Wedding Party
Zuko, Sokka, Aang, along with Teo, The Boulder, The Duke, Longshot, and lastly Pipsqueak, stood at the inner doorway of the wedding venue. They all wore red wide sleeve, cassocks with greenish gold trim around the edges over black silk trousers. The groom's tunic was a bit more elaborate than the others and matching Toph's dress in design and form. He also wore a simple, black silk cap.
The main reception hall was packed full of guest from all the nations and the independent republic. Dignitaries, the Press, and the elites were seated side-by-side, as well as their friends they had made over the years.
"What time is it?" Aang asked Teo as he shuffled back and forth like a caged panther-cat. "You know, I really hate waiting around for things to happen."
"It's almost time. The ladies should be coming soon," the disabled glider pilot answered. "You really should get a pocket chronometer Aang," Teo added as he displayed his palm size disc. "It won't slow you down. This one weighs less than a third of a kilo." (kilo=2.2lbs/3= .73lbs or about 12oz.)
Sokka pulled his head back from the crack in the main door. "Yep, the bear is here," he announced, punching Zuko in the shoulder. "Now we're gonna have a real party!"
"Just because you and that crazy animal got drunk on cactus juice at the last Ba Sing Se Liberation Festival, doesn't mean we want to see a repeat of it," Zuko retorted, as he returned the punch. "This is supposed to be a wedding, not a drunken brawl."
"Ow, I didn't punch you that hard, Jerkbender!" Sokka complained, rubbing the affected area.
"The Boulder always cries at weddings," The Boulder blurted out as he dabbed at his eyes with a kerchief. "The Boulder is never going to be a bride!"
"Don't you mean groom?" Pipsqueak asked.
"No, he means bride," Teo clarified patting the huge man's arm. "Now, now, big guy. I'm sure there is another man for you out there. Haru wasn't the only flyer in the sky."
"Haaruuu!, the Boulder loved you so much," the earth bending gladiator cried as he buried his face in his hands. "You were the only one who understands the Boulder!"
"Sorry, they just broke up a month or so ago," Teo informed the rest of them. "Haru's father insisted that he take a traditional bride so that he could have an heir, or he would get disowned. As you can see, it broke the big guy's heart after being together for the last ten years."
"Oh," the other guys said collectively as nervous glances passed between them.
"Sorry Boulder," Aang finally offered in a compensatory fashion.
"The Boulder thanks you Aang," he said with a forced smile. "Maybe we can talk some after the wedding? You know, champion to champion," the Boulder suggested as Aang's eyes shifted away.
"Yeah, sure... maybe," the Avatar answered sheepishly.
Silence followed the statement as a nervous air settled in on the group of men.
"I bet Toph is gonna look beautiful," The Duke finally said, changing the tone and breaking the awkward feeling. "Not that she doesn't always, ha, ha, ha," he lightly chortled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Hey, The Duke, you look nervous my man," Sokka teased. "You need to be like Me, Zuko and Aang here. We're as cool as ice," he stated with two thumbs up.
The formerly diminutive freedom fighter was now eye-to-eye with the tall Airbender and Fire Lord. It was also apparent that he was quite well-built under his tunic as his biceps stretched the top of the sleeves.
"I'll try," the Duke replied trepidly. "It's my first time, and in front of so many people. I didn't think it would be like this. I want everything to go right, especially for her," he sighed.
"Well, I'm sure Toph appreciates the effort, though she'll probably won't say so, or even thank any of us for all this trouble she's putting us through. The fact that I had to commandeer an airship and fly all the way to the to the Northern Air Temple to get her best friend, well..." Sokka commented as his voice trailed off and lips twisted into a half frown. Suddenly, his trance like doldrum changed quickly back to a full smile. "But I'm sure your feelings will reach her, ev" he added with a wink.
"I hate to say this, but I agree with Sokka here, " Zuko exclaimed as he rolled his amber eyes. "Please don't let anyone know."
"Why is it so bad to agree with me? I'm a fricken genius, excuse you," Sokka corrected him. "You should be happy to agree with me."
"Oh yeah? Like trading cactus juice shots with a bear? How smart was that? " Aang interjected. "I still have the scars from that!"
"Hey, that's no way to talk about my furry buddy!" Sokka complained as he pretended to pout. "You just can't come between a bear and his cactus juice, brother."
The guys began laughing as Aang threw an arm about Sokka's shoulders. "No offense, but you just don't get it."
The pouty face immediately vanished. "Ah ha, I get it! You're just jealous of the Sokka-charm, and me being Sokka!" he bragged flashing a pearly white grin. "The ladies and animals do love me; I have to admit!"
Even the stoic Longshot laughed a bit at the councilman's feigned machismo.
The bro-love moment came to an end as a gong resounded from the exterior entrance of the hotel. Twice more the clangs sounded out before the jangling of the eight bell ringers, walking two by two, came into view. They wore the traditional green robes of the Earth Temple monks as they shook the racks of round brass bells.
Following them were seven priests, reciting prayers of good fortune, safety, longevity, and fertility.
Now the bridal entourage appeared. All the bridesmaids were wearing a simpler version of Toph's elegant gown. Their jade headdresses, with the beaded veils, gave each of them a stunning appearance. Sokka let out a long low whistle.
"You can say that again," Zuko whispered spying his lover.
Leading the group was Mai and Azula, followed by Smellerbee. Then came Toph with Katara and Suki on either side, locked arm-in-arm. Finally, Tylee and Jun brought up the rear. Katara, being the maid-of-honor, had a veiled tiara and gown, almost as elaborate as Toph.
Aang locked eyes with the brown beauty and couldn't help but to sigh deeply. She was still captivating as ever.
When the bridal troop got to the entrance, it stopped. The women turned towards the men and parted until they mirrored their intended escorts. Katara took out a red ribbon from her billowing sleeve and placed one end in Toph's hand, as she held out the other towards the men. Her thick bejeweled veil concealed the bride's nervous face. Of course to Toph, this made no difference as she used her earth sight to see everything. Still, her heart was beating as fast as her groom's, and she felt him step forward to take hold of the other end of the ribbon and start the blending of their parties.
Zuko stepped into the center of the group and placed an arm around Suki's waist. "You look awesome my love," he whispered as he kissed her on the cheek. "Reminds me of our wedding day."
"Careful, my makeup dear," she replied as they looped arms and took their position at the front.
Next Sokka stepped to the left and looped arms with Azula. "Hello princess," he softly said with a loving smile.
"Hello peasant," she responded with a suggestive wink. "After this nonsense, I want you to rip this off of me with your teeth," she ordered in a low seductive voice.
The Water Tribesman raised an eyebrow. "As you wish, your Majesty," he replied as he felt the heat rising from her.
Longshot followed suit and took Smellerbee's arm. "I'm not wearing any undies," the former freedom fighter informed her husband as she covered her mouth with a hand. The revelation caused the silent archer's face to flush almost as red as her dress.
Next Pipsqueak paired up with the bubbly former acrobat, Ty Lee. The enormous man completely eclipsed the statuesque chi-blocker. "You sure are pretty," he said with a huge grin.
"Thank you, but I'm gay," she replied in a single breath as she folded her hands in front of her, spying her longtime crush ahead in line.
"I'm happy too," Pipsqueak replied, "Do you want to go out sometime?"
Ty Lee sighed as she smiled tightly. "Sure, why the fuck not," she replied shaking her head as she watched Sokka and Azula speak intimately. Their auras were combining and turning a purplish, crimson hue.
The Boulder took hold of Jun's slender hand. "The Boulder thinks your dress is beautiful, is that silk taffeta?" he complimented the former bounty hunter.
"I don't know, I was never into this girly type of stuff," Jun replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "You're probably more informed than I am on the subject."
The Earth Rumble champion sighed deeply. "The Boulder was going to wear the same color dress at his wedding," he choked out, tapping at his weeping eyes.
Jun said nothing more, not sure of how to respond to The Boulder's last statement or his tears. She simply got in line next to him.
Following them, The Duke stepped up to Mai and gently took her outstretched hand and kissed the back of it.
"You do that again, and I'll cut your lips off," the tall blade wielder warned the young man as he dropped his hands to his sides. The pair wordlessly stepped into line.
Sokka was very aware of the stares that caused the hairs on the back of his neck to rise.
Now, Aang approached Katara as they stared into each other's eyes. Neither seemed to want to blink or look away as if they were playing some childish game. He smiled softly at the veiled beauty.
"Thank you for coming, Katara," Aang told her as the two were now close enough to speak privately. "I appreciate this."
The waterbender's hidden face broke into a scowl. "I'm doing this for her, not for you Aang," she answered in a low surly tone. "I don't give two yak-shits about what you appreciate, either. You already know where you can go, right back to that fucking iceberg I dug you out of, you bastard," she spat in a low whisper. "After the way you treated me, I fear for Toph. So help me, if you cheat on her, I'll end any hope of new airbenders ever coming into this world. Get my drift," she warned, slamming the other end of the ribbon into his open hand.
Aang winced as the frozen tip of the fabric bit into his palm. He had to look to see if he was bleeding.
The wheelchair bound young man moved up beside the angry waterbender. "Now, you don't mean that my love," Teo spoke up as he rubbed Katara's back. "Didn't we talk about forgiveness before we got here honey?"
The Waterbender blew out slowly. "I know, but that smug looking face of his just irks me," Katara complained, parting her beads to deliver the stink eye Aang's direction. "We were together for six whole years, and all he says is, "Thanks for coming. Well, I say, fuck him."
This time the bride stepped into the small group. "Okay, that was the first thing said I could get behind. If we can get through this stupid wedding without any more attitudes or issues, I'm hoping to do just that, and as soon as possible," Toph stated candidly. "I've been waiting for more than two years myself! The clock is ticking here people!"
Katara gasped in sharply. "I'm, so sorry baby girl; I'm just ruining your wedding, and this is supposed to be the best day of your life. I really shouldn't have come. I thought I was over this," she cried as tears dripped from under the shade of beads.
Toph reached over and took hold of Katara's forearm with her free hand. "How could this be the happiest day of my life without my Sweetness being here girl?" she asked in a choked voice. "I know this is rough for you and it's not what you expected after all those years. You thought it would be you marrying this idiot. Can you forgive me for being so selfish Katara?"
The waterbender shook her head with a rattle. "No Toph, you're not selfish. Somehow, he's won your heart and convinced you to be with him. But I think you're making a huge mistake marrying this asswipe," Katara shared in a bitter tone. "You can do so much better Toph. Your mom told me half the eligible suitors in the Earth Kingdom have asked for your hand and even more from Omashu!"
Even though Katara couldn't see Toph's face, she somehow knew the earthbender was smiling that snarky grin.
"You know, Sweetness, you're unquestionably right, I could do better, but I like him," she said as Aang looked at his bride in surprise. "I know he's selfish, small minded and a regular horny hog-monkey..."
Aang shook his head as he lowered his eyes to the floor. "Thanks, hun, I love you too," he included sadly.
"You're welcome," his bride remarked nonchalantly. "But Katara, I don't want better, I want Aang. None of those other guys do it for me. Come to think of it; I might be a bit of a masochist, to tell you the truth," she admitted with a tilt of her head. "You see, I've been on wedding interviews galore, and they all sucked royally. I just leave there wanting to bury the guy," Toph answered as she moved to his side. "Trust me Sweetness, if he steps out of line, spirits help him. I'll take those precious stones of his and feed them to the birds myself. Also, we've already talked about his little groupies; the pretend Air Nomads. I told him, they may think of themselves as nuns, but remember, if you want to be with me, none of those nuns for you! They need to stay as far away from me as possible, for their safety," she warned in no uncertain terms. "I'll send those mindless floozies flying, and not in a good way."
Katara snickered at the wordplay as she smiled broadly, "I'm holding you to that Toph," she told the earthbender as she gave her friend a big hug. "Sorry for getting so mad. I should have figured you laid down the law, Toph's way. So it'll be just the two of you on that freaky little island they made for him?" she asked.
The earthbender returned the hug. "Monkey fuck, no way! I'm not living anywhere surrounded by water. Do you think I'm crazy? Water and I are not friends," the petite earthbender declared. "No offense meant there Sugar Queen. You're definitely my friend," Toph stated, squeezing Katara once more.
"And none taken, Toph," Katara affirmed, reciprocating her affection.
The new Police Chief returned to her statement. "I already hate that place. All those women were sizing him up like a hippo-cow steak; it just made me sick, Katara. I don't know how you put up with it for so long. Every time he came near them, their hearts would start beating as fast as an eel-hound. In my opinion, they can make that shitty place a museum, shrine or just keep it as it is a whorehouse; I don't care," Toph concluded with a laugh. "But I'm never going to be staying in that cage."
"So, where are you guys gonna live? Do you already have a place?" Katara inquired, amazed at Toph's answer.
"Yeah we do, and you can come visit and stay as long as you like, anytime," she threw in. "We have a house just on the outskirts of Republic City. Designed for me and by me, Katara, with a little help from Snoozels of course," Toph proudly declared.
Katara smiled to herself. "You go girl; I wish I would have stood up for myself and pushed back," she thought, feeling a bit remorseful.
Toph pulled the waterbender down to her height. "Personally, I'd be still pissed too, if he did to me what he tried to do to you, Sugar Queen. I told him back then what a prick he was for putting you through that," Toph whispered earnestly. "Don't worry about me, I'm going in eyes wide open, figuratively speaking. I honestly love him Katara, but I'm not putting up with any of this harem nonsense."
Katara snickered as she stood straight up. The waterbender reached over and tugged Aang's sleeve. "I've changed my mind. I hope you do cheat on her or ask her something stupid like you did me. I, personally, would like to see your sorry ass get turned into the little bitch you are Aang," she growled, separating her veil to display her chilling smile to the Avatar. "Let's go Teo; we're holding up the ceremony," she said in her normal, motherly voice, placing a hand on the back of his chair.
Teo and Katara moved in front of the Bride and Groom as the Master of Ceremonies gave the signal to open the door and the music to start.
Aang swallowed hard, knowing this was no idle wish. "Yes ma'am, I'll take good care of her and make her happy," he promised all too loudly after them. Fortunately, a well-timed gong drowned him out.
They all began to march into the massive hall as everyone stood to their feet.
"Do you love me still Twinkle Toes after everything I said," Toph asked as her anxiety rose the closer they got to the front. "You know I said all that for Katara's sake... and for yours. I don't share well Twinkle Toes."
He grinned broadly. "I know, and I figured that was the case. But weren't you laying it on rather thick? You know I have a fragile ego," he replied as he laughed lightly. "But then again, I was a conceited jerk, asking her to let me start a harem with the acolytes, and she would be the first of many, even if it were to restore my people. I was so fricken stupid letting those clerics talk me into that plan. I went on a rant telling Katara what an honor it would be for her. I even told her that she would be the mother of a new air bending nation and all. I honestly hated myself after we broke up," he said to Toph sedately. "I still feel like scum whenever I recall how confused and hurt she looked. She didn't deserve for that to happen to her and certainly, I don't deserve you Toph."
"Sorry about your people, Aang" Toph meekly responded, leaning into him. "If no one has ever said it before. But, you're right, you don't deserve me, but in your case, I'm allowing this exception. Don't make me regret this Twinkle Toes," she stated with a deep sigh.
Aang tugged lightly at the ribbon that bridged them together. "Toph, you are my wind and my air. All that makes me alive," he whispered to her. "Love is just too small a word to say how I feel about you. I'm happy that we found each other, even through the pain I caused. You are the only people I need now."
Toph could feel his sincerity as her heart pounded in her chest. She wanted to take him so badly that she had to bite her lower lip to restrain herself from pushing him to the floor, right then and there.
As the front part of the procession peeled away, Aang could now see Iroh dressed in the traditional ceremonial robes of the Air Nomads. The old Fire Nation general smiled generously at the couple as they came to stand before him. "This day has been a long time coming, and I hope you two find the same joy and happiness I have," Iroh told them as he gazed over at Jun. "Now let's begin."
The official wedding ceremony started as Lao and Poppy joined the group.