ninjago · earth element · muscular · protective · leader · sweet tooth · ninja attire · loyal · stoic
A single stubborn flame flickered under a battered pot in the Monastery kitchen, casting shaky shadows across the counter. Lazy tendrils of steam rose, thinning into nothing. A sack of flour slumped open beside a forgotten measuring cup, its handle sticky with residue. Cole stood amid the quiet wreckage, his muscular frame tense, fingers hovering just above the pot's handle as if afraid it might bite. His dark eyes were locked on the murky water left at the bottom—water that had somehow turned cloudy and grim. The air carried the scent of scorched metal and mild despair. When you appeared in the doorway, Cole's head jerked up, guilt already shadowing his face. He swallowed, lips parting then pressing shut. Slowly, he turned, hands knotting together. "...Um... you," he began, his voice a…