It was strange making dinner without Jay's usual quips, Kai's hectic stirring and Zane's incredible ability to handle the chaos.
It was strange, but it was nice. For one, it was completely silent aside from the odd chirps of exotic parrots, the ceaseless, gentle waves and the quiet sounds of cooking. We didn't speak much, content to focus on our various little tasks.
Since it was a dish Mum and I made regularly, it was my job to make sure Lloyd knew what he was doing. I'd occasionally peek around his arm and give him a thumbs up when it was looking good. The green luminite crystal sat on the bench, glinting rainbows in the evening sunlight.
Twenty minutes later and our dinner was ready. We migrated to the deck to soak in the last of the dying rays and watched as they illuminated the island forest in a soft, aged gold. We leant with our backs against the mast and admired the view.
"It's so quiet," I murmured, just as a loud bird let out an obnoxious 'CWAAQ.' I nodded, staring at the trees as if I was staring directly at our little avian friend with such perfect comedic timing. "Thank you for that."
Lloyd scoffed a little laugh through his nose at my comment.
"Still quieter than Jay," he noted and I gasped in amused delight.
"I was just about to say that!"
He gave a low chuckle, scooping some more food into his mouth. Seagulls dotted the twilight sky.
"Have you picked what you want to study, yet?" Lloyd asked, placing his empty plate to the side and turning his attention to me. I sighed and stared in frustration at the pinky clouds.
"Not yet," I admitted, frowning. "I can't pick what I want to do. There's just so many options."
Lloyd tilted his head against the mast in consideration. He was about to hit me with the wonderful wisdom pertaining only to the Garmadon lineage.
"Well," he began, red eyes flittering between my own in seriousness. "What's your plan?"
I stared back at him.
"My what?" I asked.
"Your plan," Lloyd repeated. He shifted himself so he was totally facing me. "What do you want to do with your life? Goals. That kind of stuff."
I blinked, brows furrowing as I turned my gaze to the wood of the deck beneath us.
"I guess I don't really have one," I confessed with a shrug. Well, I did have a few goals in mind - but they all went topsy turvy when Lloyd came barreling into my life like a perfect storm. My priorities and wants adapted to the new life he presented me with. I glanced back up at him. "What are yours?"
Lloyd sighed in thought, releasing a long breath into the sea-salt air.
"I guess I have the luxury of having my life planned out for me," he said. "And I'm lucky in that the plans coincide with my morals, too. I don't feel like I'm being forced into something I don't want to do."
"Even if it feels like fate's using you as a puppet?" I asked quietly. Lloyd smiled something small.
"It's all in perspective," he reminded, bringing his hands up to allow a ball of energy burst into existence between us. The green light illuminated the night that had fallen around the Bounty. "While I am a soldier for fate, I like to think that I'm a soldier for the betterment of everything. For everyone's fates, including my family's."
My gaze softened, as did my heart. It turned to absolute mush.
"You're selfless," I noted gently. The swirling, swelling and shrinking green light played effortlessly against his face. He shrugged.
"I try to be the best person I can be," Lloyd said. "But I still make a lot of mistakes."
"Ah, well," I hummed with a grin. "You're only half human."
"Ha-ha," Lloyd said dryly before reaching across to flick my forehead. I clenched my eyes shut with a little giggle. "Alright, missy. We should get ready for bed."
"What?" I asked with a frown, reopening my eyes. I turned to where the sun had set just half an hour before. "But it's so early."
"Yep," Lloyd replied while standing after picking up our empty plates. "And we're waking up early, too."
My body gave a revolting shudder at the mere thought of it.
"But we're on holiday!" I whined, swiftly scrambling to my feet and following Lloyd. I hoped my puppy-dog eyes would work on him. He just covered my face with his hand.
"Llooooyyyd," I groaned from behind his palm.
"This isn't a holiday," he pointed out, pushing open the door to the kitchen with his shoulder. He removed his hand from my face and revealed my pout. "This is a hideaway. You've still got to train."
