ATLA: Bonds Within Bending

Research

Suki's POV

"What was that about?", Azula asked whilst watching Aang and Katara walk away until they were out of sight, she closed the door and looked at me, I decided not to say anything, don't want miss firey big nose sniffing around my business.

"It doesn't matter", Ty Lee spoke then turned to me, "you do what you've got to do, we'll stay out of your way, if you need anything just message okay?", she sounded concerned, getting Azula out of my way would be perfect.

"Can out of the way mean staying here and doing absolutely nothing?", Mai groaned from the couch, she's the most bearable of the trio because she does next to nothing, I know Ty Lee should be the least annoying but she can cause a headache because of how upbeat and perfect she seems to be all the time.

"yeah, actually I'll go, I need to do stupid 'research' anyway", I shrugged and smiled lightly at them all before quickly going to my room so I could pack some things before heading to the best place I could possibly go right now.

"SUKI?! WOAH I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!".

Toph's appartment.

I know it is technically Sokka's but I don't care about him. I'm here for Toph.

"heh well, I might be if I don't do any training, thought I could come to the best earth bender I know for some help", I smiled nervously as I stepped in, so the place is a mess, no surprise there with just Sokka and Toph living here, or should I say dwelling. I should clear up an area for training but do it slowly so I don't look rude. "I was also told to do some research, know any water tribe traditions?", I asked her whilst picking up all kinds of things off the floor, including a whole sandwich which smelt like it had been there for weeks.

"Not really, but I did some eavesdropping", Toph smirked , she seems proud of it, I don't usually condone this but on the condition of me being desperate for whatever I could get, I'll let this one slide. "I heard Sokka, Katara and Aang talk about some kind of special secret water tribe card, then something called a Spirit Oasis? Oh but the most interesting thing was Sokka being a big needy-", Toph was beginning to rant but I stopped her.

"Spirit Oasis? Water tribe card?", I raised a brow stopping what I was doing, I haven't heard of them before, which makes me feel more nervous, but at least I've gotten a warning I guess, and for once thank god Toph listened in. "I'll look into both once we've finished here", I got back to cleaning whilst I thought about what she said.

"Alright, so what's with the whole Yue thing? I thought you hated Sokka, why interact with her?", Toph asked, she sounded incredibly interested, not just her usual evilly curious self, this seemed more personal for her.

"Uh well", I love Toph, it's great being around another down to earth girl, okay this isn't a time for puns, but I just can't trust her too much right now, I can't tell her everything incase it comes back to kick me in the butt later, so I better pick my words carefully. "I just saw her and I don't like people like her so I stupidly lashed out and this happened, which I wasn't expecting", I finished clearing up and brushed myself off, that was a ridiculous explanation but I hope she just believes it.

"Huh okay, she seemed to take that to heart then, weird. I thought you were jealous or something, like you were still into Sokka", Toph laughed and walked over to me, then stopped and put her hand on my shoulder, "you aren't. Are you?", she suddenly became very serious, I don't like her like this.

"No! Not at all, that's all in the past of course", I smiled trying to break this tension that she's created, maybe she's just protective over him, in a bestfriend or little sister kind of way, they are roommates after all.

"Okay great, now let's get to that training", she stretched her arms out by interlocking her fingers and pushing them away from her and cracking her neck with a smirk on her face, this is clearly where she's most happy, I should probably do this with her more often.