#ninjago: normal day hectic life
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halloween-neko96 · 12 days ago
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w.i.p. of the next chapter of my fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61067962/chapters/156016390
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weekend-whip · 1 year ago
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Ninjago Fic Rec Week: Day 3
Prompts: Angst / Kai Recs! *aka the best combo ahahaaaa*
Angst Recs (get ready for a lot of Wu being sad):
The Tale of the Teacher: BASICALLY a look at Wu's very tragic life through the eyes of Wu himself, and my personal inspiration for all things, well, Wu and tragic (and you do need to be logged into an Ao3 account for this one). A must-read for all Wu fans, and especially for those who are not~
Photographs: Wu reminiscences on all he's lost in the midst of Season 11 through pictures of times gone by~
No Eye For These: Wu reflects on losing his brother, right after just banishing him ;w;
It Will Rain Again Someday: Not necessarily angst but fills me with enough emotional damage to feel like it is, Wu adores his older brother so so so so much, even when they butt heads, even when they have opposing but equal opinions, even when they're on opposite sides of the battle field...probably the most potent Spinjitzu Brothers thing I've ever read. Changed my brain chemistry, man.
for want (for nothing): the staff corrupted!kai story that speaks to me very specifically snksnksnk Reading the gradually (or not so gradually) descent into enveloping himself in all that power is maddening and awesome and so very painful
Cry Me a River: Kai Post-Seabound; short, bitter, visceral, and powerful in the deliverance of emotions~
Married to the Sea: In case anyone wanted to relieve the pain that is Seabound's ending again, but with a Jay-colored coat of paint <3
half hearted-boy, maybe we'll have more connection: GUT-WRENCHING thing on parallels b/w Lloyd and Harumi. I am not the same person i was before. Tragedy does not have an age limit.
Kai Recs:
All I've Ever Known: One of the best kind of fics- Kai having to cope with team bonding during the events of the pilots <3(I have very obvious tastes). But! Has a lot of introspective Kai moments and outrospective (?) moments with him and the future team he's one day never going to imagine a time without.
Spice, and Everything Nice: Kai, in both a show of brotherly love and brotherly pride, attempts to outdo his siblings in a test of all things spice and chocolate. It's just so cute aaaaaaa!!!!
Bonfire: Lloyd wants to make a fire, Zane tries to offer suggestions, and Kai makes it personal. Slice of Life fic that would have made for a nice little episode during Season 2, honestly! And a nice look at the characters outside of their normally hectic settings~
Flicker: A story about Kai and the warmth he brings to himself and others, doesn't seem like much at first but you will be gutpunched by love and softness by the end~
Bucket List: In the category of angst and Kai with probably a guilty pleasure fic of mine, Kai strikes a deal with Morro and a horrifying journey of self-discovery ensues. It get a little dark but it's funny, gripping, heart-wrenching, and will probably have you looking at Kai in a new light by the end of it.
N Stands for Neutral: Kai teaches Lloyd to drive, chaos ensues, nuff said
Why Birds Fly: Probably not for the squeamish around eggs, insects, or ear-related agony (it's not nearly as bad as I'm making it sound I promise just being cautious) BUT another non-life-threatening crisis story that has an amazing dynamic between Kai, Cole and Jay, and their tendency to be both the best brothers you could ask for and the absolute worst.
The Process of Making Amends: Kai and Garmadon butting head and it's goes about as well as you'd expect....but, there is one thing they can reach a consensus on.
Going, Going, Gone: Vintage Classic on kai's take on Skylor throughout Season 4. Definitely Kailor, but also not exactly "shippy". It really is more of a character examination in the form of lil snippets and it lives in my mind rent-free.
From What It Was: Kai reflects on all the changes in the team post-s7. It makes me misty-eyed every time ;w;
Kai and the Futile Fist Fight: Anyone wanna see Kai and Jay have a real fight during Crystalized, with 50% more awesome fight moves and 50% more raw emotion and 100% more Kai being distressed over his sister in his own way? Here ya go!
"Mr. Smith" At Your Service: Kai pretends to be Nya's father. Nya gets far too much of a kick out of it, and it goes about a well as you'd expect snksnksnk
broken pieces: More Pilots!ninja bonding, short and sweet and ofc with a special focus on Kai! Left a very big impression on me, haha
this isn't how it's supposed to be: MOAR PILOT BONDINGGGGGGG and UNGH it's so BEAUTIFUL, especially love the character dialogue in this one!
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lizthehobbitcleric · 3 years ago
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Can I get a jay x reader oneshot where the reader is taking care of snake jay in the episode one bitten twice shy and finds him cute ( he will turn back to normal but here the process is just slow)
Sorry for the wait lol I didn't forget about it, life's just hectic.
Jay Walker x Medic!Reader: Snake Scales
Warnings: Mostly fluff but it does have a small bit of spice at one point if you squint.
Disclaimer: I do not own ninjago nor the characters associated, only my own ideas/plotlines. All characters are written to be 18+
Summary: Jay is slowly turning into a serpentine. Reader does their best to make sure he doesn’t.
~-~-~
As a kid one of your dreams was to be able to help people, which eventually led to your path as a resident of the Destiny’s Bounty. When you decided on getting your medical degree you never expected to end up with a team of crime fighting, world saving ninjas.
Regardless of how you got here, not even college could prepare you for the release of the Serpentine. As of late you had been researching ways to potentially create an antidote for Serpentine venoms, with Nya and Jay assisting you.
You weren’t quite sure how it happened. You had been studying the old Fangpyre skeleton the boys brought back from one of the tombs and needed to get some things for your latest test. One minute you were stepping back onto the deck of the Bounty and the next you found out that somehow Jay had managed to get himself turned.
Looks like you’d need that antidote sooner than expected.
You made sure to check up first on Jay and see how the venom was progressing as well as to make sure he was okay. He was doing as okay as someone turning into an anthropomorphic snake could you supposed.
“Stay calm?! How am I going to stay calm when I’m turning into a snake?!”
“Please Jay, just sit over there while I get started on the antidote. I’m not letting you turn into a Serpentine.” The two of you were in the room you used as a medbay of sorts, it wasn’t as fancy or well equipped as a hospital or the academy, but it served it’s function. You led him over to a nearby chair and helped direct him in controlling his breathing, a panic attack is the last thing he needs right now. After quickly making some tea for the both of you, you set to work.
While you worked you two had some time to talk, with all the attacks from the serpentine recently and with Lloyd still a renegade there wasn’t much downtime as of late. You could tell he was stressed out by recent events, you all were, but the thought of turning seemed to be the kicker.
Jay had outwardly seemed fine now, other than the scales protruding from his skin of course. However, you knew it was a front, he was trying his best to look calm, but you still could tell he was anxious.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”
“You can’t know that..” He stared into his tea as though it held the answer to life. You set down the equipment you were preparing and turned to the brunette.
“Perhaps, but as the medic of this ship it’s my job to make sure you all get healed when you get hurt. I’m not going to sit down and let you turn into a Serpentine without putting up a fight.” You walked over to him and cupped his cheek, making him look up at you with a look you couldn’t quite decipher.
“As much as I don’t want you to get hurt in the first place, I’m going to do my damndest to help when you do. Now, I noticed you've been scratching at your arms all day, do the scales hurt?” You took a step back and started making a plan for once you started working.
“They just itch a bit.. It’s not a huge deal, mostly just uncomfortable.” Now that you pointed it out, Jay subconsciously started scratching at them again, only to stop when you gave him a look that earned you a sheepish smile from him.
“Alright, well try not to scratch at them as best you can, it won’t do you any good.” You gave him what you hoped was a comforting smile and turned back to the table to get started on the antidote.
Despite the unexpected time crunch, all your prior research had come in handy and it didn’t feel like too long until you were able to pause in your work to wait for some of your equipment to finish the samples.
Taking a quick look at Jay it seemed he had fallen asleep at some point. Glancing at your watch you realized it was already well into the evening, you had been working for hours already but there was one more thing you had to finish before you could take a break.
About half an hour later you had finished your little side project, there was still some time left until the antidote was ready however. You stood and stretched a bit, covering up a yawn as you did.
“It’sss getting late, you should really take a break y/n.” You jumped a bit as you turned towards Jay, not expecting him to be awake. He stood up and walked over to you, the scales on his skin had multiplied, although not covering him completely.
“It won’t be much longer now until the antidote is ready.. In the meantime, I have something that might take the edge off the discomfort those scales are giving you.” You grabbed the bowl of salve you had just finished and gave it to him. He seemed a bit surprised but nonetheless glad that you cared enough to try and make things a bit easier for him.
“Thanksss y/n!” Eased by the thought of both the antidote being finished soon, as well as the salve you made, he gave you a grin that showed his now present fangs and forked tongue. You hadn’t noticed he had those until now but as he smiled you realized that, terrible circumstances aside, he looked kind of cute like that. The thought made you chuckle a bit and shake your head at your own thoughts. The ninja in front of you tilted his head in question, only serving to amuse you and confuse him further.
“What are ya thinking about?” The poor boy was entirely lost on your sudden mirth. The idea of telling him your thoughts made you flush a bit but you did so regardless, saying that you thought his fangs were cute when he smiled, though you let him know he was attractive regardless. His face turned a nice shade of red as he stuttered a response, not quite sure what to say.
“I- uh thank you?” You replied with a nod, unsure of why you told him what you did, but it’s too late now. A small awkward silence ensued while you both collected yourselves. Jay looked at the bowl in his hands and seemed to contemplate something before turning his head to you with a shy smile.
“Would you uh, would you help me put this on? Y-you don’t have to help with all of it, just my back, if not then that's okay too..” He seemed to lose his initial confidence as he continued speaking. However you still wanted to help him in any way you could so you nodded and took the bowl back from him and then set it on the table.
He turned around and slowly took off his shirt, showing you his back as his blush returned. You were in a similar situation as your face started to heat up, but the professional side of you took over and you started applying the salve to his back. Jay had his eyes closed as you worked, seemingly taking comfort in your ministrations. When you finished his back you moved to his arms and shoulders, the skin was irritated from him scratching at it but you could tell the coolness of the medicine was helping.
He was still turned away from you as you finished with his shoulders, and after taking a moment of consideration, you started applying the salve on his scaled sides. He sucked in a breath of surprise, but didn’t stop you even as his face and ears turned red. When you were done, with your hands gently resting on his waist you turned him around to face you. You looked into each other’s eyes, not quite sure what to make of the feeling in your chest as his gaze bore into you. Slowly his hand came up to your cheek and rested there, you closed your eyes and leaned into his touch, enjoying the warm touch. You opened your eyes once more when Jay started to speak, seeming uncertain.
“You really think I’m attractive? Even like this?” He was self-conscious, you understood why.
“With scales and fangs or without, I still find you attractive, yes.. That won’t change no matter what form you take, so long as you’re still you, still the Jay I know and love.” You assured him. He seemed relieved, happy even. You both then fully took in what you just said, but before Jay or you could say anything, the machine working on the antidote started beeping.
You rushed to the sink to wash your hands and then took the samples out. You had made a few extra just in case, you were certain it would work but it's good to have some on hand if anyone else needs it. You swiftly finished the last few steps to complete the antidote, then you took one of the small bottles and walked over to Jay who has since replaced his shirt. You gave the bottle to him and he swiftly downed it.
“It might take a few hours for the antidote to take effect, hence the salve, but you should be safe from turning now.” Jay gave you a grin and to your surprise picked you up and spun you around. After setting you down he spoke in a light tone.
“Thank you y/n, ssso much…. and for the record.. I love you too.”
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mcfanely · 5 years ago
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Ivory and Gold
With Ninjago finally falling into a state of calm again, the Ninja finally find a chance to take a well deserved break after the whole Prime Empire debacle. What better to have time off than to visit the Kingdom of Shintaro upon official invite of King Vangelis, for his daughters birthday celebration. Only, Cole can’t help but feel that he’d already been to the ivory city before. The name at least rung a deeply hidden bell in his mind, the only issue was that he couldn’t place the memory.  4518 words
It wasn't every day that being a ninja coincided with celebration and relaxation, but sometimes karmic justice did work in their favour. 
Though it did always seem that whenever they donned their gis, it was for anything but a normal day. That the action of pulling on their masks, making sure all their weapons and armour were in place, checking the fit of the clothes and the tightness of their belts to prevent any mishaps during possible battles. It inherently meant danger. It meant that something had gone wrong with the world again, that there was another big bad on the horizon and it was their job as protectors to prevent the world from plunging into the hands of whatever evil and dark force had decided to try and play their hand and take over. 
Yet this time, things had been a little different. Generally, the kingdoms within Ninjago kept to themselves, as much as everyone else did. They interacted, yes, traded goods and services, but that was as far as anything really went. It was a state of harmony, a working relationship. 
Cole had heard about the Ivory City of Shintaro a while back, he didn't specifically remember who had mentioned it initially but the information was stored somewhere in his mind. He'd seen it too, or at least he'd felt he had. Stood on the deck of the Bounty, staring in astonishment as they descended amidst the towering structures that made up the city. Turrets that reached high into the sky, made to look even more vast due to the peak of the mountain that the kingdom already resided upon. 
Their duties as ninja was to protect life, maintain a visage of hope. Be people to look up to, and to be relieved to see. 
Sometimes, it also included showing face. It included being given opportunities and experiences that Cole would never have expected to have should he have led a normal and mundane life like anybody else. Such as being invited to a generally fairly closed off kingdom to celebrate the birthday of one of the heirs to the throne. Princess Vania, it wasn't a name Cole was very familiar with. 
Honestly, he wasn't familiar with anything there. Even as they docked and promptly met with and escorted through the complex and winding hallways of the kingdom's palace by a guide with wings no less. Golden sheets that almost looked like silk flowing in an invisible wind, and it looked as though any form of flight with them seemed impossible. Yet still, the man floated gracefully above the ground.
Nothing about the kingdom was ringing any bells other than the distant inkling that this wasn't the first time he'd been there, or that he'd heard of it. Faces, names, they were all completely foreign, but the feeling the place provided… 
It was so familiar, right on the tip of his tongue. 
"Earth to Cole," came a voice, and Cole promptly snapped back to reality with Jay's face far too close to his own. "You're thinking pretty hard."
He took a short step back to place some distance between the two of them before answering. "Yeah, I guess." Cole took a brief second to actually take in where they had ended up in the castle. The floor they were walking on was polished to perfection that it almost felt like sacrilege to be walking across it. Patterned with gold lines that stretched as far as Cole could see, turning corners as the floor did, glinting and glimmering in the sun as it passed through the windowed walls. "Just, you know, taking everything in." And he was. He may have been distracted, but he was taking in the splendor of the kingdom. 
"Awesome, isn't it?" Jay said in a wistful tone, his pupils practically blown wide. They both slowed down in their pace just slightly. They were still following along behind their winged guide and their friends, just a little bit further back. "It's not every day that we get invited to anything to do with royalty--."
"Well, I mean, we have." Cole shrugged loosely, not going into much more detail on the subject. He didn't need to anyway, since Jay just gave a slow nod, his eyes briefly tracking over to Lloyd, who seemed to be sharing a conversation between Kai and their winged companion. 
"That was, you know, ninja stuff." The lightning ninja replied, in time that strongly implied the idiom of 'water under the bridge'. "We were there to do a job. But here, it's to have fun." He seemed fairly ecstatic about that fact. 
They'd all been told of the reason for the trip not long before they'd actually set off. No real precursor, more of a 'pack your bags, we're heading off the following morning'. The invitation had been carefully constructed, a cream envelope with gold embossing announcing that the contents were for all of them to read. 
You have been cordially invited to the Shintaro Kingdom to partake in the birthday celebrations of the crowned Princess Vania.
It had read funny, and Jay had mentioned that it sounded portentous. 
An engagement that included all the ninja. It wasn't a battle to fight, it was a party to attend. Down time that they all agreed they needed and deserved. 
"Finally, something that's not stressful." Sighed Jay as the group came to a flight of stairs, which led up briefly to a huge standing white door, arched with golden and near cerulean blue tones that made the white stand out even more, if that was even possible. At this point, their guide turned back with a bit more of a measured expression. It was calm, but also the face of a man doing his job. 
"You are about to be introduced to the King of the Kingdom of Shintaro. He's been looking forward to your arrival." the man said with a smile, "We've all heard of the great deeds you've done. It's a pleasure to have you here. Now, King Vangelis awaits."
The man turned back to the door, flying a little higher to its centre, "It is with great honour," He began, the booming voice resonating around the now open throne room. Cole's mouth dropped at the magnitude, and it's beauty. It seemed to be an expression shared by everyone as they stepped forwards. 
"That I present the famed Ninja!" 
__
To say the day was busy would be an understatement, but Cole knew that the following day, the day of the actual birthday celebration would be a whole lot more hectic and exciting. They'd been given a proper tour of the castle after they'd met with King Vangelis, followed promptly by a walk around the city with the same royal guard as before guiding them through streets that were all filled with people setting up for the following days celebrations. There was a sense of calm to the place, a nice warmth and camaraderie that was displayed by anyone they had met. Everyone worked together, shared tasks and helped out in order to have everything done before the sun had dropped behind the horizon. Between walking through thin streets, sidestepping people walking down the paths with arms full of colourful bunting, Cole had spent a good portion of the day lost in thought. 
It was always a problem when he noticed something he couldn't quite put his finger on; and this kingdom just made him feel weird. The foreign familiarity of everything, the cleanliness of the air he breathed in struck a chord in his lungs, the way the sun dipped down below the halo of clouds that circled the peak of the mountain, below the city limits. How the orange colour still glowed from underneath the blanket before it finally disappeared behind the horizon line for the day. It was incredible. 
Déjà vu inducing, but incredible. 
Eventually, they were all guided to their rooms for the night. Guest rooms in the Palace of all places, an entire hallway dedicated to bedrooms specifically for visitors to the kingdom. As rooms went, they were lavish. Four poster beds adorned each one, huge amounts of room space, closets and cabinets that would go unused in their brief stay in the sleeping quarters, but it was more than what Cole had anticipated. What with going from sharing a room both at the monastery and shared living spaces in the reduced size of the Bounty, to finally getting his own place to sleep when they'd remodeled and rebuilt the burnt down shell of their old training ground, it was nice to have that privacy maintained. Anyway, if Cole needed anyone then he could just head to the room to the left or right of him and find one of his friends to talk to. Privacy didn't mean constantly staying alone. 
Yet, Cole was alone with his thoughts. Laid out on top of the beds quilt, the light from the day now faded fully into the din of the night, it was a time when he was meant to be winding down, not letting his mind run wild.
He just couldn't stop thinking. 
It was one thing, to have a minor inkling at familiarity, but it was another thing to be so sure that he'd heard of a place before to such an extent that somewhere, deep down, he'd seen this place before. He'd seen the climbing walls of ivory white, the buildings topped with cladding of the best blue and the most perfect gold that gave such an ethereal quality to everything. It was such a unique place. Anyone who'd ever set eyes on a kingdom like Shintaro would forever have the place branded into their memories. There was nothing like it in the whole of Ninjago, yet there Cole was with one arm draped over his eyes in an effort to bring sleep to him even in his energised state, sifting through his memories for anything that would help him make sense of the feeling that had planted itself in his chest. 
It brought with it warmth, a softness, the sensation almost tinted with rose in the best way. 
There was something that Cole was missing. Forgetting. 
However the darkened room, the softness of the mattress beneath him, the calming silence that the night always brought about; even plagued with an active mind, sleep was never really far away.
Cole fell into it, the comforting and restful silence.
For what felt like a blink.
He felt his eyes crack open far too soon, though he must have been asleep. His legs were now tangled with the bed covers and he'd migrated over onto his chest, hair falling in his face and what looked like a less than glamorous drool spot just beside his pillow. He had been sleeping. 
The dim blue light of the early early morning fizzled through the windows, providing a bit of light into the previously darkened room. 
Cole could go back to sleep easily, all he had to do was let his eyes slip closed. 
Then a noise met his ears. It was faint, the sound of shuffling almost. Enough to make his brow furrow and get him to sit up in bed, though a short glance around his room didn't reveal anything to him other than that his vision was still blurry from sleep. 
Then the noise happened again. Much clearer this time. Distinct, even, enough that Cole's eyes were open and alert in an instant. 
He wasn't sure how he'd missed it, but Cole was sure that barely a second ago he had been alone in his room. 
Now… 
Well, now he was staring into the eyes of… Something. It was short, purple skinned and had a mouth of sharpened teeth. A hood was pulled low over its head but it seemed as equally shocked to see Cole awake as Cole was to see the nightly visitor. 
Everything happened so quickly after that. The intruder started to make their escape, but even in the dregs of sleep, the earth master was quicker. Barely two steps away from the bed and the creature was laid out on the floor with Cole standing above him. 
He was about to speak, to question the reason behind why this… thing was lurking in his room. Where he'd even come from?
Before a tiny glint of gold caught his eye. 
Cole's eyes flicked briefly down to the locket around the intruders neck, clicked open in their brief struggle. It held two pictures inside, and before he realised it, Cole was reaching for the small piece of metal. Tugging it from the other person's neck, the chain breaking at the clasp, the pictures that were held reverently inside froze him to the spot. Half stood up, clothes still crinkled from sleep, the creature on its back just at his feet going all but forgotten as he stared at the faces that looked back from the black and white images. 
On the left side, the unmistakable face of his father. A small smile on his face, as he was looking over the expanse between the open locket, over to the picture that was held in the opposing side. 
A face that Cole had feared would fade from his mind for years. Being left with nothing much other than fond memories, though they were few and far between. Context and details lost over time, fading as many old memories did. The visage of his mother looked back up at him, as beautiful as she'd been the last time he'd ever seen her. He couldn't have asked for anyone better to have helped raise him.
Then, puzzle pieces began to slowly slot together, and a memory that had never even crossed his mind for a second was now pushed to the forefront. 
It was clear, scarily so, for how buried it had been. 
"What do you mean you're leaving." Came a high voice, almost whiny and temperamental. Small hands reached up and grabbed onto the closest thing they could reach, that being the bottom of the woman's shirt. The material was soon balled up in the child's palms, fabric stretching as it was pulled down . 
There was a quiet sigh, and arms reached down beneath the young boy's arms, scooping him up as if he weighed absolutely nothing. Dark hair, in vast need of a haircut dangled in front of his eyes, it was fluffed up and looked like he'd been rolling around on the grass, or messing around in some undergrowth if the twigs and loose pieces of foliage tangled in the strands were anything to go by. 
Lilly looked down at her son with a soft smile, then leaned forwards, pressing a prolonged kiss to the cheek of the boy in her arms. 
Cole squealed in retaliation, voice high and arms flailing as he failed to free himself from his mother's unrelenting grip. Still, the kiss went on until eventually, finally, she pulled back. Only to dot smaller briefer ones over his cheeks and nose. 
"I already told you yesterday, sweetie." Her voice was soft, but measured, as though they'd had this conversation a few times before. She crouched down, placing Cole back onto solid ground, then ruffled his hair even with all the earthly mess accumulated in it. 
"But you're going to be gone for so long." Cole crossed his arms over his chest, his face dropping into a sulk. 
Lilly crouched down more to her son's height, even though her toddler was still quite on the shorter side than his peers. "Only four days, Cole. I'll be back before you know it. It's only a short trip to Shintaro, your grandfather needs a little bit of help with something and he needs me there."
Cole looked up, brow furrowed in far too much suspicion for someone so young. "Because you're strong?"
"Yes, honey, because I'm strong."
"And- and," He paused, his fingers looping into a couple of the torn holes in the hem of his shirt, picking at the loose threads there. "And, you'll be okay? You'll be back? Because, you know, you're--" The words were muffled as he brought his hands up to his mouth, the sleeves of his jumper blocking the words. 
Dutifully, Lilly leaned forwards further until Cole could move closer to her ear to spill his small secret.
"Because you're more fun than dad…" He whispered, and she pulled back with a wide smile and silently shaking shoulders. 
"We'll keep that between the two of us." The words sounded like she'd gained some type of achievement. "But I promise, I'll be back. And whilst I'm gone, you're in charge?" 
Cole's eyes only widened, "Really?" He grinned. 
"Really, sweetie. Really. I need to have my little man looking out for my other older man."
Cole slowly came back to reality, still stood stock still in the centre of his bedroom, the locket held reverently in his grip as the blurred sleepy feeling that had overtaken his vision was replaced with a slight sting which could only mean the onset of tears. 
He shook his head, drew one sleeve over his eyes to catch any stray droplets, before his attention shot immediately down to the floor. 
The empty floor. 
Cole cursed. 
He'd been so caught off guard, so caught up in memory he was surprised he even remembered that whoever the intruder was, they'd disappeared as promptly as they had so suddenly appeared. The floor was bare, no inch or indicator that there had even been anyone there in the first place, or if Cole had just been dreaming.
The locket in his hands stated otherwise. 
He stared down at it, his feet moving him back over to the edge of the bed in autopilot, where he slumped down and kept staring. 
He'd always been told he looked a lot like Lilly. By anyone that had known her, the comparison was always drawn. Or at least, they did draw it. They looked at him, old family friends, long time neighbours. They all reverently stated that he was just like his mother. 
Until any comment like that slowly came to a stop. 
Cole hadn't heard it much at all, following her passing at least. 
His fingers traced their way over the image, moving with the contours of her face, captured and frozen in an everlasting expression of peace and contentment. 
It was the exact way he remembered her, that small smile that was always there. The warmth in her expression, even towards the end. 
Cole hadn't been allowed to see her as she'd only gotten sicker and sicker, but he remembered her laid in bed at home. He'd spent most of his time there, sat quietly with a book or sharing headphones and music with her to keep her company. He could never have imagined that one day he'd leave that room and he'd never see her again. 
"That same song again?" 
The words came out of nowhere, an internal and forgotten dialogue that dragged sharply at Cole's heartstrings. 
"Well, if you want to change the song, you can be in charge of the music," He was sitting on the right side of her bed. His mother was laid just under the covers, her back propped up with a couple pillows and her hair was pulled back from her face with a hair-tie. Even around the usual expression on her face, she was clearly sickly. Her skin was paler, a grey tone permeating the darker tone. There were bags under her eyes, ones had just got deeper and deeper with each passing day. Cole was sat cross-legged on top of the covers, music player held in his hand and a single earphone hanging from one ear. His mother had the other one. 
She held up one hand to stop him, "No, no, the technology is far too complicated."
He closed his eyes, before holding the player up to her, "You literally just press this arrow button--" 
"As I said, sweetie, far too complicated."
"You grew up with this tech as much as I did, mom."
That seemed to catch her out for a second, but she just chuckled and shook her head. "No, no, I didn't. This is, why you're holding the music box--" 
"Player."
"And I'm just listening to it." Lilly said plainly, then rested one hand on her son's knee afterwards, squeezing lightly. "Though you don't need to be sitting there flicking through songs for me, don't you have homework? Or friends to write letters to."
At that point, Cole knew that she was just trying to make him laugh. Phones were a thing and she was fully aware of that factor, if the grin that split apart her previously stoney facade meant anything. 
Cole laughed, resting his head back against the headboard. "I'm spending today with you. I'll get my homework done tomorrow, I promise."
"You'd better." Lilly smiled, threading a hand through his hair. He just paused for a second, allowing his eyes to slip closed at the contact, "Otherwise we'll have to tell your dad that you did it and then rush to get it done last minute, all the while trying not to get caught in the lie."
Cole just grinned even more, "You're words, mom, not mine." He held up his hands in mock surrender. "I'll sit in here tomorrow and do my work. Deal?" 
"Or," She spread her hands, as if she was going to impart a revelation upon the world. "You could sit outside, because it's been sunny the past few days and you've been cooped up with me." Lilly pointed to the window of the room. The curtains were drawn, they always were. It kept the room dim, the light from getting too harsh, but there was a warm glow from the sun permeating the material. 
Cole sighed. He could sit outside, he could sit in the middle of the flower beds. Sure, it would frustrate his dad and track mud back into the house, but with the sun shining down on everything, the colours and the smell floating in the air around him; it would be worth it to get his school work done outside. Yet, there was also the fact that he wanted to sit and spend time with his mother. He wasn't a child, he wasn't sheltered from the world. His mom had been sick for a while and she only ever seemed to get worse and not better. 
He could see how it affected family life too. It was rare that Lilly got up out of bed anymore, and with his dad out working it left Cole with the lion's share of chores and jobs to get done. He didn't mind, how could he? It kept everything clean, his mom didn't get worried and his dad wasn't stressed over the unfinished tasks when he came back home from a performance or rehearsal. But it was clear that what was happening to Lilly was affecting everyone. Smiling was hard to come by whenever he left her bedroom, he was always partially focused on a task along with wondering if his mom was okay. 
Which was why it made it easier sitting with her and getting stuff done. If he was worried, all he had to do was look to his left and see that she was fine. 
It made the day easier to handle. 
"Cole, you're going to sit outside tomorrow, right? Have a quiet day, leave chores alone for a while. Go on a walk or something." Lilly offered with a tilted head, "No rush to get things done."
"Other than homework." 
She nodded in agreement, "Other than homework. Which you will do--" 
"Outside." They said in unison. 
Cole smiled and leant over to press a kiss to his mom's forehead, "I'll have a quiet day tomorrow then, mom."
"You'd better."
That night, he'd walked out of her room like he did every other day. The following day he'd brought her breakfast, then walked out into the middle of the bed of chrysanthemums with a maths textbook slung under his arms. The day had been far too unassuming for it to be anything but normal. 
Cole hadn't thought that the final memory he shared with his mother would be something so mundane. She deteriorated rapidly afterwards. He was kept away from it, prevented from going into her room. He knew the reason behind it, the attempt to shield him from what must have been the last few days of his mother's life. 
But staring down at the picture in the locket, a face that he hadn't seen, hadn't thought about properly for years, it brought everything crashing back. Every birthday, every small conversation. Every night spent with his dad's old record player spinning in the corner of the room, his small hands in her sure grip, his feet - donned in fluffy socks - were stood on top of hers as she danced her way around the living room of his childhood home, guiding Cole's movements. 
She'd been to Shintaro, she may have even walked the same halls he'd walked that morning. He may have literally followed in her footsteps. 
Though that realisation fell into the background as the first of the tears dripped slowly down his cheek and landed as a dark mark on the bed covers. More only continued to follow as he looked at her picture in his hand. One of his dad, the other of his mom; their family back together again in a way that Cole had never imagined, or expected to happen. 
The tears wouldn't stop flowing, the hiccuped breathing that came with crying was silenced by his own hand clamped over his mouth. 
He'd just had someone in his room, but he didn't care about it during the moment. He'd found his mother's locket around said creature's neck, but that fact moved to the outer reaches of his awareness as Cole sat on the edge of his bed, head and shoulders slumped forwards as if acting as a barrier between the world around him and the precious memory held in his hands.
Even with his found family in rooms both to the left and right of his own, he stayed where he was. Tears falling slowly and silently, shoulders shaking minutely. The rising sun had begun to show itself now, a line of hazy orange flowing warmly into his room. Cole could get up, he honestly should go and get someone and tell them about what had taken place. 
He just found he couldn't move. He didn't want to move, he didn't want anyone to see him in the state he was in. 
Crying over memories that were so far in the past, long forgotten until that one moment. The warmth and happiness of his mother's smile, her soft voice yet foreboding and stoic demeanor. 
Cole could wait until everyone else was awake before he mentioned what had happened. 
For now, he was content to sit in the comfort of the memories of his mom, his palm closing as he clicked the locket shut. 
-
AO3
Thank you, @existentiallyrandom, you’re so galaxy brained!
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that-was-anticlimactic · 6 years ago
Text
I Love The Way (Bruise !!) (Ninjago Valentine’s Week - Day Seven)
Day Seven: Favorite Non-Canon Ship
Terribly sorry this is late, the past few days have been hectic! I tried so hard to have this finished by Thursday night but my procrastination of my AP Lit homework caught up to me:/
I don’t know who I’d be if I didn’t go with Bruise?? I adore this ship and everything about it! This one is also finally happy!
Just a heads up, I headcanon that Jay has Tourette’s Syndrome (I have a whole list of headcanons about this I am so passionate about Jay having Tourette’s) and this involves Jay having it! In this oneshot, his tics include: blinking (it doesn’t sound bad but oh my rowling it’s the worst sometimes), neck twitching, tapping, rubbing (again, doesn’t sound bad but it sucks), and he has one verbal tic which is his little nervous laugh! He also moves constantly!
Enjoy lovelies!!
----
Jay was not in the best mood.
He was in pain, he was agitated, and he really wanted to run onto the deck and just scream at the top of his lungs for the sole purpose of screaming.
But he couldn’t do that, not when the team was in the middle of board game night, a night they had once a month to make sure they spent quality time together. Normally, it was a blast, but Jay was not in the mood for it.
BLINK.
Jay grimaced and mindlessly began shuffling his cards.
BLINK.
He bit his lip, his hands moving faster and faster as he shuffled the-
BLINK.
The corners of his eyes began to twitch and Jay had to suppress falling on his face and moaning.
He could feel how tense he was, he could almost smell his own desperation to suddenly stand up and walk ten laps around the ship, First Spinjitzu Master he was annoying himself.
BLINK.
TWITCH.
That’s it. “Guys, I’ll be right back,” he informed the team immediately after the twitch, dropping his cards and jumping to his feet. “I have to urinate!”
He cringed at his last statement before shuffling out of the room and making his way towards the ninja’s shared room, closing the door behind him. He began walking in tiny circles. If he were to return soon, he’d have to get rid of how jumpy he felt.
After the third circle, he heard a knock at the door, and as he turned to debate whether or not he should answer, when the door slowly opened and Cole’s sheepish face popped out.
Jay resisted the urge to face palm. Of course Cole would know he was lying.
“Hey, babe, is it okay if I come in?” he asked tentatively.
Jay nodded, sitting down on Cole’s bed and patting the bed sheets next to him, his foot beginning to wildly tap against the ground.
“Bad day?”
Jay sighed. “I don’t know. Today’s been a good day. I’m just… stressed,” explained Jay, frustration creeping in his tone.
“Why?”
“Ugh, I don’t know that either. Everything was fine until I started blinking like crazy!”
“Yeah, I noticed,” Cole said. He paused. “Am I too close? Do you need me to move some more? I know it was crowded in there and that probably stressed you out and-”
Jay couldn’t stop himself from laughing. “I wouldn’t have patted the spot next to me if I wasn’t comfortable with you sitting by me, Boulder Brain… although, thanks for asking.”
Cole beamed at him, his eyes lighting up, and Jay’s heart fluttered because First Spinjitzu Master Cole was cute when he smiled. Jay could get lost in his eyes forever.
“You know, you’re cute when you- ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” he screeched as his flirtatious comment was interrupted by the fact that he blinked multiple times in a row.
“Was it the eye contact?” asked Cole. “Because I won’t look you in the eyes right now if that makes it worse!”
“No! I want to look at your eyes, babe!” protested Jay, but Cole just raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay you’re right eye contact is making it worse.”
Cole smirked at him.
“Hey, don’t give me that look! I was complimenting you!” he nudged his boyfriend’s shoulder, then proceeded to blink a few more times along with a neck twitch. “Ugh! My stupid tics ruin everything!” He pouted, crossing his arms and huffing.
There was silence for a moment before Cole spoke up. “Were you suppressing during board game night?”
“You know me too well,” he said dryly, running his hands through his hair.
Cole sighed. “You know you don’t have to suppress in front of us, babe. You aren’t annoying.”
The blue ninja just jerkily shrugged and blinked a few more times.
“Is it okay if I touch you?” Cole asked him.
Nod.
BLINK.
Cole grabbed Jay’s hand and held it tight. “I love you no matter what. I love you for your excessive blinking,” he told him, bringing his boyfriend’s hand up to his mouth and kissing his knuckles. “I love you for your neck twitches.” Another kiss. “I love you for your tapping and your rubbing.” Two kisses. “I love you for that little adorable laugh.” Another kiss.
Jay felt his cheeks flush with every word Cole said, and the redness just grew each time the black ninja’s lips grazed his hand.
“I love the way you laugh and the way you can’t ever sit still, I love the way you make little noises when you’re restless, I love the way you rock back and forth when you sit. I love it because it is you. It is wholly and completely you. And I love you.”
Jay was silent for a moment before wrapping his free arm around Cole and pulling him close, planting a kiss on his lips. “Thank you,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against Cole’s so that the tips of their noses touched. “I love you too, Dirt Clod.”
He broke apart then rolled over to the right side of the bed. “Now come cuddle with me,” he demanded, wiggling his eyebrows.
Cole rolled his eyes, but was still smiling widely all the same. “Are you feeling more comfortable? I’m not going to cuddle you if it makes things worse.”
Jay rolled over and shoved his face in the pillow. “Yes, mom, I feel better.” He lifted his head slightly so he could peek at Cole and moaned at the disbelieving expression on his face. “Seriously, babe, I feel better. It’s like you have some kind of magic because you always seem to be able to help my ticing stress fade. Now come cuddle me.”
Cole beamed at him again (First Spinjitzu Master this boy was pure, the smallest things made him happy). “How about we cuddle after I tell everyone that we’re turning in for the night?”
Jay groaned as Cole sat up and walked away. He could vaguely hear the sound of Cole’s voice, then some suggestive whooping and laughs from, presumably, Kai, Lloyd, and Nya. A minute later Cole, while shaking his head while smiling, returned and laid down next to his boyfriend, instinctively extending an arm out for Jay to rest his head on.
Jay adjusted his position a few times until his head was comfortable where it lay, then reached his own arm out to run his fingers through Cole’s hair, giggling when the earth ninja hummed happily as he did so.
It was moments like these when he felt the most relaxed and the most safe. Being close to the love of his life always made his tics calm down, not to mention Cole always knew how to help him out if it were bad. He really did spoil him.
He glanced over at Cole who’s eyes were closed with a soft grin resting on his face, and Jay coudn’t help but smile himself. He always thought Cole looked especially cute when they cuddled (his happy hums as Jay ran his fingers through his hair only made him more adorable). He leaned close to his probably-almost-asleep boyfriend and gently kissed his cheek. “I love you, babe.”
----
I hope that didn’t suck! I will say, it was a bit of venting because I was ticing as I was writing this and that gave me inspiration, but today actually hasn’t been too bad. I just thought it was a cute idea and I’m a sucker for Tourette’s!Jay!
I hope all you Bruise lovers enjoyed and had a great day!
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halloween-neko96 · 18 days ago
Text
1.
Lloyd took a spoonful bite of his raspberry cheesecake.
It was a good cheesecake, not his usual order but Lloyd had decided to try something new from the menu. He licked his lips, tasting the leftover raspberry jam. Definitely a good cheesecake.
His enjoyment was cut off as the voice of a young man reached him.
“Excuse me, can I sit here with you?”
“Pardon me?”
Lloyd replied before the question could be resigned. He looked up from his plate to face with a pair of hazel eyes. The person standing near his table wasn't that much older than him. A year or two, Lloyd guessed. The older boy was holding a drink in one of his hands. He gave Lloyd a sheepish grin, his other hand rubbing the back of his head.
“If you don't want to, you can just say no.”
Lloyd blinked, turning his gaze to look behind the older boy. The shop was completely packed, filled with many customers. But it was a normal Sunday morning for the Destiny Coffee & Tea Shop. Lloyd's eyes searched for another empty table but soon realized that all of them were full. He looked back at the older boy, a sigh left his mouth.
“Just sit down.”
“Thanks, man! I owe you a big one for this!”
The other boy broke out a smile so bright that it caught Lloyd off guard. Now that the older boy had sat down, Lloyd could observe him more. The older boy had the wildest hair that he had ever seen, he didn't know that someone's hair could be that spiked. Just how much hair gel did it take for it to stay like that, Lloyd wondered while taking another bite of his cheesecake. The older boy took a sip of his drink before flashing Lloyd another grin. Lloyd scowled before averting his eyes away, feeling a bit embarrassed about staring at the other.
“So what's your name, man? Mine is Kai.”
Lloyd's eye twitched, he didn't want to socialize at all. Why had Spiky have to open his mouth at all? Couldn't he see that Lloyd didn't want to talk at all? But ignoring the other would be impolite and Lloyd had taken too many etiquette and manners classes for his liking. He also didn't want to disappoint his father and his mother. They didn't raise him to be an asshole. So Lloyd muttered up the best fake smile that he could at the moment and answered Spiky.
“I'm Lloyd. Nice to meet you, Kai.”
Spiky let out a thoughtful hum at Lloyd’s name, making Lloyd narrow his eyes at him. Lloyd didn't like it when people recognized his name or who he was. However besides the hum, Spiky didn't make another remark about Lloyd's name.
“Nice to meet ya too, Lloyd!”
Luckily for Lloyd, after that, they didn't exchange more words. Spiky pulled out his phone and started to play with it, not paying attention to Lloyd anymore. Lloyd took a sip of his hot chocolate while eyeing Spiky's phone. The phone was covered with a red phone case with a bonfire drawing. What caught Lloyd's eyes more was the three phone charms hanging on the phone. One of them was the character Fireboy from the game Fireboy & Watergirl. The second phone charm was a noodle bow, he recognized the design. It was a free gift from the famous Chen Noodle House, Lloyd had one too even if he didn't use it. But the last phone charm was what caught Lloyd off guard. He blinked, it was a small golden key. It looked too familiar for some reason yet Lloyd couldn't recall where he had seen it.
Before Lloyd could inspect the key more, Spiky's phone rang, interrupting him. Lloyd's eyes darted away, pretending like he hadn't been staring at the other boy's phone all this time as he listenes to Spiky answering the call.
“Yo, this is Kai- What!?… Oh come on, I'm not paid enough for this!… It's a rhetorical question, rhetorical Zane! Don't pretend like you-… Okay, okay, I get it. I will be on my way. Tell others to stay safe. I will see ya soon.”
Spiky let out a tired sigh before complaining rapidly under his breath as he stood up and ready to leave. Lloyd watched as the older boy paused midway to give Lloyd another smile and a wave of hand.
“See ya later, Lloyd!”
Lloyd let out a small huff before muttering.
“See you later then, Kai.”
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One of Kai's three phone charms is the character Fireboy from the game Fireboy & Watergirl. Nya has the Watergirl phone charm for matching.
Normal Day, Hectic Life
[LEGO Ninjago AU]
Ninjago Modern AU where Lloyd is trying to keep his 'normal' high school life intact while everyone else around him is involved with magic and supernatural on a daily, including his partners, cousin, and the stranger he just met.
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AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61067962/chapters/156016390
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halloween-neko96 · 19 days ago
Text
Normal Day, Hectic Life
[LEGO Ninjago AU]
Ninjago Modern AU where Lloyd is trying to keep his 'normal' high school life intact while everyone else around him is involved with magic and supernatural on a daily, including his partners, cousin, and the stranger he just met.
Tumblr media
AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61067962/chapters/156016390
7 notes · View notes