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.

Aang finds himself in an unexpected position.

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

Chapter 40

Slip

The little princess was nearly skipping down the grand hall. The guardsmen stationed along the alcoves were too afraid to even glance her way in fear of being reprimanded by their petite general.

Right now she didn't care who saw her. She felt as if she could take wing with him and just fly away, and for her, that really was out of the ordinary.

"Oh Twinkles Toes, you were amazing," she thought as she recalled their rumble in the tunnel. "What was it... four, no... five times you made me feel, what was it I was feeling?," she pondered, her cheeks flushing once more. "Oh yeah... I remember now, that wonderful thing you do with that tongue of yours. I wonder if I called you... Twinkle Tongue or Tonguetastic or... " She paused the thought as she approached the open doors of the dining hall. A heated conversation was stirring and she seemed to be at the center.

"I'm so sorry I made you cry Kat. I will make this up to you," he promised to the completely made over waterbender. "How about... let me see, if I take you out to lunch tomorrow? We can, perhaps go shopping and I can buy you a little something with the money the king is paying me for the counseling I've been doing," he purposed with a small smile.

Normally that would be a non-refundable offer for Katara, but this time she said, "Well actually Aang... we can't. But you will be going out, but just not with me," she informed him through gritted teeth.

The Avatar gazed back at her in confusion. "Katara, if this is about me being late, and if you are still angry with me, I swear... I'll make it up to you. He's paying me quite well. I can buy you just about anything you want. I know... how about we go and buy you some of those advanced waterbending scrolls we saw down in the marketplace? Doesn't that sound nice... I mean..."

"No Aang!" she snapped waving him away with a stomp of her foot, "...please just hear me out! I'm not angry with you... well, not anymore. But I really, really need you to do me this one colossal favor and take my friend out tomorrow, no questions asked, okay?"

Aang personally hated that phrase, 'No questions'. "But Kat, we've haven't done that yet ourselves! Why would I..."

"By Yue, why must you be so difficult Aang! Can't you just trust me!" the blue-eyed girl yelled in frustration.

The Avatar was now staring at her with a sullen expression as he crossed his arms. She could see by the outline of his jaw, he was resisting saying anything he would probably regret later.

Katara took in a deep breath, "I know this seems strange Aang... but she is such a pathetic case, ya know, a total spaz. She's totally desperate and needs someone to show her a good time, for once in her sorry, miserable, little life. She doesn't have a boyfriend, and everyone that knows her understands why, and seriously, she may never have one or even get married. That's one seal no one has to worry about ever getting broken. So what I'm really asking you to do is have pity on this poor... wretched... creäture while youth still clings to her... and for her, that's gonna end any day now. I want her to experience a real date, ya know, before she move on into the spirit world."

Aang's eyes widened, "IS SHE DYING?"

Katara shook her head, "No, no, nothing like that. That was just a phrase. I was just trying to emphasize that you would be the only guy she would ever date in her lifetime... poor thing. I-I just wanted her to have this as… as a present so to speak. I couldn't think of a nicer guy, than my own, to help this pitiful, tortured soul find some comfort in her life," she sighed, placing a hand across her heart in mock sincerity.

Aang's expression flattened, not buying the act, "So who's the girl?"

She looked away, seeing he wasn't falling for it, "Toph... what other wretched creature do I know and call friend."

Aang folded his arms, biting his lip at the terse comment. "So, Katara, you want me to take Toph, out on a date?"

"Yep," she replied simply.

"Okay," he answered just as simply.

"What do you mean by okay, Aang?" Katara snapped, glowering. "I-I just asked you... my boyfriend, to take out another woman... and all you can say is... is okay? What's wrong with you?"

The monk's eyes narrowed, "What am I suppose to say Katara? You're the one... my girlfriend, who's asking me to do it, now how twisted is that?"

"Well you didn't have to be so eager to jump on the little Princess now did you boyfriend?" she countered pointing a finger into the middle of his chest, "You could have at least objected once or even said I would much rather prefer to be with you Katara! But noooo! You just said okay, like... like I was asking you to simply take Momo for a walk or something. You're primed and pumped to dive right in and run off with that little metal bending floozy!" Katara barked as she paced the room supporting her breast on her crossed arms.

"Katara!" Aang gasped in shock. "Toph is not a... a fflloo... flooo... what you said!"

The waterbender rolled her eyes, "Oh yes she is Aang! Don't you think I see the way she's been throwing herself at you since the party at uncle's! She's been acting all girly now, wearing fancy clothes and makeup since we got here, hasn't she? She's got this 98 percent walk …"

"A what type of a walk are you talking about Katara?"

"Never mind Aang... but it's a walk that only a floozy would have… believe you me!" Katara declared waving her finger in the air.

The Avatar placed a hand to his chin, "Are you jealous of Toph, Katara?"

She turned her back to him, "Me... jealous of that dirty little mudslinger? No way! I'm just stating the facts as I see them," she remarked with a smirk.

"Oh, as you see them, then," Aang restated, leveling his gray eyes at her.

"Ye-yes, as I see them Aang... and please don't repeat me. Sokka does that and I find it most annoying!" Katara told him looking away.

"So, as far as I can tell," he began to speak, moving to the front of her, "... you're asking me to take Toph out on a date because you think she's a floozy that can't get a man?" he asked.

Katara turned away from him, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Well, when you put it like that, it does sound… rather silly."

"Yeah Twinkle Toes, it sure does," Toph cut in, making it feel as though his blood had become ice water.

"My lov... uh... Sifu... I didn't know you were there, he,he... oh monkey feathers," Aang stuttered as he almost fainted when he realized that Toph had been listening to the conversation, "Back from your meeting so soon? I-I thought it was going to run late?"

"You can cut the chatter Twinkle Toes," she snarled as she crossed into the room, "I heard you and Sugar Queen talking about me. ...and I have some talking to do myself about who the real floozy here is!" she barked facing the waterbender's way.

"I would say, look in the mirror... but... oops!" Katara cracked with a bit of a cackle.

"That was uncalled for!" Aang shouted.

The earth princess squared her shoulders, "That's alright Twinkle Toes, Trollop Queen here should take her own advice!"

"What was that General Floozy," Katara replied, glowering at Toph. "Did you want to talk to me... are you talking to me?" she asked pointing a finger.

As the little princess fired back insults and closed ground, Katara took up a defensive stance in the demure dress.

Aang froze for a second at the long, brown, shapely, leg coming through the slit. She had the top of the side slit above her thigh as the young water triber had to hike it up in order to free her leg. The opening revealed a peek at what he would have considered paradise. She gave him a wink when she noticed him looking and that made him flush multiple colors.

"I'm no floozy Ambassador Tramp," the princess hurled back, "or should I tell Aang about how your little trip to the Fire Nation..."

"Oh, NO!," Katara screamed aware of what she was alluding to, "you wouldn't dare!"

"Just try me!"

"Well I'm not the only one with secrets," Katara threatened. "Who did you first kiss Toph?"

"AHHH!" Toph gasped loudly, "you swore... you swore!"

"Hey, all's fair, Dirt Pile!" the waterbender remarked sticking out her tongue, forgetting that the princess was blind, "Besides you started this, you man-stealing panther-cat!"

The little general growled, "Well, I'm gonna finish it too, saggy water bags!"

"Bring it," Katara dared, waving her on. "At least I'm not the same cup size as Aang here!"

"THAT'S IT," Toph yelled as she charged the taller girl. "I'm gonna snatch those boobs you're so proud of right off your stuck up chest!"

Aang quickly took a couple of steps in front of Katara as he turned to intercept the accelerating earthbender. "Now girls... there's no need to fight!" he exclaimed nervously.

His plan was simple. Grab Toph's shoulders and possible move into a hug as she struggled. What he hadn't counted on was the fleet-footed princess shifting slightly to the side, appearing to step around him.

"Wow, this is really soft," he suddenly thought staring into Toph's flushing face as his right hand repeatedly flexed atop the amble mound. "Soft but... somehow oh so firm," he pondered as he continued his astute appraisal.

"Aa-Aang, w-why are you palming Toph's tit as if it were a... a ripe melon?" Katara asked in utter shock, pointing at the offending hand.

The airbender looked down to indeed see that he was vigorously kneading the spot where it had landed. From between his still moving fingers, her breast was moving in and out like firm bread dough.

The three now stood in complete silence, frozen as it were in space and time, except for the Avatar's overactive digits.

Just then Sokka, Suki, Mai and Zuko returned to the room as if on queue.

"Hey guys, what's going on," Sokka called out casually until he spotted the full scene, "WHAT THE...!"

The princess and the avatar were now center stage and her mind was racing as she felt the stares and heard the surprised gasps. It took all Toph's strength not to let those big foggy green eyes just roll up and let out a moan of unrestrained pleasure as she had done just a short while before in the tunnel! Her pulse pounded in her ears, even as his touch repeatedly sent shivers coursing through her entire body. She could only think of one thing to do.

"Let go of me you perv!" Toph shouted at the top of her lungs.

Suddenly the marble floor beneath him rose sharply, sending Aang skyward with surprising force. "I can't... I just can't believe... what you just did to me, Twinkles... and after all we been through! How could you?" Toph sobbed as she covered her eyes, running from the hall, appearing every bit the perfect chaste princess.

As the airbender traveled up and over, it all seemed so surreal. His lover, screaming at him for what they had been doing over the last couple of days. Here also stood his friends, gazing upon him with confusion and/or disgust as the woman he loved most in life, fled from him in tears. It was almost too much to bear in his mind as the ground rapidly approached.

The loud thud that followed was Aang. He hit so hard and unyielding that it felt as if his body had buckled in two. So hard in fact that the shock wave seemed to penetrate his whole body, sending a nauseating pain beating through him. He instinctively wrapped his arms around his chest as he writhed in pain upon the floor, unable to catch a breath. He had come to rest directly at Suki's feet.

"Wow, that looked like it really hurt Aang," she casually commented as the Fan Master bent over to gaze into his pain racked face dispassionately. "I guess you'll be more careful where you put those hands in the future, won't you now?"

Aang could barely hear what she was saying due to the burning agony that pierced his side. Even after he had taken in a small breath, he was finding it increasingly more difficult to catch the next. He tried to air bend himself up, only to fall back into a heap upon the tiles, more miserable than he had been before and feeling weaker by the moment as the waves of pain reverberated through him.

"Hey, hey... I think he's really hurt," Zuko observed stepping quickly over to his wheezing friend. "Help me get him to that chair Mai."

The aloof dark lady shook her head, "I'm not going anywhere near that grabby hand monk, Avatar or not. I don't want him taking liberties with me," she declared folding her arms over her modest sized breast as if to protect them.

Zuko glared at her for a brief moment in disbelief. "Look at him Mai, he can't even breath... much less move to take advantage of anyone. Do you really think he wants to feel you up at a time like this, as if he has ever done this before?" the Fire Lord asked.

She set her jaw, "There is always a first time Zuko," she proclaimed defiantly, "... and he still might! You don't think mine are as tempting as Toph's?"

The Fire Lord shook his head, "Unbelievable! Whatever! Sokka, come and help, unless you're afraid of him too."

"I'm okay, I've always thought he was kinda cute," the broad shoulder warrior replied with a grin. "It's okay if he's a bit touchy-feely with me."

Sokka and Zuko gently lifted Aang up and carried him cradle style in their interlocked arms to a nearby wooden chair. He groaned loudly in pain as they sat him down.

The firebender knelt beside him, opening his robe, "I think he may have a couple of bruised ribs. Katara, can please take a look at him?"

Katara had not moved from her place in the room this entire time. She appeared to be in shock, staring at the spot the Avatar and the princess once stood. From her unique perspective, it appeared as if Aang had purposely reached for Toph's boob!

"Wh-why did you grab her like that?" the waterbender's troubled thoughts raced through her mind. "Were you trying to get back at me for yelling at you after I asked you to take her on a date? Or did you just want to see how flat she really was?

"Lady Katara, get over here!" the Fire Lord ordered now.

The waterbender strolled slowly over and quickly glanced at the ailing Avatar's bruised side, "Better summon a healer... those are probably broken from the way he's wheezing. I suggest you do it quickly Zuko."

The Fire King again shook in his in astonishment, "What the fuck! What's wrong with you girls! Katara you are a healer," he shouted into her ambivalent face. "Isn't he suppose to be your boyfriend! What's the matter with you?"

Katara grimaced deeply, "Don't call this sick molester my boyfriend! You saw the way he was groping Toph... in public nonetheless, and making her cry like that! Have you ever seen her cry in public before Zuko? He really embarrased and hurt her deeply. He doesn't deserve my help... or any of ours," she declared pointing into the fallen nomad's face. "This airbending playboy is not..."

"I-it... wa... was aaa...an acc... accident... Ka... Katara," Aang told her in a quivering voice, barely above a whisper. "I-I sw-swear, I was just reaching... for her sh-sh-shoulderrrr an-and ssshe stepped, so fast. So vvvvery ffaast... I-I... I ddidn't ex...pect... (sigh) I- I would nnneverrr... ddddissss...honorrrr you or herrr," he exclaimed as his head rolled back and he gritted his teeth, taking in a wheezing breath, "Pl-pleasssse b-believve meee, please hel-help me," he begged, his voice fading even more.

"KATARA! For the love of earth, help him! He really can't breathe! He's dying!" Toph screamed as she came running back into the hall towards Aang at full speed.

The obvious panic in the princess' face pointed out just how serious the airbender's condition really was. The waterbending healer now dropped to her knees, letting her hand trace his swollen side taking a closer look at the injury. His breathing was becoming more labored and shallow. She had seen this type of trauma many times on the battlefield.

"Oh yak-shit! He's got a punctured lung!" Katara cried out, "Sokka, get me a basin of water... quick! Zuko, we need to lay him down! Get a pillow for his head... some call the physician," she ordered the gathering servants.

Soon Aang was laying on the floor, a chair cushion as a pillow for his head. Katara's glowing hands moved frantically over his side. "Not fast enough..." she grunted, the sweat pouring off her brow. "He needs air. Toph blow into his mouth, breath for him."

The princess' sightless eyes widened, "Katara?"

The waterbender flicked the sweat from her eyes with a twist of her head, "Just do it! You know, the same as you did on the ship when we had to feed him water when he was unconscious after Azula almost killed him. Now you're feeding him air!"

She nodded her understand and took up her position over him. Toph steadied his head and placed her lips over his, blowing in a long, steady breath.

"It's not working Katara," she exclaimed as she did not feel it go in. "It just keeps coming out of his nose!"

"Pinch it close Toph," Katara instructed her as she was placing her ear at his side. "And tip his head back some more... the air has to get into his lungs to work. He has huge ones."

Toph followed the directions and this time she heard Aang moan painfully into her mouth as his lung began to inflate.

Katara smiled, "I know it hurts Aang... but Toph has to keep it up until I find the hole, okay?"

The airbender raised his thumb in response.

As the healer watched closely, she could see his breathing was labored with each exhale and the gurgling wheeze was also constant. Suddenly she felt the constriction in the chi path.

"Keep it up Toph, you're doing great, I've found the tear!" she said as she bent more water from the basin.

"Okay Sweetness, don't worry about me," she replied a bit breathlessly. "Just fix our guy here!"

Sokka sat a new basin beside Katara and she bent the fresh water from it, charging it until it glowed even brighter than the water before. She touched it to his side at the place she sensed the hole. She could trace the injury where his rib had become dislocated and made a small tear in his lung upon impact on the hard floor. The healer focused on closing the rip as her energy caused his body's natural healing ability to multiply.

Toph was pacing her breathing with what she shared with him. Her steady resuscitation was supplying a steady amount of oxygen and allowing him to relax as the healing flow did its work and the burning sharp pain began to fade.

Soon the little monk's breathing was returning to normal, and he took the opportunity to acquire the princess' lips to her surprise. They held it for a moment and in relief, she let her tears and regret flow.

"I really didn't mean to hurt you Twinkle Toes" she whispered to him as they parted, "You've taken harder hits before?"

"Forgot to bend," he replied in like manner, "uh... my... my fault."

Katara looked haggard and worn from the strain. She felt weak as she placed the water back in the basin. Also she was drench in sweat, making the thin dress ultra sheer.

"Cover your eyes Zuko!" Sokka yelled as he grabbed a tablecloth, draping it about his sister. "Once incident at a time is all we can handle!"

The Fire Lord fortunately realized his unconscious staring right before his deadly girlfriend did.

Aang reached forward and took the healer's hand that still rested on his side , "Thank you... thank you Katara."

The way he looked at her and said that simple phrase made her not only blush, but turn in shame for not

having helped him in the first place. She stood and turned her back to him unable to face him anymore. "I am, so, so sorry Aang. I should have helped you from the start. I'm such a terrible person. I don't deserve to be called a healer. The first rule... aid all in need, I let my jealousy get in the way of that!"

Katara did not see Toph slide her hand into his as the couple exchanged a reassuring squeeze, his sign to her that he was now alright.

"No you're not Sweetness," the metalbender exclaimed as she stood to the waterbender's side. "You just thought for a moment he was a dirty pervert and deserved divine punishment... like all men. We all thought the same thing, right?"

"Zuko didn't think like that," Katara sniffled in a childlike voice. "He wanted me to help him all along an-and I didn't... I'm just a bitch!"

Toph couldn't help the smirk that grew on her face, "Be it far from me to disagree with you Sweetness... when you're doing such a good job beating yourself up, but you should've realized by now all guys are perverts! That's why his hotness here didn't see anything wrong with a little boob snatch. You taught me that when we caught them peaking in on us changing clothes. Of course he wanted you to help a fellow perv."

"And when this happen?" Mai asked, glowering at Zuko.

"It-it was a misunderstanding... I swear," the Fire Lord avowed, with a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah sure, just like that brown-haired hussy hanging on you this afternoon," Mai snarled rolling her golden eyes. "This conversation isn't over Zuko!"

"And were you involved in this misunderstanding as well, Sokka?" Suki inquired, leveling the stink eye at him.

"That's sick! She's my little sister!"

"What about Toph?" the Fan Master came back.

"Ew... like I said Suki, she's my little sister!"

"Oh yeah... sorry," the Fan Master apologized with reddened cheeks. "I forget you two are like that."

"So what brought you back here Toph?" Sokka asked as he swiped the sweat from Katara's forehead.

The question caught her off guard, "Um... as you know, I was pretty upset with Twinkles here. This idiot grabbing me like that... outside of practice," she said sensing Katara's heart beat jump. "Don't get all crazy again Suga, accident's happen in close combat all the time. I let it slide. Just like he does when he gets a knee to the nuts... by accident of course," his sifu continued to explain, "...right after his little hand... slips."

Aang's face was ablaze and eyes wide in fear as the waterbender hovered over him like a fearsome spirit. "Aang, what have you been doing to Toph here instead of training?"

"Nothing I swear!" he breathed out, still trying to speak fully.

"C'mon Sweetness," Toph laughed, "...you can't tell me you haven't had any accidents, while showing him a few moves of those wet moves of yours. A misguided water whip or two, maybe even a boob slip, eh?"

Katara now wanted to duck under the tablecloth when she recalled all the mishaps.

"Anyhow, after I ran out of here, I felt him having a hard time breathing," Toph continued to explain, to Katara's relief. "I thought at first he was faking, but then I knew he was..." her tears exploded as her true feeling surfaced and she once more knelt beside him openly taking his hand.

The truth of the matter was Toph had only gone halfway done the hall before starting to return to the dining room. She was quite pleased with her performance in maneuvering the airbender to cop a free feel. The princess never considered that anything was wrong until she felt his labored breathing though her earthbending. That's when she started to run with all her might. Now on her knees with him, she fought to contain her emotions, but it was a losing battle.

The little general leaned over him once more, "I'm so, so, sorry I hurt you Twinkle Toes, again," she apologized, letting her tears fall upon him. "Normally you just... float."

"I-I was a-a bit distracted, Sifu Toph," Aang admitted, smiling bashfully while holding up the offending hand. "We've never worked on that move before... that was some attack."

"Well, I guess we'll have to work out the bugs," she smiled back at him.

There was dead silence from their small group as everyone watched the two.