The Unknown Reaches | A Cal Kestis Story

Chapter 2: Cracks

It hadn't been more than 15 minutes before Kylin and I parted ways to go to bed.

Zeffo had made us both tired, there was no doubt about it.

I was laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I was incredibly bored, and unable to sleep.

So I just laid there, in the deafening silence.

My thoughts simply drifted for who knows how long.

Until I heard a noise.

There was the sound of excessive rustling of sheets in the room next to mine.

Kylin.

I heard feet hit the floor, and saw a shadow pass my door.

Deciding to investigate, I myself stood up and slowly tip-toed out of my small room.

The light was blinding, and I squinted to avoid losing my sight. It was a tad over dramatic I suppose.

As my eyes adjusted, to the light, I saw Kylin sitting on the couch staring ahead.

She was a wreck. Her hair was a disheveled mess, sticking out in odd places and obviously sweaty. Short huffs of air escaped her lips as she sat there, looking like she was going to break down into tears at any given moment.

Something had to be done. It pained me to see her like this; it was like when she had seen her parents for the first time on Dathomir.

I took the few steps towards the couch, quickly and quietly.

She didn't look up as I sat down next to her.

"Ky," I said softly, attempting to find my voice. "What happened?"

Kylin ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep, shaky breath.

She turned to me. "I can't sleep," she whispered, her voice cracking.

I sighed. "Are you sure that's all?" It was hard to keep the concern out of my words.

Kylin looked down at her hands and shook her head. "I had a nightmare."

Not knowing how to respond, I sat thinking of ways to comfort her.

"I know it sounds silly," she said quickly, abnormally quickly.

Something was definitely wrong now.

"No no," I said, "there's nothing silly about a nightmare."

Her eyes widened and her gaze rested on something behind me.

I glanced back, but nothing was there.

"Ky," I started slowly, only to be cut off by her whimpers.

"Kylin look at me."

When she didn't do as I asked, I grabbed her arms and forced her to meet my gaze.

"You need to tell me what's wrong. I want to help you but you gotta tell me."

"Like you let me help you?" She shot back, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Ky I can't tell you what's wrong right now, I need to try to figure stuff out on my own. But I want to help you, Kylin, I really do. Something is obviously really wrong!" I pleaded, an attempt to get her to understand.

She began crying for real, pulling her arms away from my grip.

Something inside of my was cracking. I don't know what it was, why it felt this way, and what I could do to stop it.

It pained me. It really, truly did and there wasn't anything I felt I could do about it.

"Please, Ky," I whispered. "It hurts to see you like this."

She gulped and looked up, tears flowing freely down her reddened cheeks.

"I'll tell you," Kylin whispered, "but I'm still upset with you."

Whatever had cracked just shattered. She had been this upset with me?

I nodded and repressed a sigh of sadness.

"I dreamed about Vader," she murmured. We had learned of the Sith lord from Cere. He was the man who almost killed us.

"It was so scary, Cal, he was just standing there with his lightsaber, telling me to join the Dark side."

She took a shaky breath and looked up to see my reaction.

I didn't know what to think. I knew I had been terrified of this masked man, but Kylin seemed traumatized.

"I dream like this almost every night. He just stands there, choking the life out of me and saying it's my destiny. I don't know what to do," she finished, looking utterly defeated.

I grabbed her hands and rubbed circles on the top of them with my thumbs.

God, have her hands always been this soft?

"Ky, you're stronger than you think. This is how the Dark side works. It tempts you, scares you. But you're so much stronger than it is. You're so light and happy, and you're my best friend. All of your positive energy can easily overpower the darkness. Because you're amazing. I don't know if you know that, but I certainly do." I took a breath and met her gaze, feeling my cheeks flush.

Kylin looked at me dead in the eyes, so much pain and sorrow in her own. But above all of that? Relief.

She stretched her arms out and hugged me, resting her chin on my shoulder. "Thank you, Cal," she whispered, her warm breath brushing my ear.

I nodded slightly, unsure of what to say as I held her.

My hands found themselves running through her hair, gently trying to untangle to knots from tossing and turning that I had come to know all too well.

She didn't protest as I continued, just hummed softly to herself as her own hands rubbed small circles in my back.

I honestly felt awkward, but I didn't want to upset my friend.

What was there to be awkward about? Kylin was my friend.

But deeper down, I knew. Part of me saw her as more than a friend. Not like a girlfriend, but not as just as friend, either.

Why is it so hard to sort through my darn thoughts?

I sighed, and Kylin pulled away before looking up at me.

"Sorry," I said, "I'm just tired."

"It's alright. It's not your fault I make such a racket."

She stood and we both walked towards the bedrooms again.

Kylin stopped right in front of her door, seemingly hesitant to open it.

I didn't know what to do, or say, so all I did was lean in for a quick kiss before going into my own room.

Things between us were awkward, and I didn't like it. I knew it was my fault, it really was because I wasn't willing to tell her why I seem distant.

But I was determined to mend the cracks.

One way or another.

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And that's that! Somewhat inspired by -_Rosey_- and her chapter on The Ancient Homeland, go check it out!

Stay shining,
DonutMaster07