Reality
Tahnorra. Falling into a deep depression after losing his bending, Tahno doesn't have much hope in changing his ways until a certain Avatar appears.
A/N: Alright, this is my first Tahnorra fic so... let's see how it goes. XD Rated T for some swearing.
On the surface, Tahno was your stereotypical smug jock jerk. He had it all, as he would refer to it. The fans, the money, the publicity, hell, he even had the looks – the cherry on the top of the cake. Inside was a rather different story. Troubled, to say the least. He didn't talk much of his past, and it wasn't like his so called "fans" cared to ask. Only in his moments alone did he allow the pain to settle in. He would never allow someone other than himself to see how torn he was underneath the act.
If this was a movie, or something, he was sure he would win an Oscar. No one ever caught on.
That was until the one thing he built his life around was stolen from him. Taken, without even a second thought. That's when reality set in. When things really started to seep in.
His life meant nothing. For twenty three years, the one thing he depended on was his bending. It was his final clutch in making it in Republic City. Heh, maybe this was all just some curse. He never seemed to have it good for too long.
Once the king of the pro-bending arena, now just a lowly civilian... Tahno felt like his days were becoming numbered rather fast. His publicity died out within a few weeks after the incident. His fans faded away, his friends and ex team members disappeared. He was left alone. Again. He never really realized how alone he was... how alone he'd always been. There was only one person who ever bothered with him after the incident. An unexpected ally who hadn't given up on him just yet.
Even on the days Tahno felt like it was just a bother to roll out of bed, he didn't want to disappoint. He never wanted to disappoint.
"Tahno? Are you in there?" The same voice rang past through the wooden door as it always did late in the afternoon. Tahno had been waiting all day for this, as he did everyday. Even if he wouldn't admit it, he truly looked forward to his conversations with Korra. It gave him something to hang onto.
Tahno walked quietly to the door, making sure he didn't appear to destroyed, even though he knew the Avatar wouldn't truly care what he looked like.
"Hey..." He mumbled, opening the door wide enough so she could enter. It was becoming a daily thing for the two, she'd stop by and ask how he was. If there was any recoveries or if his bending had been restored. Although she never stayed for long, something told him today was different.
His stomach did flips as he met the cerulean eyes of the Avatar. She smiled at him weakly, before walking in. She didn't even have to ask anymore. After closing the door he watched as she turned on her heel, lifting a plastic bag up with a grin.
"Pema had made extra for lunch, and figured I'd bring it over. Have you eaten yet?"
"You know, Uh-vatar, I'm not a child. I can feed myself. I don't need you checking up on me either." He remarked, rolling his eyes. They both knew he appreciated it, and it was left at that.
"You and I both know you look forward to these little visits." She teased, swinging the plastic bag in front of his face. Tahno puffed out his lower lip in a pout before snatching the back from her. Stupid Avatar, teasing him like that. And she figured out that he enjoyed her company.
Of course she did, you're not that hard to read Tahno!
"Thanks." He mumbled softly before pushing past Korra and heading into the living room where he had already set up the tea set. He rarely ever drank tea, but for some reason he had a growing taste for it. He blamed it on the depression, but hey, he could always be wrong.
"You already know to make yourself at home." He said, casually tossing his hand at her as he walked through the connecting doorway into the kitchen where he placed the plastic bag on the counter. Truth be told, he hadn't eaten at all today. Other than the fact that his apartment was completely empty of food, he just didn't find all that much motive to eat.
Tahno peered into the bag, having to physically stop himself from drooling over the noodles that she had given him. But he wouldn't be rude and eat in front of her, he'd wait until she left so he could enjoy himself. After a few moments he gathered the sugar bowl and headed back into the living room where Korra sat quietly, a pleasant smile on her face. He remembered the first time she had came to see him after the incident. She didn't smile at all... She couldn't even fake it. She saw how much of a mess he had become. How much this whole thing had screwed him over mentally. He must've been a raving muck.
But as the visits grew more and more recent, the smile gradually appeared. Hell, even now after seeing it for the past few days it still gave him butterflies. Tahno smiled weakly back in return and placed the sugar bowl down onto the coffee table before plopping down onto the couch across from her.
"You're looking a lot better since I visited a few days ago," She commented as she took a few sugar cubes from the bowl and begun to stir them into the dark liquid.
Tahno scoffed at her, rolling his eyes.
"Have you forgotten who I am, Uh-vatar? I'm Tahno, the reigning pro-bender champion. Of course I'm going to look good," He exaggerated, sending her a weak chuckle. She just gave him a sad smile and looked down at her cup. He did the same, before letting out a small sigh.
"It feels so... out of place. I wake up every morning and think its just been a bad dream..." He continued after a few moments of silence passed between the two. "Have you ever wondered what it might feel like to fall from being a King to a lowly pawn? Trust me Uh-vatar, it isn't a great feeling,"
"That's enough Tahno, don't feel sorry for yourself," She said after a few moments. She wouldn't admit it to him, but she felt torn every time he did this. "I know bending was everything to you, but it shouldn't be. And I know that means nothing coming from me, because my entire life has literally been about bending..."
"But, what I'm trying to say is you can't keep yourself strung out because of this. Things move on, people change and you can to if you try. Just because you can't bend doesn't make you any less of a person, Tahno." Her voice was soft but had a stern underlying tone. Her words hit home and Tahno felt himself struggle to breathe for a few moments.
"Bending doesn't define your worth. You're the same person you were before all this, so you ca-"
"But I'm not! Don't you get it?" Tahno couldn't help himself, he slammed his fists down onto the coffee table, staring over at the startled girl. "I'm not the same person! It's been a goddamn act! I'm not some superstar pro-bender! You more than anyone should know that my team bought off the referees during every fuckin' game! I'm nothing! I've never been anything before my bending!"
"And you think without it I can finally be something?" He watched as she winced at his tone, being surprised at himself for bursting like that at her. She was only trying to help. After he realized what he'd said he cursed himself and quickly recomposed himself, running his fingers through his greasy dark hair. "Sorry about that, Uh-vatar... I just haven't gotten much sleep and my nerves are getting the best of me..."
Korra remained quiet, biting her tongue. Oh how badly she wanted to curse at him. She couldn't stand to see him like this... but she knew that yelling at him would cause him to ignore her words. She couldn't risk that. Not with the progress she had been making with him.
"It's okay Tahno... really, it is." She said softly as she looked back down at the tea. "Just think about what I said, 'kay?"
Korra stood from her seat opposite of him and placed her hands on her hips.
"Well... I should be going."
Tahno couldn't help but feel sick as she got up to leave. He did this, all because he had to go and exclaim at her. It wasn't her fault, she didn't know you were a fraud. She was only trying to help. And you need help, don't you Tahno?
He couldn't help himself, he reached out and grabbed her warm hand. It felt so small compared to his own, and it took him a moment to gather up the words.
"Listen, I just..." He let out a annoyed sigh as he tried to find the right words. This shouldn't have been too hard if he was still Tahno, reigning champion of the pro-bending sport of Republic City. That Tahno was a smooth talker... The real Tahno never knew what to say. And when he did, it was often too late. "I'm not really Tahno, the big shot... I was never that Tahno who was on top of the world. I'm someone else. I know it doesn't make a lot of sense, but I just want you to know that I'm not the smug jerk you met before. The real Tahno, me, I'd never act like that towards you. Towards any woman. I don't own the world, even if I acted like I did..."
Everything seemed to flow out at once, he felt his eyes cloud over, tears threatened to fall from his cheeks. This was it, the moment he admitted to all his mistakes. He had dreamed about this moment, about telling Korra everything about him. About how he was orphaned rather young, how he was a street rat up until a few years ago, how he never really had anyone he really cared about until now. However, in his head she would yell at him, laugh or even just beat the shit out of him for lying. He always feared the worst when it came to her...
"No one's ever bothered with me before. Even when I was a kid, no one gave a rats ass what happened to me. I grew up with nothing but my bending, and that saved my ass at least once or twice growing up. It was all I had. And now without it... I don't even feel like my real self. I feel different. A part of me is missing. It's never been about the money, or the glory... I just wanted to be someone, to be something in my life."
Tahno let out a breath of air as he tried to calm himself down. He waited for her answer, in his head he replayed the moments where she would slap him. Or the moment where he imagined she'd call him a pathetic nobody and just walk out of his life forever. It was quiet and he felt her pull her hand from his grasp. The tears flowed quietly down Tahno's pale, sunken cheeks as he waited for it.
Nothing.
There was nothing, no sound, no movement... He thought that was rather strange and looked up to see if she was even there. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the dark haired woman to be tearing up, she looked at him with such a look that he couldn't recognize. It was sad... maybe sympathy? He wasn't sure.
"...K-Korra?" He said after a few moments, her own name feeling weird rolling off his tongue. He always called her Uh-vatar. It was rare when he called her by her real name.
"Tahno, you big idiot!" She exclaimed after a few moments, balling her hands into fists. "How could you be so stupid as to think that you had to change who you are to be someone! You're already someone! You baka!"
Tahno flinched at her words, not expecting her to react that way... not at all. He watched her quietly, knowing that she was definitely hurt by what he told her... Why should she? It wasn't like the two really knew each other. Why would she want to get to know him anyway, he was just some stupid pretty boy.
"I-I don't understan—"
"Tahno, I care about you. Why else would I come and make sure you're alright every few days? I want you to get better!" She exclaimed, flowing her hands up in the air. "But, I can't help you unless you help yourself. You've always been someone to me. Sure, we didn't get along at first, but that doesn't matter now... Can't you see that you can start over?" Her voice had lowered, as she wiped away the tears with the back of her hands.
Tahno looked down at his hands, letting her words sink in... Start over? It sounded... wonderful. He could re-invent himself... Only this time, not lose sight of what really mattered. Could he really do that? Was he even strong enough?
"... Well, if the Uh-vatar believes that I can..." He started, with a small smirk. "I don't see how I couldn't change..."
"Thank you, Korra."
"I-It's... No problem. I'm just happy you're open to change, Tahno."
"Change..." He repeated the words, blinking away the remaining tears. He had always been afraid of change. But, with her by his side, it didn't seem all that bad.
No, not bad at all.