Breaking Chains

After Kai had gotten home, he retired to his room, continuing to work on his coworkers project. Quietly he sat, somewhat moping as his mind couldn't stop thinking about Richard and how good he looked with Jinn.

"Ahhh! Suck it up Kai!", he said patting his own forehead twice and his phone suddenly buzzed. Pulling his phone out of his back pocket, Kai unlocked it to see that Jinn had sent him a message. Rolling his eyes and roughly tossing the phone onto the floor Kai, continued to sketch.

"Kai!", said Saya knocking before she entered the room.

"Yeah?", he asked perking up a bit so she wouldn't ask questions.

"Wow, that looks good babe.", said Saya, kneeling on the floor beside Kai.

"Eh, it's alright, it's not my work, I'm just helping out a coworker on maternity leave.", said Kai.

"Ohh okay.", Saya responded as she continued to watch Kai work.

"Did you need something?", said Kai.

"Right, I just wanted to know if you ate yet. I'm about to go meet a friend for dinner and I wanted to know if you wanted to come?"

"What friend?", said Kai looking up to see a smirk on Saya's face.

"It's Brittany, I haven't seen her in a while.", Saya responded and Kai narrowed his eyes at his best friend.

"You're inviting me to have dinner with you and Brittany.", Kai shook his head and continued working.

"She isn't that bad!", Saya let out a cute giggle.

"Saya, we're talking about Brittany, who has a crush on me.", said Kai rolling his eyes.

"Well you're fucking hot, can you blame the woman? You just told her you're not interested, you never said that women weren't your cup of tea." Saya chuckled.

"And do you think that will even matter if she didn't care that I was married when she hit on me before?"

"You have a point.", Saya laughed again. "Well, I'm about to head out, do you want me to bring you some take out?"

"Nah, I'll eat whatever is here.", Kai responded.

"Okay love, see you later then.", said Saya, leaning over and kissing Kai on the cheek before leaving out of the room.

After Saya had left, the room was quiet, and Kai was once again left with his thoughts. Letting out a sigh, Kai's phone buzzed again. Rolling his eyes, he continued to sketch, but as he worked, he couldn't help but to keep glancing at his phone. Letting out a whine, Kai finally reached over, picking up his phone, quickly unlocking it and opening the messages, the second one also being from Jinn.

"Hey, did you make it home?", read the first message and the second one said, "I understand if you don't want to talk to me, but you could at least let me know you're safe."

Rolling his eyes again, Kai almost tossed his phone again, but another message came through. Opening the message that was once again from Jinn it read, "I'm outside."

"What?", Kai said under his breath before a knock sounded on the door. For a moment, Kai sat completely still, was Jinn really knocking on the door right now? Hearing another knock, Kai finally got up and made his way downstairs. Taking a deep breath, Kai opened the door to see Jinn standing there, his eyes tracing every inch of his face.

"I'm fine alright, you can leave now.", said Kai as he was about to close the door, but Jinn placed his hand on the door, stopping him.

"Can I talk to you?", Jinn asked, the same unreadable expression on his handsome face.

Growing nervous for a minute, Kai lied, "Saya doesn't want any company this late."

"I just saw her leave Kai, she won't know if she's not here.", said Jinn turning his head to the side as he knew Kai was just trying to wiggle his way out of this situation.

Sighing, Kai removed his hand from the door, backing up to let Jinn in. Walking in and closing the door behind him, Jinn and Kai stared at each other for a moment.

"Well what is it?", Kai said rudely walking over to the couch and sitting down. Letting out a soft sigh, Jinn too walked over and sat down.

"…", not saying anything, Jinn simply stared at Kai, again focusing on every inch of his face, even taking note of the barely noticeable tear streaks left behind.

"Are you just going to stare at me or are you going to tell me what it is you're doing here?", Kai snapped at Jinn, growing impatient.

"You are upset.", Jinn finally spoke.

"I'm not upset.", Kai responded.

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not upset!", Kai yelled, slamming his fist on his knee. "Of course, I'm upset, you put me in an awkward ass situation!", Kai finally said what he was really feeling.

"So why pretend that you weren't? Did you forget how well I know you?", said Jinn furrowing his brows.

"Because it doesn't matter anymore!", said Kai jumping up.

"Doesn't it?", said Jinn also standing and making his way up the stairs.

"What the…what are you doing?", Kai yelled quickly following behind Jinn, but he didn't respond.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Jinn made his way into Kai's room. "Jinn, what the hell?", Kai yelled as he too reached the top of the steps. As Kai walked into the room, he saw Jinn standing there holding up the little black jewelry box that he kept on his beside table. Surprised, Kai parted his lips, lowering his head, he didn't realize that Jinn had noticed it sitting there earlier.

"If it doesn't than why do you still have this?", said Jinn.

"…", Now anxious, Kai's spunk had gone out the window, and he had no idea what to say.

"See that is exactly my point!", Jinn raised his voice, opening the box to see the lock he had given him last year in perfect condition.

"How could I throw away something so expensive.", Kai said softly, not able to look Jinn in the eye.

Hissing loudly, Jinn walked over so that he and Kai were face to face, "Kai, why…do…you still have this?", Jinn said firmly, his piercing blue eyes swirling with intensity. Pouting Kai stared up at Jinn, he honestly didn't even know how to get out of this.

"What right do you have to be upset Kai? If I remember correctly you wanted me to let you go right? It was you who wanted to be free of me!", Jinn raised his voice.

"I think you should go.", Kai mumbled as he turned away, but Jinn grabbed both sides of his arms, turning him back around.

"I need you to answer me, tell me something!", Jinn demanded as tears swirled in his eyes.

"It just feels like you rubbed him in my face!", Kai shouted.

"It's always about you! You know I would never do that to you on purpose!", Jinn shouted.

"Just go!", Kai shouted back, ripping himself away from Jinn's grip.

"You really want to leave things like this?", said Jinn utterly confused.

"We're done right? You made that clear when you stopped talking to me, besides, you have Richard, now leave!", Kai yelled.

"That's not fair, you walked out on me!", Jinn punched the door as he yelled.

"Go home Jinn, I'm sure he's wondering where you went!", said Kai.

"Fine, then from now on we can just work separately and exchange the work when it's completed.", said Jinn walking past Kai with the jewelry box still in his hand.

"Wait, give it back!", Kai raised his voice when he saw that Jinn was leaving with the necklace.

"What for? You only kept it because it cost a lot of money, right? It doesn't mean anything to you right!?", Jinn yelled, walking out of the room.

"Jinn please!", Kai shouted as he followed Jinn down the steps.

Making his way toward the door Jinn grabbed the knob, but Kai darted to the side of him pushing the door shut, holding his hands there. "Give…it…back!", Kai demanded with tears in his eyes.

Taking his hands off of the door, Jinn angrily turned his body toward Kai. Quickly taking the necklace out of the box, Jinn angrily pulled it apart, the chain of the necklace breaking into many pieces and flying everywhere.

"…", With wide eyes, Kai just stood there with his mouth open in disbelief as the tears in his eyes finally streamed down his face.

"It didn't mean anything right?", said Jinn with tears in his eyes, as he opened the door, slamming it shut behind him.

***

The rest of the week Kai and Jinn purposely avoided each other, only emailing about Taylors project when need be. Giving his hands a break, Kai sat at his desk, sighing heavily, "Kai!", said a familiar voice and when he looked up there stood Brandon.

"Oh hey.", Kai perked up.

"You're definitely coming to the office Christmas party, right? You missed it last year.", said Brandon.

"I don't know, I might not be in town. I have a friend on the east coast who invited me to spend it with her." Kai responded.

"Oh no! You have to come! There will be spiked holiday drinks, homemade food and we're doing a secret Santa, where you just place gifts on someone's desk.", Brandon explained.

"Hmm, sure sounds inviting.", said Kai, momentarily widening his eyes.

"I promise it will be! Come and I'll make it worth your while!", Brandon winked as he walked away.

Letting out a giggle, Kai got back to work and his phone buzzed. Picking up his phone, Kai unlocked it to see that Jinn had texted him, "My office please." Letting out a sigh, Kai got up and made his way to Jinn's office where the door was already open. Walking in Kai placed himself in the seat on the other side of the table, staring at his lap.

"These sketches you left on my desk this morning, I don't like what you've done.", said Jinn.

Glancing up, Kai saw Jinn wearing that same unreadable expression. "What don't you like?", Kai asked.

"You are better than this.", said Jinn.

"Oh well I wouldn't go that far.", said Kai narrowing his eyes at Jinn.

Letting out a sigh, Jinn rolled his eyes, "listen, I'm not picking on you, it's just not what I know you're capable of, shall we meet at the coffee shop after work?" said Jinn.

"No, I'll redo it.", said Kai getting up.

"Kai.", said Jinn, but Kai kept on walking, closing the door behind him.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Jinn hadn't been able to think straight all week, he was only avoiding Kai because he was disgusted with himself for what he had done out of anger. "I have to fix this.", he muttered to himself.