Darkness from Within #4: Fading (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 16

As night began to fall, Lloyd sat at the edge of his bed, staring at the ground. Now that all the commotion had died down the past week with Ariana and Joseph, his thoughts drifted back to when Kai had shown him the hospital room. His mind was set on his father. Garmadon had seemed more distressed than Lloyd had ever seen him. He knew he shouldn't be thinking about the ninja, but he couldn't help it. Every day he hid his thoughts from the other Baddies so they had no reason to suspect anything, but inside, he couldn't push down the longing he had to see his old family again. Just because the ninja didn't care about him didn't mean he had to hate them, right?

"Oh, great," Joseph grumbled from across the room, "Garmadon's depressed again."

Alarmed, Lloyd looked over his shoulder to see Joseph and Phil staring at him and he felt his face flush. He knew he got lost in thought a lot, he just didn't think anyone noticed.

Phil was lying on his stomach on his bed, resting his cheek on his fist as he gazed at the green ninja. "I bet I know what he's thinking about," he replied mischievously.

Joseph plopped onto his own bed face-first, smothering his face in his pillow. "Do you?" he mumbled, sounding uninterested.

Phil's eyes twinkled as Lloyd turned his gaze back to the floor. "Ariana," the Mechanic cooed. "Maybe, doing something with her, ya know?"

Joseph's voice was half-muffled from his pillow as he groaned out, "God, Phil, why?"

"Oh, come on!" Phil shouted back. "You do it with Katy!"

"Shut up!" Joseph snatched his pillow and threw it across the room, smacking the Mechanic in the face.

"Oof!" Phil fell backward with it, nearly toppling off his bed.

Lloyd chuckled softly as they went on bickering, shaking his head. Their arguments and harmless fights reminded him of his old team...

Phil and Joseph's shouting tuned out of the green ninja's head as he once again began reminiscing his old life with the ninja. Why did he miss them? He shouldn't. But was it so bad to?

He was so wrapped up in his mixed thoughts that he didn't notice the room had gone quiet. He glanced around to see both Joseph and Phil sleeping on their beds, and he realized time must have passed.

But Lloyd knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. Not that he ever really slept anymore, anyway. He had learned to somehow always be half-awake, thanks to Joseph, since he always had to be ready for anything. Come to think of it, he didn't know why Joseph hadn't killed him in his sleep yet. The older Baddie hated him, after all.

Because I'm the Overlord's favorite, was the first thought that passed through Lloyd's mind. Joseph would probably get in serious trouble with the Overlord if he murdered his "right-hand man" or whatever he was these days.

Lloyd swung his feet over the ground, feeling like he needed to talk to someone. He couldn't handle this longing for his old family anymore. He glanced across the room at Phil. His first Baddie friend was the person he trusted the most. But...

His gaze trailed over to Joseph. Why did he suddenly want to talk to his enemy? He had never wanted to talk to him before. Lloyd didn't know... but for some reason he felt more comfortable voicing his thoughts with Joseph than with Phil.

Giving in to his gut, Lloyd shifted around until he was on the other side of his bed, closer to Joseph. "Joseph?" he hissed quietly. "Are you still awake?"

There was a grunt and Joseph shifted. "I am now," he grumbled, rolling onto his back. He turned toward the green ninja, obviously irritated.

Lloyd looked at the ground, shifting his feet. "Joseph, do you..." He drew in a breath. "Do you ever think about... the ones you left behind?" he whispered. "The ones you left when you came here?"