Book Four: Air, Part Two

OOC: It's up to you, Toko. I don't care.

***

IC: Toph

"Sounds good to me," said Toph. She chuckled. "I am starting to get a little hungry. I'm sure there's a nice place to get some food at in this town."

"Maybe they'll give us a discount too, being heroes and all," Sokka said with a grin as he took her hand and led her towards the main street of the village.

"You're really pushing the hero thing, aren't you?" said Toph, cheerfully. She kept a hold of his hand as he led them down the street. Her stomach growled. "Just find us a nice place first, genius."

"Well, I think we deserve a little reward," Sokka told her with a laugh being leading her to a fish place near the dock, "How about here? I haven't had barbecued fish in ages. Maybe we can get a table by the river."

"That'd be nice." Toph meant it, too. She was fine with rivers as long as she wasn't in one. "I've never had barbecued fish, either. I like trying new things."

"It's great," Sokka promised her as he took her hand and led her towards the restaurant with a grin, "I guess I'll be buying just this once."

"Fine by me," said Toph. She chuckled. "Believe it or not, I like being treated ever so often."

She squeezed his hand and walked alongside him. They were shown to one of the tables by the river. It was cool here, and very comfortable.

Sokka grinned as he finished ordering before turning to Toph. He thought for a moment, wondering what to talk about while their food was being prepared. He spoke, "So, when did you start to like me? Just curious."

"That's... That's a bit of a hard question," said Toph, shrugging. She leaned back in her seat and relaxed. She could be herself around Sokka. "I'd have to say, though, that I first started liking you when you tried to keep me from leaving. You know, after that huge blow-up when we hadn't sleep in a while, and Azula was chasing us.

"I know it was just 'cause you knew Twinkle Toes needed an earthbending master, but still. It felt nice, thinking someone care about me, that I might have a friend."

"Toph, I considered you a friend from the moment I met you," Sokka told her with a wide grin, surprised but strangely flattered that his girlfriend had like him for all this time, "Already, I knew you were someone I could count on.

"Besides, traveling with Aang and Katara was dull. I wasn't about to go back to that by letting you leave. You're my best friend."

"You're my best friend, too," said Toph. She smiled. "It's always been a riot, hanging out with you. I wouldn't trade our times for anything in the world."

"Me either," Sokka told her in agreement, smiling back. Toph was special to him. She wasn't just someone to hang around or a woman to kiss and be romantic too. She was his constant companion, someone who could playfully punch him one minute and embrace him the next.

"I'm glad we're in agreement on that one," said Toph. She sniffed the air and grinned. "Oh! I think our food just got done."

She was right. The waiter returned with their orders, and set the plates of barbecued fish on the table she and Sokka shared. Toph dug in immediately and smacked her lips appreciatively.

"You're right. It is good."

"I know," Sokka told her with a grin, pleased with himself as he stuffed a piece of fish in his mouth before gasping and spitting it out into the river, "Ah! Hot!"

Toph laughed. "Careful there," she said. "We don't want your mouth burning off, you know!"

"Glad to see my pain amuses you," he told her sarcastically, "What if I burned my tongue so badly that I couldn't taste anything?!"

"Even you wouldn't be stupid enough to eat something that would burn your tongue." Toph grinned even wider. It was a very mischeivous smile. "Do you want me to kiss you and make it better?"

Sokka blushed a little, but he returned the smilie, "Hmm... Maybe I would. Would you be willing to do it now, in front of all these people."

He gestured to their fellow diners.

She didn't see the gesture, but she did hear the smile behind his voice. Toph shrugged, still smiling herself.

"Since when do I care what other people think? So, yeah, I am willing to do it now. Do you want one, Snoozles?"

"Hmm... Maybe," he teased her with a a smile as he took her hand and leaned in close to her, "There's only one way to find out, isn't there?"

Toph chortled. "I guess so," she said.

She leaned forward too, and kissed him. Toph missed at first, and kissed his chin. But she only smiled and kept kissing up until she found his lips. Once she hand, she kissed him again, and then again.

Sokka smiled and kissed her back, making sure to hold her against him tightly. Secretly, he loved her clumsy kisses. It was something unique about her and when she finally reached his lips, it was amazing.

"You're getting good at this."

"Don't lie. I know I'm clumsy," she said, but she didn't sound that embarrassed. Kissing Sokka had that kind of mind-numbing affect on her. She liked it. "But I won't mind if you keep telling me that." She kissed him again and settled closer to him.

"Only when you're looking for my mouth," he teased her as he ignored the stares and the shouts from some of their fellow diners. This was actually fun. Suki would never have done this, but then, that was one of the things that made Toph so special.

"Get a room!" someone shouted.

Toph flipped off the person behind that voice, but she did pull away. She had to breathe sometime, after all. She took in a few gulps of air, her cheeks flushed and a smile darting over her lips.

"We keep doing that sort of thing, people are gonna start thinking," she said, chuckling at the thought.