Sokka paces the floor contemplatively with a hand resting his chin, his classic sign of deep introspection. Aang takes in a nervous gulp, feeling his face flush. He wishes Katara could be with him to put a reassuring hand on his trembling thigh, but that would defeat the whole purpose of his visit, considering that Katara herself was the topic of discussion between the Avatar and the Water Tribe warrior.

Sokka finally speaks and looks Aang in the eyes. "So let me get this straight, Aang. You want permission to marry my sister." He stops pacing to stand in front of his sister's terrified boyfriend. "Correct?"

Aang nodded briskly. "Y-yes, I do!" He avoids Sokka's glare, looking down at his twiddling thumbs. "I mean, if you'd let me…"

Sokka sighs and folds his arms at his chest. "Okay, then. So why do you want to marry Katara?" The answer should be obvious, but Sokka asks, anyway.

Temporarily forgetting his anxiety, Aang does not hesitate to answer. He looks up from his hands and into Sokka's eyes. "Well…I love her. More than I've ever loved anyone. And I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

"And why do you want to spend the rest of your life with her?"

"I just told you, Sokka! I love her!" Aang relents, slouching back into Sokka's fur-covered armchair. "I love her," he repeats himself. "And she loves me, I know it. And I really don't know where I'd be without her. She's stood by my side ever since she freed me from the iceberg, and…and…I want to stay by her side for the rest of our lives." He shrinks back, blushing.

Sokka surveys the room before chuckling to himself. Aang's eyes widen in fear. Is he laughing at my answer? What if he says no? His chuckling grows into a fuller snicker, leaning forward and crossing his arms over his heaving abdomen with each set of laughs.

Aang suddenly grows frustrated. His palms hit the seat of the couch, and he impulsively leans forward. "What?"

Sokka just shakes his head and sits down next to the Avatar. "You know," he chortles, "all you really need is my dad's blessing."

"I know," Aang nods. "And I have his blessing. I just wanted to ask you, too."

Sokka chuckles again, this time soft and lighthearted. He puts a hand on Aang's shoulder. "Aang, I give you my permission to marry my sister."

Aang sighs with relief. "Thank you, Sokka. But I mean, you don't know that she'll—"

Sokka rolls his eyes. "Of course she'll say yes, you idiot."

"How do you—"

"Because," Sokka says, "I'm her brother, and I know that she loves you as much as you love her. And she's probably waiting for you to propose to her by now, anyway."

A knock on the igloo door silences the two. "Aang," Katara's voice rings from outside, "are you in here?"

Aang remembers that he was supposed to meet Katara a few minutes ago for dinner at her father's house. He stands immediately and dashes to the door. "I should probably—"

Sokka smirks. "Go get her, Aang. But," he continues, "if you break her heart…"

Aang rolls his eyes mockingly. "…you'll break me. We've been through this, Sokka." He grasps the doorknob and pauses. "Thank you, Sokka."

Sokka replies with a hearty "you're welcome" as Aang ducks out of the igloo to join his sister outside. Aang greets Katara with a kiss to her cheek.

She takes his hand quickly and asks, "What were you doing in Sokka's house?"

Aang looks down at his feet timidly, then shakes his head. "N-nothing, I just had to ask him something."

She sighs, annoyance filling her voice's tone. "Well, I hope it was important, whatever it was, because we're late for dinner with my father." Katara leads him through the familiar path to Hakoda's igloo.

Aang smiles. "It was."

A/N: Wow, this was a cliché prompt…but hey, if writing Kataang fluff can get me through the rough week I've been having, then why not, right? So I hope you enjoyed this.