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“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
Kinich’s expression remained stoic, even though his heart picked up speed rapidly at the familiar voice behind him. He didn’t even have to look around to know who it was. Even if he hadn’t recognised the voice, there’s only one person that keeps coming back to look for him, even when he’s admiring the scenery atop the biggest cliff in Natlan.
“Hi, Mualani.”
He heard her footsteps approach behind him. She stood right beside him, looking over at the gorgeous scene splayed out in front of them before going to sit down next to Kinich. Even though it was unnoticeable with the abundance of orange-red light the setting sun was shining down upon them, Kinich could definitely feel his cheeks warming up. Being this close to Mualani did strange things to him. It made him feel things he never thought he could feel for anyone. Yet, still, Mualani had somehow managed to break through his icy exterior. He hated it just as much as he loved it.
Mualani always made him feel like he belonged. And he adored that about her. Adored her for giving everyone a chance, no matter who they are or what they do. But at the same time, he hated the fact she made him feel that way. Why? Simple. It made him do stupid, irrational things. Logically, no one in their right mind would spend over 10 hours looking for a hairpin that was supposedly ‘somewhere along the road’. Yet he had. Simply because it was Mualani’s hairpin. Because she asked him to do something, and he hadn’t even hesitated.
“Kinich, are you there?”
The soft nudge against his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts, turning his attention back to Mualani. “I’m sorry?”
Mualani let out a soft chuckle, the sound almost angelic to Kinich, before speaking back up. “You zoned out for a second there. It’s okay. I just asked what you were doing all the way out here?”
Kinich couldn’t tell her. He just couldn’t tell her that the only reason he ever sought up this kind of piece and quiet was because he wanted a long, uninterrupted thinking session. About her, of course. But he couldn’t say that. He didn’t want to ruin their friendship. And even though he knew she’d still want to be friends even if she didn’t feel the same, he also knew that’d only cause him more hurt in the end. So he kept it quiet.
“Just… Needed some alone time.”
“You’ve been needing more and more alone time recently. Is something the matter?”
Kinich’s fingers twitched nervously where they were rested atop his thighs. The pace of his feet swinging back and forth off the edge of the cliff increased slightly. “I’m fine, really.”
Mualani’s brow furrowed in response. “Are you sure? You just seem so much more distant lately.”
Kinich wanted to make a witty comment about him always being distant, but kept his mouth shut. Instead, he shook his head lightly. “Don’t worry about it.”
“But I do worry about it.” She reached out, grabbing his hands and holding them in her much smaller ones. Kinich’s breath hitched at the feeling of Mualani’s soft, delicate hands holding his much rougher ones. He’d dreamed of holding her hands before, but he never could’ve imagined the real thing feeling so much nicer. “I worry about you, Kinich. You’re my best friend, and seeing you so distant, it…”
She sighed. “I just want to help okay? I’m always here to listen. So tell me. What’s going on?”
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about me, I’ve just been thinking too much lately.” He averts his gaze to the grass between them, watching the blades move slightly in the wind.
“Thinking about what, exactly?” She tilted her head in the cutest way.
You.
Her breath hitched.
When Kinich looked up, he saw her cheeks had heated up slightly, her eyes wider than before. But why, he wondered? Surely he hadn’t thought out loud, right?
Right?
“M-me?”
Shit.
Kinich quickly looked away again, which only made the situation worse, really. But he couldn’t face her. Now when he just said something so stupid.
“Wh-Why were you thinking about me?”
“You- I… It’s just… I’ve never had a friend like you.” He lied, not yet ready to tell her how he really felt. “It just amazes me how accepting of others you are.”
“Oh…” Mualani dropped his hands again, her voice laced with a hint of… Disappointment? Kinich was never the best at reading body language, but he couldn’t quite shake the feeling that she maybe expected more than that.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
She nodded in response. “Yeah, of course, why wouldn’t I be?”
But he noticed. He saw it in the way her usual cheery smile was now a forced expression on her face. He didn’t want to read too much into it, didn’t want to get his hopes up. He couldn’t let himself get lost in his emotions, not now. No matter how much he may suspect her to return his feelings, he couldn’t put their friendship at risk like that. So, once again, for what had to be the 100th time in the last month, he kept his true thoughts hidden.
An awkward silence fell upon the two, charged with unspoken words and an unbearable tension. The silence went on for about a minute when Mualani spoke up.
“I should probably get back to the tribe, it’s getting late.” She hopped up onto her feet with a noticeable urgency, quickly turning around to leave. Kinich felt her discomfort, and he hated what he was about to do.
“Mualani, wait.”
The sound of her footsteps fading into the distance halted. Kinich stood up and quickly jogged up to where she was, his footsteps slowing down with every step he came closer.
“Yes?” She asked, not turning to look at him.
“Something’s bothering you.”
Mualani’s lack of response only reconfirmed what he already knew was true. It was just the fact that she refused to tell him that pissed him off.
“Mualani, talk to me.”
Once again, she let the request hang in the air, not even knowing what she would say if she did speak.
Kinich reached out, putting her hand on Mualani’s shoulder. He didn’t like the way she tensed up beneath his touch one bit, but when she didn’t pull away, he tugged gently. He turned her around to face him again, but she didn’t dare look him in the eyes.
Kinich had to.
“Can I… Tell you something?”
It was only after that question was asked that she looked back up at him for eye contact. Kinich felt a drop of sweat rolling down the back of his neck, sending an unpleasant shiver through his spine. Suddenly, everything felt uncomfortable, like his senses had been heightened. He felt every single drop of sweat on his skin, could hear every beat of his hear right in his ear. The cold evening air cutting through his skin left goosebumps all over him, and he found himself unable to speak past the lump in his throat. All he could do anymore was what he always did… Gravitate towards Mualani.
It was only when the girl let out a soft gasp that he snapped back to reality, noticing their close proximity. Mualani’s body was nearly pressed up agains his, his hands having found purchase on her hips. They were so close then, so achingly close that they were breathing the same air. But Kinich couldn’t do it. Not when he noticed Mualani’s awkward position, her arms pressed tightly to her chest in a defensive way.
“I-I, uh… Ahem… I w-wanted to tell you…” His breathing became a lot heavier, like he was suffocating and, Archons, he’d never felt more nervous in his life.
“I… I think I… Think I l-like you…”
There.
He said it.
His confession hung in the air, the only sound the soft rustling of the leaves nearby, signalling that even the both of them had stopped breathing for a second. Kinich out of fear for Mualani’s reaction, while she held her breath in utter surprise.
Mualani didn’t trust her mouth with words, too stunned to speak. Too happy to speak. She felt like crying. Happy tears, of course, but still. She could barely even believe it. Kinich, her hot best friend she’d had a crush on since they met, just confessed to her. And Mualani could only think of one sensible reaction.
She kissed him.
Kinich gasped into her mouth, the sudden feeling of her soft lips against his sparking something within him. Something wicked. Something forbidden. Something that made him return the kiss with a painful intensity. His arms encircled her waist as he pulled her flush against him. He wanted to feel every part of her body against his.
He gently deepened the kiss, his lips parting for his tongue to go out and trace her bottom lip, silently seeking entry. Mualani parted her own, allowing Kinich’s tongue to begin its gentle exploration. Their tongues met, dancing together like there was no tomorrow. Her arms wrapped around his neck so she could hold herself steady, both of their eyes closed in pure bliss. Neither of them knew just how long the kiss went on for, but they did know that it would never be long enough.
Eventually, however, the burning need for air in their lungs caused them to break apart. Kinich slowly opened his eyes again, met by the sight of Mualani with flushed cheeks, swollen lips, even a small string of their mixed saliva lingering on her cheek, which he brushed off with the pad of his thumb. Both of their breathing was quick, laboured, as their foreheads rested against each other. It took a while of standing there like that, in each other’s arms, before Mualani spoke those words Kinich had wanted to hear for so, so damn long…
“I love you too…”