Quadrant Feathers

Chapter 43: "Circus"

Kwared watched Phandrin pour the drinks, his remark stuck in his head.

"I trust you,"

He didn't respond, Phandrin continued to pour the drinks glancing at him every little bit. Phandrin puffed waving the steam from his vision as he set the kettle down.

"Are you alright?" He asked as Kwared nodded.

"I'm tired," he said taking the cup Phandrin offered him.

"Do you wanna sleep? I can go," the other asked sitting down at the table. Kwared shook his head leaning on his palm.

"I'm not that tired, I just don't wanna do anything," he said as Phandrin nodded sipping his drink.

"Well we don't have to do anything.we could just talk or something," Phandrin offered as Kwared shifted.

"Yeah, it's what we usually end up doing before we fight again or something," Kwared mused as Phandrin gave him a look.

"I never want to fight with you," he said as Kwared shrugged.

"Doesn't mean it doesn't happen pretty boy," he snickered as Phandrin huffed.

"Well the goal now is to not fight, I just want to talk.. civil-ly?" Phandrin said, Kwared noting the questionable tone in his voice.

"You think I can't be civil?" Kwared mocked as Phandrin raised a brow.

There was a long pause before Kwared rolled his eyes, his tail whipping behind him.

"Aight, I see how it is. Fox can't be civil with its natural prey~" Kwared smiled at the end as Phandrin set his cup down.

"..on another note.. I wanted to talk about some things that Ace said during the fight-" Phandrin trailed off as Kwared paused.

"What about it? She's a blabbermouth, a wuss, going around spewing like that out of anger," Kwared scoffed as his ears pressed back.

"I know I know- but, I mean more about what she said exactly... Something involving.. a doctor?" Phandrin trailed off again. He already knew, he'd been told by his other friends that were in the facility, but Kwared didn't know he knew. He wanted to see if the boy would lie.

Kwared was quiet for a while as Phandrin stared at the boys hands, his nails retracting and lengething, something Phandrin noticed he did when nervous.

"You don't have to answer.. but I did tell you something about me," Phandrin shrugged slightly as Kwared glanced at him.

"She was.. talking about a doctor from my facility.. he's in jail," Kwared trailed off for a second as Phandrin felt hope rise in his chest alongside guilt.

"Just the one? What did he do?" Phandrin asked carefully as he noticed Kwareds tail sitting stiff behind him.

Kwared stayed quiet again as he glanced down at his cup.

"He did something to me.. multiple times and the other doctors didn't want to.. deal with it," Kwared said as Phandrin nodded.

"What happened?" Phandrin tried to continue, Kwareds vulnerability wouldn't last long.

"..He raped me,"

...

It was quiet. Phandrin already knew this, but hearing it from Kwared was like reliving the tale again. Kwared was staring down at his cup, his ears pressed down reminding Phandrin or a scared dog.

"Kwared-" Phandrin wanted to say something useful, but he didn't have any idea what Kwared was going to say or do.

"But, as I said before," Kwared was sudden, taking the last swallow of his drinnk.

"It's in the past.. not a problem anymore," he said smiling at Phandrin.

Phandrin felt a twinge of guilt at the small smile Kwared had on his face, his tail still frozen behind him.

"It's okay to be upset about it, you don't need to act like it's not a problem to you-" Phandrin said setting his cup in the sink.

"I never said it wasn't, but it just isn't a problem to me," Kwared retaliated as Phandrin turned to him, stepping to his side of the table.

"You're tail is wilted and you're trembling.. I doubt it isn't an issue.. but I'm here to talk about it if you need me," Phandrin said leaning down to eye level.

"And I don't want this to turn into an argument, and I won't make you say anything.. I'm just saying you'd probably benefit from it," Phandrin said quickly hoping Kwared would understand.

He tried to read Kwareds expression, their eyes locking as Kwared stayed quiet.

"I didn't think the trembling was visible..." Kwared mumbled, glancing down at his hands. Phandrin was right, and heat was building up on his neck as he swallowed.

"You're alright. We're just in your kitchen," Phandrin pulled Kwareds hands into his grip, Kwared staring down.

Phandin noted his slightly heavy breathing as he squeezed his hands lightly. Kwared didn't show any resistance only shifting his hands.

He pressed his mouth to Kwareds knuckles waiting for a response only to receive the blank staring down, worry panging in his chest.

"Kwared, C'mon you're alright. I'm right here and there isn't anyone else," Phandrin felt bad for bringing up the topic of the doctor, but he knew Kwared telling him this would help them talk more.

Kwared inhaled after a while, Phandrin staying where he was as Kwared glanced at him.

"Hey, are you alright?" Phandrin moved the big parts of hair from his face to feel the tempature.

"I didn't intend to rile you up, I'm sorry," he confessed as Kwared sighed.

"It's fine.. I was just lost in thought I guess," he mumbled as Phandrin raised a brow.

"People tend to be aware if their sarroundings," Phandrin mused pulling Kwared to stand carefully.

"You should probably get to sleep. I'll head out when I'm sure you're alright," he finished as Kwared paused.

"Do you wanna stay the night again?" He asked steeping into his doorway, Phandrin pausing with a hand on the doorframe.

"If you want, I wouldn't mind," he said as Kwared nodded. Phandrin turned to head towards the pull out couCh before he felt Kwared grab his sweater. Kwared made sure his nails were dull, his hand not leaving Phandrins sweater.

Kwared shut the door, Phandrin stumbling a bit.

"The pull-out bed is uncomfortable. I'm guessing you'd prefer it here,"