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

Life gets pleasantly funny when you realize that you're just happy for someone else.

The News

The hardest part about having Kai in the house now was that Jinora seriously had to resist touchinghim all the time. Normally, when they were with one another somebody always had themselves wrapped around the other. It wasn't anything purposefully obnoxious, but... it was just something that they did. She also had to resist going into his room early in the morning to see him. Or, at least, resist doing it when everybody was awake and have her father ready to chuck him out the window.

She was proud of Kai though.

He was getting up nice and early with the rest of them despite how much she knew he really wasn't a fan of mornings. Although he was usually the last one down it was still nice of him to get up with the rest of them despite her mother's insistence that he didn't have to. Then again, her father's stiffness probably didn't make him feel like that was the better option. It became a habit of hers to go into his room and make sure he was getting up just so he didn't feel too out of place coming down. Understandably, he was feeling a little awkward in his new home.

Still, even at all that, not touching him was a very hard thing indeed. It wasn't like they were doing anything strange or rude in front of her family, but her father was still very much getting used to having her boyfriend around and she and Kai both agreed to try and ease him into it.

That being said, it was indeed a losing battle as the days went on. Her fingers would brush up against his lower back and he would lean back into her affectionately. He couldn't help kiss her when they talked and she couldn't help fitting herself into the crook of his arms when it was free.

It wasn't like they were doing it on purpose.

It was just natural.

It didn't feel like a shift in the universe just because he'd moved in with them and she was grateful for that. The initial transition of having Kai living with them had been a smooth one. On one hand, yes she was happy and yes there was somekind of change having him around like this. Something indeed had kind of... weaved itself in between them and she felt that. On the other hand, her prior fears of his move in making things feel weird or scary were dashed away and a far away thought. The way he interacted with her siblings and the way he did his best to help around the house quickly made her feel like he belonged.

He'd clicked a little more into place in her life quite easily and that was far more than a relief to her.

That all being said, her father was still not exactly impressed.

His demeanor hadn't changed much if it did, well, at all. He was still quite rigid around Kai and they talked very little. As far as her father was concerned, when he wasn't with Jinora then we was doing Raava only knew what on his laptop.

"I'm sorry if I don't exactly see him applying himself, dear," said her father, shrugging slightly. "I appreciate the work he does around the house, but what else does he do with his day? He spends a confounded amount of time on that laptop of his-"

"Working on his art, Dad." Jinora cut in.

"-you've said that. But what else does he do? He goes to work, comes home, sees you, goes on his laptop and then it's time for bed. The computer is a wonderful thing, but it can also be used for very stray things as well-"

"Dad, for Raava's sake what do you wanthim to do?" asked Jinora, frowning. "Now, you're just finding things to complain about. You just can't accept the fact that he's not as bad as you thought he'd be."

Her father snorted.

"I'm not finding anything is the problem. What ambition? What drive? Yes, you spent your head in books growing up, but those are booksand you had top-notch grades. Dear, I'm just worried you've fallen for a young man who has no direction in his life. If I were to be completely blunt, what exactly do I have to be impressed about?"

-:-:-:-

"...well, can't say I can really blame him," said Kai, busy taping his sketches onto the walls. By now, he had rows of things he'd sketched in some madness of organization only he understood while he was attempting a particularly ambitious art piece on his laptop.

Jinora almost gaped at him.

"How can you say that?" she asked, astonished and almost heartbroken. "Of course there's a lot to be impressed about you."

He chuckled, half bitterly it sounded like.

"Like what? And not things only you would know," he said, glancing at her and adding the last bit when she opened her mouth to reply.

Frowning, she closed it.

She actually glared at him a bit and when he glanced back at her for a moment, he shrugged.

"What? It's true. I mean, I do sit in here a lot of the day-"

"Because you're still getting used to being around is all. And you're working."

She gestured pointedly to his laptop.

"Yeah, okay, but he's not exactly wrong about my future. Jinora, you and I both know I have no cluehow I'm going to pay for college outside of getting a job and working my ass off. You know I'll do that, but even then who knows if it'll be enough? Who knows if I'll even be acceptedto any colleges around here my earlier grades were bad enough. I mean, really, I was just passing most of those times."

"But you're grades are great now," she insisted. "And even if the universities won't have you that doesn't mean you can't at least go to a nearby community college."

"But the community colleges around here don't exactly have stellar art programs. Of course, I can do withoutcollege if I'm going for art, but it helps a lot for connections and stuff like that. That's important."

Jinora was actually somewhat at a loss for words. When she didn't say anything, he looked at her again from what he was doing and sighed. He walked over and sat down next to her where she sat cross-legged on his bed.

"Don't look like that," he said quietly. "I'm going to figure it out. It's okay-"

"No, it's not," she said, surprisingly upset about it.

He blinked at her.

"Babe-"

"Don't babe me. I hate it when you talk about yourself like that. Like... like you don't have anythingto offer. Look at all of these," she said, getting up and gesturing to the sketches on the wall. "You're incrediblytalented! I know! It's not like I don't know what's good when I see it and Kai... Raava, you do stuff that some people well into their adult lives could only dream of."

"There are a lot of people better than me," he said.

"And there a lot of people that aren't," she said fiercely, apparently startling him somewhat. "Even your doodles are something to be jealous of. There's a sense of realism, but not and a style that I'm probably nowhere near qualified to explain, but I know how much you'd love to be in the animation business and I really think you have a shot! And I'm not just saying that because you're my boyfriend and just... you're frustrating because you're good, but it's like you need to work yourself to the bone to believe that."

Kai looked at her for a second. Then, he reached out a hand to her. She took it and he gently pulled her back to sit with him.

"Okay, I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm not upset," she said, shaking her head. "I'm just frustrated... and stop doing that."

"Stop doing what?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"Stop making it not about you. I want you to think about yourself as something really valuable for just once in your life. More than once. I mean... I've seenyou work hard for your talent and it just hurts watching you discount all of that..."

He sighed.

"I'm not... I'm not discounting it. I'm just taking in the realistic facts that college may not be in my future is all. You know, it's hardto look at my stuff and feel the same way you do. I mean, I'm proud. Don't get me wrong. I'm really proud that I've gotten so far, but there's always that feeling... you know? It's just the life of an artist."

Jinora's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Is it the life of an artist or is it just yourlife?"

Now, he let out a restless noise and hung his head tiredly for a moment.

"Jinora, don't..."

"No, you don't," she said firmly, but not unkindly. In fact, she spoke softly. "I knowthat it's hard to see it my way. I get that. You know I do... but I just... look at me and how I feel about myself. I'm doing everything I can to make myself believe I'm not a mess just because I'm a mess and that's who I am and how it is. And I always think about the things you say to me to help me not get down on myself. Now, don't be stubborn and, please, listen to mefor once."

Kai looked at her, away and then back at her again.

"You know I want to," he said very quietly. "But I can't just doit. It's hard. As much as I love you and as much as you're apart of me you know that still doesn't change the fact that our lives are very different. We don't look in the mirror and see the same things."

"Our lives werevery different," she said, taking his hand and intertwining it in hers. "Not so much anymore though... right?"

She asked him hopefully. Tenderly. Kindly.

Did he still want this? A life with her? There was no doubt that he loved her, but...

She went on.

"Do you still see our future?" she asked.

"Not even a question," he said immediately, actually looking slightly surprised. "Of course I do. I've never been more confident about anything in my life. If there's one thing I believe in and am going to make work it's our future together. Even then, before anything, I'll do whatever I have to do so that you're happy. What I thank my lucky stars for every day is that they made me the luckiest man in the world where a life with me is included in that. You and Raava willing, I'll make that happen no matter what."

Whatever Jinora was about to say, whatever she'd been ready to assert herself on, she found, was once again dashed when he'd spoke finally.

She stared at him for a second, tiling her head and just watching him as he seemed to be waiting for her to answer.

"You know something?" she asked, almost inaudible.

"What's that?"

"You puzzle me. As much as I love you there are just these moments in time where you puzzle me to death."

He raised an eyebrow.

"...why?"

"Because I don't understand how someone can be so determined and dedicated and willing for anything in this life and still think he's got nothing for the world to offer when every day I swear I hear gold come out of his mouth..."

Kai blinked at her again, mouth slightly agape. He didn't seem to know how to answer her. After a minute of him just kind of making faces...

He finally just laughed.

He laughed and laughed and laughed and it, quite frankly, just about shocked her.

"What's so funny?" she asked him, feeling her cheeks burn. "What? I meant that!"

"I know you did! I know you did!" he said, putting his hands up defensively when he finally calmed down. "I just... Jinora you're always saying I'mcorny."

"I'm not corny," she said, smiling now. "I'm just in love with you. That's all."

He flashed a smile, squeezing her hand in his where their fingers were intertwined.

"So, you finally understand."

"I always have. That's why I love your corniness. Our corniness I guess."

"Spirits, the way we get to these conversations..." he grinned for a moment, wiping his eye. Then, he looked a little more somber and sighed. "Okay, okay... I guess... you know. Sometimes I don't totally think I'm worthy of you and I know that's wrong. That's not how to be in a relationship. But that's the thing. I knowit's wrong for me to think like that. Same as how sometimes I don't think I have much to give the world. Well... it's not really me thinking. I know in my headthat's all wrong. They're just feelings. But sometimes... the feelings come out of the cage and I can't help it. And sometimes I just have to let them run wild until they get tired... that's all. But in the end, I know that's wrong. But knowing and feeling are two different things. I feel like I love you and I know that. I feel like I have a place in this world, but I don't know where it is. I feel like I'll never know my place in this world and I don't know where that leaves me. Then, there are days where I feel like maybe I don't have a place in at all... and yeah... there are days where I don't know if that's wrong. It sounds funny. Complicated even. But I've been feeling like that forever."

Jinora bit her lip, suddenly feeling guilty. She should have been more sensitive to his feelings. As frustrated as she got occasionally, how could she just expect him to get over them?

Then again, with all her heart she wished he'd just quit devaluing himself like that. All she wanted-

"Kai! Jinora!" Ikki popped her head into the doorway of Kai's room. "Dinner time! And Dad says to stop holding hands so much when you come downstairs."

Jinora rolled her eyes.

"Of course he did." Ikki left and Jinora turned toward Kai, looking at him with a sense of wistfulness. "Spirits... I love you. Just remember that for me, okay?"

Smiling now, Kai leaned in and planted a sweet kiss on her lips as they got off the bed.

"I promise."

-:-:-:-

The next morning, Kai was the last one to come down for breakfast. He'd stayed up late sketching that night before and as much as Jinora had wanted to tell him to get to bed already she couldn't bring herself to do it. She knew how he got when he was in his creative zone and she hated to yank him out of it. It was Saturday after all and it wasn't like they had any other plans except maybe to go shopping for a bit.

He came down, obviously still very much bleary-eyed in just the sweatpants he slept in usually. Jinora held back a smile at her father's scowl. The scowl deepened when he caught site of all the tattoos Kai had spread across his body.

"In this house we put a shirt on when we come down for breakfast," said her father, looking up from his paper with a frown.

Startled, Kai rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked down, sharing a sheepish glance with Jinora as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh, uh, sorry about that," said Kai. "I'll uh... yeah..."

He trotted back upstairs and her father snorted, mumbling something about unseemliness.

"Hey Dad?" asked Meelo.

"Yes, son?"

"Think I can get some tattoos like that?"

"Not if your life depended on it."

Jinora would have to talk to Kai later and be sure to remind him that him being shirtless was a thing reserved for her if he could help it. Now, her father wasn't getting any better. Then again, she knew there was a reason why her mother labeled him a stubborn goat-sheep sometimes.

Later, she was coming out of the kitchen, but stopped and took a step back when she noticed Kai sitting on the couch next to Rohan with his laptop on him. Rohan scooched closer to Kai, asking questions about whatever sketch he was being shown.

"...how come her hair's purple?"

"Well," said Kai, grabbing his tablet pen and pointing to something on screen. "You see her dress there? It looks nice with the red, right?"

"Uh-huh." Rohan nodded.

"Well, it's supposed to be really colorful so I chose colors that are bright, but made them darker. Understand?"

Watching them, Jinora beamed and, instead of coming in and disturbing them, walked back the way she came and sat down at the dining table where her mother was reading in a cookbook.

"I don't see how dad can notfind anything to like about Kai," said Jinora, resting her head on her fist. "I mean, look at him in the living room. Just sitting down and spending time with Rohan. It's adorable."

Her mother laughed a little.

"Adorable isn't really a criteria your father has in mind, but I'm sure he appreciates it at least a little. I know I do. You know how Meelo can be with him on some days when he wants to go out with his friends. Kai said he would draw him something and the boy's been glued to his side since."

"Aww, really?" cooed Jinora. "That's so cute."

"I know..." Her mother smiled. "Your father will come around at his own pace. Don't worry. He doesn't hate Kai or anything."

"Anymore."

"Hate and 'I really don't like you' are very much two different things, dear. Give your father a little credit."

"I know, I know... he's just so stubborn sometimes," pouted Jinora.

"Oh, you're preaching to the choir over here. I'm aware."

"Mom!" Rohan came trotting in next to their mother, Kai walking behind him. "Can I go with Kai to the mall?"

"Of course you can," she said, rubbing down Rohan's hair before turning to Kai. "What's at the mall?"

"I just need to go check on an art thing at the bookstore. There's this new art book out and I'm kind of dying to look at it."

Jinora practically felt her ears perk up at the mention of the book store.

"Ooh, if you're going to the book store I'll go with you," she said, getting up. "I need to see what new stuff they have."

"Ran out of things to read already?" asked Kai, grinning.

"New stuff," said Jinora, nodding.

"Well, you guys have fun," said her mother. "Just be careful, okay? And Rohan, don't wander off."

"He won't. Right, bud?" Kai ruffled her brother's hair and Rohan nodded fervently. In perfect honesty, the sight made Jinora feel a little warm inside. There was not a single doubt or dispute in her mind that he was going to be a good dad someday...

A good dad to theirchildren, she thought confidently, the idea of Kai and herself having a little baby lifted her mood even more. They'd never exactly talked about kids, but he mentioned how he wanted to have a family someday more than a couple times to her and she already mentioned things about babies once in a while. It seemed like they were on the same page with the whole process. Making them, having them and raising them. She wasn't exactly wanting time to go by faster just to get there but... Raava, how she looked forward to having a family with this man.

"Alright. Be careful out there. Jinora, take the extra car and make sure Rohan buckles in, okay?"

"We will," said Jinora, leaving the room with Kai. She turned to Rohan. "Okay, Ro. Why don't you go get your shoes on, huh? Kai and I are going to go get ours."

He nodded again and ran off. When he did, Kai swooped in for a kiss on the cheek and Jinora squeaked when she felt his hand pass over her behind.

"And here I was hoping to get you alone in that car for a little while," he said, wagging his eyebrows at her.

Jinora bit her lip, now being unable to stop imagining all the things he probably had intended...

"I hate that rule you put on yourself," she whispered, trying to keep herself from pouting again. "No sex in the house? That's punishing me more like."

He shrugged as they started heading upstairs.

"Maybe," he said, keeping quiet. She smacked him lightly. "But really, it'd feel weird. Wrong in a way... like, your parents let me into the house. Your dad to be honest. I can at least not do that in the sanctity of the home. Now, your car at the back of the mall parking lot... yeah, that's nowhere near your house."

"You're terrible," Jinora giggled, reaching out to pull on his jacket a little. "I love that."

"Hey, I got to be good to you too," he said, winking at her. "I think it's a fair balance."

"Anyway," she said, changing the subject as they got closer to her sibling's room. "What art book are you looking at?"

"Oh, it's that one from that show I was telling you about. The one about royal politics. It's so good. You need to watch it with me."

"Yeah?"

"Yup. I think you're gonna love this one character. She's really smart and is kind of control of the whole court. A little bit ambiguous I admit... but..."

As they turned into Kai's room, his voice trailed off and Jinora looked at where he was staring at. In the middle of the room stood her father, back turned to them and looking along the walls at all the sketches Kai had taped up.

"Dad?" Jinora frowned slightly. "What's wrong?"

He didn't answer and when he stayed silent, Kai rubbed his forearm nervously.

"Did you do all of these?" her father asked suddenly, halfway glancing back for a moment.

"Uh, yeah... Mr. Gyatso, I'm so sorry. I didn't meant to put so many up. I just-I-I was just using them as reference and..."

Her father continued to be silent and Jinora was just watching him. He was acting strange the way he kept on moving around a little here and there, observing Kai's sketches with barely a turn to either of them.

"I'll take them down," said Kai quickly, taking a step forward. "I promise I won't do it agai-"

"You're very good."

Kai froze and there was a moment of silence between the three of them. He blinked.

"...what?"

"You're very good... these are very good."

Her father finally turned around and nodded curtly to Kai. Jinora could only stare, confused, her father's face unreadable as he passed them by and left the room. She and Kai shared looks when he did and it took a moment before either of them could speak.

"...what was that?" asked Jinora, raising her eyebrows.

Kai shrugged.

"Why're you asking me?" he looked back anxiously. "I was going to ask you."

Jinora could only shrug as well.

Whatever that was it didn't seem like a bad thing at least.

-:-:-:-

"Yup, you heard that right... we're getting married!"

Jinora could only blink when the news fell on her ears and then she fought down a grin as Korra showed Jinora her betrothal necklace. Mako smiled as she did, proud yet uncharacteristically bashful.

"T-that's great news!" Jinora threw herself at them both, hugging them. "What made you decide to though? Isn't it a bit sudden? I mean, It's only been a couple weeks."

"Well, I was talking to her dad over the phone about the baby and stuff and he just kind of suggested us getting married. Said he wouldn't mind having me as a son-in-law and I'd been thinking about it already. So... well, I've been working on the actual pendant for a while. You know, to have when I did finally propose and... yeah, I just proposed this morning."

"Couldn't even wait to do it either," said Korra, grinning ear to ear. "I was in the shower."

"Hey, I'd just finished it." He turned pink, but smiled still. "I had to do it right then... it couldn't wait."

Jinora beamed at them both, proud and immensely happy. Married. The word struck a chord in her and she let out a tiny squeal as her only answer, too excited to really know what to say.

"So," began Korra. "I guess the answer to your question is we said why not. What're we waiting for?"

"Where's Kai?" asked Mako, looking around. "We wanted to tell you guys in person."

"On his way back with my brothers. He took Meelo and Rohan to the movies," said Jinora. "He'll be so excited to hear that and just... congratulations you guys."

Korra pulled her in for a tight hug.

"Thanks, Jinora," she said quietly. "Now, where're your parents? I'm going to need their help planning the wedding. It's happening pretty soon."

"Wait, what?" Jinora blinked. "When's it happening?"

"By the end of the month. So, it's gonna be a spring wedding," nodded Mako. "That's kind of the perks when the bride's dad is Chief of the Southern Water Tribe. Korra's parents are flying out this week. Paying for, well, everything."

Korra shrugged with a smile.

"They insisted. Inviting the guests. Everything."

Jinora's smile faltered.

"Do you... do you guys want to have a big wedding?" she asked. "I never gotten that impression."

Now, Mako shrugged.

"Well, my side of the family's already kind of big as it is."

"And I've got people to invite too. Old friends from my days in the ring plus my own family members and friends. So, it's kind of inevitable I guess. We don't really mind and I'm personally kind of used to big events by now. Korra "The Queen" Iluak, remember? Comes with the territory."

"Oh... well, then this is going to be a huge party?" asked Jinora.

Mako nodded again.

"Yup. We're expecting hotels and venues to start calling with offers as soon as news hits the press in a day or two."

"Wow... just... married. You two and a wedding." she sighed happily. "This is going to be great."

Is this what it was going to feel like when it was her turn?

So this chapter was pretty transitionary. Kind of a "so this is what it's like having Kai in the house" kind of chapter. The world didn't crumble and that's cool with everyone.

We're getting to the last 5-7 chapters of this fic finally and I just wanted to thank everyone for sticking with me this far. It's been such a rewarding ride and this fic changed so much for me. It's unreal and surreal and just thank you.

Not much else to say but that. I really appreciate all the interest you guys have put into this fic.

As always, I love it when you guys drop those reviews. They keep me going and really get me motivated to get the next chapter out faster! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!