The next morning, I woke early to the sounds of crying below me. I climbed down from the top bunk, sitting myself carefully on the bottom one next to Kalen, and placed my hands on his shoulders, about to shake him awake. It was then his eyes shot open with a shout of “No!”, and he tried pushing me away. I just tightened my hold on him, and drew him to me,despite his efforts to break away. “Kae, calm down, please... It's just me- James. I'm not gonna hurt you.... So shut up before you wake my mom and brother, alright?” I said, holding him tightly until he finally calmed down, and collapsed against me, sobbing.

I was at a loss of words- never had I seen my best friend so scared and nearly broken. It was then I knew something had happened, more than just the usual attack from the soldiers. “Shh, Kae, it's gonna be alright. No one's gonna hurt you ever again, I swear it to you on my life. I'm gonna protect you from now on, you hear?” I said, holding him close, letting him cry into my shoulder and cling to me as though his life depended on it. And, to him, it probably did at that moment. When he calmed down a little, to where it was just the occasional hiccup, and sniffles, I pulled back slightly, and looked Kalen in the eyes, holding his face in place with one hand so he couldn't look away. “Now, Kalen... Please, just answer one question for me. The guards... what did they do to you, besides the beating, Kalen?”

At my question, he visibly flinched, and shut his eyes, shaking his head hard enough to pull free from my grip. “Please, Kalen... If I'm gonna help you, I need to know what happened. You don't have to tell me any details...”

He was quiet for another minute or two, before he spoke, though he refused to meet my gaze again. His answer was so quiet, I had to ask him to repeat it, twice. “They... they tried to rape me, alright?” He said, finally loud enough that I could hear him, before burying his head against my chest once more, breaking into another round of sobs.

I was stunned. Kalen? My Kalen, nearly violated in the worst oof ways... When the whole thing finally registered in my mind, I growled lowly, furious that anyone would ever dare to try such a thing. I tightened my hold on him as well. He froze when I growled, and slowly looked up at me, fear written clearly on his face. “James..?” He asked quietly, scared that I was mad at him.

“Who was it, Kalen?” I asked, voice low in my attempt to stay calm, and not scare him worse. He just looked at me. “Who the hell was it that nearly raped you? Because I swear, when I find the fucker, I'm gonna bloody well kill the bastard with my own hands.” I was gripping his shoulders tightly, and I didnt even realize how hard until he winced, and I automatically loosened my hold so it wouldnt hurt him.

“James... Please, don't go killing anyone because of me...” He said, but I wasn't in the mood to argue.

“Kalen, no. I'm gonna make whoever it was that touched you that way pay for it... No body hurts you like that, got it? I wont let them get away with it, even if I have to kill every single guard to make sure it never happens again.” I said, my face completely serious.

He turned his face away from mine. “It... it was your brother's team. Damien and Sam...” That made me freeze up completely. Damien and Sam... They'd been my brother's best friends since forever, and they were like family to me.

“You have to be shitting me, Kalen... Damien and Sam? The same ones we used to play with all the time when we were younger?” I asked, and he just nodded. I pushed him away from me, and got up, going to my closet and grabbing some clothes, heading to the washroom to change. I quickly slipped into a pair of close fitting black pants and form fitting black shirt before going back to my room, running my fingers through my hair.

When I returned he looked so scared, and hurt- probably thought I was mad at him by the way I'd just pushed him away and stormed out of the room. I went over to him, and sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling him into a hug again. “Kae, listen, I'm not mad at you. I'm glad you told me what those two did... I swear, they'll pay for hurting you.” I told him, pulling back slightly and I brushed his hair back out of his eyes, smiling down at him. He wrapped his arms around me in response, pressing his face into my chest, practically curled up on my lap now. It was a shock to me, seeing him like this. Normally Kalen never would have been so touchy, and I would have expected him to be even less so after what happened last night.
“Don't do anything to get yourself in trouble, Kae... Please, don't do anything stupid...” He said, quietly, his voice muffled from his face still being pressed into my chest. I just held him like that, knowing right now this is what he needed. I was sort of glad that he was acting this way, just so I could be affectionate without him discovering my true feelings.

“Don't worry, Kalen. I'll keep myself safe. You don't need to worry about me.” I said, hesitating a moment, before leaning in and placing a kiss to the top of his head, at which he looked up, a little confused.

“W-what was that for, Jae?” he asked, shock, confusion, and a mix of other emotions showing in his eyes, one seeming a lot like... hope? But surely my frend couldn't like me like that, especially after everything that had happened to him the night before... Could he?

I merely shook my head, and pulled back from him slightly, shifting on the bed next to him before pulling him up onto my lap, holding him there as he struggled slightly. “Hush, Kalen. I wont hurt you. Just... stay like this for a moment, okay?” I asked, nearly begging, needing this comfort as much as I knew he did.

He was majorly tense for few minutes, then eventually relaxed aganst me, realizing I wasn't going to hurt him. He curled up on my lap, snuggling right into me, hs head resting under my chin. I buried my face into his hair, breathing in deeply his scent- cinnamon and nutmeg and oranges. His scent always calmed me down when I was scared, angry, or upset. Why? I have no clue... Maybe it was just him, in general.

We stayed like that for a good twenty minutes, and as I'd though, By Kalen's stillness, he had fallen back asleep. I felt bad, leaving while he slept, but I knew if I didn't, I'd lose my nerve and never be able to get revenge on the ones wwho had hurt him. So I carefully moved him onto the bed, and pulled my blankets down from the top bunk to cover him with. My scent was still strong on them, cedar and sage, he'd told me once, and I knew it would keep him calm. I got up and, quickly writing him a note telling him I'd gone out to take care of some business, I pulled on my boots and thick black cloak, knowing it would be cold out, by the snow still falling outside the window. Weapons were gathered- two katanas, and numerous daggers hidden- within the cloak, up my sleeves, and in the hidden sheaths in my boots. I didn't bother with any foorm of armour. It would just be cumbersome, and slow me down. For this, I needed all my speed and agility, because I knew that, with years of training as soldiers, Damien and Sam would easily be able to overpower me if I didnt have the element of surprise on my side. Even with it, I was likely to get my ass kicked. But they would never dare hurt me the way they had Kalen. I was Seth's little brother. They wouldn't, on the fact that I would most definately tell my brother if they did. ...At least, I hoped they wouldn't. They had hurt Kalen. Who knew what they were capable of doing?

I snapped myself out of those thoughts, turning back to thoughts of getting revenge for what they had done to my best friend. When I thought this way, I was able to clearly concentrate on the task at hand, and still manage to keep my wits about me. Mother was up already when I went downstairs, and grabbed some toast, smothering it with jam. “I'll be back later...” I said. She looked up from her book and asked me where I was going. I responded that I had some business to take care of, and that no, it could not wait. With that I headed to the door, opening it, stepped outside, and swiftly shut it behind me. I pulled my gloves from my pockets, pulling the thin material on. While thin, they kept my hands warm, which was good. Couldn't have them going numb in the middle of a battle, now, could I?

I walked down the street, not needing anyone to become suspicious... though me being up at this hour was probably enough to arouse suspicion. I was walking with a purpose, though, my hood up to hide my hair, not knowing where or when I would run into Sam and Damien. Knowing they likely would be at the tavern most frequented by soldiers, I went there first, peering in first through one of the small back windows to check if they were there. Lo and behold, there at the end of the bar, they were seated, each drinking still, a plate of food between them. Knowing they would be soon kicked out, for the owner kicked everyone out at six, I took up post on the low wall across the narrow, dingy side street, seated there and waiting for them to come out.