Our Assigned Fate: a Ninjago Jaya AU ✔️

Chapter Nine

"I have something I need to tell you."

I hum and look up at him. His face is scrunches up, almost as if it's painful to say it. Or he doesn't want to tell me. I take his hand and squeeze it gently, trying to reassure him that I'm here. He takes a shaky breath before turning to look at me. His electric blue eyes are starting to fill with tears.

"Before..." he pauses and takes a shaky breath, "before we flew out, my hip was hurting. Mom took me to the hospital for a PET scan," he takes both of my hands and squeezes them gently, "my cancer has come back."

With them five words, it feels like my whole world has come crashing down and burning all around me. Jay squeezes my hands and rubs circles along my knuckles.

"I only have a few weeks left. It's spreading to my heart and brain."

At this, I feel my cheeks become wet. Jay pulls me closer to him and rubs my back as I cry into his shoulder. Jay gently pushes my head away from his shoulder and kisses me. I gently kiss back, loving the feeling of his soft lips against mine. This is one of the last times I'll ever get to feel his lips against mine. Jay holds my waist with one hand and strokes my cheek, presumably wiping my tears away.

When we pull away, Jay gets up and walks towards the desk at the front of the room. He reaches into the drawer and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. He flips the packet open and puts a cigarette between his lips.

"Are you serious?" I ask. "You think that's cool?! Oh, my God, you ruined the whole thing."

"What whole thing?" he asks, turning to me. The cigarette dangles, unlit, from the unsmiling corner of his mouth.

"The whole thing where a boy who isn't unattractive or unintelligent or in any way unacceptable stares at me and compares me to actresses and asks me to watch movies at his house. But of course, there is always a hamartia and yours is that, my God, even though you had freaking cancer you give your money to a company in exchange for the chance for you to acquire yet more cancer. Oh, my God. Let me assure you that not being able to breathe sucks."

"A hamartia?" he asks, the cigarette still in his mouth. Jay's jaw tightens. He has a hell of a jawline, unfortunately.

"A fatal flaw," I explain, turning away from him.

I curl up on his bed and hug my knees to my chest. I love him. I love him so, so much but I can't lose him. I can't. Not now, not after everything that's happened since we first met. I jolt when a hand gets placed on my back, rubbing it gently. I sigh and turn to look up at him.

"Why now?" I ask, my voice quiet.

Jay sighs, "I don't know. I promise I'll fight it. For you."

I wipe my eyes and look up at him.

"Okay."

"Okay."

***
It's been a couple of hours since Jay told me about his cancer returning and the news is...heartbreaking. I sigh and stuff my clothes into my suitcase. I jump as a someone places their hand over both of mine. I look up to see mom stood in front of me.

"Nya...I know this is hard...but Jay didn't want to ruin this for you," mom rubs circles along my knuckles.

I sigh and look up at her, "why did this have to happen?"

Mom pulls me into a hug and lets me rest my head against her shoulder. I bury my head into her shoulder and wrap my arms around her. She wraps her arms around me in return and rocks me.

"It'll be okay Nya."

***
The plane journey home is quiet. Mom fell asleep about half an hour in. Jay is staring out of the window. I sigh and lean back into my comfy, cushioned seat.

"I always wanted to live on a cloud."

I jolt slightly and turn my head to look at Jay. Jay is still staring out of the window, at the blanket of clouds. I lean forward so I can get a closer look at the clouds.

"When I was in sixth grade, my science teacher explained how harsh the environment is," Jay lets out a low chuckle, indicating he's about to attempt to make a joke. "She specialised in murdering dreams."

I giggle and lean against his shoulder. Jay wraps an arm around my shoulder and rests his head against mine. I push my head further into his shoulder. My eyelids start to become heavy. I jolt in surprise as a loud yawn emits from my right. I look up at him. He leans into his seat and starts to snore, having fallen asleep. I look at the tray attached to the back of the seat in front and spot a pack of his pain killers. They must have made him tired.

***
The day after we get back from Amsterdam, Jay invites Lloyd and I to his house for some a movie day. I walk down into the basement. Lloyd is already sat in one of the gaming chairs, having a conversation with Jay. I place my cart onto the floor, trying not to make too much noise and slowly walk over.

"Hey, Nya," Jay calls, making Lloyd jump and look up, sensing that I'm behind him.

"Hey," I sit down on the arm of Lloyd's chair.

"I was telling Jay that I haven't heard from Harumi since the breakup," Lloyd says, turning towards me again, having felt the chair move.

"Oh," is the only thing I can reply with.

"I have an idea, and I think you're going to love it, Lloyd."

Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry if it feels rushed. Hope you're all staying safe and well.