Chapter 25 - "Okay."

"If you need those prescriptions refilled, you have to visit your family doctor and they will be able to give you another prescription."

Charles slowly nodded his head; he was glad he was finally in his own clothes again.

"Take care of yourself, alright?"

The moment he stepped out of the hospital, the breath of fresh air made his entire body feel as though it had cleansed. He was finally going to return to his familiar surroundings, and that was way better than staying in this place.

Except, he couldn't stop thinking of his last night here, and he was still unclear on how he felt about it.

Kane had visited him again during the night, but he looked visibly saddened, as though he was—ironically—about to lose a member of his family.

He had been waiting for Charles during the afternoon that he was already there when it was Charles' curfew. The moment Charles entered the room, Kane had been standing beside the door and closed it.

"Charles, it's our last night together, then I won't get to see you for four years," he sighed depressively.

Charles furrowed his brows; all this gloom was because they wouldn't see one another? They weren't even friends, and if anything, Charles was supposed to kill him.

However, he couldn't help but feel a bit bummed by that too.

"Listen, I don't want you to think about me, alright?" He planted his palm on Charles' shoulders and gripped tightly, biting his bottom lip; was he really about to start crying? "I want you to live your years as though I never came to you and this pact never existed." Charles snickered mentally—when had he ever agreed to a pact? "I want you to experience life, different types of love, so that when I do come back, you'll be ready for me."

Charles kept his lips sealed, his face staying still in its blank stare. He wasn't entirely sure what to feel or how to react, but one thing was for certain...he didn't mind being this close to Kane, especially since his lips were nearer.

"And I know you told me to kiss you that one time." Charles' cheeks spiked red the moment that was mentioned, his face starting to clench in discomfort. "But those weren't kisses, Charles. I didn't move my lips or my tongue; it was only to help you breathe. But when I come back," he licked his own upper lip for a moment, leaning down to bring his lips directly beside Charles' ears as he whispered, "I'll definitely show you more than that. Can't you help but wonder how it'll be?"

Charles shook his head; he was about to walk towards his parents and there was no way he was going to have a hormonal reaction by his thoughts.

There was something about Kane that he couldn't dismiss though; it was his mysterious aura, as though he was a comic relief character with a much deeper story than he allowed others to witness. Charles couldn't help but also be intrigued by Kane, even though the guilt of letting the man who killed his best friend still leave alive was eating at his flesh.

At least he didn't have to think about him for quite a while.

Well, he thought as much.

"Charles!"

Charles twisted around and almost fell backwards, realizing who was walking towards him.

The entry doors closed behind him, and Kane approached Charles, standing near him with a bittersweet smile. It was almost as though his eyes had gotten glossy again, and he had his hands shoved in the front of his parka. "I didn't want to let you leave without saying—"

All of a sudden, Charles felt his spine freeze when he saw Kane's gaze suddenly shift, looking over Charles' shoulder. However, the darkness behind his gaze was what caused Charles to become paralyzed; it was filled with an unsettling coldness, almost ghostly even, not a single trace of empathy or care but mere murderous intent that Charles could visibly see the bloodlust oozing from them.

One moment, he was facing Kane, the next, he was spun around and Kane had an arm around his shoulder, a palm tightly against his chest.

"Stay back, gentlemen." Charles' heard a metallic clank near him, and felt a sudden coldness touch his side. "If you take another step towards me, you'll have two dead kids in your hands."

That was when Charles realized what was going on.

Both Nate and Dante had leaped towards him, and it was only when Kane held Charles captive that they stopped. However, Charles now realized what Kane had been saying; the look in both Nate and Dante's gaze was one he had never seen before, and it made his legs feel as though they had lost all its strength.

His fathers really were murderers.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt him if you keep your distance."

"What do you want from him, Kane?" Dante roared, his fists tightened at his sides. "He's just a kid."

"I only want to share my goodbyes with my dear friend here," Kane smiled, but both Nate and Dante didn't trust it. "No bloodshed needs to happen if you stay exactly where you are."

"Get your hands off of my fucking son."

"I would, but he likes it there, Nathan Dayne," Kane winked, tightening his grip around Charles. "All I want is a five minute conversation with him. He'll be in view."

Nate could feel his heart rise to his chest from how much he was fuming in rage. He knew he could rip this man into pieces if he got ahold of him, but there was no way he would risk Charles's life.

"I don't trust it, Dante," Nate hissed quietly, shaking his head without even glancing in Dante's direction. "He'll hurt him."

There was a short pause, both of them glaring in Kane's direction, who returned it with a lengthy coy smirk.

"I'm not going to hurt him," Kane snickered, rolling his eyes. "I like him; why would I hurt someone I like?"

After a few seconds to contemplate, Kane's smirk grew longer when Dante suddenly agreed, "You have five minutes, Kane."

"Dante!" Nate shrieked, reaching for his shoulder. "What are you—?!"

Dante shoved Nate's hand apart from him as he roared towards Kane, "Five. But after that, you'll have to kill him and me if you want to make it out of here alive."

"Don't worry," Kane beamed, waving a hand, "five is all I need."

***

"How are you feeling?"

Charles wasn't focused on Kane at all.

Instead, he was staring at his pacing father who was staring at their car as though he wanted to make it explode with them inside. He had no idea why he hadn't spoken up, but the mere thought of needing to head back home with them was making his breathing grow heavy; they were scary when they were like this and he never saw them like this before.

Kane had walked down the steps, walked past both his fathers with Charles under his arm and pulled Charles inside the backseat of his vehicle. The first thing Charles noticed was the fact that the driver of the car had a wide muscular back, and was wearing sunglasses and acted as though he couldn't hear them.

Nonetheless, the car stayed parked at the private psych patient entry, where Nate and Dante were both standing as well.

"Charles."

He suddenly felt fingers grip his chin, gently turning his head for his gaze to meet the light brown irises that had been tormenting him ever since he visited that club with Natalia.

"I asked you a question."

Charles wasn't sure how he felt. He didn't want to head home because he knew he was going to have to deal with his family, but he also didn't want to stay because he felt as though his mind and heart were tugging in opposite directions and it was raising his anxiety too high.

The attention he was receiving from Kane was new, spontaneous and tempting, which he wanted to discover more of it, even though he didn't want to admit it. He had never been with a man before, had never been in love, hence this was all brand new to him and his body wasn't sure how to react but it was definitely making him feel warm.

At the same time, the fact that those hands that touched him so gently hadn't even been trembling when they clicked the trigger that took the life of his best friend, that caused his entire life to crumble in a matter of seconds, made him feel cold.

And it was a battle between the cold and warmth, and he wasn't sure which one to choose.

At least he wouldn't have to for four years, though.

"I don't know how I feel," Charles answered honestly, rapidly looking away from that pressuring gaze that made him feel as though there was a plastic bag over his head and his oxygen was slowly dissipated. "I think I should leave."

Kane's smirk suddenly dropped, and he pulled his fingers apart from Charles' chin, and for a split second, Charles felt bad. It was as though he had to refrain himself from reaching over and apologizing, and he wasn't sure if it was because of his character or if he genuinely wanted to console Kane. Regardless, he didn't say anything, neither did he do anything, but he noticed Kane's fingers tighten against his black dress pants.

"Look," Kane exhaled, sending his fingers through his already messy hair, "I understand that this might be uncomfortable for you, especially since your parents are both here and they want to kill me." He chuckled, but Charles didn't. "But Charles, all I wanted to say was, the moment you turn twenty-one, expect to see me. I won't forget about you, and I know for certain you won't forget about me."

Charles stayed silent; Kane wasn't wrong about that. He definitely wouldn't forget about him, but he wasn't sure whether it was because of the emotions he made Charles feel and be curious about, or of the turmoil he caused in his life.

"I have to leave to give you time to bloom, but when you do," Kane leaned forward, bringing his face terribly close that Charles couldn't help but stare down at his plumped lips, "I won't go easy on you so you better be prepa—"

The knocks on the window startled them both, and Kane grumbled a series of curses when he saw Dante's hand raised as he roared, "It's been five."

"Your parents are overbearing, it's unbelievable. I'd kill myself if my dad was that way. Anyway," he leaned against his side of the door, "take care of yourself, and don't forget what I taught you."

Without even thinking it through, Charles blurted, "Okay."

It took Kane by surprise, who spun his head around so fast that he almost got whiplash. Charles instinctively pulled his head back, uncertain why Kane was staring at him with such wide eyes, until the shock switched into a lengthy smile as he beamed, "Okay."