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Kai had conflicted feelings about exploring ancient ruins, long forgotten by people and time itself.
On one hand, the idea of unearthing that which had been lost or abandoned, bringing forth to light which was assumed to never be seen again, was exhilarating. Being the first to step foot with eroded temple walls in hundreds of years was a thrill that couldn't be beat. And the recognition that followed was always appreciated.
On the other, visions of Aspheera still plagued the back of Kai’s mind, coiling their way around his doubts and fears. Despite reclaiming his power in the Never-Realm, a feat he wore with pride, it always felt like a piece of him was still missing, like the fire within him could never burn as bright as it did before.
Everyone else always tells him that it’s all in his head, which it might as well be, but Kai could never shake that feeling. And that fear manifested in his sudden hatred of tombs, temples, catacombs, and other various ancient or bygone structures.
But was Kai really going to let his fear outweigh the sparkle in Zane and Nya's eyes as they described a barely documented temple hidden away in the mountains surrounding Shintaro? Well he almost did, but he was also outvoted in the overall decision, so his fear didn't exactly have much a say.
Terrified and suffering at the hands of a democratic vote, Kai could only feel the dread grow within him as Nya steered the Bounty towards the general location of where this ‘mystical’ piece of history lay, untouched by man for millennia. The fly there was filled with discussion of the place; inquiries about its origins, wonders about what might lie in store, theories about if it was connected to the Sky Folk, and a few questions that were thrown Wu's way. All of which he deflected or dodged artfully, as usual when it came to ancient civilizations that he may or may not have known about.
After what felt like hours of searching, the group were finally able to pinpoint what seemed to be an entrance peaking out from what was literally a mountain of snow. Making sure the Bounty was properly docked and everyone had their appropriate gear; weapons, snacks, climbing gear, and extra cold protection for everyone who wasn't Kai or Zane, they descended down to what they presumed was the entrance to this temple.
With the help of Zane carefully moving the snow around so as to not cause an avalanche, the wide stone frame of a building built into the mountain was revealed.
Nya stood at the entrance, book in gloved hand. “Though not much is known about this place, many agree that the inhabitants were very passive, so there are likely not any traps or other malicious very bad implements. So I think we could split into groups to cover more ground!”
“That sounds exactly like what a group of people with malicious very bad intentions would lie about.” Cole said with a laugh from underneath his scarf, seeming not so bothered by the intense cold.
“Ugh, malicious or not, it's FREEZING!” Jay's teeth are already chattering, his arms pulled into his jacket in an attempt to warm himself. “I call dibs on Kai in my group!”
Kai scoffed and crossed his arms, glaring at the lightning master, “Hey, as much as I love being potentially fought over, I will NOT be ‘dibbed’ on! I will not use my powers to be your personal heater!” Bullshit. Kai loved being used as a personal heater, especially during the colder seasons at the monastery. Cuddling up with all the others in big blanket forts and watching movies was one of his favorite Winter activities.
But Kai was also worried about going in there in general, and was currently deciding on who would be the least likely to poke fun at him throughout. Jay and Cole were currently at the bottom of that list, Nya a close third. Lloyd was getting much more comfortable with joining in on the bullying, especially against his older brother, and Wu was too, which was surprising. This left-
“I’m going with Zane!” Kai stepped over to the white ninja and pulled him close, surprising the other slightly. Zane would still poke fun at him. Yes, it was all in their nature at this point, but at least he would do it silently. “Opposite duo time! You all can freeze alone in there.”
Zane simply shrugged in response, already knowing there was no use in arguing. Jay on the other hand, let out a loud groan, whining about being freezing.
The rest of the group split off; Jay and Nya, and Cole, Lloyd, and Wu. Nya offered Lloyd to join them, but the green ninja muttered something about third wheeling and rushed off to join his uncle and Cole as they disappeared into the temple.
Now alone, Zane and Kai quickly follow after the group, only fully splitting off after figuring out which corridor the others hadn't gone down.
Much of the interior had the same carved out feel as the entrance, much of the building the same cool gray rock. The halls were small and a bit claustrophobic, which was expected in a place carved out of the side of a mountain.
The entire time the two walked in relative silence, Zane only chiming in with comments on the architecture, Kai could feel his nerves growing. Nya's comment about the lack of traps did help, but who knows what had been lost to time. What if the ancient word for passiveness actually meant incredibly protective of their buildings, and would kill any trespassers on sight? WIth their incredibly dangerous, power stealing spikes?? What if the ground gave way below their very-
Kai felt something fall against his shoulder and he startled with a yelp. Instinct kicked in, causing him to jump back and glare at the ceiling, hand engulfed in flame and ready to blast whatever trap or monster was about to descend upon their heads.
“Ah yes, the classic crack in the ceiling trap. Quite deadly.” Zane's voice rang out with a hint of amusement from beside Kai.
“What do you-” Looking further up, Kai noticed…not a lot actually. Just an empty cave ceiling, with a small crack webbing across it. Just like Zane described. A rock must've gotten loose due to the movement of feet in the hallway for the first time in years. “Oh. Oh First Master Above.”
“Thank you for protecting us Kai, I do not think we would have survived.” Zane's voice is all but dripping with laughter as Kai extinguishes his hand, feeling his face flush. So much for Zane being silent with his jabs.
The master of fire responds with a slight scoff and continues walking forward, his eyes flicking between the ceiling and the ground, even more on edge than before. Though Zane is behind him, Kai pulls his scarf up a little bit, feeling his face burn with embarrassment.
As Nya had guessed, it didn’t seem like there were any traps lining the hall. Who would have guessed, his sister was right. His brain is still buzzing about what could be hiding in the shadows, though Kai does his best to ignore those. Kai wants to say something, to play it off as a joke, but his body is too high on alert to come up with anything remotely funny. He’d probably end up sounding even more paranoid than he already looks. So he opted for silence. Nice, awkward silence.
“I would like to apologize for my remark earlier Kai,” Zane spoke up after an uncomfortably long moment, the only sounding being their footsteps and the occasional huff from Kai. “I…knowing our past with situations like these, it is understandable that you would be paranoid.”
Kai opens his mouth, expecting some sort of funny quip or retort to just flow out like it usually would. He hates feeling so paranoid, but he hates the others worrying even more. But nothing comes out, just a puff of steam from his breath. He quickly shut his mouth, narrowly avoiding his own tongue, “It’s fine Zane. I…” He pauses, feeling just a bit overwhelmed right now. “I don't know why I'm so worried is all.”
Zane is quiet, and Kai prays that they leave it at that and move on. He doesn't want to be scared, to jump at every shift from just beyond his vision, to make his friends worry. But he also knows he shouldn't be hiding it from them. Of them all, Zane would be the best at helping him work this out, Kai just can't find the courage to start that conversation.
“You never really talked about what happened with Aspheera. I know you aren't one for talking about your feelings but, we’re here for you Kai.” Zane's words weigh heavily in Kai's chest.
Kai rubs the back of his neck, face now flush from two forms of embarrassment. “Yeah yeah, we can have a nice heart to heart, just not in the middle of some underground death trap, ‘kay?”
Kai hears Zane hum in agreement and the two settle back into silence, the only sounds being the padded steps of their tabi boots against the stone.
For a moment, Kai is convinced that he and Zane got unlucky with their hallway draw. That this was some sort of unfinished corridor that would end with nothing but an ugly gray wall. There had been some archways, but none of them led to more than a simple room with nothing more than a few dilapidated wooden furniture sets.
Kai was about to turn back to Zane to call it quits, but stopped when he noticed something along the ground. A few feet in front of them, light seemed to be pouring in, which meant there was some sort of opening in front of them. Zane must’ve noticed right as well, because his steps quickened. Kai quickly matched his sudden new pace, noting the look of excitement appearing on the ice ninja's face.
Unlike the previous rooms and corridors, this one was much larger and open. The ceiling was raised, small shafts of the afternoon light filtering in through the slits carved out in the ‘roof’ of the room. In the center of the circular chamber was a raised platform, only a foot or so off the ground, piles of snow littering it, clearly having fallen through the ceiling after years of no maintenance.
Along the curved walls of the carved out room, there were a few remnants of what Kai can only assume are tables. Some are in much better shape than others, likely made out of some ancient wood. He approaches one of the only ones still fully standing and investigates the contents on its surface.
On top of the table is an array of bronze and silver colored bracelets, all covered in layers of ice, snow, and dust. Not discouraged by the layer of grime on them, Kai scours the collection before settling on the two that seem to be in the nicest condition. With deft fingers, Kai picks up one of the bangles and studies it.
Now up close, and having rubbed away some of the dust, Kai can see that the piece is more gold in color than bronze, having that warm shine to it that only gold seems to carry. Along the center, circling the piece, are small hexagonal gems, white in color. He raises them closer to his eye, trying to discern what the specific stone might be. But, alas, it looks like every other shiny rock Kai had ever laid eyes on.
Footsteps beat against the stone behind him, and Kai is reminded that Zane is here too, likely taking in the room for all its simple glory. “What have you found over there Kai?”
The fire master is quiet for a moment, rotating the bangle in his hand. It's odd to describe, but the metal seems to thrum in his hands, similarly to the way the Sword of Fire had, all those years ago. Like it was alive. “Some cool bracelets, I think they’re gold.” The thrum was alluring and, despite the fear pooling in his gut, telling him to set it down and walk away, Kai unclasped the mechanism at the wrist and began sliding it around on his own.
“Kai, I do not think it is wise to start putting on ancient jewelry." Zane's voice echoes through the room, and Kai can feel his eyes focused on him. “Especially with your track record.”
Kai waves Zane away, adjusting the bangle to properly fit around his wrist. It feels snug and warm, despite the arctic climate it had been residing in for years. Kai is quick to chalk it up to his own irregular body heat. “Oh c'mon Frosty, I’m sure it's fine! Look, there’s even a matching one!” He gently took hold of the second matching bangle, the inlaid gems gleaming in the low light.
Zane looks hesitant, his bright eyes flickering between Kai's gaze and the fine jewelry in his hand. But he seems to finally give in, a small smile appearing on his face. “This is likely cursed in some way, shape, or form. You know that, right?”
Kai can’t help but grin as he approaches the ice master. “Then let's be cursed together.” Kai takes Zane’s hand, feeling a light flush hit his face at his own comment, but he brushes it off and blames it on the cold temperature, only increased by his sudden closeness to the nindroid.
It takes a few seconds of fiddling and adjusting the size, but Kai manages to secure the bangle around Zane's right wrist, the one opposite his own matching piece. Zane looks down at his new accessory, studying it with genuine curiosity. Kai watches him do so, always finding the way Zane was easily enamored by things endearing.
After a few moments of silence, Zane nods, satisfied with something Kai hadn't caught on to. “Well, we haven't been whisked away, burned, frozen, or paralyzed, so I think they're safe.”
“See, you were worried about nothing!”
“I think you are sometimes not worried enough.”
“I have you to worry for me!”
Zane chuckles at that and Kai beams, both at making Zane laugh and also how much the piece fits the other. Zane had always looked good in gold, though he stopped wearing it after the whole titanium switch up. Now he avoided it like the plague, not wanting the two metals to clash. Kai thought it was stupid, but respected the others' wishes. Thank the First Master Zane didn't seem to notice the other bangles on the table.
Satisfied with his new accessory, Kai returned to his studying of the room. At first, it seemed like there wasn't much else to the chamber; just the platform in the middle and tables along the edge, but it wasn't until Kai's gaze returned upwards did he notice something.
Along the wall, circling the entire room, seemed to be dark shapes, not quite visible in the limited rays from the ceiling. Kai approached one section of the wall and, flame now sputtering to life in his hand, studied the shapes
Engraved into the stone itself were figures, each one depicted in a set of differing poses. It was a large line of them, from one end of the room to the other, ending in one figure larger than the rest. Kai squinted up, trying to make sense of it all to no avail.
“Ah, so I was correct.” Zane spoke from beside Kai, causing him to jump slightly. “It seems these depict some sort of dance.”
“A dance?” Kai parroted, looking up at the ninja next to him. “I thought it was just a bunch of guys doing…something.”
Zane cocked his head for a moment, lips pursed, “I do agree that it is ‘guys’ plural yes, but less than you think. I believe it is only two, and these are steps.” He pointed up at the figures directly in front of them, “See, there are small symbols near the feet of the leftmost figure, potentially a step indicator.”
Lo and behold, right at the foot of the left dancer, was a small symbol Kai couldn't quite make out. The fire ninja looked at the others, seeing slight variations of the same symbol at the foot of the left dancer in each. “Huh, nice deduction Frosty, I hadn't even noticed.”
Zane smiled, Kai noting a hint of bashfulness to his expression. “Thank you. Though, I am not able to figure out what that entails.” He points to the last figure, now reduced to only one.
“Maybe it's a summoning ritual?” Kai throws the thought out, already out of ideas.
“Maybe…” Zane trails off, rubbing his chin in thought.
Joining Zane, Kai rubs his chin as he looks back at the carvings. The dance doesn't look too complicated, though there is a chance not every step is included. There might’ve been a whole instruction book that slowly rotted away in the cold mountain air. He could improvise it, Kai was always good at that.
A mix of giddiness and that fear that never seemed to leave welled inside of Kai as he darted onto the raised platform in the center of the room. Making sure he had the movements more or less memorized, Kai began his best at mimicking the dance engraved upon the wall.
Actually doing the dance was a little more complicated than Kai had predicted, finding a lot of the movements difficult to do in steps. It seemed to be less step based and like it all flowed, moving together fluidly. With lots of spins and arm gestures, it felt a lot like ballet. Or what Kai assumed ballet felt like.
As Kai hit the final pose, he held it for a moment, waiting for something to happen. But when all he was met with was silence, aside from the whistling of the wind outside, he slumped. “Okay, so that did nothing.”
“Well not exactly nothing, it was entertaining to watch.” Zane chimed in, looking amused from off the podium. “Like a foal taking its first steps.”
Kai felt his face flush, but stood firm, “Ha ha. If it’s sooooo amusing, then get up here and join me!”
“I am not much of a dancer, perhaps this mystery shall remain unsolved forever.”
“Nu uh, none of that. I'm not a dancer either, yet I did it. Get your titanium ass up here and dance with me.”
“First off, language. Second off, why are you so interested in potentially unleashing evils into the world?”
“Force of habit. Now stop stalling and get up here.”
Kai moved to the edge of the platform and held his hand out, waiting for Zane to accept. The nindroid hesitated, looking at Kai’s hand. If the two currently weren't standing in the remnants of a long dead civilization, Kai might've been infinitely more embarrassed about this entire idea, but it was all for the sake of exploration. So it was totally fine and did not make Kai internally panic or anything.
Zane gently took Kai’s hand and was hoisted up onto the platform, now feeling like a stage more than anything. It just lacked an audience.
“Alright, I’ll lead because I have more experience.” Kai grinned up at the other.
“Doing it once barely counts as more experience, Kai.” Zane's voice was low, and Kai noted a small tint of blue that was fading into view on the others cheeks.
“Barely counts, still counts, now shush up and dance with me.”
Kai expected the reenactment to go horribly, due to their lack of music. Dancing with a partner WITHOUT music seemed like a recipe for disaster, yet, it wasn't? Or if it was, Kai couldn't tell. Like the first time, he found it much easier to allow all the movements to flow into one another, eliminating the idea of steps entirely. Adding a partner into the mix made everything flow even nicer. Now that he had Zane, Kai was able to tell that a lot of it was countering your partner. Moving in when the other moved out, giving and receiving, never repeating the same movement twice.
As they dance, their eyes never leaving each other, Kai felt his chest grow tight. The way Zane's gaze held his own, focused solely on him, it felt so similar to the way he had been studying the engravings upon the walls, and the bangle that Kai had held out for him to wear. Like Kai was currently the most interesting thing in Ninjago. Kai could’ve sworn the heat rising in his face was mimicked in the bracelet on his wrist.
Finally, all too soon in Kai’s opinion, the dance ended in a pose much similar to the start of a ballroom dance. Kai had pulled Zane closer to him, his hand now on the small of the ice ninja's back, Zanes perched on Kai's shoulder. Their free hands were interlocked, matching bangles pressed against each other.
Kai let out a soft pant, not realizing how exhausting that had been. “Well…this is anti-climactic.”
Zane let out a huff of a laugh, his face flushed a dark blue. “It seems that is twice now we’ve avoided some ancient curse or evil.”
“Ah, well at least it was fun.” Kai joins Zane in his laughter, a little disappointed once more at the lack of anything.
“I did enjoy myself. You were a lovely dance partner.” Zane's voice is small again as he leans down, tiredly resting his head against Kai’s and closing his eyes.
Kai feels the flush on his face grow, a small jolt running up his spin at the sudden cold contact. He chuckles and closes his own eyes, a weightless feeling drifting over him as the tightness in his chest grows, the ground practically giving way at his feet.
There’s a golden flash that pierces through Kai’s shut eyes and for a moment he feels as if he’s standing in a wide open field under a cloudless sky. Kai feels at ease for the first time in forever, his mind blissfully silent. No inner dialogue or internal nagging, no clawing anxiety or dread at the back of his thoughts, just nothing. Even the frigid cold is swept away, replaced by a gentle warm breeze kissing his exposed skin.
The bliss only lasts for a moment, as the sudden shift in temperature causes Kai to jolt, stumbling forward, his knees and palms colliding with the cold stone platform. As fast as it had appeared, the warm feeling drifts away, the cold seeping back into his skin down to his bones. Master, when did it get so cold? It felt almost suffocating, the drastic difference practically sucking the air out of his lungs.
All he could do was try to catch his breath, watching as it left his mouth in large puffs of steam. Has he always done that? No…no he doesn't need to breathe, there is no reason for him to intake oxygen, let alone exhale carbon monoxide. Yet, he inhaled then exhaled, watching the steam rise. There it was again! Why was he…
No, Kai’s always needed to breathe! He has lungs, why wouldn't he? If anything, he should be more concerned about why he suddenly felt so cold. The last time he felt like this was back when Aspheera had taken his powers. Before the panic can settle in, he raises his hand to face, needing some sort of familiar contact-
Wait, was the bangle always on this wrist? Wasn’t it on his left (right)?
Kai freezes. For a split second, it sounded like someone else thought, or spoke in his head. And it kinda sounded like Zane (Kai)?
What. (What.)
He quickly pushes himself off the ground and begins to spin around, finding himself standing alone in the circular chamber, still atop of the platform. Ignoring the cold now piercing into his skin, Kai tried to get his bearings.
The two of them had just been dancing, they finished, nothing happened, Zane (I), no Zane! (I!). Kai groaned and went to dig his fingers into his hair out of frustration, only to pause when he was met with an unfamiliar texture. He ran his hand from his scalp and down to his neck, fingers getting tangled in the curls. It felt much thicker (longer) than usual.
Different hair, doubling thoughts, the bangles on each wrist, the engravings on the walls ending with only one figure…oh no.
“We…fused?”
His, their? Their voice is foreign to Kai, which obviously makes sense if the two fused. No, no actually, none of this makes sense! Fusing with your friend wasn't something you just DID. Fusing wasn't something that ANYONE did! It was something done in the action sci fi comics Kai and Lloyd used to read, not in reality!
But here they were, underground in some long abandoned temple, wearing untested magical bracelets, truly fused together. Zane said something bad might happen, and something bad did happen. And Kai made him do it!
As the panic began to set in, a sharp pain burrowed its way into their head, like a white hot stake being hammered right behind their eyes. Ack- no, HIS eyes, KAI'S eyes.
The pain grew, and for a moment Kai thought his entire body was ripping itself apart, torn at the seams. A voice inside of him told him to calm down, to breathe and let them figure this out. Kai shuts out the voice. He feels his hands push against his shoulders, like he was trying to push himself apart.
Then, like before, there was a flash of light from behind Kai's eyes. Yet this time, instead of briefly stepping into a realm of warmth and sunlight, the fire ninja was violently thrown against the stone floor, the wind being knocked right out of him.
It takes him a second to recuperate, his vision hazy and clouded. His own heart beat rings in his ears and he can feel his own blood coursing through his veins. It feels hot, familiar. The cold air around Kai no longer bothers him. Yes, the storm of emotions and fear and slight nausea returns to him, but that's normal. That’s him. A mess of emotions and a mind that’s sometimes too loud for him to handle.
There’s a tickle on his upper lip, and Kai instinctively wipes away the blood he knows is dripping from his nose on his sleeve. He finally manages to sit up, the world a little less hazy now. Across from him, also laying on his back, is a similarly dazed looking Zane. No synthetic blood is running down the nindroids face. Good. Kai would feel infinitely more awful for what he did if he saw that dark smear across the others face.
Their eyes lock and Kai can’t help but tense. This was all wrong and awful, and he feels bad about what happened, and he can’t help but feel terrified about what Zane has to say.
So before the ice elemental could speak, Kai struggled to his feet, tearing off the damned bangle in the process, before throwing it to the ground with an echoing crack and stumbling out of the chamber back to the Bounty, trap paranoia be damned.
— — —
After everyone had gathered back on the Bounty, they all shared their findings, more or less.
Nya and Jay had discovered what seemed to be a library, though many of the texts had either been destroyed due to weathering or were completely unreadable due to the unknown language. The two did grab a few mostly intact texts in hopes of doing more research on them in the city.
Lloyd, Wu, and Cole had found what seemed to be living spaces, rooms housing the remnants of beds and large dining hall tables. Cole and Lloyd even managed to collect what appeared to be pieces to some sort of game. Wu described them as resembling Shogi pieces, though the markings on them were in that same unreadable, likely long dead, language.
Before Zane could open his mouth, Kai explained that they hadn't found much, just a bunch of old jewelry that wasn't in the best condition. He also notes that Zane said it would be more respectful to leave it all alone, which Kai wishes he had listened to.
No one notices the blood smear on Kai's sleeve, or questions why he won't meet Zane's gaze.
Kai is quick to retreat to the lower deck of the Bounty, needing to be as far away as possible from everyone. He hides away in one of the storage rooms, wedging himself between a lumpy sack and a shelf. Shame starts to bubble within his chest, unable to keep his mind from drifting back to that brief moment when he and Zane had first fused. The warmth that enveloped him, the calmness of his own head, finding comfort in his own body for the first time in a while.
He pulls at his own hair, like he was trying to pull those thoughts out of him. No…no it wasn't a good thing. Kai needed to stop looking back on what happened and wanting to try again. Stop this yearning to be close to Zane again. It wasn't right , it was a mistake. And he needed to get that through his thick skull.
With a defeated huff, Kai leaned his head back against the hull of the Bounty. The wind howled just a few feet away from him, slowly drowning out any other sound. Soon they’d be back at the monastery and all of this could be put behind them. They could pretend like it never happened. Zane would probably want to talk about it, Kai would just have to avoid him for a while. He was good at that, avoiding problems until they either got too big or simply simmered away. He prayed this would end up as the latter.
Minutes turn to hours as Kai sits hidden away, trying (and failing) to not get lost in his own thoughts. It’s all too sudden and way too much, or has it always been there, just lingering in the back of Kai's brain? These complicated feelings towards Zane, the want for closeness. It all dances around in his head, right there with the storm of the usual anxiety and never ending dread.
Finally, after who knows how long, the air in the storage room gets stuffy, and Kai's ass hurts. So he braves the outside of his safety room and leaves. It’s quiet on the Bounty, and Kai's internal clock is telling him that it's pretty late into the night, soon to wrap around into the morning. The wind has stopped whistling outside, so the ship is likely cruising much slower on auto pilot. Everyone should be asleep, meaning perfect time to wallow on the deck as opposed to a cramped storage closet.
Creeping up through the levels of the ship is easy, Kai is a ninja after all. As he pokes his head out through the door to the open deck, Kai is met with nothing but clear night sky, the moon shining directly above. He steps out and takes a breath of fresh air, relishing the way the cold burns in his lungs for just a moment, before being enveloped by his own body heat. Though he barley makes it a step out before his body runs cold.
“Kai! I was hoping to catch you out here.”
Kai turns, seeing Zane resting against the railing of the upper deck. He’s smiling down at him, though Kai notes that he looks…tired. Tired and a bit stressed. Kai hopes its not because of him, but he already knows it is.
“Oh. Ha, look at the time! Man, must’ve got turned around when heading to bed.” Kai stammers out, throwing a yawn at the end of his sentence and a not very convincing stretch. His head suddenly starts swelling with thoughts, firing off too fast for him to comprehend. “Sorry to bother you, goodnight!”
“Kai, wait.” Zane's tone is calm, but Kai can easily read the worry in his voice. Worry that, for just a moment, stops him from bolting back into the underbelly of the ship.
It’s just enough time for Zane to make his way down the stairs connecting the two decks, though he slows his pace as he approaches Kai. Like if he moved too fast, Kai would bolt. “I wanted to talk to you, but you’ve been avoiding me all day.”
Kai tenses before turning away, his feet carrying him from his means of escape. If he ran now, he might wake the others, and the last thing he wanted was everyone else to get involved. “Avoiding you? Me? No no, I’ve just been busy.”
“You’ve been holed up in the bottom of the ship for hours. You missed dinner. Everyone's been worried, but I told everyone to just give you time.” Zane's voice is laced with emotion, Kai tries not to read into it.
His thoughts grow louder, almost beating against his skull from the inside. “Oh! Yeah, you're right. I should probably go grab something to eat.” His head is starting to hurt.
Kai watches Zane tense, “You know we’ll have to talk about this eventually. You can't keep running away.”
Kai scoffs, “We’ve been friends for far too long for you to underestimate me Zane. I can do this forever.”
“And by forever, you mean eventually crash and burn and potentially ruin the friendship we’ve built over the years.” Zane is finally putting his foot down, and it makes Kai’s blood boil for a split second.
“Okay fine, just get to the part where you yell at me about what happened!” Kai snaps, and immediately regrets it. His thoughts reduce to a simmer though, making it easier to think. Upsides. He bites down on his tongue, hard, before continuing. “Let's just…just get this over with and move on.”
Zane looks stunned, Kai doesn't understand why. “Kai, I am not upset about what happened.”
“But you SHOULD be! You said it yourself, I have a knack for getting into trouble! What if it had been permanent?” Kai hates the way he pauses, hates the way the idea of being together, like that, was sort of pleasant to him. He forces himself to drop the thought, to continue. “What if we were stuck like that forever! It would’ve been my fault because I had to know what was up with the engravings and the bangles. And I dragged you into it!”
Kai feels his hand go up into his own hair, fingers brushing through it. “And, that’s not even the worst bit! I-it kinda felt nice? Like there was something there to keep my emotions in check, to stop all the negativeness from overwhelming me. Like you were acting as an internal anchor, and that probably sounds bad, and it HAS to be some sort of invasion of privacy or personal space, and I’m really sorry about it happening.”
There’s silence between the two of them, and Kai can already feel his face flushing a deep red. His eyes fell to the deck, fighting the urge to storm off. It was all out there now, out in the world. He felt disgusted at himself for admitting it, but he couldn't stop himself. For a moment, Kai thought that he might feel better for getting it off his chest, but the storm of emotions inside of him told him otherwise.
If he was feeling like this, then Zane must’ve felt ten times worse. The other was probably looking at him with the most disgusted expression ever, getting ready to tell Kai that he was right, that he was actually upset now. Now that the truth had been revealed.
Kai doesn't want to look at Zane, and doesn't want to face those piercing blue eyes. But, for more times than he can count, he does what his body screams at him not to do. And is surprised.
Zane is not scowling. His lips are not upturned in a sneer. He looks relatively calm, though Kai is quick to note how the other is fiddling at his own sleeve. Almost like he was nervous.
“I thought it felt nice too.” Zane's voice is small but firm enough that Kai can’t even act like he misheard him.
“I'm sorry?” Kai still replies, standing like a deer in headlights.
Zane looks just as flustered as Kai feels, his eyes on the ground and a deep blue brushed across his cheeks and down his neck. “It felt nice, when we fused. I felt…human. I have come to terms for a very long time now that I am not human, but I would be lying if I did not admit to having thoughts regarding it, every now and then. My emotions are real, I do feel adrenaline and anxiety, but when we were together, they felt raw.” He pauses, his brows scrunching up in thought. “And my body felt alive. Not with circuitry and electricity, but blood and synapsis, and it was strange, but an enjoyable strange. And I think I would not be against experiencing it again.”
Kai can all but stare at Zane, his mind taking a moment to process his words. He would admit without hesitation that he had little idea where Zane was coming from, being human was all he knew. But that feeling of difference when they had…Kai got that. He didn’t understand it, but he got it.
“Are you sure? I mean, like I would get if you were just saying that to-“
“I am generally very sure of my feelings, Kai. This is a rather complicated matter, but I am sure.” Zane interrupts his rambling, much to Kai’s relief. His brows are furrowed into a rather determined look, one that Kai knows he can’t argue against.
The fire elemental shoves his hands into his pockets, eyes drifting over the side of the Bounty. “I…that was the last thing I expected you to say honestly.” Kai pulled one hand out and rubbed at the back of his neck, feeling rather overwhelmed now. “Ha, too bad I uh, threw my bangle out! Or we could…experience it again.”
A soft rustle draws Kai’s attention away from the drifting scenery around them back to Zane. As if expecting Kai to have this conversation, he produces the two matching bangles from the temple. “After you rushed off, I grabbed yours. I don’t know why, something inside of me didn’t want to leave it behind.”
Kai is honestly stunned. Now THIS was the last thing he had expected. The bangles gleam in the bright moonlight, the gold appearing much brighter than they had in the temple. Had Zane cleaned them…? He must’ve, Kai doesn't remember the color being so vibrant.
He wordlessly approached Zane, hand outstretched to take the piece of jewelry. As he took it from the other, Zane visibly un-tensed, like he was still expecting Kai to bolt. Now in his hands, Kai could see that the bracelet was much shinier, every speck of dust and decay having been brushed away, especially the inlaid gem, the same pale white as the moon above. Kai's thumb grazed over the stone, relishing that same almost living heat from before.
“I believe the stone inlaid is moissanite, though I have never seen it in its unrefined state before.” Zane pointed to one of the stones. Looking at it closely, Kai could see how it appeared more milky as opposed to straight white.
“Huh. I kinda just figured it was some strange magic rocks.” Kai jokes, feeling a bit light headed about, well, everything.
“Well technically moissanite is very rare, really only originating from chondrite meteorites. That might be what makes it so special.” Zane gently takes the bangle Kai had been holding from him before unclasping it. He slid it onto Kai's wrist, just like Kai had done for him hours ago. The unnatural heat is already starting to feel familiar. “Moissanite is also often used as a substitute for diamond in engagement rings, due to both having similar appearance and hardness levels.”
Kai lets out a squawk of a laugh, his entire body threatening to catch alight in embarrassment. “Frosty! Kind of an odd thing to say! Given the circumstances…!”
Zane looks down at Kai, amusement sparkling in his eyes as he fastens the clasp of the bracelet. “I do not think so. I think it's the right thing to say, given the circumstances.”
Kai fights every urge in him to burn so bright and so hot that he torches everything within a ten mile radius. “First Master, I don't think I’ve been this flustered since high school. You really have a way with words.” His voice is much too high and stutter-y for his liking. He takes Zane's bangle from him and begins to slide it onto his wrist. There’s something so much more intimate about the action this time, and Kai can't help but feel giddy at the thought of it.
There’s a moment of hesitation on both their ends, the reality of what they were about to do setting in. Kai can read the smallest bit of uncertainty on Zane's face, the way his brows furrow for a micro second. With shaky hands, Kai takes Zane's into his own.
“Seeing as I am still the one with the most experience here, I’ll lead. Again.” Kai places his hand on Zane's waist, still flushed as Zane easily lays his hand on Kai’s shoulder.
Zane smiles, and it makes Kai all warm and jittery inside. “You sure? I have the entire dance saved in my memory, I think I would be a better-”
“Ah ah ah! Shush!” Kai tuts at Zane, earning a small bit of laughter from his dance partner. “I’m the one who started this whole thing, so I get to decide who leads. And I'm leading.”
“Alright, lead away then Kai.” Kai doesn't need to look up at the other to see that he’s rolling his eyes. He can hear it in Zane's voice.
For the second time that day, for their audience of no one but themselves, the two danced. And that familiar warmth enveloped them both.