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 19

Blades

Aang had to go relieve himself after a considerable amount of pomegranate juice. He hadn't even noticed his girlfriend, sitting alone at her table, weepy eyed. But she saw him pass her by without a word.

He looked around at the lavish accommodations, even in the latrine. Each toilet was divided into individual rooms for maximum privacy.

"This place is almost as big as my room was at the temple," he thought as he entered the water closet and the attendant closed the door behind him.

He almost forgot what he had come there to do, for all the opulence. "Hmm, sit or stand," he pondered. "I'll stand." he finally decided, wanting to try out his aim through the water of the bowl.

Soon he had his trousers undone an shorts down, taking great care to pick a spot in the marble design.

"Whatcha doing?" a singsong voice whispered into his ear, causing him to fly partially into the low ceiling. It was only sheer luck he hadn't released the stream yet.

"T-Toph... what... what are you doing here!" he gasped, trying to pull up his trunks and turning about. "How did you get in here anyways... there's a guys sitting out there!" he explained in a rushed whisper.

"Duh... earthbender... this whole place is made of rock... or metal. I can make my own doors whenever I want. I just came from the lady's on the other side of this wall, through the stall beside you, and I was here." she giggled. She heard the rustling of his clothes. "Why are you redressing... it didn't sound like you went... don't you have to go... I have to go."

He looked at her curiously, "Why didn't you go in the lady's room?"

"Been there, done that," she exclaimed with a smirk, "I thought it would be more fun to pee with my new lover. I admit... it's kind of embarrassing to think about you hearing my stream, but... it's also kind of naughty too. Now I'm sad, I thought I would get to hear yours first, Twinkle Toes."

Aang was dumbfounded, "Toph... what makes you think I can pee in front of you? I mean, I know we've... we've... we've..." he found himself repeating his words as she sucked on his earlobe.

"Pee for me Aang," she requested in a sultry voice, "then you'll get to see me do the same... isn't that worth it? I can guarantee you, there ain't much under this gown..."

The airbender's eyes went wide, "Wh-when you say... ain't much... what do you mean... my love?"

She smiled deviously, "Well, let me see... the gown... one slip, two slips... and then... me.

He gulped hard, "Nnnnoooo underthings?" he asked, pointing at her body.

She winked, "Not a thing... free and breezy... it's really quite liberating," she placed his hand on her hip. "Feel for yourself... Twinkle... Toessss..." she breathed out slowly as they kissed passionately.

Toph felt her feet leave the floor as her back was pressed against the smooth marble wall. He lift her legs to wrap them about himself, pulling up the layers of material she wore.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa... slow down," she exclaimed, pulling out of the kiss. "You're moving too fast Twinkle Toes. Smelly toilet is not my idea of romantic... kinky maybe."

Aang opened his eyes to see the telltale smirk on the earthbender's white painted face. She was serious, and he knew it. So he slowly let her legs down. He had regrettably only made it past the gown and the first slip, a very heavy silk one... almost like armor.

"You almost got to heaven Twinkle Toes... almost," she exclaimed straightening her gown.

"Later?" her asked hopefully.

The sensuous look returned, "Oh, yeah... definitely later... I've got..."

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud thud against the opposite wall. They both looked at it, as if expecting someone to come through it.

"What's happening over there Toph?"

She shrugged, "Don't know, don't care. The sub floors in here are wood so benders can't peek in. Sometimes couples use these to... well, like you wanted to do just now Twinkles... that's my guess."

"Oh, makes sense," he concurred with a nod.

Toph bent open the wall of the stall adjacent to his.

"Where are you going?" he asked in a confused tone. "I thought you had to pee."

She grinned sheepishly, "Oh, I already did on the other side... I just wanted to here you... bye!"

Before he could say anything else, she was gone and the wall apparently untouched.

Aang shook his head, thinking about the precocious princess... and her promise.

Suddenly the urge to pee over took him and he had to fight to aim and get his trunks down... an apparently losing battle in a partially excited state.

He looked down at himself, "Monkey Feathers!"

In the lady's room, the stall across from Aang, a stranger scene was being played out.

Locked in a glaring stare, the two seemingly polar opposites were pressed against one another. Her wrist were bound behind her, forcing her palms out, making it impossible for her to free herself, as he put pressure upon her.

"L-let me go... get your filthy, greasy hands off of me," she said in a menacing low tone.

"Wow... do you know how sexy you sounded just now," he replied in a soft whisper. "Don't worry... I washed my hands... well once last week... that's what we ignorant peasants do. Ya know, bath... at least once a month... or was it every other. Ya know, I'm just too stupid to recall now."

She looked into his almost clear blue eyes. They seemed almost as deep as the sea right now, but his expression was vacant... eerily so. She felt her heart skip a beat as she again tried to twist away from his grasp.

"I wouldn't be doing all that squirming in that thin dress if I were you Mai," he said deviously. "Not that you have much in the way of... what do you sophisticated folk call them... oh, yeah...tatas, but they do feel pretty firm."

She blushed furiously as she tried to press herself into the wall, as far from him as possible.

She wasn't going to let him have the upper hand as she intensified her stare, "You ill-mannered pig-goat! I'm the..."

He was now on her once more, "I know exactly who you are... Lady Mai... don't I? Do you think I've somehow forgotten over the course of one night? Zuko is one of my best friends... did you forget that! We just spent a pleasant evening at the Jasmine Dragon last night and I thought that we could all be friends in time."

"I've forgotten nothing," she replied looking away. "But I can never be friends with the likes of you. At least Azula had class and intelligence... you, you and your stupid sister... all you have is..."

"How dare you!" he growled in a tone that made her heart start to pound. "How dare you make my sister feel inferior. Only me or Toph can do that... that's because we care about her. You... you... beautiful... sweet smelling, gorgeous woman! You should be acting better than that! If you are so superior, then act that way, instead like some schoolyard bully."

Her eyes doubled in size at his last words, it took her a moment to try and process them.

She blinked and drew in a breath, "What... what did you just say?

"I said, " If you are so superior..."

"No... before that!"

Sokka cocked his head in thought, "Uh... only me or Toph?"

Mai shook her head, "No, no, no, you moron, after that but before the other."

He seemed to be thinking once more, "I don't recall... I don't think I said anything else."

The dark lady ground her teeth, "You're truly useless, you know that! The only thing more useless than you is your pathetic little crybaby of a sister. Azula should have fried her ass."

Mai knew she was as strong as most full grown men, but this Water Tribe peasant had not only deftly sunk up behind her, bound her wrist, but also effectively kept pinned down. Her only weapons now were words, and she was losing that battle. Her last statement had brought silence... ominous silence.

"Is he going to kill me?" she asked herself, feeling sweat forming on the back of her neck, "or worse... ravish me! What if he ravishes me out of revenge! I've read of things such things. These savages taking maidens and doing all sorts of lewd acts. I heard they have massive..."

"No, I'm not going to rape you," he whispered to her surprise.

Mai's mouth dropped open in amazement, "How... what made you think..."

He smiled, "Well, your cheeks got really red and you started to breath heavily... I figured you were either having an asthma attack or getting horny."

"I am not horny!" she denied, trying in vain to kick him.

"Then you have asthma?"

"No!"

He smiled triumphantly.

She was angry now, "You think you're untouchable because you're the Vice Regent... and that maybe so, but just like I told you in the hallway, milord," she sneered leveling her amber eyes at him like daggers, "if that slut of a sister of yours goes near Zuko again, I won't only make her cry, I'll make her bleed!"

Sokka took in a long deep breath, "And so we find ourselves, Lady Mai... because no one threatens my sister. I can handle the name calling... which I believe I asked you nicely to curtail... but the physical threats... now, that's a different story."

Mai smirked, summing up the situation, "What are you going to do about it milord," she asked mockingly, "kill me? You know, if I screamed right now, the attendant will catch you in the act. How could you explain me being like this?"

"Scream then," he said simply.

Her eye twitched, "Really?"

"Yes, really... go ahead. You're not gagged, my hands are not at your throat... do as you please Mai."

She thought about it for a moment, "You are counting on my pride to gag me, aren't you? If people saw that I was hogged tied by the likes of you, I could never live it down. That's what you're thinking aren't you?"

He said nothing.

She let out a long sigh, closing her eyes, "Do as you will... I will not scream. Propriety forbids me. I just warn you, if you leave me alive, I will exact my revenge tenfold on your sniveling sister."

Sokka shook his head, "Again with the threats? Why Mai... such terrible things shouldn't be coming out of such lovely lips. I think you need to be taught a lesson."

She shook her head, not sure she heard what she did, but also not wanting to be made a fool of again.

"What lesson could an idiot like you teach me?" she boasted with a cut of her eyes. "The only thing you could possible teach me, is how to bow and scrape... peasant."

"That was a very... very good Azula, Mai. You did an excellent impression, for being her former attack dog. But you see, in the South... we have dogs too... big dog... polar bear dogs, and when they are small, you have to trim their claws or they'll cut right through you... not even meaning to. Then they can be trained, very useful when they are trained. No more loud, obnoxious barking... only soft grunts... "

She stared at him in disbelief, "Are you planing on cutting my nails?"

He chuckled lightly, "No, why would I do that? I mean your real claws Mai... those blades... all that metal you carry."

She started to really sweat now, "My... my blades... I-I don't have any blades. You said yourself... look at this dress... it's so thin, where would I hide..."

"Dunno, but I guess I'll find out," he stated matter-of-factly, wiggling his fingers in front of her. "If you want to scream now, go right ahead."

"Huh... instead of that... my lord... you are very handsome... why not just teach me a lesson the other way?" she proposed with a forced smile.

He looked suspiciously at her, "What... other way?"

"You know... ravish me... I will not tell a soul. You can do as you will. Untie me, I swear before Agni not to resist. Not to fight... only do not take my blades... they are my..."

Sokka's look was now quite stern, "Your soul... that I understand Mai. That's why I know you always have them on you... but you threatened the life of my precious sister, that is unforgivable. Endure this lesson, and I will leave you your blades, but you must swear never to threaten Katara again... am I clear?"

Tears were welling up in her golden eyes as she nodded, "Yes my lord... I will endure."

"Now swear," he demanded.

Mai closed her eyes, "I swear by the Fires of the Sun and the Beard of Agni, not to ever threaten or harm Katara again. That is our most sacred oath... my lord," she assured him.

Sokka stepped closer, "You know Mai, this side of you... it really is... so cute. You really are my type."

Mai was suddenly spun about as her hands were freed.

"Sokka?" she whispered, before slowly turning around. She was alone in the massive stall. Mai looked at her wrists, expecting rope marks, but surprisingly none were there. Her hands were trembling and she felt the uncharacteristic wetness of tears on her cheeks. She really couldn't remember the last time she cried... he had made her cry.

As she tried to walk, her knees buckled, "Why Sokka... why do you do this to me all the time? You... make me so mad... and so happy," she wept even more. "You could have taken me... I wouldn't have screamed, I wanted you so!" she admitted to herself. "You crazy madman... Sokka. You savage... Sok... kaaa... " she exhaled his name slowly in a ragged breath, letting the fantasy build.

As Sokka walked back into the dining hall, he was greeted by his girlfriend.

"Sure took you long enough... what were you doing Sokka?"

He grinned,"Ya know, had to deliver a message."

She shook her head, "Is that now the polite way of saying, taking a huge dump?"

He laughed, "C'mon, I'm hungry again. I just saw the tastiest treat I had ever seen... but it wasn't mine."

Suki cocked her head, "Oh, well, maybe they'll have another one at the buffet?"

"Nope," he assured her. "This treat was one of a kind... nothing like it," he sighed taking her hand.