Chapter 7

A week had past since the wedding. Toph kept avoiding Aang as much as possible. She was still a little dazed by the wedding night's events. She did not let any feeling take her over. Most of the time Toph spent meditating or practicing earth-bending. She wasn't sure if Aang was right about her feelings. She didn't know if she loved him. The thing was that she didn't want to know. As she told Aang, she was fine the way she was. Toph didn't want any complications in life, complications like serious relationships. Not after her parents failed her and especially not after ….

Katara and Zuko had returned from their honeymoon and things were slowly settling. Sokka and Suki had decided to return to Kyoshi Island next week. But as the last time Toph did not have a particular destination. She kept carefully avoiding the subject. Aang, who had his full focus on Toph but no interest in her plans, kept annoying her.

"Good morning Toph!" He gives her a surprise hug.

"Try this Toph. It's delicious." He gently grabs her chin in the dining table at breakfast and forces a spoonful of food in to her mouth.

Only Katara tried hard to suppress her giggles as she knew how Aang felt about Toph. But like the others, she too was perplexed to see Toph let him get away with slight frowns or blinks. But finally Toph snapped out of her dazed state as Aang tried to comb her hair strands off her forehead. With the speed of a bolt of lightning she got Aang by wrist and swung his arm backward. Aang who yelped in pain shortly found himself lying flat on his bottom with Toph towering him. She was slightly leaning forward. Her fists were balled and teeth gritted.

"THAT'S IT!" She yelled hysterically. "IF YOU EVER TRY EVEN TO SAY MY NAME AGAIN, I WILL SKIN YOU ALIVE. FIND SOME OTHER GIRL TO PAMPER AND TO GOOF AROUND WITH AND LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Toph's voice shook the entire wing of the palace. Zuko, Katara, Sokka and Suki came running to the hallway where Aang and Toph stood. They saw a hysteric Toph towering an Aang who was shrinking in fear first. But slowly he broke in to a smile. Toph was Toph again. Not the polite and quiet lady anymore. Toph turned on her heels to leave but a wall of earth erupted blocking her way. Aang got to his feet rubbing his sore arm. "But I don't want to goof around with any other girl." He said ignoring others' quizzical looks.

"NOT MY PROBLEM." Toph shouted stomping her foot and sinking the wall of earth back to floor. "WHAT?" She barked at the others who were watching them in confusion. "WHY DON'T YOU GO BACK TO YOUR OWN SISSY BUSINESSES AND LEAVE ME ALONE?"

"Ah! Great" Sokka said. "I kind of missed the old snappy noisy Toph. But what's going on?"

"because we can't." Katara said firmly to Toph. "Something happened between you and Aang, didn't it?"

Toph glared at Katara and then at Aang. She started walking in the opposite direction, breathing fire.

"I kissed her." Aang said little loudly. "And she kissed me back." Suki's lips formed an 'O' as her eyes gleamed. Zuko and Sokka shared a surprised look as Katara broke in to a toothy grin.

Toph turned fiercely and shot a cloud of dust towards him. "I DID NOT!" She yelled. "LEAVE ME ALONE."

"I TOLD YOU I WON'T" Aang shot back a strong gust of wind which made Toph topple. "I'M NOT A TOY FOR YOU TO PLAY WITH!"She slammed her fists on the floor sending chunks of rocks towards Aang. Zuko winced seeing his hallway being destroyed right before his eyes.

Aang Swung his arms either side of him and earth moved upward covering him from Toph's attack. "NO! BUT YOU ARE THE GIRL I FELL IN LOVE WITH." He shouted behind the barrier. "AND YOU DID KISS ME BACK. DON'T YOU DENY IT."

Toph did not retort this time. She got to her feet and started walking away without a word. Aang raised a earth-wall again but she simply walk through it. He tried wind-attack her but she made earth rise up to her shin and stood rooted to the floor. "WHY ARE YOU SO IMPOSSIBLE?" Aang shouted opening his arms wide and sending two flames either side of Toph which met together blocking her way and light a roaring fire from floor to the ceiling.

"AANG" Katara shouted incredulously as Zuko ran forward.

Toph had stopped dead on her tracks. She could feel the immense heat radiated from the roaring fire. She could almost feel the pain of her burnt feet. She has had enough. She was tired. Aang was glaring at her ignoring Katara's hand on his shoulder which was shaking him violently.

Toph slowly turned as a defeated look rose to her face. "Let me go Aang. Please!" She said in a small voice as Zuko approached her and took her hand while extinguishing the fire with a single wave of his other hand.

Aang shrugged Katara off and walked up to Toph. He took her by shoulders as Zuko slowly backed away.

"Tell me you don't love me." Aang said peeping to her face.

Toph blew her hair strands out of her face in annoyance. "I DON'T!" She yelled at his face.

"LIAR!" Aang yelled back. "You taught me how to read pulses, remember?"

"FINE!" Toph gritted her teeth. "I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T WANT TO KNOW." She bellowed shoving Aang off.

"COWARD!" Aang bellowed even louder.

"Alright that's enough!" Katara stepped forward.

"Yeah. I you two are going to argue like an old couple, please do it in the courtyard." Zuko said walking over to Katara.

"I was talking to Toph!" Katara said rolling her eyes at Zuko. She walked to Toph and dragged her out of the hallway ignoring Aang's shout of a 'hey!'

"Leave me alone Sugar Queen." Toph struggled all the way to the courtyard but Katara was keeping a tight hold to her upper arm.

"Tch! enough with that already. Toph this whole thing has gone far enough." She said making Toph sit on a stone bench in the court yard but not letting go of her arm. "Why would you keep running away from him? Why won't you trust Aang?"

"I trust him with my life." Toph said irritated. "I just…"

"do not trust him with your heart!" Katara offered. Toph stayed silent.

"It's fine Toph. You should take your time." Katara went on. "I was confused too when Aang thought he had feelings for me. We took our time and chances and eventually figured out that we were wrong. Give yourself a chance, give him a chance. Stop running and face things like an earth bender!"

"I Am One!" Toph huffed.

"But you act like an air bender!" Katara chuckled. "Now that Aang knows you have a spark for him in your heart and now that he knows he loves you, he won't give up on you!"

"Yes, I won't!" Both Katara and Toph jumped as Aang landed in front of them. "All I'm asking is Toph, for you to let me be with you. Travel with me. If you don't want to be my girlfriend, just be my friend. Let me be a part of your life at least. Don't push me away like some trash. I will not be a pest." He bowed. "It's an Avatar promise."

Katara snorted. Toph couldn't help but join her. "So much for your Avatar promises." She said laughing for the first time in a week. She thought about what he said though. May be it's not such a bad idea. Who knows? May be she'll find her destination someday. May be it is Aang. But for the time been she did not worry about it. She has a lifetime ahead of her to find out. Toph felt her heart lighten after four years. She gave Aang a small smile.

"Fine! Let's travel together." She said as Aang broke in to a grin. "But you will do well to keep you Avatar promise this time!"