"Toph!" Ika called, running over to her, a panicked note in her voice. "There you are. Where have you been?"
"I was chasing a burglar across the Dragonbone District. What's wrong?"
"Um...your mother is here."
"Oh, fuck!" Toph smacked her forehead. She'd completely forgotten. "But- What is she doing here?"
"She came here when she didn't find you at home."
Toph found herself surprised at her mother's resourcefulness. "Why wouldn't she just go back to her hotel?"
"I don't know, I didn't ask."
"Is she in my office?"
"Yeah. I brought her some tea."
"Thanks. Ugh. Fuck. I cannot believe I forgot. This was not supposed to go down like this." With some trepidation, she headed to her office, finding an unfamiliar man standing on guard by the door. For a split second, she considered knocking, then realized how absurd that would be. Instead, she gave herself a brisk shake and took a deep breath before striding inside. "I apologize, Mother," she said formally. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting."
Poppy stood to greet her. "It's good to see you, dear."
"Um, please, sit." Instead of going to sit at her desk, Toph settled herself in the other nearby chair. "How was your journey here?"
"Long and tiring. But I arrived last night and had a relaxing evening in my hotel."
Toph considered the many letters she had exchanged with her mother over the years. Not once had they discussed anything remotely serious about their relationship with each other. But how long would small talk hold out now that they were in the same room? "I meant to be home when you arrived. Sometimes unexpected things happen with this job. Plus, when I'm out in the field, it's easy for me to lose track of time without a clock chiming at me."
"That must be a challenge."
"Yes...it can be." There was a long pause while she tried to think of something to say. "How is Father?"
"He is well, though to be honest, he's not home much. He spends a lot of time in Gaipan."
Toph nodded absently; she hadn't seen much of him lately, either.
"Are you finished here?" Poppy asked. "I'd enjoy seeing your home."
"Ah...yeah. I can do my report tomorrow." They went outside, the silent guard falling into step behind them, and Toph started to flag down a carriage.
"Don't bother, dear. It's not that far."
Toph gaped at her. "R-really?" she stammered.
"I just spent nearly two weeks in a carriage. A brisk walk won't kill me."
"Alright..." They began walking, an uncomfortable silence settling between them.
"Doesn't the cobblestone hurt your feet?" Poppy asked suddenly, halfway there.
"I never wear shoes, not unless it's freezing. My feet are tough and calloused." They didn't speak again until arriving at Toph's apartment. "Well, here it is," she said as they went inside, silently thanking Sokka for throwing out all of the used boxes of takeout last night. It had been a few days since the building's cleaning lady had been by.
"Do you not lock your door?"
"Of course I do. I don't need keys."
"No, I suppose you don't," her mother mused. Toph thought she heard a smile in her voice.
"Would you like some tea?"
"That would be lovely, thank you." She sat primly on the couch, her still-silent escort posting up by the door. "This is a nice place. Very modern."
Toph paused, about to go outside to fill the kettle. Was her mother's comment really sincere, or was she just so used to being polite that it only appeared to be? "Thanks. I'll be right back." Going out to the water pump gave her a few moments of respite from the strained conversation. What were they supposed to talk about? She remained quiet as she went back inside and lit the range to put the kettle on. "I'm just going to go change really quick."
"Of course," Poppy murmured.
Toph continued to be amazed at how her mother had yet to make a single disparaging remark about her life, which was a stark contrast to the traditional Beifong lifestyle. Well, it was true that that was more her father's department these days. But still, as a child, she often had to endure critical remarks from her mother about her clothes or hair or manners. It made her nervous, like there was something coming. Some kind of manipulation, or at the very least an uncomfortable discussion about her visit to Gaoling. She changed slowly, trying to prolong her solitude, not coming out until she heard the kettle whistle.
"Is jasmine alright?" she asked, rummaging through a cupboard for the tea set she had never used.
"That's fine. No sugar."
Hiding behind the kitchen counter, Toph quietly removed the dust from the teapot and cups with a few subtle gestures.
"Do you have someone come to prepare you meals?" Poppy asked suddenly. "Or do you…cook?" She said the word with obvious hesitation, as if the idea were foreign to her.
Toph swallowed a laugh. "Oh, I definitely have someone else prepare my meals. There are many fine cooks within walking distance, but unfortunately, I haven't yet convinced any of them to come to me." She brought the tea tray over to the couch and sat down, surreptitiously brushing some crumbs off the cushion.
"I'm not sure I'll ever understand where you got your sense of humor from," Poppy said, her voice dryer than Toph had ever heard.
"Same place I got my bending and my blindness from, I assume," Toph replied as she poured the tea, though she winced immediately. Her mouth was getting away from her; that was never a good thing in the presence of either parent.
Poppy didn't say anything until Toph had finished pouring the tea. "Not a drop spilled," she murmured. Surely that wasn't…admiration in her voice? "I would never have imagined you would become so self-sufficient," Poppy continued softly. "Seeing you living on your own like this, I'm not sure how to feel about it. It's not the life I would have chosen for you, but that's mainly because I didn't think it would ever be possible, especially when you were young. Besides the fact that, in our circles, it's unheard of for a young woman to live alone."
"I've been independent for a long time, Mom," Toph said, sipping her tea, though it was still far too hot to drink and she burned her tongue.
"Would you tell me..." She trailed off, making Toph furrow her eyebrows in confusion.
"Tell you what?"
"How do you see the world so well?"
The question utterly shocked Toph. Never in her whole life had her mother attempted to understand her this way. She was actually speechless for a few seconds. "Well-" And then she noticed it, too late to do anything about it. The unexpected question had distracted her. The door swung open, Toph frozen in place.
"Hey, T. I-!" Sokka stopped dead, a startled noise escaping from his throat in the place of more words. "Whoa, hey, buddy! I'm a friend!"
"Ashko, it's alright."
Sokka coughed awkwardly. "Mrs. Beifong. Apologies for barging in."
"You remember Sokka?" Toph said unnecessarily, her mind racing to come up with something. "I told him you were coming into the city and he wanted to say hi," she lied.
"I'm afraid I mixed up the timing of your arrival," he said. "I thought it was later."
Smooth, Meathead. Very smooth.
"It's nice to see you again."
Finally, a hint of dishonesty crept through those high society manners; Toph had to fight a smile. "Come and have some tea, Sokka," she said pointedly, pouring a cup for him.
"Toph tells me you're serving as an ambassador, Sokka. How are you enjoying that?"
"It's not bad. I alternate between here and the South Pole every season. I spend a lot of time working with the Council while I'm here, advising on international matters."
"I thought I remember you saying you didn't have a stomach for politics?"
Sokka chuckled awkwardly. "Yes, well, I guess I got used to it. A man's got to do something with his life, doesn't he?"
"And are marriage and a family part of your future plans?"
Toph had unfortunately just taken a large sip and inhaled most of it. "Sorry," she choked out, coughing and spluttering to get her breath back. "Went down the wrong way."
"I'm quite happy to focus on my career, at this time," Sokka said smoothly.
"Mother, I'm shocked you would ask such a personal question," Toph said once she could speak again. "You barely know him."
"He doesn't appear to have been made uncomfortable by it. And I don't see how it's an inappropriate thing to ask."
At this point, the only safe option was to let the matter drop. After another half hour of strained small talk, Poppy announced that she needed to get back to her hotel to get ready for a dinner reservation with an acquaintance in the city.
"I'd like to have dinner with you tomorrow night, Toph, if you're available."
"Oh, er...well. I suppose I can try to leave work early."
"Lovely. I've made a reservation for the restaurant at my hotel, seven o'clock. Do you have something appropriate to wear?"
"Er..."
"I'll have something sent over. Would you care to join us, Sokka?"
His heart jumped a little. "Thanks for the invitation, but I'm afraid I have other obligations."
"Of course." She didn't press the issue, which told Toph that it was merely out of politeness that she had asked. "I will see you tomorrow, dear." The second the door clicked shut behind her, Toph slumped against it and let out a long breath.
"So...you didn't feel the need to warn me your mother was coming today?" Sokka asked.
"I told you she was visiting..."
"You told me she was planning on visiting, but you didn't actually update me on what day she was coming."
"I forgot."
"How could you forget something like that? I would have expected you to be a bundle of anxiety."
"I've been really busy. Ugh. She probably thinks you live here. I'll bet anything she asks me tomorrow."
"I mean, I practically do."
"She doesn't need to know that. And how did you know I was here, anyway?"
"I stopped by the station to ask you something and someone said you'd gone home early. I figured you were sick or something."
"You know," Toph said, "you interrupted an actual, honest conversation between us."
"Really? What about?"
"She was...asking me about my blindness, how I see without seeing. I didn't get the chance to respond."
"You're seeing her again tomorrow."
"It took us a while to work up to that moment. I don't know if it'll happen again."
He came over and took hold of both her hands. "It will if you want it to. Give her a chance."
The next evening, Toph headed to that dinner with a squirming stomach. For all that her mother had been charming and friendly during the brief visit, the dinner invitation had not been a request. As such, when she arrived to find another occupant at her mother's table, she was not surprised.
"Toph, this is an acquaintance of mine, Li Tao."
"So please to meet you," the man said with concerning sincerity.
"I have to say, Mother," Toph said, her hackles up. "I thought this dinner was just going to be the two of us."
"Actually, I've had this meeting planned for quite some time," Poppy said.
"I thought I made it clear in Gaoling-"
"This isn't about that," Poppy said quickly. Sharply. It caught Toph off-guard. Her mother was generally such a soft-spoken person.
"Please, if you'll allow me," Li Tao said diplomatically. "I'm a financial advisor, representing Republic City's largest bank. Your mother has asked me to oversee your personal finances."
Toph didn't have any idea how to respond to that and it took her a moment to formulate an answer. "Most of my salary is in the form of housing," she said slowly. "I negotiated to receive only a small stipend for basic needs so that the largest portion of my budget could go directly into the police force."
"All the same, the world grows more complicated every day. Even if you only retain a small amount, it will build up over time, and having a savings or investment account is far better than keeping cash at home. As a public figure, you would be a prime target for burglaries. And I daresay you don't spend much time at home."
Well, he had her there, she had to admit. "So...you want me to open a bank account? That's what you're saying?"
"I can take care of everything so you don't have to give it a second thought. Your family would pay for my services."
"I'm not sure that sits well with me," Toph said with a frown. "I don't like taking handouts or favors. I don't want to be associated with my family's money."
"Toph, I realize this is a matter of personal pride," Poppy said. "Believe me, I quite understand it, having been born into this family. But I urge you to take this seriously for the sake of your future. If you truly do not want to be dependent on our money, you should do everything you can to secure your own finances."
Toph stayed quiet for a few seconds while her words sunk in. "Does Father know you're doing this?"
"No."
"I suspect he would do anything to keep me dependent on you two," she mused.
"He is a good man," Poppy asserted, "and only wants the best for you. But he is far more stubborn than I am. A trait he passed to you."
Toph sighed and drummed her fingers on the table. "I guess I'll think about it."
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"Chief! Alik!" a voice called from the air. A moment later feet hit the pavement in front of them. "Luon sent me. There's a been break-in on Broad Street. Some big warehouse. All nearby units are being called in."
"Right," Toph said. "Let's go." She was honestly thrilled to have her patrol interrupted with something exciting. The three of them sped through the city on their cables, arriving to find a chaotic scene inside the warehouse.
It was incredibly difficult for her to tell the difference between her own officers and the people they were fighting; they were all just vague body shapes. It didn't matter, though, because the second Toph entered she was immediately set on by four people. Her cables flew, metal cuffs zipped from her wrists. One of them was extremely nimble and managed to get close enough to hit her. It wasn't a hard hit, but she felt her left arm become numb and useless. A chi-blocker! Fuck!
In the space of the next heartbeat, her attacker was on the ground, knocked unconscious. "Thought you could use a little help," Ty Lee said, dancing around her.
"Thanks."
They drifted apart, seeking out the stragglers that remained. Toph chased a couple of them outside, but they split up and scampered away. It wasn't worth chasing any of them. When she went back inside, it was over.
"You ok?" Ty Lee asked, coming to her.
"Yeah," Toph said, massaging her arm. "Thanks for the backup. Who were those guys, anyway? They didn't seem like your run-of-the-mill thieves."
"I don't know, but there've been some weird rumors, last couple of weeks. Alliances forming with the gangs. It seems like ever since you created the police force, they've started getting more organized."
"Great. And now they're using chi-blockers."
"It was only a matter of time. The skill has become very popular in the non-bending community."
"Chief," Luon said, approaching them from the other side of the room. "Glad you made it."
"What's the damage?"
"They took a lot of stuff before we got here."
"Injuries?"
"Nothing major."
"Alright. Secure the building, find out if there's anyone hiding."
For the next half hour, she listened to the warehouse owner detail everything that had been taken and complain effusively about his lack of security and how this neighborhood had become a hotspot for crime.
"Toph!" Sokka called a bit later, materializing at the door. "What happened? I was at City Hall and I heard about something going on here."
"Looks like there was an organized hit on this warehouse. Gang-related. They had some chi-blockers."
"You got hit?"
"I'm fine," she said, still rubbing her dead arm. "There weren't any major injuries, but it seems like they cleaned this place out pretty well. So, all in all, pretty much a big fucking waste. At least we made a few arrests."
The building has been secured, Chief," Luon said, returning. "We didn't find anyone else."
"Get everyone who can walk back to Headquarters. I'll wait with the others."
"I'm going to head out, too," Ty Lee said.
"Sure. Thanks again."
Sokka took over massaging Toph's arm for her. The feeling was just starting to come back, all pins and needles.
"You know, you don't need to run over to save me every time I get into a fight," she said dryly. "This is my job. I'm going to be doing this shit all the time."
"And I am liking that reality less and less."
"Quit worrying. You know I can take care of myself."
"You got chi-blocked."
"Barely. I've still got three other limbs. Spirits, Sokka. How are you going to stay sane when you're in the South Pole for six months out of the year?"
"Honestly, I'm not really sure."
Toph couldn't decide if she was more annoyed or amused by his sudden over-protective behavior, though she was leaning towards annoyed. In the last week, he'd shown up at nearly every altercation she'd been involved in, but usually too late to be of any help. Still, it was hard to blame him, considering what had happened to Suki.
"Hey!" he said suddenly. "You remember that time in the South Pole when we all wore chain mail to protect us from chi-blockers?"
"If you think for one second I'm going to wear that shit every day, you've lost your mind. It was a good idea, Sokka, but not practical for everyday use. It was really heavy and uncomfortable."
"I realize that. I was just thinking... Maybe there's a way to make something similar, like a lighter kind of armor. You're a metalbender, after all. Bend yourself some armor."
"It's not that simple. It would have to be specially designed to be flexible, otherwise I would have to be making constant minor adjustments with every movement."
"I'm sure I can come up with a basic design if I put some thought into it. Then we just need an engineer. Maybe Satoru could help. He did a good job making those cable harnesses."
"Hm. Yeah, I guess. Maybe." Truthfully, Toph was reluctant to go to Satoru with something like this. Their interactions had been strictly professional since she'd ended things with him a year ago. It would be awkward, asking him for a favor like this.
"I thought you guys were friends?" Sokka asked.
"We are. Just haven't seen much of each other lately, with everything going on. I've been so busy."
A week later, he dragged her down to the refinery, all excited about the designs he'd come up with.
"Hey, Hau. Is Satoru here?" Toph asked.
"Yeah, he's in the back tinkering with a new generator prototype."
"Hm," Sokka said. "What kind of generator?"
"It's meant to turn a firebender's lightning into power, but that's all I know about it. You'll have to ask him if you want to know more."
"Huh. Interesting."
They found Satoru standing in front of a massive machine. He didn't even notice them until they were right behind him. "Oh! Hey, Toph. Sorry, I didn't hear you guys come in. Sokka. It's been a while. How are you?" There was a marked tension in his voice.
"Not bad. Hau told us about what you're working on. I'm intrigued."
"Yeah, well, I think it's just a pipe dream. I can't figure out how to safely buffer the power into something useable. But...anyways. You didn't come to listen to my troubles. How has the new job been going, Toph? I've heard a little about it from Ho Tun."
"That's why I'm here. I kind of have a favor to ask."
"It's a commission, actually," Sokka added.
"Well, you have my attention."
"We've had some trouble with chi-blockers," Toph said. "Sokka thinks it might be possible to create a lightweight, flexible metal armor that I - and my officers - can wear, using the same alloy as the cables."
"I've drawn up a possible design," Sokka said. "Though whether or not it's practical, I'm not sure."
There was a rustle of paper, followed by a brief silence. "Hm…" Satoru mused. "I see, it would work since you could bend it to form to your body."
"So it's doable?" Toph asked.
"I think so. I'll have to sit down and have a proper look."
"I've already spoken to the Council," Sokka said. "They're willing to fund it if you're interested in taking on the project."
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"Honey, I'm home."
Toph sat up and turned her head toward the door so Sokka would be sure notice the dramatic eyeroll. "You're not funny," she said with her mouth full.
"What do you mean? I'm hilarious. Ask anyone."
He fell heavily onto the other side of the couch and leaned over her legs, but she smacked his hand away with her chopsticks before he could steal any of her food.
"Get you own, freeloader."
"Guess I should have picked something up on the way here," he sighed. "Since your pantry is sad and barren."
Toph put her food on the tea table and stood up. "I got something to show you! Wait here, I'll be right back. And don't steal my food!"
She hurried off to her bedroom, shut the door, and opened her wardrobe. With a few quick gestures, the various pieces of her brand new armor flew onto her body, fitting seamlessly over her form. Sokka was standing against the couch waiting for her when she emerged.
"Well? What do you think?" she asked with a proud grin, hands on her hips.
"Wow. Very nice. You look so legit now."
"Those goddamn chi-blockers can suck it!"
"Is it comfortable?"
"It's not too bad. Surprisingly flexible. The whole force will have them in a few months. This is just a prototype. I gotta say, Satoru's really outdone himself this time."
"Um, excuse me. I happen to remember this being my idea?"
Toph sauntered over to him and put her hands on his chest. "It's not a competition."
"Of course it is. I've seen how he looks at you."
Toph let out a surprised laugh. His comment had come out of nowhere. Could he possibly know something about her history with Satoru? "Are you jealous?"
"Maybe a little."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, honestly a little turned on by his attitude. "Don't be. I know I'm...free-spirited, but I'm not that free-spirited. I can't help that I'm hot stuff."
Sokka pulled her close and they became lost in each other for a minute or so, until he laughed and ruined it.
"What?" she asked.
"This armor isn't great for making out. You're too hard and slippery."
"You're one to talk," she said with a snort, rubbing against his groin. He coughed and cleared his throat. Laughing, Toph took a few steps back and lifted her arms. The armor pieces separated, pulling away from her body.
"That...is so cool."
"Oh, I know," Toph grinned, bringing the pieces gently to the floor. A second later she threw herself at him, legs around his hips and arms around his neck.
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"Aang, can you take me home?" Toph asked. "I reeeeeally don't want to ride the ferry."
"Sure. You want to go now?"
"Yeah."
Sokka saw her orient her body in his direction, a little smile on her lips, but Katara and Aang were both there, so there was almost no hope of anything more.
"Night, Katara," she said. "Bye, Meathead."
"Night, T."
She lingered for a moment longer, then followed Aang outside. With a deep sigh, Sokka turned and headed for his room, wishing he'd been bold enough to go with her, especially considering they only had a week left before he went to the South Pole for three months. But he doubted she would appreciate him being that obvious in front of Katara. Of course, his sister followed him and stood in the doorway with her arms crossed.
"Can I help you?" he asked sarcastically.
"I was going to stay out of it. I really was. But I just don't get it. What are you two doing? You spend almost every night in the city. I'm not an idiot. I know where you're going. You're not as sneaky as you think you are."
Sokka sighed and sat down on the edge of his bed. Shoulda just gone with her, he muttered silently. Aloud, he said, "Why do you care so much?"
"Because you're my brother, and she's my best friend! Do you know how long I've been waiting for you two to get together?!"
He jerked his head up to look at her, shocked and confused. "What?"
Katara rolled her eyes dramatically. "She's been in love with you for a loooong time."
"She- She said that?"
"No, of course not. But I can tell. Can't you?"
"You don't know as much as you think you do," he grumbled, annoyed by her tone.
"I know that you're in love with her, too. Whether or not you know it yourself."
"Don't tell me how I feel." Now he was very close to losing his temper.
"Please, just help me understand this. I might be able to help."
"Help what? There's nothing for you to help with."
"Something is obviously not right," she asserted. "You two can't stay away from each other. You spend almost every night together. When she's around, you look at her like she's the only thing that exists. But you both seem to be in this weird denial. Nothing is stopping you from being together, for real, you know. Or do you feel guilty? Is that it? Because it's been two and a half years. You're allowed to move on. You're allowed to be happy."
"It's got nothing to do with that!"
"What then? Is it her? Does she want to keep things secret? Seems a little out of character. The Toph I know doesn't care what anyone thinks about how she lives her life."
Sokka took a moment to decide just how honest he wanted to be. The truth was, he wanted to be able to talk to his sister about this. In the past, he had occasionally come to her with problems that came up between him and Suki, with good results. But he knew that Toph would be furious if she found out he'd talked to Katara about their business.
"Can you promise me that whatever I say to you stays between us?"
"Of course. I promise." She came and sat next to him on the bed. "What's going on, big brother? Lay it on me."
"Toph is..." So many things. "...Complicated."
"Tell me something I don't know."
"It's not that she cares what people think. Honestly, I'm not really sure exactly what's going through her head."
"Have you tried, I don't know, asking her?"
"That's not helpful," he said with a deep frown. "You don't get it. I have to be careful with her. We already had one massive argument about this, in Gaoling, which resulted in us not speaking for six months."
"I knew something big had happened between you two on her trip, despite her obvious lies. She was so upset when she came back."
"Really?"
"Yeah. She tried to hide it by avoiding me, but I could tell. What exactly did you fight about?"
"She freaked out after her parents tried to force her into an arranged marriage. I don't know, maybe she thought I expected that from her and she panicked."
"So what's changed?"
"Honestly? I don't know, and I'm not about to question it. If I force her to sit down and talk about her feelings and put a label on what we are to each other... Well, I doubt it will end well."
"It's going to have to happen eventually."
"Don't- Please, just leave it alone, ok? Believe it or not, I'm ok with this. I'm still trying to process my own stuff, trying to move on and put the past behind me. And as much as I care about her, I'm not ready for something really serious. I'm content to be with her on her terms, especially considering that I'm going to be gone for half of every year. You don't need to fix anything, and it would help a lot if you would stop trying."
"And what about a few years from now? Are you going to feel the same? Are you just going to keep doing this forever, or are you eventually going to want more?"
"A problem for another day, Sis. And mine, not yours. We've got plenty of time to figure things out."
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"You better write me this time, Meathead," Toph said, punching his arm.
He pulled her into a tight hug. "I will."
The lump in her throat was threatening to become something unacceptable and embarrassing. "Now get your ass on that boat before I decide to tie you to the dock with my cables."
"See you in a few months."
Katara and Aang, who had already had their turn, called out one last goodbye as he headed off down the dock, outside of Toph's ability to sense him. It was awful, like he was just...disappearing. She stood with her arms crossed, waiting for Aang and Katara, though she would have preferred to just walk away. They would want to stand there and wave until he was out of their sight. After five minutes of that, she couldn't stand it anymore and stalked away.
"Toph?" Katara called after her. "Where are you going?"
"Work!" she said without stopping. Fortunately, her friend did not follow. Toph was lying, of course; she made her way back to her apartment and fell face-first onto her bed, already missing him terribly. She supposed that the two of them being apart was painful because of their history. First, Suki's death had separated them. Then...there was the 'incident', which had resulted in six months of them not seeing each other. It was hard not to associate him being gone with times of emotional turmoil.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, work became so busy and stressful in the following weeks that she had little time to spare for thinking about him, at least during the day.
"You're lying!" Toph shouted, slamming her palm down on the interrogation table. "Who do you work for?" She pulled the chain on the cuffs tight, crushing his wrists against the table.
"Alright, alright! His name's Harin. I don't know that much about him, ok?"
"What do you do for him?"
"I just...collect information. Watch people, places, let him know the habits and schedules of people he's interested in. Nothin' nefarious."
"Is he a bender?"
"I don't know. I only met him once. Mostly I just pass on my info to one of his underlings."
"So there's a power structure? He's a gang leader?" Toph could literally hear the man's mouth snap shut. "Answer the question!" she bellowed in his face.
"I ain't got nothin' more to say, 'cause nothin' you cops do will be worse than what they'll do to me."
"Oh? You wanna bet your life on that?" Toph said threateningly. "What about your sight?" She pulled a bit of cable out and tapered it off into a point, letting it slowly snake towards his face. His heart began racing.
"Y-you wouldn't do it," he said, voice shaking. He didn't sound so confident. The cable crept closer, making him lean back in the chair. Closer. It was three inches from his eye. But he still kept his mouth shut tight. Toph sighed and withdrew the cable, hearing a relieved breath escape from her victim. Without another word, she stalked into the next room, where Nato was watching and listening.
"It was worth a try," she muttered before he could say anything.
"You took it pretty far."
She waved her hand dismissively. "What do you think we should do with him?"
"What can we do? He was picked up for, basically, being a creep. We don't have anything to charge him with."
"Ugh. Alright. Let him sit there for a couple of hours, ask him a few more questions, then let cut him loose."
"I wonder who this Harin character is," Nato mused. "Gives me a bad feeling."
"Yeah. Me too. Seems like something's brewing, something more than normal gang activity."
"What do you wanna do about it?"
"Hm. Put Reno and Yuka on it. Have them camp out in Wu Lan for a little while."
"Wu Lan?"
"Just a hunch. Something that little rat said."
Every day was the same. Another petty criminal brought in for being associated with the weird activity in the Fang district. They couldn't keep them long, but they'd question them. Each one gave up a little bit, until a picture began forming.
"This Harin fellow is quickly becoming Person of Interest number one," Luon said one day, chatting with Toph in her office. "He's got the loyalty of at least three gangs. All non-benders."
"Hm. Does he control them, though?"
"It's unclear, but it's a definite possibility."
There was a brief interruption when the receptionist brought a stack of mail, Ika quietly getting up to retrieve it.
"Is there anything we can do to get ahead of this?" Toph asked.
"Well…" Luon let out a long breath. "We can see if anyone else wants to join the undercover unit. Get as many bodies out there in the streets as we can, round the clock."
"It's dangerous. We've already lost two detectives to undercover work. No one wants to do it, and I don't blame them. I'm not sure we have the budget for it, anyway."
"Only other option is for you to talk to Ty Lee again."
"She was pretty firm last time. It'll have to get a lot worse before she changes her mind."
"Alright, well, that's all I've got. Anyway, I gotta go. Got a stack of reports to go through before I can get out of here tonight."
As soon as the door clicked shut, Ika spoke. "You've got a letter from Sokka."
Toph smiled, the anxious knot in her stomach loosening just a little bit. "Let's hear it."
There was a sound of paper rustling, then Ika cleared her throat. "Dear Toph, Glad to hear you've been keeping busy, though it sounds like you might not be so glad about it. Just don't do anything stupid and reckless and get yourself killed. I mean it. Seriously. You can wait 'til I get back to be stupid and reckless. At least then I can be there to watch your back.
"I've had a pretty interesting couple of weeks, myself. Dad had an unexpected visit from the Northern Water Tribe Chieftain, Arnook. There was a little bit of chaos and tension in the city for a couple days. I guess maybe they thought he was there to take over or something. He's a cool guy, though. He and my dad got along pretty well. It looks like he wants to set up an ambassador program between the two tribes. Actually, he asked me if I wanted to participate. I said no, of course. I told him that I'm far too attached to Republic City. He seemed to understand.
"Other than that, not much else going on. Dad says hi, and that you're welcome to visit any time, of course. I told him not to hold his breath. Probably don't worry about responding to this letter, as I'll be boarding my ride home in just over a week. Looking forward to 'warmer' weather. See you soon! Your Friend, Sokka."
‹¤›‹¤›‹¤›‹¤›‹¤›‹¤›
"What time is it?" Toph asked.
"About ten minutes later than the last time you asked," Ika replied dryly.
Toph scowled at her assistant's tone. She was just excited. Sokka's ship was expected at four o'clock.
"Don't worry," Ika added. "I'll tell you when it's three-thirty."
"Sure, whatever."
The comment elicited a partially suppressed laugh from Ika. "Oh, don't look at me like that. I know you care. You spent half the morning pacing."
"I was deep in thought," Toph said stubbornly. "I've got a lot going on."
"I know," Ika said wearily. "Trust me, I know."
The minutes ticked by slowly, Toph constantly suppressing the urge to ask for the time. She let herself become immersed in dictating some new memos that needed to go out to her officers, as well as a revised patrol schedule.
"Oh!" Ika exclaimed. "Crap, sorry. You need to go."
"What? What time is it?"
"Er...it's quarter to four."
Toph was on her feet, whipping her coat around her shoulders, and out the door before Ika could say another word. Rather than take a carriage, she zipped through the city on her cables, though it broke one of her main rules for her officers. In the moment, she couldn't care less. The last thing she wanted was for Sokka to get off that boat and not find her waiting for him.
As it turned out, though, she had to wait for him. Standing on the wooden dock, she tapped her foot quickly. It was partially impatience, but it was also the only way she could get even a vague sense of her surroundings. Stupid wood. And of course, she had no way of knowing if his ship was even there or not. Several had arrived while she waited, their horns blaring loudly, but no Sokka.
That thought was rudely interrupted by her being lifted off her feet. Momentary panic gave way to elation as she became aware of his scent.
"I love being able to sneak up on you," Sokka said in her ear.
"I missed you, Meathead," Toph replied, inhaling deeply, a warmth spreading out to her toes. All was right with the world. "Now put me down."
"Yes, Ma'am." He returned her to the ground and they started walking away from the hubbub. "Where's Katara?"
"She and Aang got called away yesterday," Toph said, brimming with an odd mix of relief and anticipation as she tried to decide whether to go to the Island (which was closer) or her apartment (which didn't require a boat). "Something about a dispute in Chiang."
"So are we going to your place, then?"
"Sure," she said, deciding a ride on the ferry would unsettle her stomach too much.
"Man, walking on the ground feels weird after being on a boat for ten days."
"Ugh. Better you than me."
"I guess that means you'll never come visit me when I'm in the South Pole?"
"Not a chance. Not unless it's on Appa, and there better be a damn good reason."
"You've been on long boat trips before. Like that time we spent incognito on a Fire Nation ship."
"If you recall, I was fucking miserable for the first two weeks of that. I guess I got used to it, but it took a while. Then I got back on solid ground and it was like I'd been betrayed by my element."
Once they got in a carriage and shut the door, Toph couldn't hold herself back any longer.
"Wh- What are- you doing?" Sokka stammered around her lips while she straddled him, loosening his belt.
"Was does it look like I'm doing? It's going to take almost half an hour to get to my apartment. I've already waited three months."
"But-"
"You want me to stop?"
"...No."