Warnings
- Haven't written proper prose in a while, pardon my rustiness
- Probably inaccurate ear piercing procedure, I'm not a doctor
- World's worst friendship. Toxic friendship galore
😂 That feel when you're being treated more like an animal than a person. I am sorry you must suffer Kai my son but I call for the horrors
“Hold still.”
Lex yanked part of Kai’s hair back to keep him in place. Kai winced at the sudden tugging.
“I am holding-” Another tug cut Kai off. It was time for him to shut up now.
This arrangement between the two of them, their “friendship” was…going well wasn’t it? It had to be, it’s not like just anyone was able to get themselves into Lex’s room. With how guarded he is, it’s almost a miracle Kai was here at all. He supposed though, that was part of the challenge.
“Now you’re going to feel a pinch, ‘kay? And I don’t want to hear you mumbling or whining or saying that it hurts too much alright? It’s just in and out. Simple.” Lex fiddled with the needle in his hands as he spoke.
Kai felt his left ear lobe, stroking it softly as he imagined the pain. “...But it’s not that bad right?”
“Psh…” Lex scoffed. “I told you, no whining. Now look ahead.”
Kai’s cheeks flushed a dark red. He should know by now not to ask stupid questions. “...I still don’t understand what the apple is for…” Kai started. “Is it because I’m the apple of your eye?” Kai chuckled at his own pun.
Lex however, didn’t seem very amused. “Hah. No it’s just to have something cold to poke through.” Lex burned one of the needles with a lighter to sterilize it. “Now stop talking and let me do this already.”
Lex grabbed Kai’s chin and pushed him to face forward. “Hold. Still.”
Kai trembled feeling this, in all honesty, passive aggressive touch. He should be happy, shouldn’t he? This was the closest Lex had ever gotten to him. So why does he feel so small? Why does every gesture make him want to collapse in on himself?
“What’s wrong? You scared?” Lex playfully mocked Kai’s trembling hands. Well, Kai could only hope it was playful. Was he being stupid again…?
“...No…” Kai murmured softly. With Lex and his friends, it was all too easy for him to fold. Stick to what he’s good at and maybe it’ll get him somewhere. He’d feign some confidence for now. “...Just cold is all.”
Lex gripped Kai’s hand, holding him down. Kai admitted flinched before…
…The needle went through before he could even finish his own thought. Once it had poked through the apple, Lex pulled it back out.
“That’s one.” He responded.
“Heh, not that bad actually.” There was a slight stinging sensation but besides that…
“I told you, shut up and hold still.”
Branches of pain echoed throughout the left side of Kai’s body. He gripped the sheets and mumbled to himself.
“Ahg…Shoot that’s-”
The pain only intensified as the needle pierced through Kai’s other earlobe.
“Lex-”
“Stop, talking.” Lex scoffed. “God it’s like you never listen.”
Kai’s heart sank. He was being stupid again. “Sorry…sorry…I…agh…” It took a decent chunk of willpower not to touch the wound.
“Whatever, at least it’s done. Get up. It’s time for the good part.” Lex took a bite of the apple he’d been using as a cushion for the piercings. As he rose from the bed, he noticed Kai took a beat to collect himself.
“Come ooooon…I don’t have all day.”
“Heh…ah…sorry…” Kai’s voiced lowered again. Just do what they expect of you. He should know by now that it’s stupid to try to be anything else.
As the two walked to Lex’s bathroom, Lex would shuffle through various cabinets. “No, no, hey, how’s this?” He pulled out simple black circular piercings. “Cool for a first pierce, no?”
Kai’s eyes glimmered with enthusiasm as he saw the shade of the earrings. “Woah…it’s like Onyx…”
“What?” Lex scowled at Kai’s comment. “The hell’s an Onyx?”
Kai flushed up again. How could he keep forgetting? Stop being stupid.
“Uh…I mean, they look really cool, thanks man.”
“You and your weird objects…” Lex reached the earrings and plugged them into the new piercings in Kai’s ears. “Take a look, does it look good to you?”
Kai turned around, basking in his reflection. For the first time in a while, looking in the mirror made him feel…really really good. He traced the area where the earrings now laid.
“Huh…” He smiled. “I like it…”
Lex crossed his arms and smirked. “And don’t forget who helped you get em’, ‘kay?” Lex then walked up behind Kai, placing his hands on Kai’s shoulders. The fear and embarrassment all rushed back to Kai again as he shrunk again.
“I’d say you look good, for a rookie at least.” Lex snickered. “Now make sure Caretaker Cassiopeia doesn’t see. And if she does…”
“Tell her it wasn’t you?”
“Exaaaaaactly.” Lex yawned. “Well, I’m going to bed, night Liu.” And just like that, he was gone.
Kai looked at his reflection again and fiddled with his earrings.
The euphoria from before had a new emotion creeping up, an unsettling one.
He winced as he kept messing with his piercings, they were still fresh after all.
If he were honest, looking at himself now, he felt like a dog who’d just gotten a brand new chain.
…His stomach turned with what that could mean.
Whatever, he was being stupid again. He was more than that.
Wasn’t he?
