Beneath The Surface

Act 15 - She's like an oasis in a desert.

Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia

Kai'Sa's POV
Keeek...

"Yeah. Yeah. I get it. No more touchy feely. Now stop stabbing me," I groaned, pushing open the door to my room.

The little bugger didn't appreciate my nonchalance and clapped back with more ferocious clawing on my insides. I winced as my whole body stiffened, aching from the whole afternoon of being mutilated. Making my way towards the much appreciated soft bed, I plopped down tiredly, letting myself sink into the cool sheets. I closed my eyes, trying to distract myself from the agony plaguing my body. But there was no peace. Not with a certain symbiote screeching in my head, busy trying to rip the skin on my right wrist where Akali had touched me. The thought of breaking down in front of one of my ace students had me covering my face in shame. I can't believe I cried like a freak. I thought I was used to my symbiote being particularly bratty but I didn't expect Akali to suddenly grab my wrist. My mind wasn't ready to have my flesh torn apart so I ended up bawling like a fool.

How embarrassing...

Wailing to a younger girl when I'm already 19. I'm no longer a gullible kid who only knew how to make trouble then cry to Mom for help... My ears grew uncomfortably hot at the memory of my clownish behaviour. Akali must have been weirded out. What a great impression...

As if to remind me of its existence, the little brat gave a particularly sharp scrape to my windpipe.

I rolled my eyes and muttered, my voice hoarse and scratchy, "You already made me lose all my face. So we're even now. Stop trying to prick me."

After a few minutes of throwing a hissy fit, the thing finally calmed down and retracted its damn claws. I let out a ragged wheeze, thankful that my lungs no longer burn with every breath I took. I gently rubbed my sore wrist, soothing the aching joints. Strangely, I could still feel the ghost of Akali's hand on it. It was really warm. And kind. The only person who's willing to do all this for me. The only human who didn't have a look of disdain on her face. Who would have thought the one girl that hated me the most would also be the first person to apologise to me...

Akali's cheeky grin appeared in my mind. How she exuded confidence and spunk. As if others' opinions didn't matter to her one bit. It was really attractive. Especially her picturesque face. The person who could make violet eyes seemed so pretty. When she wasn't scowling all the time, it was really relaxing to hang out with her. Much better than other people whose judgemental eyes would be the death of me. I could feel my heart skipping a beat. In fact, it was beating so loudly in the silent single room. Would I still have the chance to go out with her...

I stared intently at my wrist. Reminiscing about the experience of Akali pulling me through the busy street.

I want to touch her hand again...

It might be a little greedy and presumptuous but I can't help it. Her soft touch was so addictive. It doesn't have to be holding hands. Just a little graze was also fine. Even throughout the whole afternoon, my mind wasn't on the sensation of claws raking across my skin, nor was it on the shrieking noise in my consciousness. It's all on the feisty student. The girl who always butt heads with me during classes. Nevermind the pain. What mattered more was the rewards that came after. It's warm and pleasant. Reminding me of the time when I was still normal. When I could get hugs from others without being stabbed. When I wasn't seen as some invading species. When Mom was still around...

It feels nice... Like Luna...

My mind wandered to a certain white-haired vastaya. Her sudden appearance instantly set off ripples in the still water. As if the peacefulness before her arrival was just the calm before the storm. Luna's most likely the wolf vastaya that cleared the E-rank zone in Zaun on her own. I mean, with that crazy level of combat sense and the splash of literal insanity thrown into the mix, it's no wonder Luna was able to clear a Void rift without proper training. With how unpredictable she was, I'm not even sure who's the more psychotic one-her or the mindless voidborns. On the first day of Luna's debut, my instincts told me if I hadn't pulled Akali away, she would have died right there and then. And I knew better than to ignore my gut feeling. The last time I did, everyone in my village died. I wasn't about to let history repeat itself.