Third person POV:
Sokka had been running for what felt like an hour. He finally saw the outlines of buildings in the distance. Toph's arm was still gushing blood with no end in sight.
"Hang on Toph, we're almost there!" Sokka said, painting.
"Aye aye captain." She weakly answered. Sokka squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before smiling.
With the cold air burning his lungs, Sokka ran through town, people staring as he past. He took a sharp right turn and came to the healing hut, where Katara usually trained new people coming from the Northern tribe to heal.
Sokka slowed to a fast walk and opened the door with his shoulder.
"Where's Katara?" Sokka asked, desperation in his voice.
One of the training healers answered, "She left to go look for you about 5 minutes ago." Sokka grunted with frustration and set Toph down on a mat. The healers quickly jogged over to her as Sokka pushed back out the door.
Before he left he turned his head back to say something but decided not to. The words echoed in his head as he began his search for his sister.
"Katara come on!" She shouted out, emotion in his voice. A light snow had begun to fall on the mountain side.
"Katara!" He called again.
"Sokka?" He faintly heard in the wind.
"Katara!" He began running up the mountain and over a hill. He saw her not to far away. She ran up a slope to him.
"Sokka I was so worried! Where were you?" Katara yelled.
"Now is not the time to be mad Katara! Toph's hurt!" Sokka shouted firmly back. Katara's face went blank before she began running back to the town, Sokka following close behind.
They both burst into the tent. The healing students had prepped all the stuff for Katara to get to work.
"What happened?" Katara asked, baffled that wound was still bleeding.
"She got bit by a penguin." Sokka answered quickly, he was kneeling by Toph. Katara began to bend water to Toph's shoulder.
Once the water began to work, Toph opened her eyes from her previous unconscious state. She winced at the sharp pain nagging her shoulder.
"Hold still," Katara told Toph, concentrating. Without thinking, Sokka grabbed Toph's hand, squeezing it. She smiled slightly, squeezing back.
Katara continued to hold the glowing water to Toph's shoulder, time going past as slow as a slug. Sokka began to worry. He tried to push the worst of his fears to the very back of his mind.
"Kayn, can you grab me the bandages please?" Katara asked one of her students, she was calmer than before. The tall boy brought over a roll of bandages.
"Ok Toph, this is going to hurt." Katara said softly
"Help me sit her up, Sokka." Katara looked up at Sokka, who was staring at the small pale hand wrapped around his dark one.
"Ok." Was all he answered. Katara and him carefully grabbed Toph's back and hoisted her up to a sitting position. A low yelp of pain came from the girl. At hearing the noise, Sokka focused all his attention back on Toph.
"Just hold on Toph," he whispered. He kept holding Toph up while Katara wrapped her shoulder. Toph clenched her teeth when the cold bandage made contact with her scarred skin.
"Ok, it done!" Katara let out a sigh of relief as Sokka lowered Toph back into her previous position. He looked down at her.
"You're ok." He mumbled to himself.
"Ya, I am! A penguin can't take me out!" Toph said, her sass still there despite the pain she had just went through. She smiled up at him, punching his shoulder with her good arm.
Sokka smiled too. He brought his hand to Toph's cheek. Her cheeks immediately turned a bright shade of red. They sat like that for a while.
"Sokka?" Toph asked quietly.
"Ya?" Sokka asked, still gazing into to her endless eyes.
"Your arm's kinda leaning on my shoulder." She squeaked out.
"Oh sorry!" He said moving right away. His hand left her cheek. Toph frowned.
"No, keep your hand there," she said somewhat shy, which was unusual for her. He placed his hand back on her cheek. He moved his thumb back and fourth across her pale cheek.
"I love you." He leaned to her ear and softly whispered. Toph eyes widened and her cheeks heated up. Sokka lifted his head to look in her eyes once again. His thumb ran over her lips.
"Sokka," she began.
"I'm sorry," he trailed off. He turned his head away and removed his hand.
"No." She said, grabbing his hand and bringing it back to her face. Sokka looked at her smiling face.
"I love you too Snoozles!" Toph giggled, which was very rare. The edges of Sokka's mouth once again turned upward.
He softly pushed his lips against hers. They broke apart eternities later.
"That was really nice." Toph breathed heavily.
"Mhm." Sokka answered, lost for words.
Katara watched from the other side of the hut. Sokka had said after he broke up with Suki that he would never find love again. Sokka proved himself wrong today. Katara smiled. She was happy that her brother was finally happy again.
