"I'm not telling her that, Toph."
It was raining again. He'd hoped that the downpour would throw her off, make her turn left when he turned right but here she was.
"Sokka, you can't keep it up forever."
"No, but it's hardly been a month. I don't think I need to-"
"That's right. You don't think you need to do anything."
She cut him off just as he meant to round the corner. Feet planted firmly in the ground, arms crossed and white eyes unblinking.
"Sheesh." He hissed, leaning up against the wall. Refusing to give in, he settled on staring up and rather than speak, brought the ever side dangling water sack to his lips.
"She's eight years old. Rip the bandage off already."
He snickered. "And the ripping is my responsibility because?"
"Because you're the one who seduced her."
"Ghrmph!" Sokka coughed, pressing his palm to the already soaking collar of his shirt. He scowled at the thought. "I don't know what you've been seeing with those feet, Toph, but I have more important things to do than court a child."
"I dunno, you're prone to slip-ups."
He winced. "On occasion and with soldiers or strategy. Lin's not exactly akin to war."
"Then put an end to her little, unrequited obsession."
He was beginning to feel too old for this sort of thing. It'd been years since their meeting and she hadn't grown a day out her stubborn ways. Everything was either horrendously idiotic or… well, whatever she wanted. Her personality was abrasive initially but had become her charm when they'd gotten used to each other. It wasn't until Lin's birth that she went back to the 'blind is always right' way of doing things. Headaches and scoldings left and right from labor to Lin's last birthday.
And when the little girl started lingering around whenever Sokka came to see her, Toph was more than clear on her opinion.
"It's not an obsession. So she likes to see me every now and again. We see each other often, Toph."
She seemed to avert an unseeing gaze. "Yep, and I remember a few times we slipped up."
His cheeks flushed. "You weren't eight!" He whispered sharply, peaking around the wall for any passing ears. "And she'll grow out of it eventually."
"No she won't." She spat.
Sokka was getting tired of this. "How do you know?"
"Because I didn't!" She snapped.
He looked at her then, chest still heaving with impatience but mouth hanging slightly open.
"You… what?"
She didn't answer, just clenched her fists tighter.
"Toph…" He moved forward to touch her but found him foot caught in the dirt. "C'mon, stop it."
"She'll be there again tonight. Your office? Let her down then."
She turned her back on him, heading back to her own home.
The ground shifted again and released his foot. But he almost wished it hadn't.
"Toph, come back."
"Just do it, Sokka."
At that point, Sokka wasn't sure he didn't wish she'd bent that entire wall over him.
