Prompt #4 Trust fall- ATLA S3 just after E12 (Western Air Temple)

"Sparky, I might be blind but I can still feel your eyes on me." Toph rested her hands on her rock chair and felt Zuko's heart rate spike.

"Sorry. I uh, I didn't mean- that is-"

Toph casually swung her blistered feet and let Zuko struggle to put together a coherent sentence. Somehow, despite being a force to be reckoned with when attacking, this prince had very little in the way of social graces. Unfortunately, Toph knew too much about those. That didn't mean she had to use them, especially now.

"Buck up buttercup. I could fall asleep with how long it's taking for you to try and say anything." This time the increase in Zuko's heart didn't feel like nerves. It had a hard beat that spoke of anger. Toph leaned back on her hands, ready to spring to a fighting stance if she had to.

"I just- I'm trying to say sorry. I didn't mean to burn you and I regret it happened." Zuko's heart rate didn't waver.

Toph relaxed slightly. "You and me both. So now what? You're just gonna hang out in the corners of my awareness for the next who knows how long?"

"I- I haven't thought that far ahead?"

It came out more of a question than a statement. Toph snorted quietly. Man, how had the Gaang been running from Prince Awkward Turttleduck for so long? He was a lot of bark with no bite. Toph's foot brushed her rocky seat causing a spike of pain. Okay, a little bite.

"Well if you're going to be living with us, rule number one- I don't like being babied. Had enough of that growing up. You burnt my feet, boo-hoo. Just wait until Katara won't yell at me for bending and I'll give you the rematch of a lifetime."

Instead of calming Zuko, her words only seemed to stress him more. "I don't- you-" Toph hears Zuko take a deep, shuddery breath. She can feel him trying to force himself into composure. "You're indeed entitled to recompense. I'll take whatever you deem necessary."

If it weren't for what he said, Toph would have cheered that Zuko made it through a couple sentences without stuttering. "Yeish, chill Sparky. I'm not coming after you for a pound of flesh or anything. I just think it'd be fair to show you what the world's greatest earth bender can really do when I'm not caught unawares."

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Zuko's heart rate showed he didn't believe her but Toph could live with that.

"So did you appoint yourself to babysitting duty or did one of the others send you here?"

"Aang asked me to grab- get! Get you! Katara has dinner ready."

"M'kay." Ignoring all the jibes she could make at Zuko's choice of words, she eased herself off her perch. A quick exhale of pain escaped her when her feet connected to the ground. She felt Zuko stiffen.

"Do you-?"

"If you're going to offer to carry me, save it. I got this."

"Sorry." Zuko mumbled. Toph didn't think it was just for the offer.

Before she could tell him off for apologizing again, a rumble ran through the ground. Toph grimaced, her feet still too injured to differentiate the vibrations around her.  As much as she hated it, she truly was blind at the moment.

"Zuko, what's going on? Zu-?"

"Move!"

Something large and heavy crashed into Toph, sending her sprawling. The fall, and subsequent weight on her chest, knocked the air out of her lungs. She lay gasping like a tigerfish as the ground shuddered under the weight of a boulder landing right where Toph had been standing a second ago. Zuko's breath sounded loud to Toph, even as her own startled heartbeat pounded in her ears. He scrambled to get off of her but another quake rocked the ground...

... and then the ground fell.

Toph screamed as what little remained of her 'sight' disappeared in the swirling chaos. A hand clamped tightly over her wrist. All her weight dangled from that hand. Her shoulder burned  but Toph ignored it. If Zuko were to let go, a lot more than just her shoulder would hurt.

"Agni!" Zuko grunted. Toph wasn't sure if it was a curse or a prayer. Maybe both. "I've got you Toph. I've got you."

Toph couldn't find the breath to respond. All she could do was focus on Zuko, the only thing she could 'see' at the moment. The grip on her wrist slipped a little bit. Toph couldn't help the whimper that escaped.

"I'm sorry!"

Toph moved upward an inch before Zuko groaned. She fell again, letting out a squeak of pain when her shoulder jolted again with her full weight.

"Toph- can you- earthbend?"

"Not like this!"

"No-" Strain bled through Zuko's voice. "On your feet- can you bend?"

"Yes?" Her feet might hurt but dying would hurt a lot worse.

"I need you to trust me."

"Zuko wha-AAAAAH!"

Air whipped past Toph as she free fell. Seconds later her body collided with the ground. She lay there and felt Zuko land next to her.

"Toph are you okay? I'm sorry! This ledge looked safer than trying to pull you back up-!"

"Stop. Talking."

Zuko's mouth snapped shut with an audible click of his teeth.

Taking a deep breath Toph pulled herself upright. "Next time tell me what your plan is."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know if I could hold you-"

Toph punched Zuko's arm, effectively shutting him up again. "Thanks for saving my life. Now it's my turn."

With a deep breath Toph dug her feet into the ground. Pain flared at the motion but Toph forced her senses past that and to the vibrations. She and Zuko flew back to stable ground in a matter of seconds. Both flopped on the ground, breathing heavily.

"Let's never do that again, Sparky."

Zuko huffed a laugh. "Agreed."

After a minute Toph turned to face Zuko. "For the record Zuko. I've forgiven you for burning my feet. Maybe you should forgive yourself too."

A small hum was her only response but that was okay. Maybe one day Zuko would see that if he had been the one dangling, Toph would have done everything she could to save him.