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Cole sprinted up to Lloyd, his heart racing with a mix of relief and anxiety. Nya, Wyldfyre, and the others followed closely behind him, and Geo trailed just behind Cole. As he reached Lloyd, the tension in the air lifted, and Cole couldn't help but notice the look of relief on everyone's faces.
"Is everyone okay?" Cole's voice trembled with emotion as he scanned the group. Lloyd's smile widened, and he stepped aside, revealing a figure that Cole never expected to see again.
"Bonzle!" Cole's voice cracked with emotion as he rushed forward to embrace her, Geo joining in the reunion. Tears welled up in Geo's eyes as he whispered, "We thought we lost you..."
Bonzle smiled through her tears as they pulled away. "Nope, like you said, I'm pretty strong-willed, and I had a friend to help and keep me company."
Cole's eyes widened with disbelief. Could it really be true? He glanced at Nya and Wyldfyre, seeing the concern etched on their faces. Turning to Lloyd, fear gripped his heart as their eyes met.
The Green Ninja sensed Cole's unease and quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, he's okay, he just-"
"He wanted to be alone for a bit. He's back in the forest not too far," Sora explained, her words igniting Cole's protective instinct. Without a moment's hesitation, he bolted past everyone, racing back to where they had come from, back to Kai.
---
Kai sat in the grass, absentmindedly toying with the blades as he leaned against the sturdy trunk of a tree. With a heavy sigh, he rested his head against the rough bark and closed his eyes. His body bore the evidence of his recent struggles - a few injuries, some nasty bruises, and perhaps a couple of cracked ribs. Despite all this, he reassured himself that he was fine, even though he couldn't recall much from the last few months spent trapped in the Nether-realm. He was simply relieved to be free.
From a distance, Cole caught sight of the familiar red of Kai’s gi and felt a surge of emotion. Every fiber of his being longed to rush to Kai, embrace him, and never let go. However, he held himself back, mindful of Kai's prolonged isolation. Bonzle had been his only company, and she rarely engaged in conversation unless necessary. Kai had grown unaccustomed to the affection and companionship that Cole used to provide before their separation.
Kai's attention was drawn upward as he caught sight of Cole approaching. He whispered Kai's name with a mixture of surprise and pain as the Fire Ninja delicately rose to his feet, feeling a sharp twinge in his ribs.
Cole's breath caught in his throat. "Kai..." he whispered with a breath, "You're alive!" Cole's face lit up with joy, catching Kai off guard. When Cole reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he tried to bridge the gap between them. Kai, feeling overwhelmed, instinctively took a step back, creating more distance between them. The hurt and confusion in Cole's eyes made Kai's voice falter and crack as he stammered, "S-Sorry Cole... I... I can't do this."
"Kai... maybe you can't, but do you want it?" Cole asked softly, his voice tinged with vulnerability. Kai looked down at his hands, the internal struggle evident on his face, before finally nodding.
"More than anything... but we never, I still..." Kai's throat tightened, the words catching in his chest, unable to fully express his conflicting emotions.
"I do too," Cole whispered, his voice barely audible as he slowly approached Kai again, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavily in the air.
Kai's voice quivered with a hollow and forced tone, "But, I saw you with him. I can see it, you..." The tension in the room became palpable as Cole tensed, his eyes searching Kai's for a response.
"It's not like how I wanted it to be with you. I missed the fire and passion in your eyes, how you used to wake up every morning and style your hair before I even got out of bed. I missed the way you smiled after beating me at a video game, and how you laughed when you outperformed me or Jay in training. I missed the way you would come to my room every night, promising to stop, but it was so endearing when you never did. I missed having you with me every hour of every day. I missed you, so much, but I never got over it. I couldn't get over how much I hurt you, how desperate and afraid I was to face you after our fights following the merge. I wished so badly that I would be able to see you again," Cole's voice softened as he spoke, moving closer to Kai with every word until he was near enough to gently wipe the tears from Kai's eyes, close enough to just barely brush Kai's lips with his own. "I was afraid I would never get to tell you, that I would never have the courage to say it."
Kai's breath hitched, "Say what?"
"You know what... you know what I want to say..."
"Then say it."
"I love you, Kai, more than anything."
Cole gently pressed his lips to Kai's, pulling him close as the other returned the kiss.
"I love you too, Cole..." Kai whispered, his voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. The words hung in the air for a moment before a sudden interruption shattered the quiet moment.
"Finally!!" A voice pierced through the tranquility, causing Kai to startle and pull away from Cole. In his haste, he collided with a thick branch, emitting a painful yelp as he banged his head.
As Cole hurried to catch up with Kai, he reached out and grabbed his arm just in time to prevent him from stumbling. However, the sudden movement caused them both to lose their balance, and they tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
Kai winced as Cole's thigh made contact between his legs, and a deep blush crept across Cole's face as they found themselves in an awkward heap. They both started panting out apologies, their voices overlapping as they scrambled away from each other in a flurry of movement.
"Oh, sorry, I got a bit too excited," Geo apologized, rubbing the back of his head.
"I-It's okay, are you okay, Kai?" Cole breathed out, trying to regain his composure, looking over at Kai, who was still trying to compose himself.
"Yea-Yeah, fine," Kai said after a moment as he stood up, Cole following after him.
"Were you spying on us?" Cole asked Geo, and the geckle-munce's cheeks grew pink.
"Maybe, sorry, I just wanted to make sure you two were okay," Geo explained, and Kai chuckled.
"No worries Geo, it's nice to finally meet you," Kai said as he approached Geo with a small smirk.
"Likewise, Cole told me a lot about you," Geo said, and Kai gave Cole a sly grin.
"Did he now, all good things I hope."
"Of course."
Geo suddenly embraced Kai in a hug, "Thank you for being there for him, saving his selfless butt, all that, you'll be good for him," Geo smiled.
Kai returned the hug, "Of course, but, Cole has two hands, he could have room for another, I wouldn't mind," Kai teased.
They both immediately flushed red, and Cole punched him in the shoulder, "You're such a dork."
"You love me," Kai laughed, and Cole kissed his cheek.
"That, I do," Cole winked! The guy winked! He was definitely taking after Kai!