Night of the Firelilies - Part 7

    Sokka woke up first, which was incredibly unfortunate considering he could not earthbend his way out of Toph's tent. It was still dark inside, but a sliver of morning light made it's way through a crack in the ceiling, illuminating their cramped surroundings. His eyes crawled their way around everything but Toph, thinking if he couldn't see her, he could pretend she wasn't there. A heavy feeling was sinking in his stomach, as if he had swallowed a ball of lead. Dry throat, shaky hands - he was panicking. What would he do when she woke up? What could he do? The shame was next. There was a man out there, being held hostage by savage extremists and he spent precious time ogling over his companion. What kind of warrior did that? What kind of half decent person did that? 

    He tried to relax, knowing that his racing heartbeat might be enough to wake her up. It was time to stop the distractions. Closing his eyes, Sokka took in every last moment of her, soaking in the warmth that he felt. Her hair, her hands, the way her nose crinkled when she laughed. Everything he loved and adored about Toph, everything that made her his best friend.  Then he shoved it all down. Determined to finish this mission today, he swallowed his gushy feelings and finally rested his eyes on her. She was still breathing deeply, all curled up in a way he would imagine a cat would. A rough shake to the shoulder woke her up quickly and she tensed, sitting up with a dazed expression on her face.

    "Toph, we've gotta move. C'mon. Time to get up," he said with as little emotion as he could muster. 

    Her face went through a wave of confusion, but her momentary vulnerability quickly retreated behind her steely exterior. Good - tough Sokka was here. He was much easier to deal with than Kissable Sokka. She could handle this. After making sure their furry neighbors were gone, she bent the tent back into the ground. Then she stood and turned, stretching towards the way they came the night before. Along with the animals that had slept there, the wind was gone (and, not surprisingly, Sokka's new tent), at least for now, so she picked up her pack and started walking.

    "Let's go then."

~*~*~

    They had been walking in silence for the past hour and a half, Toph leading the way with quick steps. Knowing conversation would only worsen the mood, Sokka picked his words carefully. 
   
    "We won't be able to wait another night to break him out. The governor, I mean. We'll have to go in and fight our way out." he said, loud enough to know for sure she heard him.

    She only nodded, and quickened her pace. He sighed and tried to push his guilt farther away. Once this was all over, he would try to talk to her. Maybe he might be able to salvage any of those feelings he hoped she had for him. THe way she kissed him, she had to have felt something. But that Governor was his main priority. Everything else just needed to wait. 

    Dragonflies were the first sign that they were nearing the lagoon. Then the ground got softer, and although Sokka was expecting sand, his feet sunk farther into mud the longer they walked. More bugs greeted them, as well as thick foliage. Toph stopped walking and lifted her hand as a sign to halt. 

    "This...isn't a lagoon," she began. "It's a swamp. If we cut straight through it, we could reach the governor before midday. We could be back by tomorrow morning,"

    Sokka remained silent, waiting if she had anything else to say. She didn't. Instead she moved into a stance and lifted her arms, taking the mud with them. She bent the solid ground underneath the mud above the surface, so they both had a dry path to walk on. Continuing on with their spell of silence, Sokka nodded and moved forward onto the path. They had been walking for less than an hour before it disappeared back underneath the mud and Toph pulled him behind a thick curtain of vines. 
    
    "Someone's close. Don't breathe too loud," she whispered in his ear. 

    Ignoring the chills he got from her breath on his neck, Sokka crouched lower and peered through the vines, hoping to catch a glimpse of the 'someone'. It was hot and muggy with all sorts of noises all around them, making it difficult for him to focus. And then her heard a yelp and realized Toph found the someone before he could even gather his bearings. She had him pinned to a tree threatening his shocked face by the time Sokka stumbled out of the plants with his boomerang. The man was disheveled and covered in dirt, and appeared surprisingly less treacherous than Sokka thought he would. His eyes were large and...blue. Toph was mumbling about pulling his legs away from his body when it hit Sokka on the forehead. This man had blue eyes, with dark skin and hair, along with tattered blue clothes. He was no bandit - he was from a watertribe.

    "Toph, stop!" he shouted, clumsily dragging himself farther out of the vines and pulling her away from the man. "He's not here to hurt us." 

    Toph turned to Sokka, befuddled. Then she noticed his hand on her shoulder and shoved it off. But Sokka had already turned his attention back to their visitor. 

    "Governor?" he inquired, "Is that you? Governor Rakule?" 

    The man exhaled loudly, slumping into a less defensive stance. "Good god man, I thought your lady friend was going to kill me."

    Sokka smirked and slid his boomerang into it's case. 

    "Governor, my name is Sokka," he replied "this is my friend - uh wait, my rescue partner, Toph Beifong. We're friends of the Avatar Aang's and we were sent here to rescue you, but it seems you've already gotten that taken care of." 

    The man nodded to Toph and reached out his arm to shake Sokka's hand. 

    "It turns out a bawu substitutes well for a bat of sorts. It was getting out of the bonds they stuck me in that was the tricky part, and let me tell you-" 

    "What an interesting story," Toph interjected, "How bout you tell it to us on the way back to the palace? I'm sure the bandits that are following you just can't wait to see how it ends."

    She pushed the governor ahead of her and prodded him on as he looked warily behind him. Sokka took up the rear, and sighed inwardly. This Rakule saved him from more silence with Toph and they could even get back to the palace before the night of the festival. Katara would be pleased.

~*~*~

    Toph sat on a cushion in her guest bedroom, holding a lump of metal. After they returned back to the palace with the governor, she had made her reunion with her friends short and to the point and excused herself to her room. They had returned the afternoon before the festival, and she hadn't even bathed three hours after their arrival. All she could do was sit and think and feel. At first she wondered if Aang would even notice if she didn't attend the festival, but threw that thought away before further contemplation turned her into a bad friend. She would go; she just would avoid Sokka at all costs. Okay, at some costs. If she completely iced him out, Katara would notice and she'd have to tell her what was going on. Which was what exactly? 

    "We just kissed in a moment of brief emotion. Twice. That's all."
    
    Toph let out a groan and tossed her bracelet turned ball across the room. It hit the wall with a thud and rolled underneath a desk. She glared in its direction, but softened and the ball rolled back to her. She picked it up and bent it into it's regular shape, but hesitated before putting it on. For a moment, she remembered what Aang had said about new beginnings, so she reasoned a new beginning for her bracelet was overdue. She closed her sightless eyes and focused on the knot in her stomach. As she imagined the knot coming undone, she bent the asteroid metal out of it's own knot. After a couple deep breaths and intense concentration, she slid her finished product onto her wrist. Her shoulders finally relaxed and she leaned up against the wall. Then promptly fell off the cushion from surprise as someone opened her door. 

    "Oh my god, Toph! You're not dressed!" Katara snapped, sniffing the air. "You're not even clean and we only have an hour and a half before Zuko starts the festival."

    Toph sat on her floor, dazed and a little afraid. 

    "I was just, uh...testing the floor," she stuttered, slowly picking herself up. "Real nice. Cushiony." 

    Katara let out a huge sigh as she pulled Toph in the direction of a bathhouse.

    "Spirits, do I have my work cut out for me," she muttered.

~*~*~ 

    Sokka was looking out the window in Aang's room, watching a servant fix a paper lantern. A quiet knock on the door turned Sokka around, and Zuko let himself in, clad in some very expensive looking fabric.

    "You two about ready? Mai and I just finished the final preparations. The festival is about to begin."

    Aang smiled and finished clasping on his beads. 

    "Just about. Sokka?" the avatar prodded. 
   
    The councilman blinked his way out of a daze and nodded, adding a small smile. Satisfied, Aang patted him on the arm and walked out of the room. Zuko followed suit, but waited at the doorway for Sokka.
    
    "Are you alright, Sokka?" he asked, concerned by the sadness in his friend's eyes.

    "Of course, I'm fine," he said halfheartedly. "Just... sad I missed out on a impressive lunch. Those biscuits really made me crave some real food."

    Zuko looked at him, waiting for a different explanation, but none came. He chose to let it go. If it was something serious, Sokka would confide in him at his own time.
    
    "Right, you must be starving," he said lightheartedly. "Don't worry, our cooks have been working all day. I'm sure you'll be satisfied before the night is over." 
    
    Sokka laughed lightly, and hoped Zuko was right. The two walked side by side out onto the courtyard, surrounded by faces and voices. Sokka searched the crowd for one face in particular, but was disheartened when he could not find her.