Came up with this in the middle of the night. I hope it doesn't show.
Toph lay awake, blind eyes boring into the ceiling above. It was her first night in Ba Sing Se, but already she didn't like it. That wasn't what was keeping her up, though; she knew she'd have to face it soon or later.
Someone–the rhythm and feel of the steps told her it was Sokka–approached her door and knocked gently. With a sigh, she sat up and bended the door open.
"I know it's late," Sokka said uncertainly, "but could we talk?"
"Sure." He seemed hesitant, as if he, too, could read lies. "Come in."
As gently as he could, he closed the door behind him before taking a seat near her.
"Well...remember when Suki rescued you from the sea monster?" Sokka asked, his words tumbling out in a landslide. "And how you responded to it?" Toph grunted; he continued, picking his words carefully: "Did you really mean it?"
A lifetime of leading a double life had prepared her for this moment. "No, I was just tired of you not showing gratitude after I saved you."
"Okay." This was enough to assuage him, to allow himself to relax. "I just don't want you to be hurt because–"
"You're in love with Suki," she finished dully.
"Yeah." Here he hesitated again, making Toph wonder if he was smarter than she had thought. "And she really likes me, too."
At this point, Toph's evaluation of his intelligence dropped considerably. "Wait, did you hear what I said out there?"
"No," Sokka replied slowly. "I couldn't understand it, but I could see you two. Why?"
"No reason!" Toph said, possibly a bit too quickly.
She felt Sokka pat her on the shoulder. "I'm glad we got that stra...er, cleared up." He got to his feet and began to walk away. "Goodnight!"
Long after he had left, Toph was still sitting up in bed, dumbfounded, one thought flowing through her mind: Could he really be that thick?
