Nightmares ; Bonkai

chapter 19

She didn't have to be a genius to figure out Kai was avoiding her, but damned if she'd let him be able to so easily. After his dream he went out for a run; something she hadn't noticed him do often but when he came back two hours later shirt slick with sweat and not winded or dying from heatstroke, she had to assume that was something he usually did with his spare time.

He blew past her for a shower, not saying anything as he locked himself away for another hour. When he came down to make lunch the marks under his eyes looked darker and he looked pale. She rounded the corner of the island, him not-so-subtly trying to avoid eye contact as she reached up to grab the sides of his face.

"What are you doing?" he leaned his head away from her touch against his forehead.

"I'm seeing if you're warm, you don't look well." she murmured feeeling his forehead and neck. "Kai you're burning up, do you feel okay?"

"I'm fine," he smirked. "I don't get sick."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I've been here for what seems like a lifetime and I've never gotten sick; can't even catch a cold in this weather."

Bonnie looked over his pale complexion, fatigued state and uneasy stance. "Well, I'm looking at you right now, and I'm telling you you're sick."

"Impossible," he shrugged.

He finished throwing together the chicken salad from the leftovers from the other night, put some on bread with lettuce, cheese, and pepper and slid it over to her. He leaned off the counter and headed for the door.

"Aren't you eating?"

"I'm not hungry," he mumbled as he turned the corner out of sight.

Staring down at the food then back at the doorway, Bonnie knew something was definitely off. For Kai to look sickly and pale when he's been healthy for the last 20 years is reason enough for concern, but him not being hungry? Shaking her head she took a bite of the sandwich knowing this wasn't the end of their conversation.

Kai's tactics for avoiding her were amateur to say the least. She's come to know of his favorite spots in the house and after a while found him in one she is equally fond of; the library. He was lying on the couch the same way she found him so many months ago with Damon; eyes closed and pretending to be asleep. The major differences of the outward appearance and the person on the inside were not lost on her as she raked him in and felt the invisible pull to be at his side.

"You are the most frustrating person I know."

"Me? Try spending five minutes with you."

"I am a joy to be around," Kai declared, eyes still closed. "What I find to be so very exasperating about you is that half the time you want nothing to do with me, but the times I go out of my way to leave you alone you're right there by my side." He opened his eyes and his dark gaze bore into hers. "Why do you think that is?"

Bonnie hadn't given it much thought but he wasn't wrong; the few moments she's felt him pull away from her she's pushed forward and pressed her own limits.

"Boredom," she shrugged, not wanting to think too much about the answer.

"Doubt it," he smirked, lifting his arm and resting it over his forehead. "You can't stay away from me, I know."

She shook her head at herself for even seeking him out.

"I just want to make sure you aren't going to croak out on me," she mimicked, replaying his words back at him when she wasn't eating or sleeping over her nightmares. Walking up to him and sitting on the coffee table in front of his stomach he glanced over at her underneath his arm and Bonnie pushed it out of the way, placing her hand in its place and feeling her palm burning. Sighing she looked back over him checking for any sign of physical injury that could be causing this fever. "Have you noticed any scratches or rashes pop up since you started feeling like this?"