Er…Hi. Quickly put, this is my first fan fiction on this site, and I truly hope that you all enjoy it. And as a quick note…Katoph rules. That's about it for my intro, except for the fact that (as it mentions briefly in the fic,) the characters are a bit older than they are in the show. So…enjoy! -;;

Disclaimer:…-Sigh- I'm sure I'll have to do many more of these…I do not own the characters, settings, or animals of Avatar: The Last Airbender…Nickelodeon does. But if I did…Actually…Let's NOT think about that. Hehe… O.o;;

Warning…This is really short…I was just bored. .;;

As dawn's finger tips of rose caressed the tops of the mighty oak trees that scattered over the bush peppered valley, Katara awoke. The young woman had no idea as to why she had been roused so very early in the day, and sighed as she opened her eyes, the pupils retracting as the bright sun light shone through the thin film of her tent. Her cerulean orbs adjusted to the effulgence of the new morning, and finally, she was able to take in the sights around her without being forced to blink away the radiance. The moss green hue of her canvas tent caused everything under it to be tinted that same color, casting an odd, sickly look to the water bender's skin. Katara sighed yet again, and sat up, glancing around her vicinity to locate her fresh, clean clothing. Spotting it moments later, she urged her mind to direct her legs, pushing herself to her feet. After stripping her soiled night clothes, and swiftly re-dressing, she un-hooked the flap to her tent, and stepped out into the sun's revitalizing rays. The sight that greeted her was a pleasant one, for she was the first to wake, and none of her companions had disturbed the tranquil setting that nature had prepared. The flush grass that coated the soil around her flitted in the light breeze, causing some of the dew drops to be whisked into the air, landing on the ground inches away from their original position. Birds tittered and chirped in the trees that surrounded the camp site, creating their own majestic morning melody. The pink tinge of the still rising orb in the sky caused the stream that was babbling near by to glint gorgeously, winking to the young water bender as if calling to her. Katara shook her head, knowing that it was far too early in the morning for her to fully concentrate on a task as strenuous as water bending. Instead, she focused her attentions on preparing breakfast, though she kept one eye focused on her glorious surroundings.

Toph could not place what exactly woke her. It may have been the rather annoying sounds of the birds screeching away in the trees, or the sound of the wind whipping against her rock tent. But after a moment of focusing her senses upon her surroundings, she knew that it was the movements of a certain water bender that had shaken her from her light, dream filled slumber. The young bender sighed, slapping her forehead with her palm. Katara…Can't you sleep in for once? You always manage to wake me up…Doesn't matter to me, though…I do love the girl…She thought, rising to a sitting position. This, in fact, was the truth. It had been three years since the defeat of the Fire Lord, and the world had been restored to "peace". Heh…Peace my ass...If there was peace, our little gang wouldn't still be gallivanting around the globe, trying to "maintain" it…During those few years, her relationship with Katara had strengthened slightly, causing them to become quite close. Though Toph had no idea how Katara perceived the situation, the earth bender knew that she had managed to get herself into a bit of a bind. Over the years, the younger girl had developed a strong admiration for the feisty water bender. Soon after, that approbation had strengthened into a crush…Then…before the girl had any idea what was going on, it had blossomed into pure, dedicated love. Though the earth bender knew this, at times, she had a very hard time even admitting it to herself. Toph scratched her neck lightly with her almost non-existent finger nails, and then yawned loudly, stretching her arms and legs as she did so. Oh well…As long as I'm awake, I might as well go help Sweetness with the breakfast… The earth bender stood slowly, taking her time in an effort to reduce the cramping in her legs from sleeping on them oddly. After a moment of relieving the pain in her limbs, she flicked her wrist downward, lowering a side of her rock enclosure. Katara heard the shifting rock immediately, and turned, smiling at her sleepy companion.

"Good morning, Toph!" she chirped, stirring a pot that was rested atop the fire. Toph grumbled lightly, then shuffled out into the clearing, her hair puffing outward, as if she were sporting an afro.

"Yeah, yeah…What is there to eat, Sugar Queen?" she inquired a bit rudely in an attempt to mask her true feelings, plopping down on a log next to the fire. Katara chose to ignore her un-enthusiastic reply.

"We're having porridge. Do you want a bit of sugar in yours? I saved it for you from Ba Sing Se, because I know you like it so much." Katara asked, smiling sweetly. Toph glanced up at the water bender, a light grin creasing the corner of her mouth.

"Wow, Katara. Thanks. Sure, I'll take a bit." She replied happily, crossing her legs. It amazed the younger girl how thoughtful Katara could be at times…Well, all the time, actually…Toph thought. Katara nodded happily, scooping a spoonful of the cloying granules into Toph's bowl. Before handing it over to the younger woman, she glanced around, and whispered.

"Let's not tell Sokka or Aang about this. They don't know I have any sugar…" she requested, laying the warm bowl on Toph's lap. The earth bender smiled genuinely, and winked at Katara.

"The secret is safe with me, Sugar Queen." she responded blithely, spooning the porridge out of the bowl with her finger. Katara sighed lightly at Toph's mannerisms, and then decided to disregard it, picking at her own food with her spoon. After a few minutes of eating in silence, Toph set down her bowl with a thump upon the log, and sat back, patting her stomach.

"That was pretty darn good, there Katara. And, uh…Thanks for the sugar." The water bender smiled, an unexpected blush tingeing her cheeks. Her eyebrows creased as she felt the heat pool in her face, and raised her hands to prod at the flush, confused. Why is it that every time she so much as compliments me, I start blushing like a child? She questioned herself, replacing her hands into her lap. After a moment of silent pondering, the water bender shrugged, and set her bowl down beside her. As she glanced at Toph, she noticed that the girl was eyeing her oddly.

"…Katara? Is there something wrong?" she asked, sensing the older woman's heart rate spike up. Katara jumped slightly, and began stammering.

"Well…I…It's just…Never mind…It doesn't matter." She finished lamely, sighing to herself. Toph shook her head, but did not question her further.

"Whatever…Well, I'm off to practice. I'll see you later, Sweetne-" Toph stopped, never having called the other girl "sweetness" before, excluding of course some very odd and un-mentionable dreams that she had come across over the years. "Er…I mean…Sugar Queen." She stuttered, attempting to cover up the slip of a slightly more affectionate name. Katara raised an eyebrow at the half spoken pet name, her blush deepening slightly.

"Sweetness?" she repeated, blinking quickly a few times. Toph flushed pink.

"I'm sorry, Katara…I didn't mean to ca-"

"I like it." Katara interrupted, smiling. Toph reddened a bit more.

"R-really?" she inquired, her head tilted to the side. Katara stepped up to the now taller girl, and grasped her wrist, bringing her fingers up to her mouth so she could "see" her smile.

"Yeah. It's...nice." Toph grinned, and pressed her finger tips more firmly onto Katara's lips, tracing them with her forefinger. A pensive expression crossed over the young woman's face as she allowed her finger tip to glide over Katara's satin skin. …Should I just tell her and get it over with? I mean…She does show all the signs of…Dare I hope?...Love? Maybe…Yes…I'll do it…she concluded in her head, withdrawing her hand away from the older girl's mouth. Katara frowned at the broken contact, and was about to drag Toph's hand back up to her face when her lips were engulfed by a softer, sweeter sensation. It took the witty water bender a moment to realize… Toph is kissing me…She blinked rapidly several times, crossing her eyes to gain a better view of the spectacle. She's actually kissing me…

Oh my Spirits…I'm actually kissing her… Toph's mind raced, looking a few seconds into the past as she leaned down to capture the older woman's lips with her own. After a few moments, Toph was overjoyed to feel Katara's mouth maneuver under her own. Her lips puckered out slightly to meet her earth bender's, then moved back as she sensed Toph push forward with her own. A rhythm had been developed in those few quick seconds, their slow, passionate kiss sending shock waves of joy through their spines. Toph's muscle crested arms wrapped about Katara's waist, pulling her a bit closer to her own body, wanting to feel the warmth of her skin pressed against hers. The water bender weaved her arms about Toph's neck succeeding in pressing their mouths closer together. Just as the earth bender was about to deepen their kiss a bit more, she felt the light vibrations of a waking Aang from inside his tent. Damn it, Twinkle-Toes…she hissed in her mind, pulling away from Katara swiftly. The water bender frowned, immediately releasing her hold on Toph.

"What's wrong?" she asked, hurt barely audible in her tone. Toph smiled, and stroked Katara's dark cheek softly, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Aang is awake." She whispered, stepping a pace away from the older girl. Katara cursed under her breath, crossing her arms. Toph chuckled almost noiselessly, and winked, tweaking the water bender's chin.

"Don't worry, Sweetness…I'm sure we'll be able to get away later in the day. Oh, and by the way, I love you." She whispered hurriedly, flashing a grin toward the now shocked woman. It took a moment for Katara to register what Toph had said, but when she did, a bright smile lit up her face.

"I love you too." She breathed, biting her lower lip. Toph's smile was genuine.

"Dang…It's amazing what a bit of sugar can do for you…" she said, a laugh emitting from her throat. At that moment, Aang emerged from his tent, yawning.

"What's that I hear about sugar?"

End

Well, that's my first fic on the site. I hope you liked it. Oh, and by the way, CLICK THE REVIEW BUTTON! Reviews will most certainly make me happy. So…Make my day and click the tiny, blue button. I might add another chapter if I get enought reviews. If not, I'll just post another fic! -Thank you!

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