It Shouldn't Be This Easy
Chapter 10
Truth
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The guests were silent as Zuko walked out. It was a perfect time for me to slip in, unnoticed by the gaping doormen. Slowly the crowd wakes up out of it's stupor and the party begins again though the air is filled with whispers of a scandal.
Toph is still standing in a corner, torn between cheering and punching someone in the face. While she was looking around for a person she could actually reach with her fist a hand tapped her shoulder.
"May I have this dance?" She turns, ready to punch whomever it is right in the face. Blue eyes sparkle and messy brown hair is tied back into a tidy puzzle though a few rebel pieces hang loosely in his forehead.
"Sokka!?" Toph shrieks, pushing him into a corner. "How in the world did you et in here!?"
"The doorman let me in. I look good in a suit, don't I?" He gave her a cocky smile, pulling at his tailored jacket.
"Who's this Toph?" A voice asks behind him. Aang is standing there, hands clasped behind his back, looking politely interested.
"This is… James! His father's own the ranch where I bought Bandit!" Toph invented wildly. "It's where I got Bandit."
"Oh I see." He holds out a hand, "It's nice to meet you." Sokka takes it and there in a moment where they stare at each other, Toph shivering from suppressed anger.
Awkwardly Aang bent over and kissed her cheek and said in a hurried voice, "Goodnight…" He chokes the last word, "Dear." And flitted off to join Ty Lee in a corner. Toph watched them until they disappeared before turning on Sokka.
"Why are you here?!"
"To dance with you." Before she could say another word he was leading her to the dance floor, smiling at the nobles they passed.
They enter the line of dancers, Sokka facing Toph. The band begins to play and the steps being. Toph knows them too well, left foot, right foot, twirl and repeat a dozen times or so. It's all meaningless, she doesn't dance, she just follows the steps.
For Sokka, things aren't t going as well. He's tripping over his own feet and people are shooting him angry looks as he stumbles into them. Toph gets a little satisfaction from it but eventually she starts to feel annoyed by the giggles and sneering glares her partner is getting.
"Come here." She reaches for him and slowly places his hand on her hap while wrapping her tiny one around his fingers. "This is how you dance." Slowly, away from the crowd she lead him through the steps, one at a time, just like her mother had forced her into doing so many years ago.
Eventually he gets the hang of it, now able to move through the steps –however simple- with ease. He then grins at her, as if having achieved something awe-inspiring. Toph rolled her eyes. "Don't get too full of yourself. This is a dance five-year-olds learn."
He scowled and Toph laughed. People around them stared and Toph's laughing subsided. Sokka gave her a puzzled look. "Why did you stop? Even I thought it was funny."
"Because I'm a lady Sokka. Ladies do not laugh unless someone else is laughing." She sounds weary. The music ends and the crowd applaudes and Toph's hands fall from Sokka, hanging at her side. "Why are you here anyway?"
"You see, there's something I need to ask you." He grabs her hand and pulls her off to the side. Toph can feel the eyes following her. Sokka's big hands take hers, covering them in rough skin."Will you marry me?"
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Author's Note
This is such a silly plot… and I love it. If anybody says how marriage is so unreal I'll.. I'll... Hug you because I'm so happy to have a chapter up!
Line tool is not working D: