"Garmadon, Lloyd wants to talk to you."
Garmadon didn't look up. Why would Lloyd want to talk to him? He'd almost hit him in the face!
Wu sighed.
He watched as Wu glanced at Lloyd, then headed inside.
"Good luck, nephew." Wu shut the door.
Garmadon frowned.
Lloyd also frowned, then looked at him.
He bit his lip hard, taking a breath. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay…" Lloyd shifted awkwardly.
Garmadon glanced at him guiltily. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah…I'm fine. The scoop's not, but…" He shrugged.
He winced. "Oh…how broken is it?"
"Um…unusable. It's kinda…charred. And bent."
"Oh." Though a part of him was glad it was broken. That means no one could use it to gouge out his—
He winced, hands clenching briefly. He was fine. Just relax. Before you ACTUALLY hurt him this time.
Lloyd shifted again. "So…are you okay?"
"Yes." He blinked in surprise at the question. Lloyd had never asked before since he'd come to the monastery, and hadn't seemed to really care.
"You don't seem like it…"
"I am." He lied for a different reason this time, though—he didn't want Lloyd to worry about him. He shouldn't have to, just because he had problems and was broken and messed up. And a monster.
His son seemed to accept his answer, but still looked skeptical. "Okay… Do you want to join us in the living room?"
Garmadon bit his lip. "What? Why?"
"Well…because we're having a game night. It'll be fun…"
He looked at him. "I…I don't know…"
Lloyd straightened, green eyes staring into his. "Please…Dad?"
Dad. Lloyd didn't say it often, but when he did, it always made Garmadon pause. He didn't reply for a moment, thinking. "Okay."
Lloyd smiled, eyes lighting up for a moment. Then he coughed, quickly looking away. His face reddened slightly. "Okay. Thanks."
Garmadon felt a brief smile come onto his face. He bit his lip, then headed for the door. "Um…your friends are okay with this?"
Lloyd shrugged, following him. "They'll have to be. I think Kai would be the only one to protest, but I'll deal with him."
He opened the door, a wave of fear sweeping through him coldly. Kai could be…aggressive. And painful. Especially to him. "Oh."
"It'll be fine."
Garmadon headed down the hall. It would be fine. Lloyd was right. Kai would…he'd back down. He'd listen to Lloyd. He wouldn't try beating him up or punching him or accusing him—
He quietly took a breath, then slowly let it out. He would be fine.
When they reached the living room, Garmadon followed Lloyd in and over to the couch. He watched everyone nervously, then spotted Ochre.
The dog had been sniffing around at the food, but when he saw Garmadon, he happily bounded over, tail wagging.
Garmadon pet his head, relaxing slightly.
Kai's eyes narrowed at him. "Why are you here?"
He stiffened.
"I said he could come." Wu nodded briefly to Lloyd.
Lloyd gave a barely perceptible nod back, then glanced at Kai. "Kai, it's fine."
Kai crossed his arms. "Yeah? Is he going to shoot his crazy power at anyone else?"
Garmadon winced, looking at the floor.
"It was an accident, Kai," Wu said.
Kai looked about to snap back some rude reply, but Nya interjected, going over to Garmadon.
Garmadon stiffened, looking at her.
"Since your leg's still healing, you can have a spot on the couch." Nya gestured to the couch, then smiled at him.
He blinked.
"That is a good idea." Zane nodded.
"I…I can have the floor." Garmadon bit his lip.
"No, I do not believe that would be beneficial to your injured leg. Please accept the couch."
Cole nodded. "Yeah, the couch is a privilege. You'd better accept it before you heal, because then the couch is anybody's."
Garmadon glanced at everyone nervously, blinking in surprise. Cole, Nya, Zane, and P.I.X.A.L were watching him expectantly, Kai had his arms crossed sulkily, and Lloyd and Jay were watching him, waiting for his answer. Wu gave a slight, barely perceptible nod for him to accept the offer.
He petted Ochre's head, then reluctantly sat down on the far right of the couch.
"Who else gets the couch?" Cole asked.
Nya shrugged.
"Lloyd can," Wu said. "Kai, you can sit next to Lloyd. Not by Garmadon, please."
Lloyd blinked.
Kai gaped. "Wait, what?! Lloyd can't sit by Garmadon!"
Garmadon winced, petting Ochre again. He knew this was a bad idea…
Wu narrowed his eyes at Kai. "He can just fine."
"Garmadon just tried to blast him earlier, like ten min—"
"Kai! That's enough!"
The red ninja shut his mouth, then glared daggers at Garmadon.
Garmadon avoided his gaze, shrinking lower.
"Lloyd?" Wu looked at him.
Lloyd shifted uneasily, then walked over to the couch, sitting by Garmadon stiffly.
Wu nodded. "Now, I want all of you to be nice to my brother. He's joining you. I'll be in my room." He headed for the door. "And Kai…please be nice."
Kai scowled.
Wu disappeared out the door.
"Here, put your leg up on this." Nya moved snacks over on the coffee table, making room.
Garmadon blinked, looking at it.
Zane grabbed a pillow, setting it on the table. "Yes. It would be good to keep your leg elevated." He then scooted the table a little closer.
He hesitated, then obeyed cautiously.
Ochre wagged his tail, putting his chin on his leg.
Garmadon patted him.
The dog stretched, then laid down.
Kai sat down on the couch on the other side of Lloyd, eyes narrowed at Garmadon.
Garmadon tried to ignore him—even though the red ninja could easily fry him to death.
Nya and Jay sat down on the other couch. Zane and P.I.X.A.L. took the floor.
Cole grabbed the game controllers, holding them in a pile in his arms. "Welp, we only have six controllers, guys. Who's playing first?"
"Ooh, me, me!" Jay raised his hand enthusiastically.
Nya smirked. "Me too, I gotta beat him."
Jay frowned. "What?"
Cole grinned. "Okay. I'll play too first round. Maybe we can do a tournament? The loser each round is kicked out, and then the winners battle?"
"That sounds enjoyable." Zane nodded.
"So, I've got three more. Who's playing first round?"
"I will," Lloyd said.
"Me too!" Kai quickly raised his hand.
"That leaves one more person." Cole glanced around, handing out the controllers to the people playing first round.
Garmadon didn't volunteer, biting his lip nervously. Why was he here?
"Do you want to play first round?"
He looked up, seeing that Cole was talking to him. "I…uh…no. I'll just watch…"
"Have you ever played Prime Empire?"
"No…"
"Okay…P.I.X.A.L. can go first." Cole handed P.I.X.A.L. a controller. Then he went and sat down next to Jay.
"Everybody ready?" Nya asked.
They all nodded eagerly.
The game was started, and everyone began playing. Garmadon watched, still tense and nervous. He could tell Lloyd was tense too, careful not to touch him. He bit his lip.
The round ended quickly, with Jay losing. Which was surprising apparently, since Nya asked Jay what had happened. Jay just shrunk down on the couch, mumbling that he didn't know.
But Garmadon hadn't missed the blue ninja's fearful looks flicking towards him.
He'd been distracted—terrified—of him. Garmadon bit his lip harder, stroking Ochre.
"Okay, who's up next?" Cole asked.
"Garmadon, do you want to go?" Nya looked at him.
Garmadon blinked, freezing. "I…uh…"