If You Ever Do Anything to Hurt Her

The one true manly way to concede defeat for the girl's heart is to tell the winner that if he ever screws up that he should expect an ass-kicking of epic proportions.

This establishes that the loser:

* Realizes he has lost.
* Is decent enough to just want the girl to be happy, only expressed in a guy way.
* Is holding the winner to a very high standard.

The manly and gracious thing for the winner to do is to accept this statement. "I would be disappointed if you didn't." This is not an insult or a threat, but an agreement between men who both want the same girl to be happy.

--- TV Tropes & Idioms

Suki was tending the fireplace when she realized that she and Toph were the only people in the campsite. Though she can see Katara, Zuko and Sokka engaged in a conversation with Aang who was feeding his bison far away, the blind earthbender curtly told her not to get involved, and based from Katara's yells, it was obvious it was indeed a wise choice.

The Kyoshi Warrior sneaked a peek at the blind girl, wondering if they could start a conversation of their own when Toph startled her. "So..."

"So...?"

"You and Sokka last night, huh?" Blushing, Suki was about to insist nothing happened between them that night... as Zuko kind of got in their way. She was way too embarrassed to continue their little tyrst because of this, and instead she opted to sleep alone in her tent.

Suki was aware that Toph liked Sokka, the way the other girl gleefully kissed her cheek at the Serpent's Pass months ago was a huge hint of her crush for the Water Tribe warrior. And although Suki was happy to be in Sokka's arms again, she felt uncomfortable to be in the near proximity of a girl who knew her unrequited feelings. "Listen, Toph, we're not doing..."

Toph sighed, "Look... you don't need to explain anything to me. You and Sokka are a couple. It's what you do because you love each other... just do me a favor and don't give me any details."

"Toph." Suki continued, determined to smooth away any possible friction they may both have in the future. "I'm just being sure you're alright with this."

"Oh please, what for? Sokka doesn't even know how I feel." Toph snorted "Don't say stuff like that when its obvious you're just being sorry for me."

"I don't feel sorry for you." Suki answered firmly. "Far from it. I completely understand the feeling." when Toph didn't reply she forged ahead, determined to at least win Sokka's closest friend by explaining they had something in common. "I've been with Sokka all the time yesterday, and we talked a lot. But when I tried to tell me about that other girl he liked from the Northern Water Tribe, he clams up."

"Yeah. I've heard about that." Toph frowned trying to recall that story. "But Aang and Katara were vague about it... Sokka couldn't tell me the details either."

"It bugs me really." Suki admitted, her face inscrutable as she stared at her hands.

"Bugs you what exactly? It's all in the past. You're with him now."

"Still, I can't help thinking there was a girl before me, who still has a strong place in his heart. I can't help feeling..."

Realizing that Suki was obviously distressed over this, Toph decided to be blunt on the issue. "When I was traveling with Sokka... whenever I asked about the people they met before I came along all he can ever talk about was that first girl. But if I say a rhetorical opinion putting her in a bad light, and he goes all ranty how compassionate and good and awesome she was. It really annoys me sometimes when he does that, I make it a point to hit him." Here Toph looked thoughtful, "But not so hard, really. I've noticed that whenever he mentioned her, Sokka's voice would be all melancholy and sad, it was obvious it was an awful experience for him, and he was really torn up losing her. He'd put up a big show he was OK for everyone else to see, but really he was hurting inside pretty bad."

She could almost imagine Suki's frowning expression. "Gee, thanks." the Kyoshi Warrior bit out, trying to stamp her jealousy from her voice, she was wondering now if she just made a mistake talking about Sokka's first flame so casually.

"But you know what? He stopped sounding like that ever since you came."

Here Suki looked up, eyes widening in shock. "Really?"

"Oh sure he'll still talk about that first girl sometimes. But he sounds like he was recalling her from his mind, not from his heart like he used to. Ever since you two became an item, he stopped being sad. Something I can never do all this time when I was with him.

"And frankly, I liked seeing Sokka happy. As long as he is happy, then so am I. And I want to thank you for it."

Suki smiled, touched at the younger girl's words. She was about to tell her these sentiments when Toph added matter of factly. "By the way, if you break his heart the way that last girl did, as his best friend, I am entitled to personally hunt you down and break you in half."

The Kyoshi Warrior took Toph's small hands in her own, her expression serious. "Thank you. I promise I will take care and cherish him."

Toph gripped Suki's hand painfully. "You'd better."

But despite the words and gesture, the two girls were smiling at each other, feeling a sense of friendship was born between them. The sense of epiphany was liberating.

For them, really, Sokka was worth it.