#joydragonauthor

It was the blind girl on watch today, her ability to feel any slight changes in his body's health making her a great observer. Mostly she just looked after him as he slept.

Now though, he was awake. It was time for him to eat something and have another healing session and bandage change.

"Well, I don't know if I even want to go home." Toph put her face in her hand as her and Zuko talked about what was next for them. Zuko had a path laid out for him, but Toph had no clue what to do now.

Bum bum bum bum

Toph gave him a quizzical look, feeling his heart rate skyrocket. "Zuko, are you-"

She blinked then, and a wide grin stretched her face as she realized exactly what caused him sudden panic- or rather who.

Katara had walked into the room.

"Oooohh. I see." Toph smirked.

"Toph, don't you dare say or do anything-"

"I am offended you'd think I would snitch!" Toph huffed snootily. Zuko narrowed his eyes at her disbelievingly. This was exactly the kind of thing that Toph loved to flaunt and tease about.

"Snitch about what?" Katara asked as she approached the bedside, placing a bowl of rice on the nightstand.

"About Zuko's crush on you!" Toph grinned lazily.

"Toph! I'm gonna-" Zuko started angrily before clutching at his chest. Katara rushed to him, laying him back on his pillows (and pretending she wasn't blushing).

Toph cackled, "Oh man, if you could hear Sugar Queen's heart beat! This is great."

"Toph, you can leave now." Katara snipped.

"I'd rather stay. This is better than that stupid play we went to."

Katara pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. She decided to ignore this whole conversation because there was genuine pain on Zuko's face as he held his hand over his chest.

She pushed him back further on the bed and unwrapped his tunic. He needed another healing and-

"Oh la laaaaa. Sweetness is so forward!" Toph howled, laughing further at their spiking heart rates.

"Toph." Katara growled, her face positively glowing, "Get out! You're causing Zuko stress!"

"Mmm, I think you're the one causing that stress, Sweetness."

Katara huffed, continuing her task and unraveling the dressing around Zuko's chest and abdomen. "I'm gonna kill her." She mumbled under her breath.

Zuko smiled at her, small but genuine. Katara wished it hadn't made her breath hitch- she was sure Toph could sense that too.

"So are you guys gonna make out or what?" Toph asked nonchalantly, picking at her nails.

Both of their eyes widened in shock. Zuko stuttered, "What?! I- we aren't- why are you here?!"

"Is that a no?" The blind girl pouted at them.

Katara turned to the younger girl with all the patience she could muster, "Toph, I'm just here to heal his injury. We aren't going to make out."

Toph groaned, standing from her chair. "That's so boring. I'm leaving."

"Finally." Zuko hissed under his breath. Toph sent him the bird as she left his bedroom.

The water bender sighed heavily, gathering water from the basin to start working on his weakened heart. "She's something else. Just ignore her."

Zuko nodded, breathing deeply through the pain like Katara taught him. But he couldn't help but wonder if Toph's words had any truth to them. Did she know how he felt? Did Katara maybe feel the same way? Did she want to make out with him?

Katara raised an eyebrow at him as she felt his heart beat hitch against her glowing hands. "You're supposed to be ignoring her."

"Right." He hissed between his teeth, clenching his eyes closed and trying to put thoughts of the water bender's feelings out of his mind.

She sighed and returned the water to the bin. She would only cause him more pain if he wasn't calm during this process. "Alright, I guess we're talking about this."

Zuko groaned and threw his arm over his head in embarrassment. Katara laughed at him and took ahold of his hand, smirking at him, "Come on, feelings aren't that bad."

He took a deep breath, "Okay... I think that I... like you."

Katara smiled, blushing prettily. "And I think I like you." She boldly declared.

Zuko's face burned hotly. "Oh."

They both knew that 'like' wasn't a strong enough word for what they were feeling.

Slowly Katara knelt down, her eyes on his to gage if this was okay. His eyes kept darting between her blue eyes and her soft lips.

She tilted her head and softly pressed her lips to his, gently prodding his lips.

Zuko reached his hand up to the back of her neck, pressing her closer to push their mouths together more urgently.

Katara gasped softly at the passion, her arms almost not holding her weight over him. She put a knee up on the bed to help steady her as she tilted her mouth against his for a deeper angle.

Zuko groaned suddenly, wincing and pulling away from her sharply as he clutched at his torso. Katara frowned, placing her hands on his chest. "Toph's right, I'm not exactly helping your stress levels. I shouldn't have done that when you're like this, I'm sorry."

"I want that in writing, Sugar Queen!"

Katara's eyes widened and she whipped around, screeching, "Toph! I told you to go away!"

The earth bender leaned against the doorframe, grinning evilly at them. "And I told you so. I knew you guys were gonna make out!"

"GET OUT!"