Work Text:
Kai grumbled mostly to himself as he tried to get his phone to agree with him. He was not going to throw it because that'd be counterproductive, but it was a near thing.
His phone wasn't old. It was just… well loved. The top right corner had been smashed in, a spiderweb of cracks taking up the space. His phone case was worn, all the rubbery bits were loose and flimsy, especially near the charging port.
And it seemed that the 'Enter' key didn't register touch anymore. It double sucks because he was in the middle of texting Skylor and if she thinks he's ignoring her again, it's gonna turn into an even bigger mess and everything was going so well.
Somewhere between his internal debate of either chucking his phone out the window or buying flowers and surprising Skylor at work, Zane walked in, silently watching Kai's intense battle with the device.
"Are you having trouble, Kai?" he asked.
Kai jumped, turning suddenly to the nindroid. The surprise quickly faded from his face, replaced by annoyance. "Uh… yeah, just… stupid, piece of shi—" he set the phone down on the counter, a little too harshly than he should've, but he didn't really have the mind to care too much.
Zane's eyes were still on the device, "For as much as you're on that phone, I'd assume you'd want the newest model."
Kai rolled his eyes, "Oh, I'm sorry we can't all have a sugar mama."
Zane raised a brow, "A what?"
Kai looked back at him, brow furrowing. "You don't know? Don't you have a supercomputer in your head? How do you not know that?"
"Well, fine then," Zane sighed. Kai's annoyance was palpable, he should've known better than to bother him in his state. "I'll find answers myself."
"No don't!" Kai said suddenly, waving his hands in front of Zane's eyes in what was likely an attempt to shoo away any results that had popped up in Zane's auto-search. "I'm sorry. I'll tell ya."
Zane stared at him expectantly and Kai took a moment to think of his response. Whatever he was thinking, he must have found it amusing, Zane noted as a grin spread across his face.
Kai huffed a laugh, "So Pixal, right?"
"What about Pixal?"
"She… She's nice, ya'know?" Kai seemed to be having trouble restraining himself. Zane still couldn't tell what was funny about the discussion. "And she's always giving you stuff."
"Yes…" Zane nodded along slowly.
"Literally anything you want," Kai explained further, "Because she's rich and she can just do that. That's just how she is…"
"Yes, Kai. Pixal is very giving," Zane shook his head, "I fail to see what any of this has to do with the term."
"It's just 'cuz…" Kai trailed off, grinning to himself, "Pixal's your sugar mama."
"What?"
"Oh, come on, Zane," Kai threw his head back, "Do you really not get it?"
"I suppose I can see the meaning of the term," Zane said thoughtfully, "If you're relating it to Pixal's personality. She's incredibly kind and sweet. Is that what you're alluding to?"
For a long moment, Kai held his eyes. And then he said, "Yes."
Zane huffed, "Well, I don't see what you find so amusing about that. Though, I suppose the nickname is somewhat childish. Honestly, it sounds like something Lloyd would come up with."
"Oh, he better not," Kai mumbled.
"What?"
"Don't worry about it."
Zane shook his head as Kai snatched his phone from the counter, still giggling to himself. That was short-lived though as his battle immediately resumed.
"You know, if you were to ask politely, I'm sure Pixal would replace that for you," Zane called after him.
"No thanks," Kai called back, "I'm not in the market for sugar mamas right now."
"What does that even mean?"
But Kai was well on his way out of the monastery at that point, so Zane's words fell on deaf ears.
That would have been that. Zane has learned to ignore his brothers' odd behaviors— in his opinion, they all acted much weirder than he ever has— but something about this stuck with him. Maybe it was the fact that it had to do with Pixal.
Whatever the reason, he was still pondering it as they worked together down in the Sam X-cave. As stated before, she was kind. Sweet is not a term he commonly uses to describe people, but he can see how one would attribute that to Pixal.
Maybe it was the "mama" part he was so hung up on. She definitely has the qualities of a mother, being extra caring and attentive. Stern when she needs to be— it has often felt like she is eldest of their group, despite it being the exact opposite. Perhaps that speaks less of Pixal's maturity and more of his family's lack of maturity. And he's heard her refer to herself as "mommy" when speaking to the chicken.
Perhaps the title was befitting of Pixal after all.
He nodded to himself as he came to his conclusion, finishing his welding on Pixal's latest mech.
She examined his work thoroughly. "I believe all that is left is painting. I do hope Jay likes it."
"He'll love it," Zane reassured her, squeezing her hand, "You are a good sugar mama."
Pixal blinked, turning to look at him fully. "What did you just call me?"
Zane chuckled lightly, "Ah, um… It's a rather silly phrase Kai told me about this morning. He thought it was fitting for you and I've come to agree."
"Did he now?"
"I won't use it all the time. I just wondered if saying it out loud felt any different."
Pixal shook her head, "No, no. Keep saying it. Perhaps I should find a nickname for you as well."
Zane cocked his head, raising a brow, "Like what?"
"We shall see," Pixal smiled, leaving Zane very confused.
Everyone was acting so peculiar today.
Things didn't come to a head until much later. Everyone was gathering back at the monastery just before dinner. It was Jay's turn, meaning it was either going to be a frozen dish he attempts to pass off as his own or fast food.
However, to his surprise, the dining table wasn't occupied by a frozen lasagna nor fast food, but an assortment of dishes. All incredibly well made, if his scanners were correct. And he knew they were.
He turned to his brother as the others began to flood the dining hall. Raising a brow, he asked, "You prepared this, Jay?"
Jay snorted, "No. No way."
"Pixal decided to splurge a little," Nya explained, taking her seat next to her yang, "She ordered a party platter from that fancy place on the north side of Ninjago City."
"Awesome!" Cole cheered, rushing to his seat.
"What's the occasion?" Zane asked.
"Nothing," Pixal smiled, "I just wanted to treat my sugar babies."
Cole promptly choked on his bread roll, coughing harshly and beating his chest to dislodge the piece. "What… did you just call us, Pix?" he rasped.
"My sugar babies," she answered, driving Cole to rub his temples, "Considering this operation is mainly financially reliant on me, I thought the title was apt."
Zane looked down the length of the table. The rest of its occupants had a wide range of reactions between shock and disgust. Except for Nya, who seemed oddly pleased at the turn of events.
Zane didn't understand it at all.
"Who did this?" Cole scowled, "What did we break this time?"
"Nothing's broken, Cole," Pixal shook her head, "This isn't a punishment. Am I not allowed to use a term of endearment? You often do?"
"Not like that, Pix," Cole whined.
"Plus, that's not what sugar baby means," Lloyd added.
Nya turned to him sharply, narrowing her eyes at him, "And how do you know that, Lloyd?"
"I have the internet!" he defended, voice pitching higher as he spoke.
"What does it mean then?" Zane tried to ask, only to be ignored. Isn't he always?
"And you couldn't think of… anything else?" Cole asked.
Pixal folded her hands under her chin, "I will admit, I took some inspiration from Zane's new nickname for me."
Cole's lip curled in horror, "What?"
Pixal turned to Zane, leading the others to do the same. Suddenly, he felt like he'd rather be ignored.
"What did you call me, Zane?" she prompted.
Zane smiled awkwardly, the tension in the room was palpable. "Sugar mama," he answered.
Jay choked on his drink, soda shooting from his nostrils back into his cup, making Nya cringe away.
Cole looked exasperated, "Where did you learn that!"
"I believe it was Kai who came up with it," Pixal answered, drawing the attention over to him, "Right, Hot tamale?"
Flushed red with embarrassment, a deep frown carved down his face. "I didn't think it would come to this," he quietly admitted.
"Do you know what you've done?" Cole snapped at him.
Jay covered his ears with his hands, "I'm never going to be able to unhear this conversation!"
"If it'll make you all feel better," Pixal said, unperturbed by the array of reactions around her, "I suppose I can save the nicknames for my snuggle muffin."
And Zane can admit, that felt… incorrect.
"I hate this," Lloyd proclaimed as his uncle let out a deep sigh.
"Please stop," Kai begged, "I'm sorry. I thought it'd be funny."
"And you are correct," Pixal smiled, "I find this incredibly amusing."
"Ditto!" Nya added.
"You two ganged up on us?" Kai turned to his sister, a look of betrayal crossing his face.
She shrugged, "You told Zane about sugar mamas. I told Pixal how to get under your skin. Fair trade, I think."
"Not fair!" Lloyd argued, "It affected all of us!"
Nya shook her head forlornly, "Some unfortunate casualties of this war."
"All this," Cole turned back to Pixal, gesturing widely with his hands, "because Kai called you a sugar mama?"
"I was not offended by it," she admitted, "But I knew his intent was to tease Zane. Something had to be done."
"Oh, a protective sugar mama," Kai snickered, earning a kick in the shin from his sister.
"Have you learned nothing," Lloyd hissed.
"I still don't fully understand what a 'sugar mama' is," Zane said, frowning at the fire master. Everyone turned back to Kai, looking expectantly.
Jay threw his hands down in exasperation, "UGH! It's a kink thing, Zane!"
For a long moment, the monastery was silent. All eyes were on Jay as that information was processed.
Zane's internal fans whirred audibly. "WHAT!"
Everyone's voices were overlapping as they argued with each other. Zane wasn't paying attention to any of it, staring into space as he pulled up a quick-search and—
He stood from the table abruptly, "Pixal does not pay me for my body!"
Kai erupted into wheezing laughter, fully ignoring the second kick from his sister. Lloyd rubbed his eyes in embarrassment and Cole looked like he was nursing a migraine. Master Wu left the room altogether.
"She doesn't have to pay you," Kai said between breaths, "But she totally spoils you."
Pixal shot him a look, "I'd think I spoil all of you, Kai."
That got him to think a little, "Okay… fair."
"Of course, if you'd prefer I didn't—"
A chorus of 'no's erupted throughout the table and Pixal smiled to herself, satisfied with the turn of events.
Zane sunk back into his seat, holding his head in his hands.
Pixal ran a hand down his back, saying, "Its okay, pookie," and eliciting a groan from the others.
Zane's shoulders hitched, "Please stop."
She let out a sigh, "I've come to find that that embarrassed face you make is cute, but I shall honor your request. Unlike someone else I know."
"I'm sorry!" Kai whined, "But it was kinda funny, right?"
Zane rolled his eyes. Maybe the problem wasn't him having little sense of humor. Maybe his family's humor was always skewed.