A/N: …oops, I Tahno'd.
I had to write this after viewing the finale. It's my first time writing for these characters, and this was written in about half an hour, so please don't judge me. I just like to think this happened after the credits popped up. Also, I suck at waterbender names and titles; just a warning.
It had been a while since Tahno set foot in the South Pole; when he left for Republic City, the young man had been pretty adamant about never returning to that arctic wasteland. Tahno's parents didn't care what he did‐‐ the ex‐waterbender had always been the weakest link in a strong family‐‐ but the only reason he'd come back to a place that only made a pit grow in his stomach was that Tahno wanted to see his siblings.
Well, the younger ones at least. While the eldest child held Tahno on the same platform of disdain his parents put him on, his little brother and sister practically worshiped the ground he walked on, always wanting to hear about probending and what was going on during his life in the amazing Republic City.
And the twins were perhaps the only people in the world that Tahno actually cared about. It was only because of them that the ex‐waterbender had decided to make the voyage southward. Now that Amon had fallen and the city was free from Equalist control, the former Wolfbat was ready to get out of the city that only reminded him of how far he had fallen.
When he stepped off the boat, the young man was greeted by the only people he wanted to see. He scooped them both up, allowing them to loop their skinny arms around his neck and mess up his hair, which still wasn't up to its normal standards.
Once they'd had their fill of Tahno‐Greeting, each one took a hold of his hands and started dragging him through the snow, away from the village and towards the icy mountains in the east. "We have too many things we need to show you!" his sister, Kian, exclaimed. "There's the cave and the pretty rock statue and‐‐ oh! We have to go penguin sledding‐!"
"But first you have to tell us about what happened in Republic City!" Canto interrupted. "Were you there when Amon was unmasked? Did you see the Avatar get her bending taken? Where was‐‐"
"Slow down, kid," Tahno said with a smirk, releasing his hand to pat him on the head. "I'll get to everything. Now, to answer your first question…"
…
Days passed in a hyper blur. Kian and Canto wouldn't leave him alone, and Tahno sort of liked the attention; he hadn't interacted with people much since he'd had his bending stripped away. As expected, his parents had only greeted their wayward son with curt nods, but this was all right; at least it was normal behavior.
When Tahno awoke at dawn on his four day with the tribe, he noticed that no one else had awoken yet. Moving as silently as possible, the young man slipped out of the igloo, opting to go for a walk before the twins woke up and started dragging him all over the place again.
It was rather peaceful. Being with the only two people in the world that cared about him was refreshing (and it had helped lift a bit of the depression that had been hanging over his shoulders since that day), but it sure as hell was tiring. Since he'd been moping around in the city for weeks, the ex‐Probender had begun to get out of shape.
After walking in silence for what seemed like hours, Tahno made it to the spot he'd been heading for‐‐ a large cliff, not unlike others in the South Pole, but one where he could watch the sun come up without being disturbed.
…Or not.
"Hey, pretty boy!"
Tahno turned quickly, his limp hair flopping against the side of his face as he did so. Standing there in the snow behind him was the one and only Avatar.
Of course, the ex‐waterbender knew that she was visiting the South Pole; everyone did. Rumor had it that she was visiting Master Katara to see if she could restore the three parts of bending that the Avatar was missing. Tahno didn't need to ask to know that the old healer had been unsuccessful, seeing as the young man had been through countless healers and none could do a thing.
But Korra was smiling. It was a strange expression for someone who'd just lost almost everything, and that took Tahno by surprise. Clearing his throat, the young man smirked, seeming almost like himself again. "What're you grinning about, Uhvatar? Finally get into bed with the Captain of the Rat Squad?"
He didn't know why, but even as he said the words Tahno felt a small flare of jealousy within himself. Before he had a chance to question it, though, Korra was speaking again, her voice softer. "Come here. I've got something for you."
Confused, Tahno pushed himself out of the snow, dusting the clinging whiteness off the back of his jacket before strolling up to her. "And what would that be?"
"Get on your knees."
The ex‐Probender's eyebrows shot into his hairline. "Excuse me? I thought you said you had something for me, not the other way around. Notthat I'm not open to it."
Korra smacked him on the shoulder before gesturing for him to go down. Huffing, Tahno did so, a bit wary of what she was going to do. When he saw the Avatar's hands coming down to rest on his forehead and chest, though, he flinched back, an image of Amon flitting through his mind. The young man's stomach clenched and he turned away, moving to get up. "What the hell do you think you're‐?"
"Tahno, please," she said, nothing but honesty and warmth in her voice. "Trust me."
For some odd reason, the ex‐waterbender found himself doing just that. He faced her once again, closing his eyes; if she was going to do something horrible to him, Tahno didn't want to see it happen.
When Korra's hands touched him, though, his eyes flew open.
Energy coursed through him, making every nerve-ending dance on edge. Looking up at the girl, Tahno saw that her eyes were alight, burning with the intensity of every Avatar before her.
Then it was over. Though Korra's hands left him and the tingling sensation faded, there was still something there that hadn't lived in him before.
It was familiar.
Standing, Tahno's fists clenched. Please, he begged the spirits mentally. Please pleasepleasedon't let this be some sick joke.
Raising a hand, he swept the air in front of him, creating one of the most basic waterbending moves he knew. The snow obeyed him, flying backwards and toppling into the ocean.
For a moment, all Tahno could do was stand there in astonishment. He was completely frozen, staring at the patch of ice that revealed itself after the young man had thrown it off the cliff's edge. He didn't hear Korra call his name tentatively, and he most certainly didn't feel something wet and warm begin to make its way down his face.
Well, maybe not that last one.
Without warning, he slammed into Korra, wrapping his arms around her and sending them both flying into the moist, glorious snow. He was laughing, squeezing the Avatar until she almost couldn't breathe. Some noise reached his ears, and he thought she was trying to speak until the young man realized that hewas the one talking, murmuring, "Thank you, thank you, thank you," again and again into her hair.
"No problem, Pretty Boy," she said quietly, returning the embrace. "No problem at all."
"From now on, I'll do anything you ask me," he promised, holding her tighter. "I'll buy you a Satomobile, take you out to dinner, never cheat at anything again, help you take out some triads, get along with your Fire Ferret friends; absolutely anything."
"I don't need you to do anything for me, Tahno," Korra said, and he could practically hear the smile on her face. "I just want you to bend."
After a few more moments of holding the girl to him, the ex‐wat‐‐ no, waterbender rose. With a whoop of glee, Tahno ran for the cliffs. With all the power he had, he propelled himself off the shore, slicing through the air with a grin on his face. The water came up the meet him, and finally he was submerged.
It was time to get reacquainted.