"Chapter 1: Unseen Feelings"

It was unusually quiet at the monastery. The usual hum of activity was gone, replaced by the stillness that only occurred when the team was out on a mission. Lloyd, Nya, Zane, Jay, and Pixel had all gone off, leaving only Kai and Cole behind to keep an eye on things. Kai was sprawled on the couch in the main room, his legs spread wide, a game controller gripped tightly in his hands. The game on the screen was nothing new — just another action-packed adventure that Kai was losing miserably. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and despite his usually confident demeanor, frustration built up in waves. His muscles strained against his tight shirt, which clung to him even more as he shifted in irritation. “Damn it. Why’s this so hard?!” Kai muttered under his breath, slumping deeper into the couch. He had been at it for hours, but the game still wasn’t going his way. His frustration boiled over as he slammed the controller down onto the coffee table. He sighed heavily, staring at the screen with a defeated frown. He glanced around the monastery, his gaze lingering on the empty spaces where his teammates usually were. His eyes landed on the hallway leading to the lower levels. For a moment, he simply stared at the doorway, wondering where Cole had disappeared to. Kai stood up, stretching his limbs to shake off the fatigue of the game, and decided it was time for a break. He padded quietly through the monastery, his footsteps echoing in the silence. He knew Cole was probably somewhere around, maybe training or doing something else productive. Eventually, Kai found himself descending into the Samurai X base beneath the monastery, the familiar hum of the training area calling to him. As he rounded the corner, he froze for a moment. There was Cole, shirtless and focused, his fists landing in rhythmic thuds against the punching bag. Each punch sent ripples through his well-defined muscles, and the sight left Kai momentarily distracted. Cole didn’t seem to notice him at first, lost in his routine. Kai crossed his arms, leaning against the doorway and watching him, a smirk creeping onto his face. “Nice form,” Kai called out, breaking the silence with a playful tone. Cole paused, his fists hovering in mid-air as he turned to face Kai. A drop of sweat trickled down his forehead, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he smiled. “Thanks, Kai. Just trying to keep up with you,” he said, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. Kai chuckled and pushed off from the doorway, walking towards Cole with a casual air. “I don’t think anyone can keep up with me,” he joked, trying to sound nonchalant despite the sudden awareness of Cole’s physique. Cole rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “You think you’re that much better than me?” he teased, cracking a grin. The two friends stood there, exchanging light banter as they often did. But beneath the surface, Kai felt a strange tingling sensation, a sense of awareness that he hadn’t experienced before. He pushed it aside, attributing it to his fatigue from the game. As they talked, Kai found himself stealing glances at Cole, noticing the way his muscles flexed with each movement, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. It was as if he was seeing Cole for the first time, and the realization caught him off guard. Cole, oblivious to Kai’s sudden fascination, continued to chat with him, discussing their upcoming training sessions and strategies for when the team returned. Kai listened intently, trying to focus on the conversation, but his mind kept wandering back to the way Cole’s hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck. The air seemed to thicken around them, and for a moment, Kai felt like he was drowning in the depths of Cole’s eyes. He quickly looked away, trying to shake off the feeling, but it lingered, leaving him wondering if something was shifting between them, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. As they stood there, the silence between them grew thicker, until Kai felt like he had to say something, anything, to break the tension. But what?