An Engagement Ring

Summary: Sokka and Suki have been best friends since the start. Suki has always loved Sokka, but he's in love with Toph. When Toph unexpectedly breaks up with Sokka, will Suki confess or help him get Toph back? AU, Two-shot

A/N: Squee!

(The 'him' in the beginning is Sokka, the 'she' is NOT Toph.)

Ages: Sokka, Suki- 23, Toph- 21

ATLA

She leaned in and kissed him.

He stiffened for a moment, Toph.

Then he realized. He wasn't with her anymore; his destiny was tied to someone else. Was it her?

They'd been best friends for a while now…

Hesitantly, He obliged and deepened the kiss.

XXX

Suki's dazzling blue eyes popped open as the pulled apart. "So, um Sokka," She blushed, bright and red.

Oh, just get it over with, she thought, fess up, and stop beating the bush.

Her eyes stared at her feet. "I'm really sorry about you and Toph. Getting broken up with is an crappy way to spend your birthday."

Beating the bush.

"Mhm, Suki, it's fine."

Her mind was racing, "Sokka… you know how you've said we can tell each other anything, being such good friends and all?"

Beating the bush.
He nodded, and barely said, "Yup."

Do it!

"Well… I guess now's the best chance I'll ever get… Sokka, I l-"

"Hey Suki," He said, interrupting, eyes and voice dazed. "Do you wanna go to a bar?"

"Uhm…sure."

XXX

He slammed his glass down, "Give me another shot."

Suki set down her modest glass of sprite, "Sokka, is this really the right way to go about this?"

He looked over at her, scowling. "Yes. It is."

Normally Sokka was one of the loopy-smiling, stumbling-around, leaning-on-people-happily drunks, but in his condition, he was distant and depressed.

Suki placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Sokka. Hurting is part of a break-up, but that's no excuse for getting completely and totally wasted."

He scowled again. "Yes. It is."

XXX

Sokka exited his car and strolled down the walk. His pace was brisk and happy as he toyed with the ring in his pocket.

This was it.

He was going to ask her, for real this time though. Fantasies of the moment had occupied his thoughts the entire day. Him sweeping her up in his arms. A long, passionate kiss. Tears of joy streaming down her face as she choked out a 'yes'. (So that one was a stretch for her…but still.)

He knocked on her door; this was going to be perfect.

His daydreams were crushed as she opened the door. His heart dropped at the sight of her pale emerald eyes flushed with red.

He whispered name, caring and unsure. "Toph."

She shook her head, tears forming in her pastel eyes, and the ring to slipped out of his fingers, back into his jacket pocket.

Still standing in the doorway, he grabbed her hand softly, cautiously. "What…what's the matter?"

She pulled it back, gripping the still-open door handle. "Sokka, it's…it's over."

"…Toph, Why?"

"My…I…can't. I can't."

She shut the door quickly and he walked back to his car.

He sat in the driver's seat, confused, frustrated, hurt. Tears clouded his vision and he pushed them back. She was done with him? Fine. He was done with her too.

XXX

Sokka wanted more to drink. He needed more to drink. Because, it just hit him. Hard. A smack in the face, a blow to the gut, pure agony.

Suki had been giving him a matronly eye all evening, and still was. So instead of demanding more, he sat silent, staring at the empty glass in his hands.

"Why do you think she did it?" Sokka asked after sometime.

Suki looked at him quizzically. "Who…?"

"Toph. Why'd she break-up with me…?" He immediately jumped at her, "You're a girl Suki! You're supposed to know!"

She brushed his attitude off, "She…didn't tell you? Sokka, her dad made her."

"How do you know that? You're not even friends with Toph!"

"Good God, Sokka, It's all over the news. Her dad just got diagnosed with Lung Cancer and it's terminal. He wants her to get married to one of his Business Partner's sons, her dad insists that Toph has a man helping her run the Factories. And he also said that she didn't have time to wait for you and your incompetence."

"And…she just took it? She just gave in?"

"Sokka! Her dad is going to die! What's she supposed to do? Deny him of his dying wish?!"

"But I was going to propose!"

Suki rolled her eyes, "When? Next year?"

"The day she broke up with me." He said softly.

He groaned and sat his head down on the bar. "What am I going to do Suki?"

She hesitated for a moment, and then asked quietly, "Do you really love her?"

"I was going to propose! Of course I love her." He moaned.

"Well, then I guess, First of all you're going to stop talking to me."

He groaned again. "Second?"

"I suppose that you should go get your love back."