Those two angsty pieces put me in the mood for something a little more light-hearted, so Misc #16 for Toko?
LJF, hello! Thanks for the ask :D I seem to have the bug for writing today, and so I figured I'd write this up and post it right away haha. Hope the this is hits the light-hearted Toko spot!
......
Toko - Misc - #16 - “YOU SAID TO BE HONEST STOP HITTING ME!”
“Ugh!”
Zuko looked up from his scroll, setting his morning tea down to look across the bedroom. The sound was undoubtedly coming from the closet, and he had a feeling he knew what was up.
Still, Zuko found himself asking his wife, “Everything okay?”
Toph let out a loud sigh, hollering back. “I feel like I look stupid.”
“What?”
“I feel ginormous and I feel like if I walk out of this closet I’m going to appear as big as a platypus bear.”
A faint smile played at Zuko’s lips, but he quickly wiped it away as he stood up and walked toward the closet. “I’m sure that’s not true, Toph. Besides, no one is going to care. And if they do, you’ll just throw a boulder at them.”
“Still! Everyone’s coming to the palace today, and you know one of the dunderheads is gonna say something.”
“Aang and Sokka know better than to say something, Toph,” Zuko said. “Remember when they came here before Kaede was born? They definitely learned their lesson.”
He remembered that particular day fondly, for it felt like the perfect storm of comedic and chaotic timing how both Sokka and Aang opened their big mouths at the same time. They just had to let Toph know how big she looked just a week before she was due. If Toph hadn’t skyrocketed them in the air with her earth pillars, Zuko probably would’ve lit their pants on fire. Now, of course, they could laugh at the memory. At the time, though, Toph’s wrath was not so funny to the boys. Now, Zuko hope for their sake that they knew better than to speak on the appearance of a pregnant woman, especially if that woman was Toph Beifong.
And yet, Toph still felt self-conscious enough to feel that Aang and Sokka hadn’t learned their lesson. “Yes,” she began, “but I wasn’t pregnant with twins then. I look twice as big now!”
With crossed arms, Zuko replied, “Okay, well let me see, and I’ll be the judge of that.”
Toph let out a sigh, then emerged from the closet with the biggest pout on her face. “Tell me I don’t look huge. You can’t.”
Every time he saw Toph’s glowing, growing figure, his heart skipped a beat. She wore a loose-fitting Fire Nation robe, and while Zuko truly thought she was stunning, the garment didn’t really do her any favors. It draped over her round belly, and, well…
It made her appear rather tent-like.
The man began to sweat. How on earth was he supposed to tell her that even though she was the most beautiful woman in the world that this particular robe made her look bigger than she actually was?
Zuko swallowed the lump in his throat, beginning the conversation by peppering her with compliments. “You look beautiful, Toph.”
“That’s not saying I don’t look fat.”
“Toph, come on. You’re pregnant with twins. No one really cares what you look like or what you’re wearing. They’re all just coming here to celebrate!”
“Zuko. I will call up every single one of our friends right now if you don’t tell me the truth. Do. I. Look. Fat.”
This was a lose-lose situation for the firebender. To lie and say she didn’t look fat would earn him a one way trip to the polar-bear-dog house, for she would certainly catch him in the lie.
If he was honest? Well, that was bound to end in disaster, too.
Spirits help Zuko.
He let out a sigh, and mumbled, “You—the robes make you look a little big—”
Zuko was immediately attacked Toph’s tiny but mighty fist, causing him to shout and yell, “Ow! Qu—Toph! Cut it out! I was just telling the truth—”
“You said I look fat!”
“You said be honest! Stop hitting me!!” he hissed.
“No!”
“Toph—what was I supposed to do? Lie?”
“Yes!”
“You would’ve caught me in the lie!”
Toph paused for half a second, then continued to smack his shoulder. “That—that’s not the point! You should know better!”
“I tried to steer you a different direction—”
“Steer?! Am I more like a cow? Is that it?”
“No! No, nothing close to a cow—Toph. You really are beautiful.”
“Just not right now, is that it?” “I never said that—” “Oh, save it. I’m calling Katara right now so she’s ready to kick your ass into the next Sozin Comet.”
Spirits help Zuko. This was going to be a long day.
......
Send me writing asks if you don't mind waiting a bit! Lol
