Heimat | Aang

THIRTY-THREE

Tapeesa was never woken the next morning to go to the Police Station. Instead, she was left to sleep until it was almost noon, a rather regular occurrence since she always stayed up rather late as she felt the pull of the moon, but one she hadn't been able to indulge in while in the city. She walked slowly through the corridors of the Air Temple, still dressed in her nightwear, her hair for once let loose. Aang wasn't in his room. Zuko wasn't in his either. As she was about to leave to check the living room, though, she caught sight of flames through an open window from outside. She changed her route to that direction.

Upon going outside, she found both Aang and Zuko. They were shirtless, fighting with each other a few ways away from the temple, both of them using firebending to defeat their opponent. Tapeesa hadn't lived with firebenders for the last two years she had spent in the Southern Water Tribe but she remembered from her life beforehand that firebenders tended to wake up early and use the morning to practice. The fact they were fighting could only mean their training was coming to a close.

She stayed back as she watched them fight each other, their rally ending a while later when Aang managed to trick Zuko into almost taking a blow. They stopped, both of them panting and grinning. They nodded to each other, bowed briefly, and it was then they noticed Tapeesa standing close by, watching them.

"I see you woke up," Aang told her, his wide smile remaining. "It was the full moon yesterday and I thought to leave you rest for a while. I imagined you wouldn't have slept much."

"I did stay up late," she admitted, her expression turning cross as she noticed Aang walking towards her. She spoke before he could reach her. "Why don't you both jump in the sea? You are sweaty."

Zuko chuckled and instantly walked away, to the sea, and Aang followed after a beat of hesitation. Tapeesa herself moved a bit closer to the water. Zuko remained inside while Aang jumped in and then got out once more.

"Better now?" he mused, and this time she let him get close. With a triumphant smile, he leaned in to press a kiss against her lips before he placed an arm over her shoulders. "How are you?"

"Well rested," she smiled back at him as she stole a glance at Zuko who looked away the moment she turned his way. Laughing to herself, she turned back to Aang. "Has Zuko been around the city? He would probably want to see how his statue is coming along."

"He probably wouldn't but I am going to make him come see it anyway," he chuckled as he turned to Zuko. "Get out of the water!"

Zuko followed after sending him a little scowl. He came to a stop in front of them. "What are your plans for me, Avatar?"

"We are going to go to the city," Aang announced, paying no heed to Zuko's teasing tone. "We will show you to your statue-"

"Really?"

"-and then you will see Toph, Suki and Sokka, along with their daughter Kya."

"I really do need to see Toph," he admitted, serious at once. "Are you sure we don't have to beat someone up? I mean, I know Toph can do it on her own but it would be my pleasure anyway."

"She won't say a word," Tapeesa piped in softly, "I think it was her own decision to keep it quiet."

"It's not going to be kept quiet," Zuko disagreed, "they are going to talk even more now that she will have a kid even though there is no one else in the picture."

"We know," Aang admitted, "we need to be here for her. That's all we can do."

"I can let her stay in the Fire Nation if she ever finds it difficult," Zuko spoke to himself as he headed towards the Air Temple. "She knows she can ask for help whenever, right?"