Chapter Sixteen: But I Do Want to Kiss You

This was a fitting day to write this chapter, as my dad gave me beer last night and I wrote a terrible Ninjago/Star Trek crossover that will never see the light of day.

The Night Ninja: Oh yeah, that's a good question. I'd imagine it's fine for him to drink stuff, as long as he doesn't get it poured on himself. Plus, I wonder if ghosts are allergic to any liquid or just water?

Steampunk Wilson: Thank you! :)

Nuppa Nuppa: Thank you so much!

Content warning: Language and drinking

Enjoy the chapter!

"No, Cole is not 'doing Zane,'" Kai argued. "He doesn't have the guts."

"Well, clearly he had the guts to give the kid alcohol," Jay pointed out. "I've gotta give it to the guy, that was pretty clever what he did with pretending to make the tea and all that."

Kai glared at him. "Clever? He's turning Lloyd into an alcoholic! Plus, it's illegal to provide alcohol to people who are underage. If we weren't on a flying ship, he could get in big trouble."

"There are no rules on a flying shit!" Lloyd reminded him drunkenly. He started laughing at his misspoken word. "Flying shit! Ha ha ha!"

"What are you, twelve?" The master of fire asked. "Oh, right. You are twelve. I almost forgot."

Green eyes bore into him angrily. "I'm twenty!"

"Then stop acting like you're twelve."

"No, you're twelve, Kaiiii!"

The brunet rolled his eyes. Getting bored with their argument, Lloyd pulled out his phone and started typing on it.

Kai's eyes went wide. "Lloyd, I swear to the First Spinjitzu Master, if you drunk text Sensei, he will whoop your ass and so will I."

"I'm noooot!"

The green ninja typed for a moment longer before Kai's phone buzzed beside him. He picked it up and looked at the screen.

He sighed. "No, Lloyd, I'm not 'just trying to find an exorcist to touch your butt.' What would be the point of that anyway? Why a freaking exorcist?"

"An excuse," the blond corrected. "Learn how to read, Kai pie." He snickered. "'Kai pie.' I like that! That's your name now."

"Learn how to spell, Lloydie-pooh."

Lloyd laughed even harder! "You said poo!"

"Oh my gosh," Kai sighed in exasperation. "I am so gonna kill Cole." He narrowed his eyes as Lloyd continued to type. "What are you doing now?"

"I'm writing Fritz Donnegan fanfiction!"

Jay jumped up and bolted over to the green ninja. "Now this I have to see!"

"Cole?"

Zane stood outside the door to the shared bedroom, not wanting to intrude, but at the same time wanting to make sure his friend was okay. It had unnerved the nindroid to see him run off like that—Cole usually stood his ground and didn't let his teammates' intrusiveness get to him. This behavior was certainly unusual for the black ninja.

"Come in," came the reply from inside the room.

Zane slowly pushed the door open and peered inside. Cole was sitting on his bed, hands folded in his lap as he stared at them nervously, trying to calm himself down. He looked up as Zane entered and offered a faint smile.

"Hey, Zane."

The master of ice closed the door behind himself and walked over to the ghost. "Are you alright?" He asked, searching his face for signs that would give away his clearly suppressed emotions.

Cole sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, forcing his smile to grow wider.

Not believing him for a second, Zane put a hand on Cole's shoulder. "No, you're not. I know you too well—well enough to be aware that something is upsetting you."

"I guess I just got sick of all the teasing," he replied with a shrug.

Zane shook his head. "No one was teasing you, Cole," he reminded his companion. "And even if they were, you have never been one to react strongly toward that sort of thing."

"Okay, fine, you're right." Cole looked back down to his folded hands. "I just felt like Kai was putting a lot of pressure on me, and I...I couldn't handle it. But I'm okay now, I swear."

"There is no shame in refusing a dare you do not want to do," the nindroid reminded him. "I did. And if I am not mistaken, I believe that is the whole point of this drinking game."

Keeping his head tilted downwards, Cole glanced up at Zane's face, chocolate irises peering at the white ninja through soft black eyelashes. "I'm sorry, Zane," he muttered. "That must have been really embarrassing for you, too. I wasn't even thinking about that."

"It's alright," Zane reassured him. "What happened was not your fault. If you do not want to kiss me, I never want you to feel like you have to."

"But I do want to kiss you!" Cole blurted out. Realizing what words had just escaped his lips, he slapped a hand over his mouth a moment too late.

Zane blinked in surprise. "You...you do?"

Cole blushed furiously, knowing there was no turning back now. "Yes," he replied. "Of course I do. Just not like that."

The master of ice was silent, staring at Cole with an expression in his bright blue eyes that the ghost couldn't quite decipher.

Cole took a deep breath and continued. "I want to kiss you so bad, Zane. I, uh, I have for a long time. But I didn't want my first kiss with you to be the result of a stupid dare." He worked up enough courage to take Zane's hands in his own. "I...I want it to be real."

The blond nodded slowly. "I would like that, too."

"R-Really?" Cole asked, eyes wide and sparkling with excitement.

Zane smiled. "Really."

He leaned in, and Cole followed suit as though the two were drawn together by some magnetic force. Suddenly, Cole froze, bringing his hand to the ice ninja's chest.

"Wait, you took a shot earlier," he remembered. "The alcohol could be messing with your brain. I don't want to kiss you unless you're sure that's what you want."

Zane looked into Cole's eyes lovingly. "Cole?"

"Yeah?"

"I am completely sober. And I've never been more sure of anything."

With that, he leaned in closer, and his reassurance encouraged Cole to do the same. After years of anticipation, their lips finally connected.

Cole wrapped his arms around Zane's neck while the blond's hands gripped his waist. The master of earth smiled against his companion's lips, letting out a sigh of content. Zane brought a hand to Cole's face and kissed him harder. The black ninja had to wonder if this was in his programming. He laid back on the bed, pulling Zane with him and keeping their lips pressed together. With the master of ice on top of him, he opened his mouth slightly so their tongues could brush against each other. Neither one stopped smiling.

Without warning, Cole flipped them over so he was on top, a giggle escaping from the nindroid as a result. The two kissed again. Both were on cloud nine, and neither wanted this moment to stop.

This had been a long time coming.

And boy, was it worth the wait.