Short Stories-Kai Ships Only! Volume 3

Tyunning- Zaefir Valley

The sun was beating down hotter than normal in Zaefir Valley. Kai was complaining about it to his sisters as they worked to pick fruits from the garden. His back felt sticky from all of the sweat. He couldn't stand the texture anymore so he took his shirt off and tied it around his waist. "That feels so much better..."

Bahiyyih, his younger sister, joked "put your shirt back on! No one wants to see that!"

Lea, his older sister, looked down from her lemon tree to see what she was talking about. "Good god, you're so pale I almost thought you were a ghost!" She giggled after Kai threw a moldy raspberry at her. "Put on some sunscreen. Mom would kill you if she saw you without it."

Kai rolled his eyes as he set his basket down. Sweat dripped from his brow. He grabbed his bottle of water then made his way up the porch steps. Air conditioning felt like heaven. He took his time filling his bottle with ice cubes before trying to find his parents. A big swig of ice cold water graced the back of his throat. He liked it so much that he downed the entire bottle. Tap water refilled it before he decided enough time had been wasted. "Mom? Are you home?"

In the distance his mother yelled "what is it sweetie?"

"Where is our sunscreen?"

"Try the hall closet! If it's not there then we need to buy some!"

"Okay!" Kai dug through and found everything but sunscreen. "Mom! We're out!"

"Go to the store and get some! Can you buy a few boxes of ice cream cones while you're at it?!"

"I haven't finished picking the raspberries yet!"

Mrs. Huening came out from the bathroom while putting her favorite pearl earrings in. "How far did you get?"

"Halfway? It's so hot out."

"I know. I'll finish it for you. Take my keys."

"Thanks." Kai kissed his mom on the forehead then headed out the door. The interior of the SUV was hotter than it was outside. "Jesus christ this is hell." All of the windows were rolled down with the AC blasted as cold as it could go. His hands burned when they touched the steering wheel. It hurt even worse when he buckled his seatbelt. His phone connected to the car then he took off.

It occurred to Kai that he was shirtless when he saw his reflection in the rearview mirror. He made a mental note to put his shirt back on when he arrived at the store. The All American Rejects came on his playlist. He started to sing his heart out, effortlessly hitting every note and every growl. He was his own concert. One on four wheels at a blazing 80 miles an hour.

The concert was short lived when the department store came into view. In exactly three turns, he was there. He felt satisfied that he put the car in park at the same time as the song ended. "Nice." His shirt was slipped on and then he made his way across the parking lot.

By the entrance of the store, was a group of adults beating someone up. Police sirens were raging in the distance but the man in the middle didn't look like he was going to make it by then. Without thinking, Kai yelled "HEY! WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT TO HIM?!"

The group was about to lunge at him until they saw who it was. One of the older men shakily said "he isn't welcome here sir... his race was wiped out for a reason. We told him to leave but he refused!"

Kai looked at the poor guy on the ground.

Bruises covered his cheeks and forehead. His arms looked even worse from trying to protect himself. The stranger's large, hypnotic, eyes were teary as he whimpered "I have nowhere to go... I just wanted some food. I'll sleep outside. Please... don't send me away!"

One of the men growled "SHUT UP!"

Kai raised his hand. The man backed off. He took a step forward then knelt down so him and the stranger were at eye level. He studied him. The stranger looked so normal. He looked towards the man who appeared to be the leader and asked "how do you know he's one of them?"

"We chased him here. Slippery fucker. We were riding by the beach and saw him come out of the water clear as fucking day. He's not just one of them. He's the son who we thought was dead."

"And how do you know that?"

The man grabbed the stranger by the wrist then harshly yanked his sleeve down. On his wrist was a bioluminescent tattoo of Atlantis. "See?! Give us the honor of killing him sir."

Kai looked back at the poor stranger. "Do you know who I am?" The guy shook his head. "The son of the man who killed your father."

Those eyes drew larger, not because of the whole killing father part, but because his odds of dying just greatly increased. He begged "I-I hated my father. I told him not to attack the valley! Honest!"

Kai couldn't tell if he was lying or not. He looked desperate but was it because he lied to save his life or because he needed Kai to believe the truth? He decided to test him. "What's your name?"

"Taehyun..."

"I stole your father's crown. Describe it."

"He-he didn't have a crown! My father said that a true king doesn't need royal attire. That a true king will have respect in any presence..."

Kai was impressed so far but not convinced. This last was question would undoubtedly seal the stranger's fate. "We dissected your father's body. Your father wasn't normal was he? Why would I assume that?"

Taehyun instantly knew the answer. The King of Atlantis had one major weakness due to a birth defect from an experiment. The war was lost when the humans exposed it. Instead of answering, he decided to ask a question of his own suspicion. "Did you kill my father?"

"Yes. I will not hesitate to leave you to these men if you do not answer me."

Taehyun brought himself to his feet. When the other did the same, he spoke with a commanding presence. "My father was an asshole born literally and metaphorically without a heart. He got his oxygen through water instead of blood. Without water, he was destined to die. Thank you for doing what I was too afraid to. My home is gone. Can I please stay?"

Kai directed his attention towards the leader of the mob. "Take him to jail. Give him his own special cell. He is a Prince afterall." Taehyun's protests fell on deaf ears as Kai continued on his way into the store. His mother was still waiting and he had been gone long enough.

The protector of Zaefir Valley had a new mission in their newest prisoner. One that could be temporarily put on hold. Right now, he just wanted some sunscreen and ice cream.