Day 1: Spring Festival

Non-Cannon. Post-Cannon?

Pairing: Amorralok (Amon x Korra x Tarrlok) .

Rating: K+

Warnings: Insane amounts of fluffiness and feels.

Word Count: 5.2k

Plot: Ten years after the Equalist War, Tarrlok and Noatak are finally released from prison on parole. Neither of them knows what to expect on that fine Spring morning.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

Noatak and Tarrlok still couldn't believe it, even as they signed the release forms that Chief Beifong reluctantly handed over they still couldn't quite grasp what was happening.

It had been a decade. Ten years since the Equalist War ended and they had been caught escaping in a little speedboat, ten years since Amon had been sentenced to have his bending removed, ten years since both brothers had been sentenced to life imprisonment for their crimes- bloodbending alone warranted such a punishment, add to that all the other things they had done and they were lucky not to face the first public execution in Republic City's history.

And now suddenly they were told that they were being released, that someone influential had pushed to grant them a second chance on parole and so long as they fulfilled the terms of this conditional freedom they could once again go back to life in society.

Deep down they knew who had pushed for their release but neither of them asked or said it out loud because they were both too afraid to hope, they didn't want to believe that Korra had done such a thing for them because not only was she supposed to hate them, she also hadn't showed up to visit them a single time since the day she was ordered to take Amon's bending before they were incarcerated. And yet, who else could have done it? Who else did they know that didn't despise them completely or wanted them dead?

They had never even had any visitors during those ten years and were forced to live confined to a lonely cell just for the two of them because it was too dangerous to let them live among the general population of the prison when 90% of it, mostly led by Amon's old lieutenant, wanted them both strung up by their necks.

It had been a very lonely and depressing decade but at least there had been a little silver lining. At first both brothers avoided talking, as much as Noatak wanted to cling on to the only person he still had in the world, it was hard to do so when Tarrlok still resented him for taking his bending and destroying his career. Noatak understood why his brother was angry, especially after he lost his own bending which had been a very painful experience, not only physically when he felt like a piece of his soul was being torn off but also emotionally because it left him feeling empty and because the hard pained look on Korra's face when she came out of Avatar State still haunted him just as much as her beauty in that State still enthralled him. Yes, he understood Tarrlok's grudge now and the remorse gnawed at his insides every single day but after several silent weeks things became even worse because Tarrlok found out a truth that Noatak couldn't hide any longer.

They had been arguing, the younger brother had finally snapped out of his empty depressed daze and was actively screaming that Noatak had destroyed his life and stolen everything he ever cared about and somehow the entire argument shifted towards the Avatar and suddenly, almost by accident but perhaps not, Noatak had let slip more than he should in his own angry tirade. He didn't actually say the words but the way he talked, the way he said Korra's name spoke volumes and Tarrlok had known then that the elder brother's betrayal had been even deeper than he expected.

It was a bit of an open secret between them that Tarrlok had been romantically involved with Korra until the moment he let power rise to his head and forced her to turn against him when he pushed her too far and arrested her friends, after that everything had gone downhill and he had done horrible things to the Avatar he loved in his own desperate attempt to salvage his life, things that he regretted deeply and still burned in his brain like a permanent brand, things that he would give his life to take back, and that had indeed been his idea when he escaped with Noatak. But in those first few weeks in jail not only had that affair become a very obvious topic between the brothers but Tarrlok had also found out that Noatak had been involved with the Avatar at an equally romantic level, having met her as his unmasked self when she first arrived in the city and having cultivated a friendship and later a secret romance with the ingenuous girl.

At first the ex-councilman had felt betrayed and hurt, he hated that Noatak had seduced Korra and he hated that Korra had two-timed him, but Noatak had explained that Korra wasn't to blame, she had grown up isolated from the world, she was starving for affection and had so much love to give, she had been rejected by her first crush and she had loved them both, she had also wanted to tell Tarrlok the truth but Noatak hadn't let her because even though he didn't mind sharing Korra he didn't want Tarrlok to be aware of his involvement because it would jeopardize his identity as Amon, an identity that the Avatar had been clueless about when she slept by his side, having nightmares about the man that had sworn to destroy her, the man who also had fallen in love with her.

Tarrlok had hated Noatak as much as he hated himself back then and that was to say he hated the elder brother with a passion, their fights escalated to violence so the guards had to put them in solitary confinement repeatedly until they settled down. After several months of disdain though, it became harder to hate the only company he had, it became unbearable to hate the only family he had left and most of all it became impossible to hate Korra because the more time passed the more both brothers thought about their actions and wrongdoings until the regret was a like a solid thing choking the air out of them and the biggest regret they both had was the guilt they felt towards what they had done to Korra, they had both betrayed her in ways too horrible to describe, Tarrlok because of his ruthless desire for power and Noatak because of his twisted values and manipulative lying nature. What made everything a million times worse was that they still loved her and that made the guilt kill them slowly from the inside out like a poisonous substance coursing through their blood streams.

At some point during their first year in jail the brothers had decided to make peace with each other, they declared a truce and just talked, they told each other everything they had gone through since Noatak had left home as a teenager, they shared their every thought and feeling, they had lengthy debates and philosophical discussions until they slowly began to understand each other and became close again, perhaps even closer than they had been as children. Only one thing stood in the way of their relationship and that was their feelings for Korra, but after a few years living completely alone with each other they came to the agreement that they could both love her, it didn't make any difference because she hated them now anyway, they had sent numerous letters just to get her to visit and she had never showed up and from the broken whispered rumors they heard among the prison guards it seemed she had married that firebender teammate of hers so Tarrlok and Noatak's feelings made no difference to her even though they both agreed that they would be more than happy to share her if only they ever got a chance to hold her again, to make up for all the horrible things they had done to her.

And now, lo and behold! They were being set free with a set of civilian clothes, each with a bag with their old possessions and the signed document that dictated their rights and duties while on conditional release, they knew they had to hang on to those documents and respect every line religiously because the Chief of Police would not hesitate to pick at any failure to comply in order to shove them in prison for the rest of their lives- this was their second and LAST chance at freedom.

The street outside the prison gates seemed deserted, it was a bright warm Spring morning with no clouds, the scent of petrichor hung in the air and for the first time in ten years they were able to fully see the blue sky without any bars in the way, it was such an exhilarating sensation of openness and freedom that they nearly missed the figured that stood at the end of the street, leaning against an indigo satomobile and waving at them vaguely.

Could it be? They didn't want to believe it but as they walked curiously closer to the vehicle they realized that it really was her, it really was Korra.

She was different. She had matured in those ten years but still looked young and beautiful, she still wore her hair in the same hairstyle but it was so long now that it look distinctively different and much more feminine, her eyes were lined with smoked black kajal which emphasized their cat-like shape and made the bright cerulean of her irises pop, her lips were painted in peachy tones, she wore the same style of clothing- a blue sleeveless high-neck top with white side-ties, indigo detachable sleeves, dark blue slacks, a waist pelt and boots- but her body that had already been curvaceous before now had a certain natural roundness that clashed beautifully with her brawny physique, and then there was the one thing that both men noticed immediately- she wore no necklace under that high collar, but that meant nothing really, not if her husband wasn't Water Tribe, or at least that's what they told themselves.

"Hi." Korra broke the awkward silence that had settled in when they came close.

"Hello, Avatar." Noatak replied almost meekly though his voice held the deep cordial eloquence of Amon.

"Hello, Korra." Tarrlok couldn't look her in the eye but replied politely as well.

"I take it you were the one who convinced the Council to grant us a conditional release?" Noatak enquired casually.

"Who else would get your asses out of jail?" The Avatar shrugged and crossed her arms, looking uncomfortable. "I've been pushing them for the past three years for this."

"Why?" Tarrlok demanded. He was confused and so was Noatak- why would she ever want to see them free? She hadn't even deigned to visit them in a full decade!

"Why what, Tarrlok?" Korra snapped with a little impatience.

"Why would you want us free? After the things we did…" Tarrlok swallowed his own guilty emotions and took a steadying breath. "You never even came to see us, Korra! We thought you hated us."

"I did. For long, long, long time I hated you both and despised your very existence." Korra retorted darkly enough to make them feel like her words were stabbing into their chests. "But I couldn't hate you forever… I guess I missed you too much." She shrugged as if her sudden change in opinion was a no-brainer.

"You are a very puzzling woman, Avatar Korra." Noatak pointed out, he was almost as confused as Tarrlok but he hoped her words meant she still held a shred of positive feeling for them.

"Yeah, well, you two are riddles with a capital R." She rolled her eyes but finally managed to look at them, taking in their drab grey and white clothing, Tarrlok's long loose hair and Noatak's unshaved face. "I hear you've been behaving well these last few years… And that you showed remorse for your actions… That helped with the whole parole process."

"We've had plenty of time to think." Noatak replied simply.

"You seem to be getting along pretty well now." Korra nodded at them, noting how close they stood to each other.

"Prison changes people." Tarrlok retorted just as simply as Noatak. "We only had each other to talk to, we couldn't hold on to past grudges forever or we would have gone mad."

"I see." Korra nodded quietly and once again an awkward silence fell between them.

"You look well." Noatak complimented and stepped a little closer, he couldn't resist running his fingers through the tips of her hair even if he was invading her space to do so.

"Yes, as beautiful as always." Tarrlok agreed and stepped closer as well. He was surprised at lack of jealousy in his voice, in fact he was surprised that he could stand there and not feel anything but regret, longing and desire when he looked at Korra.

"Yeah, whatever." Korra shrugged and uncrossed her arms, pressing her palms to the indigo satomobile and leaning back casually.

"We missed you." Noatak murmured out regretfully and Tarrlok held his breath waiting for her reply. "Both of us."

"…" Korra was looking away and tapping her foot nervously, apparently trying to keep quiet and act cold but at last she sighed, slumped her shoulders and looked down. "I missed you too. Both of you."

Those words undid every last bit of self-control Tarrlok had and he fell to his knees in front of her, forgetting the awkward tension and just hugging her around the waist so tightly that she couldn't escape even if she wanted to. Korra was shocked for several long minutes but at last she relaxed and her hands caressed into his hair.

"Forgive me… Please, Korra, forgive me." Tarrlok's face was buried in her clothes so she could barely hear the broken muffled words that he had needed to say for years, it was painfully obvious that the man was trying not to cry and that hurt to watch.

"Hey now, calm down…" Korra commanded in a nervous gentle voice, she seemed at loss with the whole situation. "Seriously, get up… Of course I forgive you, I would be here if I didn't…" As soon as the words were out of her mouth the ex-councilor was hiccupping into her shirt with remorse and relief. "Shh…Come on, Tarrlok, stop crying." Korra looked distressed by the reaction and Noatak was just watching silently, clinging to his own self-control to avoid mimicking his brother but Korra looked at him expectantly. "A little help, Noatak?"

Noatak grabbed his younger brother by the shoulders and helped him up, then he gave Tarrlok some time to compose himself by turning to Korra quite gravely.

"Do you really mean that? Can you really forgive either of us?" The elder brother looked hopeful but serious.

"Like I said- would I be here if I couldn't?" Korra cocked a brow in snarky challenge and smiled. "But that's just me, the rest of the world might not be so happy with your release."

"We don't care so long as we have your clemency. The rest of society can shun us, we deserve no better anyway." Noatak retorted with more emotion than he had intended to display.

"I see." Korra nodded quietly and thoughtfully then held her arms open. "Won't you hug me too, Noatak?"

He did. The man formerly known as Amon embraced the Avatar without a second thought and it was more perfect than he could have ever dreamed of- it was like coming home after a long time away, she was warm and gentle, her hair smelled like honey and she felt so right in his arms that he almost forgot that it had been ten years since he last held her that way. At some point, Noatak grabbed Tarrlok and pulled him into the embrace as well so Korra was cocooned in their warmth and longing and only after the several long minutes of silent reunion did they step back somewhat self-consciously.

"Thank you, Korra." Noatak murmured. "How can we ever repay you?"

"We'll do anything." Tarrlok added eagerly.

"Anything, huh?" Korra smiled. "You can start by getting your butts into my satomobile, I want to go somewhere."

They nodded and quickly slid into the comfortable closed-top vehicle with Korra behind the wheel, Tarrlok in the passenger's seat and Noatak at the back. She started the satomobile and drove off down the winding streets of the outskirts where the prison was located until they were heading into the city itself that seemed to be decorated with colorful streamers all over the place and music could be heard in every neighborhood.

"What's happening?" Noatak was looking out the window and taking in the sounds of many people that littered the streets that cold morning, there was a thrumming aura of excitement in the air and a parade seemed to be making its way down the main avenues.

"Spring Festival. It's become a bit of a national holiday as a way to celebrate the end of the Equalist War." Korra explained nonchalantly as she drove slowly down the crowded roads heading for the center of town.

"I see." Noatak nodded noncommittally and asked no more.

"Since when can you drive?" Tarrlok changed the subject wanting to steer clear of any memories of the war. "Where's the polar bear dog?"

"Asami taught me. She also gave me this satomobile a couple of years ago." Korra pointed at the wheel that she was currently steering quite deftly. "And Naga stayed at the temple today, she had puppies so she's not in any condition to be around crowds now."

"How is Miss Sato doing these days?" Noatak stepped into the conversation, leaning against his seat so she could see him in the rearview mirror. "Still holding a grudge about the matter between me and her father?"

"It's Mrs. Sato now." Korra corrected informally. "No, she's not holding a grudge though her husband is a different story." The Avatar frowned a bit, as if the matter was upsetting her a little. "And before you ask- Hiroshi was also offered parole, he refused."

"Who is the illustrious Asami Sato married to that would resent me?" Noatak insisted, disregarding the comment about Hiroshi Sato.

"Officer Mako." Korra replied carelessly and a little distantly.

"Excuse me?" Tarrlok snapped with surprise and confusion. "But we thought…"

"Thought what?" She looked at the ex-councilor for a moment before turning her attention back to the road.

"We heard that you were the one with the firebender." Noatak explained when Tarrlok seemed at loss for words.

"Oh we dated for a while but it didn't work out." Korra shrugged off the matter and turned the wheel, they were entering a familiar part of town and passing by City Hall, the square was full of people and littered with colorful booths of food and games. "He hooked up with Asami a few years ago and they're happily married now."

"And you? Are you happily married, Korra?" «Or married at all, happily or not?» Tarrlok interrogated, adding the last part silently to himself and trying to keep the crazy hope out of his voice while he avoided looking at the building that had once been the center of his world.

"Nope. Never married." The Avatar smiled mysteriously and turned again until she was parking the satomobile near the enormous city park that was a small forest in the middle of the metropolis.

"Is that so…" Tarrlok's words faded out and he exchanged a brief glance with Noatak on the rearview mirror, the older brother was thinking the same think- maybe, just maybe, they could hope.

"We're here." Korra announced briskly and stepped out of the vehicle, prompting the men to follow.

It was now close to noon and the park was filled with people, the majority of them were huddle together over blankets or picnicking over boulders as they followed the tranquil tradition of flower viewing- cherry, peach, plum and almond trees were in full bloom and every gust of wind sent petals snowing down on the viewers who laughed and told stories, who sang and drank, and who danced with colorful streamers and played with excited children.

It was barely lunch time and the festival was already so high-spirited that nobody took the time to recognize the two men that followed the Avatar around even if many people forced them to stop as they cheerfully greeted Korra and offered to share a snack, she politely declined all offers and smiled as she led them away from the crowds.

The brothers were beginning to wonder why they were there and where she was taking them, especially when Korra started hiking up the sloped ends of the park towards a raised rocky plateau where barely anyone went. Most of the people celebrated in the lower ends of the park were the flowering trees were abundant but up in that small plateau there was only one single old cherry tree blooming solitarily so nobody was around other than a young woman sitting over a blanket and two boys playing not too far away, apparently chasing each other around the tree in a makeshift game of tag that included waterbent globs of rain water.

The young woman looked slightly older than Korra had been when the brothers first met her and when she spotted them she set the book she had been reading aside. Both men assumed this was one of Tenzin's daughters, most likely the eldest one, because she had her short hair knotted to the side and delicate blue airbender tattoos decorated her porcelain skin.

"Hello, Korra. You took longer than expected." The young woman had a soft warm voice.

"Hi. Sorry, Jinora, I didn't think it'd be so far." Korra rubbed the back of her neck and grimaced a little playfully, she came closer while the two brothers lagged behind, watching from the sidelines as Korra nodded towards the distracted children. "How have they been behaving?"

"As rambunctious as always but perfectly sweet." Jinora smiled good-naturedly but her eyes hardened like suspicious grey granite as she eyed at the two men that stood not that far away.

"Thanks for watching them." The Avatar smiled back and helped the airbender stand.

"That's alright, always a pleasure." Jinora dusted leftover grass from her mandarin clothes and turned her attention back to the Avatar. "Will you still need me today? I'd like to go join my siblings by the lake."

"Go ahead and have fun." Korra was already shooing the woman playfully.

"Thank you, enjoy yourself as well." Jinora bowed her head a little, more out of habit than politeness.

"Oh, and tell Tenzin I won't be around today." The Avatar requested suddenly, before Jinora could leave.

"Of course." The young woman nodded and then waved at the running boys and spoke loudly. "See you later, boys."

"Bye, Jinny!" Both kids stopped and spoke in unison, waving their goodbyes as the airbender left.

The children suddenly seemed to notice that Korra was there and their faces lit up instantly as the floating globs of water were forgotten and splashed on the hard ground. They looked so much like her that Tarrlok and Noatak wondered if they were related to the Avatar- younger siblings perhaps. Both boys appeared to be identical, they had skin that was just a few shades lighter than Korra's deep cinnamon, chestnut hair that fell below their shoulder though one wore his hair in a braid and the other just had a messy ponytail like Korra, they were scrawny but energetic and their faces were quite similar to the Avatar's with one or two minute differences in the shape of their noses and jaws.

"Hey, mom's here!" One of the boys announced and ran up to Korra, hugging her waist almost in a tackle. She smiled and hugged back.

«Not siblings then.» Both Tarrlok and Noatak though to themselves somewhat bitterly as illogical jealousy filled them like hot molten led while the exchanged a sorrowful look.

"Mama, mama, Jinny bought us a box of sweet dumplings!" The second boy was pulling Korra by the hand towards the blanket to show the large box of said sugar-dusted dumplings.

"And we fed the turtle-ducks!" The first boy added excitedly. "We had a lot of fun."

"Really? Well, you'll have to tell me all about that." Korra sat unceremoniously on the blanket in order to be at eye level with the two kids who continued to babble on about their morning.

"Mama?" Noatak enquired with a hint of sarcasm, he tried to remain blank and stoic but without his old mask it was impossible, on one side he wanted to smile at the irony of seeing Korra with children, on the other he was irritated and envious.

"I thought you said you never married." Tarrlok almost accused, raising a skeptical brow as he surveyed the boys.

"I didn't." Korra shrugged casually, her secretive smile never faltered.

"My mom doesn't need a stinking husband! She's the Avatar, you know?" One of the boys frowned and placed himself next to Korra, pride and sass filled his voice in a way that made it clear that this had to be Korra's son, even his way of speaking was reminiscent of her.

"Yeah, and she has us! She doesn't need any other guys, right mama?" The other child retorted a little more timidly but just as snappy as he looked at Korra for confirmation.

"I think someone is jealous." The Avatar sang out the words teasingly and wrapped her arms around the two boys.

"No, we're not!" The twins protested in unison, stomping their feet.

"Ok, ok." Korra held up her hands in mock surrender and laughed her usual boisterous laugh.

"Who are these oldies anyway?" One of the boys pointed rudely at Tarrlok and Noatak.

"Now, now, be nice." Korra reprimanded half-heartedly. "Why don't you introduce yourselves politely?"

"But mom…!" The child complained.

"No back sassing, please." Korra's tone was a little sterner this time and it silenced both boys immediately. The two men could only watch with amusement and surprise, neither of them could quite believe how much Korra had grown up compared to the immature, impulsive hard-headed girl they had once been in love with.

"Ok…" The feistier boy, the one with the braided hair, mumbled a little dejected and strode up to the two men, looking up at them defiantly. "Hello. My name is Tarrlok but everyone calls me Lokki, I'm nine years old and that's my twin." He spoke in a rush and pointed at the other boy. "Pleased to meet you."

"Good." Korra nodded a little detached and then encouraged the ponytailed child, the timid one, to move forward. "You're turn."

"Hm…Hi…" The boy waved his hand and looked at the two adults a little nervously. "I'm Noatak but you can call me Noa, I'm also nine… Nice to meet you." For the first time the men noticed that both boys had Korra's big innocent eyes but rather than her bright cerulean the color that stared from them was pale icy blue.

"Tarrlok and Noatak? Really?" Noatak, the adult version, enquired with amused sarcasm and surprise.

"Uh-uh. Like our dads." Lokki replied unconcernedly and sat next to Korra again, his twin soon followed.

Both men stared at the boys in stunned silence while they added up the facts in their minds- the boys were named after them, they were nine years old which meant Korra had been pregnant during the end of the Equalist War already, she had never married, the kids had their pale eyes and they thought they were named after their fathers, not father- fathers. It was safe to assume that these twins were the result of Korra's romance with either the ex-councilor or the ex-equalist but given that such romances had occurred at the same time she might not know which one fathered the children and even if she did she had chosen to name them both as parents, she had chosen to see them both as the fathers on her own accord.

Suddenly the men understood why Korra had given up on hating them, why she hadn't visited and why she had been so adamant in getting them out of jail.

"Korra, are you serious? Is this…?" Tarrlok swallowed the lump of emotion that had formed in his throat. "Is this real?"

"You heard the boys." Korra replied as if that were the answer to everything.

"Yes, be polite, brother." Noatak admonished lightly and crouched down to be at eye level with the twins, he couldn't stop smiling even though he could scarcely believe what was happening. "It's a pleasure to meet you, boys. We're old friends of your mother and I believe we have something in common."

"What's that?" Noa asked curiously, he might be timid but he had sharp attentive eyes.

"Why don't you show the boys the same courtesy and introduce yourselves?" Korra tilted her head and smirked smugly at the men.

Tarrlok was still too shocked and confused to reply so Noatak elbowed him lightly to snap the younger brother out of his daze and when Tarrlok crouched down as well, the elder brother decided to take the lead.

"Well, my name is Noatak too and this silly shell-shocked guy is Tarrlok." The ex-equalist nodded at the ex-councilman and watched as the boys eyed them suspiciously before turning to Korra.

"They're old. You never said they were old." Lokki chided to his mother, much to everyone's amusement.

"They're younger than uncle Tenzin." Korra defended playfully.

"So… You're our dads?" Noa asked a little too self-conscious to look the adults in the eye.

"I don't know, are we, Korra?" Noatak raised a questioning brow at the Avatar.

"Yeah… If you want to be." Korra looked at both Noatak and Tarrlok, apparently her words held a deeper promise than just that of fatherhood.

"Tarrlok?" Noatak looked at his brother, he had already decided what he wanted and still could not stop smiling- having Korra's forgiveness was more than he deserved, having her back was a dream come true and having a family was gift he had never even dared to expect and he wanted to accept it all but that joy wouldn't be complete without Tarrlok, not anymore.

"Yes…" Tarrlok nodded still dazed but then looked at Noatak with a shocked grin spreading on his features before he looked back at Korra. "Yes, yes, of course!" Tarrlok was thinking in exactly the same lines as Noatak.

"I guess that makes us all family then." Noatak settled the matter, still smiling charmingly at the twins.

"Well, what took you so long to show up?" Lokki was still frowning suspiciously.

"That's a long story." Tarrlok replied, apparently recovering from his shock enough to sit close to Korra and the kids.

"We have the whole day to ourselves." Korra replied and motioned for Noatak to join, which he quickly did by taking a seat next to her.

"Then I guess we have some explaining to do." Tarrlok nodded and smiled almost as much as Noatak as he began to explain to Lokki how once upon time he and his brother had turned into very bad people and done very bad things for which they had needed to punished before they could be forgiven.

"Dumpling?" Noa shyly offered the box to Noatak as he heard Tarrlok's story with the rest of them.

Noatak accepted the treat and as he bit into it and sat there under that blossoming tree with his new family, finally free from his jail cell and from the guilt and hatred of his past, listening to the distant sounds of festival music and laughter while their tale was told, he realized that nothing had ever tasted as good or sweet in his entire life.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

(Author's Note: This is actually a sweeter and more positive version of my song-fic "Hurt", except in this version the bloodbenders survived and the fic is told from their perspective instead of Korra's.)