#adkiwi

But that’s fine. This is totally fine.

Yesterday’s event might have been a major setback for Advent, but it doesn’t mean that he’s giving up. On the contrary, he’s more interested than ever!

Which is why he’s cornered the green-haired cutie this early in the morning.

They’re in the hallway, but because it’s so early, there’s not that many students yet. Advent’s not so sure why the cutie is here at this hour, though he’s not complaining! His meeting with the newspaper club can wait.

“Good morning!” Advent greets, smile wide.

The green-haired cutie glares at him, and if looks could kill…

“What are you doing?” the other asks, his voice sharp.

“I’m giving you a greeting, that’s all.” Advent tilts his head all innocent. The other probably doesn’t buy it for one second, but that’s okay. “Come to think of it, I don’t think I caught your name. I’m Advent!”

“I never threw it.” The cutie bites back. Because he’s shorter than Advent, it doesn’t take much for him to duck under Advent’s arm and speed away. “And I don’t care!”

As he watches that head of green hair disappear into the distance, Advent can’t help but wonder if he’s going crazy.

Because that was the hottest thing he’s ever gone through.

 For the days following, they keep this game of cat and mouse going like an endless Saturday morning cartoon. Advent would approach, the green-haired cutie would either retaliate, or run away before the blond even gets a word in.

No one has ever resisted Advent for this long.

And it’s starting to get exciting.

Cheesecake, of course, notices his good mood immediately.

“I see what you’ve been doing with the new kid.” She says as they have their lunch together.

Advent swirls his food. “Oh?”

“Yeah,” she clicks her tongue. “You look like you’re having fun.”

Advent grins. “Of course, he’s cute.”

“You’re obsessed.”

“Eh?” Out of all the things he expected his sister to say, it definitely wasn’t that. “You say that like it’s a bad thing?”

Cheesecake swallows her food. “Because it is. That guy, you’re making him uncomfortable.”

A brick falls on Advent’s head.

“Eh?!”

 And that is how, the next day, Adventurer is cornering the cute boy again—but this time for an entirely different reason.

"I'm sorry." Advent says.

The cute boy seems dumbfounded. He's actually frozen in place, his stance the furthest thing from aggressive.

Advent trudges on. "I realized I made you uncomfortable with my advances ever since you moved here," he frowns a little. "I'm really sorry, so I'll keep my distance from now on, okay?"

And with that he turns to walk away, expecting to see less of the cute boy, from a far away distance.

But a hand holds his wrist.

Advent turns around, eyebrows raised in confusion.

The cute guy is grumbling something under his breath. He sighs, and says, “You weren’t that much of a bother… sorta.” More grumbling. Then, he looks into Advent’s eyes. “The name’s Kiwi. Kiwi Biker. Don’t forget it.”

He lets go of Advent, spins on his heels, and disappears around the corner.

Soda laughs. “Come on, it’s not that bad, right?”

The green-haired teenager can only glare at his best friend. “Try believing in that when you’ve slipped twice, get pushed around everywhere, and someone slamming his locker door in your face.”

“Okay, maybe it’s just not your lucky day?”

“Or this school just really hates me or something. Payback for leaving it in the first place.”

“Hey, don’t say that! At the very least, I’m glad you’re back in town.”

Kiwi spares a glance to Soda, who’s savouring the sandwich in his hands. “Yeah, yeah, I missed you too.” He says, letting a small smile grace his features. “I’ve only been gone for like, five years.”

“And that’s five years too long.” Soda gives lopsided grin, his eye crinkling. “Now, what’s your next class after lunch?”

Kiwi digs into his bag for his schedule. He can’t really remember where he threw it in, actually. But he knows it has to be in here somewhere…

A shadow looms over him and he reluctantly looks up.

A tall tanned guy, with bright blond hair and a smile that’s asking for a kick from Kiwi, says, “Hi! Is this seat taken?”

From the corner of his eye, he can see that Soda has frozen, his eyes glued on the tall blond. He’s stopped chewing on his food too. Kiwi can only guess two things: he’s got a crush on the dude, or the dude is nothing but trouble.

Kiwi decides to settle on the latter.

In a voice that clearly states how he feels about the entire matter, he says, “Do I fucking know you?”

Kiwi can see in his eyes how shattered the dude is at the question.

Huh, now that he looks closer, the blond hair does seem a tad bit familiar.

Well, with his charming good looks, A+ grades, and great athletic record, that’s a given. Not to mention his upstanding social skills—even the teachers love him, and that’s saying something.

Everyone who’s anyone is a friend of his, and everyone’s who’s not anyone admires him from afar—and it’s a life he feels blessed to have. Not to mention his own younger sister is as popular and amazing as he is—Cheesecake flawlessly woos the hearts of everyone in school with her fabulous style and charismatic smile.

Ah, high school. What a haven for him.

The blond walks in through the school’s main doors alongside his sister, the two of them waving hello to the people who greet them, and he’s gleefully soaking up all of that morning school spirit.

Hm, school spirit smells like cheap perfume and the collective sweat of sports jocks.

Cheesecake bids him goodbye as she heads towards where her locker is, and reminds him of an assignment he has to submit today. He’s swinging his locker door open as he laments on his other activities for the day—attend classes, soccer practice, ace a Maths test—when he hears metal clinging and a voice yelping in pain.

“Ow, what the—?! Hey, watch it, dirtface!”

He can pretty much guess what’s happened.

“Oh my God, are you oka—?”

Ah, words rarely get stuck in his throat. He’s hardly ever been speechless in his entire life. His ability to smooth talk people over is practically ingrained in him since birth.

But this person in front of him—with his green hair, freckled chocolate skin, midget-like height, and super cute snarl—has his tongue tied in a thousand knots within seconds. Moreover, he’s pretty sure his brain’s gone to mush too.

What sorcery is this?

“Ugh, whatever. Jerk.”

The person, rubbing his nose and still scowling, starts to walk past him.

“Um, wait—!” he’s too late. The little cutie’s already disappeared into the crowd of students crowding the hallway. Damn it.

He wonders now, wonders really badly, how he managed to let Soda convince him into joining this trip to a tropical island.

It’s so hot here he wishes so badly he was in Antarctica.

Kiwi fans himself with Soda’s hat, which he stole earlier from his best friend who is too busy chatting with the other members of their little group to notice or care.

He’s not really listening to their conversation as they walk, but he vaguely catches mentions of going snorkelling today. In this heat? In this weather? Right now?

Oh Lord, please no. He’s not up for it. He’s not up for it at all.

He’s proven betrayed by his best friend again when he sees them rent snorkelling gear.

“I’m not going.” Kiwi says.

Soda, still smiling, hands him what he assumes to be his gear. “Aww, Kiwi, come on!”

“It’s so hot. I’m not going.”

“We’ll be in the water the entire time!”

“Still not going.”

“We’ve got a hot guide with us.”

“Haha, very funny. You and I both know we go for different types,” Kiwi says, narrowing his eyes at Soda. He continues, “What you think is hot for a man, is what I think--” but he’s stopped in his train of thought when a tall tanned muscular blond wearing tight swimming shorts and a tight fitting surfer’s shirt walks out from the rental shop.

“Hey!” The tall muscular blond greets the group in general. He has pretty brown eyes that shine with mirth as he grins at them, arms akimbo. “A pleasure to meet you. The name’s Adventurer, but you can call me Advent. I’m your guide for today!”

Kiwi’s jaw drops.

He’s pretty sure his eyes are as wide as saucers too.

Soda smiles at him cheekily, like he knew, and jabs at Kiwi’s side with his elbow. He’s wiggling his eyebrows oh-so-annoyingly. “You were saying...?”

“...”

“I can’t hear you~”

Ah, screw this.

“I was saying how much I can’t wait for this snorkelling trip.”

“That’s the spirit!” Soda laughs and drags Kiwi by the arm towards the group. Kiwi can’t really tell what he’s feeling right now, but seeing as he still hasn’t stopped staring at their one hunk of a guide...

Damn.

✌

They’re on the boat, and Kiwi is still staring at their guide.

Which Soda finds would be embarrassing, if their guide isn’t telling them more about the island and some interesting facts about the occasional points they’re passing.

Kiwi just looks like a very interested tourist.

(Soda knows that Kiwi’s just very interested in something else entirely.)

He tries to get his best friend’s attention, honest. But Kiwi’s eyes are basically locked on like homing missiles, and it’s like he doesn’t even feel it when Soda pinches his arm.

Okay, maybe he did feel that pinch, since he tried kicking at Soda’s shin.

Soda waves his hand in front of Kiwi’s face this time. “Earth to Kiwi.”

...

“I said Earth to Kiwi.”

...

“Gosh darn it Kiwi, what are you even thinking about in that head of yours?”

“How much I want him to suffocate me in his cleavage.”

He can’t stop pacing around the classroom ever since lunch started, and Soda isn’t helping at all. His best friend simply stares at him as he eats the food he brought with him to school.

Damn him and his mother’s great cooking.

“Give me that.” Kiwi says, snatching the lunch box from Soda’s arms and shoving some into his mouth. The flavours melt in his mouth and he sighs. That calms him down.

“Hey, I’m hungry!” Soda calls out.

“I’m hungry too, okay?!”

“Then get your own food!”

“I forgot my lunch money today!”

“What, you were thinking about your boyfriend so much?!”

“Of course I was!!” Kiwi slams the lunch box on the desk. “He’s refused to see me for weeks, how can I not be worried?!”

Soda pouts, but there’s a look of concern in his eyes. He crosses his arms. “Has he at least told you why...?”

Kiwi deflates on the desk beside the lunch box. “No... He avoids the question every time I ask... and he doesn’t call or answer my calls either. All he does is text me, and even that’s rare...”

He feels a hand pat his head. He whines.

“Maybe you should go visit him after school today? Just to be sure...” Soda suggests.

Kiwi shoots up. He stares at Soda with a sparkle in his eyes. “You’re a genius...!”

And a few hours later, here he is, standing in front of the apartment where his boyfriend lives in.

He’s shaking all over again.

Maybe this is a bad idea after all. Maybe there’s a good reason to why Adventurer is avoiding him...

...

......

His mind says otherwise.

What if Adventurer’s sick of him...? What if Adventurer’s cheating on him...? What if Adventurer is building up on a breakup...?

All of these doubts and insecurities are gnawing at him from the inside. He tightens his grip on his school bag. He... He doesn’t want any of that to be true. Adventurer has been the best thing that’s ever happened to him...

From that very moment forever ago when the older man sought shelter with him from the rain under a closed shop’s roof... to the time Adventurer first held him under the sheets, ever so gently...

To lose him now...

Kiwi shuts his eyes and knocks on the door.

To lose him now would be...

“Who the Hell is it?” the door swings open, revealing a disheveled sleepy-looking blond with stubble growing on his chin.

Kiwi gulps at the stubble.

Adventurer’s tired eyes widens immediately at the sight of his boyfriend. His jaw drops slightly. “Kiwi...? Am I dreaming? Why are you here?”

Kiwi feels something prickle in his eyes. “Why shouldn’t I be here?!” Crap, he didn’t mean to raise his voice. “You’ve been avoiding me for three weeks. Did you think I wouldn’t get worried?!”

A moment’s pause falls between them, before a light of realization shines in Adventurer’s eyes. “Wait... Shit. Three weeks? It’s been three weeks?”

Kiwi blinks at him.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry, Kiwi, baby.” Adventurer hurriedly gathers him in his arms, tight and warm. Kiwi, despite not wanting to, melts against Adventurer’s broad chest. Reluctantly, he wraps his arms around Adventurer too, relishing in the hug.

“I didn’t mean to neglect you at all.” Adventurer plants a soft kiss on Kiwi’s hair, brushing stray strands behind his ear. “I got carried away with this work a new client threw at me. It’s my biggest break since I graduated college last year.”

He lowers his neck so he’s on eye-level with Kiwi. There’s a gentle smile on his face. “Will you forgive me, my chocolate muffin?”

Kiwi, who’s eyes had been tearing up since, sniffs. Honestly, he wants to be a bit mad for a little while longer. But he’s never been good at keeping grudges. Slowly, he nods his head, and Adventurer kisses him on his nose. There’s laughter in his throat.

“Thank you! I’ll make it up to you, okay? Starting now. Come in so we can cuddle on the bed!”

“Eh? But what about your work?”

“I just finished yesterday and was catching up on sleep, before I realized that I couldn’t sleep a wink without you there.”

The crown prince runs down the stone castle hallways, blood pumping in his veins and sweat sliding down his neck. There are groans echoing from everywhere that he can’t even tell how many of them are left.

He had knights with him, protecting him, but then he himself had to pierce his beloved sword through their necks, slicing their heads off their shoulders after they... turned.

Honestly, he doesn’t understand what’s going on. He doesn’t know where his parents are, he doesn’t know where his little sister is, and he doesn’t know where his--

Another monster lunges at him from the high ceiling, and he slices it in half. The purple hair and maid dress it was wearing makes his heart clench.

His people... his servants... For some reason, they turned. They became gruesome, deadly, and most noticeably, they seem to have a craving for... human flesh.

And whenever someone is bitten by one of them, they too turn.

Advent can’t wrap his head around all of this.

But for now, it doesn’t matter. He can figure all of this out later. First and foremost, he needs to find the people that are important to him personally. He needs to know that they’re okay.

He makes his way to the audience hall, the grip on his sword tightening as he sends prayers to Heaven above that his bad gut feeling is wrong.

After encountering and regrettably killing more of these foul creatures, who were donning the clothes that he knows all too well, Prince Advent reaches the heavy wooden doors and pushes it open with his shoulders.

The sight makes his heart soar.

He sees his beloved, beloved Kiwi, all the way up the raised stage, holding his own against a handful of the turned with a sword. Advent’s heart rises into his throat. Kiwi seems fine from this distance, but he can’t fight against that many for long.

Advent shouts out, “HEY! OVER HERE YOU UGLIES!”

That seems to catch the attention of some of them, as a part of the group turns towards him and begins to move his way. Kiwi turns to him too, and a panicked expression crosses his face before he’s distracted by another monster attacking him.

Advent manages to make quick work of the ones that were coming towards him, his feet taking him towards Kiwi as fast as they can. He cuts down one creature that was about to attack Kiwi’s back and stands there panting as he watches Kiwi slice the head of the last one clean off.

When Kiwi’s bright green eyes meet his, he can’t help the grin on his lips. He drops his sword to the floor and gathers the mercenary up in his arms, breathing in the shorter man’s scent. The relief he feels in his chest feels so great he can’t even express it in words.

Kiwi returns his embrace carefully because he’s not letting go of his sword.

“I’m so glad you’re safe...” Advent whispers, tightening his hold on Kiwi.

Kiwi tightens his grip too, but he doesn’t say anything. Advent notices that the other is still shaking. That makes his worry act up again, because Kiwi almost never shuts up, always trying to tease him for something.

“Kiwi...? What’s wrong?” he asks, pulling back to look at him in the eye.

The green-haired man averts his gaze. His jaw is clenched tight and he takes a step away from Advent, pushing the blond away.

“Kiwi, what are you--”

“I’m going to turn soon, Advent.”

“...What?”

“I... I was bit by one of them earlier,” Kiwi raises his arm, and Advent finally sees the messily wrapped bandage around it that’s stained with blood. “I was trying to be a diversion so that the others could escape, and...”

No.

Nonononono.

No no no, that’s not true.

“But you’re still fine, right? It’s been a while, hasn’t it?! And you haven’t changed, so I’m sure--!”

“No, Advent! I... I can feel it eating me inside.” Kiwi’s voice is breaking and there are tears in his eyes. He cradles his bitten arm near his torso. “It’s only a matter of time before it happens, so please... You need to get away while you can.”

“Are you kidding me?!” anger flares up in Advent at the ridiculous request. His hands clench and unclench. He doesn’t know what to do with them. “I’m not leaving you, Kiwi!” Not now. Not ever.

Kiwi looks just as frustrated as Advent feels. “You need to find your family, I’m sure they’re worried about you.”

“Then help me find them.”

“Advent!”

The prince reaches out to hold Kiwi’s shoulders and he pulls the shorter man in for a kiss. His lips are warmer than usual, but still as soft as ever. Kiwi tries to push him away, but Advent holds him in place with his strength.

It’s not long before Kiwi melts against his body, sinking into the kiss and letting go of his sword. The blond’s fingers find their way into the mercenary’s long hair and he pulls and plays with the strands, making Kiwi moan under him.

They part for breath after what feels like a blissful eternity. Advent rests his forehead on Kiwi’s, breathing hard, and he says, “I’m not leaving you alone. That’s final, okay?”

Kiwi’s lips tremble and his tears begin to roll down his cheeks. He hides his face in the crook of Advent’s neck and he nods gently.

The floors are cracked, the ceiling is dirty, and he spots fungus growing in a corner or two.

The blond slumps into his beanbag, dejected.

He can’t believe he was sent to live out here in the middle of nowhere in a rundown apartment that could seriously use some work. How old is this building anyway? He wouldn’t be surprised if it was a hundred years old and was filled to the brim with ghosts and monsters and curses. It certainly looks the part.

“Well, let’s get unpacking!”

...is what he says. But honestly? He really just wants to sleep right now.

Just as he’s about to close his eyes and drift off into sleep, he hears a knock coming from his front door.

...Urgh.

There’s another knock, accompanied by hushed whispers this time.

Uuurghhh.

Struggling to get on his feet, Adventurer wonders who the hell could be at his door. He weighs the possibilities and he likes none of them.

The man swings the door open, ready to put a glare on his face, when the sight in front of him makes him freeze instead.

There’s a short little man, with bright green hair, skin as dark as chocolate with freckles around his face like sprinkled nuts, and eyes like a kiwi’s, that’s sending a soft sweet smile up his way. And in between the little man’s legs stands a smaller version of him, a child maybe seven years old, holding up a plastic container towards Adventurer, who suddenly feels undeserving of such a present. He takes it out of the little critter’s hands anyway.

“Um...?” he starts off. Smooth.

“Hi!” the shorter man doesn’t seem to stop smiling. “We saw that you just moved in and wanted to welcome you. We even made you some brownies, if that’s fine with you...?”

“I love brownies.” He thinks he’s had like, one or two brownies in his entire lifetime. Yep, totally loves brownies.

“That’s great then! I’m Kiwi Biker by the way,” the little man shakes his hand, “and this little fletchling is my child, Kiwi Bird Jr.”

Child. Damn it.

“I’m Adventurer. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Your child looks a lot like you.” Adventurer remarks. He drops to one knee. “Did you make these brownies with your mommy?” he says, smile playing on his lips.

Kiwi Bird Jr. shyly hides behind his father’s legs, and Kiwi Biker laughs, picking the child up into his arms. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but I did most of the baking. You’re lucky it’s my day off today, or you wouldn’t have had those.”

“Oh?” Adventurer raises his eyebrows. He grins. “Well, I’m honoured. Very much. And judging from the smell, I can already tell these brownies will be bombastic!”

Kiwi Biker laughs again and Adventurer curses the forces above. Why did they have to introduce him to such a hot and cute guy, but he’s unavailable?! Just his luck.

“I better be going now then.” Kiwi raises a hand to say goodbye, and Adventurer returns it.

“Say hi to the Mrs. for me then...?” he says, in goodwill.

A look of discomfort crosses Kiwi’s face and Adventurer blinks.

“I, uh, I’m actually not married... Never was.”

Oh.

Oh.

Kiwi knows that, and knows full well that he is driving a motorcycle on tar at one of the higher speeds than he’s supposed to.

But then he catches a glimpse of a tall, hot blond stretching his muscular body on the sidewalk, like who even fucking does that, and he loses control of his bike.

God damn it.

He swerves down the road, narrowly avoiding a car coming in from the opposite direction, hears himself scream ‘SHIT!!’ and then he hits the street lamp headfirst.

He’s wearing a helmet, duh, he’s not that dumb. So after the collision, he manages to sit up, but feels incredibly woozy. From the corner of his blurry vision he can somewhat make out someone running towards him...

But then he sees blood and his leg in a weird angle and he chokes before blacking out.

When he comes to, there is something soft on the back of his head, and he hears the distinct beep beep sound of a heart monitor. Kiwi’s eyes flutter open. The first thing he sees is the white ceiling.

The next, is a blond guy with a chiseled jaw and glasses.

If the lights didn’t blind him, then the blond’s smile sure did.

“Oh, you’re awake! That’s a relief. You owe me one for making me check in at work early today.”

“Uh...?”

“I’m Advent, and I’m your doctor. You were in a motorcycle accident. Remember that?”

“Urgh...”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” The blond writes something down on the clipboard before he purses his lips. “I was there when it happened, you know. Even gave you first aid and called the ambulance and stuff. You got distracted by something when you were on the road, weren’t you?”

Kiwi’s face is still scrunched up from the numb pain, but now it’s mostly in confusion. The doctor was there...? Huh, well, at least that was convenient.

“Oh...” he manages to croak out. “Thanks...?”

“Don’t mention it!” the hot doctor beams. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be leaving now. But don’t worry, I’ll be back to check on you soon enough!”

Kiwi’s green eyes follows the doctor’s form leaving the room, but the blond stops at the door for a moment to do a little stretch, and that’s when it clicks in Kiwi’s mind.