No spoilers. I'm not too sure where this falls in Legend of Korra's timeline, perhaps near the second season? As usual, some hints of Lin/Tenzin (without squinting terribly hard) that could pass for friendship.

Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I hope those of you who celebrate have a wonderful holiday - whether you have someone to spend the day with or not. Do something nice for yourself and remember you're pretty awesome no matter where you are in life.

Enjoy!

Falling Embers

"To teamwork!" Tenzin said jovially, raising his glass of kelp water into the air.

Lin, who had started to follow his spontaneous toast, lowered her arm and quirked an eyebrow at him. "Teamwork, Tenzin? Seriously? You were standing back behind the line yelling at me, love the spirits. I hardly call that teamwork."

"I-well-you were running into a burning building! I couldn't exactly follow you, could I?" He glared at her, though there wasn't much heat to it. "You even told your own officers to stay away for their safety. I wasn't going to run in there after you."

"You would have followed me when we were younger," she pointed out softly. Her own glass was set firmly on the table again now, her finger running around the rim as she gazed at him coolly.

Tenzin set his cup down, too, frowning. The remains of their food, spread across Lin's dining table, had long gone cold as they chatted into the evening and suddenly he wished he had something to move around with his chopsticks. The sound of the city newscaster giving the nightly report buzzed faintly from the radio in the kitchen. "That's not exactly a fair comparison."

"Oh, so now you actually listen when I give a command when before you were all about chancing the rules to see what we could get away with?" Lin laughed, easily breaking the tension as if it had never happened.

He grinned at her. "Maybe you just have more authority now than you did when you were twenty. Or thirty. Or -"

"Or you were scared this afternoon," she shot back, smirking.

"Okay, fine, I was a little frightened," he admitted with a small shrug. "But," he added quickly when her smirk grew with satisfaction at his confirmation, "I was more frightened for you than I would have been to go in there myself! Your officers wouldn't let me through the barricade. You know that, you told them not to let me."

Lin hummed in acknowledgement, even if she didn't give it out loud. "At least that girl was rescued regardless. And I got the evidence we were lacking to have Shen locked up, so there's that, too. It was just sitting there on the floor, can you believe it! He thought the fire would destroy everything, he never imagined I'd run in there after it all."

"Neither did I," Tenzin grumbled.

"So," she went on, lifting her glass again to continue the toast she had interrupted before, "how about to my use of intellect in the face of fire? Literally, in this case."

"Can I criticize this one like you did mine?" he asked, clinking his cup to hers anyway. She just chuckled. "Fine, to your…use of intellect and so forth."

They sipped at their drinks, falling into a companionable silence as the newscaster in the background drawled on about finances in the business industry. Apparently things were going well. Tenzin looked down at the table, at their eaten meal and to the last steamed dumpling they had fought over and subsequently left untouched to see who would cave first. These dinners, while infrequent at first, were becoming much more common. They couldn't yet be pegged to a weekly, bi-weekly, or even tri-weekly thing – both he and Lin were far too busy to give a permanent day for such a thing – but they were certainly seeing one another quite often.

What had started as quick meals after a late night at work were turning into him bringing food to her house, where they didn't have to worry about bothering anyone by overstaying their welcome at a restaurant's table. It was something he enjoyed greatly, and had started looking forward to more than many other things, being able to spend time with her like this again.

The news broadcast ended, giving the air over to an enthusiastic host ready to introduce the night's music show. Tenzin sighed, grinning slightly when the first song they played was one from their childhood.

"Remember this, Lin?" he asked, glancing up to see her just as lost in thought as he had been.

She paused for a moment before answering, not sure what he was even referring to, when the music filtered through her mind. She gave him a small smile. "This," she said with a hint of playfulness, "was the first song we danced to. When, if I recall correctly, we were – what, eight and seven? You stepped all over my toes. For one who does a lot of floating, I still remember how much that hurt. I couldn't practice with Ma the next day. She thought it was hysterical and I was so angry at you I cried."

"I didn't know I made you cry," Tenzin mused wistfully, images of his father's party and asking Lin to dance the way he had seen so many adults do mingling with his thoughts.

She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "Of course you didn't. I never let anyone see me cry when I was a kid."

"I guess you haven't changed much, then."

She leaned over and punched him in the shoulder for that remark, a bit harder than she meant to. He pulled a face, moving away from her and rubbing his arm tenderly. She didn't apologize and neither did he. Instead they began to laugh, both happier than they had been in days. Suddenly, Tenzin held out his hand.

"Dance with me, Lin," he requested quietly, standing from his chair.

Her laughter faded quickly as she stared at him, almost confused at the invitation. Her first assumption was that he had gotten caught up in the memory, but his face was far too serious even with his eagerness. He knew exactly what he was doing. Nodding once, she slid her hand into his and let him draw her to her feet.

The music was faint, lilting in quietly from the kitchen, and Tenzin hummed along as he kept a humble distance between them, one hand still clasping hers tightly while the other dropped to the curve of her waist. It rested there modestly, the touch light enough to pass almost unnoticed.

"Are you attempting to recreate that first dance?" she questioned blithely, her eyes darting up to meet his. "Because I'd rather keep all my toes intact this time. I need them for my job, you know."

"I was trying to be polite," Tenzin retorted, realizing how awkward his movements were with her held so far away from him. He truly had almost stepped on her bare toes before she brought his attention to them.

She shook her head, tugging her hand away as she took a step back. "This is ridiculous – you're ridiculous. I'm done."

"No, wait." He grabbed for her fingers again, halting her retreat. She looked at him warily, waiting for him to pull her forward, to make the first advance through this impasse they'd come to. He threaded their fingers together, pausing briefly before bringing her closer this time. He slid his arm around her waist to diminish the distance from before. "Is this better?" he asked softly.

"Just don't step on me," she warned under her breath as her answer.

"Wouldn't dream of it." He was thinking of some other smart remark to keep the mood light as they swayed gently through her small living room when she moved the hand that was not still holding his so she could wrap her arm up around his back, allowing her to rest her head against his shoulder without difficulty. The feeling of her so close chased the words he was trying to find away.

"Okay," she finally confessed after a few passing seconds of silence. "Maybe running into a ransacked building on fire and already falling to the ground was not one of the better ideas I've had recently. I just wanted that man in jail so badly, Tenzin, and he was going to get away with everything if I hadn't. I couldn't let that happen, I couldn't let him keep hurting those women without consequence."

He turned his head slightly to press against hers, her hair soft against his cheek. The feeling made nostalgia bubble up in his chest until he closed his eyes against it, keeping himself in the present. "I know. And I also know there are many people sleeping soundly tonight for the first time in years because of what you did today. I just wish you hadn't almost lost your life yet again."

She exhaled loudly, the breath hitting his neck with the force of its release. "You're such a worrier."

"About some people, yes. I can't seem to help it. Especially," he added with a slight grin that she couldn't see but could still hear, "when a certain someone is continuously putting herself in dangerous situations."

"And here is where I say it's all part of my job, my duty to my citizens, and so on."

"It always has been," he conceded without argument. She didn't reply, and they fell into a comfortable quiet. The music had changed into a more recent piece, but they continued to dance as if they were still listening to the song from earlier. Tenzin held her tightly, his heart beating smooth as a kettledrum, blissful in his chest.

He knew – they both knew – the line at the cusp of friendship was far too close, but during times like this is was difficult to care. He just wanted to hold her, feel her against him, warm and alive and content, just as she held to him.

Their lights in the stifling darkness that sometimes fell around them, a light only found in the other.