Bonding I

"This sucks!" Toph declared.

"Yeah, I know. But I really appreciate the help." Aang said.

Of on another job-related venture, Gyatso had left town for the weekend. In his absence, Aang was given the tiring chore of cleaning out their basement while he was gone. Gyatso planned to have a big garage sale when he came back, hoping to get some extra cash.

After decades of collecting junk and hand-me-downs, Aang's basement was filled from corner to corner with boxes and old trinkets from every era Gyatso had lived through. Knowing that he couldn't do the job alone, Aang went through his list of friends to call for help.

Sokka was busy sleeping and Katara had a swim meet, so Toph was the only person he knew who could help him. Coincidentally, Toph had gotten into yet another fight with her parents and needed to get out of her house, even if it meant digging through mountains and valleys of old junk. Aang promised that she could take anything if she wanted it as a gift.

"Where did your old man get all this stuff?" Toph asked as she slid a dusty chest towards her.

"Oh here and there. But Gyatso's not my father." Aang told her.

"Grandpa?"

"No." Aang paused. "I'm adopted."

"Really?" Toph eyebrows raised, surprised to hear the truth.

"Really. Hand me that?" Aang pointed to a feather duster next to Toph.

"Sure." Toph handed it to him. "So…you don't know who your parents are?"

"…no." Aang acted like he didn't care, but if there was one little fact about his life killed him every time he thought about it, it was that one.

"…huh…that must be so nice." Toph said, thinking of her own parents.

The room grew quiet.

"Let's get to work." Aang said.

"Yeah."

"Huh?" Toph said as she dug through another pile of antiques. She spotted a small decorative box with a steel handle on its side. Curious, she grabbed the box and turned the handle. BOING!

"Ahh!" She yelled and the antique clown jumped out of the old Jack-in-the-Box. Aang couldn't help but laugh at her. "Shut up!" She yelled, then laughed with him.

"Hold on to that. That thing is probably worth something. It's older than both of us."

"Yeah right. If it's so valuable, how does…" Toph stopped midsentence.

"How does what?"

"Forget it. What does your dad…I mean, what Gyatso do for a living?"

"He used to run an orphanage. Now he works with a lot of charities and non-profit organizations. So he leaves town a lot."

"Oh. Good money?"

"Uh, yeah. Like…a lot actually."

"Then why…I mean…never mind. Forget it."

"That's the second time you've done that."

"Yeah, I know." Toph wanted to know how Gyatso could afford such expensive things and still live in an old run down dump of a house, but she didn't have the heart to ask such a question in front of Aang.

"NO WAY!" Toph screamed in delight.

"What?" Aang stopped what he was doing.

"Look at this. Gyatso actually has a black light poster." Toph showed Aang the famous Led Zeppelin's falling angel from their Swan Song album. The edges of the poster were curled up and worn out. "This is like a relic! Oh, dude look! It's an original! I can't believe Gyatso would have something so cool!"

"I'm pretty sure that that was from one of the orphans he raised." Aang said.

"Hey! Let's sneak into his room and hang it up without telling him." Toph smiled.

"Haha, yeah. And switch his lamp with a black light." Aang joked.

"Yeah! Does he have one down here?" Toph checked the pile where she had found the poster.

"I don't think so. The owner probably moved out and just forgot to take the poster with him."

"Oh." Toph sounded disappointed. "Sokka would love this." Toph rolled it up.

"I'll give him a good price for it." Aang smiled.

Toph stretched, trying to reach the top of a tall shelf, when something soft fell on her head. A gentle squeaking sound followed the object as it fell. Toph looked around and her feet and saw the little toy.

"What the…?" A small teddy bear with one missing eye had fallen between Toph's feet. It was light brown and its hair was fizzy. The doll was very old; his little paws were worn out and its tag was ripped out. A few patches covered its swollen belly.

Toph picked it up and squeezed it. The toy squeaked. Toph giggled.

"Oh Aaaang!" Toph yelled.

"Yeah?" Aang yelled out.

"Does this sound familiar?" Toph squeezed the doll hard and the squeak echoed across the room. She heard Aang scramble to his feet and run over to her.

"Mr. Fuzzy…uh, I mean…where did you find that old thing?" Aang looked terrified, like Toph had unearthed the Arc of the Covenant and the dark secret would have destroyed him if it gout out.

"On the top shelf. Why?"

"No reason." Aang tried to stay calm.

"Is it yours?" Toph teased him.

"What? Mine? No! Toph, that's'…no! It's not mine. Why would I have a teddy bear?"

"So we can sell it?" Toph asked. Aang's eyes widened.

"Um, actually, I don't think anyone would buy it. I mean, it's so old. Who'd want it?"

"I'd want it."

"What?" Aang gasped. Toph wouldn't stop joking with him. She enjoyed watching him squirm.

"You said I could keep something here if I wanted it. And since you don't want this, I'll take it." Toph hugged the bear with both her arms.

"Actually!" Aang yelled when he saw the happy look on Toph's face. "I think Gyatso wanted me to hold onto that toy. In case, ya know…he finds a kid who might want to keep it."

"Well…" Toph looked at the old bear. "…okay. Here ya go." She tossed the teddy in the air and Aang dove for it. Then Toph started laughing.

"What?" Aang got defensive.

"Nothing Aang." She smirked and went back to work.

"I'll be right back. I need a drink." Aang left the basement, hiding the bear behind his back. He carried it upstairs and, when he was sure Toph wasn't following him, ran to his room. He put the toy in his closet where he was sure it'd be safe, but not before giving it one last hug.

"What's this?" Toph pulled out an old leather book from the top of another self. A thick coat of grey dust covered the artifact. Toph blew the dust off the cover and a cloud flew into Aang's face. "Oops. Sorry."

Aang coughed. "Let me see." Aang grabbed the book from Toph, worried that she'd blow more dust in his face. "I think this is a journal."

"Sweet. Open it!"

"No way." Aang pulled the book away from Toph as she tried to snatch it.

"Why not?"

"Because, this is someone's journal. It's where they kept their most precious memories and secrets. We can't just look at it."

"…why not?"

"Because! It's private. It meant something to someone once and we can't devaule that."

"Yeah, yeah. But why not?"

"We're not gonna open it and that's final." Aang insisted.

"Oh come on! Don't be such a boy scout. The owner is probably long gone by now."

"I said no!"

"Gi'me!" Toph yelled and tried to grab it out of Aang's hands.

"Toph!" Aang laughed and took a few steps backwards. "Come on! Stop it!"

Toph nearly jumped on him. Pushed backwards, Aang stepped on a suitcase behind him and tripped, causing Toph to fall on him.

"Oh cra-"

There was a loud bang and a cloud of dust, and they were both on top of each other, lips accidentally touching. Both had wide eyes and were staring into each others from anywhere from two seconds to three hours. They couldn't tell.

Toph was the first one to pull herself up.

"That was…nothing!" She insisted. Aang didn't say anything as he pulled himself up. "It was an accident! Right?" Aang's eyes were still wide. "Aang!" Toph yelled at him.

"You know, if you wanted a kiss…you just had to ask." He was proud of himself.

"AANG! I'll kill you!" Toph yelled at him.

"Sure. Right. Wanna get back to work? Or would you rather play spin the bottle?" Toph took the leather journal and smacked him on the top of his head. "Ow!"

I can bench press 140 lbs, I take Kick-boxing and Ta Kwon Do classes, I have won 7 out of the 9 fights I have been in…and I…still have my teddy bear...

...Anyway, I'll be gone for a while. I'm going to San Jose for 9 days, but I'll try to keep posting stories. If I don't, I'll post like 3 when I come home. See ya everybody.