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can we climb this mountain? i don't know
higher now than ever before
i know we can make it if we take it slow
•••••
I had never felt so drained before in my life.
Not even the morning after I found out about Lloyd being the green ninja and had a paralysed leg over night didn't make me this exhausted. "How you holding up, angel?" Jonesy asked, arms void of pupper. I shrugged lethargically. "Fine," I croaked, while the lady slathered the wound on my chest with antiseptic cream. I couldn't even feel the sting. "... tired." Jonesy and Jamie shared a concerned look. The dark, heavy clouds had begun to roll away, revealing the blue sky above. I felt cheated - how could the weather be so happy while I felt so depressed? How dare the world move along merrily when Lloyd wasn't even here.
Wu's dragon approached before disappearing in a puff of gold. My tired gaze landed on him as Misako and Garm ran out to meet the sensei. "Well, you know," Dad began awkwardly, patting my knee as he crouched before me. "Sometimes in life, these things happen-" "How often does something like-" "Jonesy," dad snapped under his breath before continuing, but his words washed over me as my eyes slowly widened. Realm crystal- Wu has the realm crystal. My heart began to beat double time in hope and panic, frozen in shock as he lifted the realm crystal to the sky. A vortex suddenly ripped through the air above and I stood, eyeing it with a desperate gaze. Nothing. Nothing. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. But then Lloyd, oh my god, Lloyd, crashed through and landed on the shoreline with unsteady legs, resting his weight on the sword of sanctuary. He looked pale. Clammy. On the verge of passing out but by god, he was still the best thing I'd seen all day.
My feet took me forward before my brain told them too, and I was suddenly darting away from dad and Jonesy mid-consolation as I shoved through the peering crowd of militiamen and civilians toward him. Lloyd's exhausted green eyes caught mine and he went to take a step forward but buckled. It's okay, though, because I caught him in a tight, sobbing hug before he could fall. "Lloyd!" I cried, digging my face into his hair as he slumped his weight against me. The sword clattered onto the stones of the shore as he returned the hug, holding me as tight as he could with what little energy he had left. "I- I thought you-!" I wept, holding his face in my hands. His eyes were half-lidded in intense fatigue. "I- I was so scared! I thought you were gone forever and- and- Lloyd, I'm-"
He cut off my sobbing rambles by pressing a gentle, droopy kiss to my lips. My feverish words immediately ceased as I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be swept away in a wave of relief. Relief was such a nice feeling. All the worries, all the fears were simply washed off. Lloyd pulled back. A tired smile played on his lips. "Don't do that to me again," I whispered. "I love you, too," he murmured, forehead pressed against mine. I hid my stupidly big grin in the folds of his hoody and shook my head in disbelief. "So much," I agreed in a muffled voice, pacified tears being soaked up by the material. "So, so much. You make me crazy, Lloyd Garmadon." His eyes squinted a little in adoration and I felt my heart swell. Then his gaze flickered above my head and his smile fell a little. "Your dad's glaring at me," he whispered. "Like. Really glaring." I closed my eyes and sighed. "Yeah, I'm not surprised."
