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Kavalier doesn't tell anybody about his nightmares. It has started happening ever since he lost his parents. The memory of losing them is haunting him incessantly. Which has always made him feel weak and little. And so he came up with the idea of creating a new version of himself, to hide and bury his vulnerable and weak self.
The time came when he perfected crafting the confident and conceited image he puts on like a suit in order to protect himself from anything and everything. And at some point, these traits he displayed as a sort of defense mechanism almost infused with him like skin, but tonight he was proven wrong when he woke up screaming; beads of sweat were collecting on his temples as his body shook in fear, his eyes were dilated with horror.
And then there came a knock on his door. But Kavalier was too stunned and shaken to even focus on anything. And then there was a voice from the other side of the wall that he couldn't quite decipher.
"Boss, are you alright?" There was hardly any emotion in his voice, yet there was something comforting about it, hearing someone ask him if he was alright when in the past, no one batted an eyelash when he lost his family.
As much as he's willing to deny it, Kavalier longed for the feeling to be cared for. It is true that he wasn't fond of his parents but losing them had an impact on his mental health.
Kavalier was still shaken like a leaf, staring at a wall when Kirsh approached him.
"Take deep breaths." To his surprise, the boy seemed like he was listening.
He was taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself down when it struck him—
"Wow." Kirsh didn't say anything. "It really is pathetic when it's a synthetic who comforts me." He snorted, his senses finally coming back, yet his emotions were still getting in the way.
His realization made him feel pathetic. There is nothing comforting about knowing your creation is the first thing to respond to when you're in danger, but only because they were programmed to. At least he proved himself to be loyal, which is a good thing.
The more he was in his head, the more his thoughts were gnawing at him. This nightmare was probably the worst out of all the ones he had in the past. His mind processed the reality of how alone he was.
He was in a battle with himself, refusing to let his emotions get the best of him, but he was fighting a losing battle. And with that, tears slowly fell down from his face.
"You can go back now," he said in tears, as if they were nothing.
There was something about the way Kavalier and how shaken he was that stirred something inside Kirsh.
He inched closer, pulling the boy for a hug. Kavalier stopped for a moment but only to clutch onto the sides of the synthetic man that he created.
"Is there anything I can do?" His hand shifted at the back, slowly stroking it.
Kavalier cried more than he has ever done in his life.
It was probably his imagination but he could hear a hint of sympathy coming from the man in front of him. There was something comforting with how gentle he was when he shouldn't be.
Kavalier wiped his tears and has finally calmed down.
"It's okay, I'm okay now. You can go back." This time his voice sounded firm, collected but not too commanding.
"Are you sure?" He snorted once more, realizing the glitch on his creation.
"Kirsh, you're becoming a little soft."