I don't own Avatar.

This is part of my tokka100 challenge over on LJ, but I doubt I'll ever post anything over there... so - they are all going here. They are in no particular order, just for fun.

ENJOY!

Moonbeams

69 – Night

Yue had been the moon for almost six years now. There were nights that she thoroughly enjoyed her job – her duty. She enjoyed watching the life below her blossom and start anew. The scars from war slowly healing slowly, progressing each night. It made her happy that she was a part of ending that horrid war, even if she tried to shine a bit brighter on night that the Water Tribe invaded the Fire Nation. The stars would tease her, prodding with questions of a boy that she held a special beam for, laughing at her for blowing clouds out of the way, joking later that she had fallen for a mortal.

On the nights she couldn't watch the Earth, and was forced to face the stars, she would be little them, prodding why they twinkled in some eyes and not others, laughing that they were not close enough to play with the wind spirits, joking that they would never enjoy the mortal world and all the pleasure … and love it could teach you.

For nights afterward, they would not talk of the boy.

When the boy would charge into battle, she noticed, he would always glance at her, praying-maybe for strength, for courage, and none of those she could ever give-but she did her best to help light his path.

Then came her. Not the painted one – she knew about her, and expected it. But never from her.

She was such a small creature, stood maybe half of what she once was, and she was powerful. She hid herself at night, and never looked up at her. At first, Yue thought her rude, and decided that she did not fit well with her boy. Then she saw that she was slowly making friends with him, making him laugh and think and feel, and decided that she liked her.

Then the night came when Yue realized that they were more than friends, and she cried. The stars saw her stress and jumped at her sadness and began to fall. The wind spirits were distressed and blew in a storm; the sun – so upset his friend was not herself – didn't bother trying to shine through them. This went on for quite awhile, at least, until the wind spirits got tired and would rather play softly with leaves or blow a soft wisp of hair so a boy would notice the bright green eyes of a girl that was pinning for his attentions.

Her shine was not bright the next night, when she watched her boy take a walk, with her.

But she followed them, with the beam meant for him, and she knew he felt her gaze, as he was awkward and gawky around the small girl. He was not being Sokka, she noticed.

The next time she saw either of them, it was the girl – and she spoke to her.

"Yue?" she called. She was looking up in the wrong direction. If Yue could have huffed, she would have. "He told me your story last night." Yue couldn't help but burst, but not for the girl. "Just so you know; if you were still here, and with him, you wouldn't have to worry about me. From the sounds of it, he thinks you are the prettiest thing to ever walk this earth. There's no way he would have even noticed my existence." The girl looked back down to the Earth, and slouched – noticeable even to the moon. Yue softened toward the girl – a little bit.

"He flat out told me, if you were still here he'd be married to you. By now, you'd probably have a few little Sokka's running around, and all I'd ever be is "Aunt Toph.""

'Toph…' thought Yue.

"You gave up your life to save the people you loved, for people you didn't even know – for me. I know that when you did it, it was for your people and for the Avatar and for Sokka, but really, you did it for everyone." Here Toph sat down, plopped, actually, into the dirt – particles flying up in the air around her. It was then that Yue noticed she was crying, and her heart softened again. "My point is, as brave and as strong as you were, you still aren't here. But I am. You are pretty and refined and royal and beautiful and everything I'm not. But, I want to make him happy – and, if you loved him, that should be enough for you. I'm not asking permission, but I don't want to fight with something I can't even see!"

This shocked Yue. She couldn't see her? Was she blind? She was a powerful bender, from her spot above it all; she'd wager that she was the best around. How could she not see the moon? She was such a strange girl, and Sokka seemed to like her…

"That's all." She shrugged and sat back up. "Please, Yue, think about it. Not for me, but for him."

The next night, she caught him staring at her again. It was the same look he always reverenced her with, but tonight she looked past the love and regret and saw sadness and despair.

Almost painfully, she moved her light to the girl, bathing her in light. Bathing her like she had reserved for him and only him.

She realized that Toph was right. She could not be there with him to make him smile…

..but she could light his path.

teh edn!