8 | Did I just-... [Audio/Common]
What were those things? And what's going on?
It was her, wasn't it?
[She says this fairly resignedly. She predicted it, after all, and she still went along with that stupid plan.]
... Sokka? Are you...?
[She can't actually ask the question.]
If someone finds my staff... Whatever. I want my stuff back.
[[ooc: Toph is missing a green tunic and ( Read more... )
It was her, wasn't it?
[She says this fairly resignedly. She predicted it, after all, and she still went along with that stupid plan.]
... Sokka? Are you...?
[She can't actually ask the question.]
If someone finds my staff... Whatever. I want my stuff back.
[[ooc: Toph is missing a green tunic and ( Read more... )
...hey.
[The most awkward pause in the history of pauses.]
I've, uh, got your headband.
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Well, What're you waiting for? Get over here.
[Wait, does he even know her room number?]
6282, deck 7.
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Deck 7's only a few floors above his. He can take the elevator. No stairs. He's still more than a bit exhausted, but he's not going to get her to try and come to his room. He smiles a bit as he responds.]
Yeah-- yeah, I'll be there in a minute.
[He searches for the shirt that he'd been given, and the new pants.
About ten minutes later, there is a slow, heavy knock at Toph's door.]
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She's still grinning, but it doesn't take long for the expression to fade. Something's not right. It's like there's a distance between them, which is dumb because she can feel that there isn't.
Belatedly, she remembers Mimmi's instructions and steps out of the doorway and back into her room.]
C'mon, before the scary halls eat us.
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[Not a lot, though, he's slept through a lot of it. He steps inside the door, and bites his lip. He can't hide anything from her. If her feet can see as well as he thinks they can, they're going to see that missing arm. He looks around, looking for something, anything... ]
I'm glad you're okay.
[It's just above a whisper when he finally says it.]
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[She's only half paying attention to what he says at first. There's something off about the way he's walking. He's not balanced right, like he's carrying something in his right arm. But he's no heavier than usual, so he can't be carrying anything...
Toph shoves the door closed and, under the slam, almost misses Sokka's whispered words.
Almost misses, but doesn't.
She freezes. The bossiness, the nearly-derisive resignation, all the fragile defences she'd put up over the last few hours are stripped away by those words.
Her eyes flood and she blinks hard. The hem of her pilfered ao dai whisks across the floor as she whirls and throws her arms around Sokka's waist.
It's a good five seconds before Toph starts to feel awkward about the hugging, but she's not ready to leg go yet. That is, until she notices-...]
What happened to your arm?!
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When she asks her question, he winces.]
I, uh.
[He frowns.]
I tried to, uh. Save you, after you got... hurt. And I got hurt. But I lived, someone was able to heal me. Kind of like Katara's spirit water stuff. Kind of.
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Without really thinking about it, Toph steps back and lashes out at Sokka's right shoulder.]
What?! You noodle-brain! What happened to "finish the mission"?
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[Okay, yeah, Toph? Mixed messages, sweetheart. And he can't even rub his shoulder HOW MEAN CAN YOU BE. He's somewhere between a scowl and a pout.]
There was no mission to finish! The little girl just started SCREAMING and stuff started happening and I wasn't gonna leave you behind!
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[Toph is unknowingly mimicking Sokka's expression. Being angry is easier. Being angry just makes her eyes feel puffy and stupid, instead of weepy and stupid. Being angry is safe and familiar and... Not how she's feeling at all.]
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[That came out a lot louder than he'd meant it to be. He winces, and his voice softens, though he's still a little hurt.]
I didn't want to let you die, okay?
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Whatever.
[She had died and that was awful. But Sokka brought a whole new layer into it that she had been trying very hard to ignore; what if it had gone the other way? What if Sokka had died and left her waiting, not knowing if he would return or not?]
I'm glad you survived too.
[She squares her shoulders and then points straight at Sokka's nose.]
You don't get to die without me, got it?
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I'll try not to.
[He swats her hand away from his nose, grinning a little.]
I brought your headband. It's a little messy, I couldn't really clean it. Sorry.
[Not that Toph can see it, but it's got a few smatterings of blood on one edge.]
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Huh. Thanks.
[She holds out a hand for the headband. She's not one to turn her nose up at a little dirt. Sokka should know that.]
Ya know, the healer robot might be able to fix your arm. Maybe he could even give you a metal one like Combustion Man!
[Metal arms? Now that cheers Toph up.]
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[He blinks once.]
Healer robot? What?
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[He obviously doesn't know. Well done Toph.
Come to think of it, 'robot' is one of those words she's learned since getting here.]
He's like a person, only he's made of some super-metal that I can't bend. He's crew. He heals passengers. He fixed my feet when Azula burned them.
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