#my room is barren and ive cried three times today

[thenamesbabe-crybabe]

Hi just checking, is a deep sense of impending doom the night before your college graduation normal? Just me?

[thefandomshavebrokenme]

A Bruising Date- Bruise/Geodeshipping

Hey, everyone! This is the first Ninjago piece I've written that I've posted, and I'd love to hear what you think! Here we go!

Movie verse

Jay hummed to himself, debating whether or not to wear his scarf. Cole liked his scarf, right? For a moment, panic flared up in Jay. What if Cole hated Jay's scarf? It was a gift from his mom! Quickly, Jay shook off the thought. If Cole really hated your scarf, this would not be the first time you've thought about it, he told himself.

He decided to wear the scarf, thinking he could easily take it off if Cole really didn't like it. With that, Jay made his way to the top deck of the Bounty, exiting onto the dock and beginning the trek through the city to the park.

Jay and the other ninja had been staying aboard the ship for the past week. Master Wu had requested that they stay there in the aftermath of Meowthra.

They were going back to their parents in a couple days, but Cole had wanted to spend a day with his boyfriend before that happened.

Jay was flattered. He wanted to ask Cole out on a date, but he was too shy, the thought of it sending panic throughout him. He had managed to ask Cole out in the "will you be my boyfriend?" way, but vividly remembered how he'd burst into tears when he thought Cole had said no.

Jay shook his head to rid it of the memory. His cheeks flushed with distant embarrassment.

A metallic crash resounded, piercing Jay's thoughts.

Jay's heart began pounding, his head snapping to the source of the noise. He found himself looking into an alleyway - empty save for a couple of trashcans.

For a moment, the desire to investigate overwhelmed him. But I'll be late! Jay thought. He checked his phone. He had plenty of time! He had left the Bounty early so he wouldn't be late, a habit of his.

Jay ventured into the alley, an anxious feeling growing as he walked further back.

"Now!"

Jay yelped when something heavy suddenly landed on his back, forcing him to the ground. He did his best to wriggle out from underneath the weight pressing down on him. He had almost escaped until he looked up and a fist caught him in the face.

Jay cried out again, his face stinging from the blow. So there's two of them, he thought.

"Pick him up." A voice commanded.

The weight from his back disappeared for a moment. Almost immediately, there was a pressure on his right arm, followed by another on his left.

Jay began to fight against the holds on him, flailing wildly as he was lifted up and held in a standing position.

It was when Jay was able to look and see the two hands wrapped around both of his arms that he realized he had miscalculated the number of attackers. Three. There are three of them, Jay thought.

"Give us your money." The one giving the instructions said. His hair was shaggy and dark, framing his stubbled face. He had a knife out, pointing it threateningly at Jay. It was obvious he was the leader.

Jay looked at the man, every inch of him vibrating with panic. "I dont have any money." He said, voice small.

The leader made a tsk noise. "That's a shame. You see, around here it's pay or play." He spoke to his partners now. "I guess it's a play day, boys!"

The two holding Jay cheered. One of the hands holding him disappeared, but quickly found itself holding a knife to Jay's throat.

"So here's how it works. If you can fight us off, you leave. If you can't? Well...we might let you go eventually." The man to Jay's right laughed. "Ready? Go!"

The hands holding Jay were suddenly gone, freeing him. Before he could react however, his legs had been kicked out from beneath him. Jay fell forward, smacking his chin on the concrete.

Quickly, he rolled, grabbing one of the thug's legs and pulling. He went down with a shout, arms windmilling as he fell.

Bad idea.

The man was holding a knife, the weapon burying itself in Jay's arm as the thug fell on top of him.

Jay shouted in pain, smacking the man's arm to get him to release the knife. Eventually, he did, but by that time the other two thugs had made it to Jay.

A kick in the gut had the helpless ninja gasping, rolling onto his side and crying out as the movement forced the knife deeper into his arm.

The thug on top of him made it back to his feet, removing the knife from Jay's arm.

He hauled the teen to his feet, holding him up once again.

Blows were raining down upon Jay, fists connecting with his face, stomach, and anywhere else they could find to hit.

He did his best to break free, but couldn't. The panic and pain filling him prevented him from focusing enough to summon his lightning.

Jay kicked, his foot connecting with one of his attackers. They stumbled backward, but quickly came at him once again. Jay screamed as their knife entered his thigh.

The thug holding Jay let go, allowing him to fall to the ground. They kicked the boy while he was down, and it was then Jay realized how wet his face was from tears.

Jay wasn't sure how much time had passed as he was picked up, dropped, and used as the criminals' punching bag.

"Let's go, boys." The leader announced at last.

And then they were gone, leaving Jay alone on the pavement.

The sun had moved lower in the sky, taunting Jay with the fact he had missed his date with Cole.

Oh, FSM, Cole. Jay pushed himself to his feet, gritting his teeth against the pain. He stumbled, almost collapsing again with a sob. Cole's going to hate me! Jay thought despairingly.

After all, how could Cole not be mad at him? Jay had missed their date, and proven how worthless and weak he was. Cole was strong, he wouldn't want to be with someone who couldn't defend himself.

Jay found himself crying again, his sobs making his body ache even more. I'll call Cole! He thought. I can explain everything! Jay reached for his phone. Gone. The thugs had stolen his phone.

Jay couldn't force himself to calm down, sobbing and breath hitching the more he tried.

I have to get back to the Bounty, Jay thought. It was the only coherent thought he could come up with.

So Jay began the trek back to the ninja headquarters. It seemed longer than the walk that had led to this situation, every movement agony. Jay tuned out the gasps of any people he passed, doing his best not to flinch at the sight of alleyways.

It was nearly dark when Jay made it back to the docks. Moving as quickly as he could, Jay limped aboard the Bounty, its deck barren.

When did the world get so spinny? Jay suddenly thought.

He felt himself sway. No! Jay told himself forcefully. I have to get to Cole. I have to explain everything to him.

Jay stumbled down the stairs to the lower decks. He could hear voices coming from the kitchen.

"Do you think he went to the wrong park?" It was Kai speaking. Jay almost sobbed in relief, never in his life so happy to hear his voice.

"There's only other park in Ninjago City, Kai. And we've both agreed to never go there again after the last time." Cole refuted.

Cole. FSM, how Jay missed him. Pushing through the overwhelming pain and black spots that had suddenly began to dance in his vision, Jay stumbled to the doorway of the kitchen.

"I just don't know why he would do that, Kai." Cole admitted, his voice aching with hurt.

Jay forced himself into the kitchen, the world tilting violently before his eyes. "Cole." He gasped.

Two heads snapped in Jay's direction, both morphing their expressions from one of surprise to one of horror in seconds.

"Jay!" Cole shouted, his voice panicked.

The world went dark.

~~~

Jay was in the hospital.

Cole stared at his boyfriend's unconscious figure in the hospital cot, his eyes lingering on the bandages wrapped around his arm.

The nurses had removed his IV a little while ago, reassuring Cole that Jay would wake soon and begin to recover nicely. Cole merely nodded, his mind still in shock.

Some strange form of guilt consumed him, gripping his heart and twisting it. When Jay had missed their date, Cole hadn't even considered it could be because he was hurt. Instead, he assumed Jay had forgotten or bailed or was sick of him. Not this. Cole never wanted it to be this.

Sadness began to wash away the guilt. Jay looked so small in the bed, his face developing bruises where he had quite obviously been punched. Cole wondered how his ribs were doing. The doctor had informed him that his attackers had broken some.

Cole reached forward, lacing his fingers through Jay's limp ones. He took a deep breath, trying to slow his racing thoughts. Cole couldn't suppress the memory of Jay stumbling through the door, his face beaten, his clothes torn and dark with blood from the stab wounds. It played on repeat, Jay's voice echoing in Cole's head.

"Cole." Jay had sounded so desperate, so full of pain saying his name. "Cole." Jay was falling to the floor, his eyes rolling back as he collapsed.

"Cole?"

Cole snapped out of his thoughts, feeling a squeeze on his hand. "Jay!"

Jay stared up at Cole, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. "Cole, I'm so sorry."

Cole was confused by what Jay meant, but it was pushed aside by his concern. "Jay, don't be sorry. You're in the hospital. You're going to be okay."

Tears slipped from Jay's eyes as he nodded. "I-I missed our date." He stated simply. Cole could hear the unspoken "do you hate me?" Knowing the thought was eating at Jay.

Cole did his best to reassure him. "That's okay. The park was super busy today, anyway. We wouldn't have had fun."

Jay started to cry harder. "I made you wait for me." He tried to move his injured arm to wipe away his tears. Jay flinched violently, pain crossing his features.

Cole made a shushing noise, moving his unoccupied hand to wipe away Jay's tears for him. "I'll always wait for you, Jay. I'm just glad you're okay. Nothing else matters right now."

Jay leaned into Cole's touch, sniffling. "Okay." He breathed.

A nurse entered the room then. "Mr. Walker? You're awake, good!"

Jay nodded, his breath hitching as he breathed in deeply. Cole and Jay unwound their fingers from each other's, allowing the nurse (Jessica Peters, Cole read) to do her job.

"Everything looks good!" She informed happily. The nurse frowned a little. "Are you willing to tell me what happened? It could be very beneficial to your recovery."

Jay nodded again, trying to push himself into a sitting position. He couldn't stop the little yelp of pain that escaped when he put pressure on his injured arm. Regardless, he sat up, reassuring Cole that he was fine.

"There were...these guys." Jay started, his voice shaky. "They jumped me in an alleyway, and they just...went to town. That's really the only way to put it."

Jessica nodded. "I'm so sorry that happened to you, Mr. Walker. But you should be able to be released in a few hours, and then you can recover from home. That sounds nice, yeah?"

"Yeah."

~~~

Back on the Bounty, Jay dozed, his head leaning on Cole's shoulder as he sat in his lap. Cole ran his fingers through Jay's hair slowly, careful not to pull on the boy's tangled curls.

As he did so, Cole noticed Jay's breathing begin to increase, and a soft whimper escaped the smaller boy.

"Don't. Don't hurt me, please. Let me go!" Jay mumbled, terror in his voice.

Eyes widening, Cole shook Jay as gently as he could, trying not to touch his injured arm.

With a gasp, Jay woke up. When he realized where he was, he relaxed, turning to bury his face in Cole's neck.

"It's okay." Cole assured, resting his head on top of Jay's.

Jay sniffled in response, breath hitching.

"It's okay." Cole repeated firmly. "You're okay now. Everything's okay."

Jay nodded, listening to Cole's soothing words. "Thank you." He said at last.

Cole didn't bother responding with words, instead placing a kiss on the top of Jay's head. "I love you, Jay."

Jay flushed, still not used to hearing the words. "I love you too, Cole."

All was well.