Bound- Red Threads of Fate Jaya AU

My father will be pacing the floor

Unfortunately, Nya's sleep was far from relaxing. Her dreams alternated between scandalous romance and memories of her parents. She was up with the sun, and she quickly dressed and got to making breakfast.

She waited half an hour, and then went to look for Jay. She hated to wake him, and in fact didn't even want to think about him, but she figured she'd better get him back to his parents before they sent out a search party or something terribly public like that. She knocked on his door, waited, then knocked again. It wasn't really closed, so she looked through the opening, accidentally pushing it open in the process. The bed was near the door, and she could see that he was still fast asleep. She crossed the floor as quietly as she could, and stared down at him for a moment, not sure what to do.

Finally she decided just to wake him. She never would've admitted it out loud, least of all to him, but she almost thought she felt a sort of spark when she touched him, a shiver up her arm. The wet sleeve had been pushed up and his freckled arm was cold. She shook her head hard to come back to her senses and then shook him gently.

Jay's blue eyes flicked open, panicked for a second before he realized where he was. She jumped back, suddenly embarrassed.

"Sorry to wake you, I just thought-"

"It's fine." He sat up. He was still wearing his clothes from the day before, of course. His curls seemed to have dried in all the wrong shapes, and were going in every direction in the most adorable manner–Nya hated herself for thinking such a thing, but it was true.

"I just thought your parents might want you back as soon as possible." She finished.

"You're right. I'm sorry I slept so long." He got up hurriedly, politely refused breakfast, and put on his coat, stockings, and shoes, which were all warm and mostly dry.

"I'm sure your parents are awfully worried." Nya said. "I'll go with you and try to explain things, if you'd like."

He looked pale at her suggestion, but she refused to let him go alone. Who knew what he might start saying once he got going. It was safer for her to do the talking.

They walked together up the road from Nya's house and into the village streets. None of these roads were paved, which resulted in them turning into a complete mess whenever it rained. Nya tried to keep her silk clothes out of the mud, and stubbornly refused Jay's offers to help her over the streams of dirty water that ran down the streets. She was wondering what to say to his parents, and how to explain, in the first place, why he visited her at all. And she had to do it all without creating more rumors.

When they finally reached his house, Nya still didn't know exactly what to do, but she knocked anyway. It wasn't even quarter to seven, but his mother, whom she recognized from their first fateful meeting, flew to the door and opened it.

"Oh, goodness! Darling! Where ever have you been? We've been worried sick, what with the storm, and all!" She cried, hugging Jay.

"Sorry, Ma." He said, detaching her and blushing.

"Sorry? Sorry? That's all you have to say?" She shouted.

"No, I can explain–" He started, but Nya cut in.

"I'm very sorry ma'am, but I didn't think it was safe to send him back in the weather last night."

It seemed that Jay's mother hadn't noticed her before, or if she had, she hadn't realized who she was in all the excitement.

"Thread-mage! I'm sorry if I've been impolite." She gave a small curtsy. "But what in Ninjago! Darling, where have you been?" She turned on Jay again, but again Nya spoke before he had a chance to say anything embarrassing.

"He's been at my house." She said. "I can explain, and I'm very sorry to worry you."

"It isn't your fault, of course. Come in, both of you, and tell me exactly what happened!"

They exchanged glances, but did as told. Just as they sat down, an older man came in through the back door.

"No luck, Edna. But–" He stopped short upon noticing Jay and Nya, sitting calculatedly far apart on a wooden bench. "Jay! You're back! Your mother wouldn't let me search the village 'till seven. I was just checking your old clubhouse, and here ya are!"

Jay blushed again at the mention of the clubhouse, and Nya and his mother pretended not to notice.

"I'm sorry, Pa." He said. "We were just about to tell Ma what happened."

"Yes, you were." His mother said pointedly.

"I am sorry you were worried," Nya said yet again, "But as I said, I kept Jay at my house last night because I didn't think it was safe to send him home in the storm."

"An intelligent decision on your part, Miss." The father said, "But son, how'd you ever end up at the thread-mage's estate? I hope you weren't going to get her to read your thread again. You know it'll do no good, until you're older."

He said it so believingly that it made Nya's stomach turn. Oh, how she wished she could tell him the truth, but–

"No, I wasn't there for that." Jay was saying. "I was just taking a walk, and I still had the cookies Ma gave me, and since I was on that side of town I thought I should give her one, since we didn't pay her before. I didn't think that was quite fair, after all her trouble."

"That still doesn't explain why you'd go walking in that weather!" His mother pointed out. "You could've caught cold! Or . . . or gotten struck by lightning!"

"It wasn't a thunderstorm, Ma." Jay protested. "It was just part of a hurricane blown in from the coast. I learned about that at school."

"Well," His mother said, "It still wasn't safe. And besides, you could have interrupted the thread-mage! Her work is very important, you know."

"I know." Jay said at the same time Nya said, "I wasn't busy."

"Be that as it may, it was not safe!" Both parents emphasized yet again.

"And besides, it was very rude to stay at a lady's home like that!' Jay's father added.

"I didn't mind, really." Nya said.

"I'm really sorry, all of you." Jay said.

"Be that as it may, you are not to leave my watch again till summer, young man!" His mother said.

Nya got the feeling that he resisted whining only because of her presence.

"Now, Ed, take this poor young lady home in the carriage." Jay's mother continued.

"No, no, it's alright. I'll walk." Nya said. "I've already troubled you enough." She got up with finality. "Goodbye."

None of them dared to argue with her, and instead she was bowed and thanked and apologized to, until she finally left.

She walked home quickly, trying to keep her head up. Despite how cold it was, her face was burning as she recalled the conversation. She wasn't sure why. The villagers were just beginning to wake up, and she knew they couldn't help but recognize her, even in her coat. She hurried even faster, and was glad when at last she arrived home. Well, she arrived at her house, at least. Even after all these years, it wasn't fully home.

But even if it wasn't, she would never, could never leave this place. No matter how much she wanted to. It was her home, her destiny, her prison.