Cole rolled his eyes, "Here we go again."

"Don't talk to her like that! She's too innocent for something so wrong!" Kai glared daggers at the blue ninja in front of him who was much more interested in the birds out the window.

"Chill out! I was just saying how pretty she was."

"She's too young for you!"

"Dude. She's, like, a year younger than me. Max."

"Well it's still not right!" The pyre ninja stormed out of the room and down the hall.

"This does not compute," Zane finally spoke after Kai had left, "Did Jay do something wrong?"

The ninja of earth let a small, irritated sigh escape his throat, "No, Zane, Kai's just over reacting. Again."

"Maybe I should go talk to him," the lightning wielder suggested, "Y'know, so he doesn't break something."

"Good idea." And so, Jay exited the dining hall after Kai.

"I still don't understand," the ice ninja planted his rear on the closest seat, "Why does Kai not wish for Jay to compliment or hang out with Nya? Does he not wish for them to have fun?"

"No, Kai thinks that Jay likes Nya," Cole took the seat next to him and set down the chicken sandwich, "and is getting all upset over it."

"Jay does like Nya, but he also likes the rest of us just as much."

The earth ninja shook his head, "Jay does like Nya as a friend, but Kai thinks he likes her more than that."

"You mean like a sister?"

"Like a lover."

"Oh."

"Kai's jealous that Nya gets all of Jay's attention. He likes him as more than a friend."

"As a lover?"

"Exactly."

"Cole?"

"Yeah?"

"What's a lover?"

The earth wielder thought for a moment, "A lover...is someone you love very much. More than friends. More than family. Well, maybe not; they're more a part of your family. You think you'll marry them, and you want to marry them. Husband and wife, like in the movies. Spend the rest of your life with them."

"How do you know all that?"

"I'm a people person. It's what I do."

"Cole?"

"Yeah?"

"I know how to love friends and I know how to love family, but I don't think I know how to love a "lover." Is there a way to learn?"

Cole chuckled and Zane realized how much he loved the sound, "You can't learn to love someone like that, Zane. It just happens."

"How do I know when it happens?"

"A kiss usually works."

Zane flushed a tad, "A kiss?"

"On the lips."

There was a small gap of silence which the ice ninja eventually filled, "May I?"

"Go ahead."

And they kissed. And it was sloppy, and chaste, and quick, but it was still a kiss. Zane was the first to part.

"Well?" Cole asked, unfazed (but just barely).

"...I think you are my lover."

What is this I don't even...