"Is your house this close to the PRU headquarters?"
Raven asked the older boy as they navigated through the busy street.
"Yes, since I work there since the semester is over, so the place I stay is just right ahead."
Reo replied.
'For someone who's the older brother of the boy who wants me dead, he's surprisingly normal.'
Raven thought.
Raven had expected that their meeting would devolve into a street fight.
It didn't, thankfully, Raven wasn't sure if he would have won if he had.
Reo had gotten clearance from Nyx to leave, and Raven learned that he would be staying with Reo for the time being.
That too, and he was given clearance to pass, but he still had to return before seven to meet Nyx.
"I usually pass this alley to get there, it's shorter that way."
Reo explained as they turned.
Raven nodded absentmindedly.
'What does he mean by semester? Does he attend the academy?'
Unlike his brother, Reo seemed strong, not only that but he was older.
"Hey, do you—"
Raven didn't complete his words.
A solid punch connected with his face, snapping his head to the side before he could complete a sentence.
Then, the older boy grabbed him by the collar, kneeing him in the gut. He kneed Raven again, and again.
"Urgkh."
His head rattled from the impact, the world tilting sideways.
Reo pushed him back, however, he didn't give Raven time to find his footing.
Another blow smashed across his jaw, his body reeling backwards until it crashed into a pile of trashbags.
He coughed up blood.
"If you come back tomorrow, I'll do you the same thing again."
The boy spat on him.
"Don't worry, I'll do you the favor of telling Ms. Nyx that you ran off, afraid that you would die on the job."
Reo said, the disdain he had been holding back finally coming through.
"Is this because of your brother?"
Raven asked.
"Please, why would I do anything for that fool?"
"Then what's your problem?"
"Well, her goodness just seems to be wasted on you.
She's taking you in to be a student of hers, just like me. But unlike me, people who have little to no conviction to the job don't deserve it."
He said, spitting squarely on Raven's chest.
"If I had to guess, someone like you is probably straddled with debts."
Reo turned around and began walking away.
"I told you, come back tomorrow and you won't even make it to her office, I'll beat you to a bloodly pulp on the first floor."
Raven did waste a second.
He dared not.
He dashed forward with conviction, his breathing labored.
Before Reo could turn to the sound of his footsteps, Raven had already raised the boy's thigh up.
Then, with all the force he could muster, he slammed his knee into the Reo's nuts.
The older boy's face twisted into absolute pain as he fell onto the ground.
"If I had to guess, you're at the Expert rank. So, if I have to fight you, I'll have to go nuts."
Raven said.
Then, he swung his leg forward.
Reo yelped.
Raven kicked his nuts again.
Again.
And again.
He kicked with wild abandon.
Reo yelped, but his cries fell on uncaring ears.
"You like Ms. Nyx, don't you?"
Raven asked before kicking Reo in the nuts again.
"Well, I don't share your feelings for her, but, she's the only person I know who has bothered to show a one-nutted guy like me compassion, and that means a lot.
So, I won't leave."
'She also paid my debts so I'm bound to her.'
Though, he didn't say that out loud.
Raven kicked Reo in the balls one last time.
"Haa.... haa."
'He's done.'
Raven had kicked him in the nuts several times.... several times, he doubted that Reo was still conscious.
"You!"
However, the moment he turned his eyes away from Reo, the boy lunged at him, tackling him to the ground.
He hit the ground with a thud.
Reo got up quickly, though his breath was ragged and his nails were bloody—almost as if he had clawed at the ground just to stop himself from screaming.
"Get up."
Raven slowly stood up.
From what he could see, the older boy was already in a boxing stance.
"If you want to fight, you've got one."
Reo threw a left hook that connected with Raven's cheek.
He caught himself before he could fall.
Raven grinned slightly.
"I told you.... I'm ballin'."
He kicked Reo's nuts one last time.
The boy's hands went to his balls as his legs gave out, he fell down, falling onto the hard floor face-first.
"Do you.... have something against my balls?"
Reo asked.
Raven didn't bother answering.
He fell onto his butt, breathing hard.
aaaa'He should be done by now.'
He thought.
Reo might have to get it examined later, but, that was the boy's problem, not Raven's.
He closed his eyes, staying like that for a few moments.
"Crap."
Raven muttered.
"Where should I dump him?"
Raven couldn't actually throw him into the dump, though he was tempted to do so. Very, very tempted to do it.
He couldn't use the excuse Reo planned because the boy had obviously been in the line of work for awhile.
"Haah."
Raven sighed as he got up, walking over to Reo's body.
He crouched before Reo's sprawled body. The boy was groaning faintly, his breath shallow, and one arm curled protectively around his nuts.
Raven muttered. "Still, why do I have to clean the mess he caused?"
He grumbled, sliding his arm under the older boy's arm before heaving him up.
He managed to lift Reo up in a sloppy fireman's carry.
The weight dragged him down immediately.
Reo wasn't impossibly heavy, but Raven wasn't exactly in peak physical condition.
"Put me down."
Reo growled.
"Don't worry, I won't."
Raven reassured.
"I said put me down!"
The anger in his voice was clear, however his voice was low, almost as if he couldn't muster enough strength to raise his voice.
"I'll do it when we reach the PRU headquarters, and don't worry, I'll make some excuse up for you."
Raven replied as he pushed on.
Reo did not reply, making Raven believe he wasn't going to react.
Each step was longer than the last, it took a while for him to even reach the end of the alley.
And when he got out, he saw a familiar face.
"It looks like both of you are already so close."
Raven passed out on the spot.
The shock from seeing the person, coupled with the exhaustion, dragged his vision into darkness.