Fourteen year old Kyan hated going places with his family, especially when they had to ride there. His little brother Kota would always sandwich himself between his parents so his sisters Jun Li and Jia always had to sit next to him. Jia, even though she was seven now, still insisted on holding his hand the whole way there, and Jun Li would just stare.

He hated it when she stared, her eyes were too intense. Kyan had blue gray eyes like his mother, and Kota and Jia had his dad's eyes, but Jun Li had vibrant green eyes that she had inherited from their mom.

It wasn't just that. When she stared his sister saw way more than she should. It was like she was peering straight into his soul. He turned away from her and frowned at his brother.

"You're almost ten Kota. Don't you think you're a little old to be clinging mom like that?"

"You really are." Jun Li echoed.

"Are we almost there Mommy?" Jia asked squeezing Kyan's hand.

"Almost." She answered with a smile.

"How long is this meeting going to be?" Kyan asked as he tried to pry his now sweaty hand out of his sister's, to no avail.

"Long." His dad moaned.

"Another Peace Treaty Meeting?"

"Is there any other kind?" His mom asked.

They didn't normally ride to the Fire Lord's palace, but they had spent the entire morning shopping in town. Normally when there was a meeting they just walked, it was only a few doors down. And even though Kyan was old enough to stay home and watch his siblings he insisted they all go to the palace with their parents. Kyan would use any excuse to visit Irah.

"You should just tell her." Jun Li said suddenly. He looked to his left and noticed she was staring at him again.

"Stop staring at me Freak."

"Kyan." His father warned.

"Princess Irah feels the same way about you." Kyan looked away and frowned out the window over Jia's head.

"What do you know Li? You're still just a kid."

"So are you."

"No, I'm a teenager. There is a big difference."

"You'd better watch out Kyan," his mom warned, "she'll be a teenager in a few more months."

"We'll have two teenagers." His dad whispered. "We're getting old."

They came to a stop and everyone hurried into the courtyard.

"Race to you to the garden!" Kota shouted as he took off running.

"No fair!" Jia called. "You got a head start!"

"She'll be by the fountains." Jun Li announced as she started walking away. "She may be a firebender, but water is her favorite element. Can't imagine why."

"Have fun chasing after Prince Roku!" He called after her. Kyan began walking to the fountains, when he tripped over a large block that had suddenly appeared in his path. He regained his balance and flipped open the pouch his aunt Katara had given him. He threw an ice dagger at his sister, but she spun around and blocked it with a solid wall of rock.

"Hey!" Both of his parents shouted causing them to freeze.

"No more." Their mother warned. "Or we'll throw you in the dungeons." Kyan flipped the cap back onto his pouch and Jun Li continued walking as if nothing had happened.

When Kyan got to the fountains he was in a bad mood and frowned when Princess Irah was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey Kyan!" He spun around and saw Roku and his sister walking toward them. His bad mood suddenly vanished.

"Hey!" He closed the distance between them but Roku suddenly stepped in front of his sister. Kyan, several inches shorter than Roku and more than a little intimidated, took a few steps back.

"I've got to be at this meeting today so I can't hang around and babysit you two." He took a step to the side, so Kyan could see Irah, and glared into his eyes. "I expect her," he pointed at his sister for emphasis, "to be dry when I get back."

"Okay Roku."

"And you." He turned to Irah. "I expect all his hair to be intact for the banquet tonight. Understood?"

"Yes big brother." Irah said demurely with a curtsy.

"Good. I'll see you two at dinner." They both watched Roku walk away, and the second they were sure he was gone turned to one another.

"Want to see the new water bending technique Uncle Aang showed me?" He asked as he pulled some water from the fountain.

"Dad just taught me this awesome new firebending move!" Irah shouted at the same time. They both froze and stared at one another for a few seconds. Irah spoke first.

"The sun's pretty hot today Kyan." She whispered as two fire balls materialized in her hands.

"But it's a full moon tonight."

"Ha! You really think you can beat me?"

"With my eyes closed." He taunted as she moved to attack. She shot fire at him and he jumped backwards and ran to the fountain knowing she would chase him down. He jumped into it and surrounded himself with eight tendrils of water.

"Is that all you've got?" She shouted as she rapidly shot blasts of fire at him.

"Nope." He answered smugly as one of the arms of water shot toward her and wrapped itself around her waist.

"Oh no you don't!" She shouted while trying to sever the water with her fire.

"Nice try Princess, but you lose." In one fluid motion he pulled her into the fountain and plopped her into the frigid water.

"No!" She shouted as Kyan doused her several times until he was sure she was thoroughly soaked. She sputtered and angrily shoved her dripping hair out of her face. Once he stopped she stood up and tried to summon her fire but couldn't. "No fair! You know my weakness!"

"Because you told me."

"As a friend Kyan! Right after you swore you'd never tell!" She shoved him into the water, climbed out and began marching away.

"Aw, don't be like that Irah." He called after her while smoothing a few loose hairs back into his wolftail. "Where are you going?"

"To dry off you big jerk, and then I'm going to roast you like a marshmallow."

"Okay, okay!" He shouted as he sloshed after her. "You win this round." She looked up at him with a small smile that made his heart pound.

"Because you cheated."

"But only if you catch me!" He poked her shoulder and took off for the gardens.

"Kyan!" She screamed as she chased after him. He ran laughing through the halls and burst through the large opening that lead to the courtyard. He skidded to a stop just inches from a large mud puddle, no doubt the handy work of his younger siblings, then spun around to warn Irah.

His eyes went wide and her's narrowed as she charged him.

"Irah stop!" He shouted holding out his hands. She tried to slow down but slid into Kyan anyway, throwing both of them into the mud.

"Tag." She whispered. Kyan opened his eyes to find her perched on top of him, still completely clean.

"That's just not right." He grabbed her wrists and flipped them both over. She immediately began kicking and screaming, and when she had shoved him off of her she grabbed a hand full of mud and threw it in his face.

"Look what you did Kyan!" She shrieked.

"What?" He asked as the threw a hand full of mud back at her. "This? It's just a healthy coating of Earth. It's good for you."

"This is war." She spat as she tackled him. They wrested in the mud for a few minutes before Irah tried to escape. Kyan grabbed her foot but in the struggle her shoe came off allowing her a head start. She took off running, but he caught up with her and grabbed the back of her dress causing her to trip and fall to the ground. He then took the opportunity to pin her there by her wrists.

"Okay," she panted between heaving breaths, "you win." You should just tell her. Li's voice ran through his head. He found himself staring down at her surprisingly clean lips and swallowed hard.

"Irah." He whispered.

"What?" She whispered back

"I think. . . I want to kiss you." He glanced into her eyes nervously.

"Oh." She licked her lips, then bit down on one as she glanced away. "Okay."

She closed her eyes as he leaned forward.

"Look Kota!" The voice of his youngest sister shouted. Both he and Irah turned their heads to the source of the sound. Jun Li had both Jia and Kota by the wrist, trying to pull them back in the hallway with a look of absolute panic on her face.

"Whatcha doin' Kyan?" His brother asked with genuine curiosity. Kyan looked down at Irah and found her face completely red. Fighting off his own blush he turned to his siblings and smiled.

"Wrestling. What's it look like?"

"Did you win?" He asked excitedly still trying to free himself from Jun Li's iron grip.

"I've got her pinned don't I?" He released Irah's wrists and stood up.

"See!" Kota shouted to his sisters as Kyan offered his hand to Irah. "I told you boys make the best fighters!" With a sigh Jun Li released the two youngest who rushed over to Kyan's side.

"Irah?" Jia asked quietly.

"Yes?"

"Why is your face all red?" Both Irah and Jun Li winced at the question. Kota was too busy fighting invisible foes with a wooden sword to notice.

"Um." She glanced at Kyan for help, he only shrugged in response. "I'm . . . I'm mad. I hate loosing, and Kyan's a cheater!" She shoved him to the side for good measure.

"Hey." He said defensively as Jia nodded.

"He always cheats at pai sho when dad's not looking."

"I do not!"

Jun Li grabbed Jia's hand and began pulling her over to where Kota was fighting his army. "Come on Jia. Kota needs our help."

As they walked off Irah looked him up and down.

"At least your hair isn't singed." She offered. "I'd better go change. There's no telling what Roku will do to you if he sees me like this. You should get cleaned up too. I'd rather not sit through another one of Roku's lectures on proper princess etiquette."

Kyan couldn't resist commenting as she walked off.

"Hey Irah!" She stopped, turned halfway around, and glanced at him over her shoulder. Even covered in mud with her hair sticking out at odd angles, she was beautiful.

"Yes Kyan?"

"I win."