Rebuilding

Chapter 3

Awkward Moments

Aang reached his peak, first; he practically sobbed as pleasure wracked his body. Zuko followed about a minute later. The two of them collapsed into one another's arms, spent. They were on the verge of falling asleep in the sun next to the pond; they were feeling too much euphoria to even think about moving. Zuko snapped back to reality when he heard Katara and Toph calling his and Aang's names. Their friends were looking for them!

Aang, who had just defeated the Firelord, ended a century of war; and who was possibly the most courageous person Zuko had ever met, looked scared out of his mind that Toph and Katara were going to catch them with their pants down, literally. Zuko had to admit he wasn't too thrilled about Katara seeing them in this state; and Toph would never let them hear the end of it.

Without even thinking, Aang shoved the bundle of their clothing at Zuko who grunted a little in pain as the fabric grazed his chest wound, then he tapped his foot on the path to create a pillar of stone to shoot them up in to the air, Aang then create a gust to force them through an open second floor window. Toph and Katara came around the corner into the garden only to find, nothing. Toph said "I'm sure I felt 'Twinkle-toes' and 'Sparky' over here, Katara. " I think you're right, Toph;" Katara pointed to the short column of rock that inexplicably stood in the center of the garden path. "Somebody's been earth-bending here; and since you were with me;" Katara's thought was interrupted as they heard a scream and a thud coming from an open second floor window looking out over the garden.

The two girls ran for the door to the palace. Since Azula had dismissed the majority of the servants, and Ozai had assigned the bulk of the security guards to go and fight with the regular army units, no one was around to stop them. Once inside, Katara realized just how huge the palace really was. She had no idea where to go. Fortunately, Toph needed no maps to find the nearest staircase. They got to the second floor room to find Zuko and Aang (now fully dressed) coming out leading a pair of palace stewards who were carrying one the maids. Apparently the poor girl had had a fright and fainted. She was mumbling something incoherent about Prince Zuko and the Avatar flying, open windows, and underwear. "What's going on?" Toph asked, "Nothing," Zuko said, nonchalantly; "Yeah we were just, uh, talking about the end of the war and stuff, and um we surprised that girl, and she fainted." Aang has got to be the worst liar ever, Toph thought. But for once she was diplomatic not to say anything. Katara also knew better than to force the issue. The faces on their two friends were already redder than the walls in this place. The two girls would let it pass for now, this was Aang and Zuko's day; they both made a pact that they were going to get a lot of mileage out of teasing the two boys about this later.