Chapter 11 #2
“When you say you’re not sure he ever hurt him, what do you mean?” Fix asked, voice firmer and jaw clenched slightly. Wren knew this was hard for him. He knew it hurt Fix to hear terrible things about the institution he cared about so much. He could understand it no matter how much he disagreed.
“He was always weirdly…interested in Teddy,” Wren said. “From the moment we entered training he zeroed in on him. He’d present it as consultation, but he just wanted to get Teddy alone. I don’t know…”
“Was it sexual in nature?” Fix asked, the vein on his neck bulging, and Wren knew he was fighting the urge to go deal with it right away.
“No, I don’t think so.” Wren shook his head. “It was never that, but I also…I don’t know what it was. I never saw any proof that it turned physical but… Do you know how animals react when they’re scared of being hurt again?”
“Yeah,” Ash said.
“I thought… Sometimes I felt like I could see that in Teddy. I remember he’d sometimes be jumpy. Shy away from touch for a split second before catching himself.”
“You never asked?” Fixed asked gently.
“He always came to me with everything, so I figured if there was anything I needed to know he would have told me. I guess I was wrong.”
“Wren…”
“He didn’t tell me he was placed. I knew he had matches.
I knew the team was coming together. I knew he would be ready to be placed before I would because I had no matches, but I thought we had more time.
And I thought…I thought I’d get to say goodbye.
I’d made peace with having to say goodbye.
I didn’t know I’d just lose him like that.
I wasn’t ready for that. Kellan made sure of it. ”
“And now Teddy’s back.” Black sounded like he was crying. “Like in a romance novel.”
“More like a horror,” Ash said. “He’s still around, isn’t he? Kellan. You said you wanted them to leave you alone.”
“He’s still lurking around Teddy, yes,” Wren said. “Seems to keep him on a very tight leash.”
“Nexus instructors have no reason to keep tabs on active cursebreakers unless rules are being broken,” Hart said, voice clipped and void of emotion, the way it got when he desperately needed to protect the order. “Teddy doesn’t strike me as a rule breaker.”
“Really?” Ash asked, pointing to Wren.
“Well, other than the obvious.”
“He finds excuses,” Wren said. “He comes around a lot asking about their cases. He finds bullshit to complain about. He’s still here and he still has a hold over Teddy.”
“Must be some killer blackmail material,” Black said.
“Me,” Wren said. “He threatens me whenever he wants Teddy to fall in line.”
And that, more than anything else, got their attention.
“He can’t do that,” Hart said, appalled.
“I can talk to Gwen,” Fix said. “Not mention you or Teddy, but see what her thoughts on Kellan are.”
“I can make him hurt in several different horrible, awful ways,” Black said. “I have a binder full of inspo pics. A mood board, if you will.”
“I can just set him on fire.” Ash shrugged.
“Not before I dismember him,” Black complained. “You don’t get to have all the fun.”
“I’m here,” Midas signed to Wren before looking away again, and Wren wanted to cry so badly he thought he’d choke on it.
“Are you all really okay with this?” he asked, voice shaky and the question making them all fall silent as they looked at him.
“Sometimes rules need to be broken,” Hart said. “I know I’m the last person you thought would say that, but I love someone I shouldn’t too, and he makes it worth it.”
“All we want is for you to be happy,” Fix said. “It’s all we’ve ever wanted. For you to find a home.”
“He is home,” Wren said.
Black cooed. “That is so cute.”
“We’re with you, Wren,” Ash said. “You say the word and we’ll do whatever we can to make sure you two are safe.”
“For now…just don’t talk to anyone about this, and make sure our files are where they should be,” Wren said. “Kellan has been asking about certain cases of ours.”
“Excuse me?” Fix asked.
“The eye cult ones, specifically,” Wren said. “He seems to be very interested in those, and even if he had the rights to that information, I wouldn’t give it out of spite.”
“Do not poke the hornets’ nest, Wren,” Hart said.
“Hornets are lovely,” Wren said. “But I will let them sleep for the time being. Just make sure none of the files are available for now. Stick them in with Mary. She’ll make sure they’re safe.”
“And who’s gonna make sure we’re safe?” Ash asked.
“And who will make sure you are?” Hart said.
“I can take care of myself,” Wren said. “Especially now that…”
“Now that…?” Fix asked.
“Now that I know you guys have my back,” he said softly.
“We have more than your back, Wren,” Ash said.
“I have graves ready for whoever touches a hair on your head,” Black said.
“Always,” Hart said, and Wren finally felt like he could breathe again.
“Thank you.”
“There’s no need to thank us,” Fix said. “This is what family does.”
“Keep us updated, okay?” Ash said.
Wren nodded.
“Bye, boo.” Black blew him kisses through the screen, then the call was dropped, leaving Wren feeling drained, but in the best possible way.
Yes, his life was still a mess, but it felt like he wasn’t expected to tidy it all up on his own anymore. He had a team again. And they were ready to go to battle for him.
He looked up at Midas, who raised his hand.
“If you say I told you so, I’ll put gum in your hair,” he said before Midas could.
“Feral,” Midas signed.
“There is one more thing I wanted to talk to you about,” Wren said. “When Kellan was here earlier, he had one of those brass listening devices you put in your ear. A magical one.”
“Those are supposed to be archived.” Midas frowned.
“He said there were exceptions.”
“Sure, but I doubt he qualifies as one,” Midas said. “The paperwork alone is a nightmare, and you can’t just walk around with it and use it. Every single use has to be sanctioned, and the device notes the number of uses.”
“Any ideas where he might have gotten it?” Wren asked.
“I have a few. And I know someone who might have a few more. I’ll be in touch.”
With that, he turned around and flounced off, hair blowing in the wind that seemed to only exist for him, the scent of incense lingering behind him.
Wren was left sitting outside on his own, with Blu perched on his shoulder.
“Family!” the bird screeched.
“Yeah, Blu.” Wren nodded. “Family.”