You watch intently as Aang gets barked at by Zuko, Toph laying down her head in your lap. You run your hand through her hair and caress her cheek as she comfortably leans into your touch. "Who wants a nice, cool glass of watermelon juice?" Katara asks at last.
"Technically speaking, those aren't glasses." You reply, "Toph?"
"I'm good." Your "wife" responds. Sokka is about to take one when Hui Yin does instead, followed by Aang.
"If you wanna lounge around like a bunch of snail sloths all day, then go ahead." Zuko growls.
"He has a point." You mutter. "Staying inside this godforsaken house has made us all lazy." You look up, "We should do something today. Preferably-"
"A beach party!" Sokka cheers, ripping off his clothes to reveal his swimsuit. You sigh, facepalming as everyone cheers in agreement except you and Zuko. You walk inside and grab your new pair of shorts before changing and meeting everyone at the beach. Toph greets you with a punch on the shoulder.
"Ow." You say, rubbing the spot, "Wait, how can you see?"
"I've been doing a bit of practice." she says proudly, tracing your torso with her finger. "I don't want to be helpless again next time we end up in the desert."
"You weren't helpless." You reply.
She smiles as Aang calls out, "Look at my Appa sand sculpture!"
You both check it out. "Impressive." you nod.
"Yeah, not bad, Baldy." Toph cracks her knuckles, "But I've been working on my sandbending, "Y/N, you're gonna love this."
She throws her arms downwards and creates a perfect replica of the upper ring of Ba Sing Se. Your jaw drops as you see Kuei and Bosco. "This is amazing." You whisper, wanting to reach out and touch the city, but you don't, for fear of its structural integrity. Toph's hand brushes your back.
"Thank you. Let's go see what your idiotic pupil is up to." For a second, you don't budge. "Y/N?"
"I failed them. I swore that I'd protect them from treachery, and I failed." Tears are in your eyes, "This was my home."
"Y/N, you're strong, alright? You are one of the best people I've ever met, what happened to Ba Sing Se isn't your fault." You stare at the replica a moment longer, taking it in before you nod and she gives you a quick kiss. "Now come on." She walks away and you follow her towards Sokka.
"Ta da!" your student exclaims, presenting a sand sculpture.
"Is that a blubbering blob monster?" Aang asks.
"No, it's Suki!" Sokka replies, offended.
Both Toph and Aang break into laughter, "Well, it would make money as abstract art." You shrug.
Toph and Aang laugh even harder at this. Toph sighs, "Suki, we'll all understand if you break up with him over this." She crosses her arms.
"I think it's sweet." Suki decides. Sokka runs over and smooches her cheek. As Aang walks towards the sculpture, you sense something before gripping Toph defensively and shielding her from a blast that easily destroys Sokka's sculpture. It's Zuko.
"Fuck. I'll be right back, I need my sword." She nods and you run up the hill and into the house. Within seconds, you hear explosions in the upper floors, you snatch up your father's blade and run outside as Aang sends the prince through a wall. You point your sword to the chest of the fallen Zuko, who bats the blade away angrily before you put it away. Suddenly the group surrounds you, "Are you fucking nuts? Cueball here is the only way to defeat your father and you just tried to fucking kill him! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?!" He shoves you backwards. You hear a low growl and Toph steps to your side, defensively, Hui and Cheng not far behind. Zuko isn't deterred, "How can you all sit around having beach parties while Sozin's Comet is only three days away? I especially expect more from the son of D/N." You scowl, Then he realizes the looks on everyone else's faces, "Why is everyone looking at me like I'm crazy?"
Aang speaks up. "About Sozin's Comet-- I was actually gonna wait to fight the firelord until after it came."
"After?" Zuko asks, confused.
"I'm not ready." Aang explains, "I need more time to master firebending."
"And frankly, your earthbending could still use some work too." Toph adds.
"So you all knew Aang was gonna wait?" Zuko asks.
"Not me." Hui Yin says.
"Me either." Cheng shrugs.
"Honestly, if Aang tries to fight the firelord now, he's gonna lose. No offense." Aang looks down.
"The whole point of fighting the firelord before the comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the war." Katara explains, "But they pretty much won the war when they took over Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse."
"You're wrong." Zuko states, looking at the ground. "It's about to get worse than you can even imagine." He takes a breath, "The day before the eclipse, my father asked me to attend an important war meeting. It was what I'd dreamed about and wanted for so many years. My father had finally accepted me back." From there, he describes the Firelord's plan to burn away the Earth Kingdom, reducing it to nothing but ash. You feel a feral rage burn inside you, "I wanted to speak out against this horrifying plan, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't." He falls backwards onto a rock. "My whole life, I've struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance, but once I had had it, I realized I'd lost myself getting there. I'd forgotten who I was."
"Fuck." you whisper, looking down. Toph clutches your hand and Hui Yin puts a hand on your shoulder, but you feel numb. You feel angry, you feel insignificant.
"I always knew the Firelord was a bad guy, but his plan is just pure evil." Sokka almost whispers.
"What am I gonna do?" Aang asks, weakly.
"I know you're scared, and I know you're not ready to save the world, but if you don't defeat the Firelord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore."
Aang gathers anger, "Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner?!" Aang demands.
"I didn't think I had to." Zuko sighs, "I assumed you were still gonna fight him before the comet. No one told me you were going to wait!"
"Yeah, that was Sokka's job." you mutter.
"This is bad." Aang tells himself, pacing nervously. "This is really, really bad."
"Aang, you don't have to do this alone." Katara says.
"Yeah. If we all fight the Firelord together, we've got a shot at taking him down." Toph agrees.
"Alright!" Sokka cheers, "Team Avatar is back!"
You take a long breath and look up, draping an arm over Toph's shoulders, "Let's kick his ass." You snarl.
"Fighting the Firelord is gonna be the hardest thing we've ever done together." Aang says, "But I wouldn't want to do it any other way."
"You make blush." Hui Yin rumbles, "Group hug!" Everyone joins in except Zuko.
"Get over here, Zuko. Being a part of the group also means being a part of group hugs." Katara calls. With that, Zuko begrudgingly complies, joining between you and Hui. The latter proceeds to lift everyone into the air right before Appa joins, crashing down into everyone. You groan and open your eyes to see Toph's.
"Darling, I love that you're so close, but you're crushing my ribs."
"Sorry." She laughs, weakly. You menover around to get room to kiss her as Aang manages to get Appa off, everyone except you two gets up.
"Aw, get a room!" Cheng jokes.
Toph pulls away, "We would if you didn't barge in all the time!" Then she goes back to kissing you, the kiss quickly shifting to making out on the ground.
"Come on, Zuko, I need to get some training done." Aang says. Katara follows them, Hui Yin and Cheng go off to town and Sokka and Suki go another direction.
Toph pulls away after a few minutes. "You're a really good kisser. How are you so good at everything? I'm almost jealous."
You seize one more peck on her lips with a cheesy smile. "I think I've told you before." You brush her hair out of her face and kiss her one last time. A strand of spittle connects your inch-apart faces. "We should probably get to work. You go find Dimwit, I'll catch up with Hui and Cheng."
Toph nods, "Yeah. You're right." She gets up, "But we're finishing this later."
"I'm fine with that." You stand up yourself and grab her hand, squeezing it gently before letting go and walking back inside, throwing on clothes and heading for the town. They are pretty easy to find, Hui being a giant and all. You meet them at a food market. They're looking at meat. "So, what are we having for dinner tonight, boys?"
"We get celery, seaweed and tuna, and we have rice at camp." Hui reports.
"Alrighty then. We'll take ten drumsticks. Also, do you have any pepper?"
"Yes we do."
"I'll take your largest shaker. Cheng, grab the drumsticks."
"Yes sir."
"So, you staying here long?" The lady asks.
"Yeah, us three, my wife and a couple others are just up the road. We're gonna be here three days, just passing through, going to meet the Firelord before he embarks." You smile, "He's called on me to be his personal chef."
"Alongside Chef Ran Se?"
"Yeah." You lie, "I've cooked at several major Fire Nation festivals, my cuisine style is renowned across the map. My wife is a professional wrestler. Met her in an Earth Kingdom settlement and fell in love almost instantly."
"Oh, you're kinda like that one guy from the play-- Y/N!"
"Kinda." You agree, taking the pepper as Hui sets down three silver coins. "See you at the celebration party." With that, you all walk away.
"How you get so good lying?" Hui Yin whispers.
"He was the leader of a secret organization, Hui. Why wouldn't he be?" Cheng grunts.
"He is also good man. Good men don't lie." He pauses a moment to think, "Well, most time, anyway."
"You'd be surprised." You sigh. When you make it back to the house, you set everything down and put the chicken on ice.
"Everyone leave to see exercise that your wife, Kyoshi Warrior and Bird Boy make." Hui says as you walk outside.
"Well, I suppose we've gotta play catch up." You shrug, and lead the big guy towards your group.
"Glad you made it." Sokka says, "Alright, in order to take out the Firelord, or in this case, the Melonlord, our timing has to be perfect. First, us non-benders will draw his fire, then Katara and Zuko come in with some liquidy-hot offense, and while the Melonlord is distracted, Aang swoops in and 'bam!' He delivers the final blow."
"What about Toph?" You ask.
"I have my job, Graceless." She says, proudly. She gives you a smile that makes your heart flutter. Soon you're all on the battlefield. Toph laughs in a theatrically evil tone.
Sokka makes a signal and you all start running when suddenly, rock soldiers rise from the ground, five in total. Zei's blade cuts through one like butter as Hui Yin plows through one and Cheng just sort of looks at his before you throw him your father's sword. He cuts through it with similar ease to yours. You all run forwards as a flaming rock lands right in front of you. Suki jumps over it and Hui runs into it, knocking it out of his way as Cheng follows. You help Sokka up. "Hey Toph, watch it!" Sokka yells.
"I am not Toph, I am Melonlord." She booms.
"God I love her." you chuckle. "Come on, Dimwit, we're falling behind." You quickly catch up to your team, fending off "enemies" and dodging Toph's deadly projectiles. "Hey, Cueball, it's your cue!" Aang leaps from the ledge, swinging his staff, but he stops.
"What are you waiting for? Take him out!" Zuko shouts. Aang shakes his head and Sokka has a conversation with him that you can't hear in its entirety, but it ends with Sokka slicing the Melonlord's head and Momo eating the sliced melon. Sokka storms away and Suki follows him. One-by-one, everyone leaves, except for you and Aang.
"Bud, you good?" You put a hand on his shoulder. His aura is darker. "I can't imagine what this must be like for you, bud. I try not to kill. But in a battle, shit happens. But it's different for you. I never claimed to give a flying fuck about religion, but you're a monk. It's against your 'code' to kill, isn't it?" Aang nods. "My family has a saying. 'The man doesn't guide the sword, the sword guides the man.' I used to wonder what it meant, but now I know. Trust your instincts. When you make up your mind, I have your back."
"Thanks, Y/N." Aang says, before smiling, "It's really hard to remember that I used to hate you." He chuckles.
"Trust me, I still hate you." You both share a laugh and he sighs out of it. "If I were you Aang, I'd talk to the past Avatars. They'd probably have good advice." You grip his shoulder and slightly shake him. "Well I'm going to help Katara make dinner. See you when it's served."
"Okay." Aang says, when you start to turn, he stops you, "Wait!" You turn. "Thank you, not just for the advice, for being there for us."
"Motherfucker, you'd all be dead if it weren't for me. You don't need to thank me." You say, pulling him into a quick hug. "Don't strain yourself, fuckboy." You say in a joking tone.
"Whatever you say, Oik-Brain."
"I think mine was better." You shrug before walking away.
As your group eats dinner in silence, creating a very tense atmosphere, Katara shows up with a rather large scroll, "I've got a surprise for everyone!" She cheers.
Toph tries to throw her off her rhythm, "I knew it! You did have a secret thing with Haru!" You cover a smile with your hand.
"Uh... no." Katara states, bluntly, "I was looking for cooking pots in the attic, and I found this!" She pops the scroll open and it shows a picture of a baby, "Look at baby Zuko! Isn't he cute?" This causes everyone to start laughing, save for Zuko himself, he closes his eyes in annoyance, "Oh, lighten up. I'm just teasing."
"That's not me." He grumbles, "It's my father."
"But he looks so sweet and innocent."
"Yeah? Well that sweet and innocent kid grew up to be a monster." Sudoku growls, before adding, "And the worst father in the history of fathers." Well...
"But he's still a human being." Aang snaps.
"You're going to defend him?" Zuko questions, incredulously.
"No. I agree with you, Firelord Ozai is a horrible person and the world would probably be better off without him, but there's got to be another way."
"Like what?" Zuko pins.
"I don't know." Aang says, contemplating, "Maybe we can make some big pots of glue and then I could use gluebending to stick his arms and legs together so he can't bend anymore."
"Yeah, then you can show him his baby pictures and all those happy memories will make him good again." Zuko adds, sarcasm evident as Suki and Sokka snicker to themselves.
"Really?" Aang asks, hopefully.
"No!" Zuko hisses.
Aang starts pacing anxiously, "This goes against everything I learned from the monks." He says, "I can't just go around wiping out people that I don't like."
"I don't know, it's worked for me." You shrug.
"Besides, you're the Avatar!" Sokka adds, "If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you."
"This isn't a joke!" Aang roars, "None of you understand the position I'm in!"
"Aang, we do understand. It's just-"
"Just what Katara? What?!" Aang snaps.
"We're trying to help!" Katara shoots back.
"Then when you figure out a way for me to beat the Firelord without taking his life, I'd love to hear it!" Aang storms off.
"Aang!" Katara yells, "Don't walk away from this!" She starts to go after him but your hand shoots out and grabs her wrist.
"Let him go." You say. Katara gives you a furious glare.
"He needs time to sort it out by himself." Zuko elaborates. She nods slowly and you all finish eating.
Finally, it's time for bed. You sit on the edge of it just getting your breath in order. Only a couple more days and this will all be over. Zei would be so proud of you. Dao would be so proud of you. Even your father, as awful as he was, would be proud. In two days, you take on the Fire Nation. A battle you could very well lose. This is no longer just for workers, a small town or even Ba Sing Se, this is a battle for the entire planet. You pull your shirt off with a groan and toss it on the ground.
Before long, a pair of arms fall over either shoulder and a pair of lips gently graze the back of your neck. The reason you continue to fight. Toph. She removes her lips from your neck and rests her head on your shoulder, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just thinking."
"Thinking isn't your strong suit, Dreamy."
"I'm a man of action for a reason." You reply, smirking a bit, but that smirk falls just as quick, "I'm just worried. What if-"
"No. No 'what if's. What happens happens, alright?"
"Alright."
She pulls you back onto bed as she continues to hold you by your neck to her chest. "You worry too much."
"I know. I just don't want to lose everything we worked so hard to build." She nods slowly as you share a kiss, "I love you, Love Bug."
"I love you too, Dreamy. Now go to sleep."
"Okay. Goodnight."
"Goodnight." She yawns. You both drift off to sleep.
You feel yourself laze awake and rub your eyes as you slowly rise from the quietness of sleep, feeling an odd pulling sensation from the pit of your stomach. Taking a glance at Toph and seeing that she's still asleep, you rise.
You'll come to learn to trust a gut feeling eventually.
You slowly rise and walk towards the pull past a meditation circle and through a lake, soon, you don't even know where you've ended up, just that a pull is guiding you to where you need to be.
I should've written Toph a note.
But it's too late to do so now, not that she could read it in the first place, now you need to find what's pulling you.