The candles around the room glimmered as I gently slipped out of my robe. One arm out, and then the other, and the whole robe opened like a curtain, exposing my newly carved body. Fourteen had done a number for my femininity, giving me beautiful features on my face and the rest of my body. My breasts were now round and broader, forcing me to get a stronger wrap to secure them under my dress. My hips were a little more noticeable, although not enough for anyone to make a rude comment on them. My face was beginning to resemble my mother's, or so Gran Gran said, but I would be free from that nostalgic remark for a while at least. The truth was we weren't in the southern water tribe at the moment. Well, Aang and I weren't. Sokka had devotedly stayed with dad to watch over the newly built tribe. Toph had returned to her parent's house, causing a bitter sweet reunion between them with hugging, crying, and apologizing. It was difficult when it was time for our departure, however. The moment also consisted of hugging and crying.

Aang had had a dozen meetings with Firelord Zuko, although it was appropriate with the constant murders and robberies caused by Ozai fanatics. No doubt he would be off soon, my love, out on the dangerous horizon to battle these monsters. This is why we were in the firenation. After hearing all this, I had no choice but to accompany Aang, even though he begged me not to.

"It's for your own safety," he had said, but I had already proclaimed my love for him, and I just couldn't separate.

"Aang," I spoke to myself quietly. The name made me quiver, but not with fear. His kisses made me melt, and his gentle touch caused my legs to turn into candle wax, slowly melting away before completely dissolving underneath me. Though, the thing that really surprised me was that I was willing to stay with him, alone, in this unbelievably dim suite lined with lace and satin bed sheets. I chose to ignore my sudden thoughts, throwing them aside as I made my way into the bathroom.

There was marble everywhere, with red roses outlining the counters and gold studded sinks. Then the color caught me. Red. It made me sick; everything in this palace was a certain shade of red. Whether it was bright blood red or burgundy, everything reminded me of this place's awful past.

I slowly turned the knobs on the marble bathtub in the corner, trying to forget all the red I had seen today. My hand brushed the warm water that sent shivers through my veins, it immediately calmed my nerves, and I slipped into the bubbly water foot first. I just relaxed there for a moment, taking in the steam and sinking deeper into the water until it was up to my eyes. I entertained myself for a minute or two by blowing bubbles, watching them rise up, and then pop at the surface. I took a washcloth and began to clean my smooth skin, humming a small lullaby while I took my time.

It was going rather quietly until I hear a small gasp and a quick apology. I turned my head to the right where I saw Aang standing in the doorway. His eyes were wide and he was blushing even redder than the walls. I focused on his exposed chest, also blushing madly. He was well into puberty after this year, with his face coming out of its roundness and growing more chiseled. His chest proudly showed his abs and muscles. He was thirteen now, catching up to my fourteen since I wasn't going to turn fifteen for another month. My eyes rose back up to his red face.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry Katara," he said quickly trying to cover his eyes, but failing slightly.

"It's, it's alright." I steadied my voice while still concentrating on his bare chest. We were silent for awhile, taking brief looks at each other before quickly looking away. I noted to myself that it was becoming very warm in the room, but passed it off as my blushing.

"Um, maybe I should leave and let you have your privacy," he decided to himself while heading swiftly for the door.

"No!" He stopped and I cursed myself for shouting that a little too eagerly. "I- we haven't talked in awhile," I said as level voiced as I could before I gestured to the window seat at the left of me. He sat quickly, and I took note of his eagerness to stay in the room with quiet satisfaction.

"O-Okay." I heard the shiver in his voice and recognized it as boy hormones. I couldn't blame him, however. This room was very steamy, and I was sitting next to him completely naked in a tub. He clasped his hands together nervously while twiddling his fingers. I smirked at him as he bit his lip and wondered to myself how anyone could be this jumpy around the opposite sex.

This was going way too slow though; like a shooting star flying to the other side of the world before you even had a chance to glance at it. This was the perfect time to get reacquainted with Aang, and I was sitting here letting time fly with the blushing kid beside me. I quickly took that back as soon as I thought it.

Aang wasn't a kid anymore. A kid wouldn't be able to make me feel so lightheaded, so, so free; like I could rise to the clouds, my eternal heaven. A kid couldn't kiss me with passion and lust. A kid, a kid just wasn't the name to describe Aang anymore. I struggled to get out of my thoughts so that I could use them to speak.

"Listen, Aang," I began. "I-I think," should I say it? "I think you've been avoiding me." I looked down and then right back up to him anxiously. He paused and also looked down before meeting my gaze again.

"Why? I mean, do you want me to spend more time with you? We could go on a walk, or maybe a ride on Appa." A walk and a ride on Appa? Was that the best he could do? I sighed.

"Actually Aang, I was thinking something a little more," I searched my brain for the word. "Coupleish." The fake word fell off my tongue.

"Oh." He blushed again, but then again, did he ever stop? "Of course we could do something like that. Let's go to the park tomorrow," he said calmly. That would satisfy me, for now. I was thinking of making out on the bed, even though I always thought of that. Actually, I was thinking of something a little more. After all, we were alone, and everyone else was most likely asleep. I realized then that I needed him, and this bubbly water didn't help. Time for some torture.

I picked up my washcloth again and began cleaning my neck. I dragged it up and down, glancing back to Aang as he squirmed in his seat. Yes. My plan was working perfectly. I looked at him and stopped, pretending to not have noticed him there.

"Oh. Would you like to help me Aang?" This really knocked him off the seat, but he got back up anyway and began to walk back to the exit.

"I don't think I should," he said shaking his hands and backing up more. No! Now my plan was failing, I couldn't let him leave me now. I looked down dejectedly; a soft whimper coming off my lips. He stopped in his tracks and looked back at me cautiously. His face softened.

"Well, oh alright," he whispered. I smiled secretly; maybe I could pull him into something. He kneeled down beside me and gripped the marble with white knuckles. I gave him a grateful look and handed him the washcloth. He took with no enthusiasm whatsoever, but I knew that he was shaking under his skin.

"Just help me wash my shoulders and arms." He slowly dragged the cloth from the top of my shoulder, and the down to my elbow. He stroked it there again and again. The steam rose up through our noses and we both took a deep breath, equally embarrassed by the situation. However, even though I happened to be embarrassed, I was also pleased by the way this was turning out. I raised my head to look at him; his stormy gray eyes meeting my blue ones. I moved my head closer to his, completely and utterly lost in the heat. He seemed to follow my lead and lowered his head closer to mine as well. I shivered as our lips got closer before he permanently closed the gap. His lips were soft against mine, and I gladly opened them to give him better access. His hand found my face and gently stroked it. Our breaths hitched as we released and then came together again. He continued to kiss me tenderly before his breathing became rougher, more jagged.

I could feel him begin to raise me out of the water, securely fastening his arms around my waist and pulling up. The water fell into the tub and onto the floor with loud splashes, but neither of us came apart to even notice. Aang grabbed the nearest towel and wrapped it around me before carrying me bridal style out of the bathroom and back into the suite.
Night had fallen over the room, but the candles remained lit, and the warmest of fires glowed in the fireplace at the foot of my bed. He kissed me again before carrying me over to the fireplace and lied me down on the carpet next to it. My legs wrapped around his torso as our lips locked passionately. He stroked my wet hair before moving down to caress my cheek.

"Aang," I breathed his name while putting my hands on his chest; reaching up ever so slightly to meet him in another kiss. This was it. I knew what this was going to turn into, and I was more than obliged to complete it at Aang's say. I wanted him to make love to me, and nothing was going to change my mind tonight. As if he read my mind, Aang let his hand rest over the towel that guarded my body.

"Go ahead," I said quietly while looking up at him. He stared with hard eyes down at me before carefully unfolding it; as if opening a present. The reflection of the flames danced over my mocha colored body. The scene made it harder for Aang to resist pinning me to the ground right then and there. It didn't matter to me, especially because he had already cornered me onto the floor.

I shivered as he touched my bare waist.

"I won't hurt you," he whispered.

"I know," I whispered back. I smiled as he caressed me neck before moving down to my chest, around my breast, down my waist, and then up my leg to my ankle. I shivered more at his burning touch, but I wanted more. These gentle touches would only soothe me for a while; I needed more intimate touches in intimate areas. I needed to be able to moan his name out instead of just breathing it. I also knew that he wasn't a mind reader, so I asked him personally. "Aang, please more." He complied, glancing down at my womanly area and then looking back up at me.

"Katara, I don't know." I wasn't listening; passion was over flooding me inside and out. I reached up again to capture his lips, hoping that it would knock him back into the mood. It worked.

He slightly touched my area at first, since of course he'd never seen it before, but after a few moments he started rubbing it, pulling a satisfied moan out of me at last. He interrupted me by kissing my stomach, and stroking my almost dried hair. I reached my arms down to his pants and quietly tried to unbutton them without him noticing. I had just gotten them loose when I felt strong hands capture my wrists.

"No," he replied in a stern voice. I traced the arrow up his arm and whispered my response. I sighed first.

"Why not," I asked impatiently.

"Face it Katara, you aren't ready for this and neither am I." I could strongly disagree with that statement, but I decided to let it go, for now. I knew that he would win if we were to get into a quarrel over when to have sex and when not to. I let him kiss me on the neck and trail little kisses on my jaw before he pulled me up to him.

"I promise," He said quietly, "when I think it is the right time, I won't hold back."

"Why does the "right time thing" always have to come between us," I complained. We laughed slightly before he brought us both back to the floor, instantly wrapping himself around me when he heard a yawn escape my lips.

"Sleep," he soothed. With one downward movement of his arm, the candles one by one flickered out. The fire next to us slowly went out after, abandoning us in darkness. I laid my head on his chest and whispered a small "I love you, my Aang." He snuggled closer to me as I drifted into a dreamless sleep, enclosed in the cold darkness of midnight.