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She was beautiful when she laughed. The thought flitted across his mind like a fact. (Like it had many times before.)
Aang caught his breath from laughing so hard and murmured, “I love you.”
Their eyes both widened by the sudden admission, all traces of laughter gone.
Oh no.
He didn’t mean to say that out loud. He shouldn’t have done that.
She was gonna deck him. He just knew it.
Aang immediately turned tail and tried to run. But Toph didn’t let him make it very far, and then he fell into the earth, completely trapped. He couldn’t even bend his way out.
“Oh spirits just bury me already.” He groaned as he heard Toph’s footsteps approaching ominously. She stopped in front of him, making Aang tilt his head back to see her clearly. She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow in question.
“I didn’t mean to say that! I’m sorry! Just make my death quick.”
Toph rolled her eyes fondly. “I’m not going to kill you. Unless you tell me you didn’t mean it.”
Did she… want him to mean it?
Aang blinked up at her and flushed. He wished he could hide his face with his trapped hands- but it’s not like Toph could see his blush anyways.
“I… did mean it. I love you.” He winced, waiting for her to laugh at him. Or poke fun at his crush for the rest of his life, just like she had done with his ‘babysitter crush’ on Katara all those years ago. Toph brushing off his feelings would be worse than being buried alive, in his opinion.
Toph slammed her foot to the earth, making his body fling back up suddenly. He landed on his feet easily enough, but then Toph was there, grabbing his tunic and pulling him down to-
Oh. Oh. She was kissing him.
It was over faster than he could process it, and he almost fell over in shock when she let go of him.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to do that.” Toph grinned, folding her hands behind her head as she began to stroll away in satisfaction.
Aang finally gathered his wits before she got too far, blinking the dopey look off of his face. “Toph! Wanna go on a date tonight?”
She waved her hand. “Pick me up at 7, Twinkles.”