A/N: *** PLEASE READ***
hi people, i have edited this chapter. basically, the toph/ zuko sex never happened and has been changed into a kiss. i'm so sorry, but while writing chapter 10, i found that it was very unrealistic to make them have sex so yeah. please review anonymously if you have already done so for the previous version. once again, forgive me.
They are in the middle of the tundra, sharing a cigarette and seeping in the company of the other. They are at the ancient and now abandoned waterbending school from years ago. It hasn't been used for years, ever since Gran Gran was a young woman. The thought makes Zuko think about Katara and the new waterbending institute she has set up. His wife is a forbidden topic on a night like this as he takes pleasure in the company of his good friend.
Toph stretches her hand in his direction and touches her index finger to her thumb twice. Zuko smiles softly and passes her the cigarette he has been smoking. She takes it from him and takes in a long and heavy breath. She has never tried cigarettes before, but on cold nights like this, (which are obviously common here) she enjoys a little smoke every now and again. She takes in another breath and imagines how cool she must look, that is, until she starts coughing.
Zuko laughs lightheartedly and stops only when Toph glares at him.
"Here," he says as he tries to stifle his laughs and passes her a drink. It's fire whiskey, something he won from one of his deckhands after a game of paisho.
"What the hell!" the young earthbender exclaims as her face becomes one of disgust, after she takes a swig of the alcohol. "What the fuck?" she says crudely and coughs. Zuko smiles and settles down from his laughing fit.
"It's fire whiskey," he tells her and takes the bottle from her small hands. He drinks from it and sighs contentedly. "I could drink this all day," he says and she frowns.
"If you wanna die young!" she counters and wipes at her lips. "Now, give me that cigarette," she insists and reaches for it. The young man rolls his eyes but knows well enough not to get between Toph and a smoke. "You know," she begins as she releases her breath through her nose. "I think I like it here."
Zuko finds this very odd indeed, because she has expressed her disdain for this place the moment she first set foot here years before. "I thought you don't like not seeing?" he asks and she chuckles in response. "I thought you hated it here," he says and she smiles. There is a touch of mischief on her features as she takes in another breath of the cigarette.
"I could get used to this cold," she tells her friend and grins toothily. "It's not like the Earth Kingdom. Up there, it's so hot, and so humid, you just wanna scream sometimes," she stops smiling and he knows that something serious is about to come from her lips. His features morph into one of concern. "Plus, there… there I will be pressured to marry Yan," she sighs exaggeratedly.
"Why don't you want to marry Yan? He seems like a nice man…" he pauses a moment, weighing the benefits and repercussions of saying what they both know. "And I can tell he really loves you," Zuko states matter-of-factly despite expecting a smack on the head or a punch to his arm. They don't come. Instead Toph hugs her legs to herself and sighs again.
"I know that. I've tried Zuko, for the love of badgermoles, I have tried," she covers her face. "But every time he holds my hand, every time he comes near to besting me in a fight, every time he executes moves I taught him, I think about Twinkle Toes and my time as his teacher," she tells Zuko who shakes his head.
"I'm pitiful, I know. I mean, I haven't even kissed a guy in my WHOLE life and that is kinda sad considering the fact that all of you have already fucked someone or other," she pulls on her hair lightly and Zuko touches his hand to her arm.
"I have needs too Zuko," the firebender feels his cheeks heat up. This really isn't something he expects to be discussing with Toph and yet, here they are. "I've wanted to be with a man for so long it isn't even funny," she says and sighs. "But Yan, he's too much of a gentleman, plus I don't want to hurt his feelings by using him as a sex tool and not wanting to take things further than that."
Zuko looks away momentarily and then, slowly gently, he presses his lips to hers, giving her a chaste kiss. She pulls away, her eyes are confused but before either of them know it, her lips have crashed against his, and she is holding on to him with every fibre of her being.
He pulls away first and apologizes.
"We can't do this," she speaks what he is thinking and he knows that he cannot do anything of that sort with her. She will not and neither will he.
Zuko
X
I awaken with a slight ache from last night. The fire I had made the night before has become nothing but glowing embers. I sit up from my place on the ground and feel the muscles in my back becoming taut. All my senses are on high alert; I guess it's like that when you've been unfaithful. Even though it was only a kiss, it still was an unforgivable act. At the thought, I hang my head with shame. How could I give in to my urges so simply? And with Toph of all people. I shake my head and cover my face with my hands contemplating my next move.
I have kissed her and I can feel the full weight of remorse and anger at myself on my shoulders. I don't have the right to do what I did, since it is painfully apparent that I don't love her the way I do Katara. And yet a part of me says no apology.
Toph needed someone, she needed to feel like she was desirable and I guess by kissing her, I gave her all those things. I mean, that's what friends are for right?
I look at her. We had dosed off while talking about first kisses and memories of our past, all the while I was trying to forget about the kiss that happened between us. However, I'm glad I was with her, though I have to thank Agni nothing more than that kiss happened last night. I sigh as I think about Yan.
At the thought of the man I close my eyes. He has come to be a friend. What will he think about a man who, in his presence, is an honorable person, and kisses his fiancée? I wouldn't blame him if he punched my lights out. Toph stirs and I turn to look at the sleeping earthbender. She moans softly and turns, wrapping her arm around my torso. It doesn't take me long to figure out who she is dreaming about.
Aang.
It makes me slightly sick that she would still love a man who broke her heart countless times without even a second thought. Yet, I am no better, I love Katara with all my heart, despite the fact that she has left me shattered.
What happens now?
I cannot go back to imagining that me and Katara have the perfect life. Neither Katara nor Aang stopped to think about how much damage they were inflicting on us. And for a moment, I really believe that neither should we.
I smile down at Toph and watch as she opens her eyes.
"Aang?" she whispers and then proceeds to touch the left side of my face which is rough with the existence of my scar. There is a look, probably of embarrassment or shame as she comes to the abrupt realization that I am not Aang but a friend whom she is not in love with.
"Hi," she says tentatively as she smiles at me, her unseeing eyes wide. The memories of our kiss seem to colour her cheeks a certain shade of pink as she holds my hand. "What are you staring at," she says sarcastically with a small and awkward laugh to which I simply touch my hand to her cheek. She leans in to it and sits up.
"So… how now?" she asks and I wish I have an answer even though I do not.
"We remain best friends," I tell her finally. A moment passes between us and a she smirks, Agni I love that look.
"It was great but I'm afraid it ends here," she says in mock-posh accent and we both laugh heartily. It makes me comfortable, and more than happy that there are no heart feelings between us. However, I will somehow have to explain to Katara what has happened which will be no easy task especially after what happened with Aang even though it was nothing but a kiss. I shut my eyes and feel Toph's hand on my cheek as she tries to ease my pain.
"Everything will be okay," she mends, she always mends which normally makes me feel a lot better but doesn't this time. "Look, I'll even go with you. And if she doesn't want to accept it, I'll just earthbend her into oblivion," she chuckles and I smile at her, despite my discomfort. The fact that she cannot earthbender here is not helping.
"Thank you," I say after a moment even though there are scratches engraved in the depths of my heart.
Yan
X
The moment she comes to me, I know that there is something off going on. There is a slight faltering in her step and more than a little blush coloring her cheeks as Zuko holds her hand and escorts her into our tent. I watch the two of them from the outside of the tent as I sit on a rock and poke at the fire I had made the night before, when I was waiting for Toph to come back. Of course it didn't happen.
Zuko smiles at her and touches his hand to her face, caressing her. I hate how I feel, all shades of jealousy and I'm not ashamed to say it. I strain to hear what is being said between the two war heroes and can vaguely make out their soft whispers.
"So… you'll be alright?" Zuko asks and Toph pausing for a moment, nods and says something inaudible. "Alright," I hear Zuko say as he nods and smiling at her, gives her a quick peck on the cheek. My eyes widen as I see this. Toph never let me kiss her anywhere other than her hand, ever and I feel a little upset that she has let Zuko. I try to hide my scowl as he exists our tent, waving at Toph and smiling politely at me.
"How is she?" I ask before he walks pass. He stops mid step and turns to me. There is a look on his face, an emotion that I cannot recognize.
"She's fine, she just needs a good rest," he informs me and moves to leave. I surprise the both of us when I grab his arm, stopping him abruptly. "Yan," he breathes, shock etched on his features.
"You hurt her and I will shove my foot right down your ass. Don't fuck up," I tell him. It is uncharacteristic of me to speak like this but this doesn't frazzle the man. His lips form a tight smile and he nods, leaving me in the cold. It doesn't take me long to realize that the emotion on his face, the one I couldn't make out, was pity.
A/N: Please review! oh and please check out scented candles!
So anyway,
TOKO! O.O haha, don't kill me! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! i need to write the end of this! i don't want to die without finishing it! haha well as always writing this was an extreme pleasure! it would be super awesome if you would both read and review! suggestions are welcomed with open arms :) oh and next chapter THEY FACE KATARA! woots! :)
A/N': Please review. i'm so sorry about this change, i realise that writing the toph/ zuko sex scene was awkward and just plain wrong. so i've changed it. don't be mad. hey, at least i realised it right? i hope no one gets angry because of this. the toph/ zuko kiss, i feel is more realistic than sex. so yeah... once again, I'M SO SORRY.