Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to Bryke and Nickelodeon, not me.
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Drabble #6: "Drowned Rat"
Setting: Season two, during "The Serpent's Pass"
The waves splashed over Sokka's feet, crashing cold water into his shoes. Suki was a dark dot on the horizon; she dove into the water and disappeared under the waterline. His heart thudded against his ribs.
Suki reemerged from under the water. Sokka squinted. "She's got Toph," he said. His shoulders sagged. He could see the top of the little earthbender's head break the surface. "She's got her." His eyes darted from his sister and Aang fighting the serpent to Suki and Toph in the water. Suki dragged Toph behind her; water crashed into her small face.
Sokka waded up to his thighs, stretching out his hands. "Are you okay, Suki?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she said, surprised. Water weighed down her heavy warrior's clothes as she stood up and let go of Toph's arms. Toph pitched forward.
Sokka ducked to grab her. She fell against his chest and he stumbled, trying to regain his balance. "Hey, are you all right?" he asked.
"Yeah, yeah, I love almost drowning," she retorted, her voice thick. Her body shook, sending droplets of water flying in the cool sun.
Sokka closed his arms around her, trying to still her trembling. "Seriously," he said. "Are you okay?"
She pushed him away, or at least attempted to. "I'm fine," she said through her teeth. "Just let me sit down."
"Okay," he said, setting her down on the muddy shoreline. Toph curled up on the ground, pressing her cheek and her hands and her feet into the soft dirt. She coughed up a lungful of water and swiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'll be happy if I never get in water again," she mumbled.
"Well, maybe next time we're around water you can keep up," Sokka suggested. Suki shot him a sharp look. "What?"
The small girl rolled onto her hands and knees and pushed herself up to her feet. "I'm going to put on dry clothes," she said. "I'll be right back."
Sokka sidled over to Suki. The Kyoshi girl had pulled off her shoes and some of her outer layers, hanging them out in the cold sun to dry. "Is Toph okay?" she asked.
:"Oh, yeah, she's fine," he said, waving his hand.
Suki tucked her hair back. "I think you should go check on her," she said.
"Aw, she's okay," he shrugged.
"Sokka," she said, looking him squarely in the eyes. "I think Toph would really like it if you went to make sure she's okay."
"Why?" he asked. "Isn't she-"
Suki's eyes narrowed. "Just go, Sokka," she said, giving him a shove.
Sokka scowled. "I never know what girls want," he groused. "Last night she's all 'ooh, I like you' and now she's all 'ooh, don't pay any attention to me'." He kicked at a pebble and missed. "Stupid girls."
But despite his grumbling, he felt his stomach twist.
Once again, he failed as a protector.
He should have taken her with him the second they started walking over the ice. The others were fine. He hadn't even noticed that Toph was left behind until he had turned around and seen her tiny figure standing alone in the middle of the sea. But no, he was too busy watching Suki. Not the pregnant woman, not his sister fighting in the middle of the sea, not the defenseless little blind girl stranded in the middle of the ocean, Suki, the leader of the Kiyoshi warriors. If anyone would have been able to take care of themselves, it would have been Suki.
But Toph's okay, he reasoned. She made it out okay. It doesn't matter that I didn't jump in and save her. Suki got her. She doesn't-
Toph crouched under an overhang, her forehead pressed against her scraped knees, her face hidden behind her hands. Her soaked clothes were heaped on the ground; she was stripped down to her breast bindings and shorts and her damp skin was blue. She clutched her headband in her hands and her heavy wet hair drooped over her neck.
Sokka knelt beside her. "Toph?" he ventured.
She jerked her head away, pressing her fists to her eyes. "I'm fine," she said through clenched teeth, her little chin jutted out at a stubborn angle. "I'm just going to change clothes, and then I'll be back, okay? Leave me alone."
Sokka sat back on his heels. Her shoulders trembled. His overactive imagination took off.
What if Suki hadn't gotten there? What if he had jumped in, but he hadn't been fast enough?
His mind supplied all the images. Toph's small body sinking like a stone to the bottom. Trying to drag her back to the surface. Struggling to get her to breathe. Her pale, still, motionless face. He stared at her, and in one fast motion he pulled her into his arms.
"I'm sorry," he whispered into her neck. Toph's skin was freezing. "I'm so sorry I didn't save you. I'm so sorry."
"I can't swim," she mumbled.
"Yeah, I figured that out now," he said.
She buried her face in the crook of his neck. "I thought I was going to die."
"I know," he said. "I promise I'll save you next time."
"There won't be a next time," she said. She shivered. "I'm never going to go near water again."
"But on the off chance that you do," Sokka said. He adjusted her against his body. "I promise I'll come and save you."
She was silent for a moment. "Okay," she said finally. She rubbed the side of her nose. "I guess."
Sokka locked his arms around her, knowing she could feel every heavy beat of his heart. Whether she liked it or not, the next time he thought she needed protecting, he'd be there.
And as she touched her cool damp cheek to his shoulder, he smiled. I think she'll like it.
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Author's Notes:
Aw, drabbly goodness.
I wrote this while rewatching season #2, and wondering how all that played out. 'Cause all we saw was Katara and Aang kicking some sea dragon tail, and it made me curious. The next drabble springboards from this one (and to be honest, I like it better than this one).
Next: "Moonlight"