067: Death

Counting Down to Happiness

Three years. One thousand and ninety five days. Twenty six thousand, two hundred and ninety eight hours. One million, five hundred and seventy seven thousand, eight hundred and eighty minutes.

There were a multitude of things she hadn't thought about (like silky hair and sensuous smiles) before Sokka. The most important of those were numbers and counting, waiting for the precise moment to strike. She didn't hate many of the changes he put her through, but this counting, strategic game she loathed.

Because these numbers separated her from Sokka. These stupid, heavy numbers was the main reason for why she held back, what she used to justify why he won't look at her like all those older girls. The numbers were simple, but the meaning behind them were infinite and she gave them their power over her.

It was a little shocking, then, when those numbers didn't mean so much and he was still as far away as ever. He still seemed years away with all his past heartbreaks and girlfriends.

Toph had to catch up, had to continue pushing herself to enhance and improve, to add on to herself so he would look twice.

So when they finally were together, she stopped counting. She stopped counting the days since their first meeting when she'd dismissed him as useless and just the idiot who had stolen her belt. She stopped counting his girlfriends and the kisses he would give to anyone but her.

In those days of being together time mixed too much for her to give any care. In those days they had a family and they grew in age and wisdom.

And suddenly, one day, Toph woke up to realize they were old.

And then another day she woke up to find Sokka no longer was in this world with her anymore.

Now she doesn't count backwards, down to a time where she'll be able to go after him and he'll meet her halfway. Now she counts forward, in a linear progression. She counts the days and the months and the years it has been without Sokka.

Without her other who makes her whole, she is nothing but zero.

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014: Seasonal

April Showers Make Boys Give Girls Flowers

It seems that with every season Toph has a new boyfriend. Or a new 'Boy Toy' as she has dubbed them.

Sokka has come to accept this fact about her, even though it pains him a little. He knows that she's getting an even worse reputation that her merciless one in the ring. He can hear the whispers at the market when he walks with her. Good thing both of them have excellent aims in these cases; a craftily thrown rotten fruit always seemed to shut them up.

And even though many people call him dense, Sokka can see it. Even though she doesn't know that he does. He sees her focus on him, the longing in her shy smiles. He sees the despiration when she kisses the others, the men she trades in for another when they become clingy or boring. She wants to feel that way for them, not for Sokka anymore. She doesn't want to feel something for the man who is her best friend. Toph doesn't want to hurt Suki, the woman who loves him and who has saved her life twice.

He feels horrible about it.

Sokka wants to help Toph, why would he not? Ever since he was fifteen and she was twelve he's wanted to help her find the path that even her superior sight can't find. But he doesn't know how. He's too greedy to push her away. He wants her to love him.

Sometimes he catches himself wanting to love her too.

But then he feels Suki in his arms late at night and feels her heartbeat through his chest.

He truly hopes that she'll find love in those others. In those men that come and go with the seasons. Because he feels that one day, one spring when the grass comes back and the flowers are making Toph sneeze in annoyance, he won't be able to hold back anymore.

[It was actually winter when Sokka finally gave in and grasped Toph close.]

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066: Life

What Comes Around

When Toph heard the way Sokka and Suki's hearts would chime together in a flutter of nerves and excitement, she realized that maybe she couldn't win every battle. While the Blind Bandit was her, she was not entirely the Blind Bandit. The Blind Bandit may never lose fights, but Toph Bei Fong could and did.

It was agonizing to accept, but seeing the couple so happy with each other made it easier. Sokka wasn't making her feel this way on purpose; as always she never could truly blame that dope.

And then one day Toph woke up and looked at Sokka and didn't feel that deep ache like a battle wound, but only a dull throb. That day with him had been the most natural since they had first became friends, before he'd made her miss him and had given her part of that special rock of his. She still wears it on her arm and he still smiles whenever his eyes land on it.

Her life became lighter then.

Then she got a few other boyfriends to pass the time and see what this craze of love (not unrequited) was all about. They would smile and shakily ask to hold her hand (afraid of rejection or propulsion she didn't know) before they would kiss her. Toph enjoyed their company for a time, but then they would wear on her and she would break it off.

Sometimes they would get angry at her, but they were easily shut up with a rock or two. It wasn't like Toph didn't understand the pain of rejection, but she also knew that time would heal it all away. Just like the ocean to the mountain, it would slowly erode any hard edges of recent memories and feelings.

Toph had lulled into a state of passive aggressiveness where love wasn't really important anymore. But then something jolted her awake like lightning to the spine.

Because Suki broke up with Sokka.

It was shocking on a number of fronts yet the biggest was how Sokka didn't mope around in the least. He didn't even frown more than normal and just went about the day after losing a relationship that had gone on for years.

One night, when sipping their own distilled batch cactus juice, the earthbender had slyly asked the reason for the break-up.

Sokka did an odd half-hiccup, half-laugh for a few moments before he looked over and just smiled in a way Toph had never seen before. And then he said, as he moved his body right next to hers, of how he had fallen for his best friend. How he'd been an idiot about because it had taken his girlfriend to notice it for him.

As he kissed her, Toph realized that she never stopped loving him, but she had just lost it. But now that love had found her.

Now Toph plans to spend every moment in it. She doesn't want to lose it again.

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097: Eternal

Because You Asked

"Doesn't it just suck how everything eventually goes away?"

Sokka tilts his head that's resting on her thighs from the sky to her pensive face. He notices that her nose is crinkled up in distaste as well as the corners of her light eyes.

"That is just how the world is," Sokka says before a yawn ripples out of his mouth.

"But then it makes everything seem like it's for nothing. That we saved the world for nothing," Toph continued to lament up to the bright summer sky.

He gave a sigh before he reached his arms up, cupping the sides of her face and forcing her to look down at him.

"While nothing is forever," he says with a smile; "The present is imperative for those in it."

She blinks down at him before raising an eyebrow.

"While there isn't an indefinite amount of time, we should treasure and protect what time we have now," he end with as his smile grows.

"You're such a romantic it's sickening sometimes," she huffs, but there is a stain of deep pink across her face.

"And you love it," he says as he brings her face down to his.

As their lips touch and Sokka feels the tickling sensation of her bangs across his face, Sokka knows that he'd willingly fight again for these little moments that are lost in their countless days.

"And if it makes you feel any better I won't ever stop," Sokka continued when they pulled away from each other for a moment.

Toph thought he was joking for a moment, but then she felt the steady drum of a determined heart; it made her look away with a flush of happiness.

"Shut-up you idiot," she finally answered.

But Sokka knew better as he smiled wide.

AN: I can't believe all 100 are done. Honestly, I don't know what else to say than it's been fun guys. I hope you had fun as well :)