notes: hope you enjoy my writing.
disclaimer: disclaimed.
summary: She felt like she could do anything. – slight gaang love; bropt.
.
.
.
.
Katara did not understand why Toph felt like she could not go to her parents. Years has passed since the war, and yet Toph did not have the sufficient amount of balls to go to her parents.
Toph would explain over and over — and over and over — again that they will not accept her. They will act as if she is a porcelain doll ready to break at any touch, and it's their responsibility to hide her from the grotesque world. That is absurd! Toph has seen more hideous and vile things than her parents could of seen in their whole lives, in nine months. They do not understand that she is a war scarred soldier who wakes up in the middle of the night if it's too hot — thinking it's a fire bender going to char her innards — or if she hears the tiniest of sounds like leaves rustling. When leaves rustle, it could be the wind or Fire Nation soldiers destroying anything in their path.
The Gaang has been through traumatic experiences that could bring down any grown men, at such a young age. They've fought to death, escaped death, seen death. But Toph's parents do not understand that their once little fragile butterfly is now an earth bending master — monster — that does not follow rules, and likes to fight.
She likes to spit, and curse and fight.
When she is around her friends — now family — she could be anyone and do anything without being judge, majority of the time, and it makes her happy that they accept her.
Especially Sokka.
They gamble together, spit together, fight together, prank together and only once because of inconviences, showered together. But that was when she was 12, and didn't have any shame.
Her sarcastic, meat lover of a friend is her best friend. When she is out of place, he aligns her again. When she is down, he is her backbone, supporting her through anything. When she asks what does this or that looks like, he tries his hardest to make sense and answers her question.
However, after the war they kind of seperated. There were annual meetings, sometimes every six or so months. But how do you think Toph felt? She had nowhere to go. And she really felt lonely.
She traveled on her own. Helped as if she was still in the old days. Was recognized as the world's (second, behind her back) greatest earthbender. She was in the war, and she saved them. But she did not go to her parents, at no cost will she ever.
She was a grown-up. Made her own decisions, chose her own path and washed her own hair. And not some servant whom Mom hires to make her look nice and small.
Toph did die not forgiving her parents, with a burden in her chest of not making her parents proud. You would think that a person would be glad if you came from the war alive. Traumatized and paranoid, but alive.
Aang sided with Katara — being the kiss up that he was, and agreed that parents and their kids should have a healthy relationship. After all he was the Avatar, bringing peace, unity and joy between the people. — but didn't understand what would happen if she went back. They tried to kidnap her for Koh's sake! She tried sending a letter and bargaining with her parents that she is growing up, she has seen the world. She is a young lady who can take care of herself. Back then the world didn't even know Toph existed! And she's the one who's supposed to say sorry?
Even if Toph describes how she had to kill men, sleep on the ground, eat bark and how she didn't shower every week, her parents would still want to protect her from the drastic world. They don't understand she helped the world start on its journey to a slow recovery towards unity and peace and hope. They will want to tuck her in at night, and say everything is alright. But everything isn't!
(She didn't even dream anymore.)