Unwanted Treasure
By: Sailorjj07
10. The Sixth Month by Toph
A/n: Hi everyone! Thanks so much for your reviews! Oh and BTW, yes, I know Sokka and Toph had a pretty big age difference...but I think they deserve each other guys! They fit so WELL together, I think. So I'm saying sorry now! SORRY GUYS!
Disclaimer: I do not own!
"Talking"
'Thinking'
Actions
(Me!)
I was sick of flying.
You know, being in the air is just fine and dandy to other freakin' people. A lot of people enjoy feeling the wind in their hair, feeling the rush of air as they change directions and all that other happy junk.
But I hate it. Absolutely, positively hate it, with the fiercest passion ever.
"Toph, you're glaring at the sky again," Sokka whispered in my ear, with a soft chuckle. I turned my glare on him and that only made him laugh harder.
"Well maybe if I could see in the sky, I wouldn't be so mad. I hate the stupid sky. I wish it'd just fall already!"
"Hahahaha! Toph, you'll be alright." Sokka patted my leg with his hand and then stood up, probably to go talk to Stupi.
I was tired of hating her too. I mean, I still didn't want her there, because she got in the way of everything, but she wasn't the only one at fault. I was being selfish when I let Sokka sleep in my room with me. I had been terrified of my dreams and Sokka was the only person who happened to be awake and hear them.
I was wrong to hate her so much too, because it wasn't her fault Sokka wanted to have his cake and eat it too.
But, he was my only confidant. I could tell the Sugar Queen, but she had her own problems and Twinkle Toes was all of the sudden becoming "Avatar-like" since there was no love between them. As if her feelings for him were the only thing keeping him from taking his job seriously, geez. And Sparky? Ha, he was like a bowl full of drama soup. He was so damn confused about himself and life in general that I wouldn't want him to listen to me.
I'd probably want to hang myself after talking to him. No joke.
So Sokka was the only one and the only good enough listener. He had held me close on those nights, played in my hair; things not even my own mother had done for me. I never knew how to take it.
That's how I fell in love with him.
"Toph, we're landing." Sparky called over from the other side of the basket. I nodded and held onto the side of our cloth walls; I hated landing too.
"Wow, Zuko, where are we?"
"At my parents' old vacation house."
What the hell? Did he really just say what I think he said?
Thirty Minutes Later
Zuko's parents' house was really huge. It was almost as big as my parents' house.
"Wow Zuko, this place is really big," I heard the fat Sugar Queen say. I giggled as I reached out and poked her stomach, which the little one responded by kicking Katara back. I put my head close to her belly and listened to his or her heart beat, whispering softly to the baby inside.
"Hello little one. When you come out of there, I'm gonna make you an Earth bender. Your parents will be totally jealous and you can come live with me."
"Hey, Earth girl, my kid stays with me." Zuko said, with mock authority. We both laughed together and I moved away from the Sugar Queen's belly, if only to give her the space.
"So Sparky, where's my room? I wanna take a nap and your taking up that time." I put my hands on my hips and smirked when I heard him laughing at me.
He answered: "Come on Toph, I gave you the best room in the house."
"Have a good nap, Toph!" The Sugar Queen called after me.
I nodded and ran to catch up with Zuko; curse him and his big almost-man feet. "The best room? It better be good."
"It is, I promise." Zuko lead me down a long hallway before we made two left turns, then stopped.
"Ok, Toph. This is your room. We had it made for the Earth Kingdom ambassadors that visited us on rare occasions. I think it fits you pretty well."
I froze in the doorway. An ambassador slept in this room? I could see the furniture in the room was really elaborate, but I couldn't see the colors, so I asked Zuko to tell them to me.
"The ambassadors were mostly women surprisingly, since Earth Kingdom men were too afraid to stay with us. The bed has a pale mint green color, with dark green accents all over the pillows and sheets. There's a dark green, thick four-poster canopy around the bed too and the canopy has gold flecks in it. That's just the bed. The whole room has mint green and forest green all over it."
I nodded in satisfaction. This bed was fit for a queen! I walked across the room slowly, and plopped down on the bed, waving at Zuko, "This'll just have to do! It's not the best I've ever seen, but it'll work."
Zuko knew I was being facetious, "Well I'm glad you can handle the shame of sleeping in such a horrid room. Next time, I'll have to make sure you take part in making it, Toph."
I yawned, "Yeah, that'd work."
"Remind me to remember that. See ya, Toph."
"Night night, Sparky." He shut my door and I closed my eyes. I really wanted a nap cause my nerves were all over the place.
Did I tell you how much I hate flying?
Three Hours Later
"Toph! Come on, Toph, wake up!"
I growled under my breath. Why would they send Sokka of all people to wake me up?
"Tooooppphhhhh...come on! You can't possibly still be asleep! You just growled at me!" Sokka plopped down on the side of my bed and I kicked him, growling again.
"Ow! You're so mean!" Sokka whined, and then he reached over and started tickling me.
He's the only one that knows how ticklish I really am. This sucks!
"S-Sokka, let go! I'm up, ok? I'm up, I'm up!" I gasped, trying to talk past my laughter. I could feel Sokka nod and he let up, proud of himself.
"Good. So how was your nap, Toph?"
"Great, until you came here."
That earned me another round of tickling and finally I kicked Sokka firmly in his side. In retaliation, he straddled me and began to tickle me relentlessly. It was totally unfair.
"Hahahahaha! Sokka, get your fat butt off! Ahahahaha! Get off!" I cried, between giggles. I would pop if he didn't stop soon.
There was a knock at the door and Sokka kept going, ignoring whoever it was.
After the person called out he or she was coming in, the door opened and Twinkle Toes told us: "Hey, you two, Katara said you need to hurry-!" Then there was a pause and Twinkle Toes gasped, "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-! Um, bye!"
He slammed the door shut without another word and I groaned, which made Sokka stop tickling me finally.
"Was that Aang?" He asked quietly. I could feel the dread washing over his body as he'd realized how that looked to Twinkle Toes. Sokka was a dumb ass when he wanted to be.
And I loved him as idiotic as he was.
"Yeah that was, genius. Now what do ya think ya girlfriend's gonna say? I swear, Sokka, you haven't been making very wise decisions lately."
Sokka was quiet as he sat on top of my stomach and I poked my tummy out, trying to get him off of me.
"You have a point...Why do I keep leaning towards you?"
"Sokka, are you trying to be deep? Stop it, ya suck at it." That got him off of me, but he tickled me a little for good measure.
"Come on, Katara and Suki want to talk to us."
In The Courtyard
"They're doing a play over our lives, you guys! I think this'll be fun to see." Sugar Queen was telling the others as Sokka and I walked into the courtyard. I could feel Suki and Aang looking at me strangely, before Suki grabbed Sokka's arm and held him close. I stepped away from the couple, wanting to gag.
"A play about our lives, huh?" I reiterated, crossing my arms in thought. Did I want to go to this thing?
"Yup, about us and the Avatar." Suki added, still looking at me oddly. Gods, she really was stupid. I wasn't afraid of her and I wasn't going to take Sokka from her. I wanted him, but I'd never steal him from anyone.
I'm not that kind of lady.
"Let's go then. It's not like anyone here knows our faces. They might even think we're in the play and ignore us." I told everyone, smirking widely. Getting to dress up in Fire Nation finery and stroll in like the court lady I was...I wasn't a girly girl, but I loved putting everyone else to shame.
I was surrounded by hillbillies, you know. Zuko and I were the only royalty in this joint, in a sense anyway.
"I don't see why we can't go. With Katara as...ahem, round, as she is, no one will think twice, I think." Sparky added, showing his support for my proposal.
"Don't you think the fact that Katara's that round will be an issue?" Twinkle Toes asked solemnly and I laughed.
"I'M RIGHT HERE!" The Sugar Queen cried and everyone around me jumped. I only laughed more though; they shouldn't have been talking about her like she wasn't standing right there.
"No, they'll eat her up alive. Everyone loves a pregnant woman." I remember how much people touched my mother and helped her out when she was pregnant with my baby sister...I tried not to think about that and pushed it from my head.
Now was definitely a bad time.
"She has a point. And most Fire Nation girls Katara's age are already betrothed or married anyway."
"At 15?"
"Hey, we start early. Every man wants to secure a male heir before he dies, so Fire Nation laws give them as much time as possible." Sparky explained to all of us and I felt Suki burst into a wide grin.
"Do you think Sokka and I could get married here?"
At first I thought I was the only one that was looking at her as if she had grown a second head, but it wasn't just me. Everyone was looking at Suki like she was crazy. Even Sokka.
As if she hadn't even spoken, Sparky continued to address us all, "So this thing starts in two hours, so girls that gives you an hour and a half to get ready. Is that enough time?"
"More than enough." The Sugar Queen said and I could feel her smirking manically at me. What was she up to?
An Hour Later
"I'm not going out there like this! I don't want to go, Katara! Damn it, NOOOOOO!!"
I tried to hold onto the door frame as Katara tried to drag me out of my room. We had been in there bathing and getting all girly for absolutely no reason.
"Oh come on, Toph! It's for fun! I'm sure everyone will think you look as lovely as I think you do."
"Nnoooo! I've never had my hair down in public before! Noooo! Earth Nation law says-!"
"Don't lie to me about Earth Nation law. Get your butt," here Katara gave me a rough shove out the door, "Outside! Now come on or we'll make everyone late!"
I didn't want to go. I knew I looked weird and out of place. It was all her fault too!
Before we got to the courtyard, I tapped Katara's shoulder and whispered to her shyly, "Tell me what I look like."
"Like the prettiest Fire Nation princess their ever was. If you weren't so tanned, you'd actually pass for Fire Nation. That and your pale eyes. I let your hair hang straight down your back, Toph, but your hair is wavy. It looks like...a flowing river of brown hair. And your red dress looks so pretty in contrast with your pale eyes...Oh, you are gorgeous, Toph. I'm totally jealous." Katara told me, and then she hugged me. I felt a tear drop onto my face and I wondered why she was crying.
Probably those hormones Sonatia had told us about.
"Now come on. Don't be afraid; you look lovely." The Sugar Queen took my hand and led me out into the courtyard where I think I heard someone gasp. I didn't know who it came from, but the compliments came rushing out all at once.
"Wow, Toph, you look great!" That was Aang.
"Whoa, dirt girl, you're actually clean for once." Sparky. I'm gonna kick his ass for that comment later.
"Katara, you did a great job." Stupi...Damn it.
"See, Toph, I told you! I told you everyone would think you look great." And that was the Sugar Queen.
I felt eyes on me still and knew that they belonged to Sokka. He was the only one who hadn't said a word. I tried to ignore him, but it was hard; he was staring at me!
"So who's ready to go to this play?" Aang cheered and everyone else (except me and Sparky) cheered with him. Sparky led the way out of his vacation house with the Sugar Queen and the rest of us followed him to the play.
Two Hours Later, During Intermission
"This play is the stupidest thing I've ever seen." Sparky and I were sitting out in a hallway, munching on roasted sweet potatoes we had bought at a little stand. Sparky was barely eating his, but I wolfed mine down in three bites, starting on another one before I had time to think about how fast I was eating.
"Why? I like it." I said between bites.
"Well, you would, there's a big, burley man playing you. That's how people see you, Toph, as a really strong person."
"That's because I am really strong." I took another bite out of my second potato and swallowed, "And apparently, your people think you're really complex. You think these people know ya? They don't. They only know what's happened to you, which might be more than I can say for some of us who are with you everyday."
"But..."
"No buts Sparky. You can't take this stuff seriously, dude, it's a play. Why are ya worried what some playwright thinks about you? You're gonna rule this nation after we kick your Dad's ass! You can fire him then, if you want."
As Sparky chuckled a bit, a kid ran by us and stopped in front of Zuko, "You're scar is on the wrong side!"
I burst into laughter as the kid went on his way. Sparky growled and I finished off my second potato, licking my fingers.
"Where'd the Sugar Queen go?" I asked, not hearing anyone close to us.
"She went outside to get some air and talk to Aang. She doesn't like how all the women keep touching her and she's worried that Aang is hurt by the play."
"Well, he shouldn't be. He knows what's going on already. What's he upset for?"
"I guess its slapping him in the face. Much like seeing the issues between me and Uncle hit me."
"Gosh, for men, you two are so sensitive."
"And Sokka isn't? Didn't you hear him and Suki arguing about his moon girlfriend?"
I stopped in mid-bite of my third potato, "Moon girlfriend? Oh, you mean, the girl who became the moon that was in love with Sokka?"
"Yeah. Apparently, Sokka never told Suki he had dated the Moon and Suki made fun of him for it. Sokka got really mad about it. It's kinda weird to see Sokka mad at someone else besides me." Sparky paused for a minute to chew thoughtfully, then kept talking, "I wonder why she would make fun of him about it though...Isn't that a touchy subject with him?"
"I'd say so. He almost cried the first time he told me about her. It was fun to pick on him for crying, but it really was a pretty sad story. Did ya hear the women in the audience crying? I did."
"Yeah, that's why I'm wondering why Suki did it in the first place. She probably wanted Sokka to be able to look at it and laugh. But I don't know how properly executed that was." Sparky took another bite of his first potato and I ignored him, finishing off number three.
They really were yummy.
Back At The Vacation House
"Suki, I can't believe you said that." Sokka whispered, but it wasn't a very soft whisper. All of us heard it.
"Sokka, this is getting ridiculous, really. Your Moon ex-girlfriend has nothing to do with me."
"She has everything to do with you! If she never became the Moon, I wouldn't be dating you!" Sokka cried and then he stormed off in the opposite direction of Suki. She stood there, with all of us watching, and I could feel the cold wash over her.
Whoa, Sokka was being pretty darn mean. Go Sokka!
Seriously, he shouldn't treat her that way. But he was, poor Stupi.
"Hey, it'll be alright. My brother's just sad," the Sugar Queen said, trying to explain Sokka's actions.
But I knew better. Sokka was past sad. Sokka was angry and that took more to do. That took more conviction and energy on Sokka's end. He reminded me of his Dad. He could handle being sad better than he could handle being angry.
I was the opposite, so it was easy to spot, I think.
It wasn't my job to fix his issues though. I shrugged in Sparky's direction, then waved to everyone.
"Bed." Was all I said, as I walked away from the rest of our group. Sparky and Twinkle Toes said good night to me, while Stupi and the Sugar Queen stared after Sokka. They were worried, but the Sugar Queen knew better than to get involved. This wasn't her battle either.
In Toph's Room
I sat down in front of the dark wooded, green velvet cushioned vanity (the Sugar Queen had described it to me) with the Sugar Queen's brush in hand. I wasn't sure how to brush my hair, since I couldn't really see it.
Katara had recommended I start brushing my hair every night so I could wear it down more often. I had no idea why I would want to wear it down more often, but it sounded like a pretty good idea. She told me that if I took care of my hair I could wear a long braid like she does...But I didn't want that either.
As I sat trying to think of what I did want to do to my hair, I started playing with it; bending some hair here, brushing a bit there, tying my band in another place. Soon I think I had a new style going, but it'd only work if someone else saw it. I had brushed all of my hair straight back at the front, then added my usual swoop, and put my band around the base of my hairline. It became a sort of headband and then I tied my hair in the middle, making a ponytail.
I sat the extra hair on my shoulder and hoped it looked better than it felt. It was weird to have my hair down, but still up; in a way.
Shaking my head and putting it back the way it usually was, I put the brush back on the vanity and blew out the few lanterns lit in the room. In the darkness, I made my way over to my bed and got in it, feeling pretty tired.
I had been asleep for a mere twenty minutes when I heard a knock at my door. I tried to stay perfectly silent as the knock pierced the silence in the room a second time and closed my eyes, focusing on the heartbeat and smells outside of my door.
It was Sokka!
I sat upright, then yawned a little, which covered up my "Come in" well enough. That was what we had always done to keep quiet. Sokka knew I heard him, then, and opened the door.
Moonlight spilled through my open doorway and Sokka stood inside of it...I really wished my eyes could see then. I had a feeling I would've been more in love with Sokka then I already was, if I could.
"Toph?"
"What, lover-boy? Why are you in here, when you should be with Stupi?"
Sokka shut the door then, putting my room back in darkness and walking softly over to my bed. He sat on top of the covers and stretch out beside me, while I turned my back on him. I didn't want to promote anything.
"You really shouldn't call her that," Sokka whispered to me, and I could tell by his tone that he was slightly bothered by it. I ignored him and tried to go back to sleep, hoping that he would leave if I did.
He stayed silent for about five minutes before he said, "I don't think I can be with her anymore."
I froze up, but tried to pretend I hadn't. Why was he telling me this? I had to fight for Suki, if only to keep myself from feeling guilty, "Sokka, you're happy with her though. I thought you loved her?"
"What gave you that idea? I never said that to you. I've never said that to anyone."
"But don't you?"
"No, actually. I like Suki a lot. But I don't love her. That, I know for a fact."
Sokka was actually sure of something? Wow..."Why not?"
"Well some of those things you said that day...It made sense, Toph. Suki and I can never be there for each other because we both have other obligations. Even when this is over, she'll still have to do all of her Kioshi warrior stuff. And I have to be with Katara when she has this baby, because Father can't and Zuko will be king. I won't leave my sister to the Fire Nation."
"We would never leave her to the Fire Nation," I said, softly. Sokka turned his body towards me, and put his arm over my waist. Even though he was still laying on top of the covers, I shivered. He made me cold and warm at the same time.
"Exactly. But what else can Suki and I do? Continue to have a relationship across continents? Pray every night that she has a mission in the Fire Nation or wherever else we live? I just can't do that. I can't let someone else determine how my relationship goes. It's mine."
"So what're you going to do?"
"I'm going to break-up with Suki." Sokka spoke with such...finality that I couldn't question it. He was very serious.
"Sokka, I'm sure you guys can find a way to make it-!"
Sokka turned me towards him by putting his finger against my lips and shaking his head, "You're trying to be nice, Toph. You know as well as I do that Suki and I are done. We can't be together."
"But Sokka...That sucks for her."
"Yep, it does. But I'm happy. We tried, you know? And that's all I wanted; for us to try. We tried and it didn't work, so I'm not upset. I feel...sort of relieved."
"She's totally going to blame me for this..." I pouted; why was Sokka making my life difficult?
"And she should. It's your fault for making me think this way." Sokka chuckled to himself and put his arms fully around me (or as best he could manage with him laying on top of the blankets I was underneath).
"Me? Why me?"
Sokka leaned in really close to me then and whispered in my ear, "Because I love you, Toph. You're my important person."
I could feel my heart stopping in my chest. Sokka just-! Gods!
And then to top it off, he leaned down towards my mouth. I wanted to push him away because this was even worse than his decision to break up with Suki. But as his breath collided with my lips and nose, I couldn't fight it. Sokka kissed me softly, being as gentle and slow as he could.
I wanted to pass out. I felt like my chest was squeezing my heart and leaving me breathless. Why, oh why, did he kiss me?
I could feel my body urging me to kiss him back too, like there was no tomorrow. Something in my mind told me this was all I ever dreamed about; this feeling, this warmth, these emotions and hearing those words.
And it had been. It was all of that and more...Today was the day my dreams came true.
I'd never forget this night for as long as I lived.
End Chapter 10
A/n: Try not to be too mad at me guys! ;