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crystallizabethine · 7 months

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In Which PIXAL Updates Her Relationship Status: A Pixane Valentine's Day Oneshot

Takes place sometime between March of the Oni and Secrets of Forbidden Spinjitsu

AO3 link HERE

(5158 words)

The sun had barely risen when Pixal got out of bed to start her day. Normally she allowed herself more time to recharge, but for some reason, she had awoken prematurely and hadn’t been able to go back to sleep. She didn’t really mind though. There were plenty of things to be done, like getting a head start on the new project she and Nya were working on together. They had blueprints drawn up for advanced security updates for the monastery, as well as plans for making a bigger tech lab underneath their home. Pixal looked forward to having all of that open space down there to work on projects in. However, if they were to have their dream workspace, they’d have to build it first.

Pixal knew that Nya always slept in as much as she could help it before inevitably being woken up by whatever shenanigans the guys got up to, so she decided to leave her to her rest for now. She instead went to the living room and flipped on the overhead light (which she knew would have to be exchanged for the smaller lamps once Nya joined her) and started examining the papers scattered across the coffee table from last night’s brainstorm session. For once, Jay, Cole, Lloyd, and Kai hadn’t been hogging the couch. They had gone out with Zane for what Kai called a “bro night” and had refused to say where they were going. Nya and Pixal were able to actually get some work done with those hooligans (Nya’s words, not hers) out of the house. Pixal was grateful for what they had accomplished, but she had sort of missed Zane.

Speaking of Zane, Pixal heard clattering noises come from the kitchen a few rooms away. Zane must have gotten up early too to make breakfast for everyone. Either that or Master Wu was searching for one of his tea boxes. As Pixal made her way to the kitchen to check, she heard her beloved’s voice, frustrated as he rambled to himself.

“Is it that hard to stack the pots so that they don’t fall over when I open the cabinet? No, it isn’t! And why is the strainer in here?” Pixal stood in the doorway and watched for a minute as her partner kneeled before several open cabinets, roughly pulling things out, rearranging them, and then putting them back. “I have told them over and over that the strainer goes next to the mixing bowls! I swear I’m the only one who actually cares about organization in this damn kitchen.”

“Zane, do you want help with those?”

Zane whipped around, and the look of a crazed man was in his eyes, until they registered Pixal standing there, and softened.

“Pixal,” he began, “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to understand that you are agitated about the state of the kitchen and may require assistance.” Pixal replied, and gently took a pot from him, setting it in the cabinet where she knew he preferred it to go.

“Thank you, Pixal.” Zane gave her a small smile. “I am sorry you had to see me like this. I do not like to lose my composure like that around others.”

“Do not worry about it,” Pixal dismissed, “You have seen me in some of my worst moments. This is nothing. Also, I agree that the cabinets are usually organized in a lackluster manner whenever it isn’t one of us performing the task.”

Zane sighed, “I am glad that at least you understand my frustrations. When I tried to confront Kai about it, he acted like I was crazy.”

“Kai is a hooligan.” Pixal stated, matter-of-factly, and rummaged through the cabinets to find ingredients for pancakes.

“True.”

A comfortable silence settled between them as they mixed batter and started flipping pancakes.

“Pixal?”

“Yes?”

“. . .are you familiar with the concept of Valentine’s Day?”

“No, I do not think so.” Pixal was painfully aware that she had missed out on a lot of Ninjagian holidays over the years, due to little circumstances like the world being hellbent on trying to end every six months or so. There hadn’t been much time for anything more than a few Day of the Departed observances, and exactly one Winter Feast celebration. Pixal smiled in amusement at the memory of Kai and Cole accidentally getting tangled up in the monastery’s festive lights. Their faces had gotten so red.

“It is a holiday dedicated to lovers,” Zane explained, “a day set aside for couples to express their love for each other through the giving of gifts and spending time together.”

“Ah, I see.” It sounded lovely, Pixal thought. “When is the next one?”

“It’s. . . today, actually.” Zane launched a pancake into the air and caught it with the skillet. After putting it with the growing stack of golden cakes, he diverted his full attention to Pixal. “I was hoping that you would agree to go out on a date with me this evening.” He took her hand and held it to his chest. Pixal found herself mesmerized by Zane’s bright blue eyes, staring back at her with such passion. Such beauty. Pixal figured she could get lost in those eyes.

“I would love to, Zane.”

“Good,” Zane said, relieved.

Pixal realized something suddenly, “I am curious why you waited until the very last minute to ask me this though. That is not like you at all.” Usually when they planned a date, it was at least a week in advance.

“You are right and I apologize for not giving you more time to prepare.” Zane said, looking rather embarrassed. “I must admit that I have been preoccupied with a personal Project, and time flew past me. I also may have assumed that I’d already asked you. Thankfully, Cole and the others reminded me that I in fact hadn’t, last night. . . They also thought it was funny.”

Pixal sighed fondly, “Oh, my Zane, for a nindroid, you can be so scatterbrained sometimes.”

Zane smirked at her, “Yes, but you love me anyways.”

“That is true.”

* * *

Pixal had no idea what she was going to do for Zane’s gift. Luckily, she knew just who to go to for advice.

“You’ve never done Valentine’s day before?” Nya asked, confused. She tightened a bolt on one of the generators she was repairing. “Haven’t you and Zane been together for like forever? I need a bigger wrench, could you grab the one next closest to you?”

“Well yes,” Pixal mused, handing her friend the tool. “It is unfortunate that Zane and I have never gotten the opportunity to do this before. He perished to the Overlord before we were able to spend any domestic time together, then I was scrapped by Clouse’s men and shortly after, got stuck in Zane’s head for months. Then I left his head to become Samurai X. I have not even been reunited with him in my physical form for a full year.”

“Yeah, and it doesn’t help you two that the almost-year has been full of jerks trying to end the world,” Nya added in sympathy. “But you know what? That changes tonight!” She put her tools down and wiped her dirty hands on her apron. “So, what did you have in mind?”

“That is the tricky bit. I have no idea,” Pixal admitted. “What are some traditional Valentine’s Day customs? Zane told me about the rituals of giving gifts and spending time together, but what does that usually entail?

Nya thought for a minute, “Well, it honestly depends on what you and your partner—or—partners’ are interested in, but chocolate and flower bouquets are a popular choice for gifts.”

“Zane does not have a sense of smell, nor taste buds.” Pixal stated.

Nya smirked sheepishly, “Right, yeah, I forgot. So that rules out a dinner date then.”

“I’m afraid so.”

“That’s okay, “Nya reassured, “There’s still plenty of options! What are some things you guys like to do out, just the two of you?”

“We often go on patrols together.”

“That’s. . . something I guess, doesn’t seem very romantic though.”

“Why not?” Pixal asked, puzzled. “We enjoy each other’s company immensely and have had many meaningful conversations. Between that and our battles together, I always feel myself grow more fond of and more attracted to him during each mission we spend together.”

“Noted, but that’s something you do all the time! What could you do tonight that’s extra special?”

Pixal had never really thought about doing anything else with Zane. They had their routine, and to her knowledge, they both enjoyed it equally. But maybe Nya had a point. It couldn’t hurt to try something new could it? It was supposed to be a special night, after all.

“How about this,” Nya proposed, “you think on it, and I’ll take you out around Ninjago City to find Zane a gift!”

“That sounds satisfactory, and also enjoyable.” Pixal agreed. She had never been shopping with another person before, and she was excited by the prospect of trying something new with Nya.

* * *

The first place they went on their adventure out was a little place called Ninja Subs. A bell tinkled as they entered, and Pixal immediately noticed the abundance of food pop art crowding the walls as well as the counter at the end of the room filled with an arrangement of sandwich toppings.

“Why are we here exactly?” Pixal asked, not seeing how a sandwich place would yield much in the way of a Valentine’s gift.

Nya approached the counter, eyes shining as she looked at all the food options, “This stop’s for me actually. If we’re gonna be shopping all day then I need some energy. And I’ve also really been craving their buffalo chicken sub.”

After Nya’s lunch break, they went to a variety of small shops in the downtown area. Unfortunately most of their wares fell into the “needs a sense of smell” and/or “needs taste buds to appreciate these things” category.

“How about this?” Nya held up a set of pale blue ceramic bowls across the room from Pixal, who had been trying to make sense of some abstract paintings that were also being sold there.

“Those would be a practical gift,” Pixal considered, then remembered, “but I think he is planning on purging our current kitchen wares, so I probably shouldn’t buy him any new ones until he is finished. He has a very particular system, you know.”

“Oh, I know,” Nya grinned, “He chewed Kai out the other day for just—throwing all the silverware in the drawer without sorting them. I didn’t even know Zane could get that mad! It was kinda amazing to witness, not gonna lie.”

“One would think that the same person who refuses to use a big spoon would also care about organization.” Pixal commented while checking the price on some oven mitts.

Nya giggled. “We love Kai.”

“Yes, despite his odd behavior at times.”

“Oh by the way, don’t tell anyone, but apparently Cole is going to ask him out tonight!”

“Oh , First Master, finally!”

They left that shop soon after. Pixal hadn’t been satisfied with anything in the end, so they continued on, emptyhanded. None of their other stops proved fruitful either, and Pixal was beginning to grow irritated.

“None of these places seem to have anything important enough for a Valentine’s gift worthy of Zane!” Pixal groaned in frustration, “I do not understand: he has given me so much over the years, and I cannot even decide on what to give him for the first proper celebration of our love? I feel so pathetic! I do not want to disappoint him!”

Nya put an arm around Pixal, “C’mon, Pix, you got to give yourself more credit and appreciation than that! You’re amazing! It doesn’t take being head over heels in love to see that you’re a wonderful person. And Zane would be happy with whatever you give him, no matter how unimportant you think it seems. And honestly, knowing Zane, you could probably show up with nothing and he’d just be overjoyed to spend time with you!”

Pixal’s heart warmed at her friend’s kind words. “Thank you, Nya, but still, if this holiday is as special as you and Zane have made it out to be, then I truly want my gift to make him feel the happiest he has ever felt.” Pixal thought for a moment, then an idea struck her. “Nya, what is your happiest memory of being with Jay?”

Nya didn’t answer right away. She pursed her lips in thought, taking a minute to ponder the question suddenly thrust upon her. Then her face brightened. “Honestly, even though I was pretty sure we were about to die, it was when he asked me to be his Yang.” Nya gazed at her necklace and played with it with a soft look on her face.

Pixal fixed her eyes on the pendant. It glistened in the light, and the light sparked a realization:

That was it.

“Then I will ask the same of Zane.”

Nya’s attention snapped back to Pixal, eyes widened in surprise. “Wow, Pixal, really? Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Pixal answered with determination.

“It’s a really big commitment,” Nya reminded, “Are you positive you’re ready?”

“Absolutely. Zane and I already share an unbreakable bond, but I think it would be nice to make an official promise to each other.”

Nya beamed, and quickly pulled Pixal into a crushing hug, “I’m so excited for you then!” Pixal hugged her back, anticipation rising in her chest at the prospect of what she had just planned to do.

When Nya finally released Pixal from the hug, she said, “Come on, before you pick out the pendants, I want to take you somewhere.”

* * *

“I do not understand why we are here.” Pixal looked around the store they’d just entered. There were shelves and shelves of folded up clothes, and rows of dresses hanging along the walls. Some of the dresses and several outfits were displayed on mannequins with varying body types.

Nya started pulling dresses from racks and holding them up to Pixal. “I just thought we could find you something nice to wear, since tonight’s going to be extra special!” Nya grimaced and quickly pulled her hand away from the dress she had just grabbed, wiping it on her pants. “Well, that was a horrible texture! Don’t touch that one.”

“Is there a problem with what I normally wear?” Pixal asked, perplexed.

“No, of course not!” Nya assured quickly. “But I find that when I’m about to do something big, looking extra nice gives me an extra boost of confidence. So, I want to help you feel that too!”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Pixal mused. “Although I feel like I always look my best, no matter what I wear.”

“Yeah you do, girl!” Nya agreed, smiling.

“I think you always look your best too.”

Nya’s cheeks tinted, “I mean—if you think so, thanks! I wish I had your confidence about that.”

“How do you mean?” Pixal asked, incredulously, “You are one of the most confident people I know!” Pixal couldn’t imagine how someone as unapologetically herself as Nya could possibly have low self esteem about something as trivial as personal appearance.

Nya shrugged, “It’s cause Kai and I grew up poor. We barely had enough money to feed ourselves, let alone buy pretty things. Because of that, a lot of the girls in my village treated me like worthless garbage, just because I couldn’t take care of my body as well as they could. It really sucked and I hated myself for a really long time because of it, even though Kai told me they were being stupid.”

Pixal took her friend’s hand and gave it a squeeze, “I am so sorry, Nya, that was extremely shallow of them and you should not have had to suffer like that for something out of your control.”

Nya squeezed back with a small smile. “Thanks, Pix. I’m just glad that I eventually learned to put more value in what I can do to help people rather than in how I look.” She reached for another dress, “though looking good while helping people doesn’t hurt anything. Ooh, what do you think of this one?”

Pixal ended up picking out a sleeveless, knee length, sparkly purple dress. Despite her initial protests, Nya had insisted on buying it for her. Pixal had relented only when Nya had told her to call it a valentine’s gift from a friend.

Next stop was to pick out the Yin Yang pendants.

Incense was burning as they entered the dimly lit jewelry store and were greeted by the person behind the counter, though Pixal noticed the crystals first. There were baskets of them, stuffed into every nook and cranny that could spare an inch of space. Next she noticed the sound of chimes softly tinkling from the ceiling. They must have caught the breeze from the shop door, Pixal figured. Crystal shaded lamps cast marbly, colorful shadows over everything.

“This feels like the kind of place Mystake would have enjoyed visiting,” Nya whispered. Her eyes were wide as she took in the serene beauty of the shop.

“I wish I could have met her,” Pixal remarked. After a short scan of the store, she found what she was looking for: a glass case full of necklaces stood by the payment counter, its contents sparkling under the lamplights.

The store owner came over, “Anything in particular you’re looking for?”

Before Pixal could answer, she felt an arm drape across her shoulders.

“Yeah, actually,” Nya replied, flashing an extra friendly smile at the shopkeeper. “This lucky girl is going to ask her partner to be her yang tonight! Got anything extra special?”

The store clerk’s face lit up, “Well, congratulations, then! Yeah, I actually got a new batch of them about a week ago! One of my partners, Jade, actually makes them herself! There they are in the corner!” the storekeeper excitedly pointed to an androgynously dressed person with tattoos on their arms, who was busy organizing one of the many baskets of crystals. They gave a small wave of acknowledgement and kept sorting.

“Love you, Jade!” the shopkeep called fondly, then turned back to their customers.

“Anyways those necklaces have been selling like crazy.” They continued, “I had to put them in a box behind the counter because some dumbass kids kept trying to steal them! Can you believe it?” They went back behind the counter and bent down to retrieve the box. With a proud flourish, they set it on the counter and opened it.

Pixal gasped softly at the sight; the lamp light shone gently on the intricately carved pendants. Some were made of wood, some of metal, some of glazed clay, but all were astoundingly well crafted. Each set had its own unique details too: there was one pair that had tiny stars etched into the edges of every groove, and another with vines and leaves meticulously painted on. However, Pixal’s eyes were drawn to a particular ceramic set. They were painted the respective Yin Yang colors of black and white, but there was also gold imbedded in both. Thin, spidery veins of gold, following what looked like cracks in the charms, but was all held together by the gold, as well as a transparent glaze that coated both pendant pieces.

“May I get that one?” Pixal pointed to the set.

The shopkeeper’s face lit up, and with enthusiasm, then said, “Absolutely!” As they handed it to Pixal, they called over their shoulder, “Hey Jade, I told you this one would sell!”

“The ugly one? Really? I mean to each their own, but. . .”

Pixal wasn’t sure what to make of that. “I think it’s beautiful,” she said.

The shopkeeper rolled their eyes. “Don’t listen to them, she’s just salty because it wasn’t supposed to shatter like it did. But you made it work, didn’t you?” they called back to their partner, “I’m telling you, the gold infused really adds a special touch! And the cracks make it more symbolic in a way! It could symbolize broken people coming together and becoming whole or something!”

“If you say so.”

“I do say so!” The shopkeeper retorted as they processed Pixal’s payment. “All of your art is beautiful and I’m proud of you every time you make something new! You are SO talented!”

“Augh, no, too many compliments!” Jade covered their face, “You’re gonna make me cry!”

Pixal felt Nya’s hand grab her arm, and they both left quickly, unsure what to make of the odd couple. Especially when they peeked through the shop window and saw that the two were now passionately making out.

“You know what. . .” Nya said, “Good for them, I hope they stay happy together.”

Pixal nodded in agreement, and then turned her attention to the small bag that contained her precious purchase. Excitement bubbled up inside her and let itself out in a giggly squeal.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this, Nya!”

“Me too!” Nya squealed back, and hugged her tightly once again before they started walking again, their mission fulfilled.

* * *

That evening, Pixal made her way down to the foot of the monastery and felt her face light up at the sight of Zane standing next to his ice bike. He wore light blue and white sweater vest with a bow tie and khaki pants. He looked just as excited to see Pixal as she was to see him. The amount of adoration radiating from his face warmed her inside.

“You look beautiful, Pixal.” Zane whispered, almost like he could barely get the words out. Pixal looked away shyly, smiling from the praise.

“Thank you, Zane, so do you.”

Pixal could have sworn that in that moment, if Zane had blood, he would have blushed bright red. Instead he just looked surprised and embarrassed and muttered a thank you while smiling. He opened the car door and gestured for Pixal to enter the vehicle.

“So where are we going?” Pixal asked, suddenly remembering that she had forgotten to brainstorm possible activities. Honestly, she was just as bad as Zane sometimes!

“Somewhere special,” Zane replied, “but it’s also a surprise.”

Relief flooded Pixal and she smiled sweetly at him, “I will look forward to arriving, then.”

They drove out to where the sea of sand started. The sky was beginning to turn pink as the car went over a hill and Pixal saw something tall and glittering in the distance. As they got closer, Pixal realized it was a temple, and her scanners indicated it was made of. . .ice?”

“Zane, did you build this all by yourself? Pixal asked in wonder as they parked near it and got out of the car.

“I did!” Zane beamed with pride. “It took me all afternoon to complete.”

“It’s magnificent!” Pixal exclaimed in awe, and it was! The structure towered upward at six stories tall, and the attention to detail was astoundingly immaculate. From the individual roof tiles to the glowing, ice crystal lanterns hanging from every corner.

“This only took an afternoon??”

Zane chuckled, “Wait until you see the inside!”

He took her hand and led her to the double doors, which opened at a wave of his hand. The room they had entered was full of gently glowing, heart shaped ice sculptures. The glow was a peaceful looking pink, and the color’s warm hue contrasted nicely with the surrounding, chilly blues of the walls. An ice chandelier hung from the ceiling, and starting along one wall, a flight of stairs wound upwards and out of sight.

Zane tugged on Pixal’s wrist with the excitement of a kid showing off their bedroom. “Come on!”

He led her up the flight of stairs. On the second story, there was a door. Zane opened it. and it showed a life-sized ice rendition of what Pixal recognized to be part of the lobby at Borg Tower. Two sculpted figures stood there, facing each other. It was Zane, how she had first seen him, and herself. Ice Pixal's face was neutral as she stared at Zane, frozen mid-scan. Zane’s face could only be described as lovesick. Pixal smiled fondly.

“I hope you understand that this was the most important day of my life.” Zane said, also smiling at the memory’s depiction.

“Even though I tried to kill you later that night?” Pixal teased.

“Yes,” Zane chuckled, “even then.”

The next story's room showed them doing spinjitsu together in Ed and Edna’s junkyard.

“That was right after you had given me half your heart!” Pixal remembered aloud.

“Yes, and even though I had just given a part of myself away, it was the first time in my existence that I had truly felt whole.”

“I had felt whole for the first time as well! Like I had finally found my greater purpose: a purpose to help others!” Pixal felt a surge of nostalgia for that moment.

The next room was one that Pixal didn’t recognize right away. A sculpture of her hugged a sculpture of Zane, who appeared to be cowering in fear beneath the gaze of a fearsome dragon.

“It was in that cave on Chen’s island, after we had all been freed, and you were—”

“In your head,” Pixal finished. “But. . . I was not present physically in that event. Why do I appear to be here?”

“You may not have been there in person,” Zane started, “but you were closer to me than you had ever been, and it truly felt like you were present beside me as you guided me through my hallucination. You helped me face my fear and become stronger despite it, and I will be forever grateful.”

The next room showed the aftermath of the Destiny’s Bounty’s crash into the Primeval’s Eye. Ice Pixal stood facing Zane, her Samurai helmet freshly removed, and Zane’s ice counterpart stared back at her with an expression of pure joy.

The same expression Pixal hoped he would wear on his face when she asked him to be her Yang forever.

Lastly, there was a room where there was no sculpture. It was the top floor, Pixal realized, and there was a balcony that looked out over the sunset on the white sands of the winter desert. Pixal could almost forego logic and imagine it was snow she was looking at instead of sand. It was truly so beautiful. Everything Zane had shown her was beautiful. The palace, those tender moments from the past, the kind words and gratitude he had given her throughout the evening, it all made her feel so special! Despite the known importance of her planned proposal, a little part of Pixal wondered if she’d done enough.

“You’re so quiet,” Zane remarked, “do you. . . like it?” He looked at her with excited expectancy.

“I—yes, Zane, of course I like it, how could I not?” Pixal gestured wildly to everything around her, “It is obvious that you put so much care and thought into every miniscule detail of this place. It is truly incredible, and I. . . I love it! And I love you.”

Zane smiled in relief. “Good. I have one more gift for you.”

“Before you do that,” Pixal interrupted, “I would like to give you the gift I have prepared.” She continued on before Zane could protest. “Zane, you have given me so much. Not just today, but ever since we met. You gave me free will, a new chance at life, your ever-growing trust and support, and your continued companionship. However, in the past, I—despite knowing it to be irrational—found myself feeling that I could never come close to paying you back for everything you have done for me, even though you have done nothing but express your gratitude for my involvement in your life since we arrived here. You have made it clear that simply being myself is enough to make you happy. So, as of now, I am done second guessing my worth in our relationship, and now stand before you with a wish to further strengthen our already unbreakable bond.”

Pixal kneeled, head raised, looking her beloved Zane straight in the eye. “I do not know what the future holds, but I know that no matter what happens, I want you to be there with me always. So. . .” She revealed the necklace to him, “. . .will you be my Yang?”

Zane didn’t answer, but simply stared at her with wide eyes and lips slightly parted.

Pixal felt a twinge of worry, had she said something wrong? “I am sorry I didn’t plan anything more for tonight. I “psyched myself out” as Nya put it, and couldn’t figure out any other gift that I thought you might want.

Zane continued to look at her. Pixal was unsure of his expression.

“Please say something, Zane, it doesn’t even have to be yes. I understand if you wish to keep our relationship how it is, and I will respect whatever your decision is. I will love you no matter your answer.”

Zane finally snapped out of it and grabbed Pixal’s hands. “Of course, Pixal, yes, an infinite amount of times, yes!” Zane’s blue eyes shone even brighter than normal as he picked her up, spun her around, and then pulled her into a kiss after he’d set her down. When they separated a few seconds later, Zane began to giggle.

“What is it?” Pixal asked.

“I was so nervous about tonight,” Zane explained, reaching into his pants pocket, “But you ended up beating me to it!” He pulled out something and put it in Pixal’s hand. Upon examination, Pixal gasped at the sight of a handcrafted necklace set. The pendants were made out of intricately woven silver wires and bright blue crystal, and she realized the halves combined looked like—

“It represents your—our—energy core!”

“Yes! I know it does not have the appearance of the traditional charms, but I felt it would be right for us.”

Realization hit Pixal suddenly. “Oh no, I ruined your moment, didn’t I? I’m so sorry, Zane!”

“Pixal, it’s alright.” Zane assured her, caressing her face. “I definitely was not expecting it, but it was a nice surprise. I’m just glad you feel the same way.”

“Of course I do!” Pixal assured, “You are so wonderful, Zane, and I want to spend the rest of my days with you.”

“And I with you, my beloved Pixal.”

The last thing the sun saw before dipping behind the horizon was two titanium lovers holding each other tightly, promising never to break their bond as long as they both shall live.

@ninjago-valentine-exchange

#ninjago valentine exchange #pixane #ninjago fanfiction #pixal x zane #they're my otp for real #lego ninjago #ninjago pixal #pixal borg #ninjago zane #zane julien #nya ninjago #nya smith #nya jiang #ninjago nya

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sundimus · 8 months

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My second contribution to the @ninjago-valentine-exchange event!

Nya/Pixal B - 2,028 words This fic is paired with this artwork by @skrimbloz! Check it out :)

Pixal loves Nya.

That's just a fact. Birds can sing, grass is green, and Pixal is absolutely and undeniably in love with Nya.

She doesn't know when it happened or how it started exactly, but she knows that, like with most things, it started off slowly.

A flitting touch here. A longer gaze there. Jokes that sound just a little more funny when it comes from Nya than the others. Seeing the color blue everywhere she went, and thinking of her friend whenever she looked at water.

She thinks about her smile, her laughter, her scent. She takes extra care of her Samurai X suit because it was Nya's first. She lets her have first pick of all the best equipment she's made.

Zane once asked her about it. "Are you going to confess your feelings to her? Not to pressure you or anything, but in my experience bottling up one's feelings rarely ever ends well."

Pixal had asked what he meant, and he gave her a look that said he was surprised it wasn't clear to her.

It became harder and harder to chalk it up to coincidence once she became aware of it.

And it wasn't just Zane that noticed her – in hindsight, admittedly obvious – feelings for their water elemental teammate.

Jay once slipped her a list of Nya's favorite things that he could remember from the top of his head. She loves honey, tea, and lavender scented things. She hates jasmine, the color maroon, and necklaces. She's allergic to perfume, and prefers to eat pickles that haven't touched other foods. It isn't surprising how much he knows about her and vice versa, considering how they dated for quite a few years.

"Why did you give me this?" Pixal had asked.

Jay just grinned and patted her on the shoulder. "Just a small heads-up for you, is all. Can't be too careful - especially when it comes to the perfume."

It became very clear to her then just how much of an open secret her feelings were. And, to be honest, she wasn't quite sure what to do about it. This isn't like with Zane where they had an innate understanding of one another because they were both nindroids, and there's only so many hints she could drop both consciously and subconsciously to Nya and still not get anywhere with them.

The most logical solution is to be honest and upfront with Nya about her feelings towards her. To "lay all her cards on the table", as Cole would put it. It is the most efficient method, the quickest and less time consuming strategy, and something that should be easy.

Should be easy. Pixal realizes fast that it hardly ever is that easy.

To admit her feelings is to adhere to vulnerability, to risk changing what is comfortable and known between them, and the possibility of having to nurse hurt feelings on her part is very high. It's understandable why so many people choose to not leave their feelings up to chance, even if just the action of trying and being honest is commendable in and of itself.

And for a while Pixal entertained that thought. Maybe it would be best to wait and hide and hope that the feelings she was harboring for her friend would slowly fade away with time. Nothing needs to change. Everything is fine the way it is.

Nya's busy. She's a ninja. She has much more important things to be doing than entertaining Pixal's little crush. But Pixal is Samurai X, and she didn't take up that mantle by hiding away from the hard and scary stuff. She's brave and courageous, and Nya is so kind. Even the worst case scenario wouldn't be that bad, because Nya wouldn't let anything ruin their friendship no matter what it was or how awkward it would be for a few days. The confession would only have to take a few seconds and then it'll all be over, like ripping off a bandaid.

And, logically, Pixal knows this is the right choice.

She catches her at a good time, stopping her by gently holding her elbow when they happened to pass by each other in the monastery hallways.

It's the right choice. She's still nervous. "Nya, could I talk to you about something? It would only take a moment of your time."

Nya grins at her. Right choice, right choice. "Of course, Pix! Do we need to go anywhere private, or –"

"No, right here will suffice." She doesn't want to risk losing her nerve. "Um…"

She looks around. The monastery is nice and cozy, but the walls are small and paper thin, and it definitely doesn't give the required privacy that Pixal would like in a situation like this. It feels crowded enough as is, and it'll be even more so should one of the others happen to walk down the same hallway while she's trying to talk to Nya. "Actually," she begins. "Would you like to follow me outside? What I wish to tell you is important, and I would rather not risk anyone else interrupting."

Nya's grin goes a bit wider. "Of course! I haven't been outside in the dark in forever."

"We should have another campfire soon then," Pixal comments as they begin their walk outside.

"That's a great idea, Pix. It'd be nice not being cramped up inside the monastery for once at night."

Once they enter the courtyard they get hit with a gust of chill, making Pixal reflexively crosses an arm over her torso for a moment.

"Wow, it's cold, huh?" Nya comments, also crossing her arms to try and brace against the chill. Luckily it wasn't actually that cold, and while Pixal can internally heat up her cores, Nya had already been wearing a jacket when she stopped her in the hallway. They should be fine.

"It's the wind that's causing most of the cold we're feeling," Pixal informs her helpfully, and almost automatically. It's always been in her nature to provide helpful information. "Once we get used to the wind, we should be able to get used to the cold."

Nya just shivers and steps close enough to her that their shoulders bump together. "If only there was some sort of Elemental Master of Wind somewhere so they could stop this wind altogether."

"That sure would be convenient, wouldn't it?"

They walk next to each other in silence until they reach the middle of the courtyard. Looking up, Pixal's eyes glow warmer. The stars are absolutely beautiful.

Back when she was living in Borg Tower with her father Cyrus Borg in Ninjago City, she never saw this many stars in the sky at one time. It's an unfortunate fact that the bigger the town and city you live in, the more the sky gets covered. And considering how Ninjago City is the biggest city on the island, it isn't a surprise that Pixal could only a fraction of the small twinkling dots.

But she's always wanted to see more. Thanks to the information data her father had installed in her, she knew that space was full to the brim with stars. She knew that right above them, there is a beautiful and wonderful universe as far as the eye could see, and even though they could only see a small part of that universe from the world, not everyone gets to witness it.

And, for a while, she was one of those people. She was her dad's assistant at the most popular building in all of the city – at least at its peak. The only way for her to ever get away from the city and it's sky-blocking pollution was if she ever got an assignment that required her to leave the city. And even then, she never went far enough to see what she dreamed.

It sounds sad, but she wasn't too torn up about the thought of never seeing the stars in their full glory. She loved the city she was born in, and she loved being her dad's assistant. It was never a matter of being forced to stay, or being dissatisfied. She figures that she'd get to see them one day, and was at peace with it.

And she was right. One night a group of six teachers – who probably shouldn't have been teachers – entered the tower for a field trip and her life was changed forever, and she has never been more thankful for it. She finally got to see the universe for what it is with her own eyes: An amazing painting of hope with the biggest and most brightest stars she has ever seen before. It almost seemed unreal when she first saw it, like the sky was magic itself and it was going to swallow her whole.

Logically, she knows that will never happen. Only black holes might be able to do so, but their planet will not encounter one in her lifetime. Emotionally, it was a different story.

Now, not only does she get to see the night sky like this constantly whenever they travel to less polluted areas, but she can fly up towards the stars in a way she never could while rooted on the ground.

She's closer to the stars than she's ever been, and she couldn't be more grateful.

And even now at the monastery all the way in the outskirts of Ninjago City, she sees that the stars are still big and bright and everything she's ever wanted. And they feel just a little more special with Nya standing right beside her, glowing in the presence of them.

She glances back at Nya and sees that she is also looking up, but with a deep thought across her face. She wonders what she's thinking about.

"Speaking of cold," Nya continues the conversation suddenly, still looking up. "Have I ever talked to you about my village of Ignacia? Has Kai?"

Pixal shakes her head. "I believe that neither of you has ever talked to me about it."

"Well, it's not cold. At all," she starts. "Even in winter it only gets a little chilly, and rarely ever gets snow. But despite the heat, it's very beautiful. My favorite part of the village is the fruit tree orchard located just outside of it. Trees full of apples, oranges, pomegranates… Kai and I used to play around those trees all the time when we were little." Pixal tilts her head, but doesn't say anything to let her friend finish.

"Staring up at the stars like this, shining their bright lights forever out of reach…" Nya sighs, before looking back down at Pixal with a small smile. "There's so many of them here. It reminds me of home."

She faces Nya fully and looks at her. Her scattered freckles, dark brown eyes mixed with dots of blue from her water element, the small and almost unnoticeable scar on her chin and the soft fuzz on her cheeks.

Her eyes glow much in the same way as when she looked up at the stars earlier.

Nya stares at her back, her smile never leaving. "What did you want to talk to me about, Pix?"

She cracks instantly. "You're beautiful," Pixal vents out. She doesn't mean to say that out loud, but it's as good a confession as any. "Really beautiful. I'm positive you are already aware of that, but…"

Nya's grin turns softer and, tentatively, slowly reaches up to cup Pixal's cheek with one of her hands. Her hand is warm, and Pixal leans into it slightly.

"You're not so bad yourself, you know," Nya says. "I mean, have you seen yourself? You're amazing! And really pretty."

Pixal smiles wider and her core processors start growing hotter. If she could blush, she knows it would stretch from her cheeks down to her neck down to her shoulders.

"May I kiss you?" She asks quietly. Can't go through life without taking some risks.

Nya doesn't answer with words. Instead, she wraps her arms around Pixal's neck and closes the gap between them.

It's a fact that Pixal loves Nya. It's also a fact that Nya loves Pixal as well.

#ninjago #samuraishipping #ninjago valentine-white day exchange

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