Shattering Me

12~ the Breakfast Crasher

Kyle's PoV

"Good morning, Rye," I said groggily.

I walked out of my room feeling comfortable in my blue plaid pajamas and a white t-shirt. Part of me expected to see Ryan coiled up like a python on the couch still, but I knew he would be up before me. Ryan was always up before me. Saturday mornings were not an exception.

"What's for breakfast?" I called into the kitchen. Or at least, what passed for a kitchen in a place like this one. The living room, dining room, and kitchen were all really just one big room with a few thin walls segregating them. I could actually see him standing in front of the stove with his back facing me. "My vote is for scrambled eggs with cheese.

"Oh and salt, pepper, oregano and extra fry around the edges. You know, now that I think about it, you might as well add chopped bacon to a few pancakes and add those too," I said walking into the kitchen. His back was still turned in his effort to ignore me but I snuck over to glance around his shoulder. When I saw that he'd only just started frying eggs, it seemed like the right time to get comfortable.

I popped myself onto the counter to his right and wiggled my feet back and forth while thinking about breakfast. "Oh, and maybe we could try getting some waffles to complement those bacon pancakes! Come on, Rye, I believe in you! All you have to do it mix the batter, turn on the stove, and buy a- Ow." I grimaced as his palm struck my shoulder hard.

It stung like hell but for some reason, I couldn't help but smile. Ryan was an extremely physical guy. After seeing him fight a few weeks ago, I'd thought that he was just constantly angry like a human bull on steroids, but that wasn't the case.

He was just the living embodiment of tension. Every second of his life seemed to be one more moment that he was keeping himself in check. Like he'd been holding up the weight of the world for so long that he didn't even notice how much pressure he was under anymore.

He could be gentle for sure, especially around kids and women, but it took control. Whenever he wasn't thinking, that control vaporized and his moves were like freaking machine gun fire. Provoking him to act was dangerous as all hell...but I was getting good at it. and I have the bruises to prove it. "Ow, that hurt. You're such a jerk sometimes," I tried pouting, but when he looked over to me he struck again more softly.

"You'll eat what I make and like it, Kyle," he ordered, but I could see a smile twisting the corner of his jaw. "Why don't you help me this time instead of rubbing your ass on my counter."

That was my cue to escape. I bounced myself off the counter and stood low before darting away. I made it around the kitchen table and nearly rounded the corner when Mr. Parkour vaulted over the table and tackled me.

Luckily for my ribs, my organs, and probably everything else in my body, he was careful and rolled his weight to avoid crushing me. Or at least not too much. I wasn't ready to be captured, however, and I managed to bring up my feet to his chest. His eyes widened as I kicked out hard with both of my legs, knocking him off completely and rolling away.

"Get back here Kai," he shouted and leaped toward me just as I started my jump over the living room sofa. I always liked when he used my real name instead of Kyle for some reason. "You Will help with breakfast this time!" he roared, trying to hide the grin that shined in his eyes. He grabbed one end of the long sofa and flipped it up into the air with one movement.

I didn't know if he'd come from the left or right, so I darted to the right because you know...right is always right. Except, this time it wasn't, and he sprung out right in front of me and wrapped an arm around my waist, sweeping me off my feet. "Let go, you freaking mountain-lion-ape-thing!"

He started carrying me back to the kitchen, effectively ignoring my struggles.

When the door rang, instead of sacrificing his victory, Ryan threw me over his shoulder like a rolled-up mat and sauntered over to answer it. I didn't have to see his face to know what that arrogant victory smile would look like.

--

Ryan wasn't sure what to expect when he opened the door on that Saturday morning, but it definitely wasn't a little girl with a rainbow umbrella. She had an adorable little yellow raincoat and boots along with a small box of cookies. She was barely tall enough to reach the bell, so it was no surprise it only rang once.

"Hello, sir. My mommy told me to give this to you. And she said to say thank you and bye-bye," holding out the little box for Ryan. She stumbled on every word as if she'd just woken up from a nap, but Ryan didn't care because it was the sweetest thing in the world. He had a soft spot for children and their weirdness, so he didn't even question the umbrella on a sunny day.

"What is in it?" he asked, but the little girl had already started scampering away.

"Bye-bye Mister Krag," she giggled as she disappeared from sight.

If she hadn't said his last name, Ryan's focus might not have snapped back into place. As he shut the door and readjusted the deadweight on his left shoulder, he heard a soft ticking come from the package. After a second, he recognized it.

"Oh, shit..."

"What's in it?" Kyle asked curiously.

With a flick of his thumb, he popped off the cover and saw a strange device hooked up on the inside. A counter flicked from 05:32 to 00:05 once the cover was pulled off completely.

The pieces clicked into place within Ryan's head. The odd way to girl spoke as if she was reading off a script. The odd clothing as if she was dressed by a complete idiot. And the way her eyes glazed like she was in a trance. It was a Helix compulsion.

Ryan roared in frustration as the bomb went off inside his home.

Oh, no...they're all dead!

Comment and vote if you think the boys survived ;)