Fireflies and Bluedamsels Ch.4

Aang

May 5th, 1760

"Pff." Aang let out a soft breath through his pursed lips as he looked around his surroundings. He was alone, hidden in the shadows just as he had been every night he'd gone to visit Toph. Ever since their chance meeting the girl had been thinking of excuses for the two to see one another. If he wasn't so sure it was because she was using him for her own reasons he'd think that she liked him.

That thought made him smile.

The castle was as still and silent as the night air, blackness surrounded him as he quickly stepped through the forest like garden that blocked his way. The tree branches hit against his face, and flashes of memories long repressed flashed through his mind; an image of a small boy running in terror through a thick and matted forest, nothing on his naked body but a few scraps of clothing. His feet, bleeding from the spurs on the ground, tears strolling down starved cheeks. Aang stopped in his tracks, taking in deep breaths to calm himself down. He wasn't in that place anymore…he was free.

Aang's eyes slowly moved up the castle walls as a gentle realization hit upon him. He shouldn't have stayed, he shouldn't have kept himself here this long- he knew he had to keep moving, he knew if he stayed in one place they would find him but-

He didn't want to leave her.

One more day he told himself, one more night, just a bit more of her company and he'd be content.

Stupid boy…

What would they do to her if they found out the two had been interacting? Aang swallowed hard, fear crossing his usually joyful face. Toph was powerful, but their rein of control was nearly impossible to escape. He knew that fact well.

Aang threw himself against a wall as he heard footsteps making their way around the courtyard. He stuck out his head curiously; watching as two women in long kimono's giggled to one another. There cheeks were bright red under the moonlight as they stumbled back towards their homes. The servants must have had a part tonight.

They soon passed, not noticing his hidden form in the darkness. Aang flinched as he heard a larger group of people moving towards him, each as drunk as the girls before them. It was too risky staying on the ground, if he wanted to talk to Toph he'd have to get to her room as soon as possible. With a quick look around he gently pushed his fingertips against his wooden staff.

The staff gave out a light twang as four red wings sprouted from its base. He bit his lip gently and cast one last paranoid look around. He'd sworn never to do something like this in public again; he'd sworn that he would hide away this gift and live a long and peaceful life. But….surely it was too dark for anyone to see him, right?

His soft gray orbs closed in concentration, he breathed slowly, taking in deliberate breaths as he held onto his staff with tight hands. When the group of drunks was passing and their noise became the loudest he thrust himself up into the air, there was a flurry of leaves as he passed through a small opening in the treetops but no one had seemed to notice. Aang looked around quickly, circling the castle like a bird as his pupils searched for Toph's window.

"Aha!" A happy smile crossed his pale face as he spotted the familiar looking building. With a swoop he let himself fall down gracefully into the windows small frame. He smirked gently. Even if he had sworn never to do it-

It felt good to fly again.

"Toph?" He whispered from the window frame. There was no reply. Aang's cold eyes looked about as he poked his head into the room. The room was abnormally dark, even for Toph. All of the candles had been extinguished long ago. Aang strained his eyes, trying to use the moonlight that streamed in behind him to make out her form. He slowly slipped his feet into the room, careful not to say another word. It was rather late after all, perhaps she was sleeping.

"Just come out twinkle toes, I know that you're there." Toph mumbled as she sat up in her bed. Aang laughed softly to himself as he jumped down onto the ground, exposing himself to her. A sigh of relief escaped her lips that she didn't know she'd been holding in.

Toph rubbed her eyes sleepily as she pressed the goose feathered blanket she'd been sleeping under aside. Her slender legs found their way towards the floor as she yawned, her black hair falling messily in front of her face.

"I still don't get how you're able to sneak into my room like this…my father has guards all around my door." Toph mumbled. Aang laughed nervously, his eyes shooting toward her door quickly.

"It's easy once you know your way around the castle." He lied. Toph nodded, moaning gently as she sat down on the carpet, bringing her knees to her chest. Aang raised a brow in curiosity as she bit her lip, rubbing her arm as if in pain. She sighed, a sad sigh, something he'd never seen before on the young girl. Her normally tough exterior seemed broken…shattered.

"…what?" Her voice squeaked out, moving her hand quickly. Aang sat down beside her, his fingers moving into her own gently. Toph blinked quickly and resisted throwing her hand back from his own as he smiled.

"Let's play our game Toph." Aang called out, trying to bring her back with him. She shot her head towards his body, her lips curling into the smallest of smiles. She pretended to be angry and mumbled something he couldn't quite catch, but her hands found their normal place a top his cheeks none the less.

Aang's eyes slowly moved down her body while she was distracted.

She was a beautiful girl, even with such simple clothes on. Her hair fell in messy restrained clumps against her back, it shimmered pleasantly in the moonlight as she ran a hand through it easily. She was skinny and short, but he could already make out the well toned arms and legs from underneath her white nightgown. Her face showed a tinge of red, he guessed it was from scrubbing off all the makeup they placed on her daily.

"What are you looking at fairyboy?" Toph asked quickly. Aang held back a small laugh. Fairyboy, that was a new one.

"Nothing, nothing at all." He said with a small smirk. If he had told her what he was actually staring at she would have probably kicked him out then and there. Toph crossed her arms, obviously not convinced. Finally she rolled her eyes and leaned forward into him.

"Whatever…let's just start…hmm….let's see- ah- your hair looks stupid!"

Aang gasped, placing his staff down as his eyes shot upon the young girl. She twisted her face in confusion before leaning forward, disappointment evident in her eyes. Aang grumbled as she leaned her head against her open palms, her elbows resting neatly into the well kept carpet of her room.

"That wasn't your normal sad face." Toph pointed out angrily. Aang puffed out quickly and waved a finger at her.

"That's because I was shocked, my hair is never stupid looking." Aang mumbled to himself, softly petting the black fuzzy hairs atop his head. Toph smirked slightly to herself and replaced his hand with her own, stroking his hair gently. Aang blushed, closing his eyes in happiness as he pushed against her soft hand.

"…that feels really nice.." He whispered gently to her.

"Shocked face, ok, do it one more time." Toph ordered. Aang rolled his eyes teasingly but expanded his face into a silly looking circus of O's. Toph hit his shoulder and he resumed a more believable expression. She leaned forward towards him, her legs intertwining with his own as she moved her soft fingers over his face, memorizing every little detail of the newly found expression.

"So, what's sadness face again?" Toph asked lowly. Aang smirked softly to himself and moved his brows down, pouting out his lip. Toph couldn't help but laugh but moved her own face in a similar fashion. Aang chuckled before shaking his head, pressing her brows up with his thumb.

"Now I'm not actor, so don't go and hold any of this against me." He whispered happily to her. Toph smirked as he pushed her long bangs up.

"And…angry?" She whispered. Aang did as she wished, moving his brows down in anger, a gleam in his eyes. Toph giggled and shook her head, quickly rubbing the expression off his face like she would clear a palette.

"Aha, no no, no more of that expression, it looks too funny on you. You're supposed to look goofy all the time, not mean." Toph laughed out. Aang chuckled and let his face slip back into its comfortable state.

"Is that so? Well this is how you look all the time." He called out, repeating the angry face once more. Toph gasped before growling underneath her breath, her face no nearly mimicking Aang's as she crossed her arms.

"I do not!" She yelled. Aang laughed and took her hand, placing it atop her face. He moved her fingers over her down sloped brows, tracing it gently over her pouted frown, then up to her cheeks which squinted her eyes together.

"Look…feel…" He smiled as she blinked the anger away, a soft tinge upon her cheeks. He moved his finger against her soft skin, sadness pressing into him as he smiled. He didn't want to leave. He didn't want to be alone again.

"…you should smile more often…you're much prettier when you smile." He whispered to her. Toph turned a bright red and stared down at the ground, her hands clasping at one another as she pushed her long hair behind her ears.

"Don't' get all charming on me now…" She whispered. Aang merely smiled.

'You are destined Aang…'

Aang flinched, his body shaking as that soft voice rang through his ears. Toph tilted her head at him as he threw his hands over his ears, bright eyes already watering with tears. He didn't want to remember, he didn't want to think about that place-

"…Aang…are you ok?" He heard Toph whisper, a quiver in her normally strong voice. Aang let out quick breaths, a weak attempt to bring himself back to reality. He was worrying her. He couldn't stay here any longer, he was too happy, too content. Something had to go wrong, he just knew it.

Aang quickly shook his head, he had to focus, he came here for a reason, and that reason was to say-

"I'm leaving."

Aang blinked for a moment as his mouth fell open. He stared at the young girl in front of him, her face etched in worry as she held onto her chest. He shook his head, had he heard her correctly?

"You're...you're what?" He asked quietly.

"I'm leaving...for the fire nation capital." Toph whispered gently to him. She squeezed her arm, the same one he had seen her unconsciously rubbing when he entered the door. Aang opened his mouth but found no words except for-

"…why?" It came out so much weaker then he'd meant it too. Toph flinched and bit her lip, a rare moment of weakness showing in her strong personality as she took in a long breath.

"Today when I was out in the market, the gossips in the market were talking about The Painted Lady again. I wanted to see what she had been able to do this time, so I stopped and listened. She is calling for all benders help. Pleading for someone to stand up and join her cause." Toph mumbled to him. Her blue eyes glanced away from him as she fought back evident tears in her eyes.

"When I told my father about this…when I asked him to help….to do something about the fire nations control over this world, he just…dismissed it like it was the ramblings of a child." Toph's voice got higher as she shook her head.

"So…I told him, I confronted him, tried to make him see what was really going on in the world out there. I tried to make him understand…I wanted him to see the hurt we were suffering, and I thought, just maybe if he could see that, he could see me for what I was too…." Toph mumbled. Aang sighed as she shook her head quickly, a glimmer passing down her cheeks as she sniffed.

"And when I told him I was a bender, that I would always be a bender, and that there was no way he could stop me from bending-" Toph gasped, holding onto her arm quickly. Aang tilted his head, moving over her pale frame as he pushed the arm of her night gown up. He gasped, part of her arm had grown twice its normal size, a bright purple tinting her white skin.

"He tried to break my arms. To assure that I'd never bend with them again…mom stopped him before he could but-" Toph shook her head quickly.

"I'm leaving, I can't stay in this place while there's a war going on any longer." Toph finished, the strength returning to her voice. Aang fumbled over her as he tried to think of some comforting words.

"..Toph you can't! It's too dangerous, what if you-" Toph threw her good arm over his lips, her dead eyes staring straight into his own.

"Just shut up and listen ok…I know that it will be hard on my own…and so- I…I want you to come with me." Toph was pleading now. Aang stood up quickly, reaching away from her hands. No, he couldn't bring her into this life; he couldn't put her in danger. He couldn't stand to lose anyone else because of his selfishness. He backed away slowly.

"Toph I- I can't, you- you need to stay here, where it's safe!" She followed him quickly and grabbed his robe. He shuffled nervously and pinned it down on top of his head, he couldn't let her see, he couldn't let anyone see what was underneath.

"Aang don't you want to stop the fire nation…I mean, you're a monk right? You know what they're doing to those air bender monks don't you? Doesn't that make you mad? Don't you want to help them?" Toph asked, exasperated. Her eyes suddenly widened, he guessed she'd caught sight of his flash of fear before he wiped it away.

"Yes…yes I know what they're doing to them..." Aang whispered to her. Toph squinted her eyes together in bewilderment, her pink lips parted but he cut her off before she could ask him anything he'd need to lie about.

"I know about it, but it's best not to cause trouble with people like that Toph, you don't understand what they'll do to you- you're so sheltered and naïve and you don't even know it!" Toph gasped at those words as he threw up his hands, his mouth speaking without him.

"There aren't any heroes Toph, there are only idiots who stand out and get killed for it!" Aang yelled. The two froze as they heard the guard's rustle outside of the door. When they moved back to their original post Toph's cold eyes shot up at him angrily.

"…You know, I never knew you were so bitter Aang. I guess I was wrong about you. You're just like the rest of them." Toph hissed out. Aang sighed as she grabbed something off of her bed, a small knapsack, presumably filled with her traveling necessities.

"Go ahead and stay a mundane citizen, see if I care." Toph snapped out. She went towards the window and stuck out her foot. Without a second thought she jumped.

"TOPH!" Aang gasped and grabbed his staff, quickly jumping out after her. Without even a second thought the staff burst open. He glided down until he caught sight of her and with a small gulp of air he let go of his staff, sending him flying down towards the ground.

"TOPH! HOLD ON!" He threw out his arms and legs quickly, sending a burst of air against Toph's body. She yelped as it threw her back up towards him. Aang threw out his arms, clamping them around the girl as he hugged her back into his chest. She gasped as he reached out his hand, the staff falling into it easily as he glided the both of them up and away from the rapidly approaching ground.

Toph's mouth opened in pure ecstasy as she laughed, slapping his arms quickly.

"I KNEW IT! I knew you were an air bender!" She yelled. Aang let out a quick and shallow breath, holding her tighter into his arms as they moved over the city.

"AND WHAT IF I WASN'T?" Aang quickly yelled. Toph blinked a few times before laughing, shrugging as she made herself comfortable into him.

"Well you are, so let's not worry about that. Now- will you take me to the fire nation or not?" It was technically a question, but the way that Toph spoke let Aang know that it was in fact a demand. He sighed heavily and dropped his head, their bodies floating into one another as he closed his eyes.

"…Fine…FINE! I'll take you…but if we're going to be flying that far, we'll need to make a pit stop."