#see this is one thing that i REALLY appreciate about ninjago

[manochulios]

MY NINJAGO DESIGNS (UPDATED)

Ok FIRST OF ALL!!! follow me on tiktok and AO3!! I'm posting my art there and I have a fanfic project centered on Nya (and Morro) that I started writing, I think you might be interested!

Secondly..... YES! After less than a week of posting the first designs, I decided to change some things!!!!! If you compare it to the old post you'll see that there weren't any very drastic changes, but there were a few things that were particularly bothering me and now I feel like I'm satisfied (for now.....)

Obviously, as you can see, I haven't changed a lot of things. Maybe I shouldn't have made this update in a new post, changing the main one would have been more than enough but.... nah.

Colors of the gold armor - I gave them a brighter tone, the old one was very dull

Zane and Nya's boots - brother wtf were those, now they are sooo much better

Zane gloves - I totally forgot about them in the first version, but now he has them!!

Kai and Nya eyes - in the old version they already had matching eyes (main color in their own color palette and pupil in the color of their siblings), but I made Nya's eye color more towards gray and Kai's towards brown, instead of the dark -cyan-almost-green and amber that they had)

Nya's hair and sleeves - I left her hair a little closer to her original hair, I felt that in the old one I ended up giving her a hairstyle more similar to mine in real life..... oops? I also changed the flowing sleeve to a more well behaved one similar to Kai's, I don't know if I totally like this change to be honest

Marks on their body - Lloyd now has marks from the oni transformation!! although they are not that visible from far; Nya and Cole's marks are better done than before and Zane has more robot features (although these three in particular are more visible under his clothes *wink wink*)

Jay has goggles now :D

Some close ups (I swear I don't know what I'm doing wrong for the images to be saved in SUCH poor quality)

Some headshots

So I guess this is it? NOW I'm gonna leave these designs alone. I already posted on my tiktok too, so if you can stop by and give me a boost I'd really appreciate it!! I'm already working on the individual images of each one with some headcanons and more specifications on the details of each one's designs, but it will probably take a while. I also plan to do a part two of the designs with some secondary characters, but that totally depends on my willingness and willpower LOL

see you soon <3

[luminiscented]

could you make hcs for ninja [+ pixal, morro and harumi] and their ideas for their s/o? i love your work sm,<3

ninjago characters x their perfect gn! s/o

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Pairing: Ninjago characters x gn! Reader

Status: none

Summary: The perfect partners of each character (mentioned above)

Warnings: none

Type: headcanons

Note: I'm sorry if Harumi is a bit ooc!! I haven't really watched a lot after seasons 7 and 8!! Thank you for the request though!! IM VERY SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY!! IT'S EXAM SEASON AND I'VE BEEN HAVING SOME PERSONAL PROBLEMS!! :((

Lloyd

♡ Lloyd has a very unstable life, so I'm sure at one point he'll crave a partner who's very down to earth, but still has that kid in them!!

♡ Despite him being a warrior and a leader, Lloyd is very fragile. He can take just that much stress and hurt so he'd need you to be his safe space.

♡ In my eyes he'd need someone careful and gentle, but still someone who could be a kid along with him,,, someone who's willing to stay despite everything and listen to him. Someone to take him in their arms and shush him sweetly whenever the pressure gets too much,,

♡ Kai is a very outgoing, confident, fiery person, but behind closed doors he lets himself be the exact opposite. I see him having a partner that is ready to accept both of his sides,,

Kai

♡ I honestly see him dating a chill confident person who rolls their eyes at his pick up lines, but in the same time I see him having a s/o who's a bit nerdy and their eyes just light up whenever their favorite topic is brought up,, he's over there lovestruck while you gawk about your fixation,,,,

♡ Reassurment is constant with Kai - from both ends of the relationship and it means the world to him that for once he could get taken care of instead of always being the older brother, the caregiver, the parent

♡ YOUR SUPPORT WOULD KEEP HIM GOING!!!!

Cole

♡ A very simple, very very sweet guy, so I think an equally sweet s/o would definitely catch his attention!!

♡ If you have a thing for cooking, you're already his biggest crush

♡ I see Cole as a touchy person and he would def love it if your love language was physical touch and acts of service

♡ He's used to being the muscle of the team, always doing the heavy lifting, so it would be a relief to get pampered and taken care of after a tough mission,, he would melt if you took the time to tend to every scar,,,,,

♡ A sweet chill s/o would definitely be the perfect pick, since I think he would value stability a lot in his life.

Zane

♡ Zane's perfect match would be someone very patient and gentle!!

♡ He'd love a partner who's just as curious as him and someone who's willing to be patient with him,,,he doesn't have a very good grasp on all things romantic, but he's trying his best!!

♡ Zane really loves quality time over everything else!!

♡ Zane would be head over heels in love with someone who's very intelligent and interesting!! Bonus points if you're an artistic person,,,he tries his best to understand art and he enjoys it a lot!!

♡ He'd love a S/o who loves cooking or trying out new food, also one who loves to go out on small private romantic dates!! It's his type of thing, but he would be open to a slightly different type of outing if that's what you're into.

Jay

♡ He'd love a very energetic s/o who's just like him!! If you're into tech and stuff he'll be over the moon!!!!!

♡ Jay loves a sweetheart who could comfort him and reassure him that he isn't too much and that he's doing a good job,,

♡ If his s/o is into poetry he'd be smitten,,,yes of course he wants to hear what you wrote,,,,,

♡ Jay is the type of guy to want a very dynamic relationship with a lot of fun and surprises and dates!! He's always thinking of ways to surprise you and make you feel appreciated!!

♡ Physical touch and gift giivng are his love language!! Prepare to be smothered in kisses on a daily basis and have a ton of handmade gifts!!

Morro

♡ He is in denial to the very end.

♡ He isn't very vocal about his love, but he's like a puppy trust me,,

♡ Morro'd love a peaceful s/o,,, someone who could balance his temper out and keep him down to the ground. A calm partner would definitely be his best match. He would be very passionate in his love, just like Kai, so he'd appreciate a bit of spice as well.

♡ He's very into intelligence!! He is also head over heels for some confidence and cockiness.

♡ Morro pretends he's a very tough unlovable guy even after getting reformed, but the truth is that he's fragile. He's been that way ever since he was a kid, so he's not going to trust you with his emotions in the beginning. He needs constant reassurement even if he doesn't say a word about it. You need to pick up the subtle signs by yourself if you want to figure out what's with the change in his behavior.

♡ Make him his favorite dish, give him some cheek and chest kisses and some kind words and he's not going to leave your arms for the rest of the day. Make him feel appreciated and enough and it's going to be returned tenfold.

♡ This man will adore every single thing you do.

♡ Quiet dates are his thing, even if it's just laying in bed cuddling he's there and fully engaged. He'd love a fancy date tho,, you get a bit from both worlds.

♡ Quality time and physical touch are Morro's type of thing, his hand is always around you - rubbing your shoulder, holding your hand etc. His hand is on your waist outside and you're always getting kisses on the top of your head.

Pixal

♡ If Pix is in a relationship, she'd be fully invested, so she'd want a partner who's fully engaged as well.

♡ Her projects and work are very important to her, but you always come first.

♡ Pixal would be the type to fall for a person that takes interest into her own interests, or if it isn't their type of thing, pay attention to her, ask her questions, try to engage, show interest and she's going to appreciate you sm!!

♡ Her love language is gift giving and acts of service, but she's going to melt for some sweet words and reassurement!!! Sucker for pillow talk!!

♡ I feel like she'd love physical affection as well, especially cuddles!! Stroke her head and kiss her cheeks while letting her feel your body warmth and pixal will be so happy!!,,

Harumi

♡ She WILL treasure you and adore you every day!! Fresh flowers included!!

♡ She's pretentious and bratty and no one can truly please her you're perfect how are you doing this

♡ She's going to be protective of you, surely.

♡ She'd love to do things for you to express her love, since I think she isn't going to be the best with words - cleaning your room, doing your makeup, making you food, memorizing your medicine or your hair products etc etc.

♡ She'd be head over heels if you made her home cooked meals,,,,Harumi would love a partner who celebrates all her accomplishments with her and also one who looks after her even if she pretends she doesn't want to be,,, she's fussy, but painfully in love whenever you take care of her bruises or fix her makeup if it's smeared before she goes out,,,just little things like that make her day better,,<3

[oldwritingm]

hi hi! can I request some headcanons about the ninja (+pixal, if you're up for it) having an artist s/o? okay thank you, also I love your writing!

Oooh yess!! Where my artist ninjago enjoyers at⁉️ I’ve come to nourish you <3

Ninjago - Ninjas (+ Pixal) with an Artist s/o

Jay

Immediately asks if you can draw/paint/etc him

If you agree, he will ask again in the future

….honestly he’ll probably keep asking even if you say no

What can he say? He wants to inspire you ;)

If you have art block, he immediately jumps to pose dramatically or arrange a bowl of fruit or something

He’s equally enamored with the quality of your work and the fact that it came from your hands

He loves all your work, even the pieces you decide to scrap/re-do

“What are you doing?? That was perfect!”

“Jay? How long have you been standing there-”

On that note, he loves to watch you work

Even when you don’t know he’s watching… (he’s a little obsessed)

But the plus side of this is that he knows the exact products you use, and he can see when you’re running low

He makes sure to replenish your stocks for you :) so you won’t ever have to worry about running out mid-project

He also makes sure to flaunt your work as much as possible, especially the pieces he “inspired”

He truly thinks you’re the best artist in the world, and he WILL fight someone over it

Cole

I see Cole as a pretty artsy guy himself, so he’d be thrilled to have an artsy s/o

You might not expect it, but he’s really in tune with his feelings, so to me it makes sense

He’s not quite as artsy as you, but he knows how to appreciate it

He’s more into the performing arts himself, but he has no less respect for other types of art

He’ll totally arrange work sessions for you both, which vary depending on the vibe you’re working with

Feeling like doing something a little dark or moody? Dramatic piano. Candles. Wine/grape juice in wine glasses.

Feeling colorful? Open windows. Flowers in vases. Candy and fruit. Maybe some cartoons playing in the background.

Point being: he knows how to get a vibe going

He really loves to work alongside you, even if you’re not doing the same thing

Sometimes he tries to sketch or paint, but more often he’s just watching you work or practicing moves

(You guys totally have a shared studio btw; wood floors and barre for him, easel/supply cabinet/whatever you need for you)

You guys definitely help each other out too

He’ll teach you a few moves so you can be his dance partner every now and again, and he’s more than happy to be your muse in return

He doesn’t really do performances or anything (dance is just a side hobby), so he has all the more respect for you if you publicize your work

He loves all your work, but he’s also a great source of constructive criticism

“I like this one. It’s darker than your other pieces, though, isn’t it? More drab.”

“Yeah, that’s kinda what I was thinking. I think I was just in a mood when I made it.”

Kai

He’ll make requests, but mostly for things he thinks would be cool

“What if you did one with, like, a car shooting flames from its exhaust pipes? Oh! And the driver is super handsome with a flaming cape and swords and sunglasses that are made of pieces of the sun!”

“That is insane. …I’m starting right now.”

He really admires your art, and he’s honestly a bit jealous of your skill

He actually has a pretty creative mind, just not the means to express it

So he’ll be shy about it, but eventually he asks if you can give him some pointers

He doesn’t want to keep asking you to bring his sharks flying in jets over volcanoes to life forever, after all

He’s gotta learn to be independent!

So he’ll quietly join you while you work, watching you closely and trying to follow along

He gets frustrated when he isn’t instantly as talented as you, and you have to laughingly assure him that skill takes time

He only gains more respect for you as he tries to stay calm

He learns to truly admire your work this way

And with his admiration came a tenfold increase in support

However you share your art, he’s the #1 supporter

Posting online? He’s already liked, commented, and shared on 7 different platforms. At a showcase? He’s dressed sharply, stationed not-so-inconspicuously in front of your piece(s) and getting others to talk about them

Zane

He also has a deep appreciation for art

He doesn’t always understand non-logical things, but art has a way of resonating with him

So to have a partner who makes art…

It adds a whole new level of emotional depth to your relationship

You already make him feel complex things, so seeing art that’s from you is truly an experience

The wistfulness he gets when looking at normal art is only amplified when he remembers that your hands produced it

He likes to be with you when he admires it, squeezing your hand while he takes in the little details

He’s a quiet admirer, but he’ll absolutely attend any events you’re featured in/support any online presence you have

He never gets tired of looking at your work; or looking at you work, for that matter

If you let him, he’ll watch you work

He’s dead silent, which is either a blessing or a curse depending on how easily you get creeped out

Eventually, when you finish, he’ll stand up and join you at your side, admiring the final product

You know he likes it when he reaches for your hand with a smile, letting you rest your head against him

The most you’ll get verbally is “it’s beautiful,” but trust me, he feels so much more deeply about the piece (and you <3)

Lloyd

Lloyd is more curious than anything when he finds out you’re an artist

What kinds of art do you do? Can he see your work? Have you always liked art?

He’s eager to see your work, but he’s not sure he can “appreciate” it properly

You have to reassure him that there’s no one way to “appreciate” art, and however he feels about it, that’s just how he feels

Your response only increases his interest

He ends up getting more into art because of you

The art of appreciation, if you will

He wants to be able to understand your work more so that he knows how to support you

He mostly spends hours just staring at your work, trying to notice the little details

He’d love to watch you at work, too, if you’ll let him

He asks questions all the time, but still tries not to annoy you

He’s actually already a natural at “appreciating” art, but the fact that he’s always trying to learn only makes him better at it

So you can do nothing but smile while he tilts his head, carefully formulating his next question

They’re surprisingly deep at times:

“Do you think this piece uses smoother shapes because you were feeling relaxed, so you moved more slowly? Or perhaps you were just emulating your calmness subconsciously..?”

“That could be it. I hadn’t thought of it like that.”

“Oh, sorry, am I overanalyzing? Sorry-”

“No, no, you’re totally right.”

You’ll ruffle his hair affectionately, and he’ll wrap an arm around your shoulder while he continues to examine your piece :]

Nya

I’m gonna be honest, I don’t see Nya as the type to get all deep over the meaning of art

Like, if it’s pleasing to the eye she’ll appreciate it, but she doesn’t think about it too much

It’s just too abstract for her tastes; the pseudo-reasoning of art critics gets on her nerves

But for your work she makes an exception

Well, not really an exception—she doesn’t take to pseudo-reasoning

She knows you, she knows your feelings, so when she sees your work, she sees a piece of you in it

It’s something she doesn’t see in other art pieces; she doesn’t know the artist, so it’s nothing more than a visual piece for her

But with your pieces, she can dig deeper because she knows deeper information

That’s why she loves your work, and why she loves watching you work

You’re the only artist that makes her feel like she really understands art, and for that she appreciates you

(She still thinks that most critics talk out of their asses though)

On that note, she will fight your critics. She will hunt them down and make them regret ever trying to “understand” your work

“Tch, look at this idiot. He doesn’t even know what he’s talking about! He doesn’t know you!”

“Nya, he’s complimenting my work-”

“But he doesn’t understand it!”

Honestly you think it’s a little funny how she’s unintentionally become one of those critics who argue about a piece’s meaning

Only for you though ;)

Pixal

She has a vast trove of knowledge, but feeling is something she often struggles with

There are few things that actually give her profound emotions

Your art is one of those things

The fact that it came from you, that your hands crafted it…

It stirs something in her, and suddenly the shapes and colors come to life

She asks you about it often, trying to understand

“Why is it… calming?”

“Well, I suppose I used some pretty muted colors, and the imagery is kinda peaceful… I dunno, does it calm you?”

“Yes. It makes me feel calm.”

Obviously you’re proud of her for better recognizing her emotions

And she’s proud of herself!!

Your art helps her understand a part of her that she’s only beginning to explore

And, since it comes directly from you, she credits you with the help :)

She loves to see your finished work, but she also finds herself mesmerized by your creative process

Watching the piece come together, each motion bringing it closer to completion, helps her understand the art itself

She tells herself that it helps her understand her feelings, too

Even though she knows that not every piece is dedicated to her, she always thanks you for showing her your work <3

Thanks for this request!! And thank you for reading, take care you little rockstars <33

(divider by saradika)

[starrayblogs]

Hey hey, first off, very excited to see someone writing for Aphmau characters!! It’s been a while since I watched my street but I will never forget how upset I was when Laurence disappeared (Goodnight sweet Prince)

As for fanfic request stuff, could you do a friends to lovers with a reader who’s super confident in everything except love? Like, knows they’re cool and look good but they’ve never really been confessed to, just something real fluffy. Not necessarily shy just not willing to risk confessing even if they know the other person feels the same (preferably fem reader)

For the character(s), if you take requests for multiple people then Cole Ninjago and Laurence MyStreet (separate) and if not then just Laurence will do :))

Any format works too, headcanons, one shot, go wild

thanks so much for the ask! this is such an interesting scenario and i had a loooooong time writing this ehe TuT

however, since the characters you requested are from different fandoms- i think i'll write the other pairing on a different post (hope u understand TmT) . also i'm soooo sorry in advance if laurence is ooc, i haven't really thought about him in a while...

anyway, likes and reblogs are appreciated! i hope you enjoy ✩

pairing: mystreet laurance x fem!reader

will include: fluff, friends to lovers

"You know what's the craziest part in all this?" Katelyn points out, drawing a circle with her index toward you.

"What?" You raise a brow, placing your hands on top of each other on your crossed leg.

"That I still don't get how you haven't confessed to Laurence." She answers quickly, and you react by immediately uncrossing your legs and throwing your hands in the air.

"It's not that easy!" You exclaim.

"How? You're the most confident person ever!" Aphmau points out from her side of the couch. "Second to Laurence, of course." She adds, which receives a collective 'yeah's and 'that's true's from the other girls.

You sigh as you slump in your chair.

It's another girls night, which means another night for updates on your crush on your close friend, Laurence. Only the girls, who are Aphmau, Katelyn, Kawaii~Chan, and Lucinda, know your crush on him.

"Seriously, you're so confident when it comes to other guys. I never thought I'd see Travis of all guys stutter when you flirted with him for a dare." Lucinda chuckles from the other end of Aphmau's couch, swirling her glass of juice.

"Because, Laurence is different..." You pause for a second before sighing again and combing a hand through your hair. "I've never felt this type of connection with anyone else, and I'm scared that if I do confess, it'll ruin the friendship I have with him." You frown as you intertwine your hands together. "I don't wanna lose him if it ends out like that."

"What happened to "don't be afraid to try new things" because you said being confident is all about being secure with yourself enough that new things don't scare you as much?" Katelyn asks, bending at the waist and propping her elbows on her thighs.

"I agree! You always say that and that's how you helped Kawaii~Chan start her maid cafe!" Kawaii~Chan smiles at you. You spare a smile before looking down to your fiddling hands again.

"Love is an entirely different department of confidence. My past relationships didn't end well, and," You bite your lip for a second, "I'm scared." Your eyes glance up to look around the room, which was filled with surprised faces from your girl friends. "I'm scared that if Laurence and I do become a... thing, that the universe is going to wreck it somehow and he'll cut me out of his life." You confess.

Aphmau gets up from her seat and ushers Lucinda to scooch to the other side before taking her seat. She places her hands on top of yours and your head moves up to meet her eyes. Her lips curl into a smile as her hand squeezes yours, giving your reassurance not only with her gaze.

"You're not going to lose him. I know Laurence is a relatively silly guy, but when it's something serious, he doesn't play around." She says softly. "He's a mature guy when he needs to be, and I can never imagine him actually hurting any woman's feelings on purpose." She adds with a light chuckle before exhaling deeply. "Otherwise, if he did, I'd have his head by now."

You comically blink at her last sentence before breaking into a laugh. The weight of the situation gets lighter, even for just this moment, and you give Aphmau a smile. "Thanks, Aph." You nod in her direction. "Thanks for being so supportive about this, girls." You turn to the other three in the living room.

"Of course, no problem!" "No biggie." "Kawaii~Chan can't wait for her ship to sail!"

Everyone turns to Kawaii~Chan with concerned looks, which she replies with a shrug. "What? Kawaii~Chan thinks they're end game!" She exclaims nonchalantly. Your cheeks flush as you try to change the topic for the night.

It was pouring down heavily today. You were outside early before the sun came up for a quick jog around the town, as you usually did. However, on your way back, you felt droplets of rain fall down on you and dismissed it for a light shower.

Now, you're stuck under a random bus stop. Turns out, you were jogging on a completely different street on the way back home. You guess you absentmindedly took one wrong turn on the way back, too busy listening to your music.

You were pretty soaked in your attire and you were started to get cold. Your phone dinged in your pocket and you brought it out, curling your hand across the top of the screen to stop the rain from straying onto your phone.

It was Laurence. He texted asking you how you were against the rain, and followed it with a picture of a flooded basement. He said his room got flooded and you snickered, typing a reply back on how only he would get stuck in a situation like that.

He replies with a few laughing emojis and you think for a while before opening your camera, taking a selfie of yourself. Your hair was wet and clinging to your skin, your clothes were also wet (even your socks), and you were pretty sure you would get sick after this.

You sent the selfie to Laurence, telling him how you're stuck outside in the rain while you were in the middle of jogging back home. He didn't reply after that and you thought it up to how he had his own problems to handle, which was his flooded basement.

You hugged yourself as you sat inside the bus stop, hoping the rain would stop. You didn't want to risk jogging back home either because you were on a street you didn't know and you were pretty sure you'd get even more lost in such weather.

You don't know how long you waited but it felt like hours.

Then, you heard your name in the distance. You turned to the direction of the voice and saw a figure far away. You squinted your eyes to get a good look on who it was, and you gasped.

It was Laurence. Running in your direction and holding up an umbrella above his head.

You can't explain how relieved you were to see him. You watched as he ran up to you and as he panted for a few minutes to catch his breath. You hoped he thought that your red cheeks were some indication of a starting fever, instead of you blushing because he was here.

"Laurence?" You whisper his name and he inhales deeply, pushing himself up from his knees.

"Are you okay!?" He exclaims, stepping closer inside the bus stop to you. "Oh my Irene, I'm so glad I found you. Come on, let's get you home." He offers his hand out and you slowly reach out for it.

Once your hand was in his, he gripped you tightly and pulled you under the umbrella. "How'd you find me?" You ask softly as you begin to follow Laurence's lead.

"Your selfie showed the bus stop map. I just had to zoom in to see which one you were at, and I came running to find you." Laurence says, like it was no big deal. Yet, you could hear your heart beating loudly in your ears as your cheeks grow redder.

"... Thank you, Laurence." You say softly, smiling towards him. He glances his eyes to you, and he smiles back.

"Don't mention it." He replies, and you almost just notice how he squeezes your hand just a bit tighter.

Laurence led you back to your house in gentleman-like fashion. You were screaming in your head the whole time the way back, but deep down you were happy. Extremely happy.

On the way home, Laurence explained that Zane somehow managed to drain the water from the basement and that's when he immediately left the house to get you.

You felt so cared for. On the way home, you would look down and stare at your intertwined hands. You couldn't believe someone would go out in the windy, strong rain just to fetch you and bring you home- and you couldn't believe it more when you remember it's Laurence who did that.

... You're almost brought to tears when you remind yourself that he's doing all of this as your friend as you come down the stairs.

When you don't notice Laurence in the living room, those thoughts are immediately reinforced. Of course, he did his job in bringing you back to your house, so what other reason would he have to stay?

"You done showering? I made some chicken soup!" A familiar voice yells from the kitchen. You hurriedly make your way there in disbelief, to see Laurence about to carry two hot bowls of soup.

"Laurence," you pause, "you're still here." You sound like you're out of breath.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Laurence comes up to you with a sided smile, nodding his head to your dining table to indicate to take a seat. "Someone's gotta take care of you once you inevitably get a fever after being out in the rain for so long." He subtle scolds you and you pout.

"I thought I could wait it out..." You murmur, taking your seat.

"Yeah, for a day, sure." He sets your bowl down in front of you before taking a seat next to you, while pressing the back of his palm on your forehead.

You quickly pull away to look down to your bowl and immediately pick up the spoon. So, you could hide your blush (obviously). "I don't have a fever, Laurence." You tell him, taking a scoop of the soup and bringing it to your lips.

Only, of course, to burn your tongue and slam the spoon back down on the table. "Hey, hey, slow down!" Laurence gets up from his seat to quickly pour you some water. "Are you okay?" He asks while you basically chug the water.

You nod your head while drinking before setting the glass down. "Uh, thank you... again." You avert your eyes nervously.

"Are you sure you don't have a fever?" He raises a brow as he returns to his chair.

"Y-Yeah! Yeah, I'm sure." You slide a hand behind your neck out of habit.

Laurence's eyes furrow and he leans in towards you. "You're lying."

"What?"

"You're lying?"

"No, I'm not." You chuckle.

"Yes, you are. You put your hand behind your neck when you lie." He states, like a matter of fact.

You blink at him with awe and disbelief. He notices the small stuff about you too.

Your mind passes to the thoughts of your feelings towards the brunette. The fact he ran in the middle of practically a storm today just to get you, the fact he remembered your small habits, and the fact that he's here. He's here and he's taking care of you.

It makes you feel warmer than the soup he made. He's always made you feel like. It's like a cozy fireplace whenever you're next to him, like you're rocking on a chair with a knitted wool blanket while holding your favorite drink.

You're at the height of your emotions and it overtakes your rationality. You inhale and blurt,

"Laurence, I like you." He blinks at your words. You clear your throat and look down, intertwining your hands to keep them busy. "I've liked you for a while, actually. A few months after we met, I developed feelings for you. I... I never told you because I was scared of losing you." You close your eyes when you feel the tears begin to well in your eyes. "I know how dumb it sounds especially because of how confident I am, but when it comes to you, I am so scared because the bond we have is so special to me a-"

You were cut off by a kiss. You open your tear-filled eyes and see Laurence's face. His eyes are squeezed shut and his cheeks were slightly tinted if you paid enough attention, and you did. He pulls away.

Apparently, he had lifted your head with his hands on your cheek and pulled you in for a cheek. "I..." He smiles as his thumb wipes the tears away from your cheek. "I like you too. For a while, now." He confesses softly. "You caught my eye the day Aphmau introduced you to us because you were so confident with yourself." He glances down to your lips before looking at you again. "At first, it was because you were beautiful," he pauses, "I still do."

You chuckle and he does too, before pulling your focus back on him.

"Then as we got closer, I thought about how much I wanted to keep seeing you... be confident." He says. "And wanted to be the one that makes you confident too." He adds, nodding his head to the side. "Of course, only if you'd let me."

You sniffle and nod your head frantically. You laugh lightly as you begin to chuckle. "Yes!" You whisper. "Yes, Laurence, I-"

He cuts you off with another kiss. Only this time, you kiss him back.

[sepublic]

The Owl House's Ending Anniversary...

So it's officially been one whole year since The Owl House ended.

One year ago, I wondered how I would move on. How I would keep going. But I also knew I would, no matter what, because time keeps going on. Things will eventually pass, they always do, that's how so many moments and days for me have gone. Even entire periods of my life.

So I'm not surprised how things have gone on since then; I still had plenty more things to say about TOH, and I still love it just as I have. I've gotten new hyperfixations, and even returned to old ones as some of you can see with recent posts, so it's only a matter of time before TOH circles back again.

And man does it feel so slow, only to feel so brief, it really feels like this anniversary has snuck up on and surprised me! And once again, we have some other, appropriate event lined up; A solar eclipse on this anniversary! Luckily there's no sigils nor coven heads gathered to make me worry. But dang, it was raining in Connecticut when Luz returned there, and it was the rebirth of Jesus when Luz was resurrected.

Makes me wonder if anyone of the Boiling Isles, justifiably, has had PTSD from solar eclipses, and dreaded any that showed up, despite knowing it couldn't happen again. People must've held their breaths the entire time during the first eclipse, panicked at even the slightest fatigue, and then it passed and they realized it really was impermanent and over. And that there was another step towards moving on, which I guess I can relate to now, though this is something I'm much less happy to see gone.

I think a lot about how TOH has influenced both me and my writing, how I approach characters and stories now. I've found myself gravitating more and more towards personal, character-driven stories and situations now. I still have a bit of a taste for grander-scale stuff, but TOH was special for me in that it feels like the first time I really got and understood a show and its characters from the ground-up as I experienced it all in real time. The first time I truly grasped themes and character arcs and could make reasoned predictions based on those, some of which came true! It really feels like THE big start of my media literacy in a way?

It's been fun looking back at TOH as a 'whole' work more or less to reevaluate, and learning other things behind-the-scenes about the show. We've had a few more livestreams and stuff confirmed. Dana's done more drawings, including on her Patreon.

I haven't been writing as much TOH stuff lately, and tbf I've already said soooo much. I might have other, new things to say later down the line, and I do have a few thoughts I've written in notes that maybe could be fully-fledged posts in their own right. I've found comparisons to protagonists of other media, like Miles Morales, or Arin from Ninjago.

The Owl House still is and will probably always be something truly special to me; It feels like my first real fandom experience. My first time understanding and learning a show, appreciating it as it develops and even as I speculate. It broadened my tastes and horizons, my ability to participate with others in stuff.

I miss it; I miss new episodes, new developments. I'm still agonized over things that could've been, things I would've loved to see more of. I'm apprehensive over whether we'll get that Raeda prequel because I don't wanna get my hopes up. Plus Dana needs a well-deserved break and is trying and experimenting with new, different things. And I get that.

It's bittersweet, it's scary, it's freeing, it's sad, it's happy. I've gone so far, this show and fandom has gone so far. And it'll keep going, it has to, time keeps marching on. Luz had to lose her father Manny, process that, but still keep going and must be surprised looking back how much she's adjusted since then, how much she's still grown and gained and learned, while still holding him dear; The same applies for the Titan and the magic she once wielded. With grief and acceptance being a core theme in this show, I'm not surprised that it prepped up the viewers to do the same, and now we have.

And you know what? I'm gonna keep going on, like Luz Noceda, possibly my favorite protagonist of all time, one of the greats and a huge inspiration now for how I really want to write and focus on my own protagonists, too. I'm gonna keep doing this like it never ended. The rate and frequency might fluctuate, but every now and then I'll have things to say, and stuff to drop by and check, such as with the tag and the occasional trending post, others' reblogs, and so forth.

So again, thanks to Dana and the crew. Thanks to Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne, King Clawthorne, and the other many, many characters! Luz's story is one where it feels like the show really is about her at its core and wraps around to her, and I want to do a story one day that accomplishes the same feeling. And as I see how Dana has been inspired by past influences, I can't help but look forward to future generations and stories that will themselves have been inspired by The Owl House, I know I've been already, retroactively applying it to things that were already fairly compatible to begin with, and really needed the fresh breath of new inspiration.

I'm repeating a lot of the same things I've said last year. Will I say the same stuff another whole year from now? I'll see. But until next time... BBBBYYYYYYEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

[destinygoldenstar]

The Amazing Digital Circus Episode 3 - "As Iron Sharpens Iron-"

To say I was excited for this Episode to come out is an UNDERSTATEMENT.

Ever since Episode 2 PROVED it to me that this show was going to be something very special to me, I've been very invested and eagerly waiting the next installment.

This also marks the FIRST Digital Circus Episode where I CAUGHT THE PREMIERE.

I didn't see the Pilot until a month after it came out because I didn't know about the show. And Episode 2 I was at work at the same time of the release. I had a nerve-wrecking day.

But this time I CAUGHT IT, AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER TO.

So I was excited, especially when it was hyped up as the best episode so far!!!

...

IT WASN'T, BUT I STILL REALLY LOVED IT.

Yeah... I said it. I will be the first to say this:

As of right now, this is my least favorite episode.

NOW HOLD ON, THAT IN NO WAY MEANS I DISLIKED IT. THIS EPISODE IS GREAT.

Which should really tell you the quality of this show.

This IS a review based off a first viewing, so be aware of that. Y'all know I'm gonna rewatch this multiple times. So maybe my problems will become less problems.

I also CANNOT WAIT to see all the Angry Karens raging on the Internet about the show! "THIS CARTOON IS TOO DARK AND SCARY FOR MY CHILDREN!! I OUGHTA SUE YA GLITCH!!"

To that I'll say "F%#K YOUR KIDS, CARTOONS ARE FOR EVERYONE!!" (No I won't, but you get the message)

You want a kid friendly haunted mansion episode, NINJAGO SEASON 5 GOT YOU COVERED. (One of the best episodes in that show btw)

I would argue the circus tent is a lot scarier than a haunted mansion, but whatever.

But I do need to explain WHY I find this episode the weakest, and also gush over the good stuff cause there IS good stuff.

So I need to get into spoilers:

I've complained before in the previous two episodes that the B Plots were my least favorite thing about this show. They weren't bad, they just didn't grasp me like the A Plots did (AKA whichever plot Pomni has going on).

But I was really looking forward to them fixing this issue with this episode, especially to aid the characterization of Zooble. A character that has been very neglected. I was expecting this therapy session with Caine to be both chaotic (Because it's Caine) and inciting.

Did it deliver with that??

Yes AND No.

Technically, YES, it was inciting and we learned more about Zooble. They're not straight. They have dysphoria. They're very uncomfortable with their body which is why they're constantly changing parts. And because of that they don't feel like they fit in with the people around them.

LGBT+ Symbolism. Trans Symbolism. Zooble has dysphoria. CALLED IT.

(I mean, Jax even SAYS Zooble isn't straight in the episode)

And hey, just because I guessed what it was and saw it coming, doesn't mean I'm not very appreciative they brought it up. It helps with Zooble's character, and I'm sure the trans audience enjoyed it. I'm cis though, so I don't find it personal. That can't be helped.

We also learned about CAINE's mentality. The A.I was only programmed to create adventures. So he relishes in that because it's the only thing he knows how to do and knows how to help. And Zooble snarking at the very thing Caine was designed to do... BREAKS HIM.

And I am already theorizing, because Caine mentally breaking like that CAUSES A GLITCH IN THE ENTIRE CIRCUS.

So... CAINE'S mental state is what's keeping the circus afloat. THAT SAYS A LOT.

Yeah I definitely think he's getting redeemed, AND this is gonna come up later.

But other than those two scenes, I was a bit disappointed with this plotline. I feel like it could've been longer and we could've learned more. Or, let me rephrase that, at least ONE more cutaway to them.

As it stands, while this is TECHNICALLY the best B Plot of this show's episodes, it is still a B Plot that suffers from being much less interesting.

Idk, maybe this is a 'first viewing' issue, and when I watch the episode again, I'll understand it better.

Oh yeah, speaking of B Plots, we BARELY get ANYTHING regarding the pacifist route.

Once Pomni and Kinger fall into the hellhole, we don't hear from Ragatha Gangle and Jax FOR AWHILE.

And then the next time we see them, they're having tea and being friendly with the hunter's ghost wife, who DID NOT get an in person introduction. And they tied up Jax off screen. WHAT?!?! HOW DID Y'ALL GET HERE?!?!

It wasn't their episode, I understand why the episode wouldn't focus on them, but I DID want an explanation as to how we went from THIS, to THIS.

AND NO ONE BOTHERED TO SHOW CONCERN FOR POMNI AND KINGER THE WHOLE TIME?!

I also feel like it could have, at the very least, benefited Ragatha. But because we don't get anything, her little moment with Pomni at the end felt quite out of nowhere. Because... they didn't have any exchange this episode. I mean good for Pomni for finally expressing she likes her I guess.

Also... that whole exchange was really platonic...

(I don't ship them)

Overall, I really think this is a pacing issue. The pitch black scene with just their eyes is VISUALLY GREAT, love that they're experimenting with different art styles, BUT OH MY GOD THAT SEQUENCE DRAGS. It could have been HALF as long and the point would've still come across.

I also am just not a big fan of haunted mansion stories. And I know that MIGHT be just a me problem.

But in my defense, Ninjago Season 5 had a haunted mansion episode, and that was one of their best episodes that really SAID SOMETHING and taught the main characters something valuable.

THIS haunted mansion feels more like an obstacle more than anything else. Unless there's some deeper meaning behind the mansion's lore in the future, but I doubt it because it's designed to be a one time thing.

I'm MUCH more invested in the PSYCHOLOGICAL horror of the show instead of the PHYSICAL horror. And I think that's why The Pilot and Episode 2 felt a lot more scarier to me than this.

Don't get me wrong, the dismantled heads and the corpse monster ARE scary. The lit up severed head MADE MY SKIN CRAWL when I first saw it. So did Possessed Pomni.... is it bad that I'm kinda obsessed with Possessed Pomni though? But the scary imagery doesn't do much for me unless there's a deeper meaning behind it. Because after my skin crawl I was able to say "Yep. That's the severed head alive and glowing." "That's it's headless body."

When Pomni got possessed by running through the hall of souls, I remember saying aloud "NO DON'T DO IT".

And the thing that ACTUALLY scared me was when they said "How's your wife, Kinger?"

THAT'S the scary part of that for me.

They also OUTRIGHT TELL you the message of the episode this time.

Now I DON'T hate that they did that, it's meant to be a nice moment between Kinger and Pomni. But I MUCH prefer the approaches the previous episode had with showing its message and letting us pick it up for ourselves.

I don't think that's too much of 'dumbing down' though. Episode 2's incident is different. And this episode it IS meant to be a nice moment between Kinger and Pomni and that's why it had to be told.

So yeah, that's what's keeping this episode back for me.

Okay let me talk about the great stuff now. Aside from what I already mentioned.

ANIMATION.

I LOVE that they're experimenting with different styles, like I said. The 2D eyes look really good, and the little hand drawings at the beginning? Love them. They're so cute. PLEASE keep experimenting with animation techniques.

I was also REALLY WORRIED that the Episode's lighting would be too dark for me to see anything that was going on.

This is a BRIGHT show, especially in the previous two. So it's kinda offputting to see these cartoonish characters in a realistic setting. (That's probably on purpose)

But no, it ended up NOT being an issue for me. I followed everything that was happening perfectly.

Also POMNI AND KINGER.

They were EASILY the BEST thing about this episode. Hands down.

EVERY scene with them and their interactions is GOLDEN.

I SERIOUSLY thought Pomni was gonna take a backseat for a couple of episodes to make way for everyone else. But she IS the main character, so I should've suspected that wouldn't be the case.

The story LETS her BE the protagonist, WITHOUT taking anything away from the other character's development. Every scene aids BOTH HER & THEM.

She's such an incredibly written protagonist AND WE STAN IN THIS HOUSE.

But enough about her.

I KNEW this episode was going to make me understand the Kinger hype and love him, AND I WAS EXACTLY RIGHT.

I was wrong about it being schizophrenia. Instead his issue is dementia, which is memory loss/problems. But I'm not mad at all that I got that wrong.

I'm not someone who has dementia, so I can't speak if it's accurate or not, but I LOVE how it was handled here.

Kinger's brain works much differently from everyone else due to his past experiences, and there are certain triggers to his sanity. SO THAT'S WHY HE STAYS IN A PILLOW FORT. I GET IT NOW.

Also HIS WIFE.

Okay yeah so I was wrong about what the relationship was. But I don't care. I LOVED THIS BACKSTORY.

(Abstractions can be tamed?)

Kinger DEFINATELY went up my list for me thanks to this episode, and I KNOW he's gonna be a key player in the future. If his "seven years of computer science" line is anything to go off of.

I love him so much. Your honor, I love him. I wanna protect him.

These two make such great friends and I'm completely here for it.

And the episode STILL maintains all of Digital Circus's great qualities. Thrilling action, sharp comedy, great character interactions, excellent characterizations. And also much more theorizing material that will rot all our brains.

Great Episode. 8/10.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be welcoming this beauty in my nightmares.

[rott1ngbra1n]

Sorry for being sudo inactive!! I’ve been on a trip, where I got to see Sweeney Todd on Broadway!! Genuinely such a good show. If I went on about how amazing it was, we’d be here all day

But on the note of me being gone for a bit, ya boi has been crafting! Along with some more ramblings as usual-

More art below the cut (under my ramble-)

The chapter one outline of the Alley Cat AU has been completed! Now it’s on to drawing some panels out and finalizing the draft! Of course I will probably post more concept work before then, as some details still need to be worked out. But we are making headway!

I’m going to also work on making a masterpost here soon, so that way everything is in one neat spot. But the story will be hosted here! Here’s some more smaller concept work to tide you guys over until the next post! I obviously want to finish a couple chapters but I’ve also started work on a chapter explaining how Morro met his cat! Originally the cat was unnamed but I think Wisp works well for them, I will try to finish the reference sheets for all of the characters before I post any chapters.

I’m also going to finish up my work on chapter one, before posting any of it. So that way the wait between isn’t as awful (fun fact that’s been my New Year’s resolution- to try and post more-) but please be patient with me, I’ve never really worked on a project this big before and I am a full time college student with a job. So I will do my best!

I want to let you guys know as well, the ninja and their dynamic with Lloyd will stay pretty similar to that of the show. With them obviously being suspicious of Lloyd and his “cat”, but because they find him and Lloyd doesn’t try to do anything regarding the Serpentine (because Morro shook some sense into him-) there’s no residual “you unleashed the snakes on us-“ vibes. Instead right off the bat Kai takes one look at Lloyd and says “You are now my little brother. You cannot deny this.”, adding more fluff.

That also means we have to find another person who unleashes the serpentine. Because plot reasons and all that jazz, I’m working on it but I think it would be funny if Jay did it by accident or one of the other darkly boys did it. I’ll toy with both ideas and some other ones before I settle on it, I have time. I hope.

I’ve got some other things I’m cooking up, some Ninjago related, others pertaining to other fandoms I’m in.

Aside from that, I also have a Redbubble! There’s some stuff in there I’m reworking, so a minder and apology for that, but I’m going to try to get some more Ninjago works posted up there. Along with some original works! Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out!

I also have a KoFi that I am also redoing and working on! If you’d like to commission me, that would be the spot! I’m still trying to figure it out so if you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask! KoFi link here!

I really appreciate all of your kind words and reblog tags (I do see them, they make me laugh and smile), it means a lot and I hope you all enjoy what else I’ve got in the oven!! Thank you so much!!

[the-painted-siren]

Anything At All

Summary: Lloyd is an adult who’s perfectly capable of taking care of himself—or so he wants Zane to believe. Good thing Zane doesn’t believe. Notes: A little thing I wrote for Round 1 of Who Wrote That in the Ninjago fic server I’m part of. Decided to polish it off and post it bc I had a good time writing it.

“You’re upset.”

It’s a statement, not a question. 

Lloyd glances up, his expression one that Zane knows all too well: brows creased, face pinched, eyes gleaming with a sheen of exhaustion. Lloyd leans back in his chair, an irritated grumble rumbling in his throat. 

“I am not.” Lloyd throws his pencil onto the stack of scrolls before him. The names of each of his students lay across the pages, accompanied by notes, diagrams, and schedules. Eraser shavings and crumpled-up papers overflow on his desk. 

“It's normal to be upset,” Zane says. “You're stressed from a long day.” 

Lloyd waves him off, yawning. “I’ve seen worse days,” he mutters. “I can get through this one.” 

“Have you eaten today?” 

Lloyd combs his fingers through his hair, a heavy sigh rolling out of him as he sinks down into his chair. He doesn’t look at Zane for the longest time, but the corners of his mouth turn to a pout like a child that’s been caught stealing sweets before dinner. 

“No,” he finally admits. “But it’s fine. I’ll find something to snack on later.” 

“You should eat,” Zane comments. “I can make something—”

“That’s nice.” Lloyd rises to his feet, a scowl flitting across his features as he pushes Zane toward the door. “But I’m a grown-up. I can feed myself.” 

“But I—”

Lloyd gives Zane a proper shove out into the hallway. 

“I appreciate it, buddy, really, but you can’t help this time.” 

———

Zane doesn’t believe that. 

He plays many roles within the team—medic, builder, analyst. He was built to protect and repair. And while he can’t traditionally repair Lloyd’s struggles, he figures he may be able to lighten them. He can take some of the weight off of Lloyd’s shoulders. 

Because Lloyd works—he works and he trains and he fights. Mostly because he loves doing it. He loves protecting Ninjago with every ounce of his bleeding, golden heart, even if he never says it. 

Deep down, though, Zane suspects it’s also because Lloyd doesn’t know how to do anything else. 

Zane figures he’s approximately 25% responsible for that. Less, if he takes Nya and Master Wu into account. More, if he considers the many times he’s recklessly thrown himself into battle, almost died protecting those he cares about, and never opened those vulnerable parts of himself for others to repair. 

Terrible examples that Zane knows Lloyd has internalized. 

Though, FSM forbid he ever point that out—Lloyd would have a fit.  

That leaves Zane the only option of supporting Lloyd through less direct means, which he remembers how to do with his favorite pastime. 

Cooking tethers Zane to his sense of self. It goes beyond a set of calculations that his superhuman brain can produce in seconds. He considers it an art and one of the few things that call for his opinion and not cold, hard facts—it’s something he knows he can always use to comfort his family.  

For Lloyd, Zane brings out a recipe of deep nostalgia and laughter. 

A noodle soup with a rich, golden broth flavored by an assortment of spices, ginger, lime, and cilantro. Traditionally made with beef or chicken, Zane has since changed the recipe to favor shrimp instead, as Lloyd proved to have a taste for it as a child. 

A few hours later, Zane sweeps into Lloyd’s room and sets the piping hot bowl of soup down on his desk. Lloyd looks up and immediately scowls. 

“Zane, I told you to leave me alone,” Lloyd snaps. “Can’t you see I’m busy?” 

Zane doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he scans the contents of Lloyd’s desk.  

“You are working on customized training programs for your students?” Zane asks. 

“Yes.” 

“You teach them because you care about them?”

“ Yes, ” Lloyd hisses. 

“If teaching is your way of expressing love, then cooking is mine,” Zane asserts, “and you are not the only one who is allowed to express their love here.” 

Lloyd looks gobsmacked that Zane would dare speak to him that way. He opens and closes his mouth like a fish out of water, spluttering for words that simply won’t come. Eventually, he scoffs, picks up a fork, and stabs at the food. 

Despite Lloyd’s agonizing display, Zane reckons that everything will turn out fine. He followed the recipe he wrote to the letter, the same as always. It’s never failed before; it shouldn’t now. 

Still, he finds himself watching with anticipation rushing to his head.

Lloyd shoves a forkful of noodles and shrimp into his mouth and chews—quickly first, then slowly, before he stops altogether. 

A shot of icy panic spears through Zane’s mind. Surely, he hadn’t made a mistake? Unless Lloyd had grown out of enjoying his food? Did Lloyd not like it—

A soft rumbling sound touches the air, familiar in every way. 

It takes Zane a moment to process what it is, but when he does, all of his doubt melts away. 

Purring. Lloyd is purring.

His pointed ears—from his supernatural heritage—flick once, ever so slightly. Then again, and again, until they flutter like the wings of a butterfly. Lloyd leans over the bowl, a content smile pulling at his lips as he swallows and dives for the next bite, slurping up noodles with reckless abandon. 

A cool sense of relief floods through Zane’s body at the sight. 

Ever since the Merge, Lloyd rarely seemed joyful. It was as though the years of loneliness had left him struggling to reconnect with even his closest friends and all the more desperate to assert his independence. Especially since his responsibilities had grown to include two—no, three, Zane recounts—kids and a busier monastery to maintain. 

To see Lloyd smile again soothed Zane more than words could explain. 

“Be sure to bring your bowl back to the kitchen once you’ve finished,” Zane says as he takes his leave. “I can serve up seconds for you too, if you wish.”

Lloyd suddenly spins around in his chair, eyes wide. 

“Uh, wait, Zane!”

Zane pauses in the doorway.

“Um… I know this might be a lot to ask…” Lloyd stumbles over his words, eyes darting away. “But… you know those spring rolls you make sometimes? The ones that have shrimp and pork and all that—” Lloyd makes a vague gesture with his hand. “ —green stuff you put in it. Could you…?”

“Of course,” Zane answers swiftly. “I’d be happy to make some for you.” 

Lloyd beams—soft and relaxed against the golden light of dusk pouring into the room. 

“Thanks, Zane,” Lloyd says. 

Zane merely smiles, happy to be of assistance. 

Anything at all to make his little brother smile again.

[skyward-floored]

Hey, just wanted to say I think you’re a cool person and I really like the little writing you do. They’re very cool and, even though I’ve only read like 2 (curse my small attention span ravaged by yt shorts and also adhd), they make me feel fuzzy (well, the ones that are fuzzy anyways) and emotions. Basically, you write amazingly. Hope this doesn’t come off as robotic, I’m not good at expressing appreciation through words but I’d totally make you a pizza as like a kudos.

If you don’t mind me asking also, do you have any tips or advice on how to start writing? I’ve been meaning to try but my brain and doubts (and lack of action and starting) keep me back, and you write cool stuff so I figured why not ask? Hope this isn’t annoying (if it is, feel free to ignore this latter thing) and may you have cookies in the future :)

Hey thank you! Don’t worry it didn’t come off as robotic at all, thanks for the kind words (and pizza kudos XD)!

I can try and give you some tips? I don’t know if they’ll be very useful, especially since it’s been a bit since I started writing, but I’ll try? Since you said one of your problems was doubts, I’ll start there since I definitely have experience with that XD

Basically... you’re always gonna have doubts as a writer. Maybe some writers don’t, but I think everyone I know who writes does. I nearly had a panic attack when I posted my first ever fic (a tiny little ninjago oneshot lol), and the only reason I didn’t totally freak out and delete it was because a friend told me it was really nice and she encouraged me. That was over four years ago, and while I’m past the panic attack stage, I still worry and fret about my writing and if anyone will like them... etcetera.

I guess what I’m trying to say is you can’t let doubt stop you. There are always going to be those voices telling your writing sucks, and that it isn’t worth it. And you gotta ignore them. Writing is a skill like any other, and at first, you probably are gonna suck, but you can’t let that stop you—you have to try and keep going, and build that skill.

But that wasn’t much about actual writing XD If you really want to start writing, start by thinking about what you want to write. I’m sure you’ve got an idea of some sort in mind— and even if it’s silly or weird or overdone or seems too hard to write, start there. See what happens.

If you’re having trouble starting, I’d suggest skipping straight to the cool parts of the scene you want to write. Don’t worry about having the perfect starting point, just jump right in to the middle of that emotional injury or dramatic escape. The rest can come later... or not! That’s the beauty of fanfic!

I myself try and write just a little every day. Even if it’s only one sentence, try and add just a little to it. I don’t have adhd so I can’t really help you much in that regard, but if distractions are the problem, try and get rid of them before you start writing.

Put your phone in a different room so you can’t get at it, go off where your family hopefully won’t bother you (this is a big one for me lol), just try to limit your distractions as best you can.

I think that’s all I got XD that was mostly a lot of talk, but hopefully some of it was helpful! Good luck!

[only-lonely-stars]

Orange is the New Black (Chapter 3 - L-L-O-Y-D!)

[Chapter 2] // [Chapter 3 - you are here!] // [Chapter 4] – (FFN) (AO3)

Part of @ninjago-fic-fest!

Summary:

A rift opens in the sky above Ninjago City just as Cole continues his track record of falling from tall places. The place he wakes up in isn't the same as the one in which he fell... and who's the kid with a man bun who looks just like him?

Chapter summary:

Cole experiences a number of small yet confusing moments and questions his sanity.

Things in this alternate Ninjago City seemed to move both faster and slower than Cole expected they would.

Wu had offered him a cabin on the Bounty, inadvertently the one where Cole had once lived with his brothers back when Lord Garmadon had been their biggest threat. He’d settled into his old cot with a sigh, the mattress just as hard as he remembered, and slept as well as the earth he mastered.

He woke late in the morning, remembering the last wisps of dreams. He’d been somewhere lush and green, not unlike Hiroshi’s Labyrinth. Princess Vania had been with him, doing… something… 

He tried to remember it, but couldn’t… and with the absence came a painful homesickness.

Wu had nearly knocked down the door a minute later, balancing an entire tray of breakfast food on his staff, and they had breakfasted right there on the floor. Wu didn’t answer any of his questions, instead telling him to be patient, and the clipped tone of his voice made Cole remember that this wasn’t his Wu.

They finished their meal quickly, so with an entire day to kill, Cole went for a long walk around the city.

—

The Ninjago City Tour began at the bay where the Destiny’s Bounty was docked. Cole could see the whole city without having to turn his head! It was small, yet reaching high into the sky, and extremely colorful.

It wasn’t like the Ninjago City he remembered, or anything in his Ninjago.

He began to walk toward what he thought was east, toward where he thought the sun must have risen from. It was already nearing its zenith.

Cole smiled and shielded his eyes, appreciating the heat.

It felt like home.

East took him toward the coast of the bay, where it was sandy and populated. While there weren’t many waterfront properties, the skyscrapers even came up to the edge of the sand, as if taunting the very geography.

Wasn’t that a safety concern?

Why was this place so strange?

Cole was so distracted that he didn’t realize what was happening until he walked right into someone and knocked them over.

“Ow!” The person fell backward, landing on the sidewalk. “Watch it!”

“I’m sorry!” He reached down and offered a hand to help the person up. She was middle-aged, with long, platinum blond hair tied into a high ponytail.

She gave him a dirty look and got up on her own, brushing herself off. “Thanks. Now I’ve got dirt on me, right before my Pilates class.”

“I said I was sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going, it was a complete accident.”

The woman rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I’m fine.”

She walked on, and Cole stood still in amazement.

What was that all about?

He looked around again. There was nobody else around– not even anyone on the boardwalk he’d somehow found himself on. How had he managed to run into someone?

This place got stranger and stranger…

—

A few hours later, Cole stood in the shallows at the beach. He’d discarded his tabi boots a few meters back and rolled up his pant legs. The water was just a little warmer than the air, and he smiled as it lapped against his shins. The relaxing rush of water was still something familiar, not unlike when Nya was meditating and practicing her elemental skills. If he closed his eyes, he could envision Kai playing with fire, taking videos for his social media. Jay would be messing with some device, trying to wire it in a way that could possibly start an electrical fire. Zane would sit nearby, supposedly to relax, but really so he could quench Jay’s project if needed.

Oh, how Cole already missed them… but he had to look on the bright side. This was a good place! It was still Ninjago, after all.

Maybe it wasn’t so bad to be in another realm, listening to unfamiliar radio playing through loudspeakers and children shouting excitedly. The beach was crowded enough that he only had a little space to himself, but Cole didn’t want to isolate himself. He’d done enough of that when he was a teenager.

A teenager like Hence, who walked around with headphones on all the time, who wore all-black and tried to be cool but obviously wasn’t happy.

If he was as similar to Cole as he appeared, Hence was struggling, and Cole probably knew why.

But how did you help the alternate version of yourself? It was like those stupid interview questions from the Ninja’s celebrity days. What would you tell your younger self? Any advice? 

I’d tell him to be brave, and to talk to his dad earlier. To ask about his mom, to not worry so much about other people’s opinions. To not let himself be talked into stupid interviews on live TV so people could poke at a non-existent relationship.

A fish swam up by Cole’s toes, investigating. He wiggled them, scaring the little minnow off.

Maybe he shouldn’t say anything.

But what if it helped? Wasn’t that the job of a ninja?

The radio blared on. “That was ‘Everything is Awesome’ by Tegan and Sara, featuring The Lonely Island! Now Davy, wasn’t that something?”

“It sure was! I’m telling you, this is a beautiful day in Ninjago City. A full two days since Garmadon’s last attack! So you all know we’re overdue, but still.”

Overdue? Cole scoffed. What was Garmadon, a volcano that was ready to blow? Never mind the actual volcano Garmadon supposedly lived in, not even three kilometers away from shore.

“Well let’s get back to the music! Next up, it’s Chen’s newest hit, ‘Boo Lloyd!’ Hit it, Davy!”

The lyrics floated down the beach to Cole. At first, he didn't pay attention, but a few words were familiar made him listen out of disbelief. 

Cheerful drum beats and synths heralded the baffling chorus. “L-L-O-Y-D, his dad is bad and so is he! Boo Lloyd!”

No. Surely he was imagining the earworm he was currently being subjected to, which called Lloyd out by name and mocked him openly.

Lloyd was just a kid here! The son of a famous warlord, yes, but an innocent teenager all the same.

Never mind what he’d thought about this being a nice realm. What was wrong with these people?!

—

Cole burst into the bridge of the Destiny’s Bounty, panting from a flat-out run. “Master Wu!”

The ninja master looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. He sat at a short table, sipping tea and eating what looked like crab cakes. “That is my name. Don’t wear it out.”

Cole sighed in relief, closing the door behind him. “I’m glad I found you. I– I need to talk to you about something.”

“So much is obvious. Sit down.” Wu took out a second teacup and filled it, offering it to Cole as soon as he was seated. Cole took it and sipped, and while he drank, Wu watched him expectantly. 

“Master, something’s wrong here. I was out on a walk in the city, and I– well, I was all over, but I was at the beach for this part. They were playing the radio, and this crazy song was playing. I almost thought I was going crazy!”

Wu hummed and sipped his tea, taking so long that he ended in a drawn-out slurp. “I do not know if you are crazy. What song was it?”

“I don’t even know what it was,” Cole admitted. “I felt like I was hallucinating. The announcer said it was called ‘Boo Lloyd’? Which is exactly why I felt like I was crazy! Am I crazy?”

Wu watched him.

Cole waited.

The ninja master sighed. “No. You are not crazy.”

“Oh, thank goodness. But then–?”

“Yes, it is a real song.” Wu sipped again, slurping loudly. “..It is my nephew’s burden to bear.”

“But– but it’s bullying! He’s never done anything to them! He’s even protected them!”

“They do not know that. His identity is a secret, as is every ninja’s. Perhaps your realm does not take secrecy seriously?”

“Well– we never really needed to keep anything secret.” Cole looked down at his teacup, feeling ashamed. “I just… didn’t think anybody would go after Lloyd like that. Our Lloyd never got treated that way, and his dad was so much worse. No offense.”

“Perhaps he had other lessons to learn.”

“Lessons? What does anyone learn from bullying?”

Wu raised one eyebrow. “Resilience, perhaps patience. He will not learn them if someone else solves his problems for him.”

Cole gaped, struggling for words. “Wh– that’s not– you’re letting him be bullied?”

They stared at one another, the sound of slurping barely registering in Cole’s mind. When Wu finally moved, it was to set his teacup down and pour another, then to slurp from it instead.

It was time to change the subject. “Why are their identities secret, anyway? They wouldn’t be hurt by anyone as their civilian selves, except maybe Garmadon, and they can take him. Right?”

This time, Wu glared at him. “...They are children.”

“I wasn’t any older than them when I started.”

“And your master wanted your enemies to know that?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say he wanted it, but it couldn’t be helped! We had to stop Lord Garmadon before the prophecy could come true.” Cole crossed his arms. “So we were a little young. Big deal. Your ninja will have to defeat him before the Overlord comes into play, right?”

Now it was Wu’s turn to look confused. “What overlord?”

“The Overlord. The greatest force of evil in the whole realm?”

“This sounds like something out of a children’s story,” he commented, matter-of-fact. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“No? You don’t have a prophecy?”

“No. Only the five elements…” Wu shook his head. “They are too young for them. The Ultimate Ultimate Weapon cannot be used. They will have the elements when they are ready.”

“And when will that be? When Garmadon has already been defeated?” The very idea made Cole sad. “Come on, Wu. You’re not letting them stretch their wings.”

The way Wu shifted was enough for him to know that the comment landed, so Cole continued. “You have to let them grow up. They’re not children, they’re teenagers. Soon they’ll be adult ninja. What if they can’t be your students anymore? You can’t keep big secrets like the elements from them.”

Wu set down his teacup, emptied for the second time, with a sharp clack. “You do not know what I’ve seen–”

“I can guess,” Cole interrupted, “and that’s good enough. They don’t know. You need to tell them.”

“It is too much for them. They deserve innocence.”

“Then start small! Start with the elements, or– or leading themselves, or choosing whether or not to stay secret. They should be able to be real ninja, not just pretend to be ninja in front of the rest of the world. If you don’t let them choose their own paths, they’ll be haunted by past failures.”

Wu stood up, suddenly looking very old and very tired. He looked at Cole with aging eyes. “You know too much.”

Cole frowned, heart aching– he missed his Wu, and this doppelgänger just wasn’t him. “So do you.”

They watched each other, and deep down, Cole knew he wouldn’t understand why this Wu was so different. He’d tried to understand his own Master Wu, and that had been under extenuating circumstances. 

No one would ever understand his relationship with Wu… not unless they’d seen it grow. No one else would ever know how it felt to be someone’s student, son, and father.

No one would understand why Cole knew so much, or hurt so much.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push.”

Wu shook his head, exhausted. “...We leave early tomorrow,” he said, as if it was a dismissal.

Cole stood and bowed to him, feeling oddly ceremonial. “Sure. See you later, Master.”

He left the bridge, head spinning and heart aching, wondering how he’d gotten to the position he was in. Somehow, he felt just as old as Wu–

His reverie was broken by the sound of a blaring alarm. “Garmadon alert! This is not a drill. Garmadon alert!” 

[breathlessmorro]

Can I request a skybound Destinyshipping? Like Kai is the onr trying to save Morro

YOU ARE A GENIUS ANON HOW HAVE I NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS??? I'm doing two versions of this, one where their story is background, and one where they are totally at the center of the season.

Destinyshipping Skybound Edition (background story)

Nadakhan knows Morro is responsible for bringing the Cursed Realm to NinjaGo. While Nya destroyed the realm, he blames Morro equally for its destruction, and by extension the destruction of his home. So when he captures Jay, and Morro makes an attempt to free him, Nadakhan does not intend to show mercy.

Nadakhan tortures both Morro and Jay - and feel free to interpret it however you wish - but with Morro? He's forcing him to keep the skies clear to keep the Zeppelins afloat. Morro is the only ninja who never makes a single wish, because he knows they won't work in his favor. However, Nadakhan likes to tempt him with the green ninja. Being human again. Beyond that, he promises to give Morro one more thing; Kai

Nadakhan cannot grant a wish for love, but a wish for lust is different. Even if he's in the sword, he can make Kai crazy for Morro. Leaning towards the idea that Kai doesn't like Morro yet, Morro is greatly tempted by the idea that Kai wouldn't hate him anymore, but pure lust? Does he really want that?... Well, the more he thinks about it, the more tempting it is. A slip of the tongue leaves him wishing to be with Kai, and he ends up in the sword.

Eventually, Morro ends up in the sword. When he and Kai are brought out by Jay, he doesn't know how to react. Nadakhan got him in one wish, and that wish was Kai. How is he supposed to explain that? Kai's made his indifference totally clear and honestly, it's deserved. He loses focus in the fight, if only because he has no idea how he feels anymore.

When the reversal happens courtesy of Jay's wish, Morro's memories may be erased but those feelings remain. He looks at Kai in a new light, and he hates to admit it, but he likes it. While he has no clue where the idea of liking him came from, he knows it's quickly becoming a problem.

Destinyshipping Skybound Edition (main story)

So straight up, Morro is the one Nadakhan first targets. The reason he's alone? Stomping off after the ninja annoy him - specifically Kai. The two of them butt heads more often than not, and Nadakhan offers to fix that. He can't grant Morro love, but he can't make Kai see him in a different light. Accidentally, Morro wishes that Kai would appreciate him for who he was. And his wish is his to keep. Kai comes to find him, worried and insistent they stay together. Morro realizes he messed up.

Kai is a lot more worried about Morro than before. Morro is annoyed by it at first, but eventually starts to realize why the team likes him. Why people like Kai. He's caring, he's sensitive, he remembers the things you tell him. Morro's one-sided wish quickly becomes a problem as he starts to feel guilty. Guilty because Kai doesn't actually feel this way for him, and Morro is starting to wish that he did.

But of course, he cannot make the same wish twice, Nadakhan reminds him when they're alone again. Morro wants to scream, because how dare he? He never meant to make a wish in the first place, and he never meant to make Kai something he wasn't. He inadvertantly wishes that Nadakhan would leave him alone, and the team finds him. And Morro tells them the truth. The team gets angry with him, especially Kai. The island essentially plays out the same, with Morro getting captured instead of Jay.

Nadakhan is furious. If Morro was responsible for taking Djinjago from him, then he will be responsible for returning it. He makes plans to marry him instead of Nya, and because he already has Morro in his grasp, they can act on that much sooner. Morro's escape attempts include possessing Nadakhan - and failing miserably - jumping off the ship only to realize Vengestone works on ghosts, and even considering jumping into a puddle of water. None of it works.

When the team comes to rescue him, they're already planning to shoot Nadakhan with the Tiger Widow Venom. Except because of Morro's first wish, Kai ends up jumping in too early to protect him, and he gets hit as well. Because Nadakhan is losing his power, Kai snaps out of the wish, and Morro apologizes profusely. Because of him, Kai got hurt, and he never wanted that to happen. He's grown to care about him, after seeing his kinder side, and he regrets that it was a wish that did that. Kai tells him he doesn't want him to blame himself anymore, that in another time, maybe he would have started to care on his own, because even through his wish, when he was giving Morro a chance, he had started to genuinely develop feelings for him. Morro wishes that they had gotten the chance to fall for each other without Nadakhan ever escaping that teapot, and his wish is his to keep. The reversal happens, and he and Kai remember everything. They're the ones who kiss at the billboard, much to Lloyd's upset and everyone else's confusion. Nadakhan never escapes.

[fishyfishyfishtimes]

Well look at you!!! Are you dressed as Wirt from Over the Garden Wall!!??? I really love that show, although I really don’t watch it as often as I should. I first watched it like any old kid does, pirated through YouTube with the actual episode in the corner as a tiny square and the rest of the screen filled with other nonsense! Boy, you really haven’t lived if you haven’t done that at least once in your life. Once watched someone’s upload of the entire Toy Story 4 movie like that — can you believe it? Someone posting the entire Toy Story 4 movie on YouTube! The best part is, it stayed on there for like four weeks! What a fun time.. now, fortunately nowadays with me being on the interwebs more often I know some peeps have posted the whole OtGW series on Google docs which they’ve then shared around, which is pretty nifty indeed! Really appreciate folks doing stuff like that, because otherwise digital media can just vanish into the air with the way streaming is nowadays. Rotten stuff.

Oh, anyway, Over the Garden Wall! Yes, I remember when I first started watching that show. I remember watching the very opening, thinking, “Scenes of the past? No, scenes of fantasy? No… perhaps passing memories, fleeting dreams and thoughts?” I like to think I was pretty right, personally! I like that we’re shown… well, I won’t say much, but with such a simple opening everything happens in plain sight. Even moreso when you look at the Easter eggs, like the intro of each episode!!! Gosh, I felt amazed when I learned all the things it hides!!! I used to gobble down theory videos one after the other about the show! A good show really has you thinking and looking at things with a keen eye and ear, doesn’t it? Over the Garden Wall is such eye candy too, it’s funny how a show can have a simple style like that and yet so detailed too, I’m sure the art style took a while to brew and develop.

My very favourite character was Wirt, no doubt you can guess, when I watched OtGW I was but an insecure teenager myself and as an oldest sibling who plays clarinet, well, it was like a match made in the Unknown! Now that I’m more grown Wirt comes across more silly to me now, ha. Funny how that is you know? When you grow up, you can see the same story at different points in your life, but relate to different characters. That happened to me once with this book about a primary school age girl in foster care. When I was a younger kid, I related a bunch to the main character and her frustrations and struggles, but when I later read the book again as a… teen maybe? I found myself relating more to the adults in her life. It was a strange kind of thing to experience. It helps me remember that to children, things that may seem small to adults, can be really major and big! Children’s concerns should be taken into account all the same, they shouldn’t be simply brushed off as nonsense. Teenagers’ too!

Actually, hey! Speaking of Over the Garden Wall, this I hope you’ll like, I put a little reference to it in my most recent tumblr fake dashboard post! I haven’t seen anyone point it out at all!?? It is none other than fishblr user burgle-the-turts! Their icon no doubt confirms it: a teapot, similar to the kettle Greg wears — I mean, sorry, his elephant costume. The “burgle the turts” line lives in my brain, what can I say. I dropped many other fun references to media in the post, for example, fishblr user greenXD is a reference to that funny thing Master Wu says in the Lego Ninjago movie. THAT’S RIGHT I WATCHED NINJAGO but I haven’t sadly seen the movie and I kind of fell of the show when Zane was kidnapped..?? I did watch the snake stuff, and the whole season where…..

(I proceed to elaborate at length. You never receive your candy.)

trick :)

[pennys-fic-reviews]

For today's fic, we have an absolutely amazing one called Meet Again by @northpen.

I got introduced to this one by some gorgeous fanart by @teircetea. (Reblogged after this post on my blog). They're a wonderful artist and the way they use colours is the Thing that made me want to read this fic. If someone with such fabulous art read and loved this fic, then it must be a good fic.

And it was MORE than good by a long shot. It was so fun to meet all the new versions and learn about them. The world building in this was so good. It tackled mental health so well. I loved the characters and how they interacted and how they viewed the world.

(more under the cut)

I think the one thing that stuck with me was Nya's struggle with chronic pain. It made me have to put down my phone and breathe a few times. I had to take breaks and dry the tears from my eyes.

Personally, I have my own chronic pain struggles and permanent nerve and bone damage in my right ankle. And seeing Nya struggle to do the things she loves, to be scared to do the things she loves, because of her knee injury hit me. I understood. I know what it's like to be frustrated because you can barely walk. I know what it's like to feel incapable because of your pain. This fic had one of the most impactful depictions of chronic pain I've seen in a long time. Amazing job.

ANYWAYS BLAH BLAH BLAH who cares about the feely emotional stuff. What really matters is Kai's whole character. Oh my god I literally can't even get over how much growth he went through. Getting to see his character start off as a rebellious teenager who matures into a father figure and emotionally mature adult who cares about people was so cool. It happened gradually and didn't feel forced. He felt like a real human being.

Amazing job to the author for writing the characters so well. I absolutely fell in love with every single one of them.

The storytelling in this was so good. The villains felt more natural than even some of the canon villains. The plot made sense but the plot twists were still shocking. It wasn't predictable, but it also wasn't bizarre. It was a perfect balance.

Anyways. Overall. This fic was absolutely heartbreaking but also so funny and humorous. It has an angst sandwich with angst sprinkled in, but most of the filling is fluff and humor. It was an amazing and natural piece of writing on life and death and how to cope with all of it. It appreciates grief and understands it comes in all shapes and forms and knows it's unavoidable, but it accepts it and shows you that you can ease your grief with a lot of healing. It was beautiful. Had many moments that made me pause and giggle and kick my feet or cry or laugh or stare in shock or reminisce or just feel and focus on the writing.

Beautiful fic, would definitely recommend to anyone who's looking for a fantastic longfic with many different feels and a connection to the characters. Don't let the lack of tagging scare you lol 😂

Amazing fic, 10/10, thank you for birthing it into the world, author.

[oldwritingm]

HEYY POOKIEE!!!! I had an idea from the movie, so basically the reader being the ninja's little sibling who don't get along at all. They fight over the smallest things at school and at home. That's until one day while Garmadon attacks the reader gets captured and the ninja has to save the reader, which accidentally causes the ninja to reveal their identity and the reader just gives their sibling a big hug and apologizes for everything they've said in the past and they up!!!

Okay that's it TYSM HAVE A NICE DAY OR NIGHT AND REMEMBER TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF POOKIEE💛💛💛🤍🤍🤍

Yes of course!! <33

Ninjago - Ninjas When You (Their Little Sibling) Are Taken

Kai

Kai pretended like he didn’t care when he first saw you were taken

But he was determined to get you back; in reality, he did indeed care

He was ready to do whatever it took to get you back

He fell blindly into a trap, finding himself restrained by one of Garmadon’s goons

They pulled off his mask, but his face remained hardened

He snapped at his captor, taking advantage of their brief moment of shock at seeing his face

He left his mask forgotten on the ground, rushing to your aid

He lifted you in his arms and booked it to safety

He paused on a rooftop to catch his breath

You decided to take the opportunity to apologize

The words didn’t come easy, but you finally found them

“Kai… I’m sorry. For everything. For the mask, for everything I’ve said—”

“It’s okay, Y/n. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

After that day you made an effort to be nicer to him, difficult as it was

He tried to keep his temper in check too

You silently appreciated each others’ efforts, but the fruits were even more precious

Your relationship started to shift ever so subtly, but it was doubtlessly improving

Jay

Jay was terrified when you got involved

It was like he forgot your terrible relationship entirely

He clumsily rushed to your aid, his skills crumbling under the weight of his anxiety

He ended up pinned down, and his assailant roughly pulled off his mask

His face turned bright red as he was exposed, and in a sudden burst of panicked energy he was able to push them off

He nabbed his mask quickly before remembering his original mission

Then he jumped back into action, managing to retrieve you and find a safe place to hide

He grabbed you by the shoulders, turning you from side to side to check for injuries

“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

“Jay, I’m so sorry! I’ve ruined everything, haven’t I? Oh, I’ve been so horrible…”

He couldn’t deny that you had been pretty bad

But he also admitted that he was no better

You shared a hug

In that moment, you formed a new bond

You both started to act nicer from then on

That hug established a new norm of tenderness between you two :)

Lloyd

He was mostly miffed when you were taken

He directed his anger at his father for getting you involved

So he went into battle with a fury he often felt when facing Garmadon

But this time it was extra personal

He confronted Garmadon directly, making a snide comment about treating his children like chess pieces

He pulled off his mask to prove the point, too angry to think clearly

Garmadon was so shocked that Lloyd was pretty much able to walk away with you

He marched away angrily, dragging you behind

He started to vent about Garmadon

After you got over your shock, you started agreeing with him, even adding your own complaints

When he was done he just huffed, burying his face in his palm

You saw that tears were dribbling onto his glove

“Um, Lloyd? I just wanted to say sorry… we don’t really have the best family dynamic, and I… I don’t want our relationship to be like the one we have with our dad.”

“Me neither. I really do love you, you know.”

“Same here.”

You embraced, vowing to be better

And you both made a valiant effort, using your father as a sort of anti-example

As it turned out, he was a strong motivator; your relationship improved quite steadily from then on

Cole

As much as he might’ve disliked you, he knew he had to save you

He couldn’t live with himself otherwise

So he hurried into the thick of the battle, his eyes locked on you all the while

He was secretly worried they’d hurt you, though he’d hesitate to admit it

He was distracted; it wasn’t long until an opponent grabbed a sudden hold of his mask

He whipped around, downing the assailant in a single blow and grabbing his mask

But he didn’t take the time to put it on, simply tucking it into his belt while he ran to your aid

The hardened look in his eyes made you feel especially guilty

You could only imagine how angry he was, having to save you and then having his identity revealed in the process

But when you were alone, he asked with surprising softness if you were okay

The look on his face had softened, too

Still, you felt guilty

“I’m fine. Um… I’m really sorry, Cole. This was all my fault..!”

“What? No, it was Garmadon’s doing. I’m not mad at you, Y/n. You’re my family. I love you, little rascal that you are.”

He ruffled your hair roughly, making you giggle

You wrapped your arms around him suddenly

He slowly hugged you back

In that moment you shared a silent agreement to be better

It might not have been spoken, but you both held fast to that agreement, and slowly your relationship did improve :)

Zane

The second you got involved, Zane’s objective was to save you

You were more important to him than anything: his pride, the mission, anything

He forgot everything else, abandoning his current task to rush over to you

In his haste, the opponent he was running from managed to catch his mask

He ran without realizing that the mask had come off

Even your flabbergasted gaze didn’t clue him in

The stares he was getting didn’t even register as he carried you away from danger

When you were alone, he mechanically asked if you were okay

You just stared at him, the image of a thousand eyes on you as you ran stuck in your mind

“Zane, your identity… I’m so sorry, if I had never been taken..!”

“Why are you apologizing? It was not your fault. I’m just glad that you’re safe. You’re my family, and I care for you greatly.”

You blinked at him, cursing the tears that came to your eyes

He hugged you, and through your tears you told him that you loved him too

After that, you decided to try and be nicer to him

He matched your efforts as soon as he noticed them; he was more than ready to fix your relationship

After all, you were his top priority ;)

Nya

She was incredulous when you were captured

She took it sort of personally

This fueled her rage, and she went on a war path to save you

She threw you over her shoulder; saving you was how she was measuring her victory

With you in her arms, she was satisfied

In her mind, she’d already won

Which made her getaway a little sloppy, and she ended up losing her mask to an especially quick assailant

She was frozen in shock and horror for a moment

Then she ran, faster than ever before

She practically collapsed as she set you down, chest heaving from the exertion as much as the panic

But she calmed herself, reminding herself that she saved you

Exhaling slowly, she straightened and put a hand on your shoulder

“Nya, I’m sorry! I never meant for any of this to happen! I love you too much… even though I don’t act like it…”

“All that matters is that you’re safe. And, for the record, I love you too.”

You shared a little smirk, a secret understanding established between you two

Knowing that you really did love each other seemed to soften the tension between you two

Teasing turned into jokes as your relationship gradually mended :)

Thanks for this request!! And thanks for reading, take care honey bears <33

(divider by saradika)

[emzi-148]

How Do I Say I Love You?

Fandom: Ninjago (AU)

Pairing: Bruise (one-sided)

Word count: 459

Rating: General

A/N: So... semi-vent(?) with the song “If I Could Tell Her” from Dear Evan Hansen. And this is for the @choicesprompts's Song Rewrite Challenge 2024

❈❈❈❈

Jay sighed, recounting the strained relationship with Morro, his cousin, “I swear, Morro acts like I'm his least favorite person on this entire world.”

Cole leaned in, trying to ease Jay's concerns, “You know, Morro just has a peculiar way of showing affection. Deep down, he thinks you're pretty cool. He just keeps it under wraps.”

Jay raised an eyebrow, “Really? Morro, thinking I'm cool? That's hard to believe.”

Cole chuckled nervously, “I'm serious, Bluebell. Want some proof?”

Jay, very intrigued by this, said “Hit me.”

Cole stumbled over his words, his attempt to conceal his true feelings turning into an awkward dance. “I mean, like, the way you light up when you talk about your comics or those train models. Morro might not say it, but he sees it. It's just his own way of acknowledging.”

Jay scratched his head, a puzzled expression on his face, “Morro, into comics and models? That's hard to picture.”

“Yeah, well, people surprise you,” Cole replied, secretly admiring Jay's passion for the things that made him unique.

The conversation shifted to Jay's love for poetry and cooking. “Morro thinks your poems are deep, you know,” Cole said with a sly smile.

Jay scoffed, “Morro, a poetry enthusiast? Now you're pulling my leg.”

Cole chuckled, “Seriously, he does. And those culinary creations of yours? He's probably just too shy to admit he's impressed.”

Jay grinned, seemingly comforted by the notion that his cousin might secretly appreciate his hobbies. “Maybe I've misjudged Morro.”

Unbeknownst to him, Cole stood right there, absorbing every detail, the unsaid words hovering in the air.

As the dialogue between them reached its peak, Cole couldn't shake the weight of his own hidden emotions. “How do you say 'I love you' when you're standing a million worlds apart?” he mused internally.

The great divide between them, an unspoken chasm, echoed with the truth that Cole dared not voice. And so, the conversation continued, each shared interest and comforting word serving as a bittersweet reminder of the love that lingered unspoken in Cole's heart.

Finally, Jay turned to Cole, “You've been quiet. What are you thinking?”

Cole's heart raced as he searched for words, “I just think people are more complex than we give them credit for. Maybe there's more to Morro than meets the eye.”

Jay nodded, “Yeah, you might be right.”

As their conversation peaked, Cole grappled with concealed emotions. The unspoken truth lingered. A silent acknowledgment that Cole admired Jay from a distance.

He noticed, cared, and yearned to reveal everything to Jay. Yet, the vast distance between them felt insurmountable. The fear of shattering their delicate friendship prevented Cole from voicing the feelings on the edge of his thoughts.

If I could tell him, if I could…

[prisms-writing]

Ficmas Day Twelve - Gifts

Word Count: 1,038

AU: None

Characters: Lloyd, Garmadon

Well, today was the day, Lloyd thought to himself as he forced himself to sit up in bed. He didn't want to do this, but Garmadon had promised that he was going to try and put in the work to fix just… whatever they were anymore.

Could Lloyd even call Garmadon family anymore? He technically was, but it didn't feel like his dad anymore.

Not after Harumi brought him back.

Not after the fight with the Overlord.

Not that Lloyd even really knew who his dad was in the first place, he just hadn't had enough time to really know him during those few, short years after the first time the Overlord had attacked and the venom from his dad had been purified.

But now? He felt like he knew the man even less.

It didn't help that it felt like Garmadon wasn't even really trying to put in any effort either.

It probably didn't help that anytime they tried talking, Lloyd just felt like he was complaining about something.

But still, he had agreed to meet with Garmadon today, to try and fix things a bit more. So with tired eyes and some reluctance, Lloyd got himself ready and slipped out the front of the monastery, the building in question was now mostly repaired, it just needed some more paint and some final touches, and then it would be good to go.

Thankfully though, Garmadon had wanted to meet up in the city, probably for convenience's sake since he would have already been there due to still living with Vinny. But Lloyd couldn't complain, being in the city at least meant there would be a fair amount of stuff to distract himself with if needed.

And by all the realms it had been needed, every time, every single time, without fail, when Lloyd tried to make conversation, it felt like Garmadon was just trying to turn it into a fight, it was only when Lloyd got sick of arguing about the at hand topic and snapped did the other finally go quiet until the next time.

But every time it happened, Lloyd couldn't help but feel bad. He knew Garmadon wasn't the same anymore, that it was going to take a lot and so much more than that to fix everything.

The look on Garmadon's face every time he snapped bothered him though.

"I'm sorry, look… I know you're trying, and I appreciate it. I just… This is just a lot for me still, but I shouldn't take it out on you when I'm the one who can't cope… I just, it feels like you're picking a fight is all." Lloyd finally admitted, still not feeling great, but at least he had been honest, and that had to mean something, right?

Right?

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry too."

What?

There was no way Lloyd had heard that correctly, right?

"It's just… When I was brought back, I didn't retain all of my memories, there's… these gaps almost, and I'm trying to fill them in, but some things just don't add up anymore to me."

Oh.

Oh Lloyd had been an idiot, hadn't he? Of course, Garmadon only had half the answers, he was half of who he used to be.

"I should have realised, I just—" He wanted to explain, but Garmadon had quickly cut him off.

"You were busy saving Ninjago, doing most of it while I was hiding away, trying to see if I could figure things out on my own, it's still going to take a while, but I think I'll get there… Do… Do you need to go anytime soon?"

Did he? He didn't have any other plans for the day, so what was the real harm in spending a little more time out? "I'm good for now, doubt the others will call me for anything either."

Garmadon seemed to relax a little, that was weird, why was he even on edge in the first place?

"You ok?" He asked, only to get no answer, just Garmadon starting to walk off as he told Lloyd to follow him.

Where were they even going? Lloyd would ask, but he knew it would just be the same result as last time, that he'd get no real response. Luckily though, he didn't have to wait long until his question was answered for him.

"The city park? Why did you bring me here?" He once again asked, still only getting crickets from Garmadon as the other moved over to a bench and sat down, looking at Lloyd, probably wanting him to join him. So Lloyd did as Garmadon seemed to want, but something was off about the other, and he still couldn't tell what.

And just as he was about to ask if Garmadon was ok again, hoping to get an actual verbal answer from the man, Garmadon once again cut him off.

But with surprise rather than words.

"What is this?" The words left Lloyd's mouth before he could even register that he had spoken. But hesitantly, he took what looked like a small, nearly flat gift box that hadn't even been wrapped. And with a breath, he opened it.

"A keychain?" He couldn't help but raise a brow as he took the keychain out and looked at it. It was a small dragon's head, one made of decent metal too from what he could tell.

"I know it isn't much, but I had been thinking about what you said while we were getting ready to fight against the Overlord, about how I had never gotten you anything. I know it isn't much, but I noticed that in some of the photos on the Bounty you were wearing something similar to it on a few of your gis, so I thought that you wouldn't hate it at least."

He'd actually taken notice of something like that? And during something as hectic as the Oni invading too?

Maybe he didn't give Garmadon enough credit?

"No, it's great, thank you." Was all he could say before smiling down to the keychain as he attached it to the rest of his keys, holding it close to his chest once done. Garmadon's slight smile not going unnoticed by him.