Heimat | Aang

THIRTY

The streets were mostly empty as the people retired to their homes during noon, wishing to stay with family for a while before they were to leave to head to work or simply rest. The warmth of the noon was enough to urge most people to take cover, and Sokka was one of those people.

He walked down the street without haste but anyone would be able to tell by his quick but not lasting smile and the waves he sent those that called his name in passing that he would rather be somewhere else. The walk from his workplace to his house had never appeared longer now he knew he had company waiting for him at home. When he reached his front door and got inside, he barely managed to keep himself from smiling.

"I'm home," he called out.

"How was your day?" Suki's voice was heard over Kya's laughter in between Aang's voice as he spoke lowly.

Sokka closed the door behind him, got deeper in the house. His gaze fell on where Kya was, playing with Aang, before he trailed his gaze to Tapeesa and Toph sitting close by, and finally, he headed over to Suki standing by the counter. His lips curled into a soft smile.

"It was good," he murmured, leaned in to peck Suki's lips. "Better now I'm here."

"When did you get this way, Sokka," Toph almost whined from a few ways away, "you have gotten sappy."

Suki giggled as Sokka sent Toph an offended look she could have never seen. "I'll have you know I have always been romantic."

Toph scrunched her nose up at him, "Oh no."

Sokka rolled his eyes at her and moved over to greet Kya. A short while later, Tapeesa stood up to stand by Suki's side. Toph, for reasons unknown to Tapeesa, followed after her.

"You are lucky to have found Sokka," Tapeesa told Suki softly with a smile. "I don't know him all that well but he seems like a great husband and a wonderful father. If he is anything like Katara then he is pretty amazing."

"He is even better than Katara, but if she asks, I never said that," Suki commented with a small laugh. Tapeesa smiled slightly although her attention was soon shifting to Toph as she cleared her throat.

"You are lucky to have someone that cares about you too, you know."

Tapeesa was confused for a moment as Suki hummed, instantly realizing what Toph was talking about. "She is right. He isn't like Sokka because they are different people but Aang cares about you quite a bit."

Tapeesa let out a small hum in realization. "I had always suspected he did but I wasn't sure. He is friendly with most people."

"He watches you train the waterbenders and ensures he stays back so that you can head to Air Temple Island together," Toph pointed out in a whisper.

"And we could have found you a house in Republic City but he insisted on having you stay in Air Temple Island," Suki added, "he wouldn't have done that for everyone."

"When you left to help Katara in the Southern Water Tribe he wasn't himself for a while," Toph shared as she leaned closer, having no way to notice Tapeesa's frown at the revelation. "To this day he still wonders why you left."

"Why did you leave?" Suki couldn't help but ask. "I thought you liked his company."

"I wanted to live in the Southern Water Tribe. At the time, I was looking for a place I could call home and I thought the South pole could be what I needed since I am a waterbender."

"Evidently that didn't work out as you are here," Toph guessed.

Tapeesa nodded, "That's right."