7 Some Moments of Peace

A few minutes later three figures exited the store, one being balanced between the two as they manoeuvred locking the door without dropping their friend who threatened to slip to the floor at any sign of carelessness.

"That's funny, I didn't notice him when I'd walked in, guess it makes sense though" the last of his jealousy vanished as he made his way to replace his wife in supporting the drunk Colt who was mumbling incoherently. As he wrapped his arm around the man, Colt looked up and grinned, sending another flutter to the man's stomach, to his horror.

"Steph! Did shu come to join ush?"

"Um?"

A thud resounded as Kai hit the back of his head and made a face, "this is exactly why I said you shouldn't drink with us and stick to water, now shut up and focus on sobering up"

"I can drink wish the best of um Kai" Colt complained, his hand gesture almost sending him tumbling to the floor and earning him another dirty look from his friend.

"How many did he get to this time?" Steph asked with interest as they bundled him in the backseat of his car.

"Two and a half bottles, your dear wife was clever enough to put some sobering soup in his glass instead of the other half so we were spared a biggee headache," Kai smiled faintly at Steph before boarding the car and trying to buckle his friend in. The last time thwy had failed to stop him he had bolted out of the store and they had spent all of two hours chasing him while he assumed it was a game of tag.

Linlin was already in the passenger seat giggling as she watched the two wrestle while Kai continually swore at his friend.

"Get your hands off... honestly being around you drunk is like trying to wrestle an octopus in mating season... stop touching my hair I'm not a teddy bear... no we cannot cuddle! Unlock the doors, I'm throwing him out!"

By the time they arrived at the little two story villa the two shared, a slightly sober Colt had concocted a plan to travel the world tasting different types of fried chicken which he shared three times while an extremely tousle haired Kai sulked in the corner of the car occasionally sending him murderous looks.

"Thanks for the ride Steph, sister Lin, drive safely!"

"They live down the street dimwit, let's go in, it's chilly out here" with a half hearted lift of his hand toward the car Kai made his way to the door ahead of his friend.

By the time Colt had entered their home Kai was already on the sofa waiting for the kettle to heat up. "This was some much needed downtime before the chaos really kicks off" he stated as he sat on the sofa with a sigh.

Putting two mugs on the counter before making his way upstairs to change, he paused, noticing his friend had not yet said a word. "You ok? You didn't even say thanks and goodbye to Steph and sister Linlin"

Kai stood as the water boiled as though on cue, "we spent six hours together, and I had just been molested by a dumbass, what more of a goodbye could I muster?"

Colt smiled in response, as though satisfied his friend was indeed alright after all, missing the slightly clouded look in his friend's eyes.

The next morning Kai made his way groggily downstairs, the scent of food the only thing that motivated him to keep going forward. The one thing he had hated about his friend throughout their childhood had become his favourite on workdays: Colt was a morning person. Stopping at the arch leading to the kitchen, Kai took a deep satisfied breath before surveying the kitchen table now occupied with a tray sized plate piled high with golden brown pancakes, plates of sausage, ham shaped into flower buds and an omelette he suspected were stuffed with a delicious surprise. He reached for the pitcher of juice as his friend walked in holding vase of yellow flowers.

"Look at this, the buttercups I planted bloomed" dressed in a matching yellow T-shirt and white shorts,his hair still slightly damp, Colt looked every part the morning person. Setting the vase at the centre of the table he took a seat, accepting the glass offreshly squeszed orange juice with a smile, wondering again how anyone could look this groggy at the beginning of such a beautiful day.

"Your breakfast menu is fuller today" Kai commented as he heaped his plate with a little of everything before eyeing his friend a little seriously. "On a serious note, you've been acting ... differently, since this case revived" he started, settling a pair of intent eyes on the bright blue ones.

"Look... a lot changed since getting here, and you've become more like yourself recently... but-"

"I'm sorry for worrying you Kai, I just finally feel like I have an interest in something that doesn't directly come from or relate to my family and it's like a breath of air"

"You know they have found out about your being here right? Barnes pretty much confirmed the suspicions we had about that"

"Well that goes for you too. Do you think your parents were happy their first born disappeared? Especially mid-way through your initiation into taking over-"

"okay okay you win, I'm in just as much deep shit as you are, now can I eat in peace please?" Kai relented throwing his hands up in surrender before focusing fully on the meal in front of him with a renewed vigour.

Colt smiled faintly in response, starting to plate his meal in silence before switching to other topics as they enjoyed some moments of peace before the chaos of the day.