Korra quietly shuts the sliding doors, forgetting to be angry at Tenzin for yelling at her. She's too distracted to be mad. Naga stirs from her deep sleep to greet her master. Even though Korra's room is small, she still enjoys having the gigantic Naga sleeping in her room.
She slips on her pajamas and stubbles into bed. Naga whimpers at the fatigued Avatar before lying down. On her back, Korra tries to shut her eyes for sleep but the events at the park are burned into her retinas. . She replays the entire rest of the outing until she drifts asleep.
The feeling of longing took hole of her with each step they took towards the noodle shop; though the walk was awkward because of her brash outburst. Despite the tension in the air, Tahno's stride was easy and comfortable and he was walking too close to be considered just a friend by onlookers. Giving a small smirk to the watchful Korra, he slowed his pace. Is this really the same guy that cheated at the Pro Bending tournament? He's much nicer than when I first met him. Even still, I don't like the way he's smirking at me like I've gone soft. Then again, I'm beginning to think his face always has a smirk on it.
"Like what you see?" He taunted.
"What I see? What I see is a pompous fop who I wouldn't give the time of day to," she countered.
"Technically, it's after five o' clock so you're giving me the time of evening." She rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"You know what? Just a minute ago I was just thinking how much you've changed but evidently I was wrong," she said with crossed arms.
"I beg to differ; having a masked bloodbender viciously take away one's bending in front of hundreds of people can really change someone."
"So you're recognizing the fact that you changed from being a complete and utter jerk to being just a jerk?"
"Don't worry, Korra. I know you're worried that I changed but I promise that I'm still the smoldering, infuriating heartthrob that you can't help be attracted to." She let out a deep exhale and narrowed her eyes.
"I wasn't implying that you didn't change your person-" The noodle shop came into view mid-quip. Sadness stopped her from finishing her comeback.
He paused disappointedly, looking at the noodle shop "Thanks for everything, Uh-vatar. Seeing you is almost…therapeutic. I hope to see more of you." He said with a note of delicateness.
"Well I think we could work something out," she said giving him a warm smile. Mako came to mind and she wiped away her smile "I gotta go take care of something. She 'ya later pretty boy."
"To talk to boy wonder I assume?" He taunted, causing her to chew on her cheek in anger.
"Goodbye pretty boy," she said with venom while walking away. His hand shot from his torso's side and rested on her forearm. With her heart skipping, she pivoted to face him. Neither of them moved for the longest of time. Finally, he bravely cupped her cheek in his hands. His sickly white eyes bored into hers. Flecks of blue were sprinkled in his soft eyes and his pupils were like tiny, black marbles. When it finally got unnerving holding his eyes, her eyes slipped from his and instead focused on his lips. They were cracked and pale but, weirdly enough, still entrancing. Even weirder enough, those very same lips seemed to be moving closer to hers. She clenched his shirt with clammy hands in preparation. Finally, after they closed the space between them, she felt the tiniest brush of his lips. A tingling, itching sensation made her sharply exhale. A strange wave of happiness and guilt washed over her. Knowing there is something that she has to do, she gently pushed him away.
"I'm sorry but I have to talk to someone first. We'll continue this later." He frowned a little bit. A thought came to Korra's mind What if he just wants his bending back?
"Don't worry Tahno, next time I see you I'll give you back your bending," she said bitterly as she twirled to walk away.
"Surely you're not suggesting that I kissed you because I wanted to use you to get my bending back? I am genuinely interested in you Korra," he said sincerely "Don't suggest that I am a womanizing jerk because A) I'm not a womanizing jerk anymore, and, B) That's more Mako's style."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't suggesting anything," she said with a hint of a smile, still walking away "See you later."
"I hope this 'later' you keep talking about is soon, Uh-vatar," he said, half shouting, trying to embarrass her. Smiling at his ridiculousness, she scratched at the tingly sensation on her lips.
"Hello? Can you deliver a message to Detective Mako?" Korra asked the secretary down at the station over the phone. She uncoiled the knotted telephone cord, looking at the park where she took a walk with Tahno. Leaning on the glass box, she wished she was next to him, bantering like usual.
"Oh! I'm sorry, the good Detective is on break," Korra snorted, throwing the secretary off "I-I heard he was headed toward Republic Park."
"Is that so?" Korra said menacingly "Thank you." She hung up and turned toward Republic Park.
Old habits die hard. Mako was sitting on a bench with Asami, looking too comfortable to be just friends. Asami was cradling her forehead in a distressed manner and a consoling Mako was rubbing her back. Then, as expected, he kissed her. Okay, that was really crappy of him. I feel the urge to punch him in his throat now. The kiss showed no signs of breaking. In fact, the kiss seemed to be deepening. Now I feel the urge to rip off his ugly, cheating head.
"Mako!" Korra bellowed in pure rage. Jerking away from Asami, he widened his eyes at the sight of his girlfriend. The look that passed over his face could only be described as the look a man on death row. She gestured for him to come over.
"Mako, let's go for a walk," she said with heavy malice in her tone. She walks away half strangling Mako with her iron grip on his collar.
"Korra, wait! I am so sorry. I can't believe I did that," Asami apologized.
"I guess we're even now. You're a good person Asami. I only wish we'd met under more favorable circumstances. Besides, I blame Mako more than you," she shot him a glare that could kill "Goodbye, Asami." Korra said as she turns to leave.
A few minutes passed by with an impending doom hanging between them. Korra's gaze was intensely trained ahead of her, trying to give off the impression that she was in control. Mako's gaze jumped from Korra, to his feet, and even to bench him and Asami were sitting on.
"I'm sorry Korra. Asami said she wanted to meet for lunch to talk about some things and then she started crying and you were mad at me so I just….kissed her." She replied with silence "I'm sorry but I don't know what else to say," he said like she was being too sensitive.
"How does it feel to be a womanizing jerk? I'll bet it's hard," she said with fake sympathy.
"You don't know what it's like for me, trying to deal with you and you're crazy emotions all the time!" He shouted, probably looking to shift the blame. Thinking of that possibility only made her angrier. All she wanted was his face out of her sight.
"Oh? Well I'll kindly relieve you of that stress," she yelled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he said with a feigned stupidity.
"It means I'm breaking up with you," she said slowly, as if speaking to a child. To this, Mako incredulously scoffs.
"You're breaking up with me? Korra, the kiss wasn't even that serious!" He pleaded. She rolled her eyes at his sappy performance.
"Goodbye Mako," she spat out, walking away from him.
"You are so hypocritical! You did the same thing during the tournament!"
"FOR the record, Mako," she said his name with disgust "I was planning on breaking up with you before I saw you swapping spit with Asami."
"Korra, I'm sorry. Please, don't do this!" he pleaded. She stopped in her tracks and shot peered at him coolly.
"Don't do what? Get a spine?" she said as she walked away.
She slept good last night. Her back felt better than it had in ages.
Turtledoves cheerily chirp outside of the noodle shop almost encouraging her to go inside. Korra enters the shop knowing what she has to do.
Looking as bored as always, Tahno is passively thumbing through a tattered magazine behind the counter
"Hey, deadbeat! We've got a customer!" his boss shouts. In response to his scolding Tahno sluggishly puts away the magazine and, without looking at her, says "Pick your poison."
"Well I'm sure your personality is poisonous enough," she says as she pulls his torso over the counter for kiss. He's tense with surprise but relaxes and smiles against her lips. When she pulls away she is greeted by a smiling Tahno.
"I don't think my personality is poisonous," he stubbornly says.