No-One But You

Chapter 3: Did I Just Kiss Him!?

In the Tortuga, Chris and Marin were watching Aviva as she made the new creature power discs. After all, she was going on a special space mission soon and they had to be able to do this themselves while she was away. Meanwhile, Jimmy was staring out the window when he saw a figure dart across. He went to open the window out of curiosity. Could it be a new creature? It wasn't a creature though, because the next thing he knew, there was a sharp tap on his neck and everything went black.

|CHRIS POV|

Making creature discs is complicated, so I knew that I had to stay focused. But I couldn't because I thought I heard something(or someone) fall. I told Aviva that I needed to go for a bit and she let me, but not without a worried expression. I wondered if Martin had sone something. Voiced his concern. I went to the control room and saw Jimmy Z on his chair, seemingly asleep. I laughed a little, then looked around for something that could have fallen. I noticed an open window and climbed through it. Maybe whatever had fallen was on the roof?
Up there though, it was a different story. such a beautiful view. I saw something in the distance and it had our power discs and Aviva's miniaturiser! I had to go after it.

|READER POV|

Chris was running after whatever had the tech, suspecting that it could be Zach. He was obsessed with their stuff. Along the way, Chris saw the figure run up some trees, so he climbed up after it. He was met with a cool sight. Lammergeyer nests! The figure was just a bird, but there were no discs. He reached for his Creature Pod but realised that he'd left it back at the Tortuga. He jumped down and started to walk back in the direction he thought the Tortuga was in.

{TIME SKIP OF 2 HOURS}

It was getting late, and Chris was getting more and more worried. Was he lost? He had never been here before, it was likely.

WITH ZACH AND COMPANY

Zach picked up something on his radar. What if it was a strong creature? 'Aha,' he thought. 'No Wild Rats or Chris to mess it up.'  He started walking to the exit when Francesca caught him.
"Hey, where are you going?" she asked.
"I think I found something. Do you mind staying on the cameras and radar for me?" he replied. Fran nodded and went over to the main desk, leaving Zach to explore.
Zach was walking around the ship looking for whatever was picked up by the radar when he tripped over a root and crashed into someone.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you..." he stopped when he met eyes with who he bumped into. Chris Kratt. Why must the universe curse him with Chris wherever he went? Not that he minded, in all honesty...
"Zach? What are you doing here?" inquired Chris. "I'm just, er, taking a walk...you?"
The younger Kratt brother hesitated before responding. He decided to be honest. For some reason, it was starting to look as though Zach wasn't being as evil...
"I-i'm lost." Zach raised his eyebrows in surprise. A Kratt Brother? Getting lost? This was a first. He felt sorry for Chris at that moment. He forgot that he was meant to be Chris's worst enemy.
"I could help you get home if you'd like," Zach offered. Chris was taken aback for a second. Was it a trap? He was still a bit suspicious of the inventor, but it could allow Chris to ask Zach about his odd behaviour yesterday in the city.
"Alright then, I might as well. Not like I can get home in this darkness anyway."

WITH THE WILD KRATTS

Aviva and Martin were starting to worry about Chris. It was dark outside and Chris didn't tend to like hanging around at night. Aviva suggested calling him, so Martin went and found his backpack. He lifted it and it was lighter than he remembered. He opened it and was met with a horrible sight.
"Oh no," he said, face pale.
"What's wrong, Martin?" Aviva asked, pausing her inventing for a moment.
"My gear," he replied. "It's gone!"
Aviva gasped. Who could have taken off with their stuff? Jimmy was in the front, Koki was under the Tortuga, giving it a check and she and Martin were right there! At that moment, Koki came back from checking the Tortuga.
"Hey, you guys. What's wrong? Where's Chris? And have you seen JZ?" she said, noticing her friends' worried expressions. Martin nodded his head, saying that Jimmy was still in the cockpit. Then he and Aviva explained about Chris going for a walk then not having returned yet.
"We have to find him. More now than you thought, I suppose," contemplated Koki.
"Why?" said Martin and Aviva at the same time.
"Because I think I saw a Zachbot. Zach Varmitech might have taken Chris."

WITH ZACH AND CHRIS

They were walking in silence, with Zach sometimes asking Chris if he recognised anything. Chris really wanted to ask Zach about what had happened. He decided to finally discuss the matter that was weighing down on him.
"Zach."
"Yes?"
"About what happened yesterday... Why?"
Zachary was perplexed.
"Why what?"
"Why were you so...anxious?" Chris glanced at the inventor to see his reaction. He seemed to be thinking about his response like he didn't want to give too much away.
"I was having trouble thinking. That's all," he lied. It was so much more, but he wasn't going to tell this Wild Kratt all of his problems. Then he'd think that he was overdramatic, just like Paisley had done. Chris felt like this wasn't the whole story. He decided to press for the real answer one more time.
"Really? Is that all?" he asked. Zach nodded. He didn't feel like talking now.
"...okay, I get it," said Chris, trying to be understanding. After all, you don't go revealing your innermost secrets to your worst enemy.

After a while, Zach stopped abruptly. He told Chris to wait where he was. Zach walked into the trees in front, then as soon as Zach had left, Chris heard a whisper.
"Hey. This is yours, right?" Chris turned. The figure from earlier was standing right behind him, but this time he could actually see its face.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Kit. I've been watching your encounter with my friend for a while now. That was very kind, asking him if he was okay," Kit replied.
"Thanks... Hey, is that my Creature Pod?" Chris asked, pointing to the device in Kit's hand. Kit nodded and gave the CP to Chris.
"Listen, I don't have much time because Zach will be back, but listen. Even though Zachary says he's okay, he is not. He hasn't eaten for five days straight. He hadn't left his room until yesterday. Please, I'm asking you, look out for him," said Kit, desperately. Chris was shocked at all of this crazy info being dumped on him at once. Zach hadn't eaten? Not left his room? What was wrong? Chris said that he would keep an eye on Zach, but just then he heard a rustle. Kit nodded farewell at Chris then disappeared.
"We might have to walk for a little longer," said Zach, emerging from the trees. Chris nodded and followed Zach. Maybe he should strike a conversation, keep Zach from remembering whatever was on his mind.
"So... How do you think of those evil plans?" Chris asked. Zach's face lit up at this, and he started talking at length about his thinking process, the right environment to think and Chris found himself listening to every word intently. It was fun, listening to the usually cocky inventor, especially when he started talking about the playlist he used when he had inventor's block. Turned out that Chris and Zach had very similar music tastes.
"What about you, though?" asked Zach. Chris mentioned the gaming that he did with Jimmy Z and Koki and the pizza that the Wild Kratts always ordered. He realised that he missed Martin, but Chris kept talking anyway.

The two of them were still talking when they reached the end of the forest and the Tortuga.
"Well, this is my stop. Thanks for helping me, I suppose," Chris smiled. He noticed the small glimmer of happiness in Zach's emerald eyes. It was small, but it was there. Chris had been near Zach many times, but never before had seen this. "Thanks again, Zach. I hope to see you again soon," Chris found himself saying. Then he reached up and gave Zach a kiss on the cheek. Elated, Chris ran off to the Tortuga, waving at Zach.

|ZACH POV|
Holy SHIT! Did Chris just... Kiss me?

|READER POV|

Chris stood at the entrance to the Tortuga, about to enter, but then he realised what he had just done. "Did I just...kiss Zach Varmitech!?" he said.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

hi everyone! Hope you're well. Sorry that it is a slow burner, but ill work on it. Bai 💕
Disclaimer: Any resemblance to real world ppl (names etc.) is purely coincidental!!!!