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"You really think this is a good idea?", Zuko asked and fastened the buttons on his thick coat.
"Sure, Sparky. Just a little walk away from the city, it'll be fine!", Toph shouted and Zuko quickened his pace to catch up with her.
A few minutes and too many people wanting to talk to them later - Toph had dismissed them rather rudely - the too benders found themselves outside of the great city. The walls did look impressive from out here. Zuko wondered how Zhao ever thought aattacking this place had been a good idea.
"Whadda'ya thinking about Sparky?", Toph asked after a couple too many beats of silence.
"Nothing."
"Liar."
"You can't feel my heartbeat with those shoes!", Zuko retorted and sidestepped a crack in the ice. Toph jumped ahead a couple of steps.
"But I sure know when you're lying. After all this time I've known you," Toph countered, spinning around and walking backwards to keep facing Zuko.
"Just about all the scrolls I should be reading right now instead of walking around here with you," Zuko mumbled.
"Hey! Are you saying this is a waste of time?"
Zuko cringed at the accusatorial tone.
"No, no I didn't mean that. I just wanted to say that -"
The ice under Toph's feet cracked loudly. Her head whipped down, eyes unseeing yet full of fear.
There was a loud splash before Zuko could reach her.
"Toph!"
She can't swim.
Zuko fell flat onto the ground and peered into the deep water. Why'd they have to go at night?
A tiny hand broke through the surface and Zuko grabbed it without a second thought. It was ice cold.
"You are not drowning on me," Zuko grit out and pulled with all his might.
An arm, a shoulder, a head and then a full body of a small, blind earthbender girl followed.
Gasping and fighting for air, a very wet, very cold Toph flopped down on the ice. It gave off another cracking sound and Zuko feared he was going to rip Toph's arms out when he hauled her away from the hole in the ice towards safer ground.
He followed after her shuddering body, not daring to stand up but only robbing closer on his stomach.
When he finally reached her, her lips were blue, even in the little light.
"C-c-c-c-cold," Toph stuttered and wrapped her arms around her middle.
"You'll be fine!", Zuko immediately asssured and sat up next to her, "We just need to warm you up a bit and then get you back into the city."
"F-f-f-f-fire," Toph whispered, "F-f-f-firebending."
"I can't control the temperature enough, I'll burn you!", Zuko cried out, looking around desperately. They were all alone, the lights of the city just specks in the night sky.
"It's the o-o-o-o-o-only way," Toph shook her head and pulled at Zuko's clothes to prop herself up.
"I need you to tell me that it's okay," Zuko whispered as he leaned down, flexing his hands as he removed his gloves.
"It's g-g-g-g-gonna be okay," Toph said.
"Fine," Zuko agreed reluctantly and focused his breath and his energy on his palms.
Toph shed her soaked coat and lifted her shirt and tunics a bit.
"You n-n-n-need to warm up m-m-m-my core," she instructed and Zuko bit his lip.
"This is gonna hurt," was all the warning he gave her before gently resting his hands on her exposed sides.
Toph whimpered but immediately closed her hands around Zuko's wrists before he could pull away.
"You're o-o-o-o-okay," she repeated again and again, nodding her head along. Zuko could see the tears of pain in her eyes.
"We're g-g-g-gonna be okay."