Pyromaniacs Anonymous: [Kai X Reader]

[TEN.]

Kai's face was red with tear stains and blood smeared over one half. His hair was a tousled mess, yet he couldn't have looked any more perfect. I took a step forward, leaving my world behind and returning to his, as he fell into my arms, his bloodied hands holding me close.

"It worked. It worked! Ha! Thank God, it worked." He breathed and pulled back from the embrace to hold my face in his hands. I laughed as he smiled and kissed me.

We walked, hand in hand, to the shore of Chen's island as he told me of what had happened once I had died. He recounted of how he took the realm crystal and wished with everything in him for his crazy idea to work.

"And you're here, and I think I might be dreaming or lost it."

I laughed and squeezed his hand, to which he gave the brightest smile I had ever seen. "You're not. I promise." I took a breath in and slowed to a stop. "I talked to Nya, Kai."

He stopped abruptly, coming close to me, eager to listen to what I had to say. "Tell me." He whispered and squeezed my hand.

A sigh and I started. "She wants me to tell you that she loves you and that you're stupid but she'll be waiting for you whenever your time is to return to her." He covered a sob with his hand as I pulled him into a hug. "She's really cool and she misses you. She spoke so highly of you and I'm glad I got to talk to her in the short time I was gone."

Kai's hands clenched into fists and he released me from his death grip. "Did you see Jude? Or your parents?" He whispered and I wiped his face dry with a hand.

"Jude." I nodded. "I saw Jude and he brought me to Nya. I think he approves of you." I joked and elbowed him to which he laughed.

"Good, cuz he doesn't have much of a say."

The sand crunched under our feet and we stepped onto the boat. As Kai drove the boat away, I watched as the island disappeared into the horizon and along with it, my first life. The sea salt wind tussled my hair as the sun rose over the ocean to warm my back. Kai came to stand beside me and I leaned into his shoulder.

"What do we do now?" I asked, my voice carried away by the wind.

"We keep on living."

Days later, we landed in Ninjago, different people then those who left nearly a week ago. I stepped onto the dock as Kai tied up the ship and my breath caught in my lungs as I looked up to see the ninja and Wu. Unarmed and not wanting to start anything, I shakily raised my hands in surrender. "Kai...?" I called and he came running to my side as I was tackled into a hug by the ninja before me.

They pulled away from me and went to bother Kai with a joy I hadn't seen in them for a while, ruffling his hair and punching his arm.

"Nice one, slickster!"

"We knew you could do it!"

"Never doubted you for a second."

I gave an awkward chuckle and turned to face Wu, who smiled at me. I ducked my head in respect and let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding in.

"Stand up, Detective." I raised my eyes to his tentatively as he continued. "Because of you, our team is whole again. Because of you, Kai learned how to deal with his grief. You have our greatest thanks."

I took a staggering step back as he bowed to me and the rest of Kai's team followed their teacher.

Kai shot me a wink and bowed too. As I shook my head the stood and I shrugged. "I apologize for breaking your window and stealing information. I will pay for replacing it and return the information."

My hand found Kai's as his team led us down to a wonderful little restaurant. They were all joyous as happy, banter and laughter filling the air again.

"Are they always like this?" I turned to Kai and questioned.

He nodded and smirked. "Unfortunately. I never get a break."

"They're like your family."

Kai's eyes glanced from them to me and his gaze met mine. "They could become yours, too. If you stayed with us."

I stopped, pulling my had from his. The group carried on before us, not knowing we stopped. "I- I... But I'm a detective and my own apartment...." I trailed off, bewildered.

Kai scoffed as he took my hands in his. "Okay, but you haven't shown up to work since I found you wandering the streets in the middle of the night nearly a month ago and I wouldn't be very surprised to know you were fired."

I winced, scrunching my eyes closed. I hadn't thought about that.

"Plus, we could use you on our team. Think about it, Sweets." He gave me a smile and ran after his friends, leaving me to my thoughts.

A few minutes passed and I began my walk after them. Thoughts swirled in my head but I smiled when they waved me over to a large table they were seated at in the corner. I slid down next to Jay and Kai who was smiling. My heart warmed seeing him smile and begin to be happy again after he loss so much.

I cast my eyes over all those seated at the table. We joked and laughed until the day bled into night and I was happy, too.

Late into the night as our desert plates were carried away, I leaned over to Kai and whispered one simple word into his ear.

"Yes."