Chapter Text
The old grounds of the Monastery were buzzing with morning activities, alive with the sharp friction of a new day. In the courtyard, the sharp crack echoed off the stone walls as Arin transferred his spinjitzu into the rock in his hand and threw it at the old wall, the loud noise waking Frak up from his zooning out session on the stairs. Nearby, Sora clumsily dodged laughing Wyldfyre's heatballs then accidentaly tripping over her own foot and fell on the dusty ground. Lloyd watched them with a hint of disappointment written on his face merged with patinece that was slowly fading away from him as he sipped his tea the same, calm but guarding way his late uncle and sensei, master Wu, did when he used to train him and the others.
Cole was sitting beside him, lazily watching their students train, trip and fall over and over. He was tired. He barely slept last night because of the weird dreams he's been having for the past few months and most of those dreams were about Kai and Cole's feelings towards the ninja.
Those feelings became unbearable, so, like any man who was about to lose his only remaining piece of sanity, he had to tell someone, and that someone should, under any circomstances, NOT be THE Kai Smith. So he told Jay, the only member of the team who couldn't keep his mouth shut for more than 5 seconds AND the only member of the team who knows about Cole's sexsuality and surprisngly didn't tell anyone.
So from that moment on, when they were alone, Jay wouldn't shut up about Cole's feelings and he would tease him and give him stupid advice that would only work in movies.
So here he was. On the old stairs of the Monastery, sitting beside Kai's favourite person (after Nya) in the world, watching their students train and being a chaotic mess in the courtyard.
"Hey um, Cole? " Lloyd spoke, his voice carring an obvious hint of concern. "Are.. you feeling alright?"
"Huh- o-oh, i'm fine." he didn't mean to stutter but he did and it came out as embaressing as it sounded.
Lloyd let out a noise of acknowlagment and nodded. "You don't seem fine to me. Is there something bothering you?" Ever since master Wu passed, Loyd tried to act as wise and mature as he did, always trying his best to understand stuff he was never really meant to due to his "young" age. Since the time Lloyd was destined to be the Green Ninja, the weight of the whole world was put on his shoulders, childhood taken away from him even farther after the effect of Tomorrow's tea. For this whole time, Cole felt pity for the boy. It was hard watching him take risks and sacrificing his childhood for the sake of other's lives. But Cole respected that either way.
"Nah it's just a lack of sleep, no worries Greenie." Maybe, what if he was destined to be the Green ninja? Maybe then, would Kai treat him differently? Would he be super potective of him like how he is of Lloyd? Cole could only hope.
Lloyd paused for a moment then answered with a tired sigh as if totally unconvinced by Cole's attempt to lie his way out of further questioning. "If you say so.. I won't press."
Cole still wasn't sure why was he so jealous of Lloyd. He was, technically, still a kid who grew up way too fast.
But he was. He was jealous because the boy got to feel Kai's special affection - small pats on the head, hair ruffles, long lasting hugs and even cuddles. It felt wrong to be this affected by Kai giving Lloyd this kind of attention.
As wrong as it is, Cole can't help it, and he feels absolutely ashamed by those feelings.
"Hey Sensei Lloyd! Can we have a break?" Sora yelled from the other side of the yard, pinned to the ground by Wyldfyre's foot with dust on her face and clothes and smoking hair, pausing before adding. "...And maybe a shower too?"
"Yeah you could use a shower. No offence, but you stink more than dragon's poop!" Wyldfyre commented, getting her leg off of Sora so she could get up.
"I think thats enough training for one morning so i guess you can have a break. We'll continue later." Lloyd agreed to Sora's idea and let them have a break. They've been training for quite a while now so they deserve it.
Cole went with three teens inside, leaving Lloyd and Wyldfyre in the courtyard.
"Uhh, soooo... -Wanna spar?" Wyldfyre asked, quite unsure of her words but Lloyd agreed.
Later on, Kai joined and they took turns. They were sure Wyldfyre was having the best moment of her life while sparing with the two.
(A/N: this part's unimportant so u can skip it bcz it's short, unless you want to see them arguing ig)
"So- umm... Sora baked this uhh.., thing- pie. Sora baked this PIE. I mean it looks like a pie so uh.. Anyone wanna try it?" Frak offered with a (failing) convincing but awkward smile while looking between the ninja, the supposed to be pie in his hands, the black burnt spot on the ceiling as a result of the explosion that happened exactly 9.8 seconds ago before everyone ran to the kitchen, confused Lloyd in front of him and Arin with a fire extinguisher in his hands beside the green ninja after putting out the fire that miraculously manifested out of nowhere.
"Sora.. How-" Lloyd started but got interuppted but Jay.
"How is it black-er than Cole's gi...?!" Concern was extremly visible on Jay's face as he eyed the "pie" in Frak's hands while holding Nya's hand like a lost child after inventing the word. (A/N: im pretty sure "blacker" doesn't exist like "redder" does so heh yeh..)
"How did this even happened?" Nya finished the sentence Lloyd started, also looking quite concerned as she looked at Sora for answers. "Sora, are you sure you baked a pie and not something else?"
"Pie or not, it doesn't look edible to me, whatever it is." Kai uncrossed on hand and pointed at the "pie", his hair's still smoking and running in all directions after training with Wyldfyre.
"Yeah what in the Merged lands is that thing?" Wyldfyre asked the question everyone seemed fearful to ask.
It took a few moments for Sora to think of an answer but after realizing it's taking too long and the silence getting more and more awkward by the second, she, defeated and a little embaressed, finally answered. "To be honest, i have no idea... It was supposed to be a pie... i-i don't know what went wrong, really.."
"It's okay Sora. But at least try not to burn the kitchen next time.." Arin, ever the sweetest of them all, said, trying to cheer his friend up a little.
"NEXT TIME?! Are you out of your mind?!!" Wyldfyre hit him in the back of his head as she gave reasons on why there shouldn't be a next time. "If it was up to me, i wouldn't even let her pinky toe take a step into the kitchen! LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED!!"
"Like you'd do any better, heat gremlin." Kai commented, earning an offended gasp from Wyldfre.
"MIND YOU, I"M A GREAT COOK!!"
"I thought Roby told her so that she wouldn't feel sad or something.." Arin whispered, mostly to himself, not expecting anyone to hear but she did.
"EXCUSE ME?! For your inforMATION, ROBY LOVES MY COOKING!"
No one... ate the pie. dum dum duuuuum *shock*.
In the early afternoon, they were all scattered around the monastery until Zane and Kai called for lunch. They were the ones assigned for meal preperations since the very beginning, because one does it for fun, and the other 'cause of personal issues.
At the table, there was no particular sitting order except for Lloyd sitting at the head and Kai on his right, aside from that, everyone sat on whatever chair their butts fall on first. The moment they all sat down, one thirds on the food were gon in less then 4 minutes. Nothing surprising for the fact that there were ten hungry ninja in one monastery but eh, who's counting.
Cole took his usual seat beside Kai. He likes being close to the red ninja and it's not like he'll notice that.
Zane rose from his seat and turned his head towards Lloyd, everyone turned to look at Zane, visible confusion painted on their faces.
"Lloyd, i've been thinking.." The nindroid started before pausing mid sentence, then taking in a deep breath - not like he needs it but it's more for a dramatic effect - then bravely continued. "The world has been at peace for some time and the new four have done a great job, learned a lot and trained non-stop. i think it's safe to say that they deserve to have at least some sort of reward and we some sort of rest."
"He's right. i think it'd be nice to have some time to relax a bit." Nya added, seemingly interasted in Zane's plan.
"Yes, I've been wondering if we could have a movie night tonight. What do you say, Master Lloyd?" He teased the younger, knowing extremly well how the blonde said not to call him that.
"A movie night?" Arin repeated then happily agreed. "Sounds fun. What do you think Lloyd?"
"OH! OH! Can i pick the movie?"
"Please don't let Jay pick the movie! His taste sucks!"
"OH SHUT UP KAI! Like your's any better!"
"So you agree your taste sucks? HAH! idiot."
"Guys-" Lloyd tried but it was worthless because the argument went on.
"Can i make the snacks?" Arin suddenly asked, gaining the attention of everyone, including the two ninja fighting.
"OH OH PLEASE make pies!" Wyldfyre pleaded, her eyes shining with hope and fake innocence.
"Pies are snacks..?" Jay asked, soon earning a light smack on the shoulder by Cole.
"Of course they're not, idiot."
Wyldfyre was clearly not taking that and crossed her arms. "Uh yes they are."
"Where did you get that idea from?" Kai suddenly interfered.
"Arin told me." She answered without any thought, making everyone look at Arin with "why the fuck would you do that" expressions.
Arin looked around and sighed. "When we first got here, i don't remember clearly, but you were out for something." He paused and looked at Lloyd, then continued. "I don't know where Sora was, so me and Wyldfyre were alone with the dragons. She craved some snacks but there were none so i baked a few pies for her. Ever since then, to her, oies are snacks and you can;t convince her otherwise."
"Argue with a wall." Wyldfyre added defensively.
Nya looked between the two and smiled. "Aww that's kinda sweet actually."
"Mind you, i have a boyfriend." Wyldfyre defended. To everyone else, she, at this point, worshipped Roby like a religion.
"Good. Me too." Nya said, unimpressed by the statement.
"Yeah anyway we still haven't got an approval for the movie night from the legendery Green Ninja over here by the way." Kai reminded them and everyone looked at Lloyd with extraordinary focus, lke if they don't pay him enough attention, he'll say no.
There was an unsettling silence for a good minute before the most amazing sound escaped Lloyd's mouth - the sigh of defeat. "Okay fine. i approve. Are you happ-" before he even finished the sentence, everyone was already out of their seats, cheering with the meal long forgotten slowly getting cold on the table to which Kai and Zane put their patience, sweat and strenght into making.
"Are we happy?" Kai says as he leans to Lloyd's side, then points at the others. "i think actions speak louder than words, Green boogers."
Lloyd's expression went from soft to interasted to serious in the matter of three seconds. "Don't call me that."
"Ay, ay, capetain." Kai made the hand gesture and went back to eating, not before heating his meal.
By the time snacks got preparred, common room filled with comfortable pillows and blankets, and movie picked out, the clock has hit 6 pm sharp.
Cole didn't pay much mind to the whole thing, instead- he watched Kai. Technically, he was more taking peeks rather than actually watching him. Not long ago, Kai disapeared to the bathroom for a shower and Cole was left with his thoughts.
Next to who was he going to sit? -Probadly Kai.
Where? -On the couch possibly.
But the couch was big enough for three people.
Who will sit with them? -Jay.
The lightning ninja wouldn't miss that chance to see his best friend getting flustered with his crush. He'd do anything to sit beside the crime scene. Any by anything, he means anything.
So here Cole was, sitting between his two best friends. His wingman, slash, a mischivious and whiny bitch of a best friend that menaged to pull a girl, on his right, and his crush, slash love of Cole's life but he doesn't know that, slash, the said girl's brother, slash, the most handsome man in the world, slash, the "i'm in love with my best friend" real life type shit, on his left. Like they say, he's the Limbo of the couch.