llorumi | one shots

hard to be here / you again

4 am on the clock. Lloyd couldn't sleep, so he was sitting by the table, sipping some tea to calm his nerves. The Monastery peaceful as always, not a single sound coming from the courtyard. At least nothing too disturbing. The sky in a darkened orange color, which resulted from the Merge. The wind slightly brushing the lanterns on the outside.

The blond hid his head in the hands, and let out the air he was holding. It was yet another day none of the familiar faces showed up at the door. His solitude fostered his maturity, but his soul yearned for another person to talk to. It's been so long.

He hoped that at least it would make him appreciate the ninjas presence more once they arrive in the future. If there was any future for them.

He never imagined himself in such situation again. To be all alone, all of the time. Though last time he did have some company. Like the residents of Jamanakai that he tried to rob of the sweets. Or the Serpentine. Now he decided to isolate himself. He couldn't point out why if he wanted to meet people. Or maybe he didn't. Maybe he just wanted the ninja to come back.

Letting in new person was pretty hard for him. So he prefered to stay in their little group, where they treated each other like family. The people that raised him.

Now no matter if he was eating, sleeping, cooking, watering the plants or who knows what else, there was nobody else around him. Just the everlasting silence. Oh, how he missed them.

A knock on the door could be heard. The seventh one this month. He counted. It always woke him up mentally, putting the hopes up in his head.

What if it's one of them and in the second he would forget about staying up late thinking routine and just throw himself into this somebody's arms? Joy sparkling in his eyes at the feeling?

Or it could be just another group of citizens curious whether the ninja are still living. He used to turn these down, as that would mean he'd have to encounter more of them, probably trying to blind him with the flashes of their phones.

The dissapointment was real. So he tried not to expect too much last time. And that's what he was planning on doing it now aswell.

He got up and leaving his tea on the table, moved quietly down the corridor. Not a single panel creecking underneath his steps. He'd grown in his training.

He must've left the gate opened if this person was that close. He had a lot of other stuff to take care of, so he wouldn't be too surprised.

Before his hand reached the handle, he'd taken a look at the vision from cameras that surrounded the yard. Everything stayd the same. Just as it used to. At least after the Merge. There was only one odd thing on may he said person, whose appearance shoked him to the core. Who knows maybe even more than the ninjas would.

The white haired girl stood casually right behind the piece of tall wood dividing them.

The boy felt his stomach turn. Heart skipping a beat. His brows furrowed. Lloyd was unable to name what he was feeling at the moment. Fear with a weird sense of excitment mixing in his confused mind. It was never easy with her. To be perfectly honest he kind of wished he forgot. About this whole lingering situationship they had.

If he was about to enter the new role as a guardian of the Monastery, he wanted to focus on that from now on. It wasn't expected that Master Wu would disappear so quickly from this place, but it happened.  And if he was able to do it on his own, Lloyd's goal was to fare just as well. Altough not everything went so smoothly. The help would come in handy. Even if he didn't plan to admit it.

He could keep up with the chores, and the more he had to do, the less he had to think. It was relieving. Until the nightime came and left him numb. But he could take it. Staying just as productive in the morning.

But now the reality reminded him violently, that the life was still going on behind these walls. More than ever after the realms united.

The choice to become part of it was now his.

If he opened, he would regret it. If he didn't he would regret it even more.

Why did she had to show up here and just complicate everything again?

The answer never came.

Did he even want to see her? No, definitely not. Especially in such circumstances. He was often wondering where she was with her life now. He'd like to ask her and talk, but prefered if she would just forget about it the next day. So he would know and she wouldn't. And he can peacefully move on with his own life. Maybe she'd stop bothering him so much, if it was confirmed that she's doing great and he'd stop thinking about them two so much. It wasn't fair though.

She deserved to know too.

Was he ready to hear her apology? Was he able to forgive her? Did he even care about it at all? What if he didn't?

Nevertheless she was there. And if she got impatient, she'd just walk away. Or she'd break the door down. But that didn't sound like Harumi for him. Not at all. Not this Harumi at least.