Kai (16)
2351 Words
Kai (16)
I arrived in Aria’s room, appearing beside her bed as she got up from her window seat and came towards me
“Kai!” Aria said with a smile
Leaving her ipad on the bed, she hugged me to her and my arms wrapped around her small frame. I leaned into her hair that always smelled of a spring garden and centered me. My normal beating heart always picked up speed whenever I was near her even when I tried to calm myself.
“I missed you Kai” Aria said quietly
“You saw me yesterday, remember?” I asked, moving away from her
She stepped back but held my hand, moving back until we both sat on the edge of her bed together.
“But that was yesterday” Aria pouted
“And I almost see you every day” I teased with a smile
“But it’s NOT every day” Aria countered back
“Most days it is” I said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear
“But its not always Kai” Aria said, holding my hand “Not like mummy and daddy”
I closed my eyes, gathering strength as I held my body still. I couldn’t say Aria didn’t know what she was asking for because she did. I felt it. I know what she meant. She may not understand the full concept of what a mate is but she understands how they are meant to be.
And she was craving that….just as I was
“You know I can’t do that, Aria” I whispered, opening my eyes and watched her face fall
“Why not?” Aria asked, her eyes pooling with tears “Mummy stays with daddy. Uncle Ray stays with auntie Sue. Why can’t you stay with me?”
“Because we are too young Ari” I said with a sigh “Don’t do that. You know I hate to see you cry”
I brushed the tears from her eyes and caressed her cheek. Aria sniffed, holding my hand tighter
“But we are the same as them, Kai” Aria said “We are mates and mates stay together”
“I know” I nodded “They do. But remember what I told you Ari?”
“You said most people find mates when they reach eighteen” Aria pouted “But Kai, we found each other now. So we should stay with each other now….not after a long time”
“I know baby” I said, letting the endearment slip “but we are also part human and in human time. We are too young”
“I’m not a baby” Aria pouted, looking sad again “And that sounds silly. We aren’t human. We are not even wolves. We are the anc-”
“Aria!” I said hissed, cupping my hand over her mouth
We both looked around the room. When we heard nothing around us, I let out the breath I was holding in and removed my hand.
“I’m sorry” Aria whispered
“We have to be careful Ari” I reminded her “Always”
She nodded, looking sad. I tickled her left side and immediately I was rewarded with a small chuckle from her. I watched as she tried to evade my wiggling fingers as I chased her around the room, her laughter a balm to my soul.
“Kai” Aria huffed, her cheek pink from the exertion “You win”
Flopping on her back on her bed, Aria took deep breaths as she smiled and laughed. I sat beside her as I twirled my fingers, chanting.
On the bedside table, two small glasses filled with vimto juice appeared and Aria sat up with a smile. I took one and handed it to her, taking a deep drink from my own.
Aria handed me her half empty glass and reached for the plate of choc chip cookies that appeared beside her, handing one to me. When
I looked at her, she smiled.
“You always give me my favourite things. I wanted you to have something you like too” Aria explained “I know you don’t like my oatmeal or white chocolate cookies”
“Thanks Ari” I said, smiling
For a short while, there's only silence as Aria and I eat the cookies and rink the juice. Aria patted the space beside her and I got up on the bed and lay down, causing Aria to put her head on my shoulder. I thought she had gone to sleep with the silence around us when she spoke softly
“I have to keep training” Aria said
Silence
I didn’t want to speak, to break the quiet in the room with our reality
“I know” I admitted
“I have to learn to get hurt Kai” Aria said
My body stiffened, angry at what was to come. I felt her hand squeeze mine and I turned my head to look at her. She was already looking at me with her big eyes and I let out a sigh of frustration
“I have to do this Kai” Aria said
“I wish you didn’t” I finally said “I wish I could take it all and do it”
“You can’t change it. No one can” Aria said with great wisdom
“But I should be able to change it” I said angrily “I’m the supreme. I should be able to change and do anything”
“No silly” Aria giggle “Then you would be god and no one can be god but god”
“Aria” I sighed, frustrated her honest and brave words
“Kai” Aria copied me
Silence once again became our friend as we both stopped speaking. After a while, she spoke again and this time - my heart broke
“I’m a little scared” Aria admitted
I pulled her into my arms and hugged her before sitting up. It was like she knew what to do before I could voice it because she sat on my lap side ways, her legs dangling at the side as she hugged me tight. I closed my eyes and touched my forehead against hers
“I wish I could take it away” I whispered
“I don’t” Aria whispered back “Because then, it would always only be you in pain”
“I don’t care, it wouldn’t be you” I said
Opening my eyes, I watch as her lower lip trembles and I put a finger on her lips, trying to stop her from the cry she was about to let out
“You always hurt Kai. When you train. You always hurt” Aria said
“How do you know that?” I asked, shocked
“Because I feel it” Aria said, taking her hand and placing it over her heart “In here”
“Aria” I asked, my body shaking a little “Do you feel pain when I hurt?”
“Sometimes” Aria admitted with a nod “But you always hide it. I know you do. Now it’s my turn to hurt so you don’t have to”
“Never Ari!” I said with determination
“You can’t stop it this time. I have to practice remember?” Aria reminded me
I sighed, wishing I could change it. I was shocked she knew when I felt pain. The joys of being a supreme was followed by intense training to be able to fight against powerful beings on the wrong side. Sometimes that meant training for battle and getting hurt. I didn’t want Aria to go through that but I knew there wasn’t a way to stop it
Aria had to know how to defend herself and that meant, learning how to deal with pain and the aftermath of an attack. I squeezed her tighter, my mind fighting with my heart at the thought of our mate being in danger.
“Can’t…breathe” Aria said, wiggling her body
“Sorry” I said
I opened my arms looser and she hopped off my lap and stood up. Pulling my hand, I followed her up and walked with her to the window seat. Looking out of the window and at the lush greenery around her back garden, I watched as Aria opened the window a little and the cool breeze immediately ruffled our clothes.
“Watch” Aria said
She lifted her hand and put it outside the open window. For a while, nothing happened and I was worried about her hand becoming cold when from the corner of my eyes, I saw a small orange and black butterfly. I watched it fly around before it saw Aria’s hand and gently sat in her open psalm. She touched its wings gently before greeting it and then let it lift off and fly away. I chuckled, thinking it was cute until Aria glared at me
“Not that” Aria said
“Oh, ok” I smiled, ducking my head to hide my laugh
She was so cute when she glared at me. I lifted my head again when I heard more flapping and my smile turned to one of awe as the creature before me came closer to the window.
“Aria!” I whispered in reverence
“It’s ok Nira” Aria cooed “Come here girl”
I watched in fascination as this mythical creature that technically didn’t exist, came closer to Aria who gestured for it to enter her room.
When I saw no other person run in our direction, I looked at Aria who was now looking at me with glee
“She’s invincible” Aria told me “No one but me can see her. And I think you can too, right?”
I nodded my head mutely, walking slowly towards them
“Aria” I whispered “Do you know what this is?”
“Yep” Aria smiled
She turned her head and looked at it before gently kissing the delicate but large head. I watched as it returned the affection as it nuzzled
Aria’s hair and caused her to giggle. She lightly stroked its head and when ti turned its eyes on me, I took a deep breath and knew why she said it was girl. Her eyes were like Aria’s and the truth I saw in it made me kneel down, my head bowing
“What are you doing Kai” Aria asked in confusion “get up”
I slowly rose, my heart beating erratically
“How did you find her? How is she here?” I asked
“The day after I had cut myself and my eyes went black, remember?” Aria asked
I nodded, frozen in place
“Well, at night…I was sore. Actually, I started bleeding again and I was hot. Boiling hot” Aria explained
“A fever” i whispered, how did I not know that? “But I was here, I was with you”
“The boiling only happened inside of me. Not outside. So no one knew” Aria said “The bleeding happened that first time after daddy and auntie Sophie made you do home”
I clenched my hands as anger coursed through me. I knew I was right in wanting to stay with Aria, to protect her but the adults never listened. They always interfered
“Its ok Kai” Aria said gently “That’s why she came to me. HE said it was his way of keeping me safe. Nira was here to protect me
when you couldn’t. It’s not fair we can’t always stay together but it’s not fair that you take care of everyone but no one takes care of you”
“I don’t care about that Aria, I only care about you” I said my anger rising at our situation
“And I care about you” Aria said “And when you are training…..when we are training and hurt…..you can’t keep running after me to help me. It makes you weaker because you use all your energy on me”
“And I always will” I said “You are my mate, my everything Aria. Nothing else matters but you”
Aria smiled, the brightness of it lighting up the room in a way the sun couldn’t. The creature at her side let out a beautiful but loud sound and I looked towards her open door worriedly
“It’s ok” Aria chuckled “No one can hear her. One time she was in the room and daddy and grandma Deedee came in and Nira was signing and flying around and they never saw or heard her”
I opened my mouth in shock, knowing it was opening and closing like a fish before I shook my head in wonder. Aria giggled as the creature nuzzled her hair and used its sharp claws to gently turn her face to its own before nuzzling her great beak against Aria’s nose
“Come, Kai” Aria said
I moved forward slowly. She helped out her hand and Nira flew to stand on her wrist, her large body and claws should have weighed Aria down and been dangers with how sharp the claws was - but instead, it gently lowered itself on her arms and seemed to be weighing nothing as it looked at me
“Nira, this is Kai - my mate. But you already know that since you have already met him” Aria giggled
“I haven’t met Nira before” I said shaking my head
“Yes you have. When we helped uncle Ray with auntie Sue and Fina” Aria said
I frowned until my eyes widened, nodding as understanding came to me
“Kai, this is Nira. Our blue star……the blue phoenix” Aria said proudly
- Writer
