He never viewed her as anything else. And that kind of sucked.
That was the conclusion Toph Bei Fong came to after a day of some serious thinking.
It had been one of the crappiest days ever. Worse than when Aang beat her in Earth Rumble, worse than when she kissed Sokka and it turned out to be Suki. Worse than the day when she realized that her parents would never truly love her for being the girl she is. No, this beats those days by far.
And really, no horrible things have happened today. No one was killed, no war has broken out. Zuko hasn't turned into some crazy person like his sister. Well, at least he has Sugar Queen by his side now. She snorts at that. Who would have guessed?
Though despite the fact that nothing really has happened something has. And it hurts. It was not a punch. Only words. She has always known that words can hurt, but this? It feels as if her heart has been ripped out and stomped on. All because that she opened up. Bloody Twinkle-Toes. It was his stupid fault for suggesting it in the first place! Otherwise she would have kept her mouth shut! But oh no, the good and oh-so-almighty Avatar had to step in and tell her what to do. And she, being the idiot she keeps telling herself she never has been, listened to him. Stupid, ruddy avatar. And stupid Sokka for not returning her feelings!
Because that was all she did. You know. Loved him. Love him. So, she might have kind of stepped up to him and told him how she felt. For a response he sputtered, laughed a bit from pure surprise, and finally told her, with heartbreaking kindness and sympathy, that the two of them would never happen.
No wonder he said what he did, she thinks. She kind of understands, beneath her rough and pissed-off surface. She isn't the easiest person to hang around with. Not the kindest either. She's not very nice nor is she sweet. Probably not that pretty either. Not to mention the blind thingy. She's rough, hard and knows how to take care of herself. Did that give him the excuse to be cruel? To laugh? She doesn't like to think so.
Still she can't leave. Oh, today she has wanted that so many times. But she can't. No matter that he loves Suki, the warrior princess, the non-bender. She can't leave. Because if she did, that would mean giving up all hope that he ever will come around. And even if he never does she's willing to take all she can get, even if it only means being his friend and babysitting his children instead of having them together with him. Then, she decides, that is what truly proves she loves him. He really should see that.
But of course he doesn't. He's Sokka and he wouldn't be Sokka if he did. And why would he ever choose her? When he can have Suki? She knows she shouldn't give up. They belong together. But if he doesn't come around soon; she just might.