Hellooooooo darlings, welcome back! Not much to say, or to give warnings for. Think ya'll got a pretty good idea of what's in this so I'll just let ya get to it and see you on the 15th. As always, thank you all so much. As of now, Progression has finally beaten out Parent Trap, which had been my most viewed fic since it was completed, and all my others in collective views since it was posted at 8k! 8K views! So that's amazing, really. And thank you all so, so much who still come around to check this out. We'll see ya'll on the 15th!
Dear Parent/Guardian,
It is with an incredibly heavy heart to inform you of the sudden loss of a student of Whitney Preparatory School.
Wyatt Smithwright, a much loved student in the first grade, passed away on Sunday evening.
His parents gave permission to inform his fellow students that the cause of his sudden passing was a result of a heart condition.
His family would also like to invite any student who wishes to pay their respects to attend Mr. Smithwright's wake, which will be held in Tenman Funeral Home on Thursday June 27th between the hours of 17:00 and 20:00.
In addition, a memorial assembly will be held at the school tomorrow. Morning classes will be cancelled in order to give all students the opportunity to pay their respects.
We offer our sincerest condolences to all that knew Mr. Smithwright.
Stan let out a deep, sad sigh as he put the letter down on the desk, rubbing his watery eyes. So tragic... And unbelievable to think what those monsters were capable of...
A poor boy's life had ended before it had even begun because of some lunatic's greed. And to think the boys had been there to witness the entire thing... Especially Kai, one of his own classmates.
Mr. Granger had talked to him on the phone. It turned out this boy was the only one in that school who Kai had a relationship with. Was that a morbid coincidence? The shudder down his spine and sickness in his stomach told him otherwise. Those beasts had to be stopped and brought to justice. But for now, he had a mourning grandson to focus on.
He wasn't sure which of the services Kai would wish to go to, but either one would require his school uniform, still in his home. He would drop it to him immediately.
After getting off the phone with Stan-the-man again just after having been on the phone with him less than an hour ago, Gramps was busy cleaning the house up a bit for his arrival; something about bringing Kai his school uniform or something. Which was fine but after what had happened the day before, and what he'd learned, Gramps was a little torn at seeing his buddy again.
Did he tell him straight away what Kai had been doing to himself, had done to himself? Or did he wait it out, let the one bad thing settle before throwing another bad thing down on top of it?
For once he wasn't sure if he should tell Stan everything going on like he always did when they talked. Maybe this was something that just needed to wait, though it really didn't make it any easier seeing as how Stan was and is Kai's guardian.
Making his decision to keep it quiet, for now, Gramps went off to kick the other lil dudes out of the house before Dickenson showed up within the hour. None of them really wanted to leave, though given the situation none of them put up a fight about it either and left quietly for the time being.
Just in time too it seemed as Dickenson's car pulled in the drive not even twenty minutes later. The normal jolly and round man coming up the walk with a somber expression, Grandpa meeting him at the door and letting him inside.
"Good to see you my man." Gramps greeted while Stanley took off his shoes by the door.
"It's always a pleasure, Ryu, though of course... Maybe this time." Stanley trailed a little as he caught sight of Kai's hair peeking over the back of the couch to his left.
"Hello, Kai." He greeted, not in his usual chirpy tone.
"Hello." Kai's hoarse voice automatically replied flatly and quietly back without so much as turning his head.
The two older men exchanged quiet and concerned glances, Gramps leading Dickenson into the living room where they each took a seat around the boy.
"How are you doing, Kai?" Stanley asked as he put a hefty hand on the boy's shoulder.
He wished he was dead. Couldn't say that though. He kept his eyes on the opposite wall, not wanting to look at either of them for fear it would set him off.
"Fine."
Once more the elders exchanged glances, a small sigh passing their lips collectively as Stanley pulled his hand down to his lap.
"Well, I've come by to bring you your uniform. I've received an email about the services that are being held for Wyatt, whichever you wish to go to we'll be sure to take you. If that is something you want."
Kai tensed up hard and finally turned his puffy face to him. "What do you mean services?"
"There's a wake being held Thursday, and an assembly at your school tomorrow." Dickenson explained.
Kai shuddered. There was no way in high hell he was stepping foot in the school again. But at the same time, he bet a fair number of students would go to the wake. How could he show his face there either? But at the same time...
His eyes burned and watered hard and fast. He wanted to say goodbye...
"It's up to you, whatever you want. And you don't have to go alone." Gramps offered in a comforting tone, Dickenson nodded along beside Kai.
"I brought your uniform just in case, and there's a few days before the wake to make up your mind."
Kai nodded back automatically, letting out a noise that resembled a thanks.
"If there's anything you need either, just let me know son." Dickenson continued, not sure what else there was to even say or do at the moment.
"Thank you." He said in the same quiet voice, picking himself up and going to excuse himself.
As the two watched him leave they turned to one another, for a while just looking at each other with nothing really to say.
"Tea?" Gramps finally broke the silence.
"Love some." Stanley sighed.
After being kicked from the house for an hour during Dickenson's stay, the other three came back from their walk. Max and Tyson looking to Ray to figure out what the next best step was to do, seeing as how the night before Kai hadn't really been around them as much as he was around Ray. Which given last year was understandable, and Ray was the second oldest, while they also just didn't have a clue on what to do right now.
It was like a dark cloud had moved overhead above the house, and it didn't look like it was fixing to roll on by anytime soon either. But everything felt gloomy and heavy, like one wrong move and things would just break apart completely.
"I'll go see what he's up to, see if he wants to come out here with us. Get some fresh air." Ray offered as he noticed the two of them just staring at him.
"Sounds good." Max nodded back.
"And we got him stuff, so maybe bribe him if he puts up a fight. " Tyson interjected as he held up their shopping bags.
Ray just smiled, he didn't know if bribing Kai with junk food would work more than just coming out with him, but at least the option was there.
"Alright, be back in a minute." He waved as he went off towards the house, slipping inside and going straight for the stairs.
"Hey, you in here?" He called once he got to the bedroom door, walking in without knocking like he always did.
Kai sat on the bed with his knees up to his chest. "Yeh..."
"You doing okay?" Ray asked as he stepped into the room, sitting on the bed with him.
Kai nodded at him, despite his throat closing up on him. "Mmhmm. The funeral is Thursday." His voice cracked, sniffling and hugging his legs to hide his face. So close, yet so far in keeping it together.
"Is that why Dickenson came by then?" Ray pondered out loud, though by the suddenness of his visit, and then Kai telling him about it, he figured he already had his answer.
"Are you going?"
Kai shook his head. "I don't know..."
"You should. If you don't you might regret it. Even if you just go for a little bit, say goodbye and then come home at least you gave yourself that chance."
Kai shifted closer to him. "Yeh... I know. Just..."
"You don't have to go alone either." Ray added as he moved his arm back to let Kai get up against his side, "You don't have to do any of this alone."
Kai pressed himself in. That wasn't his only hesitation... But he didn't want to tell Ray he was too cowardly to face the Whitney Prep kids.
"Thanks..."
Instantly Ray's arm went around Kai's back to hold him, "Do you want to come outside with us? Get some fresh air for a bit instead of sitting in here."
Kai wanted to say no. He wanted to do his usual and burrow away by himself. But that would make Ray unhappy.
"Okay..."
Ray rubbed his back, giving him a minute even though Kai said it was okay he didn't just want to rip him out from the comfort of the room and out with the others like this.
"We'll go when you're ready, the kids aren't going anywhere."
Kai nodded, enjoying the comfort from Ray a few more minutes before pulling himself away. Maybe some air would be good...
"I got you something too." Ray said as he bounced off the bed before him, taking up Kai's hands without a care and pulling him to stand with him.
Kai squeezed it instantly, like it was a lifeline. "Oh?" He replied politely in his gloomy voice.
"Mhmm, it's a surprise though." Ray grinned as he led them out of the room, "Kids got you some stuff too." He threw in like a last minute thought as they went down the stairs, still clutching Kai's hand in his.
They walked out together. Kai shuffling along like the undead being pulled along with Ray wondering why they bought him anything. Unless it was a time machine, he didn't require anything.
"Heyyyyy!" Tyson waved them over from the little blanket he and Max had went off and grabbed while Ray was on his noble quest.
"Just in time too, we just got everything set out." Max's smile beamed as the other two came over by the pond where they had set up.
Kai just sort of blinked at them. The fresh hell was this? Ray barely noticed his hesitation, pulling him to sit down on the blanket with the other two and eyed their feast of junk goodies.
Maybe they all went a little overboard, but it was for a good cause.
"Here." He plucked out the bag of mint chocolates he found and about fought an old lady for.
Kai took it mindlessly as his eyes scanned the weird buffet of chips and candy. Was this a party? The fuck was there to have a party for!?
"The hell is this?" He asked, both angry and upset.
"We got hungry on our walk." Tyson answered with his mouth full of something, "Figured why not, ya know?"
Kai forced himself to reel it in. Of course they wouldn't do that... The hell was wrong with him.
"Oh... Right. Yeh, go nuts."
Max gave a bright smile again. This was a healing space. And nothing aided healing, in any form, be it the common cold or grief, like gummy worms.
He picked out a deliciously nutritious red and green one, throwing it in his mouth before offering the bag to him. "You like these?"
Kai shook his head at him. Any food looked about as appealing as rusty nails right now.
Halfway through a bag of chips, Ray paused as he caught sight of the bag of colorful worms. He'd seen Max grab them but hadn't bothered to really ask what they were, but he suddenly wanted to try one.
"Can I have one?" He asked as he held his hand out.
Max beamed, handing them over. "The red and green ones are the best!" He advised.
"Oooo, they're squishy." Ray giggled as he pinched a red and green one between his fingers before popping it into his mouth.
"Eh, the white and orange are better." Tyson grumbled as he broke off a pocky stick between his teeth.
Max glared at him. "On what planet!? Those are the most tasteless ones!"
"What? No they're not!" Tyson defended.
Ray didn't seem to care, hand back in the little bag and pulling out an orange and white one. If he was going to be honest, they tasted the same...
Max was up in Ray's face the moment he saw the white and orange bastard go in. "WELL!?"
Mouth full, still chewing, Ray could only really shrug his shoulders back at him.
"Why you gotta ask him? I'm the one that eats everything! My taste buds have known every flavor there is known to man!" Tyson stated proudly as he hit his chest.
Max snapped his head. "You gorge! That means jack about how refined your palette is!"
"I have a very refined pallet, thank you." Tyson snipped in a snooty tone with his nose in the air, shoving something else from one of the bags in his mouth.
Ray didn't know what was going on, nor did he really care as he grabbed another wiggly and squishy worm and sucked it down. Holding the bag out to Kai beside him who hadn't said or touched anything since they sat down.
Kai made a face as he peered in. They were clearly full of additives and chemicals. But that wasn't the troubling thing. Who the HELL thought to make a candy in the shape of a blind invertebrate?
"Did you know worms aren't insects?" He said in a flat voice.
Everyone and sound stopped as all the different colored heads snapped to look at Kai with a questioning stare on their faces.
Kai took that as no, they didn't know that. Well then. It was his duty to educate.
...Even though Ray's hand was left hanging holding the bag out to him.
"Insects have exoskeletons that protect their organs, worms don't. Actually, worms don't even have lungs. They breathe through their skin which is mostly made up of collagen. And that's another difference, insects molt their exoskeletons at different life stages. Worms don't. But people get confused because there are some insects with the name 'worm' attached. Like silk worms and glow worms are technically insects..." He rambled on in his flat, monotonous voice.
They all blinked back at him then at each other, Tyson crunching down on a chip in his mouth the only sound for a good minute.
Pulling the bag back to himself, Ray looked down at all the non-insect worms. "Max is right, the red and green are better."
Kai frowned at them. Knowledge was wasted on these idiots, clearly.
"You know they actually discovered a new species of worm not so long ago. Divers found it down in the Antarctic ocean. They survive on dead whale bones. Called the bone eating worm for it. They secrete acid to dissolve the calcium and take in the lipids from it to survive on..."
"Dude... We're trying to eat here." Tyson cringed a little at all... Whatever just came out of Kai's mouth.
Max and Ray nodded in agreement, the worms they'd eaten starting to wiggle and come alive in their stomachs again at the information dump.
Kai looked around at the grossed out faces. Was it something he said? "What?"
"Nothing, just eat." Ray said as he shoved a random bag in his hands, going for something else out of their pile.
Kai turned the bag over. Potato chips. "Did you guys know during World War II, potato chips went temporarily extinct in the States? They were declared non-essential food items so production halted completely nationwide..."
"Ya don't say?" Max just grinned the fakest grin he could gather up in himself, "My great grandpa was in World War II."
Kai blinked. "Well. Yeh. Near enough any man of age was." He cut off, "Oh! And in Britain these are called crisps. Chips means fries over there!" He spewed off as something else hit him.
"That's mildly confusing..." Ray muttered as he continued to eat the crisps... Chips... Fries?! What the hell were these now?!
Kai shrugged. "Not really. There's a bunch of differences between American and British English, but they're only small. U's in random places. Zee vs. Zed. Strong vs weak R sounds. Slightly different vocabulary at times. Like did you know British people don't say 'soccer'!? They say football! Which is, you know, what the Americans call the one with the pigskin and the helmets and the charging and stuff!"
Again, the others just blinked and stared in stunned silence while chewing on something they plucked out from one of the many bags. This was honestly the most they'd ever heard him speak.
"OH! Which reminds me! They think football, as in not your kind..." He gestured at Max, "Was invented in China in like, 400BC or something!"
"So, they invented soccer?" Tyson questioned, not really sure if he was keeping up.
"We did?" Ray's head popped up from the empty chip bag he had it buried in, four others already empty and scattered around his lap.
"Yep!" Kai yelped out, "As well as the compass, paper money, the umbrella, the mechanical clock, gunpowder and printing!" He fired out, "Just to name a few!"
For some reason Ray's face lit up, pride swelling his already swollen and junk food filled gut. "Ha!" He laughed out like he was the great inventor of all those things.
Tyson and Max just stared at him, not looking all that impressed till a light bulb went over Tyson's head.
"I just thought of something."
"Careful there." Max joked with a stupid grin on his face.
Tyson pouted as he shoved his arm, "I'm serious, listen! Ray's the only one who isn't Japanese!" He blurted out while pointing at said teen.
Kai made a bemused face. "Did you... Did you just figure that out?"
"Well, kind of? I mean, didn't really think about it in depth till now." Tyson shrugged, "But with all this talk about it, it just kind of clicked. You and Max are only half, but still."
Kai blinked even more. "You really that dim?"
"NO!" Tyson pouted again as he threw the empty pocky box at his head, "I just didn't think about it till now."
Kai merely leaned a few inches to dodge the light, gently floating box. "Just checking. In Russia you forgot I could speak Japanese..."
"It was a crazy time dude! Can't blame me for not remembering stuff." Tyson huffed.
"Aw, I wanted to try one of those." Ray pouted as he eyed the empty pocky box.
"Don't... Don't you think you should slow down?" Max asked with a concerned glance at the trash all around and in Ray's lap. Had he just been eating through the entire thing by himself this whole time?
Tyson eyed him as well. "RAY! The hell man!?"
"What?" Ray gave them a dumb look, hand in another bag that was sadly empty.
He super subtly nodded in Kai's direction. "Weren't we supposed to be sharing?"
Ray glanced at Kai beside him, that was the plan but Mr. Stick hadn't touched a damn thing and he'd already tried to shove things into his hands to get him to join. Instead they were graced with the knowledge of worms and football and British VS American vocabulary.
"I didn't eat everything, and there's two bags left full of stuff." He pointed out at the shopping bags between them.
"Where have you even been putting it all, you've eaten more than Tyson!" Max lightly scolded though a little in amazement.
"He ate all the pocky!" Ray jabbed as he pointed back at Tyson.
"Oh, Ray's always packed it away. He just usually does it with more table manners." Kai chimed in.
"Thank you." Ray nodded in agreement before it sunk in a little, his head snapping back to Kai. "Are you calling me fat again?!"
Kai looked at him blankly. "I never did call you fat. But you do eat as much as Tyson. You're just not a pig about it."
"Of course I wouldn't be. Just because I was raised in a village doesn't mean I act like it." He rolled his eyes, "And I haven't eaten that much. Most of these bags were filled with air." He muttered. "And you've not eaten anything, your chocolates are going to melt."
Kai held them out to him. "You want them?" He asked.
Ray eyed them then him, throwing Kai's blank look right back at him. "No, I got those for you."
Kai held them closer to him. "You suuuuuuure?" He asked, seeing him eye them and hoping to palm them off.
"No, I got them for you." Ray repeated, not looking amused. "You said you like minty stuff, I saw them and thought of you so got them for you. I don't want them."
Kai stared at him a little dumbly. He remembered? When did he tell him he liked the-
Oooooh right, Paris...
"Oh... Thank you." He met Ray's eyes again that were strongly demanding he open the damn things before he punched him. As he wished...
He tore it open neatly, picking one the green foil and unwrapping it, popping it in his mouth.
"You're welcome." Ray smiled back, going to find something else to stuff his own face with.
Max's blue eyes sparkled a little in the light of the sun, looking between the two of them. That was the sweetest thing ever! Until Tyson plopped his head on his lap, forcing him to look down into the sad look on his friends face.
"Why don't you ever buy me chocolates?" He whined a little.
Max gave him a bored look. "I have. And do. You always inhale them before you've processed what they are and who gave them to you."
"...Oh... Did you buy me any this time?" Tyson's eyes got wide, looking like an excited puppy.
"I bought those Pocky?" He shrugged. Had chocolate on it, didn't it?
"That you inhaled" Ray reminded in a low grumble, still slightly sore he didn't get to try them.
"What!? They're so thin it's impossible to make them last!" Tyson whined back.
Ray just mocked him quietly under his breath, causing Max to snicker beside him.
"I think there's another box actually, in that bag." He pointed it out.
Ray seemed to perk up at that, snatching the bag just as Tyson went to reach for it, sticking his tongue out at him as he opened it up.
"HA!" He belted out again, holding up the prize.
Kai shook his head. How could they all eat so much crap?
"No, it's fine. You go ahead and have at em, but when it all goes to your thighs don't cry to me." Tyson pouted where he lay in Max's lap, arms over his chest.
"What's wrong with my thighs?" Ray's voice cracked in a weird pitch, sounding mildly offended and confused.
"I think what Tyson is trying to say is refined sugar is just empty calories which leads to weight gain." Kai helped.
That really didn't help, Ray's head snapping back to him with another quip about whether they all thought he was fat again until he clocked Mr. Stick beside him.
"Oh... You don't say?" He questioned, whipping out a pocky stick and holding it out near Kai's face. "Well, here then."
Kai choked on his spit, offended. "Why me!?"
"Why not? Supposed to be sharing and Tyson already had an entire box." Ray smiled innocently at him.
Kai narrowed his eyes at him. Unlike Tyson, he wasn't stupid. He opened his mouth to argue, but the second they parted, Ray shoved it in.
Max and Tyson's jaws dropped before they burst out laughing, trying to keep it in at Kai's extremely pissed off face and Ray's amused one, like he wasn't about to be strangled for doing that.
Smiling a little triumphantly, Ray broke his in half between his teeth as he watched Kai choke a little on the one he'd shoved in there. Kai's eyes narrowed harder, feeling the storm cloud gather overhead.
Perfect. Everything was just a fucking game, was it?! Wyatt was dead, but sure, let's all gather and eat chocolate! Worry about our waistlines like a bunch of school girls!
He picked himself up, throwing the bag Ray had got him and turned to storm back inside. The laughter quickly stopped, was good while it lasted.
"Where are you going?" Ray called after him, not seeming really fazed as he somehow knew that would set him off and rightly so. He felt a little bad shoving that down his throat, but if Kai didn't eat then he'd turn to dust.
Kai spun, fists clenched. "Inside!"
"Why?" Ray asked as if he didn't know why, even though he did.
"Cause I have more important things to do than sit around out here eating shit like everything is fine!" He near enough screamed at him.
"What important things? Because we all know that's bull, you'll just go back and hole yourself away in that room. We know not everything is fine, that's why we're sitting here with you through it."
"Like figuring out what the fuck to do! But most of all, trying to make sense of why I even have to in the first fucking place!" He screamed louder.
"What's there to do?" Tyson asked as he sat up from Max's lap, "And how can we make sense of it when we don't even know the whole story?"
"Exactly!" He yelled back, upset taking over the anger, but no less loud, "What the fuck happened?!"
"We were all there, we saw what happened. That bitbeast was too strong for him to handle." Max supplied in a quiet voice.
"But those other guys didn't... You know..." Tyson directed more to Max than the other two.
"I don't think it should matter how it happened, just that it did. Trying to wrap our heads around it right now isn't going to do us any good, we should be focusing on what to do to get through this." Ray said with a small shake of his head, turning his attention on Kai.
"Maybe if you go Thursday you'll be able to find out, though."
Kai shook his head. Of course knowing why wouldn't make it okay. But some understanding could help, right? Make it easier to process instead of the mystery hanging over his head forever. And as for Thursday...
"I don't know..." It felt wrong to go. It felt wrong not to go.
"Wait... What's Thursday?" Tyson asked as his head swiveled from Kai to Ray and back again.
"The funeral." Ray answered as he didn't tear his eyes away from Kai, "You should really go, Kai. We know it's going to be hard but if you don't go, then it could only be harder."
Kai deflated. He was right and he knew it. He just didn't know if he could handle it.
"Yeh..."
"Can we all go?" Max piped up.
Kai looked at him blankly. Why would they go? They didn't know him. They were there though, he guessed.
"Pretty sure anyone is allowed at the wake."
"Do you want us to go?" Ray questioned as he kept his eyes on him.
Kai shifted irritably. He wasn't sure if he wanted to go! "I don't... Whatever you want!" He snapped at him.
"This isn't about us, or what we want aside from just wanting to be there for you. I get it, but there's no reason for you to get angry at us." Ray half scolded him, not wanting to set him off any more than he already seemed to be.
Kai rolled his eyes. "Fine! Come then! But no baseball caps!" He yelled randomly at Tyson as he welled up and turned to go inside, "And wear something appropriate!"
Letting him leave this time, the other three turned to each other expressing their own loud sighs as their shoulders fell forward.
"That could have gone better." Max went first.
"Does he really think I'd wear this to a funeral?" Tyson asked a bit offended as he touched the bill of his hat.
The other two just nodded back at him.
The awful moment he'd been dreading for days had arrived. Thursday morning had come in the blink of an eye, and the day had both dragged and flown at the same time. The horrible sense of dread, grief and guilt was bubbling under the surface, along with anxiety and seeing any other green jackets. Not to mention his family...
He stepped out the car, dressed in his grey pants, green jacket and red tie, all immaculate, while the others wore black.
The moment the dreaded doors opened, he got hit in the face with the smell of incense and sadness. He stopped. The lingering and haunting sounds of sniffling and light crying almost making him want to turn around and run.
But Ray and the others almost formed a circle around him, white shirts and black ties making them seem like bodyguards that ushered him through.
His eyes darted around, on edge and yet numb and lethargic at the same time. So far, his was the only green jacket there was. The number was scarce. Which was exactly why he asked to arrive towards the end of the wake.
Coming into the heavy atmosphere, the others circled around Kai a bit tighter the more they stepped inside. The smell of the incense making Max's stomach twist a little, tears budding in his eyes quickly but had promised himself he wouldn't crack.
He had to be strong for Kai through this, he couldn't just break down right now even if he wasn't that great at funerals.
Tyson wasn't faring much better, taking in the poster on the wall with the school logo that looked like it had been signed by everyone. He may not have known him, didn't mean this didn't suck.
Golden eyes scanned the room, as if on the lookout for other boys from Kai's school with his back tense at the thought of running into any of them; even if they weren't the ones that had been bullying him, it didn't matter, they didn't need a scene on top of the already shitty feeling this whole thing had brought on.
But, he wasn't above punching someone in the face at the moment if it came down to it.
As the small congregation got a little further in, a woman near the front who had been dabbing her eyes with a white handkerchief looked up at the four boys. Large, wet brown eyes taking them in and landing on the familiar green jacket and two-toned hair she'd seen on TV a year before.
Carefully she approached them, dabbing her eyes the entire way as her shoulders shook with a shuddering breath.
"Hello, thank you fo-for coming." She greeted the four of them, though her attention was centered on Kai.
Kai froze up. He looked just like her.
"I'm sorry, this is really sudden..." The woman dabbed at her ever flowing tears, "But, is your name Kai?"
Kai tensed harder. Would it be wrong to say no? Mistook him for some other asshole? In the end, he nodded, ready to get what insults or harsh words that might be thrown.
The woman gave a breathless laugh, a smile coming over her broken features. "He talked about you so much, I'm sure this is... Difficult, but it really means a lot to me that you've come." She wiped her nose with the handkerchief, swollen eyes taking in the other boys around Kai and smiling at them all the same.
"I heard a bit about you all too, so thank you for coming. I'm Elizabeth, by the way. Wyatt's mother."
Max swallowed hard, the tears getting harder to hold back and just nodding to the woman because he couldn't trust his vocal cords at the moment.
For whatever reason he pictured his own mother standing there before him, wiping tears down her face and trying to look strong while breaking down on the inside because he didn't come home.
First thing he was going to do when they got home was call her up.
If Kai tensed up any more, you could fill him with coal and diamonds would come out.
"I uh..." His voice wobbled. What did he say to that? Sorry for driving your son to his death? Say what a good guy her dead son was?
What did he say!? He didn't know what to say. His blood felt hot inside him as tears started streaming, hand fumbling at his side trying to find Ray's like it would somehow save him from this.
Ray jumped slightly as he felt Kai's hand flopping between the tight space between them, hitting him in the leg first and quickly grabbing hold of it loosely as Kai grabbed onto it in a death grip.
"We're sorry we have to be meeting like this, and we didn't know Wyatt for long but he seemed like a really great guy." Ray supplied for the group since it seemed the others were just as lost for words as he was himself, pulling something out of thin air while the woman continued to just stand there in front of them.
"Thank you, and yes... The circumstances aren't what any parent would want, but I'm happy to see he's had so many friends and acquaintances. He was always a people person, never wanting to be alone. So really I should be thanking you, Kai, for keeping him company while at school." She directed back to him with a wobbly smile on her tear stained face.
Kai couldn't do it anymore. His face twisted in to devastated. "H-he was my o-nly friend there!" He heaved, unable to control it.
Elizabeth and the others gave bewildering looks his way at the outburst, Tyson quickly putting his hand down on Kai's shoulder as it shook.
"Oh honey..." Elizabeth cooed as she pulled a package of tissues from her purse, passing it over to him.
"I'm so sorry to hear that." Her voice cracked back, "I hope he was as good of a friend as the ones you have with you though, he surely liked to talk about you a lot."
Kai nodded, taking the tissue embarrassed. "Uh-huh..." He hiccuped, "We studied together a l-lot." He got out while trying to breathe, "Sucked at English... Real good with numbers though." He blurted out.
Elizabeth laughed, a real full on laugh amongst the tears that streamed down her face that she dabbed at again.
"Sounds just like him, I'm glad you were there to help him."
Kai kept nodding for some reason. "Was fun. I'll miss him a lot..." He choked, scrambling for something to say as he clamped Ray's hand. He took his eyes from her and put them on the floor.
"I'm sorry..."
"We'll all miss him." Elizabeth nodded in sympathy, "But darling, you don't have to apologize. We knew this day could come at any time, and although we've prepared for it... It's still hard." She choked, putting a hand down on his shoulder.
Ray stood there, letting Kai grip his hand tighter where his fingers started to go slightly numb as he tried to squeeze back; give him a bit of strength to get through this.
"But please, if you want of course, you can go and say goodbye." Elizabeth announced as she took a step back from them, letting her hand fall back to her side.
Like the little dog on many dashboards, he kept nodding, turning his eyes to Ray. For the first time that day, Ray froze up as Kai's eyes turned on him. A cold sweat forming on his back while his fingers went completely numb.
He wasn't good with these sorts of things, only putting up a strong front for the sake of the others but the thought of seeing a dead body sent chills down his back.
"Only if you want to." He voiced in a quiet breath, dreading it not just for Kai but for himself now.
Kai somehow managed to grip his hand harder. He didn't want to at all. But felt he needed to. He nodded. Face pale and just as full of dread as Ray's was.
"Okay..." Ray nodded back around the lump in his throat, letting Kai strangle the life out of his hand as he too charge in guiding the others to the separate room.
Tyson kept his hand on Kai's shoulder, like the good body guard he was with his other going around Max's lower back that had started to shake. The blonde trying to keep it pulled together as they got closer to the closed doors, the smell of incense getting stronger.
At the doors was when Ray's feet stopped about jerking the others with him, his stomach churning hard as the sweat broke out along the rest of his skin.
Kai did the same. "You guys can wait here if you want." His voice trembled.
"I'll go with you." Tyson cut in quickly, giving Ray a small nod that it was okay he could stay back with Max.
"You really don't have to!" Kai sweat, not letting up any on Ray's hand.
"I don't mind, really." Tyson pat him on the back, "Shouldn't do it alone."
Ray could only really nod back to what Tyson was saying while wishing Kai would let go just for the sake of saving his fingers.
Kai eyed him. Somehow, without the baseball cap, he seemed more dependable than usual.
"Okay..." He whispered out, prying his hand off Ray's and doing his best to brace himself.
Kai stopped breathing as the casket came in to view, feeling instantly nauseous. He spun himself in to Tyson, taking it away from his teary view.
"Shhhhit..." He cursed under his breath.
"We don't have to go all the way." Tyson rubbed his back as Kai fell into him, holding him close.
Kai death gripped him back for a moment as well, steadying himself. "Yes, I do." This was his last chance to look him in the face and apologize.
He pulled himself off, turning back to the room covered in huge flower wreaths and grief. Just a few people were there now. None of which he knew.
He forced his weak feet forward, hearing his heart slam in his hears as he suddenly found himself walking along the side of it. The feeling that ripped through him when the familiar brown hair and face came in to his vision, surrounded by flowers, wasn't one he even knew a word for. All he knew was it was agonizing.
He stood, eyes fixed uncontrollably. His mind ran over various random memories. The good and the most recent he wished he could forget. Was that even what his voice sounded like? He couldn't remember right now... But he remembered the shitty things he'd said. He remembered shoving him away like some nobody. Which was exactly why he was in this box now waiting to be burned come morning.
He was washed over with pure grief and guilt, finding his knees going weak and limp as he flopped a little in to Tyson for support. "I'm sorry, Wyatt! I'm sorry!"
Doing his best to hold Kai up, Tyson just stood there like an immovable wall with no words to really say and not much else to do for him either.
What Kai was apologizing for he had no clue, it wasn't his fault Wyatt was laying there in front of them like this. At the moment though he didn't think now was a good time to question it or stop him.
Kai took a few minutes to let the worst wash over him, trying his best to make himself peer in with his face flooded. There were hundreds of things he wanted to say to him. It was just he couldn't bring himself to. Not even goodbye. Not verbally at least. Sniffling hard, he picked himself off Tyson, dragging his feet around to leave.
Tyson let him go, watching after him with a heavy heart before he turned back to Wyatt's sleeping face. "Hey, I um... I just wanted to say I'm sorry that you got wrapped up in all that mess." He stopped, biting into his lip as his chest heaved with a heavy breath.
"But also, I wanted to thank you. You know, for being a friend to Kai and lookin out for him while he was gone from us. I'm glad he wasn't all alone, though I'm sure he would have liked it that way. But really, thank you." He bowed his head a little, giving one last look and swearing he'd make the people who did this to him pay before coming away and back to the others.
Kai shook and fought to breathe while tears streamed the whole way out. He threw open the heavy doors, making a B-line right for his comfort source. Max barely moved out of the way as Kai came practically running at him and Ray, the two of them switching off as he dive bombed for Tyson.
Arms out and waiting, Ray steadied himself as Kai's body slammed into his. Again, pulling him in as close as he could. Kai went off inconsolable as he tried to merge in to Ray. Taking a little while to calm. Long enough that Ray's shirt was soaked.
"Get me out of here..." He begged in a hoarse voice.
"Okay. I will." Ray soothed, throat getting tight again as he looked at the other two awaiting orders and noticed the poster with signatures scribbled all over it.
"Should do this first, before we go and then I promise we'll leave." He said, carefully unwrapping Kai from around him and taking him to the poster with his hand on his lower back to keep him walking instead of bolting for the doors.
Kai eyed it like it might bite him. Every signature on their hated him. But at the same time, the one it was for didn't. At least, back then. And he was sure if he offered Wyatt his signature while he was alive, the fanboy would have lost his mind.
"You should too..."
Ray blinked a little back at him, after getting cold feet and abandoning him earlier he was a little surprised Kai had even suggested that.
"You first." He gave a small smile, picking up the pen and passing it along.
Kai held it in his hand a minute. Did he just write his name or what? He pondered for a minute.
'Look forward to you proving me wrong when I see you next, my friend.'
The small smile Ray had on his face grew a little more as he read what Kai had written out, getting the pen passed to him he simply signed his name under what Kai had wrote on the poster. It felt a little weird, seeing as how he didn't know Wyatt very well, had been slightly jealous of him for a day and a half, but he did it anyways and passed the pen on to Tyson next.
Putting his arm back around Kai's lower back, letting the other two sign their names, he did as he promised and led Kai outside to wait.
The car ride home was painfully quiet. No one wanting to say or even breathe in a way that might set Kai off again. Currently he was silent, temple resting on the window. The cool of the glass easing the tension and ache from crying so much. Even though none of them had done anything strenuous all day, aside from getting dressed up to go, they were all exhausted and more than ready to act like slugs and just lay where they fell.
Every now and then Ray brushed the back of Kai's hand that was clasped in his, in a much more limp hold than when he had about crushed all his bones back at the funeral home.
As the car rolled through the familiar gates, he gave Kai's hand a gentle squeeze when the car was put into park and Max was climbing out before them. With no words between them still, unhooking his belt he let Kai's hand go and got himself out and waited for him outside the car door. Tyson and Max already ahead of them, their feet slightly dragging as they walked up the stone path to the front door.
Kai stayed sat for a moment. Like the others, wiped. Too tired to undo his seat belt. With a prompt from Grampa, he managed it, dragging his ghostly self in to the house, putting his shoes neatly away and floating his way up to his space.
Following behind him the entire way, Ray stopped at the stairs. He didn't want to crowd him, though didn't want to leave him alone either. He still felt bad that he had left him earlier, and seeing as how Tyson was already passed out on the couch it wasn't like he'd be able to go in his stead again.
Feet making up his mind for him, he followed shortly after. The door left cracked open and just let himself in before closing it behind him.
"Do you want anything?" He asked gently as he stood awaiting orders. If Kai wanted him out he'd listen this time, if Kai wanted him to lay with him he'd do that too in a heartbeat.
Kai rolled his head to face him, causing the budding tears to fall quietly and just stared at him. Ray shifted where he stood, not really able to read him but since he didn't tell him to leave he inched his way across the room to the bed. Eyes on Kai the entire time as if he was expecting Kai to pounce at any moment, carefully crawling on the bed and between Kai and wall with his back pressed up against it.
Kai followed him, rolling over and curling up beside him without a word. With one hand under his head, using his other one, Ray brushed Kai's bangs from his reddened face as he got closer. Letting his hand fall around his shoulders, his fingers in the back of his hair as a means of comfort. Not even sure it was doing anything for him or not, but felt like it was the right thing to do as they just laid there in the silence of the room.