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Part 2: Roaring Twenties
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"What are you doing here, Meathead?" Toph asked when she walked into her apartment. "I thought we were meeting on the Island?"
"I want to give you your birthday present before we go."
"Oh? Does this present involve you ripping all my clothes off?"
Sokka laughed. "Oh, don't worry, I plan to do that later. But this is a real present. Come on, we have to go somewhere."
"Go somewhere?" she said skeptically. "It must be really big."
"It's pretty small, actually, but I made a promise to someone."
"Ok, I'm intrigued." Once she was out of her work clothes and into something more comfortable, she let him lead her through the city. It didn't take her long to realize where they were headed. "We're going to the refinery? This better not have anything to do with my father."
"No, of course not. I'm not insane." He took her right to Satoru's small office. "Alright, here we are, as promised."
"Happy birthday, Toph," Satoru said, getting up.
"Thanks," she said slowly, a little confused. Since when were they friends who secretly collaborated on birthday presents?
"Alright, alright, where is it?" Sokka asked, voice full of excited impatience.
"Here."
Toph thought Satoru's heart was beating oddly, like he was nervous, but she didn't have much time to mull over it because Sokka suddenly grabbed her hand and fastened something around her wrist.
"What is it?"
"It's a clock!"
Her breath caught as she traced over the small device, a lump forming in her throat. Her eyes welled up with tears and she had to blink them away quickly. It was possibly the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever given her.
"Well?" he prodded. "What do you think?"
So many things were going on in her head. What was happening to that earlier resolve she'd formed during his time away? That resolve to keep things light and casual? Fuck, she really was in love with him, wasn't she? Unable to help herself, she threw her arms around his neck, desperate to kiss him until that burning ache in her chest subsided.
"Does that mean you like it?" he asked with a surprised laugh, prying her face away from his.
"Yes," she said breathlessly. "It's the best gift ever."
"As much as I'd like to take credit for it, I was just the idea guy. Satoru's the one who actually made it."
Feeling a surge of guilt for ignoring him, Toph let go and walked over to him. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "This is incredible."
"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it." There was a strange tension in his voice. Had her kissing Sokka upset him? Surely he wasn't still hung up on her?
"I love it. Really, you have no idea how much easier this will make my life. But how did you make it so small and light?"
"Heh. It wasn't easy."
"You could make a fortune off of these," she mused, running her fingers over the smooth metal face, feeling the intricate gears within. "I mean, just regular ones, not for blind people."
"That's what I said!" Sokka chimed in. "And get this! I even came up with a name for them! 'Wristwatches'! Because people always say 'Look at the time!'. Now they can 'watch' it on their wrist! Get it?"
"Very clever, Meathead," Toph chuckled. "Doesn't really apply to me, though."
"Obviously, they would just be like normal clocks for everyone else, with glass faces."
"I don't know," Satoru said, voice full of doubt. "It's not like I could mass-produce them. That one took me months."
Toph's eyebrows furrowed, his comment making her feel even more guilty. She turned to Sokka. "You did pay him, right?"
"Of course," he said. "Er...sort of."
Toph frowned at him, unsure of what to make of that answer.
"It's ok," Satoru said quickly. "Really, I enjoyed making it. It was a nice challenge." There was something in both his voice and the beating of his heat. He wasn't lying, exactly, but she suspected he wasn't telling the whole truth. But what could she do if he was still in love with her? It wasn't as if she were leading him on or anything.
"Oh, I should mention," Satoru continued. "It's pretty delicate. You'll want to take it off before you do any training or get into any fights. Or bathe. It's not waterproof. Also…" He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I actually have my own gift for you. Obviously inspired by Sokka's clock idea, but with my own personal little spin." He placed something heavy in her hands, his heart rate picking up again. "It's a clock for you to keep at home. Since it's a little bigger I was able to add a feature where you can set it to sound an alarm at a certain time, so you can choose an exact time for when to wake up in the morning."
Toph's eyebrows shot up at the incredibly clever idea. Up to this point, she had been relying on Sokka to wake her in the morning, and he wasn't exactly reliable, nor was he there all the time. It had become common practice for Rinna to send an officer to bang on her door if she didn't make it to work by nine.
"Wow," she said, stunned. "I... Thank you. I think my secretary will want to meet you and give you a hug!"
"Happy to do my part to help fight crime."
"You joke, but you're not wrong. It really will help. Heh. I guess I don't have any excuse to 'accidentally' sleep in anymore, do I?"
"Hey, you about ready to go, T?" Sokka interjected. "Katara's expecting us at seven."
"Yeah, let's go. Thanks again, Satoru. I'll stop by again soon so you can teach me how to use this."
"Sure. Happy birthday."
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A few weeks later
Slightly morose about the prospect of spending the night alone, Sokka rummaged through Katara's kitchen for something to eat. A few minutes later, he heard her coming down the hall from her bedroom.
"Oh, it's you," she said. "Staying here tonight?"
"Yeah. You got any food?"
"What are you, blind?"
"I mean do you have any food that doesn't require cooking?"
"Salad?" she suggested with a shrug. "Hey, if you wanted meat, you should've eaten before you came here."
He sighed and resigned himself to making some scrambled eggs.
"You've been here a lot lately," Katara continued. "Did you and Toph fight or something?"
"No," Sokka shrugged. "She's just, you know...being Toph."
"I'm not entirely sure what you mean."
"I dunno. I'm worried I might have gone overboard with her birthday gift." I'm worried that I made a mistake involving Satoru… he added silently to himself.
"I don't know how you were able to afford that thing," Katara said, shaking her head.
"He didn't ask for much."
Katara cocked an eyebrow at him. "Are you worried he has feelings for her?"
Spirits, she was just too perceptive. Or did she know something?
"Remember when they first met?" Sokka asked. "They definitely had a...rapport. Do you have any idea if they were ever involved?"
"I guess it's possible, but if they were, she never let on. I don't know, I'm not sure he would risk his position at her dad's company. Anyway, if you care so much, why don't you just ask her?"
"Are you crazy? I'm not going to do that! She'd bite my head off!"
"Who'd bite your head off?" Aang asked, walking inside.
"Toph," Katara said matter-of-factly, earning a glare from Sokka. "What? You know I tell him everything."
"What happened to 'I promise this conversation stays between us'?" Sokka asked through clenched teeth.
"Aang doesn't count."
"Oook...well...I'm leaving," Aang said awkwardly, going back outside with two apples.
Once they were alone, Sokka rounded on her angrily. "Seriously?"
"You really think he's going to say anything?"
"That's not the point! I confided in you!"
"Ugh," she groaned, exasperated. "It's not that simple! He and I already talked about this subject long before you said anything to me."
"But you still told him what I told you, didn't you?" His words were met with silence and she refused to meet his eyes. "Didn't you?!"
"I didn't think it would matter. He's my husband, we tell each other everything."
"Well leave my business out of 'everything'!"
"Alright. Fine. If that's what you want."
"It is! Fuck! It's not a difficult concept."
"I think you're eggs are burning."
"What? Oh, shit." He quickly stirred them in the pan, sighing.
Katara went past him and pulled out a loaf of bread. She silently began slicing a couple of pieces off and buttering them. "I know you're worried that trying having a real conversation with her will push her away," she said softly, putting the bread on a plate and setting it on the counter next to him. "But not communicating with her might end up being just as bad. Something to keep in mind."
With that, she left him with his charred eggs and conflicted thoughts.
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"Sifu!" Michi called happily, running over as Toph entered the courtyard full of students.
"Hey. How's it going?"
"Great! It's been ages since you visited. How's policing going?"
"Eh. It's alright, I guess."
Most of the activity had come grinding to a halt after Toph's arrival. "Hey!" Michi called aggressively. "Did I tell you lily livers you could stop?!"
Toph couldn't help but smile; she had trained the girl well. "Is Ho Tun here?"
"Yeah, in his office."
"Thanks. You can go back to yelling at your students." Distracted murmurs rippled around Toph as she passed. A few familiar voices greeted her, but she thought that most of the students here must be new since she left. It was a little depressing.
"Sifu!" Ho Tun said with surprise when she went into her old office, not bothering to knock. "I didn't know you were coming."
"I had some unexpected free time. How is everything going here?"
"Uh, good. Really good. Actually, I'm glad you're here. There's something I wanted to talk to you about."
"Should I be worried?" Toph asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No," Ho Tun laughed. "I got an interesting letter last week. From the Dark One. Well, he goes by Daosu now."
"Daosu? Where did he get that from?"
"Not a clue."
"Well, I guess it's better than the alternative. How's he doing, then? Still in Ba Sing Se?"
"Yeah. Turns out his career has really taken off, actually. His sculptures have been featured in a gallery."
"Good for him."
"Anyway, in his letter, he said that he met someone who was interested in starting a Metalbending Academy in Ba Sing Se."
"A former student?"
"I don't think so. A businessman, sounds like. I guess he thought the Dar- er, Daosu could help him, since he's a got connection to you."
"What's it got to do with me? If he wants to set up a school he can go right ahead. Is he looking for permission or something?"
"Not exactly. I think he's interested in forming some kind of partnership with the Academy here, most likely to recruit his first teachers, and maybe even for funding."
"Hm. I guess he doesn't know you took over?"
"I guess not. How do you want me to handle it?"
"What do you mean? It's your school."
"You really feel that way?"
"It's been a year and a half," Toph said, though with a twinge of regret. "I don't have a role here anymore."
"It'll always be the Beifong Metalbending Academy, Sifu," Ho Tun said, a smile in his voice. "You could be dead a hundred years and I bet this place will still be here, teaching new metalbenders. Maybe future Beifongs will take it over one day, who knows?"
Toph snorted. "Future Beifongs? In what universe?"
"Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking," Ho Tun laughed. "But, anyway, what are your thoughts about a potential academy in Ba Sing Se?"
"It's up to you. Talk to the guy, if you want. My only request is that you be shrewd when it comes to a business partnership. I don't like the idea of either school being for-profit. Obviously, if that what he wants to do with his, I can't stop him, but don't let him suck you into his schemes."
"I figured you might feel that way. Anyway, that's all I got in the way of updates. Did you come here for something specific? Or just dropping by?"
"Just wanted to see how everything was."
"Feeling nostalgic?"
"Maybe a little," she admitted. "Everything is always so serious in Republic City."
"No fun and games for Chief Beifong?"
"Not 'til I get home," Toph said with a lewd smirk.
Ho Tun let out a hearty laugh. "What? You got a boyfriend now? Color me shocked."
Toph's mouth twisted petulantly. "Please. You know me better than that. I have a bed warmer." I have a Sokka and, frankly, I don't really know what he is, or what I want him to be, she added silently. She'd been avoiding him. Kissing him in front of Satoru had definitely been a mistake, she saw that now. He'd become even clingier than usual, almost to the point of possessiveness. Why should he expect to spend every night with her, like she belonged to him? Never mind the fact that she missed him when he wasn't there...
"Oook," Ho Tun said with an awkward chuckle. "You have fun with that. I don't need any more information, thanks."
"Hey, you asked."
"And I'm regretting it. You're like my sister."
Toph checked the time: three-thirty. How had it gotten so late?
"What's that?" he asked.
"It's a clock. Birthday present from Sokka and Satoru."
"Wow! It's so small! How convenient."
"Yeah. Those two are pretty much geniuses, especially when they work together. Anyway, I should go. I've got a meeting at four that I am definitely going to be late for."
Later that evening, Sokka surprised Toph in her office with dinner. "See you tonight?" he asked, sounding hopeful as he cleared the empty take-out boxes from her's desk.
"Well...I'm probably going to work pretty late tonight. Might just try to get a good night's sleep and see you tomorrow?"
"Oh...alright."
She could hear the disappointment in his voice and felt a twinge of remorse. "Well…" she began, relenting. "I guess you can come over. Just don't keep me awake."
"You got it, Chief. No shenanigans. I'll try to control manly urges."
"Fuck that. I just meant to make it quick and not waste my time."
Sokka laughed. "Ah, yes. The words every man wants to hear."
For the life of her, she couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. She certainly didn't want to bother with romance. Better to just get that sweet relief and go to sleep. He came over and gave her a quick peck, which only served to annoy her.
"See you later," he murmured.
Toph was left to struggle alone through an enormous stack of reports from her underlings, all of which had to be read through and filed appropriately. With Rinna gone for the day, she would be lucky to leave by ten o'clock. Reading them one painstaking symbol at a time, she still could only recognize about half the words. Context clues had to fill in the rest. Still, she was getting a little better every day. And in any case, it was a good distraction from her personal problems.
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One month later
Toph walked inside to find Sokka lounging on her couch.
"Where have you been?" he asked, sounding very annoyed. "I've been sitting here for hours."
"I was at the refinery."
"You never mentioned you were going today."
"...So? I didn't realize I was supposed to."
"Just would have been nice to know."
His attitude was getting on her nerves. "I'll start writing up a schedule for you," she said sarcastically, taking off her armor. "That way you can keep tabs on me better."
"Toph-"
"No, no, it's fine. I know how jealous you get."
He stood up quickly, his heart rate elevated. "Well? Can you blame me? You spend more time with him than with me!"
She threw her wrist guards on the ground and stalked over to him. "You don't own me, Sokka! I'm not your property! I can spend my time however I want, with whoever I want! And for your information, I'm working while I'm there. He spent so much time and effort on this thing-" She waved her wrist in his face. "-it's the least I can do!"
"Oh, so it's my fault. You have to work off my debt," he spat, voice full of bitterness.
"I am really struggling to understand you right now. You are the one that went to him with this idea and got him involved. He's my friend. He has been for a long time. You need to get the fuck over it."
"I've seen the way he looks at you."
"Well I haven't!" she fired back.
There was a heavy pause. "Do you have feelings for him?" Sokka asked, suddenly calm.
"What?! Seriously?"
"Just answer the question."
"For fuck's sake. No! We're just friends. Fuck, Sokka. I don't even like being around you when you're like this."
"I can't help it. I…" He took a deep breath. "I just feel like you've been distant lately. It makes me feel like I've been doing something wrong."
Toph suppressed a groan. Why was he acting like this? "Sokka. Listen to me. This job...it's so fucking stressful. The time I spend at the refinery is honestly helping me so much. You always used to tell me I needed a hobby, a break from work. Well, that's what this is. No responsibilities, just me getting my hands dirty because I feel like it."
"I thought I was your hobby," Sokka said, though she could hear a mischievous smile in his voice in place of the anger and hurt that had been there only a moment ago.
"I can have two hobbies, can't I?"
He suddenly reached out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her closer. His other hand snaked around her waist. "Feel like getting your hands dirty?" he murmured.
"I gotta say," Toph mused, panting a little. "We should argue more often. Makes things spicy."
"What were we even fighting about?
"Who cares? I'm not using my thinking brain right now."
"Your thinking brain? How many have you got?"
"Three. One for thinking, one for combat, and one for pleasure."
Sokka laughed. "You sound like you've really given this some thought."
"That's what the thinking brain is for, duh."
"You've never mentioned your three brains before."
"That's because I'm bullshitting you," she said, rolling her eyes. "I just came up with it."
"Hah! So you are using your thinking brain!"
"Well, I am now," she sighed; thinking wasn't what she wanted to be doing right now.
"What's wrong?"
"You know what's wrong." In spite of her conflicted feelings, the thought of him leaving for the South Pole wasn't a pleasant one. There was an element of relief, too, but him being gone was much worse than him being clingy.
"Yeah. I do," he murmured, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "But, you know what's even better than make-up sex?"
"Hm. Blue-balls-for-three-months sex?" Toph guessed.
"What's the female equivalent of that?"
"Fuck if I know."
"I guess the other option is that we get in a big fight right before I go, then we can have both. And you won't even miss me for at least the first week because you'll be so mad at me."
"Bold of you to assume that I wouldn't still be mad when you got back," Toph teased.
"I know you. No way could you stay mad at me that long."
"Keep talking and you might find out."
"Oh, yeah?" He rolled over and kissed her, pinning her down with his body. "Guess I'll just shut up then." They were gearing up for another round when someone knocked on the door to Toph's apartment.
"Fuck," she muttered. "Who the fuck would that be, this late?"
"Could be work-related."
"Ugh. Probably. Spirits, I hope no one went and got themselves killed." Pushing him away, she crawled out of bed and began searching for clothes. The interrupter pounded on her door again. "Calm your tits! I'm coming!" she bellowed, growing more worried by the second, now able to ascertain that it was Nato. She threw open her door in a huff. "This better be important."
"There's been a break in the Harin case."
"What kind of break?"
"He's dead."
"What?! Um...ok. Hold on. Let me get my armor on."
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the crime scene.
"Who called it in?" Toph asked.
"Anonymous tip." Nato had brought her to a rundown, apparently abandoned building squeezed in between a warehouse and a florist. The silent, still body of a stout man lay sprawled on the cold stone floor. Several other officers milled around, speaking quietly with each other.
"How do you know it's him?"
"The writing on the wall."
"A little less cryptic, please."
"No, I mean there's literally writing on the wall. In blood. It says 'Harin was weak, but I am not. Fear me.'"
"Taste for the melodramatic," Toph muttered, though she couldn't help but feel a tiny chill. She pulled her jacket tighter around her neck. "So. I guess Harin's been ousted. Now we don't even know this new person's name. Great."
"There's something else," Nato said. "There's not a mark on the guy. No apparent cause of death. Just...a body."
"No cuts?" Toph asked with a confused frown.
"Nope. Nothing."
"Then whose blood is on the wall?"
"We don't know."