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The last thing Nya expected to be greeted with as she entered Jay’s room was a shock of pink. For as long as she’s known the other girl, Jay has always favored blue. In fact, it was one of the first things the two girls bonded over when they first met. Even with her voice half gone and the mask covering her freckled face, there was no denying the way Jay perked up at Nya simply mentioning it was her favorite color. At the time, a part of Nya just assumed Jay was excited to have another girl around. She could only imagine how exhausting it must have been being the only girl on the team for months until they finally rescued her from Garmadon. And Nya had to admit it was nice to have another girl around, too. The way they just clicked was indescribable, especially once they discovered their mutual love for machinery. In the few months they’ve known each other, Nya would go as far as to say that Jay was her best friend, their friendship coming so easily compared to the surface-level ones she shared with girls in the village.
(More passing acquaintances, really- girls who were kind enough to say hello and share polite small talk at the market the few times Nya had gone into town. But they weren’t the sort of friends who’d go out of their way to invite Nya out or even pay her a visit at the blacksmith shop. Not to mention the rare few who did, mostly made the journey so they could ogle at Kai as he worked. Which ew.)
All this to say, despite their relatively short time together, Nya liked to believe she was familiar with the older girls' quirks and habits. Like the way Jay could ramble for hours on end about everything and nothing all at once. Or how, if given the opportunity, the brunette would happily waste her day away playing video games and claiming the high score just to piss the other ninja off.
But this… this was new.
Nya wasn’t sure how long she had been staring at the other girl. Had it been seconds or even hours? Nya couldn’t say for sure, not when all she could focus on was that garish pink dress Jay was wearing.
“Nya! Talk about perfect timing!” Jay exclaimed, finally noticing the other girl in her reflection. But Nya couldn’t bring herself to return her greeting; her mind was still trying to make sense of the sight before her. It’s not like Nya has never seen Jay outside her gi. But the lightning elemental often opted to wear grease-covered jeans and that hand-me-down blue windbreaker on her days off. She’s never seen Jay wear a skirt. And yet, here they were, wearing a long-sleeved dress with a giant red bow adorning her collar and her tan legs on display.
Needless to say, an interesting way to learn Jay’s freckles didn’t stop at her face
“Huh?” Nya managed to choke out, realizing Jay was looking at her expectantly. She must’ve asked Nya some sort of question, but Nya was too busy ogling her to pay attention. Jay seemed unbothered, if her grin was anything to go by.
“You’re good with makeup, right?” It was only then that Nya noticed all the makeup covering every square inch of the vanity. It looked like Jay had raided the drugstore makeup aisle and bought one of every product. “I mean, of course you are. I swear, every time I see you, you've got like the perfect eyeliner. Which is crazy because every time I try to do a cat eye, I almost poke my eye out or wind up looking like a raccoon. Which is the last thing I need right now. As great a ninja as I am, I’m not exactly skilled enough to sneak around half blind-“
“I’m sorry-“ Nya cut off, knowing the brunette could go on for hours if given the opportunity, “- but what exactly are you doing? What are you even wearing?”
“You like it?” Jay swayed, giggling as the skirt swished back and forth. “It’s not my usual style, but I need a disguise if I’m gonna lure Samurai X.”
Nya tensed at the unexpected mention of her alter ego. What in the world did Jay want with Samurai X? She thought the ninja hated his (her?) guts for stealing the spotlight. Not that Nya even wanted the spotlight in the first place. Samurai X was born from her desire to help people, to exist as something more than the team’s girl in the chair or Kai’s little sister. She couldn’t help it if she was more competent than the ninja.
“What do you even want with Samurai X? I thought you hated him!”
“I don’t hate him! I just have a… healthy disrespect,” said Jay. “Besides, the guys and I have a bet going on. The first one to unmask the Samurai is the legendary green ninja.”
Nya wasn’t exactly sure how unmasking Samurai X related to solving the mystery of finding out who was destined to become the green ninja, but needless to say, Nya had her doubts. Without thinking, she reached out and tugged at Jay’s bow, missing the way the freckled girl froze at her sudden proximity.
“Still doesn’t explain what this dress has to do with anything.”
For a beat, Jay didn’t respond. Nya assumed it was because Jay probably realized how silly her logic was now that she was forced to say it out loud, if her red cheeks were anything to go by. When Nya tried to meet Jay’s gaze, Jay suddenly turned away, hands nervously smoothing down her skirt.
“WELL-“ the duo flinched as Jay’s voice boomed across the room, louder than intended. Clearing her throat, Jay offered Nya a sheepish smile. “What hero can resist a damsel in distress?”
Nya blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, c’mon! You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed Samurai X’s little fan club- it feels like any time we show up to the same scene, there’s a bunch of girls just waiting to fawn over him. And it’s clear he likes the attention too, that lucky bastard,” Jay muttered the last part under her breath while Nya reeled from the accusation.
“It’s nothing like that!!” Nya protested, only realizing too late how odd her sudden offense seemed when Jay shot her a funny look. “I mean- he’s just doing his job, he can’t help it if he gets some fans along the way. Don’t you guys have your share of fans too?”
“Not if this Samurai chump keeps sticking around,” Jay groaned. “Besides, why else would he linger after every crisis if not to rub in our face how popular he is?”
Nya scowled as Jay returned to her primping in the mirror, face oddly hot. Okay, so maybe she was lingering after a fight or two. But is it a crime if she wants her efforts to be appreciated for once? It’s not like the ninja are rushing to thank her for her help. It's a nice change of pace to have pretty girls people tell her they appreciate her work, especially when Nya knew that when she inevitably got back to the bounty, she’d have to deal with Jay whining about the samurai showing her up while they toil away on the ship’s upgrades. Sure, Jay doesn’t know it’s really her under the helmet, but it still hurts hearing her best friend disparage her work.
A part of Nya knew this issue could be side-stepped entirely if she just told Jay the truth. But as selfish as it may be, Nya wanted to keep Samurai X to herself just a little bit longer. It was the first time something was solely hers after all.
“Look, my point is, I actually got a leg up in this competition for once!” Jay beamed, “'Cause I’m gonna be bait. All I need to do is get myself in a little trouble, and Samurai X will come rushing to save me.”
“How do you know Samurai X won’t think it’s a trap?”
Jay’s grin widened, gesturing to Nya with a flourish. “Well, that’s where you come in- you gotta help me with my makeup! Please? I’ll make it up to you, I swear, whatever you want!”
She should’ve said no. She should’ve told Jay the whole scheme was a dumb idea and that Samurai X would never fall for it. But faced with the combination of Jay’s puppy eyes and the shock of seeing Jay's bare legs- seriously, why was she so hung up on them? Get a grip, Nya!- she couldn’t bring herself to say no.
“Alright,” Nya sighed, “what are we working with?”
And that’s how Nya found herself kneeling on Jay’s bed, cradling the older girl’s chin in her hand to keep her face steady as Nya focused on getting both wings perfectly symmetrical. For some odd reason, it was difficult to concentrate. Maybe because it was the first time Nya was looking at Jay’s face so up close and personal like this. With Jay’s eye closed, Nya was free to shamelessly study her friend’s face. Like that eyebrow slit that Nya still couldn’t determine whether it was a deliberate fashion choice or the aftermath of an experiment gone wrong (Nya knows she personally had some close calls with her brows while welding the Samurai X mech together). Or Jay’s lips, now with a distinctive sheen thanks to the lip gloss Nya had deemed subtle enough to avoid clashing with the eyeshadow.
“So-” Nya forced herself to speak, not quite ready to unravel why she found Jay’s face so distracting. It wasn’t envy, that she was certain. But she could feel the stirrings of something in her chest if she let herself look too long. Best to keep those feelings out of sight and out of mind. Now wasn’t the time for introspection. “I thought you knew how to do makeup?”
For the first week they lived together, Nya had no idea Jay even had freckles. It wasn’t til one Sunday morning, after Wu had woken the ninja up at the crack of dawn to get an early start, that Nya discovered their existence. She could still remember her initial shock, sitting down beside a half-asleep Jay at the breakfast table and realizing there was a constellation gracing her friend’s cheek. Thank the first Spinjitzu master that Jay was too out of it to notice her stare. It probably would’ve made for an awkward conversation because by the afternoon, once the ninja had a proper chance to wake up and pull themselves together, Jay’s freckles were hidden once more under a layer of concealer.
“I mean, I know the basics,” Jay’s finger thrummed against her lap. It felt impossible for the girl to stay still. Nya wondered if it was a side effect of her elemental power. Her lightning a constant buzz beneath her skin, begging to be released at a moment’s notice. “But that’s about it. My mom never really wore much makeup to begin with, and you don’t exactly need a full face to work in a junkyard. I learned just enough to get the other kids to stop pestering me.”
Nya paused, the implication of what Jay said sinking in. Jay must have realized her insinuation, too, as she instantly backpeddled.
“I just mean, I learned what made me feel good. You know, to flatter the ol’ ego. Once I found what worked, I never really experimented. I kinda wish I did. I mean, you always look so pretty!”
“I do?”
In an instant, Nya’s rage against Jay’s childhood classmates was forgotten in the wake of her declaration. The way Jay said it was so earnest that it was almost disarming. In that moment, Nya was grateful that the brunette's eyes were closed because she knew her face was as red as her brother’s gi. Nya wasn’t the type to get so hung up on a simple compliment, but something about this instance felt different. Maybe because it was coming from a close friend?
“Of course you do! I mean, even without it, you always look so put together,” Jay grinned, the corner of her eyes crinkling together. Her eyeliner would’ve definitely smudged if Nya hadn’t lifted the pencil in time. Whatever she planned to say next died on her lips as Nya’s thumb unconsciously stroked her chin, tilting Jay’s head side to side as she studied her handiwork. Gloss… blush… liner… mascara, Nya had to admit she had done quite a good job.
“Alright, I’d say you’re all done.”
Jay’s eyes fluttered open as Nya pulled away, accepting the compact the younger girl handed her. Nya couldn’t help but shift in her seat as Jay studied her reflection with the same level of concentration she’d only seen her apply to the Bounty’s security system… and to the fridge when she was checking if Cole had broken into her secret stash of pudding cups.
“It’s perfect!” Jay beamed, jumping to her feet. Nya released the breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding, watching as Jay twirled in front of the vanity, taking her whole disguise in. “Oh man, Samurai X won’t even know what’s coming! There’s no way he can resist a babe like me~.”
As awkward as it’d be to admit it, Nya was inclined to agree. Even if she still had some thoughts about the dress- if Jay had just asked, Nya would’ve been happy to help her find something better- any boy in their right mind would be looking at Jay just from the confident way she was carrying herself.
… Maybe Nya should step out and make sure Kai wasn’t hanging around. Though Kai never expressed interest in his fellow ninja, Nya couldn’t risk him flirting with her best friend.
“You know, we should do this again sometime,” Jay suddenly said, breaking Nya’s train of thought. She was fidgeting again, inexplicably refusing to meet Nya’s eyes. “I mean, without the whole tricking Samurai X thing. It's what normal girls do, right? Makeovers, gossiping? Not that I don’t love our usual shit-talking over training bot maintenance, but it’s been a minute since we’ve hung out just the two of us, you know?”
When was the last time they properly hung out, just the two of them? Nya couldn’t remember. There was that one movie night, but Zane was there, and that was way back before the monastery burnt down. Nya hadn’t realized it, but between dealing with the Serpentine, the ninja’s training, and sneaking around as Samurai X, their friendship had kinda fallen to the wayside.
“You’re right. Tell you what- once you guys settle your Samurai X bet, lemme know, and we can plan a girl’s night. Just the two of us.”
For a moment, Nya could’ve sworn Jay’s curls stood on their end as if she had just touched a plasma globe. But in a blink of an eye, Jay was smoothing her hair down, the only sign it even happened being Jay's flushed cheeks and the faint smell of something burning. But Nya was kind enough not to bring it up.
“Well then, I guess I'd better get back to it. Next time we hang out, you’ll be best friends with the legendary green ninja.”
Nya snorted. “Sure, I will.”
“Hey! You’ll be eating your words soon.”
Content to leave things there, Nya was about to leave the room when she saw the lightning ninja reach out for another plastic bag. Curious, she watched Jay dump the contents out on the vanity, shaking out something blonde and… furry?
Oh.
Oh no.
“Is that a wig?!”
Maybe Nya didn’t have to worry about boys looking at Jay. She was certain she was the only one still charmed by the sight of her, even in a lopsided wig with her short dark curls poking through. A good thing too, especially if Jay was so insistent on throwing herself on railroad tracks.