ninjago imagines

aftermath | jay w., lloyd g.

Set after S9's ending.

TW: Depression, some bruises.

Lloyd doesn't like fighting the people he knows. He doesn't have a lot of them, anyway.

So after the final fight with his father, depression starts to set in at losing him again.

Jay decides to fix that.

• • •

Jay kicked a fallen brick on the road, wincing as he felt a pull in his leg. His whole body ached from the earlier fight, cuts and bruises peppered all over him. 

Kai and Nya walked ahead of him, chattering excitedly to each other. Jay noted how they were holding hands, tempted to forward and join them in whatever conversation they were having. But he knew the siblings needed some time together, after the- well, the few life threatening they'd gone through. 

Cole was nowhere to be seen, but then again he'd heard something about 'bringing sensei to the noodle shop' before they disappeared. 

Welp. Glancing across the rubble filled road they were making their way across, his eyes caught on another person. A certain green ninja stumbling over the rocks, gi stained with dirt and shoulders slumped in defeat. 

Hold up. They'd just won, so why-?

Hopping over a overturned bench -ouch his leg - he landed next to the teen, poking his shoulder.

"Hey, you okay?" he chirped brightly, poking him on the shoulder. His head shot up in surprise, and relaxed when he spotted Jay. 

"Yeah, I'm good." Lloyd replied, a small sigh escaping his lips.

Jay studied him unbelievingly. He didn't have the feeling of fulfillment they had after big missions and the pride of escaping death once again, and the confidence he usually held constantly was gone, exchanging itself for a sense of dejection. 

"Really, are you good?" he tried again, and Lloyd nodded stubbornly, eyes downcast. 

"I'm good, Jay." He bit out, bringing his hands together from his sides to fidget nervously. Eyes sharp, the lighting ninja realized they were trembling, a green light still fading from his pale skin. 

"Lloyd..." he trailed off, unsure what to say. He definitely did not seem okay. Not at all, no. 

"I'm fine, okay?!" Lloyd snapped at him sharply, and Jay recoiled back in surprise. They walked along the road for a few seconds in silence, and he could feel the inner turmoil brewing in the boy next to him. 

"Sorry." He said quietly, fingers digging into his palm with stress. "I'm sorry, I just-"

"It's fine, Lloyd," Jay reassured him, putting a arm around his shoulders. "What's really going on?"

"I-I," Lloyd stuttered, face twisting in despair. "What if he hates me now?" he whispered softly. 

"Oh, Lloyd." Jay breathed, instantly understanding. "That isn't your father. You know that, right?" 

"But what if he turns good again?" Lloyd asked, eyes wet with unshed tears.

"I thought- I think they only summoned the ev-vemon part of him back?" Jay asked hesitantly, not wanting to say the wrong thing by accident. 

"I mean, yes, but-" The teen wilted, tears finally escaping to streak down his cheek.

"But, if he actually does, he's not going to hate you for defeating him, is he? And saving Ninjago again!" Jay added in hastily, seeing the look on his face. He pulled Lloyd closer to him, ignoring the burn of a scrape on his side. 

"But I miss him," came the quiet response.

"What's wrong with that?" Jay asked.

"I'm shouldn't miss him." Lloyd sniffed. "He tried to take over Ninjago." 

"He's your dad, Lloyd. You can't change that. And no one will blame you for missing him, either." Jay said earnestly, turning to face him an shifting his hands onto the teen's shoulders. "And you're always have us." 

A small smile crept onto his face, and Jay's heartstrings suddenly tugged at him when he realized just how much he'd missed seeing Lloyd.  

"I missed you, bud." He said lightly, suddenly pulling him into a tight hug.

"Missed you guys too." Lloyd admitted, voice muffled against his shoulder. "I thought you died."

"Us? No, you can't get rid of us so easily." Jay joked, pulling away. "We should really catch up with the others now-" He realized, looking at down the path. Kai and the rest were already somehow the size of ants in the distance, moonlight casting their dark shadows long down the road. 

"Wait, we should-" Lloyd gasped, starting to sprint towards them. "I'llraceyouone-two-three-go!"

Jay stared at him for a second, confused for a second. "Hey, you cheated!" He yelled accusingly, running towards him. The only response was the sound of laughter echoing, and he smiled to himself. 

~~~