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For your eyes only, I'll show you my heart
For when you're lonely and forget who you are
I'm missing half of me when we're apart
Now you know me, for your eyes only
For your eyes only
If I Could Fly, 1D
《 1 year and 1 month ago 》
“Come on Twinkle Toes!”
Aang shook his head, grinning at Toph as she pranced about in the pouring rain instead of sheltering in the hut she had made. “Toph, we better not get sick, Katara and Zuko will kill us!” he yelled back. She looked nothing at all like a stoic earthbender right now, dancing in the rain and splashing in puddles. Aang shrugged and looked at Appa to his right who groaned, “Yeah, I should tell her how I feel...you’re right buddy,” he told his bison. “But for now,” Aang set his glider down, further inside the hut so it didn’t get soaked, “I’m going to go dance in the rain!”
He ran out, skidding to a stop next to Toph, as they both got drenched. Toph grabbed his hand, and dragged him across the field where they’d landed, towards a hill in the distance.
“Toph, where are we going?” Aang asked, laughing at the gleeful look on her face as they ran.
“There’s a cliff somewhere here, I can feel it Twinkles, we’ve got to get there!”
They danced their way towards the hill, shouting nonsensical words at each other and stopping for bouts of laughter. The rain fell down on them, a gentle melody of pitter patter to their rambunctious antics. Suddenly, Toph jerked his arm and they both scaled up the hill that had appeared, side by side, earthbending a ledge that pushed them up.
Despite the rain, despite his soak clothes, Aang couldn’t stop grinning. There was something uniquely pure about running around in the rain, without a care or worry and doing it with someone like Toph. Doing it with someone who you wanted to create an eternity more of moments like this. It was peace, and excitement all at once. It was feeling like a turtleduck was in your lap and a sabertooth moose lion was chasing you at the same time.
As they finally reached the top of the hill, the land evened out, the rain slowed to a drizzle and Aang gasped.
“Toph, we’re here. The cliff.”
It was absolutely beautiful. The rain stopped and Aang saw that 15 steps more and the cliff dropped away, and below it was a wide expanse of forest, glowing a luscious green, sparkling with raindew, extending as far as his eyes could see. The clouds were slowly parting, allowing sun rays to creep their way through the cracks to shine down on the valley like grass growing in between cracks in the earth and right there, in the sky was the most heavenly-looking rainbow Aang has ever seen.
“Worth getting drenched for, Twinkles?” Toph asked. Aang turned back around to look at Toph, who stood a couple steps behind him, still gaping at how vibrant the rainbow was, “Toph the view, I’ve never seen anything like it in a long time,” Aang replied, “How did you know it was going to be like this?”
Toph smirked and walked to stand next to him, “I didn’t, blind, remember?” she said. Toph raised her face to feel the sun, “Sweetness said rainbows appear after a good rain shower, Zuko showed her one. Though she did refuse to get wet in the rain with him…. I thought we might see a rainbow here, even I can almost feel the view, if that makes sense,” Toph said, speaking softly.
Aang smiled, “Yeah, it does.”
Silence.
And then Toph punched him in the arm.
“Ow!” he exclaimed. Aang rubbed at the spot on his right arm, not really annoyed.
“Love you too, Toph.”
《 Present 》
Aang slowly opened his eyes, waking up to the world to see Momo scrabbling off of him. Rubbing his eyes, Aang blearily looked around, and sighed. Everything was so blue around him, and he definitely wasn’t on a cliff with Toph, but the Southern Water Tribe.
Aang looked down at Momo, who sat on his left side, blinking solemnly at him. “That was a good dream….” Momo squawked at him. “I miss her too Momo,” he said. As he got up and stretched, the sun streamed through the windows, making the ice walls glitter with imaginary diamonds, illuminating the room. Aang surveyed the home he’d been given, despite him telling Hakoda that he didn’t need a whole house to himself.
In his oval-shaped bedroom itself there were at least five pelts for warmth(which he didn’t need), a circular table with Water Nation snacks, arranged on it, and lining the walls was Southern Water Tribe traditional tapestries and engravings. And on the far wall, opposite to wear Aang stood now was a window.
The entire house, and the entirety of the Southern Water Tribe had been rebuilt by Northern waterbenders who had travelled here, and Katara and her waterbending academy. Aang’s guest house was on a higher altitude, with a view of the city down below. And it was quite the view.
Aang grabbed some dried seaweed that had been left for him off of the circular table in the center of the room, and strode over to the window. As he climbed onto the window ledge, Aang could see the ice sparkling with morning sun, the city gleaming with life as it woke up to face a new day. Aang’s gaze wandered as he sat on the ledge, munching on the seaweed.
Eventually, his eyes found the marketplace or as the Tribespeople call it, Minami Village, the center of the city, where the market, and chief’s house resided. Sokka had put in a lot of hours into designing the structure of the entire city, and it had paid off, the homes filling quickly. Northern Water Tribe members (especially young women) who were hoping to start anew had flocked to the Southern Water Tribe, many joining Katara’s then-small academy.
He could see how drastically the atmosphere has changed from when he had first woke up in the Southern Tribe, all those years ago. Down below he could see children running in the streets, chasing each other to the harbour where their fathers were docking their boats. Hope, excitement and passion filled the air. The marketplace was slowly waking up too, he could hear vendors starting to shout at early-bird visitors. The people of the Tribe were the happiest Aang had ever seen.
It’s weird being here without Katara and Sokka, Aang thought. They had left for Kyoshi Island a little more than a week ago to negotiate trading and supply routes. Suki was determined to bring Kyoshi back into the world, saying that while it may be tradition for Kyoshi to remain a neutral party, that tradition had no place in this new world, not in the new world Aang and Zuko were helping rebuild.
Remaining neutral is the same as siding with the oppressor. That’s what he had told Suki when she had asked if she was doing the right thing. Aang hadn’t known what to say at first, wanting to say “Whatever you think is best for the island ,” but then Toph had punched him in the arm, and Aang reconsidered.
Toph. He reached for the space bracelet hanging on his left wrist, gently sliding his fingers over the cool rock. He looked up, letting the rising sun warm his face as he fingered the beads of the bracelet, remembering his dream.
“I miss you, Toph,”Aang said, into the icy breeze. There was no way the wind would travel all the way to Toph in the Earth Kingdom and deliver his message, but Aang could pretend. He could already imagine her reply.
Stop being so sappy Twinkle Toes, it hasn’t even been a year since I left.
GONG! GONG! GONG!
Aang jumped, startled by the sudden ringing of a bell. Three gongs meant Chief Arnook and Hakoda had already started their meeting, he was late. Alarmed, Aang reached for his glider, jumping off the window ledge on which he sat to swoop over Minami Village and down to the Chief's home.
“Avatar Aang! The Chiefs have started talking without you, I suggest you go quickly,” a tribesman named Guranaq spoke, bowing to Aang.
“Morning Guranaq! Of course, but where’s Bato? He’s the only other tribesman who resides in the chieftain’s home, so he’s usually here waiting for me,” Aang replied, whipping his glider closed.
“Bato has gone into the meeting room, tension is rising and he asked me to stand guard here,” came the response.
“Oh, no.”
Aang airbended his way up the spiraling steps of the mansion, creating a trampoline of air to bounce him onto the fifth floor. I should work on that move more, could be useful in fights, Aang thought as he raced towards the correct door.
But, learning a new move properly was the least of his problems right now. Chief Arnook and Chief Hakoda were both waiting for him.
“THAT is not your decision to make Chief Arnook, this is not your tribe!”
Aang winced, hurriedly entering the meeting room through a long ice archway where a worrying scene was unfolding. Hakoda stood at the head of one side of the long table, glaring at Chief Arnook who stood across it with narrow eyes and anger evident on his face.
“The Southern Water Tribe has its own traditions, its own practices and rituals that are to be respected. In our tribe, female waterbenders are warriors too. They learn waterbending from Katara, and when she is away, they learn more about healing, hand to hand combat and help the men catch food. The women of this Tribe are just as, if not more essential to our survival as the men. You cannot expect me to sit by and watch you enforce your traditions on us. The women who have come here to learn waterbending from Katara will be allowed to stay,” Hakoda spoke with a calm ferocity.
Chief Arnook stood up, “We helped your tribe thrive while you and your tribesmen left them to wither, and now you want to disrespect Northern Water Tribe traditions? After everything we’ve done for you and allowing Master Pakku to train Katara out of respect for Kanna? I could allow some waterbenders to leave the Northern Tribe, but now almost three-quarters of the waterbending women have moved to the Southern Pole. Yugoda has almost no students to teach! ” Chief Arnook shook his head, turning around to leave, “This won’t be the end of this. You may not allow us to enforce our traditions on your tribe but I will not allow you to disrespect my traditions Chief.”
Aang’s eyes widened, a civil war between the tribes so soon after the war ended was not what either tribe needed. It has been two years since the war ended, and the Southern Tribe, while recovering was still very weak in its military. Aang had been helping negotiations and keeping the peace between the two tribes, and at first the migration of Northern Water Tribe women was seen as a positive, and no one had expected Chief Arnook to show up a week ago, demanding that the women were not to learn to fight with waterbending. Katara had already left for Kyoshi(Aang suspected that the Chief’s arrival just as Katara left was no coincidence), and Aang? He hadn’t wanted to face the incoming tension. He was the Avatar, but he was also fifteen.
A kid, who sat in on peace deals and negotiations which could result in civil wars, and he didn’t want to face any of it. Fighting the Fire Lord was one thing, giving wise and sound advice to strangers was another, but making decisions that could maintain peace or result in war between tribes is not something he had been trained for.
Should have stolen one of Zuko’s advisors, Aang thought. But, I didn’t need to when I had Toph.
《 7 months ago 》
“I’m going to miss you, Toph. I haven’t been really alone since I woke up in that iceberg.” Aang said, facing Toph who had her arms crossed.
“Well, life sucks Twinkles. Sweetness and Snoozles have to rebuild their home, Sparky has to bore himself to death in those stupid meetings and I have to start a metalbending academy while dodging all the letters my parents keep sending me, and I’m going to have to miss you all at the same time.”
Aang looked at her, the way her lip trembled and realized that this was going to be hard for the both of them. “Here, Toph,” he said, unclipping his Air Nation necklace, “keep this.”
“You’re giving me your necklace?” Toph said, eyebrows raised as she felt the Air Nation symbols on the pendant with her fingers. “Yeah,” Aang replied, “I’ll have to come back for it, so this isn’t a goodbye for long,” as he clipped the necklace to the back of Toph’s neck. She grinned, “Well, it better not be cause-” Toph fastened her space bracelet quickly onto his wrist, “I’m gonna want that back.”
“Right.”
“You better bring it back to me Twinkles, my parents taught me a tradition about giving something of yours to your partner when you have to be apart from each other, it ‘connects their souls from across the world’ or whatever, but I really like that space rock. I’ll give you my hairbrush when you come back,” Toph said.
“Partner?” Aang replied, giving her a crooked smile, even though she couldn’t see it. Toph rolled her eyes, “Yes, Aang, you’re my partner.”
Now that she had said that, Aang’s mood soured into melancholy. She had voluntarily given him something of hers, as part of tradition between partners. He hadn’t even known about the tradition when he gave her his necklace, he just wanted her to remember him.
Toph moved suddenly, grabbing his hand and squeezing it.
After all the time they had spent travelling the world together, Aang knew what that squeeze meant. It meant, I love you, and don’t lose my space bracelet. I gave it to you cause I wanted to, not just for some tradition, and not just because you gave me something. And all Aang needed to understand that, was the feeling of Toph’s hand against his.
Toph’s hand wasn’t soft, it had calluses. Her hand was rough, and worn, and felt like it belonged to an adult. Her hand was rough and small, fit just perfectly against his hands and it was Toph. It was the hand that Aang didn’t need to hold but wanted to. And now he had a space rock to hold and keep safe until he found his way back to her. Toph wasn’t very materialistic, but the few things she did own(things like the Earth Rumble belt) she took good care of. So he would do the same.
She was his rock, but she had to stay on the ground while he flew into the open sky, so instead she had given him a literal rock to keep him grounded. To remind him to face things head on. He squeezed her hand back, knowing that she would understand his reply as well. And in the brightening sunlight, the fiery sunrise colours shining on Toph’s pale skin, she came closer and wrapped her arms around Aang, just as he did the same to her. Aang had to admit, the way she fit right under her chin made something warm bloom in his heart. He hugged Toph tightly, nuzzling close to her neck, and the Avatar couldn’t think of a more perfect moment. He took a deep breath-
“Don’t ruin the moment, Aang.”
“I-”
“You were going to, so don’t.”
“I wasn’t going to Toph!” he exclaimed.
“Twinkles, you think you would know better than to lie to me by now,” Toph remarked, pulling away from their embrace, but still holding onto Aang’s waist.
“Okay, maybe I was…” Aang guiltily admitted.
Toph shook her head, “Life isn’t fair, but we all have a duty. You have to be the Avatar and do your Avatar stuff, I have to teach metalbending. But this isn’t the end okay Twinkles? I’m going to need that bracelet back so I can brag about having a space rock to my students.”
“Oh you’re going to brag about a space rock and not the Avatar coming back to be with you?” Aang huffed, but he knew what Toph actually meant.
“Mhmmm…yeah that would be cool too,” Toph said, thinking out loud, “now go, before I find a block of cheese to throw at you.”
Aang simply chuckled, “You were being just as cheesy, Toph.” He pulled away from her, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek, and then jumped onto Appa.
“Yeah yeah, whatever makes your glider fly,” Toph said, obviously blushing, but her lips were trembling again. She earthbended a column, so she was next to him, at his height.
“That would be airbending,” Aang replied instantly. His face grew solemn, “Gonna miss you, Sifu.”
“Me too,” she said, “Do your duty Aang, I’m going to be beating up students when you come back.”
《 Present 》
“Do your duty,” that was the phrase that was ringing in Aang’s head as he strode to the middle of the table and faced two world leaders, who expected him to choose either of their sides.
This is Katara and Sokka’s home. They aren’t here, but I am. I am the Avatar, and it’s my duty to bring peace and balance to the world.
“Chief Arnook, Chief Hakoda,” Aang spoke, nodding at each leader, “We can come to a peaceful agreement, if you’ll allow me to speak.”
Chief Arnook nodded, “Of course, Avatar Aang.”
Hakoda looked at Aang, and nodded, ready to hear the Avatar’s proposal.
Aang smiled.
《 Five hours later 》
After a long day of negotiating with both Chiefs, Aang felt like he could sleep all the way to the Summer Solstice.
Walking out of the chief’s home, Aang looked around as he realized it was near nightfall, the sky darkening with each of his strides.
“Damn it,” he said out loud. Aang had been planning to take a ride on Appa, he missed the open breeze and being in the endless sky. Weeks in the land of ice and snow without any of his friends was a few too many weeks.
He made his way on foot to Minami Village. The village was in the shape of a large square, with theatres, toy stands and small clothing shops lined the edges and a marketplace in the center of the square. Aang walked into the market, wooden stalls appearing on either side of him. The market was bustling with life, villagers and visitors alike buying pelts, meat and the last of the fruit and veggies from the last shipment.
Aang looked to his left, where a group of tribe women were congregated in front of a jewellery stall, admiring the beadwork of the vendor. He had thought about buying some for Toph, but in reality, the beads would probably break in a matter of seconds when she was sparring.
Overhead, Aang heard the flap of familiar wings, and as he expected, not a second later, Momo landed on his shoulder, looking at him with large eyes, squawking something at him.
“Not sure what you’re trying to say Momo, but you’re probably hungry. You don’t eat dried seaweed do you?” Aang said, petting Momo’s ears.
Both of them made their way to the nuts stand, which had two rows of tree nuts left. Momo upon seeing the nuts, stopped chittering loudly and jumped onto the stall, grabbing nuts and biting on them.
“Momo, wait-” Aang started, as another voice said,
“Hey! You have to pay for those!”
The vendor appeared from behind the counter, a short broad shouldered tribesman with a long white beard and dark skin. Definitely a Southerner. Aang spotted an Earth Kingdom pin on the vendor’s parka though, so maybe not.
Aang grinned at the vendor, hoping that the arrow on his forehead might buy him some leniency. “Sorry sir I’m-”
“Don’t worry about them Szitq, Twinkles and Momo are dumb. Here’s the money,” said a familiar voice. Aang turned to his left, eyes widening as he took in the person next to him.
It was Toph. Toph, the blind earthbender who couldn’t see without her feet was dressed in a Water Tribe parka, mittens, and large round boots. Aang watched, still gaping at her while she dug into a pocket on her parka and placed four gold coins in the vendor’s outstretched hand.
“You’re welcome,” she told the vendor, smirking(four gold coins was above and beyond the price Aang owed).
She finally turned to look at him, her smirk turning into more of a grin.
“Hi Twi-mmpH!?!!”
Aang embraced Toph, and realized that she had grown taller, he didn’t need to bend down too much to hold her anymore. She still smelled like home though. Something earthy, like dirt but fresh, like a field of sunroses. Aang buried his face into her hair, as she hooked her chin on his shoulder.
“I missed you Toph.”
He felt Toph’s short arms tighten around his waist, and he could feel the shaky inhale she took.
“Me too, Aang. But that’s actually not the only reason I’m here.”
Aang pulled back slightly to look down at Toph, who lifted her head to look at him.
“What happened?” he said, imagining the worst(her parents, her academy, something was wrong on Kyoshi). Toph raised her eyebrows at his concerned tone and said, “Calm down Twinkles, I came with my students so they could practice sparring against Katara’s waterbending academy, Sokka stayed on Kyoshi but Sugar Queen hitched a ride with me. She‘s going to bring her waterbenders on a journey with my earthbenders.”
Aang’s increasing heart rate went down, as he realized his own stupidity. “Oh.”
Toph shook her head at him, chuckling. “Yeah, I’m going to be here for a week with them and then we’re going to the Fire Nation so Zuko can shoot fireballs at them. They won’t become the best earth benders and metalbenders in the world if they don’t know how other benders move.”
Aang brushed a stray hair from her face, his nimble fingers playing with it before tucking it behind her ear. Toph’s hand took hold of his as he placed his hand on her cheek. She nuzzled her head against his hand, closing her eyes, and smirking.
“Your hands got softer.”
Aang wasn’t paying attention to her words, he was too entranced by Toph. Her face was still round, but now sported high cheekbones and a defined chin, her cheeks were tinged with pink from the biting wind, her eyelashes dusting the glistening expanse of her tanned skin.
He’d missed this.
Him in Toph’s arms and her face in his hands. Home.
“Toph, I forgot. You probably want this back.” Aang moved away from her, reaching for his wrist where the space bracelet lay.
“Keep it Twinkles,” Toph said. She placed her hand on top of his, both of them holding the polished rock gently.
“But it’s tradition, Toph. I have to give it back, remember?”
She examined him, pondering an unknown thought.
Aang, too eager to wait, exclaimed, “What?”
Toph, grinned, hand tightening around him. She leaned forward, rising on her toes to touch foreheads with Aang, so close to him that he could see the little spatter of dirt on her nose. Heat rose from his stomach to his throat, his heart deciding to skip a beat. He held his breath, as Toph moved closer, anticipatingly, agonizingly, astonishingly slow. So he met her in the middle.
When they kissed, fireworks didn’t erupt. No volcanoes burst, the ice didn’t shatter. As he slotted his lips against Toph’s it felt like coming home. It felt like a steady fire, a warm hearth to drink by at the end of the day. A tether in the whirlwind of this new world.
Soft lips parted, pulling back slightly as they both let out small breaths. Still so close that their breaths mingled, sending a ghost of wind across Aang’s face.
Toph’s mouth quirked to one side, beaming wide enough to show her teeth.
“Screw tradition. Some of them are meant to be broken.”
___________________
“Sometimes home isn’t four walls, it’s two eyes and a heartbeat.”
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