Uploading a day late this week, as I spent nearly all day yesterday on stream celebrating the finale of my charity drive for my sister. Was a fantastic stream and a ton of fun. Ended up raising a total of $300 for her. She's been paying off medical bills and just got her first apartment, so wanted to help her get a good start. Saw her earlier today at a family bday party. Turns out, after all the initial expenses (groceries, basic furniture, etc.), she was a little concerned about funds and stressing quite a bit, which made it even better when I handed her the money. Was really glad we were able to help her out like that, as she needed the encouragement. I've made my sister cry before, but this time, it was tears of joy. Anyways, had to delay some of this week's writing as a result, as there was a lot to do in the lead up to the finale. I hope to be back on schedule next week.

On a side note, this week was the first time the monthly views for this story surpassed my first fic, In RWBY's Shadow! Kind of an exciting milestone for me.

As it turned out, working with a local lumberjack was far less exciting than Adam had imagined. Instead of chopping down trees in the forests around the village, Adam and Erik waited around at the sawmill for most of their first shift, sweeping up sawdust and enduring a safety class - most of which boiled down to "don't touch anything." Halfway through their shift, they finally got called to do the real work.

A small truckload of trees had been brought in and were waiting for their dismemberment at the hands of the various saws and machinery around the mill. But before that could happen, Adam and Erik were put to work.

"You see them logs we just brought in?" their new employer, who the other workers all referred to as Papi, asked when they came outside, patting the first tree to be unloaded. Behind him, the timber claw - one of many things they were warned not to even come near - worked to unload each tree one by one. "I need all them pesky branches hewn off. When each one's done, wave one of us over'n we'll swap it out for the next one. Once they're all finished, you're done for the day. Faster ya work, faster ya go home."

Before Adam could rush in and start hacking away at their target, Erik raised a hand and asked, "What do we do with all the branches?"

The question brought a smile to the lumberjack's face. "Look who's thinkin' ahead. Guess you're as smart as your frien' said." Papi nodded to Adam before pointing to a pile of branches across the lot from them. "Ya see that pile o'er there? Toss 'em on top as best ya can. We'll clear it out once it gets too high. Any other questions?"

Adam looked to Erik, trusting his friend to think through any other specifics. When Erik shrugged, their boss nodded to the wall beside them.

"Tools are on the wall there. Make sure they get back when you're done." And with that, he sauntered off, barking some instructions to another worker. How they could communicate more than a few feet away with all the machinery was a mystery to Adam, but he didn't really care. His only concern was stripping the tree of every limb as quickly as he could.

"Not the most glamorous work," Adam commented as they armed themselves for the task ahead. It looked like some of the branches had already snapped off, but there were plenty more still attached, including a few broken ones that feebly clung on for dear life.

"Could be worse," Erik said as they took opposite sides of the tree and began removing some of the smaller branches first. "Beats sweeping sawdust all day."

Adam could definitely agree with that. Being outside in the warm sunlight, doing work that actually felt useful, sure felt nice. Plus, with each branch he sawed through, he could see the end goal get closer and closer. The work had a definitive end point, and best of all, once they reached it, they could go.

"Wonder why they don't just clean them in the woods?" It made a lot more sense to Adam. They could just leave the branches on the forest floor. Plus, it meant less waste in transport. Maybe he should suggest it. Erik wasn't the only one with brains.

Though he often used his better. "Probably too dangerous," he offered, grunting as a larger branch broke off and grazed his knee as it fell. "Cleaning it there would mean more time outside the walls. Better to bring it all back and work here than risk the Grimm."

Adam hadn't heard of any Grimm attacks around the village, but then again, he didn't hear much from outside the orphanage. Unless someone at the stable mentioned it, his world was limited to the orphanage walls and grounds. And occasionally the brief rides with Eve, but he never strayed far from the walls. If Grimm were venturing that close to Katai, he doubted they'd let him outside the walls on his own.

It didn't take long for them to finish their first tree. Erik waved to let some nearby workers know they were ready for the next one, but no one noticed. With a reluctant sigh, he jogged over to inform them while Adam dragged some of the larger branches away. By the time all of the branches were added to the pile, their log had been replaced and the process began again.

Their pace began to slow by the third. Erik took a break to catch his breath, but Adam refused, stubbornly pushing on by himself. When each tree was finished, Adam cleared the branches by himself, insisting Erik use the chance to rest in between. Then, when Erik still struggled, Adam had him work on the branches while he cut them off.

Gotta work harder. As they drew closer and closer to the end of their first day, Adam's muscles ached, begging him to take a break alongside Erik. But he'd only gotten Erik the position by promising to work hard. If they didn't live up to the lumberjack's expectations, he might decide to get rid of them. Heck, he might just send Erik back if they didn't work hard enough. Adam wouldn't let that happen.

"Slow down, Adam," Erik insisted.

"I'm fine," Adam panted in return, wiping the sweat from his brow before it could run down into his eyes. The sweaty taste already lingered in his mouth, but he ignored it. After all, they just had one more to go. "We're almost done."

Unlike the first time, Erik's wave summoned someone to operate the claw and relieve them of their latest conquest. Despite Erik's protest, Adam grabbed the largest branch and began to drag it over to the pile. "You don't have to push yourself so hard."

Yes I do, Adam reminded himself, grunting as he added to the branch pile. He'd promised to take care of his friends. If all it took was shouldering a little more of the workload, then so be it. He just needed to go a little longer. "Let's finish this one up, and then we can both go rest."

With the end in sight, both of them tore through the final branches, eager to finish the job. Adam finished his first and hopped across to help with Erik's side, peeling away just before the end to begin dragging the branches away. Soon, the area stood clear once more. Adam and Erik hung up their hand saws and took a moment to admire the stack of logs they had worked on all day.

"Not bad, boys. Not bad at all." Papi whistled as he approached, glancing at his watch. "And you're 'head of schedule, too. Maybe you two'll be worth the hassle after all."

"Thank you, sir," Erik replied, bowing his head briefly.

"It wasn't too bad," Adam added, even if he knew his arms would say otherwise. He couldn't wait to get back to the orphanage and take a shower.

Papi let out a quick bark of laughter. "If ya say so, kid. Tomorrow'll be a bit easier on ya. Them logs'll be gettin' sliced into planks. Gonna have you two stackin' 'em up afterwards. Sound good?"

"Got it!" Adam doubted they had much choice in the matter. Still, getting told in advance was nice. It would still be hard work, but it sounded like the pace would be a little slower. And far more repetitive. But most importantly, it meant a change of pace. Switching up tasks now and then sure beat doing the same thing day after day.

Papi glanced over his shoulder at a sudden noise from the mill, but looked unconcerned. "Well, good work today. Why dontcha head on back and I'll see you tomorrow." Papi turned to leave, but stopped to quickly add, "And tell your keeper I said you done good here. Won't be needin' to cancel after all."

"Cancel?"

"See you tomorrow, Papi!" Adam called, turning away and leaving Erik stuck deciding whether or not to follow. With Papi already heading back to the mill and Adam quickly making tracks, Erik took off after his friend.

"What did he mean?" Erik asked once he'd caught up.

"What did who mean?"

"Papi!" Erik exclaimed, as if the fact should've been obvious. "What was he going to cancel?"

"Nothing," Adam shrugged. Erik hastened to cut Adam off, blocking his path. When it was clear Erik wouldn't let go of the issue, Adam sighed, "Fine. He wasn't sure if it would work out originally. Madam de Thom said he could cancel the contract with us if he wasn't satisfied."

It wasn't a complete lie. Papi hadn't been too worried about Adam. It was the idea of hiring Erik as well that made him hesitate. If work had gone poorly, he might've just canceled Erik's contract and saved the lien on only one of them. Adam had no intention of letting that happen. Telling Erik that he only got the job because of Adam would be rough. Even worse if he only got to keep his job because Adam worked harder to cover for him. He'd probably demand that he be judged on his own merit, which meant Adam would be working alone within days.

But how could he convince Erik? After all, Papi had chosen Adam originally, so he clearly needed the extra hands. Erik might not believe Papi had had second thoughts so quickly, but still signed the papers. He needed a better reason.

Thankfully, Erik provided one for him.

"Because we're faunus?"

Adam and Erik had been the last ones available. Maybe Papi didn't trust faunus. They hadn't seen a single faunus at the mill today. Maybe Papi was racist. Or maybe some of his employees were and he feared it would cause trouble.

Adam knew that wasn't it, but lacking a better option, he decided to run with it.

"Maybe," he shrugged, hoping it would keep Erik distracted. "He did comment on it when we met."

Adam whispered a silent apology to Papi, but given the choice between dirtying a stranger's name or crushing his friend's confidence, he felt he'd made the right choice. At worst, Erik would have a bad opinion of the guy for a while. Maybe once they worked there long enough, Erik wouldn't care. Or he'd think Papi had come around after having them work there.

Either way, Erik didn't have to know the truth.

/- - - - - - - - - -/

As the week dragged on, Adam couldn't decide if he hated or loved working at the mill. Sure, it meant he had less free time, but getting out of the orphanage and actually doing something felt great. They finished early every day - mostly thanks to Adam - and got back before most of the other teens. It also served as a workout for him most of the time. And on top of all that, it gave them something new to talk about at dinner.

Nila was always eager to hear about their day, peppering them with questions on what work they did, what it was like having a job, and anything else she could think of. As much as he liked hanging out with Erik and Nila, their conversations could get a little dull sometimes, since all they had to talk about was classes and life at the orphanage.

Not exactly thrilling stuff.

"They showed us how to operate the timber claw today," Erik proudly announced.

Nila could barely contain her excitement. "They're gonna let you operate the machinery?"

Erik grinned sheepishly. "Not quite. Just had some down time and one of the newer guys was learning. Adam asked if we could watch, too."

Adam doubted they'd be letting two kids run any of the machines, but it couldn't hurt to learn for later. Maybe in a few years, they'd let one of them try. Or maybe they'd impress Papi by already knowing when he needed someone to step up. But mainly, he could see Erik trying to spy on the lesson and figured they might as well ask.

"They just went over some of the controls. I don't think they'll be handing us the keys anytime soon."

Nila ignored his attempt to downplay the situation. "That's awesome! You two have only been there a week, and you're already doing so much! You must be working really hard."

Seeing an opportunity to keep Erik upbeat about their work, Adam joined in the praise, making sure to keep it aimed at his friend as much as possible. "We finish ahead of schedule every day. And Papi always seems impressed with how smart Erik is."

"Really?" his friends both asked in unison.

"Absolutely. Erik's always thinking ahead and asking important questions. Saves us a ton of work."

The impressed look on Nila's face had Erik turning bright red in an instant. As much as he fought for Nila's attention, having it so suddenly thrust upon him proved too much. "Yeah, but we only get done so fast because of Adam. No way I could keep up with how hard he works."

Just accept the compliment. And just like that, Nila was back to praising Adam. Admittedly, he could feel his cheeks redden a little, but he handled it far better than Erik. Then again, this wasn't the first time Nila had been so intently focused on him. Nor would it be the first time he enjoyed it.

It also wasn't the first time the mood was ruined.

A hand slammed down on Adam's shoulder, squeezing tightly. "Aw, did someone forget to let the animals out today? Good thing they're housebroken." Adam slid his shoulder free, refusing to give Pika the satisfaction of turning to face him. "Well, some of them."

"What do you want, Pika?" Adam asked. The sooner he had his fun, the sooner he'd leave.

Erik nearly fell over as Pika sat down, forcing him out of the seat. "Is that any way to greet me? After all we've been through?" Adam clenched his teeth, holding back his thoughts on their so-called friendship. "Just thought I'd drop by and see how you two like workin' in the real world. Ain't too much for you runts, is it?"

"Adam already had a job," Nila interjected, hoping to spoil Pika's entertainment. "At the inn."

Pika glared at her, but he wasn't done yet, tossing an arm around Adam's shoulders. "Is that so? Didn't realize they let animals inside."

"I work in the stable," Adam replied, knowing Pika was waiting for it. He already knew about Adam's job.

"Ah, so they keep you out there with the other animals. That makes more sense." Pika's thugs laughed at the dumb joke, one of them elbowing Erik, who didn't find it all that funny. "So tell me about this new gig you got. Anything exciting?"

"We're working at a sawmill." While Adam couldn't exactly ignore the question, he didn't feel like offering more than the basics. Just give him enough to make him go away.

Nila didn't get the memo, unfortunately. "Their boss is really impressed with them." Nila might've been overselling it a bit. Sure, they always finished faster than required, but that could just be Papi having low expectations at the start. All they'd done so far was convince him not to fire Erik. "They even got trained on some of the bigger equipment already."

"Guess you can train them, boys. Who knew?" Pika stood back up, pushing off of Adam's shoulder. "Well, keep working hard, and maybe someday they'll let you have a real job."

"Like fetching coffee for people?"

Adam winced at Nila's scathing remark. Pika often bragged about the cushy office job he worked in the evenings, though he obviously oversold it. Adam highly doubted Pika got to meet with the mayor. Another boy who helped clean the town hall offices once told them that he'd seen Pika running down the hall with cups of hot coffee from a nearby cafe. While they couldn't say for certain, it sure sounded like Pika was nothing more than a glorified errand boy.

The way Pika's eyes locked onto Nila made him suspect they'd gotten pretty close with their guess.

"Awfully rich coming from a toilet scrubber." Nila refused to back down, narrowing her eyes at their tormentor, even if they'd all had bathroom duty at some point.

"Thanks for the advice, Pika," Erik cut in, hoping to defuse the rising tension. Pika turned his attention to Erik for a moment, then decided they weren't worth his time.

"Whatever. See ya around, runts." Pika stormed away, shouldering past Erik as he did. His friends looked at each other in confusion before hurrying after their ringleader.

Once they were gone, Erik reclaimed his seat while Adam rubbed his shoulder. "Thanks for that." Adam smiled across the table at Nila, who cheered up instantly at the simple comment.

"Not sure we should be poking the Ursa like that," Erik offered, glancing after Pika to make sure he wouldn't come back. "Pika doesn't exactly like to be challenged."

Nila didn't seem overly concerned. "Why should I care what that jerk likes? Not like he's gonna start being nice all of the sudden."

"But he could be a lot meaner," Erik pointed out. "Isn't that right, Adam?"

And suddenly, Adam was stuck in the middle as both of his friends turned to him. On the one hand, he respected Nila showing some backbone, but he'd experienced firsthand just how vicious Pika could be. The last thing he wanted was for Nila to suffer a similar fate.

"He's not worth it," Adam tried, hedging his bets between the two. "Easier to just let him run his mouth and leave."

The problem with trying to please both of them was that neither really seemed happy with the answer. Nila had hoped for his support, while Erik clearly wanted him to dissuade Nila of her antagonism. Instead, his non-committal approach left them both unsatisfied.

In truth, he wished he could side with Nila. If he believed for even a second that the three of them could hope to stand up to Pika and his crew, he'd have cornered them months ago. One on one, he felt he could easily take Pika, but the opportunity never presented itself. Whether it was Pika trying to protect himself or the other boys always being desperate to please, Pika always had at least two of his buddies nearby. They even shared a dorm room. He doubted any of the other kids would help them against Pika, either. Even those that Pika bullied.

After all, if Pika focused on the faunus trio more, then he had less time to pick on others.

In the end, he had two choices. Fight back, which would be a losing battle, or endure. Both were painful, but one carried a far greater risk to his friends. If tucking his tail in shame meant his friends were spared any serious harm, then he'd take that deal.

/- - - - - - - - - -/

Two months into their new job, Adam felt they had gotten into a good rhythm. He still did most of the work, but Erik was getting better. It would be a long time until he could catch up to Adam, but Erik was slowly getting stronger. He could go longer without breaks. Caught his breath faster. And it wasn't until late in their shift that Adam would notice him start to slow down.

Their hard work hadn't gone unnoticed, either. Unlike the first week, they required very little supervision at work. Papi would give them their orders for the day and turn them loose. The other workers would sometimes chat with them during slow days, accepting them as part of their worksite now that they'd begun to prove themselves. Even Papi seemed pleased with them, though he didn't comment on it much beyond a "good work" at the end of each day.

Which is why Adam had been a little confused when Madam de Thom sent for him one Saturday after getting back from the inn, saying she needed to talk to him about his work.

"You called for me, Madam?"

"Take a seat," Madam de Thom instructed as Adam stepped into her office. She didn't appear upset. Or, at least, no more than usual. Adam didn't think he'd ever seen her smile except when talking to visitors. "I wanted to talk to you about your job."

"Is there something wrong?" He couldn't imagine there being a problem. They'd even stayed late yesterday to help clean up after work after being dismissed. One of the crew had gotten hurt in the morning, so they were running a little behind. Erik had suggested they see if there was any way they could help. Papi had turned them down at first, but Adam hadn't missed the pleased smile when they insisted.

Adam relaxed as Madam de Thom swept away that concern. "Quite the opposite. Your employer has assured me that he is very satisfied with your work. He even asked if he could give you a raise. It seems you've impressed him thus far."

"A raise?" Adam didn't receive any lien for his work. At least, not directly. It all went to the orphanage to cover expenses.

"Indeed. After talking it over with him, he has offered to make a monthly donation as long as he feels your work continues to exceed his expectations." Whether it exceeded hers, she wouldn't say. Then again, she probably didn't care, as long as she didn't get complaints. "I already spoke with Erik earlier and he insisted you deserved it more than he did."

"Erik said that?" While he knew it was true, he also knew Erik tried. It wasn't a lack of effort that held Erik back.

"He did, which is why he has asked that any additional funds go to your benefit. As such, I wished to discuss some options with you." Madam de Thom pulled a few papers in front of her, but Adam couldn't see what was written on them. "Previously, we negotiated for you to work at the inn as payment for stabling your horse there. Based on the amount, I believe we can terminate your employment with the inn and still cover the expenses."

It was that much? Then again, he'd never asked how much they were paying for his horse. Or how much working there earned. He'd just accepted the deal and never asked any questions. For all he knew, they were overworking him and keeping the profit. Or he might be coming up short and the orphanage was covering the difference. Honestly, he didn't much care. He worked. They provided. End of story.

Having his Saturdays free sounded nice at first, but one detail stuck out to him. "Would I still be able to visit the inn on the weekend?"

Madam de Thom set a paper aside. "No. Children are only allowed to leave the orphanage grounds for work. You would be free to do as you wish on Saturdays, but only within these grounds."

Meaning he'd lose his chance to visit Eve each week. That one bit of freedom was precious to Adam. Plus, he couldn't just abandon her. Eve deserved better. "I…I'd like to continue working there, if I can."

"I assumed as much and prepared a few other options." As Madam de Thom spoke, she read through the contents of her current page, then skimmed the next. "We could arrange for you to have a few days off each month. Give you priority on chore selection. Or even arrange for the purchase of certain items on a semi-regular basis."

A sudden idea hit Adam. "Could I get some training equipment?" Maybe he could get some practice swords. Or a training rifle.

Madam de Thom caught on immediately, shooting the idea down without hesitation. "No weapons. Aside from the danger it could pose, the extra insurance expense alone would be too much. I meant something like books or some sort of snack for your personal use."

And have Pika steal it the moment he turned his back? Absolutely not.

"I do have one other option," Madam de Thom offered after Adam's refusal. "On rare occasions, a child arrives in our care with a sum of lien willed to them by their parents. We hold onto that until they come of age, at which time they receive all funds." Madam de Thom set aside all of her forms, clasping her hands on her desk as she finished. "We could do the same here, saving each payment in a single account for when you leave us. We would keep a small portion to cover account and bookkeeping expenses, but the rest would be directly deposited."

A savings account? Pika had once bragged about something like that, saying he already had some lien saved up for when he left. His parents must've left some in his name when they died. Many of the orphans were the result of Grimm attacks. When a village was wiped out, no one really bothered to go back and account for lost property. Besides, bandits usually beat them to it.

Having a head start once he got out would be helpful. A lot of the older teens worried about money as they got closer to that fateful farewell. They'd probably kill for an offer like this. And if it was saved up for multiple years? He'd have enough to give him and Erik both a bit of a safety net starting out. Nila, too, since she'd join them only a year or so later.

"Can I split it up between a few of us?"

Madam de Thom sat back, sensing that they were about to reach a deal. "It would all be kept in one account to make things easier, but you can split it however you like when the time comes."

"Then I'll do that," Adam answered. Maybe Erik would take his share and set out on his own. Maybe they'd pool their resources and get an apartment or something to split. Whatever happened, they'd be in a much better situation when the time came than most.

"Very well. I'll arrange everything. You're free to leave." Madam de Thom had already begun filling out paperwork by the time he reached the door.

Adam nearly cheered in the hall, but held it in as to not annoy Madam de Thom. This is great! Not only was all their hard work paying off, but it would benefit all three of them in the long run. He briefly considered keeping it a secret and surprising them when the time came, but that idea lasted all of two seconds before he decided it would be better to share it right away. They still had years before it would happen, but now they didn't have to worry as much about what lay beyond their time here.

Adam sprinted back to his room, but Erik was nowhere to be seen. It only took him a moment to remember that only he had been gone today. After working with Erik five days a week, it was easy to forget that he worked alone on the final day. Erik would likely be outside, relaxing in the sun or hanging out with Nila.

Abandoning their empty room, Adam jogged out the back to seek out his friend. Even though Erik obviously knew about Papi's offer of extra lien, he had no idea what Adam had come up with. The moment he broke through the back door of the orphanage, his eyes scanned the playground for a familiar tail, but came up empty. He could see a handful of kids in the nearby fields, but still no Erik.

What he did see were a pair of unmistakable ears, though.

"Nila!" Adam cheered as he ran over. She hesitated, but seemed to perk up when she saw it was him. "You seen Erik around?"

Nila quickly shook her head, rubbing her arm for a moment before answering, "Not since we ate." Her eyes widened in concern. "Why? Did something happen?"

"Nothing bad," Adam assured her. "Something great, in fact!" He'd planned to tell Erik first, but that could wait until later. With Nila already here, he might as well let her in on the secret. "You know how Erik and I have been working so hard at the sawmill?"

"Yeah?" Considering how much the two talked about it anymore, it would've been hard not to. Nila always seemed interested, though he wondered if her enthusiasm for the subject had started to wear off recently.

"Well…" Adam looked around, but Nila had been by herself already. "Papi offered to pay us a little extra for all the hard work."

"That's great!" Nila cheered, even if she sounded a little more tired than he'd have expected.

"But get this. Since I can't really do anything with the money while I'm here, Madam de Thom is going to save it for when we get out!" That got a little more of a reaction from Nila. "And best of all, she said I can split it between the three of us, so we'll all have some when the time comes!"

"Adam, you don't have to-"

"But I want to," Adam interrupted before she could insist he keep it all himself. I promised to look after you two, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. "You, me, and Erik will each get a cut when we leave here. Or we can get a place in town. Or even move to somewhere better! Just the three of us. Whatdya think?"

"Sounds great," Nila replied with a smile. Considering the news, Adam had hoped for a little more excitement.

"What's wrong?" Did she not want to stick with them after the orphanage? He wouldn't force her to, of course, but he just sort of assumed they'd at least start out together. Maybe they'd split up later on, but it would be a great start until they figured out what they wanted to do next. "Nila?"

"Nothing," Nila tried, but Adam knew her well enough to see through the flimsy attempt. Adam reached out for her, but she took a step back, just out of reach. Her hand came up to her arm protectively as she angled it away from him. "I'm fine. Just a little tired."

It didn't take a genius to see something was off. "What happened to your arm?" Adam asked. As Nila tried to stammer some empty denial, he took advantage of her distraction to catch her wrist before she could pull away. She tugged twice before giving up.

"It's nothing," she assured him.

"Nila."

"I fell," she insisted. "Banged up my arm a little. No biggie."

"Show me," Adam instructed, refusing to let go until she did. Sighing, she lifted her sleeve to reveal a nasty-looking bruise. "Nila! What happened?"

"Like I said. I fell."

Adam refused to believe her. She wouldn't have hidden it if she had just fallen. She wouldn't look so concerned if it was just clumsiness. The way she avoided his eyes spoke of something more. Something worse.

And Adam suspected he knew what.

"Did Pika do this?" He could already feel his blood begin to boil before she answered. The sudden fear in her eyes as she tried to come up with a different excuse confirmed his suspicions.

"It wasn't him."

"What did he do?" Adam demanded, grip tightening as she tried to pull away. He had no intention of letting her leave without giving him the truth.

"Nothing!" Nila finally looked at him again. Adam could already see the tears starting to form. "It's just…with you and Erik gone in the afternoons…and I'm here by myself…and sometimes…"

Adam could fill in the blanks easily enough. "Where is he?" he demanded as he let go of her.

"Adam, no!"

"Where. Is. He?" Nila tried to step in front of him, but he ignored her. He didn't see Pika or his goon squad outside, though. If they were all together, it wouldn't go well for him. He knew that.

But it wouldn't stop him from trying.

Adam sprinted inside, chased by Nila's yells for him to stop. It was bad enough Pika picked on the three of them, but he'd crossed a line. Adam had kept his head down specifically to keep Erik and Nila safe. But Pika hadn't honored their agreement. He'd gone after Nila when Adam wasn't looking. That she tried to stop him meant she'd been threatened into silence, just like him. Worse, her words made it sound like this wasn't a first time thing.

Looking back, he should've known something was up. Nila had become more reserved recently, especially during meals. He was always too busy staying quiet whenever Pika came by to mess with them that he ignored Nila doing the same. Where she would sometimes challenge or antagonize Pika, she now shied away and kept quiet. He doubted it was his warning weeks ago that had changed her.

Which meant this had been going on for a while.

Adam decided to check Pika's room first, since the weight room would require going upstairs. Even before he reached the doorway, he knew he'd found his target. From halfway down the hall, he could hear that hated voice. That evil laugh. His pace increased with each syllable, mixing with the pounding in his ears. His breath came out in ferocious snorts until he rounded the corner into the room.

Pika stood nearby, facing away from him as he told some joke to his friends. Only one of them even noticed him storm in at first, but Adam saw the sudden look of concern as he tried to warn the others. Adam didn't hear what he said, too focused on his target. At the last second, Pika turned around to see what all the fuss was.

And Adam struck.

Adam going full rage mode all of the sudden. The actual attack will happen next chapter, along with all the fallout and what's going through his mind. I'll save that for next week, though.

Noticed this week that I've got a lot of four-letter names going on right now. Erik. Nila. Pika. Papi. Wasn't my intention. Just sorta happened. Papi is from Spanish slang, and from what I understand is a respectful term meaning "father." Basically giving honor to an individual. Felt it fit here, but only after a lot of work picking a name. Wanted to make a Paul Bunyan reference, but couldn't find a name I liked. Then, I found that Bunyan may be a mix of two historical lumberjacks: Fabian Fournier and Paul Bon Jean. Bon Jean fought in the Papineau Rebellion. Papineau. Papi. Boom! Name complete.

Anyways, that's it for now. Apologies for the delay, but this week was insanely busy. I ate so much random stuff along the way, from horrible flavored jellybeans to a small spoonful of Vegemite (that was my biggest mistake). But it was worth it in the end to help out my sister. Have a great weekend and I'll see you all again soon!

Next chapter: Adam seeks revenge against Pika.