11(A/N): Okay, Toph can see with glasses in this story. It is an AU, but still has bending. This series still belongs to Mike and Bryan, and no intent of copyright infringement, nor if this sounds like any fanfiction that sounds similar to this.
Toph is 21, Zuko is 25. Sorry if they sound OOC, as I did not intend them to sound as such, or if there are any grammatical errors.
"Another day in the office...at least its Friday" Zuko Wong grumbled sleepily as he unlocked the door to his office. Twenty-five year old Zuko Wong is the disowned son of Ozai Wong, the CEO of a large oil company. Now Zuko works as one of the managers at his friend Aang's company, Elements, which deals with manufacturing bio-degradable and eco-friendly products, as well as being as self sustainable as possible. Zuko turned on his computer and shuffled through files. After a hour of finishing up some paper work and typing up reports, Zuko went out of his office to hand the files in. As he turned the corner some thing knocked into him as both him and the said thing were knocked to the ground.
"Ouch, watch where you're going." Zuko seethed as he then started to collect his files.
"You watch it first" the person retorted back.
"What?" Zuko responded then looked up to the person who knocked him down. It was unusual for some one to talk back to him, which was a little shocking that it just happened.
The person who knocked him down was a girl in a green blouse, pencil skirt, and pumps. Her black hair was in a long, messy French braid, and she had thick framed glasses that hid enormous doe-like green eyes. Even though she looked petite, she still packed a punch.
"Watch. Where. You. Are. Going." she said patronizingly slow. She gave him a brief smirk, then went off to do her job.
"What a rude employee..."Zuko thought briefly, as he then went off with to send in reports.
The day went on without a hitch as projects were completed and new ones start to pop up. By the end of the day, Zuko was relieved that it was time to clock out. He had just finished packing his bag when he heard a knock on his door. Looking up, he saw Aang.
"Hey buddy!"
"Hey Aang, What's up?"
"I've set you up on a double date with me and Katara, and you with our friend."
"You what!"Zuko stood up in shock
"I know you've been gloomy and don't want to date after Mai, but come on man, four months of glooming won't do you any good! Go out there!"
"Aang...you remember the last time right?"
"Oh yeah...that last girl had that weird fetish...But don't worry man, I know this girl too, she has nothing strange like that last girl...at least I don't think she does" Aang said contemplatively
"I don't know Aang" Zuko said scratching the back of his head.
"Please!" Aang whimpered as he put on the "puppy-face" look.
"Ahh! Alright! Now quit doing that, it still freaks me out that you can still do that look" Zuko said, aggravation tinting his voice.
"Who's the girl?" Zuko said pinching his upper nose.
"Her name is Meng" Aang said "You ready?"
"Alright. But after this, stop setting me up with you or your girl friend's friends. Got it"
"Got it."
"...So...where are we going to eat?" Zuko asked as they walked towards the garage.
"Meet us at Carbon Cycle around 7o'clock, alright?"
"Meet you guys there." Zuko said as he got in his car, and sped off to his loft to prepare.
-At Carbon Cycle-
"There he is! Zuko! Over here!" Zuko heard Aang cry and wave from a table as he entered the restaurant/bar/night club.
"Meng, this is Zuko. Zuko, this is Meng." Aang said as he sat down.
After meeting Meng, the double date went down hill.
"...and then he said she wasn't good for him, and I think that is just crap...and then this one person had gorgeous big ears and...Are you listening?" Meng said, snapping her attention to Zuko.
"hu-Yeah" Zuko said, almost bored and annoyed. "I think I'll go to the bar" he then said as he walked away.
"Fire Whiskey on the rocks" Zuko voiced out in aggravation to one of the bar tenders as he sat down at the bar.
"Had a rough day huh?" a feminine voice to his right voiced out. Zuko peered to his right to see the girl who bumped into him at the office. She was no longer in office garb rather she had a tank top underneath a plaid light green shirt, cargo pants and high top converse shoes, with her hair in a pony tail.
"Hey, you're the girl at the -"
"Office. Yep. So what brings you looking sharp around Carbon Cycle, manager Wong?"
"I have to take a break at the end of the day, you audacious employee" Zuko said in a joking manner. "What's your name any ways?"
"Look, sorry for being rude to you this morning. Let's start over" Toph said smiling, as the bartender placed chili fries and a glass of beer in front of her and a glass of iced fire whiskey in front of Zuko. "My name is Toph and can I confide my work complaints to you?"
"Sure" Zuko said taking a swig from his glass
"Sokka is such a hard ass, giving me that load of paper work and having me do them in such a small period of time. What an ass!" Toph said as she ate a chili fry
"The goofy manager Sokka?"
"Yeah! He may seem nice and goofy on the outside but he's a real hard ass on the work load" Toph said before taking a sip of her beer.
"So, why did you wander over here? Its not really nice to leave your girlfriend alone" Toph said as she ate.
"She's not my girlfriend! Aang or his girlfriend just sets me up on dates with the randomest people."
"Ah, I see. Double date?"
"Yeah"
"Well, wish I could help you. You seem like a nice guy." Toph mumbled out as she chewed on her food. "Want one?" she said, pushing over her fries to share.
"Thanks"Zuko said as he took one.
After a while of eating, Zuko broke the silence.
"So...you come here often?"
"Yeah, I do. They have the most amazing chili fries I've ever eaten. And are you using a pick up line with me Mr. Wong?"
"No, not at all." Zuko said smiling, a little taken aback at how straight forward Toph was.
"Yeah, you seem like the type who would like a big rack or some thing" Toph said dismissively.
"I'm...I'm the type to what?" Zuko flushed and choked a little on his drink.
"Don't take this the wrong way but you look like the type of guy to like a woman with a lot of " Toph curved her hands into sideways Cs and extended in from inches away from her own chest. "but that's just speculation. But for curiosity's sake, am I right?"
"No. Why would you even...how did you come up with that hypothesis?"
"Oh, so you like them medium? Or are you the type to like them small?" Toph said with a faux surprised look on her face.
"I'm not going to answer that" Zuko deadpanned, the look of annoyance gracing his face.
"Alright, alright, relax. I'm just teasing" Toph said. Toph then some how stuffed a couple of fries down his shirt and spritzed a little of her beer on his head.
"Hey!" Zuko shouted, then saw her face smiling, giving off a mischievous grin. Zuko then, with the bottle of fire whiskey near by him, poured some of the contents on her head.
"Ahhhhh!" Toph squeals as the cold alcohol ran down her head.
"Oh you're going to get it Mr. Wong" Toph then said menacingly as she poured the contents of her glass all over him along with the fries.
"Freak!" Zuko screamed as the cold alcohol assaulted him again. Zuko then heard Toph laughing like a careless child as some one in the back screamed "FOOD FIGHT".
"Let's get out of here, before they trace the chaos to us." Toph said, still laughing as she pulled Zuko off the bar stool and went out the door.
"We're both a mess" Zuko said laughing as he saw a jalapeno pepper stuck to Toph's face.
"I must hand it that you look good dripping wet" Toph said laughing as she earthbent a stool and started to pick out the fries from his hair.
"You're an earthbender?" Zuko said surprised.
"Yeah, do you have some thing against that?" Toph said as Zuko then helped picked things out of her hair.
"Nope. I'm a bender myself."
"What kind?"
"Fire"
"Hmm...a is that rumor that firebenders are very passionate true?"
Zuko gathered up all his courage and moved closer to her. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he whispered into her ear then pulled away.
"I...uh..."Toph blushed, froze, and then smiled."Cute but corny. Now, let's get froyo!" Toph said, brushing off his comment. Leaving Zuko with the feeling that he got shot down.
"Toph, I think its getting late." Zuko said grudgingly, since he was having a good time with this girl.
"Oh, alright. Well, see you on Monday Mr. Wong" Toph said as she was about to walk away.
The thought of a small girl like Toph walking alone at night made Zuko feel uneasy.
"Hey Toph!" Zuko screamed before she got too far away.
"Yeah!"
"Want a ride home?"
"It's alright!"
"No really Toph! It's late! I'll drive you home!"
"Would it be a bother?"
"Not at all"
"Alright, but so you know, I'm a prodigy in earthbending." Toph said as she ran back to him.
"Got it. I won't do any thing to you. Relax"
"Right" Toph said as she walked with him to the garage.
"Here's your carriage, my lady"
"So corny" Toph said smiling, and then gave him punch in the arm.
"Ow, what's that for?"
"That's how I show affection"
"I'm scared to see how you show love" Zuko said aloud, earning him another punch." Where do you live?"
"108 Tilden Street"
"Wow, I live near you"
"Nice to know. So does that mean we can carpool?"
"Sure, but isn't that bold of you to ask?"
"Yeah, but do you mind."
"Nope, and here we are" Zuko said double parking in front of Toph's apartment building. Zuko got out as Toph exited the car.
"Well, it has been a fun evening. Too bad you didn't really answer my question." Toph said
"What question?" Zuko asked, still looking puzzled.
"Are fire benders really passionate?"
"As I said Toph" Zuko said as he got closer to her. "Wouldn't you like to find out?"
"Smooth, but nice try. Guess I'll have to find out another day. Well, good night Mr. Wong. See you on Monday" Toph then was walking to the doors of her apartment building.
"Hey Toph" Zuko said before he though of any thing.
"Yes?"
"If you're not busy tomorrow, would you like to go out to tea or froyo or some thing?" Zuko asked, still a little nervous.
"Sure. Around 1o'clock?" Toph said, still smiling.
"Around 1 o'clock. And Toph" Zuko started again.
"Yeah?"
"You...you can call me Zuko when we are out of work."
"Alright, see you tomorrow. Good night Zuko" Toph said as she went back to him, gave him hug then went back into the building.
After Toph went back into her building, Zuko went back into his car and shouted in happiness. "Maybe Aang was right. He did need to get out more." Zuko chuckled to himself as he then started the car and drove back to his home.
(A/N): Inspired by the song "Name" by Afterschoolspecial, and the music video for it by wongfuproductions. This part of the story is inspired by its first verse.
If interested, here is the link, just get rid of the spaces.
: / / w w w .youtube watch? v = AZzN6AC8zXU & feature = related
Please review. Thank you for reading.