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"So there I was, surrounded by rebels, deep in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se." A pop as the campfire finally consumed a young branch. "No way out in sight. It seemed hopeless, but your Gramp-Gramp wasn't about to go down without a fight."

Quiet reigned in the campfire-illuminated clearing. Some distance within the Earth Kingdom woods, the grey-bearded storyteller wove his tale for his rapt audience.

"So I pulled my trusty boomerang from its sheath, hurled it at their leader- "

"And somehow," a familiar voice intruded, "he not only managed to miss, but got hit with his own weapon when it finally returned." Snickers and giggles broke out. The usurped storyteller glared at the blurred vision of his wife as she approached. The firelight danced and snapped, throwing light and shadow in ever-changing patterns.

"No interrupting the storyteller!"

She snorted. "It's a good thing I did, or these kids would go home thinking you were some kind of hero or something." Outright laughter met that declaration. She turned from him to address the children of four different nations that sat around the fire. "Come on kids, time to head home. Camping trip's been called off." She silenced the moans and groans with a few simple words. "Grandpa Aang is back with Tenzin."

In the relative quiet after the children had scampered off toward home, storyteller and wife worked together to clean up.

"Remind me to thank Aang later," Sokka confessed as he finally gave in to the pain and massaged his back. "I think I may be getting too old for nights in the woods with all of the younger gaangkids."

"He admits it!' she declared gleefully. "And here I thought what good sense you had left with your memory."

"My memory's just fine."

"Sure it is. That's why you were about to feature as the hero in a tale where I had to come and save you." The shadows that met Sokka's eyes when he turned and looked up to protest stilled his tongue. He blinked, rubbed his eyes. They were still there.

She was facing him, he knew. He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the slight twist that always came to her grin when she mocked him. A sigh.

"Have I told you today how beautiful you are?"

Toph paused at the soft voice. A gentle breeze blew through the woods: she vaguely wondered if it had come from the sea, or some feat Aang had performed to entertain the kids.

"No, but you just did."

"And I'm going to keep telling you. Every day. Even when... "

Dropping her own bundle of gear, she walked across the clearing and sat next to him. He twisted into a more comfortable position, resting one arm across her shoulders and drawing her close until she could lean her head against his shoulder.

"Katara came back with Aang. I explained what's been going on, and she'll take a look at you tonight when we get home." He was shaking his head before she finished.

"And if there's nothing she can do?"

"Well then." Raising her head, she grasped his chin and turned him towards her. Using both hands to orient herself, she turned her sightless eyes into his dimming ones. "You've been my eyes for almost fifty years. Now, I'll just have to be yours."

Description
"So there I was, surrounded by rebels, deep in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se." A pop as the campfire finally consumed a young branch. "No way out in sight. It seemed hopeless, but your Gramp-Gramp wasn't about to go down without a fight."

Quiet reigned in the campfire-illuminated clearing. Some distance within the Earth Kingdom woods, the grey-bearded storyteller wove his tale for his rapt audience.

"So I pulled my trusty boomerang from its sheath, hurled it at their leader- "

"And somehow," a familiar voice intruded, "he not only managed to miss, but got hit with his own weapon when it finally returned." Snickers and giggles broke out. The usurped storyteller glared at the blurred vision of his wife as she approached. The firelight danced and snapped, throwing light and shadow in ever-changing patterns.

"No interrupting the storyteller!"

She snorted. "It's a good thing I did, or these kids would go home thinking you were some kind of hero or something." Outright laughter met that declaration. She turned from him to address the children of four different nations that sat around the fire. "Come on kids, time to head home. Camping trip's been called off." She silenced the moans and groans with a few simple words. "Grandpa Aang is back with Tenzin."

In the relative quiet after the children had scampered off toward home, storyteller and wife worked together to clean up.

"Remind me to thank Aang later," Sokka confessed as he finally gave in to the pain and massaged his back. "I think I may be getting too old for nights in the woods with all of the younger gaangkids."

"He admits it!' she declared gleefully. "And here I thought what good sense you had left with your memory."

"My memory's just fine."

"Sure it is. That's why you were about to feature as the hero in a tale where I had to come and save you." The shadows that met Sokka's eyes when he turned and looked up to protest stilled his tongue. He blinked, rubbed his eyes. They were still there.

She was facing him, he knew. He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the slight twist that always came to her grin when she mocked him. A sigh.

"Have I told you today how beautiful you are?"

Toph paused at the soft voice. A gentle breeze blew through the woods: she vaguely wondered if it had come from the sea, or some feat Aang had performed to entertain the kids.

"No, but you just did."

"And I'm going to keep telling you. Every day. Even when... "

Dropping her own bundle of gear, she walked across the clearing and sat next to him. He twisted into a more comfortable position, resting one arm across her shoulders and drawing her close until she could lean her head against his shoulder.

"Katara came back with Aang. I explained what's been going on, and she'll take a look at you tonight when we get home." He was shaking his head before she finished.

"And if there's nothing she can do?"

"Well then." Raising her head, she grasped his chin and turned him towards her. Using both hands to orient herself, she turned her sightless eyes into his dimming ones. "You've been my eyes for almost fifty years. Now, I'll just have to be yours."