They say things just cannot grow beneath the winter snow, or so I've been told

[braavado]

There wasn't much they could do for her once Katara had given her verdict. Whatever Amon had done to her, it couldn't be cured, even with Katara's skills.

What else could she do? Mope? Been there, done that. She'd sat out on that snowy ledge for hours, caught in a loop of self-blame and bitterness and anger until Naga had finally whined in distress and nudged at her until she trudged back into the hut.

Before Republic City, even the smallest setbacks had felt like disasters, and she was free to sulk, wrapped up in her own troubles until she either got over it or her diligent White Lotus keepers got fed up. With the city in an uproar over Amon's defeat and Councilman Tarrlok's disappearance, Korra couldn't afford luxuries like that anymore. She'd accepted the responsibilities of the Avatar as soon as she decided to stay with Tenzin--she knows that much at least. Her smiles feel fake, and her enthusiasm is all but gone, but helping Tenzin oversee the city's recovery progress is better than doing nothing. It's her duty. It's important. It's just a mercy that they've all managed to keep her bending troubles under the radar, else she's sure the papers would have a field day with it.

In the short moments she has to herself, Korra takes to wandering the shop districts alone, her hood pulled up as a flimsy shield for her identity. While she appreciates her friends' support, she doesn't want the pity that's sure to creep into their gazes at one point or another. The conversations turn stilted when any of them brings up something innocent, like the reconstruction of the probending arena, and they stumble in their haste to change the subject to something "safer". Korra scoffs. She isn't delicate by any means. She hates that they feel like they need to tread carefully around her now when she never asked for it.

She just wants things to go back to the way they were before.

Comments

[manscara]

Things aren't the way they used to be. That much is certain, given the state of disarray for all of Republic City and its citizens, each person with their own set of concerns and worries despite the victory Avatar Korra and her crew managed to slip out from under the Equalists' feet. The fact remains that it had been a narrow victory, and the benders who had been stripped of their abilities remain powerless. The high of Republic's success has settled into melancholy for those who had lost their loved ones, their real estate, their bending, and for those who still believe in the Equalist cause despite Amon's fabrication, their war.

For things to go back to the way they were is all Tahno wants, but he lost any hope of that when the White Falls champions appeared in the tabloids after their livelihood had been torn away from them. There will never be a fifth pro-bending championship for them. The fans they had suddenly stopped caring about them, mainly because they have their own damages to fix, but they're bound to be irrelevant after all the repairs. His teammates have gone their separate ways and Tahno remains picking up the pieces, trying and failing to find something to complete him again. He's never been alone in public but he is now, and careful glances his way and murmurs of his name catch onto his skin. He's so damn alone.

The last time he saw Korra before she went off to avenge the benders, just like she promised she would, he had barely shown any sign of taking care of himself. In an effort for that past normalcy, he has been styling his hair the way he used to lately, and his outfits are meticulously planned. He's quieter than usual, but that haughtiness never stopped being a part of him. It's the only way he knows how to communicate anymore. The exceptions are rare and to this day he wishes Korra, the loser who still has everything, had never seen that pitiful side of him. It wasn't necessary; she would've done what she did anyways, and at the end of the day he's still the weak loser.

Korra, Korra, Korra. The Uh-vatar. He can't escape that name, and she's probably long forgotten him now. And that's not right.

By some stroke of fate he's been given the opportunity to see himself wrong on that train of thought. Her disguise is just transparent enough for him to the point where he confuses it for a horrible fashion statement. He debates walking up to her, but the conflict subsides when he finally reasons that he's Tahno. Back in the day, taunting her would be a no-brainer, and that shouldn't change.

"Hey, now. Isn't this district a little high end for you, Uh-vatar?"

[braavado]

Oh geez. Of all the people she wants to run into while she's trying to hide, Tahno would be at the bottom of that list. If he's even on it at all.

If she has to be honest, she's not even sure if she really dislikes him much anymore. After she'd seen him last time, despondent after each healer's failure to fix his bending, she'd just felt sorry for him. And now she's just like him...or at least, almost just like him. A part of her also squirms with discomfort and guilt; Tahno might have been a bully and a cheater, but she's supposed to protect the people of Republic City from the likes of Amon. She couldn't even keep a simple promise. Amon's gone, but she hadn't brought him to justice like she told Tahno she would.

Instead of answering, Korra ignores that little flicker of irritation and pulls her hood down lower, like that might somehow make her invisible to Tahno's gaze.

[manscara]

There's no way Korra forgot all about Tahno, is there? He has to wonder because of her blatant attempt to ignore him, as if he's just another face in the crowd clamoring for the Avatar's attention. He quells his doubts and falls into step with her. He wants to put a hand on her shoulder, but he avoids doing so.

"Hey, Korra. Yoo-hoo, quit hiding." No, instead of touching her shoulder, he hooks his finger on her hood and gives it a light tug back.

[braavado]

The hood slides back, to her dismay, and she isn't fast enough to catch it. Tahno's voice is loud in the relative quiet of the area, and people begin to take notice of them. Before anyone can recognize her, Korra grabs Tahno's wrist and pulls him into the first restaurant they come across. It's mostly empty, which is a relief.

After pushing Tahno down into a chair, she plunks down in another, propping her elbows on the table as she glares at him. "You couldn't take a hint? I was trying to walk around without getting mobbed!"

[manscara]

Tahno doesn't particularly enjoy being manhandled, but if being seated on a whim at a restaurant costs him the few seconds it takes to fix his hair, he can live with it. He sort of listens to Korra while she talks, missing her primary concern as he touches up his mop. His averted gaze shows he's unaffected by that glare of hers.

"But you decided to treat me to lunch, instead. I see how it is." He finishes his hair and finally smirks at her again. "I'll have ginger tea. On the rocks."

[braavado]

"You--!!" Korra sputters. Oh, the nerve of him! Had she really just been thinking it'd be a relief to see him with his old swagger again? Scratch that! He's just as grating as ever.

She sits back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest. "Fine. But just this once," she bites out. With Tenzin and the others at the air temple taking care of her, it's not like she can't afford to buy a little something once in a while.

[manscara]

Tahno crosses his arms and knees comfortably where he sits. He easily admits to himself, this sudden turn of events in his day is quite a nice surprise. He could get used to sitting across from that gruff pout, especially if it means he's the one who's caused it.

Looks like a winner never stops being a winner.

"You shouldn't scowl like that. It causes wrinkles." But really, he just wants to see her scowl more.

[braavado]

This time Korra practically growls her answer. "I'll give you more than wrinkles to worry about, you jerk."

She resists kicking him under the table. Barely.

"Why did you follow me? Don't you have better things to do?"

Seriously, can't a girl get some peace around here?