Kai was looking up a tree, considering climbing it. He quite loved this forest. His parents used to take him there before…
Well, what was significant about it is that it made him feel safe. He felt like he was under the warm gazes of them again, smiling pridefully as he struggled up a tree. Shaking his thoughts away at another voice that somehow didn’t scare him, he turned slightly to stare at the doll who had followed him; however, it was quite different here. Instead of a doll, a woman took place. Her hair was ruffled and auburn, curling out of its bun around her flushed face.
Watching Kai, she decided not to move. He seemed calm but how would she know he wouldn't take off again. Mac watched as he climbed a tree, with a surprising amount of success. "Have….have you been here before?" She asked him gently.
Kai settled himself within the heart of the tree, blinking down at her owlishly, his usually wide eyes still as wide as ever. Though in the depths of them he did seem quite calm.
“I have,” He responded quietly to her. “You don’t look like the others.” Literally the most he’d ever said to her, as well as the creepiest thing.
On instinct, Mac's hands went to her face. A chill ran through her body. She was sure Kai could see the fear on her face.
"Huh?" What was he talking about? "What do you mean? What do I look like? What do the other's look like."
“The others look like dolls.” He leaned against the tree and looked up at the sky with a soft sigh that rose naturally from his breast. “You do not. You used to.” Kai crossed his arms as he nestled himself out of sight, yawning faintly. He would stay here whether this woman wanted him to come back or not which was certainly her intention with him.
Dolls…? Mac decided not to venture down that path of thought, it would have to wait until later. Although it did explain why he looked at people so strangely. "Well, that's great I guess but… Kai, it's not smart to stay out here. It's not safe at night. Mat and the others are probably worried."
“I don’t care,” He just flat out stated to her, tilting his head up. “And nor should you. If you’re so worried, then leave.” His voice had suddenly become that of a highly educated man, which he was, and not at all mechanical. He sounded annoyed with her pestering him about the rumors of the forest.
Mac raised a dark brow in offense and indignation. "Well." She scoffed. "Where was all this mouth back at the office, when you needed it, huh?" She shot back, crossing her arms over her chest.
“One knows he’d won an argument when his foe insults him,” He just chided back in response, leaning back with a big yawn. “Go back to the office where you can live without worry.”
What's gotten into him? she thought with a moment's pause.
Mac ran a hand through her hair, ruining her bun completely. "What in the heck happened to you?" She asked him. Since he was such an intelligent nut, maybe he had an answer.
“What’s happened to you?” He shot back. “Surely you’d want to leave soon.” Kai tilted his head up slightly to look up into the sky from his perch. It was none of her business what had happened to him, was it?
My sympathy is gone. Time to go home, Mac. She told herself as she regarded Kai once more. She'd never imagined him to be so obnoxious and aloof. "Yeah, you're right. I think I will go home."
Kai pointed his nose up and away from her, no sympathy generated from her stab at it. She obviously seemed very out of her element here, while he was comfortable just being alone in his own memories. But there was the chance of her telling someone where he is.
“You won’t tell anyone I’m here, will you?” He suddenly quizzed belligerently, tilting his head back down.
"Should I?" Was all she offered.
If someone asked, maybe she would. But she was sure, no one was going to come for him, why take the risk. No one knew what was out here besides terrifying beasts.
“You can I just wouldn’t be found.” Kai quickly responded back, regaining his poise again. “No one will want to come in here after me.” He crossed his arms slightly. “You’re the only person who seems to actually, visibly, care.”
"Well, I'll take that as a compliment." She grumbled moving away from him. Her mind was still telling her to leave. He would be fine, he seemed so comfortable being out here. He didn't need her.
Wish I would've known that before I followed him out here…. Mac thought, running another hand through her hair, her stress evident. "Ya'know, just because people won't follow you into the unknown, it doesn't mean they don't care."
His response never came to her. His still-blank eyes turned to somewhere beyond him, away from the city.
“There is something coming. If you’re scared, you should probably leave.” He didn’t sound scared, actually, he sounded as if it were the opposite for him. “We don’t want you getting hurt.”
Her heart believe him. She believed him. That's why she backed away.
He'll be alright…. she told herself as she turned tail and ran. Only, it wasn't as fast as she ran before. No, that energy was wasted.
As she turned to hurry away, she heard his light footsteps fall to the ground again with a light crunch. Clearly, he was just sitting there to busy her. But louder crunches announced themselves just as she was running from earshot. She never learned what those crunches were, as she fled out to the safety of the city.
Mac went to work the next day. But it wasn't at all the same. She couldn't focus for a single second. Thoughts of Kai tied her mind up in a knot. He was gone, he hadn't come back yet.
And people weren't saying much about it.
Not even their bosses, who probably knew Kai the best, weren’t even worried about it, despite them being the core of the problem. In fact, they seemed pretty happy that he was gone. It was pretty troublesome to have someone hard to work with at a Human Resources area.
Mac walked past his office a dozen time that day before lunch, checking inside as if he would magically appear. But he never did. He really was gone.
And no one was going to say anything. No one but her.
She made up her mind during lunch after she stared at her sandwich for about 5 minutes, reminding herself of all the reasons why she should act like nothing happened too. Sometimes, ignorance was bliss. But bliss was temporary. So, Mac marched down to her boss's office, sandwich in hand, and stood there until she got her attention.
Certainly she finally got the attention of the woman, who had been in a conference for most of her employees’ lunch hour. She glanced up with tiredness in her eyes, only to brighten up immediately at the sight of Mac standing there with her sandwich. She stood and walked outside, rubbing the back of her head to mess up her bun even more.
“What is it, Mac? You look angry.”