~ Under The Stars ~

(A/N: This story includes characters and concepts taken from "Avatar: The Legend Of Aang" (c) Mike and Bryan at Nickelodeon, and will feature strong references to Katoph, so if you don't like that kind of pairing...don't read.
This is a purely fan made fiction written by me, so please don't steal. Enjoy though!)


  “What am I doing here?” were the only thoughts running through the young Waterbender’s mind as she made her way up to the broad domineering gates of the Earth King’s palace. She had visited his home before, beside her friends during the war against the Fire Nation, and once or twice since then with Avatar Aang, but each time had been in a matter of urgency regarding the well being of the Earth Kingdom and its people. Tonight however was very different.

  Since the defeat of Fir Lord Ozai by the hands of the Avatar and Fire Nation Prince, the brunette felt it her duty to return to her village in the South Pole, and share the knowledge and skill she had developed during her travels with the next generation of Waterbenders. As the only known Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, she was quickly acknowledged as an able master, and without much effort, found herself confronted by a number of willing students.

  After a couple of years, and with the help of Avatar Aang, the Waterbending school soon became widely known across much of the Earth Kingdom, as well as the Fire Nation, striking particular interest within the North Pole, who began requesting the educator behind this sudden success.

  The young Waterbender obliged, honoured by such high praise, and set about training the Northern Water Tribe benders. It was during her time at the North Pole that the brunette decided she would run a Waterbending school in the Earth Kingdom, between both poles and near enough to the Fire Nation to attract any possible students. Now that the nations were no longer at war, people from different backgrounds and heritages were free to live wherever they wanted, and some villagers had grown sick of the cold weather of their country, migrating to the warmer shores of the Fire Nation.

  Many hopeful young warriors travelled to the school, in search of the Waterbending master responsible for the power of both Water Tribes, and former teacher of Avatar Aang himself, and they were not disappointed. It did not take long for the school in the Earth Kingdom to be just as popular, if not more so, then it’s two predecessors. In fact, the facility had only been open for a year, when a formal message was sent to the blue-eyed master, inviting her to attend a private celebration at the Earth King’s palace in Ba Sing Sei. At first, the 19-year-old had been overjoyed and thoroughly excited to even be considered for such a high class event, especially to be asked on behalf of her own achievements and not as a friend of the Avatar, but upon arrival, she hesitated.

  The palace was just as she remembered, only now it had large vibrant emerald banners draped over the entrance and around the pillars looming up on either side. The young Waterbender was still flattered and pleased to be there, but she could not hide the overwhelming fear clenching her stomach. What bothered her about this gathering was that the brunette was very much aware that the majority of people present aside from her would be upper-class members of Earth Kingdom society, Lords and Ladies who had probably never even heard of dirt unless it was scraped from the bottom of their shoes and waved in their faces. It was safe to say, the blue-eyed master was apprehensive about the company she would be forced to socialise with at this celebration, and it was that fear that left her questioning, “What am I doing here?”

  A tall, relatively muscular guard turned to face her as she stopped, his wide rimmed hat tilted down over his face. “Your invitation please Miss.” His tone was deep with a rough edge that accompanied slight stubble barely visible either side of his chin. His dark green uniform hugged his form nicely, flaring out at the base of the sleeves and trouser legs, the symbol of the Earth Kingdom imprinted on the front of his shirt in brilliant gold to match the stitching around the hem. Grunting again, the guard stretched out his palm.

  Nodding was all the 19-year-old could manage, as she delicately placed a crisp slip of parchment into his bear-like grasp, trying to force a small smile as a polite gesture. He glanced at the words imprinted on the paper before stepping aside, bowing respectfully as he held the gates open for the brunette to enter. “We hope you have an enjoyable evening Miss Katara.”

  “Thank you.” She bowed curtly, hurrying past the large man before muttering, “I doubt that’s going to happen.”

  Once inside, Katara was greeted with the view she had been expecting, and dreading, a room full of aristocracy, all draped in elaborately expensive robes and gowns, and gossiping with each other about money. She had made an attempt at formality for the evening by dressing in a long sleeved pale blue robe that hugged her figure gracefully, yet still left room for movement. The hem was lined with pristine white and pulsating electric blue swirls representative of the traditional Water Tribe symbol, and her usual braid had been wrapped around the back of her head to resemble a bun. The warrior still wore navy blue trousers beneath her robe, but they were of a much finer material, with a matching pattern trailing up the left side.

   Sighing, the young Waterbender longed for a friendly face to be able to approach, but she already knew that no one from the Water Tribe would have even been thought of except herself. Unlike Katara, her elder brother Sokka had made it a point to avoid all responsibility after the war. As far as he was concerned, he had done his part, and now it was time for him to enjoy being young and free, which consisted of searching for drunken parties and festivals across the Fire Nation, occasionally dropping in on the Lord himself, much to Zuko’s dismay. There was no way Sokka would ever get a formal invite, even if he was a friend of the Avatar, it had become too difficult for aristocracy to cope with his overly brazen attitude.

  The blue-eyed Waterbender drifted around the room, noticing a small buffet of Earth Kingdom delicacies running along the back wall, a young man with a thin face assisting guests with their plates. Secretly, she hoped that Avatar Aang would have made an appearance to cheer her up, but the young Airbender had had to decline his own invitation, as the party had fallen on the same night as a dance recital in Omashu that he just could not turn down after already accepting. He could never say no to Bumi anyway.

  Katara was so lost in her own misery, that it took a gentle tap on the shoulder before she realised that she had been encircled by a middle aged couple, each sporting a pale green silk robe, a darker pattern of flowers spiralling up the inside. She blinked as the man spoke, willing her focus to realign with her current situation.

  “You must be the famous Waterbending teacher. I say, stories of your efforts have swept across the Earth Kingdom, and I hear your school has become exceptionally popular among the lower classes.” He commented, a dry chortle escaping his throat at the last part. Regaining his composure with little endeavour, the man lowered his head a fraction. “Excuse me, I am Lord Shen Fa, of Kidao, and this is my wife, Lady Shen Fa.” The woman beside him bowed a little at her title, but her expression never wavered, maintaining a look of uninterest.

  Swallowing her disdain, Katara bowed to the Lord and Lady, her eyes glancing over them as she moved. Lord Shen Fa was moderately tall, his slender features ending in sharp points that again seemed to be matched by his wife perfectly. His midnight black hair was tied a top his head in a precise bun, whereas Lady Shen Fa kept her charcoal locks fairly loose around her shoulders. The Waterbender shivered as she noted both had the exact same cold brown eyes, adding to her immediate dislike of the couple.

  “It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, and yes, I am delighted with the results of my teaching, but I feel I must inform you that the school I have situated here in the Earth Kingdom is just as popular among the higher classed families as everybody else.” She smiled sweetly at them, laughing inwardly at both frowns burning on porcelain-like foreheads, but she could not resist finishing them off. “I feel no need to differentiate between classes when training upcoming Waterbenders.” Before either could stammer a response, the brunette bowed again politely, making her way over to a tray of glasses.

  With a drink firmly in hand, Katara once again drifted off into her own thoughts, wondering if the boys were having more fun then she was, and then her ponderings settled on another memory, which caused her chest to tighten and her breath to hitch. What had become of Toph? The Waterbender had not heard from her blind companion in at least two years, ever since a particularly brutal Earthbending tournament. Of course, the ebony-haired girl had come out on top as usual, but she had suffered a number of vicious hits in obtaining the title, and decided that she needed to go off alone for a while to train herself more, just so she could pummel anyone who dare challenge her into the dirt next time.

  Katara stared into her glass, the image of Toph’s crooked grin swirling in the front of her mind. Why did she suddenly miss the girl after all this time of being without her? Was her own desire to have a friend nearby causing this feeling? Or was it just that she had been so busy, she had forgotten all about the Blind Bandit, and time was finally catching up to her? The brunette puzzled over her musings, silently weaving passed groups of people, until a figure stepped backwards into her path. She squeaked as her focus snapped back upon impact.

  Fortunately, the skilled Waterbender was able to recover her footing, and only stumbled backwards a couple of inches, just in time to see the water from her glass soak the back of a much shorter woman. Moving swiftly, Katara whipped her upper body round to face the woman, thrusting her arms out in front of her chest, and pulling her fingers in as the water began to evaporate from the cloth into a thin stream, obediently following the unspoken commands issued by the Waterbending master. In fact, the 19-year-old was so swift with her recovery of the water, the older woman had no time to truly comprehend what had just occurred, brushing it off as if she had only dropped a few crumbs.

  Panting a little from the sudden excursion of her actions, Katara lowered the water back into her glass, and then she saw the reflection of a figure behind her, a familiar smirk flashing beneath long strands of thick black. However, the brunette thought nothing of it, believing that her memories were playing tricks again, which is why she flinched and gasped as a hand touched her shoulder, followed by a deep, yet quiet voice.

  “I thought I recognised your footsteps. It’s a good thing you’re still fast with your bending or that woman would have had a ‘tiny’ tantrum.” Katara spun round to face the source of the voice, and found herself gazing up into soft misty green eyes, that same mischievous glint evident.

  A lump formed in her throat, but the Waterbender ignored it as she reached out to brush a few longer bangs out of the woman’s face, holding herself back from embracing the figure. “Toph, I…I mean…it’s…”

  “…been a long time, yeah.” The Earthbender finished, her hand still resting on the brunette’s shoulder. Dropping her head slightly, Toph let out a nervous chuckle. “I would have preferred to greet you properly, but I guess it was just as effective this way. You need to watch where you’re going in formal events like this Sugar Queen.” She chuckled more confidently now, a smirk spreading across her face and flashing her teeth.

  Katara blushed at the use of her old nickname, but bristled at the accusation of their collision being her fault. “Hey, I had been walking through these crowds fine until you went and stepped into me. Maybe you should watch where you’re going.” She prodded the taller woman playfully in the arm, taking note of the muscle hiding beneath coarse green cotton.  The young Waterbender cast her eyes over the rest of the ebony-haired woman before her. Toph was dressed in a notably smart long sleeved deep green shirt, with a cream coloured embroidered boar running up her left side, detailed wings spread across her back. The top hung neatly over pale brown trousers; long enough to tickle the floorboards, a similar patter sewn into the material, only this time on the right side and the thread was a vibrant emerald. Katara smiled upon seeing that the Earthbender’s feet remained bare.

  Grinning, Toph nudged the brunette out of her exploration. “Like what you see? Believe it or not, I don’t actually wear formal clothes very often, and since I refuse to be seen in anything that even slightly resembles a gown, my parents have these custom made for me.” She tugged at the shirt and trousers. “Obviously, I have no clue what they look like, but I’m sure there is a huge flying boar available for all to see.”

  Katara laughed out loud for the first time that evening, her deep blue eyes lighting up in the face of her old friend. “Yeah, there is, but they look really good on you, especially since I’m used to seeing you wearing mainly dirt covered clothes.” She poked Toph again. “You scrub up well.”

  Without warning, the Waterbender felt warm hands on her arms. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, as the hands swept over to her sides, gently trailing down to her hips. There was no pressure, merely the notion of hands moving beside her as if controlled by a spiritual force. Katara shivered unexpectedly as fingers brushed across her abdomen, and then all to suddenly, the feeling was gone completely. The hands were redirected to her face, where they rested briefly before continuing the feathery light touch, ending on the circular pendent hanging from her necklace.

  Katara had subconsciously closed her eyes, but opened them as soon as the warmth left her. This time her cheeks turned a dark crimson, her gaze unable to settle on anyone or anything. Another chortle brought her attention back to the ebony-haired woman.

  “Well, you haven’t changed a bit, except you seem to be more beautiful then last time I ‘saw’ you.” Toph grinned again, falling back a half step so as to remove herself from her friend’s personal space.

  Her face still glowing, the Waterbender stuttered uncontrollably. “What…why did you…”

  “So I could return the compliment.” The Earthbender beamed, scratching the shell of her ear. “You said I looked good in this gear, so I decided to get a better look at you’re outfit. Like I said, you look beautiful Sugar Queen. I’m surprised the single guys haven’t started swarming around you yet.”

  The brunette furrowed her brows; the thought of being even spoken to by one of these upper-class snobs was something she did not want to indulge in again. Her expression did not go unnoticed. A reassuring palm fell on her shoulder once more, directing her attention to those captivating hazy green eyes.  “Don’t worry, these people would rather discuss money and land ownership with each other then have a meaningful conversation about anything. That’s why they stay away from me.”

  Katara smiled a little at Toph’s words, but she could not shake the way that couple had reacted to her, not to mention the response of that woman and her party when she accidentally spilt water on her. Their faces seemed to scream ‘brute’, and made her again question why she had bothered showing up in the first place. “I just feel like I don’t belong here. I don’t even understand why I got an invite.” She mumbled.

  “Why you got invited?” Toph looked shocked by the Waterbender’s admission. “How can you even think that! You’re here because you’ve proved you’re worth more then all of these idiots put together, because you have actually achieved something that is worth bragging about. Don’t ever let these people make you think you are beneath them because you are not. If anything, they are beneath you now.” She announced, thumping the brunette on the shoulder, turning her sightless stare to the crowds overhead and narrowing her eyes. “I’m sick of the way these people are.”

  “Then why do you come to these parties? After being at this one, I doubt I’ll accept another invite.” The Waterbender stated, her deep blue irises brimming with frustration and a familiar determination.

  Toph laughed, rubbing the back of her neck. “Because I get to annoy a lot of people by being the constant reminder that their will always be a brute, no matter what class.” She smiled proudly, flexing her biceps slightly as if impersonating The Boulder. A small smile touched the brunette’s lips, and without realising it, she had wrapped her arms around the Earthbender’s waist in a tight embrace.

  “Toph, you’re not a brute. You’re here for the same reason as me, for being a respected bending master, right?”

  A similar blush crept across the taller woman’s cheeks as Katara leant her head against an emerald clothed shoulder, a shallow sigh escaping her lips. Speechless, the Earthbender could only gulp down the pang in her throat, eventually folding her toned arms around the Waterbender’s shoulders to keep her close.

  With confidence restored, Toph leaned down to whisper in the brunette’s ear, “Let’s go out into the garden.”

  Leaning back slightly, Katara nodded. They pulled away from the close contact to escape the crowds, but the 19-year-old kept a hand on the ebony-haired woman’s arm, exploring the power contained with tender fingertips. In the time they had been apart, Toph had grown in both height and physical strength, which Katara witnessed in the hug they had shared. But despite her obvious strength, the Earthbender’s touch remained gentle and delicate. Katara was also pleased to learn that Toph’s personality had not changed at all; her sarcasm and confidence were still key features of an overall rebellious attitude.    

  The Earthbender grinned at the attention being given to her arm. She had missed her Sugar Queen more then anyone else whilst on her own, and was now ecstatic at having run into her at such an irritatingly boring party. Like Katara, Toph was contented to know that the Waterbender was no different now then she had ever been, her fierce determination pushing her forward in terms of her career, yet retaining a level of kindness that always made the ebony-haired fighter smile.

  As they came to a pair of thin golden doors, the brunette halted at the sound of her companion’s name, glancing around to see a stocky young man striding over to them, his short emerald cape fluttering around his lower back. “Miss Bei Fong, how nice it is to see you again. I hope you are well?”

  Katara let her gaze flicker to the Earthbender’s face, watching the peaceful expression contort into one of annoyance. She felt a sharp tug on her sleeve, directing her to the doorway again, but there was no chance of escape now as the man and a couple of other guests were upon them.

  Grimacing, Toph turned to face the tanned young man. “Yeah, I’m doing just fine Wan. Just going outside for some fresh air, so if you don’t mind?”

  “Ah, I see. Heard about your last tournament, seems that final confrontation of the qualifying matches gave you a little trouble. I can understand that at a long evening such as this it would be necessary for you to recuperate your strength.” A sneer graced his mouth, and the smaller men gathered behind soon followed suit, snickering into their glasses. “How is your shoulder? Not too sore I hope.”

  The ebony-haired bandit tensed, but masked her hatred for the man with an unwavering smirk of her own. “Actually, the impact had little effect on me, and my shoulder has never felt better. You forget Wan, the point of a tournament is entertainment, otherwise people would not pay money to watch. I had to let the little guy hit me with something, even if it was pathetic.” Toph’s grin widened at the quiet fury burning in his moss green eyes, knowing full well that the man that stood before her had been the one she fought in the final round of the Ba Sing Sei Earth Bending Championship preliminaries. It made victory all the sweeter when she had the chance to gloat over her victims, especially upper-class brats like Wan.

  Katara stood silently beside the Earthbender, smiling innocently at the clearly irked frown on the young man’s face, while her hand still traced the patterns of Toph’s shirtsleeve. She was impressed and amused by the way her friend could handle the people she had been so anxious about meeting, supposing that if anyone had a right to be sick of nobles with more money then brains, it was Toph. The blind teenager had been born into this world, and undoubtedly forced to grow up within it, which must have included many more tiresome parties then this one. Perhaps, she could provide some relief for the ebony-haired bandit simply by being there, which would definitely serve as an incentive for her to attend future events.  

  Desperate to recover himself, Wan stiffened, eyes squinting into slits as he glared at the Earthbender. “Either way, a young lady of your stature is sure to get hurt sooner or later if you persist in these fights. Is it not about time that you respect your families’ wishes, and leave Earthbending to the real soldiers? You have your own duty to uphold as heiress to the Bei Fong estate.” The frown was wiped away by a lecherous smirk. “You must surely start considering a suitable marriage if it has not been arranged already.”  

  “Marriage?!” Toph blurted, caught utterly off guard by such an implication. It was bad enough that he was actually suggesting that she give up Earthbending and insulting her obvious skill, but to mention matrimony was too much for her to handle. However, before the ebony-haired woman had a chance to land a fist directly into his smug jaw, Katara stepped forward.

  “Excuse me for interrupting, but I must comment on my friend’s behalf. I have known Miss Bei Fong for many years now, and I can assure you she is the most talented Earthbender I have ever come across. She is undoubtedly a master in her own right, which I am certain Avatar Aang would concur, and I am confident that there is no soldier who could match her.” The brunette finished, her tone even and soft without a hint of the malice currently scolding her blood. She trained her deep blue spheres on the young man, hardly blinking as he exhaled rather sharply.

  “There is still the question of her future. Unlike you, Miss Bei Fong has a genuine position in this society, and it is for that reason we all would insist that she start focusing on her duties, instead of playing around with blue-collar hooligans.” He growled, stalking menacingly close to the brunette, a look of disgust turning up his nose. But he was stopped short by a fist slamming into his chest, sending the young man flying back across the room and into the opposing wall. Katara could only stare as a pair of strong arms whisked her outside. The golden doors slammed shut before any startled screams could reach them.

  Panting a little, the Waterbender gripped her elbows tightly, the look in those cold green eyes haunting her as the night air ruffled her chocolate locks. Warmth suddenly soothed away the chill in her spine, familiar emerald clothed arms snaking around her waist, urging her forward into the light of the moon. Katara carefully pivoted herself to face her saviour, collapsing into another embrace. She could have stayed pressed against the Earthbender for the rest of the evening, content to be protected by her closest friend from a life she had no desire ever being part of, and after her introduction to Wan, the brunette understood that the feeling was mutual.

  Eventually, Toph pulled away slightly, her hands coming to rest on the Waterbender’s upper arms, gently caressing the delicate fabric. “I’m so sorry. He had no right to treat you that way, especially after I already kicked his ass.” She dropped her head; dark bangs falling across her misty green eyes. “Forget what he said Sugar Queen, the guy’s a jerk and he always will be.”

  “He was right though. I don’t have any status in this Kingdom, because it’s not something you can earn. I’m the only person here from any of the Water Tribes, that should be enough of a sign that I don’t fit.” Katara murmured, deliberately avoiding her companion’s sightless gaze. Every time she locked her own eyes on Toph’s, it felt as though the young 17-year-old could see every thought and emotion inside of her, and right now, she would rather wallow in her own wretchedness then drag her friend down.

  The ebony-haired bandit looked uncharacteristically deflated, picking up on the Waterbender’s misery through her tense body language and reserved voice. She could not think of what to say that would ease the 19-year-old, so she pulled her close, smiling a little as she felt the brunette bury her face in the folds of a dark green collar. “As long as you are with me, I promise to protect you from them, Katara.”

  Katara pulled back from the bandit, shocked by the softness of her words. She stammered. “You…that was the first time you’ve said my name all evening. For a moment I thought you had forgotten what it was.” A grin spread across her face, giggling at the slight blush decorating Toph’s cheeks. The Earthbender opened her mouth to reply, but was silenced by tanned fingertips pressing lightly against her lips. “I don’t mind though, I actually missed that name when you left, but not as much as I missed you.” The words left her mouth before she could stop them, realisation causing her own complexion to match the blind bandit.

  Brushing a few loose strands of hair back behind the brunette’s ear, Toph smirked, her eyes glinting in the dim light. “You missed me huh? To be honest, I missed you too Sugar Queen, no one can hold a decent argument like you.” The grin broke into a chuckle.

  “Har har, well no one has ever needed to be proved wrong as much as you, I’m glad I get to be the one to do it.” The brunette deadpanned, flicking an exposed collarbone. She soon burst out into another giggle, flinging her arms around the taller woman playfully in a brief hug.

  They laughed together, leaning over a deep mahogany railing as the stars passed by overhead. Katara gazed up at the midnight black sky, glad at last that she had accepted her invitation; literally bumping into someone she had been longing to see for quite some time now that she thought about it. Rubbing her fingers over the flexed arm draped over her shoulders, she glanced at the ebony-haired bandit.

  “I’m really happy you’re here Toph.”

  “So you didn’t have to be alone with those idiots? No problem, you saved me too remember.” The Earthbender hesitated slightly. “Thanks, for sticking up for me.”

  Katara dropped her head onto the 17-year-old’s shoulder, a satisfied smile pasted across her lips. “Just correcting a few inaccuracies. You’re not the only person who often gets their facts wrong.” She added with a smug grin.

  “Yeah yeah, I know, little miss perfect.” Toph scoffed.

  “I am perfect, and don’t you forget it.” The Waterbender beamed, landing another prod to the bandit’s side. She would have laughed again, had the response not caught her so off guard.

  “Yeah, you are.”

  Stunned, the brunette gawked at the taller woman beside her, those pale features enhanced further by the vibrant glow of the moon. Toph seemed to be smiling to herself, her head tilted to face Katara. As much as the 19-year-old stared back, she could not recognise the gentleness in those unseeing eyes, but soon realised that she liked the Earthbender looking at her like that. A familiar feeling washed over her, something she had felt back inside the palace, when remembering the ebony-haired bandit. Her breath caught as her heart rate picked up.

  Sensing the change in her friend’s posture, Toph recoiled, registering what had just slipped from her mouth. Holding up both palms, she struggled desperately to think of something to recover with, but her traitorous mind would not let slip any taunts or sarcastic comments to use. She prepared to resign herself to the questions she was sure would come from the brunette, only to be stunned by a feathery light kiss left to linger on her cheek.

  Katara smiled, trailing her fingers delicately down the Earthbender’s face to caress her cheek. “That’s very sweet, even if it isn’t true.”

  Absentmindedly, Toph leaned into the touch, reaching up to take the slender hand in her own. “To me it’s true. I would not change a thing about you, because you are already perfect.” As soon as she had said it, the ebony-haired bandit knew she had just laid her feelings bare for the Waterbender to see.

  The brunette knew too, and she was quite taken aback by what had just been confessed. She had always known that their feelings for each other were strong, it took a lot for them to be able to laugh through each extreme difference they shared when they were younger, but the result had left them very close, almost inseparable. Could this explain why she had felt so hollow after thinking about Toph’s absence in her life? Why she had stood up for the ebony-haired woman? And why she now felt so right sitting beside her blind bandit? Wait; did she just refer to Toph as hers?

  The Earthbender could virtually see the confusion building within the 19-year-old. Uncertain of what that meant, she opted to remain silent for once, directing her gaze to the night air around her. The evening was growing late, and the temperature was gradually dropping, but there was still a very refreshing feel in the surrounding breeze, a soothing touch that seemed to calm her nerves.

  “Toph,” Katara’s voice broke through the air, the warmth of her hands wrapped around the ebony-haired bandit’s arm. Reluctantly, the Earthbender faced her friend, waiting for the inevitable to fall. The brunette took a deep breath to suppress her smile, leaning forward to touch her lips to the taller woman’s ear. “You have always been perfect to me.”

  Toph could have fallen over if she had not been gripping the handrail extra tightly, but nothing could stop the lopsided grin from exploding across her face.

  Laughing, the Waterbender rested her forehead against her companion’s, sighing as that pleasant feeling beat firmly inside of her, accompanied by strong but gentle hands gliding up and down her back.

  A thought crossed Toph’s mind. “Hey Katara, would it be inappropriate if I,” she paused, a devilish smirk curling her lips, “gave you a present?”

  “A present? I don’t see why not. Why would you think it inappro-mmph!” The brunette was forced to swallow the rest of her question as her lips were stolen in a tender kiss. Katara closed her eyes, lost in the feel of Toph’s kiss, and soon forgot why she had ever had any worries about attending the celebration in the first place. Instead, she savoured the time they had spent together after so long, letting her emotions bubble over as her lips moved with her Earthbender. Yes, her Earthbender.

  As they pulled apart, Katara’s eyes fluttered open to see the signature crooked grin flashing back at her. She brought a palm up to caress that defined pale cheek, beaming broadly herself. Without another word between them, they exchanged another embrace, both secretly praising the Earth King for bringing them back together.

  Still wrapped in each other’s arms, they began to sway beneath the shimmer of the stars, dancing to an unknown rhythm played out by the wind. Katara thought back to the boys, and seriously doubted that either of them was having as much fun as this.  

~ End ~