A/N: If you like this story (which I assume you do because this is the 3rd chapter unless you're just randomly skipping around), then have a look at 'From Here to There', also Jundao. Just throwin' that out there.

Dance

He loved Earth Kingdom dances. They were all rhythm, and flowing, and hips. But if she thought that he was about to get up and make a fool of himself –

She grabbed his hands and yanked him up onto the floor.

Then it would seem that she was absolutely right.

Talk

"What are we doing exactly?"

Considering their current positions, there was a rather awkward pause.

"…you mean you don't know?"

"I mean, where is this going?"

"I had hopes for a pleasant afterglow. And what's wrong with where we are?"

"It's not…the same. You know that."

"Pretend I'm not. Explain it to me like I'm ten."

"It is very difficult to pretend that you're ten."

"How about a naïve fourteen?"

"Woman, can you be serious for five minutes?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Well, I was trying to work in a proposal, but you insist on being so difficult and –"

"Proposal?"

"…That was the plan."

"Well, would you…like to try again?"

"No, sorry. You know, I'm just not in the mood for it now."

"Tch…now who's ten?"

Smile

His lips were a thin line, but his eyes danced with hidden laughter.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me. I like funny, too."

"It's just…if my family hadn't already disowned me for not being a firebender, I'm pretty sure you would have done it."

"Hehe...If my dad were alive, he would have buried you in the desert. Alive."

He wasn't laughing anymore.

Fight

"Is it necessary for you to drink so much or is it just habit at this point?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"I mean, do you find yourself thinking of drinking often or feeling compelled to do so. Do you need it?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I think you might need help."

"Excuse you?"

"Have you ever heard of A.A?"

"…I will hurt you."

"I know that's not you talking, darling."

Sick

His skin practically burned hers, but he sat in front of the fire wrapped in blankets and shivering. A wicked, insistent cough ripped through him, and she flinched from the force of it.

"Ow," he gasped when he was done and rubbed his chest.

Practically collapsing, he lay down on the ground, groaning the whole way.

"Men are such babies."

"Does that mean you'll hold me?"

"Ugh."

She did anyway.

Family

Technically, he hadn't been a part of a family since he was six years old, and his mother and father found out that their little boy had zero chance of ever setting anything on fire with his breathing. The orphanage didn't count, the military definitely didn't count, and if Fat was to be considered his family, that was a bit sad.

Maybe Fat was the disgruntled, cranky uncle he'd never had.

If that was the case, then they were now a family of three, and she would be the blunt, sarcastic niece the man never wanted.

"Wait, wait, wait. Your butler's name is Fat? And he has no sense of humor? You realize that's practically a challenge for me to throw as many fat jokes as I know at him, right?"

"I actually hadn't."

"Now, you know. You should put some people on standby; your butler might decide to disown you too."

Monster

She found out he had nightmares. He didn't yell or talk or thrash in his sleep. He choked and woke up gasping for breath, trembling, and sweating.

He'd fought in the war, seen people die, and killed more than his share. Of course he had nightmares.

But she wasn't a comforter. She didn't know how to do reassuring, and she barely did sweet.

She tried anyway.

She kissed his cheek, held him close, and hoped she was doing this right.

Lost

Weddings rings were such tiny things, that they were rather simple to lose. In the sink while washing dishes, putting on a little too much lotion, fooling around with a very intelligent, very mischievous shirshu that had paralytic venom for spit and easily able to swallow circular bands of gold…

She stared at her hand then at the shirshu.

"You know what? Keep it."