A Kiss in Ba Sing Se

Chapter 1: Thoughts

My love was asleep.
The slumber of ages
Until you came and awoken it!

It spoke of what was... and what was to be
As it soared with joy above the clouds!

Yet another had your eye.
Was she more to you than I?

No, I must not despair,
For ours is the Love of Destiny!

And from your slumber a Kiss will awaken all.

The GAang had all gathered at Uncle Iroh's re-opened teashop, the Jasmine Dragon, to relax after the fierce battles they had endured to defeat Fire Lord Ozai and the evil Azula.

Toph's thoughts seemed to drift along with the melody of the tsuki horn that Iroh softly played.

The recent near-death experience crept once again into her mind as she laid on the table just above the avatar. Even though she was grateful for the strong hand of Sokka that held up even though he had suffered a broken leg in the fall across the top of the airship, she wondered if anyone would really have missed her if she had fallen.

"Perhaps a few tears," she sighed to herself, "but life would go on... and I'd be a distance, dirty, memory." She shook her head. "Sheesh, I'm depressing myself again!"

Still the thought of her again being suspended between heaven and earth shook her to the core. The most powerful earthbender, about to plummet to her doom, or worse: getting burnt to a crisp by a bunch of murderous, comet enhanced firebenders!

"Stupid me, about to become Toph flambé, and all I can think about is that skinny, pussy foot, bald headed monk!"

The thought still so infuriated her, she had to steady her breathing.

Something had blossomed in her when Aang went on that spirit journey on Roku's island. She felt it in her heart as if somehow she was linked to him. No visions, no words, only these strange, strong... feelings.

When the journey ended, the feelings did not. Strangely, it seemed as though she had known him her whole life long. When he took hold her hand, he had actually captured her heart in one fell swoop.

But just like the other idiot she had liked, this one didn't realize her feelings either.

The corner of Toph's mouth lifted, "If the others hadn't been there, I'd a planted a big wet one right on his lips for sure! Yep, I'd a been on him like a canyon crawler on a cured hippo ham!" she imagined.

She had to restrain a giggle that threatened to betray her thoughts. Again she let out a long sigh.

He was totally dominating her thoughts and dreams. Not your normal, average dreams either. Rather these were passionate and very vivid dreams... especially for a blind girl. She could only imagine this is what color looked like when she was having them.

Sometimes the touches felt so real, she'd wake up in a panic, only to find that she was still alone in her rock shelter or room. The way her body felt, the extreme dampness in all those intimate places, made taking baths a necessity now.