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Several trees worth of study papers lined the hardwood floor of Lloyd’s bedroom, all in order from least to highest priority. Lloyd was extraordinarily behind in his studies, and this project was absolute torture for those who had better things to do after school, such as literally saving the city.
He was the green ninja after all. Sometimes he really wished the title came with a no-homework pass. It was the least they could do.
Unfortunately for him, no one knew his identity. So he was stuck with boatloads of homework and assignments and hardly any time to focus on them. Brad had been a huge help though. Ever since they’d been hanging out more, school work had been stressing him out a whole lot less. It was thanks to him that he was even getting this project done in the first place, otherwise he’d end up procrastinating as per usual.
Nobody knew the green ninja’s identity. That was until he and Brad became friends. It was a complete accident, how he found out. Well, an accident on Lloyd’s part. Brad already had his suspicions, but Lloyd had simply been careless one day and slipped his mask off before he had a moment to change out of his ninja gear just behind their school where he thought nobody would see him. In his defence he was in a hurry to make it to class in time, otherwise he’d be facing an after-school detention. Lloyd couldn’t have that. He had afternoon plans with the very person who caught him red handed. Or rather, green handed.
Brad had kept a close eye on the green ninja, followed him behind the building, and saw everything. And Lloyd made him swear not to tell a single soul. So far he’d been doing a pretty solid job at it, so fully trusting him came naturally afterwards. The rest of the ninja didn’t know, though. They’d probably be less than thrilled if they found out, especially his uncle Wu. So Brad was the green ninja’s little secret.
He didn’t start treating him any differently after he found out, either, which was a giant relief. He liked hanging out with Brad. He had nice hair, and nice eyes, and he was super nice to be around. Lloyd ignored the implications of thinking about his best friend like that.
The blank page of his notebook glared back at him as he tapped his pencil against his knee. He was sitting cross legged on the floor right by his bed, allowing closer access to the mess of papers. Brad had gone to get some water, and the room was so empty without him.
It was funny, really, that someone who likely wouldn’t give Lloyd a second glance just a few months prior, was now one of the few constants in his life.
Lloyd was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice his bedroom door open and close. Nor was he yet to fully register the feeling of a body occupying the space right by him until a hand was waving back and forth an inch in front of his face.
He blinked the blurriness out of his vision as he finally took in his surroundings. Brad was beside him, sitting cross legged on the floor, one hand occupied by a tall glass of water and the other still lingering in front of Lloyd.
“Earth to Lloyd?” Came his voice, though it sounded distant. He stared at Brad owlishly, face prickling with heat. Right. He should probably say something. You know, like a functioning human being. Lloyd panicked and eyed the glass of water in his friend’s hand, mind drawing an impressive blank.
“Uh…. How….” Lloyd grit his teeth and dug his nails into the fabric of his shorts, “H—How’s the water?”
Brad shot him a confused glance, chuckling awkwardly. Pity laugh, probably. Lloyd wanted to sink into the floor and die.
“It’s… fine, I guess. You all right dude?” said Brad, who happened to be growing increasingly concerned with Lloyd’s pained expression.
Unbeknownst to him, Lloyd was currently mentally cursing himself. How’s the water? Seriously!?
“You’re weird.” Brad flicked his forehead teasingly. His smile faltered for a moment when he came in contact with the burning skin there, “Woah, are you sick?”
Lloyd’s stomach swooped. “What? No.”
Brad pressed the back of his hand against Lloyd’s forehead, and Lloyd felt like he was going to explode.
“You sure? You’re burning up.”
Lloyd tore his eyes away from him, shuffling backwards and away from his friend to create some distance. For the sake of his stupid out-of-control heart.
“I’m not sick. It’s… It’s just really warm in here.”
Brad took a swig of his water and twisted around to place the cup on Lloyd’s nightstand, shrugging. “Then take your sweater off.”
He paused, cheeks colouring as he gestured to the vague direction of Lloyd’s torso, “…You’re wearing something underneath that, right?”
Lloyd rolled his eyes, “Yeah. Weirdo.”
“Shut up. You’re the one being weird.” Brad closed the distance Lloyd created in a panic and gave his shoulder a playful shove. Lloyd’s entire body felt hot. Whatever the hell the implications of that meant.
“You just told me to take my shirt off,” Lloyd shot back.
“Not what I meant!!” shrieked Brad, the tips of his ears growing pink. He then threw a pointed look at the papers on the floor and muttered, “Master above, we’re never getting this thing done.”
Lloyd almost forgot what the other boy was even here for.
“Not with that attitude,” he sassed, tossing a textbook and a few pencils in his direction. He watched as Brad caught the items with the prowess of someone with very impressive hand-eye coordination.
His eyes lingered on his hands longer than he would’ve liked. He liked Brad’s hands. His fingers were slightly longer than Lloyd’s, and they were strong and deft, perfect for handling flowers and plants of all kinds. Lloyd wished he could hold them–
Wait, what the fuck?
Brad shot him a sideways look, his face scarily unreadable as he flipped open the textbook, flexing his fingers on the open page. It took him a moment too late to realise Brad was smirking at him, and Lloyd wished he really could phase through the floor and hide beneath the Earth to conceal his embarrassment. Brad couldn’t read minds, there was no way he had any idea what he was just thinking about.
It didn’t erase the mortification, though.
Lloyd quickly looked away, busying himself with his work and desperately trying to ignore Brad’s tiny chuckle. A noise that definitely didn’t make his stomach flip. And as they worked in comfortable silence, save for the short but few topic related discussions, Lloyd vowed to look at Brad as little as possible.
He had to focus. Is what he would say if it weren’t for the sudden weight against his right side. Lloyd sucked in a sharp breath, but the weight didn’t budge. At this rate, his heart was beating so dangerously fast he was convinced it might kill him. This surely couldn’t be healthy, right? He felt Brad sigh next to him, reaching over to nab a sheet right by his hand and brushing his fingers in the process.
Yep. Lloyd was going to die. With his friend rubbing up on him like an affectionate cat, he felt like his insides were literally melting. The words on the page in front of him distorted into unintelligible jargon as all his senses honed in on the boy beside him.
Hesitantly, Lloyd turned his head, the movement so distinct that it jostled Brad out of his own trance. Brad mirrored him, leaning back slightly.. They stared at each other as if both of them were waiting for the other to open their mouth and say something. Which happened… Eventually.
“Lloyd,” said Brad, almost too calmly.
“Y—Yeah?” Lloyd swallowed. Time seemed to slow down as he searched Brad’s face for something, anything that could tell him what the hell was going on. And was Brad leaning towards him? Lloyd didn’t dare move as Brad inched closer, brown eyes glittering with what he could now recognise was mischief.
“You made a typo.” Brad smiled cheekily, pointing at one of the sentences on Lloyd’s paper with the tip of his pencil, and at the same time trying not to laugh at the incredulous look on his face. “Right there.”
Lloyd couldn’t help the slight disappointment, so he concealed it by shoving a hand in Brad’s face, pushing him away as the latter’s laughter shook his entire body.
“You’re such a jerk,” Lloyd hissed, and even though he was only slightly annoyed, he couldn’t quite will himself to pull his hand away. Brad never objected to the contact, leaning into it enthusiastically.
“Not my fault the fabled green ninja can’t spell.” Brad gently took hold of Lloyd’s lingering hand and smiled against it, “You should really be thanking me.”
Lloyd’s body stiffened, begrudgingly accepting that he’d been rendered a pathetic, flustered mess for the umpteenth time that night. He liked this boy so much it was beginning to get on his nerves.
“Thanks,” came Lloyd’s flat reply as he struggled to calm his heart.
Brad allowed Lloyd’s hand to drop, face softening as he moved to lean back on the heels of his palms, “Pleasure’s all mine. Your mom asked me to stay for dinner, by the way.”
“Oh. Your parents don’t mind?” Lloyd studied him carefully. He knew Brad’s parents were kind of a touchy subject.
Brad smiled, though it looked a little sad. “You know they won’t.”
Despite the internal protests from the rational side of his brain, Lloyd shuffled towards him, closing the gap once more and pressing their shoulders together again. Brad melted into the touch, tilting his head in silent question as they sat cross legged on the floor.
“If you ever need a place to crash…” Lloyd bounced his knee, a nervous tic, “You’re always welcome here.”
It was silent for a good thirty seconds before Brad placed a firm but soothing hand on his knee, settling it instantly. Lloyd’s eyes widened a fraction.
“Thanks,” Brad murmured with a small, genuine smile this time, gently squeezing his knee. “I really appreciate it. Like, a lot.”
“Gh—Yeah— I...”
Rendered speechless, Lloyd clamped his mouth shut and forced himself to start over, “Anytime, man.”
It would take a long time for that entire interaction to leave his mind, and he wasn’t sure his heart would ever resume a regular speed ever again. The spot on his knee where Brad’s hand once was positively burned as he tried to commit the sensation to memory. Eventually they got back to work, even though Lloyd never truly managed to re-focus on what he was doing after all that. He made it work, somehow.
And if, during the rest of their study session, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, and goosebumps prickle his skin, he made a great effort to ignore it. He ignored that they were the key signs that someone’s eyes were on him. He was a ninja, he could easily sense when he was being watched. The instinct came naturally. Subtly, out of the farthest corner of his eye, he caught Brad watching him almost thoughtfully.
Lloyd kept his gaze trained on the floor, and pretended to be none the wiser.