kai... (the hollow kai x adam)

part four: outed, oops?

The walk to Vanessa's house was the closest Adam and Kai had ever been, talking, laughing, never any awkward silences.

They stepped through a small line of trees, (separating one of the walking trails in the park with Vanessa's backyard), and stepped into her basement, hand in hand, completely forgetting that nobody knew yet.

"Um, what the hell Kai"? Shit, now Vanessa was pissed. He turned to Adam with a look of worry, but it was gone when he saw Adam's face. He looked apologetic, yet excited.

"He's holding my hand because he's my boyfriend V... isn't it obvious?" Adam gave Vanessa a sarcastic look of confusion as if her question was the dumbest thing he'd heard all day.

"SO YOU FINALLY TOLD HIM HOW YOU FEEL! Thank goodness, that secret was killing me!" Mira jumped up and gave both boys a hug. Adam gave her a side look of thanks and squeezed her for a moment longer in the hug.

"I KNEW IT!" Reeve had been suspecting Adam's feelings for a while and it felt good to see he was correct. The four of them stood in a circle, The boys thanking Reeve and Mira for being supportive and how it would finally make Adam MUCH less awkward around Kai.

Vanessa just stared at them all in disbelief and anger, so not only had Kai picked Adam over her, but the entire group was now forgetting she was even in the room? Ohhhhh no, she was not about to let that slide.

"So what, you just chose him over me? Is he why we ended things? Adam, you know he's just using you as a test run boyfriend right?" Adam got an intrigued look on his face as he went from facing Vanessa to Kai.

"Are you kidding me V? I told you already that we weren't working anyways, we had so many problems and we just didn't fit well together! Also, Adam is NOT a test run, sure he's my first boyfriend and I told you I wanted to know what having one felt like, but that's not why i'm dating him."

"Then why are you dating him huh? What's he got that I don't?" Vanessa was full on enraged now, he was talking back to her in front of everyone, was he crazy? "EVERYTHING! I ACTUALLY LOVE HIM, UNLIKE HOW I FELT TOWARDS YOU!"

All four stared at Kai, mouths wide open from gasping. Vanessa was in tears, he never loved her? "What... what do you mean... you didn't love me? That whole time?" Kai closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, held it, and slowly let it out.

"No ok, I didn't. That's why I ended things. I've always felt these feelings towards Adam but I suppressed them... but hiding my love for him doesn't mean it opened up room for me to love you."

Vanessa just stood, she didn't have any specific look on her face, she didn't even seem to blink. "So you used me?" She didn't say it like she was offended or shocked and both her and Kai knew why.

She had used him before, and when she told everyone that she caused the glitch, he was the one who got everyone to forgive her when he should have been the hardest to convince.

"I'm sorry V, I was still kinda mad at you and you were hurt over losing Skeet, and I don't have any excuses saying that it was ok, because it wasn't." They looked at each other in silence for a while, the rest of the group had all sat down at some point during the fight.

In sync they moved towards one another and hugged, forgiving each other for everything they've done. "We can start our friendship over, no grudges, no romance, no taking advantage... deal?"

Kai pulled away from the hug and looked into her eyes to make sure she was sincere. "Deal." A small smile was exchanged each way before Kai turned to look at Adam.

Their smiles slowly grew bigger and goofier until they started giggling, neither really sure how to react, but liking the calmness the way they picked brought. It also lifted some of the awkwardness as they all started to laugh at nothing.

Reeve turned on the tv and the Xbox and threw Kai a remote. Kai slumped onto the floor in between Adam's legs using the couch bottom as a chair back. Mira and Vanessa got up and walked to the tiny basement kitchen to talk while Adam played with Kai's hair, unable to stop thinking about how Kai said he loved him.

"So are you gonna be ok V?" Mira was of course stepping up to be the mom friend again. "Yeah, I feel better now that I know the truth and now that we've started over." She wasn't lying either, she felt great! She was happy for them and didn't feel mad anymore.

"So, Kai mentioned you were upset about Skeet. Did you like him as more than just a gaming partner?" Both girls sat in awkward silence at Mira's question. They had both liked him like that but, he was gone now so what did it matter.

"Yes. I did. But he only had eyes for you." The comment, while hurting Vanessa, made Mira very happy. This was probably her first happy thought about Skeet in a while.

"Moving on, it's been hard... so hard that I haven't even done it yet. I have a feeling you haven't either and we can do it together." Mira gave Vanessa's hand a light squeeze as she returned the gesture with a smile.

"Thank you. It really means a lot Mira." They both exchanged genuine smiles before being interrupted by the complaints from Kai and Adam and the cheers from Reeve.

The girls walked over and sat on the couch, helping defend Reeves win, seeing as he was outnumbered, and had a good rest of the day.

Back at Kai's house while he was still with the group and Vanessa's, His parents came home early from their latest trip. "Excuse me Sir and Madam but I believe I have some... news... involving your son and his now unclean sheets."

Both his parents raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Kai HAD come out to them about being bi, but he lied to his friends when he said they were okay with his decision.

Later that night Adam and Kai decided to go back to Kai's to celebrate how successful coming out as a couple to the group had been. "Yeah, for a second I thought V was gonna slap you!"

Kai laughed, "yeah, i'm surprised she didn't!" The boys laughed some more and shut the front door, re-linking hands as they looked into each others eyes. "I'm glad she didn't, now you can do it for her..." Kai winked.

Adam smirked at Kai's comment, causing him to remember the other one for earlier. "Hey.. didn't you say that you loved me?" Adam kept his smirk and raised his eyebrows flirtishly.

"Yeah actually, I think I did, why" Adam thought Kai playing clueless was so cute. "Because I love you too." Adam had wanted to say that all day. They leaned in for a kiss before stopping, lips about an inch apart, at the sound of Kai's dad loudly clearing his throat.