A/N: I TRIED TO RESIST FOR AS LONG AS I COULD BUT IT COULD NOT BE HELPED. So have Kai and Jinora being adorable.

Jinora is Not To Be Touched.

Kai decides on this label shortly after he catches Tenzin glaring at him. For all the old man's words about the rich, non-confrontational culture of the air nomads, the look on his face indicates that Tenzin will not hesitate to use force should the need arise. Kai gets the message loud and clear (the glowering eyebrows and pointed beard might have a little bit to do with it) and takes the appropriate measures.

Namely: arm's distance. All the time.

If Jinora realizes what he's doing, she doesn't let on. Kai is grateful for it—he doesn't want any hard feelings between them, and he hopes that she understands it has more to do with his sense of self-preservation and nothing to do with how cute she is.

Because she is. Cute. And off-limits.

Not that rules have ever stopped Kai before, but after the whole "turning over a new leaf" thing, he feels like maybe he should try to change. The Ba Sing Se jail cell ordeal made him realize that he truly does not fancy a life behind bars, and while he doubts skin contact with Jinora will result in metal-on-skin contact for him, he prefers not to risk it.

Especially since Mako has an unnerving habit of hovering with an accusatory look in his eyes: I know exactly what you're up to.

Seriously. It's freaky.

It's also a terrible shame. Because Jinora is smart, and funny, and nice, and she doesn't look at him like he's dirty. She kissed him on the cheek, even. They have a connection—and not the kind that Kai has to sparkly objects, but something deeper. Real. Something that Kai has filed away into his inner compartment of Things-He-Actually-Takes-Seriously.

Which is why he absolutely cannot—cannot—entertain thoughts of Jinora, because that path leads to all sorts of trouble and he is trying to walk the straight and narrow, in hopes he might actually get somewhere. "Somewhere" being off of Tenzin-and-Mako's-Might-Someday-Strangle List. And then, maybe, he'll have a chance.

However, patience is not one of Kai's strong suits. He finds himself distracted way too often, like now, as Jinora guides him through some exercises. Her eyes crinkle at the corners as she smiles and tilts her head, her arms fluid. He tries to mimic her, but at the same time he's cataloguing a host of other details.

Number one being: Jinora's eyes are really pretty. They're deep and brown and yet somehow manage to flash brighter than any gems.

Number two: her laugh sounds a million times better than the jangle of coins clinking against each other. It's crisp and bright and pure and makes his fingers twitch like they do before a particularly good heist. Except this is robbery of a different sort, and Kai has doubts.

He's never stolen someone's heart before.

He wonders if he should bring her flowers. No, way too obvious. Besides, she's standing right there, and it would be so much easier to just reach out and—Kai gulps.

The number one rule about pickpocketing is that you don't let your hand linger anywhere for longer than a second. Otherwise, it's just asking to get caught. Kai has followed this rule for as long as he can remember; it goes against his every instinct, his nature, to keep his hands still and out in the open. And yet, here he is, entertaining thoughts about doing the exact opposite.

He needs to get a grip. Stealing something would help—the adrenaline he gets from thievery always takes care of any of his other jitters, except there's nothing in the vicinity of any value except—

Wow is it hot in here, Kai thinks, pulling at the collar of his air acolyte's robes. Jinora stops her movements, curious.

"Are you okay, Kai?" she asks, peering closer. "You look kind of pink. Are you feeling well?"

"F-fine," Kai stutters, his fingers twitching nervously. He hides his hands behind his back.

Jinora steps closer.

Whoa too close too close danger zone—

She rests a hand on his forehead, frowning. "You're a little warm. Maybe I should take you to Mom, just in case."

Jinora is Not To Be Touched.

But what if she's the one touching him? Her hands are cool against his forehead, soothing. They almost counteract all the nervous energy radiating from him.

"It's okay," he manages, this time without a stutter. "I'm fine."

"Let's go just in case," Jinora decides firmly, grabbing him by the fabric of his sleeve. She tugs him along, and he follows, trying to think of a way to divert their path and prevent what is going to end up as a pretty humiliating trip. Because Pema will know. He knows she'll know.

He glances at Jinora's hand, small and pale against his arm. On second thought, why is he resisting this? This is an opportunity, and living as a street urchin has taught him that opportunity should always be snatched when it can.

Awkwardly, he manages to twist his arm out of Jinora's grip and secure their palms together at the same time. He coughs, looking away as Jinora stares at him in wonder. "It's more comfortable walking this way," he justifies. "Instead of me getting dragged along."

Jinora smiles, eyes sparkling, and flushes red (which, Kai supposes, makes two of them). She doesn't pull away, though, and they continue walking while sneaking sideways glances at each other, their hands now linked.

It's thrilling and terrifying at the same time, and when Jinora voices that Kai seems okay now and maybe they should take a detour to the meditation pavilion instead, Kai swiftly agrees. As they continue to amble through the temple complex, he straightens slightly, beginning to regain some confidence. No alarm bells have gone off yet, and no one has appeared out of the shadows to drag him away.

All in all, Kai feels pretty good. He thinks he just might get away with this.

Until he spots Tenzin rounding the corner on the opposite side of the temple and realizes that this is the equivalent of having his hand stuck in the cookie jar.

Abort mission abort abort abort—