Categories > Cartoons > Avatar: The Last Airbender > Magma
Chapter 15: Avoidance
0 ReviewsHere we see how the transition starts between war and love. ZukoxToph
Magma
Chapter 15: Avoidance
After spending some time apart, too sick to tease each other, as the cold did spread between Zuko and Toph again; the fire bender and the earth bender were finally healed. Time was progressing quietly for them; it was as if they shared an unspoken truce, and at the same time went out of their way to avoid each other.
Not surprisingly, Katara was the first to catch on, and expressed her concern to Sokka and Aang. They agreed that she should talk to Toph and they would talk to Zuko.
xoxox xox xoxox
"Hey Toph, can we talk?" Katara tried to sound casual, but it didn't quite work.
"Is something wrong?" Toph immediately asked, sensing Katara's worry. She expected a speech about how they all needed to contribute and all tat stuff, though Toph didn't think she had forgotten any chores lately, nor had she done anything to trigger Katara's maternal instincts, other than kissing Zuko the other day, but if that was it Katara wouldn't have waited this long before saying something about it.
"No, not really, but I actually wanted to ask you the same question." Katara sat down at the edge of an old fountain which she had earlier refilled with water when they made the ancient temple their home.
Toph knew that Katara wanted her to sit down as well, but she remained standing as if saying she intended the chat to be short. "I'm perfectly fine."
Katara knew that Toph would sooner leave, than follow the conversation where the water bender wanted it to go, unless she directly stated the point herself. "I noticed you and Zuko haven't been spending a lot of time together. Did you have a fight?"
Toph couldn't help it but to laugh. "Believe me if we had a fight, there's no way you could have missed it."
Katara wasn't sure she should be worried about Toph's reply or glad they didn't have a fight. She decided to stay positive and focused on the latter. "Then why...?"
Toph wondered about what was going on herself. It was a strange silence agreement between her a Zuko, as if they were both concluding their little war in a draw. But it couldn't end like that, Toph wouldn't allow. It would all end only when Zuko gave up. "We're just taking slowly that's all. It's not like we broke up or anything."
"Oh, well I'm glad," Katara realized that sometimes she did worry too much. They were just taking a break and slowing things down, it was best that way, nothing to worry about.
xoxox xox xoxox
Zuko was training when Sokka and Aang approached him. The prince ceased his fire bending and faced the other two. For a moment he felt like a small creature, trapped between two predators, but he pushed the thoughts away. An awkward silence was starting to settle and Zuko didn't like it. "Hi?" was the only thing he could think of saying to end it.
"Hi," Aang replied with a big smile, and for a moment Zuko relaxed.
That moment of relaxation did not last too long, for Sokka's next line sent the fire bender to full alert. "We need to talk."
"About what?" There was something about that phrase, those four little words, that brought the foreboding feeling of certain doom. Why couldn't people learn not to start a conversation like that?
"Girls," Sokka replied. He placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder and the both sat down on rocks to have another man to man talk. "We noticed you and Toph are not as lovey-dovey as you were not too long ago. You need to do something about it. You see girls like all that romantic stuff; you need to give her attention, a few flowers now and then, all that girly romantic stuff. Even if Toph is kind of a tomboy, she needs it too."
Just when Zuko thought he could catch a break, the world turned against him. It wasn't fair, he was being tortured not only by Toph, but by everyone else as well; mostly by Toph though. But it wasn't fair that she had so much help, even if they didn't realize what was going on. "Toph and I are..." Zuko paused and wondered if he should confess about the immature game going on between them. He knew that the group would not take it well. In fact they might accuse him of playing with Toph's feelings, even if she was in on it too. Zuko realized that his position in the entire ordeal was as bad as it cold be. "We're just fine, just taking things slowly that's all."
"Really? Than you didn't break up?" Aang asked, relief evident in his face.
"No, we're still together," Zuko realized that he would be 'with Toph' for as long as she continued their little war. He hasn't see it before but then entire thing was set up for her to win; but he was both determined and stubborn and even if, in the end if it ever reached an end, she won, he would not make it easy; and maybe, just maybe, he would get back at her in a sufficient and satisfying way.
xoxox xox xoxox
"Sokka and Aang went to talk to me today," Zuko revealed the day's events to Toph when the two were alone, away from the group.
"Katara had a talk with me too, I guess they're just worried about our 'relationship'" Toph used the term loosely, not only because of the way it all started, but because in all honesty she wasn't sure where it all stood, and she had a feeling that neither was Zuko.
"Is it okay to go on like this?" Zuko asked.
Toph paused, sensing his sincerity. "You admit defeat then? Alright, I guess it can end since I won. We'll tell them we decided to have some time apart, since it sounds much nicer than to say 'break up' and that we'll remain friends. They'll forget about the entire thing eventually and that'll be the end of it."
Zuko knew he could get out of this relatively easy, but he couldn't lose like that. "I can't accept those terms..."
"Why not? You still won't admit defeat?" Toph felt the sensation of disappointment from a moment ago start to fade away. She wasn't sure why she was happy that Zuko wasn't giving up, but told herself it was only because of the fun and nothing more.
"I'll settle for a draw," Zuko offered. He didn't understand why deep down he would prefer if Toph refused. It was supposed to be in his best interest if she agreed, yet somehow he didn't want her to.
"Unacceptable," Toph smiled in a mixture of amusement and challenge, a gesture which Zuko returned.
To be Continued
Chapter 15: Avoidance
After spending some time apart, too sick to tease each other, as the cold did spread between Zuko and Toph again; the fire bender and the earth bender were finally healed. Time was progressing quietly for them; it was as if they shared an unspoken truce, and at the same time went out of their way to avoid each other.
Not surprisingly, Katara was the first to catch on, and expressed her concern to Sokka and Aang. They agreed that she should talk to Toph and they would talk to Zuko.
xoxox xox xoxox
"Hey Toph, can we talk?" Katara tried to sound casual, but it didn't quite work.
"Is something wrong?" Toph immediately asked, sensing Katara's worry. She expected a speech about how they all needed to contribute and all tat stuff, though Toph didn't think she had forgotten any chores lately, nor had she done anything to trigger Katara's maternal instincts, other than kissing Zuko the other day, but if that was it Katara wouldn't have waited this long before saying something about it.
"No, not really, but I actually wanted to ask you the same question." Katara sat down at the edge of an old fountain which she had earlier refilled with water when they made the ancient temple their home.
Toph knew that Katara wanted her to sit down as well, but she remained standing as if saying she intended the chat to be short. "I'm perfectly fine."
Katara knew that Toph would sooner leave, than follow the conversation where the water bender wanted it to go, unless she directly stated the point herself. "I noticed you and Zuko haven't been spending a lot of time together. Did you have a fight?"
Toph couldn't help it but to laugh. "Believe me if we had a fight, there's no way you could have missed it."
Katara wasn't sure she should be worried about Toph's reply or glad they didn't have a fight. She decided to stay positive and focused on the latter. "Then why...?"
Toph wondered about what was going on herself. It was a strange silence agreement between her a Zuko, as if they were both concluding their little war in a draw. But it couldn't end like that, Toph wouldn't allow. It would all end only when Zuko gave up. "We're just taking slowly that's all. It's not like we broke up or anything."
"Oh, well I'm glad," Katara realized that sometimes she did worry too much. They were just taking a break and slowing things down, it was best that way, nothing to worry about.
xoxox xox xoxox
Zuko was training when Sokka and Aang approached him. The prince ceased his fire bending and faced the other two. For a moment he felt like a small creature, trapped between two predators, but he pushed the thoughts away. An awkward silence was starting to settle and Zuko didn't like it. "Hi?" was the only thing he could think of saying to end it.
"Hi," Aang replied with a big smile, and for a moment Zuko relaxed.
That moment of relaxation did not last too long, for Sokka's next line sent the fire bender to full alert. "We need to talk."
"About what?" There was something about that phrase, those four little words, that brought the foreboding feeling of certain doom. Why couldn't people learn not to start a conversation like that?
"Girls," Sokka replied. He placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder and the both sat down on rocks to have another man to man talk. "We noticed you and Toph are not as lovey-dovey as you were not too long ago. You need to do something about it. You see girls like all that romantic stuff; you need to give her attention, a few flowers now and then, all that girly romantic stuff. Even if Toph is kind of a tomboy, she needs it too."
Just when Zuko thought he could catch a break, the world turned against him. It wasn't fair, he was being tortured not only by Toph, but by everyone else as well; mostly by Toph though. But it wasn't fair that she had so much help, even if they didn't realize what was going on. "Toph and I are..." Zuko paused and wondered if he should confess about the immature game going on between them. He knew that the group would not take it well. In fact they might accuse him of playing with Toph's feelings, even if she was in on it too. Zuko realized that his position in the entire ordeal was as bad as it cold be. "We're just fine, just taking things slowly that's all."
"Really? Than you didn't break up?" Aang asked, relief evident in his face.
"No, we're still together," Zuko realized that he would be 'with Toph' for as long as she continued their little war. He hasn't see it before but then entire thing was set up for her to win; but he was both determined and stubborn and even if, in the end if it ever reached an end, she won, he would not make it easy; and maybe, just maybe, he would get back at her in a sufficient and satisfying way.
xoxox xox xoxox
"Sokka and Aang went to talk to me today," Zuko revealed the day's events to Toph when the two were alone, away from the group.
"Katara had a talk with me too, I guess they're just worried about our 'relationship'" Toph used the term loosely, not only because of the way it all started, but because in all honesty she wasn't sure where it all stood, and she had a feeling that neither was Zuko.
"Is it okay to go on like this?" Zuko asked.
Toph paused, sensing his sincerity. "You admit defeat then? Alright, I guess it can end since I won. We'll tell them we decided to have some time apart, since it sounds much nicer than to say 'break up' and that we'll remain friends. They'll forget about the entire thing eventually and that'll be the end of it."
Zuko knew he could get out of this relatively easy, but he couldn't lose like that. "I can't accept those terms..."
"Why not? You still won't admit defeat?" Toph felt the sensation of disappointment from a moment ago start to fade away. She wasn't sure why she was happy that Zuko wasn't giving up, but told herself it was only because of the fun and nothing more.
"I'll settle for a draw," Zuko offered. He didn't understand why deep down he would prefer if Toph refused. It was supposed to be in his best interest if she agreed, yet somehow he didn't want her to.
"Unacceptable," Toph smiled in a mixture of amusement and challenge, a gesture which Zuko returned.
To be Continued
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