Chapter Text
Nya had always considered herself a reasonable person.
Sure, she could be a little competitive. And maybe she had a teeny-tiny habit of taking things personally. And okay, fine, yes, sometimes she acted on impulse before thinking things through. But none of that changed the fact that she was completely justified in her current outrage.
Because Skylor and Kai were dating.
Dating dating. As in, holding hands and going to restaurants together. And planning picnics. And watching movies in their joint living room and making out whenever the characters onscreen did. Kai was totally stealing the person she was meant to be with. Not to be dramatic, but he was quite possibly the most awful brother in the whole world.
And the worst part was? No one had bothered to tell her. She had walked in on them, making out in the kitchen, while the brownies they were supposed to be making for her birthday burnt to a crisp in the oven. She’d sat there for hours, seething while she scrapped burnt chocolate off the sides of the tray, while they giggled in the living room about their mishap. She’d nearly thrown up right into the sludge of burnt brownie.
”You okay, Nya?” Jay’s voice broke through her inner spiral, and she turned to find him giving her a weird look from across the table. The two of them were sitting outside the monastery, enjoying what was supposed to be a peaceful lunch break. But how was she supposed to be peaceful when her world was crumbling around her?
”Yep. I am great. Better than great, actually. I’m downright ecstatic.”
”Really?”
”Yes.” She says through clenched teeth, glowering at him. “What makes you say that?”
“Well, uh … I asked you a question 3 minutes ago and you’ve just been sat there glaring at your food. Also … that.”
She looks down to where he was pointing, at the glass of water she hadn’t touched yet, that was now boiling as steam rises above it. She huffs. Her elemental powers always went berserk when she did.
”No, Jay, I am not okay. Do you want to know why?”
“I mean, I feel like you’re gonna tell me anyway — “
She slams her hands on the table dramatically. “Kai and Skylor are dating.”
Jay blinks at her, blanking for a second before snorting as if she’d told a joke. “Uh, yeah. Hasn’t that been going on a while now?”
She stares at him in disbelief. “What, you knew about it? How come you didn’t tell me, you jerk? Some best friend you are.”
“Well, I thought you knew … they’ve been shoving it in everyone’s faces for like, a month. Where have you been?“
”Not being informed, apparently!” She snapped. Then, narrowing her eyes. “Wait. You’re suspiciously calm about this.”
”Because I don’t care?”
”Hah. Liar.”
”Excuse me?”
She jabs an accusing finger at him. “You’re. A. Liar.”
”I heard you the first time.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’ve had a crush on my brother, for like, forever. Don’t even try to deny it.”
Jay splutters. And then coughs. And then nearly chokes on the mouthful of noodles he’d just put in his mouth (which doesn’t prove anything). “What — no, I — you … I DO NOT!”
”You so do.”
”I don’t!”
”Then why is your face red?”
“I — I … “ Jay makes a choked noise, face going even redder. “Allergies. Pollen count is off the charts.”
”It’s the middle of winter.”
”Technicality. Shut up. I hate you. Besides, I can’t believe you’re calling me out like you’re not in love with Skylor! Your brother’s girlfriend, by the way. Basically your sister-in-law.”
“Ew, Jay, what the hell is wrong with you?”
”Yeah, changing the subject, huh?”
”Shut up, dick. My feelings for Skylor are so not the point right now.”
“Oh, so you admit it?”
”Not. The. Point.” The glass of water bubbles up, dangerously close to overspilling.
Jay groans, both of their plates of food now abandoned, growing cold. He buries his face in his hands. “Nya, what do you want me to do with this information? I already have to deal with Kai being an oblivious idiot all day, every day. I don’t have the energy to also pine over him in my free time. I’m a very busy man, you know. I haven’t even caught up on the latest season of The Flash, and I heard that in the last episode, Barry actually — “
Nya growls, and Jay stops with a huff. “Jay, I don’t have time for this. With each passing second, the love of my life is closer and closer to marrying my brother. We have to do something.”
”We?”
”Yes, we. You didn’t tell me about them dating a month ago, which kind of makes you an accomplice. And now you owe me.”
”Accomplice to what? There’s no crimes being committed.”
”Oh yeah? How about the crime of making me watch two people — who are very obviously not straight, by the way — shack it up in the middle of our monastery?”
”That’s not a crime.”
”Oh, sorry. Are you a policeman now?”
”Well, I have been watching a lot of Brooklyn 99 recently, so — “
”Shut up.”
She takes a deep breath, nodding a little as the cogs in her brain start turning. She had the seed of an idea, and it was starting to grow.
”Don’t worry, we’re gonna fix this.”
Jay lifts his head, raising a brow as he looks over at the raven-haired girl. ”Fix?”
”Yes, fix.”
”As in … ?”
“As in break them up.”
Jay made a horrified noise. Drama queen. “Nya!”
”What?”
“That is seriously questionable.”
”Ethically, I meant.”
”That doesn’t make it any better.” He looks at her in disbelief. “You’re insane. I’m not helping you with this. They could be soulmates, and you’re over here breaking them up because you’re a little jealous.”
She snorts, waving him off. Soulmates? Yeah right. There weren’t any two people on this earth less suited to each other than Kai and Skylor. And she would know. She’s kind of an expert on love. She did help set up Zane and Cole, after all, and now they’re planning their wedding. Maybe she should quit being a ninja and go into the matchmaking business.
”Come on, Jay. Look, we’re just helping them realise that they’re not right for each other. Which they aren’t, by the way.”
He looks doubtful.
”And, think about it. If we get Skylor to dump Kai, he’ll be sad about it for a while — well, maybe. Actually, probably not. But anyways, he’ll move on, and guess who he’ll probably move on with?”
He perks up a little at that. “Me?”
”Yes, you.” She sighs. God, it was ten times a day with this guy. “And then everyone lives happily ever after.”
”I do love a good ending.”
She grins. “So we’re agreed, then?”
Jay sighed, rubbing his face, but Nya could tell she’d won him over. “I feel like I’m gonna regret this.”
”Not if we succeed.”
”And if we fail?”
”Failure is not an option.”
Jay exhaled loudly, then stuck out his hand. “Fine. But if we get caught, you’re taking all the blame. Skylor is gonna beat me up so bad if she finds out.”
”Deal, if that means Skylor beats me up instead.”
They shook on it. Operation: Sabotage was officially a go.