"Why are you so smiley today?" Tahno smirked at the question.

"What do you mean?" Korra rolled her eyes at this.

"You've had this weird grin on your face all day. It's starting to creep me out."

"Did it ever occur to you that I might just be having a really good day?" Korra studied the man beside her before shaking her head.

"Nope. That's not it. There's something you're not telling me." Tahno tilted his head to the side and grinned.

"I can assure you that I have no clue what you're talking about." Korra raised a suspicious brow but said nothing as they made their way through the streets of Republic City. They didn't really have a destination in mind but Korra was getting hungry, as her stomach growled for the third time. Tahno shook his head.

"Tell your stomach that we're almost to Narook's," the ex-Bender said with a teasing grin. Korra grumbled at him but didn't retort. Once at the restaurant they took the seat next to the window, the same one Korra and Bolin had sat at during their 'date'.

The waitress came around, gave them their menus and took their drink orders. They both ordered water. "So seriously, what's with you today?" Korra persisted.

Tahno heaved a dramatic sigh, leaning his head against his hand. "I still don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about, Avatar," he sighed. Though the gleam in his eye told a different story.

The Waterbender crossed her arms over her chest and pouted while leaning back against her seat. If Tahno was being honest with himself, the sight was sort of adorable...in a childish way. "Just tell me."

"There's nothing to tell."

"Liar."

"Have we really resorted to name-calling?" Korra threw her arms up in defeat.

"Fine. Don't tell me," she huffed, the pout still present. That's when the waitress came back with their drinks. Korra ordered the noodles while Tahno went for the grilled gator. With that, the waitress left once again.

Korra noticed that Tahno was starting to look himself again. His clothes didn't swallow him anymore and they actually looked clean, his hair wasn't lifeless but it didn't have as much volume as it used to, which she thought was fine. And his skin didn't seem to stretch itself taunt across his face anymore. He was slowly recovering from the incident that had happened almost… Had it really already been a month? Yes. Yes it had.

"Grilled gator?" she asked.

"I must be feeling a little homesick. But this place does have some prime gator. Plus, I haven't had any in a while," he replied with a shrug, taking a sip of his drink.

"How long has it been since you've been home?"

"Almost seven years." Seven years. Tahno silently wondered where all the time had gone. He'd convinced himself he didn't miss the swamp. Convinced himself that he was above wallowing in the muck and hunting for his dinner. The old Tahno had often scoffed at the idea of ever going back. He'd even denied that part of his past when asked where he was from.

But after Amon had taken his Bending and his friends had scattered, he didn't see the point in lying about it. No one would care where he was from now that he was no longer the beloved and hated Pro-Bending champ. Now that he was worthless.

Korra had officially been the first he'd told about his heritage.

Their food finally came and Korra quickly dug into her noodles, slurping and displaying once again her lack of table manners. Tahno simply chuckled at her and took a bite of his gator. Not bad, he thought. Tasted almost as good as the kind his mother had made for him. Almost.

"Wanna bite?" he asked, pushing his plate closer to the girl. Korra swallowed her noodles and looked at the grilled pieces of meat.

"What's it taste like?"

"Try it and find out." Korra sighed and popped a piece into her mouth. Tahno watched as she chewed and swallowed, a contemplative look on her face. "So?" Korra didn't respond, she simply took another piece off his plate. Tahno chuckled. "I take it you liked it." Korra nodded vigorously as she chewed the meat.

"It tastes sort of like…fish…but not," she replied, still chewing. Tahno rolled his eyes at this.

"You should try some actual swamp gator. It's rather good." The Avatar smiled then a thought occurred to her.

"If you miss home so much, why don't you go back. The swamp can't be too far from here right?" Tahno shrugged.

"It's about a day's journey east of here. I just haven't found the time."

"Well, you have plenty of time now." Tahno pursed his lips thoughtfully

"I'll make you a deal, Avatar. When you find time to visit your family, I'll find time to visit mine." Korra sighed, knowing it would be a long while before either of those things happened.

"Where'd you learn to fight like that, by the way?" she asked, taking a gulp of her water and changing the subject while she was at it.

"I wouldn't exactly call what I did fighting," he replied. "It was more like just dodging and pushing away. I'm not quite sure how I'd fair against an actual Bender in a match."

"Yeah but, I mean, you managed to pin me. That's got to count for something." Tahno smirked at the memory. "Which you still owe me twenty Yuans, if I recall correctly." Tahno scoffed at her smug look.

"The match was already over when you pinned me," he said. "We've been over this."

"Whatever helps nurse you ego, Pretty Boy." But the smug smile didn't leave her face.

"My ego doesn't need any nursing. It's yours that concerns me." She stuck her tongue out at this.

"So do you think you can teach me some moves then?" she asked.

"So I take it that you're finally going to take me up on those private lessons?" he asked with a suggestive smirk. Korra rolled her eyes.

"I'm talking about those moves you pulled on the island. Don't go getting any ideas," she clarified.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Sweetheart," he drawled.

*** "So I'll meet you in the park around noon?" he asked once they'd reached the docks. Korra nodded.

"Sounds good. See you tomorrow," she called over her shoulder with a wave as she walked down the dock to the ferry.

"It's a date," he replied with a dismissive wave over his shoulder as he turned to leave. He smirked to himself when he heard the girl's heavy footsteps falter slightly before regaining their normal pace.

*** Korra fell backwards onto the ground as Tahno deflected another one of her attacks. "Need to try a different approach, Sweetheart." Korra grumbled some incoherent words at the ex-Bender. Tahno walked over to her and helped her up. "Show me your stance again." Korra sunk into her ready stance like she was told. Tahno shook his head as he circled around her like a buzzard-wasp.

Korra felt his hand on her shoulder. "You've got to loosen up. Relax your posture. You need to be ready to move at a seconds notice," he said, his breath tickling her ear. He released his grip on her and circled around to where she could see him. "It's all about reading your opponents, getting inside their heads. You have to read the signs to know what their next moves are and use that against them, like so."

Korra dodged the kick he sent her way, before sidestepping the round of punches. However, she didn't notice the roundhouse kick that connected with her back. He caught her hand before she could fall forward and chuckled. "Here's another hint. It's a lot like Airbending." This struck Korra's interest as she straightened back up. "Dodging, evading. Even using your opponents own energy against them. I figured you'd know this, Avatar."

"Where'd you learn Airbending based moves?" Tahno smirked.

"Watching you practice has its advantages. One of them being that I can study another fighting technique that really doesn't include much Bending at all. Just add a few martial arts moves to it and voila."

"And the other advantages?" Tahno's grin widened.

"Again?" he replied, relaxing his posture. Korra nodded.

Tahno sent a flurry of attacks her way. Kicking and punching, which she dodged. She back flipped away before coming back with a roundhouse kick of her own. Tahno ducked and tried to land a blow to her stomach but she sidestepped out of the way then ducked the kick he sent towards her head. Korra pivoted on her feet and grabbed his punch he threw her way. She smirked. But then the little snake swept her feet out from under her. She immediately got back on her feet.

"Rule one: Don't let your guard down." The Nonbender smiled smugly before another round of attacks were traded. They each dodged and weaved, all while trying to land a blow on the other. A small crowd actually started to gather around as the two sparred; some even took bets on who they thought would win. Korra was the popular vote.

Eventually though, it was Tahno who pinned Korra. Again. They both were breathing hard, their faces drenched in sweat making their hair stick to their foreheads. "Not bad, Avatar," panted Tahno. "You're improving." He stood up and offered her a hand, regaining his relaxed composure instantly.

"Thanks." There was a slight grumble from the crowd as people handed over their money.

*** Korra and Tahno made their way back onto Air Temple Island sometime later, Tahno smirking the entire time. Korra groaned.

"You're doing it again," she complained.

"Doing what?"

"Doing that weird creepy smiley thing!"

"Really? I hadn't noticed," he said as they entered the main house.

"What is up with you lately?" she asked as they walked toward the kitchen.

"Nothing," he said. Korra opened the kitchen door, sending a glare at him.

"I swear if you don't tell me-" She stopped mid sentence when she saw who was in the room. Tenzin and Pema, of course. Along with the rest of her circle of friends and family. But the one person she didn't expect to see was-

"Master Katara!" The old Waterbender smiled as Korra practically crushed her in a hug.

"Easy Korra. I am an old woman after all," she laughed. Tahno leaned his shoulder against a nearby wall, watching the exchange between the two Waterbenders.

"What are you doing here?" Korra asked, a smile threatening to rip her face in half.

"Well Tenzin sent me a letter saying that you were missing us. He also told me about the things that have been happening here in Republic City. So I figured I'd drop by and see how you were doing for myself," she replied. Korra looked over at her Airbending teacher.

He nodded. "Yes, but it wasn't my idea. Your friend there," he started, gesturing to Tahno. "He's the one who brought it to my attention." Korra looked back over at the taller boy, who was still leaning against the wall, a slight smirk on his face as he shrugged.

"It isn't that big of a deal." Korra raised a brow.

"Are you kidding me? This is amazing!" Before the ex-Pro-Bender could retort Korra had enveloped him in a hug. "Thank you!" Tahno stiffened and looked surprised for a slight second before returning the embrace, albeit a bit unsurely. He certainly hadn't expected this big of a reaction from the Waterbender.

"You're welcome," he replied, his usual smirk returning to his face.

***** Personally I think it could have been better but I'm in too good of a mood to care. I liked it. Keeping Tahno in character is hard. Especially when all we have to work with for his new self is a minute worth of conversation...but that's where we get to bend the rules. Hehe.

You guys know what to do.

BG out! Peace!