He was everything she wanted, and everything she couldn't have.

That summer in Ba Sing Se was unusually hot for the Earth Kingdom. The earth seared beneath her bare feet that day, the dry grass crackling as they made their way to the hilltop overlooking the circles of the city. Her muscles ached, weighed down from serving tea to the thirsty, refugees and natives alike. That's what she liked about Iroh; he was kind and fair to all despite his native country, and because of that, in addition to their delicate teas, The Jasmine Dragon was known far and wide across the kingdom.

They had reached the top. From here, Sokka said they could see all the way to the outer wall, a thin line of sand representing the desert they had traipsed across an eternity ago stretching beyond that, disappearing into the horizon. When the sun hit the wall just right, he told her, the stone shone like a jewel in an assortment of colours; oranges for the exposed top, where the new and now loyal Dai Li patrolled, mossy green for the middle, and deep blues and purples where the shadows resided below. She, however, understood none of this; instead, she felt the lives of a thousand people reverberating beneath her soles, the whisper of the wind overhead, and the searing heat of the sun above.

Colour didn't mean anything to her. She could feel the sadness in his voice as he tried to described things foreign to her; a futile effort.

They sank onto two small stools carved out earth under the shade of the old pineoak tree. She could sense his heart beating erratically from the climb and- something else. His customary steady, loping walk was jittery the whole way up, with him stumbling more than once in his eagerness to reach their special place. His heart told her he was unusually happy, and she wondered what had spurred this excitement.

Her instincts told her she wouldn't like it, and her instincts were usually right.

A comfortable silence wafted between them as they caught their breath and settled down onto familiar seats. The branches overhead curved down towards them, as if Mother Nature herself was offering the duo her embrace. The flowers of nearby trees drifted by, frangipani scenting the air. Toph reached out and caught one by the petal, cradling it in the palm of her hand. Ever since Aang had fought against- and beaten- her, she had trained herself to pick up any sign of movement in all mediums by relying on her other senses.

'So, Snoozles, what's so important that you had to drag me away from work in the middle of my shift and make me climb all the way up here? You think those tea trays are gonna airbend themselves to our customers?'

Her tone was casual, a hint of annoyance and her normal sassiness seeping through, masking the terrible ominous feeling that had gripped her ever since he had shown up unexpectedly at the Dragon, insisting he needed to talk to her urgently. And in private.

Another silence, during which he shifted his weight; she marveled at how his toes curled inside his boots, and the tension enveloping his body. He rummaged in his satchel and drew something out. She saw every muscle move and flex, the pulsing of his heart leaping. That heart- she could pick it out in a crowd of others, so accustomed she was to it. Her own adjusted accordingly, beating out the same rhythm, the pumping blood swirling around to diligently distribute oxygen to their organs.

More silence. Then-

'I'm going to propose to Suki- tonight!' he burst out.

Something caught in her throat- thicker than air, thicker than water. She was choking on earth, her mouth dry as the desert, all air expelled from her lungs as though someone had kicked her in the gut. If only.

He was beaming, his face brighter than the sun overhead. 'Here-' he tossed something at her, and she caught it with shaking hands. 'I'm going to give that to her. Feel it- it's made out of this stone found underwater, in the sea between the Earth Kingdom and my tribe. Tell me what you think, because, you know, what with stones and earth being your specialty and all…'

Her head was spinning; she should have seen this coming, should have done something to just prevent it, even if it meant sacrificing their friendship. How long had it been- six years? Seven? Spirits; had she been alone and pining for that long?

Feeling Sokka's expectant gaze, she opened the box, feeling around inside. Her deft fingers explored the betrothal necklace; a replica of the one Katara wore around her neck. This one, though, was made of a finer, more expensive stone. She weaved it through her fingertips, feeling its lightness, which contrasted its unyielding nature. She flipped it over and traced something she instantly recognized- an intertwining earth and water emblem, something Iroh had shown her once.

Anger suddenly burned up in her, hot and blazing. How dare he just announce to her he was going to up and marry his long-time girlfriend, expecting her to offer her congratulations like everyone else? The clueless bastard! Didn't he remember she was from the Earth Kingdom, too? And how could anyone marry someone after just six (or seven) years together? Hadn't he ever wondered whether his best friend could possibly offer him some respite from the bore that was known as Suki, and add some spice into his dull, irrelevant, non-bender life? It was completely, totally insensitive- he had chosen Suki over her yet again, and this time, it was final. And she hated him for it.

Her body was rigid, the colour drained from her already pale face, a muscle leaping in her jaw. She was well aware of the fact that the stone was curled up inside her palm; her arm shuddered in anticipation. One flex, one flick, one twitch would be all it took to crush the damn thing into dust. Destroy it, just like how he had come along on a damn flying bison and ruined her life for the next six (or seven) years, which she wasted, spent longing and wishing and hoping for something that, just a few seconds ago, was obviously not going to happen.

'Toph?'

And then it was gone. For some inexplicable reason, it had vanished. Her whole body sagged, her grip around the stone loosening. She closed the box and returned it to him, her face smooth, expression neutral.

'It's beautiful. Nice embellishment. She'll love it.'

Her voice was a monotone, devoid of any emotional nuances. Her mouth and brain couldn't seem to work together. She felt him falter, his eyebrows probably knitting slightly, attempting to understand what was wrong.

So she added, 'Congratulations,' sticking her hand out in his general direction. The word seemed to be poison invading her body, venomous, and she was ashamed of her aching heart, ashamed that she had to rain on his parade.

She felt him take her hand; fleetingly, she thought of the airship, and the fire below. Suddenly he was pulling her off her seat, and they were standing, his arms around her, her face at his chest. His heart throbbed with relief and gratitude as he gently said, 'A handshake? Really, Toph?'

Her arms reached up almost instinctively, circling his neck as she hugged him back. This was the closest she had ever been to him; she memorized the map of blood vessels crisscrossing his back, his warmth, the way he smelled like meat and earth. She wanted to tighten her grip, savor his entire being, and claim him for hers, and hers alone.

But he was Suki's; he had been for the past six, seven years, and he would be forever. Fighting the will to never let go, her arms fell limply to her sides. Surprised and embarrassed, he quickly let go and took a step back too. She felt his hand on her shoulder, and suddenly realized she was crying. Quickly, she brushed his hand away and turned, her head down to conceal the expression on her face. The frangipanis danced with the wind, carrying his scent to her. Loose strands of her hair tickled her face, and she tucked them behind her ears.

Before he could say anything, she spoke aloud. 'I should get back. Iroh needs all the help he can get, what with his old age and all.'

She paused. 'I guess… I'll see you at the wedding.'

Leaving him confused and wondering, the Blind Bandit made her way downhill, her feet guiding the way as tears began to stream down her face.