Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok.

"Are you sure no one could recognize me?"

"Has anyone approached you?"

"No."

"Well, then I guess you are just a face in the crowd then."

Aang led their dance deeper into the sea of Earth Kingdom natives. He was currently wearing a wig to match his natural hair color and a gold hat to cover the rest of his tattoos. His attire consisted of golden Earth Kingdom robes. In front of him, his dance partner was dressed in green regal robes with a frame of gold on the edges. Her hair was half down and half up with a traditional headpiece. It had been awhile since they had been in Ba Sing Se, and they weren't accustomed to the snobby way people acted and dressed in the upper ring. Every misstep earned them a look. They continued on.

The chief of police flipped a piece of her hair away. This caused Aang to ask her a question. "And what about you? You are just as recognizable as me."

She scoffed. "Pff. I never leave the house without my hair up. No one knows who I am with my hair down."

"I guess." The truth was, he didn't even recognize her when he came to get her that night. Toph had just snickered at him when he had asked if she had seen a short woman wearing no shoes. The punch that came to his stomach had confirmed her identity immediately. "The make-up helps."

Toph just frowned. "I cannot wait to rub this gunk off my face after tonight."

"Have they arrived yet?"

"Not yet. But they are coming. We heard them."

She pulled him and began to lead. He hated when she did that.

"I hate it when you do that."

"I know."

"So stop."

"No."

Why were the two in Ba Sing Se? Being ordered by one of the council members hadn't really given them much choice in the matter. That and Toph and Aang's morals. The fire nation representative had called both the chief of police and the avatar into her office going off about how her daughter had been kidnapped by a discriminatory Earth Kingdom group. Even after decades, there were many people still upset that fire nation natives were being allowed to live on Earth Nation soil. The only way to protest effectively, as in getting many people's attention quickly, was to do something risky. Kidnapping the daughter of a political figure had done the job nicely. Sokka pleaded with Toph and Aang to follow the group to Ba Sing Se, saying he would come if he could. The duo couldn't say no, considering that it would ruin their reputations, but more importantly their sense of heroism couldn't let them sit by and do nothing. So, by the morning, Toph and Aang headed to Ba Sing Se. They went into full detective mode and got a tip saying that the group would be exchanging the young girl for their payment with their leader during the huge gala the upper ring was hosting. It was no surprise that their leader turned out to be a very high class upper ring jerk. Now, Aang and Toph were here, undercover, waiting for sketchy activity by dancing to pass the time.

"I don't know if our cover is quite working, Toph." He pulled her closer, surprising her.

Toph just shifted slightly, but stayed pressed to his body. "And why is that?"

Aang spun them. "People are staring at us."

At his words, the chief of police focused her feet on the other people around them. It seemed that the avatar's words were true considering there was no one else dancing around them. The crowd was formed in a circle creating their own personal dance floor. She just groaned quietly.

"I guess we are a little rusty with formal dancing."

His voice came near her ear. "Actually, I think it's the opposite. I think they are impressed. This can work in our favor."

The couple spun several times. Aang let her go, but brought her back quickly to his chest. Toph licked her lips when they were together again. "I'm listening."

"The exchange will occur sooner if the crowd is distracted. Why not be the distraction?"

She fought the smirk creeping on her lips. "Good thinking."

"Still think you're rusty?"

She pinched his shoulder. "Not at all."

They danced more extravagantly, adding more twists, spins, and dips. The two weren't strangers to waltzing. Toph, of course, had formal training as a child and as much as she hated it, the lessons were never going to leave her. Aang was a more natural dancer. After a few minutes and practice, the airbender could pick up any type of dance at a party, whether it is as formal as a waltz or as wild as a water tribe chant. After years of attending parties such as this one, both forty two year olds could dance in their sleep.

Toph came back hard to his chest. Aang continued to lead. "This is some very intimate footwork. People might start talking, Fancy Feet."

"The people need to be distracted, right?"

She laughed. The avatar could have sworn it was genuine. "They sure got one. I really hope that a reporter isn't here."

Aang chuckled back as he dipped her. "We probably aren't that lucky, Toph." Their bodies were pressed together once more and they were spinning again. "I got a question for you, Sifu."

"And that would be?"

"Did you ever have a crush on me?"

He didn't know how to interpret her response as she had began to lead them once more. Aang followed every twist and turn she made, careful that she wouldn't step on her robes as she had started to do some very complicated steps. The oblivious crowd just clapped.

She did reply in words eventually. "Please tell me we aren't confessing anything tonight, Twinkle Toes."

He tripped slightly, but Toph caught him and pulled up, spinning under his arm. She kept leading them seeing the avatar wasn't capable of it at the moment. "W-What? No, I was just curious."

"Good." She softened and Aang took over their dance. "I was about to slap you into your next incarnation for even thinking about doing that to Madame Fussy Briches, who by the way is taking care of both of our children presently."

He tugged her gently. "I love Katara very much, Toph. If you need my intentions to be cleared, I had a crush on you years ago."

This time, Toph stumbled. Aang was ready and caught her, carrying her in sync with their dance. The music ended and that's how their dance concluded. Toph was in his arms and Aang posed for the crowd. Their audience was pleased. The two were approached by several nobles, complimenting them on their skills. The entire time, Toph stayed in Aang's hold, her long robes covering her shoeless feet

When they finally had a minute to themselves, the chief of police barked at her friend to put her down as quietly as she could.

Aang dropped her ungracefully. Toph just adjusted her clothing and scowled. "Did you have to carry me the entire time?"

She wasn't happy to hear him chuckle. "I thought it was funny."

He should have expected the kick that came to his shin. He held his breath."What the heck, Toph!"

His mouth was covered by her hand instantly. "You will not blow our cover." Toph let him go and the flash of alertness that crossed her face caused Aang to get himself together. "The exchange is happening out back."

The avatar grabbed her hand and they started their way into the halls of the large building the celebration was held in.

They ran down the corridors. "Did you stall them?"

Toph huffed. "I poked their tires."

"Good."

"Now will you explain what you said earlier?"

One right turn later, he began to speak. "It was just a question, Toph. I'm not ashamed to say that I found you attractive years ago."

Her eyebrow rose as usual. "How many years ago?"

"When we were twenty."

Toph stopped him so abruptly that they collided together. "Twenty? You and Katara were still a couple! What the hell?"

"You know exactly why that time was weird for both Katara and I." He tugged on her arm and the two were off running again. "She was down in the Southern Water Tribe while you and I were in Ba Sing Se. We were there for months. I feel guilty about it but Katara and I still ended up married."

"Wow, Aang. I didn't know you could be like that. I always thought you were a one true love kind of person. But it turns out you are just like any other guy."

"Oh don't say it like that. I am no where near that."

Right turn, left turn, right again. "Cocky aren't we. I'm just messing around with you." There was a pause. "Does Katara know?"

"Uhhhh..."

Her laughter echoed through the hallway. "You scaredy cat!"

His hand came to her mouth. "Who's going to blow our cover now?"

Toph gathered herself. "Well, I am very flattered, Twinkle Toes. I know I'm hard to resist."

"Shut up. Just answer my question."

The two kicked the back door open and didn't even wait. Toph instantly threw one of her robe layers away, revealing her familiar black spools of metal cable. The slick black wires went flying left and right towards the multiple culprits. Aang fought his way through the group to the captured girl, his wig and hat falling off in the process. Both the chief of police and the avatar rolled their eyes at the shocked gasps of their enemy at the sight of Aang's arrows.

Five minutes, twelve confined criminals, one nobleman, and a fifteen year old girl later, Aang and Toph were standing over the group waiting for Ba Sing Se officials to come by.

Aang had a hand on the young girl's shoulders. "Your mother will be happy when we bring you home. She's been worried sick."

Both Toph and Aang flinched backwards at the fury of the teenager.

"I don't want to go back! Mother doesn't let me do anything."

As the teenager walked away to wait on the opposite side, Toph shouted right back at her. "I can gladly untie these idiots if being kidnapped is more suitable for you!"

"Let it go. She doesn't mean it." She felt Aang's hand on her shoulder now.

"Oh man, if Lin and Suyin give me that attitude when they get to that age they better expect to be buried in the backyard."

Toph could practically feel the mischief in his voice. "Oh, I would count on it. You were just like that before. It's one of the things that attracted me to you."

"Really?" She sounded unbelieving.

"No."

"Idiot." She slapped him on the back of the head.

"Ow!"

"Cry me a river."

"You never answered my question."

Toph crossed her arms and turned away from her companion. At first, the avatar only became frustrated with his former teacher. She always liked to avoid uncomfortable questions. And that's when he realized that that is exactly the reason Toph refused to answer it. It made her uncomfortable which only ment...

Aang brought his hand to his mouth. "You did have a crush on me back then!"

The blush on her cheeks could not be hidden by her bangs. With her hair configured the way it was, the chief of police had no place to hide. "No I didn't!"

"Toph, you're blushing."

"I didn't have a crush on you!"

He nudged her with his elbow, enjoying the upper hand he had on her at the moment. "It's okay, Sifu. I understand."

Toph huffed in frustration. "I did not have a crush on you."

Aang just waited.

"It was...just a tiny attraction."

The almighty avatar laughed and raised his hand ready to slap her arm playfully. The grip that came around his wrist when he started to pull back brought him back to reality. Aang remained smiling.

"Try that and you'll become the first one handed avatar."

He waited for her to release him before asking. "When?"

She sighed irritated by the entire conversation. "When we were living here."

"Really? How very, very interesting. Not to mention the coincidence." He rubbed his chin. "What was it?"

The chief of police gave him a dangerous expression. "What are you talking about?"

"What attracted you to me?"

Toph stayed silent, trying not to give her friend anymore satisfaction. She spoke the truth, however. With both Katara and Sokka in the South, Aang had asked Toph to accompany him in Ba Sing Se to help with politics. The master earthbender had refused several times, saying she was not cut out for a diplomatic life. She was also expanding her metalbending academy at the time as well. After much begging and bribery, the avatar had persuaded his sifu to allow her students to run the academies and help him lead the world. The biggest issue at the time had been convincing the earth king to allow a piece of his kingdom to be used as a separate unified city state. With Toph's shocking natural ability at politics, both she and Aang had accomplished just that.

During their time there, Toph and Aang had spent more time together than they had when traveling around the world before the war was over. Without Katara, Sokka, Suki, or Zuko, the two twenty year olds had no choice but to keep each other company. They both had found the next couple of months more enjoyable than they expected.

"Do I have to?"

Aang only pushed her. "Yes. I won't stop bugging you."

She just sighed. Toph scolded herself, she was getting soft as she got older. If she had been twelve again, she would have sent Aang flying by now. Nonetheless, she answered. "You weren't afraid to compliment me. Even if I told you to shut up. I...appreciated it."

He laughed at the way she gritted her teeth. "You're welcome, Toph. If you're curious, I admired your loyalty and determined attitude. You also look very beautiful with your hair down."

The hardest part of tonight was fighting off the hot flush trying to make its way to her cheeks. "Thanks...Aang." She was back to her usual self in no time. "I'll make sure to tell Katara that when we get home."

The avatar gasped at the threat. "You wouldn't."

"I'm very loyal to my friends, like you said. How could I possibly keep a secret like that from my oldest and dearest friend?"

He was definitely not going to let it go either.

"Once we take care of all this, how about we go for drinks? I'll buy. Think of it as our first date that was supposed to be."

The Dai Li were greeted with the Chief of Police of Republic City and Avatar Aang wrestling on the ground.

Lighter fic. I'm sure in the time that they had known each other, Aang and Toph had found some kind of attraction towards each other. It's all fun as long as nothing came of it, right? I hope you enjoyed reading! Tell me how I did with a review!