Sokka made his way back in the house, shuffling the mail between his fingers. There was one envelope that stuck out, ornate and heavy. He knew what it was; he had been expecting the invitation to his nephew's wedding to arrive any day now. What he wasn't quite prepared for was the conversation he was about to have with his wife.
"Anything good?" she wondered when she heard the door open.
"We qualify for senior discounts at the Lotus Café now," Sokka commented with a small laugh as he tossed the coupon explaining this on the table before her. Toph reached out and grabbed it, running her hands around the edge carefully.
"I get free food there anyway."
"You do?"
Toph looked incredulous, leaning back in her chair, "Yeah. Hello? War hero here," she scoffed poking herself in the chest, "If you haven't been working that angle you've been missing out, sir."
"Sometimes I wonder if you trained Aang in earthbending solely for the free eggrolls," he replied.
"If only I had been that forward thinking at twelve," she lamented wistfully of her missed opportunities before perking up to inquire, "anything else?"
Sokka took a breath, pulling out the chair beside her, "Well, yeah. There is something else."
He placed the textured envelope into her hand carefully.
"What is it?"
"A wedding invitation from Tenzin," he explained.
Her features darkened and the paper crumpled in her small fist, "Is he serious? What? Does he think we're just going to show up and wish him well or something? Fuck that."
"You're bending it," Sokka warned, reaching out to retrieve the envelope.
"So? If I bother to RSVP it'll be with a flaming bag of bison shit on his doorstep," she snarked as Sokka pulled the invitation from her grip.
He stood, squaring his shoulders and steeling himself for what came next, "I have to go," he said evenly.
Toph shifted in her chair, posture reminiscent of a cat about to attack, "Want to run that by me again?"
"I'm going to the wedding," Sokka repeated.
"No way," she insisted, swiping her hand across the air to cut off any further argument.
It didn't work.
"Toph," he reasoned, "I have to go. What would it look like if I just didn't show up?"
"Like you support your daughter," Toph shot back, voice rising, "that's what it would look like."
"And not my nephew? Or my fellow Councilman? Its not that easy, Toph," he argued in return.
"It is that easy! Even Su is replying with a big 'No fucking thanks'," she snapped.
Sokka pressed his lips together thoughtfully, taking in Toph's fierce expression, "Baby, I think Su just doesn't want to make the trip."
Toph stood quickly, sending him back a step, "Do you have any idea how many times Lin has cried to me? In her entire life?"
She didn't wait for an answer, "Before last year I could have counted it on one hand, but now? Now I've lost track. I know my girl. I know she does not cry easily, Sokka. She's every bit as sensitive as Satoru was, but she's got her mother's constitution."
"I understand-"
"No, you don't understand," Toph interrupted, "she needs us to be on her side this time."
"I am on her side," Sokka defended, "but I'm on Tenzin's side too."
Toph pulled a face, "You really don't understand how 'sides' work, do you?"
A frustrated grunt escaped him and he rubbed his face quickly, "I'm too old for sides, Toph. We both are. Just because I am going to this wedding doesn't mean I don't support Lin."
"Right. It just means you support Tenzin shacking up with this groupie before Lin's side of the bed has had a chance to get cold. Got it."
Sokka shook his head, "Everything is always black or white with you."
"When it comes to my kid? You bet it is."
They stood in silence for a moment before Sokka stepped back again, "I'm sorry, Toph. I'm going."
Her lips pursed and she nodded lamely, agreeing to nothing except her anger, "Fine. You do that. But you get to be the one to tell Lin."
"I will tell her," he agreed, a note of positivity in his voice, "and I think she'll understand."
His assertion was met with one derisive laugh, "Ha! Right. I'm sure it will be a nice conversation."
"It will," he maintained.
"Well, be sure to get all your talking in then, because I'm sure as hell not speaking to you for awhile," she asserted, turning to leave the room.
Sokka deflated, looking down to see the coupon for Lotus Café, "Not even over some free eggrolls?" he called after her, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.
His reply was a slamming door.
"Okay then. Table for one."