"Good timing," Korra commented.

The clouds above them had broken out into a full-on storm just as the ship pulled up to the docks on the island. Rain was pouring down from the black cloud cover, drenching the ground and the people scurrying to find shelter. A fork of lightning flashed across the black sky, followed closely by a clap of thunder that seemed to shake the ground and rend the very air. Korra automatically reached out and caught Tahno's wrist. He smiled, and weaved their fingers together, pulling her closer.

"Looks like I'm stuck here til the storm blows over," Tahno said, jerking his head to the roiling waters.

Korra ducked her head.

"Sorry."

"I'm not complaining, Uh-vatar," he smirked.

"There you are!"

The couple looked around. Tenzin was hurrying down the steps that led up to the temple. From the looks of him, he'd been very worried. His beard was going every which way, as though he had been pulling anxiously at it, and there was a deep crease between his eyebrows. He pulled up short when he realized that Korra wasn't alone on the docks.

"You. You're that Tahno boy, from the Wolbats." His tone implied that this was the greatest possible shame ever thought of.

But Tahno didn't get offended. He already knew how protective the councilman was of Korra, who was akin to his adopted daughter, and Tahno had well earned any of the man's hostility. Now, he was just determined to turn that around.

"Councilman Tenzin," Tahno said, bowing his head respectfully. "I want to apologize for my actions in the arena. I was a cheat, and I'm humiliated to say so. It was wrong, what my team did, and I hope that, with time, you might be able to see me differently."

Korra blinked and looked at him closer. His silver eyes were downcast, the lines in his face drawn as if terribly ashamed. Was this really Tahno? She had to wonder again if she had somehow found a Tahno doppelganger. This was so far off base from his usual behavior.

Tenzin, likewise, looked taken aback. He blinked at Tahno, unsure what to say for a brief moment. Then his expression softened.

"Well then, let's get inside. We'll all get sick standing around out here."

Tahno nodded, smiling, and followed them up the long flight of stairs. The three of them walked in comfortable, wet silence. The rain was really coming down now, drenching the walkways and making the steps slick. When at last they reached the top, Tahno froze in spite of himself. He had always been able to see the Air Temple, but only from a distance. He'd never gotten the chance before to see it up close before that morning, and it still took his breath away.

The temple was amazing. It made Tahno think of something akin to an ancient palace with its tall, graceful pagodas. The entire thing was like a rustic castle, with sprawling grounds and towering structures. A pen a little ways off held the Sky-bison. Past that, Tahno saw the place where the benders would train. There were Air Acolytes running to and fro around the temple that morning, but now everyone was seeking refuge inside.

"I guess you'll be staying the night here," said Tenzin. "I could have Meelo…No, no, Korra can show you where the boys sleep, I suppose."

"What about Bolin?"

"Bolin and Mako are both training around ba—"

"KORRA!"

The trio turned to look around, just in time to jump out of the way of an excited Earthbender. Well, Tenzin and Tahno got out of the way. But Bolin barreled straight into Korra, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"You're okay! We were worried when you didn't come back, and with the storm, and you're back!" Bolin blubbered.

"Bo, get offa me!" Korra spluttered, pushing at his chest.

"Oh, right. Sorry," said Bolin abashedly, standing up. He offered Korra a hand, but she was already getting up herself. Then he turned to look at Tahno. "Stayin' the night, huh?"

"Looks like it," Tahno answered.

"Well, I guess I can show you the guys' roo—"

"Korra!" Mako cried, coming into view. "We were worried when you…didn't…Oh, you're here?"

Tahno raised an eyebrow. Korra looked between the two of them, who, despite not sharing words, were projecting loud and clear what their thoughts were.

"Ahm…I think I'll just…uh…yeah."

With that, Korra turned and hurried inside to find Asami, who she knew wouldn't risk hanging around outside. The wind and rain would ruin her hair.

"Boys, I won't permit violence here," said Tenzin sternly. "Any problems you have with each other will be worked out by other means."

Tahno shrugged noncommittally. He wouldn't be the one to start something. However, he wouldn't be passive if—no, make that when—Mako decided he had had enough of the Waterbender. He would enjoy the chance to show Mako what he could really do.

Mako nodded.

"Of course, Tenzin."

With a last severe look at the boys, whose testosterone levels were reaching dangerous levels, Tenzin swept up the stairs into the warm, dry interior of the temple. Bolin looked between the two of them anxiously. Now, he was sometimes rather clueless, in his own endearing way, but even Bolin could tell when tensions were getting just a little too wired.

"Ooooh…kay. Let's…uhm…I'll show you around," said Bolin, putting a hand on Tahno's shoulder and steering him away.

Mako watched furiously as his brother showed that despicable man where the sleeping quarters for the guys were. Why? Why Tahno? Of all people, why the ex-Wolfbat? He thought that Korra had hated the Waterbender.

"Mako!" called Asami from the building. "Come inside; you'll freeze out there!"

Korra stood at the woman's shoulder, hands in her pockets, staring fixedly at a point slightly above Mako's right shoulder. She was biting her lip. The Firebender ground out a sigh, and joined the girls in the cover of the entryway. He was sopping wet, the rain water that soaked him dripping steadily onto the polished wood floor beneath him. Korra fixed that, bending the water from his clothes and hair, and throwing it back outside.

"Thanks," he said. The coldness had gone from his tone. Korra was glad to hear his voice somewhat back to normal.

"No problem."

"Well, I think I'm actually going to go to b—"

"Hey, Korra," interrupted a smooth voice from one of the halls.

Tahno came into the room, silver eyes already locked on Korra. Asami smiled and backed away to give them a little bit of space, dragging Mako with her to a corner.

"Bolin showed you where you're sleeping?" she asked, smiling slightly when he automatically reached for her hand.

"Yeah. I just wanted to say goodnight. I had fun today." He sounded almost surprised.

"So did I," said Korra. "G'night, Tahno."

He slid his arms around her shoulders and gave her a firm hug, bending his head so that his lips were against her ear.

"Would you be mad if I kissed you in front of Fire Boy?" he whispered, low enough that only she could hear.

Korra laughed and, by way of answer, tugged his head around. Grinning with his easy victory, Tahno closed his lips over hers. She was still a little cool from being out in the rain, but it felt good, as his own body temperature seemed to spike. His heart rate picked up as he kissed her, letting his eyelids drift to slits so that they looked closed, but he could enjoy Mako's reaction.

Mako's face was brilliant scarlet in his rage, and steam issued thinly from his ears once more. His hand tightened on Asami's until she had to tug away, or risk getting her fragile digits crushed entirely. She pressed her lips into a hard line at the look of absolute wrath that was etched so deeply in every line of her boyfriend's face that it seemed impossible that he would ever smooth it out again.

Korra's and Tahno's lips moved hungrily over each other's in a deep, open-mouthed kiss. Fire began to pool, hot and fierce, low in the Avatar's belly, when Tahno's tongue slipped past her lips to twine intimately with her own. Likewise, Tahno felt searing arousal curl in his loins when Korra drew gently on his tongue.

A low sound escaped the man's throat, like a muted growl, and he pulled her flush against his hard chest, bending Korra backwards as he explored every recess of her mouth. She molded herself to him, delighting in the feel of his solidness right beneath her hands where they were splayed against his torso. One small, dark hand slid up his chest to his neck, tangling in his raven hair.

The fire inside both of them began to grow, blazing through every single coherent thought. Reason? Razed to ash. Logic? Lobbed out of the park.

Someone nearby cleared their throat. Korra pulled back slightly, looking around. Heat seared her face when she saw Asami's loaded expression, and she couldn't even look at Mako. She had completely forgotten that they were there.

But Tahno hadn't. He smirked at the blazing scowl on Mako's face. Once more, steam was issuing out of his ears, and his hands were clenched into fists so tight, his knuckles were white. Tahno raised an eyebrow at the Firebender, and leaned down to brush the whisper of a kiss over Korra's forehead. His silver eyes watched Mako, and he couldn't stop his triumphant smile when a potted plant near Mako burst into brilliant orange flame.

"Tahno, stop. You've made your point," Korra hissed, quietly enough that only he would hear her.

He smirked against her cheek, but let her go. His fingers curled around her hand, his normally cool skin warmed by the previous contact with her.

"I'll…I'm heading to bed. Goodnight everyone," said Asami. She turned and pecked Mako on the cheek, flinching slightly at his heightened temperature, and headed toward the girls' sleeping arrangements. Mako barely glanced at her; his harsh amber eyes were riveted on the male Waterbender in the room.

"I think I will too," he ground out.

The Firebender shoved past them, taking care to bump into Tahno's shoulder. Hard. Still, Tahno just smiled at Mako until he had gone from sight.

"Did you really have to do that?" Korra sighed.

"Do what? Kiss you?" Tahno replied with a leer.

"No, I didn't mind that part," she smiled. "I mean rubbing me in Mako's face. He's still my friend Tahno. Why do you have to get him all riled up?"

"Because it's fun," he answered easily.

She gave him a half-lidded look.

"Because it isn't actually hurting anyone?"

Her warning look deepened into a scowl.

"Because," he grumbled, pulling her closer. "It's better that he figure out, now, that he made his choice, than for him to hang on to something after he gave it away. The sooner he understands that by not choosing you, he left the way clear for someone else, the happier everyone else will be."

Korra sighed.

"I appreciate it. But please, stop."

"…Fine."

"Now, can you go to sleep without picking another fight?"

"Technically, I haven't picked any fights yet."

"Yet?"

"Fine, fine, I won't," he said quickly, recognizing the dangerous tone to her voice.

Korra smiled and hugged him around his waist, resting her head against his chest.

"But what if he starts something?"

"Be the bigger person."

"Already am."

Korra leaned away so that she could smack his chest.

"Perv!" she exclaimed, laughing.

Tahno smiled again, although it was more of a dirty leer. Then it softened, and he sighed.

"Good night, Korra," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I won't attack him. I'll be on my best behavior. I promise."

"Okay," she answered, giving him a quick peck on his cheek. "Good night, Tahno."

Then they turned and went down separate corridors toward their rooms.

~…~

Mako was lying in his bed with his arms folded beneath his head, wide awake despite the late hour. His golden gaze was locked on the ceiling. Bolin was already snoring loudly next door, but his loud, bellowing grunts were nearly drowned out by the thunder outside. The rain outside was still going strong as well, blasting the ground, the walls, the roof of the temple. Mako glanced at the window as a fork of lightning flashed across the sky, sending an eerie glow over the entire City for a split second. Then all was dark again.

He could feel the lightning. It was every bit as much a part of him as the fire was, and right then both of the elements were coursing through his furious body, trying to consume him. Trying to convince him to take action. He did his best to shove them down into a deep, dark hole where they couldn't bother him, but his success was…minimal. Mostly due to the fact that the things they seemed to be whispering to him sounded terribly appealing at the moment.

How dare that Waterbender wave Korra in front of him like she was a piece of meat? Mako knew that the ex-Wolfbat had kissed Korra just to get him going. The look on that smug bastard's face…It made Mako want to burn him to a crisp.

Above him, he sensed as two more forks of lightning streaked across the stormy gray sky. What he wouldn't give to…

Footsteps in the hallway alerted him to Tahno's arrival. He was on his feet in an instant, jerking his screen door open a little more harshly than was necessary. Tahno looked up just as he was about to enter his room for the night. That self-satisfied glint was still there in his cold eyes, the color like frozen mercury.

"Problem, Fire Boy?" he said coolly.

"Yeah, I have a problem," Mako growled, leaving him room and shutting the door behind him. "You. You think you can just waltz right in here and dangle Korra in front of me like a piece of meat? She isn't a bit of bait."

The only reason he refrained from shouting was because he didn't want to wake anybody.

Tahno gave a mocking laugh and quietly closed the door to his room, before advancing on Mako. The Firebender was praying that he would throw a punch, so that he could have an excuse to go at him. But when the other man reached out, it was just to pluck a strand of long, black hair from his shirt.

"I don't believe it's any of your business what Korra and myself do," he said, holding up Asami's hair. "You gave her up. You can't expect her to sit around and obsess over you, can you? When I decide to kiss Korra has nothing to do with you."

"Whatever!" Mako hissed. "You and I both know that the two of you are just trying to piss me off. You're only going out to prove a point."

Tahno snorted.

"Looky here. You hardly have any right to accuse me of being arrogant. Newsflash; not everything revolves around you. She's moved on, and neither of us have to prove anything to you, Fire Boy."

Mako ground his teeth, fighting the urge to leap at the ex-Wolfbat.

"You're telling me you actually care about her?" he almost snarled. "That's rich, coming from the king of one-night-stands. What'll you do in two weeks, when you start getting attention again, this time for dating the Avatar? Going to see how much publicity you'll get for breaking her heart?"

Tahno took a threatening step forward before he could stop himself. Mako was not short, but when almost nose-to-nose with Tahno, he had to look up slightly to see him. And with the Waterbender's extremely apparent fury, he loomed over the younger man.

"I'm fairly sure," Tahno bit out. "That we've already discussed this. I am not seeing Korra for a shot at publicity. I found out the hard way that that is a life that I'm better without. And no, I have no intentions of hurting Korra for attention, either. I am with her, because I want to be. She is with me, because she wants to be. You removed yourself from this equation at the end of the war. It's no one's fault but your own, and you know it. You just want someone, anyone, else to blame."

Mako had no words. But he did have actions. Reason left him. A snarl ripped from his throat and he launched himself forward knocking the taller man to the floor. Tahno, though surprised, reacted quickly, rolling with the impact and kicking Mako off of him. He flew down the hall, into the doors leading outside, and out into the storm.

Tahno followed, not to continue the skirmish, but to legitimately check to see if Mako was alright. He had promised Korra that he wouldn't hurt her friend, and it was a promise he was determined to keep. He didn't want to upset her. However, Mako didn't need the concern. He leapt back up, onto his feet, and shot two consecutive balls of fire at Tahno, with complete disregard to the flammable object—the building—behind the Waterbender.

The Waterbender was at an advantage in the rain. The drops coming from the sky, the puddles in the stones around his knees, all rose up into two large water-whips. They shot out and met the fireballs head on. Both the fire and the water-whips exploded into steam upon collision.

"You made your choice, Mako!" Tahno shouted over the roaring wind. He readied another whip, just in case. "Move on!"

"This has nothing to do with Korra!" Mako bellowed, both of his hands bursting into flame. "This has to do with you being an arrogant Komodo-rhino!"

"And I'm a turtle-duck," Tahno muttered.

Two more shots of fire sped towards Tahno; he deflected them easily. Lightning flashed overhead. Thunder crashed.

On the girls' side, Korra was lying on her bed, wide awake, worry gnawing at her stomach like Naga gnawed at tree branches. Which was to say, fiercely and violently. It may not have been such a good idea for Tahno and Mako to room anywhere near each other. Thinking about it, she could almost imagine that she heard them shouting obscenities at each other.

She stiffened. Was that really her imagination? No, it couldn't be. She could hear them, actually hear them, and claps of thunder made what she heard choppy. Her imagination would have cancelled out the storm. Her feet hit the floor, and she was running. She flung open the door of her room, barreling down the hall and sprinting around corners for the boys' rooms.

Tearing through the corridor, she pulled first Mako's door wide, and finding his room empty, went to Tahno's room. His bed wasn't even mussed; he hadn't had the chance to lay down.

Korra headed outside, breathing labored, about to enter a full-scale panic attack.

Three things happened simultaneously, seemingly in slow motion. Tahno readied his whip to counter an assault. The doors from the boys' side of the Temple were flung open. And Mako attacked Tahno with everything he had. But his attack wasn't fire.

Water conducts electricity. An elementary principle, one most everyone knew. The Equalists had known this, and used it to their greatest advantage when fighting Waterbenders. There was a reason the bending of lightning was expressly forbidden in Pro-bending. It was too dangerous, too unpredictable, too easy to make a mistake. It was possibly the most deadly element it was possible to bend. Water conducts electricity.

Tahno may have had the advantage in a bending match in the rain, if he had been up against anybody but an accomplished Firebender. Not only was his water-whip ineffective to block the stream of bright blue electricity arcing from Mako's fingertips; it provided a straight path to the Waterbender. Tahno's entire body went rigid. His face contorted with agony. His water-whip splashed to the ground. Sparks of electricity jumped over Tahno's body.

Korra cried out, and barreled out into the rain. Tahno noticed her first, his silver eyes jumping to her rain-soaked figure. Mako didn't see her until she caught his offending hand, cutting off his attack and allowing Tahno to slump to the ground. She pointed her other hand to the sky, redirecting the attack. The lightning Mako summoned shot straight through her, and out her fingertips, into the black clouds. It was a skill first mastered by General Iroh, Firelord Zuko's uncle. Korra had learned it from Zuko's grandson, also named Iroh, when he and his fleet of the United Forces had arrived to aid them in the war against Amon.

Mako cut off his attack, face going from raging red to ghostly white. His skin was ashen as Korra fixed him with a truly chilling glare.

"Mako," she growled. "If you weren't my very best friend, I would take away your bending right now."

"Korra, I—"

"Don't you dare make up excuses," she snarled. "Get inside. Now. There is nothing I want to hear from you."

"Korra," Mako tried again.

"Now. It wasn't a suggestion."

After a long, horrified look at her, Mako turned and trudged slowly back to the door leading inside. He glanced back once, right before he went inside, to find her electric glare following him.

The door closed.

Korra's fury broke, and she hurried to Tahno's side. He was cringing on the stone, hands clutching his stomach.

"Tahno, hang on," she said, her once frozen tone changing to something warmer, more soothing. "Let me get you inside. I'll heal you."

If he heard her, he gave no indication. His eyes were half-open, his lips gaping in a soundless scream of pain. Korra lifted him as gently as she could, and carried him as fast as was possible to the door. Using a blast of air to open it, she staggered inside. The wind outside closed the door on its own, leaving Korra to carry Tahno clumsily to his room and set him on the bed.

Flinging the windows open, Korra bended water from outside in to assist her in healing him. She tore his shirt off, catching her breath. His skin was red, blistered, and bleeding. Wasting no time, the young woman covered the wound with the water. It began to glow as it did its job, sliding over the raw wound and healing it slowly and thoroughly.

"Sh…" Korra murmured when Tahno's breath began to gasp through his teeth. "It's okay. I know it hurts, but it'll be better soon, I promise."

After another moment of healing, his breathing began to ease.

"Where else does it hurt?" asked Korra, watching as the last bit of red vanished in place of new, pale skin. If there was any to begin with, the healing didn't bring his chest hair back, which was probably just as well. It would have ruined the view of his hard, sculpted torso.

Speaking still apparently beyond his capability, Tahno jerked his head to one side, then to the other. She translated that as nowhere else, and focused on making sure that the wound on his chest was as healed as it was going to be.

"Better?"

He twitched his head up, then down, then up again. Yes.

"In shock?" Asked because, as she noticed when she leaned back, his entire body was trembling.

Another choppy nod.

"I'll be right back," she promised him, sending the water back out the window.

His fingers caught weakly at her wrist, but he couldn't quite remember how to curl them around the fragile width. She pulled away gently, and brushed her fingers over his forehead.

"I promise. I need to get you some food and water. It'll help the shock pass faster." Maybe. Mostly it would make her feel better, and give her a chance to give Mako a good verbal flaying, with possibly a little physicality thrown in for good measure. Tahno allowed her to stand, but she could feel his pale gray eyes follow her out of his room.

Mako's room was her first stop. She pushed the door open without invitation, striding straight to where he sat on his bed, hauled back, and slapped him hard across the side of his face. She couldn't manage even the smallest bit of guilt at the scarlet handprint left behind on his cheek. He didn't make a sound. Did not lift a hand to stop her.

"Mako, you and your brother are my absolute best friends. You know, for a long time, I wanted us to be more. But you were the one that said we should just stay friends. You were the one that insisted you wanted Asami. That insisted that I move on. You have less than no right to get so angry when I did what you wanted. I moved on. You need to do the same. Attacking my boyfriend, because of hypocritical jealousy, was something you had no right to do."

"Korra, I'm—"

She held up a hand.

"I'm not finished. You could have killed him, Mako. You know just as well as I do how dangerous it is to bend lightning. What did you expect would happen afterwards, if you had snuffed him out? Did you think that I would just start following you around like a baby moose-lion? Mako, even if it wasn't Tahno, even if it was someone I had never met or didn't care about, I wouldn't be okay with what you just did. It was wrong, and you know it. Don't you?"

Mako couldn't look Korra in the eyes. She was right. He knew perfectly well that what he was doing was wrong and selfish and stupid. But somehow he felt that, if he could get rid of Tahno, everything would go back to the way it was. Hardly a valid reason, and he knew he would have to pay the price for his idiocy.

"Korra, I'm sorry. I should never have done what I did. I was pissed and confused and extremely jealous. You're right; I have no right to get involved in your love life. Is there any way you can forgive me?"

He risked a glance at Korra's turquoise eyes. They were hard.

"You haven't earned forgiveness from me, Mako. You betrayed my trust tonight. It's going to take a lot more than just sorry to bring you back into my good graces."

Mako nodded mutely, and looked away as Korra stood and left his room. She paused at his doorway.

"Mako?"

He looked back up, eagerly.

"Your fly is down."

And she left.