High Tide (boyxboy)

Chapter 16: Into the caves

"Please don't be long."

☆

Stan and Nathan enter the cave, carefully carrying a still unconscious Kai. "I just need help over the drop, then I'll be ok by myself." Stan says as he lowers himself into the jagged hole in which this all began. 

It isn't easy, but they manage to carefully manoeuvre Kai to the other side, with Kai still wrapped in a blanket, now in Stan's arms and Nathan clambering back to the other side. "Please don't be long. I don't want to lose you." Nathan says with a look of real fear in his eyes. It felt too much like history repeating itself. 

"I promise I'll be back in an hour." Stan calls back. Though in his mind he didn't know what the next few moments of his life would entail. He didn't know what he was doing. He was just going with his instincts. The hope that once submerged in sea water, Kai would spring back to life. Stan was still cautious to touch Kai. Not knowing whether he was doing more harm than good. He needed to try the saltwater first. His mind was whirling, as he carried Kai deeper and deeper into the cave. He has no light to guide him. Only the instinct of where his feet had taken him before. The sound of the sea, echoing against the caves smooth walls, the light of day disappearing behind him.

After around 10 minutes, Stan feels a small puddle around his feet. The water was shallow, ending just above his ankles, but deep enough to lower Kai into. Still cradling Kai, wrapped in the blanket, Stan slowly gets onto his knees and lowers him into the water. He carefully removes the blanket and creates a pillow with it and places it under Kai's head. He is still apprehensive to make physical contact and uses the sleeves of his hoodie as a barrier.

He now scrambles for his phone in his pocket and flicks on the torch. Stan looks around him and realises he is back at the 'jaws'. The place where it all started. 

The water surrounds Kai. His body glistened in the shallow water under the small torchlight. Stan starts to create small waves, allowing the water to wash over Kai, but he still lays there, motionless, partially floating like a lily.

"Come on. Come on." Stan wants something to happen but nothing. 

"Well...if touching reveals his true self, maybe it will work on his mind and his memories too. You could, you know...explore it a bit further..."

Nathan's words resonate in his ears. Maybe now was the time. Time to see just what his touch could actually do. Stan starts by placing the palm of his hand on Kai's chest. This causes a rippling glow over Kai's skin which momentarily lights up the cave. He then places a second palm, next to the first. Again more ripples, the light getting brighter. Kai still does not move. Stan starts to move his hand across the expanse of Kai's silvery smooth chest. Each touch, each stroke creating brighter and stronger ripples of light. Stan tries his best to cover Kai as best as he can. But his hands will only spread so far and touch so much. 

Stan realises he needs more skin on skin. The cold breeze did not deter him from pulling his hoodie from over his head, leaving his upper body exposed. He needed to feel Kai close to him. Feel him against his own body. Stan places a hand around Kai's neck, lifting him up off of the pillow blanket, shoots of light illuminate the space around him, so much so that the phone's torch paled in comparison. 

Kai was now resting in Stan's arms. His head in the crook of his bent elbow. Stan wrapped his other arm around Kai's back, pulling him close, so they were touching, skin on skin, chest to chest. Kai's face is now a breath away from Stan's. The constant closeness creates a bright white hue around them both. It lit up the cave, making it almost magical, but Stan didn't look up to appreciate it. He was busy focusing on the face in front of him. Kai's face looked so serene, so mystical, so beautiful. Stan looks down at those slightly parted lips. He wanted to kiss Kai so badly, wanting and willing that if he did so, the magic would happen, just like in all those fairytales. 

He slowly closes his eyes and leans in, his lips so close he could feel the intensity. This kiss was the most important kiss he would ever give. A kiss of life even. He closes his eyes and presses his lips to Kai's. The kiss is just a light brushing, but he is not giving up just yet, Stan keeps his lips attached. This has to work. He can suddenly feel a tingling sensation, like Kai's lips are electrically charged. He suddenly senses a brightness around him, even with closed eyes and opens them, pulling away from the kiss. Still holding Kai close he looks around him. It's as if he is in a whirlpool of bright white light. Then, there is movement, a sudden intake of air. Stan jumps a little at the sudden move and looks at Kai. His eyes wide open, back arched. He seems breathless looking around at his surroundings and then at Stan. 

It takes a moment for his breathing to slow a little and the bright light to explode out like a silent bomb before the light of Stan's phone torch is all that remains. 

Kai smiles at Stan "I... remember."