The Word Association Game

Katoph: KataraxToph

They liked to take moonlit walks together, usually holding hands or giving a piggyback ride if they felt adventurous. Tonight, their fingers were intertwined under the rainy night sky as they played the word association game.

Waterbending an umbrella, Katara tried to think of a quick answer to Toph's word.

"Let's see, let's see, um, Yue?"

Toph snorted, "That's literal! You can't say 'Yue' when I say 'Moon' because Yue is the Moon."

With a mock scowl, the Waterbender let Toph's side of the umbrella fall for just enough time to splash her with some rain. Toph wiped her face, "Fine, whatever! We'll play it your way. Next word: Sun."

"I guess, well, Zuko," said Katara. "Oh, wait. Did you mean like a daughter or son, or like the hot-glowing-ball-in-the-sky Sun?"

"A hot-glowing-ball-in-the-sky. But Zuko's a good answer anyway. Are all of your answers about other people?" Toph asked.

Katara shrugged, "They don't have to be, but that's usually the first thing that comes to mind. Is it your turn yet? I have a good word."

"Fire away."

Katara said, "Sick."

"You," said Toph matter-of-factly.

The falling rain on the stone road was the only sound. They stopped moving.

"What?" said Katara in a very flat voice.

Toph waved her hands in the air, "No, no, no, no, no! Not like that! I mean, every time you come around I get sick." She smiled.

Katara did not.

"How is that a good explanation? You said I make you," she mumbled, "sick."

"Wait, please. Katara, that's not what I meant." But Katara had turned away with a frown.

Spinning her around to grab both of her hands, Toph said, "Every time you come around my stomach hurts so much that I think I'm going to puke. We've been together for a while, but I still get butterflies when I even think about you. Sometimes I think I'm going to pass out when you hold my hands. Once, when we kissed, I thought I had died because my body just didn't know what to do with itself. So that's what I mean. You really make me sick."

Katara furrowed her brow. She said, "Are you being serious?"

She said, "Katara, I'm being so serious right now that if you said, 'serious' in the word game I would say, "me.'"

Cracking identical grins, the girls hugged under their umbrella. Toph could barely hear anything over the sound of her own pumping heart. Katara placed her chin on the younger girl's shoulder.

"You make me sick too," said Katara.

They released from each other to keep walking. Toph softly stroked Katara's hand with her thumb.

"Wanna keep playing?" Toph asked. "I'm making a new rule. We can't answer with people any more because the word is gonna be people we know."

Katara nodded, still smiling, "Alright then."

"Sokka," said Toph.

"Doofus," said Katara.

"Aang."

"Avatar."

"Really?" said Toph. "That's all you came up with for Aang? Nothing creative, like Twinkletoes?"

Katara wrinkled her nose, "Hey, it was the first thing that popped into my head. It's your turn, missy! Let me see… Azula."

"Nutjob," smirked Toph.

"Iroh."

"Advice," Toph said in a low voice.

Katara chose not ask what advice Toph had ever received from Iroh, but continued with the game.

"Suki."

"Paint." Toph pointed to her face, "Face paint."

"Katara," said the Waterbender.

Toph did not hesitate, "Flawless."

When her words registered in both of their brains they immediately started blushing. Katara's eyes flickered up to Toph, who was still trying to hide her red cheeks. She took Toph's face in her hand and kissed her lightly.

"Sorry I got all mushy," said Toph. "I didn't expect me to say that."

"Mushy isn't always bad," murmured Katara. "And I think we should play this game more often. It's giving me quite the confidence boost."

They giggled and kissed again, walking back together in the rain.

xxxxx