Recap: Agitated by her predicament, Toph had been in no mood for talking, but she always made allowances for Sokka. They spoke of her betrothal plainly, and Sokka admitted to arguing with her father over the subject. In the midst of discussion, she redirected the conversation;revealing she would accept the Chief of Police position. Ecstatic about the news, Sokka tried to settle into bed. As he peered out the window, he witnessed Toph sneaking off to the caretakers house; where Ohev wrapped her in his arms, and his embrace was warmly returned...
THE SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE
The weather of the South Pole was unseasonable this spring. Where snow should give way beneath a step, it was stiff. Plumes of breath billowed before Sokka and curled around his face as he walked. Not a hint of blue peeked through the cloud covered skies. The radiant outlining of the sun shone through their pallidness with perfect clarity. In the distance, the white endless landscape and bright skies melded together. A thick hazy fog camouflaged the grader of the mountains which, on a clear day, could be seen disappearing into the heavens.
When Toph agreed to visit his homeland, Sokka had been excited to show her the sights. He intended to take her to see the azure glow of the ice caverns hidden beneath a glacier and the fascinating contrast of colors on the striped icebergs. Truly, they were magnificent sights to behold, but their beauty could not compare to the lake just pass the mount of smoking ice towers. Its water, a soft pastel green, not only stood out amongst the blue tones of the South, but was the exact hue of Toph's eyes.
Now that the gang had arrived in the South, Sokka had a feeling she wouldn't appreciate the views. After all, she was blind.
Glancing over his shoulder, he witnessed a hooded Toph trudge through the hardened snow. In solemn intent, she lagged behind with her arms crossed and hands enfolded beneath each limb as if that would create warmth. Since she stated boots were stifling enough, she choose to forgo gloves. A decision Sokka knew she regretted now.
Stubborn, he thought to himself. To reaffirm his thoughts, Toph groused about having to wear boots.
"I told you. You have to wear boots or you'll get frozen foot," he cautioned.
Once more, on impulse, Sokka looked back at his friend. The hood of her fur-lined coat swallowed her head, exposing nothing but her porcelain doll-like face. The apples of her cheeks were flushed from the cold, and her button nose reddened. As usual, obsidian hair curtained her eyes; hiding one of her most captivating features.
Those eyes, Sokka contemplated. He turned his head forward examining his thoughts. Recently, Sokka noticed how her muted eyes fascinated him, and the allurement was hard for him to fully comprehend. They were the same ol' eyes. The very ones she rolled each time he said something relatively idiotic or prematurely. Since the day he met her, she has had them. For him to take notice of them recently, was... absurd.
Could he really be that unaware?
Behind him, Toph released a dejected whimper. The sound of her unhappiness put a startling ache in Sokka's chest. All that freewheeling charisma, now lied dormant within her. No longer was Toph this divine creature, capable of forging canyons and moving mountains. She was just like Sokka. Human. Incapable of great feats, but unlike him, she was not regular. No matter how inept she felt, Toph could never be regular.
Regardless, she tried to face this hurdle with determination, but it was definite, the conditions of the South Pole left Toph Beifong thwarted. In the subtlest of ways, she admitted her defeat. Every step she took was cautiously estimated, and when the quiet stretched on too long between them, she would call to Sokka. Almost, as if she feared he had vanished, leaving her all alone in the glacial wasteland. In response, he would hum a retort or touch her shoulder to show her, he was there. Straightaway, the unsettled expression on her face would melt away into warm relief. Next, she would conveniently forget why she was calling to him.
An easy smile formed on Sokka's face.
He knew he shouldn't take such pleasure in the sight of a helpless friend, but he appreciated being needed by her, rather than be astonished by her self-sufficiency. Always had. Which was bizarre, because what attracted him to Suki was her self-sufficiency. And while Toph had equal amounts of independence, he admired her more for the insecurities she revealed to him. In lieu of herself, she swallowed her oversized pride and grudgingly depended on him. For a person like Toph, to show weakness was both a failure and a well earned accomplishment.
A sudden icy breeze was a bitter caress against his face, and the cold air was such a shock that Toph winced. Then a heavier gust swept through, swiping back the hood that kept her ears warm, and surely numbing her already cold face.
At Sokka's heals, Toph cried, "I hate it here!"
"I know," he chuckled, halting his pace completely that she could catch up with him. "Now, watch out, there's patches of ice everywhere."
The incapacitated earth-bender pulled the hood back over her head and responded with a quibble about the freakishly cold weather.
Since she stepped foot onto the soil, or permafrost, of his homeland, the surroundings fared poorly with Toph. In one form or another, the girl had been uncomfortable. If it wasn't the boots cutting off her sight, it was the cold. If it wasn't the cold stunning her limbs, it was the lack of earth.
The complaining had been what Sokka expected of her. Not the bullheadedness to resist his help.
As Toph and he continued traipsing through the snow, Sokka recalled how staid she behaved toward him earlier that morning.
The instant Appa had touched down Toph had asked Aang to help her down from the saddle. Really, she had insisted on it. Sokka was taken aback by this demand.
When deemed necessary, he had been silently designated to help Toph. Not that this was a chore, but the responsibility had befallen upon him almost as naturally as soil absorbing rain. Usually, Aang and Katara were attached at the lips...hips. Thus, Sokka was the one nearest to aid Toph and he reveled in the sensation of being and feeling needed. Always, had Sokka been the one she depended on, but these days she had been building barrier after barrier between she and him. In the tiniest of ways, this hurt his suffering ego.
At that time, when she rejected his assistance, Sokka contemplated what he had done to cause this disconnect. What was she holding against him? When had he stopped being her best friend and become a person known merely by association?
Attempting to reclaim his duties, Sokka gently gripped Toph's elbow to help guide her through the barren landscape. Part of him presumed she would welcome his assistance, but all he wound up being was a momentary middleman. After shrugging him off, she moved from Aang then clung Katara. The girls walked arm in arm until Sokka's father came into view. From the distance, Hakoda waved an arm and bellowed a hello. In her excitement, the last water bender of the South abandoned her blind friend and rushed towards the sound. Father and daughter held one another so sweetly that the irritation Sokka had felt towards Katara, for ditching Toph, dwindled.
Greeting his father, after long periods away from his, had always been nerve wracking. Sokka strived to make his father proud, but he was never quite sure if he hit that mark. Trembling with anxiousness, he tentatively preceded forward. With each step, Sokka internally deliberated over the past few months. He went over his recent accomplishments and failures.
There was adrenaline gunning through Sokka's wobbling legs as he walked. He had no clue what he should tell his father. There was no favorable news to reveal or great achievement he could gloat about. Sure, the New Ozai Society now had dislodged roots, but that only created smaller spread out divisions. It also had not been a fight he won. And Republic City, though having great population growth, was still in a state of unrest thanks to the new forming triads and a severe lack of housing.
When he came to stand across from Hakoda, Sokka noticed his father's once brown hair was threaded with gray. Still, he held himself as any younger man would; with dignity, strength, the air of assurance and the valiance of a warrior. With both hands, Hakoda gripped Sokka's shoulders offering a proud smile. The edges of his eyes wrinkled, revealing his age more than the graying hair.
To think, Sokka had finally grown tall enough to look his father eye to eye. As a matter of fact, he stood a few inches taller than Hakoda. At the realization, he forgot his forlornness, his spine straightened and whatever pride Toph had stolen from him was forgotten in an instant. Finally, he felt like a man. And as any manly man would do, Sokka embraced his father in the -manliest- of hugs.
Everyone had proceeded with the greetings. Aang shook Hakoda's hand. Katara hugged Gran-gran, and Sokka felt a sense of calm course through him. Of all the turbulent years they endured, it was nice to see his family come together again on happier terms. This time there were no strategies to be planned. No tension or worry of war. All they had to worry about was getting his sister and the Avatar married under a full moon.
Opening his arms wide, Sokka made an effort to hug Pakku; who, when it came to Sokka, was still fretful in his manner. Preventing any sort of sentimental greeting the decrepit bone-bag held up a hand and gave Sokka a hard stare. All Sokka could do was shrug at the rejection. He made efforts to try and form a semblance of a bond with his grandmother's husband, but the balding man had never warmed up to him. The best he could do was offer a courteous bow, and Sokka mimicked the old man. At least there was now respect between them.
Yards away, the little earth-bender stood alone; never moving from the spot Katara had left her in. The coat she wore drowned her. Her pudgy fingers clutched the cuffs in a way that suggested she was combating nerves. The bottom lip she gnawed on confirmed this. Seeing Toph this stagnant and out of place made Sokka's heart plummet. A wave of concern overcame him, washing away the sense of calm he just encountered. It was incredible how that girl could jumble up his emotions. Must be because she was so tiny, people always want to protect the person smaller than them.
Katara returned to Toph's side, took a gentle hold of her arm and escorted her nearer. Sokka surveyed the skeptical steps she took and gaped at the boots he had made for her. He had been sure the source of her uncomfortableness was not from feeling misplaced amongst his family, but from having to wear the boots; from being cut off from sight. By the way she gripped Katara's hand, it was definite, the conditions of the South Pole left Toph hindered, but she effortlessly hid her consternation.
When they stood adjacent to the rest of the group, Katara began. "Toph, this is my and Sokka's grandmother, Kanna."
In unison, Toph bowed, while Kanna replied, "Hello my dear."
An oddly demure reply came from Toph. "Nice to know you."
Katara went on. "And you remember Pakku, and my dad."
"Nice to see you again," said Hakoda, bending at the waist, then sticking his hand out.
"DAD!?"
Confused by the tone, Hakoda frowned at his son, who had his palm on his forehead.
Through gritted teeth, and a rugged whisper Sokka corrected him. "She's blind."
"Oh," the chief stuttered, pulling his hand back. "Uh, I-I knew that. I did."
"If my eyes worked," Toph jested, " it would be nice to see you as well Chief Hakoda."
The chief let out a laugh at the light-hearted joke. "There's no formalities here Toph, just call me Hakoda."
"Good. I despite fuddy-duddy formalities, but since you are Sokka's father I thought I'd show a little decorum."
The man grinned at Toph with a reverence Sokka greatly appreciated, then his father said, "I appreciate that."
Throwing an arm across Toph's shoulder, Sokka elaborated, " Decorum huh? Since when do you care about decorum?"
With a tilted smirk, she reasoned that Hakoda had been the only gentlemen she had ever come across. He was deserving of her politeness. With the exception of Kanna, everyone snickered at her comment. The old woman merely stared at Toph with suspicion, and queried, "Toph, dear, if you don't mind me asking, can your eyes detect light?"
Baffled by the question, Toph quirked an eyebrow. "Uhm, no."
"Are you sure? Your pupils-"
"Gran-gran!" Sokka exclaimed, disrupting his grandmother from upsetting Toph. Sokka furiously shook his head, as if to warn his grandmother to not ask any questions about Toph's eyes.
He couldn't fathom what was wrong with his family's insensitivity. Regardless, Sokka did not want to upset Toph in any way. Not that she had ever felt sorry for the hand she was dealt, but considering the circumstances, he didn't want to remind his friend that she was incapable of seeing. That here, in the South Pole -where earth was hard to come by- she would have to depend on him.
"Uh..." Sokka droned, while thinking over anything that can deter the subject. "Gran-gran!" he exclaimed, "What's for lunch?"
An uncharacteristic giggle came from Toph. Silvery in tone. Practically, music to his ears. Sokka was glad to see she wasn't too miserable to laugh. He noted an inquisitive smirk came to her mouth as she tiled her head at his Gran-gran. "Has he always been obsessed with food?"
The old woman answered with a snicker. "More or less."
The group moved onward. Assuming the role as her guide, Sokka led Toph right into the communal hut where lunch was waiting. This time, there was no rebuff from her. Almost as if the vexation she aimed towards him escaped her mind.
While they ate, the discussion turned to the business and happenings of Republic City.
The first issue deliberated had been the surge in population. A drought had brought a germinating influx of people. Farmers were being pushed outward, towards the sea for food. While Yu Dao and Republic City citizens hope there would be more food inland; outside the city. This has caused a climbing rate in petty crime such as pickpocketing to outright stealing. And recently petty theft, had resulted in the murders of newlyweds.
Hopeful and bright eyed, this young couple had recently opened a grocery store. The shortage of food had made their store a target of a planned raid. Rather than sit back and watch their dreams be stollen from them, the couple fought. Which, unfortunately, led to their demise.
This had been one of the many attacks on new businesses in Republic City. Citizens pointed the finger at the newly formed triads. More specifically they blamed the gang that supposedly called themselves, the Natives. In return, the triads blamed the lack of food and rising murders on the foreigners. It was becoming a vicious cycle of condemnation and resentment.
The contention filled conversation went on. If it wasn't the expanding population, it was the food shortage. If it wasn't the housing crisis, it was the swelling crime. To escape the deliberation of political matters, Toph and Sokka quietly conspired. They needed an exit strategy.
This was supposed to be a vacation, not a bureaucratic meeting. The group's dialogue continued, not that Sokka's gran-gran had paid attention. For most of the meal, she had taken a keen interest on Toph's personal life. Eventually inquiring, once more, about the functionality of Toph's eyes.
That was the last straw for Sokka. No longer wanting to endure the serious of the conversation, or Kanna's incessant need to know about Toph's eyes, he came to his feet, snatched Toph by the arm, and politely pardoned himself, as well as Toph, from the lunch.
This is how they found themselves meandering down the frozen roadways of the village.
Once Harbor City had been a near ghost town, devoid of buildings and businesses. Now, it could pass for a thriving city. Sokka explained to Toph that there had never been an inkling of hustle or bustle. When he lived there, there was hardly people to contribute to the calmest of commotions.
As they wandered the streets, Sokka could tell the lack of earth was wearing on Toph's nerves. The extra barrier, in the form of boots, added to her expected her to sulk, but the thing that harassed her most was the surrounding metal. As limited as ore was to the South Pole, she could hear it ringing; beckoning for it to be bent and molded. To escape the tormenting sensation, she suggested they return to the hut.
Selfish as it was, this is why Sokka took her to stroll the frozen tundra. Where, hopefully, metal seized tormenting her, and he could have a bit more time to spend with her.
A few steps behind him, with her hands now shoved into the pocket of her coat, Toph was grousing. "Why would any intelligent human or living creature want to live here?"
Sokka took it for a rhetorical question, and aimed to ignore the twinge of curiosity balled up in his gut.
Since he saw Toph rushing off the meet Ohev, in the dead of night, he wondered exactly what happened. He did his best to put this out of his mind but he writhed with the image of Ohev leaning in for a kiss. The excitement of coming home had prevented him from mulling over the details. He hoped she wasn't careless, or self-indulgent. Not that this was any concern of his, but this was Toph. He would not allow himself to picture her fornicating with a boy that was a mere acquaintance.
Lost in his searching thoughts, Sokka missed when Toph slipped on a patch of ice, but he heard her raucous sigh.
Within a millisecond of hearing the whimper, Sokka spun around to find Toph on knees. Her back was hunched over, and her palms were pressed against the ground, bearing the weight of her defeat. She removed her hands from the ground and sat back on her heels. Behind her emotionless face, was suppressed anger.
Sokka knew he, shouldn't tease her but this was how Toph and he communicated. It could not be helped. "That's what you get for complaining."
"As if complaining isn't part of your normal routine."
Sokka took two long strides back to her, and bantered, "Are you gonna let me help? Or are ya gonna go on being stubborn?"
"Stubborn?" she muttered, trying to pick herself back up. " I'm not stubborn."
"It's in your nature Toph. Earth is stubborn, and so are you."
Lifting one leg, she flattened the sole of her foot on the ground. In the snow, the other knee still rested. She paused, as if she did not trust herself to stand.
"Let me help," Sokka insisted, hunching his tall body over to aid his friend. He clutched the back of her arm, just above the elbow and eased her onto her feet. "You have to be pretty stubborn to be able to bend the most stubborn element."
As she stood erect, and found comfort in standing, he saw her hand form an angered fist. The whitening of her knuckles, was telling. She was livid, but her face told another story. One of humility. She had deep sadly furrowed brows, and her lip was tightly pinned between her teeth.
"Your hands?" he interjected.
"What about my hands?"
Grabbing her by the wrist, he lifted her gloveless hands to his eye level, and did what he did best, teased her. "They're microscopic."
"Like your brain," she muttered to herself.
To check the temperature of her hands, he brought the back of her fingers to his cheek. They were ice cubes.
"And they're cold," he added.
She pulled her wrist out of his grasp. "No duh! We're only on the coldest continent in the world."
"You're fingers are probably numb by now. Do you want my gloves?"
Declining his generous offer, she shook her head. "Nah."
"Let's go back to the village and get you some mitts of your own then."
Turning around, they headed back towards the village. To be sure she didn't slip on a patch of ice he spotted, Sokka's arm snuck around her waist.
"Don't," she warned, and swatted at his hand like a fly. " I've never needed a seeing eye pig before, and I don't need one now!"
"I don't want you to wander off, or slip-"
"I know how to walk straight!"
"Then stay close." He humored her. "There's patches of ice everywhere, ya know, since we're on the coldest continent in the world."
"Yeah, you said that already." Toph tried to calm her irritation, but it was prevalent. Growing. In an orotund tone, she uttered, "These stupid boots are constricting. I can't see a thing."
Seeing Toph's eyes flaming with irritation amused him. The snarl she made, and her flared nostrils, tickled him to the degree of an uncontrolled smile. "It's kind of fun to see you frustrated."
"You're such a patronizing jerk."
"Patronizing? Me? Never."
"Fine. Sarcastic then."
"Sarcastic then," agreed Sokka.
[-][-][-]
Kanna was not as quiet and placid as Katara had insisted. In the several hours upon meeting the old woman, Toph had been probed with a slew of questions. The interrogation began with her eyes; their color and their functionality. Next the woman moved onto Toph's relationship with Katara and Sokka. She wanted to know how they all came to meet, and just how close Toph was to her grandchildren. These questions had not fazed Toph in the least, but Kanna showing avid interest in her love life was what could only be classified as off-putting.
Not that Toph found the topic too personal, she only had not expected to be asked about her dating-life. Let alone, asked about her dating-life by Sokka's grandmother. In truth, there was no simple answer to that question. The "casual partnership" she developed with Saturo could not be remotely close to dating. Neither could her betrothal. Which, coincidentally, was a subject Toph had yet to discuss with Saturo.
The opportunity to respond to Kanna's query never came.
Throughout the meal with Sokka's family, the Avatar and other dignitaries, Sokka and she had quietly began formulating a plan to ditch the lunch as delicately as possible. Except, when Kanna continued on with her questioning, Sokka, tire of subtly reprimanding his grandmother, snatched Toph by the arm, excused both of them and dragged her out of the hut.
Together they strolled through the village. In the center of the arctic town, Toph's ears grasped onto the quietest of sounds. Villagers pointed out Sokka's presence in hushed tones and fascination. Never had she realized how admired he and Katara were amongst the Southern Water Tribe. Any other conversation overheard, that weren't of Chief Hakoda's brave children, were of Republic City's instability and the Fire Nation's persisting New Ozai Society troubles. Though this movement slowed, it wasn't dying as Zuko and Mai hoped.
Pulses of air grazed Toph face as giggling children whizzed passed her and as quick stepping citizens sped by. Each time she felt the rush of air her heart dropped. Being unable to predict people's moves was unnerving. Even more agitating was the buzzing metal that was louder than the conversations she overheard. But the great need to bend was suppressed.
Without communication, Sokka and she drifted further and further from the loud town, and into the outskirts.
Out in the frozen clearing, it was quieter. The area was desolate; bare of vegetation. Of life. And Toph's being was no longer humming with the want of bending metal, but her senses were going haywire searching for any substance to latch onto.
The glacial terrain of the South Pole was an arrant contrast to the lush greenery and terra firma of the Earth Kingdom. There was no murmuring of water in a creek or wind slipping through trees, rustling the leaves. No crooning brides resting on branches nor chirping crickets hidden in tall grass. There was only dead air, and a deader landscape.
Already, the frigid stillness was beginning to drive Toph mad.
All that was nearby was Sokka.
For Toph, there was comfort in that. He anchored her senses with each rasp of breath, and shuffle of stride. No intrusive aromas interfered with his heady scent.
As they trekked on, Toph found that she could sense him with an acuteness that sickened her. He was her newly discovered sixth sense and in her curiosity, she focused so thoroughly on him that she became incautious with her steps. As if a rug was pulled from beneath her, the ground shifted. She lost her footing. Knowing Sokka's precise position, Toph reached out for him to resist a fall to the snowy ground. She had already fallen once, and didn't plan to again.
"You okay?" Sokka asked.
The question stung. Feeling weak was an unbearable thing, but still Toph's arms remained timidly wrapped around his upper arm. The shock of nearly falling and not knowing where she would land prevented her from pulling away. The girl lowered her head, ashamed at her helplessness. "How can you put up with my incompetence?"
His response was quick. "You're not incompetent Toph."
A coarse grouse rumbled in her throat like boiling water.
With greater conviction, Sokka proceeded, "Really, you're not. You're handling this better than I thought you would... You know, a majority of the time I forget you're blind."
This was true. When opportunity arose to mess with him, Toph took hold; pretending to see what he saw, complimenting him on his handsome appearance, or expressing how he just created the most wonderful piece of art. It perplexed her how in some moments he could forget she was blind, then in another moment he cautioned others to not mention her "disability."
"Well, I've never felt blind until you dragged me to the South freaking Pole you dunderhead!" As Toph insulted him, she nudged her elbow into his rib cage. The throaty laughter ringing in her ear was not the result she had hoped for.
All went quiet after Sokka's chuckle subsided. It was not until he removed the arms she had around his bicep, that she realized she was still clinging to him like a vine. How pathetic was she to desperately hold onto him like he was the apex of her existence. As if she would float away without him weighing her down, or fall without his support.
Sokka took her hand in his woolen mitts and began rubbing. As her fingers began to thaw, she did her best to ignore, Sokka; her sixth sense. All focus went to her other senses, such as the blood draining from her face, the frosty breeze against her face pricked her skin with numbness and the cool air she breathed in, icing her lungs. When Toph blinked, her eyelashes brushed against her long bangs. But nothing, not even the foreign sensation of her feet being bound, could dwarf his presence.
Even in all her efforts, Sokka was on her mind. More present as he huffed hot breath on her palm. How Toph wished to feel the warmth of his skin, instead of rough woolen mittens and hot breath. Even so, the pleasure of his attention filled her with both joy and indignation. It always had.
His attention then moved to her opposite hand.
"What am I even doing here?" murmured Toph.
Sokka, not knowing she was mumbling to herself, replied, "We're not here for leisure. Aang and Katara are getting married tomorrow."
"Why couldn't they just get married in Republic City?"
"It's Southern Water Tribe tradition to be married under a full moon."
"And they couldn't do that in Republic City?"
"Katara wanted to be home, and my gran-gran is getting preeeety old. A long journey would be uncomfortable for her."
That was sound logic Toph could understand.
The old lady was aging and with age came aching joints, creaking bones and unseen ailments. There would be no reason to make her suffer through a long journey.
"Besides," Sokka mentioned with a vast amount of enthusiasm," you get to try arctic-hen, and giant sea crab! OH! Seal jerky!"
"Oh!" She let out a derisive holler. " What-a-joy!"
With the mere thought of food, he hummed with premature euphoria. Toph was sure his tongue was wagging and drool was dripping from the sides of his mouth.
The sensation was returning to her fingers. She noticed how Sokka had both her hands cupped between his. As he breathed hot breath on her hands yet again, she inquired,"What are you doing?"
"Warming your hands."
She jerked her hands from his hold. "Well, knock-it-off."
Not a moment later, he patted her shoulder. "Try and be happy. We'll be gone from the cold and on Ember Island soon enough."
"I'll be happy when I can take these stupid boots off."
"You can take 'em off once I get a fire going in your hut."
Turning on her heal, she spun around and grunted, "Good."
Not even two paces in, Toph caught the patch of ice she slipped on earlier. She tumbled forward, landing sharply on her hip. She was not used to falling and the pain was a shock.
Rolling onto her back, and off the patch of ice, the thin layer of snow beneath Toph sank under her weight. Unable to sense her surroundings, she closed her eyes and simply laid there, stretching her arms wide, inviting any of her senses to take over. She inhaled the brisk air. The breeze licked at her face and laying in the snow was beginning to ice her limbs. What she felt most was the throbbing ache at her hip.
She heard the shuffle of foot steps, the crunch of snow beneath each stride and Sokka's laughter drifting overhead. Toph's eyes flew open at the sound. Blankly, Toph gazed up at the sky as if it had been the one snickering at her. With brows furrowed, she tonelessly questioned him. "Is my pain funny to you!?"
His laughter carried over her. "It's your own fault you're down there."
Standing over her, Sokka playfully reprimanded his friend. "If you would have quit being so hardheaded, and grab ahold of my arm or take my hand, you wouldn't have slipped and ended up on your back."
"And if I had just one rock," she muttered under her breath. She'd knock his lights out, for using such an unfortunate choice of words. On my back, she thought to herself. That statement roused unfavorable memories and a chill ran down her spine that was not from the frozen ground beneath her back. Too much cactus juice, and even more pent up emotions got her into a stupid wanton situation. Why did Toph think she could step away from that position satisfied? Ever since, she's been nothing but miserable; repeatedly reliving the affair in her head and contemplating the possibilities of having a relationship with Sokka.
Toph made a promise to herself. I'll never be on my back for him again.
"I don't get it," says Sokka, "You never used to be so resistant to my help before."
In her ire, Toph stretched out her arm and pressed hard on his shin, half hoping he would slip on the ice, but his stance was stable as tree root.
"Nice try, but I was born here. My feet are well adapted to ice…"
Toph, still lying on her back, rolled her eyes. "Sure."
"I," he exclaims, his hand dramatically floats to the sky as the opposite covers his heart. "Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe, have the amazing agility of a cat! The dexterity of a-"
A clump of snow hit him in the face before he could finish his sentence. Sokka's once cavalier expression fell to a countenance of annoyance. His lips curved downward. Eyelids heavy with annoyance.
Toph's hand shoot up, her fingers wiggling in the air. "Just help me up."
When their hands came in contact, Toph tugged her hardest while simultaneously pressing the bottom of her foot on his shin. Sokka, who was not as nimble as he claimed to be, lost his footing. An idiotic yelp came from him as he fell over and crashed into the ground beside her. Now on his belly, Sokka groaned and Toph did her best to suppress the snicker that bubbled up in her chest. However, she, never being one to leave well enough alone, began to stealthily gather snow. The fingers of her left hand, dug into the cold powder.
Toph, slowly preparing for her attack, had every intention to throw another snowball at his arrogant face.
Sokka's voice boomed and reverberated over the ice-covered vista. "Don't even think about it!" His broad gloved hand tightly gripped her wrist and the other pushed on her shoulder, pressing her deeper into the snow. "Let go," he warned. As he repeated himself, Toph could hear the smile in his voice. With her own amused smirk, Toph, choosing to be charitable, released the clump of snow.
She backed down, and since she did so, she expected Sokka to move, but he remained hovering over her, looming like a thick fog, or some profane thought she wish she didn't have. Explicit thoughts; of shifting bodies, rolling hips, a crescendo and a capstone. Disturbed by these unrelenting memories, a sullen heat surged through her veins. She wriggled her wrist a bit hoping to free it from Sokka's grasp, but he wouldn't loosen his hold. In a frantic way, she began to wiggle her entire person like a fish out of water. With her free hand she attempted to push his body from hers, but in her non-bender state she couldn't move him. To Toph's surprise, it was a struggle to quell him.
"Not so strong here?" Sokka taunted, "Are we?"
The second he released his hold on her wrist, she went to sit up but Sokka, being the irritating person her was, pressed down on her shoulders to keep her back flush with the ground. This exchange happened repeatedly. She attempted to sit up, he pushed at her shoulders. No longer willing to endure his tormenting, however flirtatious it felt, Toph drew her fist back and punched him square in the sternum. Not to inflict true pain but just enough force to shock him and prove a point.
"You underestimate my strength," sneered Toph. While Sokka rolled onto his back, she twisted about, coming to her hands and knees. Muttered un Sokka's break was the faint word fuck. Good, she thought, I hit him where it hurt.
As she readied herself to stand, the last thing Toph expected was to be caught off guard by Sokka. He locked one hand around her ankle, tugging firmly. Her body went flat before gliding backwards over the frost. She could have eluded him if she drew her leg back and kicked him in the face, but Toph would never intend to inflict genuine pain upon him. Though, as he grappled at her calves and she clawed at the snow, she was dangerously tempted to do so.
"You may be strong," huffs Sokka, digging his hold into her hips. Toph's body jerks back when he yanks on her waist, her back colliding into her chest. A tinge of coolness touches on her backside, and his lips almost brushing her ear. "But I'm pretty strong too."
Imprisoned between his muscled thighs, Toph struggles to pry off his grasp. The riposte Sokka's choose was to tether his arms around her like a rope, trapping her elbows against her ribs.
"Oh! And smart!"
The ringing of her eardrum was hard to ignore, but she found the strength to sneer. "What kinda moronic comeback was that?"
"Obviously, it is a retort that you cannot comprehend. For your intelligence is not as immense as my own!"
At his playful bravado, Toph suppressed a smile. Now matter how humorous his jeering was, she couldn't let him notice her growing amusement.
"And the best way display one's intelligence, is through... Sneak attacks!"
A heartbeat after his exclamation, an icy powder was shoved all over her face and into her mouth. After spitting up snow, she roared, "Sokka! You jerk! What the heck was that!?"
"Uh, it was snow, being shoved into your face."
Wanting to maneuver herself from his encompassing hold, Toph dug her heels into the snow, arching her back against him. The force she put into this tumbled their bodies backwards. The oversized hood covered her eyes and muffled Sokka's infectious laughter. As they toppled onto their sides, his strong arms bound her tighter. The movement of her arms were now completely restricted.
On the ground, they struggled against one another. The fervid scrambling dusted their clothing in snow. The pounding of Toph's heart, beat rapidly against her chest. With his arms around her, she found her bones were no longer frozen. And the South Pole no longer seemed unpleasant. Though, her insides were torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to put Sokka in a world of hurt. Unable to decide, Toph choose to grin because she was close to freeing herself from his clutches. Once freed, she lunged at him, pressing her forearm against his chest, tackling him into the snow.
He let out a hearty laugh. She, with her flushed cheeks, beamed down at him. And just as he had done, she stealthily took up snow and crammed it into his face.
There was no time to reveal in her successful retaliation.
In a flash, he effortlessly pushed her off him, yet so gentle that slipped into a kneeling position. He sat up and captured her in a headlock. With her face against his chest, she squirmed. The material of his parka damp from the snow. Her hands grasped at the solid arm that confined her neck.
Straight away, she became aware of Sokka's strength and her weakness, but her pride prevented her surrender. "I'm warning you Sokka!"
"Are you? I don't think there's much you can do."
That teasing timbre in his voice caused every nerve in Toph's body to tense. Just knowing Sokka had the upper hand was annoying.
"I've never realized this 'til now," he wheezed, fighting to keep her neck confined as she writhed against him, "but without earth around, you're not that frightening."
The arm around her neck was not constricting. She could breathe well, but being hunched over with a curved spine and knees in the snow wasn't exactly a pleasant position. Determined to gain an advantage, she contemplated resorting to petty defenses. Pinching him seemed childish, and biting him was impossible in her position. Elbowing him in the stomach merely made Sokka wince, but otherwise it did next to nothing. Toph then seized him by the midsection, and leaned into him until he tipped over.
Had there been any witnesses to their rough housing, most would assume Sokka to be the vilest of human beings. A man, tall and broad with muscle, picking on a young petite blind woman. Disgusting.
Though she was smaller boned compared to Sokka's brawn, Toph was tough and athletic. In a majority of situations, she could handle herself, but Toph had to admit that without her earth-bending, she couldn't outplay him. Not when the boots she wore blocked out her surroundings. There was no possible way for her to anticipate his next move. Also, being in a headlock didn't give her any range in movement.
"I give up!" uttered Toph, "I give up!"
After her neck was freed, she rolled away from her captor; legs sprawled out before her and her hair a complete mess. Toph pretended to be unaffected by their skirmish, but she was panting. She opened her mouth to curse him, except she involuntarily cracked a smile.
With the utmost pride, Sokka stated, "I just bested Toph Beifong."
She flung a curled into a fist at him, hitting him in the shoulder. "Of course you did, I'm blind."
For a few moments they sat in silence. Both listening to calm of the South Pole, and their erratic breathing level out.
Sokka gave a heavy sigh. "Toph?"
She turned her head to the direction of his voice. "Hm?"
Toph sat there, anticipating what he was about to say with great earnest. She could't imagine what he possibly say after their -quite rousing- wrestling match. It most often came down to her obstinacy get the best of her. Which, usually with Sokka, only resulted in a one-sided altercation; where she would blow up at him when the longing she felt for him was provoked.
The sudden swatting at her stiff shoulder was alarming, causing Toph to flinch. Her nerves calmed when she realized he was patting at her shoulders to brush the icy powder away. Then onto ruffle the snow from the hair at the top of her head. With his gloved hand, Sokka pushed her long bangs back, in a arduously gradual way. His touch froze on the side of her head. Toph, herself, stilled.
A palpable heaviness hung between them. With each breath she took, she wondered why he did not speak.
"What?" asked Toph.
His hand fell away from her head. A distracted hum escaped Sokka, before he found his words."You know you're not incompetent right?"
Sometimes, for a person as scatter brained, dimwitted and oblivious as Sokka, it's a wonder that he actually hears what she says sometimes. Toph really did feel as though she walked through South Pole with a disability. She even admitted this to Sokka.
Of course she wasn't incompetent, she knew that but, rather than defend herself, the only thing she found herself saying made her sound pathetic. "I am here."
"No, you're not. Not here. Not anywhere."
He spoke with the utmost sincerity, and Toph's deflated self-esteem ballooned up again. Feeling sorry for herself was not conducive to her situation. And Sokka was with her. He would never lead her astray.
Before she could contemplate this much fourth, he took hold of her and hauled her up to her feet. "Come on!"
He took her by the hand and began running.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Don't ask questions," rejoined he. Little did she know, his eyes glinted with excitement.
Sokka led her through the numbing cold, deeper into where desolation reigned. The snow beneath her soles seemed endless. Air became less bitter but wherever he was leading her, it was blustery. Their running slowed to a jog before developing into a brisk pace. The entire time, he held her hand, eventually shoving it into the large pocket of parka. He explained that since she choose not to wear gloves, this would keep her fingers from falling off. Sokka then made it clear that she would have to see that her opposite hand remained warm in her own pocket.
Toph grudgingly obeyed his suggestion, and mildly reveled in how he gripped her hand, all while stumbling her way through the snow. About ten minutes later, she let her frustration out. "Damn it Sokka, just tell me already. I want to get out of the cold!"
"We're close."
Toph noticed that the elevation was slightly sinking, then rising again. There was a cracking noise adjacent to them. A hollow echo of the noise reverberated just before a large mass came clattering down.
A mountain!? This was a hopeful speculation of Toph's. Where mountains stood, there was rocks, and dirt, and crumbling boulders. Just as she thought she heard. Then she felt it. Heard it. The shuffled of gravel beneath her step.
Her breath caught in her thoughts. "Sokka..."
At her gasp, Sokka halted and easily removed her hand from his pocket. With a sense of rejection, she curled her hand into a fist and dolefully shuffled her foot across the ground. The sound and feel of pebbled crunching made her feel slightly better. Just as she went to tuck her fist into her own pocket, Sokka snatched her hand, turning her palm towards the sky.
He placed an ice cold stone into her hand. "See? No incompetence. Your element's here."
Her fingers greedily folded around the rock. Squatting down, she stretched her fingertips towards the ground. She first felt a larger rock. A spontaneous grin materialized as she clapped her hands against the stone. It was misshapen, asperous and cold. Toph pressed her hand to the ground and her senses saw the earth curved into steeply ridged mountains, along with the valley between. The was no signs of human visitation and the soil carried on for miles.
This place was literally untouched earth.
Instantly, Toph sent a wave of boulders traveling through the valley. She found a multitude of the largest rocks and sent them crashing into the side of the mountain. With the wind picking up, she threw up walls of earth that swallowed she and Sokka. It was pitch black.
Sokka reminded her that he couldn't see, and she obliged him by bending a small window into the earth tent.
Together, they sheltered themselves from the gusty cold air by relaxing in the earth tent. Sokka began rambling about shiny ice caverns, striped glaciers and a green-tinted lake. His descriptions made little-to-no sense to her. Shiny and stripes were words that Toph hardly could cognize. And colors were beyond her comprehension. Despite this, she found his enduring enthusiasm for his homeland adorable.
Though, Toph held her face as undecipherable as possible. With derision, she allowed her lip to snag, and her eyebrows raise to show boredom. For his sake, she would feign interest by asking questions; such as why the smoking ice towers smoked. Not to be polite, or because she was genuinely interested.
For at least an hour, the couple held this constant back and forth. Sokka would give his explanation; so ardent and detailed that Toph automatically wound up countering his comments. She may have folded her arms with faux impatience, but really, she enjoyed hearing him talk.
When she became self aware of the perverse delight she felt as he spoke to her, she quit responding. No more questions, or comments. She gave him silence.
Sokka noticed her sudden impassiveness. "What're ya thinking Toph?"
Toph was thinking that there needed to be distance between them. Whether it be physical or emotional distance, she didn't care. She wanted to be alone, at least for the night, so she didn't have to fight with her emotions. Figuring Sokka would head back to the village, she pressed both her hands against the ground and decided, "I'm thinking, that I should stay out here until the wedding tomorrow."
"But, but that's tomorrow and you have... You have a hut," he objected. "Back at…" His words tapered off.
Sokka's words tapered off. He pulled the gloves from his hands and began unbuttoning his anorak coat. "Take your coat off."
Confused by his statement, Toph shook her head. "Wha!? No!"
"Real quick. Come on, come on," he pressed, shrugging out of his parka. "Take your coat off, I'm going to give you my sweater to wear. It'll be cold, so you need to stay warm while I go back to the village to get some extra pelts and furs..."
Prior to letting her nimble fingers unfastened the clasps of her parka, she threw her head back and let out a gauche moan.
While Toph begrudgingly peeled the coat from her shoulders, Sokka carried on, "If you're going to stay out here all night, I'll have to get a few oil lamps. They'll keep you warm at night. And you'll need a tarp..."
As Sokka listed of a number of supplies she may need, for a evening in the badlands of the South Pole, Sokka tossed his sweater at her.
Without argument, she pulled the warm piece of clothing over her head, successfully leaving her hair in a frizzy mess. Vanity was the least of her concerns. Despite the numerous layers of clothes she wore, a chill was crawling up her spine and hurriedly she pulled her coat on. She was about to fasten the clasps when she felt a tug at her lapels.
Sure Sokka was about about to help her, yet again, Toph swatted at him. "I can button it myself!"
Not sure what was happening, she buttoned up her jacket with shaking hands. It very well could have been the cold, but most likely it was because she was aware Sokka was watching her. For some illogical reason it frayed her nerves like a rope become unbound.
When she finished, Sokka stood-up in the dim earth tent and patted the debris from his pants. "Will you be alright here alone?"
"I can take care of myself."
Before Sokka left her, in what he called Dry Valley, he patted her on the shoulder promising he'd be back with camping necessities as soon as possible.
She didn't respond, and he didn't wait for one.
[-][-][-]
Several flags flapped lazily in the wind, and the scent of nothingness invaded Katara's senses. As she wandered, searching for her brother, her eyes devoured the sight of her growing hometown; so different from what it had once been. No longer were there sad little snow-domes, or small tents for living. They had been swapped for large wooden huts and buildings made of stone. At every turn, there were people. Settlers from the Northern Water Tribe came in droves and finally, the men were home from war.
When she came across Bato, Katara inquired about her brother's whereabouts. He pointed her in the direction of the supply hut. For some reason Sokka was preparing for a camp-out. Being no stranger to Sokka's peculiarities, Bato shrugged at Katara's questioning look.
It was only a matter of time before Sokka said, or did, something odd. No one really questioned his behavior anymore.
Katara made her way to what she considered an oversized shed. It must have been the supply hut because she noticed a bundled up tent and a canvas tarpaulin resting in the snow. The nearer she came she recognized cans full of whale oil and various sizes of kudlick lamps.
Katara eyed the supplies thinking, That bone-head really is planning a camp-out.
Whistling a joyous tune, Sokka exited the hut, observing the small kudlick in his hands. Going unnoticed by him, Katara watched her brother. He set the lamp down with the others, seeming perfectly content. She wondered how he could be this cheery with all the crap happening in Republic City? She couldn't get her mind off of it. Aang needed to be back there, and she could be helping the few healers there were in the city.
Resting her curved hip against the wood siding of the hut, Katara said, " It's nice to be home huh?"
Startled at the sound of Katara's voice, Sokka looked up. Relief flooded his features when he saw it was his sister. "Yeah," he countered, looking back at the supplies, "I never realize how much I miss it until we come back."
He walks back into the hut, and from the inside he bellows, "I forgot how cold it can get!"
"Me too. We're getting too acclimated to warm weather."
Sokka came out of the hut, holding a small oil can in one hand and a shovel in the other. He set the can down with the others and assessed what lied before him. Katara nearly asked about the camping trip he was planning, but ended up wondering where Toph was.
Sure her brother knew of Toph's sentiments about this vacation, Katara inquired, "How's Toph handling things?"
An exuberant smile formed on Sokka's face. "Oh, you know," he began, his determined eyed never veering from the equipment before him, "Ornery as ever, failing to accept that her self-reliance doesn't exist here."
Together the siblings barked out their laughs. Not because they found their friend's misery amusing, but because they both knew Toph made her -already difficult- situation worse. Rather than setting aside her adamant resolve, if only temporarily, she was determined to do things her way. This included refusing to wear socks with her brand new handmade boots, and no gloves on her adorably stubby little hands.
When their mirth died off, Katara studied her brother. He had rested his forearm on the end of the shovel, carefully surveying his resources. Yet, there was a distance in his eyes. Deliberate thoughts were rolling around in that head of his.
The muteness between them was brief. Sokka let out a a puffy sound that crossed between a sigh and a chuckle. He cocked his head, squinted an eye and looked to his sister. "Is it bad that I like seeing her completely helpless?"
"You mean you like her completely dependent on you."
"It's a nice change of pace." He shrugged. Then almost bashfully, he began fiddling with the snow shovel before leaning it against the hut. Below a whisper, he muttered more to himself than to Katara, "Might help her realize how useless I feel sometimes."
"I swear when it comes to Toph, you have some sort-of-a-complex."
Panning his eyes between the options of whale oil or the limited supply of kerosine, he announced, " A complex? Complexes are intricate pathological behaviors that are difficult to explain."
"True," She caustically responded," but I know better than anyone else, that you're not exactly charitable."
Offended by the statement, he gawked at his sister with widened eyes. "Uh… excuse me!?" He pressed his fingertips to his chest. "I AM very charitable. Look," he said, his arm outstretching to display all the camping gear that lied in front of them, "I'm getting all this ready for Toph, just so she doesn't freeze into an ice cube."
"BUT," Katara carried on, holding up a finger as if to imply he interrupted her, "when you do show any shred of altruism, it's usually towards her… And only her."
She might have exaggerated a bit, but she, as well as Aang, could see Sokka had a soft spot for the metal bender.
In confusion, Sokka's mouth hung open, appearing as if his brain forgot the natural action of inhaling. Then, his mouth closed as he cast his eyes out to the South. "I need a reason to be kind to my friend?"
"No. You're just kinder to her than others. Including me."
He shook his head and his lip snagged at the corner. He obviously felt that her statement was false, but he evidently was in no mood to argue with her. "What's your point Katara?"
"My point is, I think... you get gratification from Toph depending on you."
"I suppose I do," Sokka easily admitted, "It's nice to know that, when she needs it, I can help someone as amazing as Toph."
Katara nodded, resisting the urge to say bender envy might contribute to his incessant need to keep Toph content. Then again, there was always an underlying excitement whenever Sokka spoke about Toph. She speculated his fondness for her stemmed from the evening they spent together. It had taken her years to crack Toph. She confessed that she and Sokka had crossed a line in their friendship. Now Katara wanted to hear his side of the story.
"You help her out with a lot of things." By emphasizing her words, Katara tried her best to manipulate the conversation, but Sokka ignored her comment. He bent over, grabbed the kerosine oil can and walked it back into the hut.
When he exited he said, "She's fine now that she got her hands on some dirt."
"Dirt?"
"Dirt," reaffirmed Sokka. "I took her out to Dry Valley."
"Is that where she is now?"
"Yeah, she wants to camp-out, out there." Sokka lifted an eyebrow at the words he stringed together. "Out, out there?"
"You left her there!?" Katara slapped him in the arm. "Sokka it's too windy out in Dry Valley! Even on good days it can take half an hour to get there and if she needs to get back well, I know you tend to forget this, but she's blind! She can't see! "
"Calm down…Dirt and rock bring her a sense of comfort, and right now, here, in the snow covered South Pole, she needs to feel secure," Sokka said placidly. He really wasn't worried about her.
Katara rolled her eyes. "She has you doesn't she?"
Blind to his sister's sarcasm, he hummed in agreement. "Yeah."
What a blundering fool, Katara thinks. The attachment Sokka had to Toph used to be so subtle. They naturally gravitated around one another. Not too long ago Suki had been the center of his interests, but soon his worries shifted to Toph and now every thought he had, every plan he made, predominately involved her opinion or involvement. Sure, Suki was the one he was in love with, but Toph was his number one.
As she pondering these things, the girl tilted her head, giving her brother a considering look.
Sokka took notice. "What's that look for?"
"Nothing. Nothing." Katara blinked as inconspicuously as possible. "There's still miles of snow between here and Dry Valley. What if Toph needs us?"
"She has her element with her, -she was pretty excited about there being earth - but in case she decides to spend the evening there I'm going to bring these supplies."
Katara glanced at the supplies and internally considered, Maybe he feels guilty? What happened between them had clearly been quite unplanned. A fluke, never to occur again. And too make it up to Toph, Sokka choose to be nice; to wait on her hand and foot, until she forgave him.
"Maybe Aang will let you take Appa," Katara suggested, before bringing up the subject she originally wished to discuss with him. "Do you know the exact time Zuko's ship is scheduled to dock?"
"No specific time, just sometime tomorrow morning. Why?"
"There was another triad raid."
Similar to how a dog recognized distant noises, Sokka's ears perked up. "Where?"
"On the wharf."
"Has any one been arrested?"
"Not that I know of. By the time Kori Morishita came in from Yu Dao, she found four fisherman tied up and gaged in a port warehouse. The triad members were gone, and so was the boat."
"The boat?" doubted Sokka ,"What could they want with a fisherman's boat?"
"I'm not sure, they took that day's catch and the fisherman said a few of their crew members went missing. Aang's trying to use that new tele-graph machine to talk to Kori and find out the details, but I don't think he's using it right."
Mulling over her words, Sokka drew in his breath. "Tell Aang not to bother, I'll try contacting the Yu Dao Guard tomorrow."
In agreement, her head bounced up and down. Sokka knew how to use the telegraph machine and also mastered the dot-code. Plus, the message Kori sent, was more informative rather than urgent.
Sokka was silent for a moment. In contemplation, he began tapping on his chin, his blue eyes became remote. His expression serious.
"Kori stayed in Republic City?" investigated Sokka.
"I think so."
"Did she send any word on the those store owners who were murdered?"
"No, not yet."
Sokka looked over to his sister, the austere expression faded to a wry smile. "We can't do anything from here, so you and Aang need to reeeelaax. Unwiiiiind. To be tranquil, is to be unstressed."
Rolling her eyes at his idiotic advice, Katara replied, "Yeah...okay Sokka."
"We have a little over a week before we get back."
"Once we get Toph and a few other metal benders, in there, patrolling the city, maybe things will calm down."
He agreed, "Thank the spirits, she accepted the nomination."
Katara looked upon Sokka's peaceful expression and repeated, "Thank the spirits."
A/N: Here it is...Chapter twelve in its entirety; a cluster-fuck of words that I just couldn't look over again. Again, I got lazy at the end. Just to note, Samual Morse doesn't exist in this world, so I called Morse code the Dot-Code and if it wasn't evident frozen foot is frost bite. I also has some neat references for the ice towers (Mt. Erebus) and Dry Valley (McMurdo Dry Valleys/Wall Valley Wright Valley) in Antarctica, but I cut those descriptions from this chapter. Lastly, pay mind to the drama brewing within Yu Dao/Republic City. If you have any theories on what might happen next, I'd love to hear 'em. And remember, all reviewers get previews to the upcoming chapter. (This time it'll be extra long since it took so long for me to update) Thanks for reading. MUCH LOVE and HAPPY READING! -3H
Musical Motivation: Shuck by Purity Ring. I have no idea why... ?
Next chapter: The sweetness between Toph and Sokka will just rot your teeth. ;)