31 | Leave

                                    

                                          

Kai had always been on the outside looking in. 
The warmth of family that once felt foreign was slowly creeping back into his life, thanks in part to Kylan. 
Over the past few weeks, they had started spending more time together—small moments that, while awkward at first, started to feel comfortable.
Kylan, despite his reserved nature, had made an effort to bridge the gap between them. 
Kylan didn't push Kai to talk about his past or his feelings, and Kai appreciated that more than words could express.
That afternoon, Kai sat on the couch, quietly flipping through a book while Kylan and Levi chatted at the kitchen table. 
"You okay over there, Kai?" Kylan asked, his tone casual but with a hint of warmth.
Kai nodded, not looking up from his book. "Yeah... I'm good."
Levi leaned back in his chair, glancing at Kai before he grinned. "You know what I was thinking? We should probably get you a phone."
Kai blinked, finally looking up from his book. "A phone?"
"Yeah," Levi continued. "You're gonna need one, you know? It's not the stone age"
Kylan smirked, nodding in agreement. "He's got a point. Plus, we want you to stay connected with us, and it'd be good to know where you are if you ever go out."
Kai shifted uncomfortably. "I don't really go anywhere, though."
"You will," Kylan said firmly, his tone reassuring. "Eventually. We don't want you to feel like you're trapped here. A phone's a small step, but it's something."
Levi crossed his arms, his grin widening. "Besides, you gotta stay up-to-date with all the group chats. Especially the ones where Kaleb's blowing up our phones with his random nonsense."
"I guess... I could use one," Kai admitted quietly.
Levi laughed. "That's the spirit! I'll take you out tomorrow, and we'll pick one up. Nothing fancy, unless you're secretly into tech or something."
Kai shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "No. Something simple is fine."
Kylan leaned forward, his gaze softening as he looked at Kai. "It's a good start. You deserve to have things for yourself, Kai."
Kai's chest tightened at Kylan's words, but not in a bad way. It was a warmth he wasn't used to, a reassurance.
The conversation flowed more easily after that, Kylan and Levi asking him questions about what kind of phone he might like, and Kai finding himself actually enjoying the banter.
For the first time in a long time, it felt like family.
But the moment didn't last.
The sound of the front door slamming shut broke the calm, followed by hurried footsteps. Kai looked up, his heart rate spiking slightly at the sudden noise.
Kaleb stumbled into the room, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by something tense, his lip split and a bruise forming on his cheekbone.
Kylan and Levi were on their feet in an instant.
"Kaleb, what the hell happened?" Kylan's voice was sharp, his eyes scanning his brother for further injuries.
Levi rushed over, gently tilting Kaleb's face to get a better look at the damage. "Who did this?" he asked, his voice tight with concern.
Kaleb winced but shrugged it off. "It's nothing, guys. Just some idiot at school. It's not a big deal."
"Not a big deal? You're bleeding," Kylan said, his voice laced with anger as he grabbed a tissue to press against Kaleb's lip. His attention was fully on Kaleb now, his focus sharp and protective.