Knowing

By: Dark Mockingbird

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me, I am poor and I have no monies, I just really like Avatar!

Something is going on around the air temple and everyone wants to know. Bolinora. Pure Fluff oneshot.

:: What Ikki Knows ::

Ikki knows her sister is up to something.

Jinora's been sneaking around for weeks and she never sneaks around.

Ikki's older sister has also never had a secret in her life. But that was probably because Ikki read her diary and now all of her secrets weren't so secret. Now Jinora doesn't dare write things down, or at least she hides the diary a lot better. Ikki doubts it though; she's a master at finding things someone doesn't want found.

At first Ikki doesn't think much of it. Her sister spends a lot of time in the library to start with. It's gross and dusty in there. Ikki doesn't understand why she likes it. Plus the books smell funny. Like old people. But that was beside the point. The point was Jinora was sneaking around to spend a ridiculous amount of time in the library. And Ikki was going to find out why.

When she sees her sister heading to the library after dinner one night she follows her. She knows this could be her best chance to find out what her sister is up to. Hopefully it's not just boring research because that would be a complete let down.

Ikki knows she's hit the jackpot though when she sneaks into the shadows after her sister and hears hushed voices among the rows of scrolls and books.

"I missed you,"

Ikki freezes at the sound, straining to peer through the shelves. That was a man's voice.

"You just saw me at dinner,"

That was her sister! Ikki stiffened a giggle. Her sister was with a man! And she sounded so coy!

This was way better than anything Ikki could have imagined. When she had first noticed Jinora sneaking around, the thought that her bossy bookworm sister could be sneaking off to meet a man in the library had never crossed her mind. Frankly if it hadn't been for Kai and the juicy diary, she would have wondered a lot more about her sister and if she even liked boys.

"So? It's not like I could do this to you at dinner…"

Ikki's eyes widened. What was he doing to her sister! Carefully she peered around the side of the bookshelf and gasped.

Bolin was kissing her sister.

Ikki did the only logical thing a young sister could do when she saw her older sister pinned to a dusty bookshelf playing tonsil hockey.

She squealed in utter delight.

:: What Tenzin Knows ::

Tenzin knows something fishy is going on.

Both of his daughters have been acting strange since they got to the table this morning. When they sit down to eat, the air is tense. Every time Ikki looks at Jinora over the table, she grins. Every time Jinora sees Ikki grinning at her, she frowns and buries her face in a book like a shield.

He knows they haven't had a fight. That kind of ruckus tends to carry easily in the air temple and if there is one thing Tenzin knows, it's that his daughters do not fight quietly.

He knows something really isn't right though when he catches Jinora threatening Ikki with a raised fist in the hallway, her face flushed red. Jinora knows better than to raise her fist to someone, especially her sister. Tenzin knows all too well though, that being a peaceful air bender tends to go out the window when one is dealing with their siblings.

"Stop it Ikki, I don't want to talk about this anymore! It was private! You shouldn't have been there! You're nothing but a sneak!"

Jinora is taking deep breaths and Tenzin knows he's going to have to step in before it gets out of control between his two girls. Tenzin closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose, if only his wife was here, she would handle this so much better.

"Oh come on Jinora! You're over reacting! It's so romantic, why would you want to keep it a secret!" Ikki is obviously finding delight with her sister's misery, not even cringing when Jinora grabs her by the front of her shirt and shakes her.

"Don't you dare tell Ikki! Don't you dare!"

"Tell what?"

Jinora whips her head around so fast to stare at him, Tenzin wonders if his daughter has given herself whiplash. She dropped her sister like she was on fire, her face scrunching up and turning red.

"Nothing! It's nothing Dad really-"

"Jinora and Bolin were kissing!" Ikki sang out, looking extremely pleased with herself.

Oh. Kissing. His little girl. And Bolin….

"WHAT!"

"Dad please, it's not like that!"

This man was so dead. Tenzin would make sure of it.

:: What Mako Knows ::

Mako knows his brother is in trouble.

He can tell it's serious when Bolin shows up at his room in the air temple before breakfast. Bolin does not do anything before he's filled his belly with food in the morning.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Mako lets him into his room. The two brothers spend an uncomfortable amount of time staring at each other from their spot on the couch in dead silence before finally Mako has had enough.

"What is it? I know you didn't come here to have a staring match." Even though he knew he'd win if that really was the case. Mako was pretty sure it wasn't though.

"Mako…" Bolin is fidgeting, staring at his fingers like they were the most fascinating things in the world. It's a tad alarming to the fire bender because he can't remember the last time he heard Bolin be so serious. Whatever this was, it was big. And that just made Mako even more uncomfortable.

"You can spit it out you know, we're brothers, it's not like I'm going to judge you."

"I kissed Jinora." Bolin paused when Mako didn't say anything. "Ok I kissed Jinora a lot!"

"You did what! Are you crazy? She's a baby!"

So much for not judging, Mako just can't help it. The words of surprise slipped out before he even had a chance to sensor himself. Still he doesn't think he would take them back even if he could, they weren't a lie. Jinora is a baby. She's a girl and Bolin is a grown man.

"Mako come on, she's not! She's eighteen now!" Bolin's face was red.

"Still! My god Bolin!"

"Look, fine. Forget I said anything." Bolin throws up his arms in defeat and almost escapes the room before Mako can gather his thoughts together. He has to grab his brother's arm before he can get out the door, pulling him back with a frown. Mako hadn't meant to upset him. It was just…hard to wrap his mind around this. His brother. Jinora. Oh god. Why did his brother do the things he did sometimes?

"Tenzin is going to kill you, you know that right?"

"Yeah….that's kind of the problem." Bolin looks sheepish and suddenly Mako knows why he was here so early in the morning. He sighs and knows he won't say no to those hopeful eyes.

"Fine….Stay here. I'll bring you some breakfast…But I want you to know I still think you're crazy!"

He would do anything for his brother, even if it meant a suicide mission to keep him safely hidden from Tenzin.

:: What Bolin Knows ::

Bolin knows he's a dead man walking.

When Ikki spills the beans (not if, but when because she would, it was only a matter of time), he is going to be carried away in a hurricane of rage from his girlfriend's father.

He had spent all night half hidden under the blankets, freezing at every little sound that might indicate that a very furious father was descending on him in the dark of the night. Bolin knows when morning comes and Tenzin hasn't, he can't stay here. It's the first place he'll look for Bolin.

Now he was safe and sound in Mako's room and he's feeling pretty darn pleased with himself.

Even if Tenzin came here, Mako would totally keep him safe. Bolin was his baby brother after all! Mako had never let him down before and he wouldn't let him down now! Even though Bolin knew his brother thought he was crazy for kissing Jinora.

It really had started as an accident. Not the kissing, the kissing had totally been on purpose, but the liking in general. Jinora was so serious and Bolin…well he didn't have a serious bone in his body. Nothing was really as satisfying as giving the studious girl a quick noogie just to hear her squeal, just to see her unlaced for two seconds from her usual serious demeanor.

The next thing he knows, he's doing it because he wants her attention. She's become a beautiful intelligent young woman and Bolin isn't blind. He wants to kiss her for months before one day he's teasing her and she pins him against a tree in the yard and plants one on him.

He's completely lost to it all after that.

Bolin thinks…no he knows that he's in love with the younger air bender. She might be everything Bolin's not but he likes that about her. He thinks they belong together like some kind of ying and yang, earth and air. He knew going in to this, people would talk, people would disapprove but he couldn't care less. Bolin was kind of known for doing his own thing after all.

"Bolin open the door, I don't have enough hands!"

Bolin perks up when he hears his brother calling out from behind the closed, locked (like that mattered) door. Mako meant food! And boy did he need some. Skipping meals wasn't doing anything for him. He was a growing man! He needed regular feedings!

When he opens the door though, his can feel his face falling. Mako is standing there looking guilty as hell dangling from Tenzin's tight grip on his shirt. Tenzin looks absolutely furious and Bolin can just feel his legs turn to jelly as the two stare at one another, the earth bender clutching the door frame so tight he can hear it cracking.

"Bolin, we need to have a very serious talk."

Bolin screams like a little girl.

::What Pema Knows::

Pema knows her husband tends to over react.

She knows he'll be on the war path when Jinora comes to her dragging her little sister behind her, red faced and on the verge of tears. Eventually she manages to pry the truth from them. That Ikki caught her big sister red handed with a boy. It just makes her smile. Young love.

"Mom please! You have to do something!" Jinora's plea snaps her out of her thoughts, bringing her out of day dreams of when she first met Tenzin.

"Yeah Jinora's afraid dad's going to hurt her boyfriend. I don't think he will though, I mean it's Bolin! He's super strong!"

Pema sighs. Honestly, did Tenzin have to send their children into a frenzy like this? He knew Jinora wasn't a little girl anymore. It wasn't even like this was her first boyfriend. They had all been through this before. Kai had been a wonderful little boy, not right for Jinora, but sweet all the same.

"Ikki, go to your room. Jinora, come with me."

"Aw mom! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Ikki!" Her tone meant no arguing and while Tenzin might have been the one who over reacted; he wasn't nearly as scary as their mother when she was mad. All of her kids knew it. They didn't dare push.

She doesn't even wait to see if they will do as she says because she knows they will. Pema can feel Jinora following her down the hall to where Bolin had been staying.

"Mom…you weren't surprised, when Ikki said…." Jinora seems timid to even mention it and Pema couldn't really blame her.

The situation was a little…unconventional. But how could she say anything when she looks at her own relationship? Tenzin and herself were certainly the epitome of unconventional. For years she had felt Katara frowned on their relationship. That she wanted Tenzin to stay with Lin, wanted them to marry and Pema out of the picture. Pema was so young, maybe too young to Tenzin's mother's eyes.

"I remember what young love looks like," Pema can't help but smile at her daughter.

She couldn't look down on her, not after the uncertainly she had faced her whole life. Her smile feels short lived when they hear a scream echoing down the halls of the air temple. She can see her daughter's face pale as she lays a hand on her shoulder. Jinora looks small and young again as Pema studies her fearful but determined face. She knows if Tenzin gets out of control, Jinora will fight for Bolin. It's not something Pema wants to see happen to her family.

"Come on, I'm on your side dear."

:: What Jinora Knows ::

Jinora knows she's in love.

She's never been in love before but she knows this has to be it. She knows people think she doesn't understand, that she's too young but she knows she's not. It is a relief to hear her mother's words, to know that someone is on her side.

Jinora is even more relieved though when her mother heads off her father at the pass, freeing a rattled Bolin from her father's grasp. Sliding past her parents, she has to stand on tiptoes to wrap her arms around Bolin's neck. She can feel a shaky arm sliding around her waist in return.

"I'm sorry. I should have gotten here sooner." She feels extremely apologetic when she looks into his pale face, but he's smiling so she can't feel too bad.

"Hey it's ok, he's just worried about his little girl. I'd be worried too if I was a dad!" He's trying to sound braver than he was feeling and she knows it. She heard that girly scream of his all the way down the hall after all.

"You're darn right mister I'm worried about my little girl! Do you know how old she is!" Her father is bellowing from the doorway.

Jinora has always been mature for her age. Even as a child, she felt much older than her physical age. Tenzin had encouraged it and she had embraced it. If only her father could see it now, it would certainly make things a lot easier for everyone involved, especially herself. She loves her father, but she really needs him to see her as an adult now, not a little girl.

"Dad please…" She has to look away because her father just looks so angry and that kind of hurts her.

"Well….you better be on your Ps and Qs boy. I'm watching you, if you hurt her…!" Tenzin's voice is gruff, but not as angry as before. When Jinora turns her head, she can see the way her mother has laid a hand on her father's arm, holding him firmly.

Bolin for his credit stands a little taller, a little more protective, his hand resting on the back of her head.

"With all due respect, Tenzin…er…. sir," She hears a tremor in his voice but there's a slight smile on his lips. "I'm in love with your daughter and there's nothing you can do to change that."

Sometimes he was so brave. Not always bright, but brave.

Jinora feels herself flush with pleasure. It's the first time she's heard Bolin admit it out loud. That he's in love with her and in a twisted way, she had her dad to thank for getting Bolin to admit it. Of course it wasn't how she would have liked to go about it, but Jinora wasn't complaining.

After all, Jinora already knows she's in love.