E V E N L Y _ M A T C H E D
A Tahno/Korra Fan Community This is the companion tumblr to the
evenly_matched community @ LiveJournal; it was created solely for the convenience of any and all tumblr-favoring fic & art exchange participants.
Community news, exchange updates, and (eventually) exchange gifts will be x-posted here from evenly_matched. ------------------------------------------------- A B O U T { info } -------------------------------------------------
evenly_matched is a Legend of Korra
fan community with writing & art
contests, challenges, and prizes
specifically for the Tahno/Korra pairing.
We are currently celebrating our very first
fic & art exchange!
------------------------------------------------- R E S O U R C E S -------------------------------------------------
{ about & membership } { sign - ups }
master { gift } list
master { tag } list
leaving { reviews } ------------------------------------------------- W H A T { is an exchange? } ------------------------------------------------- An exchange is a fandom event where participants swap stories or fanart. They sign up using a registration form and request what kind of gift they would like to receive. The requests are paired up anonymously, a deadline is set, and everyone creates a special gift for another fan.
At the end of the creation period, gifts are submitted, gift pairings are revealed, and the fandom surges! evenly_matched is proud to say that it is also able to provide Award Banners for the top-voted gifts of any round. -------------------------------------------------
H O W { to participate } ------------------------------------------------ Read the about & membership link above and fill out your registration form using the sign-ups link. -------------------------------------------------
I M P O R T A N T { dates } ------------------------------------------------- ⢠Sign-ups: July 24 - 31
⢠Matching: July 31 - August 16
⢠Assignments sent: August 16 - 18
⢠Creation period: August 18 - October 17
⢠Strict due date: October 18
⢠Posting starts: October 19
------------------------------------------------- { etc. } -------------------------------------------------
evenly_matched was created by therentyoupay.
It is currently moderated and maintained by therentyoupay. All graphics, unless otherwise noted, are made by themomentyoudie.
We're still waiting on our awards banners, but I did say that we were hoping to announce the winners of our first round today. It's still a bit of a question mark for how long it will be until the prize banners are ready, but I'll be sure to keep you updated.
In the meantime, we have some winners to announce. :)
Click below to reveal the top-voted, top-favorited works of this round!
best overall ; fanfiction
âBottoms Up" [ PG-13 ] by abeyantcobalt
best overall ; fanart
âFree!Tahnorra" [ N/A ] by yuki119
best character portrayal
âand this is the aftermath" [ K ] by pennyofthewild
most romantic
âMissed me?" [ K ] by lemonedcurd
most humorous
âSweater Weather" [ K ] by phail-whale
most original
âA Flame Amongst the Ashes" [ T ] by likeabirdinflight
A huge congratulations to all of this round's winners and a huge shout-out to all of the awesome participants who created beautiful, moving, and funny pieces of art and fiction for this pairing! :) It's been a total blast, and I can't wait for more. Keep your eyes peeled for what's next after the weekend!
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Title: A Flame Amongst the Ashes
Author: likeabirdinflight
Rating: T
Recipient: ebonyquill (ahlistenalison)
Disclaimer: All credit goes to Bryke; Tahno and Korra were their original creations. Lyrics are property of Bastille.
Warning(s): Trigger warnings: fire, depression, anxiety, nightmares
Summary: Nightmares, kaijus, and feelings--what else is there to fear? Tahno/Korra. Pacific Rim AU.
Author/Artist Note(s): AHH, I hope you enjoy this! Sadly, I wasnât able to get my hands on a ticket to Pacific Rim in the past few months, so I havenât seen the movie⌠Yet. But Iâm dying to see it. Despite the fact that I havenât watched it yet, I hope this interpretation of your prompt is still pretty accurate; I did as much research as I could about the story itself. But I think overall, I ended up focusing on Korra and Tahnoâs relationship and how they interact with each other. Also, there is no Makorra. :3
Musical Inspiration: âThings We Lost In The Fireâ by Bastille.
The wall of flames behind him licked a trail up the back of his legs and along his spine, sending severe shudders through his limbs. Beads of sweat trailed down his face and neck in tiny rivers, soaking the collar of his shirt. It was December, barely above freezing, but Tahnoâs skin burned with heat. Smoke was everywhere, stinging his eyes, burning his throat, and filling his lungs with toxins. He pressed the back of his hand to his mouth as he coughed and rasped, blindly stumbling down the alleyway. Adrenaline consumed him, controlling him from a source deep within his core. Screams of human terror and alien anguish echoed and amplified as they bounced off the brick walls, but all Tahno could hear were the roar from the barricade of fire behind him and the boom of buildings collapsing around him.
He ran and ran for what felt like hours, the rubber soles of his sneakers smacking against pavement and rubble. His hands and knees were caked with blood, having slipped and fallen multiple times during his escape. Air caught in his throat every time he inhaled, and his head throbbed with every step, but he continued on through the wreckage until he stumbled once more. Collapsing to the tarmac, he found himself unable to get back up. His limbs were heavy as lead, and he struggled to find his voice or even the will to push himself to his feet.
This memory haunted his thoughts every waking hour and every slumbering hour; it was a vision that replayed through his mind and plagued him like a disease. He could never escape it, no matter how fast he ran in his dreams, nor how hard he tried to consciously push it down into the dark.
It wasnât the kaiju that was the villain of his nightmares.
He bolts awake, drenched in perspiration and unable to breathe. The hyperventilation is pretty bad this time, triggered not only by the recurring nightmare, but also by the failure of he and Korraâs previous assault against the kaiju. This anxiety had arrived on his doorstep in a big, black box, and he did not even have to open the lid before it took control of his entire being. His only home, that place inside of him where he felt most safe and kept everything locked away, was soon ransacked by a beast hellbent on tearing him apart and exposing him as the weak, pathetic human he feared himself to be.
. . . . .
This terrified him to his core.
. . . . .
A warm hand presses against his brow, momentarily paralyzing all of his spasming muscles, and Tahnoâs pale eyes shift and focus to the owner. His wide, wild gaze meets Korraâs composed, empathic turquoise eyes, and for a few moments, nothing is said. Nothing needs to be said. She knows of his night terrors. She knows of his darkest memories, of his destructive anxiety, just as much as he knows of her struggle of finding herself, proving her worth to others, and her own inner demons. Demons that easily complement his.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
He and Korra were much too similar in too many ways: their stubbornness, their desire for perfection, their hot-headed natures; even their favorite dish in the mess hall was the same (but who didnât like noodle-night?). But as much as their were near twins, they were just as different as two sides of a coin, or the sun and the moon. When life got rough, Tahno would retreat to the corners of his room, hiding away from everyone, whereas Korra would physically fight it out, expelling most of the demons out of her soul with every punch, every kick. He was quiet and reserved unless taunted, and only then would he give someone the time of day, typically in a caustic statement determined to make them despise him; Korra, however, was brash and loud, constantly speaking before thinking, and seemed to make acquaintances more easily than himself.
Despite these differences, however, the two complemented each other. Without ever having to really self-disclose emotions or past experiences, they were able to figure one another out. They read each other with clarity, understood each other with accuracy, that most observers found the pairing unfathomable. Their Neural Handshake was stronger than titanium, a rarity amongst the Jaeger Academy, especially since they had had no connection to each other before the academy. They were a stunning pair to behold, and an even more perfect pair as Jaeger pilots.
Do you understand that we will never be the same again?
The futureâs in our hands and we will never be the same again.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
He pulls away from her hand, shuffling back on the bed until he sits up and presses his back against the wall. Silence fills the space between them, weighing them down like humidity until he speaks.
âWhat are you doing in here?â he demands, clearing his throat as his eyes shoot her accusing looks.
She doesnât respond. She pulls her lower lip into her mouth, nibbling on it in embarrassment and contemplation. She glances at her hands, now tightly interlocked in her lap. A few more quiet moments pass, and Tahno is tempted to simply kick her out, but she manages to speak:
"Couldn't sleep."
The statement is accompanied by a short, nearly apologetic shrug of the shoulders, and this just irritates Tahno. He breathes in sharply, the sound of his inhale shattering the silence of the room. Korra can nearly hear his teeth grind in his jaw as the gears in his head begin shifting, struggling to catch and find his next response. So she decides to add to her answer:
âAnd I knew you wouldnât be sleeping, either.â
This response takes him by surprise, though he has no idea why.
âI was sleeping,â he corrects with his slow drawl. âI just wasnât sleeping peacefully.â
Korra laughs once, her shoulders tightening as she stretches out her hands in front of her. She turns her head away as she yawns, only to resume the conversation after the action.
"Me, neither."
Tahno takes a moment to soak in her response. Huffing a long sigh, he lets his head fall back against the wall with a low thud. For a few peaceful seconds, his mind is blank, empty of both a response and of anxiety. This lasts as long as he anticipated, however; within these few seconds, Korra moves from her spot at the edge of the bed to right fucking beside him. Flashing a crooked smile his way, she pumps her fists in the air as she proclaims, âWeâre in this together!â
His pale eyes roll so hard in his head that he could have swore he audibly heard them rotate in their sockets. Scoffing under his breath, he murmurs, âFine.â This apparently pleases the brunette to his left, evident by her hum of joy. He manages to stop her excited squirming with a surprising gesture: a palm upon the crown of her head. He pats her hair twice, maybe three times, his mouth pressed in the straightest line possible as his fingers make contact with her hair.
âI feel like youâre going to kill me,â Korra mutters, all of her muscles tensed and on high alert.
âIâm having to really restrain myself,â Tahno jokes, a joking sneer tugging at the corner of his mouth.
âYou canât kill me. You need me,â she clarifies.
Her bluntness gets a slight chuckle out of the male Jaeger pilot. Patting her head once more, he assures, âThere are others. Others better than you.â
Korra slams a fist into his side and Tahno falls over, pressing his hands to his waist.
"I hate you," he rasps.
âYou deserve it,â she grumbles, taking the chance to use his body as a pillow. She awkwardly lies on top of him, more so to irritate him rather than find some comfort on the hard mattress. âI understand you too well. No one would be able to put up with your attitude, Mister Sassy-Pants.â
Tahno scoffs again. âHa, and you think someone could put up with your immaturity, little girl?â
âKeep talking, bro, and youâll end up with more bruises.â
âOhhh, Iâm so afraid,â he taunts, feigning apathy.
He knows fully well that he deserved that next blow to his stomach.
âCan you not?â he practically whines, throwing his hands before him in exasperation.
âIf you donât play nice, I donât play nice.â As if to further accent her point, Korra crosses her arms over her chest and leans even more onto Tahno, causing him to groan.
âYouâre going to crush me. You are going to crush me, and I am going to die,â he hisses.
âOh, good! That was my exact plan.â
"I hate you."
Korra stretches out a hand and playfully ruffles his hair. âI hate you more.â
"No, you don't."
â... Okay, maybe not, but that doesnât mean I wonât kick your ass tomorrow.â
âHa, doubt it.â He pretends not to notice the fact that her hand hasn't moved from his head. And there is no way in hell that he'll announce how good the heat of her palm feels against his scalp; how calming the gesture is.
âYou wanna go toe-to-toe with me, pretty boy?â
Oh, he definitely wasn't going to say anything now. There was no way he was going to let her get the upperhand on him.
"you're gonna miss me when i'm gone" [K] for @jimena-garse
Title: you're gonna miss me when i'm gone
Author: ebonyquill (ahlistenalison)
Rating: K
Recipient: jimena-garse
Disclaimer: Bryke owns everything and Rami Malek owns that voice.
Warning(s): Strong language.
Author's Notes: I had that stupid song stuck in my head when I was writing this and it's the cheesiest song of all time, so please, prepare for yourself for a cheese-filled entree.
Summary: Korra and Tahno have to be apart for a week for the first time in their relationship. Childish bets, bouts of paranoia, and hints of insanity ensue.
Word Count: 1648
.
.
"Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"Yes, Avatar. I was a perfectly capable human being before you moved in."
Tahno doesn't duck when Korra smacks the back of his head. It begins to sting almost immediately. He groans loudly and massages the sore spot.
She rolls her eyes. "I know that."
"You're only going to be in the Fire Nation for a week. That's hardly enough time for the world to end." This time, he ducks for a blow that never comes.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she raises a brow."You'd be surprised."
Tahno carefully observes her. "Will you be okay, Avatar?"
"No," she smirks. "How am I ever going to survive without your incessant whining for an entire week?"
His eyes narrow. "Personally, I am going to thoroughly enjoy my week of peace and quiet."
"Ha! Oh, please. You'll be dying of boredom within three days."
"Wanna bet?"
"Yeah. Actually, I do," Korra replies without missing a beat.
Before Tahno can take it back, he sees that flash of determination in Korra's expression â the same glint of competitiveness that drew him to her when she was a snotty new girl and he was a mean jerk.
"The first one to admit â ."
"Now, wait a second," Tahno tries to interrupt.
" â that they miss the other peson â ."
"Avatar."
"â has to clean the dishes for an entire week."
Tahno looks at her smug expression and something burns deep inside him â the nagging, can't-be-ignored urge to win. "It's on."
.
.
.
Day One
Republic City
Tahno quickly decides that he's never been this cold in his entire life. He is cocooned in a large blanket, wearing his traditional sleeping attire (black shorts and a basic white shirt). He curves his body into a fetal position in an attempt to conserve his body heat.
The weather is just starting to change â leaves are just starting to crisp, greens are blotched with maroon and gold â but the wind is angrily whistling outside and cold air creeps underneath the cracks in his doorframe and sneaks through the crevices of his window.
Morning light starts to seep and refract through the apartment and Tahno knows he should start his day, but the cold weather weighs down his motivation.
He doesn't understand why it's so cold.
But then he remembers that here's usually more body heat underneath his blanket â nestled in the crook of his arm and breathing against his chest.
But she's gone.
She'd only just left yesterday for a week-long visit to the Fire Nation and he assured her â and himself â that he would be fine without her, but within twenty-four hours, the weather crudely reminded him that no, you won't be fine.
Goddamnit, he thinks. After a minute, he decides that he's not going to warm up in his present state so he makes a deal with himself. Get up in five seconds. Run to the closet. Put on all the clothes you have. One... two... three... four...
He jolts out of bed quickly. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. It's so fucking cold. Every piece of fabric in his wardrobe is chilly. But eventually, he finds a warm coat â made out of a tougher material, unlike his Republic City clothes â and throws it over his head.
See? You can survive a week without her, he thinks to himself. He catches a glimpse of himself in the closest mirror.
The coat is a few sizes too small and it's too tight at the waist. And, upon closer inspection, he realizes that it's a shade of Water Tribe blue.
He sighs defeatedly. Okay, maybe you can't.
.
.
.
Day Three
Fire Nation
Korra quickly determines that she's never been this bored in her entire life. She's been through a barrage of meetings with nobles and politicians, dignitaries and officials. And they're all so dull.
Even their humor is boring. (Every joke begins with a knock-knock and ends with an exhausted groan as a response.)
But it's a necessary part of her job as the Avatar and she has to socialize and negotiate and delegate and â she just wants to go home.
More specifically, she just wants to talk to him. She wants to call him an idiot and make fun of him when he takes too long to do his hair. She wants to share the story about about the dignitary that awkwardly shook her hand for too long and the noble who dropped a piece of cake into a pond, fished it out, and still ate it. And she wants to tell him jokes that begin with terrible innuendos and end with him, rolling his eyes in sheer disbelief.
It's only been three days, she tells herself. Three days.
And when Tenzin whisks her away to another event, she repeats that mantra over and over to herself.
.
.
.
Day Five
Republic City
He's going insane. At least, that's what he's telling himself.
He was swirling his chopsticks around his bowl at their small, modest kitchen table when he asked her a question out loud.
After five seconds of silence, he finally realized that she wasn't there to answer him.
Two more days, he tells himself.
He fights the urge to go to Shaozu's house to borrow his phone. He doesn't even know who or where he would phone to reach her.
Would I call the Fire Nation Palace? Do they even have a telephone line? he ponders. Maybe I can ask General Iroh.
He's only met the general a handful of times, but they've always gotten along despite the fact that Iroh's jawline was perfect and, therefore, a major threat.
Wait, is General Iroh in the Fire Nation right now? With Korra? He can't remember Korra mentioning him in the past few weeks. But why wouldn't he be there? He was a noble and the Fire Nation was his home. It was the place where he grew up and learned how to fight and how to flirt and â . Tahno could imagine it now. 'Oh, Avatar, look at this romantic pond that I used to visit when I was a child. We should have a picnic here. Oh, you need me to cut that piece of cheese for you? Why don't I use my god-like cheekbones to cut it for you?'
Within five minutes, Tahno had thrown on a sweater (backwards, with the tag sticking out), slicked his hair down (curls strewn about), and was halfway out the door to visit Shaozu's house â and to borrow his telephone so that he could call his two-timing Avatar girlfriend â when he stopped himself in a much-needed moment of clarity.
"You're being paranoid," he says out loud. He repeats himself and the words reverberate throughout the apartment. He sits back down at the kitchen table and glares at his bowl.
"Stupid cheese-cutting cheekbones."
.
.
.
Day Six
Fire Nation
Don't call him. Don't call him. Don't call him.
She doesn't mind washing the dishes. She's a waterbender and the chore is quick and painless. But she does care about losing a bet.
So even though she has a nightmare â it's always the same nightmare, anchored by an image of Amon's mask â and she usually tells Tahno about it, she won't call him.
She closes her eyes and tries to imagine him if he was there to comfort her â the way his fingers trace circles into her lower back, the way he clumsily brushes his lips against her cheek because he's still half-asleep, the way he embraces her even more tightly when she's too shaken to go back to sleep.
Don't call him.
.
.
.
Day Seven
Republic City
The apartment is empty when she returns. It's mid-afternoon and the city is bustling outside the window, but everything inside the apartment is eerily still. Their bed is made, the kitchen table is clean, and the floor is clear â absent of her clothes, his shoes, their usual mess.
Where is he? Granted, she's a few hours early â she decided to surf for the last stretch of the journey; it was bitterly cold, but ultimately refreshing.
She sits down at their table and tries to imagine eating alone in an empty apartment for seven days. But what if he wasn't alone? What if he invited one of his old girlfriends to the apartment? WHAT IF SHE SAT IN THIS VERY SEAT?!
The door opens and breaks her out of her reverie. Korra stands up quickly, almost knocking her chair over.
"Who was she?!" Korra yells.
Tahno's brows knit together in confusion as he walks into the room, clutching a bouquet of flowers. "What?"
Her eyes widen and her cheeks twinge pink with embarrassment. "Oh, uh. Nothing. I was acting out a thing in my mind. A stupid thing. It doesn't matter. Don't worry about it. Hi."
"Hello," he says cautiously. "What are you doing here?"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "I live here."
"Not for another three hours."
"I came home early." Her eyes dart to the flowers. "What are those?"
"Flowers."
"Obviously. Are they for me?" She smiles triumphantly.
"No, they're for Naga."
She doesn't know whether she wants to laugh or to hit him. "Don't make me Avatar state your ass out of here."
"Did you miss me?" He crosses the room and sets the flowers on the table. He closes the space between them and looks down at her with a smirk on his face.
"No," she says defiantly.
He dips his head to kiss her, but she turns and his mouth brushes her cheek. His voice is low. "I missed you."
She turns to face him, a grin spreading across her features. "I win."
He rolls his eyes and smiles. Tahno cups her cheek with one hand and grasps her waist with another. He lowers his head and kisses her. "No. I'm pretty sure I do."
.
.
.
End Note: Do you need some bread for that cheese? Anyway, the prompt called for a first in the Tahnorra relationship and an exploration of their relationship â more specifically, the sweeter, non-superficial sides of Tahno and Korra. And so I chose to write this because absence makes the heart grow fonder? Or something? Crazier? I'm not sure. Anyway, I hope you liked it, jimena-garse! And thanks again to Kris, for putting this crazy challenge together!
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awards ; the coldest of nights
(summer - autumn 2013 fic & art exchange)
E V E N L Y _ M A T C H E D had a total of 11 gift entries for our first round (6 fanfiction gifts, 5 fanart gifts), which is a solid start! While my original goal was to recruit at least 15 fans in the name of Tahnorra gift-giving, this was a really fantastically creative round, and I had a lot of fun figuring out how to put it all together!
Of course, the awards themselves aren't going to be nearly as extensive as I'd first hoped while conceiving the idea of hosting a Tahnorra exchange fest... but we'll make do. :)
Final Gift(s) Posted: By Wednesday, October 23rd @ 9:00pm EDT
Voting Opens: Thursday, October 24th @ 7:00am EDT
Voting Closes: Sunday, October 27th @ 11:00pm EDT
(Emergency tie-breaker vote-extension set for Tuesday, if necessary.)
Award Winners Decided: Total votes are tallied on Sunday, or again on Tuesday, October 27th or 29th.
(Official winners will then be sent themomentyoudie, our graphics-maker, to be inserted into the award banner templates.)
Award Winners Announced: Hopefully on Thursday, October 31st @ 7:00pm, with prize banners. Happy Halloween! :)
You will find a list of award categories above. To vote for a piece of fanfiction or fanart, you simply message the evenly_matched inbox, making sure to clearly state the contest categories you are addressing, as well as the respective authors/artists and titles of the works for which you are voting
All voting responses will remain confidential.
You may not vote for yourself. Doing so will result in immediate and complete disqualification from the awards round.
All evenly_matched participants are highly encouraged to vote.
Anyone, evenly_matched participants and non-participants alike, can vote!Â
You should, of course, proudly display your own gift creation on your blogs! Similarly, you should encourage your followers to demonstrate their appreciation of the evenly_matched creations by voting for their favorites! I ask that you refrain, however, from corralling all of your friends and followers into voting for your creation simply out of loyalty. Encourage others to look through all of the gift entries--give each submission a chance!
You may vote for only one gift creation in each category. (In other words, you may not suggest two or more different works for any one contest category. I know it's hard, but because we have so few entries, you should really limit yourself to only one pick.)
You may, however, vote for any and all categories you choose.
(Just one? Sure! Two categories? Great! All of them? YESSSS, EVEN BETTER.)
Please refrain from sharing the details of which gifts you've voted for, as that (obviously) defeats the entire purpose of having the votes remain confidential. ;)
Votes will only be accepted from messages with valid tumblr urls or valid e-mail addresses. No anonymous messages will be tallied.
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââ
And just in case you missed it, the current master list is { here } .
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââ
Just two more un-posted gifts left! It's hard to believe how quickly this exchange went by... (And how much of a novel this post ended up being.) I know this is a lot, so please let me know if you have any questions!
Finally, let's end this long-ass post with another round of congratulations to all of our exchange participants! You guys have worked so hard and created such kick-ass contributions to the Tahnorra fandom and we are all so, so grateful. âĄ
And remember--if you participated in The Coldest of Nights, you've already got yourself a snazzy banner!
Title: Sweater Weather
Artist: phail-whale
Rating:Â K
Recipient: candyholic85 (blueeyedcandy)
Disclaimer: The Legend of Korra, and all associated characters, are copyright to Viacom.
Author/Artist Note(s):Â
Title: Chronicle
Author: kanames-harisen
Rating: T
Word Count: ~21,200
Warnings: mild language and non-graphic violence, some sensuality, spoilers for book 2
Recipient: pennyofthewild
Summary: History is usually presented in facts. That is not my goal. My aim is to present the past in vivid color, capturing both the facts and emotions that make up the whole of a particular turn of events. Now, my dear readers, let me introduce you to Korra of the Southern Mizu Clan and the ancient sword that defined her destiny. // an AU re-imagining of the Legend of Korra, set in feudal era Japan //
ââââââââââââââââââââââââ- W H A T { is an exchange? } ââââââââââââââââââââââââ-An exchange is a fandom event where participants swap stories or fanart. They sign up using a registration form and request what kind of gift they would like to receive. The requests are paired up anonymously, a deadline is set, and everyone creates a special gift for another fan.At the end of the creation period, gifts are submitted, gift pairings are revealed, and the fandom surges! EVENLY_MATCHED is proud to say that it is also able to provide Award Banners for the top-voted gifts of any round.ââââââââââââââââââââââââ-H O W { to participate } ââââââââââââââââââââââââSign-ups are currently { CLOSED } . Follow us to be notified when the next round of exchange sign-ups occur!ââââââââââââââââââââââââ- I M P O R T A N T { dates } ââââââââââââââââââââââââ- For our first fic & art exchange, The Coldest of Nights :
⢠Sign-ups: July 24 - 31 ⢠Matching: July 31 - August 16 ⢠Assignments sent: August 16 - 18 ⢠Creation period: August 18 - October 17 ⢠Strict due date: October 18 ⢠Posting starts: October 19
"and this is the aftermath" [G] for @StrangeViolin
Title: and this is the aftermath
Author: pennyofthewild
Rating: G
Recipient: StrangeViolin (phail-whale)
Disclaimer: I donât think Iâd be writing fanfiction if I owned the story, now, would I?
Summary:Â [Itâs a war we survived.] Walking home one night, Korra encounters someone familiar. Canon-divergent fic, where Tahno is a street artist, and Korraâs bending has not yet been restored.
Truth be told, I havenât been into LOK or Tahnorra for a while: I lost touch with the characters, and canon events, much as it pains me to admit it, really disillusioned me, where shipping was concerned, and so this was â quite hard â to write: Iâve actually never been good at writing romance, and the lack of an emotional connection/plausible ideas just made things worse.
Iâm aware this probably isnât the most original, or well-written, fic out there, but I hope you enjoy it regardless. I wish you a wonderful holiday!
 âAre you sure youâre going to be alright, going home alone?â Mako says when they are outside the theater and out on the street, bathed in the golden glow from the streetlights and the buildings on either side of the boulevard.
There is a crease wrinkling Makoâs eyebrows, and two more where the corners of his mouth are pulled downwards into a frown. His beret is pulled low over his forehead, and there are snowflakes speckling the heavy corduroy over his shoulders and the arm wrapped tight around Asamiâs waist.
Korra looks down at Asamiâs feet, pale creamy backs in their fashionable red pumps with the toes pointed inward, a vivid scarlet against the gray mush on the sidewalk.
âIâm going to be fine,â Korra tells them, shoving her hands deeper into the pockets of her coat and suppressing a shiver, âgo on home.â
âKorra,â Asami says, and her voice is soft, gentle, and maybe a little probing (Korra looks up, now, and meets pinched lips and worried eyes set deep under arched brows framed with wavy dark curls), âitâd be no trouble to drive you.â
Asamiâs cap sits at a jaunty angle on her head. Her hand, tucked into the crook of Makoâs arm, bears red-painted, perfectly manicured fingernails. Korra says,
âThank you: but itâs fine,â and she smiles her widest, brightest smile, âcanât get in between you both all evening, now, can I?â
âWe enjoy hanging out with you,â Asami protests, and she is about to say something further when Korra shakes her head.
âI know you do,â she says, âand I do, too: but being alone doesnât bother me.â
Iâve gotten used to it. In fact, I might actually prefer it.
There is silence for several heartbeats. Mako still looks a little dubious: he opens his mouth a little, and Korra sees Asamiâs fingers contract around his arm.
âGive us a call when you get home,â Mako says instead of whatever he was going to before, and Korra nods dutifully. She watches them get into the Satomobile - Asami in the driverâs seat, Mako riding shotgun - the car shudders as Asami turns the key in the ignition and the engine rumbles, smoke pouring from the exhaust vent.
***
Republic City, Korra thinks as she walks down the footpath, will never be quite as comforting as the village back in the South Pole, but after nearly half-a-year of living with Tenzinâs family on Air Temple Island, feels enough like home for her to relax, if only a little, in between the large, brightly-lit buildings, a single person in a crowd of people.
It is a little like getting lost, with the assurance that, when Iâm ready, I can find myself again.
It is nearly nine o clock, and yet the city is still bustling, drivers honking horns and yelling out of open windows, pedestrians milling on sidewalks and crossing streets with heads bowed low and hands stowed safely in large pockets, music drifting from inside restaurants and impromptu street musician bands. The cityâs less savory inhabitants are out and about, too: Korra catches sight of a pick-pocket skillfully relieving a man of his wallet and passes a gang carrying out a friendly argument in an alley â one that is rapidly degenerating into violence.
Half-a-year ago, Korra would have jumped in, without a thought, to settle the conflict, and chased the pickpocket too, but thereâs a police van parked conveniently near the intersection and Korra isnât the person she used to be, so she crosses the road without a backward glance, ruthlessly pushing the niggle of guilt that surfaces to the back of her mind.
Snowflakes drift downwards, coming to rest on her head and shoulders â and, when she tilts her face up to look at the sky â dark, swirling with clouds â on her face, melting into her skin. There is a group of people â almost a small crowd but not really one â ahead, gathered on the sidewalk, and when Korra draws closer she can see a sign propped up on the pavement.
Pencil Sketch â Five Yuans, the first line says, and Korra looks from the signboard to the artist, seated at a makeshift cardboard-box table with several sheets of paper stacked on top. He is wearing a threadbare black coat, patched at the elbows and knees, and the dark strands of hair escaping his cap are vaguely familiar, and the hands, wrapped around a stick of charcoal, narrow palms and long slender fingers, are even more so.
âHere,â the artist says to the man standing in front of the box, and holds out the drawing heâd been working on. Korra is close enough, now, to see the smile that creases the manâs craggy face. âI hope you like it.â
âYeah,â the manâs grin widens, âitâs great. Thanks.â
A woman and a little girl â probably a mother and her daughter â step up, next, and the little girl, bright-eyed, nose and cheeks pink with the cold, claps her hands under her chin.
âCould you draw me as the Avatar, mister?â
If the artist thinks the request is strange, it doesnât show; he nods and says, âSure, I can do that,â and pulls a fresh sheet of paper towards himself, gripping the bit of charcoal tighter. His eyes â an icy gray-white â skim the girlâs face. The girlâs features appear on the paper with several neat, efficient strokes of the charcoal â curly hair, snub nose â he really is good, Korra thinks admiringly, and the blanked-out eyes and the whirlwind of elements surrounding the girl in the picture is quite accurate â
âWhatâs your name?â the artist asks. His voice is low, slightly gravelly, like a chain smokerâs, almost, and reminds Korra, strangely enough, of late-night practices at the pro-bending arena, dinner at Narookâs and another boyâs gravelly voice offering to give her private lessons, how about it, Uh-vatar, several lifetimes ago.
Hey â hey, I just wondered:
if Iâd taken you up on that offer, maybe, what would have happened? Would I be happier, now? Would I be worse?
âYuki,â the little girl tells him, and the artist says,
âThatâs a pretty name,â and labels the drawing with a flourish, scribbling his signature â too small for Korra to make out â in the corner.
âWow,â Yuki exclaims, âthanks, mister,â and she stands by, clasping the drawing, while her mother reaches into her purse and takes out a paper bill.
âI donât have change,â the artist says, âthis is too much,â and Yukiâs mother shakes her head.
âKeep the change,â she tells him, and leads her daughter down the sidewalk. The artist, clutching the fifty-yuan bill like it is a lifeline, calls,
âThank you,â after them.
âHey,â Korra says, stepping up to the box, âdraw me?â
Up close, she can see his eyes are an extremely pale blue, instead of gray, and that the stray locks of  hair falling over his forehead are faintly wavy â and then the eyes widen, and the thin-lipped mouth pulls upwards into a crooked smile.
Oh. Oh: itâs you. Hey â hey, I just wondered:
âFancy seeing you again, uh-vatar,â the artist says.
***
âIâm sorry I canât return your bending to you,â Korra says quietly, watching Tahno fill in the strands of her hair, his knuckles shiny gray. His nails are close-clipped, his hands steady. Korra remembers them trembling, tight around his knees, on the bench outside the police station.
You look tired then. Youâre still tired now, arenât you? You look the way I feel, in the early mornings, and late at night, when I canât feel the sun and the moon is a distant stranger. Hey â hey I just wondered: are the spaces in you
and the spaces in me the same?
âIâd say itâs fine,â Tahno replies, âbut youâd know Iâm lying, wouldnât you?â He looks up; Korra feels his probing gaze glide over her eyes, her nose, her cheekbones â and he returns to the drawing, her cheeks suddenly warm in his wake.
â-Iâve got air, at least,â Korra says, âbut you â â
You had it so much worse, didnât you? Did you choose solitude, or did it creep onto you like a shadow at noon or the waves on the beach under the tug of the moon?
 Hey â hey, I just wondered: is the ache deep like a wound that wonât heal under a scab and do you miss it all the time or does it fade, into the back of your mind like a death you canât forget but  sometimes donât feel?
âBeing apologetic doesnât suit you, uh-vatar,â Tahno tells her, erasing highlights into Korraâs eyes and shooting her another quick look. Korra buries her hands deeper into her pockets. Their breath mists in the cold air.
âIâm sorry,â Korra repeats, because standing in silence is suddenly unbearable but she doesnât know what else to say.
Hey â hey, I just wondered: if we could see souls would you turn away from mine â would yours be a burst of light and would mine be a shadow - ?
Tahno sighs, breathing out through his mouth, heavily, and tilts his head back, eyes catching Korraâs. She can see his Adamâs apple bob in his throat, dusted with three-oâ-clock shadow. Korra swallows and looks away.
âDidnât I say,â he says quietly, âthat apologizing doesnât suit you?â
***
She slides a hundred yuan bill onto the table, after heâs handed her the paper. Sheâs smiling, in the drawing, open-mouth, teeth white against the dark of her skin, the sort of grin she hasnât grinned since before the tournament finals. She wonders when Tahno saw her smile this smile, because she hasnât been smiling, standing in front of his makeshift stand in the middle of the sidewalk while snow comes down â in clumps, now â around them.
Hey â hey, I just wondered: have you always watched me? Did you ever stop?
Tahno frowns at the bill, mouth twisting. âIs this pity, uh-vatar?â It is more of a statement than a question, and Korra flinches a little, at the tight fury in his tone.
âIt isnât,â she says softly, and watches the tremor in his fingers as he slides it into his pocket, a defiant sort of tilt to his shoulders.
âI donât need pity,â Tahno tells her, and there is less anger and more weariness in his voice now â as if he is going through the motions and it doesnât matter what I say does it youâd still think it wouldnât you â
âI know,â Korra states, and she wraps her arms around herself, meeting his gaze straight and square â and this time, he is the one who looks away first.
***
Korra watches him pack his equipment up a little while later. It is snowing harder, now; the gray mush on the ground has been replaced with white mounds rising around their ankles and seeping through Korraâs trousers.
Hey â hey, I just wondered: is it cold where you are, now? If I spoke to you, would you listen? If I called, would you come?
The street is emptier now: the crowd is gone, and the drivers in the few Satomobiles still out shout angrier, sound their horns louder. Tahno swings his messenger bag onto his shoulder, shoves a hand into his pocket, the other wrapped firmly around the strap to his bag.
âWhy are you still here?â
â-have dinner with me,â the words burst out, before Korraâs thought, and Tahnoâs eyes narrow.
âWhat?â
âWe usually eat late, at Tenzinâs,â Korra says, in an attempt to explain? justify?, â-Iâd â Iâm going to get something to eat: join me. I feel like home food: we can go to Narookâs.â
Tahno stares at her: dumbfounded, Korra thinks, mouth a little open, eyes mystified.
âItâs â itâs not pity,â Korra adds, hesitantly. Â
Iâm not sure what it is: but I want for you to â say yes, please.
Tahno says, âwhy?â, and Korra thinks thereâs a little suspicion, in his voice, and a little desperation, too, maybe, and she decides, after a heartbeatâs pause, that honesty is probably the best way to go:
âI donât know,â she says, and takes a deep breath. A snowflake comes to rest on her nose. Tahnoâs eyelashes are spiky. âBut â but maybe we can find out?â
[Hey â hey, I just wondered: would you hold on, if I reached out? Would you answer, if I asked?]
[Hey â hey, I just wondered: if itâs a war we survived, and if this is the aftermath â ]
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Title: Bottoms Up
Author: abeyantcobalt
Rating: PG-13
Recipient: likeabirdinflight
Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Korra, or any characters mentioned. This was written purely for my enjoyment (and yours!)
Warning(s): None.
Summary: Time can tell you a lot about a person. For instance: the seemingly fearless girl is afraid of... thunderstorms. And the haughty Wolf Bat leader may be growing a touch forgetful. Put them in a locked room together, and, well... You had to have been there.
Author Note(s):Â Hello! Yes. This was really interesting to write. I hope you like it! I wrote it with the idea that Tahno and Korra are kind-of-friends-kind-of-sworn-enemies. You know the type. The numbers at the start of each section refer to "military time", to let you know how much time has elapsed.
He had purchased the eyeliner because it had been advertised as 100% smudge-proof.
It was a claim that Tahno had found to be entirely untrue as he leaned over the cool, ceramic countertop, carefully eyeing the black lines that smeared, if only in the slightest, and if only in the sight of his trained eye.
He gave a heavy sigh as he stood straight once more, having done all he could do to attempt fixing the smeared eyeliner, chiding himself with a quiet click of the tongue  for switching from a brand that he had come to trust, to a new brand that he had just heard of the other day.
âIf ainât broke, donât fix it.â Â
The old adage ran through his mind, one his mother frequently quoted, one he fervently hated.
His hand ghosted over the brass doorknob, and he was almost out, when...
She happened.
It's the only way to describe it, really.
One moment he was on his way to freedom - sweet, sweet freedom - and the next moment, the door opened on him, the frame hitting him square in the forehead and pushing him back, while a mess of sniffles and tears hurrying in, slamming the door behind her.
By itself, it wouldn't have really been a problem. He had never seen her cry, and didnât particularly care to, and was planning to quietly slip out of the bathroom and back into the crowd upstairs. However, when he heard the door click, and  though he didnât try to open it, he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that - given his luck - he might be stuck with the mess of sniffles and tears for a while.
And that was a problem.
He had come to socialize (if only briefly), to get drunk (well, not drunk drunk. He never really did like the taste of alcohol, per se, but it was a 21st birthday party - and not just any 21st birthday party, but Miss Asami Satoâs 21st birthday party -  so what else was to be expected?  ⌠Not to mention that just a sip more of the wine he had previously been nursing on would have substantially improved his current mood, and to have a good night in general. It had been so long since he had actually been out and about and enjoyed himself. He had quite been looking forward to this night.)
He had certainly not come to be trapped in a bathroom with her. Not under normal circumstances, and certainly not when she was upset.
Tahno was, by no means, a big believer in Fate.
He did, however, think that someone, somewhere had a twisted sense of humor.
It's the only way to explain how it came that he was staring down at the distraught girl who only grew more confused at the fact of another person would be in the same room.
Hurriedly, she wiped away her away her tears with the back of her hand, crossing her arms defensively, looking up at him with the most annoyed look on her face.
"What are you doing in here?" And though she wanted her question to come out with a bite, her voice still wavered.
Tahno's eyebrow quirked as he leaned against the cool counter once more, supporting his weight with one hand, ignoring the stinging sensation that came from the door imprint on his forehead.
(And he hoped that she hadn't seen the tears that had welled in his own eyes upon the contact, and the way he hissed - and, well, he may have cursed, but that's not the point because it didn't hurt that much.)
"I could ask you the same thing," he retorted. His voice was smooth, a practiced tone, despite himself being mildly bewildered. "Don't you know what a closed door means?"
Her lower lip jutted out in a pout as she moved just a step closer to him, as if challenging him. "I know what it means," she huffed, "But it wasnât locked.â
âIt was locked.â His lips curled into a frown, his own arms crossing over one another. âBefore you knocked it in.â
Because, really, that was the only plausible explanation. Tahno getting older, though⌠certainly he wasnât becoming so scatter-minded so soon.
He huffed at the thought (though perhaps she thought he was huffing at her, because her mood only darkened to the point where Tahno could actually feel it.)
(And it felt mildly frightening.)
âIs there something you needed?â He asked, dry humor edging into his voice. âOr did you just come here to bother me?â
âI didnât come down here for you.â Her eyes narrowed - he had never seen her in such a foul mood before - giving him one last look before turning on her heel for the door. âAs much as I know that hurts your feelings.â With the off-handed comment, she twisted at the handle and -
Ah.
Just as he had thought, it didnât budge.
"Oh, for fuck's sake."
In spite of himself, Tahno chuckled. The exasperation in her voice, mixed with her vocalization of his exact thoughts, was oddly funny.
"You broke it."
"No, I didn't."
"You came in like a rhinopotamus. You broke it."
"If it had been locked, I wouldn't have come in."
She had turned now, looking at him, her hands balled in tight fists at her sides. He still hadn't moved from his spot against the counter.
(And, the pain in his head had gone down quite a bit, thank you very much.)
"It was lo-" He stopped himself mid-sentence. Again, he huffed, the sharp exhale blowing at the strands of fringe that had rested against his forehead. "It doesn't matter." Though the tenseness in his voice made her think that it did indeed matter, and it gave her some small pleasure to know that it seemed to irk him. "What matters is if you can unbreak it."
"I already tried, Pretty Boy." Her hands unballed - thank you - and rested on her hips instead. "Unless you'd like to try."
"I'll leave the brute force to you." His lips pursed, briefly. "I didn't come to throw myself against the door. But, I suppose I also didn't come to spend my night with you." A smirk tugged at the corner at his lips, not entirely from good humor. "Tonight's full of surprises, isn't it, Uhvatar?"
If her mood had lightened any, it was gone as soon as he finished his sentence.
"Apparently." Â She shifted, turning towards the door as if, by sheer willpower, it would open.
22:15
"No one's coming."
"Shut up."
She had taken up a perch on top of the counter, watching as he paced, worrying tracks into the plush carpet.
"They would have come a long time ago."
"I said, shut up."
(Though he was a bit hurt that Ming and Shaozu hadn't come after him.)
"Whatever, Mr. Grumpy Hair."
(He found that he liked it much better when she had taken a vow of silence against him.)
22:30
"You're going to burn Asami's rug."
He looked at her - still on the counter - and frowned. "Do you have a better idea?"
"Not yet."
22:35
"Have you tried yelling?"
He groaned. Loudly.
22:37
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"... Are you kidding?"
"Yes."
22:40
He had given up pacing for sitting, the tips of his toes touching the bottom drawers of the cabinet.
"This is ridiculous."
"I agree."
"This is your fault."
Korra scrunched her nose - again, ridiculous - and he second guessed his position on the floor when she had to look down at him. "So call your fan club to bail you out.".
22:45
"How much longer do you think the party will last?"
"You don't know much about parties, do you?"
"No."
"A couple more hours. At least."
She sighed, sliding off of the counter and onto the floor, pulling her knees to her chest - and how she did it with the dress she had on, he wasn't quite sure.
Of all the pranks that life had played on him in his twenty-three years of living, this one, by far, took the cake.
Had he known that, when the Sato princess invited him and the Wolfbats to her birthday party, he would be where he was right now, wellâŚ
He might have rethought his RSVP.
They had been in the small bathroom (that seemed to be getting smaller) for at least an hour now. Maybe two.
(âŚHad it been three?)
(Surely not.)
Tahno tried to think of the longest he had ever spent with her, and his mind could only recall the brief moments in the locker rooms before a Pro Bending match.
(Because somehow the Fire Ferrets were still a team.)
(And, though he would never admit it, she was an enjoyable opponent, and seemed to be the one person he had found in his career that could evenly matched against him.)
23:00
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah."
23:15
Despite the thickness of the walls, the rain fell heavily enough for them to hear, and lightning hit hard enough for them to feel the vibration of the thunder. The flickering of the lights gave him enough of an excuse to pretend he didn't notice the momentary look of fear in her eyes.
(Not that he had been looking at her eyes.)
"I didn't know it was suppose to rain."
"So it seems."
"... Do you think the lights will go out?"
"I'm not an electrician, Korra."
"Oh."
"Are you scared?"
"No!"
He laughed a laugh that made him throw his head back. "I can't believe it -"
"Shut up."
"- Our Avatar, afraid of a thunder storm."
She turned her head, unwilling to meet his gaze. "I'm not afraid."
He hummed, the reverberation getting lost in his throat. "If you say so."
And that was that.
23:20
"Hey."
"Hm?"
"When you came in here, you were crying. Why?" He hadn't really meant for the words to come out. It wasnât that he really cared. Girls cried all the time.
(But it was something different when Korra cried.)
And besides, it was boring to sit in silence.
(And she had seem really upset.)
"I wasn't."
A quirk of his eyebrow challenged her words.
"Mako broke up with me." Her voice made her seem smaller than she already was with her knees pressed tightly against her chest.
"Again?"
"Yeah."
"Hm."
"Surprises, right?" She looked over to him, a crooked grin on her face. (Though it wasn't one he knew her to wear.)
"Yeah."
"Mako's surprised to see Asami in that gown - " And it was a nice gown, Tahno mused. It fit in all the right places and - "And my surprise when he tells me it's over. Just like that." She snapped her fingers for emphasis.
23:22
"Don't worry about him."
23:24
âIâm hungry.â
âThen maybe you shouldnât have broken the lock.â
âI said I was sorry.â
23:30
âHey.â
âYeah?â
âWhat were you doing in here?â
Tahno frowned - he really needed to stop doing that - as he thought of the hateful, overpriced, falsely advertised, pencil stick that brought him here.
(But it hadnât turned out all bad.)
âWhat do you think, Uh-vatar?â
â... I feel like it has something to do with the stuff you put on your eyes.â
He sighed. Loudly.
23:32
âI could always burn the door down.â
âNo.â
âBut -â
âNo.â
âI thought you wanted out.â
âI do,â Tahnoâs voice was curt - he hadnât moved from his position on the floor and was starting to feel a tad stiff - and he eyed her warily, as if the very moment he took his eyes off of her, she would ignite the room in flames. âHowever, I would like to leave without this house burning down.â
âSuit yourself.â And she only sounded mildly offended when she shrugged her shoulders. âPriss.â
23:35
âItâs still raining.â
âYes.â
â...It never rains in the Southern Water Tribe.â She stretched her legs out so that they were parallel to his, her hands resting on her thighs.
âI hear itâs a desert.â
âSo Iâm not use to it.â
âAre you admitting to being scared?â The lack of taunting in his voice surprised her.
âNo,â She replied evenly, drawing out the syllable, her arms coming up and over her head, awkwardly stretching before her hands settled back in her lap. âIâm just⌠not use to it.â
âOkay.â
As if on cue, the roll of thunder - that had quieted down- rumbled, loudly, making her at-ease posture fade quickly as she jumped. Her eyes widened, if only for a moment, frantically scanning the room before locking on his form.
(Honestly?)
âI thought you said -â
âIâm not afraid.â Though the whine in her voice suggested otherwise to him.
He laughed, nudging the tip of his boot against her leg.
âOkay.â
(He couldnât wait to tell Ming and Shaozu about this.)
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Title:Â Missed me?
Artist: lemonedcurd
Rating:Â K
Recipient:Â lifeinredshades
Disclaimer:Â I donât own anything
Artist Note(s): hopefully my gift recipient likes it and it fits the prompt! I actually enjoyed drawing it even if I couldn't put as much time as I wanted on it.
Title: What Love Is
Author: blueeyedcandy
Rating: T
Recipient: Kaname's Harisen (kanames-harisen)
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters just the story.
Warning(s): Angst, tragedy, minor swearing, suggestions of sex and character death.
Author/Artist Note(s): Based on 1 Corinthians 13:7 and 8a. Also see end note.
Summary: Modern adult AU, no bending.
Tahno comes home from work to find Korra out on the balcony, watching the waves crash onto the shore as the sun sets out over the horizon. The wind is blowing softly and tousling her hair around her shoulders, touched with the gold of the fading light. The corners of his lips lift in tenderness at the sight of his wife as he opens the sliding door, then he walks up behind her and kisses her cheek in greeting before settling into a chair beside her.
âHow was your day, sweetheart?â Tahno inquires as he reaches over to pull her hand into his before raising it to brush his lips over her knuckles. It was an old fashioned gesture that in their teenage days he had performed with a sly arrogance to annoy her, but was now a well-practiced habit done out of sincerity and affection.
âFine,â Korra answers flatly as she continues to watch the waves with a far off look in her eyes, an expression that had become unsettlingly familiar in recent days.
Tahno pauses before saying anything else for a few moments, taking in the sound of crashing waves and breathing in the salty air as his eyes scan the scenery before returning back to her face. âSo where do you want to go for vacation this summer?â he asks softly as he squeezes her hand.
âWhat's the point?â Korra replies dejectedly, still not turning to look at him.
âKorra, please donât do this. We keep having this discussion. Just because you're in a wheelchair, it doesn't mean...â
âThat I can't have a 'normal' life?â she finishes for him, her tone noticeably more resentful than usual.
âYes. You've been able to do so many things since the accident. Youâve even competed in marathons for godâs sake. Not to mention the bungee jumping, ski diving â twice -, and the amusement parks that let you cut all the lines to the roller coasters. You have traveled the world and done more in the last few years than most people do in a lifetime,â Tahno points out. âWhy are you in such a bad mood? I thought you said you had a good day.â
âI did. Itâs just...â Korra begins to say, but she can't seem to bring herself to say the words.
âWell then why are you acting like this?â he pushes further, determined not to let her suffer alone, whatever it was.
âBecause sometimes I wonder if youâre even going to come home,â she blurts out suddenly, yanking her hand out of his to cover her face, now twisting with misery.
âWhat?â Tahno asks, completely dumbfounded as she fights back her emotions.
She takes a few steadying breaths before answering, mouth contorted and chin trembling. âI'm not blind, Tahno. Every time we go out I see the looks we get. Everyone looks at me with pity and every woman looks at you like 'god, why is he with her when he could be with someone better?', and it hurts because they're right,â Korra explains forlornly.
âStop it,â Tahno bit out, feeling anger rise up inside him. âStop thinking like that. I am with you because I love you. I have told you countless times, and I will tell you again and again until you believe it. I'm not going anywhere and I will never leave you, not for anyone or anything. The sun will rise in the west before I will ever think about leaving your side, you got that?â He leans nearer to her until their faces are nearly touching, his eyes searing hers with the force of how absolutely he serious he is.
Korraâs shoulders fall helplessly at his passion-ridden words, and a couple of silent tears seep from under her eyelids. There were times such as this one when she felt that she didnât deserve to have anyone in her life, much less someone as fiercely loyal, passionate, brilliant, handsome, and loving as the man who was currently holding her face and looking at her so earnestly just so that she could see with her own eyes how much he loved her and how much he meant every word coming out of his mouth. But still the depression remained. The physical condition of her body was felt right to the pit of her soul, changing her perception of herself into someone she didnât even know. Someone so distinctly opposite of who she always has been.
And now Korra can feel it again. She senses the impending emptiness creeping up on her once more and herself slide into blank apathy. But before she can pull away from Tahno, his grip tightens and his lips land on hers as his thumbs wipe away the tears on her cheeks. The urgent tenderness of his actions somehow achieve what talking could not, and she decides to accept his affirmations by opening her heart to his love, even if it meant also opening up to the pain of her consciousness.
Then Tahno lifts her out of her wheelchair and brings her into the house to gently lay her down in the middle of the bed, ever so gently undressing her before kissing up her legs. The same legs that were once long, slender, and beautifully muscled, and skin that was one time flawless.
Korra forces herself to look down at her legs, now atrophied, mangled, and scarred almost beyond recognition, but Tahno worships them as if they are his most precious possessions. The action causes her eyes to mist in appreciation and disbelief at how beautiful he could make her feel even now. His mouth continues to pay homage to her body, along with his hands and the rest of his body. She feels loved and cherished and utterly staggered by gratefulness, because even when she felt horrible and at the lowest point of despair, he was always there to pick her up and bear her weight without complaint.
Love... Believes All Things
A few years earlier
Tahno receives the call at work, his heart plummeting to the basement as the State Trooper tells him the news. Korra had been in a car accident, a bad one, with a semi. Currently firefighters were using the Jaws of Life to get her out of the vehicle. It was still unclear if she was even alive. He gets informed that she is going to be care-flighted to the nearest hospital and that he could meet them there.
Tahno doesn't remember driving to the hospital or even hanging up the phone before fleeing the building. He does, however, remember pacing the ER, waiting to hear the sound of the helicopter, wondering if his Korra, his beloved wife, would be alright, wondering if she was even still alive. He doesn't think he's ever prayed so much before in his life. All he knows is that he has to believe, believe that Korra survived, believe that she will live and not leave him on this earth alone.
When two surgeons come to talk to him and tell him that Korra has sustained serious injuries, that she will never walk again, but that she's alive and was one hell of a fighter, he feels his prayers were answered. And when he's brought back to the ICU and sees Korra in the hospital bed, he doesn't even notice the bottom portion of her body. The only thing that matters is her strong heartbeat on the monitor beeping away like a finely tuned machine. He's never thought anything could be more precious or beautiful. And when she finally wakes up, he believes beyond a shadow of a doubt that it doesn't matter if she has to be in a wheelchair or not. He believes that she will be able to do whatever she wants, whatever she puts her mind to, and that he will always believe in her.
Love... Hopes All Things
 âBut it's been months, Tahno, and I still can't feel anything!â Korra yells in frustrated exasperation.
âKorra, these things take time, and youâre not all powerful. You can't heal from something like this overnight,â Tahno tries to reason with her as he kneels down in front of her. âYou're still making progress, right?â he reminds her as he reaches out and gently takes hold of her chin, bringing her face up to look at him.
He wipes away a stray tear that spills out of her eyes while he fights back the stress induced moisture in his own. âWe can't give up hope, okay? We can't give up hope,â he repeats like a mantra.
A few days later Korra curses like a sailor as she wheels herself around the house and hits her foot into a door jamb before realizing the significance of being able to feel the pain. But then as she leans down to rub at the soreness in her toes, the shock and awareness slams into her like lightning, and the irritation brought on by the sharp ache transforms into sheer giddiness in her brain. Sensation was finally returning to the lower half of her body.
âKorra! Are you alright?â Tahno calls out as he runs upstairs after hearing the loud thud and her stream of swears.
âYeah, Iâm fine,â she responds, unable to keep the breathless excitement from her voice.
âWhere are you?â
âOur bathroom,â she says as he makes his way through the bedroom and opens the door to find her sitting in her wheelchair and smiling for the first time since before the accident several months ago.
âWhat happened?â he inquires with a startled frown.
âNothing, I just jammed my toe. Hurts like hell,â she explains, still grinning like she had won the lottery.
Tahno raises an eyebrow as he stares at her, still confused for a few seconds until the meaning of her words dawns on him. âYou felt it?â he gasps in wonder, dropping down to the floor in front of her and reaching out to touch her knee.
Korra nods and even lets out a laugh as he emits a breath of amazement. Then he lowers his gaze and slowly begins trailing his hand down the length of her leg, peering up at her again to gauge her reaction. âDo you feel that too?â
She nods slightly. âIt tingles.â
Then, not removing his eyes from hers, Tahno draws himself up closer and starts rubbing his hands gently up and down the outer sides of both her legs, and he observes her closely as her breathing quickens. The intensity of sensation wavers and fades in and out as his hands move to different spots on her legs, but still itâs there, and the exultation builds up within her until she canât take it anymore.
Korra leans forward, grabbing for him, and he seems to read her mind, knowing exactly what she wants. As Tahno raises up to meet her, she plants both hands on either side of his face and kisses him with more passion than sheâs felt in she doesnât know how long. He cradles the back of her head and kisses back just as ardently, sharing in the joy that what they had been wishing and hoping for had finally happened.
Not long after, he picks her up and carries her to their bed, where they spend the rest of the day touching and experimenting and hardly believing the miracle that had occurred. After a while of the continued thrill of exploring Korraâs reviving sensations, Tahnoâs traveling fingers begin moving upward, but he looks at her face hesitatingly before letting them reach their destination.
Not being able to feel anything below the waist had also meant no sexual intimacy for the past few months, but now the climbing sensations and the exhilaration they produced was seeing her arousal making a rebound as well.
Korra smirks as she murmurs, âGo for it.â
Later that night as they both begin to drift off into contented slumber, a thought keeps resonating in Korraâs head until she knows she has to voice it to Tahno. âDo you think that maybe this means I might be able to walk again too?â she mutters quietly into the still darkness of the room.
âI donât know,â Tahno replies after thinking about it for a moment.
âOr maybe hoping that would just be pushing our luck too far,â she adds sedately. âThey said I probably wouldnât be able to feel again, but that I definitely wonât walk again.â
Tahno rolls over to face her, and she can make out the shadowy lines of his features. âI think youâre capable of anything, Korra. But even if you donât walk again, that doesnât mean you canât accomplish anything else you want to.â
She smiles lovingly at the confidence in his voice. âWell, maybe it doesnât hurt to hope,â she mumbles as a yawn overtakes her.
âMaybe not,â he agrees before pulling her against his chest and they both slip into peaceful sleep.
Love... Endures All Things
Many years later
Tahno stands by the casket and watches with continuous blurry vision as his wife is laid to rest. He holds onto his only daughter Kari's hand for support, but otherwise is caught somewhere between grief and numbness. How was he going to live on now? Korra had been his everything, the reason he got up in the morning. Most of the time it had felt like his heart beat only for her and to see her smile just one more time.
After the funeral service he went home. Kari cooks dinner for him as he sits in the living room, looking at nothing as ghosts of memories run past him. He remembers fondly how they would chase each other around the house in nothing more than their underwear when they were newly married, how they would lay on each other on the couch and have food fights with popcorn, how they would laugh about nothing until neither of them could breathe.
âDad? Are you alright?â Kari asks as she leans against the door frame, looking so much like her mother that he nearly mistakes the two.
âI'm fine. Is dinner ready?â Tahno asks, his voice shaky as he tries to shake the images out of his head.
âYeah, almost,â she answers before coming forward to sit next to him on the couch.
âDad, it's okay. I know her loss was sudden, but at least we had an idea it was coming, right? Mom died happy and at peace, and if you think about it, just because she isn't physically here, it doesn't mean she's really gone. She still lives on through you and me and everyone else who loved her. We just have to endure it until we are all reunited again,â Kari tries to comfort her father as she embraces him.
Her own tears stream down her face as she struggled with knowing that she too was going to have to endure the loss of the most important woman in her life.
Tahno feels the guilt of not being strong enough for his daughter on top of everything else, but he doesnât know what he can do about it. Korra had always been the strong one. There had been a few times when he had had to carry her emotionally, but most of the time it had been her supporting him. But Kari was right, Korra wasnât entirely gone. She was in every pained breath he took. She was in their child. And she was also in what strength he had left to endure her loss.
Love Never Fails
Tahno walks the familiar route to Korra's grave as he glances down at the letters and flowers in his hand. He had brought her red tulips and hibiscus, along with some white jasmine this time. He smiles softly yet sadly as the flowersâ meanings pass through his mind. He had chosen the red tulips because they meant undying love, and the hibiscus because they represented rare and delicate beauty, which was exactly what Korra was. Well, that was a half-truth. She could be tough as nails, but there were also times when she would show how vulnerable she could be and he loved her for it. He loved her for everything she showed him, for everything she was, and for being the best companion any man could ask for. And lastly, there was the jasmine, which meant unconditional and eternal love, something that he knew he would always feel for her, whether she was living or not.
He comes up to the engraved headstone and looks it over carefully before taking a deep breath. This was always going to be hard, but it was giving him more closure every time he came to see her.
âHello, beautiful,â Tahno greets, his throat tight and constricted, but he pushes past the pain. âI got you some more flowers,â he tells her as he delicately places them on the ground.
âWe got another letter today. Someone named Michelle Collins got one of your kidneys,â he said as he unfolded the letter and read it out loud. âThank you so much for another chance at life. I pray for your family and hope that they will be able to cope with loosing such a wonderful person...â Tahno stops reading as his throat spasms. His tears are already running steadily down his face, but he had ceased giving a damn if anyone saw them a long time ago.
After a moment he continues reading, âI cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am to have a new lease on life. Thank you so much. Sincerely, Michelle Collins,â Tahno finishes and smiles despite his heartache. âI thought you should know how much youâve helped other people. That always made you happier than anything else.â
He sighs heavily as he folds up the letter and puts it back in his pocket. âI also wanted to let you know that Kari started dating a new guy. His name is Milton, but for some reason everyone calls him Doug. Apparently heâs really smart or something, but Iâm still reserving judgment. He treats Kari well though, so I guess we shouldnât complain too much. Kari is doing great in college, by the way. Straight A's, and all of her professors rave about how talented she is,â Tahno informs Korra as he wipes the tears from his eyes and his voice starts to even out again.
âSo since your death, Iâve been running a program in your honor that helps kids in wheelchairs get service dogs and medical treatment and other therapy that they need. So far we've helped twenty-six kids. Isnât that great?â Tahno says with a hopeful smile that quickly fades.
His head drops forwards and his eyes screw shut as he holds onto to everything he has in order to not break down. It happened like this sometimes. Suddenly he would just become overwhelmed by her absence and his shattering grief. âKorra,â he sobbed bitterly, not doing a good job at keeping the anguish at bay. âIâm completely lost without you. I feel like I'm failing you. I'm trying to do what you would want me to do, what you always did, and that's to help people, but... it's just not the same. I wish I could have you back. I would give anything to have you back. I miss you so much it feels like my heart has been ripped into a million pieces and it will never be put back together.â
He breathed raggedly for a few minutes before speaking again, âI don't know if I can do this for much longer. There are times my mind plays tricks on me and I wake up in bed with you in my arms like I always used to, or I walk by the balcony to see you sitting there looking out over the ocean. Sometimes I look at Kari and swear I'm seeing you. Sometimes I hear you laugh or see your face in a crowd. I swear I'm going crazy, Korra.â
He finally gives in and sinks to his knees, feeling as though someone were literally stabbing his heart with a knife, through his chest, through his back, and all around. âI love you, Korra. Thatâs one thing Iâll never fail at,â he whispers with a shuddering breath, tracing the carved letters of her name in the gravestone over and over.
The light begins to fade and he knows itâs time to go, but he canât yet. âJust a little longer,â he reasons. He sits with his back against the stone, closing his eyes and bringing up her face in his mind as he mentally kisses and caresses her. Wishing with every ounce of his being that they could have just grown old together.
At least they had been together, even if it hadnât been nearly long enough. They had a love to last a lifetime, maybe several lifetimes. And it would never fail.
End Notes-
Under 'Optional' you had the song Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons and as you can see that song had a very heavy influence and inspired most of the heavy angst in this story. And upon thinking and brain storming about this and about Korra's and Tahno's relationship as a whole, the scripture came to mind. I know you wanted a 'happy ending' but in real life that doesn't always happen but at least Korra's death brought about other people's happy endings because she donated her organs. You had asked for romantic angst and for that I hope I delivered.Â