A blue Spouse (Ninjago Royalty AU)

Chapter 37: Not again...

Zane stepped carefully, watching that the teapot and cups on the tray wouldn't shake and possibly fell. He'd long gotten over his old injury and nowadays he was confident enough in his walking, but it never hurt to be extra careful. Zane released a somehow tired breath through his nose.

Being careful...

Was he taking things too far with Kai? He could have asked a servant to prepare the tea, but instead, he'd felt the need to go and do it himself, as if he could imbue some sort of magic into the infusion that would make Kai feel better or heal faster. Even though he couldn't help it, Zane was a natural nurturer —be it because it was in his soul or that the trait was planted on him from a very young age due to the nature of his father's job— he couldn't help but to take direct care of the people he loved.

Was he overprotecting Kai though? Zane had always been confident in his believes, in choosing the best option out of a situation, but Cole's insistence reminded him of that morning days ago when Jay had been missing. That one time Zane had been wrong. The blonde knew it was futile to wonder what would have happened if he'd backed Cole's concerns instead of downplaying them, but part of the guilt lingered nevertheless. Was Cole right to push a rapprochement between Kai and Jay?

As he reached the last set of steps, Zane's eyes caught movement in the hallway and he stared surprised at Jay and Cole, both men on the floor, the larger one clinging to the other. The blond placed the tray on a side table and rushed to his friends, his fear growing as he saw the distress in their faces.

"What's the matter?" He asked and Cole flinched scared as he looked up and saw him. "What's wrong? What are you doing here? Did... Did something happen with Lloyd?"

Cole did not respond to any of his questions, the young man just gaped as tremors ran through his body, unable to give a proper explanation. Zane shifted and looked at Jay, once again demanding to know what had put his friend in such a state.

Jay hesitated for a second then licked his lips before saying, "Kai..."

♦♦♦

The second Jay relied him what had just occurred, Zane was on his feet again and running with all his might towards the royal bedroom. Even before he reached the doors or saw the confused expressions of the guards around, he could tell how devastated Kai was. His cries were muffled but still raw and loud enough to escape through the minuscule gap of the entrance's edges.

The guards, as startled as Zane, made no move to stop him when the royal spouse grabbed the handle of the door and pushed his way inside, finding the monarch on the bed, crying like a scared child.

"Kai!" Zane quickly got to his side.

"Don't!" Kai yelled when the boy tried to touch him.

"Kai, it's okay, it's me; Zane."

"Leave me alone!"

"Kai, please, breathe. I know you're agitated but try to-"

"I said leave!" Kai growled, his eyes shot up and for a moment Zane was brought back to that fateful night when they had all barged into Kai's room and the boy's walls had crumbled, leaving him unprotected, at the mercy of his inner fears. The Maharaja's face was a mess, his makeup ruined, leaving dark trails from his eyes down his cheeks as more and more tears seeped out.

"Just leave me alone! I don't want to see you or anyone else ever again!"

Zane was petrified, these last few days taking care of Kai he'd seen the boy having occasional breakdowns but he had never refused Zane's help, never looked at him with so much sadness in his eyes.