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The fire lilies were in full bloom and bobbed gently in the wind as Appa landed in a forest clearing. The frazzled group had just left Hama’s village, greatly distressed by the happenings of the previous night, and had sought refuge on the other side of the mountain they had just rescued the townspeople from. The foursome was glad simply to be away from Hama and eager to collect themselves after a stressful night.
Katara had retreated to the river to waterbend and come to terms with the discovery and application of bloodbending Hama had thrust upon her last night. Sokka had gone into the woods in search of food. This left Aang and Toph at the campsite together.
Aang had marveled over the pristine landscape in Hama’s village, and it was equally as beautiful here on the other side of the mountain. Once the Fire Nation became associated with war, terror, and violence, the landscape of the country in his mind had shifted to be like that of the Painted Lady village, but everywhere. It was nice to see that elsewhere in the Fire Nation, the landscape was professedly untouched by the war, serene and how it was 100 years ago. He felt drawn to the beautiful field of fire lilies that swayed invitingly before him.
In one jump, Aang gracefully leaped from Appa’s head to the fire lily field. The delicate floral scent they gave off tickled his nose pleasantly. The nice thing about scents and other visual intangibles was that no matter how much time passed, they generally stayed the same. The flowers seemed to reach towards him, beckoning him and transporting him to 100 years ago when the Fire Nation wasn’t a war machine, but an industrious island paradise where steam and humidity laid thick over the land instead of smog and soot.
Aang was so lost in thought he hadn’t registered that Toph was standing above him. She flicked him in the forehead. “What’s with you, Aang? I’ve been calling your name for a few minutes now.”
To call him Aang, she must’ve been somewhat worried. He laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “Oh, sorry Toph, I was just lost in thought.”
“About?”
He twiddled the stem of a fire lily between his fingers. “About life before the war. The Fire Nation was so different 100 years ago, but places like this remind me of how things were before the war. It gives me hope that even in the Fire Nation, there are places that haven’t been touched.” Aang smiled as he placed his hands in his lap. “Thanks for letting me talk to you about this, Toph. I know this kind of talk doesn’t really interest you.”
She shook her head and sat down across from him in the field. “It doesn’t, not usually. But weirdly enough, I kind of want to hear more. It’s still weird for me to think about the fact that you were alive 100 years ago.”
Aang was taken aback by her words. Toph wasn’t one to discuss the past, and even less one to discuss feelings, yet here she was inviting him to share both those things with her. He was sure that she could feel the joy and excitement thrumming in his heartbeat. “Where should I begin?”
She regarded him with a tilt of her head. “Wherever you want, I guess. You’re the one who was alive.”
Aang decided to begin with his people.
“Well, you know that I’m an airbender monk. I grew up in the Southern Air Temple with a bunch of other kids under the supervision of elder monks. I never really knew my parents since I was raised by Monk Gyatso, my mentor, and the others.” The fire lily he had been twirling between his fingers had snapped at the stem. Aang placed the flower in his lap and began fiddling with another as he spoke. “It was a lot of fun growing up in the temple, and since airbenders are all about freedom, the monks encouraged travel and exploration. As long as we told them where we were planning to go, we were allowed to leave the temple. I met Appa when I was really young. He and I have been traveling together since then.”
Toph sighed. “I can’t imagine not knowing my parents. They’re so controlling of me, always worrying and thinking I’m helpless. They never let me do anything. I mean, I had to run away just to train you, and here the monks were just letting you leave anytime you wanted, no questions!”
Another fire lily broke in Aang’s grip and a pile of the blooms began growing in his lap. He grinned and began weaving them together as he continued.
“Yeah, it was definitely unique to airbender culture. Since I was allowed to travel the world, I had friends all over the place. My friends, Bumi, in the Earth Kingdom, - who by the way, is still alive and the King of Omashu – and Kuzon, here in the Fire Nation, were my two best friends.”
Toph quirked a brow when Aang introduced Bumi. She had heard of the old king before – that he was ancient and eccentric, and more recently, that he had let Omashu fall to the Fire Nation. She hadn’t ever imagined that someone who knew Aang was still alive today and was someone she had heard of.
Kuzon was a less familiar figure. She recognized the name as his alias from the Fire Nation school, but didn’t know anything about him beyond that. The idea of Aang being friends with a Fire Nation citizen seemed so outlandish to her, but then again, the fact that he was alive after spending 100 years in an iceberg was even more bizarre. Toph decided she’d never understand the weird spiritual powers of the Avatar and didn’t particularly care to as she reclined into the lilies, propping herself up on her elbow.
“Kuzon’s the name you used at the school. What was he like? In fact, you were going on before about how this place looks like it was 100 years ago. What was the Fire Nation itself like?”
Aang glanced up his woven handiwork and thoughtfully looked at the girl sitting across from him. Although her eyes were unseeing, she seemed to be staring right at him. He smiled wistfully as he wove another flower into the chain.
“Kuzon was great! We’d have so much fun together. He’d always come up with fun games for us to play, and sometimes I’d take us places on Appa to explore. Any time I suggested that we go explore, he always pulled out his bucket list of places and we’d pick from there. He researched every place thoroughly!” Aang laughed as he wove another flower into the chain. “We had bending battles a lot too. He was a really talented firebender.” Another flower. “Actually, now that I think about it, he reminds me a lot of you, Toph. I bet you guys would have gotten along really well if you knew each other.”
Toph couldn’t help but find Aang comparing her to one of his best friends from before the war to be sweet. It made her think of her own relationship with him. Aang was her first friend, her best friend. While she loved Katara and Sokka and cherished her bonds with them, she felt incredibly protective of her relationship with Aang. After all, not only did he give her a reason to escape her stifling life in Gaoling, he gave her a purpose. While it was fun throwing rocks and knocking heads at Earth Rumble VI, Toph had always known there was more to life. She just hadn’t been sure of what, and while she could have left whenever she chose, she wouldn’t have been sure of where to go. She didn’t have to think about that when she was with Aang. Honestly, if Aang hadn’t embarrassed her at Earth Rumble VI, she probably would have agreed to go with him straight away.
Toph hummed and picked one of the lilies that tickled her cheek. “Remember when you said friendships could transcend lifetimes? What if I’m Kuzon?” She laughed as she tossed the flower at him. She brought a long strand of hair under her nose to mimic a mustache and lowered her voice. “Flameo Aang, it’s me, Kuzon. My, you look the same as you did 100 years ago, and now I’m not only a blind girl, I’m also the world’s greatest earthbender.”
Aang couldn’t help but chuckle at Toph’s display. The girl had laughed so hard that her elbow had given way and she was lying on her stomach on the ground, her arms now folded underneath her head. He began weaving the flower she had thrown at him into the rest as he replied.
“Even if you are Kuzon, you aren’t the exact same person as him, and I’m really glad about that, actually. If you were just him born in a different body, you wouldn’t be you, Toph! Besides, it would be pretty boring for everyone if we were friends with the same exact people in every life, especially for me as the Avatar, I have the memories of my past lives with me too. I would really know if someone is a person I’ve known in a past life.” He tightened the last flower in place. “I know I said that you remind me of Kuzon, but you aren’t him. I’m happy that I get to know the amazing ingenious Toph Beifong and not Kuzon 2.0. I’m really glad that you’re you, Toph!”
Toph didn’t know how Aang could say such sappy things in earnest. She was grateful that his seismic sense was not as finely honed as hers so that he couldn’t feel her heart thrumming wildly in her chest. She sat up and ducked her face into her knees so he couldn’t see the blush. Stupid Aang! He wasn’t allowed to make her blush.
“That was pretty mushy, Twinkletoes.” What an amazing expression of sentimentality, Toph.
Aang didn’t seem to mind. “Well, it’s true.” She felt him lift her headband off her head and something being placed on. She jerked her head up, causing whatever it was to slip down her face. Her fingertips grazed something velvety and delicate.
“What -”
“It’s a flower crown made of fire lilies.” Aang cut her off. “I actually learned how to make them from Gyatso. Since we were talking about the past, it made me remember them. I’ve never made one out of fire lilies before, but I think it came out really well.” He leaned over and pushed the crown up so it would catch on her ears and stay out of her face. “I think it looks really pretty on you…er, you look really pretty in it!”
Aang was being disgustingly saccharine, and while this normally annoyed Toph to no end, she found herself feeling strangely besotted with him in this moment. These sorts of feelings were still rather foreign to her. She wasn’t quite sure what to say. As she thought, her fingers absentmindedly touched the flowers that rimmed her face. Gently, she ran a finger down the seam of stems. She could feel the expertise with which the delicate plants were woven together. Delicate on the outside, yet hiding a deceptive strength underneath the petals. Toph assumed the same could be said of Aang.
“Ah, sorry, I’m sorry Toph!” Aang backtracked. “That was a bit weird to say.” He pushed himself to his feet, embarrassed. Toph wasn’t Katara! Sure, she seemed to be tolerating him right now, but he was sure her patience was wearing thin. She surprised him by reaching out and grabbing his wrist. He willed his pulse to stop surging as he looked down at her. Her face was uncharacteristically soft.
“Don’t apologize.” She began. “I’m not mad or anything.” She pulled herself to her feet and turned towards him. The bright red flowers against her dark black hair were in stark, yet beautiful, contrast with each other. Aang admired her for many reasons, but right now, he couldn’t help but marvel at her appearance. He absentmindedly moved a piece of hair behind her ear. She leaned ever so slightly into his touch and he slowly leaned towards her, closing his eyes when Momo screeched and landed on Aang’s head. The pair jumped apart. Aang looked anywhere but Toph, and she tried to ignore his wildly beating heart as she gripped her arm. Momo chittered happily, as if he knew exactly what he did.
Aang coughed and let his eyes wander back to Toph. “So…100 years ago, Kuzon and I pulled this prank on his dad with his pet poodle-monkey. Wanna try it on Sokka? I bet Momo would be willing to help.”
Hiding her blush under a smirk, Toph grabbed Momo off Aang’s head and nodded towards the campsite, the flower crown bouncing slightly as she did. “You know, I want to! Tell me all about it so we can set it up right!”