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 31

Cry

"I have to go back! He needs me... he calling for me," the princess suddenly said as she paused in the dark tunnel.

"Impossible... your bending, it shouldn't have returned for at least another hour!" Lili exclaimed in total shock.

Toph rolled the ground under their feet, "It seems you miscalculated cousin," she sighed heavily, as she stooped down placing a hand on the cool moist ground. "I can hear him. He's crying for me even now. Oh, Lili, this is all my fault, and I've ended up hurting him so much," she said, beginning to weep. "I should at least go back and comfort him..."

"You cannot Princess!" the countess declared, stooping also to get face to face with her. "I can't possibly stop you. Spirits know you could bury me right here... and feel justified. But you also know, what will happen if you do... and I simply cannot allow that! So either you come with me... or we will have to fight... as feeble as that might sound," the countess declared in a trembling voice.

Toph smiled in the dim torch light, "But what if I promised... no real sex? We have a way... our own way, ya know. It makes a mess, but it's safe enough."

"Passion trumps promises little one," Lili explained, taking hold of her arm and standing her up. "You still burn for him no doubt... and you have nothing under that robe. Your last defense will be your resolve, and I think a single kiss would fail that. Like a spark on dry grass, this will reignite into a flame if you go near him tonight. He would have you... and you would only offer vain resistance... now wouldn't you?"

She blushed, "Yes... but he sounds... he is... he's in so much pain, Lili. I-I feel it, like my own heart aches..." the earthbender gasped. "What have I done to him?"

Toph's cousin hugged her hard, "That is why you don't play with these matters Toph. Somebody always gets hurt even with the best of intentions. If you go back now, a greater harm will be done, that I can guarantee. Avatar Aang is young and strong, so he will recover as all lovers do. You two... must simply learn from this night."

The princess' voice was quaking, "He told me... we should wait... and that we should take it slower... but I wouldn't listen," she sniffled wiping at her closed eyes. "I just took it as a challenge... the way I do everything. See how far I could push him, see how far we could really go..."

"All the way, it seems cousin," the chief lady filled in. "He's a normal young man with an extremely beautiful maiden, whom he loves. Of course, he was going to bed you given the right circumstances," the countess exclaimed as she shook her head. "Duh, are you really that naive, Songbird?"

The meek tone that now filled Toph's voice seemed to be out of character, "Well... to tell you the truth... I really hadn't thought that far along. When I got to the room, I was still feeling all warm and toasty... ya know, from the wine. I just thought we would... ah... you know do it... like really easy."

Lili could make out her flushed expression in the light, "So what happened?"

Toph frowned at the memory, "He... at first, thought I was drunk, and didn't want to do it. Then he got all super excited and couldn't breath... and then when we finally were about to get down to it, he... he, finished before, well, making it in..." she explained as her voice trailed off.

Lili couldn't help the spontaneous outburst of laughter as she stepped back from her cousin.

"It not funny!" Toph insisted with a snarl, feeling her face burning, "In fact, it wasn't funny at all Lili, we were trying our best!"

The countess could see the smoky green eyes narrowing menacingly as she fought to regain her composure, "(Cough) I am sure it wasn't, uhm, your Majesty. It... well just took me by surprise, as sure an airbender... unable to breath did you!" the countess exclaimed as she once again bent over in laughter.

Toph sighed heavily, remembering that she could never really be mad at her older cousin. Her frustration was returning to sorrow as her arms fell limp by her side, and the tears rolled down her alabaster face in streams.

The countess took notice of her deposition in the dim torchlight. The chuckling quickly died away seeing her young cousin's overwhelming grief.

"I'm so sorry Toph... innocence has it's lighter moments as well. Learn to cherish them. But you are probably the only girl in history that ever took an airbender's breath away!"

"The princess' bottom lip stiffened, "Yeah, I probably am! Take that Sweetness... bet in all your naked splashing around, he never once even hiccuped."

Lili smiled, placing her forehead to her cousins, "Now that's the Toph Bei Fong we all know and love. I can assure you, he'll be fine. Fong would not have left him otherwise. Please... let him have his tears, his thoughts, and his memories... as he said, the best night of his life... so far, that is. You and I know, little songbird, a much better one is on the horizon," the countess giggled like a little school girl.

The earthbender couldn't help but smile. She stooped down once more, placing a hand on the earth and then her cheek on her hand. "I love you Aang," she spoke softly.

In the Avatar's room, as he laid at the closed entrance of the passage, a whisper passed through the stone as if she were speaking directly to him. His heart erupted in joy. He repeated the same technique... "I love you too my love... sleep well, " he said, feeling drowsiness overwhelm him as he curled up on the floor.

Toph stood with a big grin, "Big baby... he's fine now... lets go Lili," she said, walking into the darkness.

The countess shrugged, quite bewildered now, "Eh... yes... your majesty... can you please slow down a bit?"

As the cousins soon reached the bedroom entrance, Lili picked up a bundle sitting by it.

"Cousin Mei Mei is lying in your bed... just in case one of you friends should awake," she explained, whispering to Toph. "Here, I have put these night clothes out here for you. They match what Mei Mei is wearing, so there should be no suspicions aroused. Good thing since your lover trashed yours."

The petite princess grinned wickedly, "Ya... I know."

Lili was not amused with her candor. She helped her on with the long, blue satin nightgown.

Lili used the light of the small torch to give her a quick once over, "You look to be in order now your Majesty."

"Thank you Lili," Toph said, with a bow of her head and a small yawn.

"Your Majesty, I do have one small question... if I may?"

"Shoot," Toph remarked, slipping her heavy robe back on. "What's on your mind?"

Lili's face scrunched up slightly, "When I arrived... in his room back there, I was expecting more of a... well to tell you the truth, I expected you to put up more of a fight. Even without your bending. I was totally befuddled. My question is simply... I guess the same as yours... why?"

Toph blew out slowly, before dropping her head, "The truth is... oh boy... this is kinda embarrassing to admit."

"What, why so? Were you so taken aback, is that why you complied?" Lili ventured a guess.

"No," she replied, her shy voice returning, "I actually heard... well, I knew you'd be coming down that corridor."

Lili looked totally stunned, "Then why didn't you get into a more modest posture... or at least close the entrance if you knew we would be coming?"

"Because... because," Toph sighed covering her face, "I was afraid."

It was the countess' turn to smile at the brash earthbender's shyness, "Excuse me? I didn't quite hear you, your Majesty. What did you say?"

The princess tilted her face up, "I said I was afraid... okay! At first, when I went, I was feeling pretty confident, but then after feeling that big thing... uhm, and uhm... thinking about where it was going into... that's a rather scary thought, even for a blind girl," she reported, wiping at her eyes. "It wasn't until he put me on the bed, and I felt the press of him against me... I swear my heart started to feel like it was pinched in my chest. Twinkle Toes was acting like a man, and you may not know this, but he is incredible strong. If he's not careful, he could fracture my rib... just by giving me a hug."

"Really?" the countess gasped in disbelief. "So was he overpowering you... and that made you frightened? That sneaky little bastard!"

"Please Lili... keep your voice down," Toph requested, pointing towards the wall that led to the bed chamber. "We don't want to wake the others."

"Of course your Majesty, but to think he would try to ravage you so..."

"He wasn't trying to ravage me either cousin," she clarified, "Aang would never impose himself in that manner. It was totally mutual... but still, we have to be careful. He's so warm... so gentle, and I want in to just plunge right in and rip through me like..."

"Cousin! Please... your voice, it was rising," Lili warned, now more confused than before, " So if he was not attempting to take you by force, what broke your confidence?"

"It complicated," Toph asserted, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It all started on the bed with him covering me. I'm blind, but usually I can use my bending to see. Being off the ground, I only had my hearing and what I can touch to go by. I felt his body so clearly. I especially felt his, his..."

"I understand what you mean," Lili assured her, "please go on."

"Well, he had me turn over... he meant nothing but to please me... but it did scare me... shook me up." Toph admitted as she flushed, "I-I thought at first, he wanted to take me from behind... to"

Lili took in a deep breath, "I understand, but if you were so fainthearted... why didn't you ask him to stop his advances Songbird? If he loved you, he would certainly understand."

Her mouth twisted, "Because of my pride," she stated flatly. "I was the one... who invited him an-and how could I back out and save face? At first I tried to keep him from zeroing in on the target, but then in the end... I wanted him to really find the target."

Lili now sighed deeply, "So, you are a shy virgin after all. What if I decided to let him have you cousin? I mean... in the end, you said yourself, you wanted him as well.

Toph nodded pulling up the corners of her mouth, "I did think of that, and I thought it wouldn't be that bad. "

"A deflowered princess not that bad," Lili hissed. "The royal princess, taken by the Avatar himself, in the royal palace. under her father's own nose? That's not so bad... your Majesty?"

The princess swallowed hard, "Well, if you put it like that Lili..."

"How the hell am I to put it Toph? I really don't see an upside to a major political scandal that could topple all that your father is trying to build here! What about the Avatar, and all that he is trying to accomplish around the world? His credibility would be totally ruined!"

"I get it," the princess snapped, "I screwed up... royally... well that is the only way I can."

Lili grimaced at the attempted joke, "This is no small matter Toph..."

"Exactly Lili, you saw it... that's why I was scared," she continued to jest, putting on her huge toothy grin. "I just had visions of being split in half!"

The countess shook her head now falling under the power of Toph's infectious smile, "You're... you're just incorrigible cousin. I hope this is the last time you get yourself into such a bind. I might not be available the next go around."

"You can rest easy Lili," Toph stated, crossing her fingers behind her back. "I'll apply all that I've learned tonight to the next time."

"Very good... hey wait a moment," the countess now thought. "What next time?"

"Gotta get to bed," Toph hurried away, slowly opening the secret door so as to not make a sound. The room was filled with snoring and heavy breathing coming from the three other beds.

Lili caught up to her and yanked hard on her earlobe, "Our conversation is not over yet either," she whispered heatedly, "I will not have my young cousin behaving like a flossy! You've been lying to me... you weren't frighten at all... you didn't hear us!"

"Ouch," Toph seethed softly through her gritted teeth. "No I wasn't... and yes, I didn't hear you. I didn't fight, because, you got the drop on us... we were at the disadvantage, simple as that. All in all, I was just too wrapped up with my Twinkle Toes. One second more... just one more second and we would have been one! Plus Lili, I think the word you are looking for is floozy. I wanted to be his floozy tonight!" she confessed sincerely.

The chief lady frowned, "That doesn't matter now, you know what I meant! You shouldn't attempt to go back to him. Not until we can make a new agreement to amend this way," she whispered sternly to her charge.

"I really don't think you have to worry about me and Twinkle Toes in the future Lili though. He probably... will not want a repeat of tonight. So... no worries now Lili."

Lili could not bear to hear the sad tenor of her voice, "Listen Songbird... I will speak with him in the morning. I can explain that I threatened you... forcing you to come with me. I will say that you wanted to return... but I was going to inform your father of the affair if you did. That way, I will be the bad guy and you will be exonerated."

"You will do that for me, Lili?" Toph asked hopefully.

The countess patted her head, "Most certainly cousin... but you just have to exercise more self control. No more drinking and cavorting."

"I will, I swear," Toph happily spieled, hugging Lili tightly. "You are the best Lili."

"That I have been told before, but now it's time for you to get into your bed, my little princess."

They made their way over to her enormousness, four poster, canopy bed. Lili gently prodded Mei Mei ,who immediately rolled off in a stealth like fashion to creep silently from the room. Toph wonder how many times she had done that before, being that it seemed almost naturally for her older double.

The little general slid in to the warm bed as Lili tucked the covers around her, kissing her forehead. Toph felt a teardrop hit her cheek as Lili stroked her thick, raven hair before quietly exiting the room.

She now thought about the stress that she had just placed on her chief lady-in-waiting. She rolled to her side, but the story LiLi had told her about herself and the others, kept replaying in her mind. Up until now, she had only heard bits and pieces, the reality was far more heart wrenching. With all the love and care that her cousin just displayed, Toph was starting to feel more than a bit ashamed of herself.

The princess was unable to sleep now. She tossed about on the huge bed, going between guilt, stress and more than a small amount of unresolved sexual tension. Thoughts of sneaking back to her lover flashed in and out, but she was sure all the exits were guarded this time.

Toph decided to exorcise some of the sexual tension as she played back the carriage scene when she laid upon Aang, allowing him to cop a good feel. The touch of his warm hand made her sigh. Her mother almost found them out as well.

"Whew... that was a close call," she spoke out in reflex, mimicking his actions upon herself.

"What did you just say Toph... what was a close call?" Katara asked, looking over from her bed that adjacent. The waterbender's eyes were outlined in red from all her drinking, but the room had stopped spinning for her.

"Nothing Sweetness," she whispered back. "Eh, it was just a bad dream is all. You know... one of our frequent close calls. Really nothing at all, we got away."

"Okay," the waterbender replied sleepily, grabbing her pillow, "Move over. I'm coming to join you."

The shuffling around awoke the Fan Master, "What's going on Katara? Where are ya going... it's still dark out?"

Katara was now on her feet yawning, "Toph had a bad dream and I'm going to sleep with her."

Suki picked up her pillow also, "Okay, I think there's plenty of room for the three of us. That bed is frickin' huge!"

Mai didn't ask, only took her pillow and followed suit. Toph did not mind the small invasion at all. The truth was, she missed her cuddle buddy and her girlfriends huddling around eased her own guilt and pain. She started to whine.

"Toph are you crying?" Katara asked, feeling her svelte body shake next to her.

"No," she lied, unable to hide the trembling in her voice, "I'm not crying... just snoozing... that's the way I snore now."

Katara put her arms around her friend and drew her in tight, "That must have been one heck of a nightmare baby girl," she declared, nuzzling into the earthbender's hair. "But... remember, it was only a dream, and you know we would never let anything happen to you."

Katara knew memories of the war brought many bad dreams for all of them. In reality, she was grateful for the close personal contact herself.

The feeling of guilt, like a stake, was being driven through the earthbender's heart now. Toph ached inside as Katara was holding her like a mother would a child.

This wasn't the first time that she had been comforted in this manner. Baby girl was a nickname that only Sweetness was allowed to use even though the entire group knew of it. If anyone dared to tease her, a water lashing would soon follow.

Her sightless eyes let loose the waterworks across her face, drenching her pillow. She felt Suki close to her back, and knew Mai was somewhere in the bed from all the snoring that seemed to emanate from the other side of Katara.

"It's okay now Toph," Katara said soothingly as she tried to reassure her with a rocking motion. "It was just a bad dream. The war is over... and you are safe now. You can go back to sleep... ohhhh... baby girl, please don't cry. You know that's my job," the waterbender comforted her as Katara's voice moved into a lullaby.

Somehow through the feelings of shame and guilt, Toph drifted off to sleep in the embrace of her best friend, now betrayed.