I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any related characters. This was written out of enjoyment of the series, and no profit is being made.

Ships: (romance of the squinty kind) Toph/Aang
Spoilers: Erm, the finale?
Notes: Done for the Taang Finale Drabble Contest over at aang_toph on El-Jay! Knowledge of the Swamp Theory will surely help. (Also, if you turn your head sideways, this is a sequel to a previous Taang fic! 8D)

Echoes

Black polished stone reflects the red tapestries of the Fire Nation. A thousand different colours swirl together as people dance.

The world is coming together again.

He stands at the edge of the dance floor and watches the people as they switch partners all at once, one giant choreographed routine. He is just an observer, outside looking in.

I am the Avatar. It is a journey I must face alone.

He would like to say that she 'appears' next to him, as he didn't see her approach. But it's more like she arrives, because this is where she intended to go. This is where she intended to be.

Who are you kidding, Twinkletoes?

He blinks at her,

What do you mean?

and she only smirks back at him under her bangs.

I'm coming with you, aren't I?

He smiles but shakes his head.

It's more complicated than that.

She rolls her eyes, steps onto the dance floor and turns back.

How so?

He raises his eyebrows; he gives her those puppy dog eyes (of course they never work, she's blind after all).

I thought you hated dancing.

She grabs his arm and drags him out to the dance floor, shoving people out of the way.

Shut up. We're going.

They're in the center of the dance floor, but he doesn't know how to begin. People turn and look at the two of them, stock still and probably in the way. He wants to move, to stop disturbing the people all around him just trying to enjoy themselves, but she crosses her arms across her chest and glares.

You're making excuses.

He opens his mouth, but the floor beneath him shifts forward, and he has to stumble to find his balance again.

Am not!

The floor shifts to his left, and everyone on the dance floor squeals. Everyone stops this time, and look to the two earthbenders on center stage. The stone juts up from beneath him, but his legs absorb the shock and he front flips through the air and lands behind her.

A lot of people are mad at me and Zuko. It'd be dangerous, and I'm sort of worried about you coming.

She kicks backwards and he spins, avoiding it.

Worrying is my father's job.

She smirks at him from over her shoulder and turns. Zuko is shouting for all his guests to get off the dance floor.

Are you sure?

She splays her feet apart, raises her palms to him. Her toes stretch wide beneath the hem of her fancy dress, feeling the heartbeats hammer into the gold and red flecks in the stone.

Aang.

He back flips and she throws a chunk of rock through the empty loop of air. Somewhere, Zuko groans, Iroh and Sokka whoop.

Right.

And somewhere, far far below the palace floor, and far far above the starry sky, another voice echoes through a thousand stolen pairs of lips.

We'll meet again.