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Toph was blind. Of course, she was always blind, however right now she was truly blind. She had nothing to sense except Sokka's racing heartbeat.
"It looks like this is it." Toph tried to focus on Sokka's heartbeat. He's alive, she's grasping whatever she can of him in order to keep herself alive. As she focuses on his heartbeat, she waits. Waits for him to drop her, to let go of her hand in defeat. To fall from spirits only know how high up into the waters below, to her death. Silently, she waits.
Gripping Sokka's hand, Toph began to think about all of the things that she would never get to share with him. This is the end and I can't even tell him how I feel. Toph felt silly for allowing that thought to cross her mind. Here she is, moments away from death, desperately trying to keep hold of her best friends hand in order to stay alive, and she's thinking about her feelings. Despite the thoughts being ridiculous, Toph still let a few tears flow. If this was truly the end, she would never get to tell Sokka how incredible she thinks he is, how much he brightens her days. Toph continued to weep.
Focus on his pulse. She tried to bring her attention back to his pulse, when suddenly she felt him letting go of her hand. Toph began to fall. This was it, she's about to die. However, the fall was rather short lived. She crashed onto a metal airship, Sokka falling closely behind her.
There were a few things that registered in Toph's mind at once. The first being that they had survived. We aren't dead, thank spirits. The second being that Sokka was in a considerable amount of pain. Suki worked as fast as she could to get them to solid land, and when she did they began their work on Sokka's wounded leg. Toph did the best that she could to create a makeshift metal cast in order to offer him some stability while Suki worked inside their stollen airship to find any possible way to reach the rest of the crew.
"I thought I was going to die. I thought we were going to die." Toph whispered, reaching for Sokka's hand absentmindedly. He grabbed her hand, tighter than before, much more secure.
"I didn't want to let go. Toph I-" Sokka didn't even try to finish his sentence, instead he propelled himself towards her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. She quickly latched onto him, neither of them wanting to let go.
"I almost lost you." The pain in his voice tugged at her heart. Toph once again found his pulse, noting that it was still fluttering at a rapid pace.
"It's okay Sokka, we're okay. You saved us." Toph squeezed a little bit tighter, both of them still too afraid to let go.
"I almost lost you." Sokka repeated, his voice breaking as they both began to cry.
-----
Toph snapped out of her memory from all those years ago, instead focusing on how fast Sokka's heartbeat was as he stood before her.
"Toph, I almost lost you." Those were the words that brought back the memory. Here they stood, face to face in the now empty courtroom. Yakone finally powerless, though not without using his powers against them in one final attempt at freedom. Toph shuddered as she thought back to moments ago, where she was completely defenseless in her own body.
"Sokka I-" She was silenced as he closed the gap between them, wrapping her in his embrace. She sighed, afraid she may breakdown any second.
"I almost lost you, I can't believe it."
"Sokka, I'm fine. He didn't kill me." Sokka's arms tightened around her as he pressed his face into her hair, trying to conceal his tears.
"He could have, Toph. You know he probably thought about it."
"The man was a criminal but I don't think he himself had a deathwish."
Toph knew Sokka was right though. She knew, maybe more than anyone else, that Yakone would've tried anything in order to be free. Hell, he had tried to hold her hostage once. She couldn't put it past him to try to kill her. The thought terrified her, chills running down her spine as she thought about what could have happened. However, she was safe now. Sokka was safe. Republic City was safe.
"Sokka when are you going to let go of me?" Toph chuckled into his neck. Though she would admit that she could spend eternity wrapped in Sokka's arms, Toph did want to at least make it home and take off her uniform first.
"I almost lost you today... just-just let me hold you a little longer." Sokka murmured into her hair, planting a kiss on the top of her head. Toph smiled, warmth creeping into her cheeks as she melted further into his embrace.
"You can hold me all you want when we get home, Sokka. I'm exhausted." Toph huffed as she finally wiggled out of his arms. Suddenly, she was swept off her feet and being carried towards the front door of the courthouse.
"Well then why don't you just relax, we'll be home soon." Toph let a laugh escape her as Sokka continued to carry her out the front doors. She was always surprised by the ease in which he was able to carry her. But she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, resting her chin on his shoulder, and breathed in deeply knowing that the safest place she could be was in his arms.