Days Go By | lavashipping

.*.*.*.

Later that day, Kai tried texting Cole, apologising for whatever misstep he did. After all, all he did was be concerned for him, no? Maybe Cole just didn't sleep well – which made sense, considering the fact that he woke up at least once during the night. Not to mention how late they got home or how physically exhausting the evening was. They also let him know about the forgotten orange bowtie that still didn't appear to be a giant pumpkin as promised (Kai hoped that bringing the joke back would make him feel a little better)

But when his messages were still ignored even by the evening of the next day, that's when Kai's concern, along with some frustration, finally rose to an alarming height.

So far, Cole has never ignored him for so long. Sure, he didn't respond as quickly as Kai did but that he understood. When he didn't reply for a day and a half, that didn't seem well. And the sound of his door being shut was still fresh in his memory.

look, im really sorry i pissed you off
but can we talk about it?
please cole
yesterday, 9:29

at least let me know youre ok
im seriously worried
yesterday, 15:47

i didnt mean it
well i DID mean there are journalists raving about your work
but i dont see how thats bad??
please talk to me
today, 11:54

i dont want to lose you like this
delivered, 12:15

They barely did anything else in their free time besides checking the phone every other moment or contemplating sending another message.

Why? What did he do wrong? He really tried to look at it from Cole's perspective but it was to no use. Sure, he was probably sour about Lou taking up a lot of articles about the show but they would've never focused on the models and designs anyway? Kai themself looked up articles about it (purely for research purposes) and there were many praising his work.

And maybe he did spend all night reading through them, maybe he didn't do exactly that. That was between him, his phone, and the Moon.

Once he stumbled across a few which speculated about the mysterious partner, Kai worried maybe that was the reason behind it all. What if he saw it too and it freaked him out?

Possible love interest? didn't sound too bad to Kai, though. To be honest, they toyed with the idea a little, to the point of fantasising about it for a while before he was reminded of the cruel reality that Cole wasn't even talking to him at the moment. So kissing in the street while flipping off some paparazzi wasn't on the table in the nearest future. Or maybe ever, if that was the reason behind Cole's silence.

While Kai did always struggle with his feelings and with understanding others' feelings as well, there were so many moments which made him think Cole was genuinely interested in him. They went on a date, that must mean something, right?

So why the radio silence? Why was he suddenly unreachable? What did Kai do?

He groaned angrily. Questions like such were circling in his mind nonstop. Two days passed, and he still asked himself that instead of being careful with all the dishes he was supposed to wash.

"Where's your friend?" Skylor asked him and he only grumbled something angrily in response, drowning a cup in the sink.

"That doesn't sound good."

"He just went radio silent on me for no reason."

"You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure! I was trying to make him feel better and he just storms off and ignores me! What do I know where he is, hopefully not in a different coffee shop with some shameless barista. The last thing I need is one of those Ouroboros fucks shoving into my face that they can be a better person for him. Little nerds."

Skylor sighed, for once not joining in on their dissing of the 'Ouroboros fucks'.

"Why don't you tell me what happened? Maybe a different perspective might help."

There was no need to ask, the frustration in him has been being prepared for a while now, so it was more than ready to spill out.

"We went on an awesome date, had great fun – or so I thought – then in the middle of the night I find him glued to those stupid gutter articles, so I took him back to bed. And when he woke up the next day, so eager to leave, I tried telling him that those don't matter and that there are definitely great articles about his work – there are – but he just shouts at me and leaves. And I get that they're idiots but what do I've got to do with it?"

"And you haven't heard from him since?"

"No. It's been three days, Skylor, three days. And I finally–" He groaned again, leaving the cups to clink and clang together in the water while he turned around and walked away from the sink, turning his back to Skylor in the process as well.

"Just when I finally mustered up the courage to ask him out," he muttered fast and quietly.

"Did you spam him?"

They turned back to him. "What is this, an interrogation?"

"I'd prefer to call it an investigation."

Kai huffed. "I didn't spam him, I just checked in every once in a while. I have no idea how he's doing, it worries me, all right?"

"Maybe he just needs some space."

"But he could just say that! It's not like communication even for longer distances is impossible now!"

"Kai, do you know what you do when you're pissed?"

They turned around and crossed their arms. "Oh great, now we're making things about me."

"Shut up and listen, you dumbass. You always, always, blow up and people have to leave you alone if they ever want to see your stupid face again. You need some time alone to calm down. Maybe he's not so different. Maybe he got mad at the articles and needed some time to process it which, unfortunately, means you're in the way. But maybe if you allow him some of the space, you could talk through it. You know, let him cool off, get his mind cleared up a little."

"This doesn't sound like something that should work."

"That's what relationships are for, you work through things together. Like you and me now. Partners help each other improve."

He huffed.

"You want my advice?"

"It's not like you already gave me some and I can't stop you anyway, so sure, what the hell."

"Don't fight fire with fire. And do something nice for him. To show that you're there, even if he decides to isolate himself. That could be the first step to change."

"Fight fire with fire?"

"Wait till you cool off too. Because if you come to him with your own anger, it would only be worse."

"Okay..."

"And now on how to keep your superior satisfied. Do your job."

"All right, I get it, Christ..." Walking back over to the sink, he resumed his previous task but muttered a quiet, "Thanks, Skylor," before his colleague left the room.