The thrill of the ocean

Chapter One - Breathless

I felt light and elegant yet gravity pulled me deeper to the depths of that sea bed. My eyes although unseeing grew heavy and consciousness escaped my being, I was dying all because of an argument. My lungs grew weak and sore as the water slowly engulfed them in pain. The world grew distant and a deeper darkness than normal was the last thing I felt and what she said was the last thing I thought of..."You're such a baby, moaning about the fact you can't have everything your way! If you couldn't bend, you'd be nothing! You can't read, write, swim or even see! You're pathetic Toph and you know it"

I was walking by the beach thinking about my own troubles, the way I grew up. After Katara and Toph's recent explosion of opinions, I really needed some space. Was it right to accuse Toph of being so selfish and that she didn't appreciate her family and good fortune, even though it appeared as a display from her parents for viewing purposes from Toph's point of view. Was Toph right to say she wishes she could be Katara because of her mother yet her mother had been dead for year's? God I know for one thing, I'm not used to all this drama. I know I had Mai and Azula to worry about but Mai was boring and never said anything out of the ordinary and my sister although evil and brilliant was o so predictable and I tired of it quickly.

It was getting dark and sky turned quickly into orange and pink dues. The water lapped under my feet but I felt something spongy, I looked down to see a piece of cloth, out of curiosity I bent down and picked it up, I was so glad then, that I was a curious person. Toph's red top lay wet and cold in my hands but where was she?

Suddenly I heard a splash; I saw pale skin disappear in the turquoise water and before I could even think I was diving in after her. I swam like the world depended on it, because I felt it probably did. I couldn't lose her; say that I saw her drown! She is the greatest earthbender on the planet as well as the avatars teachers, and on a personal level, one of the only people who really believed in me apart from uncle.

I grabbed her limp body as I saw her eyes close; I kicked furiously and propelled us towards the surface. As I got her head above water, she still lay lifeless in my arms. I swam as quickly as I could towards the beach causing my limbs to ache and behave like untamed fired, burning my skin. I dropped her down onto the beach, quickly cupped my hands tight over her chest and pumped down vigorously.

I heard something, just now, it was muffled and it sounded like a bird. Wait I hear it again, am I not dead? It is a bird, a sea bird, I'm at the beach. I kind of feel the sand under my skin sticking to me, I'm cold and shivering. I hear a person now I feel my chest go tight, and bounce with force. Big warm hands are on my chest pumping. I can feel water escape my mouth slowly.

Somebody rescued me, he's talking but I can't hear him properly but I can tell his voice is worried and deep. He sound strong, I'm glad he's strong. It seems that sometimes even a girl like me needs a hero.

Her body jerked upwards spewing water up onto the sand next to her. I pulled her into a hug that could only be appropriate at a time like this, I know she needs to recover but I can't help it. What can I say? I guess I like having the little git around.

Her head rested on my skin of my chest and her body still cold and floppy. I warmed up my hands using a technique my uncle taught me, heat without fire. I gently smoothed my hands over the bare of her back. Only now realising that she had little clothes on or none really, just her undergarments.

I didn't really have to ask what she was doing here, it was obvious, she just wanted to prove to Katara that she could swim, but she couldn't. I felt sorry for her and at the same time I thought she was a bit stupid. I laughed at the thought as Toph snuggled closer to the heat of my body.

It was Zuko, my knight in shining armour that SAVED MY LIFE was Zuko. It was weird to feel so safe in his arms, I'd never really needed protecting, but I could never deny that it would be nice not to have to fight by myself, it would be lovely to have someone care about me.

But he was so warm, it was hard not to say no to that heat, especially with me being half naked and freezing cold, it would also mean I wouldn't have to look at him, this was so embarrassing. That's why I appreciated when he didn't say anything. I liked the silence, it was nice. It was almost as if, words were just a tool for a different job. We didn't need them here, now.

"I think I ought to get you back Toph," I tried to pick her up gently; her icy cold skin told me I wasn't wrong. She said nothing as I placed her on my shoulder and held her there. I felt her hands creep towards the base of my neck tugging at the hair she turned and whispered lightly in my ear as I began to walk.

"Promise me, you won't tell Katara," Proud as ever, even after being in deaths grasp. I suppose it shouldn't really surprise me.

"Toph they'll here you make a tent, and they'll wake and see you, look I'm sure Katara won't be angry anymore after she see's what's happened, "I tried to negotiate with her.

"Katara can fuck off, I don't want her sympathy, and...I don't think I could make a tent if I tried. I'm exhausted." As if to say the conversation was over she rested her head on my shoulder, I felt her eyelashes flutter shut as they brushes over my skin.

Am I privileged, or is it a curse, to see into the vulnerable side of Toph's famous personality? I've never once seen her admit she can't do something, or be submissive in terms of physical contact. I know the recent events may be a part of that, but is it just an excuse to let her guard down for once? I'm sure whatever it is, that I'll end up six feet under if I tell anyone, and as if on cue she whisperers something as I place footprints in the sand under the moon's subtle glow.

"I'll kill you if anyone finds out, so it's your job now"

I wrap my legs around his waist, it's like a drug, the heat he's emitting. I urge my body to connect with his in every possible place I can, as if every inch of extra skin makes the cold subside for a moment or two. I cling to him as his body rocks while his feet move along the golden sand. I find myself drifting off into a welcome sleep only to awake again by shivering and chatty teeth, god I'm so tired.

I got to the camp site within a couple of minutes, Toph just drifted off again so I was quiet not to wake her. I was even quieter because I knew her threat was totally real. I would die in some way or another if anyone ever found out that Toph almost drowned, of Corse they would all be worried and ask if she was alright, but no, Toph didn't like that, Toph was way too proud for that.

After having the little rant in my mind, I walked over to see a scrawny extra tent that looked about three hundred years old, there is no way I could build this without using some sort of brute man power, hence the mallet I presume. I looked at my tent and sighed. I'm gonna get in such shit for this.

I picked up Toph's bag with one arm and tried to balance her with other. I silently crept into my tent and placed the bag down. Holding her over my shoulder still I pulled her sleeping bag out and laid it down and put her on top of it, tiring hard not to fall on her as her super grip refused to detach itself from my neck which was aching now.

One problem, she now looked like some drunken whore I picked up for the night, it's horrible to say that, to even think that, but it was so true. Her hair was peeking out of her usually perfect bun in almost every direction and she was still in just her underwear. I searched around for something to her to wear and found a baggy red top; I lifted her up and placed it over her head. She was out cold for sure, her limbs hung limp as I tried in vain to stuff her arms into the shirt holes, and finally I managed the seemingly easy task.

There was one major problem I knew and I was procrastinating the obvious solution. She was still cold as Ice. I tried to think logically, pretending I was uncle, what would uncle say?

"Toph may kick your ass when she awakes, but the other's will surely burn you on a stake if she were to die"

Die, wait what I was thinking! Toph wasn't going to die.

"Then do something about it"

I knew from the start what I was gonna have to do, but it doesn't make it any more fun does it now? I sighed. I lifted her light body into my already made up bed, and hugged her close using all my energy to get her warm again.