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 14

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"Twinkle Toes... it's getting stifling hot in here," she complained sitting back up, "I'm sweating worse than an ostrich-horse at full gallop."

"Give me a moment," Aang said as he slipped off his tunic, he also was sweating profusely, especially when she had been lying on him.

"Okay, I'm ready," he announced after a few moments.

Toph laid back down again, feeling the coolness of his bare skin. She reasoned he must be bending way the sweat, or cooling his body somehow with airbending. Either way, she didn't care, it was working for her.

He, on the other hand, was just happy to have her in his arms again and cursed himself for attempting to ever break away. He rolled her over unto the ground and looked into her face, illuminated by a narrow shaft of sunlight coming through the top of the shelter. She was magnificent! Those misty green eyes and alabaster skin, framed by her raven black hair, interlaced with the gold and royal blue ribbons. All he wanted now was to kiss her until they both forgot the foolishness of the past hours.

She suddenly frowned, "What are you waiting for Twinkle Toes," she sighed breathlessly, placing his hand on her bare stomach,"... let's do this... and I mean NOW!"

The light that streamed from the creases in the earthen tent was brighter than the sunshine that filled quarry. Inside it was as hot as a sweat lodge, as the two young people released simultaneous utterances and suspirations of intense rapture. Their bodies coiled and contorted with each rise of passion's fervor as they held each other in a lover's embrace, arms and legs entwined. Sweat poured from their bodies and he noticed that the smell of orange and jasmine increased as well. It was all simply... intoxicating!

Round two... his hand was at the base of her spine. Toph arched so far back, he could clearly see her straining well toned abdomen. Something else he saw... her sheer bra, soaked with sweat... was now virtually... transparent!

He lost all restraint, pulling her close as his body shook violently. The heavenly vision of lace and skin branded into his mind.

They clung to one another as he gently kissed her and apologized with every breath. She wanted a more vigorous one so she grabbed the back of his neck and jerked him into a lip lock that took his breath away!

"Kisses Aang... apologize later okay!" she instructed him. "I'll tell you when you have to apologize."

"Deal... ah... my love," he agreed, planting a very wet kiss, recalling the waterbending trick from the previous night that Katara had showed him.

Toph pulled back wiping her mouth, "Hey... don't drown me," she remarked with a giggle. "I liked what you were doing before... go back to that."

"Okay," he agreed, giving her the heated one she preferred.

Katara sat across from Zuko and Mai at the Jasmine Dragon. The knife wielder appeared pretty annoyed that she was taking up her personal time with her boyfriend. However, the new Fire Lord was all too eager to drop everything, including a little afternoon make-out session with his golden eyed beauty, to hear out the troubled waterbender.

"You sure you wouldn't like some tea?" Zuko asked for the third time. "Uncle just got a fresh delivery of rosehip."

"She's already said no twice Zuko," Mai snapped. "Can't you just hear her out?"

"Sorry, Katara." He glared over at his girlfriend, "I'm just trying to be polite Mai."

"Maybe this was a mistake," Katara remarked as she looked down, "I made the two of you fight."

"No, no... not at all," he denied. "Tell her Mai, she's wasn't interrupting us at all.. was she?"

With a roll of her eyes and a deep sigh Mai looked away, " Oh no, you weren't interrupting anything," she said in a rather robotic tone.

Zuko smiled becomingly at the waterbender, "See, not a problem at all. So what did you need to talk about?"

Katara looked about nervously, "First, have either one of you seen Aang or Toph today?"

The couple exchanged curious glances.

"I haven't, have you Mai?"

"No, and I've been here all day," she replied, studying the girl's troubled face. "Is there a problem Katara?"

"Um, no... well... no really. Aang just went early this morning to train with her..."

"Train? I thought now that he was a fully realized avatar, he didn't need that anymore," Zuko commented.

Katara shook her head, "He still should master all the elements outside of his avatar state, you never know when it could fail him... it has in the past," she stated looking at him with a tight smile.

"Good point," he agreed, stroking his chin slowly. "But I haven't seen either one of them since yesterday, and it's already after lunch. Do you know where they were going to practice at?"

Her eye twitched at the question. "No... but it has to be somewhere close by right? I saw Appa and Momo are still at the stables."

"So, are you looking for them... do you suspect something may have happened to them?" the knife thrower asked quickly.

Katara shook her head, "I thought about it... maybe they were in some kind of trouble... but then again, they are Aang and Toph. They would relish a good fight.. wouldn't they? I think they're just hanging out, catching up... that kind of thing. Especially with her becoming a princess, I bet she has a lot to say."

Mai picked up on something else bothering the chestnut haired girl. "Hey hun, why don't you go an get me and Katara a cup of tea," she told Zuko.

"But, she said..."

The knife thrower narrowed her saffron eyes, "Then just get me a cup... and Zuko..."

"Yes?"

"Take you time."

The new monarch looked very confused as he stood and went towards the kitchen.

"Okay, Katara... spill it," Mai demanded, leaning over the table.

Her big blue eyes went wide, "Wha...d-did Zuko tell you about... but, that was an... an accident! He was hurt... an-and I was relieved... that he was still alive, ya know, so... so one thing led... "

Mai shook her head, "What are you rambling on about Katara? I meant about Toph and Aang... and why are you so worried about the two of them?"

A look of obvious relief washed over the waterbender's face, "Oh that... that's what you meant."

"What else would I want to know about Katara?" she asked, sitting forward. "Though, I must say, that other story started to sound really interesting."

"Nah, you'd be bored to tears Mai," she guaranteed her, glancing back towards the kitchen, "it's really no big deal... nothing really. He's taking forever with that tea, isn't he... maybe I should..."

"No you shouldn't," Mai said in a steely, cold, flat voice, "I think we have a lot more to discuss than Aang and Toph right now... don't we... Katara."

The waterbender gulped hard as she shrank back in her seat, feeling Mai's glare cut through her.

Aang's back was against the shelter's wall as Toph lounged upon him, recuperating. He was gently outlining her slender shoulders and arms, while making circles around the meteorite armband. His eyes were closed as he cooled the air that streamed around them. What made it even mode pleasant was the earthbender humming a melody he was not familiar with. Her full voice resonated throughout the shelter and he was reveling in it. He never thought she could create such a captivating sound. The music suddenly stopped.

"You called me your love Aang... so... do you really... absolutely love me Twinkle Toes?" she asked turning to face him.

"Well, my love," he sighed, thinking deeply about it, "I would have to say... this time, it is a definite, yes. I even heard something last night that perfectly described it."

She smiled as she twisted around upon him, "Oh... and what was that?"

Aang shifted to accommodate her new position, plus he start started to play with her braids that hung loosely at the sides of her head, "Well, I heard... it was starting out as best friends, ya know, getting to know each other... and then when you can't remember a time being without them," he sighed dee[ply, staring into her eyes and a lump formed in his throat, "an-and... ne- nver wwanting to b-be without them... then you know it's love," he exclaimed, choking back the tears.

The petite girl smiled tightly as she hugged him. "You just described perfectly how I felt about you on Roku's Islands that day. I felt as though I had known you all my life," she puffed, stroking his warm cheek. And now, my sweetest Aang... dearest love, I just can't phantom a time without you... ever!"

Aang smiled cradling the side of her face, "When I had that vision of you in the swamp, it was as if we had met before, and we... we were meant to be more... more than just... friends... much more. Even then, I wanted to know what that was. Now, I know want this... in my lifetime."

"Well, you have it Twinkle Toes," she announced, bestowing on him another huge deep tongue twisting kiss, "I want to know every bit of our friendship... and our love-ship, if there is such a word."

Aang giggled lightly, "You know, when you started to travel with us, I-I had the urge then... to hold you and kiss you..." he confessed shyly.

"Oh you did?" she responded, giving him a peck on the nose. "When was that?"

"Yep... especially when we started training. I wanted to kiss you even more... I really loved your angry face," he sighed with a crooked smile, "those are the best!

She scrunched up her face, "This one?"

Aang started to laugh, "That's not your angry face... but it's really cute, nonetheless," he told her as she blushed furiously, "and I love your laugh, and nothing beats your giggles."

He took in a deep breath as he thought more, "Ya know, I have thought about what it would be like to have children with you, I guess that's normal, being the last of my kind."

She raised a well trimmed eyebrow, "Oh, so you think of seeding every girl you meet Twinkles? So that's what it means to be the last of your kind. Who else have you thought of bedding?"

"Whoa... Toph... that's not what I meant!" he exclaimed, flushed and flabbergasted.

She got nose to nose with him, "I guess Katara and I are just part of your secret harem project, aren't we? Breeders for little airhead babies that will fly all over the world, right? You plan to keep us barefoot and pregnant all our lives, don't you?"

She couldn't maintain a serious look as she started to snicker under her breath.

Toph had a sudden sensation of weightlessness and discovered herself lying upon the ground, pinned beneath his weight.

"So... I've been found out," he said in his best fake dastardly voice. "It all starts with the best breeding stock! And I have chosen the best and brightest... not to mention... the prettiest, to start with!"

She raised a hand to her brow in a melodramatic fashion, "Oh my... what shall I do? I'm about to be ravished by sexy, young virile, avatar... if I'm lucky..."

His gaze softened to a gentle loving stare, "I'm the lucky one... so very, very lucky. You're... absolutely... amazing! I want to spend the rest of my life loving you Toph!"

She felt her face heat up, "About time you noticed... now... hit me with your best shot, Twinkle Toes!"

Light again burst forth from the tiny shelter, this time in a myriad of rainbow colors.