A New Start (AU)

4: Amends

Smoke felt happy talking with Bi-Han and Kuai Liang. He had finally had the chance to meet the younger of the two brothers, and in that time they had met, he felt like the younger Cryomancer was a humble, caring person. It had caught him off guard just how nice the boy was, considering he was younger than him. If anything, he would have expected Bi-Han to act more mature.

But it didn't matter to him who acted more mature. He just felt happy knowing the brothers held care for both him and Cyrax, even if his friend held hate towards one of the two boys.

...

And that was where Smoke worried a bit. He did not want Cyrax to hold grudges, especially towards someone who showed care and mercy when he was on the verge of death. He still did not blame Kuai Liang for what happened, even after Cyrax had attempted to switch his view on the matter.

He just needed to speak with Cyrax again. Perhaps the boy would listen to him this time.

—————

Smoke let a spoonful of rice into his mouth, his eyes watching Cyrax. The other boy ate in silence, his eyes once in a while glaring at Kuai Liang, who had been sitting alongside his brother next to them.

Smoke kept his attention on his friend, seeing his angered gaze. He could see his fist balled up around the spoon he held. His jaw would, at times, clench while he chewed his rice. He could even see his nostrils widen and close a bit as he let out angry sighs from his nose.

He had finally grown tired of it. He had grown annoyed seeing his friend so angered and peeved.

Smoke got up from his seat, walking around the table to get to Cyrax. He got close to his ear and spoke.

"Cyrax, I need to speak with you." Smoke whispered. "It's important."

The boy only nodded, leaving his almost-empty bowl of rice. Kuai Liang and Bi-Han, who had been eating and talking peacefully, stopped to watch the two boys leave. The older of the two shrugged it off, but Kuai couldn't help but look at the empty space in the seats.

—————

"Cyrax, why are you doing this?" Smoke's voice sounded stern. "Why are you still angry with Kuai Liang?"

The boy looked at him with frustration.

"I already told you why!" Cyrax raised his voice at his friend. "He put my name and pride to shame! I feel furious knowing he is stronger than me."

Smoke shook his head, before kneeling to the floor and grabbing his friend's shoulders. He gave a sigh before opening his mouth to speak.

"Cyrax..." Began Smoke. "You do not need to be ashamed of losing. You do not need to be ashamed for trying. And you most certainly don't need to be ashamed of being spared."

"I spoke with Kuai Liang a little while back..." Said the white-haired boy. "He said he never wanted to fight you. He didn't want to kill you because he felt your potential for being a great Lin Kuei member. He knew you were worthy of being here."

Cyrax pouted, his eyebrows lowered in rage.

"I don't care, Smoke. He may want to try and be my friend, but I don't want to. I hate him, despise him with a passion!"

"Don't say that, Cyrax!" Smoke snarled at the boy. "He has respected you the entire time we have been here. He has tried to be nice and kind to you, but all you've been doing is resenting him for something he had no control over!"

Cyrax looked at Smoke, anger still in him, but tears beginning to spill out of his eyes. Quickly, Smoke had realized what he had done. He had snapped at his friend, something he had not done before. He had treated the boy kindly since they had met. He didn't mean to yell at him. That was not his intention.