Modern
Sokka and Toph walked the early streets of republic city. The artistic golden sun rising over the mountains. The warm and sweet morning breeze. Birds chirping, the sprinklers watering the grass.
"Remind me again why I came along with you and why it had to be this early" Toph complained with a yawn.
She only agreed to come because Sokka wouldn't stop begging for her to come along. She wasn't a morning person and Sokka knew that. So him asking her to come along was a little odd, But he is her best friend after all, so she gave in after all.
"Because, I'm your best friend and I have to get this assignment done" Sokka explained
"It's like 7:30, couldn't this wait another hour?"
"No, because I have a whole day planned for us." Toph groaned at the idea of being out of the house all day. "Oh come on, it's better than staying at your house doing nothing" Toph rolled her eyes and flipped him off.
Sokka rolled his eyes, "Now come on, we should eat breakfast before we get the day started. I found a diner where we can eat,"
Sokka grabbed Toph's hand and pulled her to wherever they were going to have breakfast. When they arrived, Sokka opened the door like he always did. But this time it felt different for Toph. Like it had a different meaning and not just a friendly gesture.
They get seated at a booth and are given their menus. They order their milkshakes and Sokka reads the menu to Toph. They decide on 2 'bacon & cheddar' burgers with a side of waffle fries, and chicken strips for them the share after.
Soon they ordered their food and talked while they waited.
"So what is this assignment about?" She asked, trying to get a concept of what the day would be like.
"Something about capturing the beautiful moments," He explained
"So you know nothing about this assignment" Toph corrected. Sokka pouted, "What's so beautiful about the city anyway? It's all cars and trash everywhere, and graffiti"
"Graffiti can be beautiful. Besides, there are the piers and parks and city lights and ... other stuff"
Toph huffed her bangs out of her - useless - eyes and leaned back in her seat. Their milkshakes arrive and their food soon after. They ate and talked about other things until they finished. Sokka paid and they left the diner with their leftover food and milkshakes.
Sokka "showed" Toph around the city since she doesn't leave her house much because of her parents. Toph's parents had approved of Sokka being a friend of Toph's - much to both of their surprise - Which is why Toph was able to leave the house. He showed that he cared for the earthbender and would protect her no matter what. At least that's what her father said to him when they met.
Sokka liked Toph, more than a friend, and getting her parents approval made him happy. Either way, if Toph didn't feel the same way, he would still protect her and keep her happy.
While taking Toph around the city, he also took pictures for his assignment. What Toph didn't know was that he was also taking pictures of her (Secretly). He knew if he told - or asked - her, she would say no because of how insecure she was of her looks. She doesn't show that she's insecure of her looks, because she doesn't want to look vulnerable.
Sokka would tell her she was beautiful whenever he got the chance. And he swears on the spirits, that he would see a blush creep up in Toph's cheek every time. It always brought butterflies to him when he made her blush.
Throughout the day, he took her to a park where they fed the ducks on the pond, and the mall so the whole day wouldn't be based on his assignment.
It was starting to get dark and Sokka had one last stop until they called it a day.
"Why a hiking trail?" Toph complained
"It's the last spot, I promise. After this we can go home," he assured her
Toph groaned and started her way up the path, with Sokka behind. They had some small talk on the way to the top, but it was mostly them huffing the higher they got up. They stopped halfway to the top so Sokka could get a few pictures for himself.
"The sunset's beautiful today" Toph commented (as a joke)
"Yeah, it is" Sokka replied
He didn't seem to get the joke so Toph laughed. Laughed a little too much if you asked me. Sokka turned around with a confused look.
Toph sensed his confusion and said, "you didn't catch onto my blind joke" she said through her laughing
Sokka thought back and realized he didn't catch on to her joke. "ohh hehe" He chuckled. Toph continued to laugh and Sokka felt himself get a little embarrassed as some people walked past them with weird looks.
"Okay, you can stop laughing now" He said, standing next to her
If you asked her why she was laughing so hard, she would ask the same thing.
Toph let out a couple more laughs before saying, "Make me" She challenged him with a laugh
She was expecting a tackle to the ground or for him to pick her up and carry her over his shoulder. Or for him to cover her mouth with his hand. Or to threaten her with a "I'll tell the group about.." or "I won't drive you to get food in the middle of the night". Anything but his lips on hers...
That shut her real quick. She couldn't complain about this though. She's wanted this ever since she moved into their school and met him on the first day. Since he treated her like a normal person and not some vulnerable child her parents saw her as. Treating her the way she wanted to be treated. Nothing could've prepared her for this.
His lips were soft on hers and they felt right
Unfortunately for them, they had to pull back for air or they would both pass out. They looked into each other's eyes - Or more like he looked into her eyes. It was just a coincidence that hers looked directly into his.
"Shit" Sokka said, walking a few steps back. Putting his hands on the back of his head in disbelief. "This isn't how It's supposed to be. It isn't how I planned it to be."
"Planned?" Toph questioned
Sokka looked at her and saw how flushed her face was. "Hehe, I sort of had a plan for when I would... Uh... confess, my feelings for you" He said awkwardly
"Well, what was this 'plan'?"
"Well step one was to get you out of the house for the day so we can hang out, and I used my photography assignment as an excuse. Then, at the end of the day, I would bring you on this hike and at the top we - or I - would watch the sunset and I would take pictures of you with the lighting because I heard golden hour gives the best lighting for pictures-" He rambled
"I don't like people taking pictures of me"
"I know, that's why I've been taking them throughout the day" He explained shamelessly
"What?!"
"But that's besides the point." He took a deep breath (exaggerating if you asked me) before continuing, "Then as the sun was setting, I would tell you that I love you. And then hopefully you would say you loved me back because if you didn't then this would be very awkward. And then I would kiss you and we would go to my house and cuddle and watch movies" He finished with a gasp of air, putting his hands on his knees
"Wow that's a longer process then when I went through it in my head" He laughed to himself and looked at Toph who had her arms crossed over her chest.
"Toph?"
"You love me?" She said with a smirk
"Uhhh-... oh fuck it! you already know the whole plan and it's already ruined so what the point of covering it up!?" He exclaimed, "But yes" He confirmed in a low, calm voice.
"I've loved you since I laid my eyes on you on the first day of school," He stood up straight and walked towards Toph, putting his hands on her shoulders. "And I know you can't see and all, but you are the most beautiful girl I've ever met and I don't know what I would do if I lost you, or how lucky I got to have a girl like you in my life who makes me happy, and laugh all the time. And I know we're just in high school and still figuring out our lives, but You, Toph Beifong, greatest earthbender in the world, are the one I truly love and I hope you feel the same way"
Toph was left speechless. She's wanted to hear him say this for so long. But every time she told herself that it was impossible for him to feel the same way. Now here she is, her crush is confessing his feelings to her, and she could tell that he was telling the truth which is what got her into almost tears. All she could do in return, was kiss him.
When Toph pulled back, she rested a hand on his cheek with a smile, "I love you too... Sokka of the WaterTribe" She said with a smirk. She knew he liked it when she called him that.
Sokka smiled big and lifted her up and spin her around in his arms. "YEAHAHA" He yelled out in joy.
Toph giggled and told him to put her down through her giggles. Finally, Sokka put her down and began giving her kisses around her face saying "I love you" with each one. Loving the giggle that Toph let out.
"Okay, okay, I love you too" She said through her giggles, trying to get him to stop, even though she didn't want him to stop.
"I love you, and I'm never letting you go" He assured her. He continued to give her kisses until Toph placed a hand on his cheek and pulled him into a nice, firm kiss. A kiss they quickly melted into.
It was like nothing in the world existed. The only thing that existed was his arms around her, asserting love and protection that she knew she didn't need, but liked the feeling of knowing that it was there, open on display. And her arms around his neck, asserting love and happiness for the rest of his life.
This
This is what they won't let go of
not ever
A/N What they ate at the diner was based off 'Mel's diner' (it's a Northern California and Nevada diner, so if you don't live anywhere there, that's probably why you've never heard of it.)
Not me literally putting fantasy in this one-shot ? ﾟﾘﾭ
I shit you not, I cried because this was too cute for me and I was feeling single while writing the end.
This got cheesy as I read through this✋?