Spirits, I missed him so much. I missed the smell of him on my sheets and in my hair. I missed his stupid, teasing jokes.
She seems genuinely happy to have me back home. Surely she loves me. Right? What's love, if not this?
He keeps taking my hand, gently kissing my forehead. Where is the passion? The fire? I just want him to throw me up against the wall.
Why does she pull away? What is that look on her face? What am I doing wrong? Maybe I should just ask her…
What does he want from me? He knows me. Knows who I am. I just want to do my job. Wind down at the refinery. Enjoy his company at night. Why does it have to be so serious? Is my love not enough? It's more than I've ever given anyone else.
The way Satoru makes her laugh… Does she know how much it hurts me to watch? Making no attempt to hide her close friendship with him. Not that she should, but still… Spirits, I hate being away for so long. What if she gets tired of me? What if she gets too lonely while I'm gone?
I just need a few minutes to myself. He's always there, waiting, analyzing. Why can't things just be the way they used to be? Easy. Simple. Friendship and flame.
I need to be near her. Fuck, it hurts so bad, every second that she's not next to me. How did I become so dependent on her presence? She's like a drug. Every night, I dream I'm chasing her through endless rooms, every time nearly losing sight.
Oh, Spirits, he won't leave me alone. Turning up the charm. He knows I can't resist him but I feel so trapped. His hand on the back of my neck feels too much like a chain. I know him too well. One day he's going to want more than I can give him.
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"C'mon, T. I'm leaving in a few days. It's just lunch."
No, it's not 'just lunch'. It's a romantic picnic on the beach, she argued in her head. A romantic place to ask romantic questions that I'm not prepared to answer. "I told you, I don't have time. Can't we just grab some takeout instead?"
"What is the matter with you? It's like you don't even want to spend time with me anymore."
"What are you talking about? We spend tons of time together!"
"We're in bed for most of it."
"Mm...but we have fun, don't we?" she said with a coy smile.
"Spirits, Toph. I can't believe I'm saying this, but there's more to life than sex."
No. Stop. You're going to ruin it. "I know that. And we spend other time together. The case of the missing space bracelet? Good ol' detective work?"
"That was weeks ago. You've spent more time helping Satoru with that damn machine."
"You could come help, too, if you wanted to."
"That's not the point! It's like… It's like you go there to get away from me! That's what it feels like!"
"What?!" she spluttered. "Sokka, we've already been through this! Working there is a much-needed hobby. I don't understand why you're so upset."
"Because you obviously have feelings for him!"
Toph was speechless. Did he really think that? "What?! No. I don't. He's just my friend."
"I don't believe you!"
"Seriously?!" she choked out, more hurt by his accusation than she was willing to admit. "If me telling you isn't enough, I don't know what that fuck is!" For once, she wished he had her truth-seeing gift.
"Actions speak louder than words, T."
"What are you saying? You want me to stop going to the refinery? Because that-"
"Maybe I do! Maybe you could try actually doing things with me, instead. Like going on this picnic. Is that so much to ask?"
"I don't want to sit on the beach and have a romantic picnic!" Toph exploded, freaking out. "I just want things to be simple and easy like they used to be. When did this get so fucking complicated? You know me, Sokka. You know I don't like to be pushed."
Sokka went quiet for a long moment. "So that's it, then, isn't it? You're still just so fucking terrified of this actually meaning something. Two years, T. We've been doing this for two years. Longer, if you count the first time. I've been very patient. I don't think I'm asking for a lot, here."
"Are you giving me an ultimatum?" she challenged, desperate to jump to the end of this conversation so they could have angry sex and forget about the argument for another few weeks.
"No." That single word held more bitterness than she would have thought possible. "You are who you are. I don't know why I expected you to wake up one day and be a different person. I guess I thought–" He paused, sighing. "I can't- do this anymore."
Toph's throat went tight. She felt dizzy. What was he saying? "Sok-" But she couldn't get more than that out. Her mind fled from it all, attempting to replace the shock and hurt with anger. She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to throw herself at him and beg him not to go. She wanted to lift the floor of her apartment and fling it at him. Her fists clenched, the stone calling out to her, trembling under her feet. "Get out."
After he left, she stalked to her room and shoved her meteorite bracelet far into the back of a dresser drawer full of junk.
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As distracted as she was trying to balance a stack of reports with her boxes of takeout, Toph didn't realize there was someone in her apartment until she was right at the door. "Katara? What are you doing here? How did you even get in here?"
"Sokka gave me his key." Her voice sounded oddly heavy and thick.
Toph wordlessly put everything on her kitchen table. With one subtle gesture, the key flew from Katara's hand to hers, after which it was shoved into the back of her kitchen junk drawer.
"I don't know what silly little fight you two had," Katara continued, sounding like she was about to cry, "but it wasn't right for you to let him leave without saying goodbye."
"How many times do I have to tell you it's none of your business?" Toph fumed, stalking over to her.
"It is my business!" Katara said forcefully, her voice quivering. "He's my brother and you're my best friend and you two are obviously meant to be together but you're just hurting each other for no reason! I don't get it and it's killing me to watch this happen and not be able to do anything about it." Her voice caught at the end and she drew in a sharp breath.
The outburst left Toph a little stunned, and in the silence that followed...she heard it. That sound. The dreaded pulsing. Panic seized her, mouth instantly going dry. She instantly began searching for its source, but didn't find it inside her.
"Oh..."
"What?" Katara asked.
"Huh. No wonder you're so emotional."
"Wh-? You can..." She cleared her throat softly. "How…?"
"I can hear the heartbeat. Well, more like feel, I guess. What's wrong?" Toph asked when Katara sat heavily on the couch. "Did you not know, or something?"
"I...suspected. I wasn't completely sure."
Toph was stymied. "I would've thought you'd be jumping up and down with excitement."
"Heh. Um. I'm just a little overwhelmed. Aang and I have talked about kids, obviously. But...we were planning to wait a little longer."
"Oops."
"I haven't told him yet. He's been so busy and stressed out, not to mention having to go meet Zuko for whatever reason. I didn't want to add to that until I was sure." She went quiet for a moment. "You are sure?"
"Yeah. What I don't get is, why aren't you? Can't a master healer like you detect that sort of thing?"
"I can, but not this early on. I'm surprised you were able to tell so easily, without even looking for it."
Toph shrugged, trying to seem casual. Katara didn't need to start getting curious about why she knew so much about this. "I can feel vibrations from ants walking. I'm used to being aware of heartbeats all the time. It's how I read people. Anything out of the ordinary is immediately obvious, especially with people I know well."
"I suppose so." Her voice sounded distant, distracted.
Toph sat down next to her, not sure what to say. "Uh...I'm not that great at pep talks."
Katara chuckled. "It's ok. I'm fine. Spirits, these mood swings are no joke. Sorry I, uh, kinda freaked out on you."
"I guess I'll give you a pass, all things considered."
"I meant what I said, though. I wish you and Sokka would just talk to each other and deal with your issues. Or at least tell me what they are so I can help. I hate seeing you two unhappy."
"It's beyond you, Sweetness. Trust me. Just let it go."
"Please at least write to him while he's away. You don't want to throw away your friendship, do you?"
Toph sighed, shrugging. She did not want to discuss this. It was too painful and frustrating. She'd already done the whole scream-and-cry-into-her pillow routine and was still deeply in mourning, despite the fact that there was an element of relief that things were over between them. No more pressure.
Some part of her knew - or at least wanted to believe - that nothing could ever destroy her friendship with Sokka, but she didn't particularly feel like being the bigger person and breaking the stalemate. She needed time to process what had happened, figure out how she really felt.
"I'll think about it. But only because your brain has obviously turned into hormone mush and I pity you. I sure as fuck wouldn't want to be in your shoes." And, frankly, kinda glad I don't need to worry about it anymore.
Katara laughed. "Are you excited about being an aunt?"
"Sure, just let me know when it's about seven, eight years old and I'll come by for a visit."
"Aw, c'mon. Babies are cute and cuddly."
"They're noisy and smelly and extremely needy."
"Remind me not to ask you to babysit," Katara said dryly.
"Please don't."
"Hm..."
"What?"
"I wonder how Riju will take the news."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I don't want him to feel neglected."
Toph laughed. "Oh, I think he'll be perfectly happy to have less attention from you." There was a brief silence. "I'm sure you're making a face at me, but I'd like to remind you that I'm blind."
"I'm confident that you can imagine the face I'm making. You make it at me all the time."
Toph pursed her lips, raised her eyebrows a little, and relaxed her eyelids.
"Yep, that's the one," Katara said. They both chuckled. "Well," she continued. "I guess I should get home. Looks like I've got plans to make."
"When is Aang getting back?"
"Soon, hopefully."
"Remind me what the big emergency was?"
"I don't know. Zuko's letter just said he found something Aang needed to see. But he told him not to worry so I don't think it was an emergency."
So deep in thought was Aang about recent happenings in the city, he was nearly upon the small island when he saw what it was Zuko had summoned him for. "It can't be…" he muttered. Appa let out a roar. "I know, buddy," Aang grinned. "I see them, too." He landed in a courtyard inside a small village, an ancient temple at its center.
"Glad you could make it," Zuko said as Aang dismounted, grasping his forearm in a gruff handshake. Aang wasn't having any of it though, and pulled his friend into a brotherly hug. "Sorry for being so cryptic," Zuko continued. "I wanted you to be surprised."
"I am! I have so many questions, I don't know what to ask first!"
Three baby sky bison came rocketing toward them, chasing each other around the two men before circling Appa with great curiosity.
"As you know, I've been visiting all of the Fire Nation's islands in the last few years, making sure everyone knows the war is over and no one is doing anything they shouldn't be doing. I recently stumbled across this place. Come on. There's someone you should meet." Zuko led him into the temple, where an old man was meditating. "High Sage," he said, bowing. "This is Avatar Aang."
"Welcome to Bhanti Island, young Avatar."
"Pleased to meet you." Aang sat down across from the sage. "How is that you have a herd of sky bison?"
"Long ago, before the war began, air nomads traveled here to meditate at our temple. Shortly after the air temples were attacked, an airbender named Rinchen arrived with three adult and four juvenile bison. She was the only person who escaped from the Western Air Temple, many giving their lives to allow her to get away."
"Rinchen..." Aang murmured sadly. "I… I think I met her once, when I was a kid. Sounds so familiar."
"Then you will be pleased to know she lived to a great age, teaching us the ways of the sky bison and their husbandry."
"How have you kept them secret for so long?"
"We hid the herd in caves whenever ships came too close."
"Did you know the war was over before Zuko came here?"
"We were aware, yes. However, we saw no reason to come forward with our secret until the new Fire Lord visited us and we were able to ascertain that he was an honorable leader."
Aang nodded absently, absorbing all of this information. "What are your plans for the herd?"
"Plans? We have no plans. We are simply caretakers. The sky bison belong to the air nomads."
"Hm," Aang mused. "I'm not sure I agree. We never considered them to be possessions."
"Perhaps I misspoke. I meant only that I will not stand in your way, should you choose to relocate them."
"I'll have to give it some thought. The air temples are still being renovated, but when they're ready to be lived in, we'll fill them with air acolytes. It'll be years before there are enough to take care of a growing bison population, so for now, this place is as good as any for them to stay." He stood and bowed serenely. "I thank you and your companions for your service to the Air Nation. I am truly honored."
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"Telegram, Chief," the officer said from the door. Toph just waved her hand absently; everyone knew the protocol. The officer crossed the room toward Rinna's desk then left without another word.
"It's from Katara. 'Come over after work if you get a chance.'"
"Fuck's sake," Toph muttered. "She won't leave me alone."
"I'm sure she's just excited," Rinna said with a laugh.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. But seriously, does she really think I want to sit around and talk about babies for hours?" Her secretary didn't have an answer. It was rhetorical, anyway. Toph checked the time; she'd worked through lunch again. "Will you go get me something from Wong's?" she asked, pulling out a few coins. "Here. Just get whatever today's special is. And hurry, I have a meeting in thirty minutes."
Five hours later, she was trudging up the hill on Air Temple Island. Goddamn fucking boat. I hate it. Katara better appreciate me coming here.
Indeed, her friend handed her a steaming mug of tea the second she walked inside. "Come, sit. Or do you want some dinner?"
"Maybe not quite yet," Toph said, falling heavily onto the couch and sloshing the hot tea over her fingers. "Ah, fuck. Ow."
"Long day?"
"I guess. Same as every day." Toph sighed. She wasn't sure what was harder – boring routine busyness or stressful busyness. Either way, she came home to an empty apartment and a cold bed. Now there was no looking forward to that changing next month. And she still didn't know if she wanted it to or not, given the option.
"Anything new with that crime boss?" Katara asked.
"No. He's proving to be a slippery one. Laying low, which is good I guess, in some ways. He's not causing a lot of trouble, at least not at the moment. Well, I say 'he', but honestly we don't even know if it is a 'he' at this point. Still, the gangs themselves are as active as they've always been. Just little stuff, you know? But lots of little stuff is still a pain to deal with."
"Mm," Katara mused, clearly uninterested.
"Alright, you can stop asking about my boring troubles. I know why I'm here."
"Your troubles aren't boring."
"I know you didn't ask me to come over here to talk about police business. So go on, then," Toph said with a resigned sigh, waving her hand. "What's new in baby land?"
"Well, I think I felt a kick this morning," Katara said excitedly. "Not a real kick, I mean. But some movement, for sure."
"What does it feel like?" Toph asked, morbidly curious in spite of herself.
"Honestly? Kinda feels like indigestion. And boy have I had that, too. Ugh. And heartburn like you wouldn't believe."
"At least you seem to be past the puking stage."
"Thank the Spirits."
Normally, Toph just let her ramble on during these conversations. Katara repeated herself often, but apparently, poor memory was one of the dozens of pregnancy symptoms a woman could experience. In the last couple of months, Toph had learned far more about the subject than she'd ever wanted to know.
"It seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to end up with a needy little gremlin. Honestly? I find the whole concept perverse."
Katara chuckled. "Perverse? It's the most natural thing in the world."
"It creeps me out. Having this...thing take over your body for the better part of a year – like a fucking parasite – making your life harder and harder every day, and you have basically no say in the matter."
"You do have some say."
"Not once the ball is rolling. And then out pops a whole brand new person? It's fucking weird."
"It is a little scary, I admit," Katara allowed. "But it's kind of amazing, too. I don't know how to describe it. Empowering, I guess."
Toph just shook her head. "If you say so."
There was a brief silence in which she could guess what her friend was thinking. Earlier on in this journey, Katara had tried to bring up Sokka and what could possibly lie in the future regarding their complicated relationship. Such questions had been quickly shut down, or simply ignored, and Katara had fortunately given up.
"So...are you planning on meeting at the docks when Sokka's ship comes in?" Ok, maybe she hadn't totally given up.
"I don't know," Toph hedged. "Depends on how busy I am."
"Are you still mad at him?"
"Nah." It was the truth. At this point, the anger had faded into raw hurt and loneliness. She wanted her friend back. Still, she didn't know how he was feeling and would rather their reunion not be public.
"I got another letter from him the other day. He's sorted out his schedule and is now planning on staying in Republic City through the end of spring to be here when the baby comes, then staying in the South Pole through summer and fall." Katara gave a light laugh. "He's so excited, almost as excited as Aang."
"Don't let him in the room when it happens. I seem to recall him fainting like an old lady the last time he witnessed a birth."
Katara laughed. "Oh, Spirits! I remember that. And you dragging him out by the ankles! But...I'm thinking it'll just be Aang and the midwife. You and Sokka can wait outside."
"No offense, but I'll probably be at work. Or sleeping. I don't have time to sit and wait for hours, nor do I have any desire to. Just send me a telegram when it's all over."
"Well, I guess that's better than your original suggestion."
"Huh?"
"Waiting until he or she is seven or eight years old."
"Oh," Toph smirked. "Right. We can go with that, too."
"Please. I know you'll drop everything and run over here. Pretend to not care all you want."
Toph pursed her lips, finding herself annoyed at Katara's confident assumption, though she wasn't exactly sure why. "I will walk over here calmly and with some trepidation."
"Trepidation? What are you so worried about?"
"I dunno. I don't know to act around babies. What do you do, just look at them? I don't have that luxury, and it's not like they can carry on a conversation or do anything fun. They're so delicate, you can't even do anything with them."
"Hold them, feed them, rock them to sleep," Katara said, chuckling. "There's quite a long list of things, actually. It's far from boring."
"If you say so."
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"Katara is here to see you, Chief."
Huh? Why isn't she at the docks? "Send her in."
The first thing Toph noticed was Katara's heart beating erratically against the softer but steadier rhythm of the child she carried. "What are you doing here?" she asked, a little concerned.
"Um… It looks like Sokka's ship has been delayed," Katara said, a faintness in her voice. "There was a storm."
"Delayed? When is it coming in?"
"I don't know. No one at the docks could tell me."
Toph could hear tears in her voice. Was this a mood swing...or did she really believe something bad had happened? "I'm sure we'll hear something soon," she said firmly, as much to reassure herself as her friend.
"Yeah. I hope so. Anyway...I just wanted to let you know."
"You could've sent a telegram. You didn't have to come all the way over here."
Katara made a disgusted noise. "You're as bad as Aang. I'm five months pregnant, not nine, for Spirit's sake. I can get around the city just fine."
"Calm down, I didn't mean it like that," Toph said, quite honestly. "Just that there was no need to waste your time."
"Like I have anything better to do," Katara sighed. "Aang freaks out if I waterbend too strenuously."
"That, I do not doubt."
"I should get home before he has a stroke. I'll let you know if I hear anything else."
Unfortunately, the news to come was not what Toph wanted to hear. There indeed had been a storm - a really bad one - and Sokka's ship was, at the very least, off-course. At worst, it was...gone.
Toph drained the bottle into her tin cup. It only filled it up about halfway. Did she have any more? She was too drunk to remember. For at least the hundredth time that night, her fingers danced across her watch. Two minutes past midnight.
"Happy birthday, Toph," she muttered, nursing the remnants of her drink. She had to savor what was left of it.
Fifteen minutes later it was gone and she had to admit defeat. Well, she was exhausted, anyway. Exhausted from work, from her hurt and regret, from Katara's frantic worry. But mostly, it was the week of constant dread and growing fear that had drained her.
Where are you, Meathead? At the bottom of the ocean? And I was too much of an idiot to say goodbye. Utterly numb, she got up and stumbled to bed. Oblivion came seconds later.
The next day, having decided to take a rare day off work, Toph found herself trudging despondently up the hill toward's Katara and Aang's house, unable to sit in her quiet apartment any longer and more hungover than she'd been in a long while. She hoped Katara wouldn't be able to tell she'd been crying all morning. As swollen and puffy as her eyes felt, it was probably a futile hope.
"Toph!" Katara called, sounding far too chipper.
"Look...I know you were hoping for a little gathering tonight, but I'm really not fe-"
"Hey, T. Happy birthday."
Toph's stomach lurched and her heart skipped two beats. A moment later his arms were around her. Dulled as her senses were from the headache and nausea, she had assumed his tall, broad form was Aang. The stench of sea and stale sweat was overpowering, but she didn't even care and hugged him back tightly.
"You need a bath, Meathead."
Sokka chuckled. "I literally just got here."
"You almost missed my birthday."
"I thought you didn't care about your birthday?"
I used to not care, until you gave me that flask and showed me how great birthdays could be. "Irrelevant."
"Anyway, it's only just past noon, so I didn't 'almost miss it'."
"Alright, fine." Her lower lip quivered. "I guess we can still be friends."
"I'm glad to hear it."
She punched his shoulder, the week of worry and dread coming back in a rush. "You had your poor, pregnant sister worried sick, you know! She's been driving me nuts."
"Sorry. There was a terrible storm. It's a great story, actually. You wanna hear it, or would you rather me bathe first?"
"Bath first, definitely. I need to sit down and eat something, anyway." She clutched her stomach as it gurgled unpleasantly. "Ugh. If I can."
"What's wrong? Are you sick?" Sokka asked slowly, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
"I'm fucking hungover as shit," Toph shot back, rolling her eyes.
"What, were you worried about me or something?" He sounded amused now.
Toph pursed her lips. "Go take a bath. You reek."
"You got it, Chief."
He walked away and Toph sighed, that raw spot in her chest throbbing. It didn't feel real. He had appeared too quickly; her thick, fuzzy senses hadn't quite caught on yet and some part of her worried this might just be a dream.
"Come on," Katara said, leading her along with a firm hand on her shoulder. "I'll make you some lunch."
Half an hour later, the four of them had gathered in the living room, Toph sipping on a disgusting but effective hangover remedy that Katara really had no reason to know how to make. She certainly had never offered before.
"So by the time the storm died down, we were way off course," Sokka was saying. "And we'd taken on a lot of water. Most supplies had either been washed overboard or marinated in seawater long enough to be useless. Basically, things were looking pretty grim. We went a couple of days rationing what was left of the food and water. For a ship that size, with that much crew, that meant pretty much nothing. Spirits, I've never been more tempted to drink seawater."
"It would only have made it worse," Katara said unnecessarily.
"I'm well aware of that. I said tempted. Dehydration does something to you, ok? Now stop interrupting me."
"Alright, alright."
"Anyway, based on the stars, I figured we might be somewhere near the eastern-most islands of the Fire Nation. There was some argument on whether to go east or west to try and find land to get some more supplies. In the end, we went west and spotted land half a day later. Of course, there was no bay remotely big enough, so we had to cram into the lifeboats. It took hours to ferry everyone over."
Toph listened silently, content to bask in the flow of his steady voice. He wasn't gone forever. He was right there, just a few feet away.
"So there we were, dozens of us, in this tiny little backwater village that could barely feed itself. The Captain and I talked with whoever was in charge, who didn't want to give us anything. There's still a lot of prejudice and tension in places like that, apparently. But we had water, at least, so that was something."
He paused to take a long draught from his drink. "Spirits, I'll never take water for granted again. Anyway, the guy finally allowed us to go hunting further inland after I promised him to have Zuko check-in and see about helping them out. I'm not really sure he believed I could do that, but whatever. We got as much meat as we could and the villagers obliged to sell us some salt to pack it with.
"We had a big party that night, roasting up some of the meat, and everyone was in really good spirits. But then suddenly half the men of the village were chasing a group of ours with pitchforks. It was chaos, no one knew what was happening. Half of us were trying to swim to the ship because the lifeboats were full of meat. Turns out a couple of the crew had gotten into a drunken argument with some of the villagers and things just spiraled out of control. I'm still not entirely sure what happened, exactly."
"Was everyone alright?"
"More or less. There were some injuries but we got out ok. And, well, here I am."
"You're lucky to be alive," Katara said with a mournful sigh.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Sokka replied cheerfully. "I was never in any real danger."
"Other than dying of dehydration?" his sister shot back. "Or getting run through with a pitchfork? Or getting knocked overboard in the storm?"
A soft sigh escaped Toph's lips against her will.
"You've been quiet, T. Feeling any better yet?"
"I'm fine."
There was a moderate pause and she almost sighed again, wondering what they were doing with their faces. Then the moment passed and she was left to ruminate while they chatted about his adventure.
Before the worst week of her life, Toph had come to a firm conclusion: Adding sex to her friendship with Sokka made it unbearably complicated. It gave him too many expectations, not just for the present but the future as well. Yes, she loved him. Yes, she was in love with him. And yes, she would miss his enjoyable affections. But it just wasn't worth it. Wasn't worth the constant pressure and frequent fights about things they would never agree on.
But now he was back. His voice was in her ears, traces of his rich scent swirling around her nose, all of her senses vibrating with his presence. With great effort, she clawed desperately at her former resolve. How easy it would be to pull him into an empty room and press her body against his... Whatever his own feelings on their split might be, she didn't believe he'd be able to resist her.
Stop it, Toph. You're past this. You've been past this, remember?"
She had her poker face on. Sokka knew that could only mean one thing, because Toph was terrible at softening her facial expressions unless she was making a conscious effort to do so. It meant she didn't want him or anyone else to know what she was thinking and feeling.
Had she really been that upset by his late arrival? His last impression of her – before seeing her red face and puffy eyes here on the Island – had been one of cold fury. Standing in the living room of her apartment, she had made the earth shake under their feet and exiled him from her life.
It had nearly broken him. Everything he had said had been a total bluff, because he knew an ultimatum would not work with her. Instead, he'd done the only other thing he could think of, and it had backfired spectacularly.
And yet…when he'd left her place, Sokka had felt something like relief, buried deep beneath the pain and regret. Maybe there was a small part of him that truly believed she would never accept a life with him, and he should stop trying to make her. Never mind the fact that he was still head over heels in love with her.
But where was she, now, emotionally? Apparently not angry anymore, and clearly she cared enough to have been worried for his safety, which was nice. But he needed to find out more. After his storytelling session was over and they'd all had something to eat, he tracked her down for a private conversation.
"Hey, why don't we go take a walk?"
"Alright..."
He waited until they were well away from the house before saying anything. "So...not working today?"
"No."
"Can't remember the last time you took a day off."
"Yeah, well, I wasn't feeling great."
"How much did you drink?" Sokka asked with a forced laugh.
"I don't remember." She was keeping her voice so level and calm. It was eerie, and reminded him of when they'd reunited at Zuko's wedding.
"I'm sorry if I worried you," he said softly.
"Meh. I probably overreacted. Your sister has been getting to me, I think." She laughed, a hollow, brash sound. "You know she hasn't given me a moment's peace the last few months?"
"She told me you figured out she was pregnant before she knew for sure, herself."
"Yeah."
For a second, he was tempted to ask her something he'd wondered for a while – a dark suspicion he'd been harboring since the morning after a certain drunken hotel adventure – but something told him it might be a bad idea to bring it up right now, making him hesitate. And there was a part of him that didn't want to know.
"I'm trying to be excited for her," Toph said before he made up his mind. "I really am. But it's exhausting. I'm glad you're here now so you can pick up my slack."
"Did she tell you I'm staying through spring?"
"Yeah."
"I won't have to spend my birthday surrounded by ice this year," Sokka said with a light laugh.
"A quarter-century. You're getting old, Meathead."
He knew she was joking, but still couldn't help but sigh softly. All he wanted out of life was a fulfilling job to do, a woman to love, and the hope of a family down the road. That was how he'd been raised to view a successful life, though aspirations for that future had evaporated with Suki's passing. It was only in the last year that he'd allowed himself to start picturing it again, but with Toph. Had that been crazy and short-sighted?
"I gotta know, T. Where are you, right now?"
"Where am I?"
"C'mon. You know what I mean."
"Hm."
Aside from that pensive noise, she apparently had no answer for him. But Sokka knew her; he knew patience was the key. After a minute or so of silence, she finally inhaled deeply.
"I think...I need a breather."
"A breather?"
"An indefinite one."
It wasn't what he wanted to hear. "I see."
"We're so great as friends. We've always made a good team."
"That's true," he managed, struggling to keep the hurt out of his voice. She'd obviously made up her mind, and he wasn't about to beg. A small part of him, quiet and deep, still harbored some resentment for the fact that she had started it all. Essentially pushed him into it, breaking down his defenses when he was weak. But…he had to accept that he'd known what he was getting himself into, the second time around. And those issues remained.
"So...we're good?" she asked tentatively.
Sokka stopped walking and pulled her into a tight hug. "Always."