A/N- I dug this up out of an old folder the other day and thought, why not post it? Honestly, this is about five years old. Tokka! Yeah! That was the first thing I shipped, and this is(if I'm remembering right) the first fanfic I ever wrote. Weird. It's old! Don't hate it! I just haven't been doing anything lately, so… enjoy.

Toph's POV

At first, I was just kind of struck, I guess. I mean, my parents kept me holed up in a giant mansion for the first twelve years of my life.

After traveling with Team Avatar, everything changed for the better. I could do whatever I wanted. I didn't have a disgusting lacey outfit laid out on the foot of my bed each morning. We didn't even sleep in beds. The best thing was the other people around my age.

Don't get me wrong: Katara's really stuck up and pushy sometimes. Aang is happy-go-lucky. And Sokka. Is. An. Idiot. But it was better than having no one to talk to all day and sitting through etiquette lessons. Ew.

Team Avatar is really great, and I love them all, even if they are a bunch of kooks. Eventually, Zuko joined up with us. He really fit in, because all of us have had rough pasts.

We bonded so strongly that even now, five years after our last day together, we're friends.

I wiped the sweat off my brow as I demonstrated the proper form again. When I wanted to start an academy, I had no idea what I was signing up for.

One time back when I was with the gang, there were some bounty hunters after me. Later I learned that my own father sent them. I guess he wasn't all that pleased with me, running of to join the Avatar and all. I had gotten really mad and stormed off onto the dirt road. A few moments later I was up in their cage. I knew there was a way out, I just couldn't figure it. Then it hit me.

I was feeling things, but the floor of the cage was metal. I thought it was strange, but realization began to creep in on me. I could feel Earth, but this was metal. Where did you find metal? The Earth. That meant that metal was just a purified form of Earth, and if it was Earth, I could bend it.

After the last adventure went down, I wanted to share Metalbending with the world. So I started an academy that's making, to date: no progress.

"Haru, I know you're talking with Terra again. I may be blind, but I'm not deaf!" I yelled, feeling the student shuffle his feet nervously. "Now everyone! Take your stances! I want to feel that metal move!"

I stamped the ground, feeling vibrations running up and down my body. No results. What was I doing wrong? I was teaching them the right form, movements, and I even had them practice with Earth first. I was just about to blow my top when a new set of footsteps rang through the ground.

Not an Earthbender walking. That was for sure. A strong step, but no bending essence.

An enthusiastic voice rang through the air. "Toph!"

Five years passed and his voice still cracks? Oh well. "Sokka! It's been forever!" I ran over and launched myself at him. After we had hugged, he seemed to be getting awkward glances from my students.

"Guys," I announced. "This is Sokka. He's one of my best friends, and he helped save the world."

They were exuberant and asked a boatload of questions.

"Oh my Spirits! Is it really you?"

Sokka answered with enthusiasm. "Yes."

"Is it true that you saved Sifu Toph's life on that airship?"

"Uh huh!"

"Did you get a new boomerang after that other one got lost in the forest?"

"Yep! Sure did."

I could tell that Sokka was loving the attention. He was always one to enjoy praise.

"Can you show us how to throw a boomerang?"

"Not right now, but maybe some other time, as long as Sifu Toph-" He nudged me. "-allows it."

I smiled.

"Will you go out with me?" A young girl student asked. She was old enough… ish..., but it just wasn't right in my mind. Sokka was just… I couldn't let it happen.

I spat on the hard Earth. "Enough! Me and Sokka have some private things to take care of. You can go on break and pay your folks a visit."

Once inside the Earth building that doubled as a dormitory, I bended two chairs up around a wooden table standing in the middle of an empty room.

"So." Sokka slumped back in the chair.

"So." I dug my heel into the ground, sending a small pillar of Earth horizontally, jabbing into my friend's back.

"Ow! What was that for?" He arched his back and grimaced.

"How 'bout you make some tea? I'm really thirsty, you know. Training those hooligans gives me a run for my money." I grinned.

"Can't you-" Sokka stopped himself. He was going to say 'can't you see that I'm relaxing?', but remembered just in time that I really couldn't.

"What?"

"Nothing. So, what private things did we need to take care off, Sifu?" Sokka mocked my title.

"Meh."

"Seriously, Toph? You haven't changed one bit in five years."

"You're one to talk. Your voice still cracks." I grinned wickedly.

"Does not!" Sokka exclaimed, his voice cracking.

"Ironic."

"I'm waiting for some private things, Toph."

"Whatever. You know I was just saying that to get them off your neck," I lied.

"Hey, you were acting weird. You were all loose and then suddenly you snapped. What was that?" Sokka questioned.

I held in my breath. I didn't mean to be that uptight and rude to that girl. Sometimes people got on my nerves. Although if Sokka, of all people, noticed it, I would need to explain.

"I just didn't want my students getting into trouble, okay? The boomerang things were cool, but dating is going to far. I-" I sighed. "I don't want to take charge of your life, but I do want to choose who-" I paused again. "I-" I was amazed by myself. I was never at a loss for words. Never.

"Its okay." Sokka put an arm around me. "I know how you feel."

"Really?" I turned to my taller friend.

"Yeah! Really. Whenever Katara and Aang are getting mushy, my chest tightens up and I want to snap at him. Its because Katara's my sister and she just seems too young to me. I know she's not, its just... You know." Sokka shrugged.

I smiled. "I guess you do know. But its different for me."

"How, Toph?"

"Well, um…" No day like today, Toph, I reminded myself. Who knows when I'll get to see him again? "I really like you, Sokka," I said, shutting my eyes tightly.

"You do?" He sounded taken aback.

I felt myself blushing and I gulped. This might turn out seriously bad.

"Wow! That's great! I mean, I just never thought- I thought you liked Aang or someone."

I shook my head. "Its okay, then?"

""Yes. Actually, I was about to say something… of that likeness as well. I brought you a gift."

"Really? I never get good stuff anymore!" I was excited.

Sokka held out his hand.

"Um, Sokka?" Where was that hand, exactly?

"Here. Its for you," he said.

"Drop it," I commanded.

"What?" He was obviously confused.

"Just do it, Boomerang."

He dropped the object.

I felt the impact send shivers through the ground, and I tried to form a picture in my mind of what they told me. I grinned. "A necklace?"

"Close," he said. "It's actually an armlet. I thought you would like it."

"Thanks, Sokka!" I picked it up. It felt cold and smooth in my hand.

"In case you don't like it, it's metal, so you can always bend it or something," he said.

I felt his hand on mine, and, apposed to my would-be-reaction if this had happened five years ago, I didn't pummel him. Yay me. Naw, I sort of- and this might be going a bit far for my standards- but I sort of held his hand, too.

I felt a tug, and we were walking across the courtyard. We sat down on the steps up to the Academy.

And I swear, in that moment, I could almost see that sunset.