Aegis [vi/vi]
Kai slams the metal cabinet in the locker room shut, activates his helmet expertly and flexes his fingers. He looks over to see that his sire is a bit more sluggish today, has been on-edge and skittish since the announcement from the Supreme Leader two days ago. He remembers the awful silence just after the broadcast in which he glanced at Kyungsoo to gauge his reaction.
“Telekinesis,” Kyungsoo had whispered as if by accident, completely in a daze even after the broadcast had ended and commercials had started running. And Kai wonders how he knows what their opponent’s ability is before they’d even met, wonders if there’s something he’s missing.
He doesn’t ask.
(He should.)
This time, Kyungsoo turns to hug Kai first, hugs him as if cherishing him for the last time. He’s losing hope that they’ll be able to return to their apartment especially because he’s seen Luhan’s powers, knows that he’d be able to end everything in a split-second if he wanted to. But they’re almost there, so close to winning, so close to happiness.
“Everything will be okay,” Kai repeats, strokes his hair as he hums his favorite song. Kyungsoo closes his eyes and tries to melt into his embrace, tries to forget everything for a moment.
“Will we be able to go back after this?” Kyungsoo mumbles, pupils infinitely black and lifeless. “Will things be the same as before?”
The androids start shifting and they know that it’s time to go now so, Kyungsoo disconnects, doesn’t really expect an answer to his questions as he lets the doubt consume him. Just before they enter the pod, Kai looks at him square in the eye, his gaze ablaze with spirit. “You’ll be able to go back.” but I might not.
Kyungsoo’s heart stills and it’s as if he was stabbed as he continues to stare in shock at his aegis. They arrive at the stadium and there’s the faint cheering of the nation in the background, the soft buzzing of floating cameras, but he can only focus on Kai. He grips his aegis’ wrist and his eyebrows are furrowed when he demands, “What do you mean by that?”
Kai side-eyes him and smiles softly as if in quiet acceptance of the fate he expects for himself. He brushes Kyungsoo’s grip off his arm and pats his head as the countdown starts.
Across the stadium, Luhan waves at them jovially. “So we meet again!” he calls. It makes Kai’s eyebrow twitch as he glances down at his sire. And now he’s sure that something had happened between them without his knowledge, but none of that matters right now because the second the starting signal rings--
Luhan slams his fist into the ground and the earth fissures and quakes, deep gorges snaking across the floor. They intentionally miss Kai and Kyungsoo’s immediate vicinity though and Luhan looks up to see dozens of rock imitations of both Kyungsoo and Kai jumping over the cracks.
A thick blanket of boulders is launched at him from a sculpture and Luhan doesn’t even blink as they’re promptly demolished into pebbles from his force field. As the pebbles rain down in front of his vision, he can see that the ground is now being repaired and tall pillars of rock are being summoned instead. It’s as if they’re standing in a sparse, stone forest.
He sighs. “It’s no fun if I use my force field, huh?” he states, voice loud enough to carry along the pillars. He disables it and there’s a thrill of excitement thrumming through his veins as he awaits the next move from his opponents. He takes a couple of slow steps forward and mercilessly smashes a dummy that’s moved too close to him. “Come out, come out wherever you are!” he singsongs as he smashes another one with a spin-kick.
Underneath of his armor, Kai knows not to move too suddenly, knows not to draw attention to himself as he watches Luhan through the gaps like a hunter. There’s no need to rush as they have as much time as they need.
Kyungsoo, on the other hand, is much too nervous to stay hidden. In his peripheral, Kai can see one of the Kyungsoo structures trip slightly on some pebbles just as Luhan is about to turn to look at him so, he sends a few dummies to attack.
And Luhan sees shadows cast onto the ground just before the ambush so, he whips around and swings his arm in an arc in the direction of the minions. They’re all crushed from the force of the shockwave he sent and he’s starting to get annoyed now as he has yet to find his opponents. Through the wreckage, he sees one of the figures stumble a bit and he instantly knows.
That one.
And Kai knows that Luhan’s looking at Kyungsoo now so erects high walls around him, around the entire arena so that they’re standing in a labyrinth now. Luhan just smirks at the effort, knows he’s correct now in discerning which one was Kyungsoo due to Kai’s reaction. He slams all of the walls down in a flourish and, just when he thinks he’s caught Kyungsoo, a flurry of spears appear and he just barely dodges them, a tiny scratch appearing just above his eyelid.
Kai tries to come up from behind and stab him as Luhan recoils from the spears. He’s too slow though because Luhan spins on his heel and lands a hard punch on his shoulder, a satisfied smile breaking out on his cheeks from the distinct sound of cartilage and bone. Luhan hopes it’s broken as he engages him in close-range combat, ignoring Kyungsoo’s pained groan from closeby.
He had watched their match with Chanyeol and Baekhyun so, he tries to land an uppercut in his ribs but misses as Kai teleports backwards the slightest bit. “So you’ve learned something!” Luhan jeers as he throws more punches. “Too bad I can break your ribs like this instead.”
Kai feels a force squeeze his abdomen and he can’t breathe for a moment as a couple of his bones bend from the pressure. He swiftly swings his weapon at Luhan though and the force eases up. He inhales sharply though from the burning pain of two newly-fractured ribs.
Luhan watches him in amusement. “You know, I’ve always admired your combat instincts. They’re quite good even for an aegis. Maybe I’ll ask the Supreme Leader if you can join his personal guards after I kill Kyungsoo--”
The statement sends a fiery surge of anger through Kai and he makes one of the dummies throw a dagger at Luhan’s eye. It makes another small incision just above the one already there as he dodges it. That’s when he realizes that Luhan has a blind spot on that side.
But that’s when Luhan decides to kill him.
He feels a force wrap around his neck and he’s lifted into the air, Luhan strangling him with his ability. “That wasn’t very nice,” he grits, voice hard and furious because he had gotten injured. “I wasn’t going to do this so soon as I had wanted to play a bit more but…”
His expression is twisted and repulsive as he presses his fingertips into Kai’s chest, watches his pain-wrought face. He pushes his fingers further and sees blood leave the wound as Kai starts to cry out in pain. Luhan laughs maniacally as he continues reaching into his chest. “Are you watching this, Kyungsoo? Why don’t you come out and watch Kai’s last moments with me?”
Kyungsoo’s on his knees, tears streaming down his face from the sheer pain as he watches from across the stadium. “Stop it,” he breathes, getting up in the midst of the rock figures surrounding him for protection. He’s just about to sprint to them when--
“Don’t move!” Kai shouts desperately, eyelids clenched tight. His suit is punctured now so he’s glad that Kyungsoo can’t feel the excruciating pain. And he had always expected this moment to come. “Kyungsoo, at his blind spot! Attack at his blind spot--”
“That’s enough!” Luhan’s fingers wrap around Kai’s heart, squeezes it and rips it out of his chest.
Kyungsoo watches in paralyzing shock as the violent red stains the stadium floor, his body going cold, so incredibly cold. He watches as Luhan carelessly tosses Kai onto the ground, lets the heart roll off his fingers with a gratified smile on his face. He watches as Luhan turns to make eye contact with him as if in challenge.
Nothing’s running through his mind; he can’t think, nothing seems right anymore. Nothing seems to matter anymore as Luhan approaches him, crushing bits of rock under his feet. His eyes can’t rip themselves away from his aegis’ lifeless body, Kai’s voice replaying over and over in his head.
The blind spot, he hears him say, but it doesn’t register. Attack at his blind spot.
“Would you like to join him, Kyungsoo?” Luhan sneers. He’s sure that he’ll get an earful from the Supreme Leader for killing them without putting up much of a show, but he can’t seem to care right now. The fingertips of his clean hand slide through the wounds on his eyelid and eyebrow. He frowns when he sees the bit of blood. “Thanks for having tea with us the other day, Kyungsoo. I’m afraid it’s time to say goodbye.”
He gears up to unleash a wave of energy, but then agony pierces through his skin and he cries out. He doubles over as he clutches his profusely bleeding eye from where the dagger had stabbed him.
“That’s right. It’s time to say goodbye,” Kyungsoo replies, voice devoid of emotion as he kicks him to the ground. He’s not even sure what’s come over him, but the sheer gratification of seeing Luhan’s terror is tantalizing.
And Luhan comes to his senses, barely summons a barrier in time to parry the sword that’s ready to impale him. He’s startled when he hears a bloodcurdling roar behind him and he turns to see a massive stone golem charging at him. Disoriented, he fails to defend against the fist slamming down onto his body. His fingers are clawing into the ground as he struggles to stand, limbs trembling from pain.
Kyungsoo draws close and pulls his head back by the hair. “I can crush your skull from here,” he mocks, remembering their first meeting.
He clenches his fist and does just that.
It feels as if he’s walking in someone else’s body as everything afterwards is a blur of faded cheers from the crowd and confetti flittering all around his surroundings. He kneels by Kai and the tears finally start falling, taking with them the red that had smeared on Kai’s cheeks.
“We won,” he manages to whisper. And he gnaws on his bottom lip as he strokes his aegis’ matted hair, tries to hum their favorite song as best as he can through the sobs choking his lungs.
We lost, his mind echos. We lost.
//
A quiet, ice-white dust drifts windlessly down from the luminescent clouds. It’s quiet inside of Kyungsoo’s mind too as he’s curled up on his couch, a throw pillow hugged to his chest.
He was allowed to return to his apartment three days following the end of Armageddon and, realistically, everything is the same. None of his furniture has moved, his view of the expanse of cityscape remains unchanged, and time still continues to pass.
It was he who had changed.
Sometimes, he’ll try to return to his life before the tournament, tries to saute vegetables or vacuum the carpets, when hot tears roll down his cheeks suddenly. He continues on until he breaks out into horrible sobs, has to cease what he was doing before washing his face and going back.
And he hates how debilitating life has become for him, how he’s unable to step outside lest paparazzi ambush him with their cameras that see too much-- see nothing, know nothing.
But, it’s on that day that’s dotted by fine snowflakes twirling from the bright clouds when things change.
From his position on the couch, he spots a thick, white envelope sitting on his bookshelf. He remembers an android handing it to him just before it left him alone in his apartment that day when he was transported home. And he had merely ignored it, not caring about its contents as he had grown sick of anything having to do with the tournament.
Today, he shuffles over to it and rips the top of the envelope neatly. He pulls out the fancy, embossed card inside and flips it open to see dried, pink petals spill onto the floor. He’s confused momentarily has the first words he sees is ‘Happy Birthday’ so, he glances at the calendar and realizes that it’s indeed his birthday today, wonders how whomever sent him the card knew he would open it today.
(The Supreme Leader knows everything.)
‘To restore your faith in happily-ever-afters,’ it states in smaller writing. There’s an address at the bottom and Kyungsoo doesn’t even think twice before sprinting out of his apartment.
He doesn’t even care that he had forgotten to put on his shoes, his socks instantly drenched by the snow on the ground. He doesn’t care that it’s unbearably cold, barely notices the snowflakes hitting his cheeks as he runs. He ignores the surprised stares from the populace and paparazzi asking for interviews, doesn’t care about anything right now except for this.
And he slams open the doors of the hospital, sprints past the receptionist and down the maze-like hallways. It’s been so long since he’s been here, but he somehow knows which way to go as he rounds the corners. But, he’s stopped when he reaches the door that requires card access, his heart racing with adrenaline.
He’s out of breath as he shifts from foot-to-foot, unsure of what to do now as he had acted on impulse. Maybe he’s wrong about this and maybe this is all a mistake.
“Do Kyungsoo?”
He turns and his eyes meet the yellow gaze of an android. “We’ve been expecting you. If you will come this way,” she states, motioning her hand down a different hallway. He follows her and there’s a weird lump in his throat as he feels like breaking out into tears.
She directs him to a room and opens the door for him, not following him inside. He sees a white, gauze curtain surrounding a hospital bed but, he can’t will himself to move. His back meets the closed door and he tries to wipe the spilling tears with his sleeves.
Finally, he slowly approaches the curtain and draws it open, his fingers trembling from what he expects to see there.
It’s empty.
Then, there’s a hand over his eyes and warmth against his back as his head is tugged back, lips meeting his own. And it’s so familiar that he knows right away who it is, doesn’t even blink when the hand is removed and he sees his face.
“Happy birthday, Kyungsoo.”
“Thanks, Kai.”
“Telekinesis,” Kyungsoo had whispered as if by accident, completely in a daze even after the broadcast had ended and commercials had started running. And Kai wonders how he knows what their opponent’s ability is before they’d even met, wonders if there’s something he’s missing.
He doesn’t ask.
(He should.)
This time, Kyungsoo turns to hug Kai first, hugs him as if cherishing him for the last time. He’s losing hope that they’ll be able to return to their apartment especially because he’s seen Luhan’s powers, knows that he’d be able to end everything in a split-second if he wanted to. But they’re almost there, so close to winning, so close to happiness.
“Everything will be okay,” Kai repeats, strokes his hair as he hums his favorite song. Kyungsoo closes his eyes and tries to melt into his embrace, tries to forget everything for a moment.
“Will we be able to go back after this?” Kyungsoo mumbles, pupils infinitely black and lifeless. “Will things be the same as before?”
The androids start shifting and they know that it’s time to go now so, Kyungsoo disconnects, doesn’t really expect an answer to his questions as he lets the doubt consume him. Just before they enter the pod, Kai looks at him square in the eye, his gaze ablaze with spirit. “You’ll be able to go back.” but I might not.
Kyungsoo’s heart stills and it’s as if he was stabbed as he continues to stare in shock at his aegis. They arrive at the stadium and there’s the faint cheering of the nation in the background, the soft buzzing of floating cameras, but he can only focus on Kai. He grips his aegis’ wrist and his eyebrows are furrowed when he demands, “What do you mean by that?”
Kai side-eyes him and smiles softly as if in quiet acceptance of the fate he expects for himself. He brushes Kyungsoo’s grip off his arm and pats his head as the countdown starts.
Across the stadium, Luhan waves at them jovially. “So we meet again!” he calls. It makes Kai’s eyebrow twitch as he glances down at his sire. And now he’s sure that something had happened between them without his knowledge, but none of that matters right now because the second the starting signal rings--
Luhan slams his fist into the ground and the earth fissures and quakes, deep gorges snaking across the floor. They intentionally miss Kai and Kyungsoo’s immediate vicinity though and Luhan looks up to see dozens of rock imitations of both Kyungsoo and Kai jumping over the cracks.
A thick blanket of boulders is launched at him from a sculpture and Luhan doesn’t even blink as they’re promptly demolished into pebbles from his force field. As the pebbles rain down in front of his vision, he can see that the ground is now being repaired and tall pillars of rock are being summoned instead. It’s as if they’re standing in a sparse, stone forest.
He sighs. “It’s no fun if I use my force field, huh?” he states, voice loud enough to carry along the pillars. He disables it and there’s a thrill of excitement thrumming through his veins as he awaits the next move from his opponents. He takes a couple of slow steps forward and mercilessly smashes a dummy that’s moved too close to him. “Come out, come out wherever you are!” he singsongs as he smashes another one with a spin-kick.
Underneath of his armor, Kai knows not to move too suddenly, knows not to draw attention to himself as he watches Luhan through the gaps like a hunter. There’s no need to rush as they have as much time as they need.
Kyungsoo, on the other hand, is much too nervous to stay hidden. In his peripheral, Kai can see one of the Kyungsoo structures trip slightly on some pebbles just as Luhan is about to turn to look at him so, he sends a few dummies to attack.
And Luhan sees shadows cast onto the ground just before the ambush so, he whips around and swings his arm in an arc in the direction of the minions. They’re all crushed from the force of the shockwave he sent and he’s starting to get annoyed now as he has yet to find his opponents. Through the wreckage, he sees one of the figures stumble a bit and he instantly knows.
That one.
And Kai knows that Luhan’s looking at Kyungsoo now so erects high walls around him, around the entire arena so that they’re standing in a labyrinth now. Luhan just smirks at the effort, knows he’s correct now in discerning which one was Kyungsoo due to Kai’s reaction. He slams all of the walls down in a flourish and, just when he thinks he’s caught Kyungsoo, a flurry of spears appear and he just barely dodges them, a tiny scratch appearing just above his eyelid.
Kai tries to come up from behind and stab him as Luhan recoils from the spears. He’s too slow though because Luhan spins on his heel and lands a hard punch on his shoulder, a satisfied smile breaking out on his cheeks from the distinct sound of cartilage and bone. Luhan hopes it’s broken as he engages him in close-range combat, ignoring Kyungsoo’s pained groan from closeby.
He had watched their match with Chanyeol and Baekhyun so, he tries to land an uppercut in his ribs but misses as Kai teleports backwards the slightest bit. “So you’ve learned something!” Luhan jeers as he throws more punches. “Too bad I can break your ribs like this instead.”
Kai feels a force squeeze his abdomen and he can’t breathe for a moment as a couple of his bones bend from the pressure. He swiftly swings his weapon at Luhan though and the force eases up. He inhales sharply though from the burning pain of two newly-fractured ribs.
Luhan watches him in amusement. “You know, I’ve always admired your combat instincts. They’re quite good even for an aegis. Maybe I’ll ask the Supreme Leader if you can join his personal guards after I kill Kyungsoo--”
The statement sends a fiery surge of anger through Kai and he makes one of the dummies throw a dagger at Luhan’s eye. It makes another small incision just above the one already there as he dodges it. That’s when he realizes that Luhan has a blind spot on that side.
But that’s when Luhan decides to kill him.
He feels a force wrap around his neck and he’s lifted into the air, Luhan strangling him with his ability. “That wasn’t very nice,” he grits, voice hard and furious because he had gotten injured. “I wasn’t going to do this so soon as I had wanted to play a bit more but…”
His expression is twisted and repulsive as he presses his fingertips into Kai’s chest, watches his pain-wrought face. He pushes his fingers further and sees blood leave the wound as Kai starts to cry out in pain. Luhan laughs maniacally as he continues reaching into his chest. “Are you watching this, Kyungsoo? Why don’t you come out and watch Kai’s last moments with me?”
Kyungsoo’s on his knees, tears streaming down his face from the sheer pain as he watches from across the stadium. “Stop it,” he breathes, getting up in the midst of the rock figures surrounding him for protection. He’s just about to sprint to them when--
“Don’t move!” Kai shouts desperately, eyelids clenched tight. His suit is punctured now so he’s glad that Kyungsoo can’t feel the excruciating pain. And he had always expected this moment to come. “Kyungsoo, at his blind spot! Attack at his blind spot--”
“That’s enough!” Luhan’s fingers wrap around Kai’s heart, squeezes it and rips it out of his chest.
Kyungsoo watches in paralyzing shock as the violent red stains the stadium floor, his body going cold, so incredibly cold. He watches as Luhan carelessly tosses Kai onto the ground, lets the heart roll off his fingers with a gratified smile on his face. He watches as Luhan turns to make eye contact with him as if in challenge.
Nothing’s running through his mind; he can’t think, nothing seems right anymore. Nothing seems to matter anymore as Luhan approaches him, crushing bits of rock under his feet. His eyes can’t rip themselves away from his aegis’ lifeless body, Kai’s voice replaying over and over in his head.
The blind spot, he hears him say, but it doesn’t register. Attack at his blind spot.
“Would you like to join him, Kyungsoo?” Luhan sneers. He’s sure that he’ll get an earful from the Supreme Leader for killing them without putting up much of a show, but he can’t seem to care right now. The fingertips of his clean hand slide through the wounds on his eyelid and eyebrow. He frowns when he sees the bit of blood. “Thanks for having tea with us the other day, Kyungsoo. I’m afraid it’s time to say goodbye.”
He gears up to unleash a wave of energy, but then agony pierces through his skin and he cries out. He doubles over as he clutches his profusely bleeding eye from where the dagger had stabbed him.
“That’s right. It’s time to say goodbye,” Kyungsoo replies, voice devoid of emotion as he kicks him to the ground. He’s not even sure what’s come over him, but the sheer gratification of seeing Luhan’s terror is tantalizing.
And Luhan comes to his senses, barely summons a barrier in time to parry the sword that’s ready to impale him. He’s startled when he hears a bloodcurdling roar behind him and he turns to see a massive stone golem charging at him. Disoriented, he fails to defend against the fist slamming down onto his body. His fingers are clawing into the ground as he struggles to stand, limbs trembling from pain.
Kyungsoo draws close and pulls his head back by the hair. “I can crush your skull from here,” he mocks, remembering their first meeting.
He clenches his fist and does just that.
It feels as if he’s walking in someone else’s body as everything afterwards is a blur of faded cheers from the crowd and confetti flittering all around his surroundings. He kneels by Kai and the tears finally start falling, taking with them the red that had smeared on Kai’s cheeks.
“We won,” he manages to whisper. And he gnaws on his bottom lip as he strokes his aegis’ matted hair, tries to hum their favorite song as best as he can through the sobs choking his lungs.
We lost, his mind echos. We lost.
//
A quiet, ice-white dust drifts windlessly down from the luminescent clouds. It’s quiet inside of Kyungsoo’s mind too as he’s curled up on his couch, a throw pillow hugged to his chest.
He was allowed to return to his apartment three days following the end of Armageddon and, realistically, everything is the same. None of his furniture has moved, his view of the expanse of cityscape remains unchanged, and time still continues to pass.
It was he who had changed.
Sometimes, he’ll try to return to his life before the tournament, tries to saute vegetables or vacuum the carpets, when hot tears roll down his cheeks suddenly. He continues on until he breaks out into horrible sobs, has to cease what he was doing before washing his face and going back.
And he hates how debilitating life has become for him, how he’s unable to step outside lest paparazzi ambush him with their cameras that see too much-- see nothing, know nothing.
But, it’s on that day that’s dotted by fine snowflakes twirling from the bright clouds when things change.
From his position on the couch, he spots a thick, white envelope sitting on his bookshelf. He remembers an android handing it to him just before it left him alone in his apartment that day when he was transported home. And he had merely ignored it, not caring about its contents as he had grown sick of anything having to do with the tournament.
Today, he shuffles over to it and rips the top of the envelope neatly. He pulls out the fancy, embossed card inside and flips it open to see dried, pink petals spill onto the floor. He’s confused momentarily has the first words he sees is ‘Happy Birthday’ so, he glances at the calendar and realizes that it’s indeed his birthday today, wonders how whomever sent him the card knew he would open it today.
(The Supreme Leader knows everything.)
‘To restore your faith in happily-ever-afters,’ it states in smaller writing. There’s an address at the bottom and Kyungsoo doesn’t even think twice before sprinting out of his apartment.
He doesn’t even care that he had forgotten to put on his shoes, his socks instantly drenched by the snow on the ground. He doesn’t care that it’s unbearably cold, barely notices the snowflakes hitting his cheeks as he runs. He ignores the surprised stares from the populace and paparazzi asking for interviews, doesn’t care about anything right now except for this.
And he slams open the doors of the hospital, sprints past the receptionist and down the maze-like hallways. It’s been so long since he’s been here, but he somehow knows which way to go as he rounds the corners. But, he’s stopped when he reaches the door that requires card access, his heart racing with adrenaline.
He’s out of breath as he shifts from foot-to-foot, unsure of what to do now as he had acted on impulse. Maybe he’s wrong about this and maybe this is all a mistake.
“Do Kyungsoo?”
He turns and his eyes meet the yellow gaze of an android. “We’ve been expecting you. If you will come this way,” she states, motioning her hand down a different hallway. He follows her and there’s a weird lump in his throat as he feels like breaking out into tears.
She directs him to a room and opens the door for him, not following him inside. He sees a white, gauze curtain surrounding a hospital bed but, he can’t will himself to move. His back meets the closed door and he tries to wipe the spilling tears with his sleeves.
Finally, he slowly approaches the curtain and draws it open, his fingers trembling from what he expects to see there.
It’s empty.
Then, there’s a hand over his eyes and warmth against his back as his head is tugged back, lips meeting his own. And it’s so familiar that he knows right away who it is, doesn’t even blink when the hand is removed and he sees his face.
“Happy birthday, Kyungsoo.”
“Thanks, Kai.”