A blue Spouse (Ninjago Royalty AU)

CHAPTER 90: The last parting

"I have to do it."

Jay's brow furrowed.

Cole noticed his friend was not happy and tried to intercede.

"Why don't you wait a few more days?" He asked, to which the Maharaja responded very clearly.

"I will have to wait anyway, I need to reschedule meetings and stuff."

Zane sighed. "Nya is going to kill you. And me too."

"It's for a good cause." Kai chuckled as he tried to defend his stance.

Jay remained unfazed. This time it was Lloyd who tried to side with him.

"Why don't you just send a messenger?"

Kai snorted and reclined on the cushions of the couch. "And tell my future parents-in-law that I'm gonna marry their son through a letter? Fuck, no! What sort of lame proposal would that be?"

Jay still had his head down, gaze fixed on the low table with the tray of teacups and snacks, about to jump but managing to remain calm somehow.

"At least let one of us go with you." Cole tried again.

"The more people the slower the retinue will move."

Cole laughed proudly. "I could get there on foot all by myself way before you all."

Kai arched an eyebrow at him. "You know, any other day I would bet you to it, but I'm not taking any more unnecessary risks."

The first spouse sighed, accepting defeat. Although fruitless, Jay appreciated his efforts. He'd barely been there for three days, and now Kai was suggesting they got separated again already. Well... 'suggesting' wasn't the right word, the monarch was set in stone on the idea of leaving his home for the umpteenth time, no matter how much his family tried to talk him out of that plan, he wouldn't budge.

"Jay," Kai called for him. The boy looked up slowly. "Are you feeling alright? You've been awfully quiet."

Jay bit his lip and looked away again. He understood why Kai was insisting that he must visit his parents, and a part of Jay was actually flattered that the Maharaja wanted to do this with so much conviction. Yet... thinking about being apart from Kai for at least ten days soured his mood.

Jay had briefed Kai about the mishaps he'd gone through on his latest adventure, and he'd also explained to the young man that his parents had played a big role in his spiritual enlightenment. Ed and Edna knew about his feelings for the Maharaja. They surely foresaw the two boys would want to get married as soon as they reunited, there was no actual need to go there and ask them for Jay's hand in marriage formally. Or at least, Jay, as a non-royal person, did not see the need.

"I don't want you to go," he mumbled.

Kai came closer and kneeled on the floor before Jay, he touched his freckled cheek and made sure the boy's gaze was on him before speaking.

"I know, baby, and I promise you this will be the last time we're separated for so long. But I really need to do this. I've fucked up many times, I want to make things right for once. I need to have their blessing before going any further with this. It's important to me."

Jay really wanted to protest, but how could he when Kai was being so kind and sweet? Jay discovered that day that, not only did Kai have a very inconvenient sense of duty sometimes, but also that his smiles were one of Jay's weaknesses.

The boy exhaled tiredly, joining his 'fallen companions' in this little war.

"Okay." Jay gave in.