Immaculate

Actions speak louder than words

North's POV

This was utter fucking shit.

He was lying back on the sofa looking like he'd done five rounds with a boxer, not two fucking high school kids he should have taken out easier than clicking his fingers. They might have been bigger than him but he was a fucking black belt, if they'd taken him by surprise, jumped him first then I could see it. But he had known what they were doing. Trevor had said he was facing both of them.

"Nathan, you should have red lined us," Kota was saying to him, but he was glaring at his phone.

"I didn't get time!" he spat and I knew he was lying.

"Sure you had time," I contradicted him. "That kid said it was like a fucking mexican standoff, you could have redlined any one of us in that time."

"It happened pretty quickly actually," Nathan argued and winced as he caught his cracked rib.

We had all gone back to his place, well, not all of us. Victor had taken Gabe and Silas home as they had to leave. Luke was down at the Diner with Uncle and I was going to head there in a few minutes. I had just wanted to talk to Nathan first. He had come back from the hospital with the Doc, Mr B, Kota and Sang. Doc said he had a slight concussion and a couple of cracked ribs, but otherwise was ok. Cracked ribs were no fun and I knew he'd feel them for a few weeks.

I huffed out my breath and folded my arms. I could hear Sang, the Doc and Owen in the kitchen and I knew they were making something to eat.

"Look, I have to go, I'm babysitting Jessica tonight for mom," Kota said and I saw Nathan nod at him "Just.... well, just take it easy, Nate."

Nathan nodded and I saw his expression easy slightly as he looked at Kota. Kota seemed happy with that and crossed to go into the kitchen.

"Ok, look bro, we need to talk," I told him and folded my arms.

"Look, whatever you want to think, I didn't have time to red line anyone, ok?" he snapped and winced again, his hand going to his side as he inhaled shallowly

"You need to breath deeply," I reminded him, but he just flipped me the finger. "That wasn't what I meant anyway," I added ignoring his bad temper.

"There's nothing else to talk about," he said and I rolled my eyes and sat down.

"Yeah, there is Nate, Sang. You've been pissy with me all fucking day and it's not good."

"I'm in pain, North, pain makes anyone pissy," he retaliated, but there was no heat in his words and he looked unhappy now.

"You were pissy before you got the shit kicked out of you," I pointed out, trying to reign in my own temper, he was in a lot of pain and he was my brother; no matter how much of a dickhead he was being.

"Let's just drop it, yeah?"

"No," I replied and sat down in front of where he was laid out. I crossed my legs and regarded him for a few seconds. His right eye was practically closed, his lip was split and he had a giant bruise on the side of his neck that looked more painful than his eye.

"Fuckers did a number on you," I murmured and he snorted, regretting it instantly.

"Nathan, talk to me," I ordered him. "I know you're not happy with me and Sang are you?"

"I'm perfectly fine with Sang, I don't have a problem with her at all," he shifted slightly. "Or you. It's none of my fucking business what you two get up to..."

"But you don't like it, do you?" I insisted and he shifted again, glaring at me out of his one good eye.

"No, I fucking do not," he grunted.