Toph had recovered gradually over the remaining days. Healing sessions with Katara have got her able to walk and sit up just fine with just a fair amount of soreness. The master earthbender, of course, fought off all types of concern that the rest of the team gave her. However, everyone knew why she leaned against Sokka when moving around. They said nothing about it.
Today was a different type of day. With the celebration tomorrow, everything was being finalized for the big event. Decorations were set up. Food was being planned and prepared. Security was awaiting the arrival of a number of important officials. There was nothing left for Team Avatar to do.
This is the exact reason that Katara had dragged Toph out of bed and into her room. Sokka was surprised to not find his best friend awaiting him. He asked around and was informed that Katara had Toph. Just as any sane person would have done, Sokka went to his sister's room to inquire the whereabouts of Toph only to be met with a large wall of ice. After much pounding and yelling, Sokka was banned from seeing Toph at all that day. Aang had to drag Sokka shopping in order for him to leave the girls alone.
Presently, Katara still kept Toph captive.
"Alright. I fixed it."
Toph scoffed. "Thanks I guess. For people of high stature, it's pretty stupid of my parents to send me a dress with even one hole."
Katara rolled her eyes. "It wasn't even that big a deal. I fixed it and now it looks as good as new."
"That's because it is new." Now it was Toph's turn to roll her eyes. "What color is it?"
"Oh, it's this beautiful emerald color. Green really suits you Toph, not just because you are from the earth kingdom." Katara smiled at her friend.
Toph, surprisingly smiled back. "Thanks, Sugar Queen."
"Can you try it on?"
The earthbender, seeing no use in fighting since she was stuck in the room, walked over and grabbed the dress out of Katara's hands. "Help me will you?"
"Of course."
"Katara better not be putting Toph under any strenuous activity." Sokka said angrily.
Aang rubbed the back of his neck. "Sokka, Katara is a healer. I think she knows what Toph can and can't do."
Sokka frowned. "Well, nonetheless, Toph needs to rest. Especially since the celebration is tomorrow. You know how much she likes crowds."
"Don't remind me. During the last anniversary of the hundred year war, she got kicked out. And she was a war hero. That's how bad she was."
"She was fighting with her parents at the time. She may have gotten a little drunk." Sokka picked up a new bag and examined its quality.
"I didn't know that." Aang said interested.
The water tribe warrior put down the item and moved on. "They were a bit generous with the wine. For all the talk that Toph spits out, she is a lightweight."
Aang and Sokka both laughed.
"You were drunk at the anniversary last year?"
Toph swept a hair away from her face as it had started tickling her nose. Her hair was down as it had been for the duration of their stay in the South Pole. She convinced herself that she wanted her hair like this and not because Sokka preferred it. "Yeah I was. I also got kicked out."
"Well, I remember that part. I was furious." Katara continued to button the front part of the first layer of the dress. The first layer consisted of the actual dress that completely covered her feet. It was gold and was fitted with long sleeves. "Why were you so out of control last year anyways?"
Toph crossed her arms, obviously against remembering last year's events and to some extent couldn't remember some of last year's events. "My parents were driving me up the wall around that time."
"When don't they?" Katara laughed as she cut off a loose thread on the dress.
"That's true." Toph scowled. "But what they were asking me to do was totally dumb and I still refuse to do it up to this day."
Katara's eyebrows rose. "And that would be?"
"Find a husband."
"I can't imagine Toph getting married. It's so…not her thing." Aang took a bite of his apple.
To his left, the water tribe warrior was playing tug of war with his seal jerky. Once he was finally able to snag a piece off, he continued talking. "Eh, I just don't think she is ready."
Aang gave the rest of his apple to Momo who sat atop his shoulders. The lemur took to it immediately. "I don't think Toph has ever had a boyfriend either."
"Like I said." Sokka swallowed the food in his mouth. "She isn't ready."
"Or we just don't know. Toph doesn't like talking about that stuff."
Sokka rolled his eyes. "Listen, I know Toph. Even though she can be sarcastic and rude and pretty insensitive and really violent and-"
"To the point, Sokka"
"What I mean is that even though Toph has a tough outer shell, once you get past all that, she is a pretty great girl."
Aang smiled. "She has her moments. I'm sure you see more of this softer Toph than either me or Katara do."
"Well, that's the kind of man that Toph needs. Someone who is persistent enough to discover her gentler side."
Toph crossed her arms only to have Katara slap them. The sixteen year old earthbending master opened her arms up again and let her friend slip the over vest of the dress. It was the emerald green that Katara had described and tied in the front. The edges were lined with a darker green and an exquisite pattern.
Katara squealed in delight. "I love it when you let me dress you up!"
"Shut up."
"I don't understand why you hate being a girl sometimes." The waterbender continued to adjust Tophs outfit.
"I don't care about how I look." Toph turned her head away from Katara.
"Every girl likes to feel pretty."
Toph's voice softened. "It would help if I actually knew what that meant."
The waterbender stopped her work and faced Toph. "Hey, you are one of the most beautiful girls that I know. And the fact that you are so confident about your own personality is the only thing that you need to be beautiful. But trust me, you really are pretty."
The smile that Toph gave her was all the thanks that Katara needed.
The two girls were quiet for a couple of minutes as Toph's outfit continued to be worked on.
"I think you just need someone to dig past that tough outside that you have, Toph." Katara said breaking the silence.
Toph frowned. "That's the only way I'm getting married. If he can't handle this," She gestured to her entire body. "Then he can go find someone else to spend the rest of his life with."
"Perseverance can't be the only thing you look for in a man."
"For one thing, I'm not even looking for a man."
"Why?"
"Because-"
"Because you already found one, right?"
"So are you saying that Toph should marry you?"
Sokka spit his drink out immediately at the avatar's comment. They were in a crowded part of the market and the warrior had to apologize for spitting all over a woman's child. She slapped him with her basket and walked away.
After the whole incident, Sokka finally replied to Aang's outrageous response. "W-What? Toph marry me? Are you insane?"
The avatar looked at him innocently. "Hey, you are the one that said Toph needed someone that could break through her exterior. The only person I can think of that has done that to such an extent is you."
Sokka still looked at him bug eyed. "That doesn't mean she wants to marry me!"
"But you want to marry her?"
"I never said that!"
The air nomad smirked. "And you never did not say it."
Sokka frowned and walked away from the avatar as fast as he could. Aang caught up no problem using his air scooter.
"So you like her?"
He kept walking. "Never said that."
"But you do?"
Sokka scowled at him. "Never. Said. That."
"Are we really going to do this again?"
The water tribe warrior stopped and stared at his friend. "Toph is a beautiful girl, alright? She is also one of the bravest people I know. Scratch that, the bravest person I know, no offense there buddy." Aang nodded in understanding. "The truth is she isn't looking for a guy like me."
"What's that suppose to mean?" Aang questioned him.
"I'm not what she is looking for."
"I don't like Sokka, Katara."
Katara tightened the gold cloth that synched her waist. "Sure you don't, Toph."
"I'm serious. Sokka is a loud, annoying, totally obnoxious geek. Definitely, not my type."
"Oh yeah?" Katara straightened out the cloth in the front. "What exactly is your type?"
Toph frowned. "Trust me, I'd tell you if I knew."
"The thing is, Toph, I think I know exactly what your type is and you are in denial. I think the kind of guy you want is a loud, annoying, thinks he's funny guy who's go to weapon is a boomerang and yells 'kickapow' as his war cry."
Before Toph could answer, Katara stepped back and stared at Toph. The dress was gorgeous, emphasizing Toph's frame in all the right places. Katara wanted to cry.
"Oh, you are stunning." The waterbender complimented.
Toph suddenly felt very self conscious. "It looks okay?"
"Not just okay. Magnificent!"
"Uh, good. I don't want to walk into the celebration hall looking stupid." The earthbender let her hair fall into her face.
"Sokka, is going to flip when he sees you." Katara teased.
Toph immediately frowned. "He isn't going to care because he doesn't like me. We are best friends. That is all we are, Miss Matchmaker."
Katara put her hands on her hips. "He is into you, Toph. The moment he sees you in this dress, you'll know what I mean."
"For the last time, he doesn't see me that way. I'm not that kind of girl."
"What kind of girl?"
"The kind of girl he is looking for."
Aang cocked his head to the side in the confusion. "And how do you know that for sure?"
Katara sighed. "And how do you know that for sure?"
"I…"
"Well…"
"That's because you don't." Aang interrupted. "You like her."
"Admit it. You like him."
"I don't like her, Aang."
"Katara, I don't like Sokka."
"I love her."
"I love him."
Katara was seated by the fire when Aang and Sokka arrived back. Her brother greeted her with a grunt and question to where Toph was. She told him that she was in her room playing with a rock. It surprised her when he smiled and quickly made his way to join her. Aang came and sat by her.
"How was your day, Sweetie?" The avatar kissed her on the cheek.
Katara smiled. "I love it when you do that."
"Then I better keep doing it." Aang kissed her cheek once more.
"Anyways, I made Toph try on her dress that she is going to be wearing tomorrow. She is beautiful."
"I bet." Aang replied without even thinking. "I mean, not as beautiful as you of course. That was a default response."
Katara just laughed. "You are forgiven. But seriously, Toph looked really pretty. She's is going to catch some eyes tomorrow."
"That won't make Sokka very happy." The avatar laughed remembering his conversation with the water tribe warrior earlier.
"It will be fine. Toph only has eyes for one person. Well, she…you know what I mean."
The couple laughed together.
"I swear, those two avoid even the slightest possibility of being in a relationship for nothing."
Katara wrapped his arms around Aang. The avatar reciprocated the gesture. "If they keep at it, they will die alone."
"Do you think they will tell each other? That they love each other?"
The waterbender looked at her boyfriend curiously. "Sokka loves Toph?"
"Well," Aang realized his blunder. "I mean he may have told me today. Please don't tell Toph. Sokka would kill me and maybe even my next life."
"It's okay, Sweetie." This time Katara kissed him on the cheek. "Toph told me the same thing."
"That's great!"
"Yeah, it would be great if they just told each other."
Aang rubbed circles around Katara's back. "They'll come around."
"They better tell each other soon. If not, I'm telling them myself."
"You are such a matchmaker."
"Hey! Don't side with Toph."
