A/N: Warning- extreme fluff ahead! XD
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"Aunt Toph?"
She jerked awake, the voice inches from her face. "Wha-! Bumi? What are you doing in here?"
"Do you live here now?"
"Ugh. What time is it?" she muttered to herself, though of course the question was easily answered. "Six? Seriously, Gremlin? Again? You couldn't have let me sleep another hour?"
"I'm not sleepy."
"Well, I am!"
"Why do you live here now?" he repeated.
"Sugar Queen!" Toph yelled. A few seconds later, footsteps approached.
"What–? Bumi, what are you doing in here? I told you not to bother her! Come on! Out! Sorry, Toph."
The room empty and quiet once again, Toph rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. In the last week, her four-year-old nephew had woken her up every single day – whether it was coming into her room at the ass crack of dawn or running down the hallway screaming, also at the ass crack of dawn.
It was futile, she realized after fifteen minutes. She was awake and grouchy, not to mention hungry. The smells of breakfast cooking were just too tempting.
Unfortunately, Bumi accosted her the second she emerged. "I wanna play that game, the one we did yesterday!"
"Don't wanna play right now, kid," Toph grumped, pushing past him to plop down at the kitchen table. She crossed her arms and rested her head on them.
"Leave her alone, Bumi. Just go play with your toys."
"I don't wanna play with my toys!" he complained, stomping his foot.
"Then go outside and meditate with Dad."
"I hate meditating! It's stupid!"
Katara suddenly stalked over to him and practically dragged him outside, kicking and screaming. Toph could feel them walking to where Aang was sitting. A minute later, Katara returned alone and silently went back to her cooking.
"Your kid's become a real brat, Sweetness."
"It's just a phase."
"Gah. Can't fucking wait 'til my apartment is done."
"If you hate being here so much, why didn't you just get a hotel room while they're remodeling?"
"I didn't think I'd be woken up before six every goddamn day."
"Yeah, well, welcome to my life."
"No wonder you haven't popped out any more kids yet."
"Being a mother is very rewarding," Katara said mildly. "I'm not the one complaining about having to get up early, you are." She set a plate of food down in front of Toph. "You're welcome."
An hour and a half later, Aang dropped Toph off at the station. "Have a nice day," he said pleasantly, as he had every morning.
"Right. Thanks."
The typical rounds of 'Morning, Chief' weren't as satisfying as usual, given her bad mood. Fucking Bumi. Gah. Just want one day to sleep in. Is that too much to ask? I'm not a fucking parent. Why should I have to deal with that crap?
She and Rinna settled in to take care of some much-neglected paperwork. With a huge portion of the city disrupted by pipes being installed in the sewers in the wake of a water treatment plant being built, she had been out in the city more than usual. Normally, that was a good thing. Toph loved going on patrol – doing something physical and getting her hands dirty. But this had been less 'chasing criminals and breaking up brawls' and more 'directing traffic and arguing with construction workers'.
Indoor plumbing was coming to Republic City, and the apartment building Toph and Sokka lived in was in the process of gaining this modern luxury. In the meantime, though, it was an enormous headache, not least because much of the funding for a city-wide sewage system – the most recent in a long line of urban improvements – was hurting her budget. All so I can piss and shit without going out the latrines? Doesn't seem worth it.
She suddenly became aware of Rinna's heart thudding erratically, then paper being quickly folded up. "What's wrong?" Toph asked.
Rinna cleared her throat and passed the paper over to her. "Nothing. I was just going through the mail from this morning and not paying close enough attention. I'm so sorry."
Toph took the letter with a confused frown and began moving her fingers over the raised metal letters. It didn't take long for her to figure out what it was. In an instant, the letter was folded back up and shoved into her pocket. Goddamn it, Sokka. "That fucking asshole," she said with a smirk, equal parts annoyed, amused, and aroused. "He knows better than to send that shit here. He probably didn't think you'd open it."
"I am so sorry."
"It's fine." She was fighting a smile, amusement winning out. Those letters – usually sent to her apartment – were the only things that kept her spirits up while he was away. She leaned back and exhaled heavily, fanning her face for comedic effect. "Just what I needed to get me going, first thing in the morning."
"You want to finish reading it?" Rinna teased. "I can step out for a cup of tea."
"Heh. Tempting, but I've got way too much work to do."
The brief good mood did not last, sadly. Her morning was full of disgruntled detectives, thanks to some necessary changes Penga was making in her unit. It never ceased to amaze Toph how, even with a young woman as their Chief, grown men could get so bent out of shape about Penga and Yachi being their bosses. Not that they outright admitted it was because they were women, but she rarely heard complaints from Nato's unit, even when he did the same damn things.
And then of course there was the almost weekly drama with Michi. It was always something, though not always her fault. Again, fighting sexism and misogyny in Republic City was a constant uphill battle. Most of the time, though, it was her strong personality rubbing someone the wrong way.
"I'll have another chat with her," Toph said to Detective Xiao as she massaged her temples. "But you need to stop letting her get under your skin, alright? She's not a cop, you can't expect her to behave like one. You're a grown man, and she's a teenage girl. Suck it up."
Before he had a chance to leave, Nato pushed through into her office. "Chief, you got a minute? We need to talk." There was a grimness in his voice that she had heard too many times before. Xiao left and the door clicked shut with a sense of finality. "Detective Kang has been found. I'm afraid it's not good news."
"No... Fuck," Toph said, face in her hands, a cold feeling settling in her gut. Kang had been in such deep cover that only a handful of people knew he was tracking the elusive woman named Zhu. But it had been a while since he'd checked in. "Motherfucker."
"Some construction workers found him in the sewers. Looks like he's...been there for a while. Wasn't much left, to be honest, with the rats down there. My guess is someone put him there before the construction started."
Kang wasn't the first unfortunate victim to be found in the sewers these last few weeks. Apparently, it was a popular place to dump bodies. Or used to be, anyway. Probably not anymore.
Three hours later, the lead detective assigned to the case brought her something that completely and utterly changed her life. In the years to come, it was a moment she would remember as clearly as if it just happened.
"Chief," Detective Tao said, handing her a narrow piece of leather. "I think you'll want to have a look at this."
"What is it?" Her fingers were already working their way across the fabric, detecting shallow gouges.
"It's the insole of Detective Kang's boot."
The gouges were a crudely written word. Or rather, a name:
Yakone.
The name was still spinning around Toph's head as she walked up the hill toward Aang and Katara's house. Yakone. Yakone. Detective Tao had been sworn to secrecy, the evidence carefully put away. This had to be dealt with carefully. Extreme precision. After hours of meetings, she and her highest level officers had come to the conclusion that the name was the one they had been searching for.
"You look very pensive."
She nearly leapt out of her skin in shock, so distracted that she hadn't even noticed that Sokka was inside, lying on the couch. Everything else flew out of her head as he crossed the room to gather her up in his arms.
"Did I surprise you?" he murmured against her ear, a smile in his voice.
"I was deep in thought. When did you get in?"
"About an hour ago."
She buried her face in his, losing herself in the feeling of his soft lips, a couple layers of stress melting away.
"Ugh, gross!" Riju exclaimed, emerging from the hall. "Get a room!"
"Mind your own business," Toph shot back. "And don't act so innocent. I know you've got yourself a little girlfriend."
"He what?" Sokka said.
"I do not!" Riju protested, his voice cracking.
"Hah. Liar. Did you forget I can see this entire island? I know you two sneak off to have little makeout sessions." Riju said nothing, but she could tell by his posture that he was stalking away angrily. "Keep your clothes on, kid!" Toph shouted after him, laughing.
"Speaking of which..." Sokka said mischievously. "No one else is here. And I don't think he'll be coming back anytime soon."
Toph pulled his letter out of her pocket. "Yeah, you can read this to me. I haven't had a chance yet, since you sent it to the fucking station."
"What?" he replied with exaggerated innocence. "I thought you'd like it. Little something to break up the drudgery."
"Oh, I did. Rinna liked it, too."
"What?" he repeated, his voice much higher than before.
"Yeah, jackass. She opened it before she realized it was from you. Now she's gonna blush every time she sees you."
"Oh, Spirits," he laughed, smacking his face. "I'm not going to be able to look her in the eye."
"Well, it's your own fault."
"Lesson learned. No more dirty letters at work. But hopefully it at least brightened your day a little."
"Oh, fuck! You surprising me here made me forget. I have big news!"
"What?"
"I've got him, Sokka. I know his name."
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A chair scraped against the stone floor as Sokka got to his feet, clearing his throat softly. "A toast to – name redacted for obvious reasons. May he soon rot in the deepest, smelliest jail cell Republic City has to offer."
"Hear, hear," Toph, Aang, and Katara chorused. Four glasses clinked together, though two had water instead of champagne. Katara and Aang were being their usual boring selves, of course. Riju didn't bother to participate.
"Come on, Riju," Katara said when he just sat there like a lump. "Don't be a spoilsport. We're celebrating."
"I don't understand why I can't have some," he grumped, slouched in his chair. "I'm almost fourteen."
"You still wouldn't be having any even if you were."
"Toph started drinking when she was fourteen," Riju insisted.
"Hey, don't bring me into this!" she protested, a little tipsy from everything she'd drunk during dinner. And before dinner, too.
"You did not!" Katara exclaimed, scandalized.
"Well..." Sokka said.
"Thanks, Meathead. Real helpful. For your information, Katara, I had a drink with my meals every once in a while. Wasn't like I was out partying and getting drunk, sheesh."
"See?" Riju said. "I just want one glass of champagne on a special occasion. You're so uptight."
"You're not having any! End of discussion!"
"You're not my mom," he muttered under his breath, likely too quiet for anyone but Toph to hear.
"What was that?" Katara said sharply.
"Ok, ok," Aang interrupted. "Can't we just have a nice evening? Please?"
The buzz was not enough for Toph to really enjoy herself. They might all be celebrating the biggest break of her career, but it had come at the expense of one of her best detectives. They hadn't been close, but losing people that worked for her never got any easier. She downed the rest of her drink and reached for the bottle to pour more.
"Toph…" Katara said gently. "Maybe slow down a little?"
"I thought we were celebrating?" she said, snatching it up. "Here's to Chief Beifong, who deserves a fucking vacation."
"Ooh, Aunt Toph said a bad word!" Bumi shouted from the other side of the room, momentarily distracted from his toys.
"Yes, she did," Katara said sternly.
"Heh?" Toph chuckled with a sheepish grin, shrugging with her palms out, though the gesture was somewhat ruined when she forgot she was holding the bottle and spilled it. "Oops."
"Alright, you're done," her friend declared, swiftly taking it away. "Good grief, how many children do I have?"
"Four," Sokka said, without missing a beat. "Everyone in this house except me."
"Right, because I've never washed your underwear or sewn up your pants?"
"Well, Toph sure isn't going to do it," Aang laughed.
"Excuse me," she drawled. "I have done laundry before, thank you very much."
"It's true," Sokka agreed. "She did it three whole times last year. I saw it with my own eyes. And let me tell you – Toph being domestic is a sight to behold."
She punched his arm. Hard.
"Fuck! Ow!"
"Sokka!" Katara shrieked while Bumi giggled in the background.
"Sorry, but that really hurt! Was that really necessary, T?"
"Oh, don't be such a baby. I may have misjudged a tiny bit," she said belligerently. "Give me a break, I'm blind."
"And a little drunk," Sokka muttered.
Toph replied by sticking her tongue out at him, and he retaliated by biting it. Unable to prevent a surprised gasp from escaping, she tried to slap his face but wasn't fast enough and ended up with her wrist caught tightly in his grasp. But by then, he had released her tongue and she forgot, for just a moment, that they weren't alone.
"Ugh! Get a room!" Riju complained again. "Seriously. No one wants to watch that."
But Aang and Katara were both chuckling. However much Katara might disapprove of them acting up at the table, Toph knew her friends couldn't be more pleased about her and Sokka's successful relationship, still going strong after more than two years.
And he had just turned twenty-nine. It was a thought she frequently had to push away stubbornly. They were happy. No need to ruin it by worrying about the future.
"Whoosh!" Bumi said, having apparently decided to start doing airbending forms to entertain himself. "Look, Dad! I think I almost did it!"
"Keep trying! I know you'll get it."
"Go outside if you're going to practice," Katara said.
Needing no further prompting, he instantly sprinted out the door. He wouldn't go far, not with the ever-present White Lotus guards patrolling around the house.
"Toph, can you–"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll make sure he doesn't wander off. Relax."
"Right, you definitely have a clear enough head for that," Sokka said sarcastically.
"You underestimate me. And I haven't had that much."
"Yeah, but you might get distracted."
"Only if you're doing the distracting," she shot back in a saccharine voice. "Besides, there are guards out there, too." Despite her assurances, though, she was a tiny bit unsure of her ability to focus on her nephew's whereabouts. For a couple of minutes, she let the conversation drift from her awareness, studying his careful steps in the yard.
"...tried waterbending at all?" Sokka was saying when Toph tuned back in.
"Of course. I've taught him some basic forms, but he seems much more interesting in trying to airbend."
"C'mon," Aang said. "We've had this conversation before. Airbenders have airbending children. That's just how it works. It's a spirituality thing."
"Maybe a hundred years ago, that's how it worked," Toph said. "When was the last time an air nomad had a kid with someone from another nation, huh? Things change. Maybe he's a waterbender. Maybe he's not a bender."
"Don't be ridiculous," Katara said with a laugh. "How could our kid not be a bender?"
"You don't have to make it sound like such a horrible thing," Sokka said in a wounded voice.
"I didn't mean it like that. I don't care one way or another."
Toph couldn't help but notice her confident statement wasn't entirely true.
"He's only just turned four," Aang said. "You didn't start bending until you were four or five, right Toph?"
"Hey, I never said I was doubting him." With a snap, she returned her attention to Bumi's movements for a moment. "Was just speculating." Her full stomach was starting to make her sleepy, and she stretched and yawned. "Fuck, what a long day. Can you make sure your spawn doesn't wake me up at the ass crack of dawn tomorrow? Seriously, you guys really need to invest in some locks on the bedroom doors."
"Your place will be done soon and you won't have to worry about it anymore," Katara said.
"Hey, didn't you mention something about wanting a vacation?" Sokka asked.
"Did I?"
"You did. And I know just the thing! Come with me to the Fire Nation! It'll be perfect. I'm only planning on staying there for a few days. I can drop you off here on my way to Ba Sing Se afterward."
"I've got a million more things to do now than I did yesterday!"
"C'mon. Let your detectives get out there and do the legwork. Luon can keep an eye on everything. You said yourself that you deserve this."
"I think it's a great idea," Katara interjected. "Oooh, why don't we all go! I'd love to see Izumi again! I bet she's gotten so big!"
"Wow, Katara, way to spoil my romantic getaway plans," Sokka complained.
"Oh, pfft. Zuko lives in a huge palace. You'll have plenty of privacy. Anyway, it's our airship."
"I haven't even agreed to this yet," Toph said dryly.
"But you will."
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"Oh, Spirits, that might be the cutest thing I've ever seen!" Katara gushed when Izumi gave Bumi a hug.
Toph rolled her eyes dramatically while she relaxed with the rest of the adults in the garden. Except Zuko. He'd disappeared a little while ago without explanation.
"Hey, maybe they'll get married when they grow up!" Aang said enthusiastically. "Bumi-zumi! It's perfect!"
"Yeah, that's just what the Fire Nation needs," Mai said dryly. "A royal family full of airbenders."
Toph had to laugh at that. "Sounds like sweet revenge to me."
"Toph..." Katara admonished. "Come on. Don't stay stuff like that."
"It was a joke, Sugar Queen. Geez. It's called 'dark humor'. I bet Mai thought it was funny." There was no response, but judging by Katara's annoyed huff and Mai's tendency to be nonverbal, she thought she was probably right.
"Bumi, not so rough!" Katara called. "She's not as big as you!"
"Relax, Katara," Mai said. "She's tough as nails."
Becoming aware of two sets of footsteps approaching, Toph sat up straight.
"What's wrong?" Sokka asked.
She didn't answer, too busy trying to figure out how she felt about the incoming situation.
"Ty Lee?!" Katara gasped, getting up.
"I finally convinced her to come say hi," Zuko said.
"It's nice to see you," Aang said warmly while Katara hugged her, though Toph thought she detected a small amount of hesitation in his words.
"Yeah, you too," Ty Lee replied softly, her heart rate elevated; she was more anxious than her calm demeanor suggested. "Is that your son?"
"Yeah, that's Bumi!" Katara said. "C'mon, I'll introduce you."
"I know what you guys are thinking," Zuko said softly once the two women had walked over to the children. "She's still confined to the palace grounds and the guards keep a sharp eye on her."
"She seems like she's doing well," Sokka said.
"Yeah. She's really come a long way. She's shown true remorse for what– what happened."
"You mean for what she did," Toph corrected bluntly, unable to completely push away her Chief of Police persona.
"C'mon, T. It's Ty Lee. She's not..."
"Not what? Not a murderer?" She knew her words were harsh, but she couldn't help it. "She made a choice."
"And she's living with it, I promise you," Zuko said, a defensiveness in his voice. "What would you have me do? Keep her locked in a cell for the rest of her life?"
"...No. She's your responsibility, and I'm ok with that. It's just hard for me, ok? With what I do."
"Ugh," Mai groaned. "You guys are bumming me out."
"It just...caught me off guard," Toph relented, ignoring her. "I'm...glad she's better."
I knew I shouldn't have drank all that water, Sokka muttered to himself, utterly unable to fall back asleep. Toph was asleep next to him, her fingers around his bicep. Very carefully, he tried to detach himself without waking her.
"Hrmm?" she murmured in wordless protest, but then rolled over and was still.
After a quick bathroom break, he returned to the room and wandered over to the window, not feeling sleepy enough to go back to bed yet. The moonlight was strong, filtering in to cast a silvery glow on Toph's face, so relaxed and peaceful in her sleep. It wasn't something he got to see often, so clearly illuminated. Spirits, she's beautiful. More and more every day. But what is she thinking about, in that head of hers? What is she dreaming about?
With an effort, he turned back to the window. Whenever he looked at her, everything else flew out of his head. Rational thought could only be achieved by directing his attention to the garden below. Unlike during the day, it was almost without color. There was an eeriness in the sharp contrast of trees and hedges, deep shadows lining the grass and the pond to create monstrous outlines.
Sudden movement caught his attention. A person...ambling around. Sliding from shadow to shadow, but not in an evasive way. More like they were seeking solace in them. He waited from the moonlight to catch their face, pressing his forehead against the glass and squinting. It was...Ty Lee? What was she doing out there? Surely she wasn't trying to escape?
Better safe than sorry, he decided, quietly slipping outside. He made it to the garden but didn't see anyone. Where had she gone?
"Looking for me?"
Sokka jumped a little, then laughed sheepishly. "Shouldn't sneak up on people in the dark." He couldn't deny that she made him a little nervous. It wasn't that he was afraid of her, exactly; she was just something of a wild card.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's fine. What, ah– What are you doing out here?"
"Don't worry. I've got a security detail." She gave him a wan smile. "They give me my space."
"I didn't mean–" Well, he kind of had meant that. "I guess you do this a lot?"
"I don't really sleep much these days." She started walking slowly, her hands clasped behind her back, and Sokka followed. "What's your excuse?"
"Well, first it was my bladder. Then I saw you out here, through the window, and got curious."
"I'm glad it was you." There was a slight but unmistakable emphasis on you.
"As opposed to…?"
"I think you know the answer."
"Yeah," Sokka said, sighing. "I guess so." He took a moment to organize his thoughts. "She's just...confused, I think."
"She's in conflict with herself. She doesn't know how to feel. Or how to act. It's ok. I get it. I put her in an impossible situation."
What could he say? It was true. But he couldn't help but feel for this broken person next to him. He, more than anyone else, knew what had driven her. A not-so-small part of him was glad for what she'd done. "Sometimes– Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Katara hadn't taken me to the South Pole. It was like I was trapped there. I hated it. I couldn't do anything but drink. And go outside and scream at the wind and snow. But if I had stayed in Republic City...well... We might have ended up in the same boat."
"I don't think so," Ty Lee mused.
"Why not?"
"Not in your nature."
"I would have said the same about you. You were never a...vengeful person."
"It was never about revenge, not really. I know it seemed that way, and there were times that it felt that way. But...it was like I couldn't exist in a world where her killer also existed. All those years looking for him, tracking him...there wasn't really any emotion behind it. Just a compulsion. I thought it would bring me peace."
"Did it?"
"No. Momentary relief, maybe, but not peace."
"Do you regret it?"
"Every day."
They both fell silent for several minutes, pacing between the trees and around the pond in an endless circuit. She obviously knew this path well.
"Can I ask you something?" Sokka said suddenly.
"Sure."
"You...really loved her, didn't you?"
"As did you."
He just nodded slowly and they lapsed into another silence. He searched for something, anything to say that might give her an ounce of peace. "When I was in the South Pole, after she died, I made a little place to go, to mourn every year. I always make sure I'm there on the anniversary. Helps me get through the next year, you know? Without an audience. "
"You hide your pain." It wasn't a question.
"I have to. It's all I know." He forced out a little laugh. "I mean, look at me. I have to be the tall, strong, pillar of stability."
"Not to everyone."
It was obvious to him what she was getting at and he shook his head. "I can't– I can't do that to her. I'm the only person she really, truly lets her guard down in front of. I have to be that person for her, and I worry that if I show that kind of weakness, it'll upset the...careful balance."
"Grief isn't a weakness. I doubt she'd see it that way."
"You don't know her like I do," he insisted stubbornly, a little put out that this conversation had turned into him getting relationship advice.
"I suppose not."
Her instant retreat made Sokka feel a little guilty, realizing that she didn't have a 'Toph' to turn to. "Hey, listen. Next year, for the tenth anniversary, I was planning on going to Kyoshi Island. If you want...I could ask Zuko if you could come?"
"I… Yeah, I think I would like that."
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"Pssst. Are you asleep?"
"Hm?"
"Wake up," Toph said, leaning on Sokka's chest.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice thick and confused.
"I can't sleep."
"Whaddya want me to do about that?"
"Well..."
"Goddamn, T," he laughed. "While I love your enthusiasm, I don't have the stamina I did when I was twenty-five. I'm gonna need a break."
"Well, then I think I'm going to go for a walk."
"What? Seriously?"
"Better than just lying here, not sleeping." A moment later she was out of bed, getting dressed. "You don't have to come."
Sokka groaned and sat up. "I'm not going to let you wander around the city at night, alone."
"You think I can't take care of myself?" She planted her hands on her hips and scowled, despite knowing his eyes were almost as useless as hers at night.
"I'm one-hundred percent sure you can. That's not the point."
"Alright, well, if you're coming, hurry up."
"Yeah, yeah, give me a sec. Still half asleep. What time is it, anyway?"
Toph lifted her arms to begin putting her armor on. "One-thirty."
"Ugh. Spirits," he muttered as he dressed. "The things I do for you."
"Not getting sick of me, are you?" she teased.
"Never." He stamped his feet into his boots. "Alright. Let's go." The air outside was pleasant – warm but not stuffy. The perfect early autumn weather. "M'lady," he said with exaggerated formality, holding out a crooked arm. She laughed and hooked hers around it.
They ambled through the streets without a destination, Toph content to just listen to the sounds of deep night. There weren't a lot of people out, just the odd carriage here and there. The city hummed beneath her feet, though. Even when sleeping, the uncountable multitudes of people couldn't hide from her, not when she was paying attention.
She slid her hand into his, lacing their fingers together, and leaned her head against his shoulder. While this was certainly a happy, peaceful moment, it wasn't exactly making her tired. She craved some excitement. With that train of thought, an amusing image formed in her head and she started laughing.
"What?" Sokka asked.
"Hehe. I was just thinking about using my cables to get some energy out. Picturing you hanging onto me, screaming like a little girl."
"I would not scream like a little girl!" he protested. "And you're dreaming if you think you could carry me. I know you're strong, but you're not that strong."
Stopping dead, she crossed her arms and jutted out her jaw. "Go on then. Jump on my back. Let's find out."
"You can't be serious."
"Do I look like I'm joking?" She turned around, putting her back to him, and pointed her thumb over her shoulder. "Climb on, cowboy."
With a laugh, he sauntered over to her, his breath hot on the back of her neck. A chill went down her spine despite the warm air and he rested his arms on her shoulders, clasping his forearms under her chin. His considerable weight began pressing her down, hunching her over a little.
You can do this, Toph. She was trying not to grunt with effort, letting herself sink in a solid, rooted stance. C'mon. Don't let him be right.
"Well, fuck, I guess can do it." But the words had no sooner left his mouth when her knee trembled and buckled. He immediately lurched sideways and they tumbled to the ground gracelessly. "Are you ok?" he asked, but Toph was too busy laughing to answer, and he soon joined in. They just lay there in a heap for a minute or so, giggling uncontrollably. "You're insane," he said finally.
"That's why you love me."
"Mm. One of many reasons."
She flopped over to rest her arm on his stomach, propping her head up in her hand. "Yeah? What are the others?"
"Hm. Well...let's see. I love how strong you are, not just physically, but in other ways, too. How much you've overcome. I love how you know exactly who you are. I love your confidence and how you don't take anyone's bullshit." He sat up, pressing her back against his bent knees. "I love how you're actually very sensitive, even though you do a pretty good job of hiding it." He let out a short laugh. "I love when you look at me like that, because there's always a smile hiding behind it. I love how you are just an absolute fiend in bed, and how your face lights up in anticipation every time I get off that damn airship."
"Careful, Snoozles, or I'll rip your clothes off right here on the sidewalk."
"I love your silly nicknames, and how I still can't figure out why you call me Snoozles instead of Meathead sometimes. I know it means something. I know there's a difference."
The comment brought her up short. He was right, she was sure, but didn't understand it any better than he did. "I don't know. I've never given it any thought. Sometimes one just seems to fit better than the other."
A pedestrian approached and they both fell silent as he passed. Toph covered her mouth to suppress a laugh, feeling a little ridiculous. How strange they must look, canoodling on the sidewalk in the middle of the night. No doubt it would end up in the papers like everything else she did, which Sokka gleefully read aloud to her any chance he got. The fact that they'd shacked up together appeared every other month in one tabloid or another.
"Ok," Sokka said once the man was gone. "Your turn."
"What?"
"C'mon. Tell me what you love about me."
She pursed her lips, not liking being put on the spot. This kind of romantic crap wasn't her forte, like it was his. "You're really going to make me do that?"
"Yep."
"Hmph. Fine. Um…I love that you call me 'T'. If anyone else called me that, I'd punch them in the face." He laughed, but didn't say anything, and she knew he was waiting for more. "This is hard for me, ok? I'm not all sappy and cheesy like you are." She stopped to think for a few seconds. "I love that…you still love me, even after…everything."
It was enough, apparently, because he suddenly stood, scooping her up in one fluid motion, and kissed her. "I love the secret side of you that you don't let anyone else but me see. Even though we're out here in public, which is a little weird, but it still feels like we're the only people in the world."
"It might seem that way, but I can assure you, we're not. Now put me down."
"Yes, Chief."
He set her on her feet and began brushing dirt off her arms. With a single breath, slowly inhaled and exhaled, all of her senses focused, she reached out with that part of her – the part always connected to the earth – and willed every speck of dirt and dust fall from their bodies.
"Oh," he said. "Right. Earthbending."
"Did you forget?"
"It's the middle of the night, gimme a break. You didn't even move, though. Usually, you do something with your hands."
"I've been practicing." To prove her point, she focused again, snaking her cable from its spool to coil up his arm, but she lost control after only a few seconds. "Metal is a lot harder."
"So you still think you could swing around with me on your back?"
"No...but I could swing around with me on your back..." she said with a mischievous grin.
"How?"
Suddenly very excited by the idea, she unhooked her cable harness and fixed it around his waist.
"What– T, what are you doing?!"
She cinched it tight and abruptly flung herself onto his back. "Ready!?
"No!"
But she ignored him. With her legs hooked securely around his hips, just below the harness, and one arm clutching his shoulders, her other was free to manipulate the cables. They both shot out with a metallic brrrzzzt, attaching to the nearest building.
"This is a terrible ideaaaaaa!" Sokka yelled as she catapulted them into the air. "Aaaahhhh!"
Through the cables, Toph had a sightline to the buildings they were connected to, the vibrations of the city's hum echoing through and into the ground. Toph was never blind here, even in the air. Just as they were about to crash face-first into a wall, she shot one cable out to a building on the opposite side of the street, shifting their trajectory.
"Fuck fuck fuck!" Sokka shouted, his heart pounding against her chest harder than she'd ever felt.
"You need to trust me, Meathead. I know what I'm doing," said in his ear while they swung. But after a few blocks, she began to sense a strain on the cables and their spools from the excess weight, and brought them to the ground. "Wasn't that fun?"
"You are a fucking lunatic, Toph Beifong," he said, panting.
"We've already established that's one of the things you love about me."
He let out a hollow laugh and suddenly pulled her into a rough hug, pressing her face into his shirt. "I love everything about you. Even when you try to kill me. Not sure what that says about me."
"I think it means you're crazy, too." But her voice was entirely muffled by the fabric.
"Huh?" he said, pushing her away.
"I said it means you're just as crazy as me."
"Well, I'm not crazy enough to build a statue of myself in the middle of the night."
His words made her realize they were standing right outside Headquarters. "I would never do such a thing," Toph said loftily.
"I'm looking right at it. Surprisingly good likeness of you."
"Exactly. How could I have done that? I'm blind!"
"I've seen you do it before."
"Believe what you want. You can prove nothing."
"Let's go inside," he said suddenly, pulling her towards a side entrance.
"Why...?" But he didn't answer. "You know there are officers on duty in there, right?" she said, unlocking the door anyway.
"We'll just have to avoid them, won't we?" he whispered, pulling her inside. "The interrogation rooms have locks, don't they?"
Toph's eyebrows shot up. "I thought you 'needed a break'?"
"And I've had one. My brief stint as a metalbending police officer has given me a taste for a little more...roleplaying."
She didn't need any further convincing, taking the lead to the most remote interrogation room in the building, down in the basement. As soon as the lock clicked shut, she turned to him. "Impersonating a police officer is a very serious crime." With a swift gesture, her cables wrapped around his arms and forced them onto the table. The handcuffs clicked onto his wrists. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
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A/N: ;D