ninjago imagines

light over the sea | jay w.

Set after S15

TW: Depression, disappearance, mourning.

After Nya leaves, Jay visits the docks every morning, a part of him still hoping to see her there. Kai catches him one day, and talking ensues. 

A/N: angst.

• • •

The first time he visits the docks, it's the middle of the night. The day's events are still etched in his brain, every second clear as glass. No matter what he does, his mind keeps going back to the the of Nya and that she was never coming back again— and Jay thinks if he spends another moment in his room, he'll explode. 

Every part of the monastery reminds him of the water ninja- the blue duvet that covers his bed,  puddles outside on the ground, her door decorated with her name, the curling handwriting written across the wood. 

Their picture hanging on the wall, which Jay finds himself unable to take his eyes off. Biting his lip, he stalks over to the photograph, snatching it off the wall. Her face smiles at him softly through the frame, and for a second he wants to smash it against the ground just to never feel that sharp stab of remembering that she isn't coming back ever again.

He tastes the metallic tang of blood, and walks out the monastery, still holding the picture. 

His feet lead him across the streets of Ninjago, and he doesn't know exactly where he's going, eyes tracing the paths he knows he's walked across with Nya before. 

Jay ends up at the docks. Boats float on the water lazily, anchors holding them down in the water. Fishing poles lay abandoned, chairs overturned. He finds the end of a walkway, sitting down with his legs hanging over the wooden planks. He looks at the picture again, and sets it down next to him. 

The lighting ninja surveys the view in front of him, orange tint highlighting over the seas. The sun is just about to peek out of the horizon, but the moon is still hanging over the sky, white outline fading away in the fire of the star. It reminds him of the glistening water that drowned the city just a few hours ago, that covered the top of buildings. 

The light spills over the skyline, and illuminates the ocean, sharp deep blue shining out. 

And the water is exactly the shade of her eyes. Jay picks up the picture, throwing it in the sea. There is a small splash as it sinks into the deep cobalt color, and dark resentment fills him. 

Why would she leave? They would've figured something out, he could've found more solutions, nothing that involved Nya giving up her life for them—

But, there's still hope, right? Nya isn't dead, she's just transformed into — into part of the ocean. And- and the ocean is right at the docks, where he can visit and wait. 

Wait for her return. 

There is no sign of the photograph anymore, and Jay stands up, the pale sunshine reflecting into his eyes. He walks back home, a cold anger settling into the hole in his heart. The few citizens up early eye him as he walks past, but he ignores them, finally making it back to the monastery. 

Jay sees the hallway again, filled with pictures of the ninja and the rest of their family. There's a missing piece in the rows of smiling faces, now. Just like himself, Jay thinks bitterly, and spends the rest of the hours staring at his bedroom ceiling, sleep refusing to take him. 

• • •

The second time Jay visits the sea, he knows exactly where he's going. It's late afternoon, and the sun is about to set before he can catch the last of the light. Before he leaves, he grabs a small stuffed toy off his bed. Maybe another gift into the ocean will remind her. Bring her back to them.