this is a five chapter installment it is a tokka/zutara there are sexual themes, cussing, constant jokes and slurs. And possible character bashing. I'd really like some feedback on this, because I'm such a n00b to the avatar fandom. I'm sorry this is so long, once I started I just couldn't stop. just bear with me, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Also I'd like to thank suki who edited/ got me addicted to avatar. This is set eight years after the war, in a idealistic world and maybe true fandoming, who knows The Gaang have defeated fire lord Ozai, and are getting together for Zuko and Katara's wedding.
avatar
© Nick, Mike, and Bryan
coming undone © Korn
The following
fanfiction © Silver Moon Droplet.
—ஐ—
"I still can't believe this." Sokka sighs, taking his fingertips and swiping off the frosting of the engagement cake. "I can't believe Katara is getting married." Suki scowls; taking a knife, she spreads the frosting across the mark Sokka's finger left behind.
"Sokka, could you please wait until after they cut the cake?" He grins sheepishly and helps her put out another dish.
"To Zuko…Z-u-k-o…" Sokka emphasizes each little letter of his name. Suki sighs, tapping the table thoughtfully.
"I think they're cute together." Sokka puts his hands on his face, pulling down his skin, making him look like an old man. Suki snickers as her best friend continues to spaz and smiles as he goes into an epic rant. Suki loves Sokka moments like these, because it reminds her of the old times back in the War. The worse times, and the good times – they were just a bunch of kids, and they managed to save the world. And they all got their own fairytale endings afterward…well – Suki looks at Sokka, who was swinging his arms around actively – at least Katara did.
"Where the hell is the bride to be? Her guests will be arriving any minute!" Sokka sits down angrily in one the chairs set aside for the guests. Suki shrugs, and before Sokka can complain anymore she shoves a shrimp puff in his mouth.
"I'll go find her," she states, throwing down her apron. "Don't eat anything." She walks out of the room quickly before he can protest. Hopefully, she'd find Katara before he stressed-ate the entire meal.
—ஐ—
"What about this one, Toph?" The blind earthbender had just arrived, only to be drafted into Katara's girl talk. Toph grunts with disinterest, watching her friend throw dress after dress on the ground, soon getting irritated. She looks for the dresses, picking one at random; earth bending the floor up, she assumes that the dress flies up in the air. She then waves around for it, waiting for it to come down – it falls on her shoulder. Silk, she notices right away. She hands it to Katara.
"Here. You can't go wrong with silk."
"Oh Toph!" She hugs her – Toph cringes but allows Katara to have her moment. "It's perfect!" She dances off to put it on, and Toph sighs; once again she has saved the day. Katara gushes, her heartbeats a tad faster, and there's more of a jump in her step. Toph grins, remembering how when Zuko first wanted to join the group, Katara was against the idea – she was even hostile towards him. She remembers how Zuko tried (failed) to fit in right away – they'd all held their grudges. Who would've thunk that he'd be the one to sweep Katara off her feet. Toph smirks – she had, but that was a secret she kept only to herself.
"How do I look?" The earth moves under her feet as she gives a twirl.
Toph shrugs. "Like you've been hit with Sokka's common sense." Katara's face forms into a frown – she stood on her tippy toes, something she always did before she apologized.
"I'm sorry, Toph. I'm just so nervous." Katara goes back over to her closet, and Toph figures that they're going to be there for awhile. She sits down impatiently, tapping her foot as Katara rummages through her closet.
"Why don't you just elope if you're so nervous?" She flicks some dirt off her foot – she'd already cleaned them four times, just this occasion, but somehow the dust had found a way to cling to her.
"I can't just elope…it's not romantic," Katara huffs. Toph wonders if Zuko had suggested the same thing. "You'll understand when you…" she pauses. "…you're older." Toph rolls her eyes. She doesn't know what Katara was going to say, but she doesn't bother asking.
"Oh, gag me." She gets up, sliding the door open. "Just hurry up." She walks out of Katara's room, and Katara sticks her head out.
"Where are you going?"
"Following my feet." She clasps her hands behind her head and shuffles along the hallway. The Fire Lord's floor is smooth against her feet.
When she hears a gasp, she turns around – someone must have seen Katara.
"Oh, Katara." Suki. Toph half-turns towards the two girls. "You're beautiful." Toph frowns, wishing that she could be Suki, and not for the first time, either. She sighs, deciding that this was no getting around it – so she walks over to them, a plastic smile on her face. "Toph!" Suki hugs her, and again there is no point in pushing her away. "It's so nice to see you again."
Toph blinks in response to the Kyoshi warrior's arms around her and wonders why Suki would lie about such a thing – her words are sincere yet twisted. It confuses Toph. "It's great to hear you again, too," she adds sarcastically. Unlike with Katara, there's no tension.
Suki smiles, turning back to Katara. "Well, come on. Your guests are starting to arrive." Katara nods, following as they begin to walk along.
"Do you know where Zuko is?" Katara asks Suki, and Toph just sighs, falling behind as the two friends girl-talked. Alone, she contemplates Katara's question. If he's lucky, he's getting the hell out of here, she thinks to herself.
—ஐ—
Sokka sits where Suki left him, twiddling his thumbs, sighing loudly enough for two of the Kyoshi warriors helping Suki set up to look at him. Sokka waves clumsily and they both giggle, then going back to their work. Sokka sinks in his seat, wondering about how much the old gang has changed. Off course, Aang visited whenever he could, but it had been a while since he'd last seen the young airbender – come to think of it, a long while. He was very busy with Avatar business and had almost no free time.
And Toph went back to her home town to visit her parents, then going off to travel alone. He hadn't seen her since they'd parted their separate ways upon defeating Fire Lord Ozai.
His stomach sinks. It had been hard adjusting without her, without both of them. Zuko, on the other hand, had come around a lot, had even taken Katara to the Fire Nation when he could.
Sokka had been so blind. He'd loved her. Of course he had – all the signs were there. It hadn't come much of a shock to his father, nor to the rest of the village. Just to him. Even Suki thought they were cute together.
He'd lost everyone after the war; they'd all gone on with their own lives. Katara was the person he thought he'd never have to worry about that. But now…now she's going to start a family, one that doesn't include him. The thought scares him.
"Sokka!" He looks around, coming out of his thoughts, searching for the voice he knew well. "Up here!" the voice chimes. Sokka looks up to see the Avatar and his flying bison. Aang sits on top, patting Appa on his head, a boyish grin on his face. Sokka opens his mouth wide with shock, but then Appa roars a hello, and the warrior shakes his head.
"Aang! Appa cannot be in here!" As if to defy him more, the bison lands, nesting in the corner where the band is supposed to play. Aang jumps down, embracing Sokka, and Sokka blinks in confusion – the boy's a head taller than he is. Sokka tries to stretch his neck out, but to no avail, and Aang just grins as he lets go. Sokka sighs huffily. He can't believe that the boy whom he spent months looking over is taller than he. Sokka's four years older than he is, so why is the boy so tall?!
"So what's new, Sokka?" Aang grins.
"Oh, you know. The usual. Katara's getting married."
Aang's cheerful grin drops at that, and Sokka rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. He'd known back when they were kids that Aang had had a crush on Katara, but he thought that it would have died out after eight years. Obviously, he'd been wrong. "You wanna lick the frosting off the engagement cake?"
Aang ponders this for a moment. "Let's do it."
Food is always the answer – the question's just irrelevant.
—ஐ—
Zuko quickly makes his way down the hallway, his hands rubbing his temples. If Katara's nervous, then Zuko's having a panic attack. But he takes a deep breath. His Uncle would be here, so there would be no problems – none whatsoever. A gust of wind fills Zuko's black locks, and the prince turns only to be witness to Momo jumping on Hawky. The bird squawks with anger as the lemur digs his claws into the bird's back, and Zuko's frown deteriorates. Sometimes grudges are hard to let go. Again, he sighs – the two are only increasing his anxiety.
"Knock it off!" he demands, flames flickered across the floor. Both animals stop instantaneously.
"Sparky, cool it." Toph carefully makes her way over to the firebender. He frowns with embarrassment, looking at her feet subconsciously and thinking that, were she seconds sooner, it could have happened again. "I could always hit you in your good eye, if you still feel bad about it. But, I mean, I don't think Katara would like that, considering, you know, wedding pictures."
He shakes his head, chuckling. The young girl hasn't changed at all. Physically, she's curvy now, a little taller, and her hair's longer – but, in the end, she's still Toph, the only one who'd had faith in him since the beginning.
"You look nice." And she does. She can't match Katara, but she'd ditched her normal earthbending wear, or whatever that was, for a green kimono that complimented her eyes. He doubts that she knows how pretty she looks and hearing it from her maids is never a reassurance. "I'm sure Sokka would approve," he teases. She grunts. Her face flushes with bits and pieces of pink, and he blinks – Katara wasn't kidding.
"Zuko, there you are!" his bride calls out to him. Before he can turn around, he is embraced from behind, and she pecks him on his cheek. "Where have you been?" Zuko pauses in Katara's embrace, having missed the caress of his one true love. His fingers tenderly stroke her arm, and he leans his head back on his shoulder, kissing her cheek. It's hard to believe that, once upon a time, she'd hated him.
"Should I leave? Or would you guys prefer to get a room?" Toph crosses her arms, where Sokka would have pulled them apart. Zuko sighs – he could feel his headache returning at the thought of his in-law.
"I was running an errand for Uncle."
"Oh. What—?" But Katara is interrupted by a yell coming from the dining room.
"Sokka, you asshole!" There's a clank, a crash, and then silence.
Zuko and Katara look at each other, wary expressions on their faces. It's Toph who grins. "Aang's here!"
—ஐ—
"Sokka, you asshole!" Suki yells.
Sokka drops the pan, which contains what is left of the cake after he'd finished the frosting, in fright; he'd figured that the two of them might as well finish the whole thing. Perhaps, if he'd known she was going to be so angry, he might have reconsidered eating it all.
Sokka snaps his fingers – he has an accomplice.
Suki's anger disappears at the sight of Aang, and she runs to the younger boy and hugs him tightly. "Quit growing," she complains to him as they embrace.
"I'm not growing. Everyone else is just shrinking," retorts. She smiles, taking a step back, observing the changes in the Avatar.
Years had changed him physically. He was wiser and stronger – but she could close her eyes and still see the twelve-year old boy he once was. She looks over to Sokka, noticing the subtle changes in him, as well. For one, he had let his hair fall down. He was more relaxed, taller – much more mature, as hard as that was to believe.
Suki sighs. Even though they aren't her boys – they're Katara's – it's still so good to be with them. It reminds her of home; it reminds her of how they'd become her second family. It was good to finally have them all back together.
"So when are you two gonna tie the knot?" It takes Sokka a moment to realize that Aang is talking to him and Suki. Sokka then engrosses himself in his feet, while Suki lets out a half-hearted laugh.
"When hell freezes over," she responds. Sokka grimaces, picking up the cake pan that he'd dropped and setting it down on the table. Aang looks at the girl, perplexed, and she smiles, continuing. "We broke up over a year ago." It isn't quite taboo – they are friends – but it makes things awkward. Before Aang could apologize for bringing it up, Suki narrows her eyes at Sokka. "Don't think that just because Aang's here I've forgotten about that." She points towards the half-eaten cake pan.
"It just looked so good…" Sokka tries to appeal to her cooking skills. The girl rolls her eyes, picking up the apron she'd discarded earlier.
"You just tell that to Katara." Sokka's face drops at that, and Suki grins, taking what is left of the cake and carrying it to the kitchen. "Oh, c'mon, Sokka. I'm not that mean."
"So, you won't tell Katara, right?" he asks a bit doubtfully, watching her as she goes.
"Tell Katara what?" Katara asks suspiciously, her hands entwined with Zuko's. Sokka glares at the intimacy, trying to conjure heat vision, so that he might break them apart. It's bad enough that they're getting married. Do they have to remind him every second until the wedding? "Sokka, what did you do?"
"Nothing." He replied nonchalantly. "Nothing at all."
"Snozzles, you're such a bad liar," comes a voice from behind the two. Suddenly, Toph appears and moves to stand next to Katara. "I'm blind, and even I can see that." Sokka stares at the girl that stands by his sister. Surely she isn't the same girl with whom he'd spent months arguing left and right. Yet…she is. She hasn't grown much, still standing as the shortest (and most powerful) earthbender in the world. She has shaped up…Sokka blushes, finding himself glancing away, towards Appa. She's just a kid – he can't look at her that way. But still, he steals another glimpse of her – she's breathtaking.
"Aang!" Katara breaks away from her fiancé to give her good friend a tight squeeze. It had been so long since they'd last seen each other. "I didn't think you'd make it!" It's true. With the entire world still obsessively needing him, he was very busy.
Aang hugs her tightly back. "I wouldn't miss your wedding for the world."
She smiles. "I meant the engagement. I would've dragged you here if you were going to miss my wedding." Aang snickers.
"Your dress is beautiful."
She smiles at his compliment, twirling around. The dress is an elegant burgundy, strapping around her neck to form a v-cut; it connects in back just where her shoulder blades end, leaving her bareback, and then connects again just above her lower back. It ends by falling an inch or so past her knees.
"Toph picked it out," she says with delight. Everyone turns to Toph, who remains unaware of the attention she is receiving.
"I saw it and thought, 'Wow, that just says Katara,'" Toph states derisively.
"Picked at random?" Aang guesses.
"Basically." She shuffles her feet.
They all laugh – it's good to finally have everyone together, just like old times. Except now they're eight years older and nobody is trying to kill them. The fire nation had been defeated, and Katara and Zuko were getting married. Everything is different, yet somehow it has managed to remain the same.
"Um, Aang?" Katara says, leaning back
"Yeah, Katara?"
"Appa can't be in here."
"Oh, c'mon, Katara," Toph interjects. "You don't exactly have anywhere that you can just go around parking bison."
"Besides, Appa wanted to congratulate the happy couple." Aang adds.
The two friends grin at each other. There is no way that she can argue with that, and they're right. Katara goes over to Appa, putting her face in his coat, and the large bison rumble appreciatively. Then Zuko walks over to him, and Appa licks him a hello. Katara giggles as Zuko wipes the saliva from his face, and Sokka grumbles as they embrace. Suki has to hold him back as they kiss.
It was going to be a long night.
—ஐ—
Toph doesn't stay around to meet and greet – that had never been her style. She does stick around long enough to see her good friend Iroh and…Ty Lee. Toph's jaw clenches, and her fist tightens at the thought of…that…girl. The way she had skipped from Zuko to Sokka in seconds…
She had come to greet the fire prince, sending her congratulations and Azula's love from the Boiling Rock. They'd all grimaced at the banished princess's name, but Zuko had accepted her hug while Katara had ignored her entirely. That hadn't seemed to bother the bubbling girl, though.
"Hi, Sokka!" she calls flirtatiously now. Toph feels the earth shift under her feet – Ty Lee must be walking on her hands. Sokka shifts as the young female came near, and Toph narrows her eyes. In an instant, she moves the earth under Ty Lee's hands, causing the girl to stumble and fall over. She then cracks a smile and, feeling no longer needed, shuffles off, ignoring the voices that call her name.
She is unfamiliar with the Fire Nation castle – she had only spent her days as the blind bandit outside these walls, spending months traveling in camouflage. Even after the war, she had never come to the Fire Nation for leisure – not until Sugar Queen had sent for her. She'd been perfectly happy traveling the world. It wasn't the same alone, but she'd never admit it. She loves being away too much – spending her time at home on the Bei Fong estate makes her homesick, but for three people whom she loves very much.
"Toph. Toph, wait up!" It's Aang – and he must be sailing through the air, because she can't see him coming. She wonders how far he is behind her. She can probably out-earthbend him if he's far away — but she feels his hands collide with her shoulders, and she flinches, biting her lip down hard as he squeezes her to his chest. "Are you okay?" She feels the concern in his voice, and she wants to tear away. But she doesn't. She looks up at what she assumes is his face.
"You won't be if you don't let go of me," she threatens, but her old friend simply chuckles. Her eyes narrow, and he stops – but she has a feeling that he hasn't wiped that boyish grin off his face. And she's right.
"C'mon, Toph…" he coos. She slowly feels him lift off the ground, and her eyes widen as her sight begins to leave her. She begins to struggle with him, but he'd grown strong in their years apart, and before she can do anything they're off the ground. "It's not like you to lash out like that…" He pauses. "Okay, it is, but you're usually more subtle about it."
"She had it coming!" Toph grits her teeth together. "Now, put me down!" She squeezes his small frame tightly, trying to break his arm, but it's impossible for her while she's up in the air.
He thinks about this. "Will you come back to the party with a smile on your face?" Toph glares at him – he's being a real pain in the ass. "C'mon, Toph…it's not a party unless you're there."
"Whatever. Just put me down, Twinkletoes." He does so, and when he has landed she punches him hard in the shoulder. "Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again." He gives her a sore smile, his shoulder throbbing.
Still, it was worth it.
—ஐ—
Sokka finds himself sitting with Bosco, the last Earth King's bear. He pets the creature unconsciously as he watches Zuko entertain a group of Southern Water Tribe children. They giggle as he plays with flames, no longer afraid of it. Once, when Sokka had been younger, he'd had to comfort them because of the nightmares. But that was a long time ago. Now fire is just like every other element. He runs his free hand through his hair.
It's not as if he hates Zuko – he's a good friend, a good firebender, even though at first he'd spent time trying to kill Sokka and his friends. But that was in the past. Zuko will be the perfect husband for Katara. Sokka can't imagine anyone else for her.
"She looks more and more like your mother every day," his father chimes in, and Sokka looks to his old man with a grin. "You kids – you make me feel like an old man."
"You are an old man." Sokka snickers.
"Don't remind me." Hakoda laughs and then ruffles his son's hair; making Sokka feel six again; his face softens. "She would have loved this."
"Yeah," Sokka agrees. He closes his eyes, remembering his mother. He can't imagine the ache in his father's heart. It must be worse than his own. He misses his mother, but it had been so long – sometimes, he forgets her face. But she's always in his memories, if not on his mind. Comfortingly, he places his hand on Hakoda's shoulder. "She would have."
"You know what else she would have loved?"
"Hm?"
"If you'd be happy for your sister."
"Ah. That's it. Katara sent you." Sokka crosses his arms. He should have seen it coming. Of course, he thought she would have sent Aang – but no. His own father had been sent against him. The traitor.
"She may have mentioned it, but listen, Sokka. I know brothers and fathers-in-law are supposed to hate their sons-in-law for stealing their little girl away." He pauses, making sure his son is paying attention. "But Zuko – he's a great kid…man. He's a good man." Hakoda nods. And Sokka wonders just who it is that he's trying to assure: his son or himself? "So go easy on him, would you?"
Sokka sighs in defeat. "Yeah, Dad." He'll keep his gagging, cynical comments to himself for his father's sake – he'll just relay them to someone else later.
"And loosen up a bit; it's a party, after all." He pats Sokka on his shoulder and then walks off to join his daughter and her fiancé. Sokka watches – Katara hugs her father while he laughs at something Zuko says.
"Where's the fan club, Snozzles?" Toph slips in right next to him. "Did you scare them away by opening your big mouth again?" She tsks him.
"Why, Toph? Are you going to earthbend any girl that goes near—OUCH!" Aang rubs that shoulder that she'd punched twice now. "That's Avatar abuse!" Sokka snickers, watching his two friends bicker. He chooses to ignore Toph's earlier comment.
"Watch it, Toph – Avatar abuse is a one way ticket to hell."
"Already there," she retorts. Aang rolls his eyes, walking over to Bosco and scratching the bear behind the ear. Sokka returns to his previous activity while Toph crosses her arms. "I'm blind, you know – not deaf, not mute." She pauses, then added softly. "You can talk to me. I don't bite." He doesn't know what to say to her, to be quite honest. There are words, but…they just won't come out.
He feels sixteen again.
"You didn't grow much…" he comments. She rolls her eyes and then puts her hand on him. He suddenly he jerks back, but she grabs his shirt tightly. "What are you--?"
"Shh," Toph orders him, and he quiets. She pauses for a moment, and then, confident that he won't move, she releases her grip and slides her hand up, passing his Adam's apple, his chin, all the way to his forehead – she has to stand on her tippy toes, and even then she still can't touch the top of it. As suddenly as it has happened, however, it's over, and her hand is back at her side. She stands, unaware of the shiver she'd sent up his spine. Or that fact, by just one stroke of her hand, she had him flushed. "I did grow; you're just a freaking giant."
Aang stands up. "I want to dance," he declares.
"I think Meng's here." Sokka grins, and Aang scowls. Toph, meanwhile, picks at the dirt in between her fingernails – she'd heard stories about Meng, but they didn't interest her.
"Dance with Suki…she'd like that," Toph says slowly. Sokka turns his head toward his ex-girlfriend/ best friend. She'd stuck with Sokka even after he'd broken up with her – she was always by his side. Now she stands with a group of her Kyoshi Warrior friends, and yet she's still alone. Aang watches Sokka carefully. When he shrugs, Aang leaves them both, walking over to Suki while holding out his hand, grinning. Sokka watches as her eyes flicker to him for a brief moment. He looks away.
"Why don't you dance with her, Snozzles? She's your girlfriend." Toph looks up at him, though her eyes reflect nothing. He wonders what it's like – to live in eternal darkness.
"No, she's not," he says softly. Aang is twirling her around, and laughter rings out in the air.
Sokka closes his eyes. He imagines that it's is something like this – only his eyes would be open, and wouldn't see anything. Nothing at all.
"What happened?" He looks to her with a surprised expression. Her bluntness never fails to amaze him. Aang would avoid it, Katara would pass him a sympathetic glance, and Suki – she'd make a joke that would cut to the bone. With Zuko, at least, he doesn't have to worry about it.
"I fell in love with someone else," Sokka answers honestly. "And I couldn't just do that to Suki – just let her be led around." He had never told anyone that, not even his own sister, but with Toph the words always come easily.
"So you broke her heart?" Her head tilts to the side.
Sokka's rubs the back of his neck, looking out at Suki as she dances with Aang. "Yeah, I guess I did." Even though she's happily dancing with his best friend, all he can see is the hurt on her face, as she pulls away from him, the tears on the edge of her lashes, and her lip as they tremble – she looks him straight in the eye, her voice as study as a rock.
"Who?" she had demanded.
"So, is she worth it?" Toph asks suddenly, bringing him back to reality.
Sokka pauses for a moment, then grins. "I don't know...it's been a while since I've spent any real time with her."
"If you ask me, that's kind of stupid." She shrugs. Sokka traces his fingers on the table. watching her take this in. Her face twitches with growing irritation. "Why give up something you care about for some silly whim?"
Sokka sighs. "You'll understand when you're taller." That remark earns him a punch on the arm, and he intakes a sharp breath. She then turns on her heels before he can get a word in, walking over to Katara – there, she begins to chat animatedly with her friend. Bosco growls for Sokka's attention, and he smiles softly, scratching him behind his ear and refusing to take his eyes off Toph.
'So, is she worth it?'
"Yeah. I think so."