A/N - It's been a while. But here I am again! With more TUp. This took a while to write as I had to ease myself back into writing. Well. Enjoy the light-hearted humour and romance! and some angst from Up but hey

It had been a long, tiring, and interesting day for Commander Up. He'd met up with old friends, talked about the past and what he'd missed whilst in rehab, and learned some fun and interesting things about Taz in the process. He glanced at the girl in question, who was sat on his bed beside him, leaning heavily against him, and a wide smile crossed his face. Sometimes, teasing her was just a little bit too fun.

"So," Up began conversationally, and Taz glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow questioningly. " Aldorien, huh?"

As he suspected, a bright blush blossomed in Taz's cheeks, and she looked absolutely mortified. When Hupes had begun regaling the tale of what had happened on that planet, Taz looked ike she had either wanted to punch him, or sink into the Earth forever.

"I don't want to talk about it," Taz muttered, narrowing her eyes at him. "It's over, it's done. Case closed."

"Aww, C'mon Taz," Up grinned playfully at her. "I only know a few details, like you gettin' drunk, the natives kidnappin' y' and forcin' y' t'be their queen. You dancin' round a fire and referrin' to them as yer 'minions'" He paused to snicker. "Oh and the you almost gettin' married part."

"That's more than jou'll need to know," Taz muttered, running a hand down her face as she thought about her time on Aldorien. Hupes was never going to let her live that down. He seemed to live to tell Up, or just people in general, about the endeavours she found herself in, that she came to regret the most.

"Well fine, If y'aint gonna tell me about Aldorien, what was Hupes talkin' bout when he said y' can play guitar?" Up inquired, and Taz blinked, obviously surprised by the sudden change of subject before she managed to catch herself, smoothing her expression into looking dignified.

"I CAN'T play guitar." Taz corrected him with a sniff. "Hupes tried to teach me to give me something to do instead of beating up and potentially killing his crew members, but It never really went too well."

Up raised an eyebrow and stood, heading to his closet. He opened it up and pulled out the plain brown guitar, which Hupes had given him earlier.

"If she tells you she can't play, she's lying, because she feels like it's a skill she shouldn't have." Hupes had told him. "Just give her the guitar and after a bit of probing, she'll play."

Up threw the guitar at her, and she caught it by the neck, glaring at him defiantly. Up simply grinned in return and sat back on the bed, watching her. After a while, Taz sighed, positioning the guitar on her lap slightly.

"I'm going to regret dis," she decided, and began to play a few notes before she hummed the bars under her breath and began to play a small tune. Up watched as her expression changed from being mildly annoyed to being lost in the music, concentrating on the notes she was playing. Hupes was right – she was good. Taz's eyes moved from the guitar for a split second to glance at Up, and saw he was watching her intently. She seemed to become a little bit flustered, having forgotten she was being watched, and stopped, clearing her throat.

"I can't play guitar," Up mocked suddenly, and Taz narrowed her eyes.

"I do NOT talk like that!" she warned, gripping the guitar by the neck again, and Up grinned.

"You prolly can't sing either," Up remarked, a teasing lilt to his voice. "Or dance. Y'probably don't have any talents." His eyes were sparkling with mirth, but he yelped and ducked when Taz swung the guitar at him, aiming for his head.

"Shut up, asshole!" she declared, swinging at him a few more times as Up fell off the bed, laughing. Taz could feel a smile creeping onto her face despite herself, and let out a indignant cry as Up stood up, gripping the guitar neck also so she couldn't attack him again. "Let go!"

"No way," Up snickered, and Taz's lower lip jutted out in annoyance, and Up smirked.

"Why, Miss Lopez, I do believe yer' poutin'!" he declared, and Taz flushed, narrowing her eyes even more at him.

"I don't pout!" She snapped, and Up raised his eyebrows.

"I suppose y'don't blush either," he pointed out, and Taz let out a growl, releasing her hold on the guitar and pushing hard at his chest. He gripped her around the waist as he fell, and they both tumbled down onto the bed, Up laughing as they did. After a moment, Taz joined in, and Up let the guitar fall to the floor as he turned on his side to watch her, smiling widely. He had missed this during those two years of rehab. Being able to joke around with Taz, teasing her, laughing. These were the moments he had taken for granted.

"Te amo, Taz," Up whispered, and Taz's laughter faded after a moment, and she simply grinned at him.

"What did jou say Up? Didn't hear jou," she said, slightly apologetically. Up simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't worry 'bout it Taz, it wasn't important," he said lightly. Taz raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing him, but shrugged after a moment.

"Sure, okay." She relented, and Up smiled serenely. He didn't have to tell her, because for now, at least, this was enough. Now and again he might be plagued with the desire to kiss her, or to hold her hand, but he could hold back on those urges.

Besides, who could love someone who was half monster and half man? His smile faded slightly as he glanced at his robot hand, but he pushed that thought back, and shot Taz a bright smile instead.

"So, wanna teach me how to play th' guitar?" he asked innocently.

"No." Taz shot back, and Up grinned as she picked the guitar off of the floor anyway.

"Teach me, O'wise one." He said solemnly, and Taz rolled her eyes.

"Don't make me take another swing!" she warned, and Up held his hands up in a surrender. Yes. This relationship he could live with.