With trepidation, she hurried.
Her bare feet were almost silent as she ran through the entrance hall yet again. The sun was fading fast; someone had lit the scones lining the walls, their flames casting shadows on the darkening hallway with each flicker. She felt their flush, confirming how long she had taken in her preparations, and quickened her footsteps. She burst through the gilded front doors, and then screeched to a sudden halt. Her damp bangs hung in tendrils, their ends tickling her face, her braid hanging limply down her back, soaking through the fine material of her dress. After bidding Jin farewell, she had hastened to the rarely used wooden tub off her bedroom and basked in nearly half an hour's worth of bath salts, courtesy of her mother, and hot water. She had washed her hair- a feat, considering the amount of dirt caked in it- and cleaned her feet. She had stepped out smelling of lavender and soap and clean, dressed in the first silky fabric her fingers had brushed and left, dodging the palace guards and other nobles to avoid awkward questions.
Her eyes were wild as she scanned her left, then her right with a dexterous sweep of her feet, her face darting from side to side. Her breath came in short bursts as she focused- a hundred thousand threads darted out from beneath her feet, searching for the clearest way out, her nerves tingling with anticipation. Instinctively, she headed to her right, making another sharp turn before catapulting herself over the palace wall with a well-placed jump. She landed softly on the other side, bending her knees and lightly touching to the ground with her fingertips to absorb the impact. Another furtive glance around the area with her feet- everything was as it should; she tucked a strand that had become loose back behind her ear, reminiscent of her once youthful innocence. She began to make her way through the circles towards the Jasmine Dragon, the pace of her footsteps only exceeded by that of her heart.
Today, the streets of the middle circle were crowded with people seeking respite from the monotony of their daily lives, drinking in the freedom the weekend brought. She sidestepped the masses that thronged the restaurants, bars and discotheques that lined the streets, the occasional yell from a street vendor peddling his wares cutting through the buzz like a knife slices through butter. The air was alight with the faint pounding of music, conversations abound, the scent of smoke coalescing with that of grilled meat. She inhaled greedily; her stomach rumbled in response to the emptiness inside. She hadn't eaten anything but breakfast that day; her protesting stomach did little to aid the oncoming headache she would inevitably receive. The resulting effect of the various noises, smells and erratic vibrations of so many people were disconcerting, to say the least; as she had told him before, the city was too large, too full, the assaults on her senses overwhelming her, and her head would throb with migraines as her feet curled into themselves to minimize their exposure to the ground. Sometimes, heightened senses did have their disadvantages. She would be a lot less irritable if she could just sample the source of that delectable smell… No, no time to waste this time, she reminded herself; she moved swiftly through the crowd, her head down to avoid recognition, inconspicuous in her green dress and messy braid amongst the brightly coloured locals.
Her thoughts drifted to Iroh's cryptic letter. Old friend, he had written. She hadn't met many people she could call friends; acquaintances, colleagues, yes, but the only people she could count as friends were the very people she had spent the past year avoiding, deliberately disappearing into the haze of their pasts as their lives diverged into the different futures awaiting them. She had long come to terms with the addiction she had for him, her crumbling life a direct repercussion of her unbridled feelings. In that very moment, she had chosen the path she was on now- to give up, plunge ahead and let go. Yet she couldn't resist looking back with every step she took, her fingers fumbling for foundation, stability and security in the uncharted waters she had impulsively set sail on. She disliked mistakes and loathed admitting them; she realized her alternative options that day at Earth Rumble, but how could she go with them when they all involved him? She prized her pride above all her other commendable traits, and telling him- or her friends- how she felt would just about kill her. All her life she had refused the stereotype that stemmed from her appearance, and she would continue to reject the thought of appealing to others for help. She wasn't helpless, and she certainly could take care of herself, no matter what her father or anyone else thought. No, as captain of this ship, general of her army, she would stubbornly see this course of action to the very end.
The hordes of people began to thin as she reached her destination. Most people drowned themselves in alcohol instead of tea at this time of the day, but as she approached the modest teashop, she could feel the stirrings of several people within the building. People… She slowed down and came to a halt, her skin prickling with wariness and a sudden fear gripping her; in her haste, she hadn't stopped to think about the effect this particular person could have on her plans, her life. Her longing for her old life with the gang and naïve curiosity had made her eager, dragging her out into dangerous waters. Iroh had mentioned one person, but she was aware of distinct but fuzzy movements belonging to different people in the shop- damn, why did he have to renovate to carpeted floors? Her hand flew up to brush against her wet hair- she had even bathed! And what of her dress- she realized how uncomfortable it felt now, the skirt restricting her movements. She must actually look presentable, like an actual woman now. She coloured as comprehension- the true reason as to her leisurely bath, her enthusiasm in coming to the appointed place- dawned on her. The absence of her usual, healthy coating of earth made her feel vulnerable- her instincts told her to flee, and quickly. What was she thinking? She led a comfortable life here, hidden within the inner circle of the Earth Kingdom's finest city- she absolutely did not need a motherly waterbender, a capricious Avatar and, most importantly, a certain wolf-tailed warrior to sweep into and disrupt her meticulously crafted life.
She was about to turn around and run, her tail between her legs, when she felt it- someone was approaching the doors to the establishment. The fact that they were constantly thrown open to allow the ambrosial fragrances of freshly-brewed tea to waft through the middle circle- a brilliant business tactic on Iroh's part; he wasn't the greatest General the Fire Nation had ever seen, after all- suddenly dawned upon her. She couldn't see them, obviously, but they could see her. She froze, panic seizing her body as her mind frantically thought of a means of escape that did not involve earthbending whoever it was into next week.
Then the footsteps stopped, and a voice- markedly male and deep- called out her name. A tinge of recognition, relief and wonder mingled through the air. Through the hammering of her heart, the abrupt dryness in her throat, she planted her feet more firmly into the ground, straining to catch just a glimpse of who it was. The person was standing upon the carpeted foundations of the Dragon, blurring her vision of them. She backed away hesitantly, guarded, unsure of whether to approach. If only she could see who he was…
The man moved towards her as he saw her cower away, possibly in an act of comfort. Only when his heel touched the stones bordering the Dragon did she stop, her body relaxing, reversing her progression and walking with confidence up to him, tilting her face upwards in an attempt to meet his gaze.
He looked into the mint eyes of Toph, his breath hitching not at the physical changes that had taken place within the two years he had not met her- when did she have that growth spurt? And her hairstyle was different, too- but the broken, tired soul that peered from within. His arms found a way around her as she flung her arms around his neck, her face breaking out into the first smile that had appeared there in a year, his modest green tunic growing wet with the tears of happiness she shed.
'Well,' Zuko said, patting his friend's head, 'It's nice to see you, too.'
A/N: Andddddd... Toph's mysterious visitor is revealed! What he's here for, though, is a mystery~ Did you guys notice he's in disguise as Lee again? :3 As continued from the previous chapter, Toph's journey along the path she's chosen has been full of obstacles and self-doubt. I tried to keep her as in character as possible, because there was a really good chance that she'd become too angsty and conflicted and just one-dimensionally horrifying, when we all know she's capable of toughing it out, although there'll be cracks showing; anyway I'm just trying to keep her character as layered as possible, with some childish naivety showing through.
I hope this chapter is up to par with the rest- you guys seem to be more inclined to my descriptive style rather than the plot-based one. Still, I really want to get Toph's life moving, although I have the feeling this particular fic is going to extend way beyond 10 chapters, if I can figure out how to substantiate the ending I have in mind.
Thank you to all who gave me reviews, favorited my story and hit me up with a story/author alert! I really enjoy seeing all those new messages pop up in my inbox, so please R critiques etc. are all welcome!