POV: Ash
Setting: sometime after Lloyd discovers he's the green ninja
Sorry for the unexpected hiatus, dear readers, but hopefully I'll get back to TQWFTA soon. If you haven't already, I recommend following this story since updates aren't always as regular as they will this week.
This is a rather important one-shot, though, as it will be mentioned... later. Wish it could've made it into the original story, but there was no place for it :/
Anyway, thanks for reading!
- Fell_and_Fallen -
There's a loud knock on my door that wakes me from a deep sleep.
I open my eyes with a cavernous yawn, blinking groggily at the time ticking away on my nightstand. It's 2:00 AM. My head throbs as my eyelids slide together again, but another violent knock forces them back open.
"Okay, okay," I call out in a drunken voice as I drag myself from bed. I make my way to the door, shoving heavy strands of my hair from my face before I pull it open. At first I don't see anything, but I look down just a few more inches and any sense of exhaustion completely disappears. Lloyd looks up at me, his hair sticking up in all directions as he holds his arms tightly to his body. He's trembling, and as his eyes meet mine I can see how red they are.
"Lloyd, what's wrong?"
"I-I had a nightmare," he swallows hard, his voice choked with what can only be tears. "I didn't know who else to go to, I just-"
"Come inside," I say as I pull him in, and as soon as I close the door he grips onto me and buries his face in my side. His arms are cold and trembling as I hold him against me, feeling the waves of residual fear and distress wash from him.
"It's okay, kiddo. You're okay," I comfort him as I smooth down some of the tangles in his hair. "I'm here with you."
He pulls away to rub his streaming eyes, and I crouch down to meet him.
"Lloyd, what was your dream about?" I ask in a gentle voice.
"Something happened," he coughs with a loud sniffle, "and all of you left me. I was- I was alone again, and I didn't know what to do. I just…"
"Look at me, Lloyd," I put a hand on his shoulder as he complies and lifts his eyes to mine. "That is never going to happen, do you hear me? We will never leave you."
"But everyone does," he chokes. "First my dad, then my mom-"
"This time is different," I give him a pointed look. "Lloyd, you may have been alone for a long time before now, but now you have a new family. I think I speak for everyone when I say it's going to take more than anyone can dish out to separate us. Do you understand me?"
"But-"
"No buts," I shake my head. "People might have left you in the past, but all that is over now. You're one of us, Lloyd, and that's the end of it. I promise you that nothing will ever ever ever make us leave you alone, okay? Even if the world is crashing down around us, I promise that I will always be here with you, whenever you need me." I clasp his hand. "I'm your friend, Lloyd, and I will never leave you."
He swallows. "You promise?"
I smile. "I swear on my integrity as the Queen of Ninjago and your personal firecracker that I will never abandon you. Ever. Hell, you couldn't get rid of me even if you tried."
His arms fly around my neck again and I grasp him close, drinking his familiar scent. Sweet, like candy.
"I won't leave you alone, either," he mumbles into my ear. I smile against his tousled hair.
"Sounds like a deal, kiddo."