Prompt 9: Soft (#94)

A/N: I just needed fluff, so have some shameless, adorable fluff.

Pain. Pain and suffering. Pain and suffering and the munchies. These were the things felt by Sokka as he came to, the too-bright sun in his face, the too-loud chirping of birds outside the earth tent. His whole body ached, and yet he felt strangely content.

…Earth tent?

"Mhm…"

He became acutely aware of the warm, soft weight beside him. Said weight shivered, and curled up a little closer to him, tightening its grip on him and causing his breath to catch and his heartbeat to quicken. There was no doubt that the weight was a person - the arms wrapped around him and soft skin made it easy to tell - but he didn't dare look down to confirm their identity.

"Mm…" Another groan - distinctly feminine. Sokka breathed a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't Aang. Or Zuko. That would have been very, very uncomfortable. After the time Zuko walked in on him waiting for Suki, he was very careful not to involve them in any of his romantic escapades.

"…What…?" Sokka's relief evaporated just as quickly as it set in as he recognized the voice. He glanced downwards apprehensively. Raven hair. Porcelain skin. Petite frame. Misty sea-foam eyes.

…Toph. He immediately stiffened, feeling panic set in. What was he doing in Toph's tent? He looked again, hoping to see clothes - and was relieved to see Toph's wrappings and underclothes still on her, as well as his pants. However, they were both close enough to nakedness that his panic multiplied tenfold.

How did they end up like this? He tried to remember.

There was a party. Someone's birthday.

Toph's birthday? Sokka couldn't recall. Something about running away from a formal event.

Someone brought out drinks. Cactus juice? The details were fuzzy.

Then - a flurry of limbs. Lips - soft, sweet, but insistent. Fingers entwined, bodies held close. Her breath hot against his, faces inches apart. A mischievous smile, clouded eyes twinkling with delight. Her laugh, innocent and free, like countless jingling bells.

Warmth and contentment. Happiness.

"What…" Sokka started, before falling silent, mentally slapping himself. Sokka, why are you such an idiot? What the hell are you supposed to follow that up with? Oops, sorry but I guess we made out?

He stopped himself before he started really freaking out, taking as quiet a deep breath as he could. He didn't exactly dislike the situation they were in - the sensation of Toph curled around him, with him holding her with an arm was… nice. He permitted a blush to color his cheeks at the thought.

Although once Toph realized what was going on, she was probably going to flay him alive. For the moment, though, he allowed himself this small happiness.

Was she always that soft? Sokka always thought Toph would be solid, like the rock she so often bent. But her body was soft - her alabaster skin flawless and unblemished. For a girl who prided herself on being unrelentingly rough and tumble, Sokka marveled at how surprisingly warm and gentle she could be.

"…Sokka?" Toph shifted, her mumbly morning voice suddenly turning sharp as her mind caught up with current events. Her hold on him didn't let up, however, her arms still stretched across his chest and back. "Why am I curled up next to you?"

"Uhm." Sokka gulped. "I was hoping that you would have an answer, actually."

"…That's dumb." Toph said, flatly. "You're dumb."

"Am not." Sokka protested - though secretly he was glad that they were back to the comfortable routine of teasing each other. The familiarity was soothing.

"Are too." Toph said, poking him in the side.

Sokka grumbled and looked away, annoyed at her ribbing. "Whatever."

The two continued to lie there in silence, feeling minutes tick by as they breathing slowly grew to match the other's, their chests rising and falling in accordance to an unseen rhythm. Sokka noted that she still had him held tightly against her, and her arm was still draped across his chest. His arm which was wrapped around her back didn't let go, either, cradling the curve of her back gently.

"…Shouldn't we, like, get up?" Toph eventually suggested, loosening her hold on Sokka.

Sokka was going to agree - really, he was, he had even nodded and everything - but unexpectedly, and almost uncontrollably, he instead blurted out, "I'm okay with this."

Toph paused, her face growing incredibly red at the declaration. "…Oh. Okay, then."

She shrugged, and flopped back down, pulling herself closer to him again. Sokka blushed deep scarlet, his heart threatening to explode from his chest at the sensation of her being so close to him. What's more, he could feel Toph's heart hammering as well, with her chest pressed up against his side.

What had possessed him to say that? He'd never felt that way towards Toph before.

Did he? The tugging sensation in his gut told him otherwise. This was not spontaneous, like Suki, or Yue. Those loves burned like fireworks, exploding brilliantly, but were never given the chance to become more than a teenager's infatuation.

Toph, though.

She was always there. A possibility he daren't consider. It bubbled and brewed, and occasionally surfaced - those days he would stare at Toph, realizing how much she'd grown since they first met. She was a beautiful young woman, now. Turning heads and breaking hearts without even realizing it. But he did. In the moonlight, Toph glowed. She was like a marble statue, unwaveringly stable, yet breathtakingly beautiful.

He had never thought that could be his - he was always preoccupied with something or another.

Perhaps all he needed was a nudge.

"So… are we, like, a thing now?"

Smooth moves, Sokka. Not the kind of nudge he needed. Possibly his worst asking out line yet.

Well, no - asking Yue if she wanted to do an activity with him was probably worse. But it was up there on the list.

"A thing." Toph repeated, before chuckling. "You're lucky I like you, because that was dumb."

"So that's a yes?"

"Well now I'm considering a no," Toph snarked, jabbing him in the side again.

"Oh." Sokka said, disappointed. Toph groaned, grabbing his face and pulling him towards her roughly, not without a hint of frustration.

"Just kiss me you idiot."

Turning over to his side, Sokka did just that. He closed his eyes, feeling the sensation of his lips against hers flow over him, her hands gripping his body tightly, pulling them together until it felt as though they would become one being. He ran a hand down her back, and felt a shiver in return. He could feel their hearts beating together, forming a steady rhythm as they indulged in their passion.

Finally, reluctantly, they broke apart for air, gasping and breathing heavily. Sokka grinned, though his smile was lopsided. "So is that a yes?"

Breathlessly, Toph smiled back. "That's a yes."