Fear and Fate(poly)(bxb)

Ten

Seven pulls my hands forward. I feel it in my spine as he leans backward, almost laying on the floor. We're both flexible, but there's no way he feels the burn as well as I do. I pull on his wrists as we switch positions.

His dark hair parts from his forehead revealing more of his angelic gaze. When I lean back it's so that I can focus more on the stretch in my muscles, and not on how much Seven looks like a prince.

Von and Romero are sparing behind me. The basement home-gym is large and full of equipment from power cages to pelotons. It's still not big enough for me not to hear the two men.

Romero takes two steps back after the blow he takes from our gang leader. The latter fights in a black oversized tank top; his tattoos on a rare full display. The roses on his left hand wither as he punches forward.

This time Romero blocks Von with his forearms; he gets pushed back just the same. Von stares at him, black waves damp and hardly concealing his rage as his muscular form seems to get bigger.

Seven pulls me forward. We stretch like this as the two continue, Romero getting a few jabs in, Von coming back even harder.

Diana enters the room completely on her own. She walks to the middle of the room in heels. L is still resting from the match they had earlier but he perks up immediately, prosthetics and all. Von moves just out of reach, just in time, from Romero's hit. He stares at his mother from across the room with his chest visibly rising up and down.

His mother makes us all rise to attention without having to say a word. "Come here," she calls and her eyes are on me so suddenly every else's are as well.

I walk forward out of sheer peer pressure. I never know what she has in store for me. Feeling the fine hairs on my arm raise in suspense, I find myself face to face with her.

Every time I see her, her makeup is always the same, red lip-stain always matte. Like Von, she has a permanent scowl on her face. But she has wrinkles that deepen her serious expression.

"How is your shoulder?" Diana asks.

I almost stutter. "It's fine."

"Good," she says.

No way.

I know the shock shows on my face; I couldn't hide it if I tried. There's no way she cares about my health. I'm just a pawn to her. Then again, I have never fully felt that way. She got my nails done and stroked my hair. I have to be her favorite chess piece if not for Von.

"Has she been sparring?" Diana moves on with me still at the topic of discussion.

"No, but we all have," Von says quickly, still panting.

Kimori enters the room next followed by a man I've never seen before. It's Kimori's face though, making him look unknowingly familiar. He's tall just like the younger, has a full head of hair too though his has a distinct grey streak. Over his eye, he has a black eyepatch partially concealing his expression.

Kimori beams next to him. His smile is different, less anxious and more comfortable. It's his dad.

"You two go at it," Diana says suddenly.

Von snaps his head at her before ultimately approaching me. Von doesn't show mercy when he fights, ever. I know he's still frustrated at me from yesterday too. The eye contact I make with our matchmaker is even more brief and regrettable. Diana intimidates me into action that quickly.

I walk in front of Von as we take our space away from everyone else in the large gym. I'm only slightly more scared of his mother than of him right now. With his broad shoulders and deep glare, he's looking like Romero was just an appetizer.