Ninjago - One-shots and short Stories

Long Way Down (Part 2) // Jaya (AU)

Hope you're all doing well.

I wish you a blessed Second Sunday of Advent 🕯🕯and I hope Saint Nicholas 🎅 has treated you well!

And, of course, a very happy Name Day to Dissmisery.

This update is my gift for her; it's a sequel to my very old one shot "Long Way Down", a Jaya law firm AU (previously called "Elevator Revelations"; I've edited, renamed and moved it so it's directly before this chapter now; you need to have read that one to understand this!).

And yes, I have a draft for a third part still sitting around as well - just like six other (new) AU stories (four Jaya, one Kailor, one Coliel). I guess when you spend all day in the lab 👩‍🔬 without anyone to talk to (only one person per bench allowed at one time), the brain needs to occupy itself somehow...

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Long Way Down (Part 2)

Accepting Jay's offer to give me a lift to the restaurant has brought me several advantages: I didn't have to waste 20 minutes waiting for the next bus, the motorbike is a lot faster (and a lot more fun) and I have an excuse to sit close behind him, my arms around his waist, as we fly through the city centre.

Jay sure seems to know his way around Ninjago City, taking a couple of shortcuts and, unlike the bus, we don't have to stop at every corner, so it's a disappointingly short ride to Master Chen's.

"Turn into that small alley over there," I tell him as we approach the venue. "You can park the bike behind the restaurant, by the back door. It's safer than on the main road." Especially on a Friday night.

"You sure?" He asks, but follows my directions nonetheless.

"Trust me."

When we stop in front of the gate, I climb off the bike. I take off the helmet and gloves to enter the 4-digit pin into the keypad.

"I told you the place belongs to my friend's father." I grin at Jay as the gate slides open. "When we were still at university, we would always leave our bikes here and go out in the city." I add in explanation.

After Jay parks the bike between two dumpsters, I take my bag from the storage compartment under the seat and return the spare helmet. I'm wondering if he's used to taking passengers, or if he's simply well organised. Or both.

I link my arm with his. "Let's go."

"And you're absolutely certain that me coming along is not an inconvenience?" He questions as we walk around to the main door.

"Absolutely." I assure him. "Me and my friends, we have this standing arrangement to meet here for dinner every Friday after work, but not everyone can always make it, and people bring friends along all the time. And don't worry, you won't be the only guy."

I can see Jay's lips curling into a little smile when I use the word 'friend', but he doesn't follow up on it. "Alright." He simply agrees.

We have made up on some lost time – although I honestly consider the time that we were stuck in the elevator as anything but wasted – but most of my friends are already sitting at our usual large table in a back corner.

Skylor's eyes widen in surprise seeing me enter the restaurant with Jay. So, of course, she casually walks over to greet us as we are still taking off our jackets and putting them on the coat rack.

"Nya, you've made it." She hugs me. "And you've brought a date."

"Oh, it's not a date." I quickly correct her. "We just work together. Jay gave me a lift here on his bike, so I've invited him to join us."