Chapter 7: No One Like You

Sokka tosses and turns, kicking off the sheets as sweat clings to his skin. Summer has indeed settled in, and the humid heat makes the air in the room uncomfortably thick, the back of his neck sticky against his pillowcase.

But, that's not why he can't sleep. He's been lying awake in bed for over an hour at this point, unable to doze off for even a few minutes. Restlessness keeps him awake…His mind is unable to turn off, yet it's not thinking about anything specific either. Just a bunch of noise tangling around in his head with no real purpose, the jumbled, aimless thoughts twisting their way into his gut and tightening his nerves.

Sounding a noise of frustration, Sokka swings his legs over the edge of the bed, planting his feet on the ground. He rests his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, rubbing at his temples in an effort to calm his growing anxiety.

The past few weeks since his breakup with Suki have been harder than he would have thought. Sure, they left on good terms, and it's not like he saw much of her before the breakup anyway. Still, there's something so isolating about this newfound singleness – the realization that no one is out there waiting for him, longing for him as he longs for them.

Well…maybe not no one. Just no one he can have. His mind shifts to thoughts of Toph, and he gets the vivid image of her lips stuck between her teeth - a gesture that's become his go-to whenever he thinks of his favorite earthbender. Except, in his mind, Sokka gives into the temptation and finally sees what all the fuss is about her lips, biting them between his own once and for all.

But… those are just fantasies. Toph has been nothing but a supportive friend these past few weeks. Letting him cry on her shoulder, dropping off fresh dumplings by his office for an afternoon pick me up, listening patiently as Sokka rambles on about nonsense things as he tries to get his mind off Suki…But, his mind really isn't on Suki. Not really.

It's on Toph. It's on the rosiness of her skin. The plumpness of her lips. The gentle curve of her waist and the surprising fullness of her chest. Even when she's not there, Sokka can imagine the fresh, earthy scent of her skin. He sees the stunning crystal glaze of her eyes. He hears her song-like laughter, and the deep rumble of her earthbending, powerful and strong.

It's these thoughts that prompt Sokka out of bed. Not giving it much consideration, he quickly gets dressed in street clothes, grabbing his keys and wallet before leaving his flat to wander the streets of the city. Both he and Toph live fairly close to the center of town. Close enough to be near the action, but far enough away to have a sense of peace and quiet. Toph's apartment is only ten or so blocks away from his, a ten-minute walk, and Sokka finds his feet subconsciously carrying him in that direction.

He uses the walk to try and clear his head, but thoughts of Toph remain until he eventually finds himself outside her apartment building. It's a short, three story building. Quite humble for someone who grew up in luxury, but Toph doesn't spend much time here anyway - too busy at work most of the time. Plus, she's not really one for appearances, obviously. Sokka looks up to where he knows her window is. Of course, there's no light shining through. Why would there be? Either way, she's probably asleep. It's not exactly appropriate visiting hours.

Still, he walks forward, quietly opening the door to her building. He's greeted by the familiar, musty scent that often accompanies old apartments. There are a few dim, flickering jennamite lights in the hallway of the complex, and Sokka briefly considers that Toph might be due for an upgrade.

He takes tentative steps up the stairs, his heart racing with nerves as he reaches her floor. He takes a few more steps until he's outside her door, the warm, amber stain of the wood tempting him with invitation. He swallows a lump in his throat, lifting his hand to knock.

But the hand stops suddenly, hanging dumbly in the air. He lowers it back down to his side.

What am I doing? It's the middle of the night. Toph is probably asleep. And more importantly, it's Toph. He can't just come crawling to her door looking to appease his loneliness. What kind of person would that make him? And what would that make Toph? A rebound? No, he can't do that to her. And he shouldn't. They're just friends. He's got to stop having these inappropriate, dangerous thoughts about her.

His mind recalls their argument in his office, that drowning feeling he had when they first inched into unchartered territory. No. He can't go there again.

Instead, Sokka turns around and quickly makes his way down the stairs of her dingy, somewhat creepy apartment complex (though if he's being honest, he feels like the creeper in this situation). He rushes out the door, taking long strides away from her building and not looking back.

He walks for a while, still feeling restless. The moon is full in the sky, and he looks up at its brightness, briefly thinking of Yue. Unwillingly, his mind once again flashes back to Toph, and even though he won't do that to her - he won't kiss her and hold her in all the ways he so wishes he could - he still has the urge.

That urge takes him to a seedy tavern, just a few blocks away from Toph's apartment. It smells of stale beer and sweat, and it's surprisingly quiet for this time of night. Though, Sokka figures, they're not exactly in the nightlife district of the city. Still, a few older patrons – gruff men with grizzly beards and threatening tattoos – laugh loudly as they chug on their ales and crack knuckles. Toph would probably like this place.

He shakes the thought away, taking a seat at the bar and ordering an ale for himself, letting the alcohol and the sounds of arm wrestling in the background drown out his thoughts.

It isn't until three more beers in that Sokka senses someone approaching him.

"Hey, strong guy. What's a handsome man like you doing drinking all by themselves?"

Sokka turns his head towards the voice, surprised by the woman suddenly standing next to him. She's a little too close for comfort, but - with the drink in his system - he can't bring himself to mind. The woman reeks of floral perfume, and the sharp scent is strong enough to cut through the smell of ale and sweat. He can't tell if he likes it or not, but he's suddenly too distracted by her cleavage, as she pushes her chest into his side. He catches himself staring and forces his eyes to look up at her face instead. She's pretty, in a traditional sort of way. Her lips are full and rosy against her pale skin, and her cheekbones are high. Her eyes are a cool-grey color that gives no indication of her nationality, and her hair is dark and shiny, framing her heart-shaped face in perfectly combed waves. She seems entirely too feminine for a place like this.

Feeling emboldened by his drink, "What's a beautiful woman like you doing in a place like this?"

The woman laughs, the sound floaty and shallow. It leaves a hollow feeling in his chest, and somewhere in the back of his mind, it's Toph's laugh that he pretends to hear.

The woman fixes him with a sensual gaze, and Sokka can't deny the excitement that pools in his belly. It's been a while since he's flirted with someone. The woman leans closer, her warm breath tickling his ear, "Just admiring the view."

"Well, I'm getting a pretty good view myself." Sokka's eyes ogle freely over the woman, and he takes pleasure in not having to deny himself these glances. He can't look at Toph this way without feeling guilty, without it feeling forbidden. Instead, he has to steal fleeting glances and quick touches.

But not with this woman. With this woman, he can be unbashful. Shameless. Hungry. Vulgar. Unfeeling. No threat of drowning. Not best friends. Not life partners. Just a man and a woman, nothing more.

The woman once again leans her chest against him, whispering in his ear, with the lace of seduction, "You want to get out of here?"

Admittedly, Sokka is a little taken aback by her forwardness. He expected that this was maybe where the conversation was heading, but she's wasting no time. The reality of the situation sends a mixture of arousal and anxiety to his gut. He's never been with any woman other than Suki.

Still, the proposition is tempting. All he's wanted these past few weeks was to touch someone. To touch Toph, which he can't do. Maybe this is a good alternative. Maybe it will help him get over these pesky feelings he has for his friend. Distract him.

He looks the woman up and down once more. His voice thick, "I don't even know your name. You don't know mine."

The woman sends him an incredulous look, like she's surprised by the statement, but the enticement of her voice remains, "Does it matter?"

He takes a moment to consider. She's not a girlfriend. She's not a best friend. She's not Suki. She's not Toph. She's no one to him, and he's no one to her. No one is waiting for him.

Decidedly, "No, it doesn't."

And so, the woman takes his hand, leading him into temptation, and he follows.

I need to get over Toph.

Sokka leans against the wall, arms crossed as he takes in the scene before him. Katara sits in bed, her hair unkept and sticking to her forehead, even hours after giving birth. Toph stands at the side of the bed, for once looking more refined than his sister, even in her casual clothes. She cradles Kya gently in her arms, and it strikes Sokka just how natural she looks, swaying back in forth as the baby sleeps. Even though she can't see, her adoring, blind gaze is directed towards the baby.

Her voice comes out quieter than he's used to, "She's beautiful."

Sokka chuckles at Toph's obvious joke, but he notes the secret sincerity in her tone. The baby coos in her arms, and a rush of warmth floods Sokka's chest as Toph dips her head to kiss the baby's forehead, an uncharacteristically sweet gesture from her. She looks so different holding a newborn.

Toph hands the baby back to its mother, who completely misses the joke. With great affection, Katara looks down at her child, "I know."

Sokka turns his attention from his sister back to Toph, checking to see if Katara's obliviousness provokes her in any way. But, where he expected to find irritation, he finds only a serene smile.

A calmness washes over them. Aang and Zuko are in the other room, finding ways to distract Bumi from realizing he's no longer an only child, and it's only the three of them in the small space (well, four, counting the baby). The room is quiet, nothing but the sounds of the baby's little gurgles. It's undoubtedly an adorable, heart-warming sight, but Sokka can't keep his eyes off Toph. She looks so…peaceful, and she hasn't looked that way in a long time.

Last time he can recall seeing her look so happy, they had been walking through the park, arm and arm. And then he broke up with Suki. Shouldn't he be the miserable one? He finds her behavior strange, to say the least. One minute, she's comforting him over his breakup. The next, she's giving him cold shoulders and bitter words. Well, Toph's always has a sharp way with words, but lately her words have stung more than usual. Especially when he brings up Lina. Or Jisu. Or Amika. Or Miki. Or Nami. Or…well, any of the girls he's dated in the past year.

He catches himself staring at his friend and quickly turns his face away, only to be met with a pointed look from Katara. He opts for looking down at his feet instead.

"Thanks for coming, Toph." Katara breaks the silence, turning in the direction of their friend.

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss the birthday of my first little niece now, would I? Besides, even Firelord Gloom-and-Doom is here," She points her thumb back in the direction of the other room, her voice teasing, "You think I'm going to let him get all the brownie points?"

The new mother laughs, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder as the other cradles her newborn, "I know. But still, I know you've been stressed with work lately, I appreciate you making time to be here."

Toph smirks, but the grin doesn't quite reach her eyes, "Thanks Katara. Councilman Boomerang over here has helped a lot with the recruitment campaign," Sokka looks up at the nickname as Toph continues, "But not even a fully trained metalbending force can get rid of crime completely. These trouble-making triad folks are keeping me busy, that's for sure." She crosses her arms, puffing a stray hair away – a subtle tell of her stress.

Another, breathy laugh escapes Katara, "Ironic, isn't it? All those years of breaking rules and causing trouble, and now you're in charge of enforcing rules and breaking up trouble."

Sokka is surprised when Toph lets out a genuine, hearty laugh, and he finds himself beaming at the sound. He hasn't heard it from her in a while. Thankfully the baby, sleeping in its mother's arms, doesn't seem to mind.

Toph clutches her sides, laugh slowly receding into a snicker, "You make a good point, Sugar Queen. But, let's not worry about it right now. Tonight's a special night, no need to ruin it by giving those scumbags any of our attention."

Her voice is light, but Sokka can pinpoint the moment her face no longer shows any peace. It's a subtle change, but the tightness of her smile and the stiff breath she draws in gives away her anxiety. Sokka's own expression falls, his brows furrowing at the sudden grief in her eyes. He distantly recalls years ago, at Katara and Aang's wedding, when he first saw that sadness in her eyes. Back then, it was only a weathered, residual type of grief left over from war. But now, the sorrow he finds seems more tangible, more current. He has the urge to reach out and touch her, try to offer some reassurance or comfort, but he suppresses it.

"Hey, I think I'm gonna go outside for some air," she announces, another tight smile finding her lips.

"Okay, Toph. We'll be in here." Katara's voice remains pleasant, too wrapped up on the joys of motherhood to pick up on Toph's sudden mood swing.

Sokka watches as his friend turns to leave the room, her posture more rigid that normal, like she's holding in a breath. The sight sends a pang of regret to his chest, wishing he could make her feel better. His eyes stay fixated on the now empty doorway, already missing her presence.

A voice, one filled with resignation, brings him back down to Earth, "What are you doing, Sokka?"

His attention turns swiftly back to his sister, and he's met with yet another keen, knowing stare. He swallows a lump in his throat, heart accelerating as he suddenly feels caught.

He tries to remain inconspicuous, but the sudden, nervous pitch of his voice betrays him, "What do you mean 'what am I doing?' I'm just leaning against a wall. What are you talking about?"

Katara rolls her eyes, and Sokka is suddenly brought back to a similar moment had in her kitchen, years ago.

Her voice is laced with sarcasm, but Sokka notes the genuine concern layered beneath it, "I mean…What. Are. You. Doing? You clearly have feelings for Toph, yet you're running around with all these random women. I thought after you broke up with Suki that you'd eventually figure out that you and Toph are meant to be together, but apparently, I give you too much credit. What's going on!?"

He takes a second to consider her words, and his head hangs low, "It's complicated."

He can feel the frustration radiating from his sister, and Kya must sense it too. The baby stirs in its mother's arms, and Katara does her best to rock the it back to sleep, "Complicated? Hmmm…You like her, and she likes you. What's so complicated about that?"

His eyebrows briefly perk up at that. He's not a complete idiot - he's suspected Toph's feelings for him for a while now, but it's weird to hear someone confirm his suspicions aloud. Still…

"It doesn't matter."

"What? Why not?"

"Because, Katara…Toph and I are just friends. She's my best friend. I'm not about to risk ruining what we have."

"But…isn't love worth the risk?"

Sokka looks up again, his forehead creasing in confusion. Love? Pfft…Of course he loves Toph - as a friend. And, admittedly, he's definitely attracted to her…which is what he's trying so hard to get over. But love? He swallows another lump in his throat, his heart hammering in his chest.

With a sigh of frustration, "Listen. All I know is that I can't live my life without Toph. I'd rather have her as a friend for life than a love interest for a day. If Lina breaks up with me tomorrow, then fine. No harm, no foul. I can move on like nothing happened.

"But, if I went there with Toph… If she and I were to get together and we didn't work out…Well, I can't risk that. I can't risk losing her."

Katara consider his words, her brows furrowing, "Okay, I guess I can understand that. But what makes you so sure that it won't work out? What if it did?"

Sokka bites his lips, staying silent for a moment. He tries to think of an answer for her, but he can't come up with one. So instead, "Can we just drop it, Katara? Please?"

He's stunned when his sister releases a growl of irritation, her voice angrier than he expects, "So that's it then!? You idiots are just going to spend your lives pining after one another and making the rest of us deal with you miserable old sad saps?"

Despite his sister's outburst, Sokka remains eerily calm, "No, Katara. I'm going to get over this stupid attraction and move on. Eventually, those feelings will go away, and we can just pretend they were never there to begin with, okay?

His voice now escalating, "But the more I think about it, the harder it is to move on! Which is why this conversation is not helpful. So, can we please just drop it now, okay?"

Kya is once again disturbed, and Katara moves her attention back towards the baby. Her anger is still very much alive in her expression, but she agrees to drop the subject, her tone keeping its sarcastic bite, "Fine. Whatever makes you happy, brother. Now get out, I need to feed Kya."

"Fine." Sokka leaves Katara with the baby, happy to get away from his sister's prying, but he bumps into Aang and Bumi on his way out of the bedroom.

"Hey, Sokka." Aang walks past him, his charismatic smile a sharp contrast to the irritation churning in Sokka's gut.

He tries to muster a smile for his nephew and for the new father, but he's sure that it doesn't meet his eyes. He's about to make his way towards the kitchen, but something stops him. He pauses in the doorway, turning back towards his sister as Aang tucks Bumi into his mother's side. He watches - feeling somewhat voyeuristic - as Aang kisses his wife's head, the abiding love and affection clear on both their faces. A family.

Sokka gives the family their privacy and makes his way towards the kitchen, fixing himself a cup of tea to calm his nerves. He takes his tea over to the window, and the sight of Toph and Zuko sitting by the gazebo in the distance catches his eye. He feels a pang of something hit his chest as he watches the pair, and his mind flashes back to the image of Katara and Aang. Their family unit. Katara's words echo in his head.

What makes you so sure that it won't work out? What if it did?

He stands at the window for a while, watching from a distance as his friends - his family - converse. He can see Zuko poor something into Toph's drink, and a flood of affection washes over him. Drinking. So typical for her. So predictable…so reliable, so constant, so promising…The lifeboat that keeps him from drowning.

Eventually, he sees Aang join the pair, and Sokka soon decides that he's done wallowing. He finishes his tea, placing the empty cup on the kitchen counter before walking outside to join the trio.

He can't lose this. This family. So, he forces his mind to shift to Lina.

I need to get over Toph.

Sokka looks up from his paperwork at the interruption as Toph, whistling a cheerful tune, enters his office. She hands him a stack of reports by ways of greeting, then takes a seat across from him, leaning back in the chair with her feet propped on his desk. Sokka's forehead wrinkles at her dirty feet, but a rush of affection floods through his chest anyway. She looks good - her skin healthy and glowing as the metal of her uniform reflects light onto her face.

"Wow, you're in a good mood."

Shrugging, her voice airy, "I'm not allowed to be in a good mood?"

Sokka chuckles in response, but his words are sincere, "Of course you are. Just haven't seen you in one in a while."

Toph nods, pursing her lips, but doesn't remark that he's partly to blame for why she hasn't been in a good mood lately. It's not really his fault that she doesn't like all the women he's been seeing. He doesn't need to know that. Besides, she's feeling much better today.

Gnawing at her thumb, "Yeah well, let's just say I went out last night and had a much-needed good time. I feel much more like my old self."

"Well, that's good, I guess. But where was my invite?" His voice is teasing, but it doesn't quell the slight sting in his chest.

He's confused by the blush that appears on her face as Toph puts her feet down, fidgeting in her seat as she sits upright.

She scratches the back of her neck, her voice strained, "Uh, it was actually a date. Well, kind of."

The words immediately spike his heart rate with a surge of jealousy, but he mentally smacks away the feeling. It's not his place to be jealous. Still, this revelation admittedly comes as a surprise, "Oh, I see. What do you mean 'kind of'?"

The flush on her face deepens, but she distracts herself with a long stretch in her seat, her joints cracking, "Oh you know. I'm not going to marry the guy or anything, but we had fun. Anyway, do you want to get today's agenda over with? I've got things to do - let's go over those reports."

His brows raise at her nonchalance. He doesn't like the detached tone of her voice, like she's hiding something. Why isn't she being direct with me? And, the fact that she's so eager to move away from the personal conversation and get on with work bothers him. That's not like her. Usually, they spend the first few minutes of their meetings talking about random nonsense and catching up on their lives (even if they only saw each other a couple of days ago and even in Toph's moody state lately).

"Fun? What kind of fun?" Sokka presses, unable to let it go.

Toph stiffens, her face even redder than before, but she relents, "The adult kind of fun. Sokka, can we focus on work now, please?"

He clears his throat, his own face reddening at her implication. He scratches the back of his neck, "Oh, right. Adult fun. Okay Chief, let's get busy with it."

He sees Toph's eyes widen and he suddenly realizes his own slip of words. Sokka corrects himself, his voice cracking, "Uh, I mean…let's get busy with work, of course."

Even Toph's voice is uncharacteristically tight. She crosses her legs, fidgeting more in her seat, "Right."

He picks up the report, swallowing the sudden onset of nerves. He sneaks a peek at her as Toph waits for him to go over the reports, and he's only marginally relieved to find that she looks just as embarrassed as him. It's unlike her to be so antsy.

A flood of inappropriate questions pops in his head. Who is he? How did they meet? Is he taller than me? Is he a bender? What exactly is 'adult fun' with Toph like?

Sokka smacks himself again, except this time, it's not just in his head. Toph sends a questioning look at the slapping sound of Sokka's hand meeting his forehead, "You okay there, Councilman? Did you get hit in the head with your boomerang or something?"

Sokka purses his lips, blushing from embarrassment, "Uh, no, Chief. It's nothing. Let's get to work."

Why is it so hard to get over Toph?

AN

Hi everyone! This chapter was a little different from previous ones, but hopefully you enjoyed it and hopefully the time skips didn't get too confusing! I wanted to explore Sokka's perspective since his break up with Suki and give some insight to his thought process.