Hey y'all! This oneshot features my personal headcanon that Zane is totally pan, you know, due to him being a robot and all. If you don't agree, whatever, it only comes into play the second half. Enjoy!

Jay wasn't sure if it was too personal of a question. However, there was no better time to ask it than when he and Zane were washing dishes alone on a lazy Tuesday night, the Nindroid humming a little tune to himself.

"Hey Zane?" Jay risked, and the Ice Ninja stopped humming, turning towards Jay in an invitation to continue. "Do you feel... love?"

"I beg your pardon?" Zane asked, slightly taken aback by the question.

"I asked if you feel love. Y'know, like the emotion," Jay stammered, sure he was making the situation even worse.

"I believe I love all of you, so yes," Zane nodded, and Jay blinked, processing the answer.

"No, like romantic love. Not platonic."

Zane went quiet at this point, pondering Jay's question. Did he love anyone like that? He knew that the other ninja had crushes, even gossiping like middle schoolers sometimes. Jay and Nya were even dating, for goodness sake. He tried to think back to times he may have possibly experienced attraction. Was there anything? Jay took this silence as a bad thing, and raced to defend himself.

"Not that you have to answer or anything, I was just curious, you know? Like, I thought since love in humans was pretty much just a hormonal thing, that it might be different for you. Not that other emotions aren't or anything, but-"

"Jay, your question is fine, I promised you," Zane interrupted his rambling with a gentle assurance, setting down the dish he had just finished washing on the counter. "I suppose I need to think a bit more time to fully formulate an answer for you. If you ask me again tomorrow, I might have a better answer for you."

"Okay, okay, that I can handle," Jay laughed nervously, and Zane smiled as he left, retiring to his room to think. Once he was laying on his bed, the Falcon nesting on his perch next to the window, he began to think back, his mind wandering as it brought up different memories from his years wandering around Ninjago.

Fifteen Years Ago, Thirteen Years Before Joining The Ninja

"...Father?"

"Yes, Zane?"

"What is love?"

Dr. Julien stared curiously at his son, a slow smile spreading across his face. Zane was sitting on his workbench, feet swinging gently as he stared at his father, head cocked in intrigue. The inventor walked over and sat next to his son, the then-android moving over to make room for his father.

"Love is something you feel when you care for someone very much. For instance, Zane, I love you," The doctor watched as Zane ran this statement through his head.

"I have said that I love you many times, Father, even though I did not know what it meant," Zane paused and the inventor worried his son was going to stop there. "However, you have just told me the meaning of love, and I can agree with you. I love you as well, Father."

The robot grinned, and Julien pulled his son close, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Never change, Zane. Never change."

Fourteen Years Ago, Twelve Years Before Joining The Ninja

Zane put the book he was reading in his lap, frowning.

"Father?" He called down the hallway, and Julien poked his head out from his workshop, oil smeared in his face.

"Yes, Zane, what is it?"

"This book is confusing, it uses terminology that I cannot find in my database," Zane said with an edge of annoyance to his voice, which was an emotion usually only reserved for when he came across information that was hard for him to comprehend, like this situation.

"Does it now?" The Doctor searched his brain as he walked over for any books he owned that might be confusing to his son, unprepared to see Zane holding a romance novel that he had picked up on the clearance rack during one of his trips into the town. He hadn't read it himself, so he walked over to read the part that was confusing his son.

"It is almost incomprehensible in the way it speaks of human relationships. Everything you have taught me has been completely contradicted by this book. Either you have taught me incorrect information, or this book is inaccurate," Zane said bitterly. After a minute or so of reading, the Doctor put the book down on the shelf.

"Zane, I should have read this book through before allowing you to read it. You have not yet reached a level where you can understand it," The inventor sighed, even though he was smiling with a light blush across his face.

"That does not answer my question. The woman is acting like she is in pain. The verbs the author uses to describe her actions certainly display agony, and the male appears to be behaving rather aggressively," Zane recalled, crossing his arms. The Doctor chuckled, ruffling the robot's hair affectionately.

"Zane, my boy, trust me when I say that this is a lesson for another day."

One Year Ago, One Year After Joining The Ninja

Zane sat at a table by himself at a café in Ninjago City, reading through the menu with interest. A few bags sat at his feet, left over from his shopping trip earlier. He had been sent out to buy a new cable for their gaming console and a few new light bulbs and other basic domestic items. Zane was usually the go to ninja for shopping because he valued his time alone the most, making any excuse to spend a few hours with himself a good one.

His waiter appeared beside him, taking the ninja's drink order with a wink before walking back inside the café. The Ice Ninja shrugged, and mulled over his menu items before the waiter came back, setting down his drink with a napkin. Zane gave the man his food order, and he disappeared once again.

Zane looked down at his iced tea only to find writing on the napkin. It was a phone number, followed by the phrase "call me" with a heart signed after it. Zane stared at the information for a second, intrigued. Did his waiter think of him as a possible romantic partner? They hadn't even held a conversation, so he couldn't possibly be serious, right?

Before he realized, enough time had passed where the man returned with his food, along with an extra order of scones.

"Excuse me, sir, I didn't order this," Zane went to hand the pastries back, but the man declined, tucking his hands behind his back. Zane noticed his name was Ray.

"It's on the house. Enjoy," Ray smiled nervously, even stammering a little as he left to resume his work. Zane blinked, staring at the extra food and the number for a long moment.

Zane ate his sandwich, asking for a box for the scones when his server came around again.

"My pleasure," The waiter nodded and brought him a cardboard container with a little heart sharpied on the inside cover. Zane couldn't help but think it was the slightest bit cute.

After he tipped generously and gathered his things, he left with a small wave to his waiter, who waved back shyly. On the way home, he took the napkin out of his pocket, and programmed the number into his phone. Maybe one day.

Present Day

Zane approached Jay in the kitchen after breakfast the next morning, an answer already in mind.

"Yes."

"What?" Jay asked, before remembering last night's conversation. "Oh, cool."

"Not right now, no. I do not currently experience any attraction. But I know that I do, and maybe one day I will."

"That's nice. You'll find someone, Frosty. There's plenty of girls out there who would kill to spend even a minute with you," Jay winked, and Zane shrugged.

"Maybe. There is no saying that it will be a fangirl though," Zane teased before walking out, hearing Jay's confusion behind him.

"Wait, did you mean any girl or that you're into-"

Zane shut his bedroom door behind him, already tugging off his shirt to get changed. After he had put on his clothes for the day, he scrolled through his phone for a second, eyes settling on one contact in particular.

Ray (Waiter from Café)

Zane clicked off his phone, slipping it into his pocket. Who knows what the future would bring.