Yay. This update only took a month. ;D

I actually wrote a part of this chapter a year ago. In fact I added in the marriage subplot just so I could post this extremely funny dialouge. You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it. Tell me funny you think it is! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. If I did, I'd probably have an Avatar costume for Halloween. Oh well.

Sokka glanced around the room nervously. Next to him, Toph scowled and kept on clenching her fists. Meanwhile, her father looked at Toph with disdain clearly etched upon his face, and her mother maintained a neutral expression.

He knew that things were about to get ugly.

"So…" Sokka started, hoping that he might break the awkward silence.

"It's so good to see you again," Toph's mother Poppy stated with a small smile.

"Even if you did just break down our fancy door," Toph's father Lao added sullenly.

"Yeah…" Toph muttered. With a deep breath, she began, "Look, I'm an earthbender, so I'm not going to dance around the topic. I came here because I wanted to face you and tell you why I don't want an arranged marriage. I would think that as your daughter, you wouldn't push the issue if I obviously don't want to do it, but since you won't listen to me as usual, Sokka here suggested that it would be better if I talked to you."

Lao glared apprehensively at the two. "Is he why you don't to be married to someone else?" He asked indignantly. "Is that the true reason you came here? Do you want to marry him?"

"WHAT?!" The supposed couple shouted together. While Toph nearly had a heart attack from the sudden accusation, Sokka blurted out, "I already have a girlfriend!"

"Oh?!" Lao's face turned red. "So you're cheating on my precious daughter with some filthy vagabond?"

Sokka was horrified at the misunderstanding. However, Toph, who had gotten over the shock of her father suggesting that she and Sokka were engaged, angrily retorted, "Don't talk to my friend like that!"

As the universe just loves Sokka (it does love Toph, though, but misfortune can often be contagious), Lao apparently misheard Toph and shouted at Sokka, "You're cheating on my darling with her best friend?!"

The situation continued to spiral out of control as Toph exclaimed, "No! Katara is my best friend!"

Lao gasped, and furiously stomped over to his daughter and tried to pull her away from the hooligan who dared to commit so many unspeakable and horrible offenses. "I don't know what customs are accepted in the Water Tribe," he spat vehemently at Sokka while yanking Toph's arm to get her to budge. "But incestuous relationships are frowned upon in the Earth Kingdom."

"That's ENOUGH!" Toph screamed as she grabbed Sokka's shoulder before he could attack her father for insulting the Water Tribe. However, Sokka could still reach his club, and he waved it threateningly over his head with his free arm. Lao, still clutching Toph's arm, shook in fright as Sokka towered over him while brandishing the club. While Lao tried to hide from Sokka behind Toph, Toph tried to push the two far away from each other.

On the other side of the room, Poppy daintily wiped her mouth with a silk tissue and commented, "I think now would be a good time for supper."

It didn't seem possible, but eating dinner with the Bei Fongs was now even more awkward than sitting with them. Both Sokka and Toph glared at Lao now, but Lao ignored the stares as he looked down at his food. Poppy seemed to be the only one unaffected by the tension in the room.

"So, Toph dear," Poppy glanced at her daughter, "I suppose you have something you wanted to tell us."

"Yes, mother, I do," Toph responded icily while continuing to glower at Lao. "For one, Sokka is NOT my boyfriend. And, back to the real reason I came, I don't want to get married. And I especially don't want to be in an arranged marriage."

"But dear, we only have your best interests at heart," Poppy explained gently. "Don't you want someone to provide for and protect you?"

"Protect?" Sokka snorted.

Toph kicked Sokka's leg under the table, and then she replied, "I think that after helping to win the Hundred Year War, I'll be more than able to survive on my own."

"Yes, but what if you injure yourself?" Poppy questioned delicately. "If you break your leg, what will happen then?"

"She has her friends," Sokka interjected. "I know that if she was ever in trouble, I'd be there to help her, even if she doesn't want help," he added as he gazed pointedly at the blind earthbender.

Toph seemed to understand that the last part was addressed to her rather than her parents, so she glanced away and muttered, "You're the one that always needs saving, if I remember correctly." However, her face did turn a bright shade of pink.

"Hmm…" Poppy gracefully wiped her mouth as she thought about the arguments her daughter presented. Meanwhile, Lao glanced at Sokka inquisitively before asking tentatively, "Sokka, is it? Can I speak with you privately for a moment?"

"Um…" Sokka raised an eyebrow and glanced at Toph, who merely shrugged. "Sure, I guess." As Sokka left the room with Toph's father, he noticed Toph bite her lip.

When Lao and Sokka entered the living room once more, Lao paused for a moment before stating, "I would like to formally apologize to you, Sokka. I was wrong to lash out at you like that."

Sokka resisted the urge to snort, and he replied, "No problem, I guess."

However, Lao continued, "It's just hard to come to terms with that my baby girl is so independent. I feel like if I let her go, she'll never come back."

Sokka rubbed his neck, embarrassed. Why is he telling me about his problems? He thought frantically. I don't even know him that well! I wish I had my Wang Fire beard…

Clearing his throat, Sokka said, "Sir, Toph has always been independent."

"Not when she was a baby," Lao reminisced. "She was so affectionate back then…" Sokka suddenly visualized a baby Toph crying and reaching out for affection. Sokka chuckled at how cute Toph would have been as a baby. Not to say she isn't cute now…

Sokka shook his head and told Lao, "Well, you're pushing her away now by forcing her to marry. I'm sure that she would come back more often if you were more accepting of her."

"Maybe you're right," Lao sighed as he turned back to the dining room. However, he turned to Sokka once more and commented, "You know, if you were to ever want to marry my daughter, I wouldn't say no." With that, he rejoined his family.

Sokka, however, remained frozen as he processed Lao's words.

"Well, that was productive," Toph commented as she and Sokka left the Bei Fong estate. "I broke a door, saw my family, and even got them to listen to me. Not bad, huh?" She grinned as she elbowed Sokka lightly.

"Uh huh," Sokka mumbled.

"What's up with you, Snoozles?" Toph frowned. "I gave you a perfect opportunity to say how I can't see my family, and you completely miss it!"

"Oh."

"Is your brain malfunctioning or something?" Toph asked as she playfully rapped her fist on Sokka's head.

Sokka glanced at the cheerful blind earthbender and found that he was suddenly smiling as well. "It's nothing," he replied as he threw an arm around Toph's shoulder. "So, where are we going next?"

"Wow, with all of our mini adventures you forgot the major goal?" Toph smirked while Sokka rolled his eyes. "No more detours for you, then. But we're heading southeast now."

With this knowledge, the events that occurred today were pushed aside as Sokka focused once more on his ultimate goal: finding his space sword.

The next day, the night sky eagerly awaits the green sky so that they may touch again. The emptiness that he had never realized before now sears through him. It leaves him anxious to meet with the green sky again. The green sky does return, but refuses to be touched by him. Instead, the blue sky and the green sky relax with each other. Even if they don't touch, the blue sky feels satisfied with the company of the green sky.

However, one day the night sky remembers how complete he felt when the green sky touched him. Now, the pain he almost forgot sears through him again. He desperately wants to touch the green sky, but remembers that the green sky does not want to be touched. He wants to reach out, but he is afraid that if he touches her if only for a second, the green sky will never come back. And that would be a worse pain than not being able to touch her.

So, the night sky and the green sky remain in an uneasy arrangement where both want more but cannot act on their desires. If they touch each other once more, the repercussions may be severe.

Meanwhile, the rest of the sky remains unaware of the night sky's and the green sky's inner turmoil. Only the purple sky watches on, unsure of what to do.

Well, this chapter was shorter than others, but it's still okay. I hope it made you laugh! Or at least chuckle.

And only four more chapters! :D

Reviews greatly appreciated!

~Butterfinger333