A/N: Sorry about the hiatus. Weekends are never good days for me to write during the summer. I always have way too much to do. But I am going to finish, I'll just be a bit behind. Sorry!
Notes: Canon Universe
Disclaimer: I'm not rich, so I can't possibly be making money off of these characters.
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Day 6
Hat
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Neither Aang nor Toph were used to world-wide publicity.
Before Aang was announced as the Avatar, people only recognized him as a particularly talented Airbender and one who got his tattoos extremely early on. While he was recognized for his success, he was treated normally. He played with his friends and blended in just like any other person at his temple without any extra attention.
While Toph happened to be a rich heiress, her parents never allowed her out of the house either. Actually, no one in Gaoling knew who Toph Bei Fong was. So none of the citizens there were paying attention to her because she was—for all intents and purposes—invisible. Even the Earth Rumble tournaments were limited to just praise from Gaoling citizens. But all the other fighters were jealous of her, and she would leave the scene before anyone had the chance to talk to her.
They were quite content in the fact that they weren't overly popular since it is how they lived the majority of their lives.
But word eventually got out that Aang was the Avatar. People also learned the name of the Bei Fong's mysterious daughter, Toph, who happened to be a master Earthbender as well as the world's first Metalbender. The fact that they also ended a 100 year old war made their popularity grow even more.
It got to the fact where Aang couldn't walk outside without being followed by a large crowd of girls and being sent boxes and boxes of flowers and homemade chocolates in the mail. His face was plastered on posters everywhere he went and people always recognized him no matter where he went. Toph had suitors come up to her doorstep frequently. They would sing songs, recite poetry, bring her gifts, ask for her hand in marriage, and permission to bear their children. The death threats she sent them didn't seem to faze them. They claimed it was all a part of her charm and she was actually deemed Most Eligible Bachelorette in Ba Sing Se.
All of the attention would get quite tiring at times, so the couple had to take drastic steps.
"So what would the two of you like for a drink…um...I'm sorry I didn't quite catch your names? I need them for when I call your order."
The first guest spoke. "Oh, um, my name is Kuzon. I'm just here visiting from the Fire Nation." The waitress nodded. There was nothing usual about that. Fire Nation citizens were welcomed pretty much anywhere now. Times had changed.
"Oh…and you are…?"
The second guest smiled and introduced themselves. "I'm Kwa-Mei and I'm just showing him around Ba Sing Se for a bit. He's never been here before and he's totally lost without me."
The waitress gave a small, polite smile. "So what will you two be having then?"
"Just bring a large pot of Oolong tea and two cups please," Kuzon asked.
The waistress tucked the order away in her head and told them that it would be coming over shortly. She walked away from the back of the shop and left the two mysterious customers by themselves. The two customers each followed the waitress with their eyes and made sure that she wasn't looking back at them. As soon as they saw her disappear in the back, they both heaved a sigh and relaxed.
Kuzon was the first to take off his Fire Nation cap. "Ugh. I hate having to wear this thing. It's so hot!"
Kwa-Mei rolled her eyes and pulled off the straw peasant hat she was wearing. "Well, at least your hat isn't twice the size of your head. Honestly, how do peasants wear these things all of the time?"
"It's meant to shade you from the sun, or in your case hide your eyes," Kuzon elaborated.
"Fine. But you shouldn't complain either. You said that was the only hat you could fine that covered your tattoos, Twinkles."
"Fine, fine. You're right."
After the years, it became necessary for Toph and Aang to create aliases for themselves whenever they wanted to go outside. Aang would dress up as his old Fire Nation friend Kuzon. Toph would dress up as a Earth Kingdom traveler who used the name Kwa-Mei, which she stole from Katara from the time they snuck into the Earth King's party back when they were kids (because honestly, Dong was a stupid name).
They quickly found out that once Aang's tattoos were covered, and once Toph let her hair fall loose and hid her cloudy eyes, they fit in almost perfectly. It wasn't uncommon to see travelers walking around the city, and now that the war was over it wasn't uncommon to see people of other nations in one area at a time. It gave Toph and Aang the opportunity to relax and avoid the buzz of fans and admirers.
Toph sighed and rested her cheek on her knuckle. "I kind of wish we didn't have to do this, though. Why can't people just back off?"
Aang laughed and unconsciously started brushing Toph's bangs out of her eyes. "Well, we don't have to. We can let all of the girls kidnap me and let all of those men drag you off to marry them." He was sent a half hearted glare.
"Over my dead and rotting body." She muttered into her hand, silently enjoying the feel of his fingers brushing against her hair and her forehead. "They're all crazy if they think I don't mean every threat I throw at them."
Aang shrugged and moved his fingers to brush through her long hair, enjoying the fact that it was hanging loose today. "They are creatures that we will never truly understand."
Toph laughed at the joke. "They are a species that has been left unstudied for decades. We should kidnap them and perform experiments."
"But then that would draw attention to us all over again."
"No. Not if we do it correctly."
The Avatar laughed and leaned closer in to his date at the table. He averted his eyes momentarily to make sure that they wouldn't be seen from all the way in the back. He turned her chin to the side to make her face him. "Can't you forget about maiming your fans and focus on what little bit of peace we managed to grab today?"
No matter how many times he doted on her, complimented her, or even placed a small kiss on her cheek, she would always turn pink with embarrassment. He found it endearing that such a tough girl would melt at such innocent attention. While she liked to curse such behavior, he rather enjoyed it. Even now, he was just holding her chin and keeping their face only a few inches apart. He really wasn't doing anything else, but her cheeks were already heating up fast.
Toph looked away, muttered something under her breath, but didn't pull away from him. "Why do you always have to do stuff like this?" she said with no real malice behind the words.
The young Airbender chuckled. "Because you look cute when you're all embarrassed."
As if to further justify the statement, her cheeks flared up even more. She scowled. "Yeah, whatever."
She felt his lips graze the corner of her mouth, and she turned to meet him in a kiss. She sighed and smiled lightly into it. She sort of didn't mind the hassle of dressing up like a stranger and sneaking around if it meant they could just enjoy the time they spent together like this. It was worth it in the end and she personally didn't mind the little teasing that he made at her. She would forgive it for now, since their little moments like these were too nice to ruin.
"Kuzon and Kwa-Mei I have your…your…your, oh Spirits! Are you kidding me right now? I must be dreaming!"
The two benders broke the kiss, froze, and hung their heads in a sigh. They forgot that their waitress was still coming back…and they had already taken off their disguises. It was no use trying to shut her up. She was going to yell it out to the whole store in…three..two…one…
"Everyone! It's the Avatar and Toph Bei Fong!"
Both of them winced at the loud proclamation and frowned.
Toph spoke first, already grabbing her hat and quickly placing it on her head. "Wanna go back to the house?"
"Ladies first," Aang offered, already starting to slide out of their booth.
The date would have to be finished at their house, he supposed.
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