Jaya Week Challenge 2023

Day 6: Sunset

S5|SFW|Bittersweet Fluff

First was sunset.

The sunset complimented her colours. It was his favourite time of day to be with her. He recalled a trip to Ignacia they had made not long ago. The whole team was searching for a criminal of some sort, but he could see it in her face that she simply wanted to enjoy the air of her hometown. Kai was less reluctant to show his longing for Ignacia, showing the guys around as they continued on their search.

When the sunset arrived, combined with Ignacia's already warm hues, he was in awe.

The fleeting sunlight perfectly reflected on her tan skin and the usually dark colour of her eyes. Her hair shone perfectly when she briefly took off her mask, and her lips were blushing red in their colour.

It reminded him of one of their first ever meetings, once they returned from their first ever mission to the orange sky of Ignacia. When he was bold enough to suggest a hug, one which she happily offered. He had made sure to engulf her in his arms that day. He didn't know what it quite was just yet, but he felt the need to protect her, preserve her for as long as he could much like the sun slowly hiding underneath the horizon.

He loved going out on evening dates, primarily because he wanted to watch every sunset with her by his side. Atop the Monastery's roof when they were still friendly acquaintances, on the Bounty's deck when they were friends, on a cherry blossom forest during a picnic when they were dating.

She was kicking butt left and right, wielding her element like she had years' worth of experience. She had gotten used to it so quickly it was baffling. He wished he could have been by her side when she was first told. Maybe then she wouldn't have fainted. Still, he admired her more than she could ever know.

She briefly glanced at him, only to tell him to focus on the battle like the rest. But even from afar he could see her cheeks tint a distinct red; it was the final touch to the painting before him.

Then was twilight.

The battle was over, the bad guys were arrested, and a steady freezing breeze had taken over Ignacia. The Bounty was stationed quite far away, and so they decided to spend the night at the place they knew the most.

Kai had fetched the key from where it was hidden underneath a pot and at once they all took shelter in The Four Weapons. Zane distributed food amongst them, Lloyd and Cole brought blankets for everyone there, and finally Kai tried to fit everyone in their humble abode. The system went as followed: Kai and Cole would be sleeping in their old parents' room, Jay and Zane in the living room, and finally, Lloyd and Nya in her old bedroom.

She was happy to let Lloyd take the bed, but only because she knew it would be impossible to get a lot of sleep. Her fears were confirmed, and so she draped her blanket over her shoulders, walking out of the room quietly.

She sat atop the table looking out the window. It reminded her of all that time ago, when she was watching the wax give into the candle's flame, all the more nervous about Kai's return.

Behind her was the living room. Zane was charging in the corner, sitting atop a pillow as if he were meditating. Then, atop the couch, was Jay.

He wasn't sprawled out across it like he normally would be. Instead, he was almost sitting on it, leaned against the edge facing her and hugging one of the pillows in his arms. He was curled in the corner, his blanket covering him up to his shoulders.

Twilight wasn't quite over yet, but everyone had already fallen asleep, exhausted by the long day. From the window, faint stars could be seen dotting the sky. They reminded her of his freckles.

In fact, when she looked back, the faint light from outside was illuminating him fully. His auburn locks had turned a cooler colour, his pale skin had been given a faint glow. It reminded her of their first meeting, when she first gazed into his eyes and was faced with a vision she couldn't quite explain. She was holding out hope that someday, she would face her fears and make things right. That was what the vision told her.

Even after that, twilight always seemed to be her favourite time of day to be with him. Stargazing in his parents' junkyard, watching him invent things (and eventually joining him) while everyone else had drifted off to sleep... Even taking secret peeks while he was training alone at such a time, a punishment he was used to receiving by Wu for not paying attention. It was obvious he had been staring at her, so the least she could do was admire him back from afar.

He looked so serene while sleeping. She smiled at herself. It was a rare sight to see him in that way, where she could enjoy his presence without pressure or the anxiety-inducing feeling of love. She wished he could open his eyes just once, for their colour during twilight was her favourite thing of all.

When he did, admiration was replaced with fear.

They were barely open, but the colour of his iris was just barely visible. She wasn't sure if he was fully aware of her presence. "Nya?" he mumbled under his breath.

She took her blanket and approached quietly, but by the time she arrived, his eyes had yet again closed. Some part of his mind must have remained active, since he patted the seat next to him before returning to his pillow, snuggling against it.

She didn't love herself for her decision; but she made her way to the other side of the couch, making sure they had a safe distance kept between them, and brought her blanket closer to her body.

She looked at him one last time. He mumbled something incoherent. She wanted to assume it was goodnight, but the hug he gave his pillow and the vague sound of her name said otherwise.

"Goodnight, Jay," she whispered. She counted dragons in her mind until she drifted off to sleep.

She was his sunset.

He was her twilight.