Disclaimer- As usual, I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Toph, or even the house I'm sitting in right now. Oh well  The Toph in this story is 18. See here. I do not own this picture, but I commend moony92 for her artistry that made me want to write a fanfic about it.

13+ is its rating for now, may go up.

It had been eight years since that day at the Bei Fong estate. Kenshi had never forgotten that fateful day when he lost his best friend Toph, and found the gift of bending. Since that day, he had never gone back to the Bei Fong estate. He knew the guards wouldn't let him in to see Toph, and even if they did, her father would stop him. After two years, he left home. It was not by choice, but rather by what he did. When the parents of the boys who had tormented him so often confronted his mother, he could do nothing but leave. The only thing he regretted was not saying goodbye to Toph. In the four years that followed, his friend Toph would teach the Avatar earthbending, he was wondering the four nations. He perfected his Earthbending as far as it could go, through years of traveling experience. After eight years, they both had changed. Where there once was an underweight squirt that couldn't see past seven feet and had no sense of direction, there was now a handsome strong young man who… still had no sense of direction. He was much taller then, now a whole inch above the average. He wore loose fitting clothes that allowed for free movement in combat, and a wide brimmed hat that covered his eyes. Toph had changed in some ways and stayed the same in others. Inwardly, she was still the same "I'll bash your head in", stubborn tomboy. Outwardly though, puberty had hit her like a proverbial ton of bricks. She was much taller, in comparison to her previous height and she had grown her hair out until it reached the small of her back. She had grown out in all directions, including bust, arms and legs, giving her a more graceful look. She never had returned home after the war ended, opting to run free across the four nations. Kenshi had wandered for eight years and was still doing that. Still, he never forgot his friend Toph, and was still trying to find her, following rumors and whatever could lead him to her.

It was morning when Kenshi flopped back his hat, where it rested on his back, and stared at the scrap of paper in his hand. "Ok so if I took a left at Badgermole Pass, and then kept walking I'd be at Omashu…" He said, scratching his head. As usual, with no sense of direction, he was attempting to find his way to Omashu. He was completely out of supplies and after a taste of berries went wrong, he decided to head to a nearby city to stock up on supplies. Sighing, he picked up his small pack and rubbed his empty stomach. "Almost there…" he said, continuing to walk down the path.

Toph walked down the streets of Omashu. It had been a long time since she had set foot in the Earth Kingdom city. She had left Aang and Katara, who were now living at the Northern Air Temple with the Mechanist and Teo. She left because it was "too weird" with Katara and Aang walking around and giggling and holding hands until it was too much for her, and she left. Not like she needed them! She considered herself independent enough to travel alone and strong enough to fight off most foes. As she walked down the street, she noticed something. Someone was following her, and from their heartbeat, it wasn't good. They were getting closer, until the person clapped their hand on her shoulder.

"Going somewhere pretty thing?" the man said, his voice smelling of too much alcohol and more then a little illegal cactus juice. This wasn't the first time a drunken idiot had tried to lay hands on her, and it most likely wouldn't be the last. Her clothes (see the picture), beauty and apparent frailty made her the supposed "perfect target". Nothing could ever be farther from the truth. As cutesy and easy as she looked, Toph was quite possibly the strongest earthbender to ever live, excluding the avatars. "Why don't you just stop moving now." said the man, clenching his hand tighter around her shoulder. Now if the man had a shred of sense, he would have realized there was no cry of pain when he clenched his fist.

"How about you let go of me and I don't hurt you." came Tophs reply, cool, quiet and collected. The man guffawed, his rank breath fouling the air around his head. "Fine, have it your way." said Toph. A few hand motions later, and the cry of "MY CABBAGES!!!" could be heard all around Omashu. Minutes later, when people came to see the commotion, the image of a man wiggling around upside-down in a vat of cabbages was all they would remember for the day.

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Kenshi wiped his forehead. He'd been alternately walking and jogging along Badgermole Pass to get to Omashu, underneath the hot sun. He was almost in Omashu. He just needed to check in through the guarded gate. After he checked in and was checked to make sure he wasn't doing any illegal activities, he walked through the gates into Omashu.

"Now where to get supplies…" he muttered to himself, scratching his head. "Hmm, maybe I'll just go to that Tea Shop the guard was talking about and have a drink…" he continued. Finally, his mind made up, he began the walk to the Jasmine Dragon.

Toph sighed. It was a long day, and she was tired. She started heading for her friend Iroh and his teashop in the Omashu. Ever since the shop had moved to Omashu, it had been her place for cooling down. She sighed and began running for the teashop. Little did she know what would happen when she got to the teashop.

"Table for one please." said Kenshi, waiting at the door.

"Of course, come right in!" said Ty Lee. Ever since the end of the war, she decided to go with Mai and work in Iroh's tea shop. Considering that Azula was locked up in Ba Sing Se's dungeons, they agreed to work off whatever war crimes were committed by doing community service at the tea shop. As he was guided by the perky young gymnast, he looked around. The Jasmine Dragon was the cities most popular tea shop, with young and old alike flocking to it for a cup of tea or a place to hang out. Kenshi took a side booth, and ordered a pot of green tea. It had been a long walk, and he needed to relax for the moment. He pulled his hat so that it covered his eyes and nose, and slumped back in the booth.

"Hi! Can I guide you to a table?" said Ty Lee, receiving the next person to enter.

"Table for one please." said Toph, thirsty and tired for the day. She looked into the busy tea shop. "Not a whole lot of tables open, huh?" said Toph. She was worried that she wouldn't get a table, and being her, she was very straightforward about it.

"Well you can still sit at that table… It has one seat left! There's only that one guy, and he won't bother you! He's a cutie!" said Ty Lee, hyperactive as she flipped around while Toph headed for the table. As she settled into the booth, across from the person, she cleared her throat.

"Uh…Hello?"

The person stirred and looked up. The hat was still covering his features except for his mouth.

"Umm, hello to you too…" he said, sitting up, with the hat now covering only his eyes. "Looking" at him, Toph believed he look vaguely familiar. Still, she didn't know anyone with his voice. And definitely not with his looks (that's right Zuko/ Aang/ Sokka fans. BURN.), that was for sure. Even though she couldn't see part of his face, just looking at him sped up her heartbeat. She immediately tensed. She couldn't just be attracted to any stranger in a tea shop, she was thinking. She wasn't go to be some fluffy Katara, always drooling and hanging on to Aang. No! She was independent! (She's using vibration to look at his face, but the hat is blocking out some of it)

"Well uh... What're you doing in Omashu?" said Toph, trying to make light conversation.

"I'm looking for someone that I needed to tell something eight year's ago." came Kenshi's reply. Little did he know the very person he was searching for was right ahead of him. "There's been something I've waited so very long to say to her, and I've been looking for her forever. If I could just tell her, then it would make me so much happier." he continued.

Toph smiled. "That's so romantic… I wish someone would come after me like that." Ironically, this was as close to the truth as ever possible.

"Sir, your tea is done." A waitress came near and placed a teapot and two cups on the table.

"Thank you." said Kenshi, tipping her a coin. He poured a cup of tea for himself and extended a cup to Toph. "Tea?" When Toph nodded, he handed her a cup and drank a sip from his before sliding his hat back to rest on his back. Now that she could "see" him, Tophs heart skipped a few beats and suddenly she was feeling very weak at the knees. Kenshi took a good look at Toph for the first time, having taken off his hat. He gasped and dropped the tea cup. It broke on the table, leaving a small puddle on the polished stone. "T-t-Toph.!?" he stuttered, barely being able to gabble the words out. He stared at her. She had changed immensely to him. She went from being his scrubby tomboyish friend to becoming a beautiful young woman. And he couldn't stop staring at her; she was mesmerizing. He blushed a little, and the little cogs in his mind began turning. "Stop staring…" he was thinking. But he was 18, and at that age, his cogs began to snap and break down.

"K-k-Kenshi?!" she said, her heart continuing pound like a drum. She continued to "look" at him, seeing her friend after a long eight years. It was the biggest shock of her life. She couldn't believe how much he had grown over the years. Where he was once inches shorter then her, now it was the other way around; He was two inches taller then her. His eyesight had somehow been fixed or so she guessed from the fact he was not wearing glasses. And the thing that stood out to her most… He was hot! While he might have been teased for his looks as a child, Toph could barely control herself. She could "stare" all day at him and not be satisfied. Kenshi regained control of himself and managed to begin stammering what he had rehearsed for eight years.

"T-Toph, there's been something I've wanted to say to you for those eight years we never saw each other. And there's been something I've wanted to ask you." he began. An awkward silence began to follow. "Toph, I want to say that I-"Kenshi was about to say, before the door to the tea shop burst open.

"WHERE IS SHE." shouted the man who had presumably slammed the doors open. He was a tough looking man, with tattoos swirling around his arms and on top of his bald head. He was extremely muscled, laughably so. He looked around the tea shop, his head swiveling and fists clenched. Then he spotted Toph and Kenshi's table. "There you are." he said, popping his knuckles. "You've got to answer for our boy who's got a broken arm. Outside. Now." Kenshi folded his arms across his chest.

"Why should we- AHH!" he began, but lunged back as the mans fist hit the table.

"NOW." said the man, muscles bulging. Toph stood up and put a few coins on the table.

"Let's do this Twinkletoes. If I can take down one of you, I can take down any of you." she said, popping her knuckles in anticipation.

"Toph…" said Kenshi, concerned for his friend. Seeing her after eight years made him more desperate to not lose her again, and he stood up. "I'm going with you." Toph, Kenshi and the man stepped outside. When they got outside, they realized they made a terrible mistake. It wouldn't be just one man. It would be his whole entire gang. "Oh no…" Kenshi whispered. This wasn't good at all.

Yes I know Toph can't see details with her version of sight. But hey! It's a fanfiction, and it's been quite awhile since that fateful day. She's bound to develop something right? Leave reviews/flames and have fun 