Teenage Romance - Or More Than That? (PAUSED)

12: Training

After school Lloyd went home.
When he arrived he ran immediately to his room and packed his bag.
2 bottles of water, his katana, and a towel.
The katana was a birthday gift from his father for his 15th Birthday. He had one before but of course, that was too small now. He got his first katana when he was 6.
His mother didn't like the idea of her little son having a sharp weapon. But Garmadon promised that he will watch over him and make sure that nothing happens to him.

After Lloyd finished, he left the house.
He turns around into the next street and walks until he reaches a field.
He searched for the little path that arose because he always walks through it.
He found it and walks along between the tall grass until he reaches the end.
Behind the tall grass was a large area.
He always used it to train as nobody could see him and he couldn't accidentally hurt anyone.

He drops his bag from his shoulder.
There was a clink. His katana.
He opens the bag and takes it out.
It gleamed in the afternoon sun. He starts to train. He aims to be as good as his father once was.
He was fighting too back then.
The interest in martial arts probably ran in the family.
Furthermore, his father was also his trainer. He had been fighting for 13 years now. He just turned 18 a few months ago.

While training, Lloyd remembered everything his father had taught him.
His dad also wanted to stop by again today.
After one hour of hard training, Lloyd heard a voice.
"Well done, son. Well done."
He turns around and sees his dad walking towards him.
"Thanks, dad."

"I knew you would be here. How's it going so far?" Garmadon asked.
"Actually pretty okay. But I'm training with the same techniques for weeks now. Can't you teach me something new?"
Garmadon thinks for a moment before he starts talking again.
"Sure. But this technique is much harder and more dangerous."
"I'm so ready, dad!"

Garmadon showed him the new technique and then left the training to him.
Only now and then he gave a few comments and tips.
Lloyd realizes how difficult the new technique is.
After a few tries it works better, but it still wasn't good enough for Lloyd. A few times he fell, and a few times he accidentally cut his legs, arms, or even his face.
He always got up and kept going.

Soon he was so exhausted that after another fall he could barely get on his feet. However, his father came to his aid. "That's enough for today." "No. I haven't mastered it yet" Lloyd wails. "You're doing great, Lloyd. I can see how hard you're trying. But-"
"I want to be able to fight like you!" "I know. And you will be able to do it too! But it takes time, my son. You can't think that such a hard technique works perfectly after a little training. I needed my time too."
Lloyd nods. his father was right. He will not master it after one day of training.
He packed his things and they went back home.

Misako is already waiting for the two boys at home. When they came through the door, she was shocked. "What do you look like?!" She approached her son.
Lloyd was covered in scratches and bruises from head to toe. "Don't worry mom. It's just scratches. I was a little clumsy. That's all." He smiles at his mother to calm her down and goes to his room.

"Do you have to teach him something so dangerous? I don't want him to possibly hurt himself any worse."
"Don't worry, dear. He's talented. Besides, nobody could stop him anyway. If I didn't train him, he would try it on his own. Then, but only then, would you have a reason to worry. Then no one would be there to help him with possible injuries."

After Garmadon went to the living room to rest, Misako went to Lloyd's room. She knocked and waited for a response. She didn't have to wait long for one.
"Come in mom." She enters his room. "How did you know it was me and not your father?"
"When dad knocks, you'd think the door would break any moment." Lloyd grinned. Misako laughed. "Where he is right..."

"What did you want?" Lloyd asked his mother. "Oh yeah. Harumi called. You didn't answer. Anyway, she wants to come by. She can be there any moment." Misako smiles at her son. Lloyd nods and she leaves his room.

Lloyd gets up and goes to the mirror. "Great. I look like a roadkill squirrel!"
He runs his fingers through his hair to straighten it until it looks normal again. Then he takes a handkerchief and wipes the bloodstains off his face. When he was done, the doorbell rang. He hurried down the stairs and opens the front door.

Harumi greets him with a smile he could fall in love with every day. After Harumi had also greeted his parents, the two lovebirds went into Lloyd's room. Lloyd sits on the bed and leans his back against the wall. He opens his arms and shows her that he wants to cuddle. Harumi immediately understands the gesture and also crawls onto the bed and leans on Lloyd's chest.

Lloyd gave a pained hiss. Harumi looks at him in shock and her eyes looked questioningly into his. Lloyd understood her look. It says: 'Can I have a look?'
Lloyd nods slowly. Harumi starts to pull up his shirt.
Suddenly the door opens.

Both stared at the door, frozen.
"OH! I uhmmm... didn't mean to interrupt!" Misako laughs embarrassed and quickly leaves the room.
"Great. She got that COMPLETELY WRONG now," Lloyd says.

Both still looked at the door with red faces. After they both recovered from the awkward moment, Harumi proceeded to take off his shirt. She discovers a big, slightly deeper cut on his right chest. "What the hell were you doing there!?" She carefully touches the wound with her delicate fingers. Lloyd hissed in pain again.

"I was training. And I was probably a little clumsy." He said innocently.
"A little? You're still bleeding! The cut must be a few millimeters deep! If not almost a centimeter!" Harumi goes into his bathroom and gets a first aid kit.

After she got back she started cleaning Lloyd's wound. After that, she bandaged his cut. "So. Done. And please: I don't want to have to do that again, watch out!"
"YeS mOm..." Lloyd grins at her.
Harumi rolled her eyes playfully.
"But you... don't want to stop me from going on?"
"Would I make it?"
"Nope", Lloyd says cheekily.
"Do you see?"

Then she brought the first aid kit back to the bathroom before crawling back into bed with Lloyd. She snuggles up to him again, but in a way that doesn't hurt him.
"The last thing I want is to hurt him..."

Harumi stayed for dinner. There was an awkward silence. Garmadon just didn't understand why. There was pizza and everyone ate in silence. Lloyd and Harumi sat across from Garmadon and Misako. everyone kept their eyes on their plates so they wouldn't accidentally look at each other.

At some point, Misako couldn't stand this silence anymore and asked Harumi something. "And, Harumi? Do you already have a plan for what you want to do after school?"
"Yes. I want to be a teacher. I have the grades and I always wanted to have a job with children."
"That's wonderful! As far as I know, Lloyd doesn't know how to move on yet. Right?" Lloyd exhales annoyed. "No. But you know that."

Harumi takes Lloyd's hand under the table to make it clear that she doesn't mind. He's not the only one who doesn't yet have a plan for the future. Even though it's just some months now until graduation.

What she doesn't know is, that he has a plan for the future. Just not when it comes to his job.
He plans to build a house, somewhere on the edge of the city with a garden.
And he wants to marry her. ONLY HER.
He wants children.
No matter how many. Mainly with her. But he couldn't possibly say that now. It would be much too early for that.
For the time being, he still has to find a job.

They finished eating.
Misako starts to empty the table when Harumi stands up and starts to help her.
"Oh, you don't have to help, darling." She smiles at her.
"No! I love to help." She smiles back.
Misako turns around to Lloyd.
"You've chosen an amazing girl. It would have been bad if you two never found your way to each other."
"I know", Lloyd thinks and smiles.
Lloyd watches Harumi helping with the dishes.

He imagines the future.
They're the ones doing the dishes right now. Laughing children are running around them. He kisses her and it feels like the first kiss: amazing.
Later they would be old and grey.
Yet laughing children would run around. This time their grandchildren.

Lloyd smiles at the thought. "I hope this dream comes true. I hope so much..."