On a String

Chapter 9

It was a burn.

The shape of a hideous stick figure puppet was burnt onto (into) Kai's shoulder. Underneath the horrid image were several numbers and a letter: P26.

Cole looked away, feeling nauseated.

What did it mean?

Prisoner 26?

Property 26?

Puppet 26?

Dimly Cole realized that what it meant didn't matter. Not when Kai had been burnt. Branded.

Kai had been branded.

Kai.

Branded.

The two words didn't belong together.

Shouldn't be put together.

(Fire burning fire).

It shouldn't -didn't- work.

Disgusted, Cole shuddered. This must have been why Kai had reacted so violently to him touching his shoulder several days ago. Actually, Cole didn't blame Kai for freaking out if this was what he'd touched.

(How could anyone be cruel enough to do this deliberately?)

Underneath Cole's fingertips, Kai trembled again.

"Hey, it's okay," Cole turned his attention back to his friend, who had gone completely pale. His eyes were closed, but Cole was sitting close enough to notice the two small trails of moisture running down his face.

Kai was crying.

The unbreakable mask was finally gone, and behind it lived a far more fragile, broken soul than Cole had ever thought.

(Whoever knew that such an emotionless front could disguise something like this?)

Kai never cried.

Wordlessly, Cole slipped his arms around Kai in a loose embrace. The Ninja in red stiffened at the contact, but the Master of Earth wasn't going to let go of him that easily.

Kai had been running from sharing his torment for long enough. Cole could see now that asking questions and making Kai share what had happened wasn't the right way to help. Kai needed to be supported, not forced to relive the whole nightmare again.

Ten seconds had passed, and Kai was still tense in Cole's hold. But the Earth is stable, strong and resilient and Cole wasn't the Master of Earth for nothing. He didn't tighten his hold, but made sure to not loosen it, either. "It's okay to lean on me, Kai,"

His patience soon paid off. After several more awkward seconds of tension, Kai surprised Cole by slowly (hesitantly) leaning into the hug and resting his (far too pale) face on Cole's shoulder. He was still shaking and Cole could tell from his irregular breathing that he was quietly sobbing.

"It's all over now," Cole whispered, gently ruffling Kai's spiky hair. His head still on Cole's shoulder, Kai nodded, hands weakly clutching at the rough fabric of Cole's gi. "You're safe," Kai's head bobbed in another nod, before returning to Cole's shoulder as he leaned further into the hug.