Chapter Text
It was almost 6 am when the phone rang. They had arrived at Abby’s hours ago after night practice, but Kevin couldn’t sleep. His body was exhausted after all the training that day, but he couldn’t shut his mind down. It was the beginning of summer, and that morning, the ERC had announced his transfer to Palmetto State University. He knew Riko would retaliate; he just didn’t know how.
So when the phone rang, he picked it up instantly without even looking at the name on the screen.
“Why is a Raven bleeding out on my court?” It was Wymack. His voice was mainly calm, but Kevin could hear a strain in it.
“Who is it?” Kevin’s head was spinning. Was this a trap? Were they bait? Were they dead? Who were they? Could it be one of his friends? Jean? Neil?
“He just said he needed to talk to you before passing out. He has a number three on his face.” Neil then. It was Neil.
“Bring him to Abby’s. Try not to touch him much. If he wakes up in the car, just let him know where you are going.” If Neil panicked, this was going to be more complicated than it already was. Whatever it was. What the hell is going on?
“Is he going to be a problem?”
“Just bring him here.”
“Okay.” Wymack sighed. “I’ll call Abby to let her know and then we’re on our way.” He said before hanging up.
“Care to explain, Day?” Andrew startled him. He was resting in the doorframe as if he hadn’t been sleeping just seconds ago. Of course he would wake up.
“Coach called to let me know a Raven is bleeding out on the court, he’s bringing him here.”
“This is not a wayward house to little birdies, Kevin. Who is it?”
“Neil Josten.”
“There’s no Neil Josten in the Ravens lineup,” said Aaron as he and Nicky entered his room.
“Not yet. He is supposed to start this year at Edgar Allen. Another member of the Perfect Court. Number three.” It was Neil. What was he going to say to Neil? Neil probably hated him. “He’s property, kind of like Jean.” Kevin wasn't sure why he felt the sudden need to explain, but his brain was going too fast to try and process anything.
“Kind of?” was Nicky’s question.
“Jean was sold by his father to pay a debt. Neil was given to The Ma-. To Tetsuji because of tradition. While the Moriyama inherit their titles, this doesn’t extend to their employees. Neil’s father is Kengo’s right hand, so he had to be moved to another section of the empire. After a few days of tryouts, it was settled Neil would move into Castle Evermore and be a Raven.” He explained to Aaron and Nicky, he had already told Andrew this when Kevin first arrived at Palmetto.
Before they could continue asking questions, Kevin put on a shirt and went downstairs to wait for Neil. It would probably be best if he were the first one to see. Even if he hated him. The others didn’t take long to catch up and positioned themselves around the living room.
“Something else I should know about the little birdie?” Andrew asked, in front of him once more. When Kevin only shook his head, Andrew tsked. “Don’t lie to me, Kevin. Why that long face?”
“He probably hates me. I left him there.” His voice came out barely above a whisper.
After a few minutes, the sound of a car engine killed the silence. Andrew positioned himself beside the door and Abby made her appearance. When the doorbell rang, she went to open it and took a step back to let the visitors in.
As his eyes connected with fathomless blue, all air left Kevin. Neil approached him immediately, stopping just in arm's reach as he tended to do. How he was still standing after having passed out a few minutes ago from blood loss was beyond him, but it was Neil, it shouldn't be a surprise. Neil never showed his pain, never showed any weakness. Always strong enough to keep Kevin standing and fast enough to come to his aid.
He could see Neil’s eyes assessing him whole, as if searching for any type of injury. Once he finished checking Kevin, Neil’s eyes quickly moved to examine the rest of the room in front of him, before finally settling again on him. Meanwhile, Kevin’s eyes never left his face. He couldn’t fully believe Neil was there. It had been months since he last saw him. For all Kevin knew, Neil could’ve been dead, and no one would have notified him. That was a lie, though. Jean would have found a way to tell him. Jean. Thinking of his friend hurt. Kevin had left him and Neil on the Nest and hadn’t done anything to break them free.
“Neil,” He breathed more than said. Kevin sounded like he was underwater to his own ears. Neil was alive. Neil was here.
Then something indescribable changed in those blue eyes. “I see your manners haven’t improved with the years, Drew.” Neil huffed, and that’s when Kevin noticed that Andrew was standing just behind Neil.
Something like surprise and recognition passed through the blond's face, a small gesture only perceptible in the way his eyes widened slightly. When Neil shifted to turn around, Kevin and the rest of the room saw how Andrew put one of his knives back on his armbands and realized how it must have been pressed on Neil’s back.
“Damnit, Minyard. This is why we can’t have nice things.” Wymack yelled and Neil flinched slightly.
“Did I just imagine that?” Nicky asked, with clear shock on his face.
“Do you know each other?” Kevin couldn’t help but ask. He was confused. It was like his two worlds collided.
Neil just ignored everyone and went to take a seat on one of the couches. “Aren’t you going to do any introductions, Day? All those hours in PR for nothing, it seems.” He mused at everyone’s confusion.
“You already know who everyone in this room is, some better than others, it seems.” Kevin moved to stand in front of Neil and gestured to the space beside him on the couch. A question. Neil gave him the tiniest of smiles and nodded.
As he took a seat, it was as if a spell had been broken. Kevin started processing that maybe it wasn’t the best thing that Neil was there. He started panicking over flashes of the punishment Neil had endured years ago, when his father brought him back to Evermore after his time on the run.
“Neil, how-.” He started, his breathing suddenly becoming erratic. “You need to-. You have to-. How did you get out? Does Riko know you got out? Oh, God. This is going to be worse than last time when they find you. You have to go back before he-.” As his vision started blurring for the lack of oxygen in his lungs, he felt a hand at the side of his neck. The gesture, so familiar, acted as an anchor immediately, same as the blue eyes that were piercing into him.
“That’s enough, Day. Riko knows I’m out and he can’t do shit to take me back.” Neil took his hand off as soon as he noticed that Kevin was breathing more regularly.
That’s when he heard a loud gasp. Kevin turned to see that the cousins were approaching them. Andrew on his right side, just at arm’s reach, probably having advanced as soon as Neil moved to touch him. When Kevin looked over Nicky’s pale face, he deduced that he must have been the one who gasped. Kevin followed his gaze to Neil’s body, finally taking in all the damage. He knew it was going to be bad, the pale look on Neil’s face made that obvious enough to Kevin, who had seen him injured so many times. He thought he would be prepared for what he was going to see. He was wrong.
Neil's upper arms and neck were black and purple from what looked like fingers and exy balls. His shirt looked wet with blood, although it wasn’t clear how much of it, since the shirt was black. The same goes for his thighs covered with black pants. What caught Kevin's attention, though, was the bandages on his forearms and how the blood that trespassed the bandages made a thick line between his inner wrists and the crook of his elbows. Kevin froze at the sight.
“I-. Neil-. Are you…Why-.” Kevin blurted out. This couldn’t have happened. It was just impossible. It was Neil. Neil wouldn’t do that. He was strong and held his ground against all odds. If Neil had done that, then what could be expected from him?
“Day, look at me,” Neil said but Kevin couldn’t stop staring. In that moment, he wasn’t terrified or hurt or anything but angry. He was angry at Riko for making this happen. He was angry at the Butcher for taking Neil to the Nest in the first place. He was angry at the world that put them in such shitty lives with fucked up families that made them grow up in circumstances no child should live through. Damnit, Neil was barely 18, he was still a child. Mostly, though, Kevin was angry at himself for not being there for Neil, for not staying, for not finding a way to take him out of the Nest before this happened. For being a coward, as always.
“Day.” Neil insisted, but Kevin couldn’t meet his gaze. This was his fault, and he was disgusted with himself.
“I’m-. I shouldn’t have left-.” He was shivering now. “This is my fault-.”
“Kevin,” Neil said the name as if it meant everything. Maybe it did for him. Kevin still couldn’t look at him.
“I’m s-.”
“No,” Neil said so firmly that Kevin finally looked up. Neil looked so fierce even when his eyes were swollen, his lips parted and bloody and his jaw was a deep purple. How could someone with such fierceness try to do that? He didn’t, a voice in his head suggested, but Kevin discarded it as wishful thinking.
“I-. Okay, I understand. You don’t have to-.” He started only to be stopped by Neil’s hand just shy of his mouth.
“Drop the drama queen act, Day. You know I didn’t mean that, and you know I didn’t do that.” Neil looked exasperated but firm on what he was saying. And it was the truth. Kevin knew these things deep down, but hearing Neil saying them let his body finally relax a little. Accepting that reaction, Neil took back his hand.
“Then who...?” Nicky started asking, his voice full of uncertainty.
“Riko,” Andrew answered matter-of-factly. At this, Neil’s gaze left him to assess Andrew.
“Oh?” Neil arched a brow in challenge.
“I’m guessing he wasn’t all that happy when he heard today's announcement.” Andrew’s voice was completely plain, not revealing a thing.
“Was that it?” Nicky asked, still looking wary.
“Basically.” Neil looked a little too amused for all this, which couldn’t be a good signal if Kevin knew him at all. “He was going to retaliate one way or another. I just gave him a little incentive on where to focus his shit.”
“You’re a fucking idiot,” Kevin growled. He should have known. Neil always made sure to use his smart mouth to redirect to himself the punishments meant for Kevin and Jean.
“What does that mean?” Wymack asked from the other side of the room. He looked calm but alert all the same. That’s when Abby appeared at his side with water and a towel to clean Neil’s face.
“That Nathaniel once more ran his mouth to take a punishment that wasn’t his.” When Neil flinched, Kevin realized his mistake. He hated himself a little more then.
“Don’t call me that,” Neil glared at him, and Kevin made the mental note not to make the mistake again. “And it turned out much better than expected, I’d call it a win.” Then he turned to glare at the glass of water that Abby was offering, as if it had personally offended him. When this didn’t stop and Neil said his typical “I’m fine”, Kevin took the glass and the towel from Abby’s hands and took a sip of water, looking at Neil to make sure he understood what he meant. It’s not drugged. It’s safe. Then he handed the glass to him. Neil gulped it in seconds. Kevin raised the wet towel in question. When Neil nodded, he proceeded to clean his face as gently as he could. Both of them ignored the looks the rest of the group sent their way.
“It still doesn’t explain what you are doing here,” Aaron said, trying to look uninterested.
“Do you trust them? Do they know about the two branches?” Neil asked in Japanese, searching for something in his eyes.
“I do, you can tell them. They are safe.” Kevin tried to reassure him. It seemed to work because after a sigh, Neil started to explain.
“As I was saying, an angry Riko is a sloppy Riko. Well, sloppier. I just made sure Riko’s attention was on me till he exploded. I only distracted him a little. He even made me the goalie at morning practice,” Neil mused as he distractedly rubbed his ribs.
“Tell me you didn’t use the head again,” Kevin said -it almost sounded like a plea- with a grimace on his face.
“His head?” Nicky looked unsure about wanting to ask.
“One of Riko’s games. He puts Neil on the goal but without-. Just in underwear. No gear, no pads, no helmet, no racket. And he can’t go rest till he blocks at least 50 balls.” Kevin could hear the tiredness in his own voice and he hated it. He was hating a lot of things tonight apparently.
“Damnit,” Wymack said, looking angrier with every word.
“Wait, does that mean that you stopped balls with your head?” Nicky looked as if someone had kicked his dog.
Aaron distractedly passed a hand over his forehead, as if feeling the balls thrown his way.
The only clue that Andrew had heard was his now clenched fists.
“No, I didn’t use the head, do I ever?” Neil said as he turned to look directly at Kevin. He was smiling sharply. Kevin didn’t like that look on him.
“You know what I mean.” Kevin couldn’t help but grumble.
“I didn’t.” Neil insisted. “I knew it wouldn't be the best move to have a concussion that early in the day. I still got one later on, but I’m not completely sure when that happened.” He winced a little as if he had just remembered how injured he was. “Riko finally exploded after dinner.” The sharp smile was back. “He suddenly noticed that he was starting to go a little too far and I may or may not have taunted him that if he kept doing his shit then I’d be more useful dead, and that may or may not have given him the idea of, well,” he said as he lifted his arms to make clear what he was talking about.
“Are you sure you’re not suicidal?” Aaron asked.
“It was a risk, but a promise is a promise.” Neil shrugged as if he were talking about the weather and not about how he would literally risk death to keep a promise.
Kevin noticed how Andrew’s attention was sharp on Neil. His gaze was intent on getting everything he was saying and what he wasn’t. Kevin dismissed it to yell at Neil for being an idiotic martyr.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Neil, what the fuck. You don’t have to die to save me.” When Neil only stared blankly at him, Kevin continued. “Why would you even do that? That promise was years ago, and I haven’t done anything for you. Why-?” His voice started angry, but it was getting smaller and smaller with each word. “You should hate me, it’s all my fault.”
“Why would I hate you?” Neil looked genuinely confused, which worked to bring some of the anger back.
“I left you there,” Kevin stated.
Neil’s face softened and he scoffed, “I know, you idiot. Who else would have driven your whining ass to Wymack’s hotel?”
“Wait, you were there? Why didn’t you stay?” Nicky smiled sadly.
“I had to get to Jean.”
“And why did you leave him now? Got tired of the Frenchie?” Aaron pressed.
Neil’s face didn’t react to the accusation, but his fists clenched. It probably hurt with all the cuts he had, but Neil didn’t show any sign that he was in pain. “Riko thought he was so brilliant, making it look like I couldn’t go on knowing that the great Kevin Day wasn’t a Raven anymore. It didn’t even matter if I survived or not; the effect was the same. Guilt-trip Kevin to go back.” Neil huffed. “As if I’d let that happen. My plans were slightly different. Of course, between all the drama of the announcement and my beautiful attitude, Riko would forget what day it is. Or was, I guess”
“You knew they’d be at Evermore.” It finally started to make sense.
“Who was at Evermore?” Andrew narrowed his eyes at him and then at Neil.
“The Moriyamas mostly use the East Tower on game days, but a few times a year, they host other smaller parties there. See, I’m not so stupid after all.” Neil said this last part giving Kevin a smug smile. “Jean took care of the most urgent cuts, and all I had to do was go to our room before passing out,” Neil shrugged. “Turns out Ichirou wasn’t quite so pleased to learn how close he had been to losing an asset.”
Kevin tensed completely at the mention of Ichirou, at the idea of Ichirou in Neil’s room, at the idea of Ichirou anywhere near Neil. “Tell me you didn’t,” Kevin said before turning to Japanese. “What did you trade with him? Did he try to-. Did he-. “ He couldn’t even say it.
Neil understood what he meant and firmly said, “No.” Kevin was about to ask exactly which question he had answered when Andrew spoke again.
“What was Ichirou doing in your room?”
“Checking in on his assets. Both Jean and I are Moriyama property, and he must have heard of Kevin joining the Foxes and imagined that Riko wouldn’t play nice.”
“Sure, just that,” Kevin mumbled before he could stop himself. There was a knot in the bottom of his stomach that was getting only worse. Too late he realized that everyone was looking at him, some in confusion, some with distrust. Neil was clearly trying to kill him with the glare he sent his way.
“Explain, Day.” Andrew drawled. He would have looked bored if it wasn’t for how sharp his gaze was.
“It’s nothing, Moriyama stuff." Neil cut in, "The thing here is that once more it was proven to Ichirou that Riko is a disbalanced, sick bastard that shouldn’t be trusted with anything of value.” Then he turned to face Kevin completely. “You’re now main branch and Riko can’t do shit to you. All you have to do is train till you are the best striker in the world once more. When you go to the Pros, the Moriyamas will receive 80% of your salary and endorsements. Your contract should be here this week. You’re free, Kevin. Or as free as it gets, I guess.”
Neil had a small grin on his face, nothing like the sharp smile from earlier, and Kevin felt the tension starting to leave his body. He said the best in the world, he said when. Did he still have that much faith in Kevin? Of course he has, it’s Neil, supplied that voice in his head.
The relaxation didn’t last long when he realized something. “What did you give Neil? What was the deal?”
“Don’t give me that look.” Neil's face closed off. “I have to give my 80% too and continue translating stuff.” Now he was looking down, but his face did not reveal a thing. “Ichirou said that although Riko was unreliable, taking more than half the Perfect Court out of Edgar Allen in so little time would bring bad publicity. I tried changing places with Jean, but the best I could get out of it was convince him to put someone in charge of checking that neither Tetsuji nor Riko go too far with their shit.” He laughed bitterly. “I don’t know how long that will hold up.”
Nicky looked like he wanted to reach out and hug Neil. Luckily enough, Aaron caught him before he could advance.
“Why are you here, Neil?” Wymack asked after a beat of silence.
“I couldn’t think of any other team stupid enough to take me in.” Neil was looking up again, studying the expression of everyone in the room. “And I heard you needed a striker.”
“I thought you’d be a backliner like Jean.” Coach arched a brow.
“I could be a striker.” He insisted firmly.
“Kevin?” His father’s attention was on him.
“Neil has mainly trained as a backliner, but he can play in all positions. He is a good striker. I can make him better.”
“Aww that’s the nicest thing I’ve ever heard you say, Day.” Neil couldn’t stop the little laugh that escaped him when Kevin glared his way. The only reason Kevin could think of to explain why Neil was being so open in a room full of strangers was the concussion. But it didn’t matter. That sound alone let him finally relax completely. The most beautiful sound in the world, Kevin thought.
“Okay, kid, once Abby gives you the good to go, we’ll see how you do on court.”
“I’m fine. I’ll be good to play tomorrow.”
“Neil, here you don’t have to. This is not-.” Kevin started.
“I said I’m fine.”
“And I said that you’ll be on court when Abby says, I don’t want any more of your blood on my court.” Wymack’s voice gave no room for discussion.
“Hi, Neil,” Abby said, talking for the first time since Neil arrived. “Would you rather we look at those injuries here or at the guests' room?” She said with a sympathetic smile on her face, although the slight paleness in her skin betrayed her uneasiness at the sight of Neil, bruised and bloody.
“Nowhere, thanks. I am sure Jean packed everything I need. Some alcohol would be nice, though.”
“Nice. Another alcoholic,” Aaron mumbled.
“He wants it to replace the lack of painkillers,” Kevin explained. “Neil, you don’t need to do that,” and he switched to Japanese. “She is good. She treated my hand after all.” As soon as he mentioned his hand, Neil’s attention was on it. His own hand hovered over it in question. When Kevin nodded, Neil took his hand. The touch was so soft it sent a shiver through Kevin. It always amazed him how gentle Neil could be after having seen him so constantly in defense mode at the Nest. Kevin kept talking through all this. “Trust me when I say that’s better if you let her take care of it, otherwise they won’t let you go to the court.”
After a few moments of Neil sort of caressing his hand, he looked Kevin in the eye and nodded. Neil’s fingers pressed slightly harder on his hand. It was a question. Stay? Kevin made little circles with his finger on Neil’s wrist. It was an answer. Stay.
Kevin turned to Abby to thank her for the hospitality. She dismissed it with a smile and told him to wait a few minutes there until she finished prepping the room. As she left the living room, he heard Neil calling him.
“Kev-.” he blurted out. Just as Kevin turned to look at him, Neil’s head fell on his shoulder.
“Did he just-.” Nicky looked a little panicked, probably not knowing what to do.
“Faint? Looks like it.” Aaron answered.
Kevin sighed and checked Neil's pulse. “Idiot.” He said, although he knew Neil couldn’t hear him. The stupid martyr obviously wouldn’t say or show that he was still feeling poorly.
Andrew appeared to be tenser since Neil passed out, hazel eyes not leaving Neil's unconscious form for a second.
“You do know each other, don’t you?”
Andrew looked blankly at Kevin for a moment before leaving.
When Abby called, Kevin carried Neil to the bed and stayed with him as promised. There were way more new scars than he would have liked it to be. Without Kevin there, no one would have been there to try and stop Riko from going too far. But it wasn't the time to drown in his guilt, so Kevin did his best at trying to bury it for later and now focus on helping Abby with what he could.
Once Abby left, he installed himself on a sofa at the side of the bed. It was small and hard as a rock, but Kevin slept more at peace than he had done in a pretty long time.