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“Well, well, well, what have we here?”
“Toph?” Sokka squinted into the shimmering light of dusk from where he lay in a pile of boulders. “You found me! Help me out, would you?”
Backlit by the setting sun, Toph’s silhouette grew larger as she approached him. She was shaking her head. “You really are just an accident waiting to happen, aren’t you?” she said, squatting down in front of him and giving his wolf tail a playful tug. “Sometimes I wonder how you’re still alive.”
“I’d say it’s my quick thinking and even quicker reflexes.”
Toph flashed him a skeptical expression before bending the pile of rocks off his leg. Sokka groaned as he rubbed what was sure to be an impressive bruise in the morning. Toph knelt at his side and, with her arms hooked around his torso and his arm across her shoulders, helped heave Sokka to his feet, where he gingerly tested his weight on the injured leg.
“Also,” Sokka grinned, and tightened his grip on Toph’s shoulders, “it helps to have an amazingly strong woman willing to rescue me.”
Toph’s cheeks flushed, but she looked pleased. “So this was just a ploy, huh?”
“A dangerous and painful ploy, yes,” Sokka said. “Surely this was my intention all along. Going for a run? Nothing but an excuse. Tripping and sliding down a cliff face? The best way I could think of seeing your impressive bending.”
Toph rolled her eyes, but couldn’t keep the smirk off her face. “Not that I don’t mind playing the hero… but you can always just ask. You know I’ll never say no to an opportunity to show off.”
She nudged him with the arm still around his waist and they began walking (hobbling) in the direction of the city.
“Are you gonna be okay walking all the way back?” Toph asked.
Sokka glanced down at her and grinned. “You’re not concerned, are you?”
“No.” Her blush gave her away and Sokka laughed gleefully. “I just don’t wanna have to listen to you whine the whole way home.”
“I will not whine,” Sokka griped, to which Toph gave an amused snort.
“You could always… keep on with the compliments instead,” Toph offered with a brazen grin in his direction.
Sokka hooted and pulled her tight against his side. “Toph Beifong, Greatest Earthbender in the World!” he began loudly, sweeping his free arm wide. “Is there anyone as strong, as confident, as willing to kick my ass or as willing to rescue it? How can I ever show my gratitude to my great hero?”
Even with his words half in jest, Toph still glowed at his praise. “I have a couple suggestions,” she smirked.
“Not half as good as my idea,” Sokka countered, waggling his eyebrows. He threw both his arms around Toph and began a sloppy trail of kisses down her neck.
Toph shrieked and pushed halfheartedly at Sokka’s shoulders. “Get off, get off, you slobbery badgermole!”
Sokka pressed a final, firm kiss on her lips. He reveled at the expression on her face, half shocked and half delighted, cheeks pink and lips in a full grin.
“C’mon,” he said, “let’s go home.”
Sokka turned, took one step, and promptly tripped.
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Toph said. But she sounded fond.