Chapter Text
END OF SENIOR YEAR IN HIGHSCHOOL
Riko had only gotten more strict and rude towards Nathaniel and possessive towards Kevin when they both got into Edgar Allen.
The only good thing that has happened lately is that Jean had joined them, officially inked as IV.
They both became good friends when they had saw that they both were in the same situation. He eventually taught Nathaniel French so that they could both shit talk Riko behind his back.
Of course they never spoke French when he was around, but it was still fun to think that they had a little bubble against the world.
Over time, Jean had become like a brother to Nathaniel, he was the only other person that understood him. He was the only person that Nathaniel could be a person around, not just an exy machine.
They both cleaned each other's wounds from Riko, it was nice to have someone to do that for him again after his mother left.
So, here Nathaniel was doing drills with Riko after Nathaniel was done with classes for the day. He went to a private boarding school that mostly fed into Edgar Allen, so Riko would come to their Exy stadium to practice after he was done for the day with the Ravens.
That's why Nathaniel and Riko were here on a Friday night, well, more like Saturday morning.
Nathaniel picked up another ball and hit it to the cone that was on the ground. It landed a couple of inches from the small cone.
Shit.
Riko came up behind Nathaniel and slammed the area above his ankles with his racket. It only added to the many red, black, and yellow marks that were there before.
"Not good enough. Do it again." Riko said coldly.
"Can we take a break? It's already past 1 in the morning." Nathaniel pleaded.
"And whose fault is that?" Yours. "Come on, you wouldn't have to be up so late if you could just do it right."
Nathaniel grit his teeth and picked up another ball.
It finally hit the stupid fucking cone.
"Do it again."
After another hour, Riko finally let him go to his dorm. He took a shower and collapsed into his bed.
He fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
(*´ω｀*)
Nathaniel and Jean were outside of the Nest while smoking cigarettes, of course, shit talking Riko.
"I wish I could kill him," Nathaniel said in French.
"Me too," Jean replied, "That reminds me, did you hear about the new potential rookie?"
"No, what happened?"
"His name is Andrew Minyard, The Master specifically requested for him to join the Ravens, but guess what he said?" Jean took in another drag of his cigarette.
"What did he say?"
"He refused."
Nathaniel choked on the smoke of his cigarette, when he finally calmed down he said, "What? That's crazy, I mean, good for him though."
Jean chuckled, "I know right, I almost feel jealous."
"That reminds me, I'm going to enroll in Edgar Allen pretty soon. Graduation is only two weeks away." Nathaniel looked worlds away as he thought about what it would be like with the Ravens.
I couldn't be worse than Riko or his father, right?
Jean sighed, "As someone who is already a part of the team, I can only wish you the best of luck."
They fell into a comfortable silence. Nathaniel dropped his head onto Jean's shoulder and wished that this moment could last forever.
(｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
The summer was supposed to be boring, only pain and practice.
Kevin was not supposed to break his hand. He wasn't supposed to transfer to Palmetto. He wasn't supposed to leave.
Riko had only gotten more aggressive when he left, the already demanding training schedule had dialed up a million percent.
At the end of every training session, all Nathaniel wanted to do was claw his aching muscles out of his hurting body.
Riko had also dialed up his punishments when Nathaniel messed up. Instead hitting him, he would make it up instead by cutting every inch of his body for every mistake.
Of course, Jean would help him with stitches and Nathaniel would help him with his.
When school started, Nathaniel was more burnt out than you could imagine, but he still pushed through.
It would be fine, if he did well enough, Riko would finally leave him alone and then he would be able to sleep earlier than 4 in the morning.
God, Nathaniel was tired.
( ´◡‿ゝ◡`)
"Again." Riko demanded.
Nathaniel tried to pick up another ball from the basket, but his arm spassemed and he dropped both the ball and his racket.
"I..." his voice was broken and tired, "can't." Just thoss two words sent Nathaniel into a coughing fit.
"Again." Riko reiterated, more sternly.
Nathaniel was so done with this. All he wanted was to go to sleep.
His last nerve snapped, "No."
"What did you just say to me, Wesninski?"
"No."
"Say that again." Riko said, he stepped into Nathaniel's personal space and took a handful of his shirt.
"Fuck. You."
Nathaniel didn't remember much of that night, all he recalled was pain, everywhere.
He remembered that he couldn't go to Jean, he didn't want to bother him when he had so many of his own injuries.
He remembered taking Riko's keys to his car and leaving that hell disguised as the Raven's Nest.
He went to the only other place that he knew. The only other person that he knew wouldn't hurt him.
The drive was hazy and long, by the time that he got to Palmetto, the sun was high in the sky.
He went to the dorms and sat outside, near the door.
For once in his tragic life, Nathaniel got lucky and after ten minutes of waiting, Kevin was probably coming back from class and spotted him.
"What. The. Fuck." Kevin said, "Nathaniel, what are you doing he-" He stopped himself when he got a good look at Nathaniel.
His face was probably a mess, broken and battered, not to mention the blood seeping into his oversized -luckily- black hoodie. His sweatpants in the same state.
It took all of Nathaniel's energy not to collapse, much less form a good explanation. All he could form was a broken, "Help, please"
Then everything went black.