's eyes went wide, "Who are you talking about... your parents?"

"Who else..." she replied as she seethed, ceasing her struggling. "You're just like them, but I guess, you've proved they were right all along. No one would want me. Not a blind girl... just worthless, just worthless, just worthless..." she repeated over and over.

The young monk shook her hands violently, "Stop this!" he yelled, feeling his own anxiety rising, "This isn't you!"

"Like yelling and jostling me is going to make me feel any better Aang?" she said in a voice that shot through him. "Why don't you just pummel me, if I wasn't doing a good enough job of it? I think that would be a benevolence rather than you just toying with me... encouraging me with false hopes... and then... and then... smashing... me... making me realize... that I'm just a piece of... shite!"

This time the Avatar's vision blurred, but not from any strange force or desire, but from his own tears. Her tone... so proper, all her walls were down, no tough girl act, this was Toph Bei Fong, the real Toph. Raised to be reserved and a socialite... nobility, always in control. As her control was slipping away, he saw the hurt and vulnerable girl, as he had never seen her before.

"Why would you want to love somebody who is broken and always ruins things... Katara is smart and beautiful... she's PERFECT! She would never disappoint you... never be something as hideous as me!" the princess sobbed, attempting to jerk a hands away once more. "Please let me go! I know you hate the sight of me.. the touch of me must repulse you! I think... you can leave now Aang... go to her... I need not your... your... charity..."

"But I need yours," he answered as he pulled her into a full hug. "I'm the hideous one... I'm the broken one... coward... liar... all that is true of me," he sniffled as his voice grew weaker. "The truth be told, my beautiful one, I chose to break up with you... because I was afraid to break up with Katara... because she... cries. You... you yell and throw things, I thought, I could handle that. Plus you had your family back, that would make it easier on you... and I really didn't want to face your dad... "

His sudden burst of honesty brought a half smile to her lips, "Sooo... you're afraid of Katara crying?" she asked softly.

He nodded against her shoulder.

"And you thought, I would be okay... because I had my family back now?" she continued.

He nodded again.

"What asinine kind of thinking is that!" she screamed into his ear, holding him in the hug as punishment.

As she let go, Aang fell unto his back, having to work his jaw to clear his hearing.

"I mean, really Twinkle Toes, I was ready to give you all of me last night and you seriously thought that I'd be happy with just going back home? We have a connection don't we? You just said, it didn't work with Sugar Queen... so I'm it... the chosen one... the special girl!" Toph remarked taking in a deep breath.

She straddled his midsection, "I bet it was Suki that told you that I would be okay because I had my family back, wasn't it?"

The airbender's head was still spinning, "Yeah... Suki," he muttered.

Toph sighed, "That fan waving bitch, that's two I owe her. Well, she's lost this battle for sure," Toph quipped as she leaned down upon him. Aang wrapped his arms about her and she melted into them.

He felt the wetness of her tears upon his neck and shoulder. "Toph, are you crying again?"

"Crying happy," was all she said.

Katara was sitting upon her bed in the luxurious room. She had been certain that Aang would be back by now. She had told herself with every step of the way, through every store, down every street, that he would be there to greet her upon her return to the inn. But instead, the clerk returned her the note, unread, undelivered.

"Katara, do... do you want us to stay with you, " Suki had asked, seeing her depressed countenance.

The waterbender quickly brightened her look, "Me? No... I'm fine. I'm gonna go take a short nap, and then take a long hot bath before putting on this beautiful, expensive gown, my big brother bought for me today. I'll see you two, down here, in the lobby, at 4'ish okay?"

She hadn't waited for a response, simply kissed her brother quickly on the cheek and bolted for the stairs. She heard him calling after her, but she dared not turn around. Her veneer was splintering too quickly and even as she entered her room, the tears were falling in large dollops.

"Why are you doing this to me Aang? Why haven't you come back to me?"

Her mind ran wild with thoughts. Accidents and injuries, even the Dai Li coming to take sinister revenge.

"But who would be foolish enough to attack Toph and Aang together, that would be a suicide mission," she laughed to herself. "It's been awhile since they've been able to spar, let alone practice... I really shouldn't be so possessive," she scolded herself. "I need to let them have time... they are friends."

Katara stood with a deep breath and small smile, confident she had wrestled that demon of jealously behind her. She started to go through her bags, looking at all the items she had purchased for the Announcement Tea.

The golden headpiece with the sea serpent emblem brought back memories of the Serpent's Pass.

"I should have started dating you then," she said out loud, "I really wanted to... I was such a coward!"

She pulled from one bag, a downy soft sitting pillow, eloquently embroidered with clouds. It reminded her of the kola-sheep wool bed they had made for him. She hugged it to her cheek.

"What would you have done if I would have joined you... hmmm," she imagined with a wicked grin.

"I did think about it... didn't I?" the waterbender recalled, "but in the fog... on the way... I ran into... Toph."

Katara's mind shifted back to that moment.

"Whatcha doing Sweetness?"

"Just taking a walk... listening to the water... and you, Toph?"

"Couldn't sleep Suga, wanted... uh... to get ah... a drink... some water... yeah... some water."

"Toph, camp is back where you came from. That is where the fresh water is. Nothing but salt water this way."

"Oh, is that so? I must have gotten confused... still sleepy I guess. Katara, why don't you come help me."

She remembered now how the little earthbender took her hand, leading her away from the big cloud like bed and sleeping avatar. In the fog, she couldn't see the look upon the younger girl's face, but she detected an air of smugness.

Katara's heart started to race as she tore the pillow in half.