Avatar the last airbender: shackled earth

Tomo woke to the clang of metal and barked orders, but something in the air felt different. Ariya's defiance from the day before echoed in his mind, sharp and unyielding. Her words lingered, her presence like a stubborn ember refusing to extinguish.

The miners trudged to the tunnels in their usual, lifeless procession. As Tomo fell in line, he scanned the cavern. Ariya was still chained in the same spot, upright and unbending. The bruises on her face did nothing to dim the fire in her eyes. If anything, they made her defiance shine even brighter. Tomo couldn't stop staring.

"You keep looking at her like that, someone's gonna notice," Yoru, the miner beside him, whispered harshly.

Tomo smirked and leaned closer to Yoru. "What, you think they'll chain me up for admiring good posture? Honestly, I'd be flattered."

Yoru rolled his eyes and grunted, leaning closer. "I'm serious. The overseers have been watching her like hawks ever since yesterday. You don't want to end up on their radar too."

With a nonchalant shrug, Tomo turned his gaze forward, but his thoughts stayed locked on Ariya.

---

The day blurred into a haze of dust, noise, and monotony. Overseers patrolled with sharp eyes and a heavier presence than usual. The tension was palpable, simmering in the air like a pot ready to boil over. Whispers passed between the miners—quick, nervous exchanges that died the moment an overseer got too close.

"Keep your heads down!" one of the overseers barked, his voice cracking. "Get back to work!"

Tomo obeyed, at least outwardly, but his thoughts raced. Something had shifted. Ariya's defiance hadn't just stirred him—it had touched the others, too. The overseers must have sensed it because their movements were jittery, their anger more volatile than usual.

---

When the day finally ended, the miners shuffled back to their quarters, their faces as hollow as always. Tomo lingered near the edge of the group, his heart pounding. His eyes flicked toward Ariya. She caught his gaze, her expression sharp and unwavering.

"Great," Tomo muttered to himself, taking a deep breath. "She looks like she'd kill me with her glare alone. Perfect time to make a new friend."

Ignoring the risk, he slipped out of line and approached her. Her presence felt like walking into a storm, but that only made his grin widen.

"Hey there, rock lady," he said, crouching beside her. "You've got everyone buzzing, you know. Even the overseers are losing their hair, and trust me—they didn't have much to begin with."

Ariya raised an eyebrow, her expression caught between curiosity and annoyance. "Rock lady?"

"Well, you're as stubborn as one," he quipped, leaning back on his heels. "Plus, you've got that whole 'earth doesn't move unless it chooses to' vibe going. Very intimidating."

Her eyes narrowed, but a faint, begrudging chuckle escaped her. "You're either brave or stupid. Probably both."

"Hey, I like to think of it as creative genius," Tomo said, his grin widening. "Though stupid is a close second."

Her amusement faded as she gave him a long, searching look. "What do you want?"

"Good question," he replied, scratching the back of his neck. "I mean, I could say I wanted to check on you, see if you're okay, but that's probably obvious. So let's go with... I wanted to meet the person who scared an entire mine without even standing up."

Ariya blinked, clearly taken off guard. "I didn't scare anyone."

"Oh, you definitely did," Tomo said, nodding. "Well, maybe not scared. More like... shook them up. Gave them something to think about. That's not easy in a place like this."

Her expression softened, just slightly. "And what about you? Did I 'shake you up' too?"

Tomo tilted his head, pretending to think. "Hmm, maybe a little. But mostly, you got me curious. How do you stay so... solid? Like nothing can break you?"

Her expression grew serious. "It's not that I can't be broken. I just refuse to let anyone see it. My parents taught me to stand firm, no matter what. They said the earth is strong because it doesn't move unless it chooses to."

Tomo nodded, his grin fading slightly. "Sounds like they were good people."

"They were," she said quietly. "And I won't dishonor them by bowing to anyone."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The cavern around them was quiet, save for the distant footsteps of the overseers.

"Well," Tomo said finally, breaking the silence, "if you ever need someone to make dumb jokes and distract the overseers, I'm your guy. Not great with pickaxes, but excellent at annoying people."

Ariya gave him a long look, her lips twitching upward in a small, genuine smile. "I'll keep that in mind."

"See? Teamwork already," he said, standing up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to sneak back before they chain me up too. I'm allergic to chains—terrible rash."

"Wait." Her voice stopped him. He turned back, surprised to see her expression serious again. "Why are you doing this? Talking to me?"

Tomo hesitated, his grin faltering. "Because... I don't know. You remind me what it's like to care about something. And maybe, if I hang around you long enough, I'll remember how to do it too."

Ariya studied him, her gaze piercing. Then she nodded. "Be careful, Tomo. The firebenders don't take kindly to hope."

"Good thing I'm more of a water guy," he said with a wink.

As he slipped back into the shadows, her voice followed him.

"The earth doesn't move unless it chooses to," she said softly. "Remember that."

---

That night, as Tomo lay on his bunk, he couldn't stop smiling. Despite the danger, despite the weight of the mine pressing down on him, he felt lighter than he had in months.

In the stillness, he closed his eyes and focused on the faint hum of chi stirring within him. It was stronger now, steadier, no longer just a flicker.

Be stubborn. Be steady. And never give in.

For the first time, Tomo thought he might just be able to.