Lava | Ninjago

🜃 | reserved for books

[this one has been lost in the depths of my notes app for a LONG time. ah, how relaxing it is to sometimes just focus on dialogue. but it makes me feel like a lame writer lol. but its relaxing.]

♡

The relentless knocking eventually did make him get up from the warm spot and put down his book. And he was so comfortable! Now he was forced to give up that comfort and go open a door? If it was at least some freshly baked pizza…

Instead, there stood Kai, soaked in rain, and no freshly baked pizza was in sight. But he kind of expected that wish to not come true.

However, he did not expect Kai to stand there like that. Especially given the fact that just earlier that day they had another one of their regular ‘disagreements’. Of course, Cole himself got over it a long time ago, but Kai wasn't as quick to do so.

“Don't say anything, just let me talk,” Kai said just as Cole inhaled to ask. So he shut up and stared at the man in front of him because he wasn't even sure what he was going to say in the first place.

“Look, Cole, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. For everything, not just today. God, we're being so stupid, you know that? It's almost annoying!”

“Were you drinking?” Cole noticed the twinkle of amusement in his own voice.

“No. Yes. Just a little. Zane was there, so I'm sober enough to think clearly but I'm also drunk enough to want to sing and dance but I'm ignoring those needs right now.”

That earned Kai a chuckle. “Kai, stop fooling around and come inside, you're just gonna get sick.”

“No, this is how it's done,” Kai opposed, getting his arm from Cole's grip.

“How what's done?”

“Just let me– all right? I told you not to say anything, you're cutting my train of thought! All right, anyway – Cole, we're just being idiots. You know all those bets and arguments and silent treatments, it's all so stupid but that's the story of our lives, isn't it? We're both incredible idiots and especially me. God, was I blind. By force, I mean, though.

“Look, there's just two types of ways to say this: the basic but clear one, and then those overly poetic, super-hyper romantic ones that are reserved for books and movies and shows. But that's how you always felt to me anyway – like that one perfect character from a book everyone loves and hates at the same time because they're all of the things they want but they're also not real. But you are real, Cole, and you're my best friend and every time I say this, I get this huge smile on my face because you're my best friend and I'm so honoured to have you in my life, seriously. You're, like, at the top of my list but don't tell that to Lloyd and Nya, it's for everyone's good. But to stay on track of my point, there's also many other things I would love calling you and, I mean, maybe I could anyway but it won't feel the way I want it to.”

“Kai–”

“Cole, you're the dry wood keeping my fire alive. And the oxygen. And everything a fire needs to stay aflame. You're the spark that sets me on, you're the reason I get up in the morning and got to sleep at night with a smile on my face. Seeing you is more exciting than visiting a museum with the most famous artifacts and the pictures we have together have more value to me than anything else in all of the world's galleries. Every time you run your hand through your hair, I wonder what it would feel like you ran those fingers through my hair and every time you speak, I wonder how your lips would feel against mine and how your skin would feel under my hands. You're driving me insane and I absolutely love it, I live for it. Your presence is my drug and I'm getting out of breath gimme a sec'.”

Kai panted, hunching over, his hands on his knees. And all Cole could do was to stare at him, his throat dry and his mind empty just as his own and Kai's lungs.

“Cole, there are three words in the English language that mean so much to many people and we just keep throwing it around but I do mean it, I do love you, Cole Brookstone. As my best friend but also, hopefully, as a romantic buddy; I'm still not good at these things thank god for alcohol. Also, I will completely understand if you don't share my feelings but after all those years, I kind of figured we might be pretty much on the same page and others keep saying that too, so I really hope I didn't just massively misread this whole thing because as much as I would treasure our friendship anyway, this would probably count as the awkward drunk story and I'm not sure what that would do to us.

“So, that's it, there's that, my speech is over and I don't know what to say anymore and now I'm just rambling so if you mind stopping me somehow, that–”

Cole didn't hesitate for a moment when he got his chance and he leaned forward, bringing Kai close to him as he shut his mouth with a kiss that was long due.

When they parted to catch some breath (which Kai desperately needed), there was a huge grin on Kai's face and it was highly contagious.

Despite the overcast sky filled with weeping, dark clouds, there sure was a sun shining through.

“With a kiss!” Kai panted. “Good idea. Oh wow, I can't breathe. I feel like I'm in space. You're completely making me break all laws of physics!”

Cole laughed, holding Kai by his arms. “We're both going to get sick if we stay here a bit longer, you know?”

“But kissing in the rain is romantic as fuck! They do it in all the romantic scenes!”

“Yeah, dying in your bed with a cold is not so much. And I've been tending to your sick ass several times to know that you're no fun.”

It was as if Kai wasn't even listening to him. Most likely option was that he wasn't. The sound of the rain all around them, after all, wasn't loud enough to mute his words.

“Permission to kiss you again?”

“You're paying for the cough syrup.”

But they both knew what it actually meant–

“That means yes! This is the best day of my life.”

Cole didn't get much of a chance to chuckle at him as Kai's lips found their way back to his. He didn't mind.

And after a while, he didn't even mind that they were still standing outside, both getting more and more soaked with the rain that seemed to cry in happiness for them.