Tokka: 5 Years After the War (Avatar: TLAB-LoK WA 2017)

Toph:7

Toph stood in front of her closet with a finger on her chin, concentrating hard. She didn't know what to wear. Her green dress from her home or the newly washed warm dress that Sokka had bought her. She couldn't exactly see which one was which, but she could feel with her hands.

She could still hear Sokka when he had intruded into the bathroom while she was singing. Toph had never let anyone hear her voice, and she meant ANYONE. Sokka was the very first person to hear her sing. Of course, she didn't mind. She would rather it be him than Katara. Katara would have drooled over her voice and made her sing in front of everyone. She was actually shy, believe it or not, and she would rather not be embarrassed in front of the gAang.

The atmosphere in that small room had been building up to something, she could tell. It was going to explode and both Toph and Sokka knew it. She had tried to play it off cool by punching him, but she wasn't sure if she had put enough steam into it. What if he could see right through her? What if, some how, he knew that she liked him?

Toph shivered, and not just from the cold. She wasn't sure that she was ready for him to know. What if he didn't feel the same? No, she knew that he didn't feel the same way. She had heard him say that he thought of her as a sister. It broke her heart thinking about it, even though it was years ago. I should probably get dressed, she thought. The cold arctic air seemed to seap into the house. Toph was beginning to feel the chill in her bones, so she pulled a random dress out of closet. There were more clothes in it then just her two dresses. She wasn't exactly sure what she pulled out, but it seemed to be warm enough. As long as it covered her, Toph didn't care what she wore. Since she couldn't see, she really didn't care about her appearance. Though it did hurt when others commented on her poor outfit choices.

She slipped on the dress and brushed the invisible dirt off of it. Her hand reached up and she brushed her fingers through her hair. That should do it, she thought. She opened the door and stepped into the hall, expecting to hear Sokka.

" Sokka?" She called when she didn't hear anything. No reply came back. She felt a little scared that he wasn't there to help her to the living room. Toph took a deep breath and decided that she could do it, she was smart and strong enough to make it there. Besides she would have to get used to this place. She definitely liked it better than her own house because she had more freedom and her friends were there. Friends. She loved her friends but one of them she wished was more... It hurt to think of him like that because she knew that he didn't feel the same way. But.... She didn't know for sure.

She couldn't think like that now. Aang and Katara were going to dinner, and she would be alone with him. Nothing to worry about, she chided. We'll probably talk and eat. She made her way slowly to the kitchen.

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Toph entered the kitchen through the door. Well... at least she thought it was the kitchen. She could hear voices that sounded like Katara and Aang. They were talking softly, just quiet enough that she couldn't make out the words. She pictured them huddled together at the table whispering. This made her smile, but she wasn't sure why.

"Hey guys. What cha talking about?" She ventured closer to the table trying to find a chair without stupidly sticking out her hands or tripping. Aang and Katara went silent.

"Uh, Toph? What are you wearing?" Aang blurted out.

"I'm not entirely sure. I'm blind, remember?" She spat at him. Did he think that she could actually put together a decent outfit? The dress seemed fine to her. But what did she know? Had she seen the dress? No. For all she knew, it could be a circus costume.

"Your okay Toph. It's just... that dress is my-" she was cut off by a bang. Sokka had just "entered" the room. (He had actually fallen, for he had been eavesdropping)

Hey," he said sheepishly," so what's going on- That dress. Wow, where did you get it?"

She was just about to answer when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Sokka. She blushed scarlet, her checks burning. Any educational answer to his question flew out of her mind.

"I... Uh...." She was distracted by the warmth of his hand on her bare shoulder.

"It was our mother's... before she, you know," he told Toph.

She gasped,"Oh, I'm sorry. Ill go change."

She made for the door, but Sokka grabbed her wrist. She blushed even more, and turned away so that he couldn't see the hurt on her face. He didn't like it on her of course. She hung her head in shame. Why was she thinking that? This was his dead mother's old dress. She shouldn't be wearing it. Seeing the dress probably brought up painful memories for him and Katara. She tried to tug her wrist out of his grip, but she just didn't have the energy.

"Wait, Toph," she paused and turned to face him, ashamed for being so selfish," keep it. You look beautiful in it. Besides, I know my mom would want you to have it."

She was utterly speechless. Had he called her beautiful? Did he want her to have the dress? She felt guilty about being happy that he liked it. She finally formed a complete sentence.

"Oh no, I couldn't"

"I insist. I don't want it, it wouldn't fit me," Toph could her a smile in his words. She smiled too, giving in.

"All right. I guess if you're ok with it," she spun in a circle to give him a good look at her. She stumbled a bit, but she was getting used to being "blind".

"Well... on that note... I think Katara and I will be heading out," Aang got up from his chair. Toph's stomach did a wild flip.