Chapter Text
“Move it Sparky! C’mon” Toph yelled tapping the prince on the back with her foot as he carried her around the temple.
“I’m trying! You’re heavier than you look, you know.” Zuko grumbled. “Aren’t you a prince? You should know better than to comment on a Lady’s weight!” Suki teased, giggling as Toph smirked.
“Yeah you’ll need to do an extra day of carrying me around to make up for that!” Toph yelled as Zuko only rolled his eyes at the girl’s antics.
Aang looked back with a smile as he heard the laughter of his friends. “Don’t worry Zuko. She’s just kidding.” He reassured as Zuko nodded.
“Hey! I’m blind not deaf!” Toph hollered making Zuko flinch away from the loud shout directly in his ear. “My bad.” The earth-bender mumbled apologetically, not that the fire-bender minded.
Katara sighed at her personal headache squad as she looked up to the sky. Based on where it was glaring at them from the sky they were behind schedule. “We are behind on time, it may be a good idea to start setting up camp at the nearest empty area.”
“Katara agreeing to rest early? Did I drink cactus juice again!?” Sokka exclaimed dramatically as he leaned back on Suki theatrically.
“Hey I agree to rest early once in a while. I’m not that mean!” Katara glared at her brother who only stretched his arms out towards her in emphasis.
“Huh guess we all are sharing hallucinations now. That’s a new one.” Aang smirked as Katara’s cheeks went from their rosy bronze to red in frustration with her group.
“I get it! We’ll rest at the next stop. The ONE time I try to be nice to you people.”
…
“Anything else after I get the fire going?” Zuko asked as he brushed his hand over the kindling, carefully setting the small bundle of dry foliage ablaze.
“Yeah! Aang you saw a butt ton of fire’s up the hill right? Toph asked as Aang jump/flew over “Sure did! Why?” Aang asked curiously as Toph simply pointed a finger to were the fire-bender was currently standing.”
“You! Take me up the hill.” Toph demanded with a grin, pre-emptively lifting her arms In the fire benders direction.
“Don’t ya think you’re abusing your ‘Zuko Piggy-backing privilege’ a little bit Toph? Give him a break.” Sokka said over his shoulder as Toph simply cackled in response. “You’re just jealous you don’t have someone to carry you around.” She accused as he simply shrugged in agreement.
Zuko rolled his shoulders as he bend down to pick up the earth bender as he stood with a light huff. “If you need us Aang earth-bend a pillar up so that I can see it and we’ll rush back.” Zuko instructed; Aang quickly replied with a “Yes Hotman” and a mock salute.
…
“We’re here.” Zuko announced, putting down the earth-bender into the lush green grass. “Fuck yeah!” She exclaimed before grabbing the fire Benders hand and yanking him down as he tumbled into the damp grass with a soft squelch. “Why’d do you do that?” The fire bender yelped confused as Toph just smiled, this time in a soft manner. “You were gonna stand there like some hover-bug. You can sit next to me you know.”
Zuko just stared in stunned silence. “Thank you, I appreciate it a lot.” He settled for as he shuffled slightly closer to the earth bender; Toph flopped her head onto his shoulder. He froze at the foreign touch but she was unmoving in her presence despite this as he slowly relaxed, his head tilting to softly rest on the earth benders messy black locks.
“It’s really nice here. You can just FEEL the life in the earth you know?” Toph said after a beat of silence, her hands reaching behind her and rooting themselves into the soil-bed.
Zuko followed her actions as his hand skimmed over, feeling all the slight texture differences between the wild unkept grass to the petal-filled dandelions, all very much alive. It brought a sense of peace to him in a way that not many things could.
“I think I know what you mean.” Zuko breathed out slowly, “I’m glad you asked to come here.” He confessed as he looked up to the twinkling stars above, completely missing the way Toph tenderly gazed up at him.
“Thanks for carrying me. Didn’t have to carry me all the way up through sparkles.” Zuko jumped slightly as she elbowed him in the ribs jokingly.
“I burned your feet, it’s only fair to atone for my mistake. I-“
“Blah blah blah. I’m prince broody even though I was already forgiven.” She cut him off as he looked to her wide-eyed, not that she’d notice.
“Okay okay, I get it. But I’m not doing it just because of that. I want to; it’s nice to spend time among friends.” The fire lord said as he looked to the sky once more, wondering if his uncle would be proud of him in this moment.
“You tell ANY of the others I will crush you inside a boulder. But I’m glad you’re here sparky.” She hummed as she plucked a particularly study dandelion from her side. “Well time to get back before Mum water-whip comes for our ass.” She huffed as Zuko put her on his back once more
“She definitely will if you use that language in front of her.” He mused as he began walking down the hill.
“Yeah but she can’t hear us yet so -…” She tilted her head back and breathed in deeply as she began to yell curse words all the way to the camp.
Katara looked at them, a lecture teetering on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it immediately when she saw them wave at her. Both with matching smiles and a matching dandelion in their hair.