Dawn of a New Prince (Star Wars/Avatar Crossover)

Sokka nodded and stood up. Quickly, he slashed with it like a dagger before throwing it in the air. Soon enough, it came flying back.

He grinned and hugged the younger girl, "Toph, I could kiss you!"

As soon as he took in his words, however, he began to blush, "Um, I mean, if you want and, um..."

Toph blushed prettily and smiled. Her spirits returned. She could do something right, it seemed. It was worth it to hear and feel Sokka so happy.

"You don't have to thank me," she said. "I mean, I'd do anything for you, and... Well, you stood up for me. Thank-you, by the way."

Sokka felt himself smile back at Toph. If he watching himself, he'd say that his smile looked goofy, but at the moment, he didn't care. She really was pretty when she blushed, he noted.

"Um, you're welcome. And I'd do anything for you too," he told her. Their faces were about an inch apart and the Water Tribe boy was panicking on the inside. Still, he was Sokka and he did what he did best in these situations. He improvised. He closed the gap between them and after a few seconds, pulled away.

"But, yeah. Thank you," he told her awkwardly.

Mara

"I was only speaking the truth." Mara retorted as she flew the ship.

Toph offered up one of her rare blinks. She looked rather shocked by what Sokka had just done, and when she spoke she sounded uncertain.

"Did you just... kiss me?"

"Um..." Sokka started, not having anything to say this time. He didn't know if Toph would be angry or upset or what. He cursed himself for doing something like this without think. He nodded nervously, "Yes."

"Oh."

She might have teased him for being so nervous and fidgety, had it been any other time. But it wasn't. This was entirely new for her, and after all that had happened the past few days... Toph did not know how to take it all in.

"But why?" she said, at last. "You're with Suki, and I'm just a little girl."

"You're not a little girl," Sokka told her, frowning a bit as he sat next to her, "And well, we've been through a lot together these last few days and... Well, my body just acted."

"I'm sorry. We can pretend it never happened, if you want," he told her hurriedly.

Toph sighed. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not forget about it." She smiled, and said, "It was nice. I just... wasn't expecting it, and... Well, I never thought you'd ever want to kiss me."

"Well, I never thought a lot of stuff would happen. You know, finding the Avatar, fighting Vader," Sokka noted, a small smile on his face, relieved that Toph wasn't angry at him, "The Universe loves to surprise me."

"You make it too easy," she teased. She paused. "Sokka... So, what are we now?"

Zareal

"It's only what you percieved to be true," Zareal said. "And even if you believe it, why tell her that? Why provoke her and then cut her down? What do you gain from it, aside from your allies contempt? Or has your master not taught you some civility?"

"Do not," he argued. He looked up at her question and sighed, "I don't know. We're close friends. Close friends that are imprisoned together and hang out a lot. What... do you think we are? What do you want us to be?"

He scowled. Not for the last time, he wished he had his father with him. He would know just what to say to him to help.

Toph clenched her jaw, wondering what to say. Even now, she was still not used to revealing so much of herself. It made her feel vulnerable.

But she trusted Sokka.

"I don't know," she said. "I just... I just want to be with you, for a long time." She shivered, grasping for the courage she needed to say this. "If I'm your best friend, or something else, I don't care. I just want to know we'll always be... you know. Together. I want you in my life. I want to be in yours."

She laughed shakily. "But I guess that just sounds stupid."

"Nah, it's not," Sokka argued, blushing a brightly. He never knew Toph thought so highly of him. Sure, they had been through a lot together, but even he knew revealing something like this was a rare occurrence to Toph, a sign that she trusted him.

"I feel the same way. I would be very down if you decided you had enough and went home and I really, really want to keep you safe," he told her seriously, "I never knew how much I would do to keep yourself until Vader had us both helpless."

Toph nodded. "Me too. I hated being in that position... knowing there was nothing I could do, that he could've--!"

She cut off, unwilling to finish. She meant to say "killed you," and she unable to stop it, but it was too horrible to contemplate. She didn't want to.

"I know I'm pretty much useless to you guys right now," she said, "since my handicap makes me the weak link. But I just want you to know... I'll do my best to help you. I'll give everything I've got to watch your back."

"It's only a small handicap," Sokka told her with a frown, gripping her hand for a moment before letting go before he could get them in another awkward situation, "Besides, I'm definitely the weakest wink. My weapons are useless against benders and Vader and his men. All I'm good for is making sure we get on Appa on time."

He looked down, "You guys are all amazing benders. I'm only good for a distraction in battle."

She frowned. "Better a distraction than a sitting duck. I hate that bitch, but... Sokka, she was kind of right." Her shoulders slumped. "All they have to do is use their weird mind magic on me, and then I'm up in the air and helpless. I can't "see" their weapons, either. It wouldn't matter how hard I fight. I'd still be in the way."

And Toph hated thinking such, after being so independent for so long.

"Besides," she said, smiling, as she patted his arm with her hand. "You're smart. You're practically a genius. That's more than useful."

"Well... I guess I'll have to use my intelligence to figure something out then," Sokka told her, smiling back at the compliment. Most people never complimented his intelligence. Well, no one but his dad and the Mechanist that one time. It was a whole lot better than being called dumb.

"Maybe I can be your eyes in combat in the meantime. Tell you where something is coming from and stuff," he told her.

She chuckled a little. "So, what? You'll be my Seeing Eye Sokka?" she said, gracing him with an honest to goodness smile.

"Hey, if Momo can do it, I can do it!" he told her indignantly, though he was unable to hide the grin on his face.

"Alright then," she said. "We'll give you a try. It's worth a shot, at least. And, well..." Toph gave him a light punch in the arm. "I trust you, more than anyone or anything."

Sokka grimaced as he rubbed his arm, but he couldn't help a small smile "Same here, well, except for Katara, but she's my sister. I pretty much have to trust her or she'd throw one of her fists."

He got up and looked mischievously at her, "What do you say we have a proper breakfast? Fruit is for monks and their pets."

"I thought you'd never ask!" said Toph. She stood and offered Sokka her hand. "Let's go kill us some meat-creatures."

Sokka grinned and took it, surprised at the gesture, but deciding to accept it. He gripped his newly-fixed boomerang, "Let's go. Maybe Aang will see reason today. He should be in a good mood."