The ball was upon them. It was a huge gala thrown in one of the town's ballrooms, in honor of the Pro-benders. All of the teams were invited, as well as those who had participated at one point but no longer did. Actually, it was open to the entirety of Republic City. Korra and Asami had been away from the Air Temple all day. Asami was taking Korra to every dress shop and every cosmetic store in town to find something suitable for the Avatar, and Korra, being completely clueless as to the nature of these kind of parties, let Asami dress her up in outfit after outfit.

Bolin and Mako had suits that Air Master Tenzin had given them, against all of their modest objections. He had said that they had to look their best, and that it was no trouble at all to help in that aspect. Right now the brothers were waiting impatiently outside of the temple. The girls had gotten back almost two hours ago, but whatever Asami was doing with Korra was taking a long while.

"I'm about to just barge in there and tell them to get their butts in gear," Mako grumbled, picking self-consciously at his new suit. It wasn't that it was uncomfortable. He just wasn't used to wearing such refined clothes.

"It isn't Korra's fault your girlfriend's been wanting to give her a makeover," said Bolin. "You know Asami has been dying to see Korra all dolled up for a change. She won't be able to stop laughing all night, how much you wanna bet?"

"What're you placing bets on?" came a voice from the front door.

The guys turned to look at the person descending the stairs. Then they found that once they looked, they couldn't tear their eyes off of her. Surely, the girl walking toward them, more like an apparition than a human, couldn't be Korra. It was just not physically possible that their best friend, who walked around in baggy pants with her hair pulled back in casual wolf tails and no makeup, could be the girl standing right in front of them.

She wore a long, silken black gown that didn't fall down her figure so much as flow. And flow it did, like a river, down her slender stature. It shimmered in the light of the setting sun, looking iridescent with rich violet and deep blue highlights. Extra swaths of material covered her chest, making it look fuller. A slit in the side showed enticing glimpses of her shapely legs all the way to just above her knee. The dress had a high neck, like the tops she normally wore, and was sleeveless, leaving her muscular arms noticeably bare.

She wore knee-high black boots that hugged her calves, and had just a little bit of a heel, so that she could look the boys in the eyes. And holy Agni, she was wearing makeup! Asami had brushed a dark bronzer over her cheekbones, making them more pronounced, and had put a sheer silver powder over her eyelids. Black eyeliner—tastefully done, no raccoon eyes—made her eyes appear larger and brighter, winging out just a bit from the corner for a more dramatic look. She was even wearing mascara, making her lashes longer and fuller, and lipstick. She looked like a completely different person.

Her hair was also different. Asami probably had a tough time with convincing the Avatar to let go of her signature style, especially with what she had traded it for. A Dutch braid ran along either side of her head, catching every bit of hair and showing off the texture of the braid. In the back, the two braids slowly blended into each other to make a single Dutch braid. With her lack of any recent haircut, the braid hung down almost to the small of her back.

She looked radiant.

"Um, guys?" Korra prompted, plucking self-consciously at her dress, which was so unlike anything she had ever worn before. The only other dress she had ever been seen in was a traditional water tribe gown, at the party Tarrlok had thrown for her in order to trick her into joining his taskforce. And that one had been made of thick, dyed cotton that was certainly not made to stand out.

"Don't worry, Korra, you look great," said Asami, hurrying down the steps to join the other three. "They're just drooling over my fantastic masterpiece."

Asami herself was wearing a dress no one else had seen on her, except Korra—she'd bought it while they were out trying to give Korra a whole new look. The dress was a dark green, in contrast to the scarlet ensembles that Asami usually wore, although it was still much the same style. Her boots were familiar, too, as was the rest of her. It wasn't something special to see Asami dressed up.

Korra allowed herself a smile, and the group walked in semi-comfortable silence to the Satomobile that Korra owned but couldn't for the life of her drive. The silence was semi-comfortable because, while Bolin and Mako weren't being perverts, they had a hard time keeping their eyes off of Korra. Mako did his best to be discreet, because after all, he was with Asami, but his girlfriend didn't begrudge him the occasional glance thrown the Avatar's way. After all, while she didn't like it, Asami knew that Mako had a thing for Korra, and vice versa. Plus, she'd done a spectacular job of giving Korra a total makeover.

Bolin almost tripped over himself to help Korra into the backseat of the Satomobile, but Asami insisted that she ride shotgun. It was hard to climb over the side of the car wearing a long gown; impossible, if one wanted to appear dignified. So that was how they drove to the party: Asami and Korra up front, and Bolin and Mako in the back. They didn't talk much on the way there, but the silence grew more comfortable as the guys slowly got over their shock at seeing Korra dressed like…well, like a girl.

When they reached the plaza where the party was being held—getting across the water had been a trick, but having a Waterbender in the group helped—Asami parallel-parked the car like a champ, into a space no one else thought could possibly have accommodated the Satomobile, and they all climbed out.

"Well, I gotta go," said Bolin, looking to the right of the entrance to the ballroom. "I think I see my soon-to-be date."

The group laughed as Bolin took off in the direction of an attractive, solo girl with long red hair.

"Bolin and his hormones," sighed his older brother. Mako offered his arm to Asami; she took it, her slender hand wrapping around his forearm.

Korra felt only the barest hint of jealousy anymore as she saw the two of them. The two were happy together, and that was all that mattered. Sometimes, she would still catch Mako looking at her when he thought she wasn't paying attention, but she ignored it. Mako was her friend. Her best friend. But she already understood that anything more couldn't work between them. Plus, she also really liked Asami, even if she was a bit of a prissy rich girl.

Still, Korra did feel just the slightest bit neglected as she saw both of her good friends entering the building with a girl on their arm. She didn't have a date. She didn't want one. But there was still that little twinge in her stomach when she thought of being alone when everyone else had someone to go with. There had been no guys she had wanted to ask anyway.

"Korra? You coming?" Mako said, frowning.

Korra started, and followed the two into the crowded room.

Almost immediately, Asami managed to steer Mako out onto the dance floor, much to Korra's delight. Mako blinked, as if unsure how he had gotten out there, and then he was being directed by the lovely Miss Sato. Korra tried exceptionally hard not to laugh at the look of complete and total confusion on Mako's face as he tried to copy Asami's movements. She failed miserably, though.

She shook her head, still grinning, and started moving through the crowd, greeting people as they came up to her. Her effortless charm shone through, with the help of her new ensemble, and caught the attention of several guys, who were quickly beginning to crowd around her. Korra was laughing as she excused herself, trying to lose her admirers. It was a bit awkward, trying to have a conversation, when people's eyes were more fixed on the form her dress fit so well rather than on her eyes.

Her eyes flicked over the crowd on the dance floor, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing at what she saw. Bolin, with the same redhead he had greeted at the front doors, was trying very hard to dance. Trying being the operative word. It appeared that his partner was patient, though, because she didn't storm off even though Korra was pretty sure that Bolin had already stepped on her toes at least twice.

"What's so funny, Uh-vatar?" said a smooth, quiet voice right behind her.

Korra whipped around, stumbling in her heels. Only a cool hand on her elbow kept her from tumbling to the floor. Flushing slightly, she straightened her gown and looked up, into a pair of silver eyes that was missing their usual lecherous spark. He raised an eyebrow.

"Tahno!" Korra exclaimed, gently trying to wrest away from his grip. He held tightly to her, though. Oddly, she didn't find his touch unnerving. Maybe because he just didn't seem as…intimidating, as he usually did.

"Hey, Korra," he greeted, giving a half smile that lacked its usual arrogance. "Wanna tell me what you're laughing at?"

Korra shrugged as much as Tahno's hand would allow, then pointed out at the dance floor, where The redhead was doing her best to guide Bolin through the steps of the waltz.

"Watching Bolin try to dance," she answered, lips twitching.

Tahno followed her gesture, and his own lips twitched up in a stronger smile.

"That," he said, amused, "Is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. Although, Fire Boy is pretty close. Actually, might be a tie."

His smile quickly faded, though. Korra gave him a closer look, eyes narrowed. He still had those bags under his eyes, although they weren't quite as pronounced as they had been shortly following his run-in with Amon. She'd returned his bending when Aang had given her own back, but it had been a year since then, and apparently, that year had not returned his playboy status. He hadn't rejoined the Wolfbats, who had almost immediately replaced him with another Waterbender. He hadn't put as much effort into his appearance as he once did, although he clearly still kept himself groomed.

"Tahno, how are you?" Korra asked softly.

He glanced down at her, as though surprised by her question. More likely, he was surprised by the sincere concern in her voice. Whatever it was that disarmed him, something kept him from snapping back a sardonic retort. His hand slid down her arm to her slim wrist.

"I've…I've been better," he sighed. His silver gaze flicked back out toward the center of the room, toward where Mako was finally starting to get the hang of the dance Asami was trying to teach him. He looked back at Korra, who was still appraising him concernedly. "What about you, Uh-vatar? Still got Fire Boy wagging his tail?"

Korra snorted.

"Over it. We're just friends."

Tahno's eyebrows slid so far up his forehead that they nearly disappeared in his shaggy hair.

"I don't think that's how he feels," he chuckled, jerking his head back toward the dancing couple. "Keep it subtle," he added.

Discreetly, Korra's aquamarine eyes darted in the direction of the dancing couple. Mako had pulled Asami closer, but it seemed like he only did that so that she couldn't see that his gaze was now fixed on Korra. And he didn't look all that happy that she was chatting it up with ex-Wolfbat Tahno, their old rival. In fact, his amber eyes were harsh with anger.

Korra looked back at Tahno, who was grinning smugly.

"Don't think he's very over it, now," he teased.

The young Avatar rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. She shook her head, and was about to pull away from his hand and walk around to mingle, when he tightened his grip and pulled her closer.

"Do you want to dance?"

The words were whispered, but Korra heard them just fine. She felt a slow heat creeping up her neck at their proximity, but she didn't pull away. She did look down at her feet though.

"I can't…I don't dance," she mumbled.

Tahno looked at her in disbelief. His hand crept up to her chin, tilting her face back so that he could look the Avatar in the eyes. She looked embarrassed, an emotion he did not often get to enjoy on her face.

"You're a Waterbender, aren't you?" Tahno chuckled, pulling her out into the press of bodies just as the music changed to something more upbeat and wild. "If you can Waterbend, you can dance. Just follow my lead."

"Tahno!" she protested, but he already had her in the center of the floor.

Tahno pulled her close against his chest, whispering into her ear.

"No time like the present to learn, Uh-vatar."

Then he stepped back, and they linked their wrists. He led her in a slow circle, almost like they were two enemies circling each other, waiting for an opening. If Katara had been there, she would have recognized an improvised dance of similar style to the one she and Avatar Aang had pulled off years ago, when they had been pretending to be Fire Nation. However, nobody in that room knew that the dance before them had happened once in the past, between the previous Avatar and his wife.

The synchronized movements of the two Waterbenders mimicked parts of the most basic Waterbending forms, but while they may have seemed boring in practice, the embellished actions quickly drew every eye to the pair of dancers. Korra mirrored what Tahno did at first, but she quickly recognized the flowing shifts in stance as Waterbending forms, and soon was able to predict what he did easily, and threw in moves that were not identical, but still flowed with the cadence of the dance. The pair of them had captured the attention of the entire room. Other dancers backed away to give them space as they began to branch out their dance techniques. They spun and dipped and twisted, moving with a perfect harmonization that belied their initial animosity. One would never have guessed that the pair dominating the dance floor had once been unable to do anything but argue with each other.

That slit in the side of Korra's dress proved beneficial, allowing for all the movement she needed without having to tear the fabric. Her long, lean legs flashed as she moved, a fact that didn't escape a single red-blooded male in the vicinity. It had a particularly hard effect on a Firebender a little ways away, who was standing resolutely behind his date, with his arms tight around her waist, so that she could not see the avid way he watched as Korra danced.

Anybody that had witnessed her early Airbending training would recognize the graceful, spiral movements she had learned from trying to maneuver through a maze of spinning gates.

Tahno was no lumbering Platypus-bear either. He was light on his toes—unsurprising, as he had been an excellent Pro-bender, cheating aside—but he moved with a willowy grace that, honestly, came naturally to most Waterbenders. It was the connection to the ocean, the constant flow, the ever-changing tides. That link made them just as free, just as unpredictable, and just as changing. It was a trait that all had noticed in Korra, but few had ever actually observed in Tahno. Until then.

The ex-Wolfbat was displaying an entirely different side to his self, a side no one really knew he had. He was every bit as graceful as Korra, every bit as part of the nature of water that she was. It was startling to realize, for all the time he had spent projecting a bad-boy, smug appearance. He always had a loping grace about him, but this…This was different. He moved the way a self-respecting Waterbender was expected to move.

It didn't escape the dancers' notice, either, that they were moving in perfect harmony. Korra was startled to find herself able to move so freely with a man she once considered a petty enemy. Tahno was likewise rather astounded, although pleasantly so. They found themselves enjoying the dance, and as the music neared its end, and the tempo increased, they picked up their rhythm, moving with an almost feverish intensity. As the last notes were played, Tahno managed to catch Korra's hand. He spun her out, and pulled her back, right up against his chest, just as the music ended.

Applause and cheers erupted through the hall. It was only then that they realized they had an extremely large audience. Korra blushed darkly, ducking her head and attempting to scurry away, but Tahno held her where she was, with his arms around her waist. His pale gaze captured her cerulean one, and he smirked smugly.

"See? It's easy," he grinned. Warmly. The gesture surprised both of them.

"Yeah," Korra answered, smiling shyly in return. "I guess it is."

She was very close to him, their chests just brushing. This close, she could make out flecks of darker gray in his silver eyes. His fair skin seemed to glow against the dark navy blue tunic he wore, and the matching trousers. He wasn't wearing eyeliner, which Korra thought was already a huge improvement.

"Music's stopped," she commented.

Still he didn't let her go, and she wasn't sure, but she thought he might be slowly starting to lean in. What was he doing? She was curious to find out, but the thought had barely entered her mind when she was tugged away from him by Asami and Mako. Asami looked like she was about to burst with excitement. Mako looked both awed and irritated, although Korra had no guess as to why.

"Korra! That was amazing!" Asami exclaimed, hugging her tightly before turning to Tahno. "And you. That was impressive! How did you get her out there?"

Tahno ran a hand through his hair airily.

"Didn't give her a chance to say no," he chuckled.

Mako scowled, and Tahno's grin broadened.

"Well, Mako and I were just about to find you and Bolin and go. Mako's already almost asleep on his feet."

Tahno and Korra both raised an eyebrow at Mako, who did not look very tired at all.

"Really?" Korra said, voicing her skepticism.

Asami shrugged.

"You guys can go ahead and go," Korra shrugged. "I'll meet you all back at the Air Temple. I'm…I'm actually having fun."

Asami smiled.

"You sure? I don't mind driving back out to pick you up."

"No, it's fine," Korra smiled. "Naga followed us here. I'll take her back."

"If you're sure," said Asami, and she turned to Mako. "Well, let's find your brother then. I'll bet his date would be happy to hand him over, before she needs to get her toes amputated."

Mako tried for a smile, but it looked a bit forced to Korra. Nonetheless, he followed Asami into the crowd, only glancing over his shoulder once to send a lazered glare at Tahno. The Waterbender just grinned and waved, pulling the Avatar close to his side by her waist. When the couple had disappeared, Korra attempted to pull away, but Tahno didn't let her.

"Tahno, Mako's gone. You can quit the game now."

He looked down at her, eyes flashing with honest surprise.

"Who said I'm playing a game, little Avatar?" he asked, leaning down.

That was the very first time he had pronounced her title properly, at least to her face. She felt the blush in her cheeks grow warmer, and was thankful that her skin was dark enough to hide what would have been extremely bright color otherwise. His breath ghosted across her lips.

"Well, it seemed like you were just trying to jerk Mako's chain," she answered. Was her voice a little shaky?

"So I was," he chuckled. He tugged her closer to him, until their chests were pressed together. "Just then. He had nothing to do with our dance, though. I can honestly say I did that for my enjoyment."

He was inches away, and the proximity sent shivers down Korra's spine.

"Korra, I'm going to kiss you right now."

He pulled her flush against him. When he closed the remaining distance between them, his lips covering hers in a chaste kiss, she did nothing to stop him. In fact, she returned the gesture, leaning up into it. He closed his eyes, his hands seeking hers. She let him twine their fingers together, and allowed her own eyes to drift close.

His lips were cool and soft against her own. He was surprisingly gentle as he kissed her, slanting his mouth across hers and moving it slowly, an action that belied his usual forceful attitude. She followed his movements, startled to hear a low sound in the back of his throat, almost like a moan. He pulled away slightly, but only, it seemed, so that he could see as he propelled her back toward a wall, where they would be out of the way. Korra felt the solid surface against her back, and then Tahno was kissing her again, this time with more hunger.

Something started beneath her skin, a kind of electric current. It was as though instead of blood, what rushed through her veins was the sea. It was powerful, alluring, and completely insatiable. Judging by the louder groan that came from Tahno, he was feeling something similar. His lips drew at hers with a passion she would not have expected from him, least of all with her. The way he kissed her, it was he was a drowning man, and she was the only thing that could save him.

He parted his lips against hers, tugging gently but insistently at her bottom lip with his teeth. She did as he prompted, opening her mouth the way he had. But she wasn't fully prepared for his invading tongue. It traced the line of her lips, then slid past to twine with her own. She let out a shocked gasp at the feel of his velvet roughness stroking the inner walls of her mouth, but curiously, she found it pleasant. When he tried to draw her back into his mouth, she obliged readily, wanting that feeling to continue.

She felt as though something was unfurling inside her, something cool and at the same time hot, something wild and untamed and totally, absolutely free. It was like she was becoming the ocean, becoming the very thing that embodied the Waterbenders. She was the tide, pushing and pulling, pushing and pulling, calling—no, singing—out to others like her, beckoning them closer. The ocean was inside her, roaring and boiling as she kissed Tahno.

Tahno felt something extremely similar. He was feeling that elusive, beautiful siren call. He felt it from the moon, felt it in the waves when he walked on the beach. He heard the call of the water in the storms that passed overhead, in the rivers that all flowed toward the sea. The moon was his mistress, he her puppet. Everything he had ever felt, every powerful emotion, it was all because of his connection with the moon and the sea. And suddenly, it was like Korra was the moon, with the power to control him as easily as Yue controlled the tides. Suddenly, Korra was the sea, the endless push and pull.

As he drew her tongue into his mouth, he allowed himself to admit what he hadn't dared whisper since he first met the Avatar. He was drawn to her, as a moth to flame, and even though the moths never came out on the better side of the deal, maybe some part of them knew. Maybe they knew that, even if the beauty that drew them would destroy them, it was worth the chance to experience what it would feel like to bask in the glow of something other.

Finally, he pulled away from her mouth to feather kisses along her jaw, and down her neck. He nibbled tantalizingly at a spot just below her ear, and she shuddered and sighed contentedly.

"I don't think…" Tahno said, startled to find his voice thick and rough. "That you realize what you're doing to me, Uh-vatar."

"And what exactly am I doing to you, Pretty Boy?" she asked, her own voice throaty.

"I'm not sure I know," he growled. "But I do know that you're a dangerous woman, and you have a hold over me."

He leaned back and met her eyes with his. The normally clear, sharp, blue topaz color was slightly hazy, and he wondered if his eyes looked the same. He had never felt anything like that with another woman. There had been many, yes, many that he had wanted, but none had left him in such a heated state. This was entirely new to him, and while he detested change, he found that he might be able to make an exception this one time.

"Is that polar bear-dog of yours really waiting for you?" Tahno whispered, his lips brushing the delicate shell of her ear.

"She's probably somewhere close," Korra answered. "I didn't watch her follow us, but she always does."

Tahno laughed, and stood back from Korra, keeping one of her hands in his. His large, pale hand engulfed her small, dark one almost entirely. He had never realized it before, because the girl's attitude was so huge, but her physical body was actually…very small. The top of her head barely came to his chin, and she was slim despite the corded muscles gained from a life spent training as the Avatar.

"You know, Uh-vatar," he said slowly, tugging her away from the wall. "You're a beautiful woman."

She blushed and looked away. Korra rarely received complements like that. Most of the praise directed at her was about her bending, her fighting, and while it made her feel exceptionally proud of herself, being complimented on her appearance was a nice rarity. Sometimes she wondered about herself, when next to Asami, whether she really had anything to measure up to people's expectations of beauty. However, these moments of insecurity were few and far in between.

"Do you want to grab some lunch tomorrow?" Tahno asked her, leading her toward the entrance to the hall. She followed closely, her hand still in his.

"Sure," she answered easily. "I've got nothing else to do."

He smirked at her easy answer, and led her out of the doors and down the steps, to the street outside. The air was surprisingly cold, and Korra felt goosebumps erupt down her arms. She rubbed her hands over them, trying to be discreet, but Tahno noticed the movement. His jacket came off, and he wrapped it around her bare shoulders. She held the edges together, taken aback by the kind gesture.

"What?" he asked, in response to the narrow gaze she cast over him.

"Just trying to decide whether or not you're actually Tahno or some doppelganger that I should Firebend right now."

Tahno laughed and tugged her closer.

"Believe it or not, Korra, I can be a gentleman. I just usually choose not to."

She smiled, but before Tahno could say anything else, a hulking white shape bounded up to the pair and nearly bowled Tahno over to get to the Avatar. The man's immediate instinct was to scramble backwards, away from the polar bear-dog. The creatures were notorious for their violent tendencies. No human had ever been known to tame one, let alone ride one. But Korra called Naga her best friend, and Naga clearly felt the same.

"Hey girl," Korra laughed, scratching the creature behind the ears.

"You should probably get going, Uh-vatar," said Tahno. "You're friends'll be worried."

She rolled her eyes, but made to climb onto Naga's saddle. The problem was, she had never ridden Naga in a dress, and she couldn't quite get up. Laughing again, loudly, Tahno helped Korra to mount the polar bear-dog, and showed her how to ride side-saddle, a skill she had never thought she would need.

"Thanks Pretty Boy," she said with a smile. "For…everything. I had fun tonight."

Tahno grinned back, eyes flashing with some of their old spark.

"Back at you, Uh-vatar. See you tomorrow?"

She nodded.

"Where should I meet you?"

"I'll pick you up."

"Are you sure? The group can be…a bit…overwhelming."

Tahno laughed and waved her on.

"See you at one, Korra. Good night."

Grin widening, Korra waved over her shoulder as Naga took off, running down the street until they were both out of sight.

Tahno didn't think he had smiled so much since before that night with Amon. Not even when Korra had restored his bending, because even then, nothing changed back to the way it had been. He was still an outcast among the Wolfbats. Girls had only been into him for the fame and fortune. Stripped of that, he had no friends.

Yet, that night, Korra had made him feel like he had at least one.