Are You Awake?

by cuminisnotcinnamon

Summary:

Jay needs comfort often throughout his years as a ninja. Living in the monastery away from home growing along with people his own age comes with its own challenges, not to mention the whole saving-the-world thing that happens over and over again. Nya feels similar to Jay, in the way of nervousness and needing someone to lean upon when everything settles down. The difference is that Nya's stubbornness keeps her in bed, but Jay isn't afraid to look like a fool chasing her for affection. They make it work.

or

Jay sneaks into Nya's bed when he gets stressed.

Notes:

Jay, besides Lloyd, is the youngest. He suddenly feels out of place.

Set some time between Season 1 and Season 2.

Jay is 15 and Nya is 14

Chapter 1: Reassurance

Nya dreamed peacefully, for the first night since she and Kai came to the monastery. Soon enough, she awoke, to the sound of her door squeaking open and the sheets rustling. It wasn't her alarm clock, so she turned over on her left side where her pillow felt cooler and stubbornly clenched her eyes shut. She faintly heard a gasp but ignored it in her fatigued state.

The person in her room sighed. The mattress dipped, and the sheets fluffed and settled. Nya floated back to sleep, ignorant but content. Besides, Master Wu would detect any trespassers before they made it into the training yard.

 

Hours later when the sun rose, Nya's alarm clock rang loud as a bell tower. She quickly sat up and slapped at the buttons on top, effectively shutting off the sound. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, about to turn to the other side and nap for a few minutes longer, when she noticed a slop of brown curls peeking out from her covers on the very edge of her bed.

Jay looked like he was about to fall off if he so much as breathed the wrong way. It was cute, she thought, and pretty nice of Jay to try and not disturb her as much as possible. He probably would have slept on the floor if she made him. He reminded Nya of herself when she snuck into the boys' room the first peaceful night after the Great Devourer was defeated.

Nya snorted, somehow suddenly reminded of when Jay was bit by a snake. She still found humor in personally knowing the ninjas who were supposed to be the oh-so great heroes of Ninjago and the surrounding villages. She wondered about the future of her brother's career, and furthermore if she had a future with Jay. All-in-all, it was too early in the morning for this. Nya glances at her clock, realizing that yes, she had set it for the wrong time.

There's certainly no harm in missing sunrise training, right? It's only for one day, and Jay needs his rest after how late he and the boys stayed up playing video games.

Nya rolls Jay over closer to the center of the bed and flops over on her side. He doesn't even stir, unaffected by her meddling. She flops down and nestles herself back in the bedding.

 

Nya doesn't wake this time, but Jay never knew she woke up in the first place. He almost forgot the reason he grabbed a break from his room with the others as soon as he stepped through the door, instantly calmed by a change of environment. Jay is... not falling off the edge of the bed? I mean, he was insanely close to simply sleeping on the floor or even sleeping at the very foot of the bed just to not bother Nya.

He just felt... intense. There was something there, something intruding on his space, but it was in his own head, and he knew it.

Jay missed his parents, but he also loved having independence so young. He, Cole, Zane, and Kai went on their missions, which were deadly, sure, but they could always go find ways to blow off steam and have fun whenever they felt. Even with all the pros and cons bouncing around in his head, Jay still felt a foundational melancholy painted over his downtime. The second he's left alone, with no amicable space to fill with endless chatter, an uncertain, sad, fuzziness overtakes his consciousness.

Instead of confiding in one of the guys, who he would then have to share every second of the day with, he opted to talk to Nya. Jay loves her, or as much as his unexperienced heart thinks he loves her. But after the battle with the Great Devourer, the two of them never talked about dating again. There was no flirting, serious discussions, or even awkward moments. Nya and Jay simply... became friends again.

"Nya? You up?" Jay gently shakes her arm.

Nya's eyes pinch before she opens them and yawns. "Jay?"

His face flushes, suddenly embarrassed. He leans backward to not crowd Nya.

"Yeah, I uh, hope you're okay with me, well, being here. You see, I-"

Nya rolls over and pushes Jay's chest back.

"Are you going to talk?" She smiles, curious. "About what you need, not about... anything else?"

Jay giggles nervously. He pulls himself together, barely.

"I don't really know what to say." He lays back down, hands clasped. Jay stares at the ceiling beams.

"Oh. Do you want to just, I dunno, be here with me?" Nya traces circles in the blanket with her finger.

Jay turns his head to look at his friend.

"Yeah, I think that would help."

Chapter 2: Makeup

Summary:

Jay and the boys come back late from a night out in the city. Nya fell asleep waiting for them to come back, but she forgot to take off her makeup before she went to bed.

Set between S3 Rebooted and s4 Tournament except Zane is here for some reason and everyone is still besties and at the monastery.

Jay is 16, Nya is 15

Jay felt invigorated by the sudden increase in missions lately. He and the others are so much older than they were when Master Wu begun training them, but he was still oh-so young. Eighteen years old feels too young to be stuck as a teacher's assistant at the middle school Wu somehow had a hand in getting off the ground.

Though he was close with the other ninjas, (they were as close as brothers at this point), Nya felt far. Jay supposed he sort of... hadn't talked to her in a while. At least, outside of missions and necessary interactions. He did notice, though, that Nya had started wearing a lot more makeup. She wore lipstick and mascara while she was an assistant at the school so the children would respect her, but other than that, Jay wasn't sure why she kept it on around the ninjas and Wu. It made no sense to him, especially since he's heard her complain about how annoying it is to take off the makeup every single night.

Jay rolled over in his bed, feeling unrest already. The room felt too hot, especially now that Lloyd occupied a corner. Even living high in the mountains wasn't a good excuse for Wu to not install air conditioning in the monastery. Jay dreams of the coldest room in the house, Nya's, angled perfectly for the nightly breeze to flow through a cracked window.

The blue ninja feels ridiculous wishing he was in Nya's room. These days, especially after the disastrous tour of Borg Tower, Jay felt distant from Nya. He tried his best to give her the space she needed, but he couldn't help but feel drawn to her. Nya is an incredible person and seems to have enough confidence for both herself and Jay. She meant safety and no judgement.

One night, the ninja had gone out to eat without Master Wu. They offered for Nya to come too, but she said she had an errand to run. Cole and Jay had snuck a glance at each other, temporarily establishing a truce in their tenseness in their concern for her. She usually loved eating out at Chen's, even just for a chance to feel like normal teenagers. But she didn't even come along, so the moment was forgotten.

The boys came back to the monastery and saw Nya laid over the couch, television remote still in hand. Kai shook his head and walked over to pic her up, but Jay put a hand on Kai's arm to stop him.

"Her makeup is still on. She breaks out if she doesn't take it off." Jay explained.

"Sure, bud," Kai pats Jay's shoulder, "You got that, right?" Kai pushes past him, obviously exhausted. Cole had already headed to bed, and Zane lingered in the kitchen, picking up stray items.

Before Jay could respond, Kai was always down the hall on the way to the bathroom. Jay peered at Nya, still snoring on the couch. He nudged the girl to test the waters of how cranky she might be. She only rolled over onto her side.

Jay sighed. Lately, and he guesses since forever, he's pandered to Nya's good graces, almost to an exhausting degree. He had been fearing a final straw which could possibly fracture their already diminishing friendship. Jay wanted a day, just one day, where Nya and him didn't have a tense awkwardness between them.

But that would never happen, so for now, tonight, Jay is going to bite the bullet.

Jay pushes her bangs from her face and taps her shoulder until her eyes flitter open. Nya squints, rubs her eyes, and begrudgingly sits up.

"Jay?" She's too tired to be awkward. Which is good; that means Jay doesn't have to be fake, either. He can help her clean her face and then flop into bed.

“Hey, uh, I’m just going to help you take off your makeup real quick,” he mentally crosses his fingers, hoping she can accept his assistance. “Then I’ll leave you alone. Just— wanted to make sure you could go to bed.” Nya looks at the boy for a second, then makes up her mind. She shrugs and drags herself off the couch.

Jay chuckles to himself, following her down the hall. Her hair is all tangled and sticking up in the strangest ways. Her oversized pajama shirt is wrinkled by her collar, and there’s an oil stain by the bottom hem from a previous night of ninja shenanigans.

He wouldn’t change her for the world.

But for now, Jay flips on the light switch to the blue-tiled bathroom and sits Nya down on the close-lidded toilet. But where does she keep her makeup bag? Jay had known the location at one point, but he’s long forgotten by this point. He opens the cabinet behind the mirror and under the sink, but found only medicine and extra toilet paper.

“They’re in my room, Jay.” Nya slurs out. Jay blinks.

Right, okay, the makeup wipes are in her room. No big deal.

“Be right back.”

Nya’s room used to feel like a sanctuary, but Jay can’t help but feel like an intruder. He’s almost afraid to cross the threshold as he stares at the closed door. He opens it, and walks in, struck with the undeniable scent of Nya. It’s intoxicating and welcoming. Jay doesn’t indulge, though, and simply snatches the packet of makeup wipes and leaves as soon as possible. He’s not an invited guest in Nya’s room; he doesn’t belong there among the more-loved blades and worn jackets.

Jay returns to the bathroom and stands over Nya, still sat on the toilet lid. He hesitates, but assures himself that Nya won’t care since she’s so tired and he can simply sleep off this experience before he has time to freak out about it. He opens the crinkly package of wipes and whips a cloth out. Jay rests Nya’s face in his hand and rubs at her cheeks. The foundation and contour seep into the wipe as he continues with the expanse of her forehead and nose bridge. Jay can barely keep himself from ceasing his goal, because all his tired mind would like to do is stare at Nya until each new feature is memorized. He can’t believe how different she is, how different he is simply from maturing.

Jay missed the small signs and changes in her and his own body, too preoccupied in the too-big responsibility of protecting Ninjago. He knows he has changed and can feel it in the way his muscles ache and pull on his bones, but the look of a broader chest or slimmer face catches him off guard when he looks at himself or the other ninja for too long.

“Jay?” Nya looks up at him through her lashes, He notices he hasn’t moved the makeup wipe in a moment.

“Sorry, I’m tired too.”

Nya smiles softly at Jay and puts a hand on his leg. It’s entirely unromantic in nature, but Jay can sense a minuscule shift in the air. He moves his focus onto Nya’s eyeliner. It clumps as it’s rubbed away. The twin wings disappear shortly. Nya’s hand starts moving. It simply rubs circles into Jay’s leg.

Jay throws away the used wipe and washes his hands.

“You’re all set.” He moves towards the door, “Goodnight, Nya.”

“‘Night.”

Notes:

aughhh I love awkward interactions and also I want to throw up and jump and cry I love jaya

chap title and synopsis make no sense with where im going with this so that'll change soon

Chapter 3: This Never Happened

Summary:

Jay's getting pretty desperate for a coping mechanism. To his and Nya's surprise, though they've been fighting during the day, they get along so well this one night.

Notes:

Set after S5 Possession, before S6 Skybound.

Jay is 17 and Nya is 16.

Once again, Jay can't sleep for the life of him. He's tried drinking warm milk, training until his limbs are jelly, taking hot showers, taking cold showers, and even simply going to bed early. There's other factors to his insomnia, surely, but he can't get his mind off of Nya and Cole. Ever since the entire technoblade incident, Nya has been tense and flighty. Cole has been incredibly defensive. Jay hates how torn he feels from the group as a whole since he lets his anger control him. Jay knows for a fact that he's being insecure and irrational, but he also knows that he's got just about nothing special about himself to keep Nya interested in him unless he fights for it. Isn't that what boys are supposed to do to keep a girl? Well, not that Nya is his girlfriend, but he thought that first date so long ago during the Serpentine invasion meant something to her.

Jay rolls over in bed. The bunk bed, with Kai snoring on the top bed, shudders. The bed is probably as old as Master Wu, but Jay wonders if it'll crush him one of these days. Maybe then he could skip training for once and rid of the aches in his arms and back. the sky is still dark out and Zane's alarm clock reads as past midnight. Jay shifts to lay on his back. An ache rings out in his quads and he can't make his feet comfortable under the blanket. They just awkwardly hold up the blanket which makes him colder. His pillow is scratchy, especially on the acne spots on his jawline.

Finally, Jay relinquishes the thought of a peaceful night of sleep and gets out of bed. He kicks on his slippers and a sweatshirt and shorts before making his way to the kitchen. Now that his mind feels a little clearer since he's truly awake, the awful pang of loneliness hits his gut. He sits down on a kitchen stool, prolonging his midnight visit. He holds his head in his hands and lets his thoughts circle his brain. Perhaps being a ninja, isolated from the vast city of Ninjago and deprived of fleeting social interactions, is what feeds into Jay's need for affection. Right now, he just can't stop the ache for someone to hold him. And sure, he could ask one of the boys, but Kai sure hasn't appreciated how Jay has been treating his sister and Cole sure as hell won't come to his rescue. Cole isn't even capable of hugging, since he's apparently a fucking ghost now.

He doesn't want to be so dependent on anyone, but the only alternative is this: moping and suffering.

Can't Jay have the normal life like in movies where he's already had his first kiss and first real date? If he was experienced already, then he wouldn't feel like he's missing out so much. Jay hasn't even been to the movie theatre in years. Sure, there's a television in the monastery, but it's not the same. He even misses the junkyard, for that was some semblance of normality without the responsibility of saving the world. Come to think of it, the ninjas has done that a few times already. It's fun, sure, but Jay is exhausted of worrying for his own safety.

Wait... Didn't he just go see Nya last time he felt like this? But it's so late, surely she would either stab him or throw him out of her room. Especially now, since his stupid teenage mind makes him say ridiculous things he never even meant. Jay considers his options again.

He retrieves a plastic cup from the cabinet and fills it with ice and water. Jay takes a few sips, allowing the cool water to run down his throat and placate his racing body. Ugh, he can't slow down his heart. It's beating too fast, and he just ends up panicking more when he realizes he can't calm down. Breathe, Jay. Slowly.

He tries to hold his breath before letting it out so he can slow down, but that just makes his body panic when he can't breathe. He sets down the cup on the counter with a "thunk" and slowly guides his body to sit, then lay on the ground. The cool tile chills his damp back. Jay lays there, for who knows how long, simply breathing and noticing how high the ceiling really is. He sets one hand to rest on his chest to feel the air going in and out of his lungs. The simple act of existing calms him down slightly. He sits up again, resting his back on the counter, and grabs the water cup to take a few more sips.

Jay feels wrong. He's acted so stupid and reckless lately, but it's not like he can change the past. His friends probably hate him for what he's said. Accusing Cole of absolutely nothing and assuming Nya can't take care of herself? Jay really shouldn't be allowed to think for himself if he keeps choosing wrong. He bets Wu would slap him upside the head if he was around the ninja group when Jay starts talking. "Silence is a true friend who never betrays," Wu would say, and then they would all keep going on whatever mission they were on.

Jay drained the last of the water in the cup and set it in the dishwasher. He made his way back to the boys' room, but stopped when he got to Nya's door. Trying can't hurt, right? And she can always kick him out if he's unwanted. He wouldn't be surprised.

He knocks once, twice, and waits. After a minute, Nya's face appears in the opened door. She looks awake, not like the groggy tiredness he expected to be laid upon her face.

"Oh, uh. You're up too?" Jay's little confidence he had leaves his body. "I couldn't sleep with your brother's snoring." His lie was pathetic, but it made Nya laugh a little. Her face quickly schooled itself into cool disapproval.

"You basically called me helpless earlier, and now you're asking to sleep in my room?" Nya glares at him. He definitely deserves it. Jay starts to step back, chickening out and opting to leave her alone before he messes up even more. "Where are you going?" Nya steps towards him in the hall.

"I'm-" Jay, c'mon, go through with it! "Yeah, I can't sleep at all. But I thought... never mind. It's dumb, I'm sorry if I woke you," He moves to leave again, but Nya puts a hand on his shoulder.

Blood rushes to his face; Jay is thoroughly embarrassed.

"Jay," her mouth almost quirks up into a smile, "I was already awake. You can sleep here if you want," Jay stares, gobsmacked. "It's pretty warm in my room anyways."

Of course she knows Jay likes to sleep warm. He's probably included it in one of his many word vomits. He still can't believe she would remember that, much less listen to him. He's led into the room by Nya. Once again, his mind quiets immediately at the sight of her room. The carpet is the same design, if only a little more loved than last time he saw it. Nya's lamp is on, coating the room in a soft amber glow. Jay still can't believe how comfortable she has made her space in the few years they've all spent here. Even when the ninjas only consisted of Jay and Cole, neither of the boys kept many trinkets or decorations in their shared room.

Nya lays back down in the right side of the bed where her duvet and blankets were rustled. At Jay's hesitance, she peels back the covers on the left side and pats the mattress there. Jay climbs in, feeling the weight of his fatigue all at once as soon as the covers are pulled over his body. He feels Nya lift his head to put her extra pillow below his curls. Jay's mind drifts off, as he miraculously sleeps lying on his back when he's usually a side-sleeper, delightfully not thinking of any of his mistakes he's made this week.

His limbs feel like they're floating in water, and his body is so, so warm. He even has socks on as he drifts off, but they don't bother him at all. He must have kicked off his slippers before he got in the bed. Nya clicks off the lamp and settles into the mattress.

Jay's mind completely silences, and he has no urge to shift or move or talk.

Until.

Jay wakes up again, some hour later, to Nya's cheek against his chest and an arm slung over his abdomen. Both of them have moved towards the center of the bed and his right arm is a pillow for her head. Focusing more, Jay realizes Nya's right leg is lying on top of his right leg, tangling the two of them. He's so comfortable that he really doesn't want to move, but the small voice in his head is telling him to move before he's in an early grave by Nya's hands. But maybe, since he's on top of her, she did this on purpose? But Jay is not willing to assume her consent just because he is so touch-starved.

He moves his left arm to cradle Nya's back. His sleep-addled mind can't make proper decisions this late at night.

Nya wakes too, but she just snuggles deeper into his sweatshirt and holds him closer. It's paradise.

Before he can stop himself, Jay lays a chaste kiss on her forehead. She looks up at him, slowly. Nya searches his eyes before shifting closer and kissing him back, but on the lips. They smile at each other, intimate and innocent, when Nya pulls away. Jay rubs his left hand up and down her back soothingly. She lets out a breath like she was holding it, then lays her head down in the crook of his neck, content. Jay uses his freed right arm to hug her close, then loosens and settles back down to hopefully fall into sleep again. Nya and Jay drift off, holding each other.

As the light from the window grows, it hits Jay square in the face, just like the events of last night. He sits up abruptly, and hears Master Wu hitting the gong to tell the ninja to get up, already. He looks around and realizes he is still in Nya's room, but she was nowhere to be found. Lucky for both of them, he guesses, to avoid awkwardness. Now that he's up and out of her bed, regret and embarrassment floods his mind. Looking back, she seemed fine with cuddling, but how bold was he?

He's never doing anything while drowsy ever again.

At breakfast, they avoid eye contact, which is normal for them nowadays. Now, it's just for a completely different reason. Jay can't even look Cole in the face. His anger is completely gone, and now he just wishes he can get crushed by a boulder soon.

Chapter 4: I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry

Summary:

Jay's not thinking about his encounter with the Djinn. And he doesn't need to crawl back to Nya's room just to get some peace of mind.

Notes:

SKYBOUND !!

Yes, I don't have a chapter solely for Hands of Time. Skybound is more pressing, obviously.

Jay is afraid to fall asleep tonight, like many nights he has experienced before. The junkyard, where he grew up, creaked and groaned when the wind whistled through decommissioned cars and piles of scrap. The sounds scared Jay so bad when he was younger, that he never slept during stormy nights. But he isn't younger anymore, Jay is the lightning ninja, who was helped in saving the world more times than he can care to count. He's seventeen now, past the age where he should be scared of things going bump in the night. 

However, Jay's fear is certainly affirmed. Just last month, time curled up on itself like a snake and threw himself and Nya out back to the place before anything went wrong. Or at least, before most events turned sour. He had noticed the strange behavior of Dareth and the broader audience of Ninjago city, especially their treatment of Nya. 

Jay had known better. He really did. He just... well, it's not like the kids in the city school welcomed him and taught him how the normal populace acts. How was he supposed to know that girls weren't usually treated differently? His mom- well, his adoptive mom- was never different from his (adoptive) dad in the ways of competency. Ed and Edna are the junkyard couple, content where they reside. 

Jay thinks Ed talked to him about the culture of Ninjago city once, when Jay had come home from school saying some nasty words. He said to Jay something along the lines of 'Son, just because every other kid does something never means you have to do it too.' Or maybe it was 'Me and your ma will never stop loving you because of a mistake you made.' Or perhaps Jay was sat down and talked to many different times. Jay lived in his bubble in the junkyard during his childhood. Being a ninja burst that bubble more than public school ever could. 

So, when Dareth insisted they shouldn't wait on Nya before filming some dumb commercial, neither the director nor any other employees complained. Kai did, which Jay was thankful for, because he didn't want to be the only one to protest. The six of the ninjas had become celebrities in the city, but that came with too many meaningless opinions. The trouble came when Jay didn't know who to listen to and who to ignore. He had even started brushing out his curls to get his hair as straight as possible. The internet declared the change good, so he kept it, even when his latest visit to Ma and Pa made him regret his new style. Ma helped him scrunch the pattern back into his hair. 

And the universe decided the ninjas needed to be kept on their toes. Chased by news helicopters, it only seemed right to help out Nya, who hadn't learned Airjitzu yet. Jay wanted her to simply find another spot, but Kai and Cole insisted that Jay should just help Nya to get her hidden faster. Jay had seen the trust shatter from Nya's eyes as he also urged Nya to take his hand. It broke him to see that already-thinning connection tear as he pulled his hand away. 

Then the Djinn ruined his life. Jay was doing just fine without knowing he was adopted. Jay didn't need to charm Nya, he knew that, but he couldn't resist the temptation. He had failed his team and paid the price. He didn't like to think about what happened, because then he may have to accept that it was real and he truly wasn't capable at being a ninja. 

His mind kept returning to the moment the team (or what was left of it) shamed him for not only losing Zane, but making wishes for his own benefit. His gut screamed 'if only', 'if only', 'if only'. If only... what? If only he didn't make wishes? If only Nya liked him? If only the loud opinions of Ninjago City were quieter? If only he hadn't been given the element of lightning? 

He wouldn't wish for that. Would he? It was cool to have a power to control. Electricity was a comfort and a weapon. Lightning was his companion, and thunder was his voice. At least that's what Wu said. Jay doesn't believe anything Wu says anymore. After Master Wu failed to warn anybody about the Hands of Time, anything he tried to pull seemed less like a wise lesson and more like another waste of effort. 

Jay can't help but think that his affection for Nya may be because she is his first friendship with a girl. He hates the thought, especially now when any of the ninjas are considered unattainable and 'on another league'. Kai keeps going on about how any of the ninjas could have any person they could want as a date. Jay wants to believe it, for the sake of his own self confidence. 

Jay rolls onto his side, catching sight of Zane's sleeping form. Zane seems content. Cole does, too. Kai and Lloyd were still gone on patrol of the city. Figures; it's only ten at night. 

Six months ago, the city was overrun by a pirate crew and the Djinn captain. Jay was tortured, and Nya was killed. On the eve of Nya's death, Jay conducted just the right wish to reverse the events, but only he and Nya remember. Jay still can't see completely well in one eye. He still refuses to look at his ankle when it isn't covered up by his ninja getup or a sock or anything to keep it from his view. The vengestone cuff had almost cut to bone physically, but tore so much connection he had to his element. Most of his control was back, as Jay had been painfully training his element again while hiding it from anybody else in the monastery.

While yes, the crew had gone on another world-saving adventure by stopping through Hands of Time, that had only been a temporary distraction for Jay. He had been so proud of not only repairing his relationship with Nya, but also keeping himself from needing her to sleep at night. She said she didn't mind, that she liked the extra warmth, but Jay needed to prove himself. He could sleep, with his closest friends surrounding him, and stay asleep the entire night, without any outside assistance. 

The shadows creeped too close, and Jay's breathing picked up too quick when he saw a gleam in the corner of his eye. He sits up, startled to his very core, but just sees it's from Cole's earring. He forgot to take it out before bed, again. No golden jewelry from a certain villain. That 'ol guy is back in the teapot, where no idiot would dare to let him out again. 

Jay feels paralyzed. He should be comforted after talking himself down, but every shape seems to scream danger. Though he knows Kai's sneakers are over there, and Cole's phone is on the floor again, and Zane's bag is propped up against the dresser, and Lloyd's photos are on the wall, the unknown scares his human nature. He wants to scream. 

What a kid he must look like, silently panicking with a blanket over his head to ward off anything spooky. He feels more terrified than when he faced off the Serpentine. He's more startled than when he fell of a building last year. How pathetic he is, but he can't help it and can't cure it. Jay has tried. Trying isn't enough anymore. Jay is still vulnerable enough to seek comfort tonight. 

Nya's door is cracked open, so he nudges himself into the room, already getting comfortable on the old mattress. Before long, Nya comes through the doorway and slips under the covers. She must not have seen his form when she came in, because she lets out a little 'oh' when her arm bumps his head. Jay can't remember much past that, because he falls asleep with her arm wrapped snug around him. 

---

Nya is plenty awake. Jay insisted that he would try to sleep in his bunk back in the boys' room, like he did before shit hit the fan. Instinctively, she wanted him to stay and hold her like he had since that day time did a somersault. He was right, though. She was sixteen and should not need another person to fall asleep at night.  But as she laid down to rest, she wanted him to complete her. It's silly, she knows, the little crush she has for him. It never left her, even after all the ridiculous stuff Jay has done. From misspeaking to being overprotective, he's made countless mistakes just to capture her favor. Nya is, frankly, a little disappointed at her taste in men. Kai never lets her forget. 

But as she has learned throughout the years, Nya is as much a unique person as anybody else. Worrying about being too girly or too masculine will just distract her from enjoying herself. And training, Wu used to catch her drifting off into space because she overthought what she wore to training. After meeting her mom (she still can't believe she knows her mom now... even if they're completely different) and getting advice from Skylor and Pixal throughout her various emergencies, Nya feels much more secure in who she carved herself out to be. Even if she still needs to work on her anger issues, she has the support she needs. 

As for her newfound insomnia, Nya has made a habit of meditating. It's not the first thing she would reach for, but her stupid element is all about flow, and training is easier when she does her homework. A quiet moment or two a night also calms her mind when memories of six months appears, unwanted. From the wedding dress to the minimizing of her character, the entire adventure of Nadhakan hadn't left her mind in the healthiest of places. 

Nya is returning from a silent moment bathed in moonlight when she notices her door is wide open. She disregards it as wind flowing through the monastery. She shucks off her socks and hoodie, heading to flop into bed. Her elbow lightly bumps something already on the pillow. Jay. 

He's back in her bed like he never made a fuss earlier about 'proving himself' able to sleep on his own. Nya understands to a point, but she would rather indulge. It's not like she'll have to live without him there as a comfort. Jay promised that, and she knew he meant it. There's no use in weening themselves away from comfort if it's guaranteed. 

Nya kisses his curls and wraps an arm around Jay's midsection. There's the warmth she missed. 

 

Notes:

AUGHHHHH I LOVE THEMMMMMMMMMMMM

I got a prompt from good old Tumblr about dragons rising jaya, so the next chapter will prob be about seabound then skip to Dragons Rising. Agent Walker and Rogue need to be medically examined.