Title: Rondo
Rating: K
Word Count: ~1400
Summary: No matter where life takes her, it always leads her back to him. Kainora. [Be the Peaf Prompt 65 – Comeback]
Author Note: I've wanted to play with musical forms in writing. So this fic is in Rondo form.
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"What do you think?" Jinora emerged from her room wearing one of the brand new wingsuits.
"Wow…" Kai grinned.
"Asami designed them for us," she unclipped the wings from the buttons on the chest.
"Sure beats carrying around an air glider."
"Hey!" She playfully nudged his shoulder, "I happen to like carrying around my airbender staff. It would be a shame to see their construction or presence be lost in the Air Nation culture."
Things were changing so rapidly in the world since the defeat of the Red Lotus. As the newest Airbending master, she was right in the middle of it. She barely had the time to enjoy the fact that she was the first female master in one hundred and seventy-one years, or that she was the youngest airbender to earn her tattoos in all of Air Nomad history. But the new world wasn't about looking back, it was about moving forward. And that meant shedding some traditions to create new ones. The newest development was turning the traditional airbender robes and staff to a piece of history.
"So uhh…" he eyed the wingsuit. "When do the rest of us non-masters get one?"
"Asami said they are being manufactured," she re-snapped the wings into the suit. "It's a bit…" Jinora tugged at the fabric, "tighter than my dad described."
Kai couldn't conceal the blush that rose in his cheeks, "Well, I think it looks good."
Jinora's blush rivaled his as she dropped a kiss on to his cheek. "I'm going to miss you."
Since meeting Kai they hadn't been separated. Although Meelo and Ikki made fun of her crush and called it "deer dog puppy love," she felt connected with Kai in a way that she hadn't expected to. And here, on the precipice of leaving to tour the Air Temples alone as a master, she couldn't help but be nervous. The rest of the new airbenders were staying in Republic City for additional training, with the expectation that once they were proficient, they would help spread peace throughout the world.
"I'll miss you too. It won't be too long."
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For the first time, Jinora felt alone. Although she had Pepper's comforting presence beneath her as they took to the skies, it wasn't the same.
Her father had suggested she take a pilgrimage of sorts, and travel to each of the Air Temples alone to mediate and connect with the long lineage of airbending masters that came before her.
The trip to the Southern Air Temple was exhilarating. She was standing alone, wind whipping against her hair (that had yet to grow out to the length she wanted) enjoying the freedom that she always wanted to enjoy. Yet, it was bittersweet. Perhaps the best things in life really were better when shared.
The Air Temples weren't exactly wired for telegrams or telephone calls. But enroute between her destinations she stopped and plinked a few coins into a payphone. The calls were always hard. Her mom and dad could talk for hours, but she usually only had enough for a few minutes. After Meelo and Ikki wasted her time asking questions at a rapid-fire rate, there was only a moment or two left to catch up with Kai.
She could astral project, but sometimes her father would frown when it came to "abusing" her abilities. It was the same look he gave Korra when she used the Avatar state to win an air scooter race years ago (had it really been that long ago?). Jinora was determined to win him over to her way of thinking regarding her astral projection, but that would take time.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"I miss you. Air Temple Island isn't the same."
"Well I'm almost to the Northern Air Temple. Just one more after this before I can come home."
Somehow she ran out of things to say. She could wax on about her experience travelling the world, but they didn't have the time. So she settled for a simple goodbye, and dropped the payphone back into the cradle.
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Jinora didn't even wait for Pepper to land before sailing to the ground in her wingsuit. Her family surrounded her in a crushing hug.
"I trust your trip was enlightening?" Tenzin helped remove the bags attached to Pepper's saddle.
"Oh it was wonderful, Dad!" Jinora clasped her hands in a show of delight. "It was such a different experience getting to go and meditate alone."
"Did the food last long enough?" Pema cradled a fussing Rohan in her arms.
She nodded, "The pineapple bao were my favorite."
Jinora tried to suppress the feeling of butterflies in her stomach when her family parts, revealing Kai standing as shyly as he could manage a few feet away. How many times had she thought of this moment? Had she built up their reunion too much in her head? They were both crushing on each other, but they hadn't done more than hug and kiss on the cheek (and she was fine with that quite honestly).
"You can come over you know," she teased.
He bounded over and crushed her in a tight hug. "It's great to have you back."
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Whoever asserted, "distance makes the heart grow fonder" was a liar.
Jinora knew she read the line somewhere in a book or a collection of poems, but she was quickly being letdown by the false notion.
After two years of Korra gone, the Air Nation had stepped fully into its role of peacekeepers. Airbenders worked in teams of two to help those who needed it most direly; it was a wonderful and amazing mission she was proud to be a part of every day. But Jinora was stuck on Air Temple Island. With her father spending more and more time abroad helping to stabilize through political routes, she was the airbending master tasked with training those not yet ready to serve in the world.
So while Kai got to run around the world with Opal, she was grounded.
He was supposed to call. He was supposed to write. Yet, she hadn't heard a word from him. She thought that Opal would have helped keep him on track, what with her situation with Bolin working with Kuvira to unite the fractured Earth Kingdom.
People were supposed to make room for what they deemed important. Of course the work that Kai was doing in the Earth Kingdom was of immense consequence; but it would have only taken a second to send a quick note or place a couple minute call. Maybe the time and space between them is what would fracture them apart. The longer he stayed out of contact, the more he drifted from the forefront of her thoughts and daydreams.
The phone rang in her father's study, rousing her from her thoughts. She jumped to answer, hoping it would be a certain someone on the other line.
"Hello?"
"Jinora, would you let your mother know I won't be home for dinner tonight?"
"Of course, Dad."
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"Love is hard when you're young," Kai leaned up against Pepper, his arm around Jinora.
"Where did you hear that?" She of course recognized the line from the journals and writings of Iroh.
"I grabbed a book from your room before you left," he smiled sheepishly. "I mean you love reading so it can't be all bad."
"Is Mako still working with you on that?"
"Yeah, until the poor guy got stuck with Prince Wu," he laughed.
"I'm so glad you're back."
They had talked about the communication issue on the trip. The reality was that if they wanted to make this work, complacency wasn't something they could afford while duties pulled them to opposite ends of the world. They needed even expectations on what they both wanted and needed in their makeshift relationship.
"Me too," he pulled her closer in.
Air was the element of freedom. And freedom meant that one had to trust that one would use their choice to return. In the end, they would return together.
"It's good to be home," Jinora smiled, relaxing and enjoying the moment.