Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA! Okay now I am charge free so I will be post often. Enjoy!
Toph slammed her pale hands on the table and the platters shook violently.
"What?"
"I said—"
"Dammit Zuko, I heard what you said! How could you let this happen?" she yelled. He flinched, rising calmly from his chair and approached Toph. The poor lieutenant was quivering in the corner as Zuko placed a firm hand on her shoulder and steered the fuming earthbender away.
"When did this happen?"
"About a week ago. All my forces have been searching for them and now we've located them, so there's no problem," he assured her. She rolled her eyes, slapping away his hand as soon as they disappeared into his room.
"No problem? Zuko, didn't you forget what happened seven years ago?" she hissed. He sighed, slumping on a chair behind his desk,
shifting nervously through the papers. Toph paced back and forth furiously, slowly creating an indent in the floor. Zuko chuckled softly but
decided not to chide the earthbender. Toph stopped short of Zuko desk and spun to face him, her pale eyes strangely accurate to where his
face was.
"Does Aang know? Katara? Sokka?"
"No," he replied. "No one but I knew and now you."
"Good," she said. Zuko started, regarding her closely. Normally, Toph hated keeping secret from people yet this time, she was condoning keeping a huge secret from the Avatar and his wife.
"Really?"
"Yes," she explained. "Katara is pregnant and if she got involved, things could get dangerous for their children. Sokka including. If Azula and Ozai know we're after them, they'll be tempted to act faster."
"But they saw Iroh after them…"
"So draw your forces back, keep at a distance. It's now our duty to keep Aang and his family safe," she said. Zuko smiled, reaching out to grab her hand.
"You're so beautiful," he murmurs. Toph blushed and pulled away slowly, a smile playing at her lips.
"I'm getting married…" she reminded him. Zuko sighed, squeezing her fingers before she pulled them away completely. Toph wished Zuko good night and returned to her rooms.
"Fire Lord Zuko?"
"Yes?" he said, looking over his shoulder. A messenger bowed in the doorway and hand him a small scroll. Zuko opened it quickly, dismissing the messenger. As he looked across the scroll, his eyes grew wider and wider.
Zuko found Toph dressed in her normal bending clothes, near the firebending area, entertaining a group of Fire Nation noble children. They
clapped with delight as Toph executed sequence after perfect sequence of earthbending. Finally, she felt him approaching and bowed in his
direction. The children screamed and sprinted away, shouting for their parents. She grinned, wiggling her toes in the dirt as he sat next to
her.
"How are you?" she asked, running her hand over her face, brushing away a trickle of sweat. He grunted dismissively and tossed her the scroll. She grabbed it tenderly and scrutinized it carefully before throwing it back.
"Very interesting novel you've written there," she replied. He gritted his teeth, remembering she could not read.
"It's a message from your father." Her mouth formed a perfect 'o' before knotting her fingers together.
"And?"
"Your fiancé is coming for a visit."
Zuko was dressed in his formal robes, waiting in the receiving hall, waiting for Toph's fiancé, Yuan, to arrive. She stood a few feet away
from him, off the raise platform. He wished she could be standing next to him, so he could stare down at the man who was taking Toph
away from him, showing him who she truly loved. The doors opened slowly and a tall man strode in confidentially. He had long brown hair,
tied at the nape of his neck, dressed in noble earth kingdom clothing. He looked strong so Zuko could guess he was most likely an earth
bender.
"Welcome, Yuan, to the Fire Nation."
"Thank you, Fire Lord Zuko. It is a pleasure and an honor to be welcomed by you into the Fire Nation. It is my first time here," he said, bowing.
"May your stay be pleasurable," he replied with stiff lips. Zuko flinched, feeling something sharp stab his back and he spotted a small
pebble near his foot. He glanced at Toph and saw she was frowning at him. Yuan turned to face her, grinning, reaching out his hands. She
took them and grinned, enveloping them into a hug. Zuko tensed slightly but tried to remain indifferent.
"Yuan, I'm sure you're exhausted from your long journey. My man here will show you to your room," he called, gesturing to a serving
man behind him. Yuan nodded, placing an arm around Toph waist and walked away. Zuko's heart fell as she leaned her head against his
shoulder and he heard them whispering as they walked away, leaving him alone in the empty hall.
Note: there ya go, hopefully I'll get another chapter up before the end of the week! :D