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It’s something they’ve always done. After any big fight, any bad day or botched mission, the six of them end up sleeping piled together. Sometimes they crowd into Kai’s room, too many people in a too small bed to truly be comfortable. Others, they fall asleep in a pile on the floor, made up of blankets and pillows and personal stuffed animals they all swear that they don't sleep with anymore. It’s their thing and it started all those years ago, when they first brought Lloyd into their Monastery.
Lloyd, around 7 at the time, had a terrible nightmare. Kai heard and came to check on him. Soon, all the others had followed suit, sitting around Lloyd’s bed and telling him stories until he fell back asleep. It was one of the first times they saw him as something other than a nuisance. As their little brother.
Now, all these years later… after evil Djins and video games that trapped people, after Lloyd’s father was brought back, and after Nya became the sea. Each time they all- or all that were left, returned home they would pile up on the floor and try to weather the night together.
The battle they faced today wasn’t the biggest they’ve been through- the city wasn’t even destroyed this time- but the six ninja had still limped home in varying states of injury.
Kai got very lucky, he only has a couple of bruises and scrapes to show for. Nya on the other hand has a badly sprained ankle. Cole was knocked unconscious and has a suspected concussion. Jay went a little too hard on his powers and is now buzzing, literally, with electricity as he all but falls into the pile of cushions on the floor. Zane’s arm had somehow gotten detached from his body and, despite there just being wires and metal rather than flesh and blood, Kai still has to fight down the bile rising in his throat. That’s his brother’s insides, blood or no blood.
The worst by far is, of course, Lloyd. If he was conscious right now, Kai would be chewing him a new one. He knows, okay? Lloyd is an adult now. He’s their leader and the Destined Green Ninja and all that. It’s not like he doesn’t trust Lloyd to handle himself out there. Hell, he’s witnessed first hand just how powerful the kid is. But that’s just the thing.
Lloyd is almost always the target. The strongest bad guys always go after him and while the kid does usually win, he comes home hurt far too many times for Kai’s liking. It’s hard to let go of that protective spark that worms its way to the surface of his heart every time he sees Lloyd like this. Pale and bandaged.
This time wasn't’ even that bad. He isn’t at any risk, really. Just a lucky swipe from the bad guy’s sword cutting through his gi. In the heat of the battle, not even Lloyd noticed how badly he was hurt until he’d stumbled and lost consciousness.
Kai’s heart had hit his feet and he hardly remembers the goons he took out just to get to Lloyd before the bad guy could take the final blow. It all ended up being okay of course, Lloyd isn’t some scared 7 year old anymore, he can take care of himself.
But that protective streak isn’t something Kai has been able to grow out of himself. He still gets that way about Nya too. Despite how many times she’s saved his ass- despite how much he knows how capable she is. Nya is a ninja, a damn good one at that, and she’s an incredible elemental master. But he just can’t seem to squash that older brother inside of him that sees her toddling towards him with a skinned knee and tears streaming down her face.
“Lights out, Kai,” Jay says, exhaustedly flicking his hand to turn off the overhead light.
There’s still a couple lamps in the living room that they've all designated their sleeping quarters for the night. None of them really feel safe in the dark, even like this. As Jay and Nya curl tightly into each other, Jay’s head resting on her chest. As Zane and Pixal, who Kai hadn’t even noticed enter the room, curl nearly on top of the other two. Cole is squished on Jay’s other side, closer to Kai. He’s only half awake but it was determined his concussion was mild enough that he can sleep uninterrupted. Beside him, lies Lloyd. The kid is sprawled out, like always, gangly limbs somehow touching everyone despite being unconscious. He always has been clingy.
His left arm is draped over Kai’s stomach, the weight familiar and comforting. Kai watches him breathe for a few moments, squinting against the dim light. The others are all nearly asleep now but Kai can’t seem to get his heart to stop beating out of his chest. They encounter life threatening stuff all the time. Hell- it’s their jobs to fight evil and protect the realms. He should be used to it by now. They’re all strong, they’re Elemental Masters.
But again, the image of Lloyd pops into his head again. His stupid little bowl cut and that hoodie that was too big for him. They still have the hoodie, somewhere. He wonders if Lloyd could even get it over his head now… he’d out grown it after the Tomorrow’s Tea.
Kai takes a steadying breath, trying to will his heart to slow down. Lloyd is strong. He’s like, the strongest person he knows. And that’s saying something.
“Kai?”
Kai blinks, quickly looking down at a now awake Lloyd. The kid pushes himself up slowly and half falls into Kai’s arms. He groans and snakes a hand to press against the bandages on his side. Meanwhile, it feels like his own heart is now beating out of his chest.
“Jesus kid,” he whispers. “Gonna give me a heart attack one day!”
Lloyd giggles, sounding more than a little delirious.
“I’m cold. You’re warm. Stop talking.”
“Kid.”
“I’m not a kid,” Lloyd grumbles without opening his eyes.
“Right. You’re old now. Gonna have to start calling you gramps.”
Somehow, the bickering settles over Kai like a wave. He takes a deeper breath and holds onto Lloyd a little tighter. Nya’s arm has reached over to press comfortingly against Kai’s shoulder. He’s surrounded by his family, safe. They’re all okay. Bruises and cuts will heal. Time will fade away any evidence of this fight. One day, he won’t be able to recall which fight the slash on Lloyd’s side is from. All that’s left will be a scar.
“Kai,” Lloyd groans, cracking one green eye open to glare at him. “Stop thinking and go to sleep. ‘m tired.”
Kai nods, even though Lloyd is asleep almost instantly. He closes his own eyes and listens instead. The beating in his heart slows further, back to normal. He can hear his family sleeping around him. From Cole snoring to the low whirl of Zane and Pixal’s systems. In the doorway, Wu stands, keeping watch.
He smiles at Kai, a silent passing of the torch. Kai falls asleep quickly.
What he doesn’t see is another figure who comes to stand beside Wu in the doorway. The two look at each other and step out into the hallway, away from earshot of the sleeping ninja.
“I didn’t know you were going to be home tonight, brother,” Wu says with a little irritation.
“I- I felt something. I wanted to make sure the ninja… my son, were okay.” Wu sighs but nods, walking past Garmadon in the direction of the kitchen. He needs some tea if he must deal with his brother at such a late hour. The previous day was hard on them all. Seeing his students injured never got any easier.
As he boils the water and gathers his favorite cup, Garmadon makes his way into the room. His face is pensive, if a little worried. Wu had long ago given up hope to ever see this side of his brother again. He’d given up on him as soon as the venom had taken over. And then again, when he died in the Cursed Realm. The version of his brother now, that sits down at the worn wooden table and sips quietly at the tea Wu pours from him…. it’s not the brother he remembers. This version of him was thought to be completely devoid of light. Of any compassion. And yet, he helped them fight against the Oni invasion. Later, he helped them defeat the Overlord once again.
Things aren’t… perfect but they’re far better than they have been in a long time.
“My son,” Garmadon says after a long moment. “He lives?”
Wu cannot help but smile. “Yes. He will recover swiftly, I predict. He has our ancestry to thank for that.”
”Hmm. Indeed.”
“You said that you… sensed something? Did you feel that he was injured, somehow?”
Garmadown frowns, staring down at his cup of tea as if it would have all of the answers. “I know my son is trying,” He begins, clearly avoiding the answers. “He has a hard time forgiving me for… all of the wrong that I have done. And who am I to say if there is even a part of me that is the father he remembers.”
”He does care about you. He asks about you sometimes.”
This only seems to bother Garmadon more. His face falls as he pushes his cup of tea to the side.
“I did sense… something. Though I am unsure if it was Lloyd I was sensing and not something else.”
”Like what? It is far too soon for the Overlord to return and, even then, crime has been quite low these past few years.”
Garmadon shrugs. “I do not know. All I know is that I have this… sense of dread that follows me around. That- and one word. Coalescence. It appears to me in my dreams. Do you have any idea of what it could mean?”
Wu hums, taking a long sip of his own tea to allow himself to think.
“I presume you do not mean the literal definition. But no, I’ve not heard of that word meaning any sort of great danger.”
”Perhaps if you could… look into it. You have many scrolls here, surely if it’s as big of a threat as my senses tell me it is, you’ll have something about it.”
”You make a good point. I’ll begin searching in the morning. For now, I must watch over my students. They’ve had a long day.”
Garmadon nods, quickly, the heavyweight of the conversation breaking just like that. He finishes his forgotten tea and stands.
“I must leave again. Please, keep me informed about your findings.”
”Of course, brother. I will also let you know how your son is doing. He’d love to see you again, I believe.”
Garmadon just hums, his face pulling into what almost could pass as a smile. Without another word, he turns and leaves. Wu sighs and begins brewing himself something a little stronger.