Disclaimer: I own nothing in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Title: What about now?
Theme: Theme 3; 1. once upon a time

(once upon a time – MaiZuko)

She’d loved him once, she was sure of it. She had been young, bored (not that that’d changed much) and he had been just as young, but so much more innocent and sweet and naïve. He was easy to manipulate; easy pickings for a young, but definitely not innocent Azula. Mai remembered blushing whenever he walked by with his mother.

‘Mama’s boy,’ Azula had mocked, and Mai remembered thinking that Zuko would have been a Daddy’s boy if he could. She saw it in his eyes, in how he adored his mother but whenever Fire Lord Ozai came into view, his father was all Zuko seemed to see.

Once, Ursa had caught Mai watching. The smile she had given Mai was heartbreaking and soothing all at once.

Now, Mai wondered where that kind, beautiful lady had gone. She looked at Zuko from behind enemy lines, and wondered if he thought of her the same way. As the enemy, or if he even remembered her.

Once upon a time, she’d loved him. She wished she knew what she felt now.

&&&&

Title: Jealousy
Theme: Theme 3; 12. love/hate relationship

(love/hate relationship - CFG/Cabbage Man/Aang)

Really, the Cabbage Man thought, whoever had created the whole idea of ‘support the one you love no matter what’ thing had never encountered his situation. He eyed his love’s excited expression, before turning to give the incoming air bison a jealous look. On top of the animal was the Avatar, he knew, who would never know and probably never care how much his love worshiped him.

‘Stupid Avatar,’ he thought grumpily, as the familiar noises of the Crying Foam Guy began a few feet away, marking the arrival of the Avatar. The Cabbage Man turned to his cabbage cart, and grumbled out loud, “Stupid love.”

&&&&

Title: Hiding
Theme: Theme 3; 2. "You've got two choices."

("You've got two choices." TophAang)

“You’ve got two choices,” Toph had told him once, “Stop the rock, or get squished like a bug.” Honestly, this was nothing like it, but oddly that was what came to mind as he and Toph were squished in the tiny alley way, hidden by only a few boxes. Her hand pressed roughly against his mouth and she hissed, “Don’t make a sound Twinkle Toes, or we’re as good as dead.”

Heavy footfalls got closer and closer and Aang could feel his heart beating faster and faster. They paused. “Hey,” a deep voice said, “have we checked in there yet?”

Toph cursed quietly, and Aang suddenly found himself back against the cold ground, shirtless and bewildered. ‘I’ve never been stripped of my clothing so quickly,’ Aang thought giddily, still in some shock.

“Trust me,” Toph mutters, and the chill in his body from losing his shirt fades when Toph presses herself against him and kisses him rather abruptly and surprisingly passionately. He kisses back automatically.

Toph is warm and the thick material of her clothes scrape against his skin, but where her clothes have fallen away (good god, how did that happen?) her skin is soft. Her hands are rough with calluses that he can feel on his face and her mouth is wet and warm and he’s not completely aware of anything until someone mutters, “Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to intrude,” and Aang remembers where they are.

They pause to breathe, and hot air fans across his face as Toph pants, still clutching at his face. Their foreheads are pressed together, and Aang can see her brow furrow as she listens for the footsteps to fade away. She hurriedly fixes her clothing and throws Aang’s shirt at him and they leave the danger zone quietly.

Later, when he catches her alone, he asks her about it and she says, “The way I see it, there were two choices; fight and risk ourselves, or find a way to escape peacefully. I just made a choice on the spot.” She raises her eyebrows, “What. You didn’t enjoy it?”

Toph smirks as Aang stutters, blushing furiously.

&&&&

Title: No Big Deal
Theme: Theme 3; 3. separation anxiety

(separation anxiety – Sokka/Suki)

Toph has walked in twice, scaring them both to death and making her turn various shades of green. “Ugh!” she exclaims in horror both times when he tries to explain himself, “I don’t need to know what you’re doing!”

Katara walks in and squeaks, throwing her hands up in front of her eyes, and runs back out, muttering about him being her brother and good heavens, put a warning or something outside the door.

Aang has not come in once. Sokka suspects that is Katara’s doing.

But honestly. He doesn’t know what their problem is… he’s just putting on Suki’s makeup.

&&&&

Title: Tongue-Tied
Theme: Theme 3; 4. practice makes perfect

(practice makes perfect – Zutara)

Zuko thinks he might love her. That might explain the painful lump in his throat every time he sees her with another man, the way that his heart beats furiously whenever she comes near, and how he can never seem to string two words together.

The latter seems to be his biggest problem. He tries to talk to her, but when Katara turns around to look him in the face, suddenly he becomes a mess of “uh”s and “oops” and finally, “uh, yeah, I’ve gotta go” as he suddenly recalls something else that needs to be done right at that precise moment. Like hiding behind a nearby tree and pretending to look very busy whenever the Avatar or Sokka come along.

He doesn’t even bother with Toph, who begins snickering every time she walks by him.

“Shut up,” Zuko grumbles at her.

“Oh, poor princess,” she chortles, and gives him a friendly smack on the back that he thinks might bruise tomorrow. He barely manages to keep from flinching. “Just keep on trying,” Toph giggles as her amusement wears off a bit, “I’m sure that eventually you’ll finally manage to talk to her face to face.” She pauses. “Maybe.”

“Thanks,” he says dryly, and Toph leaves him to long after her friend secretly, laughing the whole way.

He takes her advice and eventually, he manages to talk to Katara without making a complete fool of himself, though Sokka and Aang are not particularly happy about it.

One day, he hopes, he will be able to tell her exactly how he feels.

&&&&

Title: Loving
Theme: Theme 3; 5. "Shut up and listen"

("Shut up and listen." Sokka/Toph)

It started on a day that Sokka was lonely and drunk and Toph was just plain drunk. Toph will always blame Sokka for the first night of entangled arms and ripped clothing, but that’s okay because Sokka blames Toph for the second one. They’ve got a mutual understanding between the two of them that the third night and all the following nights after it are simply not to be mentioned.

Soon the alcohol is not involved, but it takes a little longer for the two of them to stop trying making excuses that the other doesn’t believe anyways.

They try not to let their friends know what’s going on, but sometimes Toph thinks that Katara’s head inclines their way questioningly and Aang glances their way more often than usual. Toph wishes desperately that she knew how to navigate the situation; her instinct is to storm and yell and break things, but she’s pretty sure that it’s not the best idea and this delicate minefield makes her nervous.

She’s never wished to be able to see as much as now, to have the reassurance of looking at Sokka and know what he looks like. She wants to touch him, but she’s not sure if she can do that either and so she sits close enough to Sokka to touch, but not close enough to actually touch. She can almost smell him from where she sits.

It kills her, and Toph wonders why she does this to herself.

Beside her, Sokka shifts, and for a terrifying, horrible second, Toph thinks he’s about to get up and leave her and she nearly reaches out to grab at him because it feels like it’s been too long since she’s been able to be this near to him and- “Sokka?” she asks uneasily when it turns out that he’s not going to leave, but then what is he doing?

He kisses her breathless, and this kiss just seems more meaningful, more… more something and when he releases her, her face is heated and Toph ducks her head, embarrassed “Sokka-” she starts to say, but a finger presses against her lips with the other hand clasps her smaller one.

“Shut up,” he tells her sternly, “and listen to me.”

Toph falls silent, a bit put out at being silenced so abruptly. She feels Aang shift uncomfortably to the side, but there seems to be no movement from Katara, who could be frozen stiff in shock or disgust for all Toph knows.

“I love you,” he says, and shushes her again when she opens her mouth to say something again. She doesn’t need to see him to know he grins; his body lightens up as if releasing a huge load and seems somehow brighter. “I love Toph,” he says, as if tasting the words to see how it feels in his mouth.

Toph is turned speechless. She sits still, wide-eyed in surprise. “I…” she whispers, “I love you too, Sokka.”

He envelops her in a hug and kisses her again.

“Uh, guys.” Aang says hesitantly, “I’m happy for you all… but we’re in the middle of the market. People are staring.”

“No, I think they’re just happy that none of their stuff is going to be broken by another one of the infamous fights between Toph and Sokka,” Katara says wryly, “Like the last time. And the time before… There’s a reason we have to accept the higher prices we get charged. Maybe now we’ll be able to save some money.”

Later, Toph accidentally blows up a stall when she’s spooked by a horse. Sokka trips over his feet and manages to knock a cart of cabbages over (“My cabbages!” an insignificant cabbage merchant cries) and ruin three different carts of fruit.

Fire Lord Zuko is unhappy with them, and sentences them to a night in jail to think about their actions, despite their protests (“Hey, we’re in love! Have a heart!” “What does that have to do with anything?!” “You’re just jealous.” “...Jealous of what?!”)

The next morning, Katara and Aang pick up their friends from the jail, who are beaming far too cheerfully and innocently. Meanwhile, the pale and shaking jail guard goes to talk to his overlord. (“Fire Lord Zuko… please, don’t ever do that again… all night… noises…” The poor man shudders and Zuko smacks himself and barely restrains the urge to make torture legal again.)

Happily Ever After.

&&&&

Title: Comfort
Theme: Theme 3; 6. piggyback ride

(piggyback ride - Toph/Katara)

Toph’s smaller body is warm against her back and her dark hair tickles Katara’s cheek. Strong arms clad in coarse, sturdy material are wrapped loosely around Katara’s shoulders and she feels the weight of Toph’s skull pressed tiredly against hers. Katara struggles not to let the tears flow and tries to just concentrate on moving forward.

“You don’t have to carry me,” Toph says hollowly, “I think I can support myself now.” Katara bites her lip as fresh tears rise to the surface, and she does not say anything but tightens her grip around Toph’s legs. The other girl has grown in the past years and the added muscle does little to help Katara’s aching shoulders.

She stumbles slightly over something and nearly falls flat on her face, bringing Toph down with her. “Katara,” Toph whispers into her ear urgently, “put me down.” She does, and slumps down to the ground helplessly, staring at the ground as if she’s never seen it before, noting detachedly that it was slowly getting dark.

Toph kneels in front of her and raises a hand to touch Katara’s face carefully. “I won’t leave you,” she whispers quietly, seriously, “I promise.”

Katara looks up, and it almost seems as if Toph is staring straight into her, looking into her soul with her pale, unseeing eyes. She raises her own hands to Toph’s face and strokes her dirty, surprisingly soft cheeks. Instinctively, Toph’s other hand moves to cover Katara’s and a split second decision later, Katara is kissing her old friend.

Toph tenses in surprise. Katara breaks the contact, and turns her head away in embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” she mumbles, “I don’t know what came over me-” and Toph kisses her again, entwining their fingers together.

When they finally break apart, Toph awkwardly presses her lips against Katara’s forehead, and whispers, “Don’t be sorry.” She wraps her arms around the older girl, and Katara breathes in Toph’s earthy scent, glad for the comfort and security. Toph murmurs nonsense things into her hair and Katara giggles quietly.

They don’t know how long they can stay that way until the enemy gets too close, and they have to move again, but for now, they enjoy each other’s company as long as they can.

&&&&

Title: Affair
Theme: Theme 3; 7. up close and personal

(up close and personal – Katara/Haru/Toph)

He should feel lucky, he thinks. Grateful, happy, content, anything other than the heat and desire and want he feels for the beautiful, passionate woman who is not his wife.

‘What kind of bastard am I?’ Haru thinks despairingly as he looks into his wife’s clear, bright, loving, trusting eyes and can only think of her.

‘What is wrong with me?’ he cries at himself as he lies next to his not-wife in bed and is consumed with guilt over thoughts of his wife.

His lover rolls over onto her stomach and trains his eyes on him, a smirk sliding across her face. Haru doesn’t know why she bothers – or how she does it either, when she can’t even see him. “So, Haru,” Toph says casually, voice husky from crying out, “How’s Katara?”

&&&&

Title: Lonely
Theme: Theme 3; 8. misery loves company

(misery loves company – Azula/Toph)

“So,” a disgustingly familiar person nearly chirps as they slide into the chair beside her in the bar. “How’s life been?”

Azula attempts to glare them into silence, but it doesn’t work. ‘Maybe I’m losing my edge,’ she thinks hazily, and decides, no, no, it must be the beer she’s been drinking. “Wha d’ya wan?” she grumps.

“Hey now,” Toph says, sounding hurt, though the amused undertone of her voice gives her away, “Is that anyway to greet an old friend?” Azula attempts a glare again, and is annoyed when Toph just laughs.

“I ‘ate you,” Azula slurs angrily, and slams the glass in her hand angrily against the bar to emphasize her statement.

Toph snorts. “Yeah, that cuts deep.” Azula contemplates glaring again and decides that if it didn’t work the first two times, it won’t work now. Instead, she tries pouring her drink over Toph’s head, which doesn’t work, though not for lack of trying. There’s just nothing left in the glass.

Amused, Toph guesses what she was trying to do and calls for the bartender to send over another round as Azula gives the glass a look of utter betrayal. “Don’t blame the glass,” Toph admonishes her as the bartender pours her some more beer, “It’s the innocent party here!”

Azula ponders this and exclaims, “Yur right!” and nods, and then stops because it makes the room spin.

“…You really think so?”

“IZ ALL ZUKO’S FALT.”

Toph raises an eyebrow. “Uh-huh.”

Azula sniffs self-righteously. “Iz his falt-“

“Fault.”

“-fault dat I’m stuck h’re all alone ‘n EXILED like… like…”

“Like he was?” Toph asks dryly, “Oh, the injustice. What did you ever do to deserve this?”

“Dat’s my kes-qu-kestion!” Azula pauses and looks at Toph suspiciously. “Wat ‘chu doin’ h’re, nee weiz?”

Toph shrugs. “Twinkle Toes and Sugar Queen are off saving the world and Meathead’s busy trying to repopulate the whole damn world with his poor wife. I guess I’m just looking for some company.”

Azula blinks at her.

After that day, Toph has been an ever persistent thorn in her side. The blind girl is there when she wakes up (“Hey. Hey! Are you ever going to wake up? Helloooooo?” “…I hate you.”); when she eats breakfast (“…this smells disgusting. Are you sure this is edible?” “Eat it or starve.”); when she goes traveling (“Are we theeeeeeere yet?” “Would you shut up?!); when she sleeps (“Azula-” “What. Do. You. WANT?” “Well, excuse me. Touchy, touchy. Hope you get nightmares.”)

Azula won’t admit it, but she doesn’t want it any other way.

&&&&

Title: Impossible
Theme: Theme 3; 9. photograph
Note: Erg, so I tried writing Sokka/Katara, but I couldn't actually get myself to do more than what I've done. Incest isn't a big squick with me, but this couple just oddly makes me nervous.

(photograph – Sokka/Katara)

The servants milled around, preparing for the great ceremony that was to take place later that day.

“Did you hear?” one maid whispered to another, “About her brother?”

“Oh, yeah!” her friend hissed back, “You mean the haggard guy in the corner who looks like his world just collapsed around him?”

“Yeah! Now…” They continued to titter excitedly, and Sokka wondered if he should tell them that he could hear them, he wasn’t deaf, thank you very much. They moved out of hearing range before he could decide, which was just as well.

He stroked his precious picture, worn from years of the same fingers running over it the same way. Sokka smiled at Aang laughing at Toph’s disgruntled, annoyed look (“What’s the point in this again?” she’d demanded). His fingers lingered over his sister’s face, a amused, yet affectionate look on her face as she watched them. In the picture, Sokka had a huge grin on his face for the camera, his arm slung over Katara’s shoulder, completely ignoring the other two.

Sokka shook his head at himself, and stood up, tucking the picture away. He walked, head high into his sister’s wedding, determined to be happy for her, ignoring his own heart breaking.

&&&&

Title: Sweet (Alternate Title: A Friendly Bet)
Theme: Theme 3; 10. together

(together – Katara/Aang)

Aang approached shyly, cheeks slowly becoming more and more pink as he got closer to his destination. “Katara?” he asked hesitantly.

She turned from whatever she was doing, and smiled at him. “Yes?”

He scuffed his foot nervously against the ground, and Katara is reminded of when he was 14 and she was 16 and he first asked her out on a date. She smiled at him affectionately. He had always been so sweet.

“Uh…. You know I love you, right?”

Katara cocked her head, a slightly puzzled smile gracing her features. “Of course,” she said, amused. “You know I love you back, right?” she teased.

Beside her, Toph groaned in disgust. “Oh, get on with it, would you Aang?”

Katara blinked when Aang reddened further at her words. “Uh… Katara…You are the single most wonderful woman I’ve ever met...” (“Yeah, thanks Avatar,” Toph muttered) “And… I want us to be together forever… As… husband and wife. So… Willyoumarryme?” Her eyes widened comically.

“Aang…” she whispered, touched, “…I’m so surprised…”

“I’m not,” Toph grumbled to Sokka, who nodded unhappily.

“Yes,” Katara cried, “Yes, yes, of course I will!” Aang looked faint from relief, and Katara wrapped her arms around him. Cheers from their friends around them (Aang had invited all their friends for a party to witness his proposal to Katara) and the happy couple accepted congratulations from the excited people.

“Pay up,” Toph said to Sokka smugly. He handed over a small purse of money glumly.

Zuko gave him an incredulous look. “You bet Toph about your sister’s answer to the question? Are you stupid?”

“Hey, she’s my sister!” he defended himself, “I have to be optimistic here!”

“Whatever gets you to sleep at night, Meathead,” Toph said cheerily, throwing the bag up and catching it.

&&&& Title: Reaction
Theme: Theme 3; 11. mind games

(mind games – Azula/Zuko)

He clenches his teeth together, and refuses to make a sound, to twitch the slightest bit for her. “What’s the matter, Zuko?” she murmurs gleefully into his ear, “You’re not happy to be with your dear little sister again?”

Zuko turns his face away from her and feels her pout against his face. “Aw, I’m hurt, Zuzu,” she sighs, running a hand across his chest as she walks around to face him, and leans in so they are nose to nose. “You didn’t miss me?”

He turns his face away from her again, and the chains on his wrists and ankles that are holding him in place clink together. Azula doesn’t bother to pull his face to so that he meets her eyes again. She moves forward and wraps her arms around him, a mocking sort of familial tenderness. He still doesn’t react.

“It’s okay,” she whispers into his ear, “I missed you enough for the both of us.” She smirks against his ear and her hand slides down his back, almost stroking him. She licks his earlobe and says huskily, “Let me show you.”

‘That,’ she thinks with a vicious satisfaction when he turns around and looks at her as if he has never seen her before, ‘got a reaction.’

&&&&

Title: Starry Night
Theme: Theme 3; 13. star gazing

(star gazing – Azula/Sokka)

“Hello… Loverboy.” Azula smirks, but doesn’t rise from her comfortable position on the grassy hill. “Aren’t the stars beautiful today?” She gasps mockingly, “And the moon, oh, now isn’t that lovely.” She looks slyly at him, “Wouldn’t you agree?”

Sokka can only glare at her, bound to a tree tightly by rope, his weapons lying just a cruel few feet away from him. She’d set them there on purpose. Azula smiles condescendingly at him. “Oh… poor baby. You can’t reach them can you?”

She rises and stands in front of him contemptuously. “Do you feel frustrated? Angry that you can’t do anything?” she laughs in his face, “Is it really a new feeling?” She squeezes his arm painfully tight, watching his muscles bulge instinctively. “Can’t bend, can’t fight back… what can you do? Useless, aren’t you?”

Sokka snarls at her and tries to lash out at her, despite being bound. Azula pushes him back roughly against the tree and presses her mouth against his. He lets out a surprised cry that her mouth swallows and her tongue thrusts into his slack, unresponding mouth.

He struggles, and she releases him with a smirk. “Take him away,” she tells her guards dismissively, and they are quick to respond to her orders. Azula moves to follow them but pauses to glance up at the starlit sky, and a sneer crosses her features.

‘How romantic,’ she thinks, amused, and then turns away.

&&&&

Title: Without You
Theme: Theme 3; 14. friends first, lovers second

(friends first, lovers second – Toph/Zuko)

The first time they really meet, the war is over, Iroh is the Fire Lord (to his chagrin) and Zuko is tense and uncomfortable around the Avatar group, who give him the cold shoulder. Aang can never really forgive him for betraying them and Katara can never really forgive him for letting Aang nearly get killed. Sokka mutters over and over that he hated Zuko in the first place, and that’s never going to change.

It’s Toph that ends up becoming their liaison, which she thinks is stupid, because she’s never really been a good diplomat. She’s more inclined to smashing things.

A huge party is thrown to celebrate Iroh’s elevation to Fire Lord, and Toph finds herself seated at the same table as Zuko, who does not talk to her and instead stares at the intricate pattern of the tablecloth. Toph is bored out of her mind, and taps the table with her fingers. Zuko twitches slightly.

“Would you mind stopping that?” he asks as politely as he can.

Toph does not appreciate his attempt at being civil and snaps back, “Would you stop doing an admirable impression of a concrete block?”

Startled, Zuko falls silent, and Toph feels bad. “Don’t go and get all sensitive on me, Princess,” she grumps, crossing her arms.

“…Princess?”

“You got a problem with me calling you that?”

Zuko doesn’t know how to respond to that and quiets again.

Toph sighs in frustration. “Oh, stop being so moody. It’s so stupid!”

“It’s always going to come back to that, isn’t it!” Zuko suddenly snaps, “I’m sorry, it was stupid, my sister is a bitch, and I realize I’m idiot, is that good enough for you?!”

Toph trains her unseeing eyes on him and says calmly, “Well, I wasn’t even talking about that, but I’m glad you realize you’re an idiot. Now sit down and eat some of your chicken or something before you make yourself look stupider.”

He sits. And takes a bite of his chicken.

Toph begins to snicker. “Oh, Princess,” she laughs, “Way to put yourself on a pedestal, huh? Glad to see the heir to the throne has so much humility.”

He doesn’t see her again after the party until one day he is wandering the halls to find her doing exactly the same thing. “…What are you still doing here?”

Toph looks at him innocently. “Whatever do you mean?” she asks.

“It’s been a month since my uncle’s coronation,” Zuko says, frowning, “Shouldn’t you be going home or something? Everyone but you has left already.”

Toph flinches slightly at the mention of ‘home’ but manages to beam at him cheerfully and says, “Aw, Princess, you don’t want me?”

He starts in surprise. “What- no-!”

She feigns hurt and brings her hands to her face. “Oh, I must have over-stayed my welcome!” Toph wails, “I’m so rude, I’m sorry, really, I can leave whenever you want me to…”

Zuko grits his teeth as Toph grins behind her hands mischievously. “No,” he grinds out, every word dictated by custom, “Please, stay, my home is your home.”

“Why thank you, Princess,” Toph says flippantly, and nearly skips out of the room. “I feel so loved now.”

Toph stays for another few months, slowly but steadily inserting herself into Zuko’s life. At first he thinks she’s a pain (“No, Zuko, that’s wrong.” “How is it wrong if-” “You question my judgment?” “What, no, but-” “Then listen to me. Just try it.” “…” “See? See? I WAS RIGHT.”) but soon he comes to respect her and enjoy her company, to even look forward to spending time with her. Iroh, who smugly points out he did in the first place, is amused when Zuko confides in him about this.

They’re walking the halls again one day, discussing alliances with other countries that have come to disrespect and look upon the Fire Nation with understandable suspicion.

“How much money do you think it will take to bribe them?” Zuko muses.

“Oh please,” Toph huffs, “All the money in the world won’t make them trust you guys again, and I doubt you have anywhere near that amount. I say we marry you off, Princess.”

“What?!”

“Um,” a shy maid says timidly to them, “Miss Toph Bei Fong?”

Zuko’s jaw drops slightly. “Bei Fong?”

Toph ignores him. “Yes?” she demands.

The poor girl practically shrinks upon herself and whispers something in Toph’s ear. She tenses, an unreadable expression flits across her face, and she suddenly marches off.

“Toph?” Zuko calls after her blankly.

She’s gone the next day. The only explanation he gets is that some people reported seeing a young, blind girl in the Fire Nation palace, and her parents had come to take her home. Zuko recalls Toph’s way of avoiding that subject and talks to Iroh about it. His uncle strokes his beard and says, “We will see.”

Zuko’s life suddenly becomes a lot quieter, and he wonders what happened to the girl who might have been his friend.

“You’re getting married!” Iroh announces to him one day.

Zuko stares at him in disbelief. “What?”

“Today!” Iroh cries out joyously, “Isn’t that exciting?”

“…What?!”

Iroh pauses and looks at Zuko as if he just realized he was there. “What are you doing nephew?” he demands, “It’s your wedding day! Why aren’t you getting ready? Hey, you!” he gestures at a couple of servants, who grasp a flabbergasted Zuko and drag him away.

“…What?” Zuko asks again, and is ignored yet again.

In less than four hours, Zuko is dressed and standing at the altar. No one will tell him who his future wife will be, or what’s going on, but suddenly someone shushes him, and his bride is entering.

Behind her, a woman is wailing loudly, “Noooooooo, MY BABY!” as someone attempts to shush her. Her father walks her down the aisle, tears streaming down his face and leaving a trail of used tissues behind him.

He bows to his future wife, and takes her hands awkwardly. He notices her small hands fit nicely in his, and to his surprise, they are not soft and delicate as he expects but callused and sure. The priest drones on and on for a few hours and Zuko feels his legs going numb.

“I do,” Zuko says, nearly missing his cue. The priest nods, and turns to the woman beside him and Zuko finds that it is possible for the priest to get more boring. The bride’s cue comes up and when it hits…

…she says nothing. The priest repeats his line, and waits. Suddenly, the bride slumps forward and Zuko dives forward to catch her, but she manages to catch herself.

“Woah,” a familiar voice says groggily, “Must’ve fallen asleep. Is it my turn yet? Well, I do. Are you done now?” The priest starts to say something, but is cut off by the bride waving her hand dismissively, “Ah, whatever.” She pulls off her veil. “Man, that thing was stuffy…”

Zuko laughs in amazement and relief and Toph grins back at him. “I missed you too, Princess,” she says wryly, and hugs him.

“Uh-uh,” the priest stutters, “I… now pronounce you husband and wife?”

“Good, good,” Toph says, “Can we go now?”

&&&&

Title: Overrated
Theme: Theme 3; 15. always a bridesmaid

(always a bridesmaid – Mai/Ty Lee)

It was a beautiful affair, Mai thought, almost jealously. White cloth streamed everywhere she looked and beautiful flowers were tastefully weaved and placed all around the interior of the chapel.

How many more of these weddings would she have to attend in the future, Mai wondered idly as the beautiful blushing bride walked toward her future husband, nearly glowing with happiness. Mai eyed the man on the altar from her great view from a familiar position; bridesmaid. He positively radiated love.

It was a bit disgusting, really, and Mai wanted to hit herself for thinking that maybe she wanted something like this.

‘Weddings,’ Mai thinks as Ty Lee smiles at Mai from her position right next to her, ‘are over-rated,’ and she smiles slightly herself as she feels strong, lithe fingers intertwine with hers.

&&&&

BONUS!

Title: Caught in the Act
Fandom: Avatar the Last Airbender
Pairing: Zuko/Aang Notes: I can't write romance. I just can't. >>

The two immediately broke apart, both flushing deep red. Zuko could see the back of a blue-clad watertribe person leaning over to retch behind Toph. Her straight, stiff posture and hands placed firmly on hips obscured them enough for Zuko to be unable to tell which sibling it was.

“Uh!” Aang squeaked, sounding 14 years old again, right around the time he hit puberty and his voice continually fluctuated, much to Toph’s amusement. Zuko could do nothing but bury his face in his hands, unable to meet his advisor’s blank eyes, despite knowing she couldn’t see him anyways.

“Toph,” Sokka said weakly, reappearing from behind Toph’s back, grasping her shoulder for support and his eyes squeezed shut, “He’s not trying to eat Aang.” He immediately winced at his own words. “At least I hope he’s not.”

“No!” Zuko exclaimed, horrified. Aang let out a soft whine and buried his face in Zuko’s shoulder.

Toph folded her arms irritably, her face contorting in annoyance. “Alright, I don’t care what you’re doing, you have five minutes before the next ambassador comes, and you are not leaving me and Sokka alone with this one.” She marched away, Sokka stumbling after her.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked her urgently.

She frowned. “Why the hell not?” He whispered something in her ear, and she stopped in the middle of the hall, mouth opening and closing in surprise. Toph thought about it for a moment and then shrugged. “Ah well. Uptight bastards need to open their minds up anyways.” She began walking again. “Besides Sokka, whatever they might do can’t be as bad as what happened with us last time…”

Sokka flushed in embarrassment, and hurried after her. He shook his head sadly. The Fire Nation was never going to get anywhere at this rate…


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