Lava | Ninjago

🜃 | Blink and You Miss It

[let's all collectively pretend that the pile of ideas and requests for one shots doesn't exist… and let's all enjoy this it was only a kiss rewrite! because i grew to hate it. its ass. and im never going to be satisfied with my work so expect this to not be the only instance of such thing, ha!]

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Cole has seen it coming from miles away. Basically the moment Kai laid his eyes on Skylor, Cole could consider himself another master of mind with how loud Kai's thoughts were.

And despite spending the last year in his personal seclusion, despite not having any contact with Kai in the past months at all, that specific part of him was disappointed, maybe even furious, with the fact that somebody stole those gazes from him. Was that all it took? Few months apart and Kai lost his interest?

If there was any to begin with.

He didn't care if Kai felt something or not, he kept sucking up all those interactions and glances and touches like the driest of sponges.

And then somebody had to come into the picture and begin the ridiculous tug-of-war for Kai's attention.

So of course she was the one to get kissed as the adrenaline rushed through Kai's bloodstream. Of course she was the winning trophy, the cherry on top of Kai's dreamed cake. Maybe she was on the good side and helped them win but she was still a nasty thief.

Or maybe if Cole just wasn't such a self-absorbed, idiotic coward, maybe then the situation would be entirely different. Maybe if he just man upped and tried to act on all the feelings instead of simply enjoying the pure idea that Kai might like him, maybe then he was going to be the one holding Kai's hands, leaning in for a kiss, instead.

Staring into Kai's eyes until the last millimeter was left… Kai's staring right back. Kai staring at him…

Cole whipped around, crossed his arms. Heat took over him despite the weather being just fine.

Kai just caught him staring at them. And Cole couldn't recall whether he was seething or not. Hopefully his face was as neutral as can be. No show of emotions, he was good at that, right?

Kai was always good at stealing his breath, however, this was an entirely different situation. Cole could only hope he was just looking somewhere behind him and not at him. Because why would he, right? Skylor was right there in front of him. Holding his hands.

Why was he staring at him?

“Cole!” Oh no. Here will come the questions. Why were you staring at us, weirdo? How is he going to get out of this one? Cole has always liked to make fun of Kai and his terrible improvisation but now that the roles were reversed…

When his wish came true and he did get the chance to stare into Kai's eyes, it was the worst kind of torture. All it did was intensify the uncomfortable heat that probably wasn't Kai's work. It could be Skylor's, technically… There was no escape and now he was torn apart.

“What– What's up, I thought you were… with Skylor.”

“Yeah…” Kai breathing, sparing a quick glance somewhere behind Cole. The thought that now his and Skylor's roles were reverse was oddly satisfying. What wasn't very helpful, though, was the tightness of his chest, he uncrossed his arms but it was to no use. As if attempting to take a proper breath in Kai's presence would make him disappear like some dandelion fluff. As if a single, slightly sudden move would break the whole moment apart; make it burst like a bubble.

And Kai looked back into his eyes and there was no air to be breathed anyway.

“I thought–” Good thing Kai didn't let him finish because Cole's mind was completely blank. He would have probably began rambling about absolute nonsense.

“I've never been more scared than when you fell down there, Cole.”

“Really? I– I'm kind of at a loss for words there–” However, it appeared that any more words were not necessary, for Kai managed to occupy his mouth elsehow.

Cole was absolutely certain his lungs were just vacuum at that point but it didn't matter at all at the same time because time stopped, the world stopped turning, everything went silent and only his hands managed to break through the strange phenomenon to hold onto Kai. He had to hold his close, as close as possible, as if he would die if he didn't do so. Maybe he was about to die because there seriously was no air, nothing. Just Kai's lips on his own, just like he secretly imagined except countless time more impeccable.

It was everything he dreamed of it to be and so much more. Kai's ridiculously soft lips pressed against his own, their noses brushing against each other, their breaths (but how could they breathe at a time like this?) hitting each other's faces. Cole could melt into Kai's hands had physics allowed it. They were so warm just like Kai's entire being. Fire was in every part of him, his personality, his body, his aura, his words, his gazes and now Cole got a chance to share some of it.

It was endless like a misty dawn, when the world still sleeps and only you and the stray ray of sunshine enjoy each other's company. Ephemeral, untouchable and yet Cole felt everything. Each of his cells was on high alert and he thought he might die right then and there but if Kai was there to hold him, who cares.

To die while kissing, that would be heartbreakingly the most romantic thing.

But he was so alive, staring right back into Kai's eyes, panting as if he ran his entire life (which he probably did, didn't he?), holding Kai like he was the most important artifact in the entire existence.

“You are the most selfless person I know,” Kai breathed, his face still close, his lips still right there it was almost impossible to ignore them. Cole had to close his eyes otherwise he would be forever stuck deciding between the two sights. “I can't believe I haven't realised it sooner.”

“I can't believe this actually happened,“ Cole murmured, unsure whether he was just talking to himself or to Kai as well. That didn't matter either since he heard him nevertheless. “I was so convinced you'd never–”

“To be fair I'm completely doubting you'd ever feel the same about me of all people,” Kai replied, making Cole open his eyes only to see his face light up with a faint smile. “But I couldn't stop myself anymore, I had to try.”

And Cole kissed him then, determined to preserve the idyllic moment for a little longer, just long enough so that he can drown in it.