You could learn a lot about a person just from listening to them. Without sight to distract her, Toph had gotten pretty dang good at hearing more than words. What wasn't said, what tone was used, where and how long were the pauses, when did they reach for filler words... the list of auditory cues was endless.
From that little exchange, Toph picked up on four facts about Sokka's Northern Tribe friends:
1. Omi was the leader between them. 2. Ouka was the honest type. She wouldn't hesitate to say exactly what she thought or felt. Toph liked that. 3. Omi was a social strategist. He favored diplomacy and keeping his cards close to his chest, and he paid attention to the air-- when he should speak, when he shouldn't, and when it was time to end an interaction. 4. Neither one of them was ready to forgive the Fire Nation yet.
Yet. But Zuko wasn't stupid. He knew the world and its people needed time to heal, and that it would take time for the Fire Nation to atone for a century of attacks, including genocide. He also wasn't weak. He would be there to weather every obstacle and setback, and wouldn't back down until the job was done. Omi and Ouka might be angry and distrustful now, but Toph didn't hear in their voices a hatred with the stamina to withstand Zuko's raw determination.
Which, all said, left her comfortably optimistic about Zuko's prospects here.
"Don't worry, Zuko," Toph said with an air of cheeky cheer. "They just need some time to get used to you, like the rest of us did."
no subject
From that little exchange, Toph picked up on four facts about Sokka's Northern Tribe friends:
1. Omi was the leader between them.
2. Ouka was the honest type. She wouldn't hesitate to say exactly what she thought or felt. Toph liked that.
3. Omi was a social strategist. He favored diplomacy and keeping his cards close to his chest, and he paid attention to the air-- when he should speak, when he shouldn't, and when it was time to end an interaction.
4. Neither one of them was ready to forgive the Fire Nation yet.
Yet. But Zuko wasn't stupid. He knew the world and its people needed time to heal, and that it would take time for the Fire Nation to atone for a century of attacks, including genocide. He also wasn't weak. He would be there to weather every obstacle and setback, and wouldn't back down until the job was done. Omi and Ouka might be angry and distrustful now, but Toph didn't hear in their voices a hatred with the stamina to withstand Zuko's raw determination.
Which, all said, left her comfortably optimistic about Zuko's prospects here.
"Don't worry, Zuko," Toph said with an air of cheeky cheer. "They just need some time to get used to you, like the rest of us did."