Work Text:
Finally Kai had a free day. Everyone was either out on a mission or in some random, unknown location like Jay. Usually that would be concerning, but it's Jay. He has the tendency to disappear sometimes and come back with the most thought provoking thing ever. It was a talent really.
So the fire ninja wasn't gonna worry about it too much. The worst he'd come back with before was a semi functioning pipe bomb – and okay that's pretty bad actually but it's not his problem.
______________________
Okay, maybe it is his problem.
Why? Because Jay's just walked in with a random ass cat.
“Jay. What the fuck?”
Jay startles a bit before saying, “I thought you would've gone back to bed.”
Which was a pretty fair assumption and exactly what Kai was going to do after he made some food but that's besides the point.
“So you thought since I was asleep you could bring a cat?” he paused before continuing, “onto a flying ship, with low railings?”
The master of lightning scratches the back of his neck, barely holding the cat with one hand as he does so.
“Well when you put it that way–”
“Jay, that is literally the only way I can possibly put it.”
______________________
A few hours go by and Jay has been trying to get Kai to warm up to the stray since despite his plans, the brunet actually didn't try to ignore whatever was going on by going back to bed and forgetting about it.
“But look at her Kai,” Jay whined. “She's so cute!”
As much as he didn't want to admit it, Jay was at least right about that. The cat was pretty cute. He wasn't going to say that though. That would mean Jay won whatever game this was turning out to be and that he lost. He can't lose to Jay.
“Stop trying to convince me to be okay with having a stray cat on the Bounty. What if she's secretly evil or some shit?”
In all honesty, he wasn't all that worried about the cat being evil but maybe he can convince Jay she is so they can get rid of it before everyone comes back and they get yelled at.
“What do you mean “what if she's evil?” look at her face!” The lightning master grinned. “Could a face like this truly be evil?”
“Cute things can be evil sometimes,” Kai shrugged. “I'm gonna go get some food. I never got to finish it.”
Jay sighed and let him go. He has more important things to deal with compared to getting Kai to like his new pride and joy.
Like thinking of a name for her.
______________________
“KAI IVE GOT IT!” Jay ran into the kitchen. His cat keeping up with his speed surprisingly well.
“Jay it's only been 5 minutes- what else could you possibly have gotten?” Kai coughed out as he mourned the part of his sandwich that he nearly choked on.
The blue ninja jumped up and down like he was about to tell him the best news in the world.
“Her name!”
“Oh?” Kai really hoped it wasn't something stupid. “What's her name then?”
Jay picks up the cat, kind of like that one scene from The Lion King when Simba’s being held up to the crowd. That's probably what he was trying to reference actually.
“This is– drumroll please,” he pauses dramatically before almost shouting “Cheddar!”
The red head looks like he's just unveiled an ancient artifact and he has a smile so bright that it could probably blind someone if they stared directly at it for a little too long.
Kai stays silent – and totally isn't staring – for a little but it's long enough that Jay lowers Cheddar to try and see his reaction.
The fire ninja tries desperately not to laugh. “Like- Like the cheese?” He definitely failed despite his attempt.
Jay’s still beaming despite Kai’s question. “Well yeah! I mean she's the same colour as cheese and she just gives off those vibes you know?” He says it like he's never been more sure of something in the world.
Usually Kai would tell him that it was stupid. Because it was stupid. But Jay looks so, so happy. With his stupid smile that's so bright and a little lopsided but also so unapologetically him. It makes Kai think that for once, he can keep what he thinks to himself.
So instead he asks, “what kind of vibes can a type of cheese give off?” trying to smile as brightly as Jay can and judging by the way the corners of Jay's eyes somehow crinkle even more, he thinks he's on the right track.
“I don't really know the specifics but I do that they totally give off the same vibes and that's why Cheddar is the perfect name”
He finally puts her down and she walks over to Kai and she starts pawing at his legs.
Kai looks down confused though Jay doesn't really know why. She's just a cat trying to play with him. Yet for some reason he looks like this is the most bizarre thing he's ever experienced despite literally fighting human sized snakes at least once a week.
“Jay what's she doing?” he asks.
“What do you mean? She's trying to play with you,” Jay giggles.
“Oh.”
Jay actually starts laughing at that. It's more of a cackle really. Kai’s genuine confusion is probably the best thing he's seen all day.
Cheddar starts circling Kai, it's definitely meant to be friendly but it's also almost like a predator watching its prey – at least that's what the brunet thinks anyway – and Jay just continues laughing at him as his confused face begins morphing more into fear than anything else.
Since the fire ninja's face is priceless by Jay's standards, the lightning ninja decides that now is a great time to take a picture of him.
It was so quick that Kai didn't notice it happened due to his growing fear - that he'd never admit to - and Jay realises that now is the perfect opportunity to finally have something good on Kai whenever he decides to make fun of him.
That and maybe Kai – especially at the start – kind of reminded him of a stray cat that had started to warm up to people after a while. He'd probably deck him if he ever said that out loud. Kai's reaction might be worth it now that he's started thing about it though.
______________________
Jay had tried to get Cheddar to leave Kai alone, he really did. Apparently though, she was just as stubborn as the fire ninja was.
Once she had gotten properly near him, she refused to leave his side. Every time the brunet would try to leave, she would follow wherever he went.
Obviously, since he didn't wanna be left alone with her – despite the fact that she hadn't actually done anything to warrant it – that led to Jay following them around for a bit.
Currently, they were just sitting on the couch in the living room. It was relatively silent apart from the movie they'd put on to kill time until Jay spoke.
“Maybe she likes you cause you're hot?”
Kai turned to him so fast you'd think he was the master of lightning and not Jay. His face was almost as red as his gi and all he could manage to say was a squeaky, “what!?”
Jay looked confused until he realised what exactly he'd said.
“WAIT NO- THAT CAME OUT WRONG I MEANT LIKE YOU'RE NATURALLY WARMER THAN OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU'RE THE MASTER OF FIRE SO YOU'RE KINDA LIKE A HEATER IF THAT MAKES SENSE?” Jay rambled trying to correct his mistake as his face was quickly turning the same shade as Kai’s the longer he went on.
The awkward silence stretched on before, finally, Kai spoke.
“Okay, I'm gonna ignore that first bit,” he actually replied pretty smoothly like he wouldn't be thinking about it for at least the next week or more, “that's actually a good point though. Maybe I'm like a blanket for her or something?”
Jay took a minute to calm himself before speaking – he didn’t wanna say something weird again. “I mean yeah! I know most living things like being warm so maybe she just feels safe around you?”
Kai thought for a moment. He didn't entirely get how feeling warm could make someone feel safe. Then he thought about how working in the forge made him feel safe after his parents disappeared.
Despite how dangerous it was for someone his age to be around and working with fire, it always brought comfort to him in some way. At first he chalked it up to it reminding him of his dad, then when he started his training he thought it might've been because it was his element. Now though he's starting to think that feeling warm might be a comfort for everyone.
Even after his conclusion however, Kai was still Kai, and he was still going to pretend to not like Cheddar simply to try and get on Jay's nerves.
“I still don't like her though,” he lied. “I wanna get up. My legs need some movement other than bouncing up and down.”
The ginger sighed and tried once again to get Cheddar to move without a fight to no avail.
“I mean you could just get up? She'll probably follow you but it's not like she's holding you hostage here.”
Honestly, Kai somehow hadn't realised that was an option. He could just get up and do laps of the ship for a little. Maybe actually train on a free day. That would make Wu happy, but it was his free day and he wants a nap after he stretches his legs.
Kai shook his legs out a little before standing up. He took a few steps and as expected, Cheddar leaped after him. The red ninja sighed and simply accepted his fate at this point.
Jay watched amused from the couch and let them go before turning back to the TV.
______________________
Honestly, being alone with Cheddar wasn't all that bad. Truly Kai doesn't know what he was worried about. Sure it was annoying being followed around but the cat isn't loud and isn't tripping him up as he walks. She was just kind of pressed up against his leg as they did laps for a little.
Eventually though, Kai got bored. It happens easily and he expected it but all he really has to do now is either take a nap or go bother Jay. Luckily for the lightning ninja though, Kai is feeling merciful for once and decides that his bed sounds really tempting right now.
As fun as annoying Jay is, sleep is just so enticing. Jay said it was like time travel once and it’s become one of the main things he thinks about when someone brings either of the two up.
He just has one problem. Well Cheddar isn't really a problem but there is still the chance that she scratches him in his sleep and he doesn't know what he'll do if something wakes him up before he's ready to be conscious again.
But Cheddar is really cute and she hasn't actually done anything menacing yet other than hiss when Jay tried to move her away from him. Maybe he'll just go lay down for a little. It'll be fine. She can guard him in his sleep or something because it was more likely for Master Wu to walk in to lecture him on using his free time wisely. Sleeping was wise. It gave him energy or something.
When Kai's thoughts finally paused, he was already at the dorm's door. It seemed that while his brain was still debating what to do, his legs had decided for him.
He climbed into his bed, Cheddar climbing in after him and decided that his chest would be her new bed for the time being. He didn’t really mind though as he drifted off into sleep.
______________________
The movie finished and Jay doesn't know where Kai went. Even with his insistence of not wanting to be with Cheddar, he still decided to leave and let her follow him wherever he'd gone.
So Jay figured he may as well take a nap and that they'll turn up when he wakes up. As he walked into the bunkroom though, he found the missing man curled up with the similarly missing cat sleeping on his chest, seemingly having had the same idea as the lightning ninja.
Seeing this though, Jay decided that he could at least stay awake until the team made it back. He just needed something to show them though in case Kai woke up before they arrived back.
Before leaving though, he took a quick photo for future blackmail - totally not because Kai looked weirdly cute when he wasn't running his mouth or being an idiot - and closed the door behind him.
He sent Kai the photo for him to see when he wakes up and of course to ask a question.
Lightning Nuisance: Now can we keep her???
Even if the rest of the team said no, he'd still feel like he won if only Kai said yes.