Tahnorra Week, Day 2: Private Lessons
Tahno looked a little pained when she threw his own words back at him. She pushed on, "Really, Tahno. If you come with me, it'll be a private lesson that you'll never forget." He followed her reluctantly, hands in his pockets and slouched forward. As they walked down toward the bay shore, he spoke up.
"Korra, if this is just getting back at me for the tournament, I really don't need this right now."
She looked at him again. The dark circles under his eyes were worse and he sounded completely drained. She felt a little guilty for not being completely upfront with him, but the surprise would be better. He'd completely forgive her.
"Why, Tahno, I just want to teach you about waterbending." Her tone was light, and he sighed and stopped in his tracks.
"No. Things are bad enough already."
Her grin fell away at the look on his face. She stepped up and took his hand, saying "I promise. You won't regret this for a second. Just kneel down here..."
It was more that she pulled him down rather than he knelt on his own, but that was enough. She'd wanted to do this for him before the word spread about her new ability. One thumb to his forehead, one to his chest. She could feel the energy twisted up unnaturally, and it was the work of a moment to restore its normal flow."
She backed off as his eyes opened, and he stared down at his hands as though seeing them for the first time. He stood slowly, and then his head snapped around to look at the bay. He reached out, and a whip of water snaked over, coiling around them before splashing back into the bay. He smiled then, and his eyes had more honest joy than she'd ever seen in them. He laughed, actually laughed, and before she knew it he had picked her up and was spinning them both in exuberant circles across the beach.
He put her down, but didn't let her go. His face was full of emotion as he looked down at her, and he said "Korra, I- I don't know if you have any idea how much this means to me. Thank you. Thank you so much." She simply smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his waist.