The Best Romances

Deserve Second Chances.

Chapter 1

"A Day of Firsts."

Dedicated to D0omkitty

It was Toph's and Sokka's first shared kiss. As they separated, and with time again flowing, they slept in each others arms for the night. They didn't need a blanket as the dying embers from the fire provided ample warmth. With Toph cuddled against Sokka's chest, and his arms keeping her close to his body, they smiled all throughout their sleep, dreaming lover's dreams. The light from the fire, was fighting a losing battle against the darkness. The ember's light could only bask a small, orange glow on the sleeping couple. As the darkness crept closer, with the fears and mysteries it brought, covered the house in a shroud of shadows. Neither partner was affected, the moon light shown through the windows of the resort and held back the terrors of the night, and watched over the sleeping couple, gracing them with a smile. The moon light's barrier gave way to the rising dawn and the twilight that preceded it. As the sunlight came through the once moon lit windows, it basked the couple in a swath of light. The couple stirred from the sun light, and Sokka was the first one to awaken from his slumber. It was the best sleep he had in a very long time, and he was glad it was with Toph. He tried to get off the couch, but Toph stirred, keeping the young man in his place.

"Toph?" Sokka whispered, petting the top of her head.

"Hmmm?" she grunted.

"Can I get up?"

"mmmh mmmh." she answered.

"Please. I'll make you breakfast."

"Fine."

"Thank you."

Toph relinquished her tight grip on the man, and he went to the kitchen. Sokka started to make some tea, and over the week he has been at the beach house, he had become somewhat decent in his tea making. The aroma from the tea leaves and the honey being added to the concoction, wafted to Toph's nose and lifted her off the couch and carried her into the kitchen.

"Morning Toph." Sokka said to the girl who was stumbled into the kitchen.

"Morning Sokka." she more grunted than said.

"How did you sleep?"

"Actually, pretty good."

"Me too."

"What are you making for breakfast?" she asked.

"Eggs and tea. Food for the stomach and mind."

"Riight, it only works if you have a mind, Snoozles."

"What did you call me?"

"Snoozles."

"I haven't heard someone call me that in a long time." Sokka's voice riveting with disappointment.

"How long has it been since we have last seen each other?"

"A year..." Sokka answered.

"That's too long."

"It is, so how about we catch up today?"

"Are you asking me out on a date, Sokka?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well, that's a first."

"Yes or no." Sokka blankly said.

"Yes, I'd love to go out with you, Snoooozles."

Sokka finished cooking the eggs, and he plated them. He handed Toph a plate, and he lead her to the table as she couldn't find it as the house was made out of wood. They ate in silence, Sokka next to Toph. The eggs were scrambled and tasted great, while the tea was the perfect temperature and blend. When they were finished, Sokka took the plates, and topped both cups with more tea. As Sokka was cleaning the dishes they decided on a plan of action, as Sokka was always a sucker for plans. Toph would get to do what ever she wanted to do for the first half of the day, while Sokka would get the second half. Sokka was still washing the two plates, as the eggs stuck to the porcelain, Toph followed a wall out of the house to the beach, where she at least had some range of visibility. She could see the house, where the wood meet the sand. She could see the sea, and past the beach, the lavish mountain ranges. The mountains were covered in green moss from age, and contrasted the crisp white of the sand, and the deep blue of the ocean. The beach house was painted red, and was starting to chip and fade from age, leaving brown spots of wood. The house looked rustic, and added character to the scenery. Toph was being warmed by the rising sun, as she felt cold where Sokka held her last night. She felt footsteps being imprinted into sand. She could recognize those footsteps anywhere, as they only belonged to the only person in her heart, Sokka.

"Ready, Toph?" he asked as he put his arms around her slim waist.

"Yes." she ran her fingers through her long, black hair that fell past her slender shoulders.

"Okay, where to?"

"I've got somethings."

They walked together, step for step, Toph subconsciously matched her breathing rhythm with Sokka's. They walked into the small town on Ember Island, the same town that they watched the Avatar play, back when they were still fighting the war. Of course the play became extremely unpopular after the out come of the war, and although the ending was re-written it was never preformed by the Ember Island Players again. Toph explained to Sokka that yesterday was her last day of being off from her 'Peace Enforcing' job, and that she had to return to work today. Sokka was glad that he would be able to help the blind girl with her job, as it reminded him of days during the war. It was weird in Sokka's mind that some of the best times of his life happened during the worst times for the whole world. Was it selfish to think that way about his experiences? Was it wrong to think that the best moments in his life where also the worst moments for everyone else? Sokka didn't know the answers to these questions that rattled his mind, and all he hoped for was that he would find out the answers sooner or later. Toph lead Sokka to one of the reporting stations that were spread out through the entire Nation. Sokka made sure that he brought his second sword, that replaced his Space Sword. This sword was also a one-of-a-kind sword, that had world renown. Wolf's Tail, the name Sokka gave it, was tempered so that it had a shimmer of blue in it. On the reverse cutting side of the sword was a serrated edge that was useful for intimidation and ripping holes in an opponent. Sokka was also part of The White Lotus Order thanks to his invitation from his sword master, Piandao, after Sokka became a sword master. He was still an initiate, but with his friendships with most of the higher ups, he hopes to be a high ranking official in the secret order. Sokka put on a vest to cover his bare chest, so that he would at least look socially acceptable. His pants were tucked inside his tough leather boots. He wore his signature gloves, and added some arm wraps to cover scars from his sword training. Toph was wearing some of her old Fire Nation clothes, but she had to update them as she grew out of them. She kept her old shirt, that more resembled a short skirt, and it was inches above her knees. It flowed in the wind as if it had a mind of it's own. She didn't wear shoes, but she added some ankle wraps that were still a crisp white. She still wore Sokka's space rock as an armlet, and it went evenly with her gold chain that she wore around her neck. Her shirt showed her shoulders, and the necklace snaked down to attract attention to her developing cleavage.

The reporting station was a messenger hawk post, and Toph had memorized where her cubbyhole was. The cubbyhole contained one letter, and Sokka knew that this would be her 'Peace Enforcing' job. She handed the letter to the post master, who read it out loud to Toph, as Zuko kept forgetting the girl was blind. The letter contained a report that there a notorious gang of rhino riders coming to the small Ember Island town, and that he wanted Toph to take care of them. She silently cursed to herself, and thanked the past master, and dragged Sokka out of the building.

"So what are we going to do about the rhino riders?" Sokka asked once they were out of the building.

"We? Zuko said, 'Me'." Toph answered back.

"Well, I'm helping you, like or not!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Fine, then that is what my part of our date is. Taking care of those scum bags."

"Great, I've been dying to actually fight someone after I became a master."

"Well, I suppose they won't be here until the afternoon. What should we do then?" Toph asked.

"It's up to you." Sokka answered back.

"Follow me."

Toph took Sokka's hand, and dragged him once again throughout the town, on-watchers giving the couple strange looks. Toph lead Sokka to the town center, that was a anchored by a grand fountain. There was a small boy, crying out for his mother, and Sokka looked around for a way to help the poor boy. He spotted a instrument store, and he separated from Toph, who yelled out to him, asking what he was doing. Sokka didn't answer her, he went to the store front and asked if he could borrow a lute to cheer up the crying boy. The manager looked at Sokka with pride, and loaned Sokka has best lute. Sokka went to the crying boy, and started to play a sweet melody, that hushed the boy's tears. The simple, but transcending melody from the lute attracted a crowd, and also the lost boy's mother, who thanked Sokka for watching over her son. Sokka stopped playing as the mother left, and returned the lute to the store keeper. Sokka thanked the manager, and went back to Toph, who was still standing in the same spot where Sokka left her.

"What was that?" Toph asked as Sokka grew near.

"What was what?"

"Why did you help the boy?"

"Why didn't you? You are the grand, old 'Peace Enforcer' around here."

"Don't you mock me!" Toph shrieked.

"Don't you question how I help people!"

"Enough!" Toph said, now entering 'Peace Enforcer Mode'.

"Okay." Sokka lamely said.

"Look, we need to stop fighting. Thank you for helping the boy." Toph apologized.

"That's a first. Toph apologizing. Well, your welcome."

The two of them were acting like they did before the war, but now they were more mature and accepted responsibility. They returned back to holding hands, and continued to tour the town. Toph was acting like a tour guide, explaining certain building's histories and throwing in a fun fact here and there. The tour ended at Toph's favorite restaurant,

"Well, this is the end of our tour. Thank you for choosing Toph's Top Tours, and please enjoy your stay."

"Thank you Toph." Sokka said.

"Now, please accompany me to the restaurant, and buy me lunch."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am." Sokka saluted.

"Now, that's more like it."

Sokka took Toph's hand and they walked into the restaurant. It had a full bar, that was packed with travelers, and it had booths and tables to provided for patrons. The floor was made out of stone, so Toph could tell where she was walking. Their waitress was a sultry looking woman, that seemed to infatuated with Sokka. Toph took notice of this, and after eating a fulfilling lunch, she stiffed the waitress. As Sokka and Toph were walking out, she checked the restaurant one more time, and felt one of the patrons at the bar, staring at her.

"Sokka, there's a man, at the bar staring at me."

"I know, I've been keeping my eye on him all during lunch."

"Awww, that's sweet. Now since it is still my turn, I want you to tell him to stop staring at me."

"I don't think I have to." Sokka said, his eyes becoming wide.

"Why?"

"He and his friends are coming this way."

"Hey pretty girl! What do you say you ditch that poor excuse of a man, and join me?" the staring man barked at Toph.

"Excuse me! Poor excuse of a man!" Sokka was fuming mad at the pompous prick.

Toph took notice that Sokka was in no mood for her to be talking and piped up.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Sokka shouted at the prick.

"We," and the prick pointed to the men behind him, "are the Rhino Riders."

"Sokkaaa, that's the gang Zuko wants us to deal with." Toph whispered to Sokka.

"I know, but even if they weren't the Rhino Riders, I would deal with them anyway. Stay here, I don't want you getting hurt."

Toph pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Awww, don't cry girlie. I'll make you feel better, real better." the prick called out to Toph.

"You don't talk to her like that." Sokka said, drawing the prick's attention away from Toph and to himself.

"You stay out of this boy!" one of the bullies behind the prick said.

The five Rhino Riders, were fat and drunk. A horrible combination if you were going to fight someone. It was never a good idea, to anger Sokka, he always got his revenge. He pulled out his sword, and the men at the bar laughed.

"What's that! A toothpick!" the prick laughed.

Several of the men barreled over onto the ground, hands on their sides. Sokka remained steadfast, and waited for the Rhino Riders to make the first move.

"Curley, go get 'em." the prick said.

One of the fatter men, stepped to oppose Sokka. He reached behind his person and pulled out a metal chain.

"I'm going to skin you, boy." Curley said, his mouth full of missing teeth.

"Good ahead and try, fatso." Sokka taunted Curley.

Curley barreled at Sokka, shoving tables out of his path, and he shouted a war cry while he was charging. Sokka side stepped the man easily, and threw the handle of his sword to come crashing down of the back of Curley's skull, knocking him out.

"All right boys, enough playing around. Let's get him!" the prick commanded the remaining Rhino Riders.

They all produced weapons, ranging from dual swords to maces, and one had spear. They all charged at him, and Toph was tired from standing around and watching Sokka have all the fun. She encapsulated all but the prick's feet, stopping them in their tracks. Their drunken sober didn't help as the three, entrapped men came crashing down to the floor.

"The prick is all yours Sokka." Toph said.

"Oh, thanks Toph."

"No problem."

The prick was the most drunk of all the men, and as he tried to stumble closer to Sokka, he fell flat on his face, out cold from alcohol.

"Well, that was pretty easy!" Sokka said, and he gave the bar tender a small amount of coin, to help repay for the broken tables and chairs.

"Right, it was, so now what?" Toph asked.

"I think it's my turn for the day now." Sokka said.

"Great! Where to, Hero?" Toph teased Sokka.

"Oh, I got a couple of things."

Sokka had received a letter that a carnival was being held outside of town. It was boasting a new invention that was called a, 'roller coaster', and the carnival was going to have evening fireworks. Sokka knew Toph couldn't see the fireworks, but she could hear them. Sokka took Toph and he bought a small basket and a blanket. After shopping, he took Toph's hand and showed her to the carnival's main grounds. Toph could tell that the attraction was huge, and was very popular.

"Sokka, you know that I dislike crowds. They give me a headache." Toph jabbed the man.

"I know, that's why I'm going to give you a piggy back ride."

"I don't want one."

"It's my date time, so to bad."

Toph was secretly excited to be carried on the man's strong back. He picked her up with ease and placed her gently on his back. He had his hands high on her thighs, and she wrapped her lengthy arms around his neck. She pulled her chest flush with his back, and she could only see his body, and the vibrations his feet made with each step. She couldn't see the vibrations that everyone else made so she had less of a headache, and to block out the noise she buried her head in Sokka's hair and neck. He guided her throughout the carnival, winning Toph multiple stuffed animals from games of skill and strength. The games ranged from knock-over-the-cans, Test Your Strength, which was swinging a hammer to hit a bell at the top of a tower, Ring Bottle Toss, and Toph's favorite, Whack-A-Badgermole. Toph knew Sokka would always win at those games, he was the definition of skill and strength. What astounded Toph even more was that he won at all these games, with her on his back, and this made Toph think that Sokka winning something was a definite first. Whenever he needed to use his arms, she would wrap her legs tightly across his waist. As the day wore on, and the couple's stomachs growled in hunger, Sokka bought all kinds of different snacks for dinner. There was fire flakes, a Fire Nation form of popcorn, tunnel cakes, a delicacy in the Earth Kingdom, air cakes, which were being served as the Air Nomads made their return and went back to making their famous cakes, and lastly, there was seal jerky, a Water Tribe favorite and Sokka's main choice for dinner. Sokka complained that the seal jerky wasn't actually real seal, as he had made seal jerky all the time. The air cakes were real, as Sokka had also tasted them while he was the 'Peace Enforcer' for the Air Nomads. Toph said the fire flakes were authentic, as they were in the Fire Nation of course, but when it came to the Tunnel Cakes, she was appalled. They were an abomination to real tunnel cakes back in the Earth Kingdom. As the two of them ate their dinner, they were interrupted by their favorite bar patron and gang leader, Prick, which turned out to be his real name.

"What are ya twos doing here?" Prick asked.

"Look, if you want another licking, I'll gladly give it to you!" Sokka announced.

"No, no, please don't hurt me. I work as a carney on the side. I swears."

"Toph?" Sokka asked turning to her.

"It's the truth." she replied.

"See, I want to make it up to yous guys."

"How?" Sokka questioned.

"Two free tickets for that new roller coaster."

"All right, sounds fair." Sokka always wanted to go on the roller coaster as soon as he read about it in the flyer.

Prick handed over two tickets for the roller coaster, and Sokka and Toph went over to wait in line. It was the most popular attraction at the carnival, it more than doubled the fares collected from the second most popular attraction, Whack-A-Badgermole. The line took what seemed to be forever, but when it was Sokka's and Toph's turn, the conductor told Toph that she was too short to ride on the coaster.

"WHAT! TOO SHORT!" Toph yelled at the man.

"Toph, calm down. I'll handle this." Sokka said placing a hand on her shoulder calming her down almost immediately.

"Look, here, bub. She is going on this ride, like it or not." Sokka said grabbing the collar of the conductor, and lifting him several inches off the ground.

"Okay, she can go on, but be warned she could fall off and die." he warned.

"Then I'll hold onto her extra tight." Sokka hissed.

Toph and Sokka were seated on the roller coaster, and Sokka told Toph to hold on to him extra tight so she doesn't fall off. She didn't need a better excuse to hold onto the man, and gladly obliged. The ride was thrilling. It started off with a steep incline, and as the top car reached the crest of the hill, it stopped adding suspense and drama to the ride. It had loop-de-loops, corkscrews, tunnels, and banks. Toph couldn't see much other than Sokka, but she could tell that he was enjoying himself as his heart was racing. The ride ended where it had started, and Sokka and Toph stepped off the roller coaster thoroughly enjoying themselves. Sokka picked up the basket that held the blanket, and lead Toph to a hill, which he thought would be the best viewing point for the fire works show. He laid out the blanket and placed Toph on top of it. He sat down next to her and they shared some fire flakes, and talked about the day.

"Who would have thought the Rhino Riders would be in that restaurant?" Toph chuckled.

"I sure didn't!"

"And why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Because you think I'm stupid." Sokka said.

"Not stupid, just oblivious."

"Oblivious how?"

"You never noticed that I had a crush on you during the war?" and Toph put her hands on her mouth, she never liked expressing how she felt back then, especially about Sokka.

"No I didn't. I guess you're right. I am oblivious."

"You don't sound so oblivious now." Toph teased, and leaned her head to rest on Sokka's shoulder.

Sokka took the hint and put his arms around her waist, and pulled her closer to him.

"Sokka?"

"Toph?" Sokka mimicked.

"I had a really good time with you today."

"Me too." Sokka responded.

"Wow, this is a first."

"What's that?"

"We agreeing on something."

"Haha, I guess you're right."

"I know I'm right." Toph said with cockiness.

"Oh, reaaallly?"

"Yes, reaaallly."

"Then tell me if you agree with this."

Sokka put a hand on Toph's cheek and she blushed, she could feel him lean closer, and she prepared for the kiss. Sokka drew closer and closer, till they were mere inches apart. He stopped. Toph had closed her eyes, and she decided to seal the deal, and kiss the man. Sokka pushed forward, tilting her head back, and deepened the show of affection. As they parted, Toph asked,

"Why did you stop?"

"You told me that you agree to kissing me, when you closed the distance."

"Oh did I?" Toph asked acting stupid.

"Yes, it was a test."

"Did I pass, professor Sokka?"

"With flying colors."

They came together again for another kiss, and it was cut short by the beginning of the fireworks show. The signal for the start was a loud 'boomer' firework, and it startled the crap out of Toph and Sokka. Sokka was right in that the hill would be the best vantage point for seeing the fireworks, and then he remembered that Toph couldn't see them, as he again began to act oblivious.

"Don't worry, Toph its just fireworks."

"I can't see them Meat Head." and Toph knocked Sokka on the head.

"I'll describe them to you."

Sokka began explaining the different colors, using examples that Toph could understand. Grass for greens, the sun for yellow, red, and oranges. The ocean for the blues. Night time for violets, and the sand from Ember Island for the white fireworks. The fireworks boomed throughout the night lighting up the sky. Sokka did his best to tell Toph when the booms would come, but to little to no avail. Toph gripped Sokka tighter and tighter, and by the finale she was practically choking Sokka. When the show ended, Toph was to frightened to move, so Sokka picked her up bridal-style, and protected her from the night. With the moon light was his guide, and with her light, he walked back to the beach house, and laid Toph in the guest room, and tucked her in. Sokka kissed her goodnight, and he went to his room, and let the grasps of slumber bind him.

WHEW! I. Love. This. Chapter. ITS SO COOL! Yes Curley is a reference to the three stooges. Prick is a prick, thats why I named him that. Rhino Riders is like my version of the Rough Riders. Toph is damn hot, Sokka is so BA. Sokka is awesome. Name all the firsts!

Dedicated to D0omkitty I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS!

EDIT: I proofread and fixed a lot of mistakes.

Here are all the firsts in this chapter in order of appearance

Kissing

Sokka waking up before noon

Sokka asking Toph out

Toph apologizing

Sokka's first fight after becoming a Sword Master.

Sokka winning something

First roller coaster ride

Them agreeing on something.

I think I might have missed some, but that is pretty much all of them.

PLEASE R&R FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER WmitchW

Ps. Thanks for all the story alerts added, it means a lot.