Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

P.I.X.A.L was the one to get Kai from the bar.

She always was.

Kai had called her from a telephone booth outside of Ninjago Museum. The only sounds P.I.X.A.L heard were comprised of gibberish and some banging against the enclosed glass walls. But it was enough.

Getting to her Samurai X mech was probably harder than finding Kai. He always went to the museum when he didn’t know where to go. And this certainly was not the first time this exact scenario happened.

They had a symbiotic relationship of sorts.

P.I.X.A.L picked Kai up from bars, fights, and general dangerous situations. She hugged and comforted him while he cried about the horrible things that happened to him. And would put him to bed when he was too drunk to do it himself. Kai, in return, listened to P.I.X.A.L about anything and everything. He learned how to repair her after battles when she wouldn’t accept help from Nya or Jay. He gave her advice and helped her with anything she needed.

Kai was the only one P.I.X.A.L talked to when Zane was cursed to the Never Realm.

P.I.X.A.L really didn’t know why she was so entranced in Kai. She never felt anything like what she felt with him. Like she could tell him about her thoughts, stuff she was building, her passions, everything.

Sure, she could talk about all that with Zane, of course she could. But it was different with Kai. And P.I.X.A.L didn’t know why.

But some small part of her was very aware.

P.I.X.A.L hated thinking about it, but some part of her knew it was romantic love.

She knew the way her cheeks turned a deep purple blush when Kai was there. How her artificial heart skips a beat every time he jokingly flirted with her. How much she yearned for his hugs and cuddles. She really loved him. So much.

P.I.X.A.L didn’t like thinking about her crush. Zane was her platonic partner, and she didn’t want to ruin that*.*

Before she knew it, P.I.X.A.L arrived at the museum. And Kai was right where she knew he’d be.

She was shocked when she saw him.

Kai was sitting on the steps leading into the building. His face was swollen and a scratch over his eye was bleeding profusely. There were sticks and leafs in his hair, and his knees looked muddy and bruised.

Kai didn’t notice P.I.X.A.L until she sat down next to him. Getting closer, P.I.X.A.L realized the blood from his forehead wound was pooling on Kai’s eye. How long has he had this?

So, P.I.X.A.L did the only thing she could think of:

Sit down next to him, and gently place her hand on his. To which Kai immediately pulled P.I.X.A.L into a giant hug.

“Piix..?” Kai’s voice was hoarse and shaky. Had he been yelling?

“Yes, Kai?” P.I.X.A.L’s words made the man tighten the already strict grip he had on her.

“Imm so sooo,, im sorriess..” Kai was hard to hear, but P.I.X.A.L knew what he was saying.

“It is completely fine. Let me bring you back to the monetary.”

“Nooo,, i wann too cuddle..”

“We can cuddle when we get home, Kai. Can you walk? Do you want me carry you?” P.I.X.A.L was joking. Kai would never agree to something like that. But, as Kai’s head perked up at the last sentence, she knew he accepted the offer.

“pleassee,,” P.I.X.A.L’s eyebrows raised, Kai clearly wasn’t joking. At least he said please.

So, she scooped up the heavily intoxicated Fire Elemental into her arms and started towards the mech.

Kai knees were looped around P.I.X.A.L’s forearms while his arms hooked themselves on the nape of her neck in an awkward sort of bridal style hold. Checking Kai’s vitals with a quick scan confirmed, he was quite drunk. But thankfully, his injuries weren’t serious. His body was very warm. Normally, she would be arranging funeral plans if someone’s vitals read 115° Fahrenheit. But being the Master of Fire does indeed have perks.

P.I.X.A.L hated seeing him like this. He was normally so confident, hot headed, and snarky.

Kai would never let someone carry him if he was sober. So this was an odd moment for her.

A moment that ended too soon, as in a few quick steps she had reached the Samurai X mech. P.I.X.A.L laid the man in the seat behind hers, started the mech, and hoped Kai wouldn’t be too embarrassed about her carrying him.

She wanted to carry him more.

Chapter Text

Kai was very hungover . He had literally rolled out of bed and fell face down on the floor, and it hurt .

He pushed himself up on his elbows the leaned himself on his dresser. The clock read 3:53pm. Kai’s mind quickly darted around the events of the night before, but couldn’t recall most of it.

He remembers getting hit in his right eye.

He remembers stumbling around the streets of Ninjago City.

And he remembers..

Fuck .

Kai began panicking. Did he actually ask P.I.X.A.L to carry him ? That’s one way to destroy his self confidence. Especially in front of her . God. Kai was NEVER going to live this down. Especially because-

A sharp knock hit his door, stopping him before he could spiral. It was P.I.X.A.L.

Kai did the most sensible thing he could:

“GO AWAY, IM UH- NAKED.” The Fire Elemental yelled out before thinking.

“Oh. Well, I implore you to get at least your pants on. When you are decent again, please come to the courtyard. I would like to speak with you.” P.I.X.A.L replied.

Kai thanked FSM that he was alone in his room, he could’ve sworn his face was on fire. But there was something odd about the way she spoke, the usual twinge of their dynamic absent.

It’s decided. Kai is a fucking moron.

~~~~~

If Kai’s goal was to fluster the Nindroid, he got what he wanted. Because now the only thing P.I.X.A.L could think of was Kai and the dark purple blush on her face that betrayed her calm, serious exterior. She could not deal with Kai’s flirting today, not after last night.

-

Kai’s body was very warm. He had been snuggling P.I.X.A.L the whole way home. His arms were hugging her chest from behind her seat and his head was resting nicely in the crook of her neck. Every few minutes he would mumble some random words before going back to whatever world he was in. P.I.X.A.L didn’t spend much time trying to interpret what Kai was saying. She likes his warmth. His breathing was slowing as he drifted to sleep. But then, he said some that made P.I.X.A.L stop processing for a moment.

“I looove you pixx.. imm sorry…” And then, Kai fell asleep.

-

P.I.X.A.L had no clue how to interpret Kai’s words from the night before. Romantic? Platonic?? Random Word Association from a Heavily Drunk Man???

Probably the latter. Well- definitely the latter, but still, she needed to speak to her partner.

When P.I.X.A.L arrived at the courtyard, she saw Zane sitting on the steps of the monastery. Her partner was glowing in the light, the look in their eyes were warm and inviting. The Master of Ice looked at her blushing face, let out a small giggle, and said the one thing P.I.X.A.L couldn’t of predicted.

“Kai is very attractive, isn’t he?”

“I suppose so.” She responded, sitting down next to them.

“I’m glad we agree.” Zane smiled.

And that was the end of the conversation. Zane and P.I.X.A.L could just talk like that. Like they know everything the other was saying, even with a few words. Zane grabbed her hand and pulled her closer until they were comfortably cuddled together.

The whirring and buzzing of their metal bodies were like words of affirmations saying “It’s alright to love him, because I love you.”

And P.I.X.A.L melted away into the thought.