'Ah, this is great Aang; no more running around in a hurry so you can master all the elements and defeat Ozai in time. . .' Katara mumbled from her position on the other side of the massaging.
'Yeah, though I do miss the experience of meeting people on our way.' Aang replied from the same position.
'Well at least Appa's enjoying himself getting a bath and his toes scrubbed.' Katara mused.
Aang smiled; Appa did deserve it, he had flown them everywhere through the year and barely got any recognition for his efforts. Getting a few rough baths and scrubs from Sokka and himself just didn't seem enough.
'Where'd Sokka get to?' Katara asked as the lady massaging her moved further down her back.
'He went to the feast.' Aang replied casually, stealing a glance at Katara who had a concerned expression on her face.
'Don't worry, Sokka can handle himself; he's a big boy now. And besides, he wouldn't stray that far from any source of food for too long.' Aang joked, trying to reassure her.
She sighed a bit and let the lady continue her massage.
Aang and Katara stayed silent through the rest of their massage, only letting out a few little moans as the massager hit the right spot.
Once their massages were done, Aang and Katara moved over to the hot springs in the other room. Leaving the under garnets they had on while their massage on and getting in. Katara sighed in content and lowered herself further into the water, only stopping when the water line was level with her upper lip. Her hair fanned out around the back of her neck, some coming around the front where her shoulders should have been.
It was only then that Aang noticed her hair loopies. 'Hey Katara,' Aang started.
'Mmm,' Katara hummed, keeping her eyes closed and at peace.
'Did you get new hair loopies?'
Katara's eyes slowly opened and she smiled, nodding her head in the water, sending the water ripples in Aang's direction.
'I like them. They're very pretty.' He complimented.
Katara raised her head out of the water a little, 'Thank you.' She brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. 'They're from The Cave of Two Lovers.'
Aang got off the rock he had been sitting on in the water and moved closer, taking the beads in his hand and inspecting them closer.
'Who got them?' He asked, keeping his gaze on the beads.
'Pakku. He and Gran Gran have been travelling around now that the war is over. They were visiting the Earth Kingdom and since we've been there before, he asked me what some good places to see were. I told him about The Cave of Two Lovers and in return with the next letter Pakku had given me these.'
'That was nice of him. I liked that cave.' Aang said the latter to himself than Katara but she thought he liked it because they had nearly kissed there but her thoughts were interrupted when he said 'Yeah . . . Those giant moles were pretty cool.' And Aang leaned back in the water and rested his hands behind his head. Katara smiled and rolled her eyes.
'They glow in the dark you know.' She said keeping her eyes on Aang to watch his reaction.
He shot up from his spot, tearing his hands from behind his head, which, he had just put there not too long ago. 'Really!' He exclaimed, coming closer again. 'They're those crystals!'
'The same ones.' Katara confirmed. 'Want to see?' She murmured.
Aang nodded his head and with a couple of movements with her hands she had lifted a stream of water out of the hot spring and burnt out all the surrounding burning candles. They all went out with a low hiss and for a second the room went dark, only to be illuminated a moment later by the glowing beads in Katara's hair.
Aang and Katara's faces were gently lit up by them and after Aang took his eyes off them his eyes made contact with Katara's.
They could both feel each other's breaths on their faces and little did they know that they had moved their faces together even more.
And just as their noses were about to touch Aang tilted his head and their lips met.
The kiss was filled with passion but didn't get rough.
'Aang! Katara!' a voice could be heard from the other side of the wall. Katara pulled apart from Aang at the all too familiar, irritating voice.
'Quick!' Katara hissed and with a swift motion she dunked Aang's head under water.
Next second the door was flung open and the silhouette of Sokka was standing there.
'Have you seen – Why is it dark?' He asked confused.
'Oh, I was just having a nap.' She said quickly.
'Right, well . . . Have you seen Aang? I want to show him the cool food that they have prepared; they even have a vegetarian course for him. Though I don't see the harm of eating meat, it's like the best thing out there!'
'No, haven't seen him since he got his massage with me earlier.' Katara lied.
'Okay, well when you do send him my way pronto!' And then he was gone, shutting the door behind him.
Katara let go off Aang's head which she had been forcing down under water while Sokka was there.
Aang surfaced with a big gasp of air, spluttering a bit.
'Sorry!' Katara fussed, hugging him.
'Your brother is seriously going to kill me one day!' Aang wheezed.
Katara smiled and kissed the arrow on his bald head. 'Not while I'm around.' Katara promised giving Aang a smile and patting him gently on the back to see if he was okay.