Who We Are

For Now.

Fire nation, Zuko and Kataras wedding.

Aang.

She was beautiful.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she walked down the aisle towards her future.

Letting her go hurt.
Apart of him will always love her, but they just weren't meant to be.

So he stood beside Sokka and Zuko, smiling at Katara, as her father gave her away.
When Zuko had asked him to stand with him on his big day, Aang almost said no.
Watching the girl you love marry one of your best friends was hard enough.

But, Zuko and Katara looked so happy, he couldn't ruin it for them so he agreed.

"I do."

And she was lost to him, belonging to another man who so obviously loved her just as much as he did.

Sokka had convinced him to stay after his own wedding to Suki, saying he might as well after Zuko and Katara announced their engagement, and that the wedding would be the next month.

At first Aang had been angry with Sokka, feeling as if he couldn't understand.
He had let her leave him three years ago, hoping with time she'd heal and come back.

But it was clear where her heart belonged. Where it always had.

After the wedding, everyone gathered in the dining hall for food, drink's and dancing to celebrate the new couple.
He needed to leave.

Aang stepped out to the same balcony that Katara had left Zuko on all those years ago.

Watching the sun set, he thought about his own life, what it would be like when the world no longer needed him.
And felt unbearable loneliness fill his chest.

"Hey Twinkle-toes. What's up with you? Thought you liked dancing." Toph said, startling him from his depressing train of thought.

"Just needed some air." He said, not taking his eyes off the setting sun.

"Still hung up on her huh?" Bumping his shoulder as she came to stand next to him.

He didn't answer.

"Look Aang, Katara and Zuko are happy. Really happy. You should want this for them. At some point, like now, you will have to get over it or you'll end up ruining y'all's friendship." Toph rarely used his name, only when she was angry with him.

He knew she was right.
Having Katara in his life as a friend was better than not at all. And Zuko's friendship was too important to lose.

"I know that. It's just not easy you know? How did you get over your crush on Sokka?" He asked her. Needed to know that it gets easier.

"He was happy with Suki. That made it easy. Now I'm glad their together. They have something beautiful. I'll have it to one day, with the right man. But for now, you are going to dance with me and we're going to have fun and you're going to like it." Grabbing his arm, she dragged him back inside.

"Alright Airhead. Let's see those moves."

Rolling his eyes at her, he dropped his back.
"You can't even see Toph."

"No really? I just thought they forgot to light the candles." She deadpanned.

Aang couldn't help it, he laughed.
She somehow, in all her rough ways, always managed to make him feel better.

Looking down at her, he really looked at her for the first time in a long time.

He liked her better in the ponytail she now wore, her bangs pulled back out of her face.

The dress she had on, hugged her body, revealing a trim waist and slim hips.

The bodice, snug across her breasts and hung off her shoulders.

He looked further down, still no shoes.

Beautiful, the word fluttered into his mind, giving him pause.

She really was, now that he bothered to notice.

"You're staring."

He shook himself.
"Oh, uh, sorry."

*******
Toph.

She could feel his eyes on her as they danced.

He never acted this way before.
She had felt his heart rate kick up as she got closer and he set his hands on her waist.

Her body had changed some, but she hardly cared. It's not like she could see it anyway.

But Aang's reaction to her, actually felt.... good.

This was one of the many times she wished she hadn't been born blind.
She wanted to see him, to see all her friends and... herself.

Katara had told her once she was really pretty and she had been telling the truth. That was all Toph had to go on.

"What do I look like?" Damn it. She hadn't meant to ask that. But there it was.

His heart rate went crazy.
"Uh, well...you, uh have black hair, that comes to the middle of your back and..uh, pale skin, a small nose.... your eyes are a really pale green. You're short." She punched his arm.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Calling me short."

"But you are!"

"Yes and I don't need you to remind me."

"But you wanted me to tell you what you look like!"

"I meant my face dunderhead."

"Oh."

She sighed, poor boy was hopeless when it came to women.

"Anything else? A mole or something?"

He was quiet a moment and she started to think he was going to answer her.

"No. Your skin is clear. You're beautiful Toph."

Truth.

Now her heart was racing.

She and Aang had grown close over the years but she had never paid attention to him like this before.

"So...why did you and Sugar Queen break up?" She asked him as they slow danced.

Sighing in defeat, he knew she wouldn't drop it till he told her.

"Honestly, it was always about Zuko. She use to call his name in her sleep. She just wasn't happy with me. She tried. I know she did. But she would light up at any mention of him and eventually I think she knew it wasn't going to work. So she told me she was sorry, that she loved me but not the way she should and she left."

She actually felt bad for him. That couldn't have been easy for the young boy at all.

But she let the drop and continued dancing in the arms of her former student.

Why was her heart beating so fast?
......

First chapter of my new story!
I would love to hear y'all's thoughts!
Till next time!❤️

I don't own these characters or the last airbender.