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The blood-soaked arm lying in front of him is bent crookedly like the limb of a marionette. It's pretty serious, not a clean break but with multiple fractures splitting the bone. Still not the most horrifying injury he’s seen this month, or even this week. The blood dripping on the ground, turning dark brown once it hits the cement, is still strangely mesmerizing. He stares at it, frozen for an agonizing moment like some wide-eyed newbie med intern.
"Hey, is something wrong? You don't have to do it, you know. I can manage." Kayden's already pulling away from him. Snap out of it, Kartein.
"Idiot, don't move. Let me just..." Kartein reaches out and places his fingers gently on the mangled wrist. More gently than Kayden deserves honestly. The wet blood, still warm, pools around his fingertips as he pushes his energy out into the arm. The broken limb rights itself and Kayden sighs a little in relief.
"Ah, thanks." His gaze lingers on Kartein, clouded with the last traces of pain and something else. Kartein thinks he can see the slightest spark of blue in those dark gray eyes. "Will you be going now?"
"I have work to do." It's true, kind of. He doesn't have any clients yet, but there are always people clamoring for his healing skills. And as pathetic as they are, they pay exorbitantly, unlike Kayden.
“Oh?” Kayden sighs, seemingly indifferent as he pushes himself upright and leans against the arena wall. Probably faking it. By now, Kartein can tell about seven out of ten times if he’s being sincere. Though maybe it’s more than a matter of being perceptive. “Guess I’ll have to repay you later then.”
Kayden’s “repayment” is pitiful enough, no way will Kartein accept it being late as well. “I’m not that busy. Dinner’s on you tonight. And we’re going to a proper restaurant this time. None of your awful cooking.”
“Spoiled brat.”
So childish, but it pushes that blood-stained moment out of his head and he only thinks about it much, much later.
***
It’s a large burn the next time, spanning Kayden’s right shoulder and spreading all the way onto his chest. He stares up at Kartein from where he’s sprawled out on his crappy futon, eyes half-lidded. The rest of the apartment is as run down as the futon, with dim lighting that flickers like they’re in some low-budget horror movie and walls and a floor that are both made of stained concrete. Kartein has seen horse stables better furnished than this. Why does Kayden even choose to live in this hovel? Surely he could afford much better. At least the place isn’t cluttered, probably because Kayden doesn’t have anything to clutter it with. Only a few Cup Noodle bowls scattered randomly on the floor, the bright colors popping out from the drab background. Definitely the most pathetic home decor Kartein has ever seen.
Kayden’s labored breathing interrupts his thoughts. The burn is bright red with a few dark patches and angry-looking. Kartein can imagine the wound sizzling like raw meat on a pan, Kayden stumbling just the tiniest bit from the impact. It’s not really bleeding so much as blistering. The image of merciless fire licking into the skin, scorching it black, creeps into his head.
He pushes the energy in and watches the burn erase itself.
“You should really be more careful.” His words are probably falling on deaf ears by now. Besides, Kayden’s never careless in a fight; he wouldn’t be here right now if he were. But sometimes injuries are just inevitable.
“It’s not like I'm trying to get hurt.” The look Kayden gives him is mulish, infuriating in a way that has always gotten under Kartein’s skin. The urge to snap back at Kayden wells up inside him. Something must show on his face because before he knows it, Kayden has shifted closer to him, mouth almost touching Kartein’s ear.
“Thank you.” The words are murmured directly into his ear teasingly, accompanied by warm breath. Kartein’s heart beats just a little faster and the irritation is purged completely as Kayden moves his mouth somewhere else.
***
“What the hell?! Why did you challenge him ?” Kayden winces, either at his words or his volume. Clenching his fist so hard that sharp pain pricks his palm, Kartein makes an effort to tamp down his voice. Loud noises aren’t good for concussions. Why is he even surprised anyway? This is Kayden after all. Kayden, who’d sooner electrocute himself than back down to an opponent.
“Oh, c’mon. It’s not like I lost.” As if that was the only thing that mattered. To Kayden it probably is. “That fucking coward. If he hadn’t run away, I would’ve won for real. ‘Minimizing damage’ my ass.”
There’s an odd ringing in Kartein’s ears as if he’s the one who’s currently concussed. The blood’s drying in Kayden’s dark hair, seeping from his split lip, and gilding the slashes in his clothing bright red. It’s staining the white sheets underneath him; they’ll need to be replaced before checking out of the hotel.
Something hot and violent churns in his stomach, and for a moment, he almost feels like gagging.
“Kartein…” The sound of his name jolts him back and the blood is just blood again.
He puts a hand on Kayden’s chest, feels the heartbeat fluttering erratically, and forces his power through roughly. The sudden rush must feel jarring, but Kayden doesn’t flinch or gasp at all. As soon as he’s finished, he snatches his arm back and trods away to the bathroom to rinse the blood off. Blue eyes stare back at him in the mirror, looking angry and way more tired than he’d expected. Damn Kayden. Part of him considers just staying in the bathroom although it’s so small he’s starting to feel slightly claustrophobic. Hiding somewhere that allows him to wash his hands and sit on the toilet at the same time doesn’t exactly sound appealing. Still, the door is a nice, firm barrier that blocks out the bloodied bed and Kayden. He stands there for a minute, eyes closed, before exiting.
“Clean yourself up.” Kayden nods and shifts off the bed, a little bit more careful than he normally would. He looks like he wants to say something, but they remain in silence until Kayden shuts the door behind him.
A minute later, the muffled sound of the shower reaches Kartein’s ears. Sitting down on the bed that does not look like a murder scene, he resists the urge to bury his head in his hands. Why does he even feel this tired? Kayden was the only person he’d healed today. Perhaps it was the stress of tracking him down in one of the biggest cities in Japan. Of course Kayden had to make it hard for him. The only words Kartein had managed to catch on that damn phone call were about that Top 100s ranker Kayden had challenged, Katashi or Kentashi or something. Kayden’s stupid power signature was the only reason Kartein had found him.
What was even the point of looking for him like that? Kayden hated depending on him and his healing skills anyway. That cocky bastard.
The sound of the shower stops and Kayden steps out a few moments later, wearing a light blue hoodie with a rust-colored stain on the sleeve and black exercise pants. He’s left his wet hair down and it sweeps over his shoulders and gleams dully in the dim light like the feathers of a sickly raven.
The silence hangs over them, almost tangible. So many scathing accusations, sharp barbs to throw at Kayden when he came out, had sprouted in Kartein’s mind. Now, they shy away. Why is he even so angry anyway? Kayden was an awakened one. Of course he would get into fights. And fights lead to injuries. Of course. It didn’t even have to be Kartein’s problem. Kayden did have the ability to heal himself after all. Leaving him there in that alley would be so…
Something claws and writhes in his chest at the thought. He turns his head away only for his gaze to settle on the blood-soaked bed, forcing him to glance back at Kayden.
“I’m…sorry.” Wow. Kayden’s actually apologizing. The dim light makes it hard to read his expression, but there’s something guilty in the way he refuses to make eye contact. Kartein should probably feel vindicated by this.
“I…You don’t have to keep helping me you know. I can take care of myself.”
That bastard. “Yeah?” His voice sounds sharp, even to his own ears. Damn it. He doesn’t want another fight. The words tumble out of him anyway. “Is that why you were bleeding out in that shitty alley all by yourself?”
Kayden stiffens slightly at that; he doesn’t know why, it’s not like he was wrong. Still, he makes an effort to rein himself in. The anger’s already cooling, retreating like the ocean tide and leaving behind something tired and numb. He nearly considers apologizing too, if only so Kayden won’t have the moral high ground, or at least feeling out some sort of compromise, but Kayden beats him to it.
“Look, I just don’t wanna, you know, take advantage or something. Like…you must be getting pretty tired of cleaning up after my messes by now.
Kartein blinks. Cleaning up his messes. Was that really how Kayden saw it? Of course he'd make a big deal out of it. How ridiculous of him to think that Kartein could be taken advantage of so easily. He definitely knew that he didn’t have to heal Kayden, he just…didn’t not want to do it.
“It’s not like you don’t repay me for it.”
Kayden tilts his head questioningly. Dense as ever.
“You know, taking me out to dinner and drinks. Oh, and the time you beat up that annoying idiot.”
“Annoying…oh right, him.” Kayden scoffs, but his stance has loosened and he isn’t avoiding Kartein’s gaze anymore. “Come on, we both know you could have flattened him in seconds. You just didn’t want to get your hands dirty.”
Almost there. “Speaking of being dirty, it’s always suspicious to be seen with someone who looks like a homeless car crash victim, so if you won’t let me heal you then at least find some other way to look presentable.”
“What —homeless?! Car crash victim? Excuse me, I always look presentable. You’re just jealous of my good looks.”
Suddenly, Kayden’s standing right in front of him, face leaning in close as a kiss. Maybe if Kartein tilted his head forward a little...Kayden’s lips are pale but still soft and smooth. The dim light makes his cheekbones appear sharper. It suits the scowl on his face that would be convincing if not for the gleam in his eyes, like sunlight breaking through gray fog.
Strong arms wrap around Kartein’s waist, pulling him in. He closes his eyes, still tired, and tries to muffle himself into the embrace.
***
Kayden’s not saying a word, but his frustration still hangs heavily in the room like the charged air before a thunderstorm. The sound of his pacing is muffled by the plush Tuscan rug (imported from Illulian in Milan). It still sets Kartein’s teeth on edge.
He closes his eyes, patience draining as quickly as his last patient’s blood had before he’d sealed the wound. He didn’t heal that many people nowadays, but he’d been bored out of his mind that day and her friend had offered some very old, very rare books on awakened anatomy as payment. An acceptable addition to his collection; he’d definitely be bringing those with him when he returned to his main house.
Though not even the books would be able to distract him from this. Top Ten. Top Ten. Top Ten. Kayden’s newest obsession and the current banes of Kartein’s existence. At this point, he thinks he wouldn’t even care if whichever Top Tenner Kayden managed to pester into a fight ended up turning him into a pile of ashes.
“Hey, stop sulking. You’re getting on my nerves.”
“I’m not sulking.” Ugh. At least the pacing stopped.
“Look, if you’re in a bad mood, just find somebody else to fight.”
“There’s no one else to fight. They’re all fucking cowards.” This was nothing Kartein hadn’t heard before, and he got sick of it weeks ago. It’s not like fighting is the only thing a person can do to entertain themselves. Most sane people found something else to keep themselves busy, something…a little less destructive.
“Then don’t fight. Find a hobby or something. Gardening, reading, there’s literally tons of activities you could do besides fighting. You could improve your crappy cooking.”
It’s like talking to an electric fence. “No. If the Top Ten keep hiding from me, then I’ll just track them down and fight them.” Kayden’s voice grows colder, the frustration hardening into iron-hard resolve. Kartein’s frustration, on the other hand, is burning to life. Fighting, fighting, fighting. Another thing he’s dead tired of hearing about.
“There’s literally no reason why you have to fight them specifically. I mean, this is ridiculous even for you. If by some miracle you actually manage to scrape out a win then you’d probably end up crippled for life. And that’s if the injuries don’t kill—“
Kayden’s cell phone rings loudly through the room, cutting him off. Immediately, Kayden fumbles it out of his pocket and answers, leaving Kartein to fume quietly for the few minutes the call lasts.
Kayden tucks his phone back into his pocket. The gleam in his eyes tells Kartein that he’s forgotten all about their argument. “Someone I know in Belgium says she has a tip about the Top Ten. I’m gonna go check it out.”
And with that, he strides out of the room before Kartein can say anything, raising a hand briefly in farewell.
Unbelievable.
***
The rush of people, with all their chattering and bustling, surrounds him like water flowing around a stone as he stands on the sidewalk. The street market vendors call out to passersby in rapid Chinese, the words scattered too quickly for Kartein to catch their meaning. A few snippets cling on to his ears, something about Shanghai’s best pork chops, sweetest sesame buns…or was it custard buns? He straightens his coat collar and waits, scanning the crowd for Kayden.
It’s not so much that Kayden is late, but that Kartein is early. The walk to the market had been shorter than he’d expected, a brief ten minutes despite all the people. They’d agreed to meet at seven, yet here he is, watching people buy pork chops and lamb kebabs at six forty-nine. Why did he have to come so early? Kayden should be the one waiting for him after he’d just abandoned Kartein to chase after his precious Belgium contact. Not that he really cared about that, of course, that had been weeks ago. Still, the audacity.
Kayden seems to appear from nowhere in the throng, clad in an olive green hoodie and ripped jeans. He hasn’t spotted Kartein yet, turning his head from side to side searching. Finally, his gaze lands on Kartein and he hurries over.
He looks well enough, no slouching or scowling. The dark circles that sometimes bruised the skin underneath his eyes are absent today.
“You’re early, “ Kayden ventures, almost tentatively. The space between them seems oddly vast all of a sudden.
“So are you.” Only by a few minutes though. Kartein glances down at his phone. Six fifty-five p.m.
There’s a brief pause after that, awkwardly silent despite the hustle and bustle around them. Kayden’s still standing stiffly there as if he’s not sure what he came here for.
“Well, let’s get going?”
“Yeah. Yeah, sure.” Something like relief flits across Kayden’s face and he steps closer to Kartein’s side.
Together, they stroll down the street, just another couple among hundreds of others. They’re close enough for their hands to keep bumping against each other, but neither of them grab on. Kayden stops in front of a kebab stand to stare at the meat grilling on the skewer.
“Do you want some?”
Kayden keeps facing the kebabs for a moment before turning around. “Kartein, about last time, I…”
His tone is too serious, too uncertain. Kartein doesn’t feel like doing this right now. “Later, alright? We can discuss it tomorrow or something.” That’s assuming Kayden doesn’t have anything lined up, another fight maybe. But it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if they skipped the discussion tomorrow too.
“Okay.” Kayden sounds tired. He probably doesn’t want to think of that either. “Do you want something to eat? Or drink. My treat.”
Kartein hadn’t planned on eating anything here; street market food is oily and unhealthy at best and a massive health code violation at worst. Kayden still looks a bit on edge; the tenseness hasn’t left his shoulders yet.
“Yeah, just bubble tea.” Bubble tea was still tea, right? Tea was usually a safe bet, lots of antioxidants and minerals.
They amble towards the nearest shop on the street. There’s no line at all, and Kartein wonders if there’s a reason for the lack of people.
“Which one do you want?”
There’s so many different options—none of which Kartein can read. Was there really that many ways to make bubble tea? Finally, he jabs at a random one and the bored girl manning the shop hands him his drink with all the enthusiasm of a funeral director.
The tea’s too sweet. He holds it up and frowns at the tapioca pearls clustered at the bottom of the cup like brown gumballs in a machine. What did they put in there? A gallon of honey? Or—god forbid…high-fructose corn syrup.
“Don’t you like it?”
“I feel like I’m drinking a liquefied lollipop.”
Kayden snorts. “Well, it’s bubble tea. It’s supposed to be sweet.”
“Not this sweet. The dentists around here must get a lot of business.”
“If you don’t like it then give it to me. I’ll get you something else.”
He takes another sip, only grimacing slightly at the sweetness this time. At least the pearls didn’t taste terrible. They were chewy and not too sweet at all compared to the tea. “No, it’s fine. Get your own drink.”
Kayden gets a sugar cane drink and some fried oysters a few minutes later. Both look so unhealthy that Kartein no longer feels bad about drinking the sugary tea.
They wander the streets, popping in various shops and flipping through the little trinkets and charms offered in the stalls. Apparently they’re meant to ward off bad luck. Most of them are red, the luckiest color in China. A small blue one made of looped thread with a tassel and a gold bead dangling on the end catches his attention. The color’s so bright it almost looks like it’s glowing though it’s probably just the light from the stalls and shops around them. It definitely does not make him think of Kayden’s eyes, overflowing with electric power.
The vendor, a young, doe-eyed woman, sees him looking and smiles sweetly, holding the charm out for him.
“They’re…good luck. Made myself.”
Even if he were superstitious, it’s not like a little charm like this can help Kayden, who attracts trouble, no, who actually seeks it out like it’s some sort of rare and precious treasure. But Kartein supposes Kayden needs all the help he can get so…
“You bought that?” Kayden peers over at the charm as they stroll further down the street. “Doesn’t seem to fit your usual style.”
He passes it along to Kayden, not bothering to stop walking or look at him. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s for you.”
“For me?” Kayden holds the charm up and runs his fingers along the sides. “What for?”
“Good luck. So you have less chance of dying a fiery death when you meet someone stronger than you.”
“Thank you? Not sure that’ll ever happen though.” The charm remains clenched in Kayden’s fist, but he’s staring straight ahead and there’s something distant underlying the playful arrogance in his voice.
The memory of their last meeting nudges its way into Kartein’s mind.
“Did you…”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Kayden doesn’t question further, but the tension’s still there, an unwelcome guest.
It stays with them for the rest of the evening like smoke clinging to clothes.
***
The sight of the smooth, white ceiling, awash in blinding sunlight, greets him as he opens his eyes. He stares at it hazily for a few moments, still half-asleep.
“Kartein.”
He turns onto his side. Kayden’s standing near the bed, already dressed.
“Looking fancy today.” It’s true. The white button-down pairs well with the black slacks and the dress shoes that have been shined to a gleam. One of Kayden’s few acceptable outfits although the effect is slightly ruined by his slouch.
“Yeah.” Kayden motions to a brown paper bag on the TV stand. “I brought breakfast if you’re hungry. From the hotel restaurant.”
“Alright. Thank you.” He should probably put some more clothes on first. Definitely a shirt at least. Rolling out of bed, he pads over to his suitcase and puts his shoes on before padding over to his suitcase. It takes him a mere ten minutes to select something (a cream suit coat paired with an ivory dress shirt and beige slacks, all from Hermès) since he’d only brought seven outfits on this trip. Some people (Kayden) might think that it was too much for a three day stay, but they were uncultured heathens who knew squat about style. He doesn’t bother going to the bathroom to change; it’s not like there’s anything Kayden hasn’t seen before.
Kayden clears his throat. “Sooo, are you done yet? The food’s getting cold.” Patience is obviously not one of his virtues. Kartein rolls his eyes at the wall before sweeping over to the table and opening the bag.
Inside, there’s a plastic container full of chicken soup, a box of dumplings, and a bottle of black tea. He sits at the little table near the glass door and waits for Kayden to join him.
The air between them suddenly feels stilted again, like when they’d first met at the market. As if the time they’d spent together last night had been a dream, turned hazy and unclear by morning.
“Not hungry?” Kayden is sitting down, but he’s just staring down at the table.
“I already ate. It’s all for you.”
He starts on the dumplings first. The restaurant’s food had seemed adequate from what he had tasted yesterday at lunchtime. But now, the oily, meaty smell of the food is enough to still his appetite. He forces himself to take a bite.
“I…I’ll be leaving soon. Just wanted to let you know.”
“Okay.” That explains why he’s already dressed. “Where are you going?”
“Just…just a fight.”
He finishes chewing and swallowing before his next question, ignoring the sour feeling in his stomach. Unlike Kayden, who has the table manners of a sleep-deprived toddler, his manners have always been impeccable.
“A fight with who?”
Kayden smirks. “The Top Ten. They’re having a meeting tomorrow. I’m gonna go and challenge them.”
The dumpling he’d just swallowed gets stuck on its way down. He coughs and splutters helplessly for one humiliating moment before gasping out, “ What?! ”
What the fuck. Instantly, Kayden’s vow at their last meeting comes to mind. He’d actually done it. And he was leaving right now? That bastard, why hadn’t he told Kartein anything before? “Are you insane ?”
“Kartein, it’s alright. Come on, these Top Tenners might be good but they won’t be a match for the Great Kayden.” Kayden reaches a hand out and lays it lightly on Kartein’s arm. He’s obviously trying to sound calm and reasonable and isn’t that a joke? Kayden being the rational one out of the two of them.
“The Top Ten aren’t just ‘good’, they’re in a whole different league. They’re the best awakened ones. And you want to crash their meeting and pick a fight with them?”
“I’ve already fought pretty much everyone else. Just have a little faith in me, okay?” Kayden grins cockily as if inviting Kartein to plunge into madness along with him.
Dozens of arguments come to mind. He knows none of them would sway Kayden.
“Where are they meeting?”
Kayden looks away from him. “Oh, you know. Just some random city. Nowhere you’d be interested in. I don’t think they have any fancy shops or anything.” Seriously? He and Kayden had literally traipsed through a street market together yesterday.
“ Kayden. Where is it?”
Kayden’s fingers rub gently on Kartein’s arm. “I told you, it’s nothing you’d be interested in. You don’t like watching me fight anyway.”
“Why won’t you tell me?” A heavy weight in his chest is stealing all the air and the words just barely manage to squeeze through. Kayden’s grin turns slightly desperate, slipping at the edges.
“You don’t need to chase after me or anything to help.” With his other hand, Kayden fishes the little charm from last night out of his pocket and dangles it in front of Kartein. In the bright morning light, the charm’s frayed corners and the tiny chip in its bead are clearly visible. What a piece of trash. He should never have bought it. “Besides, I got your good luck charm right here, remember? It’ll save my ass from a shitty death.”
That asshole . Kartein flings Kayden’s hand off his arm roughly and stands up, towering over him. The grin slides away completely and Kayden stares up, wide-eyed.
“Why —why do you always have to do this? Do you like pushing yourself until you’re half-dead? Do you like watching me chase after you like a fool to save your fucking life?” The tiny, still-rational part of him knows he’s going about this the wrongest way. That part is immediately stifled when Kayden snaps back, standing up too.
“I never fucking asked you to heal me. If you didn’t want to then you could’ve just stayed in your posh mansion doing medical research or something. You’re the one who insisted on it.”
“So what? You’d rather die alone in some dirty corner than ask for help from me? Am I really that repulsive to you?”
Kayden rolls his eyes in genuine disdain. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. It’s all about you.”
What is that even supposed to mean? They face off against each other like they’re in a children’s staring contest, seeing who will blink first, who will give in. A game like that is lighthearted and fun though. There is nothing light or teasing in Kayden’s features anymore. The coldness in his face, those stony, gray eyes, is as unsettling as the sudden change.
A bolt of heat rushes through Kartein. This is getting ridiculous. He should’ve known this would be as shitty and useless as that stupid charm he’d bought Kayden. “If you go now, don’t bother coming back.” The weight in his chest is expanding, squeezing so tightly against his lungs that it’s a miracle his voice only cracks slightly on the last syllable.
Kayden’s eyes widen, almost imperceptibly, and for a moment, Kartein thinks he’s gotten through to him. Then the mask crashes back down. Kayden spins around suddenly and strides towards the door.
“Fine then. Goodbye, Kartein.” Kartein stands rooted to the spot, still as a bloody, mangled corpse. No reply comes to mind. Just as well. There’s barely enough air in his chest to let him breathe.
He stays there for a long time after the door slams shut.