Lying came with the stealing, you lie as soon as you step foot in the target location. You tell the shop owner that you're a good person, one to be trusted. You do it through your demeanour or your friendly tone, you establish a level of uncommunicative trust, it keeps them guessing. On the other hand you can do the opposite, you can walk in innocently trying not to draw attention to yourself, you're too easily profiled, everything about you screams criminal so this is your safest bet.
To appear invisible, to slip in and then out without notice. It was an art, one that required skill, patience and most of all restraint. Knowing when it was the right time and when it wasn't. Kai hadn't been losing his touch, far from it, it all came easy to him, but like most things in his life at that very moment easy didn't mean guaranteed success. Rule number two don't visit the same place twice. Rule number three don't get to confident.
Kai hadn't been one for following rules, especially lately. Breaking his own promises was another thing he seemed to excel at apart from his rediscovered hobby of course. He promised himself that after their initial breakup that he would never lose Jinora again, that promise was broken. He also promised himself that he had turned a new leaf, that he was new person that he had changed. But like the carefully crafted rules he made from himself after years of experience on the streets, perfected through trial and error, and reinforced whenever he slipped up and was finally caught. He hadn't been on top of his game as of late no matter how easy it all still came.
Being caught meant he failed, and now sitting in the corner of a failed target location bruises parading his skin after an easily lost scuffle with the sons of the shop owner. Mr Paku had finally put two and two together after being robbed by Kai on more than one occasion and thus came prepared. All Kai could do was sigh to himself in defeat and prepare for the inevitable, there goes his second chance.
"Kid?!" Mr Paku was an old man, with distinctively bronzed skin and hair, which despite his age was still as black as the small ponytail he grew on his head. He held his stick upright using it to poke Kai in the head after minutes of screaming at him to gain his attention.
His Grandson, much shorter than his father but larger in structure however was less 'careful' kicking him so that he fell on the floor, his tied hands unable to protect his harsh fall. That gained his attention.
"My Grandfather is talking to you!" He shouted angrily at the bruised thief, his face inches from Kai's but from where Kai was sitting, he appeared to be a giant, his tone harsh and croaky detailing someone much older in age than himself. When Kai ignored their further attempts, still trying his best to get up the pain in his ribs becoming harder to ignore as he did so, he was almost shocked out of his silent reflection when he felt the man's saliva reach his skin.
The young man looked at him smug wiping his mouth in a sense of superiority as he looked down at the young boy he just spat at, faces of disgust present on the rest of his relatives faces whether it was aimed towards Kai or embarrassed disgust of their relation neither mattered. He continued to try his best to return himself in his original position succeeding, whilst resting his head back on the cabinet in a tender breath.
"Wipe that smug look of your face brat or..."
"Or what?!" Kai snapped back, his tone controlled but his pitch shaky as his face easily revealed his helplessness, he felt frustrated, annoyed with himself more than anything. He got caught stealing. He didn't care about failing in his task, he cared about all the people he let down. He got caught stealing, it was almost as if his brain was tied up in the same knots his hands were placed in. He looked up at them now, everything that was spinning finally came to a halt, the feeling of calm along with it , he finally was placed in the moment , his untethered high easily brought down as he looked up at the five men who brought him down.
"Will you punch me so more, spit on me some more, demand I return the rest of the stuff I stole, call the police? You can do it all, I don't care!" his breathing was rushed as his chest was brought up and down so rapidly as if he was panicked.
"Did you sell any of it?" Mr Paku asked calmly, bringing a chair so that he could sit opposite Kai and silencing the angry protests of the men behind with the simple raise of his hand.
"No" Kai looked at him quizzically eying the even more confused faces of the young men behind him.
"What's your name, young man?" He continued, tapping his foot on the floor patiently.
"Kai"
"Did you parents not give you more than one name" A young man at the back scoffed, eating away at a box of noodles he had conveniently put down when he was busy punching away at Kai's face.
"I don't have parents" He retorted solemnly, squinting in further pain as he did so. "What does it matter to you anyway... when are the police getting here?!"
"They're not coming Kai… I'm letting you go" Mr Paku sighed, untying him without even looking him in the eye.
"What!" The combined voice of disbelief represented the same amount of shock that was detailed heavily on Kai's face as he suspiciously rubbed his now sore wrists.
"I'm sure you can repay the time wasted when you come in for your shift tomorrow morning, and the rest of the art supplies you stole will magically return to me tomorrow morning as well. In fact I'm sure the magical re-appearance of all the things I hope I'm not wrong in presuming you 'borrowed' return to their rightful owners as well. So what do you think Kai am I wrong?"
Kai silently nodded as he carefully stood up, hoping to not aggravate any of his new bruises whilst clutching his side, he looked almost exasperated, his eyes glassed over from unused tears.
"No Sir… I promise you, you are not wrong "
He just needs guidance… Who better to give it to him than us?
A/N: So my plan to update once a week failed miserably sorry in advance and hopefully this short chapter made up for it. Thank you to everyone who reads ;)