Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

-7:45 PM-

"I have one, I swear! I have a boyfriend-uh?" you protested as you were pulled out of the shop by your friends. What wonderful friends they were indeed, for knowing when you were calling a bluff, ..like now. But they didn't want to hear any part of it.

"Ah, yeah?" your friend, Asa, questioned. Between her and Zhenzhen, she had known you the longest and knew that face you made when you were telling a lie and totally knew it. She blew a few strands of her light brown hair out of her eyes and swept it back behind her ears with the rest of her short hair. Zhenzhen continued to stare at you with light blue eyes. Her hair was in a high pony that split up towards the end into two thin braids. Her tall figure loomed over you as the two pressed on. "Well, then, who is it? Where'd you find him?" You almost heard a 'Why'd he want to date you? Why're you special?' but dismissed the statements to avoid getting extremely upset.

Buuut, you did kind of bring this on yourself. After all, who was the one who was touchy enough to deny being single just because you didn't know how to handle a guy crushing on you? In your derp moment, you had said that you were already in a relationship with someone else, and that's why you were so dumbfounded. Looking back at it, you didn't know whether it was a smart move, or a swimmingly idiotic decision. As you pondered, your friends were becoming impatient. "Look, [y/n]. We know you're lying. The jig is up, girl. We know you, but it doesn't matter if you have a boyfriend or no-"

"-But, I have one!"
Really. You couldn't have just let it drop. No, of course not. You were too macho to let your pride dwindle like that. At that moment, you just wished your tongue could be as smart as it was fast.
Oh, screw it. You got yourself in this, time to own up to your work. Now, to find a completely impossible boyfriend that would be so busy, you wouldn't have to be a real jerk-off to introduce to anyone.
Someone busy, someone busy...
Hadn't you met someone like that last night on your way home from work at the bakeshop?
A vision of the man's sharp face came to mind, and the reminiscent feel of his grey eyes on you smacked you into your own little never-never land.
He was a waterbender.. Whether he was famous or not, you couldn't remember, but his name.. His name.. Wasn't it.. T.. Tan.. Tah..?

"THEN WHO IS HE?"

"His name is Tahno! He's a pro-bender. We met a few (months) ago at the market.."
The word "months" came out as a faint whisper, as the statement would have been true if that word had been replaced by "hours" instead. Your bluff, however, was still a bluff.
"No way," they said simultaneously. "If he's your boyfriend, then why don't you introduce us?"
You tried hard to keep your cool. Was it working? You'd better hope so! "He's usually too busy training anyways; we barely see each other now that it's that time of the season again." What a lie. Oh man, this had better be a one-time thing.
Zhenzhen and Asa just frowned at you as you continued to stare at the building behind them. Suddenly, they turned, faces lighting up as, speak-of-the-devil, Tahno came around with his posse, turned the corner and into their usual hangout spot.

'I wanna die.'
He was walking with a curvy woman hooked on each arm.
'Just kill me.' NOW.

"Well, there goes your boyfriend." Asa said flatly.
"Guess this means he's cheating on you?" Zhenzhen added.
You didn't know if you were offended or just embarrassed. He wasn't even a friend or anything. How would you know he was actually a lady killer? Although... You guessed he had the looks for it..

You shook your head violently before stepping back into reality, where you had confused your friends a bit.
"Wait, he's not? ...[y/n], it's time to move on. Let's face it, you're not a very good pick." Zhen comforted. "He's a player after all. It's probably happened to all kinds of girls." Although, in any context, the comment didn't make you feel any comfort whatsoever. Perhaps it was best to just agree and cut this fiasco short.

"Y-yeah.. I guess you're right.. " you said, turning to walk back home.

But just as you thought you could get away with such a ridiculous fabrication, the situation got worse.

"Oh, hey! If it isn't [y/n]?" someone called from the water tribe-themed restaurant. "Yeah, our leading lady from the other night! Thanks for taking Tahno for the night!" a teammate waved.
You cursed repeatedly as you turned to see Ming and Shaozu of the White Falls Wolfbats.

Lord, God, just go away, dammit.

You turned around and put on the best smile a person possibly could. "No problem!" The boys laughed pleasantly and walked to you and your friends. "Woahhh, you're actually pretty easy on the eyes like that. Why isn't that guy dating you again?"

You hadn't known who the speaker was, but it didn't matter that much anyways. You just hoped your friends wouldn't snap or anything at their gestures.

The two of them laughed at the joke, knowing the predicament they had been in that prompted you to meet, and you thought you were having heart palpitations. "Ha.. Haha.." You laughed nervously. One of your friends took you by the shoulder and forced you to walk in the other direction with the duo close by, blocking off the boys. Soon enough, however, you found yourself being pulled into a human tug-of-war between two pro-benders and your aggressive earth-bender friends. At any rate, you'd be pulled in half if the two groups started to even pinch at you!

Not good, not good! You opened your mouth to shriek—

"No one told me there'd be a party."

At the creamy voice, the foursome looked from you to a man who had apparently just walked out of the restaurant. His expression was cold, albeit confused. He obviously hadn't remembered who you were nor what you did for him the other night and you could tell from the look on his face that he had no interest in you at all.

He shook his wavy hair out of his face and let his pointer finger fall in your direction. "..Since when did you start liking girls like her..?" the man said with a clearly condescending tone, "Man, have your standards dropped.." he continued, shaking his head. The boys finally let go of you, and so did Zhen and Asa. You let out a small sigh of relief and sunk back into your own skin. Ah, thank GOD.

Then suddenly, grabbing-!

-8:07 PM-

"Huff… huff…"

"Ah, [y/n]!"

"…"

"[Y/N]!" the waterbender shook your hand off violently as you rounded the corner and stopped at a small alleyway. You looked at him, and he shoved you in the crammed space, following closely behind.

Right.. so.. the situation right now? You backtracked. A few minutes ago, you were saved from being stretched to death by this guy right in front of you, ..Tahno? Unfortunately, the fake boyfriend you had chosen wasn't as busy as you thought he'd be, and your over-protective friends had snapped at him after he insulted you.. sort of. You had tried to play the fiery-in-love(-yet-dumped-and-heart-broken) girlfriend by saying he always jokes around like that and that you were in a very flexible relationship because you wanted to remain chaste—The wolfbats have no freaking clue what you're talking about—You try to cover his mouth to prevent him from saying anything—the girls come at him—and BAM. You were running away from your friends and the pro-bender's teammates.

The man slicked his jet-black hair out of his face, only to let it fall in place again, then stared at you intensely. The look he gave you emanated a dark aura that said 'Tell me what's going on or else I'll throw you off the bridge.' You instinctively looked down at your shoes, but you could still feel those eyes burning on your head. You felt like you were going to start losing hair soon.

-8:12 PM-

"Listen, I can be a reasonable guy." You could hear him waterbending the sweat from himself. "But I'll freeze you in this sweat-water if you don't explain this mess to me." You looked up and immediately caught a glance of the water orb he was holding over your head. Shoot. He wasn't joking. What do I do! You weren't a bender or anything. You'd taken some martial arts classes when you were little, but you were out of practice. What if he actually froze you in water! Maybe you should just tell him it was a prank..? Or maybe that your friends pressured you to do it..? You ruffled your [h/c] hair in frustration and looked to the side, and you felt the temperature increase by at least twenty degrees between the two of you as the wolfbat leaned in closer and put a hand at the side of your head.

"I'm waiting—"

"I told them you were my boyfriend, okay?"

"Boyfrie—You're kidding."

"Oh yes. I'm joking. I wanted to prank you so hard that I told my friends to Earthbend and rage-chase after you. Hardy-har-har."

"Aren't you a card."

Ooh—that's it. Stupid jerkbender.

"Hey! Hey, hey, look, buddy. I'm sure you don't remember, but I helped you out big-time last night. I mean, embarrassing, covered up for your sorry butt and took you home, humiliating. Couldn't you at least do me this favor?"

The pale man just stared at you silently, and you realized you were looking straight into his eyes. Switching your sights to the wall behind him, you couldn't help but wonder, why were you doing this? You'd been challenged by and embarrassed in front of your friends before. Getting a good stare-down from this jerk totally wasn't worth your pride. What was pride anyways? Whatever it was. This just. Wasn't. Worth it.

You heard the water being released from its place in the air and you tensed up in anticipation.

Splish.

"Okay."

You were dry.

Okay…

Wait what! C-come again? Did he really just say that? He said okay? Your neck snapped towards him. His face was stoic. He raised his eyebrow as you continued to stare at him, struck mute with disbelief. As if sensing your confusion, he spoke again.

"What's the favor." He stated bluntly.

"U-uh, well, if you could, um." You cleared your throat nervously. You weren't actually asking him out for real or anything, but this was still embarrassing. The next words that came out of your mouth were said so fast that it all seemed like one jumbled-up word:

"Just pretend to be my boyfriend for a little while until my friends can calm down and we can have a spat and 'break-up' or whatever." You kept your eyes on his collar and waited for an outrageous answer. But in your state of mind, continued to ramble on about useless details. "You can still hang out with your dude-friends and go out with other girls, like, it's not like we're actually dating or anything, you know, like, it's just to shaddup my friends, and—"

"Fine by me." Came his answer. "No strings attached? We hold hands for a little bit, and then break it off?" there was a pause, as if he was thinking about it. "Better than feeling indebt to someone I don't know." You would have thought how you probably would have said the same thing, if it weren't for your total distrust in your ears' sound receptors and your brain's reality processing abilities at the moment. Maybe you just wanted this so bad that your mind was just creating this new world over real life for you.

'…Hm…Thanks, mind.' You nodded to yourself.

You relaxed a bit as the flow of cool, fresh air was restored when Tahno backed away. Without realizing it, you had slouched a bit and let out a nice, long sigh while enjoying the caress of the night air on your skin. And the jerkbender snorted at you a bit. He held out his hand and you reluctantly put yours in it.

"Close your eyes."

What. Fine. You closed your eyes and waited. 'Sweet Cherubs, don't kiss me..' Because we all know that would have been pretty awkward.

Instead, you felt something cold and solid being pressed into your palm. Your eyes shot open and you tried to pull your hand back on reflex, but the bender held the ice firmly in place.

"Wh-what.." An ice rose?

Just the head. No stem. Just a simple, open rose head. And it looked like something white was frozen in the center. You stared at it, then at the guy's face. He just smirked and removed his hand from under yours and into his pocket.

"That's my address. I take the bus near that building every morning and I go to the gym, after that I mess around town with the guys."

"Why the heck would I—"

"—If we're going to pretend to be a couple, the best I could do is give you private lessons." He smirked before walking out of the alley and stopping at the entrance, his back still facing you. "So if you're free, I better see you there tomorrow morning, got it, sweetheart..?"

"..Sweetheart..?"

And he just leaves.

Who ever said they wanted "Private Lessons"!

You decided you would kick him in the tenders the next time you saw him before also leaving the alley.

Chapter Text

"Don't judge me.." you sighed as you sat awkwardly between your friends. They had come to your place very early in the morning and had let themselves in as soon as you greeted them at the door, forcing you to sit down in between them on your too-small couch in your too-small living room. You didn't particularly want to be bothered about this issue at the moment; and maybe it was just the cramps in your stomach, or the sudden craving for lots and lots of hard earned rocky road ice cream smothered in chocolate and topped off with a generous slab of whip cream on top, but you were pretty sure mother nature was going to have a fun time screwing you over this week.

Spirits, was this really happening?

"Stop going out with that guy." Zhenzhen came out and said it.

"No." You spat defiantly. "It's not over yet. I'm waiting until-"

"He breaks up with you?" Asa interrupted. You probably shouldn't have cared as much as you did, but man, this was pretty infuriating. You whistled for your pandapug to come towards you before shooting up from the couch and grabbing your key. "C'mon, Tigi. We're going to go see Tahno." Now if only you weren't too early and didn't end up looking desperate.

You arrived at the bus stop after only a few blocks, and a few wrong turns here and there.

"Well, this is it, Tigs. He ain't here. Think we came too early?"

The small black and white animal looked up at you with large eyes and gave a growl and a small bark.

"Arf!"

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the girl from before.. What was your name again? [Y/n]? Oh wait, or was it Jun..?" you turned to look at the source of the voice, and found a smug wolfbat, feigning a look of ignorance.

"This jerk.. really?" You didn't need to be here. No. You could just go home and explain everything to your friends. Then all of this would be over.

"What is.. that?" the pro-bender said, pointing down at the living thing standing next to your foot. It growled at him again, showing his teeth, and you leaned down to try to calm him down.

"His name is Itigiaq. And he is a pandapug. And one of the cutest things in the world. Way cuter than you.." You said, returning the look.

"Ih.. tee..gihl..ac?"

"Ee-tee-gee-ack."

"Whatever." He groaned, rolling his eyes. "Anyways, why'd you come so early? Afraid I'd leave you or something?" he smirked.

You let out a noise that was between a laugh and an anguished moan. "No, no, no. Don't misunderstand me. I came out early because I was kicked out of my apartment. There is nowhere to go right now that's actually open and in walking distance, so I just thought I'd wait for you here and rub it in your face how late you are." Lies.

"Tch." Tahno finally let his face settle into an expression other than his usual smirk as he walked over to the bench behind you and took a seat. "You're really unattractive, you know that?" He said bluntly, his face going back to normal as he patted the seat next to him, gesturing for you to sit down. It was almost like you had never seen that other face before. Huh. And he almost looked human that way.

"Well, you're not exactly as attractive as you think you are, bub." You retorted, taking a seat as far away from him as possible and laying Itigiaq down on your lap. You began to pet him.

You looked up from the small animal to look at Tahno who was staring at you intently. He opened his mouth to say something, but you slapped your hand over his mouth. You scooted in undesirably close to his side and leaned into him, whispering quickly, "Hold me, hold me." And he did without hesitating; he forced you even closer to him with his one arm, and from afar you two surely would have looked like a very close couple. If only it wasn't summer and you weren't wearing a long sleeve shirt and dark pants.

"So that's where you went, running off like that." You heard a familiar voice rant. "Honestly, we're going to have to walk about this some ti—" The two girls stopped walking at the site of the man holding you closely. "[Y/n]. What are you doing with him!"

You stayed silent and looked in the other direction. Maybe if you avoid eye-contact they'll go away. You waited for them to do something, when Tahno stepped in. "Hey there." He said, turning his player face on. Which your friends answered with confused faces. "What are you—!" one of the girls quickly advanced towards him, but you quickly flung your body on top of him, your chest landing on his chest in the most unpleasant manner-and poor little Tigs stuck between your stomachs.. Hey, don't you think you're laying this on a little bit too thick?

Maybe a little.

"D-don't touch him! He didn't do anything wrong, that's just how he is with everyone!" You said through gritted teeth. You slowly got off of him, keeping your face hidden from the girls. "Honey." You said, almost feeling something coming back up, "Why don't you and me go take this to somewhere more private."

He grinned wildly. You could see it in his eyes. His eyes were laughing at you, and as if Tigs was acting for you, he snarled.

"Sure thing, sweetheart." He said, pushing you off of him so he could stand. He tucked the panda-like animal under his arm and snaked an arm around you. He gave a smile to your friends before turning around and giving your hips a firm tug. "It's about time you took me up on those private lessons." You have him a blow to the gut and faked some laughter to cover up his setting Tigi down and bending over himself. "Hahaha! Funny, Tahno! You're so funny!"

"I told you not to take this the wrong way!"

"I was only playing along!" he managed a crooked smile.

"..Whatever." Call it whatever you want, that was still dirty!

Click. Click.

Tahno turned his key to what looked like it may have been his apartment and he opened the door, letting you in. You walked inside, Itigiaq following closely behind you, wondering at once why he wasn't stopping the pug to enter. You looked at him curiously as he walked inside and locked the door, setting his key down on a nearby side-table. Once he noticed you staring at him, he walked towards you, getting uncomfortably close.

"U-uhm, what are you doing..?" you asked, a hint of nervousness in your voice. But he simply smirked and took of the top layer of his shirt, reaching behind you and pushing your face into his shirt.

Wasn't he just making fun of you earlier? He was just telling you about how unattractive you were a few minutes ago. What was happening? Does this make any sense?

He seemed to hook something behind you, and then he pulled away. Oh.. he was just hanging his shirt thing.. You unconsciously let out a breath of air, and he laughed at you, his chuckles amplified by the sheer emptiness (and cleanliness) of his living space. Couldn't he have just asked you to scoot over? Why did he have to stick his chest in your face.. You walked away from him and turned to mask the blush growing on your face from overthinking.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything, you charmless girl."

"How insulting!"

"Did you want me to do something?"

"No! Of course not!"

"Then stop acting like you're trying to seducing me."

"I'm not trying to!"

"Is that right? Fine. Then make yourself at home. If you keep looking around like a scared baby rabbaroo, I might actually do something bad."

Was that a threat?

"So why don't you be a good girl and go sit on the couch."

We'll take that as a yes.

You walked over to the couch in the middle of the space and looked around. The space felt big, but it might have actually been smaller than your own apartment. It was a studio layout, no rooms, and no extra doors, except for the one leading into what may have been a bathroom, and one with a shirt hanging on the knob, which you assumed to be a closet.

You looked down to his coffee table, where a radio sat, waiting to be switched on.

"Do you mind if I..?" You said pointing to it.

"I was just about to ask you to anyways. Go for it."

You turned the thing on, and increased the volume to an audible level. Why was it on so low anyways? You'd think a guy like him would have a lot of people listening with him, right? Unless he was actually alone all this time.. The quiet that had welcomed them earlier was dulling..

And while we're on the topic of wondering about him right now, why exactly had he agreed to help you? No, why was he going to these lengths to help you? From first glance, you'd definitely think that he would have shot you right down the moment you brought up having lied to your friends about having a boyfriend.

His voice shattered your thoughts as he asked you if you wanted something to drink.

"What do you have..?"

"Eh, there's water, some ale, lemonade, lemon soda.."

"I'll just have some water then, thanks."

"Sure thing, sweetheart."

You watched him quietly as he bent some water into a cup for the both of you and sat down on the couch close to the radio. He set your cup down in front of you and began to gulp his down as he leaned in closely to the radio. It was a fire-ferret's match. It was unexpected, seeing as how he didn't seem to see them as a threat in his interviews, but I guess this was a good way of learning your opponent's weaknesses, right?

He stopped as he brought the cup to his face as he glanced at you, doing a double-take at how intently you were staring at him.

"What is it?"

"…"

"Well?"

"..."

"..Go for it."

"..We're not in public anymore, could you not call me 'sweetheart'?"

"Sure thing, honey."

Sigh.

So many things you didn't know about him.

Chapter Text

"Here you go. Lined with luck, just how you like it." you said, almost sarcastically as you handed the wolfbat his helmet. You couldn't believe you actually said that.

"Thanks, babe." he thanked you and you gasped as he suddenly pulled you in closer to gently place a soft kiss at your forehead.

"Hey..."

He scoffed at your reaction, ruffling your hair lightly before putting on his helmet and heading out to the arena; but not before winking at you.

This had certainly progressed quickly, you thought. Now let's just rewind two weeks earlier, when you found yourself stuck at Tahno's place for the day. Right, the day when he stuck his chest in your face at his place and you both ended up listening to a Fire Ferrets match.

[A few nights before]

"..How long are you planning on staying here?" he had asked you during a break between the matches. A sponsor continue to shamelessly advertise its services in the background as you stared at him intently—which, by the spirits you really hadn't meant to do—but there was just something about his face that kept your eyes more than happy to openly stare at. But, Avatar Kyoshi, those eyes! You tore yourself from your mind palace, as realization hit you.

"You're staring at me like I grew another head here."

"Oh!"

"Yep."

"I'm sorry, I just—your eyes—they—um—they're—well-"

"-Beautiful, I know. Now back to my question, how long are you staying here?"

"Pff, you're a riot." You had to give him credit for being hysterical. "Long enough to scare the earthbenders. I don't think they'll go away until I give them a scare. Do you have a date tonight? Do you mind if I stay over a late while?"

He grinned widely at you and let his head back as he laughed, obviously enjoying something that you had said. "I just love how you can come up with these plans! I bet you'd have the best time if you could actually get a boyfriend!"

"Hey, I could get a boyfriend if I wanted!"

"Don't worry about it, you innocent little girl, it makes you adorable; which is actually quite hard for you, since you're so hot-blooded."

"I answered your question! Now could you please answer mine?" You struggled feebly to make him change the subject, but he kept teasing you about how pure you actually were when it came to this subject.

He finally stopped when you turned and stood silent.

"Hey."

"What."

"Look at me."

"No."

He slightly massaged the area between your neck and your shoulder as he chided you to look at him, and after a while you just had to give in. It wasn't because he was a smooth operator or anything, though. It was just that he was rubbing you like a buddy, and your nape was sobbing from the pressure. You two made eye-contact, and sat like that for a while. Until, he finally chuckled and mumbled something like 'cutie' under his breath.

"I don't have any dates or 'appointments' today, so you're free to take the spot."

"Look, I'm not asking you because I have to. I could rent a hotel or something instead of staying here, if you want someone to do something with, you better find someone else."

"Well, go ahead then. Cryin' shame though, I'd never do anything with someone so wanton. I mean, unless they asked." Boy was he making it sound like you were asking for something.

"Hey, mister! I see what you're doing there! It's not going to work on me though, you hear? No, sir! Not on me; no funny business, you got that?"

"Not a problem, princess." He chuckled it off casually, like he totally had not just insulted your womanhood or pride or whatever any of that was. Instead, he just moved on to the next topic. The day went on just like that, too. He'd take shots at you, then say something that totally flustered you, say something insulting again, and then start talking about something else, working a giggle or two out of you; no matter how weird it was. It felt like you were only sitting there for a few minutes, when you realized it was time to go to bed.

"Alright, well I have to work tomorrow. So, if you wouldn't mind, could you show me where I should sleep?"

"Sure thing," he replied almost right away, getting up and moving his coffee table. He unfolded the couch into a bed, then walked over to his closet and grabbed a few blankets and pillows, laying them down in front of you.

"Am I sleeping here then?" You asked, pointing to the foldable contraption.

"Yup. Right here." He said, copying your action. He took a pillow and put it at the head of the bed, slinging the blanket over his shoulders as he headed to the bathroom to clean up for bed.

"Wait!" you followed after him into the bathroom, entering as he laid down some minty white paste on his toothbrush.

"Wha' ish it?" he said through the foam as he proceeded to brush. He gave you an extra brush and some paste, then laid himself down on the bed, throwing an arm over his eyes and getting all cozy and all. You followed after him as you finished up, stopping at the foot of the bed in a fit of hesitation, looking around aimlessly for some room on the couch other than the actual vacant space on the bed next to the probender.

"Where.. where am I sleeping…?" you almost whispered.

He stretched out his right arm on the pillow next to him, "Here."

"Wh-what..?"

"Come here and let me spoon you, little sis. Mind if I call you that for now?"

"But.. but.." you'd have said 'I don't wanna!' but you'd be lying to yourself, even if he did just call you little sis.

"I… I guess just for tonight. No getting funny."

"Alright, get over here." He said, lifting the arm on his eyes a bit so he could see you then beckoning to you with his open hand. You slowly obliged, planting your head on his arm pillow and making sure to face the other direction so you didn't have to look at that irritatingly dashing face of his. You almost couldn't fall asleep from the tickle of his breath on your neck and the erratic beating in your chest.

[9:00 AM]

"Hey, wanna give me those glasses over there?"

"Got'em." You said, passing him the glasses from the previous night. You dropped them into the sink, and he bent water on them, completely ignoring the fact that there was a perfectly unwashed sponge next to the faucet. 'Must be nice to be a waterbender', you thought to yourself. You suddenly remembered an incident with the equalists and how well that went for benders in Republic City. Wasn't Tahno.. one of the first people to get his bending taken away? How did he get it back..?

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

"Huh?"

He smirked and laughed at your oblivion. "You were thinking pretty hard just then; what about?"

"Oh, um…" You figured it wouldn't hurt to ask and went for it anyways, "Remember when the Equalists took over Republic City for a short while back when Amon was in the big?"

He tensed a bit, but didn't really show any discomfort about continuing, "Yeah, why?"

"How did you get your bending back?"

"Korra."

"I kinda figured, but…" Did he try to find her or something? You distinctly remember that that Team Avatar was living on the island with Tenzin's family and the air acolytes, and if your memory wasn't completely failing you, the Avatar hadn't the warmest feelings about this particular waterbender.

"Yeah.. well, let's just say I had something to tell her that day."

"You make it sound like you went to confess to her or something."

There was an awkward silence as you both stopped working and the two of you looked over at each other, Tahno's face completely stoned over that you had to work yourself out of the good mood and seriously take it in for a moment.

"That's because I did."

"Oh…"

"It didn't work out too well, though. As you can see," he held an arm out to his empty apartment, "She helped me out in the end, but she…was already with that Fire Ferret jerk, so that was definitely a bust."

"You aren't exactly a bed of roses, you know." You had to tease.

"Hey, I will have you know I am a glorious bed of sweet-smelling roses, thanks babe."

"You're a riot."

[2:00 PM]

So, after a few hours of laborious chores and various visits to the market and other places, you found yourselves sitting down on a bench at the park in your sweaty work clothes.

"Why did you wait until now to clean out your apartment again?"

"I never had anyone to help out."

"Seriously? Don't your guy friends ever come over to play?"

"Fff, no. It sounds pretty strange but I always feel overly conscious when people come over my place."

"I don't understand why you would though, I mean, I thought your place was immaculate until we started cleaning all that junk out of your closet and stuff."

"Hahaha, exactly."

[5:00 PM]

"Tahno?" you whispered as you walked along the sidewalk together.

"Sup, sweet cheeks?" he replied. He was on your left, clearly applying the man-always-to-the-side-of-traffic rule.

You shouldered him to look to the right, where two familiar figures were standing. He took you by surprise this time, though, taking your hand and lacing your fingers it with his, lightly squeezing; as if to give you strength. You two walked on, looking to the road at your left to avoid eye contact with the earthbenders, at some point, you squished into him a lot closer than you really should have, but he really didn't seem to mind, he squished in as well, in fact. It felt nice. Cozy, even.

[8:00 PM]

You were still holding hands. Of course, you had separated every once in a while to look at things, go the bathroom, wash your hands, things like that, but whenever you two started walking together, it just happened. The inevitable link; like two monkeys in those can thingies you used to buy as a kid. It just felt so natural, it wasn't something you had to think about, and it didn't matter how sweaty and gross your hands were. It was great.

You went around town, picked up an abundance of food from random street stands, and walked.

And walked.

And walked.

Until you finally decided to sit down at a café and order some warm drinks to help you finish of your food. It was Tahno that started the conversation.

"Hm?"

"I said there's sooo much food here."

"I know.. What were we even thinking!?"

"Haha, I guess we weren't. You just picked out everything that looked good and I was just standing there happy to pay for everything you wanted."

"We probably looked like a couple out there."

"…Yeah…"

"Well, anyways…"

"Anyways…"

You were staring each other down with these exceedingly expectant looks on your faces, and when you realized it, you attempted to brighten up the mood.

"Let's dig in!"

"[Y/n]." He said it so seriously, with a hint of urgency in his voice. You ripped your eyes from the pile of food to his face.

"U-um.. yeah?"

"Do you.. wanna try it out?"

"Try.. what out?"

"I dunno. This. Us."

"Sounds awfully poetic of you."

"Yeah, I know."

"Hahaa…Are… you being serious…?"

He just smiled at you a bit, then picked up something on a stick from the food pile. "This looks good," he said before biting at it.

Any other questions you had about what he said he found a way of talking around. You never did know if he was joking or not.

[10:00 PM a few nights later]

You slowly sank down to the floor as you closed the apartment door behind you. The umpteenth rose Tahno had given you was now a pool of water spilling out of your still cupped hand, and the little slip with the venue address was surprisingly still intact. You'd watched the thing melt as you walked the streets alone, and by the looks of it earlier, the paper wasn't waterproof or anything, and yet there it was, completely dry. Damn him and his incomprehensible dating methods.

Maybe that was like how your situation with Tahno was right now. Something that looks like it might not work out on the outside, but is actually a pretty good idea… You reached up to lock your door, then got up and switched the lights on. Walking over to your cabinets, you rummaged through the first door for some maps and took a slightly outdated map of Republic City out. It was only a year and a half or two old. You figured it would do. You made a stop at your refrigerator before heading to your couch with ice cream tub and map in hand. You switched on the radio to the pro-bending match.

And now, give it up for…The White Falls Wolfbats! [[crowd roars]]

"Oh, lucky me..." You said monotonously, rolling your eyes and taking a scoop of your ice cream.

[11:07 PM]

You fell, face first, into your sheets. It was weird. There was this feeling tightening in your chest and a ticklish feeling going on in your stomach. Was this.. excitement? Were you actually excited to see that wooshy-haired guy? You looked up from the pillow as you realized you couldn't breathe, and inhaled deeply. You were the one who started this. This was all just to fool your friends, although you were quite sure that was already accomplished. And you were pretty sure that it had been obvious to Tahno as well, but he kept insisting that you go out together just to make sure that they saw you together one more time…At places you were certain they wouldn't even go to. He wasn't really hanging out with any other girls besides you, which kind of made you happy, which you were starting to grow a bit ashamed of, honestly. It was just so confusing. You couldn't tell where the acting stopped and your real feelings actually came into play. You tried to coax yourself into a slightly normal state, so you could at least go to sleep. But the thoughts just kept coming.

Maybe you actually liked him..?

LIKED HIM, liked him?

Even just a little?

Your face burned up just thinking about it; maybe you just felt that way because you kept thinking about it! Thanks, over-active imagination.

In all seriousness, though. A little over-exposure might have been what was really triggering this madness. Maybe it was for the best that you stayed away from Tahno for a while..

Chapter Text

There are certain things that girls do when they get worried, little, insignificant things; at least to them. Ironically, girls forget that men have amygdalae too and are perfectly capable of emotion.

Riiiiing... Riiiiiiing...

Riiiiing... Riiiiiiing...

It was 7:00 in the morning when you got a call from a certain somebody. Unfortunately, you were completely out cold and couldn't make it to the phone before it stopped ringing. Seeing no point in waiting for them to call again, you fell asleep once more, becoming submerged into another dream..

"Ride the swings with me.. " a familiar voice beckoned. "Spend some time with me.."

"Tahno?"

"Hey, babe." He smiled. A nice, wholesome smile; when he made the gesture the dream seemed to feel a bit.. warmer? Fluffy, if you will. But not gross and pink and maudlin. He held out a hand to you that you took instinctively. You began to walk; the scenery in your dream finally coming into view. An orange tint on the bridge as the two of you walked across a purple sky towards a pair of swings. Your arms were swaying in rhythm to your footsteps. "You been busy, I guess?"

You looked up to him, slightly confused. "Yeah.. a little..."

He sighed in relief as you said so, as if a large burden was lifted off of his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around you tenderly as he brought you closely to his bosom. "Oh, that's good..." He began. "I thought you were avoiding me all this time..."

"Oh..."

"I don't know what I'd do if you left my side..."

You didn't know if it would be best to tell him the truth or let him get on his merry way. A part of you knew telling him would hurt his pride, however, your dream did not allow for free will this time around. Afterall, it hadn't been a lucid dream.

"Actually, Tahno..." You began, completely despite your better judgement. He looked at you with gentle eyes, and you felt yourself shifting—you were pushing him away. You attempted to explain, but the floor beneath you cracked in half, and like glaciers, the two portions drifted away—only quickly—and you watched as Tahno disappeared into the distance and the world around you collapsed. A feeling of perpetual falling whelmed you, and as you plunged deeper into the darkness you hit a soft surface and a faint ringing echoed in the background.

Riiiiing... Ri─

"What do you want?"

"Whoa, what happened to you?"

"Fell off a glacier and on to my bed. Who's this?"

"Oh, nice... It's Shin. You free tonight?"

"Shin? Oh my gosh.. sorry for being an ass. I had a bad dream, and─"

"It's alright, I got it. But anyway, got time tonight?"

"Mmm.. it depends. Time for what?"

"The match tonight. I think it's The Whitefalls Wolfbats Vs. The Makapu Village Moose-Lions?"

"Moose-lions, hm?" You pondered for a moment, wondering if Tahno had done any "research" on the team beforehand like he did with the Fire Ferrets. "Alright. I can make time; regular price?"

"It's the Wolfbats..."

You rolled your eyes. You knew he was messing with you, but it just sounded downright silly when he said it that way... Although, it may actually mean that you guys would have to seat yourselves in the far back of the arena, considering Tahno's massive fanbase. "I'll meet you at bus stop 11."

"As per usual. See you later." Click!

You put the phone back down on the receiver and walked over to your kitchen. You picked off an empty pan from your rack and put it down on your stove. What was Tahno doing? Maybe he was nervous for the match tonight...? Even if he wasn't, you wondered if he would be practicing right now... Or maybe even hanging out in his apartment with another girl in his apartment. Maybe they were snogging and having their way on his retractable fold-a-bed. This girl would probably be pretty. He was a nice guy, but only the pretty girls could hook that kind of guy.

"I hate him." You whispered under your breath as you pulled out some eggs from your refrigerator.

Riiiiing... Riiiiiiing...

"Oh Spirits, again..."

Riiiiing... Riiiiiiing...

You picked it up reluctantly; two rings in a day─you were either extremely popular or extremely antisocial. "Hello..."

"Hey, pretty girl." How dare he call you that. What of that girl that you weren't sure was in his apartment at the moment.

"Oh.. hello..."

"Do I have the right digits? You're (y/n), right?"

"And if I wasn't?"

"Well, then I'm sorry. I was trying to call my girlfriend.. Or, I mean, my friend that's a girl."

"Sounds like a nice enough greeting. Someone you've slept with, I presume?"

"No, I'd never sleep with her. She's pretty, if not hot tempered and a bit stand-offish. Plus, I bet she's out of shape. We haven't been doing anything but eating lately on our little outings."

"Hey!"

"Finally."

"You should be practicing." You said absolutely.

Shuffling came from the other side. "I'm going to the gym right now. Jeeze. What defecated in your breakfast?" There was a helpless little laugh that followed the sentence, then he continued to talk. "So I'm assuming you heard about the Moose-lions? I thought you would sooner or later."

"I actually didn't have that much interest in it; my friend just called.. me about it." You didn't want to let him know you were going, for some reason you thought that might have done more harm than good. "And leave me alone! It's been a tiring morning."

"No, you're just not a morning person, babe." he chuckled. "Sorry for bothering you. Want me to make it up to ya?"

"No, it's my fault. Sorry, okay? You're not bothering me, I'm just not in a good mood."

"Want to do something to.. brighten your mood, then?"

"I don't like where this is going."

"I can't imagine why you wouldn't..."

"...Would you wipe that smirk off your face?! Seriously, and don't breath so hard into the receiver, it's creepy."

"You can't even see my face? Haha. I already said it, I wouldn't think to do anything inappropriate to you, you're far too precious."

"..."

He seemed to clear his throat on the other side. Perhaps out of feeling awkward? Serves him right for leading you on! "Anyways, I have two VIP passes for the match. Wanna have a go at them tonight?"

"Hm.. you should have called sooner, someone just asked me out before you did."

"What?"

"My friend Shin called earlier. We're going to go watch something later."

"You'd rather do that than see a match when I'm practically handing the tickets to you?"

"I just respect my promises."

"I guess.. Well.. that's honorable... I'm sorry for pressuring you..."

"No, it's ok. Sorry I can't make it." You said, guiltily. On one hand you felt bad for lying to him. On the other, you just felt bad. Then you remembered your hatred for him and that girl that you weren't even sure he was spending time with. Obviously this relationship wasn't doing you any good; it was just making you... jealous or something.

"Want to watch me practice?"

"As if! All you're going to do is run around and sweat, what fun is that?"

"Oh? Who have you been watching at practice? I assure you I'd make it ten times as entertaining."

"Make it a hundred and I'll think about it."

A chuckle rang on the other side at your masterful bartering. He had a good laugh. It made you want to tell more jokes. "Alright, I'll make it a hundred. But only if you come, sweet pea."

"I'll think about it." You snorted a bit and he laughed.

Another voice boomed through the receiver as someone seemed to have tackled Tahno. "Some new chick, Tahnie? I bet she's cute, you got pictures?"

"Get the hell off me— I've been tryin' to pick this girl up for ages and you're ruining the mood!" You blushed, then remembered who you were dealing with. There was no way he was actually trying to pick you up this whole time. Your own dog practically bit him in the crotch and was now taking up residence at his place for a week to make up for it.

"Woah, easy pal! The Great Tahno, the crème de la crème, man among men, can't get a girl? She must be SOME looker!"

"Get outta my face, Min Ho!"

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, tell'er if she ever gets lonely..."

"She's not a play thing, Min Ho. I'm definitely not handing her to you. Ever."

"Ouch. Fine then, whatever. Have fun hogging her to yourself, then." You heard footsteps and a sigh that followed.

"Sorry, that was an old trainee, Min Ho. He's raging gay for me."

"Sounded perfectly interested in girls to me."

"Um..." Things were getting more awkward as unspoken words hung heavy in the air. You could hear the hesitation on the other line; no other movement but that of his lips. "We should... we should talk soon." He said curtly. You could tell it was supposed to come out playfully, but he sounded unusually nervous. Normally, he'd play this off as a joke, but you knew he was being serious.

"Alright." Came the answer.

"I'm getting off now..."

"Take care."

More shuffling. "You too, babe." Click!

You could just taste the words that were waiting for you. "Just what is this relationship we have? It's been fun, but is it safe to break it off now?" You shook yourself out of thought and turned on your stove. Drizzling some oil on the pan, you cracked an egg and watched it sizzle as it hit the teflon.

._._._. 4:30 PM ._._._.

You dressed up nice; you couldn't understand why. You had put on fitting black pants and pulled on black boots just so you could wear any color you wanted on top. Then you tossed on a tight, navy turtleneck for warmth and an oversized blue-violet pancho, sinched at the waist for comfort and you were scram out the door in seconds. You hadn't looked in the mirror, but the reaction you got from your unimpressionable friend Shin was the same thing as looking in a mirror.

You heard a wolf-whistle as you made your way to the bus stop. "This wasn't supposed to be a date, what are you doing getting all dressed up?" He was dressed casually. Wavy, brown hair naturally swept to the side; a red, semi-traditional long sleeved robe-top that came down to his waist and large pants fitted into black, shin-length boots.

You smacked him violently on the leg as you sat down on the bench next to him. "This isn't for you." You said curtly.

"Got a boyfriend in the ring?" He smirked as he rubbed his leg. Damn him.

"Jealous?"

"I'm practically crying from the loss. But seriously; I heard some stuff about you and Tahno going steady—are you two birds exclusive?"

"Not... Not really, no." In fact, you'd been avoiding him lately and he confused you to no end.

Your friend made a face that told you he must have heard differently elsewhere and you almost couldn't breath. "He said otherwise in an interview this morning."

You practically watched the blood drain from your eyeballs. "Did he use my name?"

"He used your dog's name."

"Oh, that's different then. Couldn't have been talking 'bout me that way."

"How? He said he was close to the girl whose dog was at his place. He said something about trying to be a better person for her and stuff, too. It sounded like he was pretty whipped."

"Wait, what?" You blinked. There was no way. There was no way.

"Haven't you been reading the paper?" He unrolled the paper in his hands and handed it to you. Now that you thought about it, you were never the one to be fad-savvy. You hadn't even known where Tahno was from the first time you claimed to have had a romantic relationship with him. "He's been telling everybody that he's taken. There are even some pictures here of you handing him his helmet; the media's speculation is that it's you." He folded back the excess newspaper to show you the large picture of Tahno taking the helmet smugly from you. You physically cringed at your ruffled hair and unimpressed expression as you passed the paper back to Shin.

"You can take that back."

"What?"

"I don't want to hear it."

"Wait, what?"

"He's not my boyfriend, he will never be my boyfriend, and there's no way he's ever going to be more than a boy friend."

"Is this a touchy subject?"

"Quite obviously." Shin stopped to look up when a new voice entered the conversation and a hand made its way on his shoulder.

You almost had to do a double-take. "Tahno?"

"Hey, babe." He spat the last word like poison. "Am I interrupting some kind of date here?"

Shin looked at you, brows furrowed, then back at Tahno.

"Not particularly—"

"Take a hike, loser." Tahno cut in front of him before he could say anything else and yanked you away.

Chapter Text

Something about stars. The brighter they shone, the more explosively they collapsed; the more fragile they were.

(30 minutes before the match)

"What do you think of me?"

"Not very well, after you verbally assaulted my friend of 17 years!"

"Friend?"

"Yes, friend. What's this all about." You pointed to his street clothes. He was supposed to be at the match right now, not gallivanting around and calling random guys losers... as if he didn't do that in his free time already. This was becoming very awkward very quickly.

"I don't— I—"

Seeing him in mental turmoil, you put your hand on his. "...Maybe we should talk after your match." You said quietly. He shook your hand off violently, giving you a jolt. You wanted to feel bad, but all you felt was sour. What did you do to make him this pissy at you? Whatever! If he didn't want your kindness, then that was his loss!

"Come with me to the match."

"I told you, I have somewhere to g—"

"I saw the tickets in his hand! What do you think I am, DUMB?!" His hair was in a mess. He was breathing heavily, and you weren't sure what was going to happen next. Tahno was a chill guy by nature. Seeing him this way made you rethink your earlier feelings. Who knew avoiding him would be this hard? "I know you were going to the match with him. I know you like probending! Why would you lie to me?"

You looked to the ground and grunted. What was making this such a hard question to answer? You had the answer, and here was your opportunity to present it to him. You liked him. Simple.

Or was it?

You took a deep breath to calm your nerves a bit. Honestly. Being with this man got your heartstrings singing! So much so that breaking the bliss to realize what it meant made your tongue as heavy as lead.

At your silence, he put on an air, squinting his eyes and furrowing his brows questioningly at you for a moment. "Pick up Itigiaq tomorrow first thing in the morning." You couldn't help but notice how...hurt he sounded. How much you wanted to just wrap your arms around his neck and embrace him properly, maybe even whisper some apologies. But the continued silence only irritated him more, it seemed, and he broke you from your stupor when he held a brand new pet collar in front of your face and hurriedly crammed it into your palm.

"Thanks for the memories, loser." He spat, abandoning you in the park alone, staring at that damn collar. To think that not so long ago, he couldn't call you anything but names of endearment. Now you were back to being one of the lowest of the low. You were completely, and utterly, a loser.

"Pfff, what does he know?" You choked out. He didn't know anything about you. You hung out a few times and had some laughs, sure. You even shared a bed... No! That didn't mean anything. He was still a stranger to you—you knew nothing about him other than the fact that he was a probender... And that he hardly has guests because he gets self-conscious of his apartment... And he likes going out just to walk around and snack on street food...

What...

Had you done...?

(Later that night)

You paid Shin back for the ticket. You didn't go. He didn't seem too upset about it, in fact he was more upset about what happened with the waterbender boy that pretty much broke your heart without touching it. Shin would have boycotted the tournament, too, but you reminded him that the Moose-Lions were his team and that he should cheer them on. He looked sad to see you try and persuade him, but did as you said anyway. He told you to feel better soon.

Easier said than done, that's for sure.

You were laying in your bed, belly down, facing the radio on your bed stand as you silently felt the sheets on the side of your head become damp.

You didn't know why you were crying, but you had rather not be vocal. You were tired enough trying to get over yourself. You'd think that getting annoyed with yourself would help you stop, but it only made it worse. You really wished you had someone to talk to, but your friends wanted to break you up since the beginning, Shin was at the match, and anyone else you knew would never be up this late doing nothing.

You sighed and lifted your head slightly to catch a glimpse of the scene outside of your window. Light was still projecting into the air from the arena, and you could hear cheers and a loud boo that corresponded with the narration on the radio.

And Tahno is down again with a shot to the knee! Tonight is not his night!

"Gooo Moose-Lions..." You said limply as you closed your eyes and got comfortable on your wet pillow again. Makapu was your mother's home village, why couldn't you support her team whole heartedly like you planned to? Why did your heart feel lighter thinking about the Wolf-Bats winning? Why weren't you at the match?

...why didn't you say anything...?

You buried your face into your pillow and groaned loudly. Your own mind was eating you alive...

And another point goes to the Moose-Lions!

You woke up with a sense of drive. You would tell him everything. Right down to how you felt, and there was nothing that was going to stop you from singin' like a bird. Nothing.

Riiiiiiiiing...

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Shaozu. Tahno needs some time to recover from last night. He told me to tell you to pick up Mr. Tigs a little later. Like, five?"

"Okay."

"Hey, (y/n)... Anything troubling ya?"

"Nahhh, just tired."

"Ah, gotcha... Hey, what'd'ya say we get a drink. Ming doesn't like drinkin' in the daylight. You free?"

"A drink?" You could help it, you perked up. That was just what you needed! "Sure, when?"

"I know it's short notice, but how's right now?"

"Well, since my schedule's been cleared, I don't see how it could be a problem."

"Great! Meet me outside of Narook's in a few. Last one there pays."

"You'd make a girl pay?"

"If the girl is late, yeah!" Click!

What? What!? You changed quickly and hauled ass to the bar. Man, what a great way to ensure a date! Although, Shaozu was a pro bender... If he ran, he'd get there in half the time you would, and that's if you flew!

You drew closer to the noodle house, flats hitting madly against the pavement. In the corner of your eye, you saw a figure with light brown hair rolled up in the front quickly approaching your target location. "Oh no you don't!" He didn't seem to notice you, so you hid at the side of the building. When he got closer, you could hear him chuckle to himself.

"She probably thought I was kidding, I'm really going to make her pay!" He said cheerily.

"Hey!"

"HOLY CR-"

"Yeah, laugh it up!"

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to get a free drink."

"Oh, man."

"You had an advantage over me, what the heck!"

He laughed at your face, which was now very concerned. As if you were truly scared for your life that he was going to make you pay. He ruffled your hair a bit and held out his arm for you. "You're right. How about we get going then? I know the perfect place."

You squinted suspiciously at the sudden change of topic. The two of you locked gazes in a sort of staring contest, then you slumped a bit and took his arm, hand brushing against the fake leather. It felt weird. It wasn't as comfortable as you thought it was going to be, not like how it was with Tahno. He was wearing a pleather jacket over a scarlet, checkered scarf, a dusty rose shirt and black pants. There were two red belts crossed on his hips and he was wearing a pair of dark red boots that looked new. You looked down and briefly wondered how he was able to run in such nice shoes... He snorted as he looked away from you, elbowing you a bit. You apologized inwardly at your awkwardness. "Yeah, alright, let's go."

He started to lead you away from the noodle house when you heard squealing and nonsense behind you. "It's been a while since you've wanted to play with us~" Shaozu quickly turned you, but you had already seen him. Tahno was his fan club, and they were all over him. There was a girl hooked around his waist that was being particularly intimate with him... Or trying to be.

"Shaozu!" You cringed as he called out. The man next to flashed you a comforting smile and rubbed your back. "Who's the cutie? Someone I know?" You could hear a hint of a smile in his tone. You ducked your head.

"Lay off the alcohol, you're a prick when you're drink." He gave him a smile before taking you by the back and continuing to lead you away. You heard the squeals fade away in the distance, and you glanced sideways at the firebender whose arm you were holding. He didn't look back, but he seemed to notice. "For the record, I wasn't /actually/ going to make you pay."

"Oh, shove it!" You smiled weakly as you nudged him in the side.

You don't remember exactly how it happened, but you were sitting at the bar with Shaozu, casually drinking; there was joking and laughing and such, then Tahno's name was brought up. Shaozu knew everything now, you told him. About how you felt about Tahno and what you'd been doing since the bet, about the incident with Shin before the match.

Now you were hunched over, water streaming down your face as Shaozu tried to console you. He was rubbing your back like before, and trying to keep people's eyes away from you by sending dirty looks in the direction of anyone who stared. A thought hit you that the Whitefalls boys weren't bad people at all.

"C'mon, a pretty girl like you shouldn't have to cry over a guy like him." He said softly. "Sit up straight, you're a strong girl. Who needs him, right?" You could tell he didn't mind your crying, he wasn't rushing you at all. There was a silence as you tried to compose yourself, wiping your face and straightening your clothes. "You remind me of my sister." He said after a while.

"Yeah?"

"Yep. She's not as brave as you were, but she had a crush on a certain waterbender, too. A big one, too." He smiled at the memory. "Never spoke to the guy, but she thought he was perfect! When she racked up enough courage to try and talk to him after a match, but she got washed out by the other girls. He never did meet my sister." He shook his head.

"What happened to your sister afterwards?" You asked curiously.

"Oh, done crying now?" You pouted. "I'm just kidding, c'mon!" He laughed at your reaction, continuing with a smile. "She cried for weeks! It was really important to her! But as quickly as she fell, she moved on, just like that." He snapped to demonstrate. "One day she was locked up with a tub of ice cream with nothing but week-old sweats on, then the next day, she came out looking like a model ready for a shoot! She fell in love with a guy that treats her right, and now they're in the Fire Nation capital with two kids and a Satomobile."

"All in one day?" You asked jokingly.

"All in one day!" He chuckled and played along. "But the point of the matter is, nobody's love life is easy. There'll be times where you want to cry, and others when you feel like singing to the heavens. At the end of the day, the perfect guy is the one that you know is going to be there for you no matter what; not some guy that's too busy with his fans to notice you."

You sniffled. "You're right."

He patted you warmly on the back, and faced the bar as he picked up his glass. "Now, the question is if he meets the criteria of the perfect guy. And if you're not sure, are you willing to find out?" You wiped your eyes for the hundredth time, and nodded. You guessed it was time to start thinking of the bigger picture and not so much on the little details.

The hours continued on with much jesting and laughter, and before you knew it, it was almost five.

"Oh man! I have to go pick up Itigiaq!" You scrambled out of your chair wobbily as Shaozu caught you, obviously not as affected by the alcohol as you were.

"Hey wait, where are you going, you're my new drinking buddy!" You clicked your tongue at the nutty taste in your mouth. You had probably mixed drinks at some point, but you didn't remember how or when.

"Shaozuu, I gotta pick up m'dog fr'm Tah-no's place!" You slurred.

"Okay wait, let me walk you home." He said, paying the bartender.

"Wh—? Home? Di'n't you hear me? M'dog's at Tah-no's...!" He threw his jacket around your shoulders and put an arm around them as he walked you out of the bar. "I can't g'home, Shao, I 'otta *hic* I 'otta—"

"Pick up Mr. Tigs, yeah, yeah. Look, you want to go home, trust me. Good things will happen if you do."

"Good things?" You asked drunkenly.

"Yeah. I promise. Look, just do it, hey? Or I'll kiss ya! Not that you'd mind, I'm sure."

"Yeeeeah, I would! You're drunk!"

"What are ya!? Lookin' in a mirror? You're the one who's drunk!"

"I assure you, I am not." You said, losing your footing as the world around you spun uncontrollably.

Shaozu laughed as he hoisted you back up. "Look, just go home and drink some water. Get some sleep, and I'll send your guy over in a few hours. He likes the little guy, so it'll be fine."

"He does?"

"You bet! Treats the fella like a babe! Now go on, get on home; don't make me tell ya twice!"

He pulled you in the direction of your home, and even helped you cross a couple streets there. You reached an intersection where he had to go in a different direction. If anything, you were actually living pretty close to him. "My place is over there." He pointed to an apartment building towering over yours slightly. "Top floor. But crappy space." He laughed and patted your back. "If you ever need anything, just holler. My number's in the phone book."

"Well thaaaanks." You said sarcastically.

"Anytime! you're my drinking buddy now, got that?" You smiled wordlessly at the comment.

There was a brief pause as you both realized how sunny it was. He was the one to break the silence. "20B if you ever need anything... Walk-ins welcome." You snorted at the shameless advertising. "Nah? Doesn't have a ring like 'Private Lessons' does, huh?" He almost sounded disappointed, but you were too drunk to really register it fast enough. "Now, get on home." He said, waving as he turned away. He stuck his hands in his pockets almost on reflex.

"Ah, wait!"

"Yeah?" He said, turning his head to the side for you.

You walked over wobbly to him and wrapped your arms around his back to his chest. "Thanks for the talk."

He seemed hesitant to do anything. "Huh? Ah, yeah... No problem, sweetheart." He turned around to give you a pat on the head, pulling you off and sweeping away a few strands of hair from your face.

He looked around awkwardly before continuing. "I know you're drunk... but you shouldn't go around huggin' guys like that, it'll give'm the wrong idea." He said in a low whisper. He winked at you quickly before replacing his hands in his pockets.

You smiled and nodded, waving him off as he said his goodbyes once more. Once he got further away, you walked back to your own home.

You took the firebender's advice and had taken a nap after drinking as much water as you could find in your fridge. You were on the couch in front of your radio when the doorbell rang and woke you up. You fell to the floor ungracefully, groaning at the truly massive headache you had.

Dragging your feet, you made your way to the door, absently opening it without fixing yourself. The stern face that greeted you seemed to crack at the sight. The pandapug in his arms almost mirrored the look. "You look horrible. Ugh—and that smell—"

"Always a pleasure to hear, thank you." You were ready to close the door when he stopped you by grabbing your arm.

His face softened as he carefully lowered your pet, eyes locked on to yours as tiny footsteps found their way into your home. "Give me a second."

"No—"

"Look! I'll be honest with you, I tried to hang out with the girls before, but ...it wasn't the same."

"Excuse me?" You said, disgusted. Was he trying to rub it in your face? You wanted to make things better with him, sure, but this was making it difficult for you not to bash his face in.

He sighed, entirely just disappointed. "That's not... No. That sounds horrible. I... I," he sighed heavily, taking in another breath as he tried to get out what he meant. You tapped your foot impatiently. "Nothing... Feels right without you... You know that?"

You fell silent, grip loosening on the door.

"I'm sorry about what happened with your friend. It's just...You make me do things... I've never felt the urge to do, you know?"

Silence.

"It really messed me up when I got jealous over your friend, earlier. And it made me think."

You could hear the ceiling creek as someone upstairs walked around.

"I guess what I'm saying is... I was never joking when I was talking about trying us out. I've never needed anyone ...like I needed you before."

Your breathing seemed louder than normal and you found yourself asking if it was just the drinks from before or if you were actually having heart problems. You felt like squealing and your face was red hot. This sounded like a confession, but you didn't want to fall for it too easily. You refused to admit how much you wanted to just kiss him right there, right then. Additionally, it seemed the denial with the addition of alcohol in your system just made you want to cry. You were sure your eyes were still puffy from before, but now it was getting hard to open them properly.

You crossed your arms in the hope that he would just leave, so he didn't have to see you look so awful. Tears blurred your vision at the frustration. Words unsaid left bridges un-mended. You didn't want to be stuck like this. You didn't want to be shocked mute every time you saw him!

The next thing you knew, you're face was at his shoulder as you were pulled into a warm embrace. Your arms came up reflexively and encircled themselves around his neck. You could feel the tight bandages under his clothing as you pulled closer and you let out a little whimper knowing he was off his game because of what happened between you. "Aw, my poor..." The sentence trailed off after you examined him more closely, touching the extent of the bandaged flesh. You saw him wince a bit at a particularly tender place, and he caught your chin so you could look at him.

"I'm sorry, (y/n). I know I put you in a tight squeeze..."

"...Thanks for the new collar." You choked out. There was a pause before you heard him chuckle and pick you up, taking you to the couch where you laid down and cuddled. He dried your face with his sleeve and pushed back some of your hair, leaving kisses on your eyelids.

"You smell disgusting, by the way."

"Always the charmer."

Chapter Text

So much time has passed... and it’s brought a lot of change.

The Wolfbats as you knew them had disbanded, and even the city has become a different place in all that time. With the destruction of your apartment building, it was only natural that you and your boyfriend had moved in together.

Now THAT was a volatile time. With the stress that came from suddenly losing a home, combined with the uncertainty that comes with choosing to live with a partner, arguments were only to be expected. But for some reason, you knew that it would work out.

At the end of every day, all disagreements seemed trivial. And when you were finally moved in together, life felt easier when it started and ended with your person.

Tahno moved away from that “bad boy” image that he had when you had first met and pro-bending became a thing of the past. He wasn’t proud to admit that his team hadn’t played fair, but he wanted to distance himself from his past and do better. He joined a band, and over time the other Wolfbats boys had joined in as well.

>>>

“So it was all fake?”

“No... you’re not listening.” you laughed. “It started out as... as a favor.” You glanced out the window of the coffee shop at Tahno patiently waiting at the bench out front with Tigi on his lap. “Then things kinda just... progressed from there... Before either of us knew it, we couldn’t see a life without each other...” While you were reminiscing, a smile had crawled onto your lips. Tahno had turned around and was now smiling at you too through the glass. He winked before returning to minding his own business.

Asa crossed her arms and sat back. “I knew you were lying all along.”

“Yeah, it was all honestly unbelievable. He was pretty famous, and you’re not even that well connected.” Zhenzhen took a sip out of her cup, disinterested. “Not that it matters anymore.”

“Yeah, why’d you decide to tell us now after all this time?” Asa asked.

Your smile persisted as you finished your drink. “Just wanted to tie up some loose ends.” You said, standing to get your jacket on. “I never really appreciated how you two treated me.” That earned a synchronized scoff as you eyed them both down. “I’m just done being made to feel lesser.”

Both girls sat in shocked silence as you pocketed your belongings.

“I mean,” You snorted bitterly, “how much of our friendship was just posturing? I never once felt like I didn’t have to prove that I was ‘cool’ to you.” You paused to search their faces for any kind of explanation. It wasn’t something you expected to find, but it may have swayed your decision. Even an apology would have been nice. Your brows furrowed at the lack of response. “None of that even matters, man. Have a good life.” You turned on your heel and left, unwilling to waste any more time on these people.

You were of course sad to walk away from what was such an integral part of your life for years, but it felt necessary to shake people that made you feel like you had to make up a fake relationship in order to feel normal around them, right? One that they even tried to downplay and teased you about.

Outside, Tahno stood up and you took each others hands in a fondly familiar motion. He squeezed as you started heading home,Tigi in tow. “So? How’d it go?”

You put your head on his shoulder. “It was easier than I thought.”

He glanced at you as you walked, gauging your reaction. “How do you feel?”

“Lighter.” You smiled up at him. “Sad.” He frowned a bit, unlacing your fingers to rub your back in a circular motions.

“You’re giving me mixed signals, babe?”

“You? Never. I’m 100% sure about us.”

He snorted, shaking his head. “Be serious.” But nothing to hide the blush creeping onto his cheeks

“I am! One day I’m going to make you my wife.”

“Wife! I think you have this all backwards.”

“Nuh-uh!” You shook your head and put an animated finger up. “A wise man once said, ‘Happy wife, happy life.’” You move your finger to his chest and lower your voice to get the point across. “And I intend to make you very happy.”

Tahno’s jaw dropped in fake disbelief. You could feel the blush radiating off of him at the utter cheese you just spewed. “Now that’s just unfair. You haven’t even proposed yet.”

“Well.”

“I hope you have a dowry ready because I’ll have you know, I will be a very expensive bride.”

He placed a light peck on your forehead and the warmth in your chest grew. Tigi interrupted your moment with a bark and you both craned to see what had caught his attention, only to see Shaozu and Ming in front of Narook’s.

“If it isn’t the love birds.” Shaozu mused. He sent you a wink.

“That wink better have been meant for me.”

“Hey, someone’s gotta remind (Y/N) that she’s got options.” He joked.

You speak up, unable to ignore such an outrageous statement, even in jest. “Uh, she does NOT have options, she’s in a committed relationship!” You laughed it off, and the moment passes over an impromptu group dinner. At the end of the night, you couldn’t shake the feeling that there was still a bit of tension that lingered after that joke.

>>>

On the couch, you snuggled while listening to the radio, reading and enjoying some warm drinks. You were laying prone on top of him, head on his chest. His one arm was wrapped around you while the other held a book above him. Even with combined incomes, you may have been too poor to own a home mover theater set up, but you wouldn’t trade it for moments like these, lying in each others arms and enjoying each others presence.

As you flipped a page in your book, you glanced at him and noticed some of his hair out of place. You reached up to tuck it behind his ear without thinking... But your hand lingered after to caress his cheek. He leaned into your touch, bringing a hand to yours.

“I love you.” He whispers.

“I love you, too.” A moment passes, and suddenly you’re unable to get the thought that you did something wrong earlier out of your mind. “You know I love you, right?”

“It feels far-fetched some days, but only because I feel so lucky to have you in my life.”

“When did you get so cheesy? How am I supposed to react to that?”

“By kissing me, for starters...” He says in a low whisper.

“Tempting...” You push yourself up, using your elbow as support to hold you high enough above him to search his eyes. He put his book on the coffee table and cupped your face in his hand.

“What’s wrong?”

“You know that I’m not interested in anyone else right.” It wasn’t a question. It was a declaration.

He seemed taken aback by the sudden intensity of your resolve and his gaze drifted away from your face. At an earlier stage of your relationship, you may have been upset by this, but you had known him long enough to know... Your own gaze moved to his slowly reddening ears. “Look at me...” you purred, leaning close enough that his lips grazed yours when he turned his head back to you.

It took a moment for him to catch his breath after you both pulled away. “You drive a... very... hard bargain.”

“I’d say it paid off in both of our favors.” You say, laying your head on his chest.

A moment passed as he looked fondly down at you. “I would say so too, (Y/N).” You expected some more banter, but you were shocked mute to receive such a genuine response. “Your turn.” He chuckled, shaking you with the movement of his diaphragm... such a comfortable feeling that you couldn’t help but smile as he wrapped his arms around you in a warm embrace.

You loved this man, and he loved you. And this was just the beginning of the rest of your story.