FIC: Filial Impiety (Toph/Azula, R)

[lizbee]

Title: Filial Impiety
Author: LizBee
Fandom: Avatar: the Last Airbender
Rating: R
Characters: Toph, Azula, the Bei Fongs
Pairing(s): Toph/Azula
Warning(s): (highlight to reveal) Ableism in attitude and language.
Beta(s): Many, many, many thanks to Weaver.
Summary: Azula meets Toph's parents. It goes ... awkwardly.





Filial Impiety
by LizBee



"This is a very bad idea."

"One night," said Azula, "while the airship is being repaired. Unless you want to stay at an inn. With the fleas."

"Okay," said Toph, "but remember, these people are crazy."

"Toph," said Azula patiently, "you've met my relatives."

*

The really scary thing, thought Toph, was how well Azula lied.

She lied with her whole body, with none of the physical changes that normally told Toph when a person was being deceptive. Even her stance changed. Azula usually stood like a soldier, but right now she had adopted the posture of a noblewoman of Ba Sing Se. It matched her inflections as she said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Madam Bei Fong."

"Any friend of our daughter's is welcome in our house, Zhi."

Lie. Her mom was probably thinking about Aang.

"How did you meet Toph?"

"Near Ba Sing Se, a few years ago." Well, that was true. "Your daughter saved my life." Also true, though that came a long time later.

"Oh." Toph felt her mother flutter. "We're very proud of Toph."

That was true also. She was surprised. And pleased.

"You should be," said Azula, sipping her tea. "She's quite remarkable."

"We worry about her, though," her mother added. "And surely your parents must be concerned, too, with their daughter running around like Toph!"

"Oh," said Azula, "I think, for my father, it's enough to know I serve the Earth Kingdom."

Her thigh brushed against Toph's, the touch barely perceptible. Toph sipped her tea and tried to look demure.

She managed to stay demure through the afternoon. Even when Azula found her mother's collection of priceless and stolen Fire Nation artifacts.

("How extraordinary, Madam Bei Fong! Are they very old?"

"Oh yes, dear, my husband's grandfather took them himself after the battle for Xun Province. He took the headpiece from Prince Hizan's body himself. I suppose Toph's friend the Fire Lord would want it back if he knew we had it.")

Even when she discovered her parents had tried to block off the badgermole tunnels running beneath the estate.

("I know they're supposed to be lucky, but frankly, Toph, they're a menace, I've always thought so.")

She managed to keep her mask in place until the evening meal, when her father said, "Is it true you conduct business for the Earth King?"

"Sometimes," said Toph. "He's a bit strange, but he's a decent guy."

"Do you think he has the best interests of the Earth Kingdom at heart?"

For a second, Toph was flattered that her father valued her opinion.

Then he added, "King Bumi's a lost cause, of course. I expect you'll have a lot of work to when you take his place, Toph, fixing his mistakes."

Toph put down her chopsticks.

"How did you know about that? Bumi's succession is--"

"An open secret. For those with friends in the right places."

"My daughter, the queen of Omashu," said her mother happily. "Oh, Toph, you'll have no trouble finding a husband!"

Toph felt Azula swallow her laughter.

"It's such a shame about your hair. And your--" her mother broke off, apparently not sure where to start. "Well. You always had lovely hair. Why did you cut it so short? You look like a peasant, not a princess."

Toph snorted. "If I started calling myself princess, I'd be laughed out of Omashu. As for my hair, it's easier to take care of this way. Anyway, there wasn't much left after Zuko set it on fire."

Her father put down his cup, the table vibrating with the impact.

"Fire Lord Zuko burned my daughter's hair?"

"Well," said Toph, "I had just broken his arm. We were sparring."

From the tension in his muscles and the way he was breathing, that did nothing to sooth her father's anger.

"I can see," he said, "that you're as blinded by the Fire Nation's promises as Bumi and the Earth King."

"Funny metaphor, Dad."

"When you go back to Omashu," he said, "I'm going with you."

"What?"

"You're very young, Toph," he said gently, "and you're still politically naive. You think the Fire Lord sees you as a friend, instead of a useful ally who will stand aside and let him prepare for the next war."

"I am? He does?"

"They say the Avatar is hopeless, but I had hoped my daughter would show more sense. The Fire Lord is a subtle and dangerous man--"

Azula made a choking sound, quickly stifled.

"Pardon me," she murmured.

"I want to teach you, Toph," her father said. "I can introduce you to people, people King Bumi doesn't care to listen to--"

"Like the Sons of Earth?" Toph demanded.

"Well, those men are rather--"

"Extreme?" Azula offered.

"Ruthless."

"They're terrorists," said Toph. "I know what they do. We were at the Huo Colony after they attacked, and there were as many Earth Kingdom corpses as Fire Nation."

"No one condones their actions," said her father, "but perhaps they wouldn't resort to such methods if they felt they had the ear of a person in power--"

"Sure. Poor things, they didn't have a choice. Look what we made them do." She stood up. "I've had enough. You people make me sick."

"Toph!" her mother cried.

"Don't bother. We'll leave in the morning."

She walked away.

*

Azula waited until the house was quiet before she slipped out of her bed and down the hall into Toph's room. She could tell by Toph's breathing that she was awake, but Toph said nothing as Azula climbed in bed with her.

Azula said, "They probably do care for you. Or they think they do. People seem to think love will excuse any behaviour." She leaned on her elbow. "I suppose your father would call himself a patriot."

"He's pathetic." Toph shifted, sitting up and leaning back on her pillows. "They both are. They kept me secret so no one would know of their shame. Now everyone in the world knows who I am, and they know they can't keep me powerless anymore,but they think they can use me--" She broke off. "They don't know anything about me. They have an idea of the daughter they wish they had, and they'll just keep trying to make me into her."

"I guess I'm lucky." Azula traced a lazy circle over Toph's breast. "My family know exactly who and what I am, and they claim to love me anyway."

"Does it make a difference?"

"Well, I spend a lot of time out of the country." Azula kissed the hollow between Toph's collarbone and her neck. "One day I might forgive Zuko for what the doctors tried to do to me in the hospital." Sometimes she could think of it without rage, but tonight the old anger rose in her like heat. "And he expects me to be grateful." She clutched Toph's hand and kissed her until it passed. "Of course, my father did turn me into the child he wanted, and I spent five years in an institution getting over it."

"I feel smaller when I'm here."

"It was a mistake to come."

"No. Every time, I think they'll be different. But they only get worse. And then they say I'm the blind one."

Azula kissed Toph's belly, her hand drifting lower.

"What do I have to do to earn their respect?" Toph's breath caught in her throat as Azula pushed her nightdress up. "Azula, this is my parents' house."

"Then you'll have to be very quiet." Azula pressed a kiss to Toph's thigh. "Or very loud. If you knock down a wall, maybe your mother will stop trying to make you marry."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Mm."

*

When Toph finally fell asleep, Azula went exploring.

Most of the Bei Fong's ridiculous collection of Fire Nation artifacts were expensive forgeries, but Prince Hizan's headpiece, at least, seemed genuine. It belonged with the family shrine, the last relic of Sozin's second son. If nothing else, Azula figured as she pocketed it, it would serve to distract Zuko next time he had a problem with her methods.

She saved Toph's father's study for last.

It was not so many generations since the Bei Fongs had been merchants and minor bureaucrats, and most of the scrolls and papers she found dealt with Lao Bei Fong's financial affairs.

The remainder of his correspondence was far more interesting. Azula read for several hours, cupping her fire in her hand, making notes on a spare sheet of paper.

When she had read all she could find, she returned the letters to their hiding place. Finding a clean sheet of paper, she began to write.

To the Fire Lord, Zuko, Son of the Fire Spirit and Beloved of the Sun Spirit, Lord of the Dragon Throne and Ruler of the Islands of the Flames, his humble sister offers greetings.

Then she stopped. The formal salutations were the easy part. Finally she added:

Dearest Zuzu,

You'll be fascinated to know that the Bei Fong family of Gaoling -- or Toph's father, at least; her mother seems frankly too stupid for even this level of politicking -- have for some time been offering money and other support to Pan Ni-Zhe and other members of what I suppose you'd call the political arm of the Sons of Earth.

Enclosed are notes of specific transactions and events which I presume can be cross-checked through various intelligence forces. If you ask nicely, Mai might explain it all.

Open accusations would only cause problems for Toph, who has enough issues with her parents as it is, but I expect you or King Kuei could make something of it. I considered blackmail, but that's a lot of effort for little reward.

Azula signed her name and sealed it, then took a new sheet.

Uncle, she wrote, please forward this onto Zuko.

After a moment, she scratched out the "please". It would only confuse him. She rolled Iroh's letter around Zuko's, addressed it to her uncle's ridiculous tea shop, and returned to her room to conceal it among her bags until the morning.

"Where'd you go?" Toph asked when she returned.

"Exploring. Go back to sleep."

"You took that headpiece, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Good. Always gave me the creeps when I was little." Toph shifted, wrapping an arm around Azula. She found and kissed Azula's hand. "What else did you find?"

"Nothing."

"There's ink on your fingers."

"Your father is either credulous or stupid."

"I knew that."

"He had you kidnapped and locked in a metal box when you were twelve. You don't owe him anything."

"I knew that, too." Toph yawned. "But sometimes it helps to hear it from someone else."

*

Toph woke long after sunrise. Her bed was empty, and she found Azula meditating in the garden.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Not particularly."

"Are you up for leaving in a hurry?"

"Toph." Azula stood up. She sounded like she was smiling. "I am always prepared for hasty departures."

Her mother was eating breakfast when Toph entered the dining room with Azula.

"Toph," she said, and she sounded genuinely pleased to see her, "I was afraid you weren't going to say goodbye." Again was the unspoken implication.

"You can always write to me," Toph said. "I have a secretary now. And a couple of friends who are helping me figure out how make characters I can read."

"I'd like that," her mother admitted. "Toph, your father--"

"Yeah, I know. He thinks he's helping to save the Earth Kingdom."

"Well, I was going to say he's at a meeting. But yes, I suppose he is, in his way." Her mother poured some tea and pushed a cup towards her. "He's not an earthbender, and he wasn't strong enough to be a soldier like his brothers. Even his little daughter is famous for her courage and strength. And he's nothing more than a senior bureaucrat."

"You feel sorry for him."

"Yes, I suppose I do." Her mother sounded surprised. "I do."

"Well, tell him that the money he sends to Pan Ni-Zhe is spent on weapons for the Sons of Earth, and that makes him indirectly responsible for a lot of deaths."

"Oh. I had no -- oh."

"And tell him that if he comes to Omashu, it's as my father and my guest, and if he shows any disrespect for King Bumi -- well, Bumi'll probably just make fun of him, but I'll make sure he's not welcome back. As for the Fire Lord, even if he wanted to start the war again, which he doesn't, he's so tied up with internal politics it'll be his kids we're dealing with. And those kids know people from all over the world, and they know I'll crush them if they even think of making trouble."

"Oh," said her mother. "I see. Yes."

"As for you," Toph added, "you need to let the badgermoles rebuild their colony. They've been here a lot longer than the Bei Fongs."

"I suppose--"

"As for getting married," Toph gathered her courage, "that's what you want, and frankly, I can't think of anything I want less."

"But--"

Toph pointed at Azula. "Her name isn't Zhi, and she's not from Ba Sing Se. She's the Fire Lord's sister, and sometimes we solve problems together, and we both enjoy fighting, and we're both really, really good at it. And she makes me happy, and yes, we're both women, and it's not just a phase, she hasn't messed with my mind, and this is probably the bit where we make the hasty departure."

She took Azula's hand and marched towards the door, but Azula didn't move.

"Toph," her mother said. She was standing, shifting her weight from foot to foot. She sounded more confused than angry.

Toph stopped, not letting go of Azula's hand.

"At least eat something before you go," her mother said. "Your father won't be back for hours."

Toph hesitated.

"Please," said her mother. "I've missed you."

"You don't even know me."

"I know. I'm sorry."

She was telling the truth. Toph hesitated.

"Just breakfast," said Azula, "then she's free to leave, yes?"

"Yes." Toph felt her mother shift her weight towards Azula. "Yes, of course." She sounded confused. Torn, Toph realised, between her outrage at being lied to, and confusion about Toph's revelations, and her natural instinct to show respect to foreign royalty.

Despite herself, Toph felt a flicker of amusement.

"Breakfast," she said, sitting down and tasting the rice porridge. It was made with pumpkin, just as she'd liked it when she was small. "I've missed this."

"You were always welcome, Toph," her mother said.


end

Comments

[thingswithwings]

Oh, I love this. I love the way it deals with the complexity of family - for Toph, but also for Azula in the background, which is a nice touch - and the way that rejecting them utterly never really works, and the complex feelings that arise when there are good memories and bits of good relationships mixed in with the bad. I love the ending - tense, but with hope, and with Toph being honest, and with Toph's mom trying hard to figure her daughter out. Plus Azula and Toph make a great pairing in this story - I can totally see how this five-years-later Azula is a perfect companion for Toph. I want to see their continuing adventures! In short, this is great.

[wishfulclicking]

I enjoyed everything about this: Toph and Azula and their complicated relationships with their families and the sure, simple thing between the two of them. The ending was absolutely perfect.

[softestbullet]

The Fire Lord is a subtle and dangerous man--"

Azula made a choking sound, quickly stifled.

I loled. :D

This is so wonderful.

[livrelibre]

oh my heart! This was great.