It wasn't long until the trio was fighting in the underground circuit. After pro-bending, this was the next best thing for Tahno to work at. It gave him an outlet for his anger and a reason to keep going. That, and it brings money home.

He flexed his muscles in the mirror and smiled a little. Before his body was thin and wiry like a lot of the swamp benders, but now he had the brawny thickness of a fighter. His pale skin refused to tan but that's how it had always been; a trait he definitely received from his father. He had had the skills of a water bender but he didn't look the part any longer. All as well, seeing as his bending skills were gone.

Moving to the window he threw on his shirt and looked down at the garden below. His breath caught in his throat when he saw you. YN. He loved watching you move. He could see how much you cared about him and his friends with every movement. And if he was being honest; it was quite seductive to him as well.

Sometimes, he had these intrusive thoughts ravage his psyche. It would keep him in bed all morning. Why would a nice girl like you ever think twice about some ex bender, with a bad attitude? That's why he never wanted to leave. He couldn't let you see him like this. In the short time since Tahno had lost him bending, he had rediscovered everything he loved about you . It was if your souls were connected through the swamp you came from. Now that he didn't have that connection there was literally no difference. But alas, you needed a partner, not some broken soul.

Irritated for having let his thoughts wander too far into his heart he heads out back to where everyone was training. Or all his crew was training, and you were sipping lemonade, lounging on the grass.

"What do you want to do tonight Tahno?" Ming asked nicely.

"I don't know, Ming. And I don't really care."

She looks back at the man with a twist of hurt on her face. He knows he's being an ass but that's how he feels. She knows that; she feels the pain too. It's his defense mechanism now. Before he had his bending, and his arrogance was warranted, even a bit. But now he had nothing but a snarky attitude that used to be charming.

"Why don't you try spending some time with YN? Shaozu and I are going to go see a movie..."

"Yeah, sure." He huffed without meaning to sound rude. He would like to spend time with you, but he just couldn't get over the feelings he was going through at the moment. He had his bad days and this was one of them.

He sighed as he got up, knowing he should apologize. You had been his friend since you were babies, you didn't deserve any hard feelings from him. In fact, you were the only one who he had told about where he was and what he was doing when he first left to swamp. And now, he had even changed his name to fight on the circuit. As far as anyone knew Tahno didn't exist. Nothing had been the same. That is, except his love for you. If anything, it grew stronger.