A/N: I am so sorry it took me so long to update! I was travelling for the better part of July and I've barely had time to put together something decent (I wrote the majority of this update on an airplane, plus I trashed three other chapters because they were not fit for human consumption). Thanks for all your encouraging messages, as they helped me finish this despite all the chaos going on. Hope you all enjoy!

Feel The Vibe

Bodies spin and sway across the glistening ballroom dance floor, moving in rhythm with the beat of the music coming from the live band. The pro bending season kickoff gala is in full swing, and the huge hall is filled with bending athletes, sponsors, and high-profile fans. Tahno sits at his team's table and observes the festivities unfolding around him. He tries to ignore the girl sidling up next to him, who yammers on about how her uncle is some big wig at Cabbage Corp. Blocking out the high-pitched voice of the girl whose name he can't recall (he mentally labels her Miss Wannabe Cabbage), he focuses his gaze back on the dance floor.

Of all the finely dressed ladies moving to the music, Tahno's eyes involuntarily follow one particular figure. She stands out in the crowd, clad in a fire-red sleeveless silk cheongsam. The sheen of the form-fitting silk highlights the supple curves of her body. The slit of her dress trails suggestively up her thigh, concealing just enough of her gloriously toned leg to be considered decent. A lengthy wave of jet black hair, pinned on one side by a stylish jade barrette, frames her sparkling emerald eyes and smiling blood red lips He begrudgingly admits to himself that even amongst a sea of fashionable and attractive women, Asami Sato is a singularly stunning beauty.

Tahno scans the room and realizes that several of his colleagues also have their eyes trained on the Future Industries heiress, no doubt sharing his opinion. When he gets up to steal Asami away from her current dance partner, he tells himself he's doing it solely to spite his rival pro benders. He discounts the little twinge of possessiveness that sparks inside of him at the hungry stares of his competitors. The waterbender simply chalks it up to his competitive pride that wants to remind everyone that he's top dog. He departs his table and makes his way to the dance floor, paying no attention to the clingy protests of Miss Wannabe Cabbage.

The poor teenage kid dancing with Asami seems woefully out of his element. Despite being nearly as tall as Tahno, the teenager's jacket hangs a tad too loose over his shoulders, his adolescent frame not yet filled out into true adulthood. He steps tentatively with the music, clearly nervous to be dancing with such a beautiful young lady. Asami smiles at the youngster and patiently guides him through the steps. Tahno swears the kid is about to faint from either nerves or happiness and decides at that moment to relieve him of his charge.

Tahno taps Asami's dance partner on the shoulder to announce his presence.

"You mind if I cut in?"

The adolescent turns his head and his eyes widen comically at the sight of the Wolbats' captain grinning down on him.

"S-sure Mr. Tahno," he stutters, "go ahead."

The young man promptly spins Asami into Tahno's waiting arms. The waterbender smoothly catches the heiress' hand with his left while simultaneously gripping her waist with his right. He effortlessly spins her around and continues the dance without missing a beat.

Tahno silently relishes the feel of the curve her waist under his hands. He admires how the slimness of her midriff and the smoothness of the silk covering it contrasts with the lithe, athletic tautness of the muscles underneath. It reminds him of the coiled strength of a lioness wrapped in velvet skin. The corner of his mouth quirks up as he meets Asami's gaze with an impish smirk. She raises a questioning eyebrow at her new partner.

"I didn't know you were going to be playing my chaperone tonight, Mister Defending Champion."

"Come on, I was doing you both a favor. You were basically herding that kid across the dance floor and he looked like he was going to pass out at any second. Don't you think I deserve a show of gratitude?"

"Are you sure your rabid fangirls would approve?"

She gestures to the edge of the dance floor, where Miss Wannabe Cabbage stares lasers at the dancing couple.

"Since when do I need anyone's approval?" he sneers as he pulls her closer, bringing his lips within a hair's breadth of her ear. "I do what I want, whenever I want." The whispered growl of his words trickle across her earlobe and down the sensitive skin of her neck, sending a barely repressed shiver down her spine. He feels her reaction and grins with the satisfaction at her involuntary response.

Before Asami can wipe the smirk of his face, the music of the band picks up in tempo and the Tahno skillfully sweeps her across the dance floor. Under his lead, the pair weaves effortlessly between the other couples, gracefully twirling and stepping in perfect synchronicity.

The raven-haired girl can't help but be impressed by how her partner moves with effortless fluidity across the ballroom. She wants to commend him on his skill, but knows that doing so will only make him strut insufferably. As the music shifts to a slower rhythm, she decides to settle for a backhanded compliment.

"I have to admit, you don't move too bad for a Wolfbat."

"No need to hold back the praise there. We all know that waterbenders are the most naturally gifted dancers."

"I doubt this modern type of dancing is something they do in the Northern Water Tribe," she points out.

"Not really," he admits cheekily, "but given my natural talent, it was easy enough to pick up some moves after going to a few these shindigs."

Asami sends him a dubious look, knowing that he's full of hot air. She's momentarily distracted by the feel of jealous glares coming from a few of the other women on the dance floor, looking at her as if she just stole their favorite toy. She turns back to him with an acerbic expression on her face.

"I'm sure that's not all you pick up at these events."

"Well, it doesn't hurt that a few female dance instructors have been more than willing to give me some . . . private lessons."

She reflexively rolls her eyes at his crass remark.

"Just when I think you're bearable, you go ahead and prove me wrong."

Tahno lets out an amused snort at her jab.

"I intend to prove you wrong on many more things before we're done."

"Aren't you being a little presumptuous?" she scoffs incredulously.

"How, exactly?"

"First, you're getting a bit carried away in thinking you'll ever prove me wrong in anything other than how smarmy you can be. Second, I don't recall there ever being a 'we'."

Her statement only causesTahno to grasp her closer to him.

"Would you like there to be?" he drawls only half-teasingly into her ear.

Asami draws her head back and she doesn't miss the hunger lurking beneath the mirth in his eyes. Her heartbeat quickens in response and she realizes that she's in dangerous water. Falling back on feigned annoyance to protect herself from her growing desire to play with fire, she pushes off on him to create a few extra inches of separation between them.

"You think you're so slick," she spits out.

To her irritation, the little act she puts on doesn't seem to deter him in the slightest. He smoothly twirls her in time with the music and spins her back to him so that their bodies are once again flush and their eyes mere inches apart from each other.

"There's a difference between thinking and knowing," he says with his grey orbs boring into her emerald ones. "For instance, I know for a fact that you enjoy our little game."

It takes all of her concentration to not avert her gaze while simultaneously keeping an excited blush from coloring her cheeks.

"I can just as easily find a diversion somewhere else," she lies.

His voice drips like a razorblade dipped in honey.

"I bet I can show you a much better time than any of those high society boys your dad would want to set you up with."

"I really wouldn't know. So far you're all talk and no action."

Tahno's eyes light up at her challenge. But instead of pulling her even closer, he breaks the contact between their bodies, leaving only one of his hands connected with hers. He sends a feral smile back at her.

"Then what are we waiting for, then?"

He turns abruptly and leads her off the dance floor by the hand, heading straight for the exit. Shocked by the abrupt loss of close contact, it takes Asami a moment to sufficiently recover before she questions him about where they're heading.

"Where are we going? What about the gala?"

"Forget about this stuffy joint," he says over his shoulder, "I'll show you a place where people really know how to dance."

She narrows her eyes threateningly at her dance partner, despite the fact that all she can see is the back of his head.

"If your idea of real dancing is some strip club, I'll give you a first-hand private lesson on the combat application of my high heels."

She's surprised by the full-sounding laughter that emanates from his chest in response to her threat.

"Don't worry about that," he assures her before turning back and blatantly eyeing her up and down. It surprises her that she doesn't mind it as much as she should. "As much as I'd love to look at your outfit all night," he continues, "you better ditch your heels and change into something more active for where we're going."

"That's a surprise," she says with a quizzical look spreading across her features, "I can't believe you're actually telling me to put more clothes on."

"Regrettably," he deadpans.

She can't help herself from laughing as Tahno continues to pull them off the dance floor, completely intrigued by what he has in store for them.

Asami trails closely behind Tahno as he makes his way through the East Side tenements in the Dragon Flats district. Clad in her lightweight sparring clothes, she takes in the sight of the closely packed apartment buildings that weave together into a network of alleys. The streets and buildings alike swarm with the bustle of working class immigrants from all over the four nations. A canopy of clotheslines criss-cross the streets from window to window, adorned with paper lanterns that emit warm glows in the evening air.

Despite the dilapidated condition of the dwellings, Asami thinks that this neighborhood hums with a vibrancy unmatched by any other place in the city. The babbling of hundreds of conversations in dozens of languages float down from the canyon of open windows on either side of her. She can make out the distinct sounds of families having dinner, the bickering of quarreling couples, and the laughing of children. With a stunning clarity she realizes that, more so than anywhere else, this place contains the true lifeblood of Republic City.

Tahno nimbly navigates the crowded streets dressed in his training clothes. He doesn't make an effort to slow down his pace for Asami's sake, opting instead to play an unspoken game of cat and mouse with the younger woman, silently challenging her to keep up with him as he flows like water through the crowds and between the alleyways. Asami keeps up with the pro-bender, exhibitng her own cat-like grace as she follows him through the tightly packed neighborhood. He gives her an amused smirk when he notices her deftly shadowing him, which she quickly realizes is his way of expressing approval for her ability to keep things interesting. She answers with a grin of her own.

As they move further into the neighborhood, the crush of tenement buildings grows tighter and tighter, leading to even narrower cobblestone streets. After a couple of minutesTahno slows his steps as if arriving at their destination. Asami scans the tightly-packed buildings around her. Asides from the hole-in-the-wall shops and eateries that sporadically dot the ground floors of the buildings, there is no sign of any commercial establishments in the area.

"This doesn't seem like the kind of area that would have a dance club," she remarks to Tahno.

"Whoever said anything about a dance club? I have something much more down and dirty in mind."

Before she can comment on his innuendo, the not-so-distant sound of drumming echoes through the street. Asami's confused expression elicits a knowing smirk from his angular face. He takes her hand and leads her to the end of the alley where the buildings suddenly part to reveal a large open-aired plaza, its corners lit by trashcan fires. On the edges of the square, several people drum away on various foreign percussion instruments. The different musicians work in harmony, their pounding creating a syncopated rhythm that strikes her as tribal in character.

The primal music fills the entire plaza and Asami's body can't help but start to sway to the beat. That's when she notices that the center of the plaza is ringed with a large circle of people, clapping in time with the music. In the center of the circle she sees a teenage girl and boy paired off with each other, dancing in a way she's never seen before.

The two dancers stand facing each other in a half-crouched position with feet shoulder width apart and hands at their sides. When the music starts, they each take a side-step followed quickly with a rocking back-step, before stepping forward to return to the start position. The pair immediately repeat the same sequence of movements for the opposite side, each step perfectly in time with the beat. As each dancer moves side-to-side, their arms sway with the movement. They each extend one arm out to the side as the other arm swings across the body at shoulder height while bending at the elbow, the forearm shielding each respective dancer's face just below the eyes.

The partners continue to move like mirror images of each other, the rocking movements of their bodies almost lulling Asami into a hypnotic state. All of a sudden, instead of doing a rocking back-step, the girl breaks off into a spinning reverse roundhouse kick aimed at the boy's head. Asami gasps in surprise, but the boy merely uses his own back-step to duck into a crouch underneath his partner's kick before before unleashing a spinning sweep to her legs. In response, the young girl cartwheels her feet into the air, avoiding his sweeping kick. When the girl's feet return to the ground, they flow seamlessly back into the side-step of the dance.

The boy and girl return back to the basic rocking steps, still completely in time with the beat. They nod to each other with smiles on their faces, briefly acknowledging each other's impressive moves before initiating another exchange of spinning dance-like strikes. The pair circle and avoid each other's acrobatic attacks so deftly that at first Asami thinks the dance is choreographed. But as the dance continues, it becomes evident that the dance is completely organic, with only the beat of the music and the imagination of the dancers dictating their moves.

Tahno looks over at Asami and sees an expression of child-like wonder in her eyes. He realizes that because of her mature demeanor it's easy for him to forget that she's just a girl of sixteen who can still marvel at the beauty of even the simplest things.

"This is amazing!" she chirps. "It's like they've completely combined dancing with fighting!"

"That's right," responds the waterbender in a teasing voice. "Considering your propensity for violence, I figured this style of dancing would be right up your alley."

The wavy-haired brunette reflexively smacks him on the shoulder with the back of her hand.

"See," he chuckles triumphantly, "you just proved my point."

Asami pouts at him sourly before turning her attention back to the beautiful yet dangerous dance taking place in the middle of the square. Full of curiosity, she turns her gaze back to Tahno.

"What do people call this dance and where does it come from?"

"It's called the 'Kuzon.' And surprisingly enough it comes from the Fire Nation. Who knew those tight asses had it in them?"

"So much for your claim of waterbenders being the best dancers, huh?" Asami says as she playfully elbows him in the side.

"Actually," he retorts, "tradition says that a travelling waterbender and an airbender actually taught this dance to the people of the fire nation."

"You're just making that up."

"Don't believe me? Just ask the elders playing the drums over there," he challenges.

Before Asami can respond, the music slows in tempo. The boy and the girl conclude their dance by clasping each other's forearms and then bowing their heads to one another.

"Come on, we're up next," says Tahno as he grabs Asami by the hand and drags her towards the circle of people.

Asami looks at him in shock and disbelief. How does he expect her to go up there and perform when this is the first time she's even seen this dance?

"What are you talking about? I don't know how to do this!"

He looks back to her and lets out an exasperated huff.

"If I wanted you to just sit around and look pretty, I would have told you to stay in that dress you had on earlier tonight."

He continues to drag her towards the clapping ring of people.

"Don't I even get a practice run or something?"

"Nah, you don't need it. You should pick this up pretty quickly."

She looks at the rapidly approaching circle with trepidation.

"You're just saying that so I'll go out there and embarrass myself in front of all these people."

"The thought has crossed my mind."

Asami immediately digs her heels into the pavement, nearly jolting Tahno's shoulder out of his socket and halting his forward momentum towards the center of the plaza. Uncharacteristic nervousness and uncertainty flood her face, no doubt a result of his ill-timed sarcastic comeback. Tahno sighs and attempts to reassure her.

"Look, I was just joking. If you look bad out there, then I look bad too. You've got more than enough skill to do this. The most important thing about this dance is to just go with the flow and trust your partner. You trust me, don't you?"

Asami pauses for a split second and is surprised by how quickly she comes to the realization that she does trust him. She raises her emerald orbs and looks into his grey eyes, a moment of understanding passing between them.

"Yeah, I do."

Tahno surprises her with a genuine smile that she's never witnessed on his face before. At that moment the resemblance between his face and Ahnah's warm expression is so striking that she wonders how she didn't immediately recognize that they were mother and son. He gives her a nod of approval before turning to one of the elders in the dance circle.

After Tahno converses briefly with the elder, the ring of people opens up to allow the new couple to make their way to the center. Once Tahno and Asami reach the middle of the circle, they turn to face each other and make eye contact. He observes the nervousness bubbling beneath her calm façade.

"Okay," he asks, "you ready?"

"I guess," she responds unsurely.

"Do you remember the basic steps those two kids were doing earlier?"

"Yeah."

The elder shouts to the musicians and they begin to play a pounding rhythm. Tahno clasps his hand on Asami's forearm and bows his head close to hers.

"You can't go wrong if you just let the rhythm guide you. And don't forget to try to telegraph your strikes, unless you actually want to kick me in the face."

His rare self-deprecating comment draws a laugh out of her. She sends him a playful smile, her normal confidence returning to her features.

"The thought has crossed my mind," she replies, throwing his earlier words back at him.

He grins in return, knowing that she'll be fine now that she's back to her self-assured self.

"Atta girl."

The two of them begin with the side-step and rocking back back-step combination that they observed from the previous couple. After a few beats, Tahno sends a reverse spin kick aimed at Asami's head. She uses her rocking back-step to duck under the kick but fails to respond with a strike of her own, opting to settle back into the basic step. Tahno sends her an impatient look.

"C'mon, it's no fun if you don't play dirty."

"I'm afraid I'll actually hit you," she responds in a concerned voice.

A wicked smirk spreads across Tahno's features as he suddenly steps forwards and hits Asami's butt with his left palm, making an audible smack.

Her jaw drops to the floor and she gasps with indignation, her emerald orbs shimmering with outrage. He meets her shocked expression with a completely unrepentant smile.

"Still afraid of kicking me in the face, rich girl?"

His smile grows only more satisfied as he sees her eyes harden with determination. The heiress sends him a murderous look.

"You asked for it," she warns him.

His blood boils excitedly at her dangerous glare. This is the Asami he's been waiting to see all night.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Without warning, she sends a reverse hook kick to his head. He barely gets out of the way by executing a reverse hook kick of his own, using his body's lean to avoid her flying foot. She flows immediately into a crouching leg sweep. Tahno throws his body into a one-handed hand stand in order to get his feet out of the way of her sweeping shin. He counters by going into a one-handed back handspring, aiming his feet to land on her shoulder. Asami deftly avoids the move by side-stepping in time with the beat of the drums.

They both return to the basic stepping combination for a few counts, smiling at each other with excitement. They exchange nods in acknowledgment before Asami initiates another round of rhythmic attacks. This time the movements come to her almost effortlessly as she allows the rhythm of the music to flow through her body. She goes into a series strikes, all in time with the music. Tahno responds by skillfully avoiding and countering her attacks in kind. Before she knows it, she's flying through the air, delivering spinning tornado kicks and backflipping out of the way of her partner's counter-strikes.

The pulsing clapping and the cheering of the people surrounding them embolden her further, encouraging her to enter into a series of even more intricate combinations. The flickering firelight that illuminates the square only serves to heighten her senses, as there are times that all she can see of Tahno is his dancing shadow. More than anything, she's exhilarated by the feeling of oneness that fills her. Oneness with the music that permeates her body. Oneness with her partner, knowing that they may very well hold each other's lives in their hands. She can lose herself in the dance only because she trusts Tahno completely. Outside of her early childhood memories of her parents, she can't remember ever sharing such a moment of joy in the presence of someone else. In this violent dancing circle of chaos, with the enigmatic waterbender across from her, she feels like she belongs. She feels safe.

Asami's so carried away with this revelation that she actually mistimes one of her steps, failing to avoid one of Tahno's sweeping kicks. The raven-haired girl trips forwards and loses her balance, the ground rushing up to meet her. She turns her body in mid-air to avoid falling on her face and braces for impact. But instead of hitting the hard ground with her behind, she feels a pair of firm arms wrap themselves around her back. She stares up to see Tahno's face hovering over her, his arms holding her suspended over the floor.

"I've got you," he says through panting breaths, sweat trickling across his brow.

"I know."

Her reply escapes her lips automatically. She's stunned by the fact that she isn't the least bit surprised that he's there to catch her when she falls. Their chests heave in unison with exertion from the dance. Asami can feel the heat of his breath on her cheek. She loses herself in the steel grey orbs that stare down intently at her. The sounds of the music and the nearby people become distant and muffled. His lips are so close to hers that it would take only the slightest movement for them to touch. To her own surprise, something inside of her desperately wants him to close that distance. They stay there for an instant, entranced. But the moment passes. All of a sudden the sounds of the drums and people around them come rushing back to her ears. When he pulls away and lifts her up into a standing position, a mingled feeling of relief and disappointment fills her chest.

They clasp each other's forearms and bow to each other, signalizing the end of the dance. Then they turn to face the people gathered around who are cheering wildly. Asami is overwhelmed by the feeling of acceptance engendered by the spectators' enthusiastic response. Instinctively, she reaches down for Tahno's hand and squeezes. She smiles at him as he squeezes back. He returns her look with a warm expression of his own. The exhilaration of the moment washes over them and they savor the feeling together. Eventually the whistling of the crowd breaks their shared reverie. Tahno and Asami turn back to their audience, hand in hand, and bow as one.

Reviews are greatly appreciated!