Toph can hear Sokka shouting at Aang even though all the doors and windows of Iroh's tea shop are closed.
She's sitting at one of the tables inside the Jasmine Dragon, laughing quietly at the current goings-on and pretending to pay attention to Zuko and Iroh's game of Pai Sho, which she is currently "refereeing" due to Zuko's bellyaching about the rules.
She wonders how long it will take them to realize that the game pieces are made of painted wood, not carved stone. She has no clue what's going on. She doesn't know how to play Pai Sho, anyway.
Sokka's voice grows momentarily louder as the door to the tea shop opens, and then closes again with a quiet click. It's Katara.
Maybe Toph doesn't possess the ability to observe a reddened face, but it's hard to miss the pounding of Katara's heart as she slips back inside. She can't tell if it's happiness or embarrassment. Maybe both.
"Oh, Katara! You're back! I was looking for you."
Toph feels the waterbender's head snap abruptly to the side as she is startled by the sudden appearance of her father.
Hakoda had entered the shop several minutes earlier, looking for his children. He sits at the table with Toph, peeking at Zuko's Pai Sho tiles and whispering suggestions.
Hakoda is even worse at Pai Sho than Zuko, though.
"Oh! Um...Hey, Dad! Did you need something?"
"What, I can't come say hello to my own daughter? This tea shop is open to the public, you know."
"Yeah, cool. Ah...Okay."
"You alright, Katara?" Hakoda asks, his eyes trailing to one of the windows, through which Sokka can be clearly seen still dramatically berating Aang. "Something going on with Sokka?"
Katara stares at her feet. "Um...Nope. Not that I know of."
Toph snickers as Katara's raises her eyebrows and twists her lips to one side, painting an expression of "Huh, I wonder what's going on out there" that is so overdone that it's not remotely believable. Toph (against her own will) had felt what had just been going on several minutes earlier, and she knows exactly why Sokka is shouting. Hypocrite. He'd done plenty with Suki these past few months.
Toph wishes people would warn her in advance so she could put shoes on, or kick her feet up, or something.
Katara clears her throat awkwardly and finally pulls up a chair to sit down with them. "So, Dad, are you just stopping by for some tea, or..."
Hakoda stares at her still-raised eyebrows, smiling as he watches her squirm. Toph is pretty sure that he can put two and two together.
"No. I didn't know when you and Sokka would be back at the palace. Adhering to the scheduled meals is not a talent of yours."
"Right. Sorry."
"It's alright. I just needed to talk to you two. They've finally finished construction to replace our ships that were destroyed on the Day of Black Sun. So we're going home."
Katara frowns and tenses up. "But I already told you. I'm going to Ba Sing Se with Aang. He has to be involved in more of the post-war diplomacy and I promised to act as an ambassador to the Southern Water Tribe. You already agreed."
"I know. That's not what I was saying. I'm leaving. Along with the rest of our men. I came to say goodbye."
"Oh."
There's an awkward pause at the table, during which Toph directs her eyes to the Pai Sho table with extra feigned fervor. She knows things are weird between Katara and Hakoda after he left them, but she really wishes she didn't have to be here to witness the awkwardness.
"Sokka, Toph, and Suki are coming along, too?" Hakoda's voice is stern as it breaks the silence, and Toph smirks at the realization that yeah, he definitely knows what's going on between Katara and Aang.
"Yeah."
"Actually, I'm not coming," Toph interjects. "I'm travelling the world on my own. While I figure out what to do next."
Katara turns to her, surprised. "Wait, really? I thought you were coming with us."
Toph shrugs. "Well, you never asked! I don't really want to go to Ba Sing Se again. I don't want to help with the diplomatic blah blah blah. My plan is to take all the vacations we never got to this year, confront my parents about hiring someone to kidnap me, and make sure everyone knows who the greatest earthbender in the world is."
"Are you sure you want to be traveling on your own?" Hakoda asks. "It's not safe out there for a young girl with no traveling companions."
Toph clasps her hands to her heart, smiling fake-sweetly. "You know, you remind me of my own dear parents. But yeah, I'm sure. I don't need anyone to protect me. I only traveled with these dunderheads so they could have someone to protect them."
Katara's eyebrows furrow, but she doesn't argue. It's halfway true.
"Oh." Hakoda frowns, and Toph can feel the subtle vibration of his eyes darting back and forth as he ponders whether or not he has the parental power to force her to stay with the others.
Katara meets Hakoda's eyes and shakes her head in warning.
"Well, I hope you have fun, then. Can we send you with some money to make your travels easier?"
Toph can feel Hakoda's heart speed up as he offers, and she knows why. He and the other men of the Southern Water Tribe have been at war for years, and they weren't lavishly wealthy in the first place. There's no way they have anything to spare for Toph.
"Nah, I'm good. I have a way of earning money on the road that's been pretty helpful over the last few months."
"Hmph."
"Got a problem with that, Katara?" Toph asks, grinning.
"No, only—it's just that the last time you were earning money, we both ended up in jail. And you won't have me to bust you out next time." Katara glances over to Hakoda with an innocent look of concern on her face. "Don't you agree she shouldn't be traveling alone?"
Toph scoffs indignantly. "Don't pretend like last time was a 'me' thing, Katara. You came up with the plan!"
Hakoda fixes his daughter with a look of bafflement as her concerned expression becomes sheepish.
"Fine, Toph, it's—well, I—I just don't want you to leave, okay? Come with Sokka and Suki and Aang and I to Ba Sing Se. We'll stop wherever you want on the way. Just—stay with us!"
A shit-eating grin spreads onto Toph's face.
"Awww, you do care about me, Sugar Queen!"
Katara sighs dramatically, rolling her eyes. "I always cared about you, Toph. It's just that you have no capacity for behaving like a responsible adult."
"Hey!"
"Sorry. But seriously, will you come with us? Please?"
Toph shakes her head. "Sorry, Katara. But this is something I really want to do. I'll see you again soon enough, though. Don't worry about it."
Katara sighs slightly in disappointment, but doesn't put up any further argument. She has a sneaking suspicion that the second item on Toph's itinerary is exceedingly important to her, and she doesn't want to be an obstacle.
"We'll miss you."
"Me too, Sugar Queen. Me too."