The Solution to All Our Problems - Pt VI

By SharkAria

*Note*: This chapter has some salty language. And some fun parts that were tough to write but that I hope you will enjoy.

/RC Weekly Special Report: Wolfbat Team Captain Tahno and Avatar Korra Get Cozy at Chang's/

Faithful readers of RC Weekly know that this paper is the number one source for the latest information on the Avatar and her not-so-secret admirer, Tahno of White Falls Wolfbat fame-and don't let our competition publication, the Republic City Enquirer, tell you otherwise! Thanks to our top-notch connections with the closest celeb sources, we have the exclusive scoop for you on the first (and, we hope not last!) date between our favorite Fire Ferret and the well-loved Wolfbat!

First things first. Can we get a "Wowza!" for the dress that the Avatar wore? If she hadn't already knocked Tahno's socks off in the arena, that shimmery number she sported must have done just the trick. We anticipate a lot of sparkly little blue dresses flying off the racks at the every chic department store this spring. Tahno, no slouch when it comes to fashion either, looked as cool and composed as ever in his signature all-black attire, although doubtless his heart was racing the whole time. The pair made one "haute" couple!

The two famous benders got friendly over drinks, but did any real sparks fly? An anonymous restaurant patron had this to say: "Tahno never took his eyes off Avatar Korra, and she seemed to warm up to him during dinner. By the end of their meal, they were laughing at each other's jokes and cuddling in their booth." Just goes to show that there's nothing like a little wine and fancy food to break the ice between two skilled waterbenders.

But the pair managed to give even our veteran reporters the slip when they snuck out of Chang's before dessert arrived. Where did they run off? Were they heading someplace where they could have more "privacy," or was the Avatar trying to ditch her erstwhile companion? Will we see them together in public again? Stay subscribed to RC Weekly for full coverage of what we hope will become Rep City's newest star couple (and don't believe a word reported by those second-rate limo chasers at the Enquirer)! - RCW

Korra blew the hair out of her face in annoyance and uttered a curse under her breath. She had been trying to meditate on the Eastern cliffs of the island, where the wind blew in from the bay and the surf crashed far below her, in a mostly unsuccessful effort to clear her head of confusing thoughts about Tahno and the previous evening. Unfortunately for her plans, Ikki had trundled over from the temple in breathless excitement, the latest copy of RC Weekly fluttering in her hands, and had insisted that Korra listen as she read aloud every last word of the article.

When Ikki finished, Korra admonished, "You shouldn't even have that paper. Your mom will make me scrub the bathroom floors for a month if she finds out I didn't take it away from you when you showed it to me."

Ikki grinned. "Then we better not let Mom find out." She went on to tell Korra all about how the date with Tahno had made the front pages of all the tabloids. Korra had stayed away from reading the various accounts, but apparently Ikki had been unable to resist swiping the newspapers from the breakfast table where one of the White Lotus guards had left them.

The response from the media wasn't exactly what Korra had been expecting. She had assumed that Tahno would call up a dozen reporters to start a bidding war for exclusive interviews, but according to Ikki he hadn't been quoted anywhere. He must have purposely stayed away from giving them anything, although Korra couldn't figure out why. There had to be some strategy, but she didn't know what it was.

Ikki snapped Korra out of her thoughts by assaulting her with a barrage of questions. "Was Tahno as handsome as they said? Where did he take you after the restaurant? Did you kiss him?"

Korra turned red. She tried to redirect the topic of conversation. "Where's your mom? Don't you have something better to do than bug me about Tahno?"

Ikki interpreted the non-response as a guilty plea. She covered her mouth with her hands and gasped, wide-eyed. "You DID kiss him! Was it slimy? Did he put his tongue in your mouth?"

Korra stared at Ikki in astonishment. "Hush! Do you want somebody else to hear you?" She looked around to make sure no one else was nearby. "Sheesh, no, I didn't kiss him. We just went to a noodle place and a little garden. Then I went home. No kissing," she repeated for good measure.

But would there have been some kissing, if not for the ill-timed territorial feud between swamp birds? Korra wondered and couldn't decide whether she preferred the answer to be yes or no.

It wasn't as though Tahno actually thought of her romantically; he had admitted as much several times during their date. And even if he had changed his mind over the course of the evening, she obviously would have needed to remind Tahno that she didn't like him like that. She was just engaging in a little harmless flirting, just as he must have been. Her friends couldn't expect her to get over Mako if she didn't practice hanging out with new guys, after ?

Even as her thought formed, it was countered by another mental voice urging her to stop lying to herself - she couldn't take back that impromptu wink she'd given him any more than she could explain why she winked at him in the first place.

She'd had a night to sleep on the whole experience, but all morning she had careened along a roller coaster of emotions. One minute she felt excited and confused by how much fun the evening had turned out to be; the next, she felt irritated with herself, certain that she'd just fallen under the spell of an experienced carouser. Tahno had probably taken a dozen girls on the exact same outing, and he'd probably even used some of the same lines on her that he'd honed over drinks with pretty celebrity chasers. Leaning in to share a kiss with a girl under the stars was probably a reflex for a guy like him.

Korra emerged from her thoughts to see Ikki cocking an eyebrow in confusion. "Tahno took you to a garden? Did you...pick vegetables?"

Korra couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of her and Tahno gazing deeply into one another's eyes over a row of cucumber peppers. "Er - not exactly."

Before Korra could explain further to Ikki, she was interrupted by Pema, who called out to her from the path below. Ikki hurriedly stuffed her copy of RC Weekly into the back of her waistband before her mother came close enough to see the contraband.

Pema was breathing hard, having hiked up the hill in a hurry. "Korra, you have a phone call." She wiped her brow with the back of her hand. "Your friend from last night."

Korra blanched. Ikki squealed. "He wants to ask you out again!"

Korra felt breathless without having so much as gotten up from her meditation pose. She couldn't deny the part of her that hoped Ikki was right.

Pema straightened up and stretched her back, appraising her daughter out of the corner of her eye. "Ikki, what are you hiding?"

Korra decided to head back to the house before she could get implicated in the scene unfolding. "Uh, I better take the call. See you later, Ikki," she waved, then started up an air ball to zoom away as quickly as she could.

When Korra made it to the kitchen, she found Meelo happily chattering away on the phone. "Korra is not as good at burping as I am," he surmised, unconsciously scratching his rear end. "But she can make the loudest armpit farts of anybody I've ever -"

Korra gasped and snatched the earpiece from the boy. "Give me that!" She commanded, her face hot with embarrassment. Meelo skittered down the hallway with a grin on his face. Korra held up the phone to speak. "Um, sorry about that."

Tahno's voice, slick as ever, seeped out. "Your friend was telling me about your many talents." Korra thought she detected a muffled snicker on the other end.

"Kids make up the craziest stuff," she covered lamely. Hoping Tahno wouldn't pursue the subject further, she cleared her throat. "So, you called me. What's up?"

"Straightforward as ever, I see," he noted. "I wanted to say thank you. After all the coverage about our date, Cabbage Corp wired over a sizeable advance this morning."

"Hmm, must be nice," Korra muttered, disappointed even though she had told herself not to get her hopes up. She shouldn't have been surprised that Tahno would only want to let her know that he still had the upper hand in spite of his loss in the arena. He must not have had a second thought about the pleasant aspects of their evening together, even though she'd been thinking about him all day. Suddenly feeling very impatient with him, she groused, "I know you might find this hard to believe, but I actually have better things to do than listen to you brag."

She heard him sigh. "That's not why I called." He paused, and Korra swallowed nervously waiting for whatever was coming next. "Listen - I've reflected on the time we spent together last night, and I've come to the conclusion that we could benefit one another further."

Of course that was why he was calling. Korra rolled her eyes, even though Tahno obviously couldn't see her exasperation. Still, she might as well hear him out. "How's that exactly?"

"You admitted that you're still learning the ropes for handling the media and managing political interests. I can help you with those things."

Korra stifled a bitter laugh. She leaned over the counter, catching her distorted reflection in the surface of a well-scrubbed pot. "That's rich, coming from the guy who had to make up a bunch of lies just to get back in the spotlight."

"It worked, didn't it?"

Korra looped the phone cord around her fingers, considering the offer in spite of her better judgement. He had a point, but she didn't want to start taking actions that were as ethically questionable as those he had taken to get back into his fans' good graces. And no matter how much fun she might have had the previous night, she wasn't about to accept any help from Tahno without knowing his angle. "I'm not interested in operating that way."

"I wasn't exactly an upstanding citizen when I fixed the pro-bending matches for the triads, but I became well-versed in our city's power structures during that time in my life." He snorted into the mouthpiece. "You might as well use some of the knowledge I gained. Otherwise you'll keep embarrassing yourself with your naivete."

Anger sizzled in Korra's breast like a drop of cold oil splashing onto a hot skillet. She didn't appreciate being lectured by a former cheater, no matter how repentant he seemed now. "I don't see how that's worse than being embarrassed by all the false articles about you and me," she spat. She fought the impulse to slam the receiver onto the hook. She had already wasted too much time on Tahno; it was better to cut things off before her heart tried to lead her on a path that she knew she shouldn't take. "I should go."

"Korra, wait," he said, a kernel of something - vulnerability? - ricocheting in the tone of his voice. She heard him let out a breath. "Given our shared past, I understand your hesitation to trust me. But be smart about this. You know that I have plenty to teach you. And I thought that maybe after last night, you'd have a more...well-rounded opinion of me."

Korra cringed inwardly. She recalled how honest he'd been discussing the spirit world with her; how genuine his smile had seemed in the moonlight; how warm his hand had felt against hers. She shrugged off the memory, guarding her heart against what she was sure was another round of Tahno's game of manipulation. "I know how you do things. Whatever help you could provide me, you'll want something in exchange."

He said nothing for a few moments; all Korra heard was the faint buzz of the connection. Then he spoke, cool confidence having returned to his demeanor. "All I'd ask from you is to make a few more public appearances with me. It's important to me that my fans think I'm trustworthy, and your opinion carries a lot of weight in the pro-bending world. And any accompanying publicity you get me won't hurt my sponsorships, either."

Korra bit her lip, weighing whether she thought his explanation sounded truthful. After a moment, she decided that it didn't matter. The truth was that she wasn't going to get him out of her head until she saw him again anyway. "Let's start with one more date. I'll meet you at Dragon Lounge for tea after sunset. And by the way, rich guy, you're paying."

"It's a deal. And Korra -"

"Yeah?"

"Believe it or not, I do want to help you. See you tonight."

Korra heard a click. He'd hung up before she'd had the chance to respond. "He always has to have the last word," she complained to the empty room, then replaced the earpiece and hurried to her room to get ready for the evening.

Tahno hung up the phone guiltily. He rubbed his eyes and swept his hair back from his face, then took a seat on the corner of his bed where he'd neatly laid out his clothes for the afternoon practice with Ming and Shaozu. He wondered if Korra organized her things as carefully as he did. He couldn't imagine it. Besides being impulsive and hot-headed, she still didn't seem self-sufficient when it came to basic life skills. After all, she had spent her childhood on a compound where someone else had been tasked with keeping her clothed and fed. Now that she was in the city, he supposed that her quarters on Air Temple Island - which were probably three times the size of his tiny studio flat - were constantly in shambles. He couldn't help but smirk at the thought of Councilman Tenzin, who was famous for being an uptight rule-follower, running around and picking up after her.

This has to stop, he thought to himself as he got dressed. He'd been in a reverie all morning as the image of Korra winking at him floated through his head. It was ridiculous and pathetic. It got so bad that he'd had to think up an excuse to call her and invite her out again.

Fortunately, the excuse had been a good one. It was absolutely true that Korra needed guidance in dealing with politicians and the media. And since she was always hanging out with hyper-positive idealists, she couldn't possibly have a real sense of the seedy underbelly of the city; he would definitely be able to help her out there. Finally, there was no doubt that he'd benefit financially and socially from being seen again with Korra a mere day after their first big date.

But these benefits were tangential to his undeniable budding interest in Korra. Tahno had to admit that genuine camraderie had developed between the two of them over the course of the previous evening. He had first begun to feel it when Korra had distracted the press corps by surreptitiously bursting several fire hydrants, which soaked most of the reporters waiting on the sidewalk outside of the restaurant. As the two of them had slipped unnoticed over to the waiting limo, Korra had explained gleefully how she knew a thing or two about sneaking out of places. The glint of mischief in her eye had been the first hint to him that she wasn't just a tedious do-gooder.

From her hearty enjoyment of Narook's noodles to her lack of patience with her fancy attire, Korra had proven to be an entirely different sort of female companion than he was used to. Perhaps after the way the evening had been going, he had subconciously wanted to see how she'd react to Tho Due Garden, a place that he considered special. At that point, the visit had turned into a test that he realized he'd wanted her to pass.

A decent number of girls had come to his apartment in the past, but even though it was just a few floors above his studio, he had never brought anyone besides visiting family members to the rooftop. Even Cleo, the mover star with whom he'd had the closest thing that resembled a relationship, had never wanted to see the garden. "I tolerate the fact that you come from the swamp. Don't ask me to celebrate it," she'd said when he'd suggested that they check it out. In retrospect, he should have taken that comment as a sign of their spectacular incompatibility.

Korra, though, affected him strangely, causing him to make incomprehensible decisions. Although he usually mapped out every move in advance, he had kneeled beside her and taken her hand on a whim. He'd intended a simple gesture of appreciation to let her know how important he thought it was to keep the spirit portals open. But then she had leaned in close to him, as if she had interpreted the touch romantically - or had he been the one who had leaned forward first? She had looked striking in the moonlight, after all, with her hair framing her face and her skin glowing and her small confused smile -

Tahno shook his head, as if the motion would erase the thoughts. He'd spent time with more glamorous and experienced women than her. Korra had served her purpose in getting him back in the public eye; he didn't need anything else from her. But that didn't stop him from wanting to see her again.

Normally, Tahno prided himself on maintaining a tight leash on his emotions and maximizing his ability to strategize, but his skill seemed to be unravel as he thought about Korra. Even at his lowest point, after Amon had taken his bending, he'd used his cunning to stay afloat. It disturbed him that one night with Korra - when they hadn't so much as kissed! - was threatening to upend his laserlike self-focus. The only tactical move he could come up with now was to see her again to figure out why he she was affecting him this way.

He whipped some water into a canteen with a splash and twisted the lid on more forcefully than necessary, then tossed the canteen and some street clothes into his bending practice bag and snapped the flap shut. A strenuous workout with his teammates was just what he needed to distract him from thinking about his upcoming appointment with Korra.

Tahno had toyed with the idea of giving a tip-off to one of the reporters where he and Korra would be spending their second evening together, but ultimately he had decided against it. Korra was clearly more comfortable when she wasn't under the scrutiny of the media. Besides, news of their second date would get leaked by some nosy waitress or lounge patron without his intervention. An eye-witness account of a secret meeting between he and Korra would titillate plenty of tabloid readers.

Dragon Lounge was a new outdoor club situated in a lush, hillside neighborhood populated with young entrepreneurs and artists living in fancy apartment buildings with expensive views of Yue Bay. Although the Lounge was popular, it wasn't Tahno's favorite hangout spot. He didn't care for the sweetened herbal teas that the place specialized in, nor did he like the hokey bamboo torches that they used for lighting. And while he enjoyed the exclusivity of the private patios that the lounge offered, he hated how the exotic plants used for decor attracted bugs. He hoped that he could convince Korra to go somewhere else after a drink or two. Tahno purposely arrived a few minutes late.

A golden-eyed hostess in a high-collared red dress greeted him at the entrance. "Team captain Tahno. All alone this evening?" She raised a painted eyebrow invitingly. "Or perhaps you're waiting for a friend - I can seat you in one of the VIP sections now if you tell me who I should be watching for."

Tahno covered his offputtedness about the place and gave the hostess a devastating smile. Even though he knew better, he had a gift for the dramatic that he couldn't resist using whenever the opportunity presented itself. "My companion's identity is a secret. I was hoping you'd let me take a look around by myself to see if she's arrived incognito."

The hostess glanced around to make sure no one else was listening and leaned over the desk, whispering excitedly. "Is it the Avatar? Are you two really seeing one another like the papers say?"

He lifted a finger to his lips. "Please keep it quiet."

The hostess giggled giddily and practically pranced up and down. "Absolutely!" She squealed. Tahno winced. "Sorry," she mouthed, and gestured for Tahno to take a stroll through the place.

He expected to find Korra flopped on one of the laquered chaises in the main seating area, but she was nowhere to be seen. The floor was crowded, with trendily-dressed patrons gathered around sunken fire pits, sipping teas and chatting in pairs and small groups. A Satomobile-sized aquarium was built into the wall behind the tea bar; in it colorful fish and the occasional miniature squid spirit floated langorously. A southern Fire Nation band was booked for the evening, playing what sounded like a continuous loop of booming bass percussion (and, in Tahno's opinion, was performing a bit too loud for comfortable conversation). Huge tropical plants and tea bushes grew in wide garden beds around the outdoor room, creating a thick organic wall through which a few glassy-winged beetles flitted. To Tahno's chagrin, the fragrance from the plants' plate-sized flowers couldn't entirely mask the scent of kerosene from the miniature torches. He wrinkled his nose in irritation, starting to wonder if he'd been stood up.

He set off on one of the small stone pathways that led to the private patios when suddenly an arm shot out from the bushes and dragged him deep into the wall of foliage. "What the-" he sputtered before a small, strong hand was clapped over his mouth.

"It's me, stay quiet," Korra's voice directed from behind him. Tahno nodded his head affirmatively. She spun him around and let go of him. Although the leaves surrounding them blocked most of the light, Tahno could see enough to assess that her eyes looked a little wild and her clothes a bit mussed, as if she'd been hiding for a while.

Ever the master of understatement, Tahno commented bemusedly, "Most people come here to drink the tea, not to skulk around in the bushes."

"Keep your voice down!" She whispered through her teeth.

"Nobody can hear us. That sorry excuse for a band will be banging away on those drums for hours."

"Still," she said, then glanced distractedly behind her through a break in the leaves. She turned around, clearly spying on someone on the lounge's main floor.

Tahno leaned over her shoulder and peered through the opening in the bushes. Through it, he could clearly view Korra's firebending ex-boyfriend playfully nuzzling the neck of the Sato heiress in a secluded corner. He looked down at the side of Korra's face. Her expression was unreadable. "Oh. Did you know they are -"

"Of course," she cut him off. "They are two of my best friends." She shifted her weight to her heels, unintentionally leaning back back against him slightest bit. She seemed too preoccupied to realize it, however.

Tahno exhaled slowly so as not to draw attention to the contact between them. He was certain that she'd bolt if she noticed how close they were. "If you're such great friends, why are you hiding from them?"

"It's still...weird. When we all hang out, they both want to be considerate of my feelings, so they don't act like they are together again even though everyone knows they are. It's really uncomfortable and annoying." She stood on tiptoe to get a better view. The firelight from the torches flickered in her eyes, even as the rest of her face remained shrouded in cool darkness.

Was she still holding out hope that the firebender would come back to her? Perhaps she didn't want him to see her in public with another man - especially not a guy like Tahno. Jealousy thrummed through Tahno's heart. "You're still interested in him," Tahno stated, rather than questioned.

She sighed and shook her head, her ponytail brushing Tahno's cheek. He caught a whiff of incense from the Air Temple, a sharp note of charcoal and herbs over the cloying sweetness from the surrounding flowers. "It's not that. I know Mako and I are wrong for each other. It's just - he went back to Asami, who is this totally amazing person. And here I am by myself." She turned around to face Tahno, then backed up slightly when she realized that he'd been standing right behind her. She looked down quickly, appearing embarrassed.

If ever there were an opening with Korra, this was it. Tahno shook off any lingering doubts in his mind ran a single finger from her shoulder down to the back of her hand. Korra looked up into his eyes. Their significant height difference was magnified now that he loomed over her. He took her hand in his, grazing the inside of her wrist with his fingernail. "Maybe you should focus on someone new."

Korra's eyes flicked down to Tahno's mouth. Her nostrils flared as she seemed to contemplate his closeness.

"Maybe I should," Korra breathed. They were standing as near to one another as they had been when he'd first challenged her at Narook's, but this time he was touching her and she wasn't snarling at him. She swayed forward, shifting her weight slightly forward. His bangs brushed against her forehead. "Got someone in mind?"

The corner of Tahno's mouth twitched. He squeezed her fingers with his. "I heard there's a pro-bending star who's got his eye on you."

Korra looked down at their entwined hands, then back up to his mouth. She blew his bangs off her face; returned his mischievious smile. "Yeah, but he's kind of a dick."

"And yet you still showed up."

Korra apparently reached her capacity for coyness. "Stop talking and kiss me."

Tahno complied.

At this point, Korra wasn't really interested in having a conversation with Tahno, but she couldn't disagree with him when he came up for air long enough to suggest that they leave the lounge lest they be discovered making out in the bushes.

They'd made it about a block before she'd pulled him onto a side street and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him enthusiastically. He responded with equal vigor, pressing her up against the wall of an apartment building. Their closeness helped, but did not totally succeed, in quashing the warnings that swirled through her head. She arched her back to put even more of her body in contact with his, as if to squeeze out any space where her questions about what they were doing could slip through.

Tahno nipped the sensitive skin below her ear. "Damn," he whispered into her neck. "This sure beats a dry discussion about politics."

Korra started a chuckle that turned into a gasp as he dragged his tongue down to her collarbone. "Well, you are sort of teaching me something," she replied.

He abandoned her collarbone to bite her earlobe gently. "Oh, you don't even know how much you can learn from me, tough girl," he breathed.

Korra's eyeroll response to his brag was reflexive. "You are so predictable."

"You think so?" He skated his hand from her waist down to cop a feel of her behind.

The move was more than Korra was ready for. She gave him a dirty warning look. "Don't push it, pretty boy."

Tahno smirked, but moved his hand back up to her waist. "I remember that expression from the day you gave me back my bending. Didn't think I would have the chance to see it this close-up." He kissed her again, which Korra returned reluctantly.

Something about Tahno's comment dislodged a question from Korra's mind that she could no longer push back. She leaned her forehead against his, wishing she didn't have to voice the concern. With a hint of regret, she asked, "How do I know this isn't just more of the same old crap from you?"

He rubbed the tip of his nose against hers. "If I was doing this for the publicity, I'd be making out with you in the lounge, not in a back alley."

Korra couldn't meet his eyes. "Look - I'm - I'm interested in seeing where this goes, but I want to know this isn't just for more press."

Tahno grazed his thumb against her cheek and leaned down to catch her eye. She looked up at him hopefully. "Check the tabloids tomorrow. I promise that there won't be a word of this in any of them."

She smiled at him bashfully. "Okay. It's a deal." She closed her eyes and leaned in for another kiss.

Tahno whistled as he walked the length of the hallway to his apartment's front door. He unlocked the door and swung it open, stepping inside the room jauntily. He spun around kicked the door shut with a flourish and tossed his keys onto the bookshelf in a single flued motion, then checked his reflection in a small mirror hung next to the entryway. Moving his collar aside, he flushed with an immense sense of pride as he viewed the numerous hickeys that Korra had left from his jawline to his clavicle. "Good going, team captain," he congratulated his reflection.

After another hour of kissing in the alley, Korra had reluctantly admitted that she needed to return to the island. Tahno had walked her to the dock, convincing her to call him the next day to make plans to see one another again. He pondered inviting her to come visit a Wolfbats practice later in the week. He certainly looked irresistible in his bending uniform, and maybe he could convince her to help him clean up afterwards -

The phone rang. Perhaps Korra was even more eager than he was to make plans? He took the three steps to the end table where the phone was and grabbed the unit. "Miss me already?" He asked.

A gravelly male voice responded. "We've been missing you for months."

Tahno's stomach dropped at the sound of the voice he hadn't heard in months. He felt as though he'd been standing in an elevator whose cord had snapped five floors up. His tongue went dry and papery, and he had to swallow and lick his lips before he could respond. "Shin, it's been a while," he replied, hoping the background buzz covered the sudden hoarseness he couldn't fully control.

There was some shuffling on the other end, then a long puff of air. Apparently a few months in the clink hadn't broken Shady Shin of his smoking habit. "You changed your number," Shin stated flatly.

Tahno gathered his wits about him before he spoke again. "That doesn't stop the triads from finding people who they're looking for."

"Always a smartass," Shin chuckled, a raspy sound that reminded Tahno of steel wool scraping against the bottom of a rusted pan. "I thought you would look me up after your famous little friend restored your bending, but I guess I was hoping for too much." He coughed into the mouthpiece.

Tahno shuddered, but at least he was ready for this part. Having been fearful of just such a phone call, he had developed and practiced a set of responses to remove suspicion from himself. Above all else, Shin couldn't find out that Tahno had ratted him out as one of the gambling ring organizers. Tahno been thorough in covering his tracks by working only with cops he knew to be trustworthy, but that didn't mean Shin couldn't figure things out if Tahno slipped up even a little. Tahno modulated his voice to sound as casual as possible. "It's a miracle that I managed to get back in arena at all. Thought I'd lay low for a while in case the guy who snitched you out was still around."

"Yeah, I figured as much. I'd distance myself from me too." Shin started laughing, which quickly gave way to a dry cough. Between sputters, he spat, "But after all I paid you during the good days, I thought you knew enough to show your gratitude when I needed you."

The hacking rankled Tahno's nerves, but he knew he had to keep talking so as to quash all doubt in the gangster's mind. Shin played up his rough thug image, but he had risen through the ranks of the triad as a result of his intelligence. "I expected you'd get in touch with me when you felt it was safe enough to do so. So I take it you escaped from prison?"

"Even with Beifong in charge, I've still got a few metalbender prison guards on my payroll. I'm sure all the morning papers will have great coverage of my daring escape," Shin boasted. "But I won't bore you with the details now. I want to hear what it's like to sleep with the Avatar."

Tahno may have missed the money from the gangsters, but he didn't miss their crassness. "You'll have to ask her cop ex-boyfriend. I only went out with her as a publicity stunt."

"Could have fooled me. My sources tell me that you took her to your place the other night. Not to mention how you spent an hour necking in out on the street tonight."

Every hair on the back of Tahno's neck stood up straight. So the triads were shadowing Tahno, and Shin wanted him to know it. "It's not what you think. We're just - "

"Alright, don't tell me if you don't want to. I'm just fucking with you," Shin said, without a hint of a humor in his voice.

Tahno felt as though someone had bent a shaft of ice straight down his spine. Shin was dangerous enough when he was in a gregarious mood; he was lethal when he was upset. Tahno tried to change the subject. "So did you get Zolt out too?"

"Nevermind about Zolt. That asshole can rot in jail. As far as you're concerned, I'm the new leader of the Triple Threats, bending or no." Shin's grating chuckle came back on the line, devolving into a staticky gurgle. Eventually he recovered and lowered his voice, sharp and cold. "But I would have gotten out a long time ago if I still had my bending."

Tahno heard a glass break in the background, followed by a curse and some directions to someone else. "Damn, third one today. Ryu, get me another drink and have Shu Fan clean this up. You'll have to excuse the interruption, Tahno. I just - get - so - angry whenever I think about how that little bitch refused to give the triad benders back their bending. Half the metalbender cops she restored were more crooked than me. So sometimes I break things."

Tahno exhaled a breath he didn't know he had been holding. "Like I said, we're not together, it's just for some good press -"

Shin cut him off, shouting into the mouthpiece. "Listen to me, you slick little punk, I don't give a shit who you take home with you. But you seriously fucked up when you forgot about me in prison. And you better be prepared to make it up."

Tahno swallowed hard. Although he wasn't planning on returning to his criminal past, he knew better than to argue with SHin before determining his next course of action. "I'm ready. Tell me what you need me to do."

"You already know what I need. Your little girlfriend vouched for your honesty in the arena. Now's the time to start fixing games again, while the heat's off of you. You'll be hearing from one of the new refs we paid off in a few days."

"Got it."

"And Tahno -"

"Yeah?"

"Don't fuck this up."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Shin."

Shin hung up. Tahno had to talk to Korra.

A/N: This one was not easy, but it was fun. Somehow I still felt like I was rushing Tahno and Korra a little bit, but I decided that after 25k+ words, they needed to make out. If not for themselves, for me. Appreciate the reviews and feedback. Thank you!