Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

They crash landed in the First Realm a few days ago. With only half a ship worth of wreckage, a toddler for a master, and two thirds of their team, it’s been a bit rough. Jay has been losing it for nearly as long as they’ve been here. Little Wu is roughly six or seven by Zane’s observations and working formula for his heightened aging, so they took the kid with him to go look for food. This leaves Kai with Jay and Cole. More specifically, Jay pretending a plank of wood is a video game and Cole not feeling up to pulling his boyfriend out of it. He’s been able to get Jay alert and somewhat attentive to the situation at hand, but he’s not in the headspace to be much help so Cole opts to leave him be for the time being. At least that’s Kai’s understanding of the matter.

Kai takes a seat next to the black ninja on the small pile of boulders they acquired at some point. Cole had been flickering his attention between Jay and the horizon for minutes now. “How are you holding up?”

“Ah, same old.” Cole answers, casting a glance Kai’s way. “Wish we had some plan of action, some idea of how to get home. Just something to keep us busy, even.”

Kai sighs. “Yeah,” He agrees, “We’ll figure it out though, we always do.”

Cole hums in agreement, “I wish Jay was more present though.”

“I’m sorry,” Kai says automatically.

Cole raises his eyebrows at the other, amused. “It’s not your fault. He, uh, has coping skills…”

“You don’t have to explain anything to me,” Kai tells him softly.

“I know,” He agrees, sighing, “He’ll be fine once there’s something to do, I’m sure. He just can’t handle feeling aimless. I hate that I’m not able to help him more.”

“Yeah.” Kai acknowledges, leaning into the other’s arm. “I think you’re doing pretty well given the situation. Little Wu loves you, too.”

Cole laughs sadly, “Thanks, I’m not sure how much help that’s going to be though.”

“Nah,” Kai dismisses easily, “You’re great. You’re taking point on keeping everyone safe, keeping Jay in one piece, and taking charge on raising Wu. You’re doing amazing.”

Cole looks at him, giving Kai a small and almost shy smile. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Kai echoes, meeting Cole’s gaze steadily.

“I also agree,” Calls a familiar voice. Sitting up and spinning to look behind him, Kai sees Zane and Wu approaching.

Wu, however, takes one look at how close the two are sitting and immediately asks. “Are you two flirting?”

“What? No,” Kai denies instinctively.

“No,” Cole affirms, “Even if we were – which we weren’t – we wouldn’t flirt without our respective partners’ approval.” He gestures to Jay and Zane in turn. Kai leans forward slightly to exchange a look with the other, is this a conversation for later? The small smirk and shrug Cole gives him is enough of an answer on its own.

—

After putting Wu to bed, Cole stands and walks over to his boyfriend. “Hey Jay?” Kai hears him greet before tuning out their conversation to respect the pair’s privacy.

“Zane?” Kai asks, getting the attention of his own partner.

“Yes?” They look at him, giving her partner no less than their full attention. Kai begins to open his mouth, but Zane cuts him off before he even gets a word out. “If this is about you wanting to pursue a relationship with Cole, you have my full support.”

“Really?” He asks dumbly.

Zane blinks. “Of course, I am quite happy with both you and Pixal and would like you to be as happy as I am, too.”

“I’m happy with you,” Kai says, the reassurance coming out both earnest and easy.

Zane smiles. “I know,” He says simply, “I merely mean that you and Pixal complete me in different ways. Others have said Pixal and I were made for each other, and while that is not accurate, we are naturally compatible and fit together seamlessly. I do find myself thinking of my relationship with her as something akin to destiny.” Zane looks into the unfamiliar night sky, expression heavy with love and something edging on mourning. Kai feels their hand on his own before the nindroid turns to face him properly. “For us, I like to think that I chose you and you chose me. Maybe what we have wasn’t written in the stars, but we carved it in stone just the two of us, and that that is just as special and dear to my heart as any and everything destiny has put on our path.”

Kai squeezes his partner’s hand with damp eyes. “First Master, you’re such a sap,” He laughs. Zane does too.

“Perhaps,” She agrees lightly, “Regardless, I love you and I love Pixal and having you both is something that has made me happier than I could have ever imagined. I want that for you. The three of us have made it work, and I can easily imagine us making it work with Cole as well.” Kai smiles widely, wrapping his arms around Zane to hug them tightly.

When they eventually pull apart, Cole and Jay are heading their way. “Hey,” Cole greets.

“Hello, how are you doing, Jay?” Zane asks.

“I’m alright,” He says lightly even as exhaustion paints his tone, “So…” Jay draws out expectantly. When no one cuts him off his shoulders sag dramatically. “Come on, will they or won’t they?” He says, knock Cole forward with his shoulder.

“We do not have a ‘Will they, won’t they’ thing going on,” Cole groans.

“Um, yes, you do,” Jay says like it’s obvious, “You’ve totally had a thing for him at least since the Time Twins, and Kai thinks emotional maturity is hot.” Kai is so taken aback the only reaction he processes is Zane’s ill-concealed sputter. “It’s why we’ll never be an item,” Jay continues.

Zane bursts out laughing, “What?” They exclaim, highly amused at the whole situation.

Kai is less impressed. “What?!” He exclaims.

Jay puts his hands up in mock-defense. “Am I wrong?”

“I-” Kai cuts himself off, “I hate you.”

“Hey, I’m letting you borrow my boyfriend! I’m being perfectly reasonable here.”

“I don’t know if ‘borrowing’ is the best way to put it,” Cole speaks up. It’s only now that Kai notices how hard the black ninja is blushing. Kai probably isn’t any better off, he thinks to himself.

“Yeah, yeah, actual poly negotiation time, I guess. I mean, you guys like each other, I’m cool, I assume Zane’s cool?”

“I’m cool,” She confirms happily.

“Awesome, you kids have fun.” Jay says, grabbing Zane’s arm and pulling them to their feet. “Have him home by eight!” He calls over his shoulder as he and Zane walk away.

Kai and Cole just stand in place quietly until their partners disappear around the bend. “It’s, like, 10pm,” Kai says eventually.

“He’s younger than us,” Cole adds. The pair look at each other before bursting into laughter. As the sounds begin to trail off, Cole comments. “You know, as off as the timing is, I think this might have been just the thing to help Jay through what’s going on in his head.”

Kai laughs softly, “Really?”

He shrugs. “It’s important enough to get his attention but it’s not imminent danger, so that's good. He’s also quite the romantic.”

“That’s a bit ironic,” Kai comments before realizing the meaning behind his words. “I do like you, by the way, but whatever this is doesn’t have to be romantic if that’s not something you want.”

Cole smiles tenderly. “Nah, I think I’m good. Just know I’m not really into a lot of the physical romantic gestures.”

Kai smiles back, reaching for the other’s hand. “Is this okay?” He asks, even as Cole lets him weave their fingers together.

“Yeah, it’s great.”

Chapter Text

The Realm of Oni and Dragon hasn’t been kind to them, but Kai finds himself hoping that they have been kind enough to it to make a difference. Wu’s been aging at an exponential rate ever since they found him, and he’s now a young adult with most of his memories back. The friends they’ve made and the lessons they’ve learned while here are lasting, and somehow enough to get them home again. Dragons are able to open portals between realms, after all.

Kai is ecstatic to see Lloyd and Nya alive and relatively unharmed. Fighting off the enemies, he and the others are soon able to hop off their dragons’ backs and reunite with their friends. He wraps Lloyd and Nya up in the tightest hugs he can manage, barely processing anything else around them until he catches sight of Darreth supporting a seemingly unconscious Skylor. Pushing his way towards her, he asks. “What happened, is she okay?”

“She took Garmadon’s power,” Lloyd explains, “It was too much for her, but I think she’ll be okay after he’s defeated.”

Zane rests a hand on Kai’s shoulder. “Then let’s kick some butt, yeah?” Darreth rallies, getting a laugh out of the ninja.

“Yeah, Darreth, let’s kick some butt,” Cole agrees. It’s time to get to work.

—

When all is said and done, the city has been in worse shape, but not by far. Ninjago City has long since proven its resilience, though, Kai is more worried about his little brother. “Lloyd?” He greets, knocking on the younger’s door in the house the city has rented out for them – they are technically homeless as of the Bounty’s destruction, after all – Kai cracks open the door, but waits for an answer to enter properly.

“Come in!” Lloyd calls. Kai does, finding the green ninja with his new prosthetic detached, cleaning the metal arm with his other hand. “What’s up?”

“Just wanting to see how you’re doing. We haven’t been able to catch up yet and I imagine these have been a hard few weeks.” Kai says, coming to sit next to Lloyd on his bed.

The kid laughs softly, “Yeah, you could say that.” He stands, placing his prosthetic in a case Kai hasn’t seen before, but imagines was designed for its safe keeping.

“Wanna talk about it?” He offers.

Lloyd sighs, “Where would I even start?” He jokes tiredly.

“What’s heaviest?” Kai asks a question all his closest friends and family are well acquainted with.

Plopping back down besides Kai, Lloyd takes a deep breath, considering. “I guess Harumi’s death. I should hate her for everything she did – and I guess I do – but I also feel bad for her,” Lloyd laughs sadly, “She was messed up and hurt me in ways I had never even imagined were possible, but she’s a victim too, in her own way.”

Kai lets his words sink in. “You don’t have to forgive her. You can understand why she did what she did without excusing those actions. Context doesn’t make the pain go away.” It’s not the same situation – it’s barely similar at all – but Kai can’t help but think of finding out that his and Nya’s parents have been alive all this time. It wasn’t their fault, but their parents weren’t around. He and Nya grew up without them and that isn’t changing any time soon, but that doesn’t have to determine what their relationship has to look like moving forward.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I don’t forgive her,” Lloyd almost laughs, “I guess it’s more pity than anything else. I still wish I could’ve helped her, though.”

Kai rests a reassuring hand on Lloyd’s shoulder – the one he had been repeatedly assured was healed only hours earlier. “You gave it your best shot, kid. You gave her more chances than she deserved, it’s not your fault she didn’t take the offer.”

“Yeah,” He agrees quietly.

At Lloyd’s lack of attempt to keep the conversation rolling, Kai asks. “How’s the new arm?”

Lloyd rolls his eyes with an expression akin to fondness. “It’s a process,” He says like it’s an inside joke. “Recovery and PT have been going pretty well. Pixal hasn’t cleared me for combat yet, but she hasn’t really had a say in recent events.”

“Are you sure you haven’t exacerbated any of your injuries?” Kai can’t help asking.

“Nothing that hasn’t already been dealt with,” Lloyd reassures.

“And your morale?”

Lloyd pauses, “I mean, I had an extremely traumatic injury, thought you all were dead, and had to face the worst version of my dad imaginable, but I’ll be okay. It has already helped me work through some things.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, I had a lot of time to think while recovering from surgery. I’m aroace and going by he/they now.”

“Oh wow, I’m proud of you kid.” Kai says, leaning into the other and pulling them into a lopsided hug.

Lloyd laughs softly, “Thanks, Kai.”

“Of course,” He says easily, “Is ‘brother’ still okay or would you prefer ‘sibling’?”

“Masculine language is good, I’m not too bothered either way.”

Kai ruffles his brother’s hair affectionately. “Well, I’m proud of you and I love you.”

Lloyd laughs, “You already said that.”

“And I’ll say it as often as I please!” Kai snarks lightheartedly. After a moment, he thinks to ask, “Are you keeping this quiet for now?” Lloyd shrugs.

“Nya already knows,” He says, “I’ll probably come out fairly soon but my sexuality is kind of a bigger deal to me than my gender at this point. The gang already knows I’m trans, there’s not really much more to it than that.”

“If you’re sure.” Kai says, nudging the other lovingly. “Don’t hesitate to ask for extra support whenever you need or want it, okay? About anything, not just queer stuff.” Kai adds as an afterthought.

An amused huff escapes them. “Thanks, Kai.” He says, standing to give their big brother another hug before he leaves the room.

The hug is long and tight and desperate and theirs. When the two finally separate, they share a soft smile before Kai turns to head out, only to stop a few steps from the door. “Oh wait!” He says, turning around abruptly. “Sorry, I just realized I should probably let you know me and Cole are a thing now.”

Chapter Text

It’s been a couple months since their time in the First Realm when Kai runs into Jay in one of the monastery’s lounges. “Kai!” The shorter greets enthusiastically, initiating the elaborate handshake the two share. “My friend, my pal, my metamour, my brother-in-law,-”

Kai freezes. “What?”

Jay pauses, lowering his hand when it becomes apparent Kai isn’t going to complete the gesture. “... Nothing?”

“I don’t think that was ‘nothing’,” Kai says skeptically.

Jay sighs, “So I want to ask Nya to be my Yang…” He says slowly but surely, clearly trying to gauge Kai’s reaction. He probably isn’t having much luck, considering Kai himself doesn’t even know his thoughts or feelings on the matter.

The blue ninja has been with their mutual boyfriend quite a bit longer than Nya, and Kai’s always known his sister to be more than a little resistant to romantic traditions, even before realizing she was moderately romance repulsed. “Walk me through your thought process?” Kai asks eventually.

Jay takes a breath, collecting his thoughts before starting. “Well, I love Cole to the ends of the earth, you know that. He’s my everything, he’s my best friend and the love of my life and more. I just… I don’t have anything like that that I can say Nya is to me. I love her so much, but there’s not really a word that captures the way she makes me feel whole, you know? Girlfriend or partner just don’t really fit, and I recently realized I would really love to be able to call her my Yang.”

Kai nods, taking in his friend’s shy but overwhelmingly determined and loving words. “I take it you’ve already talked this over with Cole?” He clarifies.

Jay smiles cockily, “Come on, who do you take me for?” He says, nudging Kai’s arm with his own.

“An overexcitable loser who thinks with his heart and not his head,” Kai deadpans teasingly.

Jay goes to counter his points before pausing. “Well, this loser’s heart-” He says, pointing to himself, “- just so happens to prioritize his partners’ consent and general happiness. But in all seriousness, Cole and I have talked about this quite a bit and he’s been nothing but supportive.” He adds more seriously.

“This has been on your mind for a while, huh?” Kai wonders aloud.

Rubbing his neck, Jay looks to the side. “Honestly, since my psychotic episode, at least.”

Kai hums with a supportive smile toward the other. “Been putting this off that long?” He asks lightheartedly.

“Not putting it off, really,” Jay says, “Cole wanted to wait until I was safely past the BPD to discuss it in more practical terms, and I agree that was the right call. I know it might not make complete sense from an outside point of view, but it feels like the right step, y’know?”

“I don’t need all the details,” Kai tells him simply, “I know you love her and she loves you, that’s enough for me. Regretfully,” He says teasingly, “I trust you enough to respect both her and Cole’s boundaries and to have made sure they’re both happy with this.”

“Of course,” Jay smiles. “I haven’t asked Nya yet, naturally, but she’s plenty welcome to say no when the time comes.”

“Why ‘naturally’?”

Jay hesitates, seeming to not have anticipated the question. “I mean, Nya’s an adult, obviously. She can make her own decisions, but it’s custom to ask the father and- I don’t know, I mean, you raised her and your opinion matters to me, regardless-” He rambles nervously.

“Hey.” Kai stops him with a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you. For thinking of me, and for being a good boyfriend.”
Jay smiles, “I try.” He says with a shrug, clearly trying and failing to conceal how much Kai’s sentiment means to him. “I’m um, gonna go order the pendant if you want in on the final decision,” Jay offers.

“Yeah, I’d love to,” Kai answers. While he is definitively not into Jay, the blue ninja may have not been completely off base with his assessment of Kai being drawn to emotional maturity. Jay’s a good guy, and if there’s anyone he trusts to treat Nya right, it’s him.

Chapter Text

Kai and Jay’s friendship is a fun one. They’ve always had a tendency to fall into almost brotherly annoyance and banter. His relationship with Jay is strictly platonic and always has been, but that doesn’t mean either of them are above a little flirting, especially when it comes to helping Jay figure out how to propose.

“You just gotta bite the bullet, Jay,” Cole tells him, “Like ripping off an old bandage.”

Both Kai and Jay freeze at their boyfriend’s comment. “Did you just compare Nya to an old bandage?” Jay says, eyes wide with offense.

Cole’s eyes widen slightly. “That’s not what I meant and you know it,” He defends.

Kai catches Jay giving him a look and the two silently agree to not let Cole out of this so easily. Rolling his eyes,
Kai elbows his boyfriend in the side playfully. “Way to take the romance out of it.”

“I just mean that it’s a special moment regardless, you don’t have to stress yourself out trying to make it perfect.”

“So you’re saying I shouldn’t try?” Jay pushes.

“I’m saying it’ll be a moment you cherish no matter when or where it happens,” Cole says, a light edge of annoyance making its way into his voice. “Come on you guys,” He grumbles.

“Mmm, no,” Jay says, “You’ll have to make it up to us.”

Huffing in faux-annoyance, Cole sighs before grabbing Jay’s face and pulling the shorter into a soft kiss. “Better?” He asks as he pulls back slightly.

“I guess,” Jay says smugly, “But Kai might also need an apology too. You insulted his sister, after all.”

Kai can feel his face warm when Cole turns his way. “I suppose that’s only fair,” Cole says as he gently grabs Kai’s chin. Kai closes his eyes only for Cole to turn his head slightly and press a kiss to his temple.

“Hey!” He protests.

“My slip-up wasn’t about your proposal, now was it?” Cole teases.

Rolling his eyes, Kai acquiesces. “Fine.”

“Good, now don’t hold my aro ignorance against me again, yeah? Because I can play real dumb.” Cole threatens playfully, getting a laugh from Jay.

“I don’t think that’s the boast you think it is, pal.”

“Oh, you two wanna go without your daily doses of affection?” Cole asks.

“Nope!” Kai says simply, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend’s waist. “I’m good actually.” Cole laughs as he hugs Kai back in turn. Yeah, this is nice.

—

It wasn’t going well before this. Ninjago City was falling to the darkness and they had to get help from Garmadon of all people, but nothing could have prepared Kai for losing Cole. They had been helping evacuate civilians and Cole was the last one up. Kai didn’t even know he was gone until he heard Jay’s cries. He only looks over the ship’s railing in time to see Cole disappear into the thick shadows consuming the city below.

Breathing heavily, Kai stands frozen for only a split second before he finds himself wrestling the wheel away from Nya. He barely starts turning the Bounty around before Zane grabs his shoulder. “He’s gone, Kai.” They say, kneeling to meet Kai’s eyes.

“He’s not-”

“We can’t save him,” Zane says painfully.

“We can’t just leave-!”

Zane cuts him off with a hand cradling his jaw. Kai collapses into his partner’s touch, shoulders dropping as the situation hits him fully. He can only bury his face in his hands as Zane pulls him closer and holds him tight.

—

They only barely manage to reach Pixal, Lloyd, and Garmadon in time. Any words Kai may have had get stuck in his throat as he helps Lloyd to his feet. “What?” They ask, instantly picking up the heavy weight of wrong, pressing on them all. “What’s wrong?” Kai can only avert his gaze to the floorboards below as Lloyd looks around. “Where’s Cole?” No one answers. “Where’s Cole?” He demands, grabbing Kai’s shoulders.

Kai can’t bring himself to meet his brother’s eyes, instead looking past their shoulder to see Zane approaching from where he had helped Pixal to her feet. They grab Lloyd’s arm and pull his attention to themself. “He’s- He’s gone.” Zane says quietly.

Lloyd’s brows furrow. “Gone?”

“Lloyd,” Kai starts, “He fell. Into the cloud.”

“I’m so sorry,” Falls from Nya’s lips, “It- it was my fault. If I hadn’t pulled the trust lever the wrong way-”

Jay appears at her side instantly, Kai following close behind. “It’s not your fault, Nya,” Jay tells her.

“It could have happened to anyone.” Kai says, resting a reassuring hand on his sister’s arm. “Don’t blame yourself.”

Nya cries silently between the two, but the quiet doesn’t last. “We need to get moving,” Garmadon says.

“Do you mind?” Lloyd turns on his father.

“Yes?” Garmadon answers impatiently, “Every minute we delay risks our survival.”

“There’s more to life than survival!” Lloyd bursts. “Cole was our friend. He was more than that, he was family! But you don’t understand that do you? You’re never going to! You don’t care about anyone other than yourself,” They snarl.

“You are being emotional and illogical,” Garmadon spits.

Lloyd screams wordlessly, turning and storming off the deck before Garmadon can say anything more.

The oni in question turns on Zane. “You, Nindroid, if anyone here is capable of being reasonable, it’s you. Tell them that such outbursts are pointless.”

Zane squints angrily at Garmadon. “I am happy to say you are wrong. Even I am incapable of logical thought at this moment.” She turns and walks off the deck without another word, with Pixal following and the rest of the ninja trailing close behind.

Chapter Text

Kai finds Nya on the back balcony. “Hey, sis,” He greets gently. Her soft sobs stop abruptly and even facing away from him, Kai can see her wiping her tears. “Are you okay?”

“No,” She huffs.

“Me neither.” He admits, stepping closer to lean against the railing atop Nya sits.

“I can’t help but think… If only I had pulled that lever the right way…”

Kai hops the railing in a heartbeat. “Hey, no.” He says, wrapping an arm around her. “Cole loved you like a brother. A sister, I mean,” He corrects after a moment, “Wait-”

“I just can’t believe he’s gone.” She says, leaning further into him.

Squeezing her shoulder softly, Kai sighs. “Neither can I,” He says, “But Cole would want us to keep fighting, and we can’t do it without you, Nya. You're the brains, here.”

“Me?” She asks skeptically.

“Yeah!” He says easily, “You and Zane, but he’s not in a great place right now, either. The team needs you.”

Thinking, Nya says softly, “Okay, yeah, you’re right.” After a moment she abruptly pushes herself to her feet. “We need to set a course to the Monastery of Spinjitzu,” She says, confidence rising with each word, “It has a forge.”

“A forge?” Kai asks, already lost.

“The Golden Armor was forged from the Weapons of Spinjitzu! If we can melt them down, we can turn them back into the Weapons to fight the Oni.”

Considering, Kai spots a problem with the plan. “Wait, weren’t the Weapons forged at the Temple of Light? You can’t just go to any old blacksmith.”

“I’m not,” Nya says steadily, “I’m coming to you.”

Kai blinks. “But I’m a terrible blacksmith, you said so yourself.”

“You’re the elemental master of fire, Kai. You’re the only one who could possibly do this.”

He sighs, “The future of Ninjago depends on my blacksmithing abilities?

“Basically,” Nya says, socking him in the shoulder.

“Great,” He says, “No pressure.”

—

It’s Jay who is able to get the words out to tell Wu what happened. All Kai is good for is reforging the Weapons of Spinjitzu, and he’s not even sure how he managed that. As he finishes, he presents the others with their weapons, and the Scythe of Quakes is left without a wielder. As much as he stumbles over the words, Kai knows the right thing to do. Turning to Nya, he offers her the scythe.

“That was Cole’s,” She says numbly.

“He would want you to have it,” Kai tells her.

—

The Oni arrive all too soon, and it’s a losing battle. Any hope of gaining ground is quickly lost as the invaders surround them, closing in from all sides. They’re barely holding on when the earth rumbles beneath their feet.
Kai looks around frantically as the mountain shakes and a moment later Cole’s earth driller bursts through. “Cole!” They all cry out in sync.

“Hey guys.” He says, stepping out of the cockpit. “Couldn’t wait for me, huh?”

Jay shoves his way forward. “We thought we lost you, you jerk!”

“You’re okay.” Kai says breathlessly, just loud enough for Cole to hear, apparently, as he turns and gives Kai a reassuring smile before scanning their surroundings.

“Is that my scythe?” He asks Nya.

“Yes, you can have it!” She says, tossing it his way. Kai watches in awe as Cole leaps through the sky, catching the weapon midair and slamming it into the ground at full force, knocking back the Oni general in a cloud of dust.
With Cole’s arrival comes a second wind, but it’s not enough. They soon have to retreat within the monastery walls. They barricade the gates, but it won’t last long. Cole says as much and Kai sees Jay whip around in his peripheral. The blue ninja pulls off his hood. “Nya, I have to ask you something important,” He says.

“Now?” She asks, confused.

“Yes, now.” Nya pulls off her own hood and Jay launches into something more heartfelt than any of the speeches they rehearsed. “Nya, I love you so much. You make me so happy that I feel like a part of me is missing when we’re not together. I know this might not be something you want, and nothing has to change if that’s the case, but I have to ask: Will you be my yang?”

Nya gasps, taking the offered medallion gently, even as Cole bursts. “Now, really?”

“We really need to talk about your sense of timing, Jay,” Kai adds.

“I don’t know if we’ll have another time.” Jay says, not looking away from Nya for the briefest moment.

Next thing Kai knows, Nya is leaping into Jay’s arms. “Yes! Of course, yes! Yes, yes, yes!” Kai can’t see his sister’s expression from where he stands, but the way Jay beams as he melts into Nya is enough for him to know that they’ll be more than fine.

Glancing away, he catches Cole’s eye. “I taught him how to do that,” Kai says, nudging his boyfriend softly.

As the darkness crawls over the walls, the ninja begin to say their goodbyes, but not before Lloyd has an idea: the tornado of creation. It’s a long shot, but it’s their only chance.

It works. The next thing Kai knows, Cole’s pulling him out from under the rubble and holding him close. Zane comes up to the pair, “Where is Lloyd?” She asks. Looking around, the trio spot his feet sticking out from under a pile of debris. Working together to pull him out, Lloyd is unresponsive and his prosthetic is half-crushed.

“Lloyd, come on. Wake up, buddy,” Kai begs.

“He’s not moving,” Nya says.

“Where’s Master Wu?” Cole demands, “Somebody get Wu!”

“I’m here!” He says, racing towards his unconscious nephew. The ninja all stand with baited breath as their sensei checks for a pulse, first at Lloyd’s wrist, then his neck. The tension in Wu’s shoulders drops abruptly. “There… There is nothing to be done.”

Kai distantly notices Zane’s breathing click off as Nya begins to sob and Jay’s breaths become rapid. He only shakes his head.

“Oh, Lloyd,” Nya chokes out.

Pushing himself to action, Kai moves to comfort Wu, resting a shaking hand on the master’s shoulder, hoping to steady them both.

They all stand, silence growing heavier with each passing second until a sharp inhale sounds. Startling, Kai looks to Lloyd, the younger shifting oh so slightly before beginning to cough harshly. The ninja all cheer, Kai and Cole rushing to hug one another eagerly. They separate after only a moment as Kai goes to help Lloyd to their feet. They’re gonna be okay, They’re all going to be okay.