ii.

"You should drink."

Suki touched his elbow and smiled, pointing to the small jugs beside the wall.

"It wouldn't do for you to faint."

He collapsed there beside the wall and grabbed the nearest jug. The muscles in his body cringed at the haste and ignoring, he drank gratefully. Sokka swallowed and curled his toes, sighing from deep in his chest.

"I don't faint."

Suki sat, neatly, beside him.

"Of course you don't."

"I don't."

"Not manly, is it."

Sokka opened his mouth and thinking, slowly closed his jaw, teeth clicking. Silent, he started drinking, again. Suki's leg pressed warm against his.

Her voice cut in, amused: "You've smudged."

He looked up. She touched fingers to the dip of skin beneath his lip, above his chin. Her fingertips were cool, and she pressed gently, smearing the paint so the dark of his skin was covered. Suki leaned back; her fingers slid from his face.

Sokka looked down, at his hand, the faint trace of white paint on the lip of the jug.

"Thanks."

Suki shrugged and smiled, sly, drinking deep from her jug.

"It'd be embarrassing," she said. "For a warrior to go with her paint smudged."