Flames of the Past #7: Seeds of Deceit (Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 2

Lloyd took a deep breath as he reached the end of the staircase. Chelsea was still in the living room, but Phil and Laurie had disappeared. Although he was relieved she was alone, his anxiety skyrocketed. He had no excuse to back out now. He had to tell Chelsea how he felt about her, just as he promised to Jay. You can do this, Lloyd, he told himself. She's just a girl. There's nothing to be afraid of. That was difficult for him to believe, for he saw several things to be afraid of in a situation like this. What would Chelsea think about him? What would the team think about him once they found out? What if he panicked and forgot how to speak? What if she changed her mind and only liked Phil now?

No. He couldn't think that way. Jay had said he believed in the green ninja, and Lloyd trusted his big brother.

Shaking his expression back to neutral, he walked into the living room. Chelsea was messing with the radio, which was no longer playing music, and grumbling to herself. Lloyd stopped behind the couch and watched her in amusement. "Having trouble?" he asked.

Chelsea looked up at him, blushing in surprise. "It's jammed," she explained. "Phil went to find some tools and Laurie ran after him. But who knows if it'll do any good. This radio's pretty old, anyway, and Phil could've found something more important to do, especially since he keeps talking about Chief and the mission."

Lloyd hummed in response, glancing toward the courtyard. Phil rarely left Chelsea's side. This was his only chance. "Chels," he interrupted her ramble. "Can I talk to you... outside?"

Eyes sparking, Chelsea hopped to her feet. "Outside?" she echoed. "That's professional." Grinning, she skipped toward the door. "Let's go!"

Lloyd's heart warmed as he followed her, soaking in every bit of her happiness and spirit. He closed the door behind them and joined her near the porch's railing. She hummed to herself as she gazed around, her eyes eventually landing on him. "I never thought you'd want to talk to me," she laughed. "It must be about something pretty important."

"It... is," Lloyd mumbled. Just as he feared, his throat was beginning to tighten for words. She was right beside him, face shining as she gazed at him. What would he even say? 'Sorry I ran out on you before, I changed my mind?' What good were words like that anyway? Did he really need to say stuff like that, when they were so meaningless and overdone? He and Chelsea already had some sort of a foundation, so why not use it?

"Oh my gosh, you're sweating," Chelsea suddenly realized. She reached up and wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. "Nervous isn't something I usually see on the big, strong green ninja!"

"I'm not—nervous," Lloyd lied, heart fluttering at her touch.

"Really?" Chelsea teased. Her hand moved to brush his hair behind his ear. "You know, you've got a knack for denying what's right in front of you."

Not anymore. "Hey," Lloyd breathed, grabbing her wrist. He lowered her hand from his face, turning to face her. "That's my job."

She seemed confused, until he reached out and placed a hand on her cheek. He stranded her loose strands of hair behind her ear, meeting her intense purple gaze. Her cheeks reddened as he leaned closer, and a smirk crossed his face. "Who's nervous now?" he cooed.

His eyes flicked down to her lips as he moved even closer to her. "You know..." he murmured, "we never did finish that kiss. What would you say if I suggested we try it again?"

Chelsea's face lit up with both disbelief and excitement. "I'd say you finally came to your senses, Garmadon," she chirped.

Smirking, Lloyd leaned in and kissed her. Her lips pressed back into his and he felt himself melt. He moved his other hand to the small of her back and pulled her closer, relishing the taste of her lips and feel of her body against him. She threaded her fingers through his hair as she kissed him with passion, taking him into her mess of loving touch without shying away in the slightest.