ATLA/LOK Oneshots

Light in the Darkness (Tokka)

Toph didn't expect this. No, she did. She just didn't... want today to turn out this way.

She'd been sitting in the comfy chair in the Jasmine Dragon for hours now. She knew Iroh didn't mind. When the business died down he'd come over and sit with her, and they'd talk for a bit before he was needed. She quite enjoyed her conversations with the wise old man. When she didn't know what to do some sage words of advice were always welcome, even if she didn't always understand them.

You weren't supposed to be alone today, but yet she was. She was and she hated it. Katara had Aang, Zuko had Mai, Sokka had Suki. She was the only one of her friends without a lover.

That's fine. The greatest earthbender in the universe doesn't need romance!

So then why did it hurt so much that she was without it?

She felt someone walk over to her, and by the warm temperature, she guessed it was Iroh. "Here you go Toph." The old man said as he set down a steaming cup of tea. "You looked like you could use some. Tea can solve anything!" Can it solve this?

"Thanks." The bender said with a small smile as she sensed Iroh pull out a chair and sit down.

"Hmm. You seem... confused." Iroh said, always so insightful.

Toph thought for a moment. "I... I am. I don't know why. I have all these feelings and I don't know what to do with them or where they came from and I don't even know if I should be feeling them because I'm awesome and these feelings... they don't make me feel so tough. And it's like... I can't just ignore them you know? Like they keep coming back to me over and over again and I can't stop them."

Iroh took this in, listening carefully. After a moment the firebender spoke. "Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving you will come to a better place. Our feelings... they should not be ignored. But we can not let them consume us either. Take some time to find yourself, to find who you are, and it will become clear."

Toph gave a half-hearted grin. "You always know what to say, Iroh. But... how? How would I... find myself?"

"Sometimes, the best way to solve your own problems is to help someone else." The old man replied.

Even though the bender's thoughts were still swirling around her head and she was confused out of her mind, she appreciated the firebending master's advice. She thanked him and Iroh went to the backroom to do who knows what. Probably meditate or organize tea bags...

Toph heard the door open and the dragon bell ring. The customer walked in with heavy footsteps. They didn't speak but... they felt familiar. As the person came closer she recognized their presence. Sokka.

The water tribe boy staggered over to the seat behind her, not noticing the earthbender. Iroh must've heard the bell because Toph felt him walk in. She heard Iroh gasp and run over to where Sokka was seating. This confused the bender, obviously. But then she heard... crying? Was that right? She felt small drops hit the floor... tears? Was Sokka... crying? Sokka, one of the bravest people she knew?

She felt Iroh holding Sokka, so obviously, he wasn't okay. You should see what's wrong with him. But you're not good with this type of stuff... what if I screw him up more?

She heard the warrior gasping for breath, trying to speak through his tears. Iroh just kept embracing the boy, comforting him.

Then she heard Sokka whisper, "S-s-suki. She said... she... she said... she doesn't love me. That she... that she never loved me... that it was just a-" He didn't finish. Because at that moment he let out a gut-wrenching sob and completely shattered.

Toph was, to say the least, uncomfortable. She didn't know what to do. She... she was never good with feelings. And Suki isn't like that, wouldn't do that. Would she?

But this was her teammate. It's Sokka. Her best friend. The blind earthbender remembered Iroh's words. "Sometimes, the best way to solve your own problems is to help someone else."

The bender got up and put her hand on Iroh's shoulder. The firebender turned his head to look at her and, guessing at what she meant, let go of Sokka and stood up, letting Toph replace him.

For a few seconds, Sokka didn't lookup. But he did when he noticed a much smaller hand on his head. What he saw through his blurred vision confused him. Toph, tough Toph, the toughest earthbender on the planet, sitting next to him in a very uncomfortable stance. He could see the discomfort in her body, but when he looked into her milky eyes he saw an emotion that he had never seen on his friend before. Sokka couldn't explain it but... it was... nice?

Toph tentatively stroked his dark brown hair and strangely, it calmed both of them down a little. There was something so comforting in this innocent gesture and after a few minutes of this interaction, she stopped. Confusion once again filled his tear-streaked face and bloodshot eyes at the sudden loss of contact, but he didn't have to wallow in this loneliness for long before he felt strong, muscled arms slowly encase his torso. Was... was Toph... hugging him? And not in an "I'm gonna squeeze you so hard that your intestines spill out through your ears" kind of way. In a loving, almost... gentle embrace.

Those were three words he never thought would be associated with the earthbender: calming, hugs, and gentle. But at the moment they just... fit.

The heartbroken boy leaned into the black-haired girl, letting all of his tension and sorrow fall into the embrace. He started to calm and then...

She used to hold him like this.

And the tears came again.

They weren't the loud, violent, shaking sobs that came before. These were different. These were silent, painfilled, streams of saltwater that were letting out all of his hurt, pain, sadness. All the memories of the proud Kyoshi warrior came flooding back. And the worst part was the realization that she meant none of it. It was all fake. Everything. Everything he felt, everything he thought she felt, it was all for nothing. That he was just being used as a... as a distraction.

The tears didn't stop for a long time.

The pair sat in the tea shop for hours, unmoving. The both of them finding comfort in the embrace. Once in a while, Iroh would walk over with more tea but they never drank it. Even Iroh understood why his tea was refused.

Eventually, around midnight, the firebender had to close the shop. Even after the few remaining customers filed out and the lamps put out, the Earthbender and Water Tribe boy did not move. They simply sat in the dark, still as statues, as the nonbender was letting out all the memories, the anguish, the tears.

After a minute, the dark-skinned boy's head came up. Noticing this, Toph spoke. "You all good Snoozles?"

Sokka rested his head on the bender's, the girl leaning against him. He whispered, "Yeah. Yeah, I think so."

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I'm taking suggestions, so if you have any, feel free to drop em' in the comments! And yes, this is my story. Just copied over from my old account :)