Ephemeral

A Child Lied To

Jay stood at the top of the hill, overlooking the sea of sand. He noted how small the junkyard he grew up in looked from this view It was nothing compared to the palaces he had seen, and the places he had been. Somehow the scrap heap was still just as special as any of them. Even if he preferred the conditions of those grand places to his childhood home.

"Are we going in or what?"Nya remarked from behind, setting a hand on his shoulder. She had insisted she come with him. It has been hard for him to talk to his parents since he had found out the news of his adoption. Even if they had no memory he had found out in the first place. Jay's mind would sneak back to the way they treated him when he knew. It was like he wasn't their son at all, simply a lonely child left by the wind on their doorstep. Nothing more, nothing less. It made it worse that every time he looked at his family he was reminded no one wanted him in the first place, not even the people who had created him. He never told Nya how he felt of course. It made it too real to say out loud. She had seemed to notice something was off about him though, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

"Duh! I'm just admiring the garbage. Once from a junkyard always from a junkyard." Jay joked. Nya let out a snort. He smiled to himself. It always made him feel better when she laughed at his dumb jokes even if she pretended she didn't.

"Jay? What's wrong? You've been acting weird about seeing your parents for months." Nya asked, brushing a stray hair from his face.

"Nothings wrong! We've been busy doing Ninja stuff ya know? Kicking butt, saving the world. Now with Master Wu missing, we've had to deal with that-" Jay began. He was interrupted by Nya flicking his nose.

"You are lying to me. You always talk a lot, well more than you usually do, when you are trying to cover up something." Nya set his hands on his chest, beaming in the moonlight. Jay grabbed her hands, lacing them together. It was a tradition they had, for some reason Jay couldn't even think about addressing something serious with her without doing it. He looked down at them, tracking every scar on her knuckles. Every mark was proof of everything they had to go through over the past few years. He sighed, bringing their hands down and swinging them at their sides.

"I-"Jay started to speak before he was cut off again, this time by his mother's voice calling to him from the junkyard.

"Oh, Jay! Come in dear! I made your favorite!" Jay groaned hitting his forehead against Nya's.

"Mom!" He called. She never ceased to embarrass him or interrupt a good moment.

"Oh, you are having a moment son. I and your mom will just go inside and wait until you are all done." His dad interjected.

"It's fine. I'm coming, I'm coming." Jay pulled himself away from Nya, breaking their bubble of solace. He made his way down the hill, stepping through the sand. Jay gave his parents both a hug, but it felt strange. Distant he could call it.

Nya made her greetings while Jay walked quietly to the door of the trailer slowly removing his boots from his feet. He wanted to say something witty, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to even speak. It was strange for him, and Nya noticed. She looked over, trying to subtly ask him what was wrong. He looked away.

"Tell me, son, how have things been in the ninja world?" His dad put a hand on his back, guiding him inside. His mom followed beside them, berating him with all sorts of questions about what he has been up to in the months he hadn't visited.

"Yes, yes we haven't had a clue what you have been up to since you don't visit." His mom added, helping him to a seat at the table.

"Don't be too hard on him dear. I'm sure he has had a good reason." Nya took a seat beside him, holding his hand under the table. Something about it helped ground him, and made him aware of how fast his heart was beating.