I have no idea where this came from. All I know is that I spent a few hours all up working on it after visiting the beach the other day. To be honest, the title took the most time trying to figure out. If the story seems rushed, I'm sorry. My mind literally just blurted it out onto the pages. Other than that, I hope you enjoy this creation while you wait for 'Birthdays' to be finished.

Warning: Alcohol abuse, vomiting and physical abuse is ahead, although I try not to go into detail.

They'd had an argument. A petty argument. So petty, in fact, that he didn't even remember what it was about. And that was, what, an hour or two ago? Jay had stormed off, and judging from the slamming of the door, had left the building entirely. But, even after the amount of time Cole had spent calming down, he had not returned. And the pit in Cole's stomach only seemed to grow deeper as the minutes ticked over.

Something had happened, he was sure of it.

Which was why he was now standing in the lounge room doorway, threatening to break said doorway in his worried grasp.

" And you're sure Jay hasn't returned since I've been in my room?" he questioned for what felt like the fifth hundredth time.

" No, Cole." Kai had to stop himself from growling out his annoyance. Even Zane had an annoyed look on his face from where he sat beside the fire master.

" Then I'm going looking for him."

" Are you sure that's wise? That argument you two had was pretty intense."

" Even more of a reason to go look for him."

Without another word, Cole was out the door himself. Zane and Kai turned to look at each other, Kai with a confused expression on his face while the master of Ice merely put down his book.

" Cole seemed troubled." White concluded.

" You think? I mean, he was gripping the doorframe pretty hard. Or do you think this had something to do with that argument about who made better soup or whatever?" red replied.

" Somehow I don't think Cole even remembers what happened in the kitchen. Or Jay, though I cannot speak for him at the moment. Still, though…"

He couldn't say he felt the same concerns as Cole just yet, but it wouldn't hurt to do a quick check around the area. Kai just watched him curiously as he followed in whatever plans he was thinking of.

He should have been focussing on where he was and what he was doing, but he was too lost in his own dark thoughts to take any notice. Looking back, probably not the best idea he's ever had. But still he walked into the liquor store, bought four bottles of the strongest drink they had ('for a party', he had automatically said when asked) and proceeded to the nearby park in the darkened Ninjago City.

" Party for one." He muttered to himself as he made his way over to the giant statue of Zane.

He wanted to not be found, which would be another of his bad ideas, but somehow he decided against actually climbing the statue. So Jay made himself somewhat comfortable beside it. He then opened one of the bottles and took it to his lips, trying to avoid the statue's gaze. The drink was foul and almost made him bring back the drop he had swallowed. It honestly made him wonder what he was doing… and why.

Then he thought of Cole and the argument in the kitchen. He shook his head to get the thoughts out of it before tipping it backwards, the bottle following close behind. His mind instantly went fuzzy. His throat burned. He lost all concept of time even as he finished one bottle and started on another.

" It's not even about the soup." Jay slurred sometime later to the rather giant version of his friend who was apparently kneeling beside him. " It's Cole. Is jus'… he tries so har' to, I don' know, make things good, but to… keep quiet at the same time, do ya know wha' I mean? Like, what is that ev'n about? 'Ow do you keep tryin' to be good at what ya do but can't do and keep good on the quite… I mean quit, no quiet?"

Another big gulp of the numb liquid from the bottle in his hands.

" Do I jus' outrigh' tell him? Should I? I mean, i's some pretty heavy stuff. He'd probably pour the soup o'er me and… ugh… burning outside in… hey, Zane? Do those bushes look weird to you?"

Only, those bushes weren't bushes. They were more than definitely people coming his way. But Jay wouldn't know with how muddled his thoughts were and how dark his mind had suddenly gotten.

The park should have been the first place he checked. Cole knew Jay likes to go to the park when he felt really down and couldn't find comfort back at home. He had said one time something about being surrounded by the noise of the city but also the calmness of nature that Wu had instilled in him. Also, the liquor store that Zane had looked into for him was only a few blocks down the street.

Why Zane had decided to check remotely for Jay's whereabouts, he wasn't sure. But it had been over four hours since the incident, almost two and a half since Cole himself had left, so that probably had something to do with it.

Either way, as soon as he'd entered the park and heard the cackles, he knew that he'd, at least, found a lead. So Cole rushed over towards the sound, over to the Zane Statue the noise was coming from.

" Hey, you two!" He called to the two shadowy figures in the distance.

But something in his gut twisted, even as he spoke out. Their stiffened postures after he called out didn't help that feeling either. And that sent warning signs buzzing through his brain, even more so when he realised there was someone on the ground at their feet.

Instantly, Cole was on the defensive. He made his way, cautiously but deliberately, over to the statue and the three bodies beneath it. The shadows ran before he could get a proper look at them, clearly not interested in fighting anymore. It's what it looked like they were doing after all. And, of course, Cole gave chase, wanting to question them… that is, until he kicked something that tinkled and rolled away from his foot.

Stopped in his tracks by the confusing noise, he bent down and picked up the now clearly defined bottle. In the dark, he couldn't quite figure out what was on the label. A quick sniff and he reeled back with the stench that came from it. Then he heard the groan. The very familiar groan.

" Jay?" He called, turning to the mass on the ground.

" Can't be here…" It was Jay's voice, but it was slurred and muffled somewhat.

Cole took his phone from his pocket and turned the torch on. The sight he was greeted with made his stomach churn. Jay lay curled in on himself, lying on his side, a cut to his now fat lips, eyes closed shut with scrapes and bruises all over his face, and some sort of liquid down his front. Probably a mix of blood and whatever else had come out of his mouth. Cole honestly didn't want to think about it. Even so, he was by Jay's side in an instant.

" Jay, talk to me. What happened?" He asked.

" You're not makin' soup." It was more a statement than anything else, even if the words were slurred.

" Well, no. I'm here looking for you."

As he spoke, Cole sent Zane a quick text explaining what he could of the situation. He also took note of the fact that Jay stunk like whatever was in that bottle he had picked up. Not a good sign at all. But it was with that information that he made sure that Jay was at least trying to talk to him. Because if he was talking, even if he couldn't see, he was awake… somewhat.

" Hey, Zane? Is tha' an angler… fish, no… angel in front of the bushes?"

Okay, so, putting two and two together, there was more going on than just a beat up situation here. Also, Cole really wished that he had not just been called an angler fish. And was Jay talking to the statue? But one thing concerned Cole more.

" Angel? Jay you better not be dying on me."

" Dining? Where? Is there goin' ta be lobs'er? Butter not be Krabby?"

" Okay, um… we're not eating Krabby?"

" Good, because the bushes aren't too happy."

Cole really did not know where this was going. And he really hoped help would get there soon. It was starting to feel real awkward with Jay the way he was now and the vague memories of what had happened earlier.

" Hey, Zane. 'An you help ne tell Cole I love him an' that sou' night is 'omorrow night?"

Zane and Kai chose that time to appear at the park, finding a highly intoxicated and heavily beat up Jay and a stunned Cole when they did so.

When Jay came too, it was to blinding lights and a splitting headache. His face was sore, his torso tender and his throat felt like it had turned to gravel. Beside him, a weight shifted, but with the way his brain was at that point in time, he couldn't quite tell how heavy that weight was or even what it was.

He almost decided he was going to go back to sleep, but the intense feeling rising up his throat clearly had more to say on the matter. How he managed to turn away from whatever had shifted by his side, he didn't know. All he knew was the burning sensation that erupted from his throat and out of his mouth. As for anything else, he was unaware.

" Huh? Jay?" Someone called sleepily but quickly got more coherent when they realised what was going on. " Okay. It's okay. You're alright."

A hand laid itself on his back and began drawing circles on it. The motion was soothing and, after a few minutes, seemed to calm his stomach. It was enough for him to finally turn back around, somehow managing to sit up in the process. Only then did the hand disappear for a few minutes, a shadow moving somewhere to the side of his vision, before returning a few minutes later and bringing with it a damp cloth that was wiped across his face.

" You're alright, Jay. I've got you." The voice said again.

It took a few more slow movements before Jay was able to turn his head and finally focus on whoever it was that was beside him. Black hair and a soft smile were his reward. But that was also when he realised that he could only see properly out of one eye. The other, his right, was half closed. Gingerly, he brought his hand up to his eye, only to pull back at the stinging that erupted from the barely-even-there touch.

" Easy, Jay. You got banged up pretty bad last night. You're going to have one heck of a shiner for a week or two." The now recognisable Cole said, handing Jay a glass of water as he did so.

Jay took the glass with welcome hands, taking slow but well needed sips. When he was done, though, he found himself being picked up and carried over to the bed that lay opposite where he had woken up. Only then did he realise that he was in the med bay back at home.

" What?" He tried to ask, but the gravelly feeling still in his throat caused a coughing fit.

" Need to clean up the bed." Cole replied simply. " You had a lot to drink after… well, you had way more to drink than you should have had. Like ever. You're lucky I got to you when I did. If you'd have taken any more hits from those thugs in that state… I don't want to think about it."

" Wait… you?"

" Yeah. That argument yesterday? I got a really bad feeling after you left. And it only worsened as the time drew on and you hadn't come home. I just had to find you. Also, I'm… I'm sorry. I was kind of a douche last night. I honestly don't even remember why we were fighting. All I can say is, well, you gave me a lot to think about last night, especially after I found you. But I, well… I don't think now is the time to talk about some of it."

" I said something didn't I." Because Jay knew that something had to have happened in that gap in his brain between then and the time he walked out of the liquor store.

In that one moment, the air between the two seemed to get tense. And even though he was way hungover, Jay had a fairly good idea about why. Even if he had been drunk out of his brain, he had a feeling that there were some truths spoken the night before. Truths that he had somehow managed to keep locked up within him for quite some time before then.

" Maybe." Cole refused to meet his gaze.

" Anything about… love?"

Cole was completely silent.

" Though so." Jay heaved a sigh as he watched the black haired man remake the soiled bed, trying to find the best words for what he now needed to say.

He only spoke again after the deed was done.

" Cole. Last night, I spoke some things I didn't mean before I stormed off. And I'm sorry I hurt you because of them. I also spoke some things that I did mean, well… I'm sure I did. Whether you heard it or not, was the drink speaking. Other parts were all true. Especially one part. To be honest, I don't quite remember how it went down, but I think I said something along the lines of 'I love you'."

Cole seemed to find his voice finally. " Are you really sure you want to talk about this now and not when your head's a little bit clearer?"

Cole was giving him an out. It was clear in his tone of voice. But Jay needed to stay on the path he was currently on otherwise he'd never get back on it.

" Why not? We can always talk about it later, but some things just need to be said now."

" If you're sure then."

" Well, I'm sure. Because the truth is, I honestly think I love you, Cole. Yeah, we fight, but we usually make up with each other pretty quickly afterwards. And you're always there for me when I need it. And I try to do the same for you, but I don't think I can do it quite as good as you manage to. And, well, you just seem to know what to do during the hardest times. Plus you're just warm and snuggly and you give the best bear hugs, not too soft yet not too constricting either. And yeah, you don't know how to cook, but I know you try so hard with everything you do and it's just inspiring. You never give up, while I've often thrown things in sheer frustration, and that's what I like about you. And… well, I… I guess I always have. Ever since I met you. It just… took a while for me to actually figure out what the weird feeling was that I kept getting around you. So yeah, I think I love you Cole."

Those words were music to his ears, if Cole was being honest. But at the same time, he wasn't exactly sure if it was the alcohol still talking or if it really was Jay's true feelings. And given his current situation, the next words spoken had to be thought of carefully just in case.

" I, uh… Thank you, Jay. I appreciate the words. I really do. And, well, it actually makes me kind of happy to hear those words because I kind of feel the same way. But at the same time…"

" I know. Right after a tough night like the one last night may not have been such a good idea. Especially with this massive hangover that I clearly have over me. If you want to talk about it again later, I'm willing to wait. I just needed to get that out."

" We most probably will be revisiting this later."

At that moment, the relative peace that the earlier tension had melted into was suddenly shattered by the intrusively loud call to breakfast. Jay's head pounded at the call, forcing his eyes closed completely and a hand to move to his mouth. Cole was quick to rush over with a bucket. But it was, thankfully, unneeded. Instead, Jay took a deep breath to settle his stomach before easing himself into a lying position on his new bed.

" Can you do me a favour, though?" He asked quietly.

" What's that?" the other replied.

" Tell Lloyd to shut up."

" That I can do." Cole said as he made his way to the med bay door. " And Jay?"

" Yeah?"

" You're banned from alcohol for the rest of your life. Team's orders."