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He had ignored the signs, and now was helplessly bedridden with the nasty bug that was sweeping across Ninjago. Jay was unbearably hot one moment, then chilly the next, constantly pulling and throwing off the covers. When Cole and Zane woke up, they both saw that he was still groggy, and started their day while they allowed the blue ninja to rest a little longer. However, about an hour later Nya was sent to fetch him for morning training. When she opened the door and saw his pale complexion and tired eyes, she immediately retrieved a thermometer and took his temperature.
“Lord, Jay,” she sighed, shaking her head. “Fever. A high one, too.”
“Check again,” the master of lightning protested sluggishly. The water elemental simply stood and crossed to the exit.
“Stay in bed,” she told him, pointing a finger at him.
“But I’m fine,” Jay whined.
“Bed.”
“But-”
“Bed.” With a pout, the freckled ninja folded his arms and remained where he was. Nya stepped out into the hallway and made her way through the Bounty. They had landed a few days ago in the jungle, so Zane and Cole were practicing their skills among the trees. She normally would have joined them, but today was the day that Kai was supposed to come home from his solo scouting mission, and therefore she needed to be near the controls so she could receive his reports. Based on the sounds of scuffling, she was able to quickly locate the two fighters she was looking for.
“Hey guys?” she called into the trees. Not a moment later, Cole and Zane dropped from the canopy, slightly fatigued but still holding the sparkle of a good training session in their eyes. “Jay’s sick. He’s not gonna be training today.” The two in front of her shared a look of concern, then turned back to face her wearing the same perturbed expressions.
“What?” she asked, urging them to speak. She was many things, but not a mind reader.
“Can we go see him?” the master of earth inquired with an air of anxiety. The ex-samurai quirked a brow in response.
“What do you mean, ‘can’ you?” she wondered, a slight smirk gracing her features. “You two are his boyfriends, it’s kinda your job to make sure he’s okay. You look like you’re about to commit a crime or something.” Zane pursed his lips and took a deep breath, drawing her attention to the droid. Just what had him so nervous?
“Well, we dearly wish to see him, but there is the issue of our morning training,” he nearly mumbled. “Specifically what Sensei will do if he finds us neglecting our daily routine.” Nya had to laugh, just once. It was true that the old man had been cracking down on all of them as of late, always grumbling things like, “You never know when the next attacker will show themself!” or “If you do not train you’ll be put on a far more rigorous regiment until you learn to practice daily!”
“If he asks, I’ll say you guys went to the waterfall a few miles away to meditate,” the noirette assured them. Cole and Zane immediately lost their apprehensive looks and bolted for the airship, running hand in hand.
“You think he caught that stomach thing?” the earth user asked.
“That is the most likely outcome,” Zane sighed. “Jay did seem rather torpid yesterday.”
“Uh… in Ninjagan please?” Cole muttered at the unknown vocabulary. That was a tendency of Zane’s, and at times none of the other ninja understood a lick of his extensive collection of words. As soon as they reached the main deck, they slowed their pace enough so that the nindroid could lean towards his partner and nuzzle him a tad.
“Tired, darling,” he grinned shyly. “Actually, lifeless is a better word for it.”
“Hm. Let’s hope that’s not the case.” At Cole’s worried tone, the ice wielder squeezed his hand and gave him a small, sympathetic grin.
“Jay will be alright.” He attempted to dispel his troubled thoughts, however the black ninja was still a little fretful. The brunet was not one to fall ill easily, so it was only natural for him to be worried. It certainly did not help that they heard raucous coughing from the room Jay was resting in. When they opened the door, their hearts broke. The sick boy was laying on his side with furrowed brows, the blankets were covering him completely, and he even had the extra quilt they kept in the hall closet, yet he was still shivering. Cole slowly broke away from Zane, and the two made their way over to him.
“Hey Jay,” the black ninja whispered as he ran his fingers through his soft, curly locks, and Jay cracked open his eyes. He and Zane kneeled next to his bedside and grinned. “How’re you feeling?” The master of lightning groaned and snuggled the covers closer to his face.
“I told Nya I’m fine,” he mumbled. “But she told me to stay in bed.”
“Normally this would be a favorable opportunity for you. I do not understand why this is an inconvenience,” Zane replied.
“It’s because-” Jay seemed to cut himself off, like he realized something a little too late. However a second later his expression showed some form of acceptance. “It’s because I was gonna go out and get you three some chocolates.” The black and white ninjas cooed at his blush.
“Aww,” Cole smiled softly. He leaned his head against Zane’s shoulder and sighed. “God, our boyfriend is sweet.”
“I agree,” the ice user said cheerily. Jay flung the sheets over his head with a whine.
“Stop, it’s embarrassing!” he shouted, muffled by the fabric. When he dared to look again, his eyes met the same adoring gazes. He wanted nothing more than to be free of the humiliation, and being warm would not hurt, either. “Is Kai back yet?”
“No, but he’s on his way,” the black master informed him. He took note of the ongoing shaking, and wondered if he was chilly. “Are you cold?” Jay quickly turned to the side and coughed, then nodded.
“We can help warm you up,” Cole smirked. “Right Zane?”
“On the contrary… If Jay has a fever, we should refrain from doing anything that would make his temperature rise any higher,” he said, trying not to lay the truth down too heavily. Cole’s face fell, and he stared at the floor when he realized that his daily cuddling quota would not be met so easily. Zane, not wishing to cause any disappointment, placed a peck on his temple to satiate him. It worked, but Jay was still cold and wanted affection as well. He was sick, however, and did not wish to put anyone else under the weather. He had hoped that Kai would have been able to heat him up, but the white ninja did have a point. “Jay, why don’t we make you a nice, warm breakfast instead?”
“In bed,” Cole added, happy to be able to do something for him.
“You don’t have t-“ Jay was cut off by a sneeze, which he covered with his elbow. “You don’t have to.” The blue elemental sniffled pitifully, causing the taller boys to immediately empathize. His two visitors decided to commit to a cooking session. The poor thing was in no condition to make something for himself, anyway.
“How do pancakes sound?” inquired the blond. Jay nodded, smiling when he was patted gently.
“Thank you,” he croaked as they left. The pair walked to the kitchen, an inspired spring in their step. They had plenty of ingredients to work with, considering they had only been eating leftovers lately. However, when Zane opened a certain cupboard, his lips formed a tight line. He had forgotten that they did not have regular flour on them. He hated to resort to a premade mix, but it was all that they had. Cole watched his brows dip, then looked on the shelf he was staring at, instantly understanding why he was a little upset.
“They’ll taste just as good,” he assured him with a hug from behind. The snuggly presence did help cheer Zane up, but he still wished to give his boyfriend a heartier meal. “I’ll cut some fruit for him. He likes strawberries, right?”
“Strawberries, peaches, and blueberries are Jay’s favorites,” he nodded in recollection. When Cole drifted away, he missed the contact, but his determination did not let that feeling linger. The black ninja opened the fridge and found that everything necessary was there.
Meanwhile, Kai was riding through the streets of a nearby village, only about thirty or so miles from the Bounty’s location, when he received a call over the intercom.
“Hey Kai,” Nya’s voice lit up in his right ear. He released his hold on the handlebar for a moment and clicked on his microphone.
“Hey sis,” he replied. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Not much happened, but I’ve got a few things Borg wanted me to give Sensei.”
“Alrighty, big bro,” she said happily. “Your boyfriends missed you.” Kai chuckled, knowing that was probably true.
“It was only three days this time,” he mumbled, turning down a street and waving to a group of awestruck children.
“In any case, I thought I’d let you know that Jay’s a bit under the weather today. Cole and Zane are taking care of him,” his sibling informed him. The master of fire slowed the motorcycle at a stoplight and blinked rapidly, as if that would clarify what his sister had just said.
“Jay’s sick?” he wondered aloud. The light turned green, and instead of going straight forward, which would eventually put him out on the jungle trail that led through the forest, he turned right. If his memory was correct, earlier he had passed a certain shop a few blocks away. “Uh, I think I’ll be home a few minutes later than planned. See ya then.”
“Oh?” His sibling’s voice had gone impish, which was never a good sign. “You gonna buy some get-well gifts for your little blue sweetheart?”
“What, is that illegal?” Kai groaned. He realized that he would be pestered endlessly when he got home. Around everyone else, he always tried to be the confident, bold leader, but Nya knew far better. He was a softie when it came to the wellbeing of his partners, and strove to do everything he could for them. Call it an older brother’s instincts, but he truly cared about all of them. “Look, I’ll be back at the Bounty before you know it, okay? Bye.”
“Bye!” Nya giggled before cutting their link. Kai grumbled as he parked in front of the shop, but tried to hide his frustration as he walked in.
Back in the ship’s kitchen, the two ninjas were finishing up the preparations, cleaning up the bowls and utensils before setting all the dishes on separate trays. They planned to keep Jay company all day, so why not eat with him as well? Out of the corner of his eye, Zane saw the black master bring something up to his mouth rather quickly. With his acute sense of sight, he was able to see a flash of coral and tangerine colors.
“Are you eating a fresh peach?” he inquired, causing Cole to flinch. The earth wielder spun around, setting something on the counter behind him so that it was just out of his field of view.
“Nope!” the black-haired fighter smiled with obviously faux innocence. “C’mon, let’s give this to Jay before it gets cold.” The overly eager attitude was what tipped him off. Zane swiftly grabbed his wrist as he passed by with one hand, then brought the other to cup his cheek and bring their lips together. It was rushed and a little sloppy, but it gave him all the information he needed. That tangy and sugary sweetness could belong to no other fruit. They parted, and Cole stumbled backwards. “Wha-?”
“I knew it. You even taste like peaches,” Zane simpered, confidence boosting his synthetic ego. He was not usually someone to do something so bold, yet he had felt it was the perfect time to try it out. Based on the black ninja’s reaction, he had pulled it off. “You are an awful liar, Cole.”
“Um, well… Whatever! I was hungry!” the master of earth stumbled over his words, folding his arms while his cheeks went red. “C’mon, Jay needs his breakfast.” He grabbed the blue boy’s tray while Zane took their own plates. They made their way back to their room, and found that their shortest boyfriend was sitting up and blowing his nose. He even coughed a little bit, deep and rasping with a quality that revealed just how bad his sickness was.
“You guys…” Jay smiled sadly as they approached him. “Thank you.” He looked at the fluffy pancakes with hunger, admiring the fruits and syrup with a watering mouth.
“Of course, it is the least we can do for you,” the nindroid replied. Cole set the tray on his lap, ruffled the lightning ninja’s hair, then sat down next to his blond partner on his bed. “Have you received any medicine yet?”
“No,” the blue elemental shook his head before putting some pancake in his mouth. “I’ll ashk Shenshei laher.” It was easy to understand him, even with the food slurring his speech.
“Indeed. You should get some food in your stomach before you take anything,” Zane continued. “Do the pancakes taste alright?”
“Mhm,” Jay hummed with satisfaction. “The fruit’s really good too.”
“You’re welcome,” Cole smirked. They continued the meal with happy chit chat, which was a lovely pace compared to the usual routine: wake up, train, eat, scout or go on a mission, eat dinner, sleep, repeat. It was wonderful to spend time together, but they were still missing a certain piece of the group.
Thankfully, Kai was on his way, and had the airship in sight. In the holding compartment, the gift was hopefully staying intact. He had boosted his speed a little to make up for lost time, which caused the bumps to be tougher to handle. Finally, he reached his destination and parked just outside of the Bounty. He gingerly grabbed his present and was relieved that it was unharmed. On his way inside, he heard his white boyfriend’s voice, then a startlingly loud sneeze.
“If you’re finished, I’ll get you something for that fever,” Zane said as the master of fire opened the door. “Oh! Welcome back, Kai!” The brunet grinned and revealed the bouquet behind his back. The three gasped and admired the blue roses, sunflowers, hyacinths, and hydrangeas.
“Happy sick day,” he joked, handing the blooms to the bedridden ninja. Kai bent down and placed a little kiss on his forehead.
“No no no! Get offa me!” Jay worriedly spluttered, deftly pushing the master of fire’s face away from him. “I’m sick! I’m not letting Cole kiss me, and you can’t either!”
“What, and Zane gets to?” Kai asked with a raised brow.
“Well, Zane can’t catch viruses like us,” the blue ninja reasoned. Kai scoffed and plopped down next to Cole.
“I know, I’m jealous too,” the master of earth huffed with fake annoyance.
“Apologies,” Zane murmured, concerned that he was causing a stir. “If you wish to share affection with Jay, perhaps I could be a messenger of sorts?” In the pause that ensued the three other ninjas simply stared in reverence of the sweet and innocent boy before them. Cole groaned and flopped onto his back.
“Can you two not be cute for five minutes?” he asked rhetorically. “I wanna kiss Jay, but I can’t, and Zane’s way too nice and adorable all the time. And now I wanna kiss you both and just…! Just stop, it’s gonna give me a hernia.” With false drama, he rubbed his temples and pursed his lips. While Kai laughed, the white master grew increasingly anxious over the scene going on around him. He was not truly upsetting Cole, was he? Most likely he was not, but there was still that itch of protective instincts that he possessed whenever someone on the team was feeling down.
“Yeah, some welcome, Jay,” Kai laughed. “I come home with flowers and you won’t even give me one kiss? What a gentleman.” The blue ninja gave a little cough before thinking over a solution.
“Zane, couldja kiss Kai and Cole for me?” he mumbled, a little flushed. The droid’s demeanor instantly became more cheery as he pressed a slow peck to his red-clad partner’s lips. He bent over to give Cole one as well, and the earth user chuckled low as he received his affection. “I love you guys.”
“And we love you, Jay,” the black master smiled dreamily as he sat back up. Suddenly, the door was flung open, revealing the scowling face of Sensei and a worried Nya.
“Why aren’t you training?” he barked, adjusting the grip on his staff. The ice wielded immediately hopped to his feet.
“Jay is sick, Master Wu,” he replied.
“Then why are all four of you in here?” the old man grumbled. Zane did not wish to lie, so he looked to Kai and Cole for help. They attempted to dig up an excuse, which took a little while longer than it should have,
“Zane needs a reboot!” the earth elemental blurted.
“Uh- Yeah! And he asked me to watch over him and make sure he’s back to his regular self while Cole keeps an eye on Jay,” Kai continued his point. Nya quickly put her hand on Wu’s shoulder and gave him a convincing grin.
“When I saw them training in the jungle, Jay didn’t look so good, and Zane was really antsy,” she cut in. “They’re not lying.” The sagely man growled and picked up his staff, pointing it at the blue and white members of the team.
“You two, rest your bodies,” he instructed, then pointed to Kai and Cole. “As for you. You don’t have a true alibi, your brows are twitching with your dishonesty. As punishment, you will be under supervised training for the next eight hours.”
“Eight hours?” the two blurted.
“I could make it sixteen,” Wu snapped. The red and black ninjas sighed in defeat and stood.
“No, Sensei,” they muttered in unison. With sluggish steps, they trudged out of the room, sending one last look of hope towards the masters of ice and lightning.
“Give Jay some love for us,” Kai told Zane.
“I’ll be sure to keep him company,” he nodded. When the group closed the door behind them, the white ninja slumped and sat down next to his freckled boyfriend. “Oh, I feel absolutely horrible for getting them in trouble.”
“Don’t worry,” Jay told him before he could go into a coughing fit. “They know you’d do the same for them.” He put his hand on Zane’s, and to the ice wielder’s surprise his hand was slightly cold and clammy compared to the rest of his body. He took his hands and used his frozen powers to draw the frigid temperature from them, causing Jay to smile in some sort of relief. The blue fighter wriggled until he could get close enough to kiss him once on the nose, then once more on the lips.
“Ah, I wonder if this is not a good idea after all,” Zane nearly whispered with a flustered quality. “Bacteria can still transfer to me, and I could become a carrier…” Jay silenced his worrying with another peck.
“Hey, you promised Kai you’d give some love for them, didn’t you?” he mumbled against his cheek. Zane could feel his system heating up, and he laughed nervously as he blushed.
“I suppose you’re right,” he giggled.