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Morro lay in his bed, staring at his phone and squinting at the date in the top right corner. September 22nd. He couldn't pinpoint exactly why, but he knew the date must have had some significance to him. There was this nagging feeling in the back of his head insisting that this date was important, and it was killing him why he couldn't remember.
There was a shuffling next to him, and he briefly glanced at the shared occupant of his bed with a fond smile before looking back at his phone. He considered rousing Kai from his slumber to ask if there was something important going on today, but why wake him? The two of them had been up far too late last night, and Kai even later than Morro talking with Nya about some sort of surprise. What kind, he wasn't sure. He wasn't a fan of surprises.
In any case, Kai was impossible to wake up in the mornings, so asking him - for now, at least - was out of the question. Morro was sure he could figure it out on his own why he felt like he'd forgotten something. Maybe if he could find his calendar, he'd find some sort of clue. He knew Jay had been so kind as to put all sorts of events on it when he and Lloyd had helped Morro set up the device. Honestly, why he let his cousins ever touch his things in the first place was a mystery.
Tapping at his phone with his pointer finger, Morro swiped from screen to screen in search of the icon for his calendar app. It would have been a much easier task if he could remember what it looked like. Unfortunately, the fascination with modern technology was often lost on Morro, and he found himself more than often ignoring the device unless it was for certain games or phone calls. Why put a calendar in such a clustered labyrinth of binary code and options when you could put a real one next to your door? He'd never understand this new generation of pure laziness.
Eventually, he growled his frustration and aimlessly tossed the phone somewhere onto his bedsheets. He flopped back down to the mattress, crossing his arms and glaring at the ceiling with as much venom as he could muster this early in the morning. The corner of his right eye twitched as he mentally cursed the device he'd been saddled with. If he'd forgotten why the date was so important, then maybe it wasn't that important to begin with. Maybe he was torturing himself for nothing after all.
There was movement next to him again, and he turned his head to see Kai slowly blinking himself into existence. Cringing, Morro rolled onto his side and rested his head in his palm as he waited for Kai to meet his eyes. He hadn't meant to wake him up like this, when he could have waited until Kai was inevitably ready to face the day. Sending an apologetic smile his way, he reached over to push some of Kai's hair from his face.
"Good morning."
"Hi," Kai stretched, taking Morro's hand into his own and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. Morro ignored the blush spreading across his face and settling on his cheeks, opting instead to scoot closer to Kai and bury his face in his chest. He felt more than he heard Kai chuckle, his own torso being wrapped up into Kai's arms as he was pulled closer to the warmer body. Letting out a sigh as he relaxed into Kai's arms, he let his eyes slip closed.
"You're awfully cuddly this morning." Morro bit back a smirk at that. "What's up?"
Morro scoffed, glancing up at his idiot boyfriend. Kai was smiling down at him, lazily rubbing circles into his back. He could easily play off his frustrations and savor this moment, but the nagging in the back of his mind wouldn't let it go.
"What's so important about today?" Classy.
Kai quirked a brow at the question, before reaching for Morro's phone on the bedsheet and glancing at it. He snickered, clearly finding something funny before turning the phone around for Morro to glance at again. Again, he was met with his home screen and the date staring back at him with defiance in the top right corner.
"You can't think of why the twenty-second of September is important?" he teased. "Come on, you of all people should know it."
Morro squinted at his phone, before turning his glare. "Stop being cryptic and tell me already?" he huffed.
"Babe, it's Lloyd's birthday."
Oh. Great.
***
Everyone had apparently mutually agreed to wake up that morning without Morro's knowledge, because when he and Kai finally walked into the living room, they were greeted with the sight of every single occupant of the Monastery bustling around with boxes and bags. Kai had explained to him that there had been a plan to set up a surprise party for Lloyd on the Bounty tonight, and when Morro had been upset he wasn't included in such plans, Kai had simply stared him in the face before opening up Morro's phone and showing him their group chat messages.
Morro really needed to stop responding to every text without reading it. Apparently he'd unwittingly volunteered to keep Lloyd busy while the others set everything up. Because he was clearly the master of distraction, and Lloyd would love being alone with him for a few hours.
While Lloyd was still sleeping in, Morro offered to help carry as many things as he could to the Bounty. Since he'd forgotten that it was Lloyd's birthday, he'd never actually gotten him a present. It wasn't as if he actually detested Lloyd so much as to actually avoid getting him a present, he had just genuinely forgotten, despite having literally been in Lloyd's mind before. No big deal. The least he could do to make up for it at least was help set up the party.
Even as he was lifting boxes of supplies and helping to fill up balloons, he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't enough. This was the first time he'd be celebrating Lloyd's birthday with him since returning to Ninjago. Showing up without a present would mean that he didn't care, and it was bad enough that he'd forgotten. Despite his relationship with Lloyd being in a relatively good spot right now, he didn't want to risk hurting Lloyd's feelings like that.
First Spinjitzu Master, how stupidly sensitive that sounded. He really was losing his touch. Maybe he needed to break a window or something.
Sitting on the floor of the living room and using his powers to inflate some balloons, he tried to think of something he could do for Lloyd other than distract him from the party. Keeping him busy wouldn't be hard, but avoiding the fact that he would later be faced with everyone presenting Lloyd with a gift except for him would. Uselessly, he allowed the balloon in his hand to deflate, before slowly sending more air into it to keep his hands busy while he considered his options.
While he could easily take Lloyd out to that comic book store he likes so much, Morro was fairly certain Jay had gotten him whatever new issue he was needing anyways, so it would just be a waste of time. Lloyd didn't like coffee as much as Morro did so that was out of the question too. There was always the movie theater, but Morro didn't know what was playing today - or how to check, and he was low on cash anyways. Taking Lloyd anywhere probably wouldn't be a good idea then.
Morro was snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed someone standing in front of him, and glanced up to see Kai looking at him curiously. He let the balloon deflate in his hands one more time before Kai sat down next to him.
"Dónde estás?" Kai whispered, taking the balloon from his hands and setting it down. Morro snickered at the question before shaking his head.
"En mi cabeza," he admitted, tapping his head and leaning on Kai's shoulder as he tried to grab the balloon back. "Where else would I be?"
Unfortunately, Kai seemed determined to win this abrupt game of keep-away, and Morro gave up when he realized he couldn't reach the balloon without using his powers. Tall people privilege…
There was a moment of silence before he spoke again. "I don't know what to get for Lloyd. Everyone has a present for him, but I forgot."
Kai hummed, wrapping an arm around Morro and pulling him closer to his warm chest. "Yeah, that was pretty dumb. You're normally more observant than that," he teased, earning an eye roll from Morro in response. "But don't worry about it, okay? You don't have to buy him anything to show him that you care."
"You sure? A lot of emotions can be connected to physical objects."
"Hush, I'm being helpful."
Morro snorted, but kept his mouth shut as he listened to Kai talk.
Kai ran his fingers through Morro's hair, gently combing it away from his face. "Honestly, I don't think it matters what you do. Lloyd doesn't even expect us to do anything in the first place. Just put some thought into it."
Humming it over for a moment, Morro glanced up at Kai with a smile, before reaching out to snatch his balloon back. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." He sent a small gust of air Kai's way, scrambling to get out of his grip when he felt Kai's hands grab him.
"Oh no you don't," Kai laughed, pulling him back in by his waist and tackling him to the floor. Morro let out a shriek once he felt Kai scatter kisses across his cheeks, fingers digging into his ribs. "I want kisses."
"Okay, okay! I yield! Let me go!"
***
Around two hours later saw Morro standing outside Lloyd's door with his balloon in one hand, and a clean set of clothes in the other. Once Kai and the others had set off on the Bounty to get it ready for the party, he'd had some time to himself to figure out what he wanted to do for Lloyd's present. The idea was simple, thoughtful, and thoroughly time consuming. Ergo, it was perfect. Surely Morro would win at this whole birthday present thing.
It wasn't long before he could hear slow footsteps from the other side of the door, and he tightened his grip on the balloon. As soon as he saw the handle turn, he let it fly, right into Lloyd's unsuspecting face.
"Wah!" Lloyd stumbled back as he swatted the offending object away, coaxing a snort from Morro before sending a glare at him. "What the heck was that for?!"
"Happy birthday," Morro grinned cheekily. He tossed the clothes he'd been holding into Lloyd's face, before shoving him back into his bedroom. "Now get dressed and meet me on the courtyard. We're hanging out today."
He turned on his heel to walk away, and could hear Lloyd groaning from inside the room before the door slammed shut behind him. A smug grin planted itself firmly on his face as he walked into the courtyard, instantly evaporating with a hiss when the bright sunlight hit his eyes. He shielded his vision from the brightness, before leaning against the centerpiece of the yard, facing the door and waiting for Lloyd to join him.
Soon, the green ninja emerged from inside the monastery, fully dressed in his gi and rubbing at his eyes. Morro waited semi-patiently as he approached, raising a brow when Lloyd glared up at him.
“‘S too early for training,” Lloyd pouted, finishing off the look with a slight quiver of the lower lip. If Morro was a better man, he might have taken pity on the poor birthday boy.
Alas, he was still the same bastard that hid Nya’s bra in the freezer last week. So Lloyd would have to endure.
Leaning down to smirk at him, Morro reached over and tightened the armor on Lloyd’s shoulder. “Too bad. Everyone else is gone and Kai made me promise to hang out with you, so we’re training.”
His grin only grew as Lloyd let his head hang back and emitted the most pathetic sound he’d heard in his life. “You’re worse than Wu. Come on, it’s my birthday!”
That was exactly the point. “Too bad, so sad.” He backed up from Lloyd and raised his fists in front of his face. “Now come on, take your stance. I’m gonna show you something new today.”
“Offense or defense?”
“What do you think, stupid?”
“I’m not - ugh! Fine!” Lloyd took a defensive position a mere second before Morro leaped at him. When he missed his blow, Morro swept his foot low, aiming to knock Lloyd off his balance. Unfortunately, Lloyd had seen the move coming and jumped out of the way.
Sparring with Lloyd was different than it was with anyone else, even Kai. Morro knew Lloyd’s physical and emotional limits like the back of his hand, but Lloyd knew exactly how Morro’s fighting style worked. Likely a side-effect from the whole possession thing, Morro always found himself fighting in an oddly perfect synchronization with Lloyd, whether it be against him or by his side. Morro knew where to hit, and Lloyd could predict his moves. It made for quite the interesting arguments over who got the tv remote.
However, Morro soon managed to corner Lloyd exactly where he wanted him; on the roof above the courtyard with the high ground. From that height, Lloyd could deliver a finishing blow that Morro wouldn’t be able to do much against. Physically speaking, Lloyd was more filled out while Morro’s own body seemed to favor lean muscle. The different physiques made it harder for Morro to block that kind of attack, and he could already see Lloyd taking the offense.
No time to waste, Morro lunged forward again, this time gripping Lloyd’s shoulders and twisting his body midair to wrap his legs around Lloyd’s throat, knocking them both to the ground with a shout. Morro landed on his back and kept his legs wrapped tightly around Lloyd’s neck, holding firm even as Lloyd struggled to break free. He was impressed, to say the least, by how long Lloyd managed to hold out before smacking Morro’s thigh three times.
Morro released him, pulling his legs back and rising to his feet as he watched his cousin cough and gasp for air. Lloyd fixed him with a scowl, and Morro only shrugged in response before offering a hand to help him up. The latter took it without any hesitation, though Morro suspected the harsh tug might have been an attempt at pulling Morro back down.
“What - the heck - was that?” Lloyd wheezed out as he rubbed his throat. Morro chuckled, shaking his head as he took in Lloyd’s confused expression. “I’ve never seen you do that before.”
“Yeah, your dad caught me off-guard when he taught me that.” Morro took a seat on the monastery steps. He watched as Lloyd realized what he’d said before clearing his throat. “In the Departed Realm, I mean.”
The silence that settled between them was palpable. Morro knew what kind of bomb he was dropping when he eventually told Lloyd, and since the younger had already been forced to deal with not only the death, but also the resurrection of his father as a husk of the man he’d previously been, Morro had thought it best to keep that information to himself. So he could be patient while Lloyd considered his words, and he could be kind when his cousin found his own.
Careful not to make a sound, he observed as Lloyd hesitantly joined him on the steps, glancing to his neck to make sure he hadn’t actually hurt him before peeling his eyes away and settling his gaze somewhere else. The sound of Lloyd’s calculated breathing was enough to keep his mind focused on the present - as opposed to the fantasies he’d normally slip into by now. Right now he needed to be here for Lloyd; he needed to be his family.
Finally, he heard Lloyd’s breath hitch, before he finally asked the question Morro knew was coming.
“You saw my dad?”
Lloyd’s voice was feeble now; tiny and fragile. Morro turned to see him looking ahead, hands in his lap and knuckles clenched tight. In truth, it didn’t hurt him to see Lloyd like this as much as it should have - but he wasn’t exactly comfortable either.
He let out a breath through his nose. Never in his whole life had he been comfortable when it came to other people’s vulnerability. In the past, he’d learned to harness it as a weapon against his enemies, and if he could do that? Then he tried to brush it off or ignore it.
He wouldn’t do that now.
“I did.” His voice came out just as soft, more gentle than he could remember it ever being. “I don’t think he liked me much, but I think he saw something that the other ghosts didn’t.”
Morro carefully avoided Lloyd’s gaze, feeling it focused entirely on him like a bright, burning laser beam determined to read him to filth. So be it then.
“I don’t know how he knew that I gave up the Realm Crystal, but he was the only one.” Morro leaned back against the steps, and let out a breathy sigh. Some of his hair fell into his face, and he blew it from his eyes before he spoke again. “So he tried to talk to me. I don’t think he will ever forgive me for hurting you, but…” He trailed off, blinking slowly as he turned to gauge Lloyd’s reaction.
“I think he wanted to give me a chance to earn it.”
Lloyd’s eyes were welling with tears, filled with an unidentifiable emotion that sent a pang through Morro’s chest. Despite their problems being far behind them now, Morro had never seen this side of Lloyd before and it was killing him to see.
He didn’t know what prompted him to keep talking, but he opened his mouth again. “He told me that in the past, he would have never forgiven me, but that you taught him to open his heart." Morro licked his lips as he felt his mouth go dry. "He told me that if you hadn't taught him to be kind - "
His words were cut off as Lloyd tackled him to the ground. Bracing himself for an attack, Morro paused when he felt Lloyd's arms around him, his frame trembling. Vaguely, he could hear the sound of Lloyd's choked back sobs, and wrapped his own arms around his shaking cousin. At first he hadn't been sure Lloyd was ready to hear him, but now he was certain it had been the right thing to do.
"He loved you so much, Lloyd," he whispered into his cousin's hair, rubbing circles into his back as he continued to cry. "And I know that if he could really see you now, he'd be so proud of you."
"Shut up, blowhard," Lloyd whimpered, burying his face deeper into Morro's chest. Letting out a chuckle, Morro pulled him closer and closed his eyes.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, with Morro keeping Lloyd pressed firmly into his chest as he cried. There were no words spoken between the two of them, neither of them needing to say anything anymore. Lloyd knew in his heart that the Lord Garmadon walking the realm today was not truly his father, but sometimes he just needed a reminder that his father had always loved him. Love, as powerful as it was, always needed reminding of. That's what made it so strong in the first place.
Soon, the sound of the Bounty's jets approaching the monastery caused Lloyd to stir in Morro's arms, and look up to see the ship coming into view.
Morro smirked at the sight, standing up and helping Lloyd to his feet. His mission was complete.
"Looks like they're back. Wanna go say hi?"
Lloyd nodded, sniffling once before wiping at his nose and taking Morro's hand. "Yeah," he smiled. "Let's do that."
"Alright. Oh, and one more thing." Morro wrapped an arm around Lloyd's shoulder as the two of them began to walk towards the others.
"Happy birthday, Greenie."