This piece is a companion to a piece of art named, "Ambushed." It was done by deviantArt's daughterofthestars, and is really worth a look, especially for fans of Toph/Sokka.
Dance, My Darling
"So, should I ask, or you?"
"What are you talking about, Sokka?"
"Dancing! We got music, we got a floor, you're here, I'm here, and neither one of us knows the first thing about it, so we should totally be out there in that crowd making fools of ourselves together. But, it won't work unless the right person asks first."
"Says who?"
"Oh, come on!"
"All right, all right. Well, usually the guy asks."
"So you want to do it."
"You know me so well, Shuffles. Now, shall we dance?"
"It t'would be my honor, milady!"
Where's Katara? WHERE'S KATARA? Toph was blinder than ever, unable to concentrate long enough to even remember she could Earthbend, never mind use it to find the Waterbender. She didn't need it to find Sokka, though. He was in her arms, colder than he should be, skin clammy and scary. She could smell the blood- there was so much of it- but it was what she heard that was really terrifying her. Sokka was gasping for breath unevenly, each groaning exhalation pushed off beat by delirious ramblings. Come on, Sokka, this is no time for funny!
You're not dancing!
You're never going to dance again!
The vibrations of Katara's approach struck Toph like fists, and she was forcibly shoved away by the Waterbender. Toph didn't care- Fix him! Do the water thing! Get him his feet back! SHUT YOUR LYING FACE AND DO IT!
Toph crawled back over to the patient, and placed her hands on his sweaty head.
"Woooooooo!"
"Go, Shuffles, go!"
"Ha! Big time finish!"
"That was fantastic! You looked great!"
"Thanks! You were... oh, come on, I'm trying to show you a good time, here."
"One way or another, I always get a good time out of you. We done here?"
"Done?"
"This next song is a slow one."
"Ah, little do you realize, this is where I sneak attack you."
"You can't sneak attack me if you announce it to me."
"Think again!"
"Sokka!"
"Relax, I've got you."
"Leggo."
"Just move to the music, Toph."
Toph hated explosions, just as much as the Fire Nation seemed to love them. She had no idea what they looked like, but it seemed like they were designed solely to disrupt her senses. One CRACK was all it took to ruin her hearing, to turn the world's orderly vibrations into a meaningless cacophony, to knock her off her feet before she could summon her Earthbending.
One CRACK was all it took to take Sokka's legs off just below the knees.
He was still babbling, talking about being lighter than air as he pranced across the ballroom that existed only in his mind. His voice rose and fell as his ability to breathe came and went. Toph wanted to do something, anything to make him stop, and that was why it hurt so much when his voice trailed to silence and his heart stopped beating. It had to be why Toph hurt, because she was blind in more ways than one, and never realized that the bleeding boy in her arms had become her greatest vulnerability.
There was shouting going on around her, but Toph was oblivious. She sobbed.
She sobbed, and pounded Sokka's chest with all her strength.
"This isn't so bad, is it?"
"You're holding me too close to you."
"I'm pretty sure that's the idea. Everyone else seems to be doing it."
"Well... maybe it isn't so bad."
"Victory!"
"That's what you think."
"GAH!"
"Who knew Earthbending was good for dancing, too?"
"Toph... Toph, can you let me up?"
"Isn't this what we're supposed to be doing? I think it's called a 'dip.' "
"Yeah, but the girl isn't supposed to dip the guy!"
"So then we're right on track?"
"Yeah. I guess so."
"You know, Sokka, you're pretty light on your feet for a Meathead."
"My feet have nothing on yours."
"Then we're right on track."
Sokka had fallen asleep hours before, but Toph was still dangling from the cliff of wide-awake exhaustion. She sat next to his bedroll, inert as a rock, moving only to periodically check that Sokka was still breathing. It was the least she could do, after breaking down while Katara worked. The Waterbender had said that Toph had actually helped, that her pounding on Sokka's chest had kept him breathing long enough for Katara to bring him back.
Toph was too upset to tell, but she suspected Katara was lying to make her feel better. It would be just like the Waterbender to cover up her own turmoil by mothering Toph.
Sokka groaned and tried to sit up, and Toph was finally pulled from the echoing darkness of her own thoughts and into the real world. "Sokka?"
"Toph?" Another groan. "Hnm, feel awful."
"Katara said that you went into shock. You almost died."
"Mkay... She okay? Aang?"
"They're fine. They're resting. You really wore Katara out." Her breathing stopped, just for a moment. "Do you remember what happened? What we talked about before you went loopy?"
He was silent for so long that she thought he had gone back to sleep. Then he opened his eyes, and spoke clearly. "We were attacked."
"Yeah."
"Bombs."
"Yeah."
"Then... we danced?"
"That was last week." Her voice hitched. "You got hit."
Sokka stared at her, then lifted his blanket and looked underneath it. "Aw, dang. Aw..."
"Yeah."
They were both silent for a bit, after that. Toph laid her head down his chest, and his hands found her hair. He was the first to resume the conversation. "I guess I'm going to have to make new plans. Chiefs and hunters have to be able to stand and fight."
"Just like Earthbenders."
"I was never one of those."
"Yeah." She fought back tears. "I'm glad I got a chance to dance with you."
"You'll get more. Teo can show me some moves. Or maybe Ty Lee can teach me to dance on my hands."
She sat up, and looked with amazement at him. "How can you... now... ?"
"I suspect painkilling herbs are at work, but mostly because Katara's okay, and Aang's okay, and Zuko's out there somewhere doing okay, and you look like you need some Okayness yourself."
She laid back down on him. "Yeah."
"Don't worry. They missed my best feature."
"Your brain?"
As ever, he moved smoothly, dancing with a grace Toph didn't need to see. "Nope. My family."
END
