Caravan Palace
••• Moonshine •••

how can i even know
what lies ahead if i don't go?
i see a chance, i take it slow
and i know i just can't leave these things behind

•••••

TW: mentions of death & guns

I bumped into Naomi at interval, the twenty minute morning tea break we had before our midday classes. I'd just come out of economics, a stream I sadly shared with none of my friends, and had found Lloyd waiting for me in the hallway.

"Y/n!" Naomi swept into my arms with a giddy shout that startled the group of girls beside us. Lloyd stood behind me, uncharacteristically solemn and silent. "Ahh! I'm so stoked you're here! Are you settling in?"

I grinned and nodded. I was settling in fine, if it weren't for the stares and the murmurs. I definitely wasn't going to get lost again - Lloyd had already memorised my schedule and insisted he'd walk me between classes.

A bit much? Maybe. Totally romantic and making me swoon? Entirely. It was the easiest 'yes, please' I'd ever made.

"Doing okay?" Naomi asked Lloyd and I with a serious frown. "People aren't giving you too much shit? I'll kick 'em."

Lloyd smiled small at her offer. "Nothing too bad."

Nothing too bad in comparison to what he'd been through before, maybe, but the resigned look on his face was enough to make me upset. I couldn't hear what the murmurers were saying but Lloyd didn't have that luxury. He was hearing every cruel whisper said about us.

But this was high school. We couldn't fight our way out of this one. Lloyd was too good of a person for that and I needed a perfect record to get into a good university. The urge to throw hands in his honour still wasn't lost on me.

"Let's check if we're in any of the same classes," I said, changing the subject. Naomi and I compared timetables and were very pleased to find we had English together. The only class I shared with Lloyd was art.

"By the way, have you seen Cole?" Naomi asked. She's forgone her terrible attempts to hide her massive crush in front of Lloyd and I - she was well aware that we knew. "I've been trying to find him all morning."

My heart crashed to my feet. I didn't get a chance to tell her before school started. I needed to - the longer I kept it from her, the worse of a friend I was being. Naomi deserved better than that.

And she deserved to be told before she found out for herself. We were lucky that the ninja hadn't had any big, public missions since Stiix. That luck wouldn't last forever.

"He's not taking this year," Lloyd answered, which wasn't a lie.

Naomi's face fell. "Oh." She looked unimaginably crushed by the news.

The bell rung before we could linger on the topic of Cole's missing presence. She bade us farewell with an unenthusiastic smile and trudged toward her next class. My stomach felt like a gaping chasm.

"I have to tell her," I said, before closing my eyes in despair. "God, she's going to be heartbroken. How can I hurt her like that?"

"She'll hurt worse if you don't," Lloyd gently reminded. My eyes opened with a distraught frown. We began to follow the flow of students to my next class. "Why don't we talk to Cole about it?"

"We can't tell him about her crush," I said.

"Why not?"

"Because I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone." I rubbed my forehead in stress. These two were going to give me grey hairs. "Besides, it might make Cole uncomfortable."

"No, it won't."

I sent him a confused frown. "If he doesn't like her back then it'll make him uncomfortable."

Lloyd shrugged, tilted his head and raised his brows. The look was pointed, a silent clue. My eyes widened.

"No," I gasped. "No way!"

He raised his palms in defence. "I didn't say anything." But he certainly eluded to it.

Shocked beyond belief, I grabbed Lloyd's arm. I was struggling between surprise and elation. Cole liked Naomi. They both liked each other! All this time that my best friend was struggling with her crush, he had one right back! Lloyd grinned at my reaction.

"Since when?!" I exclaimed, before lowering my overexcited voice. "If they both like each other then why haven't they tried to hang out? We could've avoided all this!"

"Cole didn't know he liked her," Lloyd answered. "He only realised a few weeks ago." He shook his head in amusement. "He won't shut up about her. I get why they all teased me about you, now. It's fun."

  Oh, my god! This was the revelation of revelations. This was the discovery of the century. This was bigger than the finding of the Lost City of Ouroboros or Misako telling me that the Library of Domu was real. This was just as good as Lloyd confessing he liked me near the start of summer. My friend's crush liked her back. This was amazing.

But it still didn't fix the issue about Cole being a ghost. It just made things a little less complicated. We stopped outside the door to my maths class.

I pitifully slapped Lloyd's shoulder. "How am I supposed to concentrate for the rest of the day after you dropped a bombshell like this?"

He chuckled. "Sorry, sunshine."

I sighed, my nerves returning. "Can you help me tell her?"

Lloyd softened. He picked up a loose lock of my hair and twirled it around his finger. People stared. We ignored them.

"'Course," he said warmly. "Any time you need me, I'll be there."

  You call and I'll come running. My heart fluttered. I loved him. I loved him so much.

I reached up to cup his cheeks. Willing and supple, he let me pull him down for a kiss - soft, chaste and gentle. I wanted to kiss him forever. His cheeks were a pretty shade of pink, the ring around his green pupils teasing with maroon. He didn't want to show them in a place like this. They were for me alone.

"Thanks, hero." I smiled up at him with appreciation. Lloyd softened further, if it were even possible.

When I entered my first maths class of the year, I was delighted to see Jay and Kai inside.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

Aaliyah caught me on the way to lunch. I was dragged to my friend's table before I knew what was happening.

I scanned the cafeteria - it was massive and bustling, but the feeling of eyes on me led me to a table tucked away in the corner where the ninja all sat. Zane was reading a book. Jay and Kai were making a tower out of mashed potato. Nya was drawing up something, probably plans for a new mech.

I met Lloyd's gaze. I could see his overdramatic pout even from here. Sorry, hero. I was kidnapped.

"Is it true you're really dating Lloyd Garmadon?" one of the boys, Dalton, asked me. My attention turned back to the table and found all twelve of them looking at me. "It's all anyone's talking about."

"Knock it off, Dalton." Naomi jumped to my rescue. "Who cares?"

"It's Garmaboy," Addie reminded. "Even just being nice to him is like signing your life away - and she's dating him."

The hurt I felt toward their attitude was somehow unsurprising. Claire watched on. Aaliyah picked at her food with a frown, head drawn. And then the hurt I felt turned into insult.

Naomi met my gaze. I tried my best to remain calm. These were my friends, after all. They'd come to understand. I just had to be patient.

"I don't see what the big issue is," I said. "What has Lloyd ever done to be hated so much?"

"Exist," Nathan scoffed.

Except for Nathan. Nathan could rot in hell.

"That's a shitty excuse to be an asshole and you know it," I snapped. His expression turned with offence.

"Hey," Claire jumped in with a glare that told me to be quiet. "Don't talk to my boyfriend like that. We're just worried about you."

So they could talk about my boyfriend like that? Because he was Lloyd Garmadon and everyone hated him, it was okay? The hypocrisy was baffling. I gritted my teeth and reeled my anger back in. Nothing good would come of being explosive.

Naomi scowled. She was just as unhappy as I was.

Chen passed by on the way to a table filled with cheerleaders. He smiled at me. Surprised, I smiled back.

"What was that?" Aaliyah asked. She sent me an astounded look. "Are you friends with Chen Daniels?"

I glanced back at Chen and saw the opportunity rise before me. I was sure he wouldn't be opposed - he seemed to want to make it up to us all, anyway. This could be his way of doing so.

"Yes," I answered. I grinned back at the group. "Yeah, we're friends."

"But Chen hates Lloyd," Luke said.

I shrugged innocently. "They get along, now."

Shockingly, the energy toward me wasn't quite so ugly as before. Their frostiness thawed, but not my own. I spent the rest of lunch in bitter silence.

  People.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

Naomi and I organised to catch up after school on Wednesday. It was a little overcast, which fitted my mood.

I fidgeted as I waited by the front gate of school. My mind battled between leaving Naomi in the dark to keep the peace and doing what's right. Lloyd leant against the sign beside me and sketched. If he was drawing me, I wondered if he'd title it 'A Study of Anxiety.'

"It'll be okay," Lloyd said as I paced before him. He turned his sketchbook sideways and peered closer. "It'll work out."

I stopped to stare at him. If he drew instead of meditated, then was he drawing because he was nervous, too? My wrists wrung. I continued my pacing.

"What if she hates me?" I asked in high-pitched lament. "What if she thinks I'm a terrible friend for keeping it a secret from her?"

"It's only been a few weeks since he got cursed," Lloyd reminded. "Things haven't exactly been smooth for us since then, either. She'll understand."

"You're right," I stressed, "what she won't understand is how he's like that. God - she's gonna freak out!"

"Like how you are now?" he dryly remarked. I spun on my foot and caught his amused gaze with a glare. Lloyd tucked his sketchbook beneath his arm and took up my hands. "Y/n, take a breath. Close your eyes."

Disgruntled, I did as he said. His thumbs roved over the hills of my knuckles with soft strokes.

"Be in the moment. Leave moments that don't exist where they came from - they're nothing. They don't have the right to live in your head. Breathe."

I inhaled deeply, held it, and then released. I did it a few more times before opening my eyes when he touched my cheek. My heart rate had slowed - not a lot, but enough. I was considerably calmer.

Lloyd smiled softly. His red eyes looked like candy, glinting in the afternoon sun. His hold over my hands were cloud-soft.

"Better?" he asked.

I nodded. "A little."

"Good." Lloyd lifted my hand to kiss my knuckles with chivalry. "My life's brighter when you're happy."

My cheeks warmed at his cheesiness and I had to avert my gaze. "Stop."

He kissed the pulse of my wrist. "Nah. Don't wanna." His lips turned to my palm.

My face darkened further. Jesus. He really was good at distracting me from my panic.

I didn't get to be in peace for long, however, as Naomi soon arrived. Lloyd dropped my hand but didn't stop holding it. My blush didn't fade as fast as I'd hoped it would.

"Are you guys being all gooey again?" Naomi complained. "If you start third-wheeling me I'm not hanging out with you."

"Sorry," I said sheepishly. Lloyd didn't apologise, nor even looked sorry. His fingers stubbornly wound through mine and stayed there.

Naomi rolled her eyes in amusement. "Whatever. Let's go."

Naomi set off to our destination; my home, since it was the closest in walking distance. We began to follow her lead. I watched the dark blonde ponytail of my best friend swing in time with her marching pace. Naomi was so strong. I wasn't even sure how she'd react to something like this.

I sent Lloyd a hesitant frown. He squeezed my hand in support.

Naomi led the conversation without suspecting a thing. We complained about bitchy students and grumpy teachers, talked about what classes were our favourite and lamented the quality of the cafeteria food. Lloyd huffily mentioned that I kept being stolen away by Naomi and Aaliyah for lunch and hadn't even sat at his table yet. She asked how he balanced being the Green Ninja and school work - he replied that there was a reason why his average was a C-.

I couldn't bring myself to engage too much in the conversation. We stopped by a dairy to grab some snacks, which allowed me to stall for a little bit. It wasn't long enough. We were home before I wanted to be.

"Alright, what is it that you wanna tell me?" Naomi asked as she grabbed a packet of gummy worms and lounged upon the single seater. She bit one in half and pointed at Lloyd. "Is this a prophecy thing?" She leaned in with a suspicious grin. "Am I in one?"

I couldn't match her energy. I took a seat and trapped my hands between my knees so tight that it hurt. Lloyd took the space beside me quietly. Naomi's expression began to wane.

"Is it something serious?" she asked. "Is there gonna be an attack? Is the world ending?"

I shook my head and inhaled deeply. Now or never. The words struggled against me, refusing to cooperate.

"It's Cole," I managed to say.

The worried look on her face deepened. She stood from her seat, gaze searching the room in spiralling thought. Her pitiful smile was an attempt of diverting her fear.

"He's taken, isn't he?" Naomi said with a thin laugh. "He's got a boyfriend or a girlfriend and I was too slow because I'm a coward." Then she recalled who Cole was when he wasn't walking her home from school or playing football in the park. Her face paled with horror. "Is he dead?!"

Lloyd flinched. I opened my mouth to quickly elaborate why 'death' was technically both correct and incorrect when Naomi's swift grief bet me to it.

"Oh, my god!" Her blue eyes welled with tears. The bag of gummy worms dropped and were strewn along the floor. "He's dead!"

"He's not dead." Lloyd leapt to his feet and hurried to placate her. I followed, panicking, because this was exactly what I was afraid of. "Not really-"

"Lloyd!" I admonished.

"'Not really?!'" Naomi cried. She sunk to the floor and buried her sobs into her hands. I went with her, frantically patting her back and shaking my head.

"He's not dead, he's cursed!" I quickly said. "He's still with us, just..."

"He's a ghost," Lloyd continued when I began to flag. "But not like a bad one, he's a good one! He can still eat so he's totally fine."

Naomi sent him an aghast look. Mine was of similar disbelief. Lloyd realised what he said and grimaced.

"I'm so sorry, Nomes." I dropped my head atop hers while she sniffled. "I wanted to tell you sooner, I just didn't know how to. I didn't want to see you hurt."

Lloyd looked away.

Naomi's weepy eyes turned up to me. "He's still here?" she choked out.

I nodded sombrely. "He's still here."

Her gaze lifted to a guilty-looking Lloyd. "He's a ghost?" 

He nodded. Misery twisted Naomi's face and she hid herself into my arms. I hugged her tight as she wept.

It took a half-hour until she'd cried the worst of her grief and managed to compose herself. She chewed absentmindedly on a gummy worm and wiped away the occasional attack of tears. Lloyd made her a tea while I cleaned the candy off of the floor.

"Is Cole doing okay?" she croaked.

I paused. "He's... handling it." I placed the loose candy on the living room table and sighed wearily. "It was a massive shock. He didn't take it well to start with, which..." I shook my head. "I can't imagine what that would be like."

Naomi stared blankly, wetly into the carpet. Her face was red and blotchy and raw from all the times she'd rubbed her tears away.

"He must've been so scared," she whispered, then got choked up all over again. "How could that happen to him? Why him?"

"Cole saved the world," Lloyd solemnly said as he returned with some of the chamomile tea I bought for him. He passed the cup to Naomi's shaking hands and sat beside her, an arm across her shoulders in sympathy. "And he saved me. He's the reason why Ninjago's still standing."

Naomi sniffled and took a sip. "He always puts other people first." She closed her eyes and her lashes dropped more tears. "I hate it." But the look on her face was the mourning of love.

Lloyd and I shared forlorn looks. Naomi leant into his side and failed to keep from crying.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

The rest of the school week was dreary. Naomi stayed home sick and the weather turned into a storm.

I finally managed to sit with Lloyd during lunch on Thursday, but I was too worried about Naomi to enjoy it. Then on Friday, the ninja were called out to a mission halfway into the day. I'd suddenly lost all the people I was closest with. High school became a lot more unforgiving.

I sat with Claire, Aaliyah and the others and ignored them by checking all the ninja stan accounts I followed on instagram to keep up to date with their fight. It looked like they were in a robbery-turned-shoot-out and worked with the police rather than as two opposing forces fighting for the same outcome. It made me smile. Thanks, Dad.

Cole seemed to be making the most of his new powers, sneak attacking with his invisibility and possessing guns into breaking apart. The media attention had become a whirlwind about the Earth Ninja's intangibleness, and I wondered if Naomi was watching the same streams from home. What was she thinking about? Was she crying again?

Then only to make matters worse, on Friday afternoon I started my period and my cramps were especially horrendous. Fucking fantastic. Thank you, Uchū, for creating humans and inventing the uterus, you sadistic prick. Amen.

I spent the evening curled in bed with a hot water bottle and hating my life. I was too upset even to read a book.

Uchū must've heard my bitter lament, because before I could drift off into a pissed-off nap, a knock on my window pulled me back awake. It slid open to reveal a ninja boyfriend slipping into my bedroom. My quick survey found no limping and no torn patches on his gi. He was unscathed.

Still masked and geared up, Lloyd did a double take upon seeing me glaring at him from my bed. He unbuckled his sword and sheath and leant them against my bookcase.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I hate everything."

"Surely not everything." Lloyd turned back to me and pulled off his mask. He was right. I couldn't hate everything when he smiled at me - but then he paused. "Did you hurt yourself?"

My brows furrowed. "What?"

Lloyd dropped his mask onto the end of my bed and gently pulled me upright, making me whine in complaint. With a concerned expression, he held out my arms and turned them with inspection. He hitched the hem of my shirt up to where my old wound sat shiny and pink on my waist. He turned my head from side to side.

"What are you doing?" I asked again.

"I smell blood," he murmured in confusion. "Where are you hurt?"

"Oh." Realisation about his heightened senses clicked first, and then the horror of what he just said. "Oh, god, no! Don't tell me- can you smell-?" I recoiled back from him with an distraught expression. "That's terrible!"

"What is it?" Lloyd's concern rose.

I groaned with deep despair. "I'm on my period."

Lloyd's worry relaxed. "Thank god." He smiled in relief, before his eyes widened at my frown. "I mean - not thank god! That's awful-" He paled further. "Not awful - it's not awful, I've just heard the horror stories." A beat, and then he inhaled sharply and raised his palms. "Not that it's horrifying! It's completely normal and natural, and it sucks but it's great! I mean - it doesn't sound great, it sounds terrible, but it's not terrible because it's also kind of beautiful - that's a weird thing to say - it's not beautiful but it's not gross!"

Lloyd's voice went up so many octaves that he was practically squeaking by the time he stopped his word vomit. He zipped his mouth shut and bit his lips together for good measure. I stared at him blankly.

"Well, that was painful," I said. "Are you done?"

Lloyd closed his eyes and grimly nodded. "Yes."

I turned around and crawled back onto my pillow with a grumble. This discovery was even worse than the cramps. My bad mood only worsened - was this my divine punishment for taking too long to tell Naomi? Did I somehow insult Uchū (before I called him a sadistic prick)?

"I can't believe you can smell it." I pulled my hot water bottle into my stomach and watched him pull off his robe. "You don't have to stick around. It'll be over in a few days."

Lloyd's undressing faltered with puzzlement. "Aren't you sore?"

I closed my eyes and tried to return to sleep. "Obviously."

"Then why would I not stick around?" Lloyd asked. "I'd be a terrible boyfriend if I left you to be in pain by yourself."

My eyes opened. My gaze turned up to find him watching me with a confused look. Most boys found periods gross as I'd discovered from hearing the remarks they made over the years, and I'd kept my expectations for Lloyd low so I wouldn't get a nasty surprise. But of course he wouldn't be like them. He was a walking green flag.

"You can smell it," I reminded. "Aren't you uncomfortable?"

"It's just blood." Lloyd took a seat on the edge of the mattress. "You were bleeding more at Stiix from your powers. You're the one who's uncomfortable."

Wow, okay, he didn't need to expose me like that, but whatever. I looked at my duvet and tried not to let the tears win. I wouldn't become another helpless stereotype, but the hormones always put up a fierce battle. Lloyd brushed his thumb down the side of my face with a sympathetic smile and I knew I'd lost.

"Do you need me to get you anything?" he asked.

"Why are you so cool about it?" I sniffled. "Where's the catch? You can't be this good of a boyfriend."

Lloyd's smile grew sad and I knew his thoughts had turned to all the things he hadn't been able to tell me, the stuff he still kept secret. "I'm not that great."

I rolled my eyes. Aside from his trust issues, he was basically the woman's man.

"And I live with Nya," he continued. "She lets us know exactly when not to mess with her. It's deadly." He stroked some of my hair back. "So, is there anything you need me to do so you're not feeling deadly, too?"

I smiled and shook my head. I'd already done everything I could to make myself as comfortable as possible - I'd spent years doing it alone, after all. Now I just had to ride the bitter waves until it was over and I was back to my regularly scheduled study mode.

Lloyd leant down and kissed my temple. "I need to take a shower. I won't be long."

Perfect man. I nodded, then watched as he pulled out some clothes of the drawer of my dresser he had taken over, sent me one last smile, and left my room. I glanced at the sword leaning against my bookcase, at the gi's robe and the belts and pouches folded neatly on my desk chair. They didn't look so out of place anymore.

As promised, Lloyd didn't take long. He returned all fresh in less than ten minutes and crawled onto the bed beside me. He slung an arm along my waist. I kicked my hot water bottle off the side of my bed in silent complaint.

"It's gone cold," I muttered. Lloyd went to rise but I stopped him with a desperate grip on his arm. "No. Please. I'll live. I missed you."

Amused, Lloyd pulled my back into his chest and slid his palm beneath my shirt to splay against my stomach. It warmed until it was just hot enough. My tense muscles relaxed beneath his touch. "How's this?"

  See? Perfect man. He even became my own hot water bottle on command. I moved his hand to the best spot, just above the waistband of my sweats, and sighed contently at the soothing of my cramps. He made my miserable day so much better.

Lloyd kissed the shell of my ear. "Feeling deadly?"

"Always," I murmured. I threaded my fingers through his. "How was your mission?"

"Easy. A good one to get back into the swing of things with. How was school?"

"Terrible," I complained. "I missed you walking me between classes. And Naomi's still not back."

He hummed worriedly at the mention of our friend. "No-one gave you any trouble?"

I shook my head. Nothing to my face, at least.

"What about you?" I cautiously asked. I turned my head to send him a concerned look. "How are you doing? Have you... had any feelings that you're gonna transform again?"

Lloyd's expression tightened at the reminder. "No."

"Can you do it on command like with your eyes?" I asked. When he shook his head, I pursed my lips in thought. My fingers tightened around his. "... do you think that's something you should start practising? Better to learn how to control it than have it surprise you again, right?"

His huff of amusement made my hair flutter. "You just want to see it again, don't you?"

"I'm on my period, Lloyd. You're not allowed to tease me for finding you hot all the time." I smiled a little when he quietly, bashfully laughed. I turned a little more serious. "How are your nightmares?"

He tried to find the right word. "... persistent." He kissed my jaw when I hummed in worry. "I've always had nightmares, sunshine. It's nothing new."

But Nya told me he'd been screaming - clearly that was new. That sounded a lot worse than what he was brushing them off as.

"I do sleep better when I'm with you," Lloyd admitted in an attempt to mitigate my concern.

"Oh, I see. That's why you always want to stay the night." I shook my head in sarcastic disbelief. "I'm just gonna have to move in with you, aren't I?"

Lloyd went quiet for a moment, and I began to sweat with the thought that my throwaway joke had the opposite effect I'd desired. Maybe it wasn't funny. Maybe he thought I was being too forward. Just as I was about to take it back, he spoke.

"You say that as if I wouldn't have you living with me in a heartbeat," Lloyd said seriously.

My face went horribly warm. Not exactly an opposite effect, but certainly not what I expected. I wasn't sure how I felt about his sincerity. It was a little shocking, and it definitely gave me butterflies. I buried myself into the pillow so he couldn't see my blush.

"Maybe in a few years," I said. There was an awkward, flustered shake to my voice that made me even more embarrassed.

Lloyd slipped his free arm beneath my head and held his pinkie up before my nose. "Promise?"

I giggled in bewilderment and completed the pinkie promise. "I'll move in when I've graduated from university."

"Okay," Lloyd eagerly agreed. "I'll just keep staying the night until then." I swooned at his insistence. He's so cute. "Have you got any plans for the weekend? Nya goes for runs when she's on her period, so why don't we do some training?"

"Only if you're easy on me," I bargained. "And I'm meeting with Claire, Naomi and Aaliyah tomorrow."

Despite previously being too busy to spend time with me before school started, Aaliyah finally asked whether I wanted to hang out during the weekend. I couldn't say no. I'd missed hanging out with Aaliyah and Naomi, even if it meant that Claire would tag along and bring down the mood.

Lloyd went quiet in thought. His thumb brushed along the rim of my belly button. I was growing drowsy beneath the consistent, comforting heat of his palm, resting deeper into his arm-turned-pillow.

"Dad told me the other day that when you two first met, you were crying because of what your friends said to you," Lloyd murmured. My drooping eyelids opened at the reminder. "Don't let them be awful to you again, don't let them make you cry. Call me if you need to. Just keep yourself safe."

Why would Garmadon tell Lloyd about that? Was it because of school starting? Both his worry and his son's made me soft.

I turned in Lloyd's arms and pressed a kiss to his chin. My hands moved to his hair, where they scratched along his scalp and around the bumps of his baby horns. The knot between his brow loosened when his lashes fluttered at the feeling. Smiling, I kissed his throat. His gulp sent a buzz of pride whistling through my brain.

"I'll be okay," I said. "I'm stronger now than I was back then."

Lloyd released a wary exhale and pinned his eyes on me with concern. My smile softened at his expression. He was like a worried puppy.

"Lloyd, I promise I'll be fine." I pressed my lips to the corner of his mouth. "They're my friends. They're just worried for me."

Lloyd's face hardened. He planted his hand on the other side of my head and leant over me until I was caged. My hands fell from his hair. My eyes widened at his proximity.

"Friends don't make their friends cry," Lloyd said solemnly.

Meekly, my gaze fell to the side. "Claire's... less of a friend."

Lloyd's frown deepened, deeply. I slung my arms around his broad shoulders and sighed through a gentle look.

"You gotta trust me, hero," I murmured.

"It's her I don't trust." Lloyd turned his face into mine when I began to line his cheek with smooches. "Or anyone from your friend group. I hear what they say to you."

"I've been friends with some of them since I was five - they'll get over it, just like Chen." My hand slid down to his cheek and tilted him toward me. "Now, are we gonna continue talking or are you gonna kiss me until I'm better?"

Lloyd's reluctant expression melted with a grin. With his warm hand back on my stomach, he kissed me until I forgot what we were even talking about.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

The storm picked up again on Saturday, letting out a downpour that washed the city through. I was the first to arrive at the café we'd agreed to meet up at and shook the rain from my jacket at the door.

I found a booth to sit at and ordered a hot chocolate to stave the chill of my wet hair. I wished I was able to have taken the car in, but Mum was using it to visit Rose, so I'd bussed there instead. Unfortunately, the closest bus stop to my home was still quite the walk. My shoes were squeaky and soaked.

I hoped Lloyd's patrol wasn't too arduous. It was bad enough that he had to take a sweep around the city while it stormed like this.

The bell above the door jingled when Naomi entered. She peeled off her jacket and shook out her hair with a frown, a forlorn expression I'd feared hadn't eased since the moment she found out about Cole. My heart ached at her expression. I stood from my seat and caught her attention.

Her hug almost bowled me right over.

"Hi!" I gasped in surprise. "Oh, Nomes. How've you been?"

"Fine," she mumbled unenthusiastically into my green hoodie.

She didn't say anything else about her wellbeing. I pressed my cheek onto her hair and tightened my hug. My poor, lovesick friend. It hurt to see her hurt.

We took our seats and Naomi ordered her drink. She absentmindedly plaited her wet hair away while we watched the rain surge on. The thick sheets seemed unending. I hoped the team wouldn't get sick.

"Sorry for going silent on you," Naomi said quietly. "Just needed time. I've found myself watching ghost hunting shows on YouTube now, so." Naomi released a single, sad laugh. Her expression crumpled hard to keep from crying.

"You don't have to apologise." I laid my hand over hers when it fell to the table. "I'm so sorry, Nomes. I wish things were different."

Naomi rested her head back on the booth and closed her eyes. "I should've spoken to him sooner."

Audibly agreeing would only make her feel worse. I rested my chin on my palm and quietly watched the storm.

"What do I do?" she asked hopelessly, drawing my gaze to her. "I want to talk to him but he doesn't have any socials and I don't have his number. I was really hoping to see him in school and strike up a conversation naturally." She dropped her face into her hands. "It's all gone to shit, Y/n."

I smiled sympathetically. "I can give your number to him?"

Naomi's hands slammed down onto the table in fright. "No!" She paused for a second. "Yes! Wait, no- no!"

I chuckled. It seemed that no matter how swiftly Fate had yanked the rug from under Naomi's feet, she was still very much adoring of Cole.

"Y/n." Naomi gathered my hands in hers with a seriousness that subdued her sadness. "Would it be weird if I said that I still really want to kiss him as a ghost?"

It was impossible. I couldn't help the snort that shot my amusement into the conversation. Naomi grinned - a little amused, mostly lost and confused at her own yearning. It was amazing that we could still laugh in the midst of misery.

"I think it's sweet," I commented after my giggles waned. "You two would be so cute."

Naomi blushed. Before she could stammer an excuse, the bell above the door rang again. We turned our focus to the entrance and found the remainder of our party.

"Sorry, we're late!" Aaliyah chirped with a bright smile. She parted her curly hair and patted each end over her shoulders while Claire wordlessly slid into the booth, engrossed in her phone. "What rain, huh? I love it!"

Claire dropped her phone onto the table and shoved her jacket off. "Ugh. It's so cold," she muttered.

Aaliyah nervously grinned and took her seat. Naomi and my drinks arrived, and the others ordered theirs. I leant against the cold glass and cradled the warm ceramic in my palms.

"Where'd you guys come from?" Naomi asked. "Did you guys do something together this morning?"

"Oh." Aaliyah shot a look at Claire, who ignored it. "Um... yeah. I had to run some errands and bumped into Claire at the supermarket."

Naomi's brows furrowed in suspicion. When a waiter approached and Aaliyah turned away to order, we shared a stupefied look. Did Aaliyah just lie right to our faces?

"Is anyone doing any after school clubs?" Aaliyah asked, changing the subject before we could question about her morning further. "I was thinking about the photography club. You get heaps of days off to take photos for school events!"

Naomi cleared her throat and brushed past the oddness. "I'm already taking three sports. Plus, I need to take care of my brother."

Claire continued texting on her phone with a glower. Aaliyah watched her anxiously before glancing at me. "Y/n?"

Between studying, training and handling whatever else Fate might want to throw my way, I couldn't see myself joining any clubs. I shook my head. "I'm too busy."

Claire dropped her hands to the table and looked at me. "I thought you wanted to get a scholarship."

She wasn't intrigued nor interested. Instead, Claire's voice held a hint of accusation. I did want a scholarship - really, really badly - but there was a big, unknown prophecy coming up sometime in my future that I had to prepare for. Maybe it'd be in a decade. Maybe it'd be next week. Either way, I needed to learn my powers. Volunteering at my local museum, however unfortunate, wasn't going to help me save the world. I could do that after.

But I couldn't tell Claire that. All I could do was shrug.

"I'll figure something out." I hope.

Claire didn't respond to that. She picked up her phone again and continued typing whatever it was that she was typing.

"How's it like being Lloyd's girlfriend?" she asked. "It's probably not too late to dump him. The bullying might stop if you're fast enough about it."

Ha. Was it just me or was Claire somehow worse than usual? From the uncomfortable looks on Naomi and Aaliyah's faces, I wasn't the only one who noticed her sour bomb of a mood. The added insult of suggesting to leave Lloyd only made me angrier.

My smile was forced. "Thanks for the suggestion but I won't be breaking up with him."

Claire's dark eyes turned back to me. Her challenging glare was so cold and stifling that I almost sunk myself into my seat. It felt like I couldn't breathe. It felt like a lot of the times she'd spoken down to me before.

She shrugged. "Your funeral."
 
Naomi huffed and rolled her eyes. Aaliyah looked like she was sweating bullets from the tension, her brown gaze darting everywhere but on us. I felt bad for her nerves, but found myself unable to feel my own anxieties. I guessed when they were all I had, I'd bend over backwards to keep them all happy - particularly Claire. I had more than then. I was more than I was back then.

Our drinks arrived. We mulled in silence and sipped our hot beverages. Outside, the rain continued to pour, and I busied myself in watching the storm while my stomach churned with discomfort.

It was never like this with my friends before. Never this bad. Never this tense.

"Oh, my god!" Aaliyah suddenly piped up. Our eyes turned to her bright smile. "We have prom this year! Isn't that exciting?!"

My current sip paused. Prom? A flutter of excitement warmed my belly. Sure, I'd seen the cliché movies and knew that reality was never as good as the silver screen, but that didn't stop me from blushing at the thought of going with Lloyd. I never thought I'd have a boyfriend to go to prom with.

"I heard it's always a massive hit!" Naomi added, feeding off of Aaliyah's elation. She turned to me. "Our school does the best proms, Y/n - for real."

I grinned at her returned happiness. "We'll have to go dress shopping together."

"Y/n's obviously going to go with Lloyd." Aaliyah leant over and clasped Naomi's hand with a serious look. "We need to find dates."

To her credit, Naomi's smile looked genuine enough to almost fool me. She'd probably been pinning her hopes on going with Cole, and now her dreams had been smothered along the ground like scraping mud off a boot.

"But there's so many people to choose from," she sighed.

"I need to make a call," Claire suddenly said, ushering Aaliyah from her seat. We watched her disappear around the corner of the cafe with bewildered looks.

"Okay, what is her problem?" Naomi asked beneath her breath. "Did something happen this morning?"

"She broke up with Nathan," Aaliyah answered, and shrugged a shoulder. "I don't think he's taking it well."

I gasped in disbelief. "Whoa, what?"

"They broke up?" Naomi exclaimed. "But they just started dating! What happened?"

Aaliyah shrugged. "She hasn't told me why."

Naomi shook her head in shock. My phone buzzed before I could pry further.

Jesus💗
patrol's almost over ;)
Sent 11.34pm

Jesus💗
miss u 💔💔
Sent 11.34pm

I rolled my eyes in amusement and texted him back a similar sentiment. Dork.

Naomi nudged me with a sly smile. "Is that who I think it is?" She grinned wider when I blushed. "That boy can't leave you alone."

I lifted a shoulder coyly. "Just as planned."

Naomi snorted and I giggled. As if. This was one beautiful mistake that started with a skateboard and a Star Wars plaster. Bob Ross would be proud of the paint bucket I'd kicked and splattered all over the floor - I'd somehow made art out of it.

"What is it like?" Aaliyah curiously asked. "Dating Lloyd, I mean. Isn't it... strange to date the son of an ex-tyrant?"

I smiled at her genuine question. There wasn't a hint of judgement in her eyes, only intrigue.

"He's just like anyone else." If anyone else was the prophesied soldier of fate and could rip people's shoulders to shreds with his tusks. "His dad's lovely, and Lloyd is sweetest person I know. He's nothing like what anyone says he is." I blushed deeper and turned my gaze to the table. "Plus, Lloyd's a really good kisser."

Aaliyah's eyes widened and her mouth popped open. Naomi began to laugh all over again and then we both joined in, too. Claire decided to return at that moment. The look she cast over our laughter was annoyed.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Apparently Lloyd's a fantastic kisser," Aaliyah giggled.

I raised my palms in defence and chuckled. "I only speak the truth." My humour faded at her bitter expression and I frowned with worry. "Are you okay?"

Claire glared at me. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Tension returned to the table. I looked away from her piercing eyes. "Sorry," I mumbled.

Aaliyah was back to being awkward and Naomi was grumpy again. The café's bell rang, bellowing over the drone of the storm outside. I lifted my mug and took a sip of my hot chocolate. Break-ups were notably hard, as Claire was demonstrating and subjecting us to with her bad mood.

"Speak of the devil," Naomi said. I followed her gaze and found Lloyd ruffling the water from his blond hair in the entrance. "Looks like your knight in green hoodie is here for you."

"Great." Claire took her seat and scowled. "Just what we need. A crowd killer."

Naomi caught my eye and pulled a shitty face Claire couldn't see. I pursed my lips and stifled a giggle.

Lloyd had clearly just come from patrol. He was a touch flushed and sweaty and completely drenched from the rain. The black high-neck collar of his gi's undershirt peeked from behind his hoody's neckline. He'd replaced his suit's pants with jeans and his jika-tabis with converse.

"Hey," Lloyd greeted the table with a shy smile that made my heart flutter. He stopped at my side.

"Hi-" I had to stop myself from saying my favourite nickname. 'Hero' would require explanation I couldn't give. "What are you doing here, party crasher?"

Lloyd's grin down at me was boyish and charming. "With all this rain, I thought I'd pick you up."

Life saver. The awkward tension that Claire was instigating was getting too much. I wanted to leave. I hoped my smile up at him didn't look too relieved, because then Claire really would blow her top.

"Awwww!" Aaliyah gushed. "That's so cute!"

Lloyd grinned a little easier, a little more smug. He knew he was cute. "You doing alright, Naomi? I heard you were sick."

Naomi's expression warmed with appreciation at the true intent of his question. "I'm doing a bit better, thanks."

Lloyd nodded with relief. Claire was back on texting on her phone, her glower darker than it was before. Aaliyah leant toward Lloyd with an earnest look.

"You're taking Y/n to prom, right?" she asked insistently. I startled at her question. "I mean - you are going to prom?"

"Oh." Lloyd blinked, taken aback. He glanced at me and shared my alarm at being put on the spot. "Yeah-"

"Don't!" Naomi cut him off. We turned to her and was baffled further by her serious expression. She glared at Lloyd. "You are not asking my best friend to prom like this."

I laughed in bewilderment. "I don't mind."

"I do!" Naomi placed a hand on her chest with sincerity. "A promposal is a serious matter. It's a moment you'll remember for the rest of your lives-" she pointed at Lloyd with threat. "Make it romantic."

Naomi was getting deadly. Lloyd nodded firmly, half-scared and half-determined, as if asking me to prom was just as crucial and important as saving the world all over again. Aaliyah watched on like the audience of a soap opera. I sighed in amusement.

Naomi nodded, too. "Good."

Gracious. I stood from the table and took Lloyd's hand in mine. Claire's gaze flickered to me for a second. Naomi was just as embarrassing as my parents sometimes - all said with much love.

"Alrighty." I grinned at my friends awkwardly. Particularly at Naomi, who seemed very satisfied with the self-declared bomb she just defused. "With that, I'll see you on Monday."

Naomi and Aaliyah said their goodbyes with humour at my reaction. Lloyd waved back. I tugged him from the table before Naomi could start planning how Lloyd was going to ask me to marry him. My face was too warm.

We stepped outside where the roar of the rain was louder by tenfold. Lloyd lifted an arm over my head as we raced to his truck and quickly slipped inside. I shivered at the wet chill. The engine rumbled to life, the heater clanking to work at Lloyd's turn of the dial. I held my hands before the vent to warm them.

"Thank you," I breathed. "I was not looking forward to walking back from the bus stop - and you definitely don't have to prompose."

Lloyd raised his brows. "What if I want to?"

I grinned in halfhearted exasperation. "If you want to, I won't stop you."

"Deal." Lloyd grabbed my hands hovering before the heater and squeezed them. His voice turned prideful. "So, I'm a good kisser, then?"

I shot him a horrified look. "Did you eavesdrop?"

"Unintentionally!" Lloyd touched the tip of his slightly sharp ear. "I can't control what these things overhear." He shot me an expectant look. "Am I?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, you are."

Lloyd proudly beamed. He looked so pleased that I couldn't even be annoyed by his accidental eavesdrop - he looked too adorable.

The window wipers creaked and groaned at their speed. With my hand still caught in his, Lloyd changed gears.

"I knew Claire was going to be rude again," he said. "She wasn't too friendly from what I caught."

I saw through him as soon as he said that. Lloyd was worried I was going to end up crying again. That's why he really swung by. A bit overprotective? Maybe, but still cute. He'd been treated poorly enough to warrant such overprotection.

"She broke up with her boyfriend. That's tough for anyone," I explained.

Lloyd wasn't too forgiving. "Still, she shouldn't speak to you like that."

"I'm used to it."

This time the look he sent me was serious. "You shouldn't have to be."

My chest grew heavy. My eyes dropped to my lap. "I know."

We sat in silence for the next few minutes. Lloyd was right, as he usually was - and I was too loyal to someone who would never be the same back to me, as usual. But I couldn't just drop Claire, and I couldn't fight back. That would only make things so much worse. I'd rather have peace than rock the boat.

Keeping the peace was a heavy burden to carry.

Lloyd's fingers tightened over mine. I was grateful for his care that Claire so desperately lacked. I lifted his hand to kiss the back of in appreciation - he looked out for me so well. He softened at my token of affection.

Lloyd inhaled deeply, as if preparing for something. I glanced up at his face and found his red eyes watching the road with a knot between his brow. His freckled cheeks were pink with nervous blush. My intrigue grew.

"... are you doing anything on Valentines?" he asked.

My heart suddenly had a skipping rope and was double-dutching all over the place. "Are you asking me on a date for Valentines Day?"

Lloyd's shyness grew. "... yeah."

Any thoughts about Claire and how she treated me was suddenly and entirely gone. Elated, I ducked my head and sent him a giddy smile.

"Why do you look so nervous?" I asked.

"I'm not nervous."

"I don't have superhearing and even I can hear your heart racing."

Lloyd scoffed. "Shut up." Then he peeked at me. "... is that a yes?"

I smiled sweetly. "Of course it's a yes. I'd love to spend Valentines with you."

Lloyd released a loud sigh of genuine relief. "Okay. Good. Cool. It's a date."

My puzzlement continued to rise. "Did you think I'd say no?"

"No," Lloyd defended. We pulled into the street my house was on. Thunder rumbled in the sky above, but the cab of his truck had grown cozy. "I just... I have a surprise planned for it, that's all."

My eyes widened. I watched him park the truck with intense curiosity. A surprise? For Valentines? Could he get any more sweeter?

"What is it?" I asked.

Lloyd sent me a grin. "Wouldn't be a surprise if I told you. You'll have to wait and see."

I frowned. "I hate not knowing things."

He chuckled. His fingers touched my chin and brought me forward to kiss. The rain on the roof sung as serenely as my heart. My disappointment ebbed away with each kiss he gave me, but he still felt a little nervous, and my curiousity was almost driving me insane.

"Patience, sunshine." Lloyd kissed me on the nose with a handsome smirk. "Two weeks will pass quicker than you think."

I groaned. A surprise on Valentines Day? Not knowing things? These two weeks was going to be the longest fortnight of my life.