tournament | ninjago {featuring your ocs!}

07 | sleepless nights

Midnight on Chen's Island is peaceful, a stark contrast to how everyone on it is feeling. Moonlight filters in through the windows of the palace, bathing each room in a soft silvery glow, and the stars are bright and bountiful.

Tap, tap, tap.

Lloyd is half awake when the sound reaches his ears, coming from his window. He yawns and sits up in bed. The figure of a girl perches on his balcony, silhouetted against the moonlight. Her brown eyes peer at him through the window, and the shimmery fabric of her gi makes her seem to sparkle in the darkness.

"Kira?" Lloyd slides out of bed and rushes to meet her, stepping out onto his balcony and into the night.

She smiles shyly. "Hey..."

"Up late again, huh?"

"You know I've never slept well." She lets out breathy laugh, but it's more sad than amused. "I, um...was wondering if I could stay here for a bit. I just can't be alone right now."

"Of course."

Kira nods gratefully, tugging her mask down and moving to his side. They stand there together, leaning against the railing as they stare out into the distance. High above their heads, a full moon shines brightly, the grand centerpiece in a sky full of stars. The soft chirps of crickets and rippling of water reach their ears, and a cool breeze swirls around them, caressing their faces and stirring their hair. All things considered, it's a pleasant moment.

Lloyd can't help but steal a glance at his girlfriend. She's always loved watching the moon, and normally her eyes are bright with wonder as she does so. Now, they're dull and dreary, staring blankly at the sky. He shifts closer and rests a hand on top of hers.

"What's on your mind?" he asks gently.

"A lot."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Kira draws a shaky breath and exhales. Her gaze shifts to him, brows furrowed with worry. "There's just so much going on," she whispers. "We're so far from home and everything we know. We're surrounded by strangers and people out to steal our powers. And I can't help but wonder...what if we never see Zane or Cole again? What if we don't make it off this island?" She swallows the lump growing in her throat, blinking back stressed tears. "And...well, our match is coming up soon. What if we do have to face each other?"

Lloyd's heart swells with sympathy. Kira's always been one to worry—being anxious and fretful is just in her nature—but it's evident how freaked out she really is right now. "I know it's all pretty scary," he murmurs. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried, too. But I have faith. We'll make it off this island, and when we do, it'll be with our entire team. Everything is gonna be just fine." He leans over and pecks her forehead. "I promise."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because ninja never quit. And that means we're not gonna stop 'till we make things right."

Kira hesitates a moment. She finally smiles and nods, but her eyes still glimmer with unease as they return to the sky. The Green Ninja racks his brain, trying to think of the best way to cheer her up. He blinks, an invisible light bulb going off over his head, as it hits him.

"Remember the first time we did this?" he asks. "Sat and watched the moon together?"

"How could I forget?" She laughs, her face softening a little. "Gosh, that was so long ago. But it was the moment I knew I liked you." She exhales. "When I first started training under Master Wu, I thought I'd never fit in with you and the others. I...well, I thought I'd never be good enough, you know that. But when we talked that night, and watched the moon together...you made me feel less alone. Like I could do anything. Like I was worth something."

Her eyes meet his, glimmering in the moonlight. "I'd never felt that way about myself before I met you."

"You've always been powerful and worth it. You just had to believe in yourself, that's all." Lloyd nudges her. "And look at you now! A full-fledged Elemental Master."

"Yeah, but I couldn't have done it without you."

"I bet you could've."

"Could not!"

"Could too!"

Their argument lasts another two seconds before they burst into a giggling fit, snorting and shushing each other in an attempt not to wake anyone. Lloyd's heart skips a beat—this is the happiest he's seen his girlfriend since before Zane left, eyes sparkling with laughter and a genuine smile on her face.

"See?" he grins. "There's that smile I've missed so much."

Kira's cheeks flush the color of cherry blossoms in the spring. She chuckles, but then her gaze grows distant again, returning to the moon.

"You know," she says, "when we were apart, I spent so many nights like this laying awake, missing you. But whenever that happened, I would look up at the sky. I remembered that, even if you were miles away, you could see the same moon I did. And...well, it made me feel better." She hums, a smile tugging at her lips. "It felt like, in a way, you were there with me."

"I'm always with you. Whether we're together or not, that's never gonna change."

"Well, lucky for us," she murmurs, taking his hands in hers, "we're together now. And I don't want to let you go again."

The Green Ninja can't help but smile. Their faces are inches from each others' before they can stop themselves, and for a few moments, all their worries—thoughts of villains, tournaments, and everything in between—fade away as their lips connect. They melt into each others' embrace, the full moon their witness they share their first kiss in months. Neither party wants this moment to end, feeling like they're flying, but it's not long before reality brings them back to the ground.

"What do you say we get some shuteye?" Lloyd says as he pulls away. "We need some, after Chen kept us up all night."

"You're right." Kira cranes her neck and pecks him on the cheek. "Sleep well. I'll see you later today."

She turns and starts away, ready to sneak back to her room, but he grabs her arm gently and stops her. She gives him a puzzled look, but he only grins. "Who said you had to leave?"

His girlfriend's eyes widen, but a smirk plays on her lips. "You know they'll kill us if they catch us sharing a room, right?"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Alright then, you bad boy," she teases, elbowing him. "Let's get some rest."

Lloyd takes her hand and leads her back inside. Kira can't help but feel jealous at how much nicer his bed is than hers, but it gives way to exhaustion as she flops down in a tired heap. She snuggles closer to Lloyd as he settles beside her, head resting just beneath his chin. He drapes an arm over her small frame, sneaking one last kiss to her forehead before exhaustion claims him too.

They drift off wrapped in each others' arms, their worries forgotten for a few blissful hours.