Garmadon's Spy | Ninjago x Reader

Ch.20 "They're Gone"

"Tea or coffee?" I asked from the kitchen, holding a tea bag and a coffee one while trying to choose.

Brandon kept his silence as he sat on the couch in my living room. He didn't say anything since I saw him sitting in the hallway and invited him inside. He looked exhausted.

I chose between the two hot drinks and waited for it to be ready. Brandon, again, didn't say anything until I gave him the hot mug.

"Thank you." His voice was barely more of a whisper. He avoided eye contact and kept staring at the distant ground into nothing.

I hesitated before asking "What happened?"

No response. The longer I looked at his face, the more miserable he looked and the look on his face suggested he was about to cry.

"Two days ago," he took the first sip from his drink, not showing any sign that the drink was too hot. "Garmadon sent me a text...the text you tried to read, which caused me to yell at you." He said "I'm sorry for that."

"Don't worry about it."

He continued the story, "He said he had some information about my parents. The kind of information I asked him to help me search for since I joined. And I returned to the volcano immediately, so excited thinking I was getting some good news. Only to find out that...that they..."

Should I give him a hug or something?

"I'm sorry," I said.

Tears clouded his eyes as he set the mug on the table and held his face in his hands. "I have been looking for them for as long as I can remember. And they passed away three months ago, before I joined the generals."

I didn't know what to do or say. Like, what do you do in this sort of situation? Which kind of emotional support is needed at this moment? A hug? A pat on the head?

He raised his head to look into my eyes "I have been trying to process that these two days, but I couldn't keep myself locked up in my apartment anymore." He added "I'm sorry if I bothered you, I didn't know what to do and just didn't want to be alone."

"It's okay, we all need someone sometimes." I set my mug on the table after I burned my tongue a little. "Do you feel better now?"

"Yes, a lot." To my surprise, he gave me a hug. "Thank you for being here for me."

I was a little startled but I hugged him back. "Anytime."

He backed away and picked up his mug again. "I'm going to leave now. You might be busy."

"I don't think I am, but okay."

"I'll return the mug to you later." He kept drinking on his way to the door.

When he put his hand on the doorknob, he stopped and looked at me. "Thank you, again."

I tried to say 'You're welcome,' but it came out in gibberish after I burned my tongue again.

He chuckled and left my apartment.

~Flashback~

After receiving Garmadon's text, Brandon took his private jet and flew over the city heading to the volcano.

Garmadon had promised him that he'll send someone to look for his parents in exchange to an extra amount of unpaid work and missions that Brandon would do.

The indoor landing area had already opened the roof, waiting for Brandon to arrive. After he landed and entered the hallway, watching everyone work, he searched for Garmadon.

"He's in the fireplace room."

"Yeah, he just fired Jimmy out of there. I think he's still there."

"Thanks," Brandon said to the two women and headed to the fireplace room.

As he reached the door and took a deep breath, he remembered his parents' faces. Was he really going to see them again? After all these years?

He opened the door. Garmadon was standing with one of his investigators. She was talking to him until they saw Brandon.

"You called for me, sir?" he said, trying his best to hide his excitement.

"Yes, general three-"

"It's thirteen, sir."

"I don't care."

Oh, okay.

"I sent my best investigator to find your parents like I promised," he glanced at her then continued "Unfortunately for you, I have some bad news."

Brandon stood still, not knowing what to say except "What is it?"

Garmadon took a last glance at his investigator, telling her to leave.

After she left, Garmadon told Brandon the news he didn't want to hear. "Your parents, they've passed away three months ago."

Brandon's heart sank. They were dead? After all the time he spent looking for them?

"And for your sister, we-""

Brandon already looked like he was about to collapse. He couldn't believe what he heard. All his effort was...pointless.

"Are you okay?" Garmadon asked, and he added before he even got an answer "I was about to say, your sister is nowhere to be found. We believe she also died somehow, or maybe you were hallucinating her because nobody your parents knew have heard of her."

Brandon was so shocked he walked out without saying anything and took his private jet to its hideout in the city before going to his apartment.

He sat in front of his couch and stared at nothing.

They were gone, they were really gone. Why did I even think they were alive? He thought. They died three months ago...I wasn't even ready to join Garmadon's army at that time.

He didn't even have pictures of his parents to look at them, all he relied on was the memory of their loving faces.

But his sister, Garmadon said none of the people who knew his parents ever heard of her. As if she didn't exist.

He knew it was a lie, because he already found her. He already talked to her several times. But she had already moved on and forgot about her family, so he didn't tell her the truth.

His phone got a text notification. He picked it up and read the message, Garmadon had sent him the address of his parents' house along with other information.

With hesitation, Brandon Laken left his apartment to visit the address.