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Kai watched as Lloyd walked off with his Mom and Father. He wouldn’t lie, he was a bit upset that the five couldn’t celebrate the defeat together. Lloyd did deserve time with his family though, especially with his circumstances. A sigh escaped the brunette as he turned to the group.
“I don’t know about you guys but I don't even want to be here, like in this area. I saw we beat it for a few days,” Cole suggested and Jay was quick to agree.
“We could go to an island! Maybe even stay a few extra nights?” Jay laughed as Cole picked him up and swung him around.
“That’s sounds exciting,” Zane smiled, joining the other two. “Kai, why don’t you go ask Lloyd if he wants to join us. It’ll be nice getting to know Garmadon.” Kai nodded and looked around, hoping to find the blonde but realized that the three were gone, along with Wu.
“I’m gonna go look for them okay?” He called and Cole gave him a thumbs up. Taking that as and okay Kai jogged to where the ultra dragon lay. “Hey bud, how ya doing?” He asked petting all four of their heads. Thankfully since the Overlord was gone their tail had healed quite a bit but not fully. “I need to find Lloyd, you up for some flying?” The dragon carefully stood up and let Kai hop on.
Soon they were high above the city, flying to the museum. That’s the only place Kai could think of where they’d be. Low and behold when he knocked on Misako’s office there they were. Wu and Garmadon were on a couch while Lloyd was idley spinning is his mom’s desk chair. He perked up when the door opened, even more when he saw who was there.
“Kai!” He shouted, sprinting over to the brunette. Kai hugged him and swung him around just like Cole had with Jay.
“What’s up green bean?” Kai jokes, setting Lloyd down.
“A lot,” The shorter laughed wrapping his arms around Kai.
“I was sent on a mission from Zane to ask you if you wanted to join us while we head to Ninjago's west coast. Just a get away for a few days,”
“Uh, when are you guys leaving?”
“Sometime this week maybe, we don't have the bounty anymore so, might take us a bit longer,” Lloyd nodded and stepped back.
“Just give me a day or two,” Kai nodded and went to leave before Lloyd called his name again. Turning around he looked back at the other. “How about me and you meet at the noodle house in downtown tonight okay?”
Kai’s face lit up and he nodded. “See ya then Lloyd, have fun.”
“I will!” Lloyd shouted as Kai walked down the hall and back to the others.
“So what’d I miss?” He asked approaching on a poorly played game of checkers.
“Jay losing,” Cole replied, hopping over one of Jay’s tokens.
“Hey!” The smaller shouted. Cole laughed as KAi sat down across from Zane.
“So you guys drew this with what? And you’re playing with different colored rocks…” Kai observed and Zane smiled.
“They were very enthusiastic about collecting the rocks and drawing the board,”
“I can see that. Oh, also, Lloyd said to give him a couple days before we head out. I told him it probably wouldn't be a problem since we don't have the bounty anymore…” Silence fell over the four when Kai mentioned that. They stayed like that for the rest of checkers until they decided to just sleep in a hotel room for the night.
“Cole move off my side!” Jay yelled as Cole purposefully stretched out.
“What was that!” Kai chimed in taking up the entire other bed. “I couldn't hear you!”
“Guuuys!” Jay whined dramatically.
“Sorry Jay I didn't hear that!” Zane shouted, stretching out on the couch.
“Not you too!”
“Sorry Sparky, looks like there’s no room,” Cole joked and Jay huffed. Jay grabbed a pillow from under Cole’s head mich to the others dismay and tossed it onto the floor. He laid down and pulled his hoodie over like a blanket.
“I get no respect in this damn room,” Kai rolled his eyes and got off the bed.
“Here, you can have mine,” He replied making a show of picking up Jay and yeeting him onto the bed. Jay smiled and cuddled into the pillows. “I got stuff to do anyways, i’ll be back around nineish, probably scoop up Lloyd on the way too.”
“Have fun!” Cole yelled as Kai walked out, mock saluting him. Kai laughed before shutting the door.
Soon enough he made it to Chen’s Noodle House. The inside was decorated with neon lights and other blinding things. Thankfully he was able to find Lloyd with relative ease. Mostly by Lloyd shouting Kai’s name.
“Kai! Over hear!” Kai looked over in the general direction in which his name was yelled. He struck gold finding Lloyd already in a small booth.
“Glad I found you,” He joked and Lloyd scoffed.
“Please, I had to call your name,” Lloyd was still for a few seconds before bursting into giggles. “Anyways, where are you guys staying? Mom and Dad have been pestering me to stay at her house but I think after this mess of a day, more like month, i’d rather stay with you guys…” Kai’s heart swelled with pride after hearing those words. Lloyd would chose him and the other’ sover staying with his family. Well, they were all family but you know what he means.
“We’re staying at a hotel down the road. I left when they were arranging beds,”
Lloyd laughed and sighed, “Ahh I bet that was fun to watch.”
“It was. Cole and me were spread out over the two beds and Zane made sure to take p the entire couch. Jay was complaining about not having room but I ended up giving him my bed,”
“Wait, there’s only two twin beds?”
“No no no, there full sized,”
“Oh! Okay I thought they were twins and was gonna say whose idea was that?”
“Nah, Zane chose, otherwise that might end up actually happening,” The two laughed before the waitress came over to take their orders. She had orange hair but with more red in it than anything.
“What can I get you two?” She asked, pulling out a pen and notebook from her apron.
“Just a water please,” Kai asked and she scribbled it down.
“Me too, just a water,” Lloyd answered and she nodded giving them a friendly smiled. She walked off and the two sat in silence for a few seconds.
“Me and you haven't hung out just the two of us in a while,” Lloyd pointed out.
“True,” Kai agreed.
“Do you even miss the times when we were first together? Before the others joined?” Kai thought for a moment before replying.
“Yes and no. I love the other guys and I love you don't get me wrong. I wouldn't trade you four for the world. Every once in a while I think back to it, but i’ve never really missed it. Sure I miss the simpler times and the memories but everyday I get to wake up to four boyfriends to kick my ass at literally anything,”
“That was the cheesiest thing i’ve ever heard you say,” Lloyd laughed and Kai rolled his eyes.
“It’s true though!” He half yelled just as the lady came back with their drinks. She seemed a bit amused at the two giggling messes.
“Are you guys ready to order or should I give you a few minutes?”
“No no, I think we’re good, just a bit of a mess,” Kai giggled and the lady smiled.
“I can see, although I guess after this week a lot of people are. It really has been a fiasco, especially today,”
“She speaks the truth! But in all seriousness can I just have a bowl of ramen, any kind I could care less, they’re all good hear,” Kai asked and she nodded, jotting it down
“And for you?”
“Um, potstickers please,” Lloyd asked and she collected the menus.
“It should be out fast, we don't have that many people here tonight,” She pointed out and the wo nodded. And wow, there was only about five other people in the noodle house.
“Huh, guess everyone's home tonight,” Lloyd pointed out once the waitress was gone.
“Guess so,”
“My home consists of an museum office and a hotel room,”
“Here here,” Kai joked holding up his water glass.
“To living another day?” Lloyd asked holding up his glass too. They clicked them together and took a drink as Kai replied.
“Damn straight, well, maybe I should say damn gay,” As he said that Lloyd laughed, accidentally spilling the water on himself and the table. Both started hysterically laughing while trying to grab napkins.
“God damnit Kai I look like I pissed myself,” Lloyd giggled as Kai wiped off the table.
“S-sorry,” Kai laughed handing the blonde more napkins. “I didn't realise you’d laugh so hard.”
“What makes you think I wouldn't!”
“I dunno, my lack of comedian skills?” Lloyd paused before shrugging and saying ;fair enough’. Just as Kai was going to say something both their phones buzzed. A text from Jay.
There was a picture of Zane on one bed and Cole on the other. Zane had a shirt in one hand while Cole had a pillow. ‘I have money on Zane winning. Cole has n o t h i n g on him’. Soon a video sent and they played it on Kai’s phone.
Jay was holding the camera while sitting at the desk chair. “I have money on Zane!”
“Shush! Believe in me!” Cole yelled from the farthest bed. Him and Zane seems concentrated. “C’mon Zane, make the first move!”
Zane squinted before leaping from his bed over to Cole’s. The raven haired male tried to move out of the way before stepping beck onto nothing, the edge of the bed. Zane had already landed causing Cole to have nothing to catch himself. In a split second Cole had fallen backwards, ramming his head against the wall as Zane tried to get up and catch him. To late, he smacked the wall and fell onto the floor.
“Oh sHIt!” Jay yelled before the video was paused. Lloyd was giggling from the other side, his hair falling over his eyes a boy, which Kai wouldn't deny was really cute.
“Honestly it could be worse,” Lloyd pointed out before a text was sent saying that Cole was a-okay.
“I mean, even i’ve pulled worse things,” Kai agreed as their food was brought out. “Ahh, god bless food.” He joked and the waitress smiled.
“Truth,” She agreed, refilling their drinks, a small ‘thank you’ from Lloyd. He took a bite from the potsticker and smiled.
“Always good,” He sighed as they both dug in.
Since there wasn't the whole group they were done relatively quick. That and they hadn't eaten in about two days. Kai paid for dinner much to Lloyd’s protest and they were on their way to the hotel.
“Do you think we should stop by a liquor store and get something for the others?” Lloyd asked and Kai shrugged.
“Do we really trust them?”
“Good point maybe we should skip that. Cole already probably put a dent in the wall,”
“True,” Kai smiled. “Yeah let's skip the alcohol.” They soon approached the hotel and found the elator. Once they were inside they had to get to the seventh floor. The doors shut and Kai took the opportunity to casually-yet-not-so-casually wrap his arm around Lloyd’s waist. Lloyd leaned his head on Kai’s shoulder getting a kiss on his forehead in return. The blonde smiled up at Kai as he leaned down and kissed him once more.
Moving from Kai’s embrace he leaned against the fire ninjas chest and continued, Kai’s hands finding their way to Lloyd’s hips. They stayed like that for a few seconds before Lloyd tilted his head, deepening the kiss. Kai smiled and happily kissed back, it had been to long since they had a chance to have some fun.
Sadly their fun anded after a few seconds when the doors opened. Lloyd broke the kiss so they could get to the room. Kai noticed Lloyd’s shirt was a bit off from their ‘seven seconds in heaven’ unfortunately, and his hair was messy from dinner.
Lloyd knocked on the room door only to have it be swung open and six hands pull the two in. There was a flurry of ‘it’s ten when were you guys gonna get back’, ‘cole took the bed again Kai!’, and ‘what movies do you think we can find?’. The two laughed and chatted with the other as they took off the semi uncomfortable suits.
“Huh, it’s ten thirty,” Lloyd pointed out as he was finally out of the suit. It laid folded up next to the other four’s. The bed arrangements had been made, Kai, Cole, and Lloyd in one bed, Zane and Jay in another.
Lloyd was in between Cole and Kai the covers pulled to his chin. Jay was cuddled up in Zane’s lap, the planets both pulled mostly over them. Unfortunately all they could find semi interesting on tv was some animal planet channel. Better than nothing though.
It was about eleven thirty when Jay and Zane passed out. Cole and Kai were barely holding on though. Around midnight Kai turned of the tv and laid down next to Cole and Lloyd. Cole had his arms wrapped around Lloyd’s waist, him being the big spoon. Kai scooted closer, holding one of Lloyd’s hand in his own and his other arm under his pillow. He smiled to himself as he settled down, the room quiet for once in a very long time.