Ninjago - One-shots and short Stories

Of Chocolate Cake and Second Chances // Jaya (AU)

As requested by several people, this is the second part to the Jaya Coffee Shop/Soulmate AU. (The first part is called 'Of Mocha and Markers', in case you've missed that one.)

Of Chocolate Cake and Second Chances

Jay Walker had absolutely no idea what he could have possible done to upset those monks in Cloud Kingdom, but one thing he knew for certain – someone up there simply hated him and liked to make him suffer.

Not that this was anything new to the nineteen-year-old – he had known it ever since his tenth birthday had ended with tears as well as a brand new pack of markers agrily tossed into the bin, but that still didn't make days like today any easier.

And it had all started so well. Even though it was Study Week, the coffee shop had been fairly quiet all morning, finally giving the engineering student and part-time barista the opportunity to have an actual chat with his favourite customer.

And it had not been just some casual smalltalk.No, Nya had opened up to him, had even listened to his advice, and they had finally both admitted to liking each other and agreed to go on a date.

Of course, he had been terribly nervous. The blue-eyed man had always had a talent to sabotage himself when it came to talking to his crushes, but with her, everything just came naturally.

It always had. Ever since the first moment, about three months (two months and twenty-seven days, but who's counting) ago, that she'd stepped foot into the coffee shop and placed her first order in that angelic voice of hers he had been drawn to her. She had been absolutely exhausted and overwhelmed after her first lecture, but Jay was sure he's never seen anything more beautiful.

He'd given her an encouraging smile as well as an extra shot of espresso. And she must have appreciated the gestures for she kept coming back. And each time she arrived, Jay would have her coffee ready, exactly the way she needed it. Whether it was with an extra shot or some cream, more chocolatey, or sweeter – no, that had never happened. Nya wasn't the overly sweet kind of girl, after all she drank dark chocolate mocha – he would instinctively know.

It was almost like his ma had always described her own relationship with his dad – true Soulmates.

But, as his younger self had found out the hard way, Jay didn't have a Soulmate, the first person on both sides of the family in six generations. His parents had been disappointed, obviously, but very supportive.

"Many people don't have Soulmates. But that doesn't mean that they can't find true happiness." His mum kept telling him. "One day, you will meet your special someone. And that's gonna be a very lucky person."

For a short while, Jay had believed that he had met that special someone. Until he had found out the truth.

Nya had a Soulmate.

Sue, she might have so far ignored all their messages, but one day she would still be subconsciously drawn to them.

And there was no point standing in their way. It wouldn't end well for anyone, least of all for Jay himself. So, he had done the right thing, stepped back and encouraged her to get in touch with her Soulmate.

Argh, just why did 'doing the right thing' have to hurt so much?!

After Nya had left, with his favourite marker and the promise to at least consider it, Jay had wanted nothing more than crawl into his bed and cry, but instead, he still had to go back to work. And Cole of course had noticed his distress.

Jay's co-worker and best friend since fifth grade didn't had a soulmate either – that was one thing that the two young boys had bonded over – but he wasn't too fazed about it.