Just A Robot | Ninjago · AU [DISCONTINUED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE]

1 ~ Goodbyes and Goodnights

Zane waved goodbye as Jay left. Everyone was visiting family, well everyone except for Cole and Zane. Cole didn't want to talk with his father after his mother's recent death, and Zane had no family to go to.

Cole nudged Zane inside, and he followed the ghost. Coles mental state has been improving. Ever since the two started dating, Zane has helped Cole through rough times.

Zane knocked on the door to Coles room. The earth ninja hadn't left his room in days and it was worrying the nindroid. When Zane was about to knock again, Cole said, "Come in," which Zane did. He opened the door to find Cole laying in bed.

"Cole? Are you alright? You seem to be struggling more as of recently and I wish to help," Zane had told him as he walked over and sat down next to Cole.

"I just-" Cole seemed to be looking for words. It took a while before he continued, fiddling with the bed sheets as he said, "I miss being human. I miss being able to feel things, I miss touching water. I can barely remember what eating is like. If I could take a shower it would be amazing."

Zane was looking at Cole. His eyes were droopy and puffy as if he had been crying. Not that he shed tears in his ghost form. The android grabbed Cole's hand, concerned for his boyfriend. "Cole, you may always talk to me. I know what it is like not being able to feel things. Water is an option, though I prefer not to with my titanium body."

Cole chuckled lightly, his eyes closing. He intertwined his fingers with Zane's, leaning against the nindroid. "You've always helped everyone. I wonder how you do it. I think I'm okay. Thanks, bud."

"Zane? Earth to Zane!" Cole was waving a hand in front of Zane's face. He blinked, shaking his head slightly to clear his mind.

"Oh, sorry, I was lost in thought. What is it?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to watch a movie or something. The others will be gone for a while so we can totally steal some of Jay's movies. He'll never notice!" Cole smiled, grabbing Zanes hand.

"I was thinking of getting some rest. It is quite late to be watching movies. Screens make it hard for humans to get proper sleep," Zane pointed out matter of factly, earning a groan from Cole.

"C'mon, I'm not human, dude! Plus, it's only 10:30," Cole was trying to change his mind, but Zane only chuckled.

"You still get tired, however. I've seen you yawn already tonight. Get some sleep," Zane told his boyfriend.

"Aw, you're no fun!" Cole whined, teasing the ice ninja. Zane only glared at Cole with an amused face.

"I am sorry Cole. Good night!" Zane waved as Cole yawned in response, trudging towards his room. He watched as Cole walked down the hall and entered his room, leaving the door cracked.

Zane walked into his room, closing the door. He sat on his bed. His walls were a tan color, darkened from the absence of light. Zane had to adjust his vision to the light levels before sitting on his bed. Sleep wasn't something he required, but he still sleeped to make himself feel human.

Human. He miss thinking he was a regular person. Sure, Zane was different from the rest of the ninja because of his personality, but he was still like them species-wise. Zane looked over at his dresser, looking at a picture of them all. They had gone shopping that day. Kai had dropped some eggs and was forced to buy it. Some of the eggs managed to survive the fall. When they got back, an egg war started when Jay chucked an egg at Kai's shirt.

In the picture, Kai and Jay were covered in eggs. Nya had an egg in her hand and Lloyd had eggs in his hair. It was a nightmare to get out, and it smelled terrible for a week. Cole was smiling, looking at our friends covered in eggs. Zane was there too. He looked human. He wore emotions that he thought were real.

How did his father manage to make a machine look like a real person? He was able to feel things and touch water without having to be cautious of how long he was in there. He could eat, he could laugh, he was just like a human.

Now he's like this. He rebuilt himself only to captured by Chen. It was terrible. He was so happy when Cole found him. But he sometimes wondered if he really was a person. Was he actually there, or was he just ones and zeros in his coding?

Right next to the picture sat a folded peice of blue paper. He took the paper and unfolded it, trying to get rid of the creases so he could place it on his lap and examine it. This blue piece of paper was his blueprints. He studied them, wondering if he could ever change how he built himself.

He was lucky to succeed the first time he rebuilt himself. The chances of being successful again were slim. Zane looked at his hand. He studied how the joints moved when he clenched his fist, and how the light that managed to find it's way into his room reflected off his titanium skin. How much he hated being this way.

The android missed feeling like a human, touching things, feeling emotions. He was lucky Cole ever volunteered to help educate him on love. Heck, he was surprised he had a boyfriend! What made Cole have feelings for him was beyond his imagination.

Then he heard a knock on his door and a creak as light seeped into his room. Cole's face peered into his room. Zane folded up the paper and shoved it under his blankets, squinting as he adjusted his eyes to the sudden brightness.

Cole couldn't see anything in the dark room, but was relieved as his eyes slowly adjusted to the little amount of light that made it's way in. He managed to see Zane placing his blankets down.

"Hey buddy? You alright? I heard sobbing," Zane just now noticed that he was shaking a bit, his fingers were grabbing his pants and cleching them.

"Oh- I was just- uh-" Zane was searching for an excuse. He didn't want his boyfriend worrying about him. No one needed to worry about him. He was just a robot, no real need to be fussed over. Just grab some programming tools and fix the pain! That's how it works, right?

Cole shuffled over, blinking sleep away, "Zane, I've noticed how you've been acting recently. I really would like to help. Think of it as returning the favor," Cole was trying to cheer up Zane, but it wasn't working. The nindroud was looking away, staring at his pillows.

"Zane..?" Cole placed his hand on his shoulder, which caused the nindroid to jump slightly, stiffening. Cole knew something was wrong. Zane never was this jumpy. What was going through his head..?

:'3
Imma continue this, but updates are pretty slow-