I probably stayed in the shower a little bit longer than I should've, but I couldn't help it. My mind raced, thoughts pounded against the inside of my head like a drum. The shower was a good place to slip from reality and allow my thoughts to consume me.
After I scrubbed out the lingering stench of mucky pond water, I stood under the spray and stared at the plexiglass, blinking out the droplets of water from my eyelashes.
I didn't know why I was hesitant to face Lloyd. New, unfamiliar emotions, so so strong, flooded through me. I didn't know how to handle them.
It kind of scared me.
Still, I had to face him. May as well be sooner than later.

The clothes Lloyd lent me were huge to say the least. I was glad that the summer-worthy shorts he leant me had a draw string, though I may as well not even be wearing them considering how long his damn shirt was.
It wasn't cold enough to wear a hoody so I just hugged it as I held my damp, gross, pond-watery clothes in my free hand and stepped out of the bathroom.

I met Lloyd in his room, where he was freshly scrubbed and void of nose-scrunching smells. He was just checking his phone when he heard me enter. He glanced up before faltering, cheeks flushed.
"What?" I asked, hovering at the entrance. Lloyd cleared his throat before averting his gaze, returning his attention back to his phone. "Nothing."
I sent him a scrutinising stare as he shoved his phone back into his pocket and approached, nervously holding out a hand. I dismissed my suspicion and slid my hand in his instead.

"Want a proper tour?" he asked as he led me out of his room. I nodded as we sauntered down the hallway, hand in hand.
"These are the others' rooms," he said as he gestured to the closed doors surrounding Lloyd's room. "That one's obviously Jay's."
He pointed to a door with stickers of lightening bolts and Fritz Donegan on it. I grinned.
"Of course," I mused. Lloyd gave a huff in amusement.
"Here's the laundry," he said, gesturing to a door beside a ranch slider leading out into the garden. "I can wash your clothes, if you want."

I glanced down at the damp clothes in my hand.
"Are you sure?" I asked, frowning slightly. "I don't mind."
"I do," Lloyd insisted with raised eyebrows as he grabbed the clothes from my arms and deposited them in the laundry sink that also had his. "You washed my hoody, anyway."
I sent him a look.
"Yeah, because I hit you in the head with a bloody skateboard," I reminded incredulously. He just shrugged it off, making me roll my eyes at his nonchalance.

"Anyway," Lloyd directed my attention back to the tour. "The rest are just guest rooms."
I wanted to ask why they had so many, but I just guessed it would be for when they all had family to stay. I'd imagine Christmas would be packed.
We exited the wing, before Lloyd directed me out from the connecting, open-to-the-elements pathway and onto a small stone trail leading around the corner of the building and into the garden.

"What's this?" I asked as we passed a slightly steaming, rectangular pool situated on the outskirt of the cultural garden, surrounded by red-leafed maple trees. It looked so tranquil and relaxing, like some kind of spa. The water was clean, but super cloudy. So cloudy that if you sat in it, all you would be able to see was the parts of your body not in the water. Lloyd glanced over before huffing in amusement.
"It's a Japanese onsen," he replied. "For bathing. The water's pumped up from springs, so it's full of minerals. Mainly for tourists, but we sometimes use it, too."
I quirked my lips in consideration.
"Sounds better than the pond," I joked. "Can we go in it one time?"
Lloyd turned his gaze to me, raising his eyebrows.
"You have to bathe nude."
My cheeks heated.
"Let's- let's not do that." Curse my lack of knowledge about his culture.
Lloyd laughed, pulling me along, taking a path into the tidy vegetation.

"Tourists?" I asked as we walked along the stone steps, going deeper into the garden. "How often do you guys have tourists? Wouldn't you be too busy with your ninja-stuff?"
Lloyd shrugged as I slipped my hand out of his and continued on ahead, fed up with his slow pace. My curiosity was on a high that I wouldn't come down from any time soon. The garden looked like something from every classic Samurai movie, with bamboo water features, blushing cherry blossoms and moss-coated granite rocks poking up at random intervals. The whole monastery looked like a backdrop to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. But where it was lacking with Samurai, it made up with ninja. It's easy to see how the sensei's remained so chilled all the time – surrounded by manicured nature at its finest.

"Well, we share the monastery," Lloyd confessed as he nodded his head at a passing monk making his way down the connecting pathways between wings. "This is a monastery. A Japanese Buddhist temple in its finest. It's religious ground. Plus, the mortgage is horrendous."
I bit back a loud laugh, keeping it to a stifled snort. I was afraid of making a loud noise, it almost seemed disrespectful. Lloyd grinned as he leant against a large boulder, watching me glance around the breath-taking garden.
"They work here," he continued. "We own and live here, but we both get solid income from Monastery stays. People love the culture."
"Which is why there's so many guest rooms," I mused. Lloyd nodded.
"When there's people around, there's little privacy, but that's the price to pay for a roof over our heads," he gave an uncaring shrug.

"The traditional side of it makes the monastery seem so old," I breathed as I found a Buddhist statue, hidden by the trunk of a towering cherry blossom. "But the building itself looks almost brand new."
I didn't see Lloyd's frown.
"The site itself has been in family for a couple of generations," he informed from behind me as I stroked a flower sticking out of the moss. "My grandad, the First Spinjitzu Master, built it. My dad and uncle grew up in it. A few years ago it burnt down because of the serpentine thatImightormightnotofreleased, so we rebuilt it."
I frowned at the thought of anybody wanting to burn down such a historically-inclined building. I could only imagine how impressive the original monastery looked.
"Wait - serpentine?" I asked, turning my head to stare at a flustered Lloyd, who was sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "You released them?"
Lloyd gave a feeble shrug.
"I was young," he said in defence, raising his palms. "I wanted to be like my dad."
"You released the serpentine."
"I know, I know," he said in exasperation. "Trust me, I know. I still feel terrible about it burning down."
I shook my head, both in shock and amusement.
"God, Lloyd," I said with a grin. "The more I learn about you, the more I'm astounded."
He rolled his green eyes in beguilement before lifting himself from the boulder and grabbing my hand, leading me back down the stone trail and back into the roofed pathway. I spied a flash of white entering one of the wings. I guessed it was one of the monks.

"Do the monks know you guys are..?" I trailed off as we began walking to one of the wings.
"Ninja?" Lloyd finished. "Yeah. A lot of them are actually training under my dad."
"This is so cool," I breathed, shaking my head in disbelief. "It's like a whole 'nother world."
Lloyd grinned as I squeezed his hand, walking down the pathway. We entered the wing that held the kitchen, living room and so called 'ninja cave.' I was curious to see what that actually was.

"I suppose it is pretty cool," he said as we passed an industrial sized kitchen with delicious smells beckoning me. I almost caved, but the hand encased in my own kept me walking forward. "It's hard to think what my life would be like without all this culture. I grew up with it."
I sighed, shaking my head at the shoji-rice paper doors and tatami flooring that the ninja's rooms lacked. This must be a common area for tourists and the monks.
I gazed at an approaching monk - shaved head, saffron robes, the whole shindig. He - she? - respectfully nodded his - her? - head at Lloyd and I.
"Master Lloyd," he - definitely a he - greeted.
"Dimitri," Lloyd replied with his own bow of his head. I clumsily copied him, taken off-guard. "This is Y/n, my... friend."
Dimitri raised an eyebrow in amusement, a smile playing on his lips as he assessed me.
"Mm," Dimitri hummed, as if he knew something we didn't. "It's a pleasure to meet Master Lloyd's... friend."
I smiled awkwardly.
"Pleasure's all mine."

"Will you be joining us for morning meditation?" Dimitri asked Lloyd after he smiled at me. Lloyd nodded.
"Now that I'm back, I'll be taking over them again," he explained, while I watched on at the professional vibe he used. "Can you tell Isla that if you see her?"
"Of course, Master Lloyd," Dimitri nodded with a pleasant smile. "Have you seen Sensei Garmadon's class's recent progress?"
Lloyd frowned.
"No, I haven't."
Dimitri raised his eyebrows, impressed.
"They have come a long way since you last watched them. Their class has just started, if you're interested in watching."
Lloyd sent me a look, letting me make the decision. I eagerly nodded. The ninja cave could wait.
"Okay," he agreed with a smile. "We will. Thanks, Dimitri."
"Anytime," Dimitri replied. "I should be on my way."
He sent us a nod of his head in farewell, before continuing down the hallway. I sent Lloyd a mischievous look.
"Master Lloyd?" I asked once Dimitri was out of earshot, an amused smile growing on my lips. Lloyd sighed, ruffling my damp hair.
"You're insufferable," he mumbled as we began walking down the hall once more and exited another set of doors to a second roofed path leading us to the sounds of training.

I bounded alongside him, grinning gleefully. He turned his head to me, a confused smile on his lips.
"You're awfully happy," he noted. I shrugged as I skipped.
"I've just been transported into a Jackie Chan movie," I said as I stared at another Buddhist statue surrounded by tiny candles while our arms swung. "Of course I'm over the moon."
Lloyd chuckled as we entered the training wing. I wanted to look in every room of the smaller wing, but the sound of metal against metal urged me onwards.

We entered a fairly large room where a handful of students were watching another two battle with dulled swords. Garmadon was circling them, giving the duo a wide berth, all the while nodding in consideration.
"Loosen your shoulders, Jack," Garmadon ordered. "You're swinging too stiffly. Think fluid, like a swan swimming along the surface of a still lake."
In response was a stern nod from one of the training students. Garmadon glanced up before sending us a welcoming smile.
"Here," Lloyd whispered as he guided me to the side of the training room, where a bunch of pillows sat unused. We sat down on the pillows before returning our attention to the two students. Lloyd was watching precariously closely with a critical eye. All I could see was two students fighting, but I bet Lloyd would notice a whole lot more than me.
"Caitlyn's footsteps are too loud," he noted under his breath to me. "She's using her heel where she should be focusing her weight of the balls of her feet."
True to his word, Garmadon called Caitlyn out for exactly that. The girl with the shaved head - they all had shaved heads - took the criticism and made an improvement noticeable even to me, a total amateur. Lloyd caught my curious and contemplating gaze as I stared at him.
"What?" he asked in a whisper. I just shook my head with a secretive smile.
"Nothing."
"Go on, tell me," he insisted. I returned my gaze to the students as another two stood and approached the sparring mat after dismissing Caitlyn and Jack.
"Are you going to be a Sensei?" I asked, nodding to where Garmadon began the next pair of students' training. Lloyd followed my gaze as the two students started hand-to-hand combat.
"I have to," Lloyd said in a hushed voice. "To carry on the tradition. Because I'm a descendant of the First Spinjitzu Master."
I raised my eyebrows as I glanced at him.
"Is that what you want?"
Lloyd grinned, nodding.
"Yeah."

"Remember, the art of Ninjitzu is all about stealth," Garmadon stressed as he dismissed the two students. I missed everything that he said about them. "You must be a shadow. You cannot make a sound."
"What will these guys do once they master Ninjitzu?" I asked under my breath.
"All monks are trained to protect the temple," Lloyd explained in a whisper. "It will be at least another decade until these students master the art of Ninjitzu."
I widened my eyes at that. Another decade? That's insane!
"... even when you are fighting, you must be silent. Which is why it's a good thing my son has decided to appear," Garmadon said, making Lloyd and I glance up. The grey-haired man gestured for his son to join him, so with a last squeeze of his hand, Lloyd stood and approached his father.
"Lloyd and I will demonstrate a soundless fight," Garmadon explained as he got into a fighting stance. "Pay close attention, as the Green Ninja will be extra eager to prove his worth now that he brought his girlfriend."
Lloyd froze as the students laughed. I sunk a little in my pillow, blushing furiously. I should've put on his hoody on, it'd be a lot easier to hide myself in.
"Da-a-ad," Lloyd hissed, embarrassed.
"I only jest, son," Garmadon assured, sending him a wink. "You two wouldn't of started dating yet. You've only just had your first kiss."
More laughter. Lloyd clenched his fists.
"H-how'd you-" he spluttered while I hid my red face in my hands. Oh my god oh my god oh my god.
"You kissed her out front of the Monastery, son," Garmadon reminded with an amused grin. "Everyone saw."
OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD.

"Now, come on," Garmadon insisted to the flustered Lloyd. "Do not let your emotions get the best of you."
That seemed to shake Lloyd out of his paralysing embarrassment, as he shook his head and nodded, before stepping out in a fighting stance.
"Right," Lloyd said.
"And remember," Garmadon said with raised eyebrows. "No powers. I've barely fixed this place after the last time you trained in here."
Lloyd sighed, but nodded nonetheless.
"Chase, if you will?" Garmadon asked. A student closest to him nodded. Despite my utter embarrassment, I was eager to watch Lloyd fight.
"Hajime!" Chase exclaimed, beginning the fight. Lloyd and Garmadon wasted no time in throwing themselves into battle, their footsteps making no noise at all as they ducked and dodged each other's carefully aimed fists. It was like an intricate, graceful dance, swaying as they stepped forward, leaping as they lunged. It made something very clear to me; Lloyd totally did ballet.
They landed a couple of hits on each other, but even those didn't make a sound. I shook my head in wonder. How on earth do they do it?

"Remember," Lloyd grunted, breaking the silence as he addressed the students as if he was already a Sensei. "Don't aim for their bones," he said as he side-stepped an impressive kick from Garmadon. "It counts for unnecessary noise when you make contact."
"Very good, Lloyd," Garmadon complimented. Lloyd cocked his head as he smiled while grabbing his father's wrist and bringing it up behind his back.
"I do listen to you... sometimes," Lloyd said with a shrug as his father twisted out of the hold.
The fight went on for another few minutes before Garmadon shot out a leg and made Lloyd stumble to the ground. I had to bite my fist to stop myself from laughing aloud.
"That was a dirty move," Lloyd grumbled as Garmadon helped him to his feet. Garmadon gave a shrug.
"Your enemies will try everything in their power to take you down," he explained, crossing his arms. "You must always-"
"Remain vigilant and expect anything," Lloyd finished his father's sentence. "Yep, thanks dad. For embarrassing me. Twice."

Garmadon shamelessly grinned as Lloyd walked his way back over to me. His dad turned back to his students and ordered everyone into partners, practising silent combat. Lloyd settled into the cushion next to me again, only a tiny bit sweaty. So much for the shower.
"So," I began as we watched the students train. "Everyone saw."
Lloyd sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.
"We're never going to live this down," he said with a shake of his head. I hummed in agreement.
"Don't regret it, though," Lloyd mumbled as he turned his gaze to me. I ducked my head and pushed my face into the hoody after I pulled my knees up into my chest.
"Can you refrain from making for blush for maybe, I don't know, ten minutes?" I mumbled as my cheeks heated. Lloyd quietly chuckled.
"Come on," he said as he stood, pulling me to my feet gently. "There's still more for you to see."
I nodded as Lloyd began to lead me out of the training room.
"See-ya, lovebirds!" cried a student. Another round of laughter. Lloyd turned on his heel and pointed a finger at the group of highly amused monks.
"Hey," he said, amused despite the blush on his face. "Hey. No."

He continued leading out of the training room and instead into the hallway of the wing.
"Sorry," he said as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly while we entered another room, this one dedicated to the housing of weapons. "Traditionally, Monks are supposed to be solemn and serious. Ours are a bit more... lively at times."
I huffed in amusement as we stopped in front of golden weapons mounted on the wall. They seemed pretty important.
"The Golden Weapons," Lloyd said with a gesturing hand. "The weapons that single-handedly created Ninjago. Well, replicas."
I gaped in disbelief.
"I thought that was just a tale," I confessed in breathless disbelief. Lloyd shook his head.
"Nope," he said. "Completely true. And completely annoying."
I sent him a confused glance.
"These things gave us much more trouble than it's worth," he elaborated with a shrug. More trouble than it's worth? These weapons legitimately created Ninjago, the very ground we stand on.
I shrugged his comment off. If that was his view on the weapons, then so be it.
"Do you know how to use all of these?" I asked as we roamed the room, filled to the brim with weapons of all kinds, from swords to nunchucks, tridents to sai and everything in between. Lloyd nodded with a so-so gesture.
"Almost," he said. "I'm in the middle of learning how to use the bow and arrow. There's still a couple more after that."

The rest of the rooms in the training wing were more weapon-rooms, smaller training rooms and a large dojo that lead to another courtyard. A complicated training system was set up in it. Lloyd commented that that was where he and his team trained.
I could tell by the burn marks and cracks in the pavement.
We left the training wing and ended back up in the other wing that had the living room, kitchen and ninja cave. I was still curious as to what it was.
To our grand mistake, we found ourselves at the living room, where the rest of the team was lounging. They perked up when we entered, their expressions turning into a mixed variety of amused, over the moon (Jay) and neutral (Zane).
"Have a good dip?" Cole asked as he flicked through a comic book. The book barely covered his wide grin.
"Of course you guys saw," Lloyd mumbled. "I'm not even surprised."
I caught Misako's gaze. She gave me a thumbs up. I instantly dropped my gaze to my feet, face hot.
"Finally," grunted Kai, who had crossed arms and was smiling kind of proudly. The fire ninja turned his gaze to me, smirking. "Can you believe that's his first kiss?"
I raised my eyebrows as Lloyd huffed a short, quiet laugh, flustered.
"Thanks, Kai," Lloyd said, without really meaning it.
"No problem, dude," Kai replied, seemingly not catching his sarcasm. Or not caring.
Most likely the latter.

"When's the first date?" Jay asked, who's grin was out of this world.
"We're- we're not," Lloyd stammered, which made Nya roll her eyes.
"Well, you guys are obviously more than friends," she said with a 'duh' tone. "So, are you guys going to go on a date?"
"I don't know? I'm confused!" he turned his gaze to me. "Are you confused?"
"I've literally never been more confused in my life," I confessed. Lloyd nodded.
"See?"
"You guys are useless," Cole said with a shake of his head.
"And you guys are judgey," Lloyd shot back. "Super judgey. C'mon, Y/n."
"Oh- okay," I mumbled as Lloyd grabbed my hand and tugged me back out into the hallway. We passed another couple of monks, all who sent us discreet smirks, and continued down the hallway.
"Sorry," Lloyd mumbled, cheeks still red. "We can't seem to catch a break today, huh?"
I smiled in amusement, nodding.
"Yeah, but you're taking the brunt of the teasing," I reminded with raised eyebrows. "I've never seen you so embarrassed."
"Shut up," Lloyd said, lightly shoving my shoulder. I giggled as he pulled me to a stop beside a set of intimidating doors.

Lloyd pushed them open with a grin.
"This," he said, as he flicked on the lights, making me lose my breath. "Is the ninja cave."