There was a sickening sound of someone screaming out, and then he was being thrown backwards in the opposite direction, having no idea what just happened.

Kyungsoo crashed down on the floor, gasping loudly like a drowning fish, tasting dust and blood in his mouth. He groaned loudly, turning over and trying to sit up. A figure was lying a few meters away, spots of red staining his shirt. Kyungsoo felt his heart stop.

Kai.

“K-Kai,” H tried to cry out, getting up and ignoring his own pain. He staggered over the rocks to him, praying that the boy wasn’t dead. Kneeling down, he carefully turned Kai over.

“Kai,” he whispered in horror. The boy’s shirt was crimson red and his lips looked lifeless and white. He was barely conscious, his dull eyes lighting up as he saw Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo felt like crying, but he forced his tears down his throat and hulled Kai up, pulling him over to shelter nearby underneath the shadows in a collapsed building. Gently, he set Kai down on the floor, carefully peeling off his shirt. A gunshot bullet lay buried deep inside his shoulder, and Kyungsoo swallowed down his anger and worry. He took out his pocket knife, looking at Kai’s face in anguish.

“I’m sorry. This is going to hurt, but please, please bear with me,” Kyungsoo whispered brokenly, then plunged the knife into his shoulder without hesitation. Kai twitched and shuddered with pain, his mouth opening and closing but no sound coming out. Tears trickled down Kyungsoo’s face as he worked to get the bullet out.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized desperately again and again. Watching Kai like this made his heart clutch in agony. “Just a little more, Kai–“

Kai screamed out in pain, his hands reaching out to dig deep into Kyungsoo’s back. Kyungsoo winced, his hand slowly relaxing at the bullet came out, dropping onto the floor with a clink. Kai panted heavily, his arm still around Kyungsoo’s neck.

“Kai? Are you okay–“

Kai leaned forward and rested his head on Kyungsoo’s shoulder, breathing out gently and closing his eyes. Kyungsoo felt him nod once, and he gently detached himself from Kai, ripping his shirt sleeve apart and wrapping it around his shoulder. Kai sighed, lying down on the floor as Kyungsoo guided him.

“You need to rest,” Kyungsoo said. “I’ll go out and get some water.”

He started to walk out, only to hear Kai’s soft whine. He looked back to see the boy gazing at him with half-lidded eyes.

“Don’t...go....”

Kyungsoo was torn just by looking at the younger boy. Who did this to him? He could only vaguely remember being pulled to a dark place, but nothing else. He couldn’t see a thing. Kyungsoo walked back to Kai, gently patting his forehead. “I’ll stay.”

Kai sighed in relief and closed his eyes, and it wasn’t before long that he fell asleep. Kyungsoo watched the boy silently, admiring his long, alluring eyelashes and his soft lips.

He really is beautiful, Kyungsoo thought. I’ve never seen a person quite like him.

Kai was sweating far too much. Kyungsoo got up, brushing his pants and whispered to Kai, “I’ll be right back, okay?” before stepping out of the abandoned building, rocks crumbling to dust underneath his feet. Walking around and spotting a nearby well, he took out his canteen and filled it up to the brim.

Kai was stirring a little when he got back. Kyungsoo inspected the wound on his shoulder, which seemed to be miraculously healing a hundred times faster than expected. Must be because he’s an Outcast, Kyungsoo thought as he leaned down and pressed the canteen on his lips. To his dismay, most of the water trickled down from his lips as Kai refused to drink.

“Come on,” Kyungsoo coaxed gently. “You need to drink.”

Try as he might, he couldn’t get him to drink. Just when Kyungsoo was about to give up, an idea clicked in his mind. It was probably not the best idea, but in this emergency situation, Kyungsoo had no other choice. He swallowed nervously, biting his lip.

He closed his eyes and said a prayer to God before taking a swig of water and leaning down towards Kai, his mouth hovering above his. Then slowly, hesitantly, he pressed his lips to the younger’s, sighing in relief as Kai finally parted his lips and drank the water in little mouthfuls. Kai’s lips were so soft and tender on his, just as Kyungsoo had imagined they would. For a moment, he was lost in the gentle sensation, then he opened his eyes in shock as a hand reached out and grabbed his shirt, pulling him forwards. Kai’s brown eyes stared back at him steadily, and Kyungsoo gazed back, not sure what to do. Kai’s warm scent flooded all over him, invading his senses.

He whimpered as Kai moved his mouth against his, kissing him more roughly. This is so wrong, Kyungsoo thought hopelessly, but soon enough he was wanting for more, soft gasps escaping from his mouth as Kai gently slid his warm tongue over his bottom lip. Kyungsoo sat up abruptly, his cheeks burning. Kai stayed down on the floor, gazing at him.

“Why did you kiss me?” Kyungsoo mumbled. Kai snorted.

“If I can recall, it was you who kissed me first,” he replied. Kyungsoo blushed even more. Kai couldn’t help it; he started snickering.

“You weren’t drinking your water! That’s why I had to give you mouth-to-mou–why are you laughing?” Kyungsoo shouted angrily at Kai, who couldn’t stop snickering.

“Even when I kissed you, you didn't push me away,” Kai pointed out reasonably. “That says a lot, doesn’t it?”

“Oh yeah?” Kyungsoo said, his blush travelling all the way up to his ears. He couldn’t think of another counterargument. Seeing Kyungsoo’s panicked face, Kai started laughing again.

“You could’ve pushed me away if you disli–“

A loud crash sounded outside, along with the sound of breaking glass everywhere. Kyungsoo stood up in alarm, his eyes widening. Walking quickly over to the wall, he leaned forward and took a peek outside.

What he saw had him recoiling in fear. A huge android with giant claws was just towering above him, turning its head around as if looking for something. To Kyungsoo’s horror, an old man stood in front of the machine, holding his arms out to shield a crouching girl behind him. He was trembling badly, but his eyes were determined.

“I won’t let you hurt her!” He wheezed at the monster. Kyungsoo gritted his teeth, ready to dash out, but a hand clamped down on his shoulder. He turned around to see Kai shaking his head. “Don’t.”

“What the–“ Kyungsoo slapped Kai’s hand away in disbelief. “You can’t just leave them to die–“

His hands closed in on nothing; Kai had disappeared. Kyungsoo turned his head around in shock, fear clouding his vision when he realized where he had gone. He turned his attention back on the android, where there was now a figure standing before it.

“Step back now before I hurt you,” Kai shouted, confidence in his words. “Now.”

The android seemed to consider it for while, but then it lunged forward, its cruel claws glinting in the broken street lights. Kyungsoo watched in horror as Kai stayed where he was, eerily calm.

“Kai!” He screamed out as the android’s arm crashed into the earth, sending a cloud of smoke and dust up into the air. Kyungsoo stepped forward, not believing what he had seen. Then all of a sudden, the android was gone, into a black spiral. The old man trembled in fear, watching as Kai appeared from the smoke unscathed. He reached out a hand towards the old man, smiling gently.

“Are you okay?” The man nodded, dazed. The girl from behind him piped up.

“Mister, are you a hero?”

Kai chuckled softly, patting the little girl’s head. “I guess you can say that.”

Someone from behind Kai cleared his throat, and he looked up to see Kyungsoo standing there with his arms folded. He didn’t look too pleased. Kai sighed and stood up, waving at the two.

“Please, be careful from now,” He said to them calmly, his eyes serious. “Take care of your granddaughter. Stay inside as much as you can.”

The man nodded silently, holding tightly to the little girl’s hand. Kai smiled at them then turned around to face Kyungsoo, who started to walk away.

“Your wounds,” Kyungsoo muttered quietly as Kai caught up with him, “are they okay?”

“Hmm?” Kai looked at his shoulder and touched it lightly. “Yep, it should be fine. I heal really quickly.”

Kyungsoo didn’t say anything, only quickened his pace. Kai cocked his head to one side, confused.

“Hey, Kyungsoo–“ he reached out for the other boy’s shoulder, “–Kyungsoo, what’s wrong?”

Kyungsoo turned around, his face full of fury. “What’s wrong? You go off fighting that monster on your own and you think I wouldn’t worry? You’re the biggest ever, stupid Kai!”

Kyungsoo turned around in his tracks again, ignoring the younger boy’s look of surprise. Kai walked up to Kyungsoo again, grabbing his wrist.

“Okay, I’m really sorry,” Kai whispered gently. “I didn’t think you would worry.”

Kyungsoo said nothing, only leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Kai’s chest. Kai wrapped his arms around the younger boy, smiling.

“Kai,” came Kyungsoo’s muffled voice, “what happened back there? You were going to teleport us to the town, but then....”

Kai’s grip on Kyungsoo tightened. “I don’t know. Someone knew we were coming. That’s why we had to land here, but it looks like the androids have invaded the whole territory.”

Kyungsoo stayed silent. Were they Republicans? Do they know where I am? Kai seemed to notice his discomfort and he smiled gently, brushing Kyungsoo’s hair away from his eyes.

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

That’s what Victoria said before.

“I don’t need protecting,” Kyungsoo muttered, a faint blush on his cheeks. “I think you’re the one that needs it.”

Kai laughed, untangling himself from Kyungsoo and reaching out for his hand.

“Shall we teleport back? The others will be worried.”

~+~

A blink of the eye, and Kyungsoo was back in the main room again, gasping lightly. Kai stood beside him, wobbling as Kyungsoo stepped forward to steady him.

“I’m fine,” Kai said, standing up straight. “Where’re the others?”

It was deadly quiet in the whole hideout. Kyungsoo could feel that something big had happened, and it didn’t feel pleasant. He casted an alarmed face at Kai, who nodded urgently and together they ran out of the room, stopping as soon as they saw Sehun and Luhan huddled against a body on the ground.

“Sehun, what–“

Kyungsoo stopped and widened his eyes in horror at the motionless figure on the floor. Kai stood frozen beside him. Luhan was crying weakly into Sehun’s shoulder, unaware of the two standing beside them.

Glassy, lifeless eyes.

It was Charles, and she was unmistakably dead.

Author's Note

EXAMSSSSS yet I'm posting a new chapter. I must be out of my mind =.= And yay Kaisoo finally kissed! + second character death in the story ;__;