"You never told me." Kael drops his keys on the table, calm but sharp. “you never mentioned them. Darian. Jace.” Riven silent, hugging his arms. “didn’t think it mattered.” Kael turns, eyes narrowed.  “it matters when they look at you like you’re dirt. When you look like you’re ready to throw up the second they speak.”

Riven's voice low “it’s not just about the rumor. They made high school uneasy for me… Before and after it came out.” Kael leans forward. "Why didn’t you say anything?” Riven laughs bitterly “because you already scare the hell out of me. I didn’t want you thinking i was some weak loser who needed saving.”

Kael steps forward, corners him gently against the wall “i don’t protect people because they’re weak, Riven. I protect what’s mine.” Riven sat quietly , softly replied..."So...i’m yours now?” Kael leans in again, voice rough “you were the moment you looked me in the eye and refused to kneel.”

[ giving you a warning]

Later that week — Darian corners Kael outside the bar after a business meeting.

 "You think you know him?" Darian leaning against Kael’s car, smug “careful, Kael. Riven is not as innocent as he plays.” Kael lighting a cigarette, not even looking at him “you’re the one who blamed him for two years, you dissapointed him. You think i care about what you say?” Darian steps closer, whispering “he’s manipulative. He hides behind sad eyes and broken boy syndrome. But he knows how to twist people. He played you, same way he played us. ” Kael turns slowly, gaze cold and lethal. “If he’s playing me, he’s the only one brave enough to do it to my face.” Darian sighed in disbelief “…So that’s it? You’re letting him in?” Kael flicks ash off his cigarette “i already did. And if you or your boyfriend try to drag his name through the mud again…” Steps closer, voice deadly calm “…I’ll bury yours.”

[no one's fault]

Riven and Kael talked after the tense meetup with Darian and Jace. It’s not angry — it’s complicated.-- Riven sighed and muttered  "It wasn’t them. And it wasn’t me. " Kael sitting on the edge of the bed, arms folded.

“so you three hated each other. What happened?” Riven leans on the windowsill, staring outside. “i wouldn’t say hate. We just… weren’t built to get along.” Kael just staring at him “they blamed you for a rumor.”  Riven nods, slowly “and i let them. I was tired of defending myself when no one was listening. The truth is… Someone else spread it. But after everything, i figured they wouldn’t believe me either way.”

Kael sighed “you respected them?” Riven became quiet for a moment the answered  “yeah. They were loud, cocky, impossible to like sometimes… But they were honest about who they were. They didn’t fake it. I envied that. I was just dissapointed. They don’t have to hide it from me, I don’t have a reason to, they are just being themselves. I was just afraid but I really wasn’t the one who spread it. I wanted to talk to them to and tell them it’s okay but after that news spread it was over ” Kael lean in and held Riven’s hands gently.

“then why didn’t you tell me?” Riven glancing back, a little sad “because you’d take it personal. You’d treat them like enemies. And they’re not. We’re just... People with bad timing and worse communication.”