The Christmas Party

The day was Saturday and the evening has approaching, but Kai sat pouting in his room while he worked on his coworkers project, resketching the new pages he had drawn. Kai had decided not to go and visit Dana since she normally spent Christmas with her family and he'd rather not have to deal with them asking why they got a divorce as they were known for prying. Not visiting Dana also meant that he had the option to go to the Christmas party, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to do that either.

Letting out a sigh, Kai put his charcoal pencil down, "Ah fuck.", he said to himself.

"Kai!", said Saya entering the room and sitting on the bed as she was wearing a black dress and heels.

"Babe, why aren't you dressed, didn't you have a work party to go to? I was going to drop you off on the way to my date." Said Saya.

"Ehhh, I don't think I want to go anymore.", Kai responded.

"If you don't go, I will invite Rob over to keep you company!", Saya furrowed her brows.

"No! Do not do that!", Kai raised his voice chuckling, Rob being Saya's gay friend, and person she had been trying to get Kai to go on a date with forever.

"Then please get out of those sad sweatpants and get dressed babe. You go to work moody then you come home and work, then you stay in your room, I'm worried about you Kai.", Saya frowned. Getting up from the floor, Kai walked over, joining Saya on the bed, pulling her close.

"Saya I promise I am fine.", Kai reassured his best friend.

"Just because you're saying you're fine, doesn't mean that you are fine Kai, you're a horrible liar you know that?" Saya pouted, her eyes watering.

"Fine, fine, fine, don't mess up your make up. Give me like fifteen minutes to find something to wear and I'll be ready.", Kai finally gave in.

"Yay! Okay!", Saya instantly perked up as she stood, exiting the room." When Saya had closed the door behind her, Kai fell backward onto the bed and sighed, he guessed it wouldn't hurt to mingle for a bit, have a few drinks and then leave.

After Kai had slicked his hair to one side and dressed himself in a burgundy button up with his slim black fitting pants, he was ready to go. Getting into the car and Saya pulled off.

Glancing at her best friend who was spacing out as he stared out the window, Saya directed her attention back to the road. "Kai, I've been hesitant to ask, but how are things with Jinn at work?", Saya asked.

Turning his head toward Saya, Kai almost bit his tongue he had answered so fast, "It's been fine, I really don't see him that much."

"Oh really? Well that's good and when you do see him you two get along?"

"More or less.", Kai responded, staring out of the window again.

"Okay then, I was wondering how you were dealing with that. I don't mean to pry, but I just want to remind you that we're best friends, I want you to treat me as such.", said Saya a serious expression on her face.

Lowering his head, Kai let out a sigh, "I'm sorry if I have been a little distant, I'm still adjusting to being back, I guess I am feeling a little lost.", Kai responded.

Pulling over, Saya put her blinkers on, "Then lean on me a little okay? I've been worried sick about you, but I know you like your space." Nodding, Kai allowed a pretty smile onto his handsome face.

"Ah, there it is.", Saya smiled back, leaning over to kiss Kai on the cheek before he got out of the car. "You need me to pick you up?", Saya asked.

"Nah, I'll probably just catch a cab.", Kai responded.

"Okay then, don't drink too much, you're still a newb.", Saya giggled.

"Whatever.", Kai chuckled rolling his eyes as he made his way into the building.

"Shit!", Kai cursed as he entered the building, realizing that he had forgotten to grab a gift for the secret Santa exchange. As Kai turned around to walk toward the corner store, he heard his name.

"Kai!", Brandon called out, running over in his ugly Christmas sweater as he saw Kai leaving.

"Well aren't you festive.", Kai chuckled.

"Well yeah it's my favorite holiday after all.", Brandon cheesed. "Where are you going? Everyone's already here."

"Uh yeah, I forgot to bring a gift, I was gonna run to the store really quick.", Kai chuckled nervously.

"Oh don't worry, I have some extra stuff in my car because I was holiday shopping earlier. Who's it for?"

"Amanda.", Kai responded.

"Okay, I'll make a nice bag for her, and drop it on her desk, I got ya covered.", Brandon winked, as he linked his arm around Kai, pulling him toward the conference room.

"Okay then.", Kai smirked as they walked down the hall.

When they got to the conference room, Kai walked into a full room to see the place decorated with Christmas decorations and dimly lit with Christmas lights. Holiday music played in the background and there were multiple tables set up with dinner, dessert and large punch bowls of drinks.

"Wow, Jane has certainly gone out of her way this year.", said Kai with both brows raised.

"Yes, yes she has, she stepped out a minute to check on her kids, but she'll be back.", said Brandon with his arm still linked to Kai's, pulling him over toward the drink table. "This is spiked egg nog and this is spiked hot cocoa, that's my favorite, but be careful it'll sneak up on you. In fact, I'm pretty sure this cocoa has already given me courage.", Brandon chuckled as he nervously pulled his arm away from Kai's.

"It's fine.", Kai chuckled.

On the other side of the room Jinn sat eyeing Kai and Brandon being a little too friendly with each other, since when had they become such good friends, Jinn thought to himself, taking a sip of his drink. After Kai had fixed himself a plate and gotten himself eggnog and hot chocolate, the two made their way over to a seat where they sat and laughed, Brandon going back and forth to the table to fill their cups quite frequently as an hour passed.

"Kai, I have to be honest with you.", Brandon suddenly said as he gulped a mouth full of eggnog.

"Hmm?", Kai asked, but as Brandon was about to speak, John came over, throwing his arm around Kai.

"Kai, my man, I was starting to think you weren't going to show.", John giggled.

"I wouldn't be me if I didn't show up fashionably late.", Kai chuckled.

"You can say that again, I'm a manly man, but I've always thought you were a good-looking son of a bitch! Am I right Brandon?", John busted out laughing and all Kai could do was laugh nervously, as his head spun a bit, just how much alcohol was in those damn drinks? Feeling a little uncomfortable, Kai left his tipsy coworkers, getting up to stretch his legs, and pour himself something to drink also.

As Kai and his pigeon-toed feet clumsily wobbled over to the table, Jinn got up, figuring he should probably make sure he was alright. As Kai noticed Jinn, approaching, he stopped to stare at him first, but it soon turned into a glare. Quickly, Kai turned away, pouring himself a drink first, but Jinn simply walked up behind him and waited patiently for him to turn around.

Turning around, Kai tried to maneuver around Jinn, not paying him any mind, but Jinn stepped over in his path. "Can I talk to you?", Jinn asked as if he was a dog that had just gotten disciplined, he was sure that Kai would say no.

Glancing up for a minute, Kai gulped down his drink and poured himself some more. "You have…one…one…minute.", he responded, his voice quite stern although he was tipsy.

Knowing that he had let anger get the best of him and accidentally hurt Kai, Jinn lowered his head, perhaps he only deserved a minute. "Look I'm…", he began to talk, but Kai cut him off.

"I don't need…need your apology!", said Kai, only aggression coming out although his eyes were sad. "If that's all you…you wanted to say then forget it!", Kai poured himself another drink and stormed off making his way out of the conference room. Letting out a sigh, Jinn bit his bottom lip, he was beginning to feel like he wasn't going to be able to fix this.

After Kai had left the conference room, he made his way to the work room, hoping some peace and quiet would allow him to think clearly. When Kai arrived at his desk, he noticed that everyone had one gift from their secret Santa, but he had two. One gift was a small, wrapped gift and the other was a bag. Opening the bag first, Kai pulled out a candle and a gift card. He then put it back in the bag, picking up the small gift and tearing off the paper that it was wrapped in. As the paper tore off, Kai's heart nearly stopped, as the small gift turned out to be a jewelry box, one that was similar to the one sitting on his desk. Taking a deep breath, Kai opened the box to see a familiar gold chained necklace with a lock at the end. Dropping the box on the table in front of him, Kai placed his hands in his head as his eyes watered.

"I know you don't want to hear it, but I am sorry for how I acted.", said a familiar voice behind Kai.

Quickly sitting up, Kai turned his head to see Jinn standing there, "I didn't…care about it! Go...go away!", Kai raised his voice, stuttering a bit. Advancing closer, Jinn hesitantly intended to hug Kai, but his hand was suddenly slapped away. Jumping up from his seat, Kai power walked down out of the room and down the hall, stumbling a bit, Brandon wasn't kidding when he said that, that eggnog and hot cocoa would creep up on you.

Tripping into the door, Kai burst into the bathroom, sitting himself on the floor as tears streamed down his face, he was starting to wish he had stayed home after all. Jinn pushed his way into the bathroom, sighing as he saw how pitiful Kai was on the ground.

"Go…away please.", Kai whined closing his eyes.

"I'm not going away, you're drunk." Said Jinn.

"…"

Sitting down on the floor next to Kai, Jinn let out a sigh, "Hear me when I say I feel God awful about what I did.", said Jinn as he spoke in a calm voice, trying not to set Kai off any further.

"Then why...why'd you break it?", Kai asked, leaning his head back against the bathroom wall.

"Because…I", Jinn paused, hesitant to say the words.

"Just go away, I can't…I don't want to see you.", Kai sniffled as he spoke.

"You know that you've always kept me at an arm's length? You never say what's really on your mind.", said Jinn.

"Because I am fucked…fucked up.", Kai responded.

"No, you're not Kai!", Jinn raised his voice.

"Yes I am! It is the reason I left you!", Kai raised his voice as well.

"Huh?", Jinn said with tears swirling in his eyes.

"I tol...you…I'm…I'm not good for anybody. All I was gonna do was bring…bring you down. I was gonna ruin you like I ruined Dana and I love you too much…I couldn't let...that…that...that happen, so I left. Your Mom was right, I am not good enough…for you, that's why I left before you changed cuz of me. That…that necklace you destroyed was all that I had left. I wore it every day…every day I wore it in Japan.", Kai drunkenly rambled on with tears streaming down his face.

With his lips parted, the tears fell from Jinn's eyes, did he just hear Kai correctly? Did Kai just admit to what Jinn wanted to hear a year ago and the night he had angrily broken the necklace? Unable to help himself, Jinn pulled Kai close to him.

"Stay away from me!" Kai fought him for a minute before giving in and allowing his head to rest on Jinn's chest. For a moment the two sat like that before Jinn, helped Kai up. Grabbing he and Kai's gifts, Jinn left the Christmas party, putting Kai into his car.

When Jinn got in the car, he couldn't help, but to stare at Kai who now had his eyes closed, he couldn't help that the tears wouldn't stop falling. All the pain he had gone through alone and all the confusion he had been feeling since he saw Kai that night in the market hadn't made any sense, but tonight it did. Jinn had moved on, he had someone new he loved in his life, but for the love of God why wasn't he strong enough to leave Kai be?

"Where…are…where am…I going?" Kai said softly; his eyes still closed.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling heavily, Jinn started the ignition, putting the car in drive. "Home, I'm taking you home.", is what came out of his mouth, although he was not talking about Saya's place.