Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nightlife in Ninjago had always been lively. Ever since the city had upgraded, technology making advances tenfold, the city centre had been lit up by thousands of neon signs as music and chatter filled the air. As you skirted to other parts of the city, perhaps the block of offices to the north or the more residential areas scattered around the outsides, the nightlife pittered away. But in the heart of the city, it was lively. Bustling with an energy that hid itself in the day and only showed itself when the sun had set and the moon came up.

Making his way through the winding streets felt natural. He hadn't done this in a while– sneaking off into the night to find a distraction for himself but his mind was wandering dangerously close to other options so Kai needed out from the monastery and somewhere to end up within the heart of Ninjago.

Years ago, when they had lost Zane in the fight against the Overlord, he had picked up this habit. Kai wasn't the best when it came to words, he knew that. He wasn't like Cole who could calmly sort through them and openly discuss his feelings. Or Jay, who rattled on about problems until he felt like he had gotten everything off of his chest. When emotions ran high, Kai needed a physical way of getting rid of them. He was trying, he really was, to talk about his feelings and all that gross stuff but recently, these past few days, it had been too hard to even function properly. His body had been running on autopilot from one fight to the next. There had been too much to do and now, suddenly, there was nothing to occupy his mind.

He couldn't bring himself to talk to anyone. Not with everyone still so on edge. Victory didn't taste sweet when one of their own still had an uncertain fate. Jay was oddly reserved. Cole was trying, for the most part. He was keeping it together for them all but Kai knew he found quiet, alone places to let it all out. Kai was too much of a coward to ask if he was okay or needed comfort. Zane was coping how he usually would with it all. Melancholy seeped through his actions. Especially with how sad Pixal was. Then there was Nya. He couldn't speak to Nya even if she was usually the easiest for him to open up to. She was grieving, like the rest of them. And she still hadn't shaken off the guilt from the Cole incident and Kai couldn't bring himself to push his own self-loathing forward too.

It was why he turned to going out and finding a place where no one would know his name. Not the same establishment he was at after they disbanded when Zane had passed. Even if Kai had wanted to go there (which he didn't. That ship had sailed and once he had been dragged out from that hole he vowed not to be dragged in by the manager again) the place had disappeared at some point. Probably during one of the many times Ninjago had been destroyed and rebuilt since then. He'd only turned to this a few select times. On occasions where he hoped the others wouldn't find out because that confrontation wasn't something he wanted to do any time soon. He couldn't bear anyone to be disappointed in him again. Or more disappointed than they already were. Recently he had been better, taking to their training area to fight a dummy or beat up some of the equipment.

Not tonight. Tonight he needed to feel something. A feeling that was different to the nauseating fear he had been facing these past several days.

With a cough, he tried to haul the large wooden pallet off of him. It didn't work. Luckily Cole was yelling his name and rushing over, easily lifting the brunt of it so Kai could slither out. He winced as his shoulder creaked with pain, something he would most definitely have to face later. But for now, he needed to check everyone was okay.

They had won.

It felt like an almost impossible feat. But Kai supposed that was what they were good at, after all. Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Lloyd’s plan had worked. The crazy-sounding plan of creating a tornado had actually worked. Lloyd–

Wait. Where was Lloyd?

His eyes scanned the courtyard. Past Nya and Jay, who were embracing each other tightly (One, he needed to congratulate them. Two, he needed to complain that Jay had picked a really awful time to ask her the question). Past Wu who met his gaze, seemingly doing the same thing of searching to check on everyone. Past Cole, right next to him, and Garmadon who was off to the side awkwardly, looking uncomfortable and not sure what to do with himself.

Then a flash of green hidden under rubble greeted his vision. His breath hitched as he muttered Lloyd's name, sprinting across cobblestones to get to the pile. Cole was right there next to him, the others not far behind them, lifting up more debris so Kai could pull the young Ninja out.

Lloyd looked awful. Skin horrifically pale and dark bags prominent under his eyes. Kai did a once over and– and he couldn't– he blinked, frozen, hands hovering, doing nothing useful– he needed to–  Nya almost crashed into him as she knelt beside him, knees slamming against the floor. Luckily, unlike him, she had a functioning brain at the moment and her hand shot up to Lloyd's neck.

“Cole,” she whispered, “Cole he's not got a pulse.”

Cole cursed under his breath and knelt on the other side of Lloyd immediately, hands intertwining as he started pressing against Lloyds chest rhythmically. Now the rest of the group had surrounded them, silence settling over them all and all Kai could do was sit there, lost in his own mind.

He had said he would always protect Lloyd. Always. What a baseless promise that had been.

“Kai, you need to breathe,” Nya whispered beside him and Kai did as he was told, suddenly sucking in a breath and cold air rushed in, stinging his lungs. He felt Nya grab his hand, squeezing tightly with a couple of fingers pressed up against his wrist, feeling his rapid pulse. He heard an audible crack from Lloyd under the pressure of Coles compressions. He was mumbling numbers to himself, counting to keep track. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration but his lips were pulled into a tight line that only conveyed worry.

“Jay,” Cole breathed, taking his hands away as Lloyd still lay there, motionless. 

Dead.

FSM, he was–

Kai bit his lip, the only movement he had managed in the past minute or so, to stop a sob from escaping him. Nya stood and dragged him up with her, stumbling away. Faintly, Kai realised it was so Jay could kneel where they had just been. Jay's fingers sparked with energy, electricity heating leaving that familiar static taste in the air.

“Everyone stand clear,” was all Jay said before slamming his hands down a couple of seconds later and sending a jolt through Lloyd's body. The Ninja flinched underneath it, body twitching as Jay removed his hands. Nothing happened for a moment, the silence thick and suffocating. Jay let out a deep breath before his hands flicked to life again, the streaks of pure light pumping through Lloyds chest as the blond’s body arched upwards slightly due to the pure electric energy coursing through him.

Nothing happened.

One, two, three. Jay looked around, hopelessness on his face as he landed on Wu and gave a pleading look. Wordlessly asking what to do. Kai had followed the gaze and the worst part of it all was the look Wu gave back. Broken. Jay took that look in too. He readied for another round. Kai noticed now how much Jay's hands were shaking. The zigzag scars that wrapped around his knuckles hummed, faintly glowing as he started to power up again.

Then Lloyd gasped, body shuddering, and suddenly the world was noisy again.

Kai thought he heard Jay cry out in relief. Maybe Cole cursed too. Though he was still too out of it. Useless. His feet were glued to the floor. All he could do was blurrily watch as everyone started to rush around. Pixal and Zane's voices overlapped as they gave out instructions, seemingly none of them thrown towards Kai.

“He's not stable,” he heard Pixal explain. “We need to take him inside to the medbay immediately.”

More movement. He couldn't even bring himself to lift his head and follow them. Not when Cole gently lifted Lloyd. Not when Zane stepped behind them, eyes flickered to the familiar cold blue that told them he was doing a scan of Lloyd. Not when Wu went after them silently.

He was a coward.

Nya was still beside him, that much he knew. Because her hand hadn't left his. She had spoken occasionally through the incident. He had heard her tone cut through the chaos. She'd want to go see Lloyd soon, he was sure of it. But he knew she thought there was only so much she could do in terms of medical feats. First aid, sure. They were all trained to deal with that. Maybe even a bit more knowledgeable than the average person when it came to worse injuries too. But that– that was serious. If everyone went inside and cramped around the bed Lloyd had been deposited on, there would be too many people getting in the way.

“Kai?” His sister called out softly, “You still with us?”

He nodded. Words couldn't form. He was a coward.

Nya was barely holding it together, he could tell. Her grip tightened and she pulled him sideways into an awkward hug. Kai lifted his arms and held her close. Held her long enough that her body shook with muffled cries, her tears wetting the shoulder of his Gi. His pain had been numbed and he knew his shoulder was still messed up but forgive him if his priorities were a bit skewed at the moment.

He held her for as long as she needed. These past few days have been tough. So tough. And even though the battle was over they were far from the end by the looks of it. So of course he held his sister, another person he had promised to protect. It seemed he couldn't do anything right nowadays. She cried and he didn't. Or perhaps– he couldn't. Because even if his heartbeat sat painfully in his chest as he willed it to slow down, any coherent idea of crying had dissipated. He couldn't cry. Maybe he was trying to be strong. Maybe he was too scared to.

Nya cried. He didn't. He was a coward.

Rounding a corner he spotted the place he had been looking for. A small bar nestled between what looked like a club on one side and a fast food place on the other. Pedestrians filtered around him, no one giving him a second glance since he was wearing a faded grey hoodie he had stolen from Cole, the hood up over his hair, and then a red bandana was used to cover the lower half of his face. It made him inconspicuous. Plus, it made him merge into the crowd of people he was about to walk into. He'd been around stuff like this before, he knew how to dress to fit in.

The bar had been one of the few he had searched for online. Researching before he snuck out to get an idea of where he could go. Kai never went to the same place twice anymore. Just in case he was recognised– not as a Ninja but as a previous occupant. This one seemed simple enough. The site had been easy to navigate, he'd picked up enough from Jay to know how to pass by the walls and find the actual information underneath. Uncovering the true purpose of the establishment. Drinks were one thing but the fights were a whole different strand to the business. If the website was correct there would be a side corridor inside that opened up to stairs leading to the basement. There then would be the fighting ring and another bar for watchers to enjoy.

The reason Kai had gravitated towards this place was that it was a free-for-all. Not some guy trying to control who could and couldn't fight. Or rotas and planned shows, with the fighter's faces planted on posters to get the audience hyped. No, this was a place where strangers showed up randomly to fight on the night. No rotas or tournaments or planning. Simply people thought they had what it took to fight and show off. Or people wanting to blow off steam. If you thought you could win, the ring was open to you. No identities. No aliases were needed. Bets were welcomed and winners got some cash but nothing tremendous like what Kai had seen before. Though he wasn't here for cash or cheers. He was here to feel his emotions through his fists and for them to collide with some poor soul's face.

He pushed his way past the front door, being hit instantly with the thick smell of booze. He shuddered, trying not to think about the amount of alcohol in the building right now. He made his way to the left side, skirting round tables and dodging drunk patrons. Carefully he opened up the side door which led him to the hallway he had been expecting. At the end was a set of stairs. Not guarded. No security. Another perk to this place. They really didn't care if the underground part of their establishment was uncovered. It showed that this was just for the people and not some money-grabbing scheme.

Kai made his way down the creaking floorboards, the wood panelling stretched out underneath him and then out onto the basement floor. He was met with a lot of browns as he finally got through the last set of doors. Panelling covered the walls too, with wood carved around each square. Overall it was a large space housing plenty of people. The music was loud and the chatter was even louder, the place lively and full. It had a Western style to it, the decorations dotted around adding to the vibe. An animal skull was mounted up above the bar, from a cattle of sorts if he had to guess. Horns jutting out from either side. The basement was large, the bar taking up the left wall as soon as you walk in with shelves of bottles lined up behind it. The bar counter was a polished granite, glasses easily sliding across the smooth black surface. Several bar stools were placed alongside it with the cushions a deep ruby-red leather.

Along the next wall were booths. Looked to be the same style as the ones upstairs, the cushions matching the colour of the bar stools. Wooden tables hung out from the wall between the seats. That was the main sitting area down here as there was not much space to sit compared to other places he had been to. But he supposed, by the looks of the customers here, sitting wasn't too common for this active bunch.

In the far corner sat a mechanical bull, whizzing and whirling as some random man tried to stay on. People surrounded the spectacle, cheering on the man as he whopped and hollered, boastfully lifting an arm to wave his hand in the air. The other corner was taken up by a jukebox, blasting music. It was more for aesthetics than functionality by the looks of it. Above it sat a dart board where a game was taking place. A small chalkboard was placed next to it, scores being kept as the competitors threw dart after dart at the circular target.

Then, finally, was the main stage. Planted in the middle of the basement was a fighting ring. Rope stretched out in a square and the wooden flooring had been removed, instead replaced with a softer-looking material. Maybe the type of mats you'd find in a dojo. The ones that didn't hurt too badly to fall on but were firm enough to help with stance and techniques in the fight. Next to the ring was a wooden stand where a man in a suit stood. Whilst the place didn't have managers for the fighters like many of the other places he had been to did, there was still someone who took charge. This guy looked like he owned the ring with the way he stood, eyes eager as he leant against his stand and watched the current fight go down. Then beside him was another man in a suit, the two stood out compared to the rowdy crowd with how they were dressed. He seemed to be dealing with money, a younger man who wasn't dressed in a suit looked like an assistant. Helping with handling cash and writing stuff on a larger chalkboard that was folded out next to them.

The place itself wasn't too bad. Probably one of the best Kai had been to and that was saying something considering all these places were dealing with shady, underground businesses. He may have to break his own rule and come here again.

He stepped closer to the action and tuned into the fight currently taking place. There was an obvious winner of the two. The man was covered head to toe by clothing. Black cargo trousers and combat boots, then a skintight black t-shirt with sleeves that went down to his wrists, hands hidden behind gloves. He wore a black balaclava, only his eyes displayed. Kai knew when someone did not want to be recognised– the outfit was simple enough to blend in and the all-black look meant it was easy to hide within the dark alleyways of Ninjago if needed. The man was around the same height as Kai and had a similar build. He had dark eyes, completing the whole look, boarding on black but the lighting in here wasn't great so Kai wasn't sure he was seeing it correctly. Especially because the skin peeking out around his eyes was looking to be greyish. So maybe it was just the lighting.

Kai had to give it to the man, he knew how to fight. That was the footwork of a guy who had done this before. He blocked punches effortlessly and landed hits easily. Plus his steps were light despite his leaner frame. Kai was heavy-footed when sparring. He couldn't be agile like Jay who was freakishly quick on his feet. Instead, he used his power to propel, a lot like Cole did. No use in trying to be gentle when he could use brute force. But the guy fighting was trained in being light and airy. It was interesting because you could barely hear him as he danced round the stage. With a final well-aimed blow to his opponent's chest, the man in all black had won. The assistant of the bet-taking man ducked under the ropes and stepped into the ring to lift the winner's arm then the surrounding crowd cheered with delight. The winner gave a nod to the audience before taking a handful of cash from the assistant and making his way out of the ring.

As he did, he caught Kai staring and for a moment their eyes locked. The guy looked back for an uncomfortably long time. Gaze analysing. Kai was worried that maybe he had been spotted. He thought, for a second, he may have recognised those dark eyes too. But then an announcement was being made that shocked them both out of the awkward staring match and the stranger narrowed his eyes at Kai but said nothing as he darted off to the exit.

There was no time to unpack any of that because the man at the stand was asking for any more fighters. A burly patron stepped up, challenging anyone who felt brave enough to take him on. He was muscly, sure, but Kai had been against enough arrogant fighters to know when the cockiness meant all bark, no bite. Kai grinned to himself. He pulled himself towards the ring and stepped through the ropes. Quickly he took off his hoodie, revealing a plain red tank top underneath. Kai was ready to fight but he wasn't stupid. Anything that could be grabbed easily was a no-go. Another reason why Kai had guessed the previous fight's winner had known what he was doing.

His opponent smirked, looking him up and down. He was taller than Kai by about half a foot and the look he was giving him was I'm about to win this fight.

“Ladies and gentlemen we have our next two fighters!” The announcer shouted, a round of cheering and clapping sounding out. “For anyone just arriving, as always I am Francis Smoke here with my good pal Gerard Creek to bring you the best entertainment tonight. I'll be the one announcing and making sure things run smoothly and Gerard here is on bets, with help from his assistant Travis. So, everyone give it up for our next fighters. The battle will begin in two minutes so grab a drink from the bar, make a bet, and get ready for a good show!”

Kai liked this Francis fella. His energy was electrifying and he seemed like his intentions were good enough. Well, as good as you could get running an organisation like this. Kai had met people who wanted the money. Or people who craved serious violence. This guy, at least at face value, seemed to be here to entertain the people. Casual, non-important fights where watchers could experience something fun for the night. The betting just seemed like something that was being done out of principle. You can't have a fighting ring without being able to bet on who you thought was going to win.

Leaning back against the rope, Kai took this free time to take in his opponent properly. As established, the dude was taller and more built than he was. He exuded arrogance (his friends would tease him, and tell him it takes one to know one). Kai wouldn't doubt that the guy could probably put up a good fight but if he had to guess, the man must rely too much on his build. Anyone with enough brute strength could take down a lot of opponents. Though Kai knew how to fight and this was what he hoped his opponent lacked. Brawn could only do so much, you still needed some brains. Kai smirked to himself. This was what he needed.

A trembling voice in the back of his head muttered coward. Go face them back home. He shut that thought up promptly, straightening himself up as the announcer– Francis, stood back in his position, ready to start the fight.

“Alright folks, bets are in and I hope you are all ready for a fight!” He gestured dramatically as the crowd erupted. “Fighters are you ready?” Kai nodded simply, his opponent grinned and stuck out his arms, turning to the cheering patrons. “Well then, best of luck to both our competitors and may the best man win!”

With the signal to start, Kai let his opponent rush him, effortlessly dodging out of the way. He wanted his opposition to at least think he had a chance by letting him attempt another go with a right hook Kai ducked under. The man huffed, frustration bubbling as his cheeks reddened. He lashed out again and Kai stepped sideways, a fist colliding with the man's ribs. The crowd roared and Kai felt it vibrate in his chest, heart pummelling. He breathed, in, out, took in the noise, smelt sweat and booze and a hint of tobacco. He hated to admit how natural it felt. He made his way around his opponent and elbowed him on the opposite side. Built-up anger seeping out into his attack. Like an overflowing cup, it ran rampant in his mind as he managed to deftly avoid another hit and this time laugh breathlessly.

Behind them, the fog was growing. It was cold, Kai knew that much. Too cold. With it this close he could feel the bitter chill winding itself behind them all. He leapt to the Bounty, over the railing, and used his arms to propel him onto the deck. Spinning around he made sure everyone was also on board. Lloyd, Nya, Zane, Jay– a yell sounded and Kai noticed a string of the fog had reached out and wrapped itself around Cole's ankle. The earth Ninjag went crashing down, nails helplessly scraping against concrete as he tried to stop the attack from dragging him away. Kai couldn't move, eyes wide. Luckily Lloyd was already off the ship again, sword in hand, dashing for Cole. The blade sliced through the thick smog and the tendril flickered away, an animalistic screech then followed by uncomfortable silence. Lloyd helped Cole up, the latter leaning on him for support as they finally made it to the Bounty.

A rouge kick had managed to catch him off guard. He grabbed his opponent's leg and threw it down forcefully. So focused on the kick, he had no time to dodge the punch that collided with his temple, sending him stumbling back. It throbbed instantly, pain weaving itself through him, beating in tandem with his heart. Under his bandana, Kai couldn't help but smile. The man tried for another but Kai caught the fist and squeezed. The fighter stifled a gasp and Kai simply raised an eyebrow. It seemed his opponent didn't like that, angrily ripping himself away from the teasing and stepping back to assess what to do next.

Everyone couldn't look away from the screen. Perhaps it had been the most reckless decision they had ever made. The camera feed from Lloyd showed that he had made it to the ground but the Ninja was stumbling around, heaving breaths being heard through the speakers. They sounded painful as a hand scrambled to grasp at his chest, coughing and spluttering as he fought to clear his lungs. It was happening for too long– Kai couldn't do anything but watch. None of them could go after him. Lloyd struggled for a few more moments before he finally gasped, relaxing as he stood on now-steady legs. Kai let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding.

Because of his little display of confidence, his opponent had turned up the aggression. Not that Kai cared. If he got a little ruffled, then so be it. Numbing pain helped him think. Helped him organise the mess that was his thoughts right now. His opponent grinned maniacally before lurching forward and tackling Kai to the ground. Winded, Kai just about managed to lift his knee into the man, causing him to falter in his grip and allowing him time to roll out from under him. He shuffled to his feet, jumping over a well-aimed sweep at his legs. 

Jay was scrambling up the rope ladder, his hand almost slipped from one of the rungs and Kai had to swallow down the stubborn lump in his throat. Cole was not too far behind him making his way up a separate ladder. The thrusters burst into life and Zane muttered something beside him, too quiet to be heard, as Kai glanced at the machines. They were facing the wrong way, he realised suddenly. Too close to Cole, a blast of heat emitted from them with enough force to push the ladders away. Jay scrambled to stay on. A loud creak echoed through the air. Kai’s eyes darted to Cole's ladder with just enough time to see the rope snap. To see Cole go tumbling backwards into the black fog. Tendrils lashed out. Cole had disappeared. Jay was screaming Cole’s name, panic and utter hopelessness colouring his tone. Kai hadn't let go of the railing yet, knuckles turning white. Zane was begging Jay to keep moving, slithers of the fog reaching out to the lightning Ninja. Kai struggled to move but then Jay was being pulled onto the deck by Zane and everything came crashing down onto him.

Before the opposition could stand on his own, Kai leant down and grabbed him by the collar of his t-shirt, holding him upwards. He let his fist hit the man's cheek, snapping his head to the side. The guy glared back, and a bloodied wad of saliva spat his way. 

“Not so tough, are you, big guy?” He whispered, just for his opponent to hear. The man shifted his weight forward, knocking hard into Kai so he had to drop the t-shirt. He lifted his arms up in time to block a punch from the left but not enough to dodge the one from the right, nicking his shoulder. He winced as pain exploded through him, he hadn't yet checked out his shoulder and he knew Zane would have some choice words for him when he found out. But that didn't matter. The sting ran deep, hot and familiar and present and made him feel alive.

Ringing in his ears. Shouting. His feet stomped against the wooden deck as he rushed inside to the wheel. He had yanked Nya off of it, she was shaking and h er breaths were too quick. But Kai had no time for her. Jay hadn't been far behind him and had stepped to Nya quickly. He would have to offer her comfort now. Kai needed to turn this ship back. His hand slammed onto the power button and the Bounty rumbled as more energy rippled through it, he was about to turn the wheel until Zane grabbed his hand to stop him.

“Zane–” his voice was croaky. Barely there.

“We can't. Pixal will be low on fuel. We need to get to Lloyd.” Zane reasoned, voice solid. Though his eyes betrayed him. It was always interesting how robotic features could show such emotion. He was hurt too. Just like the rest of them.

“We need to–” his voice broke, “Zane, please.”

“He's gone. Our focus is now Lloyd.” Zane gently pried Kai's fingers off the wheel and took charge of directing the ship back to Pixal's beacon. Kai let him. There wasn't much else he could do, useless as always at protecting the ones he loved.

Kai made sure to keep his right side protected. They danced around the ring, both kicking and punching and kneeing and hitting as the crowd went wild. A fist to the left side of his face (when he had carelessly been too focused on making sure his shoulder wasn't jerked around any more) meant a bruise would soon be forming under his eye. Though he made up for it with a knee to the guy's stomach, he doubled forward and gave Kai the perfect opportunity to raise a fist and crash it down onto the back of his head.

Lloyd had been dead. That was what Kai had to realise. He needed to acknowledge it, and face it because that was what had happened. Lloyd had been dead and all Kai had done was gawk like an idiot as his friends all rushed round to save him. Now he was hooked up to far too many wires, barely hanging on. Zane had explained to them that Lloyd may be breathing but he was far from stable. He had elaborated on what Pixal had told them. Something about his powers flickering dangerously. They had to keep an eye on him at all times and had planned to take turns to watch over him so they could monitor Lloyd until it felt safe enough to leave him by himself. Kai hadn't taken watch once and no one had pushed him to do so. He couldn't bring himself to do it. He was fearful that he would break down if he was forced to face it. And strong men like him shouldn't break down.

His opponent flopped to the floor. With the memories of the past couple of days raging in his mind, his roaring heartbeat in his ears and his blood pumping violently around his body, he impulsively kicked his foot into the side of the head, just to make sure his opponent would stay down. Kai's chest heaved, and his shoulder throbbed. The pain under his eye made it twitch. Yet the cheering crowd continued and it didn't do anything. It didn't feel like he was set, ready to go back home. Not like he usually was, when they chanted for him after a victory and he felt like he had sorted out the whirling emotions he was fighting to keep down. He still felt the bitter guilt. The cowardly uncertainty and how stupid it was to feel so unstable.

“And we have a clear winner!” Francis exclaimed, clapping loudly. “Please, everyone, collect your winnings from Gerard as we set the ring up for anyone else willing to put on a show. But you're going to have to try hard to top that, that certainly was a spectacle!” 

The assistant– Tavis, if Kai recalled, shuffled into the ring and then gestured off to the side. Following him were a couple of men, one with a first aid kit strapped across him. Well, that certainly wasn't something Kai had seen before. He'd never seen the fighters get treated when they needed help.

“Do you need anything, sir?” Travis asked him, his voice nasally. He was fairly young. Though he held himself together well. The faded scar on the edge of his chin showed this wasn't his first time at a place like this. He held out a fistful of cash, supposedly Kai's for winning the fight. Kai took it and pocketed it.

To answer the question, Kai shook his head and Travis let him be. He stepped over to the edge of the ring and then through the ropes. A couple of strangers congratulated him on his win. One handed him his hoodie and he nodded as a way of thanks. No one pushed him to talk or reveal his identity, he supposed they got a lot of people not wanting to be known around here. For a brief moment, once he was through the crowd and the next fight had garnered everyone's attention again, he almost considered going up to the bar and getting a drink with the cash he had just won. Though he decided against it, the whole reason he was here was to fight. Not bring back dangerous old habits.

Because this wasn't dangerous, okay? Kai could step back if he wanted to. He could.

So instead he turned to the exit but stopped in his tracks. The winner of the previous fight, dressed all in black, the one who he had had an awkward stare-off with before Kai had stepped up to the ring, was still there. He stood by the doors that led to the stairs and once again he locked eyes with Kai. The stranger held the look for a moment, gaze scrutinising before pushing back out the door and letting them swing shut.

Kai rushed to the stairs in hopes of catching up with the man but once he opened up the doors, even though it had only been seconds, the stranger was gone.

Once he had snuck back to the monastery, making sure to avoid the wing with the medical bay, he stripped and quietly showered. The garage light had been on so that either meant Nya or Jay was currently up. When Kai made it to the bedroom, Jay was sleeping soundly and Cole was curled up in his bed snoring. Zane wasn't powered off here so he was most likely with Pixal watching Lloyd. He just hoped Nya hadn't heard Kai get back. There was only so much bluffing he could do.

Slipping into bed, he shut his eyes. For the first time in several days, he didn't dream of the nightmares they had all had to face recently. Instead, his mind drifted to a stranger in a fighting ring and the fact that Kai could've sworn he recognised those eyes.

Chapter Text

The following night he snuck out again. He hadn't meant to. 

After avoiding everyone for most of the day, even when Nya had tried to ask to talk to him, he had dodged and weaved and pretended to busy himself with menial tasks as to not be bothered by anyone else. He now stood by the door to the medbay. He felt a pang of guilt twist at his heart thinking about how Nya had looked desperate to talk but Kai had brushed her off.

Talking meant facing feelings. Kai wasn't sure he could do that. He was a coward, after all.

He stood by the closed doors for a while. Straining to hear the sounds of beeping and the faintest breathing. Time passed and he didn't know how long he had been there but suddenly footsteps echoed down the corridor, the sound getting louder as someone rounded the corner. Then they stopped, probably surprised by the sight of Kai glaring at the closed set of doors.

“Kai, buddy?” It was Cole. “I was just about to go in and swap with Pix. Do you want to come in with me?”

Everyone knew Kai had yet to go in and visit Lloyd. Though no one had brought it up, seemingly avoiding the sore subject. Kai had worried that was why Nya had wanted to talk to him earlier. Why he had so easily pushed her away even if she had only wanted to help.

“Kai?” Cole repeated. “You okay?”

He turned to his friend and wilted under the pitying gaze. It was too soft and gentle as if Cole was dealing with someone made out of glass. It had been a week now and Kai had no idea if Lloyd was getting better. He hadn't dared to ask, scared of whatever the answer may be.

“I–” Kai started but his mouth dried up as soon as he spoke, the words dying on his tongue. Cole waited patiently but Kai couldn't.

He couldn't do it.

So he turned promptly and stalked away down the hall, Cole calling his name one last time fell upon deaf ears.

Instead, he holed himself in their room, under the covers. Zane didn't try to get him to come eat. Jay didn't try to speak to him as he got ready to sleep, just muttering a night Kai as the lights turned off. At some point, Cole went to bed too. Kai had learnt that Zane and Pixal usually took night watches since they technically didn't need sleep and could always recharge little by little during the day instead.

All he craved was to fall asleep. To succumb to a dreamless state where he didn’t think about Nya and what she may have wanted to speak to him about. Or Cole, his features softened under the warming lights of the corridor. A contrast to the lights he would have been met with if he had stepped into the medbay, stark and burning.

Kai wouldn’t know for sure what the lights looked like though. He hadn’t stepped foot in the room. A helpless fear gripping him, stopping him from progressing. 

It was stupid.

Kai couldn’t sleep.

Even though he had not planned for this to happen, he tumbled out of bed. When he knew the coast was clear he stepped through the monastery, avoiding all the creaky floorboards, and once the front door was shut and he was past the courtyard’s front gates, he rushed off into the night. He'd once told himself that he would never end up in the same place twice but he couldn't help but retreat to Francis’ place once again. The Bar was called Smokey's, a nod to the man's last name. Look– he liked the place, so who could blame him for running back? 

Plus, there was also something else he needed to investigate.

The path to the bar was easy to navigate, especially since he had already done it once. Air cool against his flush skin and the familiar hum of noise surrounded him as he made his way through the streets and past groups of strangers. He'd worn one of his own hoodies this time, red hood once again pulled up. The fabric that covered the bottom half of his face this time was blue, he must've grabbed one of Jay's bandana's when he was quickly rummaging through the drawers before leaving. They needed to sort their clothes storage out eventually, Kai swore that half the clothes in his closet weren't even his at this point.

Rounding a corner, Smokey's orange sign sparkled as he approached. Like yesterday there was no one checking who entered and no one at the doors to the basement so Kai easily stepped past them and took in the familiar sight. It was bustling with strangers, cheers sounding out as the current fight ended. 

He settled himself near the back of the crowd, in a position that allowed him to watch but didn't get squished by the strangers. His shoulder still hurt and if he over exerted it, it throbbed in tandem with his heartbeat. He really needed to get someone to look at it– but everyone was so busy with monitoring Lloyd and Kai couldn't bring himself to take anyone away from that because if something bad happened whilst they were looking at his damned shoulder, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. He could deal with the pain. It grounded him somewhat, at least that was what he was telling himself. Plus, if he didn't move it, it was fine. He was fine all round. No problems here. Definitely.

Kai shook his head to rid the train of thought. He wasn't here to spiral, places like this were meant to get him out of spiralling. Though he wasn't here to fight either. The black eye he had sustained from last night was a bitch to hide. He had had to scrounge around in an old makeup box Jay had kept from his hosting days because Nya would notice if Kai borrowed some of her makeup. He didn't know if makeup could expire– could makeup go off? He didn't really care. It was old, sure, but Jay hadn’t touched the stuff in years so he wouldn't notice if Kai took some. It did the job, anyway. Well, sort of. It was patchy and the purples of the bruise poked out in some areas but it was enough that none of his friends mentioned it. Everyone still too caught up with the most recent events to question why Kai was looking slightly brushed under the eye. It looked like bags, for all he cared, it was easier to say he wasn't sleeping than come up with a stupid excuse as to how he got hurt. 

Whilst he was here, though, hiding injuries was the least of his priorities. Whilst his hands itched for a fight, to feel his fist collide with a face would satiate something inside of him right now, he wasn't here to do that.

He was hoping to run into that stranger again.

It was those eyes. He could've sworn he'd seen them before. Not many people had eyes so dark that they bordered on black, he surely could wrack his brain to remember whoever he had met in the past with similar features. And then the skin. Kai was questioning whether it was the lighting or if the guy actually had grey skin. It was– he was trying to think of who he could've run into in the past, it must've been more than a quick interaction or Kai wouldn't be so stuck on trying to figure it out, surely? Or, maybe, this was a perfect distraction he had simply made up. Taking his focus away from… things. Kai didn't need to think about it. He was fine. He was okay. He had a mission, afterall.

The new fighters appeared, not one resembling the man from last night. So he half heartedly tuned in. It was your run of the mill fight, not with the expert footwork he had seen from the stranger previously. Though a man did lose a tooth so that was somewhat entertaining. Kai listened as Francis rattled off the same spiel he did every fight, riling up the crowd. Gerard collected bets. No one gave Kai a second glance– just how he wanted tonight to go.

Though three more fights passed and Kai had lost hope of bumping into the man again. He had receded to the bar, further away from the ring, where he leant up against the counter. A bartender had asked if he wanted something and Kai had declined politely. He'd gone down that road before and he couldn't rid the picture of Lloyd and Nya from his mind, when they should have been furious with him, just looking at him with pure (pity) concern. 

…Though he supposed no one would know.

Blinking, he tore his gaze from the bar as Francis announced the start of a new fight.

There he was.

Kai shot forward, reaching the outskirts of the crowd in seconds because the stranger was there again. He was in the same outfit and as he lifted a hand and nodded as a greeting, the audience going wild. Sure, there may not be regular fighters permanently but this stranger seemed to be familiar here. It was as if the crowd knew they were going to be entertained. Kai certainly thought they would be too, considering the last time he had watched the man fight, it was mesmerising.

Immediately after Francis had started the show, the stranger was straight into the action. Kai didn't notice the opponent much, he was so… captivated. The stranger was flexible, that much was obvious when he did a perfect kick that knocked his opponent against the jaw. The opponent stumbled back and growled at him, frustration evident. Though the masked man didn't care, eyes cool and collected, not even a quirk of an eyebrow to show off any emotion. He had done this before. Many times, Kai would assume. It took one to know one, after all.

Again the footwork was impressive, light and quick with just enough calculated force to give him power for a good kick or shove. This was a man who had trained– not some newbie who was attempting to learn. These were maneuvers from a guy who knew what he was doing and it felt all too familiar to Kai. Perhaps it was the way the man moved. A certain punch had Kai thinking of Cole. It was unexpected; the first one a feint before the second fist came charging in, exactly how Cole had managed to trick Kai plenty of times before. Or the footsteps reminded him of Jay, annoyingly silent, completely untraceable if he needed them to be. Even those kicks, like he had seen Nya do before. Or Skylor, for that matter. He reckoned he could kick pretty high, they all had too in their line of work, but his sister had a knack for reaching just a bit higher and then Skylor had disclosed she had fallen in love with gymnastics and had trained throughout her childhood. He'd seen her easily slip into the splits in the air to kick two dudes at the same time. It was badass. 

It brought a sense of uncertainty to Kai because he'd seen all these moves before. In fact, he saw them every day. He knew how to fight like that, was taught how to fight like that, the same way everyone he was close to was also in the same boat. Perhaps, this time, he wasn't immediately jumping to conclusions by suspecting something deeper. Kai had run into a lot of people with skills and traits similar to himself. He might have met the man behind the mask before. It certainly would explain the staring.

Clapping erupted, shouts bouncing off the walls and glasses being thrusted into the air. Kai glanced back to the ring and wasn't surprised to see the stranger taking a small bow, victorious, as his opponent started to lift himself from where he was sprawled across the mat. Kai held his gaze and made sure it was solely trained on the masked stranger. He intently watched him collect his small wad of cash and then push past the ropes. It was only when the stranger straightened up, ready to slink through the crowd off into the night, did their eyes met.

Unnaturally the man's eyes widened, eyebrows raising in surprise. So he hadn't expected to see Kai. Interesting.

Kai nodded. It was all he could think to do in that moment. The stranger blinked and then had his head down, rushing past the onlookers and filtering through the exit.

(Could've gone worse, all things considered.)

There was a voice at the back of his mind telling him he should back down. It was cowardly– telling him not to worry about the whole ordeal. These few interactions had led him to believe his cover may be blown. At least one person most likely knew who he was and surely that should be a warning to step away and move on. Though Kai had always been stubborn. One of his greatest attributes and biggest flaws. If there was a mystery to track then that was exactly what he was going to do. Besides, he needed the distraction, he thought darkly to himself. This was a distraction.

Kai would never get over the cold air hitting him as he stepped out of a warm, overcrowded place. Despite thriving in the heat and being able to withstand the harshness of it better than anyone else, he secretly liked how frigid the night was. Perhaps because it didn't affect him as much was one of the reasons he revelled in it.

Wandering back he found himself stepping down into an alleyway. He could afford a small detour of sorts. Propping himself against the wall, he pulled a familiar small rectangular box out from his pocket.

It had been a while since he had smoked.

Only recently had he picked up the habit again. And he promised himself he would only do it during his escapades into the night. With enough time and distance, he could mask the smell of cigarette smoke with his own smouldering scent. All their elements had a different feel, looked different and, not many knew this, but they smelt different too.

Nya’s was of course the ocean on a summer's day. The days where the wind would pick up and carry a salty breeze. Cole was the earth after a night of raging rain. Petrichor was slightly sweet in a way, mixed in with the twang of freshly cut grass. Zane was ice cold air, the frosty type that you wouldn't associate with a smell but once it's gone you could tell something was missing. Jay was odd. Lightning, you would think, would be associated with storms. And it was in certain aspects. But the smell was motor oil and hot tarmac, energetic and moving and busy. Kai’s was, unsurprisingly, smokey. Though it was the deep scent of wood burning. Smouldering coals under the bark until it sizzled off into charred ash.

Lloyd was different. He was pure energy. Pure life–

Kai didn't want to think about Lloyd. He flicked open the carton and fished out a cigarette.

It wasn't as if the scents were prominent. It was quite the opposite. It was barely when they used their elemental powers. Unlike the glaringly obvious visuals. Or the sounds produced. The smells were something they hadn't noticed at first but after years of practice and spending every waking hour with each other, you start to notice those types of things. Kai liked it. It was another way of determining that his teammates were still there without actually having to see them. It was another aspect of their powers that made them unique to one another. 

So cigarette smoke was a distinctive smell. It was bitter and acrid compared to the smooth flames he produced. He'd first picked up the habit after Zane’s incident, along with a load of other (potentially unhealthy) methods of coping too. Smoking seemed to stick around for a bit longer. Only because as soon as he stepped away from fighting, he was thrown back into it again. The world was feeding his need to rejoin the battling when it sent him to the tournament on Chen’s island. Alcohol– well, that was certainly difficult. He was met with varying reactions and where Lloyd was comforting, Garmadon certainly wasn't going to allow Kai’s pity party. Though he was supportive, in a wise way that only Garmadon or Sensei Wu could be.

It wasn't pretty and the other guys had clocked on pretty quickly, even if Lloyd hadn't told them, where he had found Kai. The first few days wandering around Chen’s island before the tournament had fully started dragged and it wasn't like there was any alcohol to run away to, anyway. So Kai had suddenly stopped and it was hard , FSM of course it was hard. But he had his friends support and the desire to find Zane gnawing at the back of his mind that helped, little by little, to distract him.

Smoking was harder to give up. Again, Chen’s island hadn’t offered him cigarettes, and he thought that would be enough. The habit had first started not long after Zane had sacrificed himself, when he hadn’t fully grieved and was too caught up in the drowning emotions. He would return from walks reeking of smoke, and Nya would scrunch her nose up at the smell but always said nothing. Lloyd would give him lasting looks, but there was understanding in those eyes, and perhaps that made it all worse. 

After Chen and the tournaments, after losing Garmadon, after the whole shitshow that was, he hadn’t meant to but he'd found a pack of cigarettes he had stashed away. He had told himself only one, to stay calm. Which then became two, the three, then he was carrying around a pack and trying to sneak away to smoke. It didn't take long, again, for his friends to realise. This time Nya was vocal about her disdain. This time Lloyd said words of encouragement with every supportive glance he shot his way. Jay, Cole, Zane, Skylor, all of them, were there. Kai would do it, for them.

Every so often he felt the guilty need to slip back into old habits. Though this time he did find himself only having one. Probably because he knew Nya would murder him if she found out. He kept the pack hidden in a slim box tucked away under his bed. Somewhere he knows no one else would search. Just so he could grab it from time to time, when life got too much and the negatives of being a Ninja were all too heavy, and feel his stress dissipate with the cloud of smoke that left his lips with every exhale.

Kai found the lighter in his other pocket. He wouldn't dare risk exposing himself by lighting the cigarette with his element. It was too public for that. Instead, he held the cigarette between his lips as the metal erupted into a small stream of light, catching the edge. He pocketed the lighter and inhaled slowly, letting the smoke sit there comfortably before exhaling and watching it dissipate into the cool sky. When it wasn’t pressed to his lips it dangled between his fingers, his bandana slipping back into place. He could never be too careful. Being noticed here was the last thing he wanted to do.

Kai had always been one with fire. From how he could withstand the sweltering flames of the smithery growing up better than anyone else. Fire didn't hurt him as much. He could linger in the reds, yellows, and oranges longer than anyone else could before he eventually had to tap out. Smoking just felt like another piece of his puzzle that slotted in cleanly. He felt each drag in his soul– he assumed that was why he found the whole experience so relaxing. His element was angry. It was passion incarnate; it was eager and ready, always humming under his skin. This was different, though. It was two sides of the same coin: smothering out the frustration while letting a gentle heat glow.

“You got a light?” 

Kai hadn't heard anyone approach. He craned his neck to see who had joined him, the gruff voice pulled him from his thoughts. Then Kai had to stop himself from dropping his cigarette as he shot up straight, shocked to see the masked stranger from the bar standing right next to him.

The masked stranger from the bar standing right next to him.

He nodded, reaching out to offer his lighter. Said stranger grunted as a form of thanks before opening his pack of cigarettes and lighting one. It was handed back to Kai as the man relaxed against the wall, not much space left between them.

Kai was going to see who the stranger was.

Kai was going to see the stranger’s face.

It was a realisation that had crept up on him slowly but now they were here, it was hitting him full force. The stranger hooked his fingers under the hem of the balaclava and pulled it upwards, tugging it off of himself.

For the second time that night, Kai had to prevent himself from dropping his cigarette due to shock.

The dark hair and bushy brows. Eyes with a colour to match, deep and mysterious. Skin ashen, the grey hadn't been a trick of the light, the guy's skin was grey. Familiar, as well. Kai knew he had recognised those eyes somewhere.

Before the coherent part of his brain could even tell him to not do something stupid, he opened his mouth and croaked out, “Shade?”

The stranger– well, not a stranger, quirked an eyebrow at him, smirking as he took a drag of his cigarette. He waited a second before he breathed out and replied, “I was fearful we knew each other. Was hoping my intuition was just incorrect. Go on then, mystery fighter, reveal yourself.”

Shade hadn't changed much, Kai realised. He toned up more, muscles prominent under the tight outfit. His hair had grown a little longer, it was scruffier now, wavier compared to how straight it had been back then. Apart from that, it was unmistakably Shade. Voice rough and a glint to his eyes that showed he was ready to use a witty remark or snarky comment at any given moment.

Kai sighed, the cigarette butt dropped to the floor and he twisted the sole of his boot to smother it. He pulled down his hood and untied his bandana.

Shade took one look at Kai and the smirk dropped. “You have got to be kidding me, it's you?”

“Look I'm not entirely happy about this either, y'know?” Kai shot back flatly, “You don't see me jumping for joy because you're the mystery dude I’ve run into two nights in a row.”

Shade groaned. “Why'd you even come here? You've never been here before. Besides yesterday and then today.”

“I don't have to tell you shit,” Kai snapped back a little too quickly. Shade raised a brow but said nothing, a question present but it kept unasked. Kai shrunk in on himself, another sigh escaping him.

He hadn't spoken to Shade since, well, since the tournament. After they had split to take down Chen he hadn’t seen the man again. It wasn't as if that had bothered Kai much. Skylor was really the only one he consistently spoke to afterwards and they had become close friends. He could go to her any day and be happy to just gossip for hours. The others had said that if there was ever any danger then the Ninja could give them a call. Skylor had helped them many times. Plus Lloyd had told them about the resistance when the rest of the Ninja and Wu had been stuck in the Realm of Oni and Dragon. Even if Shade had helped with that, out of everyone they had previously met, Shade wasn't that high on Kai’s contact list.

To say they had gotten along at the tournament would be an utter lie. Shade was there to win and was distrusting after the traitor's reveal. That hadn't helped Kai's suspicions about the man and the rift that had formed from the start of the tournament only seemed to grow. Then suddenly Skylor was being revealed as the traitor and Kai had to trust her anyway so they could take down Chen and a fight broke out against the fake serpentines and they had to put a stop to it before a full-blown war broke out and Garmadon was willing to sacrifce himself for them all and–

So, yeah, there hadn’t been any time to sit and discuss feelings.

Plus Kai was stubborn, Shade was stubborn and he didn't want to think about their similarities but he would bet that they both didn't want to talk about it. So, in the end, they weren't exactly enemies (especially not after he had helped Lloyd. A bad man wouldn't have done that) but Kai wouldn't say they were friends either. If Shade’s reaction to Kai was any indication, he also didn't see them as friendly either.

“Just leave me be,” Shade said after a while. 

“Pardon?”

“Stay away from the bar,” he clarified. “You've only been there twice, don't try and lie and tell me you'll miss it. Find somewhere else to sort whatever you've got going on. Don't come here and ruin everything with your pissy mood.”

Breathe, Kai. The last thing he wanted was to make Shade bleed under his fist. (Or maybe he did want that but his morals were at least controlling his actions right now.) “Firstly, you don't know anything about me,” he spat, “‘ sort whatever you've got going on’, you don't know what you're talking about. Secondly, what are you going to do if I show up here again?”

Realistically, Kai did not have to go to the same place again. He had broken his own rule by returning, having always told himself he wouldn't end up in the fighting ring twice. It was just the mystery man was too alluring and now he'd been revealed and Kai knew that fact alone should make him want to go elsewhere but some invisible force was stopping him from doing just that. Shade was the masked fighter. Kai knew Shade. Yet, there was a curious corner of his mind that begged him to stay. Kai had his reasons for being here and that meant Shade did too.

Kai shouldn't be so caught up in trying to figure Shade out. They barely knew each other. He should move on, maybe tell Skylor about it, and pretend it never happened. Shade, after all, could tell Lloyd. Or Nya. Or any of the others– he didn't know how frequently his friends contacted the other elemental masters. They could be best friends for all he knew, chatting away in a group chat every day. Realistically, Kai should be somewhat worried about Shade spilling all Kai’s secrets to his friends. But he didn't feel worried. Only curious. And that immature part of him that revelled in annoying others told him what to do. If Shade wanted him gone. Kai might as well stay.

(Nya would say it was a defense mechanism Kai used to deal with his problems. Don't face the emotions, don’t face the issue, an interaction, whatever, and instead deflect by pissing people off. If they're annoyed at you, focus on that. Kai would say his sister was completely wrong. Totally. Definitely.)

Shade frowned. “Look, just stop coming here, okay?”

“Why are you so pressed about me being at the same underground fighting ring as you? Who gives a shit, man? Not as if any of us are here to be good people, right?”

“I'm not entertaining you any further,” Shade said as he turned and stalked off back down the alleyway, leaving Kai with too many thoughts rattling around his head.

He shouldn't be so caught up on it. He shouldn't. 

But, he was.

He would be lying if he said he had gotten a lot of sleep after he returned. He was left staring at the ceiling and thinking of Shade, of all people. Curse him and his stupid little face. Kai now regretted even pursuing the masked man. He wished he had simply left it. He wished he hadn’t returned. He wished he hadn’t stopped to have a smoke. Then he wouldn't be here questioning why Shade seemed to dislike him so much.

Sure– Kai wasn't the most pleasant person sometimes, even he could admit to that. His friends would agree because thinking back to the first time they had met, he was closed off and a huge asshole to them all. Pushing away any kindness and retaliating with aggression (though Nya was still wrong. It wasn't deflection. It was tactical. Totally.) He wasn't a trusting person so he was always going to be standoffish at first. Though he hoped the outer exterior melted away and revealed a kinder version of himself. The one that would do anything for the family he vowed to protect. 

He and Shade certainly did not see eye to eye but Kai couldn't recall a moment where he was too horrible to the man. Maybe accusing him of being a traitor wasn't the most considerate but Kai had been running on very little sleep and pure paranoia at that point so he had practically been accusing everyone. Plus, Shade refusing to show whether he had Chen’s tattoo or not had not helped. Kai didn't think that that was a terrible thing. He and Shade had butted heads but Kai reckoned he had butted heads with a lot of people on that island. It was what happened when a lot of big personalities were forced to compete.

So why was Shade so hell-bent on Kai keeping his distance?

It wasn't as if Kai could find a definite reason for Shade to hate him. And Kai hadn't threatened Shade's lifestyle or business or whatever the hell was going on down there. Today he didn’t fight. He had stayed inconspicuous until he saw the exact dude he had wanted to see. The trouble began when he realised the dude Kai had wanted to see, had not been reciprocating with those feelings.

He couldn't help it if that fueled his intrigue further. He fell into a restless asleep with thoughts racing through his mind and more questions than answers.

When he woke up he knew that he needed to get his shoulder checked.

It was more swollen than before, the skin red and irritated. Stiffness had overtaken it, making it harder to move his arm and it had certainly worsened since he had first gotten hit. Maybe fighting some stranger wasn't his smartest choice but Kai would rather feel the familiar burn of pain than face the thoughts rising in his mind.

Reluctantly he found Zane. The Nindroid was busy working away in the garage, tinkering with a machine that Kai would never fully understand. Most of the junk (well, he called it junk. Some of the others would maybe disagree) was too complicated. He worked with metal and heat, it was all he needed. He was thankful that Zane was occupied with this, rather than being on watch in the medbay. Kai had not attempted to step foot in there again after the embarrassment of Cole finding him merely staring at the door. 

“Hello Kai,” Zane greeted as he put down what he was working on, “can I assist you with anything?”

Kai sucked in a breath. Now or never, he guessed. And now he was here. Zane was not going to let him drop the issue. “I need you to check out my shoulder, if possible.”

“Are you in pain?”

Kai hated questions like that because, yes, he was in pain but that made him sound weak. He tried to shrug but ironically the motion was too much for his injured side so the gesture was clunky, Kai wincing as he had attempted it.

“I will take that as a yes then. Perhaps we should move you to the medical–”

“No.” Kai cut in quickly. Zane quirked a brow at him. “No moving me. Can't we do it here?”

The trouble with Zane was that he had developed damn impressive perceptive skills. Jokes and humour, he didn't always get. Emotions– he'd come a long way since Kai had first met him. Zane was a sponge when it came to research because he would suck up all the knowledge he needed and simply retain it. So analysing human behaviour based on expressions and gestures had become easy for him. Perhaps he would not always understand the motive (even with his emotion switch turned on, which often helped, of course) but he knew the signs. It was a blessing and a curse because now Zane could understand them more and more but that meant he could tell what Kai was feeling and Kai didn't like that.

He hated being an open book for others.

“Okay,” Zane said simply, not directly acknowledging Kai’s outburst. Zane knew Kai couldn’t bear to see Lloyd. The slightly sympathetic look he gave said that much.

Though Zane didn't add anything, instead just waiting for Kai to pull up one of the foldable chairs and take a seat. His eyes flicker on, an artificial blue light being emitted. Gently he grabbed Kai’s arm and placed one hand around the shoulder before he maneuvered it a little to fully understand what state it was in. Kai tried his best not to make a sound but failed at a particular rotation that had him hissing curses under his breath.

Finally, Zane stepped away, eyes flicking off. “A sprain. Meaning you've overstretched the ligaments within your shoulder but I do not sense it has torn so that is a positive. When did you first realise you'd hurt it?”

“Since the fight with the Oni,” Kai replied a little sheepishly.

Zane levelled him with an unimpressed look. “You should have come to me straight away. I think fortunately you won't need a sling to hold it in place as long as you rest and try not to use it. Get some medication and use some ice too.”

Kai gave Zane a mock salute before standing, “Got it, doc. Thanks Zane.”

Before he left, Zane called out to him, the words making him stumble to a stop. “And please make sure that wherever you're running off to in the middle of the night doesn't interfere with your healing, alright?”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” He didn't turn around to face his friend. Instead of feigning ignorance.

“Kai,” Zane's voice held a subtle warning, “Please tell me you're not doing anything stupid.”

“I'm not doing anything stupid.”

A sigh. Short and clipped. “I don't know if the others have picked up on your nightly adventures or not.” Well, that was good because Kai certainly did not want anyone else to know. Having Zane slightly aware of the whole ordeal was already one person too much. “We need you to stay safe. I don't want you getting hurt.”

“I won't, Zane. It's just nighttime walks into the city. Helps clear my head,” he lied. Zane didn't reply and Kai saw that as his opportunity to leave.

He opted to avoid Zane for the rest of the day. Another concerning glance from his friend and Kai would bolt, uncomfortable frustration itching under his skin. Once again he kept to himself, narrowly missing Jay and Nya, managing to not bump into Cole and staying as far away from the medical bay as possible.

When night came, Kai had honestly tried to lie down to sleep. But he couldn't stop thinking about Shade. His threat to Kai to stay away had only made him want to know more.

He silently slipped on a pair of boots, whoever had discarded their pair by the door Kai had opted to steal. Before sneaking out he stalled byvthe front gates of the monastery, Zane's words popping into his mind.

Please tell me you're not doing anything stupid.

“Sorry, Zane.” He whispered an apology before striding down the steps and disappearing into the city bustling with nightlife.