Title: Much Ado About Dating

Summary: She makes the first move.

Rating: K

Notes: The first of several Kainora drabbles written for my friend Natalie. Crossposted from tumblr. This drabble takes place in the near future of canon, with the specific timing up to your own discretion. Enjoy.

She asks Korra and Asami what to do, because even though she likes Kai a lot, she's still not sure where they stand.

"Well, when I was in your situation, your mom told me to just hang my chin out," Korra says, sitting up on the mountain of pillows left over from their pillow fight earlier. "You don't have to kiss a guy who's dating another girl like I did, but just go for it!"

She chews on her bookmark and looks at her, still unsure. "You think I should just…ask him?"

"Yeah, just do it!" Korra puts her hands on both of Jinora's shoulders and looks into her eyes. "Trust me, Kai won't know what hit him!"

"I agree with Korra," Asami says. She pats the finished pleat she just created in Ikki's hair and picks up three more strands to begin another one. "Sometimes boys just need a little push in the right direction."

"Boys," Ikki declares with an exasperated air, and Korra and Asami exchange glances before bursting into laughter.

Jinora sighs. "Seriously."

"I think we should date."

He splutters, and the table in front of him gets a thorough wash with lychee juice. While he sits there with juice dribbling down his chin, she reaches for a cloth and continues, deliberately avoiding his gaze.

"I mean, we kind of already are, or have been for a while now, maybe, but I think it would be nice for us to make it official, you know?" She moves her attention from the table to the corner of his mouth, where she wipes insistently with her towel. "I think it would be fun."

Her eyes flicker up to meet his, and all that occupies his mind is that she is smiling at him, so sweet and hopeful, that nothing else seems to matter. He smiles back.

"Yeah, fun," he echoes. She is asking him to date her. Officially. In an official capacity. Dating. "Fun."

He barely registers the kiss she presses to the top of his head or that she has to go train with Ikki but will see him later. He just sits at his table with his now empty cup of lychee juice, dazed, because he is dating Jinora and he feels so good. It doesn't occur to him until long after she has left the room that she has one-upped him in this regard - he has been practicing his line for ages - but he can't find it in him to care.