You arrived at the monastery the same way Lloyd did.

Suddenly. Unexpectedly. Like the universe had shrugged and said sure, why not.

You were even younger than him back then — small, curious, stubborn in a quiet way. Sensei Wu took you in without question, and just like that, the monastery became your home. The four ninja raised you alongside Lloyd, and over the years, they each took on a role in your life without ever naming it.

Wu was your teacher — patient, mysterious, always watching more than he spoke. Jay was your laughing partner, the one who could pull a smile out of you even on the worst days. Zane was comfort — calm hands, gentle words, quiet understanding. Cole was reliable, grounding, always ready to help without making a fuss. Lloyd was your brother in everything but blood.

And Kai?

Kai was hot.

Not just his powers — him. Loud, confident, everywhere at once. He filled rooms without trying. As a kid, you’d followed him around shamelessly, heart racing whenever he paid attention to you. You’d blushed when he praised your training, smiled too hard at his jokes, and absolutely melted when he ruffled your hair like you were something precious.

Now?

Now you were a teenager, which meant you denied all of that even to yourself.

You told yourself you were over it. That it had been childish. That Kai was just… Kai. One of your family. Nothing more. Totally normal.

Except he still joked with you like it was his favorite hobby. Still teased you, still lingered near you, still managed to make your brain short-circuit with a single grin. And the worst part?

He did it without even trying.

That evening, the monastery was quiet. Training had been brutal — hours of drills, sparring, control exercises that left your muscles screaming. You’d collapsed onto the couch in the living room, legs tucked up, arms loosely crossed over your stomach. The lights were dim, the windows open just enough to let the cool air in.

You stared at the ceiling, exhausted in that deep, bone-heavy way that came after pushing yourself too hard.

Footsteps echoed behind you.

You didn’t need to look to know who it was.

“Wow,” Kai said, voice warm and amused. “You actually stopped moving. I thought that was illegal for you.”

You groaned. “Don’t start.”

He chuckled and dropped down onto the couch beside you, close enough that you could feel the heat radiating off him — like standing near a fire you pretended didn’t affect you.

“Rough training?” he asked, softer now.