(OLD) World to Ashes (book one) - OK K.O.!

Chapter Four - Encouragement

K.O. just stood there, looking at Potato and Colewort with tears still visible in his eyes. He didn't move or respond, he just stood there, unable to do or say anything.

"K.O., I ---" Potato said, though she stopped talking when she saw K.O. running away.

He ran toward the exit and opened it up, and Potato and Colewort just looked at him. "K - K.O., w - wait!" Colewort shouted, though he didn't even respond. K.O. just peeked his head outside of it and let out another loud scream, waiting for someone to come over and find him.

He waited and waited - but nobody came.

He was breathing heavily, until he realized what he was doing and stopped. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath and went back inside, closing the exit.

Potato and Colewort looked at him with shock, unable to believe K.O. just did what he did. "K.O., why did you do that?" Potato asked with concern. "You're lucky nobody actually heard you."

K.O. sighed. He was frustrated and confused, and he didn't understand anything that was going on at this point. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists once again, though he quickly unclenched them. "I...I'm sorry," he said, grabbing his arm. "I really don't know what came over me."

Potato and Colewort just looked at each other and looked back at K.O.

"I guess with everything going on right now I'm just really on edge." His voice started to break as tears once again started to form. "I'm really, really sorry. I almost put us in danger because of what I did, I guess I was really lucky this time around and didn't let us get caught."

There was a long moment of silence, and K.O. was certain that the two wouldn't forgive him - and he was okay with that. He didn't deserve their forgiveness anyway, it wasn't worth it anymore.

The silence continued and K.O. closed his eyes, though he was startled when the two hugged him. "It's okay, K.O.," Potato said. "Don't worry about it."

"But I could've gotten us caught and killed," he said, wiping his tears away. "I really don't deserve to be forgiven."

"You're only human," Colewort said. "And don't worry, if we would've been caught, we would've at least got killed as a team, right?"

"...I guess you're right," K.O. said, smiling a small bit. "Haha, thanks guys. You made me feel better."

He then embraced the hug and smiled more, a tiny bit of warmth filling his heart. He can't remember the last time he felt comfort and happiness.

After a long while of hugging, the three let go and looked at each other, laughing a little bit. None of them felt this close to anyone in a long time, and it was relieving to them all. Though K.O, while he did feel a tiny bit of warmth in his heart, it faded away quicker than it came, and his happiness went away in an instant.

"Y'know, K.O., I - I was thinking that we should get a team name," Colewort said, still chuckling. "I was thinking, maybe Small Survivors? I mean, it seems fitting, though you don't have to use a team name if you don't want to, it was just an idea."

K.O. looked at Colewort with a straight face, making him feel anxious. "Colewort..." K.O. said slowly, making Colewort's heart stop for a brief moment. "That's one of the best ideas I've ever heard!"

"Wait, really?!" Colewort said with surprise. "You actually liked my idea?!"

"Yeah!" K.O. declared with a smile on his face. "Just imagine! We're in front of a villain and we're about to loose, but Colewort starts encouraging us! We're about to be defeated, but he then shouts out and reminds us that we're the Small Survivors and then we get enough encouragement to beat down that villain!"

He looked at Colewort and Potato afterwards, who were smiling and staring at K.O. in surprise. "Wow, you still do have your excitement and imagination in you," Potato said, smiling. "Good to know you haven't lost everything of yours."

"Haha, yeah, I guess so," K.O. said, laughing a small bit.

"That really is good to know..."

(A/N) This chapter was a bit shorter than normal, but I had a lot of fun writing it!

Also can I just say that I'm SO FREAKING HAPPY that I'm already getting some Fanart of this crappy AU already??? Seriously, I love you guys so freaking much rn xD

Anyway, that's really all I have to say. If you enjoyed this chapter, please vote and comment, and I'll see you in the next one! ^.^