Platonic Lloya in da house!

Title and lyrics taken from "Everytime The Rain Comes Down" by Anna Blue. I love this song so much!!!!

Excuse me if you see any typos. I was too tired to recheck my work.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Lloyd was mad.

~You're fighting a demon,
Your heart keeps on bleeding,
You're feeling so close to the edge
(Don't jump) ~

The ten-year old stomped down the Bounty's cabin corridor, turned left and marched straight on till he reached Nya's workroom. He threw open the door with the little strength he had and whined.

"Nyyyyyaaaaaaaa!"

The girl in question was in the far corner of the room, sporting a welding mask. Loud scratching sounds and embers erupted all around her as she worked on what looked like a useless lump of metal to Lloyd. The noise the machine was making was loud enough to convince the boy that Nya had not heard him enter.

With renewed furiousness, he again stomped all the way to the girl and repeated his cry, only it was louder this time and more whiney.

"NYYYYYAAAAAAAA!"

Still no response. Lloyd took in a deep breath and-

"NYYYYYYYYAAAAAAA!"

The girl casually moved back from her project, removed the mask and smiled at the boy. "Oh, hey, Lloyd. Did you need something?"

Lloyd pouted. "You said you'd go see the new Fritz Donnegan movie with me! It's about to start in exactly forty-five minutes and you're still not ready."

Nya pressed her lips together. She tried to tuck her curtain of hair behind her ear but the shortness defied the attempt and it slipped back into place. "I know what I said," Nya began, "but the Serpentine are getting slippery than ever. I promised the boys that they would have new modifications in their vehicles but I haven't found enough time till today."

"But I-"

"I'm sorry, kiddo," Nya mumbled, getting up and walking over to the workbench. "But the Ninja's efficiency in the fight against the Serpentine is much more important than space-themed cowboy movies."

She grabbed a few tools and returned back to her tinkering spot. Lloyd kept glaring silently at her, hoping his "demonic" red-eyed stare would compel the girl into giving in.

Nya finally took notice of the scowl and sighed. "Lloyd, please. Try to understand."

Lloyd was sure he had gotten rusty over the years because his scowl never failed in making people obey him. At least that's what he thought.

The boy groaned, flailing his arms for effect. "Pleeeaaaassseeeee! I've never been to a cinema before!"

"Neither have I."

"Then, this is our chance!" Lloyd exclaimed, tugging on Nya's arm and forcing her to stand up. But the girl remained seated on the floor, expression unamused.

"Why can't you go on your own?" Nya said, pulling her hand away before the blonde could rip it out of her shoulder. "I'll drop you off there and you can watch your movie. The boys will be back from their mission by then so one of us can come pick you up."

Lloyd made a noise that was halfway between disbelief and sarcasm. "Okay, one, Uncle Wu isn't gonna allow me to go anywhere alone. And two, the others are gonna do everything they can to stay as far away from me as possible."

Nya folded her arms and hummed in agreement. "Well, you do have a prominent history of getting in trouble everywhere you go."

"See?" Lloyd said, once again attacking the girl's arm. "You're the only kindred spirit who has accepted me as I am! Assist me in my travels!"

"Enough with the overdramatic acting," Nya muttered, rolling her eyes.

When his constant bellyaching didn't seem to be working, Lloyd tried a new approach. A mischievous look gleamed in his red eyes as he smirked wickedly. "If you don't come with me to the movie . . . . then I'll tell everyone that you're Samurai X." He ended his threat by sticking out his tongue triumphantly.

He expected Nya to freak out, fall at his feet and then beg him to not disclose her secret but what she said next caught him off guard.

"I know you're never gonna do that."

Lloyd scrunched up his nose. "What?! Why not?" he demanded.

Nya grinned. "Keeping a secret for me makes you feel important."

Lloyd would never have liked to admit it but she was right. He felt his cheeks warming up so he turned away. He scuffed a shoe on the floor and grumbled under his breath. "I only agreed to it because I like you and respect you. You don't boss me around like the others."

Nya giggled, leaning forward to ruffle up Lloyd's blonde hair. The boy's frown deepened but he didn't move away. "Is that a yes for the movie?"

Nya grabbed his shoulders and squeezed them. "Look, I don't like being holed up in here anymore than you do. But if we are to stop the Serpentine, we need to do everything within our power. And that includes upgrading our weaponry and gear which is what I do."

This time, Lloyd pulled away, disappointment evident in his eyes. He sighed. "Responsibility and priorities. This is all that every grown up talks to me about. Well, guess what? I never had a proper childhood. I never had parents to play catch with me, or teach me to ride a bike or watch cartoons and make lame jokes. For once, I just wanna have fun."

~ You're losing your temper,
You want to surrender,
I'm talking you down off the ledge
(Come take my hand) ~

Lloyd's shoulders sagged as he began walking back to the door. "Kai told me you guys never had parents either. I expected you of all people to understand me." He was about to say more but he decided against it. It wasn't going to change anything. "I'll let you get back to your work."

He was almost out the door when he heard Nya say, "Go get ready. I'll meet you on the deck."

Lloyd stopped in his tracks. He turned around to see Nya smiling widely at him, already pulling off her greasy apron. Lloyd didn't wait. He simply rushed forward and captured the girl in a hug, height barely reaching above her chest. His happiness was contagious.

"Thanks, Nya! You're the best!"

The girl patted his back, laughing. "You're welcome, squirt."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Lloyd was confused.

~ You won't go lonely into this fight
If you just hold me we will survive ~

He sat at the edge of the roof of Dareth's Mojo Dojo and uncertainly gazed down at his bigger hands. He flexed his long fingers to make sure they were his. He ran them over his chest, his torso, his toned arms and his legs. Everything was changed.

His shaking hands touched his face and he could no longer feel the baby fat under his cheeks. His features felt hard and prominent. Even his hair had changed somehow. He didn't exactly feel foreign in this older body; it was his after all. But it still felt unnaturally uncomfortable.

He had grown taller and broader. He had become stronger and his mind now had more capacity to comprehend things. He was more skilled and more challenging. He was what he had always wanted to be.

He knew this was fate. This was his destiny. But he didn't like it. Right now, he wanted to rip off all that maturity and be his young self again. He wanted the Ninja to tease him and call him "pipsqueak" and mess up his hair again instead of hugging him, giving him sympathetic looks and telling him it was going to be alright.

But it was too late now.

"Lloyd?"

The fourteen-year old whipped around to see Nya's head emerging from the stairway that led to the roof. "Hey, Nya," he greeted, cringing at the pronounced deepness of his voice.

"There you are! Everyone has been searching all over for you. What are you doing here?"

Lloyd directed a faint smile at the girl as she walked over and sat down beside him. "Nothing much. Just thinking," he muttered a reply.

Nya dangled her legs over the edge like he had done and clasped her hands upon her lap. She glanced at him. "Aren't you coming down for dinner? Zane had decided on dumplings but then I told him you didn't like them so he made tempuras; your favorite!"

Lloyd chuckled. "Thanks, Nya. But I don't feel like eating."

"Huh?" Nya frowned. "You and refusing tempuras? Is everything okay?"

Lloyd dropped his smile and ruefully looked down at the green gi he wore. He sighed and his voice seemed strained. "Does it look okay?"

Nya placed a hand on his shoulder. "Lloyd-"

"I just don't feel like me anymore, Nya," the blonde blurted out, burying his head in his hands. "I feel like a puppet, a pawn ready to follow orders."

"You're the chosen one," Nya said, shuffling closer and pulling on his chin to make him face her. "You're the most important person there is. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Lloyd shook his head slowly, half lost in thoughts. "I really am glad that now I can properly train to be the Green Ninja but . . ."

"But what?"

"But that destiny is meant for this new body of mine. The old Lloyd in here," the blonde gestured at his heart, "wants something else. He doesn't wish to fight his father and destroy him."

Lloyd let the words sink in before rolling his newly-turned-green eyes. "And now I sound like an emo teen."

Nya tried to stifle her laughter but failed, earning questioning looks from the boy. "I think it's because you are one," the girl grinned, dodging a playful punch from Lloyd.

"I'm serious," the blonde spoke, smiling in spite of himself.

Nya finally settled her giggles. "So am I, squirt."

~ All your tears are in vain,
And it drives you insane,
'Cause nobody cares if you cry
(But I'll be there) ~

"At least now you'll know why Kai's always in a mood," the girl added to which Lloyd snorted.

"Really? Well, I'm in trouble now."

"But look on the bright side," Nya said, gesturing at the city all around them. "Now you'll get to go on proper missions instead of being stuck with sidekick duty like me."

"Hey," Lloyd pouted. "You're not a sidekick. At least, I don't think so. You're the most awesome person I've ever met."

Nya moved to straighten the creases in Lloyd's gi, a kind smile on her face. "And you're the Green Ninja. I'm sure you'll find a way to finish the darkness and still save your father."

A sudden, childish urge to hug the girl coursed through Lloyd but he stopped himself. Would it still be considered okay even though he was older now? He could list all the times he had hugged her for making him feel better when he was younger. He didn't want it to change.

Surprisingly, Nya did the honors.

She pulled him close and held him tight. Lloyd felt no difference. It was the same sisterly love he had always known. He smiled as he tightened his own arms around her, feeling all the worries wash off of him.

Nya pulled away and whispered, "I know everything's a mess right now but it will get better. I promise."

At that moment, they heard a chorus of voices from below calling out their names and furiously inviting them to dinner. The two immediately got up before they could get lectured on punctuality.

"You go ahead," Nya said, bending down and expecting the ground. "I actually came up here to search for something. I'll be there in a minute."

"What is it?" Lloyd asked.

Nya sighed, squinting in the scarce light of the street lamps. "My bracelet. I think it fell off when I was checking the generator earlier today."

Lloyd perked up. "Oh, so that's why this was here."

The blonde fished out a blue, diamond encrusted bracelet from his pocket. "I found it lying around. I thought it belonged to one of Dareth's students."

"Thank goodness," Nya exclaimed, sounding immensely relieved. "I was afraid I wasn't gonna find it." She reached out to take the piece of jewelry but Lloyd pulled it back.

He smirked at Nya's wrinkled nose. "You know what's the one good thing about me growing up? I'm now taller than you."

With this, Lloyd held the bracelet high up, shaking it teasingly above Nya's head.

The girl finally caught on and tried to snatch back her possession. Lloyd avoided her swipe and moved away, spinning the trinket around his index finger smugly.

"Lloyd, give me back my bracelet," Nya articulated, holding out her hand.

"You want it? Come and get it," he nudged, tossing the band from one hand to the other. "Also bring a step stool along with you."

"Lloyd Garmadon, how dare you!" Nya yelled with mirthful indignation, taking off after the blonde. She jumped up, tried to pull his arm down, did everything she could but to no avail. The advantage of height was Lloyd's.

"Hustle up, samurai! I thought you were better than this."

"You're gonna pay, pipsqueak!"

The two continued to run about the roof, one trying to catch up and the other evading every move, laughing all the while.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Lloyd was scared.

~ Deep inside there's a riot
I feel that you're tired
You don't wanna live a lie
(I'm there for you) ~

He screamed in rage when he tried to summon an energy sphere but couldn't. He tried again and again but he was unable to accumulate the power in his hands. He tore at his hair, breathing heavily.

"Come on, you idiot! Come on!" He yelled at himself, his throat hurting. He caught sight of his powerless, dull green eyes in the old mirror leaning against the warehouse wall. They used to have a glow in them when he had powers. Now, they represented his loss. He gritted his teeth at the worthlessness he saw.

"You coward!" he hollered at his reflection, throwing a fist in its direction. The glass shattered into a million pieces, the shards cutting open his glove. Blood oozed out of the tiny lacerations but he ignored it.

"You lost them!" He kicked the jagged frame away, tears brimming at the corners of his eyes. "Every single one of them!"

He advanced towards the makeshift punching bag that they had constructed for training aid. He glared daggers at it before moving to attack. "They all . . . died right before . . . your eyes!" he huffed, each phrase punctuated with his fist hitting the bag. "And you . . . did . . . nothing!"

He delivered the sack a final blow, tearing it right off its support and sending it rolling away.

"Stop it!" another voice rang out.

Lloyd felt himself roughly being pulled around and came face to face with a furious Nya. Her tear-stained cheeks were red and her eyes were bloodshot. She grabbed him by the front of his gi and shook him hard.

"You think your powers are gonna return if you continue to hurt yourself?" She asked loudly. "You think screaming and breaking things is going to bring them all back?"

Her voice cracked at the mention of the other Ninja, fresh tears streaming down her face. "This isn't the Lloyd I know. The one I know will never lash out like this. Right now, you seem no different than your father!"

Lloyd's insides twisted with regret as he glanced about the half-destroyed room. Anger was always a strong emotion. He had thought that maybe it would be the key to reawaken his elemental powers. It seemed to be terrorizing him even more.

"You're not the only one hurting, Lloyd," Nya sobbed, moving away from him. "They were the world to me. I too want to scream and cry but I won't. I'm trying to stay strong for you!" She raised her dark brown eyes to meet his. "Can't you be strong for me?"

"Nya, I-"

"Don't give up," the girl cut him off, putting her hands together in desperate pleading. "This is what she wants, Lloyd. She wants to break you so that you're vulnerable enough to be finished. Resist your fears. Please, I can't lose you too."

"I'm just-" Lloyd began, trying hard not to let emotions spill from his eyes. "I'm just so scared. I feel so useless without my powers." The blonde backed up against the wall, staring at his wounded hand and hoping for the tiniest of green spark to show itself. "It's like . . . It's like I'm the same helpless kid all over again."

"You're not helpless," Nya argued, wiping away the last of her tears. "You still have me and Pixal. You still have your mother. And we're not gonna stop until they all have payed for what they did."

Lloyd sighed, shaking his head. "I don't have my brothers to support me. I don't have my master to guide me. And I'll have to-" Lloyd took a deep, shuddering breath, feeling cold while saying the words. "I'll have to fight my father again."

He squeezed his eyes shut, the battle of Kryptarium prison replaying in his mind. Those four words that had crumbled his final strength and led to his defeat echoed in his ringing ears.

I have no son.

"I'll never forgive her," he whispered. He felt his shoulder being patted comfortingly and he eased his stiffness a little.

~ You won't go lonely into this fight
If you just hold me, we will survive ~

"Everything will change for the better if you don't let this break your walls," Nya murmured. "We are the resistance and we need you to stay strong."

Lloyd said nothing. Instead, he took hold of Nya's hand and looked at her like a terrified child would at a parent. "Promise me you won't leave too."

Nya attempted to smile. "I promise I'll be right by your side. I'll never leave you behind. As long as you're here, I'll know that I haven't lost everything. Will you think the same of me?"

Lloyd nodded slowly before the two embraced one another in a hug. He finally allowed his tears to fall as he felt Nya's warm breath against his ear, "I love you so much, little brother."

"I love you too."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Lloyd was broken.

~ Everytime the rain comes down,
I'm the one who'll be around,
I'll become a part of you and share your pain~

Rain thundered all over him. The water from the skies struck his face, mingling with the drops on his cheeks. His eyes burned due to lack of sleep and the random bouts of sobbing. He sat huddled on a boulder jutting out of the beach and overhanging the shore below. The gray sea in front of him raged in the winds, crashing wildly against the lower rocks.

Booming thunder occasionally drowned out the roar of the waves but it proved to be too quiet compared to Lloyd's thoughts. He felt empty inside as if a great, gaping hole had been left in his heart. Every now and then, a feeling of foreboding would settle in and there would be no one to whisk it away. It would stay there and bite at his conscience till he would have no choice but to partially blame himself for what had happened.

It had been three months and there was still no sign of her.

Lloyd broke more and more at the thought of never getting to see her again. He would never be able to see her frown when the rest of them would annoy her or hear her laugh when Jay would tell her a lame joke. He no longer had his partner in crime, his place of comfort, his best friend.

He no longer had Nya.

Lloyd sniffled loudly, getting reminded of the promise he had asked of her.

"I promise I'll be right by your side. I'll never leave you behind."

Back then, he never really realized how much Nya had helped him through everything. He had ignored her silent cries and had been running after ways to avenge the family that had never died in the first place. Now, he had everyone close to him, well and alive . . . . but her.

How could she have broken her promise?

Lloyd hadn't slept in days. The guilt lay heavy upon him. He had laid in bed for many nights and had listened to Kai's muffled sobs from the next room. He had lost sleep just by watching the dark circles under Jay's eyes grow. He had been haunted by Cole's unnatural silence and Zane's ever increasing reservedness.

When asked of a way to set things right, Master Wu would sadly shake his head, rendering everyone more hopeless than before.

Lloyd couldn't bring himself to be even with the fact that Nya was lost forever. Though he and the others had been reassured that she was happy where she is, Lloyd didn't think Nya was content being so far away from the people she loved.

"I miss you," he murmured to the wind, clutching the old, blue bracelet tight in his hand

A low wave built up in the distance before closing in and colliding with the rock he was on. Lloyd gave the faintest of smiles.

He wasn't sure what his relationship with Nya was. They weren't true siblings. They weren't even your average friends. They understood one another way too perfectly. And though he did have a short-lived crush on her at some point, he was sure they would never amount to lovers in a million years.

~ Everytime the rain comes down,
I'm gonna lift you off the ground,
Gonna grab your hand and take you far away~

They were something in between all those aspects. Or maybe something entirely different. Whichever way their story went, Lloyd was grateful to have met "the annoying red one's nice little sister".

~ Everytime the rain comes down,
You'll know that I'm the one who'll be around~