Love does not make itself felt in the desire for sharing a bed, (a desire that extends to an infinite number of women) but in the desire for shared sleep (a desire limited to one woman).

-Milan Kundera


I can recall seeing Sokka this sick only two times. The first was when we were children, and my older brother ate industrial quantities of sea prune stew; the second was that time when he and I got sick after a storm, and Aang brought us frozen frogs to lick.

So right now, seeing him lying in bed, covered with all our blankets and trembling from the cold while he sweated profusely was worrying me more than I could stand. My healing abilities, so good for wounds, were useless against this common but not any less serious sickness.

Meanwhile, all we could do was make Sokka feel as good as possible, mainly because this kind of illness just healed itself in several days. However, that didn't make things easy; Sokka was suffering strong aches in his arms and legs, and he was shivering and trembling due to his feverish crisis.

So while I put soaked towels on his forehead, Aang was doing his best to bring me cold water and medicinal herbs to make elixirs to satiate Sokka's thirst.

Toph, stangely calmer than usual, restricted herself to staying still beside my brother, sometimes watching his breathing, sometimes wiping the sweat from his forehead, and sometimes trying to sleep, though she was tormented by Sokka's groanings.

Despite the fact that everyone was worried, the change in Toph's mood was the most notorious. She hadn't looked this concerned when Aang had been injured by Azula. I tried to calm her, telling her the illness would be cured in few days and that the only things Sokka needed were some rest and clean water, but she only nodded and kept herself still beside him.

The third night since Sokka got sick, I decided to rest a little further away from the campfire, knowing that Toph wouldn't leave my brother alone. It seemed that Sokka was getting better, so I wasn't as worried as before, and if anything happened to him while I was gone, Toph would come looking for me in no time.

When I was nearly asleep, I saw how the display of light and shadows from the fire traced my brother's silhouette, and beside him, something was moving closer. Maybe she didn't notice I was watching her, or maybe she was so worried that she didn't care; but what I saw next overwhelmed me with uncertainty and tenderness.

Toph, our Toph, the rough and independent girl, who was tough as a rock and had barely moved from Sokka's side in three days, was bending over him in a pose that made me think, at first, she was about to kiss him. I had to shake my head in order to clear that thought out of my mind (she couldn't be kissing him; she only enjoyed making fun of him and hitting him), and I discovered that my dirty mind was playing with me. Toph was only resting her head on my brother's chest.

Her tiny hands were gripping my brother's tunic in a gesture that reflected her feeling of impotence. I could see that that pose let her place her ear right above his heart so she could measure his heartbeats.

And if that wasn't enough of a display of really weird behavior coming from Toph, my ears witnessed something way more unique and beautiful.

It started like a tiny vibration among the rock walls of the temple, and at first, I thought she was using her earthbending. But after a few seconds, the vibrations turned into a beautiful melody, a soft whisper that was growing in intensity and beauty, filling our shelter with a precious tune. Toph, pressing her face against Sokka's chest, amplified the whisper she was singing, turning the vibrations into music. Without moving her lips, she was singing a playful and lovely ballad (maybe her favorite song when she was little) in a way so close and intimate that it seemed like she was singing in a language only she knew.

I don't know how long she was singing like that because the sound, so beautiful and soft, made me fall asleep before I could notice. But when I woke up again, I observed how Toph's little song had made an effect on both of them.

My brother, still asleep, had placed one of his hands over Toph's cheeks, who had fallen asleep on his chest, using him like a pillow. I got near enough to them to observe that he seemed much better: the color had returned to his face, and he wasn't sweating anymore. The fever was down, and his face was reflecting the same peaceful smile of tranquil dreams that had made Toph's face blush so furiously.

I smiled at the realization that my abilities weren't the only healing ones. And I rushed to wake up Aang and take him out of the area before Toph found out that some living being had witnessed the moment.

Material possesion are just illusions. I own nothing. Avatar: The Last Airbender and it related characters belongs to Bryke and Nickelodeon.

Thanks a lot to 3VAD127. :3!!!