Nya sat her helmet on her motorcycle and straightened out her ponytail. She had no clue what Cole needed so late in the afternoon, but whatever it was he sure seemed excited about it when he called her earlier. He had said something about not wanting to ruin the surprise, so he had not shared a single detail of what he was up to. She did know, however, that this had something to do with Jay, he had told her that much. Based on the lightning ninja's encounter with Kirsten and her squad, the black master was most likely planning some way to cheer up his boyfriend. The water user had no clue how she would fit into that equation, however, unless this was going to be some overkill scheme that he needed her assistance with.

She only had to ring the bell once before Cole jumped out of the entrance and tugged her inside. He wore the most enthusiastic smile and was talking as soon as he closed the door behind them.

"Okay, so I know this is kinda last minute, but I need your help," he started, leaping into the kitchen. "Kirsten stole Jay's bracelet." Nya nodded, watching as he let go of her wrist and started pacing around the room.

"And her friends hurt his feelings so bad that he almost used his elemental powers. That's bad, right?" Cole continued, gaze flicking over to his friend.

"Right," she answered, interest sparking. The ninja of earth went right back to walking to and fro.

"So, we need to get back at her. Obviously we can't just say a few choice words and let her go. That's what everyone else has done, and it clearly doesn't work. So the question is-" he turned and pressed his palms into the table in front of him, leaning forward with an impish grin. "-how can we humiliate her?"

"Ooh, I'm liking where this is going," Nya smirked. It was true, the snake needed to be taught a valuable lesson. After seeing the fury and disgust in Jay's eyes as her group insulted him and his relationship with Cole, the master of water was more than happy to assist in her degradation. "We can't go too far, though. Nothing physical. Kirsten's evil, but she's not the type of evil that can be defeated with a kick to the head. We'd get suspended for that."

"We won't need to fight her, she's just a brat who thinks she can get what she wants by manipulating everyone." The black-haired boy nodded in agreement. "But..." He reached into the backpack that was on the counter and pulled out a container of orbs in every color of the rainbow. Each sphere was only about a half-inch thick, and seemed to be made out of some stone or chalk-like material.

"We can use these," Cole said, gesturing to the objects. "They're these new paints that Borg Industries came up with during a collab with the Institute. Apparently one of the teachers is teaching a modern unit that involves shooting paint balls at a canvas... Anyway, because they wanted to make them more like watercolors than regular paint, they'll only burst if you add water."

"I think I see where you're going with this," the girl laughed. Nya let the ideas wash over her, wondering where and when they would be getting their revenge.

"But you haven't even heard the best part," the earth wielder interjected. "I can put them anywhere and use my quake powers to force them in the air, then you come in-"

"And we cover her in paint!" the grey ninja shouted with glee. "Nobody would know it was us!" Cole crossed his arms with a triumphant attitude. Nya picked up an orb and examined it. It was rich violet in color, glinting slightly in the light coming through the windows.

"When are we gonna do this?" she asked, setting it back down.

"Tomorrow, at lunch," her teammate replied. The girl giggled and raised her hand, receiving a high-five.

"Kirsten's going down," she grinned.

The lunch bell rang, and Jay stood from his desk. Cole and Nya insisted that he go on to the cafeteria, and he reluctantly went off with Kai, Lloyd, and Zane. There had been something odd going on in the atmosphere. A sense of foreboding hung over the two he had just left behind like a fog. They had been whispering to each other all day and stealing looks at him, and Jay wondered what they were saying about him behind his back. The two shared facial expressions that told him they were plotting something. Jay could only hope that Cole and Nya were not about to do anything overly bold, as they were prone to do.

A screech in front of him stopped him in his tracks, and a chorus of gasps followed. Kirsten stood in front of her locker, shock registered on her face as she stared at the bent metal. Some new lockers had been installed over the past month, so nobody second-guessed any banging sounds they heard. However, the noises that had occurred over the past hour must have been a vandal's hammer against the door. Her books and papers were all covered in lines from spray paint and markers. Graffiti was scribbled all over the walls and red surfaces, each patch sporting some demeaning statement about the socialite. Janitors were trying to usher people away, scrambling to clean everything up. The paint was still fresh, so as they scrubbed the black liquid streaked down the walls like mascara.

"What the hell?" Kirsten screamed. Everyone was buzzing with surprise as her posse rushed to her aid. A circle of murmuring students formed around the crime scene, despite the efforts of the staff. Eventually, the custodians left to go find teachers who had not already started their lunch break. The teens rushed to get pictures of the display before them, becoming an ocean of extended phones and raucous voices.

"Who could have done this?" Zane wondered aloud. Lloyd responded with a shrug, resting a hand on his chin in thought. The blue ninja swiveled his entire body and scanned the crowd, finally landing on Nya and Cole, who were to his left on the inner edge of the circle. They must have managed to squeeze their way to the front like them after they heard the scream. It was only their nature to leap into action as ninja, so they naturally were able to worm into the heart of the throng. Jay's eyes landed on the duo's faces, which were stricken with confusion, terror, and an undeniable shade of satisfaction.

"It was probably Naomi!" said a voice behind him above the chaos.

"Nah, girl, it was Josh Beckinger!" another roared above the gossiping.

"No, it was him!" Kirsten's voice rang out, although the master of lightning did not look to see who she was talking about. He was too fixated on his boyfriend's eyes, which were darting everywhere throughout the scene. He looked happy that this had happened to her. Suddenly, the earth master's focus snapped towards him.

"Jay, look out!" Cole cried.

A sudden force slammed into Jay's cheek and knocked him to the ground. His body crashed with a gasp, shock rendering him unable to cushion his fall with his arms. The crowd suddenly erupted in a simultaneous "Oh!" as Kai, Lloyd, and Zane knelt beside him. However, they were unable to stop whoever had punched him from dragging him back to his feet by his hair.

The sneering face of Tony Ijimekko greeted him as he scrambled to escape, hissing at the pain he received from the grip on his curls. The council treasurer growled and raised his fist again, shouting, "This is what you get for screwing with Kirsten!"

"Hey!" The blue ninja was dropped and pushed aside as Tony was suddenly punched in the jaw. The lightning wielder fell onto his rear, and looked up to find that Cole was fighting the jock. Tony used to be on the football team, but even if he was really athletic, the black master was much better suited for a fight. The two threw punches, with the ninja dodging each one he received while he landed every attack. Cole swung his leg and collided his foot with his opponent's sternum. It made Tony take in a few wheezing breaths before returning to the match. Kai pulled his blue teammate backwards as the ring of people expanded, although the freckled boy was too concentrated on the action in front of him to stand.

The two boys circled each other, brows drawn and snarling. Tony leapt first, but his adversary was ready for his lumbering charge. Cole grabbed his arm and flipped him over his shoulder. At this point, it was obvious that the council member was down for the count, so a few more boys ran into the mix. The master of earth took them all on in a fit of rage, matching them blow for blow until every student suddenly ran away from the brawl. Lloyd and Zane helped the fire user drag Jay away as school security guards grabbed Cole and the other fighters.

"Cole!" he called out, reaching out his hand as his friends pulled him to safety. His partner seemed to hear his voice, because he stopped struggling against the officers as they tugged him out of reach of the others. Jay could not hear him, but he could see him mouth his name with a saddened expression as he disappeared around a corner.

"It'd kinda help if you actually moved your feet, Jay!" Kai grumbled. He regained his senses and fled with everyone else, moving into the cafeteria and waiting for Nya to catch up. She had been pushed in a different direction than everyone else, and it took her a little longer to reach them. When she entered the room, she appeared mortified.

"That wasn't supposed to happen," she mumbled to the group as they all sat down together. Jay perked up at that statement.

"Then what was?" he asked. "Was this what you and Cole were talking about all day?" The master of water sighed and sat back, rolling a grape between her fingers.

"Well, Cole and I were gonna prank Kirsten, as revenge," she started. Immediately, everyone else groaned, desperately hoping that they were not the culprits behind the vandalism. "It's not what you think! We were just gonna do a little paint bombing thing, and it was gonna be right now at lunch! We had nothing to do with this!"

"But now Cole is getting in trouble for the fight," Jay mumbled sadly. "What if he gets suspended?"

"He will," Zane piped up. He shrunk back however when the rest of the team turned to leer at him. "Apologies, that wasn't very helpful."

"Its okay," the lightning master sighed. "I'm just scared that Cole's gonna do something stupid out of revenge. Then he'll get in even more trouble.

"Aww," Nya cooed, ruffling his curls. "You're all worried about your boyfriend. That's so sweet!" Jay chuckled nervously and ate his lunch with a queasy feeling. He did his best to keep a positive outlook, but the knowledge that his partner had gotten into a fight over him gnawed at his stomach.

After lunch concluded, he had to dodge whispers and rumors regarding the black ninja. The afternoon passed with so many questions and so few answers that his head spun. As he waited for Nya to finish packing up from her last class, he fell into even more troubled thoughts about Cole. How would he explain the situation to Wu? He already had a fairly rocky relationship with his father, so how would Lou react? When did his suspension end?

"Jay!" the water elemental shouted. "I've been calling your name for the last thirty seconds. Are you okay?" Jay fumbled for his keys, brushing past his friend and opening the exit doors.

"I'm fine!" he laughed. "Just a bit shaken up." They traversed the parking lot and hopped in his truck, chatting about what they were going to do about Cole.

"I guess I'll just wait until he can come back to school to go see him," the blue ninja sighed. "He's definitely grounded."

"Oh, bull!" Nya smirked. "You're gonna be texting him as soon as you get home to meet up with him! I know that look. You wanna make sure he's okay."

"Is that a crime?" Jay shot back with a grin.

"No, not at all," the noirette giggled. "Cole's your boyfriend, Jay. You're allowed to be worried about him." He dropped her off at tennis practice then drove the rest of the way home. He had barely parked when he dove from the vehicle, anxiously grabbing his book bag and sprinting up to the flat. The blue master flopped on his bed and pulled out his phone, rapidly texting the black-haired boy.

r u ok? was all he sent, but he knew it conveyed his unease. He held his breath when the 'currently typing' bubble popped up, only releasing it when a message appeared.

i'm fine Jay. how bout u?

got a bruise on my cheek but i know youve got it worse

ur right Cole texted, taking a moment to continue typing. kiss it better please? Jay huffed a small laugh under his breath and felt heat rise to his cheeks.

(0///0) id love to but youre grounded he finally replied.

howd you know that?

cole you got into a fight. i know your dad he probably grounded you right away

eh whatever. i may be grounded but at least i got to be ur knight in shining armor The blue ninja had to laugh at that, knowing that the corny line was certainly an exaggeration. speaking of knight in shining armor There was a long pause after that message, leaving the freckled boy to wonder what exactly he meant. A sudden succession of tapping at his window startled him, and when he turned around he saw Cole crouching there, hanging onto the top edge of the sill with one arm as he waved. It was unlike him, but he was wearing a loose-fitting black sweatshirt with a Twenty-Two Captains logo on the front.

"Oh my god!" Jay gasped, quickly sprinting to the side of his room and opening the window. "Cole, good lord you could've gotten hurt!"

"It would've been worth it to see your face," the earth master chuckled as he slid inside. "You looked so scared."

"Don't tease me!" the shorter boy whined, wrapping his arms around his partner and squeezing him out of worry. "How did you even get here?"

"Snuck out," Cole grinned. "Jumped across rooftops until I got here."

"You were using your ninja abilities in broad daylight?" Jay nearly yelled. "Sensei's gonna kill you when he finds out!" The black ninja held up a finger with a smirk.

"If he finds out, bluebird," he said. His boyfriend groaned, taking a good look at the black-haired boy. He had a few dark patches on his olive-skinned face, but his eyes were sparkling with vigor. "But I didn't come here to talk about Sensei. I'm here for you."

"What was so important that you had to escape your house?"

"Well, my dad technically already took my phone, so I wasn't even supposed to have that with me in the first place. I just wanna see you in person."

"Cole..."

"I know you're freaking out, but I only want a few kisses before I can't see you for a week. My dad'll be watching me like a hawk once he gets back home, so I doubt I'll be able to get past him... Unless..." The earth user shifted his weight and cleared his throat, rather uncharacteristically embarrassed. "When he's gone, he thinks I don't have a reason to go out, so he trusts me to stay home. He's supposed to be visiting his old college friend tomorrow, but he'll be back later in the afternoon. I could sneak out and come here every day he's out late, then sneak back before he gets home." Jay let out a nervous, flustered chuckle.

"What is this, Romeo and Juliet?" he grinned. Cole looked him in the eye, dead-serious but still happy to be around his boyfriend. The blue ninja noticed the truth behind his companion's proposal and considered it for a moment. "Are you sure you won't get caught?"

"I'm a ninja, Jay. I'm supposed to be stealthy," his partner replied eagerly. "How 'bout it, bluebird? Will you be my Juliet?" He was nervous, as he usually was, but he still readily complied.

"Only if you'll be my Romeo," he giggled. When Cole nodded, the master of lightning slowly stepped forward and rested his head on the taller boy's collarbone, feeling warm and secure arms wrap around him in a silent reply. They breathed in sync and rocked side to side, listening to the soft rushing sounds of the city as they poured in through the window. It felt like it had been years since the two had been able to experience such a tranquil moment, although it had only been a day since they had been in the room alone together. The black master's hands suddenly dove for his sides, tickling him without mercy.

"Ha ha! Wait wait-ha! Y-You know I'm- ha ha ha!" Jay shouted and spluttered between his laughter, squirming away from the tingling sensations. Finally, when he was about to fall over from the overwhelming feeling, Cole stopped. He was smirking down at him with a devilish attitude, making him wriggle under the alluring gaze. "Way to kill the mood."

"Nah, I'd say this is a victory," the taller ninja smiled, leaning his face forward. "I've got you right where I want you." In a sudden but not unwanted movement, he captured the shorter boy's lips with his own. It was not forceful or rash, but the kiss melded them together in an action of pure affection. Jay lazily looped his arms around Cole's neck and allowed himself to be held by his hips. His heart fluttered, unsure of what to do next. He had never really been in a relationship that had reached such an openly passionate point before.

"Aren't you warm in all that?" the black ninja asked against his lips. "I mean, all I've got underneath this sweatshirt's the tank I wore earlier. You've got all these layers on." The smaller of the two panicked, understanding the gravity of the bold statement.

"A-Are you asking me t-to… uh… take my clothes off for you?" Jay mumbled. Cole's eyes grew wide, and he took in a sharp breath.

"Oh! No no no, I wasn't… I'm sorry bluebird. I didn't mean it like that I was actually just worried about you being too hot in that stuff," he tried to backtrack. "I'd never ask you to do that, 'cuz I know you're uncomfortable with that kinda thing." The flush over his partner's cheeks entertained the lightning wielder. With a little shrug, he pulled his arms back and slowly undid his orange accessory.

"Well, you're right," the blue master nearly whispered. "I should stop wearing all this, since it's getting warmer." He sluggishly removed his signature scarf and sweater, tossing them delicately to the side. Now he sported the white button-up that he usually wore underneath.

"You look cute in that," Cole pointed out.

"What, I don't always look cute?" Jay tried to joke, but was so nervous that it came out as an almost genuine-sounding question. In response, the black-clad boy gingerly pressed his hands against his partner's shoulders and walked him back a few feet until his back was flush against the wall. It felt odd, to be suddenly so unaware of his surroundings in favor of paying attention to every minute detail of this physical experience.

"You're the cutest thing I've ever seen," the earth user mumbled low. His tanned and calloused hand brushed over his freckled jaw and cheek before settling on his chin. He tilted Jay's face up to meet his and kissed slow and steadily. They deftly parted to breathe, then returned to the contact in a more smooth manner. It felt astonishing, it felt loving, it felt like he was being treasured, it felt like the wall might give way and they'd just drift into nothingness, it felt positively wonderful. The kisses were not somewhat rushed like the other day, rather they were filled with a deep connection that sang, "I have trusted you with my life, but I also trust you with my heart." The hand by his head was keeping him more nestled than trapped. The presence in front of him was a wall of soft comfort, not an object of romance. Everything was perfect.

Click.

"Jay, are you- oh goodness!" Edna's voice suddenly threw them out of their passionate daze. The two sprang off of each other, with Cole being a little more reluctant than Jay. "Oh, I… Terribly sorry, dear, I'll just… Afternoon, Cole."

"Hey, Mrs. Walker," the black master smiled coyly. "Sorry about that."

How can you be so calm? the smaller ninja shouted in his own head. My mom just walked in on us!

"Oh, no no, it was my fault, hon," the florist beamed back, obvious embarrassment gracing her features as she adjusted her glasses. "U-Uh, d'ya need anything?" Finally, Jay broke through his shock, darting forward with a tight throat and a blush.

"Ma!" he yelled- almost screeched, really, backing his mother up with almost trembling hands. "Get out! Knock for god's sake!"

"Sorry! S-So sorry!" the woman stumbled, quickly exiting. "I'm going! I'm going!" The lightning user slammed the door, whirling back around with clenched teeth and fists at his sides. Cole simply continued to smirk, hands nonchalantly placed on his hips in a nearly snarky pose. Jay drew a sharp breath through his nose, pursing his lips with shame.

"Oh my god," he muttered, voice wavering. "She just… she saw…" The master of earth laughed, leaving the shorter boy to wallow in his anxiety.

"You're adorable," Cole chuckled, holding out his hand until his partner took it.

"Aren't you embarrassed?" Jay asked, allowing himself to be pulled into a soothing hug.

"Of course I'm embarrassed," his boyfriend replied. "I just think it's funny."

"Wh- it's not!" the lightning ninja blubbered. He clung to his companion's hoodie, fingers gathering the plush material as if he were scrabbling for purchase on a cliffside. "That's the single stupidest thing I've ever done in my life!" There was a sudden shift in the taller elemental master's posture, but he still held his sweetheart close.

"So, you didn't like it?"

"N-No, of course I liked it, but… I forgot th-they were home…"

"Aw, Jay," the earth user cooed, running his palm over his back in calming motions. "I'm sorry. I should've at least asked if your parents were here. All I wanted was a kiss or two… I should get going." His tone was not sad, but rather sympathetic. The blue ninja moved to protest, but Cole pressed his lips to his forehead, satiating him immediately.

"I'll see you around," the black master mumbled, tucking a lock of Jay's hair behind his ear. "Keep your window open. My suspension lasts for a week, so I'll be here a few times."

"Cole…" Jay trailed off, reaching out as the his teammate stepped over to the sill again. The black-haired boy paused, turning to face his boyfriend once more. He did not know what to say next, so he just sheepishly withdrew his hand. "Goodbye." Cole grinned sadly, then hopped up backwards onto the ledge. The lightning elemental took a step closer, ready to watch him leave and make sure he did not hurt himself as he bounded over the rooftops. However, the earth wielder unexpectedly pulled his sweatshirt off and handed it to Jay, then stole a quick peck.

"How 'bout you hold onto that for me?" he smirked, leaving the blue boy speechless. "Bye." He hoisted himself up, and the blue ninja could hear his footsteps above the ceiling until the noises ceased. He had obviously jumped. Jay could still feel the ghost of the swift kiss as a tingling sensation in his lips. With stunned, slow movements, he clutched the black garment to his chest, feeling its lingering warmth and catching the faint scent of his partner. Cole always insisted that he hated wearing the cologne his father had brought him after one of his tours, yet it was rather common for him to carry the sharp yet alluring fragrance. It was like pine potpourri, but more distinct than musky. It seemed foolish, especially since only moments ago he had taken off his own sweater, nevertheless he pulled the band merch over his head and slipped his arms through the sleeves. It was a little large on him, so it was easy to drown in the comfort that substituted for his boyfriend's embrace. He did not know what this next week would bring, but he was ready to face all the buzz that was bound to surround him at school.