Jade1994 - I'm glad you bring up the question of how Toph could have a favorite color even though she can't see. So, how could she? I'm well aware that Toph is blind, but I don't write with the assumption that anything associated with vision is cut off from her experience, understanding, use, or thoughts. This series of oneshots, in particular, has been betaed and edited previously, so by this time anything that seems off is probably intentional. I'm not going to come out and say what the intention is, so you've gotta open your brain to the possibilities. ;)
Title: Bloodbending
Setting: Shortly after 308.
Viewpoint: Sokka
Her footsteps were quiet enough that I didn't realize she was there until she was right behind me.
"Hey," she said softly, sitting down beside me. "You okay?"
"I'm fine, Toph," I said, glancing away. "If you feel like comforting someone, go to Katara. She'd need you more."
"She's already asleep," Toph said firmly, aiding her point with a gesture. "You're not."
"Yeah, well," I began, staring at the ground and resting my chin on my knees. I didn't feel like saying anything more.
"Look," she said, sighing. "I don't know what all happened tonight." She held up a hand when I opened my mouth to speak. "And I'm not going to ask you to tell me the whole thing. But I think you need to talk about it."
I looked at her for a few moments, noting her serious face. I had to admit, it was unusually thoughtful of her to try to help me...
"Maybe you're right." I looked away again. "I don't know what it is, exactly. It's just, I don't feel- clean."
"Why?" she asked, leaning into her knees as well. "You didn't do anything."
"But I could have," I said in a louder voice, opening my arms and staring at my hands. "You didn't see the fight. I came this close to-" I gulped, and lowered my voice. "Killing Aang."
"That wasn't you, Sokka." I thought I heard her voice crack, and I turned to look at her. Her eyes were closed, her brow creased. Like she could feel the horror with me. "You know if there was any way you could have stopped it, you would have."
"Instead I was helpless," I said, and shivered. I found myself gazing at the moon. Just... wondering why.
There were several moments of silence. Then her fist slammed into my shoulder.
"Ow!" I yelped, gritting my teeth as I turned on her. "What was that for?"
"You aren't helpless now, are you?" she asked, crossing her arms and somehow managing to stare me down.
I blinked. "You mean I could - heh. Fight you back?" I thought about it for a moment. "Haha. No."
The thought of fighting Toph was such a ridiculously useless idea that I started chuckling. It took me a few moments to realize Toph had made me laugh.
A corner of Toph's mouth was quirked. "Now are you feeling any better?"
"Yeah," I said, still shaking from the hint of mirth. "A little."
"I'm glad," she said, and left without ceremony.
I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows. Comparing how I felt before she had joined me, however, I was surprised at how peaceful I felt now.
But then again, I was a simple guy, and sometimes the best solution was the most direct.
With brows perplexed, I looked back towards where she had disappeared, smiling.