Sorry I've been gone a lot, I know but it's nearing the end of the school year! So of course things are gonna be busy. I have to catch up on last minute things. Plus I'm lazy I'll admit that. I've been getting really into supernatural and Sherlock. So I've been watching those a lot, and I've been on tumblr. But for being gone so long, I'll post two chapter's as a bonus! Any ways, hope you enjoy :)

Sokka jotted through the kitchen and out the front door. Once out he went around to the side of the house where there was a small igloo they used as a storage space when preparing for such trips. Sokka dug away the snow purposefully packed at the entrance and crawled in to the structure, unaware of the fact his father had come out with him.

The man watched his son crawl into the icy dome and finished munching on his moon-peach before following the boy. The ceiling was just tall enough for Sokka to sit comfortably. Combined with the supplies and equipment there wasn't going to be enough room for Hakoda to completely enter so the man just stayed laying in the small crawlspace. "Got a moment?" he asked.

Sokka looked behind himself to see his dad. "Oh, hey," he greeted. "Yeah," the boy turned his body around and leaned back against his supplies, "what's up?"

The elder sighed. "Well, there've been some things I've been meaning to talk with you about," he said. "Things that need to be discussed before you off and disappear with that girl for a week or so."

Sokka's eyes became suspicious as his father referred to Toph as 'that girl.' "Dad, she's just a fr-"

"I know, I know," he said. "That's not what I'm talking about. I told you before that I trust Katara to make responsible decisions and I trust you too. I wouldn't have recommended this trip if I didn't." He paused to let his son muddle over that for a bit. "This is actually more or less about your other girl."

Sokka's heart sank to his stomach and he looked away. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well," Sokka paused. "What about her?"

"That's what I want to know."

Sokka's head tipped back towards the small hole in the ceiling designed to let light in while his mind zinged off to another time and place. "I don't know," he said after a few moments.

"What don't you know?" the man pressed.

"I don't know. How she feels? We haven't seen each other in over three years. And we haven't talked in almost two."

Hakoda nodded knowingly. "How do you feel?"

Sokka became defensive now. "Why is my relationship so important all of a sudden?" he demanded.

Hakoda waited a moment to let his son simmer to a point where the boy would actually pay attention to his response. "Because of that," he said. The man spoke in a calm and quiet voice. "Even after all this time, you still call it a relationship." Sokka's eye's quirked with inquiry at this statement. "Son," he continued, "You may not realize this, but you are something of a lady's man."

Sokka rolled his eyes at this. "Dad."

"Believe it or not it's true," he insisted. "When you're on the outside looking in it's a lot easier to see. There are some of the northern girls that are really impressed with you. A man of your age having such a warrior's heart and as much fighting experience as you've had is something that's going turns heads in many different ways … and for many different reasons."

Sokka turned away, but couldn't help but smirk with a sense of pride. It was obvious he knew what his father meant, but he couldn't help but try to explain it away. "That's just because I'm friends with 'The Avatar,' and what does this have to do with Suki?"He said.

Hakoda sighed as he came to the part where he had to make his point. "Sokka …. I'm not going to say 'it's time to move on' because only you can decide when that time is. But as a father I have to say that I'd like to see you get out and enjoy life while you can." Sokka showed discontentment on his face but he was still listening. "You're still a very young man, both in body and at heart. And, like you said earlier, you don't know how Suki feels anymore. Is there still potential there? Maybe … but you don't know."

Sokka sighed and he knew his dad had a point, several points. "Yeah, I know."

"Yeah."

Sokka sat in silence for a minute and Hakoda let him organize his thoughts.

"Hey, dad?"
"Yeah?"
"What does Toph have to do with this?"

Hakoda shrugged. "Not much, really," he stated honestly. "It just seemed a good way to grab your attention."

The boy rolled his eyes and chuckled through his nose.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to your preparations now," He said, backing out of the crawlspace. "Don't forget to close her up when you're done."

"Okay, dad. I'll be out in a minute."

"Oh, and Sokka,"

"Hmm?"

"As a father I have to say that I'm not going to think any girl is good enough for my boy, and no guy is good enough for my little girl. But on that same note ... If you diddecide to start something with her on this trip," Hakoda started, pausing to make sure his boy was listening, "you could definitely do a lot worse."