I am so incredibly sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter out. I'll spare you all the long explanation and instead say: I thank you all for being so patient, and I especially thank those of you who have reviewed recently or added this story to your alert list. It's good to know that at least a few people out there are reading this. :)

So, on with the story! I don't own Avatar.

05. E

Elephant

Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.

She tried to cover her ears, but it did no good. The vibrations were a part of her, loud and incessant, and she couldn't drown them out no matter how hard she tried.

Stomp. Stomp.

What's wrong with him? Doesn't he know there are people trying to sleep around here?

Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.

This has been going on for at least an hour now. It's time it stopped.

Stomp.

That's it, one more time and -

STOMP.

She had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stop herself from shouting his name. She stood up, slowly, reluctantly, and made her way toward the source of the noise.

Stomp. Stomp.

It wasn't difficult. She probably could have done it without her unique form of sight, what with all the racket he was making. Surely the others can hear it, too. Maybe they're just trying to ignore it.

Stomp. Stomp.

She approached the spot where he was pacing and stood with her arms folded angrily, waiting rather impatiently for what had better be a really good reason why he had kept her awake so long.

Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.

If she had been less annoyed, she might have stopped to appreciate her surroundings. They were in a small clearing in the forest, surrounded by trees of all different heights and varieties. The ground was rich and damp, mostly bare but interspersed randomly with small clumps of wildflowers, drooping slightly and thirsting for sunlight. Her blurred "vision" several yards off and the sound of rushing water told her that they were next to a river. She could feel the water beating forcefully against the river rocks, blunting their jagged edges and smoothing them into ever-smaller spheres.

But all the beautiful geometry in the world couldn't distract her from her purpose. She was too tired, and too frustrated, to pay attention to anything besides his familiar form wandering in relentless circles.

Stomp.

He hadn't noticed her. But then again, when did he ever notice her?

Stomp. Stomp.

"SOKKA!"

The stomping stopped. She could feel him turn around to face her.

"What do you want?" he asked, his tone not quite icy enough to mask his surprise.

"I want you to stop your stomping. I could hear it from the campsite just like you were right next to me. You sound like a herd of elephants."

Sokka scoffed. "It's not stomping. It's pacing."

"Well, I don't care what you call it. It certainly feels like stomping."

"This is stomping."

STOMP. STOMP.

"Augh! Didn't I just tell you to quit that?" she shouted.

"You didn't ask nicely." Sokka sank to the ground. "Although, in your defense, I don't even think you know how."

She narrowed her eyes. "You do realize that I could pulverize you right now, don't you?"

Sokka stared out into the distance. "Oh, shut up, Toph."

"Well, someone's testy tonight. What's wrong with you?" she asked, sounding a little hurt.

"Nothing's wrong with me," he answered.

"You're acting like even more of a jerk than usual."

Sokka sighed and bit his lip for a moment, as if he were trying to make up his mind about something. Finally he spoke.

"You wouldn't understand, you'd just laugh. I'm not going to tell you."

Toph rolled her eyes. Moody moron. She sat down next to Sokka and tried her best to tone down the sarcasm in her voice. "Why would I laugh?"

He shook his head. "Just go away."

"Not until I know you aren't going to stomp around and keep me awake anymore."

Sokka sighed. "If it'll make you go away, then I won't."

She raised her eyebrow. "Whatever." She didn't get what he was up to - then again, she rarely did - but she had achieved her purpose, and that was all that mattered to her. She turned and began to walk away.

Freak. He's acting strange, but at least he quit that stupid elephant stom -

STOMP.

Toph stopped mid-step, then abruptly turned the other way. She sprinted toward him full-force and tackled him to the ground. "What on earth do you think you're doing?" she shouted angrily. "I thought you said - "

Before she had a chance to register what was going on, he pushed her over so that they were side by side and facing each other, and he pressed his lips to hers.

What the -

He's kissing me. Is this really what it's supposed to feel like?

No wonder that Suki girl was all over him.

Confused and a little unsure of what to do, she followed her instinct and kissed him back. She couldn't breathe, she felt lightheaded, she moved closer, before she knew it her tongue had found its way into his mouth, his hands snaked around her waist, she felt so hot, she felt so wonderful, her mind wasn't working properly, she couldn't form coherent thoughts -

She pushed him away.

"What is wrong with you?" she demanded. "One minute you want me to go away, the next you kiss me like I actually mean something to you! I don't get it!" She rolled onto her other side so that her back was facing him.

"You do mean something to me," he said softly.

Her mouth curved into a slight smile, though he couldn't see it. "Are you going to stop stomping now?" she asked, a little more softly than she had been going for.

Sokka groaned. "Toph! Do you have any idea how much courage it took -"

Toph turned back around to face Sokka, then kissed him again. "If you're over your weirdness, can we go back to the campsite now? I need sleep, and I'm guessing you do too." She stood and offered him her hand.

He didn't let go once he was standing.

Well, that was weird, but I can't say that I minded it.

Stomp.

"AUGH!"

"Sorry, I couldn't resist."

A/N: Well, there you have it, the next chapter. R & R, please!