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 21
Stains
The smell of his skin, the feel of the heat and the sweat that radiated from his bare back, filled her senses.
"I love you Tophy," he whispered, from above her, his cheek against hers.
The anticipation was building up inside her, even as her hips rose against his, beckoning him onward. The weight of his body upon her, allowed her to see him... his heart strumming in time with her own, his breathing deep and strong... his desire rising... singular in purpose. Nothing between them... no one to interfere. She felt her inhibitions slip away into the gulf of passion's fury, as the press of him, piercing through the fiery veil, sates the desire that calls from her inner core. His thrusts shake her, over and over again, as her heels strike his hips in rhythm. "Do... I... please... you... my... sultan..."
Toph suddenly sat up in the bed with a jolt, a hand over her mouth. The dream had her sweating profusely... and more than damp in other places. This was not the first time she had such vivid and detailed dreams since the Roku's Island incident.
"Stupid veils... stupid sultan..." she mumbled as she rubbed her closed eyes, laying back down.
She could hear him snoring lightly on the other side of the bed. Somewhere in the night, they had rolled apart and the young nomad was hanging half off his side.
"This is all your fault," she growled at the sleeping figure. "Your stupid dream has made a mess of me Twinkle Toes. Pffft... but it was pretty good though," she thought with a half smile. "Better than ever before... wonder if it's because you're here..." she whispered, moving closer to his gentle roar.
She couldn't resist rubbing his bald, stubbly head and as she did, she wondered if there was enough time for a little fooling around... just a little chi action... before she had to head back to her room.
Her cheeks flushed, "You are my lover now... and this is safe... soooo... what's the harm?" she reasoned as she maneuvered next to him.
"Twinkle Toes," she whispered into his ear, lightly blowing as well.
"Stop messing around Sokka...I'm tired... uhrrrnnnn," he groaned resuming his snoring.
With both hands, Toph shoved him off the bed.
"Ahhhh... wha... uhhh... why did you do that Toph?" he demanded as he blinked his eyes wildly.
She had that angry look now, standing above him with her hands on her hips, "Sokka... Sokka... why would Sokka be calling you Twinkle Toes and blowing in your ear?" she yelled.
"Huh... Sokka... what about Sokka?" he asked, rubbing his head where it hit the floor. "What are you talking about... I was asleep for spirits sake!"
"What I'm talking about... Twinkle Toes? I'll tell you what I'm talking about! When I whispered in your ear, you thought I was Sokka. Is there something you want to tell me?"
He started to chuckle, "Toph, my little love. You above all people should know what a joker Sokka is. He used to say all kinds of things to wake me up... and do some strange things as well," Aang reported with a shuddered. "He knew how I hated being called Twinkle Toes, so he would just use it to get me riled up."
Toph was now feeling pretty silly. "Yeah... I-I do recall that now... Twinkle Toes. Sorry about pushing you off the bed like that. Did you hurt yourself?"
"Nah, only my head," he laughed as he floated up off the floor, standing to his feet. "Let's start over, good morning my love... why did you want to wake me up?"
Toph suddenly felt very shy as she glanced away, "Huh, Twinkle Toes... I don't want to make my attendants too suspicious... so I have to make it back to my room before they come looking for me."
He took the petite girl in his arms, "Yeah, that Countess seems pretty hard core, I can tell," he yawned a bit in her face.
"Ew... Twinkles... go and brush your teeth or something," she exclaimed holding her nose. "Talk about morning breath... that's more like dragon breath!"
He covered his mouth scurrying to the restroom, "Sorry... be right back."
As he left, she breathed into her own cupped hands. She sighed with relief, finding her own breath acceptable.
A couple of moments later, he walked back out to find her lying back down in the bed.
"Hey Toph, why are you back in bed? I thought you had to get to your room?"
"Did you take care of your breath?" she asked nonchalantly.
"Yeah... but what does that have to do with you getting back in? Won't that countess person find you missing? Besides... how did you get here in the first place last night?" he inquired, climbing into the bed himself.
She grinned deviously, feeling him move in next to her, "Well Twinkle Toes, there's a passage way going through these walls, connecting many of the rooms. I saw it the first night I stayed here through my earthbending. Of course, I decided to convince my Father to put you in one closest to mine. And if you decided to return the favor and come visit me... my bed is much bigger and much more comfortable," she informed him.
"I'm may to have to take you up on that tonight," he retorted, rolling to his back, looking over into her face. "How did you get so incredibly irresistible and beautiful my sweet Sifu? One minute an overbearing, flat-chested, know-it-all, loud mouth and the next... it looks like your not going to be small for long," he exhaled in a heated tone.
Toph's muted green eyes halved, "Glad you noticed Twinkle Toes... these girls are growing fast," she informed him, " Wanna measure them?" she offer sticking out her chest.
Aang swallowed hard at the proposition, "If I do... I probably wouldn't be able to stop there," he told her seriously. "You... tempt me in so many ways... but I know... we need to wait... just a little while longer."
Her smile dropped, "Why do you say that Aang?"
She could smell his fresh breath in coming from over her, knowing that they were now face to face, "That is because my lovely one, I have to make things right with Katara first. I will not hide our love in the shadows... it is a thing of beauty... just like you."
Her eyes began to glisten, "Oh Aang," she sighed, reaching up to throw her arms about his neck. The young couple moaned and sighed, as their heads shifted back and forth in the frenzied lip lock.
She forgot time, attendants and even her own name, as the heat started to surge through her.
His eyes and tattoos began to glow, "Lets flow together my beautifully Sifu."
She couldn't answer as her back arched, pressing against him, her eyes rolling into the top of her head.
Toph was running through the back tunnels, unsure of the time her attendants would be coming to wake her up.
"Oh by Gia, I'm so busted! What am I going to do... just what was I thinking? I shouldn't have asked for round two or was that three... nope, it was definitely five," she recalled, scolding herself. "You have to learn to use self control... especially with your appetite Toph. But he does kiss so well... and that chi lov'n... oh so... goood!"
As she neared her suite, she reached out with her bending and felt no one present in her bedroom.
"You are the lucky one Bei Fong," she assured herself as she opened the passageway door. "Better duck into the bed so that they think I've been here," she thought.
As she felt to undo her decoy, her heart almost stopped. The bed had been neatly made up. She shook her head, sitting down on the huge canopy bed. No need to cover anything up now, her secret was blown!
"I wonder when they found out?" she asked herself.
"Good morning Princess Toph, did you sleep well last night?"
Her heart just about jumped out of her chest upon hearing the question. She had been so immersed in her own thoughts, she had failed to hear Lili enter the room.
She was not only her chief lady-in-waiting, but also her first cousin, on her mother's side.
Lili approached, "Your majesty... may I suggest that you inform me the next time..."
Toph didn't bother to look up, "No, you may not Lili. I do as I please."
The countess took in a deep breath, folding her hands in front of her, "I see... so we can expect more absences, your majesty?"
Toph shrugged, "Maybe... maybe not... what does it matter to you?"
The earthbender could hear the change in her lady's breathing at that last comment.
"Yes... as you say... what does it matter to me," Lili repeated controlling her temper, "...but just out of courtesy, may I suggest, that the next time you... do as you please... you wear a robe. That nightgown is rather thin for one whose nipples are as dark and protruding as yours. Your breast are not that small anymore... cousin."
The young eartbender's eyes went wide as she folded her arms across her chest.
"Why be so shy now? I bet you weren't so guarded with your paramour?" Lili chided her.
Toph glared at her cousin, "How do you know how I was with my... paramour... or if I even have one?"
"Well... since you ask... your majesty," she stepped closer, "those stains on your gown... I would say... from the look and location, they have a distinctive origin... should I continue?"
The new princess felt her face heat up as her arms dropped by her side, "So what happens now Lili?" she asked, her mind racing. "Are you going tell my father and mother about this? Is there going to be some big investigation or something?"
Toph felt the countess sit down next to her, "Do you remember me songbird? Do you recall how we use to visit the Fire Nation colonies with our families on business or go on vacations together?"
Toph nodded, "Yeah, you were the only one that didn't treat me like a cripple. You always told me blindness shouldn't stop me from being a complete person."
"So have you lost your frickin mind girl!" Lili screamed at her. "You sneak out of here in the middle of the night to go screwing around with... with the Avatar of all people, like some cheap trollop! And then you come back covered in his... I can't even bring myself to say what this is... and you better not!" she warned, pointing a finger at the earthbender.
Toph grinned broadly, "Now, this is the Lili I remember, not the one walking around with a stick up her ass."
"It appears I'm not the only one with something up their ass and most likely other places," her cousin fired back.
Toph turned away, "We may play... but it's all on the outside Lili... I'm still a virgin... in every way," she assured her.
The countess took hold of her chin, turning her face towards her and pushing her bangs aside. Toph did not try to resist, simply closed her foggy green eyes.
"Do not close those eyes on me girl," Lili said austerely. "Princess or not, I know how to read you."
With a sharp huff, Toph reopened them.
"Now, cousin... are you still pure?" Lili asked, staring into those milky pools.
"Yes," Toph replied succinctly.
The countess sat back shaking her head, "So... the reality is... you could be pregnant?"
Toph blinked, "Wha... I told you Lili... I'm still a virgin. I wasn't lying."
Her cousin looked puzzled now, "That's weird... when I asked if you were pure, it showed you were lying when you said yes... but now... you tell me you're a virgin... and I can see you're telling the truth...I must have missed read the first time... sorry songbird."
The princess relaxed, "No problem, everybody makes mistakes once in a while Lili. So what now... really?"
The lady-in-waiting stood, "First... you need a bath. There is an odor... most unpleasant. We are already behind schedule for today... so let's discuss this further later, as time permits."
Toph looked over at her cousin once more, "So... no telling my mom?"
"Unless there is cause, is there cause songbird?"
Toph shook her head vigorously.
Lili took her hand, "Then feel the truth of my words, I will not tell Aunt Poppy of your... misadventure of last night... but that does not mean you can... do as you please... is this understood songbird?"
Toph nodded, "Yes Lili... understood, loud and clear."
The princess sat in the large sunken tub with perfumed water up to her chin. It was both soothing and relaxing after her active early morning.
"He is very handsome... your Avatar," her third lady stated, beginning to wash her hair.
Her eyes popped open, "M-my Avatar... why are you calling that skinny guy, my Avatar?"
"Oh, do you not prefer him your majesty? If so... then may I attend him... as your guest of course," she asked.
Toph sprang out of the water, "If you lay one hand on him... one whatever, I'll bury you... cousin or not Mei Mei!" she growled, shaking a fist at her larger chest doppleganger.
Mei Mei started to laugh loudly, "Still the same old Toph. You were always easy to provoke... giving me hours of pleasure. I already know about you and the fly guy. I have to admit, he is not bad looking. I can't fault you for breaking off a piece of that rock. He's not as good looking as that Fire Lord mind you, but... he does have a certain charm."
Toph sat back down in the bath, not believing she lost her cool so easily.
"Hmph, I have not broken off anything, Mei Mei," she denied, sinking back up to her chin once more.
The mischievous lady leaned over and whispered into her ear, "I've seen the gown... lying really doesn't suit you cousin. We would all like to claim to be virgins, long after our maidenheads have been spent... but I say, good riddance. They just feed a man's ego anyway... and if you want another, there are means to do so. I know girls who have been virgin at least three or four times... geez... what a pain, right. Talking about pain cousin, I put extra aloe in the bath for you. You know... for down there. You just soak for a bit... takes the soreness right out. You'll be ready to take it all in again in no time girl!"
Toph just nodded, knowing that the weight of evidence was totally against her at the moment. Not that truth ever meant anything to her cousin Mei Mei. She just believed what she wanted to usually.
The princess did have a question for her talkative cousin, "So... Mei Mei, you know about me and the Avatar...who else, I mean besides Lili?"
Mei Mei chortled lightly, "Now that's a funny story... I mean about how we came to this conclusion about you and Mr. Mark My Territory. Fong, actually found you missing this morning, and she told Lei. The two of them then told me, and then, the three of us, told Lili, who was quite upset with you. I must say, normally a nomad keeps their cool, but she was swearing like a solder this morning."
"Did you say... nomad? Is Lili a nomad Mei Mei," Toph asked sitting forward to hear better.
"A bead carrying, wind praying, chant singing, nomad," Mei Mei confirmed. "She been like that for years. I know she been one even before coming here to Ba Sing Se."
Toph took in a deep breath, "If Lili is a nomad, maybe she has more of an interest in Aang than just the Avatar," she pondered to herself.