Okay, so this is my first writing on ! Also my first A;TLA one, so I really hope you guys like it. If you find any mistakes in it or have got tips for me, please do tell me in a review! c:

I also don't own any rights over the characters of Avatar; The last airbender. I write it for myself and for others to read, I don't make any profit on it in any way.

Enjoy! c:


Dawn hadn't even set in yet when the Southern Water bender woke up, she didn't sleep much lately; waking up several times a night, weird dreams or just trains of thought that wouldn't stop and kept her from falling asleep. She sighed while she sat up and rubbed her eyes, she decided to go for a walk. Hoping that it'd help to clear her head and maybe allow her to get some more sleep, later. The rest wouldn't wake up for a few hours after all, if she was careful and didn't wake them by making too much noise.

As quietly as possible the water bender got dressed in her daily outfit and tied her hair in a loose ponytail, which rested on her back and covered her neck. There was a cool breeze and she felt dew against her feet when she stepped on the grass. She hesitated for a few seconds before she went back to put on her boots, just to be sure her feet wouldn't get too cold.

But not too much later she slightly regretted putting on her boots as she heard the ground beneath them making more noise than she expected. She just hoped it wouldn't wake anyone else, it was bad enough already that she had a lack of sleep; she didn't want to be the cause of other's lack of sleep.

She reached the small lake that was about a fifteen minute-walk from their camp, nobody would be able to hear her, which allowed her to water bend without needing to hold back. She wouldn't be able to wake anyone with such distance between her and her friends.

She looked up to the almost full moon in awe, the sky was clear, only a few tiny clouds drifted slowly through the air. She looked at the water and raised her arms and hands, creating an orb-form out of water; she moved it through the air, from the left to the right. Then she outstretched her arms, causing the orb to stretch out as well, when she focused to try a new move the outstretched orb suddenly exploded into thousands of droplets, falling back into the lake. Another sigh slipped through the Southern water bender's lips, her head was so full, and she couldn't even focus long enough to practice water bending.

"What is going on? What is wrong with me? Why can't I sleep through the night, just one night, is that so much asked for?" The question wasn't directed to anyone, she just felt like she couldn't keep it in any longer. It actually felt quit good to get it out, since no one would hear her, why should she keep it in?

"I just want to sleep, have a good night of sleep. I can't go on like this much longer. What is wrong with me?" She wasn't sure what was wrong with her, the only thing she knew that she was confused and that her feelings were even more confusing. She had tried to act normal around her friends the last week, not wanting to bother them with something she couldn't even figure out herself. So how would her friends be able to? This was something she had to find out herself, this was her battle. she had to fight it herself.

Suddenly tears spilled down her face, she didn't even realize until she felt tiny drops falling on her arms. She sat down a few minutes ago, her back resting against a tree trunk. She wiped away the tears and pulled up her legs and put her arms around them, then rested her chin on her knees. She felt small, but somehow safe. It was eerie silent, only the cool breeze against the water sounded softly, creating ripples starting small but growing bigger and wider until they reached the edges of the lake.

"Katara?" Even though the voice was not more than a whisper, it made her jump a little and she gasped. But she recognized the voice and let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, it's just you. Toph, you startled me…" she responded and heard how Toph was sitting down next to her.

"Well, that's what you get from sneaking away in the night, Sugar Queen." Normally Katara would flinch and protest on the nickname Toph used for her, but right now she actually didn't really care. She didn't have the energy to protest, she was tired and tried to save up every bit of energy she could. She just sighed and looked down at the water of the lake, reflecting the almost full moon.

"Okay, what is it? I can feel that there's a lot going on in that head of yours, it makes the ground beneath you practically tremble. And it has been going on for several days now, don't even try to tell me that it's nothing; I might be blind, but I can see that you've been acting differently." For a few seconds Katara wasn't exactly sure what to say, how to respond, had it been that obvious?

"I… I don't know…" she answered.

"Hmm, you're telling the truth…" Toph murmured, "I wish I could help, Sugar Queen. Seriously. It's getting on my nerves."

"Well sorry, Miss Sourpuss, I can't help it! I wish I could stop it, I wish I could push it all away, but I can't, I've been trying that the whole time already!" Katara hissed, not wanting to wake to boys up, too. Tears escaped from the corners of her eyes again and fell down on her forearms and knees.

"I'm just trying to help…" Toph said in a whisper, taken aback by Katara's sudden 'outburst'.

"Well, you can't! Because I can't even help myself!" Katara's body started to quiver and tremble softly, not being able to keep still anymore.

"Maybe it'll help if you allow somebody to actually try and help you," Toph suggested.

Says the person who never lets anyone help her,"Katara sneered, immediately regretting it. This was unfair, Toph just tried to help, it wasn't her fault. Not really.

"I'm so—"
"I know, don't apologize. Because you're right, I don't even follow up my own advice." The blind girl sat next to Katara, not saying anything anymore.

"I just wish I could end this confusion inside me already," Katara sighed.

"Confusion about what?" Toph asked, actually sounding as if she cared. But Katara didn't answer right away, she wanted to spill it all out to the earth bender, but their friendship wasn't what you would call the best. They'd had quite some arguments since the blind girl joined the group.

"Okay, look Sugar Queen, I'm trying to help here, and I know I'm not good at that, but I'm trying. But if you're not going to say anything, I'll leave. Your pick."

"Sorry Toph, I know you are and I appreciate that. It's just—"

"It's just what Katara? Just say it already!"

"I'm confused about my feelings, okay?! I don't even know exactly anymore how I feel or what I'm supposed to feel!" Katara spat while making hand-gestures, which she later realized that it was no use since Toph wouldn't see it anyway.

"Just accept it; you're not supposed to feel a certain way. Nobody can tell you how or what to feel, they tried to tell me that, but I didn't take it. Nobody can tell me how I'm supposed to live my life, how to feel, how to act or whatever. I'm so glad I left home, I've never felt so free," Toph rambled, pointing her finger on Katara's chest, sighing the last part. Katara stared at Toph, the girl's words had sound so… wise

"What is it? You're suddenly so still…" Toph asked, her voice getting softer at the end of the sentence. She sensed that there was a lot that was haunting the water bender, she'd sensed It a while ago for the first time, but it was still there, keeping her friend Katara awake most part of the nights.

Katara knew what the earth bender meant. it must've been the change of her heartbeat or something like that. "Katara, this is not funny," Toph said when Katara didn't answer. Katara turned her body a quarter and threw her arms around her friend, who reacted startled. "Whoa, Katara, I didn't see that coming. Literally…"

"Sorry Toph," Katara apologized and broke the embrace by pulling away her arms. "But I think I found at least one, or a part of the reason why I'm having trouble sleeping lately, thanks to you." She looked at Toph, her smaller body felt softer than she imagined. Different from Toph's personality, which wasn't exactly 'soft'.

"… That's good, right?"

"Hmm, yeah, I guess." But Katara wasn't there yet, there was much more, she felt it, she knew it.

"It's a start," Toph stated and punched Katara in the shoulder.

"Ow! Toph, was that necessary?" Katara cried out and rubbed softly over the spot on her shoulder where Toph just hit her.

"Yes, it's my way of showing I care. Remember?" Katara saw a grin spread on the girl's face and chuckled. "What's so funny?" she snapped and caused Katara to laugh quietly.

"Nothing Toph. Sorry." It's just so you," Katara answered.

"Duh, who else would it be?" Toph said and they both laughed. It made Katara actually feel a bit better, it was nice to talk with someone who actually cared, who was really interested in what she told. It made her feel a bit… important? Somehow.

.

"So, Sugar Queen." Tell me, what about you and Twinkle Toes?" Katara turned her head to look at Toph with a raised eyebrow, which Toph wouldn't see of course.

"Err, what do you mean Toph?" Katara asked, confused, she wasn't sure what Toph meant.

"Oh, please. Don't tell me that you haven't figured it out yet, Twinkle Toes is all in to you, obviously," Toph answered. Anxious of Katara's answer, but she couldn't let Katara notice that. "If you haven't noticed, I'm starting to have doubts about me being the blind one." Katara stared at her friend, amazed. Aang liked her…? No, it couldn't be, he was just a friend!

"Nah, he's just a friend Toph."

"You sure about that, Katara? Because he thinks differently about that, I can tell." That was just about obvious.

"Yes, I'm sure. What're you trying to say Toph? Just tell me already, quit with the riddles," Katara said and sighed, a little annoyed. If Toph could sense when somebody was lying, she should be able to tell that Katara was in fact being honest right now. She was confused about what she felt, but that was one thing she was very certain of.

"You don't see him as anything more than 'just a friend'?" Toph asked, arms crossed. But Katara missed the smile on Toph's face, which was there only a split second and so Katara nodded.

"That's right, Toph. Aang's just a friend, nothing more than that."

"Poor Twinkle Toes…" Toph responded, a smirk growing on her face.

"Well, I can't help how I feel. I won't like telling him that, but I'll have to. I won't give him false hope, that'd be unfair."

"You're right, and even though I barely say so, you're right pretty often," Toph blurted out before she could stop herself. Katara was kinda shocked by that, was Toph really admitting that? That wasn't really her, not as Katara knew her at least.

"Wow, Toph… Thanks…" she whispered and played with a few strands of her hair.

"I'm sorry for the nasty comments I've made in the past, Sugar Queen. It's just, that's how I learned to defend myself. People always think I'm tiny and weak, but I'm not. I'm capable of taking care of myself, even though I'm blind."

"Well, if it helps, I don't think you're weak. And I know you're capable of taking care of yourself."

"Thanks," Toph whispered and smiled, it meant a lot that Katara said that.