Trust, and a Whole Other Kind of Love

Chapter 1

Loud sounds were emitting from a vast land in the east side of the Earth Kingdom. Sifu Beifong and her students were practicing a basic metalbending form: moving a coin.

Her new students were nowhere near bending the circular objects she provided, despite it being 2 weeks since they first started. Frankly, she didn't have much patience with anyone; that included her recruits.

Just as she was about to give her pupils another ear-splitting lecture, heavy footsteps came from the other side of the clearing, disrupting her focus.

"Do you always have to lift your feet like that every time you walk? It's a wonder the earth's never shaken because of those big feet of yours," she remarked without even facing the person.

Some of the students snickered. Entertainment while training with the Beifong was rare; it only usually happened when he was around.

"Comment on my feet all you want, Toph. Someday, these feet will be walking all over you!" he countered.

"Oh! Please save me, I'm so scared!" she scoffed. "Yeah, like that'll ever happen."

"Whatever," he dismissed their previous conversation with a simple wave of his hand, eager to finish what he came here for. "Anyway, Katara just finished cooking up dinner. I thought I might call you first since you must be starving; I know I am."

Murmured "aw's" came from the girls behind the talking duo; the guys just stood there, expressions stoic, though mentally taking notes for later use: they all knew Sokka was a lady's man and had his way with girls.

"Thanks, Meathead," she said, punching him roughly on the arm, "I didn't know you had a heart in you."

He rubbed his arm before saying, "Haha, very funny, Princess."

Toph shot him a death at the sound of the nickname, but decided to get back at him later.

Expecting some sort of blow, Sokka was surprised when she replied, "But I can't. I'll just catch up with you later, okay? Still need to teach these lily-livers a thing or two. I—"

"—You, need a break. Come on, you've been out here since we arrived. Can't you spare even a minute to eat? To eat? Toph, be reasonable: it's food for Spirit's sake!" he argued, kneeling down in front of her, pulling on her shirt, and whining like a spoiled child. "Please, for me?" When she raised an eyebrow, he quickly added, "You know how hungry I get after a long ride of Appa!"

"Fine, you brat! Just get up already." She turned to hide the creeping blush on her cheeks.

Please, for me?

You know I'd do anything for you, Stupid! she thought to herself as she tried to maintain composure.

He got up and brushed the dirt off his pants, contentedly grinning at his well-earned achievement.

"We'll get going as soon as—" she began, but was cut off by a hand clapped to her mouth. Her words became muffled as she made her protests.

"Now you guys better get back there while I handle Chief Bossy over here, okay?" he winked at them, his one arm used to cover Toph's mouth while the other was wrapped around her waist in a comfortable manner. "Now skidaddle! She bites!"

The students laughed heartedly as they ran off to the campsite, calling out their thanks to Sokka once they entered the grove of trees.

Both didn't even realize how close they were to one another; their bodies pressed together. It may or may not have been for the fact that they've been like this with each other for a good number of years, that neither one seemed to notice. This neutral obliviousness included the blind earthbender who had a certain liking to the Water Tribesman that may or may not have subsided over the years.

As he was about to release her mouth, he felt her foot step on his and screamed in agonizing pain. She was strong, and did always have a knack of making him suffer.

Hoping on one foot, he exclaimed, "Toph! What the Ravaa was that for?"

"What do you think, Stupid? I told you never to do that again!" she had her arms crossed on her chest, hip bent to the side a little, and a barely noticeable smug smirk on her face.

Still on one foot, head arched to the right a bit, he thought, Huh, she kinda looks pretty that way.

His eyes widened and he almost toppled over. Wait, what! What the Spirits did I just think about?

"—Snoozles… Snoozles? Snoozles!" her voice made him perk up and mumble incoherent syllables. "Were you even listening?"

"Uh…"

She groaned. "You're hopeless." Toph picked up her green duffle bag, the one she's been using all these years, and started gathering the things they were using for training.

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay? Can we please go now?" he tugged on her insistent arm.

"Look, I'm trying to be responsible here and clean up this mess."

This took him aback. His expression suddenly changed to one of knowing amusement. He scoffed and mused, "Since when did you ever try to be responsible? I'm sorry, but I don't think the name Toph and responsible can go in the same sentence without having a not in the middle."

When she didn't answer, or even have the slightest reaction, he knew something was up.

"Come on, Toph. You know I can see right through you."

She grunted and dropped her belongings.

"What's wrong?" he placed a hand on her shoulder and was surprised when she didn't shrug it away.

Stressed, she pinched the bridge of her nose, something she rarely did because it was part of Katara's frequent actions. "Ugh, I don't even know what to do with them anymore."

He knew all he needed to know in one vague sentence. He knew that, despite wanting to boss people around as a first reason for starting the Academy, a small part of Toph wanted to see if she didn't mess up once some big responsibility was dawned upon her. He knew that she didn't want to be like her parents, despite having reconciled with them two years ago. He knew that every time she would be in charge of something, even as simple as being the leader, Toph would remember her past situation with her parents and use that as motivation to keep fighting and not mess a single thing up. He knew that, despite being harsh on her students, she didn't want them to hate her or lose their respect for her. He also knew that, if Toph failed with her students, she would feel as if it was her parents failing on her all over again. She didn't want to fail anybody and let them feel the pain she felt all those years ago.

Sokka really wanted to lighten the mood up a bit; he got behind her and started rubbing her back in circles with his thumbs. She tensed up for a moment before relaxing and giving into his actions, even craning her neck a bit for further access.

The warrior chuckled as he voiced out his other thoughts, "Wow, you must be really strained to let me do this."

"Haha," she said with much sarcasm. "This group's worse than the last. And we even had Psycho Girl that time, remember?"

"How could I forget? She kept throwing those coins at me like I was some target; I still have the scar on my forehead," he recalled unpleasantly.

"That's because you are an easy target," she couldn't help but add, out of habit. "It was so easier last time, though."

"It's because I was there to help you, huh?" he said suggestively, moving his eyebrows up and down, although know very well she couldn't see it.

"You say that as if I can't teach my students without you."

"You weren't able to teach them this time, right?" She snickered as he took his hands off her back and flexed them in the air. "I am Sokka, Motivation Bender!"

"Well then, Mr. Motivation Bender, let's get back before the lovebirds and dunderheads eat all the meat, shall we?" she was honestly getting hungry herself too, the sound from her stomach confirmed that.

The fixing would have to wait, then. she thought

Besides, she never really enjoyed picking up after anyone, even herself.

That's sugarqueen's job, not mine, she thought. Eh, I could ask her to do it later. She'd refuse, but end up doing the job anyway.

Both were pleased that the mood had lightened up, but other than that, Sokka just beamed at the mention of food. He walked up beside her, heading towards the grove of trees that separated them from the campsite. Putting an arm around her shoulders—another gesture which she didn't shake off, to his surprise once again—he looked at her with concerned eyes. "Are you seriously okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Stop being a worry-puss like your sister. Doesn't suit you."

He put a hand up in surrender. "Okay, okay, just trying to be a good best friend here."

"Who said you were my best friend?" she loved when they joked around; they rarely got to do it anymore.

"You just did," he was grinning so much it looked like the gesture hurt. He took her nose between his two fingers and pinched them in a teasing way.

Toph smirked as they walked together in sync, satisfied with the way things had been going on.

To both their misfortunes, though, the blind girl failed to notice the addition of human vibrations being sent out from the clearing.

"Ah!" a female voice screamed.

"Katara!" a countering male voice called.

Only when she and Sokka came into the midst of the action, did Toph's sensed heightened. Her suspicions were proved to be accurate not a second after.

"We're under acttack!"

A/N: This story was supposed to be a oneshot; a handwritten plot made up in the midst of a boring day at school. But everything doesn't always turn out as we expect it to, does it?

I have the story done and finished on paper. It's acceptably short (an intended oneshot as I said) and will not be even half as lengthy as my other fanfic, Right Decisions, which I'm currently working on.

This fic wasn't at all intended for other human eyes to be seen. But after being quite satisfied with how it turned out in the end, I think it deserves a better and well-written narration than it originally had.

I doubt that any of you would find this first chapter intriguing, and may not want to continue with it. I won't make any promises, as I am not aware of your interests in relation to a story line. But I can say that it gets better (although I admit that I am utterly terrible in writing action scenes).