A Ring, But Not For Her (1stdraft)
Jan. 21st, 2008 02:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kolTitle: A Ring, But Not For Her
Day/Theme: Day 21; this is the very ecstasy of love
Series: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Character/Pairing: Toph/Sokka. YES I DID.
Summary: Sometimes, if you truly love someone, you have to let them go. And sometimes, your wildest dreams come true...
***
Standing outside the thin walls of the water tribe tent, Toph’s face was impassive, her breathing even, stance as steady as ever. To the outward observer, nothing abnormal was occurring, save for the occasional twitch of the blind woman’s ear as she eavesdropped on the inhabitants of the tent.
On the proposal occurring within.
She had always thought if this day came, she’d be wild with emotion. Anger, rage, betrayal— whatever emotion she felt, it would be strong and powerful. But listening to the confession unfolding, she felt hollow, empty. Queasy, as if someone had caught a lucky break through Toph’s defenses and landed a sucker punch on her belly.
She didn’t feel much like Toph at all.
Head bowed as she turned from the tent,Toph was keenly aware of the space rock weighing heavily on her arm. It had been a sign for years of friendship and trust and the potential for something more, but now it felt like a heavy anchor dragging her down, filling her lungs with chilled water.
And Toph still hated water.
It was time to let go, she realized, slowly pulled the treasure from her arm. Well past time— the war had been over for years, and if anything was going to happen, it would have by now. The two had traveled together for years, helping Aang by handling minor conflicts the Avatar was too busy to deal with, and she had sworn they’d grown as close as two people could be. They never spoke of emotions, comfortable with best friends and leaving it at that, but she had always thought, just maybe, he felt something warm towards her, something more than simple friendship.
But he hadn’t even told her he was proposing. And he certainly wasn’t proposing to her.
She had known something was up when Suki had arrived this afternoon. But this? She had never expected this. Sokka hadn’t seen Suki for a year! Why was he proposing now?!
It seems ridiculous now, Toph thought as her hand clenched around the bracelet, opening it to reveal a smooth lump of metal unlike any other, save for his sword. Toph was a woman now, and women don’t tend to hopeless infatuations with their best friends— or at least, not the strong women Toph admired. She ignored the burn of tears in her eyes, and let her feet take her away from the small camp, down to the small clearing beside the river.
They had fished here that morning; it hurt to realize now that it would be the last time. Well, Sokka had fished— Toph had listened, just as she always did, one ear trained on the woods, never quite comfortable with the idea of peace. Sokka had been unusually happy that morning.
She should have realized.
Her hand clenched the space rock again, mind forcing the mass into two smaller lumps. Water Tribe did things differently— a necklace, worn by the woman, marking her as taken, as property. Northern Tribe, anyway— Katara had been insulted when Toph generalized the custom for the whole people; yet Toph, even now, couldn’t help but notice the girl—woman— continued to wear that sign all these years later.
Toph would never accept a necklace that acted like a brand. She was marked already; that custom would never serve her, too close to the restrictive life she had run away from as a child.
Earth Kingdom did things more to Toph’s liking.
She closed her eyes and frowned, forcing the stubborn space rock into the familiar shape any Earth Kingdom girl would know, forcing it to harden, to stay, to remain forever in this final shape. This was her goodbye, and he’d never know the real meaning behind the symbol. But it would be better that way, Toph thought as she smiled despite the heat in her eyes. Better that he never know.
Letting go, Toph reminded herself, opening her hand to reveal two matching rings.
Was it love, real love, to give someone up, so they could find their happiness? Toph bowed her head, the rings heavy, confusion growing on her face as she became slowly aware of familiar footsteps approaching.
What was he doing out here? He should be celebrating with Suki!
“I thought I’d find you here,” His voice was odd, nervous and excited. But his pulse was so steady Toph played his tone no mind. After all, if you’d just proposed, surely there would be latent excitement in your voice?
Why would he be nervous telling her the good news? He must know, Toph thought, shivering as a cold spasm washed across her body. He’s going to let me down easy, like a friend.
She wasn’t going to let him.
“I know Sokka,” Toph turned towards him, forcing a long smile on her face. “Congratulations.”
He said nothing, but his heart pulsed faster.
This was solving nothing. “These are for you,” Toph held the twin rings out to him, tiny goodbyes in her small palm. “She won’t understand a necklace— our Kingdom does things differently.”
“Toph, where did you…” He paused, his warm hand hovering over the rings. Confusion bled into his voice when he spoke again. “Oh Toph, this isn’t from what I think it is?”
Not trusting herself, Toph merely nodded, waiting for him to collect his prize and leave.
But she wasn’t prepared for his calloused hand to close over her own, the rings pressing against her palm. “I can’t accept this. I gave you that space earth for a reason-”
“And I’m giving it to you for a reason, too.” Toph said shortly, pulling her hand from his. "You both are going to be happy— she’s a great woman— and I’ll come visit. When I’m not cracking heads at a bending tournament, naturally,” She paused to grin— there was another Earth Rumbling in a few weeks, after all, and she did have a reputation to maintain, tender heart or no. “I’ll swing by and steal you away for an adventure or two, I promise. Can’t have you getting fat in matrimony.”
She punched him lightly in the shoulder, but he said nothing. His vibrations revealed little— too still to give off any facial movements, and his heart was back to beating steadily; damningly steady. Why wasn’t he saying anything?
“Just take the rings, Sokka,” She opened her hand again, holding the rings to him, frustration making her voice sharp.
“You made one the wrong size,” Sokka’s voice cracked, one finger caressing the smaller ring. His finger was too large for the small surface, and with each stroke, Toph could almost imagine the ring away, shivering by the warmth the faint touch of his skin against hers inspired.
Giving him up, Toph reminded herself again, shaking her head, thankful, just this once, for Sokka’s obliviousness. “Come on, we'll head back to her so we can fix it, make it the right size. I’m leaving in the morning.” She let the knowledge press between them, hoping it would create a distance.
But it only brought him closer, too close for comfort. Toph wanted to take a step backwards, but something inside her refused, digging her bare toes into the earth, refusing to let go. And her mind argued against moving— he would think something was wrong, and Toph wasn’t going to ruin his good night with her stupid heart.
She loved him, yes. But she also loved him enough to let him go.
“There’s no need,” He said carefully, picking the smallest ring from her palm.
“If you want to go to some jeweler and have them resize it, you’ll be wasting money. No trouble to re-bend the ring into the perfect fit, Sokka. Consider it a wedding present.” She smiled, but it was bland and lifeless, the hollow feeling returning with the absence of his hand. She was NOT going to cry.
Her stance, digging in, revealed Sokka with startling clarity. His trembling muscles, his shifty pulse— and the racing heart, well beyond his ability to control. Worried, she couldn’t help but wonder what was prompting his reaction. It didn’t make sense, any of it! What was going on with him?
“That wasn’t what I meant,” Sokka paused. The space earth ring slid slowly onto Toph’s middle finger. Despite the small size of the ring, it dwarfed her small hand, paradoxically threatening to slide off— and squeezing her heart so tightly, Toph wasn’t sure she’d be able to breathe. “The model’s here.”
Toph blinked, not comprehending, not daring to hope she’d heard him right, even as a flush began to burn her cheeks. “But-”
“And I thought I was the oblivious one,” Sokka laughed nervously, still holding her hand. “Toph, Suki didn’t come down here to marry me. She came down to help me figure out how to propose to you.”
Toph’s mouth gaped open, and she didn’t care how silly it might be. “But, I heard the two of you-”
“Practicing! I was so nervous… this morning, I couldn’t get the words out, I was so happy just relaxing with you, and then Suki came-”
“But you never, EVER, mentioned anything! YEARS we’ve traveled together, and not one word!” Toph struggled to keep her mind focused, instead of diving into the sickly warmth his words were turning her insides into.
“And risk getting earthbended into the roof, like the last time I proposed?”
Toph’s cheeks burned, remembering the incident. It had been after a visit to a tavern, and neither one of them had been thinking clearly. He’d let it slip, and she’d thought he’d been joking— poking fun on her long standing crush— and she’d left him in the ceiling all night.
“Oh.”
“That’s all? Usually there’s an answer to these kinds of things.” His voice broke again, his nervousness painting a portrait very different from her own concept of the previous years. With startling clarity she recognized the signs, shamed by the obliviousness SHE’D had, and felt very much the fool
Hundreds of words fought within Toph, most of them sweet confessions that felt, on every level, wrong for the moment. Instead, she patted the side of his face, dug into his fledging beard, and pulled him down until her lips were just barely touching his. “Of course, stupid. But we’re still leaving in the morning for the earth bending tournament.”
Day/Theme: Day 21; this is the very ecstasy of love
Series: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Character/Pairing: Toph/Sokka. YES I DID.
Summary: Sometimes, if you truly love someone, you have to let them go. And sometimes, your wildest dreams come true...
***
Standing outside the thin walls of the water tribe tent, Toph’s face was impassive, her breathing even, stance as steady as ever. To the outward observer, nothing abnormal was occurring, save for the occasional twitch of the blind woman’s ear as she eavesdropped on the inhabitants of the tent.
On the proposal occurring within.
She had always thought if this day came, she’d be wild with emotion. Anger, rage, betrayal— whatever emotion she felt, it would be strong and powerful. But listening to the confession unfolding, she felt hollow, empty. Queasy, as if someone had caught a lucky break through Toph’s defenses and landed a sucker punch on her belly.
She didn’t feel much like Toph at all.
Head bowed as she turned from the tent,Toph was keenly aware of the space rock weighing heavily on her arm. It had been a sign for years of friendship and trust and the potential for something more, but now it felt like a heavy anchor dragging her down, filling her lungs with chilled water.
And Toph still hated water.
It was time to let go, she realized, slowly pulled the treasure from her arm. Well past time— the war had been over for years, and if anything was going to happen, it would have by now. The two had traveled together for years, helping Aang by handling minor conflicts the Avatar was too busy to deal with, and she had sworn they’d grown as close as two people could be. They never spoke of emotions, comfortable with best friends and leaving it at that, but she had always thought, just maybe, he felt something warm towards her, something more than simple friendship.
But he hadn’t even told her he was proposing. And he certainly wasn’t proposing to her.
She had known something was up when Suki had arrived this afternoon. But this? She had never expected this. Sokka hadn’t seen Suki for a year! Why was he proposing now?!
It seems ridiculous now, Toph thought as her hand clenched around the bracelet, opening it to reveal a smooth lump of metal unlike any other, save for his sword. Toph was a woman now, and women don’t tend to hopeless infatuations with their best friends— or at least, not the strong women Toph admired. She ignored the burn of tears in her eyes, and let her feet take her away from the small camp, down to the small clearing beside the river.
They had fished here that morning; it hurt to realize now that it would be the last time. Well, Sokka had fished— Toph had listened, just as she always did, one ear trained on the woods, never quite comfortable with the idea of peace. Sokka had been unusually happy that morning.
She should have realized.
Her hand clenched the space rock again, mind forcing the mass into two smaller lumps. Water Tribe did things differently— a necklace, worn by the woman, marking her as taken, as property. Northern Tribe, anyway— Katara had been insulted when Toph generalized the custom for the whole people; yet Toph, even now, couldn’t help but notice the girl—woman— continued to wear that sign all these years later.
Toph would never accept a necklace that acted like a brand. She was marked already; that custom would never serve her, too close to the restrictive life she had run away from as a child.
Earth Kingdom did things more to Toph’s liking.
She closed her eyes and frowned, forcing the stubborn space rock into the familiar shape any Earth Kingdom girl would know, forcing it to harden, to stay, to remain forever in this final shape. This was her goodbye, and he’d never know the real meaning behind the symbol. But it would be better that way, Toph thought as she smiled despite the heat in her eyes. Better that he never know.
Letting go, Toph reminded herself, opening her hand to reveal two matching rings.
Was it love, real love, to give someone up, so they could find their happiness? Toph bowed her head, the rings heavy, confusion growing on her face as she became slowly aware of familiar footsteps approaching.
What was he doing out here? He should be celebrating with Suki!
“I thought I’d find you here,” His voice was odd, nervous and excited. But his pulse was so steady Toph played his tone no mind. After all, if you’d just proposed, surely there would be latent excitement in your voice?
Why would he be nervous telling her the good news? He must know, Toph thought, shivering as a cold spasm washed across her body. He’s going to let me down easy, like a friend.
She wasn’t going to let him.
“I know Sokka,” Toph turned towards him, forcing a long smile on her face. “Congratulations.”
He said nothing, but his heart pulsed faster.
This was solving nothing. “These are for you,” Toph held the twin rings out to him, tiny goodbyes in her small palm. “She won’t understand a necklace— our Kingdom does things differently.”
“Toph, where did you…” He paused, his warm hand hovering over the rings. Confusion bled into his voice when he spoke again. “Oh Toph, this isn’t from what I think it is?”
Not trusting herself, Toph merely nodded, waiting for him to collect his prize and leave.
But she wasn’t prepared for his calloused hand to close over her own, the rings pressing against her palm. “I can’t accept this. I gave you that space earth for a reason-”
“And I’m giving it to you for a reason, too.” Toph said shortly, pulling her hand from his. "You both are going to be happy— she’s a great woman— and I’ll come visit. When I’m not cracking heads at a bending tournament, naturally,” She paused to grin— there was another Earth Rumbling in a few weeks, after all, and she did have a reputation to maintain, tender heart or no. “I’ll swing by and steal you away for an adventure or two, I promise. Can’t have you getting fat in matrimony.”
She punched him lightly in the shoulder, but he said nothing. His vibrations revealed little— too still to give off any facial movements, and his heart was back to beating steadily; damningly steady. Why wasn’t he saying anything?
“Just take the rings, Sokka,” She opened her hand again, holding the rings to him, frustration making her voice sharp.
“You made one the wrong size,” Sokka’s voice cracked, one finger caressing the smaller ring. His finger was too large for the small surface, and with each stroke, Toph could almost imagine the ring away, shivering by the warmth the faint touch of his skin against hers inspired.
Giving him up, Toph reminded herself again, shaking her head, thankful, just this once, for Sokka’s obliviousness. “Come on, we'll head back to her so we can fix it, make it the right size. I’m leaving in the morning.” She let the knowledge press between them, hoping it would create a distance.
But it only brought him closer, too close for comfort. Toph wanted to take a step backwards, but something inside her refused, digging her bare toes into the earth, refusing to let go. And her mind argued against moving— he would think something was wrong, and Toph wasn’t going to ruin his good night with her stupid heart.
She loved him, yes. But she also loved him enough to let him go.
“There’s no need,” He said carefully, picking the smallest ring from her palm.
“If you want to go to some jeweler and have them resize it, you’ll be wasting money. No trouble to re-bend the ring into the perfect fit, Sokka. Consider it a wedding present.” She smiled, but it was bland and lifeless, the hollow feeling returning with the absence of his hand. She was NOT going to cry.
Her stance, digging in, revealed Sokka with startling clarity. His trembling muscles, his shifty pulse— and the racing heart, well beyond his ability to control. Worried, she couldn’t help but wonder what was prompting his reaction. It didn’t make sense, any of it! What was going on with him?
“That wasn’t what I meant,” Sokka paused. The space earth ring slid slowly onto Toph’s middle finger. Despite the small size of the ring, it dwarfed her small hand, paradoxically threatening to slide off— and squeezing her heart so tightly, Toph wasn’t sure she’d be able to breathe. “The model’s here.”
Toph blinked, not comprehending, not daring to hope she’d heard him right, even as a flush began to burn her cheeks. “But-”
“And I thought I was the oblivious one,” Sokka laughed nervously, still holding her hand. “Toph, Suki didn’t come down here to marry me. She came down to help me figure out how to propose to you.”
Toph’s mouth gaped open, and she didn’t care how silly it might be. “But, I heard the two of you-”
“Practicing! I was so nervous… this morning, I couldn’t get the words out, I was so happy just relaxing with you, and then Suki came-”
“But you never, EVER, mentioned anything! YEARS we’ve traveled together, and not one word!” Toph struggled to keep her mind focused, instead of diving into the sickly warmth his words were turning her insides into.
“And risk getting earthbended into the roof, like the last time I proposed?”
Toph’s cheeks burned, remembering the incident. It had been after a visit to a tavern, and neither one of them had been thinking clearly. He’d let it slip, and she’d thought he’d been joking— poking fun on her long standing crush— and she’d left him in the ceiling all night.
“Oh.”
“That’s all? Usually there’s an answer to these kinds of things.” His voice broke again, his nervousness painting a portrait very different from her own concept of the previous years. With startling clarity she recognized the signs, shamed by the obliviousness SHE’D had, and felt very much the fool
Hundreds of words fought within Toph, most of them sweet confessions that felt, on every level, wrong for the moment. Instead, she patted the side of his face, dug into his fledging beard, and pulled him down until her lips were just barely touching his. “Of course, stupid. But we’re still leaving in the morning for the earth bending tournament.”
