It was a gift to all young lovers, perhaps, the first night that they found themselves sleepless from dawn until dusk, the company of each other so enthralling that they simply could not bear to let a little thing like sleep interrupt them. For some they stay awake into the early hours talking, getting to know one another, joking and discussing matters of wonder and intrigue as they stared into a crackling fire. For others, they lay naked on their sheets, their bodies providing all the distraction needed to persuade them that sleep could wait. For Aang and Katara, it was a bit of both. The first night that they had stayed awake the entire night, just the two of them, began on a warm summer's eve, settling down to camp after a warm summer's day of flying. It was no exaggeration to say that the last two years had been the hardest of their lives, and starting a new nation along with rebuilding the bonds between old ones was no easy fete, and though they were traveling together again, and their relationship bloomed as strong as ever, the stress of past events was evident. The Avatar was troubled, the waterbending master often tired, and though it was a welcome respite to be able to travel alone, they were still heading back towards the Fire Nation. Back to the Firelord. And back to yet more negotiations.

That warm summer's eve the pair let Appa wander, Momo in tow, eager to find some softened fruit and shoots to dinner on, and after fixing their own meals they sat together, discussing the political matters that they seemed unable to get away from. The Earth Kingdom was not happy, it rarely was, and though they had not been foolish enough as to expect anything to be easy, they certainly did not think negotiating a simple meeting between the two world leaders would be this hard. As the full moon made her presence known over the horizon, Katara interrupted their conversation with a growl of frustration.

"I'm so tired of this," she grumbled. "If I knew that we'd spend the rest of our damn lives talking politics and running around after King's and Firelord's I might have reconsidered getting involved!"

"But that would mean you wouldn't be involved with me," Aang reasoned, with a wry smile. "Surely that makes it worthwhile?"

"Barely," Katara replied, though she threw him a playful grin.

"I do get what you mean, though," Aang sighed, leaning back onto his hands. "We're still talking about it now. I mean, here we are, finally alone, it's a beautiful night, and we're talking about trade negotiations!"

"Well, maybe we should make a pact," Katara suggested, still grinning at him. "No politics after dark."

"Given how many late night meetings we've been dragged to lately I'm not sure that's quite going to work," Aang laughed.

"Ok, no politics after dark when it's just the two of us, then," she added, reaching out and shoving his shoulder. "Doofus."

"Only you could call me names and make it cute," he replied, leaning back into her, his tone lowered as he dropped his mouth to her neck.

"I'm sure I've got names that aren't quite so cute if you annoy me enough," Katara responded, putting a hand against his chest and holding him at bay.

"What could I have possibly done to annoy you?" Aang smirked, his eyes deliberately dropping to her lips, knowing that it would only distract her.

"Oh, so you've forgotten the little incident back in Ba Sing Sei then, have you?" Katara countered, determined not to let his roving eyes get to her.

"What little incident?" He hummed.

"Hmm, the wandering hands in the middle of the meeting? I'm certain General How thought I had a nervous twitch or something ..."

"Oh that little incident," Aang grinned. "That can't have annoyed you, surely ..."

"I was trying to listen!" Katara cried, slapping his hand as it fell on her leg. "How did I end up with such a dirty old man?"

"Age is just a number!" Aang laughed. "And besides, iceberg years don't count."

"You only say that when it suits you." She crossed her arms over her chest. "You made it very clear to Sokka that he ought to listen to his elders when he disagreed about how to deal with Arnook."

"Well, what good is a hundred years frozen in ice if you can't use it to win an argument?"

"What did I say, huh? A doofus."

"A lovable doofus ..."

"Oh you are impossible!"

Aang laughed again, moving forwards and placing a hand on her cheek, his body gently pushing her to the soft grass upon which they lay, his mouth pressing to hers. She continued to giggle through their kiss, causing Aang to grab her thigh and pull her leg up around his waist, determined to gain her full attention.

"Maybe you shouldn't make me laugh so much," she said, his ploy all too obvious to her.

"Well, I hadn't intended for this to make you laugh," he admitted, his hand roving further up her thigh, as he then began to trail soft kisses up her neck. "But, I mean, if you'd rather tell jokes all night then-"

"Oh, clever man. Clever clever man," Katara snorted, lying her head back on the ground and taking a deep breath as she enjoyed the sensations of his hands and mouth on her skin.

They spend the night entwined with one another, naked and enthralled under the glow of the full moon, yet equally mesmerised by the thoughts of the other as topics of wonder arose. They didn't even consider the time, that they hadn't slept, even when the sun began to peak from behind the horizon once more. All they considered were each other. Discovering, talking, laughing, gasping as night passed them by.

Their pact was not one that they could keep forever. Their lives made that impossible. But after that night they had resolved that, whenever it was just the two of them under the full moon the would see the night through, forgetting politics, just making love and talking about the wonder of the world. That was a pact that they could keep, and that they would keep, until the spirits called them to their next lives.