Suki woke up a little after dawn and nudged Sokka awake as she got up. He groaned and turned over onto his stomach, pulling his pillow over his head. Rolling her eyes, Suki lightly stepped on his back as she got off the futon. With a grunt, Sokka floundered in the dense quilt and Suki giggled as she danced to the door.
"RUDE." He said, popping his head up. Suki blew him a kiss as she slid open the door and walked out into the hall.
"You need to get ready." She called as she walked out into the main room. It was early winter and the frost was a regular occurrence, so Suki shivered in the early morning air. The colder months were more enjoyable for her, though she wasn't looking forward to the weeks of Sokka boasting about how cold it got in the South Pole.
Suki made a mental note as she passed through the main room and into the kitchen; she hadn't been to visit the South Pole yet.
Shaking out her hands, Suki took up the long pole and shoved up the wooden cover in the roof. Cold air immediately poured down the gap and Suki shuddered. She had to keep moving, even though the thought of Sokka warm in bed tempted her back.
Lighting the fire was difficult with her frozen fingers and it took Suki a few tries before the spark caught. Luckily, she had to build up the fire before she could bank it for cooking, and she greedily over stacked the smaller logs. Rocking back on her heels, Suki closed her eyes as she basked in the radiating heat from the new fire.
Is this how a Firebender felt all the time? Suki opened her eyes and stared at the bright tongues, looking too much like velvet for her tired brain. She stood up, feeling her joints pop, and set about making breakfast.
By the time she set out the food and tea, Sokka had bathed and shaved, smelling like cedar soap as he kissed her. Suki caught him in her arms and dragged him down to where she sat, kissing him more fully on the mouth.
"It's going to be that kind of morning huh?" Sokka asked while Suki still held him close.
"Mmm, I think you have some time to spare." She remarked with a coy smile. Sokka raised one eyebrow before bending down to scoop her up in his arms. Suki squealed as Sokka walked out of the kitchen and toward the bedroom.
"Good morning guys!" A bright voice greeted them and Sokka froze, turning his head to look into the main room.
"Ty Lee." He stated and Suki chuckled. With a sigh, Sokka set Suki down and she patted his shoulder.
"Would you like some breakfast Ty Lee?" Suki offered. "We were just about to eat."
"If you guys were busy I could come back later." Ty Lee said, looking slyly at Sokka. Scowling, Sokka threw up his hands and walked back over to the table. Suki smiled, still exasperated, and shook her head.
"It's fine. I'll get you some rice." She replied.
Being the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors came with some perks. Suki and Sokka kept a small house away from the shared hall where the other women slept. She remembered, fondly, of the woman who had lived here before. Yaling had been a diminutive woman, but had moved with the fans in a way Suki hadn't seen since. Yaling had gone with the older, veteran Warriors years ago and never returned. More bodies burned up by the Fire Nation she supposed.
Now she was in charge and kept Yaling's house, though Sokka was erasing more and more of her mentor with each passing month. Suki didn't mind, they all had to let go of the past at some point, and now this house was becoming their own.
Not that they were often left alone.
"So why are you up so early?" Suki asked as she handed Ty Lee her own bowl. Sokka seemed uninterested in the answer and focused on assembling his own breakfast.
"Getting up at sunrise is a great way to recharge your spiritual energy. Plus, the cold air is good for lengthening your muscle stretching." Ty Lee replied as she gingerly poured tea into their cups.
"That sounds like a great idea. Did anyone else join you?" Suki inquired. Ty Lee hesitated and looked down at her rice, tapping the top of the mound with her chopsticks.
"I kinda take the time to be alone you know?" She answered, mostly addressing her rice. She seemed alarmed at her own response and Ty Lee snapped her head back up, looking worried and forcing a bright smile. "Not that I dislike being around the other girls!" She added with intensity. Sokka paused and glanced over at her, looking back at Suki before continuing to eat.
"We have been training a lot." Suki began. "I know I like taking a break every once in awhile now that there's not a war on." Ty Lee blanched at that, but Sokka snorted.
Suki cleared her throat and scooped up some rice.
"Well, you are welcome to hang out here more since I'll be gone." Sokka interjected and Suki nudged him sharply in the side.
"You're leaving? Again?" Ty Lee asked.
"Yeah, off to visit Zuko for his birthday." Sokka replied around a mouthful of smoked fish and rice.
"And you're staying here?" Ty Lee questioned Suki.
"When the two of them get together, it's a hassle. If they're celebrating something, then I really don't want to be around." She replied.
"And you don't mind that?" Ty Lee asked of Sokka. He shrugged and leaned against the table.
"We don't have to do everything together." He said. "We are separate people." Ty Lee made a noise and looked back down at her food. Suki and Sokka shared a glance and he shrugged again.
"Did you want to go? Visit Mai?" Suki inquired gently. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sokka rolls his.
"I'm sure she'll be moping around the palace." He muttered and Suki elbowed him again. Throwing her a dirty a look, Sokka rolled against the table edge and stood up, walking toward the counters with his bowl.
"No, Mai and I were never that close without Azula." Ty Lee admitted before finally eating.
"Well how about this Ty Lee." Suki said suddenly. "Why don't you and I head into the next town this week and just, have an outing?" Ty Lee brightened and smiled widely.
"Oh that sounds great Suki!" She exclaimed and started to eat more heartedly. Suki looked back at Sokka and let out a small sigh, having her shoulders droop. Sokka smiled back and walked to her, kissing her cheek before grabbing the bowl of leftover rice.
"I'll wash up." He murmured as Suki cupped his cheek.
"You guys are sooooooo cute!" Ty Lee beamed. Sokka let out a heavy breath and squeezed his eyes shut as Suki laughed.