Set in the start of S2, when Lloyd is training to defeat his father.

TW: Self doubt, mentions of killing.

In the rush to train Lloyd to defeat his father, the team forgets about an important part of it.

His feelings.

And Jay might not be the best person to deal with that, but he'll try his best.

• • •

Jay screeched, seeing a terrifying looking Nya run towards him. Ducking, he prayed for quick death. There was a crash behind him, resounding through the room. All eyed turned to them, questioning the sound.

Nya sat up from the floor, rubbing her head. "Jay, we're practicing swings, not dodges!" She said angrily, tucking her wooden sword back in its sheath.

"It was my natural survival instinct?" Jay defended himself, smiling sheepishly at her. Reaching up to push a curl away from his eyes, he flinched as an explosion sounded through the room, the ceiling shaking.

Turning around, he saw Lloyd staring at Kai with a look of terror on his face, who had been thrown against the opposite wall. While Cole headed over to help the fire ninja up, ('Bro, you good?' 'Yeah, of course.') The green ninja was storming out the room, seemingly angry at something.

The training room was suddenly silent, the last wisps of green disappearing into the air.

They watched him go, and Kai looked out the door, turning back to glance at the others. "Should I go after him?" he asked, and Jay suddenly spoke up. "I'll go find him."

The others glanced at each other, and Jay bit his lip, jogging towards the door before anyone else could speak up. He'd never been particularly close to the younger boy, so he couldn't blame anyone for being surprised.

After a few minutes of searching through the monastery, he realized this wouldn't be quite as easy as he'd thought.

Oops.

He found Lloyd curled up in a small corner of a room, knees pulled up to his chest and face buried in his arms.

"What happened, buddy?" Jay asked, and he

"I-I lost control of my powers,"came the stuttered explanation, and Jay stared at him, not buying it for a second.

"Yeah, those can be hard to control. But I don't think you're just upset because of that."

"I can't do this anymore." The teen said, voice an few octave higher than it usually was. Jay suspected he was crying, or about to.

"Why not?" The brunette sat down opposite him, leaning against the wall.

"I can't be the green ninja. I'm not good enough." Lloyd said in a small voice, muffled by his training gi.

"Hey. Do you think we all joined the ninja team with these skills just ready? Do you know how long we had to train and practice to get this good? Except for Cole, I mean."

There was a muted giggle from the boy, and Jay smiled, glad. "Look, we all have bad times with training. In fact, you're learning faster than we ever did at first." He said, thinking back to the (embarrassing) times they had to all learn Spinjitzu together.

"What if I fail? What if I can't defeat my dad?" Lloyd looked up, and his eyes were indeed filled with tears. Jay slid over next to him, using his legs to push himself.

"Listen. The prophecies are messed up-" he said, rolling his eyes. "A son shouldn't have to fight his father, much less a thirteen year old. It's not fair on you, and none of us would blame you!

He put a arm around his shoulder."Plus, we'll be there to help." Jay said reassuringly, although not sure how much help they'd be against Lord Garmadon on that actual day.

Lloyd sniffed, and Jay thought he might've felt his heart break a little more. What did the kid ever deserve to have this kind of life?

Son of a dark lord, abandoned at a orphanage for years, hated on for everything his father did, having the weight of being the green ninja on his shoulders as a child, and then signing away the few years left of his childhood to save them from a stupid mistake.

"But what if- what if I do beat him?" Lloyd asked, and Jay suddenly realized he was a dumbass.

They were dumbasses.

The team had all been so focused on helping him train to beat Lord Garmadon, they hadn't spared a thought to what Lloyd must've been going through, emotionally.

Having to train to fight his own dad.

Possibly- kill his own father.

Jay repressed a shudder at the thought of having to do that himself.

"Lloyd, that isn't your dad."

He looked up at Jay, confused.

"It's the venom making him do that. Don't you think he'd want you to beat him?" Jay hurriedly explained, seeing the green ninja's face twist in confusion.

"He'd... want me to beat him?" He asked hesitantly.

"I'm sure he does." Jay said. "He'd be proud of you for getting so far in your training."

A small smile crept onto Lloyd's face at the thought, and Jay mentally cheered for himself for accomplishing a smile.

"Proud?" he asked, and Jay nodded firmly, scrambling up from his seat on the cold floor.

Standing up, he held out a hand to the teen, and he accepted it, looking disappointed. 

"Are we going back to training?" he asked, tone slightly dejected. 

Jay smiled. 

"No, we're going to the city to get ice cream." 

"Now?!" 

"Yes! Come on!" 

• • •

green bean protection squad group chat:

the coolest ninja: jay, did you find lloyd?

the coolest ninja: jay

the coolest ninja: jay

the coolest ninja: jay

the dirt ninja: yes did you find him?

the dirt ninja: omg my name why

yes i found him T^T :the real coolest ninja

the smart one: Who changed my name?

the smart one: And will you two be returning for training?

earth is best: is he ok?

 no, we're going 4 ice cream ;) :the real coolest ninja

fire hydrant: now??

fire hydrant: who changed my name

fire hydrant: i will kill you

the dirt ninja: kai

the dirt ninja: aGain? really??

 yes, anytime is good for ice cream :the real coolest ninja

and yes it was kai :the real coolest ninja

the coolest ninja: you traitor

the coolest ninja: nobody gets ice cream without me

too late we're already on the dragons >:D no ice cream for you :the real coolest ninja

Nya: nobody change my name again

the smart one: Jay, Master Wu said we weren't supposed to use the dragons for normal life.

fenqjlkds123qu08ejiowd :the real coolest ninja

whoops almost crashed :the real coolest ninja

he won't know dw :the real coolest ninja

  gotta go now lloyd is asking me why im on my phone while flying bye: the real coolest ninja

fire hydrant: jay!!

fire hydrant: ohmygod

fire hydrant: kai im coming for you now

the dirt ninja: i'll help you

the coolest ninja: 80eawphdw;ilk hELPP NO IM SORRY

• • •

A/N: green bean protection squad is the group chat the five ninjas have for Lloyd, without Lloyd, obviously. the real coolest ninja is Jay, the coolest ninja is Kai, the smart one is Zane, and the fire hydrant/Nya is Nya.