Heimat | Aang

FORTY-ONE

Tapeesa hummed, a thin smile forming on her lips. "That sounds like an extremely fair trial."

Aang cleared his throat, took the attention back to him and briefly bowed at King Kuei. "Your Majesty, we have not come for the results. It is time for Tapeesa and I to return to Republic City. The threat in Ba Sing Se has been eliminated. Now it is over, we must return home."

King Kuei frowned. "I understand. Is there no way I can suggest you stay for a while longer? The results come out today and then the trial, which is rather interesting if I say so myself, and then in a few days there's a festival in Ba Sing Se."

Aang's eyes widened, "A festival?"

"We deeply apologize, your Majesty," Tapeesa took over when it was clear things weren't going as planned. "We must take our leave now."

"I cannot stop you then," he conceded, "very well. I wish you a quick and tireless journey back to Republic City."

"Thank you, your Majesty," they echoed, bowed at the King, and without another word, turned back and left the throne room. The moment the doors were closed, Tapeesa turned to Aang with a glare.

"You truly are impossible. It's like you have never been to a festival in your entire life!"

"Not in one taking place in Ba Sing Se," he defended himself.

"It's a festival, Aang," she pointed out, "you have been to plenty of those."

"But they are nice, Tapeesa. There is food and shows and music and dancing."

She didn't attempt to change his mind any longer. She only shook her head. "Just call for Appa."

He listened. When they got out to the front of the palace, Appa was there, and after petting his muzzle, she was quick to climb on his saddle. With a last look at Ba Sing Se, Aang urged the sky bison to rise.

It took days to return to Republic City. Aang seemed to be in no haste during their travel back, making stops more often than he usually did, always finding a nice lake to camp by, for her benefit, as he claimed, yet he was the one always jumping inside the water the moment he had the chance. Tapeesa could only shake her head at him and wait to return to Republic City to see whether he would change his antics then or if she would have to adapt to living like this.

When they arrived in Republic City, they passed by it and headed right for the Air Temple Island. It was quiet, at first, and they put their belongings back where they should be. It was supposed to be one more night of them spending a while in the other's presence, perhaps while cooking dinner. But Tapeesa's mental plans were shattered only a while later when as she passed by a window to head to Aang's room and ask him what he would like for dinner, she caught sight of someone who was unmistakably Sokka climbing up to her front door.

"Aang," she called out at once as she headed to the front door, "Sokka is here."

Before she had the chance to open the door, it burst open and Toph marched inside. 

"You came back and didn't tell us!" she accused at once, pointing a finger straight at Tapeesa. Her eyes widened but before she could reply, she felt a hand rest on her waist and Aang stopped by her side.

"We arrived just a while ago, Toph," he told her before he turned to Tapeesa. "I thought you said Sokka was here."

"And I am here," Sokka said as he got inside with a wide smile, Suki following right after him. "I just have company with me."

Katara appeared right behind Suki, closing the door behind her. Tapeesa's eyes widened at once as Katara looked up at her with a wide smile.

"Katara?" she couldn't help but ask as Aang by her side chuckled and moved forward, to Katara.

"That explains how they all got here," he said as he pulled Katara in for a hug she instantly returned. "Hi. It's been a while."

"I know, it's good to see you," Katara returned, and the moment she and Aang had sprung apart, she headed for Tapeesa to engulf her in a similar hug.

"When did you get here?" Tapeesa couldn't help but ask into the hug.

"Just a few days ago, I needed to see Toph," she explained as she pulled back. "And then I'm heading right for the Fire Nation. Mai gave birth, Zuko is a father, isn't it exciting?"

"Quite exciting," Tapeesa agreed, "what about the Southern Water Tribe?"

"I left dad as Chief," she explained as slowly, Toph, Suki, Sokka and Aang walked a few ways away to let them speak.

"I wasn't planning on coming back."

"I know, I read your letter," she admitted with a small smile. "I knew it the moment Aang asked for help that you wouldn't return. The two of you have always had a different connection and I knew the Southern Water Tribe wasn't your home. I am glad to see you have found that here."

"Southern Water Tribe might have not ever become my home but I gained a great friend there," Tapeesa smiled down at her, "if you ever need anything, I am at your disposal, Katara."

"I know," she assured her, "I think I will leave you alone for a while though, at least until you adapt in the life here and living with Aang. By the way, I'm annoyed I didn't get to see that happen. Couldn't you have waited for a while?"

Tapeesa shook her head with a laugh. A few ways away, Aang looked up from his conversation with Sokka at the sound of her laughter, his lips involuntarily curling into a smile. At once, Sokka scowled.

"You are whipped."

"Be quiet," Aang told him, without any bite in his tone. Toph shook her head as Sokka rolled his eyes. Suki, on the other hand, looked at him with a rather sly smile.

"Aang, did you ever consider that you have a type?"

Aang blinked over at Suki, then glanced over to where she was looking at, to see Katara and Tapeesa talking to each other. His cheeks flushed and he cleared his throat, looked away. "Maybe."

"I will never get over how you were with my sister once," Sokka scrunched his nose up, "never. It wasn't something I ever wanted to see and my opinion remains the same."

"Stop being so sensitive, Sokka," Toph told him with a huff.

Sokka let out an indignant sound that vaguely sounded like a snort before Aang spoke up.

"Would you guys like to stay for dinner?"

"What kind of question is that," Sokka sent Aang a look. "Kya is with her grandparents, I'm staying away for a little while."

"We love her but sometimes she cries too much, too loud, too often," Suki explained with a wince, "it's nice to have some time off."

Toph frowned, "That is not really encouraging."

"You get used to it," Katara entered the conversation, and when Aang looked over at Tapeesa, she was already looking his way. She sent him a small smile just as Katara started talking again. "Anyway, I'll be the one cooking dinner."

"You are the guest, you are supposed to sit back and watch," Tapeesa pointed out as she sent an exasperated look at Aang who chuckled as he watched her walk in the kitchen after Katara. Sokka watching him shook his head.

"You are far gone, man, can't get out of it."

"Stop talking like you are any different," Toph scoffed at him.

"I'm only speaking the truth," Sokka defended himself, sending a wink at Suki for good measure.

"I think I'm going to help in the kitchen," Aang excused himself, ignoring Sokka's comments about him being right, Toph's arguing and Suki's laughter. As he reached the kitchen, he quietly walked over to Tapeesa and reached for the knife. "What am I helping with?"

And as she quietly started to explain and they worked on making the food together, neither noticed Katara watching from a few ways away, smiling so hard her eyes almost disappeared at the scene. In the end, it seemed like everything did happen for a reason.