"Wow, this place is huge!" Bolin squealed.

The foursome stood in front of the most premium spa in the entire fire nation, and it was half the size of a modest palace. They smiled while they walked inside and tried to keep their excitement low key, still new to being adults. They were pricing out the services and Asami lit up.

"Oh, they have a two hour facial. Korra, we should get one."

"But they have a natural hot spring. My face is fine, it's my back that needs work."

"Aw, come on!" She grabbed her arm. "This whole trip is about fun a relaxation and it's my treat! Please?"

"I really need some hot water for my muscles. Sorry Asami." She said and Bolin stepped between them.

"I'll go for a facial!" He said and grabbed Asami's arm, dragging her off to the other end of the spa. Korra and Mako laughed. No matter how old he got, he would always be Bolin. Korra turned to Mako.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Actually a hot spring trip sounds great."

"Good thing there are separate sides." She said and smiled and then thought of the implications of what she said. She blushed and looked dot him.

"No, wait. Um." She said and he chuckled and looked to the ground.

"It's alright, I knew what you meant." He said and walked over to the desk. He got his towel and directions from the person behind the desk and headed off to the right. Korra did the same, heading to the left. She opened the door and walked through the locker room. She could already feel the heat form the spring and the humidity clung to her skin. She smiled and stripped her clothing, putting them in the locker and running her fingers through her short hair. She wrapped the towed around her body and stepped out of the locker room. What she saw was absolutely breathtaking.

The steam rolled of the still water, the moon and stars reflecting to brilliantly off the top. It was pretty deep but crystal clear and surrounded by healthy vegetation. It was private and empty. She shrugged and dropped her towel into a nearby chair, not needing it because she was alone. She forgot that Asami had rented out the entire resort just for them. When her feet touched the water she let out a soft sigh. It was almost too hot to stand. But the burn felt good. She waded into the water, going deeper and deeper until she could sit against some rocks with the water just cover her chest. She smiled and felt her limbs go limp in the hot water, her face going red quickly.

She leaned her head back against a boulder and smiled at the stars, finding shapes in the sky. She was listening to her breathing when she heard a yell and then a splash followed by a coughing fit. She Leaned up and noticed that the spring wasn't completely circular. She saw a small curve like a creek to her right and swam through the water.

"Hello? Are you okay?" She called as she rounded the corner. She saw someone turned away from her and coughing over the edge. She swam up to them and the person turned. It was Mako. She gasped and turned away from him after getting a good look at his front. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Sorry! Um… Are you okay?"she called over her shoulder.

He sniffed and sunk himself down into the water.

"Yeah I just," he coughed again. "I slipped and fell in. swallowed a bit of water. Hey, what you doing over on the guy's side of the hot spring?" He asked and smiled.

"Our pools are connected by that little curve over there. I wasn't trying to peek Mako. I just heard someone drowning so I came."

He smiled and looked at her backside in the clear water. He was about to say something but she interrupted him.

"Sorry. I'll leave." She said and leaned forward to swim away. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"Wait. Stay."

She paused and looked down at the water.

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"We can be adults about this."

"We're naked."

"Nothing we haven't seen before."

She hesitated and dropped her hands. She turned in to water slowly and faced him, not letting her eyes drop below the water level. When she met his gaze he had an encouraging smile.

"See? Easy."

"Sure. Easy." She said and looked away. He grabbed her hand and led her over to the edge, sitting against the wall of rocks and leaning back. She followed suit and sat next to him, staring at the stars again.

"It's been so long… since we've been alone like this." He said and sounded wistful. She hummed in agreement.

"Three and a half years. Everyone's changed so much." She said softly.

"Some things are still the same." He mumbled and reached for her hand. She closed the gap and twined their fingers together. He took their hands and lifted them from the water to his lips, kissing the back of her hand.

"I've missed you so much. I hate that you're only here for a little while."

"I'm sorry. This is what it's all about though right? Being the Avatar and saving the world?"

"Maybe." He let their hands drop into the water and looked back up at the night sky. She sighed.

"Well, way to kill a mood Captain Lame."

"Mood?"

"Um us. We're naked. In a hot spring. Completely alone. You don't feel that spark?"

"I didn't say that." He said and laughed. She shook her head.

"You're so dumb sometimes, I wonder how you get along without me at all."

"I don't." He turned to her and met her eyes with a stark truth she didn't want to hear or see. She closed her eyes.

"Shut up." She said and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips against his to make him silent. He didn't hesitate to pull her body to his, feeling her skin against him. It was different than he remembered but still her. He ran his hands down her sides and pulled her closer, making her sit in his lap and he leaned back against the rock wall. She bit his lip and pulled back, holding his shoulders. She looked into his amber eyes and searched.

"Are we really going to do this? It's been so long since I…"

"I'm kind of out of practice myself." He said and smiled, blush running across his face that was beside the heat. She raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't…?"

He shook his head.

"Why? You could have dated."

"It wouldn't make any difference. They wouldn't have been you and that's all I would be thinking about."

"Mako…" She said and her hand cupped his cheek. He turned and kissed her palm.

"I said I'd always love you. I meant it." He whispered into her hand. He looked back into her eyes. "I still do."

She didn't have words to express her feelings, but she was always a woman of action anyway. She leaned forward and kissed him deeper than before, her lips tugging desperately at his. That's all it took for that old spark to ignite in both of them. Suddenly the world was lost and all that existed was their skin and the water they sat in.

His tongue slipped between her lips and he was amazed that she still tasted the same, yet dumbfounded at how his memory had made her so bland. A hand raked through his hair and her nails dug into his scalp. He fell into an old pattern, tracing her back muscles until his hands rested on her hips. her legs gripped his sides and pulled her hips closer, his length resting against her abdomen.

She turned her head and pulled his head forward, catching his earlobe with her teeth. Her hand gripped him under the water and he shivered and sighed. It was better than he had remembered and fantasized about all these years.

"Show me what you got, cool guy." She whispered into his ear. He was already nearly undone just at the words but she was far from done. She positioned him just under her entrance and slipped his head in. She moaned and let go of him, taking both of her hands and gripping hides shoulders. She was so tight, it was like she was brand new again. Mako took her hips in his hand and trust upwards, sheathing himself into her. The feeling was better than anything he could remember. She cried out and arched her back, the feeling of being complete finally flooding her along with a higher burning need for him. His rhythm was not slow at all. as much as he wanted to relish the connection they had, it had been much too long before he had the feel of her walls around him and there was an animal clawing inside his chest for anything he could get form her.

He caught one of her buds in his lips and she whispered his name, feeling his tongue explore her body like he was trying to rememorize her again. Her head was spinning. She couldn't tell it if was the heat from the water or the fire between them that was making her delusional. Might have been both. Either way they were both too close too soon. She pushed down onto him and moaned into the night air.

"Mako, I'm close."

"I'll get you there." He promised and used a hand to flick her clit. Her body convulsed wildly against his pace and she bit her own lip much too hard, trying to conceal her screams. Her folds clamped around him so tight he gasped and grabbed both of her hips, rolling into her as he rode out his own wave of ecstasy. He stayed there with her in his lap for a while, kissing her chest, her neck her lips.

"I'll always love you too." She whispered between kisses. Mako stopped and ran his hands up her body.

"I'm going to miss you so much."

"Let's just focus on us right now. You and I. Not the fact that I have to leave in a few days."

He nodded and she kissed him again, him wrapping his arms around her waist to hold her close.