Flames of the Past #2: Beginning of Chaos (Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 14

A strange couple of weeks passed. Strange because all during those weeks, there wasn't a single sign of the Sons of Darkness. The ninja still patrolled every night, but experienced no break-ins. The apprehensive tension the palace had been in had been replaced with an odd sense of peace. The ninja grew more relaxed, too.

"Go fish," Jay said.

Sighing, Kai picked up a card.

The team was in the parlor. Jay, Kai, Cole, Pixal, Zane, and Nya lounged around a table in a lazy game of Go Fish. Laurie was with them with her own cards, thinking she was playing but really having no clue what she was doing.

Unlike the other ninja, Lloyd was doing nothing but staring at the wall as he sat alone on another couch. He was aware of the others' laughter and chatter behind him, but he didn't feel like joining in. He didn't understand how the simple game could be so entertaining. It didn't look like much fun. But then again, nothing felt "fun" to him anymore.

He wasn't thinking about anything in particular as he zoned in and out of reality. He hadn't been particularly fond of the lack of action lately. It had been giving him too much time to be in his head. Too much time to remember. To remember and beat himself up over it.

His chest already felt heavy and he grunted, running a hand over his face. It was only every day he thought about Ariana and how he'd been so powerless to save her. It had just been so hard ever since he lost her.

Lloyd glanced over his shoulder at Laurie. If he was being honest, his daughter was the only thing coaxing him to stay strong. He wouldn't be able to bear losing her, too, just as he couldn't lose anyone else he loved. When Kai had suggested it hypothetically that night in the doctor's room, he'd nearly panicked at the thought of it. With everyone he'd already lost—and losing Kai on top of all of it? It'd break him.

Sometimes, he thought about giving up trying. But he knew he couldn't. Kai had so much faith in him. He really believed Lloyd could get through this. Although the red ninja couldn't completely understand how terrible Lloyd felt most of the time, the green ninja still couldn't let his big brother down. He only needed distractions. Focusing on the chaos of the mission had been working for him, but now that that chaos had suddenly died down, he felt himself spiraling again.

"Lloyd?" Garmadon's voice broke his thoughts.

Lloyd jerked in surprise, straightening up as he glanced up at his father. "Yes, Father?" he answered.

Garmadon tipped his head. "You don't want to hang out with your friends?" he inquired.

Lloyd swallowed. Of course that was what his father would expect him to do—because that was the normal thing to do. "Not... really," he stammered. Their relationship hadn't gotten any better over the weeks. Not since Lloyd had lost his temper over the camera situation. That certainly hadn't made anything better between them.

"Then... what are you doing?" Garmadon asked.

Lloyd shifted uneasily. It was that tone of voice that made him feel he was doing something wrong. "Nothing," he replied honestly. "Just... sitting."

Garmadon stared at him, seeming confused and a bit suspicious. Only after Lloyd shied from his gaze did he speak again. "Alright then," he sighed, turning away. "At least that means you can't get into any trouble."

Lloyd stared at his feet as the sensei walked away again. He let out a breath of relief, clutching the couch cushions beside him. Did... Did his father care about him? Of course he does, Lloyd told himself. But those words rang in his head—those words his father had spoken—

No!

Lloyd gripped his hair, struggling to shut the four words out of his mind. That was a long time ago. He had to stop thinking about it. But it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy at all, with how much the words still hurt, and how it seemed Garmadon still meant them.