Because I don't want Tahno to lose his bending in Episode 6. Had to post before canon makes it a lie. Tahnorra if you squint
It was rude, really. The way he shoved the rose in her face.
And, Korra thought, embarrassing.
She could feel the eyes of her teammates burning holes in the back of her neck. She's not sure if their animosity has to do with the fact that the Wolfbat is cutting into their precious training time or if it's because he's paying attention to her in a semi-misconstrued-as-romantic manner. Either way, Tahno's kerosene smile seemed to falter a little at the edges. It amused Korra greatly to see him unsure of himself.
"I wanted to say thanks," his voice was like black ice, and his eyes refused to acknowledge anyone in the room besides her, "For saving me."
Korra's eyebrow quirked as she pulled the rose hesitantly from his fingertips. It was white and gag-worthy fragrant. She huffed a sigh and rolled her eyes at Tahno, nonchalantly twirling the rose between her fingers.
"You should know," she began slyly, "I only did that so we would have your ass to kick in the Tournament."
He smirked like ice water, "And here I was, thinking you had started harboring some kind of actual affection for me."
"Dream on," she scoffed. But she noticed the most minor degree of disappointment in his eyes and added, "But you're welcome."
He stood there a little too long and her smile was a little too sincere. It took Mako's impatiently cleared throat to finally end it. He flipped his hair and glided toward the door, each step infuriatingly graceful. Outside his posse simmered around the edges of the doorjamb, curious, since their pack leader never associated with rivals and threw away women like wet newspapers.
He raised his hand in a halfhearted backward wave and called over his shoulder, "See you around, Korra."
The rose isn't very her. It's too delicate, too pure, too romantic. Korra has never been pearls and lace and expensive greenhouse white roses. She's more an unchecked weed determined to grow through the sidewalk. Tahno doesn't know her well enough to know that (not yet). She appreciates the thought. The fact that he came to thank her-Korra and not her-theAvatar is as unexpected a gift as the rose itself.
It is the first time he says her name but Korra doesn't think much of it.