Kai had become very used to adapting over his lifetime. He'd come to learn that no matter how careful he thought he was, no matter how safe he felt in the moment, there was always the huge probability that something would go wrong.
He sure was proved right when he got on the airship, looking around at all the gilded chairs- was that bowl of fruit on the table real- and the sheriff pulled up. He knew it was a lot to hope for and the opportunity was almost too good to be true, but he wished that just once, only one time, something would turn out the way he wanted it to.
Whatever jail they were carting him off to would probably take months to sneak out of and in the meantime there would certainly be no couches or fruit bowls. Dread was pooling in his stomach but well, hadn't he expected it anyways?
And then, "He just needs some guidance, Tenzin."
Boy did he ever. He was called back and liquid luck must have been pumping through his veins because they even pulled him in for the first hug he'd had in months. Even the guy with the weird eyebrows telling him that his ruse wasn't as good as he thought couldn't stem the flow of relief.
When the girl who had flown the glider stopped him with a shy smile curling at the edges of her lips to offer him more help of all things, he stared at her averted brown eyes and leaned forward almost by instinct. He swayed straight back almost a second later and grinned, even though it felt a little more forced than before.
Are you sure you aren't making a mistake?
"Thanks. That's real nice of you."
'The Hole' was damp and being thrown in only made the bruises blossoming under his skin ache with a greater intensity. He laid his temple against the prickly wood bench, too upset to make noise or even voice his frustration to the stale air. He felt beaten. He felt beaten and alone.
A flicker of light made him start before a pervading blue glow materialized into- "Jinora!"
The electric blue apparition grinned and kneeled down to his level. She looked at him as though he hadn't run off to return to his life of thievery. The lack of judgment or resentment on her face eased the burn of shame. Maybe he shouldn't have left. His lifestyle was based on moving quickly; never stay in one place too long because places never stayed safe for very long.
But looking down at her- I'll figure it out; don't worry-he thought maybe there could be a place that did stay safe.
"Jinora!" she looked at him and something that felt strangely like his heart popped up into his throat. "Thanks."
"Can I touch them?"
She was radiant with a kind of shy pride as she nodded. "Be really gentle though. They still kind of hurt."
He leaned forward slowly and drew his fingertips gently over the point of the arrow on her forehead. "Wow," he breathed as she closed her eyes. "They're gorgeous, Jinora."
"I know," she whispered back. Her eyes fluttered open and she regarded him with a thoughtful gaze. "You'll get yours, too eventually."
The urge to look down at his feet in embarrassment was overcome by the urge to keep studying her arrows. "I don't know, Jinora. Me, the first air bender outside Avatar Aang's family to get tattoos? I was a thief. I tried to run away from you guys twice." His hand dropped to his side. "I don't deserve them."
She reached down and gripped both his hands tightly. "Kai," she murmured. "You're not a thief anymore. You deserve them more than anyone."
His eyes drifted up to meet hers. "What if you're making a mistake? What if you can't trust me?"
She squeezed his hands. "You're not a mistake, Kai. You never have been."
After hearing her say the words he had tried to convince himself of for so long, he began to believe them.
