Lloyd was taking the attack really hard.

After he disappeared to speak to his uncle, I stared at the ceiling with a stunned expression.
'Yeah, it is.' The words he spoke turned and twisted in my head, rang in my ears, forced me to think of nothing else. His voice sounded so broken, so defeated.
Fuck. He looked like a kicked puppy.
It was agonising when Lloyd was like this. Whenever he was down, it was like the world stopped turning. The sky darkened, colours dulled, everything just felt heavy and suffocating.
Lloyd's sadness brought upon the end of days.
But what I really hated was the fact that he was blaming himself again for something that wasn't his fault. We talked about it only yesterday!
So, after having been tucked in by my despondent boyfriend and left on my own, I tried to come up with a perfect counter-point to stomp Lloyd's guilt into the dust.

Unfortunately, I underestimated the potency of the tea. By the time he returned for bed, I was well into slumber and there was no chance of waking me for hours.
I would have to wait for the next day.

Monday, I woke up late into the morning and without Lloyd, so I couldn't even give him a morning pep-talk. One which would've involved a lot of kisses.
The day was spent in a bedridden drowsy haze, barely able to lift my arm to scratch my head without passing out again. So I guess, even if he had stayed, I would've been useless anyway.
At least the first time I had the tea, I was only injured in one place. This attack had me sore and wounded all over, so my body was working overtime - which meant I was asleep for about ninety-five percent of the day.
It was boring and dull but at least I had Kashu and Naomi for company. Kashu was more than happy to doze the day away, snuggled between me and my best friend. When I was awake for longer than five seconds at a time, Naomi would keep me entertained by catching me up to date with the latest gossip. Courtesy of Ambrose, of course.
He always was good at knowing things he probably wasn't supposed to.

"Ah, sweet, you're awake again!" Naomi said with a grin, shuffling closer and leaning over my napping buddy, Kashu. "Check this out! Stan twitter rated the ninja's best gis. Guess which one's the fan favourite?"
"Mmm," I hummed languidly, shutting my eyes as I thought. "'nything sleeveless."
"Yep!" Naomi snickered, showing me the screen. "So predictable, yet so correct."
I grinned tiredly, shuffling my stiff limbs under the blankets as I turned more towards her.
"H'many photos of Cole in that gi do you have?" I asked in a teasing remark. Naomi raised a brow.
"How many photos of Lloyd do you have in that gi?" she countered expertly, and I chuckled tiredly.
"Touché," I nodded respectfully, heavy eyelids drooping.
"Sweet dreams," she said as I slipped right back under before I could reply.

The sun had shifted dramatically by the time I next peeled open my eyes. I must've been asleep for a couple of hours. Naomi was still with me, which meant that Lloyd was still training or on patrol or hunting down gang members or whatever he and the team were doing.
I hoped he was okay.
Kashu had left. Off to do dog things, I guessed. It made me frown sadly.
"This tea sucks," I groaned into the pillow, dragging my eyes open. Naomi giggled, placing a bookmark in the novel of mine she'd been reading.
"You love it," she corrected with a knowing smile. "If it weren't for that tea, you wouldn't be half as healed as you are now. The gash on your forehead's completely gone. Faded and everything."

I raised my fingertips to the skin of my forehead. There was no injury, only unbroken skin. I sighed through my nose.
"The tea's okay," I relented moodily. Naomi beamed.
It was dark by the time I next woke. Naomi was gone, probably headed home or was spending time with Cole. I'd have to thank her for looking out for me the next time I saw her.
I was just about to let myself float back into slumber when the door to the bedroom opened and my attention was snagged.
Lloyd limped inside, making no move to conceal the grimace on his face. He stopped at his closet and began unbuckling his gi, dropping the belts to the side and slipping the soiled robe into the hamper. My heart crashed into my throat and released a choking whimper when he pulled his undershirt off, revealing a gargantuan purple bruise the spanned across the planes of his back.

Lloyd spun at the sound, eyes wide as he shoved the shirt back down to hide the injuries. Too late, I'd seen them, and my eyes were already beginning to sting.
"Y- you're awake," Lloyd noted in alarm, and my chest ached further at the sight of a couple of bandages on his face.
"What happened?" I murmured, voice brittle and teetering on the edge of breakage. Trying to lift myself up was futile, so I remained half hidden in folds of the thin duvet. "Th- that looks painful."
Lloyd's face softened. He crouched beside the bed with a wince and the same guilty, somber look he had since he found me at Borg's tower. I was not a fan of that expression.

"I'm okay," he reassured, stroking the backs of his gloved fingers along my cheek. The leather was soft and well-worn, as familiar as his own hand was. It did little to soothe my fear. "We just had some trouble today. I fell."
I shuddered to think of the height of the drop that left his entire back a blossoming, angry violet.
"Why were you trying to hide it from me?" I asked, frowning. Lloyd sighed through his nose and rocked back on his heels, fingers threading through a lock of my bedraggled hair.
"Didn't want you to worry," he confessed quietly, watching as strands of my hair slipped from his fingertips. My frown deepened.
"I al- always worry."
"I know," he said with a small smile, red eyes lifting back to mine. "You'd think I'd be used to it by now."

I slowly lifted my hand to press my fingers against his, both resting on the bed. His breath caught.
"Sorry," he whispered, and I knew that he wasn't talking about his bruises.
"Stop saying that," I begged, hooking a finger through his when he went to move away. "Stop saying you're sorry for things that aren't your fault, please."
Lloyd audibly swallowed. His fingers twitched against mine.
"But I-"
"Lloyd," I cried, lifting my buzzing head and watery eyes. "Stop taking the blame for everything. You're going to break. I hate seeing you hurt yourself."
Lloyd's expression grew all the more guilty when betraying tears began to slip down my cheeks. It was exactly the opposite of what I wanted.
"Don't cry," he pleaded, lifting a hand to brush away my tears.
"Stop blaming yourself," I said desperately, willing my tears to stop. "None of us expected them to come inside."
Lloyd shook his head. It was like arguing with a brick wall, yet I kept begging, I kept relentlessly pounding my fists into the brick.

"I should've known," Lloyd said with a smile that wasn't at all content. His eyes were anguished and I felt just as despondent. "It's my job to know. I should've stayed by your side and protected you. Maybe then you wouldn't be hurt."
My eyes steeled at that, cold behind the lake of tears.
"Funny, coming from the guy with a bruise the size of the dark island."
Lloyd was taken aback. "That's diffe-"
"How on earth is this any different?" I shot, forcing myself up. My arm crumpled. Lloyd caught my head before it could hit the backboard.
"Careful-" he began to say.
"You think I'm totally fine with you coming back from missions with injuries everywhere?" I asked, throat seizing in emotion. His eyes dipped. "You think I'm okay with seeing you hurt? This is the exact same, Lloyd! I hate that I can't be out there protecting you!"
"I just don't want you to get hurt," he said quietly, red eyes latching mine once more and his soft voice made my bright flash of intense emotion subdue. His hand that cradled my cheek traced the curve of my temple. "You're the most precious thing to me."

My heart fluttered, but now was really not the time to be getting butterflies again. I tried to ignore the flustered blush that crossed my cheeks.
"And you're the most precious thing to me," I pointed out, letting myself fall into his palm. "And when you take all this weight of responsibility, and weight of things that - Jesus Christ, are not your fault - I worry so much."
"I'm team leader," Lloyd reminded with a tiny smile. He looked so tired. "It's my job to take responsibility."
"It's your job to lead, not to suffer the fallouts over things you had no control of," I stressed. "I'm going to get hurt, Lloyd. A bunch of times. That's just life - but it's not your fault."
"I hate that," he muttered breathily. "I hate it when you get hurt."
"I know," I sighed, turning my face into his hand. My tired eyes fluttered closed. "Welcome to my world."
Lloyd stared at me for a few loaded seconds. He released a heavy breath and tapped his forehead to mine. My eyes slid open a little.

"Please stop blaming yourself," I whispered, reaching a heavy arm up to thread my fingers through his hair. "Why do you insist on it?"
Lloyd gave a rumbling sigh.
"And don't tell me it's because you're the team leader," I said sharply when he opened his mouth to reply. "Because that's bullshit."
Lloyd closed his mouth. He thought for a bit, watching his thumb stroke circles against my cheek.
"Who else am I supposed to blame?"
"I don't know," I replied, squishing back the building exhaustion. It was a miracle I'd stayed up this long at all. "Axon? Cloud Kingdom? Just- just not yourself. Please, sweetheart."
Lloyd fell silent. The short burst of energy I had faded fast.
"I'm- I'm gonna fall asleep."
"Okay," he murmured, bringing me down onto the pillow. "Get some rest, sunshine."

I snuggled deeper into his hand before he could pull it away. I forced my eyes open, staring at him lethargically.
"Y... you're my world, Lloyd," I said quietly, voice barely audible from the sleepiness that kept tugging and tugging at me.
He slipped into a soft smile, shifting closer to press a gentle kiss to my forehead.
"You're my world, too," he said quietly, brushing his fingers though my hair. "I'll be here when you wake up."

I liked the sound of that.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

It was a Wednesday afternoon and I was still drowsy and still bored.

The ninja had been gone on a mission since early Tuesday morning, which meant that I didn't get a definitive answer from Lloyd about whether he'd try to stop pinning everything on himself or not.
It also meant that I had to sleep Tuesday night alone, which was unpleasant. I missed his warmth and sleepy cuddles.
The tea was slowly wearing off, but come Wednesday afternoon and I was still benched from trainings. I had taken to sprawling out on the couch of the games room, scrolling through my phone while listening to music.
It felt weird to not be training while my classes were on, but I could barely walk straight and I was only just beginning to feel more like myself. My ribs still hurt, but only a little. My concussion had all but disappeared.

Bless the Tea of Healing.

I found myself back on Twitter, scrolling through the comments under the post about me being but also not being a possible candidate for the green ninja's fiancée.
People were laughing because I was dating Lloyd, so there was no chance for the green ninja to like me, let alone propose. Not with the supposed 'strain' between him and Lord Garmadon.
Plus, wouldn't that be cheating? Who would ever want to cheat on the green ninja?

Damn, people are so dumb.
I love it.

I drifted off Twitter to mindlessly look through youtube before ultimately finding nothing of interest to watch.
"Ugh," I groaned, dropping an arm over my head. I wanted the team to return. It was always entertaining when they were around, and I missed Lloyd.
I turned my gaze to the window, where the zen garden was almost glowing under the golden, summer sun. Dimitri was outside, tending to his plant babies while Meowthra watched with the same judgemental stare she always used.
Heh. Plant daddy.
A new song started playing through my headphones and I amused myself by twirling the thin cord between my fingers, watching it twist with a bored expression. As much as I hated training, I also couldn't wait to get back into it. My decisiveness is not a strength.

I jumped in surprise when hands suddenly slammed onto the backrest and tore me from my distractions. I whipped my head up and found Lloyd leaning over the couch with an excited smile. It was the first time he genuinely, brightly smiled since sunday.
"We're going on a trip!"
"Lloyd!" I gasped in delight, scrambling upright. God, I had missed him. It'd only been two days, but the ache of his absence and the tugging on my gut had been driving me insane. Seeing him again was like seeing him for the first time, attention dragging straight to his visceral red eyes and caging me there simply from their beauty. "I missed you!"
His smile was beaming.
"I missed you, too," Lloyd replied, cupping my cheek and taking in my face as if it was also the first time he saw me.
But then I blinked, processing the announcement he made before I changed the subject with me excited exclamations. I sat up straighter and tore the headphones from my ears, staring at him with a blank look.
"Wait, we're going on a what?"

"We're going on a trip," Lloyd repeated, lithely leaping over the back of the couch and landing beside me with a beaming grin. His face was a little dirty and sweaty, but his looks still had me absolutely floored - especially with how brightly his eyes sparkled. I immediately wigged my way onto his lap, wanting to be close. It'd been too long since I'd been able to hold him. "To a private island. Well, kind of private. It's uninhabited."
A trip? The shock faded away. It was swiftly replaced with excitement.
"Really?" I gasped. Elation bloomed in my chest. "Who's going? How long?"
"Just you and me," Lloyd replied, hooking an arm around my waist and bringing me deeper into his lap. "Two weeks."
My palms rest again his chest and I found myself rendered speechless.
Just him and I? On a private island? We hadn't been on a trip before that was just the two of us, so this would be a big step up in our relationship. It would be as if we moved in together, just him and I!
Would we find the seclusion absolutely enchanting? Or would we be at each other's throats because we didn't know how to adult?

Two weeks?

My bright smile faded. That was a really long time for him to be away from his team. Sure, they'd been away for two weeks before; last summer for boot camp. But that was a whole team training thing, and a couple of other elemental masters took up their empty slots in keeping the city safe.
Lloyd usually wasn't one to neglect his duties for some little holiday, so why-?
It clicked. I stared at his green eyes.
"You're getting me out of the city," I said. It wasn't a guess, it was a fact. I knew him well enough to know.
The attack must've shaken him more than I realised.
Lloyd's excitement dulled and his smile fell. He released a sigh - I'd nailed it.
"Yeah," he admitted, and his expression returned to the sullen, guilty look as before. I felt my heart crash to my toes. "The others are going to tighten patrols. See if they can flush out the gang."
Now it was my turn to feel guilty. They were working harder because of the target on my back. I frowned worriedly, picking at the collar of his gi.

"Won't the team need you?"
"Contrary to popular belief, they can hold down fort without me for couple of weeks," Lloyd said with a small smile. I remained unamused, frowning in worry.
"But what about training?" I asked, tilting my head. "And won't people notice that the green ninja's gone for two weeks? What if they put two and two together and work out who you are-?"
"Y/n-"
"What if they follow us to the island?" I continued, beginning to ramble in panic. Lloyd's face twisted in a helpless look of confusion. "What if the team gets stuck in a situation where they really need your help? Lloyd-"
I grabbed his arms with a truly worried look.

"We're going to miss Christmas."

Lloyd's concern melted into an amused smirk, one eyebrow raised. My facade cracked and I grinned.
"You're hilarious."
"Two weeks," I sighed, threading my arms around his neck and dropping my head on his shoulder. "Just you and I. That's so romantic."
Lloyd relaxed into the hug, digging his nose into my hair before pulling away.
"I'm glad you think so," he mused with a crooked smile that I so badly wanted to smooch the living daylights out of. "And we can even have our own Christmas."
"Okay, now that, I'm sad about," I confessed with a pout and he raised his brows. "Not about the part where I'm spending it with you! It's just that I don't get to spend it here. I didn't know you guys well enough last Christmas and now I miss out on spending this Christmas with the others, too? Frowny face."
"There's always next Christmas," Lloyd reminded, tapping my hip absentmindedly with his thumb. "And a million Christmases after that."

I gave a thoughtful hum before caving with a smile.
"True," I agreed giddily. "Is it chaotic? I bet it's chaotic. I bet one year Jay tried to do something fancy with the Christmas lights and set the tree on fire."
Lloyd's expression twisted into something like surprised awe. He released a breath through a stunned smile.
"Shockingly accurate," he said. My eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
I laughed in accomplishment. His smile grew a little more warm.
"Oh man, my parents are going to hate you forever for taking me away during Christmas," I groaned, beguiled. "Seriously, Lloyd, what were you thinking? You'll forever be an enemy to my family."
My fingers curled through his soft hair. Lloyd's brows dropped in consideration.
"I think I'll live."
I hummed, draping my arms across his shoulders. My eyes lidded.
"Really?" I asked in a voluptuous murmur. "You think so?"
"Mmhm," he purred, and by purred, I mean actually purred. The little vibrations rolled through his chest and into my palms and it made me overjoyed - Lloyd only purred when he was super happy, as he was pretty embarrassed by that particular side-effect of his genetics (whatever they may be). "I never needed their permission to steal you away."

I giggled, nuzzling into his neck affectionately. His purr sounded miles louder when I dug myself into the crook of his shoulder.
"Steal me away, huh?" I teased, before pressing a kiss to his skin. He sighed, hands tightening on my hips.
"Like a dragon to a princess," Lloyd joked breathlessly. "Or a fearsome beast to a little bookworm."
I appreciated the Beauty and the Beast reference, but Lloyd's implications of just who he was in these tales didn't quite sit right with me.
"Or," I said quietly, lips brushing his lobe. "A saviour to a danger magnet."
"Hey, that doesn't count," Lloyd said with an amused grin. "That's real life. Disqualified."
I gave a pout. He chuckled, brushing his lips against my own. I almost melted from the quick, little kiss.
"When are we leaving?" I asked, sitting back on his thighs and letting my arms drift down so my hands, once more, landed on his shoulders.
"Tomorrow," Lloyd replied. "We'll be taking the Bounty. It's been a while since she's seen adventure."

I raised a brow. The bounty, on our own? The thought made me shiver - this was the equivalent of a rich guy on a yacht, except that this was better, because it's Lloyd.
And it was all ours. My stomach fluttered at the thought.
"That's a pretty huge ship for two people."
"You underestimate how much food we'll be bringing," he snickered. I clicked my fingers and nodded.
"True," I agreed, gazing at him with a smitten smile. My face dropped in realisation. "Oh, my god, I need to pack. Oh, my god, I need a new swimsuit! I need Nya!"
Lloyd's eyes widened as I suddenly shoved myself from his lap. I skittered, patting his hair and pressing a kiss to his nose.
"Love you, bye, love you!" I said in a rush before slipping from the room and calling for Nya, leaving a stunned Lloyd behind.

"Oh," he said. "Okay."

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

The great thing about the Destiny's Bounty - the flying ship that doubled as an on-the-go secret ninja force headquarters - was that it's entirely automated, has an autopilot feature, and is speedy.

We sailed over the ocean, travelling five times faster than a normal sailing ship would. Our bags had already been tossed into Lloyd's room and the bed had been made before we left the monastery. In one of them was a pretty two-piece that I was eager to test run.
My eyes scooped out the deck as I stepped out of the bridge, assessing the large platform. A couple of crates of mysterious items sat in the corner - probably extra rope for the sails and the like. Training equipment was stacked to the side.
But the real prize was Lloyd, casually leaning against the mast as he watched the horizon for our destination. The wind tousled his blond hair attractively and a giddy sensation had me feeling as if I were floating.
Two weeks. Alone. With Lloyd.
This truly was my heaven.
I took a bite of the cheese sandwich I crudely slapped together and strolled towards him, watching my bare feet as I walked along the aged wood. Lloyd glanced over at my approach and a boyish smile crossed his lips. A shiver ran down my spine - I would never get used to his handsome face.

"Hello, captain Lloyd," I greeted, taking another bite of my sandwich. He replied to me by opening his mouth and going 'ah.' I had half a mind to be a tease and ignore him, but good nature won me over so I held the delectable delicacy of pre-packed cheese and sliced supermarket bread to his mouth. He took a bite.
"Fanks," he said with his mouth full. I pulled a face at his horrible manners. If Misako were here, she would've slapped the back of his head and he would've laughed.
"Charming," I grunted, so Lloyd opened his mouth wide and leant in too close. I squeaked in disgust and smacked his arm. "Quit it!"
He chuckled, settling back against the mast. He returned to watching the ocean and I chose to watch him.
His blond hair - which usually flopped over the side of his face - was pushed back from his forehead and showing off the scar from my grand slam swing with a skateboard. His brown eyelashes fluttered from the force of the wind. His faint freckles seem to illuminate under the golden sun, and his grin was growing in size. His red eyes regarded me.

"What?" he asked, amused. It was clear I'd been checking him out.
"Nothing," I replied with a shrug, taking another bite.
"Tell me," Lloyd playfully goaded, turning his body to me. He leant his shoulder against the mast and I tried not to swoon from the attractive pose.
"There's nothing to tell!" I exclaimed, but Lloyd wasn't having that, so he started reaching for my precious sandwich. I shrieked and held it away in defiance, scrambling back to escape his clutches. His strong arm wrapped around my back and hauled me against his chest.
"Oh," I said as I found myself curled against his towering self. My heart gave an ecstatic thump.
Lloyd's grin faded while his eyes hooded, glancing between my eyes and my lips. My arm, high above us with a sandwich in grasp, bent in a slump as I relaxed into him.
"This is going to be a long two weeks," Lloyd murmured. My stomach twisted.
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I hummed, bumping my nose against his.
"Entirely good," he said, brushing his lips to mine. A smile tugged at my face and I was just about to surrender my entire ethereal sense of being into the kiss when something was tugged from my outstretched hand and the moment was shattered.

I glanced up and gave an outraged gasp. A seagull had stolen my fucking sandwich!

Lloyd immediately burst into loud laughter while my shocked face turned into a pouting scowl. Not cool, mr seagull. Not cool.
"That was my lunch," I whined. Lloyd chortled a little longer before regaining his composure and sighing in joy. He captured my cheeks with a gentle hold.
"This is going to be the best two weeks of my life," he said blissfully and my attention jumped to him, cheeks brushing pink. How dare he make me soft after just laughing at my misery. Lloyd tapped my chin with a smile. "Cheer up, buttercup. I'll make you a new sandwich when we arrive at the island."
I brightened. "You're the best!"
He gave a smug grin, attention returning to the ocean. "I know."
I rolled my eyes.
Lloyd crossed his arms. His bare biceps bulged and practically called for me to indulge myself, so I did. I nudged my head beneath his arms. Lloyd snorted in amusement but still lifted his elbows so I could snuggly slot into the small gap between his chest and forearms. It was the perfect fit.

"The ship feels so empty without everyone else," I mentioned quietly.
Every other time I'd been on the bounty, it'd been a bustling hub full of the team, the two senseis, Misako and I. That compared to now, just Lloyd and I, was a stark difference.
"We'll get used to it," Lloyd said. He dropped his chin onto my shoulder. The salty breeze was refreshing to be hit in the face with.
"What are we going to do?" I asked, turning around in his arms. His red eyes dropped to me and my gaze fell to his neck - skin unmarked and unblemished. I'd have to change that. I returned my attention to his face. "Do you have anything planned for us?"
"Plenty," Lloyd replied, and began listing off a bunch of activities that the island had to offer. I was more so preoccupied by lifting myself up on my tippy toes and nuzzling my nose into the crook of his neck.
"... we can even go into the caves there, or hike up the volcano. There's a couple of natural springs that we can visit, too," Lloyd continued to rattle on, unbothered by my soft kisses dotting his throat. The only hint that he acknowledged them was by him pausing to press a soft peck to my forehead.

"Those all sound great, Lloyd," I complimented, and genuinely meant it, too. They did sound fun. Lloyd beamed at the praise, opening his mouth to say something else before I quickly cut him off. "Can I make a suggestion for an activity?"
He raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Sure," Lloyd nodded, waiting to hear my idea. A corner of my lips twitched into a subtle smirk at his open features, unaware of my hands carefully lifting up the bottom of his shirt. He was so cute and innocent, despite his war-torn life.
I stretched up even further on my toes and licked a long strip up his neck while my fingers splayed across his lower abdomen, catching the heat of his skin. His breathing hitched, his body tensed.
"Hm, or maybe not," I shrugged carelessly when I set myself back down to my regular height. Stunned, Lloyd was speechless, staring at me with a face just as red as his eyes. I bit my smiling lips in amusement before slipping from his arms and bounding back towards the bridge to head to the kitchen.

Lloyd's hand caught mine before I could disappear too far.
"Where do you get off on torturing me?" he growled, swinging me back into him. I collided against his chest with a giggle.
"Why," I said, smiling innocently as my eyelashes fluttered. "I have no idea what you mean."
Lloyd tightened his hold on me, making me gasp in equal parts surprise and delight.
"You know what I mean," he snarled against my neck and I released a shivering sigh.
"You're so dramatic," I chided with an enthralled chuckle, combing my fingers through his hair. He instinctively relaxed, tilting his head into my hand. Red eyes slid shut.
"You would be too if the most gorgeous person in the world teased you," Lloyd groaned. I laughed, heart fluttering at the compliment.
"I never said you couldn't do it back," I said and gave a coy wink when his eyes shot open. They narrowed when my fingertips trailed down his neck. I grinned back shamelessly, eyes hooded and playful.
"Don't start something you can't finish, sunshine," he warned, leaning forward to nip the skin of my jaw. My eyes glinted at the presence of a challenge.

Taking my bottom lip between my teeth, I lifted my knee to graze my foot along his calf and thigh. Lloyd swallowed dryly. I tilted my head, pressing my thigh flush against his waist. His hand snatched my leg.
"Try me, dragon boy," I goaded with a low voice and a cocky smirk.
Lloyd gave a gravelly laugh from his throat, ducking his head in to catch me in a kiss - except he didn't. He paused just before his lips touched mine and hovered.
My eyes opened in confusion. Lloyd smirked and slipped away, nonchalantly wandering back inside the bridge while I teetered, stumbling back onto two legs. I was left standing on the deck, flustered and dumbfounded.
I whirled around to face him with a scowl.
"Lloyd, you ass!"
He turned and shrugged, entirely amused by my frustration.
"You get what you give, doll," he said merrily before lithely stepping inside.

"Yeah, but-!" I tried, knowing that he could still hear me, anyway. I stomped my foot in frustration when I couldn't find a loophole. He had me caught. "Ugh!"

A couple minutes later, after I had sat down with my legs between the railing, I was glaring at the ocean miles below us while my feet dangled. I rested my forehead on the wood, watching the aquatic world blur.
"A peace offering," Lloyd said, appearing at my side out of thin air. My heart leapt up into my throat in surprise. A plate was slid across the railing towards me - a cheese sandwich. "Despite that it was you who started it, little minx."
I sent him a bashful look, taking the sandwich from the offered plate and smiling softly.
"Thank you," I said gratefully, pressing a kiss to his cheek in appreciation. He hummed in joy, leaning into the affection. My chest warmed. "Sorry for teasing."
Lloyd huffed through his nose, grinning unabashedly.
"I'm not," he commented, nudging my shoulder with his own. His cheeks were red with exertion and excitement. "You can tease me whenever you want, beautiful."
I was just about to take a bite but paused, staring at the ocean as I ran his words through my head once more. My eyes slid to him, slyly.
"Whenever I want?" I asked, repeating his words just to clarify. Lloyd faltered.
"I just dug myself a hole, didn't I?" he chuckled sheepishly. I gave a massive nod, smiling wide. "Just not when-"

"Nope," I said, taking a merry bite of my lovingly-made lunch. "You said whenever."
Lloyd rolled his eyes in amusement. "Do I at least get a warning?"
"Where's the fun in that?" I asked, holding up the sandwich for him to have a bite. He took one and gave a relenting shrug, eventually agreeing with my words. I giggled in triumph.
"How are your ribs?" Lloyd asked when the sandwich was all gone, eaten by the both of us.
"Fine," I said. Lloyd pressed against my rib cage, fingertips dipping between the bones. I gave only a tiny wince at a small blossom of pain. He quickly retracted his hand away.
"Better," he murmured, lifting his hand to thread a loose lock of hair out of my face. "We'll hold off on training until tomorrow. You should be completely healed by then."
I nodded before shuffling closer so I could rest my head on his shoulder. Little islands flew past as the bounty chugged on, slicing through the air at a speed a ship its size really shouldn't be able to go.
Another ten minutes had been and we were approaching the island that would be our getaway. I tried to remind myself as I gazed at the tropical paradise that this wasn't a real holiday - it was a training camp and hideaway from Axon.

But the island just looked so much like heaven that I couldn't help but feel as if it were just a simple holiday.
With the swaying green palm trees, miles of golden beach, and thick, exotic vegetation in the forest, it looked like it belonged on a postcard with a 'wish you were here!' stamped at the bottom. I sighed in bliss. Even the sun seemed nicer out here. The air was certainly more refreshing than in the city.
Lloyd went off to deal with anchoring the bounty, using his super strength to haul the impossibly large anchor to the beach. Another anchor at the end of the bounty was released into the deep, clear water. I could see the bottom of the ocean for miles, coral reefs and anemone and the oceanic inhabitants lazily twisting through them. I would have to ask if snorkelling is one of the activities Lloyd had planned.
One last touch: Lloyd used his earth powers to build a pathway from the beach, leading right up to the deck. He was puffed and breathless, with sweat beading down his forehead, but proud.
He's so cute when he's proud.

"What's on the agenda for today, Sensei Lloyd?" I asked, grinning as I leant on the railing. Lloyd was standing on the opposite side, on the rock pier. His own smile was also amused.
"Relax," he said, still breathless - but not as much as he would've been a couple of months ago. His training was doing wonders. "Don't want to risk aggravating your injuries."
"And you also want a day off," I noted with a crooked smile, seeing his ulterior motive a mile away. Lloyd slumped with a groan, dropping his forehead to the railing between my hands.
"One day," he whined into the wood. "Just one day."
I sighed sympathetically, shoving back the worry that spiked hard in my chest. Lloyd, more than anyone, deserved a rest. Hell, he's earned a rest for the next couple of centuries with all the good he's done for the city and the world.
I crouched down to catch his gaze, squinted against the wooden railing. His green eyes, all wide and innocent and adorable, jumped to mine.

"Lloyd Garmadon," I began in a flourish, smiling cheekily. "Will you do me the utmost honour of having a relaxing afternoon with me?"
Lloyd blinked. He straightened with a smirk, holding out his hand for mine.
"It would be my pleasure, m'lady," he said, echoing the playful tone of my voice and helping me over the railing. I landed on the rock with a huff before pulling Lloyd's arm around me in a self-proclaimed side hug.
"I hope you know that you're not welcome in my house anymore," I announced as we waltzed down the rock pier. "My dad hates you for this. I've never been away from them for Christmas before."
I winced, recalling his furious face - despite Lloyd's most best attempts at being the perfect boyfriend while he requested (demanded) that I have two weeks off-radar with him. My father wanted to argue, but he couldn't. Not with Axon's gang still on the loose.

For once, they were good for something.
I should send a thank you letter to Axon for this getaway. It was because of him, after all.

Lloyd grinned as the rock shifted to soft sand. The grains were blissfully warm from the sun and if it weren't for the undesirable product of getting grit into every crevice of my person, I'd lay down on the beach and take a nap.
"Jamie loves me," Lloyd said nonchalantly, throwing a careless smile my way. "He'll get over it in no time."
I raised my eyebrows. He lead me through a hidden path in the vegetation of the forest. The sun spilt through the leaves like broken drops of gold.
"You clearly don't know my father," I mused dryly. "Hey - where are we going? Why did you choose this island, anyway?"
Lloyd looked over his shoulder at me and gave a closed-eye, sparkling beam. If we were in an anime, flowers and love hearts would be blooming around him.
"The team and I came across this island during a mission a couple of years back," he announced, pushing aside some large ferns that draped across our path. "I've been meaning to take you for a while, but it's just so far away."

What the ferns hid was a paradise gem hidden by a moat of thick forestry. Green of every vibrant shade attacked my vision in beauty undefeated. A waterfall crashed over the cliff face on the other side of the clearing. It dropped into a large lake, which had streams snaking through and disappearing into the trees.
Large trees with vines draping from the large branches sat in random placements amongst the gargantuan break in forest, yet this little slice of nirvana was just simply so ethereally breathtaking and perfect that I could barely believe that it was just caused by nature. Surely it was of Uchū's very own creation, right? Such a place is this simply couldn't have popped up by itself.
"What do you think?" Lloyd asked, still holding back the ferns. I shook my head slowly, watching in awe as colourful parrots darted across the ever so blue sky. My mouth was opening to form words, but I couldn't find the right ones to say.
How could I? This incredible little piece of the world had rendered me totally spellbound and speechless.

Lloyd laughed softly, understanding my absence of an audible reply. His fingers slipped through mine and he tugged me forth.
"C'mon," he said with an attractively boyish gleam in his eyes - it was almost as if he were considering sending Axon a thank you letter, too. "There's more that I want to show you."
Lloyd lead me through the exotic vegetation of the island's rainforest, taking me down the small incline to the valley of the clearing. The roaring of the waterfall grew louder as we approached.
"I- I thought we were supposed to be relaxing," I stammered, only just having been able to find my voice.
"I know," Lloyd said in a pitched, drawling voice - the kind of voice he did when he was doing something when he was supposed to be really doing something else that was more important. We leapt over a smaller stream and continued deeper into the clearing. "But I just wanted to show you this first."
I released another disbelieving breath as he showed me a small entrance to a cave beside the waterfall. The path lead deep into the cliff face, and from what I knew of minecraft, split off into a cave system into the surrounding earth.

Even in this shallow entrance, I could see the abundance of precious gems embedded into the walls of the rock. They caught the light in a multitude of colours, sitting in clusters of different hues. It was totally untouched by civilisation - simply known that if man had any idea of this, every gem would've been picked out and sold for the highest price.
"Lloyd, this is..." I trailed off, unable to find the perfect word that accurately described the amount of emotions I was feeling.
"Hold that thought," Lloyd said, stepping forward with a ginormous grin. I watched in wonder as he laid the tips of his fingers against a gem, which began to softly glow in response. Then, as if they were interconnected by the rock itself, the rest of the precious, multicoloured gems began to glow until they lead a path deep into the cliff side, illuminating the caverns in soft, iridescent colours.

My brain exploded.

"My mom says that they're called luminite," Lloyd murmured, slipping his fingers from the blue coloured stone he'd chosen and holding out his hand for me. "Rare gems that react with elemental masters. My grandpa made them specifically for his wife which, by the way, he also made himself - but let's not get into that."
I grinned as I threaded my fingers through his. Yeah, let's not get into the confusing lore and reality of Uchū creating the world and all the people in it. Excluding part of my lineage, for some wondrously confusing and ridiculously whatthefuck??? reason.
"Lucky girl," I noted, reaching out to touch the stone and trying not to look too disappointed when they didn't react to me. "Being created and wooed by Uchū? Crazy."
"Let's not get into that," Lloyd insisted in a stressed voice, which only meant that it kept him up at nights with existential crises. I snickered.
Gods. What can ya do?

A small cracking sound made my attention direct back to Lloyd, eyes snapping to him from where they had been drifting and taking in the coloured cavern. The glowing was beginning to slowly subside, returning back to their dormant state.
"What are you doing?" I asked, only to be answered when Lloyd turned back around with his hands outstretched to me. A single, uncut and jagged piece of luminite the size of a quarter sat in the palm of his hand. It began to glow a soft shade of deep, ivy green.
"For you," Lloyd said with a small smile. I had to bite my lip to keep my grin from growing right off of my face.
"When girls say that they want precious stones, I think they mean from a jeweller," I teased, catching the sides of his palm with my fingertips as I stared in wonder at the glowing rock. "But this is far better. Also, green?"
Lloyd sheepishly chuckled. I raised a brow, amused. That boy was shameless.
"Tell me more about them," I requested quietly, wanting to know more. My thirst for knowledge about anything Lloyd-related was unrelenting.

"It's said that the luminite stones are colours from each power that Uchū had," Lloyd replied, watching as the glow grew in strength until it became akin to a nightlight. "If any of the others were here, they'd only be able to light up the stones that corresponded with their element's colours."
"So no peach one then, huh?" I joked, picking up the sharp stone carefully. The glow began to decrease in luminance when it left Lloyd's touch.
He answered with an apologetic smile.
"When they catch the light, they glint iridescent - to symbolise all the different powers," Lloyd continued, gently picking the stone from my hand and holding it up to the entrance, where the sun was beginning to poke through. True to his word, the green stone began to glint iridescent in the sunlight. "I can get this cut for you, if you'd like."

"Actually, I like it just the way it is," I decided, dropping my chin against his arm as we watched it glow rainbow colours. "It's imperfect and a little rough around the edges, but that's okay, it's perfect to me. Thank you, dragon boy."
"I know what you're doing."
I chuckled, holding out my palm when Lloyd offered the luminite back to me.
"I know that you know," I hummed, rolling the sharp rock in my fingers. "And you bet your ass that I mean it."
"Alright, little miss philosophy," Lloyd teased, poking my side. "Let's get back to the ship. We've got a whole two weeks to explore the island but only this afternoon to laze about."

"Yes!" I cheered, following Lloyd with a bounce in my step, still clutching the stone securely in my hand. "I love lazing about!"