So I'm starting this project as sort of a series of oneshots of Taang. Some of them will be based off of the artwork of RiaKitsuneYoukai on deviantArt. A link to her page will be on my profile.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or the artwork this is based on.

Skyhigh

Being blind, and so overly protected by her parents, Toph has never known a true childhood. She never got to get in trouble for breaking the neighbor's window while playing with friends, or had those nervous gitters of her first crush (until she met Sokka, but that's not the point..). She never felt the utter joy of having a best friend.

That's why she considered Aang her savior.

He saved her from spending the rest of her life in solitude.

Of course, she really wished he'd save her now.

"Aang..." Her voice was shaky, and she couldn't help but think how weak she sounded, although in good reason.

The wind rushed past her, throwing her in one direction, before halting suddenly and jerking her back in the other. Her hands gripped the thin rope with as much power as her weakened and terrified state would allow; the only thing keeping her from plummeting to her eminent demise. Toph curled her toes in and bent her legs as far as she could over the wooden rectangle that supported her weight. Her muscles were tense, shoulders slumped and eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"You'll be okay, Toph. I've got you." Aang's voice did little to reassure her, but his presence behind her was warm and stable, and she found herself depending on the feel of his shins pressed into her sides as he stood on the edges of the board.

Toph whimpered in horror when, all of a sudden, the swing jolted down from a nanosecond of complete stillness; the complete self-unawareness brought tears that stung in the corners of her eyes, but didn't fall. Not yet, at least.

Toph often prided herself in being a strong, independent earthbender. But there are moments when she feels like the fragile little girl her parents always made her out to be. There are times when she feels completely blind.

Now, for example.

The sudden drop left Toph even more scared and, well, blind. Oh, why had she let him talk her into this? It was a stupid idea to begin with, so why did she even agree?

Aang's hands left the ropes and rested on Toph's shoulders as he folded forward from the waist to rest his lips in her hair.

"You do know I'd never let you fall, right?"