Wisps: Recollection (Ninjago X Reader)

55. That Time of The Year

Frustration coursed through your veins, your yell sounding with a vibrant, thinning-out red. It's been a week and you still haven't mastered it. Fatigued, you slumped down when it went out, seeing double. You've begun thinking it wasn't worth it. 'Should I even be learning it?'

Sharp knocking intrudes. That should be Echo at the door with the soups Skylor made. You get off the ground, sniffling through your clogged nose. At the first nasty spike in your sickness, Echo helped you. Whether that was fixing your mess of an apartment or applying new bandages to your gashes. Which you ended up saying were from the previous battle. There were conflicting emotions when you said that to him, dulling the lights of his eyes...

In his sad, vacant expression, he jumped at your raspy cough, a light cheeriness to him. "Hey."

"Oh– How is your headache? I got more medicine–"

"I'm good, Echo."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeees. Thank you." You reached up and patted the top of his head, metal strands brushing against your skin. They're upright at places and others worn and droopy. "Don't worry about it one bit." He didn't need to. Especially when he was so intense doing so. When Echo first heard your coughing, he fussed about your sickness, overwhelming you. He thought it would be the end... You couldn't help but wonder, if...

"I can't help but to," he whispered, an old familiarity dying in his words, your hand stilling.

"It's a cold, it'll go away." It made you guilty, dragging him into taking care of you. You didn't want to cause more worry– you even hesitated to tell him about Chime. There was only one appearance of her leaving the city after you saw her last. You remember trying to ring that bell so many damn times. But she never came, and it never rang. You didn't know what to do or say– not until you're sure what happened to her. The only thing you could push out was that you saw her, easing his worries. You continued smoothing over his hair, perhaps finding it relaxing as well... Metal bangs flattened, reaching his relaxed, half-lidded eyes.

"Why do you pet my hair?"

"Oh. I'll stop–"

"No!" Your hand barely lifted. Quizzical, you tilted your head watching how the robot became flustered. "I meant– that– well– I was just asking..."

"So you want me to keep doing it?" Mischief took over your grin, inwardly laughing at his blinking lights. Honestly, you thought you burst a circuit or something.

That wasn't the case, his response was quick, serious, "Please, it's somehow relaxing." Catching your wrist, he brought your hand back on his hair, dragging you unexpectedly close to him. You weren't anticipating that at all, your dumb teasing backfired on your face, hot on your skin. And his sharpness noticed it. His frigid hands pressed on your cheeks, squishing them. That wasn't helping, you could only imagine you looked silly. "Oh, you're heating up! Do you have a fever? Lay down, I'll get you a wet towel and-!"

"I don't got one!" A little too loud, you shut your mouth, pausing when his hands eased up, lifting from your heated skin. "You just um surprised me- I'm good, the heater got to me I think. Uhhhh," You stretched it out, searching for what to say under his scrutinizing, bright eyes. Embarrassment died down. "Ahem, so, how's Skylor? I know today's the festival and stuff."

"Right! We'll still be going, yes?" Overtaken in his joy, he rose higher in his spirits, the rings of his irises glowing merrier.

"Yeah, 'course. Let me get dressed up– I'll be quick."

"Wonderful!" Abruptly, Echo slapped his metal palm over his mouth with a clang. His cringe was evident with how he shrank into himself at your slight giggle. "I... I will be waiting here then."