Chapter Text
Lloyd was buzzing with excitement. Everyone was packing bags and getting ready to head to the beach! He couldn’t wait!
Lloyd ran around the room, attempting to help, but was really just getting in the way.
Kai sighed when Lloyd had run into to him for the fourth time. He turned to see the excited seven-year-old. “Lloyd, chill. The beach isn’t going anywhere.”
“But Kai!” Lloyd whined. He was so excited, and he didn’t know what to do with all of his energy.
Kai huffed, a small smile appearing on his face. He reached out to ruffle Lloyd’s hair. “How about you go see if your dad wants any help?”
Lloyd turned to where his dad was carrying out bags to the van. He thought for a moment and nodded. He grabbed the bag Kai was packing and started to drag it towards the door.
“Not that one,” Kai said, reaching out and lifting the bag out of Lloyd’s hands. “I’m not done packing it.”
Lloyd pouted when the bag was taken from him but quickly got over it. Kai had given him a gentle push in the direction of his father. Lloyd ran on over.
“Garm!” He happily shouted. “Can I help?”
Lloyd had warmed up to Garmadon, but he hadn’t started referring to him as his father. He instead called him whatever nicknames his siblings had bestowed on the man. The most recent one being “Garm.”
Garmadon froze and looked at the small child. He cleared his throat. “Um, yes. You may help.”
Lloyd’s face lit up and he grabbed a pillow. He gave Garmadon a serious nod over the top of the pillow. Garmadon watched as his small son walked forward, ran into the door frame, stumble for a moment, and make his way out to the courtyard. Where Lloyd proceeded to drop the pillow on the ground by the van. Lloyd ran back inside.
Garmadon blinked at the small face smiling up at him. “Maybe you just keep me company while I carry out the things.”
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Lloyd had fallen asleep twenty minutes into the car ride. Everyone gave a quiet sigh of relief. They loved the child, but man could he talk!
It was a quiet ride to the beach, calm conversations, the occasional laugh, and card games happening in the back. Wu smiled to himself. His family was safe and alive. What a blessing.
Lloyd had begun to stir when the conversations around him began to grow in volume and excitement. He blinked awake and looked around. Nya smiled at him.
“Look Lloyd!” Nya said, pointing out the window.
Lloyd leaned forward as much as his car seat would let him and looked out the window. He gasped.
“Nya! The beach! We’re here!”
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Kai was being mean to Lloyd. He made him put sunscreen on before they even THOUGHT about going to the beach. And he was making him wear the stupid life vest!
“Kai,” Lloyd whined. “I know how to swim!”
And Lloyd did! Him and Nya had gone to the pool everyday last summer! Lloyd was a really good swimmer! Nya had said so!
“I know you can swim Lloyd. But that’s at the pool, the ocean’s different,” Kai calmly explained.
Lloyd turned towards the ocean. “How is it different? It’s still water.”
Kai sighed, but before he could explain, Garmadon spoke up.
“If you don’t wear the life vest, a sea monster will drag you away.”
Lloyd blinked up at his father. He turned back to Kai. “I don’t want to go in the water anymore.”
Wu hit his brother with his staff. “You can’t say those things to child.”
Garmadon threw his hands up in the air. “I was just saying what father told us! We were children then! How is this any different?”
Wu sighed. “I’m aware of what father told us. But it is different now, you can’t say those things to children.”
Cole knelt down next to Lloyd. He finished tugging on the life vest. “Garmadon’s just joking Lloyd. There’s no sea monsters. There are sea CURRENTS though. And they can drag you away, if that happens, then the life vest will protect you.”
Lloyd shuffled nervously, tugging at the life vest. “But that won’t happen, right?”
Cole ruffled Lloyd’s hair. “Not if we can help it.”
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Garmadon watched as Lloyd shrieked, running through the shallows, laughing every time a wave brushed against his legs. He watched as he chased after his siblings, splashing water up at them, and pouting when they splashed him back, only to burst out in laughter when he was grabbed and tossed up into the air.
Garmadon could feel a smile tugging at his face. He was… happy? It had been a while since he had felt that emotion.
Garmadon startled out of his thoughts when a small something had run into his legs. He looked down to see that the small something was son, holding a… what was that blob?
“Lloyd, what is that?”
“A jellyfish!”
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Garmadon awkwardly held his son. He didn’t know why Lloyd had insisted he be the one to carry him. He complied though, when it looked like Lloyd might cry from being told no.
It had been a while since he’s held his son.
He was honored to be chosen for this. He would not let anyone hurt his son!
“You can chill,” the girl, Nya, told him. “We’re just walking back to the hotel, not on to a battlefield.”
Garmadon nodded and tried to relax his tense shoulders. He tensed back up when he felt Lloyd squirm and mumble in his sleep.
This might be more nerve-wracking than being on a battlefield.
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Lloyd had woken bright and early. Another day of fun! They were supposed to go to the amusement park today! Lloyd couldn’t wait!
“It’s morning!” Lloyd shouted, jumping on top of Kai.
“Lloyd,” came the sleepy murmur. “It’s too early.”
“Does he do this every morning, Kai?” Jay asked tiredly.
Kai gave a small hum in response and grabbed Lloyd’s arm. He tugged Lloyd into a hug. “Quiet, Lloyd. It’s still sleeping time.”
“I am so happy that he wakes you up like that and not me,” Cole said.
“It would be much more efficient for Lloyd to wake me up in the mornings, as I don’t need sleep,” Zane added.
“Shh,” Lloyd shushed. “Cole. Zane. It’s sleeping time.”
It was quiet for a moment. Kai slowly drifted back up, holding his little brother close.
Lloyd squirmed in Kai’s arms and then settled back down.
Quiet.
Little hands poked Kai’s face. “Is it still sleeping time?”
Kai sighed.
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Lloyd looked around at everything from the top of Cole’s shoulders. There was so much to do!
Lloyd leaned over Cole’s head to look into his eyes. “I want to do the rollercoaster.”
Cole laughed. “Sure buddy.”
Roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and tons of amusement rides later, had Lloyd exhausted and cuddling into his big brother Zane. It was a hot day and Zane was cool.
Jay handed Lloyd an ice cream cone and Lloyd perked up.
Cole laughed. “Just being near sugar makes Lloyd hyper.”
Lloyd happily ate his ice cream, listening to the others talk. This was the best day ever!
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Kai watched Lloyd’s eyes light up at the fireworks.
He was so happy to have his little brother back.
His family was here. Safe. And happy. Kai couldn’t ask for anything more.
And yeah. Maybe Garmadon was here too, but the worst thing he had done was try to fight the monster in Lloyd’s closet. There hadn’t been a monster, but Garmadon had taken the threat seriously and destroyed most of Lloyd’s wardrobe.
Which was fine. Lloyd needed new clothes anyway.
Maybe it was unexpected, but Kai could appreciate the man in helping to get Lloyd back.
Lloyd laid his head down on Kai’s shoulder. “I love you, Kai.”
“I love you too, buddy.”