Perfection

"Sweetie. Put him down, you'll spoil him." she said with a soft but tired smile.

"No such thing." he replied dreamily as he made his fifth pass by the window cradling the hours old baby in his arms. He looked up at his wife "He's just so perfect Katara. Have you noticed?"

"I noticed Aang, even thought I haven't gotten to hold him very long." she said with a playful pout.

He looked up at her with wide eyes "Oh, sorry. I have kind of been hogging him, haven't I." he looked down at the baby "Come on. Lets go back to Mommy."

The Avatar walked across the room and placed the bundle into the waiting arms of his wife before he sat beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

She brushed her hand cross the spiky dark patch of hair on the baby's head "He is perfect." she sighed

"He knows he is." he said before he kissed her on the forehead "Don't you Bumi."

Perfection pt 2

Aang sat and smiled as Bumi ran behind Sokka with his wooden sword. The little boy made swift swipes and his uncle speed up just enough so that the boy couldn't land a blow on his legs. Bumi may have been little, but he was strong. If Sokka let the child catch him he'd end up with a bruise that would last a week.

Aang flinched when he heard the whack followed by Sokka yelling out and falling to the ground.

"Muthafu-" Sokka stopped himself when his nephew stood over him and touched the tip of the toy to the tip of his nose.

"I got you evil pirate. Surrender now and I won't hurt you." the wild haired boy said with the bravado of a grown man.

"I surrender." he answered with a false tremble of fear in his voice and his right hand gripping his thigh.

"Get up. I'm taking you to jail." the little boy reached down and snatched his uncle by the arm.

Sokka hopped up with the tug "I already surrendered, you don't have to be so rough."

"This is the only way to deal with scum like you."

"You've been playing with Toph, haven't you."

"You keep the chief's name out of your mouth you dirty pirate." the boy pulled his limping prisoner to where his father sat "Avatar Aang, I need you to guard this prisoner."

Aang sat up strait and threw his hand up to his forehead for a salute "Yes sir."

"Good. I'm gonna get some lunch from Mom."

"Hey, what about me?" Sokka called as he Bumi walked away "I'm hungry too."

Bumi paused "I'll see if I can scratch up some crumbs and water." then he turned and walked inside the house.

"You really should stop letting him play with Toph." Sokka whined as he rubbed his sore thigh "Damn that kid is getting strong. I have a huge whelp already."

Aang leaned back and smiled bigger "He is. He's pulling himself into Appa's saddle now. He won't let us pick him up anymore, says he's a big boy now." he noticed the warrior's expression change "What's wrong Sokka?"

"Aang, how old is Bumi now? Four, five?"

"Five in a few months. Why?"

"The other council members have been talking. They wonder…they wonder if you and Katara have ever considered that Bumi-"

"Isn't an air bender." Aang interrupted. He knew this would come up sooner or later. "We know he isn't. We've known since he was a baby, we just never said anything."

Sokka blinked at the Avatar "How'd you know?"

"Kyoshi taught me how to tell. If a baby is a bender they show very subtle sign that most people wouldn't pay attention to; a water bending baby may make ripples in the bath without moving, an earth bending baby may shift the sand,"

"Zuko's little girl's hands are always extra warm." Sokka chimed in starting to understand what Aang was saying.

"Exactly. Well, when air bending babies sneeze the room fills with cool air. I knew the first time he sneezed."

'Why didn't you say anything?"

Aang smiled again "It didn't matter. No matter what, that's my boy, you know."

Sokka smiled, "Yeah, I know. What do you want me to say to the council."

"Tell them the truth. He's not a bender."

Sokka huffed "There have also been comment's made about the fact the Katara hasn't had another baby. What if you really are the last air bender."

" We don't know what will happen. Maybe Bumi's children will be air benders, maybe Katara and I will have more kids later. Look at Mai and Tom Tom, they're 15 years apart. The air benders will survive."

"They're going to ask, what if that doesn't happen?"

Aang looked at Sokka with a serious expression "Then I'll just be the last." They heard the door open and looked up to see Katara waving as Bumi ran towards them with a big smile on his face and a basket in his hand. They waved and he said "Sokka, what Bumi is or isn't doesn't make a difference. He's perfect exactly the way he is."