Work Text:
Kai hated the way he remembered it.
The first time he’d had his powers taken, he didn’t think he would’ve been able to recover, the sensation of it latching onto him as it was pulled, pulled, pulled—
He didn’t know for sure, but this time, it felt worse.
Maybe because it left in heaps.
Maybe because it was taken by a sorceress.
Maybe because he couldn’t have done anything to stop it, again.
Maybe because without his powers, Zane was gone.
Again.
He sat on the bed in the cabin, curled up into a ball as he tried taking in everything in the room, and imagining what Zane would’ve done with them. Yet the only thing in his head was the replay of Zane getting blasted with that burst of magic, jumping in front Wu, being reduced to nothing after a big flash of white light—
He should’ve done something. Anything.
But what?
A strangled sob managed to escape his throat, painful and weak. Kai tried everything to ignite even a spark in his hand, but—
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even a ghost of warmth was released from his palm. Kai narrowed his eyes.
It hadn’t been this bad before.
He took in a shaky breath, his eyes glossed over with wet and hurt. There was still a throbbing in his chest, persistent for the past hour, but he didn’t know if it was from his powers being yanked out or loosing Zane. Either option was horrible. He pushed himself to lay down on the bed, his body resisting when he felt the blankets underneath him. He remembered when he’d been on Zane’s bed before, annoying Zane when the poor guy just wanted to sleep, but now the cushioning of the bed couldn’t have felt more different, more weird. Less familiar, less…
Zane.
He sat back up, not knowing what to do with himself. Usually he’d ( sarcastically) threaten to burn Zane’s room down with a fist full of fire, or crack jokes and laugh when Zane would respond with one of his own, or annoy Zane to the point he’d just accept Kai’s presence.
But Zane wasn’t here anymore, nor was Kai’s fire.
Selfish, Kai thought, his brother was gone and he was miserable over his powers?
Some brother he was.
A cold breeze of air burst into the room, causing him to shiver, God he regretted putting his coat away…but, he guessed it was better than being burned alive with heat, left winded afterwards before he’d passed out like a starved kid, unable to take the mere pressure of fatigue.
Weak.
Jay mumbled in his sleep, turning on his side.
“I hear ya buddy,” Kai replied, staring at the windows curtains being batted violently by the wind. It was astounding it wasn’t making any noise.
A thought popped into his head, and he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t enticing. It trapped him in a hold, choking off every other idea, adding to Kai’s annoyance.
Okay.
Fine.
Kai hopped off the bed noiselessly, pausing for a moment when Jay’s mumbles had stopped. Carefully, he tiptoed out the room, only stopping to shove his feet into his boots, neglecting to lace them up. He stepped outside into the freezing winds, causing him to shudder as needles of ice pricked him relentlessly. He should’ve gotten his jacket. That wouldn’t matter, if it worked.
Please work.
He took a few more shaking steps into the ever lasting winter, hugging himself for even a fraction of warmth. He trembled from the gusts blowing in his face, and every time he breathed white clouds of air would release from his mouth. He could feel frostbite nagging at his fingers through the gloves, snapping it’s jaws hungrily. Kai’s knees swayed, threatening to drop, but Kai knew better. He knew he was better than this.
Quickly, Kai extended one, freezing hand, and pulled the glove off, wincing from the sheer amount of chill now attacking the exposed skin. Please work please work please work.
Battling stupidity and hypothermia with a cracked knife, Kai began straining his palm to emanate some kind of heat, some kind of smoke, some streaks of warmth, anything. He stared at it expectantly, aggravation eating through his bones. Seconds of waiting passed, and Kai grit his teeth in sub-zero annoyance.
“Seriously?!” He yelled, then groaned. “I mean really, after all the things!”
He turned his back to the breeze, crossing his arms stubbornly as ice crawled up his spine, and little melted snowflakes piled in his eyes.
“Please.” Kai muttered, hating the way his voice sounded thick with tears, “I just need you back, so—so I can fix this one mistake.”
He reached his stinging hand out again, waiting as his fingers tensed and relaxed, screamed with the pain then going radio silent, littered with soft snow. He snapped once, expecting, needing, sparks to fly, but all he got was a glacier stabbing his fingers, and a burning disappointment in his head slowly turning into a migraine. He balled his hand into a fist, nearly gasping at the shock of freezing pain that followed. Any heat, that’s all he wanted, just a little heat—so he knew he could fix this, that he could get his brother, that—that—
That he was still useful.
“C’mon, please,” He pleaded, flexing his hand despite the jolts and shaking, “Please.”
His fingers were turning a bright, fleshy red, everything silently going numb.
“I need this.”
Something, something…anything..
His face stung and itched, his hand tense with anticipation, waiting for the usual flame to surface.
C’mon…
Kai grit his teeth, focussing, sending all his energy to light even a little fire..
Nothing.
His hand retreated, failed and disappointed. Kai let out a trembling exhale as he crashed to his knees, no longer able to take his own weight. Fresh white snow soaked his pants and socks, seeping into his boots as he fought to keep himself contained, fought to keep the racked sobs at bay. He wasn’t going to cry, he wasn’t going to cry, he wasn’t going to cry, he wasn’t—
His coat was draped around his shoulders, his hood being pulled up to protect his hair from the constant snowfall. The frozen water crunched as someone sat beside him. He didn’t bother looking who, he just turned his head away, concealing his burning face.
“You okay?” A voice rang out, a sweet, familiar voice, coated in concern and worry, when it shouldn’t be, because she shouldn’t be worried about him.
“F..fine,” Kai stuttered, pulling the jacket tighter around his body.
Nya smacked her lips, unconvinced.
“I know you’re dumb, but you’re not dumb enough to go into freezing weather like this without a jacket. You always lectured me on that, remember?” Nya reminded, and Kai could tell even without seeing her she was grinning.
He gave a short, wet laugh, shaking his head.
“How about we go inside? It’s chilly out here,” Nya offered.
Kai could almost laugh at the irony—he wasn’t supposed to be cold, he was the Master of Fire. He was supposed to be warm, heated, cozy in his own skin, because he was a living flame.
Now—
Now he was nothing.
Not even a ninja.
“Kai?”
He sighed, “Right. Let’s go.”
The snow crunched again as it was released from her weight, now crackling with each step she took.
Kai stood up again, his knees struggling to keep themselves straight as he followed the blue through the blizzard and back into the cabin. Flakes pricked his skin, each one sending a shock of pain to his brain.
Yet his heart still stuttered and skipped, pumping blood painfully as the thought ran rampant through his veins :
He’d lost both of them.
And he wasn’t sure if he’d get them back.