Chapter Text
Nya was having a long, boring night patrol with Kai when they finally saw something suspicious. A group of four dark figures near Ninjago Harbour carried crates from a nondescript boat into a warehouse. When two of the dark figures went inside the warehouse, the pair of ninja dropped down, knocking out one of the remaining criminals and getting a solid punch in on the other. The crate they were carrying dropped with a crash that drew the other two out onto the dock. In the ensuing fight, Nya's bandana was knocked off of her face.
Kai, cornered by a pair of assailants while Nya fought the third, powered up both of his hands and shot fire at them like a flamethrower. One was blasted with the flames and subdued as he desperately tried to put out his burning jacket. The other managed to dodge. While he was off balance, Kai threw a flying kick and knocked him out. When the red ninja turned back, the crate was on fire, flames glowing a strange green. Beside it, both Nya and her opponent were wavering on their feet.
"Nya! Put it out!" Kai cried, worried. He'd never had to remind his sister to put out a fire before. She stared at him with wide, confused eyes. "Water, Nya!" he encouraged as he tied up the subdued criminals. Finally she pulled water from the harbour to coat the crate and the charred criminal. Kai called the police to pick up their prisoners as he slowly approached his sister. "Nya, are you ok?"
Nya looked his way, and then looked around, giggling. "Did we do all this?"
Oh that wasn't good. Kai drew his sister away from the sizzling crate, not wanting to breathe in whatever was in it, even through his mask. The smoke clearly wasn't doing his sister any good, and the criminal who had been near her seemed to be hallucinating. He sat her down in a safe, dry place and turned on his comm link to contact Zane. By the time Kai looked back at Nya, she was giggling again, tiny balls of water dancing around her.
"Whoa there Nee," Kai says, wrapping an arm around his sister and pulling her to her feet. "I think I better get you home." Kai summoned his dragon and settled his sister on top, holding onto her so she wouldn't fall off. She kept leaning over to coo at the dragon, petting its long neck and scratching it between the scales. Kai tried to get her to stop, after all, the elemental dragons are connected to their elemental master and it just felt weird. When she finally did stop, she leaned so far back to look at the stars that he wished he'd left her alone. At least when she leaned forward he could grab her by the belt. This was definitely Kai's longest elemental dragon ride ever. It's a relief when he finally landed in the monastery courtyard.
Zane was there waiting when he landed, and he carefully took Nya from Kai, guiding her to the med bay. As they were walking, she knocked on his titanium skin and reached up to investigate his hair. Zane was relieved when he could sit her on one of the cots and move away. Kai explained what had happened and gave Zane a sample of the powder from the crate that he'd managed to remember to grab as they left.
After running every test on Nya and the powder that he could think of, Zane determined that Nya would be fine, but since he could not identify the substance, they'd just have to wait for it to wear off. Any medicines or healing teas to counteract the symptoms could have unintended side effects. Right now she was out of it but manageable. No one would want to deal with an angry drugged Nya.
Resigning himself to being awake for at least a few more hours after a long night of patrol, Kai settled Nya in the lounge where he could keep an eye on her and play video games to keep himself awake at the same time. Zane had looked relieved to get her and her poky fingers out of his med bay.
"Hey Kai, whatcha playing?" Jay said, coming through the door about an hour or so later on his way to grab breakfast and work in the garage. He wore a snug t-shirt with a pair of beat up jeans. "Oh, hey, Nya," he added shyly when he came in far enough to see her, glancing at his crush and then looking away.
"Heeey Jaaaay," she said, smiling up at him and giggling. Both guys turned their heads slowly towards her. Her voice was uncharacteristically soft. She turned sideways, leaned over the arm of the couch, and reached out, grabbing Jay's hands and pulling him down. He stared at her, confused. "Your hair is so pretty" she said, releasing one of his hands and running her fingers through his messy, dark auburn curls. He blushed and glanced over at Kai.
"Is she ok?"
"Um yeah, so, she was exposed to something when we were on patrol earlier. Zane checked her out and she's physically fine, but since we don't know what it was, it's going to have to wear off. She's just been giggly, which is kind of entertaining." He shrugged. "It's mostly don't leave her unsupervised and keep her out of trouble."
"Will you entertain me, Jay? Kai's boring."
"S-sure," Jay replied, sitting cautiously on the couch between the siblings. Pulling her feet up on the couch and her knees together, Nya turned toward him and draped her arms loosely around Jay's neck, staring at his face. Jay tried, unsuccessfully, to focus on the game on the tv and not the beautiful girl who was focussed on him. "What cha doin' Nya?" he asked eventually.
"Shhh, you made me lose count," Nya complained. At this point, Jay realised her lips were moving as she stared at him intently. He felt his face flush. She pouted. "Now you made them hide! Come back pretty freckles," she said, running a finger down his nose. That made him turn even more red, and she sighed, her knees flopping into his lap and her head drooping to rest on her arms and his shoulder. "I think your freckles don't like me," she said, her voice forlorn.
Jay laughed awkwardly. "I'm sure that's not true."
"I don't think there's any part of Jay that doesn't like you, Nya," Cole, who had slipped in silently, interjected teasingly. Jay shot Cole a sharp glare, silently willing him to keep his mouth shut in front of his crush and her big brother.
Nya perked up. "Is that true, Jay?" She traced his facial features one at a time with her fingertip. "Because I like your nose. And your eyebrows, what happened to this one? I like the space too. And your ears. And your chin. And your eyes. I love your eyes, I think they match better than people whose eyes match-match. And your lips-"
"Whoa there." Jay grabbed her hand and pulled it away as her fingertip traced his bottom lip. It was either that or kiss it. He had to remind himself that she was under the influence of something; she didn't know what she was doing to him. His heart was beating out of his chest as the girl of his dreams fawned over him. "I uh... I just remembered I told Zane I would help him make breakfast. Yeah." Jay carefully nudged Nya away from him and jumped up, fleeing the room. Cole followed.
"Dude what the hell," Cole said, punching Jay in the arm when they were far enough down the hall for Nya and Kai not to hear. Both stopped. "Your crush was practically in your lap, fawning all over you and you ran away?"
Jay raked his hands through his hair. "Yeah, but that's not Nya-Nya. That's 'drugged out of her mind with no idea what she's saying' Nya. If she knew what she was doing, she wouldn't be doing it."
"Are you sure? Maybe she's into you too and she's just too stubborn to admit it."
"Either way, I'm not going to take advantage of her condition!"
"Who said anything about taking advantage? Keep her entertained!"
Bang.
Their discussion was interrupted by a thump and a light giggle. Both turned to see Nya leaning against the wall, giggling and tugging at the parts of her gi. She dropped her belt, then looked down the hall towards Jay and Cole. A wide smile crossed her face. She stumbled towards them, slipping between and facing Jay without acknowledging Cole.
"See?" He mouthed. "Totally into you."
"There you are. You left sooo long ago," Nya pouted. "I missed you."
Cole laughed. They hadn't even been gone for 5 minutes. "Have fun," he whispered over her head, and headed for the kitchen.
"Is-is there something I can do for you, Nya?"
She tugged on the ties to her gi. "I'm soooo uncomfortable and these are like locks." She looked up at him under thick, dark lashes. Quite a feat since they were about the same height. "Help me? I didn't want to ask Kai." Her voice dropped like she was about to tell a secret. "He's my brother you know."
Jay groaned. She was killing him. His brain pretty much short circuited when he realised she was asking him to help her take her clothes off. At least as she tugged at the robe, he saw the strap of the baby blue tank top she preferred to wear underneath. "Are you sure?"
"Yes! I'm dying in here!"
Jay laughed, working to untie the complicated knots that held it in place. It was trickier than he expected since she wouldn't stay still. Eventually he placed his hands on her shoulders and pressed down firmly. "I can't untie your crazy knots if you don't stand still." She calmed instantly under his hands, her eyes drifting up to his face.
"Freckles," she said dreamily. Her lips started to move, so he assumed she was trying to count them again. Good luck to her, his face was absolutely covered in them. He used her distraction to puzzle through the knots on her robe and slip the heavy garment off her shoulders. "Thank you!" She cried, throwing her arms around his neck in a firm hug. Then she released him and spun around, arms out. "I feel so free!" Her feet tangled together and he barely had time to catch her before she fell.
"Ok let's get you back to Kai before you hurt yourself," Jay laughed, swinging her up into his arms. She giggled before she realised what he'd said.
"I'm tired of Kai. He's boring."
"He is, isn't he? But he's supposed to be keeping an eye on you."
"You could keep an eye on me," she said as she ran her fingers through his curls. "Then I could finish counting your freckles." She bit her lip. "I think I need to start over again. I lost my place." She stared intently at his face. Jay shook his head at the ridiculousness, prompting her to grab his chin and hold his head still while he walked.
Kai looked up when they came into the lounge. "Oh crap." He scrubbed a hand over his tired face. "I didn't even notice she left."
"Some babysitter you are," Jay teased. "You should get some sleep. You were up all night on patrol."
"So was she," Kai says, nodding towards his sister. "Besides, it's my job to look out for her."
"You guys aren't alone anymore. Let the rest of us help. I've got her, and Cole and Zane are around."
"I'm pretty sure Zane is sick of her." Kai gave Jay a level stare. He wanted to make a comment about leaving Jay alone with his sister. After all, everyone but Nya knew Jay was in love with her. Bah, Kai was too tired for jokes. He trusts his friend with his sister, absolutely. If he knew one thing about Jay, it was that Nya's safety was one of the few things he took seriously. A loud yawn made Kai's decision for him. "Just see if you can get her to sleep too." Jay nodded in response and moved to let Kai out the door.
"Now you," Jay said, looking down at the surprisingly quiet Nya. She was staring intently at his face again. He laid her on the couch and then straightened up. "How about a movie?"
"You left me," she pouted, sitting up halfway.
"I'm right here. I'll get your blanket and you'll be all comfy."
"Nope!" She hopped to her feet, stumbling a bit. He caught her waist with both hands, steadying her. Her palms landed flat on his chest, making his heart pound. He wasn't going to make it. She was going to kill him long before whatever had drugged her wore off. "Stay close to me. I feel all warm and fluffy when you're with me. When you go I'm sad." She stared deeply into his eyes. For a moment he forgot everything but her. The urge to kiss her was so strong.
Abruptly, she jumped back. "I need my blanket! It's not movie night without it."
Jay laughed. "It's not even lunch time," he said. She pouted, her pretty lips drawing his gaze. "Do you want me to go and get it? If so, you have to promise to stay right here." He guided her onto the couch. She started to stand back up. "Whoa, nope, sit here or no blanket." She frowned, about to argue. "If you're not here when I get back...ummm..." he racked his brain for something. Aha! "I'll sit way over there," he said, pointing across the room at a recliner, "and you won't be able to count my freckles."
She lifted her hand as if to trace them, but couldn't since he was standing and she was sitting. "I miss them already," she sighed. "Come back quickly, freckles."
When Jay returned, his arms around a big, fluffy blue blanket, she was curled in a ball on the couch, a frown on her face. Her whole face lit up when she saw him. "Freckles!" She exclaimed. What he wouldn't do to have her look at him like that when she wasn't drugged. He sat on the couch beside her stiffly, unfolded the blanket, and spread it over her.
"You're silly," she said, pushing his shoulders so he leaned back into the corner of the couch. Her arms coiled around his torso and her head nestled into the crook of his shoulder with a happy sigh.
"Do you want to pick the movie?" he asked stiffly, trying to figure out what to do with the arm she was wrapped under. He finally laid it across the back of the couch, hoping the awkward angle wouldn't make it go numb. She shook her head, and he could feel her warm breath through his t-shirt. Jay poked around a streaming site and picked some random comedy, hoping it would serve as a good distraction.
Her distraction lasted for about half an hour. He was starting to think she was drifting off to sleep when she sat up, biting her lip and staring at him. "You should ask me out," she said eventually.
Jay swallowed. Did she mean it, or was it the weird drug talking? He opted to pretend he hadn't understood. "What was that?"
"Why haven't you asked me out?"
"Why haven't you asked me out?" he replied, deflecting.
She tilted her head, thinking about it. With a sharp nod, she seemed to have come to a conclusion. Her eyes slid away from him, glancing around the room. Eventually, they returned to meet his gaze, almost shyly. Had he ever seen Nya act shy?
"Jay, will you go out with me?"
He froze. He should have expected that. He'd practically dared her to do it, and Nya never said no to a dare. His heart still leapt at the words, and he had to remind himself that she was drugged and had no idea what she was saying. Eventually he realised she was staring at him, her sweet, hopeful expression starting to fall. "Nya," he said, his heart in his throat. "Just tell me when and where and I'll be there."
A wide grin bloomed across her beautiful face and she flung her arms around his neck. The hug felt like it lasted forever. Eventually she pulled back, frowning. "Well not today. Cause Kai says I'm not allowed to go anywhere 'until I stop giggling like a lunatic,' whatever that means," she said with a shrug. A giggle escaped her, and then she frowned again.
Jay brushed a stray strand of hair off her face. "Are you ok?"
"I don't know. Kai thinks something is wrong with me. And Zane too." Her expression darkened.
"Hey, you're ok," Jay said, wanting her smile to come back. He admitted, only to himself, how much he was enjoying this relaxed version of Nya who didn't put the whole weight of the world on her slender shoulders. And ok, he was also enjoying her cute but inept flirting. He was a desperate, desperate man. "I mean it. You're ok. You were on patrol with Kai. You breathed in something, and now we're waiting for it to wear off. Like when Kai had the venomari venom, remember?" She nodded. "Except he was annoying and you're adorable," he finished. Non-drugged Nya would have hit him for that, he was sure.
Her smile returned. "You're my favourite ninja."
Jay shook his head. "You're my favourite ninja too. Don't tell Cole, ok?"
She giggled. "Oh I'm so going to tell him right now. Co-"
He clamped a hand over her mouth, wrapping an arm around her waist and hauling her into his lap so she couldn't run off. She struggled to free herself for a moment, then slid down, resting her head on his shoulder. Her eyes drifted shut.
Nya woke up warm and incredibly comfortable, but with an ache behind her eyes. She buried her face in her warm, firm pillow. Wait. That wasn't right. Slowly, she opened one eye. All she could see was dark blue fabric. Hmm. She opened the other, raising her head just a bit. Jay, she thought with a smile, gazing up at his adorable, freckle covered face. She wondered how many freckles he actually had. A memory of counting them flitted through her mind like a blue butterfly. The room was dark, and from what she could see, he was fast asleep. The only light came from the flickering tv. She wondered how she'd ended up here, asleep on the couch in the comfort of Jay's arms. Slowly, it came together in flashes. Patrol. The thugs she and Kai had ambushed. The flaming crate. Then everything got fuzzier. Med bay somehow? Kai must have gotten her home. Had she actually found it fun to watch Kai play video games?
And then Jay. Everything else was Jay. Oh no, had she really crawled all over him? Made him take her gi robe off? Asked him out? No wait, he said yes, didn't he? Did he mean it, or was he just humouring her?
Her stomach growled, disrupting her train of thought. She rose carefully, trying not to wake him, and tucked her blanket around him. She grabbed a small snack and tiptoed to her room, wondering what to do.
A few days later, Nya found Jay alone in the workshop of the monastery. "I'm starting to think you're avoiding me," she said, leaning casually in the doorway.
He jerked up, almost knocking his project off of his workbench. "No! No, no, I wouldn't. I've just uh... I've got a lot on my plate," he said, not really looking at her but taking brief glances out of the corner of his eye. He had totally been avoiding her. He absolutely did not want to know if she'd been upset when she woke up on the couch with him. Frankly, he'd been half waiting for her and her fiery temper to hunt him down. Now he braced for the explosion.
"Oh," she said with a small frown. "Does that mean you're too busy for that date we discussed?"
"Wait, you mean you actually want to go out with me?" Jay was stunned.
"I asked you out, didn't I?" She said, blushing. "I mean I think I did? I only remember bits and pieces. If you just said yes because I was out of it, that's ok." She bit her lip, her confidence drifting away. "I shouldn't have said anything. Forget I brought it up." She started to back into the hallway.
Jay was in front of her at the speed of lightning, hands resting lightly on her upper arms, before she could turn away. "No wait, Nya." His voice softened. "Let's go somewhere. Just you and me." He softly brushed her hair back from her face. "Yes, Nya, I would love to go out with you." He shot her his most charismatic smile. "If I'd known all it would take to get a date with you was a massive dose of an unidentified drug, I would have - yeah nope. My mouth really needs to learn to check in with my brain before saying anything."
She giggled, "Just take me somewhere before your mouth makes me change my mind." The hall was filled with her laughter when he threw her over his shoulder and ran for the garage.