Path Towards Absolution

by Midnight Hour Blue

From scrutiny to heartbreaking losses after his fall from grace, Tahno contemplates ending it all 6 months after the fact. A motorcycle-bound cop thwarts his efforts when he attempts to jump into the waters of one of Republic City's river channels. An officer he's familiar with—an ex-rival from a former life. Full description inside.

6. Stirring the Emotional Pot

After getting maybe an hour's sleep at best, Tahno found himself awake and unable to get back to sleep. That fact drew him away from his room and towards the island's shore side, under the pristine view of a full ivory moon. He sat by the shoreline atop a rocky outcropping, absently casting rocks into the bay. His mind was constantly being reminded of the episode earlier that night involving Mako's father's disturbing supernatural visit.

For that matter—the ghastly apparition's visitation bombarded his thoughts as he cast one stone after the next. He had to wonder why the ghost chose to show himself to the ex-bender in that fashion—if it was meant as a threat or just an eye-opening approach at attaining Tahno's attention. If that's what it was—the mission was a success.

Thinking about that unsettling spiritual visitor, it made the former waterbender wonder what other spirits might eventually pay him a visit. Ming had stated quite blatantly that he would eventually receive other ghostly visitors; he could only hope they weren't all going to be like Mako's father's visit—

"Beautiful, isn't she?" The voice cut through the silence with alarming precision. It caused the ex-bender to jerk in shock, casting his gaze to the culprit beside him. It belonged to a man of water tribe descent, his skin darker in complexion and his hair tied up in a traditional water tribe wolf tail. Upon the man's face a nostalgic smile was displayed. His eyes shone with intelligence in their azure depths, mingling with an essence of humor. Those very eyes were looking skyward, up towards the brilliant ivory moon. Tahno's eyes followed the older man's eyes for a second, nodding slightly in response to the older man's inquiry.

"Princess Yue's sure brilliant tonight," the older man continued, his eyes still to the sky. "You really need to meet her sometime—she's absolutely stunning." His gaze finally met with the ex-bender's.

"Maybe I will sometime," Tahno replied. "You are referring to the Moon Spirit, I take it."

"Yes, the one and only." the older man stated. "By the way, when you do—tell her Sokka said hello." He looked skyward again. "I'm sure she'll understand it's meaning."

Tahno shot a quick glance toward the ivory orb hanging upon it inky canvas. "Why don't you just—" When his eyes returned to his unusual visitor, the water tribesman had vanished. The spot was once again dark and vacant.

"Hey, pretty boy—you've got a visitor."

This time the voice belonged to a woman standing near the walkway leading up towards the main expanse of the island, her eyes clouded as if they were sightless. She stood sturdy for someone who was blind to the world, as if—even in her blindness—she was very aware of her surroundings. Her skin was paler than the previous visitor's, the whole of her midnight black and gray streaked hair intricately pulled back, with a few chunks of it falling loosely to partially obscure her eyes and frame the contours of her face.

"Yeah? Who?" Tahno shouted in response. "And who the hell are you?"

"Someone who's paid you a visit before, he says. The father of some firebender you happen to know," She shouted her response. "The name's Toph, by the way—and don't you forget it!" Before he could shoot back a retort, she too vanished, much like the other man earlier—except right in front of his eyes this time.

Tahno's eyes searched the beach for more unexpected guests—getting a little unnerved by this bombardment of unexpected spiritual visitors all of a sudden. Who was next, Avatar Aang himself?

"Whoever's next in line, show yourself!" Tahno shouted to all his next prospective visitors, hoping to get them to reveal themselves while he was expecting them.

"I wanted to set things right after our interaction earlier this evening," Tahno did a quick turn to discover the source right behind him, the culprit a man who seemed vaguely familiar. Something in the shape of his face, especially his eyes—

"Mako's pops, right?" Tahno inquired. The man approached him, his footfalls soundless as they came in contact with the sand and gravel lining the shore. He didn't answer as he took a seat beside the ex-bender, not bothering to speak until his eyes met icy blues.

"Yes," the man replied simply. "I apologize for my—unorthodox first appearance, but I wanted to make sure I grabbed your attention."

"You succeeded in doing that," Tahno replied. "The ghoulish effect—is that really what you looked like after that bastard pickpocket fried you up, or was that for the added effect of scaring me witless?"

"The man responsible for our deaths incinerated my flesh before he took off. He blasted me with all he had in his desperate attempt to cover his tracks," the firebender's father responded.

"That must've hurt like a bitch," Tahno responded, grimacing at the very thought of the pain he was sure the man had dealt with before he succumbed to his injuries.

"Not as much as you suspect. Death came instantly for me, thankfully," Mako's father assured him. "My wife, Mako's mother, wasn't as lucky, but I'm thankful her suffering wasn't prolonged."

"Hey, so—Mako told me that he regretted that he didn't do something to stop the bastard in his tracks after he mowed you two down with his firebending. Insisted that he should've done something to stop the man before he took off," Tahno said, asking, "You okay with the fact that he didn't bother to react, or do you wish he'd stepped in and stopped the bastard in his tracks?"

"If Mako had stepped in, he more than likely could have ended up being the man's next victim. Without him—Bolin would have been much worse off, all alone and without family to be there for him. Six year olds don't fare well on the streets all by themselves." The look in the man's eyes was deeply melancholic. "I'm thankful that Mako didn't react—that he and his brother are still alive."

"I'm sure Mako will be glad to hear it when I pass that on to him," Tahno told the apparition.

"There are a few other things I'd like you to tell him for me," The spirit said. "Firstly—I know he saw the face of our murderer. I want you to be sure to tell him that he doesn't need to bother pursuing the perpetrator. He no longer needs to even worry about him—the man had a streak of bad luck which eventually lead to his undoing."

"I take it that you mean the bastard got himself killed somehow," Tahno replied.

Mako's father nodded. "The man got himself caught up in a triad situation that turned out to be too much for him to handle." After a pause the young firebender's father's spirit went on. "Also...tell Mako he doesn't need to feel ashamed of his actions the day we were murdered, or of who is he is. I want you to make sure you assure him for us that we're both very proud of him—both he and Bolin."

"Yeah, I'll tell him that," Tahno told him. "Anything else you want me to tell him?"

"Tell him I'm happy that he kept his promise about his scarf," The spirit replied. "He promised me he'd keep it vivid red for a very long time the day I gave it to him, and it looks like he kept his word."

"I'll relay that to him too," Tahno replied. "Hey—is his mother around here somewhere too? Or—do you know anything about Asami Sato's mom? Promised her I'd try and hook her up with her mother."

"Mako's mother is—" before he could finish that thought, the specter vanished. Not more than an instant afterwards the ex-bender heard approaching footsteps.

"I heard you leave your room earlier." His late night visitor was none other than the young firebender himself, Mako. Tahno watched as he drew near, eyes on him as he took a seat on the rocky outcropping beside him. "Couldn't sleep?"

"You could say that," Tahno replied. "Hey, um—Mako? Your pops just visited me again."

"Oh?" Mako's eyebrows shot up in mild surprise. "What'd he have to say?"

"A few things," Tahno replied. "He wanted me to assure you that the perp responsible for your parents' deaths got himself killed, so you don't have to worry about that bastard causing anymore trouble."

"The man responsible—my father's certain he's dead?" Mako questioned him.

Tahno nodded. "Said the guy met his end getting caught up in a bad deal with one of the triads," he replied. "He also wanted me to assure you that you don't need to be ashamed of the fact that you froze up when the bastard killed them—or the fact that you're a firebender for that matter. He's thankful you didn't react because he believes you could've been next if you had. He doesn't want you to feel ashamed of yourself at all—they're both very proud of how you guys turned out."

"He—really said he was proud of me?" Mako asked, his voice breaking. Again, the ex-bender nodded.

"Yeah," Tahno said. "And, Mako? He also mentioned something about your scarf."

"Yeah? What'd he say?"

"He's—thankful you kept your promise to him...about keeping it as bright red as the day he gave it to you," Tahno informed him. "He's happy you kept it in very good shape like you promised him you would."

"I made that promise to him right after he gave it to me," Mako replied, voice emotion choked. He tried hiding his face in the shadows, as if he didn't want to reveal the fact that he was emotionally overwhelmed. By some unconscious effort, the ex-bender leaned closer towards the firebender, gently taking the tip of his chin in his hand and redirecting the firebender's face back into view.

"And he's happy you kept it, Mako." Tahno said in hardly more than a murmur. The ex-bender's eyes held the firebender's auburn gaze, noticing the vulnerability lingering in their depths. The tear trails staining the firebender's face pulled at the former waterbender's heartstrings, causing him to instinctively make the effort to clear away the evidence with a gentle caress of one hand across the other man's skin.

Under the moonlight the tears in the firebender's eyes glistened like pristine jewels. He traced the firebender's lower lids with his thumb with utmost care, collecting up the salty liquid that threatened to spill forth and meander downwards, catching it before it could make its descent. The ex-waterbender's hand then traced the contours of the firebender's face, tilting it upwards so their eyes met directly. He froze there, icy blues looking over the whole of the firebender's moon illuminated face before transfixing with his gold- flecked auburn orbs.

Before he knew it, the former waterbender was leaning in closer to the firebender until the space between them became non-existent. He didn't hesitate as he tilted the other man's head further until the angle was just right for their lips to meet. All the while he got no resistance from the firebender, and at the back of his mind—that startled the ex-bender.

The ex-bender deepened the kiss, daring to slip his tongue past the firebender's lips. He first had tasted the borders before the firebender complied with the action and allowed him to delve further. In the process the firebender managed to get in a little tongue action himself.

From the response he received, he expected the firebender to respond in kind with his facial expression. It wasn't until after the ex-bender pulled away and was staring the other man in the eyes that he saw the startled expression crossing the firebender's face.

"I-I don't know what overcame me," Tahno hid his face from the firebender. "I—I probably shouldn't have done that."

"Yeah." Mako sounded dazed. "I like you, but I don't like you that way. Besides—I love Korra."

"You and the Avatar—you have a thing?" Tahno questioned, still not able to look the firebender's way.

"Yeah," Mako confirmed simply.

"Sorry—I didn't know." Tahno hunched his shoulders, crestfallen. A moment later he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he finally looked up.

"No problem," Mako assured him. "Just—remember that fact."

"If it wasn't for the Avatar, would I even have a chance?" Tahno asked apprehensively.

Mako looked troubled and unsure of how to answer that. "I never bothered to think about it," he admitted. "I never thought about kissing another guy before now either though." He looked away from the ex-bender momentarily, as if to collect his own thoughts. When his eyes focused again on the ex-bender he added, "Never say never though."

An awkward, long-standing silence fell between the two. Neither the firebender nor the former waterbender were able to look in the other's direction. Tahno felt foolish for making that move, while Mako was trying to collect his thoughts over the incident. Eventually, Mako got to his feet and looked out across the bay towards the dimly lit cityscape across the way.

"We should probably head in before anybody notices that either one of us are out here," Mako said, looking in the ex-bender's direction. "Hopefully nobody noticed that we're down here, or saw—you know."

"Yeah," Tahno's nerves were on edge, but he managed a feeble grin. "It's—probably time to check in."

"I'll show you back up," Mako offered with restrained awkwardness. The ex-bender could only nod in kind in response, and then the two were heading away from the beach with not a word spared between the two along the way.

XoXoX

The air was chilly, heavy with freezing condensation at every exhaled breath. Albeit the fact that the air was frigidly cold, the atmosphere was alive and bright.

It was the eve of one of the days during the Southern Water Tribe Festival, and the scene was filled with the sights and sounds of lively festivities. Citizens of both the Southern Water Tribe and abroad were attending the festivities, and that included the young Avatar and her friends and family.

"Come, dance with me." Korra's hand extended out towards his. "Its tradition." Mako complied as the music continued and they moved with the flow of the masses. Usually more tomboyish and not really well suited to formalities, Korra moved with unusual grace as she and the firebender shifted about that dance floor made of ice. Across the icy dance floor from them, Bolin had Korra's cousin, Eska's hand in his.

Moments and movements meshed into one, bringing the two into a reality where it was just the two of them set in motion. Nobody outside their own awareness mattered to them, for they were wrapped entirely up in themselves. And then—catastrophe struck.

They first heard the sound of shouting and some structures crashing nearby. While the two were frozen in place watching as the sounds of chaos moved closer to them, people were frantically scrambling about trying to escape. When it all finally began to register for the two of them along with Bolin and Eska, the four raced in the direction it was all originating from to investigate the cause. As the four rounded a curve in their pathway through the festival grounds, they came face to face with the source. Or, to be more precise— sources.

It was the same spirit that bothered to confront Korra a few days earlier, the incident she had arrogantly brushed off and thought she'd taken care of. Now—that spirit was back, and it had brought some friends along with it.

"Eska, Bo—go get Tenzin, Asami and some help, me and Mako will try to handle this until you guys get back," Korra told the earthbender and her cousin. They both nodded before bolting off looking for help. Korra turned her attention to the firebender by her side, stating somberly to him, "We need to draw them away from the festival. I don't want people to get hurt because I didn't handle the situation between this spirit and me properly."

"Korra—have you dealt with this spirit before?" Mako looked at her quizzically. She hesitantly nodded.

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal at first," Korra admitted. "Now—now we've got a real situation." Mako only nodded, and then moved to help lure the spirit attack away from the festival.

They only managed to draw one of the spirits away from the festivities, and that was the leader of the group, the one who had made the first initial confrontation with the Avatar. As the duo worked to lure it further and further away from the festival, Korra caught sight out of the corner of her eye Bolin and Eska's return with Asami, Tenzin and some other help. They were fast at work trying to deal with the spirits rampaging through the festival grounds while the other two were busy luring their leader away from it.

Korra and her firebender managed to lure the dark spirit out towards the icy tundra surrounding the festival grounds and the water tribe, but it wouldn't turn out to be an easy encounter.

"You have something you need to settle with me, huh?" Korra shouted at the creature. " Let's handle this—you and me—somewhere else where there's nobody else around, spirit to Avatar."

The spirit didn't respond to that. It was on the attack even as the two put up a defensive, launching attacks it's way to keep it at bay. While Korra faced off with the dark spirit, one of its companions came to help it out. That one kept Mako busy, leaving Korra to face the leader on her own.

While Mako was busy shooting fire blasts at his new opponent, Korra was busy stirring up her own elemental attacks at hers. She shot multiple strikes with water and fire at the spirit; it easily took or avoided each one she made. It also seemed impervious to her combination attacks, and it seemed unaffected by even her strongest forms of defense.

Before Korra could resort to the Avatar State to deal with the Spirit, it had her pinned to the ground; it's bulk looming over her. She struggled against its grip, but it held her steadfast, her attacks having little to no effect on it whatsoever until it had her held helplessly in place.

"Then let us settle this matter in the Spirit World, where we will be on equal grounds—young Avatar." It's voice originated from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, it's tone deep and ethereal. "We have watched over the centuries how your kind has abused your status as the bridge between the two realms. You treat your abilities as if they are instruments in a game—resorting to using the Avatar State to cheat at a game with mere children? And you are not the first Avatar to resort to using your special abilities for personal uses. My purpose here is to make sure you're the last to employ your talents as toys."

"Are you planning to eliminate her?" Make suddenly exclaimed, taking a brief hiatus from his attack with his own spiritual opposition. He came close to being dealt a blow by that said opponent, only avoiding a catastrophic strike by mere centimeters. His voice brought the attention of the creature directly towards him.

"If we're not able to come to a reasonable resolution, it could come to that." The towering dark spirit turned its attention back to where it still had Korra pinned. "I insist on there being no outside interference. This conflict is between you and I, and I expect that you keep it that way, and don't let any others get involved." The creature particularly glanced over in the firebender's direction as it spoke. "I expect your appearance within a fortnight. You shall find entry into the Spiritual realm at the Southern Water Tribe's spiritual nexus— the very iceberg from which your predecessor emerged after a century's internment there. Do not delay or leave me waiting, or the consequences to that could be...devastating." It looked to the firebender again specifically as it sounded out the last word, and then it was being fully confrontational with the young Avatar. "Learn from your predecessor Kuruk—don't make the same error he did."

It called out to its companions in a hauntingly echoic tune. The call caused its fellow spirits to cease in their destructive actions. And then, just as the chaos had erupted, it abruptly came to a halt.

And just as abruptly as they had appeared, the spirits were gone—dematerialized as if they never had any substance to them in the first place. In the wake of their hasty departure, they left a realm of devastation. A few moans and groans emerged from toppled structures and ice pavilions. Blood mingled with the recently melted ice water at its direct contact with the creature, running in streams up and down the avenues littered with debris.

—O—

Two days later, the festival was still in disrepair. The priority had been to tend to the wounded and the possible dead. Thankfully, there had been only one casualty, and it had been an elderly man who succumbed to heart failure due to literally being scared to death. Most of the injuries were otherwise not too serious or were at least treatable, so physically there weren't too many repercussions due to the spirits' attack.

The young Avatar was surveying the damage, expression drawn into a frown as she looked every which way. The attack had been a wake up call to her—it had troubled her to the core.

Along with her was a small gathering of confidants—friends and family she relied on most for support—her Krew. Her waterbending sifu Katara and her airbending son Tenzin and his wife Pema, Lin Beifong—the daughter of the late originator of the art of metalbending, the two bending brothers she'd come to closely rely on for support—Mako and Bolin, Asami—the daughter of the late Hiroshi Sato, Her two cousins visiting from the Northern Water Tribe—Eska and her twin brother Desna, and—of course—her own loving parents.

"I can't let this get out of hand—I've got to go." Korra, voice sturdy and determined, informed the gathering. A few only gave grave nods in agreement; a few said or did nothing. The two with the most evident reactions were the bending brothers—especially Mako. Asami looked as troubled as those two did, but she understood deep down she couldn't voice her opinion on such a matter as this. She knew what had to be done—even if Mako wasn't so easily convinced.

"Korra—it could be dangerous, or worse—it could be a trap," Mako argued with her. She smiled very faintly, a rather sorrowed little expression. "Can't you even consider looking into other options?"

"Bro—Korra's got to do what she's gotta do," Bolin calmly reminded his brother. "It's a part of her duties; she's the Avatar."

"Mako..." Korra's voice came out pained. "I've got to go—especially for you. I contacted Kuruk—the last waterbending Avatar—and he told me what the dark spirit meant by its threat. The spirit was referring to Kuruk's past with Koh, the Face Stealer—and I can't start gambling with my chances like he did. I'm not going to lose you—or anyone else—because I made some errors in judgment that ended up costing you your lives—or worse."

"At least give it another couple of days before you take off," Mako almost pleaded with her.

"That's what I'd been planning to do, Mako. I need a couple of days to gather my inner strength before I strike the path least travelled with Naga and Avatar Aang as my guides." She grabbed him and dragged the firebender into an aggressively passionate kiss, even with the onlookers—

—O—

The night before her departure, the two were alone in her special quarters. They were saying their farewells in a way that wasn't necessary for any of the others to be present for. Candlelight danced off the crystalline walls encasing them in, the room devoid of the sights or sounds of anyone but the two of them.

Korra had her head leaning against Mako's shoulder, contented smile on her face, her eyes closed. He drew her face up so that he could kiss her. They spent a few moments reveling in their own personal connection with one another, eventually leading to her lying with him, his arm wrapped around her.

"I need for you and Bolin to head back to Republic City." Korra spoke up suddenly. He reacted abruptly, sitting up. She adjusted her position to the shift, looking him in the eye in the process.

"Why?" Mako exclaimed, question written all over his face.

"I don't want either of you—or anyone else I care about—being too close to this region if something were to happen to me in the Spirit World, if...something were to go wrong and all chaos were to be break loose from the spiritual nexus because of it." Her lips were drawn into a small line, eyes like sorrow-filled ocean shallows. "I don't want anything to happen to you—any of you—if I make a blunder out there."

"You won't blunder—you're the Avatar," Mako tried reassuring her. She shook her head.

"I'm not perfect, and I've made blunders as the Avatar before," Korra replied, her voice becoming insistent as she continued. "Bolin's got his new team to tend to—and you've got your job. Which—I can easily admit—you're really good at. Republic City needs you guys, and there's nothing for you here at the South Pole while I'm gone. Please Mako, just listen to me—and head back."

"Korra—" Mako felt fractured and pained. "If you really insist—me and Bo will go back. But, I need you to know this—I'll be worrying about you, and nothing—nothing is going to change that for me."

"I wasn't going to try and make you think otherwise," Korra finally managed to smile, lightening up the mood that had grown tense in the last few instances. "Just don't worry too much—okay? I'll be back; it might take me a while—but I will be back."

Mako couldn't seem to get much for good sleep. He'd awoken three times through the night after he returned to bed and got to sleep. As he groggily thought about a possible cause, his incident with the ex-bender on the beach from earlier came to mind. Something about it—the kiss—was conflicting him, enough to cause him to relive those particular moments with Korra while he dreamt.

What was it? Mako couldn't make up his mind. He tried shrugging it off so he could pull the covers up closer and attempt to get some meaningful sleep. He had work in the morning, and the last thing he needed was to be tired on the job.

XoXoX

Asami watched the dancing sunbeams on the ripples of Yue Bay as she made her way up the pier and towards more substantial ground. She'd managed to make time in her schedule to get in a training session with her ex-bender pupil, freedom from her hectic schedule at Future Industries that she more than gratefully appreciated. Engineers had been hounding her all day while they were working out the final tweaks to her company's newest airplane line before they would hit the mainstream. She could still hear the incessant requests of theirs to gain her attention. 'Miss Sato' 'Miss Sato'...she never knew she could get sick of hearing the sound of her own name being called out time and time again.

She found the ex-bender sitting cross-legged in the middle of the arena, looking contemplative. He almost jumped out of his skin when she touched him lightly to gain his attention when her approach wasn't enough.

"AUGH! Oh, Asami—it's just you." Tahno composed himself. "I thought it might be another spirit coming around to bug me."

"Have a rough night with visitations from spirits?" Asami asked him, taking a spot right next to him, also crossing her legs under her.

"Last night they decided to bombard me with their presence—starting with the ghastly sight that once was Mako's dad. The rest of the evening until morning a bunch of random ones decided it might be fun to disturb my sleep," Tahno told her. "Had a one-on-one session with the old airbender earlier this morning. He told me that meditation would help me block out their annoying presences when I don't want to have to confront them. I was getting in some practice until you got here."

"So—is it looking promising that you're able to contact other spirits beside your dead friend?" Asami asked him hopefully. "Like my mother?"

"I can make the confirmation that it definitely goes beyond Ming, and that talking to your mother's a possibility," Tahno informed her.

"That's certainly a welcome thought," Asami replied. "Do you think getting in some practice sessions with me will help provide a good distraction for you, pretty boy?" she asked him. He smiled.

"It'll do more than provide a distraction from spirits, babe," Tahno replied, getting to his feet.

"Good." Asami smiled in response, also getting up to her feet.

They went over the routine from their last session, with him showing that he'd picked up on the techniques rather quickly. He made very few errors as they ran through the routine, even evenly matching her or getting the advantage over her with some maneuvers. When she felt she was satisfied that her pupil had the routine down, Asami moved on to the next step.

She ran him through a new round of moves, admiring the quickness in his ability to pick up the new moves and perfect their stances. When they got around to practicing them, she had to be more alert of his maneuvers in order to keep on her toes and not be defeated by him.

"You've really shown signs of improvement," Asami noted as she barely dodged one of his strikes.

"I've needed something to keep me distracted throughout the day besides the old airbender's meditation techniques," Tahno informed her. He evaded one of her maneuvers with an easy twist of his body, putting himself quite easily out of her path. Asami corrected her stance, watching for an opening—an opportunity to strike when he least expected it.

"Besides having to deal with an onslaught of spirits, what else has been going on with you since our last session yesterday?" Asami asked him. She found her opportunity and made it; he just barely maneuvered out of the way to miss a direct blow. She still managed to get in a glancing blow that left him favoring his shoulder a bit.

"Not sure if I should bring this up with you, but I need to get this off my chest by telling somebody," Tahno was on the defensive, avoiding and evading her constant attempts and jabs directed his way. "First though— how do you and Mako know each other? What's the deal between you two? I get the sense that you guys know each other as more than just acquaintances, but—" He dodged a fist aimed directly at his face with mere millimeters to spare from feeling the full impact.

"We're just friends," Asami told him, correcting her stance after her last strike failed to hit home. "We were once dating, but his feelings for Korra got in the way—so we ended up breaking it off. We broke it off mostly on good terms, although it still hurt that he didn't bother to confront me about his feelings before it reached that stage." She steadied herself on her two feet, preparing her stance for her next move. "What makes you ask about that?"

"I accidently...um—kissed him...last night," Tahno informed her somewhat awkwardly. Asami froze up in mid stance.

"You...kissed—Mako?" Asami was staring at him wide-eyed. "Is that part of the reason why you were so uncomfortable with me kissing you yesterday? Are you gay?"

"What? N-no—I'm bi," Tahno replied defensively. "T-there are other reasons why I wasn't comfortable with you laying one on me yesterday—but it had nothing to do with you being a woman. If I were interested in you...I'd definitely have no problems making out with you, babe." He looked away from her. "I've just—I guess...been developing something for Fireboy over the last couple weeks. But I know now that's not gonna go anywhere, since he's seeing the Avatar and everything." He started to suddenly feel self-conscious. She approached him in a friendly manner, and not in one of her resorted to practice maneuvers.

"You don't have to feel embarrassed about admitting that to me," Asami assured him. "I'm not going to judge you for it. You see—you and I...we have that in common—I'm also bi."

"A pretty rich girl like you—the daughter of a bigwig industrialist like Hiroshi—openly admitting to having a thing for girls as well as guys?" Tahno exclaimed, somewhat incredulously.

"Yeah—even pretty little rich girls with bigwig corporate dads can turn out to be gay or bisexual," Asami informed him. "Haven't you ever heard the saying 'don't judge a book by its cover'?"

"If you're bi, then name a girl or two you've had real crushes on," Tahno challenged her. She didn't hesitate in giving him a response.

"Like you—I'm sort of caught up in a one-sided deal," Asami replied, smiling ironically. "I like Korra."

"The Avatar," Tahno mused. "I must say—you've got interesting tastes—especially for a pretty rich girl."

"I admire and respect Korra deeply; she's strong-willed, compassionate, stands up for what she believes in—as well as being a loyal and good friend. After we managed to patch things up over the fiasco between us involving Mako—she really put herself out there for me and helped me out when I really needed it after the responsibility of my father's floundering business was dropped on my shoulders," Asami informed him straightforwardly. "She went out of her way to convince the other companies to put stock in Future Industries, and she personally assured me she'd do what she could to make sure that my company didn't go under. I'll probably owe her for that for the rest of my life. Also—she was the one who revealed my father as being the despicable man he'd become. If it weren't for her—I'd probably still have a lot of respect for my father." She looked at him squarely. "Is that enough reasons to like Korra—huh, pretty boy?"

"More than enough I'd say," Tahno said.

"Don't think that my reasons for liking her stop there," Asami added. He shot her a sly grin.

"I wasn't going to argue with you about it," Tahno answered, adding, "Wanna keep up with our currently interrupted session—or have you had enough of me for today?"

"Don't think your confession—or my own admission—is going to get you off from your training session," Asami informed him with a mischievous grin. "I came here to teach you self-defense techniques that you can use until you get your bending back—and I'm not about to quit in the middle of our lesson just because of that."

"Wait—what?" Tahno stared at her, wide-eyed. "What are you talking about—getting my bending back? It's pretty obvious I'm never getting that back."

"You don't know?" Asami exclaimed. He stared blankly at her. "Korra learned how to restore people's bending after Amon was defeated. I personally saw her restore Lin Beifong's earthbending while we were spending time at the South Pole."

"Nobody bothered to inform me of that fact," Tahno stated bitterly. "Apparently—they thought it was better to keep me in the dark about it."

"I'm sorry to have just blabbed it like that—I just figured you knew," Asami told him. "I'm sure...they had a reason why they haven't gotten around to telling you."

"I don't care if they have a reason—they should have told me regardless," Tahno looked pissed. "I think I need to call it for today, Asami—I don't think I can continue with this session right now."

"Okay," Asami replied. "Look, Tahno—I'm sure Mako wasn't trying to spite you by keeping the info away from you. I mean, Korra's not here right now, so—it's not like it matters much either way whether you know about it or not," she told him. "I'm sure—when she eventually returns...he was planning on telling you, so don't get too resentful over it. Mako just...has difficulty knowing how to handle personal situations correctly sometimes. Take this from somebody who knows about that firsthand." She rested her hand on his shoulder reassuringly. He looked up at her, his icy blues showing her how troubled he was.

"I have to think this over, but—I'll try to be rational while I'm doing it," Tahno told her. She smiled faintly.

"Good luck with that," Asami said. "And Tahno, don't worry—I'm here for you if you ever need me. I've got your back."

"Thanks, Asami," Tahno responded.

"Now that you know—that Korra's able to restore your bending, that is—do you still want to keep up with the self-defense lessons with me, or are you through with them?" Asami asked, grabbing her gear.

"Oh—I'm not going to quit with our sessions just because there's a strong possibility I can get my bending back," Tahno informed her. "Even though he's apparently been holding back on me, I gave Fireb—I mean, Mako—my word that I would make the effort to better myself, and I'm not giving him a reason to think I'm going to sink back into my old habits—or go back to being the old me."

"I'll make sure to keep openings in my schedule so we can get in some sessions then," Asami smiled pleasantly. "I'll see you later—pretty boy."

"Later, babe." Tahno forced a smile as she walked off, despite the fact that his insides were twisting and churning in mental anguish.

XoXoX

The workday had been a long and stressful one; the triads were more active, and it didn't help that Mako's mind was conflicted by many different thoughts. His worry over Korra's absence was increasingly renewed with Tahno's actions the previous eve—and his mind was in turmoil on just that thought alone.

What had gotten into him that caused him to not pull away immediately when the ex-bender had leaned in like he had? Or when their lips met, locked—why did he allow it to keep going, even—pursue it? Did he miss intimacy that much that he was willing to take it from any source willing to provide it for him?

He knew he wasn't like that—he didn't seek out physical connections devoid of emotional ones. The struggles he'd endured after his parents' deaths—having to ensure his brother's safety as he fought for their survival; all of that had built a foundation that didn't seek out comfort or pleasure for the pure sake of lust.

So what was it? What had delayed him from pulling away from the kiss when he'd had all the opportunities to do so? Was he starting to feel something for the former waterbender? He couldn't go through that again. No—not after what he did to Asami. He couldn't do the same thing—repeat the same mistake—with Korra. He'd liked Asami—a lot—but he loved Korra. And he missed her terribly—

He sighed. Another disturbance by one of the Triads just cropped up on the other side of the city, and he had to look into the matter. Innocent lives depended on his quick decisiveness and actions, so he couldn't let his own personal troubles get in the way of protecting lives. He knew, in a way, that's Korra would want that. Above all else—protecting people from devastation was a passion of hers, and a priority of hers as the Avatar.

Keeping that thought in mind, he set his motorcycle in motion, speeding off towards the scene where the Triad was most likely wreaking havoc.

XoXoX

After Asami's departure, Tahno struggled to keep himself mentally together. He tried to deal with his conflicted thoughts like she had suggested—handle it rationally like she said he should. He resumed the position he'd been in before her arrival—legs crossed under him, eyes closed, his mind attempting to reach a calm state of meditation. Try though he might—he couldn't redirect his thoughts from his inner turmoil, the feeling of utter betrayal and anguish.

"I witnessed that last scene between you and pretty Miss Sato." Ming's voice crumbled his vain attempts at concentration. Tahno opened his eyes, the mental dams holding back his tumultuous emotions crashing down.

"Were you aware of the fact that the Avatar can return peoples' bending to them, Ming?" Tahno demanded, getting to his feet hastily, his expression twisted in unrestrained fury. He got his finger up in the spectral ex-earthbender's face, speaking accusingly. "I bet you've known all this time like they did! Didn't feel the need to inform me of that development!" Ming's expression looked stricken and speechless.

"Tahno—" the words escaped Ming—who stood there, eyes on the finger aimed at his face.

"What am I to them?" Tahno shouted angrily, tears building in his eyes. He turned away from his appalled spectral boyfriend. "I've been here for practically three weeks and they bothered to keep that info from me—kept me believing that it was a pipe dream to ever think I'd get my bending back. For what—for pity's sake? Have I only been a pity project for them all this time—like a bird with a broken wing that needs time to heal before it can fly again? Am I only like that to them?"

"Look, Tahno—you're not—"

"Ming—just LEAVE ME ALONE!" Tahno took a swing at his best friend. Ming withdrew his presence before the ex-bender's fist could strike him—or, at least, the air where he insubstantially had been standing anyways.

The ex-bender hurriedly ran away from the training arena, not caring where his feet took him as long as it was away from other people and his troubles. When his feet came to a halt, he was staring out at the same stretch of beach where he had his mental breakdown over a week before. Thinking back on that—it only brought him more mental anguish.

"Was it all an act, Mako—huh? You helping me through my breakdown on this beach during that storm last week?" Tahno shouted angrily to nobody in particular. "Was it all an act done out of pity?" He took heavy steps towards the water, splashing loudly as he pressed out to about knee depth. He stopped, looking out towards the city, tears pressing their way forward from his tear ducts in vast numbers. "I was such a fool to believe it could ever be anything more than that." His knees collapsed out from under him, and he found himself sobbing as gentle waves lapped at him from all sides. "A fool!" He cried. "FOOL!"

He crashed his hands against the water's tension, sending water droplets flying every which way. Splashing his face, his arms—drenching him in it's cold, uncaring dampness. He sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed. As he pressed his palms against the rocky bottom underwater, he leaned forward, letting his head droop with his hair falling in front of his face.

The ex-bender was too consumed in his grief and anguish to notice that he had a silent observer watching him from a spot hidden behind some rocky outcroppings along the beach. Two saddened, chocolate brown eyes watched him as he knelt in the seawater and buried his face in his hands while he continued to cry, his shoulders shaking.

"I don't pity you, Tahno—and I know nobody else here does either—especially Mako," Jinora murmured in a small voice that barely carried above the gentle breeze caressing her face and shuffling around her shortish brown locks. "I knew he should've come to Air Temple Island sooner."

XoXoX

His long enduring shift finally ran its course, and Mako was more than ready to call it a day. He made one final check-in with Ishio before he departed back to Air Temple Island for the night.

The ferry rocked as it crossed the channel from the main port of the city over to its island destination. Mako paid it little thought while his mind was preoccupied. Once his mind was freed of the burdens of his job, it was occupied by his other troubles. His concern for Korra for one—where was she, was she okay? Did something happen—was she ever coming back? As time passed and he heard nothing from her, he began to worry that something happened to her. That the dark spirit carried out its promise if things between it and Korra couldn't be resolved—

And just as he was dwelling on his worry for her, the incident involving the former waterbender from the previous evening invaded his thoughts. He kept seeing Tahno's face—the dejection lingering in those icy cyan-hued eyes of his, the apprehension in his voice as he looked at the firebender with those said eyes and asked, 'If it wasn't for the Avatar, would I even have a chance?'

Mako felt like he should be mad at the ex-waterbender for that move—for kissing him like he had, but—for some reason...he wasn't. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that maybe, just maybe—

"We've reached the pier," The ferry driver's call interrupted his thoughts. He looked to the man, smiled quickly, nodding before he disembarked the vessel and descended down the long pier towards shore.

His mind was just returning to its confliction between his worry over Korra and his thoughts involving Tahno when he nearly ran Tenzin's elder sister, Kya, down. He stopped, stepping back a few paces to look her in the eye. Cast across her expression he realized she wasn't her usual jovial self; instead, she appeared uncharacteristically serious.

"Mako—we've got a situation," Kya told him, voice tense and grave.

"What's going on?" he asked her.

"Jinora came to me a couple of hours ago, all stirred up—and told me there was a matter I needed to intervene in on the beach," Kya responded. "She wouldn't give me specifics as she hasted me down to the shoreline. When we got down there, she pointed out to the water and said to me, 'help him'. She was pointing out towards Tahno. He was kneeling in the water, having a mental breakdown. From what I managed to gather from him and what Jinora managed to overhear—he found out that Korra's capable of restoring his waterbending."

Mako almost choked in shock. "W-who told him?"

"Asami apparently did during their practice session earlier this afternoon," Kya informed him. "Mako—Tenzin told me about the agreement you had with him about withholding that information from Tahno, but—now that he knows—you need to go talk to Tahno about it, clear up a few things with him."

"Besides his breakdown, how is Tahno reacting to the news?" Mako asked her. He reflected on the thoughts he'd been contemplating over during his ferry ride, his innards twisting up as he thought them over further.

"He thinks your concern for him was all an act," Kya told him. "It took some convincing to get it through to him that we don't all just pity him—that we really do care about his wellbeing—but I think he still believes that you only feel pity for him."

"Tell me where he is—I'll go talk to him," Mako said to her.

"I told him to go seek solace with the Moon Spirit—that hopefully Princess Yue might be able to provide him some peace of mind until we get this situation cleared up," Kya told him. "He wanted to do it alone, but he said the beach he was going to be on should be in that direction." She indicated a stretch of beach beyond a cliff side and some rocky outcroppings. "He should still be there."

"Thanks, Kya—I'll go get this all cleared up with him," Mako assured her. Kya lightened up her solemn demeanor with a faint smile.

"Good luck, Mako," Kya told him as he headed in the direction she'd indicated. He waved, and then moved on.

XoXoX

Tahno sat on the rocky outcropping, head resting on his upraised palms, elbows propped up by his knees. He was looking out at Yue Bay as it was bathed in the light of the very source for which the bay derived its name, his vision entranced by the dancing moonbeams upon the ripples of the water.

After the elder waterbender managed to get him dried off and calmed down enough to talk to her, she asked him what was wrong. After several long, drawn moments of him remaining silent and some persistence on the elder waterbender's account, he eventually sighed and told her.

"Nobody here pities you," Kya assured him. "Jinora was so scared that you might hurt yourself out there in the water, and you've become like a son to me."

"Why did they withhold that information from me then?" he furrowed his brow, frown cast across the corners of his mouth.

"Maybe they thought it would be too much for you while you were still dealing with a lot of grief," Kya tried explaining to him. "They didn't want you hurting any more than you were. I sure know that's my feelings on the matter."

"What's Mako's excuse?"

"I don't know that Tahno," Kya confessed. "I'll talk to my brother, Tenzin, about what's going on in regards to

them withholding the information from you—but I'm pretty sure Mako didn't mean to hurt you by doing that."

Tahno didn't have anything to add to that, or anything else to say to her. The two were sitting on an outcropping by the beach. His eyes were out on the water, watching the colors of the sky above fade from day to dusk on the bay's ripples. He heard her release a heavy sigh, but didn't turn to look her way.

"Tahno...I know you don't have your bending at the moment, but deep down you're still a waterbender at heart. Whenever a waterbender is troubled, they can seek solace from the Moon Spirit. Why don't you go seek out Princess Yue and gain some peace of mind from her? You should be able to gain her personal audience once the full moon rises in the sky in an hour or two."

He only gave a nod in acknowledgment. He still didn't turn his icy blues towards her even as she got to her feet and made it known she was ready to depart.

"Will you try talking to Princess Yue?" he heard the persistence in her voice for a response.

"Yeah—I'll be somewhere on this beach trying to get her attention. I need to be alone to meet with her though."

Kya released a disappointed sounding breath. "Good luck. I'll leave you to that."

Tahno was still waiting for Yue to present herself. The moon, the first—original waterbender; even with his bending stripped—he realized he still felt that connection with the original source, like Kya suggested. She had a pull on him, one that no force—outside death itself—could keep him away from. He longed—yearned for the presence of Yue, the princess—the Moon Spirit.

"You have come to seek solace for your conflicted thoughts." The voice was feminine, ethereal. Tahno looked up, spotting the source levitating above the surface of the bay. The bay so rightfully named after the apparition floating there in front of him.

"Are you gonna help me out with that?" Tahno asked the beautiful apparition, getting off the outcropping to stand at the shoreline.

"I will try," Yue spoke. "Tell me—what troubles you?"

"I'm feeling conflicted over some thoughts involving the firebender who rescued me from the river during my suicide attempt," Tahno's gaze matched up with her ethereal stare. "Do you know who—what I'm talking about?"

"Yes, I do." Sorrow reflected on Yue's features. "I know that you feel he betrayed you by holding back information you feel he should have shared with you."

"Yeah—Mako forgot to tell me that I could get my bending back!" Tahno cried. "How can I not feel like he's been leading me on this whole time—making me think he gave a damn about me and my wellbeing when he couldn't bother to fill me in on that little detail?"

"Perhaps he felt that it was better to withhold the information until you were mentally stable enough to handle learning about it," Yue suggested to him. "Sometimes half-truths and covered truths are relied on in order to protect someone who's in pain from further sorrow. Would you have been able to recover from your troubles if you'd known the truth earlier?"

Tahno had to search through his troubled thoughts to find the answer to that. The more he reflected on the concept, the more he realized the Moon Spirit might have a point. "Probably not." He managed to admit.

"Can you see how that was likely Mako's motivation?" Yue pointed out.

"I...guess." Tahno contemplated the concept over. "My head wasn't exactly on straight while I was still suicidal, and it was things outside the loss of my bending that drove me to the edge in the first place."

"Do you still feel angry and betrayed by the fact that Mako didn't inform you of the information?" Yue inquired.

"I feel a lot less so than I did before. Although I can't completely shake the feeling off," Tahno replied. He looked at the specter floating there, finding her to be very unearthly beautiful, with her long, white locks intricately set upon her head in her Northern Water Tribe headdress, and adorned in her royal garb. She truly was a princess—or queen of the moon. "Thanks for the advice. It's made me feel better at least." He smiled at her. "Can I say that I've always been fond of the moon—and that you're also a very gorgeous spirit?"

"I appreciate your compliments," Yue smiled serenely. "Are you stable of mind enough to discuss another serious matter with me?"

"Yeah," Tahno looked at her quizzically. "What...did you need to discuss?"

"My real purpose in coming to see you," Yue replied. The ex-bender stared at the Moon Spirit blankly.

"Real purpose?" Tahno echoed. "What's your real purpose for seeing me?" Before he could get a straight answer out of her, she disappeared. In her absence he heard the soft thudding of footsteps making their way down the length of the beach nearby.

"Kya told me about your breakdown." The ex-bender was staring at Mako as he approached. "She sent me this direction to get a few things cleared up with you."

"So—she filled you in on everything that's been going on, I take it," Tahno remarked.

"She told me that you're really stressed out by something you learned about recently. That you came out here to consult with the Moon Spirit to gain some peace of mind," Mako stopped two feet away from the ex-bender, just short of having the ocean's current run up against the tips of his shoes. "That, you...found out that Korra can—restore your waterbending."

"That's it exactly." There was a sudden edge in Tahno's voice. The anger he thought he'd managed to quell started to boil up again. He turned his gaze towards the firebender, his usually icy gaze taking on an arctic glare. "How could you keep that from me? I thought we were friends at least—so why, huh? Why keep secrets like that from me? Was it stupid for me to believe you were really concerned for me? Was it all just an act—have you been faking it all this time?"

"No—it wasn't stupid because I haven't been faking anything!" Mako snapped in response. "I came here to tell you that it wasn't all an act, that every word—every action I've made regarding you has been real! I was genuinely concerned when you told me about that ex-rival of yours—the bastard who raped you and left you for dead. When I comforted you while you were having your breakdown afterwards—do you think I'd go to those lengths if I weren't being genuine about that? And I genuinely wanted to help you turn your life around because I think of you as a friend! Hell, I even told you a few things I've never told my own brother!"

"Then why couldn't you just tell me I could get my bending back?" Tahno's eyes lost some of their icy glint as he stared desperately into the firebender's auburn eyes. He took a firm hold of Mako's shoulders, the desperation in his eyes pleading with the firebender for an answer.

"Because, well—because at first I didn't think you deserved to know!" Mako shouted back at him, startling the ex-bender a bit. Tahno looked like he was about to demand a further explanation, but Mako beat him to it. "At first...I thought you needed to earn the right to get your bending back—to even earn the right to know about it—because of your history in the arena. The cheating still got to me back then. That was back on the first day—right after I rescued you during your suicide attempt. As I got to know you, got to understand you better—I started questioning that. I wanted to tell you, but—I wasn't sure how you'd handle the news. You were suicidal still and deeply depressed—how could I expect you to handle the news while you were still in that state of mind? Especially when Korra's not here to restore it for you—and...there's a chance she might not even return."

"I thought Korra was on some spiritual quest, or something like that," Tahno stated. The firebender nodded soberly.

"We were attending a festival in the Southern Water Tribe to celebrate Korra's eighteenth birthday," Mako told him, calming down a bit. "A spirit attacked while we were attending it—bringing some of its friends along with it. What got the spirit to call off its destruction were the demands that it made with Korra. The spirit wanted Korra to meet up with it in the Spirit World to discuss a certain matter with it one on one, with no outside interferences. It said that it and some of the other spirits were sick and tired of watching the Avatar—past, present—abuse their talents, and it needed to discuss that matter with her. She agreed to its conditions, and...she hasn't been heard from since."

"Maybe she's gotten tied up with her affairs there, and she doesn't have a way to send word back to you and everyone else about how she's doing," Tahno stated. "Besides, if Korra really was in trouble—she's tough, that girl for sure can handle herself."

"Korra's tougher when she's using her bending, and her bending becomes irrelevant in the Spirit World—or so I've heard," Mako replied. "I got the feeling that's why the spirit summoned her there—Korra relies heavily on her bending, so she wouldn't have her best defenses there to back her up."

"Well, then—I've got nothing to say that'll make the situation better—sorry about that," Tahno removed his hands from the firebender's shoulders. "So—you really consider me a friend...and all the concern you've shown me these past few weeks has been genuine?"

"Yeah, it was real—all of it." Mako all of a sudden started feeling awkward. He walked a few paces until he reached the closest rocky outcropping on the beach and took a seat on a comfortable enough looking spot. "Hey, well—when I've had it, I've been spending my free time all afternoon thinking about my fears over Korra's absence and that stunt you pulled on me last night—"

Tahno swallowed nervously. "Y-yeah...that was my mistake. I-I guess it must've been disturbing for you to be kissed by another guy."

"It didn't disturb me that much. Admittedly, when I got around to thinking it over...it didn't surprisingly disturb me at all," Mako admitted sheepishly, his face flushing momentarily. "Actually...what I was going to say was that I—I wanted to ask you if it'd be okay for me to sleep with you tonight?"

"Sleep together...you mean like have sex or something?" Tahno was taken aback by the very concept.

"If that's what it'd take for me to stay with you tonight—yeah," Mako replied honestly.

"What about all that stuff you've said about Korra? How you love her and everything?" Tahno questioned him. "Wouldn't sex kind of contradict all you've been claiming?"

"I do love her—and none of it—whatever we could end up doing together will change that fact," Mako stated. "I just—really can't stand to be alone right now. I don't exactly want to ask Bolin about sharing a room—it'd be too awkward for the both of us at this age, and...I guess—I thought that might be what you'd demand to agree to go through with keeping me up in your room for the night."

"For the old me, those probably would've been my terms. The old me would've taken you up on that offer in a heartbeat and gotten aggressive with you as soon we hit the mattress," Tahno couldn't look the firebender's way as he continued talking. "After all the shit I've been through though—I'm not exactly the old me anymore, now am I? That damn experience practically turned me off to something I used to enjoy. Unlike the old me, the current me doesn't have the same kind of sexual desires the old me had. Hell—even with Ming...I had a hard time going there after the fact. I had a hard time...getting physical with him. I—after the fact—could only tolerate doing it one time with him."

"Why didn't you ever tell me about that?" Ming's voice echoed in the ex-bender's ear. "I would've understood, man. I know how traumatizing that whole ordeal was for you."

Tahno ignored him. He managed to turn his gaze in Mako's direction, icy blues catching shadowed honey-auburn hued irises under the ivory moon. "So—I don't know how I should respond to your request, Mako."

"I'd completely understand if you didn't want to make it about sex," Mako replied. "I...actually prefer it that way myself. I...I've never had sex with another guy, and...because of Korra—it's probably better if I kept it that way. If-if you're comfortable enough with it though—would you be okay with close, physical contact if it was just me lying beside you?"

"Take him up on the offer," Tahno heard Ming whisper in his ear. "His presence will keep away all the spirits who wanna bug you at night—and it'll help you get some sleep in the process. The wear from the past few nights—hell, the past few weeks—from a lack of sleep are starting to show on your face."

If it weren't for his fear of intimacy—or the constant reminder that the firebender was currently committed to the Avatar—he would've taken Mako up on his initial offer. But—that being the case, he was willing to settle with agreeing to what Ming was suggesting—taking what Mako was currently offering. In his mind, considering all those facts, in the end—it was probably better that way, he reasoned.

"If you can promise to keep yourself from being too touchy-feely through the night, I guess I could handle it," Tahno managed to reply.

"I'll be careful," Mako assured him. "Were you planning to continue your consultation with the Moon Spirit, or are you ready to head in for the night?"

"I think I'm done for the night," Tahno replied, glancing quickly at the perfect ivory oval hanging on the inky canvas that was the night sky. "Let's call it a night. I'm tired, and besides—your presence might help me get some better shuteye then I would without you around."

"Is...that your reason for accepting my offer?" Mako asked him.

"Yeah," Tahno responded. "Your presence might keep some pesky spirits at bay, so I can get some decent sleep. After you left last night...I—got bombarded by several other spirits other than your deceased father. Didn't sleep well because of it."

"Whatever works for you," Mako stated noncommittally.

"Hey, Mako—before we check in for the night, I—need to say something," Tahno said.

Mako stopped in midstride. "Yeah?"

"I just...if we're gonna share a bed, you're gonna need to know I'm not angry at you anymore—just so you know," Tahno told him.

Even in the dark, the ex-bender could see the smile that crossed Mako's face. "Are you coming or what?"

"Yeah." Before fast-pacing it to catch up with the firebender, Tahno took one last look up at the moon, wondering 'what did you want to tell me?'

Neither spoke as they made their way towards their quarters, and they spoke little while they got themselves situated for the night. The ex-bender laid on his side, listening to the firebender's soft breathing as he tried to get to sleep himself. Eventually, he did, and it was an uneventful and pleasant slumber.

XoXoX

Another week passed, and then another. There was no news of Korra's whereabouts, or the status of her mission with the spirits in the Spirit World.

Over those two weeks, Mako kept busy chasing down the Triads and arresting the perpetrators when he brought them down, Bolin was occupied trying to get his new Fire Ferret teammates in tip top shape for the upcoming tournament, and Asami kept room open in her daily schedule to get in her training sessions with Tahno while also keeping busy with Future Industries.

Besides that, Tahno had been keeping up with his one-on-one meditation sessions with Tenzin, getting something beneficial out of the lessons when it came to dealing with his daily exposure to the spirits and tempering him out some as well. He had infrequent encounters with the previous Avatar's departed friends—A session of criticisms directed his way from Toph while he and Asami were duking it out in the training arena, and a few instances where Avatar Aang's brother-in-law Sokka popped in to make a few quick quips and some very bad jokes. There was nothing from the previous Avatar himself however, although Tahno wasn't really expecting there to be.

When Mako had some free time from his work schedule and Tahno from his training sessions—they both hung out together around the island. Most of the time they would end up somewhere near the water of Yue Bay, sitting on the beach or a convenient outcropping and looking out at the city or sea, or occasionally walking in the water itself. Unbeknownst to Tahno, the exposure to the water was therapeutic for him; bringing him to be more at ease around the element he currently had no control over.

While they hung out, Tahno let Mako rant anytime he had an overbearing, mentally and physically taxing day on the job, and Mako lent his ear and some occasional advice anytime Tahno had gripes over numerous visits from various annoying spirits. Outside the daily gripes or rants, they talked about mundane things and the occasional personal facts.

Mako occasionally would ask the ex-bender if he had heard anything from or about Korra. Tahno would answer with the same response: no. She either was thankfully still alive, or her spirit was forever trapped in the Spirit World. Mako wouldn't come out and blatantly say it, but Tahno suspected Mako thought something might have happened to Korra that he might've heard about—something bad. But fortunately—or unfortunately depending on how it was perceived—Tahno heard nary a thing about Korra.

At night, the two of them had kept up intervals of sharing Tahno's room and Mako settling into his own for the night. After a few nights, the ex-bender began to suspect that the reason behind why the firebender had proposed the arrangement in the first place was because Mako got the feeling that Korra might have died, and that she would eventually come to visit the ex-bender. Tahno never got that lucky—or, in his mind, unlucky—enough to run into the young Avatar's spirit, and it kept Mako holding on to a string of hope that she was still alive.

As time passed, Tahno had grown more comfortable in the firebender's presence, and Mako was coming to appreciate the ex-bender's company more and more. Neither would have predicted it at all in the beginning, but the two had formed an unexpected friendship with one another. Tahno hadn't known it consciously, but he'd needed somebody to relate to while he was on the island, and Mako needed another friend in his life—considering he didn't have too many solid friendships outside his brother, his two current and former romantic relationships, and those he'd formed at his current profession. It was kind of nice for the firebender to have somebody closer to his own age to relate more to that wasn't family, a girlfriend or something job-related.

XoXoX

"You've really improved," Asami commented as she reached for a towel to wipe her face off with. Her usually well-kept hair was pulled back and sweat entrenched, and she was lightly panting.

"You make it easy to learn the moves, babe," Tahno replied, grinning. He too reached for a towel to wipe off with while catching his own breath. Sweat ran down his face and neck in rivulets, his drenched dark locks sticking to the side of his face.

"Keep it up, and you'll be an expert in no time," Asami told him. "I'm going to go fetch something to drink. Need something while I'm running?"

"Some water would be great," Tahno replied.

"You're not going to avoid it because you can't bend it?" Asami joked. He gave her a crooked grin.

"Someday soon, I'll be back to doing that—so why should I shy away from something I've got a natural affinity for?" Tahno replied lightheartedly. She laughed.

"I'll be right back with your water, pretty boy," Asami told him, heading off. In the meantime, he took to doing some stretching. He'd twisted something during one particular move, and now was his chance to unknot it.

"Soon, somebody's going to approach you two with some news that's going to leave Miss Sato rather...unsettled." Tahno did an instant one-eighty when he heard the vaguely familiar voice speak up.

He came face to face with a man who was obviously of water tribe descent—which one, he didn't know. The man's face placed him in his mid-thirties to forties, his attire placed him as a high-ranking individual of some order. The man's dark, long hair was pulled back behind his head in three segments, and ran well past his shoulders.

"Should I know who you are?" Tahno questioned the water tribe spirit, eying him particularly. "Something about you seems, I don't know...familiar."

"Councilman Tarrlok," The specter informed him impatiently. "You should know me; I used to be on the city council before my brother tore it apart during his campaign."

"Brother?" Tahno stared at him blankly, making a startling realization. "Wait—are you saying that crazy maniac calling himself Amon, the one who stole my bending—he's your brother?"

"He's now dead," Tarrlok assured him. "As I'm sure by now you've also noticed that I am as well."

"That's a relief at least," Tahno stated, an instant later retracting that thought. "On second thought—maybe not such a good thing. If you can come around and bug me...there's a strong chance that he might—" he shuddered. "I don't even want to think about that."

"Let's get back to the topic at hand," Tarrlok insisted impatiently. "There was a break-in at the high security prison recently, and—" Before the councilman's apparition could finish his thought verbally, the sound of footsteps approaching could be heard. A moment later, Asami was standing there, two glasses of water in hand.

"Your water," Asami handed one glass over to him. He hesitated to take it, in a seeming daze. "Hey, Tahno—are you there? Hello?" He snapped out of his trance and grabbed for the glass.

"Thanks," Tahno replied simply.

"Did you have a spirit visit you while I was gone?" Asami asked him. "The look in your eyes suggests that you saw a ghost."

"Huh? Yeah—ex-Councilman Tarrlok paid me an unexpected visit," Tahno replied, still sounding half-dazed.

"Ex-Councilman Tarrlok's—dead?" Asami looked perplexed. "From what I'd heard, he just disappeared. There was never mention of a body turning up."

"Yeah—the guy confirmed it for me," Tahno told her. "Did you know that he and Amon were brothers?"

"Korra told me about it after the invasion. She found out during a confrontation with Tarrlok that she had before she dealt with Amon," Asami informed him.

"Well—Tarrlok confirmed that Amon's also dead. I'm not sure if I'm relieved by that fact, or feel dread over it," Tahno told her. He recalled again that the ex-Councilman's spirit had come to him with a purpose. "Oh, yeah—Tarrlok was saying something about somebody approaching us with news about a prison break-in, and that something about that fact will leave you unsettled."

"Huh, I wonder what the ex-Councilman could mean by that—" Asami's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. The two looked up and over in the direction they were originating, seeing that it was Tenzin and Mako, and both looked serious.

"Hey—something up?" Tahno shouted while they grew closer.

"Yes—startling news just reached my attention," Tenzin replied. "Do you think we could take this indoors? I believe Miss Sato is going to need to be seated before I inform you both of what's happened."

"Whatever makes you more comfortable, Tenzin," Asami said.

They made their way towards the more private residence of the airbender and his family, gathering around the main living space before addressing the matter at hand.

"What'd you drag us in here to tell us?" Tahno got right to the point.

Mako stepped up. "Somehow, someone has managed a prison break," he began saying, glancing over at Asami in particular before he continued. "—And...in the process...Hiroshi Sato escaped."

"My father..." Asami's green irises looked small against the whites of her shocked, wide-eyed stare. She immediately plopped into the chair she luckily happened to be conveniently standing in front of beforehand. "When? Did they get a reason why? Anything on what he's planning to do now that he's a fugitive?"

"The officials that reported this to me didn't have much information," Tenzin told her gravely. "They mentioned that he had been babbling to himself incoherently for the past couple months, but they couldn't make any sense out of his gibberish. They just figured he was going crazy during his confinement until the jail-break."

"He doesn't hope to take the business away from me, I hope," Asami's voice was shaky.

"Asami—we're going to keep officials posted around Future Industries at all times, and have everyone be on the lookout for Hiroshi to make sure that he doesn't manage a hostile takeover," Mako assured her. "My superior assured me that he was going to make it a top priority to be on the lookout for Hiroshi. In fact, the whole city's abuzz with the news. Hiroshi's a wanted man—and everyone's very aware of the reason why."

"That makes me feel somewhat better, at least," Asami replied.

"If you ever feel your safety is in question, you're more than welcome to come stay on Air Temple Island, Miss Sato," Tenzin informed her. "Your old quarters are still set up if you ever feel you need them."

"I really appreciate that," Asami told him gratefully. "For the time being, I'll try to stay put in my home and deal with things as they come. I've got to keep Future Industries up and running, and I can't hide from my responsibilities, even if my father's a possible looming threat. I took self-defense lessons for a reason—although I never believed I'd have to possibly use them against my own father."

"Asami, would you be up to heading out to eat somewhere on your way home?" Mako asked her. "I'm going to personally escort you so you don't make the trip home alone, and thought I'd offer."

"Do you mean just you and me Mako?" Asami asked him. "I don't think right now's a good time to rekindle what's already been lost between us."

"I was thinking that Tahno could go with us," Mako told her. "He's been cooped up on this island for a while, and it might be a good idea for him to get off this island for a while and enjoy some mainland activities."

"If Rahno's coming along—I'll be more than happy to go with," Asami smiled sweetly in the ex-bender's direction.

"I guess I'll go with to keep the peace," Tahno gave in. "I warn you though—no ex-lovers spats. I don't really need to hear it from the two of you."

"The ferry will be coming in shortly, so you three should probably head out if you're planning to," Tenzin spoke up. "I'll speak with the council and Lin about gathering more info on Hiroshi's motives and whereabouts, so take this time to enjoy yourselves. If Hiroshi intends to cause some major damage, you might not have time to do it later."

"Should we invite Bolin?" Asami suggested.

"He's busy at the arena training the new Fire Ferrets," Mako told her. "But I'll invite him along if we run into him."

"Let's get going if we're going to do this," Tahno spoke up impatiently. The other two looked at him amusingly.

"Anxious for a chance to bolt for it once we reach shore, eh?" Mako asked him, half jesting.

"No—I'm just getting bored standing around here making small talk like this," Tahno responded a little irritably.

"Let's get going then," Mako replied, stifling a grin. "The hour's getting late, and we don't know how much longer we're going to have before something comes along and interrupts our plans."

XoXoX

Once they reached the opposite shore, Asami had the three of them picked up by her chauffer. Once the three were shown in to her residence, it was at her insistence—more a requirement of hers really—that the two boys take the time to bathe and clean up before they left the grounds of her estate. Asami hung around especially close to Tahno while he was cleaning up, much to his chagrin.

"It's about time we did something with that hair," Asami told him. "You used to put so much pride into its appearance, but you've let it go dull and lifeless. I've got a few useful techniques that could help you give it back that former bounce."

"I relied on my bending to give it that bounce—what could you possibly show me that's conventional that'll work the same way?" Tahno exclaimed. She rested her hands on her hips and gave him a particular look.

"Excuse me—haven't you ever noticed the bounce in my hair when I toss it around, pretty boy?" Asami shook her head. "I know what your hair needs—and it won't require an iota of waterbending to achieve the same effects."

She personally tackled his grooming—hair and all, not trusting anyone—including the ex-bender—to handle it. This was her mission, and—in spirits name—she was going to make it right. The only thing she allowed him was his actual shower time and getting dressed on his own with some privacy—which she allowed him only after he threatened to walk out the door if she dare stay there watching him while he changed.

Mako came out of it looking like a cleaner version of his usual self. He waited around while the other two tackled whatever problem they happened to be busy with. He couldn't even conjure what could be taking them so long in his mind, but he was getting a little impatient.

"If it's even for just one night—I'd like you to look and feel like your old self." Mako heard Asami's voice echoing off the walls, originating from somewhere down the hall.

"You didn't have to go to the length of also adding the eyeliner! The hair was enough!" He heard Tahno shouting back at her. Mako raised an eyebrow.

"You have nice, dark lashes that only needed to be accentuated a little bit to bring it close to the original look," Asami argued.

"Maybe I didn't want to bring that much of the original look back!" Tahno shot back. Mako watched as the two finally emerged, making their way down the staircase from the second story.

It was like the rewind button on time had been hit. From Mako's perspective, the ex-bender's hair was just like he remembered it before he let it go after Amon's attack on him and his teammates. The illumination from nearby artificial lighting gave it a glossy sheen, and the waves of his longish dark locks had volume and bounce to them. The former waterbender also had his pale, ice hued eyes intensified with a dark lining around the borders. Asami had even managed to garb him in attire strikingly similar to what he used to wear. The only thing that threw off the look from being the original was Tahno's perturbed expression.

"You look like your old self," Mako commented as the other two finally closed the space between them. Tahno rolled his eyes and pursed his lips.

"Let's just get going," Tahno remarked irritably. "I'm hungry, and it's been a while since I've been in the city."

"Okay, pretty boy—let me call my chauffer and we'll be on our way," Asami told him, her tone mildly playful. She looked to Mako quickly, and winked at him.

The firebender was clueless as to what the expression meant.

XoXoX

Mako settled on something familiar, insisting on the chauffer dropping them off in front of Narook's Noodle Shop. He knew Tahno was familiar with the establishment, and there wasn't much about the place for Asami to complain about—besides it being out of her expected element. The place was pretty quiet, the hour too early for the usual primetime crowd. The trio found a table to sit at easily, and their orders were taken before they had a chance to breathe.

As the server walked off, Asami smiled and pulled her wallet from the lining of her jacket. "Don't worry boys—dinner's on me."

"You don't have to do that, Asami," Mako protested. She shook her head.

"It's for watching my back while my father's on the loose," Asami replied. "And I've got more than enough to cover it."

"Hey Tahno—haven't seen you around for a while," a causal male passerby commented as he did a double take before stopping at their table. "Did'ja get your bending back? Your hair's looking just like it used to."

"No—I didn't get my bending back," Tahno replied through clenched teeth. "It's called product. Nonbenders use it to give their hair that...extra volume."

"Whatever you've done—it's nice to see you back to your old self," The guy commented. "It's too bad about the bending though. Tournament's just getting started, and you were quite something up there."

"Even if I had it back—I wouldn't go back to that life," Tahno replied, relaxing his agitation somewhat. "Besides, it kinda requires a full team, and Ming's not around to fill that slot."

"I heard about his death," the guy replied sympathetically. "I'm sorry to hear about it."

"Yeah—I was too," Tahno stated.

"Gotta go—the girlfriend's calling," the guy stated. "Glad to see you're still around Tahno! After hearing that you'd committed suicide, I thought you were really gone!" He waved before he took off.

"Friend?" Mako inquired.

"An old Wolfbats fanboy," Tahno replied. "I guess there's still a few of those around."

"See? The product works," Asami stated rather proudly. The ex-bender just rolled his eyes in response.

About ten minutes later their orders were served. The trio made small talk, but mostly stuck to eating their food without choking it down, figurative or literally speaking. When they were done, Asami handled the tab like she promised. By the time the three of them were back to walking the streets of Republic City, the sun was setting.

"My driver should be here soon. Did you guys want a ride back to the water, or were you planning on walking?" Asami asked them.

"I'd like to stop by my old apartment—see if my stuff's still there," Tahno spoke before Mako could get his voice in. "I'd prefer to make the trek by foot. Are you gonna go with pretty Miss Sato, Mako—or are you coming with me?"

"Sorry, Asami—I guess I'm gonna have to call it a night," Mako told her sincerely. "Wherever you're going, Tahno—I'm coming with."

"I guess I'll see you two tomorrow then," Asami said, smiling. Her chauffer pulled up to the curb beside them just then, the driver propping the door open for her to get in. "Later, boys—and be careful out there. The city's kind of dangerous when the sun goes down."

"I'm well aware of that fact, Asami," Mako replied, cracking a grin. "Goodnight Asami, and have a safe trip back home."

"Yeah, see ya—babe," Tahno added before she closed the door. She waved to show she acknowledged it, and the two watched as the Satomobile pulled away from the curb and headed on its way.

"So—which way to your apartment?" Mako asked him when the two were alone.

"I'll lead the way, Fireboy, so just follow me—and you won't get lost," Tahno lightly teased him. Mako got that the ex-bender was just playing with him, and smiled in response.

"Lead the way then, pretty boy," Mako served it back to the ex-bender. Tahno stared at him blankly for a moment, and then burst out laughing.