TahnoXReader The Jerk and The Loser 10

Part 10 – Distance

“See you at home heart breaker!”
-Korra

     “___, come out! We haven’t seen you in days and we are starting to worry,” Mako said as he pressed his ear lightly against your bedroom door. Bolin ran his hands through his hair then pressed his own ear to the door. Korra chuckled softly at the brothers and crossed her arms over her chest. “Please ___? Bolin and Mako have been staying at the Sato Estate since Amon’s attack on the Probending stadium and it was pretty hard to drag Bolin away from the pool and life of luxury,” Korra called and gently knocked on the door. The door swung open which caused Mako to fall down since he had been leaning against it while waiting to hear your reply. Korra flashed a lopsided grin at you. In return you gave Korra, Bolin, and Mako half a smile. “Sorry I made you worry,” you say genuinely and easily catch Pabu who jumped off of Bolin’s shoulder and into your arms. The Fire Ferret rubbed his face gently against yours as if to show his own concern.

     Mako stood up and dusted himself off. “Where have you been? Just here? Why didn’t you answer the front door?” the firebender asked after clearing his throat. You blinked at his question because it only just occurred that you should wonder how they had gotten into your apartment. Surely you hadn’t forgotten to lock the door. You stand on your tip toes to peer over their shoulders. Korra moved to the right in an attempt to block your line of view. You couldn’t help but give a small chuckle due to the sight of your door nearly completely off its hinges. “Which one of you decided to break my door down?” you asked instead of gracing the trio with answers to Mako’s questions. A sheepish smile crossed Korra’s face and she slowly raised her hand. “Sorry, that was totally my fault,” the avatar admitted with a sheepish smile.

     This didn’t deter the firebender, he simply narrowed his eyes because you were evading his questions. “I haven’t seen much of you or Tahno for that matter. How is he doing?” Mako continued and you flinched at the name. Korra shot a glare at Mako and quickly moved Pabu out of your arms and returned the animal to Bolin. “Let me check your bandages,” Korra said, jumping in and shooting a look at Mako over her shoulder as she led you over to the couch. Bolin blinked and leaned closer to Mako before whispering, “So you think Korra was right? Tahno did something to upset ___?” Mako nodded and rubbed his temples with a frustrated sigh. You allowed Korra to push you down on the couch and glanced towards the two brothers with your ___ colored eyes. “I’m sure he is fine, I’m just giving him some space. He’s just feeling a bit sensitive about losing his bending,” you assured Mako though you knew it was a straight out lie. Yes, Tahno wanted space, but he seemed to want it permanently rather than just as a temporary fix.

     Once Korra cleaned your hands and rewrapped them, she pulled you into an unexpected hug. At first you were stiff in the Avatar’s arms but you relaxed in her arms and wrap your own arms around her. “Thank you,” you tell her softly and blink when Korra begins to run her fingers through your ___ colored hair. You sniffed a bit and rubbed at your nose, she was making it hard to keep up this act and you had a feeling Korra was doing this on purpose. To be honest, you were a bit surprised, Korra seemed so much like a tomboy that you didn’t expect her to be so motherly and sensitive. “I always swore to myself that I wouldn’t be the type of girl who would mope around at home crying because of a guy, yet here I am. Pretty pathetic huh?” you whisper so that only Korra can hear and the Avatar gave you a soft squeeze. Korra motioned the two brothers over. Bolin was the first one to reach you with wide eyes. “___, are you okay?!” he asked worriedly as he reached over and brushed some tears from your face.

     You give a nod and a bigger smile crossed your face as you looked at each of your friends. “I’m okay Bolin. How can I not be when I have such supportive, kind friends? Thank you all for… breaking into my apartment? I never thought I’d say thank any one for that,” you tell them and Bolin burst out laughing. Even Mako who had remained so serious throughout the visit cracked a smile with a shake of his head. “You need to get out of your apartment. We can all spend the day together…” Korra started but the tanned girl stopped when Mako placed a hand against her shoulder. Mako explained that he some things he had to do today. Korra pouted at Mako but gave a nod and looked towards your fellow Earth Bender. “Bolin?” she asks and narrows her eyes. Bolin coughs and a guilty look crosses his face. “You can’t either?” Korra asked and groaned when Bolin gave a sheepish smile. You move so that you are sitting upright and out of Korra’s arms. Now you stand and pull the two brothers into a hug. “Thank you again, now don’t let me keep you two any longer. Now get out of here,” you insist. Both were reluctant to leave but finally did so when you threatened to use earth bending to get them moving.

     Korra wrapped an arm around your shoulder and grinned widely. “Well, we can just make it a girl’s day out then, we don’t need them.  It’s been forever since it was just the two of us,” she said cheekily and lightly pinched one of your cheeks. You remove her fingers from her cheeks and chuckle. “Alright, alright. You win, at least give me some time to make myself look decent,” you respond which caused the avatar to shout out happily and practically jump around your apartment.

---

     Korra walks beside you down the streets of Republic City and wraps an arm around your shoulders. “Okay, I know I’ve been here for a while now but I still don’t know much about the city. Is there anything fun to do here?” Korra asked and her blue eyes scanned her surroundings then moved back down to the jacket in her hands. You follow her gaze and hold back a sigh. All Korra’s jumping around had caused a jacket to fall from, who knows where, and now you hand one of Tahno’s jackets and had no idea what to do with it. “Honestly, the only ‘fun’ or ‘entertaining’ thing around here is Probending and that is certainly out of the question,” you admit and reach out for the jacket then just drop your hand to your side once again. Had Tahno really just forgotten it? No, he couldn’t have, knowing how expensive all his belongings are… he didn’t just forget things. He originally had planned on visiting your apartment again, that much was clear.

     “How about we just walk by the arena while we consider our possibilities. We could get something to eat, we could go to the beach again, or we could… uh, I don’t know but we’ll figure it out,” Korra said, ever so positive. You decide to let Korra take the lead and walked alongside the building. The Avatar came to a sudden stop and you bumped into her. “Sorry, what…?” you started to ask and peered around her frame. Your heart froze and for a second you weren’t sure if you were breathing or holding your breath. “You arrogant little turtle duck!” Korra hissed and ran at Tahno. Despite losing his bending, it seemed that Tahno seemed to retain at least some popularity because two fangirls hung onto each of his arms. Tahno looked up and smirked at Korra before he saw you, his expression wavered for a moment before his smirk returned. You quickly tried to bend the earth to grab Korra because you knew that you wouldn’t be able to catch up to her but she was too quick and you were a bit lousy when it came to your bending with your emotions a mess.

     Korra shoved his jacket into his face causing him to stumble back. The two girls that had been practically connected at his hip moved away quickly and watched from afar. “Korra, stop! He isn’t worth it! Stop!” you shouted when she shoved Tahno again causing the once graceful bender to fall on his butt. Korra bent nearby water and drenched your ex-boyfriend. “What the hell do you think you are doing uh-vatar?” he snapped. You stepped forward and grabbed Korra’s arm when she went to punch him. “Enough, please,” you say softly and give her hand a tug so that she looks at you rather than Tahno. Slowly she lowered her arm and you turned from her. You swallowed hard and held out a hand to Tahno. His pale eyes met yours for a brief moment. “Trust me, you’d rather me helping you up than pushing you down like Korra,” you tell him and raise your eye brows, showing more strength and calm than you felt. Tahno snickered and gave a slight nod of his head. He reached out and took your hand. Easily you tug him up onto his feet and blink.

     Tahno seemed so much paler than usual, and perhaps not as strong, he looked thinner even. You were about to ask how he was doing but Korra grabbed your hand and pulled you closer to herself, almost in a protective manner. “What the heck are you doing with them? Did ___ mean anything to you?” Korra practically growled. The fangirls had moved a bit closer. “Don’t need me clinging to you like the annoying fangirls huh?” you asked quietly but he heard every word. Tahno flinched as if he had been slapped and he even took a step back away from the two of you. Korra’s eyes widened. He said something like that to you yet here he was?! “___, we are leaving, come on,” Korra said, suddenly calm and she gave you a soft shove into a random direction. You frowned and eyed her suspiciously before starting to walk slowly. The Avatar quickly turned and went to punch Tahno but earth rose up between the two and took a firm hold on her wrist.

     “Korra,” you warned and she glowered at you from over her shoulder. Korra thought he really deserved it and perhaps you did too but it was obvious that you would not let her deliver any sort of real blow to the nonbender. “Fine,” Korra groaned and waited till you bent the earth back into place before running over to you, leaving Tahno behind. Once she was by your side she wrapped her arms around your shoulders. You spared one single glance over your shoulder. Tahno had picked up his jacket off the ground and once his gaze met yours he gave a small nod – a small thank you because the ‘Uh-vatar’ would have beat the crap out of him if you had let her and you both knew it. The fangirls rushed over to him and latched onto his arms, this is when you looked away.

---

     “You should have let me punch him,” Korra groaned as the two of you walked along the shoreline. You glance up at her and give a small smile before shaking your head. “You don’t have time to be worrying about Tahno, Korra. There is Amon, airbending, and Tarrlock to worry about. Besides, you are supposed to promote peace and harmony between benders and nonbenders,” you scold lightly. You slip a single shoe off and place your barefoot into the water but didn’t move any farther into the water. Korra crossed her arms over her chest. “You want to see him again don’t you?” she asked. You sigh and look out towards the waves. “Well yes. There is such a large gap between us that I feel like I couldn’t cross even if I tried to create a bridge with earthbending… like no matter how hard I try I won’t be able to close the distance between Tahno and I. Korra, he didn’t look so good…” you started but the Avatar held up a hand.

    Determined blue eyes held your gaze and she made an ‘x’ by crossing her wrists. “Bad idea ___. Tahno is a ‘big boy’ and can take care of himself. If anyone is going to see someone it’s him. He should be coming to see you, not the other way around. Look, he needs to come to you when he is ready if that coward ever will be – and if he does come around he better apologize at the VERY LEAST because if he doesn’t he will have quite a line of people that will be ready to kick his sorry ass,” Korra insisted and placed her hands on her hips. You gave a slow nod of acknowledgement and lightly kick up some water in her direction. She squeaked and couldn’t help but laugh even though she was trying to be serious.

     “Tahno has a lot of pride Korra, I don’t expect him to come running back to me with his tail between his legs like a polar bear pup,” you remind her. You give Korra’s right arm a gentle squeeze. “Thank you, again. Even though many people here in Republic City don’t agree with me, I think you are a great person and a very fitting avatar,” you add which caused Korra to grin and rub the back of her head.

---

     For the next couple of days, your friends decided to stay close – and by close this meant they seemed to be making sure that at least one of them was with you at all times. You kept insisting that you were fine and that you appreciated their help and company but you could take care of yourself – just as Korra said Tahno could. It seemed that Tahno too always had company. The two of you had bumped into each other a few times and each time he had at the very least two girls hanging off his sides. He didn’t speak to you or even glance in your direction once on these occasions.

     Bolin was currently laying down on the rug in front of your couch with Pabu lying on his stomach. Your fellow earthbender grinned up at you since you were lying on the couch. “Hey ___, remember when you were younger and only came to visit Republic City with your family during the summer?” Bolin finally asked. You raised an eye brow and leaned over the couch so that you got better view of your friend. “Of course, you and Mako were always getting in trouble. You two thought you were sneaky but you really weren’t,” you scolded him with a smile, lightly you reached over and flicked Bolin’s nose. Bolin pouted at your statement and purposely made his lips tremble a bit. “That’s how you remember us ___? What happened to all our good memories?” he whined. Pabu stirred and jumped off of Bolin since the boy was squirming about too much.

     You held out your arms and laugh when Pabu jumps onto your back since you were lying on your stomach and the Fireferret fell back to sleep. “Like when you tried to drown me in the pool?” you teased and Bolin groaned loudly. The probender sat up and pointed at you. “That was an accident, I didn’t know that you couldn’t swim!” he exclaimed. His green eyes met yours and he realized that you hadn’t meant it as a jab to upset him but as a joke. A grin spread across his face and you grinned also before laughing. “Now really, what were you thinking about in particular?” you asked once you got over your laughing fit. Bolin stood and scooped Pabu from your back before sitting down on your back on the edge of the couch so that you still had plenty of room. “Well… like when you used to sneak us food from whatever hotel your family would stay at. Or, how the two of us would practice earthbending together, at least you got more practice out of it than me. You just had fun chunking rocks at my head, I could have been injured, I could have had an eye poked out!” he started saying calmly but ended up shouting at the end of his statement.

     “Oh Bolin, don’t ever change, seriously,” you reply and sit up, hugging your dear friend. Bolin didn’t give that a response and simply pointed at his widened green eyes to put emphasis on his statement. You punched him on the shoulder. “Oh shush, don’t be a baby. I wouldn’t have hurt you and you know it. Now promise me you won’t ever change, alright? Look, I know you love staying at the Sato Estate and the life of luxury but don’t let that change you. Don’t let money change you, I like you for the goofy person you are – one without much money but a big heart and personality,” you insist and tug on his hair lightly to make sure he is paying attention. Bolin grinned and stood from the couch and out of your reach. “Ha! Like money and fame would ever change me. I won’t become a big jerk like Tahno, I promise,” Bolin said light heartedly then quickly covered his mouth. Sometimes things tended to slip out before he could consider the effect the words would have. “It’s fine Bolin, no need to panic,” you assure your friend and stood also.

    Bolin cleared his throat and flashed a sheepish smile, “It’s getting late, and I better head back to the Sato Estate.” You carefully pick up Pabu and stand before handing the fireferret over to the other bender. Lightly you ruffle Bolin’s hair. “Get there safely,” you say as you pull him into a hug. Bolin nodded and gave you a hard but affectionate squeeze.

---

     After Bolin’s departure from your apartment you found yourself unable to rest or relax.  You stood from the couch and tossed aside the newspaper you had been staring at for the last hour. Really, you had meant to read it since Korra has been busy working with Tarrlock but you just couldn’t focus tonight. You shoved your feet into your shoes. “Fresh air to clear your head ___,” you muttered to yourself and walked to the front door. You open the door and your ___ colored eyes widened at the sight of Tahno standing just outside your door with an arm raised as if he had been about to knock. A knot formed in your throat and you struggled to figure out what to say. Tahno lowered his arm and gave you a halfhearted smirk.

    “I was just going to take a walk, you are welcome to join me,” you finally manage to say. You studied him carefully from behind your ___ colored bangs that had fallen from behind your ear. Tahno stepped back to give you room and waited till you closed the door. “Can I?” he asked but there was the slightest hint of hesitance in his voice despite the confident façade he was trying to keep in place. You nod and lead him down the steps of the apartment building.

    For a long period of time the two of you just walked side by side in a tense silence. Neither of you seemed to know what to say. It was Tahno who finally broke the silence and overcame his pride. “I no longer feel the pull of the moon like I used to, especially on nights like this. It’s a full moon tonight,” he said softly and gave a sad chuckle. You weren’t sure if he was chuckling because he felt pity for himself or because he just didn’t know how else to react. Slowly you reach out your hand and take his gently in yours. You didn’t know if he would snatch his hand away or how he would respond but your heart silently begged him to let you be there for him.

    Tahno’s body tensed for a moment then soon relaxed at the familiarity of your hand in his. He squeezed. “It’s funny how you don’t appreciate things until they are gone. Bending was something that I always had and made me superior to many others – confident. It really becomes a part of you whether you know it or not. I had thought of it as just something to further my career and support my family as a probender. I was wrong,” he continued while his pale eyes stared up at the sky at the moon and twinkling stars. Tahno stopped walking and you stop, but now you turn so that you are actually facing him rather than looking at him from the corner of your eyes. “I also lost you, I was an idiot. You were a steady stone in my whirlwind of a life. You meant a lot to me, I loved you ___. You always there for me and cared about the real me,” Tahno grumbled quietly, not able to meet your gaze. A single tear slid down his face and your heart stopped for a moment. Tahno continued to explain that he felt nothing for the fangirls you had seen him with. He hadn't done anything with them and they were just an attempt at a distraction from all his problems. Earlier today Tahno cut off his contact with these two girls. “I pushed you away when… perhaps I needed you most. I hurt you, and I’m sorry for being such an asshole," Tahno continued.

    Perhaps the distance between the two of you wasn’t as large as you thought. You reached up and gently brushed the tear from his face. “You are right, you did hurt me. A lot. But I also knew that you were going through a hardship I couldn’t possibly understand. Even though I don’t understand, I want to help you and be there for you. You don’t have to go through this alone,” you insist. Tahno gave a small nod and pulled your smaller frame into a warm embrace. “Is this alright?” he asked. You nod against his chest and inhaled deeply. Tahno swallows and a couple more tears trickle down his face.

    Finally he allowed himself to cry for the loss of his bending, for the pain he caused the two of you, for Ming and Shaozu’s bending, for the sadness in his mother’s voice when he told her about what happened, for the disappointment and anger in his father’s voice, and because of the warm feeling in his chest. Despite the tears and everything that seemed to be going bad; this felt right. You in his arms… the two of you together. With you by his side, Tahno knew that his world would be alright. “Thank you ___, Thank you."