AN: Ok so I figured out a way to upload from my iPod so ignore any typos or strange dialogue paragraphs. Any how onto other things! Thankyou guys so so so much for reviewing it make me feel so special and like I'm a good writer it's so encouraging and everyone is so nice! I think I did a better job keeping Toph and Sokka in character this chapter and if it's short I'm sorry it's hard to tell how long it is on this small screen. Now to address NaomiJay: When I wrote Aang hunting the animals I Remembered about his monk ways but I figured I could tweak it just a little and say he's a bit tougher skinned about killing now that he's older And he wanted to impress the love of his life Katara with some of her native customs. Does that make sense or am I only confusing you further? Lol Thankyou for your review btw :) Enjoy!
We avoided eachother the next day and only spoke briefly the next. However on the third day after the incident Iroh brought an interesting proposition to me. It was silent over our morning tea that day. I was too occupied with things other than conversation. "May I ask you a question?" Iroh asked.
"You just did." He chortled and then continued. "I have noticed my nephew had been secluding himself in his study more and more. Sokka seems to accompany him to discuss trade routes. However I have a feeling that something more sinister is going on than trade routes."
"So you want me to spy?"
"You are very perceptive." I shrugged.
"Ok. I'll go tonight and tell you what I find tomorrow morning."
"Excellent. Now, how is that Willow tea helping your nausea?"
I waited to move that night until Sokka and Zuko were locked away in the Fire Lord's study. I crept along the walls in silence until I reached the large doors of the room and hid behind a pillar in what I hoped was the shadows. I heard Zuko's rough voice first and then Sokka's followed. I tilted my head to better cup the sound to my ears. Scrolls unrolled and compasses placed on a desk. I could feel the two on either side of the desk. Maybe they really were just studying trade routes. I mean that's what Sokka told me a couple nights ago and he wouldn't lie to me. At least that's what I told myself when I heard them start to refer to someone in particular. They only called the person "Him"; for whatever reason escaped me. "My resources tell me he was in a little fishing town called Min-Ra two days ago," Zuko said.
"Good. He's nervous. And you know what ostrich horses do when they're nervous," Sokka seemed to prompt.
"They're feet move."
"And when they're feet move they get sloppy." Even I could tell this conversation had nothing to do with ostrich horses. But what was it about? Nothing of strong interest came to pass after that double edged conversation. Only things such as towns and villages and the roads that connected them. I quickly became bored and got distracted by the baby's heartbeat. It was becoming easier to feel everyday now and somehow that made me feel a little better about everything; that maybe I was doing something right. I heard the doors click and I darted down the hall towards my room. I nestled into bed but had a hard time falling asleep. What exactly were Zuko and Sokka planning?
I reported my meager findings to Iroh the following morning after hurling my guts up. But before we could really talk Sokka popped in and called me out. But Iroh, being the polite man he was, offered Sokka his seat and left. "So I was thinking we might leave tomorrow morning. Is that ok with you?" He asked awkwardly.
"I'm sorry," I blurted. I clapped a hand over my mouth in surprise. Where did that come from?
"What? Are you apologizing? Thats twice in the last month, Toph. This pregnant thing must really be messing with you," he chuckled. "But seriously, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I crossed the line. I'm sorry, I never meant to scare you."
"You didn't scare me, really, just..." Oh how was I supposed to put this? "...just surprised me is all."
"I'm really sorry," he said sheepishly.
"Don't worry about it, Sokka, really." There was a beat. "So do you need help packing all those market treasures?"
We found ourselves back on the road and in no time we returned to the little ranch town and gave back the ostrich horses. We would be on foot from now on, something I wasn't looking forward to. My feet and ankles had swelled when I was on horse back, I didn't even want to think about what would happen now that we would be walking. "Hey this means we can go back to reading our book," Sokka said enthusiastically as we left the ranch."
"That may be but I'm going to be a cripple," I complained.
"Don't worry, I'll carry you." Suddenly the ground was out from under my feet.
"Put me down!" I demanded. I smacked his shoulder and proceed to thrash around until Sokka practically dumped me from his arms.
"For the love of Tui and La, Toph!" He whined. He rubbed his nose where I had elbowed him.
"And let that be a lesson to you," I said sticking my nose in the air. I felt one of his feet leave the ground and I stepped out of the way of his tackle. He dove nose first into the ground. "Your stupidity is showing."
"Where!?"
"Youre going to have to be more careful with me now, Sokka, we can't wrestle anymore, I have a baby to think of."
"Oh. Sorry."
I dusted my hands. "Well now that that's taken care of we probably should make camp."
"Right, right, I knew that." We quickly set up the tent and Sokka lit a fire. We ate a meager dinner and then he tucked me under his arm and read a few chapters of our book. "Toph, Toph. Come on you fell asleep it's getting cold."
"Ok," I mumbled snuggling farther into his side.
"Alright then..." and he scooped me up and when he bent to go in the tent I could feel his warm, sweet breath on my nose and cheeks and it made me smile. He then tucked me into my sleeping bag.
"I'm cold," I complained sleepily.
"Me too but don't worry I'm working on that." In all of ten seconds he was snugged down in my sleeping bag with me and his furs were over us like a blanket. I shivered when his cool arms touched mine. I was grateful for the warmth that radiated from his chest into my back. I flinched when he buried his cold nose into the base of my neck. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Is this ok? I'm just really cold."
"It's fine I know you don't mean anything by it." You that feeling when you just want to punch yourself right in the face? Yeah this was one of those times. Why did I say that!? I'm so stupid sometimes! Didn't I eventually want more than friendship with him? So why was I shooting him down? Fear of rejection? Yes. Oh but it was more than that. I craved his touch but when he did I jut panic. Jai Ling had ruined me. I got nervous when things with Sokka went beyond friendly. I closed my eyes and sighed. It was going to be a long night.
I was overjoyed to finally be home. It had been rough traveling on foot what with my ankles swelling and my feet developing blisters when I had never had the nasty little abscesses before. I didn't tell Sokka because I was the Blind Bandit for crying out loud! It honestly embarrassed me that my feet had betrayed me and on top of the searing, stinging pain, they made these nifty little blind spots in my vision. And these blind spots made me bump into things I could have otherwise avoided. To say the least I was tired, sore and snippy. I got so mad when I stepped on sharp rocks and slammed into Sokka when I didn't even know he was there. Let's just say the last rock I stepped on suffered and... So did the rest of the ground within a hundred meter radius. At least now that I was home I knew where everything was simply from memory. Now maybe Sokka would stop pestering me about my clumsiness. On the other hand, during the last few days my morning sickness seemed to slow down some, I may just be over it.
Upon entering my house I promptly fell in the middle of my stone, living room floor and sighed happily. Sokka almost immediately set to making a hot supper. I however reveled for a few minutes on the floor and then went to take a warm bath. Simply being in my house was comforting and yet at the same time it gave me the chills. I couldn't help but think of the first two lonely and horrifying months of my pregnancy. I would have dwelled on it had it not been for the incredible burn when my battered feet hit the water. I screamed in surprise which sent Sokka running to the door knocking furiously with both fists.
"I'm fine, relax."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, yes," I said waving my hand even though he wouldn't see it through the door.
"Well what had you screaming?"
"Nothing, go away!" My fuse was all but gone at this point. I was mad because my feet hurt, I was mad because I couldn't feel totally comfortable in my own house anymore, I was mad because I was tired, I was mad because I couldn't tell Sokka about my feet, and I was mad because of my mixed and tangled feelings for him!
"Ok, ok, yeesh." I made sure to keep my feet out of the water and hurried to get finished and get out. I wrapped a towel around myself and limped into my room. I changed Into clean wrappings and then pulled a pair of long pants on. I sifted through my draws and yanked out a favorite tunic upon finding it. I smiled as I pulled it over my head. However, my victory was short won when I realized how tightly it fit around my swollen belly. I let out an angry, whiny growl and clawed through my hair. I slammed the draw shut and stomped out into the living room only to cry out when a blister busted against the floor. Sokka was at my side in a second hoisting me into his arms and plopping me down into a chair. "Alright what's wrong?" He demanded
"I'll tell you what's wrong! I'm pregnant and fat and miserable!" I growled.
"Well what's got you crying around here like a tigerdillo whose had his toe pulled?"
"Blisters. That's what."
"Toph! Why didn't you tell me sooner!?" He scolded upon inspecting the bottom of my feet. I crossed my arms and huffed. "These could have gotten infected and then you could have gotten sick and then it could have hurt the baby and-"
"Shut it," I hissed. He hissed right back and left to get what I assumed would be bandages and salves. What I didn't expect was a chunk of food shoved in my hand.
"Here eat that."
"What is it?" I asked smelling it.
"It's chocolate, it'll make you feel better." I was suspicious but ate it anyways. It was delicious to say the least. Meanwhile, while I was distracted with the sweet treat, Sokka took expert care of my feet. The bandages left me blind but Sokka wasn't going to budge about it. So after reading a little we both went to bed where I fell into an exhausted slumber.
But my hands weren't blind and when I felt a huge thud reverberate up the palm I had left on the floor I was scrambling to get up and defend my house against whatever attacker was upon us. But when I jumped to my feet I wasn't aware that the blankets were twisted around my legs and I slammed down on the floor face first. "Sokka!" I yelled. "Come here and help me so I can kick some butt!" However, Snoozles lived up to his namesake and didn't come to my aid. But it didn't really matter, I had already disentangled myself and was headed for the front door where someone was knocking. Who would knock if they were attacking? I yanked open the door an waited for an explanation, but I couldn't see who it was and that only made me angrier.
"Hey guys! I didn't think you'd be here so soon!" Sokka chirped from behind me. I gulped and realized that Katara and Aang were in my doorway and I wasn't ready to face them. I curled my arms over my stomach in a vain attempt to hide the telltale signs of the baby growing inside my body. "Oh... hey you two," I choked awkwardly.
