The day started out unlike any other, somewhat slow but increasingly more enjoyable as all of the gang slowly became more awake and tolerable of the somewhat early hour. They were on the way to their next destination, and had been flying on Appa for a short while before the sky started to go dark and they could hear the approaching storm clouds. The winds and the clouds seemed to be much faster than usual and before they knew it there was a strike of lightening right next to them. Appa growled and sprung back in surprise, but in the process Toph lost balance and fell.
Somewhat luckily for her she landed in a river, but it was soon remembered that she could not swim. The last time Suki dove in after her, but as she was no longer around Sokka dove in after her moments after, allowing Appa to lower beforehand. He wanted to dive in right when the realized but Aang and Katara would not hear any of it and had to hold him back and talk him down from diving. By the time Sokka submerged, Toph had already ceased her flailing and seemed to be unconscious as she drifter further underwater. Sokka silently cursed himself for waiting and swam full speed towards her. He pulled her up, his chest to her back and soon hit the surface, gasping for air. Toph did not make any noise and seemed to still be unconscious or atleast out of it. Sokka half whispered half yelled, "Oh no you will not!" to himself and started kicking towards the shore.
As they reached the sandy shore Sokka could feel his heart beating even harder in his chest and how uneven his breath was. He lay Toph down, out of the water and rushed his hand to her neck and his ear to her chest. She still had a pulse, he could feel, but was not breathing. She must have swallowed too much water while she was cursing out the water, Sokka couldn't help but think to himself. He looked at her, nervously a moment and looked up. Aang and Katara were still up there, waterbending the huge clouds away. Sokka shrugs, sits aside her, and leans down again. He opens her mouth and moves his lips to hers. He gives her two slow rescue breaths, waiting inbetween. As he begins the third breath he feels her begin to cough and quickly pulls away.
Toph starts to splutter and cough up a bit of water. "What-?" Toph tried to ask but started coughing again. Sokka felt his lips perk up as she tried to sit up and move her feet back to the ground. He helped her sit up and watched her, telling her it was good to cough. "You..You know. I half thought that was gonna be Suki again", Toph twisted up her face, part in humor at her expense and part not trying to cough. "Nope! Just me!" "Yea.. Just you". And though she'd never admit it, Sokka could have sworn she was blushing. He pushed back her damp bangs. "Don't scare me again like that Toph." He lowered his hand to take both of hers. "I mean it".
Toph felt touched by the sheer tenderness of his words and before she knew it she grabbed for the fabric of his tunic and brought their lips back together.
The two broke apart before Katara and Aang descended but were both grinning very sillily when they returned. Though Toph couldn't see it, she could almost feel his smile, even when they were apart, radiating to her.