Archive of Our Own

1.

"Shut up! I hate you!"

Wu, six years old, starts bawling. Garmadon shoves him and knocks him down, which, of course, just makes him cry harder. Their parents pull them apart, and their mother comforts Wu while Garmadon has to sit through another long lecture from his dad on how he should be nicer to his perfect baby brother.

Okay, his dad doesn't call Wu prefect. But Garmadon knows. Ever since Wu was born, their parents have been very clear about which one of their sons is the favorite, the one to uphold the family name.

Of course, it's not Wu's fault. He didn't ask to be born. But Garmadon watches him, sees how their parents treat him compared to how they treat Garmadon – he can't not hate him, if only a little.

Wu is six years old and Garmadon wishes he had never been born.

2.

Wu becomes more tolerable as they grow older. Thirteen years old and Garmadon can almost call him a friend. With no one else in the Temple, there's no option but to become close. They run around the rooms playing games, and Wu laughs when Garmadon stops shock still as the ground rumbles. Wu has always been more comfortable in their home. Garmadon tolerates it, most of the time.

This time, his patience has already been worn thin, and when Wu laughs as Garmadon huddles on his bed, terrified that this time the foundation will collapse and send the whole house crumbling down – Garmadon snaps, "Stop it! I hate you!"

Wu stops laughing immediately.

Garmadon feels a twinge of regret. "When you do that, anyway," he mumbles, hugging his knees. "I hate you when you do that."

"Sorry," says Wu.

"It's fine," Garmadon says, and by the next day, he's fairly certain that Wu's forgotten about it.

3.

Garmadon is starting to think that Wu just might be stupid, even at twenty years old.

"You can't leave," Wu is trying to tell him, while Garmadon shoves his belongings into a bag. "You know what Chen's done, you can't leave our home to go train with him. What will Father think?"

"Father couldn't care less about me," Garmadon snaps. "He probably won't even notice I'm gone!"

Wu's eyes widen, as if he was caught off guard by the statement. "That's not true, he loves you!"

"He loves you, you mean."

"What are you talking about?"

Garmadon slams his drawer so hard the floor shakes. For a moment, the old fear of the Temple collapsing comes back – then anger overshadows it. "You can't possibly be this stupid," he says, turning to face his brother. "You know our parents have a favorite son."

"That's not true and you know it –"

"How have you not noticed?! You're the one who gets to train under Father, while I have to train myself! You're the one who gets to study in the library, while Father tells me I'm 'not ready' yet –" Garmadon snarls. "You're the one who's going to uphold the family name, while I'm the son that they've already given up on. I hate you!"

Wu doesn't answer, his mouth hanging open.

Garmadon snorts. "You can't possibly be surprised by that," he says. "This isn't even the first time I've said it."

"You don't mean it," Wu whispers, his voice choked up.

"Oh, are you gonna cry? Is my sweet, perfect baby brother going to go cry to our father? Of course I mean it. You really are stupid."

Wu punches him.

Even with all the training he's been doing, Garmadon isn't expecting it, and Wu hits him right in the face. Garmadon falls backwards and sits down hard on the floor. He looks up in surprise, but Wu is already running out and slamming the bedroom door.

He doesn't have long before his father returns. Garmadon packs the rest of his things and leaves.

4.

"What have you done to yourself?" Wu says.

Garmadon rolls his eyes. "That's all you have to say?"

"Oh no, brother, I have plenty more to say to you." Wu gestures with his staff – with their father's staff, Garmadon notes. "But asking why you have four arms is a good place to start."

"Why shouldn't I have four arms?"

"It's gross."

"You're gross."

"I am not."

"Yeah, Wu, you're gross and you have a gross face with a gross beard."

Wu reflexively puts a hand to his beard. Garmadon laughs.

"I know why you're here, brother," he says. "You really want to fight me? I've studied the dark ninja arts, and I've got the undead army to prove it." The ground shudders, and this time, Garmadon is unafraid. He grins as skeletons claw their way out of the ground. Wu steps back in alarm. "You should probably just let me conquer this village before someone gets hurt! Like you. You will get hurt."

They do fight. Wu wins.

Garmadon can't believe it. Wu managed to defeat the entire skeleton army alone, and when Garmadon tried to fight him one-on-one – lying on the ground, Wu's staff pointed at his face, Garmadon can't believe it.

"Leave this village at once," Wu says.

"I hate you," Garmadon says. Wu doesn't even flinch.

5.

"I hate you!" Lloyd shouts, and he slams the apartment door shut in his father's face.

Garmadon doesn't understand. He's a good guy now, isn't he? Change isn't easy, especially not for him – but Garmadon is trying. He's trying for his son. That's why he's here. Why isn't it working?

Well, he can't stay here, standing outside Koko's apartment. Garmadon leaves the building and nearly bumps right into Wu.

"What are you doing here?!" he snaps.

"Koko told me you were bothering Lloyd," Wu responds.

Garmadon clenches his fists, all four of them. "She's overreacting. I just wanted to talk. Not my fault he got all upset."

"Walk with me."

Garmadon groans. "I'm not going on a stupid walk with my stupid brother."

They go on a walk. Garmadon complains loudly the whole time. The beach is empty, now that Ninjago City's new mascot has claimed it as her personal litterbox, and that's just another thing for Garmadon to complain about. Wu stays silent the entire time, until finally, Garmadon yells at him: "Why aren't you saying anything?!"

"You were right," Wu says.

"Yeah, I know. About what?"

"Our father having a favorite."

Garmadon blinks. "You're only just realizing that?" he says. "Come on, how stupid can you get?"

"I didn't just realize it, I've been thinking about it for a long time." Wu looks out at the horizon. "Many years, in fact."

"Yeah, well, I've been thinking about it ever since you were born." Garmadon glares at the back of his head. "What are you gonna do now? Apologize or something? Because let me tell you, I don't want to hear it."

Wu turns and stares at him. It takes a moment for Garmadon to connect the dots.

"Oh, shut up," he says, even though Wu hasn't said anything. "What Father did to me is nothing like what I did to Luhloyd. I didn't even do anything to him! I wasn't even there! Stop giving me that stupid look!"

"He means it, you know," Wu says. "Just as you meant it when you said it to me."

"Yeah," Garmadon says. "That hasn't changed, by the way. I still hate you, brother."

"I know," says Wu, and they don't exchange any more words for the remainder of the walk.