{A/N: Based off of a picture titled "Mother Zane". So adorable, you have no idea how much I want a shirt like that… "FFluvr13" wanted a story linked to it, so I decided to go for it. I wonder if the artist would want to see this as well? In a way maybe…}
Sitting up in bed, Jay didn't see much wrong so far. He was normally this groggy, but he seemed to take up less space. Stretching, he moved to leave the mattress, but there was a set back. His feet didn't touch the floor. Surprised, the brunet actually took the time to look himself over. Nothing looked natural anymore. He was the age that he was when he was turned into a child the first time, about eight or so.
The bed shifted a bit as Zane sat up, but was refreshed like every morning. He was completely normal unlike the opposing. Blinking in surprise at the fact his fiancé was somehow turned into a mere child, the blond nearly opened his mouth, but was cut off by the crying of the boy. It was heartbreaking, but the paranoia was too much for the little blue ninja. Instead of actually saying anything, he smiled gently and brought the boy to his heater of a chest, a request by Jay for the colder months.
Rocking them sweetly, eventually the little male calmed and decidedly looked up in awe. Wiping his eyes with a lazy sweeps of his hands, "Jeez, you're really big and scary from here…"
Shaking his head with a chuckle, the ice wielder got up on his side, but plucked up the other after going around. Fighting it lightly, Jay gave up as he realized he didn't need to walk at the moment. Liking the deal, he stayed still.
Sensei Wu looked up from his morning tea ritual, but then did a double take, "What have we here?"
"I am not sure, Sensei," admitted the teenager, shifting his arms gently to accommodate the child version of Jay.
Nya burst into the room, followed by small ideals of Cole and Kai. The younger two were bickering now.
The dark-haired boy huffed, "Great, now thanks to this I still have to run the apartment all by myself, but with less ability."
"You're acting like this is my fault Cole, and that's unfair," whined back the red ninja, but then the sight of Zane caused him to frown, "How come he gets to stay a normal size?"
Not even their teacher seemed to catch onto why at the moment. Thinking a bit, he calmly sipped at his tea. After getting bored, Kai grumbled and then said out loud, "Could you actually tell us what's going on?"
"My best guess is that the overlord isn't too thrilled with us trying to stop him." Tried Wu, not looking up from his beloved beverage, "Maybe he got revenge by changing you three into children, but since there was no way for him to figure out Zane, he left him alone." Looking about them, he sighed, "I think the others are perfectly fine, since there aren't anymore morning interruptions."
The only girl laughed at this a bit, but earned select glares. She paused and peered down at Kai, "This had got to be my favorite visit back from college, guys."
"Glad it's so great," mumbled the stubborn earth ninja. Kai grasped for Cole to hug him cutely, but was warded off with a stare of doom.
"All I know," started their sensei, "is that while I make up a new aging potion, Zane will have to take them around town or keep them busy with something. It should be done within the hour, or so."
Instead of complaining, he felt some sort of maternal rush as the other two boy pulled on his pant leg to have a lift as well. Nya helped Cole onto his arm to perch, but Kai swiftly climbed up the other side while the others laughed and chanted. "You sure about carrying them all, Zane?"
"I will do this for them, seeing as they only have a short time to be children again," pointed out the "nindroid". As he began to leave the nice apartment that normally only he, Jay, Sensei Wu, and his sleeping-in father usually inhabited, Jay leaned up for a kiss. The blond dodged it and landed a kiss on his forehead instead. Pouting, Jay instantly wanted the potion to make him older again, but then the thought of cotton candy made the want go away.
[Caring for your inner child has a powerful and surprisingly quick result: Do it and the child heals. – Martha Beck]
"Where to first?" Hummed Zane as he walked down the sidewalk, still carrying all of his friends. Their random chatter was ignored, seeing as they weren't directed to him. He wasn't one to peep on what they felt private. Except for Jay, since he was merely staring up at the ice ninja. Every so often he'd squirm.
Actually it was Kai to speak up firstly, "How about ice cream or something?"
The light chill blowing earned him an incredulous stare. Becoming rowdy, the boys began to demand being let down. All but the blue-adorned child, who clung to the fabric in his gloved grasp fiercely when the bleach blond offered the opportunity. This earned the soft chuckle, and in return a bright flush spread across Jay's face as he continued. On several occasions, the miniature couple sprinted around the android, chasing one another happily.
Shifting his hold on the other, Zane noticed that there was a resting area for tourist or the rare passerby. This was close to the outskirts of the city. Where they walking that much? Or, more so, Zane, for most of it? Pushing that to the back of his mind, he ignored the fact that the people were leaving in a herd. He didn't understand… at first…
"Wait!" Called a police officer, gaining attention, "You can't go in there, the building is unstable and is going to come down any minute!"
Setting down Jay swiftly, he ushered the more difficult children of his friends out first, figuring his mini boyfriend would follow. After realizing no such luck, cracking started up in the ceiling, but the lightning-wielder was going towards the middle of the vast room. A shiny object was in sight, and the brunet loved such. Making sure the hoard of humans was outside, the robotic humanoid rushed in. Finding the poorly made-up roof coming down in random parts and pieces, Zane veered this way and that to avoid annoying rubble.
Cradling what appeared to be a dropped necklace in his fist, Jay ignored the fact an especially large chunk of ceiling was heading straight down onto him. The heavy material would never reach him, not if Zane could help it…
~.~
From outside looking in, the crowd began to mumble about how heroic the act was, and how it was a shame they would be lost. The small ninjas had another theory on what the outcome would be, however.
~.~
The first thing Jay saw as he squinted open his eyes and the shaky view spilled in, was none other than a snowy, albeit dusty, kimono. Smiling dreamily, the blue ninja child noticed that he was completely protected. This was how Zane always made him feel, safe and able to take on anything. Realizing that the building was done with dropping the sabotaged traps. Bucking his back to the side slightly, the large piece dropped like it was nothing.
The android got up and dusted off his legs half-heartedly, but then just as soon shot out a helpful hand to the opposing. Jay took it shakily, and struggled to get up without fear of falling from fear. It seemed small compared to what he should be used to, but this seemed too easy to be a major attack. Somewhere the overlord was cackling and easily cooking up a new plot. Avoiding questions, Zane scooped them all up, his love closest to his heart, and headed home. It seemed that the fear was shared on some level.
[Question everything generally thought to be obvious. - Dieter Rams]
"Alright, it appears to be done," explained Wu as the changed boys sat around the tea table. His eyes went from one face to another, "Are you sure, you want to-"
"Yes!" Demanded Jay as he downed his. Unable to stand it, he stood up, but nearly tripped as his body shot up and back to normal size. Right into Zane's expecting arms, causing the others to laugh. Then Cole and Kai nodded to each other and drank theirs at a normal rate to have a more graceful aging.
The blond kept smiling down at his normal-sized lover and dipped his head for a kiss. Expecting another forehead smooch, the lightning ninja grasped the head with both hands and kissed him with much gusto. When it broke there were no background noises, but Nya practically ended up having a happy heart attack on the nearby couch. "You know what this means?" Murmured Jay at his fiancé.
"More training?" Interjected their sensei, earning snickering from the other couple, a confused Zane, and dirty looks from Jay.