Sennin of the Four Nations

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Naruto x Harem

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Story Start

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Toph sniffed the warm vapors, taking in the grassy scent. She clutched her tired fingers around the cup, savoring the heat the seeped through her calloused skin. Naruto was sitting by her bedside not having once left since she woke up.

"Thanks," she breathed out, her eyelids having slid closed.

"If there is one thing that Iroh knows its how to make tea." Naruto replied, pouring his own cup. He paused, caught off guard by this brief moment of serenity in Toph's face. Her eyes closed, a peacefully neutral expression about her...Her hair was a complete mess, of course, considering what she had been through. "Toph-chan. I'm sorry."

"Look, it happened. You were busy and there was nothing to be done. Besides, you came for me so you kept your promise."

Naruto could see it on her face. Despite how she was trying to appear fine he could tell something was bothering her. He had a pretty good idea what that could be.

"You did what you could," Naruto surmised, trying to placate her guilt. "No one, not even I expected chakra users to pop out of nowhere. You can't blame yourself for having to face an opponent with unfamiliar abilities."

Toph's jaw tilted with some bitterness. He had beaten her so easily. Made her feel helpless. It was a real blow to her pride.

"Your…our friends will understand in time. I know you feel guilty now, but I am doing things with a purpose. Ozai's regime will come to an end, that much I have planned and the others, they'll be fine. You did everything you could, don't blame yourself."

The two of them finished the last of their tea in silence before Naruto poured them a second round. "I can always teach you about the chakra arts. So you can be better prepared."

"I'd like that. " She said placing down the cup still appearing rather distracted.

"It's okay. If he wanted them dead he wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of breaking them out." He tried to reassure her.

"Well moping about it certainly won't change things. " Toph seemed to come around before gulping down the last of her second cup. "I can only move forward right?"

"Right," he replied placing his cup on the stand taking hers. "A Mopey Toph is definitely doesn't suit my strong will earth bender." He said taking up her hand and kissing the back of it.

There was a pause as Toph's cheeks turned the slightest hue of pink.

"Idiot, is this how you treat the others? Say a few sweet words and they fall at your feet?" she accused as Naruto let out a hearty chuckle.

"Actually in Mai and Azula's case it was teaching them how to fight and cause great bodily harm." He explained as he softly caressed her hand.

"Now that sounds more like my speed." She answered.

"I can even help you with your control over sand." He suggested as a small scowl found its way to Toph's face.

"Sand is annoying." She replied her tone nearing petulant.

"Sand can be useful." He replied in response. Sand was just too much of a weakness to ignore for Toph's fighting style. Especially if they were going to be going up against his old student whenever he showed up. He would need to make a detour to the Northern Water Tribe and the Southern Water Tribes soon to gain their support and to start preparing for the war effort. "Besides knowing you, I doubt you'll give up. You're going to show the world you're the best after all!"

Replaying his discussions with her in his mind and thinking about the conversation she had with her life he had a fairly good idea on why acknowledgement was such a big deal to Toph.

She needed this. She needed to have a dream. Having been forced to live a life of a helpless, sheltered child and she needed this; she needed to prove to herself that she was someone great and worthy and not to be hidden away like some shameful secret.

Even someone as outwardly as brash and combative as Toph was bound to have their insecurities.

Suddenly she stabbed a finger into his chest.

"Stop ogling me you perv or was that your true intention? To get me alone to play a bit of hide the Armadillo wolf?"

Naruto couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Is the Vulgarity really necessary Toph?"

"I an't one of your dumb giggling little fans. I Tell it how it is."

"Much to my future headaches I fear." He said as he cupped her hands. Toph didn't know why, but she couldn't help the weird involuntary twitches that occurred when Naruto touched her.

When it came down to it, being treated to a life time of being fragile left Toph few memories of physical affection.

It became something of a rather awkward deal when Toph first set out on the journey with the group.

Katara's soft fingers tidying her hair, Aang's pats on her back, Sokka's hand leading her around...Group hugs.

She had simply reasoned that it was sissy stuff. Being soft. Not wanting to lose her edge. But over time she had slowly grown to enjoy it, even if not admitting out loud.

And then Naruto showed up. Complementing her looks. Talking about her beauty.

And while Toph's mind wanted to ignore the fact that she was female her bodily was ready to point out that she was in fact of the fairer sex.

And when questioned why Toph couldn't be womanly and still be one of the strongest benders of all time she had been genuinely perplexed. And when prompted with the question that she subconsciously believed that feminity in every form was weaker than masculinity and that strict gender roles could ever be challenged that left Toph to do a lot of thinking.

Being girly girl was still not a thing for Toph, but she would no longer follow the mindset of putting down or dismissing girls like Ty Lee or keep up the idea that one couldn't be feminine and strong.

But one issue solved does not completely changed or define a person. Which was why Naruto would give her all the support she would need for the days to come.

For now he did all he could do with Toph in hopes of getting her used to this situation, but he was still far from done.

Ty Lee. Mai. Toph. They were going to be all right. The copies didn't need to dispel for Naruto to know that.

Just like the original Naruto knew that tonight would be the turning point for Azula.