Chapter 16: Between
The wind felt colder as they flew back, and the usual easy silence between Aang and Toph felt heavy. It wasn't long before Toph broke it.
"So, you and Sugar Queen, huh? How serious is this whole 'break' thing?" she asked, casual but pointed.
Aang glanced over at her, surprised but not entirely caught off guard. He hesitated before speaking, "I... don't really know. It's bad, but I don't think it's all my fault. Katara's been distant. Sometimes it feels like she expects me to just know what's wrong without telling me."
Toph snorted. "Ever met a woman before, Twinkle Toes?"
Aang laughed awkwardly, though her words cut deeper than they seemed to. His mind wandered back to all those silent moments with Katara, moments he couldn't understand. He was still laughing, but a part of him felt more troubled than before.
They touched down near the ferry dock, a light breeze shifting through the trees around the small port. Aang offered, "I don't mind flying you the rest of the way into Ba Sing Se."
"Nah," Toph shook her head with a grin, "I actually like the ferry ride. It's relaxing, helps me wind down. Only takes a few hours."
For a moment, Toph lowered her head, then added, "But hey, I know you didn't get much sleep. You could stable Appa in port and come with me—stay the night at my apartment. It's a cozy spot."
Aang chuckled, completely oblivious to the subtle undertone. "I'll be fine. I like finding spots to sleep outside. Probably find a nice meadow or something."
"Fine, sleep in the dirt then," Toph muttered, punching him lightly in the shoulder. She boarded the ferry with a wave, leaving Aang standing at the dock, watching as the ship sailed toward the walls of Ba Sing Se.
He mounted Appa and took off again, the fading light of the setting sun casting long shadows over the landscape below. As the evening wore on, exhaustion began to creep in. Aang had thought about pushing through to Air Temple Island, but Appa needed rest too.
Spotting a wide clearing in a peaceful valley, Aang landed Appa gently. Instead of dismounting, he simply lay back in the saddle and curled up into a ball, sleep rushing over him. His last thoughts before drifting off were of Katara.
--
Aang stood in the familiar warmth of the Southern Water Tribe house he shared with Katara. She was there, standing before him, silent and distant as ever. He tried to speak, but his voice wouldn't come out. Panic stirred in his chest.
She turned and walked behind a screen, and Aang watched as her hand appeared, letting her robe drop. He leaned forward, his heart quickening. This was it—some kind of answer, some kind of moment...
Out stepped Toph, laughing. "What did you expect, Twinkle Toes?!"
Aang yelped and covered his eyes. "Toph! What—why?!"
He peeked through his fingers and suddenly Azula's face loomed inches from his own. Her voice wasn't its usual sharp, commanding self; it was weak, pleading. "Avatar, how can you help me? How can you fix my life when you can't even repair your own? Why do you hurt the people around you and expect to heal me?"
Aang recoiled, pushing past her, running. The world shifted, and he found himself stumbling into a dark alley. He spun around in confusion, seeing the backs of strangers, all too preoccupied with their own lives to notice him. Desperate, he grabbed an old woman and spun her around. He needed help—needed something, but he couldn't even articulate what.
The woman's face twisted into Toph's, smirking. He stumbled back, and the ground beneath him gave way. He screamed, but instead of falling, he floated.
Slowly, he drifted down until his feet touched the stone of Air Temple Island. Katara stood before him, her arms open for a hug. Relief surged through him, and he rushed forward—but just before he reached her, she collapsed into thousands of crawling spiders.
Aang jumped back, airbending away the swarm, but they began crawling up his legs. Time froze. A single spider crept up his chest, around to his ear, and Toph's voice spoke from its tiny form.
"Stop trying to be everything to everyone, Twinkle Toes. You're not that powerful."
The spider floated around in front of him, growing larger, shifting until it took Toph's familiar shape again. She stood there, fully nude, and Aang's face flushed red as he quickly looked away.
"Fine," Toph said with a sigh, and her form poofed into clothing. "But Aang, this isn't me. That wasn't Katara. And Azula's not here either. You're talking to yourself. This is your dream. And, yeah, you're still a man with normal desires, Avatar or not. Just don't be a dick about it."
--
Aang snapped awake, his heart racing. The sun was just beginning to rise in the east, casting a soft glow over the valley. He stretched, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream, but a deep blush colored his cheeks as he remembered the Toph parts.
He shook his head, trying to focus, and moved to Appa's reins. "You up, boy?"
Appa groaned in response. "Yip yip," Aang whispered, and they took to the sky.
--
A few hours later, they landed on Air Temple Island. Aang spotted Azula out in the distance, using a hoe to clumsily turn over the earth, trying to make a small garden. Sweat glistened on her brow as she looked up at him.
"Hey, welcome back," she greeted him, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.
Aang smiled. "Would you like me to earthbend some rows for you?"
She shook her head. "Actually, I'd rather do this by hand. I need to do it myself, if that's okay."
"Sure," Aang replied, his smile widening as they shared a quiet moment of understanding. He walked over to a crate of supplies, grabbed another hoe, and joined her in the work.