Chapter Text
The next morning was a whirlwind to Kai, who —as a Master of Spinjitzu— had a lot of experiences with whirlwinds. He felt lost in the chaos, being pulled in every which way by his teammates and siblings.
Cole, who couldn't find his mittens.
Nya, asking him whether or not he thought she might need to bring a blow dryer for her hair.
Jay, trying to sneak his new gaming console into his suitcase.
Zane, who came to ask if he was done packing since he had apparently been done for hours.
And poor Lloyd, begging on his hands and knees to help him pack. Honestly, Kai still couldn't believe that The Green Ninja's greatest weakness was packing a suitcase, but here he was.
"Did we get everything?" Lloyd asked Pixal as everyone squeezed into the van they had rented for the week.
Pixal's neon eyes flashed a little brighter for just a second as she processed his question, then she smiled. "I triple checked myself, Master Lloyd."
Lloyd shrank back into his seat beside Kai, looking impossibly small for the Savior of The Sixteen Realms. "You don't have to call me that, Pix." Though his request was seemingly ignored as Pixal sat down beside Zane and buckled her seatbelt.
Kai placed his hand on Lloyd's shoulder and rubbed it. "Cheer up, kid," he told him. He needed to raise the mood in his little brother before they were stuck with a grump that accidentally cast a literal shadow over their vacation. "Just think, in a couple of hours you can completely forget all of your ninja duties."
Lloyd sighed, and not a happy one. "I guess…"
The van sputtered as it lurched forward, the first step to their getaway. Kai couldn't help but admit that he was excited; he couldn't remember the last time he'd been on any sort of vacation. Sure, he'd been able to travel a lot since he'd become a ninja, and he'd visited places that he never would have ever dreamed of seeing… But those typically devolved into some sort of war that he'd been sucked into.
But not this time. This time was going to be different.
He looked out of the back of the van towards the Monastery they were driving away from. From where he sat, he could see Skylor and the other Elemental Masters waving. Kai could only hope that they would have it easy, and that no new threats popped up while they were gone. Surely they would be okay for once. Maybe Ninjago could know peace for long enough to have some time off.
Kai looked over at Lloyd and sighed. If there was anyone who needed a break, it was his younger brother. Ever since those weapons had revealed Lloyd's destiny to the world, Kai wasn't sure that there was a time when he hadn't been worked to the bone. Every time the team got any sort of time off, Lloyd was still called in when someone needed anything. He still trained, he still fought crime even if it was petty thieves… Even now, Lloyd hadn't stopped training since they defeated The Overlord. The second the Monastery had been rebuilt, the Green Ninja had practically locked himself in the courtyard for training.
Kai swallowed back another sigh. He could only hope that Lloyd would let himself relax for once; let the weight of Ninjago not sit so heavily on his shoulders.
He looked out of the window to his left. Mountain ranges had been replaced with thick evergreen trees covered in snow. When he and Nya had been kids, they had been unable to celebrate Christmas; they had been too poor and Kai had always managed to forget that it was Christmas until it had already passed. Neither of them had really cared about it back then, but then they had been brought into the Monastery and everything changed.
Kai would never forget their first Christmas as a team. Cole singing every song as loudly and often as he could, Jay lighting the decorations with his own powers., and Zane cooking every kind of cookie and holiday treat he could find a recipe for. When the day finally came, the gifts had been perfect too. Jay had somehow found something related to everyone's favorite video game, Cole had made clay figurines of their dragons, Zane baked a box of cookies for everyone, and Master Wu got them fresh gear. It had been almost magical sitting beside that tree and opening those gifts, and then even more magical sitting around the campfire with their dragons as they shared stories that evening. It had been perfect, one of the best days of Kai's life. Sadly, the next year —Lloyd's first Christmas— was forgotten due to training.
He looked back over to Lloyd, who had fallen asleep against him at some point during his trip down memory lane. Even in his sleep, Lloyd didn't look at ease; his sensitive ears twitched with every sound, his brows pinched together even though he wasn't awake. Were his dreams as stressful as his real life? Kai reached over and combed his hand through Lloyd's hair, taking extra care not to accidentally bump the tiny horns that had popped up in the last month or so.
For a second, he thought back through the Christmases they had celebrated since Lloyd joined the team. It was only then that he realized that there hadn't really been any. Even though Lloyd had been on the team for years now, it was like some looming threat always overshadowed the holiday season; and Lloyd had always been called away during the few that the team had celebrated. Had Lloyd ever even celebrated Christmas before?
That thought alone sealed the deal. Kai was going to make this the best Christmas ever for his baby brother, and he was going to have to get the rest of the team on board to make it happen.
By the time they pulled into the tiny little house in the middle of nowhere, Kai still had no idea how in all of the Sixteen Realms he was going to plan the perfect Christmas for Lloyd.
But he pushed the thought aside as he gently shook the sleeping boy. "Hey, Lloyd," he said as the other members of his team began to move around as well. "Hey, we're here."
Lloyd opened his eyes and slowly looked around for a second. He rubbed at his eyes, then stretched. "Oh."
All of the ninja were slow to get off of the van, their limbs aching and stiff from the journey. But as soon as Kai got out, he made a beeline for Cole.
Cole smiled at him as he looked up from unloading all of the luggage that had been packed. "Hey," he greeted as he leaned Lloyd's suitcase against the side of the van. "What's up?"
Kai leaned closely. "Team meeting tonight," he whispered so quietly that he wasn't even sure Cole could hear it, then added. "Don't tell Lloyd."
Cole furrowed his brow. "Everything okay?"
Kai hesitated for a second. Technically nothing was wrong; nobody was injured and there was no imminent danger, however that didn't mean that everything was alright. "Yeah, sort of," he told him. "Don't freak out, it's just… planning."
"First Master save us…" Cole mumbled, then sighed with a shake of his head. "Okay, I'll be there."
"Why do we need saving?"
Kai turned around at the sound of Jay's voice. The blue-clad man had both hands on his hips and looked more annoyed than worried.
"I come here to get my suitcase and all of the sudden I hear Cole sending up a prayer," Jay said. "What did you do this time, Kai?"
Kai groaned as Cole laughed.
"It's okay, Jay," Cole promised as he handed him his suitcase. After he did, he leaned in closely and whispered something to his best friend. Kai could only guess that it was about the team meeting, since Cole was actually good at whispering quietly.
Once Cole pulled away, Jay raised his eyebrows. "We're letting Kai plan something?" He asked as if it was the most surprising thing on the entire planet.
Kai scowled at his sister's stupid fiance. "Yes, Jay," he snapped. "And don't talk so loudly."
At that, Jay sobered up. "I'll tell Nya."
Kai sighed, and then turned to grab his suitcase and began to walk towards the house.
It was a small house, but it looked comfortable. The two-story cabin was well situated among the trees and hills of this area of Ninjago. The frozen lake glittered in the bright sunlight, and the hills were covered with snow. It was almost like it had been plucked from a Christmas card, the perfect holiday vacation spot with no extra frills attached. He'd have to thank Skylor again when they got back, cause this really was better than shooting at coconuts on the Dark Island's beaches.
"Pix, you got the key?" Lloyd asked as he walked up with the rest of the group. He was shivering already, which Kai instantly chalked up to the dragon DNA.
Pixal smiled, then handed Lloyd a small steel key. "Please don't lose this, Master Lloyd," she said, and Kai could almost hear the pleading in her robotic voice.
Lloyd smiled his signature smirk as he walked up to the door. "Please, when have I ever lost anything?"
Beside him, Nya sighed and facepalmed. "Oh boy…"
Lloyd ignored her as he opened the door and turned on the lights.
The inside of the house was adorably cozy, and like nothing Kai had ever seen. The living room somehow fit two sofas and an armchair, along with a fireplace and a television. The dining room was right next to the living room and would probably fit all of them in there if they squeezed against each other at the benches of the wooden table. Upstairs, three bedrooms with two beds each were situated comfortably.
Of course, Kai had no idea how this was possible unless the house was bigger on the inside.
"Oh yeah," Cole said as he looked around, nodding his head in approval. "We can make this work."
"Speaking of work," Master Wu said. "We need to get this place up and running."
Zane nodded in agreement. "Yes, but we should start with putting up the food before it spoils."
At those words, Lloyd froze and turned towards Zane. He looked oddly pale, and Kai was about to ask if he was okay, but then Lloyd spoke.
"Food?" The word came out almost mutilated by the sudden dread on the boy's face and in his voice.
"Of course," Zane answered. "We have to eat, after all."
Kai took a step towards Lloyd, who had only grown more pale. "Lloyd? You okay, buddy?"
Lloyd turned towards Kai. He looked almost as green as the clothing he wore. "Did we remember to pack the food?"
Kai's eyes widened and he looked at the rest of the group. Anxiety and dread gripped at his chest and he suddenly felt like he'd swallowed a rock. "Did anyone pack food?"
There was a vague memory in the back of his head of Cole and Jay placing the contents of the fridge into a cooler and bags; but it was foggy between teammates and siblings needing him.
Jay let of a cry of despair. "We left it in the kitchen…" He practically sobbed.
Lloyd sank to the couch and placed his head on his hands. For just a second, Kai felt the warmth and light leave the room.
"Great…" Lloyd mumbled into his hands as Cole sat down beside him and placed a hand on his back.
Kai ran a hand through his spiked hair. This was not the direction that he expected the vacation to take, and it definitely wasn't how he had planned for it to start. But how was he supposed to know that Jay and Cole were leaving the food behind while he was helping Lloyd pack his suitcase?
"Maybe there's food in the kitchen?" Nya suggested, trying to calm everyone down before the situation got even more out of hand.
"I'll go look!" Jay shouted and raced towards the kitchen. After a second the kitchen was filled with the sounds of pots and pans crashing and clanging.
"I will text Skylor and let her know that the food was left behind so it doesn't go to waste," Zane said.
A crash and a yelp from the kitchen almost had Kai running to Jay's aid, but Jay walked back into the room before he could take a step in that direction.
"What did you find, Jay?" Cole asked.
Jay held up three packets of instant ramen. "Think we can survive off this?"
Lloyd groaned in distress. "We're going to starve."
Kai found his gaze trapped on the packets of chicken flavored instant noodles. There were eight people on this trip, but two of them were Nindroids who didn't technically have to eat, which left six people. Now, Kai knew he wasn't great at math, and that a pack of instant ramen supposedly had two servings in it, but it really didn't look like it would be enough food for one meal, let alone an entire week.
"We survived off of worse before, right guys?" Jay rambled. "Like when The Monastery burnt down for the first time, or when we were stuck in The First Realm."
Pixal took a step forward. "Okay, I'm taking control of the situation," she told them. "Zane and I will make a grocery list and then Master Wu and I will go into town and shop. While we are gone, you all can clean this place up. Do you understand?"
Kai blinked as Pixal commanded the room with the same amount of control and expertise that he had over fire. She wasn't like Nya, his little sister who bossed them around; nor Cole or Lloyd, their steadfast leaders; or even Master Wu with wisdom beyond his years and a life and title that demanded respect. No, Pixal was more like a Five-Star General, the commander who led them all with a no-nonsense approach; though sometimes she was more like a drill sergeant in the way she treated them.
"Thank you, Pixal," Master Wu said as he walked over to her, then turned to the rest of the team. "I want this place spotless by the time we get back, and no using you elemental powers. Remember, Skylor is letting us stay here for free, and it would be best not to burn it down."
"Yeah, Kai," Jay teased.
Kai whipped around towards him, anger burning like fire as his mind raced to find a retort.
"Lightning causes fires too, Sparky," Cole sighed, beating Kai to it.
"C'mon, everyone," Lloyd said as he stood up, and Kai watched as he stepped back into the role of leader. "Let's get to work."
It really wasn't that dirty from what Kai could tell. With the exception of some quickly removed spiders and some dust along the furniture, the place was clean. All in all, it didn't take that long for them to whip it back into shape, even without the use of their elemental powers. Nya and Jay dusted, Kai swept, Zane tidied the kitchen, while Cole and Lloyd took care of the bedrooms. Sometimes teamwork was cleaning up an entire house, not taking out The Overlord's army for the umpteenth time.
"Hey," Nya called out, and Kai looked up as Lloyd and Cole made their way back down the stairs.
"You guys are still working?" Cole asked, then propped his arm on top of Lloyd's head. "Lloyd and I have been done for the past 5 minutes at least. Isn't that right, Bug?"
Bug was maybe the oldest nickname that Lloyd had. First used in conversations with the rest of the team, Cole had used it to replace the word pest long before they ever knew that Lloyd would become The Green Ninja. Slowly, it went from being something derogatory to a term of endearment; where Kai used Buddy, and Jay used Kid, Cole called him Bug.
Lloyd looked up at Cole and glared at him. "Get your elbow off of my head before I show you what my Oni form can really do," he said. Of course, Kai knew it was a joke, but at the same time… he sounded pretty serious about it this time.
Cole laughed as he removed his arm. "Careful, guys," he warned. "I think Little G over here is a bit bitey today."
Lloyd rolled his eyes and walked away from Cole. "I'll show you bitey," he mumbled under his breath as he sat down on one of the sofas.
Kai shook his head. Didn't Cole know that Lloyd's fangs had come in recently? Lloyd hid them pretty well, as he did with most of his inhuman features, but Kai could catch them peeking out when Lloyd grinned. When was the last time that Lloyd had grinned..?
"Don't get too comfortable," Zane said as he walked into the living room. "No one has chopped firewood yet, and we'll need it to help keep the house warm."
Cole stretched his arms, then looked over at Lloyd. "You heard the Nindroid," he said. "Let's go chop some firewood, Bug."
Lloyd sighed, and then followed Cole out of the house.
As soon as the door shut behind them, Kai turned to the rest of his team. "Hey, team meeting tonight," he said. "Don't tell Lloyd and don't invite him."
Nya frowned, but nodded. "Okay…"
"Is there a reason why Lloyd is not invited?" Zane asked.
Kai sighed. "Yes, I promise there's a reason," he said. "But you just gotta trust me until then."
Nya let out a hum, and then went back to dusting; and after a second, Zane went back into the kitchen.
Kai pushed the broom against the floor and a small plume of dust came off of the wood. It was going to be so worth it if they were all able to pull off this perfect Christmas, but he needed his entire team —minus Lloyd— to help. Maybe if he was lucky, he could give Lloyd such a good Christmas that the ache of the forgotten ones would go away.
As Kai continued to sweep, he found himself humming a Christmas song under his breath. It would take a miracle to pull of something like this, but wasn't that what Christmas was known for?
The living room was the perfect size for all of them. Kai sat comfortably on one couch with Lloyd on one side and Nya on the other; and though he probably would have fit, Jay sat on the floor with his head resting against Nya's knees. Cole sat in the armchair and poked at the fire every once in a while; and Pixal and Zane sat on the other sofa with their legs stretched out and arms wrapped tightly around each other. It was quiet, but in a way that could only come in a time of peace.
Lloyd yawned and laid his head against Kai's arm. It hadn't been that long since Zane made them a soup with the packs of ramen and some of the vegetables that Pixal had purchased, but it was much to early to be going to bed.
"Hey, Zane?" Cole asked as he leaned back lazily in his chair. "If you had to download a virus onto your hard drive, which one would you choose?"
At once, everyone looked over at Cole. The question came out of nowhere, and it shattered the silence like breaking glass.
"What in the Cursed Realm are you talking about?" Nya asked. "Where did that come from?"
Kai had to admit, his sister asked a fair question; where had it come from?
Cole shrugged. "Just asking."
"The Overlord virus," Zane said with such a finality in his voice as if there was no other choice.
At the mention of that name, the room darkened a little bit. "Why?" Lloyd cried. "Why would you choose that one?"
Zane looked over at him, his blue eyes glowing in the firelight. "I've already defeated him twice," he told him. "I can do it again."
Lloyd groaned and shook his head. "Saying that is gonna bring him back."
Kai had noticed months ago that since their battle with The Overlord, Lloyd had refused to say his name; it was as if he thought that just speaking the name would thrust them into another battle with him. But as Kai thought about it, he couldn't really blame him. Lloyd's first battle with The Overlord had almost been lost and he still suffered from ankle pain all these years later; the next time they would see each other, The Overlord would drain Lloyd of his power and kill one of his brothers. Kai still didn't know what had happened during the most recent battle against him; Lloyd refused to talk to anyone about it.
"Okay," said Nya, and Kai knew she was attempting to salvage the situation. "Zane, it's only fair that you ask someone a question."
Zane hummed. "Nya, you can only eat one thing for the rest of your life," he began. "What is it?"
Nya frowned. "Okay, does this include drinks? Cause I'm not sure I could survive without coffee."
And that was Kai's sister right there. Sometimes Kai was pretty sure that the glue that kept the team together was Lloyd's leadership and Nya's over-caffeination. Of course, Kai had no idea why she would choose coffee though, not when tea was so much better.
"You can still drink whatever you want," he told her.
"Oh good," she said, then hesitantly looked over at Kai. "I'm eating Kai's fried rice for the rest of my life then."
A mix of shock and happiness filled Kai's heart. When they had been kids together, it was one of the few things he had been able to cook. Since moving in with the rest of the team they didn't eat it as much, but whenever they didn't feel well or needed something comforting he would make it. These days Lloyd asked for it too.
"Your turn, Nya," Cole said.
Nya looked around, then a devilish grin flashed across her face. "Kai," she began, but then paused for dramatic effect.
"Yes?" Kai asked. He was unfazed by her dramatics, but slightly worried about whatever she was about to ask.
"Kiss, marry, kill…" she said. "Cole, Jay, and Pixal."
Kai blinked. This game of questions took a sudden turn that he never would have expected. Weirdly though, he already knew his answers.
"Oh, that's easy," he told her. "I'm marrying Cole, no hesitation."
Lloyd twitched, and then sat up. He rubbed his eyes as he looked back and forth between him and Cole. "Cole?"
Kai nodded. "Yep," he said.
"Care to explain why?" Jay asked as if he was upset that he hadn't been chosen.
Kai smirked, then looked up at Cole for a second before looking back at Jay. Of course there were a multitude of reasons, but the main one was that he and Cole had been together for the past couple of weeks and he hoped that one day he actually would be marrying him. But he and Cole had been keeping it a secret so far.
"Nope," Kai said, popping the p sound. "By the way, I'm kissing Pixal and killing you."
"Hey!" Jay screeched.
Kai laughed and leaned back against the sofa. "Also, Nya, you're supposed to make Kiss, Marry, Kill hard," he told her. "Like this: Jay…"
"Oh no, oh no…" Jay mumbled.
"Kiss, marry, kill," he started out, mimicking his sister's level of performance. "Aspheera, Master Chen, and… Lord Garmadon."
"WHAT!"
Kai roared with laughter as the room erupted. Beside him, Lloyd uttered a word that would make his uncle wash his mouth out with soap; across the room, Cole's laughter mirrored his. And Zane and Pixal both looked like they were still processing the names.
"You don't have to answer this," Nya told her fiancé.
At this, Pixal seemed to recover. "According to the rules of the game, he does."
At this, both Jay and Lloyd groaned.
"Fine," Jay said, though he sounded borderline hysterical. "I'm killing Master Chen cause at least that one is an easy choice, I'll marry Lord Garmadon, and I guess that means I'm… Kissing Aspheera…"
"You'd kiss a snake?" Nya gasped as Lloyd once again mumbled a word that he really shouldn't know but probably learned at the boarding school.
"I don't know why you're so surprised," Kai said. "He kisses you."
Anyone who thought that water extinguishes fire would have been surprised to see the flame in Nya's eyes. "I'll kill you," she whispered so quietly that only she and Kai could hear it.
Kai smiled at her, and then they both burst into laughter.
"Okay, my turn," Jay said, having seemingly recovered from his ordeal. "No more Kiss, Marry, Kill."
"Thank goodness," Zane said.
"Lloyd," Jay began. "If you could change one thing in your past, what would it be?"
The room went silent as Kai tensed and Lloyd shrank into himself. The world around them seemed to darken and a chill crept over Kai's bones.
Though the game they had been playing allowed any question to be asked, this was the one question that was off limits. Everyone knew that Lloyd's past weighed down on him just as heavily as his future did; the weight of the world had been thrust on his shoulders when he was far too young, and there were so many things that anybody on the planet would do differently in their life, let alone The Green Ninja.
Lloyd swallowed harshly, though he looked pale as a ghost. Suddenly, Kai was much more aware of the dark circles under his eyes and the mostly-faded scar across his brother's cheek. He looked so much older than he should, like the years of battle and stress had aged him suddenly.
"Lloyd-" Jay began, as if he had finally realized his mistake.
Lloyd shook his head. "I'm fine, Jay," he said, then stood up. "I'm gonna head to bed. Night, everyone."
"Goodnight," they all chorused, but it felt so wrong.
As soon as Kai heard the bedroom door click behind Lloyd, he turned to Jay. "What in the Cursed Realm was that?" He all but growled.
Jay held up both of his hands, remorse clearly written across his features. "I wasn't thinking."
"Yeah, I could tell!" Kai snapped. "Do you have any idea what you just asked?"
"Kai," Nya began, placing her hand on his forearm. "Why don't you go check on him?"
Kai inhaled deeply, then nodded. Getting mad —as good as it felt— didn't help Lloyd any. "Yeah, I'll be back."
Kai walked up the stairs to the room that Lloyd was sharing with Master Wu. He went to knock on the door, but then hesitated. Maybe Lloyd really was just tired, though the way the glow around him had diminished told Kai otherwise.
He squared his shoulders and rolled his neck, then knocked on the door. "Hey, Lloyd?" He called. "It's me, buddy. Can I come in?"
When Lloyd didn't answer, Kai poked his head in the door. "Lloyd?" He called again, though he kept his voice quieter in case he was asleep. What Kai didn't expect to see was his baby brother sitting with his back against the bed frame of one of the beds; his arms were wrapped around his legs, but large claws had taken the place of his gentle fingertips. The small crack of light coming in from the hallway was just enough for Kai to see the tear tracks down Lloyd's cheeks.
"Oh, buddy…" Kai sighed as he walked into the room and shut the door behind him. This wasn't the first time since the battle with The Overlord that Lloyd had shifted, but Kai was beginning to notice a pattern between the shifting and Lloyd's emotional state at the time.
He sat down on the floor beside him. "Jay shouldn't have asked you that," Kai told him. "It's not a fair question for anyone."
Lloyd sniffled, then looked up at Kai. His eyes glowed purple instead of green, but Kai knew he had no reason to fear his baby brother. Oni or no Oni, he was still family. Lloyd would never hurt him. Lloyd curled into himself a little tighter. "I'd change so much, Kai…" He whispered.
Gently, Kai placed his hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he told him. A part of him knew that it would be good for Lloyd to talk about whatever guilt he carried, but it was late and the boy was already crying.
"I wouldn't have gone to Kryptarium alone," he whispered. "I wouldn't have banished my dad. I'm The Green Ninja, I could have found a different way…"
"Lloyd," Kai tried to soothe, but his brother continued.
"And I never ever should have opened the Serpentine tombs," Lloyd rambled, clinching his clawed hands into fists. Tears began to fall again. "I was stupid, so damn stupid… And people died and… And I have to just LIVE with that!!! People died because of me!!!"
Kai grabbed both of Lloyd's hands and held them tightly. For a second his mind flashed a warning that he could get hurt, but he pushed it aside. He could deal with some pain if it meant that he could ease his brother's. "You're not the only one who made mistakes that day," Kai told him. "And you're not the only one who has to live with the guilt of them either."
Lloyd looked up at him, his glowing eyes locking with Kai's. "What?"
Kai nodded, then looked down at Lloyd's hands. This had kind of taken a turn that Kai hadn't expected… "Yeah," he said. "I shouldn't have left you. You were a kid, starving and alone… I never should have left you to fend for yourself that day. I shouldn't have strung you up to a sign and bullied you."
"Oh…" Lloyd whispered.
Kai squeezed Lloyd's hands and tried to ignore the burn in his eyes and chest. He looked up at his baby brother, then reached up and cupped Lloyd's cheek. "We're never gonna stop beating ourselves up over the past," he sighed. "But there's nothing we can do to change it. All we can do is make sure we don't make the same mistakes in the future."
Lloyd nodded, then leaned forward and rested his head on Kai's shoulder. Instantly, Kai's hand found its way to Lloyd's hair.
"I'm tired, Kai…" Lloyd whispered, though his voice sounded more like a breath than anything else.
Kai pulled Lloyd to him and held him close. "I know you are," he said. Lloyd had been through so much, and yet Kai didn't even know all of it. Years of childhood spent alone, time spent apart while they were looking for Master Wu, the entire time the team was in the First Realm… Even most of Lloyd's battles were fought alone.
"Why don't you get some rest?" He suggested as he guided Lloyd's body to the bed and helped him lay down. "I'm sure Master Wu will be up here snoring soon enough."
Lloyd yawned and brought one of his hands to rest near his face. The claws were long gone, replaced by short nails and soft fingertips. He looked up at Kai with sleepy green eyes. "Tell Jay I'm not mad…" He said through another yawn.
Kai nodded, then combed a hand through Lloyd's hair. "I will," he said before making his way to the door. "Sweet dreams, Chosen One."
Lloyd smiled, though his eyes didn't open back up. "You too."
Shaking his head, Kai turned around and shut the door behind him. Now, it was finally time for the team meeting.