TW: Panic Attack, Mention of injury, Divorce, Minor death.

And so, Helia let the phone down. Thinking he was alone, thinking nobody was around, he let it smack down against the desk. Curses could be heard as he plopped himself down on the bed.

Needless to say, things weren't so good.

Helia was more than angry, he was… frustrated. Annoyed. Upset.

He hated to admit it, but he was upset. Helia wasn't one to really show his feelings. He needed to always take a hold of himself. Act responsibly. He knew none of the specialists held expectations of him to be so rigid, but it was in his personality and he wouldn't let the one thing letting him down show.

Afterall, it was bound to go away soon enough.

He sat down, heart pounding. Why he was so worked up? His douchebag of a dad tried calling him. He had been sending him more messages as of late, attempting to get in contact., It had been years since they had spoken. Hell, the last they spoke was when he was leaving them. Helia must've been seven at the time. Why did he want to talk again? Why didn't he want to talk back then?

He didn't want to worry his mom. She already had to deal with the heartbreak; with the constant papers to fill out and Helia to raise. If he told Saladin, he would instantly tell his mom and personally cut the man a new one. Saladin was protective of his daughter, and same applied to his grandson. He never seemed to like Helia's dad anyway.

"Let's talk again, okay?"

"Don't you miss me?"

"Remember? You're my little flower!"

Helia hadn't realised that he had stood up, and punched the wall. It was only when he saw the blood dripping from his hand and the pain that shot up that he actually noticed.

He also hadn't realised the man at the door, quickly moving to action as soon as it happened.

He was instructed what to do. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Repeat. He hadn't known who was talking for a moment, and frankly? He couldn't focus on anything.

It was only a few beats later when he was able to look up. Oh, Riven. The temperamental specialist looked back to him, genuine concern in his features. And yet, he looked completely in control. Helia hadn't even realised that the man gently took Helia's hand, already set on wrapping it up. Helia couldn't find it in himself to say anything, and he trusted that the silence was mutual. Riven may have not been overly sentimental, but he knew when to not talk.

"So, I didn't think you had a thing for walls, Helia." He couldn't help but snort at this, silence overtaking the space seconds after. "I mean seriously. You did a number to both your hand and the wall. What'd it do to you?"

He knew that Riven hadn't been good with emotions, and was attempting to beat around the bush. Helia sighed softly. He couldn't not talk now; Riven would know something was wrong and it would put the entire team down. He spoke a moment later. "..Thanks, Riven. It- Yeah, just a rough day."

"A rough day doesn't account for a cracked knuckle." He said softly. "I think you broke it. We should go down to the school nurse-" Riven began, though Helia winced slightly. "Yeah, rather not do. I don't want to play twenty questions with Saladin. The teachers gossip way too much." Helia said, softly. Riven quirked an eyebrow. "Helia, I know it doesn't look like it, but I'm learning about how much to take before it means an actual visit. I've gotten into way too many fights." He said, quickly swooping in their mini-fridge to get an ice-pack, to which Helia winced to. Yep, broken. "Yeah no, this thing is hurt. What's up?"

"It's-" Helia hesitated. Who was he to tell his entire sorry? The last thing he needed was pity. "-Nothing." Riven tsk-ed. "Helia, I literally sat down with Flora a few days ago. She said a few things, and.. It really helped." Helia recounted this as Flora told him she had hung out with said guy. What she had said, had been a mystery though.

"Like what?" He found himself asking way too fast. He stopped himself. "-Sorry about that. I won't ask." Riven shook his head. "No, it's fine. She's.. Nice to talk to, you know. We talked about my mom for a bit." Riven almost looked fond as he recalled the memory. "She was.. Great." Helia hadn't known if he wa speaking about Flora, or his mother in the last sentence. Still, Helia looked away. "..Right. Sorry."

Riven snorted. "You're apologizing way too much. Say.. Give me a reason why I shouldn't tell Saladin." He said this teasingly, though he knew he wasn't going to actually say anything.

"It.. Someone from a while back tried calling me. Trying to get in contact with me. And I'm.. Not necessarily in the best of terms with this person." He took a deep breath. Well, he was already far gone. And if Riven was willing to tell him his story. "My dad left us a while back, when I was a kid. For some really, creepy reason, he found my number and keeps trying to get in contact." He said, all in a shuddery breath.

The look that Riven gave him wasn't of pity, nor was it alarmed. He looked… Distant. Yet, kind. "Mm, sounds familiar." He said, gently. "Helia, this sounds like an actual issue though. Look, I know you don't want to, but you realize that Saladin has that group training planned later tonight, right?" Helia winced slightly at that. Right. "-You're gonna need your gloves. And, the group's gonna notice and freak out." Riven observed, and Helia gave him a small smile. Riven was being.. Caring. In his own, little way. He was being a voice of reason in a way.

"Right. Let me just-" He flinched getting up, and Riven rolled his eyes. "I'll help with your hand. Let's go downstairs, loser." This made Helia smile a little. Yet, as they walked down, he couldn't help but wonder what Riven had gone through if he had looked so… Reminiciant about it."

Maybe he should ask for help more often. Even if it came from the most unconventional places.

oh worm-

So fun fact time, this was actually supposed to be another chapter for KUWTS, but I realised that it would do better to be a stand-alone story in itself. Short, but yeah. Also, I referenced Six Times again, though most of my headcanons seem to tie up. orz

Also, the beginning of this was supposed to be for Igor-Who? Different, but similar. I actually may use parts of this one. Updates on that: The reasons why I haven't updated it yet? I'm still story-boarding it so it may take longer. Apologies about that!

Your reviews are the things that make me want to write, so tell me what you thought in the section below! (^.^)/ Lili out.