Hunter

XXXIX

Cairo led Jade to a library after they ate, leading her through hallways that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
She glanced around the area as they walked, looking for something to break the windows in her room. She clenched her fists, trying to suppress the urge to lash out at Cairo. He glanced back at her, his ears twitching as he smiled at her. Jade clenched her fists tighter. That smile was smug, like he knew what she was thinking.
Cairo pushed open the doors of the library, his hands wafting through the air like he was casting a spell.
He gestured to the huge, silver bookshelves lining all the walls. "You may read whatever you want, until you are tired. Then you can either sleep here," he pointed to an alcove," Or you can go back to your-"
The ceiling exploded over his head, a black and silver motorcycle dropping through a massive. The edges of the motorcycle were hazy, like it was something far away.
The exact opposite of the driver's face, that was wide and expressive, with gray eyes beaming over the library like twin spotlights.
Aric.
He leaped off the cycle, and muttered something, the bike shrinking into a sword. Jade's backpack was slung over his stiff shoulders. His fingers clenched the sword in his hand, his nails digging into the leather strap around the hilt of the sword.
Aric's eyes locked onto Cairo, who's teeth were bared. He swung his hand in Aric's direction, like a disdainful cat.
Aric glared, flipping his sword into his hand as if he was flipping Cairo off.  Cairo's ears twitched, his eyes starting to glow. He crouched down, and jumped forward, his hands pushing Aric's chest, and pinning him down.

He straddled his chest, and Jade finally summoned some willpower to get out of her stupor. She lunged forward, her ankles propelling her. She tumbled into Cairo, and grabbed his arms, twisting them under his torso.

But Cairo kicked out at the last second, stabbing his foot into her sternum. She gasped, feeling weightless, until she collapsed onto the floor. She gasped again, rubbing her sore chest, when Cairo stalked towards her again.

Aric jumped in time, just as Cairo raised his hands to rake his nails across Jade's face, and he slammed the butt of his sword against Cairo's head.

He yowled, before hissing and spitting at Aric.  Aric punched him, and Cairo fell, his ears twitching, as Jade stood up and held him down with her knee on the center of his chest.

Aric's face contorted momentarily, and he hissed. "Why?! Why did you take them?! What did I do?!"He took a deep breath, turning away from Jade.

His knees felt weak, his energy and willpower finally giving out. He fell to his knees, barely feeling the bruises on his legs.

He stared at the ceiling, angry tears falling.

"WHY?!" He screamed in his head, a strange keening sound coming out of his throat. "Why? Why? Why? Whywhywhywhywhwywhy?" He spat the word over and over again quietly, his nails digging into his palms every time.
Aric looked back at Jade, who was looking down at Cairo's body still pinned beneath her knee.
Jade bit her lip, chewing on it as she glanced between Aric and Cairo.
Aric wasn't unstable, right? He was just angry. She could understand that. He had been too much at too young an age. It was kind of amazing that he didn't have PTSD or anything like that.
Jade bit her lip harder as she thought. Aric  wouldn't hurt her, of that she was certain. He had all the chances he needed to.
But looking over at Aric staring at the ceiling and crying made her unsure of what she exactly thought she knew.
Aric looked over at her, smiling weakly. He started walking towards her, his hands drumming against his thigh.
He knelt next to her. "I- I- I'm not crazy...... I'm not." He stayed quiet for a bit, searching her face for.... something. Something to reassure him.  "Do you believe me?"
He looked at her so intensely, his gray eyes glancing at every angle, every feature on her face. Jade licked her lips, thinking about what to say.
"Look, Aric, it's just-  A lot. And- it's kind of a lot to take in." Her voice was too soft, like she was trying to break some bad news to him.
His eyes welled up with hot tears at her words, and he looked away, biting the inside of his cheek.
Why did everyone have to leave? His family was dead. His cousin didn't even pay attention to him anymore. Now this girl that made him feel so- so- different was going to leave him too.
It was all his fault. He knew it was too good to be true.
Why couldn't he just be a better person? He wasn't strong, he was weak. Who wants to stay with a weak person? That's why he couldn't save his family, wasn't it? Because he was weak.
"Are-Are you ok?" Jade asked him softly. She had been trying to get his attention for a minute or two, but Aric had just been staring at his hands. He was pinching them, tugging at them like they were the arms of a rag doll.
He felt more tears well up, and he stared at the floor.
"Are you leaving?" His voice was hoarse, all the anguish balling in his throat. He remembered when his cousin had told him that he needed to be more "independent" and told him to live somewhere else. Would this hurt like that did?
"What the actual hell are you talking about?!" Jade yelled. Her hands jutted out, gripping his, before letting go again.
She grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to look at her. Her eyes were fiery and angry, her mouth set into a fierce frown. Her fingers wrapped around the bone and muscle of his shoulder, squeezing him tightly. Aric's eyes widened at the sudden contact.
"Nobody ever said that, Aric! I'm not leaving you because of some anger management issue! What type of foolishness. Are you on some damn drugs?" When he didn't answer, Jade glared at him, clapping her hands in front of his face. "Snap the hell out of it!"
Aric stared at her, feeling his body relax. "But- But- I"
Jade put a finger over his lips, before lightly smacking him across the face. "Stupid. Stupid, aren't you."
He leaned in, nodding. He bent his head, his hair draping over his face.  His shirt was ripped across his chest, showing wrapped bandages. She ran her fingers lightly across them, feeling for any moisture. Hopefully, this idiot hadn't torn any healing injuries.
Aric looked straight at her, his eyes glowing. His hair was a hot mess, a bleeding cut on his cheek. He held Jade's hand for a bit, before pulling off one of his wristbands.
Jade opened her mouth to ask what he was doing, but he shook his hand.
"Do you trust me?" He fiddled with the wristband, whispering to it, until a strange ball formed in his hands.
Jade nodded mutely. He planted a small kiss on her cheek before gripping her hands again. He slipped the ball into her fingers, and squeezed her hand.  Gold light melted into Jade's vision.
"Then I need you to forgive me."