When Airbenders Eavesdrop Chapter 2: Later That Evening, an avatar: last airbender fanfic

Hey guys, so here's chapter 2. I guess I'll try and update every weekend. But just so you guys know, I have final exams coming up next week so chances are I probably won't update for two weeks just this time. But who knows, I could somehow write the third chapter tonight and get ahead..but thats very unlikely. Anywho, I just wanted to clarify that Aang and Toph will, of course, get older in this story. Probably into their late teens, maybe even early twenties which is why this story is rated M. But yes, right now they are 12 (i just had to get the puppy love in there, its the best =)). Just so you guys know, the story will definately go beyond where the finale ended. The episodes that I am re-writing my way are kind of just guides to make what I want to happen between Toph and Aang happen. Okay that's all I have to say for now. Enjoy chapter 2 :)

REMEMBER, blah blah blah i don't own anything concerning Avatar: The Last Airbender yadda yadda yadda don't sue me, kay? thanks.

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Tales of Ba Sing Se: Later That Evening

"Uh, Aang, what are you doing?" The airbender snapped out of his trance. He had been so absorbed with Toph and Katara's conversation that he hadn't even noticed that Sokka had entered the room and was now standing over him wearing a suspicious, yet amused expression.

"I —uh—sleeping." The airbender stammered, propping himself up on his elbows. His claim was half true, he had been sitting against the wall underneath the open window working on some new Appa posters when he had started to doze off. However, he quickly came to his senses when he heard voices outside the window. Instinctively, he jumped to his feet, grabbed his staff and was reaching for the door handle when he realized the voices belonged to Toph and Katara..and one of them was crying. He hesitated, his arrow-clad hand inches from the door, listening intently. He waited until he heard something about Toph not being pretty before he backed away and decided that maybe this was one of those times that the twelve year old male avatar should not interfere. 'But maybe I should just listen to make sure everything is ok...' he thought to himself.

And so he eavesdropped…sitting underneath the open window and up against the wall on the other side of which Katara and Toph conversed, utterly enthralled with their conversation. Before Toph had joined their group, everything was always so simple: He loved Katara. Period.

But then Toph came into the picture and mixed everything up. Everything that had once been so clear-cut in the airbender's head was now a confusing, jumbled mess of pubescent hormones. The little earthbender absolutely fascinated Aang. There were so many things about her that intrigued him. And he had such an intense desire to please her whenever possible during their lessons. Even though it definitely took some getting used to, and contrary to what Katara thought, Aang liked Toph's teaching methods. They motivated him and only made his will and determination to please her (and, of course to become a better earthbender) stronger. He couldn't even begin to tell of the shame she cast upon him on the day of their first earthbending lesson when he steered clear of that boulder (even though he had a legitimate reason to, and he knew it). He was just fascinated at the way her insults cut through him like a knife..he couldn't believe the raw strength and deafening impact her words had on him…all that from the tiniest little girl…. One thing's for sure, he definitely did not see it coming. He grew to love her challenges and blunt direction; a nice change of pace from Katara's same-old, simple, "encouraging" lessons which were getting old.

It seemed as though he already knew everything there was to know about Katara. She was beautiful, kind, motherly, an excellent waterbender….and….? That's as far as he ever got when describing his puppy love crush on her. But with Toph, he felt that there was always something new to learn about her, something to unearth, so to speak, in her tomboyish persona. And he knew there was so much more to Toph that she would never let anyone see because she felt she had her "tough image to protect". But Aang could see right through that. And this conversation proved his suspicions. There is more to Toph Bei Fong that meets the eye. And he wanted to know what.

He was currently hoping that Toph was preoccupied enough that she would not "see" him through the wall, really only sitting a few feet away from her when Sokka showed up.

"Sleeping, huh?" Sokka questioned, his lips pursed, one of his eyebrows raised high.

"Yep, yeah just dozed off..heheh.." Aang muttered, smiling an obviously guilty smile that most people would've picked up on..that is, most people except for Sokka.

"You're lying, Twinkletoes, I can feel it," smiled Toph who had just come in followed by Katara who was sliding the front door shut. Aang shot up. If they ever found out that he had been eavesdropping….especially Toph, Avatar or not, he would surely be the unluckiest boy on Earth. His eyes flickered nervously from one powerful bending master to the other. They didn't seem to suspect him of anything..so he decided to just let it go and forget about it for the time being.

Aang finally allowed his eyes to settle upon the two girls for the first time since they had entered the room. They both looked..beautiful. Well of course Katara was always beautiful..the make-up she wore accentuated her delicate features perfectly making her appear even more drop-dead gorgeous than usual. But, surprisingly, it wasn't Katara that made his jaw, literally, drop. His eyes moved to Toph. He couldn't believe it. If she hadn't called him Twinkletoes upon entering the room, he would never have guessed that that stunning girl next to Katara was Toph. Most of her make-up had been washed away by her tears, but some of her eye make-up still remained, creating a delicate, smoky effect, an absolutely unreal contrast against her pale, sea foam eyes. 'But she doesn't even need any of that make-up,' he thought. 'Toph really is ..…pretty…'

"W-Wow..you guys look—amazing--" Aang stammered, blushing deeply as he rose to his feet unsteadily.

"Aang, quit drooling and answer a question for me," said Sokka, lifting the now tomato-red airbender's jaw shut. "How are we going to hang up all these new Appa posters with Judi babysitting us 24/7?" Sokka gestured to the scattered posters littering the floor. Aang shook his head, composing himself.

"I have a plan, don't worry. I think the best use of our time is to look in the lower ring where the black market is. Plus you saw how uncomfortable Judi was when she was giving us a tour there on our first day. I think that two of us should distract her here while the other one of us and I sneak out and go to the lower ring to hang Appa posters and question people."

"I call going to the lower ring!" Toph's hand shot into the air. The other three turned to her. "What?" she questioned, "After this boring girly day I need something fun and exciting to do tomorrow." Katara scowled at her and then turned to Aang.

"I don't know…" she said uneasily, "the lower ring looked really dangerous, Aang. And if people down there found out you were the avatar it could really turn out bad—"

"Don't worry , Katara, I was going to wear a disguise. "

"Oh, ok."

They sat there in silence for a few seconds before Toph decided to break it, "Sooo….when's dinner gonna be here? I'm starving."

uh oh what's gonna happen with Toph and Aang alone together in the lower ring?!??

I promise to get a decent chapter three up as soon as i possibly can.

Thanks :)))

love, Mallory