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Lloyds name echoed through the monastery walls. Nya checked the bathroom, meanwhile Cole checked outside. Zane was at the garage, looking inside every vehicle every mech, and for Kai he was checking the laundry room.
After searching inside Coles, Zanes, and lloyds old room, Jay walked into Nyas room next. The clean and soothing energy that filled her room would have anyone choosing this room as a retreat during stressful times.
"Lloyd…?" Jay said, stepping carefully around the room, looking inside her closet and behind the curtains.
A small, faint sniffle- almost inaudible- resounded from…
The blue ninja turned around, carefully scanning the room…when his eyes zeroed on the bed…
cautiously, as to not startle the boy, he bent down onto the floor, lifting the bed sheets to look under- and lo and behold, there he was; Laying on his stomach with his face hidden in his arms. His body sligthly shoook from little sniffs and breaths he tried to hold in.
He sighed, his heart softening at the sight of the crying child. And after a few seconds of considering it, he began to crawl under the bed and shuffle to lay next to Lloyd- the kids annoyance,
Raising his tear stained face from his arms, he shot Jay a confused, and angry glare."hey- hey! What are you-"
"Shhh chill! Do you want everyone coming in and bothering you?" Jay loudly whispered as he finally shifted into a comfortable position.
Lloyds scowled , "Go." he growled.
"aww…but im angry at kai too," Jay mock pouted, "so I should be allow-"
"GOO", he boy insisted more loudly, trying to push Jay with all his strength-but to no avail.
"Ok-ok I wont joke around! I-", Jay stopped to let out a exasperated breath, "look."
"Kai is a reactive guy. You know this. I know this. We all do. Hes seriously got issues with his temper control."
Lloyd listened, although his frown was insistent- interrupted ever now and then by a sniffle.
"Its…Its not you lloyd okay..? Kais the big dumb idiot that cant keep his cool and volume in check…he…exaggerates his emotions but he doesn't truly feel that way most of the time…"
He turned his gaze back at lloyd, and noticed how the young ninjas eyes were watering yet again and his pout began to tremble, "but hes…but I…" he whimpered,
"Oh…Lloyd.." Jay placed his arm around his shoulders, as the blonde began to break down little by little,
"I messed up his mail…I-I" His high pitched voice broke, the boy trying to catch his breath while thick tears ran down his cheeks yet again. The blue ninja let the waterfall run, allowing him to pour out his pain, "I al-always mess up! Like that o-other time where I ruined his hair routine or the when I-I deleted his videogame progress on a-accident-!" Lloyd wailed.
"Oh…but thats exactly it! Lloyd is was an accident. Accidents happen its normal! Its okay! Hes not mad at you ok? Yes hes an ass that overreacted but it doesn't reflect his true emotions!"
Lloyd buried his face back into his arms, "his true emotions is that he HATES me! Im just an unpleasent little shit that he wants gone"
"he does not hate you Lloyd-"
"Yes he does! How would you know?"
"Well-because were friends-and we talk-" Jay explained, and a little idea popped in his head, "and ill tell ya a little secret…"
The young blonde peaked one eye from his sleeves, "just the other day…when me and him went out to town…"
"when you guys went to the arcade? and dint let me come with?" Lloyd grumbled.
"Yes- but no. Let me finish….he was actually dragging me along to buy a gift for your birthday." Jay smiled at Lloyd, giving him a playful bump with his elbow.
Lloyds teary eye starred at him for a moment, "…Youre lying."
"Hes not. unfortunately"
Both Jay and Lloyd jolted at the unexpected sound of Kais voice standing by the bed- Lloyd bumping his head against the bed above him.
Damn ninjas! How didn't they notice his shoes by the foot of the bed?
They heard the fire ninja chuckle and kneeled down by the bed, lifting up the bed sheets to look at both boys, "geez. watch your heads. and scooch. make space," he said as he layed down and began squishing in under Nyas bed as well.
The blonde immediately hid his face back into his arms again, "Go away!" he muffled.
But despise Lloyds protests Kai was able to push his way in to fit next to them- sandwiching lloyd between Jay and Kai.
The fire ninja sighed, "well. so much for keeping secrets." he said glancing at Jay,
"Hey! I was actually doing you a huge favor!"
"I know" he breathed, his eyes falling back onto the boy, who refused to move or speak still.
"How long were you…"
"Enough time," Kai responded, and he slightly nudged Lloyd's shoulder, "hey…grasshopper", he sing sang- but the boy continued to ignore the older ninja, his hard headedness present as ever.
The fire ninjas gaze softened even more, "Im sorry Lloyd. I shouldn't of yelled at you. Even if I was…reasonably upset that my mail was ruined I know you didnt mean to…"
He sighed, fiddling with fingers as he continued, "Like Jay said..Im an ass …im not good at communicating… I didnt …respond accordingly."
"Should not have called you a 'fucking stupid'."
an eye finally peaked back up again from Lloyds tear stained sleeves, this time peering at Kai, waiting for him to continue, but this time Jay spoke up,
"and hes called me that various times. hell, hes called cole even worse too. All over dumb things as well." he lightly ruffled the boys hair, "and look at us1 were still friends! We still lay games..crack jokes…talk to each other…I make him food..he takes me on dates-uh forget that last part actually-"
Kai shot him an unimpressed look, but then shook his head in amusement, "anyways- like Jay said. Even after me and the boys or even me and Nya fight, at the end of the day we still love each other!", he bumped Lloyds shoulder again, "It almost offends me that youd think id hate you for such minor things." he mused.
the boy had seemed to untense his shoulders while the teens talked- his sorrows had died down and all that remained were sniffles again.
"Yeah. Kais a drama queen but not that dramatic-"
"Oh i know youre not talking."
The banter dragged a short giggle from the kid, muffled by the his arms, and after all that time, he finally spoke up, slightly lifting his face up to Kai, "C-can you take me to the arcade?"
The two older ninja couldn't help but break into a warm smile, Kai throwing his arm around Lloyd and tugging him closer into a half-hug, "of course we can greenbean."
"Im invited too right?" Jay playfully tilted his head at Kai.
"Hmmm….only if we take your jet."
"Okay deal."
"What about me?"
The three boys jolted at Nyas voice, this time Kai being the one to bump his head against the bed.
Nya tapped her foot, "I think its only fair. Considering you turned the space beneath my bed into your secret hideout."
And although she spoke in a reprimanding tone, they could hear the smile on her lips.