Chapter Text

***

Riko was spoiled.

Everyone said so. The Ravens indulged his every whim. Anything and everything Riko wanted was his, be it a stick of gum, private lessons, a secret can of beer, or your iPod.

Well, almost everything.

Tetsuji Moriyama was Riko's uncle and guardian, but Riko almost never called him anything other than Master. The Master never seemed to have any time for Riko. Riko didn't even get so much as a perfunctory nod when they passed each other in the dark halls of the Nest. 

That is, unless Kayleigh Day was in town. Riko quickly associated Kayleigh's visits as a positive thing in his life. When she was there, the Master paid attention to him. The Master talked to him, and sometimes even showed him a bit of affection, usually a pat on the head. 

Better still, Kayleigh always brought her son Kevin with her. Kevin was the first, and only, child Riko had met that was close to his own age. Growing up in the Nest, he was surrounded by adults. And every one of them was crass and more than a little cold. 

Kevin was a bright spot in Riko's dark little world. He smiled and laughed like no one Riko knew. He shared his toys and snacks with Riko. They practiced Exy together when they were finally big enough to hold the tiny toy rackets, and they were almost friends. 

Almost.

When Riko was eight and Kevin was nine, Kevin's mother died suddenly in a car crash. It would be years before Riko and Kevin knew the truth of it—that it wasn't an accident. 

They found out that the Master had told Kengo that he wanted Kevin. He could see Kevin's potential, and wanted to train him to be a star—to be Riko's partner on the court. Together they'd be unstoppable, he'd said. The only thing standing between him and what he wanted was Kayleigh. 

He'd offered to raise Kevin for her. She was constantly on the move, dragging Kevin all across Europe with her. A stable environment was better for a child, he'd reasoned. Kayleigh agreed that he was probably right, but she couldn't give up Kevin. "If anything ever happens to me, I'll make sure he goes to you," she'd said. 

The Master had rambled at length to Kengo. He knew what he wanted, but not yet how to get it.

He just hadn't realized that Kengo was actually listening. 

Riko

"Riko. Come."

Riko was only halfway through his breakfast, but he abandoned his bowl of oatmeal immediately. At eight years old he knew better than to disobey a summons. If he made the Master come looking for him, he would be sorry. 

Riko followed the Master's assistant to the Master's office, but he paused in the doorway. He was only summoned here when he'd done something wrong—when he was to be punished. Riko racked his brain for some offense, but came up blank. 

The assistant pushed him through the door impatiently and Riko managed not to stumble into the room. He tried to school his face into an impassive expression, but couldn't quite manage it through his fear. His body still bore the bruises he'd earned for his last failure. 

"Riko," The Master said, not bothering to hide his disgust. "You remember Kevin Day." It wasn't a question but Riko nodded confirmation. He glanced from his uncle to the boy he'd just noticed standing off to the side. 

It had been almost two years since he'd last seen Kevin, and the boy before him was not the one Riko remembered. The life seemed to have drained out of Kevin. His expression was as limp as his unwashed hair. 

"He is to be your new partner, " Tetsuji said. " You will train him as such." Riko hesitated. 

"Yes, Master," he said.

"Show him where to put his things, and don't be late for practice." The dismissal was so abrupt that Riko was thrown for half a second.

"Kevin, follow," He said simply and walked out of the office. Kevin followed slowly, with a gear bag thrown over one shoulder, dragging his rolling suitcase behind him. Riko's annoyance spiked. Didn't he know there wasn't time to dawdle? Being late to practice was not an option. 

"Quickly," Riko snapped, and walked faster for emphasis. Kevin struggled a bit to keep up with the increased pace, but Riko didn't wait for him. The Raven's they passed in the common areas looked up curiously but didn't comment. Neither Riko nor Kevin paid them any mind at all. 

Riko was only mildly surprised to see that someone had been in to put fresh bedding on the previously empty mattress. He jerked his head towards the bed and Kevin obediently put his suitcase on that side of the room.

"You'll need that," Riko said, indicating Kevin's gear bag. "Let's go," Riko added impatiently, stalking off in the general direction of the locker room without making sure Kevin was following him. 

If Kevin had any complaints about being dragged from one end of Evermore to the other, he didn't voice them. Riko found it more than a little unsettling that he hadn't spoken at all. That and the dead look in his eyes. What the hell was wrong with him?

Riko pushed the door to the locker room open and didn't bother holding it open for Kevin as he walked in. Kevin didn't even have the good manners look offended at getting smacked with the door. 

"Hey Captain, who's your little friend?" one of the starting backliners asked, giving Kevin a curious once-over. Riko wasn't really their captain. Yet. But several Ravens used the nickname to refer to him. To them he was untouchable, a god among them, the son of exy. He was going to be someone someday.

"Kevin Day," Riko said, "And he's not my friend. He's my partner." That got their attention. Several Ravens exchanged looks.

"Kayleigh Day's son?" A striker asked. Kevin nodded stiffly from his place at Riko's side. They were standing so close that Riko could feel Kevin trembling. 

"I'm sorry, kid," the striker said, "Your mom was a legend. She will be missed." Riko turned to look at Kevin. 

"What happened to your mother?" he asked. Kevin wouldn't meet Riko's eyes. His lip quivered as he tried to form the response, and Riko felt a stab of anger.

"Ah, Captain, you didn't hear?" Riko's eyes snapped to the man closest to them when he spoke. Why did they all seem to know what was going on when he didn't?

"She's gone," Kevin finally managed. 

"Yes, yes, It's all very sad," the Raven's actual captain said, sounding anything but, "But maybe you idiots forgot we have practice. The Master won't forgive our tardiness." With that the Ravens fell silent and continued gearing up at breakneck speed. Riko swore in Japanese and yanked his locker open.

"You use this one," he told Kevin, indicating the locker with the number two plate that was next to Riko's number one locker. Riko stripped down to his underwear and was busy strapping on his padding before he realized that Kevin hadn't moved. Instead he was gawking openly at Riko. More specifically, at the yellowing bruises that striped across Riko's back. Riko grabbed Kevin by the collar and shook him hard.

"Unless you want some to match, you'll gear up and be out that door in three minutes," he snarled at him. Green eyes widened in surprise and Kevin finally unzipped his bag and started changing out for practice. When Kevin was finished, he slipped his racket out of its holder on his gear bag and shoved the bag into the number two locker. Riko's own racket was in the case that the Raven's had already wheeled out to the court so he led Kevin quickly outside. 

The Master's eyes narrowed as they approached and Riko knew that they had been a minute too slow. Tetsuji ordered the Ravens on laps before approaching the two children. 

"I told you not to be late." Riko stood still as his uncle circled them. He didn't even flinch when the blow caught him on his upper thighs, but Kevin cried out in pain and surprise when the Master turned the cane on him. Kevin trembled as if he was trying to stifle a sob. Riko hardly ever cried anymore when the Master hurt him, and it was difficult for him to feel bad for Kevin when it was Kevin's fault that Riko was in trouble now. Unfortunately, Kevin was his partner now. They would succeed or fail together. And Riko could not fail. 

"Warm up," Tetsuji ordered. Riko took off after the Ravens immediately, not bothering to call Kevin to him. Luckily, Kevin seemed to have gotten the memo and followed Riko into a run around the inner court. Riko was surprised but pleased when Kevin managed to keep up with him. Maybe he wouldn't be too difficult to train after all. 

Riko kept them at it until the Master called them to stop. Tetsuji set them on some basic drills to test Kevin's ability. They started with a simple game of catch before progressing through a series of stamina drills. Predictably, Kevin began losing steam before Riko.

"Keep up," Tetsuji banged his cane on the court floor as he spoke. Kevin flinched and picked up his pace. Riko hoped Kevin didn't give out and disgrace them. Tetsuji left them to it and turned his attention back to his Ravens. When the Master was engrossed in their scrimmage, Riko pulled Kevin aside. 

"Water break," Riko said. Kevin followed him wordlessly to the home bench. Riko grabbed a couple of water bottles from the cooler and tossed one to Kevin. Riko drained half of his in one swallow, but Kevin barely had a few mouthfuls. Riko considered telling him that they only got five minutes for a water break and he would regret the slow sips he was taking, but changed his mind almost immediately. If Kevin was this stupid, let him learn things the hard way.

Riko finished his water bottle and tossed the empty plastic bottle into the recycling bin. Kevin hadn't managed half of his, but Riko wasn't waiting for him again. He tugged the bottle easily out of Kevin's unresisting fingers. 

"Too slow," Riko said, emptying the bottle at their feet before tossing it in the bin with his own. Kevin's eyes widened a bit in surprise but he wisely didn't comment and followed Riko back onto the court. They continued running drills until Tetsuji called practice to a stop. Riko was lightly winded when practice ended but Kevin was a bit of a disaster. Kevin's breathing was ragged, and the amount of sweat that dripped down Kevin's face was disturbing.

Riko followed the Raven's back to the locker room once they were dismissed. He made a come hither motion at Kevin, but the other boy was already at his side. They showered quickly and retreated into the locker room. Riko silently showed Kevin where to discard their soiled clothing and leave their armor to air out.

Riko was so used to the familiar pain of hunger gnawing at him that he didn't acknowledge it until they were on their way to the dining hall. The half a bowl of oatmeal he'd eaten at breakfast seemed like forever ago. When they walked inside the dining hall Kevin's stomach gave a feeble grumble and Riko wondered when Kevin ate last. He squashed the thought immediately. What did he care?

They grabbed trays and joined the queue. Riko selected a simple spinach salad, grilled chicken, and an apple. He was a little unnerved when Kevin made the exact same selections, but didn't comment. They both grabbed a milk carton and fresh water bottles from the fridge before Riko led Kevin to his usual table in the corner. Riko liked this table because he could see everyone in the room. And more importantly, the door. 

Riko started on his salad and watched with interest as Kevin methodically cut his chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Kevin scraped the chicken pieces onto his salad before taking a bite. 

"I wish there was dressing," Kevin said, finally. Riko frowned. "What's dressing?" he asked. Kevin affected surprise, which spiked Riko's annoyance. The only thing he hated more than not knowing something was people thinking he was stupid for it. 

"Like...a  sauce?" Kevin said, uncertainly. "For the salad."

"Why?" 

"It tastes better," Kevin offered weakly.

"Who cares what it tastes like?" Riko didn't understand the point of this useless conversation. "It's food. It's fuel for your body. Just shut up and eat it." Kevin looked like he wanted to argue, but Riko's warning look silenced him in an instant. Maybe he wasn't as stupid as he looked. They ate in silence after that, leaving their trays in the designated place on the way out. 

Riko had a few hours with a tutor before afternoon practice so he led Kevin back to their room. Riko grabbed his notebooks and the square black pencil box from his desk. Kevin watched him with an inscrutable look on his face. 

"Time for school," Riko snapped. Kevin started and then dug into his suitcase for a minute. He produced a bright blue binder and what looked like a ratty stuffed lion. Riko stared at it for a minute as if it personally offended him, but he refused to ask.

He led Kevin into the stadium and towards the Tower marked East. Riko input the series of passcodes they needed to take the elevator up to the conference room at the top. His tutor was waiting as usual and didn't seem surprised to see Kevin.

The tutor immediately sat Kevin down for some testing before directing all of his usual attention on Riko. Riko was used to studying alone so Kevin, though quiet, was a distraction. Every time Kevin erased an answer or flipped a page in his packet, Riko lost focus. More than once his tutor redirected his attention with a sharp rap with a ruler. Kevin started each time it happened, but quickly returned to his tests before he drew too much attention to himself.

 By the time their schoolwork was finished Riko was full of loathing. His arm was red and throbbed from repeated blows, but the tutor hadn't hit Kevin once. As he led Kevin back down to their room, Riko contemplated making them purposely late for afternoon practice just so he could see the Master make Kevin cry. It would almost be worth the beating Riko would get for it.

In the end the fading bruises on Riko's back, and the fresh ones on his thighs, convinced him to get them down to practice immediately. 

Kevin

Kevin was tired. 

Today was the longest day of his entire life, and it wasn't even over. He hadn't slept very well on the transcontinental flight, and Kevin had only been in Evermore for ten minutes before Riko came to collect him. His brief conversation with Tetsuji baffled and confused him.

***

"Kevin Day," Tetsuji eyed him from head to toe, considering. "You know why you are here?"

"Mum," Kevin had managed, though his lip had trembled.  Kevin remembered his mother telling him that Tetsuji was his godfather. Tetsuji would take care of him if anything ever happened to her. It had only been four days since then. And less than forty-eight hours after her death, Kevin had found himself alone on a fifteen hour flight with two layovers. 

"Your training begins today," Tetsuji's words barely broke through his haze. "You are of little use to me until you can join the lineup. Until then you will train with Riko and let him shape you into a champion worthy of Court." Kevin didn't have words to respond to that. Exy was everything to him but right now he was still too numb.

Riko was just as Kevin remembered him, a boy who tried to hide his emotions under a calm façade—one he couldn't quite manage. His mother tried to explain that it was a Japanese thing, but Kevin wasn't convinced as he studied Riko's dark eyes. 

***

The day hadn't improved from there. Riko had hurried him along and Kevin had been too tired to protest. He had been confused when he saw the bruises on Riko's back, and frightened when Riko had shaken him. He had never been threatened before that he could remember. 

And then Tetsuji had given them that look. Kevin was familiar with it, even if he wasn't familiar with Tetsuji. His mother wore it whenever he was in trouble. He didn't understand the words that fell from Tetsuji's mouth—his mother had never taught him much Japanese. But he understood the tone just fine. 

It had still been a shock when the blow came. Kevin hadn't even registered the sound of the wood meeting Riko's thighs, when the cane had come for him. He couldn't help the cry of pain and surprise that had escaped his lips, but Kevin managed to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. His mother had never hit him like that. 

That was the turning point of his day. 

Kevin pushed himself to follow Riko's lead. Riko had been pushing him along all day and Kevin had been too stupid to realize why until he had the lingering ache of the bruises on his thighs to teach him. He wouldn't forget.

After their bland and boring lunch Kevin had been surprised to be taken up to the East Tower. School was something he was familiar with, but Kevin's tutors lived all over the world and communicated with him online. It was odd to sit in a room with one man.

Kevin did his best to answer the packets and packets of tests the tutor had assigned him. Most of it was stuff he recognized, but he struggled a little with the science and maths. Riko didn't seem to be doing much better and Kevin was startled several times when the tutor actually struck Riko. 

By the end of it Kevin was more tired than ever, and frightened of the tutor. Riko seemed downright murderous afterward, and the two boys said nothing to each other as they returned to Riko's bedroom. Our bedroom, Kevin reminded himself. This was his home now. He tried not to think about the ache in his chest too much as he thought about it.

They arrived on time for afternoon practice. Tetsuji made no comment at all and Kevin was glad to avoid round two with the Master's cane. While this morning they'd focused on stamina, the afternoon was filled with precision drills. Kevin had never done anything like it. 

Riko set up the cones and demonstrated the first raven precision drill. He hadn't mastered it yet and could only knock over three of the six cones in his attempt. Kevin was impressed. Tetsuji was not. The Master barked something in Japanese that had Riko tense and give a tight nod.

Riko and Kevin set up the cones again and again, performing the same drill over and over and over for the entire three hour practice. By the end of it they were both exhausted and frustrated. Riko could knock over all six in a row, but not consistently. And he struggled whenever the order was switched up on the fly. 

Kevin could knock over one cone with ease but struggled to aim one shot right after another. The most he managed all afternoon was two in a row. He might have been proud of that if the Master hadn't yelled at them so scornfully afterwards. 

They drowned their misery in the showers and then Riko led Kevin back to the dining hall for dinner. Tonight's menu was sushi. Kevin thought he saw Riko perk up a bit as he loaded his tray with it. Kevin would eat literally anything put in front of him, so he chose an identical meal to Riko's much like he had at lunch time.

The only thing Kevin picked up that Riko abstained from was the small tray with wasabi and soy sauce that he was delighted to see after the dressing-less salad they had for lunch. Riko surveyed Kevin with interest as Kevin used his chopsticks to apply a small portion of wasabi to his sushi before picking the whole thing up and dipping it into the soy sauce. 

"Where did you learn to use chopsticks?" Riko demanded. Kevin hastily chewed and forced the bite of sushi down. "My mum taught me," he said eventually, throat constricting more with grief than from the discomfort of swallowing before he was ready. 

"How'd she die?" Riko asked. Kevin blanched. "It was a car accident," he heard himself say. Kevin had a hard time reading the expression on Riko's face. There may have been a hint of curiosity in the dark brown eyes but mostly he looked bored, detached from the conversation. Kevin set his chopsticks down with trembling fingers and picked at the label of his water bottle.

"Get over it," Riko advised. "I haven't ever had a mother and my father won't even see me. And I'm fine." Kevin's breathing shallowed. He felt his mother's loss like a hole in his chest. How could Riko be so heartless about his own parents?

"Look at me," Riko ordered. Kevin dragged his eyes up to meet the other boys obediently, and he saw it. There was a flicker of pain in Riko's eyes that said he wasn't so heartless after all. 

"The Master says the only way my father will acknowledge me is if I become the best Exy player on the Court," Riko said. "Now that you're my partner, I will be unstoppable. If you hold me back, you'll be sorry." It sounded more like a promise than a threat. Kevin swallowed the bile in his throat, but couldn't manage a response.

"Stop crying and finish your dinner," Riko snapped. Kevin brushed fingers along his cheek. They came back damp. He hadn't realized he was crying.

Kevin forced the rest of his dinner down so that he wouldn't make Riko even angrier at him than he already was, and followed Riko back to their room. He was looking forward to crawling into his bed and sleeping at last. 

The two of them changed into pajamas and brushed their teeth in silence. Kevin looked at his bed and then to Riko hopefully. But Riko wasn't looking at him. He wasn't getting into bed either. Riko was rummaging through his back pencil box at his desk.

Homework. Kevin thought grimly. The tutor hadn't assigned him any that he could remember, but he'd done his best to not pay attention to whatever the man had been saying to Riko all afternoon. Riko pulled out a black magic marker and stalked towards Kevin, expression unreadable.

Kevin froze, not sure what was happening. Riko looked more thoughtful than angry so Kevin didn't flinch when he uncapped the marker and raised it to Kevin's cheek. He held his breath as Riko drew something on his face. Riko considered him for a moment and then walked back to the bathroom.

Kevin hesitated and then followed. Riko capped his marker and turned back to face Kevin. He had drawn a black number one onto his left cheekbone. Kevin looked into the mirror and saw the inky black number two adorning his own face.

"Together, we'll be unstoppable," Riko said at last.

Kevin felt a flicker in his chest. His mother was gone. He wasn't in a nice place. But maybe with Riko, and Exy, he had something to rebuild his life upon. 

Chapter Text

Kevin

It had been four years since his mother died in a car crash; four years since Kevin Day had been shipped off to Castle Evermore to live with Tetsuji Moriyama and the Ravens. For those four years Kevin knew nothing but Riko, and Exy, and Ravens.

Friday's tutor session ended an hour early. Both Kevin and Riko were given an extra nasty homework assignment that had nothing to do with the lost time and everything to do with how distracted they'd been all day. Both of them were sporting red welts on their wrists from the tutors' ruler, but Kevin hardly noticed his.

Riko's calm façade should have been enough to soothe Kevin's nerves but he couldn't contain his excitement for today. His nervous energy showed in his easy bounce and twitching fingers.

"Stop that," Riko warned. Kevin stilled his hands with some difficulty, and tried to follow more normally. Of course, if you have to think about it, you usually look anything but normal. Riko came to a sudden stop and Kevin sidestepped clumsily to avoid careening into him. He flinched when Riko rounded on him.

"If you embarrass us in front of the Master today you will regret it," Riko said.

"I won't." Riko narrowed his eyes as if he didn't quite believe Kevin, but turned away again and continued down the hall. Kevin tried not to let Riko's scorn sour his good mood. He knew Riko was secretly just as excited as he was. He wouldn't have been so distracted today during tutoring if that weren't the case. 

"Do you think he's any good?" Kevin asked, after they had deposited their school bags in their bedroom and headed for the locker room.

"If he's not, he won't get to play with us," Riko said matter-of-factly. "The Butcher will have no choice but to execute him." Kevin's stomach dropped. He just wanted to play. It would be more fun if he could play with someone else his age. Kevin and Riko had long since mastered the Raven drills and could keep up with them on the court. He longed for the challenge to train a fresh kid. And he didn't want to see the boy fail—especially when failure meant certain death. 

Kevin had heard stories of the Butcher of Baltimore, but he'd never met the man in person. He didn't think Riko had either, but he'd forgotten to ask. Kevin knew they were meeting the Butcher's son today to assess his Exy skills, but for some reason he hadn't expected to come face to face with the man himself.

The Butcher was a tall man with auburn hair and cool blue eyes. Of course, almost anyone looked tall standing next to Tetsuji. An arms length away from the pair was the Butcher in miniature. Nathaniel Wesninski was dressed to go with everything on but his helmet. He stood waiting for them, racket held aloft in the hand that wasn't clutching his helmet. He was still and calm, though his eyes betrayed his eagerness.

"Riko, Kevin," Tetsuji said. "This is Nathaniel." Riko extended his hand to Nathaniel who had to tuck his helmet under one arm to take it. 

"Nice to meet you Nathaniel," Riko said. "Kevin and I look forward to playing with you today."

"Warm up and show him the usual drills," Tetsuji commanded. Riko did as he was bid and led Kevin and Nathaniel on a few laps. Kevin suspected that Nathaniel was merely keeping pace with them as they ran. Kevin wondered how fast Nathaniel could go.

"Suicide drills? " Kevin asked Riko quietly. " I want to see how fast he is."

"What language is that?" Nathaniel asked before Riko could respond.

"Japanese," Riko told Nathaniel. Kevin felt a stab of resentment. Riko was prioritizing Nathaniel over him?

"We're going to start with some stamina drills," Riko said. Kevin tried not to feel too sour since his requested suicide drills were part of the stamina set. By now he was used to being second rate and second best after Riko. What he wasn't used to was Riko putting someone else between them.

Riko and Kevin put Nathaniel through his paces. He kept up with them easily enough, something that Kevin found immensely satisfying. The freshman Ravens often took weeks to acclimate to the rigorous training schedule. Nathaniel seemed like he had energy for days. 

When Tetsuji stopped them to start a scrimmage, The Butcher was nowhere to be found. Kevin was at once startled that he'd forgotten the man was there at all, and relieved that he was gone. He didn't want to think too closely about what the Butcher's role for the Moriyama's was.

"Two strikers vs one backliner and an empty goal," Riko said, "should be interesting."

"Bring it," Nathaniel grinned like he didn't know his performance was life and death. Kevin wanted to call unfair but he'd never be bold enough, especially with Tetsuji watching them. He obediently took up his starting position on the home court line with Riko. Nathaniel would lose, but maybe he'd show the master enough skill and grit regardless. 

Riko surged forward with the ball and tried to get around Nathaniel for a shot on goal. But, like Kevin suspected, Nathaniel was fast and kept up with Riko easily. Riko passed the ball to Kevin a moment before Nathaniel checked him. Riko stumbled, but didn't fall.

Kevin wasn't waiting for them. He took two steps forward, bringing him to the foul line, and raised his racket to fire on the empty goal. Nathaniel stick checked him hard enough to pop the ball free. Kevin was so surprised for a second that Nathaniel scooped the ball away and flung it down the court. How had he gotten to Kevin so fast?

"Nice try, Kevin!" Nathaniel called to him, as he returned to neutral position.

"Screw you!" Kevin returned, taking his own position back. Kevin chanced a glance at Riko, but his expression was difficult to read. Riko selected another ball from the bucket and tossed it to Kevin to start. 

They continued on for a while. Kevin and Riko both scored several times, but Nathaniel was keeping up with them. He tripped them up and popped the ball free almost as often as they got around him. The three of them jeered at each other and both Kevin and Riko had checked Nathaniel hard enough to knock him down, but Nathaniel still wore that easy grin on his face. 

Kevin spun around Nathaniel and tossed the ball to Riko, but Riko only managed three steps before Nathaniel crashed into him hard enough to send them both sprawling. Everything happened so suddenly that Kevin literally blinked and missed it. 

"Red card!" Riko spat indignantly before either he or Kevin registered the sound of a bullet punching through the acrylic walls of the court.

"Get down!" Nathaniel shouted. Kevin dropped down immediately, used to following orders. It was a minute before he realized Nathaniel must have seen something. Kevin heard muffled shouting from the inner court and then the silence was heavy between them.

"Get off of me," Riko demanded. Kevin looked at them. Riko had pushed Nathaniel to the side and was standing up. Nathaniel hesitated and then stood up too. Only after assessing that they were both upright and unharmed did Kevin get off of the court floor. 

"How?" Riko turned to Nathaniel. Nathaniel raised a steady hand and pointed along the bullet's trajectory point.

 "There was a man. Just there," he said. "He had a mask on." Kevin followed Nathaniel's finger. There was no sign of the masked man now, but it looked like every security guard on duty was swarming the area. The court door unlocked and Kevin whipped his head around to see the Master coming towards them.

"Are you harmed?" Tetsuji asked.

"We're fine," Riko cast a sideways glance at the Butcher's son, "thanks to Nathaniel." Nathaniel looked up with interest when Riko said his name but didn't say anything. Kevin wasn't sure if it was due to the shooting or Tetsuji's presence, but Nathaniel seemed to have reverted to his calm and quiet fa çade. 

"Come," Tetsuji ordered. "We have apprehended the man. You will learn what is done when someone dares to threaten a Moriyama."

Riko followed Tetsuji, motioning for Kevin and Nathaniel to come with him. Kevin followed obediently, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know what would happen to the man. He looked at Nathaniel and was surprised by the boy's still calm expression. Wasn't he frightened?

Tetsuji took them up to the East Tower. Kevin frowned. They were to receive the lesson in the usual place then. Huh. He tried to meet Riko's eye but Riko was staring intently at the Master's back. Kevin was nervous as the doors opened up. He spent enough time up in the room to know that something was immediately off before his eyes registered what he was seeing. 

The conference table had been shoved against a far wall, and a tarp laid out over the carpet. In the center of the tarp, a man was on his knees. He was bleeding from a cut over his eye and had a few red marks that looked like they'd form into bruises before long.

"Oh good, you're here. I'm itching to get started."

Kevin looked to the voice and saw Nathaniel's father leaning against the far wall with a cruel smile on his lips, and an axe in hand. He'd missed the man initially, too distracted by the changes in the room, and the man on the tarp. Fear pooled deep in his belly and a chill ran down his spine.

Beside him, Riko and Nathaniel were still as stone, calm expressions locked firmly in place. Kevin tried to school his own face into some semblance of calm, but he wasn't sure he succeeded. Riko bumped Kevin lightly with his elbow, but whether it was a silent show of support or admonishment Kevin didn't know. He wasn't able to hide all of his flinch at the sudden contact.

"Hello again, Junior," Nathan drawled.

"Hello, Father," Nathaniel replied automatically. There was no hint of the cheer he'd shown on the court.

"Why don't you help me get started?" The Butcher said. "Teach your little friends the first thing I do to a man who's signed his own death warrant."

"Legs," Nathaniel said, stiffly and quietly.

"I can't hear you, Junior!" Nathan boomed. Kevin jumped. Riko nudged him again.

"Take his legs from him," Nathaniel replied more loudly. His voice was steady and calm, and devoid of all emotion. It was suddenly a lot harder for Kevin to breathe. Riko pinched him. Kevin shut his mouth immediately and resisted the urge to rub at the sore spot on his arm. But even Riko's displeasure wasn't enough to still his beating heart.

Kevin's ears heard Nathaniel's continued directions, even once the screaming began. His eyes saw the splash of red that splattered across the Butcher's face and torso. He watched as it blossomed red atop the tarp on the floor. In the back of his mind, he even felt the pain of Riko's fingernails digging into his arm.

The man finally quieted and everything was silent and still except for the blood dripping off of the Butcher's axe into the pool spreading eagerly across his bare feet. Nobody said a word, and yet, it was Kevin who broke the silence. He lost the battle with his stomach and retched pathetically onto the carpet.

Riko took a hasty step away from him with a disgusted look on his face. It wasn't really Kevin's fault, but he knew from the look on Riko's face that there would be hell to pay for embarrassing him in front of Tetsuji and the Butcher. Before the dread of what Riko might do to him set in, Kevin was startled out of his stupor by a peal of laughter. 

Riko was disgusted with him, but Nathaniel seemed to find Kevin's weak stomach hilarious. He laughed so openly at him that Kevin began to feel a chill all over again. The Butcher's son was just as terrifying as the man himself. 

"Come here, Junior," Nathan barked. Nathaniel's laughter stopped abruptly, as if the Butcher had flipped a switch. Kevin thought he even hesitated before walking forward to meet his father at the edge of the blood soaked tarp. Kevin didn't miss how Nathaniel stiffened as Nathan loped forwards until the two were within arm's length of each other.

"You want to tell me what's funny?" The Butcher smiled cruelly. Nathaniel hesitated a beat too long and Nathan backhanded him hard enough that Nathaniel had to take a step back to keep himself from falling. Kevin couldn't tear his eyes away from the pair.

"I said," Nathan's voice had taken a harder edge to it, "What's so damn funny?"

"Nothing, Father," Nathaniel's voice had lost a measure of its calm. Nathan harrumphed and raised the axe he was still holding almost lazily in his other hand. For a terrifying moment, Kevin thought he meant to use it on Nathaniel. But he simply raised it and wiped the blood off on the front of Nathaniel's jersey. Nathaniel stood stock still and let him do it.

"You were less of a disappointment than usual today," Nathan said, before slamming the head of his axe into Nathaniel's chest hard enough that this time the small boy really did fall over. Nathan laughed cruelly and walked away, presumably to clean up. Nathaniel sat there on the floor gasping for a long time after the door shut behind his father. 

"Kevin," Riko called. Kevin turned to look at him. Riko's expression was indecipherable, even for Kevin who knew Riko's face as well as his own. 

"Clean this mess up," Riko ordered. For a horrifying moment, Kevin thought Riko wanted him to dispose of the mess the Butcher had left on the tarp behind them, but Riko had only been gesturing at the pile of sick at Kevin's feet.

"Yes."

***

Kevin startled awake. Every time he blinked he saw red. When he closed his eyes he could still hear the screams echoing inside the tower, overlaid with equally horrifying fits of laughter.

"Kevin," Riko called, voice blurry with sleep and irritation. "If you keep waking me up, I will make you sleep out in the hallway." It had been five days since the Butcher and his son came to Evermore and Kevin was still waking up in a cold sweat at least once a night, sometimes twice. The first time it happened, Riko had rolled over and gone back to sleep without comment. On subsequent nights, Riko had mocked him and jeered threateningly.

The last two nights, Riko had lost his temper and thrown things across the room at Kevin. Kevin had a black eye and a bruise that stretched along his right cheekbone from where Riko's copy of "A History of Japan" had hit him the night before. 

Kevin heard Riko shifting and instinctively raised his arms to shield his face from further abuse. But before he had registered the sound of Riko's feet hitting the floor, the other boy was already in his face. Riko wrenched Kevin's hands away from his face and unceremoniously yanked him out of the bed and onto the floor. Kevin's feet were still tangled in the sheets and only Riko's iron grip on his wrists had kept him from hitting his head as he half-fell. 

"No, please," Kevin pleaded. "I'm sorry. Riko. I'm sorry. I'll sleep out in the hall. I-" Riko shook him, hard. "Shut up," he demanded. "You need to get over it, Kevin. What are you gonna do when Nathaniel comes to live with us? Are you going to cry yourself to sleep at night? I can't live like that, Kevin. You can't live like that. So. Get. Over. It." He punctuated each word with a hard shake that knocked Kevin's shoulders into the bedframe and took his breath away.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Kevin's mouth formed the words but he had no breath for them. Riko let go of Kevin's wrists and let him slide down to the floor. Kevin braced himself for a savage kick, but none came. Kicking a man when he's down was one of Riko's specialties. But he'd climbed back into bed without another word. It dawned on Kevin in that moment that Riko was just as rattled by what happened in the tower as Kevin was. Kevin didn't know whether he found the thought comforting or not.

Kevin lay there on the floor still hopelessly twisted in his sheets until he heard Riko's breathing slow back into sleep. He swallowed a sigh and detangled himself as silently as possible. Kevin stood in the center of their room considering for a moment before taking his pillow and a blanket into the hallway.

***

Kevin woke from a kick to the ribs. He jolted up and clutched his hand to his side. It hurt, but it hadn't been hard enough to bruise.

"No one told you to sleep out here, stupid," Riko said from somewhere above him. Kevin looked up. Riko looked tired and the slant of his mouth said he was still irritated with Kevin, but somehow Kevin didn't feel frightened. Riko was never what anyone would consider kind, but he was treating Kevin with less animosity today than Kevin thought he deserved. 

Kevin got up and followed Riko back into their bedroom. The two of them quickly and efficiently made their beds and got ready for the day. They were just making their way to the dining hall when Tetsuji's assistant appeared before them. He didn't speak but jerked his head in a clear summons and started towards the masters office.

Kevin's anxiety spiked. He'd caught Tetsuji's eye yesterday during practice and thought he saw a look there before he averted his gaze. The Master hadn't said a word to either of them then, but maybe now he was ready to tell them what was on his mind. 

The two of them walked through the office door without preamble. Hesitation never did either of them any favors, especially when Tetsuji was involved. Kevin imagined he could already feel the phantom pains of the Master's cane at his back. 

"Riko," Tetsuji addressed him, ignoring Kevin entirely. "Your next project." Kevin followed Tetsuji's gaze to Nathaniel who was standing off to the side. It had only been five days, but he looked almost unrecognizable. His pale face was covered in dark bruising, and his mouth was curved into a hard line that showed no trace of either the easy smile or the calm mask from the other day. 

"Yes, Master," Riko replied, looking Nathaniel over as Kevin had. "Come Nathaniel." Nathaniel followed them from the room wordlessly. He carried nothing with him, save the clothes on his back. Kevin wondered idly what happened to him and where his things were. 

"What happened to your face?" Riko asked curiously once they were out of earshot of the Master's door. Nathaniel pursed his lips and Kevin thought for a startled second that he might refuse to answer. Kevin was still trying to think of a way to surreptitiously warn Nathaniel that Riko was never to be ignored when Nathaniel responded.

"Did they tell you why I didn't come back on Saturday?" he asked.

"No."

"My mother didn't want me to play with you guys again," Nathaniel said. "She made me leave with her. She wouldn't even stop the car for restroom breaks. I had to pee into a bottle. She finally stopped at some airport. She wanted to take me to England, where my Uncle Stuart lives. But my father caught up with us. He hurt her pretty bad. Me too. And he said I had to come live here now."

Kevin felt cold all over. Nathaniel said it all with such detachment that it seemed like it was something that had happened to someone else and not to Nathaniel himself. 

"Forget them," Riko advised. "If you're here with us, you'll play Exy. You'll be a champion and play for Court just like us." Nathaniel didn't respond but Riko didn't appear to be bothered by it.

"We still have time for a quick breakfast before morning practice." Riko decided, leading them back down towards the dining hall. 

***

By mid-morning, Nathaniel had seemed to shake off his dark mood. They hadn't spoken at all during their quick breakfast, each intent on packing in as much food as possible. 

At practice Nathaniel had to borrow some of Riko and Kevin's spare gear as he didn't have his own anymore. Luckily, The ill-fitting padding and uniform didn't seem to slow him down any. Kevin was afraid that Nathaniel wouldn't be in any shape to play Exy after everything that had happened to him, but the longer they spent on the court, the more energized Nathaniel seemed to become. 

Nathaniel was fierce and determined, and only slowed when the Master called him to attention for advice or correction. Tetsuji must have been satisfied with their performance because there were no caustic words for any of them.

Kevin was disappointed when morning practice came to an end. He wanted to keep going but they wouldn't have time to shower and eat before their afternoon lessons if they went on much longer. The three of them returned to the locker room in good spirits, and Kevin had almost forgotten about the terrifying story Nathaniel told them before breakfast.

So naturally, Kevin was horrified when the three of them stripped for the showers. He was used to the bruises on Nathaniel's face by now, but it was still a shock to see him unclothed. There were a few scattered bruises across the rest of Nathaniel's tiny body, but what caught Kevin's eye were the scars. 

At the base of his throat Nathaniel had a looping scar curving down over his collar bone. A row of neat vertical lines started at his left shoulder and crisscrossed down towards his navel like some deranged checkerboard. Worst of all, there was a raised burn scar that looked suspiciously like half of a hot iron on his right shoulder. 

Nathaniel took a moment to register what Kevin was staring at. He cast a bored glance down at himself, almost as if he hadn't been self-conscious enough to realize that his body wasn't like the others. Sure Kevin and Riko had a few scars, mostly the result of being beaten hard enough to split the skin, but nothing as deliberately intentional as what covered Nathaniel's body. 

"I'm not very good at behaving," Nathaniel smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes as he said it, and Kevin had to repress a shudder.

"What is this from?" Riko poked his finger into Nathaniel's burn scar.

Nathaniel wasn't able to hide all of his flinch. "A hot iron," he said. "It was two years ago. I still remember the way the skin looked like when it peeled off."

"Did it hurt?" Riko looked more interested than horrified. Nathaniel's expression was unreadable. "More than anything else he's done to me."

***

Lunchtime was the turning point of the day. Kevin was on edge after the locker room conversation. Luckily most of Riko's attention seemed to be focused on Nathaniel today. Kevin couldn't bring himself to be jealous. Maybe with Nathaniel here it would take some of the focus off of Kevin's own numerous transgressions. 

The dining hall typically had two or three options at each station for variety, but Riko and Kevin almost always chose identical lunches. Kevin never thought of deviating from Riko's meal plan. Nathaniel, however, seemed to have no such qualms.

"What are you doing?" Riko asked.

Riko was ahead of Kevin in line but he was looking past Kevin to Nathaniel. Kevin turned to see what prompted the question. He and Riko had selected mixed greens from the salad bar today, but Nathaniel seemed to have skipped over the salad bar entirely. 

"Getting lunch?" Nathaniel didn't seem concerned with the warning in Riko's tone, but Kevin was. Kevin reached back for another plate of the mixed greens and put it on Nathaniel's tray. 

"Don't skip stations," he said. "You won't have enough energy to last through afternoon practice."

"It'll be a waste," Nathaniel argued. "I won't eat it."

"You'll eat what we tell you to eat," Riko snapped.

"Disobedience and failure are not tolerated in Evermore." Nathaniel opened his mouth to say something else, but Kevin was faster.

"Don't argue," he advised. "It won't end well for you, and you want a nice first day, yes?" Nathaniel allowed Kevin to build his lunch after that, but he didn't look happy about it. Kevin thought he was going to behave until the three of them actually sat down to eat.

As per usual, Kevin set about turning his lunch into one huge salad. He scraped cut fish onto his mixed greens and squeezed a wedge of his tangerine over it. There was still no dressing available at the salad bar but Riko didn't begrudge him for substituting with citrus fruit. 

"Nathaniel." Kevin looked up. Nathaniel had dismantled his lunch and constructed a surprisingly accurate representation of an Exy court out of mixed greens and tangerine peel on his tray. A quirk of Nathaniel's mouth told Kevin that he registered the threat in Riko's voice, but he seemed to dismiss it almost as quickly. Nathaniel slowly unstuck a wedge of his tangerine and popped it into his mouth before replying.

"What's the problem?" 

Riko reached under the table and Kevin knew he was digging his fingers hard enough into Nathaniel's leg that it would leave bruises. Nathaniel's expression pinched but otherwise he didn't react to the sudden pain at all. 

"If you think you are safe because your father isn't here then you are sadly mistaken," Riko said. "I won't tolerate your little attitude problem, either. Do you understand?" Nathaniel smiled, cold and cruel, that smile that Kevin still saw in his nightmares.

"I'm not afraid of you." Riko was out of his seat in an instant. He grabbed Nathaniel by the collar, but then they both froze. Kevin wasn't sure why until he saw the serrated dining hall knife that Nathaniel had pressed just above the waistline of Riko's pants. Kevin's breathing hitched and he almost didn't hear the Raven's query through the cotton in his ears.

"We're fine," Riko said with a calmness Kevin didn't believe. "Just a little disagreement between friends." 

"If you're sure, Captain." The Raven shrugged and went back to their lunch.

"You'll be punished for this," Riko said coldly when the Raven had turned away. 

"From where I'm standing, I don't think you're in the position to be making threats," Nathaniel said. 

"I don't think you understand your position," Riko returned. "I own you. You do what I say, and if you don't there will be consequences. How dare you point that knife at me. I thought you understood what happened to those who threatened a Moriyama." Nathaniel dropped the knife. By the time it had clattered uselessly to the floor, his smile was long gone. 

"If you ever step out of line again I will call your father myself." Riko tugged on Nathaniel's collar until he was on his feet. Nathaniel let Riko move him. Kevin was frozen in place, still gasping for air like a fish out of water.

"Kevin," Riko called. "We're leaving. I have to discipline Nathaniel before our afternoon lessons."

***

Kevin wasn't sure how it was possible but he found that he was more nervous about Nathaniel's impending punishment than Nathaniel was. Riko didn't let go of Nathaniel as they walked to Riko and Kevin's bedroom, but Kevin didn't think Nathaniel was even trying to resist. Kevin followed a step behind, wringing his hands. He hated when Riko got like this. 

Riko pulled Nathaniel through the open doorway and pushed him towards Kevin's bed. 

"Kevin, hold his hands," Riko ordered. Kevin met Nathaniel's eyes as the younger boy obediently held his hands out, and was surprised to see Nathaniel give him a small reassuring smile. It made Kevin feel even more uncomfortable.

"On the bed, Kevin," Riko directed. Kevin climbed on top of the bed, and he and Riko spread Nathaniel out between them, with Nathaniel's legs dangling over the side of the mattress. Kevin stiffened when Riko stepped away to grab his black leather belt from the closet.

"What's with that look, Kevin?" Riko frowned. "You don't approve? He pulled a knife on me. Don't you think this is more merciful than what The Butcher would do to him?"

"That's not—I didn't—" Kevin stammered.

"Whatever," Riko snapped impatiently. "We only have twenty minutes. Just shut up and hold him still." Kevin clutched Nathaniel's wrists tightly in his hands and averted his gaze. He couldn't tell if it was he or Nathaniel who was trembling. 

Nathaniel

Riko allowed Nathaniel a private moment to wash his face in the bathroom while he and Kevin gathered their school supplies. Nathaniel splashed cool water over his face to wash away the tear stains and stared at his reflection in the mirror. His blue eyes were startling against the red, and his bruised face was impossibly puffy.

Nathaniel sighed raggedly and rubbed a hand down his stinging backside and thighs. He didn't think Riko had hit him hard enough to draw blood, but it was going to be uncomfortable for a while. Nathaniel considered himself lucky to have not been maimed or killed after what Riko had said about threats. 

Nathaniel still didn't know what Riko meant about owning him, though. How could you own a person? 

"Time's up. Don't make us late," Riko called from the bedroom. Nathaniel left the bathroom obediently and cast an assessing glance at Riko and Kevin. Riko's expression was unreadable, and Kevin either couldn't or wouldn't meet him in the eye.  

"Here," Riko thrust a notebook at Nathaniel. "Hopefully you're not as stupid as you've led me to believe. I guess the tutor will figure it out."

"I dunno," Nathaniel said, voice still tight from crying, "I'm pretty stupid." Riko laughed. 

"Oh, he is going to hate you."

Nathaniel didn't have a response to that so he didn't waste his breath defending himself. As he followed Riko and Kevin through the deserted stadium and up to the East Tower Nathaniel wondered if he'd really be better off here than in Baltimore with his father and Lola. Riko wasn't the easiest to get along with, and he didn't have a good read on Kevin yet, but if all he had to do was toe the line and play Exy maybe he'd be okay.

Chapter Text

Nathaniel

Nathaniel was stupid.

He knew it to be true. His father said it. His mother said it. And Lola took special care to remind him of it every time he'd had knife lessons with her too. 

It's not that Nathaniel thought he was brought to a safe place—nowhere his father sent him could be good—but he'd thought he could at least have friends here. Riko and Kevin were a few years older, and much better at Exy than Nathaniel was. But he thought they'd had fun together, and he had been looking forward to playing with them again before his mother interfered. 

He should have known better than to lose his temper. He never would have dared to pull a knife on Lola or his father. Lola would have stuck him like a pig if he stood up to her. And his father probably would have killed him outright for a stunt like that. 

Nathaniel considered himself lucky that Riko was a kid like him and didn't know how to break him. He would just have to be more careful in the future. Nathaniel could bend if it meant he wouldn't break.

***

Riko and Kevin's tutor had obviously not been informed that Nathaniel was joining them today. He scrutinized Nathaniel, eyes assessing him from head to toe with a withering look. Nathaniel considered his appearance. Bruises notwithstanding, Nathaniel's face was puffy from the crying, and his bloodshot eyes looked positively dreadful. The borrowed sweatshirt Nathaniel was wearing was at least two sizes too big and hung down past his shorts so that it looked like he was pants-less.

"You must be Nathaniel," the man said eventually. "I wasn't expecting you for a few days." Nathaniel wasn't sure if he was supposed to respond to that or not. He shrugged. 

"Extenuating circumstances," he offered.

The tutor scowled and Nathaniel realized too late that Riko's prediction of the man's distaste for him was not unfounded. In fact, it had nearly been immediate. Nathaniel was wary but he offered the tutor his smile in response.

"Hand," the tutor said, holding his own hand palm out towards Nathaniel. Curious, Nathaniel placed his hand obediently in the tutors outstretched palm. The pain was immediate, and startled a cry from Nathaniel's lips. The tutor had brought up his other hand and whacked Nathaniel's arm solidly with a wooden ruler without missing a beat. What the hell? Nathaniel snatched his hand back reflexively.

"I'm only going to say this once because you look like you have a bit of an attitude problem," the tutor said. "I won't tolerate any bad behavior, funny business, or distractions while you are here. This is my time. Do you understand?" Nathaniel repressed the urge to say, "I understand you're a complete asshole!" He had nothing to gain from antagonizing the tutor. Instead he gritted his teeth and said, "I understand."

"Good. All of you sit." When the tutor turned towards the conference table, Riko leaned in close to speak quietly in Nathaniel's ear. "So you can behave," he whispered.

***

The three of them had left the East Tower quickly when the tutor finally dismissed them sometime after four PM. They stopped briefly in Riko and Kevin's bedroom to deposit their school things before heading back towards the locker room. Nathaniel was looking forward to being back on the court. It was the only thing keeping him going at this point.

"Kevin lasted a whole week before our tutor hit him for the first time," Riko said. "You lasted all of one minute." Riko was taking a jab at him, and Nathaniel did not appreciate it. 

"Probably because Kevin is a spineless coward," Nathaniel supplied unkindly.

"Hey," Kevin protested with a pout. Riko laughed at Kevin's obvious discomfort. They'd barely known each other for half a day but Nathaniel thought he had a pretty good read on Riko already. Riko was quick with a smile and quicker to anger. He and Kevin were very close (they even went to the bathroom together), but Riko still seemed to enjoy Kevin's pain. He also had an unenviable god-complex. 

Kevin was harder to interpret, but Nathaniel didn't like what he'd seen so far. Kevin hadn't smiled once all day. If he wasn't scowling or cowering, he was pouting. He followed Riko around like a beat dog, tail wagging when Riko was pleased and tucked between his legs whenever Riko lashed out. Nathaniel's parents would have beaten him black and blue for an attitude like Kevin's—not that he had fared much better with his own.

"Say what you like about him, but Kevin's smart," Riko said. "And he knows his place." 

"Obedience isn't the end all be all of intelligence," Nathaniel pointed out. Riko grabbed Nathaniel's chin and titled his head up so that Riko's cold black eyes met Nathaniel's defiant blue ones. "I wasn't talking about his obedience, but that gives him another one up on you." 

Nathaniel kept his gaze, but didn't respond. Riko smirked, patted Nathaniel's cheek softly, and walked into a room Nathaniel hadn't seen yet. It turned out there were kitchens in the nest too, not just the dining hall. A few Ravens were finishing off protein shakes in the corner and waved to the three kids as they entered.

"Hey Captain!" one man called. Riko raised a hand in acknowledgement, but didn't pause on his way across the room. He had to climb onto the counter to get into the cabinet, and Nathaniel was surprised when he tossed down a couple of protein bars. Kevin tore into his immediately, and Riko leveled a look at Nathaniel when he didn't.

"You're lucky I even gave you one after your stunt in the dining hall earlier," Riko said with heat. "You'd better not make me regret showing you mercy." Nathaniel didn't roll his eyes, but it was a near thing. Instead, he obediently tore open the wrapper and ate the tasteless protein bar without a word. He didn't like the other boy's attitude, but Nathaniel decided that it probably wasn't a good idea to antagonize Riko any more today, especially while he was still sore.  

***

On the court, Riko set out a line of six cones and Kevin demonstrated an accuracy drill that involved ricocheting the ball off the side of the court so that it knocked the cones over. Nathaniel was impressed that Kevin could do it in whichever order Riko called out. When Kevin had done three perfect sets, he righted the cones so that Riko could take a turn. 

Riko's first two sets were just as perfect as Kevin's had been, but on his third set Riko's fourth ball barely grazed the cone he was aiming for. Nathaniel was still impressed, but Riko swore and marched over to Kevin. Kevin's eyes had a deer in headlights look to them.

"Kevin," Riko snapped, tapping the butt of his racket on the court floor in a demand when Kevin didn't respond quickly enough. Nathaniel's eyes widened in surprise as Kevin's expression hardened, his mouth setting into a grim line. Kevin raised his racket and whacked it solidly across Riko's shoulders. Without missing a beat, Riko turned and did the same to Kevin. 

"What are you doing?" Nathaniel exclaimed, shocked. No one else on the court was participating in their drill, but some of them were definitely watching. Not one Raven batted an eye or interfered.

"We're partners," Riko said, as if that was explanation enough. When Nathaniel still looked confused, Kevin took pity on him. 

"Raven's operate on a pair based system," Kevin said, "If one of us succeeds, we both succeed. If one of us fails, we are both punished for it."

"But, you're not even Raven's—you're twelve!" Nathaniel protested. 

"What does your jersey say, Nathaniel?" Riko asked. Nathaniel looked down at his borrowed practice uniform. It was black with white lettering outlined in blood red. EDGAR ALLEN was emblazoned above the large number one that was Riko's own number. Beneath the number was the word RAVENS.

"Your turn," Riko announced suddenly and Nathaniel braced himself for a blow that never came. Riko's expression was amused. "For the drill, Gaki. You don't have a partner, yet." Nathaniel didn't know what word Riko had called him, but he had to assume that it probably wasn't complimentary. He wondered how hard it was to learn Japanese as he took a ball from the bucket.

 Kevin set the cones for him and went to stand next to Riko while Nathaniel took his shots. On his first try, Nathaniel only managed to hit one cone, but his shot wasn't hard enough to knock it over.

"You have to be accurate and powerful," The scorn in Kevin's voice startled Nathaniel. 

"Got it," Nathaniel gritted out. Riko and Kevin set up another set of six cones and took turns doing the drill while the other stood offering advice to Nathaniel with his. By the end of practice Nathaniel had managed to knock over three cones out of six multiple times, if not in a row.

"Tomorrow, you will do better," Tetsuji said from behind, startling him. Nathaniel turned to look at him, unsure whether to feel delighted or threatened by that assessment. 

"Yes, Master," he said cautiously.

"Riko," Tetsuji called. He said a few words in Japanese to his nephew, and when the Master walked away without another glance at Nathaniel. Riko followed obediently behind him.  

"That was better than my first try, Gaki," Kevin told him grudgingly as they cleaned up the balls and cones. "He didn't even yell at you."

"Did you expect him to?" Nathaniel asked. He hadn't missed that Kevin had called him the same unfamiliar word that Riko had used earlier

"No," Kevin said. "The master doesn't tolerate anything less than your best. You play like you have nothing left to lose. That determination will serve you well on the court."

"What's 'Gaki?'" Nathaniel couldn't help asking. Kevin's mouth twitched into a small smirk, the closest thing to a smile that Nathaniel had seen on his face all day. 

"You are," Kevin replied unhelpfully. Nathaniel frowned. 

"How did you learn Japanese?" He asked. 

"The Master and Riko wanted me to learn it," Kevin shrugged, "Riko and I actually have special calligraphy lessons on Wednesdays, so they'll probably make you learn too." Nathaniel hummed noncommittally. 

Good. One day soon there would be no more secret conversations he wasn't privy to, or insulting nicknames he didn't understand the meaning of. The rumbling of Kevin's stomach interrupted Nathaniel's thoughts

"You're going to behave at dinner," Kevin said, glaring at him when Nathaniel turned to look. It wasn't a question. "I didn't get a single bite of lunch earlier, and it was your fault." Nathaniel smiled. 

"No promises." 

***

Riko returned while they were in the showers. Kevin didn't ask what Tetsuji wanted, so neither did Nathaniel. The three of them cleaned up with quick efficiency and headed for the dining hall. 

Nathaniel had never been anxious over food before, but once they got in line at the dining hall he was starting to feel more queasy than hungry. Kevin insisted on building Nathaniel's dinner for him and Nathaniel didn't bother protesting. When they got to the silverware, Riko reached over Kevin and swatted Nathaniel's hand away.

"No more knives for you. Kevin will cut your food. He already wastes his time cutting up everything before he starts eating anyway," Riko said. Nathaniel couldn't help the smile that curved up his face at Riko's tone. It was authoritative, but edged with something that could only be fear. 

"If you know what's good for you, you'll wipe that look off your face before I do it for you," Riko said. It sounded more like a promise than a threat. Kevin elbowed Nathaniel before he could respond, and he shut his mouth obediently. He hadn't promised to behave for Kevin, but Nathaniel did feel at least a little bad for costing him his lunch earlier. 

When they got to the table in the back corner, Kevin pushed his own tray out of the way and took Nathaniel's away to cut up something for him. It wasn't until Kevin slid it back in front of him that Nathaniel even registered what Kevin had picked out for him.

There was a chicken breast that Kevin had cut into neat equal-sized pieces for him, a small cup of rice, and what appeared to be a double portion of broccoli and mushrooms. Nathaniel glanced at Kevin and Riko's trays. Both of them had similar dinners with the exception that they both had small bowls of mixed fruit instead of the second portion of vegetables. Rude.

Kevin glared at Nathaniel when he caught him staring instead of eating and jabbed a fork towards him in warning. Nathaniel frowned and picked up his fork. Kevin, it turned out, could be just as demanding as Riko when he wanted to be. 

Riko and Kevin ignored Nathaniel through most of dinner, opting to have a quiet conversation in Japanese while they ate. They must have been talking about him though, because Nathaniel thought he caught them using the weird insulting nickname a couple of times.

Nathaniel had only managed to eat about half of the chicken and most of the rice before either of them said a thing to him.

"Are you ignoring half of your dinner?" Kevin demanded. Nathaniel paused with a piece of chicken halfway to his mouth. He stared from one furious face to the next. 

"I'm not doing anything wrong," he protested.

"Quit acting like a child," Kevin said scathingly. "Eat your vegetables."

"I am a child," Nathaniel said petulantly.

"You're going to be a very miserable and hungry child if you don't learn to do what you're told," Riko said. "I don't like to repeat myself, but you're stupid, so I'll make this one exception. You'll eat whatever we tell you to eat. Nobody cares what you like or don't like. Maybe you need another demonstration to motivate you," Riko made a crude whipping motion with his hand, "or, maybe a few days without food will do the trick. Why don't you think about that before you try my patience." 

Nathaniel stared at Riko for a minute. He meant it. He'd really beat Nathaniel for his insolence, and then starve him for a few days to teach him a lesson if Nathaniel pushed him right now. Nathaniel worked his jaw for a minute and then speared a piece of broccoli onto his fork and put it in his mouth. 

He didn't want to give Riko the satisfaction, but having to eat a double portion of something he didn't like was better than going to bed in pain with the knowledge that he wouldn't be allowed to have anything to eat at all until Riko got bored of starving him. Nathaniel chewed as quickly as possible and failed to repress a shudder when he swallowed.

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Quit being so dramatic, Gaki. It's broccoli, not poison."

"Same difference," Nathaniel muttered, shoveling some of the mushrooms into his mouth with a grimace. 

***

After dinner the three of them returned to Riko and Kevin's bedroom. Riko and Kevin got out their school things to work on some homework. Nathaniel wasn't assigned any, so Kevin lent him a Japanese practice book to look through while they worked. 

Nathaniel lay on Kevin's bed and tried his hand at drawing the characters from the practice chart in his notebook. He didn't think they were half bad until Riko was peeking over his shoulder.

"You're doing it wrong," Riko said from above him. "The strokes go in a specific order. You can't just draw them however you like, Gaki." Nathaniel looked from his notebook to the practice book, and then up at Riko. 

"But, why?" he asked, curious.

"That's just the way it is," Riko said. He flipped a few pages in the workbook to show Nathaniel the page that detailed stroke order. He let Nathaniel study it for a moment before speaking again. 

"Enough. Sit up and look at me," Riko demanded.

Nathaniel repressed a sigh and did as he was bid. Riko beckoned him to the side of the bed and uncapped a magic marker that Nathaniel hadn't realized he was holding.

"Do you know what these numbers mean, Gaki?" Riko asked, gesturing at his face.

"Your jersey numbers?" Nathaniel guessed. It was true that Riko's jersey had a number one on it, and Kevin's the number two, but Nathaniel had no idea why they'd draw the numbers on their faces.  

"We told you last week we were going to be famous, yes?" Riko reminded him. Nathaniel nodded confirmation and Riko continued, "We're going to be the best Exy champions in the world."

"You and Kevin?" Nathaniel asked. Riko held up the marker. 

"You too. Don't disappoint me, now."

Kevin

A few weeks went by and Kevin wasn't any less scared of Nathaniel. He was defiant and bold and everything Kevin was not. He barely avoided inciting Riko's wrath over and over again. It was exhausting.

If it weren't for his energy and skill on the court, Kevin would hate him. On the court Nathaniel was fierce and worked harder than anyone else, except maybe Riko. Even the Master rarely had a bad word to say about his performance. 

If he was honest, Kevin was a little jealous. Kevin had to constantly hold himself back—he always had to be one step behind Riko. The skills Nathaniel was training as a backliner were different enough that he didn't have to worry about showing up Riko. 

***

Tetsuji left Evermore halfway through morning practice. Riko had been simmering in fury ever since. His aggression on the court was quickly edging over the line of excusable limits. After Riko checked Nathaniel into the wall hard enough to be a red card offense for the third time in the past twenty minutes, Nathaniel had had enough. 

Kevin watched in horror as Nathaniel tossed his racket to the ground and jumped on Riko. The two of them fell to the ground, hard. Kevin stepped back out of the way as the two struggled, rolling across the court floor and landing blows on each other. Riko finally pinned Nathaniel's much smaller body underneath him.

"What's your problem?" Riko snarled in Nathaniel's face.

"What's your problem?" Nathaniel returned just as viciously.

"My problem? The only problem here is you interrupting our scrimmage." Riko lifted Nathaniel up by the collar high enough to bang him helmet first on the court floor beneath them. 

Nathaniel wasn't cowed, the fool. 

"Me? If this was a real game, they'd've thrown you off the court twenty minutes ago!" Nathaniel said. 

"Okay, Gaki, enough." Kevin interrupted, surprising himself almost as much as Riko and Nathaniel. If he didn't step in this was going to go too far. "You don't know anything," he added scathingly. Kevin held out a hand to Riko. Riko scowled, but let Kevin haul him up to his feet. 

"Water break?" Kevin suggested. Riko narrowed his eyes at Kevin, but turned and walked towards the court door towards the water. 

"What don't I know?" Nathaniel stood up so that they were chest to chest, or as close as they could be with Kevin's three inches of height on Nathaniel. "Why are you on his side?" Kevin shoved Nathaniel back out of his space. Nathaniel didn't even stumble.

"Do you know why the Master left today?" Kevin asked.

"He had a meeting or something."

"He was summoned by the Lord, Riko's father," Kevin said. "The Lord won't see Riko. He has another son you see, Riko's older brother, Ichirou. Ichirou is being trained to take over the Lord's empire. And Riko isn't allowed to meet Ichirou either. The Master says to earn their favor, Riko has to be the best. It's the only way." Kevin couldn't read the expression on Nathaniel's face.

"Stop pushing him," Kevin ordered. Nathaniel's smile was slow and wide. Kevin's stomach dropped.

"Or what?" Nathaniel asked. "You'll stop me? You? You're nothing but a coward, Kevin. Come at me when you've grown a spine."

 Kevin hit him. 

Nathaniel stumbled back and Kevin shoved him to the ground. They were rolling on the court floor together before Kevin even realized what was going on. Kevin landed a few good hits before a kick to the side took his breath away. And then Riko was standing over them.

"That's it. I've had enough of your attitude today." 

Riko hauled Nathaniel up by his jersey and half-dragged him off the court. Riko didn't call after him, but Kevin hastened to follow. The Raven's barely noticed them leaving. 

***

Riko tossed Nathaniel bodily so that his shins banged into the bench in front of their lockers. Nathaniel lost his balance and fell over the bench and into the floor. Kevin hesitated. Riko opened his locker and dug something out of his discarded jeans pocket. By the time Nathaniel made it to his feet, Riko had an opened switchblade held in his right hand. Kevin stopped breathing. 

Nathaniel's eyes reflected Kevin's own fear for a moment, and then it was gone. 

"You're holding it wrong," Nathaniel said. Kevin blinked, and then the knife was in Nathaniel's hand. Riko looked surprised for only a moment.

"How dare—" His voice cut off as Nathaniel smiled at him. The fear in Riko's expression almost covered up the cold fury Kevin saw there. 

"If you're holding a knife loosely in your fingers like that, someone can take it from you," Nathaniel said, unnecessarily. He spun the knife in his hand, making it look effortless. "This is the correct way." Nathaniel demonstrated what Kevin could only assume was the supposed "correct" way. Kevin didn't know anything about knives. 

"You wouldn't dare," Riko said angrily, but Kevin caught the tremor in his voice. Nathaniel's smile thinned, though he hardly looked any less threatening.

Surprisingly, he flipped the blade closed; and, after a moment's hesitation, held it out to Riko. 

"I told you I wasn't afraid of you," Nathaniel said. "I didn't change my mind just because you hurt me." Riko paused, looking from Nathaniel to the knife and back again. He snatched it back so quickly Kevin was sure he thought Nathaniel might be bluffing.

"I let you do it anyway," Nathaniel said nonchalantly. 

"You what?" Riko's confusion broke through his terror and his fury.

"You said I stepped out of line, and I agreed with you," Nathaniel shrugged. "I never would have been so bold with my father. So, when you called me out on my bullshit, I relented."

"You say you are not afraid, but you cried and struggled and begged me to stop," Riko said slowly. "And you submitted so easily when you were threatened with more of the same. How is that not fear?"

"Well, yeah," Nathaniel chuffed. "It still hurt. A lot. I bet you'd struggle and cry too if someone beat you for a solid twenty minutes. Kevin wouldn't last ten."

"Hey," Kevin protested, but they both ignored him. Kevin didn't understand how Nathaniel could stand up to Riko. Apparently neither did Riko because he opened up his mouth to say something which Nathaniel cut off with his next words.

"I had to weigh each act of defiance against the consequences," he said dramatically, as if submitting to Riko's will was merely an inconvenience to him. "So, for example, if my two choices are eat some broccoli or get beaten and starved, then there is really only one correct answer. Being defiant wasn't really worth it. You're missing the point anyway." Riko looked like he struggled between wanting to know what the point was, and wanting to say forget it and kick Nathaniel's ass. 

"Which is?" Riko asked eventually.

"Your father doesn't care about you." Both Riko and Kevin froze at that, neither expecting it to come from Nathaniel's mouth. Riko recovered first. He lunged at Nathaniel, who sidestepped easily out of his way and put the locker room bench between them. 

"You're playing a dangerous game, Nathaniel," Riko warned. "I don't think you weighed the consequences very well at all."

Kevin, privately, agreed. 

"You're lucky, though," Nathaniel said. It didn't sound like he was acknowledging the obvious threat and warning in Riko's words. A mistake, in Kevin's opinion.

"Your father ignores you entirely, right?" Nathaniel continues. He doesn't pause for a response to his question. "I wish mine did. Instead I get to be 'his biggest disappointment' and play punching bag on weekends. 

"Forget about your father. Forget about your brother. Forget about the Master. Be the best because it's what you want. Stop trying to impress people that don't give a shit about you. I know they say blood is thicker than water, but I always thought they were full of shit. 

"Choose us. Kevin and I will support you on your way to the top. Right, Kevin?"

Nathaniel looked to him. Riko looked to him. Kevin was frozen for a second. Then he turned his gaze to Riko, determination at Nathaniel's words made him feel powerful. He felt like he could seize this moment. Kevin held out a hand to Riko.

"They've always called us brothers," he said slowly, carefully. "I know you've scoffed at that in the past, but you and I have been closer than friends from the beginning. We're already family. And I will support you on your way to the top, no matter what." 

Riko stared at Kevin as if he'd never seen him before. Kevin stared back. I see you. Riko's scowl smoothed out into a thin line. He turned, took a step forward, and sucker punched Nathaniel hard enough to knock him down. 

Kevin jumped in surprise. For a terrifying moment, he thought Riko was going to tell them that they were both out of line and punish them horribly. Then, Riko held a hand out to Nathaniel. Nathaniel barely paused before taking the hand and letting Riko haul him to his feet.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Riko said. Nathaniel didn't respond to that, which Kevin thought was wise of him. Riko locked eyes with Kevin then. 

"We'll make it to the top," Riko said, determined. "All three of us."

Chapter Text

Nathaniel 

"Hey Kevin, I'll bet you half an orange that I can totally hold this spoon without using my hands or my mouth," Nathaniel declared, brandishing his spoon at Kevin. Kevin scoffed and moved his orange to the other side of his tray. 

"I literally don't care."

"Show me," Riko said indulgently.

Nathaniel placed the spoon on the ball of his nose and then held his arms out with a flourish. He balanced it for a few seconds. "Ta-dah!" he said, causing the spoon to fall noisily onto his tray. 

"You are such a kid," Kevin grumped.

"Am not. I turn thirteen in two weeks!" Nathaniel announced. "I'll be a teenager, like you." Riko reached over and plucked Kevin's orange from his tray and deposited it onto Nathaniel's. 

"Never change, Gaki," Riko said. Kevin scowled at them. 

"You two are insufferable." Riko smiled serenely at him. Nathaniel stuck his tongue out at Kevin and set to work peeling the orange. 

"Incoming," Kevin muttered. Tetsuji's assistant was striding purposefully towards their table in the dining hall. 

"Come." he said simply once he was close enough to be heard over the other Raven's having breakfast.Riko and Kevin stood obediently to follow him. The Master often called Riko to see him, and Kevin always accompanied him. Nathaniel was often left out, so when the assistant glared at him and said, "You too," Nathaniel was surprised. He quickly shoved most of the orange into his mouth as he stood to follow.

"I hope you choke on it," Kevin said.

"Behave," Riko warned. The two of them fell silent as they followed Riko and Tetsuji's assistant back to the Master's office. 

"You wanted to see us, Master," Riko said as the three of them entered the room.Tetsuji was standing in front of his desk, arms crossed. Unsettling.

 To his left was a boy, taller and broader than even Kevin, who was easily the tallest and broadest of the three Raven boys. He was wearing a fierce scowl, and staunching his profusely bleeding nose with his shirtsleeve. 

"Riko, this is Jean Moreau. His attitude is your problem to correct," The Master announced without any preamble.

"Yes, Master," Riko said uncertainly.

"Nathaniel," Tetsuji continued as if Riko hadn't even spoken,  "He is to be your partner. You will make sure he does not fail on my court." Nathaniel affected surprise. He'd lived in Evermore for two and a half years without a partner. Nathaniel surveyed the bleeding boy with begrudging interest.

"Yes, Master," Nathaniel said. What else could he say?

"You're dismissed," Tetsuji waved his hand at them as if shooing away a fly. Riko and Kevin turned to leave immediately. Nathaniel made to follow them before realizing that Jean wasn't moving.

"Come on," he called. Nathaniel had no idea why the boy would want to stand bleeding in Tetsuji's office. Plus he had a sneaking suspicion that Tetsuji was the one to bloody his nose. Jean glared at him and didn't move. With the Master standing there, Nathaniel didn't want to make any wrong moves.

"Riko," Nathaniel called. Riko turned and noticed Nathaniel's dilemma. He scowled and stalked back into the room until he and Jean were chest to chest. Jean, nearly a foot taller than Riko, looked unimpressed. 

"Move it or I will make you regret it," Riko warned. Nathaniel tried to watch the Master out of the corner of his eye without being obvious about it. Chances are he wouldn't be pleased if Riko failed to bring Jean to order. Kevin stood hopelessly out in the hall so Nathaniel looked around for anything to help them.

Near Jean's feet was a suitcase. It must belong to Jean. Nathaniel took a step forward and reached for it. Maybe if he just took it and started walking out Jean would follow, and then there would be no reason for Riko to show the master he could make Jean obey.

Jean took a swing at Nathaniel. 

Nathaniel, not one to be caught unawares, easily sidestepped out of his way. He never let himself be caught close enough to someone that he couldn't avoid an attack. Jean was thrown off balance by his missed punch, so he was sent sprawling when Riko slammed a fist into his stomach in retaliation. Jean knelt on the ground with his hands pressed to his stomach and groaned. 

Nathaniel saw the Master move out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't stop his cringe when the Master retrieved a familiar ornate walking cane and stalked towards them. 

Riko stiffened visibly but didn't protest or flinch as the Master came up to him. It was always worse for them if they didn't submit. Instead of hitting Riko, though, the Master scoffed and tossed the cane at his feet.

"Don't be late to practice," he said. 

Tetsuji walked out of the office without so much as a backwards glance at them. Kevin, who was still in the hall, bowed to him awkwardly as he passed, and then hurried back into the room.

Jean looked up warily when Riko bent to pick up the cane at his feet. Riko gripped it loosely, as if touching it reminded him of the feel of it at his back. 

"Are you going to behave, or do I actually need to use this?" Riko asked, holding the cane aloft. Jean considered the three of them from his position on the floor. Instead of answering, he spat at Riko's feet.

Riko grimaced and readjusted his grip on the Masters cane. "Okay," he said. "I guess we're doing this the hard way."

***

Jean's first week in the nest was rough. 

Of course, that meant that Nathaniel's week was equally terrible, because they were partners. Jean got banned from the dining hall on his second night after an incident where a full bowl of vegetable soup ended up in Kevin's lap. Nathaniel only got to eat whatever Riko and Kevin smuggled him, since he was relegated to the dorm with his partner during meal times. 

Jean was beaten by their tutor for writing all of his assignments in French and refusing to do any of his Japanese coursework at all. Nathaniel was at least exempt from most of those punishments as their tutor cared more about their individual merits as students than their Raven pairing system.

But Nathaniel fared the worst on the court. Exy was his favorite thing in the whole world—his reason for living—and Nathaniel dreaded going to practice every day. It was quickly apparent that Jean had some talent as a backliner, but he was overly aggressive and didn't follow directions. It culminated the next week on Tuesday during afternoon practice when Jean flat out refused to participate in scrimmage. Tetsuji was before them in an instant. 

"Riko, Nathaniel," he barked. "I thought I told you to take care of this," he said in scathing Japanese. Neither Riko nor Nathaniel responded. What could they say? Do or do not. There was no trying with the Master. 

"If you cannot discipline him, then I will show you how it is done. Watch closely." Jean couldn't understand a word the master was saying, so he was blindsided when the cane caught him in the cheek. Jean brought one hand up to his face and held the other out as if warding off another blow. The master caught him in the gut then, and Jean crumpled to the ground, balling up to protect himself. 

Nathaniel, Riko, and Kevin all cringed as he landed blow after blow at Jean's back. Jean was sobbing for mercy long before the Master was satisfied. Nathaniel knew what was going to happen to him, even before Tetsuji turned back to face them.

"Nathaniel," he said in a demand. Nathaniel's breath hitched, but he barely paused before walking obediently towards the Master. Once he was close enough, Nathaniel did an about-face and stood ready, only trembling slightly in anticipation. 

***

The rest of practice was a bit of a blur. Nathaniel was in no real shape to scrimmage against Riko and Kevin after the Master was through with him, and Jean could barely even stand. It was a relief when Tetsuji left in disgust, leaving the Raven's captain to handle the rest of practice. 

Then practice was over and, as punishment for their lackluster performance, Jean and Nathaniel were ordered to shut down the court for the night. As the team filed out ahead of them, Nathaniel called Riko aside.

"Okay, Gaki?" Riko asked, though they both knew that Nathaniel wasn't. Nathaniel chewed his lip thoughtfully. 

"I need your help with something."

***

Jean was angry.

His whole life was turned upside down in a matter of days. He knew something was up with his father. Jean wasn't an idiot. He was old enough to realize that some business ventures hadn't gone well. 

Since the Moreau's worked under the Moriyama's, Jean wasn't eligible to inherit his father's business. Jean's father technically wasn't allowed to involve him in the family's dealings at all. But Jean had still grown up with a firm understanding of what his father did to support the family, even if he'd never dirtied his own hands. 

So when Jean's father came to him and told him he needed his help, Jean was understandably suspicious. But Jean loved his family, and his father  promised him that it was a life or death situation. Jean didn't understand until later what the deal really was. Jean had been sold to repay a debt.

Jean

Jean helped Nathaniel collect exy balls and sweep and polish the court floors after practice. It took longer than it should have because of how tired and sore they both were. Nathaniel didn't say a word to him for once, for which Jean was grateful. 

Afterwards they stood in the showers for a long time, letting the hot water soothe their bruises and aching muscles. Truth be told, Jean was a little sorry that Nathaniel got punished whenever he did anything wrong. But Nathaniel never cried or complained so Jean thought he was probably used to it. 

They dried and dressed in blessed silence and Jean followed Nathaniel back to their shared bedroom without a fuss. He was looking forward to falling into bed tonight. Sleep was the only reprieve he got from this horrible nightmare. 

When they walked into their room though, Riko and Kevin were waiting for them. Before he could react, the two boys grabbed Jean with arms hooked under his own, and hauled him into the bathroom. 

Jean was pushed unceremoniously into a chair and had his arms secured behind the chair's back with what felt like some kind of rope. It was probably the cord they used to string their exy rackets, which meant it would be too tough for Jean to rip through. Jean tried anyway. It dug painfully into his wrists as he struggled.

"Thanks guys," Nathaniel said. "I owe you one." Jean glared up at them. Nathaniel was smiling—the creepy one that made everyone uncomfortable. Riko's mask was in place. Jean had a hard time interpreting his mood when he blanked out like that. Kevin had a cool look on his face, but his eyes betrayed a hint of his discomfort. Jean knew by now that Kevin only feared pain and violence. He stiffened involuntarily. 

"Desperation isn't a good look for you," Nathaniel said. His voice was surprisingly cold and cruel. Jean's eyes snapped up to meet his. There is no fear or uncertainty on his partner's face. "It's a shame it's come to this, but I need to show you something," Nathaniel said softly. "Are you paying attention? Good."

Nathaniel removed his shirt. He traced a few of the scars on his chest. Jean had seen them before, of course. They were kind of hard to miss when the two of them had been using the communal showers twice a day after practices. 

"I know you've seen these," Nathaniel said. "Ever wonder what they're from?" He traced a particularly nasty one that circled his collar bone. "My father is very strict, you see. Children should be seen and not heard, yes? And heaven forbid I actually touch him.

"I made a mistake. 

"I was playing out in the living room one day. I wasn't, strictly speaking, allowed to take toys out of my bedroom, but I didn't understand the consequences. 

"He hit me, and I fell down. He picked me up and hit me again. And I fell down. The third time he hit me, I reached out and grabbed him for balance so that I would not fall.

"But that wasn't allowed. 

"I wasn't allowed to touch him—an unspoken rule that he was about to make sure I never forgot. He dragged me to the kitchen and slashed me open, just here. My mother had to stitch me back together afterwards. I never made that mistake again. 

"I was five."

Jean saw his own horror reflected in Riko and Kevin's faces. He guessed they hadn't heard this story before. However, Nathaniel's smile hadn't even wavered.

"When I was six my father decided it was time I learned how to use knives. He was far too busy to teach me himself, so he got his assistant to do it. She wasn't the most patient of teachers and she punished me when I made mistakes." He traced the myriad of crosshatch scars that marked him from shoulder to navel on his left side. "These are from her."

Finally, he placed his hand over the odd burn mark on his shoulder.

"When I was seven the police came to question my father. It wasn't the first time or the last while I lived with him. My job was to stay quiet and still when they came. I must have been a little too fidgety because no sooner had they shut the door behind them, he grabbed the iron from my mother's hands and hit me with it. I still remember the way the skin looked when it peeled off the metal."

The blood had drained from Jean's face. Behind Nathaniel, Riko had set his mouth in a hard line, and Kevin looked a second away from puking. 

"An iron seems a little extreme for our needs, but…"

An odd sound made Jean look back at Nathaniel. He had produced a switchblade from god knows where. He looked at the blade appreciatively as he turned it in his hands so that the dim bathroom lighting glinted off of it.

"Nathaniel!" Kevin protested.

Jean shouldn't look away from the obvious threat in the room but something about the pitch of Kevin's voice drew his eye back to the other boys. Kevin was looking at Riko. Of Course. Riko was the one with the real power, after all. Riko's eyes betrayed his uncertainty, and for a hopeful moment Jean thought he'd call an end to this. 

"Quiet Kevin," Riko hushed him. 

"But—"

"I said quiet," Riko snapped.

Kevin shut his mouth obediently, but he didn't look happy about it. Jean's stomach dropped. Riko may not be entirely on board with whatever Nathaniel was planning on doing to him, but it looked like he wasn't going to put a stop to it.

"Eyes on me," Nathaniel pressed the knife to Jean's shirt. He hadn't realized his partner had gotten that close to him. 

"No more distractions," Nathaniel said each word slowly, dangerously. His smile was as wide as it was cold.

Jean's breath hitched. He was frozen. Still. Nathaniel tugged his collar forwards and sliced the knife down his shirt nice and easy. Effortless. Jean knew his skin would open with less resistance than the thick cotton.

"What do you think I should do with you?" Nathaniel asked. He trailed the knife across Jean's skin from the base of his throat down to his navel. It was almost painful, but the blade hadn't broken his skin. "I don't think we've asked too much from you," Nathaniel continued. 

"Eat your meals, do your school work, participate during practice? None of those things are particularly demanding. Why do you insist on making things difficult for yourself? You know, as my partner, my triumphs are your triumphs. And your failures are my failures, yes? How is that fair for me, Jean, when you won't even try?

"I have bruises on my bruises. It's been a long time since I've been beaten so badly. I'm tired, Jean. I've tried being nice. I've tried being patient. But you haven't tried to behave at all.  

"So now I have no choice but to make you behave. Do you know what I could do to you with this knife?"

Jean paled as Nathaniel started to rattle off a list of things he knew how to do with a knife. While he spoke, he trailed the knife up and down Jean's chest. It stung, but Nathaniel wasn't pressing hard enough to draw blood. Jean knew that could change at any second.

"You're very quiet all of a sudden, Jean," he said. "Tell me what you want."

"F-fuck you," Jean grit out, but he didn't recognize his own voice.  Nathaniel tipped his head to one side thoughtfully, as if he were considering a request. The blade dropped down, past Jean's navel as Nathaniel's smile widened again. Jean's breathing shallowed when he felt it press against a very sensitive part of his body.

"Not what I had in mind," Nathaniel said, "But If you insist." Jean closed his eyes and let out an involuntary whimper. There was no pain, and yet, something warm and wet soaked Jeans pants and spilled down his legs. Oh god. It was a lot of blood. 

"That's enough," Riko said coolly. "I said I'd help you punish him, not castrate him." Jean felt the pressure of the knife leave his body. 

Why didn't it hurt? 

Jean forced his eyes open. 

He had to see. 

His pants were wet through, as he suspected. But… there was no blood. What did Nathaniel do to him? Jean forced himself to look up.

Riko held Nathaniel's wrist aloft in the air, away from Jean. Riko took the knife from Nathaniel's unresisting fingers. There was no blood on it. Nathaniel gave Riko a playful grin, a stark contrast from the cold smile he wore while threatening Jean. 

"I didn't do anything wrong," Nathaniel whined. "He was literally asking for it, after all." 

Kevin said something scathing in Japanese, and then the three of them bantered back and forth for a while. Jean didn't understand a word, but he had no problem interpreting their expressions. Despite Kevin's stiffness and obvious disapproval, and Riko's anger and exasperation, Nathaniel was loose and carefree. 

Suddenly, the conversation ended and they all turned to face Jean. He trembled.

"Listen very closely to me," Riko said, stepping forward to get in Jean's face. "I may have stopped Nathaniel today, but he is right to be pissed at you. Your defiance has caused him a lot of pain, and made him appear weak in front of the Master. Weakness is not tolerated on the Court. If you continue to make things difficult for us I won't stop him the next time he comes at you with a knife.

"You will do whatever he requires of you, when he requires it," Riko added, jabbing a finger in Jean's chest to accentuate his words. "Do you understand?"

When Jean hesitated to reply, Riko slammed the hilt of the knife into Jean's stomach hard enough to take his breath away.

"I said, do you understand me?" Riko asked slowly, as if Jean was being purposely obtuse.

"I understand," Jean gasped. Riko raised the knife, and for a terrifying second, Jean thought he was going to use it on him. But Riko simply cut the rope that bound Jean to the chair. He gave Jean a pointed look as he sheathed the blade and dropped it into Nathaniel's outstretched palm. Nathaniel gave Jean a baleful look before the knife disappeared somewhere inside his clothes.

The three of them filed out of the bathroom in silence, leaving Jean alone in the bathroom. Jean waited to make sure they were really gone before removing his pants to check that he was really okay. It wasn't blood that had soaked through the fabric, but urine. Jean had lost control of his bladder without realizing. 

With a shaky hand, Jean reached for the shower dial and turned it on. He let the spray wash over him until he was clean again. He let the spray wash over him until the water ran cold. He let the spray wash over him until his pulse slowed and his tears ran dry.

***

Despite his fatigue, Jean slept badly. Twice he woke in a cold sweat, blinking images of cold smiles and sharp knives from his vision. He lay there panting in the dark as quietly as possible, trying not to wake his slumbering partner.

Nathaniel had been in bed peaceably asleep by the time Jean had emerged from the bathroom. For a horrible moment Jean had considered smothering him in his sleep. It would have been easy. He was so small. 

Jean was more ashamed of his own fear than of his murderous intent. In the end he had climbed into bed and forced himself to shut his eyes. 

"Jean." Jean stirred, but didn't open his eyes.

"Hey Jean, wake up." Jean finally registered the voice and jerked awake. Nathaniel was standing above him, hands behind his back, leaning down to whisper in Jean's ear with an easy grin plastered on his face. It was soft and warm, unlike the cold cruel smile from Jean's nightmares. 

Jean sat up and threw himself backwards so violently that his back slammed into the wall. A mistake, considering how bruised Jean's back was. He groaned and shuddered as the pain spasmed through him.

"Careful, Jean," Nathaniel said. "Hey, Riko says we can come back to the dining hall today. Don't you want breakfast? You haven't had anything but protein shakes for days, right?"

"I would kill for a bowl of oatmeal and some hot tea. Or an omelette. Jean, don't you want an omelette?" Nathaniel was practically salivating. Jean raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

 "Why are you being nice to me?" he asked. Nathaniel affected surprise. 

"You're my partner, Jean." Jean stared at him, and waited for the punchline. It never came. Slowly, Jean threw his blankets off and slid out of the bed. He made his choice last night. He was going to have to play nice. 

Jean dressed awkwardly, biting his lip to keep from groaning from the pain of moving his bruised and battered body. Maybe this was for the best. Defiance felt good, but there was only so long he could deal with the beatings. Even his own father never beat him like this.

"Make your bed," Nathaniel said. Jean hesitated. Was this a test? If he said no would his partner pull out the knife? Jean was pretty sure Nathaniel was some kind of psychopath. No one who could go from cold and cruel to playful and friendly that fast could be sane. 

Jean obediently smoothed out his sheets, turned down the comforter, and even fluffed his pillow. As he did so, he tracked Nathaniel out of the corner of his eye. He thought he spotted the hint of a smirk for a moment but he couldn't be sure.

"Okay, let's go!" Nathaniel bounced on the balls of his feet and reached for Jean's hand. Jean flinched and jerked it away. Nathaniel stiffened, smile wavering, and Jean thought he made a mistake. But his partner dropped his hands to his sides and shuffled back out of Jean's space. 

"Let's go," Jean echoed uncertainly. Nathaniel chattered animatedly all the way to the dining hall. Jean couldn't keep up with the conversation so he mostly tuned it out. By the time they got to the dining hall he had almost convinced himself that he'd dreamed the nightmare from the bathroom.

Kevin stood up when they walked in and met them in the line. He looked Jean up and down with a scowl before turning to Nathaniel. Huh

"Kevin," Nathaniel said. "Don't you trust me to pick my own breakfast?"

"Absolutely not." Kevin took the tray from Nathaniel's hands and walked through the line with them, barely pausing before making his selections. Jean tried to be surreptitious as he filled his own tray. He had noticed Kevin fussing over Nathaniel's meals the few times he'd been allowed in the dining hall before, but he hadn't realized it was a regular thing. 

When they sat down, Kevin cut up Nathaniel's omelette for him before turning over the tray. Jean found the gesture bizarre. He knew, of course, that Nathaniel was younger than the rest of them, but surely he was old enough to manage his own food? 

Jean felt eyes on him as he forked a piece of his own omelette into his mouth. Riko, chin resting in his hand, surveyed Jean with a look that could freeze hell. Oh. Maybe it wasn't a dream after all. Jean looked away quickly and concentrated on eating his breakfast. 

It was the first real food he'd had in days and it was hard to pace himself, especially when he was afraid Riko might change his mind and take it away at any moment. In the end, Riko was content to glare at him silently while Jean finished everything on his tray.

The rest of the day went much the same way. Nathaniel treated Jean like an old friend while Riko and Kevin regarded him with barely restrained animosity. Jean really did do his best to behave. He gave Tetsuji no reason to find fault with his performance during Exy practice, and he kept his hands (and food) to himself during meals. 

Jean was nervous when they went for tutoring. He'd been stubbornly writing all of his assignments in French all week and was loath to admit that it had less to do with his defiance and more to do with the fact that his grasp on English wasn't actually that great. To make matters worse, it was Wednesday. 

Wednesdays were spent on Japanese study. Last week, Jean had refused to participate and been soundly beaten for it. He did not want a repeat of last week. 

Jean did his best, but after three hours of attempting to translate words and phrases from one language he could barely even speak to another he didn't know at all, Jean's nerves were fraying at the seams. 

"Your English is almost as deplorable as your Japanese," The tutor scoffed, looking over Jean's assignments towards the end of class.

"I am French. I have not had to write English before," Jean snapped before thinking better of it. The tutor cracked him across the wrist with the stupid wooden ruler again. Jean flinched and rubbed at the red welt on his arm. He had been struck no less than five times despite his best efforts today.

"I can rectify that," the tutor sneered at him. In the end, Jean was given extra homework to "improve his English."

"I'll help you with English if you teach me French," Nathaniel offered as they left the tower.

"You want to learn French?" Jean asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah," Nathaniel said. "You speak French, and you're my partner." 

"You're getting ahead of yourself, Gaki." Kevin turned to look over his shoulder at them. "You're deplorable at English. I'm willing to bet you would actively be failing if I didn't proofread your essays for you." Nathaniel opened his mouth to defend himself but Riko turned to look at them too. 

"I have to agree with Kevin on this one," Riko said. Nathaniel puffed out his cheeks and blew a raspberry at them childishly. Was this really the same kid who was threatening him at knifepoint last night?

"I don't mind helping you with English," Kevin said, surprising him. Kevin's scowl and body language indicated that he did in fact mind, but Jean would take what he could get. 

"Thanks, I think." Jean said stiffly.

***

Afternoon practice went smoothly. Jean finally worked together with Nathaniel to shut Riko and Kevin out of goal during their scrimmage. Jean hip checked Kevin, stealing the ball from him easily when it popped free of Kevin's racket, and hurled it down the court for the third time in ten minutes.

"Are you even trying?" Jean huffed. Kevin spat something vicious at him in Japanese and went to retrieve the ball.

"Are you having fun now?" Nathaniel called from somewhere to his right. Jean turned to look at him. His partner was slightly winded and flush faced, but his cheeky grin was all exhilaration. No matter how hard they pushed, Nathaniel always seemed to have tireless energy when it came to Exy. 

"Fun is for children," Jean said churlishly. He didn't say "like you" but Nathaniel seemed to hear it anyway.

"I will officially be a teenager on Saturday," His partner announced with a disdainful sniff. Jean raised an eyebrow at him. This kid. Honestly. 

The goal lit up red suddenly, startling them both.

"Concentrate." Riko scolded. 

***

"Why does Kevin manage your food?" Jean asked while they got ready for bed Friday evening. After Kevin butted in during breakfast on Wednesday, Jean had paid better attention during meal times. Kevin not only picked out every dish on Nathaniel's tray's, but also painstakingly cut all of his food into bite size pieces for him.

"Because if I picked it out myself I'd eat nothing but fruit, rice, and pasta." 

"Seriously?" Jean grimaced. "That is honestly disgusting." Nathaniel shrugged unapologetically, and started changing into pajamas.

"Okay, but then why does he also cut up everything for you?" Jean asked, "You do not need the help."

"Oh, that's because I'm not allowed to use knives." Jean stared at him. Nathaniel took a solid minute to interpret Jean's expression. He smiled, something between the warm friendly smile he'd worn the last few days and the cold cruel one he wore the night Jean was tied to a chair in their bathroom. 

"You're wondering about this?" Nathaniel asked. Jean's breath hitched as Nathaniel produced the switchblade from under his pajamas. When did he—Nathaniel flicked the blade out and twirled the knife seemingly absentmindedly in his hands. Jean watched it carefully as he changed into his own sleeping clothes.

"Admittedly," Nathaniel said. "Riko was pretty peeved that I took this from him. He didn't even realize it was missing from his room. Strictly speaking, I've technically been forbidden from touching any knives. 

"I really thought he was gonna let me have it that night when he made me come back to his room. He just gave me an Indian burn and told me not to touch his things, though. Oh, and he let me keep it!"

Nathaniel raised the knife in a cheers before snapping the blade closed and stowing it back out of sight. Jean was not comforted.

"What is a… Indian burn?" Jean asked nervously.

He couldn't help it, curiosity overriding his fear. Nathaniel had said it as if it weren't a big deal, and maybe it wasn't for a boy whose father hit him with a hot iron, but it sounded more unpleasant than a beating to Jean. 

Nathaniel beckoned Jean over to him and held his arm out, palm up. Confused, Jean mimicked the gesture. Nathaniel took Jean's arm in both hands and—Jean let out a startled gasp and wrenched his arm away. Whatever Nathaniel did to him stung like fire. 

Jean took several steps back and examined his arm. It wasn't even pinkened. He looked up and glared at Nathaniel. His partner was grinning cheekily up at him.

"Indian burn," Nathaniel offered.

"That was mean," Jean said. Nathaniel shrugged.

"You said…you said you thought Riko would 'let you have it' but all he did was," Jean gestured at Nathaniel's arms. 

"Yeah, I was surprised too," Nathaniel mused. He walked to the bathroom to brush his teeth, and Jean followed behind him.

"I haven't seen Riko behave aggressively towards you at all," Jean said in confusion, "Even when you are actively provoking him." Nathaniel affected surprise. He seemed to consider his words carefully. Eventually, his partner spat toothpaste into the sink and turned to face Jean.

"My first day in Evermore, I was being...difficult. A bit like you, really." Nathaniel offered him an apologetic smile. "Riko grabbed me by the collar, and I pressed a steak knife up against his ribs." 

"You…threatened Riko. With a steak knife?" 

"Yup."

"How…how did he react to that?"

"He told me in no uncertain terms that if I didn't watch myself he would call my father to come deal with me." Nathaniel rinsed the excess toothpaste out of his mouth. "And then he dragged me back to his room, and made Kevin hold me down while he beat me with his belt as punishment."

"He beat you?" 

"For the entire twenty minutes left of our lunch break," Nathaniel said. "Why are you surprised? You've only been here like a week, and he's already beaten you twice."

"Yeah. But I am me. And you are you," Jean said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nathaniel looked genuinely confused. Jean gestured feebly as he struggled to put his thoughts into words. Nathaniel waited patiently.

"I have done nothing but behave badly and get you into trouble," Jean frowned. "And you're like, like his cute little brother or something." Nathaniel's smile was small and didn't meet his eyes. 

"Listen, Jean. You probably noticed, but I have a bit of an attitude problem. Riko's affection for me doesn't exempt me from being punished when I fuck up."

"What about Kevin?"

"What about Kevin?"

"Does Kevin get punished?" Jean asked. Nathaniel chewed his lip as he considered. 

"Kevin doesn't really… misbehave?" he said, "I mean, I've seen Riko hit him a few times, but nothing like what Riko's done to me. Or to you." Jean frowned and Nathaniel shrugged.

"But, I mean, like I said, Kevin doesn't really do anything to make Riko or the Master angry with him. I don't think I've ever seen him defy the Master, actually. As far as Riko...once or twice maybe? But it was about Exy. Kevin can be really one-track minded when it's about Exy." Jean snorted. 

"All three of you are stupid about Exy. Your whole team is stupid about Exy. I used to think it was fun but you all take it too far. My old teammates never struck each other with rackets or started fistfights with each other." 

"I thought you said fun was for kids?" 

Jean scowled. 

Nathaniel smiled.

"The team are champions. Champions can only be the best," Nathaniel said. Jean watched his haughty expression turn thoughtful. Nathaniel bounced a little as an idea stuck him.

"Wait here," He said and then practically ran from the bathroom. Jean huffed out an exasperated breath but he didn't have long to wait. Less than a minute had passed before Nathaniel returned. As he walked, he uncapped a black magic marker.

"Riko, Kevin, and I—we're going all the way to the top," Nathaniel said. "Come with us?" Jean stared from the marker to the carefully drawn number three on Nathaniel's face. He'd seen the numbers of course but he didn't bother asking about them. They matched up with the jersey numbers the three wore during practice. 

Jean had thought it odd and idiotic when he saw it on the first day (and subsequent days), but something about the pure innocent warmth on his partner's face started to thaw Jean's frozen heart. Maybe rising to the top wouldn't be so bad, even if he had to stand with the Raven Boys.

Jean bent down so that Nathaniel could draw the number on his face—four, to match his jersey. Nathaniel smiled his warm friendly smile and stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth in concentration as he drew. When he was finished, Jean stood and examined his face in the mirror. 

Jean was one of the Raven Boys.

Chapter Text

***

Ichirou was determined.

Ichirou Moriyama thought he knew what he wanted. From an early age he was raised for one purpose only—to inherit his father's crime syndicate. Appeasing his father was something Ichirou was good at. Most of the time, he was the perfect son. Obedient. Respectable. Intelligent. Ichirou wore his mask well.

This was not always the case, however. Ichirou started questioning his father from a young age. Whenever he stepped out of line he was reminded that he was dispensable. Kengo had a second son, after all. For half his life, Ichirou learned to resent Riko's very existence. But it wasn't until Ichirou met his uncle Tetsuji for the first time that he started to question whether or not his father had something to do with his animosity.

Kengo held absolutely no regard for his brother and treated him with the utmost contempt. Tetsuji was only as valuable to Kengo as the money he made for him. Riko, another second son, was much the same. Ichirou was made to believe he was superior to both Tetsuji and Riko because of his birth status. Ichirou never questioned it. It simply was.

And then one day, something strange happened, something that made Ichirou question everything about loyalty, his father, and nepotism. 

Kengo's right hand man, Nathan Wesninski, was a trusted advisor and loyal servant. He faithfully followed the Lord's commands and held a large portion of territory for Kengo. 

Ichirou didn't like Nathan. But he, like Kengo, trusted and respected him. He was their sword and shield. He was the man who carried out Kengo's judgements, and the one who would take the fall should their empire crumble. 

So when Kengo told Nathan that his son—his first born son—must be cast away to Tetsuji, or killed, Ichirou was blindsided. Nepotism, his father had said, cannot be tolerated. Kengo chose his subordinates very carefully and wanted their loyalty to be only to him. Therefore Nathan's son could not be allowed to remain at home. There could be no possibility of him inheriting his father's syndicate. Nathan agreed easily. His son was nothing to him, an inconvenience, a disappointment. 

As the firstborn son and heir to his father's empire, Ichirou never felt more worthless than he did in that moment. Hadn't he too disappointed his father at Nathaniel's age? Could he have been so easily cast aside? His father had threatened it on more than one occasion. 

That was when Ichirou decided that he would not fail. He would be what his father wanted him to be. He would toe the line until he was able to take over the empire. Ichirou was determined to change things. 

His opportunity didn't come until many years later. His father's health started to rapidly decline. Kengo hid it as best as he could, and relegated most of their work to Ichirou. Their private physician had predicted that Kengo had a year, or perhaps two, before his kidneys would fail. It was finally time for Ichirou to make his move.     

Nathaniel 

The one minute buzzer sounded. Johnson passed the ball to Williams. Williams caught the ball and tried to sidestep Nathaniel to pass it up the court to Jenkins. Couldn't have that. Nathaniel spun on his heel and hip checked Williams hard enough to make him stumble. 

Nathaniel used the opportunity to stick check him hard enough to pop the ball free. He scooped up the ball and immediately passed it up to Riko. Riko passed it to Kevin, Kevin to Jean, Jean to Riko, and Riko scored. Two seconds later the final bell sounded.

"Good game," Nathaniel grinned at Williams.

"You're insufferable." Williams' tone was scathing.

Nathaniel smiled wider. Williams scoffed and walked to the center of the court for the after scrimmage huddle without a second glance at Nathaniel. Jean walked over and ruffled Nathaniel's hair.

" You don't have to antagonize him, you know? " Jean said in French.

" Williams should lighten up, " Nathaniel replied in the same language.

They joined the huddle and everyone took turns critiquing each other's performance. Nathaniel prepared something colorful to say about Williams.

"Nathaniel."

Nathaniel turned towards the voice and the huddle went quiet. The Master had walked up on them without anyone noticing. He was supposed to have been in a meeting this morning so Nathaniel hadn't expected to see him before afternoon practice. 

" You're needed in the East Tower ," Tetsuji said. 

" Yes, Master. " 

Jean tried to follow as Nathaniel left, but the Master shooed him away. Nathaniel raised his hand in what he hoped was a placating gesture but he felt three sets of eyes on him as he followed Tetsuji off the court. The Master didn't wait when Nathaniel was forced to stop and remove his gear. He showered and dressed in record time, and walked through the stadium to East Tower alone. 

Nathaniel had no affection for the Master, but he would have appreciated any buffer between him and his father. Tetsuji hadn't said Nathan was here but Nathaniel couldn't think of anyone else who would call on him. Maybe one of his father's henchmen or Lola. That would be unpleasant but not as bad as Nathan himself. It had been seven years since he saw his father last, so what could the Butcher possibly want with him? 

Nathaniel silently prayed that it was DiMaccio waiting for him. The man was terrifying, but he was the only henchman who had never laid a hand on Nathaniel. Privately, Nathaniel thought that may have been because DiMaccio would have killed him with one blow, but he was reasonably sure his father wouldn't send someone just to kill him now. He held his breath and pushed open the door.

It wasn't DiMaccio up in the East Tower, but it wasn't his father either. 

Nathaniel hesitated in the doorway. He had never met this man before, but there was no mistaking who was waiting for him. Ichirou Moriyama wasn't a tall man but he was no less imposing for it. He was only a few years older than his younger brother, Riko, and the resemblance between the two was startling. 

"My Lord," Nathaniel said deferentially with a polite bow.

"Nathaniel. Come in," Ichirou invited.

Nathaniel closed the door silently behind him and walked towards the man. He stopped once he was an arm's length away from Ichirou. He'd perfected that trick as a kid. Nathaniel didn't think Ichirou was here to hurt him, but he didn't trust a man he'd never met. They stared at each other for a pregnant moment, sizing the other up.

"Do you know why I am here?" Ichirou asked.

"No, my Lord." 

"I want your help." Nathaniel affected surprise.

 "My help?"

"Yes."

Ichirou appeared to consider something. If Nathaniel wasn't so used to Riko and the Master's microexpressions, he probably would have missed the twitch at the Lord's mouth. In Riko, that twitch was usually a sign that he was nervous. What did Ichirou have to be nervous about?

"I have questions that need answers," Ichirou said eventually. "Evermore is out of my range of focus. I do not know much about Exy, other than profit margin. I want to change that. I need an insider to keep me updated on all things Evermore."

Ichirou's face was serene as he spoke, but Nathaniel knew there was something more to this story. He'd seen and worn enough masks to recognize one when he saw it. 

"Why me?" Nathaniel asked. "Why not the Master, or Riko?"

"The Master?"

"Coach Moriyama." Ichirou's eyebrow twitched in a way that Nathaniel associated with irritation.

"Tetsuji," Ichirou corrected.

Ichriou stared at him, and it was a minute before Nathaniel realized Ichirou intended him to repeat it. He bit his lip. 

"Tet-su-ji." Nathaniel gritted the name out one syllable at a time, trying not to betray how uncomfortable that eyebrow twitch made him. No one in the Nest was allowed to call the master by his name—not even Riko, and he was Tetsuji's nephew. 

Ichirou's smile disarmed him. It was not like Riko's haughty smile, nor was it like his father's cruel one. Ichirou's smile was small, but it promised that this man knew what he wanted, and how to get it. This was a man who could destroy Nathaniel without lifting a finger.

"You misunderstand me," Ichirou said. "I want someone I can trust. I trust your father. Can I trust you, Nathaniel?" Nathaniel's mouth went dry when he opened it to say that he could be trusted. 

The Moriyama's were like family to him after all. Riko especially was like a brother to him, and Ichirou was Riko's brother too, wasn't he? In fact, when he thought about family now, Nathaniel's mind only conjured up images of Riko, Kevin, and Jean. The Butcher was the furthest thing from his mind when Nathaniel thought about family. 

He opened his mouth, but what came out was, "Trust is not a word I would ever associate with The Butcher of Baltimore." 

The hardness in his voice surprised him almost as much as his own audacity. Nathaniel stiffened. Why the hell did he say something like that to Ichirou? He felt his lips tremble so he pressed them into a hard line and concentrated on the collar of Ichirou's expensive silk suit. 

"Look at me," Ichirou commanded.

Nathaniel dragged his stare up to Ichirou's face obediently and they locked eyes. Instead of the anger he expected to see, the Lord looked almost amused. 

"For all your loathing, you remind me of him," Ichirou said.

Nathaniel's instinct was to turn his head so that Ichirou wouldn't see the clench of his jaw or the spark of fire that ignited in his eyes. But he knew better than to disobey a direct order, and Ichirou had ordered him to look.

Nathaniel gathered from Ichirou's cooly smug expression, that the lord hadn't missed either the twitch that betrayed that Nathaniel struggled to keep his head straight, or the fierce expression Nathaniel was sure he was now wearing. Ichirou smiled again, fiercer this time, and took a step forward so he was now in Nathaniel's space. Nathaniel's breath hitched, and he might have stopped breathing.

"What is your answer?" Ichirou asked.

"I will not betray you," Nathaniel breathed.

He did not say "you can trust me" because, in the end, he realized that he hadn't actually done anything to earn the Lord's trust. 

"I'm glad to hear it, but that's not what I meant." Ichirou reached forward and gently tugged on a loose curl on Nathaniel's forehead. "Will you help me?"

Time stopped for Nathaniel when Ichirou reached for him, but the Lord only tweaked his hair. It took a full minute for him to comprehend what Ichirou said, and another full minute for him to realize that the Lord was asking, not ordering. 

Nathaniel suspected he wasn't used to asking for things. The Lord wanted a mole in Evermore, however, and ordering someone to spy for you was a good way to get stabbed in the back.

Nathaniel doubted he had any power to destroy Ichirou's reputation, but he recognized an opportunity when he saw one. This was a business transaction. If he was careful enough, Nathaniel could broker a deal with Ichirou. 

He knew he must proceed with caution. Nathaniel couldn't ask Ichirou for anything too presumptuous or imposing. He ran through the possibilities in his head and quickly settled on one. Toe the line, don't cross it. 

"I am ready and willing to provide this service for you," Nathaniel said very carefully. "However, I am at a disadvantage here. What shall you offer me in return for my loyalty?" 

Ichirou's expression cooled noticeably and he dropped his arm back to his side. Nathaniel held his ground, keeping his face passably neutral while he waited for the Lord's judgment. 

"Is this an extortion?" Ichirou finally asked. 

His voice was soft, but there was an edge to it. Nathaniel took a careful breath and exhaled slowly through his teeth. 

"I wouldn't dare. I only meant that perhaps you would offer me a favor in return," Nathaniel said, "as a show of good faith between us."

Nathaniel watched Ichirou consider his words. Despite the clever re-wording, neither of them was fooled about the nature of their exchange.

"What is it you would ask of me?" Ichirou asked eventually. His tone was decidedly frigid. Nathaniel schooled his face so that Ichirou wouldn't sense his triumph. 

"Did you know that, aside from Exy games and related functions, Riko has never once left Evermore since he was sent here all those years ago? Nor Kevin or Jean. All of them received new cars as part of their signing bonus with Edgar Allen last year, but they've never driven them further than the campus itself.

"The Master doesn't allow it, you see. They are not permitted to leave the stadium because Exy is the only important thing in our lives. Everything else is just a distraction. 

Why shouldn't they have the same freedom as the other Ravens? Spending a few unstructured hours out of the nest doesn't adversely affect our teammates on the Court. And yet, the Master doesn't extend this small bit of freedom to my brothers. Can you loosen their collars?"

Ichirou's eyes glinted with an emotion that was gone before Nathaniel could decipher it. 

"What about you?" Ichirou asked. Nathaniel tipped his head to the side. He wasn't expecting a question in return for his request.

"What about me?" Nathaniel frowned, concerned.

"Don't you want this freedom too?" Nathaniel wasn't able to hide all of his surprise. 

"I can't go anywhere," Nathaniel said. "I'm not even a real Raven, yet,"  He didn't even get to leave the nest for games or press conferences or endorsements. The Master didn't want the press to know he lived at Evermore. Nathaniel even had to squirrel away out of sight when the press was invited to the stadium. 

Jean used to have to hide with him, but ever since his brothers signed with Edgar Allen two years ago, Nathaniel had been alone in hiding.

"Besides, I don't have a car," he added lamely. Ichirou considered him again for a minute and Nathaniel thought he must have said something wrong or offensive. Or worse, maybe he miscalculated and his request was too presumptuous after all. He shoved his unbidden fear down deep so it couldn't touch him, and hoped Ichirou didn't see an ounce of it on his face. He wasn't entirely sure he'd succeeded. 

"Yes," Ichirou said finally, almost patiently, "But your, ah, brothers all have cars as part of their signing bonuses?" 

"...Yes?"

"So you could go with them on these…freedom trips," Ichirou decided. "You do not want to be left behind." It sounded more like an accusation than a question and Nathaniel felt blindsided by the suggestion. It certainly seemed like an oversight. Ichirou either thought Nathaniel was an idiot for not realizing, or worse—if Ichirou thought Nathaniel was trying to pull a fast one on him, that would imply that Nathaniel thought that Ichirou was the stupid one. 

"Interesting," Ichirou said, snapping Nathaniel out of his train of thought. "I will accept your conditions." Nathaniel was sick with relief. It must have shown on his face because the Lord looked amused again. He really needed to work on masking his expressions better. Maybe he'd ask Riko for lessons later.

"My uncle will allow the four of you this small bit of freedom," Ichirou continued, "Or I will want to know the reason why." 

"The…four of us?" Nathaniel felt his eyebrows crease together. He definitely needed lessons.

"Oh yes," Ichirou said. "You discount yourself, but do not forget that I came to you . Your feelings for him aside, your father is an important and trustworthy advisor to me. I assume I have made a trustworthy ally of you." 

Ichirou produced a business card and handed it to Nathaniel. It was a simple white card with bold black lettering.

"Share this with no one," Ichirou warned. "But you have my permission to contact me if Tetsuji does not play nice. I will be in touch."

Nathaniel stared at the card in his hand for a minute before pulling out his cell phone. He popped the black Edgar Allen's Ravens phone case off and slipped the card underneath for safe keeping.

"I won't fail you."

***

Nathaniel walked all the way to the locker room before he realized that practice was long over by now. His meeting with the Moriyama Lord had taken a surprisingly long time. Nathaniel turned on his heel and walked towards his and Jean's bedroom instead. When he arrived in the open doorway, he was not surprised to find Riko and Kevin waiting inside with his partner. Three sets of hands patted him down for signs of injury.

"I'm fine," Nathaniel said. "It wasn't my father."

"Who summoned you?" Riko inquired. Nathaniel bit his lip. 

"Lord Ichirou," he answered softly, gently. Riko stared at Nathaniel as if he'd never seen him before, the blank expression overriding his concern. Kevin scowled at him.

"That's not funny, Gaki," Kevin said, sounding surly.

"It's not a joke." Riko's expression twisted into something Nathaniel had never seen before. He tried to turn away but Nathaniel reached out and snagged Riko by the sleeve.

"Riko, I—"

"Let go of me!" Riko's voice was so harsh that Nathaniel staggered back as if Riko had struck him.

Riko turned his back to the rest of them. His shoulders were rigid, and his hands were clenched into fists at his side. Riko's whole body began to tremble and Nathaniel was sure he was furious. Riko didn't lose control much these days, but Nathaniel was more worried for, than frightened of, his brother right then.

"Hey, Riko," Kevin tried, voice softer and more tender than Nathaniel had never known it to be.

"No!" Riko snapped, his voice so raw that Kevin actually flinched.

"Give him a minute," Jean breathed so lowly that Nathaniel could barely decipher it. A strangled sob caused Kevin, Nathaniel, and Jean to freeze in place. Nathaniel felt goosebumps spread up his arms. Riko raised one arm to scrub at his face, and they all held their breath. 

None of them had ever known Riko to cry before. Nathaniel's instinct was to comfort him, but Riko did not want to be comforted and Nathaniel knew better than to try. Minutes, hours, or days passed while they waited but eventually Riko regained control of himself.

"What did he want from you?" Riko asked finally. Kevin, Nathaniel, and Jean all pretended not to notice the way his voice trembled as he spoke.

"Loyalty."

Riko stood still another minute and then turned to face Nathaniel. Nathaniel politely ignored the redness of his eyes and puffiness of his cheeks.

"Loyalty," Riko echoed.

"He wants information. He didn't really specify. I think mainly he wanted to know if I am as trustworthy as he apparently finds my father." Nathaniel said the words "my father" the way one might say "cockroaches" or "brussels sprouts."

Riko considered him for a moment. The expression was not unlike the one that Ichirou favored him with. Riko held a hand out to Nathaniel, who took it and allowed Riko to lead him over to the bed. Riko dropped Nathaniel's hand, sat on the bed, and patted the space beside him. Nathaniel sat down. 

"Tell me everything."

***

"You traded yourself for 'freedom trips,' " Kevin said scathingly.

Nathaniel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Kevin could be unbelievably obtuse sometimes. 

"It was a test, Kev," Nathaniel explained patiently. "If the Lord has real authority over the Master, then he has no choice but to obey. And if not, well, you can't really mourn something you never had to begin with, right?"

"But what if the Master decides to punish you for your insolence?" Jean asked, worried. "It's not as if he won't know who gave the Lord the idea."

"He can do what he likes," Nathaniel shrugged. "It will give me an opportunity to test the Lord's back up plan."

"Back up plan?" Riko raised an eyebrow.

Nathaniel hesitated. The Lord said "don't share this with anyone," but had he meant the writing on the card, or its very existence? Nathaniel pulled his phone out and turned it nervously in his hands, considering. 

"The Lord gave me permission to contact him…if the Master doesn't 'play nice,'" Nathaniel said carefully.

He didn't mention the business card at all, but he didn't have to. Riko stared at Nathaniel's phone as if it held the answers to the universe, but he didn't comment, and he didn't ask for the contact information. 

***

On Saturday Morning Riko, Kevin, Nathaniel, and Jean stood shoulder to shoulder in the middle of the Master's office. Tetsuji circled them like a vulture circling a dying animal. When they were sufficiently rattled, he stopped in front of Nathaniel and clacked his cane on the floor between their feet. 

"Nathaniel." Nathaniel somehow maintained his carefully blank expression.

"Yes Master?" His voice somehow did not shake.

He wasn't lying when he said the Master could do what he liked with him, but that sentiment didn't make Nathaniel any braver now that the moment had come. It had been several months since Tetsuji had last beaten him, but Nathaniel easily remembered the pain of the heavy blows.

"Lord Ichirou has sent you a gift," Tetsuji said stiffly.

The Master pulled a small manila envelope from the inner pocket of his suit jacket and held it out to Nathaniel. Barely contained anger lined every inch of his frame.

Nathaniel held out his hand and willed his fingers not to tremble. Tetsuji dropped the envelope unceremoniously to the floor. Whatever was inside was heavy enough that it fell to their feet. 

"Pick it up," Tetsuji said, when Nathaniel froze, not even dropping his hand. Nathaniel's impulse to obey warred with his instinct to not present an easy target for Tetsuji to strike.

 In the end, he stooped down to pick up the envelope. Beside him, Kevin and Jean tensed. Nathaniel suspected that the two of them might try to defend him if Tetsuji took a swing at him while he was at a disadvantage. 

Nathaniel held his breath, but then the envelope was in his hand and he was standing up. Tetsuji's cane remained firmly in its place on the floor. The envelope didn't weigh much but there was definitely a lump in it. Nathaniel did not investigate. 

"He also," Tetsuji began, sounding as if every word pained him, " suggested that you have the weekends off from practice. All four of you."

Nathaniel frowned. That was definitely not how he'd worded his request. Technically, All Ravens (save for Nathaniel and his brothers) were allowed weekends off if they so chose. However, it was frowned upon. Most Ravens wouldn't jeopardize their rank for a weekend off, even if those practices were usually informal and largely run by Riko instead of the master. 

As captain of the team, Riko was often left in charge when Tetsuji was busy anyway, even for formal practices. The master rarely oversaw gym days anymore. He trusted Riko with the team while he worked with the International Exy Rules and Regulations Committee, organized flights, brokered endorsement deals, and scheduled press conferences. 

Nathaniel didn't know how Riko coped with all of it—captaining the Ravens, attending a full course of college classes, playing for the Baltimore Wild Cats, and he just signed with Court too!—If anyone needed a weekend off it was Riko. 

"That was very fastidious of him," Nathaniel said. 

"Out!" Tetsuji roared. They didn't need telling twice. All four of them cleared out of the Master's office immediately. 

"Oh my God," Kevin ran trembling fingers through his hair. "Gaki, oh my God."

"I thought he was going to murder you," Jean said, sounding pained.

"Me too," Nathaniel admitted.

"How do you feel about your test now, Gaki?" Riko asked. Nathaniel looked up to meet his gaze. Riko's face was carefully blank as always, but Nathaniel could tell from the slight thinness of his lips and curve of his jaw that Riko was just as upset as the rest of them. Nathaniel tapped a finger thoughtfully against his chin.

"It seems to have worked," he said eventually. Of course, Nathaniel would have to tread carefully around the Master now, but it might be a fair trade if he could bargain with Ichirou again in the future. 

"You're thinking of doing something stupid," Riko accused. "I can see it on your face." Nathaniel smiled his mischievous smile.

"I'm always doing something stupid. That's why you like me so much." Kevin groaned, Jean rolled his eyes, and Riko let out a little puff of air that might have been exasperation. 

"What are we going to do with this new freedom?" Jean asked.

"I have to think about it," Riko said. "We're supposed to be at morning practice in twenty minutes."

"Right," Jean said.

"But perhaps we'll look at Nathaniel's gift first?" Riko suggested.

"Oh, yeah." Nathaniel had almost forgotten about the envelope. He pried open the little metal tabs and squeezed the pouch open. No way. Nathaniel tipped the envelope over and a key fob fell into his waiting palm.

"Is that…?" Kevin held his hand out and Nathaniel handed the key over to him. Kevin turned it over in his hand before fishing his own keys out of his pocket.

"It looks just like ours," he said, holding his own car key side by side with Nathaniel's for comparison. Riko, Kevin, and Jean all owned basically pristine black Lexus' (they don't even have 1000 miles between the three of them).

"He…bought you a car?" Jean asked.

"Why?" Riko wanted to know. Nathaniel fished the papers out of the envelope. There was the title along with the other important sort of paperwork that goes along with cars, and a small handwritten note penned carefully in Japanese. 

"Nathaniel," he read aloud, "perhaps you will understand your worth in time." Ichirou had signed it with a simple Kanji—ichi—the Kanji used for the number one, the first Kanji of Ichirou's name. 

***

Nathaniel expected his car to be the same as his brothers and the other Ravens (the fob was the same after all). But when the four of them stepped out of Evermore, squinting in the morning sun, it was glaringly obvious which car was Nathaniel's.

The Raven's black Lexus' lined the curb, neatly arranged in a row. At the end of the row was another Lexus. But, unlike the others, it was cherry red in color. 

Jean let out a low whistle.

"It suits you, Gaki." he said. "Beautiful, but obnoxious." Nathaniel stuck his tongue out at his partner and thumbed the unlock button on his key fob. He pulled open the driver's door and got in. Even when his hands were on the steering wheel, and he was breathing in that new car smell, it didn't seem real.

"Well?" Riko asked. Nathaniel looked up at him. Riko wanted to know how Nathaniel felt about his gift. But Nathaniel didn't know how to feel. Ichirou had no reason to give him things, least of all a car. Nathaniel hadn't even given the Lord any information yet. He was just a dumb kid. He wasn't even a Raven yet.

"Why?" Nathaniel asked, in lieu of answering Riko's inquiry. Nathaniel wasn't sure what emotions were showing on his own face, but the way Riko's mouth quirked told Nathaniel that his brother was feeling frustrated. 

"The Lord is right," Riko said with some difficulty. "You don't know your own worth."

Chapter Text

Riko

Riko made up his mind on the way to the locker room. When they got there, he walked purposely to the middle of the room and called the team to attention. Kevin, Nathaniel, and Jean took their places at Riko's side. 

"Everyone stop changing out and huddle up." Riko directed them. "I have an important announcement to make." Their teammates affected confusion, but huddled up in their various states of undress. Engle looked nervously at the clock on the wall as he joined the huddle. Tardiness wasn't tolerated on their court and the Dealer was a repeat offender. Riko shook his head slightly at Engle before addressing the assembled Ravens.

"What's up, Cap?" Williams asked. Riko met the eyes of each Raven. "All weekend practices are canceled indefinitely, effective immediately," he said. No one said anything but several of their teammates exchanged looks. Predictably, half of them were confused and the other half surly. 

"Why?" Johnson asked when it was clear that no one else would.

"The Master has decided that we would all benefit from the extra time off for rest and relaxation," Riko told them. "Sleep, do your homework, or go out—he doesn't care—just be ready to go hard on Monday morning."

Riko bent the truth until it almost broke. The Master was furious about the new arrangement, but Riko was counting on him not being able to do anything about it. So long as the team maintained their level of excellence, there was no real ground for the Master to stand on.

"What if we want to practice?" Williams asked, frowning.

"I'm not going to stop you." Riko shrugged.

"But you won't join?" Johnson challenged.

"I don't really need the extra practice," Riko said. "We already meet for night practices four times a week," he added, gesturing vaguely at his brothers. The Perfect Court met Monday through Thursday each week from ten pm until sometime past midnight. Together they came up with new drills and plays and worked on their teamwork. The other Ravens were not invited. Johnson sneered at that reminder. Riko ignored him.

"Anyone have anything useful to contribute?" Riko asked. Most of the Ravens wouldn't meet Riko's gaze as he looked at them. 

"Fine," Riko said once it was obvious they were intent on seething quietly. "Dismissed. See you back here on Monday."

***

'Well, that went well," Kevin said once they were out of earshot of the locker room.

"Johnson is an asshole, ignore him," Jean said.

"I'm not worried about him, or any of them. None of them will ever surpass us on the court whether they practice on the weekends or not. We're going to be the best no matter what," Nathaniel said pugnaciously. "Besides, you guys deserve a break every once in a while. You work too hard."

"You too, Gaki," Riko said. "Come on, you can drive us somewhere for lunch."

***

Nathaniel spent a lot of time adjusting his seat, the steering wheel, and all of his mirrors.

"You're stalling," Jean said from his place in the passenger seat.

"I've never driven anywhere but this parking lot," Nathaniel said eventually.

"It's not hard. You'll be fine." 

"This is my reassured face." Nathaniel finally started up the car. He had no trouble backing out of his space, but he paused as he pulled up to the exit. Riko thought perhaps Nathaniel was too freaked to pull into the street. 

"Wait," Nathaniel said. "Where are we going?"

"Lunch?" Kevin supplied, looking to Riko for confirmation.

"I only know how to order delivery," Riko admitted. "I've never actually been to any of those restaurants." Jean scoffed. 

"Sometimes I forget you three have never been out in the real world. How about the mall?" Jean suggested. 

"You know how to get to the mall?" Riko asked skeptically.

"Oh ye of little faith." Jean's voice, Kevin's words. 

Jean fished his cellphone out of his pocket and tapped something out on it. A moment later an electronic voice told them to make a right turn onto Piedmont Road. Nathaniel flipped on his indicator, and obediently followed the directions.

"It feels weird to drive the opposite direction of campus," Kevin said, voicing the nagging feeling that Riko was having.

***

The drive felt like hours and Riko's nerves were a bit frayed when Nathaniel neatly pulled into a parking spot towards the back of the mall parking lot. 

"I can't believe we only live seven minutes away from the mall," Jean said, annoyed.

"I can't believe we made it in one piece!" Kevin said, dramatically. 

"I told you, that car came out of nowhere!" Nathaniel protested.

"You were supposed to yield!" Kevin threw up his hands.

"Well, maybe you should have mentioned yielding when you taught me to drive, Kevin!" Nathaniel shot back at him.

"You're an absolute menace," Kevin said, but there was no heat in it. Nathaniel stuck his tongue out at Kevin. Riko and Jean ignored their brother's antics and got out of the car first.

"Jean, what do you do at malls?" Nathaniel asked once they made it inside.

"Window shop mostly," Jean explained. "You can buy pretty much anything in malls. Also they tend to have a variety of restaurants to choose from." Nathaniel came to a stop with a stricken look on his face.

"What's up, Gaki?" Riko asked.

"I don't have any money," Nathaniel said. Nathaniel came to Evermore nearly eight years ago with just the clothes on his back. The Raven's were supplied with food, clothing, school supplies, personal hygiene products, and other necessities. Anything extra Riko usually bought for him. Riko never thought anything of it. Nathaniel was his responsibility, after all. 

"Don't worry about it," Riko said. "I do."

"Oh," Nathaniel said, frowning.

"The Master pays me an allowance of sorts," Riko explained. "Kevin, Jean, and I earn a lot of money with our contracts and endorsements. My father gets the largest cut, but the Master gives me a portion of his."

"So what, I'm just dead weight?" Nathaniel asked, looking pathetic. 

"For now," Riko allowed. "I said don't worry about it, Gaki. Next year you'll sign with Edgar Allen and you can start paying me back." He said it affectionately, but Nathaniel didn't look assuaged. Riko ruffled Nathaniel's hair, effectively distracting him from his thoughts.

"That doesn't look like not worrying," Riko threw his arm over Nathaniel's shoulder. "What if we let you choose lunch? It's your day, Gaki. None of us would be here if it wasn't for you." 

Kevin groaned.

"If it's up to him we're only getting carbs and sugar."

"I would pay to see Kevin eat a cheeseburger," Jean said. "Or a pizza."

"Jean no." 

"Pizza," Nathaniel said, perking up.

"You know, I don't think I've ever had pizza," Riko mused.

"That's because it's nothing but carbs and saturated fat," Kevin whined.

"Pizza is delicious," Jean said. "And carbs are good for athletes, Kevin. Stop being such a Negative Nancy."

"I regret teaching you phrases like 'Negative Nancy,' " Kevin grumbled. Everyone ignored him. 

Fifteen minutes later they were all standing in line at the pizza bar in the food court.

"I'd like the Hawaiian," Nathaniel told the man at the counter.

"Of course you'd pick the one with the fruit on it," Kevin said.

"Pineapple does not belong on pizza," Jean agreed.

"You two can pick whatever flavor you want," Nathaniel said imperiously with a pointed look at Kevin. When they were kids Riko had put his foot down about food more to curb Nathaniel's defiance than anything else. However, it was quickly apparent that Nathaniel wouldn't eat a balanced nutritional diet if no one made him. So when Kevin took it upon himself to monitor Nathaniel's meals, Riko never felt the need to stop him. Diet and Nutrition were just as important to an athlete's performance as exercise and practice. 

"Listen, this just proves that you're not responsible enough to make your own dietary decisions," Kevin said.

"I will also have the Hawaiian," Riko decided.

"Riko no," Kevin said, horrified. Riko smiled at him and Kevin's lip curled in disgust. Jean chose Margherita and Kevin ended up with something more vegetable than pizza. The four of them wandered through the sea of tables until they found a semi-clean one with four chairs. 

Nathaniel sighed contentedly as he took his first bite. "It has been too long." Jean grunted in agreement. Kevin huffed noncommittally and grimaced as he started on his lunch. Riko took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. 

"Well?" Nathaniel asked.

"It's good," Riko said. Kevin and Jean scoffed, wearing identical expressions of disgust. 

***

After lunch they wandered around the mall until they found the sporting goods store. They found the Exy section easily enough, and Riko was startled slightly when Nathaniel burst into raucous laughter. Riko edged closer until he could see what Nathaniel found so amusing. There were life-size cutouts of Riko, Kevin, and Jean in Exy gear. 

"How did they do this?" Nathaniel held a hand out to judge the height of the Riko cutout. "They're even the right height." Kevin glared at his cutout as if it personally offended him. 

"I didn't know they made these," he said.

"I can see why you don't like it," Jean said. "It doesn't look like you at all."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kevin frowned.

"Well, you never smile like this in real life," Jean gestured up at the cutout Kevin's brilliant smile. Kevin started to say something less than complimentary in French, but was cut off as an employee came around the corner to greet them. 

"Hi, can I help you guys with any—oh," Her mouth fell open comically as she froze. "You're them. The Perfect Court." Riko, Kevin, and Jean automatically plastered on their press-ready smiles and greeted her enthusiastically.

"Wow I can't believe you're here," She gasped. She looked from one face to the other and Riko watched her eyes widen in surprise as she located the number three tattooed on Nathaniel's left cheek. Where Kevin and Jean's smiles were brilliant, Nathaniel's was small and shy.

"Hello," Nathaniel said.

"No one's ever met Number Three before," she whispered, clasping his hand almost reverently.

Nathaniel held a finger up to his mouth. "That's because I'm a secret," he whispered back conspiratorially. "You won't give me away, will you?" 

"N-no, of course not!"

"Good," Nathaniel said. "Thanks." 

"Autographs," Kevin said, distracting the girl again.

The three members of the perfect court each signed special Raven's playing cards that they carried in their wallets for this sort of occasion and handed them over to the very appreciative sporting goods store employee. Nathaniel used her phone to take a candid of her with the rest of the Perfect Court at her request, and she was understanding and gracious when he declined having his own photo taken. 

"That was too close," Kevin said as they left the shop. Riko privately agreed, though he said nothing as they made their way back to the car. For some reason, he hadn't considered the security risk of taking Nathaniel with them out of the nest. Thanks to the Master, the public effectively didn't know anything about him. There was speculation of course when Jean showed up with the number four tattoo two years ago, but so far they had neatly avoided the topic when it was brought up by reporters. 

When they got in the car, Nathaniel pulled down his visor and looked at himself in the mirror. He placed a finger over his tattoo.

"Guess I should invest in some cover-up if we're going to keep going out on weekends." 

***

Nathaniel

The drive back to campus went much better for Nathaniel. He yielded appropriately and didn't have any more near misses with other cars. Still he felt relieved as he turned into Evermore's parking lot. 

Instead of returning to the spot at the end of the car line, Nathaniel effortlessly parallel parked his new car in the space between Kevin and Jean's that had been conspicuously empty for two years. Driving on the road might be new and frightening, but Nathaniel had plenty of practice in parking lots. 

"If there were any doubts before, they will now all know the tacky car is yours," Jean said as they all got out. Nathaniel looked up and down the car line before smiling innocently up at his partner. 

"Jealousy isn't a good look for you," Nathaniel said. Jean spluttered an incoherent string of French profanities, and Nathaniel's smile widened.

"Menace," Kevin muttered. Nathaniel didn't know what to expect when they wandered back into the nest, but there were a surprising amount of Raven's relaxing in the lounge. Berger and Engle didn't look up from whatever mindless show they were watching on the big screen, but Williams and Jenkins stiffened when the Perfect Court walked by. Riko waved them off without more than a passing glance. 

"Wanna go a round?" Williams asked nervously, gesturing at the pool table where they were halfway through a game.

"No thanks. Kevin wants to re-watch the USC/UW match before dinner," Riko replied.

"Jeremy was amazing," Kevin said. "I have to see that trick shot from forth quarter again. 

"Man you really love USC, don't you?" Williams smiled.

"He really loves Jeremy Knox' ass," Jean muttered into Nathaniel's ear. Kevin sent the pair a dirty look as Nathaniel cackled, but Williams and Jenkins didn't appear to hear.

The four of them split off into their separate bedrooms. Jean had no desire to watch the match again, and Nathaniel had a paper to write. 

"I can't do this. Why is English so terrible?" Nathaniel complained, putting his head down on his desk. He was supposed to be writing a paper about how diet impacts an athlete's ability to perform, but it was dreadfully boring and Nathaniel wasn't a very strong writer to begin with. Jean snorted.

"Are you , the boy of literal English descent , asking me , a French man who learned English as a second language from you , for help with an English assignment?"

"Please?" Nathaniel asked. "I can't ask Kevin again. He was insufferable the last time." Jean sighed, marked his place in his book, and set it aside.

"Alright, hand it over." Nathaniel stood from his desk and sat down gratefully beside Jean on the bed, passing his laptop over to him. Jean made few corrections as he read through it the first time, mostly grammatical errors. Then he passed the computer back to Nathaniel and the two of them spent an hour combing back through, a paragraph at a time, until they were both satisfied. 

"Thank you," Nathaniel said as he hit the save button for the umpteenth time.

"No problem," Jean ruffled his hair affectionately. Nathaniel wasted no time uploading the document to his online teachers dropbox. He'd barely received the 'upload successful' notification when his cell phone began to ring.

Nathaniel returned the laptop to his desk and picked up the phone. His heart raced when he saw the blocked caller ID. With numb fingers, Nathaniel slid the answer button and pressed the phone to his ear.

"Nathaniel," he managed. Jean quirked a brow at him.

"Very prompt," Lord Ichirou said. "Tell me, how did you like your gift?"

"My Lord, it was very generous of you," Nathaniel said, ignoring Jean's intense look. "I love it. Thank you." 

"Good. How was your free Saturday?"

"We had a very nice time. The Master wasn't pleased, but he didn't interfere," Nathaniel neatly avoided mentioning the Raven's ire, the almost car crash, and the over-excitable fan at the mall.

"Excellent. So, now that you have seen that I can hold up my end of our bargain, it is time for you to help me ," Lord Ichirou said. "Tell me about Tetsuji. How does he push the team and maintain his level of excellence?"

"My Lord, the Master-"

"Tetsuji," Lord Ichirou said sharply. Nathaniel blanched. He opened his mouth to continue but Jean was staring at him with open concern. Nathaniel waved him off and walked to the bathroom and locked himself in.

"T-Tetsuji is very strict with the team," Nathaniel explained, leaning back against the bathroom door for purchase. "Tardiness is not tolerated. Weakness is not tolerated. Sloppiness is not Tolerated. Laziness is not Tolerated—not that any of the Raven's could be called lazy. 

If you're lucky an infraction only earns you one good whack with his cane. If you really fuck up, well, better hope you didn't need to sit or lay down comfortably for a while. 

And don't you dare fall behind the others. 'You will not eat. You will not sleep. You will do it again and again until it's perfect.' " Nathaniel quoted. "You're a Raven, or you're nothing."

Ichirou was so quiet when he was finished with his explanation, that Nathaniel wondered if they'd been disconnected.

"Dramatic," Lord Ichirou said eventually.

"It's the truth," Nathaniel said defensively, stomach churning.

"I believe you," Lord Ichirou said. "Tell me, what happens if a Raven never catches up to the team? What does my uncle do with his failures?"

"Nothing," Nathaniel admitted. He really was going to be sick. "They have a tendency to commit suicide."

***

Lord Ichirou called Nathaniel infrequently after that. Sometimes it was ten days before he got another call, sometimes he called twice in one week. Most of his inquiries were about the Master, the Nest, and Exy. Eventually though, the Lord wanted to know more about Nathaniel himself. 

It was awkward discussing his childhood with Lord Ichirou. This was someone with a close relationship with his father, after all. But the Lord was less interested in the time Nathaniel spent living in Baltimore with his father than he was in the life Nathaniel had built in the nest.

"My brothers and I practice alone in the evenings during the week. That's how we stay ahead of the other Raven's," Nathaniel explained.

"You say 'brother' so freely," Lord Ichirou said. "You have not seen your real family in nearly eight years, and I was under the impression you do not like your father overly much. What does family mean to you, Nathaniel?"

Nathaniel paused to consider him for a moment. "Family isn't those who share your blood," he said, "But those you would bleed for."

***

"Wait, wait, wait. If you've always wanted to meet Riko, then why haven't you?" Nathaniel asked.

The silence stretched out between them, but Nathaniel wasn't worried he misstepped his bounds. He'd learned over the last few months that Ichirou always considered his thoughts carefully before speaking. 

"I tried once," Ichirou said eventually. "I was sixteen. I was tired of my father keeping such a tight leash on me. He would not let me go anywhere without a host of bodyguards. He did not trust me to not get into trouble. He was not wrong.

"I slipped my protection detail. I had gotten a new car for my birthday, and I had barely driven it. So I peeled out of there and drove all night. I did not have a destination at first, but by the time I passed the "You Are Now Leaving New York" sign, I had decided.

"When I showed up at Evermore the next morning, Tetsuji was surprised to see me. And once he had figured out what I came for, he told me I had wasted my time. My father said I was not to see or speak to Riko. 

"Then he called my father and told him what I had done. He was furious. He had known I was missing for a few hours because the bodyguards had been forced to admit they had misplaced me. He thought I must have been kidnapped, or worse.

"I never really considered that I was in any danger being separated from my detail, you see. I thought they were there to keep a leash on me. I guess I should not have been surprised to learn that they really were there to protect me from our enemies, but my father did always tell me I was a fool."

"What did—What did he do?" Nathaniel asked. He wasn't sure he really wanted to know, but he couldn't help but ask. Nathaniel couldn't know what his own father might have done to him for such a blatant act of defiance, but the possibilities were cringeworthy. What kind of horrors did Kengo inflict on Ichirou? 

"My father? Nothing to me," Ichirou said. "He made my dear uncle send me right back to New York on the earliest flight. When I got there, I was taken to one of our warehouses. Almost everyone who worked for my father was there. 

"There were tarps laid down, and each of the men I had slipped away from were on their knees. My father had your father make examples of them while we all watched."

Ichirou's voice was cold and detached as he explained. Nathaniel wondered if he was really that callous, or if this was how he separated himself from the guilt. 

"Afterwards, my father pulled me aside and told me if I ever pulled a stunt like that again I would not have to run away to Evermore. He would swap out Riko and I. My brother would inherit the empire, and I would be a useless has-been. I never tried it again."

Riko

Riko was a lot happier these days. He was raised to want and have nothing but Exy, and most days he was content with that. But the last few months showed him that there was room for other things in his life. He had been skeptical at first that the weekends off would affect their court performance in a negative way, but the opposite appeared to be true. 

Each member of the perfect court had seen marked improvements since the new free weekends policy. The other Ravens were getting frustrated as the gap between them widened, and more fights broke out overall over performance. Riko could care less how they felt so long as everyone was in sync on the court. Luckily they knew better than to let their personal feelings affect their teamwork. 

Riko tried not to think too hard about who they had to thank for their new freedom. It was difficult knowing that Nathaniel was getting nearly weekly phone calls from Ichirou, when Riko had never met nor spoken to him. He tried not to let the jealousy show when Nathaniel came to him afterward to discuss, and if Riko was being honest, to check up on him. 

Nathaniel was almost apologetic about his relationship with Lord Ichirou, but it was hard not to feel resentful when Nathaniel started referring to his brother as 'Ichirou' instead of 'the Lord.' Riko couldn't be angry with him when Nathaniel always smiled so sweetly and spoke so gently with him, though. His youngest brother didn't have much constitution for tenderness after all. 

"All I'm saying, Johnson, is you can't claim to be a better backliner than me when you still can't even block half of Riko's shots on goal."

Nathaniel was too annoyed to smile at the other backliner, which was never a good sign in Riko's opinion.

"That's not fair," Johnson argued. "You guys have been playing together for like ten years!" Johnson threw his hands up in the air.

"Eight," Nathaniel said scathingly. "And you've been here four years . That's plenty of time to learn an opponent. I could block half of his shots after two scrimmages."

"Modest," Jean grunted from beside him.

"Stop making excuses for your mediocre performance!" Nathaniel accused. 

"You fucking-"

"Enough." Riko stepped between the two, throwing an arm up to block Johnson when Johnson took a threatening step towards Nathaniel. His little brother was really good at starting fights, but he couldn't finish them.

"Johnson, take a lap," Riko ordered. He turned his glare on his brother next. "Nathaniel, take a lap ."

Nathaniel set his mouth in a hard line, but he turned on his heel and was already sprinting along the court wall before Johnson had even registered the command. Jean hesitated only a moment before taking off after his partner.

" Johnson ," Riko insisted when the other man didn't move fast enough. Johnson sneered and opened his mouth to say something that would probably make Riko punch him in his vulgar mouth, but his partner Reacher clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"Let's go," Reacher said. Johnson allowed Reacher to herd him after Nathaniel and Jean. Riko repressed the urge to sigh. Half the fights on court began with Johnson. If it was in the heat of the moment during scrimmages Riko wouldn't have any complaints, but often the fights were over petty bullshit. 

Sudden rapping on the court door got Riko's attention. The Master pushed the door open and strode purposely on the court as Nathaniel and Jean finished up their lap and made their way back to the group huddle. 

"Problem?" Tetstuji asked Riko, eyeing the pair with a scowl. Riko opened his mouth to say that it was nothing he couldn't handle, but Nathaniel cut him off.

"The only problem here is Johnson thinks he's god's gift to Exy," Nathaniel snarked.

"Nathaniel," Riko said sharply at the same time Jean slapped their brother upside the head. Nathaniel glared at Jean before turning towards Riko and the Master and saying, "I don't care if Tetsuji hears."

Riko froze. The world spun in slow motion. 

"What did you call me?" His uncle's voice was so soft that Riko barely registered it over the roaring in his ears. No Raven was permitted to call the Master by his first name, least of all Nathaniel. Before Riko could react, before Nathaniel could react, The Master's cane caught Nathaniel in the cheek hard enough to knock him off his feet.

Nathaniel's head hit the court floor with an audible crack, and he lay still, unmoving. Jean fell to his knees at Nathaniel's side, blocking their brother's body with his own. The Master raised his cane for another blow.

Riko didn't remember deciding to stop him. He didn't remember moving. But suddenly he found himself standing between the Master and his brothers on the court floor behind him. 

"What do you think you are doing?" The Master was livid. Riko had never stood up for any of them like this before. And the Master didn't believe in outsiders as equals. 

"Nathaniel is my responsibility," Riko said with a calmness that he couldn't feel. "Allow me to discipline him myself." The Master glared at him so ferociously that for a moment Riko was sure he would call Riko's bluff. In the end, The master's mouth curved into a sneer.

"See to it, then," he spat.

Chapter Text

Riko

Once Tetsuji had ceded to Riko, Riko ordered Jean to take Nathaniel back to their room to wait for him. The Master seemed okay with the arrangement, so Riko thanked his lucky stars and tried to redirect everyone's attention back to practice. Kevin was less capable of hiding his feelings, and more than once Riko was forced to call him to order.

As soon as practice came to an end, Riko and Kevin escaped back into the nest. When they split off from the others at Black Hall, Kevin caught Riko by the arm.

"Riko."

Riko turned to face him. Kevin's expression was complicated, but Riko knew him very well by now and could tell that Kevin was afraid to speak his mind. 

"What?" Riko asked.

"Don't hurt him," Kevin said tightly, almost inaudibly. 

"Excuse me?" Riko wasn't able to keep his tone even. Kevin flinched, but didn't back down. 

"Nathaniel. Please don't hurt him."

"If I wanted him beaten," Riko forced his voice back to acceptable levels, "I would have let the Master do it." Kevin stared him down another minute, jaw working a bit, before nodding tightly and releasing his hold on Riko's arm. Riko took a slow breath and let it out through his teeth in a hiss. He tried not to feel offended by Kevin's assumption.

"Come on, Kevin." Riko walked purposely down the hall and was surprised to find the door to Jean and Nathaniel's bedroom closed. Raven's didn't close doors. 

Riko tried the knob but it was locked. Kevin knocked on the door imperiously.

"Jean," Kevin called. "Let us in." Riko tried to force down his irritation when there was no answer. Like Kevin, Jean didn't trust him not to act on the words he fed to the Master. Riko couldn't blame him, not really. It had been years since Riko had really hurt one of them, but that didn't change the fact that he had disciplined them all in the harsh ways the Master had taught him. 

"Jean," Riko said calmly. "Open this door."

The lock clicked as it disengaged and Jean pulled the door open, but he stood barring their entry. Jean's shoulders were rigid and expression tight.

"Riko..." 

"Let me see him," Riko said. For a moment Riko thought Jean was going to refuse, but after giving the pair of them a searching look, he stepped to the side to let them in. Riko and Kevin went straight to the bed where Nathaniel was laying. Jean hovered as Riko and Kevin sat on the bed to check Nathaniel over. 

Nathaniel's eyes were closed when they came in, but he blinked them open slowly as Riko ran his hands through Nathaniel's hair. He paused only when he found the lump where his brother's head had hit the court floor. 

"Hey," Riko said softly. "How's your head?"

Nathaniel groaned. "I'm gonna puke." Jean was there in a second with a garbage can. Riko held on to Nathaniel as he emptied his stomach. Kevin got up and fetched a glass of water from the bathroom. Once he'd rinsed his mouth out, they helped him lay back down.

"Why'd you do it, Gaki?" Riko asked.

"Wha'd I do?" Nathaniel slurred.

"You don't remember?" Kevin asked incredulously.

"Don't yell at him," Jean hissed. He glared at Kevin before kneeling down at Nathaniel's side, expression softening. 

"You called the Master by his name." Jean's mouth was set in a disapproving line, though his voice was soft. "Right in front of him."

"Oh," Nathaniel said. "Oops." His mouth curved into a smile and then he was laughing. Hysterically.

"Gaki…"

"Ha ha, sorry. Ichirou hates it when I call him 'Master,'" Nathaniel snickered. "Ugh, laughing is not good for my headache."

"He could have a concussion," Kevin said, frowning. Kevin probed careful fingers at the bruise on Nathaniel's face where the cane caught him and Nathaniel cried out and flinched away from him.

"Sorry," Kevin said. "I'm not an expert, but he could probably do with an x-ray to make sure there's no fracture." 

"The Master will never go for it," Riko said tightly. "No one is supposed to know he exists." Kevin and Jean exchanged a look with Riko. They knew he was right, but it didn't mean they had to like it. 

"I can't tell if you're very brave, or just very stupid," Kevin said after a while.

"Both?" Nathaniel guessed. 

"Gaki. You can't slip up like that again. Don't push him. I don't know if I could stop the Master a second time," Riko said seriously. "Understand?"

"T'wasn't intentional," Nathaniel slurred tiredly.

"I had to promise the Master I would discipline you," Riko said reluctantly. "So he wouldn't beat you right there on the court." Nathaniel tried to shrug, but couldn't quite manage it. He gave Riko a wry smile instead.

"Do it," he said weakly. "You'll have to roll me over though, because I don't think I can move."

"I'm not—I can't—" Riko spluttered, surprising himself. Riko was normally good at maintaining his composure regardless of his feelings. It had only taken a few years of cruel punishments.

"You can," Nathaniel insisted. "I don't mind."

"I mind!" Jean protested.

"Me too," Kevin added crossly. Jean caught Riko by the sleeve. "If it must be done, punish me instead. He's my partner." 

"What. No." Nathaniel struggled to sit up. "Jean. Riko. No." Riko gently pushed Nathaniel back down onto his pillows.

"Lay down, Gaki," Riko's expression was complicated. "No one is getting punished."

"But you told the Master—" 

"Let me worry about the Master," Riko said. 

"You can't lie to the Master. You're a terrible liar," Nathaniel protested. Riko was still trying to think of a way to reassure him when Nathaniel's phone began to ring. Nathaniel struggled to sit up again, scrabbling ineffectually at his bedside table for purchase. 

"No," Riko said firmly, pressing him back down onto the bed again. "You rest. I got it." Riko stood and picked up the phone off of its charging dock on Nathaniel's desk. The incoming call's caller ID was blocked. Huh. Riko swiped the answer button.

"No, Riko, don't—" Nathaniel begged, but Riko already had the phone to his ear.

"You've reached Nathaniel Wesninski's phone, Riko Moriyama speaking. Nathaniel can't come to the phone right now. Can I take a message?" 

" Riko! " Nathaniel whined. 

"Funny," the voice on the phone said, sounding anything but amused. "I can distinctly hear him in the background." The man on the phone had a thick Japanese accent. It could only be one man, but Riko still found himself asking. "Who is this?"

"I think you know who I am," Ichirou Moriyama said. Goosebumps spread across Riko's arms and his breath hitched as he pulled the phone away from his ear.

"Gaki—"

"Riko!" Nathaniel pleaded, "please. Give me the phone." Nathaniel's expression was pained and pathetic. Riko felt his anger spike at the sight of it, and turned away before raising the phone back to his ear.

"Listen here," Riko said savagely, "I'm sure you know this, being a regular correspondence and all, but my little brother can be a bit of an idiot. He will not be talking to you right now, because he is resting ." Nathaniel tried to protest again but Jean shushed him.

"As far as I'm concerned, the fact that he probably has a concussion right now is almost entirely your fault . Stop getting him into trouble with the Master!" 

Riko jabbed the end call button on the phone before Ichirou could respond. He resisted the urge to hurl Nathaniel's phone across the room as he seethed.

"Riko," Nathaniel said weakly, "It's not Ichirou's fault I'm an idiot."

Jean

"You're not coming," Jean said.

Half of Nathaniel's face was a swollen bruise. Jean doubted he could even see out of his left eye. 

"I can't skip morning practice," Nathaniel protested.

"You couldn't even dress yourself without falling over. There's no way I'm letting you hold a racket today," Jean said.

"So I was a little dizzy. I'll be fine," Nathaniel insisted.

"Absolutely not," Kevin said. "Riko, tell him he's not coming." Jean hadn't heard the two of them approach, but Riko and Kevin had come through the open doorway.

"Get back in bed, Gaki," Riko said. "You're not practicing today."

"But—"

"Do me a favor and don't argue," Riko reached out and tilted Nathaniel's head gently to get a better look. "You need ice."

"I'll get it," Kevin offered.

"The Master isn't going to let me just sit in bed all day," Nathaniel said incredulously. Jean's partner was right. Even Riko and Kevin didn't get sick days, and they were worth far more to the Master than Nathaniel. 

"I'll take care of it," Riko promised.

"But, he'll beat you," Nathaniel frowned.

"Better me than you," Riko said without missing a beat. "Can you even see out of that eye?" 

"I'm not letting any of you take a hit for me." 

"It's not your decision. Get in bed," Riko said firmly.

Nathaniel let Riko guide him back to the bed, but he didn't look happy about it. Jean was grateful to Riko for siding with him, but he couldn't help but feel guilty that Riko was going to have to face the Master now.

"This is a bad plan," Nathaniel said, pouting.

"Let your big brothers take care of you," Jean ruffled Nathaniel's hair. Nathaniel's frown deepened but he didn't argue. 

Kevin returned with a bucket of ice, a couple of water bottles, and an overly large cup that may have been a protein shake. Jean stood back and let Kevin fuss over Nathaniel, showing him how to make a cold compress with the ice, a plastic bag, and a washcloth.

"Fifteen minutes on, Fifteen Minutes off," Kevin directed.

"Okay, okay," Nathaniel groaned.

"And drink your smoothie," Kevin handed him the cup.

"What's in it?" Nathaniel asked suspiciously. Kevin grimaced. 

"Fruit mostly." Nathaniel perked up at that, and he finally accepted the glass from Kevin. He took a cautious sip and let a smile turn up the corners of his mouth.

"Thanks, Kev."

"Okay, we have to go now," Riko said. "Stay in bed." Nathaniel grunted noncommittally and all three of his brothers rolled their eyes.

***

"What are you going to do about the Master?" Kevin asked as they made their way to the locker room.

"I'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Riko said. Kevin and Jean shared a worried look. Riko didn't have a plan it seemed, which was rather unlike him.

"Riko—" Kevin started.

"Don't worry about it, Kevin." 

"Of course I'm worried!" Kevin threw his hands up.

"Enough," Riko insisted. "I'll handle it" Curious eyes watched the three of them enter the locker room. Jean tried to be nonchalant as he dressed out, but of course the Raven's had noticed Nathaniel's absence. 

"Where's Nathaniel, Jean?" Engle asked.

"Don't worry about it," Jean said, echoing Riko's words. It didn't sound any more reassuring in his own voice. 

Johnson scoffed. "So what, he gets a little love tap and can't make it to practice? What a joke." Jean didn't remember deciding to fly at Johnson. But the next thing he knew, Riko had him by one arm and Kevin had him by the other. Jean struggled to get free so he could put a fist through Johnson's face.

"Leave it," Riko snapped. Jean shouted every obscenity he could think of in French, English, and Japanese. Johnson just laughed and walked onto the court.

"What happened to 'Johnson is an asshole. Ignore him' ?" Kevin asked, scowling. Hearing his own words thrown back at him was a slap in the face. Jean forced himself to calm down with noticeable effort. 

"If we let go of you, are you going to behave?" Riko asked.

"I will if he will," Jean growled. Riko considered him for a minute, and then let go. Kevin was reluctant, but followed suit. Jean took a deep breath and stalked onto the court after Johnson. 

Johnson gave Jean a wide cruel smile as he took his spot on the court. Jean pointedly ignored him.

The Master looked up when Riko and Kevin joined them. He considered Jean for a moment, and Jean knew he was wondering why Jean was on the court and Nathaniel wasn't. The Master looked at his wristwatch and scowled. Every Raven had arrived, save Nathaniel.

"Jean Moreau, Where is your partner?" the Master asked.

"Nathaniel is indisposed," Riko answered, before Jean could open his mouth to respond. 

The Master turned his attention to his nephew, but Jean didn't feel much relief. Riko's face was calm, but Jean could read the tension in the pull of his mouth and the line of his shoulders. 

"You promised me you would discipline him," the Master said, accusingly.  

"I lied." 

Riko didn't flinch when the Master attacked him, but Kevin did. Jean stood rigid, watching in horror. Some of the Raven's watched in interest as the Master struck Riko, over and over. The rest averted their eyes. By the time Riko finally collapsed to the ground, Kevin seemed to make up his mind. 

"Enough," Kevin said, stepping between them and holding his arm out as if to stop the Master from causing Riko any more harm.

The next blow intended for Riko smashed into Kevin's left arm. Jean heard the crack reverberate off the court walls. 

Kevin's anguished cry was deafening. He crumpled to the ground beside Riko, clutching his arm to his chest. Jean saw the shocking white of what could only be bone poking through Kevin's pale skin. 

The Master froze, looking at the scene before him. He was a cruel man, but even he was horrified to see that his wrath had wrought such a terrible injury on one of his star players. The Raven's shocked gasps filled the court, and Jean was finally galvanized into action. He seized Kevin by his collar and yanked him to his feet.

"Go," Jean ordered, giving Kevin a small push towards the exit.

Kevin was shaky and pale, but Jean couldn't carry both of them. He hoisted an unconscious Riko onto his shoulder and followed Kevin off the court. Neither the Master nor any of the Raven's tried to stop them.

Ichirou

Ichirou was irritable after Riko hung up on him. He considered calling Tetsuji and demanding to speak to Nathaniel, but something about what Riko said gave him pause. Riko had demanded he stop getting Nathaniel in trouble with "the Master." Ichirou was surprised by his sudden urge to fly down to West Virginia.

He abandoned the notion as soon as it came. Ichirou wasn't supposed to care about the Butcher's son this much. Nathaniel was meant to be a tool, a mole. But sometime over the last few months, Ichirou had become overly familiar with him. Sometimes he called the boy just to have a chat about their respective families. 

It only took Ichirou another moment to decide that it was his prerogative to call whomever he wanted for whatever reason. And if he wanted to pop down to West Virginia to check on his investment? He'd do as he damn well pleased. Not tonight though.

Tonight he would go home to his wife and infant son and play his part as husband and father. And tomorrow he would play his part as a respectful businessman and keep his morning meeting with the Italians. After that, he would get a hold of Nathaniel and decide how best to proceed.

***

Ichirou had barely sat down with Giordano and his associates when his secretary gave the boardroom door a perfunctory knock before letting herself in.

"Lord Moriyama." Ichirou hid his irritation with a slight smile. His secretary, Keiko, knew better than to interrupt him during a business meeting, so it had to be something urgent. 

"Yes?" Ichirou asked evenly.

"A Mr. Wesninski is on the Echo Line for you," Keiko said.  The Echo Line was a code name for Ichirou's personal emergency line. Not very many people had the number. He considered answering it, but he couldn't think of any emergency the Butcher of Baltimore could have that superseded his meeting with the Italians.

"Tell Nathan I'll call him back," Ichirou decided.

"My Lord," The secretary said, expression tightening. "It is not Nathan Wesninski on the phone." Ichirou considered her for a moment, and sensed that there were words left unspoken. If it wasn't the Butcher, it could only be Nathaniel. Nathaniel had never called Ichirou before, even though he'd had the Lord's number for months. The phone call with Riko the day before came back to him in pieces.

***

"He will not be talking to you right now, because he is resting. "

"He probably has a concussion right now."

" Your fault! "

"Stop getting him in trouble!"

***

Ichirou stood from the conference table before making the conscious decision to do so and was already making his way to the door before his business associates protested.

"Lord Moriyama, where are you going?" Giordano asked, offended. Ichirou paused. He had moved without thinking. He realized too late that his secretary had been deliberately ambiguous about the identity of the caller. It was unclear if the Italian's would put it together. Most people, even if they were in the circle, didn't know where the Butcher's son was. Ichirou would have to tread carefully here.

"My apologies," Ichirou spread his hands in a placating gesture as he turned to face the Italian businessman. "Something has come up which requires my immediate attention. If you—" Giordano swore harshly in Italian, cutting him off. "Your father would never insult me by walking out in the middle of a meeting!" he said scathingly.

Ichirou gave him a cool look. "My father would never allow you to show him the level of disrespect you are showing me right now. How dare you question me in my own boardroom." Giordano scoffed but looked suitably unnerved. His associates' countenance varied from fearful to surly. 

"Luckily for you, I am not my father," Ichirou said. "Keiko will reschedule our meeting for next week. You can show yourselves out."  Ichirou forced himself to walk normally out of the boardroom and didn't relax until he'd made it safely into his office. He closed the door, leaned against it, and allowed himself a single grounding breath. Ichirou strode purposely across the room and punched the button for the Echo Line before putting the receiver to his ear.

"Nathaniel?"

"I-I-Ichirou," Nathaniel's voice was garbled, as if he were panicking or crying.

"What happened?" Ichirou asked. A flicker of fear or panic fluttered in his chest, but he quickly squashed it. Ichirou didn't like feeling out of control, and Nathaniel calling his name in a barely comprehensible sob felt very much like something out of Ichirou's control. 

"The M-M-Master," Nathaniel struggled to form words. Ichirou felt a stab of irritation upon hearing Nathaniel use the pet name Tetsuji had painted himself with, but he didn't derail the conversation by admonishing him for it.

"This wouldn't have to do with the concussion our brother was blaming me for yesterday does it?" 

"Yes? No? Kind of?" Nathaniel's voice raised an octave with each answer. Ichirou heard someone in the background murmuring softly to Nathaniel. Was that French? 

"Nathaniel," Ichirou prompted.

"Help them," Nathaniel begged.

"Help who? You still have not told me what has happened," Ichirou tried not to let his frustration show in his voice but he wasn't sure he succeeded. 

"It was my fault," Nathaniel cried. "I angered the Master. I forgot myself. C-called him by name to his face. I don't remember him hitting me, not really. But Jean said I hit the court floor and didn't get up again. R-Riko stopped him. He promised the M-Master he'd punish me so that he wouldn't beat me right there on the court floor." Ichirou's breath hitched. Guilt was a familiar and tangible thing. 

"H-he lied," Nathaniel said. "He had no intention to hurt me. He just said it to make the Master stop.

"He wouldn't even let me come to practice this morning. Even though he knew the M-Master would punish him for lying to protect me. The Master beat him right there on the court in front of the R-Ravens.

"None of them tried to stop him. E-Except for Kevin. We always tease Kevin for being a spineless coward, but he tried to stop it. The M-Master broke his arm. T-The bone is sticking out."

"He did what?" Ichirou said sharply.

"He didn't mean to, probably. He stopped when it happened." Nathaniel's hysterical sobbing turned into hysterical laughing.

"What is funny?" Ichirou's voice was clipped, irritation finally showing in his voice. 

"K-Kevin can't play Exy with a broken arm," Nathaniel laughed. "He has a multi-million dollar salary with the Wildcats. He just signed with Court!"

"Nathaniel, focus. You asked for my help. Tell me how to help you," Ichirou ordered.

"Get them out of here?" Nathaniel suggested piteously. 

"Them?" Ichirou echoed.

"My brothers," Nathaniel explained. "I can't protect them from the Master. He could have killed any of them. He was out of control. What if it happens again? Please. I'll do anything."  Ichirou was blindsided for a moment. Nathaniel had never asked him to do something that would cost him anything before. Most of the gifts Ichirou had given him were things that Nathaniel would never have thought to ask for. And this was a tall order. All four of them were Tetsuji's property, and three of them were contracted to Edgar Allen for another three years. Moving them would be difficult and expensive. 

Ichirou opened his mouth to say it was impossible. The request was presumptuous. There wasn't much he could do. But the words caught in his throat. Hadn't Ichirou decided just last night that he would do what he wanted? Besides, Tetsuji was just a worthless second son. Everything he owned ultimately belonged to Kengo, belonged to Ichirou.

And Tetsuji had taken his charges for granted. He pushed them too hard, and beat them when they didn't keep up with his impossible standards. He broke Kevin. He tried to break Nathaniel and Riko. He was supposed to raise them to be the best, not raze them into the ground. 

Their sole purpose was to earn money playing Exy, but if he was breaking them to the point where they could no longer fulfill that purpose, what use was Tetsuji to Ichirou? Ichirou tried to ignore the nagging feeling that his affection for Nathaniel had anything to do with his decision. It was definitely about the money. 

"You once told me," Ichirou said carefully, "That you're either a Raven, or you're nothing. Where would you go if I got you out of Evermore?"

"M-me?" Nathaniel stammered. "I wasn't talking about me. I can't fulfill my end of our bargain from outside of Evermore."

"Counting yourself out again? I thought you were a team? What would the Perfect Court be without their number three?" Ichirou asked. "Besides, you cannot help me if you are dead. If Tetsuji is so volatile that you want your brothers away from him, I am not leaving you there with him alone. Now, answer the question. Where would you go?" Nathaniel was quiet for so long that Ichirou thought he wasn't going to answer.

"I have an idea," Nathaniel said slowly, "but it might be a stupid one."

"Let me hear it."

"Palmetto State University," Nathaniel sounded it out slowly, as if he were afraid Ichirou would have a bad reaction to his words. Ichirou, however, was not an Exy fan.

"Never heard of it," Ichirou said.

"Ah, um, well, they have kind of a bad reputation," Nathaniel admitted. "They're a class I team, but barely. Their coach takes in troubled athletes." Nathaniel paused and Ichirou knew he was waiting for Ichirou to react negatively to the explanation. Ichirou hummed noncommittally. 

"Until this year, they were also kind of the last place team for three years running," Nathaniel added in a rush, "But they're also the smallest team in the NCAA so there's definitely room for all four of us. And there's no way we'll fail, even with dismal teammates like the Foxes."

"You want me to send the best players from America's number one college Exy team, to the team that sat in last place for three years?" Ichirou reiterated. 

"I said it might be a stupid idea," Nathaniel sounded suitably abashed. "But I do have another reason. It would be good publicity."

"Yes, I imagine a stunt like that would generate a lot of media attention," Ichirou allowed. "However, I am not convinced the attention would be positive."

"People love a good controversy," Nathaniel said. "But that's not what I meant. Their coach? David Wymack? He's Kevin's father."

"Okay?" Ichirou didn't understand.

"He doesn't know he's Kevin's father. No one does. Except for us, and the Master. We found a letter his mother wrote to the Master in an old Exy book at his house a few years ago," Nathaniel explained. "He calls Kevin to talk to him sometimes, and sends him cards on Christmas and his birthday. If we go to him and tell him he's Kevin's father, he'll definitely help us. And we can use the good publicity to help combat the negative."

Ichirou hummed as he thought. Nathaniel was right. It was a stupid idea. But he was also right about the press. Good press was best, but even bad press generated money. 

"No other teams are suitable?" Ichirou asked to be sure.

"Any team would be lucky to have us," Nathaniel said. "But most of them wouldn't have the room, and only PSU has Kevin's father."

"Very well," Ichirou agreed reluctantly. "I will make the arrangements. In the meantime we need to get you somewhere safe and out of Tetsuji's reach. The four of you will be admitted to a hospital. Kevin's injury sounds like it needs immediate attention, and I'm sure the rest of you will benefit from the arrangement." 

"But, what can I give you in exchange for your help?" Nathaniel asked, sounding pained. "I don't have any value now." Ichirou paused to think about it. Nathaniel was right again. He had nothing to offer Ichirou in return. He couldn't be allowed to fulfill his position as resident mole in Evermore, and he did not yet have any contracts or endorsements. 

"I am simply taking care of my investments," Ichirou decided finally. "You are very confident in your ability to become the best. I will help you now with the knowledge that I will someday soon see that return investment."

Ichirou heard Nathaniel's voice catch in his throat but in the end Nathaniel managed a strangled, "Thank you."

Nathaniel

It had been five days since they left Evermore. Tetsuji was nowhere to be found when Ichirou's men came for them. Nathaniel had never been to a hospital before, but he was reasonably sure they didn't usually have five star hotel treatment. Since they had been admitted, the four of them had been waited on hand and foot. 

Kevin was immediately taken into surgery when they arrived. Afterwards, the doctors warned them that even with proper rest and rehabilitation Kevin's arm may never fully recover. Compound fractures like Kevin's would take three to six months to heal. And it would be longer than that before they knew for sure how severe the nerve damage was. Kevin was taking it pretty hard.

Riko took it harder. He was already unconscious when Kevin stood up to the Master, so there's nothing he could have done, but he still felt responsible. Riko claimed his own injuries looked worse than they actually were, but Nathaniel saw the tight expression on the nurses' faces. Riko's body was covered in large contusions, and an x-ray revealed a small fracture of the fifth rib on his left side. Still, they said six weeks of rest and he'd be good as new.

Nathaniel's own examination confirmed Kevin's suspicions about the concussion and fractured cheekbone. He was out of the danger zone for complications due the former, and the latter would heal by itself over time. The doctor advised him to limit physical activities for four to six weeks.

Jean had no injuries to treat, but even he was given a full work up and baby treatment. By the third day Kevin, Riko, and Nathaniel were all stable enough to be discharged, but the doctors and nurses never suggested it when they came to check on them. 

Knuckles rapping on the door jam caught Nathaniel's attention. None of the doctors or nurses bothered knocking anymore, since the Raven boys always left their doors propped open. It shouldn't have been a surprise to see Ichirou standing there, but Nathaniel hadn't spoken to the Moriyama Lord since before they were admitted. Nathaniel tried to get out of bed, but his legs tangled in the sheets.

"Don't," Ichirou advised, walking towards him.

"Ichirou," Nathaniel managed. Ichirou lifted a hand to Nathaniel's chin and turned his head to better look at the bruise that covered half of Nathaniel's face. Nathaniel watched Jean stiffen on the bed to his right. 

"The doctor said the swelling will go down in another week or two," Nathaniel said. "The bruising will take longer than that to fade."

Ichirou's face was serene but Nathaniel could sense his anger in the barely perceptible thinness of his lips and the slight crease in his eyebrows. 

"I am only glad there is no permanent damage," Ichriou said eventually.

"No," Nathaniel agreed. "But Kevin…" He let the words die in his throat. None of them knew how to hold Kevin up. Just last week he was a star athlete with a bright future. Today his future was uncertain. 

"Yes the doctors have informed me of Kevin's, ah, prognosis. They are cautiously optimistic that he will recover," Ichirou said.

"He's afraid he'll never play well enough to keep up with the rest of us," Nathaniel admitted. "We told him we wouldn't let him count himself out before he's even tried."

"Good," Ichirou actually smiled then. "I would not expect any less of you."

"Hey, Gaki, Kevin's asking for you. He wants to know whe—" Riko paused halfway into the room, his usual mask broken by the shock of seeing Ichirou standing there at Nathaniel's side.

Ichirou considered him for a minute. 

"Gaki?' he asked.

"My nickname," Nathaniel supplied. "I used to be a pretty bratty kid."

"Used to," Jean scoffed, and then stiffened when Ichirou turned to look at him. 

"What does Kevin want to know?" Nathaniel asked, bringing the attention back to himself.

"When we're getting out of this hospital," Riko said carefully, looking between Nathaniel and Ichirou. 

"Well, I have good news in that regard," Ichirou fished a keyring out of his breast pocket.

Nathaniel recognized the car fob as his own, but the silver key was new.

"I have arranged for the three of you to be released from your contracts to Edgar Allen. Your personal possessions have been packed and sent to a storage facility in Palmetto, South Carolina," Ichirou indicated the silver key which Nathaniel realized must open their storage locker. "You can be on the road in an hour or two." Ichirou dropped the keys into Nathaniel's hand. 

"That sounds…expensive," Riko said finally.

"I know you're good for it," Ichirou said

"You don't even know me," Riko countered, but there was no heat in it. Nathaniel looked from Riko to Ichirou, trying to decide if he should mediate this somehow. The two blood brothers had never met each other, and as far as Nathaniel knew, the only time they'd ever spoken was that heated phone call last week after his incident with Tetsuji.

"I'd like to amend that," Ichirou said softly. 

Chapter Text

David

It was 4:23 AM when David woke. He allowed himself a minute before he yawned and switched off his 4:30 AM alarm. It wasn't at all unusual for him to wake before it went off. He threw back his covers and headed for the bathroom. The light was on in the hall. Huh.

Only one other person owned a key to his apartment, and Abby was definitely still at home in bed. She always called before she came over anyway. David sighed and grabbed a clean blanket before heading to the living room to find his guest.

Andrew Minyard was curled asleep on the couch. A half empty bottle of whiskey, and a few empty packets were on the coffee table. David tossed the blanket over the sleeping form. Andrew didn't even stir. 

David headed to the kitchen to put on the coffee. Dirty dishes in the sink told him that Andrew had made himself a midnight snack. Good. David hated it when he found Andrew drinking and dusting on an empty stomach. 

As soon as there was enough coffee to fill a cup, he poured some in a mug and headed out for his morning walk. David locked the door behind him. When he was home alone he didn't usually bother, even when leaving for his daily morning walk, but Andrew didn't feel safe without locked doors.

When David returned with his empty cup around thirty minutes later, Andrew was still asleep. It was only the first day of Christmas Break so Andrew would likely wake soon, still used to getting up for six AM practices. David refilled his mug and started working on breakfast. 

Andrew liked breakfast burritos. 

David made breakfast burritos.

David assembled two burritos for himself and dumped a pile of eggs and potatoes on a plate for Andrew, tossing the tortillas on top. Since Andrew always ripped his food into small pieces before eating it, David didn't waste his time rolling Andrew's burritos. 

David dumped a packet of dark chocolate hot cocoa mix into a clean mug, filled it halfway with milk, and topped the mug off with coffee. He gave Andrew's mug a quick stir before he stacked the two plates on top of each other and carried everything into the living room. 

David dropped his load onto the coffee table beside the whiskey and fumbled with the TV remote. Andrew jerked violently awake to the sound of the morning news. 

"Breakfast," Wymack grunted. Andrew blinked owlishly and sat up. He didn't even acknowledge David, but reached immediately for his mug and took a swig of his coffee/cocoa mixture. 

"It's cold," Andrew said.

"There's a microwave."

David sat on the couch beside him and ate his burritos in silence while ESPN played. He knew Andrew would talk to him when he was ready. At length, Andrew set the mug aside in favor of ripping his tortillas into bite size pieces. Andrew didn't speak before he'd cleared two-thirds of his plate.

"Nicky and Aaron aren't strong enough to carry your team through Spring Championships," Andrew said. This was unexpected. Andrew claimed to hate Exy, and complained loudly and at length whenever anyone tried to talk to him about it. And yet here he was, in David's living room, willingly bringing up Spring Championships of his own volition. 

"You mean now that Damien is gone," David said. Andrew didn't respond, but then, it hadn't really been a question. Until last semester's report cards came out, Damien was one of the team's senior backliners, and had been with David from the beginning. He'd always had a drug problem and had been getting into harder stuff this year, letting his grades slip until David was forced to bench him on Academic probation.

David and Abby tried to help him, but nothing they did or said seemed to do him any good. David even encouraged Damien's roommate, Reggie, to motivate him, but Reggie hadn't had any more luck than David. Damien had flunked out of every one of his classes, so David was forced to boot him from the team.

"What about Matt?" David prompted.

"Boyd is good, but he can't hold the line by himself for long. Find someone else before next season. I'm getting tired of saving you." Andrew abruptly stood from the coffee table, taking his mug back to the kitchen to reheat it in the microwave. David watched him thoughtfully. When Andrew came to him with advice like this it was hard for David to buy that Andrew didn't give a damn about the game. Then again, David getting fired if their team didn't succeed this year would be a major inconvenience for Andrew. What an enigma. 

Andrew returned to the living room and fumbled with his prescription bottle with shaky fingers. David had been so distracted by the conversation that he hadn't noticed Andrew's withdrawal getting closer to stage three. Andrew took the pill dry before starting on his now steaming mug. David waited until Andrew was finished before getting up and carrying all of their dishes to the kitchen sink.

"I have to head to the stadium now. You need a ride back to campus?"

***

Andrew's medicine had kicked in by the time David dropped him off in front of Fox Tower.

"See ya, Coach," Andrew raised his hand in a two fingered salute. "Thanks for the chat."

"Let's not do it again soon," David grunted.

Andrew gave David his wide manic smile before turning away, cackling as he walked into the dorm room. David sighed and put the car back into gear. David wasn't a hopeful person generally, but on the way to the stadium he made a silent wish that he'd have better luck with the recruit files today.

When David arrived at the stadium there was an unfamiliar red Lexus parked outside. The West Virginia license plate read 'EARAVEN.' Huh. David parked nearby and got out of the car. All four doors of the Lexus opened and four men got out, oddly in sync. Well, Raven symmetry was famous.

The four men lined up shoulder to shoulder on the curb to wait for David. He looked at each in turn. Even if he didn't recognize them on sight, the matching black Adidas Tracksuits with the three red stripes would tell any Exy fan that these men were Edgar Allen's Ravens. And the tattoo's on their left cheekbones identified them as members of the Perfect Court. 

Riko Moriyama's face was a blank mask, but the way he'd walked from the car to the curb told David he was doing his level best to hide how much pain he was in. David guessed it must be some kind of bruising judging by the stiffness with which he now stood. It wouldn't have flagged as unusual, considering David knew these boys were Exy players, except the next two boys in the lineup were also sporting obvious injuries.

Kevin Day had a complicated expression on his face. David tried to keep up with Kevin ever since his mother's death, but it had been a while since David had last spoken to him. He wasn't sure why Kevin was coming to see him now, but David couldn't miss the sling that cradled Kevin's left arm to his chest.

 The cast poking out of the sling was both surprising and concerning. Kevin was a left handed player. If he'd injured his left arm it should have been all over the sports news, but David had seen nothing on it.

The third man, the driver, was the shortest of the bunch and unknown to David. With his auburn hair and bright blue eyes, he should have stood out if he was on the Raven line. Half of the man's face was swollen and swathed with an awful yellowing bruise, but what interested David was the number three tattooed on his left cheekbone. 

Riko and Kevin had been in the limelight since they were children, and the pair had worn the one and two for years before they were old enough to ink them permanently onto their skin. Two years ago, Jean Moreau sparked controversy in the Exy community when he joined the line sporting the number four tattoo. 

David didn't put stock in rumors, but seeing the young man now, he had to consider that the rumor that Number Three was too young to join the line wasn't far off. 

Jean Moreau was the only man on the curb that didn't have any injuries obvious to David. The Raven's Number Four starting backliner was taller than anyone on David's team, and wore an expression that could put Seth Gordan's scowl to shame. 

"Kevin," David said, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Kevin fiddled nervously with the strap of his arm sling. "We want to transfer to Palmetto State and join your Fox Line," Kevin said. 

David waited for the punchline. Three of these men were contracted to Edgar Allen University. The Raven's were the number one school in the NCAA. David was partial to his Foxes and believed in them wholeheartedly, but until this year, they were ranked dead last for three years running.

"No offense, but why would Edgar Allen's finest want to join my team?" David asked.

***

The Foxes' lounge had two couches and four chairs, and yet, the four Ravens sat crammed together on one couch. David leaned against the entertainment center and crossed his arms. Three of the four men silently stared up at David. Kevin's gaze, however, was trained on the book in his lap.

"I'm waiting," Wymack prompted, tapping a finger on his elbow.

"If you're worried we don't fit your line up, I'm willing to show you some physical evidence that proves otherwise," Number Three offered. 

David considered him. Number Three had a smile on his face, but something was unsettling about it. David had always had a talent for reading pain in other people, and he could tell just by looking at them that these four had experienced more than their fair share of it. Besides, it wasn't his place to ask.

"That isn't necessary," David said. "It also doesn't answer my question." Riko, Number Three, and Jean looked to Kevin, so David did too. Kevin didn't look up from his book, so Number Three elbowed him. Kevin jerked to attention and shot the man a cross look. Number Three returned the look with a smile that was all teeth.

Eventually, Kevin looked up at David with a horrible lost expression. He opened his mouth, presumably to explain, but nothing came out. Riko said something to him in a language that David didn't know. Japanese probably. Kevin's mouth set in a grim line. 

At length, Kevin opened the book in his lap and pulled out a worn sheet of paper. He stood up from the couch, but seemed unable to take that final step to hand it over. David uncrossed his arms and walked forward to accept it. Kevin shrank back and studied a spot in the floor while David unfolded it.

David stared at it for an endless minute before returning his gaze back to Kevin. Kevin's shoulders were rigid and he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world.

"Er, Kevin," David said calmly. "I can't read Japanese."

David offered the paper back to Kevin, but Kevin didn't take it. Instead he began to tremble. Riko stood carefully from the couch, successfully hiding most of a wince, and held his hand out for the paper. David handed it over.

"Dear Tetsu-kun," Riko made a face as he translated but kept going, "I hope you are well. I am writing to you today because I have a very important announcement! A few days ago I found out that I am expecting! I am excited beyond words! You are my dearest friend, and the first person I am telling. I hope you will do me the honor of consenting to be the godfather of my child?

"I know. You're probably wondering who the father is. Remember when I told you about David Wymack? I know you never appreciated it when I mixed business with pleasure, but I really couldn't help myself! He's just a really great guy. Only, I don't plan on telling him the baby is his. 

"David's dream is to start his own NCAA team. I know he would abandon it in a heartbeat to help me with the baby, but I don't want that for him. It's selfish of me, but I'm not ready to settle down with him either. I want to keep traveling the world until Exy is just as popular as Football or Baseball!

"I hope you don't think too badly of me for it. Your friend, Kayleigh." 

Riko looked up expectantly when he was finished, searching. David wasn't sure what expression the man read on his face. David felt hot and cold in turn. Kayleigh had been apologetic when she told him that Kevin wasn't his. David had always assumed she was apologizing for sleeping with another man, but maybe she was feeling guilty about the deception. 

Riko tried to hand the paper back to Kevin but Kevin wouldn't look at Riko either. Riko gently tugged the book out of Kevin's hand and slipped the letter back inside.

David studied the man in front of him, trying to see anything of himself in Kevin. They had the same dark hair, but everything else about Kevin just reminded David of Kayleigh. They had the same nose and high cheekbones, and if Kevin could muster up the courage to look at him, David knew he would see Kayleigh's green eyes. 

"Kevin," David said finally. "It's okay." Kevin eventually managed to drag his stare up to David's face. Whatever he saw there seemed to steady him. 

"Well?" Kevin asked flatly.

"I can't afford to buy out your contracts." It was sad, but true. David would have to take out loans to even afford one of them, let alone four. Even if he was right about Number Three not having a contract with Edgar Allen, there was still no way David could buy out the scholarships for three Class I athletes.

"Don't worry about that," Riko said. "It has been taken care of. Edgar Allen agreed to provide us with transfer-release agreements. It just isn't public information yet. We wanted to make sure we had somewhere to go first." David wanted to say yes. Even if he didn't just have his world tilted on its side he would be a fool to turn down the chance to sign the Perfect Court. But he still didn't have enough information. It was obvious they were beaten to hell and back. And he now had an idea of why they would choose to come to him, but who or what were they running from?

"First, tell me why you left Edgar Allen," David said.

Kevin frowned. "The Master—"

"Tetsuji," Number Three interjected.

Kevin swallowed. 

"Tet-su-ji." He sounded the name out as if it were acid on his tongue. "He would sooner destroy us over injured pride, then help us rise to the top." It only took David a second to piece it together. 

"Your injuries…"

"Officially," Riko said firmly, "We were in a car accident."

"Unofficially?" Riko was silent. David waited patiently but it was Number Three who spoke up.

"You'll need a little background information to fully understand," Number Three said carefully. He looked to Riko for confirmation, and received a reluctant head tilt in response. 

"Riko, Jean and I have…complicated families. The Moriyma family is broken in half. Riko's father, Kengo, heads the Main Family and runs an international trading company with Riko's older brother, Ichirou. When Riko was born, he was sent to Tetsuji as soon as possible after birth. Kengo didn't need two heirs.

"Tetsuji is the head of the Branch Family. His job is to make Kengo as much money as possible. He developed Exy and uses it to generate profit for the Main Family. So long as he doesn't do anything to damage the reputation of the Main family, he's allowed to do what he likes. And what he likes is to create the most powerful team in the nation. This is all public knowledge."

Number Three waited for David's acknowledgement to continue.

"In reality the Moriyama's are an emigrated Yakuza group. The Japanese Mafia. Jean's father holds territory for Kengo in Europe. My father operates here, along the Eastern Seaboard. 

"When I was ten, Kengo made my father give me up to Tetsuji. He doesn't want nepotism destroying his empire. Jean was sold to Tetsuji to settle a debt. We're property in his eyes, objects to bend and break as he likes. 

"Tetsuji doesn't tolerate disrespect or defiance. I disrespected him, and he tried to break my face. Riko tried to stick up for me, and Kevin tried to stick up for him, and this was the result." He gestured towards Riko and Kevin.

David's mouth thinned to a hard line. He had always found something unsettling about Tetsuji Moriyama, no matter what Kayleigh said about him. Even a man like David who didn't buy into rumors had heard his fair share about Coach Moriyama and his Raven's.

"Is the mafia going to be a problem for my team? How do you know Tetsuji isn't going to try and get you back?"

"He doesn't have the authority," Riko answered. "Nathaniel convinced my brother to help us leave Evermore. Ichirou outranks my uncle in the family hierarchy. Tetsuji has to do what he says. And as a safe block, Ichirou appealed to our father to make sure Tetsuji couldn't go behind his back.

"As far as the mafia, well, they use Raven games as a cover for big meetings, but they don't actually interact with us. Jean and Nathaniel haven't even spoken to their families in years."

David needed time to mull things over. Riko said the mafia wouldn't be a problem, and David wanted to believe him. He was in the habit of trusting people until they proved that they did not deserve that trust. But, really? The Mafia?

"How serious are your injuries?" David needed to know. "Can you even still play?" Kevin paled. Riko pressed against him in silent support.

"Nathaniel is fit for practice, though he's too young to actually join your line until the fall. He does have a fractured cheek bone that needs about three or so more weeks to heal, but that shouldn't be a problem with proper precautions. The doctor says the danger has passed from his concussion. I should be fit in another four to five weeks or so. The Mas—Tetsuji fractured one of my ribs when he…when he beat me," Riko explained, tracing the line of the aforementioned rib on his abdomen as he spoke. 

"Kevin's injury is more complicated. The surgery itself went well, and the doctors are optimistic that he will recover enough to play. However, they warned us he may be left with permanent nerve damage because of the way the bone pushed through the skin when it broke. It's impossible to tell until he heals more and goes through physical therapy. We should know more in four to six months."

David kept his expression carefully blank as Riko explained the extent of their injuries. He knew it would be bad before he asked, but it was important for him to know. All of his players went through bad shit, and it never got easier hearing details. But David's team was all about giving people second chances, and these boys certainly needed one. 

"Don't take this the wrong way—I'd be damn lucky to have you on the line, any team would—but, what I really need right now is strikers, and Kevin will be lucky if he's fit to play by the time Fall season starts."

"Nathaniel can play Striker," Riko said immediately.

"I can?" It seemed like news to Number Three, er, Nathaniel. "Riko, I've been training as a backliner for, like, ten years." Riko said something to him in Japanese and Nathaniel shut his mouth and turned away looking surly.

To David, Riko said, "All Raven's are fast, but Nathaniel is faster than every other Raven on the line. It serves him well as a backliner because he can keep up with any striker on the court. But imagine that kind of speed on your offense line. 

"He can get around any backliner easily, and if not, well, he knows how to push his way through too. He also has crazy good accuracy, certainly better than anyone on your line up, so it shouldn't be too much work to train him to use it to score. Besides, the ERC doesn't even know he exists."

"Striker's are nothing but glory hounds," Nathaniel said petulantly. 

"Is that how you see us?" Kevin asked, offended.

Nathaniel gave him a decidedly unfriendly smile, and Kevin muttered something darkly to him. Suddenly Nathaniel, Kevin, and Riko were arguing. Even Jean Moreau, who had been watching everything in silence until now, butted in. 

Again with the Japanese. David was getting a headache. He already had to deal with German from Andrew's lot. David rubbed his temples and was about to call "enough" when they stopped of their own accord. Nathaniel looked up at him with a tight expression.

"If I agree to play as a striker, can we stay here?" he asked. "Will you sign us?"

"Do you want to play striker?" David asked. If Riko Moriyama, the supposed King of Exy, was vouching for him, Nathaniel was bound to have actual talent. He certainly seemed sincere when he described Nathaniel's highlights. But David didn't want to force Nathaniel into a position he didn't want to play.

"I want to play," Nathaniel said simply. David interpreted that the way he liked. He knew there was more to this story, but he wasn't going to press them for any more details. They'd gotten plenty personal with him already, and David made it a habit not to pry into his team's personal business.

He would be stupid not to sign them, but like with Andrew and the cousins, it couldn't be only his decision. Inviting the Perfect Court to his team was sure to be a public relations nightmare. The team deserved a say, and the school board would skin him alive if he agreed without their say so.

"I'm willing to put up with the publicity headache that signing you will cause, but I can't force my team to do the same," David said carefully. "We'll have to vote on it. Even then, I'll need to get permission from the school board."

"I guess that will have to be good enough for now," Nathaniel said.

"Most of the team is leaving for Christmas Break today. They should get back before New Years," David said. "I'm assuming you four have nowhere to stay in the meantime?"

"We can get a hotel," Riko suggested.

"I might have a better idea," David said. "Anyone opposed to blow up mattresses?"

Riko

"This was a mistake," Kevin complained. Nathaniel put the car in reverse and backed out.

"We heard you the first time, Kev," Nathaniel said, following Coach Wymack out of the parking lot.

"And the second time," Riko supplied.

"And the fourth, fifth, and sixth times," Jean added.

"He won't sign us," Kevin insisted. "And even if he does, the Foxes are a miserable team."

"What about Andrew Minyard?" Riko prompted. "Remember their game in October? He completely shut the Jackdaws out in the second quarter."

"Okay, but he doesn't give a damn about the game. And he already refused to play with us. Twice. He's a lost cause. A waste of potential."

"Well, now he won't have a choice. If Coach Wymack signs us, he'll have to play with us," Riko pointed out.

"I thought we agreed that the Foxes' real problem isn't talent, but teamwork," Jean said. "Raven's are experts at teamwork. I don't foresee it being a problem." 

"The four of us can whip them into shape," Nathaniel added.

"We'd better," Kevin muttered.

***

Fifteen minutes later Nathaniel parked his car at the curb in front of a one-story house. Wymack got out of his car and waited for them to join him in the driveway before walking to the door. He opened it without knocking and called out a greeting.

"In the kitchen!" The Coach led the four of them down the hall. Riko could smell food cooking before they even made it into the kitchen. The Foxes nurse, Abigail Winfield, was standing at the stove cooking several dishes Riko didn't recognize. 

"Boys, this is our team nurse, Abby Winfield. Abby, this is Riko, Kevin, Nathaniel, and Jean." Wymack introduced them.

"Nice to meet you," the four said in sync.

"Oh, nice to mee—David!" Abby said sharply, "You didn't tell me they were injured!"

"There was a lot going on," Wymack deflected.

"Come mind the bacon," Abby ordered.

Wymack did as he was told and took over at the stove. Abby came over to them, looking anxious. Riko managed a press-ready smile for her, but he was the only one. Jean's mouth was set in a hard line, and Kevin was wearing his trademark scowl. Nathaniel's neutral expression faltered when she reached up and tilted his face for a better look.

"We just got out of the hospital this morning. I'm fine," Nathaniel said stiffly.

"What happened to your face?" Abby asked like she couldn't help herself. Riko saw the twitch at Nathaniel's jaw that said he was about to say something impulsive.

"Tetsuji Moriyama hit me with his ornate walking cane," Nathaniel deadpanned. Abby's eyes widened a bit in surprise and her mouth thinned to an angry line. Riko tensed, but her hands remained soft and gentle and she examined him.

"He only got in the one hit," Nathaniel said. "I've had worse." Instead of reassuring her, his words seemed to have the opposite effect. 

"Ignore him," Riko said, drawing her attention to him instead. "Nathaniel fancies himself a martyr."

" You are calling me a martyr? After last week?" Nathaniel raised an eyebrow at him. Abby returned her attention to Riko. She seemed to be trying to ascertain the damage, but as angry as his uncle had been, Tetsuji hadn't hit Riko anywhere that couldn't be hidden under his clothing. 

"It's mostly bruising, Ms. Winfield," Riko said. "I couldn't just stand there and watch my uncle beat him."

"Hypocrite," Nathaniel muttered. 

"Please, call me Abby." 

"Abby," Riko humored her.

"I'd like to check them," Abby said. "After brunch."

"Okay," Riko agreed easily.

He didn't want to offend her. They were going to be living here for the next few weeks so angering her in the first ten minutes would be stupid and inconvenient. 

"Kevin? Jean? What about you?" Abby turned to face them.

"Just the arm," Kevin told her. "I'm to go back for a follow up in a few weeks." Abby nodded and then turned an insistent look on Jean.

"I was not injured," Jean said. Abby accepted that and crossed the kitchen back to the stove where Wymack was finishing up. 

"Jean, can you help David set the table?" Abby began moving the contents of her various pans into serving dishes. "Nathaniel there is milk and orange juice in the fridge, and glasses in the far cabinet. Riko, Kevin, sit."

Jean obediently accepted plates and silverware from Wymack and set the table, while Nathaniel located the drinks and started pouring glasses for everyone. Riko and Kevin sat awkwardly at the table to wait. 

Riko didn't recognize a single dish served. He surreptitiously watched how everyone else filled their plates so he could copy them. Nathaniel didn't bother to hide his excitement at the spread. Jean was more stoic than his partner. Kevin's expression said he was already thinking about how much this brunch would set back their diets, but he didn't complain.  

Riko took cautious first bites of everything. Despite their appearances, several of the foods tasted similar to things Riko was used to. Riko could tell that one of the dishes was eggs, though he'd never seen them in fluffy bite size pieces before. Another he recognized as potatoes. Everything tasted richer and saltier than Evermore's bland nutritious diet. 

"You boys act like you've never had breakfast before," Abby said, concerned. She looked from one face to the other, as if she were hoping one of them would tell her she was wrong.

"In the Nest, food is eaten for nutrition only," Nathaniel explained "Breakfast is usually oatmeal or spinach and mushroom omelettes. Or if you're in a hurry, a tasteless protein shake or a granola bar. I haven't had bacon or breakfast potatoes in, oh, about 8 years."

Abby wasn't able to hide all of a frown. 

" This is bacon?" Riko asked, picking up one of the crispy strips Nathaniel had been indicating off of his own plate.

"Riko, You've never had bacon?" Abby asked, voice tight with emotion. Riko tried the bacon, chewing thoughtfully before answering.

"I grew up in Evermore. Until last fall I'd never even left the stadium unless it was for a game, press conference, or endorsement. Then we got permission to go out on weekends, and I tried pizza for the first time at the mall. I'd never eaten anything simply for the pleasure of it before then. So if it's not chicken, fish, or salad it's safe to assume I haven't tried it."

Abby exchanged a pitying look with Wymack, whose mouth was set in a hard line. 

"You're, what, nineteen?" Wymack guessed. "And you never left the stadium once?"

"The Mas—Tesuji didn't allow it." Riko confirmed.

"How did you change his mind?"

" I didn't," Riko looked to Nathaniel.

"I made, ah, many deals," Nathaniel waved a hand. "Most of them weren't anything special. That was the first one. Tetsuji wouldn't look at any of us for a week and a half. It was great."

Wymack opened his mouth to say or ask something else but was interrupted when someone called their greeting down the hall.

"Abby! Coach! What's with the sick ride out front?" 

Riko looked up as the two men entered the kitchen. Thanks to Kevin's obsession with following his father's team, Riko recognized them on sight. Reggie Davis was the Foxes senior goalkeeper, though his stats were worse than both of the Foxes other two goalkeepers. Juan Martinez was one of the Foxes starting strikers. He wasn't a deplorable striker, but couldn't hold a candle to anyone on the Raven's line, least of all Riko and Kevin.

"Whoa, full house!" Juan said. Riko saw the exact moment Juan and Reggie recognized the Perfect Court.

"Abby," Reggie said. "Why is your house full of Ravens?"

"Nice to see you too, Juan, Reggie." Wymack raised an eyebrow.

"Avoiding the question, Coach?" Juan gave the Raven's a suspicious look

"You probably recognize Riko, Kevin, and Jean. This is Nathaniel. The four of them are going to stay with us for a while," Wymack said. Juan and Reggie's gaze fell on Nathaniel, eyes narrowing as they noticed his tattoo.

"You're the mysterious Number Three?' Reggie said disbelievingly. "How old are you? Fourteen?"

" Seven teen," Nathaniel scowled. "Eighteen next month."

"But why are you here?" Juan asked the room at large.

"We want to join the line," Kevin said.

"You have got to be shitting me!" Reggie looked like he was waiting for someone to tell him this was all some elaborate practical joke. 

"Why the hell do a bunch of Raven's want to join our team?" Juan sneered.

"We had to leave Evermore," Riko explained. "And since your Coach is Kevin's father, we hoped he would help us out."

"Wait wait wait wait wait, back it up. Coach! You never told us Kevin Day was your son!" Reggie gestured wildly in Kevin's direction.

Kevin flushed. Coach Wymack grimaced.

"I only found out two hours ago," Wymack said stiffly.

"This is a bad joke," Reggie said.

At length Juan pulled out his phone and started texting, fingers frantically flying across the touchscreen.

"Reggie, Relax. Juan you can't tell anyone about this," Wymack gave him a pointed look. "We don't want the press to know anything before we're ready."

"Oops," Juan said, unsympathetically. "Too late, Coach." Wymack pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"Who the hell did you tell?" Wymack demanded.

"Seth," Juan said.

"Listen, you don't understand. It's life and death here. Tell him he can't tell anyone," Wymack said. 

"Now, Juan," Wymack insisted when Juan didn't obey fast enough. Juan tapped out another quick message and hit send.

"Explain," Juan demanded. Wymack looked to the Ravens. Riko exchanged glances with his brothers before nodding reluctantly to Nathaniel. Before Nathaniel could explain again, though, Wymack's phone began to ring. Wymack fished it out of his pocket and swore before answering.

"Dan," he grunted. Riko couldn't hear what the Foxes Captain was saying, but he didn't need to. Apparently Fox gossip spread fast. The Ravens were never so indiscreet. 

"Yes, it's true.

"Yes. That too.

"No.

"I wasn't hiding anything from you. I just thought we could discuss it when you guys come back for New Years. Promise me no one will say anything to anyone outside the team.

"Thank you.

"Bye."

Wymack hung up the phone and sighed. Riko tensed. Would the Coach get angry now? Tetsuji would be furious if one of the Raven's caused this much trouble for him. 

"So, are we gonna get that life and death explanation now?" Juan asked.

"If the media gets wind of any of this before the school board I will sign you up for a marathon," Wymack threatened. Juan shrugged, nonplussed. Riko was completely bewildered. He checked on his brothers and each of them was similarly disoriented.

"Hey, Nathaniel, right?" Juan appealed to Nathaniel directly. "Weren't you about to explain?"

Nathaniel started but grounded himself and explained their story all over again, this time for the upperclassman and Abby.

"So, let me get this straight," Reggie said. "You guys are, like, literally part of the mafia?"

"Actually," Jean spoke for the first time since the Foxes arrived. "I was not allowed to participate in the family business."

Reggie and Juan weren't impressed by that. They turned to Riko next for confirmation.

"Sort of," Riko admitted. "Our job is to play Exy and make money. To be honest I'm not even certain we'll still get a kickback of the profits, considering we broke off from my uncle and I now owe my older brother an obscene amount of money"

"Out of all of us," Nathaniel's smile curled into the one that reminded Riko of the Butcher, "I was the only one trained to do…unsavory things." Nathaniel waved his hand in a 'what can you do?' gesture.

"Gaki." There was a warning tone in Riko's voice. Nathaniel shrugged.

" They deserve a fair warning in case I have to gut one of them ," Nathaniel said in casual Japanese.

" You can't go five minutes without being a troublemaker, can you? " Jean muttered in the same language, rubbing his temples as if warding off a headache.

" Menace, " Kevin added. Nathaniel's grin only widened.

"How unsavory?" Reggie asked suspiciously.

"My father's nickname is The Butcher of Baltimore," Nathaniel said cryptically.

"I've heard of him," Juan said, surprising Riko. "His wife and child disappeared mysteriously. The police suspected he killed them, but they could never prove it. I saw it on Cold Case Files." Juan looked at Nathaniel for confirmation. Nathaniel's smile faltered, and the replacement didn't quite reach his eyes. 

"That's the one," Nathaniel said flatly, his eyes taking on a dead look that Riko didn't see often.

"Did he kill her?" Reggie asked curiously, "your mother?"

" Reggie. Juan, " Abby rebuked. "This is not a polite conversation." 

"He started it," Juan grumbled.

"I'm finishing it," Abby said firmly. "Reggie, Juan, help yourselves to brunch. Riko, I'm ready for you now." 

Riko obediently stood from the table. When Kevin got up to go with them, no one complained. The two partners followed Abby through the house so what Riko presumed was her bedroom. 

"Just let me grab my med kit," Abby said, stepping into the adjoining bathroom.

Riko unzipped his jacket and couldn't hide all of a wince as he tried to shrug out of it. Kevin tried to help him, but it was awkward since Kevin was one-handed. Eventually the two of them managed to get the jacket off. Riko shuddered from the pain and effort, and bonelessly dropped his jacket to the floor.

Kevin reached for the hem of Riko's t-shirt next, but Riko shook his head weakly. He needed a minute to catch his breath and steel himself. Riko took a deep breath, reached up to tug the t-shirt over his head, and hissed through his teeth as the pain shot through him once again. 

"Let me help you!" Abby was at his side in an instant, breathless concern in her plea.

Kevin frowned, but stood to the side and didn't comment. Riko stiffened when she touched him, but he allowed Abby to ease the shirt over his head. She was careful, but it still hurt. Abby's expression once she finally got a look at Riko's torso was something close to outrage. Riko repressed the urge to flinch away from her.

Abby probed careful fingers across his bruises. Riko wasn't sure what she was looking for, but the doctors at the hospital had done the same so he didn't protest. 

"You said it was mostly bruises. Do you have any fractures that you know of?" Abby asked

"One. On the left fifth."

Abby finished checking the bruises and pulled a stethoscope from her bag. She made Riko take deep breaths while she held it to his back. Riko blew each painful breath out through his clenched teeth.

"When was the last time you iced?" Abby packed the stethoscope back into her bag. Riko opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

"This morning before we got on the road,' Kevin answered her. Abby hummed. 

"We'll get you some ice after this. What medicines are you taking?"

"Something for pain, something for inflammation," Riko said. "I don't remember the names."

"That's oka-"

"I do," Kevin interrupted them.

He rattled off the names, dosages, and instructions off to Abby who nodded approvingly before turning back to Riko. 

"Did the doctors teach you any breathing exercises?" 

"Breathing exercises?" Riko echoed.

"I know it hurts to breathe deeply right now, but shallow breathing puts you at risk to contract pneumonia," Abby explained.

"They did not teach me any breathing exercises." 

"Start with three seconds of deep breathing, followed by three seconds of relaxed breathing." Abby demonstrated.

Riko copied her obediently, albeit more raggedly. 

"Now a few short breaths and some light coughs."

Riko was unable to hide the shudder of pain that accompanied the light coughing he'd been asked to do. He opened his mouth in an inaudible cry before letting the breath back out slowly.

"Sorry," Abby apologized, wincing with sympathy pain. "Let's go get you that ice."

Riko could hear raised voices as soon as Abby opened the bedroom door. Judging from the way she stiffened and then quickened her pace, Abby noticed too. Riko and Kevin followed more slowly.

"Coach!" Juan complained. "You're not just gonna let him say this shit about us, are you?"

"Why not?" Nathaniel said scornfully. 

Riko exchanged a glance with Kevin. Nathaniel could really run his mouth if you got him going, especially without someone to bring him to heel. Jean could usually handle his partner's temper, though.

"Your teamwork is pathetic and your footwork is sloppy. You could never get past me and Jean on the Court," Nathaniel continued.

Juan got up from the table so fast that his chair toppled over. He had a hand fisted in Nathaniel's shirt before either Jean or Coach Wymack could stop him.

Juan froze, expression tight. Riko understood why before the others clued in. Nathaniel was sporting his Butcher's smile, his switchblade drawn and pressed against Juan's collarbone. 

"What's the matter, Juan?" Nathaniel asked, feigning innocence in the worst way. "I thought you wanted to play with me."

"Put him down," Jean said hollowly.

Juan was frozen in place, eyes still locked on Nathaniel's, unable to react to Jean's words. 

"Juan. Put the kid down," Coach Wymack reiterated. 

Juan lowered Nathaniel back onto his chair and let go of his shirt. Nathaniel flicked the blade closed and it disappeared under his clothing. Riko knew Nathaniel cut horizontal lines an inch and a half apart into the waistband of all his pants as a makeshift sheath of sorts. He carried it most days, but Riko rarely saw Nathaniel draw it anymore.

"There will be no. fighting. in. this. house! " Abby said sharply. Neither Juan nor Nathaniel looked particularly remorseful.

"You're not just gonna let him get away with pulling a knife on Juan?" Reggie exclaimed. "Coach!"

" He came at me ," Nathaniel pouted petulantly. "Besides, I can't win a fair fight against Juan. He's like twice my size."

"Don't pick fights," Kevin suggested.

"Why are you assuming it's my fault?" Nathaniel protested.

"Because I know you," Kevin retorted.

"David," Abby prompted.

"If they're staying they'll have to get used to it," Wymack said. "Foxes fight."

"Ravens," Riko said. "also fight. It won't be a problem." Privately though he couldn't help but think that they'd flown out of the Raven's Nest and into the Foxes Den.

"You fight each other with knives?" Reggie sneered.

"Well, no," Riko frowned. "Nathaniel does not bring the knife onto the Court."

"Raven's settle all disputes on the Court," Kevin offered.

"There's an idea," Juan said. "Prove it on the Court. Show us how good you think you are."

Chapter Text

Riko

Abby absolutely insisted that the Raven boys rest for a few hours before she would allow them to go to the stadium. She let them watch ESPN in the living room while Juan and Reggie went with Coach Wymack to pick up groceries and a couple of blow up mattresses to accommodate everyone. 

There was a talk show on and they were discussing the Exy Spring Lineup.

" Monica, let's talk about this year's Exy Spring Championships!"

"Well, Jeff, I don't think anyone's betting against Edgar Allen this year," Monica said. "It's the second year the Perfect Court is on their team. Let's talk about Riko, Kevin, and Jean."

"Every true Exy fan knows that the three of them just signed with Court in September! Seems like an unfair advantage," Jeff said.

"I think it just shows that Coach Moriyama still knows his stuff!" Monica grinned. "Not surprising considering he developed this game!"

"Ugh, turn it off," Kevin groaned, hiding his face with his good arm. Jean dug the remote out from under a cushion and turned the television off.

"I forgot we still haven't informed Court," Riko grimaced. "Or the Wildcats."

"You two can still play," Kevin pointed out.

"I've never played without you, Kevin," Riko said softly. For twelve years Riko and Kevin had been together. Riko never did anything without Kevin by his side. There was no privacy between them, and no awkwardness. 

"I'll be there." Kevin said, "to support you. Even if I can't play by your side. I promised, didn't I?" Before Riko could reply the front door banged open.

“Hey! Come help bring in these groceries!" Coach Wymack called from down the hall. The four Raven boys hastened to obey.

Nathaniel

After sorting out the groceries, they had a quick sandwich lunch and bundled into cars to ride to the stadium. Coach Wymack took Jean and Nathaniel into the gear closet to piece together equipment from the Foxes spares. Nathaniel tried several of the rackets before finding one that was passable.

"I wish I had my racket," Nathaniel sighed.

"Me too," Jean agreed.

The four members of the Perfect Court all had custom rackets. Nathaniel didn't know whether his was in the gear closet back at Evermore or if Ichirou's men had the forethought to pack it with the rest of their things in the storage unit, but regardless he supposed he couldn't use it on his new team—wherever they ended up. It was painted in Raven colors.

Nathaniel ended up with one of the dealer's rackets. All of the others were either too long or too light for him. Jean had an easier time choosing one as one of the Foxes backliners was nearly as tall as him.

Coach Wymack was waiting on the court for them when they made their way out. The four were made to run laps and warm up before he called them back to center court.

"Drills or Scrimmages?" Wymack asked.

"How are we supposed to see how good they are from some drills, Coach?" Juan rolled his eyes.

"Fine," Wymack agreed. "Reggie in goal, Jean and Nathaniel at first fourth. You can start here. Let's see you get past them."

"One against three, Coach?" Juan asked.

"I thought you were better than them?" 

"Fine," Juan said, mouth turning up in a sneer.

"No body checks," Wymack reminded them.

It had been a condition of Abby's for allowing Nathaniel to play with his injury. 

Nathaniel and Jean took their places at first fourth and waited for Juan to start play. Nathaniel wasn't a professional Exy player yet, but he played daily with three of them, so it was pretty obvious to him right away that the gap in skill level between them and Juan was wide.   

Nathaniel and Jean played like a well oiled machine. They never carried the ball more than a few steps and could make seemingly impossible passes at a glance. Nathaniel watched Juan become increasingly frustrated and he struggled to get past them.'

"Is that the best you can do?" Nathaniel taunted as he flung the ball back across the court to Jean.

Juan swore. Jean took pity on him and passed the back to Juan. He'd never get it on his own if Jean and Nathaniel passed it back and forth all afternoon. Juan tried to push past Jean. Jean stick checked him hard enough to pop the ball free, twisted in a well-practiced move, scooped up the ball, and passed it back to Nathaniel. 

Juan dropped his racket and took a swing at Jean. Jean dodged it and dropped his own racket. Reggie came out of goal to stand beside Nathaniel as they watched the two duke it out. Coach Wymack banged on the court wall in a clear order to knock it off, but Juan and Jean didn't seem to hear. The next moment the two were rolling across the court floor.

"Hey, guys!" Nathaniel looked to Reggie for support but the senior goalie just shrugged.

Nathaniel heard the court doors unlock and Coach Wymack came stalking in looking furious. Nathaniel stiffened and averted his gaze, but he was careful not to look away from the coach entirely.

"Enough!" Wymack shouted. "Break it up!"

Wymack grabbed Juan, who was on top, by the collar and wrenched him roughly off of Jean. Juan went for another swing so the coach hauled him several steps away from Jean, who sat up and smeared a glove across his bloody nose.

"Knock it off," Wymack said, struggling with Juan.

Juan stopped fighting to get free, but the coach kept hold of him.

"Jean, you good?" Wymack asked.

"I've had worse," Jean said, standing to his feet.

"Juan?"

"I'm fine, Coach," Juan said brusquely.

"If I let go, are you going to behave?" Juan didn't answer but Wymack let him go anyway. 

"Juan, take a few laps," Wymack said, gesturing to the inner Court with his thumb. Juan huffed, but didn't argue, and left to run his laps.

"Jean, let Abby have a look at your face." Jean looked startled. Nathaniel didn't blame him. Tetsuji was more likely to punish him for disrupting practice with his fighting than stop play to check on an injury. 

Despite his obvious confusion and discomfort, Jean obediently walked off the court to let Abby fret over him. She finished with him by the time Juan had run his third lap so Wymack called him back to them.

"Let's try something different," Wymack said. "Juan and Nathaniel vs Jean and Reggie. I want to see this scary accuracy Riko promised you have in action on offense." Nathaniel was surprised to have to play striker without any training or instruction, but he nodded his assent. His training hadn't prepared him for this, but he knew the game and had good instincts. Plus he had the advantage of knowing Jean's playing style. 

"Why does someone who's trained exclusively as a backliner have scary accuracy?" Juan asked grumpily.

"No Raven is allowed time on the court unless they can complete all thirteen raven accuracy drills to Tet—Coach Moriyama's satisfaction," Nathaniel said.

" Thirteen? " Juan said incredulously.  

"Hey are you guys ready or what?" Reggie called from goal. "I'm getting bored over here!"

Coach Wymack gave Juan a friendly slap on the back, startling Nathaniel and Jean.

"Let's not keep him waiting." The Coach returned to the inner court to watch. Nathaniel didn't miss how stiff Riko and Kevin were when he took his seat next to them. He forcibly redirected his attention to the scrimmage.

Nathaniel took a ball from the bucket and started play. Nathaniel passed the ball to Juan right away and pushed up the court. When Jean intercepted him, Juan passed the ball back to Nathaniel and it took everything in him to remember that he was supposed to be trying to score. Reggie was unprepared when Nathaniel sent the ball hurtling towards the upper right corner of the goal. The wall lit up red. 

"Lucky first shot!" Reggie sneered.

Nathaniel smiled at him, but didn't reply. The rest of the scrimmage went much the same, and with Nathaniel's help, Juan was finally able to score on Reggie. Both Nathaniel and Jean were experts at Raven footwork, but Nathaniel was more nimble. He danced around Jean more often than not, and fired the ball across the court to Juan when he couldn't. 

Juan's passes were less accurate than Nathaniel's, and Nathaniel almost lost the ball to Jean several times because of it. Jean thwarted both Juan and Nathaniel several times, to the point where Nathaniel knew the two of them would have been destroyed if Jean were allowed to body check them. As it was, both Jean and Nathaniel played with an aggressiveness that toed the line of acceptable play. Even on opposite sides of the court, they seemed to be in sync.

After scoring for the fifth time in a row, this time firing the ball right above Reggie's head, Nathaniel stopped to yell at him.

"Are you even trying?" Nathaniel taunted, "No one even taught me how to score yet!"

"Fuck you." Reggie tossed his racket angrily to the ground and stomped off the court, only stopping when he had to bang on the door for someone to unlock it for him.

"What's his problem?" Nathaniel asked. Juan gave him a long suffering look and hefted his own racket onto his shoulder.

"I'll admit, you're an interesting one," Juan allowed.

"But, did I prove myself to you?" Nathaniel prompted, grinning mischievously. Juan scowled.

"Yeah, kid. You play pretty good too."

David

David stood and unlocked the court door.

"Reggie, what's up?" Reggie tried to blow past him, but David caught him by the arm.

"Hey."

"Those fucking assholes will fit right in with the rest of this batshit team, Coach." Reggie wrenched his arm free and this time David let him go. David waited as Juan, Jean, and Nathaniel collected the balls and made their way off the Court.

"What's up with Reggie?" David asked them. 

"The kid insulted his goalie skills," Juan said, pointing a thumb back at Nathaniel. 

"I only asked him if he was really trying," Nathaniel said.

" No one even taught me how to score yet !" Juan mimicked Nathaniel's lilting British accent. Nathaniel pouted and David suspected the kid knew exactly what he was doing. 

"Our youngest brother has a bit of an attitude problem," Jean said. "We've learned to live with it." 

"When my little brother cops an attitude with me, I just kick his ass," Juan said. 

"No point," Jean snorted. "Beating him doesn't do any good. I only saw Riko do it once. It was horrifying. And afterwards Nathaniel acted completely normal, like it was just a mild inconvenience to him"

"How was I supposed to act?" 

"Scared?" Jean suggested. "Remorseful?" 

"I've never been afraid of Riko a day in my life," Nathaniel said. "Plus it was worth it. I mean, did you see that game? No, you didn't. Because you were hiding in our room like a good boy." 

"What are you going on about, Gaki?" Riko asked. Riko and Kevin had come over to join them.

"Jean was just telling Juan and Coach Wymack about the time I snuck into the championship game," Nathaniel said. Kevin winced and Riko's face went curiously blank.

" I was afraid of Riko then," Kevin said.

"What did you do to him?" Juan asked.

"Nothing I'm proud of," Riko said shortly.

"You didn't have a choice," Nathaniel defended him. "Tetsuji was furious."

"You were never properly afraid of the Mas—of Tetsuji either," Jean frowned.

Nathaniel smiled nice and wide and said something to Jean in French. Jean grimaced at him and didn't reply. Riko and Kevin exchanged equally tight expressions. 

Oh. David thought. Nathaniel definitely knew how to stir up trouble. And he seemed to revel in it. 

If David got to sign them this was going to be an incredibly long year. 

"Stow that," Wymack said. "You three get your stinky sweaty asses to the showers. Abby wants to get home early enough to make dinner."

***

Riko and Kevin sat in the lounge to wait, but David headed into his office. Abby followed him.

"What do you think of them?" Abby asked

"I knew they were good, but I wasn't fully prepared to see them in action against my guys like that," David admitted.

He'd known Juan and Reggie long enough to be aware of their limits and weaknesses, but it was still a shock to see the Ravens exploit them so effortlessly. 

"I wasn't talking about their Exy skills," Abby said.

"I like them. They were straightforward and honest with me," David said. "I don't think we'll ever know the depth of their issues, though. When I broke up that fight on the court, Jean wouldn't even look me in the eye. He was terrified.

 "Nathaniel looked at me like he was expecting retribution, and he wasn't even involved. You should have seen their faces when I told Jean to let you take a look at him. I don't know how to help them yet, but I'll do everything I can." Abby smiled and took David's hand in her own.

"I like them too," She said. "But I don't like how timid they are. How terrifying must it have been to be locked up like an animal, abused and neglected? How desperate must Nathaniel have been to make that deal to get them out of there. I don't know if I could treat Tetsuji Moriyama with civility if he were to walk through the door right now." David set his mouth in a hard line and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly through his teeth before replying.

"I don't blame you," he said. "I'd love to put a fist through his face myself."

"I want to call Betsy," Abby said. "I think she could help them."

"You think they'll let her?"

"Well, we won't know unless we try."

"If they're still here after New Years we can ask her."

Abby

The four Ravens were nothing like the Foxes Abby was used to. They were quiet house guests. Every morning when Abby got up she found them all awake, dressed and ready for the day, beds made. They were reluctant to use her television unless she suggested it, and it was several days before she convinced them that it was okay to rummage through her fridge or pantry without permission. They stood when Abby entered a room, never argued with her, and obeyed so quickly and easily that it was startling. Abby tried not to dwell on the reasons for their behavior too much. 

Juan and Reggie stayed out of Abby's house as much as possible, but they usually showed up for meals and they slept there most nights. After four years she was used to their coming and goings when they stayed with her on breaks. Abby had no complaints so long as they kept their borrowed room clean, didn't bring any drugs into her house, and did chores when she asked. They fussed and argued more than the Raven boys, but Abby was used to her ragtag team.

The Sunday morning before Christmas was a lazy day. Juan and Reggie nursed coffee and slumped at the dining table while they waited for breakfast to be ready. Nathaniel chatted animatedly in French as he and Jean set the table. Abby was just pulling her breakfast casserole out of the oven when Riko and Kevin made their way into the kitchen, hair still damp from showering.

"Jean, can you grab me a trivet? Thanks." Abby set the casserole down on the trivet Jean placed on the dining room table.

"Did you two shower, like, together?" Reggie raised an eyebrow at the pair.

"Yes?" Riko answered.

"Like both of you were naked. Together. In the shower?" 

"Do you shower with your clothes on?" Kevin asked.

"Faggots," Juan sneered.

"Juan!" Abby scolded. Riko didn't look particularly bothered, but Kevin scowled.

"What's wrong with showering together?" Jean asked. "They're partners."

"Sexual partners?" Juan asked.

"Raven partners," Jean clarified. 

"Last I checked, you and the kid are partners too. Do you shower together?"

"Sure," Jean said. "Every day in the nest. We had communal showers in our locker room." 

"Locker room showers after games and practices don't count," Juan said. 

"Jean and I aren't close like Riko and Kevin," Nathaniel said. "Probably has something to do with that time I tortured him in our ensuite bathroom." 

"Fucking excuse me?" Reggie choked on his mouthful of coffee.

Jean scowled and said something in Japanese that Nathaniel seemed to find amusing. Kevin spat something caustic sounding at him. Riko sounded bored and resigned when he joined in the conversation.

"Absolutely not," Juan snapped, interrupting them. "You don't get to just say something like that and then have a private conversation right fucking in front of us."

"Let's just say it involved a folding chair, misuse of a spool of Exy racket netting rope, and an extremely sharp knife," Nathaniel said, leaning towards Juan with a baleful look. "I can demonstrate if you would like." 

"That's enough," Abby admonished him. Nathaniel's smile vanished instantly. His face was curiously blank as he straightened up and back out of Juan's space. Abby found it difficult to be cross with him when her words produced such an immediate fear response. 

"Nathaniel, come with me for a minute," Abby said, beckoning him to follow her into the living room. "Now, please," She added when he hesitated. Nathaniel obediently turned and followed her. When Abby turned around to face him she noticed that Jean had tagged along.

"Sit," Abby gestured to the couch. Nathaniel perched on the edge of the cushion, knees together, hands folded neatly in his lap. Jean joined him on the couch, mimicking the pose. Abby sat on the chair nearby and tried to catch their eye, but they very pointedly refused to meet her's. 

"I'm sorry," Abby said. Surprise flashed across Nathaniel's face, but then it went curiously blank again.

"Why are you sorry?" Nathaniel asked. Abby couldn't place his tone.

"I'm used to breaking up the occasional squabble," Abby admitted, "but the Foxes trust me. They know I'd never do anything to hurt them. We haven't known each other long enough to build that level of trust. So, I'm sorry, for contributing to your fear."

"I'm not afraid of you," Nathaniel said automatically. "And I'm not some delicate flower. If you're angry with me then say so. If you want to hit me, hit me. I can take it." Nathaniel's tone was defiant, but he still sat rigidly on Abby's couch. Beside him Jean was still, expression unreadable. Abby stayed carefully still as she spoke.

"Life is not all good and bad, black and white, crime and punishment. Fear is not a weakness. It's okay to admit when something frightens you—healthy even. Just because you've been through worse doesn't make the pain or fear you feel today any less valid. If something hurts, it hurts. And if you're scared, you don't have to pretend that you're not just because it's not the most terrifying thing that's ever happened to you. Do you understand?" Nathaniel's expression wavered, confusion breaking through the forced calm to reveal the anxiety underneath. 

"You…really aren't angry?" Nathaniel asked, voice guarded.

"I was more surprised than anything," Abby said. "You come up with the strangest stories." Nathaniel frowned.

"I wasn't lying," he said, and Abby could have sworn he was offended. Abby was taken aback. Nathaniel had said several wild things over the last few days, usually while trying to get a rile out of Juan or one of the other boys. Abby couldn't begin to understand his motivations, but torturing Jean seemed a little farfetched, especially after watching them interact this past week. 

They were not as close as perhaps Riko and Kevin were (They didn't feel the need to be in the same room at all times, for example), but Abby had seen them be soft with each other. They sat or stood near each other when they were together, spoke in quiet French often, and Abby had only seen Jean smile in response to Nathaniel's words or antics. 

"When I first came to the Nest, I was angry and bitter," Jean said. "My defiance was met with harsh words and harsher punishments. In the first week alone I was beaten no less than a dozen times: Twice by Riko, Each day by our tutor when I refused to participate in class or insisted on writing my assignments in French, and several times by The—by Tetsuji for various failings on the Exy court."

"Did you say twice by Riko?" Abby asked, shocked.

Abby's hands flexed in her lap and she was unable to hide all of her anger and grief to hear Jean's story. Jean and Nathaniel exchanged a look.

"Don't think badly of him. Tetsuji placed Riko in charge of disciplining me to get rid of my attitude problem. Riko always had to do what his uncle said. If not there were…consequences. On my first day, Tetsuji tossed his cane at Riko's feet and walked out of the room. Riko was reluctant, and he gave me a choice. I refused to cooperate.

"A few days later, I dumped a bowl of hot soup onto Kevin's lap at dinner—on purpose, mind you. He had to remove his pants and underwear, right there in the dining hall, in front of everyone. And he had burns on his...well, you know. Riko couldn't let me get away with that. Even if Kevin hadn't been injured, I had done it in front of the whole team. 

"The point is, he never wanted to do it. And he certainly didn't take any enjoyment from it. Plus there was the very real possibility that Tetsuji would just beat the shit out of both of us if he didn't do anything. His punishments were always twice as bad as Riko's. And anyway, he might have punished Kevin and Nathaniel too for good measure. He was always doing things like that."

"That's perfectly dreadful," Abby said, horrified, "But, I don't understand."

"Oh, right. So on the third night, after I dumped the soup on Kevin, I was banned from entering the dining hall. Thing is, until then, I didn't really understand Raven symmetry or partnerships. As my partner, Nathaniel and I shared each other's triumphs and failures. And since I couldn't enter the dining hall, neither could he. We were meant to go everywhere together, you see. 

"I didn't realize at first how affected he was by my actions, because Riko and our tutor didn't punish him when I stepped out of line. But Tetsuji did. On the court, you and your partner are as one. If I failed there, Nathaniel was punished for letting me. It's how they motivate you to keep getting better. Nothing less than perfection is acceptable. Even if Tetsuji wasn't there, Ravens discipline each other. You understand?" Abby didn't, but she nodded for him to continue. She wasn't sure she wanted to understand.

"By the end of the first week partnered with me, Nathaniel had enough. He convinced Riko he knew how to deal with my attitude problem once and for all. We got back from practice late that night, because we were left to clean up the court by ourselves. It is a job assigned to the biggest failures of the practice.  

"Riko and Kevin were waiting to ambush me. They dragged me into our bathroom and tied me to a chair. I could tell they were reluctant to participate, But Riko wouldn't let Kevin interfere and he seemed determined to wait Nathaniel out."

Abby's breath hitched. Jean spoke every word with cold detachment, as if none of it could hurt him anymore. Beside him, Nathaniel was calm, as if he didn't care if Abby heard the worst of him. 

"He knows exactly what to say to a man, and how to say it to him," Jean said. "He began by showing me his scars. I'd seen them before when we'd showered after practices, but he detailed the bloody history behind each and every one. Behind him Riko and Kevin were equally as horrified as I was.

"Then he used his knife to slice open the front of my t-shirt, and I knew that my skin would open up easier than the thick cotton." Goosebumps popped up on Abby's arms. She rubbed at them absentmindedly and tried to still the tremble of her lower lip as she waited for Jean to tell her the horrible things Nathaniel did to him.

"He never actually hurt me," Jean was quick to say, "But he scared me so badly that I thought he did. He trailed that knife across my bare chest as he told me all the horrible things he could do to me with it. I was so scared that I actually wet myself. In my panic, I assumed that he had cut me and I was bleeding out—especially when Riko reached out to stop him from going any further."

"I wouldn't of," Nathaniel interrupted, looking pained. "The plan was never to hurt you, Jean. I just wanted you frightened enough to listen to me. I wouldn't have cut you. I knew Riko would stop me if I tried in the first place. That's the only reason I took it as far as I did. After all these years, you know that, right? You haven't been living in fear that I'd snap on you?"

"Not at first, perhaps. Which I suppose was the point," Jean said. "But at some point we became friends without me realizing it. There was never a point in time where I decided I wasn't afraid anymore. It just sort of happened slowly over time. No, Gaki. I haven't been living in fear of you." Nathaniel said something softly in French and Jean reached over and ruffled his hair affectionately. 

Abby realized then that David was absolutely right. They could never truly understand the depth of everything that had happened between the Raven boys. Sure they say and admit to doing some truly awful things to each other, but in the end they had all suffered under Tetsuji together and they had formed a bond that was stronger than one forged by blood. 

"Thank you for sharing with me." Abby said, startling them both. "I think I understand you two a little better now."

"Abby, It's important to me that you know that Riko is not a bad person," Nathaniel said earnestly. "We don't blame him for the things he had to do to us. He changed a lot. He came up with a way to make the punishments end. The last few years, no matter how angry I made him, he never hurt me—not even if Tetsuji was around to see. He did his best to make Tetsuji think he was disciplining me. But really he would just tell me off for being stupid where Tetsuji could see."

"I may have been shocked to hear it of him, but I could never judge or condemn him for it," Abby said. "I'll probably never be able to fully understand what life was like for you all there." 

Nathaniel seemed content with her answer, because his shoulders finally relaxed a fraction.

"Are we in trouble, or can we eat breakfast now?" Nathaniel asked cautiously. 

"You're not in trouble," Abby said, standing up from her chair. "Come on." Abby led the way back into the kitchen and didn't miss when Riko and Kevin looked their brothers up and down, searching for invisible injuries. Jean said something to them in French and they both visibly relaxed.

"So," Abby said, serving first Nathaniel and then Jean a piece of the casserole as she spoke, "David and I are going shopping today to pick up what we'll need for Christmas dinner. Any special requests?"

"Dressing," Juan said immediately. "Real dressing. Not that Stove Top crap."

"Sweet potato casserole," Reggie requested, "with marshmallows." Abby looked to the four Raven boys expectantly.

"We didn't exactly do Christmas dinner in the Nest," Riko said awkwardly. "I don't know any of the dishes."

"My family didn't do holidays," Nathaniel said bluntly. Abby's face fell a bit. She looked to Kevin and Jean. Surely at least one of them had a holiday meal before they went to live with Tetsuji. 

"Green bean casserole," Kevin said, almost reluctantly, "With the crunchy onions." Abby felt a little lighter.

"Jean?" She prompted. Jean pressed his lips together, and for a moment she thought he might refuse to answer.

"Christmas Dinner in France is different from what I heard the other Ravens talk about," Jean said slowly. "I'm not sure you'd recognize any of the dishes I remember."

"Well, that's okay Jean. Which one was your favorite?" Abby asked, undeterred. "I might not know it, but I can read a recipe." Jean only hesitated another moment before answering. 

"Velouté de Châtaignes," he offered weakly. "It's a creamy soup served at the start of the meal before the main course is ready."

"Okay," Abby agreed. "You'll have to help me find a recipe online before I go to the store."

David

"Cut the shit, Andrew. Your lot are the only ones who haven't given me an answer yet," David said, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand.

"I'm not as stupid as the rest of your miserable team. How do you expect me to make a decision before even meeting them?" David swore he could see Andrew's manic smile through the receiver.

"You've met two of them. That's two more than the rest of your teammates, Juan and Reggie excepting," David pointed out.

"Kevin didn't exactly wow me with his stellar personality last year." 

"I want to help them," David insisted. "I need to know how to do that, whether it means signing them to this team or finding another. I either need a yes from you right now or a really good reason why not. I won't take a bad attitude as a reason from you of all people." Andrew was silent for so long that David thought he had hung up.

"Do what you want, Coach," Andrew drawled. "It should be interesting at least."

"What about Nicky and Aaron?" David asked.

"Nicky has been begging me to say yes ever since Renee called last weekend, and Aaron couldn't care less what you do." 

"Thank you."

"You won't thank me when the Raven fans descend on you," Andrew cackled and the line really did go dead.

David's heart felt lighter despite the veiled warning. Originally he'd planned on waiting until the Foxes returned for Abby's New Year's party, but after Dan's promise to keep the news strictly between the team, David had received calls from Foxes left and right. A few of them were initially reluctant, but in the end they'd all given David a yes.

The only thing he needed to do before breaking out the contracts was to get permission from the school board. He scrolled through his phone contacts until he came to Chuck Whittier. David took a deep breath and punched the call button. Despite the early hour, the phone only rang twice before it connected.

"David? I wasn't expecting to hear from you this week. What's up?" Chuck asked.

"Chuck, sorry to bother you on your holiday, but something's come up. I was hoping we could talk in person. Are you free any time tomorrow?"

***

"Abby, I'm here!" David called as he walked through her front door.

"We're in the kitchen!" Abby returned.

When David walked in, Abby and all six of her house guests were sitting at the table with a mostly demolished breakfast casserole between them.

"We were just finishing up. Want some breakfast?" Abby asked.

"I've already eaten, thanks," David said gruffly. "You ready to go?"

"Sure. Let me just—" She gestured at the mess.

"We'll take care of it," Jean offered.

"Thanks boys," Abby said, dropping her plate off in the sink.

"Do you always clean up after them?" David asked as the two of them got into his car. "They're adults."

"Well, no, but none of them are very good at cleaning. They've been learning, though," she added when David raised an eyebrow. "But three of them apparently grew up with servants, and Kevin can't wash dishes one-handed. It's kind of fun watching them try, though.

" You missed a spot, Gaki.

"Do you want to wash these windows, Kevin? Because I'm pretty sure you don't need two hands to wash these windows.

"What, and let you mop the floor? I don't think so. "

Abby's imitation of Kevin's gruff voice with the slight Irish uptilt sounded so much of Kayleigh that for a moment David couldn't breathe.

"Sounds like you enjoy having them here," David said.

"I do," Abby confessed. She didn't say, "I hope they get to stay" but David could feel the words burning on her tongue.

"I spoke with Andrew this morning."

"And?"

"And I have a meeting with Chuck tomorrow afternoon."

"David!" Abby exclaimed. "That's great news!"

"I don't know how the board will respond," David said, "But I'm not taking no for an answer. I can't." Abby held her hand out over the gearshift and David took it.

"Jean and Nathaniel told me some pretty horrible stories this morning," She confessed. David listened silently while she detailed them for him.

"The thing is, I believe them," Abby said. "Riko and Nathaniel got into a pretty heated argument on Friday morning. I'm not sure what it was about but I heard raised voices. When I went to check on them though they'd already resolved it on their own. Certainly it didn't come to blows.

"They seemed sincere when they apologized for waking me, too. I was half asleep at the time, but now that I think back on it, they were probably afraid I'd be angry with them. They all have a strong fear response to anger, and they look for it constantly."

"Makes sense," David said, pulling into the Harris Teeter parking lot. "Sounds like Tetsuji had them trained to expect immediate and terrible punishments for even the smallest mistakes."

"Is there really nothing we can do about him?" Abby asked.

"They asked us not to interfere," David reminded her. The boys had sat them down and explained that implicating Tetsuji would bring shame down on the Moriyama family. Kengo would be forced to act, and he would likely bring down his wrath not only on the four Raven boys, but also on the Foxes. And maybe even Ichirou because moving them had been his idea. Riko had promised that Ichirou was doing everything he could to handle matters internally.

"Well, at the very least we can make sure they have a good Christmas," Abby said.

***

On Christmas morning David woke up at his usual time. He made coffee and went on his morning walk, but instead of making breakfast and sinking into the couch to watch ESPN, he headed over to Abby's at 5:30 AM. It was early enough that he needed his key to get through the door and David didn't bother calling a greeting. There was no need to wake the entire house.

He was surprised to see the kitchen light on from the hallway. All four of the Raven boys were up and dressed, their coffee carafe half empty. The four were crowded around a laptop on the dining table when David walked in, murmuring quietly to each other. 

"Merry Christmas," David greeted. "You're up early."

"It's almost six," Kevin said by way of explanation. "What's with the bags?"

"Christmas presents," David said. "Abby up yet?"

"Her alarm is set for six-thirty," Jean said.

"Well, I'll go put these under the tree," David said. He took his bags into the living room. The Christmas tree didn't have many gifts under it, but the stocking's Abby had insisted on getting everyone were bulging. David unpacked his bags and stacked the gifts under the tree in a way that Abby would hopefully approve of.  He returned to the kitchen and stuck his now-empty grocery bags in Abby's pantry.

"What are you guys doing anyway?" David asked, indicating the computer. 

"Checking the news," Kevin said shortly.

"We're trying to see if anyone's noticed these three are missing yet," Nathaniel clarified. "They still haven't contacted the Wildcats or Court. Their coaches might have reached out to Tetsuji since they've been avoiding their phone calls."

"Why have you been avoiding their phone calls?" David asked, nonplussed.

"Because we don't have answers to all the questions they're going to ask us," Riko said.

"So you'll let Tetsuji answer them? How do you know he won't feed them a cock and bull story?" David asked, concerned now. He'd assumed they'd taken care of this by now, and hadn't thought to ask them. Technically Jean could still play, and Riko would be good to go before the professional season began in February. But Kevin…

"You're not thinking of breaking your contracts, are you?" David asked.

"Well, no," Riko said. "I'm not sure we would be allowed to anyway. But we're not ready to answer questions about Kevin yet."

"What's there to answer? All they need to know is he can't play until the doctor clears him, and the doctor isn't prepared to do that for a few months at least." 

"Kevin isn't ready to tell Thea," Nathaniel said.

"W-hat?" Kevin spluttered. It took David a moment to place the name.

"Theadora Muldani?" Thea signed with Court the year before Riko, Kevin, and Jean had. And she was a Raven alumna.

"Thea is Kevin's girlfriend," Nathaniel explained.

"She is not!" Kevin's face reddened as he denied it.

"Only because Jeremy Knox lives too far away," Jean teased.

"Jean!" Kevin shouted. "Shut UP!" Kevin looked like he'd desire nothing more than to sink into the linoleum floor right there.

"You're just making it worse by not calling her," Riko said. "She'd rather hear it from you than Coach Reed. Or the press."

"But, what if I never play again?" Kevin asked softly, voice strained.

"You will," Riko insisted. "Even if we have to teach you to play right handed."

"That didn't work out so well the last time we tried it," Kevin reminded him, defeated.

"Well, there wasn't any solid reason for you to really try back then," Riko pointed out. "If you have no choice, you'll make it work. You never gave up on me, Kevin. Don't give up on yourself before you've even tried." 

"Okay," Kevin breathed. "I'll call her. You don't have to keep ghosting Coach Reed and Coach Nishimura."

"Finally," Riko said, pulling out his phone and sending off a few quick texts.

"You're informing them by text message?" David raised an eyebrow.

"No, I'm apologizing for ignoring their repeated calls and emails and informing them that we are ready to explain at their earliest convenience," Riko said. "Besides, I don't think either of them would take too kindly to being called before seven on a holiday."

"Good Morning. Merry Christmas," Abby greeted them, walking into the kitchen. She looked half asleep, but she was dressed, her hair still in it's sleep rumpled braid. 

"Merry Christmas," they all returned. Abby wandered over to the oven and preheated it.

"Let me just throw breakfast in the oven to bake and we can all go open presents," she said. The four Raven boys exchanged looks. 

"Er, Abby, we didn't buy any presents," Kevin said.

"That's okay," Abby said cheerfully, pulling out ingredients for a ham and cheese quiche. "David and I bought you gifts."

"But, why?" Riko asked, bewildered.

"Because we wanted to. Jean you can go ahead and pull out that french toast casserole we made last night." Abby made short work of dicing up a couple of green onions. She tipped them into her pie crust along with some diced ham and cheddar cheese. Jean removed a covered dish from the fridge and set it on the counter next to the oven.

"Foil on or off?" Jean asked.

"You can go ahead and take it off," Abby said. She whisked together half a dozen eggs with a splash of heavy cream and some salt and pepper, and poured it into the crust over her fillings. When she was done she popped both dishes into the oven.

"We should have time after presents to fry up the bacon before these are done," Abby said.

"What about Juan and Reggie," Nathaniel asked.

"Best not to wake them. They won't thank you for it," Abby said. "We'll just set their things aside for later." Abby was positively gleeful when she passed out everyone's Christmas stockings. The four men dutifully unpacked them, making appropriate oohing and awing noises, much to Abby's pleasure. When they were finished, she passed out brightly wrapped packages with foil ribbons. Each of them received a sweater—Gold for Riko, Green for Kevin, Blue for Nathaniel, and Navy for Jean.

"I thought you might like something to wear that wasn't black or red," Abby said. Nathaniel and Jean tugged on their new sweaters immediately. Riko and Kevin weren't able enough to do the same, but they both offered her warm thank you's all the same. David and Abby exchanged gifts next—A gray knit cap for David, and a violet scarf for Abby.

Then it was finally time for David to give the boys his gift. He handed each of them a plain white shirt box with their name scrawled across the top in black marker. 

"Sorry, they're not wrapped," he said gruffly.

Nathaniel and Jean pried the lids off of their boxes together. David saw their twin looks of surprise as they recognized what was inside. Riko helped Kevin with his box first, and the two of them stared in silence for a beat before Riko had the sense to pry open his own box. 

The four men each lifted the orange and white jerseys out of their respective boxes in tandem. When the fabric slowly unfurled revealing the Moriyama 11, Day 12, Wesninski 13, and Moreau 14 respectively, it finally seemed to sink in.

"Coach," Kevin said, voice choked with emotion, "Does this mean…?"

"Yep," Wymack said. "I know I said we'd wait until after New Years, but the Foxes were all clamoring with their yes's after Juan let it slip two weeks ago. Last week I managed to get the board together. It's official, just a few signatures and you're mine from now until graduation."

Chapter Text

Nathaniel

"I hope the numbers are okay," Coach Wymack said. "Your old ones were taken."

"We are not so married to our Raven numbers," Kevin said.

"I think thirteen suits me better," Nathaniel said. "I never felt lucky enough for lucky number three."

"Downer," Jean said, putting Nathaniel in a headlock and giving him a friendly noogie. Nathaniel squeezed out from under Jean's arms and batted the offending knuckle sandwich away.

"Problem?"  Wymack's question redirected Nathaniel's attention. The coach was looking at Riko and Kevin. Riko held his jersey loosely in his hands, looking at it as if at any moment it might catch fire. Kevin nudged him gently to get his attention. Riko finally looked up, though his eyes were oddly unfocused.

"Sorry," Riko said. "It's just, my whole life I've never been anything but a Raven. I'm not sure I know how to be anything else."

"Well, that's not true," Wymack said. There was nothing accusatory in the way he said it, but it didn't stop Riko from startling at it. Riko must have been feeling particularly vulnerable because he was not usually so easy to read.

"Even if we're just considering Exy, you're a Wildcat too, aren't you?" Wymack asked, "And a member of the US Court. I know those teams are nothing like the Raven's."

"And you're a pretty good brother too," Abby added. "That has nothing to do with Exy or being a Raven." Riko grimaced.

"You only say that because you don't know me very well," Riko's voice was tight. "I'm the worst brother."

"Pretty sure that title belongs to this menace," Jean said, pointing a thumb at Nathaniel. 

"Hey," Nathaniel protested, puffing his cheeks out in indignation.

"You're all the worst." Kevin raked the three with a suffering look.

"Sorry, Kev," Nathaniel drawled. "We forgot that you're perfect."

"Yeah, our mistake," Jean deadpanned. "Who could forget perfect Kevin with his perfect hair, his perfect smile, and his perfect 4.0 GPA?" Kevin jolted, but for once it had nothing to do with their teasing.

"I forgot about school," Kevin groaned, scrubbing a hand across his face as he spoke. "The semester starts in two weeks and we registered all our classes with Edgar Allen." 

"Chuck promised he'd have an advisor go over all of your options with you before term starts," Wymack said. "I'm not sure what classes are available this close to January but he didn't seem to think it would be a problem. I'm more concerned with what to do with Nathaniel. You're still in high school, right?"

"Don't worry about me. I switched to online courses when these guys went off to college two years ago," Nathaniel explained. "I got a doctor's note from the hospital so I could turn in all the assignments I missed, and I'm caught up now. I turned in my midterms last week." 

"Thank god."

"You can thank Kevin," Nathaniel said. "He made sure I stayed on top of all my assignments. Maybe don't go around calling him "god" though. He has a big enough head as it is." Kevin tossed a wad of wrapping paper at him. Nathaniel batted it away easily and gave Kevin one of his playful smiles. Abby clapped her hands together.

"Breakfast?"

The four brothers quickly and efficiently cleaned up the mess they'd made of the living room while Abby and Wymack returned to the kitchen to finish making breakfast. Nathaniel laid his new Fox jersey out on his blow up mattress and dumped his Christmas stocking out beside it to sort through. 

The Chapstick and lotion went into his toiletries bag, the gloves and candy in his duffel, and the two books were left on his pillow for later. After all their things were put away, Riko and Kevin struggled into their new sweaters and the four returned to the kitchen.

Jean and Nathaniel set the table while Riko put on a new pot of coffee to brew. Kevin and Wymack chatted at the counter while they waited for the food in the oven. Juan and Reggie finally made their way out of their room when Abby was taking the last of the bacon off of the pan. 

Reggie walked zombie-like to the cupboard, fumbled a mug out of it, and poured himself a cup of coffee without a word to any of them. 

"Merry Christmas," Juan yawned into his hand, looking just as bleary eyed as Reggie.

"Nice of you two to join us in the land of the living," Wymack said.

 "You got plans for us today or something, Coach?" Juan asked. "It's Christmas."

"I thought we'd have a nice lazy day, make some homemade hot chocolate, pop popcorn, and watch Christmas movies," Abby suggested. "At least until it's time to start cooking our Christmas feast." 

"If we start with Home Alone, I'm in," Juan said.

"You wanna put bad ideas in the kids' heads?" Reggie asked, eyeing Nathaniel from across the room. 

"Why not?" Juan asked. "Maybe he can try some of them out on Seth."

"I thought Seth was your best friend?" Abby asked.

"He is. That's why it would be fucking hilarious." 

"Try some of what?" Nathaniel asked.

He was definitely missing a joke here, judging by the amused look on Juan's face and the slightly exasperated one Abby was wearing. 

"In Home Alone, Kevin is abandoned by his family when they leave on a Christmas trip to France. So he's home alone. And these burglars keep trying to break into his house, so he sets up all these elaborate traps to thwart them," Juan explained.

"You want me to set up elaborate traps for your friends?" Nathaniel asked. 

"Are you sure that's a Christmas movie?" Kevin asked skeptically.

"A classic," Juan said.

"Okay, okay. We can watch Home Alone," Abby allowed. "But no setting up traps of any kind in my house."

"Yes, Abby,' they chorused.

***

The days after Christmas passed quickly. Nathaniel and Jean spent a few hours in the Foxhole Court every day. Most days Juan joined them, but Reggie only acquiesced a few times. 

Riko, Kevin, and Jean met with the advisor and got their spring schedules sorted. It was decided that the three would continue living in Abby's house with Nathaniel once the semester started in January. 

Technically with Damien gone there was room for them in Reggie's dorm, but they didn't want to risk anyone finding out about their transfer before Kathy's show on Sunday. Well, that and none of them felt comfortable leaving Nathaniel behind.

Unlike his brothers, Nathaniel was used to being alone. It had taken him a while to get there but he managed it. Riko and Kevin had always lived their lives in the spotlight, traveling everywhere with Tetsuji. But Tetsuji had hidden Jean and Nathaniel away from prying eyes.

Two years ago when he officially made his debut as a Raven backliner, Jean was finally able to leave with Riko and Kevin for games and conferences. Nathaniel waved them off with a smile but their first overnight trip away was hard on him. He suddenly found himself alone and adrift in the Nest. Even Tetsuji's assistants were gone.

The silence and emptiness was suffocating. Nathaniel couldn't concentrate, couldn't relax. So he did the next best thing and distracted himself. The only way Nathaniel could stay sane was to run himself ragged on the court until he was too tired to think anymore. 

The third time his brothers came home to find him pale and nearly catatonic, Kevin put his foot down. Kevin personally wrote a detailed schedule for Nathaniel to follow each time the Ravens went out of town overnight. It dictated what and when he should eat, study, and practice on the court with clear rules and guidelines about time limits and breaks.

Nathaniel tried to protest but Riko and even Jean backed Kevin up. He couldn't argue with all three of them so Nathaniel resigned himself to his fate and followed Kevin's schedule's. It was several months before Nathaniel realized he didn't need them anymore, and it was a few more months before he admitted it to his brothers.

Nathaniel thought that Kevin at least would be angry with him for making his own schedules without consulting him. In the end, Kevin had only been mildly annoyed that he wasted his time writing out plans that Nathaniel didn't need anymore. 

This was different though. It was one thing to be on his own for an overnight or weekend trip, but if his brothers moved into the dorm Nathaniel would be alone every night. He wouldn't even have Exy to distract himself because the Foxhole Court was a good twenty minutes away from Abby's house. 

Juan and Reggie moved back into Fox Tower on December 30th. The other Foxes would be arriving that afternoon and Wymack had preemptively called a team meeting at the Foxhole Court at 6pm. The blow up mattresses were deflated and relegated to the attic crawlspace, and Jean and Nathaniel moved into the room that the upperclassman had been sharing. 

The room was slightly smaller than the one they'd shared with Riko and Kevin, and was outfitted with a daybed and trundle instead of two twins. But the walls were painted a cheery yellow and it had a nice double window whose curtains the partners decided to leave open.

"We should go to the storage facility today," Nathaniel said, spreading clean bedding over his trundle bed.

"Yes, I am tired of wearing the same five outfits over and over," Jean said.

Ichirou had promised them his men had packed up all their things, but Nathaniel's trunk had only been stocked with weekend bags for the four of them stocked with a few outfits, toiletries, and (luckily) their laptops and phone chargers. Allegedly everything else they owned was packed in the storage facility, but they hadn't actually checked. 

After a quick lunch, the four brothers piled into Nathaniel's car and headed out. The storage unit was only a short fifteen minute drive away from Abby's house. Nathaniel parked in front of the manager's office and shut off the navigation on his phone. The four brothers got out and headed inside.

The office worker barely looked up to acknowledge them when they walked in, more intent on her crossword puzzle. She finished writing in her word and laid the pen aside as they came up to her desk. 

"We need to find a storage unit that was opened for us," Nathaniel said.

"Name?" 

Riko and Nathaniel exchanged a look.

"Nathaniel Wesninski?"

"Spell it," She demanded with a bored look.

Nathaniel did.

"Looks like you're registered in unit thirty-seven. Did you bring your key?" Nathaniel fingered the key on his key ring.

"This one?" he asked, holding the key out for her inspection.

"Yeah. Do you need the car keys today?"

"Car keys?"

"You have three cars stored in your unit." The look she gave Nathaniel was the same one his brothers favored him with when he'd done something particularly stupid. He appreciated it even less from a complete stranger.

"Right," he said stiffly. Her expression didn't change as she rifled through a lockbox and produced three familiar sets of keys.

" There's not space in Abby's driveway for five cars ," Kevin said in French.

" There would be enough room at Fox Tower if you three move into the dorms after Kathy's show ," Nathaniel said in the same language.

" We're not having this argument again ," Kevin scowled. Nathaniel rolled his eyes.

" It was just a suggestion, Kevin. Weren't you the one who told me cars can't just sit without being driven? " Kevin opened his mouth to argue but bit it back when Riko brushed his fingers lightly across Kevin's elbow.

" Not here ," Riko said in flat Japanese.

"Keep them for now," Nathaniel told the desk attendant, switching back into English. The lady returned the keys to the lockbox.

"To get to your unit, take a right and it will be in the third row all the way down on the left." 

"Thanks for your help," Riko told her as they headed out of the office.

"You want to be alone, is that it?" Kevin demanded once they were safely back in the car. Nathaniel managed not to roll his eyes again, but it was a near thing.

"No, of course not." Nathaniel backed out and took the right turn.

"I just don't want you guys to keep making sacrifices for me. I'll be fine. Abby only lives five minutes away from campus."

"We'll consider it," Riko said.

"We will?" Kevin asked incredulously.

"Of course," Riko said. "We have time." Nathaniel drove down row three and parked in front of the unit with the large thirty-seven printed on the front. 

"Looks kind of big, doesn't it?" Nathaniel asked as they got out of the car again.

"Three cars," Jean reminded him. 

"Right." Nathaniel stuck the key into the heavy lock on the door and twisted it open. If their unit looked big on the outside, it looked even bigger on the inside. As promised the brothers three black Lexus' were lined up inside. On the right side of the unit were several stacks of boxes and, oddly, furniture. 

"This is not from our dorms," Kevin said. He was right. Their dorm rooms in the nest were spacious but only outfitted with two beds, two desks, and a couple of chairs. And all of it was black. The collection of furniture stored here, however, was all brown leather and mahogany.

"Gaki," Jean said, gesturing at the glass topped coffee table. Nathaniel walked over to see what Jean was inspecting and found a familiar thick cream envelope with his name neatly scrawled across the front. Kevin and Riko wandered over to watch him open it. Inside was a letter like all the others Ichirou included with the previous gifts he'd left for Nathaniel.

Some things for your dormitory. 一

"Why?" Jean asked.

"Perhaps he thought bringing nothing would be more suspicious," Riko suggested.

"There's even a television over here," Jean said. "He already spent an obscene amount of money breaking our contracts, not to mention the hospital bills. Why would he go to all this trouble? It doesn't make sense."

"Ichirou likes to pretend he doesn't care," Nathaniel said. "He says it's all about the money, strictly business and all that. But don't forget sometimes he would call me up to ask how school was going or give me updates about baby Haruki."

"I thought we agreed he was using you to vent and probably had an ulterior motive," Kevin said.

" You decided that," Nathaniel corrected him. "Jean thought the two of us were bonding."

"I may have said those words," Jean allowed. "But that does not mean Kevin is incorrect about the ulterior motive. I mean, did you forget that he literally owns you?"

"I'm pretty sure it's always been Riko's name on my collar," Nathaniel said. "And you like me."

"Debatable," Riko deadpanned. Nathaniel affected his most innocent smile.

"Feeling really secure over there, aren't you?" Nathaniel waited patiently. Riko folded with a smile.

"Of course I like you, Gaki." Riko said, ruffling Nathaniel's hair affectionately.

"We won't need any of this stuff at Abby's house," Kevin said, gesturing to all the furniture.

"Which is another reason to consider moving into the dorms," Nathaniel said. Kevin's face went red and he looked like he was about to start up the argument again but Riko silenced him with a gesture.

"If we're going to be a part of this team, we should get used to living with them," Riko said.

"What about Nathaniel?" Jean frowned.

"What about me?" Nathaniel asked. "You'll still see me every day at practice. I'll be fine."

"You'll be alone."

"I'm used to you three going off without me by now," Nathaniel shrugged. "And I'll have Abby. That's one more person than I had in the Nest.  Besides, It's only temporary. I can officially join the team in June."

"I don't like it," Jean said.

"Noted."

"We should probably decide what we are bringing back with us today," Riko decided. "We promised Abby we'd help her party prep before the team meeting." 

"Right," Kevin muttered, wandering over to the previously overlooked piles of boxes. The boxes were in four stacks, each labeled with one of the fours' names and a short list of everything packed inside.

"This is really thorough," Kevin said, opening a box with his name on it to check its contents against the list printed on the side.

"This isn't mine," Jean said. Riko, Kevin, and Nathaniel looked up at him. Jean had a box open and was rifling through it, brow creased in confusion.

"Well, whose name was on it," Kevin asked.

"Mine," Jean said shortly. "There was no contents list on the side though."

"What's inside?" Nathaniel asked, walking over to look inside. Jean reached in and pulled out a box labeled Nintendo Wii Motion Plus Controller.

"Whatever this is, a couple of CD's, some books and DVD's." Jean pulled out one of the CD's to inspect it closer and Nathaniel noticed that the title was in French. Huh.

"I have a blank box too," Kevin said, popping open the box in question. Nathaniel walked a few steps closer to peer into Kevin's box. Like Jean's, it contained an assortment of leisure material, though the titles and genres were different. 

"Are these…presents?" Kevin asked, dislodging a history book from his box.

"Is there a note?" 

"I haven't found one," Jean said.

"Doesn't look like it," Kevin confirmed. Riko and Nathaniel exchanged a look and then the two of them searched their box piles until they found the one with their name but no contents listed on the outside. 

"What's with the controllers?" Riko asked, finding one in his box as well.

"Oh," Nathaniel said, drawing their attention. Nathaniel reached into his box and pulled out the Nintendo Wii.

"I've never played video games before," Nathaniel admitted, turning the box over to look at the back.

"I have," Riko, Kevin, and Jean said in tandem.

"When we were kids one of the starting dealers gave me his Gameboy," Riko said to Jean and Nathaniel's questioning stare.

"If I remember correctly," Kevin said, "You asked him for it."

"I guess…"

"And then you didn't give it back."

"He didn't ask for it back," Riko defended himself. 

"If he did ask…" Kevin left the rest of the question unsaid.

"I probably wouldn't have given it back," Riko admitted. "I was a bratty kid too until Gaki came along and taught me better."

"What happened to it?" Jean asked. "Your Gameboy."

"One of the mas—Tetsuji's assistants caught me and Kevin with it," Riko said tightly.

"He took it from us and told the Master," Kevin offered. "It was a bad day." Jean accepted that without comment. A bad day with Tetsuji was a very bad day, and he could guess as easily as Nathaniel could what Riko's uncle would have done to them.

Each of the four went through their box piles and took out what they wanted to bring with them back to Abby's. It didn't take long as none of them owned much to begin with and the bulk of it was clothing. 

All of them were relieved to find that their Exy gear and rackets were present and neatly packed. They would need to order new things in Fox colors but at least now they could practice with familiar gear and rackets. 

Without discussing it, they all removed their Raven jerseys from their gear bags and left them behind when they packed the car. They crammed Nathaniel's trunk full and put the overflow in the back seat between Riko and Kevin.

"So, when we move to the dorms, how will we transport all of this furniture?" Jean asked. Riko considered.

"We'll have to ask Abby or Coach how it's done," Riko decided.

The Coach was a safer bet because Abby often failed to hide her pitying looks whenever they had to come to her for advice or help. But as they lived with Abby, it was usually more convenient to get her opinion.

Nathaniel locked up the storage unit behind him and the four piled into his car for the drive back to Abby's house. When they got there they carried only their boxes inside, leaving the Exy gear and rackets behind. They would take it with them to the stadium later.

"We should buy new clothes," Jean said, transferring his from a box into the closet that Abby had cleared out for them.

"What's wrong with the clothes we have?" Nathaniel asked.

"All you own is black athletic wear and a single blue sweater."

"So?"

"You're hopeless," Jean sighed.

Once they were finished unpacking, the four brothers met up with Abby and various tasks and chores were divvied up. Riko and Kevin tackled the bathroom and living room and Nathaniel and Jean helped out in the kitchen.

Around two o'clock Coach Wymack showed up with so many bottles of booze he needed help carrying it all inside.

"This is...a lot of alcohol," Jean said, unpacking the bags onto the counter.

"It's New Year's Eve," Wymack said.

"I guess." 

"There was a fully stocked bar in the Nest every day of the year," Nathaniel reminded him.

"True," Jean said.

"You had a bar?" Abby asked, surprised.

"Next to the pool table," Nathaniel confirmed.

"You're underage," Abby frowned.

"So is most of the team," Nathaniel pointed out with a sweeping motion towards the collection of bottles. "I'm not a big fan of drinking anyways. You should keep an eye on Kevin, though."

"What are you saying about me?" Kevin asked, walking into the room.

"I'm just warning Abby and Coach about your vodka problem." 

"I do not have a vodka problem," Kevin said indignantly.

"What about that drinking game during the USC/Penn semi-final's match?" Jean asked. Kevin turned red.

"That was one time!" Kevin protested.

"Or that time Williams bet you you couldn't complete a full set of accuracy drills after half a bottle of Grey Goose?" Nathaniel prompted.

"Okay, but he was wrong . I totally can ."

"But did you ever stop to think about whether or not you should ?"

"I don't see how that's relevant."

" Remember that time you did body shots off of Thea Mul -" Riko's whispered Japanese was abruptly cut off when Kevin jumped and elbowed him in the ribs. Riko crumpled over with a sharp gasp of pain. Three weeks from Tetsuji's attack wasn't enough to heal his bruised or fractured ribs.

"Riko!" Kevin's voice was shrill as he turned to assess his partner.

" I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you startled me ," Kevin said in plaintive Japanese. Abby was at their side in an instant. 

" I didn't mean to, " Kevin continued. " I didn't hear you come up behind me. "

"Kev," Riko gasped, " S'fine. "

"Where?" Abby asked.

"Bad side," Riko managed after a beat.

"I'm sorry," Kevin said again. 

"You already said it," Riko breathed. Abby chewed her lip and snagged her fingers at the hem of Riko's shirt in a question. Riko nodded his assent and she tugged it up so she could examine his injury with careful fingers. When she was finished, Abby smoothed Riko's shirt back down gently and considered him with a tight expression.

"I want to take you to the hospital to get checked out," Abby blurted. "A CAT scan. Just to be sure." Riko opened his mouth to argue but Nathaniel watched the protest die in his throat.

"If you think that's best," Riko said instead. 

"I do," Abby said firmly.

"You three go do that. We'll finish up here," Wymack said. "Hopefully you can meet us at the stadium, but if not, see you at the party."

"Thanks David," Abby patted him on the arm. "Jean, can I leave you in charge of finishing up the food prep?"

"Of course," Jean replied.

"Don't let these two chuckleheads destroy my kitchen."

"Hey," Wymack and Nathaniel protested. She gave the two of them a look and went to grab her purse. Then Abby bundled Riko and Kevin into her car and headed for the hospital.

"You two can start on the pigs in a blanket while I make the seven layer dip," Jean said. The three of them fumbled through the rest of meal prep with minimal casualties. Jean was just as strict as Abby in the Kitchen, but much more critical of any "mistakes." Jean only declared himself satisfied once all of the food was stored neatly in the fridge, the mess cleaned up, and the dishes washed and put away. 

"Oh thank God," Wymack groaned.

"Don't thank God. Thank me," Jean said. "Somehow we avoided tragedy even though you two are hopeless in the kitchen."

Wymack gave Jean an exasperated look but Nathaniel just laughed. Wymack shot him a questioning look.

"It was just a joke, Coach," Nathaniel said. "Jean's humor is as dry as the Sahara Desert."

***

With nothing left to clean or prep, the three men headed to the Foxhole Court an hour early. Wymack went to his office to work on something and Nathaniel and Jean busied themselves lugging in all the Exy gear from the car. They unpacked the bags with quick efficiency, placing their gear into their new lockers. When they were finished they began unpacking Riko and Kevin's bags as well.

"What do you think the rest of the Foxes are like?" Nathaniel asked. Jean shrugged.

"A bunch of misfits. You'll fit right in." Nathaniel tossed one of Riko's gloves at him. Jean caught it easily and tucked it neatly into Riko's locker beside the other. The changing room door banged open.

"Hey, Coach said you were in here." The man who strode into the locker room was only an inch taller than Jean, but much broader. He thrust his hand out and Jean clasped it reflexively.

"Matt Boyd, starting backliner. Nice to meet you."

"Jean Moreau," Jean said. Matt held out his hand for Nathaniel next.

"Nathaniel Wesninski." 

"Wow that's a mouthful of a name for such a little guy." Jean unsuccessfully tried to turn his snort into a cough. Nathaniel frowned at the pair of them.

"You two are obviously descended from giants," Nathaniel said, a little resentfully.

"Sorry, that was probably rude," Matt said.

"Apology accepted. Anyone else here yet?"

"Yeah," Matt answered. "Dan sent me in here to get you two. We're only waiting on the monsters now."

"The monsters?" Nathaniel asked. Matt had the good grace to look sheepish. He ran his hand through his hair in an apparent nervous habit before answering.

"It's what we call Andrew and Aaron Minyard and their Cousin Nicky Hemmick," Matt said.

"Why?"

"Because they're nightmares most of the time," Matt answered honestly. Nathaniel had seen the articles about Andrew Minyard. Riko and Kevin had done extensive research before offering him a position on their team last year. He was supposed to be some violent psychopath on court ordered medication after beating four men nearly to death outside of a nightclub.

Riko and Kevin had mostly overlooked it when considering him. Being violent or a psychopath didn't exactly disqualify him from being a Raven.

"What do you call us?" Jean asked.

"The Perfect Court," Matt said, as if it were obvious. Jean grimaced but Nathaniel smiled wide. 

"Riko will hate that!" Nathaniel said gleefully. 

"Uh," Matt's expression said he was missing the joke. "I thought Riko came up with the name?"

"Riko is very sensitive about his media nicknames," Jean said diplomatically.

"Right," Matt frowned. "Well let's get out of here before they all get impatient and come looking for us." Nathaniel and Jean followed Matt back into the lobby.

"Finally!" one of the girls said before the changing room door even closed behind them. Coach and Abby were nowhere to be seen, but Nathaniel located Riko and Kevin standing near the huddle of Foxes. Nathaniel and Jean made a beeline for them.

" Consensus? " Nathaniel asked in Japanese as he reached them.

" I'm fine. " Riko said in the same language. " It actually looked like it was healing up nicely according to the doctor. Another three weeks and I can be cleared to play again. "

"That's not French. I thought Juan said you guys speak French?"

" We do," Nathaniel said in English, indicating himself, Kevin, and Jean. "Riko doesn't."

"Why not?"

"It's...complicated," Riko said. Years ago when Kevin helped Nathaniel teach Jean English, Jean taught the two of them French. At first, Riko had learned right along with them. But one day Riko had said something to one of them in French in front of Tetsuji. It had been a mistake. Tetsuji reacted with cruel and uncalled for violence.

Riko was meant to be the master of the others ,and Tetsuji considered the language exchange to be a breach of their authority. Kevin, Nathaniel, and Jean were taught Japanese so they could listen and follow commands. 

There was no good reason for Riko to learn or speak French in Tetsuji's opinion. It was the only time Tetsuji had beaten the four of them all at once. Riko never spoke a word of French again.

"How many languages do you speak?" Matt asked.

"Fluently? Three," Nathaniel said. By then the Foxes captain made her way over to them. Nathaniel recognized her from the after game interviews they'd watched.

"Dan Wilds," she said, shaking each of their hands in turn, "offensive dealer. I'll be your captain."

"Nice to meet you," Riko said politely.

"You were captain of the Ravens," Dan said. "Is it going to be a problem for you?"

"I was captain because of misplaced glorification and nepotism," Riko said. "It won't be a problem." Riko was relieved to give up the title of Captain. Balancing three teams and a full college schedule was hard enough without the added stress of captaining a team.

After that, introductions were made. Nathaniel and his brothers knew all of the Foxes by name—a consequence of Kevin's obsession—but they listened politely all the same. Allison Reynolds gave the four of them appreciative looks, but the Foxes senior striker, Dwayne Smalls, looked irritated with them. He didn't seem any more dangerous than Juan or Reggie though, so Nathaniel overlooked it.

Jean seemed slightly enamored with the foxes starting goalie, Renee Walker, but something about her didn't sit right with Nathaniel. When Nathaniel and Renee shook hands he favored her with a searching look and she replied in kind. 'Dangerous' was the unspoken word between them. 

The blank look vanished from Renee's face in an instant when Nathaniel blinked, replaced with a polite smile—a mask. He offered her his cheekiest smile in response and the two parted with the feeling of unfinished business. 

"Can you even play?" Seth asked rudely, looking at Kevin incredulously.

"Not yet," Kevin admitted. "The doctors think I'll be fit for Fall season. Until then, Coach Wymack suggested I might act as his Assistant Coach."

"I thought Coach was your father?" Dan frowned.

"He is," Kevin confirmed.

"But you call him 'Coach,' not 'Dad?'" Kevin shrugged.

"They've only really known each other for three weeks," Riko explained. "Give them more time." Dan opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted when the cousin's finally arrived. Nicky Hemmick sailed into the room with a smile and a "Love is Love" t-shirt.

"Looks like the party started without us!" Nicky said cheerfully. The man who followed behind him, albeit more slowly, could only be Aaron. Andrew couldn't manage that bored expression while taking his court ordered medication. 

Nicky made a beeline straight for Nathaniel and his brothers and eyed them with a hungry look that left Jean frowning.

"Can I help you?" Jean asked.

"Yes you can!" Nicky said emphatically.

" Jesus Nicky, can you keep it in your pants for five minutes? " Aaron asked with disgust. It took Nathaniel a moment to realize that Aaron had spoken German, not English. Interesting.

 Nathaniel was fluent in English, Japanese, and French but he had also been studying German in high school for the past four years. He wasn't quite fluent in it, as he had no one to practice with, but he could get by. 

"Nicky Hemmick," Nicky said unnecessarily, putting a hand out to shake theirs. Jean accepted it, despite his reservations.

"The sourpuss here is my cousin, Aaron Minyard," Nicky slapped Aaron on the back. "Andrew should be in any minute now." As if on cue, Andrew Minyard sauntered into the room.

"Hello, hello again. Kevin, Riko," Andrew said. His voice was full of false cheer and his manic smile was all malice. "I had hoped we wouldn't meet again, but I should have known better!" Andrew laughed. He walked right past Riko and Kevin in favor of sizing up Jean and Nathaniel. Jean he barely spared a passing glance, but Andrew paused when his eyes met Nathaniel's, his manic smile wavering ever so slightly.

Nicky and Aaron hadn't even been blips on Nathaniel's radar, but Andrew was something closer to Renee. For a moment the two of them locked eyes and Nathaniel saw perfect understanding there. 

"Interesting," Andrew said. 

Chapter Text

Andrew

Andrew was brittle.

It had been years since he could feel anything through the numbness. The drugs didn't help. All they did was replace the feeling of nothing with false cheer. And Andrew was pretty sure he preferred the feeling of nothingness. 

He drank often in a vain attempt to dull the effects of his medication, but it wasn't really the same. He told himself it was fine—Andrew didn't need to feel . He was getting pretty good at convincing himself. 

Still, there were days where Andrew was desperate to feel something , something real. It was those days he found himself on the roof of Fox Tower. Andrew stood as close to the edge as he dared, clinging wildly to his fear. Helpless and hopeless as it was, he couldn't deny himself the sensation of feeling. 

It wasn't fear that made his heart race now.

Andrew was comfortable with his sexuality. It had taken time and patience but he got there in the end. After everything that had happened to him throughout his childhood, it had taken Andrew time to accept that he preferred male partners. He had done most of his experimenting in Juvie (After learning to make a shiv and play Exy, there wasn't much left he could do). 

Looks weren't everything to him though. Several of the Foxes held some physical attraction for Andrew, but their absolute shit personalities and blatant homophobia were hard turn offs. He didn't even give any of them a passing glance anymore. 

A year ago Andrew had found Kevin Day attractive for the 2.5 seconds it had taken him to open his mouth. Kevin was a grade A asshole in Andrew's opinion, and he didn't need to be around someone who yelled at him about fucking Exy in that condescending manner. 

Maybe it was a product of years in the system with shit parents, or his stint in California's Juvenile Detention Center, but Andrew loathed being told what to do. 

Riko was conventionally attractive, but the blank mask he wore reminded Andrew too much of looking into a mirror. It was only slightly preferable to the fake smile Riko had sported the last time Andrew had seen him. Andrew hated that fake smile. 

Plus Kevin and Riko were always together, so like, no thanks. 

Jean's gray eyes and stormy expression would make anyone bleed for him, but Andrew had seen enough clouds in his day. He wasn't looking for a relationship. He wasn't. But if he had a choice…well, there would be nothing but clear skies and sunshine on Andrew's horizon. 

Nathaniel's hair, at first glance, could pass for brown. Andrew longed to see it in the sun where Nathaniel's particular shade of auburn was likely to shine red. Wait. No. That's not right. 

Right?

Nathaniel's eyes were clear, bright, and bluer than any Andrew had ever seen. They were also the eyes of a fighter. Nathaniel was someone who, when knocked down, would get back up again. Andrew couldn't un-see it once he thought it. 

Hmm. He'd have to do something about these intrusive thoughts. 

When Nathaniel caught Andrew staring, his mouth stretched into a grin. Andrew wasn't fooled. The smile that tugged at the corner Nathaniel's lips held the promise of a threat. Andrew didn't miss the twitch of Nathaniel's fingers near the waistband of Nathaniel's track pants. Once false move and Nathaniel would probably rip him open throat to groin.

Andrew found everything about Nathaniel desperately attractive. 

Andrew found Andrew's desperate attraction frustrating. Infuriating? It was hard to hold onto any emotions that weren't happy when he was medicated. 

"What's interesting?" Nathaniel asked him. The lilt of Nathaniel's British accent pushed Andrew right over the edge.  The next thing Andrew knew, Renee was between them, one hand firmly gripped on Andrew's wrist, and the other on Nathaniel's. The knife in Andrew's hand was at least an inch longer than the switchblade Nathaniel held, but it might not matter in a fight if Nathaniel knew how to use it.

"Let's not get off on the wrong foot. Andrew? Nathaniel?" Renee's smile was still firmly in place, despite the obvious effort she was using to restrain the two of them. 

"Oh, Renee," Andrew said cheerfully. "I started off on the wrong foot years ago. There's no hope for me now."

"Nathaniel," Riko called. Andrew didn't understand a single word that came out of Riko's mouth, as it was entirely in Japanese. Nathaniel didn't take his eyes off Andrew as he replied in the same language. It wasn't any more clear to Andrew then whatever the hell Riko said, but Andrew understood that petulance just fine.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Coach Wymack boomed, before any of the other Foxes could intervene. 

Andrew hadn't heard him enter the room, but the Coach's shouting wasn't enough to rattle Andrew. 

Nathaniel on the other hand, tensed up, eyes dilating in fear before his expression went curiously blank. 

And so the plot thickened.

"Nathaniel and I were just getting to know each other better, that's all," Andrew drawled. Wymack walked purposely over to them, Abby on his heels.

"It looks like you were trying to gut each other," Wymack accused. "Renee, are you okay?"

"I've been better," Renee admitted. Renee relinquished Andrew to Wymack and Nathaniel to Abby.

"Put it away, Minyard," Wymack snapped. "You too, Nathaniel." Andrew grinned nice and wide up at him, but obediently slipped the knife back into its sheath in his arm band. Andrew looked around Coach Wymack at Nathaniel but the boy was already being led to the other side of the room by Abby.

"Eyes on me. We're going to talk about this," Wymack said, "After the meeting." Andrew usually enjoyed his talks with the Coach but he wasn't at all interested in the inquisition. He opened his mouth to say so but Coach Wymack cut him off.

"No, we're talking about this. All three of us," Wymack twirled a finger to include Nathaniel in this. "Do you understand?" Coach Wymack always could read Andrew like a book. It was something that Andrew often both appreciated and loathed about the man. 

"Okaaay." Wymack interpreted that response as he liked and nodded.

"Good. Go sit your ass down."

Nathaniel 

Nathaniel tried not to show how rattled he was from the confrontation with Andrew as he let Abby direct him across the room. Jean picked his way over to them as Abby began checking Nathaniel over for any injuries. Nathaniel stood still and indulged her. Abby would only worry if he pushed her away now. 

"Are you alright?" Abby asked.

"I'm fine Abby. He didn't touch me," Nathaniel insisted. 

"You pulled out a knife."

"Andrew pulled one out first."

"Nathaniel."

"Abby."

Abby huffed. Nathaniel realized too late it was the first time he'd talked back to her. Abby's hands twitched at her sides, and for a wild moment, Nathaniel thought she was going to hit him. 

He tried not to flinch when she enveloped him in a tight hug instead, but he didn't quite manage it. As tight as she was holding onto him, Nathaniel thought she seemed pretty oblivious to how stiff he was.

Eventually, Nathaniel patted her awkwardly on the back and let out the breath he was holding in. Abby let go but held him at arm's length for a moment, considering something. Jean finally reached them and Abby released Nathaniel into his care, and went to stand at the front of the room with Coach Wymack. 

" Are you okay, my little troublemaker? " Jean asked in whispered French.

" He started it, " Nathaniel protested. 

" Of course, " Jean spread his hands indulgently. Nathaniel frowned. 

"Alright, alright." Wymack called them all to order. "I assume you shitheads got to know each other before inciting a bloodbath. No? Too bad. We have important shit to talk about now, starting with Kathy's show on Sunday.

"I appreciate you all keeping your goddamn mouth's shut about this. But after Sunday there will be reporters swarming this place, so we need to go over appropriate things to say. Don't look at me like that. There's the real story, and the official story. And unless you're talking to your teammates in private, we're sticking to the official story."

Nathaniel mostly tuned Coach Wymack out as he went over the details of their supposed car crash and his brother's transfers. Ichirou and Riko had devised an airtight coverup together in the hospital room a few weeks ago, but it was Wymack's idea to do some publicity before Spring Championships officially began. 

After some deliberation, Riko and Kevin had decided on Kathy's show as they had worked with her in the past. Nathaniel was glad he wasn't officially joining the team until the fall so he could sit it out. He'd seen the clips of Kathy's show with his brothers in them and she always rubbed him the wrong way. He felt a little bad about sending Jean on the show without him but Jean would have Riko and Kevin with him.

"Any questions?" Wymack asked.

"I have a question," Dan said. "With a mid-season transfer, are they allowed to participate in the Spring Championships?"

"If the question is 'Will the ERC allow it?' the answer is yes. They have no choice because of the official transfer requests from Edgar Allan," Wymack said. "However—"

"Sick." A few foxes whooped. The others started muttering amongst themselves. 

"However," Wymack spoke louder to be heard over the chatter, "Kevin is out until the Fall semester at the earliest, and Riko hasn't been cleared to play either."

"By the time I'm fit to play," Riko said, "you'll be out of the competition already."

"Excuse me?" Dan asked indignantly.

"You're even's this year," Riko said. "Look at the lineup. Using statistics to find the probable outcome of each match, you'll be facing Penn State in the first Deathmatch." That shut Dan up. She spluttered incoherently, trying to formulate a response. 

"You used fucking math to predict our wins and losses?" Seth asked incredulously. Riko affected surprise.

"Me? No. Math is Nathaniel's thing," Riko said. Every head in the room turned to look at Nathaniel. Nathaniel shot Riko a baleful look which Riko returned with the barest hint of a smirk. 

"It's just numbers. It doesn't mean anything," Nathaniel said. "Wins and losses can't be measured accurately enough to do you any good. There's a pretty big margin of error. I can't calculate luck, or grit."

"You've had an 80% success rate with your predictions so far," Kevin pointed out. Nathaniel shrugged.

"So what, Raven's win games with math?" Juan asked.

"No," Kevin scoffed, offended. "Raven's study their opponents, learn their weaknesses, and strategize ways to exploit them—same as every other team." 

"Ravens also treat practice like it's a fight for their lives. Which, in our cases, it kind of was," Jean offered. The silence following Jean's admission was telling.

"So, what's the point of predicting who wins?" Dan asked eventually. 

"Well, actually it's part of my thesis for AP Statistics," Nathaniel explained.

"Okay, Whiz Kid." Nathaniel resented being addressed as "Whiz Kid." 

"Stow that," Wymack said. "As I was saying, Kevin and Riko aren't able to participate this Spring, but Jean can . Any concerns about switching teams mid-season?"

"None," Jean said.

"Good. If no one else has any questions, I know there's a party you're all eager to get to." The foxes whooped and began heading towards the exit with the promise of a fun night at Abby's place.

"Andrew, Nathaniel. I need a word with the two of you in my office before we go," Wymack said, beckoning the two with the crook of his finger.

 Cold dread threatened to freeze him in place. Nathaniel forced his body to move. It was always worse if he hesitated. The Master didn't tolerate it. His father didn't tolerate it. It had been three weeks and Coach Wymack had yet to lay a hand on him, but Nathaniel understood an office summons just fine. 

"Want me to come with you?" Jean asked. "Coach won't mind." Abby and Coach Wymack were used to the bond between the partners by now and tolerated their lack of separation with grace. It was tempting to take Jean up on the offer but Nathaniel shook his head. Numbly he fumbled his keys out of his pocket and passed them to Jean. 

"No. Go back to Abby's. Help her with dinner." Jean frowned but didn't press him. Nathaniel followed Andrew into the Coach's office and tried not to let the panic overtake him as Wymack closed the door behind them. Andrew flopped into the nearest chair without a care in the world. Nathaniel stood rigid. 

"Sit," Wymack said. Nathaniel hesitated, but sat stiffly on the edge of the other chair.

"Which one of you wants to tell me what the hell your fight was about?" Wymack asked. 

"What? No, Coach. That wasn't a fight," Andrew said. "I told you we were just getting to know each other better." Nathaniel gripped the front of his chair so tightly his knuckles were white and bloodless. Andrew wasn't afraid. Why not?

"Nathaniel?" Wymack prompted. Nathaniel jumped. He opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. It wasn't a fight, not really. Renee had made sure of that. Besides, Nathaniel didn't know what he'd done to provoke Andrew. In the end he shook his head slightly, and averted his eyes. Wymack sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Really? Neither of you have anything useful to say?" 

"I don't know what you were expecting, Coach," Andrew said.

"Get out, Minyard," Wymack barked. "Get out, but don't go anywhere. I'm not done with you." Andrew cackled and offered the coach a two-fingered salute before leaving the office. 

Coach Wymack leaned against his desk, arms folded across his chest. Nathaniel held his breath. The waiting was always worse than the actual punishment. He hoped the Coach wouldn't keep him waiting long.

"Hey," Wymack said. "Look at me." Nathaniel brought his gaze up from Wymack's chest to his face. He didn't know what he was expecting to see, but the undisguised concern was a shock.

"I want you to understand something," Wymack said. "I don't hit kids. Even smart mouth punks with bad attitudes."

Nathaniel didn't believe him, but he said, "Yes, Coach."

"I'm serious. Don't you dare be more afraid of me than you are of Andrew." Nathaniel was pretty sure he could take Andrew in a fight. He didn't have the strength to try Coach Wymack though. He could have told the Coach that Tetsuji and his father both beat him black and blue in their respective offices on more than one occasion, but he didn't want to put ideas in the man's head.

"Yes, Coach," Nathaniel repeated numbly. Wymack sighed and closed his eyes in apparent thought.

"Okay, free to go," Wymack said. "Send Minyard back in here, would you?" Nathaniel didn't need to be told twice. He fled the office quickly, before Coach Wymack could change his mind. Fear turned into surprise when he immediately tripped over a shoe and face planted right there on the lounge floor. 

"Whoops!" Andrew said, "didn't see you there." 

Nathaniel rolled, and used his momentum to push himself to his knees. It wasn't a great position to be in if this was going to turn into a fight, but it was better than lying prone in front of an aggressor. 

"What the hell is your problem?" Nathaniel demanded.

"I have lots of problems, Nathaniel. Don't you become one of them. You hear me?" Andrew said.

" What? " Nathaniel protested. "I didn't even do anything. You attacked me , remember?" Andrew tapped his fingers in an agitated rhythm on his thigh, manic smile never leaving his face. It was clear to Nathaniel after only a few moments that Andrew didn't intend to answer that accusation.

"Coach is ready for you," Nathaniel tried. "Better not keep him waiting."

"Oh," Andrew affected over-exaggerated surprise. "Joy, joy. My excited face begins now." 

As if on cue, Wymack leaned out of the open office door and called, "Minyard! You better not have run off!" Nathaniel jumped at the sudden shouting, drawing the coaches eyes to him kneeling on the floor. Wymack narrowed his eyes.

"Are you two fighting again?" Wymack asked incredulously.

"Not yet, Coach," Andrew said.

"Enough. You are not allowed to kill each other," Wymack said.

"I can work with that," Nathaniel muttered.

"Oooh, I'm scared!" 

"Minyard. Office. Now," Wymack ordered. Andrew did as he was told with surprising obedience. Wymack walked over and stuck out a hand to help Nathaniel up. Nathaniel hesitated, but accepted it and let Wymack pull him to his feet. He expected another reprimand at least but all Wymack said was, "Wait here and I'll give you a lift back to Abby's when we're done."

"Yes, Coach."

 David

David didn't know what he was going to do about Nathaniel. He was mostly a good kid, but turn your head for one second and he was getting into trouble. David had dealt with other kids with zero to sixty personalities, but Nathaniel was the only one who flinched away from him when confronted. The other kids were all more likely to throw a punch than stand and take one.  

No, it was better to start with Andrew. David would never pretend he understood Andrew completely, but he liked to think he knew enough to get by. Andrew liked everyone to think he didn't care about anyone or anything, but David suspected Andrew was in denial about his own feelings most of the time. Maybe it would be different when he finally got off the drugs.

David shut the door behind himself and leaned against it. Andrew had shoved David's things aside and was sitting on top of the desk, despite the fact there were multiple chairs in the room, and was twirling his knife in his hand.

"The fuck is wrong with you?" David asked.

"You know, a little of this, a little of that." 

"Cut the shit, Andrew. What do you have against Nathaniel?" Wymack demanded.

Andrew closed his eyes and pursed his lips as if he were considering his answer. It didn't last long as he could never keep the smile off his face with his medicine coursing through his veins. 

"I don't trust him," Andrew said.

"I don't trust you. What's your point."

"I'll let you know after I get to know him better. I'm taking him to Columbia. I already decided," Andrew said.

"Don't you dare!" David snapped. "We will not have a repeat of June. And if you think I'm going to let the two of you be alone together after the shit you pulled, you're stupider than I thought." It had only been five months since Andrew had taken Matt to Columbia and given him speedballs. Matt was doing well now but watching him go through withdrawal at Abby's house had been a terrible experience that David refused to go through again. It had taken Dan, Abby, and Betsy to put Matt back together.

"More stupid," Andrew corrected him, "And we wouldn't be alone, Coach. Nicky and Aaron will be there. Maybe I'll even invite one of his big brothers along."

"Even if I agreed to that, and I'm not saying I am, did you forget when I told you the mafia is watching them?"

"I didn't forget," Andrew said. "I just don't care." 

David pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"I swear if you do to him what you did to Matt, I will cut every last one of you from my roster," David warned. 

Andrew considered the threat. Whatever Andrew said, David was sure Andrew wouldn't do something to harm his brother or cousin's contracts. 

"I guess we'll see," Andrew said.

Nathaniel

The ride back to Abby's was uncomfortable. Nathaniel almost wished Andrew had come with them just so there would be a buffer between him and Coach Wymack, but the cousins had been waiting outside for him. Nathaniel had never been alone with the coach before, never been alone with any man who wasn't his father or Jean. 

Getting into the car was the hardest thing he'd done since coming to Palmetto. Nathaniel looked out the window and tried not to look like he was five seconds from jumping out of the moving vehicle. If Wymack noticed, he didn't comment. The silence made the fifteen minute drive agonizingly long.

When Wymack finally parked on Abby's street, Nathaniel was glad to escape the confines of the car. The coach tactfully turned away to light a cigarette and pretended not to notice when Nathaniel half-sprinted to the house. Nathaniel wrenched the door open harder than perhaps was necessary and shut it firmly behind him.

Luckily, no one was in the hall so Nathaniel was able to catch his breath before walking deeper into the house to see the others. Half of the team was in the living room, and the other half was in the kitchen with Abby when he walked in.

"Keys in the box if you're going to drin—" Abby waved a hand at a cookie tin on the counter but stopped when she noticed it was only Nathaniel.

"Oh, where's David?".

"Jean has my keys," Nathaniel said. "And Coach is outside smoking."

"That was meant for—I'd really prefer you don't drink with the others," Abby frowned. "You're seventeen."

"For another month," Nathaniel reminded her. 

"Aw, Abby, don't kill his fun," An arm slung around Nathaniel's shoulders. "We'll take good care of—"

"Nathaniel!" Abby was across the room in a second. 

"Nicky, are you alright?" Abby asked. Nathaniel stared down at the scene in front of him. Nicky was flat on his back on the kitchen floor and Abby was kneeling beside him, but Nathaniel didn't remember moving, or deciding to do anything. 

"Bro, nice one!" Juan held out a fist to Nathaniel. Nathaniel did not bump fists with Juan.

"Gaki," Jean was by his side now. " You feeling okay? " Jean's French was nice and soft. 

"I…"

"What's going on in here?" Wymack's voice boomed from behind him and Nathaniel jumped. 

"Coach! You just missed it," Juan said. "Nathaniel flipped the fag right over his shoulder—Kapow!" Juan mimed tossing someone over himself as he spoke. 

"You know how I feel about that word," Wymack said sharply.

"It was insanely cool," Juan said, ignoring the rebuke. "Hey Nathaniel, they teach you to flip people like that in the mafia?"

"What? No," Nathaniel spluttered. "I didn't—I've never—I didn't even know I was doing it."

"You expect us to believe that was a reflex?" Nathaniel turned to see Aaron glaring at him from across the kitchen. 

"Hey, hey, Aaron, it's okay," Nicky said from the floor. "I'm not hurt. And it was my bad anyway." Abby helped Nicky into a sitting position and began checking his eyes, presumably for signs of a concussion. She must have found none because she sighed in relief and got to her feet. 

"I need a drink," Wymack said.

"Keys, box," Abby said, waving towards the cookie tin before helping Nicky to his feet. Wymack obediently deposited his keys into the cookie tin before pouring himself a glass of scotch. 

"See, Seth, I told you—absolute legend!" Juan said.

"I'll reserve judgment until after he plays a few rounds of Never Have I Ever with us," Seth said.

"Absolutely not!" Abby snapped. "I'm putting my foot down on drinking games."

"Chill Abby," Juan said. "The kid can drink soda." Nathaniel absolutely resented being treated like a child, especially when several of the foxes were only a year or two older than him, but he didn't waste his breath arguing with any of them. There was little to gain from antagonizing Abby, and he wasn't the biggest fan of drinking games to begin with. Nathaniel couldn't outdrink any of the Ravens, and he doubted he'd fare better with the Foxes. 

"That's not as fun," Nicky whined.

"I don't need to drink to have a good time," Nathaniel said, glancing at Abby.

"When he drinks he's more…" Jean considered Nathaniel, "Nathaniel."

"What does that mean?" Seth asked.

"Yeah Jean, what does that mean?" Nathaniel asked.

"You're more…playful," Jean grimaced as he said it. Nathaniel's grin was slow.  

"I'm going outside," Wymack said with the tired voice of one who didn't have the energy to deal with their bullshit tonight. 

"Come on, Abby," Juan insisted.

"One drink," Abby acquiesced, holding up a finger, " If you want one. Don't let them pressure you."

***

Fifteen minutes later Nathaniel found himself on Abby's couch, absolutely surrounded by Foxes, and holding a large glass of something Nicky called Long Island Iced Tea. Aaron flatly refused to join them, and Renee excused herself to go look for Andrew outside. 

"This is a bad idea," Kevin said. "Last time we let him drink, Wilkerson ended up with stitches."

"Wilkerson should have kept his hands to himself," Nathaniel retorted. Riko considered them and then held his hand out palm up in a request. Nathaniel frowned.

"You don't trust me."

"If you weren't planning to use it, I don't see why you need it," Riko said. Nathaniel obediently tugged the switchblade out of the waistband of his track pants and handed it over. Riko tucked it into his pocket for safekeeping. 

"What happened to Wilkerson?" Seth asked.

"He got stabbed," Nathaniel said cryptically. 

"A four inch long gash along his hip bone," Jean supplied.

"He grabbed my ass and stuck his tongue down my throat," Nathaniel said. "I would have stabbed him sober." Several Foxes murmured agreement. 

"As illuminating as this is, let's start the drinking so we can really get to know you guys better," Allison said.

"I'll start," Seth said. "Never have I ever kissed a man."

"Question," Matt said. "Are we counting kisses we have initiated or..?"

"If your lips have touched another man's lips then you have kissed a man," Seth declared.

Dan, Allison, Matt, Nicky, Riko, Kevin, Jean, and Nathaniel all take a drink.

"Seriously, all four of you?" Juan asked incredulously.

"Raven's don't discriminate based on gender," Jean said. 

"Matt, what the fuck?" Seth demanded.

"It was at one of my dad's parties," Matt said. "He asked."

"And you said yes?"

"I was high. It wasn't bad or anything."

"Even I have never been that high," Reggie said.

"My turn," Juan said. "Never have I ever killed a man."

"What the fuck, Juan?" Dan scowled at him.

Nathaniel took a drink.

"Whoa what?? What the fuck?" Seth gestured at Nathaniel. "When the hell did you kill a man?" Several Foxes gave Nathaniel wary glances. Riko, Kevin, and Jean frowned at him.

"When I was ten," Nathaniel said. "I went to Evermore to play a scrimmage with Riko and Kevin. A man tried to kill Riko. Afterwards—"

"Hold up, Gaki," Riko protested. "You didn't kill that man. Your father did." 

"I helped," Nathaniel said flatly.

"You directed," Kevin corrected him.

"Directed how?" Allison asked.

"I walked him through the execution step by step," Nathaniel said. "Maybe I wasn't holding the axe, but that doesn't make his pain or death any less my fault." 

"Jesus Christ. What the fuck."

"Mafia."

"Okay, moving on," Dan redirected them. "Never have I ever…broken a bone."

Reggie, Seth, Riko, Kevin, and Nathaniel drank. 

"Never have I ever gotten a tattoo," Allison said.

Riko, Kevin, Nathaniel and Jean drank.

"Are you specifically targeting us?" Kevin asked. 

"Never have I ever been in an Adidas ad," Nicky said.

"They are!" Kevin said indignantly.

"Drink, heathen!"

Riko, Kevin, and Jean drank. 

"Never have I ever drank a soda," Riko said.

"Bullshit."

"I've had a very strict diet my entire life."

"You've been here three weeks!" Riko shrugged.

Everyone other than Riko took a drink.

"Never have I ever spoken a language other than English," Reggie said.

Juan, Allison, Nicky, Riko, Kevin, Nathaniel, and Jean drank. 

"Never have I ever been hit by my parents," Matt said.

"Oh, fuck you." Everyone but Matt, Dan, and Riko took a drink.

"Dude, you told us you got beat like every week," Reggie said, looking at Riko.

"By my uncle," Riko said. "My mother died when I was a baby and I've never met my father."

"I was raised by my aunt," Dan offered. 

"Never have I ever been an American citizen," Jean said.

"Shots fired!" Everyone but Jean took a drink. 

"Never have I ever been in college," Nathaniel said. 

"Little Bastard." Everyone but Nathaniel took a drink.

"Enough," Seth said, looking at Nathaniel. "New rules. I guess something about you. If I'm right, you drink. If I'm wrong, I drink."

"Fine," Nathaniel agreed. He'd only taken small sips of his drink and he was already feeling tipsy, but he wasn't ready to concede yet. 

"You speak three languages."

"Drink." Seth drank.

"Four." Nathaniel took a drink.

"You can't really put the ball wherever you want it."

"Drink." Seth frowned and took a drink. 

"Your mother hit harder than your father."

"Drink."

"Your father gave you the worst beating you ever got."

"Drink."

"Coach Moriyama."

"Drink."

"Your mother?"

"You are going to die of alcohol poisoning. Drink."

"What the fuck." Seth had to stop and refill his glass. Before he could have another guess, Riko stood abruptly and left the room. 

"Where's the fire?" Nathaniel got up to go after him but Kevin waved him off.

"Let me," Kevin said. Kevin went after Riko alone. Nathaniel had been too busy having fun with Seth to consider Riko's feelings. He loathed to blame the alcohol for his own indiscretion, but it certainly didn't help.

"Did Riko give you the worst beating you ever got?" Dan asked tentatively. Nathaniel downed the other half of his drink in one slow go and set the glass down on the coffee table.

"I don't wanna play anymore." 

"Wait, I'm sorry," Dan said.  "That was too personal."

"What's there to be sorry about?" Allison said. "He agreed to play."

"Yes, well, unfortunately ," Nathaniel said. "Abby requested I only have one drink, and I seem to have finished it already." He shrugged in a 'what can you do?' gesture. 

"Come on, Nathaniel," Juan said. "Don't leave us hanging. I told Seth you were cool."

"I won't tell you about it," Nathaniel said. "I don't want you to think badly of Riko."

"Come on. It can't have been that bad. I've seen your scars. How did Riko hurt you worse than that?" Juan reasoned.

"That's different," Nathaniel frowned. "None of those are from a beating."

"Um, What scars?" 

"His chest has all these fucked up knife scars on it," Juan explained, waving his hand vaguely in front of his chest in an approximation of where most of the damage was.

"Don't forget the fucking iron burn," Reggie said. The Foxes who hadn't spent any time in the locker room with Nathaniel over the break stared at him, as if they could see the scarring through his shirt. Most of them looked horrified, but a few Foxes reacted with blatant interest. Nathaniel knew his childhood was abnormal and awful, even putting Evermore aside, but he never felt sorry for himself. It was odd having strangers pity him. 

"Uh—" Matt began.

"We're getting off topic." Juan said. "If you don't want to tell us, that's cool. We'll just ask Riko later."

"I'll kill you."

"Gaki," Jean put a hand on his shoulder, firm but gentle, grounding. 

" Perhaps curiosity is not grounds for murder ," Jean suggested, switching to French.

" You want me to tell them Riko's business? " Nathaniel asked in the same language, perhaps with more venom than was strictly necessary. 

" You are putting words in my mouth, " Jean said patiently.

" It hurt him more than it hurt me. It hurt you more than it hurt me, " Nathaniel said. " Riko doesn't need help beating himself up about it. "

" Perhaps Riko would benefit more from you telling them ," Jean said.

" Excuse me? " Nathaniel's voice rose an octave.

" Think about it. You say you don't care what Riko did to you? Tell them. Show them it doesn't change your opinion of him. Don't let them define him by their own perception. They're not going to forget this. If left to their own devices they'll draw their own conclusions and judge him without knowing what happened or understanding why. "

Nathaniel studied Jean's calm expression for a moment. Then he took a deep breath, brushed Jean's hand off his shoulder, and returned to his place on the couch between Nicky and Allison.

"If any of you breathe a bad word to Riko about this you'll regret it," Nathaniel said. Nathaniel waited for their agreement before beginning his story.

"It was the year before my brother's joined the line up," Nathaniel said. "The Championship match that year was the Ravens VS the Trojans. Kevin was so excited to have the Trojan's in our stadium that it was hard not to get caught up in it too. Jean and I were supposed to stay out of sight, but I slipped out while he was using the restroom.

"I disguised myself as best I could. I wasn't tattooed yet so I just washed the marker off of my face and wore my hood up. I figured a boy wearing Raven gear at a Raven match wouldn't stand out too much, you know? But I was stupid. I kept to the Raven's side of the Court.

"One of Tetsuji's assistants caught me near the concession stands around half time. He practically dragged me out of there. He took me to Tetsuji's office and told me if I was smart I'd stay there until they came for me."

***

"What the hell were you thinking?"

Riko rarely raised his voice, rarely showed anger anymore, but he wasn't hiding his fury now. Kevin's face betrayed a mixture of anger and horror, Jean's, discomfort and shame. Behind them, the Master watched the proceedings with a white knuckle grip on his ornate walking cane. 

"I was thinking, " Nathaniel said, "That I'd like to see the Championship game in person."

Riko backhanded him.

It didn't really hurt, but the force of the blow meant Nathaniel had to take a few steps backwards to keep from falling. Suddenly, there was a wall at his back. Riko grabbed him bodily and slammed him hard up against it, knocking the breath from Nathaniel.

"What if you were seen?" Riko spat at him. Nathaniel shrugged.

"I hope it was worth it," Riko said, following the statement with a solid punch to Nathaniel's gut. When their eyes met, Nathaniel saw the truth in Riko's expression. Sure, he was pissed at Nathaniel, but not pissed enough for this. He was angry that Nathaniel got caught, angry that he had to punish him now so that the Master wouldn't.

"Totally worth it," Nathaniel gasped.

"Shut up," Riko ordered.

Nathaniel lost track of how many blows Riko landed on him. He didn't protest. He didn't beg. He didn't fight back. Every time Riko knocked him down, Nathaniel got back up again. Towards the end, he could sense Riko's desperation for this to be over. He would have stopped long ago if the Master didn't stand watching.

Still, Nathaniel couldn't help but laugh when he was finally too weak to stand anymore. He tried a few times and then collapsed on the ground with an awful keen. 

"You've gone too soft on him," The Master accused, despite the fact he could see that Riko hadn't. "If he can still laugh, he has not been suitably punished. I'll—"

"We're not finished yet," Riko said, cutting him off.

Nathaniel couldn't see Riko's face from the floor but he certainly caught the slight waver in his voice. Riko was terrified. Perhaps the Master took it for some other emotion because he didn't comment. 

"Jean," Riko said, and his voice was firmer now. "Fetch me my belt." Nathaniel heard Jean's voice hitch as if he were about to protest, but Riko cut him off too.

"Don't argue with me," Riko snapped.

"Yes," Jean agreed meekly.

***

"The fists were new, but this was Riko's usual M.O. He knew it would get Tetsuji off his back. Tetsuji was really impressed with the crying and begging, but I don't think he was truly satisfied until I literally passed out at the end." When Nathaniel finally finished speaking the Foxes were dead silent. Nathaniel looked to Jean, who shrugged.

"I know you said not to judge, but seriously, what the fuck?" Reggie said eventually.

"How are you not, like, traumatized?" Seth asked.

"Why should I be?"

"You got the ever loving shit beat out of you." Nathaniel shrugged.

"We've had this conversation with him. Kevin and I had nightmares afterwards. Riko couldn't look Nathaniel in the eye for weeks," Jean explained. "But Nathaniel acted like nothing was wrong. He was visibly stiff and sore the next day, and yet, nothing."

  "I mean, listen," Nathaniel said, "I wasn't angry about what happened. And I certainly wasn't frightened. I've never been scared of Riko a day in my life. But I didn't act like nothing had happened. Remember how I whined to Kevin about food until he basically let me have what I wanted for four whole days? That alone made it worth it."  

"You whine at Kevin every day anyway. He just gave in because he felt sorry for you," Jean said flatly. 

"Oh, well, speaking of," Nathaniel said. "I should probably go check on him now."

"Don't bother," Kevin said from the doorway, "We've been back for a while now."

Chapter Text

Kevin

Kevin knew this game was a bad idea. Of all his brothers he was usually the first to agree to drink just absolutely stupid amounts of alcohol, but Raven drinking games were generally less personal than this.

Nathaniel was always the most open to begin with, but throw alcohol into the mix and their little brother was apparently ready to spill all their dark secrets. Kevin didn't think Nathaniel should have looked so surprised when Riko got upset. 

The door to their shared bedroom was wide open and Kevin didn't even pause in the doorway. Riko was sitting on the edge of the bed, hands clasped in his lap, expression vacant. 

"Riko." Riko acknowledged Kevin with a glance but made no reply. Kevin walked across the room and sat beside Riko on the bed, close enough that their shoulders touched. 

"Hey," Kevin said. "No one blames you, you know?"

"That just makes it worse," Riko said miserably. 

"You didn't have a choice."

"Of course I had a choice! I chose to do what was expected of me, to obey. Even after we decided there was no point. What do I care what my father or Tetsuji thinks of me? It was selfish. I did it to protect myself." 

Riko shook his head as if clearing it and angrily rubbed the heel of his palms over his eyes. Kevin was terrible at comforting people, but he owed it to Riko to try. His methods may have been crass and unforgiving at times, but Riko held Kevin up all these years. 

"Riko, that's just not true," Kevin said. "What do you think Tetsuji would have done to Nathaniel if you stood by and did nothing?" Riko didn't answer.

"There's no way he would have fared better. Sure, he might call it the worst beating of his life but consider how bad Tetsuji would have beaten him if you'd refused. His punishments were alway twice as bad as anything you ever did to us. You know I'm right. Do you remember what he did when we tried to teach you French? That was almost as bad, and he wasn't even that angry."

"You all had nightmares after," Riko's voice cracked with emotion.

"Actually, that was just me and Jean," Kevin said dryly. "If you remember correctly, Nathaniel laughed at us for it. He wasn't just saying it so you wouldn't feel bad. He genuinely has no hard feelings about it." Riko finally looked up at Kevin.

"How can he not?" 

"Because, it's Nathaniel," Kevin said simply. "His lines are not your lines. He definitely once told me it was worth it because I let him eat unlimited amounts of fruit and pasta afterwards. I'm still amazed he didn't gain ten pounds." Riko hummed in response.

"You ready to head back out there?" Kevin asked after a while.

"Do we have to?" Kevin didn't want to force Riko into anything he didn't want to do, but hiding from the Foxes wasn't going to be an option. They were going to move into Fox Tower eventually, whether that was next week or next June, and they would have to see them at minimum five times a week for practice.

"You're the one who said we had to get used to them," Kevin said. "And this was bound to come up eventually. Probably lucky for us that they're all in a good mood."Riko took a deep breath and blew it out through his teeth.

"Okay, I'm ready."

***

"You've gone too soft on him." 

Nathaniel's voice was a passable approximation of Tetsuji's. Riko froze in the doorway, deer in headlights expression. Kevin grimaced and watched Riko as Nathaniel continued with his story. It didn't take long to get to the end. The Foxes were silent at first but then, predictably, they started questioning things. 

Kevin thought Riko was going to flee again right up until Jean spoke up. Hearing Jean confirm what Kevin had told him only moments ago seemed to steady Riko, especially when Nathaniel and Jean continued on with their typical easy banter. 

"Oh, well, speaking of," Nathaniel said. "I should probably go check on him now."

"Don't bother," Kevin said from the doorway, "We've been back for a while now."

The Foxes looked up, and several of them were definitely giving Riko the side eye, which Kevin did not appreciate at all. Nathaniel opened his mouth, closed it, and then finally got up and walked across the room, albeit a little unsteadily. No one stopped him.

"Riko," Nathaniel tugged at the front of Riko's shirt. " I'm sorry. " Nathaniel's voice was so quiet that no one but Riko and Kevin could hear him. Riko didn't react immediately, but his expression softened as he brought up a hand to ruffle Nathaniel's hair. 

"Why are you the one apologizing?" Riko asked softly. "You should hate me on principle." 

"Nah," Nathaniel said. "You're my brother. I could never hate you." They stayed like that an age, Riko's hand on Nathaniel's head.

"So, are you two gonna kiss now, or what?" Allison asked. Riko let his hand fall to his side and turned to face the Foxes.

"Mm, no, he's not my type," Riko deadpanned.

"I thought you liked red-heads?" Nathaniel prompted, eyes glittering with mirth.

"Maybe not red-heads that happen to be my bratty little brother," Riko said.

"That's fair."

"Wait so, I know you guys all said you kissed other guys but does that mean you all swing my way?" Nicky asked.

"No," the four said simultaneously. 

"I prefer women," Riko said at the same time Nathaniel said, "I don't swing."

"Kevin likes anyone who can kick his ass at Exy," Jean supplied. Kevin felt his face turn red. He tried to protest, but his words came out as an incomprehensible splutter.

"I mean he's not wrong ," Nathaniel teased. "Who's more attractive to you, Kev? Thea Muldani, or Jeremy Knox?" 

"Don't feel obligated to pick your girlfriend," Jean called. "I don't think Thea would mind if you think Jeremy is hot." Is this what dying feels like?

Fingers brushed along Kevin's elbow and he felt himself relax a bit in spite of himself.

"Hey Jean, Gaki," Riko said before switching to casual Japanese, " you wouldn't want the Foxes to find out about your awkward southern accent phase, would you?"

" You wouldn't ," Jean said.

" Try me ." About a year after Jean moved into Evermore, Tetsuji had signed a new striker from Georgia who had an extremely strong southern accent. The man had laughed at the brothers for their "funny accents" until Jean and Nathaniel started mimicking his. The other Ravens found this hilarious and enjoyed making fun at the freshman's expense.

Months went by and the Ravens forgot it was intended as a joke. Several Ravens even forgot that Jean and Nathaniel did not in fact have natural southern accents. It only stopped after a confused Engle said, "Wait, you're from France? But, you have a southern accent. I thought you grew up here in West Virginia." to Jean one day in the locker room. After that Jean lost his taste for it. 

" I don't care if they know ," Nathaniel said. " If you're going to threaten me, you need to do better than that ." 

" Gaki, listen ," Jean said quickly. " You have no shame, but trust me, this is something I would prefer they not know about. "

" Fine ," Nathaniel conceded with a sigh. " I don't see why you're taking Kevin's side anyways. Normally you jump at the chance to tease him ."

" Kevin tried his very best to comfort me, so no, I'm not going to help you embarrass him in front of the Foxes ."

" Hey wait ," Kevin frowned. " Are you saying you'd help them if I wasn't nice to you?"

" Of course ."

" I have no friends here ."

" No ." Riko agreed, bumping elbows with Kevin, " Only brothers. "

Nathaniel

The night went a bit smoother after Nathaniel's kerfuffle. The Foxes taught them several complicated card games to pass the time until midnight. Several of the games involved drinks, but Nathaniel abstained as per Abby's wishes. Riko dropped out of the drinking games early with him, but Jean and Kevin kept up with the Foxes. 

Around 10 PM, Nicky decided it was time for Riko to try his first soda.

"If you don't want to get wasted with us it's whatever, but you gotta drink something," Nicky insisted.

"I'm fine with water," Riko said.

"Riko, baby, live a little," Nicky slung an arm around Riko. If Riko had any more protests he kept them to himself as he allowed Nicky to steer him into the kitchen. Matt watched them go

"Hey, Nathaniel," Matt said, one eye still trained on the kitchen doorway. "You okay?" Nathaniel's alcohol haze had mostly worn off by then, but it still took him a full thirty seconds to process the question.

"If you're asking 'Are you okay' like 'Did I drink too much' then yeah, no I'm totally fine," Nathaniel said. "But if you're asking 'Do I feel safe around Riko' then you can fuck right off."

Matt raised his hands in a placating gesture, "Sorry, sorry, but I had to ask."

"You really didn't." Nathaniel was getting angry. "I told you already that Riko wasn't to blame. Blaming Riko is like blaming the gun when someone gets shot instead of blaming the person holding it."

"You're comparing Riko to a gun ?"

"Guns can't think for themselves," Dan said reasonably. Nathaniel tried to count to ten but he only made it to four before his father's smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Imagine growing up alone. No friends. No family. No support. You're only allowed to love Exy. The only toys you have are Exy balls, and a racket once you're big enough to hold one. You live with your uncle, but he only acknowledges you when people who would question him are around. 

"Finally, you're big enough to start training and your relationship changes. But instead of being ignored, you're berated. Nothing you do is good enough. You learn about your family and desperately want to meet them, but you're told the only way your father will acknowledge you is if you become the best Exy player on the Court. 

"So you train and you train and you train. And when you're beaten, or starved, or not allowed to sleep because you're just not good enough, you don't even question the abuse. Everything is for the greater good. Your uncle is trying to make you better so you can have what you want most. Recognition. A family. A place." Matt and Dan look horrified, but Nathaniel doesn't stop.

"Then another boy comes to live with you. He's the only child you've ever known and in the past you were tentative friends. But things have changed. You were taught that outsiders are not equals, and so you can never be true friends. Instead you are told you're above this boy. It's your job to keep him in line and mold him into a player who can compliment you on the court.

"You're taught to keep him at a distance and punish him for any transgressions, but he submits easily so it's not much trouble. Things are better for a while. You and your new partner learn how to live together with this power dynamic, and you rarely have to assert yourself anymore. You're not friends, and yet, you're closer than friends. 

"Then things change again." The other Foxes had noticed Nathaniel was giving Matt and Dan an impromptu backstory and quieted down to listen. The more the merrier in Nathaniel's opinion. If he ever had to explain this again he might have to result to violence. 

"The new boy who comes to live with you is not meek and obedient like your partner. If you can't get him under control there will be consequences—consequences that you aren't prepared to pay. So you do what you have been taught to do. For a while it seems to work. But you learn rather quickly that he meant to bend, not break.

"You don't know how to handle this power struggle, so you resort to drastic measures. The boy is terrified of his father because his father did many callous things to him. You can't stomach most of the punishments he endured, but you're determined to try something. If you can't break him your uncle will break all of you. So you resolve yourself to put him in his place. 

"But you forgot that even beat dogs have fangs.

"You weren't prepared to have him turn on you. You didn't intend to back down, but he cornered you. He told you to make a choice. You could live in fear under the weight of your family's expectations, or choose a new path.

"Riko was willing to forge a new path with Kevin and me. Sometimes that meant pleasing Tetsuji to keep his wrath off of us. And sometimes, pleasing Tetsuji meant he had to punish us.

"I could never blame Riko for that. Especially when I know how much he hated it. Especially when I know that if he'd refused we might all even be dead now. Nothing Riko ever did to me was worse than what Tetsuji dished out. And even those didn't hold a candle to my father.

"So when you ask me if I feel safe with a person who changed his world view for us, protected us as best he could, and put himself in danger for us over and over when it would have been easier and less painful to just do as what was expected of him, then you shouldn't be surprised when my fingers itch for a knife."

"Good thing I took it then," Riko said. "You done?"

Nathaniel had gotten so worked up he hadn't even noticed his older brother come back from the kitchen. Riko had a tired, almost harried look about him. 

"I won't apologize for telling them they're wrong about you," Nathaniel said fiercely. 

"They're not," Riko said matter-of-factly.

Nathaniel turned and gestured at Riko in a silent request. Riko handed over the glass of soda he brought with him from the kitchen. Nathaniel didn't drink it. Instead, he looked Riko dead in the eye, smiled, and kicked him in the shin. Hard.

"Ouch!" Riko comically bounced up and down on his uninjured leg. "What the hell?" Nathaniel leaned into Riko's space.

"How do you feel about that, Riko?" Nathaniel asked with the ghost of a sneer. "Does it make you want to hit me?" 

"What?" Riko stilled, one leg still in the air, his shockingly open expression all surprise. 

"Hit me," Nathaniel said.

"Why?"

Nathaniel gave him a minute, and then turned to the Foxes with an imperious look and gestured. 

"See?"

"I'll hit you if he won't," Kevin said, stalking towards them. Riko caught Kevin by the arm and hauled him back.

"Let me hit him once." 

"Kevin, no," Riko said. "Really, It's okay."

"It is not okay," Kevin insisted. The tension in the room dissolved with Juan's raucous laughter.

"You guys are fucking hilarious!" Juan said, wiping a tear from his eyes. "One minute you're acting all dark and scary with your creepy ass smile and then you go and act like a couple of twelve year olds and I know you're not so freakish after all."

"Thanks, I think," Riko said warily. 

"That's not hilarious," Aaron said from the kitchen doorway. "That's fucked up."

"I hate to agree with the monster on this one, but…"

"It's pretty fucked up," Riko agreed, "but we can't change the past."

"Well said," Renee spoke. She and Andrew stood just inside the open back door. Nathaniel had missed them coming back inside. 

"No one can take back the things they have done or said," she continued wisely, "but all of us can learn from our past, and grow, and change." That shut the Foxes up. None of them were willing to argue with Renee. 

"So…" Nicky said, breaking up the awkward silence. "Boy still hasn't had his first soda."

"Soda is terrible for you," Kevin said.

"So is alcohol, Kevin, but that doesn't stop you," Nathaniel said. Kevin scowled, but shut his mouth. Nathaniel handed Riko back the cup he'd taken from him. Riko looked at it and then looked at all the Foxes looking at him.

"Why do you care though?" Riko asked. "I thought you all hated me."

"We don't hate you," Dan said. "We just think you're a major asshole."

Riko considered her. "That's fair," he said. 

"We're Foxes," Seth said. "Being an asshole is pretty much a prerequisite. Stop stalling." Riko sighed and took a sip of his soda, made a face, and then spluttered—soda shooting out of his mouth. The Foxes dissolved into laughter as Riko coughed.

"You were supposed to drink it, not wear it!"

"I didn't expect it to burn," Riko said.

"You didn't have a problem with the vodka shots, but soda is too much for you?" 

After that things got calmer, if not quieter. No one said another bad word about Riko. Around eleven Matt found out about the brothers new Nintendo Wii and insisted on hooking it up in Abby's living room.

Miraculously, Abby had enough double A batteries in her freezer for all the Wii controllers. The Foxes took turns playing Wii Sports until it was time to watch the ball drop. 

"Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Happy New Year!" Somehow, the Foxes' drunken cheers didn't blow the roof right off of Abby's house. 

Abby

It would be another week before classes started back up for the Foxes, but David resumed team practices the following Monday at eight AM. Abby woke early to find coffee brewing and Jean preparing breakfast while the others crowded around Kevin's laptop on the kitchen table.

"Nervous? Excited?" Abby asked as she helped herself to a cup of coffee. Jean snorted.

"After scrimmaging with Martinez and Davis, I'm prepared to be underwhelmed."

"I'm excited," Nathaniel said. "It will be nice to practice with other people again. Plus Coach said he'd start some proper striker training for me."

"Coach and I are working on a new training plan to get the rest of the team up to par," Kevin said. "It won't be enough to help them through Spring Championships, but it's a start." Abby had yet to hear Kevin refer to David as "Dad" and wondered if they'd get there before the year was through.

"I'm antsy," Riko confessed. "And perhaps a little jealous. The last time I took this long of a break from the court was when I dislocated my shoulder." Abby couldn't help the hitch in her breath. 

"When did that happen?"

"When I was seventeen, the year before we signed with the Ravens," Riko explained. "Johnson checked me so hard he knocked himself over."

"Why'd he do that?" Riko shrugged. 

"We were scrimmaging. I had the ball." 

"Do you always scrimmage so violently?"

"Usually."

After breakfast, they unanimously decided to head to the stadium thirty minutes early. David's car was the only one in the parking lot when they arrived. Abby pulled alongside the coach's car and Nathaniel slid into the space beside hers. The five of them walked to the Foxes entrance together.

"Oh, David's changed the passcode this morning," Abby said when Nathaniel made to key in their entrance. "I meant to tell you. Now it's 1343." Nathaniel hesitated. 

"Abby, that's your address." Abby smiled. 

"Then it should be easy for you to remember." Nathaniel shrugged and keyed in the new digits.

David wasn't the type for grand gestures or heartfelt declarations of love, but he wasn't wholly unsubtle in his affection for Abby. The two of them agreed to keep it professional at work, so they never acknowledged their private relationship in front of the Foxes, but this was one of those little things David always did to remind her he cared. 

"So, normally we do this at the start of the year but you guys will need physicals before David can let you on the Court," Abby told them once they were inside. "Which one of you wants to go first?"

"We can go in pairs if you don't mind," Riko said. Abby hesitated. Truthfully, the only reason exams were separate was for the patient's privacy, but the former Ravens didn't really do privacy. 

"If that's what you want, I don't have any objections."

"Let Jean and Nathaniel go first. Kevin and I can't participate today." Abby nodded and took Jean and Nathaniel into her exam room. She began with the normal things, height and weight and such. Neither man seemed bothered either by Abby or each other which put her at ease and made the exam smooth and painless.

"Shirts off," Abby directed. Jean tugged his off, but Nathaniel hesitated with his hand on the hem. 

"Problem?" Abby asked.

"Not exactly," Nathaniel said. "It's just, Abby, you're a really nice person."

"..thanks?"

"I'm not okay," Nathaniel said. "I just want you to be prepared. I think we told you I have scars a few weeks ago, but we didn't go into details." Abby's mind went back to a conversation had on her couch, after she had apologized to Nathaniel for scaring him with her quick rebuke. 

"He began by showing me his scars," Jean said. "I'd seen them before when we'd showered after practices, but he detailed the bloody history behind each and every one." At the time Abby had been too distracted by Jean's story about being beaten and tortured to focus on that detail about Nathaniel. 

"I work with the Foxes. None of you are okay. Chances are I've seen worse than whatever you're trying to protect me from," Abby said. Nathaniel just smiled, not the scary one, but a wry smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. 

"I hope not."

Abby thought she was ready, so she gestured for him to get on with it. Nathaniel obediently peeled off his t-shirt. Abby's mouth parted on a silent breath and her mind went blank. She tried not to flinch at the sight of him, but she didn't quite succeed. 

"Nathaniel," Abby said softly.

"I'm fine," Nathaniel said automatically. "It happened a long time ago." Abby saw the truth in his eyes, and heard the sincerity in his words, but she couldn't make herself believe it. She let her eyes rake across the carefully (she tried not to think artfully ) designed crosshatches, the large jagged scar that looped down across his collar bone, and finally the imprint of half a hot iron on his shoulder. This was far from fine.

Abby opened her mouth, but Nathaniel cut her off with a shake of his head. He held up a finger.

"You may ask one question," Nathaniel said. 

"One," Abby echoed hollowly. 

"I want to play Exy today," Nathaniel explained. "We have months, years even, to talk about whatever you want later."  Abby slapped a hand over her mouth to mask the laughter that bubbled up unbidden from her throat. Jean sighed heavily and rested a palm on Nathaniel's head, not ruffling his hair, but rather, rocking his head slightly.

"You're hopeless," Jean told his partner. Nathaniel had the audacity to look surprised. Abby gained control of herself with effort. Curiosity warred with dread. Did she want to know? 

Swallowing the bile in her throat, Abby reached forwards and ghosted a finger across the burn scar on Nathaniel's shoulder. "Can you…tell me about this?" Abby asked.

"The police came over to our house pretty frequently when I was a kid. My job was to stay quiet and still while they were there. One day I guess I fidgeted too much because as soon as they left my father took the iron from my mother and hit me with it. I was eight." The detachment with which he recounted the story for Abby couldn't be healthy. 

Abby was still reeling when Jean asked a question in French that left Nathaniel shrugging. Jean hummed at the response Nathaniel offered him.

In English Nathaniel said, "Can we finish the physical now?"

Jean

Jean told Abby he wasn't nervous about practice today, and it had mostly been the truth. Honestly, he was worried the Foxes' reputation preceded them. If they couldn't come together as a cohesive team, this was never going to work. 

Nathaniel was practically bouncing beside him. Jean didn't waste his breath telling him to reserve his energy. Nathaniel was tireless on the Court. It didn't matter how exhausted he was, he would keep going at full tilt until it was time to stop. Admittedly he sometimes collapsed afterwards, but Jean was used to dealing with that. 

The rest of the team filed in while they had been busy with Abby, and several of them were heading into the locker rooms to change. Nathaniel and Jean made to follow them but Jean hesitated when he saw the cousins flop down on the couch without changing out.

"What are you waiting for?" Jean asked, confused.

"Morning Jean! Nathaniel! You guys are eager beavers this morning!" Nicky's voice was an octave higher than usual, his cheer false. Jean frowned.

"You're not."

"Oh, well, we don't change out with the rest of the team," Nicky shrugged, waving a hand awkwardly in forced nonchalance. 

"Why not?" Nathaniel asked. Nicky finally let the smile fall from his face. He opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

"Oh, Nicky, a tear for your discomfort!" Andrew mimed wiping away a stray tear. "They have a problem with his sexuality." Jean had noticed the blatant homophobia at the team party—it would have been impossible not to—but letting it get in the way of Exy was ridiculous. That would never fly in Evermore. 

"I don't see what your sexuality has to do with Exy," Jean said honestly. "Who cares what you like to stick your dick in? There's no room for personal prejudices on the Court."  

"So what?" Aaron asked. "Ravens aren't homophobes?"

"Most Ravens would consider themselves straight. However, the majority of them have also had sex with each other," Jean shrugged. "It's always been a non-issue."

"Are you telling me all you Raven's have gay sex together?" Jean shrugged again. 

"There's only two girls on the line. Raven's aren't allowed to associate with non-Raven's. Beggars can't be choosers." Aaron looked like someone sucker-punched him. 

"Oh man," Nicky said, "I gotta know, Jean. Did the four of you ever do it? Like, together." Jean blinked slowly at him. 

"No."

"Oh my god, that was like a ten second pause!" Nicky's mouth fell open comically. "Oh my god."

"I was just surprised by how stupid your question was," Jean said.

"We're not talking about this," Aaron said.

Nathaniel leaned in then and asked in French, " Do threesomes count? " Nicky made an almost inhuman whooping sound. Aaron turned puce. Nathaniel frowned.

"I thought you guys were supposed to speak German, not French," Nathaniel said.

"Everyone knows what ménage à trois is, Nathaniel," Nicky said patiently. For a second it looked like Nicky would put an arm around Nathaniel again, but he seemed to think better of it and dropped his arm to his side before saying, "and I'd love to hear all about it."

"Oh," Nathaniel said dispiritedly. He perked up in another moment and said with a cheeky grin. "Well, you should ask Riko and Kevin about Lydia Shetfield sometime."

"I will literally kill you ," Kevin said in scathing Japanese. Jean hadn't noticed Riko and Kevin exiting Abby's exam room.

"So, a few years ago—"  Kevin made a wild grab for Nathaniel, who easily danced out of his way.

"We were sixteen and virgins," Riko said. "Lydia was a hot older woman, and oh so patient." He said it with absolutely no inflection. Nicky looked like he was about to combust on the spot. Kevin's face was pure betrayal. 

"What are you knuckleheads standing around for?" Wymack's booming voice interrupted their disaster conversation. "Gossip on your own time. Go get changed out." Jean and Nathaniel hastened to obey, leaving Riko to face the fallout from Kevin alone. The cousins followed them more slowly. 

"Hey Jean, I just realized you never told me if you swing my way or not," Nicky said.

"I didn't," Jean agreed.

"Why no—oh my god." This time when Nicky said the words it was out of horror rather than glee. Nathaniel, whose locker was between the two backliners, stuffed his discarded t-shirt into his locker. 

"Something wrong, Nicky?" Nathaniel asked politely.

Jean didn't believe the innocent act for a second. Nathaniel was an instigator at heart. As if to prove Jean's suspicions true, Nathaniel turned his body to fully face the cousins. Nathaniel had shown consideration for Abby's pain in the exam room but he had none left for his new teammates. 

For once, Nicky seemed to be shocked into silence. Aaron surveyed the damage with undisguised interest, but he didn't ask. Strangest of all, Andrew didn't appear to react at all. Maybe he couldn't on those drugs. Jean wondered how he was supposed to play Exy like that. 

Nathaniel smiled at Nicky and traced a scar on his chest, "See something you like?"

Jean smacked him upside the head. 

" Stop flirting and finish changing out ," Jean said in French. Nathaniel turned and frowned up at him. 

" I wasn't flirting ," he replied with contempt.

Don't I know it? Jean thought. " Whatever ." 

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Andrew said brightly. "You two are coming with us to Columbia this weekend." The way he phrased it made it clear that this was an order, not a request. Nicky and Aaron seemed surprised, but neither of them protested. 

"We have Kathy's show on Sunday," Jean said carefully. He didn't say, 'We wouldn't be caught dead with you,' but Andrew seemed to infer it from his tone.

"That's okay, we'll go Friday night," Andrew's manic grin was wide. "You'll be back in plenty of time for your little show."

Nathaniel

Nathaniel smiled. "That sounds like fun. We'd love to go out with you." 

"Gaki," Jean warned.

"It'll be fine, Jean. Andrew and I still haven't had the chance to get to know each other better. Right, Andrew?"

" That's what I'm afraid of," Jean said in French. 

"You worry too much," Nathaniel said. "We're going." Nathaniel's gaze never left the goalie's face as he spoke to Jean. Andrew's mind was working, even in that drugged haze. Nathaniel could tell. He didn't know what the psychotic midget had planned for them but he wasn't going down without a fight.

"Oh Good," Andrew said. "We are thrilled beyond the telling."

Chapter Text

Nathaniel

Practice—if you could call it that—was tragic. 

Warm ups went okay, but as soon as they broke off for scrimmages the problems started. Nicky picked a fight with Allison within fifteen minutes. Seth tried to defend Allison, which was apparently a mistake, because then Allison was fighting with Seth too. Evidently, she didn't need or want a knight in shining armor to come to her rescue. 

While Dan was dealing with that , Reggie and Dwayne Smalls got in a fist fight. Dwayne had been the only fox to opt out of Abby's New Years party, and so he was the only Fox that Nathaniel didn't have a solid read on yet. From what the others said, none of the Foxes got along well with Reggie— especially after Damien flunked out—so Nathaniel thought he could give Dwayne the benefit of the doubt for now.  

"This is hopeless," Jean said.

Nathaniel privately agreed, but they had to make this work. He had promised Ichirou it wouldn't be a problem, after all. 

Matt was the first Fox to try and break up Reggie and Dwayne's fight, and he got a bloody lip to show for it. Nathaniel weighed the pros and cons of helping Matt out, but before he made up his mind, Renee was already walking across the court towards them. 

While Matt wrestled with Dwayne, Renee effortlessly brought Reggie to his knees. She knelt on him, using her weight on the back of his legs to keep him from standing up again. Matt flashed Renee a grateful smile, despite the blood dribbling down his chin. 

While Nathaniel watched them, a sick nagging feeling came over him. It was the same uncomfortable prickling sensation Nathaniel remembered from right before he stopped the man from shooting Riko all those years ago. He scanned for the danger, only to find Andrew Minyard staring a hole straight through him with that wide manic smile. For a moment their eyes locked and Nathaniel's heart rate sped up involuntarily.   

Pounding on the court wall startled him out of his staring contest. Coach Wymack yanked the lock undone and stormed onto the court, "Alright, break it up, break it up! You're on the same team!" he reminded them angrily.

Nathaniel couldn't help his flinch, but the Coach wasn't even looking at him. Only half the team had joined in the fighting, but all of them were punished for it. Coach Wymack set them all on suicide drills for the next half hour, and laps afterwards to cool down. Mercifully, they were sent on a water break after that.

"Dude, did you guys just down an entire water bottle in under a minute?" Matt asked.

"Yes," Jean said as he uncapped a second water bottle.

"They're always doing that," Juan said. Nathaniel finished his second bottle and wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his practice jersey. "Raven's are only allowed three minutes for water breaks."

"Well, Coach gives us at least fifteen," Matt said. "So you don't have to shotgun them." 

"Force of habit," Nathaniel shrugged. 

"Hey Jean, Nathaniel." Kevin walked over to them with Riko and Coach Wymack in tow.

"I think you should show the team Raven precision drills, and Coach agreed. Not teaching, just showing them how it's done. We want them to see a taste of the new training we're coming up with," Kevin said.

"We're gonna steal Tetsuji's drills?" Nathaniel asked.

"No, we're going to adapt them to suit our needs," Wymack said. "They're fine, but I have some ideas on how to improve them. For now I just want the team to see what you've accomplished."

"I don't have any objections," Jean said. "Maybe they'll take practice more seriously if they see the differences between us."

***

Nathaniel and Jean methodically set up cones on the court while the rest of the team stood back and watched. Jean motioned for Dan to come closer.

"Call them, in whichever order you choose. Don't stop," Jean said.

As Dan called them out, Nathaniel and Jean knocked down each cone one after the other by rebounding the balls off the court walls, completely in sync with each other. The Foxes were already impressed, but Nathaniel and Jean plowed on. 

They went through each of the thirteen Raven precision drills, with Dan helping out as needed until they'd both completed the entire set. Only then did Nathaniel breathe a sigh of relief. Somehow neither he nor Jean had made a single mistake. 

"That was amazing," Dan said. "How long did it take you to learn that?"

"Not long," Nathaniel said. "Maybe six months or so."

"Four," Jean supplied. By the time Jean joined them, Riko, Kevin, and Nathaniel had long since mastered the Raven's brutal drills. He had no choice but to fast track to avoid Tetsuji's wrath. 

"Only four months? " Dan's mouth was agape. Nathaniel and Jean exchanged a look.

"You will not eat. You will not sleep. You will do it again and again until it's perfect," they quoted. " You're a Raven, or you're nothing." All the Foxes stared. They'd been impressed by the performance, but it was clear none of them expected to put in that level of commitment. 

"That's fucked up," Allison finally said. 

"It's not really like that for most Ravens," Riko spoke up from his place between Kevin and Wymack. "They train for months to earn a spot on the line, but there's no real punishment for failure. 

"I mean, your partner is more likely to kick your ass, but they're mostly safe from Coach Moriyama's wrath. Us, though. We were held to a higher standard. We either learned quickly, or we suffered for our failures."

"Just to be clear, when you say 'your partner kicked your ass' do you mean you literally beat each other up?" Dan asked. Riko set his mouth in a hard line and didn't answer.

"We've discussed this," Wymack interrupted. "Raven's take their training a little too seriously. Riko, Kevin, Nathaniel, and Jean all agreed to do things the Fox way from now on. Which means, no beating each other up for mistakes made on the court."

"We literally beat each other up all the time," Seth pointed out. "That's Exy."

"It's not the same," Riko said wryly. 

"How so?"

"If you make a mistake, no matter how small or insignificant, you usually get a bruising whack with a racket. Then your partner gets one too for letting you fail. Often you whack each other. If you're really unlucky, you get worse than that." Riko said,"This is not just the Perfect Court. All Raven's accept, and even respect, the system. There's plenty of hazing off the Court too. And Coach Moriyama does nothing to stop it—he encourages it even."  

"You... hit each other with heavy rackets?" All four members of the Perfect Court used heavy's. It was an unusual choice for strikers, but Riko and Kevin thought light rackets were a waste of time. Nathaniel didn't even consider switching to something lighter when he agreed to train as a striker. 

"Often enough that the bruises never really healed," Riko admitted.

"You guys are insane," Aaron said. "You do realize how crazy all the shit you say is, right?"

"Don't ask the questions if you don't want the answers," Riko said simply. 

Practice didn't improve from there. 

Coach Wymack separated them into groups by position for drills. Juan was endlessly amused by Nathaniel's antics, but Dwayne was surly, and Seth seemed to loathe him entirely. 

After only ten minutes with Jean, Aaron stormed off the court with Nicky trailing behind him, eerily quiet. Even Matt looked about five seconds from knocking Jean's block off. 

The next few days were more of the same. The Foxes seemed to settle their hierarchy with fists and harsh words, which was at least familiar to their former Raven teammates. Nathaniel was grateful that at least they didn't treat him or his brothers with more contempt than they had for each other .

Off the court was even more confusing. The upperclassman invited the brothers out to dinner several times that week, and they spent most nights watching movies and playing video games together. Whatever their differences, the upperclassmen had years to get over them, and they smoothed the edges out with alcohol. 

Nathaniel was so distracted by it all that when Andrew walked up to him at the end of Friday's practice, he had actually forgotten about their plans for the weekend.

"We'll pick you up at nine. Don't even think about ditching us," Andrew warned.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Nathaniel shot back. 

***

"Jean and I are going out tonight," Nathaniel announced as they all helped clear the dinner table.

"O-kay," Kevin said. "Is that your way of saying we're not invited?"

"With the cousins," Nathaniel clarified. He couldn't bring himself to call them the monsters, whatever the upperclassmen said. 

"Nathaniel, no ," Abby said. 

"You don't have to worry about us, Abby. We'll be fine." 

"You don't understand," Abby bit her lip. "Last year Andrew took Matt to Columbia and…it was bad, really bad. I can't go through that again."

"I'm not Matt," Nathaniel said simply.

"But—"

"You can't change my mind. I have to do this," Nathaniel said firmly. "Andrew and I can't continue to dance around each other."

"Are you sure it's a good idea, Gaki?" Riko asked warily. 

"Of course. If one of us has to break, it won't be me." Riko groaned. 

"You can't kill him," he said.

"I'll play nice if he does."

"That's not reassuring."

"Everything will be fine," Nathaniel said flippantly. "You trust me, right?"

"I trust Jean to keep you out of trouble," Riko said eventually, giving Jean a look that clearly said 'You'd better.'

"I won't let him kill anyone," Jean promised. Riko stared at them for a moment and then walked out of the room. He came back a moment later with a shiny silver card in his hand. He held it out to Jean but didn't let go when Jean reached up to take it from him.

"Use what you need," Riko told him. "And don't you dare get arrested." Jean nodded soberly and slipped the credit card into his wallet.

Abby wasn't happy, but it didn't stop her from pressing a few twenty's into their hands around eight-thirty.

"Abby, you don't need to give us money," Jean said.

"I'll feel better knowing you have it," Abby said. "Don't hesitate to call if you need help.

"Oh, and have a good time," she added, and it sounded like a wish.

"Thank you," Nathaniel said. He wasn't just thanking her for the money, but for her reluctant trust, and for caring enough to be worried about them. It had been a long time since anyone other than one of his brothers cared about him. Abby seemed to understand that, if her tight smile was anything to go by. 

***

At nine PM on the dot the doorbell rang. 

Nathaniel made sure he answered it alone. Nicky stood on the threshold. He was smiling, but the slight tension in his shoulders betrayed his nervousness. Nathaniel gave the shopping bag clutched in Nicky's hands a wary glance. 

"Hey, Nathaniel. You ready to party? Where's Jean?" Nathaniel smiled jaggedly and leaned a little closer to Nicky, "Listen, Nicky, I don't know what you and your little cousins have planned for tonight, but I want to remind you that I have a knife, and I know how to use it." 

Nicky squeaked and held up his hands between them. "Oh, hey, hey, we just want to show you a good time."

"Forgive me if I don't take your word for it," Nathaniel said icily. Knuckles rapped firmly on the top of his head redirected Nathaniel's attention.

"You promised to play nice, Gaki," Jean said. 

"Only if they do," Nathaniel reminded him. 

"No harm, no foul," Nicky's smile was weak. "Hey, I got something for you." Nicky jostled the bag he was holding. 

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. "What's in it?" he asked suspiciously. 

"Clothes for you," Nicky said. "We didn't think you owned anything but track pants."

"You would be correct," Jean supplied. Jean was always nagging Nathaniel about his wardrobe, but really, he spent his days playing Exy or conjugating verbs. He didn't need to dress up for that. Besides, workout clothes were practical and comfortable. 

"Wrong," Nathaniel deadpanned. "I also have shorts." Nicky laughed and this time it was genuine. "Where we're going you'll stick out like a sore thumb dressed like that. I'd really appreciate it if you changed. I know it'll look good. I picked your outfit out myself." Nathaniel frowned. The way Nicky said it made him suspect that Andrew had to have been involved. And Andrew must know he stored his knife in his waistbands. Nathaniel only needed a second to think it over before he snatched the bag from Nicky's outstretched fingers.

"Wait here," Nathaniel ordered. He retreated to his and Jean's bedroom and dumped the bag unceremoniously onto the daybed. Dark Jeans, Combat boots and something black and gray with long sleeves.

Nathaniel sighed and kicked off his black Adidas before digging through his dresser. He traded out his track pants for a pair of shorts, and slipped his knife into place. Nathaniel tugged the jeans on over top. It was a tight fit, but he didn't have time to cut a sheath into the new pants right now. When he was finished, he slipped into the combat boots and laced them up.

Nathaniel considered the shirt but there was really nothing wrong with his blue sweater so he left it on the bed on his way out. 

"Happy?" He asked Nicky, spreading his arms as he walked towards them. Nicky looked him up and down and deemed him fit to party. Nathaniel and Jean shut Abby's door behind them and followed Nicky out to the curb. 

Andrew was leaning against the car smoking a cigarette, but he ground it out under his foot as they approached him. 

"Nathaniel! Jean! I was starting to think you weren't gonna come." Andrew spread his hands wide, as if expecting a hug.

He looked Nathaniel up and down like Nicky had, eye's lingering a bit longer on the blue sweater Abby had given Nathaniel for Christmas. Nathaniel thought he would comment, but Andrew only reached up and prodded Nathaniel in the face, right over his tattoo. Nathaniel carefully did not flinch.

"What happened to your ink?"

"Concealer," Nathaniel said flatly. "Jean's too easily recognizable and we don't want to answer any difficult questions." Nathaniel could tell, even through his drug haze, that Andrew wasn't impressed by that.

"Let's see," Andrew said. "Jean, you sit up front, and Nathaniel can sit in back with the other kids."

The "other kids" appeared to just be Andrew and his identical twin, Aaron. The two of them were nineteen, only about a year older than Nathaniel. Jean looked weary but got in the front seat with Nicky while Nathaniel allowed Andrew to sandwich him into the back between him and his brother. 

Nathaniel reached for his seat belt only to find one of the twins was sitting on it. With no hesitation he gave the belt a fierce yank, dislodging it from underneath Aaron's ass. 

"The fuck?" Aaron complained.

Nathaniel just smiled at him as he pushed the buckle into place. Aaron glared but appeared to think better of retaliation. Nicky tuned the radio to some top forty's pop station. No one argued, but Nathaniel was sure he wasn't the only one suffering for it. 

Despite his distaste for loud peppy music, Nathaniel almost wished Nicky would turn it up, if only to drown out the sound of his voice. Nicky dominated the conversation, stopping only to ask all of them their various opinions on different movies and video games. Nathaniel and Jean tried to keep up, but they didn't have much to contribute.

Nathaniel didn't know many movies as he didn't grow up watching a lot of television, and Jean's French upbringing meant he and Nicky didn't have many overlapping interests (Never mind the fact that before last month they hadn't seen anything but Exy games in years). 

Aaron refused to join in the conversation at all, but Andrew seemed happy to return it, at least at first. The longer they drove the shorter his responses got, until finally Nicky was prattling on by himself. 

"Nicky," Andrew croaked.

Nathaniel turned to stare at him. Andrew was looking at his hands. Nathaniel couldn't understand why until a car passed them on the highway. In the illumination of the other car's headlights, Nathaniel saw Andrew's hands trembling. It dawned on him then, the reason why Andrew had gotten so quiet. He was going through withdrawal.

"We're almost there," Nicky promised. 

"Pull over."

"We're on the highway."

"Now."

Nathaniel had to grip the seat between his thighs to keep from knocking into Aaron as Nicky screeched to the side of the road. Nicky barely got the hazards on before Andrew was leaning out of the car to retch into the dirt. Nathaniel was sitting close enough to him that he could feel the way Andrew's entire body shook with the effort. 

Neither Nathaniel nor Jean were stupid enough to comment. Andrew wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve and banged the door shut. 

"Just get us there."

Nicky slammed his foot on the gas and propelled them back into oncoming traffic. Once they exited the highway though he was forced to slow to a crawl. The city streets on a Friday night were bumper to bumper. Their first destination was a diner called Sweeties, and the parking lot was packed despite the late hour. 

Nicky dropped them off at the curb and went to find a parking space. There were two groups waiting in front of them, but Andrew detoured to the salad bar as soon as they walked in. He grabbed a fistfull of cracker packets from the bucket at the end and methodically peeled open each pack, eating them one cracker at a time. 

By the time they were seated Andrew had finished his snack. He rudely shoved the empty packets into the waiter's apron pocket when the man dropped off their menus. Jean raised an eyebrow at Nathaniel at that but Nathaniel just shrugged and opted not to ask. Nicky flagged the waitress soon after and ordered the ice cream special. 

Nathaniel hadn't eaten ice cream in years but he was pretty sure it wasn't supposed to be an unnatural shade of pink, or topped with a large amount of red jelly candy.

"Spicy Cinnamon Ice Cream," Nicky said when he noticed Nathaniel examining it. "You can't get this anywhere else. They make it homemade." Nathaniel didn't have time to worry about it, however, because he was immediately distracted. As soon as their waitress left, Andrew scattered the pile of napkins she'd set in the middle of the table, revealing several packets of yellow powder.

"We're in public," Aaron complained. Andrew ignored him in favor of ripping open two of the packets and upending them into his mouth. The rest he stashed in the pocket of his black leather jacket. Nathaniel swept the restaurant without turning his head, but no one was paying them any mind. He wasn't sure it would have stopped Andrew if they were.

No one at the table called any more attention to Andrew's obvious drug use, but Jean sent Nathaniel a significant look. Nathaniel smiled lazily at Jean and took a bite of his ice cream. It was surprisingly okay. 

It took Andrew a few minutes before he was able to start on his own dessert. Nathaniel kept a close eye on the psycho midget goalkeeper as they ate. Andrew stopped shaking so much as the drugs went into effect and his manic smile was replaced with a much more flat expression. Interesting. 

As they ate, Nathaniel surveyed the other patrons in the diner. Customers grabbed crackers at the bar, and waiters pocketed cash at the tables. His suspicions were confirmed when the waitress brought their check and Nathaniel watched Aaron clip a small stack of twenties to it. He didn't know much about diner tabs, but he knew a drug deal when he saw one. 

It was a short drive from Sweeties to their real destination of the night. Eden's Twilight was a two-story night club in the middle of town. The long line of people waiting to get in were dressed in a way that definitely made Nathaniel stand out in his bright blue sweatshirt—most of them wore leather with plenty of buckles and chains.

Neither the line nor the fashion deterred the cousins. Nicky let them out at the curb and the bouncers at the door perked up at their arrival. Aaron greeted them with a complicated fist bump and handshake that Nathaniel didn't even try to understand. One of the bouncers fished an orange parking tag out of his back pocket that Aaron passed off to Nicky.

Nicky put the tag on the rearview mirror and drove off to park the car somewhere. Andrew saluted the bouncers on his way by and led the way into the club, bypassing the line entirely. Aaron motioned for Nathaniel and Jean to go in ahead of him. 

Nathaniel had never seen anything like Eden's Twilight. 

The four of them stood on a dais that wrapped around the dance floor and was crowded with tables and chairs. One set of stairs led down to the packed dance floor and another led to the upper floor which was more of a balcony than anything else. The DJ was between the two floors on a platform of his own. Speakers taller than Nathaniel lined the walls and he could feel the bass reverberating in his bones. 

"A goth club?" Jean asked, unimpressed. 

Andrew and Aaron ignored him and pushed their way through the crowd until they got to an empty table. There were still glasses on it but Andrew cleared them away while Aaron wrestled up a few extra chairs. As soon as they were set, Aaron sat down and jabbed a finger at Jean, a clear order to join him. 

Jean opened his mouth to protest but Nathaniel nudged him and nodded. Jean scowled but sat down at the table, albeit as far away from Aaron as possible. Fingers snagged in his collar redirected Nathaniel's attention to Andrew, who pulled him along towards the bar without looking back at him. Nathaniel gritted his teeth in annoyance but obediently followed behind.

There were three bartenders on staff but Andrew was interested in a particular one and was willing to wait for him. When the man finally made his way over to them he flashed Andrew an easy smile. Nathaniel wasn't sure if he should feel threatened or relieved that someone looked so happy to see Andrew. 

"Back so soon, Andrew? Who's your newest victim?" The bartender asked.

"A nobody," Andrew said. "It's the usual for us."

"And for you?" Nathaniel shrugged. 

"Anything's fine."

"House special then," The man said and pushed away to make their order. It didn't take long before he returned with a tray of drinks. Andrew held it one handed at chest height and easily parted his way through the crowd of drunks with his free hand. It made Nathaniel wonder just how much time the cousins spent here.

Nicky was waiting at the table when they got back, and he passed a few of the drinks to Nathaniel and Jean. Nathaniel's shot had the odd appearance of a brain bleeding out, and the sight left him feeling a little queasy. 

"Bloody Brain Shot!" Nicky said cheerfully, snagging one for himself. "Cheers!" The five of them knocked back their shots as one. Despite its appearance, the shot tasted better than any other Nathaniel had ever had and he didn't say no when Nicky served him another. 

The cousins drank at an alarming rate and Nicky prodded Nathaniel and Jean to keep up. Nathaniel was unsteady on his feet when he got up to help Andrew collect round two. 

"Add a couple bottles of water this time," Nathaniel said. The bartender laughed but did as he was bid. If Andrew was unimpressed by the request he didn't show it. 

Andrew's packets from Sweeties made a reappearance as soon as they made it back to the table and he waggled one at Nathaniel in taunting invitation. 

Nathaniel gave Andrew an unimpressed stare as he uncapped one of his water bottles. "You want us to do drugs with you?" 

"That is a bad idea," Jean frowned. 

"Dust isn't bad," Nicky said. "It just makes the night more interesting."

"That's what I'm worried about," Jean said. Nathaniel sighed and held his hand out to accept the packet from Andrew. 

"You worry too much," he said to Jean.

Jean set his jaw but didn't protest again. Nicky passed around the remaining packets, but Jean left his untouched as the others knocked theirs back. It tasted like sugar and salt and burned going down. Nathaniel sent his entire bottle of water after it. 

"Last Round!" Nicky said cheerfully, passing out the rest of the shots. Jean choked on his. 

"Seriously? You drugged the shots?"

"Roland knows what it means when I bring outsiders here," Andrew said. It didn't burn as badly as taking the powder strait had, but Nathaniel was annoyed at the trick. Was this Andrew's back up plan if he had refused?

Nicky and Aaron set their empty shot glasses onto the table and stood up then.

"Come on pretty boy, let's dance," Nicky said to Jean.

"You have got to be kidding me. No way." 

"Go on," Nathaniel said. "I'll be fine here."

"Gaki."

"Jean." 

"I made a promise."

"So did I," Nathaniel said. "Go."

He didn't often exercise authority on Jean (usually only on the Court when the other Raven's were around), but Jean was conditioned to obey Nathaniel's commands. After all, Nathaniel was number three, and his partner four. 

Jean's nose flared, but he didn't argue again. He stood abruptly and let Nicky lead him down to the dance floor.

Andrew

"That's interesting," Andrew said.

If he was being honest with himself, everything about Nathaniel was interesting. But Andrew wasn't in the business of acknowledging his feelings—certainly not the ones that involved his heart racing at the sight of the younger boy's sloppy glare. 

"Well, get on with it," Nathaniel ordered. "Ask me whatever you wanted me too wasted to question." Andrew grabbed his chin and looked into his too blue eyes. They were already starting to dilate from the cracker dust. 

"Almost there." Nathaniel slapped his hand away, and reached for his second water bottle. 

"Just so you know, it won't make any difference."

"Neither will the water," Andrew said.

"Say that again tomorrow when I'm fine and you have a killer hangover," Nathaniel scoffed. 

"Why did you come here?" Andrew asked.

"You asked," Nathaniel returned. Andrew favored him with an unimpressed stare, and squashed the butterflies flitting around inside him.

"To play Exy. To get away from Riko's batshit uncle. To capitalize on Coach's kindness. Take your pick. They're all true."

"Is Coach really Kevin's father?" 

"We didn't make that up, stupid. Ask Coach about the DNA test if you don't believe me." Andrew did not feel the 'stupid' below his navel.

"I don't believe you," Andrew said. "You're not like the others. You're dangerous ." Nathaniel smiled. And it was the threatening one that made the hair on Andrew's arms stand on end.

"So are you. So is Renee. What's your point?"

"How good are you?" Andrew asked. Nathaniel downed the second water bottle before answering. 

"I'm fast. I'm good with my fists, and better with a knife," he said, "but I was trained to clean up, not engage."

"You don't think you can take me?"

"Debatable," Nathaniel shrugged noncommittally.  

"So why'd you try?"

"I'm not in the business of laying down and taking it."

"Aren't you?" Nathaniel bristled at that.  

"That was different," he insisted. "It was me or both of us, and Tetsuji's wrath was worse."

"The lesser of two evils," Andrew mused. 

"I guess you could say that," Nathaniel allowed. "We were always worse for wear after a couple rounds with Tetsuji. He wasn't shy about leaving you so bruised you could barely walk, let alone wield a racket. By comparison, what Riko did was nothing more than over-glorified spanking." 

"You get many non-glorified spankings growing up?" Nathaniel actually laughed. 

"No." 

Andrew, unfortunately , committed the laugh to memory. He saw no deceit on Nathaniel's face, though. The drugs and alcohol might have actually made him harder to read—but no less attractive. Disgusting.

"So, why'd your brother fuck off when you told him to?" Andrew asked. "He seemed so concerned with your wellbeing."

"Jean's a worrywart, but he doesn't understand this," Nathaniel gestured between him and Andrew. "He wasn't allowed in on the family business. He never learned how to deal with crazy fucks like you.

"What he did learn was how to obey. He was number four," Nathaniel tapped the skin of his cheek where his number three tattoo was hidden under his concealer. "He had no choice but to do whatever I said. He doesn't know how to say no."

"Said," Andrew echoed. "He still does what you say."

It wasn't a question but Nathaniel answered him anyway. "It's conditioned obedience, and it's disgusting," he said, "but it's a hard habit to break. "

"For Jean, or for you?" Nathaniel considered. 

"Both."

"You say that like you've had it at both ends." 

"You sure you want to know about my past?" Nathaniel asked. "It isn't a pretty story."

"I've seen your scars," Andrew reminded him. Nathaniel's finger traced his sweater over the spot Andrew knew his long jagged looping scar was, and Andrew wondered if it was a subconscious movement or not. 

"You owe me something in return," Nathaniel said. "I've spilled enough answers for you. A truth for a truth. It's only fair." Oh. Nathaniel knew how to play. 

"What do you want to know?" Andrew asked.

Before Nathaniel could ask his question, Jean stomped over to the table trailed by a panting, whining Nicky. 

"Come on, Jean, it was a little fun, right?" 

" Non ," Jean spat. He turned to Nathaniel and spoke in rapid fire French. Nathaniel frowned and asked a quiet question in the same language. Andrew only let them go on for another minute.

"English," He demanded.

"If your cousin doesn't learn to keep his hands to himself, I'm going to have to stab him," Nathaniel said.

Chapter Text

Nathaniel

"What's he talking about, Nicky?" Andrew asked.

Nathaniel didn't think he was imagining the hard lines of Andrew's anger, but the combination of alcohol and party drugs left him fuzzy-headed. Despite his sorry state, he hadn't been lying when he told Jean he'd be fine—or when he told Andrew drugs wouldn't change anything for them. 

Nathaniel had enough practice to know it didn't effect his volition. In the Nest he fought harder and dirtier—like a caged beast—if anyone was stupid enough to poke at him when he was like this. That's why Jean didn't want to leave him alone.

However, Jean had had a much harder time dealing with Nicky than Nathaniel had had with Andrew. Nathaniel knew Jean kissed boys sometimes, but Jean's anger and disgust meant it definitely wasn't consensual. 

Nathaniel had immediately offered to take care of it of course, but Jean had instantly vetoed the suggestion. He'd said something about staying out of trouble and not getting arrested. Whatever. Nathaniel didn't like it, but he would respect Jean's right to deal with it how he wanted. 

Nicky spluttered incoherently at Andrew, waving his arms around in almost frantic circles as he tried to explain. Nathaniel was paying more attention to Andrew than to Nicky, so he only caught snatches. From what he gathered though, Nicky's story seemed to corroborate with Jean's.

Andrew decked him.

The force of the blow sent Nicky to the floor. Andrew followed him down and balled a fist in Nicky's shirt.

"You ever do something like that again and I'll stab you myself," Andrew spat. "Do you understand me, Nicky?" Nicky groaned some approximation of an apology and Andrew slammed him back into the ground hard enough to take his breath away. Nathaniel looked around to see if anyone noticed the altercation, but no one was paying them any attention.

"Party's over," Andrew said, standing up. "You chuckleheads get back to the car. I'll find Aaron." 

Nathaniel wasn't any steadier than before he'd consumed the cracker dust, so Jean was forced to be the one to haul Nicky off of the floor. Blood was gushing from Nicky's nose and Jean swore as he half-drug the man towards the exit. Their procession was so slow that by the time they stumbled out of the club, Andrew and Aaron had caught up with them.

"God, Nicky, what happened to your face?" Aaron asked, looking suspiciously between Jean and Nathaniel.

"Andrew punched it," Nathaniel supplied for him. Aaron eyed his twin warily but didn't comment further. 

Andrew unlocked the car and bodily planted Nicky in the passenger seat before getting into the driver's seat himself. Nathaniel climbed into the middle again and let Jean and Aaron have the window seats.  

"Are you okay to drive?" Jean asked Andrew incredulously. It was a fair question. Andrew had consumed more alcohol and cracker dust than anyone else in the car. The more Nathaniel thought about it though, Andrew somehow seemed the most coherent out of the five of them.

Andrew didn't answer and instead put the car in drive and peeled out of the parking lot like the cops were after him. They'd been driving for almost ten minutes before Nathaniel realized that they were now surrounded by houses instead of businesses, the highway nowhere in sight. 

"Where are you taking us now?" he asked.

"Our house," Andrew said. "We'll sleep it off and drive back to Palmetto tomorrow." 

The cousins' house was a two-story in a surprisingly nice neighborhood. Andrew made sure everyone got in safely, but snagged Nicky and propelled him onto the living room couch. " You sleep here tonight ," he growled.

Nathaniel was still buzzing so it took his tired brain a moment to realize Andrew was speaking in German. In English, Andrew said, "You two can use the bedroom down the hall to the right. Bathroom is the first door on the left."

"Thanks," Jean said stiffly. The bedroom Andrew had sent them to was undeniably Nicky's. The walls were plastered with band posters. Postcards depicting different cities and landmarks in Europe were pinned to a board above the dresser. And perhaps the most telling of all, the German flag was crossed with a Rainbow Pride flag above the queen sized bed. 

"Do you want to be the big spoon, or the little spoon?" Nathaniel asked.

"Do you even know what you are saying to me right now? Of course you do. You're an asshole," Jean said, exasperated. "Well, I hope you had fun with that homicidal pipsqueak, because we'll probably be murdered in our sleep."

"Ah, nah, Andrew wouldn't do that," Nathaniel reasoned. "He prefers to look a man in the eyes while he stabs them. I can tell."

" Putain. " Jean scrubbed a hand over his eyes. "I meant our brothers. You promised you'd behave. And then you went and got wasted. And then you got high. And I didn't do a thing to stop you. And I fucking promised , okay?" It was too soon for Nathaniel to be rid of the effects of the alcohol, and definitely too soon for the crackers to be out of his system, but he was coherent enough to catch Jean's desperation.

"Jean, Riko's not going to—to punish you. You know that right?" Nathaniel said. "I mean, Jesus, he hasn't done that in years. We just talked about this. I told off the whole fucking team over it. You remember this, yes?" 

"I mean, did you see his face when he asked me to watch over you?" 

"Well, yeah, but you didn't fail Jean," Nathaniel said. "You stopped me from stabbing Nicky, even though he fucking deserved it. And no one even got arrested."

"Well it feels like a failure."

"Even if Riko does get angry, I'll take the blame. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I didn't do anything right ."

"It's all the same anyways because I already told you—you, and a room full of Foxes—that Riko doesn't—"

"But he keeps doing it . You have to have seen it! You see everything!"

"Doing it? Doing what? Riko hasn't done anything."

"The elbow thing," Jean crossed his arms and lightly tapped his elbows with his fingertips. He visibly shuttered, like he did the last time Nathaniel dropped a handful of ice cubes down his shirt.

In the nest, Riko had been in charge of their discipline off (and sometimes on) the Court. Sometimes, he would tap them on the elbow or otherwise brush his fingers across the joint to silently let them know when they were crossing a line. More often than not, the warning had proceeded some kind of punishment. 

It had been years since Riko actually hurt one of them, but Nathaniel had noticed Riko use the elbow touch with Kevin recently. Mostly when Kevin was trying to have a go at him, but also…

"Jean. It doesn't mean the same thing for Kevin," Nathaniel said. "It just reminds him to calm down."

"Yeah because if he doesn't calm down Riko would have no choice but to punish him," Jean shot back.

"No, come on. Think back to when we first got here. Kevin was afraid to tell Coach he was his father, remember? And Riko tapped his elbow? Did you think Riko was warning him then?"

"Yes!" Jean insisted. "What if Coach had rejected us because Kevin couldn't get it together?" Jesus. Nathaniel had forgotten how paranoid Jean got when he was on something. 

" Nom de dieu , Jean, relax. You're hysterical. Okay, come on. We're getting Riko and Kevin on the phone," Nathaniel fished his cell out of his pocket.

"No, don't," Jean protested, but Nathaniel was already dialing.

"Gaki? What happened?" Riko asked, voice still heavy with sleep.

"Riko, help me out here," Nathaniel said. "Jean thinks you ordered him to keep me out of trouble tonight, and he believes he has failed, though I disagree, and he now expects to be punished for it. All this because he saw you tap Kevin's elbow a few times. Tell him it's not like that so he'll stop freaking out, would you?"

"It's two in the morning," Riko said.

"Are you high?" Kevin said.

"Oh definitely." 

"Jean too, huh? I can hear him hyperventilating over there. What the fuck were you guys thinking? He knows how he gets," Kevin said. Jean began muttering to himself incoherently in French, muttering and rocking. 

"Well, technically Jean didn't participate willingly," Nathaniel waved a hand they couldn't see. "There were definitely spiked drinks at the club. I thought that was Andrew, but maybe it was Nicky." 

"The overexcited one?"

"Yeah, he kissed Jean on the dance floor—gave him some more drugs that way. Jean was pretty pissed, but he wouldn't let me stab him." The line went quiet for a minute and Nathaniel thought they might have hung up.

"Where are you? We'll come get you."

"Not a good idea while Jean's like this," Nathaniel said. "Speaking of, will you please tell him the elbow thing isn't a threat?"

"Jean, I don't care how badly you think you fucked up," Riko said calmly and clearly. "No one is going to hurt you. I don't even know what the elbow thing is."

"It's not a threat," Kevin said. "Why would you even think that?"

"A warning, then," Jean managed.

"Wh—Jean you're an idiot," Kevin grumbled. "You think I would be calmer after being threatened or—or warned about my impending doom? It's a grounding technique." Jean's expression went slack, and he finally stilled, and Nathaniel knew Kevin's words were sinking in. 

"There he is," Nathaniel sighed.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come get you?" Riko asked.

"We should be fine. We're at the cousin's house in Columbia. We'll sleep it off and be back tomorrow morning," Nathaniel said, echoing Andrew's words. "Well, maybe in the afternoon because I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who bothered to drink any water." 

"Call back if anything changes."

"Will do."

***

As Nathaniel predicted, the cousins were slow to get up in the morning. He typically took a morning run, but Jean was in no shape and he didn't want to leave his partner behind with the others—particularly Nicky. 

Instead, he busied himself poking around the kitchen. There was nothing worth eating, but Nathaniel brewed a pot of coffee with the half-empty can of Folgers left on the counter. 

Andrew was the first up and he said nothing to Nathaniel as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Nathaniel watched in abject horror as Andrew proceeded to add several tablespoons of powdered creamer and sugar to it. 

"How's your hangover?" Nathaniel asked lightly.

Andrew downed half of his beverage monstrosity before answering. "I don't have one."

"Huh."

Andrew had easily consumed twice the amount of alcohol as the rest of them and triple the amount of cracker dust. How he wasn't dehydrated after all of that Nathaniel didn't know. 

"So about that truth you owe me," Nathaniel waited a beat to see if Andrew would protest or dismiss him. 

"Ask away," Andrew said too cheerfully. "I am eagerly awaiting what is to be a very interesting question, I'm sure." Well, someone had clearly taken his medicine this morning.

"Why do you pretend to hate Exy?" Nathaniel asked.

"Nathaniel, I'm disappointed. What a boring question," Andrew tried to sigh dramatically but his medication didn't let him keep a straight enough face for long. "I don't care enough about Exy to hate it. It's just slightly less boring than living is, so I put up with it for now." Nathaniel frowned. He searched for deceit on Andrew's face but all he saw was the counterfeit smile. 

"You can't play like you do and not care." Andrew shrugged. 

"My turn, I think. What would you do to Jean if he disobeyed a direct order?" Nathaniel stiffened. 

"I thought you wanted to know about my childhood."

"Au contraire. I want to know about you ," Andrew said. "Who are you? What makes you tick?" 

"I don't know," Nathaniel said.

"Don't lie to me."

"I don't know," Nathaniel insisted. "He never disobeyed."

"Sure," Andrew agreed. "But you must have some idea."

"I guess it depends," Nathaniel said after a while, tracing the rim of his coffee cup with his index finger. "Back then, I did threaten him, you know? That's why he didn't step out of line. I suppose I would have had to follow through if he had."

Nathaniel drew his switchblade and flicked it out. 

"Something with this." He drew a neat vertical line through the air with the blade between them. "Probably something like what Lola did to me."

"Lola?"

"No," Nathaniel said, finally meeting Andrew's gaze again. "It's my turn." 

"Fine," Andrew agreed. "Later though. I'm done playing with you today." They finished their coffee in silence, and when the others finally dragged themselves out of bed, they piled into the car and went out for brunch. 

It was a quiet affair. Not even Nicky was in the mood to chat after last night. They were just paying their tab when Nathaniel's phone began to ring. He fished it out and frowned at the display before stabbing the accept button.

"Abby." The others perked up, but Nathaniel ignored them.

"Nathaniel," Abby sounded relieved. "Are you and Jean okay? Where are you?"

"We're fine, Abby," Nathaniel said. "We just had breakfast, and we're heading back soon." Abby went silent for a moment and Nathaniel swore he could feel her pursing her lips from fifty miles away. 

"Okay, I'm glad you two are fine," Abby said crisply. "See you in an hour?"

Oh. 

"Thereabouts," Nathaniel said carefully. The line went dead. Nathaniel sighed and almost had the phone back in his pocket before it buzzed again. 

The text message from Riko read, "We told her about the phone call." 

"Problem?" Jean asked.

"Abby might be a little peeved about the alcohol and party drugs."

Riko

Riko and Kevin had gotten up at the usual time despite the late night phone call. Getting ready was less of a chore than before. Riko wasn't in as much pain, and could shower and dress on his own now. Kevin still needed assistance because everything was a bit awkward one-handed, but Riko didn't mind helping him. 

Abby came to the kitchen around the time Riko was putting on the coffee. "Nathaniel and Jean still in bed?" she asked uncertainly.

"Maybe," Riko said. "Actually, they stayed at the cousin's house in Columbia last night. They should be back sometime this afternoon Nathaniel said."

"When did he say that? Are they okay?" Abby asked.

Riko faltered.

"They called us last night, after you went to bed," Kevin said. He didn't say after he and Riko had gone to bed too, but Abby didn't need to know that. 

"Nathaniel said they were fine, bu—" Kevin aborted his sentence halfway through and wasn't able to hide all of his concern. He never learned to guard his expressions the way the others had, but then, Kevin didn't express emotions in a typical way to begin with. 

"But, you don't agree?" Abby inferred. Kevin looked to Riko for backup.

"There was drinking involved," Riko gauged her expression before adding, "And it sounded like some of the drinks were drugged." 

"And he said they were fine ?" Abby's voice rose an octave.

"Well," Riko threw caution to the wind. "They were both still high at the time. Jean gets really paranoid when he does drugs and Nathaniel needed help calming him down." Abby paled. 

"This has happened before."

"Abby, we're not saints," Riko said gently. "This isn't news to you. Nathaniel and Jean know how to handle themselves. In the nest…look, a lot of Raven's use recreational drugs. We've all tried them."

"What about random drug screening?" Abby asked.

Riko breathed in sharply. "There may have been some, ah, faulty reporting." He shrugged one shoulder, but his forced nonchalance fooled no one. 

Abby fumed silently for a while, made a call to Coach Wymack, and then fumed some more. Riko and Kevin tried to stay out of her way, but she kept asking them to do things around the house that kept them near her line of sight. Around eleven, she gave up and called Nathaniel directly. 

" Are we being punished right now? " Kevin whispered in Japanese while she was distracted. 

" I don't think so ," Riko answered back. " Abby's just worried. "  He watched her expression shift from concern to something harder during her phone call with Nathaniel and decided that maybe telling her about the little they knew of their brother's night out had been tactless. Abby was nothing like Tetsuji of course, but she could be a whirlwind when she wanted to be. He shot Nathaniel a quick heads up before she moved them on to their next task. 

At half past twelve the cousin's car finally pulled up outside of Abby's house. It sped away again as soon as Nathaniel and Jean shut the door behind them. Riko guessed the cousin's didn't want to stick around to get chewed out by Abby. 

Abby made it to the door first with Riko and Kevin trailing behind. She wrenched it open before their brothers had even made it on the porch. Riko half expected her to march out into the yard, but Abby waited for them to come to her. 

Despite Abby's apparent irritation, Nathaniel didn't even hesitate on his way to the door. Jean balked at the sight of her, and was slower to follow. Riko was not at all surprised when Nathaniel stopped an arm's distance away from them.

"Abby," Nathaniel greeted her warily. Abby raked them both with her gaze, but she could only hold onto her anger for a moment before she deflated. 

"Can I hug you?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah, Abby, sure," Nathaniel stammered.

Nathaniel stiffened involuntarily when she wrapped her arms around him, but softened into the hug. He grimaced when she held on and patted her back awkwardly. Abby held up a hand to Jean who reluctantly allowed her to pull him into it.

"I'm glad you boys are okay," Abby said.

Neither Nathaniel nor Jean responded to that, and eventually Abby stepped back and held them at arm's length. "Come inside. I'm making lunch. We'll eat and then we'll talk about it."

"Yes, Abby."

***

Lunch was tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Riko thought it was great, like everything else Abby made, but he could tell his brothers were less enthusiastic. Jean and Kevin weren't big fans of meals made with prepackaged food stuff. Nathaniel usually loved soup and sandwiches, but he didn't seem to have much of an appetite today. 

When they finished eating, Jean and Nathaniel got up to clear the table and wash the dishes and Abby let them. When they were finished though, Abby called them back to the table. 

"Are you really okay?" Abby asked.

"I'll live," Jean said cautiously. 

"I'm fine," Nathaniel said. "Nothing bad happened."

"You were drugged," Abby pointed out. Nathaniel's mouth opened comically. He shut it and furrowed his brow.

"Technically, Jean got drugged." Jean frowned and looked away from them.

"What do you mean?" Abby frowned too.

"Abby, I—Andrew didn't make me take anything. He offered it and I said yes," Nathaniel said. "I mean, I wouldn't have gone out of my way to buy or take anything. But, he didn't force me." Abby was silent for a long time, but when she looked up at him, there was fire in her eyes.

"You are grounded," she said firmly.

"Grounded?" Nathaniel said slowly.

"Grounded."

"Grounded, like…?" Riko was glad Nathaniel asked because he didn't know what "grounded" meant either.

"Grounded, like, no leaving the house—no going out with your friends, no extra late night practices with Jean. Except for Team practices, you do your schoolwork, you do your chores, you go to bed." 

Nathaniel made a perfect O with his mouth. He was silent for a long moment while he mulled it over. At last he said, "Yes Abby." Because what else could he say?

David

It was nearly one in the morning when David pulled up outside of Abby's house. He'd gotten up an hour ago, drank half a pot of coffee, and traded out his car for the team bus. Kathy Ferdinand's Morning Show aired live every morning at seven and they had a five and a half hour drive ahead of them. 

He let himself in with his key, expecting to have to rouse at least a few kids from their beds, but was surprised to find them all dressed and ready to go. He'd heard from Abby about Nathaniel and Jean's night out with the cousins, but they didn't look worse for wear. He supposed that meant he wouldn't have to forcibly eject half his defense line.

They piled into the team bus for the short ride to Fox Tower. Kathy had invited the entire team along to sit in the audience, but only a few of the upperclassmen had decided to come along.

So David was surprised when Andrew and the cousins filed into the hallway while he knocked on their teammates' doors. Absolutely no one looked happy about it, except perhaps Andrew. But then again, his cheerfulness was fabricated. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Dan asked them.

"We're coming with you, oh captain my captain." Andrew said. 

"Why? You don't even like the brothers?" Matt asked.

"Your words, not mine." David sighed. 

"You were invited, so come if you want, but no funny business."

"Come on, Coach. It's as if you don't know us." 

"It's because I know you."

"I'm sure they'll be on their best behavior, right Andrew?" Renee asked sweetly. Abby and the four former Ravens were already passed out by the time David got back to the bus. He ushered the rest of the Foxes in and got them on the road. Most of the team slept on the drive, but a couple of hours in, Nathaniel got up and moved to sit beside a slumbering Abby.

"Can't sleep?" Wymack asked.

"I was the one driving the last time I took a long car ride," Nathaniel admitted. "Before that, the longest trip I took was from Baltimore to West Virginia, and I don't really remember that one."

"Because you were really young?" Wymack guessed.

"I was ten," Nathaniel said. "I don't remember it because my father had just beaten the shit out of me. I woke up when Lo—one of his associates drug me out of the car by my hair and deposited me at Tetsuji's feet." 

***

"Please tell me you don't want him. I get to carve him up into thousands of little pieces if you think he's of no use to you," Lola said with a wide smile. 

***

"Christ, kid," Wymack said, though he kept his eyes on the road. 

"It was a long time ago," Nathaniel said. "Being a Raven was at least better than being dead." David wanted to agree, but the more he found out about their life, the more he wondered how they all made it out of there more or less intact. He wasn't surprised to find out that the brother's had no qualms experimenting with alcohol or recreational drugs.

"Do we need to talk about Friday night?" David asked.

"Are you going to lecture me now, too?" Nathaniel asked, sounding resigned about it. 

"Nope." 

"Then why ask?" 

"Maybe you need to vent to someone who won't judge or berate you," David offered. He may not approve of drugs and would prefer his team not use them, but as a man who used alcohol and cigarettes to cope with the struggles in his own life, David couldn't condemn them for their vices. As long as no one got hurt, and no one got caught, he would look the other way. 

"You think I'm, what, upset?" Nathaniel asked.

"Abby told me she grounded you," David said. "You think she was right to punish you?" Nathaniel affected surprise. 

"I don't really feel like I've been punished," he said. "The first thing Abby did was give me a hug and tell me how grateful she was that I was okay. Then she made my favorite lunch, and I was sure it was a trick somehow.

"But she didn't hurt me, and she didn't even yell. Instead she was so sweetly disappointed that there's no way I could resent her. So if keeping me at home for a few weeks makes her feel better, then I'm willing to comply. 

"It's kind of nice to have someone care about you." David couldn't breathe, let alone speak, for a minute.

"Yeah, kid. It is pretty nice."

Nathaniel

Nathaniel woke when the bus came to a stop just outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. In his sleep haze, it took him a moment to realize that the warm body he was leaning on was not Jean's, but Abby's.

Nathaniel was awake and alert in an instant, sliding as far away from the team nurse as possible without falling right off the seat. He may feel more secure with her now that he knew how she reacted when he really fucked up, but it was still a surprise to be so close to someone that wasn't one of his brothers. 

"Feeling okay?" Abby asked him.

"I'm fine," Nathaniel managed. Abby didn't look convinced, but she let it slide. Nathaniel got up to let her out, and Abby and Renee got off the bus to get the Foxes breakfast sandwiches and coffee. Nathaniel retreated to his abandoned seat beside Jean. 

"Ready for this?" Nathaniel asked. Jean shrugged a shoulder. He had never been as confident as Riko or Kevin in an interview, but their brothers would be with him. 

"Why are some of you still asleep?" Wymack complained. "Wake Kevin and Andrew, would you?"

"I don't wanna die," Nicky said. Dan tried to pass her laugh off as a cough and got an annoyed look from Wymack for it. Wymack stomped to the back of the bus. Curious, Nathaniel half-turned in his seat to watch. 

Wymack made it to the last row, pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, and threw it at Andrew. Andrew woke violently, slamming his arm into the seat back in front of him. Wymack put his hand out in a demand. 

"Give it back."

Andrew sat up a few seconds later with Wymack's wallet in hand. Their Coach stuffed it back into his pocket and made his way back up to the front seat where Riko and Kevin were.

"You need help with this one?" Wymack asked.

"No, I got it." Riko said, and then, switching to Japanese, whispered harshly, " Kevin, we're late for morning practice. " Kevin shot up like someone burned him and had his shirt halfway over his head before Riko tugged on his elbow. 

"Stop." Riko tugged Kevin's shirt back into place, and Kevin was disoriented for a moment before he seemed to realize where he was. 

"That was mean," Kevin said, favoring Riko with a scowl.

"Do I even want to know what you said?" Wymack asked. "No I don't. Eat your breakfast. We'll be there in fifteen."

The upperclassman talked excitedly about meeting Kathy in person while everyone munched on sausage biscuits and drank coffee.

"She is not that interesting," Kevin scoffed. "Ellen was interesting."

"I preferred Oprah," Jean said, boredly. 

"I forgot you guys have done interviews with actual famous people," Matt said. 

"I mean, Matt, they're famous too," Dan said, waving a hand at them.

"Oh yeah," Matt scratched the back of his head. "Say Riko, which host was your favorite?"

"Letterman." 

Matt raised his hands in defeat and let the subject drop. 

Five minutes later Wymack parked the bus outside the security gate of Kathy's two-story building. He got out and exchanged identification with the guard. Once he was back on the bus, Wymack gave Abby a handful of guest badges to hand out and moved the bus into the parking lot. 

Kathy herself came out to greet them.

"Riko! Kevin! Jean! It has been too long!" She said cheerfully. "I'm so glad you could make it today. I was sorry to hear about your car accident." 

Nathaniel immediately disliked her. No one who acted this chipper before seven AM could be human. Riko, Kevin, and Jean put on their best press smiles and shook her hand.

"Kathy, it's always nice to see you," Riko said. 

"We're glad to be here," Kevin added.

"Thanks for having us," Jean said. 

"Thank you for reaching out!" Kathy smiled. "Oh, who's this?" Her question was directed at his brothers, but Kathy Ferdinand was staring right at Nathaniel, and the look in her eyes was hungry. It was only then that Nathaniel realized he hadn't bothered to put on any concealer that morning. 

"Our little brother," Riko explained reluctantly. "He came along to watch the show." Kathy held out her hand and Nathaniel instinctively accepted the handshake.

"You have a name, little brother?" she asked.

"Nathaniel," Nathaniel said.

"Nathaniel! You're the famous number three everyone's been talking about for years," Kathy said unnecessarily. Behind her Riko, Kevin, and Jean's smiles faltered.

"I am." Nathaniel couldn't make himself smile for her.

"I wish I knew you were coming. I would have loved to have you on my show." 

"Nathaniel is seventeen," Abby interrupted. "He can't be on your show without signed written consent from a parent or guardian." Nathaniel frowned, sighed, and scrubbed a hand through his hair. 

"Actually, Abby, I was emancipated when I turned sixteen." He hated how her expression crumpled when he said it.

"That's excellent news!" Kathy said. She was either the world's worst mood reader, or she just didn't care how they felt. 

"What do you say, boys? How about we get the whole big happy family on stage together?"

Nathaniel really didn't want to, but he was part of the family. He'd officially signed a Foxes contract with Wymack for the fall season, and he could easily be written into the tragic car accident story. It wasn't his decision to make though. Nathaniel met Riko's gaze over Kathy's shoulder.

" Up to you ," he said in Japanese. 

" Do you want to debut this early? " Riko asked in the same language. 

" Not really ," Nathaniel admitted, " but I have to do it sometime. "

" Now's perfect ," Kevin cut in. " Get it over with. Like pulling off a bandage. Besides, term starts tomorrow and people will see him coming and going to the stadium everyday. Let’s squash those rumors before they begin. " 

" I agree with Kevin ," Jean said. 

Riko turned to Kathy and switched back into English.

"One big happy family," he said. 

Kathy's smile was wide, and Nathaniel couldn't help but notice how the early morning sun glinted brightly off her too-white teeth.

***

Nathaniel only half-listened to Kevin's interview pointers as Jean held up various outfits from Kathy's dressing rack against him. 

"Kevin, he'll do fine," Riko soothed. "You said this was a good idea."

"It is," Kevin said, "but he totally froze up when Kathy was talking to him—couldn't even muster up a smile."

"Neither could you," Jean said, effectively shutting Kevin up. "This one."

Jean pressed the blue suit into him until Nathaniel took hold of it. The four of them dressed quickly and then sat for aides to do their hair and makeup. Nathaniel thought he looked ridiculous, but the aide was pleased when she deemed him ready for air. 

"Okay you three will go on all at once, and you," the aide pulled Nathaniel to one side, "will go on a bit later, when she calls for you." Nathaniel resisted the urge to wrench out of the aide's grip and nodded tightly.

" Behave ," Kevin hissed in Japanese. " And don't forget to smile. "

" Stop nagging ," Riko breathed.

At seven on the dot, the opening music to Kathy's show began to play and Kathy entered the stage to a round of applause. She stopped in the center to bow and wave to the crowd before taking her seat behind her desk.

"Ladies and gentlemen, good morning!" Kathy called. "We have an exciting show for you today. I know you're all getting ready for this year's NCAA Exy Spring championships!" She paused for the resulting cheers.

"Some of you are probably already taking bets on this year's contenders, but there's an interesting change of events that might upset the whole competition! We're going to talk about that today, but to do that I'm going to need a few guests.

"It's only been a few months since we saw them last. I present to you the enigmatic trio: starting players for the US Court and the Baltimore Wildcats, former members of the Edgar Allan Ravens—Riko Moriyama, Kevin Day, and Jean Moreau!" She paused dramatically between each of his brothers' names as they walked out on the stage, not unlike the way announcers called their names for games. Riko, Kevin, and Jean waved to the crowd and offered Kathy a kiss on the cheek. There were two couches on either side of Kathy's desk and his brothers settled onto the one to the right when Kathy was done with them. 

The crowd's cheers died down into restless murmurs before long. They'd caught the wording "former members" Nathaniel guessed. 

"Riko, Kevin, Jean," Kathy said. "I still can't believe I talked you into this. I hope you'll forgive me for saying this, but it's surreal to refer to you as former members of Edgar Allan."

"We still can't believe it ourselves sometimes," Riko said, neatly avoiding a real answer, "We're really excited to bring our energy and drive to another NCAA team."

"Yes, tell us all about your new team," Kathy said. "Why the switch?"

"We realized earlier this year that we were relying too much on Coach Moriyama's support," Kevin said. 

"We respect what he helped us achieve, but we had to know if we could stand on our own two feet. So we decided to take on a unique challenge. My father, Coach David Wymack, is the head coach of the Palmetto State Foxes."

"Did you just say Coach Wymack is your father?" Kathy's smile widened.

"Yes, I did," Kevin said. "I found out in high school, but I didn't tell him because I thought I wanted to play for Edgar Allan."

"That must have been a shock when you turned up on his doorstep!"

"We did drop him a pretty big bomb shell," Kevin allowed. "What with that, our car accident, and our plan to revitalize his team." Half the audience was silent, and the other half was frantically whispering to each other. Nathaniel tried not to let it distract him as he waited for his cue.

"As excited as I am to hear about your transfer, I think some of us have been wondering about your arm since you walked out on this stage, Kevin," Kathy said. "Is the accident what caused you to switch teams mid-season?" 

"Now that you mention it, Kathy, that was a contributing factor," Kevin said. "But Jean remembers it better than I do. He was the only one who remained conscious during the crash."

"Oh, Jean. I'm sorry, I didn't forget about you over there," Kathy laughed.

"That's okay, Kathy. Let me tell you about our car accident," Jean said. "It was Kevin's turn to drive." Kevin had decided this detail beforehand. Kevin's injury was the worst of all of them, and Kevin didn't want his fans to blame one of his brothers for ruining his Exy career—if it came to that. 

"It was early December, and we were out Christmas shopping. There was a snowstorm and visibility was low—those of you who live in the tri-state area know what I'm talking about. The other car simply didn't see us. It impacted on Kevin's side of the car. I was the only one of the four of us to escape unscathed."

"I heard you say four," Kathy beamed. "Who else was in the car with you?"

"Our little brother," Jean supplied. 

"Yes, and I believe you brought him with you today," Kathy said. "Let's get Nathaniel on the stage." The aide nudged him, but Nathaniel didn't need their help to know that was his cue. He plastered on his own press ready smile and waltzed onto the stage. The Foxes whooped loudly and some of the crowd, buoyed by their enthusiasm, joined in the cheers. 

Nathaniel waved at them and offered Kathy his hand before settling into the place his brothers made for him between Kevin and Jean.

"Nathaniel, I'm sure I'm not alone when I say we're all very pleased to meet you at last—the fourth member of the Perfect Court, the mysterious number three!" Kathy said. "Tell me, how did you meet our favorite Exy stars?"

"Well, Kathy, Riko's father and mine have been friends for a long time," Nathaniel said. "And I've always loved Exy. So when I was ten, and Tetsuji Moriyama offered to train me, my father sent me to Evermore. I grew up playing Exy with Riko and Kevin, and Jean too when he came along a few years later."

"If you've been at Evermore since you were a child, why have we never seen you before now? You definitely stand out." Nathaniel faltered. He'd messed up. Kathy shouldn't ask about his time in Evermore. What was he supposed to say—certainly not the truth. No one could ever know that Tetsuji was hiding him away from prying eyes.

Kevin pinched him, effectively cutting off his panic. Nathaniel took a steadying breath and smiled bashfully at Kathy.

"I've always been a shy kid," Nathaniel lied. "I was warned numerous times that you can't be a NCAA star and hide from the press, but it was really tempting back then. Coach Moriyama was able to keep me away from prying eyes for years." 

"Sounds like you're close," Kathy inferred.

"Like family," Nathaniel offered.

"Well, then have I got a treat for you!" Kathy turned back to the crowd as she spoke.

Over the speakers, a familiar dark melody with heavy drums began to play. Nathaniel felt Kevin and Jean stiffen beside him. Movement in Nathaniel's peripheral vision brought his attention to the wings of the stage.

Tetsuji Moriyama walked towards them with the unneeded aid of his ornate walking cane.

"Please Welcome to the stage, co-founder of the sport we all know and love, coach to the number one NCAA team the Edgar Allan Ravens, sponsor of the Exy professional team's—the Baltimore Wildcats and the New York Rebels—and mentor to the four members of the Perfect Court—Coach Tetsuji Moriyama!"

Chapter Text

Riko

The last time Riko had seen his uncle was when Tetsuji had beaten him so badly he'd lost consciousness. Even now he was a few weeks away from being cleared to return to his Exy training. Riko was surprised to find that he wasn't afraid.

 He had lived under Tetsuji's cruelty long enough. He wouldn't put up with it today.

Beside him, Kevin stiffened and Riko brushed a hand across Kevin's elbow to soothe him before standing up and meeting his uncle on stage. Riko let his mouth widen into a grin, spread his arms wide, and enveloped Tetsuji in a hug.

Tetsuji was surprised by the action, but obediently curled the arm that wasn't holding his cane around Riko. They'd never hugged before, not even for a photo. 

"Uncle Tetsu, it's good to see you again," Riko said pleasantly. Tetsuji didn't bother faking a smile. He never did.

"Riko," Tetsuji said. "You look well."

"I am well," Riko smiled. "Never been better, in fact." 

Anger burned in Tetsuji's eyes but Riko's uncle didn't show it to the audience. Even Tetsuji knew better than to lash out on live television. Not a moment too soon, they broke apart and retreated to their respective couches.

"Let's talk about your decision to transfer schools," Kathy said. "Coach Moriyama, how did you feel when the Perfect Court came to you with the idea?"

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink," Tetsuji said. "The four of them have always been hard headed. It was not surprising that they wanted to leave Edgar Allan. However, Palmetto State is a poor substitute. This new school will have a negative impact on their careers." 

"There's no need to worry about that, Uncle," Riko said smoothly, "Kevin, Jean, and I have full support from both the Wildcats and the US Court. They're as excited as we are to see what we make of the Foxes. We plan on helping them rise to the top before we graduate."

"You plan to take the top ranking away from Edgar Allan?" Kathy asked.

"Edgar Allan was the top school long before the Perfect Court signed," Tetsuji reminded them. "We will continue to exceed with or without their help. Thinking that the Foxes can get to the same level in just three years is unrealistic, and frankly, laughable."

"I'll take that as a personal challenge," Riko couldn't quite keep the smirk off his face. 

"Your arrogance will get you nowhere," Tetsuji said. "You're not even fit to play the rest of the season."

"That's okay, Uncle Tetsu," Nathaniel said before Riko could respond to that. "It would be no fun if they defeated you before I join the lineup. It's official though. I signed to play with the Palmetto State Foxes next fall, and I look forward to facing off against the Raven's in next year's Spring Championships!" Someone in the audience laughed at Nathaniel's cheeky enthusiasm. 

"Why wait?" Tetsuji said. "It was made official this morning, so I can tell you. Edgar Allan is going South. Next fall we'll be playing in the Southeastern District. You can look forward to facing off against us then." The silence in the studio was absolute. 

But only for a moment. 

Outbursts in the audience could only be from the Foxes. The murmur from earlier returned, but it was more irritable than excited this time around. Instead of panicking, Kathy looked thrilled.

"Wow! What a bombshell!" Kathy grinned. "Coach Moriyama, a district change is an unprecedented move. For it to be Edgar Allan is even more surprising. Can you tell us what prompted the decision? Did it have anything to do with the Perfect Court transferring to a Southeastern University?"

"Despite my reservations, I was inspired by their plan to revitalize a dying team. Edgar Allen wants to do for the South what the Perfect Court is doing for Palmetto State—revitalize the weakest District in Class I Exy," Tetsuji said.

"That's rubbish," Nathaniel didn't bother masking his indignation. "Don't sit here and lie to our faces. It's not about bolstering camaraderie. You want to knock us down a peg or two. You want us to fail. And you want front row seats to see it happen." Riko, with great effort, did not cringe on stage. Regret was an intimate and tangible feeling.

"Want has nothing to do with it," Tetsuji said.

"What Nathaniel meant to say," Jean interrupted, "is that it's a nice sentiment, but it feels like you did it to step on our toes."

"Believe what you like," Tetsuji said. "There was only one serious contender in the Southeast. Now there's two. Soon the rest will work harder to keep up with us."

"Don't count us out yet, Uncle," Riko said. "Don't forget, the Foxes made it to Spring Championships this year without our help. You really think we'll sit idly by and let Edgar Allan or Breckenridge walk all over us next fall?"

"Your goals have no basis in reality," Tetsuji said. "One day you will wake up and realize you've made a terrible mistake." Riko seethed. Tetsuji was trying to make it look like he was concerned for them, and the crowd was eating it up.

"I thought family was supposed to cheer each other on?" Nathaniel asked.

"Do something worth cheering for," Tetsuji replied. Some of the crowd "ooed" at that, and Riko wondered if they were taking offense. He hoped they were. 

"One day you'll wake up and realize that the only mistake you made was not believing in us," Nathaniel said scathingly. "Not worth cheering for? You're gonna eat those words, you're gonna choke on them."

"That sounds like a challenge!" Kathy said. "That's a spirited and competitive bunch of boys you raised! Tell me, Coach Moriyama, How does it feel having them all live four-hundred miles away after keeping them close all these years?"

"Children grow up," Tetsuji said. A chorus of "aww's" rang out this time. Riko clenched his jaw, but kept his face as neutral as possible. Just whose side were these people on?

"So true, so true. Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for Exy today," Kathy said. "Stay tuned after our commercial break for this year's best Valentines Day Dinner Recipes!"

A light at the foot of the stage went dark, indicating they were off the air. Kathy covered up the microphone on her shirt collar with her hand and beamed at them.

"You boys made my day."

Riko and Nathaniel stood up first. Kevin and Jean followed suit, looking a little numb. Kathy walked around her desk to shake their hands.  

"Keep the clothes. There's refreshments in the back and I've got seats up front so you can all watch the rest of the show. I even made sure there's enough room for your uncle to sit with you." 

"Thank you, Riko managed, suppressing the urge to wince. Kathy thought she'd given them a real treat inviting Tetsuji along, but Riko wanted nothing more than to get as far away from his uncle as possible. He may have felt brave on stage with the world watching, but now that they were off the air, fear was settling in its place. 

Somehow, the four of them exited the stage without making it look like they were running away. Riko pushed the others ahead of him, trying not to panic when he heard the click of Tetsuji's ornate walking cane clacking on the studio floor behind them. Riko offered smiles to the aides they passed backstage, but he wasn't sure they were at all convincing. 

Finally, as soon as the last aide disappeared behind them, Tetsuji struck. It happened so quickly that Riko didn't even register the cry that came unbidden from his own mouth at first. The pain of the blow from his uncle's cane was as familiar as it was unwelcome. 

"Don't you dare," Nathaniel warned. Riko could tell without looking at him that Nathaniel was wearing his father's smile as he said it. 

But Riko did look. 

Nathaniel was standing close to Tetsuji, almost as close as Riko had been when he'd hugged his uncle on Kathy's stage. The weak backstage lighting glinted off of the switchblade Nathaniel had pressed to Tetsuji's collar.

Tetsuji spat something obscene at Nathaniel in vicious Japanese. Nathaniel laughed.

"Oh, I'm so scared! What are you gonna do, beat me with your stick? I'm not afraid of you," Nathaniel said. "You can't do anything to me. You don't own us anymore. You're just a washed up hasbeen with no power, and no future." 

"Gaki," Riko cautioned.

"No," Nathaniel spat. "You can't be afraid of him anymore."

"Aw, looks like the party started without me! You are so inconsiderate sometimes!" Riko jumped as Andrew Minyard walked up behind them. 

"My apologies," Nathaniel said, switching the conversation back into English. "Next time we have an impromptu family reunion, I'll be sure to include an invite for even my least favorite teammate."

"Ouch," Andrew said with a laugh. "Need a little help?"

"Thanks, but I don't need your help to handle this old wanker."

"Your British is showing," Andrew mused.

"What the fuck is going on back here?" Wymack boomed. Riko started again as their Coach joined them backstage. He seemed to have brought the rest of their party with him. Nathaniel somehow managed to keep the hand that was holding his knife to Tetsuji's throat still despite his own shutter of alarm.

"We're just having a little family discussion, Coach," Nathaniel said. "Nothing to worry about."

"Put the goddamn knife away, you psycho. What the fuck is wrong with you?" Wymack scolded. Nathaniel took several steps backwards from Tetsuji and slipped the knife back to wherever the hell he got it from. Riko didn't think he'd had time to fashion a sheath into Kathy's dress pants. 

"Might be faster to tell you what isn't wrong with me," Nathaniel said cheekily.

"Shuddup," Wymack said before turning to Tetsuji. "I'd apologize for the unruly behavior, but I think we both know you don't really deserve it." Tetsuji's stare was cold. 

"Our family matters are none of your concern," Tetsuji said. "We'll meet again in the fall."

Tetsuji Moriyama walked straight past the Foxes on his way out, his cane clacking ominously on his way out. 

"What an asshole," Dan spat after him.

Predictably, Abby stepped forwards to check on Nathaniel first. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Nathaniel said, "but he hit Riko." All eyes turned to Riko and he felt immediately embarrassed—though, luckily, his cheeks didn't burn with color. He half raised his hands to ward Abby off, but didn't push her away when she started patting him down. 

"Where?" Abby asked.

"Across my back," Riko told her reluctantly. Abby fingered the back of his suit. 

"Can I…?" 

Riko obediently shrugged out of the suit jacket, passed it off to Kevin, and tugged his shirt tails out of his pants to give her access. He wanted to tell her it wasn't a big deal, but he knew Abby wouldn't want to hear it. 

Abby rucked up the back of his shirt and Riko could tell from the tension in her hands that she was furious. But her fingers were gentle as always as she pressed them along his spine, probing for Riko didn't know what. Riko inhaled sharply when she found a sensitive patch of skin but suppressed the urge to flinch.

"It's already bruising," Abby said tightly.

"Abby—"

"Don't tell me it's okay," Abby said fiercely. "Nothing about this was okay." 

" Abby, " Riko insisted. "I know you don't want to hear this, but please believe me when I say I got off lightly. I spent most of my life covered in bruises from armpit to knees. This is nothing. "

"And that was wrong ," Abby insisted.

"Wrong or right, it's the truth," Riko said. "You don't have to like it." Abby looked like she would protest again but Coach Wymack cut her off. 

"Argue on the bus. Let's just get the hell out of here," he said. 

Nathaniel

"I can't believe you actually forgot all of your media training," Jean fussed at Nathaniel once they got settled on the bus. "I thought Kevin was being a badger, but maybe he was right."

"Hey," Kevin huffed in annoyance.

"I don't think that's how you're meant to use that word," Nathaniel said.

"Nathaniel," Jean said.

"I didn't forget," Nathaniel said. "I just wasn't going to let him sit there and pretend he didn't do it to get back at us."

"You called him a liar on live television," Jean huffed. "You told him he'd choke on his words."

"Yes, and I didn't use any profane language while doing it, did I?" Nathaniel pointed out. Jean groaned and dug the heels of his palms into his temples as if warding off a headache.

"Fucking menace," Kevin complained. 

"I think I lost a year off my life every time you opened your mouth," Riko told him. 

"You weren't much better," Kevin accused. "Riko, 'Uncle Tetsu?' Since when have you ever called him 'Uncle Tetsu?' Also, I have literally never seen that man hug a soul. What the fuck? " 

"I knew it would piss him off," Riko admitted. 

"Well, you definitely succeeded if that was your plan!" Kevin threw his hands up dramatically. "I mean, did you see his face? I'm surprised he didn't try to murder you right there!"

"I wasn't going to let him bully us on that stage," Riko said. "Maybe it was stupid. Maybe I shouldn't have done it. But Nathaniel is right. We can't be afraid of him anymore." 

"Um, sorry to interrupt, but can we talk about the district change and what it means for our season next year?" Dan asked.

"It doesn't change anything," Kevin said. "Whether you face them in the fall or during Spring Championships, you're nowhere near ready to win."

"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence," Matt said. "You know you're one of us, right?"

"I—" Kevin faltered. "I'm not sure I'll be able to play again."

"You will," Riko and Nathaniel said at the same time.

Kevin blinked and looked away.

***

The ride back to Palmetto was quiet. Even Abby and Wymack didn't have much to say. When they finally pulled up to campus though, Dan turned to face them.

"Hey, we should go out and get lunch together, as a team," she said, including all of them in that.

"No," Andrew said cheerfully.

"Sorry, I can't," Nathaniel said.

"Why not?" Dan frowned.

"Abby grounded me," Nathaniel explained.

"Wh—but, Abby, can you do that?" Matt asked. "You're not his mother." Abby had the good grace to look embarrassed. Nathaniel interrupted before she was forced to answer Matt's question, though. 

"True, true," Nathaniel said, and he swore Abby looked pained. "My mom probably would have just beaten the shit out of me instead."

"I thought you said your father was the one that beat you?" Dan asked.

"He did," Nathaniel said, looking from one confused face to another. "What? You all just thought my mom never hit me?" 

"But, you don't hate your mom, right?" Matt asked.

"She's dead," Nathaniel said.

"Okay, but before she died, did you hate her?" Dan asked.

"It's complicated."

"So that's a yes, then?" Matt inferred.

"No, I said it's complicated," Nathaniel said more firmly.

"If your father died would you stop hating him?" Matt asked.

"Don't be stupid. My father is an irredeemable scumbag," Nathaniel said. "My mother might not have been soft—she never coddled me, or told me she loved me. But she died trying to save my life."

"So, you can't hate her because she cared about you," Renee said, "in her own way." 

Nathaniel shrugged noncommittally. Renee was probably right. Nathaniel's only good memories of her involved afternoon tea or Little League Exy (He only remembered her ever smiling while she watched him play). She was always hard, but his guilt over her death would always complicate his feelings towards her. 

"What'd you do to get grounded anyway?" Matt asked.

"Well, Jean and I went to Columbia with the cousins Friday night. I drank irresponsible amounts of alcohol, got high with Andrew, and stayed the night without telling her we weren't coming home," Nathaniel ticked them off on his fingers as he listed his transgressions.

"What the hell'd you do that for?" Matt gaped at him. Dan settled for glaring at Andrew's group instead.

"Don't look at me like that," Andrew said. "I returned him perfectly unharmed." Wymack and Abby shot Andrew looks for that comment, but neither of them said a word to him.

"Don't be mad at Andrew," Nathaniel said. "He didn't do anything wrong. Dan looked like she was ready to argue about it but Renee put a gentle hand on her arm. 

"Perhaps Andrew and Nathaniel needed to settle their differences," she said wisely. 

"We're almost there," Nathaniel said, meeting eyes with Andrew.

"Maybe next time," Andrew agreed.

"There won't be a next time," Jean said, sporting a pretty good impression of Kevin's trademark scowl. "We're not going out with you again."

"Who said you were invited?" Aaron said.

"Enough," Wymack ordered. "Get off my bus. The sooner I drop you idiots off the sooner I can drink and forget I know any of you." 

Andrew and the cousins filed off without another word. Before the upperclassmen followed Dan turned and said, "Are you sure Andrew's not a problem for you?"

"I'm sure," Nathaniel said. "See you tomorrow."

***

Nathaniel's brothers were subdued as they all made a sandwich lunch back at Abby's house. Despite what he'd said, Wymack did not drop them off and leave to go have a drink. Instead he'd parked the bus outside Abby's house and came inside with them.

Lunch started out as a quiet affair. Abby kept shooting Nathaniel looks that he knew meant something was on her mind, but he was afraid to ask. They talked about the semester starting the next day instead. Wymack asked if Nathaniel's brothers felt prepared for their classes. Riko was nervous, Kevin excited, and Jean resigned.

"Everyone avoided us at Edgar Allan," Riko said. "I pretended I didn't mind, but…"

"Who cares what they think?" Kevin scoffed. 

"Normal people, Kevin," Jean said. Kevin scowled at him. 

"Are you saying I'm abnormal?" Jean favored him with a bored look. Kevin threw a celery stick at him. Jean caught it and set it on the side of his plate. 

"Well we certainly don't all get excited over Renaissance and Reformation Europe," Jean deadpanned. 

"History is interesting!" Kevin protested.

Riko, Nathaniel and Jean groaned. Kevin scowled. Abby tried to hide her smile behind her hand.

"Are you always this rowdy?' Wymack asked gruffly. "I'm trying to eat here." 

Nathaniel knew better than to think Wymack was truly annoyed with them. He may still flinch every time the man so much as looked at him wrong, but he was slowly getting used to the fact that Wymack was more bark than bite. 

"Leave them alone, David," Abby said. "I think it's nice." Four sets of eyes looked up at her.

"That you feel comfortable enough to squabble in front of us," Abby continued. "That first week you wouldn't even talk in front of me."

"We didn't want to be more of a nuisance then we already were," Riko said.  

"Worse than nuisances. Absolute menaces every one of you. Especially this one." Wymack pointed a thumb at Nathaniel.

"David!" Abby scolded. 

Nathaniel stuck his tongue out at their Coach in retaliation. He knew Wymack didn't really mean it. 

"You are not nuisances," Abby said. "I'm glad you came to us. 

"We both are," she added with a pointed look at Wymack. 

"Okay, okay," Wymack agreed reluctantly. 

"We're glad too," Riko said.

After lunch, Wymack finally left. Jean washed dishes while Nathaniel dried, and Riko and Kevin went to double check their schedules and book bags for the next day. 

Abby hesitated in the doorway.

"Nathaniel, can I talk to you for a minute?" Abby asked. Nathaniel set his dried plate on the stack by the sink and hung up the towel. 

"Okay," he agreed. 

Nathaniel waved off Jean's silent offer to come with. He guessed he was finally going to find out what had been on Abby's mind since they got home. Nathaniel didn't think he had a reason to be anxious when he followed Abby into her living room, but his stomach turned all the same. Abby sat on the couch, so Nathaniel sat beside her.

"About what Matt said," Abby began, "on the bus…"

"Abby, wait," Nathaniel interrupted. "You are not going to apologize for not being my mom." Abby opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out, and Nathaniel knew he was right.

"Abby, Coach already asked me about this on the bus," Nathaniel told her. "He thought I would be upset over it too. But, Abby, I couldn't be mad at you if I wanted to be. You were so nice to me yesterday—even though you were angry—even though I didn't deserve it."

"Too much has happened to you that you didn't deserve," Abby said quietly. "I want to help you, but I don't want to contribute to your pain or suffering."

"Abby, I'm not suffering. I'm fine," Nathaniel said. "And you don't have to apologize for doing what you think is right. I respect your decision. I'm secure knowing you only have my best interests at heart." Abby said nothing in return. Instead she looked at him, lip trembling as if she were about to cry.

"Do you want—can I hug you?" Nathaniel asked. Abby opened her arms easily to him. Their hug was fierce and tight. Nathaniel's mother had never held him like this. There was a quiet strength in it, and a promise. 

When they finally broke apart, Nathaniel's shoulder was damp. 

"You're a good kid," Abby said. Nathaniel smiled wryly. 

"I wish that were true," he said.

Before she could respond, Nathaniel's phone chimed. He grimaced and pulled it out, expecting a message from Juan or one of the other Foxes. But the number wasn't saved to his phone. 

Nathaniel frowned and opened the message. It was in Japanese. The two characters written in Kanji, if translated into English, read "Address." Nathaniel's stomach bottomed out. He tried to swallow but his throat was too dry to manage it.

"What's wrong?" Abby asked.

"We're going to have company," Nathaniel managed, numbly typing Abby's address into the message app and hitting send.

"Um, I don't think I'm supposed to let you have friends over when you're grounded," Abby said awkwardly.

"It's not that kind of company," Nathaniel said.  

Ichirou

Things had been going well for once so Ichirou should have expected something to go horribly wrong. If he'd had to guess a week ago he would have thought it would be the arms deal with the Ukrainians that went sour. Fortunately, Melnyk had been willing to work with him.

No. It wasn't his father's business pursuits falling apart, but one of his own. Kengo had told him he was an idiot when he asked, demanded really, to take over the Exy investments from his uncle. But he let Ichirou do it. 

It was better for Ichirou to fail and learn from the mistake before he died, his father had said. Of course, Kengo hadn't phrased it quite so politely, but Ichirou would take what he could get.

Ichirou trusted Nathaniel to take care of Exy. Nathaniel's current job was to meld the Perfect Court to their new team and keep making tons of money for the Main Family. He had reported only a few days ago that negotiations went well. 

The four of them signed contracts with the new team and Riko had set up an interview with popular morning show host Kathy Ferdinand to break the News. Nathaniel kept up his end of the bargain. Ichirou, however, had failed. 

Ichirou had promised to protect them from Tetsuji. It had been presumptuous and naive to think that his uncle would sit idly by while Ichirou ripped his life's work from his fingertips. Kengo wouldn't have. Ichirou wouldn't have. It was a lesson, hard learned. Ichirou needed to correct the mistake—preferably before his father found out about his blunder. 

That's why he found himself on the next available flight as soon as the broadcast ended. Ichirou touched down in South Carolina around half past one in the afternoon. While one of his bodyguards got a rental car, Ichirou shot Nathaniel a quick text asking for the address where they were staying.

The answer was prompt, and Ichirou opened the map app on his cell phone and checked out the route. It was only a fifteen minute drive from the airport to the nurses residence. Excellent. 

It was another fifteen minutes before the black Cadillac Escalade was ready for them and then Ichirou and his two bodyguards were on their way. He knew they had the right house when he saw Nathaniel's shiny red Lexus parked in the driveway beside a more modest silver Camry. 

"Shall I fetch them, my Lord?" one of his bodyguards asked.

"No," Ichirou said. "Wait here."

"Yes, my Lord."

Neither man was happy with Ichirou's decision to go himself and leave them behind, but they weren't stupid enough to argue with him. For that he was grateful. Ichirou got out of the car and walked up to the door. He knew it was likely unlocked because Nathaniel told him Abby didn't lock it during the day if she was home, but he knocked anyway.

It was only a moment before Nathaniel opened the door. Ichirou expected him, but he did not expect the near blank expression on Nathaniel's face. Ichirou felt another stab of anger. It was his fault this disaster happened—his fault for Nathaniel's expression.

"My Lord," Nathaniel said politely.

It had been months since Nathaniel stopped calling him by his title and it sounded wrong in his voice. The look Nathaniel gave him was worse. Ichirou thought he saw recognition there, and a smidgeon of what could only be alarm. Ichirou was very good at schooling his expressions, especially his anger, so that couldn't be right. 

"I guess I'm in trouble, huh?" Nathaniel asked.

Ichirou had far too much training to let the surprise show on his face. But, then, Nathaniel seemed to read that somehow too. Ichirou noticed Nathaniel's shoulders relax somewhat and maybe even the slightest raise of an eyebrow. Since when was he so easily read? 

"We need to talk," Ichirou said. 

Nathaniel worried his bottom lip with his teeth. A second later he squared his shoulders and stepped to the side.

"You're welcome to come in. Everyone's in the kitchen," Nathaniel waved an arm in invitation.

Ichirou hesitated. This was not the plan. He was used to issuing commands that were to be immediately obeyed without question. The only one who ordered Ichirou around was his father. But, no. Nathaniel hadn't phrased it as an order, but a request. 

Agreeing went against Ichirou's intrinsic nature. He liked to be in complete control. Nathaniel was likely trying to regain some control of his own after the disaster morning—a disaster caused by Ichirou's failure to restrain Tetsuji. He could call the boy to order easily, but something about Nathaniel's too calm expression gave Ichirou pause.

He only wavered another minute before walking into the house. His bodyguards were probably tensing out in the car but Ichirou didn't care. Nathaniel closed the door behind them. He gave Ichirou his back easily enough and led him down the hallway in a clear sign of trust Ichirou wasn't sure he'd earned.

The hallway opened up to a kitchen and, as promised, Nathaniel's brothers were all gathered at the table there. A blonde woman who could only be the team nurse, Abby, stood at the counter fussing with an electric kettle and a couple of mugs.

"Abby, this is Ichirou Moriyama. Ichirou, Abigail Winfield," Nathaniel introduced them.

"Nice to meet you," Abby said politely. "I was just making tea. May I offer you a cup? We also have coffee or water if that suits you better."

The slight quaver in her voice and tension in her shoulders told Ichirou she understood who he was, and she was afraid. But her offer was firm, and there was steel in her eyes. He could respect that.

"Nice to meet you," Ichirou echoed, like he had some manners. "Tea would be lovely, thank you." His wife would be proud of him if she were here—His father, not so much. 

Nathaniel pulled out a chair at the head of the table for him. Riko sat to the left of the space, and the empty chair to the right was where Ichirou guessed Nathaniel intended to sit. Ichirou obediently sat down.

Abby must have put the kettle on as soon as his car pulled up at the end of her driveway because it came to a rolling boil shortly. Ichriou watched with mild interest as Abby spooned loose leaf tea into the pot and added the boiling water. The westerners Ichirou was used to often didn't know how to use tea that wasn't bagged.

"Nathaniel has a preference for traditional English Breakfast Tea," Abby said. 

Ichirou supposed that explained the loose leaves. Nathan was a born and raised American, but Ichirou knew that Nathaniel's mother came from a British crime syndicate. Nathaniel likely grew up drinking afternoon tea.  

Abby added her teapot to a prepared tray Ichirou hadn't noticed before and sat it on the table in front of him. The tray included fresh mugs, sugar, and oddly, lemon wedges. 

"Should be ready in about five minutes," Abby said. 

"That is alright, we have business to discuss," Ichirou told her.

"The press conference was my mistake," Riko said.

"I did not leave you in charge," Ichirou said coolly.

Riko flinched, though his facial expression maintained its careful blankness. Ichirou was surprised to see embarrassment there, underneath Riko's mask. Was he too so easily read? 

The mood in the homely kitchen had shifted in an instant. Kevin cast his gaze down at the table. Jean clenched his jaw. Abby trembled. Ichirou didn't exactly regret his tone, but he hadn't come here with the intention to terrorize. Old habits died hard. 

Nathaniel, however, did not balk. He seemingly ignored his family's responses, and met Ichirou's gaze calmly across the table. 

" My Lord, I accept full responsibility ," Nathaniel said in formal Japanese. The other boys stiffened at Nathaniel's words, but Ichirou wrote them off as inconsequential. That was the second time Nathaniel referred to him by title tonight.

"Leave us," Ichirou said, in English, so that Abby would understand.

No one moved.

"Go on," Nathaniel said. 

"But—" Abby began.

"Jean," Nathaniel spoke over her. "Take Abby with you." It was unmistakably an order. 

Jean grimaced but stood promptly from the table and gently herded the nurse out of the room. Riko and Kevin obediently followed them out, though Ichirou wasn't sure if it was by his command or Nathaniel's. He wondered if he should be offended. 

Nathaniel waited for them to leave, and then he smiled at Ichirou. It wasn't the threatening one that reminded Ichirou too much of his father, but one that was polite and completely devoid of humor. Nathaniel spread his left hand out over the table between them.

"So, what do I owe you?" Nathaniel asked, "a finger?"

Chapter Text

Ichirou

Ichirou couldn't help his intake of breath (His father would have been furious at the show of emotion). Whatever he thought Nathaniel was going to say to him, this was not it. Ichirou wasn't used to being blindsided and wasn't used to losing control, and Nathaniel had managed to do both to him. What was it about the butcher's son that disarmed him?

Nathaniel kept his face carefully blank as he waited for Ichirou's judgement. Ichirou could read nothing but a calm sincerity there. Despite the alarm bells going off in his head, Ichirou managed to keep his voice even when he replied.

"How long have you been thinking about this?" Ichirou asked.

"Since you asked for our address."

Yubitsume , or finger shortening, was a common enough practice in the yakuza. It was a ritual used to express remorse for an offense committed. The guilty party amputated part of their own finger and offered it up as a sincere apology to their boss. 

Being the son of the Butcher of Baltimore, Nathaniel would of course have heard of it. The only thing was, Ichirou wasn't sure what offense Nathaniel thought he had committed. The blunder was Ichirou's.  

"Why would you offer?" Ichirou asked.

"You deferred them to me," Nathaniel said. "It was my responsibility to smoothly transition them from one team to the other. I failed you."

"The show this morning has put me in a difficult position," Ichirou began. 

Nathaniel produced a switchblade from somewhere under the table and flicked it open. "I'll do it," he said, positioning the blade above his left pinky.

Ichirou's hand seemed to move of its own volition. Nathaniel flinched as Ichirou seized his wrist in an iron grip, but he did not pull away.

"No," Ichirou said. "I would not ask that of you."

"What would you ask of me?" Nathaniel asked with a measure of calm that left Ichirou unnerved. 

The searching look that Nathaniel favored him with made Ichirou feel like the boy was looking straight through him. Ichirou pulled the knife from Nathaniel's unresisting fingers. He flicked the blade shut and set it on the table out of reach before speaking.

"First, answer me this," Ichirou said, "how is it that you read me?" 

Nathaniel tipped his head to the side. "I don't understand."

Ichirou waved a hand vaguely in front of his impassive face. Nathaniel hummed as he thought.

"I grew up with Riko and Tetsuji. Riko wasn't allowed to show much emotion, unless it was for the press. I got used to reading it there anyway. It wasn't unlike my own mask," Nathaniel gestured at his own carefully neutral expression, "so he was always an easy read for me. Tetsuji was a bit harder. He was better at maintaining the mask than Riko was. It took me a few months, but I can read him too."

"Your mask?" Ichirou asked.

"Much like Tetsuji did with Riko, my parents had a tendency to beat me if I showed them any expressions or emotions they didn't like—which was basically all of them," Nathaniel admitted with a shrug.

"I see," Ichirou said. "That still does not answer my question." 

"Something about you…reminds me of Riko," Nathaniel said carefully, as if expecting Ichirou to take offense. "I haven't spent nearly as much time in your company, of course, and yet…"

"And yet?"

Nathaniel hesitated. "Was it presumptuous of me to expect your displeasure?" he asked. "Someone needs to take the blame for this morning's fiasco. And the responsibility was mine." 

Nathaniel's martyr complex was showing. Ichirou knew it often caused his brother's ire because Nathaniel told him so. The calm expression he still wore was enough to get under even Ichirou's thick skin. 

"Yes, about that…" Ichirou said as an idea took hold of him. "Stand up and come over here." 

Nathaniel obediently pushed his chair back and stood. Ichirou stood to meet him, and didn't miss that Nathaniel did not leave his usual protective barrier between them. He was ready and willing to accept whatever punishment he thought he deserved, Ichirou guessed.

"Give me your arm," Ichirou said, with a two-fingered gesture at the arm in question.

Nathaniel's face betrayed no apprehension as he proffered his arm to Ichirou, though he held his breath when Ichirou rolled his sleeve up to his elbow. Without preamble, Ichirou took Nathaniel's forearm in both hands and twisted.

Nathaniel's gasp of surprise was the only sound he made. He couldn't quite help his flinch, but he didn't dare pull away from Ichirou. Interesting. Ichirou considered doing it again, just to see Nathaniel's reaction, but he let his hands drop back to his side.

"I have always wanted to try that," he admitted. "Of course, as you can imagine, the opportunity does not usually present itself when you spend your days meeting with business moguls and arms dealers."

"Yes, my lord," Nathaniel said. Ichirou suppressed the urge to scowl.

"Do not call me Lord," he reminded Nathaniel.

"My apologies," Nathaniel said automatically, formally. Ichirou studied a spot on Abby's wall for a moment.

"It may be difficult for you to believe," Ichirou said, "but I did not come here to mete out punishments."

Nathaniel affected surprise. "But, I failed you," he said.

"You keep saying that," Ichirou said, "but you did not do anything wrong." Nathaniel opened his mouth, thought better of it, and closed it again. 

"I promised to protect you from Tetsuji," Ichirou said, mouth feeling like sandpaper, "but I did not keep a close enough eye on him. I assumed he would stand down without my having to do anything further. I was wrong." 

Nathaniel's eyes grew wide. "You're... apologizing to me?" he asked. 

Ichirou didn't admit to mistakes often, and he rarely apologized. Kengo thought apologies were a sign of weakness, after all. But his wife, Aiko, disagreed. It takes strength to admit fault, to apologize, she told him. And Aiko was the smartest person Ichirou knew. 

The way Nathaniel questioned him made Ichirou's skin crawl. It took Ichirou another moment to realize that Nathaniel was not judging him. Nathaniel didn't think himself worthy of Ichirou's apology. Ichirou wanted to crush Nathan and Tetsuji with his bare hands. 

Instead, Ichirou placed a hand gently on top of Nathaniel's head. He didn't know what made him do it, but he didn't fight the urge. Nathaniel snapped his eyes shut, but otherwise didn't react to the sudden contact. 

"I do not take broken promises lightly," Ichirou said, ruffling the boy's fluffy hair slightly. "I underestimated Tetsuji. It will not happen a second time."

"Okay," Nathaniel said in a small voice.

"Now, sit," Ichirou said, dropping his hand. "We need to discuss my plan to clear this whole mess up."

Nathaniel

Nathaniel didn't know what to think. From the moment he'd gotten the text message, until Ichirou's frantic grab, he'd been convinced the Lord was here to pass judgement on him. He'd never been happier to be wrong. Ichirou was angry and on edge from the moment Nathaniel opened the door, but only now did Nathaniel understand that the frustration was not directed at him.

Ichirou was apparently more irritated with Nathaniel being too formal with him than he was for the things Nathaniel said on the show. And the "punishment" he'd received was more to get his attention than anything else. He remembered telling Ichirou how Riko used to do it when Nathaniel was being a pest. Ichirou had been mildly interested in the concept. 

Once they sat back down, Nathaniel poured tea for something to do with his hands. He offered the first cup to Ichirou and poured a second for himself. Ichirou took his black, but Nathaniel added a generous squeeze of lemon to his and a spoonful of sugar. After a moment's consideration, he added a second spoonful. Kevin wasn't around to tell him no. 

"Do you have something in mind, or…?" Nathaniel let the question trail off.

Ichirou sipped his tea before answering. "I had a lot of time to think about it on the plane," he said. "The best way is to generate more positive publicity. I have arranged for a PR agency to set up all of your interviews from now on—no more nasty surprises. They will arrange sponsorship deals and endorsements as well."

"Just for us?"

"For the entire team," Ichirou clarified. "I should have done it from the start. It was an oversight." Nathaniel felt Ichirou's irritation, but it was still self-directed. He really did blame himself, rather than Nathaniel, for their disaster interview.

"I'll let Coach Wymack know," Nathaniel offered.

"Yes, do that," Ichirou said. "Give me your phone."  Nathaniel pulled it out of his pocket, unlocked it, and passed it over. Ichirou tapped on the phone for a minute and passed it back. He'd added himself into Nathaniel's contacts. 

"So you can keep me informed," Ichirou said. "It is inconvenient waiting until we can speak on the phone, so text me any news or updates as they arise. It need not be an emergency."

"I understand," Nathaniel said.  

Ichirou finished his tea and stood up. "I must leave now. I have a meeting at seven. The PR agency will be in touch." 

"Okay," Nathaniel said, walking Ichirou to the door. When they reached it, Ichriou turned back to face him.

"And just so we are clear," Ichirou said, "never offer to cut off bits of your fingers, or any other body parts for me ever again."

"Or else?" Nathaniel guessed.

Ichirou's expression was ice.

"Yes, Ichirou," Nathaniel agreed quickly.

Ichirou turned and left without another word. Nathaniel took a deep breath and tried to still his fast beating heart as he watched the Moriyama lord get back into the black SUV. 

When the engine started up, Nathaniel heard frantic footsteps from the back end of the house. His brothers and Abby all called loudly for him, but Nathaniel was quiet as he made his way back to the kitchen to meet them.

Four panicked faces dissolved into relief when they found him. Four sets of eyes looked him up and down. But no one approached him yet. Nathaniel was numb. He wondered what expression they were reading on his face.

"What happened?" Riko demanded.

"I offered him a finger," Nathaniel said.

Riko was across the kitchen in an instant, seizing Nathaniel's wrists, and dragging his hands up to eye level to inspect them. Nathaniel wriggled his fingers at him.

"All ten accounted for, big brother." 

Riko shook him. "Don't scare me like that," he said through clenched teeth.

"Riko," Abby scolded.

The others had made it to them now. Riko let go, but predictably, four sets of hands began patting him down for imaginary injuries.

"He didn't hurt me," Nathaniel said, though he made no move to fend them off.

"What's this, then?" Kevin asked, holding up Nathaniel's arm. The skin was lightly pinkened from when Ichirou had twisted it, with apparent schoolboy fascination. Nathaniel gestured for Kevin's arm, and like a fool Kevin gave it to him. Kevin swore and snatched his arm away, cradling it to his chest. 

"That hurt, you absolute menace!" Nathaniel just smiled at him. Jean made a face. 

"The Lord gave you an Indian burn?"

"Said he always wanted to try it." Nathaniel shrugged.

They all stared at him.

"What?"

"Gaki, the Lord did not come here to twist your arm," Riko said. There was something of an accusation in Riko's tone.

"No," Nathaniel agreed. "He came here to apologize."

"Excuse me?" 

"Not in so many words. He promised me he'd protect us from Tetsuji, but he didn't keep a close enough eye on him. He's going to take a more hands-on approach now I think," Nathaniel said. "Oh, also he's assigning a PR agency to handle the team's interviews and stuff."

"David usually likes to handle that sort of thing himself," Abby said.

"I'm sure they'll be discreet," Nathaniel said, knowing how their coach didn't like outsiders in the Foxes' business. "The idea is to keep us from generating too much bad press, after all."

"I suppose," Abby acquiesced. 

***

The next morning Coach Wymack sent out a mass text before practice warning the Foxes that the stadium had been vandalized and the police were involved. He wanted them to know what they were showing up to.

Black and red paint was splashed haphazardly over the sidewalk, and the word TRAITORS was bold and imposing on the orange and white stadium walls. Nathaniel parked away from the police cars and he and his brothers met the Foxes on the curb.

"Guess your fans don't approve," Nathaniel said, pulling out his phone and snapping a photo.

"What are you doing?" Dan asked incredulously. 

"Reporting," Nathaniel said, opening up his messages app.

"To who?" Dan asked.

"To whom," Kevin corrected her. Dan glared at him but Kevin was immune. Nathaniel added a short message and hit send.

"To Ichirou," Nathaniel said.

"You mean Mob Boss Jr. ?" Dan asked.

"He prefers Lord Moriyama."

"You don't call him Lord," Juan pointed out.

"He told me to stop," Nathaniel said.

"Is that normal?" Matt asked. Nathaniel shrugged.

"The rest of us still call him Lord," Riko confirmed.

"Riko, isn't he your brother?" Dan asked.

"Biologically."

The upperclassman exchanged looks but didn't say anything else. 

"Dan," Wymack called, "Take everyone inside and get them started. I'll meet you when I'm done here." 

***

Wymack didn't join them until morning practice was nearly over. But the Foxes, sans Nathaniel, were all nervously anticipating their first day of classes so practice did end a little early. Nathaniel checked his phone once they were back in the locker room, but Ichirou only replied to expect someone from the PR agency to be there that afternoon. 

Nathaniel gave Jean his car keys and walked to Wymack's office. The door was left ajar so Nathaniel knocked on the door jam.

"Coach, do you have a minute?" Nathaniel asked. "It's important." Wymack waved him in. Nathaniel left the door open behind him and sat in one of Wymack's chairs.

"Lord Ichirou came to visit us yesterday after you left," Nathaniel said.

"Abby told me," Wymack said.

"Did she tell you he's assigned a PR agency to oversee the team?" Nathaniel asked.

"She might have mentioned it."

"Well, Ichirou says we can expect a representative this afternoon," Nathaniel said.

"Great," Wymack said sarcastically, rubbing his temples.

"I'm sorry," Nathaniel said.

"What for?"

"For causing you all this trouble." The look Wymack favored him with was pitying. 

"Don't worry about it," Wymack said. "I was kidding when I said you were a nuisance, you know."

"I know," Nathaniel said. 

"You don't look convinced."

"I know you were kidding when you said it," Nathaniel said, "but, it's kind of true, isn't it?"

"Now you listen to me," Wymack said, and oh, he was angry. "I signed up for this. You know the kind of people I recruit? It's not some publicity stunt. It's about second chances, Nathaniel. Second, third, forth—as long as it's one more than anyone else would give you. 

"If I wasn't ready to help you with anything and everything you're facing this year, I would have turned you away when you came to me last month. I won't sit here and pretend I understand everything you've gone through—everything you're going through—but don't you apologize to me for any of it.

"I knew what I was getting into when I took this job. I understood it wouldn't all be sunshine and daisies. So if I can be a buffer between you and the rest of the world, let me. I am not so fragile. 

"I signed up for this," he reiterated. Coach Wymack's words were fierce, and his anger burned hot, but Nathaniel recognized the truth in them. This was a man who had been through hell and came out the other side. This was a man who had been burned, and arose again from the ashes. 

Nathaniel opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. The words on the tip of his tongue were 'I'm sorry' but Wymack had already told him not to apologize.

"Give me a 'Yes, Coach,'" Wymack prompted.

"Yes, Coach," Nathaniel said, grateful for the assist.

"What are you doing today?" Wymack asked. "School?"

"I don't have any virtual classes today," Nathaniel said, "and I'm ahead on my assignments."

"Have any other plans?" 

Nathaniel didn't. He thought he'd maybe spend the hours between morning and afternoon practice playing a video game Matt lent him, but he wasn't sure how serious Abby was about the "you're only allowed to do schoolwork or chores" thing yet. 

"I guess not," Nathaniel said.

"I could use some help strategizing for this week's game," Wymack offered. "I'll buy lunch."

"If it's okay with Abby," Nathaniel said.

If what's okay with Abby?" Abby asked, walking into the office.

"I want to borrow Nathaniel today," Wymack said.

"Okay," Abby agreed readily. 

"Okay?" Nathaniel echoed uncertainly. "Just like that?"

"Just like that," Abby said. "I want you to be safe, not miserable. And I trust David to keep you out of trouble."

That's how Nathaniel ended up watching back to back Breckenridge games from throughout the fall season. By the time Wymack stopped him for a lunch break he had several pages of notes in his borrowed notebook. 

It was surprisingly comfortable going over players strengths and weaknesses with Wymack. He had a good head for tactics. It made Nathaniel itch to play, even though it would be several months yet until he could take his spot on court.  

After they finished their sandwiches, they went back to their research. Nathaniel was only halfway through his fourth match of the day when the phone rang in Wymack's office. He couldn't hear the conversation from his spot on the lounge couch, but Wymack came out shortly. Nathaniel paused his game.

"Something wrong, Coach?" Nathaniel asked.

"The PR person is here," Wymack said. "I told her to meet us at the door. Let's go."

Nathaniel obediently stood and followed Wymack to the Foxes entrance. Wymack opened the door and invited the woman in. She was young, no older than the upperclassman, and she carried nothing with her aside from a thin leather briefcase.  

"Coach Wymack?" she asked, offering him a firm handshake. "And, Nathaniel, right? I'm Sadie Parker of Payne & Parker, INC. Nice to meet you."

"Parker?" Wymack questioned.

"My grandfather helped found the agency," Parker admitted. "But please, call me Sadie. Everyone does."

"Not a problem," Wymack said. 

Sadie had a handshake ready for Nathaniel too. 

"Nice to meet you too, Nathaniel. I saw your interview."

"I've already been told I didn't learn a thing from my media training, so you can save your breath," Nathaniel said.

Sadie laughed. "I thought you were very spunky. I can work with that."

Nathaniel gave her one of his baleful smiles. 

"Can you?"

To her credit, Sadie didn't balk. Instead she offered him a grin that was all teeth. "I can see you're a little rough around the edges, but no worries. I have a file." 

There was something more to Sadie than met the eye. Nathaniel wasn't sure if she was actually dangerous the way he and Andrew were dangerous, but she certainly had a spine. He wondered if she knew who hired her.

"Have you worked with…difficult clients before?" Wymack asked. "You know what kind of players are on my team, right?"

Sadie drew herself up to full height, but since she was barely an inch or two taller than Nathaniel, it wasn't overly impressive.

"Don't let my name or my age fool you. I've been doing this since I was twelve years old. I have worked with many clients over the years, including big name companies and A list celebrities. This isn't a case of nepotism. I worked hard to get where I am today," Sadie said, "or is it because I'm a woman?"

"My team is the first and only in NCAA Exy to have a woman as Captain," Wymack said, unperturbed by her accusation. "It's because I don't trust just anyone with my team."

"That's why I'm here," Sadie said. "It's my job to make sure your team makes their best impressions and remains a positive force in the public eye. As long as you're up front and honest with me, we shouldn't have any problems achieving that. Trust me to do my job."

Wymack studied her that way he studied everyone. Sadie stood and let him look his fill without comment. In the end Wymack nodded to her. Nathaniel was less sure. 

"Question," Nathaniel said, trying to word it carefully. "How much prep were you given for this job?"

The look Sadie favored him with was venomous. 

" How much do I know? " Sadie asked in Japanese, startling him. She bared her teeth in a good imitation of Nathaniel's father before continuing on in the same language.

" Do I know about…your little deal with the Little Lord? Do I know about…the problems the Little Lord's Uncle is causing for his little family? Do I know about…the little switchblade you have concealed at your side? Do I know exactly who you are, little Nathaniel Wesninski?" Sadie was so close to him now that Nathaniel was forced to tip his head back to meet her eye. "Whatever your real question is, the answer is yes."

Nathaniel had seriously misjudged Sadie Parker it seemed. He should have known that Ichirou was deadly serious about correcting his mistake. Ichirou wouldn't have chosen an amateur or a nobody for this job. No more nasty surprises, he'd said. 

Well, maybe just one.

" I meant no offense ," Nathaniel said.

" I'm sure you didn't ," Sadie said. Her smile didn't meet her eyes, but neither did Nathaniel's. 

"When you two are done playing grabass," Wymack said.

Wymack couldn't understand a word they were saying, but he had no problems interpreting their body language. Nathaniel wondered if Wymack read submission or defiance off of him. Sadie eased out of Nathaniel's space and turned to face the coach again.

"If Nathaniel has no more objections, I am ready to discuss business," Sadie said smoothly. 

Wymack raised an eyebrow at him but Nathaniel just shook his head slightly in response.

"Okay," Sadie said with a clap of her hands, "Let's talk about whipping your team into shape. What is your endgame? I like your overall image—wild and untamed—but you definitely need some polishing up. Ruthlessness is sellable, but you don't want to come off as heartless or overly-aggressive. 

"I'm thinking our first step should be to hold a proper press conference to squash all of these nasty rumors floating around. The Perfect Court will have to be there, of course. It can't look like you're hiding anything.

"After that we'll organize a charity drive or two. Fans eat that up, and it makes you look good. That should make it much easier to get sponsorships."

"So it's about looking good, not feeling good about doing a nice thing for someone else?" Wymack frowned.

"You're welcome to feel however you like about it," Sadie said.

"Generous. Am I allowed to veto anything?" Wymack questioned.

"If you have a legitimate concern, I will take your opinion under advisement," Sadie said smoothly, which was neither here nor there. 

"Right," Wymack huffed.

"With your permission, I would like to observe your team today," Sadie said, though her tone brokered no argument. 

"As long as you don't get in my way and don't cause any problems for my team, I don't care what you do," Wymack said.

"Excellent," Sadie enunciated each syllable in a way that reminded Nathaniel of the cartoon villains in the Disney movies Matt kept making them watch.

"Practice doesn't start for another hour," Wymack said.

"That's okay," Sadie said. "Nathaniel and I have some private things to discuss before everyone arrives anyway."

"Right," Wymack said slowly. "Just don't spill anything on my carpet."

With that Wymack turned and walked back to his office, leaving Nathaniel alone with Sadie in the lounge. She slung an arm around him and steered him towards the couch he had been sitting on before. Nathaniel stiffened but let her move him. When they sat down, they were so close that her body pressed against the length of his.

"Hackles down boy. I'm here to help you, remember?" Sadie asked.

"Ich—Lord Moriyama sent you," Nathaniel said.

"See, now that's interesting," Sadie said. "I've known the Little Lord a long time, but I don't know anyone who calls him by name. Except perhaps his father—Maybe even that little wife of his. I can't be sure, I've never met her." There wasn't a question in there, so Nathaniel didn't say anything in reply. "So you're sleeping with him, right?" Sadie asked.

"Wait, what?" Nathaniel stared at her. 

"Don't play coy with me," Sadie said. "I already know you don't like girls."

"I don't not like girls," Nathaniel said, confused. "What's that have to do with anything?"

Sadie sighed in annoyance and gave him a look of pure exasperation. "Listen, the man doesn't even have friends. And yet he dropped everything to come and see you? You should have heard him when he called me from the plane. No way there's not something going on with you two." 

"There's nothing like that going on," Nathaniel insisted. "I'm nothing but an investment to him."

Sadie studied him for another moment before shrugging. "Whatever you say." The knowing look she favored him with made his skin crawl.

"How do you know I don't like girls?" Nathaniel couldn't help but ask. Sadie smiled and placed a hand on his thigh. Nathaniel waited impatiently, but she didn't say a word. "If you weren't going to answer, you could just say so," he said finally.

"This is how," Sadie told him, squeezing his thigh.

It was hard enough to get his attention, but not hard enough to bruise, so he didn't shake her hand off.

"My legs?" Nathaniel asked, nonplussed.

Sadie laughed again. Nathaniel bristled.

"No reaction to this at all," Sadie said with amusement, her fingers trailing delicately across the bare skin where his shorts had rucked up when they sat down. Nathaniel didn't understand what she was getting at, and he didn't see why he should care anyway—so long as she did whatever Ichirou hired her to do.

"Whatever. Can I finish watching my match now?" Nathaniel asked, done with whatever game she was trying to play.

"You don't need my permission," Sadie said.

Riko

Riko's first day of classes went about as well as he expected them to, which was to say, disastrously. He'd opted to skip the campus tradition of wearing his Exy jersey on the first day in hopes of maintaining at least some level of anonymity. Unfortunately, his face was easily recognizable to even the most casual of Exy fans.

"Mind if I sit here?"

Riko wondered why the woman even bothered to ask, considering she'd already pulled out the spare chair at his table and dumped her purse on the desk. Dumped being the key word, because the bag had a broken zipper, and the recent rough treatment had scattered ink pens, crumpled receipts, and what appeared to be half a makeup bag over the tabletop. 

"Suit yourself," Riko said, absentmindedly doodling in his black notebook. 

"Wait," the woman said, and Riko turned to look at her. "You're Riko Moriyama. King."

Riko didn't wince, but it was a near thing. He'd come up with the nickname himself, so he really had no one else to blame, but he was still haunted by the fickle of his youth. Once you declared something on national television, you could never take it back.

"Just Riko is fine," Riko said. "No one actually calls me King." He didn't say "anymore," but she didn't need to know that. 

Broken Zipper rolled her eyes. "Everyone calls you King. Where's your number two? I thought you guys went everywhere together." 

Riko was liking her less and less by the minute. 

Technically, the press wasn't wrong when they claimed Riko and Kevin were never apart. It was true that they hadn't had more than a wall between them in twelve years. But, having a choice for once in their lives, the two had agreed to pursue different degrees. Abby had been proud of them when they told her. A bit of distance would be good for them, she'd said. They needed to learn how to function without the other eventually.  

"Kevin is not my 'number two.' We didn't decide based on talent," Riko said.

"Seriously? Your stats are way better than Kevin's. Why are you insinuating that he's a better striker than you when you literally tattooed the numbers one and two on your faces?" Broken Zipper practically shouted.

"Probably because he's the better striker," Riko said. 

"He literally isn't," Broken Zipper was actually getting angry.

Luckily their professor hadn't arrived yet, but several students had begun openly gawking at them.

"Maybe you should just sit somewhere else," Riko suggested.

"Oh, so I'm not good enough to sit with Exy's number two striker? Is that it?"

"Leave him alone." 

The woman who spoke was not someone Riko recognized, though she was wearing a Vixen's Squad uniform so she probably recognized him. The cursive scrawl on the front of her letterman jacket said 'Katelyn.'

"This doesn't concern you," Broken Zipper said. 

"Considering this is an Ethic's class, I think it concerns all of us," Katelyn said. "What message are we sending if we sit idly by while you badger a man who's minding his own business?"

A few of the other students watching squirmed uncomfortably in their seats. Broken Zipper spluttered, turned red, and hastily crammed her things back into her purse before fleeing the room. Katelyn sat down in Broken Zipper's abandoned seat.

"Hi, I'm Katelyn," she said.

"Hi Katelyn," Riko said, somewhat more awkwardly than was normal. "Thanks for…" Riko waved a hand.

"Don't mention it. She was out of line," Katelyn said.

"I'm Riko," he added, remembering his manners.

"Riko Moriyama, who prefers to not be referred to as his fan nickname," Katelyn supplied.

"Ah, so, you heard that," Riko said.

"You seem different from your interviews," Katelyn said, unpacking her bag onto their table.

"You've seen my interviews."

It wasn't a question but Katelyn answered him anyway. "I'm a Vixen. I watch Exy. And I'm maybe into one of your teammates." She smiled like it was a secret.

Riko might have been curious enough to ask which one, but was distracted by the sudden appearance of their professor. Katelyn didn't bother him any more during the class, though she exchanged phone numbers with him once they were dismissed and invited him to study in the library with her later. 

Riko's level 300 Japanese class went a little more smoothly, though his professor was disappointed to learn that he had never actually been to Japan, despite being Japanese. But at least no one asked him about Exy or his interview. 

***

Nathaniel sitting on the couch in the Foxes lounge was not at all an unusual thing to walk into before afternoon practice. The woman sitting beside him, however, was new. 

"Hey," Nathaniel greeted them. "How was class?"

"Class," Jean said. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Sadie Parker," Nathaniel said. "She's our new PR manager." The way he said it was the same way one might say "I'd rather listen to Kevin explain the Jacobite Rebellion for three hours straight," or else, "This is quite possibly the worst day of my life." 

Sadie didn't bat an eye at his unfriendly tone. Instead she ignored him completely as she stood to greet them.

"Nice to meet you, Riko, Kevin, Jean," she said, shaking their hands. "I look forward to working with you."

"Did you actually see our interview and agree to take us on, or did they just assign you to our team and hope for the best?" Kevin asked. 

"I've seen several of your interviews, Kevin Day, and I think I can do something with that arrogance of yours," Sadie said.

Kevin offered her his trademark scowl, something he never showed to reporters. Sadie laughed in his face. 

"I guess your public face doesn't apply to the likes of me," Sadie said. "I suppose I have Steinbeck to thank for that. I was never a fan of his work, but he got at least some of the Raven's in line."

George Steinbeck was the man who ran the PR agency hired by Edgar Allen University to manage their Athletic department. He was not overly pleasant to work with, but then, neither were his typical clientele. 

"We're not Raven's anymore," Nathaniel said firmly.

"One might argue, you never were," Sadie said, turning to him. 

"Fuck you," Nathaniel said without missing a beat.

"Gaki," Jean scolded the same time Kevin said, "Nathaniel."

Riko abstained from scolding Nathaniel for now. Something about Sadie didn't sit right with him.

"Gaki?" Sadie perked up. "Did he just call you ' Gaki ,' Nathaniel?"

"They always call him that," Juan said.

Riko hadn't noticed the upperclassman walk in.

"Yeah, which makes no sense because he's the least gawky person on the whole team," Matt said. 

"Not 'gawky.' Gaki ," Nathaniel said.

"Ga-ki," Matt enunciated carefully. "What's Gaki mean?"

Riko and Nathaniel both said, "Ghoul," at the same time Kevin and Jean said, "Brat." The foxes stared. It was Kevin who took pity on them.

"In Japanese mythology, a gaki is a tortured soul who's hunger is never satisfied," Kevin said. "Alternatively, it is a slang term used for particularly bratty children." He didn't say "like this one," but the vague gesture he sent in Nathaniel's direction was enough for the Foxes to gather it. 

Matt laughed. "Do any of the rest of you have convoluted nicknames?" 

"When we were kids everyone called Riko 'Captain,'" Kevin began.

"Don't you dare," Riko cut him off.

"I mean, that's kind of cute," Dan said diplomatically. "Nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Okay, okay," Nathaniel said with a grin that Riko didn't trust at all. "But, the year after I moved in, the Raven's new captain was totally offended when the team called Riko 'Captain,' because Riko was just a kid and he was the captain." Riko tried to protest again, but Kevin butted back in.

"So then Riko said 'You be Captain. I'll be King,'" Kevin crowed, doing a pretty good imitation of the way Riko had stood, legs apart, thumb jabbing into his chest imperatively. "And they actually did it! They started calling him 'King,' and then pretty soon he became known as the self-proclaimed King of Exy."

"I was thirteen!" Riko said indignantly.

Nathaniel and Kevin had nothing but cheeky grins for him. The rest of the team choked back their laughter when they saw his expression. 

"Okay, but fans literally still call you King," Jean pointed out. "They chant it at games and everything."

Riko buried his face in his hands. He hadn't lost control of his emotions like this since he was a child.

"So, you don't want us to call you 'King,' then?" Juan asked.

"No I don't!" 

"I'm sorry," Renee said, cutting through their teammates snickers. "I don't believe we've been acquainted."

"My name is Sadie Parker of Payne & Parker, INC." Sadie said, "and I'm your new PR manager."

"Who hired a PR manager?" Dan asked, successfully distracted. Riko would have to thank Renee for that later.

"A mutual benefactor," Sadie said smoothly.

Riko saw Nathaniel's telltale twitch out of the corner of his eye.

"Gaki?" Riko asked. 

" She said the Lord hired her, but I don't trust her, Nathaniel said in whispered French. Riko was surprised until Nathaniel nodded towards her and added. " She speaks Japanese. "

Right. That's why she freaked out over the nickname. 

" I see ," Riko said in clumsy French.

Riko hadn't attempted to speak French since Tetsuji beat him and his brothers black and blue over it years ago. However, he couldn't listen to Jean's lessons with Kevin and Nathaniel and not pick up on it. Maybe it was time to try again, now that Tetsuji wasn't around to stop him.

"Alright, Maggots, gather 'round!" Wymack boomed, finally walking in with Abby in tow. "We got shit to discuss before practice."

The Foxes all fell in line to listen, abandoning their interrogation of Sadie Parker.

"First and foremost, I see you've all met our new PR Manager. She's going to be observing today. Try not to scare her off with your shitty attitudes."

A few Foxes grumbled begrudging agreement, while others scoffed. Wymack ignored the lot of them and bulled on. 

"Second, classes started today. Maintaining your grades is very important. Don't forget to use your tutor hours effectively. If you need help, ask for it. I don't want anyone else flunking out this semester, got it?

"Lastly, the new semester started and that means it's time to talk to Betsy again. We've booked it for Tuesday so decide before then how you're splitting up. You can't go with someone who plays the same position as you. I won't have holes in my scrimmage lines."

Living with Abby, Riko had of course heard of Betsy Dobson, but he had yet to meet the woman. Apparently she thought coming over for dinner while the former Raven boys were living there would make things awkward. 

"I don't wanna go," Kevin said, voicing Riko's feelings.

"Maybe it won't be so horrible," Jean said. "No one else is freaking out over it." 

"No one else has ties to the literal mafia," Nathaniel pointed out.

"It'll be fine," Riko said firmly, but he didn't know if he was reassuring them, or himself.

Chapter Text

Kevin

Kevin watched sullenly as the rest of the Foxes filed into the changing rooms after Coach Wymack's speech. He still wasn't used to thinking of the man as his father. Coach wasn't exactly known for his patience, but he never pushed the subject with Kevin. Maybe it was better that way.

Talking about Exy and the Foxes was easier. Coach kept Riko and Kevin busy at practice, despite the fact that neither was ready to join training yet (Kevin tried not to think about how in two short weeks it would be him alone). They usually spent half of practice analyzing game footage, and the other half actively helping coach the team. 

Neither Riko nor Kevin were especially forgiving teachers, and the Foxes had complained loudly and at length until Coach lost his patience for it and admonished them. It was validating for Kevin to hear Coach tell them to improve if they didn't want to hear the criticism. 

"You two aren't dressing out, right?"

Kevin tore his gaze away from the locker room door. He hadn't noticed the PR woman wander over to them. 

"No point," Riko said. "We aren't cleared to practice."

"Excellent. Hey, Coach Wymack," Sadie called over Riko's shoulder. "I'm borrowing these two for a bit, you don't mind, do you?"

"Guess not," Wymack said, looking very much like he did mind. "Just return them in one piece when you're done."

Coach didn't stick around to hear her reply.

"So, tell me all about your accident," Sadie demanded.

Her mouth curved into what Kevin supposed passed for a smile, but it looked a little too hungry for Kevin's liking. Something about the way she asked made Kevin think she already knew more than she was letting on. 

"What do you want to know?" Riko asked. 

"What happened to you?"

"Like we said on Kathy's show, it was a car accident," Riko said evenly.

Sadie laughed, but there was a cold edge to it. "Don't lie to me, Jinan ," Sadie said. "I can't help you if you lie to me."

Jinan , she called him. Second Son . 

A frown tugged at Riko's lips, and a small crease formed in his eyebrow. Riko had never worn expressions as openly as Kevin or their other brothers, but he rarely showed anything unintentionally. It was happening more often since they'd come to South Carolina.

"Your entire job involves building foundations out of lies," Riko said coolly.

Sadie's smile curved into something a little more reminiscent of Nathaniel's.

"Do not compare me to Steinback," Sadie said. "My job is not just to keep you from looking bad. You actually have to look good . I achieve that by taking what's already there and improving it. Lies don't hold up. You're not an idiot. I know you're aware of the rumors and speculations involving the Raven's and your so-called accident."

"So you want us to, what, confirm their suspicions?" Riko asked.

"Of course not," Sadie said. "It's far too late for that. We're going to have to roll with the car accident story. The Little Lord doesn't want me to touch Tetsuji anyways. What he does want is for the public's opinions of your pitiful team to improve. It's a tall order, but I've done more with less."

"The Foxes are improving," Kevin interrupted.

Sadie waved him off. "Fixing their game is the brat's job. My job is to make a group of drug addicts and juvenile offenders into a team worth rallying behind. If you want me to succeed, I need all of you to be transparent with me. Capisce?"

"Fine," Riko said.

Sadie Parker, as it turned out, wanted all the nitty gritty details—the extent of their injuries, their projected recovery, their plans for the Foxes, and their plans for the Perfect Court.  Afterwards they branched off into the other topics she wanted to include in their press conference.

Despite her strong personality, she was surprisingly patient with them as they discussed it. Sadie listened to their opinions, even if she didn't agree with them, and even soothed some of their insecurities. By the end of it, Kevin thought maybe she wasn't so bad after all. Maybe.

"Great!" Sadie clapped her hands together. "That should be enough to start. Now the Coach promised me I could observe the team. Would you two be so kind as to escort me to the court?"

"Our pleasure, " Riko said, looking slightly less than pleased about it. If Sadie noticed, she didn't say anything. She slipped her notes into a portfolio and then locked it into her thin leather briefcase before standing up from the couch. Riko and Kevin obediently led her into the inner court. 

"Finally," Coach said. "You chuckleheads done fooling around?"

"We've got some of the topics of your press conference ironed out," Sadie said. "We can discuss the details at your earliest convenience." 

"Right," Wymack said. "Later, then."

***

Tuesday's classes ended much too soon in Kevin's opinion. Of course, considering he had no love in his heart for his Differential and Integral Calculus course, the sentiment was probably borne of his dread over his required thirty-minute appointment with the school psychiatrist this afternoon. 

Abby's car was waiting for Kevin on Perimeter Road. Kevin climbed into the backseat where Riko was already waiting. Betsy had agreed to see the two of them around four before afternoon practice began, since there were a lot of them to get through. 

" Are you feeling okay? " Riko asked in shaky French. He'd been stubbornly forcing it since the previous afternoon. In unspoken agreement, Kevin, Jean, and Nathaniel encouraged his efforts by speaking exclusively in French too. Abby couldn't understand a word they said but Kevin caught her trying to hide a smile, so he assumed she approved.

"I'm worried she'll ask me something I can't answer, " Kevin confessed.

Kevin was grateful that Abby thought the French speaking was all entirely for Riko's benefit. He'd hate her to know he was actively talking about something he wasn't comfortable enough to admit to her. 

" You don't have to answer anything you don't want to ," Riko said. 

" What if—" Kevin faltered. "How do you know? "

" I asked Abby ," Riko said, " Last night after you went to bed ."

Kevin gaped at him. Abby looked at them in the rearview mirror at the sound of her name. Her eyebrow creased when she saw Kevin's expression.

"Something wrong, boys?" Abby asked.

"Kevin's feeling nervous about seeing Betsy too," Riko said, swapping back to English for Abby's benefit.

Wow. Riko really just threw him under the bus like that. 

"What part is making you anxious?" Abby asked. 

"All of it," Kevin mumbled, shooting Riko a look which Riko answered with a smile.

"Okay," Abby said, pursing her lips as she thought. "I might sound biased, because Betsy is my best friend, but she's nice and patient and she won't push you if you're uncomfortable. She also worked with juvenile offenders before she came here, so there's not much you can say that will surprise her. And she won't get angry or upset with you."  

Kevin wanted to believe her, but his mind wouldn't obey. It figured. In a lot of ways, Kevin's mind was a worse prison than the one they escaped. 

Riko

Riko regretted teasing Kevin. Truth be told, Riko had been struggling with the idea of seeing the psychologist too. Riko had lay awake long after Kevin had fallen asleep the night before. Around eleven he'd gotten up to make a cup of hot tea and bumped into Abby, who was filling a glass of water to take to bed with her. 

Abby had immediately known something was up with him. Riko was practically an expert at masking his emotions, but he had been too raw and open when he'd walked into the kitchen. Riko had tried to tell her he was fine, even knowing that it was pretty obvious that he wasn't. Abby was gentle, but firm, with him when she called him out on it. 

Riko had been mortified at first, to be caught in a lie. (He was still suffering from the consequences of the last time, after all). But Abby wasn't angry when she sat him down. Instead of harsh words, she'd offered him a mug of hot chamomile and a kind ear. By the end of their talk, Riko was feeling much better about his appointment with Betsy. 

Kevin, on the other hand, wasn't soothed by Abby's words. On the contrary, his leg bounced up and down in apparent agitation, and his fingers beat a nervous tattoo on his thighs. Riko recognized an impending meltdown when he saw one. In the Nest, he'd been forced to hide this side of Kevin from the others. Riko felt sick thinking of some of the things he'd felt obligated to do when they got caught.

Riko was absolutely certain that Abby wouldn't react as the Master would. She'd proven to them again and again that she was gentle and compassionate. But Riko still felt compelled to do something to calm Kevin down.

"Kevin," Riko said, brushing his fingers along the part of Kevin's arm that stuck out above his sling. Kevin flinched violently away from the touch, and Riko recoiled away from him instinctively. 

Riko couldn't blame Kevin for the reaction. Kevin was used to being punished for acting less than typical in front of others. It didn't matter that it had been years since Riko raised a hand to any of them. It was ingrained into Kevin's memory to expect pain for his failure to "act normal." 

"Are you two fighting back there?' Abby asked reproachfully.

Her tone stung, but Riko wasn't offended. After all the horrible things he did to his brothers in the Nest, he couldn't defend himself in the face of such accusations.

"It's my fault," Riko said. "I'm sorry."

Kevin was present enough to meet his gaze. Kevin's mouth opened as if he had something to say, but no words came out. Riko wasn't sure he could answer. It didn't matter anyway. Riko was sure he didn't deserve Kevin's forgiveness. 

Finally, they pulled into Reddin Medical Center. Abby parked the car, unbuckled, and turned to face them. She looked like she was geared up to lecture them like naughty school children, but she wavered when she caught sight of their expressions. Riko didn't know what she saw on his face, but Kevin was pale as a ghost and looked like he might be sick.

"Hey," Abby said gently.

"I don't wanna go," Kevin said, voice raw with dread.

Riko opened his mouth, but he didn't know if he meant to offer Kevin a word of encouragement, or scorn. His need to correct warred with his instinct to comfort. He closed his mouth again before he lost the battle with the ugly side of himself—the part Tetsuji carved into him. 

Beside him, Kevin began to tremble. When Riko looked at him more closely, he realized that there were tears sliding down Kevin's cheeks. Kevin whined and griped often, but he rarely cried anymore. That cinched it for Riko.

"Kev, listen. It's gonna be fine," Riko said. "It's just a meet and greet." Kevin didn't seem to hear him. 

"Riko's right," Abby said. "No one inside will—"

"Don't touch him," Riko snapped.

Abby's hand froze in the air between the seats. Riko didn't mean to lash out at her, but he'd already tried soothing Kevin with touch and it had only made things worse. 

Once she got over the initial shock of his tone, Abby favored Riko with a look that was half annoyed and half a question. Riko gestured for Abby to get out of the car. Her frown deepened, but did as she was bid.

"Be right back," Riko said to Kevin and then slipped out after her.

Abby crossed her arms, seemed to rethink it, and then let them fall down to her sides. She was definitely unhappy, and that made Riko nervous in spite of himself.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you," Riko said.

"I forgive you," Abby said, like it was easy. 

Riko fiddled nervously with the hem of his sweatshirt. 

"Riko, I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong," Abby said.

When they were young, Kevin's meltdowns were truly awful. They didn't happen often, but there was almost always kicking and screaming and crying. Riko remembers them even if at the time he had no understanding of what was happening or why. It didn't seem to matter anyway. Tetsuji had no patience for it, and Riko was taught not to tolerate it either.

As they grew older, Kevin had a tendency to shut down instead. Riko considered this to be a vast improvement, because it was much easier to hide. Anything Tetsuji didn't know couldn't hurt Riko. 

It wasn't until later that they learned more. There hadn't been resources in the Nest, and they were nearly seventeen before Jean suggested they look into it. Riko was annoyed he hadn't thought of it sooner. They didn't have access to a library with anything helpful, but he had a computer with connection to the entire internet. 

Riko had known long before his first web search that the things he and Tetsuji did to Kevin didn't help. He'd known. But seeing it written there on the screen, his stomach had still bottomed out.

"It's my fault," Riko repeated. "You can't touch him because—because he's conditioned to expect pain when he gets like this." 

Riko couldn't meet Abby's eye. He couldn't stomach her revulsion and anger, even if he deserved them.

"I have no justification for it," Riko said hollowly. "It was selfishness. I knew hitting him didn't do any good. It didn't do any good when my uncle did it. Hitting him myself only served to save myself from being punished for it. I blamed him. And I deliberately hurt him."

Failure to control Kevin was a failure of Riko's after all. And Tetsuji did not accept Riko's failures with kindness or grace. There was only pain and scorn.

"Riko, look at me," Abby said.

Riko obediently dragged his gaze up to her face. He wasn't surprised to see the anger etched there, but the lack of disgust threw him. Abby reached for him, and Riko flinched. But she only wrapped her arms around him. Her embrace was tight enough to hold him up, but gentle enough that he felt the tension slowly ease from his shoulders. 

"You were in an impossible situation," Abby said, rubbing soothing circles into his back. "Sometimes, in an impossible situation, you can only choose to save one person. And Riko, it's okay if that one person is you."

"How can you say that?" Riko was surprised by the ragged sound of his own voice. "When I've done so many terrible things. They were the ones that needed to be saved from me."

"Doing terrible things doesn't make you a terrible person," Abby said firmly. 

"The fact that you recognize that things you did were terrible, that you're filled with so much pain and regret over them, tells me that you are in fact a very good person. And from what I've seen, the only one who blames you is you. The only one who doesn't forgive you is you.

"What happened to all of you, all of you, was Tetsuji's doing. You did what you had to do to protect yourself and your brothers. Riko, did you know that Jean and Nathaniel are grateful for it? I didn't understand it at first, when they explained, but I think I do a little better now."

"Yeah," Riko said bitterly. "They're grateful to me for beating them so that the Master wouldn't beat them harder. That practically makes me a saint." 

"If you think you're such a terrible person, then why do you feel so guilty about it?" Abby asked. "Terrible people don't regret doing terrible things. Do you think Tetsuji regrets what he did to you?"

"If he does," Riko said, "it's only because he let us slip through his fingers. He had four investments—three that he was already seeing a return investment on. Now he has none."

"He takes your money?" Abby asked, shocked.

"We only get around 15% of what we earn, after my uncle and my father take their cuts," Riko told her. "My father takes 60% and Tetsuji generously gifts me 40% of his portion. Actually, we might not get any of it now. I don't know how much money I owe Ichirou for everything he's done for us, but I'm not exactly going to call him and ask."  

"That's criminal," Abby said.

"Abby," Riko said. "They literally run a criminal organization."

"Right," Abby said, and then, "Do you think you can go inside now? Can Kevin?"

"I can," Riko said reluctantly, "but Kevin might not be okay to go in. Sometimes his meltdowns last only minutes, but sometimes they can last for hours."

Abby hummed as she thought. "I have an idea," she said finally. 

"Wait here with Kevin while I go inside? I should only be a few minutes."

"Okay," Riko agreed.

Abby gave him one more tight squeeze before letting go. Riko watched her walk inside before getting back in the car. Kevin didn't seem much calmer, but he quickly scrubbed his hand self-consciously over his face before casting a wary look in Riko's direction. 

"Sorry," Kevin managed.

"Don't worry about it," Riko said.

"I didn't mean to, to cry," Kevin said, "like a child."

"I know," Riko said. "Are you okay?"

Kevin bit his lip. "No."

"Can you go inside?" Riko asked.

Kevin refused to meet Riko's eyes.

"You can say no," Riko said. "I'll figure something out." 

"It's mandatory," Kevin said miserably, hiding his face in his hands. 

"I'll think of something," Riko repeated, eyes tracking Abby as she finally exited the building. Another woman followed closely behind her.

"Or Abby will."

Betsy

Betsy had heard for weeks from Abby and David about the four former Raven's. She was looking forward to finally putting faces to the names. That's why Betsy was surprised when it was Abby who knocked on her office door and not one of the two Foxes she had been expecting.

"Abby, what a pleasant surprise," Betsy greeted her. 

Abby's return smile was small and didn't quite meet her eyes. She shuffled into the office and allowed Betsy to fold her into a friendly hug. Even if she weren't a psychiatrist, even if they hadn't been best friends for years, Betsy would have known something was up with Abby. 

"Nice to see you too," Abby said.

"This isn't a social visit, is it?" Betsy prodded gently.

Abby sighed. 

"No, it's about Kevin and Riko," she said. "They're feeling a little raw, and maybe a little too anxious to come inside. I was thinking maybe we could go for a drive instead? We could get coffee or ice cream."

Betsy didn't need long to consider it. It wasn't unusual to have patients that didn't want to enter her office. Plus Abby was her friend, and these were Foxes. Betsy had a soft spot for members of David's team. 

"That's not a bad idea," Betsy said. "Are they comfortable doing a joint session though? With us both in the car?"

"Riko and Kevin have been together a long time," Abby said. "Sometimes I'm not sure even they know where one ends and the other begins. We're working on it. As far as the two of us, I'm not sure. They tell me things sometimes, but I couldn't say they're wholly comfortable." 

Betsy hummed. "Well it's worth a try," she decided.

***

"Riko, Kevin, this is Dr. Betsy Dobson," Abby said once she and Betsy had climbed into the front seat of her Toyota Camry. "Betsy, this is Riko Moriyama and Kevin Day."

Riko's dark hair fell past his cheekbones, and framed in the carefully neutral expression on his pale face. When he met Betsy's eye, the smile he offered her was warm but ingenuine. 

Kevin's hair was carefully gelled back into place, which might have made him look like the more serious and put together out of the two, if not for the flush in his cheeks and the redness of his eyes. He didn't appear to be capable of a smile, though Betsy was sure he had the same training that allowed Riko to offer one. 

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Dobson," Riko said formally.

"The pleasure is all mine," Betsy said honestly. "You're welcome to call me Dr. Dobson if you like, of course, but I'll answer to just about anything from Betsy, to Doc, to Hey You. Shall I call you Riko? Or do you prefer Mr. Mor-"

"Riko," Riko interrupted, his mask slipped into an emotion Betsy didn't quite catch before the neutral expression returned. "I prefer Riko." 

"Okay, Riko it is," Betsy agreed. "If you're ever offended or think this makes our relationship too personal, just warn me and I'll edit it to something more appropriate for our needs."

"Yes," Riko said.

"And how shall I address you, Mr. Kevin Day?" Betsy asked.

Kevin looked like he might be sick. Betsy waited patiently until he pried his mouth open enough to say, "Kevin's fine."

"Have either of you seen a counselor before?" Betsy asked.

"I haven't," Riko answered.

"A few times," Kevin confessed in a shaky voice, "after I..."

Kevin faltered and looked to Riko for support. Riko asked him a question in…was that French? Kevin managed a short response in the same language. Riko's second inquiry might have been a completely different language entirely, but Betsy couldn't be sure. Whatever Riko asked was answered with a half-nod by Kevin. 

"Kevin was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at age six," Riko explained. "His mother tried therapy for some time afterwards, but they moved around a lot so it wasn't consistent, and we didn't continue it when he came to live with us a few years later."

Abby affected surprise, though she didn't say anything or take her eyes off the road. Betsy guessed this was the first Abby had heard of this.

"You said 'we,'" Betsy said. "How old were you when Kevin moved in with you?"

"Eight."

"Forgive me, but eight seems awfully young to make a big decision on your own," Betsy said.

Riko glanced out the window briefly before answering. "For the most part my uncle left Kevin to me. He didn't really have the time to raise two kids," he explained. "He was adamant Kevin learn to…to master himself. But therapy wasn't his preferred method to see it through."

"What was?" Betsy asked.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Riko said bluntly.

Betsy accepted that and moved on.

"Let's talk about the Foxes. How are you getting along with your teammates?"  

"I'm pretty sure most of them hate me," Riko said.

"What makes you say that?" Betsy asked.

"My little brother keeps telling them all the horrible things I've done to him," Riko said. "Also, they don't appreciate my feedback on their Court performances."

"They shouldn't judge you for things they can't understand," Kevin said suddenly. "And Coach said we can say what we like about their shitty playing."

"Sorry Kevin, I didn't forget about you back there," Betsy said. "How are you getting along with your teammates?"

"They have potential," Kevin said, "but they don't work hard enough to make use of it."

"What about off the court?" Betsy inquired. 

"Dan asks us to dinner or movie night several times a week," Kevin said. 

"So you enjoy spending time with them?"

Kevin frowned. "It's fine."

Betsy was thrilled Kevin was speaking but she didn't want him to realize the focus was all on him and shut down again.

"What about you, Riko?"

"They're nicer than our old teammates," Riko said. "I like seeing my brothers relax and have fun more than anything else."

The conversation derailed slightly when they arrived at a little café, and Abby spoke up for the first time since they left Reddin's parking lot.

"Are we going in, or would you rather I bring something out for you?" Abby asked.

Riko looked to Kevin again, checking in with him in—It was definitely French, right?

"I can go in," Kevin said, in English, presumably for Abby and Betsy's benefit.

The look on Abby's face was relieved as the boys unbuckled their seatbelts and got out. She tried to offer Betsy a smile, but couldn't quite manage it. 

"I didn't know," Abby said. 

"Don't be hard on yourself." Betsy placed a comforting hand on her friend's arm. "They're still learning to trust you, and it sounds like Kevin was actively taught to hide it anyway."

Abby nodded and the two got out. Once they were seated inside, a waitress promptly came to take their order. Both boys ordered without assistance, though they perhaps took a bit longer to look over the menus than Abby and Betsy.

"Tell me about your brothers," Betsy prompted. "Which of you is the eldest?"

"I am," Kevin said. "Though Jean is only a few months younger. Riko is around six months younger than Jean, and Nathaniel is almost two years younger than Riko."

"You seem close."

"We are," Kevin said. "We had to be better than the rest, so we had to stick together."

"You say 'had to' but don't you have genuine affection for each other?" Betsy prompted.

"You mean, because we're closer than most blood brothers are," Riko said.

It wasn't a question, but Betsy answered none-the-less. "It was merely an observation. I'm not judging you."

"At first it was about survival," Riko said. "We were the only ones who cared about us so we had to stick together. Sometime after Nathaniel moved in, he made me realize that that wasn't enough anymore. The public thought of us as brothers already, and Kevin and I were already close, so it wasn't difficult to become attached."

"Jean took a while to grow on us, but Nathaniel…he has this personality that makes you want to unite around and beside him," Kevin added. "He can be cruel at times, and more than a little stupid, but he's also very easy to love."

"I don't think I've ever heard you say you love any of us," Riko said, a small smile playing on his lips.

Kevin scowled in response. "And you'll never hear it again. Don't you dare tell him I said it!"

Riko laughed and it seemed genuine. "Why not?" he asked. "He should know." 

Kevin groaned and flopped onto the table. 

Their food and drinks arrived and Kevin, whose mood actually seemed to improve the more the four of them spoke, did chide Riko a little for his choice of cake over finger sandwiches. Riko easily redirected Kevin's attention by steering the conversation back to Exy.

By the time they arrived back in Reddin's parking lot Betsy thought she had seen and heard enough to sign off that they'd completed their mandatory sessions.

"It was really nice meeting you both," Betsy said. "I hope you'll both come see me again. If you don't like the idea of coming into the office I can always take you out for tea again." 

"Okay," Kevin agreed, less reluctantly than Betsy expected.

"It was nice to meet you, Betsy," Riko said. "I think I would actually like to talk to you again."

"I look forward to it."

Chapter Text

Betsy

Betsy had a few minutes before the next set of Foxes were supposed to arrive so she busied herself jotting down a few notes about Riko and Kevin. She never psychoanalyzed patients unless they asked her to, but she wanted to preserve her initial observations. Later, if they came back to see her, she would guide them through self-analysis and then help them sort through the results. 

Like all of David's kids, Riko and Kevin were a puzzle. If Betsy was being honest with herself, she enjoyed sorting through the pieces. She liked fitting them together too, though she knew she'd likely never complete the whole picture. But that was half the fun. There was always something new to discover. 

"Bee!" Andrew greeted from the doorway.

"Hello, Andrew." Betsy smiled. 

This was only the second time she'd heard Andrew use the new nickname. Last time he'd been in her office she was still "Hey You." She gave him her personal cell number after their first session, but last weekend was the first time he'd ever used it. Andrew stayed on the line long enough to say, "I should have killed him when I had the chance, Bee!" And hung up. 

"How was your holiday?"

"Boooring. Nicky was insufferable. He bought matching Christmas pajamas again," Andrew drawled. "What about you? Were you a busy, busy Bee?"

Andrew was deflecting, but Betsy expected and accepted it. 

"No, actually. I spent several days reading through a pile of books I've been neglecting and drinking hot chocolate by the fire," Betsy said. "Speaking of, would you like the Peppermint Mocha or the Dark Chocolate Hazelnut today?"

Andrew considered it. "Hazelnut."

Betsy pulled Andrew's chosen flavor out of her desk drawer and busied herself spooning the mix into two mugs for them.

"What books did you read?" Andrew asked.

He feigned indifference, but Betsy knew better. Despite the fact that Andrew claimed he was allergic to books, Andrew was a voracious reader. So Betsy indulged him. They drank their hot chocolate and discussed the books Betsy read over the school break until his time was nearly up. 

"So, how are you getting along with your new teammates?" Betsy asked.

"I don't care enough to get to know them," Andrew said cheerfully. 

Betsy smiled. "Abby told me you took Jean and Nathaniel to Columbia last weekend," Betsy prompted.

"Nathaniel and Jean," Andrew corrected her. "Three comes before Four."

Betsy wouldn't understand if she hadn't just seen Riko and Kevin's One and Two tattoo's. Naturally she'd been curious, but Betsy didn't ask questions for the sake of satisfying her own curiosity. 

"I invited Nathaniel," Andrew continued without further prompting. "Number Four was just along for the ride."

"Do you consider Nathaniel a friend?" Betsy asked. 

"He's a nuisance," Andrew said. 

"Oh?"

"And he's dangerous ," Andrew pronounced each syllable slowly. 

"What makes you say that?" Betsy asked.

"He has a bite to back up all of that bark!" Andrew said cheerfully. "You'll see."

***

Most of the Foxes had lovely holidays, and the conversations flowed easily. 

Nicky was very excited to report that he'd had the Best Christmas Ever ™. His long distance boyfriend flew out from Germany and they spent a lot of quality time both alone and with the twins. Betsy was delighted to find out that the matching pajamas did not go to waste (Apparently Andrew had bullied Aaron into participating).

Matt spent the holiday in New York with his mother. Betsy had mixed feelings about it after what happened back in June, but it wasn't her place to judge. And Matt really was doing so much better now.

Dan and Allison flew to North Dakota with Renee, though they split up at the airport. Renee had a cozy, quiet holiday with her mother while Dan and Allison partied with Dan's Stage Sisters. 

As per usual Aaron didn't say a word to her. 

Betsy didn't mind. Aaron had trust issues, especially involving older women. She knew he wasn't feeling ready to unpack his childhood trauma with her, so she spoke to him about things that might interest him instead. He seemed to pay attention best when Betsy talked about med school or biology, so she talked about those most. 

Reggie didn't like her any more than Aaron did. The difference was, Reggie was openly hostile and had no qualms telling Betsy what he really thought of her. Betsy had been a therapist long enough that she wasn't bothered. The insults went in one ear and out the other. 

Dwayne radiated a similar animosity as Reggie, but unlike Reggie, he wasn't quite crass enough to say the vile things to her face. He was also the only Fox who referred to Betsy with a very formal Dr. Dobson. 

Juan had a rather large extended family, but still he'd chosen to stay behind with Abby instead of going home for Christmas. He brushed aside Betsy's careful prodding about avoiding his family, but was willing to go on at length about the former Ravens. Juan had some rather rude things to say about Riko and Kevin, but Jean was "okay," and he actually seemed to have taken a liking to Nathaniel. 

Seth, on the other hand, was not so enamored.

"I wanted us to make it, Doc, but not like this," Seth complained. "If we start winning now, everyone will say it's because of the Perfect Court ."

Seth emphasized the name with air quotes and a sneer. 

"Is that so bad?" Betsy prompted. "They're your teammates."

"It doesn't matter how well we play. We'll always be overshadowed by those four idiots. With them on the Court, no one will even look at the rest of us," Seth said.

"Four people don't make a team," Betsy said, "no matter how well they play. The officials know that. If anything, they'll probably pay better attention to the rest of you, since they're already looking."

Seth looked at her as if she'd just sucker punched him. "You really think so, Doc?" 

"I do," Betsy said. "Everyone who watches College Exy is following the Foxes now. Believe in yourself and you'll make the impression you want."

Seth's expression twisted into something ugly. "No one will ever recruit a Fox to the pros," he sneered.

"Three Foxes are already on a professional team," Betsy pointed out.

"That doesn't count," Seth snapped. "They joined when they were still Ravens."

"But they're Foxes now," Betsy said. "Their presence will only open doors for the rest of you, not close them."

"How can you be so sure, Doc?" Seth asked.

"Because I believe in you," Betsy said simply. 

Seth groaned and raked a hand through his short hair. "Let's talk about something else."

"Okay," Betsy agreed. "How are things with Allison?"

Seth didn't answer immediately.

"Really, really good," he said eventually, though he wouldn't meet Betsy's eyes.

"And that makes you uncomfortable," Betsy observed.

It wasn't a question, but Seth answered anyway. "I'm no good for her," Seth's voice cracked as he said it. "She deserves better than a fuck up like me."

Betsy knew better than anyone how hard Seth was trying. When he came to Palmetto he was in a bad place. He quieted the demons in his head with drugs and alcohol. She knew he still drank heavily, but these days the strongest drugs he took were the anti-depressants Betsy prescribed him. 

"Seth, you have a good heart. Don't tell me you're not worthy of love. You've worked so hard to get where you are now. You're still working hard. You're on an uphill climb right now, but you'll make it to the top someday. I believe in you, and so does Allison," Betsy said firmly.

Seth blew out a slow breath. "If you say so, Doc."

***

There were only two Foxes left to see. Betsy had heard a lot about Nathaniel and Jean from Abby, David, and all the other Foxes. She was looking forward to meeting them herself. Other people's thoughts and opinions were interesting, but she preferred to draw her own conclusions.

"Nice to meet you boys,'' Betsy said, shaking their hands in turn.

"Nice to meet you," they replied, like they had some manners.

Betsy smiled. "Who wants to go first?" she asked. "Or, your brothers had their sessions together. We can do that if it makes you more comfortable?"

Nathaniel and Jean exchanged a look. They spoke in quiet French. It was easier to tell in Jean's obvious accent than it had been earlier with Riko and Kevin. Betsy waited patiently while they discussed. In the end it was Jean who turned to her.

"That's not necessary," Jean said. "I will go first."

She led Jean back to her office. "Make yourself comfortable and I'll make us some hot cocoa," Betsy offered.

Jean said nothing but settled on the couch while Betsy made cocoa.

"My name is Betsy Dobson, but I'll answer to just about anything from Betsy to Doc to Hey You. Shall I call you Jean, or do you prefer Mr. Moreau?"

"Mr. Moreau is my father," Jean said. "You can call me Jean."

"Jean it is," Betsy agreed. "Am I pronouncing it correctly?"

"Don't worry about it," Jean said dismissively, "hardly anyone does." 

"If you correct me I will practice so that next time I can say it correctly," Betsy said.

The look Jean favored her with was a mixture of confusion and suspicion. "Why would you do that?' he asked.

"Because I want you to feel relaxed and comfortable when you talk to me," Betsy said. 

Jean considered it. " Jean, " he said carefully. "The "N" is almost like an afterthought. It fades out at the end. 'Jeanne' is how you pronounce the girls' name."

"I'll remember," Betsy promised, handing him a cup of peppermint mocha. "Tell me about yourself, Jean."

"What do you want to know?"

Jean took a polite sip of his hot cocoa and then set it on the coffee table between them.

"Where are you from?"

"I was born in Marseille," Jean said. 

"Do you miss it?" Betsy asked.

Jean frowned. "The beach sometimes," Jean said. "Mostly I miss the freedom."

"Are people more carefree there?"

Jean snorted. "Who knows? I was an ignorant child. It doesn't matter anyway. I can never go back there."

"Do you want to go back?"

"Non," Jean said. "I couldn't face my family again."

"Did you have a falling out?" Betsy asked gently.

"My father sold me to repay a debt," Jean said flatly. 

Betsy didn't know what to do with that.

"What about your mother?" 

"She didn't stop him," Jean said.

Jean retrieved his hot cocoa from the table. His voice was even, and his features remained smooth—as if he'd gotten over the pain of it already—but, Betsy knew better. Jean drank deeply, but it looked like he just needed something to distract him from his thoughts, 

"I'm sorry, Jean. That must have been painful," Betsy acknowledged.

Jean eyed her warily. "I have another family now," he said.

"Yes, tell me about your brothers. You all seem very close." 

"They're all insane," Jean said. "Exy is the center of their little universe. The only thing they care about more is maybe each other. And none of them can do anything halfway. They give 150% all the time. It's exhausting."

"You don't approve?" Betsy asked.

Jean sighed. "They don't know any better. They weren't raised to care about anything else."

"So, you support them," Betsy said.

"Our relationship was push and pull at first," Jean admitted. "In the beginning, I only fell into line to survive. But I grew fond of them over time. I'll support them all the way to the top."

"How does it feel playing without Riko and Kevin?" Betsy asked.

Jean snorted. "It won't be for long. The Foxes are in for a rude awakening as soon as Riko and Kevin are fit to play again. They think the coaching is bad now? Wait until they're all stuck on a Court together."

"Are you getting along with the Foxes?" 

"They're…interesting," Jean said. "The Ravens were close, but in a different way than the Foxes are. They can go wherever they want, and hang out with whoever they want, and yet they choose to socialize together."

"That makes it sound as if the Ravens can't choose?"

"They can't, really," Jean shrugged. "Technically, they're not allowed to associate with non-Ravens. They're not forbidden from going home to see their families on weekends or holidays, but it is looked down upon. Ravens have to compete for their place on the line. If your game or your commitment is weak, no one will respect you."

"That sounds tough," Betsy said.

"The price of being the best," Jean said. "Most Ravens consider it payment enough, considering all Ravens go on to have professional careers after College."

"You already play for three teams, one of them professionally. That sounds like it puts a lot of stress and pressure on you." 

"It can be difficult to balance sometimes," Jean said. "The Foxes are moving on into Spring Championships, but the professional season is also starting at the end of this month. I'll have to balance both teams along with my academics. 

"I managed it fine last year though, and the Ravens have a much stricter practice schedule. I don't think the Foxes will still be in the running come February anyway, so likely the added stress won't last long."

"You don't think the team will make it to Semi-Finals?"

"Luck and grit only get you so far. We aren't ready to face the big three," Jean said. "Even if we had more than two weeks with them before the first game, it probably wouldn't make a difference."

"What makes you say that?" Betsy asked.

"They spend more time arguing than practicing when we're on the Court," Jean said. "That would never fly at Evermore."

"Perhaps you just need more time with each other to get over your differences," Betsy said wisely.

"I won't hold my breath," Jean said.

Nathaniel

Nathaniel's first impression of Betsy Dobson was that she was hard to ruffle. 

"What if I asked you to call me Chainsaw ?" Nathaniel asked.

"Oh. Is that a nickname of yours?" Dobson asked.

"No."

"Well, I have no objections if you want me to call you Chainsaw," Dobson said without missing a beat.

Nathaniel stared at her. She didn't so much as twitch, genial smile staying firmly in place.

"You can call me Nathaniel," Nathaniel said. 

"Very good," Dobson said, handing Nathaniel a cup of hot cocoa. "Tell me about yourself, Nathaniel."

"What, like elementary school? My name is Nathaniel Wesninski. My birthday is January 19th, 1988. I turn 18 next week. My hobby is Exy. I played backliner for ten years, but now I'm a striker. My favorite color is gray. I like fruit, but I hate vegetables," Nathaniel rattled off the list of menial facts about himself. "That sort of stuff?"

"First off, Happy early birthday," Dobson said. 

Nathaniel acknowledged her with a wave of his hand.

"That certainly was a nice list of things about you. Why don't you tell me where you're from?" she prompted. 

"West Virginia," Nathaniel replied automatically. 

Dobson's smile didn't waver.

"Yes, I know you've lived at Castle Evermore for the last eight years or so," Dobson said. "What I should have said is, where did you grow up? What's your family like?"

Nathaniel smiled at her. He couldn't help it. To her credit, Dobson didn't so much as flinch. She just waited patiently for his answer. 

Nathaniel's second impression of Betsy Dobson was that she could see right through his bullshit. 

"I was born and raised in Baltimore," Nathaniel said. "My father is a wealthy business owner, and my mother is dead."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Dobson said sincerely.

"My father killed her," Nathaniel said.

Dobson didn't react. "That must have been very painful for you," Dobson said sympathetically.

Nathaniel faltered. "It was," he said, straining to keep his voice from cracking. "He killed her, and he beat the shit out of me. The next thing I knew I was in West Virginia."

"Did your brothers help you through it?" Betsy asked gently.

Nathaniel frowned. "We weren't brothers back then. Well, Riko and Kevin were, sort of," he allowed. "But they absolutely hated me. Kevin was always the good boy. I refused to behave. Riko kept me honest with threats and violence. At least, until I taught him better."

"Oh?"

"He was sick of my bullshit and he thought I was afraid of knives, so he pulled one on me," Nathaniel felt the grin widen on his face. "Unfortunately, Riko was not trained how to use a knife. But I was . I took it from him. You should have seen his face."

"I imagine he was frightened," Dobson said.

"He was," Nathaniel said. "And then he was confused. He couldn't understand why I wasn't afraid of him. He didn't know that there's worse out there to be afraid of."

"What's scarier than a boy pulling a knife on you?"

"A man who knows who to use one," Nathaniel said.

Dobson nodded acceptance and considered her next question. "Are you afraid of knives?" Dobson asked.

"Using one, or having one pointed at me?" Nathaniel countered.

"Either," Dobson said.

"Neither," Nathaniel said.

Dobson interpreted that the way she wanted and moved on.  

"You're the youngest, but everyone looks up to you," Dobson said. "That must be stressful."

"Who told you that?" Nathaniel asked.

"I apologize for being presumptuous," Dobson said. "No one told me. Abby merely implied it when she told me about you and your brothers."

Nathaniel's stomach dropped. "You talk to Abby about us?"

Dobson pursed her lips, dropping her smile for the first time since they sat down. "Abby has told me a lot about you," Dobson said. "Nothing specific—just her own thoughts and feelings. She is my best friend, and so confides in me. Don't misunderstand me. I would never presume to tell her anything we speak about in my office."

Nathaniel bit his lip. He knew Abby and Coach talked about them together, but Dobson was another beast entirely. Still, he couldn't begrudge Abby her friendship. Didn't he tell his brother's everything?

"They don't look up to me," Nathaniel said. "But sometimes they don't have a choice but to follow my lead. I'm our connection to the Main Family."

"The Main Family?"

"The Moriyama Family is split into two branches. Riko's father is head of the Main Family, and Riko's uncle Tetsuji heads the Branch Family. My father works for Riko's father in the Main Family," Nathaniel explained. 

"I don't know how much Abby told you, but just know that we're supposed to belong to Riko's Uncle. We were supposed to . But I made a deal with Riko's brother to put us under his protection—to make us assets of the Main Family instead. He agreed because of his relationship with my father. A favor, from one first born son to another." 

"That sounds rather complicated," Dobson said.

"It is," Nathaniel said.

"This is getting a bit personal for a meet and greet," Dobson admitted. "Why don't we move on for now and later you can schedule a proper session with me to go over anything you like?"

Nathaniel wasn't sure he wanted a "proper" session but he didn't know if he'd be allowed to say no. "Okay," he said noncommittally. 

"You don't officially join the team until the Fall, but you are already joining in team practices, yes?" Dobson asked. "How are you getting along with your teammates?" 

"They're nothing like the Ravens," Nathaniel said. "They get along better off the Court, but they let their arguments and disagreements follow them onto it. Last week we got into a teamwide fist fight in the middle of practice, but then they invited us to a movie night afterwards and everyone laughed and joked like nothing was wrong. They don't make any sense."

"You think it's weird for friends to forgive each other so easily?" Betsy asked.

"We're not friends. We're teammates," Nathaniel said.

"Forgive me, but it seems to me that several of them view you as a friend."

"Oh," Nathaniel said, and then, "I've never had friends before."

"I think you'll find it's a little bit like having brothers," Betsy said with a smile. 

***

Nathaniel left Betsy's office feeling like his head was full of cotton. Jean got up when he walked into the waiting room and followed him out the door.

"How was it?" Jean asked.

"It was like she could see right through me," Nathaniel admitted.

Jean hummed. "Are you going to see her again?"

"Probably," Nathaniel sighed.

"Me too," Jean said.

***

On Wednesday Abby let Nathaniel go back to the stadium after his eleven AM online Economics Seminar. Coach Wymack gave him more UV Catamounts games to watch, and the two of them shared the turkey wraps and oranges that Abby sent him with.

During practice that afternoon Wymack let Nathaniel take the lead when it came to strategy. Most of the Foxes listened attentively as Nathaniel went over the plays he and Wymack had discussed, but some of the upperclassmen didn't appreciate being ordered around by a high school kid.

"The fuck is he letting you boss us around for?" Dwayne sneered. "You're not even playing in this game."

"At least those two I can understand," Seth agreed, jerking a thumb in the direction of Riko and Kevin, who were sitting on the Home Bench. "They have actual experience."

"You don't have to respect me," Nathaniel said. "But you will practice the play."

"Big man," Seth said, bumping chests with Nathaniel.

Of course, since Seth was a foot taller, it was more like Nathaniel's chest to Seth's belly button.

"What are you gonna do, make me?" Seth challenged. "I'd like to see you try."

"Knock it off, Seth," Dan ordered. "If Coach trusts Nathaniel with this, then we should listen to him."

"You want to listen to a twelve year old that hasn't even had a minute of game time?" Seth asked.

It wasn't, strictly speaking, true—Nathaniel had played games in Little Leagues after all. And it had been ten years since he played more than just scrimmages. However, since all of those scrimmages were with the Perfect Court or Edgar Allen's Ravens, Nathaniel still thought he was more than ready to go toe to toe with the senior Foxes.

"Why don't we bet on it?" Nathaniel said.

Instantly all eyes were on him. Foxes loved wagers, probably even more than Ravens did. "Dan chooses the challenge, so it's fair. If I win, you shut the fuck up and practice the plays as I call them. If you win, I'll tell Coach someone else needs to take over strategy." 

"Fine," Seth agreed. "Dan?"

Dan worried her lip as she thought. "Andrew in goal, Matt and Jean on defense," Dan said. "You get five shots each."

"Acceptable," Seth decided.

"Okay," Nathaniel agreed.

"I didn't agree to this," Andrew said cheerfully.

Nathaniel slinked over to him. "What if I make it worth your while?" Nathaniel asked, once they were a hairsbreadth apart. Andrew inclined his head slightly in invitation. "A free turn," Nathaniel offered.

Andrew considered him, manic smile screwing up as he thought. "Done," Andrew said.

"Thank you," Nathaniel said.

"Don't thank me," Andrew cackled. "You don't know what I'm going to ask."

Nathaniel didn't know what he just agreed to, but it was too late now. Andrew was already obediently taking his place in goal. 

"You want to go first or should I?" Nathaniel asked Seth.

"Women and Children first," Seth said mockingly.

Nathaniel just smiled at him and took his place on first-fourth. Seth was trying to rile him, but Nathaniel refused to take the bait. 

Andrew tossed the ball at him and play started. Nathaniel ducked and darted around Matt and Jean and sent his first ball to the top right hand corner of the goal. Andrew expected it though, and easily deflected the shot. Nathaniel didn't take it too hard. He returned to first-fourth for his second try.

Nathaniel made his second and third shots by the skin of his teeth, but on his fourth try Jean checked him hard against the wall and stole the ball from him. Nathaniel had the breath knocked out of him, but he shook himself and lined up for his fifth shot. 

This time Nathaniel almost immediately sidestepped Jean, careening into Matt. The two of them tumbled to the ground, but Nathaniel managed to hold onto the ball by hugging his racket to his chest. He used his momentum to roll past Jean, who had caught up to them, and pushed himself to his feet.

Jean was hot on his trail so Nathaniel popped the ball off the wall to give himself space to run away from his partner. Once he had it back in his racket he immediately flung it towards the goal. Andrew, expecting the ball to go where Nathaniel's eyes had been looking, overshot with his racket and missed the ball by a millimeter. The wall lit up red. 

A few Foxes whooped and clapped in encouragement, and Nathaniel turned back to face them.

"That was insanely cool, kid," Juan said, slapping him on the back. 

"Thanks, I guess," Nathaniel said. 

"Quick water break for our defense team before Seth's turn?" Dan suggested.

"Yes please," Matt said.

The Foxes filed off the court. 

"You were admittedly pretty cool, squirt, but I'll still win," Seth said as they drank their water.

"I have a name, you know," Nathaniel said. "And it's not 'squirt.' or 'kid.'"

"Your name's too damn long," Seth complained.

"Yeah," Juan said. "Why don't you go by a nickname?"

"I have a nickname," Nathaniel said.

"No one can pronounce that dumb nickname your brothers call you," Juan said. "Why don't we just call you 'Nate' instead?"

Nathaniel grimaced. "Nate is my father's nickname."

"I thought his nickname was 'The Butcher of Baltimore?'"

"Nobody calls him 'Butcher' to his face!" Nathaniel said indignantly.

"He must have shit friends, then," Juan said.

"He doesn't have friends," Nathaniel said, "only business associates."

"The way you say that makes it sound like he's over there running a legitimate business," Juan said.

"Technically, he owns several legitimate businesses."

Juan offered him a long-suffering look.

"Okay so Nate's out," Juan said. "What's your middle name? Seth goes by his middle name."

Nathaniel felt cold.

"I don't want you to call me that either. Only my mother called me by my middle name," he said hollowly.

"Shit. You are so fucked up," Seth complained.

Nathaniel was so he didn't waste his breath deafening himself.

"There's nothing wrong with his name," Jean said, butting into the conversation.

"Jean. You specifically never call him by name," Juan pointed out.

Jean shrugged. "Sometimes I do," Jean said. "But only when he's in trouble. That way he always knows."

Nathaniel stuck his tongue out at him.

"Whatever," Seth said. "If you don't want to be called 'squirt' you better come up with something else."

Seth put up a valiant effort in his own one-man challenge, but in the end he was only able to score two goals to Nathaniel's three. He begrudgingly worked through each play and drill Nathaniel showed them after that. The others fell in line without complaint.

That night, Nathaniel lay awake contemplating his name. He didn't have a problem with the childish nickname his brothers called him, but it would be a little weird to let the team call him 'Gaki.' Plus, as Juan graciously pointed out, none of the Foxes could really pronounce it correctly in the first place. 

At home his parents usually referred to him as 'Junior,' since he was technically named after his father. And he'd gotten used to 'Nathaniel' in the Nest. But both of them reminded him a bit too much of Nathan. His middle name, Abram, was better. But he didn't think he could handle being called 'Abram' without thinking of his mom.

"Nathaniel Abram Wesninski," He whispered into the dark, frowning.

"You say something, Gaki?" Jean murmured sleepily, rolling over to face him with sleep-blurred eyes.

"Just talking to myself," Nathaniel said, "go back to sleep." 

Jean

The Foxes made it through Thursday afternoon and Friday mornings' practices without bloodshed. Jean considered it a miracle. He only had one class on Friday, but he couldn't make himself care about trigonometry. He'd have to borrow someone's notes later.

Jean couldn't remember the last time he was actually worried about winning a game. It shouldn't matter. It wouldn't be his fault if they lost, and no one would punish them for failure. But it was hard to separate himself from the Ravens Exy philosophies. 

"What's the percent chance we win this game?" Jean asked Nathaniel at dinner.

Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "Ninety-two percent. Stop worrying," Nathaniel said.

At five o'clock they made their way to the stadium. Riko, Kevin, and Nathaniel dressed out with the team despite the fact that none of them would be joining the Foxes on the Court tonight. The three occupied the home bench while the Foxes went out for laps and drills.

Jean had played most of Breckenridge's starting line last year in Spring Semi's. They were a dismal team compared to the Ravens, but the Foxes weren't much of a match for them. Still, if the Foxes could get along well enough to pull off some of the plays Nathaniel had shown them, they might have a chance.

Dan had won the coin toss so the Foxes started off with the ball. Seth carried it up the Court and passed to Juan before he reached his tenth step. Unfortunately, Juan had Hawking on him. Hawking wasn't as good of a backliner as Jean, but he was twice as broad and three times as mean.

Hawking stick checked Juan so hard that Juan actually let go of his racket. He took the opportunity to redirect the ball towards Jean's mark. Jean was prepared for it and blocked the striker from moving up the Court. The other man wasn't keen to push past him though.

"Hey Moreau!" His Striker mark called. "I can't believe the Perfect Court joined a shit team like the Foxes by choice! I bet Moriyama kicked you off and your supposed accident is just a ruse!"

Jean pretended to be cowed but checked the Striker hard when he tried to blow past. It wasn't enough to knock him down, but he fumbled the ball. Jean swatted it towards Dan who was closest and open.

"Don't be stupid," Jean returned, still tracking the ball with his eyes. "I don't need to be a Raven to kick your ass. Our weakest striker has better stats than you." 

The striker rammed into Jean, despite the fact the ball was halfway across the Court. Jean wasn't able to brace himself, so the tackle sent him off balance and the two hit the ground. Hard. Jean's helmet cracked against the court floor and he saw stars.

Jean lay there, dazed. Distantly he heard the whistle blow to stop play. The referee made it to them before Jean successfully struggled into a sitting position. The striker was given a Red card for his unsportsmanlike tackle, and Abby was sent on to check Jean out.

"How's your head?" Abby asked, shining a light in his eyes.

Jean cringed away from it. "I'm fine, Abby. Just dazed," Jean said.

"Your pupil reaction is fine. How's your vision?"

"Crystal," Jean said.

Now that he'd had a minute to catch his breath, he felt fine. Angry, but fine. 

"David can sub you out," Abby offered.

"I've taken harder falls in practice," Jean pointed out. "I'm okay to play."

"Okay," Abby agreed, though she didn't like it. "I'll check you again at halftime."

Abby and the Referee's left the Court and Jean returned to his starting position. The rest of the half went better than Jean expected. The Foxes scored three times, but the Jackals didn't score on Andrew once. 

At half-time Abby gave him a full work up and agreed that Jean was fine and didn't have a concussion after all. He still didn't get any playing time in second half. In the end it didn't matter because the game ended 6-5, Foxes' favor. 

Jean joined the others on the Court for the post game handshake. The Jackals were more than a little peeved, and several of them sneered at him as if he were personally responsible for their loss. Jean ignored them and left the Court buoyed by the Foxes' excitement. 

"Jean Moreau! An interview, please?" 

Jean turned to see a gaggle of reporters clamoring for a piece of him. He should have expected this considering it was his first game as a Fox, but he felt ill prepared. Dan was by his side in an instant. She squeezed his bicep gently, but he wasn't sure if it was in warning or encouragement.

Jean slapped his press ready smile onto his face and undid his helmet as he followed Dan over to the reporters. 

"Jean, tell us, how did it feel to play your first game as a Fox?" Channel 3 asked.

"Really good," Jean said. "When we got here, we expected a challenge, but the Foxes have more than enough talent to go around."

Dan whooped in agreement.

"You don't regret leaving Edgar Allen?" ESPN2 asked.

"We learned all we could from Coach Moriyama and the Ravens," Jean said. "We're looking forward to growing more alongside the Foxes."

"When you said you learned all you could, do you mean Coach Moriyama has nothing left to teach?" Channel 3 asked.

"We hit a plateau with Raven teachings," Jean admitted. "We were already creating our own plays and drills before we left Edgar Allen. Changing teams was the obvious next step in our growth and development as players."

"Do you feel like you're stepping on Coach Moriyama's toes?" Exy Today asked, "taking Raven strategies to a new team?"

"Raven strategies won't work with a team like the Foxes," Jean said, not unkindly. "We're coming up with all new ideas instead. It's perhaps too difficult to see after just two weeks of practice and one game. Keep an eye on us next year. Thank you. Have a good night." 

Jean dismissed himself from press duty and walked to the locker room, leaving Dan to finish up with a couple of the other reporters.

"Not bad, Moreau!" Dan said, slapping him on the back as she caught up.

"Thank you, Captain," Jean said.

"We're gonna party at the dorms tonight to celebrate," Dan said. "You should come."

"I don't know…" 

"You should go," Nathaniel said, sidling up to them.

"You should wear a bell," Jean said flatly.

Nathaniel pressed his car keys into Jean's chest until Jean took them. "Take my car. I'll ride back with Abby," Nathaniel said.

"Still grounded?" Dan asked with a wince of sympathy.

"It hasn't even been a week," Nathaniel said.

"Oh, right," Dan said. "When are you allowed to hang out with us again?"

Nathaniel hummed. "I didn't ask," he said.

Dan gave him an incredulous look which Nathaniel didn't return.

"Have fun, Jean, see ya later," Nathaniel said, slipping back through the sea of Foxes towards Abby. 

"He's a weird kid," Dan said.

"Trust me, you have no idea," Jean said, clutching Nathaniel's keys in his palm. 

Bonus Scene (Christmas Pajamas):

Aaron

"Come on, Aaron," Nicky whined, clutching the black and red flannel pajamas as if Aaron's refusal to wear them would kill him. "It would be so cute, and we can take pictures!"

"No," Aaron said flatly.

Nicky and Eric could wear matching pajamas all they wanted. They couldn't force Aaron to join them.  

"Why aren't you dressed?"

Aaron turned to see Andrew had joined them in the hall. Andrew was wearing a baleful expression and Nicky's family Christmas pajamas. Aaron opened his mouth, closed it again, and snatched his pajamas from Nicky's hands.

"I hate this fucking family."

Chapter Text

Riko

Riko held his breath as the doctor slapped the films from his CAT scan into the wall-mounted light box. Beside him, Abby and Kevin appeared to be examining them with the Doctor. Riko didn't know what they were looking at. He couldn't see anything.

"I don't see anything," The doctor said, and at Riko's look added, "That's a good thing . It means the fracture is either gone or so small you can't see it anymore."

"Does that mean I can play again?" Riko asked, breath bated.

"You should probably still take it easy for the next two weeks," The doctor said, "But as far as practice, if you don't get too rough, I don't see why not."

***

"Are you sure it's okay? I could wait for you," Riko said.

"No," Kevin said. "Someone has to teach our little brother better. His style is leaning a little too much like Martinez' for my liking." 

"We have to adapt a little," Riko pointed out. "Foxes don't play like Ravens."

"That's what the new drills are for. We're combining our styles to make each other stronger," Kevin said stubbornly. 

Riko smiled. "Of course."

Kevin scowled. "Go change out."

Riko clapped Kevin on the shoulder as he passed. "Yes, Coach," he said. 

Riko entered the locker room alone and walked to his number 11 locker. The others were already halfway through their afternoon practice. It had been a month since he'd donned it, but the armor still felt familiar and comfortable. Riko tugged his new Fox jersey on over it and walked out to the inner court.

Wymack looked him up and down as he approached. "You look better in orange and white," Wymack said. "Go easy today, yeah?"

"Yes, Coach," Riko said.

"Warm up."

Riko ran a few laps around the inner court. It felt good to move again. When he was finished stretching, Wymack banged on the Court Wall, unbolted the door, and Riko entered the Foxhole Court in uniform for the first time. 

"Riko!" Nathaniel called, waving him over.

Riko jogged over to meet him.

"The doctor cleared you?" Nathaniel asked.

"For light practice," Riko told him.

"Excellent. We're practicing a new play Coach and I came up with," Nathaniel said, indicating the striker line.

Nathaniel was the only one who looked happy about it. 

"You guys don't think it will work?" Riko asked.

"It requires a certain level of synchrony that they don't quite have," Nathaniel explained.

"Fuck you. You can't do it either," Dwayne said.

"It's not my fault you can't catch the pass," Nathaniel said. "I can only slow down so much before I start to lose accuracy."

"Explain," Riko said.

Nathaniel gave him a quick run down of the new play while the upperclassman looked on, unimpressed. Even Juan, who normally got along well with Nathaniel, wasn't keen to keep trying.

"Okay, let's go," Riko said. "Try it with me."

Riko expected it to feel awkward. It had been four weeks since he last practiced Exy, and he was used to having Kevin at his side. But Nathaniel always had the skill to play striker, and Riko and Nathaniel had known each other long enough to match each other's rhythm. 

They didn't fit together as Riko and Kevin did, like peanut butter and jelly. Rather Riko and Nathaniel fit together like coffee and cheesecake. That is to say, the two worked well together, but they weren't a true pair. It didn't seem to make much difference on the Foxhole Court.   

"How the hell did you do that on your first try?" Seth demanded. "We've been practicing that for over an hour."

Dwyane clacked his racket hard against the Court floor in apparent frustration. 

"Ugh," Juan complained. "This is why no one kicked up a fuss when you called yourself Exy's best striker on national television."

Riko almost didn't maintain his neutral expression. "I never said that." 

"You may as well have," Juan said. "They say it to your face, and you just smile and laugh."

"Telling Reporters they're wrong when they're complimenting you is generally bad for your PR," Riko pointed out. "Besides that, my uncle would have probably beaten the shit out of me. Kevin too."

" God , your Uncle is so fucked," Juan said emphatically.

Riko shrugged. "Irrelevant. More importantly, we need to get you three running this play," Riko said. "It's all well and good if Nathaniel and I can do it, but we're not playing in the game on Friday."

The three grumbled but continued running the play. It was abundantly clear to Riko, after watching them each execute a few attempts, that the only thing getting in the senior strikers way was pride.

Nathaniel was diligent and patient in his corrections, but they rebuffed him and fought him at every turn. After their fifth fumble, Riko finally lost his temper. 

"What the fuck was that?" Riko demanded. "Are you even trying?"

"They'll get it," Nathaniel insisted.

"What is this? Bad Cop, Dumb Cop?" Dwayne scoffed.

"Hmm," Nathaniel considered him with an innocent expression no one believed. "I dunno, Dwayne, I make straight A's and you're failing Developmental Biology, so which of us is the dumb one?" 

Dwayne took a threatening step forward but Juan laughed and threw an arm in his path to bar him.

"Come on, Dwayne." Juan grinned. "The kid's pretty fucking funny."

"He won't think it's funny when I knock his teeth out," Dwayne said, but he didn't try to push past Juan.

"I don't get it," Riko said. "Nathaniel practically gift wrapped that play for you. You could do it if you'd just pull your heads out of your asses for two minutes."

"Why should I listen to him?" Dwayne said. "He's just a dumb kid with no real experience."

"No real—you remember we were Raven's right?" Riko asked.

"You, yeah," Seth scoffed. "The squirt was never a real Raven." 

"Nathaniel trained the last two rounds of incoming freshman Raven's by himself," Riko informed them.

"You what? " Juan asked.

"Tetsuji doesn't waste his time with anyone who's not ready to join the line. He tests them now and again, but training is handled by assistant coaches and other Raven's," Riko explained. "Nathaniel's primary function on the team was leading new recruits through Raven Drills and teaching them Plays and Strategy. We used to help more, but after we officially joined the line two years ago, we became more invested with the senior players." 

"We've been ragging on you for days. Why didn't you fucking say something?" Seth asked suspiciously.