Nico's POV:
I silently made my way down the hall to where I had left Carlo, quieter footsteps following a couple strides behind me
He had been following me ever since we had left my room.
"I assume you're hoping to join me then?" I asked, turning enough to see the blond behind me.
His movement faltered ever so slightly with the surprise on his face, the thought of him staying out of what I was about to do not even appearing in his mind until now.
"I uh... Yes. I guess that was my intention." he replied shyly.
If I had to guess, I'd say that Marcus was worried about him.
However, Carlo was still a wild card to me.
I got bits and pieces about who he was and how he acted from Marcus, but I still didn't know what approach I was going to have to take to get what I needed from him.
"Is there a specific reason why?" I questioned, slowing my steps enough so that Marcus walked beside me.
The boy looked straight ahead with that same discontented look he left my room with.
"He's a bit... stubborn at times. And I know he means well, but if I'm being completely honest, I just don't want him getting himself hurt by refusing to answer your questions.," He was quiet for a few moments, "I know he worries about me as well, and I can't imagine what he's thinking at this point. He was always scared of you hurting me if something went wrong... Do you think he's awake?" he asked with a tinge of guilt.
From what I heard and saw, Marcus did hit him pretty damn hard.
But with the small inspection of Carlo before I left him, the injury wasn't too serious.
"Probably. I'd assume he has been for a while."
Marcus gave a small nod, fidgeting with his fingers.
"I just don't want him to think that I... you know..."
I didn't say anything, just looked him over as I recalled the night before.
The way Marcus immediately crumbled next to his unconscious friend, cradling him apologetically.
Even going as far as protecting him from me.
"You want to apologize," I stated plainly.
"Kind of... I'm just worried about him," I heard his heart rate speed up for just a moment, "I'm hoping that maybe if I'm there and obviously not injured, that he'll maybe be more willing to talk and reason with you."
That was my hope as well.
I wanted this conversation to be as simple as my conversation with Marcus was.
But I was more than willing to take more extreme measures If I need to.
Marcus was a trusted ally and a close friend to Khloe, but Carlo has already pissed me off in more ways than one.
Marcus seemed to also know this and was actively trying to avoid the more drastic option.
That worried tempo in his heart stayed consistent.
We turned the corner to the darkened hallway that held the room where I had left Carlo.
"You seem to care about him a lot more than you're letting on," I said, simply just thinking out loud.
But when his stance went rigid and his face filled with color something clicked.
Purely because the look on his face was similar enough to recognize as an expression I felt many weeks ago.
"I-I just um," He fumbled for words but couldn't seem to find any in his subtly flustered state
"I get it," I began, saving him from the embarrassment, "If you think it'll help, you can go in first and talk to him before I do, but I'll be listening."
He perked up just a bit, nodding, "Thank you."
I nodded back.
"Do whatever you see fit."
"Can I untie him?" He asked carefully.
I thought for a moment.
"You can try."
I managed to get both his binds pretty tight in the heat of the moment.
Marcus might be able to manage the belt but I'm not too sure about the tie.
I even debated gagging him but decided no one could hear him if he tried to scream anyways.
"Okay," Marcus agreed before I stopped him in front of a door.
This floor had various vacant rooms of differing sizes, so I just put Carlo in the smallest and farthest away from Khloe that I could find.
I pulled the master key from my pocket and handed it to Marcus.
He eyed it warily before taking it and placing it into the door.
He hesitated for a moment, dragging in a deep breath before he turned the key and the lock clicked.
His heart was practically racing at this point, pulling the key from the door before giving it back to me.
I could even begin to hear the panicking heartbeat on the other side of the door at the sound of the door unlocking.
I pocketed the key, stepping back a bit before Marcus opened up the door.
The minimal light that both this hallway and the room he was in would be enough for Carlo to not spot me right away.
But if my hunch about these two was indeed correct, his focus would all be in Marcus anyways.
I peered in as the door opened fully, Carlo sitting almost exactly how I left him.
He sat still against the back wall, a surprisingly brave look on his face despite what workings of his body was already telling me.
I could barely see the slight trembling in his arms, showing the discomfort the binds were causing him.
Good.
Friend to Marcus or not, the shit he pulled still didn't fly with me.
My previous fact was proven the moment the two of them actually spotted each other, both of them loosening up in some sort of strange relief.
"Marcus?" His tone matched Marcus' worry from earlier.
Marcus began to say something, but something came over him and he resorted to walking quickly over to him and kneel at his side
"Lean forward," Marcus whispered, apparently eager to untie him before anything else.
Carlo listened but not without a couple questions of his own.
"What are you doing? Why are you here?" He asked, his worry showing outwardly ever so slightly.
"I'm trying to help you not get killed, dumbass," Marcus responded as he successfully undid one of the knots from the belt.
Impressive.
Carlo decided to stay quiet as Marcus worked at the belt, doing nothing except staring at him with a remorseful, almost regretful look in his eye.
Nearly the second Marcus had the belt completely undone, Carlo practically snatched him into a tight embrace.
I could almost practically feel any tension that was left fade away.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Carlo asked, his actions betraying his scolding tone as he held Marcus tighter.
Marcus didn't hesitate to return the gesture, both of them apparently sharing a mutual desire to be how they were now.
I was starting to believe my hunch was becoming more and more correct.
Were it not for the fact that Carlo was after Khloe I'd almost say it was cute.
"You knew what I'd choose," Marcus responded.
Carlo took in a long breath.
"Yeah, I guess I did but..." his words died as an exhale.
"I'm sorry," Marcus whispered.
"Don't be," Carlo spoke as he loosened the embrace, giving them a chance to look at each other. "I gave you the chance to make the choice for yourself and you made it. I guess I just wasn't expecting it to hurt this bad."
Marcus' eyes widened as he looked towards where he had hit him the night before.
he carefully drew his hand over the area, causing Carlo to flinch.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you that hard, I just saw you and panicked and I-"
Marcus stopped speaking once Carlo let out a weak chuckle, taking a light hold on Marcus' wrist to guide it away from his head.
"I wasn't talking about that." He explained.
Both Marcus and I shared a look of confusion.
"Then what?"
A silence overcame him as his brows shifted in sadness.
"I don't have another plan after this, Marcus," He began, his voice tightening, "Nicolas being gone was the only chance I had to get this done. Turns out he never left and now I have no idea what I'm going to do. Honestly, after figuring that out last night, I'm surprised that I'm even still breathing, let alone that you seem to not be hurt, but I still don't think I'm ever going to have another chance to make sure you don't get sent back."
I could practically see the tightening in Marcus' chest.
"It's ok," He eventually said, his voice trying its best to sound calm, "You don't have to worry about that anymore."
"Why?"
I took that as my own queue, stepping into the room and flicking on the lightswitch.
Carlo sucked in a small gasp, his grip tightening on Marcus almost protectively.
Marcus, on the other hand, didn't react at all.
"I have his protection now. I told him everything and he's agreed to protect me and spare you if you answer the questions he has."
I wouldn't exactly say 'spare'.
Carlo looked me over, his relief shifting back to worry.
He looked like he was thinking something over.
"Marcus, can you step out for a moment?" Carlo asked, much to both of our surprises.
"What?" Marcus questioned, looking over at me.
As If I had the answer.
In the end, I didn't care whether or not Marcus was here, I just wanted this to be easy.
"Just for a second," Carlo continued, "In case I say something that you're not supposed to know and you end up getting punished for it."
Lie.
After a couple seconds of pondering, Marcus lifted himself, shooting me a begging look of not to hurt him as he passed.
As soon as I heard the door shut, I spoke.
"You owe him," I began, " Had he not been there last night you would be dead."
He gulped.
"I don't doubt it." He admitted.
I gave him a moment to start speaking the words that I wanted to know, but apparently, he had a different idea.
"I'll tell you everything. I'll answer every question you have to the best of my ability, but I want you to promise me something."
I quirked up a brow, honestly more amused by his words than anything.
"You've already struck a deal with my father and now you're trying to make one with me?"
He retorted faster than I thought he would.
"The deal I made with the Lord had nothing to do with me. If I failed nothing was going to happen to me, just to him," He nodded towards the door, "And I failed, so now I'm hoping you can do more than I can."
My eyes narrowed at the dedicated yet almost desperate tone his voice held.
"What do you want?" I spat, really just trying to get this done.
"Promise me that you can protect him. The Lord is going to be after him once my deadline hits, but if you're sure that you can keep that from happening, then I'll tell you everything you want to know."
I looked him over, searching for any kind of deception.
"Deal."