Don't mess with the King

“Enh, it said you piss people off on the regular, didn’t really say how you accomplished that.” Her leg swung back and forth lazily as she shifted her gaze towards the front window of the shuttle. “Not if that’s not what you wanna do, but we might as well talk about something while we’re stuck out here. You liking the Ring so far? The work you’re getting?”

The brat was half tempted to not answer, but something caught his attention. 

“If it’s that easy, how comes you’re still holding the reins with no horse attached?” She dared to give his nose a flick once he bent down to her height, but only gently. She didn’t need to start getting on his bad side already before she’d figured out how to put him to good use. “Favours is how the world turns unless you’re a rich motherf**ker whose got everything he needs. And you, my friend, don’t look like you’ve got two shards to rub together.” A huge assumption on her part, with a sugar coating of insult, but it would help her figure out his character.

Kevin flinches from the flick, scrunching his nose for a brief moment before chuckling.

The priest quietly listened to the teen’s outburst, allowing him to let it all out, though struggling to comprehend some of it. Many things he had no experience in; he’d never been able to go to school, so he had no frame of reference there, nor had he heard of people intentionally starving themselves… But regardless of how little he understood of the kid’s plight, it was obvious that the pain was very real.

“You ain’t broken, kid, trust me on that.” Leaning back against the wall, Wolfwood lit up a cigarette, thinking over what he’d been told. “You still got plenty of fight left in ya, it’d be a shame to lose it.”

“…I ain’t gonna pretend I can relate to a lotta that; I never went to school, so I dunno what all that’s like an’ feel free to tell me so. That bein’ said, you shouldn’t listen to the crap people fling at ya- it’s all bullshit anyways. You ain’t fat or ugly, an’ comin’ from someone that butchers the English language on a general basis- acoordin’ to the Insurance Girls anyways- ain’t nothin’ wrong with how you talk.” He took a drag of his cigarette, still casually leaning against the wall next to Kevin.

“What’s got you believin’ all that nonsense anyways?” He would ask about ‘protecting’ his siblings later, might be best to start small but that phrase caught his attention.

“You don’t understand,” Kevin whispers, wiping his eyes clear of any tears, face a deep red from the crying. “You don’t understand. I know I’m not fat but... I don’t want to gain weight, I don’t want to be fat so I..!” He falls silent; unwilling to finish that thought.

“I s’pose so.” Spencer added half heartedly, he usually didn’t speak up whenever his boss decided to teach someone a lesson, that’s what his boss was calling it anyways. Today was just one of the few days where he wasn’t as scared.  He had kept quiet until they reached the bus stop, for a moment he wasn’t sure if he should stay and wait for the bus to arrive to make sure Kevin can get out of this area of town. Spencer eventually decided against it, it was best for him to go back to his boss now before he would get even more angry. With a gentle and this time honest smile he turned to Kevin. “I’ll be leavin’ y’ now…I uh- I hope I’ll see y’ again.”

The blond boy returns the smile, but it was a little more concerned than anything else. “I guess...” He rubs his arm and shrugs. “Hey, I’m at the arcade downtown tomorrow... If ya wanna find me d’at is...” He shrugs again.

“Y’ don’ gotta thank me for that, sorry ‘bout not speakin’ up some sooner…y’ should stay away from this part o’ town, pretty sure I’ll see y’ around again though. ” Spencer started to walk out of the alleyway only stopping to look back at Kevin with a worried look. “If y’ need help walkin’ I can give y’ some support.” The offer about the empty place had sounded nice and for a moment he thought about taking it, but he hesitated. Spencer hated any sort of conflict although he didn’t have alot to risk anymore ever since his friend died and he was left to fend for himself, he felt like a coward. No matter what his boss had done or will do, the fear of him running away and getting found had firmly kept him in place. “M’ a coward, always ‘ave been. I don’ wanna risk nothin’…. not with someone like ‘im. Thanks for the offer though.” Spencer fell silent for a few seconds seemingly stuck in his own thoughts. 

“Hey, he was a scary guy. I’m just glad ya bothered.” The blond had already begun limping away (more of a shaky walk than a limp) Toward the bus stop but pauses and glances back at Spencer.

╞ ϟ ╡ At the subtle threat Lieutenant was right next to Amon in an instant. Ready to draw his weapons but was held back by a hand raise. Amon was calm and collected at the kid’s rage. Only putting the tray down to stand in the other’s face.  “It would seem you are in no shape to be making demands. As much as you wish to pretend, I can tell how much pain you are in. Whoever attacked you did some damage. You need time to heal. But to threaten us…is not wise. We welcome benders among us as long as we share the same goal. No one is forcing you to stay. Simply time to heal and to insure that you won’t make way for those that wish to stop us.”

With that the leader turned to leave, Lieutenant staying behind. A nod was given, the loyal follower quickly reached out to the boy and chi blocked his vital points.As long as he was quick enough Kevin would find himself unable to bend for a few minutes.  

“If I wish to leave, I may, but after you’ve made sure I’m alright, isn’t that what you told me? I want to heal at home, dammit! I have a little brother who’s gonna be worried sick if I don’t show, you-” Kevin feels the sharp jabs to his person and, with a gasp, he falls to the ground of the cell. Of course, he should have seen this. Chi blocker.

“………” Pushing off the wall, Nick crossed over to Kevin’s side of the alley, moving to sit next to him. It wasn’t like he could judge even if he wanted to, anyways.

“I see. An’ what’s pushin’ ya to that point, if you don’ mind me asking?” Couldn’t help as much if he didn’t know what was wrong.

“I-” Kevin can’t stop the tears now. The self-hatred, the abuse he’s suffered through from both his step-dad and himself, everything came bubbling out.

“I’m a god damn mistake! The only thing I’m good at is making people’s lives miserable. I can’t protect my ma, I can’t protect Scar or Matt..! I’m ugly as shit, no one likes me, I’m fat, I talk like I’ve got teeth pulled..! I might as well just end it now, then maybe my family might be able to get somewhere in life without having me draggin’ them down!” The tears are streaming down his cheeks as he fights furiously to dry them.

“I’m a fuckin’ mistake. I’m the reason my family is falling apart, I’m the reason my siblings are at risk at being sent to foster care, I’m the reason that bastard chose to hurt us..! Everyone picks on me at school, callin’ me cow and spots. The teachers don’t realize how bad I feel about myself when they call out the stats... I feel like a god damn pig, I starve myself and when I do eat I throw it up..! I deal in shit I shouldn’t but don’t have the want or drive to quit..!” His hands reach up and grab handfuls of his dirty blond hair as he chokes and sobs.

“Or what? You’ll punch me out of your way?” She grabbed him by the shoulder and did her best to spin him around. “Then go ahead. At least you’ll get it all out instead of letting everything boil over. And I can’t have you walking around with two busted hands.” And possibly, in the ensuing fight, he’d spill about what bug had crawled up his ass today. “Should probably warn you that you might find a lotta guns pointed at your head if you punch me out here in public, though.”

Kevin winces at the grip to his shoulder, following the hand to reduce the pain and coming face to face with the boss. “You wanna test me? I can and will break you. Let me go, don’t fuckin’ touch me again unless I give ya the permission, capiche? I don’t like being touched.”