The Ocean In His Eyes

Chapter 7

--- Raiden's POV ---

I held Aither's hand in mine, and together we swept the white curtain aside.

There was only one person there, in the farthest bed. We crept closer, Aither holding his breath.

A white sheet over their head, the person's chest rose and fell shallowly. Aither carefully tugged the sheet down and let out a soft cry. He pulled the sheet completely off and I sucked in a breath.

They were fast asleep, and didn't stir. An ugly bruise was blossoming on Fox's face. Another bruise wrapped around their entire neck, Myron must've been trying to strangle them. An arm laid across their stomach, and when Aither lifted it, it was obvious that one of their ribs were broken.

Aither gave out a sob, and I wrapped them in my arms.

"They got hurt for me. They're never going to forgive me." I rubbed his back and kissed his forehead.

"Why would they need to forgive you when you haven't done anything wrong?" Aither looked up at me and I wiped his tears away with my thumb. He smiled sadly, and he covered Fox with the blanket.

We walked out from the curtain, my arm around his waist. Aither waved goodbye to Mrs. Bee and we left.

"Do you think Fox will wake up by the end of the school day?"

"Yes, it didn't look like they had any major head injuries."

"I hope they don't get in trouble because of me."

"Of course not. It's Myron's fault."

I brought him to his next class, and tell the teacher we were at the nurse's office.

Hands in my pockets, I strode down the hallway. Passing by the nurse's office, I saw Myron limping into the room. He looked really beat up, one arm hanging in a weird way, and a bleeding bite mark on his lower arm. He had long scratches on his face, like a cat attacked him.

Aither told me Fox wasn't a violent person. Well, it might have just been self defense.

I entered my classroom and took my seat. I couldn't focus on the lesson, my mind kept drifting back to Aither. Smiling Aither, crying Aither, angry Aither. Cute Aither.

"Mr. Graham, if you can't focus, you can join me in detention."

Oops. Ah, well, at least now I have more time to think of a plan to make Myron pay for making Aither cry. Although it looks like Fox has already done that.

--- Fox's POV ---

Pain.

It hurt to breathe, my face hurt, my neck hurt, everything hurt.

So this is what it feels like to get beat up. I sat up, groaning. Well, we can't have that, can we?

I touched my face and grimaced. I took stock of my injuries, pulling up my shirt and poking my ribs. Ow.

Looking around, I realized I was in the nurse's office. I must've walked here and passed out. There were two other people in the room. A small kid who was tilting his head back while pinching his nose with a tissue, and Myron.

Aww, he's all beat up. I smiled. He was unconscious, and I looked over my work, studying his broken arm and the scratches on his face.

I walked out of the curtained off area, but then stopped and turned back. "That's not the way you're supposed to do it."