The night was cloaked in an eerie darkness, the air thick with tension. The world had gone to shit, everybody they loved was dying, the home around them slowly becoming smaller and smaller.
They'd resorted to the air in hopes of easy travel, escaping what felt like the unescapable. No matter how many warnings they'd been given, it still felt as if they were unprepared. Incredibly unprepared. Leaving people behind was the worst part.
Back in the realm of the Oni and the Dragon, the ninja had found it strange that there were no oni, especially considering it was their homeland, but confused as they were, it never crossed their mind again. Not until a few days ago.
Darkness consumed Ninjago, taking everybody with it, frozen concrete bodies were everywhere, shock plastered all over their faces. There was nothing more frightening.. soul-crushing. The only thing they could do was hope and pray that they'd come up with a plan. And that they did.
Lloyd and Garmadon had trekked below the surface, tackling the swirling, malevolent clouds, in hopes of finding the realm crystal. It was located at the very bottom of the Borg Tower vaults, along with a number of other ancient and dangerous artefacts. That was the first time they officially saw their enemy.
They knew very little about the oni, but they were indefinitely the ugliest, most odd looking species Lloyd had ever placed his eyes on. Refusing direct contact with them was hard enough, but when they'd finally found the realm crystal, they'd had to face a large army - almost completely undefeated. It wasn't until they realised the realm crystal was no help that they saw how powerless they were against them.
Now the ninja had nothing. Nothing but the Destiny's Bounty and the Monastery - which they assumed was still safe.
Leaving Lloyd and Garmadon wasn't something they wanted to do though. When picking up an emergency signal from Ninjago's very own NGTV News Channel building, rescuing those who couldn't help themselves, and were likely distressed, was at the top of their priorities, even if that meant leaving their friends below the clouds for longer than they wanted.
"How much farther to that distress call?" Nya yelled behind her, gripping onto the wheel as strong as she could.
"We should be approaching it now," Zane responded, staring at the screen with determination.
The team of five glanced out into the distance, keeping their eyes peeled for literally anything that didn't look like dark clouds. It was something out of an apocalyptic movie.
"I don't see it," Cole muttered, slight distress in his tone.
"There!" Kai stepped towards his sister, pointing over her shoulder and into the space directly in front of them.
Over the top of the clouds appeared the top of a building, one with large windows and a rather huge satellite on top. The NGTV News tower.
"It's covered in those.. things," Kai spoke unnervingly.
"I guess they didn't evacuate in time," Cole added.
Nya shook her head, "I'll bring us in over the rooftop. You guys get them out of there before the clouds swallow the entire building."
Jay nodded, sprinting over to the top deck of the ship, but not before looking back with a look of light worry.
"C'mon Cole!"
As Nya brought the ship closer, Cole and Jay readied the ladders, the longest they had, and brought them down as soon as they were overhead the building. In perfect timing, the door to the stairs swung open, out peering a group of news reporters and crew members, including both Gayle Gossip and her cameraman Vinny Folson. When it was safe to do so, the two ninja headed down the ladder carefully, nerves beginning to build up in their chests.
They'd been involved in many dangerous missions before, some would say worse, but this time it felt different. Oddly different. The clouds were so close to them, and they weren't even sure what it was entirely capable of. What happened when they were touched? What happened when they were frozen? Would their hearts stop? They had so many unanswered questions. Questions that weren't important right now.
They hopped down off the ladders, flashing bright smiles at the workers, hoping to provide them with some form of comfort, whether it was fake or not.
"Hey folks," Cole grinned, "need a lift?"
Vinny was first to respond, "boy, are we glad to see you guys!"
Jay held onto his ladder again, attempting to keep it still as he glanced over at his best friend, who shared a smile.
It never mattered where they were or what they were truly doing, saving people was their favourite activity of the day. As stressful as the situation was, there was something comforting and relaxing about giving people faith, faith that the ninja often never had.
And just for a moment they think, 'we have the best job in the world'.
The workers begin climbing the ladder, bright smiles written across their faces, much like the hero pair.
"Watch your step," Jay said with a joyous tone.
If it weren't for the ninja, really, the world would've been destroyed years ago. It was odd to think of how many lives they'd saved, especially without even knowing.
Cole broke away from the fortunate position as Jay continued watching as everyone made their way up the ladder. The earth ninja's eyes lay on the upcoming black clouds, the ones they were so petrified and unsure of. They were starting to creep over the top of the building, swivelling their way across the ground and towards the group.
This wasn't the first time they'd gotten so close.
Except last time he really had no idea what they were capable of. It's not like he had been fully submerged by it, nor did he really truly know what was inside, but he'd felt it briefly on his leg as it tugged at him just a few days prior. He'd never felt something so icy and fierce.
Panic finally set in, his chest tightening at the thought of it happening again, and being completely captive by it. His face fell, his hands became sweaty and suddenly his head began spinning.
He turned to Jay, who shared a similar sort of alarmed expression.
"A little quicker folks," Cole mustered up another grin - definitely faker than the last one - and gripped the ladder tighter.
"Creepy, black vines closing in," Jay pitched in.
Cole's eyes fell to the ground in front of him, his heart thumping in his chest. Each beat thundered through his veins, the adrenaline surging more and more. Jay glanced over at him briefly, a reassuring smile playing on his lips, but it's not like Cole noticed it at all.
"You should know," a voice spoke from the side of him, Gayle Gossip, "you just ruined a heck of a broadcast."
Cole barely heard her, the ringing in his ears made it difficult, but he chose to ignore it anyway. His eyes landed on Jay, who looked just as confused as he was.
"What?" he frowned, but he just found his attention drawing back towards the clouds, but this time at how close they were getting to his friend.
As Jay hopped up onto his ladder, it being brought up slightly, no doubt by the rest of the team on board the ship, Cole remained on the building top for a second. There was something so ominous and chilling about the clouds, and how little was known about them, as well as the endless dangerous possibilities they were capable of.. It constantly played on the earth ninja's mind. It was almost as if his feet were glued to the floor.
Perhaps being a ninja wasn't as cool as he thought. It had to be the most stressful and pain-inducing job in the world and it was only in times like these where Cole really thought about how unlucky he truly was. Why had the universe chosen to torture him? Why did he have to suffer?
It wasn't fair.
But it wasn't until he realised how close the 'creepy vines' were getting to him. Snapping back into reality, his eyes expanded in panic, hopping back as the clouds grew closer and closer, almost as if they were reaching specifically for him. He jumped onto the ladder with ease, gripping on tight to the rope, his hands sweaty and stiff.
Jay looked back down at him, keeping a close eye on him as they only just managed to escape the rippling of the darkness. God, it was really tearing their world apart.
Considering how dangerous the mission was, however, Jay found it odd how he'd managed to keep so quiet. It was like he had barely spoken at all, which was completely out of character, but he was just so focused on so many things.
The clouds. What did it mean if he was consumed? What about his friends and family? Were his parents okay? Was Cole okay?
It was obvious Cole had been acting weird since that first day against the oni. They'd all been stressed over it, but the earth ninja was the only one that had actually been touched by them, and it was clear he was distressed. Even now, he seemed in his own head. Jay could tell in the way he looked at them in such fright.
At least they were both safe on the ladder now.
"Okay, Nya, get us out of here!" Jay yelled, scrambling up the ladder as far as he could muster at once. Cole did the same, but struggling as he grabbed onto the rope.
The ladder was being pulled up slowly, as quickly as Kai and Zane could, but that didn't stop the clouds nearing them. The lightning ninja took another glance at his teammate, the panic piercing his chest.
Cole looked terrified.
Jay did his best to give a reassuring smile, telling him 'it'll be okay' without needing to actually say it, but it was clear it wasn't working.
I should've asked him what was wrong earlier on.. Jay thought, his eyebrows furrowing at his own thoughts for a mere moment.
Cole watched as Nya's figure disappeared from the edge of the Bounty, hope beginning to settle his racing heart finally. It wasn't until they began reaching the top of the ladder that he significantly felt better.
Although, perhaps if he wasn't in his own head - much like Jay knew - he might've seen the thruster turning in his direction.
He faced it head on, feeling the heat punching his face as if he was in a sauna. He gripped onto the ladder tighter, fear setting in once again. He screamed, hoping someone would hear, but the terror that filled his body only led to him freezing.
The blast that arose from the thruster hit him like a hurricane, assaulting Cole's ladder, pushing it away aggressively. The earth ninja did his best to hold on, but the sweatiness of his palms only led to his failure, sending him, too, flying off.
He screamed louder, his life flashing before his eyes for a moment as he watched the world spin around him, his head becoming heavy, heart slamming even harder this time. For a brief moment, before his body completely flipped over, he caught a glimpse of his friend, who was watching in panic.
Below Cole was a blanket of darkness, one he was so, so terrified of, one that he didn't want to feel again. As much as he wanted to give in though, he took a deep breath and reached his hand out, hoping nothing but the best.
To his surprise, his leg caught the bottom of the ladder. He dangled upside down, only staring at the thing he feared most, but hope nestled into his chest comfortably.
Thank fuck.
Jay's heart thumped against his chest, his throat in his stomach. He gripped on tight to his own ladder, reaching a hand down to his friend, a distraught expression on his face. Staying calm wasn't his strong suit, especially not in a situation like this, but he needed to. He needed to make sure Cole was safe.
And even though he could see that Cole was on the ladder again, the complete tear of one rope of his ladder made him feel incredibly uneasy.
"Cole!" He called out.
The ship suddenly jolted in the opposite direction, sending both the ladders flying again, but this time only sending Cole into the side of the building, his head bashing against the concrete floor and the air vents. He screamed as it did, but was slightly thankful that he wasn't hit with anything worse.
He relaxed for a moment, letting himself dangle in place before mustering up the energy to push himself upwards.
But Jay wasn't relaxed.
"Hang on, Cole!"
He reached out again, taking a few steps down his ladder.
"I got it," Cole called out, finally gripping a hand onto the rope of his ladder, "I think I can-"
It wasn't until the earth ninja went to reach for the second rope that he realised it was broken.
Shit.
Snap.
He let go of the rope, the ladder tumbling, his heart stopping against his chest and almost stopping.
Cole's eyes locked with Jay's as he heard muffled screams, something similar to his name, but the black ninja remained silent, his mouth agape, stuck in a sense of shock as he felt himself falling backwards.
Jay gripped onto his ladder harder than before, almost reaching completely off of it, holding out hope that somehow the universe would save him again.
Except it didn't.
His own words echoed in the wind, watching as Cole's limp body ascended down at what felt like slower than it should've. Everything seemed so slow. Cole's shaken eyes pierced through his own, a knife cutting through his heart.
No.. No, no, no
Cole's arms lay outright as if he were reaching up for Jay to grab him, but no matter what, Jay couldn't reach him.
Echoed screams could be heard from above, but the world had seemed to go so quiet in his ears. Everything seemed so strange. So cruel.
Cole, no, no, shit!
In the grip of panic, Jay's heart seemed to take on a life of its own, pounding against the walls of his chest like a desperate captive seeking escape. Each heartbeat felt like a thunderous drumroll, the pace quickening with the surge of panic that gripped him.
Jay's breaths became shallow and quick, the air struggling to keep pace with the frantic tempo of his heart.
What do I do?! I don't- I can't.. Shit.
There was nothing he could do but watch his best friend slip away from him.. fall to his own death. It wasn't fair. There had to be something.
I should've helped him. Fuck.
The thumping of his heart struck him thicker as his best friend became completely surrounded by darkness, his body and piercing, panicked eyes leaving sight.
No! No, there has to be something! Anything!
In the chaos of the moment, Jay's usually steady hands trembled, and his senses seemed to warp. He didn't even need to think twice about letting go of his rope too, the wind pushing against his body as he began falling face first towards the ground, at a speed much more rapid that what he'd seen Cole fall at just mere seconds ago.
Muffled screams were heard again, but this time he was focused on not dying. The pounding of his chest and stiffness of his body made it incredibly difficult to focus but he did his best to remain as calm as possible, closing his eyes, breathing rapidly.
Time itself became a fluid concept as gravity took hold. Jay's senses were overwhelmed by the disorienting whirl of the free fall, a feeling both exhilarating and terrifying.
As the clouds grew nearer, he closed his eyes tight, trying to steady his struggling breath.
C'mon Jay.. you need to focus..
He hadn't tried to summon his dragon in years. Wu had ensured the team that their elemental dragons were too powerful, that overusing them could lead to loss of control or potential harm to their own bodies. Sure, they were used to being hurt, but the way the master had worded it back then seemed so dramatic and fearful. They'd all agreed to not use them.
Except this was different. And thinking about it now, perhaps it was a bad idea.
Jay struggled to focus even before, never being able to form his dragon whenever he was in the slightest state of panic. Why would it work now?
Come on, stupid dragon. I need you. Please.
He attempted to steady his breath again, closing his eyes tighter and trying to forget where he was falling to. He'd been in a situation much like this before.. pummeling towards the ground with nothing but his powers and hope.
But this time he didn't have help.
I.. I have to do it. Jay, focus, please.
The fall became a surreal dance with his destiny. His breaths, though still quick, became intentional as he began to tame the chaos within. He focused his mind on what was ahead of him, on his powers, and with each inhale he carried a sense of purpose. Each deep, sharp exhale marked a deliberate release of tension.
Jay's mind, once a tempest of doubt, now focused on the task at hand.
His limbs, once frozen with fear, began to respond to an instinctive need for balance. He took another deep breath, bringing his hands to his chest as best as he could, relaxing his body so he could focus all his energy into his powers.
As he continued to fall, Jay grappled with the fluttering nerves, instead replaced with the screaming of his veins, his powers forming in his hands.
Focus, Jay, focus.
A surge of elemental energy coursed through his body. With gritted teeth and furrowed brows, he harnessed the pain that accompanied the formation, one he had never felt. Why did it hurt so much?
Keep going, Jay, you have to keep going. For him..
It was as if every fibre of his being was ablaze, the agony a tangible force that threatened to consume him from the inside out. His fingers trembled with the effort as he traced the intricate patterns in the air, weaving the elemental threads together. The pain intensified with each movement, a searing sensation that rippled through his entire body. Sweat dotted his forehead.
The elemental dragon began to take form, emerging from the very essence of Jay's being. As the dragon finalised around him, the pain reached it's limit, threatening to overwhelm his senses. It had never been so painful before, he had never done something to cause him so much pain in his life.
Jay's eyes opened wide, his breath short and his eyes dreary. But he needed to focus on one thing, no matter how much his veins burned and his heart tore.
Where was Cole?
Jay pulled his mask down and headed below the clouds, desperately hoping that he'd get there in time. The temperature dropped rapidly, sending a freezing chill right down his spine. He shivered, his hands becoming tense as he narrowed his eyes, attempting to make light of something in his surroundings.
The dark clouds enveloped them, the creepy vines whirling around them, aiming towards him as if he was a direct target. Air grew sparse, and he felt his entire body tense up, although he was unsure whether that was from his powers or the cloud itself.
Struggling against the force, Jay and his dragon ascended downwards quickly, his eyes darting around to find any sign of life. He went at full speed, attempting to reach where Cole was before anything could happen to him.
It wasn't until another ten seconds did he finally see him.
Cole.
A sudden jolt of excruciating pain coursed through Jay's body, a searing sensation that threatened to shatter his focus. Gripping the reins of his elemental dragon, Jay gritted his teeth, tears beginning to well up in his pained eyes.
The urgency to save Cole, who was falling into the abyss below, eclipsed his mind, every beat of his broken heart pushing him to endure the indescribable pain.
Jay's vision began to blur, yet he steered the dragon towards his friend's plummeting form.
Finally reaching what felt like the near bottom, Jay extended his arms with desperate precision, fingers stretching to their limits. Through the haze of agony, he managed to catch hold of Cole's falling form, their fates hanging in the balance.
The pain, though still present, now became a distant echo. With Cole secured in his arms, Jay tugged on the reins of the dragon, ascending back up towards the surface. The creature's powerful wings sliced through the thick, frozen air. As they soared, Jay's grip on Cole tightened, his eyes flickering between his unconscious friend and the ominous clouds around them.
The pain, though still agonising, became a distant echo in the face of relief that washed over him. He took a moment to glance at Cole's still form, checking for any signs of injury or concrete, his heart skipping a beat until he confirmed that his friend seemed unharmed.
As they breached the taunted layer of darkness, a welcome sight awaited them above - their flying ship hovered in the sky, a face of hope compared to the panic they had both just insued. Jay's eyes lay upon the elemental masters of fire and ice, shock written across their faces as they glanced at Cole in Jay's arms, and the elemental dragon they were riding on.
The dragon headed over to the ship, floating just above as it took a final flap of its wings. It gently descended towards the deck of the ship as Jay reached over and patted its neck.
Thank you for one last time, my friend.
The moment the dragon's claws gently touched the deck of the ship, it began to disintegrate, dropping Jay's feet safely onto the ground. Jay, still grappling with the persistent pain coursing through him, carefully cradled the unconscious Cole in his arms as Jay's knees gave way and he hit the deck with a thud.
"Jay!"
He wasn't entirely sure who said it, everything was a blur, and his ears rang as if he'd just come out of a concert. He lowered Cole to the deck, securing him in a position of safety. Jay's breath hitched, the pain in his chest subsiding a little but not enough for him to notice a difference.
Kai and Zane rushed over, their expressions shifted from concern to a mixture of relief and worry as they assessed the situation. The glow of the ship's ambient lighting highlighted the fatigue etched into Jay's features, and his pained crouch really showed how painful the journey was.
"Nya, get us out of here!" Kai called out to his sister before moving to Jay's side, "Jay, are you okay?"
Zane began a quick assessment of Cole's condition. Meanwhile, Jay, although struggling to take a breath, managed a strained but grateful smile.
"We.. made it," his voice was quiet and raspy, "just need a moment to catch my breath."
"How'd you do that? We haven't used our dragons in years!" Kai exclaimed, placing a comforting hand on Jay's shoulder, which only made him flinch.
Kai moved his hand away quickly, staring at it briefly before back at Jay with a concerned expression.
"Dude, you're super charged up," Kai stated with uncertainty, "you almost shocked me."
Zane glanced over at the two, a worried look written upon his face too, "once I've finished checking on Cole, I'm checking on you too, Jay. Wu told us the repercussions of using our dragons again."
"I know.. But it was worth it."
As much as it hurt Jay's entire body, even thinking about the coldness and mystery of the dark clouds below, seeing his best friend laying in front of him was enough to make him feel instantly better. Everything he'd just done was worth it, all the pain he was suffering through was worth it, just to see Cole safe.
"Cole will be okay," Zane glanced up again with a comforting smile, "he likely passed out from shock, but it's hard to tell while he's unconscious. Kai, can you take him to his bed while I check over Jay?"
Kai nodded, gifting Jay another comforting grin. As the fire ninja carried Cole below deck, Zane shuffled over to Jay, now kneeling on the floor in front of him. Jay's hand remained on his chest, his breath still unsteady.
"Do you think you'll be able to walk downstairs? I think we should do this in the medical room away from all these eyes, if that's okay." Zane asked quietly.
Jay nodded, "I can try."
Zane did his best to help Jay downstairs, somewhere they could talk in peace. The medical room was quiet, it felt nice to be somewhere Jay oddly felt safe. Away from those clouds, and prying eyes, and somewhere where he didn't need to worry about his best friend. Right now, he just needed to focus on regaining his strength.
The ice ninja messed around with some equipment, Jay couldn't really see, nor did he care, as he perched himself on top of the singular bed. He leant back against the wall, letting his body relax as he took a deep, shaky breath.
"That was a very brave thing you did, Jay."
He was expecting to be told something like this, and he hoped so badly that he could avoid it, but it did feel nice every now and then, especially when he didn't have the energy to fight back.
Jay shrugged, "Cole needed saving."
"You didn't know what would happen while you were under those clouds."
"I guess my hood sheltered me for a little while, or at least long enough for me to get down there to rescue him. I'm not sure about Cole though."
"He'll be okay, he just needs sufficient rest," Zane turned around to give him a comforting smile, "I'm sure he'll be very grateful when he wakes up."
Jay chuckled lightly, "well he better be. That shit hurt."
Zane chose to ignore Jay's comment, continuing with whatever he was doing.
Jay let his mind trail back to a few minutes ago. Had it all really happened? It seemed like a dream. Did he really plummet into dark, deadly clouds to save his best friend?
I mean, Cole had done some pretty dangerous things too, especially to save Jay - he was always getting into trouble - so what difference did it make? He was just returning a favour, right?
It felt so good to have him back though, even if they'd lost him for a minute. Jay would've never forgiven himself if he just let it happen.
A dull throb of pain spiked through his being once again as he took a moment to reflect on the journey he'd just been on. The memory of his searing pain, the mysterious force that gripped him during the descent, lingered in his thoughts. Each inhale he took seemed to draw an echo of it all, a haunting reminder.
Now he understood why Cole had been so shaken up about it before.
No matter how much his mind wanted to be clouded by the storm outside, his thoughts were prominently dominated by an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. He and Cole really did share a special bond, something so strong that they'd both willingly risk their lives stupidly to save each other. Just knowing Cole was in the next room, resting, made him feel ten times better, almost ignoring the pain still flowing through his body. Although, with a heavy sigh, he acknowledged the lingering pain. He was tired, both physically and emotionally. That was way too much stress for 5 minutes, let alone one day. He wanted nothing more but to sleep and dream about something dumb like unicorns and rainbows. But he knew it wasn't over.
They still had to stop the oni.
Zane turned around, holding a stethoscope in his hand.
"Woah, wait-" Jay snapped back into reality, "you can't use that on me."
"Jay, it's a stethoscope," Zane raised an eyebrow, "I'm only going to listen to your heart."
"I know what it is, Zane, but it's made of metal. I'm electrically charged, remember, like pretty badly. I don't wanna shock you."
The ice ninja smiled, "I'm aware, but I'm sure the charge has worn off by now."
"You can't be certain."
"I need to listen to your heart, Jay."
"I don't want to risk it," Jay said sternly, "besides, my heart rhythm is still screwed up right now. At least wait until I've properly calmed down."
After a long pause, and many dull glances at Jay, Zane decided to stand down. The two hadn't been very close, and rarely spoke about anything deep, at least not since Jay and Cole officially became best friends. Jay knew that Zane cared, and that's why he pushed on things like this, but it did annoy him from time to time. He, too, felt guilty that they didn't hang out much any more either.
Zane placed the stethoscope down on the table to the side of him as Jay watched, his eyes slightly droopy from exhaustion.
"You seem to be in a lot of pain."
Jay nodded, "just a little."
"Your pain chart is off the scale."
"You have a pain chart?" Jay raised an eyebrow, oddly amused at that thought.
Zane didn't stifle a laugh like the lightning master did, however. Instead, he seemed serious, which was unusual for one of their interactions.
"Jay, I'm being serious," Zane spoke in a soft tone, "Wu warned us that using our dragons could hurt us, or worse. It was very risky forming it again."
"I know, Zane, but I needed to."
"I understand, but it's dangerous. You could be seriously injured."
"But I'm not," Jay assured him, "I'm fine."
"You can barely get your breath back. You seemed to be in a lot of pain when you fell to the deck too," Zane sounded concerned.
"Zane, I promise I'm okay. I'm not ever using my dragon again. Ever."
The ice ninja stared at him in disbelief for a minute, It wasn't until Jay gave him a sweet, heartwarming smile that he finally gave in. Zane always knew Jay was tough, but he also knew he was good at hiding things, specifically his true feelings. Although, he also believed that Jay wasn't stupid enough to let something seriously harm him. So perhaps he was just being overprotective.
"At least get some rest?"
Jay nodded, "was the first thing on my to-do list."
Zane gave him another comforting smile as Jay struggled to get off the bed. Ice reached out a hand to help but Jay rejected it, assuring him he was okay. Besides, he really didn't want to shock anyone. He wasn't in the mood to deal with it.
After thanking Zane, Jay headed down the corridor - as best he could - towards the sleeping quarters. He knew to go in quietly because of Cole, but the only thing that was really on his mind was everything he'd just faced. All the pain, worry and stress, and then thinking about how both he and Cole actually made it out of the cloud alive even though all those thousands of people were frozen solid in seconds. It felt selfish and unfair somehow, but he was ever so grateful.
Jay entered the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He attempted to stretch as he headed over to his bed, but held his chest half way through in pain, and took a deep, shaky breath. At least he was properly calming down now. Perhaps a small nap was what he needed.
Once he reached his bed, he stood there for a moment just staring at his sheets. Oh how he was so lucky to be here. He was so lucky to be alive.
"Jay?"
He almost didn't hear the voice calling out to him. Jay turned around slowly, trying not to anger his body, his eyes landing on Cole's bed. The earth ninja was led there with a weak smile, his eyes droopy but he had such a soft, comforting expression upon his face - besides the tiredness.
Jay's heart instantly cooled. It was almost as if all the pain he'd been feeling in his veins just completely vanished with a single look.
Cole was really okay.
He breathed a sigh of relief before making his way over to the bed, but keeping a safe enough distance as to not electrocute him.
"You're okay," Jay spoke quietly, "how are you feeling?"
"Tired, my head hurts, but mostly alright," Cole shrugged weakly.
"That's good."
Everything really had been worth it.
"Kai told me everything that happened, or at least what he saw," Cole stated softly, attempting to sit up.
"No," Jay reached out a hand but pulled it back almost instantly, "you need to rest."
"Jay, I'm just tired, not in pain."
"I know.. I just," he sighed, "sorry."
"Why are you apologising?"
"I don't know."
Cole chuckled, a happy, small chuckle and Jay had never felt better. As tired as he was too, he could spend hours talking to his best friend, especially knowing that if he hadn't been stupid enough to jump into the cloud too, the situation right now could've been very different.
"I just wanna say thank you," Cole's voice was hushed and soft, softer than ever before. It made Jay's whole body tingle.
Jay shrugged, "it was nothi-"
"No, seriously, thank you," he began again, "if it weren't for you being dumb, I'd be dead right now. You really risked your life for me."
"Well, I.. kinda had to."
"You didn't."
Silence fell upon them. As much as it would be painfully awkward in any other circumstance, this time it was comforting. Almost as if the company of shared peace was needed. It truly was, and it was relaxing.
Cole took a moment to glance over Jay's features. The blue ninja truly looked exhausted, more than Cole did if that was even possible. His eyes were red and puffy, his jaw clenched and huge eyebags. God, he looked awful, but to Cole, in this instance, he looked nothing but amazing. So brave and mature, but so foolish to do something as to summon his dragon, especially with knowing the dangers that came with it.
"You're an idiot, you know that right," Cole muttered.
Jay glanced up at him properly, their eyes locking as Cole smiled.
"What do you mean?"
"Using your dragon."
Jay sighed, "why is everyone making it a big deal? Why can't we talk about you? You almost just died, like you just fell to your death and survived."
"Because of-"
"Don't you dare say it."
"Say what?" Cole grinned.
"I don't wanna hear it."
"Why not? You saved my life, Jay, of course I want to boast about it," Cole raised an eyebrow, "what's your problem?"
"I don't have a problem, I just don't want to brag about saving you because I didn't save you just to brag about being a hero. It's my job, I do it all the time," Jay shrugged, "can we move on now?"
"Sure."
Jay sighed, and then yawned, clutching his chest as he did so. His pained expression only worried Cole, though, but Jay tried his best to hide it.
"You okay?"
"Mhm," Jay nodded, "just tired. Forming dragons is exhausting work."
"Just don't do it again."
"I know, I've already had that lecture from Zane," Jay sighed, "and I'm sure I'll get it from Nya. And Wu. And probably Lloyd too."
"Good," Cole chuckled again, but this time with more heart.
Jay smiled, it was weak but definitely made him feel better. Seeing Cole happy, even after everything they'd just been through, felt so comforting. Almost as if none of it really mattered - except it did and it wasn't even over yet. If only it could be. If only they could just play video games and eat pizza and not have to worry about anything ever again.
Cole reached his arm out to grab Jay's hand, but the lightning ninja moved away as rapidly as he could. Cole frowned, his lip tilted up at one end.
"I'm not gonna infect you with something."
"I'm pretty charged up at the moment I think," Jay stated quietly.
Cole smiled, reaching out again, "I really don't care."
Jay moved away again, a stern tone this time, "seriously, Cole, I don't want to hurt you."
Cole huffed as if he were a puppy, he glanced at Jay with such longing and gratitude in his eyes, it was hard for Jay to ignore. He'd never seen Cole so weak, or so soft, but it felt sort of nice. For once, they were equally weak and could equally take care of each other. That was definitely until Nya got her hands on him.
"At least come and sit next to me?"
Jay sighed, smiling as he did so. There had been so many missions lately that it was hard to hang out. Jay had been so focused on proposing to Nya too, which Cole was helping him with from time to time, but the stress of it all meant he could only really focus on one thing at a time. Right now, nothing else mattered except his best friend.
Cole moved so he was leant against the wall. He patted the space next to him, as Jay yawned again and climbed onto the bed. Jay tried his best to keep away from the earth ninja but there didn't seem to be much space between them. The blue ninja took a shaky breath before leaning back against the wall too, getting comfortable.
"Today has been crazy."
"I feel like I could sleep for a week," Jay nodded.
"Hopefully once all this is over then we can. Or at least play Fist2Face until early hours of the morning," Cole suggested.
"And order pizza from takeout places with dumb names?" Jay smiled.
Cole grinned, "absolutely."
They both laughed. It was a weak, low laugh but it was shared and that was all that mattered. As much as they wanted to talk though, neither of them really had the energy. Instead, silence became their new topic.
Cole was still scared of what was out there, especially with seeing it with his own eyes, but he was so grateful to have a friend like Jay who would easily risk his life to save him. And he would, in a heartbeat, do it if the roles were reversed, heck, he'd done it so many times before.
Now all he wanted to do was sleep in the company of his best friend, and hopefully dream about something more positive. His eyes became heavy and his heart became relaxed, more relaxed than he'd felt in days. Perhaps that was because he knew he was safe for now, or if it was because Jay was beside him, but either way he felt incredibly lucky.
Cole closed his eyes for a second, letting them rest, as he let his head fall sideways, landing on Jay's tense shoulder. The lightning ninja glanced at his friend in worry for a second, but when he realised Cole had in fact not been shocked, he let himself relax. Jay smiled, a soft and warm smile, his heart finally returning to its normal heartbeat. Although he felt insanely achy, he felt a million times better than he did earlier.
Now with Cole by his side, all alive and well, he knew nothing could beat this feeling.
The aching of his head and heaviness of his body let him fully relax however, and let his eyes close too as he rested his head on top of Cole's.
"Jay?" Cole asked quietly, almost too quiet so Jay couldn't even hear.
"Mm?" Jay's response was soft and muffled.
"I love you."
"..I love you too, Cole."