TW: gun shooting

I was reading in bed when the team returned from patrol.

"It's twelve-thirty," Lloyd chastised with a sigh as he saw my tired eyes eagerly lift from my book to him when he entered his room. He looked exhausted himself, fresh out of the shower. "You should be asleep."
I shrugged. Lloyd gently grabbed the book from my hands and placed it on the floor.
"I wanted to wait until you got home."
"Why?"
"Because I can't sleep without you," I admitted, digging my chin under the duvet until only my eyes could be seen. Lloyd stared at me for a single beat before caving with an enchanting, velvety smile.
"I can't even be disappointed," he said as he crawled into bed. "You're too adorable."
I gave a grin, flustered cheeks pink.
"My power is working."
"It's super effective," Lloyd agreed, dipping his head under my chin.
"How was patrol?" I asked.
"Boring," he sighed, closing his eyes and breathing in slowly. "What did you do?"
"Helped your parents and uncle reorganise the scroll room," I hummed, kissing his forehead.
"Exhilarating."
"Certainly isn't parkouring across the city at night."

He huffed softly in amusement as I threaded my fingers through his blond hair while staring at the ceiling. It'd gone dark, as Lloyd had turned off the light. His breathing was getting slower against my neck.
"Lloyd," I whispered at the roof of the green ninja's bedroom. He hummed, too tired to reply properly. "My parents are coming over tomorrow."
Lloyd lifted his head, green eyes finding me in the darkness. He looked confused.
"What? Why?"
"We were talking about it while you guys were on patrol," I murmured, working my fingers through his damp hair as he watched my face. "Neuro's put a border around my house so Mum and I get to move back. And your dad wants to discuss tactics with my dad. 'N... dad stuff, I guess. I dunno."
His face fell.
"Move back?" Lloyd echoed before his voice began to rise in worry. "B- but we can't guarantee your safety like we can here. We've got trained monks, miles of untouched forestry, our team- it's the safest place for you!"

"I've already lived here three months, Lloyd," I murmured, touching his temple with a brush of my fingertips. "And we all agreed. I can't just move in-"
"Yes, you can!" Lloyd said in a rush, sitting up. My eyes followed his swift movement as he slipped from the mattress and stood. He definitely didn't seem tired anymore. "Move in with me."
"Lloyd-" I tried.
"Marry me, Y/n."
Words died in a halting crash in my throat. I stared at him as he pulled out the ring from the chain around his neck. His red eyes bore into mine. I felt like a spotlight had been shone on me and I didn't have a performance ready. Stage fright.
"It's not an engagement ring, I know, but I can-"
"I- Lloyd, no." I shook my head, brows pulled to my hairline in stunned worry as my voice shook. "I can't."
"Why not?" he challenged, the ring dropping back to his chest.
"I'm seventeen!" I squeaked, sitting up so fast that it made my head spin. "We can't get married at seventeen, Lloyd!"
"I'm nineteen," Lloyd pointed out unhelpfully.
"You do get how that doesn't help, right?" I asked, voice pitched and strained as I released a short, stressed breath and ran a hand through my hair. "The only reason why people our age get married is- is because- Lloyd, people are going to think that you knocked me up!"
"So?"

"'So-?!'" I went to shriek in baffled confusion with a hint of embarrassed outrage before I stopped myself. Clenching my eyes shut, I pinched the bridge of my nose and fell back down. The duvet poofed around me. "Can we talk about this in the morning? Besides, you'd need to get my father's blessing and he'd absolutely decline you on the spot. And probably shoot you in the foot for good measure."
Lloyd crawled onto the bed beside me, unphased by my indirect threat. I eyed him warily as he leant down and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips.
"Marry me," he whispered, holding himself above me like a bowing angel.
"No."
Another kiss. Longer. My heart thrummed appreciatively.
"Marry me," he whispered against my mouth.
"... no."
"M-"
"Lloyd, for God's sake, go to sleep!" I smacked the pillow over his head before he could press another kiss to my lips. I wasn't so sure I'd be able to say no again if he did. Lloyd laughed, grabbing the pillow from my hand and dropping it back into place. He flopped down close beside me, shoulders touching, covers tangled.
"I'm going to keep asking you until you say yes."

I groaned, digging my face into the mattress. I'm barely out of childhood myself - getting married is for adults. For people who actually have their lives under control. My life is laughably not.
Lloyd chuckled, scooping a hand under my face to bring me around to face him. His smile was so boyish and charming that I almost found myself blurting yes in a delayed response.
"Isn't the promise ring enough for now?" I asked quietly. His red eyes squinted before he shook his head in disagreement.
"I want us to be official," Lloyd murmured, reasoning. "Absolutely, one-hundred percent official. I want you to move in with me."
"You're so in love with the idea of love that you're acting impulsively," I smiled, hooking a leg around his under the duvet. "It's sweet. But I'm not marrying you, yet."
"I'll just keep asking, then," to which I grumbled.
And he wasn't kidding.
"Morning, sunshine," was Lloyd's first words when I woke up, blissful and tranquil. I'd started sleeping better with him beside me. "Marry me?" was Lloyd's second words, and my eyes snapped open to glare.

"I'm not marrying you," I croaked, morning voice yet to let me speak normally. "I haven't even known you a year, yet."
"And?"
My warning, narrowed gaze was my only answer. Lloyd grinned, enjoying the game that admittedly made me incredibly flustered.
"I think Y/n Garmadon sounds good," he pondered aloud as we walked down the hallway to get breakfast. "It has a nice ring to it."
"You know what else has a nice ring to it?" I asked in a chirp as we entered the kitchen. Lloyd hummed, sidling beside me coyly. "The sound of a pan hitting your head."
His smile dropped.
"Now you're just being rude," Lloyd muttered. "I was going to cook you a nice breakfast but now you can just have cereal or something boring."
I snorted a laugh.
"You'd only cook me a nice breakfast to guilt me into saying yes," I snickered. His jaw dropped, insulted.
"I would not!" he defended. "And it wouldn't be guilting, either! It's just... showing you what you'd be missing out on."
"A no now doesn't mean a no later on, dorkasaurus," I reminded with a grin as he trapped me against the bench with his arms. "But I appreciate you asking me like, five times or something. Now stop before it gets annoying and I do say no later on out of spite."

"Ha-ha," Lloyd said dryly. "Alright, what do you want for breakfast?"
"You still open for cooking?"
"Uuggghhhhh." Lloyd dropped his head back with a groan. "Fine."
"Yay! I'll help."
The rest of the team and a few monks filtered into the kitchen at the smell of bacon and eggs and mushrooms and a million other things. The amount we made was a mountain. Damn there's a lot of people who eat in this house. Monastery. Whatever.
"Hey, kitten," Lloyd spoke up in front of his team as we sat at the dining table, eating. I tensed my jaw, already knowing where he was headed. "Marry me."
"Wh-ha- what?" Jay coughed on his food.
"Lloyd!" Nya gasped.
"You're asking it wrong!" Kai slammed his hands on the table and imprints of scorching palms burnt into the wood. "Where's the rose petals? The soft music? The heartfelt confession?"
Lloyd ignored him. He leant in close to me, so much that I had to start leaning away with a disgruntled frown.
"Marry me."
"Stooop."
"He's not asking her to marry him!" Cole snapped at Kai. "They're too young. Stop giving him ideas, firecracker!"
"Marrrrry meeeee."

"Does he have an off switch?" I asked Zane desperately.
"If he had one, I would have used it already," the nindroid said blandly.
"Okay, alright," Nya spoke up over the chaos. "Y/n."
I blinked, glancing at the water ninja. Lloyd whined when my attention switched people, dropping his head on my shoulder like a pouting puppy.
"Yeah?"
"I can go dress shopping with you," Nya offered. "And Kai's weirdly good at picking out the perfect shapes. How about we ring Naomi and see when she's free? Skylor and Pixal, too?"
"Really?" I straightened, smile growing excitedly. "Yes! Yes, thank you! That sounds amazing!"
"P- Pixal?" Zane stammered, voice glitching.
"Wait, why does Kai get to go?" Lloyd whined. "I want to go!"
"Kai gets to go because he has taste," Nya replied, raising a brow.
"I have taste!"
"You have seven of the exact same hoody."
"It's called being iconic!" Lloyd argued. "And I- I know... dress shapes."
Kai's gaze narrowed.
"What's a mermaid shape look like?" he quizzed.
"I- it... it has a, uh, a tail?" Lloyd replied awkwardly. He tried so hard. I hid a snort with the back of my hand.
"And that's why you're not going," Jay said.
"B- but we have to match!" Lloyd tried.
"Leave it to me," Kai insisted. "I'll have you two looking amazing together. On your wedding day, too."

"I can't get a break," I cried brokenly. Cole patted my shoulder in sympathy.

An hour later, my parents, Jonesy and Dimitri arrived. I was swept up in a tight hug. So tight, that I began struggling to breathe.
"O- okay!" I squeaked, wiggling myself from their arms. "Can't breathe! Need to breathe!"
"It's been a while," Mum smiled, ruffling my hair. "Phone calls don't do you justice."
"How're the others?" I asked.
"Good and clear of anybody on Axon's side. Neuro made sure of that," dad replied before glancing over my shoulder and narrowing his eyes at Lloyd, who was hovering closer and more awkwardly than the rest of the team. "Green ninja."
"Jamie," Lloyd replied with the same dry tone.
"Y/n," mum joined in, mocking the boys. I grinned goofily.
"M/n," I finished. Dad and Lloyd didn't look impressed, but that just made it funnier.
"I trust you didn't get up to any funny business with my daughter while she stayed here?" Dad said stiffly, eyes narrowing further.
"Oh, heaps," Lloyd began with a grin. Nya choked on her breath in the background. "Truckloads-"
I smacked the back of his head.
"Stop," I snapped. "You're going to give him a heart attack. Nothing happened, dad. Still a virgin, don't freak out."
Dad did indeed, look ready to either drop dead or blow a fuse. Or both, simultaneously. He slowly pulled out his handgun. Mum slowly pushed it back into its holster. Lloyd smugly smiled at Jamie the entire time, unabashed and unashamed.

"Alright," Jonesy said with a nervous laugh, clapping his hands and shattering the tense atmosphere. Lloyd's parents approached, followed by Wu. "We were going to do some training?"
"Training?" Cole asked. "What training?"
"You will have to wait and see," Wu said. "Jamie and Jonesy will be taking it."
"Oh?" I tilted my head at dad.
"Yep," dad clapped his hands. "Get in the van. We're going on a field trip."
Lloyd glanced at me, brows pulled over his green eyes in confusion. I shrugged my shoulders.
Sure, he's my dad, but that doesn't mean I knew what's going on in his head all the time.

Hah. Nah. I never know what he's thinking.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

"Where are we?" Kai asked as the van pulled to a stop in a deserted clearing. The perfect place for a murder, if it weren't my dad at the wheel. And my dad, in all actuality, is a dork.

"Is this a shooting range?" Nya tilted her head while we piled out of the first of two cars. Metal targets were bolted in various positions; on tree trunks, peeking out from behind bushes, hidden in tiny trenches. Some even swung gently in the breeze from metal cables that sat in the canopy, metres up. On one side of the clearing was a large bulletproof plexiglass viewing station, which would also shield the cars from stray bullets.
"Well, can't exactly teach you kiddos how to use firearms in a place of peace, now can we?" Dad smirked. "This is one of many private training sites for the military."
"We know that you ninja prefer to use traditional weapons," Jonesy spoke up as he scanned the large group, "because they're quieter than guns, but it would always be beneficial to know how to use one in case you have to pick one up in the middle of a fight."
"We'll also be focusing on how to safely disarm an opponent," dad continued. "But before that - a target demonstration. Heads up."
I caught a glock and magazine in my hands that dad threw. My gaze jumped to his.
"Show 'em what you got, sweetheart."
An exited smile grew across my face. I get to show off for once?

"Oh, hell yes!" I laughed, inserting the magazine after flicking it to safety.
"Y/n's a... special case when it comes to target shooting," Jonesy said as he ushered everyone behind the bulletproof glass.
"How so?" Garmadon asked curiously while I pushed my hair back from my face with a hair tie, eyeing the targets.
"She started practising from when she was six," dad said with a sheepish grin. "She thought it looked cool one summer when she stayed on site. Couldn't say no to her pleading face when she asked me to teach her."
"Sounds like Y/n," Misako snickered.
"I wasn't pleased," mum said dryly.
"Watch and learn how the pros do it, losers," I goaded with a smug smirk at the team as I backed into the range. Lloyd raised his brows at my tone.
"Objective;" dad began, voice loud and clear across the clearing while I stood in the centre. "Is to shoot all targets in under ten seconds."
"Ten seconds?!" Cole exclaimed in disbelief. "There's at least two dozen targets out there! There's no way!"
"Wanna make it a bet, ghost boy?" I bartered, smirk growing as I checked the safety once more, nozzle pointed to the ground. Cole's eyes narrowed in competition.
"Don't do it, kid-"

"Hell yeah, let's make a bet!" the earth master bursted excitedly, cutting Jonesy off. "If you get all thirty targets in ten seconds then- then you can have one of my bikes!"
I dropped my jaw with a stunned laugh. Dad shook his head. The rest of the team were quiet, watching curiously.
"Alright, alright," I grinned. "And from me?"
Cole smiled.
"You have to make me a cake."
I raised my brows at his condition. That was so simple compared-
"Two a week. For until the end of next summer."
"I like those terms, Casper," I agreed. I glanced at dad while my thumb flicked off the safety. "Timer?"
"Set," Dad replied. "In three, two, one-!"
I raised the gun and then all that could be heard was the rapid firing of bullets. I turned a quick circle, loving the success of metallic clinging of hitting the targets. It was over as soon as it had begun and I huffed, turning the safety back on.
"Time?"
"Nine thirty-four," Jonesy replied. I scrunched my face.
"That was terrible."
"You got them all," mum countered. I sniffed, pouting as I watched Wu help dad bring out some standing targets.
"Should've done it in seven," I grumbled, pulling out the magazine for a reload.

"Holy SHIT," Nya was the first to break the team's silence with a yell. "That was INSANE!"
"Language," Garm calmly reminded.
"I'll pick out my bike when we get home," I snickered at Cole as they came out to join me in the clearing. I caught Lloyd's stare, red and unreadable, lost in his own head. My eyes dropped away, cheeks pink.
"First we'll do a gun safety breakdown," Jonesy spoke up quickly as the ninja were handed their own glocks and empty magazines. "And then we'll teach you how to load."
After all that nitty gritty boring stuff, it was my time to shine again. I eagerly hopped up with an elated grin. It's fun being the expert on something for once.
"You taught me the ancient art of jiu jutsu," I began, loading my weapon.
"Barely," Lloyd murmured.
"Now let me teach you the ancient technique-" I cocked the gun. "- of the glock."
"Ooh, I liked that," Jay nodded. "That was a good move. Very dramatic."
"Thank you, Jay," I beamed before pointing the gun and shooting at the target.
"Oh, god," Jay jumped at the sudden noise, staring at the bullseye I'd hit without glancing at it. "Oh, god, your girlfriend scares me."
I grinned. Dad rolled his eyes before stepping forth to explain how the body should be positioned for maximum efficiency. Then it was the team's turn.

"Pew pew," Nya said as she shot at the target twice.
"Blam blam," I added before glancing down the line at Kai. "Oh, nO WAIT-"
"What?" the fire ninja jumped in fear as I swiftly approached.
"Don't keep your elbow so tense," I chastised, tapping Kai's joint. "You're gonna get all the shock from the recoil."
"Oh."
"Think of it like shooting a grappling hook," Zane spoke, the fastest to pick the skill up. He was also making me look mediocre by getting perfect bullseyes, damn him. "Be sponge."
"Yeah!" I nodded. "That's exactly it!"
"If you need to, use your other hand to steady the gun," dad suggested, grabbing Jay's free hand and showing him where to put it. "That way your aim and shot will be better."
"How're you doing?" I smiled, pulling up beside Lloyd. He had yet to shoot, watching the others and their adjustments instead.
"I've never held a gun before in my life," Lloyd admitted with a grin as he felt the weight of the weapon in his palm. "This is kind of weird. I'm not used to having a weapon be so loud."
"You wouldn't, mr. sneaky," I chuckled. "Show me what you got."
Lloyd gave a small smile before raising the nozzle to the target.

"Oh, stopstopstop," I quickly shook my head.
"What?"
"You're so stiff," I said, pressing my hand to his stomach. "Relax your core."
"Okay," Lloyd nodded as his body shifted slightly. I frowned.
"I said relax," I insisted. His eyebrows raised in amusement.
"I have."
"I-" I paused, feeling his rock-hard abs. Genuinely built-and-sculpted muscle, like one of those ancient marble statues in the museum. What the hell. "Oh."
His smirk grew.
"Have you been training more?"
"Have you only just noticed?"
"I'm unobservant," I shrugged. "I thought we already established this."
"Unobservant enough to not notice your dad glaring at you feeling me up."
"Oh, oh." I glanced at dad before quickly dropping my hand when I caught his livid stare. "Oh, shoot. He's gonna kill me- oopsies. Okay, go on."
Lloyd gave a heart-aching grin before doing as told and shooting at the target.

"Nice!" I cheered for the untouched bullseye. "That was good. This time try a little something called aiming-"
"Shaddup," Lloyd snickered, nudging my stomach with the butt of the gun and making me giggle. "Tell me what I'm doing wrong."
"Okay. See the front and back sight here," I said, touching the two little bumps on the top of the gun. He hummed, nodding. "You gonna wanna line those two up with the target. Focus your eyes on the front sight, not what you're shooting at."
"What?"
"Just do it."
Lloyd gave me a weird look before doing what I said. This time, it hit the target.
"Yay!" I clapped my hands. "Well done. Gold star."
"Can I get a kiss instead?"
"Absolutely," I nodded. "When my dad's left."
"I'm holding you to that," Lloyd grinned. I patted his cheek gently.
"Consider it done, golden boy."
"Hey, sunshine," Lloyd said.
"Yeah?"
"'Marry me."
I stared at him, jaw tensing. He grinned back, charmingly and goofily like any other cute teenage boy (but cuter). For a second, he almost seemed like a normal guy. But I knew the truth. He's extraordinary. A teen god.
And yet-
"No," I snapped, turning on my heel.

He just laughed at my retreating figure.

After another couple of hours at the shooting range, we began to pack up and start heading back. Lloyd was to drop me off at home after I packed my things while Jonesy returned to the military site and my parents went home.
"I still think you should stay here," Lloyd said sullenly as he sat on the bed beside my bag. I was rifling through the drawer of my stuff, working out which to take back home with me and which to stay.
"I miss my beanbag," I murmured. "And the ability to go for a ten minute walk to the grocery store."
"You can't do that anyway! Not without telling one of us, at least," Lloyd reminded, crossing his arms childishly. "... and I'll miss you too much."
"Aww," I hummed goofily, leaning back to send him an upside down smile. A shirt was tossed to him and he grumpily folded it. "Just do what we did before."
"Sneak in?" Lloyd frowned, placing the folded shirt into the bag. "Doesn't your mother hate that?"
"Aren't you a ninja?" I snickered, spinning on my spot to face him. "Surely you can sneak in and out of my room without her finding out."
"Yeah, whatever," Lloyd said as he threw a shirt onto my face. I laughed, tugging it off. "Can't you stay one more night..? Maybe... maybe two..? Forever?"
"Lloyd."
"I don't know how I'm going to sleep without you," he whined, slipping down onto the floor in front of me. "I'm going to miss being able to wake up in the middle of the night and just- just have you beside me."

"I'll miss you, too," I smiled, cupping his cheek as he frowned pitifully, red puppy eyes holding my own. "But this'll be good. We shouldn't spend every second together. God forbid you get tired of me."
"Never," Lloyd pressed. I grinned, leaning forward to place a small kiss to the tip of his nose in appreciation.
"Besides, knowing me, I'll be back for the weekend anyway," I shrugged, standing and bringing a bag up with me. "Let's go."
Lloyd groaned before grabbing my bag and dutifully following me to the driveway. I didn't need to say goodbye to anyone because I knew I'd be back before anybody would realise I was gone. I always was.
Bentley burst into existence and, like usual, headed straight towards me for cuddles and affection which I was more than happy to give. With a kiss to his snout and a roll in his purr in response, Lloyd was lifting me up into the saddle behind him.
The flight was shorter than I wanted it to be, pressed up against Lloyd's back and soaking in the scent of bubbling streams and wet rocks and sunshine. A little bit of spring in the dead of winter. A tad of sunshine on a stormy day.
Returning home after so long felt weird. Everything was so familiar, yet it felt so foreign and surreal. My bedroom didn't feel like mine anymore. Not the way Lloyd's bedroom did.

"Where's the barrier?" I asked as we slipped from the back of Bentley. He disappeared in a soft explosion of green.
"It tightly wraps the house," Lloyd replied, pulling me in close and wrapping an arm around my shoulders as his eagle eyes scanned the surroundings. "Covers all entrances but your driveway isn't protected."
"Got it," I nodded as I instinctively pulled out my keys and shoved them into the lock. Lloyd paused.
Then he smirked.
"Aw, sunshine," Lloyd hummed in amusement as he touched the green ninja keychain I had conveniently forgotten about. I stilled, heart thrumming. "I didn't know you were such a fan."
"I- no- shush," I said in a fluster, cheeks bright red in embarrassment. "Naomi gave it to me months ago! Like, way back in summer!"
"You were in love with me during summer, when we just met?" Lloyd coed, squeezing my cheeks while I inwardly perished of embarrassment. "Babe, that's embarrassing."
"Hey!" I complained. "You fell in love with me, too!"
"Hard and fast," he grinned. "A shot through the chest. You should be considered a legal weapon."
"For somebody with such great power and responsibility, you're incredibly childish," I said dryly, flicking his forehead. He laughed, catching my wrist and sliding his hand into mine. Our fingers laced.
"Yeah, well with great power comes the great need for a kiss."
"I don't think it works like that but I'll take it."

"Just to remind you two," dad called from inside the house when Lloyd was a breath away from contact. We paused. "I have access to a gun!"
"And he's the green ninja, your point?" I replied, irritated. Lloyd gave me a lopsided grin, pressing his forehead to mine.
"My point being is that green ninja or not, bullets are faster!"
I rolled my eyes while Lloyd snickered, never phased by my dad's threats.
"I'll see you later," I murmured, slinging my arms around his neck. His hands found my waist.
"I'll get you some more merch, fangirl," he teased. My gaze narrowed and then his playfully pugnacious grin dropped. "Stay safe. Keep your phone on you at all times. Nya updated a feature on the tracker - if you need to contact us, hold the home button for four seconds. It'll transfer you directly to our comm line."
I nodded. "Okay."
He faltered, hesitating with a reluctant frown. There was dull panic in his red eyes.
"Are you sure you can't stay with me?"
"Lloyd, we've been looking for these people that Kami and Axon were talking about for three months without any sign of them," I sighed, tucking a lock of his blond hair back. His head tilted into my touch. "I think we need to come to terms that maybe he was just lying to get us to freak out. He is the master of the mind. I wouldn't put it past him."

"That's a dangerous attitude to have," Lloyd muttered. I gave him a fleeting smile.
"I'll still be cautious, don't worry," I reassured, squeezing his shoulders. "No leaving the house without a babysitter."
"It's not a babysitter-"
"I know," I grinned, pulling his face down for a kiss. He sighed through his nose. "I'm just pulling your leg, dragon boy."
"I'll see you tomorrow," Lloyd promised, lips moving against my forehead.
"I'm going out with the others tomorrow," I reminded. He pulled a disgruntled look.
"Then I'll see you afterwards."
"Alright, clingy," I snickered, scratching the back of his head and succeeding in getting a purr from him. My smile softened as his red eyes fluttered. "Love you."
Lloyd's purr grew briefly deeper before he quelled it with an embarrassed cough. Heart swelling in adoring warmth, I pulled him in for another kiss; this one longer, lingering. Neither one of us wanted to pull away, but we had to.
"Love you, too," Lloyd said quietly as his deft fingers slipped from my waist. "Bye-bye."
I dropped my head against the doorframe with a sad smile. His feet dragged along the concrete as he walked back.
"Bye-bye," I chimed a soft whisper.

Lloyd hovered, unwilling to leave as he pretended to scan the surroundings for the seventh time just to stall. I bit my lip in a smile, watching as his red eyes jumped back to mine for a brief second before he summoned Bentley and hopped on. The dragon gave a croon my way as he spread his wings for take off. The burst of wind had me stepping back from the force of it, hair tangling in the breeze.
I watched until I couldn't see them anymore.
And then when I turned back in, bags in hand, I was met by my dad's less than pleased face.
"'Sup," I squeaked, inwardly wilting. He only got this look when a lecture of some kind was on the horizon.
"Walk with me."
Uuuuuuggh. Come back, Lloyd, and be my knight in green gi armour. Save me.
Dad took a seat at the dining table. I sat across from him expectantly, awaiting the inevitable 1) punishment for something I did wrong and conveniently repressed or 2) adult to child advice time, which was alwaaaays fun.
"Alright," he began gruffly, awkwardly, as he burnt holes through the wooden top of the table with his eyes alone. "It's been hard, coming to terms with this whole... thing."
My brow furrowed. When he didn't elaborate, I leant forward with a confused look.
"Huh?" I said dumbly.
"You," dad said in a dry voice, eyes turning to stare holes through mine now. "And Lloyd. Y'know... t- together."

"Did that hurt you to say?" I grinned.
"Yes," dad admitted with a grunt. "And now that you are in a... somewhat stable relationship... it's time we chat."
I paused, eyeing the way dad's gaze was jumping everywhere and expertly avoiding me. The tension in his jaw. The balled fist, knuckles white, resting on the table.
I knew where this was going. This was the worst of the worst. The awkward of the awkward.
The one and only horseman of every teenager's apocalypse.
The talk.
"... riiiiight, okay, well I'm going to go make some afternoon tea-"
"Sit your ass down," Dad ordered, so with a reluctant sigh, I plopped back into my seat. My attempted getaway didn't even take me three steps. "Now, I don't know how... far you've gone with Lloyd-"
"Totally innocent," I reassured, lying through my teeth just as my brain hit me with the memory of Lloyd's heated confession on the deck of the bounty. It'd stuck with me ever since and always popped up at the worst of times. Like right now.
I hoped dad assumed my burning cheeks were from the awkward nature of the conversation, and not anything else.
He definitely wouldn't hesitate tackling Lloyd to the ground if he found out what was going on in my head.

"Okay, well- great," dad said with a stiff nod. "Perfect. But, uh, eventually - or maybe never, who knows! - you may get these urges-"
"Dad, I'm seventeen," I reminded with an amused smile. "It's a little late to only now think it's a good time to give me 'the talk.' Mum's already been there, I've done sex ed classes, even watched the Netflix show. I think I'm good."
"Okay, yes, but back then you didn't have a boyfriend."
"The process hasn't changed," I pointed out with raised brows.
"Fine, fine," dad snapped before inhaling deeply and taking a few beats to pinch the bridge of his nose and reorganise his thoughts. He released both, grey eyes jumping back to me. "What I'm asking you is to wait. Please. Or at least use every protection you can get your hands on. Accidents happen and I don't want you to end up like your mother."
"Wow, THANKS-"
"Not like that," dad stressed. "I despised the way people treated her because she was pregnant at seventeen. Society isn't kind to teen mothers."
"I'm not going to get pregnant, dad, oh my god." I clapped my hands over my eyes in shame.
"That's what she said, too!" Dad pointed out. "I'm just asking you to keep it safe. At least until your... mid-twenties, or something."
"Alright, got the message loud and clear, can I go, now?" I whined. "I need to go and wallow in embarrassment for at least twenty minutes."
"Yes, yes." Dad waved me off. "Whatever."

I gave a hurried thanks before retreating to my room, shaking my head in shame all the way with my bags in hand. This was one thing I craved throughout my stay at the monastery; the total privacy of my own room. It was sorely missed in such a large household, including the thirty or something monks.
Collapsing onto my bed with my face buried in my hands, I tried to think about anything else, anything dumb or stupid or just plain weird. Try to force my brain to do a deep dive.
Burger King foot lettuce. The loneliest creature was found in 1992 and was a whale that spent two decades trying to find a mate but had the wrong frequency calls. The 'bloop' is a underwater sound recorded in 1997 and mystified scientists for years for it to only be the sound of an iceberg breaking away from an Antarctic glacier. If you like the smell of your significant other, biologically there is less chance of a miscarriage-

No. Fuck. This wasn't working-
'You know what kind of things I want to do to you.'
I was still thinking about it.
With a pained cry, I rolled onto my back and dropped my hands over my eyes. Shit. Shit.
Lloyd wasn't the horny one, now.

I was.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

dingbutt poopy head:
sorry spitfire! no go on dress shopping today. we got a mission :////
Sent 9.41am

Me:
dw about it. stay safe!!!!

Delivered

pew pew watergirl🔫:
tmmrw!!! promise!!!!!
Sent 9.42am

🛹🥺💖:
ye s tomorrow!!!!! i'll be there!!!!!!!!!!
Sent 9.42am

cole 'the rock' johnson:
dude let it go
Sent 9.43am

🛹🥺💖:
:'((((
Sent 9.43am

🛹🥺💖:
i just wanna see my pretty girlfriend try on pretty dresses :'''((((((
Sent 9.44am

Me:
somebody else say no to him. the power of guilt tripping is too overpowering for me. i am only but a mere mortal

Delivered

soccer mom:
Certainly.
Sent 9.45am

soccer mom:
Lloyd?
Sent 9.45am

🛹🥺💖:
yes zane, my lovely and favourite brother of whom i would do anything for?
Sent 9.46am.

soccer mom:
Stop it.
Sent 9.46am

🛹🥺💖:
:'0
Sent 9.47am

cole 'the rock' johnson:
ouch
Sent 9.47am

cole 'the rock' johnson:
ice cold
Sent 9.47am

Me:
say a pun again i dare u

Delivered

dingbutt poopy head:
IS THaT SO NIC WHT A G U N
Sent 9.48am

Me:
Y,, E S

Delivered

pew pew watergirl🔫:
INSNJFJ CANT BRRWTH E
Sent 9.48am

cole 'the rock' johnson:
sad thing is i can't even call ur bluff. u know how to shoot a gun
Sent 9.48am

Nya's ho(s)e:
wait lloyd i thought i was your favourite :'(
Sent 9.49am

Me:
lmao no im his favourite

Delivered

Nya's ho(s)e:
yeah i know :'c
Sent 9.49am

🛹🥺💖:
damn the power u hold over me by simply existing
Sent 9.49am

Me:
OhMdjfuJDHE STOP??? OUCH MY HEARTIE

Delivered

🛹🥺💖:
u make my heart go ouchie all the time <3
Sent 9.50am

Me:
SsYIDIROPSTOPPEOROOPPPPPPPSTOPSTOPSTOP

Delivered

soccor mom:
aw
Sent 9.50am

cole 'the rock' johnson:
ew
sent 9.50am

the blonde one:
wait i was in the shower what did i miss?
Sent 9.51am

cole 'the rock' johnson:
nomesss ❤️
Sent 9.51am

Me:
NOMI HEL P

Delivered

Me:
LLODYS AGAGCHINF ME WITH COMPLEMRNTs

Delivered

the blonde one:
coleeee 🥺💞
Sent 9.51am

the blonde one:
dammit lloyd u know how she starts malfunctioning when u do that
Sent 9.52am

🛹🥺💖:
yeah ik B)
Sent 9.52am

Nya's ho(s)e:
GUYS I CAN HEAR WU WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE CAVE
Sent 9.52am

dingbutt poopy head:
oh shoot see ya
Sent 9.53am

Skylor:
wait why am i in this group chat?

After the chaos that was the group chat that morning, I spent the rest of the day procrastinating on my schoolwork by spending hours on the phone with Naomi, Skylor and surprisingly enough, Pixal. The assistant robot lady was a little awkward and quiet to begin with but quickly picked up on our social cues.
Soon, she was just one of the gals.
Pixal informed us that yes, she could theoretically go to the prom if she snuck in because like Zane, she had a synthetic skin that made her look like a normal human when she used it. That was good enough for Skylor, who was intent on getting her in to experience a prom night (with Zane).
Finally, when the winter sun began to set and a meeting time and place was chosen for Monday afternoon, we said our goodbyes.
Mum and dad went out for dinner so I just made myself two minutes noodles and put on a random movie that looked good. I was exhausted but knew that I wouldn't be able to get to sleep.
I began to struggle without Lloyd.
Which is an 'oh no.'

Still, lethargy tugged at my eyelids enough for me to cave in to their insisting and stumble my way to my room.
Only there was a figure on my bed.
And when I mean figure, I mean a metre-tall giant green ninja plush lying on my mattress while doing the classic 'paint me like one of your French girls' pose with a single red rose tucked in his belt.
My heart jumped to my throat. What an absolute dweeb.
After retrieving a small vase for the rose and turning off the light, I crawled into bed. The plush sat at the bottom of my bed, taking up more than half of it. I gave an amused roll of my eyes before bringing my phone over.

Me:
did you seriously buy me a green ninja plush? it's literally half my size how much did it c o s t

Delivered.

🛹🥺💖:
i got a discount. do you like it?
Sent 10.34pm.

Me:
ur such a dork i l o ve you,, so much ,, 🥺💖

Delivered.

🛹🥺💖:
i loveeee u moreeee
Sent 10.35pm

Me:
sir respec t ful ly i am n ot doing that again

Delivered.

🛹🥺💖:
yea yahajkfkk fkfk ckpgpp
Sent 10.37pm

🛹🥺💖
sorry hehe almost got shot
sent 10.37pm

Me:
??????!! FUCKINF PAY atTENTION OH MY GOD ILL SEEU LA TER GOOD NIG HT

Delivered.

I shook my head as I placed my phone down with a grimace.
"He's going to give me a heart attack one day," I whispered to myself.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

"How's this one?"

I glanced up at the dress that Skylor wore. It was orange and hugged her curves before flaring out at her waist.
"It looks nice," I nodded, my fingers pausing over my phone.
"Skylor, baby," Kai said in pained voice. "I love you so much but that dress shape isn't the best."
Skylor's brown eyes jumped to mine with a dry glare. I snickered. He'd been knocking all of our dress choices all afternoon. It was nearing dark (still technically early though, as it's only just starting to get lighter with the approaching spring) and the only one who had successfully found and purchased a dress was Pixal, who looked hella cute with her black curls, by the way.
Nya dropped back on the little couch we'd taken too after trying on some random heels and deeming them weapons of torture. She groaned.
"Kai, we've been here for hours," Nya cried, rubbing the balls of her palms into her closed eyes in frustration.
"It's a long process!" her brother argued, picking out a dark maroon dress from a hoard he'd gathered and holding it for the water mistress to take. "This is our last prom. It has to be special."

Nya gritted her teeth but snatched the dress hanger from Kai's hand anyway, retreating into the changing room with the dress.
"Thanks, waterlily!" he called after his sister. She grumbled in return, pulling the curtain across with a sharp yank.
"Alrighty, spitfire," Kai murmured, pulling out a dark green dress after helping Naomi. "Try this one on."
"Colour coordinated household," I mumbled to myself before taking the dress from him. He shot me an amused grin.
"It's our calling cards."
"I'm surprised nobody's caught on to you guys yet," I snickered. "You make it so obvious."
"It's only obvious after you know the secret," Kai said, pushing me towards the changing room. "And people are dumb."
"Truth," I managed to input before Kai pulled the curtain across. This was the eighth dress I tried on. I was getting hungry. I wanted chicken nuggets from McDonald's.
After I managed to work out how to successfully slip into the garment without breaking anything, I stepped out.
"Oooh, yeah," Nya nodded as she stood in her own dress. "That one's good."
"I agree," Pixal spoke up.
"Oh, thank god," I said, exhaling in relief. "I don't know how much more of this I can take. I'm starving."
"Same," Naomi groaned. "That's everyone. Can we go?"
"No!" Kai shook his head. "Shoes and jewellery time."
We cried as he guided the group to the shoe section after getting changed back into our normal clothes.

While Kai choked me with a necklace, Naomi and Nya sat to the side after insisting that they had stuff at home that would go with their dresses (lies, I'm sure). Pixal was helping Skylor pick out some shoes. Skylor was discreetly ordering pizza.
Naomi suddenly sat up, staring at her phone screen with a pale expression. Nya glanced at her, attention stolen by the jostling movement.
"Uhh, Y/n?" she called, concerned. "You should see this."
"What is it?" I asked, taking the chance to escape from Kai and pad over to her. He followed my gaze as I glanced at the screen. My heart plummeted. "Oh."
It was a picture of the green ninja from Sunday, mid-fight. A normal post from one of the many ninja twitter stan accounts, usually, if this particular one didn't point out something that made my stomach twist anxiously. The promise ring must've accidentally slipped out from the his gi during the middle of a fight. Unfortunately, some paparazzi must've been taking some professional quality photos of him because the unusual pendant was incredibly clear to see. There was no doubt that it was a ring.
"Oh, no," I whimpered, glossing over the title of the post. They think he's married. They know there's somebody in his life. Which meant-
"Damn, fans are going to go crazy," Kai muttered.
Also-
"And our enemies are going to be gunning for the green ninja's 'fiancée'" Skylor said darkly.
"Wasn't there an article a few weeks ago when there was a photo of Y/n and Green in the hospital?" Naomi asked nervously. "You don't think people will start making connections, right?"

A brief pause. Everyone's eyes turned to me and it felt as if the world was holding its breath and staring.
"We should get her home," Pixal suggested, voice as calm as I wished I was myself. If it wasn't being paranoid about Axon's goons, it was nosy reporters and publishers and literally everyone who may hate the ninja that would be after me; either they knew who I was already, having linked the dots, or they'll be throwing themselves into research.
But would this also reveal Lloyd? It's not secret that I'm dating the infamous son of the previously known Lord Garmadon. Just how much do people know? How much can they connect before it all gets spilled to the world? How would they handle knowing that the boy the entire city despises is also their celebrity crush, their saviour, the green ninja?
And what would they do to me? Enemies, mad fans, people who would do anything to get the scoop and major cash for knowledge?
I would be a target. Again.
Lloyd's Achilles heel.
And he was mine.
"Let's go," Kai agreed, cutting the shopping session short. I couldn't even have it in me to be relieved that we were finally leaving.
"It's fine," I insisted, gently pulling my wrist from Naomi's grasp. "Nobody will think it's me."

"And if they do?" Skylor countered. I shrugged.
"A couple of questions from reporters is nothing," I reassured. "I can just lie. Throw them off the scent."
"And wat about fans?" Kai asked, crossing his arms.
"Lie again," I replied. "It's fine. Besides, why would they think the green ninja would be dating a high school student? As far as the press know, they think he's mid-twenties or something."
And if it was enemies, well... we got the barrier. And I was to be with one of the ninja when I left the house, anyway. There's nothing to worry about, not really.
If only I'd actually believe that.
"That is true," Pixal chimed in. "Internet polls place him as being between twenty-four and twenty-nine."
"See?" I pressed, patting her shoulder in a silent thanks for her support. "This'll blow over in a couple of weeks."
"Still, we should get you home," Kai insisted. "Just in case. It's getting late, anyway."
I gave a small nod of agreement before following the others out of the store - to the bus stop, through town and then eventually to my get off point. Nya was my self-allocated babysitter for the short walk home while my school and shopping bag bumped against my legs.
We talked about nothing and everything, mindless rambles that started off with a point of interest that spiralled into another and then another.

During dinner, the news played a segment about the green ninja's supposed fiancée. I had to reassure dad that no, I'm not engaged to Lloyd, not yet ("not yet?!") and that they were just promise rings.
What a way for him to find out.
I couldn't sleep that night again. It eluded me just as it had the night before and I tossed endlessly, staring at the ceiling with eyes that refused to even feel sleepy despite my lack of it. I hadn't seen Lloyd at all at school - a green ninja only mission, apparently, and the first thing he did after one would text me to say that hey, yes, he is still alive don't worry but he had yet to do that. Where was he? In an alleyway, in the forest? At some underground base or gang headquarters? Was he okay? Safe? Did people already start questioning him about the ring?
My mistake was mindlessly pulling up twitter and then being absolutely bombarded by the midst of a war within the green ninja stans. A few were happy for him. Most wanted to know who I was and when he 'proposed.' A handful wanted me dead, which was always nice to know.
In the dark of my room, I stared. I felt achy, like something was missing. My arms yearned to wrap around something so I pulled the large green ninja plush up to rest beside me and latched myself around it as if it were Lloyd. It even smelt a little bit like him. Brooks and wet grass and spring meadows. Buzzy bees and pollen and wildflowers.

It must of worked, as movement made me drowsily wake again. I cracked open my eyes to see the green ninja plush before me. It moved.
"Hello-"
I screamed and punched it in its plush face, only that it made contact with another face behind it with a surprised yelp.
"Lloyd?!" I squeaked, throwing myself up as he cradled his face, leaning back on one arm on the floor. "OH MY GOD IM SO SORRY!"
"Good arm," he complimented, sniffing a little as he tapped his nose to make sure it wasn't broken. "But I think you've watched too many horror movies with Naomi."
"Shut up why would you do that?!" I hissed, pulling him up onto the bed. While my heart thundered with adrenaline. "It's the middle of the night!"
"Because it was funny," Lloyd snickered. His nose was fine, if a little red. He pulled up the plush. "Did you really fall asleep with this thing? I'm a little jealous, admittedly."
"You suck," I grumbled. "I couldn't sleep. Did you see the news?"
Lloyd nodded. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," I replied. He sent me a look that screamed he didn't believe me for a second. "I'm as fine as anybody in this situation would be."
"Okay, but this isn't anybody," Lloyd reminded, shuffling closer. His knees touched mine. "This is you. How are you feeling about this?"
"Well, yeah, I'm nervous," I admitted, looking away as I caved. I pulled the plush onto my lap and squeezed my arms around it. "A little spooked but other than that, it's okay. What about you?"

Lloyd leant back, silently conflicted about changing the attention onto him. He shrugged as he busied himself with unbuckling his gi until he was just in his thermal undershirt.
"I'm okay," he said, dropping the gi to the foot of the bed. "I'm an idiot, for one. I shouldn't wear it while I'm on missions. Guess I'm just sentimental because you handmade it."
"Kai did most of the work," I reminded, heart soft. He smiled gently, pressing a kiss to the back of my hand before threading his fingers through mine.
"You still designed it, moron."
"Dumbie," I shot back. Lloyd chuckled, pulling the plush away to only replace it in my arms with himself. "Oh! Hello, cat boy."
"I want to see your dress!" he pleaded, hugging his arms around my waist tightly. "Please!"
"You'll see it on the night," I promised, booping his nose.
"But I wannaaa see iiiit," Lloyd whined, digging his chin into my chest with a pout.
"You will," I giggled. "On the night! Besides, I'm too tired to put it on. You'll just have to wait."
Lloyd groaned like it was the end of the world and he was just tired of it.
"Thank you for the plush," I murmured as I shuffled under the covers while he swiftly got changed into different clothes. "But it's not as good as the real thing."
"Of course not," he agreed with a tired snort. "I'm way more handsome in real life."
"I'd call you out for being egotistic if it weren't the truth," I sighed as he returned beside me, joining in the warmth of my bed. He snickered a laugh, hiding the volume of it in my shoulder. I smiled at the sound, suddenly feeling a lot more tired. Like I could sleep for years. Lloyd was definitely a lot nicer to hug than the plush.

"Nighty-night, dragon boy," I whispered.
"Good night, sunshine," Lloyd replied quietly, pressing a kiss to my skin.