[ Toph saves the lying and games for people she doesn't know or doesn't like. She's painfully, brutally earnest with the people she cares about, and Kakashi is on that list. Accordingly, there's a raw tentative hope on her face as she tries to follow him, shaky and uncertain on her feet with but with dawning belief. ]
I-- you keep moving... right? And there's a rock there, [ she breathes out, ducking to one side abruptly. ] I can really hear the rock.
[ Toph is not a crier. But she is thirteen, and she's in some pretty rough conditions, and she's intentionally left behind her family but in a way that makes it feel like they're the ones abandoning her. She trusts Kakashi and if he says it's not a dream, that it's really happening, then it is.
This glimpse that she may be right to insist on her independence has tears welling up in her milk-white eyes and spill over. She hastily tries to scrub them away to no avail. ]
I -- I'm not helpless. I knew this couldn't be who I was supposed to be.
[ She starts crying in earnest despite trying to stop herself, extremely and uncharacteristically self-conscious. ]
[kakashi stops his backpedaling, suddenly unsure of what to do. sure, he's constantly pulling toph around by the hand, but he's never...he's never really with anyone...
or hasn't he? he shakes himself slightly. what weird thing to get hung up about. he walks up to her and grabs her in a hug. kind of like the kind of hug someone who's never done it before would give, but a hug nonetheless.]
You never were helpless, idiot. You're the big bad Toph that nobody messes with!
[...this used to be, or else kakashi would make them wish they hadn't, but now it seems toph could handle it on her own? cool thought.]
[ She cough-laughs a little into his shoulder, hugging him tightly. Toph has no reservations about personal contact, especially not after needing to be towed around all the time just to navigate. She's not a shy person to start with and that had really quashed it. ]
It's different if I can do it myself. I just need to figure out how this works.
[ Is she about to launch into an all-out training montage the second she's emotionally stable enough? Yes. ]
[ There's more strength to her skinny arms than it seems like there should be for a runaway rich kid who's also blind. Nothing crazy or unbelievable, but Toph has always had more muscle to her than really seems to make sense, and she hugs unreservedly.
At the suggestion she takes an abrupt step back in dawning excitement. ]
You're right. You're right! Let's do it. If I could back here on my own already, who knows what else I can do?
[ Granted, this is a very familiar area, and she regularly takes those solo walks so she has a route she follows. But the point stands. ]
[ Toph grins, and there's more than a little smug satisfaction to it. She's hated being dead weight, hated depending on Kakashi and the others to remain independent. She's going to throw herself into being lookout full force. ]
Yeah! I can totally distract them with my dumb act if they get too close, too. [ She'd had to act the part of sweet helpless disabled girl so much with her parents, Toph can pull it out any time now, and it's often helpful as a distraction. ]
Let's get this figured out. Then you tell me where you want me, and I'll do it.
[ She doesn't have any problem taking direction; she's a good team player. ]
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expiationlogs2024-03-09 08:37 am
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I-- you keep moving... right? And there's a rock there, [ she breathes out, ducking to one side abruptly. ] I can really hear the rock.
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You're doing it! No way!
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[ Walking into the woods and finding a mysterious object that provokes a mystical ability to see sure sounds like a dream she would have. ]
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[which...is possible? but he was having a normal day up until this point. no weird jumps around like in a dream.]
This is crazy! I mean, in a good way!
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This glimpse that she may be right to insist on her independence has tears welling up in her milk-white eyes and spill over. She hastily tries to scrub them away to no avail. ]
I -- I'm not helpless. I knew this couldn't be who I was supposed to be.
[ She starts crying in earnest despite trying to stop herself, extremely and uncharacteristically self-conscious. ]
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or hasn't he? he shakes himself slightly. what weird thing to get hung up about. he walks up to her and grabs her in a hug. kind of like the kind of hug someone who's never done it before would give, but a hug nonetheless.]
You never were helpless, idiot. You're the big bad Toph that nobody messes with!
[...this used to be, or else kakashi would make them wish they hadn't, but now it seems toph could handle it on her own? cool thought.]
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[ She cough-laughs a little into his shoulder, hugging him tightly. Toph has no reservations about personal contact, especially not after needing to be towed around all the time just to navigate. She's not a shy person to start with and that had really quashed it. ]
It's different if I can do it myself. I just need to figure out how this works.
[ Is she about to launch into an all-out training montage the second she's emotionally stable enough? Yes. ]
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Practice! I can make an obstacle course for you. Then you'll get good for sure.
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At the suggestion she takes an abrupt step back in dawning excitement. ]
You're right. You're right! Let's do it. If I could back here on my own already, who knows what else I can do?
[ Granted, this is a very familiar area, and she regularly takes those solo walks so she has a route she follows. But the point stands. ]
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[for some reason, kakashi's idea of an "obstacle course" sounds kind of intense.]
This is so cool! I'm really happy for you, Toph.
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[ She falters and reaches up to hastily scrub the last remaining traces of tears off her face. ]
Thanks for believing me. I don't know what's going on, but if it means I don't need to depend on anyone, I don't care.
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[just in case she had grand plans of ditching him now that she can magically see.]
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Don't be stupid, this just means I can pull my weight. Maybe I can come to your rescue sometime!
[ Even just saying it out loud feels right, and extremely emotionally gratifying. ]
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Wow -- you're right! Maybe we should be practicing that first. Especially because nobody will think the blind girl's the one who's the lookout.
[ The irony is immediately delicious. ]
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[he sounds well pleased with the idea.]
Stupid cops will never catch us after we get this down.
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Yeah! I can totally distract them with my dumb act if they get too close, too. [ She'd had to act the part of sweet helpless disabled girl so much with her parents, Toph can pull it out any time now, and it's often helpful as a distraction. ]
Let's get this figured out. Then you tell me where you want me, and I'll do it.
[ She doesn't have any problem taking direction; she's a good team player. ]