A/N: Real short chapter here, like probably the shortest in the whole story, but at least updates are currently frequent so that's a good thing!
Toph's POV:
I remain seated, mulling over Katara's words in silence and I find myself shaking my head. 'What a big mess. For how well in tune those two are, they sure know how to drive each other so far away. And I just let it all happen like this. I can't believe I didn't even know half of this stuff. I mean admittedly I was just setting up my Metalbending school and having issues with my parents but surely I couldn't have been that oblivious.' I shake my head again. 'You know what i don't care anymore. It's in the past and I'm not going to blame myself for it anymore, it's time to take the Airheads advice and leave it all in the past and focus on the future.' I sense a pair of familiar footsteps nearing my table. 'But first one more thing...'
"Yup must be really fed up with the party if you're seating here quietly by yourself." Sokka teases as he and Zuko pull up a seat. I shrug.
"Katara was here a couple of minutes ago, so I wasn't really by myself."
"Oh yeah? Where is she now?" I sense as Sokka turns his head from side to side in an attempt to find his sister.
"Probably just went for a walk in the gardens." I say nonchalantly and then direct my unseeing gaze to Zuko.
"So you and Katara were never a thing huh? You know I never did think you two matched well anyway." I sense as both Zuko and Sokka drop their jaws in shock. Zuko gets over it first and shakes his head.
"So I'm guessing she told you?" The Firelord asks in meek confirmation to which I mod my head. A slap to the table a second later makes me wonder what Sokka's reaction will be.
"I knew it! There was no way the two of you guys got together, it was so weird and you barely saw each other." It takes him a while but Sokka gets the drift and soon follows up with a question. "Wait, why on earth would you pretend you were? That was the thing that drove Aang away in the first place!" I hear the underlying fury in the ponytailed warrior's voice; the same fury I felt mere minutes ago.
"You know what Katara was going through with Aang and the council. She couldn't take it anymore and decided to take a break from it all. She...we didn't mean for it to go this badly. If I could rewind, I'd do it in a heartbeat!" Zuko's sincerity is enough to cool Sokka down and to an extent myself included.
"That still doesn't make it right. What was wrong with just talking to the guy?" I tilt my head, 'exactly what I said.'
"Maybe because he wasn't listening or the council were pressing too hard on him." Zuko's responds with a shrug.
"And what about now? Have they left him alone?" The ponytailed warrior questions. A beat of silence ensues and I raise an eyebrow at Zuko's sudden clamming up.
"He's...still having problems. You'll probably hear about it when we go to the meetings." I blink at the Firelord's pause, knowing that there's obviously more to his words than he's letting on, but I decide not to pursue him for it, 'might as well wait and listen to what the meetings of the Air Nation are about.'
"Great, something to look forward." I grin slightly at Sokka's sarcasm. I sense as he shifts on his seat in discomfort. "While we're on the topic of all this dreary stuff, I thought I might as well mention that...well Aang showed me his scars last night." My eyes widen and I hear Zuko's sharp intake of breath. For once I find my mouth clamped shut despite how much I want to ask him how bad is it really. Fortunately, Zuko doesn't seem to have lost his voice as he opens his mouth to voice the question that's been burning in my mind for a while now.
"And how bad is it?" The Firelord asks, dropping his voice to a hushed whisper. Sokka massages his temples for a moment before looking back up at us.
"Bad, so very bad. Much worse than what I was anticipating. When Azula said that he has scars littered everywhere I was assuming she was exaggerating, but she wasn't." I feel my heart turn to lead and I can't help the scowl that graces my face.
"Couldn't you be a little less pessimistic when you give bad news?" I retort harshly, but honestly I couldn't imagine anyway that I could've broke the news any gentler, especially as I'm the queen of everything blunt.
"I'm sorry! I'm still getting over it to be honest. It was so overwhelming! Especially the one on his stomach." Sokka states seriously and I sense his shiver. "And..." The Water Tribe Warrior takes a shuddering sigh and puts his head into his hand which he leans onto the table. "...he's got a scar from when we...us." Sokka swallows audibly and I feel myself going pale. 'No, no NO!' And suddenly the memory of when I heard Aang crying in wrenching agony about 20 months ago flashes before me, making me feel like vomiting. I clench my jaws so tightly that I feel the veins pulsing along them in barely restrained rage. I get up abruptly. Nearly toppling my chair as I do so.
"Toph...are you...it will be alright." But I'm not listening, because nothing will ever be alright. 'Everything I do just ends up being wrong. I mean for spirits sake I gave Aang a scar! For what?! How am I any different from those assassins?!' I nearly punch the wall beside me. "Toph, say something." Sokka's words bring me out if my thoughts and I can just feel the levels of understanding rolling off him, but that's not what I need right now. I force myself to calm slightly, not wanting to find myself snapping at Sokka for no reason.
"I'm fine. I'm just going to get some air, maybe walk around the city hall or something." I say stiffly and if I could see I'm sure I would see his big sympathetic eyes looking up at me.
"Are you sure?" The ponytailed warrior asks softly.
"I'm sure. Just give me a few moments to myself."
"Ok...just know that Aang forgives us for it." I gulp back the bile that threatens to come out when I internally hear Aang's scream.
"Of course the Airhead does. He needs to learn how to hold a grudge sometimes." I mutter and make quick strides to my office located at the side of the hall. 'Its times like this that I'm glad I brought a punching bag to work because right now I need to punch something hard and repeatedly.'
A/N: So I thought to give Toph a bit more of the limelight since we haven't had her POV for a while and also wanted to show a bit more insight of Sokka's feelings regarding Aang's scars. Next chapter we see Katara talking to Aang! Dun dun dun.
25/9/19
