Phandrin watched Ace, Kwared and Holly step outside, pausing as he turned to Kertia with a smile.
"So? What else is up?" He asked quietly, Kertia pausing and glancing at the monitor. Phandrin felt bad, he wanted to apologise but he kept being optimistic, to keep Kertia in a good mood.
"I have a neurological issue, so I'm going to have a hard time flying, and Im going to get dizzy spells that could knock me out so I have to take medication. I have a concussion too, and they said I might have issues with basic day to day tasks, or it might take me a bit longer than normal," Kertia pointed out the brain scan and monitor on the screen, something Kwared must not have seen. Phandrin glanced at it before nodding, looking between the few diagrams.
"Will it get better?" He asked, Kertia nodding for a moment.
"It will, I just need to take medication. I didn't want to worry Kwared any more, I know he's had issues with hurting people he tried to care about in the past, it ruined alot for him," Kertia mentioned, Phandrin raising a brow. He wasn't aware of Kwared having hurt anyone like that, not someone he claimed to care about at least.
"Was it a friend?" Phandrin kept his voice quiet, hoping Ace recieved his text to keep Kwared outside for a bit.
"No, but Kwared wanted it to be.." Kertia trailed off, sighing as he sat up. This puzzled Phandrin further, not trying to think lowly of him, but Kwared didn't necessarily like making friends.
"I'd rather let him tell you. I'm surprised you don't know, it's a big thing at the school... He doesn't like thinking about it," Kertia paused, leaning his head against the wall and looking at Phandrin again with a smile. He felt the metal caser around his finger beep for a moment, resetting.
"He cares about you though, I'm sure he will tell you if you ask," Kertia finished, nodding slightly. Phandrin tried to recall something along the lines that Kertia had mentioned, but by the time he'd gotten out of the old apartment, after the orphanage, he was already a 5th year student. He'd only been on campus now for about a year, and by the time he moved in, from what Ace had told him at least, Kwared had been at the school for 3 years. Phandrin didn't focus on anything socially much, staying in his small group and not bothering with things like fighting or gatherings, just going home and to work each day to pay his debts. Because of this, he had heard of Kwareds name muttered around the halls, but he never actually knew or saw the boy.
"I might, you said it was sensetive? I'll have to ask when we're alone then," Phandrin hummed, Kertia nodding.
"Ace knows too, being there first hand for alot," Kertia added, Phandrin furrowing his eyebrows as he couldn't quite place what Kertia could be talking about.
"Please, did you think he was always like that?" Kertia mumbled, glancing down as Phandrin stayed quiet. Kertia was right, nobody just acted like Kwared did, there had to have been a reason.
"I'll talk to him then, I hope your recovery goes well, Kwared really is sorry," Phandrin smiled, Kertia nodding.
"Thanks Phandrin, and I know... I knew he was even as I was being brought into the stretcher," Kertia laughed airily. Phandrin eyed the bruises and red spots all over Kertia, frowning slightly. Kertia seemed fine though, his demeanor as welcoming and fun as ever.
"I know he wouldn't do that, not while stable at least,"
_________
Kwared sat on the bench outside of the hospital, leaning his head on his hand as he waited for Phandrin. Ace and Holly had already gotten their ride moments ago, so Kwared decided to wait outside, assuming Phandrin was saying a last goodbye to Kertia. He wasn't dumb, he knew Kertia was hurt more than he explained, but he didn't need Kertia worrying over him worrying about Kertia, if that made sense.
Staring down the parking lot, he sighed lowly, recalling Kertia barely fighting back in the arena. He felt horrid, Kertia not wanting to attack likely because of Kwared and Phandrins predicament, but in turn, Kwared had bludgeoned him out of a manic episode.
He zoned out, recalling all the times he's fought people in the arena, the look they gave, begging him to stop before he knocked them out. It was pitiful Kwared didn't feel bad, smiling even every time he thought of it. Some of these people deserved it, that's what he believed.
Phandrin called his name a few times, Kwared jumping when the boy set a hand on his shoulder, Kwared turning quickly. He let out a loud sigh seeing the nervous smile on Phandrins face, standing and turning to him fully.
"I thought you were some stranger- jeez-" Kwared exhaled, Phandrin eyeing his expression, Kwareds eyes trailing back to the ground again.
"Nope, I called you for a bit though. Are you alright?" Phandrin hummed, leaning down to make eye contact with Kwared again. Kwared turned his head slightly, Phandrin scoffing under his breath and tilting Kwareds head up to face him.
"I just feel bad," Kwared stayed quiet, a hand going to Phandrins wrist who's hand held his chin up so that he couldn't look down again.
"He said it was alright, he understands why it happened, and he accepted your apology," Phandrin nodded, his aim to get Kwared used to eye contact with him.
"I know he said that.." Kwared muttered, his grip on Phandrins wrist tightening, Phandrin furrowing his eyebrows.
"Are you worried about something specific?" He asked, Kwared glancing behind him, shrugging. His tail was wilted behind him, Phandrin noticing. His ears were also almost flat against his head, Kwared obviously still upset.
"I don't like seeing anyone from the facility hurt," Kwared shrugged again, his hand loosening, Phandrin moving his own hand up to rest on Kwareds face. At this point, Kwared did appreciate it, he just had no idea what to do- let alone how to respond.
"I'd see why. He will be alright I'm sure, he's already recovering well," Phandrin smiled, Kwared nodding slowly.
"On another note, I wanted to ask you some stuff when we got home. Are you staying at my dorm tonight?" Phandrin smiled pulling out his car keys and tugging Kwared along.
"Yeah, is it bad-?" Kwared said quickly, following and sitting in the passenger seat. Phandrin glared at him for a second when he didn't put the seatbelt on, Kwared rolling his eyes.
"No, it's not bad, and nothing's wrong so don't worry. I just wanna be alone and somewhere private I guess, I think it's a bit personal," Phandrin shrugged, leaning over the back of the seat so he could see behind the car, backing up.
"...okay, what personal though," Kwared mused, Phandrin glancing at him before looking at the road, turning into the street.
"Well I've never heard you talk about it, so I don't really know but you don't have to talk about it if you don't want, let's just wait till we get back," Phandrin hummed, tapping the steering wheel as they drove, Kwared nodding and leaning on the window.
"Alright, but I'm tired, so I don't know if you'll get a full answer," Kwared mumbled, grabbing Phandrins free hand from over the divider.
"We can wait till tomorrow if you want?" Phandrin paused, squeezing Kwareds hand as Kwared shook his head. Phandrin felt Kwareds hand trembling slightly, his nails retracted and dulled so that they would cut Phandrin.
"Then I'll worry about it all night, so let's figure it out tonight,"
