Something about Weddings

Rating: K+ to T for implied adult topics.

Genre: Straight Angst, Some Humor (just 'cause it's Toph)

Summary: Toph attends a wedding.

Author's Note: Hi everyone! rosemusic20 here. I am a veteran fanfiction user and writer, but have not done anything in a while, so I thought I'd give this a try. Amazon Prime has reignited my Avatar: The Last Airbender true love. I watched Legend of Korra (sorta, I haven't seen every episode) and was sad when there was little to no mention of who Toph was in the years between the two shows and how she wound up where she did. So I wrote this little ditty, and a few others which I will maybe post later on, about Toph in the years in between. It is mostly romantic and is definitely in favor of the SokkaxToph coupling. Enjoy. Ideally, this will be a series of one shots, some in order, some not, all about Toph and her gentlemen friends.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I love everything.

It was impossible to sneak up on her - whether she was alone with a perp in a empty dank alley way, or in a crowded city square surrounded by civilians - the chief of police was too fast, too vigilant, too good.

But for some reason tonight, maybe because she'd had one too many glasses of wine, maybe because nerves were swimming through her veins like tadpoles, Toph didn't catch the familiar footsteps until they were only inches behind her.

"Evening Chief." She spun around just as his hand reached out to touch her shoulder and took a step back, bumping into the table of refreshments behind her.

She quirked an eyebrow at him, bracing her hands on the edge of the table and planting her feet firmly on the ground - noticing as she did so his heart pumping excitedly in his chest, she nearly smiled - and glaring up at him, "You trying to sneak up on me, Snoozles?"

"Of course not," Sokka ran his fingers through his wolf tail and laughed nervously.

"Good," She punched him playfully on his shoulder, "Because I wouldn't want to have to knock you out cold on your wedding day."

"I don't know if you could," The water tribe warrior puffed out his chest, "I feel like I'm on top of the world today."

"Congrats meathead." Toph grinned at him and opened her arms to hug him.

He received her embrace gratefully, extending his arms and practically engulfing her - even after all these years he was still a good foot taller than her - and sighing. "Thanks, Toph."

She inhaled, allowing herself, if only for this one moment, to enjoy the mix of sea-salt and musk, that comforting smell that was just so insanely Sokka. Then, she slowly pulled away, turning back to the table of food behind her and fiddling numbly with a plate, in hopes of hiding the red that had risen to her cheeks.

He stood there, unmoving, and she wondered what he was doing until he shifted so he was beside her. He gently tried to pull the plate from her hand. "Here, let me."

"Don't." The earth bender commanded firmly, yanking the plate back from him. When she noticed the sudden tension in his muscles, she defended herself quickly. "I got this okay. I know how to make a plate of food for myself."

He stilled again, clearly unsure of how to proceed.

She proceeded to grab the first article of food she laid a hand on, having absolutely no clue what it was. "Why are you hovering over me like I'm a sick polar bear puppy?" Toph eventually asked.

"I don't know," He mused thoughtfully, remaining next to her, "I'm just glad you're here."

"Don't you have family to attend to?" She questioned, walking away from the table and leaning up against one of the stone walls.

Her friend followed behind her innocently, "I do, but I like you better."

She rolled her eyes - how was he not getting that she desired space - but smiled in spite of herself. "What about your wife, where's she?" Toph knew the answer to this question of course, she could find anyone in a crowd if she knew them well enough; Sokka's new wife was dancing playfully, carelessly with Katara and Ty Lee on the other side of the grand hall.

"I don't know, actually, come to think of it maybe I should..." There was a pause and she knew that he was glancing around the room for her, "Oh, there she his." He waved and, with a pang, she noticed his heart rate accelerate. "Isn't she beautiful?"

This was getting to be a little bit much. "Yeah." Abruptly, she started briskly towards the exit, plate of unidentified food in tow.

"Where are you going?" Sokka jogged after her.

She was quicker and more able to dodge in and out of the crowd then he was, her senses allowing her to easily predict people's movement patterns in order to avoid collision; But, he was persistent enough that even by the time she got out the door, the chief of police had only managed to secure a small amount of space between herself and her friend. She took those few seconds the shake her head and hands vigorously, in hopes that the movement would calm her racing mind.

There was a split second where his footsteps paused and she thought maybe Sokka had changed his mind, but then he emerged from the archway of the ballroom. "What was that about?" He inquired, irritation lacing his tone.

She didn't respond, merely picked up whatever was on her plate and took a bite out of it. With a grimace she realized she had just bitten into some kind of shell. She opened her mouth and let the chunk of fish and exoskeleton plop lamely onto the plate in her hands, then spat out the remaining bits of fractured shell out in no particular direction. "Ew." She stated.

"I tried to help you." He pointed out, but this only served to annoy her further.

"Must you patronize me?" She demanded fiercely. By the way his body tensed he was clearly caught off guard by the seriousness of her voice.

"Sorry." He muttered.

Silence fell between them once again and though a part of her - a very impulsive, youthful, hopeful, eager part of her - wanted to break it, she just kept her lips tight together in a thin line, until Sokka finally gripped his fists tightly and groaned, filling the empty air.

"Look Toph, I can tell you're out of sorts. You've been acting ridiculously solemn and grim all day. When I looked out at you while I was up and the alter, you weren't even smiling. And I know you couldn't look back at me but... I was hoping I would have my best friends support today." He complained, pleading with her for an explanation. "And I don't get it. I just don't understand why you're so upset with me, and today of all days. It's my wedding day."

Rather than try to justify her emotions to him she just tilted her head in his general direction, hoping her eyes would land somewhere close to his, and swallowed. "Exactly Sokka. It's your wedding day." She said, devoid of emotion, knowing that that would be enough to have him get the point.

From the way that his body rapidly sunk in posture and energy, she could tell that her words had sunk in. "Oh." His voice seemed to have shriveled and shrunk like a dried sea prune, for he apparently had no reasonable response to her subtle confession.

And just like that the sound between them suctioned away again, leaving only the pulsing of two heartbeats pounding in Toph's ears. She turned away from him, grinding her feet into the floor, knowing that she would be leaving tiny prints there when she walked away but not caring. Why did he have to get married? Why did he have to invite her to the wedding? Why had she even come? Why did he have to walk up to her just now and try to treat her like she was just like any other woman at this reception, when he knew quite well that she wasn't?

"You look beautiful this evening." He whispered it quietly, but clearly, and suddenly the earthbenders confusion bursted into rage. "You're dress is lovely. I like it when you dress up."

"You can't wear pants to a wedding, Toph, and you definitely can't wear your uniform. Here I have something you can borrow."

She should never have let Katara talk her into wearing anything other than her metal bending gear out in public. She clenched her teeth, the soles of her feet sinking further into the stone beneath her.

What, did he think that some kind of lame compliment was going to somehow sanctify her after everything that had transpired between them in the last year? She wanted to scream at him, to break his neck with one hand whilst crying; 'How dare you call me beautiful?' 'How dare you give me even an ounce of hope when all you are going to do it rip it away?'

But she didn't, instead she planted herself even further into the ground - something about her earthbending stance gave her a unique sense of strength - and scoffed.

"Katara made me wear it. I wanted to wear my uniform." And just like that she felt her anger disperse into the floor, leaving behind only a slight rumble that she was sure only she could feel. "But she said it wasn't fancy enough."

"I wouldn't have minded, I love your uniform."

Now that she had regained control of her faculties, Toph was able to easily fend of his comment. "I'm not sure how pleased Suki would have been she was walking down the aisle and turned to see me standing there in a shiny metal suit."

"Probably not very." Sokka agreed, falling alongside her into the rhythm of their banter, "Wait, how do you know your uniform is shiny. You can't see it."

"People," - and by people she meant men, the really dumb, flirtatious kind - "Like to remind me that I light up a room... Whatever that means."

"Well, I agree with them." She felt his weight shift as he propped himself up on the wall behind both of them. "You light up a room, and not just with your uniform."

She shook her head - her previous theory about dumb, flirtatious men now fully proven - and sighed. "You've got to stop this, Sokka." His head jolted ever so slightly at her use of his actual name.

"Stop what?" He inquired, but she could tell by the sober tone of his words that he already knew the answer.

Feeling generous, and favoring honesty, she decided to tell him anyway. "The flattery; The flirting. You're married." She said it matter-of-factly, as if her statement was a history fact that he had forgotten to study in school, with no trace of the hurt that was lurking just beneath her skin.

"But I like complimenting you." He pouted, taking her hand and swinging it playfully. "I want the whole world, including you, to know how awesome I think my best friend is."

She gingerly pulled her fingers out of his grasp, keeping her gaze locked in any particular direction away from the sound of his voice and the heat of his body, "You know it isn't that simple for me." She stated simply, still maintaining the cool, calm tone of voice.

"I don't understand why everything has to change." His voice was pleading, begging for some sort of assurance from her, some sort of compromise.

Still, she couldn't bring herself to give it to fully give it to him. "But that's just it. Everything has changed." Toph felt like she was channeling Mai, the gothic, emotionless, strategic - for lack of a better word, bitchy - firelady. Her words felt hollow and empty, and she knew they sounded just the same. But she kept her strength. She would not break her foundation for him. Not again.

"Not for me." Sokka supplied, clearly thinking, or hoping at least, that this would somehow close the void between them. "You're still my-."

She cut him off coldly, "If you would just open your eyes you would see that that is the problem." She kept her monotone and blank expression, though underneath her skirt, her legs were trembling, keeping her feelings at bay. "Nothing has changed for you, and yet... For me, everything has changed."

He didn't seem to have a counterargument, though she felt him open and close his mouth a few time. She wondered if he knew that she could sense his shock at her honesty and his indecisiveness about how to reply. "I-." He stopped himself, and she knew that he was still formulating a thought; either that or he was changing his mind. Either way, he clicked his tongue and managed to speak fluidly. "I appreciate your being truthful with me, Toph. I hope we can be friends again. Some day. When you're ready."

"Oh, we will," Toph assured him sincerely, shifting back into her genuinely lighthearted self. "I just need some time to get over you." She smacked her lips together and gave him another punch in the shoulder. "Now get back to your wife, ya big loser."

Once he had disappeared back into the room of jovial dancing wedding guests, and the earthbender had torn her senses away from his footsteps, she turned her attention back to her food. She picked up the remains of whatever she had tried to eat before and attempted to nibble on the bits of meat. After feeling around for a few minutes with her tongue, trying and failing not to eat anymore bits of shell, she resigned, tossing her plate at one of the servers as she made her way back into the grand hall.

As she walked back over to the table of food, she allowed herself to survey the room. Aang and Katara were on the far wall, Aang learing in to whisper something in Katara's ear, Katara blushing red, pulse racing. Toph smiled. Ty Lee was standing in a circle of sturdy feeling young men who were all shifting nervously as she babbled awkwardly to them, her neck craning in search of an escape route. Mai was lounging on a chair that was meant for a one of the members of the band, while Zuko lackadaisically offered her an array of different refreshments, both their feet tapping and their heads darting frequently in the direction of the clock.

And Sokka; Sokka, had his bride in his arms, her light feet gliding off the floor as he whisked her around the dance floor, her Kyoshi warrior gown - she had been allowed to wear her uniform, Toph thought with a scowl - swaying around her as he-.

Distracted by her thoughts, Toph had managed, for the second time that evening to lose track of her surroundings; leaving her open to collide straight into a complete stranger. Indignantly, and unwilling to admit that she had not been paying attention, she glared straight ahead, furrowing her eyebrows and pursing her lips. "Watch it, butter feet."

"Why don't you watch it?" Came an irritated reply from well above her head - apparently this person was significantly taller than her. "What are you blind or something?"

"Yes, actually." She seethed, looking upwards, twisting her toes into the floor, and lifting up her bangs to reveal her eyes. She never knew why, but doing this somehow always seemed to get the point across to people that she could not see. "Idiot."

"Oh shit, I-. I'm sorry." Muttered the stranger, and she felt his stature shrink. His sudden backing off, as if she were some kind of helpless baby seal, only served to further anger her.

The floor rumbled, this time loud enough for more than just her to notice it. "Oh so now you're suddenly gonna turn into a big wuss? What are you afraid your gonna intimidate me, the small blind girl, with your gruffness?" She growled.

"No, I just-."

"You just what?" She challenged him. "For your information, jerkwad, I am Toph Beifong, greatest metal bender in the world. I've handled myself in front of musclier men then you." Now that she had planted her feet, she observed that this person was actually not that buff of a guy. Though he was muscled, chiseled in fact, with broad shoulders and defined biceps, he was definitely not the bodybuilder type she had imagined based on the tone of his voice moments before.

Apparently he had been examining her as well, because as she began to stalk away from him, he grabbed her arm firmly and declared, "You're pretty."

"And you're an asswhole." She didn't turn around, but stopped, curiosity peeked. "What difference does it make?"

"Wanna get a drink?"

"I already have a drink."

"Wanna get a drink, somewhere else? Somewhere that isn't here." The man elaborated; She glanced over her shoulder and squinted at him, even though the action did absolutely nothing for her benefit, hoping the gesture would get him to reveal something more of his intentions. He merely crossed his arms and waited expectantly for an answer.

"Nah, I'll pass." However, as Toph shrugged him off, she could help but turn to face him fully, returning her attention again to his physical shape. He was wearing thin-soled shoes - something very few people did, except for Sokka, because he knew how much she appreciated it - , thin enough that she was able to make out a lot of the specific elements of his body; and she wasn't going to lie, she was enjoying - the view - the sensation. Her fingertips tingled and she nearly licked her lips.

Interestingly enough, her new companion also remained in place, unphased by her rejection. He cocked his head to one side, and she realized with a slight blush that he was staring at her.

As she had grown, the earthbender had developed a keen awareness to the feeling of being looked at. Right now, she could sense the heat of his eyes as his gaze traveled down her body, but there was something different about this stranger. Mostly, when she found herself subject to this lusty glares, she could practically smell the longing and straight-up desire wafting off of whoever was giving her their attention. But with this particular man, she could tell by his delicate, speedy heart rate that his eyes were motivated more by curiosity than the usual sense of ownership she would experience. This discovery significantly decreased her desire to send him flying through the roof, though it did not completely quell it.

"Bride or groom?" The man before her asked suddenly, jolting her out of her thoughts - she had been imagining him soaring straight through the ceiling - and shifting his weight away from her to give her some space.

"What?" She asked, confused.

"Who do you know?" He explained. "The bride or the groom."

Toph nodded, understanding. "Both actually. We all fought in the war together."

His demeanor changed slightly. "Oh, really? You fought in the war?"

She was alarmed by his apparent ignorance. "Wait, do you seriously not know who I am?"

"Should I?" He sounded slightly embarrassed.

"Uh, yes." She informed him matter of factly. "Maybe you should pick up a history book and learn that I, Sokka, and Suki single handedly took out an entire fleet of fire nation airships on the day of Sozin's comet."

His pulse spiked at the realization and his jaw dropped, but he didn't praise her or try to console her or anything; Instead he offered a simple, "Damn."

She peered curiously in his direction, "What about you?"

"Hm?" He was apparently also easily lost in thought.

"Bride or groom."

"Oh yes," He scratched his head. "My mother is an old friend of Suki's mother. I don't really know either of them, but my mom insisted I come to show my support or something."

"Overbearing parent?"

"You don't know the half of it." He sighed and shook his head solemnly.

She smiled, "You'd be surprised."

"What, you got crazy controlling parents too?" He asked innocently.

She laughed, genuinely, loudly and patted him on the shoulder. "You've really never picked up a newspaper have you."

He started to protest but she just kept talking.

"Why don't I tell you about it over that drink?" She let her hand linger on his arm.

He tilted his head again, and she noticed the thumping in his chest quicken slightly - or maybe it was her own heart, she wasn't quite sure. "You don't have obligations to your friends?"

She activated her senses and sized up the room; discovering Aang and Katara now sneaking over to the door, Ty Lee with a group of unconscious men surrounding her on the floor, Mai and Zuko asleep in two chairs stolen from band members. She lingered for a moment on Sokka, who seemed to be standing alone in the center of the dance floor, and hesitated, wondering if maybe she should go see if he was okay. But as the thought formed in her mind, he reached out a hand and grabbed the hips of his tall, apparently very beautiful bride, and pulled her into a kiss.

She turned to the stranger. "I don't think they'll miss me." She took his hand and dragged him towards the door.

He grunted but followed without resistance.

"By the way, what's your name?" She asked, as an afterthought.

"Kanto."

Author's Note (Number 2): Thank you very much for reading. I will be continuing this story, for my own creative pleasure, regardless of feedback, but may not post future chapters if no one expresses interest. So please; review, favorite, follow, whatever you kids do these days. Maybe your thoughts known! I am happy to read them. I will send previews of the next part of the story to you in your inbox if you review. I 'ppreciate you.

rosemusic20