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The Bottomless Bay

By: Kikushi

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The first time he saw her, he was sitting on the bottom of the Yue Bay. He'd made the seafloor his own private sanctuary where no one could reach him, and there was something comforting about lying on his back on the damp earth, watching marine life move around him as he bended the water away with his outstretched hands. Sometimes when he felt particularly gloomy, he would move out into the deeper parts of the Mo Ce Sea; so deep that even sunlight could not penetrate through to the bottom. It was oddly relaxing to him to be in complete darkness, breathing in the refreshing scent of the salty water and the virgin soil beneath him, and knowing that there was an entire body of water swirling above him.

But it was at the Yue Bay where they first met, though she didn't know it then. And though he didn't believe in love at first sight, he was willing to admit that it came awfully close.

It had been a particularly bad day for him; he'd gotten into a fight with Shaozu again and Ming had dislocated his shoulder, trying to prevent a fight from breaking out. Shaozu had threatened to leave the team and they'd all left practice angry at one another.

He should've expected it, though. It was always the same. The closer they came to the finals, the more the tension grew between them. It wasn't the first time one of the White Falls Wolfbats threatened to quit on the team. But he, Ming, and Shaozu have been friends long enough to know that they would never actually give up on each other… Not when they've been through so much together.

He was sulkily thinking about how awkward practice would be the next day when his eyes caught a large figure swim past, several feet above him. Instantly alert, he got to his feet and frowned. He'd been swimming and roaming the bay for several years now, and he'd never seen anything so big within its waters.

Taking a deep breath, he let down his hands and propelled himself upwards as the cold water enclosed around him. He was a few meters shy of the surface before the large shadow emerged once more in the distance, heading straight in his direction. Suddenly, he could see the white fur and the beetle-black eyes; the massive paws paddling forward; the long, bared fangs—

Holding back a shout, he jetted himself away as far as he could using his waterbending, only to emerge once he knew he'd reached the safety of the harbor. Soaking wet and full of fright, he climbed the docks of Republic City and stared out into the bay in disbelief.

A polar bear dog! He could barely remember the last time he'd seen one, and even then, it had been from a safe, far-away distance. He'd just been a little boy when his mother decided to leave the tribe and immigrate to Republic City with him. His memories of the short childhood he'd had in the water tribe were few and lacking. Even so, he knew a polar bear dog when he saw one.

But what was a polar bear dog doing in Yue Bay in the first place?

His answer came to him in the form of a blue-eyed goddess. She broke the surface violently, shooting up into the air with a circle of water trailing after her. Her laughter was like silver bells and he watched, transfixed, as water glistened off of her tan skin and bound hair.

She began to fall gently back towards the water below, almost crashing into the waves before something large and white caught her at its back—

His jaw dropped. She was a friend of the polar bear dog.

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Since that fateful day, it became a habit for him to secretly look for her out in the bay. Sometimes she was there, playing with her polar bear dog, and at other times she was even joined by a group of small kids who looked as though they were siblings. But most days, the bay was quiet and still. He never lingered when she was not there; it pained him not to see his waterbending goddess.

Once, he caught her using firebending to entertain the children and it was with a sinking heart that he realized who she was; she was the Avatar; the sacred embodiment of the four elements. She was a walking relic.

It was this more than anything that prevented him from going to her. For what felt like the first time in his life, he found himself unsure about making the first move. He prided himself on his confidence, of all things, and it frustrated him that he couldn't even find the courage to introduce himself.

And of course she had to be the Avatar. He'd known that there was something special about her the moment he'd laid eyes on her…

Soon after this discovery, he'd begun seeing her in his dreams. He dreamt of them together. He dreamt of being cradled in her tender arms and smelling the sweet and salty scent of the sea on her skin. He dreamt that she was his and his alone, that she wanted him as much as he'd grown to want her. He dreamt of desecrating her— a sacred relic— violently beneath the bay, where no one could reach them… where no one could find them…

He dreamt of loving her, and of being able to confess that love.

But outside the darkness, away from the bay, inside the outside world and in the light of the sun, he was a different man.

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"Yo, Tahno!"

He looked up to see Ming jogging towards him, a small crowd of girls lagging behind. He fought the urge to roll his eyes and bit back a reprimand. How many times did he have to tell Ming to stop bringing in their fans to practice? It was too distracting. Not to mention, they always became too competitive with one another whenever cute girls were watching.

"Tahno! Did you hear?" Ming panted, eyes wide with worry and his face pale. He skidded to a halt a few paces in front of him. "The Avatar just joined the Fire Ferrets! She's gonna compete!"

His heart skipped a beat and his breath caught in his throat. One second; two. Then—

"So what?" he drawled. He could not stop the words from coming out of his traitorous mouth. "So she's the Avatar, big stinkin' deal!" A flash of blue eyes and wet, tan skin flickered in his mind. "Don't matter who she is if she doesn't know how to play." He could hear the sound of laughter, like silver bells. "'Sides, isn't that cheating? They probably won't let her use every element anyway."

He eyed his audience with a satisfied smirk, ignoring the twinge of guilt and the panic seizing him as numbness began to creep throughout his body. They were staring at him in shock and awe. The short silence was broken by Ming's boisterous laughter.

"Yup, that's Tahno alright!" said Ming, grinning at the girls, "Nothing ever fazes this guy!"

He chuckled along with the rest of them, though his heart was twisting with something that felt like betrayal, jealousy, and sadness.

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Their first face-to-face meeting had been nothing short of a disaster. He lay on his bed that night, in the darkness of his room, hating himself.

"Hey Tahno, another round?"

The White Falls Wolfbats were celebrating their latest victory in Narook's Seaweed Noodlery, a restaurant specializing in traditional water tribe cuisine. Ming had brought his girlfriend and her friends along; one of them was the president of the White Falls Wolfbats' fan club and was also very obsessed with him, the captain of the Wolfbats. Usually he found her amusing, always good for some casual sex, but tonight his mind was on other things… on another person, specifically…

"Sure," he said, trying to shake away the Avatar from his mind— he realized rather belatedly that he didn't even know her name— and trying to keep a cool face. "This next one's on me."

The loud cheer his friends emitted came to an abrupt halt when Shaozu slapped his palm down on the table and glared.

"Wait a minute— look, look! It's her."

It was as though time had stopped moving. For a full two seconds, Tahno was convinced he'd somehow called her to him, like a siren's call, because the Avatar couldn't possibly be standing there, all by her lonesome, standing in front of him to take—

But then someone slipped in after her. With rage bubbling inside him, he glared openly at the man he recognized immediately as one of the players for the Fire Ferrets; this time, it was he who slammed his fist upon the table.

"Uh… Tahno?"

He realized rather belatedly that his companions had turned to watch him with curious expressions on their faces. Clearing his throat, he relaxed his suddenly tense shoulders and put on a smooth smirk in an attempt to regain his composure.

"They obviously don't know whose joint this is," he said silkily, leaning back in his seat and draping his arms over his fangirls' shoulders, "Otherwise they wouldn't have dreamed of setting foot in this place tonight."

His teammates broke into an excited discussion about the Avatar's abilities while the girls set about to brutally criticizing her appearance. He bit his tongue carefully to stop himself from saying how fine he thought she looked. He liked her natural features, how she didn't have painting on her face… and her bright, blue eyes reminiscent of the polar waters… and her tan, dark caramel skin… her childlike smile, her hair… he found everything about her endearing. She was as natural as the midday sun and as refreshing as the spring breeze. His nighttime fantasies about her came back to him in full force and he had to fight down the blush that threatened to color his pale cheeks.

"Ugh! Look at the way she's eating! Don't you think it's disgusting, Tahno?"

He was wrenched from his fanciful thoughts and the restaurant shifted back into focus. He suddenly found himself staring at a pair of bright, blue eyes so beautiful, his breath was knocked out of him. There was only him and her and nobody el—

"Well?" an irritating voice to his right persisted. He instinctively smirked in response but did not answer.

"You know boys, I think it's time we introduced ourselves," he said, rising from his seat without breaking the eye contact he had with the glaring goddess.

Her eyes narrowed into slits as his posse approached. And then…

He had made a fool of himself. He'd baited her and taunted her in front of his friends, though not because he'd wanted to, but because he'd had to. It was who he was. He could no longer deny the Tahno strutting around during the light of day. Who he was during the day, in the light, and who he was deep inside, in the dark, all alone— they were different. He was different. In the end, he couldn't do it. He couldn't do anything.

"You know, if you'd like to learn how a real pro bends, I could give you some private lessons."

By the look on her face, he knew he'd pissed her off.

He'd been keeping face in front of his comrades. He'd had to. But he'd been sincere, been hopeful. He'd hoped that… that somehow, she'd see the insecure and nervous admirer inside him, the one wondering why he was choosing to say all the wrong things.

When he was away from her, he was a poet and a lover. But in front of her, he'd realized with shame, he was no different from the average street thug.

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If he couldn't have her, then he had no choice but to destroy her. It seemed the logical thing for him to do, the sort of thing his friends expected him to do. He had to somehow convince himself to stop thinking about her, and was sure that beating her in the match was the only way to go about it.

But he had never been more wrong in his life.

Looking back on the match, he had to admit that it was one of his more stupid ideas. It had been nothing but a childish ruse, set up by a coward. He'd gotten what he'd deserved when Amon had taken away his bending.

He sighed, looking up wearily from his useless hands—

"Avatar?" It had been involuntary; more a question than a call when he saw her.

She turned to face him and found shock reflected in her wide eyes. "Tahno?"

He was vulnerable; weak. He hated that she had to see him in such a way. He despised himself.

He was definitely no match for her now. It was a cruel mockery of his plans, like Fate deciding to take his bending away so that he couldn't plot to 'destroy' her anymore… like it was telling him to own up to his feelings… to stop being such a damn coward…

But how could he now? He was nothing but a pathetic loser. A mere shell of what he'd used to be. She'd be revolted at his confession, he was sure of it. She'd laugh at him, with her tinkling laugh, and probably bend him away— he deserved it, after all, for the way he'd treated her…

Their exchange was short and he'd made her promise to get Amon for him; another ruse to hide what he'd really wanted to tell her.

The days passed by slowly for him. He and his team stopped seeing each other— they were all just a reminder of the glory days. His fangirls have moved on. There was nothing left for him but memories and dreams of a bay with blue waters, moving around a beautiful, blue-eyed creature.

He lay on his bed, day after day, night after night, thinking about the concern in her eyes during their last meeting, thinking about the bottom of the bay, the sea, and his vision blurred suddenly.

He was nothing but a coward.

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But now, those days seem so long ago.

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"Tahno! There you are! I've been looking all over for you!"

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Now— right now— he is looking up at her excited, bright blue eyes reminiscent of the polar seas and she's grinning at him in a satisfied way, nonverbally telling him that he'll be okay.

He rises from his knees and lifts his hands tentatively. The waters of the bay shoots skyward and he looks at her in disbelief. He moves his hands horizontally, making a stretch of water move along with him, and shakes his head.

"You're amazing, Avatar," he says. He means it wholeheartedly.

She laughs and it's the sound of silver bells, and he can't stop looking at her— and he doesn't want to—

"Korra."

Her friends are standing behind her, waiting impatiently. One of them comes forward and slings a possessive arm around her shoulders, trying to tug her away gently, but she does not move.

She seems to be waiting for something— perhaps a 'thank you'— and he wants to give it to her. He wants to thank her, to shower her with hugs and praises, to touch her lips with his own and drag her down with him, to the bottomless bay—

He wants to confess his admiration for her, to say I love you—

So he tells her, "I'd sink to the bottom with you."

She stares at him, puzzled by his words, but he turns away before he can tell her more about himself. She does not belong to him; it's not necessary.

He leaves her standing on the dock of the harbor, the heavy weight of his secret fading with every step he takes back into the city.

She had just given him his life back and he decides that he'll let her live hers. He'll content himself to watch her from afar; to admire her as she grows stronger, to support her during her battles, and to aid her when she is in need.

He'll stay away.

His feet takes him to the edge of another far-away dock, looking out into the Mo Ce Sea. Raising his hands, he bends the water away from him and steps into it.

There will be celebrations later and many, many parties. But at the moment, all he wants is to be left alone. He knows that even though he is hurting now, he will recover in time.

After all, he is Tahno.

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End.

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I have no idea why, but I will always love Tahno. I may add on to this later, when he appears again in the series.

Oh, and this may be a good place to put a belated disclaimer: do not own the series, obviously, or Tahno and Avatar Korra would be getting it on. And at the bottom of the bay, of course.

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