Happy
This was written for ArtemisRae, who is new to the fandom and whose wonderful work I happen to have the pleaser of beta'ing. She's a legal adult today. Consequently, this fic has nothing at all to do with birthdays, and everything to do with being happy: just a quick snap-shot of one joyous occasion amongst many.
"You know," Katara said conspiratorially when she joined her brother outside on the veranda. "I don't know if you've noticed, but Toph and your new bride don't get along too well, and you kinda left them sitting with eachother."
"Suki'll be fine," Sokka replied, waving a hand dismissively as he continued to stare out at the landscape. "What girl wants to get in a fight on her wedding day?"
"Do you remember who you married?" Katara asked with a laugh.
Sokka's response was to nod absently, and Katara frowned.
"What are you staring at?" she asked gently as she sat beside him on the stairs.
"Trees," he murmured, speech muffled by the hand whose thumbnail he was chewing.
"No moon tonight?" she wondered, glancing up past the roof's edge; but no, there was the moon, happy and full, hanging high in the sky.
"Trees are easier on the eyes," he replied evenly, still chewing his thumbnail.
Katara tried not to sigh. There it was, then; the thing that was bothering her brother on what was supposed to be one of the happiest nights of his life. She wished, very briefly, that Yue was still with them, then instantly banished the thought. If ever there was a school of thought she could fully admit to subscribing to, it was that whatever happened happened for a reason: that included Suki's life and Yue's death; her brother's misery and happiness all in one turn.
"Come on, Sokka," she said into the silence. "Don't you think it's a little late for cold feet?"
"I don't have cold feet," he answered tartly, pulling one knee up to his chest and laying his arm across it, all the while gazing at her as if she had become suddenly and inexorably stupid.
"I mean, I'm happy!" he continued, throwing his gaze out to the trees again. "I love Suki, and I'm ecstatic that she actually went through with marrying me – I know she said yes, but deep down I kinda figured she was just joking around and that when it actually came down to it she would just laugh and rub my dirt in the face, and it's not like I even deserve half of what she's given me, and-"
"You're a moron," Katara interrupted, shaking her head.
"Why is that?" he demanded, a sour look replacing the one of ire that had arisen at her comment.
"Well, if you're happy," she demanded, "what are you doing out here moping?"
"I dunno," he said, and let out a deep, slouching sigh. "I just feel…kinda… Do you think she's happy?"
Katara blinked at the sudden change of subject, and realized with a little start that Sokka was talking about the moon: he had gestured to it, briefly, with the hand still propped on his knee, as if to do more than that would cause him great pain.
She took a moment to process his request, and then said, "Yes," in a sure, somber voice.
"How do you know?" Sokka asked, shaking his head as if ruing that she could see something so precious that he had missed.
"You're happy," she answered simply with a shrug. "That's usually good enough for most women."
Though she was facing him, he saw her eyes wander: indoors, to Aang, who was trying to stop a fight but laughing too hard to do much more than wave his hands in what was meant to be a placating manner.
When the sound of breaking china reached their ears, Katara scrambled to her feet and made a mad dash for the table that was now under heavy assault.
Sokka stood and stretched, giving the moon one lazy, happy smile before going to rescue his new wife.
AN: there you have it. i feel fluffy and warm inside...