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“Do you have any money? I have not been awake in several years so I have no idea how my ‘stash’ is doing,” Pixal says.
“Eheh…” Zane lets out a pained chuckle. “Cole stole half of it for cake and Kai spent the rest on beauty products.
Pixal groans.
“Typical.”
Pixal and Zane stand outside of a small inn. Pixal wanted to visit the Tournament Temple City after Zane described it to her. However, they could not reach it until mid afternoon the next morning and Pixal did not want to make Zane stay up late flying their balloon (the gentlemanly nindroid would gently steer her away from the controls whenever she tried to help and she was certain he would insist that she sleep while he direct their vehicle.
Thankfully, they had located a small inn in a relatively quiet area of the woods. The inn was known for being a walking distance from a beautiful stone dragon that shot water from its mouth in a cherry blossom grove. Pixal hoped that Zane would take her on a romantic walk there the next morning. And, judging from the smile and far-off look on his face, he was planning to do just that.
“Do not worry, dear. I have currency.” Zane lifts a small brown sack from his knapsack labeled with the Ninjago symbol for currency and “Zane.” Pixal raises an eyebrow.
“Is that Master Wu’s Allowance System?”
Zane chuckles.
“Yes. Lloyd managed to maintain it after…well, Master Wu disappeared.” Zane’s voice grows quiet for a minute. “The other ninja are not too happy about it and, sadly, Lloyd did not find your savings until it was too late.” Zane’s expression softens. “I am happy to share mine with you if you’d like—”
Pixal feels her cheek panels heat up.
“Zane,” She moves her hands beneath his arms and, when he does not protest, wraps him into a hug. “I love you.”
Zane stiffens. Pixal feels a jolt of panic and she draws away. It had taken the nindroids quite a long time to confess their love to each other and Pixal was still wary at times…especially since she has been absent for years.
Zane cups her hands and guides her back into his arms.
“I love you too.” His words are muffled by her hair and he presses a kiss against her scalp.
“Hey hey hey, you two should get a room.” That voice. That tone. Oh hell no—
Pixal whirls around, untangling herself from Zane and with one smooth motion and knees the heckler in the balls.
“AGH!” Pixal cannot help but smirk as Ronin staggers backwards, clutching his nuts. He glares up at her from beneath his straw hat. “That was unnecessary.”
Zane steps in front of Pixal, ice crystals gathering at his knuckles. Whenever the three of them were in the same room, Zane always acted protective of Pixal, and Pixal of him. The nindroids had never forgotten what the bounty hunter had done to them.
“Easy, easy!” Ronin waves his arms. “Your girl just kneed me in the balls. Show some mercy.” Zane’s face creases.
“What are…‘balls’?”
Pixal rolls her eyes.
“Zane, we do not need to discuss what ‘balls’ are right now—”
“Oh,” Ronin says, a smile growing on his face. “Oh ho.”
Pixal spins to him with a glare, raising her fists.
“Don’t you dare—”
“So you two haven’t done it yet, have you?” Pixal’s face deepens into a scowl while Zane’s creases even more in confusion.
“What—”
“Oh he he he. This is too good. The bots haven’t—” Pixal grabs Zane’s arm and spins him around.
“Let’s go inside.” She pats his shoulder to comfort him.
“But what—”
“He is an idiot.” She makes sure to emphasize it enough so the cackling prick behind them could hear. “Who is exceedingly rude and pitiful in his stupidity.”
“Have fun on your date!” Ronin wheezes, cackling. Pixal guides Zane into the inn and closes the door behind him.
“I am so sorry you had to experience that,” she says. She starts busying herself by straightening his gi.
“Pixal…you are in distress.” Zane catches her hands and squeezes them. Pixal’s hands relax as her fingers instinctively curl around his.
“No, I am not. He is just stupid and does not understand—” She huffs. “Why must he ruin everything?!”
Zane touches her shoulder and she closes her eyes as he massages it gently. After a few seconds, he stops and gives her a soft kiss on the cheek. Pixal lets out a small sigh as they turn to observe the room they entered into.
The inn is cozy with rustic wood floors and little clay pots lining the shelves. A single other person is with them in the room, an old dragonian lady with large glasses and a toothy smile on her face sits behind the reception desk.
“Hello, my dears. Would you like a room?” She says, oblivious to the conversation that has just transpired between them.
“Yes,” Zane says, approaching the desk.
“Well,” she squints at her computer. “We only have one room available and—”
Oh no. After everything that’s happened today—
“—there is only one bed.” The old lady peers at them from behind her spectacles. “I hope that is alright.”
Zane’s gaze immediately lands on Pixal. He lifts his hands to her in a small gesture that means, is it alright with you?
“Yes,” Pixal says. “That is alright with us.”
Zane pays with the amount of currency the lady specifies for one night’s stay. Pixal glares through the walls to where they met Ronin.
He always has to come and ruin our day—
They walk down the hall to room 22. Zane unlocks the door with a key and pushes it open. Pixal smiles when she sees the inside. It is quite similar to the reception area except that it has a small window overlooking a flower garden.
“It’s nice,” she says. Zane nods at her and starts to unpack. A few minutes in, he pauses. Pixal’s attention immediately snaps to him. His face is turned away from her but she can see the plates of his back stiffen.
“I think I now know what Ronin meant—”
Pixal’s stomach compartment sinks.
“Oh, Zane.” He turns to her with wide, soft eyes.
“Pixal, did you ever want—have you ever wanted…oh” he shoves his hands in his face. “I am so stupid.”
“I do not want that. Humans are strange and can be a bit…disgusting at times.” Zane lets out a small huff in surprise.
“I agree!” He exclaims with such excitement that Pixal takes a step back. “Not necessarily the disgusting part---well, actually I might concur with that---but strange certainly. I never understood why my brothers…well, a lot of things.” Zane’s eyes grow distant again and Pixal knows he must be thinking of the countless jokes his brothers have made over the years. Pixal knows a bit of this. While she was in Zane’s head, she had observed Kai, Jay, and Cole engaged in a competition as to who could urinate the longest. It was so startling that Zane had hidden in his bedroom for the entire day and apologized to Pixal profusely. Only coming out at dinner time and unable to be coaxed from behind a potted plant for the rest of the night.
“Humans can be weird…” She says, shrugging.
“Yes,” He smiles. “They can be.”
After a pause, he continues.
“So, you do not want—” He stammers into silence.
Pixal looks up at him and cups his cheek in her hands.
“Only if you have the desire to, I will consider it.”
After a moment, Zane shakes his head, no. Pixal rubs his cheeks.
“It’s settled, then.”
Zane lets out a great sigh. Pixal’s sensors inform her that he is relaxing.
“Does that mean you would feel comfortable—”
“Of course.” She pulls back the covers on the bed and Zane slips into them. As soon as he is settled, she follows. They lay beside each other in silence for a few heartbeats.
“I have never shared a bed with someone before.”
“I have to admit that it was only vaguely recently that I returned to sleeping in a bed.” Zane turns to her.
“What does one do? Would you like me to be still or…” Pixal smiles. She reaches out a hand. He takes it.
“I love your hugs,” she says, smiling up at him. He chuckles.
“Here,” he moves his arms so she is settled neatly into him. She snuggles against his chest and he lets out a great sigh. “This is better than I imagined.” Pixal shoves him gently with a smirk.
“You dreamed of this moment?” She teases. Zane blushes, blue light coating his cheeks.
“Well, I…” He stammers. “I thought that one day, many years into the future, if I managed to work up the courage, and you said yes, maybe every night would be like this. And…I would wake up in your arms each sunrise.”
“That sounds like a dream come true.” They smile at each other, their eyes softening with love and sleep.
“It does indeed.”