Stay safe from the heat everyone!!! Drink lots of lemon juice and suck on ice cubes!

Lool at Jay awwwwww

Anyway

Jay fanned himself furiously, beads of sweat rolling down his face. Meanwhile, Kai was seated directly in front of a fan, soaking in the meager breeze it offered. Across the room, Cole, Lloyd, and Nya were struggling to fix the broken ceiling fan, while Zane stood in the corner, using his ice powers to keep the monastery from overheating.

"I'm not complaining or anything," Jay groaned as he flopped onto the couch, "but this is the hottest it's ever been up here!"

Kai lifted his head, his face flushed but composed. "Truth. It's usually a lot cooler."

Zane's icy blue eyes flickered as he scanned the room. "It's currently 120 degrees Fahrenheit," he announced.

Jay's eyes widened in disbelief, and without thinking, he lifted his head and rested it against Kai's chest. "You've got to be kidding me," he mumbled.

Kai glanced down at his brother and chuckled, ruffling Jay's damp hair. "Hey, it's not that bad."

Jay shot him a look of exasperation. "Easy for you to say, Mr. Fire Ninja. You're always burning things. Why didn't I think of that?"

Kai rolled his eyes, but he couldn't argue with the truth in Jay's words. Fire was in his nature.

Lloyd hopped down from the ladder, wiping sweat from his brow. "We found the problem. The generator's broken."

"Maybe we should ask Mia to give us a little wind. No offense, Zane-your ice is great, but a breeze would be nicer," Cole added, brushing some dust off his pants.

"None taken," Zane replied, cool as ever. "Speaking of which, where is Mia? Last I saw, she went to get groceries."

Everyone froze at Zane's words.

"Wait... you mean she's not here?" Jay asked, his voice rising in panic.

Zane nodded. "She left about an hour ago."

Jay leaped off the couch. "ABOUT AN HOUR AGO?! What was she thinking?!"

"She's the wind ninja, Jay. She'll be fine," Nya said, coming over to her brothers with a calm expression.

Kai patted the seat next to him. "It's true. When she was little, she'd always wander off. This is nothing new."

"Hey!" Nya crossed her arms, feigning anger. "I was not like that!"

Kai smirked, tilting his head toward her. "Sure, sis. Keep telling yourself that." But his tone softened as he turned to Jay. "Seriously, she's okay. Mia knows what she's doing."

The universe, however, had other plans. Two hours later, the door creaked open, and in stumbled Mia, looking like she'd been through a battle. Her clothes were covered in dirt, leaves and twigs stuck out of her hair, and she was panting heavily.

Jay was the first to see her. "Where did you go?!" he shouted, running over to her.

Mia, completely unbothered by her appearance, gave him a tired look. "Oh, you know, multiple places," she muttered. She began pacing, listing off her day. "First, I returned a chicken to a farm. Then, I had to rescue a cat from a tree. That same cat fell into a river. Then, I had to walk a bunch of lost dogs, help Emma plant her flowers, and run all the way back home because a pack of wolves started chasing me!" She threw her hands up in exaggerated exasperation.

The others just stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Uh... wow," Lloyd finally managed to say.

Mia nodded, though sluggishly. She tossed the grocery bags toward them. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go collapse in my room."

She began walking toward her room, but suddenly, she started coughing-a harsh, dry sound that made everyone freeze.

"You okay?" Jay called, concern in his voice.

"Yeah!" she croaked, waving him off.

Kai's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Stay here," he said, standing up. "I'm going to make sure she didn't get heatstroke."

When Kai found Mia in her room, she was sitting in front of a fan, panting and coughing like a maniac. Her face was flushed, and sweat dripped down her brow. As soon as she saw Kai, she straightened up, though she still looked miserable.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice raspy.

Kai sat down gently on the edge of her bed and placed a hand on her forehead. "Making sure you're okay."

Mia sighed in annoyance. "Kai, I'm fine."

"You always say that!" Kai said, shaking his head. He pressed the back of his hand to her cheek, feeling the heat radiating from her skin. "You've definitely overdone it today."

Mia huffed, crossing her arms. "I told you, I'm fine."

Kai's gaze softened as he looked at her, worry creasing his brow. "Mia, you don't have to be tough all the time. It's okay to ask for help."

Mia glanced away, her stubbornness faltering for a moment. "I just didn't want to worry you guys."

Kai smiled softly, pulling her into a gentle hug. "We worry because we care. Now rest, and let me take care of you for once."

Mia sat there, still panting, her cheeks flushed red from the heat. She tried to wave Kai off, insisting she was fine, but her body betrayed her, every breath a struggle. "Fine," she muttered, begrudgingly accepting Kai's concern. She leaned back on her bed, letting her muscles relax for a moment.

Just then, Jay burst into the room, grinning with excitement, holding a large bowl filled with ice cubes. "I got ice!" he announced proudly, holding it up like a prize.

Mia's tired eyes suddenly lit up at the sight of the ice, her whole demeanor changing in an instant. She shot up from her bed, her voice full of excitement. "ICE!" she shouted, practically leaping toward the bowl in Jay's hands.

Before Jay could even react, Mia grabbed the bowl and dumped the entire thing over her head. The ice scattered everywhere, hitting the bed, the floor, and most importantly, Mia's skin. She let out a loud, content sigh as the coolness hit her overheated body.

With gleeful abandon, Mia began rolling around in the ice, her hair getting tangled in the frozen cubes as she twisted and turned across the bed. She let out small squeals of joy with each movement, the cold relief sending shivers down her spine in the best possible way.

Kai stood at the foot of the bed, arms crossed, watching the entire scene unfold. He raised an eyebrow, looking from Mia to Jay, and back to Mia again. "O-kay..." he muttered, more amused than confused, though a small smile crept onto his face.

Jay blinked a few times, still holding the now-empty bowl in his hands, before laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all. "Mia, you look like you're swimming in a pile of snow!" he joked, shaking his head as Mia rolled around like a child making snow angels.

"Do you know how hot it was outside, Jay?!" Mia exclaimed, her voice muffled as her face was half-buried in the ice. "This is the best thing ever!" She stretched her arms out, grabbing handfuls of the ice and pressing it against her skin. "Oh, this is so much better than sitting in front of a fan."

Kai couldn't help but chuckle as Mia continued her dramatic ice bath, clearly relishing every second of it. "I'm starting to think the ice cubes are her new best friends," he said, shaking his head.

Jay laughed, putting the empty bowl on Mia's bedside table. "Looks like you're gonna need a refill soon."

Mia, still rolling and pressing ice cubes to her forehead, gave him a lazy thumbs-up. "Please and thank you," she said, her voice muffled by her face being pressed against the bed and the ice.

Kai sat down on the edge of her bed, leaning back on his hands, watching her with amusement. "You know, Mia, there's such a thing as overdoing it."

Mia looked up from the bed, a mischievous glint in her eyes, as she threw a handful of ice cubes at Kai. "Says the guy who's literally on fire all the time," she retorted, grinning.

Kai flinched as the ice hit him, though it melted almost instantly on contact with his warm skin. "Touche," he said, shaking the melted water from his arm. "But seriously, if you freeze yourself solid, I'm not going to be the one defrosting you."

Jay leaned against the doorframe, still smiling as he watched the scene. "I don't know, Kai. I think she's onto something with this ice therapy. Might have to try it myself."

Mia looked over at Jay, a playful smirk on her face. "Join me! There's plenty of room in my ice paradise."

Jay laughed but shook his head. "I'm good. I'm more of a 'cool shower' type, not a 'roll around in freezing cubes' type."

Mia shrugged and rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling, letting out a long, contented sigh. "Suit yourself," she said, her voice now relaxed. "But I'm telling you, nothing beats this after being chased by wolves and saving cats from rivers."

Kai rolled his eyes with a smile. "Yeah, yeah. You're a hero, Mia. Now maybe try to sleep before you melt all the ice and soak your bed."

Mia gave him a thumbs-up again, her eyes already starting to droop. "Fine," she muttered. "But don't take the ice away. It's mine."

Kai chuckled as he stood up. "Wouldn't dream of it." He glanced at Jay, and together they walked out of the room, leaving Mia to enjoy her cold, makeshift bed.

As they stepped into the hallway, Jay glanced back at the door, shaking his head with a laugh. "Our sister's something else, huh?"

Kai nodded, a fond smile playing on his lips. "Yeah," he said softly, "she definitely is."

Jay and Kai made their way back to Mia's room, but when they opened the door, she wasn't there. The bed was still littered with melted ice, but Mia had vanished. Jay blinked in confusion, scratching his head. "Where could she have gone?"

Kai, with a furrowed brow, peered out the window and spotted a familiar figure crouching in the garden below. "She's outside," he muttered, pointing down.

Jay followed Kai's gaze and sighed when he saw Mia, kneeling in the dirt, hands busy pulling weeds and tending to the flowers. "Why does she always pick the hottest days to do this?" Jay groaned.

They hurried outside, and as they approached her, Jay called out. "Mia! Why do you always pick the hottest days ever to garden?"

Mia looked up, wiping the back of her hand across her forehead, her face flushed from the heat. She gave a weak cough and shrugged. "Because," she rasped, her voice dry. "The plants need me. And now I need water." She stood up shakily, wiping her hands on her pants and starting to walk toward the house.

Before she could get far, Kai stepped in front of her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Hold on, Mia," he said, concern clear in his voice. "You've already been out here too long. You're not getting water until you cool down and rest first."

Mia tried to brush him off, though her exhaustion was evident. "I'm fine, Kai. I just need a quick drink, and I'll be back out here."

Kai shook his head. "No way. You've been out in the sun for who knows how long, and you're already coughing. Let's get you inside, cool you down, and then you can have some water."

Jay, still fanning himself in the heat, nodded in agreement. "He's right, Mia. You're going to make yourself sick if you keep this up."

Mia sighed in frustration, but she knew her brothers had a point. Her legs wobbled a little as she tried to stand firm, but the heat had drained her energy. "Fine," she muttered, giving in. "But only because I'm tired."

Kai smiled, relieved. "Good call," he said softly, guiding her back toward the house with a hand on her back. "Let's get you inside where it's cooler, and we'll take care of the garden later."

Jay jogged ahead to open the door, glancing back at Mia as she stumbled slightly, leaning more heavily on Kai. "Why do you always push yourself so hard, Mia?" Jay asked, a note of worry creeping into his voice.

Mia shrugged, her eyes half-lidded from exhaustion. "I just... I don't know. It's how I am, I guess."

Kai glanced down at her, his expression softening. "Well, you don't have to do everything by yourself. That's what we're here for."

Mia grumbled something under her breath, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips as they stepped inside. Kai helped her over to the couch, where she plopped down, leaning back with a tired sigh. Jay quickly grabbed a cold towel and placed it on her forehead, earning a small appreciative hum from Mia.

"Now you rest," Kai said, standing over her with his arms crossed, his tone firm but caring. "No more gardening today."

Mia glanced up at him, half-smiling, half-annoyed. "Bossy," she muttered, though the exhaustion in her voice betrayed her.

Kai rolled his eyes. "Only because I care."

" .... And the bunny lived happily ever after."

He carefully set the book aside, and looked at his brother. They were both bundled up under the soft, warm blanket in Jay's bed, with Jay's head resting on Kai's shoulder. Jay had already dozed off, his gentle breathing signaling how peacefully he'd fallen asleep.

Kai smiled softly, feeling a sense of calm and warmth. Being with his younger brother in these quiet moments always grounded him. He gently pulled the blanket up, making sure Jay was comfortable. As he brushed a stray hair from Jay's forehead, a sudden sound caught his attention.

Curious, Kai glanced towards the hallway and spotted something unusual. Mia and Blackie were cleaning the bathroom, or at least attempting to. Mia was on her hands and knees, scrubbing the floor with determination, while Blackie, ever the spoiled cat, was perched on the counter, watching her with an air of disinterest.

Kai raised an eyebrow, confused. "Mia?" he called softly, not wanting to wake Jay. "What are you doing?"

Mia glanced up, mid-scrub, her face flushed from exertion. "What does it look like I'm doing?" she asked, slightly irritated. "The bathroom needed cleaning, so I'm cleaning it."

Kai carefully slid out from under the blanket, making sure not to disturb Jay, and walked over to the bathroom door. "It's the middle of the night," he whispered, leaning against the doorframe. "You don't have to clean right now."

Mia huffed, scrubbing harder. "Well, it wasn't going to clean itself," she muttered stubbornly. "And I couldn't sleep, so I might as well do something useful."

Kai glanced at Blackie, who was lazily licking a paw. The cat rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. "I told her it could wait," Blackie commented, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "but does she ever listen to me? No."

Mia shot a glare at Blackie but didn't say anything, instead focusing on scrubbing a particularly stubborn spot on the floor.

Kai chuckled softly and stepped into the bathroom. He knelt beside Mia, gently placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her frantic scrubbing. "Mia, you don't have to do this right now," he said gently. "Come on, take a break. You need to rest."

Mia paused, looking up at Kai with tired eyes. "But the floor..." she started, but Kai shook his head.

"It can wait," he said firmly. "You're overworking yourself, and you'll burn out. Besides, we'll help you with it tomorrow. For now, come sit with Jay and me."

Mia hesitated for a moment, her hand still gripping the scrub brush. But then she sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Okay, fine," she muttered, setting the brush down.

Kai stood and offered her a hand, helping her up. Blackie, with a bored yawn, jumped off the counter and padded after them as they made their way back to Jay's room.

Once inside, Mia slipped under the blanket on the other side of Jay, her body instantly relaxing against the soft bed. Kai pulled the blanket over her as well, and she gave him a small, grateful smile.

Jay, still asleep, instinctively snuggled closer to Kai, his hand brushing against Mia's arm as if sensing her presence.

"See?" Kai whispered, settling down between his siblings. "Much better than cleaning in the middle of the night."

Mia rolled her eyes but smiled, resting her head against the pillow. "Yeah, yeah," she mumbled, closing her eyes. "Thanks, Kai."

Kai smiled, wrapping an arm around both Mia and Jay, feeling a sense of peace wash over him. Soon, Mia's breathing slowed, and she too drifted off to sleep, leaving Kai awake for just a moment longer, watching over them both.

Blackie hopped onto the end of the bed, curling up at their feet with a contented purr. "I told her," he muttered softly, before closing his eyes.

The next morning, Kai woke up to find the bed empty. He blinked in confusion, glancing around the room. Jay was still half-asleep, stretching and yawning, but Mia was nowhere to be seen.

"Mia?" Kai called softly, rubbing his eyes. He glanced at Jay, who was now fully awake and looking around as well.

"Where did she go?" Jay asked, sitting up and scanning the room. "And where's Blackie?"

Kai sighed, already guessing that Mia was up to something. "Let's go find her," he said, standing and stretching.

They quickly made their way outside, searching the monastery grounds. It didn't take long to spot Mia strolling casually through the garden with something unusual in front of her. As they got closer, Kai and Jay realized she was pushing a stroller. Inside the stroller, much to their surprise, was Blackie, who was dressed in baby clothes.

Kai froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Is... is that Blackie?" he asked incredulously.

Jay burst out laughing. "Oh my gosh, Mia! What are you doing?"

Mia, looking completely unbothered, continued walking with the stroller, her head held high. "Taking Blackie for a walk, obviously," she replied matter-of-factly.

Blackie, who was wearing a tiny bonnet and a little baby onesie, gave them both an unamused look. "This is ridiculous," he muttered, his tone filled with disdain. "I am not a baby."

Mia ignored his complaint, cooing at him as she gently rocked the stroller. "Come on, baby boy," she said in a sing-song voice, "let's go enjoy the sunshine."

Jay couldn't stop laughing, doubling over as he clutched his sides. "Mia, what is going on? Why is Blackie dressed like that?"

Mia shrugged, completely unbothered by the chaos she was causing. "I thought it'd be cute," she said with a mischievous grin. "Plus, he needed some fresh air, and this was the best way to take him out."

Blackie shot her a glare. "This is not 'cute,' Mia. I am a dignified feline, not some human infant."

Kai just shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to suppress a laugh. "Mia... you can't just dress Blackie up like a baby and push him around in a stroller. You know he's going to hold this against you forever, right?"

Mia just smirked, adjusting Blackie's bonnet. "Oh, please. He secretly loves it."

Blackie let out an exaggerated sigh. "For the record, I do not."

Jay, still laughing, walked over to the stroller and leaned down to look at Blackie. "You look adorable, Blackie," he teased.

"Don't encourage her," Blackie groaned, looking like he wanted to escape the stroller but knowing better than to jump out while Mia was watching.

Kai finally gave up on trying to be serious and chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, Mia, enough baby time for Blackie. Let's get him out of those clothes before he really decides to get back at you."

Mia sighed dramatically but started unbuttoning Blackie's tiny onesie. "Fine, fine," she grumbled, "but I think he looks cute."

Jay grinned. "Yeah, but I think Blackie would rather be a cat right now."

As soon as Blackie was free of the baby clothes, he leaped out of the stroller and gave himself a vigorous shake, as if trying to rid himself of the entire experience. "Finally," he muttered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to pretend this never happened."

With that, Blackie trotted off, tail flicking in annoyance. Mia, however, was still grinning.

Kai wrapped an arm around her shoulder, giving her a playful nudge. "You're a menace, you know that?"

Mia just smirked. "Yeah, but you love me anyway."

Jay, still chuckling, nodded. "We wouldn't have it any other way."