A.N.: alrighty, I think this is the fastest I've updated, like, ever. Haha. I hope you liked the intimate scene between Sokka and Nirvana in the last chapter. Please, feel free to comment, I don't bite. (:
Sokka's eyes swept across the cavern floor. "Some light over here," he said, pointing. Aang came to his side, scratching his head and holding out a small flame in his palm. "If we can break through this, I think we can get out," Sokka held his hand out to the rocks, making sure that the warm breeze wasn't his imagination.
When they had awoken that morning, Sokka had told Katara and Aang about the stone room. He conveniently left out that Nirvana had been walking there in a trance, but had the idea that somewhere at the back of the cave, was an exit. When the four had ventured past the glowing pool, they found that the exit had been blocked off as well. But, Sokka could feel the outside air, taste the sun just beyond these boulders. His fingers itched for his boomerang, but he knew that it would do no good. His boomerang was too weak to move these giant stones even the slightest bit. Katara, Aang and Nirvana had to work together. Using their bending, they could set themselves free.
In all honesty, he felt a little useless in this case. All he could do was tell the other three where to stand. He leaned back against the stone wall and listened, head down.
"B-but, I can't," Nirvana protested from her place beside Aang.
"What would heating up the rocks do, anyway?" Katara inquired, crossing her arms across her chest. Sokka's head shot up. That's right. Neither Aang not Katara knew that Nirvana could bend other elements as well. He swore silently under his breath. It would make things so much easier if Nirvana and Aang could just earthbend the boulders away. Sokka knew that Aang couldn't do it all by himself, so they had to settle for wearing down the rocks with water, fire and air.
Sokka waved away Katara's question, "We need everything we can get," he said dryly.
"Why can't I just earthbend?" Aang shrugged.
"Aang, you know you don't really know how yet," Katara put a hand on his shoulder.
"Plus, it would tire you out too much," Sokka pointed out, index finger raised.
The four stood, staring at one another for a long moment. They stayed silent until Sokka clapped his hands together, announcing that they were burning daylight.
Katara readied herself, bending the water from her canteen into a shimmering thread. It wavered in the air around her body, beads of the water hovering in place.
Aang took of a fluid stance, with his feet apart and arms raised. He closed his eyes, focusing his energy to his extremities. Pulling the air from around him.
Nirvana looked from one to the other, unsure of what to do. She tried to mimic both of their stances, combining the two. Glancing between the two other benders, she raised one arm to the stone blockade.
Sokka chuckled to himself as he watched Nirvana fidget in her awkward bearing. He coughed into a fist to hide his laughter. Nirvana shot him a look, which only made him snicker more.
"Ready?" Aang asked.
Katara nodded and Nirvana gulped audibly. Katara began to shift her body, lunging forward and carrying the water with her. It whipped against the rocks with a loud snap. Aang did something similar, forcing the air around him to smash into the barricade at full force. As the two chipped away at the stone barrier, Nirvana remained still.
Sokka's eyes locked onto her face. Her expression was a mixture of confusion and pure terror. The fingers on her outstretched hand trembled. Her legs shook. He tried to tell her with his eyes that it was okay, but her visage was locked on the boulders. He wanted to speak, but he really didn't know anything about bending. It wasn't his place.
"Just focus all your body heat into the tips of your fingers," Aang instructed between movements. Sokka frowned and crossed his arms.
"I could have told her that…" he grumbled to himself, rolling his eyes.
Nirvana took a deep breath, holding it in her lungs. She breathed it out slowly, feeling the heat in her body. She forced it toward her fingertips. With a grunt, she shot out her arm and fire lit the cave. Her jaw dropped as the stones began to glow like embers.
"Again," Sokka coached.
Nirvana shot out her other arm, twisting her body. Flames burst from her fingers, emitting an orange glow. From beside her, Aang flung a gust of air into the embers, igniting them once again. Katara followed, lashing out with the water until it began to hiss and fill the cavern with steam.
They continued bombarding the stone with their elements, Sokka cheering them on. Soon, the whole centre of the blocked exit was glowing bright red.
"Aang!" Sokka pointed. The small boy thrust out both his hands, releasing a huge blast of wind. The air pinpointed the weakest point, breaking through it like an arrow. The boulders crumbled, breaking apart, sunlight streaming through and blinding the four.
"We did it!" Nirvana breathed, stepping across the threshold. Light washed over her, and she squinted against it.
"Yeah!" Aang rushed out beside her, holding up his hand for a high-five, a grin splitting his face. Nirvana laughed and clapped her hand against his. Sokka ran out, Katara trailing behind him. He ran to Nirvana, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her off the ground. She giggled as he spun her, hugging her close. The blood rushed to her face and ears, turning them bright red.
She stopped laughing when she caught sight of Katara, standing just outside the cave, arms crossed tightly across her chest. Sokka set her down, and Nirvana crossed over slowly to his sister.
"You did a good job," Nirvana whispered, gesturing to the cave where pebbles were still steaming.
"Thanks. You, too," Katara uncrossed her arms.
The two girls stood silently, watching Sokka and Aang re-enact the past occurrence as only young-minded boys can do.
"He really likes you, you know," Katara stated. Nirvana glanced up at her, but Katara didn't make a move to look at her as well.
"I really like him, too,"
"And for now, that's okay,"
"For now?"
Katara turned to her then, sapphire eyes burning, "If you hurt him, I swear…" Her threat hung silently in the air as Katara waltzed away to join Aang and her brother.
Sokka's face ached from smiling. But when Katara sauntered over, his grin faded slightly. Where had Nirvana gone? He glanced over his tawny shoulder, catching a glimpse of her pale, violet-clad figure. She stood, jaw slack and eyes wide, hidden in the shadows of the cavern.
"What did you say to her?" he asked, not accusing.
"Nothing," Katara shrugged. Sokka pursed his lips, patting Aang on the shoulder. He ambled over to Nirvana, all the sensations from the night before filling his mind. A soft smile broke out on his lips.
Sokka wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side. His dropped a kiss onto her temple, pulling her from her shock.
"Congrats," He whispered against her hair. He breathed in her sweet scent. She smelled of some kind of flower, lilacs perhaps, peppered in with something that was strictly Nirvana. He closed his eyes, burying his face in her raven locks. He wanted to get lost, and never come out. He felt her smile against the top of his head. "Come on," he sighed, retreating from the heaven of the crook of her neck.
He tugged her forward and she followed. Sokka finally felt at ease as the four began their walk to the next village. He didn't move his arm from Nirvana's shoulder, because it felt right. She was his missing puzzle piece.