Toph doesn't come to him often. Not during a work day. Not as Toph, at least, not like she does today. Not casting her armor aside, letting it pile up in a corner as she falls into the large, comfy chair of his office. Not with her hands tugging the bun out of her hair and running through the frizzy mess with a groan. It is so unlike the police office he is used to at work, he wonders for a moment if she's forgotten where she is.

But she speaks to him, not looking at him like Toph the Officer would, with sightless eyes matching up with his, but like off-the-clock-Toph with her head hung down slightly, not bothering to fake sight for the public. "I think it's time for me to leave, Sokka."

He snorts. "It's one o' clock."

"I don't think I should put the armor back on." She twists her fingers in her hair, not quite fixing it, but not messing it up further. "I covered up a crime, Sokka."

"What?" he whispers, looking around the room though he knows nothing is there - Toph could sense any bug in the office from the metal and people are always easy for her to spot. "Toph, why are you telling me?"

"It was Su." She rubs her temple. "Theft. Technically assault on an officer, but the officer was Lin. It wasn't Su attacking an officer, it was two sisters having a fight. I know that, you know that, but the law won't. The judge and jury won't. I'd let Su sit in jail for a week or two for theft, but not years. She shouldn't be put in jail for years because she fought her sister while she was in uniform."

"Spirits," he breathes. "Did you already do it?"

"Yeah, stupid. I said I covered up a crime. Wake up." She leans forward over the desk and taps her fist on his head, just head enough to sting. "You have a say in this. You're enough of a father to both of them. What do we do?"

"When did you cover this up?"

"Three hours ago. Easy to undo."

"It took you that long to decide to tell me?"

"No." She smirks. "I just got lunch."

He leans back and laughs, half because he thinks she's funny and half because he's nervous and confused and there's nothing to do but laugh. She laughs with him. He settles, sighs, and leans forward again. "You can't let Su get away with this, Toph. She still stole. We can't ignore that."

"I'm sending her away." She meets him at the table, grabbing his hand. "I think she'll be okay if she's forced to find her own way. I think she's bored. Su's more like us when we were young, y'know? She wants to do things and make a name for herself. She can't do that when the town's got a statue of me literally towering over her."

He grins. "Oh, should we take it down? I'm sure we can repurpose the marble into-"

"Don't even joke about that. I earned that thing." But she smiles back. "Still, it might be time for me to walk away."

"Because of this? Toph, you're an amazing chief. This one incident isn't-"

She cuts him off again. "I've wanted to leave for a while. This is just an excuse. The hours are long, the work is hard and there's no rush in cleaning up the streets anymore. It's like taking out the trash now. It's boring. Worse than that, it's keeping Lin down. She could easily be made chief if I wasn't here. All she wants is to be me, anyway. I don't know, Sokka, she'll never grow up if I'm around."

"So what are you going to do?"

She is quiet, then squeezes his hand. "I'm going to live on my own. Outside the city. Maybe travel, I miss that. I liked feeling the world."

He sits up, frowning. "We won't see you again."

"I'll find someone to write and send letters."

"So we won't see you again?" he repeats, a little more forcefully.

"I never see you, and I'm not complaining," she teases. He sighs at her, so she continues, "Really, Sokka, I'll keep you posted. I won't vanish."

"Stay long enough to tell everyone else, at least. You should stay in the force long enough that no one gets suspicious and starts digging. It should blow over in a couple weeks." He brightens a little. "We could throw a party!"

"No party."

"But you'll do everything else?"

"Yeah," she agrees. I'll do everything else."

I've been thinking about this scene for, like, ever. Ever since it aired in the show, really. Trying to figure out why Toph would choose to basically banish her daughter instead of put her in jail, figuring out how Toph decided to leave, how it related to her being a mother...very fun chapter.