A/N: This is going to be a longer story than my one shots. Please as always review and if you have smut requests, send them in.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, Bryke are the masters!

Traveling in a group was always hardest when one of the group is in a bad mood. Sokka has gone through many emotions since his breakup with Suki. The Immediate and most powerful was heartache. It was pain that could have made a platypusbear run and hide. He never let loose tears in front of the group, but they all knew he had in private, alone. After a few weeks had passed, the pain dulled but morphed into a slow simmer of anger. That anger formed resentment inside of him.

What have I done to deserve this? He thought to himself. What is wrong with me? What's wrong with HER?

That made two women he had lost now. The hate boiled in him for a few more weeks before it cooled off and acceptance washed over him. then he quickly took the path of becoming numb. not his normal, funny, sarcastic self, and not saying much unless provokes to speak. Toph had grown sick of it very quickly - he was having more mood swings than a woman in her opinion. Katara and Aang were unsure of how to comfort him as they were happy in their relationship, so they avoided all public displays of affection for his sake. not just to avoid the "Oogie" talk, but so he wouldn't feel his heartache increase at the reminder that he had no one. His mood was really making their travels quiet and awkward, though they understood for the most part.

The group was setting up camp in the earth kingdom today. Zuko, now Firelord Zuko, had sent them all messages to come see him as soon as they could as he has an announcement that he only wanted his close friends to hear... and they all knew what that meant. Zuko and Mai had always been together, especially after the war ended. Their little engagement secret was no secret to them. It was inevitable. And they would all have to act surprised while Sokka would have to pretend to be happy and not overwhelmingly jealous.

Peace across the world had been very difficult at first to achieve. Especially with the fire nation colonies in the earth kingdom, which had taken up most of their time. Now, two and a half years after the end of that terrible war, peace was becoming easier to achieve, leaving more time for everyone to focus on their personal lives, or lack thereof.

While the gang could have stayed at the inn in the nearby village, being out under the sun and moon made things feel like the good old days when things were simple. Well, not that simple. Aang was still trying to master the elements at that time, Zuko had been hunting them down like criminals, Aang was having crazy ups and downs over his feelings for Katara... not to mention Sozin's comet coming soon and the battle between himself and the insanely evil Firelord looming ahead. but with all of that over now and as a fully realized Avatar the world expected so much from him. He set the bar pretty high.

All of the political strife he had to endure sometimes felt like more than he could take, he was only 15 after all. therefore, this field trip of sorts was very much appreciated by him.

The sun was hot and everyone was wearing pretty skimpy clothing, the boys not even wearing shirts. With the tents and tarps pitched, campfire started, and supplies unpacked, they all fell into an old routine that was very much missed. Sokka walked down to the edge of the campsite and perched himself atop some boulders overlooking the water, hoping to catch some juicy fish for dinner. Aang went to look purchase some extra fruit and nuts from the village besides the ones they had packed for the trip, while Katara was to search the forest for good firewood. And Toph did as she always had done; set up her little earth tent and then lay in the sun, relaxing.

Great! Toph thought to herself. those two lovebirds get to go secretly make-out in the forest while I'm here stuck with him.

She was laying with her arms folded behind her head, feeling the blazing sun on her skin. Surely she was going to be tan by the time this trip was over but it wasn't like she cared what she looked like.

She should care though. Puberty had changed all of them and Toph had been no exception. She had grown quite a bit since the war had ended. She was still rather tiny, running just under 5 feet tall. Her body had grown into that of a beautiful young woman's. Her chest had filled out nicely, her breasts an entire cup size larger than Katara's though she was 2 years younger. Her hips were that of a woman's too, rear included. Her form was slender yet muscular at the same time, classic of an earthbender. Despite her beautiful body, she still wore relatively loose clothing. She always wore her space metal that she bent into an anklet. She was wearing a simple sleeveless v-neck shirt that was a pale green color paired with forest green shorts that were a little tighter around her rear then she was comfortable with. But Katara had picked them out and said she looked great in them. No shoes, as always.

Katara has been there for Toph when her mother wasn't, as their relationship was, well, non-existent. Katara was 14 and Toph was 12 when the war had ended, so the last two and a half years were hard. She learned a lot from her. She taught her how to bind her own chest (She HAD to, she was a busty girl). About that whole miracle of being a woman that came once a month, of which Toph blatantly said was bullshit. And Katara, being the motherly type, had been the one to give her the sex talk. Katara and Toph had become like sisters over the years, Katara cared for her outwardly all the time and Toph punched her in the arm a lot. It worked. One other thing Katara talked Toph into doing was letting her oil and comb out her hair. She had not cut it since the war and when properly treated by her 'sister', it hung straight down to the small of her back. She still had her long bangs though. The ones that Katara frequently said 'hid her beautiful porcelain face'. Toph and Katara, when dressed properly, would be tied for most beautiful. But Toph was still Toph. Same personality, same way of dealing with things; head on. And still stubborn.

Toph could hear and feel Sokka sitting on a large boulder at the river's edge, casting his line and waiting for the fish to take the bait. Though fishing did not require talking, she knew his silence had a deeper root than just pure concentration. Normally she would be relaxed in the quiet, steamy hot afternoon... but his silence was awkward and tense.

I am so sick of this. So she dumped you. Get over it. She sighed and crossed her legs, trying to get comfortable. Some people just aren't meant to be together... She added in her mind miserably. Then something struck her as odd. Wait, since when did I start to give a crap? It's absolutely none of my business. But come on! It's been what, two... two and a half months? Just please move on so we all can... and so we can have you back to normal.

Toph sat up and slowly pulled her legs into her chest, folding her arms on top of her knees. She was very uneasy about being left alone with Sokka. She wasn't sure how to break the tension he had created. Toph was not exactly the perfect shoulder to cry on. She was no Sugar Queen. She signed and pulled herself off the ground slowly, stretching in the sun before walking over to Sokka and his boulder. She was a few yards away, wanting to stay away from the water. She liked to stay where she can see with her feet. Sokka heard her behind him but didn't turn to face her. he didn't really want to talk right now. He hoped if he was silent and still for long enough she would go away. Fat chance. Everyone knows when Toph sets her mind to doing something she does it.

"Sokka..." Was all she could manage to say, clearly well versed in the art of conversation.

He didn't respond to her. Sokka pretended not to hear her. At his continued silence she grumbled internally and earthbent a small rock out of the ground and sent it flying towards the back of his head. it was a perfect shot of course, the rock bouncing off the back of his skull. Even though he was not slightly irritated, he didn't move or say anything still. After waiting for a response from him she audibly growled. That's it! She snarled silently.

"Hey!" She shouted at his back.

Her attitude didn't seem to phase him. After a few more second he finally said something to her.

"What do you want Toph?" He asked coldly, his lack of emotion very uncharacteristic.

"We need to talk." She said simply, laying her cards out on the table.

"Why? So you can just tell me to suck it up and stop feeling sorry for myself?"

Yeah, pretty much. She thought, but decided against saying that to him. Instead, she pleaded with him sternly.

"But that's just it. you're NOT feeling sorry for yourself. You're not feeing anything at all."

"Right, because you know me so damn well." He retorted rather quickly, a little rage slipping passed his lips.

She huffed before responding. "I've known you for a while. long enough to see that you are ignoring everything that could make you feel some level of happiness - and I CAN'T SEE!"

He scoffed and turned to look at her over his shoulder. "Why do you even want to talk about this with me?"

She honestly had no clue. So, naturally, she lied. "It's not like you can vent to the two love birds about this. how can they relate?"

"How can you?" He retorted a little louder than necessary, turning on his boulder to face her completely.

His words stung her for some reason, so much so that she flinched. It was true. She had never loved and lost like he had. How could she relate?

"Because I'm alone like you. It just doesn't bother me."

Liar. they both thought at the same time.

He threw his fishing pole into the dirt and slid off the boulder, stomping up to her. He looked down into her pale eyes, having at least two heads on her height wise. "Look, this isn't your problem." he said forcefully, trying to make her drop the subject.

Her face stayed fixated on his chest as she pointed a finger in his face. "You're wrong! you're making it EVERYONE'S problem!"

"Just stop this, you can't make this better." His voice dropped a little flat, almost in a defeated tone.

Now she was getting angry with him. "You can't just not deal with this!" She yelled back at him, crossing her arms under her chest.

"I have dealt with this!" He screamed back, throwing his hands in the air.

"No you haven't!" Now she was waving her arms in the air around their intense conversation. "You're avoiding it and everyone who cares about you! The only reason you are even here right now and not in some corner of the southern water tribe feeling hollow is because Katara made you come out here! For your friend!"

There it was. That line that she shouldn't have crossed. he looked away from her and walked passed her, bumping her with his shoulder purposefully.

"Good talk Toph." He whispered, the words hinting at the pain that lay beneath his skin.

He left to go have some alone time in his tent as she balled her fists in rage. Yeah, great job you idiot. she scolded herself. She was so angry at the both of them that she lifted the cluster of boulders Sokka had been fishing on and with a loud scream/grunt threw them into the river, landing with a rough splash. She stood there for a while just trying to breathe calmly before deciding to take a walk along the river bank to clear her head, and maybe come up with a better way to talk to her friend in need.