Takes place after Harumi and the sons of Garmadon were arrested but before Garmadon broke Harumi out of jail.

   When Harumi had revealed to Lloyd that the little baby that had been screeching his his head off from lack of sleep was actually his long lost uncle he was beyond surprised. But he didn't have much time to think about it when he was in the middle of trying not to get killed. A common hobby of his.

  After thoroughly rejecting Harumi's next attempts to manipulate him and vanquish the evil version of his father Lloyd was beyond exhausted. When he made it back to the bounty and a little figure clad in a beige hoodie appeared he just started at it, wondering if the hallucination side of insomnia was starting.

  His family patiently waited for his reaction as he stood numbly at who was said to be his uncle. The man who raised him, his teacher, his mentor, his Sensei, had suddenly lost a significant amount of height and teeth. Suddenly the little kid took out a small cup and began to sip from it. The familiar smell of his uncles favourite tea wafted to his nose, the same box Lloyd hadn't been able to open for so long without his chest tightening.

  "I think I'm about to puke." Was all Lloyd said before he went stumbling to the bathroom and promptly hurled his guts out.

  He could hear the worried whispers of the team but when he felt another wave of nausea over take him he no longer cared. Finally someone grabbed him gently by the shoulders and dragged him away from the bowl, gently resting him against the wall as Lloyd blearily let them wipe his sweaty bangs out of his face.

  "You good there buddy?" It was Kai.

   Slowly the blobby shapes formed the concerned faces of his family, including the delighted one of his uncle. Lloyd locked eyes with the baby, wondering how on earth that was the same man that called him to help change the playlist on the iPod the ninja had gotten him for Christmas to listen to while he meditated.

  "Yeah...yeah..." Was all Lloyd could distractedly say. Misako sighed, her face concerned as she gently held her boy close, wondering when he got so big. Lloyd couldn't stop staring at the kid.

  "I'm going to bed." Was all he finally said.

  The ninja exchanged looks, probably thinking they should talk to him about Harumi and the to-close-for-comfort almost rise of his father. But to his relief they let him off the hook to rest. Lloyd could barely stand up straight but managed it save his dignity and dress into his pyjamas. Lloyd finally flopped fade first into his bunk and let the exhaustion pull him down.

  His sleep was restless, full of gently smiles from Rumi that turned it maniacal cackles. Flashes of familiar faces, Wu, Misako, the ninja. Finally his father whipped around in the dark abyss he was floundering in before he finally woke up gasping. The room was lit from the portholes with soft starlight, creating shadows that danced around the ceiling. Lloyd made sure his friends were asleep before carefully placing his feet down.

  "Quiet and light." His father would remind him. Lloyd's hand flew to his mouth as he held back a sob. Lloyd made his way into the kitchen and flicked on the lights.

  Lloyd remembered the fear. The sadness. The anger. The raw emotions that still rested now. He sat despondently at the bar as he rearranged his emotions. What scared him the most wasn't the potential rise of another villain was the fact that he had fallen for Harumi so easily, and it had led to more pain...pain and agony in his family. And then there was the other thing, that even though he chose to stop Harumi he had felt the urge to let her bring him back pull him so hard. It had taken all his strength not to let her bring back his father. Garmadon was someone he missed every day and the thought of having him back even for a second.....

  Lloyd rubbed his temples. Yup, sleep wasn't coming around anytime soon.

  Lloyd stiffened when he heard the small patter of footsteps make their way down the hall. His brow furrowed when he heard them enter the room but he didn't see who it was. Lloyd's hand slid to the knife that lay on the towel to dry by the sink when suddenly little hands appeared on top of the counter. Lloyd slowly let the knife go as the fingers wiggled desperately to try and get the tea cup. Lloyd moved out of his seat and peered around the counter to see Wu attempting to get a cup from a table taller then him.

  "Need some help with that, Master?" Lloyd asked softly. The label hadn't been used on someone other than him in awhile and it felt weird to use it again, much less when addressing a baby.

  The child giggled and made grabby hands at the cup again. Small grunts as he tried hard to get it.

  "You're very determined." Lloyd raised an eyebrow. "Definitely not a quitter."

  "Ninja never quit." Lloyd froze from where he was about to get the cup for him. He slowly looked down at the big eyes staring expectantly.

  Lloyd wordlessly handed him the cup. Wu toddled to the next counter to where the tea boxes were stacked collecting dust. Wu hopped up and down before glancing back at Lloyd and pointing at the colourful containers making little baby babbles since apparently he could scarily quote an older, more wrinkly version of himself but not say simple phrases like "get me tea."

  Lloyd shook his head and shakily went for his Uncle's favourite tea and started making some. Wu gave him a gummy smile before lifting his arms, demanding to be held. Lloyd picked up the toddler and placed him on the barstool. Wu placed his cup on table and gave him another grin.

"You get that this is weird for me right?" Lloyd found himself talking to the youthful version of his guardian. "I mean...this is crazy. You practically raised me and now I'm the one helping you onto a stool." Lloyd ran a hand through his hair.

  "Lloyd!" Baby Wu called joyfully and pointed at the whistling kettle.

  Lloyd paused when he heard the name balance so gently on the young tongue. But slowly poured the tea before handing it to the baby. Wu strategically blew the steam before taking a sip, a rather odd thing to watch for a kid whose supposed to be sticking it's foot in its mouth and swallowing pennies.

  Lloyd sighed and sat down, rubbing his face as the tears began to trickle after staying strong for so long.

  "Lloyd?" He turned to see Wu staring at him.

  Gently raising his cup and tipping it on the mysterious way that Wu always did when he was waiting for Lloyd to talk or vent. It used to be about small things like Kai being annoying...sometimes it was big stuff like Garmadon's sacrifice or Morro. Lloyd felt an odd sense of déjà vu as the little Sensei looked expectantly at him.

  "I liked her." Lloyd admitted. "She was a grief-filled, revenge-seeking villain and yet I fell for her."

  Wu stayed silent. Only the sound of him gently sipping the tea was in the dimly lit kitchen.

  "And then...I was so ready to allow her to bring dad back to life....I know it's horrible and selfish- and ....and ...." Lloyd gently sobbed. "I just feel torn apart. You were gone for so long! I missed you...I felt so alone....and I miss dad....I-I feel so stupid because I put everyone in danger. I'm supposed to be the master, the leader and yet don't know where I'm going anymore."

  Wu blinked, gently putting down his cup, the unspoken sign of his turn to talk. "Lloyd." The babyish tone said with eyes filled with wisdom. Lloyd wasn't sure what he was expecting but suddenly the kids face widened with a smile and he opened his arms, making grabby hands. Lloyd smiled as he wrapped his arms around Wu, and held his uncle close.

Ninja never quit

Authors note

Hey everyone, this one was a little deeper then my last two short stories. I had really hoped for some cute moments with Lloyd and Wu but unfortunately I didn't get any... (Sob) so I wrote one of my own!

I hope you liked it!

LuckyBugBooks 🐞