Chapter Six: Return of The First One

  She knew it for sure now, she couldn't deny it anymore. Certainly not after last night. She didn't just like that goofy guy, she loved him. She called it the I-Like-You-More-Than-A-Friend-feeling, but it was a little too long to say every time, so she just shortened it and called it love. And she was about to admit her love for him. She decided that yesterday night, after she had talked to Sokka. He just had to know, and maybe he would return her feelings? Agh, don't be stupid, Toph. You're just a friend to him. A stupid little girl.
“Toph, are you almost done? We don't have all day, you know.”
“Take it easy, Katara, we still have to saddle up Appa.”
“What?! Then go saddle him up!”
Toph smiled. She loved to hear Katara and Sokka arguing. For some reason, Katara always won. The waterbender walked in the room and smiled when she saw how beautiful Toph looked in her Fire Nation outfit. She hadn't really looked at it those weeks they were in the Fire Nation, but she had the time now. And she thought her earthbending friend looked stunning.
“What?” Toph asked unsure.
“Nothing,” Katara replied, still smiling, “You just look... beautiful.”
No change in the heartbeat, nor in her breath. Had she learned how to lie or was she really telling the truth? Hopefully it was the second option. Toph smiled too, her inner-Toph was shouting from happiness.
“Thanks, Katara.”
Katara took one more look at the beautiful girl before putting her arm around her and pulling her out the room.
“Let's go.”

  They walked outside and Toph felt that her Water Tribe friend was wearing her Fire Nation outfit too, she could feel her uncovered stomac. She had no idea how her friend looked like, but she knew she was beautiful. She felt it. Her skin was soft, and since she was her love's sister, she figured the brave guy had a soft skin too. My love's sister?? she repeated angrily in her head. Ough, Toph, this whole Sokka-thing is making you sick.
The two powerful benders arrived with the rest of the group, who were already in their Fire Nation outfits too. Sokka was helping Aang with saddling up Appa, Zuko helped The Duke with getting dressed in his new outfit while Haru and Teo were giggling like little girls. You didn't see an older guy dressing a young little kid every day, and the view was pretty funny.
Katara cleared her throat loudly to get everyone's attention. She had no idea why she did that, but from the moment she looked down at the blind girl, she remembered why she wanted everyone's attention. She made a subtle gesture to Toph, wanting everyone would compliment her, but since Aang and Sokka had seen her like that already, they shrugged and went on with saddling up their transport. Zuko had to look twice to recognize her, she was looking really pretty, and that for such a young girl. He knew already that she would become a beautiful woman and that the man who she'd fall in love with would be one of the luckiest in the world. He quickly shook his head and pushed the thought out of his mind while he got up straight.
“You-You look good, Toph.” he stuttered.
Again, no lie was told her. She knew she was supposed to like it, but she wasn't used to get compliments like that (and certainly not from Zuko), so she tried to answer with a sarcastic comment.
“Thanks, Zuko, I wish I could say how ridiculous you looked, but I can't.” She pointed to her eyes. “Remember?”
The Fire Prince clinged his hands togheter and bit on his teeth. Don't get angry, don't get angry. he ordered himself. He forced a laugh, knowing it'd be better he wouldn't get angry, he heard about the fight Katara & she had, and he wasn't longing for one with her himself. He got down onto his right knee again and helped The Duke with pulling his shirt over his head. Cute kid.
The Duke didn't pay any attention to Toph's beauty, he didn't even know what that was yet. Haru and Teo obviously did know some things about beauty, for example: They were looking at one at the moment. Haru pulled at his Fire Nation outfit's collar and smiled sheepishly.
“Yeah, Toph,” he coughed, “I, eh, he's, uh-”
“He's right, Toph,” Teo interrupted him (luckily), “You're looking really good.”
Teo was clearly better at giving compliments, and he was probably the only one – Katara not included – who had never been afraid of Toph. In fact, he always found her kinda sweet, even though she never really was it. He was more of a person who looked more at the inner of the people, although this person's looks weren't too bad either. Toph tried to feel any vibrations coming from the nice guy, but since he was in a wheelchair made of woud, she couldn't feel any heartbeat or breath rapidity. Crud.
Katara smiled. Finally Toph had gotten some compliments, and this time, she didn't give them. Toph sighed annoyed. She hated compliments. She always found a bad thing to think with them. For instance, she thought, I never got any compliments about my clothes or anything when I wore my old stuff. What's wrong with them? Don't they look good on me? Or have they all learned to lie so well I don't notice it and they just think this clothes are ugly too? Or am I ugly, and are my clothes fine? She put her hand on her head. Too many questions for a too young girl.
The talented waterbender, or Sugar Queen, looked up at her brother and the Avatar, who were (finally) almost done with saddling up their big, furry friend. Aang hung on his buddy's stomac and was trying to tie up the enormous saddle. He tied it up just in time, cause clearly, his muscles were tired. He fell off his friend and laughed. Sokka jumped off the beast and helped up his friend. They turned around and walked to the girls of the group.
“We're done.” Aang said cheerfully.
Stupid Twinkle Toes, Toph grumbled to herself, Always happy.
“Let's go.” Sokka quickly ordered, turning around immediately to run to Appa.
“Woah, there, big guy,” Katara said as she stopped her brother by holding his shoulder, “Do we have everything?”
Sokka sighed and turned around, an annoyed look on his face. “Yes, we have everything.”
“Are you sure?”
He sighed once more. Was she deaf? “We have everything, Katara, do I have to spell it for you? E-V-E-R-I-E-T-another letter-ING. Everything.”
Katara, Aang, Haru, Teo and Zuko laughed. Sokka's spelling wasn't that good. Toph and The Duke didn't get it. Toph knew nothing of spelling, she couldn't write, and The Duke was just too young to even think about writing. Or he was just a bad speller himself. Or he couldn't write, just like her. She shrugged. What did it matter?
“What?” Sokka asked unknowingly.
“Nothing.” Aang laughed.
He walked towards Appa and jumped on his head. He tapped it twice and got a growl in return. He smiled and looked down at the others.
“He's ready.”
Everyone climbed on the flying bison as the animal started to get ready to lift off. Sokka didn't look at Toph for longer than two seconds. He knew himself all too well, and if he'd stare too long at Toph, he'd start blushing so much that even oblivious Aang would see it. He had seen Toph in her Fire Nation outfit before, but he had never had a real chance to really look at her. Besides, the sole of Toph's shoe smacked into his face, so his view got blocked. Sokka climbed on Appa as last, still with his thoughts with his friend he liked quite a lot.
“Yip, yip, buddy!” Aang yelled out.
Appa growled once more before lifting up and flying away from the Western Air Temple. Katara kept looking behind her, at the temple, remembering every nice, scary and funny moment she had experienced there. There weren't a lot to remember, but enough to make her smile. Once she saw her brother looking back to the temple too, she put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He turned his head to her, his blue, cold eyes staring right into hers. She smiled at her brother, who – when he saw her smiling – smiled back. He loved his sister, even though she was most of the time irritating and overprotective. Sisters were probably meant to be like that.
Katara let go off her brother, and turned to Aang, who was still sitting on his best buddy's head and was looking in front of him, at the blue, bright sky. She crawled over the saddle and sat down next to him. He looked at her, and they started to talk. About what, no one really knew.
Sokka turned with his back to the edge of the saddle and laid his arms on it. He looked around and noticed that everyone was just... staring. This was going to be one boring trip. For him at least. It seemed that Zuko would have a boring trip as well, he had fallen asleep already. Lazy butt, Sokka thought, I at least sleep when it's night.
Then, his eyes stopped with the one he had been thinking of quite a while. She was (as always) staring at the middle of the saddle while holding on the saddle tightly. He could see she hated flying, and although she looked terrified, she made him smile. Suddenly, she looked up and it seemed like she was looking right into his eyes with her pale green ones. Of course, that couldn't, but still. It made the warrior look away instantly, and to make it a bit more unsuspecious, he whistled and looked in the sky. Toph grinned. Even though she couldn't see him like she always did, she knew he was nervous and tried to stay cool. Sokka tried to look at her again, but when he saw the big grin on her face, he turned his head away immediately.
“You know, Sokka,” the literally blind girl began, “If there's something you wanna say to me, go ahead. It's not like I have something more important to do right now.”
A grin crawled upon Zuko's face as well, he enjoyed this situation. He turned his head towards the brother of the creepy girl, the one who had threatened her a couple of days ago, and saw a sweating guy biting his teeth, trying so hard not to yell. Toph's a genious. he thought happily. He always thought of Toph as a tough girl, one that did what she wanted to do, and if that included making older guys nervous, then that was what she did. And there was nothing the firebender was going to do about.
The Water Tribe warrior scratched the back of his neck and tried to think of something smart or funny to say. But nothing would come. Nothing. Not even a stupid comment. And if he didn't say something to Toph soon, the possibility of getting insulted big time was big. He hated getting insulted, and especially if those insultings were correct. So in a way, they weren't insultings, but the way she 'told him the truth' was insulting itself.
“I, uh...” he stuttered. “I...” He lowered is head, putting his hands between his legs. “I've got nothing.”
The viewers of the spectacle turned to the girl. What was going to be her reaction? With her, you never knew. She could crawl over to him and punch him, she could give him one of her sarcastic comments or insults, she could do whatever you could think of, only, she never did what you thought she'd do.
“Well that's too bad.” she began.
Here we go. Sokka thought unhappily.
“I kinda like that annoying sound you make every time.”
“Thanks, Toph, that's really-”
“What did you say?”
It was the exact question the blind girl expected to hear, but someone els asked her. Everyone looked with wide open eyes at Zuko, the one who had shouted out the question. It was so loud, even Katara and Aang looked behind for a second. They both shrugged and went on with their, probably, interesting conversation. A quite short, but nervous, silence came over the six people in the saddle.
“Come again?” Toph eventually asked.
Zuko swallowed loudly before opening his mouth to repeat his question. “I asked what you said.”
There was nothing to answer. There was no reply that she could think of. Or was there?
“I'm sorry, are you deaf?”
“No, he's right.”
She turned her head abruplty to her left, trying to face The Duke, the one who normally never spoke. Haru quickly covered the youngest member of the group's mouth and smiled widely and uncomfortable, trying to avoid Toph's serious look. Not that she could see it. Was everyone turning against her? What was wrong with her saying she liked Sokka's annoying sound? Yes, it was a compliment, a compliment mixed with an insult. Oh, the insulter thought shocked, It was a little too much of a compliment. For me.
“What?” she answered in defence. “Can't I give him a compliment? He had been complimenting me for days and I didn't hear any of you giving a comment on that!”
The guys turned to Sokka, the compliment guy, who was blushing insanely. Luckily Toph couldn't feel a thing on the saddle, but she too noticed he had become very silent. They were all waiting for an explanation, or a long and loud defence that said he wasn't a compliment guy at all and didn't even like her or something. Of course, he would be lying then, but so what? A guy had to defend himself, right? No matter how much he would have to lie for that. But no shout came, nor did an explanation. The only thing that they saw and heard, was a swallow and sweat dripping off his chin. It said enough, yes, but the guys still wanted an explanation in words. Then, they could hear his shaking voice (not that they liked that), then, they could see his trembling body trembling even more (not that they liked that either), then, they could see if he was about to lie and find out if there was something more they hadn't seen. Sokka opened his mouth, closed it to make his lips a little wet, and opened it again. Everyone was thrilled of excitement.
“I, uh...”
“Yes?” the guys of the group asked excited.
“She's, uh...”
“Yes??” they asked again, wide smiles growing upon their faces.
He lowered his head in shame again, feeling weaker than ever. “She's right.”
Zuko's mouth fell open. Literally. And the others followed his lead, even Toph. No one had anything to say on that, no comment, no joke, nothing. It was the second time in two minutes (if you didn't count the long silences) he had nothing to say. Had he gone mad? Had Toph found a way to bewitch him with some magical powers only blind people had? They would never find out.

  Two hours later – correction: Two of the most silent hours later, they finally landed in the Fire Nation. Sokka had chosen the same spot from before the invasion. The failed invasion. Aang was reliving his weird time there and looked at his lemur friend, Momo.
“Guess you don't talk after all, huh, buddy?”
Momo just replied with one of his 'sounds' and a few times blinking. The happy monk laughed and rubbed over his little friend's head with his index finger. Sokka jumped off Appa as fast as possible to get away from the group who made him confess twice he had nothing. He wanted to disappear, vanish from the world. He was so ashamed of himself, he couldn't believe he wasn't able to give that blind girl an answer that smacked her away. He hated how she could do that to him, yet, he didn't hate her.
Toph jumped off her most hated transport ever, and from the moment she got on the ground, all she wanted to do was apologize and tell that weird guy she didn't mean to be so mean. Luckily, she was smart enough to stay away from him and act like there didn't happen anything. She was good at that. She always had been good at that. But this time, it seemed harder. Maybe shrugging it off was a good option? It's worth a shot... she thought before shrugging off everything she felt. It didn't work, but she told herself it did. She wasn't going to give in to her feelings, not to any of them. She was way to stubborn for that.

  Sokka had came back fifteen minutes after he had left. His thoughts had flewn back into his mind again, and he had the ability to think again. He had placed himself with the rest of the group, who were just relaxing. Toph acted like she didn't care that Sokka came back, but she did. Really. She just didn't let it notice. Stupid her. Stupid feelings she didn't want/dare to show.
“Hey, where's Zuko?” Sokka asked Katara.
“Don't know,” she shrugged, “He said he went for a walk.”
“Oh.”
Suddenly, a loud cough came from Toph's direction, behind Sokka. As worried as he was, he turned to her immediately and gave her a concerned look.
“Toph, are you feeling okay? That cough didn't sound quite healthy.”
“I didn't cough.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You didn't?”
She shook her head and pointed to her left. “But she did.”
Everyone turned their heads to the person Toph was pointing to, seeing Zuko holding a girl in his arms. She laid limp in his arms and her eyes were closed. She was wearing a half destroyed Fire Nation outfit, and her brown hair hadn't been cut or washed for probably weeks. Katara got up instantly and ran to the girl. She applied her healing abilities to the girl and held her hands over her chest, feeling her heartbeat. She looked up at Zuko, anger had gotten over her.
“Did you do this to her!?”
“What??” Zuko asked innocent. “No! I haven't! I was taking a walk, like I said I was going to do, and suddenly found her on the ground. I don't know her, but she does seem familiar to me.”
Katara signed the Fire Prince to lay the girl down, and as ordered, he did. He lay her on the ground and supported her head under a rock. The girl groaned quietly, but loud enough for the surrounders to hear. Sokka shocked. He recognized that voice. He ran to the girl and kneeled next to her. Her hair was in front of her face, but he didn't need to see her face to realize who it was. He put his hand on her left cheek, which got grabbed by hers almost instantly. She smiled weakily and opened her mouth to say what she wanted to say.
“You still know me, Sokka?” she asked under her breath.
His eyes shot wide open as he removed her hair with his other hand, seeing the slightly wounded face he hadn't seen in a long time.
“Suki.”


End of Chapter Six