Rules of Engagement

The figure approaching was reflected in the bright orbs of Kai'Sa's eyes, a silhouette she recognized all too well.

"Kane?! How did you..." her mouth fell open in surprise, attempting to call out his name but losing her voice in the excitement.

One of Kane's eyes resembled a purple abyss, shimmering with an eternal illusion, radiating an unfathomable energy that subdued the Riftwalker swarm with its gaze, yet it was equally disconcerting.

"Cough, didn't I tell you not to do anything foolish?" Kane glanced at Kai'Sa, exasperated and concerned at her bloodied appearance.

He had grown weary of repeating this sentiment since their third day together; Kai'Sa was always acting out, doing precisely what he had expressly forbidden.

He wondered if his youthful appearance diminished his authority in her eyes.

"Did you make them stop? How?" Kai'Sa asked, her voice betraying a mix of fear and awe as she eyed Kane's peculiar gaze.

Kane's arrival seemed to make Kai'Sa forget the danger surrounding them. He sighed internally, knowing she was better off on her own, growing stronger when fueled by hope.

If it weren't for his reluctance to part with her, perhaps he would find a way to leave her after this ordeal.

As Kai'Sa continued to survey the immobilized swarm, he urged, "Let's get out of here quickly. I can't control them for long; they could wake up at any moment!"

His voice was suppressed, cautious not to stir the dreaming Void creatures.

"Shh—" Gritting her teeth against the pain, Kai'Sa forced herself to stand with the help of her spear, her peripheral vision catching the Riftwalker she had previously impaled.

Remembering her recent struggles, anger surged through her, and she thrust the spear into the Riftwalker's heart without a second thought.

The death of its kin, though Riftwalkers lacked empathy, still sent a threatening ripple through the air.

The swarm stirred momentarily but was quelled by Kane's flickering otherworldly gaze.

Heeding Kane's warning look, Kai'Sa moderated her actions, hoisting the Riftwalker's carcass onto her shoulder and limping out of the cave into the deeper tunnels.

...

Kai'Sa had barely set down her spear when Kane seized her arm.

"When did your arm heal? Did my blood work?"

Kane was astonished at his previously necrotic limb's renewed vigor, oblivious to the fiery glare he was giving her.

His temper softened slightly by her sacrifice, Kane did not answer. Instead, he turned his attention to her damaged carapace.

He noticed a slash mark on it, realizing that nearly half the carapace was shattered due to the weakened structure from the cut.

"You're hurt? Does it hurt?"

Kane's gaze was both tender and angry, concerned about how the injury might affect Kai'Sa's future evolution potential.

"It hurts..."

As Kane brushed her disheveled hair aside, she quieted, weakly responding.

The wound burned like fire, but it was nothing compared to the piercing pain from the carapace.

"You just scraped yourself. Don't be stupid, don't go getting concussed."

Kane saw the fresh wound on her forehead, blood trickling into her brows. He wiped it away, their eyes meeting; Kai'Sa gazed into his odd left eye, lost in thought.

"Where else does it hurt?" he asked.

"My butt, I fell on it, and now it's really sore."

Kai'Sa spoke meekly, indicating the area around the waistband of her pants.

To Kane, Kai'Sa was just a girl. There was no need for propriety, so he pulled back her waistband just enough to spot the mild swelling.

"It's not serious, just a bruised tailbone, not broken."

Relieved, Kane's attention then drifted back to the Riftwalker corpse skewered on the spear. Recalling Kai'Sa's stubborn act that nearly roused the swarm, he decided she needed a lesson.

Snap!

A crisp slap echoed through the silent tunnel, and Kai'Sa let out a stifled, peculiar squeak, then turned to glare at Kane indignantly.

"Why did you smack my butt?"

She clutched at her backside, tears shimmering at the corners of her eyes.

To her, the pain was insignificant, but at her age, such punishment was a humiliation.

"Because you didn't listen," Kane said sternly, unashamed.

"You were only born a few months before me, what right do you have to hit me!"

Kai'Sa's punch landed squarely on Kane's nose, her stance ready for a brawl.

"I'm just disciplining you on behalf of your parents!"

Kane hadn't expected Kai'Sa to be so fierce. As her fists flew toward his face, he realized he was no match for her strength. He shielded his face with his arms, countering her blows with firm words.

"You're disobedient."

"Reckless."

"Acting on your own."

"Keep this up, and you'll get us both killed!"

His final remark struck a nerve, and Kai'Sa halted her frantic punches.

She recognized they were bound by fate; hurting Kane was tantamount to harming their union, she couldn't afford to be reckless anymore.

In just one day, they had saved each other time and again, their debts intertwining until it was unclear who owed whom.

But the outcome was always as Kane predicted; following his lead had proven to be the right move.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have hit you," she said, tugging at Kane's sleeve, a pout on her face.

"Sorry doesn't cut it; what's the point of police then?"

Kane knew he couldn't outfight Kai'Sa, but he could still set rules. Before establishing them, he couldn't let her off the hook for apologizing, or her slap would be in vain.

"Police?"

Kai'Sa was confused by his words, worried she had knocked his brains out.

"Let's make a pact. From now on, if we disagree, you follow my orders without question."

Kane spoke vaguely; besides Piltover, there were no police to speak of.

"Fine."

Kai'Sa agreed without much thought, not finding it difficult to comply. However, the second rule, despite its simplicity, seemed harder for her to accept.

But Kane was using her conscience to bind her, urging her to consider the consequences before acting impulsively.

"If you break our agreement, I'll spank you, and you can't complain."

"That's not fair. What if you mess up?" she retorted.

"Then I'll squat to pee." Kane blurted out a bold threat.

"Deal!"

Kai'Sa agreed readily, pulling Kane into a pinky swear, "You best not mess up, or when you squat to pee, I'll kick your butt hard!"

Kai'Sa, who often roamed wild with the boys, found satisfaction in Kane's proposed punishment, relishing the schadenfreude of dragging someone else down.

Yet, naive as she was, she was being outsmarted by Kane, still gloating in self-satisfaction.

How could Kane, with his experience, make such a mistake? And if he did, the punishment was trivial to him.

Furthermore, once they completed their symbiosis and ceased consuming regular food, their metabolism would slow down to a halt; Kane wouldn't even need to pee. How then would the punishment be executed?

For now, Kane valued the days he could still spank Kai'Sa since once her carapace covered her rear, the opportunity would be lost.

After setting their three rules, Kane's gaze shifted to the Riftwalker Kai'Sa had brought back.

If the heart wasn't tended to soon, the Void energy within it would dissipate. Wasting food was a sin, especially when it was sustenance for their carapaces.

However, the question arose—who should absorb the heart first?