Chapter Text
Ninjago City was bustling with activity, even as the sun began its slow descent over the horizon, but the Jade Princess Harumi was a bit busy to notice.
The reason? Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon was even cuter up close.
She crumpled up the bag that had once held food, following him through the winding streets of Ninjago’s docks. Above their heads, the paper lanterns were just beginning to be lit, although their glow was less obvious in the fading daylight.
First Master, I’m an idiot, aren’t I? Harumi sped up to keep up with his long strides, nodding as he pointed out a store—a tea shop— with one gloved hand. I don’t have a crush on him! Right?
She shoved her hands into the pockets of her hoodie, glancing over at him.
For a few days now, the Ninja had been guarding the Palace of Secrets. They spent most of their time there, keeping an eye on the dangerous mask that the Sons of Garmadon so desperately wanted to obtain. Harumi hadn’t gotten a chance to talk with them at much length (unfortunately), but she wasn’t blind.
Lloyd was cute. Not that she would ever admit that out loud, of course. It didn’t help that the situation was complicated, more complicated than he could know right now.
Harumi looked over her shoulder furtively, hoping they weren’t being watched. The hood helped to hide her white hair, but what if someone saw her out here? It would ruin her cover and all the years of hard work.
Relax, Harumi. It doesn’t matter that getting a crush on this boy could ruin everything. You’re capable of controlling your feelings.
She turned back around just as Lloyd looked back at her, curious green eyes shining in the dark. Literally. The pictures didn’t do his eyes justice, and the glow was faint, reflecting off a few strands of his pale hair.
“Rumi? You got quiet, uh… is everything okay?”
She smiled, shoving her worries out of her mind. “Oh, nothing. I’m just… I really like it out here. I was admiring the… landscape.” Great going, Harumi. Now he’s going to get suspicious!
“Oh, yeah, the landscape. This part of town is really pretty.” He smiled, and as she caught up to him, he pointed toward a taller-than-average building. Not quite a skyscraper, but still pretty high up. “The view is best up there, but I’m not sure you’d be able to climb up it without gear.”
Harumi raised an eyebrow teasingly. “That sounds like a challenge, Green Ninja. Do you wanna bet?”
Lloyd hesitated, a hint of a blush evident on his cheeks. “A bet? I, uh, heh—I’m pretty sure we’d have some big problems if I let you get hurt on my watch…”
“Oh please, I’m sure it’ll be fine! The view out of my balcony gets old after a while! Besides, I won’t fall with you here.” She grinned and elbowed him. “Is it a really good view?”
He smiled. “It’s pretty special. I guess it couldn’t hurt to just go up for a little bit.”
“That’s the spirit!” She glanced back at the building. It can’t be that high up. No taller than those buildings I was jumping between earlier.
“How do you plan to…”
“Come with me.”
Before she could react, Lloyd grabbed her hand, pulling her along as he turned onto a side street which led in almost the right direction. They ran along it for a block and a half, stopping at a set of rickety wooden stairs, which Lloyd immediately began to climb. He leapt over a step, looking completely at ease.
He probably climbs things like this all the time! Surely he’d know whether or not it’s safe. Harumi hesitated, putting a hand on the similarly rickety railing. “Are you sure about… this?”
“Definitely. Maybe skip that fourth step, it’s starting to rot out.” He winked, smiling at her. “Don’t you trust the Green Ninja?”
She grinned, testing the first step and slowly starting after him. “I mean, we’d both be in lots of trouble if I fell and cracked my head open. So yeah, I guess I can trust you.”
He laughed. “Good. It’ll be worth it.”
Harumi was careful as she followed him up, watching her step closely. Sure enough, the fourth step had more give than the rest, and it made a cracking noise. She skipped it, testing each next one.
At the top of the staircase, Lloyd was waiting and offering a hand to steady her. They emerged onto a set of scaffolding, wrapping around the backs of the street-level buildings. The taller building was much closer now, revealing itself to be a pagoda-styled apartment complex that rose up above the roofs of every nearby structure except one: an outstretched arm of the temporary wooden slats, just high enough to brush the bottom of its slanted roof.
Harumi frowned a little. “Okay, so how are we getting all the way up there?”
“We’re going to climb.” He was grinning like the cat who caught the canary. “Still think you want to try it without gear?”
She grinned back at him. “Bring it on. I am prepared to learn how to climb up a building from the master himself.”
“They don’t call me ‘Sensei Lloyd’ for nothing,” he bragged, sounding awfully proud of himself.
Harumi snorted. “Yeah, and they don’t call me the Jade Princess Harumi for nothing either. Are we going to climb and see a gorgeous view or not?”
He laughed again, though it sounded a little more forced this time. “Right. This way.” He turned and started to walk along the scaffolding, which was only wide enough for one person to walk, and rather long, too. The structure connected buildings from several streets over yet another alleyway—a common theme in this part of Ninjago City, apparently.
Harumi hesitated again, suddenly glad she was wearing boots instead of the heels she wore during the majority of the day. “Oh, First Master…”
“You okay?” Lloyd asked, turning around to face her.
“I’m fine.” She stepped out onto the scaffolding, holding out her arms for balance. “You do this kind of thing all the time, huh? This must be easy for you.”
“Well, yeah. I do scarier stuff than this every day.”
Harumi glanced down and immediately regretted it, looking back up at Lloyd with a nervous grin. FSM, we’re high up. He does this all the time? “This makes my little route out of the palace seem easy… First Master…”
“C'mon, there's an even better view just a few steps farther out.” He reached back and offered a hand. “You don't have to worry, you’re safe. You won’t fall.”
Harumi took his hand, holding on tightly as he navigated them through the scaffolding. In an effort to not focus on how high up they were, she switched the subject, focusing on Lloyd’s steady grip.
“So, what do you think of the palace? Is it living up to expectations?”
“Oh, yeah! It's amazing. I really like the place, the food, the people… it's a cool opportunity.” He blinked, as if realizing what he was say. “Well—not that I'd wish for you guys to need protecting, of course! Just… I appreciate the chance to see the Palace.”
She smiled. “I get it. There’s a lot of secrecy surrounding us. I could hardly blame you for being curious.”
“That's a good word for it! So far, you guys are way different from what I expected. It's pretty cool seeing that you're just like the rest of us.” He smiled back at her, leading her onto a wider platform.
“We're all just regular people.”
“Exactly! Completely normal, besides the fancy titles and face paint.” She grinned, secretly relieved to be on a slightly safer surface. Could he tell that the heights made her nervous? Probably. “It’s honestly been really nice having you guys around. It’s usually so quiet, like living in a library.”
“Yeah? Sounds like you gotta get out more.”
Harumi laughed. “Lloyd, I had to sneak out from my balcony to be out here right now. I doubt my parents would like me leaving just for the purpose of ‘getting out more.’” Is he asking me out? Is it a good idea to be reading so much into this?
“I mean.. they might be okay with it if you went with someone else?” Lloyd shrugged, his gaze flicking away from her and towards the skyline. “That way it'd be safer.”
She blinked. “… Like who?” Why am I asking him this?
“I could go with you.” He glanced at her shyly. The Green Ninja was acting shy! “If you wanted.”
Harumi smiled, her pulse thumping in her head. “I would really like that. Now if only we could convince my parents it would be a good idea.”
He immediately perked up. “I bet we could figure it out! How hard could it be?”
That made her laugh. “It’ll be much harder than you think. They’re really big on propriety and keeping up appearances and the responsibility of being part of the royal family. Out of curiosity… just how convincing can you be?”
Lloyd smiled, and there was something inherently mischievous about it—the quirk of an eyebrow, or the way his smile curved just a bit differently from normal. “I got you to come up here with me, didn’t I?”
Harumi snickered. “You got me to come up here with the promise of a pretty view. The view was what convinced me.” And the promise of a bit more time spent with you, but I don’t need to mention that.
“Ah, but you came up here with me! You could’ve found a pretty view somewhere else, or another time!”
“What, and pass up on a recommendation from the Green Ninja? I doubt it!”
“Then I rest my case, Jade Princess.” He glanced to the side and gestured toward the city skyline, framed between the spire of a church and an apartment complex. “As promised, princess, your view of Ninjago City.”
Harumi followed his gaze, watching as the fading sunlight sent rays of purple and orange scattering across the fluffy clouds, the sky slowly turning to black as the sun dipped below the horizon.
It’s…” Beautiful wasn’t the right word. It didn’t encapsulate the sight very well. Harumi didn’t say anything for a minute, trying to find the perfect word. In the end, she settled on something simple. “Wow…”
“...I couldn’t agree more.” Lloyd said quietly. He shifted a bit, and Harumi became distinctly aware of the way he was still holding her hand, gripping it loosely. But he was holding on.
Her heart pounded, and she glanced over at him with a smile, grateful that he couldn’t know how giddy the contact secretly made her. “You know, one nice thing about being up this high is that no one could find me up here and lecture me for sneaking out.”
“Yeah? I feel the same way. Being out here is a little breather from the usual.” Lloyd sighed lightly. “Instead of the bustle of the street view, it’s quieter up here. Calmer.”
“True.” Harumi paused for a second. I shouldn’t do this. Why would he want to hold my hand? Maybe he just forgot that he was… Shoving down the traitorous disappointment that rose up inside of her, she slowly let go of his hand and sat down, staying far away from the edge. “I guess out of everyone, you would understand the feeling the most, huh?”
Lloyd didn’t say anything for a minute, but she could practically feel his disappointment. Even so, he lowered himself to sit down cross-legged next to her, almost like he was meditating. “Yeah, at least a little bit. We’re not that different.”
“Yeah.” She folded her hands on her lap. Be careful, Rumi. “I mean, I can kind of understand why my parents don’t want me to leave the palace. It’s dangerous, and I know that. But… how am I supposed to do anything useful if I don’t ever see what’s going on in Ninjago?”
“I’m sure they don’t mean it that way,” Lloyd said quietly, his eyes on her. The weight of his gaze made her nervous, like he could see right through her. “They just want to protect you, Rumi. That’s not a bad thing.”
She shook her head, picking at a loose thread on her leggings. “I guess so… Still, I like exploring and seeing Ninjago.”
“What about it do you like?”
“It’s just so different from what I’m used to, you know? Since I live in the palace, my life is a sort of bubble. Is it protected? Sure, but bubbles don’t just keep the bad things out, they also stop you from experiencing the good things too.” Harumi looked up at the sky, not able to stop a smile at the beautiful sunset. “Besides, aren’t these the people I’m supposed to represent?”
“Sure! But that doesn’t mean it feels that way.” He shrugged. “I protect them, but I don’t care about Ninjago City because that’s my job. I care about these people because they’re my friends, my people. I like their weird quirks and their food, and they like me too. We have a relationship.”
“I don’t have that…” She said softly. “I’m not allowed to get to know them without sneaking out through my balcony.”
“Maybe you can change that. There's more than one way to build a relationship.”
Harumi glanced over at him curiously. “Yeah? Like how?”
“Why not invite them to come to you? People are curious! They want to know you, so give them a chance to do the leg work. I did a lot of press stuff, back in the day, and it helped a lot!”
She considered the idea, staring out towards the horizon. “I wish I could do that, but I’m hardly allowed to break tradition that way. The press conference the other day was pushing the limits a lot.”
“Sure, but a press conference isn’t the only way. How about attending a city event?”
Harumi smiled. “You’re full of ideas, aren’t you?”
He laughed awkwardly. “Yeah, uh… I can just shut up. I don’t know when to stop talking.”
She looked over at him with a grin. How is he so cute? “No, it’s okay. I really like it when you talk. I just… I want to help how I can, and lately, it feels like I’m held back by my role instead of helped by it. So here I am, doing what I can by sneaking in and out of the palace.” Harumi laughed a bit. “Which admittedly won’t help my case too much when I eventually get caught doing it.”
Lloyd smiled. “I guess it could be worse? I can cover for you.”
“That’s… actually really sweet. Thank you.” She moved to look at her watch, squinting at the dim display. “Speaking of which… I should head back before someone notices I’m gone and the palace guards get sent out to look for me. I don’t particularly fancy getting you in trouble too.”
“Oh. Yeah, of course.”
Harumi glanced at him. Lloyd’s expression had fallen, and he looked a little bit limp. When he realized she was looking at him, he straightened up, but it was a bit late for that.
He’s disappointed, she realized, still watching him. He’s enjoying this as much as I am.
“Unless, of course… you like getting in trouble.” She forced herself to look away from him—as hard as that was—and back towards the sky again. The city lights were beginning to turn on, more evident now as it got darker. “In which case, we could stay up here as long as we want.”
“I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble…” Lloyd said quietly, though with more than a little hesitation. “It doesn’t really matter if I do.”
She waved a hand in the air, doing her best to shove down the excitement that came from the thought of spending more time with him. Should I be doing this? Probably not. Is he really cute and even better than I thought he would be? Absolutely!
“If someone even notices I’m gone, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve gotten a talking to about responsibility and preserving dignity, and it wouldn’t be the last.” Harumi smiled, pulling her legs up to wrap her arms around her knees. “It’s not a big deal.”
“You’re sure? We can come up here another time, if you want.”
She looked over at him, daring to be bold… just this once. “Honestly? I prefer it up here with you.”
His eyebrows rose, a funny sort of smile on his face. “Oh. Okay then.”
Harumi smiled, noting the tinge of pink on his cheeks and resisting the urge to comment on it. How is it possible for him to get even cuter? “So, tell me something. What’s your favorite part about being a ninja?”
Lloyd grinned. “That’s a hard question! I love almost everything about it… although it is pretty fun doing Spinjitzu. That might be the best part.”
“How does that work, anyways?” Harumi turned to face him, mimicking his cross-legged pose and resting her hands on her knees. “From the outside, it just looks like you turn into a neon green tornado.”
“It’s not so different on the inside.” Lloyd pivoted to face her too, a huge smile on his face. “You just follow the motions and the tornado whips up around you. Everything kinda slows down from the inside of it, though.”
“Hm… so it’s not exactly like when you’re sparring,” Harumi said, almost without thinking. “That’s really cool…”
“Yeah, it’s not quite the same.” He paused, angling his head slightly. “You spar? What kind?”
Harumi blinked. “O—oh, it’s just some basic self-defense, nothing quite as extensive as yours. Not that I’ve been watching you guys spar, because that would be creepy.” Great going, Rumi! Now he’s going to think you’ve been watching him!
He laughed. “Watching us? I wasn’t thinking that you did… unless you have?” He wiggled his eyebrows to accentuate it, a stupid grin on his face.
Harumi folded her hands on her lap innocently. “I would never do a thing like that, Lloyd. And honestly, I’m not that good at sparring, I just do it on the side.”
“If you were really good, that’s what you would want me to think.”
She laughed. “Well, compared to you, I’m definitely not that good. As my instructor would say, I’m ’passable.’”
“Really?” He leaned forward. “We should spar sometime! I want to see how good you actually are.”
Harumi grinned, hoping he couldn’t see the blush that she could feel spreading on her cheeks. “Okay! Maybe I’ll get lucky and pick up a thing or two.”
“You never know. Maybe I might learn from you.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, we’ll see about that. How long have you been doing this again? Years?”
Lloyd shrugged. “You never graduate the basics.”
Okay, he’s serious about sparring with me. “I’ve heard that,” Harumi chuckled, messing with the laces of her boots nervously. “I’m still pretty sure that you’ll teach me more than I’ll teach you.”
“Then we both get something out of it. Sounds like a good deal to me.”
She smiled. Stay cool. He doesn’t know that you’re hiding anything, how could he? “And it sounds like fun too! My instructor will be shocked that I got to practice with the Green Ninja.”
“You think so? Who’s your instructor?”
She shrugged, forcing herself to act as natural as possible. He was not supposed to ask that! “One of the palace guards. We’ve never really asked if it was fine for me to learn, though, so let’s keep that between us.”
“Sure.” He smiled, folding his hands in his lap in a rather zen manner. “You keep a lot of secrets, Rumi.”
Harumi blushed, ducking her head. “Not that many! Only… two!”
“So far,” he joked. “What else are you hiding?”
“A… sweet disposition?” She paused for a second. “Oh, I know! My hair is a wig!”
He snorted. “No way! I don’t believe it.”
“White is an extremely odd natural color for someone as young as I am, don’t you think?” Harumi grinned. “It’s not bleached.”
“I wouldn't call it white!” Lloyd protested. “Just a very pale blonde.”
“In that case, you may be a bit insane, but everyone’s entitled to their own opinions.” She smiled, shaking her head. Is teasing him okay? He’d tell me if it wasn’t, right? “It’s not actually a wig, I’m just teasing you.”
“That’s what I thought… don’t worry about it, my brothers tease me all the time. And each other, of course! I’m used to it.”
“It must be nice to have people you’re so close with.”
“Heh, yeah. It's nice. Until Kai steals my socks, or Jay eats the whole carton of eggs on his own.”
Harumi raised an eyebrow in surprise. “How does he manage that? That’s quite the achievement.”
Lloyd snorted. “You don’t wanna know. His omelettes are a crime scene.”
She laughed. “I see. That sounds messy.”
“Just a little bit, yeah.” Lloyd grinned, falling quiet.
Harumi turned to look at the darkened sky. The lights of the city sparkled, both from the lanterns strung between buildings and the lights of the skyscrapers. The stars had come out now, twinkling in the dark sky like crystals.
It was beautiful, and so blessedly quiet, too.
“...You know, I think Ninjago City is one of the most beautiful places in the whole Sixteen Realms.” Lloyd finally said after a minute.
“Especially on nights like this.”
“I agree,” she said softly. “I can’t imagine why someone would want to destroy it.”
“I think that people do strange things when they're in pursuit of power.” Lloyd sighed quietly. “At least for the moment, I'm glad it hasn't gotten to that point.”
“Not for a little while, no. Hopefully we’ll have some peace for a little while longer.” Harumi chuckled. “As impossible as that thought seems right now.”
“Hey, I've seen the impossible happen. Don’t get rid of that idea too quickly.”
“What, have you ever seen anything as impossible as a dangerous gang of Garmadon-obsessed criminals suddenly just disappearing?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Rumi, if you knew what I've seen, you'd know that's nothing. Have a little faith, won't you?”
She grinned, looking over at him and raising an eyebrow. The way he said her name gave her butterflies all over. “If you say so, Lloyd. I think you have more than enough faith for both of us.”
“Fine by me.” Lloyd grinned back earnestly. “Does that mean I get to hang out with you more?”
“Sure, why not? You’ve been nice enough to show me this marvelous view.” Harumi gestured out at the city. “Besides… I like spending time with you.”
“I like it too.”
Lloyd didn’t say anything after that, but the silence was a comfortable one. It wasn't tense or awkward, it just… was.
And she liked it. She really liked it a lot.
After a moment, Lloyd got to his feet, looking over at her. "We should, uh… head back to the palace, I think." He leaned down and offered her a hand, a smile tugging at his lips. It was a familiar smile, although not as enthusiastic as before. It made her wonder if he always smiled so brightly, if she just hadn't noticed before tonight.
Harumi took his hand, letting him tug her to her feet. For one incredible moment, neither of them let go. She didn't want to.
But eventually she did, trying not to be disappointed as his hand dropped to his side. "Hutchins is probably worried about me, and we'd hate for them to send the cavalry after me. That would be… quite the scene."
"Yeah, and not one that either of us would enjoy." Lloyd was still smiling, but was she imagining the slight disappointment in his gaze? Had he wanted to keep holding her hand? Surely she wasn't imagining things…
"There's a shortcut we can take that'll end up right near the palace. It'll save us a lot of walking," Lloyd added, heading towards the edge and glancing back to make sure she was following.
Her hand felt cold without his in it, but Harumi tried her best to ignore the uncomfortable—although not completely unwanted—sensation. "That's a good idea, especially if it saves us from getting caught. My parents… don't like it when I'm out this late."
Lloyd frowned. "I thought they didn't know you did this."
"They don't, but they've caught me sneaking back in a couple times." She shrugged. "It's okay. I'm used to their disappointment."
"That's a little sad."
“Is it?” Harumi shrugged, following him down the other side of the building and balancing on the scaffolding—with some difficulty. How does he walk on this so easily? Lloyd seemed about as nimble as a cat, knowing exactly how the bamboo would bend underfoot. When it moved, he moved with it.
“Yeah, I mean, who likes having people disappointed in them? Before my dad was cured of the Devourer’s venom, he was always a little bit disappointed in me. It hurt.”
“Well… you were also pretty young, weren’t you? The disappointment of a parent hurts more when you’re younger.” She didn’t look at him, grasping one of the bamboo stakes for balance. “I don’t necessarily like it, but I’m not going to just stop.”
Lloyd turned to look at her, and she managed to look up to catch his eye. He seemed sympathetic. “I’m sorry you’re dealing with that.”
Harumi managed a limp smile. “I can’t be the perfect, quiet princess they wanted. I’m sorry too.”
He offered her a hand, and with it, a smile. “You know what they say. Well behaved women seldom make history.”
She took his hand gratefully, trying to hide how his touch made her flush, grateful that he couldn't feel how warm her skin was past his leather gloves. “And I’m sure you know what they say about men who read.”
He raised a teasing eyebrow, and Harumi felt her heart flutter a little inside her chest. “I don't know if I've heard that one. Care to enlighten me?”
She swallowed, grateful that there was no way for him to know how nervous he made her. Probably. He was unusually perceptive. “Just that it’s… a bright green flag, or something like that.”
He laughed quietly and looked away. “Sounds like what I’ve heard. I didn’t want to assume.”
“Well, if you had, you would have been right." Harumi laughed, squeezing his hand. “Either way… the way I see it, that was the gamble my parents took when they adopted me. I want to help Ninjago, to make things better. I’m not just going to sit down and be quiet when there’s things to be done, you know?”
He nodded along, tugging on her hand until she was standing right by him. “I know. That’s not you.”
They were face to face now, and Harumi had to look up at him, just a little bit. She hadn’t quite noticed it before, but he was just a couple inches taller than her.
Her heart was pounding.
Why does he have to smile like that? Why does he act like he understands me when we barely know each other?
Why do I feel like I can understand him?
Harumi smiled up at him, struggling to organize her thoughts. “Do you… have any other good spots you could show me at some point? I’d really like to see them.
I'd do anything to get to know you better, to spend more time with you.
His smile spread a little wider, just like before. “Yeah, we can make that happen. Another night, maybe?”
“Good idea. Best to spread out the rule breaking for maximum impact.” She willed herself not to move or take her eyes off him. Did it really matter if he found out she was hiding things? Wouldn’t it be nice to have one person who could see right through her?
If he knew what she was doing, wouldn't it only help him?
“I think you’re right.”
Harumi grinned. “Who knew? Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon, the Green Ninja, enjoys breaking the rules. That’s certainly not a widely circulated fact.”
He snickered, turning away. “Don’t tell anyone. In fact, maybe it’s time I make myself scarce.”
“What, and leave me out here alone? That’s hardly very courteous of you!”
Lloyd snickered more, tugging on her hand with a brief glance over the shoulder. “Who said I was leaving you alone? I’m here to keep you safe!”
“As you should! The streets are dangerous!” Harumi laughed, letting him lead her through the scaffolding. Strangely enough, with him holding her hand, walking on it became much easier. “You’re my ninja protector! Even if I did pull the wool over your eyes at first and make you think I was being kidnapped.”
“Hey, you can’t blame a guy for worrying! Normally I don’t have to worry about people disappearing off their balconies and leaving a ransacked room behind."
“Well, it’s incredibly sweet that you did worry.” She squeezed his hand again. “What can I say? I’m a bit messy. I've got too many things going on to worry about keeping my room clean.”
“I guess I can understand…” He slowed down and glanced at her. “Maybe next time there won’t be too many things for you to… well… let me know when you’re going out? I hope. For safety's sake, of course.”
Harumi smiled, warm from the inside out at his question… and the unspoken meaning behind it. “I’ll do my best. Is there a preferable way to get a message to you without it being… looked at too closely?”
“Just say something along those lines. I can figure it out.” He reached up and tapped his temple. “There’s a little brain in here.”
She giggled. “Really? You don’t say! I never could have guessed there was a brain underneath all that blond hair.”
“I know! But I’m not just good looks and ninja skills.”
Curse it all. Lloyd winked at her, and she blushed like a silly little girl.
“I—uh— you said it, not me!” She managed to say, struggling to keep her composure at his words. Why is he so cute? He’s making this so hard!
He had the audacity to laugh. And even though he was laughing at her, it made her want to laugh too. “I’ve got to assume some things. Come on, let’s get you home.”
“Better not say things like that in front of anyone else,” Harumi remarked, wishing her blush wasn’t quite so obvious with her pale skin. “Or else you’ll force me to agree in front of everyone.”
Lloyd laughed again, but she could have sworn the tips of his ears turned pink. “If you leave without telling me again, I guess I’ve got blackmail. Good to know.”
“Now you’re threatening the princess with blackmail!? You are bold!”
“Come on, it’s part of my charm!”
“It’s still a pretty bold move, especially since it’s not just blackmail against me. It includes you too!”
That made him take a moment to think, and Harumi secretly cheered at tripping him up.
Then he turned to face her fully, leaning down just the slightest bit to catch her eye. He was smiling, still smiling—did he ever stop?—and brought a finger to his lips. “Ninjago City can’t handle a princess calling its most eligible protector ‘good-looking.’ Best not to argue over it too loudly.”
Harumi stared at him, and for the first time in a very long time, she had nothing to say.
Speechless.
She smiled, staying as still as she dared. How does he do this to me? What do I even say?
In the end, all she could do was shrug as casually as she could. “I— well, who’s arguing? I don’t hear any… arguments about either of those.”
“Great.” He straightened up and tugged on her hand, leading her toward the next tall building in their path. “Let’s get back to the palace. I think we could both do with some sleep.”
Harumi nodded in agreement, even though he wasn’t watching. Get yourself together, Rumi. It’s not like the prettiest and smartest man in all of Ninjago is flirting with you and holding your hand right now. This is normal!
But it wasn’t, and she definitely also wasn’t. There was no point in denying it now.
She had it bad, and any attempts to ignore it would only make things worse. But surely she could pretend, right? Acting came as easily as breathing, and Harumi had been doing it for years now.
But up here? With Lloyd Garmadon holding her hand and practically daring her to call him attractive? Suddenly, it became a lot harder to think clearly.
She had to be careful. Getting too attached could only cause both of them more problems.