A Hard Bargain (Reader x Tahno) CH5

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Something about stars. The brighter they shone, the more explosively they collapsed; the more fragile they were.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*

(30 minutes before the match)

"What do you think of me?"

"Not very well, after you verbally assaulted my friend of 17 years!"

"Friend??"

"Yes, friend. What's this all about." You pointed to his street clothes. He was supposed to be at the match right now, not gallivanting around and calling random guys losers... as if he didn't do that in his free time already. This was becoming very awkward very quickly.

"I don't— I—"

Seeing him in mental turmoil, you put your hand on his. "...Maybe we should talk after your match." You said quietly. He shook your hand off violently, giving you a jolt. You wanted to feel bad, but all you felt was sour. What did you do to make him this pissy at you? Whatever! If he didn't want your kindness, then that was his loss!

"Come with me to the match."

"I told you, I have somewhere to g—"

"I saw the tickets in his hand!! What do you think I am, DUMB?!" His hair was in a mess. He was breathing heavily, and you weren't sure what was going to happen next. Tahno was a chill guy by nature. Seeing him this way made you rethink your earlier feelings. Who knew avoiding him would be this hard? "I know you were going to the match with him. I know you like probending! Why would you lie to me?"

You looked to the ground and grunted. What was making this such a hard question to answer? You had the answer, and here was your opportunity to present it to him. You liked him. Simple.

Or was it?

You took a deep breath to calm your nerves a bit. Honestly. Being with this man got your heartstrings singing! So much so that breaking the bliss to realize what it meant made your tongue as heavy as lead.

At your silence, he put on an air, squinting his eyes and furrowing his brows questioningly at you for a moment. "Pick up Itigiaq tomorrow first thing in the morning." You couldn't help but notice how...hurt he sounded. How much you wanted to just wrap your arms around his neck and embrace him properly, maybe even whisper some apologies. But the continued silence only irritated him more, it seemed, and he broke you from your stupor when he held a brand new pet collar in front of your face and hurriedly crammed it into your palm.

"Thanks for the memories, loser." He spat, abandoning you in the park alone, staring at that damn collar. To think that not so long ago, he couldn't call you anything but names of endearment. Now you were back to being one of the lowest of the low. You were completely, and utterly, a loser.

"Pfff, what does he know?" You choked out. He didn't know anything about you. You hung out a few times and had some laughs, sure. You even shared a bed... No! That didn't mean anything. He was still a stranger to you—you knew nothing about him other than the fact that he was a probender... And that he hardly has guests because he gets self-conscious of his apartment... And he likes going out just to walk around and snack on street food...

What...

Had you done...?

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

(Later that night)

You paid Shin back for the ticket. You didn't go. He didn't seem too upset about it, in fact he was more upset about what happened with the waterbender boy that pretty much broke your heart without touching it. Shin would have boycotted the tournament, too, but you reminded him that the Moose-Lions were his team and that he should cheer them on. He looked sad to see you try and persuade him, but did as you said anyway. He told you to feel better soon.

Easier said than done, that's for sure.

You were laying in your bed, belly down, facing the radio on your bed stand as you silently felt the sheets on the side of your head become damp.

You didn't know why you were crying, but you had rather not be vocal. You were tired enough trying to get over yourself. You'd think that getting annoyed with yourself would help you stop, but it only made it worse. You really wished you had someone to talk to, but your friends wanted to break you up since the beginning, Shin was at the match, and anyone else you knew would never be up this late doing nothing.

You sighed and lifted your head slightly to catch a glimpse of the scene outside of your window. Light was still projecting into the air from the arena, and you could hear cheers and a loud boo that corresponded with the narration on the radio.

And Tahno is down again with a shot to the knee! Tonight is not his night!

"Gooo Moose-Lions..." You said limply as you closed your eyes and got comfortable on your wet pillow again. Makapu was your mother's home village, why couldn't you support her team whole heartedly like you planned to? Why did your heart feel lighter thinking about the Wolf-Bats winning? Why weren't you at the match?

...why didn't you say anything...?

You buried your face into your pillow and groaned loudly. Your own mind was eating you alive...

And another point goes to the Moose-Lions!

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

You woke up with a sense of drive. You would tell him everything. Right down to how you felt, and there was nothing that was going to stop you from singin' like a bird. Nothing.

Riiiiiiiiing...

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Shaozu. Tahno needs some time to recover from last night. He told me to tell you to pick up Mr. Tigs a little later. Like, five?"

"Okay."

"Hey, (y/n)... Anything troubling ya?"

"Nahhh, just tired."

"Ah, gotcha... Hey, what'd'ya say we get a drink. Ming doesn't like drinkin' in the daylight. You free?"

"A drink?" You could help it, you perked up. That was just what you needed! "Sure, when?"

"I know it's short notice, but how's right now?"

"Well, since my schedule's been cleared, I don't see how it could be a problem."

"Great! Meet me outside of Narook's in a few. Last one there pays."

"You'd make a girl pay??"

"If the girl is late, yeah!" Click!

What? What!!??? You changed quickly and hauled ass to the bar. Man, what a great way to ensure a date! Although, Shaozu was a pro bender... If he ran, he'd get there in half the time you would, and that's if you flew!!

You drew closer to the noodle house, flats hitting madly against the pavement. In the corner of your eye, you saw a figure with light brown hair rolled up in the front quickly approaching your target location. "Oh no you don't!" He didn't seem to notice you, so you hid at the side of the building. When he got closer, you could hear him chuckle to himself.

"She probably thought I was kidding, I'm really going to make her pay!" He said cheerily.

"Hey!!"

"HOLY CR--"

"Yeah, laugh it up!"

"How long have you been there??"

"Long enough to get a free drink."

"Oh, man."

"You had an advantage over me, what the heck!!"

He laughed at your face, which was now very concerned. As if you were truly scared for your life that he was going to make you pay. He ruffled your hair a bit and held out his arm for you. "You're right. How about we get going then? I know the perfect place."

You squinted suspiciously at the sudden change of topic. The two of you locked gazes in a sort of staring contest, then you slumped a bit and took his arm, hand brushing against the fake leather. It felt weird. It wasn't as comfortable as you thought it was going to be, not like how it was with Tahno. He was wearing a pleather jacket over a scarlet, checkered scarf, a dusty rose shirt and black pants. There were two red belts crossed on his hips and he was wearing a pair of dark red boots that looked new. You looked down and briefly wondered how he was able to run in such nice shoes... He snorted as he looked away from you, elbowing you a bit. You apologized inwardly at your awkwardness. "Yeah, alright, let's go."

He started to lead you away from the noodle house when you heard squealing and nonsense behind you. "It's been a while since you've wanted to play with us~" Shaozu quickly turned you, but you had already seen him. Tahno was his fan club, and they were all over him. There was a girl hooked around his waist that was being particularly intimate with him... Or trying to be.

"Shaozu!" You cringed as he called out. The man next to flashed you a comforting smile and rubbed your back. "Who's the cutie? Someone I know?" You could hear a hint of a smile in his tone. You ducked your head.

"Lay off the alcohol, you're a prick when you're drink." He gave him a smile before taking you by the back and continuing to lead you away. You heard the squeals fade away in the distance, and you glanced sideways at the firebender whose arm you were holding. He didn't look back, but he seemed to notice. "For the record, I wasn't /actually/ going to make you pay."

"Oh, shove it!" You smiled weakly as you nudged him in the side.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

You don't remember exactly how it happened, but you were sitting at the bar with Shaozu, casually drinking; there was joking and laughing and such, then Tahno's name was brought up. Shaozu knew everything now, you told him. About how you felt about Tahno and what you'd been doing since the bet, about the incident with Shin before the match.

Now you were hunched over, water streaming down your face as Shaozu tried to console you. He was rubbing your back like before, and trying to keep people's eyes away from you by sending dirty looks in the direction of anyone who stared. A thought hit you that the Whitefalls boys weren't bad people at all.

"C'mon, a pretty girl like you shouldn't have to cry over a guy like him." He said softly. "Sit up straight, you're a strong girl. Who needs him, right?" You could tell he didn't mind your crying, he wasn't rushing you at all. There was a silence as you tried to compose yourself, wiping your face and straightening your clothes. "You remind me of my sister." He said after a while.

"Yeah?"

"Yep. She's not as brave as you were, but she had a crush on a certain waterbender, too. A big one, too." He smiled at the memory. "Never spoke to the guy, but she thought he was perfect! When she racked up enough courage to try and talk to him after a match, but she got washed out by the other girls. He never did meet my sister." He shook his head.

"What happened to your sister afterwards?" You asked curiously.

"Oh, done crying now?" You pouted. "I'm just kidding, c'mon!" He laughed at your reaction, continuing with a smile. "She cried for weeks! It was really important to her! But as quickly as she fell, she moved on, just like that." He snapped to demonstrate. "One day she was locked up with a tub of ice cream with nothing but week-old sweats on, then the next day, she came out looking like a model ready for a shoot! She fell in love with a guy that treats her right, and now they're in the Fire Nation capital with two kids and a Satomobile."

"All in one day?" You asked jokingly.

"All in one day!!" He chuckled and played along. "But the point of the matter is, nobody's love life is easy. There'll be times where you want to cry, and others when you feel like singing to the heavens. At the end of the day, the perfect guy is the one that you know is going to be there for you no matter what; not some guy that's too busy with his fans to notice you."

You sniffled. "You're right."

He patted you warmly on the back, and faced the bar as he picked up his glass. "Now, the question is if he meets the criteria of the perfect guy. And if you're not sure, are you willing to find out?" You wiped your eyes for the hundredth time, and nodded. You guessed it was time to start thinking of the bigger picture and not so much on the little details.

The hours continued on with much jesting and laughter, and before you knew it, it was almost five.

"Oh man!! I have to go pick up Itigiaq!!!" You scrambled out of your chair wobbily as Shaozu caught you, obviously not as affected by the alcohol as you were.

"Hey wait, where are you going, you're my new drinking buddy!" You clicked your tongue at the nutty taste in your mouth. You had probably mixed drinks at some point, but you didn't remember how or when.

"Shaozuu, I gotta pick up m'dog fr'm Tah-no's place!!" You slurred.

"Okay wait, let me walk you home." He said, paying the bartender.

"Wh—?? Home?? Di'n't you hear me?? M'dog's at Tah-no's...!" He threw his jacket around your shoulders and put an arm around them as he walked you out of the bar. "I can't g'home, Shao, I 'otta *hic* I 'otta—"

"Pick up Mr. Tigs, yeah, yeah. Look, you want to go home, trust me. Good things will happen if you do."

"Good things?" You asked drunkenly.

"Yeah. I promise. Look, just do it, hey? Or I'll kiss ya! Not that you'd mind, I'm sure."

"Yeeeeah, I would! You're drunk!"

"What are ya!? Lookin' in a mirror? You're the one who's drunk!"

"I assure you, I am not." You said, losing your footing as the world around you spun uncontrollably.

Shaozu laughed as he hoisted you back up. "Look, just go home and drink some water. Get some sleep, and I'll send your guy over in a few hours. He likes the little guy, so it'll be fine."

"He does?"

"You bet! Treats the fella like a babe! Now go on, get on home; don't make me tell ya twice!"

He pulled you in the direction of your home, and even helped you cross a couple streets there. You reached an intersection where he had to go in a different direction. If anything, you were actually living pretty close to him. "My place is over there." He pointed to an apartment building towering over yours slightly. "Top floor. But crappy space." He laughed and patted your back. "If you ever need anything, just holler. My number's in the phone book."

"Well thaaaanks." You said sarcastically.

"Anytime! you're my drinking buddy now, got that?" You smiled wordlessly at the comment.

There was a brief pause as you both realized how sunny it was. He was the one to break the silence. "20B if you ever need anything... Walk-ins welcome." You snorted at the shameless advertising. "Nah? Doesn't have a ring like 'Private Lessons' does, huh?" He almost sounded disappointed, but you were too drunk to really register it fast enough. "Now, get on home." He said, waving as he turned away. He stuck his hands in his pockets almost on reflex.

"Ah, wait!"

"Yeah?" He said, turning his head to the side for you.

You walked over wobbly to him and wrapped your arms around  his back to his chest. "Thanks for the talk."

He seemed hesitant to do anything. "Huh? Ah, yeah... No problem, sweetheart." He turned around to give you a pat on the head, pulling you off and sweeping away a few strands of hair from your face.

He looked around awkwardly before continuing. "I know you're drunk... but you shouldn't go around huggin' guys like that, it'll give'm the wrong idea." He said in a low whisper. He winked at you quickly before replacing his hands in his pockets.

You smiled and nodded, waving him off as he said his goodbyes once more. Once he got further away, you walked back to your own home.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

You took the firebender's advice and had taken a nap after drinking as much water as you could find in your fridge. You were on the couch in front of your radio when the doorbell rang and woke you up. You fell to the floor ungracefully, groaning at the truly massive headache you had.

Dragging your feet, you made your way to the door, absently opening it without fixing yourself. The stern face that greeted you seemed to crack at the sight. The pandapug in his arms almost mirrored the look. "You look horrible. Ugh—and that smell—"

"Always a pleasure to hear, thank you." You were ready to close the door when he stopped you by grabbing your arm.

His face softened as he carefully lowered your pet, eyes locked on to yours as tiny footsteps found their way into your home. "Give me a second."

"No—"

"Look! I'll be honest with you, I tried to hang out with the girls before, but ...it wasn't the same."

"Excuse me?" You said, disgusted. Was he trying to rub it in your face?? You wanted to make things better with him, sure, but this was making it difficult for you not to bash his face in.

He sighed, entirely just disappointed. "That's not... No. That sounds horrible. I... I," he sighed heavily, taking in another breath as he tried to get out what he meant. You tapped your foot impatiently. "Nothing... Feels right without you... You know that?"

You fell silent, grip loosening on the door.

"I'm sorry about what happened with your friend. It's just...You make me do things... I've never felt the urge to do, you know?"

Silence.

"It really messed me up when I got jealous over your friend, earlier. And it made me think."

You could hear the ceiling creek as someone upstairs walked around.

"I guess what I'm saying is... I was never joking when I was talking about trying us out. I've never needed anyone ...like I needed you before."

Your breathing seemed louder than normal and you found yourself asking if it was just the drinks from before or if you were actually having heart problems. You felt like squealing and your face was red hot. This sounded like a confession, but you didn't want to fall for it too easily. You refused to admit how much you wanted to just kiss him right there, right then. Additionally, it seemed the denial with the addition of alcohol in your system just made you want to cry. You were sure your eyes were still puffy from before, but now it was getting hard to open them properly.

You crossed your arms in the hope that he would just leave, so he didn't have to see you look so awful. Tears blurred your vision at the frustration. Words unsaid left bridges un-mended. You didn't want to be stuck like this. You didn't want to be shocked mute every time you saw him!

The next thing you knew, you're face was at his shoulder as you were pulled into a warm embrace. Your arms came up reflexively and encircled themselves around his neck. You could feel the tight bandages under his clothing as you pulled closer and you let out a little whimper knowing he was off his game because of what happened between you. "Aw, my poor..." The sentence trailed off after you examined him more closely, touching the extent of the bandaged flesh. You saw him wince a bit at a particularly tender place, and he caught your chin so you could look at him.

"I'm sorry, (y/n). I know I put you in a tight squeeze..."

"...Thanks for the new collar." You choked out. There was a pause before you heard him chuckle and pick you up, taking you to the couch where you laid down and cuddled. He dried your face with his sleeve and pushed back some of your hair, leaving kisses on your eyelids.

"You smell disgusting, by the way."

"Always the charmer."