The spiky brown haired master of fire paused momentarily. "P-permission for wh-what?" Kai coughed on his water, shaking his head in confusion at why Jay would need his permission. Heck, the blue eyed, loud mouth usually did what he wanted, most of the time. So, why would this be any different?
Straightening himself up despite the current sparring session giving them aches. "I uhm," Jay cleared his throat, rubbing his hand through his now sweaty hair. "I want to ask for Nya's hand in marriage and I thought I'd a-ask you for permission."
Phew, I did it, I actually asked him...
"Please!" Jay added, hoping that the presence of that word would sway such a huge decision.
Kai's expression faltered, his mouth agape in shock. He was, for a few seconds, completely lost for words. In fact, he couldn't believe that Jay would flat out ask him this sort of question out in the open. This needed privacy and he knew just the place. So, without further thought, Kai grabbed his auburn haired team mate quite harshly from the training deck, yanking him backwards by his gi to the nearest and only bathroom on board the flying ship. Once safely inside the confines of the small shared bathroom, Kai locked the door behind him so he could regard Jay in a whole new light whilst still scrutinising him for any weakness.
He didn't miss the audible gasp of air that Jay emitted, when Kai locked the door. "Say again, you want my permission to ask for Nya's hand in marriage, that about right?"
That was pretty much what he'd said, so he nodded in response. Hugely grateful that he didn't have to repeat word for word. "Y-yeah, spot on."
Only then did he realise how small this washroom was and the fact the both of them were in here made it feel stuffy. "Whoa, haa, it's a little cosy in here." Jay straightened up, keeping his ear to the door to check for nearby footsteps. His breath relaxing a little when he heard complete silence save for his and Kai's own breathing.
An unexpected hand grasped his shoulder and Jay almost jumped out of his skin.
"Sorry about that Jay. Look, it's painfully obvious you haven't asked Nya yet and I can honestly say I'm kinda grateful that you came to me first….Wasn't expecting it to be honest, even though it's been on the cards."
"That noticeable huh?" Jay laughed softly. "I-I just wanted to do it properly."
"Is that so? So no plying me with gifts or anything to sway me. Just right out with it huh?" Kai said with a sly upturned smile at Jay's newfound awkward stance. He was leaning heavily against the sink, the whole unit threatening to break of the wall at any given moment.
"It's just uhm, well it's the right way to do it and I want to prove to you that I can take care of her and…"and.
"Heh, yeah okay I kinda believe you. So Nya huh, you want to marry her, seriously?"
"Y-yes, I do." Jay piped up, face still heavily flushed.
"Heh, you're not marrying me bro."
"That's wasn't what I meant Kai."
"I'm joking dude, anyway how do I know that you can support her now and in the future."
Jay raised his scarred eyebrow, he was perfectly capable of supporting Nya and any children they might have. Heck, Jay now had his own mansion, courtesy of his biological father Cliff Gordon. It stood proudly in its own private estate, that and an exorbitant amount of money which would be sufficient to tide them and their children over. It would even pay for future college and university tuition, if he used it wisely and not frivolously.
But, to prove a point, Jay didn't want to mention that as an obvious reason. Just that if needs be, he could earn money for a living and he had been for the past four months without any of his ninja brothers knowing. "Well, I've been working some part time jobs recently, so I could afford to buy her a ring and a uhm, a meal out but I err uhm well."
"How did you find the time?" Kai queried, with a raised eyebrow, his arms crossed in suspicion. This was the first he'd heard of this 'pulling an all nighter', Jay had kept that well hidden.
"I just did. I did what had to be done."
"Why didn't you just use your father's money, I mean he left you what, millions right?"
True, Jay was loaded, he was still getting used to the idea of being left all this money. He had only found out a few years ago that he was adopted, that was a bombshell too.
Jay nodded in embarrassment because here they were, living on a wooden flying ship, four men bunking in one room. "I, look Kai, I wanted to prove to you that I could do it without dipping into that money. I mean, of course I'll use the money eventually, but I didn't want to waste it on something that I should be saving up for myself."
Jay said the rest internally as he had to work for an additional two months, just to save the equivalent of a full time wage in such a short amount of time. The energetic blue ninja had at one point held two part time jobs. Pizza deliveries one night a week and the odd hush hush job at Borg industries working in the inventing lab twice a week.
"Okay, so if I say you can have her hand in marriage?"
"I'll be forever grateful and…." Jay smiled hopefully.
"Hah, I wasn't finished." Kai smirked.
"Wh-what?"
"You can have her hand in marriage if and only if I get to help you plan the proposal dinner, how's that sound?"
Jay cocked his head to the side in confusion, he really didn't like the idea of Kai meddling in what should be a romantic meal for two and the result of which would be the engagement of boyfriend and girlfriend betrothed to be married. The only lingering thought in Jay's mind was the embarrassing fact that Kai would know what was happening and would want to know full details after the meal, he'd want to know everything.
It was a daunting prospect to have hanging over him when his nerves would be shot anyway, but seriously, what was the worst that could happen? He was after all Nya's brother and his potential future brother in law.
Kai would probably even take it on himself to outdo himself, undoubtedly making himself the best man and a stand in for the father of the bride. An intimidating prospect for Jay but if it meant he could marry Nya with Kai's blessing, then he would just simply grin and bear it.
"Uhm, do I have a choice?" Jay asked, a nervous smiled played on his face. "Actually scrub that. S-sure you can Kai, but I do kinda have a budget to stick to so uhm nothing over $200 right?"
"$200 wow! Okay not much to go on but hey I'm sure we can think of something. So when is this proposed date, I mean you know we're due to fly to what Zane calls 'grassland wilderness' in a few hours? Ya know the countryside, restaurants are kinda sparse there."
Jay looked slightly taken aback despite his calm appearance, it had taken him a few weeks extra to save the extra $200 for the meal and here was Kai outwardly sneering at the amount like it was a mere drop in the ocean. In total it had taken him a few months to save for the jewelled ring and the meal, the ring had cost the most but it was worth it, he even paid extra for internal engraving.
"Maybe a picnic would be better, cheaper at least and it would be more local to the ship, just in case any trouble crops up." Kai suggested unhelpfully.
Jay shook his head internally, "No not a picnic, we can't guarantee the weather can we especially this time of year?"
'Doofus, stop interfering with my well laid out plans, Kai, I'm going to the restaurant because it'll be private and I know you won't be hiding behind the damn trees trying to spy.' Jay thought.
"I was hoping to do it a couple of days after we fly, because I know we'll be there for a while whilst we train and uhm I thought it would make a nice surprise…"
"A surprise, of course we can do a surprise engagement dinner. Yeah, I'm so clever I amaze myself." Kai gloated at his idea despite it coming from Jay's lips.
"Yeah anyway as I was saying, I thought it would be different. Ya know because after a while we kinda take our surroundings for granted and I thought a change of scenery would be good for the soul."
"So…" Jay paused. "I was thinking of a restaurant near Jamanakai, the foothills in particular. There's a new place not been opened long but it seems the perfect place. It's not too cheesy and it's quite modern too."
"Sounds like a place Cole would enjoy." Kai cocked his head testing, it was obvious that Jay hadn't thought of that whole barren landscape being Cole's ideal place to wu. "Look, Jay, sure okay I can run with that. So what sorta time are ya thinking, day, night?"
Jay took a deep breath in and sighed, he really wanted an evening meal as they always seemed more romantic. There was always a small band playing delicate music to dine to, the candle lit lighting would be more suited to a cosy evening. Even the menu would be adapted with specific wine's to accompany the rich foods on offer. And of course after a nice rich meal and a glass of champagne maybe a chaste kiss over the table, maybe something else on the way home….Jay's mind wandered and Kai coughed bringing him back into the present.
Jay took one look at Kai who still had his arms crossed. "Lunchtime o-of course, lunchtime would be perfect." He smiled a little as Kai nodded his head in acceptance, the master of fire had no idea of the images flying through Jay's head, all the blue ninja saw were visions of Nya and her heavenly body.
'Like I'd even admit what we've been getting up to, I've not got a death wish. It isn't just reserved for the bedroom ya know and I hate to say this but your sister is a minx.' Jay smiled again.
He knew could still get a kiss from Nya during the meal, they had after all, been together for a while despite Kai's frequent protests at seeing their public shows of affection. And of course after the whole episode with the sky pirates Nya had never left really left his side, they were smitten with each other…sickeningly so according to Kai.
"So you want to keep it a secret from Nya too, until the day?"
"Yeah, I wanted it to be a complete surprise." Jay replied sarcastically but Kai didn't catch on. He didn't even want Kai to know when he was planning on proposing but he was digging so much he would eventually want to see the menu, seating arrangements, proximity of seats and legs, even the damned ring Jay had chosen.
"Right anything else I should know about?"
"No, uhm I don't think so…"
"Have you booked it yet?" He asked but it came out as more of a bark.
Kai was leaning against the wall in the same stance as before, legs crossed and arms folded tightly in front of his chest. His face was stern and emotionless, looking for any signs of weakness in Jay but the blue ninja seemed hard to read, other than the exceptionally red face the blue ninja seemed to be keeping a poker straight face despite all the questioning.
"Yes I booked it a few months ago, an open booking. The time was to be confirmed actually bec…." Jay squeaked, a very unmanly noise escaped his mouth but he was cut off by his brother.
"So you were gonna do it anyway without asking me?" Kai asked again, insinuating somewhat.
"N-no not at all, just that this new place books up pretty fast because it's kinda popular and uhm new. I didn't want to take any chances because I-I think she's w-worth it."
"Okay good enough reason. So I'll keep it quiet then, distract her that sorta thing but how ya gonna get there?"
"Well dragon at a guess but she'll need to be ready because I don't think they'll hold tables for long."
"Leave it with me Jay, it'll be fine. Now you've me on board hehe what could possibly go wrong eh?" Kai replied and pulled Jay into a one armed hug, giving him a rather awkward noogie in the process.
"H-hey watch the hair Kai, mine actually requires some styling ya know, it doesn't just look like this when I get outta bed. Unlike yours." Jay stated and mumbled the last part as he patted his hair down again, running his fingers through some stiffened curls.
Jay followed Kai out of the cramped dark wooden bathroom rolling his eyes at having to divulge so much. He was so glad for some fresh air, the heat was so intense in the small bathroom some of it coming from his own beet red face, most of it coming from Kai who was always hot.
As he walked down the darkened passageway of the ship they called home the floor boards creaked underfoot, it could almost be described as a groan and Jay now felt the same.
He actually didn't feel relief at all, if anything he felt incredibly nervous now. Like he had just received a stern telling off from the headmaster or he'd just been expelled and his parents were about to find out. Either way he wasn't overly happy that Kai knew so damned much about his supposed secret plans to woo Nya.
'Crap, now he knows everything, well not quite everything at least he doesn't know what we did last night.'