AN: Totally ignoring canon here. Also, I kinda just wanted the excuse to use the quote from Mulan. ;)

Day 2- Balance

"No matter how the wind howls, the mountain cannot bow to it."

"Stop saying that!" Aang cried in frustration as he got out of bed. He was a monk. Loving. Peaceful. Calm. But Toph had a way of getting under his skin with a simple action or a few choice words. She drove him absolutely crazy some days! Unfortunately for him, it was currently one of those times.

After finding and slipping into his trousers, he turned to her again. Her smirk, which he usually found rather attractive, was infuriating in that moment.

"Look, I asked you to move in with me. All you have to do is give me a straight answer," he insisted, trying to sound less aggravated than he felt. He was in love with the stubborn, infuriating woman and those long months she spent with her parents were the most miserable time of the year for him. If she would only agree to move in with him, his life would be so much better. "If you don't want to live here...you can tell me that..."

Using the blanket that had been tossed aside to the floor, Toph covered herself as she sat up. "No matter how the wind howls, the mountain cannot bow to it," she repeated.

"Toph!"

The frustrated monk would have yanked his hair out if he had any.

"What?" she laughed, looking beautiful with her hair cascading over her shoulders and those inviting curves peaking from behind the thin blanket. Aang looked away so as not to get distracted. After a slow breath, he spoke again. "I want us to live together."

"So you've said like a million times."

With a sigh, he leaned back against the wall.

"Only because you haven't given me an answer."

"Told you I needed time."

"That was nearly a month ago, Toph."

She wrapped the blanket around herself and stood.

"I don't get what the big deal is. Why the need to make it 'official'? I practically live here anyway. You said so yourself." Toph made her way across the room to where Aang sagged against the wall. "Everyone knows where to find me: the Southern Air Temple. Even my parents send letters here."

"Yes, but..."

"But what?" she asked, purposely letting the blanket fall to the floor and leaning into him. She loved the feel of his bare chest against her own. Running her fingers up along his arms to his shoulders, she went on tiptoe to place one kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Well?"

"You're right," Aang agreed, snaking his arms around her waist. "I'll stop 'howling'," he smiled, following her back to the bed. "Take as much time as you need to decide. I don't ever want to pressure you into anything."

"Good answer," she smirked as they stumbled into bed.

...

Their first time wasn't with each other. Neither was their second. Or third, for that matter. She wasn't the first girl he fell in love with. He wasn't her first love either.

No one ever thought they would end up together. Or last once it happened. They were too different, they said. They'd never agree on anything meaningful, others thought.

But none of that mattered when they were alone. Usually she was tough as a rock and he, gentle like the wind. But, when it was just the two of them, her walls came down, his confidence grew and she could be soft as sand and he as hard as a hurricane.

"Move in with me, Toph."

"You're not thinking straight," she teased, wrapping her fingers around his length. "I wonder why..."

It was difficult to stay focused, but since he finally brought up the subject, he would stay on point.

"I'm serious. You practically live here anyway," he added, fighting back the groan her ministrations nearly caused. "This... can be... your home." He wanted to kiss the self-satisfied grin off her face, but he stilled her hand instead. "Toph, I'm being serious."

"Why here?" she countered, pouting because she wasn't torturing him mercilessly anymore. "Why do I have to be the one that moves? Why don't you move in with me? What's so great about the Southern Air Temple? We can live in Gaoling? Or Ba Sing Se!"

She had not said yes, he reminded himself, quelling the rising hope.

"You didn't ask me," he replied simply. "Besides, you don't want to live in Gaoling or Ba Sing Se either."

She chewed on her bottom lip. "...I'll think about it," she finally relented and he did shower her with kisses then.

"I haven't said yes, you know?" came her retort, but she was grinning, taking any potential sting from her words.

"I know," he agreed, nuzzling her neck. "But I also know how I feel about you and as long as you're considering living here with me, I can't complain."

...

The sun was setting, leaving the room darker by the minute. Not that Toph cared and since Aang was asleep, it's not like it mattered. Still, the night was growing colder and she curled further against his body. Even asleep, Aang had a way of sensing what she needed and he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to him.

He was always doing things like that, she thought with a smile. Sweet, thoughtful things that even a few months ago she would have scoffed at and ridiculed. But now, she could admit, if only to herself, that she liked when he did them. Of course, she had a reputation to uphold, so if others were around, she reacted accordingly.

Still, it was because of him. She'd been in other relationships and it was only with Aang that she changed. And she noticed, he had too.

The older he got the more mature he grew. It was bound to happen. He couldn't stay the naive airhead at eighteen that he had been at twelve. But once they started traveling the world together again, and later, when she finally couldn't deny her attraction to the airbender and he surprised her by kissing her first, he changed even more. She noticed it in the way he spoke to others, in the way he didn't back down for fear of offending people. He was never cruel, like she might have chosen to be when some made her angry, but he was resolute. He didn't waver and he stood his ground.

Maybe Iroh was right. They didn't have the same disposition or similar philosophies, even their native elements were natural opposites. However, they did complement each other in all the ways that matter. She made him stronger, believed in him, and always had his back. He got her to open up, never broke her trust, and always had her back. She loved her freedom and so did he. He wanted a family and found one in her. Plus, there was also one other tiny detail which was difficult to overlook; Toph couldn't remember ever being happier.

"Twinkletoes, you asleep?"

He mumbled something incoherent against her shoulder.

"Too bad, wake up," she demanded, ramming an elbow into his chest.

"Ow, Toph! What was that for?"

Ignoring his complaints, she turned to face him.

"Fine."

"Fine what?" he asked, irritated, and still rubbing his chest.

"I'll move in with you."

The pain throbbing along his sternum was forgotten.

"Really?"

"This doesn't mean I'm 'bowing'," she was quick to point out.

"Of course you're not," he acknowledged while he kissed her lips and cheeks and nose and every part of her face. "You're my beautiful, strong, steadfast mountain."

"And you're my whiny, wimpy wind," she countered with a teasing smile.

"So long as I get to be yours..."

The airbender always seemed to know exactly what to say to make her blush a little and she kissed him to distract him from that fact. When he pulled away though, he began to go on and on about how happy he was and how happy he would make her and how happy Appa and Momo would be and she snapped.

"Okay, I said I'd live here! Stop with the mushy, gooey crap already."

If she could've seen Aang's mischievous smile, she would have very likely punched it off.

"No matter how much the mountain asks, the wind will not listen to it," he said.

"Oma," Toph grumbled, running a hand down her face. "That's not how the saying goes! Get it right, Aang."

"No matter how much the mountain says to get it right, the wind will not listen to it," he stated, barely holding back the laughter ready to erupt.

"Twinkletoes, if you don't quit it, this mountain is gonna kick your ass!"

"Okay, okay," he chuckled. "I'll stop."

"You better."

"The wind will only stop because-"

She straddled his lap and kissed him, effectively shutting him up.

Yes, the mountain had learned from the wind itself how to be very persuasive.