Korra pouted. Ever since Tahno's home visit the whole 'Krew' had been acting a little off, except for Asami, and that was because she'd had her hands full dealing with Mako. He'd taken to sitting in a corner of any room and sulking, quietly mumbling to himself and occasionally blushing. Korra knew it had to be something Tahno had said, she'd seen them fighting and it was obvious by the way Mako could no longer hold her gaze for more than a second that whatever went down was about her. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the idea. Two guys fighting over her. It was just a strange thought since Mako's rejection. After that, she'd felt un-liked and maybe a bit rough around the edges. Of course, Bolin had done his best to make her feel better, and he was the cutest little thing with his flattery and his clumsiness. Still, it was strange to think of Mako as really caring that much. After everything at the Sato mansion; the threat and the bump in the road, she wasn't sure where she stood with him as of late.
Her relationship with Tahno was an even bigger problem. Could she call it a relationship? They argued with each other and call one another names, which were hardly the everyday goings on of a healthy couple, but it was their thing. It just wasn't their style to easily fall into one another's arms and coo like other pairs. She liked the challenge, the verbal sparring and the real sparring. It added excitement, which was something she didn't really see in others. She understood relationships like the one between Mako and Asami; with penguin kisses, adorable nicknames and the like, but it wasn't her. She didn't want to be called 'princess' – well, not seriously – and she didn't want a hand to pull her from the satomobile or dip her at the waist. What she did want was someone with a personality, someone to push her to her limit and someone who didn't constantly expect her to mould herself into something she wasn't.
In all honesty, she surprised herself when she found all that in Tahno. She thought for sure that he'd like prissy girls or overly feminine girls. Not that there was anything wrong with that type of woman; it was just that Korra wasn't that type, and she wasn't willing to change herself. She didn't wear makeup – having managed to attack herself with a powder puff in Asami's bathroom – nor did she enjoy ladylike gestures. Korra's way of doing things was more 'cut the crap' than 'prim and proper'. It didn't seem to bother her at first when Asami was all the things she wasn't. Gorgeous and rich; long, flowing hair and pouting lips. Bolin still thought she was the best, bless his soul, and the spirits knew he gave her so much hope. He'd been such a good friend and that's why, whenever he asked, she'd jump at the chance for days out with him.
Today, they were at the local market. Since Air Temple Island now seemed to have a growing population of hungry teenagers, market trips were getting more frequent and Korra loved it when Bolin tagged along with Pabu. The local street kids would be all over him. Hanging from his arms and pulling at Pabu's tail; he'd always have a joke to tell them, or some up-lifting story about the wonderful Avatar. She'd blush. Bolin was too sweet for his own good. Not to mention, he was so great with kids. The faces he'd pull and the noises he'd make all made him look like the ideal father. She'd found herself joining in sometimes and on lookers raised an eyebrow at what looked like a twelve children strong family being lead through the market by a 17 year old mother and a 16 year old father. She didn't mind it though, it was fun to play families and it reminded her of home.
Unbeknownst to Korra, another figure was at the market. A figure that seethed with jealously at every light hearted giggle, every cute expression that spread across her face. Why did her eyes light up when the earth bender spoke? Tahno wasn't pleased to say the least. He couldn't fathom her attraction to such a dopey boy; such an un-couth, un-intelligent thing that bounded around town as if his head was full of rocks. Yet, when her arm lightly brushed against his, they'd both have a slight pinkish blush. When she smiled his face would be taken by a stupid grin, and worst of all, when those mucky children would gather around them they'd all look like one big happy family. He could see it clearly. Korra, the beautiful dotting mother and Bolin, the cuddly father. It made him sick to the stomach. For a while he couldn't really figure out why. Back when he was a champion, he was jealous of no man. For any girl taken from him he had a thousand more to replace her.
Eventually it hit him. He liked Korra. He more than liked Korra. She'd become his rock, his connection to something he'd so desperately sought after. In fact, her touch was enough to send shivers down his spine. Her voice was so soothing he'd forget about everything in a heartbeat, and now it hurt to see her cosying up to another man. Another man who was most likely kinder than him, had treated her better than he had and would make a much more desirable husband than he ever would. He could imagine them together, flowers and chocolates and all those things he'd found so trivially fake in the past. Maybe he only found them fake because he was always being fake when he handed them out. He gave all the girls he wanted a red rose. In the end, it didn't even signify anything. Each one would think of it as a symbol of undying passion and love, but the romance was always just a pathetic show, a hollow necessity to get to where he really wanted to go.
He could imagine Bolin's dopey face handing Korra the same flower, and he could imagine how genuine it probably was. In the past, he'd lavished women with gifts. It was almost like an exchange. He'd replace depth with novelty. Play the prince but leave the dragon for the next poor soul to deal with. Chocolates were the same too, and dates. He'd never actually connected with any one of his previous flings. He probably couldn't even remember most of their names, despite the fact that at the time he might have promised them all sorts of romantic sounding things. However, now he wanted Korra to look at him the same way she did the earth bender. To really admire him, love him like he was the only one she could possibly imagine being with.
It seemed the fire bender was no longer the problem. His rouged, handsome charms had faded away quickly enough. Now, it was the sweetness of an earnest boy that Tahno had to beat, and he wasn't sure he could quite compare. He'd never tried being genuine about romance. He'd always thought of it as a nuisance when girls wanted to over fantasise about 'long walks on the beach' and 'candle lit dinners', but the look in Korra's eyes told him that even she appreciated a little sweetness. It still wasn't his style though. He was more sour than sweet, more catty than caring. It was just in his nature. Maybe he'd been on top looking down for too long. Bolin had humble beginnings and a soft touch despite years of cruelty and harsh earth between his fingers. He'd kiss lightly, suck gently and always take care to let her know she was loved.
Tahno took a sharp intake of breath. Had he ever told Korra that he loved her? He couldn't remember ever mentioning it in their last two sessions. To be honest, he hadn't really understood his feelings for Korra until now. At first, when he met her in Narook's he found her interesting. As his mind wondered over her beautiful face and figure he became enamoured, but he figured it more lust than love. He hadn't really felt love before; self-love yes, but never a stronger emotion for someone else. Back when his bending was still in working order it was all about him. Slowly, he mauled over his emotions. The first session released some of the sexual frustration and the closeness of her sleeping body afterwards bought a steady calmness over his heart. The second time, she excited him again and he knew she was the only one to truly satisfy him, but beyond that he knew they had a future. It was all gambolling out of control.
Suddenly, he heard an abrupt laughter echoing through the market. He looked back to where Bolin and Korra were standing only to find them on top of one another. His anger flared and he took deep breaths. One of the street children had pushed Korra over with the intention of creating a 'lovey-dovey' scene. They knew Bolin liked Korra and they'd help any way they could. Tahno gritted his teeth and began seething with the thought of them. He'd had Korra, and she belonged with him. They were perfect together and he wasn't prepared to let some dopey earth bender get in the way of that. He'd show Korra. He'd show her just how romantic and genuine and humble he could really be. That was of course, once he'd calmed down.
It had been a few hours since the market trip and the family had all been well feed. Air Temple Island was now a little nosier with three air bending children and four teenagers, but Tenzin was slowly getting used to the idea. It was around seven when Korra started wandering the grounds by herself, desperately searching for something fun to do. She didn't really want to disturb Mako and Asami since she knew they'd be doing couple stuff, not to mention Mako still couldn't look at her straight. She'd have to ask Tahno what he'd really said because the 'Krew' probably wouldn't work if one member couldn't even look at her let alone work with her. She didn't want to start bothering the kids either since Tenzin had warned her against exciting them just before bed. So, that left Bolin.
She crept over to the boy's dorms, painfully aware that it was a bit late for her to go over there without raising some of Tenzin's suspicions. He'd become very sensitive to the issue of teenagers running around his island at night. Korra laughed at the thought of him having a heart attack if Tahno had lived with them. It then struck her as a distinct reality since the ex-bender had mentioned perhaps losing his big house sometime in the future. She wasn't sure how she'd get that around the team. Asami wouldn't mind since she was one of the more reasonable ones, but the brothers would protest until their last breath without a doubt. There was no way they'd let Tahno move in unless every detail was explained to them. Not to mention, they definitely wouldn't want to share a dorm with him.
Korra let the thought pass for a moment as she made her way to what she was sure was Bolin's room. All the lights were out but she hoped he was awake. As she gently moved the door she heard a slight mumbling. Sure enough, Bo was in bed, half covered by the blankets and a slight sweat worked up around his brow. Korra frowned for a moment and thought that maybe he'd caught a fever, but before she could place her hand down to check, he moved suddenly.
"Korra," he whispered. She froze for a moment and thought of answering him, but she soon realised he was talking in his sleep. At first, she considered it being a dream about the Equalists and Amon; she'd had plenty of those nightmares herself. However, she noticed redness in his cheeks and suddenly she caught eye of a bulge in his pants. A wet dream.
"Korra," he whimpered again. A wet dream about her. She put her hand to her mouth to stifle her breathing out of fear of waking him up. His hand was moving to the flesh trapped in his boxers and slight moans escaped his lips every now and then. Had she been able to see into Bolin's dreams, she'd have been surprised by the vivid imagination the boy possessed. It was one of his favourite fantasies. Korra in blue lacy underwear, straddling him on the bed. She unhooks the bra at the back, one strap goes, and then the other. Soon, she's sitting there ready for the main course. Her hair is down and it flows down past her shoulders. She bits her lip and smiles. She's so soft and he's never quite seen anything like her.
He was hard, very hard, and even when unconscious his hands were travelling to his lower regions in a desperate plea to release. Korra froze up again. She'd never thought of Bolin in that way. He was cute and sincere, she'd never really thought of his sexual side. However, looking at him in the light of the moon, topless – rippling muscles outstretched and a lustful hitch to his gasping voice – she felt it. The deep seated attraction to a man she knew wasn't just a sweetheart, but now revealed himself to be quite versed in lustful desires. She watched only for a moment more, his groans getting loader and the sound of her name making her weak at the knees. She slipped out unheard and ran into the cool air of the night outside.
She wasn't sure how to react to what she'd just seen. It wasn't disturbing or completely un-thinkable. Bolin had expressed a liking for her in the past and with everything that had happened between her and Tahno, sex was no longer this un-speakable taboo never to be mentioned. It still seemed strange, like before Bolin had been like a perfectly cute little boy and now she'd seen another part of him. A man with the same urges as any other.
"Hey, Uh-vatar. Why is your face so red?" a voice suddenly pierced through the darkness. Korra turned to find Tahno standing only metres away from her. She was starting to wonder how on earth he managed to keep getting past all the guards.
"I've just been on a bit of a jog. Everybody's doing stuff tonight so I'm on my own," she was getting good at bluffing.
"If that's so, let's go on a date," Tahno smirked. Perfect timing, this was meant to be… or so he kept telling himself.
"Right now? I'm not really dressed for a date," she shrugged. Tahno let out a small laugh.
"You're perfect the way you are Uh-vatar," it surprised him how sweet that sounded. He smiled softly and offered an arm for her to take. She cautiously snaked her arm with his and contemplated the last thing he said. That was highly unlike Tahno, the tone was too modest and meaningful. She'd never heard him speak like that before.
"So, where are we going pretty boy?" she asked.
"Narook's," he answered. He wanted to go back to the place he first meet her, to turn back time and remember what made him fall so badly for a girl so unlike the rest. Korra just smiled at the simplicity. She'd feared he was going to take her to some ridiculously expensive restaurant to show her off.
They walked in a comfortable silence for a long while, just listening to their breathing and the distant sounds of the City. She clutched tighter to his arm; it was surprisingly colder than she had first thought. Tahno noticed and took off his jacket to hand it over to her. She raised an eyebrow, but all he did was shrug and smile in response. She slipped it on and noticed that it had the distinct smell of Tahno all over. It was warm with his heat and reminded her of the time spent snuggled under his sheets only about a week ago. She looped her arm with his once more, slightly nuzzling her face into him and taking comfort in his presence. There was more to the pretty boy than she'd originally thought.
He noticed her closeness and how her grip around his arm had tightened as it got colder. It's a sign. She was eagerly smiling to herself, something he wasn't quite sure she wanted him to see, but he loved it all the same. He could make her just as happy as any earth bender. He'd spent so long boasting about how he could satisfy her every sexual need, wasted time on his own sexual prowess that he had almost forgotten that was only one side of the relationship. As mentioned before, he'd never had a real relationship. He knew most of the fan girls loved the fame, not the man. He'd see a girl he'd slept with quickly switch to his team mates within a week, given a month she'd be back to him. There was never that connection.
Eventually, they reached Narook's and Tahno had to swallow a dry lump in his throat as he looked over at the table his team used to occupy. The fame and fortune was fading fast. Korra noticed his gaze and squeezed his arm. He looked down at her and met two blue pools starring back up at him. She smiled softly and he returned the gesture. He hadn't lost everything. Korra was still there, and no matter how his fame faded she would always be there. Talking to him like nothing had changed, keeping him sharp and ready. He bent down a little and kissed her on the cheek. It wasn't something he often did, considering he was usually a very 'to the point' man and the very physicality of him commanded a passionate embrace. However, this was different. This wasn't about sex. It was about showing Korra he really appreciated her, and she was more to him than just a body, more to him than just a fetish he dived into when the world remained rough.
They sat down quickly and took to ordering without any fuss. Still, neither of them really talked. The silence washed over them like the waves, and enveloped them the same way Yue's beams of silvery light did every night. It was comfortable; a shared moment of unspoken words that caused a tantalising fixation of their eyes. That's how they spoke, with glances and eager stares, battling with each other's spirits rather than with the crowded noise of the people around them. It was bliss. To have an excuse to stare into Korra's beautiful eyes and not have to say a word. Normally, he'd be forced to make meaningless small talk between himself and the nights venture. He'd have to chat about drab things like the state of Republic City and what have you. More often than not, the conversation simply turned to him and his success, how rich, how wonderful he was. He'd never ask about them.
Some would try to tell him anyway; give him a sneak peek at their outstandingly pathetic lives as leeches. Some would even try to be intriguing, aloof or mysterious in an attempt to draw out his interest. In the end, they were all the same, and if silence fell he had to break its awkward hold with tit for tat drabble about current affairs or the state of things. He didn't need to do that with Korra; the silence was natural and he enjoyed the quiet moment to fully admire her stunning face. He didn't often see women without make up that had such a clean complexion, and the shade of her skin was a beautiful contrast to the blue of her eyes. She didn't bat her eyelashes like so many others; a sickening trait he'd learnt to hate over the years. She just starred forward with a Korra-like determination which set his gaze firmly affixed on her loveliness, and drew him closer with every flicker of glowing light reflecting back from her eyes blue surface. He was enamoured.
"I'll just have some noodles," her voice broke through the silence.
"Me too," he nodded in reply. A waiter was with them soon afterwards and the order was placed. It had been a while since he'd been to Narook's; it reminded him too much of his glory days.
"So, how come you're treating me to a date all of a sudden pretty boy?" Korra smiled.
"It never hurts to spoil the ones you love Uh-vatar," his voice was smooth. She froze a little and he saw the tension in her muscles. Her glare was aimed right at him and he felt like the intensity couldn't get any stronger.
"The ones you love," she repeated. Tahno suddenly realised what he'd said and almost instantly regretted it.
"Yes, what's so weird about that?" he tried to hide the embarrassment with an arrogant tone.
"Nothing. I've just never heard you say that word before."
"So, you didn't think I could say it at all?" he grimaced. Did she really think that lowly of him?
"No. Like I said before, I never really knew what to call this thing we have. After last time though, I started feeling more and more attached to you. I started searching for a word for it and…" she was cut off.
"So you've thought about it too," Tahno's voice was suddenly urgent. "But… I saw you with that earth bender." A pout came to his lips and he sunk back into the booth.
"Earth bender? Are you talking about Bolin?" she moved her head to the side.
"Whatever his name is, you're always in the market with him and you look like a couple. A happy little couple," his pout got worse. Korra sat for a moment, and then, she laughed. A deep, loud laughter that sounded out around the restaurant.
"What? What are you laughing at? It's not funny," he stated.
"I'm laughing at how jealous you are. Bolin and I are friends, nothing more," she let out one last bout of laughter before settling back down into her seat.
"Yes, but you have this way of looking at him," Tahno sulked.
"Don't I look at you in the same way?" she asked, her voice dipping into a whisper.
"I don't know," he whispered back. He felt a hand curl around his own. She'd leaned forward and was lacing her fingers with his, connecting his rough skin with the softness of her own.
"Tell me," Korra starred into his eyes. She was perfect; whole in her resolution and grounded in the world. She completed something deep within him, something that longed for the harsh mistress of the sea and the crashing of waves against his certainties. To be swallowed whole by something so much bigger than himself. That's what he saw in her eyes; the world tinted blue and the moonlight pulling him forward.
"Yes, like that," he spoke as he raised a hand to her cheek. He gingerly pushed a few wild strands of hair back and cupped her face in his hand. She was glowing again. The fire in her eyes blazed out of control, flickering like dragons brawling and focusing solely on him. It was like she could see something beyond physicality; she knew every fibre of his being and his pulse beat faster. That was the look. A look that belonged to him and no one else. Not even the earth bender had been blessed with such a gaze. She looked at him in a dream like fashion; with fantasy and novelty lining clouds with silver seams. This look – the one they shared – was no fantasy. It was sure and steady, like a passionate embrace tempered with caution and curiosity a like. With that, Tahno had no more reservation in his desires.
"I love you," he seemed to whisper it at first. Korra froze, her heart pounded in her ears as the boys hand continued to stroke her cheek. Had she heard right? The fling was becoming love and the old crush crumbled to dust. Her muscles un-tensed and she lifted her own hand to the one at her cheek. He was still cold from the walk over.
"I love you too," she smiled. Her eyes lit up again with the low lamps of Narook's. It was just enough to show the curl of her lips and the softness of her gaze. I'm falling. He'd never really felt it before, the sudden unknown; like the feeling of being out at sea, staying at a safe distance, but teetering on the edge of that steep drop into oblivion. That feared darkness that lingered just below your feet, hiding creatures no man had ever seen. Yet this time, he'd done it. He'd forgotten the safeties of the shore and dived for the treasures of the deep.
She leaned in a little closer and he followed suit. They meet in the middle and exchanged a kiss so gentle it became a ghost on his lips. It was a memory to hold dear in times when they were apart; an imprint left to soothe his mind in dark times and wistfully think of when he pleased.
"So, you can be romantic pretty boy," Korra smirked as she sat back into the booth.
"For you Uh-vatar, I can be anything you want me to be," he purred. The conversation was picking up their usual flare.
"Really? Because I've been having some fantasies of my own recently," Korra's grin widened.
"Do tell," he couldn't help but lean forward. Romance was all well and good, but he'd never deny the fatal attraction he felt when Korra took a dominant turn.
"I've been thinking, we should really go to the beach sometime soon," she smiled.
Tahno stopped a moment. The sea; the rush of waves against the sand and the feel of the grain in his palm, all mixed with her heavy sighs and the touch of her skin.
"Tahno?" Korra gave a concerned look to his new found silence.
"I'll make you a deal, Uh-vatar," he suddenly snapped back to life. "If you wear a nice swimsuit, I promise to help you get undressed," he got up from his side of the booth and slipped in next to Korra.
"Okay, pretty boy. But only if you promise me something," she smiled back at him as he leant in closer, his arm snaked around her waist.
"And what's that my dear Uh-vatar?"
"I get to be on top again," she purred into his ear. This was turning out to be too perfect. He looked forward to their next meeting.