He stared out the window to the empty street below. Empty for now. He knew this peace wouldn't last for long. The gun he carried was held close to his body, as if he needed it to breath, and in a way, he did. Without this weapon, his "boomerang", he would've have made it this far. He would've been long dead by now. Somehow though, this gun kept coming back to him, just like a boomerang.
A hand rested on his shoulder, and because of the situation he had been in for the past year, he jumped. Luckily for the girl behind him, he did not point his weapon at her.
"Don't scare me like that," he nearly snapped at her, putting his weapon down. Not because of anger, but because he seriously could've hurt her, thinking she was the enemy.
"Sorry," she whispered.
There was something different about her. Something in her face that was telling him something was wrong.
"Where's Aang? Katara? Toph? Are they alright?" he quickly asked. There were more in their company right now, but those were always the first names that came to mind.
"They're fine. I just wanted to say bye before heading back to my merry band of warriors." There was a smile on her face, but she wasn't happy.
"You're leaving?"
"I have to."
No. No, this couldn't be right. She couldn't be leaving. Not now. Not ever. He just got her back, and now she wanted to go back out there and face all those… things, those zombies again. And on her own? Sokka wouldn't let that happen.
"You don't have to do anything. You need to stay with us. We'll keep you safe."
She shook her head. "What about my girls? What about the people I care about, Sokka? I came to make sure you made it to the safe house safely, and you did. I need to go back."
"You came… for me?" And here he thought he was protecting her, not the other way around.
"Of course I did, you goof. Why else do you think I'd leave my warriors? I had to make sure you were safe."
"What are you gonna do now?"
"Head back. Hope that the zombies didn't get to the safe house on the other end of Serpent's Pass."
Sokka hung his head. He hated the fact that Suki was leaving, and he hated the fact that he had to let her go. He knew that she wouldn't stay, no matter how much he wanted her to. He wanted her to stay with him so he could protect her, but in the end, she was the one protecting him. She would always be the one to protect him.
"Sokka?" Her voice broke his train of thought. "About last night? I… I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything. It was a rough night, and I just thought you were feeling the same thing I was feeling, but, I guess you weren't. And that's okay! You don't-"
Before she could finish her babbling, Sokka's lips were against her's.
In that moment, it felt like time just stopped. Everything was right in the world. The virus that was taking over the world never happened. All the people that got sick and turned against their own loved ones were healthy again. Everything was alright. Everything was safe again.
But then their lips part and reality came rushing back. A reality Suki didn't want.
"You talk too much," Sokka said.
Then, without another words, their lips were back together. Sokka's arms went around Suki's waist, holding her close, never wanting to let go. Her own arms went around his neck as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss. Their lips moved against each other, and for this brief moment in time, they were one. It was a feeling they both wanted to last forever.
It couldn't though. They both knew that. But they could stay close for just a second longer.
"Good luck," he whispered to her.
"You too."
She was about to walk away, but Sokka pulled her back.
"Wait. Take this." He handed her "boomerang".
"Your gun?" Suki stared at it in surprise. "Sokka, I can't take this."
"You can and you will. Just promise you'll bring it back." He placed his hand on her cheek. "You're my boomerang now."
"And I promise to come back." She wore a sad smile. "Goodbye, Sokka."
"No. No, 'goodbyes'. Only, 'I'll see you again'," he corrected her.
"I'll see you again… soon." She added the last word.
And with one last kiss, Suki left.
Once more, Sokka was looking out the window, watching her leave him and going back into the world he hated. They'd find each other again though. He knew it.
