Zuko and Toph

Toph POV

"Hey sparky!" I greeted Zuko while walking down the hall towards the lunch hall. I could tell it was him because he always walked like Suki, a warrior and fighter always walking on the balls of their feet, but had more of a certain purpose in his walk, like he was always in a hurry to get somewhere. And lately, it's been more and more like that for all of us.

"How-d you-nevermind." He still wasn't used to the idea that I could tell who it was by footsteps. "You seem more chipper than usual, what's the occasion."

"I...might be able to get my eyes fixed," I said quietly so that no one else would hear.

"That's really great, Toph. I'm happy for you." He was sincere too. "Do the others know about this?"

"No, and you have to swear not to tell them either. I don't want to get their hopes all high and stuff. Especially Katara, you know how she can get," I explained.

His heartbeat sped up a little right after I said Katara's name. Ha! I had suspected it, but now I had hard evidence...for me anyways. What was going to happen to Aang if those two got hitched. I could imagine that he might be devastated, but lately he seems to be focused on rebuilding the world and not on Katara.

"Yeah...I know how she is." He agreed. "But why are you telling me?"

"Because you're...you are a realist. You don't get your hopes up to high because you know what it feels like to have them crushed. So I know that you're not going to get all excited for me and get my hopes up and then have mine crushed."

"Well I'm glad that you trust me." He said.

"Now it's my turn to ask you a question." I stated.

"WHat?" He sighed, sounding like he'd been asked way too many questions for one day already and it was only noon or so.

"Why do you always treat me different?" I asked.

"Huh?" He sounded confused. "How do I do that?"

"I don't know. You treat me different than Mai, Ty Lee, Katara, and Suki. Why is that?" I questioned.

"Okay, but I treat everyone differently because everyone's different and need to be treated as individuals."

That's something that the firenation really needed to learn. Luckily they have Zuko to help them.

"I know, I know," I agreed. "But you always treat me like I'm...family. More so than the others. It's like they're just cousins, but you treat me more like a sister. At least from what I've heard Sokka treat Katara. Why?"

"Oh..." he still sounded confused, but he was beginning to understand what I meant. "Well, maybe it's because I kind of messed up on my biological sister. So-

"You see me as a chance to make it up to Karma?"I guessed.

"A little of that," He agreed, "but because you're more like what I've always wanted Azula to be like. Someone who's independent and strong, but still wants some guidance every once in a while from someone older and wiser."

"You're the oldest in the group, therefore you're older than all the girls. Why aren't they like your own little sisters?" I pointed out. "I mean, I know that you could never consider Katara being your sister...but what about Suki."

"She's more like a sister-in-law rather than a sister. Sokka's like a brother and he and Suki are practically married," He explained. "And why can't Katara be like a sister? Did she tell you?"

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"Nothing at all," he attemtpted to thwart the subject.

"No, you're lying," I accused. "You're going to tell me or else you know what I can do to this place."

"Fine." He gave in. "They-the council- told me to choose a wife by the end of this month..and I asked Katara." He admitted. "But since I'm keeping your secret, you have to keep mine."

"You what?" I almost yelled.

He covered my mouth with his hand I automatically licked it to get him to take it off.

"Gross, Toph, that's just nasty." He remarked.

"You know you love it," I teased.

"Nasty. So you're not going to tell anyone?" He clarified.

"Not if you do," I confirmed.

"Ah, our first blackmail to each other, so touching." He mocked.

"You know it, big bro." I mocked back.

"I gotta go, little sis," he told me. "More paperwork."

Poor Zuko; seventeen and being forced to marry. Not that marrying Katara would be such a horrible thing, but they didn't really have much of a choice. And the endless council meetings and inbetween those was the paperwork. But if anyone his age had the right, the will and the endurance to do it, it was Zuko. That's why Iroh chose him to lead the fire nation.

Now I knew that Zuko wasn't using me as a replacement for Azula, but more because she never really was his sister. Sometimes people aren't blood siblings, but it doesn't mean that they can't love each other like siblings do. Just because you're blood siblings, doesn't mean that you're going to get along with them, if your case is like Zuko and Azula, you're going to almost fight to the death a million or so times. The lucky ones like Sokka and Katara who had a special sibling bond that most don't and they're actually blood related, now that's special.

But Zuko and I had a lot in common, despite our different elements. We both had really sucky parents, that's for sure. We were raised as royalty, but ended up leaving that life at one point or the other to help Aang. Even when Zuko burned my feet, I still trusted him, though I had been pretty ticked. But I got over it as soon as I could feel clearly with my feet again. And he trusted me when he told me about his uncle and how he felt horrible about doing and saying all those bad things to him. And just now, we had told each other things that we hadn't told anyone else and trusted to keep a secret.

Now I'm not saying that our relationship is a bond that was legendary, but I would say that we had something pretty great.