Content Warning for bullying themes and violence.

"You look constipated; are you okay?" Zephyr asked shortly after they arrived at the party.

No, most certainly not. The space was somewhere so deep in the Caverns; any official wouldn't be bothered. Not only that, but the space was creepy. The large cave extended from a long ago abandoned mine shaft, glittering with various types of ore in different shades. It would be beautiful if dust didn't occasionally fall from the ceiling and the area had better lighting. Or the dozens of bodies pressed together, gyrating, laughing, and whooping to a band of broken silverware on tarnished and beat up metal.

Alcohol flowed in abundance, courtesy of mystery delinquents who'd set up the barrels when no one had been watching. Brewing wasn't illegal, but intoxication was highly frowned upon and discouraged. However, with the strong, bitter aftertaste, Kanden decided it should be outlawed. Getting drunk wasn't worth the nausea.

Setting the cup on a crate, Kanden closed his eyes for a moment, trying to avoid throwing up the distilled concoction at all costs. "Parties aren't really my thing."

"Nothing is your thing," his friend commented, scanning the swelling crowd.

A pair of dancers bumped into Kanden, knocking him backward. The backs of his knees collided with the crate, and he went butt-first into his discarded drink. Great... Now he had the displeasure of smelling like rotting food, and he wasn't due to wash his clothes for at least another week.

Grunting, Kanden brushed the backside of his wet clothes. "Forgive me if I have a lot on my mind," he sneered. "Gods forbid I actually give a shit about my boyfriend while he's lying sick in bed."

A muscle in Zephyr's jaw tightened, and his gaze briefly flickered downward before meeting Kanden's glare. In a low voice, he said, "It's not that no one cares. We just can't do anything about it. We party, have sex, and get drunk because this is all we have in this dump. So forgive me and everyone else for wanting to forget we're literally buried alive."

No one could argue with that. Everyone was miserable, and Kanden had been too wrapped up in his own problems to properly notice.

"Sorry," he mumbled, deciding for once to keep his mouth shut.

Leaving Zephyr to do his job, Kanden moved along the walls, keeping as far away from the drunk revelers as possible. Laughs, music, and voices reverberated off the walls, making Kanden wince from the sensory overload. His ears ached from all the noise, and the wet clothes clung to his butt, adding to the already uncomfortable experience.

Just get yourself to the kegs, he reminded himself.

A meager spread of food had been provided, courtesy of pooled rations people had saved just for this event. The alcohol sat in barrels, surrounded by people dipping their cups straight into the liquid. Having not seen anything to sterilize the dishes, Kanden wouldn't be surprised if it contained more than a virus. People had disgusting habits, and there was no telling how many germs sat in that concoction, surviving anything the alcohol didn't kill.

No wonder people were getting sick.

As he approached the barrels, a couple stood in his way, plastered to the wall and each other's bodies, groping each other as their mouths engaged in a war of tongues. Kanden pulled a face and sidled around them, sandwiching himself between them and a group of boisterous young men.

Removing a sample jar from his bag, Kanden dipped it into the brown substance and filled it to the brim. Little floaties swirled inside, and he grimaced. Disgusting.

He clutched the jar to his chest, nodding politely at anyone who looked his way. He couldn't cap the jar yet on the off chance someone was paying attention, and he breathed through his mouth to avoid the odor emanating from the foul beverage.

The moment he turned to weave back through the crowd, someone grabbed his arm and spun him, nearly causing the drink to slosh over the edge of the jar. Kanden found himself face to face with Blaze, his childhood nemesis and tormentor.

Cheeks flushed, he studied Kanden with glazed eyes. "Calvorite? What are you doing here?"

"Partying just like everyone else," he replied, peeling Blaze's burning fingers off his arm.

"Oh, trouble in paradise with your boyfriend?" he snickered, drawing laughs from his lackeys nearby, all as drunk as the next person around them.

Kanden shook his head and retreated a step, bumping into the lovers behind him. They didn't appear to notice except to brush his ass with a stray hand. "Nope. Just here for the drink," he said, raising the jar of unpalatable liquid.

Blaze clumsily reached for him again, swaying forward as his fingers grazed Kanden's forearm. "I can't imagine your father would approve of you slumming it with everyone else."

No, he wouldn't. But Father's opinion carried the weight of a grain of sand. Kanden had always done his own thing, regardless of personal risk or consequences. Life was bad enough without worrying about someone else's opinion.

"My friend is waiting for me," Kanden lied, aware Zephyr had his own duties to attend to.

Blaze nudged one of his companions and snorted. "You have friends? That's new. Did Ryker ever tell you he frequents these parties when he's not at the infirmary? Why hasn't he invited you before now?"

Kanden swallowed and forced his expression to remain neutral. Blaze had hated him since they were children — going out of his way to antagonize him at every opportunity. Tonight was no different. Ryker wouldn't do that to him. They had a strong, healthy relationship. The man before him was jealous or insecure, and people like him wanted to bring others down to raise themselves up. Nothing more.

Ignoring the jab, he raised his jar in a mock toast. "Enjoy your night."

Before Blaze could respond or corner him, Kanden retreated, keeping to the walls as he moved back toward Zephyr.

Once they were within proximity to hear each other without shouting, Kanden asked, "How do you stand these things? Everyone is touching each other and getting wasted. What does this accomplish?"

"It's called having fun," Zephyr replied, maintaining his professional bearings and standing at attention. "I'm a little surprised you braved the alcohol. Is it any good tonight?"

Did it matter if people were too incoherent to tell the difference? Good and bad were very subjective terms. "Eh. I decided to live a little."

"I'm guessing it's terrible," Zephyr said with a laugh. "Lemme try a sip."

Kanden pulled a face and held the jar close to his chest. "Trust me; you really don't want to try it." That, and his friend needed reminding to behave. Father didn't forgive poor discipline within the military ranks, especially when those like Zephyr found trouble more often than not.

The taller man quickly overpowered him, plucking the jar from Kanden's hands with ease. "It's just a taste. Not like you're drinking."

Zephyr brought the concoction to his mouth and immediately gagged, shoving the beverage back at Kanden. His eyes bulged as he swallowed, and his face paled before turning a weird shade of green in the dim lights. "Oh, this tastes like piss! Who brewed this?"

"How would you know what piss tastes like?" Kanden inquired with a snort. "I didn't take you to be that daring."

He screwed the cap on the jar while Zeph shuddered dramatically. Then he slipped the drink into his bag as the dancing crowd swelled toward them, masking his actions from any who might care to observe something out of the ordinary.

Composing himself, Zephyr flicked Kanden's forehead like he'd done when they were kids. "Cute, but even I'm not that desperate for something different."

Kanden swatted his friend's hand and stuck out his tongue. "I did warn you not to try the alcohol. Maybe next time you'll listen."

"Yeah, yeah."

The noise rose to a crescendo, roaring in a cacophony of clangs, voices, and echoes against the cavern walls until the entire place shook. Kanden's head pounded in time to the music, ready to split open at any moment.

This was the very definition of not having a good time.

Clamping his hands over his ears, he shouted, "I'm going to go! I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

A sad frown tugged at Zephy's mouth, and he nodded. He shouted something, but Kanden couldn't understand a word of it.

"What?"

Zephyr peeled Kanden's hand from his ear and leaned close. "Do you need me to walk you back?"

Anger, annoyance, and gratitude pervaded his thoughts. Anger at himself for being perceived — no, for being too useless and weak to look after himself. Annoyed that everyone also seemed to know it. Yet grateful one person cared enough to ensure his safety.

Squaring his shoulders and standing tall, he lowered his hands, wincing at the sensory overload of bodies and sound. He grimaced in what he meant to be a smile whilst shaking his head. "You stay here at your post. I'll be fine."

Doubt flickered across Zephyr's eyes, prompting Kanden to spin and race through the crowd. People pressed in on him from every direction, brushing against his skin and making it tingle. Ugh, why did people have to be so intimate? Gross, gross, gross. He'd need a good wash; one which left his skin raw and pink until the ghost of everyone's lingering touch went away.

In the safety of the corridor outside the cavern, Kanden leaned against the wall, sighing in relief.

Dust sprinkled from the rafters of the old mining shaft ahead as images of the worst possible scenario invaded Kanden's imagination. The tunnel could collapse and leave them without oxygen. The ceiling could cave in on everyone behind him and bury them alive. Or—

"Oi, I thought that was you sneaking out," Blaze sneered, stumbling through the exit with half a drink in hand. His cronies wobbled alongside him, laughing as if he'd said something funny.

Kanden pushed himself off the wall and adjusted his bag, prepared to run. Walking backward, he kept his eyes on the drunk men in case they tried something stupid.

"Come on, guys, just leave it for one night," he pleaded, continuing his retreat. "I don't want any trouble."

Emboldened or plain stupid, Blaze sauntered forward, ignoring Kanden's plea to back down. But why would he listen now? The former existed to torment everyone around him. He usually left Kanden alone in public, well aware of the consequences for antagonizing a Council member's child, but only if they were caught.

For every step Blaze took forward, Kanden shifted back an additional two. When his ankle rolled, causing him to fall, the other man caught up with him and took Kanden by the collar. Hauling him to his feet, Blaze shoved him against the wall.

Kanden repressed a gasp as a sharp stone jabbed his rib, doing his best to embody his father's teachings. Basically, not to show weakness.

"What are you really doing here, Calvorite?" Blaze asked, baring his teeth in a terrifying leer as he formed a bar over Kanden's throat with his forearm. "I noticed you didn't drink the brew. Trying to poison us?"

Shit.

Stars clouded Kanden's vision as he futilely attempted to remove Blaze's arm, but the man was too strong.

"What's that?" he demanded, touching his ear with his free hand. "Can't hear you."

Kanden shook his head, silently communicating that no, he wasn't trying to poison anyone. Not that Blaze and his buddies cared.

The bystanders' laughter muffled in Kanden's ears as his lungs ached for air. He clawed at Blaze's arm and squirmed, only for the taller man to chortle. "You know, I doubt anyone would cry if they found you dead here. You're not special or particularly smart; the only significance you have is winning the genetic lottery and being born into a powerful family."

Dizziness washed over Kanden while Blaze rambled. He'd always known the other man hated him; it had been that way since childhood, but he didn't think the latter would outright murder him. The worst part was everything Blaze said rang true. Father made berating his son a daily ritual — reminding him every chance he got that he wished Kanden had been anyone else.

Looks like you got your wish.

"...make it look like an accident," Blaze continued, oblivious to Kanden's internalization. "I know dozens of places I could leave your corpse. Hell, I'd be doing your parents a favor."

Without warning, Blaze's arm disappeared from Kanden's neck, and the former fell to his knees, gasping. Through black spots and vision blurred by moisture, he watched Zephyr and another uniformed soldier engage with his attackers.

While the second man used his baton to trip one of the drunken friends and slam it into the second man's stomach, Zephyr fought Blaze with his bare hands. Rage dominated the pair's features, channeled through burning eyes and incoherent snarls. Blaze was bigger, but Zephyr faster as the smaller opponent sidestepped and slammed his fist into Blaze's jaw. Zephyr swept his leg in a rounded arc, sending his adversary to the ground on his back. Then, using momentum and gravity, dropped his body onto the other man's chest.

Blaze screamed, and Kanden cringed. Just watching his friend body slam the guy hurt, and he was grateful not to be on the receiving end of Zephyr's fury.

The fight over, Zephyr picked himself up and approached Kanden, offering his hand. "You okay?"

Using the wall, Kanden pulled himself up and leaned against it. His breath came in painful wheezes as he nodded. "Yeah."

"Grab another member of security," Zephyr barked, facing the second soldier. "We're going to turn these three over to Bastion for sentencing. I'm sure he'll be interested to know what they had in mind for his son."

Oh, gods, no. Father would be livid, and not just at the violent trio. He'd rant all night about Kanden's ineptitude and stupidity.

"Please don't," he bleated, wincing past the pain in his neck. Blood pulsed furiously where Blaze had cut off his air supply, making it difficult to swallow or speak.

Zephyr whirled around and silenced him with a glare. "They tried to kill you."

But they'd be sentenced to death in turn. The law held no room for mercy. By turning them in to authorities, Kanden would be signing their death warrants.

As if reading Kanden's mind, Zephyr continued in a low and slow tone. "Inebriation and following a misguided fool is no excuse to harm another individual. They will pay for their crimes."

Kanden wanted to shout at the unfairness of it all. Blaze's friends were only guilty of standing by. They hadn't engaged, even if they served as witnesses and did nothing to stop Blaze. Death didn't fit the crime, yet that's what they had to anticipate the moment Father received them. Even worse, their executions would be public to serve as a deterrent for everyone else.

Zephyr's eyes softened, and he squeezed Kanden's shoulder. "I know what you're thinking, but they would have let you die. And if they're willing to watch and do nothing without remorse, they're capable of much worse. This isn't on you."

But it was. If Kanden hadn't come to this stupid party — if he'd just stayed inside his quarters, none of this would have happened. Blaze had hated him for his status while he himself had been reduced to working with his father in waste disposal. He'd been resentful of the unfair system for longer than Kanden could remember, and if anyone cared to understand, they'd realize the political imbalance too.

Kanden sat in the entryway of the tunnel long after security led his attackers away. Before disappearing into the darkness, Blaze shot him a hateful glare that seared itself into Kanden's memory — an image that would haunt his nightmares for a long time. No matter what anyone said; no matter what Blaze had done, Kanden couldn't justify executing all three of those men. Hadn't enough people died already?

Finally, after his lower extremities numbed, he forced himself to his feet. Head down and hands in his pocket, he wandered alone in the dark corridors, traveling wherever his legs carried him. Whether he passed people or remained unhindered, he couldn't recall; all he could think about were the looming deaths of those men and everyone falling ill on a daily basis.

Perhaps he'd succeeded in obtaining a sample for Marina to study. Gathering herbs for the infirmary was something a small child could achieve. But in the end, Blaze and Father were right; Kanden was a disappointment who happened to be born into two very prominent families.

His melancholy thoughts followed him all the way home.