Jaya Week 2024

day 1: look over here

Okay. It’s okay. I can do this. It’s just the first mission since the alternate timeline, but it’s no big deal, right?
I gotta calm down.

Jay takes a few deep breaths, trying the square breathing technique Master Wu taught him in training. He closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them back up again.

“Jay, what are you doing?” Cole asks, looking over at him.

“Nothing,” Jay says quickly. “Just, ah, scanning the area for attackers!”

“Good thinking,” Nya says. “I know those signals originated here, but so far, I haven’t caught sight of a single suspicious person. Just a bunch of boxes, and I think there was a…forklift?” she muses. “Yeah, it was a forklift. Raised pretty high, almost as high as…” she trails off, eyes straying to the shelves surrounding the group.

Nya tugs on Jay’s sleeve, turning his attention to her. She points up at the top of one of the shelves. “Look, over here, I think I just saw-”

“Kai, behind you!” Jay calls, sounding panicked. Kai moves just in time to dodge an arrow headed straight for his chest. He makes a thumbs-up at Jay and Nya in thanks. Jay nods back, and turns his attention to the guilty archer. “Hey, sniper! Might wanna work on your aim,” he quips, his voice shaking slightly. He scrambles up the side of the shelf. Once he reaches the top, Jay turns to face the mysterious attacker. Seeing their features, his face drains of blood.
Nya climbs up behind him. “Jay, I wanna- Oh.”

Jay is breathing heavily. I can’t do this, I can’t, I can’t, it’s too much, too soon, I- she-

Statues made of gold.
Green poison on a white dress.

Oh, no no no nono, not again, no-

Her hands, shaking in his.
The hiss of her tight, pained breaths.

Jay’s knees give out.

“Jay,” Nya’s voice says distantly. “I’m right here. Jay!”

“What’s up with him?”
Kai’s voice, sounding even farther away.

“Just go after the dude,” Nya orders, “I know how to handle this. Go!”

Jay’s breaths are short and shallow.
Nya swears under her breath. “Well fuck me backwards. Master Wu promised you were clear for missions. It’s okay though, it’s fine, I’ll take care of you. Listen to my voice. Focus on it,” she says sternly.

Jay nods his head shakily, though the sound of his own blood rushing in his ears is becoming deafening. 

Kai’s quiet, shaky sobs.
Her limp body in his own arms.

no, no, nonononono, i can’t relive this again-

Nya’s voice pierces through Jay’s mind. “Hey. Hey! I’m right here, Jay Walker. I’m still breathing, the venom isn’t here, we’re not in the sky, we-”

He feels a warm hand wrap around his own.

“We’re okay,” Nya says, her voice softer now.

Jay’s body starts to shake with silent sobs, the flashback passing. She tentatively wraps both arms around his shoulders, squeezing him into a hug. His face falls forward into her shoulder, and he presses his forehead against Nya's soft gi.

His breathing begins to slow, returning to a normal rhythm. Nya talks to him the whole time, mostly repeating the same phrase: “It’s okay. We’re okay. We’re alive, and he isn’t here. I promise.”

Jay sighs into her shoulder- a tiny breath of a sigh.
“Look over here,” Nya says gently. She raises his chin so he can look her in the eye.

“Are we really okay?” he asks quietly.

nononononononoono-

“Yes,” Nya says firmly.

He blinks.

“I know what you just went through. I see it every night, every time I close my eyes. I know it hurts you, and you can talk to me about it whenever you need to-”

Jay opens his mouth to protest, but Nya puts a finger to his lips. “But you need to be able to set it aside, and not let the past keep you from doing things you enjoy. Understand?”

“Yeah.”
“Are you ready to go back to the group?”

“Yeah.”

Nya nods definitively. “Let’s start by standing up, then. C’mon, they’re way far ahead of us now, we’ve gotta speed it up if we wanna catch up to them.” She offers him her hand, and he gratefully accepts.

“Hey, look over here,” Nya says, tugging his hand. Jay meets her eyes. “Ready to run?”

“Naturally,” he quips, color finally returning to his face. “Running is one of my finest and most favorite talents.”

She laughs. “Always did enjoy your sense of humor, Jay Walker. Glad to see it. Let’s go! That guy we saw went that way-"

"Thank you, Nya," he interrupts. "Truly."

She grins. "Anytime, Bluebird. Now, how about catching that goon?"

a/n: woo jaya week!!