Flames of the Past #4: A Tangle of Lies (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 18

Lloyd awoke the next day feeling refreshed. After talking to the other ninja, he had slept soundly the rest of the night. He hadn't expected to feel so much better after opening up. He felt lighter and less stressed. He felt much closer to his brothers, and talking to them honestly seemed easier. When Cole had hugged him, his emotions had skyrocketed. He'd been overwhelmed, because he knew how much the otherwise simple gesture meant coming from the black ninja.

Lloyd felt happy to know that his brothers were open to hearing about his past life. He'd always wanted to tell them how he'd lived and whom he'd known from the Bend. Because of how emotional he'd become, he'd only been able to mention the Baddies that had died, for those were the ones he couldn't stop thinking about, but he looked forward to the next chance he got to talk about his other friends. Like his former best friend, Phil, the nerdy, bubbly Baddie he'd been so close to, or Phil's sister, Vanessa. It felt awkward thinking about the golden-haired girl, for ever since he'd forced her to break up with Cole, they hadn't had the best relationship. But Lloyd was still glad both she and her brother survived the battle.

The ninja team chattered to each other as they enjoyed breakfast in the dining room. Lloyd was actually a bit hungry that morning, which was unusual for him, so he ate alongside everyone else. He could tell Nya was happy about that. Though, like usual, he didn't take part in their conversation. He only watched and listened, partly because he was both mentally and emotionally drained from his breakdown the night before.

Glancing around the table, Lloyd still wished Kai was there with them, but he pushed the thought away. He didn't want to get sad again.

Instead, he gazed across the table at Cole. Even the small bit of interest the black ninja had shown last night encouraged Lloyd. Maybe there was hope for them. Maybe... Maybe Cole cared, too.

Lloyd's head raised as the black ninja stood up. Looking around, he realized everyone was pretty much finished with their meal. Lloyd hadn't eaten much, but it was a lot more than he usually did. And he felt good about it.

The team began to disperse and the green ninja found his eyes following Cole. The black ninja called Rainy to his side before heading out of the room. Lloyd hesitated for a few moments, debating with himself. Then, giving himself a shake, he raced after his teammate.

He caught up to Cole in the hallway. "Cole!" he called.

The black ninja halted and turned around. He seemed suspicious as he stared at the green ninja. "What?"

Lloyd slowed to a stop when he reached the black ninja. "Um..." He realized he didn't know what he wanted to say. "Where are you going?"

"Outside." Cole blinked. "Why?"

Lloyd was still trying to gather words. "Can I come?"

Cole's eyes sharpened skeptically. "Why?" he repeated.

"I want to talk to you."

"We're talking right now."

"No, ugh..." Lloyd ran his fingers through his hair. "It's just... ever since Kai was arrested, I realized how much I depend on him and no one else. And... I don't really think that's healthy."

Cole scoffed. "About time you realize that," he grunted. "You two are seriously co-dependent."

"Co-dependent is a strong word..." Lloyd shifted uneasily. "But he's gone now, and now I see how much of a mess my life is. And I... kinda wanna fix it."

"Lloyd, why are you telling me this?" Cole huffed.

"Because you're next on the list," Lloyd admitted.