Fic: The Closest Thing To Hope
Title: The Closest Thing To Hope
Rating: PG-13 (swearing)
Fandom: The Legend of Korra
Characters: Tahno, Korra, Tahnorra
Words: 561
Summary: The determination in her eyes set something alight inside of him, small and flickering and precious.
The sun seemed directly at odds with everything that had happened but in a way it was a small mercy for Tahno. Clouds and rain and snow were a glaring reminder of what he had lost, not that he needed reminding. He felt it every second and with every fiber of his being; a place in his soul, hollowed out, left raw and bleeding around the edges. A hole that threatened to swallow him up. And his friends? He almost had to laugh now; his friends were nowhere.
“Face it, Tahno,” He murmured. “you’re a fucking pariah.” Not like they would understand anyway.
He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting when he had greeted Korra at the police station; she’d said it best, they weren’t exactly best friends. And yet… And yet she had sat down with him, talked to him, and not because she had to. For the first time in days Tahno had finally felt some hint of solace.
You gotta get him for me.
The determination in her eyes set something alight inside of him, small and flickering and precious.
***
Pulling his thick, black coat tighter against the bitter wind, he waited at the northern entrance to the park and wondered, tensing when he heard the approaching four-footed tread.
“It’s ok.” He turned slowly and caught the faint smile on her lips as she jumped down. He started to respond but then her hand was closing around his wrist, bringing his own hand up to the beastly animal’s snout and causing Tahno to go positively rigid.
“What did I just tell you?” She laughed and shook her head before looking to the animal. “He’s ok, Naga, as long as he doesn’t try anything stupid.” Blue eyes returning to him,Tahno tried to will the tension out of his body.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Then we’re good.” She released his wrist. “Naga, Tahno. Tahno, Naga.”
“Hello… Naga.” He was fairly certain that the look in those dark eyes was scrutinizing, but then her cold nose touched his hand and he found himself relaxing.
“There we go.” Korra patted Naga’s side and regarded Tahno quietly.
“So… did you need something Avatar?” He spoke at length.
“I just…” She shrugged her shoulders a little. “How did it go? At the station.”
Now Tahno offered his own shrug and the two began to walk, Naga just behind them.
“There wasn’t exactly a lot I could tell them.”
Korra nodded her understanding. “Everything happened really fast.”
“Yeah.” The word fell from his lips like a lead weight. The scene played through his mind a hundred times every night; how many times in a few short days had he woken in a cold sweat, thrashing as his heart hammered against his ribs, still trying to escape even though the nightmare was over. Then again, wakefulness was a nightmare all its own.
Quiet fell between them again and they walked, keeping their backs to the wind. There was a chilly numbness stealing over him and he nearly started when a warm hand touched his arm,his head whipping to Korra.
“Why don’t we go inside somewhere and get some food?”
“Sure.” Had he even eaten since…? His appetites had all died and yet now he craved her company, the little touch of warmth against cold that threatened to consume him; the closest thing to hope he had.
Rating: PG-13 (swearing)
Fandom: The Legend of Korra
Characters: Tahno, Korra, Tahnorra
Words: 561
Summary: The determination in her eyes set something alight inside of him, small and flickering and precious.
The sun seemed directly at odds with everything that had happened but in a way it was a small mercy for Tahno. Clouds and rain and snow were a glaring reminder of what he had lost, not that he needed reminding. He felt it every second and with every fiber of his being; a place in his soul, hollowed out, left raw and bleeding around the edges. A hole that threatened to swallow him up. And his friends? He almost had to laugh now; his friends were nowhere.
“Face it, Tahno,” He murmured. “you’re a fucking pariah.” Not like they would understand anyway.
He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting when he had greeted Korra at the police station; she’d said it best, they weren’t exactly best friends. And yet… And yet she had sat down with him, talked to him, and not because she had to. For the first time in days Tahno had finally felt some hint of solace.
You gotta get him for me.
The determination in her eyes set something alight inside of him, small and flickering and precious.
***
Pulling his thick, black coat tighter against the bitter wind, he waited at the northern entrance to the park and wondered, tensing when he heard the approaching four-footed tread.
“It’s ok.” He turned slowly and caught the faint smile on her lips as she jumped down. He started to respond but then her hand was closing around his wrist, bringing his own hand up to the beastly animal’s snout and causing Tahno to go positively rigid.
“What did I just tell you?” She laughed and shook her head before looking to the animal. “He’s ok, Naga, as long as he doesn’t try anything stupid.” Blue eyes returning to him,Tahno tried to will the tension out of his body.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Then we’re good.” She released his wrist. “Naga, Tahno. Tahno, Naga.”
“Hello… Naga.” He was fairly certain that the look in those dark eyes was scrutinizing, but then her cold nose touched his hand and he found himself relaxing.
“There we go.” Korra patted Naga’s side and regarded Tahno quietly.
“So… did you need something Avatar?” He spoke at length.
“I just…” She shrugged her shoulders a little. “How did it go? At the station.”
Now Tahno offered his own shrug and the two began to walk, Naga just behind them.
“There wasn’t exactly a lot I could tell them.”
Korra nodded her understanding. “Everything happened really fast.”
“Yeah.” The word fell from his lips like a lead weight. The scene played through his mind a hundred times every night; how many times in a few short days had he woken in a cold sweat, thrashing as his heart hammered against his ribs, still trying to escape even though the nightmare was over. Then again, wakefulness was a nightmare all its own.
Quiet fell between them again and they walked, keeping their backs to the wind. There was a chilly numbness stealing over him and he nearly started when a warm hand touched his arm,his head whipping to Korra.
“Why don’t we go inside somewhere and get some food?”
“Sure.” Had he even eaten since…? His appetites had all died and yet now he craved her company, the little touch of warmth against cold that threatened to consume him; the closest thing to hope he had.