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Memories from Western Airtemple	By : DarthAnimus Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality > Slash - Male/Male Views: 16187 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own "Avatar: the Last Airbender" or the characters. I don't make any profit out of writing this.

Chapter List
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Chapters from now on take place after the episode "Ember Island Players". There are going to be some references, so looking up the episode is adviced if you haven't seen it yet.

Memories from Western Air Temple
Chapter 28
Your Heartbeat Thunders

Toph was worried. Well, there was really nothing new about this since she was constantly worrying about the fire prince who she had given the affectionate nickname ‘Firecracker’, because of both the teen’s element as well as the stories Sokka had told about ‘the angry jerk’. The thing was, Zuko was strong both in bending and physically, but emotionally he was a mess. Toph did not want to think the possible dark gloom that the firebender might be experiencing because of the play, especially since she had seen that it had had an effect on the teen during the intermission they had spent discussing the play in the hall.
It was not a difficult task to lead Zuko away from everyone else when Katara started preparing a late dinner for them all with Aang’s help. The prince was closed-off most of the time but Toph knew that the two of them managed to connect on a level that would allow her to get honest answers out of the firebender.
“Are you alright?” Toph questioned as soon as the two of them were at the back of the summerhouse, seated on the three steps that led away from the door. There was an affirming hum from Zuko and Toph reached out a hand to grasp the prince’s wrist. She could not see very clearly when they were seated on wood but her hands were sensitive enough to keep a focus on Zuko’s heartbeat like this. To the earthbender’s surprise Zuko was being truthful.
“So you weren’t bothered by the scene with Jet at all?” Toph queried, even though she hated having to bring up a subject that had caused so much drama in their group already. The girl felt Zuko’s heartbeat pick up ever so slightly, an indication that the teen was blushing, and then the firebender replied: “I wouldn’t say that I was completely unaffected. I got over it.”
There was more to it than simply what the boy had said; Toph knew this from both the other’s heartbeat as well as the tone of voice used. Zuko was such a terrible liar that Toph did not really need to hear his heartbeat to know when the other was hiding something. Still, it was also obvious that Zuko had not exactly lied to her either, so Toph decided to let the matter slide in favour of picking out another topic of conversation, the point of time where Zuko’s heartbeat last quickened that evening.
“Was she really that beautiful?” Toph asked and Zuko released a confused gurgle from his throat. Toph decided to elaborate: “Your heartbeat sped up with attraction when that woman playing Twinkle Toes appeared. Was she beautiful?”
Zuko was definitely blushing then and Toph could not help but grin when the teen growled: “What? Do you stalk my heartbeat on your spare time?”
“Just answer the question”, Toph shot back and Zuko grew silent. The earthbender was just about ready to ‘encourage’ the boy with an elbow to the ribs when Zuko spoke out: “I wouldn’t say it like that.”
“Then how would you say it?” Toph urged and Zuko replied: “I’d say that she was a good choice for the part.”
“What does that have got to do with anything?” Toph questioned impatiently. “Stop avoiding or I will be forced to bruise you.”
A heavy sigh followed from Zuko, after which the prince muttered: “I mean that she looked just like Aang, minus her gender.”
Those words effectively silenced Toph. It was not really because she was surprised because now that she thought about it, she should have seen it coming. She just had not thought of any snappy retort to give to the admission and she did not want to speak out jokes that had not even been finished in her head.
“You mean to tell me that you…” Toph waved with her free hand to make up for any missing words, “Twinkle Toes?”
“Well, it could be worse”, Zuko uttered with a small sigh. “At least it’s not Sokka.”
“What’s wrong with Sokka?” Toph snapped immediately and felt her cheeks flush as Zuko shifted in a manner that somehow managed to tell Toph that she had been caught. Still, she could still at least try to distract Zuko from her reaction.
“So, Prince Zuko has a crush on the Avatar…” the earthbender drawled in a devious manner. “I wonder what everyone would have to say to that?” She turned her crooked grin to Zuko. “Want to find out?”
“Not particularly”, Zuko grumbled in response and Toph grinned wider as she spoke: “I wonder if telling everyone about this would suffice as payback for what you did to my feet.”
“You do that and your secret crush won’t be a secret either”, Zuko growled in a threatening manner and Toph was actually impressed with how much fire the boy had been able to include in that sentence. Toph had actually been rather worried about the way Zuko acted so submissive towards everyone and the girl had started to wonder if this was a completely different person from the Zuko from about a year back, the one she had only heard stories about. But, it seemed that the teen was still capable of some healthy anger and that put her fears to something of a rest.
“Alright, I won’t tell anyone”, Toph agreed as her expression turned less vicious. She was pretty close to actually smiling as she finished: “But it’s only because I’ve started to like you so much.”
“You’re too kind”, Zuko grumbled in a tone that held enough sarcasm to put Sokka to shame.
To be continued…
Ending Notes: I'd like to thank you all for the support. Makes the writing all the more worth it.
Also, in regards of Haru reappearing: as the setting in terms of episodes suggests, Haru isn't around at the moment. But I do actually intend to bring him back for the finale.
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Memories from Western Airtemple