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Everyone's Afraid of Something

Aang's POV

It was the first time that I had ever seen her afraid of anything. The mighty Toph Bei Fong scared of thunder? I hardly thought it was possible.

Flashback

A large boom rang out across the sky. I heard a muffled scream coming from inside her rock tent. I knocked on the hard rock wall.

"Toph, are you ok in there?"

"I'm fine, Twinkle Toes! Just go back to sleep!"

"Then what was that scream?"

One of the walls slowly let itself down. I walked inside to see Toph hugging her legs in a stiff sitting position. It scared me to see her like that.

"Toph, what's wrong?!"

"T-thunder." She stammered.

I went over to her and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. "It's ok, Toph. You're allowed to be scared."

"I'm not scared, Twinkle Toes!" Another boom and she leaned into a little. "Ok…maybe a little bit."

"Why are you scared?"

"Thunder is something that I can't feel. It's loud and just comes out of nowhere. I have no knowledge of anything about what thunder is."

"Well, you have me here to protect you."

"Aang, please. How much protection can one little girl give me?"

"Hey!" I pouted.

"Just kidding, Twinkle Toes…but seriously, you oughta buff up or something cause you're a wimp."

I sighed. "It could be worse…I could be a midget." She punched me. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Do I really have to answer that question?"

I rubbed my side where she had hit me. It was then I realized how close we really were. I blushed. 'Wait, I just did what now?'

"Hey Aang." I focused on her. She rarely called me that. "What are you afraid of?"

"Number one fear? Fighting the fire lord. I'm afraid I might fail. But, with my friends behind me, I believe I can do anything."



"Is that all you're afraid of?" She whispered. "You aren't that maybe…Sugar Queen…that she isn't in love with you?" Her words came slow, as if she were afraid to hear the answer.

"Nah, I'm over her. She's too much like a mother. And that, dear Toph, is what we call incest." She laughed quietly. "But, what are you getting at?"

Toph's POV

'Oh blind ignorance, thy name is Twinkle Toes.' I couldn't tell why I liked him. Maybe because he was my first and best friend? I just didn't know.

"I'm not getting at anything, Twinkle Toes." He just stared at me and then shrugged.

"What about you? Afraid Sokka doesn't like you back?"

"Nope, Sokka's too much like…well, like Sokka, for my tastes."

"Oh. Then who do you like?" His heartbeat increased a tiny bit.

"Hmm, why do you ask?"

"Uh…no reason, just curious."

"I can tell when you're lying. Remember?"

He mumbled something about stupid earthbending and then spoke up again, "I dunno, I was hoping…well that maybe…um…"

"Spit it out, Twinkle Toes!"

He sighed. "I was hoping…that it was me."

'Hang on, what? He likes me?' I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. "What?"

"I like you, Toph. A lot."

I checked his heartbeat. He was telling the truth. I couldn't believe it. "I…like you too, Aang."

He smiled. I could feel him moving in towards my face and it was like a fire nation blockade had exploded in my mind when our lips met. I swear I could actually see him. We stayed like this for what seemed like forever until we finally broke apart. "I'm glad." He said.

So I guess, he was right. It's ok to be scared. Because everyone is afraid of something. But, we also all have that person that can protect us from it. And I had found mine in a bald goofy airbender that helped me learn to reach out and fly. Even if I was afraid to fall, because I knew, he would always catch me.