Chapter Text
Khun wonders if Bam can hear the way his heart thuds in his chest when he holds him like this. Physical affection like this was… rare for them to say the least, but when Bam came to his room after a nightmare left him unable to sleep, Khun welcomed him with open arms. It’s Bam, after all. Khun was content to let Bam bury his head in his chest, carding his fingers through his hair.
“It was the Leviathan. It’s only gotten louder after…” Bam trails off, nestling closer, and Khun strokes his hair.
It can’t be easy having that many powers absorbed, being pulled in so many directions. Everyone who tries to use Bam doesn’t realize the price of all those powers comes out of himself. That, or they don’t care.
“It wants to destroy everyone from the Ten Great Families.”
Khun deliberately doesn’t allow himself to stiffen. Bam wouldn’t hurt him, so he had nothing to worry about. Instead, he keeps stroking Bam’s hair, humming an acknowledgement.
“Khun…” His eyes widen as he pulls back. “Wait. You’re… ”
“Stay.” Khun tugs him closer. “You’re not going to hurt me.”
Bam rubs his head, and Khun flicks the Firefish forward. It may not be able to do much, but he had to try. Ice Shinsu cools his hand as he presses it to the nape of Bam’s neck. “Any better?”
“K-” The Fish flares in warning and Bam shoves . Khun sprawls off the bed as blue snakelike coils circle around him.
“Bam?” The Fish hovers nearby as Khun pushes himself to his feet. Bam would never hurt him. But the Leviathan…
Bam’s walk is slow and intentional, eyes glowing blue. But Bam’s clenching his fists at his sides. Is he fighting back? Options. If the Leviathan attacked with Bam’s power, there’s no way Khun would be able to win. Bam had already shoved him aside the first time, so maybe…? Khun’s lighthouses hang around him at the ready.
No. Khun would continue to trust Bam. “You’re not going to hurt me, Bam.” Bam launches forward towards Khun, hand raising, but he stood on. He wasn’t afraid, and he wouldn’t be afraid.
But the Fish has other plans, swirling into Khun’s skin with a heat that knocks the air out of his lungs. Khun doubles over, gasping as Bam’s hand grazes the air above him. The force of the Flare Wave Explosion sends him flying back again. That would’ve killed him.
“R-Run…” Khun glances up at Bam as he pulse back, readying up for another attack.
In such a small room, the Leviathan’s liable to destroy everything, leaving more debris for Khun to scramble around. Hopefully no one was using the training hall. Khun ducks to the side, positioning the lighthouses around them. “I’m not leaving you like this, Bam.”
The Leviathan steps forward to lunge at Khun, as he smirks, activating both teleports. Bam’s attack entirely misses as Khun watches from above, wings open. Bam’s clearly trapped inside, and Khun knows he’s strong enough to fight his way out.
As much as Khun hates the idea of incapacitating Bam, it’s a far better option than dying to a possessed Bam. “Running away, Son of Khun?” Bam curls around his chest, the snakelike tendrils coiling tighter. “Khun! Stay away! Please!”
Looks like he really would have to go all out. Three lighthouses float around him in invisible mode, while the rest spread to the corners of the room. Khun smirks as he activates his Shinsu Amplification Matrix, the Firefish strengthening his power. This time, the rink of infinite ice forms a dome around the two. Bam meets Khun’s eyes, horror mixing with fury. “There you are.”
“Of course. I’m here. Didn’t I literally just say I wasn’t leaving?”
Khun raises his hands and the ice responds behind him, huge hailstones raining down at the Leviathan. It ignores the bruises to fly at Khun. The ice crystalizes into mist around them, cutting visibility. His lighthouses teleport him at the last minute before another Flare Wave Explosion.
Khun reappears behind Bam, wrapping an arm around his neck. Five seconds. Bam thrashes, head jerking back into Khun’s nose with a sickening crunch . Khun’s eyes water, but he forces himself to hold on. Three seconds. A snakelike tendril wraps around his arm, and yanks . Khun grits his teeth. Just a bit more. One more second. Bam was swaying already. But the Leviathan rips Khun forward, flinging him through the wall of ice. Shards rain down on them as Khun slams into the ground.
Running low on options. His arm’s definitely dislocated at best. But the Leviathan - no - Bam is trembling. Khun grimaces as Bam lands. The Fish circles around him, fixing his nose. Finally, his eyes stop watering.
Shinsu loops behind the Leviathan, but the ice darts up around him, encasing his legs. Khun pushes himself to his feet as the Fish starts on his arm. “Let him go. Now.”
“Khun… R-run… Please…” The first Thorn ignites behind him. “Yes. Run away, son of Khun.” The ice cracks as the Leviathan thrashes.
“Hey, Fish.” Khun keeps his voice low as he looks away, pretending to consider it. “Will you be able to boost Bam’s power so he can break free?”
The Fish flares an affirmative beside him. “I can help seal it if he’s in control.” Bam’s been in control a few times this fight. He’s probably been the one preventing even more of his powers from breaking free, and he’s still managing to tell Khun to flee.
The Levithan rushes forward, slamming Khun against the wall and he gasps, everything going hazy. He had to… “Khun… Please get out of here!” He’d always respond to Bam’s plea, dragging his eyes open. His lighthouses are scattered, but they’re still operable. The Levithan leers down at him, hand snatching his shirt to hold him up. Bam's horror was clear despite the blue eyes screaming hatred. Not enough.
Khun raises his other hand, ice slamming around him, but the Levithan’s grip doesn’t break. Khun flicks an icy dagger into his hand to cut the shirt - the Levithan plucks it out of his grip, stabbing it into Khun’s other shoulder. “KHUN! NO!”
He grits his teeth, but forces himself to meet Bam's eyes. Gold swim as the Leviathan's spare hand caresses Khun's cheek. "You’ll find someone more worthy to love."
What? Bam… Loves him? The Leviathan’s hand trails down to squeeze Khun's throat. "No! No no no no! Khun! Please! Not him! Please!" Tears roll down Bam's cheeks as Khun tries to gasp around the iron grip.
Close. Not enough. He had to… He wouldn’t let himself die here! Khun reaches with his half-healed arm, pulling Bam's face towards him as he jerks forward, meeting ting Bam’s lips with his own. Bam freezes, his grip loosening, but Khun hangs on with all the strength he has, forcing the Fish forward. Fire rings Bam as it dips in and out of his skin, blue fading from his eyes as the tendrils retreat. Bam lets go, but Khun doesn’t have the strength to catch himself anymore. He doesn’t have to though. Bam’s right there, pulling him close. “Khun… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
The Fish returns to Khun as he lets Bam cradle him against his chest. “It’s alright. I know you wouldn’t hurt me.”