Closed Arcade | KINICH

Chapter 8- Sun-eyed

"It's you... What are you doing here?"

She stood in the middle of the hunting grounds, lost in a trance, her eyes fixed on the man ahead of her, unable to comprehend why he held her gaze so intensely. She couldn't understand why his eyes seemed to pull her in, like gravity. It was as though the rest of the world had blurred into nothingness, leaving only him. His intensity was both unsettling and mesmerizing, leaving her frozen, unsure whether to look away or step closer.

Every thought felt hazy, her surroundings forgotten, as if his stare was holding her in place, drawing her deeper into a moment she couldn't explain.

In the thick of the rut, a wild stag charged toward her, but just as it neared, the man she was staring at yanked her out of harm's way, breaking her daze as the rush of danger hit.

The force of his pull sent them both stumbling backward, her breath catching as reality snapped back into focus. She barely registered the sound of hooves pounding the ground where she had just stood. Her heart raced, not only from the near miss but from the closeness of the man, his grip still firm on her arm.

"What were you thinking?" he asked, his voice rough, a mix of frustration and concern.

She blinked, still disoriented. "I... I wasn't. I just..." Her words faltered as she glanced back at the spot, realizing how close she'd come to being trampled.

His eyes, dark and steady, searched her face for an answer, and suddenly she remembered the moment she had first seen him—how his presence had drawn her in so completely, leaving her unaware of everything around her. But now, with the sting of adrenaline coursing through her veins, she realized just how dangerously distracted she had been.

"Did I provoke them somehow...?" Y/n murmured, still a little shaken up by the suddenness of the deer's attack.

"I dunno, perhaps the way you just WALTZED INTO THEIR TERRITORY WILLY NILLY DID!!"

Almost immediately, she turned her head towards the source of the voice, expecting to be greeted by a 3D human's pissed off expression.

However, it was the complete opposite. It was neither human or 3D, but instead, a two dimensional yellow creature, just floating there in all its pixelated glory.

"Thelittleyellowpixeldragonjusttalked."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING LITTLE YOU-" 

The mini dragon did not even get to finish his sentence before he was launched into space by the sun-eyed boy.

"Now that he's taken care of... " He released her arm but stayed close, his hand brushing against her lower back in a protective gesture. "Come on, let's get you out of here," he muttered, his voice softer now.

She nodded, still shaken, as he guided her carefully through the dense trees. The wild energy of the forest felt heavier now, the sounds of distant movements reminding her that they were still in the heart of the hunting grounds.

With each step, he stayed just ahead, glancing back often to make sure she was okay. His presence, steady and unyielding, made her feel safe despite the brush with danger.

When they finally reached the edge of the woods, she exhaled in relief, feeling the weight of the moment lift just a little. "You should be more careful out here," he said, his voice carrying a warning but also something warmer, something that hinted at why he had noticed her in the first place.

"Y-Yes... Sorry" Y/n murmured lowly, turning away from the boy as she was too embarrassed to look him in the eye.

He shook his head, and spoke to her in an understanding tone of voice,"No need to apologize, really, just be more careful, especially in the woods"

"Y-Yeah.. I understand"

"Though, I have to ask, what're you doing all the way out here?"

"Eh?" Y/n looked up at him, a bit confused by his sudden question, but also a bit enamoured by his side profile, "What do you mean?"

"Don't you live near the arcade? That's a long way from here"

"Oh.. That, um... I was with... my friends.."

"Needed to recharge?" He spoke softly, with a hint of a smirk on his face, but that said smirk faded once he noticed the girl look away from him again.

"Y-Yeah.. I guess you can say that.. haha.." She laughed a little awkwardly, and it wasn't hard for him to notice. She really needed some release from whatever she was struggling from.

He sighed slightly, then spoke up again,"I never really caught your name before"

"Me?" Y/n asked surprisedly, her hand going up to point at herself using her index finger, "O-Oh.. It's Y/n"

A small smile tugged on his lips, and then he spoke ever so softly, "Kinich."

I shouldn't have gotten Kinich... Cuz this is me while playing him.