Apocalypse [Pentatonix AU | Kavi / Scomiche]

Chapter 21 - Oversight

"Are you two together?" Kirstie's eyes were wide open as she laid awake in her bunk, listening intently to the conversation in the cell next to her. It was clear they not only thought she was asleep, but thought they were talking quietly enough for her to not hear.

There was a silence, and Kirstie was practically deafened by the drumming of her heartbeat in her ears. She tried desperately to keep her breathing inaudible.

"No, we're... no. It's complicated but... yeah I don't really... no. We're not, Kevin."

Obviously she knew that would be his answer- it was the truth- but inexplicably the words still hurt. She wished it didn't have to be complicated. She wished she could just tell him how she felt and all of this pain could be avoided. But she couldn't.

"Okay, just wondering. She seems like a good person."

"She is, Kev. She really is." Her heart was beyond sore.

"Alright, well goodnight man. See you tomorrow."

"See you."

Kirstie heard the shuffling of what she assumed to be Kevin's feet, and in turn quickly rolled over in her cot, shutting her eyes. However her mind was still whirring.

She really is.

Kirstie barely considered herself a good person anymore. She'd done so many horrible things, killed so many people. How could he think of her in that way when she couldn't even think that way of herself? How could he find the light in her that she herself had extinguished?

Kirstie was so consumed with these thoughts that she barely noticed the thud of footsteps coming into her cell until she heard a long sigh from above her.

Her reflex was to immediately spring up and shoot whatever it was lurking above her, but somehow she was able to resist, eyes still closed. The figure took a few more breaths above her. She wondered who it was, knowing now for certain that it wasn't a biter. She'd be dead already if it were.

Her question was answered, however, when she felt a pair of chapped but warm lips press against her cheek. The coarse hair around the lips made it clear that it was Avi.

Kirstie was completely frozen in shock. She didn't have to worry about Avi noticing any unusual movement; he clearly thought she was asleep. But she was anything but.

Just as his lips touched her cheek they were gone, and she heard the fading sounds of shuffling feet once again.

Tears now steadily streamed down Kirstie's cheeks, over where his lips had grazed.

-

"Hi, Kevin," Kirstie said, approaching the man who was sitting in the cafeteria. It was the next morning, and Kevin had on a fresh shirt and jeans. Kirstie hadn't seen him in the light yet, and was now able to get a real look at him. His eyes were large and trusting, but she could also see his damaged soul within them. He seemed relaxed, ironically enough.

"Kirstin, hey," he smiled.

"Kirstie."

"Sorry?"

"You can call me Kirstie. Everyone else around here does."

He nodded. "I've been meaning to thank ya'll. I mean, I know we're old friends of Avi and all, but still. Ya'll taking us in without second thought it- it means a lot. It's getting rough out there. I doubt we'd be alive if it weren't for you."

"How'd you find us?" Kirstie was still inching toward her most intentional question.

"Completely by chance. I know that sounds like bullshit, but it's true. Our trailer broke down about a mile away from here, in the middle of nowhere. We honestly thought we wouldn't make it on foot. After about a half hour of walking we saw a building. Just happened to be this prison." Kevin shook his head in disbelief. "Still can't believe Avi's here. Where is he, by the way?"

"He's a late sleeper."

"Huh, you're right. I forgot about that."

Kirstie shifted, taking a deep breath. "Kevin, can I ask you about Avi?"

Kevin turned toward her, eyebrows raised. "Of course," he said slowly.

She cleared her throat. "Did you know him? Before all of this?"

"Yeah, I did."

"What was he like?"

Kevin furrowed his brow, eyes unfocused. Kirstie could practically see the memories flooding his thoughts. "Different. Very different. He used to be a chef. I'd go to his restaurant every day after work. I'd like to think I was his favorite customer. Anyway, after a while I'd stay after hours and we'd just talk. I learned it was never what he wanted to do, cook. He'd been an opera major in a college, before he went to culinary school. He's a crazy talented musician, but he knew the industry was too rough. So he opted out."

"No kidding," Kirstie murmured, amused.

"Yep. But he was a great man, truly. So selfless. Loved his family more than anything. Especially Rose. She was his entire world, all he ever talked about." Kevin shook his head sadly.

"What?"

"What?"

"Who's Rose?" Confusion clouded Kirstie's thoughts. Was Avi leaving someone out of the story of his past as well?

"He didn't tell you...?" Kevin was aware he slipped up. He quickly shook his head, clearing his throat and obviously thinking of ways to compensate. "She was- she was no one. Forget I said that."

Except Kirstie knew she'd never forget that name.

"Anyway," Kevin continued, "when it all started, Avi stepped up. He kept all of us safe, our whole group. And still, even with the pressure of preserving other people's lives, he stayed optimistic. God, he was always so optimistic. It was infuriating sometimes." Kevin smiled, but the smile quickly faded. "I used to say to Alyssa, 'the day Avi loses his optimism is the day hope is lost.' Whatever happened to him since we parted ways... he's not optimistic anymore. And I know you can't understand what that means but that- that's devastating."

They stood in silence. Kirstie tried to envision an optimistic Avi, a happier Avi. It was a pleasant thought. A pleasant thought clouded by a singular name.

Rose.