Back from the dead (again), and because there is a seriously lack of Toko ff's on this site, here's my first Toko one-shot. Enjoy!

Loneliness Begets Passion

"Hey, Sparky? Is this seat taken?"

He almost didn't recognize her, she looked so different.

"Uh... Toph?"

"No, doofus, it's the Earth King. Yes, I'm Toph." She gave him a half smile, hands on her hips.

"It's just..." He groped around for the words. "You look so..."

"Ridiculous?" She offered.

"Different." He winced at the sound that word made. "But, in a really nice way, I mean."

She did, in fact, look quite nice. Instead of her usual dirt-dusted tunic and pants, tonight she had donned a pale green dress trimmed in the faintest of reds that accentuated the slight figure she had acquired in the past years. Her hair was done up in an elaborate knot that Zuko couldn't possibly describe. Zuko assumed that she had thrown quite a fit when offered the idea of wearing a dress, and he could only imagine how she'd feel about a dress that looked positively girly. In this case, it was probably best that she couldn't see what she was wearing. But, that aside, she still looked very pretty.

"Well, it wasn't my idea, you can bet." She slumped down in the empty seat next to him in a very un-ladylike fashion, and grabbed the nearest goblet to her, taking a long gulp. "Katara and Suki were behind the whole thing; said I couldn't 'present' myself in an 'unseemly' fashion to these 'diplomats'." She snorted. "As if I or they cared; all the grumpy old men want to do here is talk to Aang about the ever-interesting issues of national tolerance and whatever.

"I mean, come on. It's been three years since the war ended, and it's people like these that are hindering our ability to even make any progress. All they ever want to talk about the issues and never go through with any of the decisions they make. It's infuriating."

Zuko was silent for a few moments, and then he smiled. "You know what you sound like?"

Toph paused for a moment, then frowned. "A diplomat, right?" She set down her goblet, sighing.

Zuko laughed. "Not that it's a bad thing, because you're right. I just wish I had put it so eloquently to my ministers back at the Fire Nation."

"I'm turning into a politician. Wouldn't my parents love that." She took another sip. "I just wish they'd all stop talking."

Zuko paused, and he looked out towards the rest of the ballroom where, incidentally, no one was dancing. The whole of the room was taken over by people standing around either looking bored, angry, or talking to one another. He then looked to the band that had been hired to play tonight's venue, the lot of them looking forlorn as they played an unheard tune. He looked back at Toph. "You're right; let's get them to stop talking." She gave him the briefest of confused looks before he took one of her hands in his and led her to the floor.

"Hey, Hothead," She questioned. "What are we-"

"Just follow my lead." Zuko motioned to the band to play a bit louder, and they started the song up again, this time with more feeling. "I hope you know how to dance."

Toph raised her eyebrows. "Sparky, I am Toph Bei Fong, raised by the most socially-conscious parents on the planet. You think I can't dance?"

Zuko smiled. "Now you sound more like yourself."

And they were off. The moved fluidly around the floor as one being, expertly moving around the people that were stupid enough to stay on the floor as they danced. Eventually, though, the floor cleared enough so that they danced alone, just Zuko and Toph. Aang and Katara joined them both after a while, giggling to themselves as they danced in a small circle. Soon, more and more couples joined in the dancing, smiling at the music around them.

As they danced, Zuko could tell Toph had stopped paying attention. Following where he assumed her gaze was going, his eyes landed on Sokka dancing clumsily with Suki, the both of the laughing every time he tripped. Zuko momentarily wondered how Toph could see them, then mentally smacked himself as he remembered that Toph wasn't just any blind girl. He turned back to her. "Whatever happened with you and him anyway?"

Toph whipped her head in Zuko's direction, a faint blush on her cheeks. "What are you talking about?"

Zuko snorted with laughter. "I may be a guy, Toph, but I am not that oblivious." He moved his head closer to hers. "Sokka. You were in love with him."

Toph froze, making Zuko stumble the slightest bit. Dropping her hands to her sides, she turned around and slowly walked out of the ballroom. Zuko momentarily considered not following her, but put that out of his mind and strode towards the exit Toph had just disappeared through.

After a few minutes of searching, he finally found her, leaning against the walls of the Earth palace, looking upwards. Zuko walked over to her, knowing she could sense him. When she didn't move away from him, Zuko said "Toph... I'm sorry. I had no right to say that, it was none of my business, and-"

"It's fine, princess." She said, looking in his direction. She smiled a sad smile. "It's fine because... you're right."

Zuko paused, waiting for her to go on. She did.

"Or, at least, you were right. Sure, I liked Sokka. Had since he accidentally threw a belt at my head. He was dorky, clumsy, and a wuss." She laughed. "But I loved him."

"But he never knew, right?"

Toph shook her head. "Nope... mostly because of my own cowardice... and Suki, she kinda complicated things." She slid down the wall, eventually sitting on the ground, her dressed mussed about her legs. Zuko sat down as well. "I guess I just kept harboring this hope that maybe he'd forget about the girl he'd only seen twice and eventually fall in love with his best friend." She snorted, picking up a rock and bending it into different shapes. "The old cliche story. "But... she stayed. After the war ended, he was still with her, and I still wasn't over him. They got married, and I still wasn't over him." she paused. "Spirit's, I'm pathetic, aren't I?"

"Yeah... but not in the way you're thinking of." Zuko said, staring up at the sky, then to Toph. "You're not pathetic for liking him; no one should ever be looked down on for loving someone."

"...That sounds like something your uncle would say."

"Yeah, well, what can I say? He's very influential." They were silent for a few moments as they listened for the music and the laughter that came from inside. "So..." he faltered, stumbling over his words again. "How do you feel now?"

"About Sokka?" She threw the rock she was holding into the air, and caught it with a swift hand as it came down. "I got over him. I mean, what else could I do? They were married, and I couldn't very well be in love with someone so unattainable. And then they had Mysha and... it just wasn't worth it." She smiled now, throwing the rock onto the ground. "So, here I am; a bitter woman who's been slighted by love."

"Hardly a woman; you're seventeen."

"So was Suki, when they married. And it's not like you're one to talk, you're only twenty." She paused, then turned to Zuko. "So, what about you?"

"What about me?" Zuko questioned, confused.

"You and Mai, idiot. I never see you two together anymore. She finally get tired of your moodiness?"

"Well... yes."

Toph raised an apologetic eyebrow. "Oh... wow."

Zuko sighed. "It's no big deal, we just weren't meant for each other is all. She got tired of always traveling and my 'crappy' mood, and I got tired of her complaining." He shrugged. "Just between us, I couldn't have been happier."

Toph laughed. "And we know that's saying something, 'cause you're never happy."

"It was for the best." he defended, but he smiled just the same, and really looked at Toph for the first time that night.

She had changed the past three and a half years, he realized. She had grown taller, and her figure had filled out as well. She no longer hid her face under her bangs, but kept then brushed out of her face, her hair down. Sitting on the ground now, moonlight bathing her pale face and lighting up her pale green eyes, she looked, and Zuko was surprised when he came to this conclusion, beautiful.

It was a few minutes later, or it might have been a few moments, who knows, when Toph leaned towards Zuko, a smirk on her lips, and asked. "Sparky... might I ask why you're staring at me and why your heart rate just got suddenly very fast?"

'Damn.' He thought to himself, realizing now that his face was dangerously close to hers. Gulping, he said very quietly. "Toph, I should let you know, I would desperately like to kiss you right now."

Toph's face froze, emotionless, then she smiled. "Don't think I'll stop you, Sparky."

Shifting so that he was on his knees, Zuko leaned down, halting for the smallest moment ever so often as if he didn't quite know what he was doing, and took Toph's face in his hands, staring. Then, he kissed her.

They froze like that for a few moments, the pair of them lingering the taste of the other's lips in case they somehow forgot the feeling. Then, memory begot passion, and surroundings, feelings, and themselves were forgotten. Her hands were in his hair, taking out the careful topknot and letting it fall across his face in cascades. His hands were on her face, rubbing his thumb across her cheeks, pushing them closer. When they ran out of breath, they reluctantly pulled away from each other, faces flushed.

She leaned her head against Zuko's shoulder, sighing, breathing his name. "Zuko..."

He smiled, and laughed the slightest bit. "I think that's the first time you've said my name."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it, Hothead." she said softly, laughing as well.

Zuko wrapped his arms around her, his hands gently stroking her dark hair. They were a sight; his hair mussed and clothing altered, her dress wrinkled and makeup thoroughly smudged. He smiled, staring up at the sky. It was just the two of them; Zuko and Toph.