Heimat | Aang

SEVENTEEN

Not a word was exchanged. Tapeesa had lost track of time, unaware of how long she had spent looking at Aang, waiting for any kind of response. He had taken off the rug preventing him from speaking or bending a while ago along with the rest of his bonds but still, he hadn't said a word. His eyes mainly fell on the dry grass at his feet, to the unconscious bodies a few ways away, to the dead trunks of the trees she had used. His gaze hardly ever left her legs, never looking higher to meet her own. He hadn't attempted to sit up either. He still sat on his knees, attempting to sort his thoughts out. While he took his time processing what had happened, though, he failed to ponder what Tapeesa was thinking about. 

The more time passed, the more clarity she had over her thoughts and what she did. The lack of logic while she fought had been unexpected, a mistake she thought she had learnt to not do anymore, although she had just proved herself wrong. She avoided looking at the decay and destruction she had left in the wake of her fight, attempted to not give much thought into her actions and the reason she had been so violent, instead choosing to look over Aang for any injuries. Slowly, she took a step forward, her eyes falling on his wounds around his body, where the ropes holding him still had been. He didn't react to the movement and so she took a step forward, and then another, until she was standing in front of him. And then she kneeled, falling to his height. For the first time that night, he met her gaze.

"You're hurt."

Her voice was soft, as it always was when she was speaking, and Aang couldn't connect the woman kneeling in front of him now to the woman he had watched fight a few minutes ago. There was no hint of anger in her expression or her gaze, her tone betraying no strain. This was more like the woman he knew, considerate but always holding back, not quite showing her worry even though the soft tone she always harboured was a clear indicator of her feelings. He looked at his wound, distracted.

"It seems so."

She didn't say a word as she moved forward and raised her hand, the moisture from the ground rising at her wordless command and curling around her hand to her palm. The water glowed as it got in contact with his wounds and he trained his gaze on the bright water to avoid looking at her. It wasn't until she had healed him completely that she pulled back, and Aang cleared his throat before speaking up.

"Thank you."

She nodded, looked over him once before she stood up. "We should get back. Appa is waiting for us."

He nodded slowly as he pushed himself up and she started walking away. She had hardly taken a step away though when she heard him speak. "What about them?"

Tapeesa stopped, her expression appeared to have been made of stone as she looked at the bodies on the ground and then the Avatar. "They'll wake up at some point."

He frowned. "So we're just going to leave them here?"

She turned to face him properly, an eyebrow raising. "Yes."

Her tone left no room for discussion. Aang could do nothing but nod and with a last look at them, he followed after Tapeesa. He lit a flame in his palm as they walked so he could see, although she didn't appear to need the guidance of light. The night seemed less dark the more they walked and it wasn't until they reached a small opening that he realised the sky was starting to change colour as dawn approached. He let his flame be put out as he caught sight of Appa. The sky bison didn't waste a moment to moan in greeting and jump over to him. He licked him from bottom to top and Aang couldn't help but laugh at the show of affection as he hugged his head.

"I missed you too, buddy."

Tapeesa watched from a few ways away, her guard still up. She took a quick look around before she headed over and stopped on the other side of Appa's head. "We need to go."