Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nya may be young, but she’s more observant than anyone gives her credit for. With only vague memories of her parents she’s not even sure are real, what she does remember is that Kai wasn’t always her brother. She was maybe eight when they had their first actual conversation about it.

“Nya?” He started, “I’ve been talking with Ms. Arima and she’s gonna help me get on puberty blockers.” Ms. Arima is one of their neighbors, one of the main adults in their village helping look after the young orphans.

“Because you’re a boy?” Nya asks plainly, the older pulling back slightly, shaking his head in surprise at his sister’s bluntness.

“Yeah...” He says, squinting at her. “You know?”

“You’re not subtle, K. You’ve never liked being a girl, it’s pretty obvious.” Nya shrugs.

He laughs, some combination of awkward and relieved. “It’s Kai.”

“Nice name,” She says.

Kai swings an arm over her shoulder, pulling her close. “Isn’t it? Our parents liked it for you, but it’s mine now, I’ve decided.”

“You can have it,” Nya laughs, “It sounds like you.”

—

Ignacia is a small farming village. Everyone knows one another, and everyone knows the Smith kids’ parents are long gone. Their neighbors provide for them, so Kai and Nya can go to school with the other children. Their community looks after one another, but at 13 years old, Kai is old enough to start working. He helps as a farmhand, earning money in hopes of no longer living off of their neighbors' generosity. He’s only a couple years off of being an adult – Nya not far behind him – and he wants to set his little sister up for success however he can. He works full time under Mr. Hirata, and he’s not the only one. The Hiratas are kind and good people who employ a handful of teenagers, treating them well and paying them fairly. Kai’s coworkers are among his only friends. Hence why Nya is surprised when Kai comes home for the night looking worried.

“What’s wrong?” Nya asks, looking up from her books.

“Nothing,” Kai says before hesitating, “Well… Okay,” He gathers himself, “I think I like Reo.”

Nya blinks. “Okay?”

“Nya…” Kai whines, “What do I do?”

“Talk to him or don’t, it’s up to you.”

“But what if he doesn’t like guys?”

“His loss, I guess.” Nya shrugs. “Or who knows? Maybe he dodged a bullet with you.”

“Hey!!”

—

Nothing ends up coming out of that little crush, but Kai never ceases to be absolutely hopeless. It’s hardly a year later and Kai’s reopened their parents’ old shop, selling what wares they have left and trying to teach himself smithing. It’s as a couple girls around Kai’s age are leaving that Nya’s brother sighs.

“Girls are pretty,” He says mournfully.

Nya turns to him, unimpressed. “Are you going to do anything about it?”

“Yes!... Probably not…”

“You’re useless,” Nya teases.

“I take offense to that!” Kai refutes loudly, biting back a smile.

“I’ll take it back when you finally get a girlfriend or boyfriend, deal? Shouldn’t be too hard since you’re interested in both.”

“We just established I’m a mess, Nya. I’m too bisexual for this,” He grumbles amusedly.

It’s the first time either of them had said the word, Nya notices. “Good for you, now get it figured out or something. At least ask someone out sometime.”

“You know what? Maybe I will.”

Nya scoffs, “Sure. At this rate, I’ll get myself a boyfriend before you do.”

“Bet.”

Chapter Text

“Uncle?” Lloyd calls as the man moves to leave. Only now does he hesitate, pausing as Wu looks back at him, snuggled in a blanket. It’s far and away the nicest place Lloyd’s had to sleep for months. His uncle was, for some reason, willing to take Lloyd in even after all the problems he’s caused, but the older hasn’t acknowledged this, even in passing. What if this is where Uncle Wu draws the line? It’s a stupid fear, he knows. Wu has only referred to Lloyd by his chosen name, but isn’t it weird he hasn’t asked? Chickening out, Lloyd blurts out the least direct of his questions: “How did you know my middle name?”

Wu smiles, backtracking to sit level with Lloyd. “A lucky guess, mostly. Your mother always liked the idea of calling her child ‘Monty.’”

Lloyd freezes, struggling to process all implied in that one sentence. Wu knew his given name – or at least enough to guess – and because he was close with his mother, no less. “You knew my mom?” He whispers, knowing next to nothing of the woman and both terrified of and starving for what he may learn.

“Once,” Wu confirms, his fond tone growing an almost somber edge, “But I haven’t seen or heard from her in years. I’m sorry, Lloyd. I don’t know what happened to her or where she went, but I know she loved you, and she would be so proud of you.”

Tears threaten to form, and Lloyd struggles to fight them. “Why would she?”

“Why would she leave?” Wu clarifies, “I wish I knew, but I do know that she would never have done anything if she hadn’t thought it would be best for you.”

“Thanks,” Lloyd sniffs, “But that’s not what I meant. Why… Why would she be proud of me? All I’ve ever done is screw things up.”

“No. No, Lloyd, come here.” Wu scoots closer, scooping him into a tight hug, one that makes it clear Wu isn’t well-acquainted with the gesture, but he more than makes up for it with his enthusiasm. “You have done so well with what destiny has given you. Yes, you’ve made mistakes, but you are far from the only one. We’re going to make it right, okay? And regardless, we’re together now. That’s what matters most. You’re home, Lloyd, and I could never resent the events that brought you to me.”

Lloyd’s properly crying now and he couldn’t care less. “Thank you, Uncle.”

Chapter Text

Yeah, Zane’s always been a bit odd, but that’s part of his charm. Cole never thought too much of it, the guy’s just a bit different. He must admit, though, he did not see the whole robot thing coming.

Zane’s handling it about as well as can be expected, Cole supposes, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t use some extra support. They haven’t known each other that long, but over the past few months Cole has come to consider Zane a close friend. Him not being human changes none of that, Cole just has to make sure the white ninja knows as much.

Cole knocks on the other’s door. “Zane, buddy? How’re you holding up?” He asks, the door swinging open not ten seconds later.

“I’m okay,” Zane says with a small but not dishonest smile, “What’s up?”

“Just wanting to check in, I know today was a lot.”

A breath of a laugh, brief and sad, escapes him. “That is accurate.” Zane opens the door further, letting Cole step into his room.

“Not all bad, though.” Cole points out, taking a seat on Zane’s bed. “You unlocked your true potential, after all.”

Zane’s smile softens at that. “Yes. It’s quite odd remembering so much all at once,” He admits, “But knowing where I came from — why I was made — is invaluable. I know who I am now, who I was meant to be. I’m proud of who I am, of who I’ve become, and I know my father would be, too.”

“Your father?” Cole echoes, careful not to push.

“My maker, Dr. Julien,” Zane clarifies sadly, “He was a good and kind man. Brilliant and compassionate. He raised me as his own.” He explains fondly, then turns to meet Cole’s gaze. “He passed years ago.”

“I’m so sorry,” Cole says immediately, wrapping an arm around the other and pressing lightly, invitation clear. Cole knows what it’s like to lose a parent. There aren’t words. When his own father grew distant, Cole shrunk into himself in his grief, having no one to confide in. He doesn’t want that for Zane. “There’s no one to teach you how to mourn a parent,” He says eventually.

“I suppose not.” Zane agrees, leaning into Cole’s shoulder, the two adjusting to a more comfortable position, one neither intends on leaving for the immediate future. “Would you like to talk about it?” Zane asks gently.

Cole shakes his head slightly. “My mom died a while back,” He says as a means of explanation, “I still miss her, but the wound’s scarred over, you know? Today’s about you.”

Zane hums. “I appreciate that, thank you for sharing.” He squeezes Cole just a fraction tighter.

“Of course, I’m here for you, dude.”

“Thank you,” Zane replies, “Today was full of so many surprises, but you and the others’ support has made a huge difference.”

“I’m glad,” Cole says honestly. Zane doesn’t respond, and Cole lets them sit in the quiet and stillness for a few minutes. Eventually, though, he feels the need to break the silence. “Admittedly, it does make sense in hindsight,” Cole jokes lightly.

Zane huffs in amusement, taking the comment well. “Yes, I suppose so. The nature of my creation certainly explains a few things.”

Cole laughs, nudging him with his shoulder affectionately. “Yeah,” He agrees.

“Like how I’ve never quite gotten sarcasm,” Zane continues, “Or certain types of jokes…, or love.”

“Hey, what?” Cole interrupts, startled by the self-loathing turn. “Zane, buddy, you’re one of the most deeply loving people I’ve ever known, human or otherwise.”

The nindroid laughs, soft and humorless. “Thank you, but I mean romantically. It makes sense I’ve never felt that sort of attraction when reproduction isn’t a factor.”

“Dude. What are you on about?” Cole breathes, lost.

“Humans and other organic beings form intimate relationships as a means to have and look after offspring,” Zane rattles off plainly.

“That… is so amatonormative, I don’t even know where to start,” Cole says slowly.

Zane pauses, curiosity winning out over whatever else is going on in his head. “I’m not familiar with that term,” He admits.

“Not everyone wants kids, Zane.”

“Well, yes-” He agrees, before Cole continues.

“Not everyone wants an opposite sex partner. There are plenty of humans who don’t want romance or sex, Zane. If you want that stuff and feel like it’s ‘off limits’ or whatever, that's bullshit. And if you don’t want it, that’s not some grand point against you being a living, feeling person. You’re not ‘lesser than’ or missing out on anything. Romance and sex aren’t what make us people, Zane.”

Zane nods mutely, processing Cole’s words. He was trying not to make assumptions, but he may have gone a bit overboard regardless. Still, Zane doesn’t say anything for a long thirty seconds when — finally — he seems to make up his mind. Meeting Cole’s gaze, he gently asks a one-word question. “Us?”

Cole’s more calm than he expected to be upon outing himself. “I’m asexual,” He tells his friend simply, “There’s also aromanticism too, and they’re both spectrums if you want to look into it.”

“I… I think I may.”

“… Cool.”

—

“Cole?” Zane calls, poking his head into their shared room. It’s been a few days since their conversation, and everyone else is outside. That coupled with Zane’s unusual hesitance leaves Cole with a pretty good guess what’s bothering his friend.

“Yeah?” He answers, looking away from the shelf he was dusting. “What’s up?” He asks, coming to a stopping point and setting down the duster.

Zane enters the room properly and closes the door behind him. “Does it not…” He pauses, trying to find the right words. “Would it not bother you if I were to identify as asexual, given that I am an inorganic lifeform?”

First Master, Cole doesn’t even know where to start. “Okay-” Cole starts, walking towards the other and grabbing his hands with his own. “First things first, you do not need my permission.” He says evenly, staring into Zane’s unnaturally blue eyes – not a genetic quirk like Cole had originally assumed, but a hint of his friend’s one-of-a-kind, meticulously detailed origins. “If you being a nindroid influences your sexuality, that’s no one’s business but your own. Our experiences are different, sure, but so are any two people’s, even if they identify with the same label. Being asexual means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, that doesn’t make anyone any more or less ace, okay? It only matters that it feels right to you. And I especially am not going to tell you who you can or can’t be, yeah?”

Zane looks close to tears, but he wears a small smile as he squeezes Cole’s hands. “Thank you, Cole.”

Cole lets go of Zane’s hand and pulls the taller closer, hugging him tightly. “Of course,” He says easily, “I love you.”

Zane relaxes into the embrace, wrapping his arms around Cole in turn. “I love you too.”

Chapter Text

Lloyd can hardly go through a day without talking about his father, but he rarely thinks about his mom. He barely remembers the woman, only a vague impression of her kind tone and wise words when she engaged with him, but Lloyd had always been closer with his dad. Even in another realm, Garmadon found ways to contact Lloyd, sending him messages every month or so if only to remind him that he was loved and that his father had not forgotten about him. But his mother? His mother dropped him off at a boarding school when he was six and Lloyd never heard from her again.

Until, of course, the very day his friends asked about her. Lloyd is well aware that fate can be cruel, but seeing his mom for the first time in half a decade barely a week after being magically aged up is definitely top ten. So yeah, all he’s thinking as Wu introduces his mother – Misako, apparently, Lloyd hadn’t even remembered her name, how pathetic is that? – is that he can never seem to catch a break.

“My mother?” He echoes dumbly.

“Monty?” The woman breathes. Her hair is fully gray now, even having a streak of white, Lloyd realizes as she steps closer. “My boy, you’ve grown so much.”

“Well, it’s been a while,” Lloyd says spitefully as he averts his gaze, “And it’s Lloyd now.”

“Yes, sorry, I knew that,” She apologizes, “I’m sorry I’ve been gone for so long, I had a reason-”
And suddenly Lloyd needs out of here. “I can’t do this.” Lloyd cuts her off, turning on his heel and fighting the urge to sprint in the opposite direction. He isn’t ready for this, not right now, not today, and especially not in front of all his friends. He just… can’t.

He keeps walking until he finds an empty room, vacant not only of other people but of nearly anything at all, the only thing of note being the giant hole in the ground. Sitting at its edge and looking down, Lloyd can breathe deeply again. He hadn’t even realized he had been getting claustrophobic, but the vast emptiness below is oddly soothing. It’s quiet and dark, and it really shouldn’t make Lloyd feel safe, but it does.

“Watch your step, son. That sinkhole doesn’t have a bottom.” The voice isn’t familiar, but Lloyd recognizes it nonetheless.

“Son?” He scoffs, “Don’t- Just… don’t.”

Misako ducks under the barrier around the ledge and sits beside him. “I am sorry, Lloyd. I don’t expect your forgiveness, not today.”

“How could I forgive you? What would I even be forgiving? Be specific,” Lloyd challenges, something hot and angry burning in his core. “For abandoning me? For depriving me of the only family I had left? For forgetting about me? For moving on with your life as though I never even existed? What?”

The woman saddens, but doesn’t seem surprised. “I’m sorry I left, Lloyd, but everything I’ve done has been for you.”

“Bullshit.” Lloyd rolls his eyes.

Misako exhales, but has the good sense to not try to scold him swearing, she hasn’t earned that privilege. “At least let me explain,” She requests.

“Why? What if I don’t want to hear you out? I don’t owe you anything,” Lloyd spits.

“Of course not,” Misako says easily, “But I owe you an explanation.” Sighing, Lloyd’s shoulders drop slightly as he looks at his mother once again, gesturing for her to go on. “Long before Sensei Wu knew who would be the Green Ninja, I knew it would be you. I knew what destiny had in store for our family: that you would have to fight your father. I have spent the past five years searching, learning everything I could about the prophecy in hope of preventing the final battle, doing everything I could to find a future in which our family could be whole again.”

Lloyd let this sink in. It wasn’t difficult to give his mother the benefit of the doubt, but it still hurt. “You didn’t have to tear us even further apart to do it,” He argues, voice barely a whisper.

Misako sighs, “Maybe not,” She admits, “But I thought it would give you the best chance to escape your destiny. It seems I was wrong, and I’m sorry that it all was in vain.”

“I don’t get it.” Lloyd shakes his head. “How could it be that simple? How was it that easy for you? How could you deprive a child of their mother for a theory?”

“Oh, Lloyd,” She starts wetly, “None of it was ever easy, my son.”

“Don’t- don’t call me that,” Lloyd says shakily, “I don’t know you, and you don’t know me. We’re not- I’m not…”

“Lloyd.” Misako starts, reaching slowly towards him. When he doesn’t pull away, she closes the distance, cupping his cheek gently, as though this moment was something oh so fragile, as though he could break oh so easily. “You have always been my son.”

A sob escapes him as tears start falling properly. “What kind of kid doesn’t even get to come out to their own mom?” He cries deliriously.

“Oh, honey,” She says soothingly, with an edge of a laugh peaking through, “You told your father and I ages ago. You were so little, but you knew you were a boy, even way back then. We wouldn’t have held you to it if things had changed, but I assure you, neither your father nor I were at all surprised. You have always had our support, Lloyd. You are my son, and I am happy that you are happy. I love you, and I am so proud of you and the young man you’re becoming.”

Lloyd wipes haphazardly at his tears with the sleeve of his gi before collapsing into his mother’s chest. Misako wraps her arms around him without hesitation and holds him tighter as he sobs into her shirt, clutching desperately to the mom he never had.

Chapter Text

If you had told Kai a week ago that he was about to go on a date with Zane, he wouldn’t have believed you. Sure, being a shameless flirt is kind of his brand, but Kai’s never actually gone out with anyone, much less one of his best friends. Not to mention, Zane literally has a girlfriend. Put it all together, and Kai’s struggling to maintain his devil-may-care vibes.

Fortunately, he doesn’t have to explain anything to the others. They had thought Zane was dead for months. Everyone’s a bit eager to have some quality time with them, so no one bats an eye when Zane says that they and Kai are going for a walk.

They’re a few minutes away from the Bounty, and neither of them have spoken. “Are you alright, Kai?” Zane asks, looking his way.

“Yeah. Yeah, sorry. I guess I don’t really know what I’m doing. I feel like all the normal first date conversation topics don’t really apply to us.”

Zane smiles. “I suppose you’re right. Unless you’d like me to ask your favorite color,” They offer. Kai scoffs, rolling his eyes affectionately and not dignifying them with a response. Their quiet is more comfortable now, but Zane doesn’t let it sit for too long. “You said I could ask about, and I quote, ‘gender stuff,’ correct?”

“Of course, shoot.”

“I guess I’m just curious about your experiences. I had never even considered gender until recently. I have always known I was designed to look like a man, but that didn’t really mean anything to me. I didn’t exactly identify with it, but I wasn’t bothered, either. My research suggests I am likely somewhere under the nonbinary umbrella, so I understand you likely have different experiences, but I am curious nonetheless. Both to improve my own understanding, as well as to get to know you better.”

God, this guy. How is their nerdiness so damn charming. “Sure. For as long as I can remember, I hated being seen as a girl. I avoided anything ‘girly’ like the plague. As I got older, I just got so upset whenever people referred to me as feminine, I would either lash out or just shut down entirely. It wasn’t long before everyone in my life just learned to avoid that altogether. I didn’t really have the language for it for most of my life, but I was so much happier when it stopped. I didn’t even notice how much being perceived as a girl infiltrated every aspect of my life until it started to go away. I couldn’t go back, so I started talking with one of our neighbors about it. I started to realize just how much I hated everything about being a girl. I avoided looking at or thinking about my body. I didn’t engage with any girls my age. I hated my hair so much, if you can believe it. So I talked it out with Ms. Arima – one of Nya and I’s main caretakers – and actually let myself admit that I wished I was a boy. She was an absolute champ, by the way, gave me my first gender-affirming haircut and helped me get on puberty blockers. After I properly came out to Nya, it became common knowledge around our neighborhood. Eventually I got on T and somewhere along the way I started actually liking how I look – which is absolutely wild, by the way. You think I’m confident now? Just imagine if I had been born male, the world wouldn’t be ready,” Kai jokes.

Zane laughs fondly, “I’m sure.” They pause, seeming to consider, “Though you could get into the psychological debate of if your grandiose personality is a result of you reclaiming your self-image through transitioning.”

“Nah, I was always like this.” Kai beams, elbowing Zane in the side.

“That would make sense,” They muse playfully. The pair had wordlessly agreed to take a nearby trail, but now Zane comes to a stop. “This way.” They nod before leading Kai off the beaten path.

The red ninja follows, but has to ask. “Where are we going?”

Zane smiles at him over their shoulder. “We did agree on a picnic, did we not?” They say smugly as they enter a small clearing. There’s a blanket laid out in the grass and a classic picnic basket sitting beside it. While the trees are sparse nearby, the brush is a healthy green with wildflowers spattered around. Kai even spots a stream on the edge of the clearing.

“When did you have time to set this up?” Kai questions with what he’s sure is a wide smile on his face.

“A nindroid’s gotta have their secrets.” They shrug, grabbing Kai’s hand and pulling him towards the blanket. Laughing, Kai sits down, Zane joining him not a moment later. “I prepared sandwiches and fresh fruit.” They say, pulling the basket close.

“Dang, I thought I was here to romance you,” Kai jokes, impressed and frankly a bit flustered.

“It should be mutual, should it not?” Zane teases, before turning the slightest bit more serious, “But I was under the impression it was my turn. Given you made the ‘first move,’ as it were.”

Kai blinks. He had been operating under the assumption that Zane had more experience with dating, considering his relationship with Pixal, but thinking about it, they didn’t have the most typical relationship progression. Looks like they’ll be figuring this out together, something that Kai finds himself looking forward to. Still, “You didn’t have to.”

Zane hums, “No, but I wanted to. Besides, I understand it to be most polite to take initiative, so as to let you know you aren’t alone in your… interest.”

A breath of a laugh escapes him. “Dude, you could have just kissed me or something,” Kai jokes, fighting back a blush.

“May I?”

Kai sputters, having not at all been prepared for Zane’s response. There’s no hiding his embarrassment now. “Um,” He says dumbly.

Zane’s eyes widen and they adjust their posture. “Apologies. You weren’t being serious. I’m sorry to have made it-” Kai cuts them off by all-but lunging at Zane so he can put his face on their face. He had meant to be a lot more chill and take it slow or whatever, but throwing his entire body weight at Zane kinda ruled that out. One of his arms wound up thrown around Zane’s shoulder, but after a few seconds of their lips pressed against each other’s, that seemed like a good first move to give them both – or at least Kai – a bit of breathing room. He squeezes their shoulder before removing his hand entirely and pulling back a bit.

“Sorry,” Kai says, not really meaning it, but not sure what else to say.

Still mere inches from Kai, Zane smiles. “How about we stop apologizing for a bit?” They suggest.

Kai sits back on his heels, nodding. “Okay.”

“Okay.” Zane confirms before reaching for Kai, cold fingers landing gently on his cheek before a gentle kiss follows on the other. “Because I do hope you aren’t sorry.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Kai deflects.

Zane just laughs. “You’re redder than your gi,” They point out.

“Shut up.”

“Make me,” Zane challenges, shy but taunting, and who is Kai to back down from a challenge?

—

“This is nice, yes?” Zane asks nearly half an hour later. The two have exchanged a handful more kisses and eaten their food, never properly moving away from each other.

“Uh, yeah?” Kai says like it’s obvious, because it is, “Why?”

Zane pauses. “I like this,” They admit, “I like you.”

Kai sits up, looking at them properly. “Okay. I like you too. We’ve established that.”

“I would like to do this again,” Zane continues hesitantly.

“So would I,” Kai coaxes.

“And if we are to go on multiple dates, that would mean we are dating, correct?”

That gives Kai pause. “Uh, I think the line is kind of subjective, but I’m down.” Kai smiles, but Zane seems reluctant to return it yet.

“And if we are dating, or plan to be in the near future, I should probably disclose that I am asexual sooner rather than later.”

“Okay,” Kai nods, “Is this you coming out to me, or are you just thinking out loud?”

“The former.”

“Cool, okay. So first things first, thank you for trusting me with this. I love you and am proud of you,” Kai hears himself and has to backpedal a bit, “That was a platonic ‘I love you.’ Like, I like you romantically, but I still love you platonically, you know?”

Zane smiles, amusement of Kai fumbling over himself overriding the nerves of broaching this subject. “I gathered as much. I love slash like you, too.”

“Good. Anyway, um, where was I?” He mumbles to himself before counting off fingers, “Thanks, love you, proud of you, oh! So next is just kind of asking what this means for you, but I know a bit, generally. Obviously it’s a spectrum and I don’t want to make any assumptions about where you land on there, but I’m not ready for anything like that anytime soon, so we can talk more about that if/when it comes up, if that sounds good to you?”

Zane’s brows furrow in what Kai recognizes as confusion, but before he has a chance to wonder where he messed up, they ask. “You have a checklist?”

“Oh,” So he didn’t say anything horrifically wrong. Awesome. “Yeah. Not for this in particular, obviously, but for people coming out to me.”

“Is it… that common an occurrence?” Zane wonders aloud.

“Well, not really, but you never know. Can’t hurt to be prepared.”

“I’ll have to tell Master Wu you said that.”

“Oh, please don’t,” Kai groans.

“But now I am curious,” Zane starts, “What all is on the list?”

Kai tries not to let his embarrassment show, but knows he’s likely failing. “Um, gratitude, affirmation, clarification, support.”

Zane hums appraisingly, “That is quite thoughtful, Kai.”

“Well, I mean… Anyway,” Kai deflects, “Anything I can do or not do to support you?” He asks, returning to the subject at hand.

Zane considers this. “Not that I’m aware of. I like what we’ve done today, but considering it’s my first physical relationship, I may encounter things that I am less comfortable with. However I trust that you would listen to and respect my wishes even without having had this discussion.”

“Of course,” Kai says easily, before what they said properly sinks in. “Wait, what about you and Pix?” Zane raises an eyebrow at him before Kai realizes. “Wait, was I your first kiss?”

“Don’t make fun of me,” They say heatlessly.

“No, Zane!” Kai moves to right in front of their face, “You were my first, too!”

Zane is visibly surprised. “Really?”

“Damn, call me a slut while you’re at it.” Kai rolls his eyes before Zane grabs his face and kisses him fiercely, promptly shutting him up.

Chapter Text

“Kai?” Zane starts, getting their boyfriend’s attention. They’ve been together for nearly two months now, but as Kai lifts his head from their shoulder, Zane laments cutting into their cuddling time. He’s put this off long enough, though. “I believe I would like to try new pronouns.”

Now more alert, Kai smiles at them encouragingly. “Of course, what do you have in mind?”

“She/her? In addition to he/they.” They say, knowing their nerves to be unnecessary but experiencing them nonetheless.

“Feminine language, too?” Kai asks, getting a shy nod in return. “Right, so my super hot boyfriend is also my girlfriend, which I think is pretty epic. I’m so happy she feels comfortable talking to me about this, and – just in case she needs a reminder – I adore her and am so grateful to have her in my life.”

The elemental master of ice may as well be melting. “I love you too, Kai,” She tells him quietly but with no hint of doubt or hesitance in her voice.

“Platonic love, romantic really really like?” Kai suggests, the ‘platonic love, romantic like’ having become a motif throughout their relationship.

Biting back a face-splitting smile, Zane shrugs. “I’m not sure I find the distinction useful anymore.” He says, hardly getting the words out before Kai has his arms around them, holding him tight and kissing her resolutely.

“Cool.” Kai breathes when he eventually pulls back. “So, uh, I think we got distracted,” He admits.

“Oh,” Zane remembers, “Yes, I do think I like any pronouns. I was also particularly appreciative of you referring to me as both your boyfriend and girlfriend.”

Kai smiles eagerly at the admission. “Thoughts on ‘partner’?”

Zane shrugs noncommittally. “I don’t like it any more or less than the other two, though I believe I would most prefer using either both masculine and feminine terms, or none at all.”

“Alright.” Kai agrees easily, giving Zane one more quick peck. “I like whatever you like, but calling you both makes me feel like I’ve won bisexuality.”

She can’t help but laugh at that. “It’s not a competition, Kai,” He scolds lightly. “But even if it were, I have a boyfriend and a girlfriend that are in fact two different people, so beat that.”

Kai shoves them. “Yeah, yeah,” He says before pausing, “You’ve never referred to yourself as bi before.”

“Because I’m not,” Zane says simply, “I find ‘panromantic’ to be the most accurate and comfortable for me, personally.”

“I didn’t know that.” Kai says, looking somewhat guilty.

Zane reaches for his chin and gently turns it so Kai’s gaze is again meeting their own. “Because I hadn’t told you. I wasn’t in any rush to label my orientation, and only came upon the realization recently. It’s not a part of my identity I am particularly salient of.”

“Mkay,” Kai acquiesces, “But I want to buy you something with your flag on it.”

And if a few days later, Zane enters her room and finds a handful of woven bracelets in the colors of the nonbinary, ace, pan, and polyamorous flags, Kai will pretend to know nothing of it.

Chapter Text

Kai’s parents have been missing for over a decade. He gave up hope of ever seeing them again long before he became a ninja, so imagine his surprise when he finds out not only that they’re probably alive, but they’ve been working for evil. Needless to say, Kai’s furious.

“Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Nya asks as he leads them through the Time Twin’s swamp hideout.

Finally, he spots it, a little blacksmith shop. “Honestly, I don’t really care.” He admits under his breath, tucking the map away and picking up speed.

“Kai?” Nya questions, sprinting after him.

His sister only a step behind him, Kai kicks in the door and barges in. “Hey!” He demands, gaining the attention of a man with dark hair and a red shirt. Their father.

“You’re not vermillion,” He says, confused.

“No, we’re not.” Kai draws his weapon. “But you’re going to answer to us,” He seethes.

The stranger – his father – raises his hands, signaling surrender. “I mean no harm.”

Kai sputters, “Then why are you working for Crux and Acronix?!”

“Working for?” An unfamiliar voice sounds, “We are their prisoners, we’ve had no choice.” A woman moves to stand beside his father, her long, wavy hair and soft voice already lowering Kai’s defenses.

“But…” Kai shakes his head, “But your stamp! The designs are yours!” He accuses, throwing the vermillion helmet at their feet.

“Kai,” Nya tries.

“If we hadn’t, they would have taken our children, too. You have to understand,” Their father pleads.

Kai has to bite back tears. “No,” He refuses, “You’re lying.”

“What if they’re not?” Nya argues desperately.

Kai shakes his head, tears flowing freely now. “No. They left us.” Through his own sobs, Kai barely registers their sharp gasps.

“Oh, my baby…” Their mother coos, moving closer. She raises a hand halfway to his cheek before hesitating.

“You left, Mom,” Kai chokes.

In an instant, her arms are surrounding him, holding him tightly. “Oh dear, oh baby.” She cries into his chest, nails digging into his shoulders, but neither of them care.

“Nya?” Kai distantly hears their father ask. Opening his eyes, he sees Nya’s shoulders drop, her whole body go limp as their father moves to hold her.

“Ray.” Their mom breathes, lifting her head but not loosening her hold on him. “Our- our babies…”

The man in question laughs wetly as he moves to combine the two hugs, their family whole for the first time in thirteen years. “I know, Maya, I know.” The shift, the four of them falling into each other and now knowing how to let go.

Eventually, Maya strokes Kai’s hair, silently asking his attention. Reluctantly, he removes himself from his father’s hold, meeting her gaze. “What’s your name, honey?” His mother asks, and if he had any tears left to cry, that alone would be enough to make him sob.

Wiping his eyes, he tries to pull himself together, if only a little. “Kai,” He says firmly, back straight.

“Kai.” Ray echoes, placing a hand on Kai’s forearm and squeezing lightly.

Maya smiles sadly. “A strong name for a strong young man.” Kai lets out a breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding. They’d be okay.

—

Crux and Acronix had been dealt with, but Master Wu is lost. Without their sensei, Lloyd is in charge, but Nya isn’t thinking about that right now. She’s thinking about her parents. Fortunately, if anyone knows what it’s like to be reunited with parents you barely remember, it’s Lloyd. “How are you holding up?” He asks, joining her on the edge of the Bounty.

Nya scoffs, “Swell.” Lloyd quirks an eyebrow at her. “My parents are alive. Which is great and all, but what am I supposed to do about it?”

“Pretty sure there’s no ‘supposed to’ for situations like these,” Lloyd offers.

“Oh, come on. Don’t get all mature and shit on me now,” She groans, getting a laugh out of the younger.

“Fine. It sucks and there are no right answers. No matter how great they are now, it’s not gonna change the fact that you grew up without them. They missed their chance for most of the classic parenting stuff – through no fault of their own. That time’s come and gone, now it’s just if you want a relationship with them and what you want that to look like.”

Nya glares at him. “I thought I said not to act all wise with me.”

Lloyd shrugs. “Guess I can’t help it.”

Nya sighs. “How did you do it? Like, what do I even say?”

“Well, the first thing I did was run away and have a panic attack, so you’re already off to a better start. And honestly? I’ve always called Misako mom, but it took a while for her to grow into that role. For me to let her to, too. If you’ve already cleared the air with the big stuff, now you just gotta work with them to find where they fit into your life.”

Nya considers this, “How do I know I’ve ‘cleared the air’?”

“You know why they left.” Nya nods. “Do you forgive them?” God, he may as well have punched her in the stomach. Somehow she hadn’t expected that.

“It wasn’t up to them, there’s nothing to forgive.”

“Maybe not, but they still weren’t there when you needed them. Have you forgiven them?” Lloyd presses. Nya sighs, not having an easy answer.

—

It’s been months since she found out her parents are alive, and Nya’s still not sure the idea has fully set in. With the ninja searching for Wu, and Ray and Maya having a whole life to rebuild back home, it’s easier for them to go their separate ways. That doesn’t mean her parents haven’t reached out. Nya isn’t avoiding them, per se, she just doesn’t know what to do or how to handle them so she just kinda… doesn’t.

“Hey,” Kai greets, appearing in her doorway.

Nya barely glances his way. “Hey.”

“I’m going back home this weekend. Zane is coming with, Mom and Dad wanted to do a whole ‘meet the parents’ thing, help?”

Nya scoffs. “Help how?”

“Come with,” Kai suggests, “Bring Jay, too.”

She does meet his gaze this time, leveling him with an unimpressed stare. “I’ve barely even talked to them, Kai.” She says, rolling her eyes.

“It’s a group setting so the focus won’t be on you.” And damn, Kai can still see right through her. “And it’s a thing. The objective is introducing our partners, no vague, unspoken expectations.”
Nya sighs. “Fine.”

And that’s how Nya, her partner, her brother, and his partner wind up knocking on the door of her childhood home that Saturday.

Her father opens the door enthusiastically. “Kai, Nya! So happy you came to visit, and with your boyfriends!” Ray greets.

“Zane prefers partner, Dad,” Kai corrects gently.

“Of course, my apologies,” Their dad says to Zane.

“No worries, sir,” Zane dismisses pleasantly.

There’s a brief pause before Ray realizes they’re still outside, opening the door wider and beckoning the group in. “Maya was just getting some tea started, she’ll be right out.” He explains as he leads them to the dining table. “So,” He continues once they’re all seated, “Kai, how did you and Zane get together?”
The couple in question exchange a somber glance and Zane squeezes their boyfriend’s hand encouragingly. “About a year and a half ago, my body was destroyed,” Zane starts.

Kai huffs softly, “I had a bit of a crush on them for a while, but had long since decided to not do anything about it by the time he sacrificed himself. We thought she was dead, and I really regretted never saying anything, even thinking nothing would come of it given that Zane already had a girlfriend.” This earns him a surprised look from his parents, but he pushes on. “When we finally reunited, I had told myself I would tell Zane how I felt if I ever saw them again, so I ripped off the bandaid, Pixal approved, Zane wanted to give it a try, and here we are.”

“Romantic.” Jay snarks, earning him an elbow in the ribs.

“So Zane is still seeing Pixal, as well?” Ray asks, and Nya is quite pleased to hear more curiosity than judgment in her father’s voice. Of course she wants Kai to have their parents’ support, but it also bodes well for Nya’s own unconventional relationship.

“I am.” They confirm, not taking their eyes off of Kai. “I love both my partners dearly.”

“How sweet,” Maya coos, “You should bring her along, next time.”

Zane smiles politely at her. “I will be sure to extend the invite.”

Nya is a trained ninja and elemental master, she does not flinch when her mother looks her way. “And what about you and Jay, honey?”

“We dated a little bit not long after we met.” She starts, leaning harder into Jay. “We didn’t put a label on it, which was nice, but after a bit I started to question some things and needed a break.” Both Maya and Ray are visibly biting back the urge to ask ‘what things?’ but manage some level of self control.

As the pause expands, Jay takes over. “I’ve been head over heels for Nya since the first time I saw her. She was so pretty and cool and confident and smart, and the better I got to know her, the more time I wanted to spend with her. The break up hit me pretty hard – largely due to my own anxieties,” Jay shares, being shockingly vulnerable with the two near-strangers, “But I wanted Nya to be happy first and foremost, so I backed off.”

“But I missed him,” Nya says before she’s even realized she opened her mouth. Taking a deep breath, Nya just needs to say it. “I’m aromantic. I don’t really understand romantic love or want anything to do with it, but I knew I wanted Jay in my life. He just gets me in a way no one else does. I don’t have to hide any parts of myself away, because he sees me and he understands all of me. Being with him feels right, it’s the expectations of what a relationship ‘should be’ that was stifling.”

Ray gives her a gentle smile. “Thank you for sharing this with us, Nya. All that matters is that you are safe, happy, and supported, and there is no right or wrong way for that to look. I’m just so glad both our kids have found people who make them feel so seen and loved.”

And as Maya seconds her husband’s sentiment, Nya cries.

Chapter Text

“Hey, guys?” Lloyd starts as they all head in from training. “I’m aroace,” He says simply. Kai fucking beams at him, grabbing his good shoulder roughly and pulling him close to affectionately ruffle his hair. “Hey, stop!” Lloyd argues playfully, trying to maneuver out of the older’s arms. “I already told you, stupid.”

“I know,” Kai says with the widest, almost cartoonish smile, “I’m just proud of you.”

“Uh, so are the rest of us?” Jay pipes up, faux-annoyed, “Stop hogging him, Kai.”

Managing to remove themself from Kai’s grip, Lloyd adds. “Oh, I’m also using he/they now.”

“Awesome.” Jay says, wrapping them in a tight, sideways hug.

Zane smiles at them supportively. “What are your preferences?” She asks casually.

“Masc language is still good. No new labels, it’s just a little extra something if/when you feel like it.”

“Of course,” Nya assures him, “Let us know if that ever changes.”

Finally, Cole sweeps him into a big bear hug. “I’m so happy for you,” He whispers. Sure, Lloyd had no doubt they would all be supportive, but in this moment he feels so loved he could cry.

Chapter Text

It’s been a couple weeks since everything settled down, so when Lloyd goes to meditate with Wu one afternoon, Pixal takes it upon herself to organize a group meeting.

“Where did you get a whiteboard?” Kai asks as he shuffles into the living room with the others in tow.

“That is not relevant, take a seat.”

Once everyone is situated on the sectional, Nya asks. “So what is this about?”

“Now that Kai and Cole are dating.” Pixal starts, writing both names on the board and drawing a line between them. “We are all in the same polycule. Given that we are all close and care for each other, I do not expect any issues to arise, but that does not mean we should not clarify.” She continues as she draws out their full poly configuration on the whiteboard. “Any questions or corrections?”

Jay raises his hand, but does not wait to be called on. “Cole and I are queerplatonic,” He tells her.

“... -ish,” Cole adds, earning him a glare from his boyfriend.

“Why do we need to color code?” Nya asks as Pixal hesitates which marker to use for the line between Jay and Cole.

Pixal frowns, but Zane only piles on. “Forced categorization of relationships is unnecessary and only serves to further amatonormative notions of prioritizing romantic and/or sexual bonds above all else.”

Pixal glares at her partner, unimpressed, but switches all the lines to black anyway. “Anything else?”

A beat passes. “Sorry, what exactly are we doing here?” Kai asks.

Pixal bites back a sigh. “When utilizing consensual non-monogamy, it is important to clarify what is and is not considered cheating. We do not need to all have the same rules, but we must be aware of and abide by our partners’ boundaries. For example, Kai and Cole getting together in the First Realm was well above board considering both of their partners were there and expressly supported them pursuing a romantic relationship. However, if hypothetically Zane and Jay had gotten together, this may have been problematic considering neither Nya nor myself were in the loop and able to give our consent to our partner seeing someone else.”

“I mean, Zane’s great and all – love you, man – but that didn’t happen,” Jay points out.

“Yes, but given the chaos of our lives, it is valuable to have established and communicated our boundaries before any issues arise. After Kai asked Zane out, we discussed our boundaries and decided that we were both comfortable with each other having other partners, as long as we keep each other in the loop whenever possible. This notably does include the acknowledgment that communication may not always be possible due to, for example, inter-realm travel. In that case, we have agreed upon an open relationship model where relationship statuses are disclosed at the earliest convenience for all involved parties.”

“I’m following,” Cole says, nodding.

“Good. Now please note that just because this is the agreement myself, Zane, and Kai have come to, does not mean it is the only correct option.”

“So for example,” Kai starts, shifting to face Cole directly, “I had a bit of a crush on Skylor. I don’t have any plans to pursue a relationship with her anytime soon, but if we got trapped on a desert island together, what would you be comfortable with? And don’t say you’re cool with it if you’re not 1000% sure, you’re way more important to me than any hypothetical.”

Cole smiles softly, “Well, being realistic, I think I’d prefer not to find out after the fact. Like, an extended version of this conversation would suffice, because I know her and all that, but I don’t feel great about blanket permission, you know?”

“I get that.” Kai nods encouragingly. “Don’t hook up with randos without notice, no problemo. I don’t really mind myself, as long as you keep me updated when you can.”

“Cool.” Cole pivots to his other boyfriend. “What are you thinking?”

Jay considers for a moment. “Yeah, a head’s up when you can, please, but if it’s not possible and you find the love of your life or something – because I remain unconvinced it’s Kai-”

“Hey now!”

“Then go for it,” Jay says with a shrug. He then turns to Nya, now hesitant. “Is it bad that I want to say I want you all to myself? That feels bad to say.”

“Jay.” She starts, grabbing his hands. “You’re it for me. I love Cole and I love how much you two love each other, so how about we’re exclusive and he’s the exception?”

Jay smiles, relieved, “That sounds perfect.”

“Permanent third wheel, cool.” Cole jokes, but his expression is nothing but supportive and happy.

“Like you’d have it any other way.” Nya says, sticking out her tongue at him. And yeah, Pixal thinks they’ll all be just fine.

Chapter Text

Settling into the absurdly nice guest rooms in Shintaro’s palace, Cole is getting ready for bed. It’s only as he sits down that he pivots to see Lloyd not five feet away. He may or may not shout in surprise. Either way, Lloyd doesn’t react, his tone unnaturally cold as he greets him. “Hello, Cole.”

“How’d you get in here?!” Cole asks.

Lloyd raises an eyebrow at him. “I’m a ninja?”

Ok, fair enough. Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer. “Why are you here?”

“To warn you about the princess, you can’t trust her.”

“Okay?” Cole agrees, confused. “Can I ask why?”

“I think she’s up to something.”

Cole blinks, underwhelmed by his friend’s response. “What kind of something?”

“Something bad,” is Lloyd’s nonanswer, and Cole’s starting to get a bit frustrated with the other’s lack of explanation. Cole is unconvinced, and they continue, “Just trust me on this, they’re all the same.”

“‘They’ who?” Cole wonders aloud before his thoughts catch up to him. “Wait, princesses? Is this about Harumi?”

“No…” Lloyd says in a way that clearly means yes.

Sighing, Cole pushes himself to his feet and closes the distance between him and Lloyd, resting a hand on their shoulder. “Lloyd, you know I love you, but we have no reason to think Vania is anything like her, do we?”

“I just… get a bad vibe.”

“That’s okay,” Cole reassures the younger, “You don’t have any reason to trust her either, but you know better than to assume the worst about people.”

Lloyd sighs, sounding more frustrated with himself than anything else. “She just seems so insistent on getting close to you,” They admit, “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Smiling sadly, Cole pulls his little brother into a hug. “Nothing’s going to happen to me, not when I got you and the others looking out for me, right, Green Bean?”

“Yeah,” Lloyd says slowly, “Yeah… Just be careful, alright?” He says as he pulls back.

“I always am.”

—

Admittedly, Cole could’ve been more careful.

To Vania’s credit, though, she isn’t the problem. Said problem would be the massive slavery operation taking place under her kingdom. The princess seems reasonably horrified by the discovery, so Cole feels fairly confident keeping her in the “ally” category and sending her to get help. So she didn’t listen when he told her to stay home, but saving him from being eaten by gigantic spiders affirms Cole’s judgment regarding her character. Overall, she seems pretty chill. Vania not wavering in her morals even slightly upon finding out her father is behind all this only proves Cole’s point.

Still, there’s a chance Lloyd may have been onto something. Navigating the depths of the mountain’s caverns gives their ragtag gang quite a bit of time to chat. Lloyd wasn’t entirely unwarranted in saying Vania seems a bit too eager to spend time with Cole, but he more than trusts the princess at this point, so Cole decides to approach the subject directly. “Hey Vania?” He starts, the pair a respectable distance away from Wu and the Lowly.

“Yes?” She asks brightly.

“I’m really grateful for all your help, I know this can’t be easy for you.”

Vania’s smile dampens, “Oh. Well, no, it’s not. I can’t believe my father would do such awful things, but his wrongs have to be righted. If he is unwilling to treat these people with kindness and respect, then I will take that responsibility myself. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. As heir to the throne of Shintaro, it is my duty to ensure the safety and well-being of my citizens, and that should extend to those living below, shouldn’t it?” As she speaks, the passion and courage and outrage the princess holds is evident, and Cole – despite only having met the girl a couple days prior – is overwhelmingly proud of her resolve.

“That’s admirable of you,” Cole says genuinely. With the way her sentiment reminds him of his mother, Cole can’t help but wonder where Vania was taught such steadfast values. It couldn’t have been King Vangelis, but he’s never heard mention of a Queen of Shintaro. That doesn’t seem like a very appropriate thing to ask, though, and Cole has already gotten sidetracked. “I’ve really appreciated your help, and your company,” Cole adds, attempting a not-terrible transition between subjects, “But I’ve gotta admit, your willingness to get involved kinda rang some alarm bells for the other ninja at first.”

“Oh,” Vania says, surprised and almost embarrassed.

“You’ve more than proven yourself as a trustworthy ally and even friend,” He continues, “I guess I was just wondering why you were so ready to jump into danger like that.”

“Ah,” She laughs awkwardly, “Well… this is probably the farthest I’ve ever been from home.” Cole blinks. They’re directly under her palace, though probably a few hundred miles underneath it. The princess seems to have anticipated this response. “Yeah, I’ve never been outside Shintaro’s capital city. We’ve always been a self-sufficient kingdom, but that meant I never got to see the world.” Turning to face Cole, she continues, “I love reading, especially adventure stories. Fiction is great, don’t get me wrong, but I think the best adventures are the ones that really happened. Those are the stories that matter most, don’t you think? Anyway, most of my favorite stories are the ones about you and the other ninja. I’ve always wanted to do something that no one had done, something that really matters, and getting to do that with my heroes? I’m in, no doubt about it.” By the time she’s done, any shyness has faded away, leaving only the exuberant determination he’s come to associate with Princess Vania.

“I’m flattered, truly,” Cole says, returning her smile. After a moment, Cole steels himself, needing to properly address Lloyd’s concerns. “To be honest with you, Vania, Lloyd thought you might have a crush on me. I don’t want to assume either way, but if that’s true I should probably clarify-”

“What?” Vania exclaims between breathless laughs. “Cole-” For someone with such a loud presence, her laughter is near-silent, even as it wracks her body. “Cole,” She tries again between breaths, “I’m a lesbian, Cole. Oh First Master,” She says, wiping a tear from her eye as the Master of Earth has to take a moment himself. Okay, information ingested. He needs to get his gaydar checked. “I’m flattered????” Vania echoes his earlier words teasingly.

“FSM, this is so embarrassing for me.” Cole says, having finally found his voice again and burying his face in his hands. “Vania, I’m literally gay, what is happening here?!??” He asks hysterically.

“The most convoluted, confusing mlm wlw solidarity I’ve ever seen,” Plunder says, startling Vania by popping up between the two unannounced, “And that’s saying something.”

Cole just scoffs affectionately at the man’s antics before he’s off again. Accidentally meeting Vania’s gaze after Plundar has walked away, the two start laughing. “If you were straight I would’ve been so sad, you’re my favorite queer icon,” The princess says light heartedly.

“I’m not even out??!?!”

“I mean….” Trailing off suggestively, Cole nudges Vania’s shoulder with his own. “What? It’s not everyone else’s fault for having eyes, you’re not exactly subtle.”

“Shut up,” Cole teases her.

“You know,” She starts contemplatively, “You have an impressively poor gaydar for a gay guy.”

Raising a finger, Cole has a counter for that. “I’m also acemid, so keep in mind that I’m clueless as hell.”

Vania chuckles lightly, “Noted.”