ninjago imagines

haunted | jay w., nya s.

TW: Mentions of death

Jay dreams of Nya. Later, he thinks its worst than a nightmare.

• • •

Jay, doesn't have nightmares.

It's a blessing as a child. He doesn't suffer from recurring nightmares of falling down a dark, dark hole, or facing his deepest fears in sleep. There's no explanation, he just doesn't

He kind of wishes he did, though.

After Zane sacrifices himself for them, he doesn't dream of razor-edged icicles exploding around his world, doesn't have nightmares of the snowy glaze freezing everywhere, doesn't dream of the nindroid shattering into a million pieces, unable to take the pure power that courses through him.

His dreams hold memories, instead. Memories of good times, times when they didn't have to worry about saving the world or another new, badder, villain out to get them. Come to think of it, they didn't have a lot of those times. Not enough, at least.

He dreams of normal times with the team, joyful conversations he can't quite remember, sunlight gleaming off Zane's metallic plating and not a worry in the world, besides who's turn it is for the laundry and whether or not they had enough food to last the week.

"It's Kai's turn." Nya says steadfastly, and the fire ninja shoots up from his seat on the ground, shaking his head. "No. It is nOT-"

"It is. My calendar says so," Zane says helpfully, and the brunette scowls, the expression not holding any real annoyance. "Yeah, sure, gang up on me-"

"It totally is your turn. I did it last week!" Lloyd pipes up, as if to rub it in, and Kai collapses back onto the ground dramatically, sprawling on the grass. "Fine, fine, push all the work onto me."

Jay laughs at Kai's disgruntled face, and the feeling is lifting, painfully normal, like nothing could hurt them now.

It's unhelpful, and he tries to forget them, throwing himself into his work, rising early morning after morning to host the show.

Later, the nindroid returns, and the dreams fade away to nothing again.

They mist into black, dreamless sleep, and Jay wonders why. He never gets another.

Until, Nya disappears.

The inky blue waves pull her into the sea, away from his sight. The last of the water droplets roll off his arms, and he feels tears dripping down his cheeks, staining his uniform.

Jay clenches the edge of the building, fingers tightening around the rough stone, and pushes away from it violently, as if the building can feel his pain.

He hates her. He hates her for leaving him. He drags a pale blue sleeve across his face, wiping away the tears with a harsh sniff. Jay stares out across the city for one last time, as if Nya will magically come back, somehow transform back into her old self.

He wishes more than anything she would.

That night, the silence is almost deafening. Everyone retreats to their own room as soon as they reach the monastery, forgetting even the usual mandatory injury checks without a thought.

Jay doesn't bother peeling off his soaked uniform, arms burning from the scrapes received during the fight. He falls onto his bed immediately, clutching a pillow over his head. His hair splays over the sheets, staining them dark with water.