Stop Apologizing - SurvivalShipping

C̲h̲a̲p̲t̲e̲r̲ O̳n̳e̳

Garmadon's Pov:

I never thought I'd be living in an apartment with someone...let alone a middle-aged man in a blue hoodie and cap. Vinny, he calls himself. Odd name, but I guess "Garmadon" isn't exactly rolling off people's tongues either. He's... different. The man is a walking ray of sunshine, while I, well—used to be the Lord of Destruction. Nowadays, I'm just a... creature.

Ninjago trembles at the mention of my name, or at least it did. Now? I'm just Garmadon. A demonic entity with black skin, red eyes, and faint whisker markings that once terrified an entire realm. I mean, sometimes people do get a bit startled at the sight of me, but I think it's just awkward...now I live here, in an tiny apartment with this Vinny, a man who doesn't seem fazed by the fact that his roommate is a former dark overlord. I mean—he was very nervous and shy around me when he first met me, and to be fair, he is still kinda shy. He stutters at almost every word he speaks to me...perhaps he has a speech impediment...or is that only for toddlers?

He doesn't even flinch when I open the fridge with a growl and grab another soda.
I grabbed a Dr. Pepper over a coke. Like everyone should. People who prefer coke over Dr. Pepper are lying.

I've found myself lounging on Vinny's couch, watching mind-numbing television,

"Hey Garm, uh.. y-you good?" Vinny asks, glancing over from the small kitchenette where he's making some sort of sandwich. The smell is infuriatingly pleasant. I narrow my red eyes at him, turning my whole body around.

"I am always good, Vinny," I reply, my voice a deep rumble, as if I'm convincing myself as much as him.

He just continues with his sandwich. No one should be this calm around me, and it's like he knows it too. I feel kind of guilty. For the way I look, that is. Perhaps it scares him.

He then just asks me if I want mayo on my sandwich.

I don't. But I say yes, because apparently, that's what good people do.

It's strange, this new life. I was once feared, towering over armies, a figure of absolute destruction. My name alone could send tremors through Ninjago. Now I'm trying to figure out how much mayo is socially acceptable on a sandwich.

Vinny turns to me, handing me a paper plate with a sandwich. He was so sweet, with that smile and his pale face hugging it perfectly, along with that hat that shaded it..he was so different and I hate how it's starting to rub off on me.

He settles into his usual chair—blue, like his hoodie and his cap. Always blue. The opposite of me in every possible way. His apartment is... small, to say the least. Not the kind of lair an ancient warlord would have chosen. But I'm here now, slouched on a couch that's too soft, watching shows that are too happy. Vinny doesn't question why I haven't done anything remotely productive since I moved in. He doesn't ask why I'm not off saving the world, or at least trying to. He just lets me be.

"H-Hey—uh.. Garmadon?" Vinny sniffles.

That damn stutter again. I feel like I should ask about it, but I don't recall if that's what a good person would do, I just let him finish his...speech?

"I think uhm.. I-I think you're doing amazing at this whole 'being good' thing, heh...I mean, I do work a lot and you haven't destroyed the place yet, so that's a.. start, heh" He looks away.

It's almost like Vinny is feeling physical pain when he talks. Perhaps he is just very socially awkward?

I glance at him, unsure how to respond. Praise is... unfamiliar. Especially unfamiliar in the way exclaimed it.

"I haven't really done anything," I mutter, staring at the sandwich in my hands. "I'm just here. Eating. Lounging. Not exactly what you'd call a grand transformation."

Vinny takes a little bite of his sandwich.
"Alright..sorry." he mustered out.

Peculiar. Vinny tends to apologize a lot. He's probably scared of me.

I don't understand him. At all. In my mind, redemption was supposed to be some grand, heroic journey.

It's unsettling how... normal this has become. No one screams when they see me anymore. Vinny even introduced me to his neighbor once, a lady who smiled at me and offered me cookies. Cookies. I, Garmadon, terror of realms, graciously accepted cookies.

I'm sure I have had then before, I just...forgot the sensation was like.

But I can't deny it. As much as I miss the thrill of power, the fear I used to command, there's something... oddly comforting about this new life. I'm not saving anyone, sure, but for the first time in a long time, I'm not destroying anything either. And maybe, just maybe, that's enough for now.

I glance over at Vinny, who's back to his sandwich, eyes focused on the TV. I watch him flush pink as he saw himself come up on the tv interacting with Gayle Gossip, and I watch at the way he immediately switched channels. It's almost...cute how he prefers NOT seeming himself on television.

I take another bite of my sandwich. Mayo's not so bad after all.