Candy Shop

By: 1000th Ghost

(This story is dedicated to my ten-year-old cousin. While watching "Charlie the Unicorn", she randomly made the totally unrelated and surprisingly not instigated by me in any way statement, "Aang isn't twelve, he's one hundred and twelve! That means he's old enough to have sex with people!" So, naturally, I then had to write an Avatar sex scene. I blame her. This is a very ironic dedication because she's too young to read this story, so she won't even know of her influence on my writing.)

(Warning: This story is an extension of the scene that I censored out of my story "Polkarama!: The Last Airbender…what?". If you haven't read that, this probably won't make sense.)

"I'll take you to the candy shop

I'll let you lick the lollipop

Go 'head, girl, don't you stop

Keep going till you hit the spot

Whoa!"

-50 Cent (Candy Shop) and/or Weird Al (Polkarama!)

Aang swirled the infamous onion and banana juice around in its cup and stared at the girl in front of him in disgust.

Could this so called panacea honestly cure him of the profound hatred he ironically felt for his ex-one-true-love?

Doubtful. Highly doubtful.

It wasn't as though he wanted things to remain the way they were. His love for Katara was, if he really questioned himself, what had kept him going all these long months. The world? The world was only as important as the people in it.

No world meant no Katara.

And yet, he couldn't freely go into the Avatar State unless he let go of her.

Sometimes being the Avatar really sucked.

If for nothing else, he needed to rekindle his affection so he had the inducement for continuing to save the world.

But, more importantly, he needed to rekindle his affection because the gorgeous girl in front of him deserved nothing less than his absolute adoration.

And there was also the little fact that they needed to produce an airbender to help him destroy the Fire Nation's latest, most powerful weapon…and it might prove difficult to do that while he hated her…

He shook his head.

This was not the time to think about such things.

Well…actually, it was. Time was of the essence.

Taking a last look at the girl, he tipped his head back and gulped down the juice.

The transformation was next to instantaneous.

Clear chakras or not, he could now see no earthly reason how he could have ever thought of the dark-haired fourteen-year-old as anything but a heavenly temptress.

"Well?" Guru Pathik said, his arms spread questioningly. "What did I tell you, eh?"

Aang blinked.

She was stunning.

Waist-length hair bound tightly in a single, thick braid, flawless, glowing, mocha skin, slim-fitting blue dress that hugged her curves like a glove…

He smacked his head.

Yep, he was cured, alright.

"Earth to airhead!" Sokka exclaimed, waving a hand in front of Aang's blank gaze.

"Wha-? Oh…" He chuckled nervously, finally turning to Guru Pathik. "Yeah, um, thanks! Guess onion and banana juice really does solve everything!"

"Wonderful!" The Guru clapped his hands together and stood up. "Now that you love the girl again-"

Out of the corner of his eyes, Aang saw Katara turn about three different shades of red.

"-we can commence with the ceremony. You!" He pointed then beckoned to Katara. "Stand here."

Katara stood still for about five seconds, seemingly having an internal war with herself and then started to inch her way forward, keeping her eyes firmly locked on the ground.

"Mmm-hmm…yes, yes, bride, groom…you!"

Sokka cast an uninterested glance at the Guru and raised an eyebrow.

"Witness."

"Does it involve moving?"

Guru Pathik scratched his head. "Um…no?"

Sokka slumped against the side of the mountain and crossed his arms. "I'm good."

While the Guru continued to bustle about preparing for the makeshift wedding, Katara finally came to a hesitant halt in front of her groom-to-be.

"Are you nervous?"

Katara halfway attempted to shrug, still staring intently on the ground as though the rocky mountain ledge was the single most fascinating object in the world.

"Katara, look up."

She allowed her eyes to leave their sanctuary and instead focused on a single tree that grew some distance behind them.

"At me."

Her eyes flickered to his for a fleeting moment and then dropped to his right shoulder.

Aang sighed. This was getting them nowhere.

"I'm sorry?" he said halfheartedly.

Katara arched an eyebrow in confusion. "For what?" she finally spoke.

"For hating you."

She shrugged. "It's okay. You couldn't help it."

"And for not telling you that I…love you…sooner. I wish you hadn't have had to find out this way."

She blushed and folded her arms nervously.

"And…I'm sorry for…this…and that you have to…I never imagined…I am sorry, Katara."

"I-"

"All ready!" Guru Pathik interrupted, standing in front of the pair. He seemed to be about to speak but then stopped and stared at Aang questioningly. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Aang blinked. "What do you mean?"

The Guru shrugged. "All we need is another airbender. The act could be over and done with in fifteen minutes. There's no reason for you to be tied down for life-"

If looks could kill, Guru Pathik would have been as dead as Monk Gyatso.

"Do you really think that I would ever even consider compromising Katara's honor?" Aang shouted furiously. "I feel bad enough that she has to do this; there's no way that-"

"Aang, you don't have to," Katara said timidly, her voice hardly audible. "I don't…I mean…it's okay if…" She sighed. "I don't want you to feel obligated because of me. If it has to be done it…it has to be done. We don't have to-"

She stopped short as Aang put his hand on her arm in an almost viselike grip.

"No, Katara," he said forcefully.

She looked at him in surprise, finally meeting and holding his gaze.

"I'm marrying you."

"But-"

"I want to."

Katara blushed even deeper, if the feat was at all possible and hurriedly dropped her eyes yet again.

Guru Pathik rolled his eyes and threw his arms in the air.

"Love and formalities…it's a wonder you can ever go into the Avatar State!"

Aang glared at him, and he quickly bent to pick up a bowl.

"Destiny has brought them together, time will hold them together, death will-"

"Hey, wait," Sokka interrupted from his nonchalant position, "what gives you the power to marry them?"

Guru Pathik smiled and held up the bowl. "Onion and banana juice! What else?"

Sokka sighed and waved an arm listlessly. "Continue."

"Death will allow them to rest together. Avatar Aang, do you accept the sacred promise?"

Aang nodded solemnly and took Katara's limp, unresponsive hand in his right hand.

"Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, do you accept the sacred promise?"

Katara jerkily nodded once and reached for Aang's left hand with her own trembling left hand. Her fingers clasped around his perhaps a bit tighter than was necessary, but the simple feel of something solid seemed to give her the strength to continue.

"Witness?"

"…yep?"

Guru Pathik sighed in annoyance. "You must have seen a marital ceremony before, you clearly know the procedure. Any objections?"

"Yeah. I got one."

The Guru waited impatiently. "Well?"

"You know, there's always the little fact that she's fourteen, and he's twelve. It's not unheard of, but still…isn't that a little young?"

The old man waved his hand and rolled his eyes. "He's one hundred and twelve. He knows what he's doing."

Now it was Aang's turn to blush.

"If there are no further objections…?"

Ignoring the Guru's glare, Sokka shrugged. "Eh, it's for the good of the world. Whatever."

"Good! In that case…" The old man drifted off and stared at Aang and Katara expectantly.

Noting disappointingly that Katara was making no move, Aang pulled her crossed hands towards him, forcing her to step closer. He took the time to register her non-restrainable, hidden smile before closing his eyes and leaning forward-

-only to have his lips come in contact with the edge of a crude bowl.

"Drink up! Onion and banana juice is much more official than kissing."

Aang took a disgruntled sip, and the girl did likewise.

"Congratulations!" the Guru beamed, breaking their hands apart. "You are officially man and wife, and you managed to waste half an hour with your unnecessary ceremony."

Aang chose to ignore the sarcastic remark and instead turned to Katara, who was concentrating on nervously twisting the end of her braid and blatantly ignoring his existence.

"Guest room's third door on the right," the old man continued, gesturing towards the mouth of the cave. "Have fun!"

Aang slapped his forehead. Could he have chosen more perverted words if he had tried?

Katara twisted the end of her braid so intensely that Aang vaguely wondered how it hadn't broken off and continued to appear unmovable.

"Get going, girl!" Guru Pathik commanded. "The future of the entire world is at stake: modesty has no place here!"

Aang couldn't decide whether he hated the Guru more for his derogatory 'girl' term, his tendency to make the situation much more uncomfortable than it already was, or his total lack of regard for Katara's feelings.

Or his own, for that matter. Who was it who had told him to fall out of love in the first place?

"Come on," he whispered to Katara, snaking an arm around her waist. "I'm gonna blow this jerk off the edge of the mountain if I have to see him another minute."

Katara stifled a giggle in spite of herself and allowed herself to be led to the looming 'third door on the right'.

They stepped inside, and Katara immediately picked up a vase that stood on a table and hurled it against the wall.

"Whoa!" Aang yelped, watching the shattered remains fall. "What did you do that for?"

Katara groaned and crossed her arms. "Close the door."

He turned and did as she requested, then paused and slowly slid the bolt into the lock.

Was she mad at him?

He hoped not.

It might complicate things…

He was jolted from his somewhat sinful train of thought by the sob he heard behind him.

"Katara?" he asked, instantly by her side. "What's wrong?"

"How can you stand that man?" she cried angrily, collapsing into his waiting arms with relief.

"I can't," he said, happy that at least she was talking to him again. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. "But his infinite repertoire of unwanted knowledge kinda comes in handy sometimes."

Katara stiffened in his grasp and pulled away, and Aang mentally cursed himself for initiating closeness.

But if she wouldn't even let him hold her…

How was anything ever going to be accomplished?

He sighed in defeat and turned to face her. "Katara…I'm not going to make you do anything. You know me better than that. If you're really that against it, then we won't. We can lie and say-"

Katara shook her head. "I'm not going to be responsible for the downfall of the world," she said, smiling slightly. "You know me better than that."

He blinked in surprise. "Are you sure?"

She nodded slowly and bit her lower lip.

"Well…okay, then…"

Casting a tentative glance at him, Katara walked backwards a few paces and turned around. She released her hair from its braid, letting it flow over her shoulders and down her back and reached for the clasp at the back of her dress.

After a few seconds of staring like a deer caught in the headlights, Aang followed her example. He managed to remove his shirt before he heard a cry of disgust from behind him.

"Stupid clasp," Katara muttered, her fingers fiddling uselessly at the back of her neck. "It's stuck."

He strode to her and grasped her hands. "I've got it," he said, moving her hands to her sides.

He stared at the clasp, trying to no avail to overlook how her skin felt under his fingers.

"Oh, here, it's stuck on a thread-"

"T-thanks," she stammered uncertainly.

A little voice in the back of his head told him to cross back to his side of the room, but he found ignoring it incredibly easy.

Suddenly overcome with determination, he grasped the cloth on her shoulders and began to slide it off. Deliberately, sensuously, his hands caressing her trembling arms until her back was exposed, bare save for the ivory band of her bra. He slowly lowered his head and pressed his lips against her left shoulder blade, his blood racing as she irrepressibly shivered.

"A-Aang-"

"Shh…" he murmured, drawing back.

He continued to lower the fabric of her dress, past her fingertips, across her hips, down her legs, until it was in a crumpled heap around her ankles. Then he began to retrace his path, his fingertips skimming over her skin.

"You know, I would never force you to do anything," he said, pausing at her hips, his voice low and soft. "But…" He allowed his hands to brush fleetingly over her buttocks then wrapped them around her waist. "…I want you so badly," he whispered darkly, his breath hot against her neck. "Please…don't deny me this."

Hardly daring to hope, he watched as she turned in his embrace, tremulous and hesitant. She was the epitome of nervousness and uncertainty, but her eyes declared that she was willing and, could it be, slightly eager?

Seizing his chance, he crashed his lips onto hers, tightening his hold around her waist. She gasped and flung her arms around his neck, attempting futilely to steady her senses. He forced his way past her lips, ignoring her slight cry of protest. His right hand traveled up her back and tangled itself in her hair, fiercely pulling her closer. His tongue explored her roughly, drawing her into his mouth, and finally, finally, she responded.

Her hands clutched onto his shoulders, her nails frantically pressing into his skin. She began to kiss him back, and the room was spinning, and the heat was intoxicating, and the desire was too strong, and it was perfect…perfect-

His hands flew to the back of her bra, deftly unlatching-

He stopped suddenly as she pushed hard on his shoulders, forcing them apart.

"W-what's wrong?" he panted, his unfocused eyes staring at her with concern.

"I…I don't…" She shook her head, clearly at a loss for words.

"It's okay," he said comfortingly, stroking her bare back.

"I-I can't," she whimpered, closing her eyes tightly.

"Why not?"

"It's…I don't know h-how…" She shook her head again, a small sob escaping her throat. "I-I'm scared."

"Katara…" he whispered, cupping her right cheek in his hand.

She opened her eyes, and he could plainly see the fear that was suffocating her.

"It's just me," he said, smiling slightly. "I promise I won't hurt you. It's not like you have to make love to...Zuko or something."

She grimaced at the thought but managed a small laugh.

"Just me."

Never taking his eyes off hers for a second, he gently pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes glazed over, and he cautiously began backing her towards the bed.

"Don't worry," he said between light kisses, breathing heavily. "I'll guide you through it." He was suddenly immensely grateful for the knowledge, in more than one subject, he subconsciously obtained from his previous past lives. "I know what I'm doing. And…"

He carefully picked her up and laid her on the bed, positioning himself on top of her. He could tell she was still slightly fearful, but her eyes shown with the adoration he had waited for for so long.

"…and…I love you."

THE END