but she hurt.
"Are you dancing?"
Toph stops pacing. She knows his steps before he appears. Sokka. His heart beats calmly. "Go ahead, Snoozles. Laugh as you like."
"Nah. I won't do that." She swears there's a smile in his words. She waits. He takes two steps to her. Why doesn't he go? Why is his heart beating a little faster? "Hey. Dance with me?"
She waits. She waits. His hands reach for her. She obliges. She always knows better. And although he takes her awkwardly, their bodies close, but not close enough to share the warmth, he leads her.
"What're you doing here all alone?" he asks after a long pause.
"I thought you already saw."
He chuckles. "I mean, why alone? You can—"
"What? Trip down the cliff?"
"I'm trying to be nice here." There's a frown in his tone.
Toph curses under her breath. "Well, don't bother."
"What're you thinking?"
You.
"Something I can't get."
"Huh. That's pretty pathetic."
"So is my life."
"Why—what is it, Toph?" Sokka stops altogether. "You've never been this bitter."
"I just..."
She just feels so useless. So alone. So lonely. In this world full of company, she's alone that lonely. And she wants to dance away the pain. And Sokka...
"Your girl's calling."
He jerks his head, unsure. "'sokay. Suki can wait."
"No, she can't." No, she can't. Neither can he. Toph pushes his hands. Her chest hurts, so hurts, it freaks her. What if she starts bleeding?
"Toph—"
She punches Sokka playfully, then walks into darkness. "Go. I need fresh air."
Avatar and its character belong to Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko.