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The gentle pattering of rain hit the dark forest colored umbrella, the streets covered in puddles of water as cars splashed it onto unlucky civilians walking their way to wherever they had to be. Ninjago City was beautiful, known for it’s tropical weather and warm climates. However, the speciality of being settled on an island, caused for heavy rain storms when the time came for them. Wind knocked the man around, he cursed under his breath. It was only six in the morning, and the weather decided to be at it’s worst directly when he was meant to open his store.
Morro didn’t hate the wind, in fact he enjoyed the way it blew against his skin. Hitting his face with the cool air it carried, after all, he was the elemental master of it. Why wouldn’t he enjoy it? He didn’t like however..was the way it dragged his umbrella, and smacked him in the face with rain! He absently jingled his keys in his pocket, an unsettled growl in his voice. His record store was only two more blocks down, but with this speed he was going at he might as well have just stayed at his apartment sleeping in.
Cars honked on the road beside him; people gasping and shivering at the harsh cold around them. It was only August but it already felt like it was winter, he likes to put the blame on the bipolar weather on the giant volcano a certain overlord owns in the middle of the ocean. He huffed at just the thought of the four armed freak. The wind elemental trudged down the street, cargo pants already soaked with water. Thanks too cars splashing him before he could use his powers to block the dripping attack. When he gets his store, he just hoped customers takes a little longer when coming in. He does not want to be the laughing stock of some teenager taking a picture of his ruined clothes while he tries to stock the shelves with new vinyls.
Speaking of teenagers, just in front of him. Four kids rushed out an alley, not even caring about the fact they were getting poured onto; nor the fact they ran directly into the street. People angrily shouting at the reckless teens who snorted and laughed as they ran down the sidewalk across from him. Morro rose a confused brow, they looked as if they were in a rush. He shrugged it off, probably just some kids bothering a poor shop keeper in one of the back doors in the alleys.
Though, right when he passed said place they left. He halted as he heard a groan of pain, followed by sniffles. The quiet sobs of a boy, a boy that sounded far to familiar for him to just ignore. The wind elemental glanced around, cursing under his breath as he turned into the alley; his eyes immediately meeting with a leg stuck out from behind a dumpster. He rushed over, turning on his heel and letting out a surprised gasp.
“Fuck, Lloyd!?“
“Morro..w-what’re you’ doing ere’?”
Lloyd Garmadon, son of Lord Garmadon, nephew of The Sensei Wu, and cousin of Morro Wu; laid against a brick wall black and blue. His nose was bleeding, a bruise blooming on his cheek, and lip busted that made the other wince for the teen. It wasn’t uncommon for Morro to find him roughed up, the kid sometimes forcing himself into his apartment to hide from people chasing him down. They might as well put a bounty on his head, seeing as how much people hate the teen.
It was pathetic honestly, but what could he do? It wasn’t like Morro could force Garmadon to stop attacking the city for the sake of his son’s life, he probably forgot he even had a son! The wind elemental ran a hand down his face; putting his umbrella other the two as he leaned down towards his cousin. Grabbing his chin and moving his face left from right to get a better look at the damage done. Lloyd whined at the pain, but kept his mouth shut.
“Apparently, saving your ass. Come on, you can skip at the shop for the day.”
“S-skip!? But what about my classes—“
“You really wanna go to school looking like you just got out of an underground fight ring?”
That shut the teen up.
With a heave, Morro pulled the kid up by the arm. Holding him to his side as Lloyd stumbled into him; coughing into his hand and sucking in a desperate breath. The wind elemental couldn’t see the rest of the damage done, if any more had been done, but hopefully it’s nothing bad. Like a broken rib, he waved the thought off, not even wanting to risk the possibility of jinxing himself.
The two cousins trudged out of the alley, Morro having thrown Lloyd’s hoodie up so they could get to the record shop without anymore people trying to shove a fist to the teen’s already beat face. The rain abusing the duo as they stepped in puddle after puddle, the wind elemental wincing as his socks dampened from inside his boots. The teen under his arm shoved his head into Morro’s side; hiding from people giving them odd looks and from the cold on his nose. Morro gave no action to shove him away.
It was full of stumbles, almost tripping, and curses as more cars flew by splashing the cousins and effectively ruining their clothes; but they had made it. The record shop was a tiny store stuck in between other companies on either side; it’s dark bricks and interior contrasting heavily with the gentle colors of the other stores. Morro fumbled with the keys in his pocket; unlocking the gate and front doors. Blowing it open with a gust of wind, shoving the rest of the way in with his hip. Immediately being greeted with the warm inside, and the eerie quietness of his shop. Walls covered floor to ceiling with vinyls, old, new, name an artist and he most likely had it.
The wind elemental stuck his cousin on the front counter the second they got inside; Lloyd admiring the shop with stars in his eyes. The kid ever rarely came inside, mostly from his older cousin forcing him out because he doesn’t need people associating his shop with someone they hated. It hurt, yes, but he could understand. Morro was a free out of college student running his own business, he couldn’t risk ruining that.
Speaking of, Morro was currently behind the counter. Rummaging through the drawers and pulling out a small med-kit he kept specifically for this situation. He couldn’t count on two hands how many times he found Lloyd with injuries that’d make his mom rein hell upon the city; probably with worse out comes then a ‘Garmadon Attack.’
“What if my mom finds out I skipped?”
“Auntie Koko won’t be none the wiser, you gotta stop worrying so much. Kiddo.”
His tone was a little harsh, but the teen brushed it off. The wind elemental zipped open the kit, pulling a small bottle of disinfectant he was lucky this brand had within their products. As well as a few cotton balls, bandaids, snatching a tissue from the box just besides Lloyd’s leg. Holding it up for the kid and pointing to his nose. The teen grumbled, and clogged up the bleeding with a slight hiss. Meanwhile, Morro eyed his busted lip. Pressing the cotton ball against the disinfection bottle and letting it drip onto it, before pushing it against Lloyd’s lip.
The teen yelped; pulling back with a loud whine. Swatting at his cousin’s hand, cradling the burning sensation on his lip.
“That hurt!”
“Well—duh! Come here..!”
The older pulled him back by his chin; dabbing his lip. Lloyd squirmed above him; but Morro kept him still. He didn’t want to accidentally get this in his eye, that’d make this even more painful. An unsettling feeling found its way in his gut, something telling him to question the boy. Lloyd was a good liar, but Morro was even better. He pulled the cotton away, tossing it to the trash below the counter.
His cousin was just about to hop off; when the latter pushed him back down. Eyeing him with an accusing finger pointed at him. The teen swallowed a nervous lump in his throat, glancing at the wind elemental before huffing quietly and sitting back down. “Anything else I should look at?” Morro asked, patting his hand on the younger’s knee. He didn’t even need a response when Lloyd yelped. Covering his mouth before sighing in defeat.
“Scrapped my knees when they pushed me down..” He murmured, rolling up his ripped jeans to reveal a nasty gash on his knee. Making his cousin hiss sympathetically, reaching for the disinfectant again; getting back to work on fixing up the kid. Absently, he tried to rid the image of his younger cousin being dragged kicking and screaming into an alley; with people passing by to help-—only to let the beating continue when realizing who it was. Morro squeezed the cotton ball, the liquid spilling onto Lloyd’s wound and his fingertips.
“You and I both know you can put up a fight, greenie.”
“I-I know, but you know—“
“No in fact, I don’t. How about you enlighten me?”
A tense silence between the two; the only sound being the wind elemental ripping open a large enough bandaid from it’s wrapping. Placing it over the other’s knee. Moving his leg with his hand to make sure it wouldn’t fall off when he bent it. Satisfied with his work, Morro pulled away from his cousin; choosing to lean against the wall with his arms crossed as he waited for a response.
“I just can’t okay! That’s it.”
“Bullshit.”
“Morro—“
“I know my dad doesn’t just let you in on those ninja’s training for nothing, didn’t you agree that you’d learn at least something from them?”
“Yeah, but—“
“You know I don’t want too, but if I have to call Auntie Koko—“
“Wait—“
“I will, because I’m tired of watching my baby cousin getting his ass handed too hi—“
“I can’t! I can’t fight back because everything people say about me would be true!”
Morro froze. Lloyd sniffled; tears suddenly rolling down his cheeks. A hiccup leaving his throat as he rubbed his sleeve against his damp eyes. The wind elemental felt a pang in his heart; wordlessly staring at his crying cousin. Realization hitting him like a double decker bus; immediately a feeling of guilt weighing on his shoulders. Morro wasn’t one for emotional things, but watching Lloyd cry definitely was one of those things he kept an exception for. His hands reached out; and the teen grasped onto his jacket without hesitation. Leaning his head down to sob into his shoulder. All the while, the wind master petted his blonde hair. Trailing through the damp waves as he shushed his cousin.
“I’d be a monster..just like my dad.”
His brows furrowed, before leaning away just enough to grasp his younger cousin by the cheeks. Holding his head gently in his hands and forcing him to look at him. “Whoever called you a monster, I swear I’ll put their head on a spike—You, Mr.GoodyTwoShoes are nothing like that deadbeat. Don’t believe a word those assholes say, because I promise you it isn’t true.”
Lloyd’s face twisted into one of shock; before his lip quivered, and out came another round of waterworks. Practically throwing himself off the counter towards his cousin. Holding him like he a life line, not ready to let go of. Morro didn’t argue; tightly hugging the boy in his arms and silently praying for the deities above to rein hell on whoever hurt his family.
Only Morro Wu is allowed to push Lloyd Garmadon around, and anyone else who tries to lay their hands on the kid would get a fight they’d never forget.