Work Text:
Kai would rather be playing GTA or hanging out with his friends, but he had to stop his game and take his sister to her nail appointment. Driving through traffic, he had no desire to be subjected to Britney Spears while his sister asked him which shade of red she should get. Kai was ready to explode if he didn't get there in the next five minutes. He'd heard from Mako and Bolin it was a new salon that Korra and Asami had recommended as a great place recommended to his little sister. Kai smiled a little when he heard the GPS state they had reached their destination at last.The sign read Posh and Polished Nails in light pink script. He turned to his sister who was jumping with joy that she was finally getting acrylics.
“You ready?” Kai turned off the car, and opened the door to see his sister already standing outside his door. “I guess you are.” He rolled his eyes as he was pulled onto the sidewalk and rushed into the store. A tiny bell rang and he was met with the smell of nail polish. An older woman looked up at them, standing up from her client in the chair as her nails dried.
“Do you have an appointment ?” She stood behind the check in, looking down at her ripped and tattered date book.
“Yes, Suma four o’ clock?” His sister looked at the women while clinging to Kai’s hand.
“Go pick out your color. JINORA!” The lady turned and hollered in a different language to the back. Kai followed Suma to the nail colors, she picked through the different shades of red and asked for his approval after each one.
“I think I like this one!” It was more of a light pink color but with her dark complexion it would look really pretty.
“Pretty.'' Kai deadpanned pulled his phone out and began texting his friends how boring it was to get the job of driving his sister around.
“Alright you can come over here, my daughter will be doing your nails.” Kai put his phone down and looked up at the nail tech, and there she stood- the most beautiful woman in the world. Her hair was thrown into a half up half down style, shaping her slightly rounded face. Her eyes made contact with his, and he swore he was staring into a forest of deep brown tree trunks. She fiddled with her hands. His sister looked over at him, knocking him out of his trance and back to reality
The older one headed back to her client and Jinora guided Suma to two empty seats. She looked up at Kai, still frozen in place.
“Would your brother prefer to sit with you?'' She spoke with a slight accent but that was supported by the fact told by Korra that the family had moved here around three months ago.
“Sure.” Kai sat next to Suma, watching how careful Jinora was with his sister's hands, treating them like they were glass.
“Just let me know if it hurts.” Jinora smiled and reached for her tool box, she took her small nail drill to trim the cuticles down. “Is this your first time?”
“Yes, I'm really excited.” Suma flashed a giant smile, looking at Kai. She noticed how Kai was blushing while looking at Jinora. “My brother Kai, helped me pick out the color.”
“I-I really didn't do much Sum Sum.” Kai shrugged.
“You did great.” Jinora blushed a little at his stuttering. “This pink will make her eyes pop.”
Kai looked down to Jinora's nails. They were short and painted yellow, perfect for summer, and they complimented her skin so well.
“Your nails make your eyes pop,” Kai complimented. She looked up briefly to meet his eyes, but turned quickly back to Suma's nails. He saw the blush on her cheeks and then spotted her looking up at him again. He sent her his most charming smile, to which she blushed.
“Stop flirting with her, she’s trying to do her job,” Suma whispered.e rolled his eyes at her and she grunted a little.
He heard Jinora giggle.
“My friend said you recently moved here. Where are you from?” Kai started up another conversation.
“We just immigrated from western China.” Jinora tipped her head to the Chinese flag and the Tibetan flag on the wall.
“That’s really cool. How are you liking America?” Kai leaned forward a bit, watching her take ten of the fake plastic nail tips and start gluing them to his sister's hand.
“Everyone is uh… very loud. Do you want to go shorter?” Jinora had already cut the nails once, but she wanted to make sure they were the right size.
“That’s perfect.” Suma smiled at her and wiped her hand on her small towel.
“Let me go grab your color.” Jinora got up and headed to the back, leaving the siblings alone.
“She’s into you,” Suma chuckled. She clawed her nails onto the table lightly. “Go for it.”
“I don’t even know how old she is,” Kai whispered. “She looks my age but still, what if she’s like eighteen? Nineteen?”
“Stop worrying. So many girls want to date you, you’ll definitely be able to ask her for her snap,” Suma giggled and then changed the topic when she saw Jinora coming back. Someone new was following her- a younger girl who looked different than her, but still had many similarities as well.
They were speaking in a different language so the siblings didn't know what they were saying. But Kai saw the younger girl look at him up and down then giggled at Jinora.
“I know, I know.” Jinora smiled, waking over to the nail table again, she handed the color to Suma. “Is this the right color?”
“Yes.” Suma assured.
After Jinora finished two nails, Kai finally worked his courage up to ask her age.
“So… how old are you?” He leaned on the free table, setting his hand on his knee to calm his nerves.
“I'm fifteen, you?” Jinora cleaned the polish off of Sumas' nails.
“Me too.” Kai looked over to Suma who gave him a knowing look.
Kai knew he had to ask her out, at least ask her for her snap. She was gorgeous and he hoped they lived in the same school zone, having any class with her would be a dream. She was so nice and she had to be absolutely perfect.
But sadly, the appointment came to an end, Kai couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. He didn't want to admit it but Jinora had a great body, but that wasn’t what he was worried about. Now he was worried about getting her snap. They stood at the front desk, Suma paid with her debit card and Kai told her he would meet her at the car.
“Is everything alright?” Jinora looked at him, noticing he still stood there.
“I uh.. was wondering if i could get your snap?” Kai rocked back and forth, taking his phone out.
“Snap?” Jinora looked over at her younger sister, her younger sister explained in their language what it was. The sister stood up, smirking a little bit.
“I'll help her set it up once she gets out of work, give him your number Jin.” The girl spoke with an accent just like Jinora and her mother.
“Ok, great.” Kai did a little cheer Inside, Jinora grabbed his receipt, reaching for a pen and writing it in the back she handed it back to him. Kai smiled brightly and he felt excitement rush up in him. “I'll text ya, have a good day Jinora!”
“You too.” Jinora stood there for a minute, a giddy feeling rushing through her body.
“He thinks you’re cute.” She heard her mother say in Tibet.
“I think he’s very cute,”
