Categories > Cartoons > Avatar: The Last Airbender > One Step At Time
/#8-Touch/
Touch
Toph woke up to the familiar sound of Sokka's snoring. She'd learned to live with it but sometimes the volume rose enough to wake her from the depths of slumber. She made a mental note to keep him away from the roast lamb so soon before bedtime.
Annoyed, she reached across the bed and started to shake him awake, but the touch of his warm skin underneath her hand had a calming effect on her. Instead of slapping his arm like she'd meant to do, she curled her fingers around his forearm and let the warmth of his skin seep into hers. Slowly, she drew her hand up higher, to the firm muscle of his bicep, and up to his shoulder. She ran a finger across the scar from a long ago run in with an arrow. His hair brushed against the back of her hand, and she stretched her fingers up, to idly brush them through. Usually he had it pulled back, but she liked being able to run her fingers through it, even though he complained that he felt like a pet when she did it. He sighed-a welcome break from his snoring-and moved closer to her.
Turning on her side, Toph rested her hand over his heart. Its rhythm kept in time to hers, a fact that never ceased to amaze her. Then again, there were lots of things about him that amazed her, even after all this time. Her hand continued its journey across his body until she could curl it against his side and she laid her cheek on his shoulder, a small smile on her face. He had a habit of sleeping naked, explaining to her that silk sheets should not be wasted by wearing pajamas, and on warm summer nights like this one she was more than happy to share that habit with him. She put a leg over his, grinned when he put a hand on her thigh more out of reflex than anything else.
No matter her mood or state of mind, touching him had a way of soothing her center. She'd been told more than once that many women thought him handsome, but she'd scoffed at that. His looks meant nothing to her, but how he felt beneath her fingertips meant the world. She knew every curve, every scar, and every dip of him. She knew that when she cupped his face in her hands, she could stroke the strong line of cheekbones and run her thumbs across his lips. Even though she was tall, nearly as tall as he was, all she had to do was rest against him in a certain way, touch her temple to the strong edge of his jaw, and she could fit in the circle of his arms, sheltered.
She put her hand on his cheek now, her touch gentle, but enough to wake him.
"If you're gonna feel me up, at least wake me up before you do it," he mumbled, sliding an arm under her and holding her against his side.
"Where's the fun in that?" she countered, shifting so that she was on top of him. "Your snoring woke me up so I thought you owe me this one."
She heard his soft laughter.
"I'm more than happy to pay."
She touched her lips to his.
-fin-
Touch
Toph woke up to the familiar sound of Sokka's snoring. She'd learned to live with it but sometimes the volume rose enough to wake her from the depths of slumber. She made a mental note to keep him away from the roast lamb so soon before bedtime.
Annoyed, she reached across the bed and started to shake him awake, but the touch of his warm skin underneath her hand had a calming effect on her. Instead of slapping his arm like she'd meant to do, she curled her fingers around his forearm and let the warmth of his skin seep into hers. Slowly, she drew her hand up higher, to the firm muscle of his bicep, and up to his shoulder. She ran a finger across the scar from a long ago run in with an arrow. His hair brushed against the back of her hand, and she stretched her fingers up, to idly brush them through. Usually he had it pulled back, but she liked being able to run her fingers through it, even though he complained that he felt like a pet when she did it. He sighed-a welcome break from his snoring-and moved closer to her.
Turning on her side, Toph rested her hand over his heart. Its rhythm kept in time to hers, a fact that never ceased to amaze her. Then again, there were lots of things about him that amazed her, even after all this time. Her hand continued its journey across his body until she could curl it against his side and she laid her cheek on his shoulder, a small smile on her face. He had a habit of sleeping naked, explaining to her that silk sheets should not be wasted by wearing pajamas, and on warm summer nights like this one she was more than happy to share that habit with him. She put a leg over his, grinned when he put a hand on her thigh more out of reflex than anything else.
No matter her mood or state of mind, touching him had a way of soothing her center. She'd been told more than once that many women thought him handsome, but she'd scoffed at that. His looks meant nothing to her, but how he felt beneath her fingertips meant the world. She knew every curve, every scar, and every dip of him. She knew that when she cupped his face in her hands, she could stroke the strong line of cheekbones and run her thumbs across his lips. Even though she was tall, nearly as tall as he was, all she had to do was rest against him in a certain way, touch her temple to the strong edge of his jaw, and she could fit in the circle of his arms, sheltered.
She put her hand on his cheek now, her touch gentle, but enough to wake him.
"If you're gonna feel me up, at least wake me up before you do it," he mumbled, sliding an arm under her and holding her against his side.
"Where's the fun in that?" she countered, shifting so that she was on top of him. "Your snoring woke me up so I thought you owe me this one."
She heard his soft laughter.
"I'm more than happy to pay."
She touched her lips to his.
-fin-
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