A/N: Just a reminder that this oneshot series was originally written in 2008, before the show ended. Consequently, this is one of the fics that would differ notably if I'd written it after the finale.

Title: Kin

Setting: Shortly after the war.

Viewpoint: Gran-Gran

"Just a moment."

Sokka flitted out of my grasp with an unfamiliar quickness. It didn't come with any of his typical awkwardness - it seemed traveling the world had removed the self-consciousness that accompanied being embraced by his Gran-Gran, and now he carried himself with a new sense of assurance. No, it wasn't awkwardness. Sokka's mind was simply on something else.

I followed him a few steps, peering up at the saddle he was crawling to.

"It's too cold," an unknown voice objected. The voice was young. But not as young as the children of the village. Feminine, too. But it certainly wasn't Katara. She was standing beside me, looking on incuriously.

"We'll get you a proper parka soon," Sokka assured our guest who was still out of sight. The great beast they traveled on - Appa - shifted his head a few feet, making me blink at him. It'd been almost a year since I'd seen him. Seen any of them.

Of course they would have made friends during that time.

A short girl with a green bedroll wrapped tightly around her descended the bison with Sokka's aid. Upon reaching the ground, she fought for balance, still hanging on to my grandson's arm. They came forward to join our small gathering. She walked awkwardly, like a toddler on their first day in the snow.

"Right," Katara said, turning suddenly to me with a grin. "Now we're all here."

"Gran-Gran, this is Toph," Sokka said.

As I was subsequently introduced to her, I took a moment to study the young girl. Dark hair was hanging in her face, hiding her eyes, but I could see her mouth pulled back in a mild grimace.

"Nice to meet you," she said, pulling her mouth into a tense grin. I tilted my head and she pursed her lips, as if aware of my scrutiny despite the fringe of hair blocking her view. She hunched her shoulders and shook Sokka's arm. "Now can I get something decently warm?"

"Alright, Toph." Sokka sighed, and led her away.

I watched them a moment, then glanced back at Katara and Aang, who smiled under my gaze. For some reason, they showed no inclination to help their friend.

"Why does she need him to guide her?" I asked, admittedly surprised at how naturally the task fell to Sokka.

"Oh," Katara said, her eyes widening. "Toph's blind."

I blinked, and glanced back at her once again. Seeing her slow progress, it made sense. "And she was with you while you were adventuring?"

Aang laughed, then cut it off sheepishly when I turned back to him. "Not like that," he said, gesturing towards her. "She's my Earthbending Sifu, and can see through her bending."

"Oh," I said, nodding. I'd never heard of such a thing, but I'd spent too many years watching after Katara and her bending to be much surprised by anything.

"Well then," I said, finally getting to the point. "Tell me all that has transpired."

Aang launched into the tale with enthusiasm. Katara only occasionally interrupted when she had a different account.

They hadn't yet brought up how they'd met Toph when she and Sokka returned. Sokka had dug up one of Katara's old parkas, which Toph now huddled in, still with Sokka's arm firmly in her grasp. Their arrival didn't unsettle the narrative whatsoever - though Sokka joined in to speak nearly as much as Aang.

"...and then," Aang announced with a long, deep sigh. "We could finally come back here."

"Dad's going to be soon," Katara added excitedly. "He's sailing in, and should be near the south border of the Earth Kingdom by now."

Toph was silent through the whole exchange, and her lips were pursed. Enough of her hair had been caught in the fur lining of her coat for her eyes - strangely opaque - and furrowed brows to be visible.

"Yes, and now that we're done with that," Sokka said. "I'm starving. C'mon Toph, let's find something to eat."

She jerked her head towards him, as if forgetting that he was there. Nodding, they turned about, while Katara gave me an extra hug and they all trundled away.

"Why didn't she say anything?" Toph whispered nervously, just barely within earshot. I doubted she meant me to hear - she must be unused to how sound carries in our cold climate.

"Gran-Gran's always been like that," Sokka told her, laughing. "It's nothing to fret about."

But to all appearances, she was fretting. Why about me, I wondered idly.

As I followed them, at my own pace, I noticed that she was holding herself closer to Sokka than was really necessary. A glance at Katara and Aang proved I'd missed yet another detail. My granddaughter and the airbender were holding hands.

I slowed slightly, now noticing the natural dichotomy between the four of them that I was sure even they were unconscious of.

A smile pulled at my weathered skin.

It was a good thing Hakoda would finally return soon. I'd need someone to celebrate the expansion of our family with.