ATLA/LOK Fem Imagines

The Beifongs 3 (side plot) - Toph

Requested post.

Scarcely relates to the main "The Beifongs" plot.

Red-orange and yellow streaks coat the evening sky. They blend into one another so seamlessly that deciphering where red coils end and where yellow ones begin seems impossible to detect without a microscope. The colors bounce off the bobbing clear blue water before my partner and me, showing off the clean sea floor. I take my eyes off the tropical ocean. For a moment, my gaze naturally falls upon the other heavenly sight beside me.

"Now, this is living the life," Toph sighs with her hands intertwined behind her head. A shiny grin spreads her lips thin as she basks under the fire nation sun. The light sizzles on the white sand. Her bangs sway on beat with the soft ocean breeze. 

"Don't I know it," I hum as I reposition to slump further against my red and white striped beach chair.

After years of intense labor and grueling crime scenes, we saved enough money for vacation. Toph specifically chose the ember island as it reminded her of the days when teaching the avatar to earth bend was her only job. Not that she admitted to that, though.

We've only been here for about two days so far, and we're trying to make the most of it. I don't know about Toph, but I'm enjoying myself. I can nap for however long I like with the comfort of the waves crashing against the shore. The shushing calms my mind.

"Wanna go in for a dip?" Toph asks, which honestly takes me by surprise. The earth bender, I know, despises the water as she can't sense anything.

I peek an eye open, glancing over at my grinning lover, "Are you playing with me?"

Her dark eyebrows raise, a smirk forming as she shifts onto her side to access me better, "No, but I can if you want to."

"Toph!" I belt, feeling a warmth grow on my cheeks.

She only cackles, curling her fingers around the white plastic to lift herself from the lounge chair. She planted her foot into the sand as we basked in the sun, so she's only swinging her other foot over.

"I will never get tired of making you all flustered," Toph sighs as she stands tall. She surprised me a lot today, it seems, starting with her unusual decision to wear her hair free from her typical bun. Toph's blessed with the most lushes hair: silky, shiny, glossy, long, and thick. Her hair did not appear this way when I first met her, though. Only after a year of dating and subtly suggesting hair products did her hair reach this godly state. She's just so perfect, even if she's confusing and annoying.

The golden sun casts on her back, creating a highlight around her body. The yellow merely reflects off her pale skin like she's a Greek goddess of sorts. Even her jet-black hair appears a soft brown in the brilliant sun. My jaw drops as her hair sways sideways in the breeze.

"Oh, boy," she begins, slightly shaking her head as she begins to feel my reactions. "At least I know you're not falling out of love with me for a while."

"Never," I whisper while trying to hide my fear of her falling out of love. Silly, I know, especially after our talk, but not much has changed except for her declaring her affection more often. Or, maybe I'm not paying enough attention.

Following her stance, I loop my arm in hers, leaning onto her bare shoulder as we step toward the shoreline. I will not find amazement in her strength: both physically and mentally. She's fifty-five and still sports the same muscles she earned in her prime, maybe a bit beefier. I don't know how I got so lucky with a goddess like Toph.

A breathy chuckle bubbles from beside me. The vibrations ripple from Toph's shoulder to my cheek. Turning to the retired woman, I question, "What's so funny now?" Her lips curve into the brightest smile, an expression I thought I would never see from her again. She exposes her perfect teeth to add to her unmeasurable beauty.

"I'm just happy to hear that you love me," she expresses while holding her grin. My cheeks burn, and desperate to hide, I bury myself further into her side. She welcomes the affection, though, rubbing my arm as we walk.

I mumble against her bicep, "I thought I told you to stop doing that?"

Her eyebrows pinch together, and her head cocks back slightly as she releases another round of laughter.

What an ass.

"You're a-" I begin.

She continues through a spurt of a giggle, "Ass-hole. I know, and you love it."

"Sure," I agree shortly.

Our feet meet-soggy ground, sinking into the refreshing saturated sand. Each pellet sticks to our skin, unwilling to unhand us until they dry. The crystal clear ocean crashes at our ankles and pulls out of the shoreline. As I take a stuttered breath, I allow the sun's shine to warm me from the violent ocean breeze, and the salty air fills my lungs. The air shifts; the biting draft piercing my nostrils blends into this hydrating embrace.

"I hope you know how much I love you," Toph whispers, her voice abruptly sincere and passionate.

My jaw unclenches, and my eyebrows raise as my lips twitch into an uncontrollable grin. I turn to Toph fully, reaching up for her face. My hands cup her strong jaw, securing her as I plant my lips against hers. She hums against my mouth, her arms instinctively wrapping around my midsection.

"I do. I love you, Toph. You are everything to me," I admit. Her whole face blends into a firey red, so bright I bet anyone could spot her from a mile away. Even her ears seem to heat up. Her hands slide from my waist, trailing down my arms until her calloused hands wrap around mine.

"I-I wanted to do this for a very long time. I just never-I never had the time to properly sit down, and think it through. Now that I'm retired, I know I need to stop making excuses and just go ahead and do it," Toph explains while squeezing my hands. I attempt to search for her thoughts by observing her expressions. Though mostly relaxed, her shoulders are drawn somewhat high.

"What are you trying to say?" I lean toward her eagerly, never once tearing my gaze from her milky green eyes. She can't see me, but that doesn't make her any less captivating.

Can it be? Finally. After decades together, is she finally willing to seal the deal? Here I am, thinking she'd never marry me because she doesn't care for titles.

She smirks and detaches our hands from one another to reach into her swimming shorts pocket, "I wanted to do something grand for you. I know you love that stuff, but I figured I'd stay honest with us. So, Y/n, I love you with every piece of me. Please, marry me?" She asks, flipping a small black box open.

My heart pounds against my ribs, and the weight I never knew I carried until this moment feathers from my shoulders. Suddenly, I can breathe comfortably, my shoulders rising and falling naturally rather than forcing myself to do so. No longer do I imagine tip-toeing on eggshells. Toph seems so clear. She's always been a bit of a mystery to me when questioning the true nature of her emotions. Now, though, I can see I worried myself sick for nothing. I admit I feel foolish for not believing in her affection sooner.

"Toph!" I belt, throwing my arms over her shoulders. Toph's raspy giggles engrave into my mind and solidify this unforgettable moment by lifting me slightly and twirling me around.

Once settled upon the ground again, Toph cups my cheeks, kissing all over my face as the sun sets behind us and cool water crashes at our ankles.

Oh, I can't wait to tell our girls.