A/N: A companion fic to "No One Mourns The Wicked" set during, throughout and after the fic. The drabbles and oneshots are posted in chronological order, most of the time. Co-written by spiritypowers and I.
This chapter has some intense situations of sexual assault and some violence and a bit of language, all of which may find offensive/upsetting. Read with your personal preferences and emotional state in mind.
Nevertheless, we hope you enjoy it.
1. a storm in Shiz
[set a week after Chapter 7]
"Just, Kai - look I'm sorry alright? I just don't have time for this, I have to go-"
"Would you just tell me why you're avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?"
"I'm not avoiding you!"
"Yes you are! You always have one foot out the door and I just-"
"Well I'm sorry my life doesn't revolve around you! I have other things to think about besides you, or were you unaware because you're such an arrogant brat?"
"I know," Kai clenched his fists in frustration. "I know, ugh, you're so stubborn sometimes, Oz Jinora. You're such a coward, why can't you just pull your head out of your ass and tell me what's wrong?"
Jinora rolled her eyes. "Seriously, I don't have time for this. I need to-"
"Why do you always have to be so angry and defensive all the time and keep putting up these walls?"
"Why do you have to be such an insensitive prick all the time?"
"Just tell me what's wrong!"
"No!" She had to keep herself from cringing at how forcefully that had come out. Her eyes burned. "Nothing's wrong Kai! Just- just leave me alone!"
She stormed off, and Kai watched her go, narrowing his eyes. Ever since they had become friends, they had never really fought. But ever since he had realized he had feelings for her, things had been different. Stiff, awkward. He had never had to keep a secret from her before. Did Jinora know he was falling for her? Was that why she was pulling away?
Kai realized the other students in the hallway were staring at him. "Don't you have anything better to do?" he snapped, stalking off.
The whispering began as soon as he left. Shiz's most unlikely couple - were they even an actual couple? No one was really sure anymore - were at odds once again, and this time it was personal. Speculation about what the fight was about began to rise.
"They usually get along so well," Pfanee whispered to Shen Shen. "What do you think happened?"
"Maybe they realized they were all wrong for each other," Shen Shen suggested.
Pfanee tilted her head thoughtfully. "Really? I mean, I know they don't seem like they'd go together well, but the way Kai looks at her is kind of sweet, and I always thought-"
"Oh my Oz, Pfanee, you're so stupid," Shen Shen snapped.
Pfanee's lower lip trembled. "I just thought-"
"Yeah. Don't," Shen Shen interrupted. "Come on, we've got somewhere better to be." As she strutted away, Pfanee meekly followed behind.
For the first time in months, Kai and Jinora didn't sit next to each other in class; Jinora took a seat near the front, and Kai holed up near the back, and he had to keep himself from staring at the back of her head.
Otaku, meanwhile, sought Kai out during his spare and found him at the fountain, completely alone. "You really shouldn't be skipping class, you know," Otaku said quietly, taking the empty space beside him. Kai sniffled, and Otaku wondered if he had been crying.
"Skipping sorcery isn't that big of a deal," Kai mumbled.
"It's because of Jinora, isn't it?" Otaku guessed. Kai frowned and Otaku knew he was right. "What's going on with you two anyway? I heard you were fighting, but…"
"I don't know," Kai ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "It's just...okay, this might sound weird, but the day Dr. Laghima left, I kinda realized I… I think I'm falling for her." Otaku started laughing, and Kai gave him a hurt and bewildered look. "Hey man, it's not funny."
Otaku had to wipe his eyes. "No, no it's not that, it's just...Kai, everyone knows. Like the entire school has known for weeks."
Kai stared at him. "W-what?"
"Ah Kai, the second years even have a betting pool on when you two will get together. Well, plenty of them think you already have, I always have to correct them. Well, barely correct them. I just say not yet, most of the time."
Kai buried his face in his hands. "Oz that's embarrassing. So everyone knows that I'm smitten with her, do they?"
"And that she likes you back," Otaku replied. Kai barked a mirthless laugh. "No seriously, she does."
"Yeah, it's real clear in the way she actively avoids me," Kai said dryly. "She practically told me to stay away from her, Otaku."
"She was just upset," Otaku pointed out. "Everyone says things they don't mean when they're fighting. Trust me Kai. Maybe...maybe she's scared of the same things you are."
"I doubt it. I bet she hates me now." Kai sighed. "Why do I always have to ruin everything?"
"You don't know that for sure," Otaku said with a shrug. "Whatever you two are, you're friends first. Friends don't give up on one another that easily. Especially not someone as stubborn as her." He gave Kai's back a reassuring pat.
Kai gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Otaku." He chuckled a bit, shaking his head. "Man, did you just give me girl advice?"
"The universe is a complicated place, my friend. And just let me know when you guys get together, I have 15 yuans riding on before winter break."
Kai let out a soft snort. "Yeah right. I told you, she doesn't feel that way about me. And besides, she deserves someone...better."
"I can't think of anyone who's better for her than you, but good luck Kai," Otaku said, before leaving him alone again.
When Kai went up to his room later that evening (he couldn't stay out of the room forever), he found Jinora at her desk, absorbed in a book.
"Hey," he tried, in an awkward attempt to break the silence. "Look, I'm really sorry." Jinora didn't even look at him. The silence stung, but Kai figured the least he could do was give her some space. He had said some pretty nasty things after all. Kai wondered, as he changed in the bathroom and then crawled into bed, how long she'd keep the silent treatment up.
"...Night," he said as Jinora turned the lights out. He didn't expect her to respond, but it was disappointing all the same.
He heard her get into her own bed, and glanced at her through the darkness out of the corner of his eye. She had turned over so her back was to him, even. Jinora was obviously retreating back behind the walls he had managed to knock down. Kai sighed softly. He'd tear them back down brick by brick if he had to.
The fact that when he first met her all Kai wanted was for Jinora to ignore him and leave him alone, yet now he was fighting an uphill battle to get her to talk to him again, would have been comical if it wasn't so lonely. Even when he'd decided to attend their sorcery seminar (Madame Hou-Ting had given him an earful about unexcused absences but Kai couldn't have cared less), Jinora had barely said a word to him, only speaking to him when necessary.
At lunch, Kai had sat at their usual table, but Jinora had never come. His other friends had joined him, and Kai had half a mind to go up to the library to look for her, but he had never been able to excuse himself out of the conversation to get away to go check.
In a last ditch effort, Kai had actually tried to clean up his side of the room. He thought Jinora might've smiled when he accidentally slipped into a pile of dirty, smelly socks (in which case it had been totally worth the stench that had invaded his nose), but it had been so quick he couldn't be sure.
Jinora wasn't in their room often though. Kai suspected she had holed up in the library, or somewhere else in the school that was fairly secluded. After three days of barely talking, he finally found Jinora near the back of one of the old abandoned apartments (scheduled for reconstruction since Opal's first year) and was about to approach her when someone else beat him to it.
"Look at you, all alone," a voice purred. Kai froze, panic signals going off in his brain as he saw Dai, a tall and broad-shouldered fourth year, reach for Jinora's hand. "Lucky your boyfriend isn't around."
Jinora went to move away from Dai and tried to push him away, her back hitting the wall instead. "Leave me alone," she said, and the way her voice shook made Kai narrow his eyes.
Dai placed his hands on either side of Jinora's head, practically trapping her in between him and the wall. "Now, now, no need to be afraid, we're just gonna have a little fun-"
Kai could barely contain his rage as he stormed over and shoved Dai away from her. "Get your hands off of her!" He whirled around to face off with the larger boy, placing himself protectively in front of Jinora. "What the hell do you think you were doing?!" He felt Jinora's hands rest against his back, shaking. "You're never going to even look at her again, do you understand me?" Kai growled.
"And if I do?" Dai asked, smiling as though amused. Kai punched the smile off his face, holding his fist up again. Dai chuckled, rubbing his jaw. "Not a bad punch." He frowned as he moved forwards and punched Kai in the gut. "Not good enough, though."
Kai stumbled, but raised his head and smacked Dai in the face. Kai staggered backwards as Dai hit him twice across the face, and Kai heard a crack as blood trickled down from his nose. Dai pinned Kai against the wall, his thick forearm pressing against Kai's throat. It was getting harder to breathe.
Kai pried his arm away and swung his fist against Dai's face again and again until the boy fell to the ground. Kai slammed Dai's head against the ground a few times, roughly gripping his shoulders. Kai kicked him hard in the ribs, before placing his foot on Dai's windpipe. "You're never touch her or even look at her ever again, do you understand me?" Kai said, breathing heavily through a broken nose, his voice deadly calm.
Dai nodded stiffly, a glint of fear in his eyes. He had never seen someone looking so ready to kill before, much less having it directed at him. Kai slowly stood up, his knuckles lightly coated in blood, Dai's and his own. "Good."
Kai wiped his bloody nose. "Now get out of here. We're filing a sexual assault report, but you can go clean up your sorry ass first."
Dai gave him one last glare before storming off, wiping the blood from his face. Once he was far enough away, Kai turned to Jinora, who immediately clung to him. She was trembling, and Kai wrapped his arms tightly around her.
"He didn't touch you right?" he whispered, and she pulled him closer to her.
Jinora shook her head, still shaking. "I-I was so scared, for a moment I thought he'd-"
"It's okay," Kai said, rubbing her back gently with one hand. "You're safe now, he's gone." He still felt sick to his stomach at the thought of what might have happened, but realized that her magic would have hopefully kicked in before things really took a turn for the worst. Kai swallowed hard. "I got you."
Jinora pulled away, her brow furrowing. "You're bleeding. Oh, your face Kai…" She reached up and ran her fingers over the purple bruises that were blossoming over his skin.
"I'll be fine," Kai said, placing a hand over the one resting on his face. "I'm just glad you're alright."
Jinora almost smiled, but couldn't as her eyes followed the trail of blood running down his face. "Come on," she said, taking his hand. "We better go tell someone, and I don't really know healing magic for something like..." Oz it was bad, swollen and bloody with red lines around his throat. "This."
He nodded at her, smiling gently in spite of his swollen lip. "Okay."
As they walked back to the main part of campus, Kai felt strangely at peace. Though his face and side were throbbing with pain, a sense of calm washed over him, now that her hand was in his and she was actually talking to him again.
"You didn't have to do that, you know," Jinora mumbled.
"Yes, I did," Kai insisted. "I know you can take care of yourself, but...you don't have to do it alone. Look, I'm really sorry about what I said, I-"
"I should be the one apologizing," Jinora said, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm the one who shut you out, and...you were right. I was avoiding you." She looked up at him. "It's just, after Dr. Laghima left, well, haven't you noticed how we've...changed?"
Kai swallowed nervously. "Well, yeah, sorta, but that doesn't mean it can't be a good change, right? It's just...you're my best friend, and I don't want that to ever change."
She smiled faintly at him. "Yeah. Me, too."
When they reached the infirmary, they found Madame Hou-Ting, the matron Poppy and Dai waiting for them. Poppy gasped at the sight of Kai. "Oh dear," she tutted. "Come on dearie, let's get some medicine on that face of yours."
"How in Oz did this happen?" Madame Hou-Ting demanded. "Dai refuses to tell me anything."
Jinora looked to the ground uncomfortably, avoiding having to look at Dai's face.
"Dai went after her," Kai mumbled, Poppy guiding him into sitting on a chair. "I got there in time. It was sexual assault, miss."
"He almost killed me," Dai croaked. "Had his foot on my throat and everything for just talking to that little slut-"
Kai lunged out of his chair, but Jinora shot him a warning look. Kai reluctantly sat back down, glaring daggers, his eyes softening when he looked back at Jinora.
Madame Hou-Ting looked between the two young men, then to Jinora. "Is this true?"
She nodded, her bottom lip quivering. When Kai offered her his hand, she took it eagerly. "Yes."
Madame Hou-Ting sighed heavily. "It seems Mr. Dai here deserves an expulsion, or at least a serious investigation into this matter. As for you Mr. Upland, a single detention should do. Fighting is still against school rules, after all. And I'll be writing home to all three of your families."
Jinora bowed her head.
"E-expelled?" Dai said anxiously.
"The least he deserves," Kai muttered, casting a murderous glare in Dai's direction. Kai almost looked like he was going to start hitting him again, and Jinora tightened her grip on Kai's hand.
"Most likely," Madame Hou-Ting confirmed. "Now, I'll let your injuries be treated to. Miss Jinora can stay if she wishes, and I'll let your teachers know you're exempt from classes for the day."
The silence that followed as she swept out of the room left Jinora feeling small and tired.
"Well Mr. Upland," Poppy said, frowning. "You have a broken nose and there will be some bruising on your windpipe as well. But it could have been much worse." She lowered her voice, her lips twitching upwards as she said, "Like Mr. Dai, you did quite a number on him."
"Well I had something worth fighting for," Kai almost smiled. Jinora looked at him with glistening eyes, and her heart felt like it was going to burst with affection.
"You two are disgusting," Dai sneered, and Kai nearly got out of his seat again.
"Shut up you son of a -"
Poppy gave them a stern look. "Boys, that's enough. While you're in my infirmary you will behave yourselves."
"Fine," they both grumbled, as Jinora took a seat next to Kai. She laced her fingers through his and gave his hand a squeeze.
"Jin, could you get me a mirror?" Kai asked. "I wouldn't mind seeing what I look like." Jinora grabbed a mirror from Poppy, who had taken one from a nearby dresser drawer. She held it up for him. "Oh, wow," Kai said softly.
It really was bad. There was faint red lines along his throat, and purple bruises covered most of his face. He had a cut lip and two black eyes, dried blood leaving a trail down from his broken nose.
Jinora winced. "I told you."
"No, it's just…" Kai chuckled. "Rather me than you." As he lowered the mirror, Kai realized she was crying. "Jin."
"This wouldn't have happened if I'd just talked to you earlier," she said, her voice thick with tears. "I wouldn't have been alone, and you wouldn't have had to come in and-"
"Hey," Kai said, giving her hand another squeeze, "don't blame yourself for this. We both know whose fault it was." He shot Dai another glare before turning back to Jinora. "And I'd gladly do it again, because I know… you would have done the same for me."
She gave him a small nod, before wrapping him in a gentle hug. He smiled and held her closer, resting his chin on the top of her head. He realized she was practically sitting in his lap, but he couldn't really find it in himself to care. It was just nice knowing she was safe, and that she felt safe with him.
Poppy turned away from the two of them and murmured a quick spell over Dai's injuries, which were significantly worse than Kai's. "Just have a spoonful of this potion every day and you'll be back to normal in no time," she instructed, handing Dai a small purple bottle. "Now, you should report to Madame Hou-Ting's office. I'm having a fellow student escort you to make sure you get there. Otaku!" she called.
The chubby second year boy came into the room, and his eyes went wide at the sight of Kai. "Oz, what happened?"
"Long story," he said, still holding Jinora in his arms. "I'll tell you later."
"Right," he said, giving the two a hard look. He shot Kai a small smile. "Remember, 15 yuans." Kai flushed.
"Otaku, I swear-"
"Later!" he said as he escorted Dai out of the room. Kai was glad to see both of them go.
Jinora looked up into his face, her brow furrowing in the most adorable way. "What was that about?"
"Oh, I just owe him a little money," Kai lied easily. "Don't worry about it. Are you sure you're okay?" He turned his attention on her.
"Thanks to you," Jinora said softly, their eyes locking. One of his hands wandered up to rest on the small of her back, and as he looked into her soft brown eyes, he began to realize just how bad he had it for her.
He was in love with her. This wasn't just an especially bad crush; he was head over heels in love with her. He supposed it had become clear after he'd thrown that first punch that he wanted to spend the rest of his life taking care of her, protecting her, taking on the world with her. This infuriatingly stubborn girl had captured his heart, and it was with terrifying clarity that he realized it would always belong with her.
Kai removed one hand to brush a few strands of hair out of her face. She flushed, but didn't shy away or break their gaze, and he couldn't help but think about how easy it would have been to just close the gap between their lips and…
No. He couldn't. Not when she'd nearly been taken advantage of, not when she looked so vulnerable and small in his arms. He hoped he'd get to kiss her one day, on her terms, when she could feel free to either accept or deny him as the strong, fearless woman he knew she was. Not right after someone had nearly hurt her. What she needed right now was to feel safe and happy, and that would always be more important than his romantic endeavors. He quickly realized that he'd been leaning in without thinking and pulled away just slightly, enough to make sure that she still felt safe and comfortable with him.
"Thanks for talking to me again," he said, trying to fill the silence that had settled between them. "I missed my best friend."
She smiled gratefully. "I missed mine, too." She leaned in again for another hug, then relaxed into him as she rested her head on his shoulder. He tightened his hold on her, flushing at the fact that she was very unmistakably in his lap, snuggling up against him while his arms were wrapped around her waist.
Oz, no wonder everyone thought they were dating.
But that didn't stop him from resting his head on top of hers. The fact was, this was what made her feel safe in this moment, and that was all that mattered. Of course, he was as far from minding as a guy could be, but right now, his feelings weren't that important. Not as important as her feeling secure.
"Want to get cookies once you're patched up?" Jinora asked. Her forehead was in the crook of his neck and Oz it was so hard not to just kiss her right then and there.
But he smiled, remaining steadfast. "You know I'll never say no to that."
"No willpower whatsoever," Jinora teased. "And let me know when you have to be in detention, so Ikki and I can wait for you and take you with us afterwards to get ice cream."
"You're such an enabler," he said with a small grin.
"Shut up," she laughed. Kai tried not to think about how warm her breath felt near his neck. "Besides, it's the least I can do, after...everything."
"You don't have to, you know," Kai said, shifting his head a bit to glance down at her.
"I know. But I want to." She gave him a little squeeze. "You're the best friend I've ever had."
He squeezed her back. "You're the best friend I've ever had, too." He started to bury his face in her hair as Poppy cleared her throat.
"Excuse me," she said, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth, "but I'm ready with your treatment now if you are. I'll just need to apply some ointment to your face, and I'll send you home with some potion that you're to take once every day."
"Oh, yeah, thanks," Kai said, his face growing warm as he realized that Jinora was still on his lap, wrapped up in his arms. "Um...is it okay if she stays here? After everything today, I'll just...feel better if she's around for the rest of the day."
"And not alone," Jinora added softly. She shivered a bit, and Kai drew her closer, knowing that the thought of what might have happened had frightened her more than she let on.
"Of course," Poppy said with a kind smile. "It's so nice that you have one another."
"Always," Kai whispered to Jinora, who smiled and then blushed as she disentangled herself from him so he could get up. His arms felt strangely empty, but Kai pushed the feeling away as he walked over to Poppy.
Poppy dragged a wet towel over his face first to clean the blood. The ointment she applied next was cool on his face, and she murmured an incantation that made it grow hotter for a second before allowing him to wipe it off with the towel. Poppy handed him another small purple bottle. "One spoonful every day for at least two weeks," she instructed.
"I'll make sure he remembers to take it," Jinora piped up.
Poppy smiled. "I'm sure you will dearie. You two are free to go now."
Kai pocketed the potion carefully, giving Poppy a nod of thanks before joining Jinora at the door. The girl mouthed a 'thank you' at the matron over her shoulder.
Jinora blushed when Kai grabbed her hand and didn't let go. Students pointed and whispered as they walked down hallways, mostly at Kai's still bruised face. Opal gasped at the sight of him; she wasn't the only one.
"Oh my Oz Kai, what happened?"
Kai waved his free hand. "It's a long story. Tomorrow, okay?"
Opal nodded, still wide-eyed.
It was a relief when they reached their room, having stopped in the dining hall to buy a bag of cookies on the way (sneaking into the kitchen was just something neither of them were much feeling up to then), and as Kai locked the door behind them, a sense of calm settled over them for the first time since their fight..
Jinora had immediately curled up into herself on her bed, her knees drawn into her chest. Kai's heart nearly broke at the sight of her, despondent and quiet. He took a seat next to her on the bed, and offered her one of the cookies. She looked at him, smiled, and took it. He couldn't help but wrap an arm around her shoulders as she took a small bite of the cookie, and in response she leaned into him, her body relaxing against his. He'd gotten past her walls once again.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" he asked.
"There isn't much to talk about," she said softly. "He didn't touch me, thanks to you."
"But you were still scared," he said. "Jinora, you're the bravest person I've ever known. But I know that it bothers you more than you let on. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but I want you to know that it's okay to be scared. It's okay to talk about it. You're safe here."
She sighed. "He just...I've never been looked at the way he looked at me, Kai. Like...he was hungry, and I was a prize arctic hen on a platter that he would…devour, till nothing was left but dry bones..." She shut her eyes tightly, clinging to him once more. Slowly, he brought her back into his lap, searching her face for consent. She opened her eyes and smiled slightly before resting her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his neck. A darker green blush dusted her cheeks, but from the way she had relaxed in his arms, he knew he hadn't overstepped any bounds.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," he said softly, resting his head on hers.
"I shouldn't have been alone in a place like that," she said.
Kai held her tighter. "Stop that. You don't get to blame yourself for this. This is on Dai. And anyway..." He sighed deeply. "You wouldn't have been alone if I hadn't said the things I said a few days ago. I was scared that you were pushing me away, and I said a lot of things I didn't mean." He buried his face in her hair. "Again, I'm so sorry."
"I'm sorry, too," she whispered. "Just...when you said those things… You know me better than anyone, even my family. So when we fought, I was afraid that you were beginning to see me the way...the way everyone else does. Except worse. And I closed up because I was afraid."
"I could never see you as anything but the kind, brave, wonderful person you are," he said. "The truth is, I'm the coward. You're the first person that I've ever really… Look, you know my parents. At least, what they are. They...they had me more for the sake of having an heir than having a kid." He felt one of her hands slide down to his back, and smiled as she gave it a gentle, comforting rub. "I know I have other good friends now, but none of them are you. None of them have made me feel like more than just my reputation or my family's legacy. Not like you have. You being my friend has given me hope that I can be better, and hope for better. So when you started avoiding me, I...I was so scared of losing you."
"You won't," she promised, bring her hand back up to give him an extra squeeze. "You're my best friend. I won't shut you out again. It's alright now. You have me."
He smiled softly, only just resisting the urge to place a kiss on her forehead. "Thanks. And I'll always be here," he said. "I won't leave you alone again."
They stayed like that a little longer, Kai holding Jinora a little tighter every time she shivered and added something on about her encounter with Dai. While he hated knowing that anyone had made her feel so scared and unsafe, there was a strange relief in having her confide in him again. He smiled when she yawned.
"Wanna sleep now?"
She nodded against his shoulder. "It's been kind of a crazy day."
He gave her one more squeeze before beginning to let go of her to go into his own bed, but she held him tighter. "Um...stay with me?"
Kai gave her a surprised look, but of course he couldn't object, especially not when she was looking up at him with such wide eyes. He smiled back at her, wrapping his arms around her again as they both leaned back against her pillows. Kai took the end of one of her blankets and pulled it over them, trying not to blush or think about non-sleep related activities that usually happened in bed.
She'd slid off his lap when they laid down, but her head rested on his chest and their arms were still wrapped around one another, their knees only just touching the other's. He hoped she didn't hear how fast his heart was beating, and thank Oz she'd gotten off his lap just in time; the energy that had risen below his waist was not only embarrassing, but entirely inappropriate considering the situation. She'd very nearly been violated and here he was, having to try so hard to stave off thoughts that the boy in him wanted so badly to act on.
Yes, they were sharing a bed, but he firmly reminded himself that this was so she could feel safe. This was for her peace of mind, and Oz damn it he was not going to give his yearnings the time of day if it meant sacrificing her sense of security.
He smiled as her breathing evened out, her head growing heavy on his chest. He gently stroked her hair as she dozed off, grateful that, at least for now, she could find sanctuary in his arms. Though he couldn't help but be disappointed that this would probably happen only once, he still looked forward to them waking up in each others' arms, even if it was only for one morning.
He couldn't help but think about how lucky the man who won her heart would be to have her in his arms every night and morning, and how badly he wished it could be him.
They'd known that they'd have to have a talk with Madame Hou-Ting about the events of the previous day, and that their families would have to be made aware of said events, but the last thing Jinora and Kai expected when they found a message on their door that morning, demanding they come to the Headmistress's office. Come evening there was a conference table Madame Hou-Ting had no doubt conjured up herself in preparation for her guests in the office with a few chairs.
The only thing that kept Jinora from releasing Kai's hand was the way Dai snarled at them as he walked in past them, Kai pulling her as close as he could to him so Dai couldn't think about touching her while no one else was watching. The two looked at one another apprehensively before sitting down next to one another in two seats across from him. Kai couldn't find it in him to release Jinora's hand when he caught the sinister smirk he shot at her. Kai glared him down, but not before he noticed that Jinora was doing the same, her jaw set and her eyes sharp. He had to smile when he turned back to her. She was so, so brave.
Jinora wasn't doing it just for her though, but also for the way Dai had hurt Kai. When Kai had been pinned up against the wall, Dai's arm pressing against his throat, Jinora had felt like she could barely breathe too, terror closing over her throat, and her heart.
"Now," Madame Hou-Ting began, "I've gathered you all here to discuss the matter of Mr. Dai's expulsion. We take reports of sexual assault here very seriously. I've brought all parties involved and called in your families - I'm sorry, Mr. Upland, your parents called in to say they couldn't make it-"
"Figures," Kai grumbled under his breath, but he couldn't bring himself to be upset for too long when Jinora's hand squeezed his.
"- to settle the matter at hand." Madame Hou-Ting looked at Jinora, the look in her eyes alarmingly close to that of sympathy. "It may be hard, but I need you both to share as much as you can, so any gaps in my understanding of this story are filled."
Jinora nodded firmly. "I understand."
"Your parents will be here in a moment," Madame Hou-Ting said, and like clockwork, Tenzin came rushing into the room, taking the seat next to Jinora and hugging her immediately. Kai couldn't help the pang of disappointment he felt when she had to remove her hand, but it was good to have someone else present that loved her so deeply.
Even if that someone was her father, the governor of Munchkinland, who had no doubt heard of Kai's reputation and was probably less than pleased to see him holding his daughter's hand.
When Tenzin pulled away, he immediately held Jinora's head in his hands, searching for signs of damage. "Are you hurt? Oh, Jinora, I was so scared when I got that letter-"
"I'm fine, Father," she said with a small smile, a bit overwhelmed at the tears she noticed pooling in her father's eyes. "Really. If it wasn't for Kai, I might be…" Her voice faltered, and Tenzin released his hold on his daughter and looked past her to Kai. His bruises were still fresh, the small cuts in his face only just starting to heal over. He gave Tenzin a sheepish smile. This wasn't the way he had imagined first meeting the man.
"You did this for my daughter?" Tenzin asked softly.
"Yes sir," Kai nodded meekly. "She's my best friend."
Tenzin nodded. "I'm glad."
They exchanged a small, tentative smile before Tenzin directed his focus on Dai. If looks could kill, Dai would've been down in a heartbeat.
His parents came rushing in before Tenzin could get in a good long glare-down, sitting on either side of the boy. "We got the message. What in Oz's name did you do?"
"I was just playing around," Dai grumbled, looking down at his hands. "I figured she'd like the attention, her being the way she is."
"The way she is? You cornered her against a wall. You kept pressing on even though she made it very clear that she wanted to be left alone, and-" Kai's jaw clenched, and he looked to Madame Hou-Ting. "This isn't even the first time he's made passes at her. It's just that this time he...he got too close."
Madame Hou-Ting looked sharply between the students before her eyes settled on Jinora. "Is this true?"
"Y-Yes," she managed, trying to keep her voice level. "It...it started after Kai and I became friends. Whenever I was alone, he would…" She let out a short breath. "It really only started with comments. They made me uncomfortable, but I let them slide. I'm used to ignoring what people say, even if it was of a different...intention than I'm used to. Then, um…" Her voice grew quiet. "He started invading my personal space. In passing, if he was sure he could be quick enough to go unnoticed, he would...uh…try and touch me."
Kai looked at her frowning. "I thought it was just a couple of remarks a few times, you never told me it was like this…" He turned his attention to Dai, clenching his fists. That bastard...Kai wished he had known sooner.
"It was always so quick," she said. "I didn't want to bother anyone about it when I thought I could handle it myself, it only ever escalated to a few uncomfortable brushes in the hallway until yesterday, when…" She went silent.
"Well," Dai's father, a stout man in a stiff overcoat, piped up. "It sounds like my son never really laid a hand on you, then?"
"Brushes," she said, her face burning up, "but...yes. He only ever really came close a few times, that one time near the old apartment most of all."
"And what were you even doing in a place like that alone?" Dai's mother chimed in. She had a gaunt face and a lavish mauve dress. "Something worse could have happened to you than my son...interacting, with you."
"Are you saying she was somehow asking for something like this to happen?" Kai said, his voice growing angrier with every word.
"Well, no, but…" Dai's mother eyed Jinora, inspecting her like she was a piece of merchandise on sale rather than a girl. "One has to wonder what she was doing all alone there. And what she was wearing that day-"
"It doesn't matter," Kai growled. "What matters is that he went after her even though she had already made it clear she was uncomfortable, and purposefully cornered her when she was alone. It was sexual assault."
"I didn't even touch her," Dai muttered.
"See?" his father said. "And besides, she's...green…"
That was the last straw. Tenzin's fists clenched and Kai slammed his hands down on the table. "It was sexual assault, after repeated instances of sexual harassment. If you actually think it's acceptable just because she's different I swear to Oz I will-"
"Mr. Upland." Madame Hou-Ting's voice only barely stopped him in his tracks, and he never took his glare off Dai and his parents. Tenzin looked at the boy slightly in surprise; he had never seen anyone defend his daughter, let alone so fiercely. "Governor Thropp," the Headmistress said, "you've been silent through this, but surely you have something to add."
Tenzin took a deep breath through his nose. "I don't believe in aggressive confrontation," he said. "I wanted to listen, to stay calm even though the fact remains that my daughter was put in an uncomfortable position, several times, it seems. I am a peace-loving man and I would never raise a hand to anyone for any purpose other than self-defense, but…" He gave Dai a pointed look. "You hurt my daughter. Maybe not physically, but I can see how upset she is, and as a father, I can't help but take this as one of the gravest offenses my family has ever received. On her part, especially. The smallest consequence I could ask for you to take is expulsion. For my daughter's safety." He looked up to Dai's parents, not at all softening his glare. "And I expect you know where I'm coming from, as fellow parents."
"I can't help it if she's too sensitive," Dai grumbled.
"Do I need to repeat that you cornered her?" Kai snapped. "And Oz knows what would have happened if I hadn't been there because I know you had every intention of-" Jinora shuddered suddenly, and Kai's glance softened when he turned it to her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
"You're fine," Jinora said in a hollow voice. "I just...we really don't need to think about what might have happened anymore. Please."
Kai nodded at her as he gingerly took her hand, which she gratefully accepted.
"Well, I do," Madame Hou-Ting said, "and taking both what has happened and what would have happened into consideration, this is more than grounds for me to expel you, Mr. Dai."
Dai and his parents gaped at the Headmistress. "But-"
"No excuses," Madame Hou-Ting said firmly, interrupting Dai's spluttering father. "You have the rest of the day to move out. Whatever you're unable to pack in that amount of time will be sent back to your home. During your remaining time here, you will be put under constant surveillance of campus security. Do I make myself clear?"
Dai's father let out a resigned sigh, and Dai's mother looked as though she was about to die of a heart attack. They both stood up stiffly.
"I'll have the servants get started helping you pack," Dai's father said, before escorting his very fragile wife out of the room.
As soon as his parents were out of sight, and they were out of Hou-Ting's office, Dai rounded on Jinora. "This is all your fault you little bi-"
"SHUT UP!" Kai roared, raising his fists. "Did I not make myself clear yesterday? I'll gladly take another detention if it means I can knock some sense into you!"
"Mr. Upland-"
"I don't care, he needs to back off-"
"Kai. Please." Jinora's voice was soft as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "He's not worth it." Kai looked torn, but he took a step away, swallowing hard.
"Fine," he grumbled. As he turned away, he heard Madame Hou-Ting screech, "Mr. Dai!" and spun back around to see Dai lunging at him. He was about to defend himself when Jinora stepped in front of him and quickly said an incantation in a loud, clear voice, with a swift wave of her hand.
Dai immediately collapsed to the ground, his limbs a reduced to a rubbery tangle. "What did you do to me?" he growled, flailing helplessly. In spite of himself, Kai couldn't help but laugh at the sight of him.
Jinora took a step toward him, her shoulders shaking every so slightly, but her voice still came out smooth and clear. "You don't get to touch me ever again, and you don't get to touch him ever again, either." She made a great effort to stare him down till he nodded, before letting out a shaky laugh and turning back to Kai. "I kind of wish I'd known that spell a day earlier."
Kai cast her an admiring look. "When did you learn it, then?"
"This morning, I woke up a bit earlier than you, and I wanted to be prepared just in case."
"But I only woke up a few minutes after you did," he said. "We were still in-"
Jinora cleared her throat immediately, gesturing in the direction of her father, who had been sitting in mild shock during that entire exchange. Kai abruptly shut his mouth. Even though there had been nothing romantic (okay, maybe not fully nothing) about their bed-sharing, he realized her father probably wouldn't want to know.
"Jinora," Tenzin began. She turned to him as Madame Hou-Ting and a recently arrived member of campus security dragged Dai out of the room. "And...Kai." He sighed, looking at them sternly. "The way you both retaliated wasn't necessary. The consequences had already been dealt out, and it wasn't your place to decide to add on to that. I say that as the leader of the most peaceful group in Oz. But...as a father," he said, a small smile brightening his features, "I have no doubt he deserved everything he got and more." Jinora gave him a stunned look, before laughing and hugging him. Kai watched as father embraced daughter, Tenzin whispering, "I'm so glad you're safe," as he hugged her. When Jinora pulled away, he put his hands on Kai's shoulders and smiled. "Honestly, I wasn't sure what to make of you when I first heard you were sharing a room with my daughter. But...you kept her safe when I wasn't able to. Thank you."
Kai smiled a bit. "Anytime sir."
He nodded a little stiffly, but was genuine as he took his hands off Kai's shoulders and looked between the two students. "I trust you'll both be alright now?"
"Yes," Jinora said, resisting the urge to reach for Kai's hand. "We will."
"Good," Tenzin said, "but you know you can always send a message if you need anything-"
"We'll be fine," Jinora insisted with a small laugh. "Really, father."
He laughed softly. "Of course. Well, take care." And with that, he was out the door.
Kai turned to Jinora, taking her hand. "Thanks," he said. "For the spell. I mean, I'd take as many hits as I'd need to to keep you safe, but...it's kind of nice not to be stuck in the infirmary again," he said with a slight chuckle, hoping his reddening ears weren't too obvious.
"Hey," Jinora said, giving his hand a small squeeze. "If you're so busy protecting me, who's protecting you?" She smiled. "We take care of each other. That's what best friends are for."
Kai grinned. "We do, don't we?"
"Now come on, you need to take your medicine."
"Ughh," Kai groaned, despite being unable to hide his smile as he allowed Jinora to drag him back to their room.
"I swear, you're such a baby," Jinora laughed. "You'll probably ask me to spoon-feed it to you, too."
"Would you?"
"No!" Jinora blushed. "Well...maybe." Her blush deepened as Kai gave her a cheeky grin. "Shut up," she shoved him away playfully, her eyes going wide when he winced. "Oh Kai, your injuries, I'm sorry-"
"No, it's fine Jin, really," Kai chuckled. "You know, your dad's pretty nice."
She smiled, allowing him to take her hand again. "Yeah. He's...strict, sometimes, and he sheltered Ikki and me a lot when we were younger, but...he really loves us. And me, no matter how much it's been hard for him."
"Well that's one thing we have in common." It slipped out without thinking. Both of their eyes widened "I, uh mean, well, you're my best friend." Kai rubbed the back of his neck.
Jinora leaned in and softly pecked him on the cheek. "And you're mine."
Kai blushed furiously. Hers. One day, hopefully.
Once they made it up to their room, Jinora got the bottle out, and practically had to chase Kai around their room till he agreed to take a seat as she poured out the medicine for him. She caught Kai grinning at her, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"What're you smiling at?" she asked, flushing.
"I'm just...really glad we're talking again," he said. "I know I've said that before, I just...I missed you."
Jinora smiled. "I missed you, too." She handed him the spoon, her fingers lingering over his hand.
"It tastes so bad," he whined, wrapping his hand around her hand and the spoon.
"It doesn't matter, you have to take it. I swear, you're worse than Ikki when she was five," she giggled. He pouted at her, but relented as he brought the spoon up to his mouth, never letting go of her hand.
Jinora's face burned as she watched his lips close around the spoon, and she could only laugh lightly at his grimace, watching his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed.
She couldn't really help herself as she brought her other hand up to his face and lightly brushed her thumb over one of his bruises, and she hardly noticed him blushing under the contact. It took all her might to suppress the urge to kiss all his injuries.
"Jinora?"
"Hmm?" She realized she was practically caressing his face and took her hand away quickly, heat rising to her cheeks. "Sorry. I just… I still can't believe you did that for me. Nobody's ever done anything like that for me."
Kai smiled sadly. Couldn't this girl see how wonderful and beautiful she was? He took both her hands and looked up into her eyes. "It's like you said: we take care of each other."
Jinora nodded, her heart swelling with affection. As her eyes traced each bruise and cut, she found herself thinking that she wanted to take care of him for as long as she lived. The way their hands interlocked felt so right, like for once there was a life ahead of her that wasn't so lonely and so dependent on her success as the Wizard's grand vizier. Like...maybe all she really needed to be happy was him.
She was in love with him. The realization didn't surprise her much - if anything, she'd known for a while and this was just her finally admitting it to herself, her brain catching up with her heart.
The urge to lean in and hug him was impossible to resist, so she followed it, thankful that at least she hadn't done anything more impulsive. She smiled as he immediately hugged her back. Yes, it was stupid to fall in love at all, let alone with a boy so far out of her league. It was foolish to focus on anything but her future plans as the Wizard's grand vizier, it was stupid to want something as abstract as someone's love, but she couldn't find it in her to care as this wonderful man wrapped his arms around her waist. He made her so, so happy, and even if all she could be was his friend, maybe for now it would be enough.
"Thank you," she whispered, and it wasn't nearly enough to express how grateful she was to him, but she knew he understood anyway as he said, "Anytime, Jin."
Maybe there'd be time for them, someday. It was such a foolish thing to hope for, but she supposed people did all sorts of foolish things when they were in love.