Endless Confidence /// K/DA x Shy Reader

Part 22 - Afterburn

My chest strains as I steady myself on the doorframe. Rhaast really did a number with two broken ribs, and breaking my nose. Pushing through the pain, I begin stomping down the stairs. Each step jolts pain through my torso, but I press further.

"Y/N! You're not supposed to be out of bed!" Kai'sa shouts, dropping her phone on the dining room table. I sigh, placing my hand on the front door. "I need some fresh air," I hiss from the pain in my chest. "or I'm going to go insane."

"Um, OK? Here, let me help." She approaches, gently pulling my arm over her shoulder, to which I recoil sharply. "Kai'sa!" She stops. "I can't lift my arms." Her face goes red from embarrassment. "I'm so sorry!"  

I chuckle and immediately regret it. "It's fine, just— guide my arm." She carefully wraps her hands around my forearm, helping me out the door. Taking a deep breath, I can already feel my head getting clearer. 

"Alright... you feeling better now? Ahri said you were supposed to get a lot of bed rest." I begin walking forward. "Ahri isn't a doctor." I mutter, not wanting to spend another moment in that bed. Kai'sa quickly catches up. "I think it was doctor's orders. And neither are you." She giggles.

Waving to the guard, he opens the large metal gate. "W-Wait! You're not even supposed to be out of bed! You can't go walking around the city." I sigh. "C'mon, Kai'sa. Just a little small walk and I'll lay back down. I need to stretch my legs."

She relents, walking beside me. "Thank you, Kai'sa." "Just a quick one! I don't want to get in trouble. Those girls are crazy when they get mad. Let's just drive to the park or something in case you decide you can't keep walking." Not able to disagree with her sound argument, I walk with her back to the garage, waiting for her to pull out her white SUV.

The locks click as I pull the door open and step up inside. "Park fine?" I nod, deciding not to go through the struggle of putting on my seatbelt. After five minutes of driving, I notice a black van following us. "Kai'sa?" She hums, staying focused on the road. "Has that guy made all the same turns we've been making?"

"Maybe we're going to the same place?" She turns into the lot of the park, the van continuing to follow and stopping in the spot next to us. "Nope, definitely following." I mumble. "Stay in the car." "What do you mean? Y/N?" I slam the car door, facing the van. The windshield tint hides any indication of who or what's inside. 'This doesn't feel right.'

"Y/N!" Kai'sa jumps out after me. "Do you need something?!" I shout at the car. "What is wrong with you, Y/N?" Kai'sa asks as a pregnant lady steps out of the car with a bewildered expression. She awkwardly walks away as Kai'sa places a hand on my shoulder. "Maybe we should just—" I shrug her grip off of me, silently cursing at myself as I get back into the car.

Silence takes the car as I sit there by myself, Kai'sa no doubt apologizing for me. You lost. They watched you lose. Two-hundred and fifty-six matches... and one. They're probably just keeping you around because they pity you. "Just shut up!" I shout, startling Kai'sa. "Y/N, what is wrong with you?!"

"It's not— I didn't mean that to be at you." Leaning my seat back to stretch my aching chest, I kick my feet onto the dash. "Do you want to talk?" Kai'sa joins me in the car. "Yesterday was my first time losing." I sigh, not quite sure what to feel. "That's all it is?" She tilts her head in confusion. I shoot a glare toward her. "Nevermind."

"I didn't mean it like that! I just... didn't expect that to be the reason." I chuckle. "It's stupid, I know." She quickly backpedals. "It's not stupid. Hey, you can't learn anything if you don't lose." "Kai'sa, I think I lost more knowledge in that fight than I gained." As I point to the large bruise under my eye, she chuckles. 

"It's alright to lose sometimes." "Horrible philosophy in the arena." Kai'sa rolls her eyes, starting the car. "You shouldn't aim to lose, that's not what I'm saying. We all fail at some point. You have to just get back up on the horse." I snort. "That horse kicked the shit out of my chest when I fell." Kai'sa laughs, slowly pulling out of the parking lot. "Put your seatbelt on."

Reclining my seat back to its original position, I pull the nylon strap across my chest, being careful not to injure myself further. "Where's your mask? I haven't seen you with it in a while." I exhale sharply, recalling Ahri's annoying paranoia. "Ahri was convinced that I'd use it to try and 'cheat' my recovery."

Kai'sa hums in thought, a smile climbing up her face. "I think she just likes seeing your face." Heat begins to slowly rise to my cheeks. "That's not it." "I think it is. Ahri just loves—" I spin the radio volume, drowning out the dancer's teasing.

She turns it back down, holding her hand on the dial to block me. "Kai'sa don't start—" "I've actually been meaning to mention it; Ahri has a, um." She clears her throat. "A cycle." You raise an eyebrow. "A what?" She shrugs. "It's like a Vastaya thing."

"What is?" She gives me a puzzled look before returning her attention to the road. "You know like..." I lean forward slightly, expecting some sort of answer. "The birds and the bees?" I'm now officially more confused. "What do birds and bees have to do with a cycle?"

"You've really never like—" "Kai'sa, can you stop fucking with me and say what you mean?" For some strange reason, she begins to laugh at what I just said. "What's funny?!" Her laughter intensifies. "You're such an ass." I mutter, watching the trees pass by as we head back to the mansion. Kai'sa slowly wipes the tears from her eyes, nearly running off the road.

My phone begins to buzz softly in my pocket. Pressing the power button, an image of Ahri's face smushed against my own fills the screen, along with the words 'Ahri<3' is calling. Already knowing the drill, you hold the phone an arm's length from your ear. "Y/N!" Her usual yell echoes through the phone. "Is she on speaker?" Kai'sa giggles. "Nope." I deadpan.

"Hello, Ahri." "WHERE ARE YOU?! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN BED!" I jerk the phone away from my ear once again. "Me and Kai'sa went out for some fresh air." Kai'sa leans over my shoulder. "Hey, Ahri!" A loud bang resounds as Ahri shouts, "Fuck you, Akali!"

"Are you busy?" I ask, adjusting my sitting position. "No I'm— good. Kali popped a balloon right next to me. Are you okay? You shouldn't be walking around while you're hurt." Knowing that it's genuine concern, I sigh. "I'm alright, Ahri. We didn't do much walking anyway."

Kai'sa leans over again. "Y/N yelled at a pregnant lady!" "Shut up and drive!" I gently push her back to her seat. "Why are you harassing pregnant women?" I tsk, shooting another glare at Kai'sa. "I wasn't harassing—" "He's paranoid and thought she was following us!" 

"That's not what happened." I lament. "You also have to explain your breeding cycle to him." Another bang reverberates. "I SWEAR TO GOD, AKALI!" Distant chuckles come through the call as Ahri sits back down. "Fine." She groans. "We're pulling in now." I mutter, preparing to disconnect the call. "Bye, Y/N!" "Bye." A small hum plays as the I hang up, leaving me with one question.

'What's a breeding cycle?'

A/N:

Little slice of life chapter for you guys before the next leg of this book. Was stumped on this one for a while, but we got there in the end. Love you all! <3