AN: I think we need something cute. Don't you?

summer

Summer in Republic City is hot. Ninety percent of the time the citizens are in search of a few vacation days. The other the percent of the time is spent dousing themselves in the bay. This is no exception for the Avatar and her friends.

"How's the sandcastle coming, Bo?" Mako called over to his younger brother. The earth bender was pouring diligently over a mound of sand the size of a mechatank. He didn't seem to be bending, only circling it with the air of a practiced artist. In his own words he was 'searching for the sculpture within.'

"I THINK I HAVE FOUND MY MASTERPIECE!" Bolin announced, settling into a horse stance and raising his hands. They fisted and dropped, the mound of silt exploding in a cloud of smoke. When it cleared there was a ten foot tall statue of Pabu standing on one of his front paws.

"Very impressive." Asami commented with a wry smile. She was settled under an umbrella, a magazine lying in her lap. Upon further inspection by Mako it was a car magazine.

"Why thank you. I feel I could've been a great artiste in another life. But alas, pro-bending became my calling in this one."

Clearly he said this with complete ignorance of what was going on behind him because he didn't notice the smallest speaking air bender child barrel through his sculpture. Bolin let out a strangled cry as the two eldest air babies followed, casting balls of air at their cackling brother. They disappeared as quickly as they came.

Korra, however, arrived moments later looking bedraggled with literal smoke spewing from her ears. "Which way did they go?" She huffed. Her fists were clenched and her wrap had all but completely fallen off her shoulders. Asami let out a sympathetic laugh, standing from her comfortable spot on the beach.

"I'll go find them. Why don't you take a break? You look like you've had enough for a little while." Asami reigned in a giggle and took off at a jog in the direction the air children had gone. Korra's shoulders slumped and she collapsed on a towel next to Mako.

"Why did I agree to bring the kids to the beach with us?" She grumbled, arm thrown over her eyes to shield from the sun.

"Because Ikki overheard us talking about it and demanded we bring them along." Bolin noted matter-of-factly as he sat on her other side.

"And because you love them even if they do get on your nerves." Mako pointed out quietly; he tried desperately to hide his smile but he didn't think he was particularly successful.

"No." Korra declared, sitting up and pouting. "Those children are the spawn of Koh."

"If you actually felt that way we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Korra glared at him. "Actually, you know who's getting on my nerves? You." They often had a hard time agreeing about who was and wasn't right. More often than not both of them were wrong.

"That's not really helping your case. Because you love me too." His grin was cheeky. It didn't last long though; a split second later he found himself faceplanted a few feet from his towel. He was covered in sand. He groaned, picking himself off the sand that seared his skin upon contact.

He heard the pad of her feet as she approached him. He looked up to find her silhouette framed over him. She had a satisfied smile on her lips. "Well, yeah, I guess you're right about that." Her brow rose in challenge before she leaned down and pecked his lips.

The pair of them broke apart when they heard Meelo's familiar battle cry in the distance.