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Ever since the first time he'd entered the Breaker Box, Kai had found himself strangely entranced by Eddie. He was extremely closed off and almost could be an asshole at times, but weirdly enough... it hadn't pushed Kai away. Some of the objects- no, to him, they had been people since he had first met Skylar- had been rude and abrasive enough to push him away, and then there were a ton that he just didn't click with and rarely spoke to. Some he was friends with and had been nearly immediately, like Teddy and Betty and Dorian.
When he'd started helping Eddie with maintenance around the bar, he'd found himself drawn in even more. Volt was a constant fixture around the place as well, and Kai got on well enough with him. Volt's charm was a bit overwhelming, and he'd been a blushing mess the first few times they'd met, politely turning down any advances from him. Eddie had been slow to open up to him, even after literally catching Kai in his arms.
Of course, that was the moment Kai realized that he wanted more than friendship with Eddie.
It was the way Eddie caught him effortlessly, how he'd been held so close and gently as Eddie moved to set him on a chair, the fact that he seemed so ridiculously concerned with Kai's well-being... It was all that together and put into a ridiculously attractive package with the most attractive voice he'd ever heard.
None of the others had caught his attention this way, and he honestly hadn't felt more than a strong friendship or a hint of attraction to any of them. Sure, some of them were stupidly attractive, but he hadn't really felt a need to try and get more. Now? Now he needed Eddie. He wanted to get closer, help him more, just... hang out with him. Be there for him. Eddie only ever seemed to really talk to Volt, and not having a support network was the worst thing. If anyone knew what loneliness could do to a person... it was Kai.
-----
Kai had decided to go to the bar again that night. Normally he just wore whatever was comfortable. Tonight, he tried to look slightly more presentable. The day had been spent trying and finally succeeding in dyeing his hair in a nice gradient- his natural black hair faded into a neon purple. He grabbed a black and white flanel, rolling up the sleeves and slipping on a couple bead bracelets in a blend of galaxy colors. Some slightly-ripped black jeans and his favorite purple hightops finished it off. Super simple, but still far more than normal.
It apparently had the desired effect, though, because Volt's reaction was different than normal. "Oh, hello there Live Wire. Looking stunning this evening. Here for the show?" It still held that flirty tone, as always, but it was accompanied by Volt's eyes roaming over his form unabashedly.
Kai bit his lip just barely and shook his head. "Not tonight. I'm uh... actually here to talk to Eddie." His eyes darted over to see the man in question at the bar, busy as usual and not noticing Kai's entrance.
Volt quirked an eyebrow at Kai, as if reading his thoughts. "I see. Well, do enjoy yourself! It's always a pleasure to see you around."
With a nod, Kai headed over to the bar. Eddie hadn't seen him until he sat down, the tiniest hint of a smile gracing his handsome features. "Hello, Spark. Not going to go enjoy the show tonight?" He started to wipe down the bar in front of Kai, tilting his head just slightly in question.
"Hey, Eddie. Can I get the usual?" Instead of getting an immediate nod, Kai watched Eddie read out and playfully flip a bit of the purpled ends of his hair.
"Purple looks good on you." As Kai blushed just slightly, Eddie turned away to make the drink Kai had come to love most- a Blue Hawaii. It had gotten him some teasing at first, stuff about it being a bit girly for a man and whatnot, but Eddie had shut that down quick. Kai was forever thankful for that. Every now and then he would have a simple beer or indulge in a bit of whiskey, but his favorite was the blue drink Eddie slid to him.
Kai took the drink with a soft smile. "Thanks... How have you been?" It was light enough to not be a real question of how he had been doing, but rather some pleasant small talk. Still, Eddie surely knew by now that Kai truly cared and wanted to know the actual answer. He was just like that. Even to the people he hadn't gotten on well with, Kai was constantly concerned for their status. He'd started to put his time and effort into keeping things neat around the house and doing regular maintenance on everyone he could. He made sure to clean the lint trap every time he used Drysdale, kept on top of the food in Freddy so it wouldn't spoil, and oiled Dorian's hinges when they started to squeak. It didn't mean he took any better care of himself, of course, but so long as the others were okay...
"Busy as usual, nothing new." Eddie had to step away when another few patrons stepped up to the bar, leaving Kai to enjoy his drink and simply watch Eddie for a few moments. He looked so at home as he prepared drinks, moving about with ease and making the drinks from muscle memory.
Kai had never been so attracted to anyone in his life.
-----
Over a month had gone by. Kai kept up his daily schedule, meeting with different people every day. He helped out with problems and grew closer to everyone as time went on. He made sure to save a charge at least 2 nights a week to go and visit Eddie, if not more. There wasn't any deep conversation or revelations, just pleasant chitchat and decent drinks. It did seem that they were growing closer, slowly but steadily, and it was more than Kai had ever thought possible. Even if it didn't turn into anything more, he knew he had a good friend in Eddie, someone he could confide in.
This evening Kai had gone to the bar again for an evening of relaxation. Volt welcomed him and then he went to the bar as usual, waiting for Eddie to show. This time, though, was different. Eddie wasn't behind the bar as he had been every prior night, but Kai didn't think much of it. At least, not until he noticed the lights flickering. Sure, there had been issues with it before, but Eddie and Volt had always assured him it was nothing to fear. It was just power surges, they had said. Surely this was just another.
It seemed to be that way, until he saw Volt stagger and stammer on the stage. His eyes widened in surprise, upper body turning towards him. Before he was able to react further, it happened again. This time, though, was stronger. Volt fell to his knees with a cry, and Kai snapped his head to the backroom door when he heard a simultaneous cry. Eddie... what was going on?? In the next instant, the lights all exploded as Volt shrieked in pure agony. Everyone stampeded for the door, but Kai was instantly on his feet. He couldn't see the glow of Volt's hair any longer, but he could hear the pained noises from the backroom.
It was hard to see with the lights out, but Kai made his way through the door in moments. There was dim lighting back there, somehow, and the sight had him sprinting forward and falling to his knees. Volt and Eddie were there, both in sad shape. Volt was leaning against a cabinet, taking slow and shaky breaths, eyes on Eddie. Eddie was a few feet away, curled in on himself just slightly, shaking and gasping where he leaned against the power grid. It was a miracle he was still on his feet, honestly. It was like he was being shocked repeatedly, almost, tremors running through his body as his muscles tensed again and again. Still, Kai didn't hesitate to reach out to him. He could feel stinging on his palms, but couldn't have cared less in the moment. "Eddie, talk to me, what the hell is happening??"
"He's pushing himself too hard. He has to stop, it's too much." Volt's voice was rough as he spoke, hair and eyes flickering dangerously. "If he doesn't just let me go out-"
Eddie looked ready to move towards Volt, but Kai kept him where he was and steadied him. "Eddie... Talk to me. Let me help you. Please." He could feel a burn starting on his palms, slowly building with every second he held Eddie, but he refused to pull away. Not now, not when something was happening.
Kai didn't see the nod from Volt, but it was enough to draw out a sigh from Eddie. "Fine. I'll explain." The two moved to sit on the ground at Kai's insistence, his hands shifting to Eddie's knee and shoulder. Kai could barely focus on the explanation, too concerned with the pained tone in Eddie's voice as he spoke. He still got the gist of it, though. Somehow, Eddie had created Volt. It was as if part of his soul had become another person, someone to be there and help him through a dark time in his life. They had become brothers, a relationship that some would call platonic soulmates- literally.
"If he doesn't reset, he'll go out and that will take me too. If he does reset, he will be fine and there's only a chance I'll go out." Volt looked halfway to passing out at that point, eyes fixed on Kai and Eddie.
"NO, I'm not doing that! I can't risk it, Volt. I can fix this, I have to, I-" Eddie was cut off as a larger wave of pain overtook him. The shocks that came with seared Kai's palms enough to have him cringe, but the two were in their own pain enough to not even notice. Still, Kai refused to move.
"Eddie..." His voice was a pained whisper at that point, tears forming in his eyes. "Please, you have to reset. I can't- I can't lose you." It took a moment for Eddie to meet Kai's gaze, shaking his head.
"Eddison, damn you, you have to reset! Tell Kai how to fix the faulty wire and reset before you blow!" Volt had never been this emotional before, eyes flaring with anger- no, desperation.
"I..." The two men looking at him, one with a threat and one with a plea, nearly broke Eddie. "Alright. I'll... I'll walk you through it. Think you're up for it?"
Kai nodded again, pulling back and moving to grab the tools. He'd learned a lot from working in the bar with Eddie, and was able to follow his instructions clearly. Before the final step, Kai glanced back at the two. Volt gave him a reassuring nod, and Eddie was sitting there with his eyes closed. With a return nod, Kai reset the power.
Darkness surrounded him then, and he felt panic start to overtake him. There was a silence so deafening that his ears were ringing, and he pressed his back to the wall. Minutes went by, stretching on endlessly without a change. The adrenaline was starting to fade from Kai, but before he could fall into a full on panic attack, the lights snapped back on. He was alone in the backroom, no sign of either man. Panic gripped him as he launched himself at the door, throwing it open and proceeding to barrel headfirst into something. That something grunted, gently pushing Kai back just enough for him to look up.
Silver eyes met his own, and he felt the fear wash away. Eddie was there, looking better than ever. He had a spark in his eye and a soft smile on his face, and oh, thank fuck, Volt was there too, standing with a large smile behind Eddie's shoulder. Kai threw his arms around Eddie's waist and buried his face into his chest, sobbing so suddenly that both men were startled out of their train of thought. It took a second for Eddie to react, eventually wrapping his arms around Kai gently but firmly. "Hey, Sparks, what's wrong? Talk to me."
Kai shifted a bit in his grip, moving to nuzzle into his neck. "I-I thought... I was alone in there, a-and... I-I thought I'd messed up, a-and lost you, I-"
Eddie moved a hand to Kai's hair, carding through it gently. Volt let out a soft sigh. As much as he had hoped for a chance , he knew that Kai was Eddie's. Still, he walked over behind the human and pressed a gentle kiss to his hair. "You could never lose us, Live Wire." He motioned for Eddie to guide Kai up to his room to help calm him down, letting the two have their moment.
Once in Eddie's room, he guided them both to sit on the bed. He leaned back against the headboard, Kai not hesitating to press in along his side and hide his face away again. Feeling the thrum of electricity under Eddie's skin and smelling the natural ozone scent was helping calm him down, and he didn't fight it when Eddie guided him gently to look up at him.
"Can you take a deep breath for me, Kai?" He did one as an example, taking another as Kai tried his best to take one of his own. Eventually Kai was calmer, and he pressed into the hand on his cheek. "There we go. Better now?"
He'd never been good with emotions, honestly, but he couldn't not help Kai. In the time he'd been in the house, he had both seen firsthand and heard through gossip and chatter about Kai. No one but Memoria, who was extremely tight-lipped about it all, truly knew Kai's past, but most everyone knew about Kai's depression. Some days it was hard for him to even get out of bed. He would spend hours just lying there and staring off into space, conscious but barely aware. Other days he would suddenly just break down, crying out of nowhere for anywhere from five minutes to half an hour. Even if Eddie hadn't exactly been wanting anything from Kai at first, he eventually started to care more about him. His friend was hurting, so he'd asked around- what helped Kai when he was upset? The answers- mostly from Betty, Teddy, and Dorian- were gentle words and physical affection. Eddie was absolute shit at talking through things and had never been one for physicality at all, but that was before Kai. Before he knew what a good soul Kai was, before he had started to feel things himself.
Eventually Kai looked up at Eddie, reaching up to gently press his hand over the one on his cheek. It was only then that Eddie saw Kai's hand, eyes widening almost comically. Gently, he pulled Kai's hand forward and examined it. The entire palm side, from his wrist to his fingertips, was a horrible electrical burn. Small, jagged lines trailed up his forearms and over the backs of his hands as well, covering and intermingling with the scars already there. The ones on the inside of Kai's wrist were extremely concerning, but something he would deal with later. Checking the other hand had Eddie letting out a pained noise. "What... why didn't you say anything sooner??"
He gently guided Kai to sit up, rushing to grab his medical kit. It was small, but he knew what needed to be done. It didn't seem like it was bad enough to require a hospital, but it needed attention. With his first aid kit in tow, Eddie knelt on the ground between Kai's legs. Kai tried to pull away. "You don't need to waste medical supplies on me, I'm fine. It barely even hurts..."
"Bullshit. Kai, you're shaking, you're in shock. Your skin is peeling off your entire palm, and I need to do something for this now. I will have Phoenicia call 911 if you don't let me treat this. It's serious." He softened slightly, taking a breath. "Please, Kai." That was enough to break him, and he extended his hands to let Eddie work on them. It was true that he hadn't truly felt that much pain until now, but that changed as soon as Eddie started working. It was horrible to listen to Kai cry out in pain, but he had to do it. Only once his hands were properly cared for and bandaged up did Eddie let go, pushing the medkit aside to kneel up and hug Kai against him. The poor guy was crying again, and shaking like a leaf in Eddie's hold. "You need to rest, Sparks. Let me walk you back to your room, yeah? Let Betty take care of you for the night."
Kai's heart rate spiked at the mention of that, his grip around Eddie tightening. "N-No, please, I want to stay here, I-"
"Hey, now. It's okay. I don't know if that's a good idea, but how about I stay with you, hm? At least until you fall asleep. You'll need to charge your dateviators while you sleep, after all." Yes, Kai needed the glasses to interact with most of the objects in the house and to enter the Breaker Box club, but sometimes they weren't necessary. For those he was close with, it seemed their relationship alone was enough to let them appear at will. It wasn't something they could do all day long, but Dorian had been with Kai for a few hours one day, and Betty had done the same. Though Eddie had never left the club to be with Kai, maybe it was the same thing?
With a bit more convincing, Eddie managed to get Kai to walk with him back to his room. He helped him strip to his underwear, fighting down a blush at seeing so much of Kai bared to him. It helped reign in his desire when he saw just how many scars covered him, and he couldn't help but reach out and brush his fingers over a large, jagged line going down his back. It made Kai shiver under his touch, but he said nothing as he climbed into bed. Eddie removed only his vest and boots before joining, laughing softly as Kai instantly pressed up against him again. "Sleep now. I'll see you tomorrow, I promise." It wasn't even 30 seconds later that Kai was out and Eddie was slipping the dateviators from his face. To his surprise, he was indeed still there. If he wasn't, he wouldn't have been able to properly touch Kai like he was. That revelation put a smile on his face as he pressed in closer, his tiredness sneaking up on him and dragging him under moments later.
-----
Kai was in a deep sleep through the night, as was Eddie. They'd both gone through hell with the reset, after all. Still, it wasn't enough to keep Nightmare away. Kai had shifted a bit as he slept and let out soft whimpers, but they weren't enough to wake Eddie. They were enough for Betty to press in behind him gently and stroke his back until he calmed a few times, but eventually he calmed and she retreated. Of course, that only lasted so long.
The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon when Kai suddenly jolted awake. He sat up suddenly with a cry, tears streaming down his cheeks. It was enough to rouse Eddie as well, his eyes fluttering open slowly. He was confused for all of two seconds before he was sitting up as well, tugging Kai against his chest. It had Kai pushing away from the grip around him, at least until he came to his senses and realized who was holding him. The steel blue shirt, the smell of ozone, the voice... He didn't hesitate then to press in against Eddie then, sobbing violently. Eddie just wrapped his arms around the other, one hand moving to slowly stroke through his hair. "Hey, it's okay. You're safe, Kai. It was just a nightmare."
Kai shifted after a moment, moving so he was sitting sideways in Eddie's lap. It let him press into his neck, feeling the gentle hum of electricity buzzing through Eddie's veins. It was comforting, and eventually he was able to speak. "It was... th-the reset. It didn't work, a-and... y-you overloaded. I got to you, and... a-and you exploded, and-"
Eddie let out a soft noise, not unlike a whimper. "It wasn't real. Sweetheart, I'm right here. You saved Volt, and me. Remember? You helped us reset, and I feel brand new. And look, I'm here with you now even without the glasses." Kai tensed in his arms before pulling back almost abruptly. His hands moved to Eddie's cheeks, thumbs brushing over the stubble there. He looked like he was in a trance almost, unable to look away from Eddie. The way his eyebrows were raised in sudden confusion, the slight glimmer of electricity in his silver eyes, the way his mouth was open just slightly with shock.
Kai was tired of waiting. He'd almost lost Eddie and he was tired of waiting. He used the hands on Eddie's cheeks to pull him closer, pressing forward to kiss him. It was simple and brief, both because it was his first time and because he felt Eddie tense, and he pulled back after a couple seconds. His hands shakily slid down to Eddie's shoulders, afraid he'd just ruined everything. Before he could move, he felt Eddie's hands moving to his own cheeks. His fingertips were calloused but overly gentle as they skimmed over his skin, gently guiding him to look up. Eddie's eyes were intense as their gazes met, and then he was pressing in to return the kiss.
It was soft and slow, just slightly more than a press of lips, but enough to have Kai utterly melting against him. He couldn't believe it, honestly, and didn't want it to end. Eventually, though, they parted. Eddie let their foreheads rest together, one hand on Kai's shoulder and one on his cheek. Kai's voice was a shaky whisper, but he smiled softly as he spoke. "Eddie... I love you."
Kai felt a small ripple of electricity run over his skin where Eddie touched him, watching as the other man smiled, truly smiled, for the first time since they'd met. "Never thought anyone would get under my skin like you did. I'm glad you kept coming back around, and that I didn't scare you off. I love you too."
-----
In the days following the confessions, Kai and Eddie were together as much as possible. Kai would speak to a few people in the mornings, spend time after dinner at the Breaker Box, and then Eddie would spend the night with him. After a few days of this, Skylar popped up to explain a feature called Realization to Kai. He was beyond ecstatic at the idea of being able to give his friends a chance to lead a life as a human. It was almost immediate that he went to Eddie and spoke to him about it.
"Eddie- Eddie, where are you?" A voice called out from the backroom and Kai trotted over, slipping inside to see Eddie trying to find something. "Eddie, I just learned about something called Realization. I can make you into a human. You and Volt, and everyone else!" He moved closer and Eddie turned, tugging him close. "I'm friends with a lot of people already, and I can get a few people going today. I... I can't get you and Volt just yet, but I promise as soon as I can I will!"
Eddie chuckled softly and leaned down to kiss Kai with a smile. "There's no rush, sweetheart. I'm here until you can, and I'm going to stay around after. ...If you'll have me?" He looked suddenly unsure, as if he didn't know that Kai would want him there.
Kai was nearly pouting, eyebrows furrowed as he grabbed Eddie's cheeks. His grip wasn't harsh, but he pressed on the man's cheeks until his lips opened like a fish. Eddie's eyebrows shot up in confusion and he tried to speak, but it was just mumbles. "Why the hell would I not want you here?" Eddie tried to speak again, but Kai kept his face squished and cut him off. "Eddie, I love you. I love you more than anyone and anything. The idea of you leaving is unbearable. Fuck, I would never leave the house again if it meant never getting to see you again."
Eddie's cheeks were flushed red as Kai finally let go of him. He looked down after a moment, ashamed at his question. "I just... I've never been so wanted before. I wasn't sure if you'd want me around if you couldn't just take off the glasses to avoid me, you know?" He ran a hand through his hair nervously before looking at Kai again. "I want to stay here, with you, for as long as you'll have me. Shit, being able to be with you whenever and wherever we want?"
Kai pressed in closer, running his hands up over Eddie's chest. "Then you'll be welcome here. We'll sleep together, and wake up together and get breakfast, have lazy mornings..." The idea of someone actually wanting him and not wanting to leave was almost overwhelming.
"Sounds perfect, Sparks. Until you can get us Realized, I'll be here."
-----
Kai worked hard after that to max out his SPECS points. Oddly enough, the first person he Realized was Phoenicia. It was sad to see her go, but being able to see her in the flesh, excited to go find a life for herself? It was so worth it. It only built after that, Kai helping more and more of them as time went on. Only a week or so passed before he could finally Realize Eddie and Volt, and he was giddy as he went to the Breaker Box for the last time.
When they were both there, in the flesh before him, Kai felt his eyes watering. Even if he'd mainly been around Eddie out of the two, Volt had been nothing but an amazing friend to him. He couldn't help throwing his arms around both their necks at the same time with a laugh, both of them hugging him back.
It was hard on both Eddie and Kai to watch Volt leave, but they all knew they'd stay in touch. A lot of the others had just gone off on their own, but a few others also had stayed in touch- Betty, Mac, Dorian, Teddy, and a few others that he'd grown super close to. Through the whole process, though, Eddie was there. He seamlessly integrated into Kai's life, both of them loving it. Eddie could ruffle Kai's hair as he walked through the living room to grab a snack, Kai could sneak up on Eddie as he grabbed clothes for the day and hug him with a grin.
Once Skylar was Realized and gone, Kai finally decided it was time. With Eddie's hand in his, they stepped out of the house and into the sunshine, together.