Lessons

Chapter 3 – Life Lessons

This chapter is set after Amon depowered (debended?) Tahno.

… Yes, my darlings, yes, it's been a long time since I updated this, believe me, I knooooooow. Life got in the way and… eh? Fortunately, my muse was in a generous mood, so I was able to move forward with this chapter, and the rest of this story as well! If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my other works. Feedback is always appreciated. Have a great day!

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Korra was shocked to see how the events of the tournament spiraled out of control and Amon debended Tahno and his companions. Part of her wasn't surprised that Tahno and his team cheated to win the match, and after hearing Amon's warning on the radio about canceling the tournament, she should have suspected that Amon was planning something harsh. Seeing Tahno look so worn down and depressed at the police station this morning was disturbing, to say the least. It made Amon's plan to equalize everyone more terrifying now that she personally knew someone who had his Bending taken away.

Tahno had done some deep thinking since he and his teammates were depowered. He hated being called out by Amon for his cheating, and the worst part was Amon was right. He was a cheat. And it was his own damn fault. Granted, his team members had cheated first and encouraged him to, but he was the one who decided to go with it, and he had been sorely punished for it. No healer could help him. he had tried his Bending exercises and moves, but he could not command one single drop of water. He took a long swig of sake, thinking about how fucked up his life had become.

As Korra made her way to the door to Tahno's apartment, she paused. Was it her place to see him while he was at his lowest point like this? She sighed. Tentatively, she knocked on the door. Silence greeted her, so she knocked harder.

"Who the hell is it!" Tahno yelled from inside with clear irritation.

"It's Avatar Korra. Now open the damn door, Tahno!" she yelled, stressing the word Avatar to demand his attention. She heard an angry huff before the door was yanked open.

"Come to rub it in my face, Uh-vatar? I cheated, I lost my Bending, I'm pathetic, I know."

"I wanted to come to see that you weren't doing something stupid." she humphed. "How you looked this morning at the police station worried me," she said firmly.

He paused and looked at her. "Really? Someone out there cares about me?"

"Yes," she said. "May I come in and visit with you?" she asked.

He mumbled and moved aside. His usual glossy waterfall hairdo was gone, leaving behind an unbrushed cascade of hair. His clothes looked grungy as if he slept in them and didn't bother to change out of them. He also faintly smelled of sake. As Korra took a seat on the couch, she asked "So, what have you done after... the tournament?"

"Like I said, gone to the healers. I'm fucked without my Bending. I can't fight. I'll run out of money eventually and be kicked out."

"Didn't you claim your winnings?"

"We tried to. But they wouldn't give it to us."

"So you blew a lot of your money going to the best healers in the city and when they told you there was nothing they could do to restore it, you blew some more money on sake?"

"What else is there to do?" he said with a defeated groan. "We're not the Wolfbats anymore. Not without our Bending."

"Surely there is something else productive you could do that you earn money from?"

"Like what? I've been Pro-Bending since I was sixteen!"

"Didn't you mention that your father was a nonbender? And that he works as a mechanic? Maybe he could teach you something about working with machines."

"Oh, he tried that when I was little... taking me to the shop... but believe me, I have no mind for machinery," he said with a wry laugh before he stared at her. "Please give me back my bending! You can, can't you?"

"I...don't know," she said, looking away. "Avatar Aang was able to Energybend a truly terrible person's Bending away. If I could connect with Aang, I might be able to learn if I can or not, but right now, I can't Airbend or get in touch with my spiritual side. Trust me, if I figure out how to restore someone's Bending, I'll let you know. I do plan on stopping Amon though. What he's doing is wrong."

Tahno nodded. He looked so pathetic. "I know this isn't much... but I wanted to say sorry. For cheating against you. I shouldn't have cheated. I got pulled into it by my team-mates, they convinced me it was a good way to make a living and I fell for it like a sucker."

"I do accept your apology. I can tell that you've been doing a lot of thinking after the horrible events after the tournament. But I want to ask, have you always cheated in Pro-Bending matches? I remember that match you fought and won with a brutal first-round knockout. I saw that the team was pulled out on stretchers and that one of the players had a hole in his helmet. You were cheating during that match, didn't you?"

"Actually no, not that one, the other two did it." he replied in all honesty, "sometimes one would cheat, the next time someone else would, so it was not always the same pattern."

"You were their captain though. Did it ever bother you that your teammates would cheat? Did you ever feel that what you and your teammates did wasn't good sportsmanship?"

"It wasn't like that. They were older than me – not by much, granted – and they wanted me just because I was a good Waterbender, I auditioned for the spot, and the first time they cheated, I asked them about it and they just... laughed it off and told me that they were the reason I was on their team. Eventually, they decided to call me captain because I knew how to handle the press..." He shrugged. "I... I was enjoying the fame and the Pro-Bending, I didn't want to lose my team. But I was wrong, and I was a shithead." He hung his head contritely.

She gave him a nod of approval before she stood up. "Are you gonna be okay after I leave? I would hate to see something horrible happen to you when I come visit again."

"I see no point in going like this if I will never get my Bending back. I have no future," he said bleakly. That stopped Korra in her tracks and her worry for him peaked. "I understand how much your Bending means to you, but suicide isn't an answer. What would your parents think if they learned that their son killed himself?"

He groaned softly, burying his face in his hands.

"I was upset that you cheated in the tournament, but I see that you've learned from your mistakes, and that's what matters to me. I promise you, I will stop Amon and when I figure out how to restore people's Bending, I will help you." She put her hand on his shoulder. "Would you like me to spend the night with you? I want to know that you will be alright."

At first, he wanted to say he wanted to be alone. But actually, a night with her sounded better. "To give me a pity fuck?" he half-joked. She let out a small snort at that.

"No. I know now isn't the time with the recent events. But if you want someone to cuddle with or just talk to, I'll be here for you."

"Yes. Please stay. Don't go. I'll make some tea." He rose to his feet and rushed to the stove to put on some water. He stood there in the kitchen and they basked in silence for a bit, pondering the next step. He'd fucked the Avatar and it had been incredible, but tonight, he didn't think he could get it up even if she were to strip naked right now and pleasure him. He poured the cups and brought them out, giving her one as he sat down.

"It feels a little weird having you here but not having sex with you," he admitted.

"You can still cuddle me if you want," she offered.

"I'd like that," he admitted. Part of him wished his mom would give him a hug but he was too ashamed to face his parents.

"Is there anything else I can do to try and help you out of this slump?" she asked gently. He shook his head.

"I just want my Bending back, is all. And it's not easy dealing with what a jerk I was."

"You thinking you're less of a jerk now?"

He gave out a quiet snort at that. "No... I mean, thinking about what I did and... y'know, actually feeling bad about it."

"Do you think this experience may change you for the better?"

"If I don't change for the better I'm going to keep feeling like shit. Having a conscience sucks."

"It really does, doesn't it?" she asked dryly as she sipped her tea.

"Rub it in why don't you," Tahno grumbled at her.

"Would it bother you if I asked what it felt like when Amon took your Bending away?" she said bluntly.

"If anyone else asked me, yes. But you..." He shook his head. "It's hard to explain. He put his thumb on my forehead and... I felt... I don't know, like something clicked off in my head. And then there was no more… flow."

Korra stared at him contemplatively. What would it be like to not Bend? Just like that? He was quiet for a while, staring down at his tea. He looked up at her. "Um... do you want to listen to some music or play a game or do you just wanna go to sleep? I can lend you some pajamas if you want."

"Do you play Pai Sho? And some pajamas would be nice."

"I have a set here, from one of my... um, older lady friends from a couple of years ago." He pulled out a beautiful Pai Sho set with marble pieces, the board was made of fine mahogany with bits of gold set in it for the lines.

"Wow, this Pai Sho set is beautiful," she said admiring the craftsmanship of the board and marble pieces.

"Pro-Bending and being handsome and young has its perks," he said as he went to his room, returning with a comfortable indigo high-quality linen nightshirt and matching pants

"I'd say. Although I never needed money while I was in the South Pole, I was always looked after by the White Lotus, my parents, and Master Katara." Korra smiled faintly at the memory of her Waterbending instructor Katara. "I loved it when she would tell me stories of her adventures with Avatar Aang and her friends during the Great War."

"What is she like?" Tahno asked as he set up the game.

"After her husband died, she moved to the South Pole. I guess when it was discovered I was the next Avatar, she wanted to help train me. Heh, when I went to escape the South Pole to come to Republic City to learn Airbending, Katara stopped me. Yet, she knew I needed to go and find my path as the Avatar."

"She must be one hell of a woman." he paused. "Perhaps she could heal me?"

"She is. Don't let her age fool you." she smiled. "While I know Katara is probably the best healer in the world, a part of me thinks that restoring a person's Bending is something only an Avatar can do, and I already told you that I don't know how to do it."

"One can always hope." He sighed before he made the first move on the board

"I heard that Avatar Aang learned from a lion turtle how to Energybend. That's what he used to take away Fire Lord Ozai's Bending and end the Great War." she made her move on the board.

"Mhm." He nodded and moved another piece. it was nice to just... relax and play with her like this without having to worry about impressing her sexually. They continued playing for a while. stopping only when Tahno made more tea for them both. In the end, they played several rounds of games, with Tahno winning two to Korra's one. It provided a useful distraction, and it was nice to bond on a different level.

"Do you want to sleep on the couch or..." He trailed off almost shyly.

"I don't mind sharing a bed with you. You know that." she smiled.

"All right. I'll go to the bathroom quick and you can put on your pajamas and join me."

She entered the bedroom, seeing him stretched out on the bed, and it looked like he'd changed his shirt and pants for her. How gentlemanly.

"You look good," Tahno complimented as he saw how nice the indigo complimented the tone of her skin.

"They feel comfortable. I like them." she smiled.

"Well... come and cuddle with me." He patted the space on the bed, and she wasted no time in snuggling up to him as he wrapped his arm around her.

"I haven't slept well since... what happened," he admitted.

"I can imagine." she frowned, as she reached to touch his face, moving the hair out of his eyes. he nuzzled into her hand like a kitten as she continued to stroke his cheek. She could tell by looking at his worn and weary face that he was not getting the rest he needed. Poor lad.

He continued to nuzzle and cuddle with her as if he would die if he wasn't cozy with her, he was drinking up the affection like a person dying of thirst. She cradled his head to her shoulder, and he fell asleep nuzzling her tit. Korra smirked at that, but hey, he had fallen asleep. So she relaxed, settling against him.

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Korra awoke the next morning to Tahno sleeping content cuddled against her, and to her mild amusement, he had even drooled a bit on her nightshirt. She brushed his hair from his face, thinking about how she actually missed the glossy waterfall of his distinctive style. He stirred under her hand, not enough to wake up, but he did cuddle closer to her, pressing his face to her breast – not because he was trying to be lewd, but because it was just so soft and warm.

Korra cupped his cheek lightly, gently stroking him. At this, Tahno started to stir to consciousness, his eyes fluttering open. For a moment he was disoriented until he looked up at Korra's face. "mmm... what's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?" he asked, feigning surprise.

"You let me stay the night with you," she said with a small smirk.

"Oh... that's right. I gave you my pajamas too," he grinned. "How did you sleep?"

"I slept well. And you?"

"The best since... that day." He sighed and cuddled up to her, wrapping his arm around her tightly.

"You like having me around, don't you?" she said, shifting so that her body nestled to his own more easily.

"I really do. This is nice. Even though we didn't have sex, this is nice."

"What you like to spend more time with me today? Maybe we can do some fun things in the city."

He blinked and looked up at her. "You'd want to do that?"

She smiled. "Why not? I'm sure there are places that I don't know of that you can show me."

He smiled faintly. "Sure. That would be nice. There's a nice spot on Yue Bay where you can find shells and go swimming." He paused and frowned. He could no longer Bend... he had avoided the bay since his de-bending.

"Maybe we can go skinny dipping in the bay. I've not had the chance to do that, but I reckon it would be fun." Korra grinned. He regarded her with an uncertain smile.

"But... I can't Bend anymore."

Korra regarded him with a thoughtful frown. To be surrendered by an element you could no longer Bend… yet if this turned out to be permanent – she did hope not – then he would have to learn to live with that.

"You can still swim. You don't need Bending to swim."

"It's just hard... not being able to Bend. In the shower, I keep trying to Bend and it just..." He gave out a frustrated sigh. "And looking at the bay, all that ocean, all that water... and my connection to it is lost." He sounded so sad and pathetic that it was hard to not feel sympathy for him even if he might still have had his Bending if he hadn't cheated.

"You can choose if you want to go there or not. But if we go, I'm going skinny dipping. I think you would enjoy seeing me naked."

He gave out a small laugh at that. "Rather tempting, Korra."

"Are you trying to seduce me?" he half-joked.

"Maybe. You've already seduced me with your striptease dance on our first night together."

He laughed softly and nodded. "Why don't we do a couple of things first like walking to the park or the library and then if I'm feeling a bit better we'll head down to the bay?" he asked, offering a compromise.

"Sure. I visited the park only once when I first arrived at Republic City. It's a beautiful park."

"There's a few of them around the city. First, let me take a shower. Of course, you're welcome to join me."

"What about breakfast?" she asked. He regarded her with a brief thoughtful frown.

"I have some bread and fruit, not much in my pantry right now, but we can stop at a cafe and pick up something if you'd prefer. I still have some money left."

"We could grab something to eat. I won't ask for anything expensive."

"Sure." He climbed off the bed after kissing her cheek, taking a quick shower, and pulling on some clean clothes. "You can keep the pajamas I gave you. You look good in them."

"I do like them." Korra went to the bathroom to wash up and changed back into her regular clothing. "I'm ready whenever you are, pretty boy," she smirked, walking up to him as he sat on the sofa.

"Pretty? I can't even make a waterfall any more, I don't want to use pomade." His teammates – no, wait, former teammates – had used pomade on their hair. He hated the greasy stuff and preferred to use his Bending, which was no longer an option.

"You don't look too bad with your hair unkempt." With a clean set of clothing and his hair washed, he was still good-looking even without his signature hairstyle, although his depression did leave him looking faded. "C'mon, let's go," Korra chirped.

He smiled and let her pull him along, he led her to a cafe that specialized in tea and pastries, popular among the morning crowd. "Pick what you like," he said, waving at the displays.

"Mmmm. All these pastries look good." She eventually chose a blueberry pastry. Tahno chose one filled with strawberries, and they sat down at one of the small tables to enjoy their breakfast and tea. The morning was relatively idyllic, and they sat in comfortable silence as they ate their pastries. It was nice having breakfast with a friend, he mused.

And come to think of it, that swim was sounding like a better idea. Maybe the sunlight and fresh air were putting him in a better state of mind.

"Are you still up for that swim?" he asked. She raised her eyebrows in mild surprise, and he smiled and nodded. He grinned at her and they finished their breakfast, he got up and offered his arm. "We can go in my Satomobile."

"You have a Satomobile? Why am I not surprised?" she asked lightly. He grinned. "It was a gift from an old admirer who incidentally, taught me a few things about making love," he said casually.

"Well. I can say you're a good student, at least," came Korra's response. He shot back with a grin as they made the short walk back to the apartment building for his Satomobile, it was black and dark blue. It was a few years old but was still kept very nicely.

"Makes me wonder why you enjoy my company so much. I'm just a Water Tribe girl that's the Avatar. I've never really needed or used much money."

"When you live... or lived my lifestyle, you need to live it up," he replied with a flip of his hair as he opened the car door for her. Being behind the wheel with an attractive woman sitting next to him… one could almost forget recent calamities.

Yue Bay opened into a grand vista of blue, and Tahno drove past much of it, coming to where the bay was connected to the Mo Ce Sea. The road took them through a pleasantly forested area before he parked in a clearing and led her to one of the inlets that peppered the mouth of the bay. There was a pocket of sand nestled between the rocks, and the waves smacking against the stone filled the air with a dull roar.

"Oh, this is nice," Korra said, quite pleased.

"The beach is rocky, so parents don't like bringing their kids here, and the tide can be a bit tricky, but good swimmers have no problem with it." They made their way down to the beach, inhaling the scent of the sea before she took off her boots.

"Would you be up for some swimming and diving?" she asked. He stared at the water for a couple of moments before nodding.

"Let's race. As long as you promise to not use your Bending."

"Okay. Let's go to that rock over there," she said, pointing out to where a lone rock jutted out near the middle of the channel's width. "And back?" At his assent, she stripped down to her underwear, and he felt a surge of desire seep through his loins as he eyed her pert ass under the pale linen.

He removed most of his clothing before wading into the water. They moved to deeper water and stood there side by side. The water was cold, but he found it bracing.

"Ready?" he asked. She nodded. They launched off, cutting through the water skillfully, both of them having spent so much time in the water since their infancy. Although he hadn't been able to Bend, he'd still done his exercises, hoping that it might help restore his flow, so he was still in good shape despite his depression.

Korra glided through the water gracefully and kept her pace against Tahno, trying to inch her way past him. It was close, and she touched the rock a second ahead of him, but on the way back, he gained ahead of her by an arm's length near the finish and yelled triumphantly as he touched the rock first. She swam up behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle so that they were somewhat leaning against the rock. They took several minutes to catch their breath, basking in the sun as the waves crashed around them.

"You mentioned that you liked to dive for sea shells. Where's a good spot to dive for some?" Korra asked. He motioned to a sharp curve in the cove they'd passed by during their race. "Generally you can usually find seashells around a wider area, but the current pushes a lot of them over there."

"Should we have another contest and see who can catch the most seashells?" she teased.

"Does everything have to be a contest with you? Or are you mad because you lost the swimming race?" he asked lightly.

"Pbbt. I thought everything is usually a contest between us," she said back.

"So the sex was a contest?" he retorted before starting to swim to the spot he had indicated. His shorts clung to his pert ass, offering her a view she would always appreciate.

"Yeah, that sounds about right. The sex was our most fun contest though, and I think we both won in these."

"I don't want to get into a conversation about who was the better lover." he joked as he slowed, coming to the spot. "Usually you can find some nice shells here, let's hope no one was here recently to pick it clean." He took a deep breath and dove, and she went after him. He sliced through the water with ease, his arms at his sides, his legs kicking to take him deeper, he spied something light against the dark rock and took it, coming back up, holding a shell in his hand. It was a spiky murex shell of gray, purple, and cream, small enough to rest comfortably in the palm of his hand.

It took some time, but Korra found another one, smaller and with a pinkish interior against a brown and beige exterior.

"That's a nice shell," he said admiringly as he examined her find with an approving nod. "Most of the shells are clams or oysters, that kind of thing, it's harder to find shells like these," he explained, pointing to the two they had just found. "It's been a while since I saw a pink shell. Aside from your own pink shell, of course..." he teased with a lecherous smirk. She laughed at that and splashed him.

"You like that, huh? Seeing the pink shell of the Avatar?" she mock scolded. Then she remembered that they were at a secluded area of the beach and she could skinny dip if she wanted to without worrying about getting into trouble. She grinned deviously before she started to swim back to the shoreline. He gazed at her wonderingly before swimming back with her, and gently deposited their shells down next to their clothes.

"I remembered our first night together when you performed that delicious strip tease in front of me. It sure got me heated. I think it's time I return the favor." she smiled sweetly before she waded into the water. stopping when the water came to her knees. His brain almost melted as he understood what she was saying, and he grinned at her.

"Yes, Korra." His voice was a plea and demand all at once. She didn't have any music to dance it, so she listened to the sound of the waves of the ocean hitting against the shore and she began to sway her hips to the rhythm. Slowly, she peeled off her breast wrapping and flung it onto the shore. She licked her lips as she continued her dance, her breasts jingling slightly as she moved.

He felt warmth coil in the pit of his stomach, but he did not get hard, not was not the time. He was happy to just watch and enjoy as her tits bounced, her nipples hardening in the cool air.

She started on her underwear, taking her time peeling off the fabric from her hips. Once they were off, she flung the fabric to the shore to join her breast wrapping. Now that she was naked, she used her Waterbending in her dance.

At that moment, he did not feel jealous that she still had her Bending, he was just having too much fun watching. A wistful smile appeared on his lips as he watched her dance and bend. "You're beautiful," he whispered. She continued to sway her hips, batting her eyes at him as she used the water to coil around and massage her breasts.

She continued to dance seductively for Tahno, using the water to caress her breasts. "Why don't you come join me?"

"Oh but dear, it is so much fun to watch you," he said with a grin but he took a step closer, obviously enjoying the show. Her hips slowed to a languorous orbit, the water curling around her.

"You are beautiful," he said with reverence as he closed in on her and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, touching her chin with his fingers as he did so. She let the water fall back into the sea before wrapping her arms around him, giving him several sweet kisses along his cheek. He nuzzled her, caressing her sides, his touches surprisingly modest given her nakedness.

"This has been such a fun day," she said as she lightly rested her hand on his chest.

"It really has. I had so much fun. Thank you for not... leaving me alone." he said with appreciation.

"So are you just gonna stand there with your clothes still on, or are you gonna get naked and swim with me?" Korra challenged.

"As long as you promise to not ogle." he joked before he slid off his shorts. Since the weather was a bit nippy, there was not as much to see as usual, and he blushed a little at that even though it was something that happened to all men when it was cold.

"But you're so much fun to ogle at," she teased before she moved into the deeper water. He smirked coolly at that and waded in, letting out a small grunt when she splashed him. He made a mock angry expression before splashing her back, and she dived under the surface and he yelped when he felt her hands around his ankles before he was pulled below the surface.

He retaliated by pouncing at her – as much as one could in water – and she allowed herself to be caught before he tickled her, quickly pushing away from her before she could retaliate. However, he allowed himself to be caught, and it turned into something between a game of tag and horseplay. Losing himself in these carefree moments allowed him to forget his worries.

He suddenly stopped and grabbed her around her middle, spinning her around as he placed a messy, playful kiss on the back of her neck, blowing a raspberry against her skin as he did so and tasting the salt of the water. He heard her laugh before she broke free of his embrace, and he resisted a bit before letting her go. She turned around to see him wiggle his butt at her before he dove down.

The Avatar went after him, and this time she used a touch of her Bending to close in on him quickly, grabbing his ankle and tickling his foot.

Tahno broke the surface of the water with a sputter, and Korra's head appeared before him. It was tempting to just stay here forever, he mused. If he could capture a moment in time and live in it forever, any of the number of moments he'd shared with Korra today would be contenders for the spot.

Unfortunately, these sweet moments passed all too quickly, and their time on the beach drew to a close as they noted the passage of the sun in the sky, noting with a bit of wonder how much time they'd spent in one another's company.

"We should probably head back to the city," Korra said regretfully as she sat there on the sand.

"Time flies when you're having fun," he said with a small pout. She smiled sympathetically and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"We had a good time together, didn't we?" she murmured. He nodded empathically, and came to the beach, starting to get dressed before he picked up the pink-tinged shell his companion had found. He would be keeping this as a souvenir of today…

Before he dropped her off, he bought her another meal. It was the least he could do for what she'd done for him, especially after what a jerk he had been. All that swimming worked up her appetite, and Tahno enjoyed watching her make work of several meat and vegetable kebabs. Not that he hadn't worked up his appetite, though. It was the hungriest he'd been since he lost his Bending, come to think of it. So he was content to simply sit with her, savoring a good meal, enjoying one of life's simplest but greatest comforts. After the food was gone, they lingered, her leaning against him as they chatted quietly, finishing off the plum wine that he had ordered to go with the meal. He wasn't drunk, but it gave him a nice buzz, and on a full belly with a cute girl snuggled up to him, he was happy to just sit there and not think about tomorrow.

"I should go back to Air Temple Island. I reckon Tenzin is worried about me," she said as she finished off her cup.

He sighed but offered no argument. He couldn't get in the way of her Avatar duties, after all. He drove her to the edge of the bay so she could get to Air Temple Island. "Thanks for spending time with me, Uh-vatar. It was a lot of fun, it's not a day I'll forget anytime soon." He grinned as he held up the pink shell.

He leaned in to place a kiss on her forehead. "Good evening, Korra. I'll see you soon."

"Same." She gave him a gentle smile before climbing out of the Satomobile. He sat back with a wistful expression as he watched her leap off the pier and Waterbend herself across the water.

o0o0o0o

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