"Aren't you too young to be doing that?!" A squeaky little voice piped up from the shadows of the open hallway.

Airam let out a cool exhale, wisps of thick air caressing the corners of her mouth.

"Aren't you too young to be telling me what to do?" She contradicted smugly, a wide grin plastered on her face.

She leaned forward to her own feet and away from the edge of the moving airship. The pleasant wind wrapped stray pieces of her hair around in knots.

"It isn't real anyways." She explained, tapping the index finger against the cigarette, "It just gives off water vapour and a fake LED light." She followed after a quick inhale.

"Then why do you even use it?" Lloyd asked, perplexed, getting closer to the mysterious girl.

"Dopamine." She smiled, placing her hands squarely on her hips. "It's a side-effect of Nicotine. It gives the chemical compound…" She let out another breath, the vapour enveloping Lloyd's senses, "…of satisfaction." She almost whispered.

An audible gulp was heard, to which the elder girl shifted her weight with a smirk. "I take it you already know who I am, don't you, ya little cutie?" She teased, placing one sharp fingernail into Lloyd's cheek.

His lips pouted and were turned into an adorable grimace as he swatted her hand off.

A prompt 'Hmph' was breathed out, and the young woman's shiny metal leg spun in circles, creating faint lines on the wooden flooring.

"Garmadon, am I right?" She turned from her heel sharply, curls of her hair playing against her face, away from his view. She could simply feel his face turning sour at his own name.

She continued, "…Son of a dark lord. Pretty impressive, might I add. Yet you're here, room-mates with the defenders of good will? …Now please tell me why that is." She balled her hand up into a fist, sinking her mediocre-long fingernails into her palm.

The queasiness settled in and the boy shifted uncomfortably. "I-It's not your business, lady!" He stamped his foot against the floor.

A delightful giggle followed at his temper tantrum. "You're more than what meets the eye, kid." She thought upon, twisting the cigarette between her fingers. Ultimately letting it fall to the ground, her metal limb crushing it into ash.

"But as you can see; so am I." She dived her hands to the small pockets on either side of her waist, walking away from the boy.

Each footstep was an alteration between a heavy metal one and light dainty noise.

A wave of silence fell over the two in moments. In the first few seconds, Lloyd's sour face was faltering at the sudden heaviness that dawned upon him.

A light shift erupted in the lower regions, teetering the two on the deck. Lloyd let out an audible gasp as Airam merely glanced at the flooring.

"Turbulence." She sighed simply, continuing her gaze into the thick sky, shrouded in clouds of grey.

"H-Hey, Airam." She turned slightly, parting her lips in question. "Who did you lose?"

Lloyd paced forward carefully, but his words were eaten, "Dad- um, Lord Garmadon told me… people have weaknesses. When people are cold, it's because something bad happened to them that they learned from. They know better than anyone else, apparently, or something."

Airam gulped, but still refused to face the blonde lad, her nails were scratching against her palm now, tearing lightly at her callused skin.

In a huff, she choked out; "My boys." She fidgeted slightly, "I lost my boys."

"Ugh… sons?" Lloyd's eyebrow piqued and his jaw hung loose in utter confusion, "I don't…"

"No, not sons." She curtly corrected. Stepping forward, she extended her arms into a low cloud. The moisture hung on her skin and dews collected, slipping down to her elbows.

"Friends." She began, "A little bit after I left Nia's home, I… I met people. I met 2 people that… I… loved." She brushed her damp arm against her shirt, causing a friction noise, "I don't mean that I cheated on any of the two- no. We weren't like that… they weren't like that."

She continued, "One was… Garnett… and the other Hale…"

I giggled, pinching their sides with my sharp nails; they both retaliated and cursed under their breath, jumping forward in the sudden pain.

"Ah! Airam! Christ…!" Garnett placed his hand on his hip and carefully rubbed the sore spot.

"Oh, come on you two bastards." I nudged confidently, bumping my elbows into theirs. "You too, Hale." I smiled brightly at the quiet boy.

Garnett had cream skin, but tanned to certain extents. He'd train all day in the name of physical fitness, but I know better. It was a way to get away from his home in the day.

He had an upright build, thick but not burly. He stood tall and very capable, but with enough extra chub to grasp when in the mood.

His hair was light and a dusty blond, it pricked from his head and swooped to the top like a shark's fin. He'd run his calloused fingers through his mane and so would I when he wasn't looking.

Hale had been a different case, his skin glowed in his caramel-color. His skin was a darker brunet that was gelled to swish up as extra strands fell next to his ears and in the back of his neck. He wouldn't let me touch his hair though… nor would he let me touch any part of him either. Might as well anyways, he looks fragile.

He was easily skinny, skinnier than I. He used to be your regular Joe until a summer earlier where he got a growth spurt and was easily half an inch taller than me. Much easier to adjust to than the 3-inch-taller wall of muscle and douchebaggery which was Garnett.

"Volleyball?" Garnett's eyes perked up and a light sparkle had settled in the ocean blue.

"Ooh, no you don't!" I quickly warned, grasping his hood before he could run off and retrieve a ball. "Not after last time."

He pouted, his face teasing, "You're still not over that? C'mon!" He urged, whining like a kid.

My eyes narrowed, "You shot me in the damn chest, Blivett." I spit out his last name like it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He rolled his eyes, "It's not like there's much to hit…" He mumbled under his breath.

Next thing he knew, he was being tackled by a 50-pound me. I wrapped my arms around his torso, which could barely touch each hand and attempted to push him down to the ground with me.

He faltered, but regained his composure and maintained our balanced with a content grin. The dude was a whale. Easily 100 pounds. Or more, even.

Hale watched shyly at the sidelines, leaning against a wall of bamboo.

"Well, if you didn't want to get hurt, why did you want to play with me?" Garnett challenged, pushing forward against me, his hands wrapped in my hands right now as we wrestled on the tall grass.

I shivered, but tried my best to hide, "Aw, come now, Blivett. You know I'm too nice to leave you to your own devices. I just want to make you happy." I answered truthfully, but my voice dripped with implied fake sweetness.

Hale piped up, "Do you what would really make him happy?" He pursued suggestively, grinning wickedly and having the face of devils, dropping his shy-boy façade for an obscene one.

This time, I really did falter, and a misstep later, I was on my back, the stalks of green bowing against my weight. Garnett stood content beside me.

Rare do I ever get to see Hale drop his awkward and ignoring façade. All the more when it's us 3. But nothing of value was worth the stand of pride that broke as Garnett stood next to me triumphantly.

Maybe that's why I swung my arm to the back of his knee.

His heavy body collapsed into the long grass like I, the stalks caved in and weaved a small nest around him.

Despite the obvious pain that should have pushed from that, he laughed. I smiled. He looked me in the eyes.

Turning my vision, I had apparently locked eyes with Hale this time, still standing against the bamboo wall.

His eyes were golden green, and big above all. They sparkled like a child's on Christmas. The sun flickered drops of gold into them, causing them to glitter in bursts of white. But no matter how beautiful, it was not something I wanted to be caught drowning in. I turned my head.

It is what it is, I suppose. Garnett thinks I love Hale as well as Hale thinks I love Garnett. Ever usually do they tease each other over it, passing 'me' between the two of them, inciting ways that they other would be the better pair. It was sort of flattering, despite that the intent was teasing.

But only I knew better. They were both sort of right. But that's okay. I don't mind it all. Not even if they grow up or get married. I'll be happy for them, no matter who I end up with.

All that does matter is now, and now I feel safe and loved. My leg is propped up against Garnett's, he's warm right now after that brief wrestling. Hale had also settled himself in a cozy Indian sit next to me, my fingers can lightly brush his wrist that propped him upright. It was cold and bony, but in reminds me of the times he used to let me hold it when he knew I needed someone to pick me up.

I love my boys. My boys.