Warning: contains subtle shounen ai.
APTITUDE FOR ODDITY
From that day onward, Zeo began to act stranger than usual. Kai returned reluctantly to bed rest upon the boy's insistence, and every slightest move he made, Zeo watched intently. The boy did not leave his bedside, not event to go his own room to sleep. He only departed from his side when he was given an errand or when nature called. Kai, who was used to being alone, was not happy with the new arrangements.
"I need a little space. So, go away for a little while."
"Okay. If you need me, just holler." Zeo inched out of the room slowly. With each step, Kai longed for him to leave even more. The moment he was out of sight, Kai sighed, thankful. Not a moment had gone by where Zeo was not at least two feet from him. He craved solitude and was extremely happy that he had it once more.
He needs therapy, thought Kai to himself. Badly. He's even weirder than before, all because I held him once. I wasn't even really holding him. Just propping him up to see what was wrong. Maybe since he's been alone for so long, he's gone more than over the edge. That's understandable, but if he dares calls me anything but Kai, I will strangle him. I have no toleration for pet names.
Rising from the bed, Kai went over the dresser and peered into the mirror at his reflection. He appeared relatively the same: bangs of softest blue fading into tresses of twilight, eyes of mahogany that burned with an inner fire, a tight-lipped scowl, fins of blue tattooed on his cheeks. His clothes were a little dirty and his shirt had been lost in his encounter with the Creeping evil, but at least he had bandages as a makeshift replacement. Who knew how Zeo would react if he was bare-chested all the time. Kai still had his beloved white scarf that was the cherry to his sundae of imposing attire, however it wasn't around his neck. He scrambled around the room scouring for it. Everywhere he looked. It could not be found.
Then he heard a giggle coming from outside the room and saw a shadow against the wall. He stormed over to the door. "Where is it?"
Zeo giggled more. "You're going to have to find it."
Kai scanned the boy with his eyes and saw a bit of white fabric spilling out of his pocket. He made a grab for it, but Zeo jumped out of his reach and waved it teasingly in the air.
"Come and get it," the boy sang.
"I have no time for foolishness. Just give me what is rightful mine."
"Where's the fun in that?"
Kai snarled. "I assure you it's a whole lot more fun that pushing my buttons."
"I like pushing your buttons!"
"Too bad. You keep doing it and I'm likely to leave again."
Zeo's countenance dropped and he quickly held out Kai's scarf. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Please, don't leave. I was only having a little fun. I'm sorry. Don't go. Please."
Kai snatched it back. Looking into Zeo's pleading eyes, he muttered, "Such a freak." He returned to the bedroom, hearing Zeo's footsteps behind him. Without turning, he said, "I asked you to leave me alone for a little while."
"I am leaving you alone." Zeo marched down the stairs. "Would you like me to bring you up something to eat after a bit?"
"No."
"But you haven't eaten anything and it's been already a week. I had to force liquids down your throat just so you wouldn't die of dehydration. You don't want your physique to melt away into nothing but skin and bones, do you? I'll bring you something anyway, whether you like it or not, and force you to eat it. I told you before, 'it's not going to kill you.' I've been eating it for years and I'm fine."
"'Fine?' You're a far cry from that." He sat on the bed and listened the boy's steps upon the stairs, waiting until they were gone before he climbed back out of bed and removed his bandages. Deep lacerations crawled along his skin, from his lower back up to his shoulder blades. An impassive face viewed his healing injuries. They would heal soon enough, and not even a trace would be found in a few months or so.
Suddenly thinking about the future made his mind fall to back to the Blade Breakers back home. He wondered how they were coping without him. I bet they've already gotten a replacement for me. They probably don't even know that I'm gone. Oh well. A pang of homesickness struck at his heart, beating against the cold stone surrounding it. He brushed the feeling away and waited for Zeo to come back up. At least things weren't so lonely with him.
As if on cue, the boy came through the door with piping hot soup. Careful not to spill any, he placed the two bowls on Kai's nightstand. "Smells good, doesn't it?" Zeo fanned the scent in Kai's direction with a potholder. "I haven't had soup in a long time, and to my surprise, it showed up!"
Zeo placed a bed tray on Kai's lap and put the soup on top of it. The broth was creamy; its milky substance hid whatever lied within. When Kai did not attempt to eat it, the boy inquired, "Do I have to feed you like a baby or are you going to eat yourself like a big boy?"
Snatching a spoon from Zeo's grasp, Kai took a sip. Though thick in consistency and unsavory, it was better than what Zeo had been eating for the past week. "What do you mean it just 'showed up'? You didn't make it?"
"You forget so easily. I told you already. Food appears out of nowhere on my doorstep whenever I run out or get hungry. We were running low so I went out and discovered a pot of soup. Mm, it's really good too. So nice and warm!" The boy happily slurped his soup while Kai pondered over what he had just said.
As soon as Zeo was finished, he spent the rest of the time watching Kai eat. With fascination, he watched the bluenette bring his spoon to his lips, as if he had never seen someone eat before. Kai tolerated this for a little while, then finally pushed his bowl aside.
"Are you done?"
Kai nodded and the tray was taken away.
Zeo smiled, leaving the room for a moment. Kai wondered where he was going, but his questions were answered when the boy came back holding two pieces of Devil's Food cake. "Whoever feeds us must be in a really good mood. I also found this. Doesn't it look scrumptious!" The boy hacked off a slice and brought it to Kai's mouth. "Taste it."
He refused.
Zeo's eyes became soft and dark. He began to look more delicate, more feminine. "Please?" He asked in a gentle voice.
Kai shifted position, suddenly uncomfortable. Something was happening to the boy, but what, he did not know. What he did know was that he didn't like it once bit. He took the cake from Zeo and tossed it, yet the boy's face remained the same, still entreating.
Zeo sat on the bed and untwined his long hair from its braid, running his fingers through it. Now Kai was very ill at ease. He couldn't tell what Zeo was. There was no distinction whether he was boy or girl.
The boy leaned forward and Kai asked, "What are you doing?"
Zeo blinked rapidly, seemingly coming out from a trance. "Huh?" He looked at his loose hair spilling around him and at the pieces of cake questioningly. Everything seemed to come back to him and blushing, he braided his hair back. He gathered up the dessert and hurriedly left the room.
Bewildered, Kai sat in his bed, staring after the boy. Zeo had an aptitude for oddity.
APTITUDE FOR ODDITY
From that day onward, Zeo began to act stranger than usual. Kai returned reluctantly to bed rest upon the boy's insistence, and every slightest move he made, Zeo watched intently. The boy did not leave his bedside, not event to go his own room to sleep. He only departed from his side when he was given an errand or when nature called. Kai, who was used to being alone, was not happy with the new arrangements.
"I need a little space. So, go away for a little while."
"Okay. If you need me, just holler." Zeo inched out of the room slowly. With each step, Kai longed for him to leave even more. The moment he was out of sight, Kai sighed, thankful. Not a moment had gone by where Zeo was not at least two feet from him. He craved solitude and was extremely happy that he had it once more.
He needs therapy, thought Kai to himself. Badly. He's even weirder than before, all because I held him once. I wasn't even really holding him. Just propping him up to see what was wrong. Maybe since he's been alone for so long, he's gone more than over the edge. That's understandable, but if he dares calls me anything but Kai, I will strangle him. I have no toleration for pet names.
Rising from the bed, Kai went over the dresser and peered into the mirror at his reflection. He appeared relatively the same: bangs of softest blue fading into tresses of twilight, eyes of mahogany that burned with an inner fire, a tight-lipped scowl, fins of blue tattooed on his cheeks. His clothes were a little dirty and his shirt had been lost in his encounter with the Creeping evil, but at least he had bandages as a makeshift replacement. Who knew how Zeo would react if he was bare-chested all the time. Kai still had his beloved white scarf that was the cherry to his sundae of imposing attire, however it wasn't around his neck. He scrambled around the room scouring for it. Everywhere he looked. It could not be found.
Then he heard a giggle coming from outside the room and saw a shadow against the wall. He stormed over to the door. "Where is it?"
Zeo giggled more. "You're going to have to find it."
Kai scanned the boy with his eyes and saw a bit of white fabric spilling out of his pocket. He made a grab for it, but Zeo jumped out of his reach and waved it teasingly in the air.
"Come and get it," the boy sang.
"I have no time for foolishness. Just give me what is rightful mine."
"Where's the fun in that?"
Kai snarled. "I assure you it's a whole lot more fun that pushing my buttons."
"I like pushing your buttons!"
"Too bad. You keep doing it and I'm likely to leave again."
Zeo's countenance dropped and he quickly held out Kai's scarf. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Please, don't leave. I was only having a little fun. I'm sorry. Don't go. Please."
Kai snatched it back. Looking into Zeo's pleading eyes, he muttered, "Such a freak." He returned to the bedroom, hearing Zeo's footsteps behind him. Without turning, he said, "I asked you to leave me alone for a little while."
"I am leaving you alone." Zeo marched down the stairs. "Would you like me to bring you up something to eat after a bit?"
"No."
"But you haven't eaten anything and it's been already a week. I had to force liquids down your throat just so you wouldn't die of dehydration. You don't want your physique to melt away into nothing but skin and bones, do you? I'll bring you something anyway, whether you like it or not, and force you to eat it. I told you before, 'it's not going to kill you.' I've been eating it for years and I'm fine."
"'Fine?' You're a far cry from that." He sat on the bed and listened the boy's steps upon the stairs, waiting until they were gone before he climbed back out of bed and removed his bandages. Deep lacerations crawled along his skin, from his lower back up to his shoulder blades. An impassive face viewed his healing injuries. They would heal soon enough, and not even a trace would be found in a few months or so.
Suddenly thinking about the future made his mind fall to back to the Blade Breakers back home. He wondered how they were coping without him. I bet they've already gotten a replacement for me. They probably don't even know that I'm gone. Oh well. A pang of homesickness struck at his heart, beating against the cold stone surrounding it. He brushed the feeling away and waited for Zeo to come back up. At least things weren't so lonely with him.
As if on cue, the boy came through the door with piping hot soup. Careful not to spill any, he placed the two bowls on Kai's nightstand. "Smells good, doesn't it?" Zeo fanned the scent in Kai's direction with a potholder. "I haven't had soup in a long time, and to my surprise, it showed up!"
Zeo placed a bed tray on Kai's lap and put the soup on top of it. The broth was creamy; its milky substance hid whatever lied within. When Kai did not attempt to eat it, the boy inquired, "Do I have to feed you like a baby or are you going to eat yourself like a big boy?"
Snatching a spoon from Zeo's grasp, Kai took a sip. Though thick in consistency and unsavory, it was better than what Zeo had been eating for the past week. "What do you mean it just 'showed up'? You didn't make it?"
"You forget so easily. I told you already. Food appears out of nowhere on my doorstep whenever I run out or get hungry. We were running low so I went out and discovered a pot of soup. Mm, it's really good too. So nice and warm!" The boy happily slurped his soup while Kai pondered over what he had just said.
As soon as Zeo was finished, he spent the rest of the time watching Kai eat. With fascination, he watched the bluenette bring his spoon to his lips, as if he had never seen someone eat before. Kai tolerated this for a little while, then finally pushed his bowl aside.
"Are you done?"
Kai nodded and the tray was taken away.
Zeo smiled, leaving the room for a moment. Kai wondered where he was going, but his questions were answered when the boy came back holding two pieces of Devil's Food cake. "Whoever feeds us must be in a really good mood. I also found this. Doesn't it look scrumptious!" The boy hacked off a slice and brought it to Kai's mouth. "Taste it."
He refused.
Zeo's eyes became soft and dark. He began to look more delicate, more feminine. "Please?" He asked in a gentle voice.
Kai shifted position, suddenly uncomfortable. Something was happening to the boy, but what, he did not know. What he did know was that he didn't like it once bit. He took the cake from Zeo and tossed it, yet the boy's face remained the same, still entreating.
Zeo sat on the bed and untwined his long hair from its braid, running his fingers through it. Now Kai was very ill at ease. He couldn't tell what Zeo was. There was no distinction whether he was boy or girl.
The boy leaned forward and Kai asked, "What are you doing?"
Zeo blinked rapidly, seemingly coming out from a trance. "Huh?" He looked at his loose hair spilling around him and at the pieces of cake questioningly. Everything seemed to come back to him and blushing, he braided his hair back. He gathered up the dessert and hurriedly left the room.
Bewildered, Kai sat in his bed, staring after the boy. Zeo had an aptitude for oddity.