As usual, though, I mean, what was usual for a group that had only met each other not even 2 days ago? Never mind. Sol rummaged through the crates, hoping to find anything useful. He initially discarded the idea when the supply room unlocked, but now he felt a shift in his attitude. He wanted to learn more about this place as much as he needed to survive this hell.
He tried to be careful so as not to disturb the others. One crate after another, but nothing changed. There truly were just food and other resources in them.
Why would anyone put them in here to just keep them alive? He thought as he pushed away from the last crate.
"Is that it?"
The deep voice emerging from the doorway of the supply room startled Sol. Of course, he knew the others were still awake, he just didn't expect them to come in and question him out of the blue.
"Is what it?"
Sol's gaze followed the direction the sound came from. Kai stood there, hands in pockets, with a shrugged, straight posture.
"Your little treasure hunt," Kai took a few steps inside. "It ended pathetically..." You could almost notice the corner of his mouth twitch upside down as he spoke in a mocking tone.
He ran his pale, long index finger against the top of a crate, sliding it effortlessly.
"Hunt? I was just looking for clues."
Sol's eyes followed Kai's finger. Kai raised the finger to his mouth and opened his mouth slowly to blow away the dust.
"Doesn't matter. You were searching for something."
Sol slightly raised his eyebrow and looked down before looking up again to meet Kai's gaze.
"Why do you care?"
Kai chuckled. "Yeah, no, I don't. But I guess, I do admire your admiration."
Sol crossed his arms over his chest, slightly caught off guard by the compliment, if that even was one. "Oh, no, you shouldn't admire me... In the end, I didn't find anything."
He laughed awkwardly and turned his gaze away.
The room fell silent. You could barely hear the others outside of the room. Sol's gaze shifted around, while Kai's stayed still.
"I want to... go home." Sol blurted out after the silence continued to follow. His eyes widened the moment he realized what had just come out of his mouth.
The words hung in the air, heavier than Sol intended. He hadn't meant to say them out loud, hadn't meant to let the thought slip past his lips. However, now it's there for Kai's ears to hear and only his.
Kai didn't even flinch at the open and almost emotional statement from Sol. He didn't even realize Sol felt comfortable enough to share that information with him.
He didn't laugh. He didn't mock him. He just watched Sol, his expression became unreadable.
Home," Kai repeated softly. "Funny. I don't think I even remember what that feels like." He stepped forward, and Sol didn't back away from the taller man.
Sol looked up at him, his throat tightened. He shifted his weight, crossing his arms slightly tighter over his chest. "I... I shouldn't have said that."
Kai tilted his head, stepping even closer, his voice low. "Why not? It's honest. Open. Everyone here wants to go home. No need to say it, sure, but at least you're not hiding it."
Sol looked away, his gaze tracing everything in the room, the walls, the stacked crates, the pouring cans, anywhere but Kai's eyes. "It's stupid. Saying it doesn't change anything. We're still stuck."
Kai chuckled under his breath, though it wasn't by any means cruel. "Maybe. Aren't you a little hopeful, though? Don't you wish you could just wake up from this nightmare?"
Kai took a step forward. He leaned toward Sol, getting as close as possible.
The silence pressed in again. Sol felt his cheeks warm, his pulse quicken. He hated how exposed he felt at the moment. Kai seemed to see right through him, like an open book.
"Of course you do. Rhetorical question by the way." Kai tilted his head and smiled cheekily.
Sol glanced at him, caught off guard by the slight sincerity in his tone. For a moment, the room felt smaller for him. Was it just him? Did Kai also feel this, or was it just him? He thought as he blinked down and looked away from Kai.
The supply room had taken on a strange warmth for now. Kai awaited Sol's next reaction as he leaned forward ever so slightly.
Sol finally backed away. "Don't... Don't lean so close..." Kai blinked once and then stepped back.
"I guess I am leaning in..." He smiled at Sol and straightened his back slightly.
Suddenly, Chastity walked in, her sleeves rolled up and her hair put up in a bun.
"Am I interrupting?"
Kai pointed at him, and his smile grew, his eyes looked close, but they were slightly open. Sol stammered as he uncrossed his arms and shook his head.
"N-No, we, we just talking about the resources... Wow, look at these... gloves? So rubbery..."
Chasity let out a sigh and stepped inside nonetheless. "Don't mind me. Just trying to make something edible out of these... rations for Ivy."
Sol calmed down. "Oh, right... I think I found strawberry yogurt in here. I hear kids like that."
"Hm, yeah. Maybe." Chastity tried to get as much as she could hold.
Before she left, she turned around, glanced between both of them, and said, "Y'all want to help? We could make more for everyone."
Sol and Kai looked at each other. "I'm not that good of a cook..." Sol confessed. "Oh, no, don't worry. I'll probably be doing most of the work. Just didn't want y'all slacking off."
Sol opened his mouth, as if to say something, but Chastity had already left. "Right..." He muttered under his breath.
"Well, then. Let's go help." Kai took a few steps toward the doorway and looked back at him. Sol blinked once. He nodded and followed Kai out.