you must be my once in a lifetime
i.
The first time Kai sees her, it's in a flash of crimson and gold, currents of wind carrying her upwards, and she lands perfectly atop the pole, smiling brightly. He has never seen someone manipulate the air the way she can, and despite the fact the Sheriff and his Deputies are right on his heels, Kai stops and stares. She's young, his age, maybe a year younger. She's cute.
After being chewed out by the firebender, barely believing his luck at escaping a life in jail, he notices her on the rim of the ramp, hanging back from the others. Up close, he gets a better look at her features. She wears traditional airbender robes, styled slightly differently than the ones her father wore. Or at least he assumes the man with the tattoos and pointy beard is her father.
Her brown hair curls onto her plump, rosy cheeks, her glittering brown eyes only briefly meeting his own. Like he said: cute. "Hi, I'm Jinora," she says, and he files her name away to make sure he remembers. "If you need any help with airbending, I could show you what I know."
Her offer takes him by surprise. People aren't usually so friendly, nor willing to help him, especially since he has just been outed as a thief, and a liar. The smile he gives her is genuine. "Thanks," he fidgets with his suspenders, inclining his head slightly, eyes wide and attentive. Why is he feeling a little nervous all of a sudden? "That's real nice of you."
"Jinora!" her father calls, and Jinora jumps.
They share a smile, and Kai's heart flutters before they walk into the airship together.
And he has no idea of what's just begun.
ii.
"I'm kinda gonna miss your shiny bald head," Kai teases, and Jinora rolls her eyes, flushing. She raises a hand to trace out the now familiar blue arrow on her head, now partially obscured by her hair.
"You'll survive," she shoots back, smiling, and tugs on her still short strands that curl up on the nape of her neck. The summer is warm and sticky, and it feels nice to have her legs forming ripples in the water of the small pond. It's her favourite spot on Air Temple Island, with just the right amount of shade for reading, and not too far away from the Temple either. She affectionately refers it as Her Cove - or that's what it was before, now it's Their Cove.
Kai, who's fully submerged in the water, his dark hair slicked back, paddles over to her, pulling up on the grassy bank. "Are you sure you don't want to come in? The water's perfect!" He's taller, still scrawny and sometimes, his voice cracks and it makes Jinora cackle, but his lopsided smile still makes her heart skip a beat.
"I told you Kai, I didn't bring my swimming clothes." Still, she's discarded her heavier robes for ones that leave her knees and arms bare, loose and baggy. "Besides," she adds, "it'll be dinner in an hour and we should be heading back soon anyway." She smiles ruefully at him when he bends backwards dramatically, groaning in distress. "You're such a drama queen," she tells him, letting out a soft giggle.
Kai grins at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Let's see how you like this, your majesty!"
He grabs her hand, pulls, and before she knows it she's in the water. Her head pops out to the surface, and she's completely soaked. "Kai!" she splutters, but the moment she sees him laughing loudly at her, her anger evaporates. "Two can play at this game!" And she shoves a big wave of water at him.
"No fair!" he protests through laughs and splashes her back, and they go back and forth again and again, dousing each other in water and chasing each other all across the pond, laughing all the while.
They're late for dinner, but Jinora's too happy to care.
iii.
"So, the Earth Kingdom, hmm?" Jinora says, and Kai knows she's trying not to sound too down. He can't blame her. As much as he wants to see the world, being a keeper of harmony isn't really how he pictured it. Besides, he always thought they would see it together. He never thought they would be separated. They're in the Cove, the sun setting. They'll have to head back soon.
He tries not to think about it.
"'Fraid so," he shrugs, lying opposite to her so that his head is facing upwards like hers towards the gradually darkening sky. "Hey Jinora?" his voice, now having deepened greatly, breaks, and he supposes that's what gets her to swing over onto her stomach so that her face, etched with concern, is inches above his own.
"Yeah?" she says softly. Her eyes are shining like stars that haven't quite adorned the sky. And in her glittering brown orbs, he sees every moment, from the first day they met to now, and he realizes that he's leaving, and how hard it's going to be, and...
He kisses her.
Jinora's lips are soft and warm, just like he's always imagined, but he pulls away after only a few seconds, horrified as seconds of silence ticked on. What will she say? Is she mad? Her face is blank with shock, unreadable. Then she leans down and kisses him, more confidently, for much longer, and when she pulls away she leaves him breathless. She's always had a habit of doing that.
Kai's face breaks into a grin, Jinora beaming back at him, and they start laughing at nothing in particular, giddy with joy.
This isn't a goodbye; it's a see you later, and they'll make it work. They always have.
iv.
Republic City is still underway of being built, the Spirit Portal having only been open for a couple of months, with Korra and Asami only returning from their trip to the Spirit World the previous week. Jinora's just really glad that all of the airbenders will be staying in the city to help with reconstruction and that the United Forces will be handling any problems in the Earth Kingdom, because it means that Kai will be where he belongs: with her.
He occupies the place between her heartbeats, and it's been awfully empty without him; Jinora never wants him to leave again.
She's trying to meditate when her dorky boyfriend clamps his hands over her eyes. "Guess who?" he asks in a sing-song voice.
"Gee I wonder," she plays along, turning around and smiling into a kiss. "How was your day?" Kai starts talking immediately, waving his hands wildly, and Jinora smiles while she listens and watches him talk.
She wonders if this is what married life feels like, getting such a quiet sense of joy from your partner's presence. She hopes it is.
"Why're you smiling?" Kai looks at her quizzically. She pecks him on the cheek.
"Nothing in particular," she says happily, beaming.
v.
Deep down, Kai knows it's stupid. They've been dating for over three years since they were fourteen, and seventeen's a perfectly respectable age to say 'I love you' to someone, right?
"Hey Jinora?" he begins nervously, fidgeting with his robes. Some old habits never fully go away, even if the suspenders are long gone. His girlfriend is leaning up against a tree in Their Cove and looks up from her book, giving him a look of mild curiosity. He doesn't usually interrupt her when she reads (unless he wants to distract her to do something that is in his opinion, more fun).
"Hmm?"
"I, um... have something important to tell you, I..." Just say it! "Jinora, I l-" He coughs loudly, mentally berating himself. He's such an idiot!
"Kai, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he squeaks. Raava have mercy. Jinora's brow furrows and she sets down her book, walking over to him. "Really Jinora, I'm fine. Just a little bit of a cough, that's all." He laughs weakly. Jinora frowns.
"What did you want to tell me?" she says slowly. Kai feels like he's twelve all over again, and just a peck on the cheek from her can turn his brain to mush. Kai takes a deep breath and forces himself to meet her beautiful brown eyes.
"Jinora, I love you," he blurts out in a rush. Years ago, Kai couldn't imagine ever saying it to anyone, but with Jinora being in love with her feels as natural as breathing. He stares at her, waiting for a response.
Jinora blinks, taken aback, but she kisses him senseless. She pulls away for a breath. "I love you too," she murmurs against his lips, and he smiles widely. Time and time again, Jinora has proven his heart is safe in her hands, and he is so grateful.
vi.
"Are you sure I'm ready for this?" Kai says worriedly. He looks like such a scared little boy, it brings a small smile to her face and Jinora combs her fingers through his hair, kissing his forehead.
"I'm sure. You can keep up with the training, I promise. You'll have to work on your spiritual side, but I can help you there," she reassures him. She knows he's nervous; she knows she was nervous, when she was preparing for her tattoos, although Kai's process will be a few years instead of a few weeks like hers.
"Thanks Jinora," he says, smiling up at her, and she can see the adoration in his eyes.
She presses a kiss to the corner of his lips. "Anytime Kai."
vii.
"Tenzin, can I talk to you for a second?"
The airbending master looks at the nineteen year old in surprise, but then smiles. He admits he wasn't too fond of the boy in the beginning, but Kai had certainly proved himself a loyal member of the Air Nation, a skilled pupil, and was completely devoted to his daughter. Tenzin can't ask for much more than that. And he has a feeling he knows what this is about too, aware of the library books Kai had been checking out, all to do with traditional Air Nomad ceremonies, such as the tattooing process... and weddings.
"Of course Kai," he says, not unkindly.
"I know that we're young, and that Jinora's just turned eighteen, but I was wondering... When can I ask Jinora to marry me?" Kai's face lights up like a rising sun.
Tenzin takes his time to answer. "And," he says slowly, "if I said no, what would you do?"
Kai draws himself up to his full height, staring Tenzin straight in the eye. "I've always had a certain disregard for the rules, and you know I'll fight like hell for her."
Tenzin smiles serenely. "That's the answer I was hoping for." Kai relaxes immediately, looking beyond relieved. He cracks a weak smile. "How about I say you wait a couple of years, until she's twenty?"
Kai grins. Two more years. "I'd be willing to wait a hundred, Tenzin."
The airbending master places a hand on Kai's shoulder. "I know you would Kai. If I had to choose anyone for my little girl, I'd choose you. Besides, Pema and I have gotten quite used to thinking of you as our future son-in-law." Tenzin looks out the window briefly, interested in seemingly how blue the sky was, and Kai takes the time to quickly wipe his eyes.
viii.
"Kai, what are you...?" Jinora gasps, her face melting into an expression of shock as Kai gets down on one knee. He has a wooden necklace, carefully crafted like the ones of old, the Air Nomad way of purposing, and a ring - the Earth Kingdom way.
"Jinora, I have known you since I was twelve years old, you are my best friend, my girlfriend, the love of my life. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. Will you marry me?" Kai looks up at her hopefully.
Her heart skips a beat as she flings herself at him, throwing her arms around him. She's crying, saying yes over and over again. She thinks Kai might be crying too. She cups his face with her hands, pressing a kiss right on top of his bright blue arrow, his hair now having grown back significantly. "A million times yes," she squeaks out, still crying. "I love you so much."
Kai tenderly brushes away her tears, kissing her gently. "I love you too."
ix.
The first time Kai sees her on their wedding day, she's gliding down the aisle in an elaborate red gown, currents of wind jingling bells and rustling the pale yellow veil over her face, but he can still make out her bright smile. He has never seen her look so beautiful in his entire life, and he stares at her, hardly daring to believe that in a few short minutes, she will be his wife.
They're young, he knows. He doesn't care, because age doesn't matter when it comes to love. If anyone asked him when he fell in love with her, he will say it was when he first saw her. Ten years later, his heart still flutters when she beams at him, as radiant as the sun.
"They say," Tenzin begins once he's walked his daughter up the aisle, "that true love of the purest form only comes once in a lifetime." Kai gazes steadfastly at Jinora, who meets his eyes. He's tearing up, and his cheeks hurt from smiling so much. "And I think," Tenzin continues, "that they are right."
And when Tenzin announces that, "You may kiss the bride," Kai is happy to do so, and knows that this is not the end, but a beautiful beginning of the rest of their lives.
Was this just an excuse to write Kainora fluff? Absolutely.