(Zutara) Let Me Pretend; Your Soul is Winter Fire

Blame

A firing squad of eyes pin Katara to the doorway as she enters the reception room of their borrowed home. Long Feng is still at the door, hands behind his back as he enquirers into Aang's stay in Ba Sing Se, how he's enjoying the city, has he visited any of the museums, restaurants, and galleries between his tireless petitioning of the city. Katara would gladly freeze the moment in time rather than face it. But she's pushed through by an irate Toph, muttering about being woken at such an hour even though at a glance Katara can tell it's well into midmorning.

"Good morning, sir," Katara starts with her best foot forward, coming more into the room until she's before the officer. She offers him a shallow bow with her greeting.

He does not return the curtesy. "Apologies for dropping in unannounced like this."

"Like we have a choice," Sokka mutters.

"No apologies necessary," Katara answers diplomatically, teeth showing. Less a smile than a warning. Both wear armor of niceties, both have teeth which can bite.

Of course, Long Feng has the entire authority of Ba Sing Se behind his. "I hope I'm not interrupting your morning. I will be sure to send the palace cooks here themselves to make up for making you postpone your breakfast."

"What a lovely off-"

"What do you want?" Toph cuts in, a blessed blade slicing through Long Feng and Katara's sizing up of each other.

"To speak with you." His eyes never stray from Katara, but he speaks as if addressing the room.

"About what?" Aang asks. His grey eyes move from Katara to Long Feng like he's back at the Southern Air Temple watching an Airball match.

Long Feng holds Katara's gaze another second before turning to the Avatar. "About your stay here. How are you finding our humble city, Avatar Aang?"

Toph snorts from her place at the table. She's got Sokka's club in her hands, grinding the blunt end against the wood tabletop as if she has no clue the man who gifted it to them is standing a few feet away.

"It's nice, I guess," Aang answers after a moment. "A little more restricted than I'm used to."

"Order promotes prosperity," Long Feng says, nodding as if Aang's complimenting how he runs the city. "I'm sure your Air Nomad brethren benefited from structure before detaching themselves from all sense of order."

Aang frowns. "From possession and needless materials. My training was nurturing and guided, but the monks didn't feel the need to manage every last one of my waking moments."

"A shame, considering where it's led us."

Toph explodes up from the table, smacking the end of the club against the wood hard enough to crack the surface.

"To a city with no war?" Sokka quips icily, putting a hand on Aang's stiff shoulders. He shoots Toph a look they all know she can't see, yet somehow she understands. Sokka still waits until she puts the club down before he turns back to Long Feng. "That is what you've been saying to everyone in it, right?"

Long Feng drips oily satisfaction. "Exactly right, War Chief." He turns swiftly to where Toph is standing. He bows, knowing full well she can't see it. "And we've been fortunate enough to be graced by the presence of a Beifong. My lady, I do hope Ba Sing Se is treating you well."

"It has a snake problem," Toph says without preamble.

"Not in the Upper Ring, I assure you. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same of the Lower Ring. Nor the Middle. It appears a pest control problem has been growing right under my nose."