You had known Lloyd since the very beginning—and by “known,” you meant endured.

You were Cole’s little sister, already part of the monastery chaos before Lloyd had even finished spawning into existence. You were grounded, stubborn, sarcastic, and painfully unimpressed by destiny. He was green lightning, prophecy, impatience wrapped in a teenager who thought the world owed him something. From the first shared training session, it was obvious: you were oil and fire.

Not hatred. Never hatred.

Just… friction. Constant, irritating, magnetic friction.

Sensei Wu called it balance. Cole called it “please don’t kill each other in front of me.” The others just laughed and assigned you chores together like it was entertainment—which, honestly, it was. Sweeping floors side by side while arguing about footwork. Sparring while insulting each other’s form. Meditation sessions that dissolved into whispered commentary and poorly suppressed snorts.

You grew up like that. Together. Trapped together.

By sixteen, it wasn’t war anymore. It was a rhythm.

You teased him because it was easy. He teased you because it was necessary. If one of you didn’t poke the other, the day felt wrong—unfinished.

Today, though, you were done.

Your body felt like lead, your limbs heavy and aching in that bone-deep way that only happened once a month. Being a ninja didn’t exempt you from biology, no matter how unfair that felt. You had pushed through training, grit your teeth through drills, ignored the cramps until even Sensei Wu had tilted his head and sent you off with a knowing hum.

So now you were sprawled across your bed, face half-buried in a pillow, blanket kicked messily over your legs. Your room was quiet in that rare, monastery-after-training way.

Until, of course, Lloyd ruined it. He leaned against your doorframe like he owned the place, arms crossed, green eyes scanning you with obvious amusement.

“Wow,” he said. “You look tragic.”

You didn’t even turn your head. “Leave.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Lloyd.”

He walked in anyway, because of course he did, and plopped down on the edge of your bed without asking. You felt the mattress dip and groaned.