#wwmawwg

[lloydshoulddyehishair]

What we miss and what we gain | 2-Odd one out

Summary: After Lloyds fight with Kai, Zane reaches out to him and manages to cheer him up a bit.

The first person to come and check on him after three days of not leaving his room was – surprisingly – Zane. It was probably due to the fact that Nya and Uncle Wu had left the day Kai had snapped at him because of some special tea the Sensei needed.

“Leave.”, the blond had mumbled, from where he laid under his blanket, as soon as he heard the door open.

The footsteps, coming towards his bed made the wood crack, he hated the sound, hated everything about this situation. He wanted to be alone. He didn't want one of the boys to come and do– do what exactly? Throw him off of the Bounty? Get him to apologize to Kai, even though it was the elder that was in the wrong? Bully him even more?

He just wanted them gone, he wanted them to leave him and never return. His mother had no problem doing so, so why did they–

“I do not want to bother you,” a calm voice spoke out and even though Lloyd would never admit it out loud, knowing that Zane was the one standing next to him did put him slightly at ease.

Zane had never been necessarily mean to him, at least he didn't go out of his way to make his life even harder like the others always did. The robot – or nindroid? – usually avoided him and at least shot him a few smiles at the breakfast and dinner table, which gained him some points, the boy guessed.

He still didn't like him of course. Zane was weird. He wasn't like them, he wasn't human and he behaved – well, weird. He was always so calm and made strange jokes, that would make Lloyd uncomfortable. He didn't think that the White Ninja meant to do so but he did, nonetheless. (And there was also that little something that Lloyd was, in fact, Lord Garmadon's son and he didn't like anyone who was an enemy of his father.)

The sound of a tray being placed on his bedside table brought him back to reality. “I just wanted to make sure you have something to eat and drink. Going three days without food or water is incredibly unhealthy.”

Blond hair and red eyes finally revealed themselves from under the white blanket, staring warily at the tray holding a plate of soup and a cup of tea.

Was Zane trying to poison him? Was that what this was?

“It's not like I'm not used to it,” he muttered, sounding more bitter than he had intended to. Icy blue eyes softened as they looked down on him and Lloyd almost wanted to groan because the last thing he wanted from any of the Ninja was pity.

“That doesn't make it any better.”

Silence fell between them. Mostly because the former Darkley's student just didn't know what to reply because technically Zane was right – but he wasn't going to let him know that, just like how he wasn't going to let Kai know that he was right about his mothe-

“Is something on your mind, Lloyd?”, Zane suddenly asked, sitting down at the edge of his mattress and tilting his head slightly.

The child blinked up at him, surprised, most likely looking like a deer in headlights.

Was this some sort of trick? To make him feel like he could trust the nindroid and tell him about his thoughts, just for him to rip them up in front of his face and bully him for them? Just like Pythor had done? (Or did Zane maybe actually want to talk to him–)

“Like you care,” he hissed before he even knew it.

The teen raised an eyebrow at him. “I do. You know that I care about everyone on this ship.”

Lloyd felt like laughing because how dare him lie to his face like that? No one on this ship cared about him, Kai had made that crystal clear to him.

“You don't need to lie to me. You don't care about me and that's fine – I don't care about you either.”

“Is that so?”

“Mhm.”

“Well. If that's the case then–“

“You said you didn't wanna bother me and now you are. Back off,” Lloyd interrupted him, sounding, in all honesty, like a brat. Not that he cared. He wasn't here to be nice.

Zane shot him a bewildered look, at first, before nodding. “I suppose you are right. My apologies, I didn't want to annoy you.”

Once again silence fell between them, with Lloyd only staring at the food on the meal tray and Zane looking at him, seeming to be lost too deeply inside his mind thinking about– what exactly did nindroids think about?

The ten year old tried to ignore the grumbling his stomach was making, giving away his hunger, but he wasn't going to eat what Zane had brought him – it just seemed too good to be true. He was convinced that the Ninja was just trying to deceive him.

This situation reminded him of when he had still been living at Darkley's, when Gene had brought him tea once when he had been sick. Lloyd – in his childish naiveness – had taken it, thinking the redhead wanted to help him, only to be poisoned and throwing up for three days straight–

Zane's voice ripped him out of his thoughts with a question that caught Lloyd, rather, off guard.

“Do you want to help me with baking?”

“What–“

“Well, you don't seem like you're going to eat this–,“ he gestured to the soup with a slight nod. “–any time soon. I assume because you're unsure of what I might have put in there,” he said, almost as if he had read the boy’s mind. “But if you come and bake with me you can keep an eye on the food and eat it safely afterwards, correct?”

His mouth hung open slightly, big red eyes staring up at him with confusion. “I mean technically, yes?”

“So, will you join me?”, he thought about it – really did.

On one hand he knew that this was some sort of trickery, maybe Zane was trying to figure out all his weaknesses by spending time with him, in order to take him out easily afterwards. On the other hand, though, he was hungry and the Ninja was right – if Lloyd saw how the food was being made and what was done to it, he could eat it without worrying about being poisoned again (and maybe some part of him wanted to believe that Zane's attempts were genuine).

“Okay.”, the elders' eyes lit up at his response, sitting up from his bed.

“Better get started then, it's fairly late already!”

He was so going to regret this.

------------------------

As soon as they stood in the kitchen the White Ninja handed Lloyd a list of things to get out of the cabinets. At first it was quiet, except for the annoyed sighs the child would let out whenever he had trouble reaching some of the ingredients with his short arms. That was until Zane started a conversation, once more.

“I know I said I would not bother you– But I would like to ask you something. You do not have to answer of course,” he continued, not even looking at him, while getting some utensils from the higher cabinets, which the young Garmadon wouldn't even have been able to reach if he really wanted to.

His red eyes squinted slightly. 'Knew it. A trap.'

“Okay?”, he mumbled trying to read the rest of the things on the list the nindroid had given him and doing his best to try to look like he wasn't struggling.

“Do you feel happy here?”

Lloyd almost dropped the package of sugar he held in his hands out of surprise at the question.

He had expected a lot of questions, like ones about his father or the serpentine or maybe even about if he had any evil quests in planning – but Zane's actual question almost made it seem like he was really interested in him, not Lloyd Garmadon but instead just– just Lloyd. He didn't remember the last time that had been the case and it seemed to have struck a nerve because suddenly he felt himself get sentimental.

“Uhm.”, he laughed awkwardly while trying to reach the flour that was in the far back of the cabinet.

He just stayed quiet for a while, as did Zane who waited for some kind of answer.

The boy could easily lie to him if he wanted to, but the way Zane had asked the question, as if he actually cared– he didn't want to ruin this like others had ruined his attempts at a friendship before.

Was he happy on the Bounty? He hadn't really thought of that yet. Yes, he finally had food and a warm place to stay but now that he thought – truly thought – about it he noticed just how lonely he felt. Not that he wasn't lonely on the streets, either, but – here, on the Destiny's Bounty, the feeling of loneliness was even bigger than it had been while he had lived at Darkley's.

At Darkley's he had felt somewhat understood and he technically had had friends – or at least the Darkley's version of a friend which included lots of backstabbing and absolutely no amount of loyalty and empathy.

But Brad – his former best friend – had at least understood why he wanted to conquer the world, why he wanted everyone to suffer (even if it only was his goal because he wanted to make everyone feel what he felt). Brad hadn't judged him for it, neither had Brad judged him for petty pranks and Brad also wouldn't have judged him for freeing the Serpentine Tribes – though, he himself regretted having done that now.

All of these things were things the Ninja did. They just didn't know what it was like to be the son of an evil warlord, to grow up being raised by evil people. He felt like he simply didn't fit in.

“I don't know,” he finally said, his tiny hands placing all the ingredients on the counter. “I guess I don't feel like I belong here, I'm just too– too different, I guess.”

Zane walked up next to him taking a bowl and putting some of the butter and eggs in, stirring them. “What would make you think that?”

“None of you–“, Lloyd felt frustration building up inside of him, slowly getting angry. “None of you know what it's like to be judged for something you can't change!”, his hands formed into little fists and he tried his best to stare at the bowl, instead of meeting the teens eyes. “It's not my fault I just happen to be Garmadon's son! It's not like I got to choose! And I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing either but everyone judges me for it! You all think I am bad and that I am just like him but my old school thinks that I'm too little like him! I just want to be seen for me! I just want to be understood,” he rambled far faster than he had intended to, letting out thoughts that not even he himself knew went through his head.

His words were met by quietness. And then–

“I do understand, you know.”

Lloyd raised an eyebrow at the other. How was Zane possibly able to understand what he went through? He was literally– oh.

“Being a nindroid makes many people think I am somehow lesser or that I simply cannot feel emotions or have a personality of my own. Many think that I am just a machine.”

He felt like someone had punched him in the gut.

Here he was ranting about how no one understood what it was like to be judged for nothing but your very existence, and how he just didn't fit in with the rest of them, to the only person on the ship who wasn't even human.

Now he really felt like he was behaving like a brat.

Zane had been nothing but nice to him and he– he even did the exact same things he hated the others for. He had labeled him as “weird” based on the fact that he was a nindroid just like how the others had labeled him as “evil” based on the fact that he was Garmadon's son.

“I'm sorry.”, he spoke before he could stop himself.

“What are you 'sorry' for?”

“Because I- because I thought so too,” he let his head sink. “I thought you were strange because you're not human but you're not! You're like me, just– different. That doesn't mean that that is bad, though.”

With big eyes he looked up again, seeing the Master of Ice smile down at him.

“Lloyd, there will always be people who will judge us for how we came into existence – you, being the son of Garmadon and me, being a nindroid.”, the young man crouched down to be face-to-face with the boy. “But you just have to make them see you for you through your actions – and if they decide to just close their eyes and ignore everything you do as you try to make them see that you are not what they think you are, then they are not worth wasting your time on.”

“Are you saying–“

“I am saying you should try to make them see the real you, not the you who just wants to be like his father, not the you who hides behind the mask of not caring, but the actual you.”, Lloyd blinked away the moisture dwelling in his eyes, knowing exactly who Zane's 'them' was referring to and nodded slowly.

“I think I get it.”

“Shall we continue making waffles then?”

“Waffles?”, the child dressed in black asked, perplexed. “That's what we are making right now? I thought we were making something cool like– like cake!”

The elder laughed, grabbing some of the flour and sugar.

“Well, I thought we should make something that does not take long to finish since you should eat, rather sooner than later– Do you want to stir it up with the mixer now?”, he asked pointing at the bowl, making him nod in excitement.

“Yes! I've never used a mixer before!”, he smiled, already grabbing the little machine and putting it in the bowl.

“Perhaps I should explain to you how to use it then. You– Wait, Lloyd!– No, not the highest –!”, but it was too late, the child had already put the mixer on the highest level, making the flour fly right into his face and everywhere else in the kitchen.

His red eyes widened at first when looking at the scene in front of him, before he started to laugh. “Look at me, Zane!”, he squeaked, turning around with a grin and throwing his hands up, presenting his white palms and sleeves. “I look like a ghost!”

Zane, who was currently pinching the bridge of his nose while shaking his head slightly, couldn't help but laugh quietly.

“Now we need to clean you and the kitchen too before we can make any waffles.”

“We can just make them tomorrow! For breakfast.”

“No, you need to get something warm to eat today.”

Lloyd just smiled at him, already half out of the door, “Actually, I think the soup you made for me looked pretty tasty.”, and with that he sprinted away already, leaving tiny white footprints and a smirking Zane behind him.

“Wait– You don't think I'm going to clean up the mess you made all by myself, do you?”, his calls were only met by childish snickering and the sound of a door locking. “Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon–!”

Perhaps he didn't regret accepting Zane's offer that much.

[lloydshoulddyehishair]

What we miss and what we gain | 1-For his own advantage

Summary:  Lloyd never had a family and he didn’t want one either, especially not in the form of five weird teenage boys playing dress up and a girl with a secret identity, she thought no one knew about. (Except, maybe he did.)

When Lloyd first arrived at the Destiny’s Bounty he could just tell that he was anything but welcome there. The glares, the silly fruit coloured “Ninja” had shot him still burned on his skin as he entered what was now to be his room. The girl had tried to hide her annoyed expression, which the blond appreciated but he really could have cared less. He wasn’t here to be liked by them, in fact, he didn’t know why he was here to begin with.

Of course, his uncle had invited him to stay – or more like forced him to go with him – but really other than that? He didn't know why he was here and it almost set him on edge. Had his uncle some evil master plan? Yes, he was one of the “good guys” apparently but you never knew. Maybe he only wanted Lloyd to stay so his wannabe Ninja could use him as a punching bag for their training. Not that he wasn't used to that kind of stuff, he did have his fair share of punching bag experience from Darkley's.

In all honesty though, whether his uncle had something mean planned didn't matter in the end because at least he didn't have to worry about freezing to death at night any more or being kidnapped off of the street by some creepy people or having to wonder if he would get to eat the next day – you get the gist – cause now he actually had a bed to sleep in, a filled fridge only a few rooms away and people to protect him from possible danger.

Not that he cared about these people, which he was living with now, he was only using them for his own personal benefit. He didn't exactly need them either. He was just fine on his own – maybe a bit malnutritioned but that was besides the point. The point was that Lloyd Garmadon didn't need anyone, never had and never would. He never needed parents to take care of him, he never needed friends to play with, he never needed a shoulder to cry to. So he most certainly did not need to befriend some weird teenagers fighting snakes in pyjamas – or whatever his uncle had hoped would happen.

And the young Garmadon could have ignored the others' stupid and childish behaviour of making their negative opinion on him known on the entire ship. He really could've ignored Jay hiding his comics or Cole purposefully pushing past him, sending him flying to the ground – but what he couldn't ignore were Kai's annoying and constant comments and rants about Lloyd staying with them. He was behaving like a child that didn't get what it wanted. Ignoring him the whole time but also talking about him non-stop. What was his problem–

“My problem, is you, you little-”, the pineapple head yelled, coming dangerously close to his face with his index finger.

“Have you seen my fangs?”, Lloyd asked him rhetorically. “Any closer with that thing and I'll bite it off.”, Kai's expression changed into one of disgust but he pulled his finger away, nonetheless.

“See! That is what I mean! You don't even try to be good! You're always mean and starting fights – just like your father!”, Lloyd simply rolled his eyes.

Really what did the fire guy think he was doing right now?

“You started this! You were the one to raise your voice and point at me. I didn't even do anything”

“You were in my way–“

“In your way? Really, which one of us is the child?”

“Just leave!”, Kai screamed at him, pushing him away, almost making Lloyd lose balance. “Just go back to where you came from or something! No one wants you here, the only reason we haven't thrown you out yet is because Sensei feels like he is somehow responsible for you because your dad is evil and your mum doesn't love you enough to care about what happens to you!”

And suddenly it was almost like something in Lloyd's chest ripped apart and why were his eyes stinging– Oh no. No, Lloyd Garmadon didn't cry, especially not in front of 15 year old bullies with stupid hair, who had absolutely no idea what they were talking about–

His hands formed into fists as his eyes remained on the floor, not looking up at the brown eyes that probably stared at him with all the hatred in the world.

Maybe he sort of deserved it, the boy figured, after all he did cause nothing but trouble for them by releasing the Serpentine and he was probably right about Uncle Wu only keeping him there because he felt like he had to but– but that didn't mean he had to like facing that truth.

So instead of throwing a mean remark at him, like the brainless teen probably expected him to, he ran past him into his room, locking himself in and landing with a yelp on his bed, only staring up at the ceiling before some tears actually began to fall.

This felt way too much like Darkley's, like the nights he'd spent silently crying because if the other children heard a single sound he'd be– they'd do not so kind things to him or like the first nights he had been at the school, crying because his mother just left him there to rot–

Kai was right. His mum didn't care about him, if she did she wouldn't have left him at that school or had at least written letters or picked him up for the holidays or congratulated him on his birthdays– but she did nothing like that because she simply didn't care. Lloyd was okay with it, truly. It made him grow up faster, made him more responsible and it made him realize that you don't need anyone but yourself, that you shouldn't trust anyone but yourself because in the end everyone will betray you – something that Pythor had just proven true to him.

However, talking about his mother had never really been easy for him. He didn't even know why because talking about his father on the other hand had never been a problem to him. Maybe it was because of the simple fact that his mum had left him voluntarily, whereas his dad didn't have that much of a choice because he was apparently banished into the Underworld.

Sometimes he would think about why his mum had left him. Was it his fault? Probably. Who would want to raise the child of some supervillain, anyways? But at the same time, he was her son, too, so the problem must have lied somewhere else. Maybe he was too annoying? Too clingy? Just too much in general?

Whatever it was, it had made her leave – not that he cared of course (except maybe he did). He had no use for a mother, just like he had no use for an uncle or friends. Who needed friends? He could be his own friend! It's not like anyone could understand him or his struggles anyways, these annoying Ninja probably all came from perfect families and had gotten everything handed to them on a silver plate. They didn't know what it was like to grow up without parents, without a loving home. They didn't know what it was like to grow up and constantly be judged for the fact that you're Lord Garmadon's kid – either because you weren't bad enough or too bad. They didn't know what it was like to be all alone.

It was fine, though. He didn't care about being alone, he only stayed on the Bounty because he could use the others, that was all. As soon as he didn't see any benefits or advantages in living with them anymore he would leave and never look back because he definitely didn't care for them. Not for how they were, for how they were doing or for what they thought of him.

But then why were Kai's words still all he could think about and why did the tears not stop falling?