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Sitting on the sofa, Jay looked around, his hands spread at the back or the couch. Sitting next to Cole, who was between him and Nya, he felt his eyes grow more adjusted at the harsh lights being directed in his face.
The three were being interviewed, again, for one of the top shows which broadcasted the Ninjago television. With the team going famous, crimes going down and, of course, Dareth, the group would find themselves on one of those couches almost every night, tonight they were in groups, except Lloyd who stayed back to have a lesson with Wu, considering him being a sensei in training.
The first group were, of course, Cole, Nya and Jay, while Kai and Zane were somewhere in the building, giving their own interviews. At this point, Jay had an answer to every question in his mind, the questions being all the same of course. No one bothered to ask anything they’d like to actually talk about, like ‘How was it for you to become saviors of Ninjago at such an early age?’ or ‘Was the training hard? Did you guys know each other before all this?’. No. Instead they asked about Kai’s hair routine, how much weights Cole lifted, was Zane a droid or a robot, which, in Jay’s opinion was a dumb fucking question. And, of course, the relationship bullshit. Especially the love triangle drama which ended so long ago! Cole and Jay had both made amends and had their friendship being stronger than ever, plus the realization on Jay’s end that Cole was, well, gay! And his own little eureka moment when he had started developing a crush on a curtain ice elemental, making him question his own sexuality. In the end, he was still questioning between pan and bi.
It had dawned on him that he may experience romantic feelings towards the nindroid after one night, the two sat up till late after Jay had ran a few tests on Zane and made some improvements on his coding. The two had sat in the repair room until 2 am, despite the nindroid being visibly annoyed with Jay being childish, not wanting to go to bed, but still he himself enjoyed the time spent with the lightning ninja, so he didn’t complain for long. The two had talked about everything and nothing. From coding and programming, coming up with ideas for future projects with which Zane would like to upgrade himself, to how dumb cats with costumes looked, about the difference between spices and the new show Jay had started.
In the morning, Jay could not stop his brain from traveling back to that one moment when he felt metal fingers brush against his own, the boys hidden with the darkness of the room, only the little headlamp on the desk giving them visibility. How they tried to settle their laughter in the dead of night so as to not get yelled at by Kai of all people, who’d probably barge in, wake up the rest of the ship and yell at them for ‘ruining his beauty sleep’.
They continued having those little meetups and late night talks for a few more weeks, the two enjoying the comfort they brought to each other.
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“You’re very easy to talk to. I see why Cole only opens up to you most of the time.” Zane spoke, taking a sip of the hot chocolate he made for the two, who sat at the repair table and just talked, only their voices breaking the silence.
“Well, i listen as much as i blabber. I guess you haven’t noticed with the little time we spend like, in couples? I mean- We always get all together. But I've rarely had a one on one moment with anyone other than Cole and Nya.” Good way to cover the little slip up Jay, real smooth, actually.
With a nod, Zane gave him a smile, placing his cup back to the side.
“Well.. I’m glad I’m getting to know that side of you Jay. And to think you know the person you’ve shared a roof with well enough, yet i didn’t know about how you got that scar on your eyebrow” Zane pointed out, his eyes shooting up to Jay’s right eyebrow, before back down and Jay.
“You don't?!” a shake of his head was Zane’s answer. “No way!”
“I don’t!”
“You’re shitting me!” Jay spoke with surprise, earning a chuckle from the boy in front of him, which lead to Jay, himself, letting out a few giggles as he started explaining.
“Okay, so when i was little, you do know i’ve lived in a junkyard, that i'm sure of,”
Zane laughed. It gave Jay goosebumps “And so, one day, i was maybe around 10? Don’t remember, Me and my dad were looking around, trying to find a decent size of metal for one of his projects, and so I was climbing this mountain on scraps-” Zane’s eyes were on him the entire time. It made it hard for Jay to focus on his words. Were they closer?
“-and little me decided it’ll be a good idea if i start top to bottom, since i got suffocated with car tires this one time, not a word” Jay gave the nindroid a stern look, pointing him with his finger as Zane tried to hold back his laugh. “And so I found a piece of metal that was a good size, and I grabbed it, right? and i lifted it up, started shouting for my dad, and just as he turned around it slipped from my hands and it scratched the side of my face”
Motioning with his finger, he showed the way it scratched his face as Zane hissed in a painful manner.
“There are still some signs of the scratch but only the one on the brow is visible without being uncomfortably close.” Jay smiled, his hands resting between his thighs. He was sitting on his left leg, the right one dangling to the side of the metal bed. Zane looked at him still silent and just came the tiniest bit closer. “You can look if you want.” Jay smiled as he used his right hand to lift his bangs away from his face.
“You sure?” Zane shot him a look to confirm it won’t make the boy uneasy.
“Mmmhm!”
With the confirmation, Zane scootched closer, looking at the right side of Jay’s face. He could basically feel the chilly breath against his skin as the nindroid scanned for the scar, at some point he glazed his finger down a little slightly curved line down Jay’s cheek.
“Huh.. ” Was all Jay got as the two made eye contact, Zane looking up from Jay’s chin where the other’s finger rested. The room suddenly became quiet. Too quiet.
The two stood closer than ever, faces, lips just inches, not even that, apart, Zane’s finger gently, slowly, almost painfully being joined against Jay’s cheek by another digit, then another, then a palm of his hand. And Jay just stood there, feeling everything and nothing as his mind was racing a hundred miles per hour.
“Move..”
“W-what?” The request took Jay off guard. Did he do something wrong?
“Move, please, before I do something stupid…”
Jay stood frozen, staring into snowstorms. He could see Zane inching closer, their lips now leaving ghostly touches against each other.
“You’re lucky stupid is my thing..”
Leaning closer, eyes shut close, Jay closed the almost nonexistent gap between them, his lips mushed against cold ones. It seemed to catch Zane off guard as his hand trembled in surprise before relaxing against his jaw again. He felt his eyelids relax as all the tension and anxiety he had ever felt seemed to vanish into thin air. He could feel Zane. He could feel his breath, hear his lips, taste the sweet touch of his hand on his skin. It felt ethereal. It felt heavenly.
_______________________
A little shove brought him back as Cole looked at him with a teasing smile. Jay himself was smiling, as he seemed to have zoned out and just stared at someone in the crowd, smiling like a lovesick idiot while the interview went on. Blush creeped on his cheeks as he slapped Cole on the shoulder.
“So, between me and you Nya” The host spoke, as he leaned uncomfortably close to Nya, which made Jay tense up a bit. “Cole, or Jay” Oh by the gods!
“Honestly, not a chance,” Nya spoke, looking away as she continued “We’re a team! Instead, I’d like to talk about-”
The host just cut her off again, as Jay just sat on the far end of the couch, feeling guilty for what he was putting Nya through. I mean, after he and Zane came out officially as a couple to their teammates, they decided to keep it on the down low so as to not bring any more unwanted attention. It was mostly Jay’s request, still trying to figure out his sexuality and all. People weren't gonna speculate on Zane after all, he was a nindroid, he could like whoever he wanted!
As he saw out of the corner of his eye, the camera zoomed in on him, his expression visibly upset. With a little groan he looked at Cole, who seemed to have the same idea. Nya still trying to give a normal response to the host, clearly on the edge to punch him, Cole faked a surprised expression, taking out his phone.
“Ah, sorry guys, gotta cut this short. The other’s need us back!”
“But aren’t Zane and Kai still here-”The host looked confused as Jay got up, stretching as his back popped. Bringing his hands down, he shot an annoyed look at the man.
“Yeah, well, not for long. See ya” Walking out of screen, the three waved at the audience as they heard the guy try and fill the space left in the broadcast.
Walking into the changing room, Nya immediately groaned, snatching her jacket off the coat hanger.
“I hate those pricks. Oh who do you date, who do you choose, who do you prefer more? I prefer being in a dumpster than answering those anymore! I was this close to telling him that ‘between you two’ i choose his mother” Nya ranted, her fingers making visible brackets, earning a chuckle from Cole as he pushed his phone in his pocket, texting the others that they were heading back.
“Yeah, I gotcha. It’s all in the past, plus it’s starting to make me uncomfortable with how much they think I'm straight, I mean look at me! Im starting to think that even if i take a pride flag outside they’ll still think i bang chicks. ” Cole chuckled as he put on his leather jacket, grabbing his wallet and walking to the little vending machine which was in the room.
“And they make me look like a total simp! Did you see how they zoomed in on my face when I got upset?! It wasn’t even about what you said! Ugh!” Groaning, Jay slapped his hands over his face as he walked a few laps around the room to calm down.
“Chill, lightning. Hopefully, it's gonna fade like old news soon. Save your strength and try to take the frustration out before tonight's show. ” Nya spoke, stealing a few M&Ms from Cole.
“What? Another one?!” Jay jumped, looking past Cole and towards Nya.
“Yeah, they want the whole team this time, so, at least it won’t be on us and the ‘situation’, thank the Gods.”
After a bit more talking, they made their way out of the studio and decided to grab an uber. It was around 4 in the afternoon when the other’s joined. The 5 of them were now seated on the rooftop of a building, eating some take out and talking. The fact that they didn’t even have the privacy to go to eat at a restaurant without being suffocated by fangirls was annoying in itself, but at least they got the best view of the town as they spend the few hours before the interview on the roof of a tall enough building so that the people in the surrounding apartments won’t see them clearly.
“He asked me how i'm alive, can you imagine this?! ” Zane complained as he ate some of his ramen, the group seated in a circle with different kinds of food all around them.
“What the fuck?” Nya spoke, as Jay couldn’t due to the way he choked on his pizza at Zane’s statement. After being able to catch his breath, he looked at Zane in shock.
“Those guys get more annoying with every single show!”
“Please, remember when they asked me how I decided to become a ghost?” Cole spoke with his mouth full of noodles, but looked quite unbothered. Kai chuckling, as he ate his sandwich, started bragging about only him getting normal questions. And, to a certain point, it was true. Most of them being either girls or fashion related. Which, quite frankly, Jay was jealous of. A soft nudge to his shoulder made him look up at his boyfriend, blues on blues.
“You okay lightbug?” Oh, how Jay adored the silly little nicknames Zane thought of. They always made the helpless romantic in him melt at the sound. A soft smile tugged Jay’s lips as he nodded softly.
“Yeah, just a little frustrated at all those interviews. I’m sorry I’m making you go through this love triangle bullshit as well..” Jay spoke quietly as to not spoil the conversation the others were having, earning him the most gentle smile he had seen form on Zane’s lips.
“Its okay. I know how important privacy is for you, and why you need it at the moment. I can wait for as long as you need me to.. ” The words made Jay ease up, staring up at the soft blues his lover had. He always liked them. They were just as beautiful as the boy who possessed them.
The eyes are the windows to the soul.
“Thank you, Snowflake. You’re amazing..”
“Anything for you, darling.” As the words left Zane’s chest, the two leaned closer, only to be stopped by someone clearing their throat.
Looking in the direction of Kai, he silently pointed to his left with his gaze, making the two boys follow it. A helicopter a few blocks away. With a sigh of frustration, Jay leaned back.
“Okay, let’s wrap it up, the studio should expect us in 20” With that, everyone stood up and quickly cleaned their mess, the trash and the rest of the food going in two separate bags as they, one by one, jumped to the next roof.
Looking at Zane, Jay pointed him with his finger, coming closer to the edge, his back to the drop.
“I’m expecting that kiss the moment we get home.” With that, he kneeled down before jumping off the roof backwards up in the air, before falling, his body going head first down to the next roof, which he met with a roll. He swore he saw Zane roll his eyes before following suit.
A few rooftops and back alleys later, the group made their way in one of the studios through an open window, all of the doors being crowded with fans holding cupboard signs and DIY t-shirts. It was disturbing in Jay’s opinion but what can you do. Landing on the floor silently, the group made one of the assistants jump back in surprise at the sudden appearance of 5 teenagers. After catching her breath, she showed them the way to the changing rooms, telling them they had 10 minutes get ready.
“Where’s Lloyd?” Jay suddenly asked as he scanned the room. His question was answered by Kai who was fixing his hair in the mirror next to the little dresser with make up.
“He should be here soon. Texted he’d be a little late”
As everyone got ready to go backstage, Jay had his thoughts buzz over the outside world. He really hoped the subject of dating won’t come up again. Especially since Kai was here, and he was pretty protective over his sister, which meant he won’t think twice before flipping some douchebag with 3 flacons of hair spray off, possibly lighting him on fire in the process.
Walking down the halls, the crew of workers didn’t pay them much mind, the group being here almost every day. They probably got used to seeing them at this point, the excitement gone. Jay could only wish that was the case with the group of freaky teenagers outside the building as well. They came to a stop, just out of view for the crowd as he felt the slightest brush of fingers against his own. Looking down at his hand then up he saw Zane giving him one of his little, secret glances. The silent ‘i love you’s, the hidden ‘im here’s. It made Jay’s blood boil in the best way possible. Returning his smile, the lights started moving around the room, all lighting up towards the host, who was a middle aged man, of course, with bleached white hair, a stubble, wearing brightly colored button up shirt which was undone halfway down his chest. Jay mentally gagged.
After announcing the start of the show, the five ninja walked on the stage, waving to the audience. Sitting down, Jay was sat alongside Kai at the two seat couch on the left of the host’s desk at a slight angle, while the rest were on the bigger one, facing the audience.
It wasn’t anything unusual. Except when Lloyd kind of cracked the show in the first 10 minutes, apologizing for being late as the host launched onto him like a leech. Asking about his training, how he was so happy to have the green ninja on his show, since the blond tried to not go around on interviews a lot. Lucky bastard.
Soon enough though, around 15 minutes before their turn had to end for the next guest to come, the conversation shifted to a new.. rather strange subject.
“So, I know you three are probably pissed at all the questions about your dinamic at this point-” The man started, looking around between Jay, Nya and Cole.
“Oh you have no idea.” Jay mumbled, earning a few laughs from the crowd at his sassiness. Jay mentally thanked the man for not pushing on this conversation again.
“With that, I wanna go down a different path, one that has actually intrigued me for the last few weeks. Zane, I watched that one interview when one of my colleagues asked you a questions which, in my opinion was uncalled for, the one about how you actually work, to put it”
Oh? Now that caught Jay’s interest as his eyes darted between the man and his boyfriend, who looked a bit taken aback, cheeks blue from the sudden spotlight.
“Uh, yeah, thank you for noticing the fact that it was a rather… odd question” Zane smiled hesitantly, but still keeping his cool as he tried and relaxed, succeeding after a few seconds. He was always so composed, but he needed some time to adjust when he was suddenly the one everyone in the room looked at.
“My question is sort of inspired by it, but I have a different approach to it. Can I ask you about it?” What shit was this guy pulling? Zane seemed a bit interested in the question, the silent, almost unnoticed beg for it to not be something stupid or offensive again, glazed his eyes as he answered.
“Sure, I’m open to any questions.”
“Wonderful! So, my question is… What are your thoughts on romance..?”
What?
“Excuse me? I don’t know what you’re trying to say” Zane was nervous, and so was Jay, his palms sweating, sitting on the edge of his seat as he just leaned back and had all his focus on the guy behind the desk, thinking if he should punch him in the face at this point.
“I mean, you are a, what you call yourself, nindroid. So you’re not fully human”
“I am not human at all”
“Right, which leads me to my point. How are your views on romance? Is it hard for you to understand it? Find it? After all, it seems difficult in your situation”
“What do you mean?” Cole suddenly asked, almost staring daggers into the host, who chuckled.
“I mean, Zane is a machine, people are still getting used to the newest technology, so in my view of things, someone would not really find interest in a non human being ”
“Are you calling me unattractive?” Zane asked, cocking an eyebrow as Jay saw his shoulders tense up, Jay himself was biting his tongue so as to not cause a scene.
“Not what I mean, not at all, but my point is… It might be hard to find love. I mean, you do need repairs, other necessities than what most of us people do. As far as you’ve shared you don’t have the need of food, or water, or oxygen. ” As the host explained, Zane’s eyes shot Jay a confused look. Was he onto them? He was probably more worried about Jay, while the lightning was more concerned with the nindroid suddenly getting all the attention in a conversation about romance. It was usually what he, Nya and Cole had to deal with, Kai as well but on different occasions. It was never onto Zane.
“What I'm trying to say is” The host spoke again, leaning a bit closer, arms resting on his desk as he spoke in a more soft tone. “It might take a genius to love someone like you.”
“I’m a genius.”
Jay’s voice was low, dangerous as he caught the host’s attention, who had to look behind his shoulder to face him. His back leaning against the couch, head resting on his fist as his legs stood spread, Jay’s gaze was deadly, shot towards the man in the funky shirt. No one was allowed to talk to his Snowflake like that.
“Is that so?” The man spoke, a smile forming on his lips as the crowd started talking, some whispering, others whistling at the sudden tension. The man looked at Zane, who was also staring at Jay. The brunette gave him a little tug of his lips, a smile meant to be reassuring looked more like a smirk, causing the nindroid to blush as he looked back at the man.
With a more confident tone, Zane felt his lips form a cocky smile. A rare sight.
“He is.” his voice was proud, kind of smug, like Kai when he would flirt with a random girl on the street. Kai himself looked a bit taken aback from the new perspective on the ice master as the crowd suddenly started cheering. Jay didn’t care. He knew it might give them more to deal with, but at least he won't have to face more ‘love triangle’ bullshit and have to hide how much he adored the boy anymore.
“Well, well, well if those aren't some exciting news! I’m glad we got to hear them, sad we won't be able to hear more as right about now is our queue for the ads, as well as our time running out!”
Thank you.
As the man continued with his little speech, he soon shook the hands of everyone, Jay giving him the most hateful yet polite smile he had ever pulled before waving to the crowd and disappearing into the backstage.
A hand grabbed his wrist the moment his feet left the last step towards the stage, pulling him to the side. Surprise melted into bliss as he felt the familiar feeling of cold lips against his own, a smile forming on his face as he returned the little gesture, cupping Zane’s cheek.
“Why did you do that? I thought you wanted us to stay private!” The boy spoke after pulling away, not an ounce of anger in his voice, the corners of his lips tugging them into the widest grin Jay had seen on him.
“And let him make you uncomfortable? Fuck no!” Jay chuckled, holding Zane’s wrists while he cupped his cheeks. The coolness keeping the heat in his face at bay. The nindroid let out a soft chuckle as he just started showering the lightning with kisses, not a single spot, a single freckle being untouched on Jay’s face who could only giggle.
For a split second he felt adrenalin shoot through him at the thought of someone seeing them but it was quickly pushed away, as he just enjoyed the moment. He didn’t care. He didn’t care if they got caught, if someone took pictures, if people were mad. He simply didn’t give a fuck.
The only thing on his mind being the feeling of Zane’s love.