Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The dimly lit alley reeked of dampness and garbage, the flickering streetlamp buzzing ominously. Silent as the night itself, two shadows glided along the edges of the alleyway, movements fluid and soundless.

Kai and Jay exchanged a quick glance, communicating without words. They were out on night patrol when they’d followed a group of thieves into this alleyway. Usually, only one ninja at a time would be out, but the police had been tracking this group of thieves for weeks, and Lloyd decided to take extra precautions.

It was a good thing too, because from the looks of it, these guys weren’t your average street thugs. Jay peered over a dumpster; eyes narrowed against the dim light as he tried to make out any details about the three men who had run into the alley.

The three thieves, unaware of the impending danger, continued their discussion in hushed tones, their greed palatable. They were divided, arguing over their ill-gotten gains.

Jay glanced at Kai, who acknowledged the silent question in Jay’s eyes. “How do you want to play this?”

Kai signaled to Jay with a subtle hand gesture, indicating their plan of attack. With practiced precision, they moved closer, their breaths held in anticipation. The thieves were now within striking distance, their attention fixed on the stolen goods scattered at their feet.

The two boys glanced at each other one last time. They both had that same fiery excitement and determination in their eyes. The one that always bubbled up when they got to experience the thrill of a fight.

The ninja didn’t exactly ask for this life, and it definitely wasn’t an easy one, but they knew one thing for sure. None of them could live without the rush.

In the heat of battle, when adrenaline surged, heightening every sense with a razor-sharp edge, hearts pounding with deafening intensity—

The gleam of a blade, the shift in an opponent’s stance, the subtle rustle of fabric—everything was acutely perceived.

Each strike, parry, and dodge executed with a perfect blend of instinct and training. It’s times like these when the ninja felt truly alive.

Kai and Jay kept their senses attuned to the men, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

There—!­­

For a fraction of a second, the men had stopped looking around anxiously, all their attention shifted down to the loot. Big mistake.

The thugs were taken by surprise as the two darted from the shadows, but they quickly snapped out of their shock and lunged at Kai and Jay with knives drawn. Kai grabbed a nearby wooden crate and blocked the first attack, while Jay dodged the other two, jumping around and moving with his usual acrobatic agility.

Seeing an opening, Kai struck back, sending a powerful fire punch that knocked one of the thugs to the wall. Meanwhile Jay used his nun chucks to disarm another, knocking the knife out of their hand and sending it scraping across the alley.

Unfortunately, in the midst of battle, the two boys had failed to detect the presence of a man lurking in the shadows, watching patiently. The remaining two thieves, now more cautious, began to spread out in an attempt to surround the ninja. Jay and Kai stood back-to-back, ready to face them together.

"Stay alert, they're getting smart." Kai warned, his eyes darting between the two thugs. Jay nodded in agreement, twirling his nun chucks with practiced ease.

Kai’s keen eyes picked up on a man trying to sneak up on their right.

Kai whipped around, letting out a sharp huff as he jerked to the side, dodging the powerful swipe of the goon’s knife that threatened to cut into him.

He delivered a harsh kick to the stomach, sending the man crashing into a nearby dumpster.

In a sudden, brutal move, Jay was grabbed by the last remaining thief, and forcefully thrown against the wall of the alley. The impact reverberated through his body, causing his nun chucks to clatter to the ground uselessly. The rough surface scraped his back as he gasped for breath, momentarily stunned.

Before he could recover, his opponent was upon him. Jay blocked the best he could in his daze, averting the direction of the knife, causing the metal to scrape across the rough brick with a harsh grating sound that made Jay wish he didn’t have ears.

The man quickly used his other arm, pinning Jay to the wall effectively with an iron grip. He reeled the knife back, coiling up to strike again.

Jay grit his teeth, grabbing the thief’s wrist, and fighting to keep the deadly blade at bay. The thief only pressed harder, using his weight to try and drive the knife toward the ninja’s throat.

With a determined effort, Jay grabbed the thief's wrist with both hands, twisting harshly. The thief's grip on the knife faltered. Taking advantage, the ninja drove his knee into the thief's stomach, causing him to grunt in pain. The thief's hold loosened, allowing the ninja to wrench the knife free, sending it clattering to the ground.

But the fight wasn’t over. The thief, recovering quickly, slammed the ninja back against the wall in an attempt to regain the upper hand. This time, Jay was ready. He jerked to the side, grabbing the man’s arm and twisting it back. He dug his heel into the small of the thief’s back keeping him pinned to the wall.

“Not so fun now, is it?” Jay couldn’t help the sarcastic comment that escaped him. He heard Kai cackle from somewhere behind him, eliciting a small smirk from the lightning elemental.

Suddenly, a man who had been silently watching from the shadows, stepped out into the flickering light. Kai’s attention snapped to the man instantly, his sword poised in caution.

The hulking man chuckled dangerously, looking over Kai and Jay with a sinister expression. "Well, well, looks like we've got some visitors." he huffed, his voice husky, cold, and condescending.

The man Jay had pinned against the wall sputtered, trying to explain how he and his thieves had been beaten so easily.

“Boss! We- uh… ran into some… some trouble- but-!”

“Save it, you blubbering idiot!” The man snarled, “Haven’t you done enough?” The man jerked his head, gesturing for the thief to return to him.

The thief growled in frustration, wrestling his way out of Jay’s grip to cower behind his boss.

Jay scoffed hard at the thief's pathetic struggle as he warily returned to Kai’s side, cracking his neck with a sigh as he watched the rest of the thief’s scramble to their place behind their boss. The leader of the thugs smirked, slowly walking closer to them.

"Two young ninja, thinking you can play heroes and take us on, huh?" he taunted, his knife glinting in the dim light.

"We've dealt with plenty of goons like yours before, buddy." Kai retorted with a smirk of his own, his hands clenched around the hilt of his sword.

The leader chuckled again. "Oh, I'm sure you have. But you've never faced anyone like me." he said confidently, still walking towards them. He held his knife in a way that showed he was experienced and dangerous.

Jay took a cautious step back, eyes squinting as he tried to make out the details of the man’s face in the dim light. The only thing even he could make out with his near perfect eyesight was the man’s muscular body, and the glint of his knife.

"You're outmatched here, pal. You should just surrender now and make things easy for yourself." he warned, trying to sound intimidating.

The leader smirked, seeming unaffected by Jay’s words. "Oh, I don't think so. We have a job to do, and some bratty kids won't stop us." he said, taking another deliberate step closer.

Both Kai and Jay stepped back, grips tightening on their weapons. Jay swallowed thickly, eyes narrowing in focus.

The leader sneered, picking up on the defensive manner of Jay’s body language. “What’s wrong, little ninja? Afraid?”

Jay growled in frustration, the air around him subtly buzzing with static electricity, produced by his growing anxiety.

The leader and his thugs chuckled at Jay’s display, thinking he was just trying to look tough. One of the thieves spoke up.

“What’s with the sparky hair? Think that scares us?” The leader took another tentative step forward, as Kai stepped beside Jay, ready to defend his friend if necessary.

Jay’s eyes narrowed as he swung and snapped his nun chucks, channeling his powers through with a sickening crack of lightning.

The thugs stepped back, a hint of fear in their eyes as they watched the electricity crackle around Jay's nun chucks. The leader, however, still seemed amused. "Oh, you have elemental powers, do you? That's cute." he taunted.

Jay glanced at Kai, hoping he would catch onto his plan. Kai glanced back with a knowing smirk. They would try to intimidate the men into giving up without a fight by flashing their powers. Works every time. Well, every time they’re allowed to. Lloyd didn’t exactly approve.

Kai smirked again, his confidence growing. "That's right. And you should know better than to mess with us! We've taken on far worse than you and your little team of thugs!"

Kai channeled his own element into his weapon, causing the blade to erupt into flames. He swung it around experimentally, the dim light slicing through the thick shadows of the alley.

The leader grit his teeth, starting to get the feeling that unlike his goons, no matter what Jay and Kai’s leader said, they wouldn’t hesitate to actually use those flashy powers. He glanced over at his thieves, who were now starting to look nervous. The leader huffed. "We won't go down without a fight."

Well, that didn’t work. Oh well, time for plan B. Stop flaunting, and start fighting!

Kai scoffed cockily, eyes sparkling with amusement. “Bring it on! We’re more than ready!” He glanced at Jay, who looked back at him with a slightly irritated expression, upset that the plan didn't work, before his gaze hardened in focus.

The leader growled; his eyes filled with determination. "You'll regret underestimating us!" he said, charging towards Kai. The rest of the thugs followed behind him, brandishing their knives. As the leader and company approached, the battle began again.

Kai launched a ball of fire towards the leader, while Jay focused his attention on working his way through the henchmen. The alleyway was filled with the sounds of battle, mingling with the sounds of the city as fists, knives, and elemental attacks flew through the air.

The leader dodged Kai's fire attack, but was struck by some of the embers, causing him to stumble momentarily. One of the thugs was zapped by Jay's lightning, dropping his knife and shouting in pain.

The thugs regrouped, trying to find a way to regain the upper hand. Two of them lunged at Kai, trying to overpower him, while the leader rushed at Jay, his knife glinting ominously.

The two ninja quickly shifted strategies, brains working overtime to overpower the threat.

Kai was quick to react, dodging the two attackers and retaliating with a powerful slice of his sword. Hot embers flew, sending them stumbling back. Meanwhile, Jay tried to hold his ground against the leader. He dodged a few attacks, but the leader's knife seemed to get closer with each lunge.

With each dodge, Jay felt his frustration grow. He absolutely hated this type of foe. Who thinks they’re above the law, who thinks being powerful makes them better than everybody else, who thinks hurting people makes them stronger.

Jay loved the thrill of the fight. The way stinging pain becomes distant, dulled by the surging adrenaline, body reacting almost faster than he could think—

But the only reason he actually does it, is the after.

When relief floods his system, washing away the tension and fear that had been gripping him in the thrilling heat of battle. But most importantly, when the immediate threat is neutralized, so is the looming danger to those he was protecting.

Whether it be civilians, his friends, or even the entire city, there's a deep satisfaction in knowing that your actions made a difference, that you were the shield against harm.

Victory isn't just about defeating an opponent; it's about safeguarding others, standing as a protector. The sense of duty fulfilled keeps him grounded and humbled. It’s a reminder of why he fights, and why his friends fight.

But people like this? They take pride in hurting others, in causing harm and chaos around them. They think it makes them stronger, they think it makes them powerful, when really?

It just makes them pathetic.

Jay dodged another deadly swing. He quickly glanced over at Kai, who was busy with the henchmen. Guess it was up to him to defeat this guy…

Jay turned his focus back to the hulking man in front of him. Before, Jay had been intimidated. But now, all he saw was a coward.

He tried to think about how to play this. Lloyd had a strict ‘no powers’ rule for low level baddies, but Kai and Jay had already broken that rule, even if they weren’t aiming to do any real damage, just flashy shit to scare them into surrendering.

The leader’s blade glinted ominously in the dim light. He moved with a predatory grace, circling the ninja, looking for an opening.

As the man lunged, his blade clashed against the chain of Jay’s nun chucks with a harsh metallic clang, the sound echoing through the alley. The ninja’s lightning speed and agility were pitted against the leader’s brute strength and cunning. Each attack was met with a swift parry, the leader’s strikes powerful enough to jar the ninja’s arm with every impact.

It’s not like Jay wasn’t used to fighting large opponents, in fact, he’s usually the one pitted against them, since his agility made him the best match. Everybody knows the bigger they are, the harder they fall, but Jay was still having trouble with this man.

It seemed like the guy was putting his full strength into every single lunge and attack. An honestly stupid and ineffective tactic, in Jay’s typical opinion.

The leader lunged, aiming a vicious thrust at the ninja’s midsection. Jay sidestepped, grabbing the leader’s wrist and twisting it, but the leader countered with a brutal elbow to the side of the ninja’s head, sending him staggering back.

Ignoring the pain, the ninja recovered quickly, his focus unwavering. He feined to the left, drawing the leader’s guard, then spun and kicked, his foot connecting solidly with the leader’s chest. The leader stumbled but quickly regained his footing, eyes blazing with anger and frustration.

Jay groaned, feeling his own frustration mounting. “Doesn’t this guy know when to quit?!”

Kai chuckled from his spot fighting the henchmen. “Hey, it’s not like we ever do!” Kai continued to pummel the henchmen with unyielding determination.

The leader, sensing the tide turning against his men, doubled his efforts. He attacked with a renewed ferocity, forcing the ninja onto the defensive. Jay was frightened by the fact that despite the power thrown into each attack, the man was still not showing any signs of exhaustion.

In a decisive moment, Jay saw his opening. As the leader swung wide, overcommitting to a powerful strike, the ninja ducked under the blade and drove his shoulder into the leader’s midsection, knocking the wind out of him. With a swift, fluid motion, he disarmed the leader, the knife clattering to the ground with a sharp metallic scrape.

Disoriented and weaponless, the leader tried to recover, but the ninja was relentless. With a precise spinning kick, he sent the leader crashing into the brick wall. The leader, seemingly defeated, slumped to the ground, gasping for breath.

Jay stood tall, panting from just how much energy he had expelled during the fight. His face was etched with frustration and a slight anger. This guy was getting on his last nerve. He swung his nun chucks, electric sparks flying.

"Surrender now, or I'll call the cops and let them deal with you. Trust me, you don't want to make this any worse than it already is. They don’t hesitate to shoot on sight." He said genuinely, ticked off.

The leader stared at Jay for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He had expected the ninja to be cocky and overconfident, not threatening and full of anger. The leader clenched his fists, hesitating.

Jay gripped his nun chucks tightly, glaring down at the man, his eyes bright and intense like a stormy sky.

The leader glared at Jay for a moment before grumbling and motioning to his goons to retreat. Reluctantly, the thugs began to back away, shooting glares at Jay and Kai as they went.

The two ninja sighed in relief, lowering their weapons. They exchanged a short glance, congratulating each other.

But the fight was not over. With a sudden surge of strength and desperation, the leader sprang up, tackling Jay and shoving him back into the brick wall, revealing the exhaustion from earlier as nothing more than an act. Before Jay had time to react, the man drew a hidden blade from his belt and plunged it into Jay’s side. Pain exploded through Jay’s body, a sharp, burning agony that tore a strangled cry from his throat.

The leader smirked cruelly, satisfied with his dirty trick. "You're not so tough now are you, sparky?" he taunted.

Despite the searing pain, Jay refused to give in. He pushed against the leader, using his free hand to grab the wrist that held the blade. Gritting his teeth, Jay twisted the leader's wrist, forcing the blade to withdraw slightly. The leader snarled, trying to drive the knife deeper, but Jay’s grip held firm.

The encounter caused something to shift in Jay. He channeled a scrappy side of himself he hadn’t tapped into in a very long time. A time that technically didn’t exist anymore after he erased it from the world's memory.

Jay's vision blurred with pain, but he focused on the leader’s eyes, seeing the determination mirrored in his opponent. With a sudden, desperate move, Jay brought his knee up sharply, striking the leader in the groin, a move that honorable fighters like ninja typically frowned upon. The leader grunted in pain, his grip loosening just enough for Jay to shove him back.

Kai watched in shock, heat and anger radiating off of him. Stabbed. Jay had been stabbed right in front of him, and he hadn’t done anything to help.

Now he was angry.

Gasping for breath, Jay staggered but didn’t fall. He ignored the blood seeping from his wound and braced, readying himself for the next attack.

It never came. As Jay struggled to catch his breath against the alley wall, Kai moved with swift determination.

Kai's actions were a blend of calculated aggression and seamless execution. Closing the distance swiftly, he anticipated the leader's next move, sidestepping a clumsy swing and expertly sweeping the leader's legs out from under him. The leader hit the ground hard, momentarily stunned.

The light from the streetlamp flared just enough for the leader to catch a glimpse of Kai’s furious expression, sword clutched tightly in his hand. His eyes widened at the sight. He had never seen so much raw determination and wrath in someone so young.

Before Kai could move in  to secure his advantage, the leader’s eyes gleamed with desperate cunning. He rammed Kai aside with a shoulder as he rose to his feet. Without hesitation, he and his frightened hired thieves dashed down the alley, disappearing into the shadows, loot long forgotten.

Kai cursed under his breath, practically seething with anger. They hurt his friend and now they were getting away! He prepared to chase them down, but a pained yelp from Jay snapped him back to what was important.

Chapter Text

Kai whipped around and rushed to Jay’s side, steadying him as carefully as he could manage before he toppled over.

"Kai! You idiot, you just let them go?" Jay scolded; voice strained with hot pain.

Kai huffed in disbelief, helping Jay sit against the wall. “You’re crazy, you know that?! You’re bleeding out!”

Jay shivered, a sharp wince contorting his face as he leaned against the wall, his hands barely able to grip his wound. "But the police have been tracking these guys for weeks! We can't just... let them..." His sentence trailed off, interrupted by a surge of pain that shot through his body as the adrenaline began to fade. “Ah..”

Kai chuckled dryly, trying to steady Jay against the wall. “If he’s smart, he’ll stay down and live. If not, well… He better not.”

There was nothing Kai wanted more at that moment than to smash that guy's head into the pavement, but he knew if he killed that guy, he would be no better than him. Besides, Jay needed him right now. Revenge could wait. His friend’s safety was more important than anything else.

So, Kai wouldn’t chase that man down. Even though he so wanted to...

Jay groaned, slumping further against the wall. He felt himself growing weaker by the moment.

Kai's expression sharpened at Jay's pain. He knew they needed to get Jay patched up urgently, but they were still out in the open, and they didn't know if the leader and his goons were gone for good. He still didn’t know how bad it was.

"Hang on, buddy, just hang on. We need to get you somewhere safe and get that wound treated." Kai said, trying to stay calm. He kept his grip on Jay’s shoulders, glancing around anxiously. He desperately tried his communicator, but nothing but static and glitchy audio came through.

“Fuck… Okay, coms are down, but that’s okay! I-It’s— You’ve done this before,” He muttered to himself, trying to get a grip on himself, and the situation.

Jay's trembling hands weakly grasped at his wound, his dazed mind recognizing he wouldn’t be able to apply steady pressure. "K-Kai..."

Kai’s attention snapped back down to his friend, following his gaze down to Jay's hands covering the stab wound like it would do anything to help. Kai internally smacked himself. “Right. Damn it…” He mumbled under his breath, positioning his hands over Jay’s shakily. He clenched his jaw, knowing this would hurt Jay.

Jay looked up at Kai, his eyes glazed with pain. Despite his heavy panting, and the fear that was making his heart pound, he tried to maintain his cool demeanor. "What's... What's the matter? Scared?" he teased weakly; voice strained.

Kai’s brows furrowed with concern as he met Jay’s gaze. “Scared? Not a chance,” He huffed, willing his voice not to shake, “Just focused on getting you patched up! Hang in there, Jay.” Then, with as much care as he could muster, he pressed down applying as much pressure as possible to slow the bleeding.

Jay couldn’t suppress the raw cry of pain the pressure elicited; his body tensed as searing pain shot through him. He choked, head weakly hitting the wall behind him.

Kai tensed as he watched his friend cry out in pain. He knew this was excruciating for him, but he had to keep the pressure on. "I'm sorry, I know it hurts, but I have to do this. You're losing a lot of blood." Kai said, trying to keep the tremble out of his voice.

Jay swallowed around the lump in his throat. Sweat beaded on his forehead, jaw clenched tightly. Despite the agony, he managed a slight strained nod.

Kai winced at the sight of his friend in so much pain, the guilt gnawing at him. "I know, I know, I'm sorry, Jay, I'm sorry. Just a little longer, okay? We need to stop the bleeding." he urged, his grip on the wound unwavering.

Jay panted heavily, his grip weakening under Kai’s hands. Kai cursed, gently moving Jay's hands away from the wound and applying pressure himself, prompting a weak whine of pain from Jay.

"Come on, stay with me buddy. Just a little longer, just hang on." Kai said, increasing the pressure ever so slightly.

Jay gasped softly, his hands weakly reaching for Kai’s wrists. “Kai… Listen-” He wheezed.

"What? What is it?" Kai replied urgently, his focus split between the wound and listening to what Jay had to say.

“You’re gonna have to… have to pack it,” He winced, “Too deep.”

Kai's eyes widened as he realized what Jay was saying. "You mean I have to..." he trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence, knowing just how excruciatingly painful this would be.

Jay was already tugging his gi hood off, offering it to Kai with shaky hands.

Kai glanced up at the hood, clutched tightly in Jay’s hand. The thought of what he would have to do next made his stomach churn with unease. He felt sick. Kai felt sick.

Jay, panting heavily and sensing Kai's hesitation, managed to muster a strained plea. "Kai, you have to d-do it," he urged, his voice laced with urgency despite the pain. "We need to stop the bleeding. I trust you, man. Just... just do it." His eyes, filled with a mixture of pain and determination, locked onto Kai's, silently pleading for him to act swiftly.

Kai’s fearful eyes met Jay’s watery, but determined ones, and Kai felt his heart drop once more. He looked down at Jay’s wound, still oozing steadily. He felt his fingers slick with warm blood, pressed tightly on the wound. It wasn’t enough. Kai knew it wasn’t enough.

"Kai," Jay pleaded, his voice trembling. One hand maintained a weak grip on Kai's wrist, while the other, with white-knuckle intensity, held out his hood to Kai.

Kai looked down at Jay's desperate grip, his heart aching at the sight. "I've got you, Jay," he said softly, taking the hood with one hand while maintaining pressure on the wound with the other. "Just hold on a little longer. We're gonna get through this." He tried to steady his trembling hands, focusing on the task at hand, determined to save his friend despite his own fears. He pushed aside his discomfort, forcing himself to focus on the urgency of his situation.

Jay let out a shuddery sigh of relief, smiling weakly at him despite the tears pricking his eyes. “Damn right.”

Kai steeled his resolve. He wasn’t going to let Jay bleed out in this alleyway. Using his teeth, he ripped off a long strip from the hood, cringing at the metallic taste of blood. With a deep breath, he began gently prodding the area, searching for the deepest part with careful precision.

Finally, Kai positioned himself above the gash, ready to begin. He glanced up at Jay, communicating without words, just as they’ve always done.

Jay swallowed thickly with a curt nod, even as he instinctively pushed himself as far back as he could against the wall and his fingers twisted into Kai’s gi.

Kai used one hand to keep pressure on the wound while carefully packing the torn fabric into the deep gash with the other. Jay choked out a cry of pain, chest heaving as it struggled to catch up with the pain he was in.  Tears welled up in Kai's eyes as Jay clawed at his shirt, but he blinked them away, forcing himself to stay focused. His hands moved with a desperate precision, each movement feeling like an eternity as he ensured the wound was tightly packed to stem the bleeding. "Hold on, Jay," he demanded urgently, his voice breaking. "Please, just hold on."

Jay couldn’t hear Kai’s pleas over the rush of blood in his ears, the ringing and fog in his head, his own sobs and cries. He dug his heels into the concrete, head falling weakly back against the wall as he desperately tried to grapple with the excruciating pain shooting up and down his body.

Kai found himself desperately wishing Zane were here to do this. Hell, wishing he had anyone here. Damn it… Why couldn’t they have just been more careful? He should have done something, He should have seen that hidden blade coming, he should’ve taken on the leader instead of Jay, he should have—

Jay shuddered, shoulders hiking up to his ears as Kai pushed the last of the fabric into the wound.

Kai quickly placed both hands firmly on top of the wound, maintaining steady pressure. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. After ensuring the fabric was packed deep enough, he removed his cloth belt and used it to secure the makeshift dressing in place. Keeping his hands gently pressed on the wound for added security, he saw that the bleeding had finally stopped.

Tears slipped quietly down Jay’s cheeks as he heaved and choked, just trying to catch his breath. Pale and shaking, he managed a weak nod of acknowledgment, breaths coming in shallow gasps and pained hiccups. Kai's hands shook as he continued to apply pressure, his mind racing with worry. Eventually, Jay's breathing steadied somewhat, though he remained weak and visibly drained.

Kai sighed in relief, feeling the tension and fear melt out of him, though he still felt a lingering tinge of nausea. He wiped his nose on his sleeve before turning his focus back down on Jay.

“It’s not safe here… We need to go.” His voice was filled with worry and determination. Jay looked up at him in a daze, trying to shake some of the cotton from his brain to focus on his words.

“R-Right…” His voice was strained, and it took a lot of wheezing and swallowing for him to respond. “Where?”

Kai cursed quietly under his breath, his mind racing for a nearby place where Jay could receive medical attention. The closest hospital was an hour's walk away—a daunting distance given Jay's condition. He briefly considered returning to the monastery, but they encountered the thieves early in their patrol and pursued them for several miles, leaving them far from the monastery now.

Frustration etched lines on Kai's face as he increased pressure on the wound, his thoughts racing for a solution in the dimly lit alley.

Jay’s mind was far off in a previous battle, in a previous timeline. He could only think of one person who might be willing to help right now. He was the only one close enough.

He weakly tugged on Kai’s sleeve. “Kai… Didn’t Ronin s-start a new pawn shop somewhere around here some-t-time after Morro?” He winced softly.

Kai looked confused for a beat before his face fell. “Jay, you can’t be serious… Ronin?”

Jay hissed in pain, sitting up a bit higher against the wall, his voice stern. “Kai, we need help! And Ronin, he’s h-helped us before!”

Kai scoffed, “Oh, so I’m just supposed to forget the time he sold Zane to Chen?!”

“Yeah, I know he’s done some seriously fucked up stuff, but I’m sort of bleeding out here!” Jay exclaimed with as much as he could muster, “And you’ve- “

Jay cut off, suddenly feeling very weak. He braced himself against the ground, his other hand clutching his head as dizziness threatened to overtake him. Kai’s angry expression faded instantly, replaced with intense worry. He carefully held Jay steady.

“Hey, take it easy man, you… You lost a lot of blood.” Kai muttered, looking down at the blood-soaked— Well, everything.

The ground, their clothes, their hands; It wasn’t pretty. Kai glanced around again. They had already been here for too long. Those goons could come back again, and they’d have plenty of time to bring friends. Neither of them would be able to fight them off. They needed to go, but…

Kai cursed under his breath, his grip on Jay tightening in frustration. Trusting Ronin again felt like walking into a trap with eyes wide open.

Jay weakly glanced up at him, eyes hazy and unfocused from the pain. “Kai?”

Kai watched Jay with a mix of worry and determination. He was in bad shape, and they were out of options. Kai's jaw clenched, and he glanced around the dark alley one last time, desperately searching for any other solution; But he knew there was none. The urgency in Jay's pain-filled eyes made the decision for him.

The man was shifty and self-serving, but he had skills they desperately needed now.

Kai sighed in resignation. “We’re going. I’m gonna pick you up, okay? Brace yourself.”

Jay sighed shakily, shifting carefully to sit up more; despite how each movement sent a sharp twinge through his side, making his head spin.

Kai carefully slid one arm under Jay's knees and the other around his back, the brick scraping against his knuckles.

He exhaled abruptly, steadying himself. "Ready?"

Jay gripped Kai’s shirt tightly, bracing himself with a silent nod.

Kai lifted Jay with as much care as he could muster, but the pain still surged through Jay's body, causing him to shiver; the red fabric of Kai’s shirt twisting in his fists.

Kai stood there for a moment, cradling Jay securely in his arms. It was partly to give Jay a chance to catch his breath, but mostly to reassure himself that Jay was alright; that his life wasn’t slipping through his fingers anymore like fresh blood.

Then Kai moved. He almost couldn’t believe it, but they had to get to Ronin.

Chapter Text

Kai’s heart hammered in his chest as he stumbled through the maze of shadowed back alleys, the weight of Jay’s body seeming to get heavier with every step. His arms burned, his breath tore ragged through his throat, and every muscle in his body screamed at him to stop— but he didn’t dare slow down. Not now. Not when Jay’s blood was soaking through his shirt, warm and slick against his arms. He’d only gotten worse since they left the alleyway and it was getting harder and harder for Kai to hide his fear from the boy in his arms.

“Come on, man… stay with me,” Kai muttered, voice shaking despite the sharp edge of panic he tried to suppress. His eyes darted between the narrow, twisting streets, desperate for something familiar— anything that looked like the path to Ronin’s run-down pawn shop. He swore under his breath. Where the hell was it?

Jay groaned weakly against his chest, his head lolling to the side. The sound made Kai’s gut twist. “Hey—hey, don’t do that, alright? Don’t close your eyes.” He shifted his grip, one arm hooked under Jay’s knees, the other pressing hard against the wound on his side, but the bleeding wouldn’t quite stop, even with the sloppy packing. His hands were slick with it.

The city was too quiet. The hum of neon signs and the buzz of flickering lights felt distant—muted by the ringing in his ears. It was late. Too late. The alleys were empty, the kind of empty that made his skin crawl. Nobody decent was out at this hour, and Kai wasn’t stupid enough to start calling for help, not in this part of the city.

He rounded a corner, his shoes splashing through a puddle, his heart pounding so hard it hurt. Come on, come on, think… it’s near the auto repair shop… or was it past it? His mind was spinning, trying to pull up the memory of the last time they’d been there. He could almost hear Ronin’s dry voice in his head, mocking him for getting lost.

Jay shifted in his arms feeling a cold, nauseating dizziness beginning to creep in. He groaned softly, tightening his grip on Kai’s shirt.. “Kai…”

Kai looked down, panic sparking like electricity in his chest. “Hey, hey, I got you. Just— just hang in there, okay? We’re almost there.” He wasn’t sure if he was lying anymore. His legs were shaking, his arms trembling from the effort. Jay was getting heavier by the second.

“Damn it,” Kai hissed under his breath, scanning the shadows ahead until his eyes caught the dull orange glow of a shattered neon sign. The shape of a rusted-out pawn sign came into view, half-buried in the dark and between abandoned buildings. His breath hitched in relief. “There— Ronin’s place. I told you we’d make it.”

Jay didn’t respond.

Kai’s stomach dropped, and with a final burst of strength, he sprinted the last stretch, skidding against the concrete. He hit the front door and began kicking at it harshly, as he had no available hands to knock. “Ronin! Open up! It’s Kai— damn it, open the door! Get your sorry ass out here!”

Kai cursed under his breath, glancing down at Jay’s pale form. He was weak and getting worse by the minute.

“Please! We need your help!” He cried out desperately, holding Jay a little tighter. There were a few moments of excruciating silence before the door finally swung open with a rough metallic creak, the sound cutting through the night air like a threat.

Ronin filled the doorway, half in shadow, one hand braced against the frame. He looked exactly how Kai remembered him—unkempt, unshaven, eyes sharp and bloodshot from either too much whiskey or too little sleep. He was completely clothed despite the late hour, like he never knew when he might need to get a move on. A man who’d seen every side of the world worth regretting.

“What the hell—” Ronin’s words cut off as he took in the scene: Kai stood there, barely holding himself upright, a mess of sweat, blood, and dirt smeared down his face and neck. His arms were locked around Jay, whose limp body hung heavily against him. He was completely pale, and his breathing came in shallow, ragged pulls that sounded too close to the edge. A dark stain spread down his right side, the fabric of his gi clinging to the wound. Ronin’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, for crying out loud.” He’d never seen the blue ninja in a worse state. (At least, not in this timeline.)

“Help me,” Kai snapped, voice cracking from panic and exhaustion. He looked like he’d been running through hell and back and hadn’t realized he made it out. “He’s—he’s losing blood.”

Ronin didn’t move right away. His gaze flicked between them, calculating. It was the look of a man doing the math on whether or not this was worth the headache. Kai hated that look—it made him feel like a deal waiting to be turned down.

“You know what time it is?” Ronin finally muttered, voice low and gravelly. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, letting out a tired groan. “You don’t just show up at my door bleedin’ all over the place and expect me to—”

“Ronin!” Kai barked, every nerve in his body snapping under the weight of desperation. “He’s dying!”

The words hung between them like a gunshot.

Ronin exhaled through his nose, long and sharp. “Son of a— fine.” He stepped aside with a grimace. “Bring him in before you- paint my doorstep red.”

As soon as Kai stumbled in, Ronin shut the door behind them with a heavy thunk, locking it heavily. Kai thought the space felt smaller somehow. Like being sealed in with the devil you didn’t want, but needed. “You always pick the best times, don’t ya,” Ronin muttered, stalking past Kai toward the back. His voice was laced with annoyance, but his steps were brisk, decisive. “Come on. I got a setup in the back for patch jobs. Don’t ask why.” His tone was sharp, but his eyes—tired, calculating, and far too observant—lingered on Jay longer than he’d admit.

The shop swallowed them in shadow and dust. The smell of motor oil, tobacco, and rust hung thick in the air. Kai staggered forward, barely keeping his footing as Ronin moved ahead, muttering curses under his breath while he pushed aside crates and broken gadgets.

Kai followed him through the maze of clutter, his breath shallow, every step a struggle to keep Jay steady. His pulse pounded in his ears, half from fear, half from exhaustion. The back of the shop was somehow even worse than the front. The tiny side windows were boarded up, allowing only slivers of weak light to filter through the cracks. The air was musty and stagnant, thick with the scent of old wood and dust. Antique clocks ticked faintly in the background, the sound echoing through the cramped space.

Ronin shoved aside a hanging tarp and gestured them into a small back corner lit by a single buzzing fluorescent bulb. A folding cot, a stained sink, and a makeshift table covered in whiskey and medical supplies—well-used, hardly organized. “Set him there,” Ronin ordered, already rolling up his sleeves.

Ronin shoved a heap of junk off the table with a grunt, ignoring the metallic crash that followed. “Move,” he barked, jerking his head toward the cleared surface.

Kai didn’t hesitate. He eased Jay down as carefully as his trembling arms would allow, but even that small motion pulled a low groan from Jay’s throat. His head lolled weakly to the side, eyes half-lidded and unfocused.

Ronin crouched down, scowling. He yanked a dented metal case from beneath the table and flipped it open—rows of bandages, sutures, gauze, bottles of God-knows-what all neatly packed despite the grime around them. His voice was rough, but there was something quieter beneath it, something too tired to be entirely heartless. “Damn, kid looks rough. How long ago?”

Kai ran a shaky hand through his hair, streaking it with blood and sweat. “Twenty minutes? Maybe thirty. I—I tried to pack it, but it’s sloppy. He kept moving and—”

Ronin let out a humorless snort as he grabbed a pair of scissors and a cloth. “Believe me, I’ve seen worse.”

Kai shot him a distrusting glare. “And that’s supposed to make me feel better?”

“Wasn’t tryin’ to.”

He cut away the blood-soaked fabric of Jay’s gi top, tossing it into a metal bin with a wet thud. The wound beneath made Kai’s gut twist—it was deep, still oozing sluggishly despite the layers of pressure. Ronin’s jaw worked.

He examined the injury, brows furrowed in concentration. "Damnit. It's bad, real bad. But it's clean. No shrapnel or fragments, that's something." He stated, hands pushing through the bottles of alcohol on his table as he muttered under his breath, eventually producing a half-empty bottle of whiskey. “Alright,” he said, uncapping it with his teeth, “before we start, he’s gonna want this.”

Kai’s eyes widened. “What—what are you doing? You can’t just—”

“Relax, hotshot. I’m not takin’ him out for drinks,” Ronin snapped. “You want him thrashing while I clean this? He’s gotta be out enough to stay still.” He tilted Jay’s head slightly, pressing the bottle to his lips. “C’mon, kid. Drink.”

Jay groaned, weakly turning his head, but instinct made him swallow as the sharp burn hit his tongue. Ronin didn’t stop until he was sure it’d hit his system, and then some.

Kai felt his chest tighten as Ronin just continued tipping the bottle more and more, ignoring Jay’s weak grunts of protest. “Fuck… Master Wu… would kill me if he saw this. We’re not supposed to—”

“Oh, right,” Ronin interrupted dryly, capping the bottle. “Honor, purity, the way of the flame, blah blah blah. Tell you what, you can apologize to your sensei after his pupil’s not bleeding out on my table.”

Kai swallowed hard, jaw clenched. He hated that Ronin was right.

The bounty hunter worked with grim focus, unwrapping bandages, soaking gauze with antiseptic, muttering something that sounded half like a curse and half like a prayer. His hands were steady—steady in a way that came from experience, not mercy.

He finally grabbed a roll of gauze and a bottle of antiseptic from the medical kit. "Okay, hold him down tight. This is gonna hurt like hell." Kai took a shuddering breath, bracing himself. His hands dug into Jay’s shoulders, firm but trembling. “Got’m.”

“Good.” Ronin poured the antiseptic into the wound.

Jay’s body jolted instantly, a strangled cry ripping through the quiet room. Kai flinched, tightening his grip, heart pounding.

Ronin didn’t flinch. Didn’t waver. He just worked—fast, precise, efficient. "Keep him still, don't want him making it worse." Ronin cautioned, his voice only slightly strained and urgent despite the tense situation. He pressed a wad of gauze against the wound, applying pressure to stem the bleeding.

Kai nodded, his grip tightening on Jay’s shoulders. Seeing his friend in so much pain was torture, but he knew it was for his own good.

Jay's eyes were squeezed shut; his face twisted in pain. "S-Stop..." he panted; voice strained.

"I can't, kid. It's gotta be done." Ronin replied, his voice firm but not unkind as he tore open a pack of medical tape with his teeth. The process was slow and meticulous, and each twist of the gauze drew another choked gasp from Jay's lips.

Kai’s muscles ached from holding Jay down, every tremor of his friend’s pain echoing through him like an aftershock. His hands were slick—blood, sweat, antiseptic—and his heart thudded hard against his ribs, begging for rest he couldn’t afford. He wanted to punch something, to scream, to get the motherfucker who did this to Jay. Anything but sit there and watch his brother bleed. But all he could do was press harder on Jay’s shoulders and whisper, “Jay, just hang on man, please.”

Ronin said nothing for a while, too focused on his work. His movements were steady, deliberate—hands that had seen too much of this kind of thing. For someone who claimed to hate heroes, he worked like someone who didn’t want another name on his conscience.

When it was finally over, Ronin exhaled and stepped back, flexing the stiffness out of his fingers. “That should hold for now,” he said flatly. “He’ll need stitches eventually, but it’ll keep him breathing.”

Kai’s whole body sagged with the words. His arms fell to his sides, numb and heavy. For the first time in what felt like hours, he let out a long, shuddering breath. “Oh, First Master…” he murmured, staring down at Jay. The blue ninja’s breathing had evened out a touch, his face slack with exhaustion and pale from blood loss, despite his intoxication.

Kai’s chest hurt, the relief somehow heavier than the panic. “He’ll be okay, right?” His voice cracked from the previous strain.

"Okay? Bah! I patched him up better than any doctor in Ninjago ever could!" Ronin scoffed as he packed up his medical supplies.

 Kai huffed quietly, a tired half-smile tugging at his mouth despite himself. “Yeah, sure,” a pause, “...You saved his life, whether you’ll admit it or not.”

Ronin huffed but didn’t deny it. “Yeah, well. Don’t mention it. Consider it.. my good deed for the year.” He tucked the med kit under the table with an eyeroll, but there was a hint of something other than annoyance on his face.

Kai watched him, eyes narrowing slightly, but the fight in him was gone. He brushed a damp strand of hair off Jay’s forehead and sighed. “Thought you didn’t do ‘good deeds’..”

Ronin shot him a look. “Watch it, hotshot. I can still throw both of you out.”

“Yeah… yeah,” Kai breathed, voice cracking with the weight of it all. He leaned forward until his forehead rested against his and Jay’s intertwined hands, not caring about the blood, the grime, or the ache in his shoulders. Just the faint, steady pulse beneath his fingers. Proof that he hadn’t failed.