Chapter Text
Toph's parents were there, physically. It was obvious, with the way they hovered mere inches away from her and always found ways to hold her shoulder or touch her hair. But it wasn't ever truly affectionate, and they were rich. More than rich enough to afford perfumes and lotions and oils that choked her when they got near, the scents so heavy they made her nose and stomach ache. And the way they would touch her with hands too smooth and voices too soft and fabricated made her feel lonely. The touches, so many of them, too many of them, were restrictive and devoid of any emotion besides pity. That's what she was to them: a broken doll that they kept out of pity. Her parents, those people made of silk and wore perfume clouds that smell of lies, disgusted her. Parents sucked ass.
A lot of the others didn't share the same feelings as her, apparently. She expected it of Katara and Sokka, with the way they were with their dad. It was weird, with the way their dad was just so there. It made no fucking sense, it was almost annoying. Haru, Teo, even Aang apparently didn't think that parents sucked. The Duke apparently had no parents and decidedly couldn't make a sure idea on them(he was eight, so he got a pass). At least Zuko (now a nice little addition to their group) would probably have the same sentiments as her. That night, when they were all situated around the fire, she heard something clatter on the floor.
"Teo?"
"Yeah, Haru?"
"Wanna tell me why you have a finger in your bag?"
"He has a fucking what in his bag?"
"Toph!"
"What? The Duke has heard fuck before, it doesn't matter!"
"It makes Aang and Teo uncomfortable."
"It's ok, Katara. This was my dad's spare finger that he left with me before the invasion. I forgot I still had it!"
Could people attach and reattach actual fingers? That sounded so damn awesome. Was it an actual finger, though? When she asked, Teo laughed.
"Nope! He had lost his fingers making a finger-safe kinfe sharpener! I already lost my legs, so I don't want loose my fingers. Well, my legs are still there, I just can't use them."
"Did he pity you?"
"Huh?"
"Did your disability make him want to pity you and protect you from everything in the world world?"
"Uh, no? He made things easier for me, sure, but he didn't freak out everytime I breathed or something. I asked him to make the knife sharpener for me as a joke, actually. He just ended up with his fingers getting chopped off. I'm his kid, he knows I'm capable."
The fuck? Does that actually happen?
"That's weird. My parents liked to call me helpless and weak."
"Why?"
"I was their pity object. Ya know, like a doll for some weird, worthless collection."
"Oh yeah, I get that."
Surprisingly, it was Zuko who spoke up. He was situated right next to Toph. He was warm and vocally quiet, even if his heart was constantly racing like he was being chased. Still, he was a comfortable presence and she didn't necessarily mind him being right by her.
"Do you, Sparky?"
"Well, yeah. My dad would like to tell me I was lucky to be born and that he should have thrown me out the window like he was planning to when I was born."
His tone was casual and light, but that sentence was a tiny bit twisted. Despite that, she felt a sort of kinship bloom and she punched his shoulder with a grin.
"Hey, I think that counts as at least emotionally absent! We should start a club!"
"Ow! Uh, sure, the 'Parents Suck' club?"
"Perfect. Parents do suck, I'm glad I ran away."
"Well, my mom was pretty great and uncle is awesome, but generally I think parents are just not good?"
"Pretty much? Fuck if I know."
"Tui and La, that is not ok? Are you guys ok? Families don't work like that normally?"
"Well, that's all I knew Snoozles. Parents, from my experience, are something you could very much live without as long as you can take care of yourself!"
Toph grinned wider. Zuko's heart had slowed when they began talking about how shitty parents are. Sokka's, Katara's, Haru's, and Teo's, however, had picked up in what could have been slight stress. The Duke was snoring away, splayed over Teo's legs, asleep before this whole shebang went down. "Uh, well, I am going to take The Duke to his sleeping bag. Haru, mind getting him? I can't get in my chair if I don't want to wake him up." She heard the wheelchair creak. "Night, Wheels!" She waved cheerfully and most likely not directly at him. "Hey, Sparky, piggyback me." She palmed his shoulders and he picked her up with his arm sliding under her legs. He smelled like smoke and spices and somewhat like the fire honey cakes she had pinched from a cart in the Fire Nation town she liked to gamble in. "You're pretty cool, for a fire bender." She leaned her head down. His warmth made her sleepy. He began humming lowly and swaying with his steps. "The fuck are trying to do, Sunshine? Put me to sleep?" He didn't answer, and her eyes slid closed anyways. She dreamed of a hug that felt like a blanket and smelled like spices and subtle sweetness and was full of something that she couldn't quite name. It wasn't pity, though, and it was the best dream she had ever had.