A/N: The universe says that I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender. I make it too easy. (Except for when it comes to showing Toph in an actual romantic pairing. What can I say; I'm all about the bromance.) 'Sides, this fandom impresses to overwhelms me with just how fast y'all are about looking for the update. Thanks for all the favorites, alerts, and reviews. There may be one more wrap-up with Katara guest-starring for the full Gaang, but that'll probably be all until the official Air date.
3. In which Sokka and Toph are stronger than the dreaded F-word: family.
"You're sure about this? You're totally, completely, and permanently satisfied? There's no chance you'd back out at the last minute?" Sokka grilled her, despite all her attempts to ignore him.
Toph gave her friend her best wolfish grin. "Yes, yes, except that if I wanted somebody to second-guess me, I'd go talk with my parents, and no. What's got you so concerned anyway, Sokka?"
"I want to be sure he makes you happy, is all. You know you're family to us." Toph had to fight a smile at that, and the easiest method she knew was to turn it into an actual fight.
"As in I can kick your butt like your family!" Toph pulled the taller Water Tribe man in for a headlock and noogie, with no regard for her dress or Sokka's formal wolf-tail. He protested and straightened, pulling her off the ground and spinning until she was disoriented. There were very few people that Toph let get away with such a technique without immediately flattening them. She laughed as she pushed his arm away from her waist and regained her feet. "You're better than family, Moony Man. Don't start acting like a dumb overprotective older brother to me when you didn't do it for Katara."
Sokka circumspectly helped her smooth the wrinkles out of her dress. She didn't care about them, but it was the principle of the thing. "Hey, Aang kept his hands off until my sister jumped him, and when Katara wants something, I've found it best not to argue. You, on the other hand, -"
"Have not yet beat it into you that I can figure out my love life without having to 'sort out my feelings' for a year and a half?" Toph interrupted him with a game crack of her knuckles.
"I'm just saying that you've gone through a few rocky patches, is all." Sokka shifted from one foot to the other. Horrible puns and twitchiness - the guy had a way of dealing with uncomfortable topics, didn't he?
"Yeah, I've had my heart broken a few times." Toph kept her voice flat and steady. This conversation was beginning to come dangerously close to emotional territory, something Toph expected more from Aang and Katara than Sokka, but maybe it was a good sign that he was observant enough to know his own part in her history. That was why he was one of her best friends. That was why he could have been - a traitorous part of her insisted had been; first crushes meant something even if it was not mutual and she was above such things, long past it, - even more. "But I got over it. And we knew from the very beginning what we're getting and what we're giving. I can be myself with him and he's cool with it. He's honest and open and I love him for it. You guys are better than my family, but if ever I wanted to turn that into more than a dirty word, it'd be with him. We're gonna make sure that the next generation of Bei Fongs are actually proud to be seen with their parents."
Toph found herself engulfed in a hug so quickly that she didn't even hear the step. "I am losing so much money on this wedding - I made a bet that you'd never get married, - but it is totally worth it to hear you so happy."
"You idiot," she laughed into his shirt, trying to keep her eyes dry as she smacked the back of his head. "How were you supposed to collect on 'never?'"
He let her go, kind enough to offer mutual blindness to any tears that either might have shed. "Well, every year, on our anniversary, Suki pays up. So, if you want to cancel the big wedding now and sneak off and elope without telling any of the Kyoshi Warriors, especially Ty Lee, or Aang, Katara, Zuko, Iroh, Bato, or Dad, I might be able to collect on one more year." Sokka rubbed his hands together as he attempted to formulate his evil plan. "'Cause that way we still have the big party that we might as well enjoy anyway and you two don't have to worry about all the fuss that comes with him taking the Bei Fong name in public."
"If you haven't noticed, I'm in a wedding dress. I've already been through the worst of the hoopla and I'm not doing this twice, so lead me to that altar, Sokka." Her parents would suck it up. She was finally honoring her family, after all.