Bite Me! | lavashipping

5 | Ache

Whichever roller coaster he got tied to, it took the cake at being the worst of the worst. Even Jay and Nya's joyride had him unlocking his true potential, while whatever this was got Cole out of order, clutching a bucket and moaning in pain. What a lucky man to have such great friends who made sure the inability to do anything helpful and productive was not the reason for him to lose his marbles!

"With the way you cook, I'm surprised it took you this long to invent a new species of a stomach bug." Cole would have thrown at least a pillow at Jay for the comment, however, that would probably risk him another week of being stuck bedridden. Hopefully his silent, unamused stare was enough for a metaphorical slap.

"I was allowed in the kitchen like once this year!"

"Maybe you were doing it in secret, who knows? Black market cooking, Black ninja. In the blackness of the night."

"You're very cocky for someone who just got absolutely trashed in Fist-2-Face. Continue like this and I'll ask for a rematch."

Pushing Cole's threateningly pointed finger while also taking the console from him, Jay deliberately responded, "I let you win because that's how good of a friend I am. Not like certain someone."

"Since you're such a good friend, how about you get out?"

Jay faked a sniffle, a hurt look. "I thought you loved me."

"Love goes through the stomach. Both ways."

Several emotions washed over Jay's face before he scrunched up his nose and sprung up from the armchair they moved beside Cole's bed. "Ugh, I don't know which offends me more!"

"Good," Cole deadpanned, "that's what you get for trashing my cooking. You guys are just so small-minded you don't understand the potential."

"Yeah, potential to be a biological weapon maybe," Jay retorted. Shots fired.

"In that case, I would watch my step. How embarrassing would it be for the Lightning ninja to have 'Died to a pot of mashed potatoes' in his obituary?"

"Wow, being sick does real wonders to you. Fine, since I'm so unwelcomed in this company, I'm gonna enjoy a warm shower for once in my life." Before making his exaggerated leave, Jay turned back to gift Cole a proper scowl. Which turned into a fit of chuckles in a matter of seconds.

The problem was not that Cole didn't have company, it was that the company he wished for the most was always unavailable. They could have had the nights just for themselves but of course Cole got sick. Sometimes it was truly hard to believe there was not a strange force that didn't want them together.

Now his sleepless nights were uneventful, almost an excruciating waste of time had it not been for Nya supplying him with new books to read. Even then, when he had maybe too many pages left, he found himself spending more time just looking out of the window, wishing to be able to get back to training with the others.

The best he could do was go outside for a short walk, which got embarrassing because not even Wu at his old age sounded like that. At least when his yoga sessions with Zane were over, he could sleep all he wanted during the day and no one could say anything. Gotta look for the bright side of things

That day his not-so-secret wish finally came true. Hopefully, Kai did not notice his excitement once he saw him enter his room.

Ignoring the armchair, Kai flopped down on his bed without saying anything. His shoulders moved as he let out a deep breath before getting his face out of the blanket to look at Cole. He could practically smell the stress emitting from him. Eyelids heavy, dark circles underneath, yet the familiar spark in them remained as he offered Cole a smile.