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There is simply something different about Toph tonight.
Sokka can’t tell what it is that keeps drawing his attention back to her. Of course, his attention rarely leaves her presence, anyways. The way she tilts her head back to laugh, the sharp green hiding behind her clouded eyes, the lilt of her smirk. Sokka can’t help but notice the way his heart squeezes as she snorts into her tea, nearly choking at his last joke. Nothing feels as good as making Toph Beifong laugh.
He snaps out of his stare when he hears her repeating his nickname several times. “Hello? Did you finally lose your last brain cell, Meathead?”
Sokka shakes his head and blinks. He gives her a sheepish grin and rubs his neck. “Sorry, were you saying something?”
“I was asking when you’re planning on going to the Southern Water Tribe next. You know, since you’re the ambassador and all. Figured you’d probably do that at some point.”
He glances out the window to watch the bustling energy of Republic City. It has grown exponentially since the first time he had ever visited, and Sokka has grown to love the organized chaos the city provides. The street vendors, the mixture of cultures and foods, the homes built on top of one another and smashed together to provide more space. It’s grown to be what Sokka calls home.
He turns back to face Toph, who is another reason he calls Republic City home. “Probably not for a while. I’m actually thinking of taking a job Aang offered me, as a councilman.”
Toph’s eyebrows rise, though she keeps her expression straight. “I thought you loved being able to travel back and forth for work. You know, getting basically a free trip home every few months.”
“I do. I did. I just--I want to spend more time with the people I have here. I’ve got a nephew now and another on the way, I want to be around more than I’m not.”
She sets down her teacup and leans forward on her elbows. “You really want to be a part of that stuffy council?”
Sokka scoffs with a grin threatening to take place on his lips. “Hey, I could liven it up! Besides, look who’s talking, Chief of Police Beifong.”
Toph laughs lightly and sits back. “Maybe it’ll be fun to have you around at City Hall. I’ll have someone to finally mess with.”
They begin to walk back to the police station, which is really a two-room house next to City Hall. Toph sighs as she looks over the building, clearly dreading going back to work. She pulls her long hair up into her classic bun and straightens her back.
“Thanks for the lunch, Snoozles.”
Something warm and alluring creeps up in Sokka’s chest. It has been years since he felt it, but it’s so clear that he can’t mistake it for anything else. His cheeks heat up as Toph moves to enter the police station. He doesn’t want her to go. Even if they’ll see each other tomorrow, he wants to be with her now.
As if she read his mind, Toph stops in her tracks and turns around a little. Her own face is flushed. “I meant what I said earlier, though. I’d really love it if you were always so close by. It would be--it’d be fun.”
She’s almost all the way through the door when Sokka snaps out of his haze and speaks. “Wait, Toph!” His voice cracks the way it used to when he was fifteen and he winces.
Still, she turns with a smirk and an arched eyebrow. “Yeah, Snoozles? Spit it out, I don’t have all day.”
“I was thinking that maybe we could…do an activity? Together?” Sokka immediately wants to slap himself in the face. He hasn’t had such difficulty asking a girl out since, well, since Yue . He internally groans. Toph is never going to let him down for this.
Toph doesn’t respond for a long, antagonizing moment. Finally, her smug look deepens. “Sokka, are you…are you asking me out? On a date ?”
“Yes,” he squeaks out. He clears his throat and responds with a heartily deep, “Yes. I am.”
She shrugs so casually that he would think she might be rejecting him, but then Sokka sees the rosy blush forming on her cheeks. “I promised Katara I would give her a visit tonight. But you can pick me up tomorrow at eight.”
With that, she spins on her heel and marches inside. Sokka lets go of the breath he has been holding and finally lets himself grin. “I’ll see you at eight,” he hollers after her.
“Don’t be late!” Toph shouts back, muffled by the door.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he responds, mostly to himself.
Sokka remains on the sidewalk, staring at the building for several minutes. His heart is pounding out of his chest and he feels like the whole world can tell, but he doesn’t.
He begins to make a list of everything he needs to do. First, tell Aang that he accepts the councilman position. Second, talk his feelings out with Katara so he knows that he’s doing the right thing (he already feels like he is, but Katara always manages to keep his head on straight). Third, plan a date for Toph Beifong, his best friend.
Sokka grins. Tomorrow is going to be incredible.