"Okay, I really want to see a movie… Do you have any Dareth?" Kai glanced at said man, who was already up and opened his hall closet, one shelf halfway dedicated to alphabetically ordered movies. Then he saw one that caught his eye, "You have the last Star Wars movie? No way!" He grinned and grabbed it without a second thought and he rushed to the living room (that was practically half the main dojo room's size, which was the room next door) and the others curiously stared at him as he popped the certain movie into the player. He then squeezed in-between Cole and Zane, who had Jay in his lap due to there being no room, but by seeing the arms wrapped around the blue ninja's waist and the way the younger lay back so it was if he were trying to mold into his taller boyfriend's built, neither minded.
"What are we watching?" Piped up Lloyd, squished on the other side of Cole (who looked a bit claustrophobic by the lack of room) and then Dareth moseyed in before Kai could reply.
The brunet overplayed a scoff at the sight before him, "Not leaving room for Dareth? How rude."
Before the red ninja could tell Cole to get on his lap, it was reversed as two tough arms pulled him to sit on toned legs as the black-adorned boy made room for the pompous owner of the dojo. Finally someone must have found the room and the movie started, but when Lloyd realized what movie it was he found himself trying not to take it seriously. 'No, this is so not true…'
~~
By the end of the living room showing the small blond was silently sobbing and wishing he'd have left from the start. He had seen this before sure, but he didn't need to see it during this time in his life. He stared blankly at the credits letting silent tear slip down his face, but then Kai said what was on everyone's mind, "Hey, doesn't this remind you guys of us, but with ninjas?" Then he grinned over at Lloyd hoping to see an agreeing face, but he frowned a bit at seeing the youngest so distressed, 'Oh.' Before he could apologize the boy dashed up and out of the room, sprinting down the sidewalk not truly caring where he was going. He didn't even think to stay careful, like he should. Especially since he was only ten and with the weight of being the green ninja, many vain creatures; especially Serpentine, could be lurking around any corner.
Lloyd started to feel tired as he reached the depressing looking home he knew all too well, eagerly going inside. The only person who appeared to currently be there was Sensei Wu, the smell of tea was very prominent, though the older man was nowhere to be seen. The blond practically dragged his feet to the couch, and lay down on his back, staring aimlessly at the ceiling. Then he felt around his neck and pulled out a bus coin on a thicker black string.
~Flashback~
Lloyd was almost eight at this time and snuck into his father's room. It was normal for him to do this lately, but only when the powerful man wasn't awake and wary. It was usually the little blond who got up in the morning first and for his father to sleep in after a long night of working out papers the boy had yet to truly understand. This morning he felt like he could normally walk over this time and grab the gleaming helmet sitting proudly and menacingly off the side table. It wasn't too heavy, but when it was perched on the child's head in the mirror it looked like it, usually falling forward into his line of view, before making him reposition it again.
During this particular morning when he struggled to put the helmet back in position, he noticed a bigger presence towering over him, but Lloyd refused to look into the mirror, noticing the huge shadow compare to his size. He finally looked up at the reflection before him; his father with his longer and unkempt brunet hair and silky red kimono that was used as an "around the house" sort of clothing piece or during the night because Lloyd was known to barge in and Garmadon hated using covers during the hotter seasons. The child wished that he could tell what the facial expression that the older was currently wearing meant. 'Hopefully a good one,' gulped the boy, and he looked straight up at the man, giving his best open-mouth smile, a few baby teeth missing.
Instead of the rare yelling, it was a chuckle and he felt huge hands fixing the powerful looking symbolic headwear so it would look more fitting to his son. He then had to get on his knees to get it just right, then gave a softer facial expression that wasn't fitting for his intimidating facial markings and picked up Lloyd by his waist and brought him dramatically to his side as he moved them from the room. With the slight fear of falling, he grasped onto the loose necklace his father was sporting, a faded bus token that probably couldn't be used anymore. His grip was too tough and the weakened string broke after a few tugs. It fell somewhat to gravity's call, but the slightly chubby hand was still holding strong.
Glancing half interested, Lord Garmadon then realized what the slight tugging on his throat was and sighed as he set his son on the couch. Instead of plopping down beside him like usual, he sat on his knees again and across from the boy who looked down was in tears from ruining the necklace. Removing the helmet and putting in to the side and ruffling the bowl-cut styled hair, Garmadon gained the slight attention off his child, "Listen, it's an easy fix, see?" Tried the man, hating to see the other so down, then taking the necklace and re-looping it since the only thing that appeared to have happened was that it came undone. "But I want you to promise me something, alright?" Pressing the necklace into the opened palm of the child, then moving the smaller hand so it closed around the bus coin.
"Anything," Lloyd used his arm to wipe the tears from his eyes, finally making eye contact.
"I want you to keep this necklace on you at all times when you're outside or away from me, alright?" Earning a confused look for a moment until the man continued, "So you know that you can always come home, even if the actual coin won't do anything anymore I still want you to remember the sentiment… You hear me Lloyd?"
Lloyd had a feeling his father must be having a bad feeling, since he quickly grabbed his forehead subconsciously, then abruptly got up and held up the helmet and placed it on his head. The older man nearly missed the tears come back, feeling this was the time his father would be so kind to him.
He hated when he was right.
~Present~
"Lloyd, what are doing with that bus token?" Sensei Wu's whimsical voice snapped the boy from his fading flashback and caused him to realize that the tear were still there from the look on his uncle's face. What was more surprising was that Wu hadn't known what the meaning of it was.
"I don't know," fibbed the green ninja as he hid it back into the sacred kimono so it wouldn't be visible to his view anymore and sat up so his sensei could sit down next to him and set down the usual teapot and cup combo onto the small coffee table.
Sensei Wu still looked worried, so he offered an extra cup as a condolence to his young nephew. Things from here would only get more difficult after all.