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The anniversary of the end of the Hundred Year War always brought more painful memories than it did joyful ones.
For the first year after winning the war, Sokka found himself waking up in the middle of the night, cold sweat on his skin, about to fall off an airship. Sometimes he would still be holding onto Toph, sometimes she wouldn’t be there at all, sometimes he had let go.
He never had a good night’s rest, that year.
Afterwards, the dreams decreased a bit. The more time wedged itself between Sokka and the war, the better he felt. The nightmares always came back around the anniversary, though. Even if he didn’t have a calendar, Sokka could tell when memorable day began to inch closer and closer.
Ten years later, he found himself at Firelord Zuko’s palace gazing over the balcony at the fireworks. A celebration dedicated to Sokka and his friends. The kids who won the war.
Sokka snorted into his glass of fire whiskey. How was it that a bunch of kids won this war? He hadn’t realized it while living in the moment, but damn. He had barely gone through puberty by the time he’d helped end a war.
If he hadn’t been drinking, Sokka surely would have heard footsteps creeping up behind him. But the fireworks were too mesmerizing and his brain was beginning to get wonderfully cloudy, and he couldn’t care less if someone was sneaking up.
That is, until they actually ambushed him.
“Snoozles!” An arm wrapped around his shoulder, tugging him down.
Sokka flinched at the surprise before another warmth, much unlike that of the alcohol, filled him. He grinned down at his best friend, Toph Beifong.
She had given into Katara’s request (as she did every year; she liked to put up a fight, but Katara was just as stubborn as the earthbender) and wore a gown to the ball. The jade green of the dress brought out the green in her milky white eyes. It spread to her feet, scraping the ground, yet Sokka knew she wasn’t wearing any shoes beneath the dress.
Without making eye contact, Toph grinned back at him. “I’ve been looking for you, Snoozles. What are you doing out here, all alone and angsty?”
Sokka scoffed, putting his hand to his chest. “Who says I’m being angsty?” Despite overplaying it, he truly marveled at how Toph knew how to read him like a book. Even though she couldn’t actually read books.
“If you weren’t angsty, then you wouldn’t be out here, drinking by yourself.”
It was true. Sokka had learned how to keep his trauma to himself. After several panic attacks and sessions with healers, he’d learned coping skills to ease the burden of the memories. Enough so that he could join the festivities on days like this and dance with his friends.
But today, before the festival, Firelord Zuko gathered their tight knit group for a dinner. He and Suki stood before their friends and announced that they were together. They hadn’t come public and wouldn’t for a while, but they were happy and wanted the most important people in their lives to know.
Things between Sokka and Suki had ended well, they really had. The pair had grown apart as they got older, and decided it was best to end things on a mutual basis rather than drag it out and end in flames. Sokka felt ecstatic for his close friends. Seeing the smiles on their faces was enough to bring him joy.
Yet, as the night grew on, Sokka couldn’t stop thinking. What had he really accomplished since the war? Sure, he had helped found Republic City and had plans to run as councilman for the Southern Tribe. There was still a part of him, though, that felt empty. The emptiness grew louder the more he was around Zuko and Suki, or even Katara and Aang.
In short, yes, he was angsty. But Sokka couldn’t bring down Toph’s lively mood, so instead he said, “Maybe I’m out here drinking by myself because someone hasn’t dragged me out to the bars yet.”
Toph turned her back to the balcony and put her elbows up on the ledge, leaning back against it. “You think we made enough of an appearance to satisfy His Sparkiness?”
“I’d say so.”
“I’ll have to stop by my room,” Toph warned. She gestured at her flowy gown. “This isn’t bar material.”
“Which means it isn’t bar fight material.”
She smirked. “You know me so well, Meathead.” Toph grabbed his hand and began pulling him back towards the ballroom. “Let’s go. The quicker we move, the quicker we get drunk.”
She led him through the crowds, avoiding every group of people possible. Sokka could feel the burn of Katara’s stare on him and he glanced behind his shoulder. His sister was giving him That Look , the one that meant he shouldn’t get up to any trouble. Sokka sent a grin to her, letting her know that her message had been received and he would not heed it in the slightest.
Despite having stayed at Zuko’s palace several times in the past decade, it was still a maze to Sokka. For Toph and her earthbending, though, there was never a challenge. Still with Toph at the lead, they twisted through the halls and corridors until they ended up in the guest wing of the palace.
Toph’s pace slowed and she dropped Sokka’s hand. “Sometimes I think the hardest part about the ball is getting out of there.” She snapped her fingers and the door to her room unlocked. It must have been convenient being a metal bender.
She entered her room and Sokka made to follow behind her, before Toph spun around and shoved his chest lightly. “What do you think you’re doing, Snoozles? I’m just gonna change.” A sly look crossed her face. “Unless you want a show.”
Sokka’s cheeks grew warm at even the suggestion. He and Toph teased each other on a daily basis, but never anything flirty. This teetered on that edge and he had no idea how to respond to it. “Uh--”
Toph waved her hand dismissively. “It’s a joke, idiot. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to afford my pay rate. I’ll be out in a minute.”
With that, she slammed the door in his face. Sokka let out a breath, a strand of hair blowing out of his eyes. He willed his blush away and turned his attention to his pockets, making sure that he had enough money on him to go out, and some extra in case they had to pay for any, ah, collateral damage. Telling an angry bartender to put broken tables ‘on the Firelord’s tab’ only worked so many times.
The door swung open and Toph reappeared, back in her usual clothing: a snug white shirt, comfortable green trousers, and her hair pulled up in a bun. She cracked her fingers as if they were about to start a fight. “I’m ready if you are.” Toph didn’t wait for an answer before walking off in the direction of the exit.
Sokka chuckled. She never waited around for anybody, which was something he loved so much about her.
Before he chased after her, Sokka’s eyes scanned Toph, settling on her ass. She strutted away with a sway to her beat that felt nearly deliberate. His heart skipped a beat as he caught himself and shook his head immediately, casting his eyes anywhere else. He could not check out his best friend. No matter how good of an ass she had, he couldn’t do it.
An earthbent pebble smacked itself against Sokka’s forehead. He cleared his throat and ran up to Toph’s side. “Sorry. I think I’m already a bit tipsy.”
“You think? You definitely are, meathead. Your heart is going wild.”
He swallowed and decided to blame his racing heart on the one drink he’d had and not the fact that he caught himself checking out his oldest friend.
The streets of Capital City were alive with festivals. Streamers hung everywhere, orange lanterns making the haze of the night appear like a sunrise. Every few feet that they walked, there was a vendor offering meat on a stick or spicy fire flakes. Sokka even saw a stand that offered temporary tattoos like Aang’s arrow tattoo or Zuko’s scar.
As he turned to Toph to joke about getting matching Zuko scars, his eyes spotted something. “Toph!” he exclaimed. He pointed his finger in the direction of one of their favorite taverns.
She groaned. “Don’t tell me it’s what I think it is. Not the--”
“The Flaming Dragon!”
“--Flaming Dragon.” Toph shook her head. “Remember what happened the last time there, Snoozles? I don’t think they’ll let us near that place with a ten foot pole.”
He threw an arm around her shoulder and redirected their path, steering Toph towards the infamous building. “Even more reason to go. It’ll be fun!”
“And if we get kicked out? Sparky will have our asses on a stick.”
“I doubt they’ll even remember us.”
Sokka opened the door, holding it for Toph. The pair approached the tavern keeper, a bald firebender with a temper as hot as his bending. As soon as the man looked up, he shook his head violently. “No!” he shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at them. “I will not have you two back here. I just finished remodeling after the last festival!”
“They remembered,” Toph muttered, crossing her arms.
“I got this,” Sokka murmured back, before approaching the tavern keeper with a wide grin. He set his elbow on the table and leaned in. “Razi! Long time, no see. Listen, about last year--”
Razi grunted and shook his head again. “No. Leave before I make you.”
Sokka knew that he should have let it go at that point. But the challenge hung in the air, and he had to grab at it. “Is this because I insulted your business’s name? That was all in good fun, I promise! I mean, sort of. You couldn’t think of anything more creative than The Flaming Dragon? I can help you rebrand, you know.”
Razi whistled, and two larger men appeared from the corners of the tavern. Two men with very, very large muscles. Bigger than Sokka’s face. Before they could approach, Toph appeared at Sokka’s side. She grabbed his bicep and dragged him away from Razi and out of the tavern.
“Hey!” Sokka grumbled, yanking his arm out of her grasp. “I could’ve taken them!”
“That went exactly how I expected it to.” Toph gave him a cocky smirk. “I’d like to get a couple of drinks in me before we take on any beefy men, deal? There’s this new tavern that Sparky mentioned.”
“Fine,” Sokka drawled, turning away from Razi, who watched them warily from the doorway. “Lead the way.”
Luckily, this new place was only a few minutes away. Despite his stubbornness, Sokka had to admit that it was a pretty decent tavern. Low lighting, crooked tables, shady figures in the corners. The tavern keeper barely gave them a glance when they walked in, which was always a good sign.
“Sit down,” Toph ordered. “I’ll get us something to start off with.”
Sokka took a seat in a booth tucked in the back. It wasn’t long before Toph returned with two glasses and a large bottle of fire whiskey. He whistled, eyeing the drink. “So we’re getting absolutely shit-faced tonight, then?”
She shrugged, sitting down across from him. “Why not?” Toph filled her glass, swayed it around a bit, before saying, “Listen, before we get wasted, I need some advice.”
Sokka’s attention snapped back to her. Her head was held up high, but her milky eyes remained unfocused on the table. He leaned back and took a sip of his drink. “You’ve come to the right place. I’m simply oozing with good advice. Ask my dear friend, Razi.”
Toph pointedly rolled her blind eyes at him. “You’re such a dork. Has Aang mentioned all of Republic City’s crime issue’s to you?”
His shoulders sagged. “Only ten times a day. He’s been really stressed. The guy that he wanted to start up an actual police force was found to be working with some gang. So he’s back to ground zero.”
Toph finally raised the glass to her lips. Before taking a drink, she said, “Nope. He asked me to be police chief.”
Sokka’s jaw dropped. “You???
She snorted and set down her drink. “Don’t act so surprised. You know I love a good ass-kicking. I could be the chief of ass-kicking!”
“Oh, I believe that. But…usually you’re on the one that cops go after, not the other way around.”
To anyone else, that may seem like an insult. Toph, though, grinned at his comment, nodding in thanks. “That’s what I told Twinkle Toes, too. He told me that he had this idea to use metalbenders in the police force, though. That I could train them and lead them and stuff.” Her expression melted slowly into a slight scowl. “I mean, train a whole bunch of lily-livers to be cops? I have no idea if I would want to deal with that.”
Sokka nodded. “I can see your dilemma. It’s hard to imagine you as a chief of police. But, I have to admit it, Toph, you are a natural leader. And a great teacher, too. You’ve started several successful metalbending schools and you’re only, what, twenty-three?”
She finished off her drink and poured another. “Yeahhhh but then we couldn’t run any scams whenever you come into town.”
“Wait!” Sokka waved his hands, gesturing dramatically for Toph to stop. “If you were chief, you’d live in Republic City!”
“Wow, Snoozles, you’re real good with geography. I’m sure it impresses the women, doesn’t it?”
He slapped her wrist lightly. “Toph, we’d live in the same city! I can show you around town and to all the good restaurants. Hell, we could even get an apartment together!”
“Where on Earth did you get the idea that I would want to share an apartment with anyone, let alone you ? ”
Sokka stuck his tongue out at her and Toph cackled. Even though she was poking fun at him, making Toph laugh always brought a triumphant feeling that bloomed in Sokka’s chest. “Still though, wouldn’t that be great?” He slammed his fist down on the table. “I’ve changed my mind. You should take the job.”
They shot snarky quips back and forth at each other for what felt like only a few minutes. Sokka realized time was passing much quicker than it seemed when his eyelids began to grow heavy, both from tiredness and the whiskey. But stopping the conversation with Toph wasn’t an option. He was having too much fun to end it now.
That was, until Toph straightened up in the seat across from him. “So, Snoozles. Wanna talk about why it hurt you to see Suki with someone else today?”
Sokka frowned. “Whaddya mean?” Spirits, his words were beginning to slur together. That wasn’t a good sign.
“After Zuko and Suki made their announcement, your heartbeat skyrocketed. Sokka,” Toph leaned forward. A shiver ran down Sokka’s spine when she uttered his name. Toph hardly called him by name, always resorting to a goofy nickname. But when she did, it always gave him goosebumps. There was simply something about the way she said it.
He forced himself to refocus back on his friend as she continued, “It’s been seven years. I thought you were over her.”
“I am,” Sokka insisted. And he was. He thought the couple looked good together. They were happy, and so he was happy.
“Then why did it affect you so much?”
That was the golden question. The one Sokka had been asking himself all night. He stared at his empty glass before speaking up again. “I--I don’t know. I…this time of year always brings up emotions, you know?” He tried for a grin, though Toph remained expressionless as she listened. He cleared his throat and said, “It already brings up emotions as it is. I’m not upset that Suki is in a relationship with someone else, it’s more the aspect of…” Sokka winced at his next words. “…seeing two people be able to share their lives with each other.”
Toph raised an eyebrow. “So you’re lonely? Or are you just horny?”
Sokka thanked the spirits that Toph couldn’t see his blush. “I guess you could say I’m lonely. I’m doing a lot with life, but I don’t really have anyone to share it with. All these emotions kinda got mixed together tonight.”
“You idiot, you do have someone to share things with.”
Sokka blinked. “I do?”
She scoffed. “Me, dumbass.” This time, it was Toph who donned a pink tint on her cheeks. “I may not be a romantic partner, but I still care about you. I want to know about the things going on in your life.”
Slowly, a smile made its way onto Sokka’s face. He poked at Toph’s hands. “Aw, you care about me, Toph?” Despite his teasing tone, her words made their way straight to his heart and he couldn’t stop grinning.
She jerked her hands away and turned her face to the side, even though she couldn’t actually see him. “Yes. Ugh, don’t make me say it again. And don’t you dare tell anyone that I got all soft on you. Some of us have a reputation to uphold.”
“My lips are sealed.”
Toph turned back to him. “I get it, though. Seeing Katara and Aang’s family, how happy they make each other…it’s hard to not want to find that with someone.”
Sokka reached for the bottle to refill both of their glasses and found it completely empty. His mouth dropped open. “How did we drink that so fast?”
“It’s gone already?” Toph winced. “Snoozles, I think that’s a sign. We should call it.”
“At least we didn’t destroy anything,” Sokka mentioned as he moved to get up. His limbs seemed to register his movements half a beat slower than normal, moving sluggishly.
“Don’t jinx it.”
Together, they began their trek back to the palace, leaning on the other for support. At one point, Toph suggested that she use earthbending to get them back. Sokka nearly took her up on the offer when he remembered all her past uses of earthbending for transportation, and that it would likely result in lots of damage that Zuko wouldn’t like. Instead, they pulled each other along until they ended up back within the palace gates.
“That took so long,” Sokka moaned, leaning against the wall as he trudged on. “Why is walking a thing? How can we get rid of it?”
“Sorry, Snoozles,” Toph yawned, stretching out and smacking him in the face. “I don’t think walking is going anywhere for a while.”
He glared down at her. “Did you do that on purpose?”
“No,” Toph smiled.
They reached their rooms and Sokka turned to face Toph. He looked down at her, and for the first time in years, his heart skipped a beat. He had always known that Toph was beautiful, but after knowing her for so long, he’d apparently forgotten it. Her lips curved up in a naturally smug smile that always hung on her face. A strand of hair had fallen out of her bun and dangled in front of her eyes.
Without thinking, Sokka reached out and tucked the strand of hair behind Toph’s ear, letting his hand fall down to his side slowly. His fingertips tingled where they had brushed against her skin, as if she was electric. His heart pounded in his ears so loudly that he was sure that Toph didn’t even need earthbending to hear it.
Yet, despite it all, Toph appeared unfazed. She punched his shoulder and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow for the hangover, Snoozles.”
She turned to open her door, until Sokka caught her wrist and yanked her back, pulling her in for a tight hug. He knew Toph hated hugs on a normal basis, but today was not a normal day. “Thanks for earlier, Toph,” Sokka rasped into her ear. He let go of her and stepped back.
That time, Toph appeared slightly fazed. She blinked, keeping her gaze straight. “Anytime, Sokka.” And she disappeared into her room.
Sokka collapsed on his bed and stared at the ceiling with a small smile. Toph was right. It would be nice to have a romantic partner, but there was already someone special in his life. He had Toph Beifong. Why would he need anyone else?