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"Cole."
"Hang on."
"Cole. Buddy, you're gonna hurt yourself." Kai can't see him in the dark, but he can still wince at the telltale sound of Cole trying to brute strength his way out of the Vengestone prison they're enclosed in.
"I'll take a broken shoulder over this, thanks." He jams his shoulder against a wall one more time, hissing in pain.
"Hope you didn't actually just break your shoulder." Kai lets out a weak laugh. The combination of nearly pitch black darkness and his lack of powers was not a comfortable combination.
"It's...it's useless...guess all we can do is wait until the rest of our team find us." Cole slumps onto the ground next to Kai, shoulders rubbing in the small space.
It was supposed to be simple, some grunt level baddies were up to some sort of disruptive shenanigans in Ninjago. Apparently there was some rumour of diamonds buried long before the city was built (...The first time.) and the goons had gotten a pretty big drill to find them. No one thought it even required the whole team so He and Cole had gone alone.
How the heck they had gotten ahold of Vengestone, Kai doesn't know, he does know the sense of dread that they had underestimated the situation upon seeing the stuff.
And, fsm, it is so cold in here.
"...You okay?" Cole asks, and Kai realises they've been sitting in uncomfortable silence for a good number of minutes.
"Yeah, sure." Though he shudders as he says it. "Just...I dunno, ever since that time I lost my powers I feel cold without them." And powerless and vulnerable even though as Ninja they were supposed to be passed that by now.
"Hey, I get it, I'm feeling weak as uh..." Kai can't see the squint of Cole's eyebrows but he knows it's there all the same. "Paper?" He slings an arm around Kai's shoulders.
Sure don't feel that way to me. He thinks, the weight of Cole's arm bringing instant comfort and warmth with it. "Thanks. Never thought you'd be such a warm guy." Kai clears his throat. "Body temp wise, 'Course I always knew you were a sweetheart."
"Careful with the compliments, least I can do for all the times you've kept us all from freezing to death."
"Don't think this is that dire..."
"You saying I owe you or something?"
Kai smiles. "Maybe, depends on how you'd repay it."
"More of the same, if that'll do."
Hang on- Were they-, are they... He shakes his head. Nah, just banter between teammates. Family. Besides, Cole just recently had that...thing with... "What went on with you and Vania?" Whoops, didn't mean to let that slip out.
"Huh?" Cole sounds confused, which makes sense as Kai had derailed their friendly conversation out of the blue.
"Just uh, you two must have spent a bit of time together and the way you looked...seemed like you liked her?"
"I mean, yeah as a friend, but-"
"How cool would it be if you were a king one day? Oh wait, guess you'd be a prince."
"Wait, hold on a second." Cole sighs. "Why does no one listen to me. I'm serious, she's a friend, she's kinda like a little sister even besides..." His arm goes rigid, as if bracing himself. "Look, it's probably a good time as any to tell someone this. "
"Tell someone what?" Kai wonders if he overstepped the mark, relationships were always a open topic amongst the ninja but then Cole didn't really seem to have those sort of relationships to be open about.
"I'm gay." Cole states bluntly. "There will never be anything like that between me and her because I...like dudes, Welllll on the occasion I do like anybody, anyway." Kai feels his gentle movement as he shakes his head. "But that's a whole 'nother conversation I don't wanna get into yet."
"Oh." Kai tries desperately to think of anything else to say, something to help with the tension he can feel next to him. "Um, maybe it would be a good time to say I'm bi? Just want you to know you're not alone." Way to make Cole coming out about you.
"It wasn't a trade off, but that's cool to know." Cole relaxes, somewhat. "This is gonna sound weird but, do you like guys? I know of some bi people who don't and I...don't wanna assume."
"Yeah, definitely." It was something most people didn't consider and while it doesn't really affect him he appreciates Cole's kindness. He considers testing the waters. "I mean, dude, have you seen yourself?"
"Wha--, what is that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're hot. Not hotter than me, obviously I have the upper hand on that, but you got the whole tough dude with a heart of gold thing going on and-" Kai makes some wavey hand gestures even though Cole won't see them. "Eyes."
"And...eyes." There's amusement in Cole's tone as he mimics his words.
"Yeah! They're kind and stuff, like a friendly stoner."
Cole snorts at his puns. "Thanks, I think. I warned ya about compliments though, a man could get the wrong idea."
Kai bites his lip, trying to decide how seriously to respond to that. "Maybe it's not the wrong idea."
He feels Cole's hand curl in on his shoulder.
"Were you always gonna flirt with the first guy you came out to?"
"Nah, I have standards. You happen to meet them." Feeling spurred on by the arm that has yet to leave him.
"You're not messing with me, are you?"
"I wouldn't, not about this." Kai suddenly feels nervous. "But uh, just because you're gay doesn't mean I expect you to feel the same or anything, we can just forget about this."
"Don't wanna, doofus."
"Okay rude," Though he secretly concedes to that since he can feel a growing goofy grin on his face despite the not very good situation they were in right now. "Not to fish for compliments but...does that mean you...?"
"Think you're cute? Sure."
"That is not what I meant" He pokes Cole in the side.
"I'm not gonna inflate your ego, man." Cole leans his head a little closer to his. "Maybe some other time when our fate isn't quite as uncertain."
"They're always uncertain." Kai turns his head, he can feel Cole's breath on his face.
"That's why I said 'not quite as'."
"Sooooo is that a date orrrr." Kai feels the ghost of a kiss on his cheek, he doesn't know if he's more surprised by that or how good Cole's aim is in the dark.
Before he can respond to that, however, he hears a shout from outside. "Flatten against the walls!" It's unmistakably Nya.
They both jump up and do as told immediately, barely a few seconds later there's a massive drill digging into their enclosure. Cole shields Kai from some stray debris before he can protest.
When they step out, it takes a moment to adjust to the light. Kai sees his sister sitting in the seat of the drilller vehicle he saw earlier.
She jumps down and rushes towards them. "You guys okay?" Concern etched on her face.
"Uhhh." Kai glances at Cole to his side, taking in the sight of some dirt on his otherwise unmarked face.
"We're fine, managed to help prevent your brother from having a panic attack...and myself to be honest."
Kai blinks. How did he...?
"Where are the others?" Cole questions.
"They're dealing with the goons, I just really wanted to use this thing." Nya pats the drill.
"Kinda took a gamble, that we would be able to hear you." Kai laughs nervously.
"Yeah, but hey! You're both in one piece!"
"Thanks sis, really."
It's not long after that, that the crooks are apprehended, Once that's dealt with the Ninja start to leave.
Cole grabs Kai's hand and tugs him back a little. "Hey, about earlier, it is."
"It is what?" Kai tilts his head, but there's a smug grin on his face.
Cole smiles, and Kai's glad he can see it. "A date."