Opposites Attract // (Ninjago x Reader)

Only Flesh and Bone

Title from Used To The Darkness by Des Rocs

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The next time I heard about them was in the spring.

Grey skies and wet, muddy streets had turned into warmer days and flower decorated shopping windows. That day, I was at Skylor's, who I had started hanging out with almost every day ever since New Year's. Considering there wasn't really anything else for me to do, I was more than happy to have something to do other than stare at the confines of my closet I called a bedroom.

I'd just gotten up and walked over to the fridge to get the both of us a can of soda when the T.V. started blasting an ad starring the Ninja. I froze mid-motion and stared at the screen displaying bright colours and pop music in the background for a solid thirty second until it was over and the next clip started playing. The fridge started beeping and reminded me of what I'd actually planned on doing.

Grabbing two cans of orange soda, I sauntered back to the couch again where Skylor was lounging.

''Since when have they been doing advertisements?'' I asked as I sat back down and tossed her the beverage.

''Oh, you didn't know? They got featured on a late night show recently and it looks like they were an instant hit. The whole 'silent-heroes-behind-the-scenes' schtick.'' She replied and caught the can, then cracked ut open which made a sizzling sound.

''Huh, think I've heard of it,'' I said, thinking back to what Nya'd told me.

''Yeah.'' Skylor nodded to herself and rolled the dice of the board game we were playing which was spread out on the low table. ''I...uh, actually did you know that Cole's dead?''

I took a quiet sip of my soda, the liquid bubbling in the back of my throat, trying to stretch the silence for as long as possible.

''Yes.'' And I'm the one who killed him.

''Oh.'' Was all she replied. For a minute there was only silence as she stared at the board game and I at her.

''How?'' She turned around and looked me in the eyes.

''They didn't say?''

''No, only that he died at the Battle of Stiix. I can understand why they wouldn't get into it on live television but...I was his friend too. You were there, right? Can you tell me what happened?''

For a moment all I could perceive were green lights, the smell of rotten fruit, dust scattering in foul air and the taste of salt welled up in the back of my throat. My fingers twitched.

I contemplated for a second. I could tell her the truth. But who was to say she wouldn't react in the same way Neuro did? Then again, lying was always an option. Or...

''No. I won't. There's a reason I'm not with them anymore.''

That part I left open to interpretation.

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I could already tell this was going to be one hell of a summer. Why, you ask? Because it was only March and the heat was already unbearable.

As I lounged on the couch in Ronin and I's tiny appartment, on my back, my limbs stretched into four opposite directions and a fan I'd found somewhere in a box of junk in hand, I could just barely make out the quiet words of the weatherman on T.V. behind the swooshes of wind hitting my face. Something about hot air streams coming from the East of Ninjago, low-pressure areas, high-pressure areas, all that jazz I never paid attention to in school because it was too boring. Had I ever had to actually know how wind was created since I was out of school? No, therefore I rest my case.