Smellerbee was quickly learning that it was not easy, learning to read.

She'd given up looking for a job for now, and instead went to the tea shop in the morning, when it was slowest. There, Iroh would tutor her. She had a small picture book, and was using that, among other sources that Iroh had. She took the picture book everywhere with her, to practice reading, but it was hard. Iroh had gone over the majority of the characters with her, and so she knew how to pronounce all the sounds, but whenever she tried to read out loud (mostly to Longshot), everything she said sounded so…stilted, like she was just learning to speak the language, too.

But she kept at it, determined. It would give her a leg up, she was sure, in getting a job, and she needed to get a job. She refused to have to depend on anyone, even if it was Longshot. Especially Longshot.

She knew that he understood she was independent, and that she was capable of taking care of herself. And it wasn't a slight against him, to hate to have to depend on him to pay for the meals, and their flat, and anything else they might need. She was sure he knew that.

But…she also knew he wanted to provide for her. Even if he didn't need to (which he didn't), he wanted to. He wanted to take care of her.

It was probably the only thing they butted heads on.

It wasn't that they ever really had an argument about this. For them to have an argument, Longshot would need to talk, and he didn't really do that. But, occasionally, she'd be talking about her frustrations in finding a job, or learning to read to find a job, and she'd see it plain on his face.

He wanted her to stop looking for a way to get a job. He wanted her to have a relaxing life, he wanted to dote on her (in the very slight way that he did dote). And in an abstract way, she could appreciate that, but did she want that?

Not at all.

Smellerbee liked to keep busy, she liked to work, and she liked to be productive. Longshot would have to deal.

And it wasn't like Longshot did everything she wanted him to. She wanted him to find better work, work he'd be happier doing. He enjoyed working for Iroh, and felt, in some way, that they owed him something, which was why he was still working for him. But, he did not like the work. Longshot was not meant to be cooped up, washing dishes and helping to prepare tea all day. He belonged outside, working hard, putting his back into his work.

But Longshot was stubborn on this, and Smellerbee would just have to deal.

And they were good at that.

But he was still encouraging her, with her learning. Now, when he was done work, and he was home, he'd listen to her read. She knew it had to be painful to hear, how she stumbled over the words, and would take long pauses, trying to figure out what something said, but he was patient, and so genuinely interested. He would point to sentences, asking in his own way for her to read them.

He did not know how to read either, and was actually impressed that she could, however slightly she was able to.

"Longshot."

He looked up from his bowl of noodles that he ate, while sitting in the middle of the floor. Smellerbee was sitting on the floor as well, a few feet from him. She was not only just learning to read, but to write as well, and currently, she was practicing writing. Her handwriting was large and unkempt, and she couldn't seem to keep all the characters the same size. But, she was improving, or at least Iroh said so.

"Look," Smellerbee said, picking up the sheet she was writing on, and holding it out for him to look at. "This is your name," she said, making sure she'd pointed to the correct one. "And this is mine."

Longshot set his noodles down, and held his hand out, to take the sheet from her. Smellerbee handed him the paper. He studied the sheet, staring closely at the characters, and Smellerbee moved closer; he had the paper the wrong way. She gently turned the paper so that it faced the correct way. "This way," she said, and looked to him again.

He nodded, and continued studying the paper. And then, he set it down, looking to her. He smiled, and she could tell exactly what he wanted to say.

I'm proud of you.

Smellerbee couldn't help but to smile in return. With that simple phrase, she could feel warmth flooding through her; she felt accomplished. "Thanks, Longshot," she said, and gave him a soft kiss, before getting back to work.

Days passed. Smellerbee was improving, though barely. Iroh said she mostly had to focus on improving her handwriting and reading more fluidly, before she worked on more complex things, like grammar and sentence structure, whatever those meant. She worked diligently, but it was extremely difficult.

Especially with a newfound distraction at Iroh's tea shop, in the form of a new employee. One of the other waiters had quit, and this bubbly little thing had gotten the opening; Smellerbee hadn't even tried for it. She had the more important task of learning to read.

But this girl… She just rubbed Smellerbee the wrong way. She was tiny and curvy, with a pretty face; she was physically everything that Smellerbee wasn't. But that wasn't exactly what bothered Smellerbee.

This stupid bubbly little airhead looked at Longshot. And not just looked- she looked. She always put on a high, giggly smile around him, and thrust her breasts out in an oh-so subtle fashion, but Smellerbee could see what she was doing. This girl liked Longshot, she was interested in him.

But Longshot wasn't there for this girl to lust after. Longshot was hers, was Smellerbee's, and no one else's. This girl had no right to give him those doey eyes and bat her lashes at him.

One more than one occasion, Smellerbee had been tempted to reach right over and grab Longshot and pull him closer into a deep kiss. But that would just be… No. She could never do that. Part of what she loved about their relationship was the privacy and intimacy of it, and she had no right to ruin that for the both of them…even if some big breasted skank was making moves on her Longshot.

"You know, you remind me of my nephew."

Smellerbee looked quickly away from the waitress (whom she'd been eyeing daggers at for the past minute or so), to Iroh. "Why? Because I look like a boy?" Her tone was harsher than she'd meant.

Iroh shook his head, raising a hand up. "No, no. That is not it," he said. "You are aggressive, like him, but are learning to control that behavior. It took Zuko much time to learn to control his anger, and he grew from it. You remind me of that time in his life, right now."

Smellerbee raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"I am sure you would very much like to attack my newest employee as she has been flirting rather heavily with Longshot," Iroh said, as if it was common knowledge that the two were dating. "But you have restrained yourself."

"What- why would I care-" One look from Iroh silenced Smellerbee; he certainly did know about her relationship with Longshot. She stared at him, not sure what to do now. She wanted this secret, just for her and Longshot. They both wanted it. "How did you know?"

Iroh laughed. "I know it may be hard to believe, Smellerbee, but I once experienced love. I know what it looks like. And, I can tell that you do not have to worry. He is not interested in her."

Smellerbee looked away, letting out a short huff. The problem wasn't whether or not Longshot was interested in this bimbo; it was that she was interested in him.

And that concludes this chapter.

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