Ninjalogy

by Mad Betrayal

An epic filled to the brim with random one-shots of yaoi-goodness! Pairings include: Cole/Jay, Kai/Zane, and Lloyd/Brad. So come on in! WARNING! May include minor to major Nya-bashing! The rating may also change from T to M for later chapters! Any and all requests are welcome, of course! As well as good ol' R&R! Have some lemons and make lemonade!

15. The Birth of a Mother

Author's Note: This is a very long and in-depth one-shot requested by Pen-Woman. A good friend of mine who's request I could not place on the back burner. So I hope you and everyone else enjoys. Plus, please be forewarned that this is not canon in accordance with "Unexpected"'s timeline. And also that third person POVs will change a little throughout this.

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Ninjalogy

By: Mad Betrayal

Chapter 15 ~ The Birth of a Mother

Sensei Wu sat down at the Destiny Bounty's dining room table with a content smile on his face. A beautiful spring morning with the pleasant melodies of birdsongs on the wind did wonders for his soul, but his morning bliss wouldn't be complete without his beloved tea. The aged Spinjitzu Master lifted the small cup to his face with ceremonial politeness and etiquette to let the warm vapors caress his senses.

"And hears to a good day…" he said quietly, and took the first sip of his life-long indulgence. His ears pricked, however, when he heard the rushed pitter-patter of bare feet against the floor. "Good morning, Lloyd," he greeted warmly just as his nephew rounded the corner into the dining room. For only the young and inexperienced green ninja in-training could walk/run while creating such a ruckus.

"Morning, Sensei!" The youngster greeted exuberantly back, and took a seat at the table as well. He took a couple of glances over his shoulder for some reason, but then looked to his uncle with bright, innocent ruby eyes. "Haa… So what's for breakfast?!"

Wu cocked an eyebrow and sat his tea cup back down on its saucer. He took in the boy's flushed cheeks and exerted diaphragm. "Why are you so winded?" He asked suspiciously, but Lloyd only blinked and tilted his head—a purely childlike display.

"Whaddaya mean?" He inquired, throwing in a little sugar and sweet to his pretense, but his uncle wasn't fooled in the slightest.

"This early in the day…and already you've engaged in some mischief?"

Lloyd pretended to ponder this for a moment, sticking his bottom lip out and tapping it with a finger. "Hmm…define "mischief"..."

"AAAAAHHHHH!" *CRASH!* *BOOM!* *SNAP!* *POOF!* "GYYYAAAAHHHH!" *SLIP!* *SMASH! *SSSSSSSSSSS!* "SNAAAAAAAAKES!" *WHOSH!* *POP!* *SPLASH!* "AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!"

The long-bearded sensei sighed heavily as he took another sip from his cup. The entire ship seeming to reverberate with the domino effect sounds of misfortune. Grinning not so innocently now, the little blond sitting with him raised three fingers, then two, then one…

"LLLLLOOOOOOYYYYYDDDDD!"

So much for that good day… Wu thought dryly and waited for the inevitable arrival of his four elder Ninja. The grandmaster shook his head in dismay at the sounds of the intrusive stampede of feet coming from the hallway, lamenting at the fact that his students had downright forgotten their stealth training in their haste to seek out his mischievous nephew. Now how to handle this…

Wu lifted his head just as a trio of his students arrived…and gawked. He of course expected some form of disarray from the previously sleeping Ninja, but nothing quite like this… The youngest Ninja-kouhai had done an absolute number on his teachers. Livid and menacing—well at least they would be if they weren't so hysterically decorated—Cole, Kai, and Zane glared poison-tipped daggers at the currently cackling young boy. And after a few moments of gaping, Wu had to lower his hat and bite his lip to keep from snickering himself.

Kai's entire body was splattered in what looked to be shaving cream. He furiously wiped away globs of the foamy substance, leaving trails and blotches of it all over his face. And the ninja leader wasn't faring any better as he grumbled and tugged irritably at the fake snakes attached all over his body, his pajamas and skin wet with some sort of sticky substance. But Zane was an entirely different story altogether. The nindroid stood stoically erect and unmoving as he stared heatedly at the still convulsing blond prankster. Feathers colored a very hot pink stuck in clumps all over the white ninja's body, with only a few straying from their place and drifting listlessly to the ground.

But where was Lloyd's fourth teacher? Surely he had not been spared from the youngster's antics. Where was Jay?

"Sensei…" Cole growled, taking a deliberate step forward towards his unabashed student, "…this time you won't stop me from—"

Wu lifted his hand to stay the irate leader. "Like I said, Cole, there will be no "dibs"," he warned with a pointed look to the trio.

"But Sensei, something has to be done about this little cretin!" Kai fumed, pointing an accusatory finger at a wickedly smirking Lloyd. "If you keep letting him do whatever he pleases, he's never gonna learn!"

"Kai is correct," Zane put forth, equally fed-up. "Such uncouth behavior should be met with swift disciplinary action. To do otherwise would only encourage more mischievousness."

Lloyd began snickering again whilst eyeing the belligerent white ninja. "Uncouth? Now that's a funny word. But don't you think you're the only one who's "un-coo-th" here? Huh? Ya big, pink pigeon! Hahahaha!"

Kai growled as the young boy went into another fit of guffaws, while Zane just blinked incredulously at the insult thrown his way.

"Lloyd, that is enough!" Sensei Wu said harshly, his authoritative tone silencing his nephew's laughter with startling abruptness. "Now as punishment, you will not receive breakfast until after you have cleaned your teachers' rooms. Is that understood?"

Dark rubies widened for a moment before thinning with distain. "Tch! Whatever…" he grumbled, getting to his feet, but Kai only gawked at his mentor.

"That's it?! That's all the "punishment" he gets?! Sensei, that's barely a slap on the wrist!" He gestured purposefully at the frowning ninja-in-training, flinging a glop of cream on Cole unwittingly. "What this little brat needs is a few good cracks to the ass!"

"Language, Kai!" Wu reprimanded sharply, and narrowed his onyx eyes at the fire ninja. "And there will be no hitting of children in this clan!"

"I don't see why not!" Cole countered, frowning as he stripped yet another snake away from his person. "It worked just fine for me and I turned out great if you haven't noticed!"

But Lloyd rolled his eyes. "Yeah…just great…" he murmured sarcastically, and Cole's emerald-hued glare flashed and hardened at the youth as he continued. "Bet you didn't even feel it, ya big gorilla…"

The young blond pushed passed betwixt his fuming teachers while they still vented out their frustrations to his uncle.

"Did you hear that!? Did you hear what that little brat just called me!?"

"This kid! This KID!"

"For the life of me I cannot fathom why Lloyd's mother would choose to leave her son at Darkley's of all places. She must've obviously cared very little about the mannerisms her child would pick up."

Passed the barricade of his teachers, Lloyd's lips twisted into a frown at Zane's comment, but chose to ignore it. He placed his arms behind his head with a shrug, and nonchalantly began his trek down the hall to begin his alleged "punishment". But he had only taken a few steps before he stopped in his tracks. Lloyd had wondered where his fourth victim was, and here he was casually leaning against the wall that connected to the dining room. Jay was soaked through and through with what looked to be some sort of green slime, and he had been staring at Lloyd passively ever since the youth had first stepped out into the hall.

The blue ninja's odd silence and stoic stare was extremely unnerving to Lloyd. Out of all of his teachers, he had expected Jay to be the most vehemently vocal and irate, even more so than Kai. But apparently that wasn't the case. He said nothing in reproach to the little ninja-in-training, even as his brothers continued their angered tirade, which could easily be heard by the pair. No… Deep blues simply stared into now slightly fearful dark rubies with a sort of calm detachment that Lloyd had never known Jay to exhibit.

But after a moment or two of this chilling silence, Lloyd shoved aside his apprehension of the Master of Lightning and resumed his march down the hall. He lifted his chin in an aloof display and stuck out his tongue at his elder as he passed for good measure. However, even after that…Jay said nothing…and Lloyd's trepidation spiked once more as he still felt his teacher's sapphire gaze on his back.

*~Ninjalogy~*

After about a couple of hours or so, Lloyd had moved from Cole's room to Kai's. He wiped his brow with a grimace, uncomforted by the unnatural warmth of the fire ninja's haven. However, he proceeded with his chore nonetheless and continued to mop up the remainder of the shaving cream used for his prank. A sudden knock at the door, though, impeded his progress and he stopped to look at the access as it creaked open to reveal a now free of slime and casually dressed Jay Walker, and carrying a tray oddly.

"Hey, thought you could use something to eat."

Lloyd frowned, baffled. "Sensei said I couldn't eat until after I got done."

Jay shrugged and gave his student an easy grin. "Yeah well, I convinced him that you were workin' up a sweat and burning calories. So obviously you would need to replenish your energy in order to finish the job."

A slender blond eyebrow rose. "And he bought that?"

Simply shrugging once more, Jay closed the door with his foot and made his way over to Kai's desk. "Not particularly, but he knew where I was coming from. I'm just glad I was able to get my point across while the others' backs were turned." He sat down the tray and pulled out the chair stationed under the desk. He beckoned to Lloyd with a quick wave of his hand. "C'mon, take a load off."

At the sight of tantalizing steam wafting from the tray, Lloyd's stomach lurched and growled. Not needing anymore incentive than that, the little ninja-in-training threw down his mop and rushed to the offered seat, but skidded to a stop at Jay's abrupt shout.

"Hey! You know better than that! Pick that mop up and lean it against the wall, will you?"

"Oh…" Not wanting to be deterred for long, Lloyd doubled back and did what his elder asked before taking a seat in the chair.

"Good, thank you," Jay praised with a nod and pushed the boy's chair in under the desk. Lloyd's mouth watered as he took in the delectable delicacies of a freshly home-cooked breakfast. Fluffy scrambled eggs, sizzling strips of bacon, a slice of glazed ham, and his all-time personal favorite: two strawberry and banana topped pieces of French toast drizzling with maple syrup. And what better way to wash it all down but with a tall glass of ice-cold milk.

Lloyd hurriedly slapped his hands together. "Itadakimasu!" He announced happily and immediately picked up his fork and dug in. Jay walked to the opposite side of the green-clad boy and opted to lean against the wall while he observed the youngster devour his meal. The little ninja-in-training forked in a morsel of eggs and licked his lips as he beamed up at the azure ninja. "This is really good! Whose turn is it to cook anyway?" He asked in between bites. "I know it couldn't have been Cole otherwise everything would've been burnt, and not Kai either otherwise I'd have a big, fat mackerel on my plate. So you or Zane?"

Jay chuckled lightly and folded his arms. "That's not nice, Lloyd. You know Cole tries, and not everything he makes is inedible. But anyways, it is my turn to make the meals for the day."

Lloyd hummed his acknowledgement and took a bite of ham, savoring the taste of the tender and meticulously prepared slab of meat. All was quiet in the room for a time with nothing but the clinking of silverware against a plate and the blonde's soft chews as he continued to eat and enjoy his food. Jay grinned at the boy's puffed cheeks. "You know…that wasn't a bad prank you pulled on us earlier. In fact, I was quite the master of hijinks myself back when I was fourteen."

Lloyd swallowed his mouthful and peered up at Jay with wide, ruby eyes. "Huh? Really?" He asked, surprised and Jay nodded.

"Oh yeah… Even though I was homeschooled most of my life, I was given the opportunity to attend high school in Dialchrome City. I was lucky as it wasn't a very short commute back in forth for my parents, but they were happy to give me the experience. There was one catch though…"

Intrigued somewhat, Lloyd's eyebrows rose as he lifted his glass to take a gulp of milk. "…Ah… What was it?"

Jay winked. "No mischief. My parents didn't want me to get into any trouble whatsoever. No fights, no problems with teachers, nothing. I was to always remain on my very best behavior."

Breaking off a piece of bacon with his fork, Lloyd impaled the bit and brought it to his mouth. He gave momentary pause, though, at his teacher's statement. "Then how could you possibly play pranks on people if you had to be good?"

The brunet coolly flicked his bangs and regarded Lloyd with a cunning smirk. "How'd ya think? I never got caught. Plus, I only targeted those who bullied me or my friends."

"You were bullied?!" This came as a real shock for Lloyd. Jay was just as fit and lethal as his brothers, thus the aspect of him being bullied didn't seem plausible. But then again, this was obviously before he became a ninja, and Lloyd didn't know much about Jay's history.

"They targeted me because of stupid stereotypical nonsense. I was a freshman at fourteen instead of the usual fifteen, and word apparently got out that I was some sort of brainiac. On top of that, I was small in stature and slender in build—an easy target for the jocks."

Becoming more engrossed with Jay's tale, Lloyd gave his elder his full attention. "How'd you get 'em back when they picked on you?"

Jay rubbed his chin as he thought back to his freshman year at Storm Coast High School. "I remember my most extreme prank… Heh… Man was I pissed… Anyway, it wasn't me getting bullied at the time, but one of my friends." Deep blue gems glimmered in fondness at the memory of this particular friend, and baby pink lips curved upward ever so gently. "Actually…he was the very first person who approached me and then—well…befriended me. His name was Elliot Hawthorne…" Jay shook his head. "Anyway, he had gotten into an accident and broken his leg. And after he got out of the hospital, he had to, of course, use crutches to get around."

The lightning master's face suddenly darkened into a fierce scowl, intensifying his features so much that Lloyd felt slightly taken aback by Jay's overall aura of both rage and protectiveness. "But then that idiotic, moronic, immature, baboon of a guy thought it necessary to joke and play around at the expense of someone else's misery! Urgh!"

The blond adolescent blinked in surprise as a coil of blue energy spiraled around Jay's hand. The blue ninja's distain and ire was palpable, but soon the element dispersed as quickly as it came as he released an acquiescent sigh. "…He—Davis Carmichael—stole Elliot's crutches one day and hid them, leaving him immobilized for well over an hour while me and a few others looked for them. We found them eventually with the help of another member of the football team, and he told us who did it. Elliot told me to let it go, that it was meaningless to get involved with someone so stupid…and I agreed with him. Davis was stupid…but I couldn't let it go. Elliot had been in pain, he needed his crutches. Davis had reduced Elliot to physical agony, so I took it upon myself to make sure that I would pay him back ten-fold with a sort of pain that could trump anything the body could feel itself... Emotional pain."

Lloyd was enraptured, his heart picking up tempo at the suspense. "What did you do?" He whispered with eager eyes, and the brunet's next smile could only be described as carnal.

"It took a few days to devise, but I eventually came up with the perfect plan to get Davis back for hurting Elliot. You see, he had a car—a very expensive car that he bragged and boasted about to everyone within earshot every single day. And long story short, one of my friends had a father who was a mechanic and another friend's uncle was a tow truck driver, and he was able to procure a car of the same make, model, year, and color of Davis'. Only difference was…heh heh…this car was damaged beyond repair."

"Wait…" Lloyd's ruby orbs brightened with rapture and delight upon realizing the blue ninja's intent. "You mean you…?"

Jay gave a low, mischievous chuckle. "I covertly had the license plates switched and then switched the cars."

Lloyd busted a gut. He always knew Jay had a devious and snarky side to him, but he never would've guessed he could pull off such cunning subterfuge at such an early age. Even if he or his friend, Brad, were a few years older, Lloyd doubted they would've ever come up with such a Machiavellian-like scheme. Calming down but still at the edge of his seat, the little ninja-in-training gestured at Jay for more. "Okay, okay! Then what? What happened? What did Davis do when he found out?"

"About what you expect from a normal person: He freaked. I mean totally spazzed out. I'm talking about crying, bawling, cursing, pleading with GOD—the whole nine yards to describe a broken man. And even though only a handful of people witnessed it, you know word got out. I mean c'mon, you may not understand this Lloyd but gossip spreads like wildfire on high school grounds. But just in case anyone missed it…I had a friend record it, and then had it played over the school's intercom during the morning announcements."

"Oh my god, that's awesome!" Lloyd exploded. "You did all that for Elliot?!"

Jay nodded slowly. "Yep. And no one knew who did it, the school never found out either. All who knew was me and my group of friends. And I remember when Elliot approached me and asked if I did it…and I said I was sorry, I just couldn't let it go. That no one could mess with my friends and make them feel pain without getting some of that pain back. And Davis felt that pain, but he felt it longer and harsher then Elliot felt his physical pain because I attacked him emotionally. But the thing is Lloyd…I believe that behind every action there's a reason for it—a message. No matter how trivial, miniscule, or circumstantial it is. I've learned that some people play pranks because they want attention, others like Davis, do it because they want to hurt people deliberately, and others like me, do it just for the sake of retribution."

Knowing sapphire irises pierced into the depths of wide, dark rubies. "…So Lloyd…what's your message? I know you spent a number of years at Darkley's and their overall goal was to instill bad habits into their student body. But you're not at Darkey's anymore, so you can't use that excuse. Although, I won't rule out the possibility that their teachings have been etched deep into your bones and that may take time to rectify, but…" Jay tilted his head as he continued to scrutinize the youth, "…I don't think that's the case with you… Soooo….what's up? Why are you targeting us?"

Lloyd swallowed and turned back around to face his food, his expression solemn.

"Did we do something that offended you?"

The blond boy picked up his glass of milk and took a sip. "No…" he mumbled. Thankfully, it was still somewhat cold.

"Are we being too harsh on you during training? Because even Cole thought we should—"

"No! That's not it!" At the abruptness of his temper, Lloyd's grip on his glass tightened, shattering it. He yelped in both pain and surprise when a few of the shards pierced the tender skin of his palm.

"Lloyd!" Jay quickly kneeled down in front of his student and took the boys' bleeding hand gently in his. Lloyd immediately winced, his fingers curling and moved to flinch away, but the blue ninja held fast. "Shh…shh… It's okay, Lloyd. Show me your palm…"

The little ninja-in-training grimaced, but did what his elder asked and slowly revealed his injured palm. Two fairly large shards were imbedded in his hand as well as a few smaller fragments were scattered dangerously about. Thick rivulets of fresh blood pooled and dripped off the edges onto the ground. Jay's brow furrowed with concern. "Okay, stay here and don't move. I'll be right back."

And with that, the brunet disappeared into Kai's bathroom knowing that first-aid kits were stored in each of their facilities for the Ninja to treat any minor grievances they'd gotten during a mission or battle. Within seconds, he returned with the familiar white box emblazoned with a red cross. He repositioned himself before Lloyd.

"Okay, I thankfully found some tweezers. I guess Kai uses them to pluck the whiskers off his chin."

Lloyd found himself chuckling at the light-hearted joke. "It's…not that bad, Jay. It doesn't even hurt," he whispered.

The lightning master grinned. "Oh, I don't doubt it. You're a tough little guy after all." Jay used the tweezers to remove the larger shards first, his actions careful and most of all gentle. He deposited the harmful fragments in the nearby waste can. "I just want to make sure you're alright. It'll be a painful problem if infection sets in, so the cuts will have to be treated thoroughly."

Lloyd nodded and fell silent, his gaze flickering back and forth between the kind, blue-eyed man in front of him and off to the side at his plate, that that same man had so graciously provided for him.

"…I didn't mean to be pushy, Lloyd. I'm sorry about that." Jay, having finished removing all the shards including the smaller bits, moved on to treating the cuts themselves.

"No, it's okay…really." Lloyd couldn't really blame Jay for asking a justifiable question. He blamed himself for overreacting to it.

"Just know that if you ever want to talk—to any of us, we are more than willing to listen, okay? Sensei Wu isn't the only family you have on this ship. Regardless of blood, all of us are more than just friends… We're a clan—a family in its own right. We may argue, bicker, and tease one another, but that's completely normal. We wouldn't be such a close-knit group if we didn't, because in the end…we'll always have each others' backs and that includes yours, okay?"

The little blond boy stared at Jay for a moment, his face contorted in shock, disbelief, and confusion. Was it really like that? Could mere friends really become joined in the powerful sanctum of family? Could the pessimistic phrase of "friends are fleeting" be nothing more than a baseless and empty lie?

Act at your own discretion… Only you have the control on how close you become to a person or a group of people…

After a few more seconds of silence, Lloyd found his head nodding in understanding. Jay smiled at him again and Lloyd felt he could actually feel the warmth radiating from his teacher's deep blue eyes. It was more than a little startling for the youth.

"Good… Now you may want to bite your lip, this is gonna sting a little…"

Lloyd inhaled a sharp hiss through his teeth as Jay began dabbing at the cuts with a cotton ball doused with antiseptic. Little by little the blood disappeared and the lacerations became cleansed. "Okay…now I'll just press this down here…and then wrap your hand up nice and snug…"Jay wound the white gauze securely around the boy's hand and ruffled his hair affectionately when he was done.

The blue ninja stood up. "Alrighty then! Do you need another glass of milk?" He asked brightly, but Lloyd while still a little dazed, shook his head negative. "Okay well, you just finish eating while I finish cleaning Kai's room. And then together we can tackle Zane's and mine, cool?"

Lloyd looked up at Jay, surprised. "Why? Why help me?"

Jay turned around and grabbed the mop from the wall and picked up where his kouhai left off. "Because I wanna. That's a good enough reason, isn't it?"

Lloyd watched the brunet clean for awhile, his mind playing with the knowing words spoken from his elder. His heart becoming light with the tenderness and care the other had shown. He still felt a little confused though… No… Maybe inquisitive was a better term to describe his inner turmoil and apprehension. He wanted to find out if Jay was right, but most of all he wanted to find out what was missing from his life. A hollow void had taken root in Lloyd's heart, one that couldn't be filled with platitudes and false hope.

After a time, Lloyd found his voice again. "Did you ever give him back his car?"

Jay didn't pause in his work. "Yeah, eventually… I even washed it too…"

Another wave of shock struck the youth. He opened his mouth to question the message behind the action, but the words were swallowed up by the elder ninja's own mellow tenor. "You can ask why later, okay? Right now, just finish eating. By the time I get done, I want you to be done too."

With the inquisitive tingle still reverberating in his heart, Lloyd turned back to his plate and lifted his fork once more. Polishing off the meat and eggs, he looked to his French toast and blinked in surprise at finding them already perfectly sliced for consumption. Something he had not noticed beforehand. Gingerly impaling a piece on his fork, he placed it in his mouth and chewed. The delectable blend of cinnamon and sugar titillated the blonde's taste buds with its perfect sweetness and flavor, and Lloyd felt a happy grin tug at his lips. For even at its tepid temperature, the meal never lost its luster and maintained its caring aura.

*~Ninjalogy~*

Over the course of the next several days, Lloyd grew increasingly interested in his blue-eyed teacher. He shadowed the brunet around the Bounty whenever he could, and when it came time to train, he looked forward to Jay's teachings the most. And one by one the other clan members started taking keen notice to Lloyd's very unorthodox behavior, for it had been quite some time since the little deviant had pulled a prank.

Instead Lloyd would spend his time following Jay around like a little duck whenever it was the azure ninja's turn to do laundry, and would ask if he needed any help… He never asked Zane if he needed any help with the laundry… Or whenever it was Jay's turn to cook meals, Lloyd would purposefully pitter-patter on up to him and tug on his apron like the cute, little eleven year old he was and eagerly ask—again—whether or not the brunet needed any help… He never asked Cole of he needed any help cooking…

Even when there were tasks specialized just for Jay, like routine maintenance on the Bounty. Lloyd was still more than happy to hand a wrench to the lightning ninja in order to assist him in any way he could. Sensei Wu himself was most intrigued by these unusual occurrences, especially one particular time at dinner when his nephew had downright refused to consume the broccoli stems on his plate. Jay had simply solved the problem by spreading cheese sauce over the steamed veggies, and the next moment they were gone—consumed by a grateful Lloyd. It was all very interesting, yet at the same time very perplexing to witness. Something new was blossoming between the blond and brunet, but the grandmaster could only speculate on what that something was. But nevertheless, he was indubitably indebted to Jay's new breed of attentiveness.

However, despite Lloyd's radical change in behavior, there was one more enthralled with Jay's… Cole. The black ninja couldn't help but be drawn to the other brunet's softer side. A side he had never seen before or even knew existed within Jay. It was new… It was exciting… And he often found himself wondering what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of all those tender ministrations. And as such, an opportunity finally presented itself when it was just he and Jay in the kitchen together one evening, as it was the latter's turn once again to make the meals for the day. Cole knew there was no chance of the little ninja-in-training to interrupt them, for Kai had previously took him out for their evening training session.

Yes, this was the perfect opportunity to let the younger man know that he had noticed the other side of his personality. Cole softly smiled at the blue ninja's back as the other brunet scrupulously chopped some vegetables on a cutting board while humming a little tune. He licked his lips as he once more mused over his approach in his head.

C'mon Cole, it's just Jay… Talk to him the way you normally would and just tell 'im… Don't make a big deal out of it…

Taking an inaudible breath, he began to speak. "Say um…Jay?"

"Yeah? What's up, man?" Jay replied without turning around, and Cole continued.

"Well nothing really… I just wanted to commend you on the strides you've been taking with Lloyd. You're behaving…very differently towards him."

The chopping went on unimpeded. "Differently? Hmm…how so?"

Cole shrugged. "Well I just mean you appear nicer towards him. Ya'know, more gentle, more kind, more caring… That sorta thing." The black ninja chuckled lightly and scratched the back of his head. "Heh, it's almost the exact opposite of the way you treat us."

The chopping suddenly stopped, and Jay turned his head to glance at his fellow ninja over his shoulder, his sapphire eyes thinned in circumspection. "What exactly are you trying to say, Cole? That I'm mean? That you didn't think I had the capacity to be nice to someone at all?!" In shock and alarm, Cole watched with wide, emerald eyes as the shorter man turned fully around to face him, the knife in his hand waving around precariously. "Because if that's what you think then you know absolutely nothing about me!"

Lifting his hands in an act of pacification, Cole tried to mollify his friend and explain himself. "Whoa, whoa, Jay! Calm down! That's not what I meant!" Taking a chance, Cole approached the irrationally irate ninja and placed his hands on the other brunet's shoulders. "Listen…I've known you for years. I already know you're a good person, and I'd trust you with my life. All I was saying was that this new side of you that you show towards Lloyd only makes you even better. It's awesome! I think it's great!" The ninja leader's voice lowered into a gentle whisper as he moved just a little closer to the now shell-shocked man. "…That's all I meant…"

Blinking rapidly, Jay's body gradually lost its rigid tension. "Oh…uh…thanks…" A subtle shade of rouge unexpectedly dusted across the fair man's cheeks. "…Sorry, Cole…I don't know why I got so defensive…"

"It's okay…" Cole soothed, his voice still low, but now somehow breathless. Sapphire gems glimmered prettily as they became half-mast.

"H-Honestly, Cole…I'm not sure what to make of this new part of me myself…" Jay admitted quietly. "…But…I do know not to fight it… It's like… It's like my heart feels that this is something Lloyd needs and…I shouldn't be afraid to give it to him… But…I'm not sure what that something really is…"

Sapphires met emeralds with a hint of uncertainty and question. "…What…do you think it could possibly be…?"

Cole licked his lips, entranced by the sight of such a comely expression on the blue ninja's face. "…I…I think it's something that will naturally reveal itself with time… Both you and him will figure it out eventually… I have faith in that…"

"You… You really think so…?" Cole wondered if Jay's eyelashes had always been so long and full… He wondered if his eyes had always been so blue and deep…

His voice…sounds much more pleasant when he talks like this… The earth ninja's hands slowly moved from Jay's shoulders to travel languidly down his arms until they came to rest at his wrists. …And he smells…so, so good…

"Eh? C-Cole…?"

Undeterred by the light stutter made by the other man, Cole tilted his head ever so slightly and inched his way forward, spurred on by the ghosting warmth of Jay's breath against his lips and the utter lack of resistance.

"…Jay…I…"

"NO! JAY!"

So startled were the two ninja by the sudden shout that Jay dropped the knife he had been holding as did Cole release the blue ninja's wrists and jumped back. Both men whipped their heads towards the source of the yell and found the little ninja-in-training standing in the doorway, his dark ruby depths clearly displaying their displeasure at the scene.

Jay placed a hand over his rapidly beating heart. "Geez, Lloyd! You scared the mess out of me! Haa…what's wrong? Where's Kai?"

Frowning, Lloyd rushed forward and grabbed Jay's hand, tugging insistently. "We had to cut training short because he and Zane had to go somewhere together. C'mon, you and me can finish up the rest of my training for the night, can't we?"

"Uh, L-Lloyd, I'm cooking—uh…" Jay glanced over at Cole helplessly, his face still inexplicably aflame. But at the little boy's constant tugging and pleading look, the blue ninja soon caved. Besides, maybe he needed a little time away from the other man in order to figure out what just happened. Or what almost happened.

Having forgotten how strong Lloyd truly was, Jay stumbled forward. "O-Okay! We can go, just…hold on a sec…" The azure ninja took another glimpse back at Cole even as Lloyd continuously pulled him along, clearly wanting to put as much distance as possible between his two teachers. "Hey, could you just check on the roast periodically? It should be done within the hour, but…Oh! And stick the rolls in the oven and set the timer for ten minutes! And when they're done, just spread the honey butter over the tops, thinly! Thinly Cole! And put the vegetables on the cutting board in the fridge! I'll finish with them tomorrow! Thanks, Cole! Sheesh, Lloyd, can I at least get my apron off!"

And the two disappeared from the kitchen. Though still a little flustered himself, Cole was still able to catch Jay's rapid-fire instructions and got to work. But not before picking up the dropped knife from the floor. He stared at the blade's shiny surface and into his reflection, taking note of his reddened cheeks and now smoldered, jade eyes. Cole took a breath and moistened his dry lips again, his heart pounding away in anxious abandon.

Mio Dio, what was that just now…? Could I have…feelings for Jay…?

*~Ninjalogy~*

Out on the Bounty's deck in the midst of nightfall, Jay handed the little ninja-in-training a light bulb. "Alright, Lloyd, let's pick up where we left off, shall we?"

Lloyd gave an exasperated sigh as he held the bane of his existence in his hands. "Ughhhh! Not this again, Jay! Can't we do something else? Like something easier? These things hate me!"

Grinning, the brunet cocked his scarred eyebrow at the youngster. "An inanimate object cannot hate you, Lloyd. Now don't be so pessimistic, try again."

Ten destroyed light bulbs later… "Arrrrgh! These stupid, stupid things!" Make that eleven… In utter frustration and annoyance, Lloyd threw down the broken piece in his hand and sat down on his rump with a huff. Jay sighed as he watched the youth mutter and grumble angrily at himself. The Master of Lightning took hold of another light bulb and sat down beside his student. He held the stem of the bulb gently in his hand while he showed it to Lloyd. And with mastered control and practice, the bulb switched on, radiating a pure white light.

Wiping his eyes free of discouraged tears, the little blond boy looked over at Jay with wary hope, and the blue ninja smiled. "I know this is not easy for you, Lloyd. You have four different elements inside you—five if you count your hidden one. But because you do, you can't go about mastering each one in the same way. Just because you can easily summon Earth, doesn't mean you'll have the same control over Ice, Fire, and Lightning."

"Then…*sniff*…what do I do…?"

Jay gave Lloyd the light bulb. "Think of each individual element as their very own separate entity. They differ from each other obviously, so your mentality and spirit has to match the element you are trying to conjure. For example: how would you go about describing Lightning?"

"Umm…" Lloyd's brow furrowed with concentration. "…Fast…sporadic…loud…powerful…and…cool to look at…?"

The brunet gave a whimsical chuckle when Lloyd peered up at him in nothing short of innocence. "Okay, and do you keep these things in mind when you try to summon Lightning?"

Lloyd shook his head. "No, I just think "Lightning!" and then try to pull it out of me."

"Hmm…then that's probably what your problem is…" Jay turned his gaze to the sky and smirked as a sudden clever glint entered them. "…Or…we can just ask our friends here how they do it…"

"Huh?" Confused, Lloyd swiveled his sight to the heavens also. "…Whoa…" Struck with awe and wonder, the little shinobi could only gape at the scattered gathering of maybe hundreds of points of golden lights. The Destiny's Bounty was currently docked along the wetted banks of a river, an environment brimming with humidity and cattails. So it was only natural for the two to witness the arrival of the usually elusive visitors.

Teacher and student rose to their feet just as their nightly guests buzzed forth to greet them. One particularly curious caller flitted down and perched right atop of the light bulb in Lloyd's hands, and the blond boy stared with questioning eyes at the mysterious, luminous creature of many.

"What are these things…?"

A small cluster of the flying phenomenon seemed immediately attracted to Jay and flitted around the brunet, creating a swirling trail of golden light around his body. Grinning broadly, Jay laughed and opened his palms in a manner of request. And seeing the invitation, a few fluttered to rest in his hands while others settled along his shoulders comfortably.

"These little guys are called fireflies or lightning bugs if you will. They can light up the night sky and travel across it like a moving city of twilight."

"Oh…lightning bugs, huh…" Lloyd scrutinized the pretty little insect for a moment before lifting his gaze to his teacher. "Jay, do you remember what you told me? About how you thought behind every action there was a message?"

"Yeah."

"Well…what do you think theirs is? What reason could they possibly have to light up like this?"

A stray gale disturbed the blue ninja's locks, sweeping them across his brow as he pondered his student's question. "Hmm… Well, there's always the scientific explanation about them glowing to warn predators of their bad taste as well as to attract a mate, but what do you say we delve deeper to the lightning bugs' messages…" Then purposefully, Jay gently lowered himself down to his knees before Lloyd with the luminescent insects still cupped protectively in his hands. The convergence of light powdered the two ninjas' faces with an evanescent glow, and rubies and sapphires sparkled as they met.

"Okay Lloyd…let's look at the symbolic messages our friends are trying to express to us humans, shall we?"

Intrigued, Lloyd nodded enthusiastically. "Okay! Let's see…um… Well, the obvious thing I would think of is light—illumination, right?"

"That's right. But always try to dig deeper, Lloyd. Beyond what you see on the outside. Take in the lightning bug as whole… Watch this…" Jay waved his hand over the fireflies in his palm and instantly their lights flickered off. "Now, they look pretty ordinary, right? Only showing its remarkable change when it glows at night. But that's just it. This is a symbolic message to us that although our physical appearance may seem one way, it is our internal makings—what's inside us, such as our spirit that makes us shine from the inside out. That which is within us will always illuminate us…and those around us…"

Jay moved his hand back over the bugs, and their internal lights engulfed them once more. Buzzing and clicking, the lightning bugs became aloft once again and intermingled with their brethren. "Hope…Energy…Guidance…Patience…New Ideas…Effeciency…Creativity…Attraction…Awakening…Aspiration…Inspiration…and finally, like you guessed, Illumination… All of these things are what best symbolizes lightning bugs—what best symbolizes lightning in general, don't you think…?"

Lloyd couldn't look away from his teacher's profile as his elder's gaze became lost in the swarming lights of the fireflies overhead. At once, he felt everything become full circle within his mind, within his heart, within his very soul. "…Yeah…but I also think…that all those things best symbolizes you, Jay…"

The older male immediately turned his bright, expressive sapphires to his student. "Lloyd… Ah! Lloyd! Hey! You're doing it! Look! Your bulb is lit!"

Blinking out of his admiring stupor, the adolescent's stare fell down to the bulb in his hands. "W-Whoa! I-I did it! I can't believe it! I actually…" The little blond ninja-in-training beamed up at his teacher and Jay excitedly embraced him.

"Lloyd…I'm so proud of you…"

And overcome with a sudden rush of emotion, Lloyd dropped the bulb to the floor and returned the brunet's hug, relishing in the feel of his elder's heartfelt warmth and security. Lloyd buried and nuzzled his face into Jay's strong shoulder, instantly memorizing his wonderful scent akin to a fresh bakery.

…Apples…and cinnamon…

At the sudden loud rumble of Lloyd's stomach, however, the two males pulled apart. The blond blushed in embarrassment when Jay laughed and ruffled his hair, having obviously heard it. "C'mon, let's go remedy that," he said lightly, rising back to his feet. "It should be time for dinner about now anyway."

"Heh heh… Yeah, okay…" Getting over his mortification quickly, Lloyd recovered his light bulb from the ground and held it in his hand…while the other grasped Jay's tightly. And as teacher and student made their way across the deck back towards the interior's door, Lloyd smiled as the bulb instantly lit up.

…All I have to do…is think of Jay to summon Lightning… Think of what he symbolizes…and what he means to me…

*~Ninjalogy~*

Dinner had come and gone, even with the absence of Kai and Zane. Sensei Wu had bid his pupils and nephew good night, and advised Lloyd to do the same. And the little ninja-in-training, bleary-eyed and full, went to his room without a fight. But Jay could not follow suit, for Cole had discreetly signaled to him during their meal to come out to the Bounty's deck after dinner for a brief rendezvous. And so, here the blue ninja stood before the deck's door with his brow pressed soundly against the smooth wooden surface. His mind was a tornado of tumultuous thoughts, and all concerning about the one who was currently waiting for him beyond the barrier.

Jay heaved a heavy sigh and stood up to his full height. He squared his shoulders and took hold of the knob, and with one swift motion exited the Bounty's interior. The fireflies were still present, lending their ethereal glow to the cool, moonlit night. And as expected, there was Cole leaning his back against the mast as he played with the lightning bugs with the fingers of his hand. Brightened emerald eyes lifted to meet the other brunet, and a soft welcoming smile settled on sandrose lips. Though still a little wary and apprehensive, Jay couldn't resist the comforting aura his fellow ninja radiated and smiled back as he approached the other.

"Spring is really in the air," Cole said, watching as a few of the insects danced about.

And Jay concurred with a small laugh. "Heh heh, yeah, you can definitely tell it's mating season…for both animals and humans…"

And there was unquestionably some truth to that statement ironically enough, for all the members of the Bounty had witnessed amorous occurrences in abundance throughout towns, cities and villages alike. Young couples mostly, the ones pouring it on just a little too thick and oblivious to everyone else's awkwardness. And then there were the older, more mature couples. The couples who had had some time to grow, but knew each other well enough to bicker playfully and communicate silently. All and all, it was undoubtedly the season of love.

Jay tried to gain some normalcy before the slightly taller man, but found that he couldn't. His nerves were just too shot. And Cole, having taken notice of the blue ninja's fidgetiness, tried to calm his anxious brother. "Jay, you can relax. I'm not gonna bite."

Bright blue gems jerked to him sharply in reproach. "I know that!" He countered, irate, but then nervously swallowed. "I'm trying to!"

Keeping his composure, Cole asked his infatuation in a soft undertone, "Was what happened in the kitchen really so mystifying?" And Jay eyed him incredulously.

"Yes! Of course it was!" He cried. "It's just…" Running a trembling hand through his chestnut locks, the shorter man stepped away from Cole and made his way over to the railings with the latter trailing closely behind him. "It's just that…you're one of my dearest friends—my best friend…and we almost…" another swallow, "…we almost…"

"Kissed…?" Cole supplied, causing Jay to blush and avert his eyes bashfully to the floor.

"Yeah…kissed…" Recovering though, the blue ninja frowned and crossed his arms. "Not that I'm not flattered or anything but, what brought this on? Surely you couldn't have developed feelings for me just because of my attitude towards Lloyd, right?"

A valid question, and Cole felt glad at the opportunity to explain himself fully. He bypassed the other brunet and braced his arms over the railings, his emerald gaze contemplative in their retrospect. "Yeah, you're right," he began after a time. "Like I said, I've known you for years, Jay. I've seen you at your best, and I've seen you at your worst. There are times when I feel like throttling you when you become unnecessarily unreasonable, and there are times when I want to hug you when you use your quick wit and ingenuity to save our asses whenever we're in a bind."

The river flowed smoothly in its serenity, the serenading chirp and buzz of insects adding an even more tranquil calm to the ambience. Jay stood beside Cole and gripped the railings loosely, his sapphire stare searching the other's serious viridian depths for further elucidation as his leader turned to him. "We've all been together for a long time, I understand that. We know each other. We've watched each other grow. But in between the fighting, arguing, laughing, joking, and teasing…I would often find my mind straying to you the most. And it could be about anything from serious to trivial. The truth is…I've come to appreciate you a lot. And over time, I've come to want to learn more about you, Jay. Seeing your interactions with Lloyd was a real eye-opener for not just me, but for everyone else here. But the difference between them and me is that my curiosity and yearning for you have festered to the point where I can't just sit back and go with the flow anymore…"

Cole placed his hand tenderly on top of Jay's, and smiled as the younger man's cheeks once again filled with a delicate tint of rouge. "…I want to get to know you intimately, Jay. You have deep-rooted yourself in my entire being and…you just continue to spread."

Despite his blush, Jay managed to reply with a wry smirk. "Geez, Cole…thanks for making me sound like a disease. You make it seem like I've infected you!"

Jay… Ever apt at breaking the tension, the two ninja shared a congenial laugh together. But the lightning wielder sobered up fairly quickly, his hesitation and wariness hanging over him like a dark, storm cloud. "But…I think you're giving me a little too much credit," Jay said, his eyes downcast. "I mean, don't get me wrong. While I am versatile in terms of trade, personality-wise I'm really not that complex. You don't have to have an intimate relationship with me just to sate your curiosity. As long as you're willing to put the time in, I'll always remain by your side."

Cole straightened up from the railings and turned to face Jay properly, and the other brunet did the same instinctively. "Yeah well…there's a problem with that option, Jay…" Cole said, and the blue ninja felt his heart throb at the earth master's intense expression. "…You can't kiss your friends… You can't hold them and caress them without causing a double entendre… So what am I supposed to do about this attraction towards you—this gravitational pull I feel to get close to you?"

This was dangerous and Jay knew it—he felt it. And thus, he hardened his gaze and challenged his best friend with his own piece of logic and reason. "Well there's a problem with that too, Cole. Because I don't want to lose you in any shape or form. And, nine times out of ten when friends try for a romantic relationship—depending how far they get, and it doesn't work out…they can't go back to being just friends. The world just doesn't work that way very often. It's too hard, it's too awkward. And I don't want to go through that with you…because you're not just my friend, Cole, you're my best friend. So how do you know that won't happen to us?"

"Well how do you know we won't make it just fine?" Cole countered back. "What if you and I are able to defeat the odds?"

At a loss, Jay couldn't retort. And feeling bold, Cole wreathed his arms around his best friend's narrow waist. "Nothing is set in stone. The future is open-ended to us at the moment, so who's to say we won't have our happy ending, Jay?"

"Oh…Cole…" Jay's hands moved of their own volition to the black ninja's body and traveled languidly up the other man's muscular arms. "…I don't want to lose your friendship, but…"

Cole's face inched closer to Jay's for a second time. "…You won't…"

Soon all Jay could see were brilliant, forest green emeralds. "…I feel in my heart that…"

"I've fallen for you, Jay…" This time…he would follow-through. There would be no interruptions…

Long, dark lashes gradually fluttered down to conceal radiant, deep blues. "…I want to have this experience with you…"

And so, it was amongst the lightning bugs in the thick of a cool, moonlit night when Jay Walker and Cole Belmonte crossed the boundaries of friendship and entered the realm of romance. The kiss they shared was soft, testing, and ever so sweet. Their embrace was precious and wholesome with nary a hint of hesitation in sight. They were sure. They were confident. They were in love.

While still in each other's arms, the couple slowly disengaged their lips, but not without Cole stealing a few additional pecks in between. Jay's baby pink curves were just too plump and tempting, seeming doused in a sweet nectar that the ninja leader just couldn't get enough of. The newly established couple touched their brows together and stared amorously into each other's eyes.

"And the fact that you're incredibly beautiful just adds the frosting to the cake…" Cole whispered breathlessly, and Jay chuckled, a smirk curving on his moistened lips.

"Hey now…I don't know if I like you comparing me to cake…" he teased lightly, and this time it was Cole's turn to smirk.

"What? I thought you'd be flattered."

The blue ninja's fingers gently caressed the ends of Cole's hair at the base of his neck, they somehow having traveled there during the previous kisses. "And I don't know if I care much for the word "beautiful" used to describe me either, regardless if it is a compliment."

The ninja leader turned his face into his new boyfriend's silken, chestnut locks and inhaled deeply, enraptured by the homey scent. "And what's wrong with calling you beautiful, Jay?" Cole murmured into the mass of cinnamon. "Just because the term is usually reserved for women, doesn't mean it can't be used to describe men. Look at the Japanese word: "bishonen". It literally translates to mean "beautiful boy"." By the end of the earth master's explanation, his mouth had moved to his partner's neck.

Jay gasped softly, a little pool of heat coming to blossom in his stomach at the sudden feel of licks and lips against his pulse. He turned his head to allow Cole better access to his sweet spot, his cheeks stained red as the other brunet's arms pulled him in even closer. "Mmm…haa… I'm not a "boy", I'm a man…but fine… Haa… Just don't say it in public… I—Mmm…"

With his thirst renewed, Cole silenced Jay with a kiss and proceeded to suckle gratuitously from the blue ninja's honeyed lips. Feeling yet another surge of assertiveness, the Earth user decided to deepen the kiss and gently licked the baby pink curves to ask for permission. At the unexpected presence of tongue, Jay's lips parted in surprise, but Cole only took it as an invitation and eagerly commenced with his plan like the strategist he was. A wondrous shudder wracked Jay's body as Cole's tongue invaded his mouth and unabashedly touched his. The pool of heat inside his belly was starting to spread like liquid fire until his mind clouded in a drunken stupor of ecstasy.

Jay's taste was addicting—sweet and tart like the ripest berries, Electric… and Cole drank from his boyfriend's fountain hungrily, sweeping his tongue all throughout the wet cavern. Having never experienced such delicious rapture, the azure ninja forgot how to breathe and had no choice but to pull back. A thin trail of saliva dribbled down Jay's chin as he panted breathlessly, but Cole, with hooded jade eyes clouded with lust and affection, lapped up the juice of their kiss unashamed.

A deep, throaty moan rumbled from the depths of Cole's chest as he nuzzled the side of Jay's face like a large cat. Slowly regaining his awareness, Jay wrapped his arms around the black ninja's waist and rested his head against his shoulder. "…God, Cole… Haa…"

Cole smirked sexily, feeling proud at what he could make his partner feel. "I'm mostly Italian, so what did you expect?"

Jay pinched his boyfriend's side, making him laugh. "…Shaddup…" he muttered, grinning, and the two ninjas soon fell into a comfortable silence. But Cole suddenly bit his lip upon realizing something. Hugging the other man close, the Master of Earth decided to break the calm.

"So…what about me…?" He asked quietly, almost shyly, and Jay, unaccustomed to this change in his leader's demeanor immediately questioned it.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Cole leaned back and Jay did the same, meeting the other's now somewhat unsure gaze. "I mean…what do you think of me, Jay? Why am I the one you want to have this experience with?"

Jay thought the answer was obvious. Much like what Cole had thought about him, he had to know that he was good person too. But maybe…he just wanted to hear it come from the blue ninja's lips—the infamous "mouth of lightning". More than willing to set his new boyfriend's mind at ease, Jay spoke from the heart. "Not to give you a big head or anything, but I do appreciate what you do for us also. I know it can't be easy to lead three stubborn mules." He gave a half-hearted shrug. "I know I boast a lot, but…in truth it's just a front to hide my own insecurities."

Cole's mouth fell open at the soft admission. "But Jay, there's no reason for you to feel insecure. You're a very competent and powerful ninja! You—"

Jay had reached up to place a finger on his leader's lips. He smiled assuredly. "Let me finish, Cole. Like your mind strayed to me, mine was swimming constantly with thoughts of you. But…only on how to surpass you. You have no idea how much I admired you…how much I still do. Your fortitude, your virtue, your dedication to the cause of being a ninja… Though I will say that your one-tracked mind becomes cumbersome in that respect and you think being a ninja is all that's important… Well, let's just say that's really annoying, especially when I know you can do so much more if you truly wanted to. But, I've come to understand your mentality somewhat… Before Sensei Wu found you, you had no direction in your life—no real purpose. And when Sensei gave you a purpose, you clung to it and poured everything into it… I technically can't shun you for that… And from that, I've come to realize that you've become my source of inspiration to get better—to become a better person… So thank you, Cole… And I'm sorry I never told you any of this sooner… Despite what you and the others may think…I keep a lot of things to myself…and that includes my feelings."

Cole had been rendered speechless. There was much more he didn't know about Jay than he originally thought. He was Jay's inspiration?! How could that be when he had flaws himself?! But wait…Jay already knew that. The black ninja could be very bull-headed at times—unwavering in his seriousness to being a ninja. Not to mention his lack of consolation skills. Hell, he was downright inept in that regard and usually just took his cues from Jay and the others when dealing with the woes of the people and providing the necessary articulation.

However, though Jay answered the first question, what about the second? Cole started to ask, but stopped himself upon seeing the other brunet's expression. He was blushing, yes, but there was also sullenness to his attractive countenance. Jay had done much to divulge his opinions about what he thought of Cole. So then would it truly be wise to press him on his deeper feelings when he looked so abashed?

"…Why do I dream of you sometimes…?"

Cole gave a slight start at the quiet candor, and stared at his fellow ninja. Jay turned his head away, his blush ever apparent.

"You're always walking ahead of me, but no matter how fast I run to keep up…I can't… I would've been okay with just hugging you from behind… and telling you that you didn't have to walk alone…that if no one else was there, that you at least had me… But you never let me…"

"Jay…"

Sapphire narrowed angrily as a dark scowl settled on his profile. "You always say we're a team, but when you rush out and risk your life to save us…"

Cole brought Jay into his arms and hugged him close. "…I just want to be able to protect you when you need it…" The azure ninja admitted brokenly. "…But how can I if I'm not strong enough for you to depend on me…just me…"

"Jay…"

"…Self-righteous bastard…" Jay's voice was thick with emotion, possibly on the verge of tears. "…Just like how I piss you off, you piss me off too… But in spite of the anger I sometimes feel towards you, I still want to be beside you… I still love you…"

Cole's heart skipped a single beat…before it started thundering with wild abandon in his ears. He didn't believe he had ever felt such elation before. Jay truly cared about him. Jay truly loved him. The earth ninja never wanted to let go of the strong, lithe body in his arms. He was determined to give Jay more than just an "experience". No, he intended to play for keeps.

"…So now you know…"

Cole leaned back to peer at Jay's face, and wasn't really surprised to see his sapphire eyes glisten with unshed tears. "…You now know one of my most deeply buried secrets…" He laughed sardonically, clearly a crippled sound. "…Don't you feel lucky…?"

The ninja leader used his hands to cradle his boyfriend's face, and gazed adoringly into those precious gems. "Yeah, I do… I feel really lucky to have such a wonderful person by my side…" And it was then that the tears finally fell.

"…S-Shit, man…" Jay sniffed and lifted his hands to grasp the black ninja's wrists. "…Don't say stuff like that…"

A soft, loving smile curved Cole's lips. "I will tell you everything that's in my heart from now on, Jay… You're just that precious to me…" Closing the distance, Cole pressed his lips to Jay's wet ones. The kiss was kept short and tender, but just as passionate as all the others. And afterwards, the couple fell into a blissful tranquility once more.

Cole haphazardly let his sights drift to the shoreline of the river, and after a moment quirked an eyebrow. "Hey…isn't that Kai and Zane?"

"What?" Jay hurriedly wiped his eyes and turned around to see from Cole's perspective. And sure enough, the fire and ice ninjas were casually strolling down the bank of the river hand in hand, with the lightning bugs casting a stunning radiance on their figures. The two had been absent since the early evening, and here it was now reaching the twilight hours of the night. Cole and Jay watched as their two oblivious brothers conversed quietly with each other. They were much too far away to hear clearly unfortunately, but of course actions would always speak louder than words.

The two suddenly stopped, and it appeared as if Kai was saying something to Zane. Then seemingly out of nowhere, the nindroid embraced his opposite, and proceeded to kiss him deeply. This, without doubt, led to Jay and Cole's jaws dropping open as they stared at their long-time friends engage in a passionate lip-lock.

"I…I never even knew they liked each other…" Jay whispered in awe. "…At least not romantically…"

"Huh…" Cole closed his mouth and grinned at the scene. "…Perhaps like us…they finally came to some sort of resolution…? Anyway, I'm happy for them."

The blue ninja smiled as well. "Yeah, me too." He slowly backed away from the railings, taking Cole's hand in the process. "C'mon, let's give 'em their privacy."

And so together, Earth and Lightning decided to retrace their steps and head back inside for the night. Jay lifted his finger and beckoned a stray lightning bug to perch on it. He eyed the creature fondly. "Yanno…I am kinda curious to know what that would feel like…"

"What?" Cole questioned, turning to look at his boyfriend.

Jay shrugged as he watched the glowing insect take off again. "What it would feel like to kiss Zane."

Cole stopped dead in his tracks, which in turn halted Jay also. He stared hard at the shorter brunet. "What?"

It was then that the Master of Lightning realized the mistake of his wording and rushed to explain his rather off-handed comment. "N-No, no! Not like that!" He cried, taking Cole's other hand too. "I'm just sayin' from a scientific point of view!"

Viridian depths rolled derisively. "Oh well! As long as it's for the glory of science then by all means!"

Jay winced, but still tried to make his unintentionally affronted boyfriend see from his angle. "Okay, this is what I meant. We all know that Zane is more than a robot, right? Obviously. He eats, sleeps…occasionally, brushes his teeth, combs his hair, etcetera, etcetera. His has a CPU, a motherboard, and artificial organs inside him, making him more of an android than a robot. With that being said, his body is made of incredibly strong and durable titanium alloy, but over that he has flesh or rather well constructed layers of synthetic membranes. I won't lie to you, Cole. Once upon a time I did ask to touch Zane's face. But it wasn't because of infatuation or anything… It was just to satisfy my own curiosity."

Though Cole didn't really take to machines in the way that Jay did, he could empathize with his boyfriend's curiosity to find out more about their mysterious brother after the revelation of him being a nindroid. Thus, he sighed and nodded in acceptance. "Okay, and what did you find out?" He asked, and Jay's expressive sapphires sparkled with enthusiasm.

"That it feels very much like ours!" He divulged excitedly, shaking Cole's hands. But then he pulled a more inquisitorial expression. "But there was a key difference though… Zane's skin is very cool to the touch, and I was able to deduce why. One reason is his element. Like Kai being unnaturally warm compared to say you or me, Zane is unnaturally cool and that includes his breath. The other is his lack of red blood cells. We all know that when Zane bleeds, it's white not red. Now, in congruence with this discovery, that can also explain why he's always sorta pale… Uh—heh… So you see? It was just my love of nuts and bolts that drove me, not romantic feelings."

Jay looked at Cole hopefully and smiled. "Not to say I don't love them—they're my brothers. Just the love I have for them is platonic…and you know how I feel about you…"

Cole returned Jay's doting grin and squeezed the hands grasping his before letting go. "Okay, I get it."

"Yeah, see?" The blue ninja resumed his place beside his boyfriend and wreathed his arm around his waist. "There's no reason for you to be jealous."

Cole responded in kind and the pair continued making their way across the deck. "I wasn't jealous," he said easily.

"Okay, angry then."

"I wasn't angry."

Jay rolled his eyes, however chose to remain silent. Once they neared the door, Cole moved to open it for Jay, but stopped short and gave him a glance. "Do you think that's the way you feel about Lloyd too?"

"Huh?"

"Lloyd," Cole repeated, opening the door. "Do you love him the same way you love Kai and Zane? But maybe more like a little brother, huh?"

Jay didn't make a move to enter the dim interior, his mind heavy with thought. Loving Lloyd like a little brother would make the most sense, wouldn't it? Then why did he feel as if that wasn't quite right…? The blue ninja unconsciously placed a hand over his heart, trying to understand the deeper emotions emitting from it at the mention of the little blonde's name. There was no reason to dispute the love he felt for the Lloyd, as he was sure he did. And as platonic as it was, something continually nagged at him…

"I…" He shook his head, struggling to read his own feelings and bring them from his heart to his mouth. "…No that's not—I mean I…"

Cole's brow furrowed with concern, and he reached for Jay to cup his cheek. His boyfriend's sapphire orbs had never looked so worried and confused before. "Hey, don't sweat it," he advised the distraught ninja softly. "If that's not it, then like I said, you and him will find the answer eventually. Don't over think it, okay?"

Jay just nodded, feeling both relieved and vexed that he couldn't decipher the true feeling nestled in his heart. His lips quirked up into a tiny smile and he gave Cole a quick kiss to the cheek. "…Thanks for that," he said gratefully then finally got his legs to move. And as an afterthought he added, "But don't open the door for me like I'm some sort of woman. I don't need that."

While flabbergasted at first, Cole released a light chuckled as he followed the shorter brunet through, for he knew in his heart that embarking on this new journey with Jay was going to be one wild ride.

*~Ninjalogy~*

After breakfast the next morning, Sensei Wu assembled his Ninja and nephew on the Bounty's deck. "I would like to announce to you all that morning training is of right now cancelled…"

The gathered Ninja's faces brightened with happiness, but before they could let fly their celebratory whoops and cries of jubilation, Wu raised his voice over theirs. "But before you all lose your minds with glee; I must warn you that something more grueling will take its place."

Talk about taking the wind out of someone's sails… The Ninja immediately deflated and groaned in unison. Lloyd, however, only looked between his elders in confusion. Sensei Wu stroked his long, snow white beard and swept his bamboo stick before him, gesturing to the Ninja. "Instead, it is time to find out if the former students have truly become fit teachers…" Wise onyx irises centered on the little ninja-in-training. "…It is time to showcase the tutelage you have received from your senpais thus far, Lloyd."

The destined Green Ninja's dark ruby depths widened with excitement and he hastily stepped out of line and approached his uncle with unadulterated eagerness. "Okay! I'm ready! What do I have to do?! Whatever it is, I can do it!"

Wu smiled down at his nephew, pleased with his spunk and determination. He raised his gaze to his older pupils, though, and called to them each in turn. "Zane! You will fetch me a bucket of water! Kai! Six candles! Cole! The brick-breaking stand and three bricks! And Jay! One light bulb!"

Understanding the ordeal meant to be presented before their student and youngest member of the clan, the Ninja bowed to their master and went to retrieve the items he had requested. And he didn't have to wait long, for soon Lloyd was staring at a rather peculiar obstacle course. Sensei Wu laid a gentle hand on his nephew's shoulder.

"Do you see what you must do? Each of your trials is set to be completed in rapid succession. "You must light the row of six candles in one shot, but the fire must be tame enough not to melt the candles while doing so. You will only have a few seconds to complete this before the bucket of water is tossed in the candles' direction in an effort to extinguish them. During that time, you must use the power of Ice to freeze the water before it makes contact. Control is key. Next, is the test of might. You have to break all three bricks cleanly in half with the power of Earth, but with enough restraint not to damage the ship. Afterwards is the final test, a test you have been having the most difficulty with. Prove your control over the most untamed of elements. Use the raw energy of Lightning to illuminate the light bulb… Do you understand? You will only have one shot at this. Pass or fail… Are you ready?"

Lloyd took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He turned his head to look at his four teachers, the four men who have served as his guiding stars for many weeks now. Each had their own way of encouraging him: Kai, smirking, lending him bravado with nothing short of support shining in his piercing golden-amber gaze. Zane, who stood beside his opposite, wore a gentle smile and inclined his head at the youth—always eloquent in both manner and speech. Cole was next. Ever firm and serious, the ninja leader stood tall with his arms crossed over his broad chest with neither a frown nor a smile in place. Sharp viridians simply observed Lloyd with expectance. And last but certainly not least, Lloyd's eyes came to center on Jay. The little ninja-in-training felt the pressure rise ten-fold. Though he didn't want to disappoint any of his teachers, he felt almost desperate to never disappoint Jay.

A slew of panic and fear suddenly struck Lloyd with a vengeance. He felt he couldn't swallow—couldn't breathe as he stared worriedly into Jay's warm, deep blue eyes. Disappointing the Master of Lightning was simply not an option! For what if Jay retracted his love and attention from Lloyd? What if he flat-out abandoned him because he messed up at the final moment—at his test? That just couldn't happen… It couldn't… Not to Lloyd…not again…

"Hey—uh…Sensei, hang on a sec…"

Lloyd's features contorted into a grimace. He could already feel a cold sweat incasing his body as his inner turmoil gradually took over his psyche. I can't… I can't… Thus, at the feel of warm hands on his shoulders, his eyes snapped into focus once more. He blinked and struggled to get the knot formed in his throat down as Jay squatted down in front of him.

The brunet's face bore hardened conviction, yet the warmth in his eyes hadn't lifted. Belief was instilled throughout the blue ninja's entire persona, belief in him. "Lloyd, relax, alright? You can do this, you know you can. So stop with the pessimistic thoughts already. You'll only gain from this experience, not lose. We're all here supporting you not only as your teachers, but as your family too."

With every resolute word spoken from his blue-eyed mentor's mouth, Lloyd gradually felt his resolve return. He leaned into the feather-like touch of Jay's hand to his hair, the blue ninja's warmth engulfing him in a flourish. The blond youth smiled at the returning uplifting feel to his heart. Dark rubies met brilliant sapphires, and forthright energy surged through the developing muscles of Lloyd's body.

He nodded firmly. "I can and I will."

"There you go," Jay uttered happily, and stood up to his full height again. He looked to his own mentor and grinned. "Now he's ready."

Sensei Wu said nothing for a time, his shrewd, dark gaze scrutinizing both his nephew and student. But then, a stunning glint of realization flashed within the noir depths before they were deftly obscured by the wide brim of his straw hat as he inclined his head. When onyx orbs revealed themselves again, however, the spark had gone.

"Very well…" he said. "Lloyd, get into position."

Once Jay had resumed his place beside Cole, Lloyd stretched and rotated his shoulders as he positioned himself at the start of the short but definitive course. Silence settled over the clan, the only sound the destined ninja could hear was the steady beat of his heart. In a split-second decision, Lloyd decided to pull his hood over his head. A lot was expected of him, he knew this. The fate of Ninjago rested on his delicate, young shoulders, but despite the pressure…he was grateful. Because he didn't have to walk this path alone…not anymore.

More than just friends, we are a family…

Lloyd's breathing had calmed considerably and scarlet orbs closed blissfully in thought. He could feel them all in his heart, his elements as well as his clan members interlinked within. Beyond the ties of blood there was Kai, as passionate and impulsive as they come, but still knew how and when to give sound advice. Zane, the eldest of the four who radiated such purity and honor he could not hope but be respected. Cole, the strong backbone of the clan. Firm yet fair, and ready to lend a shoulder if needed.

And finally…

"GO!"

At his uncle's stern shout, Lloyd's eyes snapped open with fierce determination. Fire ignited from his gloved fingertips and the burning element was released into a steady stream over the wicks of the candles perfectly without melting the waxy bases. Lloyd moved hastily forward as the bucket of water over them tilted and spilled its contents. Clearing his mind of Kai, he focused on Zane and the serenity of his teachings. Frigid coldness settled in his palms and he immediately shot it upward to stop the flow of water in its tracks. Nary a drop managed to hit a candle. Dashing around the first two trials, Lloyd approached the brick-breaking stand with Cole's unparalleled might already in his heart. With a powerful yet still somewhat squeaky yell, the green ninja's palm slammed downward with impeccable force that severed all three of the stone bricks neatly in half. Enough of the attack was held back, however, as to not strike the Bounty's deck.

Sweat peppered Lloyd's forehead as he reached for the bulb last. He held the object tenderly in his hand the same exact way Jay had the night prior. Scarlet eyes, which had been fierce and deadly in their concentration, softened as they scrutinized the bulb's dull surface. Warm, sapphire eyes overwhelmed Lloyd's mentality. The fresh, wholesome aroma of delectable apple pie filled his senses. And everything the blue ninja symbolized engulfed his heart.

Jay… He's not just my friend, he's family… He's my…

The bulb, at once, flickered to life, and a pure white and warm radiance seeped through Lloyd's glove and into his body. He had done it! He had completed the test! In utter happiness and excitement, the now fully anointed Green Ninja turned his elated ruby eyes to his teachers for approval, or more specifically to Jay.

"I—I did it! I did it, Kaasan! Did you see me! I…"

The congratulatory eruption abruptly silenced itself before it had a real chance to start, and everyone stared with wide eyes at the blond youth. All but Sensei Wu… Jay blinked… Breathed… And then blinked again. Lloyd was looking right at him. The proclamation was resolutely directed right at him. In a perplexed daze, the blue ninja said nothing, though his heart spoke for him. It cried at him to wake up—to reciprocate, to respond, to do something! But just as he tried to open his mouth, the moment was gone. Scarlet eyes clouded with forlornness, and his pupil dropped the light bulb. The *thunk* against the deck seemed deafening in its resonance—in its finality of despair.

Feeling wretched and heartbroken, Lloyd sprung his body into a mad sprint for the door, bypassing everyone—his uncle, his teachers, and Jay, the person who had brought him to this dismal state of misery. He opened the deck door and slammed it shut behind him, proceeding to flee from his mortification and overall dejection to his room.

Jay's heart thundered in his chest, the convergence of emotion proving too much to hide. "Lloyd!" But before he could take a single step, Sensei Wu's bamboo stick halted his advance. Sapphires flashed to his mentor. "Sensei?"

Wu eyed the Master of Lightning calmly. "You see it now, don't you?" He asked. "How Lloyd identifies you in his life? How will you respond to this extremely prestigious title?"

Jay's heart wouldn't let up. He needed to get to Lloyd. "Sensei, I don't have time to sort through and rationalize what I feel! He needs me! And I refuse to forsake him! Now move your stick before I snap it in half!"

While the other Ninja gasped with surprise at their brother's verbalized assault on their teacher, Sensei Wu only smiled at Jay and lowered his trusty bamboo ware. "Good answer…" Wu said warmly, causing the blue ninja to immediately lose his ire. "…You indeed have the fierce protectiveness of a loving mother, Jay. And I wish you well in this endeavor. But I warn you to tread lightly, for you walk on a very rickety bridge…I just hope you don't fall through…"

Heeding the words of wisdom, Jay gave a decisive nod to his mentor and made a dash for the door, soon disappearing behind it in pursuit of Lloyd. The remaining Ninja continued to gape, that is until Zane broke the silence. "Jay... Does he really have the attributes of a mother?" He mused in wonder. "I've never had one so…" The white ninja turned to his opposite. "What do you think, Kai?"

The Master of Fire cocked his eyebrow, his features pensive as he thought about his blue-clad younger brother. After a brief moment of pondering, though, he smirked. "Well, he did nag at me to be more careful after I got hurt during our last battle with the Serpentine. And since my suit was torn, he then demanded I hand it over so he could patch it up… Heh…" Kai then raised his left forearm to inspect where the tear had been. "…And he did an amazing job. You can't even see the stitching."

"But surely that can't be all that defines a mother," Zane argued, looking to Cole next. And his leader smiled, still eyeing the door his boyfriend had made his exodus from.

"Jay's grown over the years. Though he's still emotional, he's gotten more caring and attentive and optimistic. And with that development, a new side of him has been brought to light—something that had to have been buried deep within him for a long time. And Lloyd apparently brought it out of him in some way—this tender, loving persona. The spirit of a mother."

*~Ninjalogy~*

Jay made it to Lloyd's bedroom door in record time. It wasn't hard to imagine that this room would be the little ninja's home of refuge, as the blond adored his privacy. Something he couldn't get really while boarding at Darkley's. The blue ninja knocked lightly on the surface and called to the one within.

"Lloyd? Hey…can I come in…?" When his question was met by deathly silence, the brunet sighed and tentatively opened the door a crack to peek inside. "Lloyd…?"

Deep blues fell upon the protruding lump on Lloyd's bed, and he entered the room silently. Taking a breath, he paced forward towards the still lump and sat down softly on the bed. "Lloyd…" Jay's hand touched the top part of the lump, knowing that was where the boy's head lied and pulled the covers down to reveal the platinum blond locks and puffy, tearstained face.

Jay's ribs squeezed around his heart at the sight, but when he made a move to comfort Lloyd, the youth swatted his hand away and showed his back to him. "Go away…" The boy muttered, his voice thick with sorrow and tears. "I didn't say you could come in."

Jay retracted his hand and placed it in his lap, but he made no move to leave. "Lloyd, I think we need to talk."

"What's to talk about?!" Lloyd spat, curling up into a ball. "I was stupid to think that you cared—that you loved me!"

"But I do love you…"

"But not in the way that I want!" Lloyd cried. "What I thought…"

Jay's heart thumped soundly in his chest as he eyed the back of Lloyd's head, wishing the boy would just turn around. "You mean…as a mother…"

Lloyd sniffed loudly. But soon, his shaky voice reached Jay. "At Darkley's…no one ever came to visit me… I was always alone when the parents came to check on their kids… *Sniff*…Brad tried to include me when his parents came, but I never went… It would just look too pathetic… It's weird because…I remember everything about my dad, but I can't remember a thing about my mom… All the principle had told me was…that she had been the one to leave me there… But besides me she left nothing else… No letter, no memento, no way to contact her, or even her freakin' name… She left absolutely nothing to let me know she actually cared about me… I was abandoned by her…"

Lloyd's voice shook horribly at the end, and it became clear to Jay that the boy was reaching his breaking point. Not being able to stand hearing the blond sound so broken and alone, he reached out for him a second time. He placed his hand on Lloyd's shoulder and turned him around, and then tugged him forward by his arm to sit him up. He embraced Lloyd tightly, and the little ninja sobbed in the brunet's shoulder.

"I never knew what it felt like…" Lloyd mumbled into the Jay's soft tunic. "…To watch all those mothers hold their kids… I couldn't understand…"

"Shhh…well now you know…" Jay whispered into the boy's hair. "…And you're gonna keep knowing for the rest of your life…" Jay could feel Lloyd's hands fist the back of his shirt. "…Because you do have a mother now…and I promise to never abandon you…"

And the new mother sealed his oath with a tender kiss to Lloyd's locks.

"Kaasan… Kaasan…"

Jay smiled happily as he rocked his charge to the rhythm of his now steady heartbeat. And Lloyd continued to cling to his newly acquired and special caregiver. The room soon fell into a quiet spell of peace and tranquility. And without breaking the serenity, a loving harmonic filtered through from Jay's heart.

"Good night, my angel. Time to close your eyes…

And save these questions for another day…

I think I know what you've been asking me…

I think you know what I've been trying to say…

I promised I would never leave you. And you should always know I never will be far away…

Good night, my angel. Now it's time to sleep…

And still so many things I want to say…

Remember all the songs you sang for me when we went sailing on an emerald bay…

And like a boat out on the ocean I'm rocking you to sleep…

This water's dark and deep inside this mother's heart, you will always be a part of me…

Good night, my angel. Now it's time to dream…

And dream how wonderful your life will be…

Someday a child may cry and if you sing this lullaby, then in your heart will always be a part of me…"

As Jay's voice faded with the end of the song, he could hear Lloyd's deep and calmed breathing. But even with the knowledge of his charge's slumber, the blue-eyed master stayed where he was and continued to rock the boy—fully committed and dedicated to his promise.

---

Author's Note: *Blissful sigh* Yeah that felt good, and I hope everyone else felt a little somethin' too. The song used was 'Good Night, My Angel' by Celtic Woman, so have a listen to this beautiful melody if you want. I also want to thank everyone again for the patience and tolerance to this updates and know that I have no plans of stopping anytime soon. And FYI, the next installment to this story will be without a doubt the finale of "Look But Don't Touch". So be aware of that. Now if you want, you can scroll down to a deleted scene and check it out at your leisure, and please remember to leave any thoughts or comments, or even requests in your reviews. Until next time!

Time of Placement: Sometime after Cole and Jay confessed to each other.

Why it was Removed: This scene of comedy didn't seem to fit with the overall tone of this section. I believed that only one piece of levity (where Jay talked about wanting to kiss Zane) was enough to pacify those looking for a little extra smile.

Jay rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say…Oh! Did you feed Nya? I forgot all about her tonight since I unexpectedly had to train Lloyd."

"What, you mean your lobster? Yeah, I did… But, Jay…I really recommend not getting too attached to that thing. Kai's been licking his chops while eyeing it when you're not around."

Jay dismissed his boyfriend's warning though with a huff. "Pfft! Kai wouldn't mess with her! She's too cute!"

"Oh yeah! Just like he didn't mess with Skylor, your catfish, or before that when Dareth, your pot-belly pig, fed us for a whole week."

Jay frowned solemnly as he lowered his eyes to the deck. "I know what he did to Skylor, but Dareth died for a worthy cause. We had run out of money for food… He saved our lives…"

However brief they stayed, Jay's pets were a real treasure to him. It broke his heart when the unanimous decision to kill Dareth came to pass, for even though he was starving, the blue ninja had been the only one who had voted "No". He remembered Cole's hand on his shoulder at the time, but he mostly recalled his heartfelt farewell to Dareth as the pig slurred his last oinks and snorts to Jay before being led away by a solemn Zane…and a smirking Kai.

The white ninja had assured him that Dareth's death had been quick and painless, and quite possibly he had understood what was going on. But nonetheless, Jay had shed crocodile tears over his steamy plate of pork chops that night. But hot damn, could he not deny that Dareth tasted really good—perfectly juicy and tender.

"And you had to know Zane was in cahoots with Kai over Skylor," Cole put forth. "Like with Dareth, Kai was the butcher while Zane was the cooker. Kai may be an okay cook, but he couldn't possibly have made that Cajun-style catfish with lemon pepper. That was all Zane."

"Yeah, I know…" Jay sighed, rubbing his neck.

In truth, when Jay and the others had gone fishing that day, it was for the purpose of gathering food. But when Jay had caught the yellow catfish, and gazed upon that silly, gulping mouth and long, cute whiskers, he instantly fell in love. He had shocked his clan into speechlessness when he proclaimed that the catfish would be their official mascot and that her name was to be "Skylor" in reference to how intelligent she looked. Skylor's tank (which subsequently became Nya's tank) was purchased shortly after, and the lightning ninja had gone as far as to tie a bell on the fish's tail.

Ironically enough, however, it had been Cole again who had warned him not to get too attached to his new pet. But Jay had been optimistic and dismissed the realistic probability of Skylor's possible murder. And thus…it was only two, short weeks later when Jay came home to an empty tank…and delicious Cajun-Style catfish with lemon pepper on a plate. And before the brunet had fully comprehended that it was Skylor he was eating, he had found himself complementing Zane on another scrumptious meal.

But his appetizing euphoria was short-lived, as he soon realized the truth. And at Kai's deviously smirking face, he immediately knew who was behind the murder and yelled at his older brother to "Stop eating my pets!" and which the red ninja countered with: "Stop getting pets we can eat!" But surely Nya would be safe, right? Right…?

Cole opened the door to the somewhat dark interior of the Bounty and allowed Jay to step through first. And still engrossed in his melancholy, the shorter male didn't comment on his boyfriend's gentlemanly act. But before Jay could get too far ahead of him, Cole closed the door and pulled the solemnly quiet man back to him. Now leaning against the entrance with his beautiful boyfriend pressed flush against his chest, the ninja leader nuzzled and kissed the back Jay's fair neck.

This scene was originally supposed to give segue into Jay's thoughts about Lloyd. But like I said before, it didn't feel right. The next morning, Jay and the others were to all sit down for a delicious breakfast of lobster scrambled eggs… Poor Nya… XP