"Have you seen Lloyd?"

I frowned, glancing up from where I was stirring my morning coffee. Misako stood at the entrance of the kitchen, brows furrowed in concern.
"No," I replied, tapping the teaspoon against the rim of the ceramic mug. "He was gone when I woke up."
Misako's downturned lips deepened in displeasure, squinting her brown eyes in confusion.
"Where is that boy?" she muttered before slipping from the entrance. I hurriedly chucked the utensil in the sink before rushing after her, coffee in hand.
"What's wrong?" I asked, taking a sip of my beverage. I eyed the stress on Lloyd's mother's face and held out my mug. "Do you need a bit?"
"Yes, please," Misako huffed before taking a hurried swig and handing the mug back to me. "He missed morning meditation and now I can't find him anywhere."

I narrowed my eyes.
"Weird," I mused.
"Very," she agreed. "Maybe Jace will know where he went off to."
Misako turned at the entrance to the training wing and I faltered, clutching my mug closer to my chest. I had a deeper suspicion that I knew who might have an idea where Lloyd disappeared to. I took a sip and spun on my heel.
"Hey, firework," I said, knocking my foot on Kai's door. It opened a crack and an amber eye poked out. "Do you know where- are you naked?"
"What?" Kai scoffed. "No, I am not naked, that is so very indecent and rude and - yeah, I'm naked, what do you want?"
I snorted. "Do you know where Lloyd might be?"

"He's gone?"
"Didn't even see him leave."
Kai pulled his eyebrows together in thought. He stepped away and I heard his closet being shut before he kicked his door open - this time, clothed - and let me in.
"He does have this spot he usually goes to when he wants to be alone," Kai murmured as he slipped on a shirt. "It's up the mountain. Usually he goes to meditate."
"Misako's looking for him," I said as I crossed my legs on Kai's bed. I took another sip of my coffee. "... is Lloyd mad?"
"I dunno," Kai shrugged, pulling on a jersey. His hair, ungelled, framed his face in messy waves. I didn't realise how long it was when it wasn't poofed up to the sky. "You'd have a better idea than any of us."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Means you two are attached at the hip," Kai snickered as he stood at the entrance to his room, gesturing for me to follow him with a tilt of his head. I stood. "I hardly see him anymore."

"Shit, Kai, I'm sorry," I sighed sarcastically but before downing the rest of my coffee. "I'll break up with him ASAP."
"Oh, don't do that," Kai said, stretching his arms behind his head as he waited for me to wash out my mug and place it in the dishwasher. "He'll just get all angry and emo again."
I snickered. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Y'know, except for college."
Kai hung his head back with a groan. He forgot about college.
"Lloyd's going to be insufferable when you leave," he grumbled as we stepped out into the garden. "He'll probably make some weird shrine of you. Put a lock of your hair under a photo board."
I widened my eyes. "I hope not."
Kai chuckled before pointing at the summit of one of the mountains that stood just beyond the threshold of the thick forest.
"He's up there. It's a three hour walk."
"And it's a two minute flight," I noted before sending Kai a pleading look. He relented with an amused smile - as if finding it hilarious that I thought he'd actually make me walk it - and his dragon emerged with a burst of heat and magic.

I hadn't seen Kai's dragon up close before. It emitted heat like a bonfire and the smell of charred wood and smoke filled my nose. His brown eyes immediately latched onto me and I immediately came up with a name.
"Hello, Jonathan," I greeted as the beast snuffled my hair affectionately, stepping closer. "It's wonderful to finally meet you."
The dragon gave a purring rumble in reply. He shook out his wings and a red mist curled off of it.
"Alright, get on," Kai said as he lithely leapt into the saddle. I clambered up behind him. He sniggered under his breath and shook his head. "Jonathan."
"Do not diss my awesomely legit naming abilities."
As I said, the flight was short. It didn't take us long to locate the blond demigod, sitting on a suspiciously smooth and small plateau while leaning against the uneven rock of the mountainside. He glanced up upon our arrival and I leapt off of Jonathan after saying a quick thank you to Kai with a squeezing hug thrown in.
"Hey," I greeted after landing on the ground. I only stumbled a little bit. Lloyd placed his sketchbook to the side.
"Hey," he echoed with a handsome smile and my heart gave a thump at his soft expression. Kai and Jonathan flew back home. I nodded to the spot beside him, hands in the back pockets of my shorts.
"Got room for one more?"
"Always for you, sunshine."

I sat down on the rock next to Lloyd. The early morning sun set the world in a haze of rosy gold. The city was but a glimmering mirage in the distance. You could see everything from up here - it was even better than the city lookout Lloyd showed me. This was a lookout that overlooked the lookout.
"Wow," I murmured, scanning my eyes over the terrain. The beginnings of the desert, Jamanakai village and then the next city over were visible. With another sweep to the left, the ocean was glistening. The wailing alps sat in the foggy, distant horizon. "This view is insane."
Lloyd let a small smile. He pulled my hand into his lap and absentmindedly played with my fingers.
"I come up here when I want to think," he said amongst a sigh. "Makes me realise how small I am."
"You are certainly not small."
He huffed. It was a little laugh, but it held a deepness to it that had me glancing at him in worry.

"Sometimes I wish I were," Lloyd murmured, staring at the view. The sun highlighted him in a pretty yellow ochre but his red eyes held a heaviness to them. I frowned at his mood but then he shot me a smile and it was genuine. He turned happy. "But with the bad, there's always the good."
I didn't miss the way his hand tellingly squeezed mine.
"You make it worth it."
"Lloyd, please," I whined, hiding my blushing face while my heart stuttered and stammered in its rhythm. "You're going to give me cardiac arrest and it's only eight in the morning."
He giggled. The sound had me soaring and I joined in, glancing at him out of the corner of my eyes.
"Sorry to interrupt your thinking time," I said once our little laugher session died down. He shrugged, watching as he moved his hand to my thigh and stroked circles above my knee with his thumb.
"I was thinking about you, anyway."
A smile pulled at my lips. My stomach twisted in glee.
"You were?"
"When am I not?"

"Touché," I gave with a quirk of my brow, because when was I ever not thinking of Lloyd? Even if I wasn't aware of it. I nodded at the sketch pad. "What were you drawing? The scenery?"
"I've drawn this view so many times I could sketch it in my sleep," he said with a crooked smile. "Nah, I was drawing something else."
He slid the pad towards me and flicked it to the latest page he was working on. I felt my insides burst into warmth.
"Lloyd..." I whispered, brushing the sketchy, detailed profiles of the kid - a whole two pages worth of them. I noticed he focused a lot more on her eyes and I felt my chest squeeze with emotion. Yeah, I loved her eyes, too.
"You think it's close enough?" he asked, dropping his chin on my shoulder.
"Spitting image," I said with a smile. My eyes widened and I scrambled to stand. "Oh, shoot. Your mom's looking for you. You totally distracted me."

"Wait-" Lloyd said, reaching up to my wrist and making me halt. He gave a little tug. "Stay. Just for a few more minutes."
I blinked.
"But your mom-"
"Please."
Well, when Lloyd asked with that look on his face - all pleading and hopeful and pouty - how on earth could I say no? I softened into a smile and resettled in my spot next to him.
"Fine," I said huffily, tone contrasting by how I snuggled deep into his side. "But only for a few minutes."
"Gladly," he hummed, pressing his nose against my hair. His arm wound around me and fingertips brushed at the skin of my waist, dragging his nails gently. I immediately melted at the soothing motion, releasing a soft sigh and eyelids fluttering.
A few minutes passed.
"Lloyd-"
"Little bit longer."
A little bit longer turned into twenty minutes. I couldn't find it in myself to prod for us to leave, despite knowing that Misako would probably bite our heads off. The peace was too nice to just slip away from.

But like everything, it didn't last. Lloyd reached over to pick up his sketchbook and pressed a kiss to my cheek as he did so. Bentley arrived into existence and he nudged at my hands, demanding attention which I readily gave with an adoring grin.
"Alright, kitten," Lloyd said as he wrapped his arms around me after we both had settled into the saddle, me in front. "Let's go face the wrath of my mother. She's mad at me for forgetting about meditation class, right?"
"I think so," I mused. Lloyd picked up the reins and offered them to me.
"You wanna drive the dragon?"
"I'm about to break so many speeding rules," I grinned as I took the reins from his hand and urged Bentley into a dive to ground level. Lloyd's hands tightened around me in shock and I giggled in exhilaration, the sound of it getting lost in the wind.

"I thought you were scared of flying?!" Lloyd yelled over the rushing air.
"Nope!" I chimed back with a ringing laugh. I pulled back with a gentle tug and Bentley spread his wings, jolting as his descent abruptly transferred into a smooth spiral down to the monastery below. I sent a smile over my shoulder at Lloyd. "Not anymore."
"You're a force to be reckoned with," Lloyd said with a proud glint in his eyes. "Once you're trained, you're going to be hell on the battlefield."
"Training?" I gasped, turning in the saddle. Bentley landed on the gravel driveway. "It's really happening! When do we start?"
"Soon," Lloyd chuckled, holding me tighter as Bentley disappeared beneath us. "Dad and Wu are trying to come up with a training plan specifically for your powers - whatever they might be. But mainly normal self-defence and offence."
"That's so cool!" I gushed excitedly as Lloyd leisurely lumbered up to the entrance. I however, bounced beside him like an overjoyed puppy. "Will I get to go on missions? Will I get my own gi? I want it to be purple - no, emerald! Wait, that's already you. What about-?"

Lloyd hushed me with an amused snicker.
"You've got to actually be trained before all that," he reminded, voice full of happy laughter at my attitude. "And that means completely reworking your instincts. It's gonna take years."
I groaned.
"Years?"
"Years," Lloyd repeated with a nod. "Don't want to risk you going out there without the proper skills. It's a dangerous world, doll."
"I had good enough instincts to hit you across the face with my skateboard when you snuck up behind me," I grumbled, crossing my arms.
"I did not sneak up behind you."
"You did so."
"Did not," Lloyd insisted before steering me towards the kitchen. "Have you had breakfast?"
"Does coffee count?"
"No."
"Then no," I answered. He rolled his eyes in an exasperated manner but couldn't hide his small smile.
"I cook, you clean?" he offered, bringing out a frying pan.

"Deal," I agreed, leaning back against the bench and pulling out my phone. "I need to check up on Ambrose and Chen. I really hope they didn't violate the living room."
Lloyd snorted. "I'm sure they respect you more than that. Or Chen does, at least."
My amused grin faded when a couple of notifications caught my eye. Claire and her posse had tried to derail me on what limited social media I still had. I scrunched my nose and blocked the accounts, but that didn't take away the sick feeling at the pit of my stomach.
Whatever, it's been dealt with. Move on.
I started to chat with Ambrose and Chen - it turned out that Chen had forced Ambrose to watch the rest of the Twilight saga, much to the discontent of the later.
They left early morning after a pleasant breakfast with my mother, which would've no doubt been awkward.
Also yes, I did get confirmation that they were official-official. I was not surprised, but pleasantly congratulated them with as much energy as I had and more. I sent a lot of heart emojis before telling Lloyd the news.

"There you are!" Misako said as she peeked her head into the kitchen and found her son at the stove, cooking our breakfast. We glanced over at her. "Where have you been?"
"At my thinking spot."
Misako blinked. Garmadon poked out from behind his wife.
"Is everything all right?" she asked, wearily glancing between Lloyd and I. He nodded.
"It wasn't a bad thinking time," he replied, bringing the pan off the heat. "It was good. Reflection-y stuff. Y'know the likes... we went to see the future vision yesterday. Saw our kid."
Garmadon's eyes bugged out of his head.
"You did?" he gasped. "They were still there?"
Lloyd sent a content smile.
"Yeah. She looks like you in those photos when you were younger - brown hair, red eyes."
Garmadon looked like he was about to weep. Misako was buzzing on the spot.
"It's a girl?" she pressed, wide smile forming on her lips. "How old did you two look? When do you think you'll have her?"

Lloyd and I shared a flustered look. We hadn't even talked about that.
"I- uh, I don't know," I replied awkwardly, cheeks beginning to burn. "Maybe mid-twenties? Late twenties?"
Misako slumped. "That could be between ten to two hundred years. Well, maybe."
I felt my heart dip to my gut. Right. Their immortality and my- my uncertainty.
My gaze fell to the floor. The sick twist my gut did before returned. And then the tension was shattered when Dimitri burst in.
"SURE, YOU MAY BE VERIFIED ON TWITTER."
"What?" Lloyd asked. I straightened with a gasp.
"BUT ARE YOU VERIFIED IN THE EYES OF GOD?" I finished. Dimitri raised his hands to the ceiling in triumph before slipping from the room.
"I got one!" he yelled distantly. A group of monks cheered before racing off and yelling other vine quotes. Jay replied correctly and another yell in triumph went up.
"What?" Lloyd asked again.

"I thought monks were supposed to be bringers of peace and tranquillity," Garmadon said dryly.
"Not our ones," Misako snorted.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

It was the middle of the night when I woke up and found more nasty comments on my socials.

I frowned at the bright screen, glaring at the hurtful words through bleary eyes. I blocked the new accounts they made and tossed my phone to the side, but the words just kept playing in loops inside my head.
I would not be getting to sleep again.
Instead of blankly staring at the dark ceiling and letting the dark recesses of my mind twist the already painful words into something more monstrous and loathing, I switched on Lloyd's bedside lamp and grabbed a book to read. I'd need to delve into another world to forget reality for a minute.
It was kind of hard to manoeuvre around with Lloyd's limbs curled around me like a cage, but I managed. It's not like I wanted to slip from his hug, anyway.
I got a few chapters in before he woke, confused by the light and the soft sounds of turning pages. I felt him shift and inhale deeply, pressing himself closer.

"Wha' you doing?" he sleepily mumbled, lifting his head a little. "Can't sleep?"
"Nope," I sighed, despite my heavy eyelids. "Did I wake you? I'm sorry."
"Don' worry 'bout it," he slurred, dropping his cheek atop mine. His voice was deep and catching in his throat from disuse and I loved the sound of it more than I probably should've.
I flipped the book shut and tried to turn my head to face him, but his cheek was stubbornly pressed against mine.
"Do you wanna go in the onsen?" I asked. Lloyd blinked, half a notch more awake.
"'S the middle of the night."
I shrugged. "I know."
He contemplated for a few seconds before pressing a swift peck to my jaw.
"Alright," he agreed, dragging me back with him as he sat up. I giggled. "But we have to be quiet."

I bit back my giggles and made a show of zipping my mouth shut. Lloyd fell into a smile at my dorkiness and pressed a longer kiss to my lips. He pulled back when I gave a quiet, little moan, face turned into mock disappointment.
"Not a peep," he demanded playfully. My brow furrowed in retaliation and I dramatically bit my lip to show that I was holding back my words. He regarded my expression for about three seconds before he broke and pressed a million kisses to my cheek. "Dammit, you're so cute."
I couldn't help but squeal a little snigger it his muffled coo and tickling kisses. Lloyd clamped his hand over my mouth. I pulled it away with a pout.
"Why do you get to talk?"
"Because I," he said as he nipped my earlobe and sent me into another giggle fit. "Don't play by the rules."
"Please." I rolled my eyes. "You're the most law-abiding person I know."
"That's when I have the mask on," Lloyd reminded as he pulled me into his lap with a smirk. "I'm allowed to be whoever I want to be with you."

I rolled my eyes again, but this time my expression was sweeter.
"You can't guilt me into letting you get away with stuff," I said stubbornly, even though he totally could and it was totally working. "If I'm not allowed to talk, then you're not allowed to talk."
"Alright, that's fair," he said with a nod. "Ready?"
I nodded. Lloyd caught my hand with his and we began to silently dart down the hall before he pulled to a stop. I glanced at him in confusion. He leant in close.
"Your footsteps are too loud," he whispered and my face fell into an unimpressed frown. Then I had to catch my gasp of surprise when he swiftly slipped me into his hold and continued down the hallway to grab the onsen-specified towels from the linen cupboard.

When we grabbed our required items (achievement unlocked!), we got changed in the bathroom and snuck back out to the zen garden, where the onsen sat beckoningly. Steam puffed into the night air and the milky, hot, natural water had never seemed so inviting. Pink sakura petals floated on the surface and it looked so perfect, I was almost convinced it was staged; if it hadn't been my suggestion in the first place.
The second time in the onsen was far easier than the first. I was awkward and stiff the first time, sitting as far away from Lloyd as I could because of the absolute nudity.
As natural and traditional as bathing in the onsen nude was, my mainstream mindset, and remnants of my catholic all-girls school upbringing, had alarm bells ringing in the prude section of my brain that this was raunchy and obscene. Because nakey.
Which is dumb, because it's just bodies. Nevertheless, I was way more at ease this time around. Lloyd noticed to, raising a brow as I settled beside him. The misty water lapped at my throat.

"You're close," he reminded with a smug, teasing grin.
"Shaddup," I chided, resting my head back against the lip of the onsen. My eyes slid shut as I revelled in the peace. "I'm relaxed, which is more than I can say about last time."
"It takes some getting used to," Lloyd agreed. He paused when I grabbed his arm and lifted it out of the way. "Oh. Okay, yeah. You're super used to it."
"What's wrong with cuddles?" I asked with a pout as I shifted closer to him and replaced resting my head against the hard ground to leaning against his far more comfortable shoulder.
"Nothing!" he chuckled. His hand gently looped around my arm as he encased me in a close hold. Probably to stop his hand from accidentally drifting in the lapping current of the water. "Absolutely nothing wrong with cuddles. I love cuddles. You give the best ones in the universe."
My lips quirked and I peeked my eyes open, staring up at him in amusement. Cherry blossoms from the tree above framed his profile like a pretty background and I was tempted myself to draw it. Maybe I could steal his trick for meditation.

"You have a lot of experience with cuddling?" I asked teasingly.
"Don't need it to know," he countered smoothly with lidded eyes. I went to laugh and reply with my own cheesy comment when his eyes widened and he whispered. "Someone's coming."
Lloyd sucked in a breath and I did that same just before we were pulled down under the surface of the hot water. Even if I did open my eyes, I wouldn't be able to see beyond my hand in front of my face. Lloyd still cradled me close and I tried my best not to think about how close things were but alas, I'm only human. Maybe. Who really knows?
Lloyd tugged on my arm and we surfaced with quiet gasps.
"For reference," Lloyd said as he inhaled deeply for air. His hair was darker and plastered against his face. I pushed it back with an endearing grin. "That was incredibly against the rules."
"No dunking your heads?" I snickered amusedly. "Really?"
"It's disrespectful," he continued before pulling a mischievous grin. "But - we were never here, were we?"

"Oh, no," I shook my head with a serious pout and briefly wondered if I'd been a terrible influence on him or if he was just letting loose for once in his life. "We're cuddled up in bed, fast asleep."
He chuckled and bit my lip as sudden rush of giddy love had me feeling even warmer than the water. Lloyd noticed my stare and gently poked my nose.
"What's with that look?" he queried with a smile. My soft look softened even further and then I was falling even more and more in love with him - a feat I didn't think was possible, given just how much I cared for him already. Was it possible to break the confines of just how much somebody could love another? Because I think I shattered the scale tenfold times over.
"I dunno," I whispered, blinking back the droplets on my lashes. My gaze fixed itself of a drop of water that traced down his face, following the curve of his jaw. I caught it with a fingertip. "I think I just fell in love with you even more. Is that possible?"
"I fall in love with you again every time I see you," Lloyd announced with a simpering look in his red eyes. He nosed my hairline affectionately and I huffed softly, because my overwhelming emotions simply couldn't be held all in my body.

"Shit, dude," was all I could say in a breathy response, speechless from his confession. He gleefully giggled. "No, seriously, you are so good with words. And, like, everything."
"I learnt most of it from you," Lloyd snickered.
"Well, I learnt most of my own stuff from you," I countered.
"Then I guess we're each other's best teachers," Lloyd said with a soft smile. My heart did an ecstatic tumble.
"Yeah," I said with a small nod. My eyes drifted down to his lips and I snapped my gaze back to his red eyes, flushing. "Would it be weird if I kissed you like this?"
"Never," he reassured, then his face turned bright red. "But maybe keep some more distance than usual."
I snickered, purposefully shifting away an inch. "Noted."

Lloyd gave a grateful smile before leaning into the vast space between us. It was a little ridiculous at just how far he had scooted away but I didn't question his boundaries. I gave an amused smile before leaning into the kiss and felt my heart leap in joy. It was like kissing him again for the first time - every kiss with Lloyd is so meaningful and full of every little bit of love we had for each other. It almost reduced me to tears at just how soft and gentle he was with me. As much as I adored the more passionate side of him, I loved this side just as much. The side that made sure I was comfortable and just focused on proving again and again at just how much he loved me. Not that I needed the proof. The side that didn't focus on chasing shared bliss in a carnal sense, but in a way that felt like running fingertips over velvet, like melted chocolate and warm caramel. Soft and pure and so, so sweet that it made my throat close up and eyes sting at the vast amount of adoration I held for him.
I really couldn't picture a future without Lloyd in it. I really didn't want to, either.

Lloyd's hand, warm and wet from the water, cupped the curve of my jaw in a gentle hold. It was both firm enough to let me know he was supporting me as much as his hold could, but soft enough to feel like fragile porcelain. I wouldn't mind breaking for him if it meant that I got to spend every breath, every blink, every second simply existing with him by my side.
Lloyd parted his lips into the kiss and my body gave an excited shiver despite the heat of the water. But again, even as I reciprocated his move, the kiss was still soft and precious.
When my tongue traced his piercing and my gut swirled tight with a feeling that had me on cloud nine, it stayed a gentle kiss.
When Lloyd gave in and shifted closer and my hands caught the sides of his neck, it stayed a gentle kiss.
When we parted to catch our breaths, inhaled short and gasping, and stares dark and pupils dilated in clear infatuation and then caved and fell into another kiss, it stayed soft.
Sometimes things just stayed soft and gentle. Sometimes that portrayed love more than any other kind of physical affection and it left my heart bursting with love so much that it physically hurt my chest.

We parted to breathe yet again and my lips wobbled.
"Rest of my life," I gasped a sigh and shook my head to chase away the fuzzy bliss. "Rest of my life by your side."
"Rest of my life," Lloyd echoed, pressing a fast kiss to my lips before resting his forehead on mine. "Loving every inch of you."
Still catching my breath, I slipped my head down to rest against his shoulder. We ended pressed up against each other again, thigh to thigh, chest to chest. The closeness, the softness, the pink petals and the soothing water threatened to make me fall asleep again right there.
"Was it a nightmare?" Lloyd whispered against my waterlogged hair. My brow furrowed, brain still whirling while he traced nonsense patterns on my back.
"What?"
"What made you unable to sleep," he murmured. His finger made the shape of a heart against the small of my back. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"It wasn't a nightmare," I said quietly, turning my head on his shoulder to catch his gaze. He stared down, concerned. "Claire and the others thought it would be fun to make new accounts on instagram and twitter and poke fun."
It was like a switch had been slipped. His hand on my back paused and his red eyes darkened to an almost black. His jaw set so tense, I swore I could see a tendon pop.
"What?" he growled, deep and threatening from his throat. It sounded like a demon snarl but I remained unphased, calm in the face of a lion. Or a dragon. Whatever made more sense.
"It's fine," I said, watching as I ran a finger down his neck absentmindedly. "I blocked the accounts. They're probably just bored."
"That's not an excuse."
"Of course it's not," I agreed, shifting my eyes back to his. They had softened again, but still held a protective edge. "But I've dealt with it. Just wanted something to distract me and you did one hell of a job."

Lloyd smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. They were searching my face, looking for any sign of negativity. I was an open book to him and yeah, I admit, I was still feeling pretty shitty about it.
That was enough for Lloyd. A spark returned. One that screamed revenge.
"Lloyd," I warned, knowing what that look meant, though it was usually reserved for getting back at his family for teasing him. I wasn't sure what he'd pull now - the situations were so vastly different. "No."
"It's nothing bad," he pressed before giving a one shoulder shrug. "That bad."
"I'm not stooping to their level."
"It's not!" he insisted, eyes lightening to a brighter, evil red. Was evil the right word? Pugnaciously mischievous might be a more accurate description. "I swear it's not bad."
"Then what are you planning?" I asked suspiciously, narrowing my eyes.

Lloyd just gave a giddy grin, justice in his smile, and pressed a kiss to my lips.
"I'll tell you in the car," he said.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

And that was how I ended up outside Claire's house at two in the morning, toilet rolls in hand and a massive stock in the backseat of Lloyd's old car.

"See?" Lloyd goaded as he tossed a perfect throw that landed in the tree outside Claire's bedroom window. The long toilet roll floated in the wind. "Harmless revenge."
"This is so petty," I snickered, leaning against his car with my arms crossed.
"Not as petty as Claire," Lloyd laughed, sending me a happy smile. "This is hardly stooping to her level. She's a shitty person. Think of this as a final graduation of Claire before cutting her from your life."
"Is that what this is?" I asked as I raised a brow. Lloyd tossed another roll and it went arcing over the roof of the house, leaving a banner draping over the chimney.
"Yep!" he chimed before grabbing another roll and stepping in close, swirling in under my nose as if it were tempting. "C'mon, baby. I know you want to."
I pulled an unsure look as I stared at the roll.
"I don't know," I said uncomfortably. "I don't want to get into trouble."

"It's Claire's fault for giving you trouble in the first place," Lloyd reminded. His smirking grin softened and he balanced the toilet roll on top of my head, just to get a smile out of me. His grin fell further into a look of serious concern. "If she doesn't learn that how she's acting is wrong, then what's stopping her from making another person feel like you? Targeting them just because she thought she could get away with it?"
My conflicted gaze dropped to his shirt.
"This is hardly painful, sweetheart," Lloyd pointed out softly. "It's got nothing on what she did to you."
I had to admit that Lloyd was right. This was nothing compared to the hell she put me through. It's nothing compared to what she might put another person like me through. And while it's not as direct as sitting her down and actually telling her that what she was doing was horribly wrong and immoral (like she'd listen anyway), at least it was a step in rebellion towards a tyrant of a 'leader.'
At least it would make me feel a little better.
Hopefully it would get the message across that she couldn't walk all over me anymore. That I can stand up for myself.

I bit my lip with a growing grin and shook my head, closing my eyes. My tense shoulders fell with a sigh.
"Alright, fine," I relented, holding out my hand for a roll to throw. He whooped in excitement and placed one in my hand. "But doesn't this go against everything you stand for as the green ninja?"
Lloyd glanced down at his clothes.
"Weird," he mused. "I don't seem to be wearing the gi."
"Lloyd." I rolled my eyes.
"I told you already," he snickered as he threw another roll and sent it sailing. "I don't play by the rules when it's just us."
"Clearly," I sighed before I mustered all the strength I had and threw the roll. It wasn't as strong as Lloyd's throws, but it did the job. An elated laugh slipped through my lips.
"Doesn't that feel good?" Lloyd said brightly, brightening at my smile.
"Yeah, I guess," I caved with a grin thrown his way. "But I'm never doing something like this again."
"One time special," Lloyd noted with a nod. I grabbed another roll from the car. "Got it."
Another couple of rolls thrown, I was stating to get into the swing of it. Lloyd stepped back and let me had my fun revenge while I bubbled with giggles. All too soon, I'd thrown the last roll and sighed, brushing my hands at a job well done. It was the very least she deserved for making my life hell. It was better than punching her across the face, no matter how damn good that felt.

"You're so hot when you're defacing someone's property with toilet paper," Lloyd sighed when I turned back to him after regarding my pièce de résistance. My face went red at his compliment. "So hot."
"Keep it in your pants, greenie," I snickered, sparing one last proud glance at my wordless message. "I'm never encouraging your evil genes like this again."
"I'll savour this moment while I can, then," he murmured, hooking a hand around my waist and pulling me against his chest with hooded eyes. I giggled a sigh as his lips brushed tantalisingly against the shell of my ear, voice still dark and protective and just what I needed to feel not so alone again. "Nobody hurts my princess and gets away with it."
My sight darted up to his red eyes, full of adoration despite the heat in his gaze.
"I hope you know that the feeling's very reciprocated," I murmured, tapping my fingers up his neck. He shivered.
"Yeah," Lloyd whispered, pressing a kiss to the edge of my lips. "I know."

My lips pulled into a smile before I leant forward into a kiss. He pressed back eagerly, heatedly, hands gripping my waist so hand that it made my brain turn to mush in pleasure.
If the first kiss of the night was gentle and soft, then this was hard and rocking. It was the energy of a metal concert and the blistering heat of the sun. It was crash of lips, a mash of short breaths, a smack of teeth and a twist of tongues.
This was a kiss that had Lloyd bracing a hand against his car and leaving a dent in the frame. It was a kiss that had me losing all sense of rationality and hooking my leg around his. Arching into him, feeling myself be lifted up until I was only grounded to Lloyd. It was all only Lloyd. My world was just him.
This was a kiss that was electric and ferocious, but still careful to not injure. It was a chase of shared desire, a play by play of carnal intimacies. It was euphoria and heat tied up with a pretty bow. And it still held as much love as the gentle kiss did, too.

This was a kiss that had Lloyd hoisting me up closer and pressing my back against his car so he could press a line of kisses down my throat until the neckline of my shirt. His lips danced along my skin there. His hands searched under my shirt. The possibilities of this development had my body weak and aching for more of it, for him to continue his delicious search. I almost found myself begging Lloyd for more of his unbridled love before we were pausing when a light was turned on.
And then I remembered where we were.
"Shit," Lloyd hissed, breath catching. Remnants of his affections chilled against my skin when he pulled away and disappointment crashed through me like a visceral wave. His hair was messy and his lips were puffy and kiss-bruised in a way that made me want to pretend that nobody was awake in Claire's house and pull him back into me.
But somebody was awake, and if we didn't leave now then we'd be caught.

"In the car," he said and I obeyed with a nod, slipping inside. Lloyd reached the drivers seat inhumanly fast and then we were peeling out into the street before he'd even put his seatbelt on.
There was silence for a few streets. And then I burst into laughter.
Lloyd glanced at me and then he was laughing too, breathless and holding nothing on his face except for the unquestionable joy there. I couldn't hold back my amusement, laughing so hard that my stomach began to hurt as I leant back into the seat. It was just so funny! TP-ing Claire's house, then making out in front of her house, and then almost getting caught? It was exhilarating as hell and I felt like a main character in one of those cheesy teenage movies. This adrenaline was intoxicating and I'd never felt so alive.

"Thank you," I said after catching my breath, still giggling at random moments while we drove down the sleeping streets of Ninjago City. I sent Lloyd the most grateful smile I could muster. "Thank you so much. You're the best."
Lloyd shrugged it off, as if it wasn't a big deal. But it was a big deal. It was the biggest deal to me. I couldn't even begin to think of the words to explain just how much his unfiltered support meant to me - I don't think the words had even been invented yet. Saying I felt appreciative was just such a vast, comic understatement of the raw, unchecked emotions that I held for him. It was as if I was more own little nebula of emotions for him, all positive, all love, all totally overwhelming and mortally impossible for me to explain.
"Team," was all Lloyd had to say in response, sending me a smile that had my nebula of emotions doubling in size. My eyes welled with the bits of nebula that I could no longer hold.
"Team," I nodded, smiling so much it hurt. I wiped my tears away and sniffed and Lloyd held his hand for me to grasp onto while I dealt with this nebula of overwhelming devotion and it just made my emotions swell even more.

So I clasped onto his hand like a lifeline, threaded my fingers through his as if I could thread our fates together just by that simple action. The prophecies, the imprint, the future vision - I was just so irrevocably grateful that they all but guaranteed my future with him. And as much as the nerds in the cloud kingdom pissed us off, I was so eternally grateful for them putting us in each other's paths.
I recovered myself with a deep breath. I watched the road for a while and we were silent, swimming in our synched emotions. My thumb rubbed circles over his scarred knuckles and my gaze drifted to the stars.
Lloyd was right. We are small.
"We should really get to sleep as soon as we get home," I murmured. "I have a family dinner tonight for my birthday tomorrow."
"That sounds fun," Lloyd said. I smiled at him.
"It will be," I agreed brightly. "Especially if you and your parents can make it."
Lloyd glanced at me in surprise.
"But it's a family dinner," he pointed out. I squeezed his hand and smiled encouragingly.
"Exactly," I hummed. "Which is why I really want my boyfriend and my second parents to be there."
Lloyd fell into a soft smile. "Of course we'll be there. But doesn't your grandpa hate us?"
I heaved a sigh.

"Not all families can get along perfectly," I said with a frown. "But I'm not giving up either one, so he's just gonna have to deal with it."
"Well," Lloyd said with a smirk as he pulled into the outskirts of the city, headed back home. "It is your birthday dinner."

"Exactly!" I said with a grin.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

Lloyd was the perfect boyfriend and Garmadon was the perfect boyfriend's father all throughout dinner, but that didn't stop the glares my grandpa sent.

Aunt Rose was the most fed up with her father's attitude, the younger sister not afraid to stand up for Lloyd. This was exactly why she was the best aunt in the world.
"Would you stop sneering," she snapped a hissed warning at her father. He ignored her.
"So, Nelson," I turned my attention to the little boy in the purple shirt beside me, possibly the only one at the table who didn't know that Lloyd was the green ninja. It was very surprising and even more endearing when he came in wearing green ninja sneakers. He was Aunt Rose's adopted child and my new cousin, and he was already far better than Simon, the absolute cockroach. "What's your favourite animal?"
Lloyd, who sat on the other side of me, decided that this conversation was far more intriguing than the current conversation that held the adults in deep discussion; whether or not the new Borg watch was really worth the price (spoilers, Cyrus got the ninja to be testers and Lloyd was very impressed with it).

"I like dragons!" Nelson chirped and Lloyd and I shared amused smiles at the ten-year old. "Did you hear that there was a dragon found six months ago? It was deep in a cave! But now it's disappeared."
Oh, yes. I did hear that. I heard it roar so loud that it almost burst my eardrums.
"Really?" Lloyd said with wide eyes, leaning around me to catch Nelson's attention. "That's incredible."
Nelson, who'd taken an immediate liking to Lloyd, brightened at his enthusiasm.
"I know!" he gushed. If it were possible, there'd be stars in his eyes. "I really want to meet one."
Lloyd nudged my foot. I nudged it back.
"Well, I'm absolutely stuffed," dad said as he leant back in his chair, eyeing the large quantity of food before us. "This could feed us for the rest of the week."
The best dish to go down was Zane's yakitori, or more commonly known as grilled chicken skewers, with jasmine rice cooked to perfection and a hint of something else I couldn't quite put my finger on. He graciously made it for Garm and Misako to bring along despite his inattendance.

At least there was one thing I could count on - despite the glares, grandpa didn't go on a spiel about Lloyd being bad for me or about Garmadon himself. Maybe he realised that they weren't evil like he made himself believe. Or maybe he just saw me so happy to have Lloyd and his parents with us that he kept his complaints quiet.
At the thought, I glanced at my grandpa. He caught my gaze and I smiled warmly, an inaudible thank you for not going off in a tangent. He eased into a small smile back.
Nelson tugged on my shirt and my attention shifted.
"Can we watch how to train your dragon?" he asked with wide, brown eyes and a smile that I simply couldn't say no to.
"Of course we can," I said, standing from the table. "I love that movie."
"Really?!" Nelson beamed as bright as the sun itself. "Me too! It's my favourite!"
"Oh, Y/n," mum said as she grabbed my shirt before I could leave the room. "We'll clean up here but can you please set up the spare bedroom for your grandparents?"
"Sure," I chirped with a nod. I turned to Lloyd. "Can you set up the movie?"
He agreed and I gave a thankful smile. I almost leaned in for a kiss before remembering that Nelson was standing right beside him and my family was in the same room. I settled for an awkward pat on his shoulder.
"Thanks," I said and inwardly cringed at myself. Lloyd found it hilarious.
"You're welcome," he said, and despite his composure, I knew from the look in his green eyes that he'd tease me for this later.

I dipped from the room to set up the spare bed, cheeks burning.

When I returned, the movie was already deep into the first scene. Lloyd was sitting on the couch, listening to Nelson ramble on about random facts he knew about dragons rather than pay attention to the movie. His eyes were trained right on the little boy, as if his words were the most important thing in the world and Nelson was loving the attention.
I leant against the doorframe, not wanting to interrupt the two boys. My heart felt warm as I watched Lloyd interact with the young boy. He really was great with kids.
It was also incredibly surprising that Nelson had more to talk about, considering that after a silent ten minutes of settling in when he first arrived, he talked our ears off. It was nice, though, having a young, bubbly kid like him in the family. I knew for sure that Rose was much happier with him in her life. She was always such a maternal person and this was what both she and the kid deserved.

"Oh, Y/n!" Nelson said as he caught me watching with an amused smile. The roar of a dragon played from the tv. "You're back!"
"I'm back," I grinned, taking a seat on the couch. Nelson sat between Lloyd and I and we shared a smile over the little boy's head.
Then Nelson launched into a tale about his first day at his new school, telling us everything from the moment he woke in the morning to the moment he went back to sleep that night. He told us the names of his toys and the names of his new friends and then he suddenly went shy and quiet and it felt like whiplash.
Nelson stared at us with wide eyes.
"Can you be my friends?" he asked in a small voice. My heart did a whole uwu.
"Course we can," Lloyd replied with an easygoing smile. "You're the coolest friend I've ever had."
"Better yet," I said, gently nudging the boy in the arm. "We're family."
"Really!" he gasped in joy. And then he went off in another tangent. Lloyd and I could do nothing but glance at each other with the same amused smiles. It'd only been a couple of hours and little boy had already stolen our hearts.

Then, finally, just as I was retrieving my phone from my bedroom and replying to Neuro's happy birthday message (I was touched that he remembered, and then confused because I never actually told him. Lloyd must've spilt), I found Nelson asleep on Lloyd.
Better yet, I found Lloyd asleep, too.
I bit my lip to keep my heart from leaping out of my chest and took about a million pictures. My aunt arrived to find her son and softened at the sight of them. The movie had long finished.
"He's such a sweet boy," Rose whispered as she stood beside me, watching the two slumber with an endearing smile. I grinned, sending her a look.
"Which one?"
"Well, both," Rose said with a quiet chuckle. "But I was referring to Lloyd. You found a good one, Y/n."

"Yeah," I sighed contently, turning my gaze back to the slumbering boys. I gazed at Lloyd's face and thought again at just how lucky I was to have him in my life, let alone return my affections. "Yeah, I really did."