Disclaimer: I don't know Avatar; blah blah blah… here goes nothing! (a few months have passed since the last chapter of the first story, btw!)
Zuko swallowed the lump in his throat, pressing his open palm against the wooden door. He glanced into the dim rooms and saw no one. He sighed sadly and stepped inside, only to find a thin silver dagger against his throat.
"You've lost your touch, Sparky," a silky voice whispered through the darkness. He smirked, quickly grabbing the yielder's hand a twisting it above her short head. She grunted, bending a rock in his direction, releasing herself from Zuko's hold.
"Lady Toph Bei Fong," he murmured, bowing deeply. She smiled and bowed in return.
"Firelord Zuko."
"I wasn't expecting you…"
"A lot of unexpected things have happened lately, hmm?" she whispered. Zuko swore in his mind. Of course she would know about his father and sister, Toph knew about everything that went wrong, whether in the Earth Kingdom or even the Fire Nation.
"So—"
"I'm engaged!" she blurted out. Zuko's eyes widened with shock as he stared down at her round, pale face.
"What?"
"I'm engaged…to be married. He's a noble from the Earth Kingdom, a long time friend of my family…My mother set us up," she explained feebly, wrapping her arms around herself. He sighed, running a hand through his taught topknot, yanking out headpiece that symbolized his status.
"Why?" he asked in a raw voice. She shrugged simply.
"I'm the heir to the Bei Fong fortune, my parents think it is necessary for me to get married," she replied sadly. He sighed again, leaning heavily on the porch as they wandered out into the hot sun. She laid a soft hand on his shoulder. He shivered at her touch and turned, enveloping her in a tight hug.
"I thought you were Toph, you never let anyone boss you around. You never do anything you don't want to," he whispered into her black hair. She nodded, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and pressed herself against him. They fit perfectly together, as though they were two pieces of a puzzle. Zuko's tall muscular body held her small physique so perfectly she wanted to stay in his arms forever.
"But I agree with them. It is time for me to get married."
"What?" he asked with clear shock. He jerked away from her embrace and held her stiffly at arm's length. "You want to get married? You?"
"Yes!" she snarled, shoving him away. "Why is that so hard to believe? I'm twenty years old! I'm tired of acting like a child and having to be alone all the time because people think I don't like company. I'm ready to take responsibility for my life and begin a family," she said bravely, clasping her fists to her chest. Zuko smiled softly, reaching out to brush the hair that had slipped from her bun in her anger, behind her ears.
"Why not choose me?" he asked seductively, kissing Toph gently on the shoulder. She shuddered but stepped away quickly.
"We were children. I-I-I've moved on," she muttered quickly, putting pace between herself and Zuko quickly. He frowned, walking back into his rooms, following Toph. Her head hung low and her arms twisted by her sides. He watched uneasily as the stone aspects of his chambers started to rumble and crack with her energy.
"Toph."
"Please," she whispered, almost in defeat. "Don't." He smiled before cupping her face in his hands. She shivered, feebly trying to push away. He leaned in a kissed her, reminding her of what they shared.