Flumptober (Ninjago Challenge)

October 2nd

Title: Caged Bird
Prompt: AU
A/N: This from an jaya arranged marriage AU that I hope to write someday.  To avoid foreclosing on their blacksmith shop, the 4 Weapons, the only connection they have left to their parents, Kai has found a solution to their financial woes - an arranged marriage between his sister Nya and upcoming movie star Jay Gordan. Nya is furious, Jay seems indifferent, and there is far more to the situation than what meets the eye.

Nya tapped her fingers lightly on the table, annoyed that her friend was taking agonizingly long to change into her outfit in the fitting room. Seliel finally emerged, sporting a cocktail dress in a striking burnt orange color that contrasted nicely with the fuchsia and electric blue of her hair. She did a twirl and looked at Nya expectantly, waiting for a compliment.

Nya rolled her eyes. "Looks fabulous as always," she muttered.

Seliel frowned at her friend. "A little enthusiasm would be nice."

Nya crossed her arms and tilted her head, unimpressed. "Seliel, you could prance around in a stained and crinkled paper bag and still look good. Everything you've tried on today looks amazing on you. Can we go now?" Nya huffed.

Seliel sized up her friend, noting she was still fuming from the whole arranged marriage announcement.

"Taking care of husbands is simple," Seliel started.

Nya rolled her head to the other side and glared. "And what do you know about husbands? You're still single."

Seliel ignored her and kept talking. "They need the following things: respect, sex, work, exercise, and food. If they get at least three of those in one day, that is a good day. Two or less is not a good day."

Nya's face went flush and she could feel her cheeks growing hot.

"S-se-sex?" she squeaked out.

Seliel paused and looked over the young woman whose face was now as cherry red as her lips.

"Yes, sex. You have heard of it right? When two people love each other very much they-"

"I know what sex is!" Nya shouted then went stiff, realizing she was causing a scene in the department store. She reduced her voice to a hushed whisper, "I just— we don't even know each other!"

"Well yes, that is the point of an arranged marriage. Look at the bright side, you'll get to enjoy getting to know each other."

Nya's head was spinning. Yes she knew what people did in married relationships, but the thought of doing that with him didn't sink in until Seliel had explicitly spelled it out for her just now. And now, she couldn't think of anything other than that, and it was derailing her thought process.

Seliel side-eyed her friend, a smug smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. "You're thinking about it now, aren't you."

Nya snapped her head up and tightened her crossed arms, sinking further into the plush couch of the fitting room common area.

"I don't blame you, Jay is hot, rich and already famous."

Nya puffed her cheeks and grumbled. Those things were nice, but what she really cared about was his personality and if they had anything in common. She knew nothing about him except for that the tabloids said, and who knew how much basis of truth there was to that information.

"If men are so easy to take care of, why do they even need to get married?" Nya asked, in an attempt to steer the conversation away from things that were making her blush.