Author's Note: this is an EXTREMELY fast, super fluffy, quick read for those who want some instant ZukoxToph to make their day. Please don't flame for the pairing itself, the rushed-ness of the story, the super fluffy-ness, or a bit of OOC (as I couldn't pair them this quickly without it)

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Does it really matter? Toph thought as she was dragged down a metal hall by two firebenders, my whole life I've lived as nothing but a prisoner in my own home, unable to do what I wanted.

Toph's feet hung limply, dragging over the metal floor of the dungeon. She couldn't tell where she was being taken, she had been injected with some sort of poison which took her ability to bend away, taking with it, her sight.

Let them lock me up, she thought, grunting as her toe stubbed something sharp, at least this life will be no different. She had allowed herself to be captured so Aang and the rest had a chance to escape, and escape they had.

She could feel the motion of her body stop, then heard a sound of metal-on-metal, and knew one of her guards was unlocking a cell door. She was tossed inside, landing on her stomach, and the door was locked behind her. She could hear footsteps retreating, and knew they had left her alone.

Groping around blindly she followed the edge where wall met floor to get an idea of how big her cell was. When she reached the door she stood, sliding her hands up to the barred window, and sticking them through.

It had been an ambush, forty or so fire nation soldiers had attacked them when they least expected it. Katara and Aang had fought back with water, and her with earth, but Sokka couldn't match their skills. He was stabbed through the left shoulder, badly wounded. Knowing it was either lose a friend and risk being captured, or give yourself up and allow the others to get away, Toph had willingly sacrificed her freedom. And now...

She let herself fall back on her bottom, cradling her head in her arms.

"You look like a caged animal," a voice spoke up from outside her cell.

"Who's there?" she squinted in the darkness, trying to pin the voice to a face, but couldn't recognize it.

"Just someone to bring you your dinner."

It was a male voice, Toph noticed.

"But not let me free?" she asked sarcastically.

She could hear a plate of food slide in through the hole in the bottom of the door.

"No," the voice said, "I can't."

"You say I look caged," Toph crawled towards the plate, "yet you won't set me free."

"I can't," he replied, "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," Toph lifted a loaf of bread, "I'm sure you're sorry," she said sarcastically.

"In a way I am. After all, we're all caged," the voice went on, "but, like every cage, there's a key which unlocks the exit."

Toph took a bite of the bread, "And where's the key which unlocks mine?"

There was no answer so Toph continued, "Who are you?"

"I can't tell you, I'm sorry."

"Why can't I know who you are?"

"You don't want to," he answered, "believe me. The only reason I'm talking to you is because you have no idea who I am."

Toph fell silent, not knowing what to say, and heard the man retreat, once again leaving her abandoned.