Prompt: Soulmates
Word Count: 2,659
since we'll always meet again.
Korra's boredom exceeded an all time peak today. Toph making no point of doing anything or only beating her up and slugging her around like a ragdoll proved to be highly uninteresting activities. But this time around, she wasn't even doing anything. She was suddenly reserved and sat on her bed, eyes closed and legs crossed. It seemed like she was meditating, but Korra honestly had no idea.
This was the quietest she had ever heard Toph.
For the most part, times like this she would at least be snoring fast asleep. Other times, she liked to play with mud sludge or something to that effect. And it wasn't like Toph not doing anything was strange. They had been doing a lot of nothing these days. But this kind of "nothing" felt solemn. It was one of those atmospheres where one can just sense someone is feeling negative in some shape or form. The Toph that sat before Korra was no different. Actually, this was the most different she had ever experienced out of her since meeting the old lady.
Part of Korra wanted to ask what was up, or what was on the agenda for today. Yet she knew a verbal insult or sarcastic remark would be the best outcome of that result, the worst being a rock pillar to her face. But… her empathy broke out for her current mentor. Something inside her just told her to step forward and say something.
"It's the day he died."
Korra startled at Toph's sudden soft voice. "U-Uh, what?"
The blinder bender turned herself around, wearing a sullen face. She released a shaky breath. "Today's the day," she elaborated quietly, "the die Aang died."
The Avatar's face fell. "Oh." She shot a sad sympathetic smile to Toph. "I'm… I'm sorry." The old woman merely shrugged, swallowing a hard breath. "How… How do you know?" she curiously inquired.
Toph chuckled. "I just do." She tilted her head up. "I just know things…"
::::
"An anniversary?"
Aang frowned at her. "Not just any anniversary Toph, our five year anniversary!" he emphasized. "Five years of marriage! And it's coming up soon!"
She cringed. "Ugh, I've been tied down that long?" She could practically sense his scowl, causing her to laugh. "Aang c'mon, you know I'm joking."
"Yeah, but this is serious," he whined as he crossed his arms.
She sat up from her spot on the couch within their living room and shot him a pout. Patting the empty space beside her, she nodded at him to come over. Once he wordlessly sat beside her she wrapped an arm around him. "Okay, then hit me."
Aang sighed. "I just feel like we should celebrate important dates. It's an honour to the events that occurred, you know?"
She jutted out her bottom lip. "No lame restaurants."
"That's fine! We don't even have to stay here in Republic City!" Aang compromised. His face lit up as he added, "I'll take you rock sledding down Mount Omashu!"
She grinned. "You know me too well, Twinkle Toes."
::::
"Why do I gotta celebrate my dumb brother's birthday?" Lin grumbled, crossing her arms.
Toph sighed as she led her seven year old daughter around the market district. "I told you: it's important."
She scoffed as she picked up a small bison stuffed animal, examining it with mild interest in spite of her blank face. "But it's just one birthday. He'll have plenty more."
Her mother frowned. "It's not about how many he gets, Lin, it's about…" she stepped toward her daughter, grabbing her hand gently. "It's about celebrating important dates," she fondly smiled, "and honouring the events they represent." She brought her daughter's hand down to her protruding belly. "Soon, you and Tenzin will be doing the same for your little sister."
The prospect of that concept made her daughter's heart quake with excitement. "Okay Mom."
::::
"Moooooom!"
Toph held back her groan, lifting her hands up from her paperwork she was reading. Braille paperwork was considerably easy to read, but annoying in that losing her place in a report was a major setback. But judging from her youngest's whines, it sounded like it was some level of importance.
"Yes, Su?"
Suyin, ripe age of six, wandered into her office and pouted. "Tenzin and Dad won't play with me and Lin's still sleeping."
She frowned at the bit of information. Lin had been overworked all day yesterday from their Earthbending training, and Aang had scolded both of them into giving her rest today. Toph herself actually agreed with the notion, and so she felt bad about neglecting her youngest daughter to playtime with their oldest. And well Tenzin…
"You know Lin is tired, Su."
She continued to pout. "But Tenzin…"
Toph sadly smiled. "He's… reflecting… today. With your dad." She could feel her daughter's confusion and leapt toward her, placing her hands on her shoulders. "Today's a sad day for your dad. And… part of Tenzin's training is… well, learning about why today's a sad day."
Suyin tilted her head. "Is this like how we celebrate important dates?"
She nodded. "Sort of." She brought her daughter in for a hug. "Some dates are really important. But… they're celebrated differently." She pulled away and smiled at her. "How 'bout you help me with work? So you and I can play?"
"Okay!"
::::
"Toph?"
She blinked out of her thoughts and turned her head towards Korra's voice. "I just know. I know my important dates."
Korra nodded, taking her for her word. Besides… something inside her told her that Toph was right. "How… uh, do you want to talk about it?"
Toph shrugged. "What's there to talk about?"
The Avatar mimicked her response, shrugging herself. "I-I just thought talking would—"
"The dumb Dunderhead died before me," she hoarsely spat out. "He died… of a damn heart condition and died so long before his time…" she quietly croaked out. "There's nothing to talk about."
A silence stirred.
"Is that why you're here?"
"I'm not running from my past," Toph gritted out.
"I didn't say you were!" Korra quickly defended.
She sighed. "Being here… it feels like a step closer to being with him," she admitted. When Korra cocked a brow and asked how, she elaborated, "I was never one for the spiritual mumbo jumbo… but… this place's energy and connections… I feel like I'm touching a part of him whenever I set a foot here." She smiled, taking a deep breath and exhaling softly. "I try that whole meditating shtick and it works wonders apparently."
"You meditate?"
She scowled. "Don't be so surprised!" She shot a smirk. "I doubt you were much of a meditator yourself."
Korra snorted. "Tenzin practically had to force me to sit with him." She chuckled. "His wife said it was like watching a father make his daughter eat vegetables."
Toph laughed, imagining such a scene before her at Air Temple Island. "Does that make you my honorary grand-daughter?" she teased.
She laughed. "Only if your doting presents aren't in the form of those 'lessons' we've been having."
"Ugh, what a crybaby," Toph smirked.
Korra merely rolled her eyes. "I figure Aang would be the more doting type, no?"
Toph's smirk faltered at that.
::::
"Aang," Toph's firm voice froze the room still, "he's had enough."
Aang looked over his shoulder from his and Tenzin's Air Nomad texts and seethed at the sight of his wife's frown. "U-Uh, just one more book, Dear—"
Tenzin's heart dropped at that and Toph's brow's flared. "Tenzin, you can go play with your sisters now."
His eyes lit up as he shot to his feet. "Really?" She nodded. "Thank you mother!" he exclaimed, rushing toward her with a hug before departing.
Aang sighed, turning back to his work and closing all the books splayed across the table. "I know, I know," he grumbled as Toph moved to sit beside him.
"If you know, why am I always reminding you?" she quirked a brow, half-frowning at him. "He's only eleven. Let him be a kid—like you were."
He chuckled. "I was also saving the world when I was around his age."
"And you also wanted to be a kid, remember?" she shot back. "We both did." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's let them have their fun for now. We've got time." She grinned widely as she added, "I think we should go on a trip to Kyoshi Island together. As a family vacation."
Aang nodded, smiling into her lip as he pecked them softly. "And you think I'm the one that spoils them."
Her face flushed a tad as she shrugged. "Someone has to."
::::
"He was a softy, that was for sure," she solemnly said. "But he'd tell you it was the other way around for me." She shook her head, chuckling all the same.
"Was he a romantic?" Korra childishly teased, waggling her brows more for herself than for Toph.
She snorted. "He was a dork."
"Ahhh, usually reactions like those mean he had his moments," Korra wagered.
Toph smiled as she corrected her, "His dumb moments… but sure, he had 'em."
"What about you?"
Toph shrugged. "Personally, I didn't think I was."
"But what about Aang?"
She furrowed her brow. "Didn't we just go over that?"
"No," Korra drawled. "I meant did Aang think you were?"
::::
"So yeah, Zuko decided our honeymoon would be a month long!" Katara cheerfully announced. "I know he goes in over his head, but he said he wanted to spoil me so I guess I'll indulge him this time," she giddly said.
Aang chuckled, careful not to stir the sleeping Toph on his shoulder. "I'm happy for you Katara. You two certainly deserve a lengthy trip like that."
"What about you and Toph?" she flipped back to them. "You guys have anything planned? Or is her sleeping the main event as always?" she teased, eliciting a laugh from the Avatar.
In actuality, Toph was actually awake. She only pretended to sleep because Katara's stories about the Fire Nation were so boring she faked snoring and then pretended to really snore as she leaned on Aang. It was a convenient way to excuse herself from the conversation too, though she never knew if Aang was aware of her conscious state or not.
"No, nothing of note yet," Aang answered.
"Yet?" Katara echoed.
Aang shook his head. "It's not like I expect Toph to spontaneously make plans here and there."
"Oh come now, she must have some gestures."
Aang fondly smiled. "Of course she does." And he could list them all. "But I know better than to invoke her wrath by giving you blackmail material."
Katara mocked a pout. "Whaaat? Because the World's Greatest Earthbender isn't as tough as she proclaims?" she sardonically enthused. "Please, that was obvious the day she kissed you in front of us."
Aang shook his head. "Even still, I know better than to give you more ammo. Besides," he turned to Toph, kissing her forehead. She allowed herself to smile, because even if she was sleeping, she'd still react like that. "What she does for me, is for me. I'm fine with keeping it to ourselves."
::::
"Aang knew me better than I knew myself," she answered. "Sometimes it felt like it was more take than give, like I was the one who got the better half of the deal." She scoffed as she shook her head. "I mean, a blind girl meets a kind hearted boy with endless compassion? Charity case in the making." A humourless laugh escaped her. "But… I came to learn one of the biggest things he'd ever get upset about is my doubt in myself."
Korra curiously asked, "How do you mean?"
"He didn't like that I thought any less of myself compared to him when it came to us. Because he never saw us as give and take." She smiled sadly at Korra. "He just saw us whole. Give and take was just part of the whole, just like love and hate, praise and critique—he was so cheesy and insightful." Toph groaned, throwing her head back and earning a laugh from Korra. "He was so annoying."
"In good and bad ways?"
"In good and bad ways," Toph agreed.
Korra rested her elbow on her knee and placed her chin on her hand, smiling at Toph. "You really loved each other, huh?" Toph choked back at that, but nodded all the same. Korra straightened herself up. "Can you be honest with me?"
"Uh oh," Toph mused, "and here I thought only I was playing the serious card today."
"Toph."
She sighed. "Go on," she waved her hand.
Korra took a breath. "Are… Are you disappointed in me?" she softly asked. "As the Avatar?" Toph's eyes widened at that. What a loaded question. "I… would Aang be disappointed?" she whispered. However, in spite of its heavy handed delivery, in spite of how weighted the conversation would be…
Toph answered immediately.
"No," was the simple response.
"No?"
She shrugged. "Nah."
Kora blinked, clearly befuddled. "B-But—"
"Listen Kid, you've made mistakes, you've grown. You're stronger than Aang in some ways and you're weaker than Aang in others." Toph scooted close to the edge of her bed, letting her legs hang loose as she rested her arms on her knees. "But you know what? Aang ran away from his whole home when he was young. He went against the 'wisdom' of his past lives when he dealt with Ozai. For all that, I'm pretty sure every past Avatar's felt like they're a disappointment.
"He wanted to create Republic City, I mean, how ambitious is that?" she amusedly pointed out.
Korra chuckled. "You're one to talk. You were their Chief of Police."
She sighed. "Yeaah, but that was more of Twinkle Toes' advice egging me on. Not that I minded entirely," she earnestly replied. "Still," she smiled at Korra, "I don't think I can ever think you're a disappointment. And keep in mind I'm only saying this once!" she hastily added. "I might tease ya about it, but you are not a disappointment Korra."
The sense of relief the young woman released after that made Toph chuckle. "Thank you Toph." She awkwardly rubbed the back of her head. "I, uh, I'm kinda of surprised you know the right things to say."
"Hey!" she yelped offendedly. "I taught your mentor, didn't I? And two of the baddest Metalbenders the world's ever seen!"
Korra rigorously nodded.
"Ungrateful," Toph muttered, folding her arms across her chest with a pout. Korra merely laughed at her reaction, leaving Toph to smile a tad. It didn't sound like Aang's. It didn't echo like his did. But… felt it sure felt like it. "Thank you, Korra."
The Avatar's laughter ceased as she shot her current mentor a confused look. "What? Uh, what for?"
::::
"Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?"
His hand slipped into hers with ease, embracing their interlaced fingers ever so reassuringly. It was telling how much his hand could say with one gesture. It said faith… trust… love… it had genuine hope. And Toph smiled.
"I don't see why not," came his soft reply.
::::
She just shook her head, smiling to herself. "Just for being here. That's all."
"Aww, Toph I—"
"You only get today!" she pointed a warning finger. "Tomorrow is extra hard mud time. Actual rocks too!"
Korra balked. "Ah what! Because I saw you cry?"
Her brows flared. "Keep talking and boulders will be thrown into the mix!" She placed her hands on her hip. "That was one thing Aang knew how to do and it was listen to me!"
Korra continued to wilt and wince at each degrading shout Toph slung her way, as she threatened her with the cruelty that would be tomorrow's lesson. At each flinch and sigh, Toph's mischievous smile grew and grew. In more ways than one… this was pretty nostalgic too.
A/N: Honestly, this has always been the kinda of storyline I wanted to pursue with Taang in Legend of Korra. Of course, for obvious reasons this is an AU canon divergence. And just to get it out of the way, Lin, Tenzin, and Suyin are Taang's kids in this universe. Lin is two years older than Tenzin, and Suyin is five years younger than Tenzin.
In this prompt, Soulmates was easy to play with as I always thought Toph reuniting with Korra was an act of that itself! I'm not a fan of soulmate AUs to be honest, not entirely my cup of tea, but I think with the way the Avatar cycle engages with the people and spirits around them it's a form of Soulmates that I think I vibe with.
Making Toph a mentor to Korra was agreat choice in the canon, and I love how she actually had wisdom to inflict onto Korra. So I took that aspect and applied a Taang approach, wondering how she would view Korra as a piece of Aang but also as a grand-daughter in the way she connects her as Tenzin's somewhat adopted daughter but also that she just thinks of her like that! Of all the oneshots, I think this definitely has the most legs for a story—not to say I'll pursue it anytime soon! My other Taang fanfic, Legend of Avatar on FFN, kinda delves into a similar concept.
But even THAT one I've yet to return to. All in all, I just like this story's concept. And I hope you did too.
Until next time,
- Bleh