If you're looking for an adventure in the morally grey, and a crash course of the human condition, this is the story for you! What is good and evil? Where is that line drawn, and who decides that? Packed with humor, danger, feels, and awkward relati...
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A door downstairs opened and closed, and Ian leaned forward. Nathan jerked back, but the movement had only been Ian standing up. Ushering with his hand, Ian indicated for him to move, and Nathan warily came around the table, approaching only when Ian was at the door with his hand on the handle.
"That should be Mags. Try and freak out a little less when we go downstairs. Tanner was right when he said she isn't great with people. She won't know how to deal with a frightened child, and Tanner and I are actually a little worried that she'll be... unkind." The way Ian said it was as if he had considered other words but settled on the least severe of them. "Taking you in was a favor she owed to someone who helped her get this place running, so try and look grateful despite not feeling it, okay."
"You make her seem really horrible." Nathan didn't need anyone worse than who he'd already met. Tanner and Ian were enough. "If I act wrong, can I get like, kicked out, or worse treatment here?" Nathan asked before he stepped into the frying pan.
Ian's hand moved outside of Nathan's peripheral vision, so when it touched his hair, he froze in fear, tensing every muscle he had again. Trembling, he met Ian's eyes only as a means to beg him to let him go, and the man retracted his hand to his side. Nathan didn't know why he'd touched him. It had been unaggressive, just the brush of fingers against the back of his head, but what had Ian intended?
"I wasn't going to do anything," Ian said quietly. "You looked like you were frightened. My touch wasn't meant to make it worse." Ian paused with a slow sigh. "We got off on the wrong foot, but I never meant to frighten you that badly. You're really quite fragile for a guy. I thought, considering this is a prison, you'd be a little..." Ian crossed his arms, scratching the side of his head with one finger. "Tougher?"
"I'm sorry I'm not a death row inmate." Nathan frowned, and Ian shook with amusement. It seemed that this man was always smiling, chuckling, or laughing. If he wasn't sinister as shit, Nathan might even say Ian was a normally lighthearted and jovial person.
"Really, it's quite pleasant. The last thing we need is some punk who thinks he can be tough around here. This place gives even me and Tanner the shakes. There is a lot more going on than what you see on the surface, and Mags may be a little off in the head, but she left you to me and Tanner because we are safe... granted you don't break anyone's fingers." Ian opened the door and Nathan sank in on himself as he followed after.
"I didn't mean to. I just..."
"I know. Tanner is freaky huge, right?" Ian tilted him a smile as they descended and Nathan couldn't help but mirror a small bit of it. "We weren't all buddy buddy when we got here, and we're still not, but Tanner and I coexist peacefully. As much as he flings around knives, he does it to relieve stress and would never hurt anyone with them. You'll see why when we talk to Mags. It should give you some peace of mind."
At the landing, Ian waited and Nathan let out a slow breath as they stopped.
"Thanks," Nathan said guardedly, and Ian's eyes widened. "For...." Nathan reddened and rubbed his arm. "Protecting me, and helping me calm down... a bit."
