TW: mild sexual content, body piercing

The first thing Garmadon did after Lloyd kissed me goodbye was delve into the most embarrassing stories of his son that he could think of.

It had me snorting and crying with laughter by the time we made it to the serpentine tombs that sat underneath the city. The sight of the large, bolted boulder-esque door immediately sobered me up and I stood, hovering unsurely. Laughter faded fast.
"Ready?" Garmadon asked, placing a reassuring hand on the top of my head.
"Not really," I admitted with a nervous, breathy laugh. "Every sense of control over my life feels like it's been ripped from my hands. B- but it's okay. It's fine."
"We never truly have any control over our fates," Garmadon said in a gentle hum as he folded his arms behind his back, the gold of his sensei robes glinting softly in the darkness. "Life is just riding the waves. We must adapt to it, much like how water must adapt to its surroundings, and fire must adapt to how much oxygen it is exposed to."
"What would energy have to adapt to?" I asked shakily as I stared at the door. Garmadon sent me a smile that held a million stories.
"Love," he replied.
"I see where he gets his cheesiness from," I murmured, wringing my hands. "Being a hopeless romantic must run in the family."
Garmadon chuckled.
"It does."

The doors were opened by a large constricti, who glared suspiciously at me with dark yellow eyes. I shivered at the biting stare, averting my gaze. His biceps were the size of my head. He could crush me with a pinky.
"Thank you," Garmadon said in a pleasant voice with a respectful bow of his head. I clumsily copied with a stammering "th- thanks."
The snake grunted in reply. The doors shut behind us and between the heavily bolted door, the moody lighting and the lack of sun, I genuinely felt prisoned.
I'm definitely getting these guys out of here.
"How is school?" Garmadon asked, making small talk while we walked down more long, cavernous tunnels. The constricti slithered beside us, keeping an eye. I could still feel his glare.
"It's okay," I sighed, hugging my arms at the chill. Some rats scampered down the shadows and I shivered. "I mean, everybody thinks I'm cheating on Lloyd with the green ninja from that one photo in the hospital a few months back and the more recent one with the promise ring definitely doesn't help, but it's okay."
Garmadon raised a brow.
"It sucks," I caved, my facade shattering with one simple look from the Sensei. "It really sucks. I can't wait to get out of high school."

He gave an amused, although sympathetic smile.
"Only a few more months," Garmadon reassured. "And then it will be summer again. You'll have your one-year anniversary with Lloyd then as well, correct?"
"Oh," I said, blinking in surprise. "Oh, shoot. You're right."
"The year went by fast," Garmadon said. "But it's not over yet."
"Yeah," I agreed with a heavy groan. "Exams."
He chuckled softly, watching as the constricti slithered on ahead while he slowed. I matched Garmadon's pace, confused.
"I want to thank you for the other week," he said quietly, voice hushed. "When you met my father. You handled it exceptionally well."
"Really?" I said, surprised. "I- I mean, you're welcome. But I was having a total mental breakdown. My brain was doing some hardcore gymnastics to keep up with what was happening."
"You still did better than expected. Misako fainted the first time she met him," Garmadon said with a snicker. "She couldn't handle the overload of information."

I stared at him, baffled by the revelation.
"B- but Misako's a badass," I said, taken aback and speaking without thinking once again. He laughed at my words, anyway.
"Indeed she is," Garmadon said with a snickering grin. "But she still couldn't keep up with it. We think that you managed to handle it because of your specific powers."
"Ah, yes," I hummed dryly, brows dipping over my eyes in displeasure. "The powers I'm not allowed to know about. I- I still don't quite understand how he's still... alive."
"It's his soul," Garmadon replied. "He's not truly alive, not in the sense that you and I are alive. But his soul still exists, and with it his memories and god-awful jokes."
I laughed loudly at the unintentional pun. It echoed down the cavern and I grimaced at the volume. Garmadon didn't look pleased that his slip up amused me so.
"It's his soul and his powers," Garmadon continued while I struggled to keep my stupid grin in check. "A culmination of both. His abilities were split between Wu and I, but everything were combined back into Lloyd due to the prophecies he's had to be in and the ones yet to come."

"Right, because he's... super powerful," I murmured, smile fading. I seemed to keep needing to be reminded that Lloyd, as much of a teenage dork that he is, was still first and foremost a god. The knowledge of it alone held a heavy weight.
"It will take him many centuries to fully master his potential," Garmadon continued in a thoughtful voice. "I will surely be long dead by then."
An ache split open in my chest.
"So will I," I said quietly. I didn't like to think of it - the fact that Lloyd's lifespan was so drastically longer than my own. He'd still look twenty when I'm old and grey and in a coffin.
"We don't know that," Garmadon pointed out in a gentle voice. "There are many mysteries about your powers we have yet to discover. They do not stem from Uchū - for all we know, the same rules may or may not apply."
I didn't like those chances.

"Besides," Garmadon continued in a grunt. The large walkway opened up into an even larger cave, dotted with bioluminescent stalks of some kind of growth and shot through with small, trickling streams. Entrances to more walkways sat around the cave, leading deeper underground. "Uchū usually drops by once a year to be a jerk, so if anything, you're lucky that your powers don't come from his."
My smile didn't feel genuine. It wasn't. But I didn't have time to mope, as the council of snakes (one representative of each tribe, it seemed) were awaiting us.
"Lloyd taught me all that he knew about the serpentine while I was also studying for history," I murmured to Garmadon as we walked forward. Aside from the council, more serpentine watched from afar, murmuring. I felt like I was at school again with all these stares. "So pinch me if I start spouting out facts about Captain Soto instead of the peace proposal."

Lloyd's dad grinned.
"You can count on me," he vowed, the last thing he spoke to me before sending the wary generals a content smile as he stepped forward. "My friends-"
"Do not addresss us as sssuch," one head of the fangpyre general hissed.
"After your kind locked usss down here for centuriesss," finished the second head, white eyes glaring.
Shoot. Okay. Lloyd warned me that there'd be some bad blood - but I wasn't expecting it to be hostile right off the bat. I hoped he and Misako were having better success with the emperor and empress.
I grimaced, fists clenching in anxiety as I stared at the five generals. Four of them - the red, two-headed fangpyre, the red-eyed, blue scaled hypnobri, the spiked, tough looking constricti and the familiar, but equally intimidating venomari - were staring directly at Garmadon, ignoring me.
But the fifth, the purple-coloured, long-necked snake with red eyes was staring directly at me. His face was pulled into a look of distaste, lip curling over a fang the size of my forearm and as sharp as a sword from one of Lloyd's collection.

I knew who he was - I'd been told the tales of a purple anacondri, the last of his kind, when Lloyd spilled his life story to me that evening in the onsen. There wasn't much I remembered, but what I did hardly put him in a good light. He manipulated Lloyd when he was only eleven.
The jerk.
While Garmadon tried to get on the good side of the four generals, Pythor P. Chumsworth slithered forward to address me, eyes squinted. I crossed my arms, trying to not let his towering height intimidate me.
"So, you're the green ninja's little prophesied girlfriend?" Pythor said, unimpressed, as he looked me up and down with a scowl. My arms tightened across my chest. "I was expecting... more."
Ah, yes. Just as Lloyd had said; grade-a asshole material.
"And you must be Pythor," I said bitterly, voice hushed while a tug in my gut had a ferocious, protective rage swell within me. "If it weren't for the fact that we're here for the proposal of a peace treaty, I would punch your face."
"If it weren't for the fact that your green ninja boyfriend would kill me, I would've eaten you whole already," Pythor hissed.
"Then we've come to a truce," I noted.
"It seems we have," the anacondri drawled dully.

"What I don't understand," piped up the constricti General, whose name was... Skal... Skalidor? "Is why you would only now approach us. It has been over ssseven hundred years. Why have you decided to propose such a thing?"
"Truthfully," Garmadon said, stepping back and gently urging me forward into the limelight. "It was not my idea. It was Y/n's. You may know her as the peach figure that would often appear in our respective prophecies."
S,, Skales? I think it was Skales - anyway, the hypnobri general suddenly stood, eyeing me with a look between shock and horror.
"The harbinger of doom!" Skales exclaimed in disgusted accusation. "You brought her into our home?! Have you no shame, human?"
"Excuse me?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion. Pythor chuckled, enjoying the anarchy.
"No, no," Acidicus, the venomari general, corrected. "Ssshe's the green ninja's protector."
Garmadon stiffened. I wondered if I wasn't allowed to hear that or not. I decided that I didn't have the extra energy to care for it, either way.
"Only in some of the prophecies!" Skales insisted. "Her presence in Lloyd'sss life is bad enough omen as it isss!"
"Wh- what are they talking about?" I asked Garmadon quietly. He ignored me, raising his palms in placidity.

"Please calm," he said in a soothing voice. "We came here bearing no ill will. We wish to only create a peace treaty so your kind will be able to integrate back onto the surface."
"Peace treaty or not, I want nothing to do with a bad omen!" Skalidor said in a snarl. "Jussst the mere thought of it-"
"Y/n!"
We turned at the little yell, watching as a small figure came crashing through the cave towards us. My heart leapt into my throat in relief and excitement as the young venomari barrelled into a leaping hug.
"Raptra!" I cried excitedly as I caught the kid. "I've missed you!"
"I misssed you, too!" she laughed before dropping the top of her head to show off her scar. "Totally gnarly, right?!"

"The gnarliest," I giggled with a little grimace as I set her back down onto her feet and crouched before her. "I hope it's not giving you any trouble."
"None!" Raptra shook her head with a beaming smile. It fell a little at the corners. "I hope you're okay after being hit with the venom."
"Totally fine," I reassured gently. "It actually let me sort out some issues I had with a friend, so thank you heaps."
Raptra snorted a little giggle. My heart soared at her easy smile.
"You're thanking me for hitting you with my venom?"
"I guess I am," I said with a shrug.
"You're ssso silly, Y/n."
"The silliest," I agreed with a grin.
"Y- you were the one who defended Raptra?" Acidicus asked in disbelief. We glanced up and the little venomari nodded with a dopey grin.
"She'sss my hero!" Raptra claimed, thoroughly stabbing my heart with cuteness as she slung her arms around my shoulders.
"You ssseriously cannot be considering-"
"Y/n protected one of our own," Acidicus said loudly, finalising his decision as he cut off Skalidor. My eyes lit up in shocked success. "I will stand by her in whatever she proposes."

A short silence followed.
"I sssimply cannot allow my family to be put in anymore danger than they already have been," Skales said with a shake of his head. "We all know what happened to Raptra! The sssame would only happen to the ressst of us!"
"Ssso we will hide underground for the ressst of eternity?" one of Fangtom's heads asked in a hiss.
"Like cowardsss?" accused the other.
"Being alive isss better than attempting thisss ridiculous theory that we can live together!" Skalidor pointed out.
"That isssn't living at all!" Acidicus countered. "My decision isss final."
"I too," Fangtom number uno began. "Will ssstand by Y/n," Fangtom number dos finished.
"That leavesss it up to Pythor being the deciding vote," Skales said dryly, and then everyone's eyes turned to the anacondri who looked to have been enjoying the debate.

Raptra gripped my hands tighter as Pythor hummed dramatically in thought. His red eyes rested on me while is tail coiled. He gave a nonchalant shrug.
"Ah, what the hell," he caved with a large, sharp grin. "It could be interesting."
A smile lit up my face and Raptra gasped in happy disbelief. Garmadon looked lost. I didn't think he expected it to go like how it did at all.
Raptra stayed while we discussed more details and gathered more information that we'd need to follow up on. After that, Raptra dragged us around for a tour and introduced us to all of her dolls. They all looked like they were second hand. I made a mental note to buy her a brand new doll before my next visit.
And then, it was time to go home.
"That was fast, considering," Garmadon said as we walked back towards the large door.
"I know," I breathed with a shake of my head. Everything seemed to pass by in a blur and I was still sorting out through what actually happened back there. "I didn't even get to read the speech I wrote. I practised it in front of Lloyd at least seven times because I was so nervous."

"If it weren't for your kindness with Raptra, I don't know if that would've been as successful in even the slightest of margins," the Sensei pointed out while the constricti guard let us out with a warmer farewell than he had greeted us with. "Well done, Y/n. We could learn a thing or two from you about gathering allies."
I blushed bashfully, not used to being complimented as genuinely as that (Lloyd didn't count). My hand rubbed the back of my neck meekly.
"I would've done it if she was a normal kid, too," I murmured as we continued through the catacombs to the surface. "Doesn't matter if Raptra was a serpentine or not. Nobody deserves to be treated like shiiiiiiii- terribly. Nobody deserves to be treated terribly."
Garmadon stared at the side of my face. I glanced up at him.
"What?"
"Your parents raised an exceptional young lady," he said just as I stumbled over a rock. He pulled a frown. "Could've done better on the clumsiness, though."

"I'm trying," I whined. He laughed at the miserable expression on my face.
"C'mon, clumsy," Garmadon snickered. "My father senses are tingling and I have a feeling that Lloyd's itching to see you again."
"It's only been three hours," I pointed out. He raised his brows tiredly.
"Exactly."

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

Geoff (Garmadon's dragon) had a much heavier head than Bentley. Probably because he was ginormous compared to the already large dragon.

Either way, I found this out because Geoff dropped his head into my hands as soon as we got back to the monastery. I collapsed under the weight as the black and purple dragon silently asked for pats, as if it weren't crushing my body into the gravel.
Still, I patted his snout and he crooned in delight before bursting into a puff of black and purple mist.
"So many questions," Garmadon sighed as he helped me to my feet. I brushed off rocks that had gotten stuck to my back. "So little answers."
Still know more answers than I do. I kept my mouth shut.
We got back before Lloyd and Misako did. The rest of the team were training with Wu, making the ground shake and lightning to crackle in the air. There was the smell of something burning. I hoped Nya put it out before Jay could accidentally get set on fire again. That was an awkward trip to the hospital.

I was sitting on Lloyd's bed, reading one of my books I'd left in his room when he crashed against the doorframe. I jumped, taken by surprise at his loud entrance (he's usually so quiet). He was grinning from ear to ear.
"You did it!" Lloyd laughed loudly as he dove for me, mask being tossed to the side carelessly. I gave a shriek at the attack, landing on my back as he tightly hugged my waist in elated exuberance. "You got them to agree, you genius!"
"I- it wasn't just me!" I stammered, still alarmed but falling more into the side of adoration at his reaction. "Raptra was a big help. Actually, it was mostly her."
"Still!" Lloyd pressed, insisting my success with a beaming smile. "I'm so proud of you!"
"Stop," I whined, moving his face away. "You're going to make me cry. Besides, we still have a lot of work ahead of us."
"Yeah, but this was the hardest part!" he countered, pressing one, two, three, many kisses to my face. "You're incredible."

"Okay, seriously, you're going to make me sob please stop complimenting me," I warned with a giggle, pulling his face away with both hands on his jaw. He dipped down for one last, long kiss on my lips before leaping back and pulling me up with him.
"We're celebrating!" Lloyd announced as he quickly changed out of his robe. It left him in his black turtleneck and god dammit that look was unfairly attractive. "We're getting mochi!"
"It's cold."
"We're taking Kashu for a walk in the park!"
I snickered at his enthusiasm. He could've been considered a puppy himself.
"Okay," I agreed with a smile. "I'm guessing it went well for you too, then?"
"It was a little bit of a mess, but we got there," Lloyd replied, grabbing a coat before tugging me into Nya's room and stealing one of her jackets for me.
"Oh, alright," she said blandly from where she was painting her toenails. "Take one of my jackets without asking, sure, go ahead."

"Thanks, Nya!" Lloyd called. I managed to just briefly send an apologetic look before he pulled me out of her room.
"I WAS BEING SARCASTIC!" Nya yelled, but Lloyd ignored her. Kashu seemed to know that it was time for walkies so he bounded merrily beside us as we hopped into one of the cars, since dogs couldn't really ride dragons.
"So what happened at the palace?" I asked while Lloyd drove his old car down the long driveway. He gave a long sigh.
"At first, they were very welcoming," he began while Kashu poked his head between us from the backseat with a loopy doggy grin. "Y'know. Because of the gi. But as soon as I mentioned the possibility of a peace treaty with the serpentine, they completely shut down."
"Oh, no," I murmured.
"Yeah," Lloyd groaned. "They kept saying stuff like 'you can never trust a snake.' They seemed pretty adamant about it."
"Maybe they had some history with the serpentine," I suggested softly.
"Could be that," Lloyd gave a half-shrug. "But they changed their tune when dad told us that the serpentine had accepted the proposition of a peace treaty. They still were pretty fickly with the whole thing but at least it was a yes."

"What were they like?" I asked, crossing my legs on the car seat. "The emperor and empress. They never make any public appearances."
"They're nice," Lloyd nodded, pulling onto the outskirts of the city. Kashu was stumbling from one window to the other in the backseat, trying to see everything at once. "Quiet, but kind. There was a princess, too, but she wasn't there."
"Oh," I hummed, picking up his free hand and threading it through mine. "I didn't even know there was a princess."
"They're a very secretive monarch," Lloyd agreed. I frowned at his hand, inwardly confused by the nauseas dip my stomach took. Maybe I was coming down with something. He continued with a breathy laugh. "I couldn't imagine how busy they would be, though. And I thought my life was hectic. Imagine running a country like Ninjago."

"I could see you doing that," I said with a giggle, swinging my hand with his. "Prince Lloyd."
"I already have enough duties as is without adding royal ones on top of that," Lloyd said with a roll of his eyes. "Precisely why my grandfather gave away the crown."
"Wha- what?" I spluttered, halting my joyous movements and sending the side of his face a baffled stare. "I was j- I was just kidding about the prince thing. Are you really-"
"Took you long enough to make the connections," Lloyd snorted. "My grandfather created the world, sunshine. Of course he was made king."
"You're the actual heir to the throne?" I whispered in shock. He nodded, pulling into a park. "Holy shit! Why didn't you tell me?!"
Lloyd gave me a charming smile and a shrug.
"It doesn't matter."
"Doesn't matter?!" I echoed incredulously as he stepped out of the car and hooked the leash onto Kashu's collar. "Of course it matters! Demigod, prince- what the hell, Lloyd?! What else - are you actually a super genius and just get D grades to throw us off your scent?!"
"Hey, I try hard for those D grades."
"I-" I went to continue my point before stopping myself, staring out at the park in confusion. It was filled with small booths and a huge crowd. Banners and balloons were strewn around the entrance. "What's going on here?"

Lloyd followed my gaze before giving a groan when the banner shifted slightly in the breeze and revealed the festival's theme.
"No."
"We're going in," I said with a laugh, staring at the 'ninja appreciation day' on the banner with an amused grin. "We are so going in."
Lloyd dropped his head backwards before following my lead. Kashu was more than happy to take in the business of the festival.
"Lloyd, this is so adorable!" I gushed, hugging his arm as we stared at the stalls. He rolled his eyes. "AwW LOOK!"
I pulled him forward to show him the secret ninja force finger puppets knitted from wool. All six of them were there - they even had little buckles and everything.
"They're so small and cute," I coed. Lloyd wasn't impressed.
"You're ridiculous."
"Stop judging me," I pouted. "This is so exciting! I never got to go to one of these. I always missed out and had to go back to Jamanakai the week before it."

Lloyd raised his brows, suddenly intrigued.
"You were a fan of the ninja before you met me?" he asked, lips pulling up at the corners while I pulled him down the strip of little booths. "Who was your favourite?"
"Who do you think?" I scoffed, throwing an amused grin over my shoulder. "It was Water."
His smile dropped.
"I'm actually being one-hundred percent serious," I said, pulling to a stop. "Sorry, babe. Girl power. But Green's my favourite now, don't worry."
"I'm still heartbroken," Lloyd sighed before dragging me towards a food stall. Kashu followed along blindly, happy as Larry to be surrounded by all this commotion.
"Hi!" the girl behind the table greeted me with a bright grin before glancing at Lloyd. Her face dropped. Whoofofofooo. If only she knew. "What can I get for you?"
"What's the green ninja special?" Lloyd asked and it took everything in me to not roll my eyes.

The girl shifted, reluctantly turning back to Lloyd. She looked confused and uncomfortable. I would've felt sorry for her if... y'know, the look on her face was justified. But it wasn't, so no sympathy from me.
"It's a lime milkshake and cupcake combo," she replied, awkwardly swaying on her feet. "You get a free poster with it, too."
"Ooh, a poster," Lloyd gushed, nudging my arm. Now I did roll my eyes. But the other things on the menu looked, appetising too.
"I can't choose," I hummed, leaning into his side.
"Well, who's your bias?"
"I- I'm sorry?" I blinked, turning my attention back to the girl.
"Your bias?" she repeated, before smiling at the blank look on my face. "It means your favourite."
"As in who's my favourite ninja?" I asked and she nodded. Lloyd shifted beside me, hiding a smirk.
"Lightning," I replied. His smirk fell. "Wait, no, the green ninja."
Lloyd sent me a squinted glare from the corner of his eyes and I had to bite back my smile. She then went on to show us the range of green ninja themed treats.

I shouldn't have come. Lloyd was never going to come down from this ego trip.
He ended up choosing the combo anyway and I paid after being handed the treats and a small poster with the girl's twitter account tagged on the back of it.
"That's a good photo of me," Lloyd hummed quietly as he stared over my shoulder at the poster while we moved through the crowd.
"ShhhHHUsH, Lloyd!" I hissed, glancing amongst the people around us, totally none the wiser. They didn't pay him any attention, aside from the occasional disgusted glare. That was normal, unfortunately. "What if somebody heard you?!"
"Nobody did," he said behind a full mouth of cupcake. It's a good thing he wasn't actually the prince, because his manners were atrocious. "Stop worrying."
"I never do, with you," I sighed, using my thumb to wipe away some frosting and stuck it in my mouth while Lloyd grabbed the drink from my grasp. Kashu nipped at some butterflies. "But it is a good photo."
"You gonna stick it up on your wall?" Lloyd coed as we made it to the other end of the park, where it was marginally less populated. "Next to the plush and the skateboard and keychain-"
"I'm selling them all," I said. "I'll bring them back here. I'll make so much money if I do an auction."

Lloyd pouted. I snickered, grabbing his chin with a hand and bringing him down for a quick kiss.
"I'm kidding," I said. "But, uh, I do have one request."
Lloyd tilted his head, listening. My smile turned amused.
"Oh, green ninja," I said with a flutter of my eyelashes. "May you sign my poster?"
"Why yes, I may," Lloyd replied with a snort. Kashu tangled the leash around his legs and he easily slipped out of it. "And who am I making it out to?"
"Can you write 'dumb dumb dork face why didn't you tell me you were a prince and can you bring over another hoody?' Make it out to my boyfriend, Lloyd the dumb dumb Garmadon. Also can I have a kiss?"
"Won't your boyfriend get jealous?" Lloyd raised a brow, smirking.
"Mmm nah." I shook my head. "See, I have a pass. I'm allowed to kiss the green ninja-"
A beep came from his watch. Our eyes dropped down to it and our smiles faded.

"Green ninja has a mission," I noted sadly. Lloyd gave me an apologetic smile.
"I'll give you that kiss when I get back," he promised while I took Kashu's lead and his car keys from him. "Remember when you start my car, you need to double punch the shift-"
"I know how to drive your car," I said blandly. "Hurry up before your uncle tells me off for keeping you."
"If it were up to me, you could keep me forever," Lloyd said with a grin as we started towards his car, where he always kept a spare gi for times like this.
"Well, it isn't, so," I said, giving a shrug as he grabbed his gi and bundled it up into an unrecognisable black lump. "I can make do with what I get, I guess. I'll see you afterwards."
"Bye-bye, sweetheart," Lloyd murmured in farewell, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
"Come back in one piece," I warned. He gave me a quirk of a smile.
"Always do, doll."
"Do not," I scoffed to myself as he sped to the closest alleyway to get changed. With a burst of green, Bentley crawled out of the gap between the buildings and spread his wings, taking off over the park.

The green ninja waved to the screaming fans. However, the wink he sent was meant for only me.
"Ego," I muttered, but couldn't help the blush spread across my cheeks. Kashu barked at the dragon, tail wagging. Bentley roared back. I shook my head.
What a wonderfully chaotic life I lead.

🍃🍂🍁🍂🍃

Kashu slept on the couch in the living room while I studied for the upcoming exams, sitting crisscross apple sauce on my desk chair in my room.

I had the house to myself. My parents were out on a date weekend that they usually do when they have the rare chance to spend time together. It was quiet. Peaceful and nice. Also I'm sure that my mother wouldn't allow Kashu on the couch, so it worked out.
But I couldn't focus. I already spent three hours studying and my brain had decided to start thinking about other things. Like how difficult this peace treaty thing is going to be. And how much of an ego I'm going to have to smack down from Lloyd.
Said poster was sitting beside me on the desk and my eyes caught the user handle at the bottom of the back of the glossy paper. I bit my lip. I knew that twitter wasn't the best place for me to spend time on - considering the amount of negativity people recently had towards the whole green ninja being 'engaged' thing, but curiosity got the better of me. The girl was nice, after all. Or as nice as she could be in a city that hated Lloyd. She didn't sneer or call him names.
I stared at the account name before searching it up on my phone. Pinned was a thread of images of Lloyd - sorry, the green ninja. Hiding a smile and thanking the gods above that said ninja wasn't here, I scrolled through, saving the cute ones (which were all of them) before my thumb paused over a particular image.

It was a screenshot from a video that had filmed a fight. Half of Lloyd's gi was hanging off of his torso, showing off his abs. I stared, stunned, before I realised that I wasn't stunned anymore, but shamelessly gawking.
"What are you staring at?" whispered a voice into my ear and I yelped, hiding my screen as I whipped around to face an incredibly smug Lloyd. "Was that a picture of me?"
"N- no!" I denied, blush furiously red. He raised a brow. "Stop sneaking up on me!"
"So it was somebody else in a green ninja gi?" he grinned. "I'm not sure how I feel about you looking at another man's abs."
"Shut up!"
"Y'know, you've got the real thing right here," he said with a smirk.
"SHUT UP!"
Lloyd turned the chair to face him before inclining forward, leaning his hands on the arm rests, leaving me trapped.
"Why don't you take off my shirt?" he asked, dragging his nose along my jaw. "Promise you, the resolution of that photo doesn't do me justice."

"I- I'm already aware," I stammered, turning my head away. He guided it back with a curled finger and a gentle kiss to the corner of my lips.
"Have a refresher," Lloyd offered in a soft voice that had my legs turn to jelly. It was a good thing I was sitting down otherwise I would've collapsed like house of cards. I swallowed, throat suddenly dry as my fingers slowly unbuckled the knot of his robe. It fell away, slipping open. I glanced up at Lloyd's eyes, red and dark in enjoyment as he watched me. I licked my bottom lip before inhaling, willing myself to be bold.
I pulled off his robe before my fingertips hesitated at the hem of his undershirt. Sure, I'd seen him without a shirt on plenty of times (the sight never failed to amaze) but I've never done this before. I've never taken it off myself before. It was something so mundane, so simple. If he were injured or sweatingly sick, it would be different, but the way he was staring at me kicked the intimacy of the act up five whole notches.

Still, despite my apparent lack of confidence, the gift at the end of my troubles was far too good to simply give up and hide in shame. I stared hard at the turtleneck's bottom as my fingers curled around the material, bunching it as if I were securing this route I was willingly walking into.
I closed my eyes and heavily released my breath while pulling the shirt up and over Lloyd's head - fast and quick as if I were taking off a band-aid. The shirt dropped to the floor and a kiss to my neck reminded me that my eyes were still closed. They peeled open after a little resistance (namely; my dignity) and the sight was worth the struggle. Lloyd truly was impossibly beautiful, numberless scars and all.
"You want that kiss?" he asked with a tilt of his head, voice hushed. My breath caught in my throat, jumping up from his bare torso to his dark gaze. His smile grew at my stunned reaction. I'm sure that my eyes were dilated from his promise, face flushed just as his was. Lloyd chuckled and the sound had my stomach twisting. "I'll take that as a yes."

"You're so up yourself," I muttered while my greedy hands landed on his warm chest and traced his clavicle. "I should've never suggested going into the park."
"You shouldn't have," Lloyd agreed, smirk growing all the more wider as he easily and simply picked me up. "Now you've got me all fired up, buttercup."
"Oh, joy," I said blandly before giving a gasp of surprise when he dropped me onto my bed. "W- wait, Lloyd, my parents could come back any second-"
"Then we better be quick," he cut me off with a deep voice as he held himself over the top of me. I stiffened, caught, staring up at him with wide eyes. His blond hair tumbled shortly down the sides of his face, which he tilted cutely. I felt my motor functions freeze. "Alright?"
"O- okay," I said breathily, nodding my consent. His smile grew before he dropped his lips to mine in a needy kiss. The type of kiss that had my toes curling and body shivering. I sighed through my nose, hands slipping down his torso as my fingers brushed over the battle scars that sat on his heated skin.
"Lloyd?" I breathed when his lips slid away to press kisses along my neck. He hummed in reply, letting me know that he was listening. "If you break my room, I'm going to murder you."

Lloyd laughed against my neck, pulling up to send me a boyish grin.
"Is that a threat, kitten?"
"You bet your ass it's a threat," I warned, raising a hand to poke his shoulder. One of his eyebrows tilted up. The room shook slightly and I gasped, grabbing onto his arms. "Lloyd!"
"I won't, don't panic," he purred, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. "I'm being extra vigilant."
My gaze narrowed. He grabbed my hips and pulled me around until he was the one pressed against the mattress.
"I've head that one before," I muttered, one hand tangling through his hair while the other dipped along his ribs. "Right before you burnt the noodles."
"It was one time," Lloyd pressed a whine, sliding his hands up my shirt. It bunched around his wrists as his touch ascended higher. "Can I take this off?"
I blinked. Swallowed. "Sure."
His smile was liquifying as he pulled my shirt over my head and dropped it to the side. I froze above him, face a furious red as my skin prickled with goosebumps at the sudden exposure. I answered yes before I even truly thought about the weight behind his question because

Because this was entirely new.

But I wanted this. Needed it. Lloyd didn't get the chance to ask me if I was doing okay or if this was fine (I could tell that it was on the tip of his tongue) because I pressed my lips and teeth to the soft skin of his neck. He breathed a shaky exhale and the sound of it had my heart ricocheting within my chest, a blistering bliss, a symphony of desire and want and yearn.
His hands searched my body like his eyes would my face, warm palms tracing my curves and dips as I did with his chest and leaving a trail of fire across my skin like ink on a page. His palms curled down my back and held the backs of my thighs, pulling me in closer. My head was a clumsy mess of thoughts as I pressed my lips to his parted mouth, heavy breaths in tandem, fogging the glass of my bedroom-
The front door slammed open.
"Fuck," Lloyd growled at the interruption before slipping away from under me. I couldn't even keep up with what was happening as he quickly shoved one of his hoodies over my head. He pushed my old, worn copy of Wuthering Heights into my hands before pulling me back down and nestling his head into my neck. I was still reeling when dad walked in.

"What are you two doing?" Jamie asked suspiciously, eyeing Lloyd's bare chest with a gaze of fire. I swallowed nervously, lifting the book. I prayed my blush wasn't too noticeable.
"English homework."
"And Lloyd has to study shirtless?" he asked dryly. His hands were itching for a gun. I knew him.
Lloyd shrugged. "Ninja work is sweaty stuff."
Dad's eyes narrowed. They stared hard at the arm wrapped around my waist before jumping to the large scar on Lloyd's chest. He wanted to ask about it, but refrained - instead focusing on trying to whittle Lloyd down.
"Don't you have green ninja duties to attend to?"
"Nope," Lloyd grinned shamelessly. "City's safe for another day. I'm all yours this evening."
"Wonderful," Jamie grunted. "Is that also why there's a dog on our couch?"
Ah. Shit. I forgot about Kashu.
"I'll take him home with me," Lloyd promised. Dad crossed his arms.
"Alright, you little shits," he snarled lowly and I felt genuine fear for the survival of Lloyd trickle through me. "You can't pull the wool over my eyes."

"Wh- what do you mean?" I stammered, sitting up abruptly and pulling Lloyd with me. "We've only been studying-"
"Bullshit."
"We have!" I squeaked, lying through my teeth.
"Look, I get that you two are- close but-"
"Dad, I went to a catholic all-girls school, remember!" I reminded with a yelp. "I'm abstaining!"
"You are?" Dad asked, brightening. "Ah, that's good to hear. I'll set up another place for Lloyd for dinner."
We watched Jamie merrily leave my room, far happier after any encounter with Lloyd thus far. His attitude did a total 180°. Was it seriously that easy to get him off of Lloyd's case?
"He liked the sound of that," Lloyd murmured, arms tightening around my waist after I collapsed back onto my back.
"I'm not abstaining," I whispered. "I just didn't want to stress his poor heart. I'm his only child."
Lloyd snorted, dropping his face into my neck to give me a kiss before reaching over to grab my phone and unlock it, returning to the image of himself, half shirtless. He saved it to my gallery.
"What are you doing?" I asked dryly as he clicked to my photos.
"I'm making it your home screen," he murmured, pressing another kiss to my shoulder. "Just to remind you who's your man."
"Okay, one; dork," I said, snatching back my phone before he could change it. "Two; no! I like the photo of us with Bentley. It's my favourite."

"Okay," Lloyd hummed. "A compromise. My contact photo."
"Deal," I nodded, handing my phone back to him. He gave a gleeful little grin before setting it up. "You're so egotistical."
He snickered, thumb brushing circles on my hip.
"What's your background?" I asked, shuffling over to my other side so I was facing him. "I bet it's some heavily edited photos of you from instagram or-"
"It's you," he murmured. "One of the pictures we took in the photo booth on our first date. At the amusement park, remember? I got the digital version."
I stared at him in surprise. I had the physical copy stuck to my cork board but I didn't realise Lloyd had saved his own version of it to his phone.
"What?" he chuckled at my stunned expression.
"You're literally the best boyfriend in the world," I murmured before pulling him into a quick kiss. "That's so cute."
"Okay, alright," Lloyd snickered, pushing my head away when I began placing multiple little pecks on his face. "We should go help with dinner. And then after that, do you want to come stay the night at-?"
"Yes."
Lloyd's grin widened at my immediate acceptance before pulling me to my feet. We helped with dinner and ate while my parents talked about their little getaway. When I said that I was staying the night at Lloyd's, dad didn't even look angry.
That abstaining comment really did work wonders.

And, as usual, the monastery was a whole riot when we returned.

"Y/n!" Dimitri said, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the dojo as soon as I stepped inside. "We need your opinion!"
I blinked, stumbling along after the speedy monk. I guess I forgot that they knew ninjitsu, too, and were ridiculously fit because of it. Lloyd kept pace easily, as confused as I was.
A phone was thrusted into my hands when we made it to the dojo.
"Which audio should we use for our TikTok?" Isla asked as they played a short clip of them showing off their impressive skills. Even Kai and Cole had joined in, while wearing their masks of course.
"Y- you have a TikTok?" I asked in disbelief when the video finished. It was the type of video that showed off the type of physical prowess that made me feel like a sea slug compared to them. I really needed to hound Lloyd about my training.
"Yep!" Dimitri said proudly. "It's my account but all the monks use it. We're a little popular."
A little popular meant being legitimately TikTok famous. I scrolled through their videos with wide eyes. Lloyd appeared in some. Many of those hit the ten million views mark.
A humble fucking reminder of just how much the people liked the secret ninja force.
And salt in the wound when they bullied the same people they called their heroes.

"Uh, this one," I said, picking a song after listening through them. The small group thanked me before going off to do their own thing. Probably plan their next viral video.
"Well," Lloyd said, curling an arm around my waist. "Welcome home."
"Welcome home," I echoed. Naomi burst into the dojo, taking me by surprise. I didn't realise she was at the monastery. Isn't it a bit late - unless she's staying the night with Cole.
In which.
An uwu is in order.
"They have a TIKTOK, Y/N!" she yelled, dragging me out of Lloyd's hold with disbelieving eyes. "They're TikTok famous!"
"I know," I giggled. "I saw."
"I don't know whether to cringe or be in absolute awe," Naomi confessed with a shake of her head.
"Nomes, you have an account," I reminded with a snort as we made our way to the games room.
"Yes," Naomi confessed. "But that was only because I used to have a crush on that one guy."
"The one with the tongue piercing?" I asked, brow raised. Lloyd silently walked beside me, listening to our conversation.

"Yeah, that's him!" Naomi nodded enthusiastically. "Damn. I love Cole but that tongue piercing hits different."
I nodded in agreement.
"It really does."
"I heard that," Cole said as he appeared out of nowhere, making Naomi and my skeleton attempt to evacuate our bodies in surprise. "And ouch. I'm wounded."
"Ohhoho, sorry, sugarplum," Naomi coed amusedly, gently grabbing his cheeks while he pouted. "Piercing or not, you're the only one for me."
"I guess that makes me feel better," Cole said pitifully, pulling her in for a kiss. I respectfully turned, leading Lloyd back down the hallway towards the quarters.
"You okay?" I asked, squeezing his hand. "You're pretty quiet."
"Huh?" Lloyd said, turning to me with a confused look. "Oh. Sorry. Must've zoned out."
"You're probably tired from your mission today," I said, stroking his cheek. "You look it. C'mon, greenie. Let's get you to bed."

Lloyd had a thoughtful look on his face while we got ready for the night. I wanted to ask what was on his mind, but he seemed pretty preoccupied with it, anyway. In bed, he crossed his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling while I continued the book I started reading that morning, still sat with its bookmark in place on the end of his bed.
"I wonder what I'd look like with a tongue piercing?" Lloyd hummed, breaking the comfortable silence.
"You'd be pretty hella hot," I murmured absentmindedly as I turned the page. He was silent, turning his head to stare at me.
"You think?"
"I do," I said quietly before finally tearing my eyes from my book and glancing at him with confused eyes. "Where did this come from? Why are you asking?"
Lloyd shrugged.
"No reason."

And then, after a three hour mission the next day-
"I got my tongue pierced."
"You got your what."
"My tongue pierced," Lloyd replied, holding his mouth a little weirdly as he stared at me, in the middle of an impromptu marvel movie binge I decided to pursue after I had a mental breakdown from studying too much on a Sunday morning. My jaw dropped open while he leant against the doorframe.
"You didn't."
"I did."
"Was this just because I said that you'd look hot with one?!" I asked, voice pitched as I scrambled across the bed towards him. "Lloyd, why would you do this? You should've thought about it more! Your parents are going to hate me-!"
Lloyd parted his lips, revealing the small metal ball that sat on top of his tongue. My words failed me, dying behind my teeth as I stared, transfixed. Blush burnt my face.
"I stand corrected," I said stiffly, glancing up to Lloyd's amused green eyes. "This was the best idea ever, you are a true genius mastermind, I love you so much please kiss me."
"Can't," he said with a pout, looking genuinely heartbroken as he sat before me on the bed. "I'm not allowed to kiss for three weeks."
"Three weeks?!" I burst in horror. "No, I take back everything! This was a terrible idea! The worst! I can't last three weeks!"
"But think of the fun we can have with it after the three weeks is up?" Lloyd grinned, eyes dark. The familiar warm twist of my gut made me reconsider.
"I am once again, revoking my opinion," I claimed, a little breathless. "I think I can last three weeks."
"That's my girl," Lloyd chuckled.

The reaction at the dinner table was much the same. Apparently, I was the first to know. Jay, however, was the first to notice it without prompting.
"The hell is this?!" Jay yelled in the middle of dinner, leaping forward and grabbing Lloyd's chin, yanking his mouth open. Lloyd made a sound of fear at Jay's attack. The lightning master's eyes widened.
"YOU GOT A TONGUE PIERCING?!"
"Yeth," Lloyd mumbled, voice muffled by Jay's hands holding his chin down. Cole choked on his rice.
"What?!" Nya gushed, leaning forward. "It looks great!"
"Damn, Lloyd!" Kai chortled. "Having a girlfriend's changed you! So, Y/n, is the kissing better?"
"I wish! We're not allowed to kiss for three weeks," I groaned. "I don't think I'm going to last. I'll die."
"I'm more worried about what you guys are going to do with it after it's healed," Kai said slyly. I threw a chopstick at him.
"Sir, this is the dinner table."
"You're not denying it!" Kai pointed out with a loud laugh. My brow twitched. Lloyd's face burnt a furious red.
"What's going on in here?" Misako said as she entered with a warm smile before her face fell in shock at the scene. I'm honestly not sure how she didn't expect something like this, considering the team's usual rambunctious behaviour.

"Lloyd got a tongue piercing," Zane piped up helpfully.
Misako just sighed and left the room, tired.
"I am, indirectly, in so much trouble," I whined, sinking more into my zabuton.

🥴