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Lloyd stared at the people across the small, rectangular dinner table. When Misako mentioned that she wanted to meet with him over dinner, he didn't expect this.
It started off normal enough when he got a letter that was sent to him, brought in by Zane who had just gotten a new recipe book in the mail. Lloyd seriously didn't know they even had a postbox around the monastery.
Lloyd could recognize Misako's handwriting from anywhere. After all, she'd sent him multiple letters and gifts during his stay at Darkley's. He still had the relic-like bracelet Misako had sent him on his eighth birthday. She'd just gotten back from an archeologist site she'd been invited to that was a few hours away. The last line of her letter had the name of a place along with a date.
Apparently she had something important to talk to him about over family dinner.
Family. Not just the two of them. Which meant Garmadon. How had she even gotten in contact with him? As far as he was aware, his father was still living in that camerman's apartment.
He couldn't leave her alone with him . Lloyd still didn't trust Garmadon. So like any good son would do, Lloyd had put his gi on and zoomed out the monastery doors the moment it hit the time they were supposed to meet.
It was a nice private room in a Japanese restaurant, which made him even more wary. The moment he was led to the room, bystanders in the restaurant looking at him with a bit of awe and hope–Lloyd swore the waiters were trembling, no doubt thanks to the appearance of his father–he was met with the sight of;
His mother, a gentle smile on her lips and glasses perched on her nose. Garmadon in his two-armed form with a shock of white hair tied into a messy ponytail and…Vinny Folson?
"I thought this was a family dinner." Lloyd said, and he wouldn't be surprised if his eyebrows had reached up into his hairline. He was too shocked to even question his father like he planned to do.
"Feel free to take a seat, Lloyd." Misako started, completely ignoring his statement. His gaze darted between the three of them, feeling nothing good about this. But at his mother's soft gaze, he reluctantly took a seat at the empty chair reserved for him.
Garmadon was peering at the menu with narrowed eyes in the middle, Vinny was nervously tapping the table with his hands at the right and Misako looked completely calm. The server came inside before he could start to speak.
It took five minutes for everyone to order, with Lloyd sitting there blankly and saying he'd order later.
Only when their server hurriedly shut the door behind them did Lloyd break the really weird silence, not even touching his glass of water.
He immediately tilted his gaze towards his father, almost flinching at the bright red of his irises. Lloyd felt the urge to hide his right eye, shining with that same color that tied their connection.
Lloyd directed his question to Misako. "First of all, what does Father have to do with this?"
Garmadon frowned and Misako's face twisted with a bit of guilt. She pushed her glasses back up and sighed. "My letter wasn't completely honest. It was Garmadon who arranged this dinner in the first place."
Lloyd blinked, watching his father nod. "I thought it would be best for Misako to be the one contacting you."
"Excuse me, but why are we here?" He asked. Lloyd could understand why Garmadon would get Misako to tell him. Sure Garmadon was trying to be a different man right now rather than the heartless person who had beaten him to death and disowned him but he also wasn't the loving father who always leaned towards peace.
"I believe that's something your father should tell you." Misako murmured, nudging Garmadon's arm in which the former emperor seemed to almost smile at.
He hadn't seen the resurrected version of his father look like that unless it was Christofern. Lloyd's mouth almost dropped open. It was so reminiscent of the way Misako used to gently tap his father's arm in the past when he was too distracted from meditating.
Garmadon's mouth made a thin smile, shark-like teeth showing. It was so similar to his 'I'm planning something' smile that Lloyd almost got the chills. "You know Vinny of NGTV news, yes?"
Oh right. The source of his original confusion. Said man was peacefully sipping his drink with one of those bendy straws. He was so normal compared to Misako and Garmadon that Lloyd almost forgot he was there. Vinny almost jumped out of his seat, pausing his quiet sipping.
"Don, you can just call me Vinny, ya know." The shorter man laughed, leaning back in his chair. Lloyd could respect him. He wasn't cowering in fear at the large Oni seated next to him like many ninjago citizens would do. And did he just call Garmadon, Don?
Misako didn't look phased at Vinny using a nickname for her husband. Well, Lloyd thought they were still married. At the most, legally. His mom still went by Garmadon for her last name.
"Ah yes." Garmadon's smile seemed to grow wider. It molded into something almost soft at the sound of the camera man laughing. "Vinny. Who is now one of the objects of my affection."
"Boyfriend, he also means." Vinny expanded, shaking his head in amusement.
Boyfriend. He repeated the word inside his mind. A regular, nine letter word that never really made its way inside his mind often. If Lloyd was drinking his water, he would've spit it out in pure shock.
"Garmadon has a way with words, doesn't he? It's quite cute." Misako hummed, talking to Vinny as if she didn't hear him say he was her husband's boyfriend.
"It is, isn't it? Charming too." Vinny chuckled, replying as if he didn't just say he was dating her husband.
"It is not." Garmadon frowned, and was his father blushing .
First Master, what was going on?
"What." Lloyd said stupidly. "I don't–aren't you and Mom still married?"
He was in too much disbelief to differentiate Sensei Garmadon with dad and the resurrected version as father at the moment. Garmadon seemed to be the only one who noticed it, a brief flicker of something in his eye before continuing. "That is correct. I hold love for both Misako and Vinny."
Lloyd gawked. "And you're...what, okay with this Mom?"
"I am." Misako tilted her head. "Me and Vinny also seem to get along."
Vinny nodded to her words. Lloyd watched as his father's right fingers interlaced with Vinny's and his other connected with Misako's.
Garmadon looked…happy. They all did.
His mouth began to open, before the waiter burst in. Their trembling form began to nervously set food onto the table.
"Could I get a dessert menu?" He asked.
Lloyd would need so much sugar to get through the rest of this dinner.