Part 23/? - "1-0 for..?"
Alastor shows his power and is catching himself a snack.
What will the price be?
Hii! It's me again :> I guess their little game is over, for now :D
I tried some different poses, angles and dynamics - just to learn :> And have fun while at it - haha!
I wish you all a wonderful weekend!
I am at CCCMunich this weekend, which is a new con :) I am excited to see how this one will be <3
This is definitely not a vent 😁 Btw, inspired by “Raining in Manila” by Lola Amour
The rain started sometime around midnight.
Jay only knew because it woke him up.
Not from the sound.
From habit.
For years, whenever storms rolled through Ninjago City, Cole would end up half on top of him by morning. Sometimes because he got cold. Sometimes because thunderstorms made him sleepy. Sometimes for no reason at all.
Jay used to wake up with a warm weight pressed against his back.
Now he woke up reaching toward an empty half of the bed.
His hand met cold sheets.
And suddenly, he was wide awake.
The rain tapped steadily against the windows.
Jay rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling.
It had been almost a year.
Almost a year since Cole left for art school.
Almost a year since they'd promised it'd be okay.
Almost a year since they'd promised they wouldn't let the distance change anything.
And maybe it hadn't.
Or maybe it had.
Jay didn't know anymore.
He didn't know a lot of things these days.
He didn't know who Cole ate lunch with.
He didn't know if he'd changed his hairstyle.
He didn't know if he still hummed while painting.
He didn't know what his room looked like now.
He didn't know if he still preferred coffee over tea.
He didn't know which professors he hated.
He didn't know which classmates made him laugh.
He didn't know who was taking the pictures Cole occasionally sent.
He didn't know.
And First Master… Weren't boyfriends supposed to know those things?
His phone sat on the nightstand.
Silent.
He picked it up anyway.
Their chat.
Three days ago.
A picture of paint-covered fingers.
Cole: Sorry babe, Wi-Fi sucks again.
And before that.
Two days.
Before that.
Four.
Before that.
Five.
The messages weren't shorter because Cole loved him less.
Jay knew that.
He knew.
Assignments.
Time zones.
Terrible dorm Wi-Fi.
Exhaustion.
Life.
And because Jay knew, he couldn't even be angry.
How could he?
How could he get upset when every time Cole called, he looked exhausted?
How could he complain when Cole apologized before even saying hello?
How could he demand more when he knew his boyfriend was already giving everything he had?
So Jay stopped asking.
Stopped expecting immediate replies.
Stopped double texting.
Sometimes he'd send a message and get an answer twelve hours later.
Sometimes a day.
Sometimes two.
And every single time, Jay replied immediately.
Not because he wanted to pressure him.
Just because he'd already been waiting.
Always waiting.
He wondered if Cole knew that.
Probably not.
Jay never said anything.
He didn't want his messages to become obligations.
Didn't want his name popping up on Cole's phone to feel like another assignment.
So he'd send:
Good luck on your project 💙
And if there was no answer?
Fine.
Goodnight 😘💙
And if there was no answer?
Fine.
Hope you ate something 💙💙💙
And if there was no answer?
Fine.
He could wait.
He loved him.
He could wait.
Right?
Rain battered the windows harder.
Jay sat up and wrapped the blanket tighter around himself.
He wondered if it was raining where Cole was.
He wondered if Cole was cold.
He wondered if the world felt darker there when it stormed.
He wondered if Cole was lying awake too.
He wondered if he missed something.
Not Ninjago City.
Not home.
Something smaller.
Something stupid.
Something shaped like Jay.
A missing piece he left behind.
Did he ever reach across the bed and realize nobody was there?
Did he ever laugh at something and instinctively turn his head before remembering?
Did he ever think, “Jay would love this”?
Did he miss him physically?
Or was missing him through a screen enough now?
Jay hated himself for wondering.
Because he trusted him.
Because he loved him.
Because he knew Cole loved him.
But some nights…
Some nights the distance whispered ugly things.
What if Cole liked it there too much?
What if he made friends?
Better friends.
What if opportunities appeared after graduation?
What if he stayed?
What if he didn't want to come home?
What if one day he called and smiled sadly?
What if he said, “I'm sorry, Jay.”
What if he didn't mean to hurt him?
What if life just happened?
What if Cole chose that city?
What if he chose his dream?
And what if Jay wasn't enough reason to leave?
Jay immediately buried his face in his hands.
“No, no, no...”
He hated those thoughts.
Because Cole deserved his dreams.
He deserved success.
He deserved happiness.
Jay wanted him to succeed.
He wanted galleries.
Exhibitions.
Everything.
Even if it took him away.
Especially if it took him away.
That was love.
Wasn't it?
But First Master.
He hoped Cole was still the same.
When he came back.
If he came back.
The thought alone made his chest hurt.
Almost a year.
People changed in a year.
They had to.
New friends.
New routines.
New memories.
Memories Jay wasn't part of.
Would Cole still laugh at his dumb jokes?
Still steal fries off his plate?
Still curl against his back when it rained?
Still call him "Bluebell" with that sleepy voice?
Would they still fit together?
Or would they have to learn each other again?
Jay didn't know.
And maybe that was what scared him most.
Not losing Cole.
But losing the version of him he knew.
Their anniversary was next week.
Their first apart.
No dinner.
No movie.
No cuddling afterward.
No waking up together the next day.
Maybe a call.
If the Wi-Fi cooperated.
If their schedules lined up.
If.
Always if.
Jay laughed softly.
Then wiped his eyes.
He remembered their last anniversary.
Rain outside.
Cole wrapped around him from behind.
“You're warm,” he'd mumbled sleepily.
Jay remembered laughing.
Remembered Cole's arms around his waist.
Remembered feeling safe.
Remembered feeling like he'd always have somebody watching his back.
And now?
Now there was nobody.
Nobody to hold.
Nobody to complain about the rain with.
Nobody to fight over blankets with.
Nobody to cuddle when thunderstorms rolled through the city.
Just rain.
And an empty bed.
Jay hoped it would stop soon.
Not because he hated storms.
Because every time it rained, it reminded him of how cold empty sheets could be.
His phone remained silent.
And somewhere far away, his boyfriend was living a life Jay barely knew.
Maybe he was happy.
Maybe he was sad.
Maybe he was crying.
Maybe he was laughing.
Maybe he was cold.
Maybe the world felt dark when it rained there too.
Maybe he missed something.
Maybe there was a piece of himself that he'd accidentally left in Ninjago City.
Jay didn't know.
He hadn't physically shared happiness with Cole in months.
Hadn't physically shared sadness with him either.
Not celebrations.
Not failures.
Not tears.
Not laughter.
Not really.
Only screens.
Only voices.
Only memories.
And all Jay could do now…
All he'd been doing for months…
Was gaze at pictures.
At videos.
At old messages.
At a face behind a screen.
And hope.
Hope that when Cole came home…
If he came home…
He'd still smile the same.
Hope that somewhere, under another rainy sky, Cole was missing something too.
Something small.
Something stupid.
Something shaped like him.
Because First Master.
Jay still missed the piece of himself that had left with Cole.
Al and Lu have a bit of harmless fun :) And Lu shows off his powers.
What could go wrong? :> See next week what happens next!
Another week, another update!
I honestly got carried away. This "play fight" was supposed to be only one part long, but I was so inspired and ended up adding more and more stuff. I just really like to challenge myself and test out my own limits :D
I am not used to draw elaborate backgrounds, so I was trying something more difficult :> Idk if I succeeded tho ~_~
Also wow.. 17 pages and on average one page took me 2 hours. That results in a total of ~34 working hours for this part. :O
Hope you like it and have as much fun reading as I had drawing it :D
I just love them being silly :D
Have a wonderful weekend ! <3
yeah im complaining again becuse its pride month and for some reason im not seeing any agender posts that have a million notes, we arent included in the heart flag gifs, and it feels like nobody is talking about us
please dont forget about agender people this pride month
dont forget about agender people who dont also identify as trans
dont forget about agender people who want to transition (binary or not)
dont forget about agender people who dont
dont forget about agender people who use or like traditional binary pronouns like he/him and she/her
dont forget about agender people who prefer they/them or neo pronouns or a mix of pronouns
dont forget about agender people who dont want to use pronouns at all
dont forget about intersex agender people this pride
dont forget about agender people who are bisexual, pansexual, lesbian, gay, ect.
dont forget about agender people who are aromantic or asexual or both
dont forget about agender people who just dont care about dating or dont want to date anyone for any other reason
blakekathryn
kaledo-art
germansingergirl
areudirty
discoholicmusic
dededos
gummygunk
jacobvanloon
