“I can read between the lines, and what it says is that distance makes the heart grow fonder, even though you might not know—or, better yet, neglect to accept—that you’re already super fond of the person doing the distancing.”
[or Toph goes home for the summer. Sokka realizes that not having her at his side kind of sucks.]
how do you move on from having the life of someone you care about in your hands? from feeling her hand slip from yours as you’re about to die? do you, in these final moments, feel guilt? that you could have done more? that you could have saved her? is this why you’re doing anything in your power to stop the inevitable, throwing everything tied to your identity to the enemy because the only thing that really matters is her? is desperately wanting to keep her alive all that goes through your mind? do you ever stop to think about your own suffering? of course not does death itself not frighten you as much as the possibility of failing her? is imagining the look on her face when you finally admit that there is nothing left to do scarier than dying? does the horror lie not in your own mortality but in becoming the reason despair settles into her expression?
because love makes failure feel unforgivable.
how do you move on from trusting someone enough to put your life in their hands? someone who guided you through literal hell? someone who repeatedly chose your life over his own without hesitation, over and over again? from his hand being the only anchor between you and total darkness? do you have any other choice but to offer your unwavering devotion and trust in his judgment at that moment? did you ever? how do you feel knowing he won’t let go even if it kills him? how does it feel to have someone who cares about you so much he’s willing to die with you rather than let go of your hand? how does it feel to let someone help you for the first time, sacrificing so much for your sake? what scares you more? dying or the unbearable realization that someone chose you over himself until the very end? doesn’t it kill you? doesn’t it comfort you? does allowing yourself to be cared for completely make that vulnerability both unfamiliar and devastatingly comforting?
I commissioned an artwork by the wonderful and talented Nissou based on a scene from my fanfic, Fire in the Hearth on AO3.
This is from Chapter 10: DANCE
Here's a little taste...
Zuko turned to Toph.
He closed the space between them, his breath growing shallow with every step.
Toph was blushing with the same intensity of her outfit.
She stood still as Zuko stopped in front of her.
His eyes wandered over her again. He wished she would lift her face so he could see her properly.
He hesitated. “Can I have this dance?”
Toph’s head snapped in agreement, but her body did not move.
“Can I have your hand?” he asked.
She jolted, then held her hand out in wait. He paused for only a moment, before taking it in his. Their fingers closed around each other, the vibration of his heart shooting through her.
He was surprised. The usually steady Toph was trembling slightly in his grasp.
He squeezed her hand tighter.
“I don’t do the twirling thing,” Toph said seriously.
He smiled as a small huff escaped him. “Don’t worry. No twirling,” he whispered, leaning closer.
...
The rest and everything that happened before (so much drama) and after (even more drama!), can be found here!!!
:･ﾟ✧:･.☽˚｡･ﾟ✧:･.:
(Gushing time: oh my spirits, look at how gorgeous and buff Toph is! And Zuko so handsome! The height difference! Aaaaahhh their outfits literally looked like that in my mind! Aaaaahhhh! I am so overjoyed, I can't stop staring at them! This is magic! Its magic!)
I LOVE GAANG SMM!! And yes, Suki is part of gaang. I can’t stand the suki under representation. I love my queen sm. ALL CREDITS TO THE ARTIST!! @schwesterchiz in Insta
Sokka celebrating, Zuko still dressed in his firelord regalia because he ran so quickly to help, Toph sitting in just the same way she always did, Katara being clearly the one who was directing them in the rescue mission.
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