His breath halted. Everyone stared, more out of utter morbidity and complete distaste rather than curiosity. Though, past these carefully composed facades, Kai could see small warning signs; the clenching of Tyson's fists, the scowl in the maroon eyes of a girl who'd never looked at him so vehemently, the pursed lips of the small guy who never knew to express his rage.
But Kenny was raging now. They all were raging now. A familiar pleading little feminine voice, echoed in his head.
Don't do it, Kai.
He cringed.
Somewhere, outside, the winds howled. The windows shut close together, the rattling sound echoing around the room, adding to the already-heavy atmosphere.
It made Kai sigh….
"I'm…."
All eyes turned to look at him, snapped in his direction at the sound of the bitter penitence that his voice reflected. Amethyst eyes met the ruby ones and saw in them the coldness that he never thought would be directed at him.
I'm begging you…
The aggression that they bore burned a hole through him, brought back his sins and laced them up in front of his inner eye….their scars remained. He was looking at one right now.
"…sorry…."
The winds howled again, so forcefully that it pushed the window against the wall. The sound made Tyson shift his weight from one foot to another. Something flashed in his eyes; it changed his expression for just a little bit. But soon it was gone, and with that Tyson huffed and crossed his arms; contemplating. His calculating stare built up another memory, another voice in his head spoke; the shrewdness stung.
So, you're leaving too? Just like that?
In his shame, he didn't know what to do. The weight of Tyson's silence turned him away, and he looked down. He yearned for redemption, but to fall into the pillow of hope that he'd somehow get it the third time was utmost debauchery to his own selfish conscious.
But the voice in his head moaned…
I don't want to lose you, too.
….and he winced inwardly, the pleading tone had haunted him the most, breaking what they had was a sin he had no excuse for. She was there, right there, holding in her hand the pieces of their bond that had broken when he'd thrown them at the wall. And all it took was a few words that had somehow weighed more than all the words exchanged between them, combined.
But if you incessantly take actions portraying that they come second, if you relentlessly chose yourself and your selfish desires over them and if you're decisions aren't made taking them into account, then a day will come when you stop being valued by people.
And that little fact reflected itself in Tyson's eyes before he started shaking his head a little. He exhaled loudly then, in a rather unexpected turmoil, walked right pass Kai –brushing against his shoulder slightly—and towards the half open door.
"Tyson!"
Tyson halted and turned, his hand still on the door knob.
"What?" His eyes reflected fury. "We've heard what he has to say, now let's just go…"
To Kai's surprise, Kenny objected no further. Not even Hillary did. Instead, they both picked themselves up from where they sat. Kenny walked pass Kai, his head facing the ground, eyes fixed on his footsteps. Hillary followed right behind, stopping just as she was next to her ex-captain; her eyes caught Kai's, saw in them the raging emotions but she kept her apathy.
"You used to matter to me, Kai." She spoke for the first time, "I'm not sure if you do, anymore."
A few fleeting seconds of looking at each other, and Hillary was gone. The door shut behind her with a small click.
They say that the heart has a way of knowing when you're no longer needed anymore, of when you stop mattering. Kai knew they were right. Sometimes, it's all the errs that when unite with redemption, leave the deepest of wounds; ones that make their mark into places where no amount of time can reach to erase them. All they leave you with is the hope that with time, maybe they'll just fade away.
AN:
Set somewhere between the 3rd World Championships and Kai's first battle with Brooklyn, before the Justice 5 tournament. :P
Angsty? Short? know. That's all I can write, lately. I wrote this the day I'd come back from school after the Chem final, high and happy. ^.^ So, this was the first piece I wrote this summer. :)
Hope everyone liked it. I did. :) Thanks for reading. Please review!