Flames to Ashes (TnF Trilogy Book 2)

Chapter 20: Rebirth

Cole POV
I kicked open the door, and shook Kai awake. "C'mon, sleepyhead! Wake up!"
"Cole, chill, it's ten a.m."
I scoffed. "It's actually twelve o'clock, mind you," I shook Kai again. "Besides, we're supposed to go on a date today. Our first public date," I reminded him.
"Mhm, I remember."
"So get up!" I shook Kai again.
"Nooooo," he whined.
"I swear, if I have to do this every day for the rest of my life, I won't even ask you."
"Ask me what," Kai groggily mumbled through the pillow.
"Go on the date with me and you'll see," I teased.
"Fiiiiiine..." Kai sat up and stretched, yawning. "Good morning, gorgeous," he greeted, half-awake.
I shoved him lightly. "Get dressed, ya moron!"
Kai grabbed an outfit from his dresser and then looked to me, still sitting on his bed, anxiously. "Um..."
"I'm not leaving," I said, crossing my arms. With a sigh, I added, "I won't look, I promise."

As Kai changed behind me, I looked down at my hands. They were fidgeting. Around three weeks ago, Kai asked me the exact same question that I'd ask him today.
Kai put his hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"
I glanced behind my shoulder. "I'm fine, it's okay."
Kai kissed me on the head. "Good. Now, let's get going!" Kai dragged me by the hand to the monastery gates. "All right, where are you taking me today?"
I smiled. "It's a surprise," and I conjured my elemental dragon and we hopped on its back. I took Kai to a fancy restaurant, where I nervously toyed with the pin in my jacket pockets. Some of the civilians around us were watching us intently, to see what we'd do. I gathered all my strength and got out of my chair. Kai gave me an odd look, then the look changed slowly into realization. Then a smile (that he tried to hide. In vain). I dropped to one knee, and that's when the whole restaurant started recording. Did I care? Nah. All that was on my mind was Kai.

I cleared my throat. "Well. Kai, I'll hope to make this short and sweet, because we've done this once already. But I'll say it again. Heck, we've been through so much together. Can I even list it all? Maybe not, but I can try. I became a ghost, you followed the Hands of Time into a time-space vortex, we raised our centuries-old mentor together, we went to the realm of Oni and Dragon, I fell off the Bounty and nearly got turned into stone, you lost your powers, we died in Prime Empire together— I could keep listing and listing. But the biggest thing is: I want you to know that I'd follow you to the ends of the earth or the fiery depths of hell. Get it? Earth and fire?" Kai chuckled, whispered, "dork" and then I cleared my throat again. "Um... anyways..." I held out the pin. "Kai Smith, will you be my yan—"
Kai leapt on top of me, with a huge hug. "You talk too much!" He kissed me, laughing afterwards. "Of course I will, you doofus!"
As we embraced, the people in the restaurant started clapping. I looked at Kai, and he looked at me. We shared one final kiss before we left, hand in hand, as two parts of the same whole, forever.