Nervously, the young avatar smoothed her hands over the skirt of her new dress for the hundredth time. It was her anniversary today and she wanted to look before. Her hair was perfect, her light make-up stylish, thanks to Asami, and everything was ready to go. Except Tahno wasn't here yet and her nerves were running haywire. Taking a deep breath to try to calm herself, she looked out at the path leading to the temple anxiously. It wasn't until Mako was standing right beside her that she noticed him there. She could tell by his scowl that he wasn't happy. Unlike his longtime girlfriend, the fire bender didn't like her relationship with the wolf bat. Korra sighed at the look in his eyes and knew that she was about to get lectured.

"I can't believe you're going out with him," he muttered, and it felt like the thousandth time she'd heard it. Glaring at her friend, she folded her arms over her chest and scoffed.

"And why is it any of your business who I go out with? You're with Asami, have been for a while, remember?" she quipped back sharply as she continued to fidget and wait for her date to arrive. She could feel Mako's glare on her skin and it made her blood boil.

"Is that why you've been dating him, to get back at me?" he demanded, angry. Korra laughed at him and glared.

"Get over yourself, Mako. I'm long over you. I'm dating Tahno because he appreciates me and genuinely likes me. And, unlike you, he isn't confused about his feelings." Korra grinned at the look of shock on the fire ferret's face and chuckled. Turning back to the walk way, her smile grew when she saw the familiar figure walk up the path, a single flower clutched in his hand. Pushing off the post she was leaning on, she turned to take in the look of anger and, if she looked close, jealousy in his bright eyes.

"Goodnight, Mako," she whispered as she turned and walked toward Tahno.

"Goodnight, Korra, have fun being used," he spit back, just as quietly. Korra froze where she was standing and felt hot tears gather in her eyes. Her hands clenched into tight fists and she had to restrain herself from attacking her best friend. She knew that he was trying to protect her from getting hurt, in his own jerky way, but he was such an asshole sometimes.

"Fuck off, Mako. You don't know what you're talking about," she hissed back before she walked away from her friend and toward her longtime boyfriend. His smirk fell from his face when he saw the tears sparkling in her eyes and he walked tightly to hug her. The water bender glared over her head at the fire ferret, who returned the glare, before he looked down at Korra.

"What happened, Uh-vatar?" he asked quietly. Korra smiled softly at the nickname and shook her head as she wiped the back of her hand under her eye gently so not to ruin Asami's hard work.

"It's nothing, let's go."

Tahno nodded and threw one last glare over his shoulder at Mako before he led Korra toward the boat that had taken him to the island. This was one of the moments he missed his bending the most. The boats to and from the island were excruciatingly slow and while he knew he could ask Korra to bend them to land, it emasculated him a little. And tonight, of all nights, he wanted to feel like a man. Reaching a hand into his pocket, he traced the silk there with his fingertip gently and couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips. Tonight was set to be an amazing night.

Once into the city, Tahno lead Korra expertly through the crowds of the city and to a tiny café in the center of Republic City. The courtyard was alight with candles and people were chatting and dancing and walking hand in hand everywhere Korra turned. Mako's words still in the forefront of her mind, she found it hard to concentrate as Tahno ordered their drinks and looked at her intently.

"What did the loser fire bender say to you?" he asked after a moment as he stared out at the couples dancing. He didn't like her thinking about the little twerp, tonight was supposed to be about them and he didn't want her distracted and upset about whatever the jerk had said to her. He turned his head when she sighed and shook her own head.

"It's nothing. He's just trying to protect me, in his own weird way," she muttered as she glanced down at her hands as she twisted them together. She sighed again and closed her eyes, desperately trying to push Mako's words away. This wasn't the first time she was forced to think about Tahno possibly using her. She knew that he had been with many women before her, she had seen them with him the first night she had met him on her 'date' with Bolin. Usually though, she pushed such thoughts away, convincing herself that she was different to him and that she wasn't just a play thing.

But…

What if she was? What if he would cast her away when he was bored of her? What if he was seeing other women besides her behind her back? What if she was just another girl to him?

Tears came quickly to her eyes and her hands shook against the table, making her silverware rattle against the metal. Putting a hand over her mouth, she rose and couldn't meet Tahno's concerned eyes as she quietly excused herself to the bathroom and all but ran away from her boyfriend.

Once in the safety of a nearby alley, she allowed herself to slide down to the ground, no longer caring about the new dress she wore, and let herself cry. She had never realized how strong her feelings were for the ex-bender until now. The mere thought of him cheating on her had her crying in an alley, she couldn't imagine how she would react if he really was. She chocked on her own breath at the mere thought and placed her face in her hands as she sobbed, unconcerned now with her make-up.

She didn't hear him approach over her sobs, didn't feel him next to her while she shook, and didn't fight when he pulled her into his lap. He stroked her hair gently, holding her against his broad chest and resting his head on the wall behind him. This was all wrong, tonight shouldn't be going this way. He was angry now at the fire bending boy for upsetting her, for ruining this night that was supposed to be perfect for them.

"Korra, what in the world did that boy say to you that have gotten you in tears?" he demanded gently, tilting her chin up to look at him. Her eyes were watery and unbelievably sad as they stared into his own dark orbs and he had to fight the urge to flinch. She couldn't look at him as she answered.

"He told me to have fun while I was being used," she muttered under her breath, flinching when she glanced at Tahno and saw the hard look in his eyes.

"And you believed him when he said that you were being used?" he asked, his voice deathly quiet and sharp. Korra flinched again, fighting now to get her chin out of his grasp. He held tight and forced her to look at him.

"Did you believe him?" he hissed, not knowing where this anger had come from. The mere idea of him using her had his blood boiling and his hands trembling. The idea of her believing such foolishness only made it worse. Korra stared at him with wide eyes before she lowered them and swallowed hard.

"At first, no, I fought the idea with everything in my mind. Then, the more he said it, the more it made sense. I've heard how you were with other girls, Tahno. You never had a girlfriend before me, you had dates and one night stands. How was I supposed to think that I was any different?" she asked, her voice getting firmer and angrier as she spoke. Tahno stared at her in shock before he scowled and released her chin. Roughly, he moved her off his lap and stood. He stared down at her face uncaringly, trying not to be affect by the look of hurt and anger in her face, and the sharp betrayal in her eyes.

"Is that really what you think, Korra? What, that I'm cheating on you? Or using you as a play thing until I get bored? News flash, Uh-vatar," Korra flinched at the harsh way he spit the pet name, "I would never dream of doing such a thing. Not to you, but if you think that's what's going on, then fine, I'll just leave." The ex-pro bender turned with every intention to leave her in the dark alley and find a bar to drink himself into a coma, until a small hand clutched as his shirt tightly. He turned to brush her hand away until he saw the look on her face.

Tears were shining on her face, leaving dark tracks on her cheeks. Her eyes, although desperate, where shining with hope and fondness and he found that his anger was gone almost as quickly as it had been summoned. Standing as she clutched at his shirt, he watched as she tentatively let it go, as if she was afraid he would run if she did, and wrapped her arms around his waist. After a moment, he let his arms wrap around her too and held her tightly to his chest.

"I'm sorry I doubted you," she muttered against the cloth of his shirt as she sniffled and looked up at him. Tahno grinned and wiped the tears from her cheek.

"You look gross when you cry, Uh-vatar," he said back, quietly and teasingly. Korra rolled her eyes at him and scoffed before she stuck her tongue out at him. Tahno chuckled, glad to see her attitude had returned and leaned down to kiss her gently. Korra returned the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, straining her body closer to his own. Tahno pulled away quickly before the kiss became too heated and grinned at the whine of displeasure in the back of her throat.

"Now, now, greedy Uh-vatar, we have a dinner reservation to attend," he scolded gently, flicking her nose. Korra glared playfully at him and snort before she released him and took hold of his hand.

"Whatever, pretty boy." Tahno laughed at the nick name and led her out of the alley and back toward the table they had previously occupied.

The rest of the night went smoothly. They ate and laughed, Korra told Tahno of the adventures at the Air Temple with Bolin and Mako still living there. Tahno told her about the flower shop and the strange people the he saw day to day. They danced for a time, even though Korra was sure that she was terrible at dancing and that Tahno was just being nice to her. And then, when the lights were being dimmed and the last of the couples were leaving, they walked toward the boats hand in hand and enjoyed the comfortable silence between them. It was until they were at the top of the stairs did Tahno stop and turned the young avatar toward him. He stared at her for a moment, from the love shining in her eyes to the lazy grin on her lips to the light flush of her cheeks from the cool night air. Reaching out a fingertip, he touched the blush there and grinned when it intensified at his touch.

"You know there is only you, right?" he asked quietly, his words heavy in the still night air. Korra swallowed and looked down, rolling his words around in her head and weighing them before nodded slowly and looking back up at him with a small smile.

"Yeah, I know," she whispered back. Tahno smiled and inched closer to her, his mouth a breath away from her lips as he spoke.

"You know I love you, right?" he whispered, his breath fanning across her face, smelling of sweet drinks. Korra lost her voice and could only nod. Tahno smiled and Korra could feel it just in front of her face. Slowly, he pulled away from her face and stared into her shining eyes before sinking to one knee and holding her hand gently. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Then, will you do me the honor of being my bride?" he whispered, pulling the pendant he had carved from his pocket. It was light blue, almost lavender, on a dark blue silk band. It was carved with intricate swirls and almost looked like a flower if Korra looked at it just right. Taking her hand from Tahno's she covered her mouth and felt tears prick the corners of her eyes for the third time that night. It was different this time though. Unbelievable happiness spread through her like fire and her voice was still gone. Unable to speak, she gulped and nodded quickly.

"Yes, oh gods, yes Tahno!" she croaked as she smiled and threw herself at her boyfriend.

'Fiancé,' she corrected herself in her head as she hugged him tightly. He chuckled as he returned the hug and held her tightly for a moment before releasing her and gently tying the necklace around her neck. Pleased with it now on her, he leaned in and kissed her gently, only for a moment before pulling away.

"Get some sleep, Uh-vatar. Tomorrow, we can begin planning," he said gently, kissing her forehead and hugging her tightly. Korra nodded enthusiastically. She couldn't stop smiling. Tahno grinned at her as he pulled away and chuckled.

"Now, go rub that necklace in the fire bender's face," he said with a wink as he slowly walked away. Korra nodded and waved at him as he left.

Turning, she was still smiling like an idiot and touching her necklace as she entered the temple. Seeing Mako walking toward her, she tamed the smile and tried to look stoic. Mako was walking toward her, a smug expression on his face when he saw the tears on her face. He stopped in front of her with his arms crossed over his chest.

"So, by the tears I take it he dumped you?" he asked expectantly, pleased at being correct. What he didn't expect was the bright smile that crossed her face as she dropped her hand and he got a look at the necklace around her throat.

"No, he asked me to marry him though," she answered smugly before walking past her friend and toward her room. This morning, she woke up a girlfriend. Tonight, she fell asleep a fiancé. Engaged to the cockiest bastard in all of Republic City and she couldn't be happier.