Author's Note : Hello everyone! It's been awhile since I updated this, what with Operation Christmas Lloyd requiring all of my attention (if you haven't already read it, I'd encourage you to do so, because it may get referenced here), so I'm very excited to finally have a new chapter for Of Milk and Cookies! "Growing Up" as you could probably guess, takes place the day after Child's Play. Therefore, it gets a bit more angsty than the lighthearted fluff I've been writing lately. It's based off of a headcannon I have that Lloyd is a major klutz sometimes, especially right after the tomorrow's tea ages him. And also that he struggled a bit with suddenly being older, cause that would certainly be a tough situation to deal with. This is actually a scene I've been plotting since I first started considering this fic, so! I do hope you enjoy it!

Replies to Reviews (also includes those from the final chapter of Operation Christmas Lloyd so that I can reply to guest reviews) :

TheKittenQueen: Haha, the nicknames they have for that kid are the best! Yup, Darkley's was definitely traumatizing, and I really wish they would acknowledge that in the show more. And I appreciate you pointing out my errors. If you go back through and look now, they should all be fixed! And thank you SO much! Your sentence made perfect sense to me and I agree completely on the need for more Lloyd and Nya moments! Your feedback was super helpful and I hope you enjoy "Growing Up"!

RandomDragon2. 0: Yeah, I couldn't resist, so super happy to hear that you liked it! I made sure to add a bunch of Lloyd and Kai moments to Operation Christmas Lloyd, too! That kid is definitely having some personal growth moments, here! But… Now he's gonna get even more growth, literally, so I hope you enjoy "Growing Up". Thank you for taking the time to tell me what you thought!

Guest: Ah! Glad you enjoyed that little reference! I love writing this so long after the first few seasons aired, because it allows me to add things like this! I hope you find "Growing Up" entertaining as well! Thanks for your feedback!

Guest: Family fluff is the best! I hope you like this chapter, too!

Guest: Guess what?! I continued! I really hope you enjoy this chapter, and that you are having an amazing new year so far!

Spider-Man Super-Fan: Ah! One of the greatest things as an author is hearing that my work is exactly what someone has been looking for! So thanks! A bunch! And I love writing kid Lloyd, but I wanted to go through all of the seasons if possible, so he's aged up a bit for this chapter! Once I finish the main story arc, I totally plan on going back and adding in more baby Lloyd moments, though! And for Operation Christmas Lloyd? Thanks, I wasn't sure how the gift would work out, so I'm so happy to hear that you liked it!

Rom247: Aw… Thanks! I really appreciate your review!

Lloydskywalkers: The pms. They must be checked. Thanks, bye!

Jbomb247: I hope you see this, as I wanted to make sure I replied to the review you left for Operation Christmas Lloyd! My new year has been pretty good so far! So adorbs, and definitely how I imagine their relationship! I couldn't resist having Nya poke fun at her siblings sleeping. I'm ridiculously happy that everyone liked what I did with the present, cause the hype kept growing and I just wasn't sure? But your feedback is so valuable to me, so thanks! And perfect ending? That's very sweet of you to say. I wish I could've kept the story going longer, but now you can read this instead! And the other child Lloyd spinoff that might be coming soon! Goodbye if I don't hear from you again!

"I'm worried about him, Kai..." Nya told her brother quietly as she watched Lloyd trip and fall flat on his face again on his way to the dinner table. He groaned miserably before pushing himself up, muttering something about stupid gravity.

"So am I. He's been like this all day. I think it's gonna take him some time to get used to… Well… everything. Poor kid." Kai replied. She nodded. She'd seen what training had been like earlier. Her baby brother was seriously off his game, if the lack of ability to stay on his feet was anything indication of how he was handling life currently. Lloyd was, quite honestly, a mess.

"Today's been rough. I wish there was more we could do for him…" The samurai agreed.

"Same… I guess for now, we'll just have to be patient with him, you know? None of us have ever magically lost what- 4? 5? Years of our life like that…" Nya flinched at the staunch reminder of the very event she'd been trying so hard to avoid thinking about. It was still him. His appearance was all that had changed… she'd told herself that over and over again as she'd heartbrokenly watched him struggle through things that had never caused him so much stress in the past. It was still him. The incredibly brave, generous, self-sacrificing sunshine child she'd grown to love so much. The kid who was always there with a hug when she needed it. Who had literally written a letter to Santa, asking him to convince Lord Garmadon to let them celebrate Christmas without fighting. And who possessed so much innocence that they all frequently wondered how he could possibly have survived everything the world had thrown at him. She believed that, no matter how bizarre he acted in the coming days. And maybe, somehow, they could make things right again. Someday.

"I know… I-I hope he finds an outlet for this soon … He sure as heck can't bottle everything up inside. That's never a good idea." She commented. The master of fire nodded in agreement – he knew from personal experience how dangerous doing so could be.

"Whatcha talkin' about?" Her boyfriend asked, slipping into the empty seat next to her. She flashed him a small smile in greeting.

"Isn't it obvious?" Kai leaned in, gesturing subtly towards the newly… Taller green ninja, who was absent mindedly stabbing at his food, lacking his usual appetite. And his desire to join the others in conversation, for that matter.

"What are we gonna do with him?" Jay joined them in observing their brother in everything but blood, also worried about his well-being.

"Dunno, but someone will have to step in sooner or later if he keeps this up…" Stated Kai. The kid was gonna crash and burn if he didn't allow himself to decompress after everything that had happened.

"That's for sure," The ninja of lightning acknowledged. He hesitated for a moment, then turned to his girlfriend,

"Nya, I hate to say it, but… He's gonna be the most receptive to you, out of all of us…"

"I-You're right…I'll try to catch him tonight. After dinner…" She decided, sighing. Would their lives ever be simple?

"Good call. You got' this."

"Thanks. I sure hope so…" With little else to say, the trio turned their attention to the meal that Zane had so lovingly prepared for them, still keeping a very close eye on the subject of their whispered concerns.

Lloyd's day had started out rocky, and only gotten worse from there. He had gone straight to bed when they returned from Doomsday Comix the previous day, too exhausted to deal with the consequences of being exposed to Tomorrow's Tea. The others had insisted on relocating him to the bedroom shared by the rest of the ninja so that they could ensure that there were no complications from suddenly having his body grow on him like that. Which… Wasn't such a bad idea in all honesty - he'd been freaking out majorly about the whole thing. His family members were a comforting presence, one that he needed. A lot. Unfortunately, they had failed to account for how his height difference might affect his sleep. So, when he woke with his muscles on fire, feeling like he'd been put through a taffy puller, he promptly managed to conk his head on the bunk bed above him. Adding a migraine to his growing list of things to be upset about – along with having to borrow clothes from Kai because (What luck!) he no longer fit in any of his own. And then, he'd tripped over his suddenly too large feet on the way to the dining room. Breakfast hadn't been much better – the thought of food made his stomach churn unsettlingly. Training, though? Training had definitely been the worst part of the day. It was like Lloyd had lost any form of natural grace or balance he might've possessed in the past. Every kick, punch, and spin felt like torture. It was so comforting to know that the stupid magical tea has done absolutely nothing to improve his pain tolerance. The boy? Teen? He wasn't sure what to call himself anymore, had lost count of the number of spills he'd encountered by the time lunch rolled around. His body was gonna be covered with bruises for weeks. Probably enough to rival the ones he'd had during his time at Darkley's. Being small and shrimp like then hadn't done him any favors, and it looked like his growth spurt wasn't doing any now.

But he couldn't complain, no, because it had been his choice. He was the one that had unleashed the tea. No one else could take responsibility for his actions. This was a fact Lloyd was willing to accept. And he wouldn't trade his siblings' lives for his own comfort. Not in a million, trillion years. He just… wished he'd known how hard it was going to be to… to adjust to his new body. Maybe then, he could've prepared himself better for the pain – the feeling of loss he felt when he looked at the group picture that hung in the hallway, because he knew that things could never go back to the way they had been before… He knew that, and he hated it. Moreover, he resented himself for being upset by it, because he had no right to be. Sighing frustratedly, Lloyd played with the food on his plate, still not hungry. No matter how hard he tried, nothing could distract him from his tumultuous emotions for very long. Across the table, Kai, Nya, and Jay appeared to be anxiously holding a hushed conference. The usually bright and engaging atmosphere had been replaced with one that was much more reserved. None of them were going to have a normal meal, it seemed. Whatever they were discussing, his sister was clearly not impressed. The ninja of lightning said something to her and she sighed heavily. What was wrong? He hoped it didn't have to do with him.

"I'm not… hungry… Think I'm gonna go get a little more training in before bed." Lloyd declared, shoving back his chair. Maybe being alone for a little while would help clear his head.

"Are you sure, nephew? Pushing yourself so soon after your body has gone through such changes may have undesirable consequences." Sensei Wu inquired, not particularly thrilled with the suggestion. Nya stared at him searchingly, as if attempting to read his thoughts. Which only made him more uncomfortable. He didn't want her to worry. He'd be okay – eventually.

"I'll be careful, I promise." He assured them, rushing from the room before anyone else could question his behavior. The green ninja took his time on the way to the training room, walking at an agonizingly slow pace to avoid making a hazard of himself. It wasn't exactly a place he enjoyed visiting by himself. At least, not after the run in with Pythor that had occurred there. But, with everything else on his mind, Lloyd found that it didn't bother him as much as usual. Maybe if he started out with something super easy? And focused really hard? Yeah, he should be able to handle that. He had to be ready for… Nope, that was definitely another thought to avoid… Shaking his head, the blond adjusted his stance and set to work beating the heck out of an unfortunate training dummy. Which worked out to be relatively… untraumatizing, until Lloyd attempted a roundhouse kick and it backfired terribly; rebounding towards him, the dummy caught him in the chest, sending him reeling backwards onto the (thankfully) padded mat. Well, he and the floor were just becoming best buds, now weren't they? Breathing heavily, he allowed himself to lay there, eyes closed. Ugh! Why did the universe hate him so much?

"Lloyd..." Nya? He hadn't even heard her approach, but from the way she said his name, she had obviously been watching for awhile.

"Go away." Lloyd groaned as he sat up. She didn't need to see him like this. She'd get all concerned, and ask him about stuff, and then? He was afraid he wouldn't be able to keep it all from tumbling out, because he told her everything. And if he did that – Nya would know how - how selfish he was being. How childish… He was the Green Ninja… He didn't – couldn't…

"Nope." Much to his disappointment, she plopped down next to him instead, "Drink." She ordered, shoving a bottle of water into his hand. He took a large gulp - only to pacify his older sister. The girl smiled weakly at him.

"So… We're gonna talk…" She informed him. He turned away.

"Look. I'm sure you're worried, and all, but I'm fine. Really." This wasn't enough to get rid of the stubborn samurai, though.

"No. You're not." Came the soft, if firm reply as she put her hands on his shoulders, "Just look at yourself. I know you, Lloyd. I know when you're lying." He tried to wriggle away, but her grip was too strong.

"Okay. Maybe I'm not. But I don't… I-it's stupid… and I-" He started, a feeling of defeat washing over him. Nya let out a sigh of her own and ruffled his hair.

"I swear, kid. You're gonna give me gray hairs waaay before I'm a legal adult… C'mon. Let's go get you some cookies, yeah?" She patiently pulled him up, pausing to catch him every time he almost toppled over (curse his inability to balance properly). His lack of resistance surprised her slightly, but she'd take what she could get. Her baby brother needed her, and nothing could get in the way of that. Even if he did weigh slightly more than before…

"Are you good to grab a couple of glasses?" Nya asked when they reached the kitchen. She might as well take advantage of his newfound height… And it would help to keep him occupied.

"I guess?" The blond replied skeptically. He crossed to the cupboards, praying he didn't knock anything important over.

"I'll grab the milk and cookies, then." She made her rounds from the pantry to the fridge, then over to the table. Lloyd joined her, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, as he safely set down the glasses.

"Here you go," Nya filled his glass and shoved a cookie into his hand, "Now spill. This isn't typical Lloyd Garmadon, biggest cinnamon roll I've ever met, behavior. I want answers, green bean." He sat quietly for a second, not quite sure how to formulate a coherent response.

"Today was… It wasn't a great day…" He finally admitted. She hummed quietly, pursing her lips as if to say oh really? I never would've guessed.

"I just – I didn't know how hard it was gonna be to…"

"Adjust to all of this?" Nya offered as he trailed off. He shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess. Everything hurts and I'm tired of tripping all the time? And it's all so different now and I-I wanna… But I can't..." His face felt hot and sticky; tears ran down his face, but he didn't bother to hide them. She took one of his hands and squeezed it.

"It's not selfish of you to be upset, you know. It's fine for you to be angry, or hurt, or scared. All of those emotions are completely okay."

"But, but I was the one who-" Lloyd began to protest. His sister scooted closer.

"Used the Tomorrow's Tea? You didn't really have another choice. I was there, too, Lloyd. What else were you gonna do? Win the Grundle over with your fabulous looks and charming personality?" She said pointedly. To his surprise, he found himself letting out a wet laugh. It was a good thing someone had planted a box of tissues on the table. Exactly how much of this intervention had been planned?

"If only. It would be pretty great if I could do that." He allowed.

"You played the hand you were dealt with. It's not your fault destiny gave you crappy cards." Nya continued.

"I know. I just… I'm not ready for everything to start changing so quickly? Like, I don't even know how…" He sniffed. A bemused look crossed her face.

"Nothing's really changed. Not if you don't want it to. You're still you, deep down. You've just… Gotten a bit taller – and maybe a little more mature? I dunno – but that's all. You're still Lloyd Garmadon, Green Ninja extraordinaire, and baby brother to a bunch of crazy teenage boys and one super awesome samurai. It's just – now you're going through that awkward puppy stage-"

"What?" Lloyd interrupted. She rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully, realizing that it was true. It had started out as a mantra to keep her from breaking down, but now that she thought about it…

"It's true! Haven't you ever seen a puppy when they get to that phase where they haven't grown into themselves yet, so they just get super klutzy and awkward? That's you. You're a great big golden retriever puppy!" Declared Nya firmly. Lloyd stared at her, mouth open.

"So now I'm a dog?"

"You goof! You're ridiculously loyal, have the floofiest golden hair I've ever seen, and you make a habit of falling all over the place! Look me in the eye and tell me the comparison's faulty. I dare you." She challenged. He smirked slightly and tossed a piece of cookie at her.

"Yeah, OK. Sure. I'm a golden retriever. Fine. Why didn't I see it before?"

"Whatever. It's totally legit. And about this whole growing up business you seem to be so concerned with? I don't think you get how it works."

"I-I don't?"

"Trust me. It's not about giving up everything you used to love-" The girl began to explain.

"I never said-"

"You didn't have to. I've been there, you know. Having to grow up too fast? Kai and I – we didn't get to have a normal childhood after our parents…" She searched for the right words, "After they disappeared… I think he had it worse, but we both… Struggled with it. We had a lot of responsibility thrust on us – looking after each other, trying not to burn down the forge, managing my allergies, literally just staying alive… And it sucked to constantly be under so much pressure. But eventually, we realized. It's okay to take time to just be a kid. So maybe you're not gorging yourself on candy 24-7, or staying up all night reading comic books, but you don't have to completely give up the parts of your life that make you happy. If you genuinely enjoy something, you shouldn't let anything stop you from having it in your life. It's more like, how do you prioritize? What's important to you? Maybe you choose to finish your chores first, so you can have more free time later. Or you limit the amount of sugar you eat so you don't get sick. It's really all about perspective."

"Wow. I guess I never really thought about it that way." Lloyd commented once she'd finished. Her words were starting to him feel a little better about the whole situation. Sure, it still wasn't great, but maybe…

"Yeah, well, it isn't something you should have had to consider. And I'm sorry you did. All I know is, no matter how hard the others try to convince me, I refuse to accept that you're older than me. There's just no freakin' way."

"No, you're totally right. I don't even want to be older than you. You'll always be my big sister." He was quick to assure Nya. She smiled weakly, bopping his nose, because no matter how weird everything was, Lloyd was still her brother, and right now, he needed a little bit of normalcy. So she was gonna give it to him.

"And you'll always be my best friend and partner in crime. We'll just say you're… What, like 14ish? Now?"

"Sounds okay, I guess. I don't really feel eleven anymore, but I… I'm not ready to be too much of a teen yet." The blond determined, still not comfortable with having to think about how these changes were going to affect him.

"And that's totally okay. Take as much time as you want with that whole getting older thing." She told him, smiling encouragingly (they both ignored the amount of snot and tears present on each other's face).

"Oh, don't worry. I will." He replied.

"Glad to hear it. Now, we can pick this up in the morning, if you want, but, I talked to the others, and we're canceling training for tomorrow." While not unwelcome, Lloyd wasn't sure what to do with this information.

"Why?"

"Because you need to rest." The samurai reminded him, "And besides, we need to get some serious shopping done. You can't keep wearing Kai's clothes forever – they don't even fit you properly. I'm sure that's not helping with your recent clumsiness." She was right, of course; it would be good to get away from the Bounty for awhile.

"We'll make a day of it. Maybe go out and see a movie, while we're at it."

"That sounds… Really fun, actually…" He agreed, "And thank you. For making me talk to you. And for not letting me keep freaking out. I was being - I needed that…" Physical contact was something the green ninja had been avoiding all day, not wanting to get too close to the others – not wanting them to worry (which, he realized, he hadn't done a very good job of, now had he?), but that didn't stop him from wrapping his sister in a tight hug. She was caught a little off guard by the forcefulness, almost toppling out of her chair. It felt odd, for the boy hugging her to be roughly the same size as she was, instead of being absurdly tiny, like he'd once been. She was confident that she could get used to it, though. With time. In the end, they managed to remain upright, with Nya patting Lloyd's back comfortingly and laughing perhaps more hysterically than necessary.

"You know I'll never let you be an idiot for long." She joked, relinquishing her hold on him.

"And I'll forever be grateful for it. Really. So uh, what did you do with the others before you drug me in here?" He inquired. She shrugged, smiling.

"Oh, they're off in the living room having a Fist – To – Face tournament. We should probably go join them for a bit before bed. Get your mind off of all this."

"Yeah. That'd be nice." Agreed Lloyd.

"Just do me a favor?" His sister asked, making a face.

"Course. Whaddya want?"

"Take a shower tonight. Please. You stink!" With that, Nya shot into the hall before her (not so) little brother could deny the claim. Some things never changed.

I hope that "Growing Up" was entertaining to read and that you are all having a fantastic new year! As always, reviews and suggestions are very welcome! Thank you for the ongoing support!

~GwenBrightly