This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

Peace in and of itself starts from outside and slowly works it's way in. It's a laborious process it is, but it is worth it not only for you, but for the people you love and who love you in turn.

The Peace

Jinora swore her brain was broken right now.

She'd been so... shocked to say the least that she hadn't even been able to catch up with them before they disappeared into the crowd.

Now, she paced anxiously in front of her locker, waiting for Kai to come so she could tell him exactly what she'd seen. Shortly thereafter, when he finally arrived, he hadn't even been able to swallow his bite of his veggie burger before she blurted out her news.

"Ikki was kissing Skoochy!" she cried.

Kai blinked at her as if she had grown a second head.

"Whart?" he asked, mouth full. He swallowed his bite. "What'd you just say?"

"Ikki. Was kissing. Skoochy."

He blinked again, obviously trying to process the words that had just come out of her mouth. Quite frankly, she hoped she was crazy at this point. That was just... no.

"No way," he said. "There's no way your sister would kiss that rat."

"The thought never even crossed my mind until I saw them... saw them..." Jinora almost gagged saying it. "locking lips down the hall! I wouldn't lie about this, Kai!"

"I know you wouldn't!" he said, raising his hands up defensively, food in hand.

"Then please tell me I'm crazy!"

"You're not crazy," he said soothingly. "First of all, calm down. It's a kiss. They're not married. You don't even know if they're dating or anything. Maybe she got dared to kiss him or something."

"But they were holding hands!" she whined anxiously.

"Then maybe they are dating. You know I don't like the guy as is, but you should ask her. I mean, there has to be some kind of explanation to this."

"Explanation..." she sighed, taking a deep breathe. "You're right. Explanation. I'll just talk to her and see what she has to say... even though we haven't properly talked for like two months..."

"No time like the present then."

Jinora agreed.

Kai was right. There just had to be an explanation for this.

-:-:-:-

"Because he's my boyfriend?"

Jinora wasn't sure whom she was angrier with at the moment. Skoochy or Ikki.

When she looked at Skoochy standing there, arm over her little sister's shoulders with this casual air about him, she wanted to just strangle him. Never, had she wanted to hurt someone so bad. Looking at Ikki, she just wanted to yell at her and demand what she was doing with her arm around Skoochy's back. They looked like they were actually dating and she wanted to puke.

Lunch was just about over and, after fuming to Kai the entire time, she'd finally found Skoochy and Ikki walking around campus. When Skoochy left, she approached Ikki.

"You're not the only one who's allowed to have a boyfriend, Jinora," said Ikki, frowning. "You don't get to be the queen of everything."

"Look. I don't care if you date, but Skoochy?" asked Jinora, incredulous and disgusted. "He's a complete pig! Since when did you like him!? Since when did he like you!?"

"Oh! So, it's absolutely impossible for a guy to like me! Wow, you have a way with words!" shouted Ikki.

"That's not what I meant and you know it! C'mon, Ikki! Don't start!"

"You already did!"

She knew what this was about.

It was hardly a coincidence that the very day after she shot Skoochy down then all of a sudden he was kissing up on her little sister. He couldn't get what he wanted so he went for easier target b. Ikki was only a second year and she'd never had a real boyfriend before. That rat probably saw her and thought since his original plan didn't work, then why not pick a new victim. Of course, Ikki was not going to see it that way.

"Just go away, Jinora. This is why I'm done talking to you."

Jinora frowned.

"Ikki, he's using you. I hate to say it like that, but I turned him down just yesterday after our tutoring in the library. That's not a coincidence!"

"Leave. Me. Alone."

Ikki turned away from her.

Fed up, Jinora grabbed Ikki by the arm.

"No! I will not let you do something you're going to regret and, oh, I know he's going to try and convince you."

Ikki wrenched her arm away, red in the face.

"Oh, you mean like you did! With your pretty little secret boyfriend!"

"There is a huge difference with Kai and I! Kai is not Skoochy. Kai is a gentleman and respects me. Skoochy does not respect you. He is using you because he couldn't have me and I don't care if you don't like the way that sounds! You need to read my lips and understand the words coming out of my mouth because it's the truth and you know it."

She hated the fact that her words obviously sounded harsh.

She hated the fact that they'd no doubt make Ikki even angrier at her.

She hated the fact that they definitely hurt as she saw tears well up in Ikki's eyes.

But more than anything, she'd hate herself if Skoochy got away with what he was trying to do. Ikki could get as mad as she wanted, but this would not stand.

When Ikki didn't answer, but instead wiped tears away and scowled fiercely, Jinora continued.

"If you still doubt me then just go ask him about me."

Still no answer.

Jinora sighed.

"I'm sorry, Ikki."

"No, you're not. You're never sorry. If you were sorry then you wouldn't always do this," said Ikki thickly.

"Do what?" asked Jinora tiredly.

"Ruin everything."

With that, Ikki turned and walked away, still wiping her eyes.

Jinora stood there, mouth a little hung open as if she wanted to say something, but no sound came. Perhaps it didn't matter what she did. She hated herself in that moment anyway. Could she have really worded that better? Maybe waited until they got home? Confronted her in a gentler way?

Maybe.

But she hadn't. She hadn't and she wasn't sure if she would have taken it back. Despite how angry her sister was at her, it was a small price to pay to get through to her at least a little bit. Her number one priority was to ensure that Skoochy didn't take advantage of Ikki.

That didn't mean it still hadn't hurt though.

This fight had gone on for two months. Two entire months. Silently, slowly and dreadfully. They basically never spoke to each other anymore and their parents didn't know what to do. Forcing them to talk would do nothing, as her mother had put it. It would have only made them resent each other more. Jinora didn't want to feel that way about Ikki. It was a constant struggle to try and force herself to understand that Ikki was hurt, above all, rather than angry. This fight was not about Kai or how Ikki had burst their secret. This fight was about how Ikki felt in the family and they had just ran into the misfortune of having the dam break right on Jinora.

Not that Jinora hadn't exactly deserved it, of course. Her actions that day when she burst into Ikki's room after school had greatly contributed to this whole mess and she would have been lying if she said that didn't leave her guilty in all of this.

The rest of the day went on anxiously. Jinora constantly was looking out for Skoochy so she could give him a piece of her mind, but to no avail. He seemed to know to purposefully avoid her and stayed out of her line of sight all day.

Even after school, he didn't come for his tutoring session. She didn't miss him and ended up texting Kai to give her a lift.

"So," said Kai, taking off his helmet after he pulled up to the front of the school. "You gave him a piece of your mind yet?"

"No," said Jinora sorely. "He didn't show up today. He told Mr.s Tunji to tell me that something came up and he couldn't come today. I don't know how true that is and I'm not sure I care."

Kai scoffed.

"Oh yeah, right. I'm sure something came up all of a sudden."

"Not like it'll do anything," she said. "What does he think I'll do? Forget about it by the next time I see him?"

"He's hoping," he said. "Or that you'll at least drop it or something."

"Hmph. Fat chance of that happening," she grumbled, climbing onto his bike behind him.

"Hey... do me a favor?"

Jinora blinked.

"Of course, what is it?"

"Please don't go home and confront Ikki again... I know it's kind of none of my business, but I hate the idea of you and your sister fighting even more. I can't stand him just as much as you do. More even, but... trust her? As a sign of goodwill? If what you told me earlier was true then I think you got through to her even if she was being stubborn about it. If you don't tell your parents perhaps she'll soften up. It just... it upsets you so much and I don't want there to be anymore drama like that for you... just... let it die down? "

She blinked again.

She couldn't help it. Jinora smiled a little and leaned forward to wrap her arms around him in a hug.

"I won't. I promise... I don't want to upset anyone anymore for today... I'm just tired."

"I know you are, babe. I know."

He brought his hand over his ribs where her hand was at, squeezing it for a moment before placing his helmet back on and riding off.

-:-:-:-

Jinora did as Kai had suggested and didn't talk to Ikki when she came home although she could feel her sister's eyes on her a lot that night. Undoubtedly, she was worried that Jinora would spill the beans to her parents, but Jinora was just too tired.

She didn't want another fight.

She was so sick of fights.

What was so hard about having some peace in her life?

Whatever the case, she would not be the one to start it.

Or at least that's what she had told herself when she came home.

Everything she tried to do that night was simply not getting done. She tried to read a book before bed, but that just wasn't happening. No matter how many times she wanted to dial Kai's number and head to bed, something stopped her. Thank Raava that she had already done her homework for the day long beforehand because she couldn't even watch a movie with enough focus.

She didn't want to go talk to Ikki, but apparently, that was what she was going to have to go do. Talk. Actually talk. No yelling, no harsh words. Just talking.

She sorely missed doing that.

When Jinora arrived at Ikki's room, the door was left ajar. Sensing someone there, Ikki turned her head and, for a moment, they just stared at each other. Jinora couldn't leave now. Here she was, so close, yet, she felt herself losing her nerve. It really had been a long time since they'd even been to each other's rooms. She almost felt as if she were trespassing.

To her surprise, however, Ikki was the one who broke the silence.

"Hey..." she said.

"Hey..." replied Jinora.

Jinora slowly stepped into the room at that, feeling at least somewhat if not ambiguously welcome. She came to sit beside Ikki who was doodling in a notebook on the bed. Unsure of what else to break the ice with, she pointed it out.

"Those are cute," said Jinora, looking at the notebook. "You've gotten better."

"Thanks..." said Ikki, keeping her eyes on the notebook. "I showed them to Huan over Soran. He thinks so too."

"You'd be really good at logo designing you know," said Jinora gently.

"Thanks."

As awkward as their conversation sounded, there was a pillowy feeling to it. As if, finally, neither of them were trying to fight each other. To some degree, that lifted the nerves off Jinora's shoulders.

For another minute, they just sat in silence, Ikki's doodling becoming more hesitant and slower before, again, she was the one that said something.

"Huan thinks you're right, y'know."

Jinora blinked.

"He does?"

She was starting to think that Ikki had specifically gone on video chat with her Beifong friend just to get some clarity on the situation. Huan had a lot of Ikki's trust and... and maybe Ikki didn't hate her as much as Jinora had originally thought? That would've been awfully nice.

"Yeah... he, um... he thinks that you wouldn't lie to me. He says you have no reason to. At least anymore and even then... why would you lie to me about that?"

Jinora swallowed hard, letting the information roll over in her brain before she spoke.

"...and what do you think?"

Ikki stopped her pencil.

"... that he's right. And you're right. And Skoochy is a jerk. We we're hanging out after school and all he wanted to do was kiss me. Not once did he ever ask a single question about me. When I tried to start a conversation he just brushed it off. I figured that maybe he just liked me a lot, but... if he liked me at all he would at least talk to me. Like Huan said. He's only interested in pleasing himself and looking for instant gratification. Me and you we're just ways of him getting to that."

Ikki, pencil and notebook now laid in her lap, looked up at Jinora. Her jaw was tight and Jinora was sure that she was fighting off tears.

Jinora too wanted to cry at the sight of that.

"I hate that this happened Ikki. I really do. You know that I love you and that I would never try to tear you down just to build myself up. I'm a horrible sister, but I'd never do something like that."

"You're not a horrible sister, Jinora..." said Ikki quietly, seemingly trying to gather her own voice.

"But I'm not a good one. Otherwise, none of this would be happening right now. I'm sorry and... and you know that... and I know that doesn't make everything better, but I hope it at least makes you understand how much I care about you and how much I hate that all of this came crashing down on you. You know that I love you, don't you? I need you in my life," Jinora felt her voice beginning to crack. "I just... it's been so long since we've personally talked like this and I hate how i-it has to be over something bad... I... I..."

Jinora couldn't get the words out of her mouth.

Did she even deserve to say them?

"I miss you too."

Jinora looked at her and saw a softness in her little sister's eyes that she missed seeing.

Both of them, teary-eyed and feeling a little weak voiced at the moment, sighed and reached out for the other's hand. She missed this. Jinora missed this so much. Everything was in no way perfect. This did not fix their problems or erase the issues that had been brought up between them two months ago. It did not make Jinora think that, all of a sudden, Ikki's feeling about how she felt in the family were just magically better because it didn't. However, they seemed to silently agree on one thing.

They weren't going to make it better by ignoring each other for the rest of their lives.

When Ikki moved forward for a hug, Jinora sighed with relief and just wrapped her arms around her.

No, it did not make everything suddenly all better.

But at least they had each other back and, for the time being, that was enough for the both of them.

-:-:-:-

The next day was rather bright. Jinora told Kai what happened and, of course, he was happy for the two of them. He was just happy that there would be at least a little less tension at home for her now. All day, she felt content and cheerful and like the world was finally opening up a little more again.

At least until four in the afternoon. When four o'clock came around Jinora could not believe it. He showed up?

Skoochy showed up?

He had the gall to show up?

Jinora had just been ready to leave, assuming that Skoochy and her had the silent presumption that they would not continue with his tutoring. She figured, mostly, that he'd still be sore about her turning him down. Plus, she figured he would realize that what he did would not be okay with her.

When he showed up and tried to give her the twenty yuans, Jinora frowned.

"You still want me to tutor you?" she asked, a little disbelief in her voice.

Skoochy licked his lips, looking somewhat sheepish.

"Well, yeah, c'mon Jinora. I really need it and I'm paying you. Can't you at least do it for the money?"

"The money's not the issue here," said Jinora stoically.

He sighed.

"C'mon, if you're upset about the stuff with your sister, we were just having fun. She's not even mad at me or anything."

That's because she's nice, she thought coldly. Ikki wouldn't hold a grudge against almost anyone.

"That doesn't make it okay," she said simply.

"Lighten up, Jinora, please. I'll flunk if I don't get some help here and you're the only one I know who can help me pass. I was really understanding stuff more! I really was! Can you still help me? Please?" begged Skoochy.

Looking in his eyes, she couldn't help but feel his sincerity. He did need help and it seemed like he was actually getting better.

"You know you gotta help me here. You know it," he said again, frowning and holding the money out in front of him again, almost trying to shove it at her. Looking at him again, Jinora did not like what she saw.

Triumph.

As if she'd already said yes.

As if he knew that pleading with her was going to make her cave in.

As if he knew that he could play at her sense of wanting to be there for everyone. Even people who didn't deserve it like him and deserve it he did not.

Something like steel embedded in her skin and steadied her. She narrowed her eyes at him and nearly smacked the money out of his hand.

No.

"I don't think so. No."

The triumph in his eyes melted and his face faltered.

"W-what? But you have to!"

"I don't have to do anything," she told him, pushing his hand away from her as she grabbed up her book bag. "You first try to hit on me knowing that I have a boyfriend. You disregard my personal space, still trying to flirt with me. You ask me out and when I tell you that not only do I have a boyfriend, but I am not interested in the slightest, you blatantly and totally disrespect my decision. On top of that, you insult Kai. As if that wasn't going to make me angry. After all of that is said and done, you go after my sister for a good time because she's an easier target for you to manipulate. Because she's younger and less experienced in this type of thing and you know it. Yet. You still think that I'd let you treat me and the people I love like that and still somehow owe you my time?"

Long-winded as that was, Jinora was almost out of breath.

Skoochy, meanwhile, stared at her with a frown on his face. He cleared his throat.

"I thought you'd give me a second chance. Be a little forgiving here..."

"No," she said. "No, I don't think so. I am forgiving. Or at least I try to be. But I gave you second, third and fourth chances when you kept on breathing down my neck and hitting me when I was clearly uncomfortable with it. I try to be forgiving, but I don't want to help you because you're trying to take advantage of that."

She felt emboldened with every word she threw at him. Like the steel in her skin had reached in given her that strength. Sure, he'd go around and tell his friends a different story, but she didn't care. No one would probably believe him anyway.

Skoochy, looking a little miserable with bitterness and maybe a little regret, scowled at her. He picked up his book bag and slung it over his shoulder moodily.

"Fine, whatever... see ya," he turned away to stalk off.

Jinora was about to turn away herself and go back to her business, but something kept stopping her.

She sighed.

Old habits died hard.

"Skoochy wait."

Skoochy turned around curiously, but still scowling.

She pulled out a pen and paper, quickly jotting down numbers, then handing it over to Skoochy. "This is Yao's number, okay? He's really good at History too and he'll be more than happy to tutor you. He was my partner for one of our group projects so just tell him I sent you and he'll take care of you. Just give him a call tonight."

Skoochy looked at the number then back at Jinora, blinking. He nodded at her, his scowl fading a little bit.

"Thanks," he said, then walked off, number and cell phone in hand.

With that, Jinora also picked up her things and left the library.

Outside, Kai was waiting for her, leaning against a wall. When she walked up to him, he smiled and took her by the hand. She started to tell him about what had happened in the library with Skoochy and, at first, he was very unhappy. That had been the very think he'd been afraid of and not only had it come true, but it had came true in the form of the one person he couldn't stand. However, she continued and, by the end of the story, he was smiling again.

When she finished, he looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, he leaned down to plant a kiss on her cheek.

She blinked, giggling.

"What was that for?"

"Nothing," he said, looking fondly at her. "I'm just proud of you."

"Proud of me...?"

"Yeah. I'm proud of you. For everything you just told me."

"I still don't understand... why?" she asked, confused. She just told Skoochy off. Kai would have done that and more in a heartbeat.

He chuckled.

"I'm proud of you for not letting him take advantage of your kindness. For telling him off. More importantly, for standing up for yourself. But... I'm also proud because of what you did for him. I mean... you still helped the guy. He didn't deserve a single digit you gave him, but you still helped him out and did it in a way that still let you stand your ground. I couldn't have done that. I wouldn't have."

He stopped to turn towards her, smiling lovingly at her.

"Oh..." she said, her face feeling hot.

His smile turned into a small grin.

"Jinora, that's why I love you so much," he pulled her into a hug. "I don't think you realize just how few people have a heart like yours.

A little bashful now and feeling a smile curve on her lips, Jinora just snuggled into his arms and let him hug her. He would have an answer to any of her protest that Skoochy just needed the help, so, she was simply going to take his hug and compliments.

This was nice.

This felt good.

All of it.

Part of me wonders if this chapter went by a little fast, but I still liked it and there were a few scenes in here that I really liked. I really liked Ikki and Jinora's scene in the latter half of the chapter and I really liked Jinora and Skoochy's scene in the end too. I wanted this chapter to have a little growth for Jinora. To show her gaining a little confidence and putting herself back together a bit. I mean, a couple months ago she would have just gone on and helped Skoochy, but this is her telling herself that she is worth so much more than that and that she doesn't owe anyone anything. These types of things are a huge process, but this is a fine step in the right direction of that kind of personal growth. Yet, what I really love, is that she still chooses to help him. She still reaches out and helps him out and gets him squared away, but doesn't compromise herself. It's like, in a way, she definitely wins out by not only standing up for herself, but also staying true to who she is and that's someone who has a kind heart. Kai sees that and reminds her that's all who she is and he adores her for every bit of it.

Not much else to say here, but watch out for the next couple chapters :)

As always, I love it when you guys drop those reviews! They help keep me motivated and keep me writing this story! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!