Arrogance - Chapter 2
Pairing:
A Tahnorrlok Fanfiction, with side Borra and Masami
Rating: K+
Summary: Tahno's been registered for the Task Force, Korra is not amused. Tarrlok does not let her see the light of day, no time for probending, no time for goofing off. Why is she constantly entertained by two arrogant men? - Episode 4 AU.
Nightfall has arrived. The uniform steps of hard-at-work Task Force members follow the indications of Councilman, Chief and betting subject, Tarrlok. He signals a halt, earthbenders in position on every corner and possible escape of the Moonfog Tea House. With a close of his fist, the members summon a wall of stone to barricade the building.
Tarrlok crouches his way to a point in the wall he can feel movement, the fluid within humans at the control of his fingertips. He considers bloodbending the consciousness out of anyone on the top level secretly, but dotes on the notion when he senses unconscious victims. He confirms with calls for the special team consisting of firebenders and waterbenders to come to his aid. One of the earthbenders opens a doorway in the wall under control as the firebenders intrude; elbows at their sides, fingers ignite, prepared for a quick counter.
The Chief watches the last of the waterbenders enter before he signals the attention of Tahno and Korra in the team Ute. They pad their way over, placed up against the wall, waiting for Tarrlok's instruction to continue.
Korra exhales nervously, although on-duty, her recount of yesterday's events did not sail smoothly with her. Her gaze falls slightly on Tarrlok beside her as she can't help but ponder how he keeps such composure, even in a situation of danger, Korra can't get the harassing questions, and Tarrlok's growl out of her mind. She pushes her thoughts away temporarily for the sake of the mission, Tarrlok has called them to enter and be vigilant of their surroundings in the dimly lit building.
Firebenders providing a source of light, they scout the perimeter. An average teahouse, that was once a warehouse several years back radiates suspicions. Korra and Tahno notice the unconscious bodies by the counter, Tarrlok is quick to percept, analyse and come to a conclusion. He notices the knocked chairs, ruckus at the counter post and scorched walls. Someone had arrived and fled before they had. His attention flicks to Korra.
"Tarrlok, it looks like nothing but the remains of a gang war," she observes, lowering her guard slightly, "not Equalist business."
The surveyor lowers his head in disapproval at her stealth. This was a raid, her tone was too casual, "Korra, this is enemy territory." Korra snarls stubbornly and turns her attention back to the unconscious. The bodies have peeked her interest, no one was able to escape the earth barricade, no one was able to enter, but here these bodies lied, still and fresh.
Tarrlok attends to them first, a political facade appearing, "We continue investigating," he instructs pacing his way behind the counter. He crouches beside the unconscious bodies, a tang of guilt for even considering bloodbending the victims crosses his face, shown in the furrow of his eyebrows, and clenched jaw. Tarrlok presses, his bureaucratic bravado surging, "Gang wars, or Equalists, whatever to prevent harm against citizens, we will protect."
"The bodies don't even look touched. They're not-"Korra inquires, a hand fighting between reaching out and attempting to return life and retreating, to be kept away from the imaginary chilling touch of a dead body. "Dead are they?"
"Pale, unadulterated skin, white gums, and cold finger tips," Tarrlok observes insipidly, his hand places the victim's gently by its side, he concludes mundanely, "no apparent pulse."
A piece of Korra shatters, death was normal; the disentranced tone Tarrlok informed with elevated the commonality. "No-" she gasps and relies strongly on hope, "There's still something we can do. We're waterbenders. We can heal. I've studied and learned." She takes a gallant step forward, and Tarrlok feels powerless. His face is reserved as she continues; choking on her words, "Just-just don't say those words."
Tarrlok is forced to think over his words, Korra's power to sway him succeeds. He attempts a nonchalant approach, not wanting the gist of Korra's anguish on him, attempting to soothe her frustrations in front of the Task Force members - to be humiliated once again, he did not want, "I assume they've been poisoned or bloodbent into-unconsciousness."
"If they're unconscious, I'll heal them." Korra scurries to Tarrlok's side, addressing the male victim before her. His frigid fingers send a chilling sensation through Korra as she attempts to locate his pulse, the crippled hand in her grasp drops to the floor when fury overrides her emotions, she can't find an active pulse, "This is sick." Her fist clenches purposely numbing the ill feeling growing within, "Whoever did this, I will make them pay. Bender or non-bender," Korra's mouth draws into a thin line. Her shoulders are heaving; Tarrlok places a warm welcome hand on her shoulder and pushes his body upright.
He looks down with a stern face, a face that has experienced and killed people in the past. A face that suggests death is inescapable and what shapes a person in the end. He knew for sure, what death could do to a person.
Korra jumps when Tarrlok's warmth has disappeared, she looks up and inhales his disbelieving face. His sympathy discourages her, she feels unfulfilled. She thinks it over, worrying over two individuals she has never met, never even knew about until ten minutes ago-is pathetic. If Tarrlok can hold his ground, not be swayed so easily by emotion and death, then why can't she? It wasn't fair, to be brought to self-confliction and misery in front of so many people. But-but she can't help it, it leads her to having extreme thoughts. Thoughts of being an unsuccessful Avatar, thoughts of being thought of as a failure-just how many forced deaths had gone unnoticed since she arrived...
"I can't believe I can't do anything to heal them," she speaks in short breaths, "I learnt from the greatest," Korra looks at her hands bitterly, "and I can't even use it to save people's lives."
"You're being blinded by misery," Tarrlok notifies Korra, he bends down on one knee and addresses her insecurities once again, this time out of honesty and not arrogance. One hand falls on her head caringly, "Have you studied the heart before Korra?"
Korra half-heartedly nods, "I was good with the practical stuff. If I needed to heal someone back at the compound, I was told what to do and accomplished it."
"Life can be returned," he murmurs smiling. Her eyes water, "Just have patience."
"Heh, I'm so stupid," Korra confesses chuckling sadistically, rubbing her face harshly with the back of her hand, "Everyone's watching, probably thinking what a cry-baby."
"Do you remember any of your heart practicals?" Tarrlok asks.
"I've monitored a few heart palpitations, but never attempted to restart one."
"Don't fret over anything," Tahno steps in, Korra pouts over the disheartening tone, and he bends his knees by the male victim. Fire and waterbenders are avidly watching the scene unravel, watching the judgement and discussion between life and death. The current raid is on temporary hold, with the assumption that whoever, Triads or Equalists, were here would have fled the neighbourhood by now. Korra scorns Tahno for his interruption of the feel-good moment, even if it was Tarrlok helping her through her gloom.
"This is the work of the Equalists," Tahno states smugly. His attitude propels Korra to cross her arms defensively, not interrupting knowing though he has more to say, "I've been on the streets, and the Triad's dexterity is not the best. I know kids who can do a better job stealing a cookie without leaving crumbs of evidence."
"Nice perception Tahno," Tarrlok praises, picking up momentum and moving to take a closer look at the female victim, "But what would your counter be if the victims were not poisoned. The centre of the body is still relatively warm, meaning the blood has been short circuited, not interjected with a poison."
A hand rises to Tahno's chin, contemplating, "I'd have to say then the only possibility, is bloodbenders then."
"How in the world?!"- Korra through a dislike for Tahno shoots rather abruptly, more spiteful than she imagined. "What I mean to say is - how is, that possible?" She adjusts her tone, lowering significantly and sounding proper, "Bloodbending has been forbidden for years."
"There is a full moon tonight, the Red Monsoons may have stumbled on a new little trick," Tarrlok scratches the surface of what is to arrive. There is a definite pause for thought. Tahno sighs dramatically, his movement disturbs Korra.
"You know we can decide the cause later. Right now, there's lives at stake," Korra sees promise, a confident smirk ruling her face, remembering Tarrlok's words and Tenzin's spiritual advice. She looks over at Tahno, putting aside her despise temporarily, "Tahno it looked like you were about to mention something about the bodies before I interrupted..."
Tahno is inspecting the unconscious bodies, picking up on the symptoms Tarrlok announced earlier. His recounts of the training with the swampbenders at home allow him to naturally sense the flow of fluid in their bodies, the blood. His body runs numb when he finds the veins have been tampered to cut off haemoglobin supply to the brain, sending the victims into a deep sleep.
His mind contemplates where someone could have learned or grasped such an evil ability in Republic City. He had been tempted in the past to learn it through stories, but the elders of the swamp had informed him of its immorality. That no one should control another life, and how he would feel if fallen in the situation, put in the shoes of a restricted victim. After experimenting alone, the death of his friend's bearded cat was enough to send him in to shock for a good week as a child, not waterbending for the reason of not wanting to accidentally hurt someone. After impatient and loud breathing on Korra's behalf, Tahno registers the situation.
"They've definitely been bloodbent," the faint taste of copper on his tongue as his jaw clenches at the word.
"Bloodbent?" Korra inquires, kneeling over the victim for a closer analysis, when her scan doesn't bring results she draws back and questions further, "How can you tell?"
"Through waterbending you can sense the paths of the body. It's an advanced technique of waterbending I learnt before moving to Republic City," he explains, avoiding the truth about his past life, coming from the swamp was not respectable for a Pro-bending champion like him he believed. Tahno sugar-coats his past, bypassing Korra's suspicions on a bare minimum of facts, he continues when he clarifies that Korra is more interested in the bodies than his secret, "The blood flow was cut off at the carotid artery on this man. I can only assume the same for the woman,"
"And that means..."
"I thought you said you studied this-"
"Just hurry and explain!"
Tahno responds irritatingly, "There isn't enough juice being pumped to feed the brain. Without a brain to process things, the heart is left pumping for a short time."
Tarrlok exclaims excitingly, "That explains why the chest is radiating heat!"
"And why the fingers are cold!" Korra amusingly mocks, shiftily covering her lack of knowledge. She can feel Tarrlok's eyes narrow and poke arrows into her back.
"Anywho," Tahno rolls his eyes like he is teaching two children, "It only becomes fatal if they are left nimble for too long. If we can act like a temporary brain and command the heart to pump blood to the brain, then they should return to consciousness."
"I'm speechless... Korra stares in awe. Tahno smirks, as he flicks his fringe in her face to irritate her.
"That I can be of service," Tahno smugly comments, "You should learn not to judge on appearances."
Tarrlok snorts arrogantly. And Korra shrugs his shoulder away, she addresses, "Stop getting so sidetracked. Can you activate the heart or not?"
"With your analysis, it's a task that can easily be done by waterbending the fluid around the heart," the Councilman interjects, approving of Tahno's intelligence, "Forcefully performing chest compressions doesn't provide the precision waterbending would."
Tahno nods in response.
"You sure you know what you're doing Tarrlok?" Korra genuinely shows concern. He feels humiliated though, her naivety ruining his position of respect.
"With Tahno's instruction I will," Tarrlok pouts, "This might be good experience for Korra too, let her have a go. She is a healer, so it should be almost like second nature."
Tahno doesn't mind, he merely shrugs his shoulders and steps back, allowing Korra the liberty of performing the operation. She demonstrates indication of first aid knowledge when she rolls the victim on its right and immediately summons a pool of water around her delicate fingers, but that isn't what is required right away.
"The water will be used at the end. I need to teach you where the carotid is," Tahno instructs slowly.
"It's right under the jaw," Tarrlok grumbles, wanting to hurry the procedure. If he wanted nursing classes, he would have signed up for some back in the Northern Water Tribe.
Korra's face snaps at Tarrlok briefly, before Tahno tries to calm her, "Remember we're about to save a life. You need to be delicate Uh-vatar. Not brash like Tarrlok thinks."
The Avatar locates the jaw and waits for instruction.
"Put two fingers just under the woman's jaw. You can feel the pulse on yourself if you're confused," she does as prescribed. She notices Tarrlok out of the corner of her eye imitating her actions; a slight smirk pulls on her mouth. He was in the same boat as her. Although he speaks like a know it all, the physical part of helping someone escapes him. Simultaneously they roll the beings flat on their backs.
Korra contrasts the feel of life pulsing, to a cold and immobile body. A shiver travels down her spine as Tahno further instructs, "You're going to try something you've never done before. This is the part that requires waterbending."
Korra is about to summon the pool of water once again, but is cut off when Tahno holds back her arm and illustrates a look of concern.
"What?"
"We won't need that. The fluid is within the body already."
"Then how do we activate the pulse?"
His breathing slows and his head lowers.
"Don't hate yourself for this, but-"
"What Tahno?"
"You need to follow from the heart, and push blood in small doses to get the victim's blood pumping," Korra's face pails as Tahno concludes.
"I need to bloodbend," Korra gapes, falling ill as her words sink it to her mind. Old tales of Hama, the puppet master, the one who developed the taboo art banned under Katara's wishes appears in her mind. She was told of how evil the art was.
"Sadly, yes," Tahno confesses, "But remember, you're doing this with good intention."
Korra sets her mind on the task, set on restoring life, but cringes when the first connection between puppeteer and puppet link. Her connection with the blood sends a numbing but powerful feeling in return; she imagines that any twitch of her finger could make the male's body explode. The current stable control over the low flow of blood on the body is calm, but it pulls her in like the moon and its gravitational pull over the ocean.
"The moon helps, don't overexert your muscles," Tahno reminds.
Korra raises her index finger slowly, and commands the water within the blood to her will, carefully. She is doing it, the forbidden art. Her hand begins to tremble as reality sets in. Katara has taught her that bloodbending is an art that goes against human ethics. That even the mere mention of the art brought bad dreams to her in her sleep. Her finger cramps under nerves and pressure and she witnesses the chest of the adult man tremble. The unconscious movement makes her jump. She releases her control and pants nervously. Shaking her head she confesses, "I can't do it."
"Take a break, I'll finish it off," Tahno recommends. She pulls back and falls on her bottom.
Tarrlok has finished the procedure quickly and is walking over to Korra. He left the female victim, after seeing signs of breathing to one of his fellow members to attend to, while he offers Korra a hand, the young Avatar can't help but take it. Upon contact, the pull of the moon resonates, and she can feel Tarrlok's own blood, an aftershock from the bloodbending, nausea uprises as a result.
"Is everything alright Korra?" Tarrlok holds the young girl upright by her sides, her face displaying signs of half consciousness. The Councilman's eyebrows furrow. The members of the force are just as curious to her dreariness.
"How aren't you sick after bloodbending," Korra murmurs, her head whirling due to a conflicting mind. Tarrlok's grip around her keeps her vertical, and that's all she wants, she ignores the close contact, and fights to remain conscious.
"I've seen worse," Tarrlok responds, keeping his experience wrapped up in a few words.
Tahno has attempted to perform the procedure, but can't seem to keep an active pulse. Sweat beads form on his forehead; he ignores it as it slides down his face. Frustration is building at how the body is not co-operating with his commands. A quick glance at Tarrlok has him dishevelled. He sighs and pulls himself up. The Task Force uniform becomes heavy after an exhausting exercise, he notices Korra's after-effects of the practice, and narrows his eyes at Tarrlok's immunity to the sick and tiring feeling that usually arises after such a task. Nausea was catching him in the action and mixture of frustration and misery.
He was unable to save the man's life. No matter how much he tried to send haemoglobin to the man's brain, a shock would send him into a retraction, and the procedure would need to restart. Even with the help of the full moon, his muscles had reached their capacity. He screams for water when he's parched lying on the floor, his muscles tirelessly aching.
"I can't help him," Tahno cries out in between pants, "I failed."
"Korra," he hears Tarrlok call worriedly. Tahno's head rolls to the side to have the two in his view. Korra's body wasn't handling the action so well. He didn't feel so well. He wanted to go home.
Korra is unable to balance properly; one arm is propelled around the Councilman. He assures it's for her safety and that she should trust him. The nagging and pounding feeling of nausea messes with any consecutive thinking, she responds in a few short breaths, "It looks like there's...nothing to worry about anymore." One powerful pulse causes her to stir and fall over on her knees. Tarrlok bears great concern, had the little bit of bloodbending really taken everything out of her? She groans, "Thanks to Tahno."
Bitterness stems from those words, with Korra in his grasp, he feels distant from ever growing close to his team partner. Along with bitterness, logic recurs, his head turns with the intention to see how Tahno's operation has gone, but seeing him worn out, exhausted by the unconscious body, fear ultimately overrides him. His two youngest prodigies had been forced into bloodbending, and were now being ruled by the consequences of such an exerting task.
"Kronos, aid Tahno," Tarrlok orders as the waterbender reports right away to his command. Kronos supports Tahno by pulling him up gently and propping him over his shoulder. Tahno is still conscious so Tarrlok asks how it went.
"The victim remains unconscious."
Korra's head moves to the unbearable words, hanging on to consciousness by a thread, "He's dead," she states coldly, "No." She seems to fall into a painful and discarded sleep as her eyes close, her last words framing a guilty conscious, "It's my fault that he died." Tears shed.
"We should pack up and leave. I'll stay behind with a few of the earthbenders to find any evidence of the hooligans behind this," Tarrlok looks at the girl kneeling on him; he widens his arms and lifts her in his grasp, like a delicate flower. Witnessing a dozing Korra flusters his imagination, his face knots in worry, and his hands wrap around like she is the most precious thing. Only for tonight, in this moment, he can hold her protectively without being judged. Mesmerised by the tiny cling of Korra's hands on his chest plate, he feels wanted. He looks over his shoulder and is reminded to address Tahno, "In the meantime we'll have Councilman Tenzin come pick Korra up- and Kronos monitor Tahno, he'll need to rest at the dojo's infirmary overnight."
"Yes Sir!" Kronos nodded in affirmation, a little baffled by Chief Tarrlok's closeness with the Avatar, and with the help of another member he successfully pulls Tahno to the side to lie up against the wall and rehydrate the young adult.
Korra stirs, her mind pulsing, stomach gutting and fingers numbing at the new sensation consuming her. She dreams for the night to end and to never feel the pressures of bloodbending again, even for the intention of restoring life. She drawls and mumbles something unclear in Tarrlok's chest, he feels the vibration and looks down at her, and he is caught in a moment of her peacefulness, treasuring it uncharacteristically. Her mind briefly fights the warmth, but like a moth attracted to light, her body closes in.
Korra awoke with a pulsing headache; her quick jolt sitting up sent the back of her head pounding like a hammer. A hand instinctively applied pressure to the point, numbing it as her eyes flicked to the dizziness. She was back in her room, the notable draft walls and plain furniture a dead giveaway, how she got here was a mystery after the memories of last night slowly return to her. Tarrlok, Tahno, the Task Force, the bloodbending. It was so painful.
She groans at the pain as she steps out of bed. Naga is usually first to greet her on a weekend morning, but she doesn't feel up to it. Naga's excitement and barking would only stimulate her pained mind. So she wanders outside the girls dormitories. Her feet have gotten her to the edge of the dining hall. The smell of caramelising bread stems her senses and she's already sitting by the family dining table. All alone, she waits for the food to be served.
In minutes Pema is wandering in, carrying a full stomach and plate for one. Korra realises and groans.
"Oh sorry Korra, didn't know you were awake. If I knew I would have made sweet toast for two," Pema apologises offering her plate, "Here take mine. I'll make some more."
"No it's alright, sit Pema," Korra smiles sadistically, "I don't think I can eat right now, the smell was just tempting."
"If you're sure," Tenzin's wife insists. She sits exasperatedly; standing up for quite a bit had become a tiring task with the baby due soon, "I heard about last night from Tenzin." A hand rises to Pema's chin out of genuine concern, "bloodbending must have been quite grasping."
"It's disgusting. Even though I only did it for a second, for the purpose of healing someone, I felt chills. I don't know how someone can train in it."
"It was forbidden for a reason. And it's good you don't want to, "Pema offers, smiling sensitively at Korra who is miserably staring at the imaginary lines being drawn with her finger, "You sure you're not hungry?
"I think I need some fresh air after everything," Korra concludes, "Tell Tenzin I said thanks for bringing me home yesterday."
Pema nods confusingly, her head follows Korra as she leaves the dining hall without breakfast. She realises it's too early for Korra to typically wake up on a morning, but then again, she had been out for a whole day. She sighs and registers that Korra will be safe, and as long as she believes she'll feel better after a walk, then it's alright to eat in peace.
Early mornings are Tarrlok's cherished time of the day. It is the time where all other members of the Council are still asleep, away from him. He purposely woke up earlier on days that required long hours in the office to recharge, his temper was easy to tip, the pull of water at his feet had a magical effect to keep him calm, the soothing and relaxing haul it had on him when he practiced his Northern Water Tribe styled techniques. He made sure all his muscles were stretched before beginning with a gentle pull and push of the waves.
He had a set routine of techniques that worked in cooling his clouded and angry mind. On today's agenda, there were papers to be documented for a raid that went unsuccessful, newspaper and journalist inquiries to be answered politically, an explanation to Tenzin why Korra had been forced into bloodbending, and an apology to Korra herself about personal issues that he denied the need to, but Tenzin guaranteed and pressured if he didn't, he would be nagging him till he died. Tarrlok scowls at the mess of thoughts as his eyes close.
The sound of waves crashing against sand and rock, a deserted cold morning, and the dragging caws of seagulls has him at bay. His anger and irritation slowly drifting away.
It almost feels like a dream when he hears the crunch of feet behind him. His head doesn't turn, but the voice piques his curiosity.
"Councilman Tarrlok?"
He continues to ignore her. She had to be here at his proposed peace time; she walks closer towards him and is now clearly in his peripheral. She catches him taking a quick glimpse at her and smirks – this isn't a dream, right? He ponders. He shifts uncomfortably into a new form, his feet sliding in the sand as his hands sway to the flow of the ocean.
Tarrlok notices Korra mimic him, her movements a little rusty at first, but she adjusts and is now in synch with his actions. Was she mocking him? Purposely playing a game with him? He watches in silence, trying to concentrate, but finds he cannot. Distracted by the monster beside him, the demon of his anger, her game of silence finally sends him ticking when he abruptly stops meditating.
Caught in speech, Korra orders him, "Don't stop," her words leave her mouth feeding his mind. His body is already listening, like medicine, her voice dissolves the anger away as the current of the water obeys to his whim, "Don't stop waterbending."
As the water Tarrlok has summoned hovers in the air, Korra feels hesitant. He notices the change in atmosphere and the water drops into the ocean. A light splash wakes Korra up to the realisation of the setting. Her alone with him, early in the morning, was not ethically correct, if she was spotted with him in casual wear, rumours would be spread in no time.
"Is everything alright?" he asks encouragingly.
"Why am I here?" Korra questions herself, a slap to his face, "I was walking to take my mind off the bloodbending and then, you-you appeared."
"Thank-you," Tarrlok sarcastically comments. Korra easily hints she's not happy with his attitude. His arrogance makes her bubble inside, little snarky comments shrivel up between her muscles and causes her to tense up.
Why did the spirits constantly partner her up with such a pretentious man? A brief flash of the raid appears before her, a clear visual of her head lying across Tarrlok's chest. She feels heat surfacing and shrugs her face to the side to avoid looking at the older man. "I'm not in the mood for your anarchy," she states, holding back frustrated growls. That headache of hers slowly pulsing its way back, the walk and little bit of meditation had seemed to rid of the pain until-
"Big words for someone so inexperienced," she watches Tarrlok gleam scanning her face for any indication of pulling down.
Until he arrived and clouded her mind.
Not showing sign of cowering down, Korra growls. She growls of all things, how childish he claims.
Silence stirs, as they both watch the sun rise grumpily.
"Mornings are evil," Korra bitterly says walking further into the water. The waves coming in at knee length.
"I conquer," Tarrlok rebuts, "They are rather peaceful."
"Oh, do you always have to have the last say?" Korra's words send the two in to silence once again. Ugh- she groans inwardly. His presence now sets her on edge.
She pouts at the awkwardness, but once she notices him beginning his formations out of anger once again, she imitates to distract her mind. He begins by pushing the tide, Korra feels like she's being swept away, and counters it by pulling back on it. The pull draws away her anger. The two play repeatedly, a game of balanced tug-o-war in the waves. Two negatives becoming a positive. A smile surfaces on her face as the two finally co-operate on a task. Nothing but co-operation and contentment at this moment, the words roll out of her mouth remembering their teaming up on the first ever Task Force raid, after falling defeated, Tarrlok rescued her from an ambush of Equalists, "Working together doesn't have to be so difficult."
Tarrlok withdraws briefly from her words out of shock, but doesn't say anything, knowing anything that does will only ruin the peaceful moment. He lets her continue speaking.
"We made a good team," her head lowers, "But what happened at the last raid-" The light-hearted atmosphere suddenly feels heavy and tense as Korra continues, "The bloodbending made me feel so sick." Her hands have now fallen to her sides, "I haven't spoken to it about anyone yet. And I know talking to the Councilman about it, isn't any better, but because you're so-arrogant I feel you might understand."
Hmm, Tarrlok's lips glumly flatten; she had somehow insulted and acknowledged him at the same time. He waited for her to confess her problem before counselling. Did she want to talk about the pain of bloodbending or the interaction that powered him.
"You have to promise not to think less or differently of me," Korra addresses sternly, back towards him.
His eyes reflect the bright rays of the sun. Caught by the illumination, he offers a snort of acknowledgement, and rolls his head "You'd be surprised by how highly I think of you already. It'd be impossible to think otherwise."
A/N: I'm quite wrapped in this story, that I hope I can manage to finish it. I'm siding with Korrlok at this point in time as I write the chapters.
3/09/2012