Elevator: Chance Encounter

Conflicting Emotions

"Hold up, how did Kai get my number?" I inquire, raising an eyebrow in surprise. Lloyd responds, "Oh, he said he went through my contacts on my phone and found yours." I nod thoughtfully, then quip, "Clearly, Kai must have had a steamy session last night if he only calls now." Lloyd's mouth falls open in shock. "Wow, wow, wow, with who?" he questions incredulously. I look at him, equally surprised. "With Skylor, duh?" His eyes widen in disbelief. "Last I checked, they weren't even dating," he retorts. Now thoroughly confused, I reply, "But you suggested otherwise, and Kai didn't seem to deny it either." Lloyd laughs, shaking his head. "Yeah, he likes her. As for the suggestion part, well, don't listen to kids; they have wild imaginations." I chuckle at the revelation. Well, that's interesting. However, Skylor didn't question or deny the tie-the-knot thing little Lloyd brought up. Well, I guess it doesn't matter for now.

Lloyd's eyes shoot up in alarm. "Wait, what time is it?" he asks urgently. I check my phone and respond, "Eleven." His expression tightens with concern. "Oh shoot, I have to go soon." I don't press him for details; I understand that his ninja duties are calling, although he doesn't know that I know. "That's okay, let me find some clothes you can put on," I offer, glancing at his current attire. A snort escapes me as I take in the sight, which prompts him to look down and exclaim, "Oh my days, I forgot about this. You know, I was getting used to this." We share a laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "Nice to know. I'll buy you a crop top and some very tight trousers," I tease, earning another chuckle from him. "Thanks for the offer, but there's no need. I insist," he replies with a smile.

I head to my room and sift through my closet, eventually finding a massive black hoodie and a pair of black trousers. Handing them to Lloyd, he raises an eyebrow curiously. "How come you have these male clothes in your closet?" he asks, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "You don't even want to know. Long story short, I pretended to be a guy to sneak in somewhere," I explain, amusement tugging at the corners of my mouth. Lloyd's eyes widen in surprise. "Wow, should I be concerned here? You're not some criminal, right?" he jests, and I smirk in response. "I guess we'll find out," I quip, the playful banter easing the tension. Leaving Lloyd to change, I head downstairs to the living room and turn on the TV, passing the time while I wait for him. After about ten minutes, he descends the stairs, and my breath catches in my throat. It's like seeing him for the first time, and wow, does he look good in black. Lloyd notices my reaction and wears a slight smirk as he asks, "Like what you see?" He then proceeds to playfully show off, prompting me to roll my eyes. "Wow, way to go. You ruined it," I retort jokingly. However, Lloyd isn't deterred. "You can't ruin something that looks good," he counters with a cheesy smirk. "You know what? I take back every thought I had of you being handsome," I reply in mock exasperation, unable to hide my smile.

Upon being called handsome, Lloyd's smirk widens, and he replies with a hint of playful arrogance, "Well, what can I say, doll? The mirror doesn't lie." He then adds with a chuckle, "But I'll take the compliment, thanks." His response is light hearted, showing that he's not taking himself too seriously and is comfortable with accepting praise in a jovial manner.

I couldn't help but laugh at Lloyd's playful arrogance. He always manages to surprise me. "I will quite literally rough you up right now if you don't stop this little arrogant act," I joke, raising an eyebrow at him. Lloyd dismisses my warning with a flick of his hand, saying, "You could try your best, nothing will ruin this pretty face." He even adds an exaggerated blink, resembling a cute little dog. Despite myself, I have to admit he's right. Even after a beating, he'd probably still look good. Shaking off the thought, I decide to retaliate by attacking his hair, pulling him into a playful headlock. It takes some effort—I have to jump to hook my arm around his neck—but soon, I've got him trapped.

As we playfully wrestle, Lloyd suddenly lifts me off the ground, and my eyes widen in surprise. "WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING, DON'T!" I yell, but before I can react, he effortlessly flips me over himself, and I let out a yelp as I land on the couch. We both collapse onto the cushions, breathless from our antics. "You know," Lloyd says between laughs, "for a moment there, I almost believed you could take me down." Grinning, I catch my breath and retort, "Well, I'll have you know, I'm full of surprises." We share a moment of comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company. Then, Lloyd's expression turns serious. "Thanks for everything today, y/n," he says sincerely. "No problem," I reply, smiling back at him. "Anytime, Lloyd."

Before Lloyd can continue, there's a sudden loud crash from the kitchen, followed by the clattering of pots and pans. We exchange startled glances, and without a word, we rush to investigate.

In the kitchen, we find Espresso, my mischievous cat, knocking over a stack of dishes in his attempt to reach a bag of catnip on the counter. Lloyd bursts into laughter at the sight, and I can't help but join in, relieved that it was just a playful feline causing the commotion.

After cleaning up the mess, Lloyd glances at the clock and remarks, "Well, looks like it's time for me to head out." I nod in understanding and quickly rummage through my cabinets, grabbing a protein bar and a bottle of water. "Here, you'll need these. I'm sure you're hungry," I say, offering him the snacks with a warm smile. Lloyd's expression softens as he accepts them. "Thanks, y/n," he replies gratefully.

As we stand by the door, I can't help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought of him leaving. "Stay safe out there, Lloyd," I say softly, my voice tinged with concern. Lloyd pulls me into a hug, and I feel a rush of warmth and comfort envelop me. His touch is gentle yet reassuring, and for a moment, everything feels right.

"Thanks a lot, y/n. I really mean it," Lloyd murmurs, his voice filled with sincerity. I cherish the embrace, knowing that it's moments like these I'll treasure forever. Eventually, we reluctantly release each other from the hug.

"Bye, y/n. You too, stay safe," Lloyd says, his gaze lingering for a moment before he turns to leave. I smile fondly at him. "Goodbye, Lloyd," I reply softly, watching as he disappears down the street. And just like that, our adventure together comes to an end, leaving behind memories I'll cherish forever.

I sink onto the couch, feeling utterly defeated. "Ughhh, it's impossible to hide my feelings for him," I mutter to myself, frustration evident in my voice. I groan inwardly, realizing that I seem to lose control whenever he's around. Maybe it's time to create some distance, I think to myself, a pang of sadness tugging at my heart. I can't bear the thought of getting hurt. But then again, I can't shake off the worry for him either. He's out there fighting, especially as the green ninja. Anything could happen to him. It's like I'm stuck in this endless loop of conflicting emotions, and there's just no winning in life.