Toph sniffed a little and she gingerly rubbed her shoulder. She felt especially bad for Katara. In a way, she felt guilty. She hadn't been there in time to save him.. Jet. Her head ached from listening Katara's constant sobbing. Even though they were not on land, and she could not sense their feelings, she knew that her earthbending student, Aang, was jealous of a dead man. Toph keeled over into two strong arms, when Appa suddenly veered left.

"Watch it, Aang!" shouted Toph. She looked up, her sea foam green eyes glistening from unshed tears.

"Sorry!" called Aang over his shoulder. He went back to talking to Appa, from the flying bison's head.

"You okay?" asked a male's familiar voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine... Not up to sarcasm, today, Sokka?" asked Toph.

"Not, right now.. Maybe tomorrow.. If you're lucky." said Sokka. He pushed the earthbender into a sitting position, a firm, but all the while gentle hand, still on her shoulder.

"It's my fault.." whispered Toph angrily. She closed her eyes, water forming around her shut eyelids. She felt two, well-muscled arms wrap around her shoulder. She leaned closer to her traveling companion.

"No it's not!" said the Water Tribe warrior under his breath. Toph slightly shivered when his hot breath touched her cheek.. Was he, a fifteen year old, actually hugging her??

"I wasn't there in time to save him!" said Toph, her voice rising.

"It's not your fault, Toph.." said Katara from in front of Appa's saddle, her voice quavering from nerves. Toph buried her face into Sokka's shoulder, her heart fluttering.. The earthbender momentarily forgot how to breathe. She blinked several times, adjusting to the loss of light in the fabric of Sokka's shirt. She propelled her face away from his shoulder, her face locked in the expression of disgust.

"What? What's wrong?" asked Sokka. His sister stared, she was slightly surprised.

"When was the last time you bathed?" growled Toph. She put a hand over her nose for emphasis.

"Well, when you travel, a lot, you don't always find the time!" said a blushing Sokka. He put up his hands defensively.

"That excuse won't work anymore, genius.. We've been living in the same house for months.. I'm sure you would've found time to bathe!" chuckled Katara, the edges of her lips tugged upwards into a grateful smile. Sokka began mumbling a string of unidentifiable words under his breath.

"Good job, Pony tail.." said Toph, repeating Smellerbee's name for Sokka.

"What did I do?" he asked, and he stuck his arms in the air, showing he had no clue what Toph was talking about.

"You got, her.. To smile." said Toph. Sokka's eyes narrowed into slits.

"So, this was all some sort of devious plan you had to.." started Sokka. Toph put a hand over his mouth.

"Shut up, you'll ruin the moment.." whispered Toph. She stared at where Sokka's eyes were probably located, considering the fact that she was blind.

"Over here!" said Sokka. Toph tilted her head to her left in amazement, where Sokka really was. She frowned, embarrassed.

"Whoops.." she mouthed silently, a slight blush crept on to her cheeks.