a/n: here's some updates with the other characters. also, if you guys want more of spiritypowers and i's joint writing, we recently started a new fic for "the dragon prince". it's a really incredible tv show (feels more like atla did to me than lok, even) and the first two seasons are out on netflix! go give it a watch :)
Chapter Twenty-Five: The Engagement
Teatime had always been Lee's favourite meal. It didn't technically count as a full meal, but it was the only time when he was just with his mother, and didn't have to put up with his father or his brother's subtle criticisms. They were busy at work now, and Lee enjoyed the silence, until his mother set down her teacup with a certain look in her steely eyes.
"I've noticed you've been spending a great deal of time with Miss Shen Shen Sesi, son," she began carefully.
Lee's throat went dry. "Yes…? We've been good friends since primary school."
"You're coming of marrying age, now that your studies have finished, and she's been eligible for a few years now, with wealth, and a reasonable reputation. I can't help but wonder—?"
"Oh. Um." He could feel heat rising up the back of his neck. He'd been sleeping with Shen Shen for over two years now, along with spending time with her just to talk, or go out. But he'd never thought of their relationship beyond friendship, and had never thought to ask. "We're just good friends," he said.
"Really? You've never spent that much time with her. Before, it was mainly Jinora. But since she's...well…" She sighed. "I know you don't like me to talk badly about your pirate friend, so I won't."
"Sailor, technically. And really, we're just friends. I was just friends with Jinora, too. I still am, we just don't spend as much time together because..." His feelings for Kai were a feeble flutter, even when receiving letters from the boy, but they were still infuriatingly there. "Because of the distance, and she's busy with her studies as well," he finished lamely.
"Shame about her," she murmured. "But Miss Sesi would be a good match, and you are fond of her. You don't think you have even a little bit of romantic feelings towards her?"
"I...don't think so."
Mrs. Sono let out a disappointed sigh. "Well, you still have a few years. Your brother didn't even get engaged until he was a year older than you are now, so there's no rush."
Lee managed a tight-lipped smile. "Thank you, Mother." Even if his older brother was still the standard, at least his mother didn't criticize him nearly as often.
"I would like to see you settled down sooner rather than later, but I'll be happy if you do at all. As long as your wife is young enough to have children."
Lee thought to himself that he wouldn't like to marry someone more than three years younger than him, but he nodded. "Of course, Mother."
They drank the rest of their tea in silence, as Lee thought about Shen Shen. They'd only talked about potentially courting a few times, lately only to joke about it. But if he had to marry anyone…
Like his mother had said, there was no rush. And Shen Shen deserved to be with someone that really loved her, anyway.
He had his own apartment in the city, near the political newspaper he was working at as an editor, when Shen Shen dropped by one evening. "It's open," he called from his desk when there was a knock at the door, and she let herself in, slipping her high-heeled shoes off and sitting down on his loveseat. He looked up, surprised but not unhappy to see her. "What are you doing here, Shen?"
"I can't drop in on a friend?" she said, but there was a glassy look in her eyes.
Lee got up from his desk and walked over to her. "Shen—"
"I told my mother I like girls as well as boys, and she was horrified. I mean, it could have gone far worse—she could have told my father or one of my brothers but—I just don't know how long she'll keep her mouth shut."
Lee kneeled in front of her. "Shen," he said softly.
"I just didn't want to stay there," she said, her face hardening. "I—don't, want to stay there. I didn't mean to say it. I just—I'll take my money out in the morning, get whatever inheritance I can, and open up a new account for myself. I can look for an apartment for myself—"
"You could stay here." The offer tumbled out of his mouth without thinking, but he didn't regret it, as he brushed a strand of her silky hair out of her face. "With me."
Her mouth twitched, and Lee wasn't sure if she wanted to smile or frown. "I was going to ask, if I could stay for the night—"
"Not just for the night."
Her eyes softened as she smiled. "Really Sono, I can take care of myself perfectly fine."
"I know. Stay with me anyway."
She propped her cheek upon her palm, her elbow on the armrest, leaning towards him. "Are you really that attached, Lee?"
"What if I am?" he challenged. "What are you gonna do about it, Sesi?"
"I'm sure I'll figure something out," she said, and leaned down slightly to kiss him, taking his face in her hands.
Lee smiled against her lips, moving onto his feet, and bending down to keep kissing her, while her hands grasped at his shirt. "Does this mean you're staying?" he murmured.
"Maybe," she said. "I might need a little convincing."
"Which would entail—?"
"I thought you were smart, Sono."
"A warm bath, a glass of wine, and some comfy clothes?" he suggested, and she blinked. It wasn't what she had been expecting, but it wasn't an unpleasant notion.
"Well, yes, I suppose." She smiled a little. "Thanks, Sono."
He took her hands, helping her up onto her feet. "Anytime, Sesi."
It was only when the water was drawn and he'd delivered her a glass of wine that her other hand snagged his wrist. "Stay?" she requested quietly, tendrils of her hair floating in the tub water.
Lee kneeled down next to the tub. "'Course, Shen." He sat down at a stool near her, and he didn't let go of her hand as they both sat in silence. He watched her as she took slow sips from her glass, and wondered how he had never noticed how weary her eyes were, in spite of the smoothness of her under-eyes. "It's okay to be sad," he said softly.
She shot him a sharp look. "I'm not sad—I don't have to give in to petty emotions the way other people do."
He ran his thumb over her fingers. "You're always so strong," he murmured. "Allowing yourself to feel doesn't change that."
She lowered her gaze back to the glass in her hand. "You don't understand."
"Oh, I don't?"
"No, you don't," she snapped. "You don't know what it's like to grow up in a family where you're the wild child, the disappointment—"
"I don't know what it's like to be the disappointment?" Lee said, raising his eyebrows. "To know that whatever I do it will never measure up to my brother, the same way you'll never measure up to yours?"
"At least you have something to aim for. My parents never wanted to have another child after they had my brothers, much less a daughter."
"I'm a spare. You think my mother would react any better than yours did if I told her I also liked boys? And you—you have never had to watch two people you've fallen in love with both choose each other over you. Don't pretend you know what that feels like."
Shen Shen jerked her hand out of his. "If you want me to go," she said coldly, "then just—"
"Oh for the love of God, Shen," he said, exasperated, "I don't want you to go. I just want you to not keep everything bottled up all the time."
Shen Shen softened, but still looked at the way her manicured fingers were sharp against the rim of the tub. "And you're entitled to my feelings because?"
"Because I'm your friend."
"Oh, right, like you wouldn't go running off to Kai or Jinora if they gave you the chance—"
"No, I wouldn't, because I don't love them," he said fiercely, and realized it was true. He loved them, still, but only as friends. He was no longer in love with either of them, but was too impassioned to feel the relief; that would come later. His heart was still pounding madly in his chest, but for an entirely different, unexpected reason. "I'm not going to force you to talk about...any of this," he said quietly. "But...you know I really do care about you, right?"
Shen Shen sighed. "I know," she relented. "Look, I never talk to the others about...any of this. It's part of why I never made coming out a big deal with any of you. But I've also never been rejected, for anything, and I… I don't know how, but somehow you've become my best friend, okay? And it's weird, and kind of annoying, but also kind of nice, and I… don't quite know to deal with that."
He smiled softly. "You've become my best friend, too."
"The only other best friend I've had was Pfannee," said Shen Shen. "And I never really talked to her about...about how I felt, I guess. I just wanted to take care of her."
"Do you still have feelings for her?"
"I don't know. I don't think so." She glanced up at him. "And you don't have feelings for Kai anymore?"
"Not really, no."
"Looks like we're both in a better place, then," she said, smiling slightly. "And I guess I will be, once I'm out of my parents' place."
"You always take such good care of me," Lee said softly. "Coming to visit me at school and making sure I don't work myself to death. Let me try and return the favour?"
"You can try," she relented, and his smile grew, when she tucked her hair behind her ears. "Are you sure you want me to stay?"
"I'm sure."
Shen Shen downed her glass of wine, and then stood up in the tub, stepping out and reaching for her towel. "Let's go to bed then."
He stood up, watching her as she wrapped the towel around her body. "To sleep, or to…?"
She threw him a smile over her shoulder. "What do you think, honey?"
Lee let out a slight chuckle, following her out of the bathroom. "Lead the way, then."
In the morning, Shen Shen stayed.
###
Leaving home again was easier this time. Maybe Jinora was used to it after all her years at boarding school and at university, but she liked to think it was also because she was just going to another home. She'd moved her stuff back into Kai's room, the Waterbender sailing out to sea, and within a week she found herself settled back into a new routine, and glad that their mornings could last longer out at sea, the way they were now. She'd finished her hypothesis for her essay and map of the places she needed to go to prove it, as well as an outline for her report and a list of books she'd already read about the places they were visiting, so for the next four days, there was little to do until they docked at the first port on her list.
Which meant she could spend as much time with her fiancé as possible.
Jinora wrapped her arms around his waist in bed, when the soft morning light filtered through their window, and pressed kisses to his chest until it roused him. "Hey," she greeted, her voice warm and mellow, and Kai laughed a little as he ran his fingers lightly through her hair.
"Hey yourself," he echoed. He pressed a sleepy kiss to her mouth, and she giggled softly, wrapping her arms more tightly around his torso.
"Mm, you know, I had a dream about you last night," she said with a glint in her eyes.
"You did?" he asked, amused.
"Mmhmm." She trailed her mouth to his jaw. "Would you like to guess what it was about?"
He ran his hand down her bare waist. "I think I know, but tell me anyway. In lucid detail." He didn't give her too much of a chance to talk, however, as he pressed his body against hers. She was trembling when they were finished, pressing fumbling kisses to his jawline, and his hands let go of her hips, holding onto his bed sheets instead. "You were so good," he croaked out.
"So were you," she breathed. "Can we stay in bed all day today?"
He smiled softly. "I wasn't planning to, but…" He rolled onto his side, then gathered her into his arms. "We won't always get mornings like this. It's nice, to take them when we can."
She trailed her finger over his nose. "Especially since I'll be starting my research project soon."
His smile grew. "Wish every morning could be like this," he murmured.
She dropped her hand and kissed his cheek. "Me too. But we have many more ahead of us, and not having them all the time makes them more precious when they do happen."
Kai tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Nice to have a smart fianceé to help me keep things in perspective," he grinned, and Jinora beamed.
"I like it when you call me that."
"My fianceé?" he asked, and Jinora nodded. "I like saying it. Imagine, I'll get to annoy you for the rest of our lives."
Jinora laughed softly, wrinkling her nose at him. "You're such an idiot."
"Your idiot. For the rest of our lives," he repeated, and Jinora laughed again.
"You better be." She curled into his side, allowing her eyes to close as he stroked her hair. "Kai?"
"Hmm?"
"I know we don't have to plan it any time soon, but...would you like to have the wedding on the ship?"
His smile softened. "I'd really like that," he admitted, "but we could always get married somewhere… fancier, if your family would prefer that."
She shook her head. "I don't need fancy. Just you."
"Don't you want a nice ceremony? A nice dress?"
"I can have all of that on the ship." She opened her eyes, gazing up at him tenderly. "It'd be nice, to have it here. Even if it'd be a smaller ceremony, I have no doubt that it would still be beautiful. And...it fits us, you know? We can get married in your first home, and our first home together."
"You're really set on us living here, aren't you?"
"Mmhmm. I know you want me to wait it out and see how I like it here, but I already know that I like it here. And...it really is a nice place to raise a family. Unconventional, but nice."
Kai studied her for a moment. "When would you like to have kids?" he said slowly.
She blinked in surprise. "Well, I suppose I'd prefer to have them after we've been married for at least a few years," she said. "At the same time, if our...timing happened to be a little off, and we had a child sooner, I wouldn't mind. It...it might be harder, with all the things we still want to do, but…"
"If you don't want it," he said, "and want an abortion instead, I understand."
"Kai…"
"You're the one that would carry it. You get to decide if and when we have children. It's only fair. I mean, yeah, I'd like a family with you. But only when we're both ready, on both of our terms."
She smiled softly. "A few years into our marriage, then," she said. "But I'm still open to plans changing."
"Fair enough," Kai smiled. "I guess we didn't plan on each other all those years ago, after all."
"And… how would you feel about adopting?"
His smile grew. "I think that would be amazing," he said. "Any way we can have a family together, when we're both ready, would be amazing."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
She hummed softly, and then rested her chin on his chest and said, "Would you like to be the best fiancé ever and go get us some breakfast?"
Kai chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead before slowly getting up. "Alright, but next time we need food, it's your turn."
"Thank you," she called from his warm bed, the cold air stinging his buttcheeks before he drew up some pants. She watched him go, pulling the blankets further up over her.
She never knew she could love the future and the present as much as she did in that moment.
##
Jinora's nights were quickly transformed by her research project, having hauled an old typewriter onboard with her which was kept in Kai's study to type up her official report, but for now she used his desk in his room with some ink, quills and paper, scratching long into the night, and it was one such night, around one in the morning, when Kai came up behind her chair.
"Come to bed love," he coaxed gently, and she finished off her sentence before looking at him.
"I still have so many thoughts," she said. Tong Gong, the second port on her list, was a hub of history and trade, as they had been out for nearly all day. "If I'm keeping you up I can move to the study."
Kai shook his head, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "I woke up a little while ago… but it's late, love. You need sleep. Tomorrow will be another big day."
"Which is why I need to get this written tonight," she said, stifling a yawn, her shoulders still bent over, and he wordlessly brought his thumbs between her shoulder-blades, finding the knots and gently kneading them.
"They'll still be waiting for you in the morning," he promised. "Please love? For me?"
Jinora sighed, looking up at him with sleepy eyes. "Fine."
Kai let her set her quill down and bottle her ink, leaving her paper out to dry, before he scooped her up in his arms and laid her down in bed, helping her out of her clothes from the day—her blouse, bra, skirt, and panties—and tossing them in the hamper before joining her under their sheets. He could tell by the even tone of her breathing she was already in the process of falling asleep.
"Goodnight love," he murmured into her hair, and she mumbled something inaudible in reply, but it sounded like I love you. He smiled softly, wrapping an arm around her waist holding her closer. "Love you too, Jin."
###
Shen Shen was more nervous than she would ever meet out-loud to see Kai and Jinora again, as she and Lee waited by the docks. The two lived in one of the ports closely below Tong Gong, but with its own unique history during the 100 years war. But to the point, Shen Shen had made Lee promise not to tell their friends about her new living situation, nor her mother, and while she lived in the area and it made sense for her and Lee to be together to greet them, she knew she'd have to tell them the truth. They were her friends, after all.
It would make what she had with Lee a little more real, though. They'd have to explain that they'd started sleeping together. And if they asked what their relationship was, she wouldn't know what to tell them. She didn't even know what to tell herself.
"Shen? You okay?" Lee's voice was gentle and sent an unwelcome wave of warmth through her.
"Fine," she said shortly.
"You seem quiet."
"I can't be quiet?"
"Usually I can't get you to shut up," he said, nudging her lightly, trying to coax a smile out of her, but it didn't work. "What is it?"
She weighed her options, and settled on, "What are we going to tell them? About us?"
"Well...it's up to you, if you want to tell them that we're living together now."
"I have a bunch of things at your place, and my presence in your apartment isn't exactly discreet." It was true; ever since she'd moved in a month ago, Lee's apartment had become a little more crowded with dresses, cosmetics, and hair products. Shen Shen kept it all fairly organized, and even if she hadn't, Lee wasn't sure he would have had the heart to begrudge her the things that brought her joy.
"We'll figure it out. They're our friends, they'll understand."
"I just—you know I never slept with any of my friends before you, Jinora might wonder if… Or maybe she'll think I'm stringing you along, or something—"
"You know her. She's not going to judge us. And we're both on the same page about us, anyway."
"Are we?"
"What?"
"I just think that…" She played with her nails, looking away from him. "Are either of us ever really going to find something better?"
His brow knit together. "You want us… to settle for each other?"
"No, I just—look, Sono, do you remember when you asked if I wanted you to court me, and I said no because it was stupid? I don't—maybe the idea isn't so stupid, anymore."
"Do...do you want me to?"
"I…" She crossed her arms over her chest. "I guess."
"I'm...going to need a little more than an 'I guess', Shen."
She frowned at him. "What, you want me to beg?"
"No, I just want to know that you want this. I mean...I know I'm not your first choice, but I don't want you to feel like I'm your only option. We can live together no matter what."
Her frown faded. "Yes," she said quietly. "I'd like you to court me. Because you are my first choice, dummy."
"I am?"
"Don't make me repeat myself, Sono," she said, hating the blush in her cheeks, but not disliking the warmth that came when he looked at her with a small smile and dumb, tender eyes. She stuck out her hand. "Are you going to hold my hand or not?"
His smile grew as he took it, lacing their fingers together. "I hope you know I'm not letting go," he said, and she snorted, rolling her eyes, but she didn't let go or pull away, either. Even when they saw the ship docking in the distance, they went forward to greet them, still hand-in-hand.
She didn't completely hate the feeling.
###
"So," Kai said, when he and Jinora were walking back to the ship, the streets lit low after a full day spent with their friends, "Lee and Shen Shen, huh?"
"I know," she said, still stunned. "I never even considered it, but seeing them together...it makes a lot of sense, in a weird way."
"I can't believe they kept it quiet for so long. I mean, Lee never mentioned anything to you?" Kai was a little put out Lee had never said anything to him either, mostly because he had a feeling he and Lee had talked about girls more than Lee and Jinora had.
"Nothing," Jinora said. "How long do you think they've been together?"
"Probably not long. Shen Shen of all people seemed kind of shy about it."
Jinora smiled slightly. "I think it's sweet," she said. "She's usually never like that about any of her relationships."
"Well I hope they're happy," Kai said, swinging their joined hands between them.
"Me too," said Jinora. "I mean, I don't think they can be as happy as we are, but no one can, now can they?"
Kai grinned at her, tugging her closer. "I like hearing you be cocky. What d'you say we go dancing tonight, babe?"
She smiled appreciatively. "I would like to," she said, "but I do need to finish my report for today."
"Sure I can't convince you?"
"I'm sure," she said, giving his chest a little pat, "but thank you for the offer, love. Maybe another night."
"Alright." He pressed a kiss to her cheek, before letting go. "Wake me up when you come to bed, so I can make sure you come to bed?"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. I'll go right back to sleep, anyway."
Jinora smiled softly. "Okay, then. I will."
"And let me know when you're free, so I can finally take my future wife on a proper date?"
"Absolutely. And you've taken me on plenty of proper dates."
Kai wrapped an arm around her waist. "Not enough," he purred, as they reached the docks and started walking towards the Waterbender.
Jinora curled slightly into him, smiling as walked aboard the ship and below decks. "Easy, Captain. We can have time for that later."
"Like when you come to bed?"
She laughed, enjoying the idea. "Won't that make you feel more awake?"
His hand stroked her hip, edging under her blouse. "Not if you tire me out again."
"Kai," she said, reluctantly pulling away. "I really have to get this report done. But we'll have this entire weekend to ourselves."
His brow furrowed. "I thought you wanted to type up some of your notes this weekend?"
"Oh, right. Well, we'll have our weekend nights and mornings to ourselves."
He smiled, and leaned forwards and kissed her on the forehead. "Just don't work too hard, babe."
"I'll try not to," she promised, smiling as he walked away, most likely to shower and then get ready for bed, maybe do some paperwork of his own. She went to his study instead, and started to work.
It was only in the morning, when Kai woke up and realized she never had woken him up, her body curled towards his but still with a good amount of distance between them, sleeping deeply. Even in her sleep, she looked tired, and he frowned, wondering when she had finally dragged herself to bed. She hadn't bothered to pull on night clothes the way she did most nights, with the weather getting colder, which meant she must have been exhausted, only able to do the bare minimum. He almost kissed her forehead, but decided against it in the end, not wanting to wake her.
He'd talk with her about this later.
Kai hauled himself out of bed, moving slowly so she wouldn't stir, and pulled on clothes. He talked about some financials with Otaku, and finishing planning their route, before going to the kitchen where Daw and anyone else on breakfast duty was getting ready, and assembled a tray to take back to the captain's quarters.
He ate at his desk, looking over some papers of his own—mostly inventory—until he heard her stir mid-morning, and turned around. She was sitting up, her hair messy and sticking up at different ends, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "What time is it?" she asked, her voice still thick.
"Around 10? I have some breakfast for you—"
"It's that late already?"
"Guess so," he said, moving to sit beside her and brushing her hair behind her ears. "What time did you go to bed last night love?"
Jinora glanced at the tray on the bedside table. "Is that lychee juice?"
Kai sighed through his nose when she reached for the glass. "Jinora."
"I'm fine, Kai. You don't need to worry."
"I don't want you to get into bad habits."
"I'm not a child; I don't need a bedtime."
"And I never said either of those things," he said, doing his best to keep his voice even. "All I said was that I want you to stick to a good sleeping schedule, that's all.
"And let my work fall by the wayside?"
Kai resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "How much more do you need to get done? Not by the end of this entire project, just by this Friday."
"Well...I still have to finish my first draft report, and then I need to make sure I have all my notes organized from the places we went to this week. And then I want to get started on my second draft, so I have something more edited when I have to send the first report in by the end of the month, and create a study guide for the next port we dock at."
"Just focus on the first draft and the notes for the next few days, then. The second draft can wait for a few more days, and you don't even have to get started on the study guide right away. We won't be going to our next port for another week."
"But I want to be ready—"
"You will be. Just...don't overwork yourself, please?"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "This is my job, Kai, I can't just slack off because you feel ignored."
Kai frowned. "That's not—I'm just trying to help you, Jinora—"
"Then stop nagging me about things like sleep. I'm an adult and I can take care of myself."
Kai ran a hand through his hair, and stood up. "Fine," he said, walking towards the door. "Do whatever you want." He shut the door firmly behind him, and Jinora's jaw clenched, as she pushed herself out of bed and pulled on clothes.
Couldn't he trust her to take care of herself? She was fine, for crying out loud. Tired, but productive, and that was what mattered. Wasn't he supposed to be proud of her for working so hard for something she wanted? She'd been planning this project for years, she couldn't let up just because he decided he wanted more of her attention for once. Or just wanted her to work less, this was just an intense time in her life, and then it would pass and she could relax again.
Jinora wrestled with the chain of her promise necklace, and the lace shoulder straps of her blouse, and then sighed and went slower, turning the ring over in her palm. He just wanted to help. He always did. He had just been concerned about her getting enough rest. Maybe she had been a little unreasonable. And defensive, and…
She took a deep breath. As soon as she was able to, she would talk to him.
###
She was still there when he opened the door to his room after lunch to get some papers (she hadn't come out to eat after such a late breakfast). He was going to leave when she grabbed his arm, her work still splayed out on his desk.
"Can we talk?"
He slowly turned back to her, his brow pinched together. "Okay." She let go of him, and sat back down at the table.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "You were right. I'm just stressed, and tired, but I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm going to try to start going to bed earlier."
Kai gave her a tiny smile. "Thank you, Jin."
"Do you forgive me?"
His smile widened, if only a little. "Of course I forgive you. I couldn't stay mad at you even if I tried." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm just glad you'll be more rested after this. And if there's anything I can do to help lessen your workload or make things easier, please let me know?"
"I will. And if I get...like this, again, let me know."
"I will. Call each other out, remember? A little nudge in the right direction." His hands found her upper arms.
She let out a pleased hum. "Take me dancing tonight?"
Kai gave her a soft smile. "I would love to, but unfortunately I have paperwork of my own to get through. What about Friday?"
She leaned up and let her nose bump his. "It's a date."
###
They kept their date, setting aside their work once Friday evening came. Jinora wore a light yellow dress with a hem that hit just above her knees, swishing around pleasantly when she turned. She walked arm-in-arm with Kai as they walked through the town, towards the nicest pub they could find while he wore his best button-up shirt with his sleeves rolled up too.
"Anywhere you have in mind?" she asked.
"It's a place Tullik recommended to me, actually," Kai said, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. He'd kept in correspondence with his grandparents, although Misun remained silent, and the former sailor had even shed some light on older establishments Kai had never frequented. "He used to go with his sailing buddies, but I hear the food's still really good even if the joint's become classier since then."
Jinora couldn't help but smile. "It's kind of sweet that your grandfather's recommending date places."
"I didn't want to ask Lefty and he was kind of my only other option," Kai said with a grin. Jinora laughed, leaning into him as they approached the pub.
"I'm glad you got me out tonight."
"I'm very glad to take you out tonight," he said, as they entered the pub and were seated at a booth, rather spacious even if they sat with their thighs pressed together. They both got a beer, and Jinora got a milkshake too, with a veggie burger and some fries, and a double cheeseburger for Kai.
It was nice to eat, just the two of them, and just talk. Jinora got him up to speed on all her work for her research project, hoping for his knowledge of the places she was looking at, and Kai told her about some business deals he was considering, hoping for her opinion. She'd always been good at economics, after all. Their conversation drifted to her family, and then the resolve that the next time they docked in Republic City he'd talk to her parents about their engagement.
"If we're getting married," Jinora considered with a smile, leaning in towards him with her cheek on her palm, her elbow on the table, "does that mean we also get a honeymoon?"
Kai met her eyes and grinned. "I'm sure the crew could manage without me for a week or two. Where would you want to go?"
Jinora wiggled her feet out of her heels, and inched her toes over his ankle. "We could go someplace nice, and hot. The Fire Nation?"
"I've always wondered what Ember Island is like," he confessed, his grin turning sly as he dropped a hand onto her thigh, the fabric of her dress yellow and floaty beneath his palm. Her toes slipped beneath the hem of his pants.
"I think you'll like it. There's a beach, and the waves. Nice beach houses too, with big beds. And it gets so hot." She reached over and played with the collar of his shirt, as he slowly rumpled her dress.
"We might have to go down to the beach sometimes," he purred. "To cool down."
"Mm, and what will we do with all of other time?"
"Try out those nice big beds?" he suggested, leaning in to nip at her earlobe, although it looked like he might have just been whispering in her ear to an onlooker. His hand slid up her thigh. "I would love to break one in with you."
"We don't even have to wait till our honeymoon for that." She bit down on her lip as he ran his thumb along her inner thigh, over her bare skin. "Haven't you been considering getting a new mattress?"
"I have," he acknowledged, "but first, I have to take you dancing, don't I? We can go to a nice club, where no one will notice two more bodies pressed together."
"Then go and pay the cheque," she said, spreading her legs a little bit. He kissed her briefly, squeezing her thigh before slowly letting go.
"Be right back, baby," he promised, and went to go pay the bill. They walked out onto the street, his arm around her waist and holding her close, as they went to the club district and found one with pounding music and lots of people. She didn't even mind when they were crowded immediately upon entering, as the crowds only pushed her closer to Kai.
They found a spot by the wall, Jinora pinned between him and the wall, and she folded her arms against his chest. "You picked a good place," she said, resting her hands on either side of his neck.
Kai smirked, his hands on her waist. "I have good taste. Would you like to dance?"
"Only if you can hold me like this." She linked her fingers over the nape of his neck.
His hand slid to her thigh. "I'll find a way to manage," he said, and led their way onto the dance floor. The song wasn't slow but most of the couples seemed to be like them (admittedly, probably hookups or something of the like), content to take their time and move far more slowly than the beat.
Jinora rested her head on his chest and shoulder as they danced together, his hand holding her hips to his, his other hand wandering to her ass and gripping it firmly, their bodies pressed together. The songs bled into one another, all fast music and pumped up chords. Her lips found the dip of his collarbone, where the first few buttons of his shirt was undone. She pressed a kiss to it, before trailing wet kisses up the curve of his throat, over his Adam's apple. She grasped at the back of his neck with one hand, her other sliding slowly over his chest and stomach, before untucking his shirt from his pants.
Kai held her more tightly, enjoying the feel of her like this. Of her seducing him. "You like what you see?" he said, voice even and steady. He wouldn't show how she was affecting him, until he was ready to have her. For now, he would enjoy the pursuit.
Her fingers slid up under his shirt, and skimmed his lower stomach, feeling hard muscle. "Mmhm. You're so strong. I love it, when I can feel these moving against me, when you fuck me nice and hard."
He squeezed her ass, pressing their hips together. "Tell me baby, are you wet for me right now?"
"Soaked." She pressed herself harder against him. "And I can feel how hard you are."
"I'll make sure you do," he growled, and moved quickly, pushing her up against the nearest wall. He set her thighs around his hips, her dress hiking up over the inner curve of her thighs, as he impatiently pushed the fabric mostly away, and began grinding into her. She let out a breathless moan, and he kissed her hard, muffling any more sounds that rose from her lips.
Jinora clutched at the back of his shirt, parting her lips when she felt his tongue against them, while her hips rolled into his. She had already been ridiculously wet, but now she knew her panties were soaked through completely, her body winding itself tighter and begging for release, as she felt Kai's hardness through his pants press against her.
She drew away from his fierce mouth with a reluctant groan. "Baby I can't wait," she whimpered. He pressed his mouth to her ear with a grin.
"Guess we're heading back early?"
"Please."
###
They stopped at the next port the following week, with Jinora's next draft done and plans to meet with Pfannee and Miki. The former and her son lived in a small cottage near the water, and Miki was doing a teaching job in town too, and had moved in temporarily with the small family to make the rent cheaper for everyone. Lee Wen was a rosy cheeked little boy, nearly five years old, with a black cowlick hanging over his forehead, quieter than his mother, and delighted at the small boat Kai gifted him with, a carving project completed in his spare time. Though he spoke little, he smiled often, and he was clearly happy with his mother, which was all, Pfannee said, she could hope for.
Miki didn't smile as often as the Wens did, but she was still pleased with her work and pleased to see her best friend. She'd visited Jinora the most often when the Gyatso girl had been studying in Ba Sing Se (other than Kai, of course). She was the least changed, Kai found; she was still quiet, still hard working, and still intimidating. And still the least flashy of Jinora's friends, with a style the most like hers, which was why Kai hoped she could help him pick out the perfect proper engagement ring for her.
Or at least, give him some ideas of where to start. Jinora didn't wear much jewelry and in all the years he'd known her, he'd never seen her wear a ring before; it was always earrings or necklaces, and occasionally bracelets. He knew it was a tradition in Water Tribe culture to carve a betrothal necklace, but she already had her grandmother's and was more in touch with her Air Nomad roots, so while he knew she'd appreciate the gesture, it also didn't seem like the best choice.
All he needed was a chance to ask Miki, of course, and the opportunity seemed to rise after dinner, when Miki went to put away the dried dishes (after washing them) and Kai managed to tear himself away from the soft sight of Jinora playing on the rug with Lee Wen and his new toy ship.
"Hey, Miki?" he asked, slipping his hands into his pockets. Miki didn't look at him, and didn't even slow in putting away dishes. She still was the least friendly of Jinora's friends, too, so it didn't discourage him too much.
"Yeah?"
"Could you help me with something?"
"Depends."
"You know Jinora's style pretty well, right?"
Miki paused. "I suppose so."
Kai took a deep breath. "I've asked her to marry me, and I want your help in picking out an engagement ring." When she didn't say anything, nor turn around, he continued hastily. "I know we just saw Shen Shen, but usually what she picks out for Jinora is still too flashy, and I figured you two were the most similar—and you were my first choice to ask, anyway."
Miki turned towards him, and his heart sank when she saw the unimpressed frown etched onto her features. "I'm not helping you pick out an engagement ring."
"...Can I ask why?"
"You've both broken up, what, twice, maybe even three times now? You go through a cycle of good times and then terrible times, I've lost track of how many times you've broken her heart, and I've never thought you were all that well suited to each other to begin with."
"Those times were us figuring out how to be in each other's worlds, we're different now—"
"And I've lost track of how many times you've both said that. Listen, if you two want to keep doing this, that's your choice. But I'm washing my hands of it."
Kai frowned. "Fine. Sorry I asked."
"And I won't pretend to approve, if she brings it up around me."
He stuck his hands in his pockets. "I wouldn't expect you to. I do wonder, though, how quickly you gave up on me. Because I thought when we were kids you decided to give me a chance, and then you decided that me wanting to die wasn't a good enough of a reason to give me another one? Or for the seven months I watched Lee and Jinora be together and kept my mouth shut because I knew I had no right to say anything? Because I have never taken her for granted, even if you act like I do. I love her. I want to marry her. And she's already said yes, and I thought you'd want to be a part of that, as her friend. But fine, whatever. You can say whatever you want to her, but there has never been a day, when we thought we had a choice, that we haven't ultimately chosen each other. That's never changing. So you don't have to like me, or approve of us, or anything, but be prepared to put up with me for the rest of your life. Because I am never leaving her. Ever." Kai swallowed, turning towards the doorway. "Goodnight, Miki."
He smoothed his face over, willing away the frown and quiet, angry disappointment that was cold rather than hot, although Jinora took his hand when she saw him, and ran her thumb over his knuckles, that way she always did when she was concerned about him.
"Everything alright?" she murmured, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his shoulder.
He kept his eyes on the kitchen doorway, as Miki reentered the living room, drying her hands off on a towel, but Kai quickly looked at Jinora and gave her a half-smile. "I'm fine love," he said, convincingly enough that she looked relieved. "Just a little tired."
"We probably should go home soon," Jinora said, even if she cast her gaze wistfully to Pfannee on the floor with Lee Wen. And she hadn't gotten much of a chance to chat with Miki one on one either.
"You could stay the night?" Kai suggested. Just because Miki didn't approve of their engagement didn't mean she and Jinora couldn't spend one-on-one time together. Maybe if he was lucky, that disagreement would stay between him and Miki only, too. "If that's alright with the girls. The crew and I will be in the marketplace all day. You can come find us whenever you want to come back sometime tomorrow. Do a bit of shopping."
Jinora beamed, turning towards her friends. "If you two have room…?" Miki had taken the only spare bedroom after all.
Pfannee balanced Lee Wen on her hip, as she got to her feet. "If Miki doesn't mind sharing a bed."
"You can borrow some of my clothes too," Miki said, smiling hesitantly.
Jinora turned back to Kai, resting her hands on his chest. "You sure you and the crew will be alright without me?"
"Oh, y'know, Skoochy will be devastated, but we'll find a way to manage." He pecked her on the lips, and then went to pull on his boots and coat. "Have fun, Gyatso."
Jinora grinned at him. "Alright. Good night, Kai. Love you."
"Love you too, Jin." He gave her another soft smile and quick kiss, his eyes intentionally avoiding Miki's as he finally left.
"And you, little mister," Pfannee cooed to her son, "it is time for you to go to bed. It is way past your bedtime."
Lee Wen waved his new boat in his chubby fist. "Can I take this with me?"
"Mmhm. You really like Uncle Kai don't you?"
"He's nice. And lives in a real boat. That's cool."
Pfannee smiled at the girls as she started carrying him over to the bathroom. "Well you know, he knew you even when you were just in my tummy."
"He did?" Lee Wen's expression brightened.
"Mmhm. And he was one of the people that made sure we were safe and happy, when not a lot of people were nice to us." Lee Wen let out a pleased little yawn. "Now come on, it's time for you to brush your teeth."
Jinora smiled as they finished climbing the stairs, absentmindedly playing with her promise ring. "Kai was really good with him, wasn't he?" she said softly.
"I guess," Miki said.
"He'll be a good father, one day," she said with a wistful sigh, clearly thinking of how her brother had been around Lee Wen's age when they'd first met Kai. "I can't believe Rohan is already turning thirteen… anyway, what's new with you? How's your teaching?"
"It's alright," Miki said. "The kids here are...a lot nicer than the ones we grew up with," she said with a slight laugh. "Or so it would seem. It's a nice town, if a bit on the poorer side. But there's quite a few kids who really want to get out of here, and work really hard, so I like to think I'm making a difference for them."
Jinora's smile grew. "I know you are. I hope I can do that too, when I've found my place."
"Though you'll be working with universities, or at the very least older kids starting to think about university, and making much more than an elementary teacher's salary," said Miki with a slight smile. Jinora rolled her eyes. "Have you thought about where you want to teach? I know your letters said that your research project is going amazingly well."
Jinora rubbed her arm, smiling a tad bashfully. "I'm looking at RC, and in ZaFou, a few others near sea ports… Kai's encouraging me to consider applying for a position at Ba Sing Se."
Miki blinked. "He is?"
"Yeah. It'd mean long distance again, most likely, but… I don't know. I haven't been back since the rioting. I'm a little… It's safer, now, but some of my memories of the place are...tainted, I guess. But it would be a good opportunity."
"It'd be an amazing opportunity. You'd be working at the most distinguished, oldest university in the world, and you'd be a shoe-in for a position, at least as adjunct faculty for the first few years, since you were one of their best history students. You're at least considering it, right?"
"Well, sure. But RC and ZaoFu University are good colleges, too, and closer to home."
"Closer to Kai?"
Jinora nodded a tad meekly, and then smiled. "I think we could do the long distance this time, though. Now that I've gotten better. I let my jealousy get way out of control and… he was so patient, and now…" She gave a slight laugh, as if she still couldn't quite believe her own happiness. "He's asked me to marry him."
Miki's smile faltered. "After three breakups."
Jinora frowned at her. "Two. Over almost ten years. The first was because we both weren't ready, and frankly, barely had a relationship to break up in the first place, and the second was because I was too stuck in my own head… aren't you happy for me?"
"I just… don't think this is the best choice for you."
Jinora paused. "He told you in the kitchen, didn't he? I knew he looked upset when he came out. You've never liked him, and I don't understand. Why?"
Miki looked her in the eye. "All he does is hurt you and make your life harder. When has knowing him ever made your life easier?"
"Easier?" Jinora stared at her in disbelief. "He has never…" Her jaw clenched. "He has never hurt me more than I've hurt him; arguably, I've hurt him more. And yes, maybe he doesn't make my life easier, but he does make it better. He makes me laugh. He helped me learn how to love myself, and how to have a life I love. And now I want to share it with him." Jinora crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe I can go catch him on the street and go home—"
"Jinora, it's dark out—"
"It's dark out and I have a dagger on me. I can handle myself." She grabbed her coat, tugging it on as she walked out the door.
"Jinora!" Miki scrambled after her, the buttons undone on her coat with a quick call to Pfannee as to where they were going. She jogged a few paces to catch up with her. "Jinora, don't be stupid. Come on, come back inside. Let's talk about something else. I've been your friend for twelve years, you're really going to walk out on me like this?"
Jinora didn't look back. "I'm not going to stop talking to you over this," she said tightly. "I just don't feel like talking to you tonight."
"You know I just want what's best for you—"
"So does he! You've been against him from the beginning, you've never even tried—"
"That is not true—"
"Then name one time you've actually tried to get to know him! One thing you know about him that isn't through me! Because Pfannee and Shen Shen and Lee all know him, and they like him! When I almost panicked myself into leaving Ba Sing Se my first night in the city, he's the one who talked me down! He's the one who was willing to do anything when we were broken up to help me recover in whatever way I needed! He's the one who got me away from high society and Manirak and whatever dark path that would have led to. He's been part of my family this entire time, and I his, even when we weren't together. Tell me that isn't love, Miki."
Miki faltered. "Jinora—"
"My, what are you two ladies yelling about this late at night?"
They both whirled around to see a man with a lopsided gait and a sleazy smile on his face. There was a knife in his hand, and Jinora's hand strayed to the one clipped to her belt, hidden mostly by her jacket. "None of your business," Jinora said, keeping her voice even. "Now, we are going to go on our way—"
"Not so fast girlie." The man gripped his knife and took a step back. "Hand over your money and jewelry, starting with that pretty necklace of yours."
Miki quivered beside her, and Jinora's throat tightened, pulsing against the chain of her promise ring. "Listen," she began, scowling. "You—"
The man raised his knife as though to make a slashing movement, and Jinora reached for her own dagger fruitlessly, when a hand grabbed the man's wrist and bent it backwards, almost to the point of breaking.
"Drop it," Kai hissed from behind him, and the knife clattered out of the man's grip. "You have ten seconds to get out of my sight," he said, his voice low and dangerous as he let go. The man ran as fast as he could, disappearing into the darkness. Jinora sheathed her dagger, rushing into Kai's arms. "What were you doing out here?" Kai said, speaking into her hair, and then raising his gaze to Miki's ashen face in the streetlamp.
"I changed my mind last minute," she mumbled, "and wanted to come back with you."
Kai shook his head. "I had a feeling you might do something I would do. That's what usually happens when you try and defend my honour."
Jinora laughed softly, pulling away just enough to look into his face. "We were going to be okay. I remember everything you taught me."
"Doesn't mean I want you to have to use it." Kai looked at her for a moment longer, then mostly released her. "Come on. Skoochy's at the corner." Indeed, the shaggy haired pirate was at the end of the block having a smoke, and Jinora wondered if there were more crew members around, secretly patrolling the area just in case. "He'll walk you back to the ship if you still want to go back. I'll walk Miki home."
"You don't have to," Miki said quickly.
"Don't care. I'm walking you home." Kai squeezed Jinora's upper arms. "You feel alright walking back with Skoochy?"
"Yeah. I'll make sure he saves some cigarettes for you." She smiled slightly, and he did too as he leaned in to kiss her forehead.
"Be safe, love. I'll see you in like twenty minutes, alright?"
"You too. See you soon."
To say that the walk back to Pfannee's house was awkward was an understatement. The silence seemed stifling, as Miki glanced occasionally at Kai, who stared straight on ahead as they drifted in and out of the light of the street lamps.
"Thank you," Miki began, but quieted when Kai looked at her.
"You don't have to," he said tightly. "Really. I just wish Jinora would have a better head on her shoulders sometimes, with that big brain of hers."
Miki managed a half-hearted laugh. "She's always been a little bit like that," she said.
"Oh I know. It's why she insisted on me teaching her how to use a dagger properly."
"She didn't even seem scared."
"She has a good poker face. You should see her play cards."
Miki almost smiled. "I really am glad you showed up, back there. Even if Jinora probably could've handled it." They were both quiet for a moment. "You're not a bad guy, I just—"
"I know. It's okay."
"It...is?"
"I can't get upset at you for having an opinion, and...there's clearly no changing your mind. You made up your mind about me a long time ago. Jinora did too, for that matter. I just don't want to be a rift between you two. I don't want you to miss out on sharing something special with her, or vice versa, just because…" He stopped in front of the Wens' front door. "Well goodnight, again, Miki."
"Goodnight, Kai. Thanks again."
He stuck his hands in his pockets. "Of course. You're her family too. I'll see if I can convince her to come by again tomorrow, if she's cooled down."
Miki's throat tightened. "Thanks. Um, see you tomorrow."
"You won't have to; I'll just drop her off." Kai took a step back. "Have a good night, Miki," he said, and walked away.
She busied herself with getting her key out of her coat pocket, and opening the door. As she locked it behind her and made her way back up to her room, she attempted to swallow down the guilt rising inside her.
She couldn't apologize for being honest. And as for apologizing for being wrong, well… she'd just have to see if she was wrong at all, first.
###
"Jin?"
She had just barely drifted off when she heard him say her name, and she smiled sleepily, her head rested on his chest. "Hmm?"
"Were you going to ask Miki to be your Maid of Honour?" he whispered.
Her smile faded, and she slowly opened her eyes. "Honestly, I… Yes, she was my first choice." She sighed. "It doesn't matter. I can ask Ikki or Shen or Pfannee—"
"You should still ask her."
Jinora tilted her head up to look at him. "Why? If she doesn't approve of us getting married or being together, than why should I ask her to help us accomplish those things?"
"It can't hurt to just ask. And she's your friend, and you both love each other. If you want her there, you should invite her." Kai reached down and tucked a brown curl behind her ears. "At least think about spending some more time with her before we leave port?"
Jinora frowned slightly, but nodded anyway. "Alright. I'll think about it."
"Thank you."
"She's still wrong about us," Jinora mumbled.
Kai wrapped an arm around her, his hand resting on the small of her back and stroking it lightly. "I know love… how about, if you don't feel up to going to see her tomorrow, we go mattress shopping instead? They have good cheap ones here and I know our springs are getting kinda bumpy. And then once we set sail, once you're done your weekly work for your project, we'll have all the time in the world to break it in…" He leaned in and kissed her briefly.
Jinora smiled when she pulled away. "Scheduling when we have sex? Sexy and punctual. I like it."
He snorted. "I try."
She rested her head back on his chest, drawing her arm over his stomach, tracing her finger lightly as she felt his breath even out. "Babe?"
"Mm?"
"Thank you."
She could feel the smile on his face, when he pressed a kiss to the side of her hair. "You're welcome. Sleep now?"
She smiled too, pressing her lips to his chest. "Yeah. G'nite love."
"Goodnight."
###
As soon as she heard the knock, Miki went straight for the door. Jinora was standing on her stoop, a basket tucked under one arm and wearing a yellow dress Miki had never seen before, as her friend rubbed her arm.
"May I come in?" Jinora asked.
"Of course," she said, standing aside. Jinora stepped in carefully, clasping her hands in front of her. Miki closed the door gently. "Um, Pfannee's making pancakes this morning. She's actually getting pretty good at cooking."
"I've brought along some of the cook's muffins, from the ship." Jinora lifted the basket hanging off her arm.
"Oh, thank you."
"Yeah, it was Kai's idea. He figured you both are cooking so often, now, so…"
"Oh."
Jinora sighed. "I figured we should talk, after where we left things last night."
"Yeah. I… Jinora, I don't want you to think I don't support you. But you're my best friend, and you were the first friend I've ever had. I just...worry."
"None of our other friends are worried about me and Kai."
"That's…" Miki sighed. "I admit, I...I haven't gotten to know him as well as everyone else has."
"He…" Jinora set the basket down on the nearest table. "He loves me so much, Miki. I know it."
"I believe you. It's just… Two breakups doesn't look great on paper."
"I know. But we've only grown together since. And the first time we were together, and 'broke up' all we'd done was kiss a few times. We had never really gone on a date or anything. And the second time… it was bad, but it was what we both needed, even if it hurt. And… we don't live our lives on paper, Miki. If we did I probably never would have met him."
"You really think you'll last this time?" It was a genuine question, with no tone of accusation or skepticism.
"I do."
"Then I'm not going to stop you."
"You weren't going to be able to either way."
Miki almost smiled. "I figured."
"But if you're...if you're willing, to try to change your mind about us...would you like to be my Maid of Honour?"
Miki blinked, taking a stumbling step back. "You…" She looked at the floor, and then back up at Jinora. "You want me to be your Maid of Honour?"
Jinora smiled slightly. "Of course I do. You're my best friend, even when we disagree. But only if you're willing."
"I…" Miki swallowed. "I'll have to...think over some things, before I make a decision, but… I'd love to."
Jinora's smile grew. "Thank you. It would mean a lot to us, to have you there."
"Kai's alright with it?"
"Kai's the one that told me to ask you."
"Wait, what?"
"I was planning to already," Jinora clarified. "But after last night, I wasn't sure if you'd… But he told me to ask you anyway. He knew it was important to me, to have you there, especially since you were—are my first choice to ask."
Miki gave her a slow smile. "Then...tell him thanks, for me. And, um...you should both stop by for lunch, before you leave." They moved into the kitchen together.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. It's about time I start getting to know your future husband a little better, anyway."
Jinora smiled. "Thanks, Miki. Now, let's go eat? I'm sure Lee Wen will want some muffins too."
###
Jinora shucked off her shoes and was already halfway on top of their bed, as Kai shut the door of the captain's quarters two days later. They'd gotten back from an afternoon at the Wens, staying long after lunch (mostly at Lee Wen's insistence for new playmates) with still full bellies and a couple of hours before dinner, and for once neither of them had any chores or work to do until then.
"God I love our new mattress," Jinora sighed, sinking into it and running a hand through her hair. They'd gotten it the previous afternoon for a decent price, and Kai had to admit it was a lot more comfortable, and a bit bigger, going a tad off the frame. It let them both sprawl out more at night, not that they minded being pressed together, but it would be extra nice in the warmer weather. He wouldn't have to have Jinora's elbow accidentally colliding with his stomach when she rolled over in her sleep to drool on the other side of her pillow anymore.
Kai took off his sword belt and shoes and joined her, and she automatically tucked herself into his side. "Sleepy?" he asked, when she nosed into his shoulder, yawning a bit.
"A little. Mostly my feet hurt. We did a lot of walking the past few days."
"You get used to walking a lot and then not at all," Kai told her. It was an occupational hazard of docking at ports for a few half a week, and then being stuck on a tiny ship for the other half. "I can fill up a basin with hot water that you can soak your feet in, next time."
She smiled softly. "I'd like that. But I'm too tired to sit up right now."
He chuckled softly. "That's alright. It's not my turn for night shift and tomorrow will just be sailing, so we can sleep in for awhile."
The crew knew what to do enough on out-at-sea days by this point that there weren't many orders to give (or arguments to break up, at least not until mid-morning).
"We should write my parents tonight," she mumbled. "And Rohan, and Aika and Tullik. They're all expecting letters soon."
"They can wait one more day love," he said. "Don't you have to finish your piece on this port tonight anyway?"
"Oh yeah, that." She sighed, curling away from him to stare at the ceiling.
Kai turned to look at her, poking her in the side. "What's wrong? You're not enjoying it anymore?"
"No I am, I'm just—" she sighed again. "It's a lot of work in a tight amount of time."
"We could always do a longer trip. Hit the more important ports twice. You could drop off your initial stuff when we dock back in Republic City for Thanksgiving."
Jinora glanced over at him. "You wouldn't mind coming back around?"
He shrugged. "We'd be doing it again either way. And I never mind coming when it comes to you."
She looked back at the ceiling, laughing, her toes curling. "That was really bad, even for you."
"But you still laughed."
"Because it was so bad."
He grinned. "As long as I still made you laugh." He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. "And you've always known I'm a bad man."
"Oh, atrocious," she teased, playing along, laying her hands on his chest. "And a terrible influence on me."
"Well you've been a wonderful influence on me dear," he said, growing thoughtful when her smile and eyes softened. "What?"
"Nothing." She pressed her smile lightly to his shoulder. "I've just only ever heard my parents call each other that before."
"Oh. Is that...good?"
She smiled. "Yeah. It just…makes it more real, that we're going to grow old together." She curled into him. "I like it."
"I guess I'll talk with your parents at Thanksgiving," he mused. "Do I just tell them I already asked you, or…?"
"You might as well tell them the truth; they won't mind. My dad's been calling you son for years."
"Well, yeah, but that's different from… marrying into your family for real. Than marrying you."
"I think they've known for a while, that we'd end up together. I know they'll be happy, when you tell them."
"You really think so?"
Jinora nodded. "Why wouldn't they be?" she asked, her voice growing soft.
Kai squirmed slightly. "I don't know… just, is there anything else as permanent as marriage? I mean, I want to marry you, but it also includes them, and possibly their grandkids, and that's just so… the rest of their lives, y'know?"
Jinora laughed softly. "You've always been so considerate," she murmured. "And I know you haven't had many constants in your life before, but even if we weren't getting married, we'd still be together the rest of our lives anyway, right?"
"We would," he said, relaxing again.
"Exactly. That means you'd also be part of my parents' lives for the rest of it, too. It's like you said before. This is just more official." She tilted her head slightly to look up at him. "You still want this?"
"I do," he said immediately. "God, yes, I want this. To marry you. I just don't want them to think that I...disregarded them, or something. I don't know."
"They'll understand," she assured him, smoothing her hands down his chest. "Trust me, okay?"
He gave her a small smile. "Okay," he said, and they kissed briefly, before she settled back down again. He was silent for a long time before he said, voice tight, "Shit."
She arched her eyebrows. "What?"
"Who am I gonna have for my Best Man? I'll have to choose between Sono and Skoochy."
Jinora puffed out a laugh. "Maybe you can break convention and have both of them, love. We're having a pirate styled wedding after all."
"Yeah, but…"
"Or, you could ask Yung. Both of them would understand and neither would get butthurt, and maybe a decade down the line we can make sure we have twins, so they're both godfathers at the same time. How about that?"
Kai smiled into her hair. "And this is why I love you," he said, trying not to laugh.
"Jinora Gyatso-Fong. Problem solver." She wrinkled her nose at him when he laughed again. "Now let me sleep."
"Fine, fine." He held her close, burying his face in her hair. "I love you."
"I love you too".
"Anything else you wanna talk about?"
"No. You?"
"I'm just teasing you now," Kai said, and she could hear the shit-eating grin in his voice.
"I'm officially ignoring you for my nap, then. Wake me up when it's time for dinner." She let out a little sigh when he started stroking her hair, and she nosed into his shoulder, calm washing over her.
"Alright love," he promised, and she fell asleep quickly after that.