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Part 3: Dirty Thirties

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Toph checked the time again: Nearly one in the morning, and sleep was no closer than it had been two hours ago. The silence was oppressive, the beating of her heart the only sign of life in her dark, empty world.

All she could think about was Katara's telegram a few days ago. After months of what she could only assume was Sokka – once again – drinking himself in a depressed stupor, he had decided to leave the South Pole. To 'travel', apparently. Whatever that meant. He hadn't even told Katara himself; the news had come from their father.

Was he going to come home? She was still a little bit mad at him. Hurt that he seemed to have decided that their long history of friendship meant nothing. Resentful that he'd never once given her the chance to help him through this difficult time. It was like when Suki died all over again.

But…Toph remembered how that had gone. She had put him back together, yes, but had a feeling he wouldn't appreciate her doing that again. She only knew one way to go about it, and he'd clearly moved on. And even if he hadn't, they would still have the same problems as before. It was far from being an option.

With a defeated sigh, she sat up and put her feet on the floor, desperate to feel some connection to the world and get those dark thoughts out of her head. Maybe taking a walk would help her sleep. With that thought in mind, she got up and dressed.

From her small apartment, she wandered aimlessly, no destination in mind. Eventually, she ended up on the docks. The soft lapping of the water against stone and wood was oddly soothing. At least it was a tangible sign that everything was as it should be. She became aware of people nearby, in the dock house, and suddenly realized why she had come here.

"Chief Beifong!" a man exclaimed when she knocked on the door. "What brings you here at this late hour? Has something happened?"

"I need to go to the Island. Official business," she lied.

"Um...yes, right, of course! Just a moment."

As expected, Toph was ushered into a small dinghy instead of boarding the ferry. She gritted her teeth, clutching the edges tightly while the boat rocked in the swell. This was so much worse than the ferry. What had possessed her to do this?

What seemed like hours later, they reached the docks of the Island. Toph had dry retched twice along the way.

"Should I wait here to take you back?" the man asked with obvious reluctance.

"No, you can go. Thanks."

"Sure, no problem, Chief."

Toph began the long walk up the hill to the main house, passing several patrolling White Lotus guards. Each paused at her approach but no one spoke to her until she reached the gate.

"Chief Beifong?" the guard asked softly. "Is everything alright? Does the Avatar need to be woken?"

"No, that won't be necessary. They keep a room for me, so I'll just slip in quietly."

"Oh...alright." He sounded a little confused. Well, it was the middle of the night, she supposed. But what was he going to do? Tell her no?

"Can you send a telegram to Headquarters?" she asked as an afterthought. "Let them know I might not be coming in tomorrow."

"Ah…sure thing, Chief."

She knew that wasn't really in his job description but she was far too tired to care. He'd do it anyway.

A powerful drowsiness crept in the second her head hit the pillow. Yes, this is just what she needed. The Island pulsed with life – dozens of peaceful, familiar heartbeats. The steady breaths of her friends – no, her family – could just barely be heard from the surrounding rooms when she reached out with her finely tuned senses. She drifted off, a contented smile on her lips.

Idly humming as she walked down the hall with a basket of laundry on her hip, Katara stopped mid-step and glanced back with a frown. The door to Toph's room was closed. Strange. Why would it be closed? Were Bumi and Kya playing a game, hiding in there?

She slid the door open and let out a surprised noise. "Oh! Toph! Sorry! I didn't mean to wake you. I had no idea you were here."

Kya and Bumi appeared at her hip.

"Aunt Toph!" Kya squealed, running inside to climb up on the bed and hug her. Bumi was right on her heels.

"Bumi cannonball!" He threw himself onto Toph's legs and she gasped, wincing.

"Be careful!" Katara scolded. "Spirits, you two. Give her a minute to wake up."

"It's fine," Toph said. She seemed to be in a shockingly good mood, letting the kids climb all over her without even an annoyed frown.

"Are you staying all day?" Kya asked.

"I dunno," Toph replied, yawning and rubbing her eyes. "Maybe."

"Can we play Squirrel Bats in a Dark Forest again?!" Bumi begged.

"Oh, you liked that, did you?"

"I wanna play too!"

"Alright," Katara interrupted. "You'll have plenty of time for games after breakfast." She herded them out and sat on the edge of the bed. "So you're actually taking a day off, huh? I'm in shock."

"C'mon, I take days off occasionally."

"Hardly ever. Spirits, Toph, we've barely seen you the last few months. What time did you get here, anyway?"

Toph chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck. "Late. I...uh...couldn't sleep."

"Well, I'm glad your here. You ready for some breakfast?"

"Something on your mind?" Katara asked while they relaxed on the beach a little while later, Bumi and Kya playing in the sand at the water's edge.

"Hm?"

"You keep sighing."

"Do I?"

"Yeah," Katara laughed. "You do."

Toph furrowed her eyebrows, then shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not upset or anything. Actually, I'm in a pretty good mood."

"I did pick up on that. I've said it before: The Island agrees with you."

"Well, it doesn't smell like piss and rotten garbage here. I'm sure that's part of it."

"We really don't see enough of you," Katara said again, not having gotten a proper response the first time.

"What do you mean? I see you guys all the time. Well, I see Aang all the time. Frankly, more than I'd like. It's never good when he shows up at the station."

"You know what I meant. Just hanging out. The kids love it when you come. And deny it all you want, it's obvious you enjoy spending time with them."

"Bah," Toph said, waving her hand, but Katara could see the corners of her mouth twitching up. "I guess it's fun to get the chance to pull out all those silly old exercises I used to do at my academy, back when I was just training kids. Reminds me of simpler times."

"Hm. Simpler times. When were things every simple?"

"I said simpler, not simple."

"I guess I do miss when we were all together," Katara said wistfully. "Sure, we got on each others' nerves, but we were kinda like a little family, you know?"

"Aren't we still?"

"Well, yeah. Sure."

"I guess it's not the same, is it?" Toph murmured.

Katara felt a twinge of guilt. She was so used to trying to get Toph to talk about Sokka; over the years, it had become a habit, a constant undercurrent in every conversation she had with the woman. Sometimes she had to remind herself that Toph was very good at hiding her pain.

"I think I know just what you need," she said abruptly, deciding it was a good time to voice the rather controversial idea she'd been holding onto.

Toph cocked an eyebrow at her. "If you're about to tell me I need to settle down and make my own family, you can forget it. Not happening, now or ever."

"I wasn't going to suggest that. There's no need to take it that far. Not every man wants children."

Toph frowned at her and seemed on the edge of protesting.

"Just hear me out," Katara said quickly. "I'm not saying you should go out and find a husband. But I'm sure there are plenty of guys out there who would be just up your alley. You know – free-spirited, discreet, and slightly allergic to commitment."

Toph's mouth fell open. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. From you, of all people!"

"Look, I'm not saying I would choose such a...lifestyle for myself, if I were in your position. But I know you. The alternative is for me to give up on you completely."

"So...you're telling me you wouldn't be at all disapproving and judgmental if I started sleeping around with random guys?"

Wow, she was really determined to make this difficult, wasn't she? "That is not what I'm saying. I don't think meaningless one-night stands would benefit you in any way, and I think you know that, too, otherwise you'd already be doing it. But surely there must be a middle ground. I think you'd be a lot happier if you didn't go home to an empty apartment and a cold bed every single night."

Toph blinked, then shook her head slowly, disbelief written on her face. "Well, fuck me with a broomstick. I– I am honestly speechless. So congrats on that."

"I've given up on ever having the chance to help you plan a wedding–"

Toph snorted, but Katara ignored her and plowed on through.

"But I still want you to be happy. Even if that means accepting that you do things a little...differently."

"It pains me to say it, Sugar Queen, but I think motherhood has made you wise."

"Oh, yeah? Maybe you should try it, too," Katara said with a wry smile.

"Hah. Keep dreaming."

"I was kidding. You're in no position to become a parent, and you're obviously able to avoid it. In all seriousness, though, what do you think? Of my suggestion?"

A pensive frown appeared on Toph's face. "It's not so easy as you make it sound. Whatever you may think of me, I don't put out for just anyone."

"Toph..." Katara said witheringly. "You know I don't think that."

Her friend just shrugged. "What I mean is that most men don't have that 'something special' that makes me think twice about them. That thing that lights a fire in me. Without that, what's the point?"

"Companionship?"

Toph waved her hand dismissively. "That's not enough for me. I'd get bored."

"Gee, thanks."

"Oh, c'mon, you know what I meant. I'm just saying I'm not going to invest the time and energy into trying to connect with some random guy for – what? – inane conversation and disappointing sex? Where would I even find such a creature? Because it sure as fuck isn't going to be one of my officers. How do you propose I go about meeting the kind of man you described? What was it? 'Slightly allergic to commitment'?" She rolled her eyes dramatically.

"I think your sense of humor has rubbed off on me."

"Hah. Good. You needed one."

"Spirits, I walked right into that, didn't I?" Katara muttered.

"I'm still waiting for you to get angry enough that a 'fuck' pops out of your mouth in front of me."

"I've managed to avoid it in the eighteen years I've known you. I'd say I'm doing pretty well."

"It's gonna be when Bumi is a teenager," Toph said, nodding sagely. "That's my prediction."

"Ok, stop changing the subject. We were talking about your love life."

"No, we were talking about my sex life. Or lack thereof. But honestly? I just don't see how I could be involved with someone without the whole goddamn city knowing about it."

"I didn't realize you cared about that," Katara said, surprised. "I mean, I'm sure you're right, but you never cared before."

"It's not that," Toph said, shaking her head, though there was a thoughtful look on her face. "You know I don't give a flying fuck what people think about the choices I make for my life."

"Oh, I know," Katara laughed.

"But...after more than a decade of doing this job, I've learned that public opinion affects me in a real, tangible way. If I do something that people consider 'socially inappropriate', I hear about it. Not only does it end up in the papers, but Ludo also gives me a talking to, telling me that, in my position, it's 'vital that I conduct myself with dignity and decorum'. Just like my fucking father."

She shook her head derisively. "Thing is, the older I get, the more I agree with the old windbag, as much as I hate to admit it. I've learned that it's just easier and less of a hassle to keep my private life quiet so that any complaints I hear are about things that actually matter."

Katara couldn't help but roll her eyes. Most people figure that out before age thirty. But at the same time, she was proud that her often immature friend had grown up a little. In some ways, she saw herself as a parental figure, despite their closeness in age, and felt at least partially responsible for the woman Toph had become. For better or worse.

And like any parent, she just wanted her to be happy.

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Toph hurried inside, checking her watch, and winced. Two-thirty. From the hall, she could detect the shapes of Rinna and a tall, muscular man, both sitting in her office. "Sorry I'm late," she said brusquely, breezing through the door.

The man stood and gave a slight bow. "Not a problem. Your secretary has been keeping me company. Please, allow me to introduce myself." His voice was smooth and rich. Charming, even. It didn't seem to fit with his bulk. As she passed by, she couldn't help but notice that he smelled rather nice. "My name is Kanto."

"Nice to meet you. I'm sure you already know my name." She sat down behind her desk and laced her fingers together. "I understand you're here to interview me for something?"

"Yes," Kanto confirmed, returning to his chair. "I'm freelancing for an independent journal here in Republic City. They're looking to do a series of pieces on the city's inception, back when it was known as Cranefish Town. Specifically, the topic of the strife between benders and non-benders."

"I see. But why me? Wouldn't Aang be a much better resource for that topic?"

"I'm sure he could offer valuable insight, but frankly, I'm more interested in your perspective. Particularly because of your relationship with Earthen-Fire Industries, which has arguably been the epicenter of the city's growth."

"You've obviously done your research."

"I have, indeed," Kanto said with a laugh. "I would never show up unprepared to an interview with the formidable Chief of Police."

Toph sat back with a small smile. "Did you suggest flattery, Rinna?"

Her secretary chuckled. "I didn't need to."

"Alright, Mr. Smooth Talker. I'm a busy woman. Let's get this show on the road."

For the next half hour, he plied her with questions about the Bender Supremacist Movement and its fallout, until they were interrupted.

"Sorry, Chief," the officer said. "Captain Luon sent me to get you."

Toph checked her watch. "Ah, fuck. Ok, tell him I'll be there in a minute." The officer left and she tapped her fingers on the desk for a second, thinking. "I know I promised you an hour of my time. Why don't you come back at the end of the day – say five-thirty? – and you can ask the rest of your questions."

"Alright," Kanto said, standing to go.

"I'll give you a bonus half-hour if you bring food."

"I'll take that deal. Any requests?"

"I'm not picky. Surprise me."

The rest of the day seemed to drag on, Toph constantly losing focus to ponder her interview with Kanto. He was intelligent, quick-witted, and had asked her some very thought-provoking questions. It was the most stimulating conversation she'd had in a good, long time. She was looking forward to continuing it, but at the same time wanted to be mentally prepared for what else he might ask. It had all happened so long ago that dredging those memories up was a challenge.

"Well, I'm headed out," Rinna announced while Toph was deep in thought. "See you tomorrow."

"Sure," she replied absently.

"Enjoy your date."

"Mhmm." One long second later she processed Rinna's words. "Wait– Wh– It's not–"

Rinna just laughed and left without saying anything else. Toph pursed her lips in annoyance; that woman had some nerve. It was going to be a purely professional meeting. Hmph.

A few minutes later, she detected Kanto approaching her office and was shocked at the sudden flutter in her gut. This is all Rinna's fault, she grumped to herself. Why couldn't she just keep her goddamn mouth shut and not get me thinking ridiculous things? "It's open," she said when he knocked. The familiar smell of food from one of her favorite restaurants wafted through the door as it opened. "Nice. You actually brought food."

"Wasn't I supposed to?"

"Sometimes people who don't know me think I'm joking when I suggest things like that. But I never joke about food."

He put it on her desk and sat down. "Well, I was hungry, so it was a risk I was willing to take."

Toph perused the generous selection of take-out boxes, giving each one a sniff, until she found the spicy teriyaki yakitori. "Have you been spying on me?" she asked, leaning back in her chair to prop her feet up on the desk.

Kanto laughed, a soft but deep rumble. "Actually, I've only been in the city for a couple weeks. But I did see you walk into this restaurant a few days ago. It was hard not to. You stand out. People stop and stare."

"I wouldn't know."

"Surely you can hear them whispering, though, right?"

"Of course. I'm used to the attention. Been almost twenty years of infamy now."

"I get the impression you enjoy it."

"Hah. What can I say? I have a huge ego."

"But where do you fit it all?"

Toph became aware that their conversation had taken a decidedly flirtatious turn. He was surprisingly easy to talk to. Her chat with Katara, months ago, swam to the front of her mind; she promptly shoved it away.

"Alright, you cheeky bastard," she said good-naturedly. "Let's get to the interview. I don't want to be here all night."

"Of course. Let's see..." There was a sound of paper rustling. "We were talking about the temporary government of Cranefish Town. The Business Council."

"Mm. Right. So, at the time, it was mainly the owners of the various factories. Half benders, half non-benders. They seemed to be at odds with each other, which didn't help matters. Of course, you need to understand that what I know of the Business Council is mostly secondhand knowledge from Aang. I was doing my own thing at the refinery, not screwing around with politics."

"You didn't discuss it all with your father?"

"Um. No..."

"Ok, sensitive topic. Duly noted. Moving on. Can you tell me some more about Liling's role on the Council?"

Toph lost track of time answering his questions, eventually ending up cross-legged on the edge of her desk. She'd shed her armor in favor of comfort, having continued to dig into the free dinner and becoming quite full. The building was quiet now, all but the night shift having gone home.

"This question may seem a little...personal, so feel free to deflect, but I'm interested to know your take on the strife between benders and non-benders."

"Technically, that wasn't a question."

"Fair enough. I'll be more direct. Do you, as a bender, feel that benders are stronger and should be the ones occupying world leadership positions?"

Toph was a little surprised by his frankness. It was a loaded question, considering that he had revealed himself to be a non-bender. "The short answer? No. I don't believe that."

"And the long answer?"

She took a few moments to formulate a response. "Since I left home to fight in the war, the most harrowing fights I've been in have involved highly skilled non-benders. I'm constantly amazed by the resourcefulness of people who don't have bending to fall back on."

She found herself thinking about Sokka and became instantly annoyed. There was a part of her that wanted to prove to herself that she was well and truly over him. He had been a non-entity in her life for a year and a half now, and though she missed him, that aching need for him that had plagued her for so long had been tempered by his long absence and complete silence.

But something else burned in its place, and Katara's suggestion had not helped with that one bit. While Toph hadn't had any intention of actively taking her friend's advice, the fact was that she had not felt the touch of a man in a very long time. She idly let herself imagine Kanto's muscular arms around her and was shocked at the ripple of heat it sent through her body. With the revelation that this man might actually be capable of lighting that fire, a primal alter-ego took over, all sense of caution and rationality flying out the window.

"I'm not just talking about fighting, either," she said with a coy smile. "Anyone – bender or not – who can stand tall in this world on pure intelligence and ingenuity is...well-deserving of respect."

"Hm."

"What?"

"Not the answer I was expecting," he mused.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Good thing. Definitely."

She couldn't stand being 'blind' anymore and slid off the desk to ground herself. He was now sitting on the arm of his chair with his arms crossed over his chest, heart rate slightly elevated.

"That's not to say that I don't believe in equality for ordinary people, too," Toph said. "I guess I was just speaking of my own personal preferences."

Kanto's heart stuttered and his arms dropped to his sides. For a moment, she wondered if she'd taken it too far.

"I was warned that you are very direct," he said with a light laugh. "I may have misunderstood."

"Have I made you uncomfortable?" But of course, her feet knew the answer to that.

"Well." He cleared his throat and chuckled. "I'll be ok."

The tension hung in the air like a curtain between them. She wanted to reach out and part it, just as inflamed as she knew he was. "I'm not so sure I will."

"I'm starting to think I didn't do quite enough research before coming here."

"Are you feeling unprepared for this interview?"

"Well, you are a little intimidating."

"Intimidating? You are head and shoulders taller than me, and twice as wide."

"Size has nothing to do with it."

"Bold words."

Kanto laughed. "And what would you know of it?"

"I see with my feet. Clothes are irrelevant."

"Now that's a sentiment I can agree with, at least in this case."

Toph reached her hand towards the door; the lock clicked shut.

"I have to admit," Kanto said. "I didn't expect to be seduced when I walked in here this evening."

"Trust me, if I'd been planning that, I wouldn't have eaten so damn much," Toph muttered, feeling a little sick underneath the satisfaction.

"It didn't seem to slow you down."

"Mm. I was caught up in the moment. There is some – burp – modest regret now, though."

Kanto chuckled. "Regret for eating too much? Or for defiling your desk?"

"Please. That ship sailed years ago." Stop it, Toph. Sokka is not part of your life anymore.

"Ah. I see. You're a woman who knows what she wants and goes after it."

His comment forced her to ask herself: What did she want? Clearly, she was so starved for physical affection that she'd have sex with a man she just met. And in her office, no less. But he was just so...intoxicating. "Hm," she mused, chewing on her lip. It was beginning to occur to her, slightly too late, that this man was a journalist and that what she had done was incredibly reckless. "I hope I haven't just destroyed my career."

"I was thinking the same about my own, actually. But...I'll admit it's not the first time I've let myself get caught up in the moment and risked getting into trouble."

"So I don't have to worry about my scandalous misdeeds winding up in the tabloids?"

"No. While I'm fully aware of the irony of this statement, I pride myself on my professionalism. I don't write for tabloids, and I don't publish anything not relevant to my interviews."

"Good to know," Toph said, relieved at his sincerity. "And I promise I won't rat you out to your boss," she added with a smirk.

The memory of that clandestine experience stayed with her for weeks. Katara had been right: that was what was missing from her life. Besides their obvious sexual compatibility, conversation with Kanto had been effortless, fluid, and stimulating. She could easily see herself being in a casual, open-ended relationship with him. Still, the thought of randomly showing up at his place of work – the location of which she wasn't even sure – was unappealing. It felt far too...desperate. And obvious.

She had nearly convinced herself to forget about him when a vaguely familiar large form knocked on her door one night as she was getting ready for bed. "Who is it?" she asked, though she had a pretty good idea.

"Kanto."

An excited thrill shot through her body and she took a deep breath before opening the door. "Don't you know what time it is?" she joked, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed.

"I would've come earlier but I spent too much time debating on whether or not I should. Was it a mistake?"

"Hm. That depends. What is it that you came here looking for?"

"That depends," he countered. "What is it that you're expecting?"

Toph clucked her tongue, a little annoyed. "That's not at all fair. You're the one who just showed up announced, after what I can only assume was days of detective work to find out where I live. Besides, I asked you first."

"I'll make you a deal: You invite me inside, and I'll explain myself without having to worry about your neighbors being nosy."

"Alright." She stepped back to let him in, locking the door behind him and leaning against it. "Go ahead, then."

"The thing is, I'm having a hard time getting a read on you. My initial impression was that you're not the sort to be tied down, but – as any journalist worth their salt would do – I did my research. I happen to know that you spent years in a committed relationship, which honestly surprised me." He paused briefly. "And now I've clearly upset you. This really isn't going the way I planned."

"What? Did you think I'd be overcome with lust the moment you appeared on my doorstep and we'd have a repeat of our little 'interview'?" And yet, despite her harsh words and the haze of irritation, she was burning with desire, his scent all around her.

"Something like that," he admitted with a sheepish laugh.

"Hm. I find your honesty oddly refreshing."

"Really?" There was a hopeful catch in his voice that was dangerously close to being endearing.

"Alright, I'll satisfy your curiosity. I ended that relationship because it was headed somewhere I didn't want to go. If you're looking to settle down, I'm not interested."

"Well– Let me offer the same bluntness. I travel for work a lot, and I enjoy spending time with women wherever I go. My attention wanders, so if that bothers you, I'd rather know now."

"It doesn't bother me." She actually found herself rather thrilled with the idea, her ego stroked by the thought that she'd made enough of an impression on him that he'd come back for more, despite having others to satisfy him. What a nice challenge it would be to see if she could keep it up. It wasn't like she had any emotional attachment to him. "I like to keep my options open, as well."

He took a step closer to her. "It would appear we're on the same page."

"Imagine that."

"One more thing: With you being a public figure, I need an assurance that you'll continue to be discreet. And I'll promise the same, of course."

"Well I don't intend to entertain you in my office anymore, that's for damn sure," Toph said with a wan smile. "You don't need to worry. I'll keep my mouth shut. Last thing I need is for fucking Ludo to find out I'm involved with a journalist."

"Ludo?"

"Councilman Ludo. AKA, my boss and the bane of my existence."

"Ah, right, of course." He took another step closer. "What about you? Any demands?"

"Yeah. Don't fucking knock me up."

"I wouldn't dream of it," he laughed.

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A Couple Months Later

"What was that?" Kanto asked, pausing. "Is there someone at the door?"

"Ugh. Yes," Toph grumbled. "Probably work-related. They just loooove disturbing me on my–" She cut off when her feet hit the floor. "Katara? What in the world is she doing here?" She quickly threw on some clothes and went to the door. "It's my day off, Sugar Queen. You better not have bad news for me."

"No..." She was quiet for a second. "Did I...wake you up?"

"No, but you interrupted something and I'm not happy about it. Why–"

Katara gasped. "Wait, you actually took my advice?"

Toph pushed past her into the hallway and shut the door. "Simmer down, there. What are you–" A familiar vibration made itself known and she had to suppress the urge to panic. Quickly, she searched for the source. "Sweet Mother of Faces, you're pregnant again?"

"If you'd bothered to visit lately, you'd already know that," Katara said, sounding both amused and exasperated. "I haven't seen you in weeks. I came to make sure you were ok, but clearly, you are. How long has this been going on?"

"Not the time, Sweetness."

"Er, right. Sorry. I'll, um, let you get back to it. But you need to come visit soon. Bumi and Kya miss you."

"I guess can come for dinner tonight."

"Great! I'll let the kids know. I'm sure they'll be thrilled."

When Toph finally managed to get rid of her, she trudged back to her room and threw herself on the bed, a little grumpy.

"What was that all about?" Kanto asked.

"Mom wants me to come to the Island for dinner tonight."

"I thought you said it was Katara?"

"It was. She's been my surrogate mother since I was twelve."

"Aren't you about the same age?" he laughed.

"She's two years older."

"So basically the same age."

"It's irrelevant. She always acted like a mom. And I only call her that to annoy her."

"So are you going to go? Or would you rather us get takeout from across the street let me eat noodles off your stomach?"

"Hm. You make a convincing argument. Ya weirdo."

"I mean, there aren't any children here."

"Eh. I haven't seen them in a while. Kinda miss the little monsters, to be honest."

"Really? I gotta say, I did not peg you as the kid-friendly type."

"'Kid-friendly' might be a bit of an overstatement. I mean, I used to teach kids, and that was usually fine, but they were old enough to take a little bit of a beating and didn't need anyone to wipe their ass for them. Bumi and Kya, though, I've known them since they were born. It's a little different. They're alright, in small doses."

"If you say so. But enough about them. How long until you need to go?"

"Mm... We've got plenty of time."

Katara accosted her the second she stepped inside the house that afternoon, grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward the bedroom. "Tell me everything!"

"Everything?" Toph asked with a lewd grin.

"Well, no. Not everything. But c'mon. I need details about this guy."

"You're more than welcome to ask all the questions you want, but I give no guarantee that you will receive answers."

"What's his name?"

"Pass."

"His name is Pass?"

"No." Toph rolled her eyes. "I was passing on answering."

"Is he someone you work with?"

"Definitely not."

"How did you meet?"

"Pass."

Katara gave an annoyed huff. "You're being ridiculous. This was my idea, wasn't it?"

"That doesn't make you entitled to know everything. I have my reasons for being discreet."

"How long have you been seeing him?"

"I've never seen him."

"Ugh! You know what I meant!"

Toph couldn't help but laugh at her friend's irritation. "A few months. It's very casual. He's away a lot."

"So he travels?"

"Yeah."

"And things are going well?"

"Sure. We have an understanding. No uncomfortable unspoken issues. Now is that it? Because I'd really like to eat."

‹¤›‹¤›‹¤›‹¤›‹¤›‹¤›

Heading back to her office, Toph froze when the vibrations of her steps picked up a familiar shape. She whipped around in confusion. "Bumi?"

"...Hi, Aunt Toph…" he muttered.

"What are you doing here?"

"Luon picked him up," a nearby officer said. "He was wandering around the city alone."

"What?! Bumi, what's going on? Do your mom and dad know you're here?" When he didn't answer, she turned to the officer. "Send a message to Air Temple Island to let them know he's here."

"Already done."

"Good." She grabbed Bumi's shoulder firmly. "You. Come."

Though initially planning on going to her office, she changed her mind and diverted to the stairs. They went up several flights, up and up until they reached the roof access.

"What are we doing up here?" he asked.

She walked to the railing and leaned against it. "I come up here sometimes, when I need to think."

"Why? You can't see anything."

"This building is made of stone and metal, Gremlin. From up here, I can see everything. Much more than you can see with your eyes. I know where all seedy areas are, where the gangs like to cause trouble. Where poverty leads people to do unsavory things." She let her words sink in for a moment. "This city's not safe for you to wander around alone, even in the day. You know your parents would fall apart if anything happened to you, right? I'd be pretty damn bummed, myself."

"They were too excited about Kya waterbending to even notice that I left," Bumi said bitterly.

"Ah," Toph said, understanding. Kya was barely four. What a slap in the face that must be for him.

"I'll never be able to be safe in the city," he mumbled. "Not even when I'm grown up. I'll always need someone to protect me."

"You know, my parents used to feel that way about me. They kept me locked up in our home, all for the sake of protecting me. Because I was blind. But you know what? Now I protect people. I've never let my blindness hold me back. You? You're healthy and strong. You can do anything you want when you grow up."

"Except bend."

"So what? Your Uncle Sokka's not a bender, and I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for him. None of us would be. The Fire Nation would have conquered the whole world by now."

"Uncle Sokka didn't defeat the Fire Lord. My dad did."

"He had a lot of help. We ALL played a part. I know you've heard the stories. Like the time Sokka defeated the combustion bender with his boomerang?"

"Huh? I never heard that story. What's a combustion bender?"

"Hm." It occurred to her that maybe Bumi had never heard this story before because it was pretty graphic. "It's a fire bender that can create explosions with their mind."

"How did Uncle Sokka beat someone like that with a boomerang?"

"He hit him right in the middle of the forehead and stunned him. Then, when the guy tried to bend, well..."

"What?!"

"Use your imagination."

"Did he blow up?"

"Well, we never saw him again, so..."

"Cool…"

"I got another story for ya that I bet you haven't heard." She sat down and leaned against the wall. "This happened a little later, right here in Republic City, before it was even called Republic City." Bumi sat down next to her, not interrupting for once. "There was this woman, Liling, who thought she and every other bender were better than non-benders. One of her daughters – Yaling – believed that, too.

"I ended up fighting Yaling, who was a really good earthbender. Not as good as me, of course, but she was tricky. At one point, she knocked me down pretty hard. While she took the time to yell at me for siding with non-benders, I noticed that Sokka was there. So I let her gloat. Then his boomerang knocked her out cold. She fell flat on her face in the dirt."

Bumi chuckled and she took heart in that. Talking about Sokka wasn't easy for her, but it seemed to be helping her nephew deal with his lot in life.

"And that's only one of the many times that he made the difference between victory and defeat, or life and death. Bending's not everything, Gremlin. There are plenty of skills out there that you can learn and master. Plenty of things I could never dream of doing. Like sailing, for example. I'd be too busy puking and worrying about falling overboard to even think about–"

The door to the stairs suddenly burst open.

"Bumi!" Aang exclaimed. "What did you think you were doing, running off like that? Your mother and I have been worried sick!"

Toph got up and intercepted him. "A word, Aang?"

"I've been all over the building looking for you," he snapped at her. That was highly unusual for him; he must've been really upset. "You could have told someone you were coming up here."

She took his arm and led him away. "You're welcome for looking after your kid and taking the time to make sure he was ok."

Aang sighed. "I'm sorry. Thank you. I've just been really worried."

"I heard Kya started waterbending."

"Yeah." He let out a heavy breath. "I assume that's why he took off?"

"Look, I think he really needs the calm, fun air nomad version of you right now, not the worried Avatar parent."

Aang didn't respond right away. "Well," he said stiffly. "I never thought I'd see the day when Toph Beifong would give me parenting advice."

"That's kinda my point. It's not parenting advice. It's friend advice."

He put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze, then went to Bumi. "Come on, let's go home," he said gently. "I bet Mom will make lychee pies for dinner if you ask nicely."