How about Old Friends, by Simon and Garfunkel, in the same vein.


Sokka kicked a rock off the path on his way out. Well, that hadn't gone as imagined. It seemed Toph had changed a lot in the past three years. A lot. She had looked so proper, sitting at the table eating breakfast, staring down her nose at him. How could a blind girl even stare down her nose? Trust Toph to figure it out.

He had been surprised at her appearance most. She was wearing a long flowing dress, and her hair was pulled up in an elaborate looking bun. He hadn't expected her to dress up like that anymore. He wondered if there was some occasion for the dress. He was reminded of when he'd first met her, when she'd been pretending to be a weak little girl. Except she wasn't so cute anymore.

He kicked another rock and was startled when it bounced back and flew right back at him. He ducked quickly, but it turned back and knocked him on the back of the head.

He grumbled as he turned around to face Toph, who was on her back laughing uproariously.

"You really fell for it! You're even more gullible than I remembered snoozles!" she yelled. Sokka shook his head at her antics. He should have known.

She put her feet on the ground and the pathway lifted her up and pushed her towards him. He opened his arms, expecting a hug at last, but she just punched his arm. She wasn't gentle either, but then, he hadn't expected that.

"Where's Katara?" Toph asked.

"Nice to see you too," Sokka muttered, feeling jilted. "'Oh Sokka, it's been so long. I missed you!' 'You too Toph, you've grown up so nicely,'" he mimicked the meeting he'd imagined, and punched Toph back. He didn't feel bad about hitting Toph; after all, it hurt him more than it hurt her. The girl was made of stone.

"Have I really grown up nicely?" Toph asked, smiling. Her hair had gotten messed up by all the rolling on the ground she'd done, and it stuck out at odd angles.

Sokka looked her up and down and snorted. "I don't think 'grown up' is really the right word. Are you actually getting shorter?"

He expected another punch, but Toph laughed. "I'm compact! Travel sized!" she said. "It makes me a better ninja!"

"Right. Ninjas are supposed to be quiet Toph."

She lifted her hand and patted his head. She tried to anyway. She was a little short, and she actually just placed her hand on his face. "It's not me that's getting shorter," she told him. "You're just growing obscenely tall."

His stomach growled loudly, interrupting their talk. He hadn't eaten breakfast that morning, secretly hoping the Bei Fong family would feed him. He couldn't make seal jerky last forever, and it was always better to get a free meal than to pay for one.

"Same as ever I see," Toph teased him. She started to walk back towards the house. "I'll see if my parents will put up with having you at our breakfast table."

"Do you have any meat?"