Rush [Sokka - Book Three]

⚝Chapter Ten⚝

Konno and Sokka still hadn't spoken with each other yet. She had felt hopeful for that whole day when he crafted his sword and even when he had to fight Piandao after he spilled that he was from the Southern Water Tribe. Yet they hadn't said a word to each other since he asked if she missed him. 

Now that Sokka had his new sword, he couldn't stop ogling over it. Konno would catch him staring at it with a contemplating look on his face. She hoped he was thinking about her, but she didn't know whether that was true or not. 

After leaving the little town that was situated in the mountains, they all decided to take a little time off when they found a pool of water in a crater. There were walls surrounding them so Konno wasn't really worried about them getting seen. Aang, Katara, and Sokka were lounging around the water. 

"Aang, I know swimming is fun and all, but do you really think you should be exposing yourself like that?" Toph asked. She sat next to the water and was dipping her toes into the cool water. "Cover up!"

Aang was floating through the water with Momo curled up on his bare chest. "What? I'm wearing trunks."

Katara waded in the water closer to where Konno and Toph were sitting. Toph raised her arms in frustration. "I know. It's your tattoos I'm worried about. What if someone sees you?"

"There are walls all around us," Katara said, turning toward Toph. "It's completely safe."

"Yeah," Konno agreed. "We'll be fine."

Toph shook her head. "If something happens, don't blame me. This is all of your guys' fault."

"Why would it be my fault?" Sokka asked. He stood over near Appa and was practicing with his sword. "I didn't say that we're safe here. I wasn't even in on that conversation."

Sweat beaded his brow as he continued to practice with his sword against a tree. A lot of slash marks painted the brown bark a light color in front of him. He was already a really good swordsman, so she wasn't sure why he was practicing that hard.

"Then I won't blame you," Toph said, sounding annoyed. "But don't come crying to me when someone shows up and tries to kill us because they saw Twinkle Toes in all his tattooed glory."

Konno glanced at Aang. He was floating toward a small opening in the crater wall, Momo clinging to his head. With a shout, he disappeared through the hole. He didn't look worried at all; instead, he looked relieved to finally be able to show off his tattoos.

She leaned back against the rock, closing her eyes. She knew how much Aang had been suffering since he couldn't show off his tattoos, so it was a good thing for him to relax a bit. They all deserved to relax for a little bit. Too much had happened to each of them in their short years on this earth, and they deserved to find any sort of happiness whenever they could. 

"Konno, why don't you come into the water with me?" Katara asked.

Konno glanced at the water. Subconsciously, her heart rate picked up speed at the thought of getting in the water. She was still terrified of the water because of what she did back at the Northern Water Tribe.

"I think I'll stay on dry land," Konno told her. "I don't like the water anymore."

"You'll be fine," Katara said with a nod. "I promise I won't let you drown."

Konno swallowed hard at that word. "Katara, I don't know. I'm - I'm a little scared."

Katara swam over to where Konno was and rested her arms on the rock near Konno's feet. "The only way to get over a fear is to throw yourself right into it."