Gradual Changes

Two Gusts of Wind

"You get down there yourself or you don't race," Toph told him. "If you can't walk, maybe you shouldn't be running."

"Toph!"

"Fine! Baby."

Toph ducked under Aang's arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. Helping him hobble down to the track was irritating, but she didn't mind as much with his arm around her. Maybe she should let him hold her more often. She pulled his arm tighter around her and smiled. By the time they reached the track everyone who saw them assumed they were just hanging on each other.

"Well you two sure look cute," Katara said.

"Eh," was all Toph replied.

The two track teams sat on opposite sides of the track performing their stretches and warm ups. Aang took a seat next to teammates and slowly began stretching as well, doing his best not to aggravate his stomach and incur its wrath.

"Hey, Twinkle Toes, I think I spotted your competition."

Aang lifted his head to Toph and saw her pointing across the track. He followed her pointing finger to a tall boy with striped black and green hair. He was stretching his legs and smiling to his teammates when he noticed Aang's gaze. Aang nodded and smiled to him.

"What makes you say that's him?" Aang asked.

"Cause he's got steps almost as light as yours."

The young man began to cross the track and regarded Aang with a smile. When the reached Aang, he extended his hand and introduced himself.

"Name's Kaze," he said. "And you?"

"Aang," he answered as he gripped Kaze's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Thought so! You're the guy everyone keeps talking about," Kaze said. "Nice to have a challenge to look forward to. I was tops through junior high, and things don't look much more promising here."

"I'll do my best!" Aang grinned as his stomach rolled over again.

"So what's your best time on the dash?" Kaze asked. "I've made ten point seven."

"Ten point eight is the best I can do," Aang answered.

"Yeah right, Twinkle Toes," Toph chimed in. "I know you're faster than that."

"And who might she be?"

"This is Toph," Aang said.

"Nice to meet you," Kaze greeted. "Like to watch the runners?"

"Yeah, I can hardly take my eyes off them," Toph replied sarcastically. "I'm blind, dufus. I'm here for Hot Pants so he won't get lonely." Aang blushed as Kaze started to laugh. "Maybe you shouldn't be laughing so hard. You're wearing them too, you know."

"That I am," Kaze said as he continued to laugh. "I'll see you on the track, Aang. Don't disappoint me!"

Aang covertly wrapped his arm around his cramping stomach as he waved the other at Kaze. He hoped he could keep it under control at least long enough to run the race. He watched as Toph took her seat in the first row of the stands next to Katara who waved and shouted good luck. Zuko sat beside Katara holding his coat as closely to his body as possible and shaking violently. A whistle sounded, indicating the start of the competition.

Aang rose from the cold ground and took his place among the other runners. His stomach did another quick flip as he knelt down at the starting line, but he held it in. Kaze was in position just two lanes down from him and was smiling eagerly. Another flip.

Just hold it for another couple seconds, stomach.

Toph slid off her right shoe and placed her bare foot down on the freezing ground. Aang was certainly not doing any better than he was that morning. In fact, he was quite obviously doing worse. That Kaze character wasn't helping things either. Something about him just rubbed Toph the wrong way. As the whistle went off for the second time, Toph held her breath.

Aang did not vanish from her sight as he usually did, not completely anyway. Every other second she could feel a light vibration from farther down the track. Kaze's own vibrations were not too distant from him. Toph continued to "watch" as the two sets of vibrations tore down the track. She "watched" as the two of them crossed the finish line. Then she "watched" as Aang's vibrations continued to run off of the track and into the grass before he fell to his knees.

Aang held his cramping stomach as he allowed his stomach to purge itself of the food he had forced into it. His eyes blurred with tears and he could feel the burning sensation of the vomit all the way down his throat. As he heaved another mouthful onto the ground, he felt a gentle hand begin to rub his back.

"It's okay, Aang," Katara's voice said. "You're okay, just let it all out."

"Where's Toph?" he asked with a shaking voice.

"Right here, Twinkle Toes."

Aang did not look back, but reached a hand out and felt her grasp it. Another wave spilled from his mouth and he let out a pained groan. He was never going to try running in this condition again. Then the vomiting finally stopped.

"How are you feeling Aang?" Katara asked. Aang rubbed his hand over his stomach. His eyes widened as he lifted his head away from the smelly puddle on the ground.

"Great actually," he said in surprise. "I fell a lot better."

"Is he alright? What happened?" Kaze asked as he walked up to the gang.

"His stomach's been bothering him," Zuko told the boy. "He's fine."

Kaze's brow furrowed. He looked from Aang to the puddle of puke and back again.

"You ran sick?"

"Sorry," Aang apologized. "I'll do better next time. I'd shake your hand, but I don't think you'd appreciate it very much." Kaze just nodded with a blank look on his face before walking back towards his team. "What was that look for?"

"You guys tied," Toph told him with a proud grin. "I don't think he's as excited about the competition as he thought he'd be."