Febuwhump day 13 - "I don't trust anyone else"
CWs: Death (not permanent, whumpee is immortal)
“You want me to do this?” Arielle asked, surprised. They had indeed expected it would be something serious since he looked so dreadful when he called her after the meeting, but Kaiki wasn’t even looking in her eyes.
“Someone... Someone’s gotta do it,” he said, leaning his back against the wall behind the garden. “Lis is not here. And I don’t trust anyone else,” he admitted.
Ari looked down.
“If that’s... what you really want.” She looked up back at him. Kaiki seemed to be holding back tears. He took a deep breath and conjured up the knife he’d been hiding. Arielle tried to supress her nerves at the mere sight of it. The early afternoon sun reflected on its blade, the shape of it distinct from any other they’d ever seen. Kaiki held the carved hilt as if it was a dangerous animal that would run off his hand would he not wrap his fingers around it tight enough. He didn’t seem much happy at it either.
It probably brought him bad memories.
“It’s gonna be okay,” they tried reassuring him. “Can I...” Ari hesitated. But it was important to ask. “Can I give you a hug?”
He pursed his lips nodded his head, looking up to the sky. He was hiding his eyes.
Arielle wrapped their arms around Kaiki, resting their chin against the top of his head. Kaiki didn’t recipricate the hug. He didn’t need to.
When Arielle pulled away, Kaiki’s cheeks were wet with tears. She thought maybe he’d raise his hands to wipe them off, but he didn’t made a single motion to acknowledge them. He took another deep, shaky breath.
“Here,” he held the weapon up to them, the metal end turned to himself. His fingers trembled a little. Arielle’s did not.
She was kinda used to it at this point.
So they pushed the guilt away, remembering he would be okay. Eventually. And when they did that, things would finally near an end.
“It’s gonna be quick. I promise,” Ari tested the weight of the blade, dealing a few swings to see how it was.
Not bad.
“I’m ready.”
Now it was them that didn’t want to look in his eyes. They did anyway. Arielle wasn’t much of a smiler, but they tried offering a comforting one regardless. It probably wasn’t the best.
Kaiki’s lips curled up a bit, coy. Ari tentatively held the back of his head, pulling him closer in a loose embrace. He didn’t pull away, even after a few seconds, so she warned him, gave a light smooch on his forehead, and he closed his eyes, bracing himself.
“I see you soon, Kai.”
Arielle cut his head off in a quick blow.
--
Even though they knew it wasn’t permanent, it was still a weird sight to see him like this. Hands over his heart, body carefully divided in two by the neck. She narrowed her eyes, trying to stop tears from spilling out.
He was going to be okay, Ari reminded themself.
This was all gonna end soon.
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