#toph

Toph's lips linger only inches from yours. The warmth of her breath fans softly across your skin, mingling with your own until the air between you feels impossibly warm. The world beyond Soul Ties melts into insignificance. All you can think about is the earthbender in front of you, the featherlight ghost of her skin brushing against yours before—

DING!

The sharp chime makes you flinch ever so slightly.

A quiet groan slips from Toph's lips before the two of you reluctantly pull apart.

"Sorry." You mumble, your voice barely above a whisper, disappointment and embarrassment settling heavily in your chest as the kiss you'd been moments away from sharing is stolen from you.

"Goddamn Production." Is all Toph can manage in response as she collapses back against the cushions, one arm thrown dramatically over her face. "You owe me one."

"Do I?" You glance over at her with an amused smile, your eyes tracing the subtle ripple of her abdomen as she shifts in search of a more comfortable position.

"Yeah, I don't like being left hanging." Though mild annoyance laces her words, there's an unmistakable promise tucked beneath them—one that lingers between the two of you just as strongly as the kiss that never happened.

"I guess I do owe you then."

A smirk tugs at Toph's lips as she settles farther into the cushions, her forearm still draped across her eyes, whether to block out the afternoon sun or conceal the lingering warmth on her face, you aren't entirely sure.

"Read the text, Smudge."

Your brows knit together.

"Smudge?" You echo, unable to hide the confusion in your voice. "Where'd that come from?"

"That's how we met." The earthbender answers as though the explanation were the most obvious thing in the world. "You smudged your paint all over me."

"Huh." The sound escapes you far more gleefully than you'd intended. "I…like it."

"Even if you didn't, that wouldn't stop me." Toph gestures lazily in your direction. "Now go ahead and read it."

You let out a small sigh before you rise to your feet and clear your throat. "I got a text!"

Your voice carries easily across the villa, drawing every islander's attention. Conversations cut off mid-sentence as heads turn toward Soul Ties. Below, expressions range from eager anticipation to poorly concealed dread, each of them waiting to find out what Production had planned next.

Flipping open the pearl white phone, your eyes scan the message displayed inside the familiar baby blue text bubble.

"Islanders, it's time to see who is driving the Nation crazy in today's challenge. #MotorMouth #BackSeatDriver!"

A puzzled silence settles over the villa.

"What does that mean?" Aang wonders aloud from where he'd been lounging on a beanbag beside Zuko, his brows pinching together in thought.

"Maybe we get our phones back for this challenge and can check our social media?" Zuko suggests.

His steady composure had been a welcome contrast to Aang's restless energy all morning. Ever since breakfast, the airbender had scarcely been able to sit still, his gaze unconsciously tracking Jet whenever the non-bender crossed the villa. Though he'd tried his best to hide it, Jet's growing interest in Katara had rooted itself firmly in the back of Aang's mind, his jealousy pressing insistently against the calm exterior he worked so hard to maintain.

᯽

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous for today's challenge. Social media can be brutal." Katara bites her lip, her gaze falling to her lap as she sits beneath the bright confessional lights. "People only get an hour out of your entire day, and somehow they think they know exactly who you are."

She lets out a quiet breath, absently twisting the bracelet around her wrist. Her expression slowly grows more resolute with every passing minute. Her eyes seem to steel, her lips arched and her posture growing straighter, making it a point to glance toward the producer behind the camera before looking back into the lens.

"At the end of the day, the people in this villa are the ones actually living these moments. The viewers don't see every conversation, every joke, every misunderstanding. They see whatever makes it into the episode."

᯽

The wardrobe for this challenge was considerably less revealing than the last.

Gone were the delicate ivory lace and barely-there lingerie you'd been dressed in for the sleepover

challenge. Instead, Production had outfitted you in a ballerina pink triangle bikini, paired with a short, frilly tutu that rested lightly against your hips, its layers fluttering with even the slightest movement.

The islanders in established couples had been coordinated accordingly. The men—and Toph—were dressed in crisp black button-ups tucked neatly into matching trousers. As always, they were afforded significantly more fabric than the feminine women.

Alongside your outfit, Production had also handed you a strip of pink fabric matching the rest of your ensemble. While most of the girls tied theirs around their heads or wrists, you opted to knot yours around your upper thigh instead, fashioning it into a garter that sat snugly against your skin. It was a small touch, but one that made the costume feel a little more like your own.

"Oh, what's this…" Syzu's high-pitched voice cuts through the excited chanting of the boys and girls as they make their way from the villa toward a wide stretch of open grass.

Waiting for them is a set, elevated just enough that a short flight of stairs leads them to the platform where the challenge awaits.

White metal railings line the perimeter, wrapped in strips of yellow caution tape decorated with alternating black hearts and squares. At the far end of the platform stands a towering wall of Styrofoam blocks, completely concealing a second entrance adjacent to the one they'd just come through.

Three rows of bleachers sit alongside a long, teal figurative "race track" that snakes across the set. The first bend is marked by a bright yellow road sign reading "Slippery When Wet," complete with a water droplet decorating its face.

Towering above it all is an oversized sign depicting two cars on a collision course, frozen just moments before impact. Suspended between them is a large heart bearing the words "You Drive Me Crazy," tying the entire set together with Production's signature flair.

First up was Waika and Zuko as a couple.

They both emerged from the ramp hidden behind the Styrofoam wall, a brightly colored cardboard cutout of a convertible strapped securely around their shoulders. With both hands gripping the handlebars concealed inside the prop, it almost looked as though Waika were actually driving.

Without a second thought, the couple barreled through the wall.

Styrofoam blocks exploded into the air, tumbling across the course as the islanders erupted into cheers. Before Waika and Zuko could properly celebrate their dramatic entrance, a pink fire hydrant beside them unexpectedly roared to life, blasting a stream of water directly into their sides and drenching her from head to toe.

A surprised squeal escaped Waika's lips, as Zuko simply squinted his eyes in mild annoyance, drawing a fresh wave of laughter from the bleachers.

"Go, Waika!" Syzu shouted between giggles.

Brushing soaked strands of hair away from her face, Waika couldn't help but laugh along with everyone else. They both straightened the cardboard convertible around their shoulders before continuing down the winding track, encouraged by the whistles and applause following their every step.

The couple came to a stop beneath the first road sign. With a mechanical hiss, a large stop sign rose from the ground in front of them.

Beneath it sat another sign reading, "Take your Ticket."

Hanging below were two thick cardboard slips painted to resemble traffic citations, labeled "Notice 1" and "Notice 2."

Waika reached for "Notice 1."

As she tore it free, the ticket unfolded to reveal a social media post.

"Honestly, blank rubs me the wrong way, and I want her out."

An uneasy chorus of groans and murmurs rippled through the islanders.

Now, it was Waika and Zuko's turn to decide who the public had been talking about.

The girl's smile faltered ever so slightly as her gaze swept across the bleachers, lingering on each of the girls in turn. Zuko whispered, "You got this one," into her ear before she nodded in response

"No hard feelings. I love all of my girls, but…" She paused, chewing thoughtfully on the inside of her cheek before she says your name.

Several heads immediately turned toward you, surprise flickering across nearly every face as they see you meet Waika's gaze with a polite smile.

"You're the newest girl." She gives you a sheepish look. "I love you though, and I want to get to know you more!"

"I get it." You rose from your seat without hesitation. It was a fair conclusion to come to. Waika had spent the past several days growing close to the other girls, while you'd only stepped foot into the villa the night before.

Making your way across the set, you arrived beneath a brightly colored retro archway decorated with a large neon pink arrow and oversized bubbles. Across the top, playful lettering spelled out "Car Wash."

Three large seats sat beneath the arch, and after a brief moment of consideration, you slipped into the one in the middle. As you settled back, your gaze instinctively drifted upward.

Suspended directly above your head was a large nozzle, its translucent chamber filled nearly to the brim with an alarmingly neon yellow slime, the viscous liquid sloshing lazily against the clear plastic as if eagerly awaiting its next victim.

Your lips pressed into a thin line. But, there wasn't much to do now except accept your inevitable fate.

Waika shoots you one last apologetic glance before turning back toward the stop sign. Reaching beneath it once more, she tears away "Notice 2," revealing the answer hidden underneath.

Her eyes immediately widen, Zuko reads the ticket from behind her, his expression only faltering for a second before he masterfully coaches it back to normal.

For a brief moment, Waika simply stares at the ticket, silently rereading the post before voicing it aloud.

"Honestly, Kuse rubs me the wrong way I want her out."

A stunned silence washes over the set.

Beside Toph, Kuse's mouth falls open.

A chorus of bewildered "What?"s quickly follows, disbelief rippling through the islanders as they struggle to process the revelation.

From your seat beneath the car wash arch, you instinctively look toward her.

Despite the minor hiccups that had transpired between the two of you, the hurt etched across Kuse’s face twists something in your chest. You couldn't bring yourself to celebrate another person's humiliation—not even hers.

Toph, meanwhile, has to bite the inside of her cheek to stop the corners of her mouth from lifting. She smooths her expression into something neutral before anyone has the chance to notice.

"Are you serious?" Kuse finally manages, her voice noticeably quieter as every pair of eyes settles on her.

"Unfortunately." Waika winces apologetically, lowering the tickets onto the platform. "That's what it says."

"Why would they say that…" Kuse murmurs, more to herself than anyone else. Almost instinctively, she turns toward her couple. "Toph?"

The earthbender doesn't direct her attention towards her, but finally speaks up.

"Ignore it." She says simply, although her voice isn't nearly as gruff as it had been last night. "It's just one comment."

Before Kuse has the chance to respond, Toph's attention shifts back toward the course, following Waika and Zuko as they makes their way to the next stop sign.

"Let's see what the next one's about."

Zuko cuts through the mounting tension by reading the next ticket aloud. "Not blank trying to take blank's man during last night's sleepover challenge, all she does is hop from one islander to the next."

Once again, the villa erupts into an uproar.

Confused voices overlap one another as the islanders instinctively begin searching each other's faces, trying to piece together who the post could possibly be referring to.

This time, Waika looks genuinely stumped. "I don't—" She begins, only for Zuko to gently cut her off.

"You were blindfolded during the challenge." He reminds her.

Realization slowly washes over her features. "Oh, right."

"I can answer this one." Zuko announces, raising his voice just enough for the conversations around him to taper off.

One by one, the murmurs die away, and every pair of eyes settles on him.

Zuko glances down at the ticket one last time before lifting his gaze toward the bleachers.

He already knows his answer. The question is whether he's willing to say it.

Silence stretches across the set. A breeze stirs the caution tape wrapped around the railings, its soft flutter somehow louder than anyone's breathing.

No one dares rush Zuko. No one dares speak.

The anticipation settles over the islanders like a heavy blanket, each passing second tightening the knot in everyone's stomach.

"I think the islanders this post is about is…" He pauses. His eyes drift across the girls seated on the bleachers before lingering on one.

Another heartbeat passes.

Then another.

By now, even the most impatient islanders have unconsciously leaned forward in their seats, waiting for the name that refused to come.

"Kuse and Katara."

On the bleachers, Katara watches Zuko intently, her features barely shifting. It was almost as though she'd expected his answer.

Instead, she sat a little straighter, her attention shifting to Kuse, who was once again fuming, her eyes fixed on Zuko. The firebender glances briefly at Aang, who sits rigidly in his seat, looking as though he'd give anything to melt into the bleachers beneath him.

Then, Kuse’s gaze met Katara's.

Where her blue eyes burned with indignation, Katara's bright blue remain steely. It was an expression Kuse had yet to see from the water tribe girl, having grown accustomed to her usual composed, observant kindness.

It seemed her patience had finally begun to wear thin.

Kuse looked away first, almost as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over her head. For a moment, she looked ready to stand, but before she could, Katara had already beaten her to it.

The waterbender stepped down from the bleachers without a word, making her way toward the brightly colored "Car Wash" arch.

As she settled into the seat to your left, you offered her a sympathetic look before quietly extending your hand.

Katara slipped her own into yours without hesitation.

"How are you feeling?" You asked, careful to keep your voice low enough that only she could hear.

"I knew it was about us." Katara answered simply.

There was no anger in her voice, but neither was there the easy warmth she'd carried that morning. Her words were measured, grounded by the quiet resolve of someone who'd already accepted what everyone else was only beginning to realize.

She kept her eyes fixed ahead.

"It's funny." A faint breath escaped her nose. "Before this challenge, I said the viewers don't see everything that happens in the villa."

Her fingers tightened ever so slightly around yours.

"I guess they saw enough."

You followed her gaze, watching Kuse push herself to her feet.

"Okay, I want to make it clear that I'm not trying to steal Aang." Her voice carries across the challenge set, strained in a way you hadn't heard before. It almost sounded as though she were standing trial, every islander around her serving as judge, jury, and executioner. "It was a challenge, and I was trying to find Toph."

Katara's lips press into a thin line. "I think I need to have a few conversations…"

Her eyes drift toward Toph. Though the earthbender couldn't possibly meet her gaze, she tilts her head ever so slightly before giving a small, almost imperceptible nod, silently acknowledging the waterbender.

Kuse makes her way over to the car wash arch, lowering herself into the empty seat on your right. Despite the confidence she'd spoken with only moments earlier, unease seemed to seep from every inch of her.

Across the course, Zuko observes the entire exchange with quiet calculation.

Reaching beneath the stop sign once more, he tears away the second notice. His eyes skim the answer for only a heartbeat before he reads it aloud.

"Not Kuse trying to take Katara's man during last night's sleepover challenge, all she does is hop from one islander to the next."

Kuse lets out a disbelieving laugh.

"How am I hopping from one islander to the next?" she asks aloud, her brows knitting together so tightly they nearly touched. "Seriously?"

Before anyone has the chance to answer—

Thunk.

The mechanism above the three of you shudders to life.

A split second later, a torrent of neon yellow slime crashes down from the nozzle above you.

You barely manage a startled gasp before the icy sludge engulfs you, splattering across your head and shoulders with an audible splat. It clings stubbornly to your head before slowly trailing down your temples, over your cheeks, and along the curve of your neck.

Beside you, Katara instinctively squeezes her eyes shut, a quiet laugh slipping past her lips as a cascade of green slime drenches her, coating her braid until it gleams an almost fluorescent shade.

Kuse wasn't nearly as amused.

An indignant squeal escaped her lips as she threw both hands over her face, though it did little to stop the slime from soaking through her blonde hair and dripping onto the green bikini beneath.

The bleachers erupted into laughter.

You wiped a heavy curtain of slime from your eyes, blinking away the last of it before glancing toward Katara. She was doing much the same, emerald strands stretching between her fingers before snapping back onto her shoulder.

Your eyes met.

Despite everything that had just transpired, the sight of one another covered head to toe in bright green and yellow goo proved too ridiculous to ignore.

The two of you couldn't help but laugh.

Kuse, meanwhile, remained rigid in her seat, futilely trying to brush the slime from her arms as another thick glob slipped from her hair and landed squarely in her lap.

The three of you climbed out from beneath the car wash arch and made your way back to the bleachers just as Zuko and Waika reached the end of the course. They slipped out of the cardboard convertible, handing the prop off to a nearby producer before rejoining the rest of the islanders.

Up next were Sokka and Syzu.

The pair hopped down from the bleachers, Syzu’s blue outfit, and Sokka’s black ensemble paired with a bright red cardboard convertible that bounced slightly around their waists as they made their way toward the starting line.

"C'mon guys, let's bring the energy back up!" Sokka called over his shoulder, clapping his hands together as though determined to shake off the lingering tension that had settled over the challenge.

His enthusiasm proved infectious.

Cheers and whistles rang out from the bleachers as everyone shouted words of encouragement, watching the pair "drive" onto the course until they reached the first stop sign.

Sokka wasted no time pulling off the first notice.

"Blank is such a simp, and it makes him even more attractive than he already is."

He hardly let the words settle before blurting out his answer.

"Aang, it's about Aang." Grinning from ear to ear, he held the notice aloft like he'd just solved the world's easiest riddle.

A soft blush dusted Aang's cheeks.

With an exaggerated sigh, the airbender rose from his seat and began the short walk toward the car wash arch.

"Not even gonna defend yourself?" Syzu asked through a fit of giggles as she watched him complete his walk of shame.

"I don't really know what I can say to defend myself." Aang admitted with a sheepish laugh, sounding far more amused than embarrassed. "I've been told when I'm interested in someone it tends to show…"

"Yeah, no kidding." Sokka nearly snorted.

Reaching beneath the sign again, he tore away the second notice.

"Aang is such a simp, and it makes him even more attractive." Sokka throws a triumphant fist into the air before pointing dramatically toward his best friend. "Let's go! I know my Twinkle Toes."

A small smile found its way onto Katara's lips, the lingering tension in her shoulders easing ever so slightly.

With the challenge's lighthearted atmosphere finally beginning to return, Sokka and Syzu resumed their journey down the winding track until the next stop sign emerged from the ground.

Syzu grabs the notice, reading it out. "Blank has so much potential, but she's playing it way too safe."

The couple take a moment to whisper between each other before Syu says their answer.

"We think this post is about… Waika." She wears an uncomfortable smile as her eyes find her friend's.

Waika stands up and nods, brushing off the comment like it was water against her thick skin. "Yeah… that's fair."

She sits underneath the slime nozzle as Syzu pulls off the answer.

"Waika has so much potential, but she's playing it way too safe."

Waika rises from her seat with a quiet nod. "Yeah…" A small laugh slips from her. "That's fair."

She makes her way beneath the car wash arch, settling into the center seat next to Aang just as Syzu tears away the second notice and reveal that the it was indeed about Waika.

"Guess I can't argue with that one."

"You've got options," Jet speaks up for the first time, making all of the islanders look at him. "You might as well use 'em. That's what we're all here for."

You turn your gaze forward again, trying to keep the small breath that threatened to leave your mouth in. Jet could not be more obvious.

Across the bleachers, Zuko remains as composed as ever. His expression barely shifts, though Toph's conversation with him earlier lingers quietly in the back of his mind.

"He's got a point," Sokka chimes in. "We're only gonna be here once."

Waika's shoulders seem to relax ever so slightly.

"I'll keep that in mind."

As though the challenge had been waiting for its cue, the nozzle suspended overhead gave a sharp metallic rattle.

Waika's eyes flick upward. "Uh oh…"

A minute later, a torrent of slime crashed over both her and Aang.

Aang laughed the instant the icy goo drenched him, ducking his head as the slime slid over his scalp and dripped from the end of his nose.

Waika wasn't nearly as composed.

She shrieked, squeezing her eyes shut as the thick sludge blanketed her hair and shoulders before trailing down the front of her bikini.

The bleachers erupted into laughter.

Waika peeled a strand of slime away from her cheek, staring at it with exaggerated offense. She sighed, shaking her head. "I definitely got the message."

Still chuckling, she climbed to her feet, Aang following close behind as the pair made their way back to the bleachers, both dripping trails of bright slime across the set.

The challenge carried on much the same after that.

One by one, the remaining islanders took their turns making their way around the course, crashing through Styrofoam walls and pulling notices from beneath the stop signs. Compared to the earlier tweets, the rest were noticeably kinder, earning far more laughter than awkward silences. A few islanders were teased for spending too much time lounging by the pool, while others were praised for being "marriage material" or the villa's biggest green flags.

Before long, only one islander remained to read the last social media post. Jet.

"About time." He rubbed his hands together before slipping into the cardboard convertible production handed him. "I've been waiting to see what the internet thinks of me."

"You're either gonna love it or hate it," Sokka called after him.

"Probably both," Jet answered with an easy grin.

The islanders laughed as he disappeared behind the Styrofoam wall.

A second later—crash!

He burst through with enough force to send white blocks scattering across the course. One bounced off the hood of his cardboard car, another skidded to a stop beside the race track.

The fire hydrant erupted almost immediately afterward, a powerful stream of water catching him square in the chest.

Jet flinched, laughing as he shook the water from his hair. "Thought I dodged it."

Still grinning, he continues down the winding course until he reaches the first stop sign.

With a sharp mechanical hiss, it yet again rises from the ground.

He reaches beneath it, tears away the last notice, and unfolds it between his fingers.

The playful grin he'd worn throughout the challenge lingers as his eyes skim the tweet.

Then, almost imperceptibly…it changes.

The corners of his mouth don't quite fall, but the easy amusement disappears, replaced by something far more contemplative.

You notice it immediately, and so does everyone else.

Jet's gaze lifts from the ticket. "It's so obvious blank wants blank, you could cut their sexual tension with a knife."

Silence lingers as the last syllable that left his mouth hangs in the air.

Then, almost all at once, heads begin to turn. Curious glances are exchanged across the bleachers as every islander searches the faces around them, trying to decipher who the public could possibly be talking about.

The tweet is vague enough to fit almost anyone.

An established couple, or a new connection. Even one of the singles.

For the first time since the challenge began, no one seems eager to be the first to speculate on the answer.

"The two islanders I think this is about, are…" Jet grabs everyone's attention, seeming to be waiting with baited breath for him to finish.

Jet's eyes drift across the bleachers before settling on you.

Then, they flick to Toph.

He addresses Toph before uttering your name.

The words land like a stone in still water.

A chorus of surprised murmurs ripples through the villa.

Almost instinctively, heads turn between you and Toph, everyone's eyes darting back and forth as though seeing the two of you in an entirely new light.

Beside Sokka, Syzu's brows lift in quiet surprise.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch Kuse.

The firebender's expression barely changes, but the smile she'd been wearing during the last few tweets tightens ever so slightly. Her jaw sets as she brushes a dried fleck of slime from her shoulder with more force than necessary before redirecting her attention to Jet.

You can feel your heartbeat quicken beneath the weight of everyone's stares. Toph, on the other hand, looks almost amused.

The corner of her mouth lifts upward, as though she finds the public's observation far more entertaining than embarrassing.

She stands up before you can even think to, climbing off the bleachers and quickly moving to sit in the car wash. You get up and follow behind her, briefly glancing at her from the corner of your eye.

Jet lets the reactions settle for a moment before lowering his gaze back to the ticket.

"Final answer."

Reaching beneath the stop sign, he tears away the second notice.

"It's so obvious Toph wants…" He pauses before reading your name, the smile on his face lingering, though it had taken on an entirely different meaning. "…you could cut their sexual tension with a knife."

The reaction wasn't explosive.

If anything, it arrived in the form of dozens of little acknowledgements.

A knowing smile tugged at the corner of Sokka's mouth. Syzu brows lifted as though someone had finally put words to a thought she'd been pondering up until now. Even Zuko couldn't help the quiet laugh that escaped him, his gaze drifting between you and Toph before he caught herself.

The accusation settled far more heavily on your shoulders than it ever did on Toph's. While you searched for somewhere else to look, she wore the implication with an almost shameless sort of pride.

You suddenly wished there was somewhere else to look.

Instead, your eyes found Toph's figure sitting beside you.

"Is that true?" you asked, keeping your voice low enough that the conversation remained yours alone.

Toph's hand found the side of your seat, her fingers resting only a breath away from your own.

Against your better judgment, your eyes followed the movement.

"Pull me after this challenge and find out," she replied, the familiar playfulness in her voice doing little to settle the frantic rhythm of your heart.

Before you could think of a response—

Clunk.

The nozzle overhead lurched to life.

Toph barely had enough time to tilt her head.

"Ah, hell—"

A torrent of slime crashed over both of you.

The cold hit you first.

You sputtered as it poured all over you, unfortunately leaving your top caked in the liquid-y substance.

Beside you, Toph burst into laughter, swiping a hand across her face before flicking a glob of slime from the end of her nose.

"You alright, Smudge?"

You peeled a strand of slime from your cheek, trying—and failing—to suppress a laugh of your own.

"You couldn't have warned me?"

"I tried."

"You got halfway through the sentence."

"Yeah," Toph grinned. "That's on Production."

Around you, the rest of the islanders applauded and cheered as Jet hopped down from the course, giving the audience an exaggerated bow while producers hurried onto the set to clear away the props.

"And that's a wrap on today's challenge!" a producer called from behind the cameras.

Still dripping slime onto the painted track, you climbed to your feet alongside Toph before making your way back toward the villa with the rest of the islanders, already dreading how long it was going to take to wash the goo from your skin.

Katara met you halfway, her once rye expression instead stretched into a kind, wide grin as she began to quietly chatter about the last notice.

Your attention slowly slipped away from Katara's words.

Almost instinctively, you glanced back toward the bleachers.

The spot Kuse had occupied only moments ago now sat vacant.

Sometime between the final notice and the producers calling the challenge, she'd quietly disappeared.

᯽

Arriving back at the villa, everyone naturally drifted back into the groups they'd grown comfortable with.

Toph disappeared toward the outdoor kitchen with Sokka, Zuko, Aang, and Jet, while you followed the girls to the smaller pool tucked beside the lounge.

Kuse was already there.

She sat at one end of the couch, methodically peeling dried flakes of slime from her forearm. The brittle green and yellow coating cracked beneath her fingernails before drifting onto the cushions beside her.

She glanced up as the rest of you approached.

Her eyes found yours for only a moment. Then they moved on as though nothing had happened.

"So…" Syzu lowered herself onto the couch with a tired sigh. "What does everyone think about what the Nation had to say?"

Waika laughed softly. "I think they were nicer than I expected."

"Most of them, anyway," you added.

Katara rested her forearms on her knees, considering the question before answering.

"I think the viewers notice patterns we don't always recognize while we're living them."

She paused. "But they still only see pieces of what's actually happening."

"So…" Syzu tilted her head. "Don't let one tweet define your whole experience?"

"Exactly."

A few nods circled the group.

Kuse remained silent.

She'd finished cleaning the slime from one arm and moved on to the other, her attention fixed entirely on the task. Every now and then, another dried fleck would fall into her lap, where she'd brush it away with meticulous care.

It wasn't until Waika started laughing about how ridiculous everyone had looked covered in slime that Kuse finally spoke.

"Katara."

She didn't raise her voice--she didn't need to.

The single word was enough to pull the conversation to a stop.

Katara looked over.

Kuse folded the damp cloth she'd been using and placed it neatly beside her.

"I'd like to talk." There was no room in her tone for misunderstanding.

Not if you have time. Not when you're free.

Simply…

A statement.

Katara held her gaze for a moment before standing.

"…Alright."

Together, they disappeared around the corner of the villa.

Across the villa, Toph and the boys held their own conversations.

"Think everyone's got some chats to get through after today," Sokka observed.

Jet nodded. "Yeah."

He looked toward the girls' side of the villa.

"I'm gonna pull Katara later."

Aang's attention shifted almost immediately.

Jet caught it.

"And Waika."

"Okay." Aang nodded once, a hesitant smile on his lips. "Thanks for telling me."

Zuko leaned back against the counter, echoing Aang's sentiment. "Yeah."

Nobody argued.

᯽

Nearly ten minutes passed before Katara returned.

She resumed her seat beside you with a quiet, "Sorry."

You searched her face instinctively.

Nothing looked wrong, but something had changed.

Her posture remained composed, though there was a newfound reserve about her, as though she'd quietly tucked part of herself away.

She didn't explain. She didn't need to.

Kuse then made her way back to the group of you, ignoring how Waika and Syzu glance at each other as she didn't position herself to sit down.

Instead, she remains standing.

Her eyes settle on you.

She calls your name for the first time, the way it rolled off her tongue, honey sweet, almost sickeningly so.

You look up. Meeting her almost crystal blue eyes, you search them for an answer. Instead, they were unreadable.

"Can we have a chat?"

"Sure," you answer, rising from your seat to stand in front of her.

For a brief moment, neither of you moved.

Then Kuse turned on her heel without another word, already expecting you to follow.

The conversations behind you gradually faded as you followed after her. No one made a move to stop you, though you could feel their eyes tracking the two of you. Katara's brow knit together, while Toph straightens from where she'd been leaning against the couch, her attention following you until you disappeared out of earshot.

Kuse leads you toward the far edge of the villa, stopping beside one of the decorative stone walls where the sounds of the others become little more than background noise.

She turns to face you.

Then, slowly, a smile spread across her face.

It was pleasant. Careful. The kind of smile that seemed to appear a heartbeat too late, as though she'd decided it was the appropriate expression before wearing it.

"I've actually been meaning to talk to you."

"Oh?" you asked.

She nods. "I feel like we got off on the wrong foot."

You frown slightly. "I didn't think we had."

"Really?" She lets out a quiet laugh. "Maybe that's just me overthinking."

Her shoulders relaxed as she spoke, every movement composed enough to seem effortless.

"I know I haven't exactly… made the best first impression."

"I don't think that's fair." You make it a point to look away from her as you complete your sentence. "I think everyone's just adjusting."

"I appreciate you saying that." Her smile widens just enough to suggest relief. "I had a feeling you'd be understanding."

The compliment landed naturally enough that you hardly noticed it.

"I actually wanted to apologize," she continues. "I know things with Toph probably made everything a little awkward."

Your expression softens. "You don't have to apologize."

"No, I do." She speaks gently, never rushing her words. "I don't want you thinking there's any resentment on my end."

"That hadn't really crossed my mind."

"I'm glad." She nods. "I mean… whatever happened between Toph and me, it looks like it's mostly in the past. If she wants to spend time with you, that's her decision."

The sentence sounds generous.

Almost rehearsed.

For a brief second, her eyes search your face before she continues.

"You two seem really close."

You smile without thinking. "We've gotten to know each other a little better. But it's only been a day."

"I could tell." There isn't a trace of bitterness in her voice. Only curiosity. "It just seems like she's always looking for you."

You glance back toward the villa, feeling a wave of shyness overcome you. "I hadn't really noticed."

"No?" A quiet laugh slips past her lips. "Maybe I'm just observant."

She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"For as long as Toph and I have been coupled up, she's always been kind to me. But with you…" She pauses thoughtfully. "It feels like she's always making sure you're around."

You think about it for a moment. "I guess she does."

"It's sweet." The compliment comes so naturally, you don't question it. "I like seeing people care about each other."

Kuse hums before letting the conversation drift elsewhere.

"I've honestly wanted to get to know you. Everyone already has their little groups, and…" she hesitates just long enough to feel genuine. "I don't want us to be the girls who don't get along because of someone else."

"I don't want that either. And if I’m being honest, I’ve wanted to get to know you better as well."

"You know, I get why Toph’s taken a liking to you.” Kuse pauses. “You seem easy to talk to."

You laugh awkwardly. "I hope that's a good thing."

"I think it is."

The silence that follows lasts just long enough for you to speak first.

"I'm really glad you asked me to talk."

"So am I." You reciprocate, offering her a gentle nod and genuine grin.

She reaches out, giving your arm a brief squeeze.

The gesture was perfectly friendly, yet somehow misplaced in comparison to your newfound comfort level.

"Come on," she says lightly. "Everyone's probably wondering what we're talking about."

As the two of you make your way back toward the others, Kuse falls half a step behind.

Just enough to watch you without you noticing.

When you finally glance back, she's already smiling. Exactly the same as before.

᯽

Back in the heart of the villa, the sky begins its slow surrender to evening. The golden light that blankets the island all afternoon softens into shades of amber and lavender, the ocean catching the last of the sun as gentle waves lap against the shore.

It surprises you how strangely time moves here.

Every hour seems to stretch on forever while you're living it, yet somehow another day is already slipping beneath the horizon.

You let out a quiet breath and start toward the girls, finding them gathered exactly where you leave them.

Katara notices you almost immediately.

Concern still lingers in her expression, and before you can offer the reassuring shake of your head you've prepared, her attention shifts somewhere over your shoulder.

Curiosity gets the better of you.

You glance behind you.

Toph.

She's leaning comfortably against the outdoor counter with the boys, only half listening to whatever story Sokka is dramatically reenacting. Despite the conversation around her, the slight tilt of her head tells you she's already noticed you're there.

"There she is," Sokka greets.

Toph tilts her head toward you. "Thought you forgot about me."

A laugh escapes you before you can stop it.

“No…" You suddenly feel much less certain than you did only seconds ago. "You promised I could find something out after the challenge."

A slow grin curves across Toph’s face. "I did."

She pushes herself away from the counter.

"C'mon."

She doesn't wait to see whether you'll follow.

She simply starts walking.

You excuse yourself from the group with a small smile before falling into step beside her.

Neither of you speaks, because you don't have to.

Your feet carry you toward the terrace almost instinctively, as though it has already become your place without either of you ever saying so.

The villa grows quieter the farther you wander from it, replaced by the steady rhythm of the waves below.

Toph stops at the railing, resting her forearms against the weathered wood.

"You really like this spot." You comment lightheartedly.

"So do you."

"…Fair." A comfortable smile finds you.

The silence that follows doesn't demand to be filled. It simply exists between you.

"I've been thinking about that tweet," you finally admit.

"I figured."

Your fingers absentmindedly trace the grooves worn into the railing. "The viewers are still behind us."

"Mhm."

"Today’s challenge hasn’t been streamed yet."

"No."

"They haven't seen…" Your voice trails off as you gesture vaguely behind you to Soul Ties. "…this."

The conversations. The hours that you somehow disappeared earlier today for your first official chat.

"They only have the sleepover challenge."

Toph doesn't interrupt, she simply listens to you again.

"I thought…" You let out a quiet laugh at yourself. "If anyone was making things obvious, it was me."

You look out over the villa and beyond that, the beautiful Fijian waters.

"I kept wondering if I was too eager." The confession leaves your lips more easily than you expect. "But somehow…"

You turn toward her.

"They already think you like me." The words hang between you. "They don't even know about today."

Toph's pink lips, which usually prefer to perpetually sit in a smirk somehow find a soft smile. "They don't have to."

Your brows knit together. "What do you mean?"

"They're outside of it." She pushes herself away from the railing, closing the small space separating the two of you. "They're not overthinking every conversation. They're not wondering whether they imagined something."

Your heartbeat quickens as she stops in front of you.

"They just watch." Her breath meets the open air, and you can almost feel the ghost of it touch your lips. "So…" she says quietly. "They're probably seeing it clearer than you are."

You search her face. "…I think I'm still owed an answer."

A grin returns to her lips.

"You are." Toph's hand brushes against your thigh as she somehow positions herself closer to you. For a fleeting moment, you assume it's accidental—a careless graze brought on by how closely the two of you are standing. Then her palm settles against the inside of your thigh. Deliberately. The warmth of her hand seeps through your skin, her calloused palm a striking contrast to the softness beneath it. The roughness should feel unfamiliar, yet somehow it only makes the touch gentler, sending a pleasant shiver racing through you. "I just don't think words are gonna do it justice."

Your breath catches.

"You always do this."

"What?"

"You make me work for everything."

A laugh rumbles softly in her chest. "And yet…" Her thumb brushes lightly across your cheek. "…You keep coming back."

"I hate that you're right."

"I know." She leans closer. "So stop thinking."

You don't remember who closes the last inch between you.

Maybe it doesn't matter.

Her lips find yours with an ease that makes the rest of the villa disappear.

The kiss is slow, and unhurried. It’s nothing like the almost-kiss Production stole from you earlier that afternoon.

This time, there is no hesitation or uncertainty.

Somewhere in the distance—

"DING!"

The familiar sound echoes across the villa.

You smile against her lips.

"I think somebody got a text."

"Mhm."

Toph doesn't move.

Instead, her other hand slips from your cheek to the back of your neck, gently drawing you in for another kiss.

A quiet laugh escapes you into it.

"They're probably looking for us."

"They'll survive."

As if to prove her wrong, you heard a loud yell that cut through the tension between you.

"I GOT A TEXT!"

Sokka's voice booms across the villa, followed almost immediately by excited shouting from the rest of the islanders.

Neither of you parts.

Toph steals another lingering kiss, taking her time as though she fully intends to make up for the one Production interrupts earlier.

Only when the cheering begins to die down does she finally pull back, resting her forehead briefly against yours.

"Worth the wait?"

A smile spreads across your face before you can stop it.

"…Definitely."

Another wave of cheers carries across the villa as Sokka clears his throat dramatically.

"'Islanders! Tonight there will be a recoupling. Boys, you'll each choose which girl you'd like to couple up with!'"

Your pleasant expression fades just enough for reality to settle back in.

The night isn't over.

In fact…

It feels as though it's only just beginning.

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