Odd Man Out

When the war is over, Suki goes back to Kyoshi Island, and Sokka goes back to the South Pole.

Eventually.

It takes Sokka a few weeks to pull his sister away from her newfound true love (and it isn't like he's not happy for them, it's just that his baby sister is kissing the Avatar and it makes him want to put on his old beard and have a serious talk with them) since she refuses to leave without Aang, and the Fire Nation refuses to let the Avatar go since having him present for all the treaty negotiations is the only way everyone will believe that Fire Lord Zuko is doing The Right Thing.

Sokka feels a little sick watching everyone parade around in pairs. Zuko and Mai go for long walks in the garden and hide behind corners to trade gloomy insights and poetry, and Aang and Katara go around holding hands and constantly give each other sappy looks. He often thinks, wistfully, of the short days ago when he and Suki did the same thing, without the gloomy insights, or the excessively sappy looks.

No matter where he goes, the air is permeated with love and peace and happiness.

Mostly love.

So he takes to sulking in the gardens and missing Suki. Occasionally, he trips over Toph's feet, as she seems to nap underneath the trees a lot. One day he actually stops to think about it, and realizes that when he isn't with Suki, something is different. In a world full of couples, he is alone.

"I am the odd man out," Sokka announces mournfully.

Somewhere in the garden, a bird chirps in agreement. He spies Toph's feet sticking out from underneath a nearby tree, and hurries over to her, overcome with emotion and the need to share his revelation with her.

Toph pointedly ignores him.

"Toph," Sokka says insistently. "I've realized something. We are the odd men out. Team Avatar has split up into twos and you and I are the only ones left out of the loop. Actually," he amends, "I have Suki, so I'm not always left out. But you are!" How could he not have noticed before? Toph really didn't have anyone... special.

"Who let you near the cactus juice?" Toph says finally, sitting up.

"So," Sokka says in what he hopes is a mature, brotherly way. "Don't you want a boyfriend, Toph?"

Toph stares at him like he's gone absolutely out of his mind.

"I'm twelve," she says.

"Aang's twelve," Sokka, the witty comeback guy, replies. Lamely.

"Aang is like one hundred and twelve, and he grew up with old people," Toph points out. "He has old people inside of him. It isn't the same thing as really being twelve."

Sokka tries again. "Yeah, but--"

"I am awesome," Toph says loudly. "I am awesome, I kick butt, and I like beating people up because I can, since I am that much cooler than they are. I like to laze around in the dirt and pick at my toenails when no one's watching. I have no interest in swapping saliva with anyone. I'm twelve.

"And all of you," she finishes, her face starting to turn pink, "are abnormal. It's like we're living in the old days where they just couldn't wait to grow up before having babies."

"S-S-Suki and I aren't having babies!" Sokka sputters.

"You might as well be," Toph says darkly. "You sure were having fun picking out baby names the other day. It was hard not to puke."

Sokka gasps. "You were listening?!"

"Believe me, I tried not to," Toph retorts. "Is this conversation over? I think it's the most embarrassing one I've ever had with anyone, including that life changing field trip with Zuko. Can I remind you of this when we have our next reunion?"

"I was just concerned," Sokka says, defensively. "You know. I didn't want you to be left out, or anything."

Toph stares blankly at him.

Sokka decides that maybe he should try to talk Katara into going home sooner, just in case.

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author's notes: I love this show to pieces, but they're all so serious about their serious relationships. I was honestly happy to see Toph not paired up. That's my girl! She has sense.