Toph
X
I don't really know what to say really. The bastard's dead, that stupid bastard is dead. Sometimes I wonder if hating the dead is wrong, this thought has been circling my mind since I received the news two weeks ago. The memory is clear as day. I had been sparring with the first student whom I thought metalbending and it was a great match by the way, in case you were wondering. I was impressed at the boy, well… man.
He's slightly older than I am, 28 to be precise, my parents' ideal son-in-law and my betrothed. Yan fought with great strength and stability and I found it mildly interesting. I had thrown a wall of metal in his face only for it to bend and fold into itself as it came to a halt in mid air, or so I assumed. I found that interesting, Yan had become very good with doing such things, and not that I want to be cocky or anything, but I was the one to teach him the technique.
I was really getting into the whole rhythm of throwing rocks and mud in his direction and really enjoyed the liquidity of his movements as he deflected the blows. We have been betrothed to each other since we were children. But I have never found him intriguing or attractive in any way, accept for the fact that he is the best earthbender I know other than myself.
As I was moving the earth from beneath him, Li Min, my assistant, a young girl with freckles and dark hair came running to me. That dumb girl, she cost me my winning streak, as I sensed her quick and excited heartbeat. Yan used this to his advantage and threw a rock into my abdomen. It hurt like hell, but I wasn't about to show any weakness.
That was… until Li Min yelled at me. My thoughts then were that she was crazy out of line; I mean I am her boss after all. But she didn't seem to care much about that as she headed down the steps to the arena and whispered four words in my ear. "Avatar Aang has passed," and I did what I'm sure was mad, I laughed.
Li Min's heartbeat became quick and erratic as I sensed surprise in her pulse. "He's dead?" I had queried as I righted my posture from my hunched down position after the attack. "Hah! About fucking time," I said into the air as I took a towel and wiped the sweat from my brow and headed into my office, ignoring her and Yan's calls.
I moved quickly, slamming the door behind me, locking it and settling into an earthen chair I had fashioned from the ground. And then slowly, a tear, streamed down my face. I did not wipe it away, because for me to do such a thing was to acknowledge vulnerability and that is not how I rolled. But I am ashamed of the action that ensued because from a pocket covering my heart I took out a stone badge, and ran my thumb over a carving of Aang's face, and mine.
X
The wind in the Southern Water Tribe can freeze your blood solid in a moment. Seriously, I'm not kidding. I know this is hard to believe since most have not been there but let me tell you, I am totally chilled to the bone. I have no idea why I'm here, I obviously hate the man who was my earthbending student and the first person to best me in a fight, but then again, Aang was also my friend… was. I suck out the phlegm from my throat and spit.
"Toph?" his voice is soft, I am barely certain I hear him. Zuko approaches the bench I sit on and drapes a thick woolen blanket over my shivering form. He is the best friend I have, the only confidante in my time of need. Sure I have Sokka, but the man doesn't travel much and Zuko, on the other hand goes everywhere, very often. I remember the times when he would stay over at my parents' place when he was in town. We'd talk about Iroh and all the shenanigans that went down between me and my favourite non-bender, Sokka.
He obviously knows about the pranks I play on that silly fool, because he always listens when I tell him things. What remains awesome to this day is the fact that he still doesn't disclose my thoughts to anyone. And so I find myself leaning in to the man who I have called an ally for more than a decade. I have always known he would do good, Zuko is the kind of man who loves righteousness and that's what makes him the great Fire Lord that he had been before this.
"So, I mean… what happens now?" the question hangs heavily in the air, the tension is very great and I can feel my being sensing the sorrow that oozes from Zuko's heart. I cannot see his face, but if I could, I know I would see him crying. "I mean, with Katara and Azumi and you know… him," Zuko doesn't say anything at first and then there is a weight trust into my arms.
"Imagine what it would be like if things were different," he says as I craddle the mass that I now realize is Katara and Aang's sleeping daughter. "Imagine if she were, you know… ours, but with them," he is quick to clarify what he means. He is talking about me being Azumi's mother with Aang her father or Azumi being Katara's daughter with Zuko as her dad. "She's such an angel," he tells me and I sense him brush his hand over her fringe, probably pushing her hair from her face. "If only things were different," he states longingly and I sigh.
"You know what?" I ask and Zuko, whom I imagine, shrugs. "I don't want to be her mother, I don't want things to be different. They are what they are Zuko. Katara chose Aang and Aang chose Katara, we didn't exist in their minds when they got married, deal with it," I say but I don't make a move to release this sleeping child… who should have been my own.
X
"I wish you'd stop teasing me about liking Katara," Zuko says as he glares at his blind friend who smirks so wide he has to roll his eyes. "I've told you so many times Toph, I don't like her, not like that anyway."
"Oh Zuzu! Everyone notices how you love to shelter her through the storm even though she's a freaking waterbender, how you fuss about her catching the flu, how you are there by her side tending to all of Sugar Queen's every request when she's sick," she says and smirks even wider. "We all know Zuko!"
Zuko frowns slightly and rolls his eyes again. "That's what friends do for goodness sake Toph! We're friends, we look out for each other, I mean, isn't that what friends are for?" he says and Toph just waves him away. "What about you Toph, I mean we've all seen how you look at Aang, now that's scandalous," he tells her and she reddens immediately. He knows he's hit a nerve. "It's really okay you know, liking someone just means you're human," he tells her and she swallows hard.
"It just means you're sick," she says and he frowns at her comment as the barefooted girls walks quickly from her friend.
"No it doesn't! You're human aren't you, you feel, and I feel. It's alright," he says more to himself than anyone else because he needs to know that loving Katara is okay; that he isn't robbing her of anything, that he can love her and love Aang at the same time. "I've got a secret, swear you won't tell anyone," at the request Toph immediately livens up and looks at her friend.
"I promise I won't tell anyone especially not Sugar Queen since she's obviously the reason for this." she laughs and Zuko just glares at her again.
"I made this for her," he says and brings the pendant from his pocket. It is intricate to say the least; it bears the emblem of the Water Tribes as well as the Fire Nation and a simple pink strap to signify fertility. Toph frowns at him and waves her hand in front of her eyes.
"Right, sorry," he blushes slightly at the fact that he completely forgot she was blind. "It's a necklace, for Katara," he explains and she immediately places a comforting hand on his arm. She knows that this is not the best idea, although she must say he is very brave, but certainly, this is not a good idea, Katara loves Aang and as much as she hated to acknowledge it, Aang loves Katara.
"Oh Zuko, they don't have us in mind, all they have is each other," Zuko looks at the earthbender, smiles softly and whispers so quietly that he almost cannot hear himself.
"Greatness goes to those who try."
Zuko
X
I smile as Azumi does some kind of catwalk along by the fire. At three, she has become the most adorable creature on this earth. I have already come to see her as my daughter, even if I've only been married to Katara for such a short time. There is something in the way that she smiles, in the way that she bunches up her parka and stuffs her thumb in her mouth when she about to sleep that makes my heart smile.
Katara is laughing from across the flames as she watches her child exhibit the new red parka I had flown from the Fire Nation. It is made with the finest material my nation has to offer. Some may ask if I regret my decision to relinquish the throne for the sake of a woman who cannot even bring herself to share a kiss with her new husband. But I can tell you that there is not a bone of apology in my body. I have done what I need to do and that is that.
"Papa look at me!" my daughter exclaims as I fade into my thoughts. She even walks right up to me and twists my head such that my eyes are fixed on her small form. I do as she says, not because she is precious (even though she is), but because of the fact that I'm to overjoyed to disagree. She called me 'Papa!' This term is new to me and I decide that I like it, I really do. That is relieving to know that even though Katara doesn't seem to acknowledge me as her husband, her daughter… our daughter, regards me as her father.
I look Katara square in the eyes and capture her gaze. She looks at me, and I swear she is speaking to me through the scars on our hearts. I'm sorry, I can sense her guilt, I don't want her to feel that way, and so I smile the brightest smile I can just to tell her, that even though she cannot come to accept me, I am still here waiting for her.
And as if our daughter senses this, she pulls her mother to her feet and leads Katara into my arms. It is awkward at first and my arms sort of hover midair. But after Katara leans into me, after she wraps her arms around my middle like how she used to when we looked up at the stars in the past, I allow myself to relax, and hold her, hold on because it isn't time to say goodbye.
A/N: so... it's freaking 3.04am in singapore. i'm heading to bed now coz i'll be handling meat and fish in the afternoon.. no sokka, it isn't for you... anyways, please read and review. thanks