Chapter 6: M-my Friend

Raphael later left the room after making peace with Alex, and when he returned he saw the boy sleeping soundly under his thick blanket. He sighed and went over to his bed to wake him up but just as his hand touched him, the latter caught his hand from under the blanket.

Raphael gasped and dragged the blanket off but to his surprise, Alex was still sleeping. ' What is this? ' He thought in his head and tried to free himself but the sleeping boy was firmly holding him. He began to tap him to wake him up because it could seem that he wasn't aware of what he was doing.

"Huh?" Alex grunted as he opened his eyes. He looked by his side and saw that he was tightly holding Raphael and that the latter was frowning in pain. He abruptly let go and stood up immediately. "Damn it. I'm sorry, I didn't know," he said to him and looked at his hand. Seeing the bruises, he frowned deeply. ' Arthur! ' he yelled in his head because he knew that was his doing.

"I was only playing with him," Arthur replied and chuckled.

' Stop it! ' Alex warned him.

"Or what?" Arthur asked him back.

' I cease to be your vessel! ' Alex replied and that was it. Arthur stopped talking and didn't mutter any more words. Seeing that he became quiet, Alex sighed and came down from the bed. He approached Raphael and took hold of his hand, "Let me see," he said to him and began to examine it. ' Is this what he calls playing?' He thought with a frown.

Seeing that he wasn't happy, Raphael pulled his hand away and began to move it in the air. He was indicating that he was fine but Alex wouldn't buy it.

"Come, let me take you to the infirmary so that it would get treated," he said and dragged him along.

Raphael was surprised but he quietly let Alex drag him along with him as they made their way to the infirmary. When they got there, Alex took him to see the nurse in charge, a very fair lady with red hair and full curves.

"Miss, please would you mind checking his wrist and treating him?" He asked the lady who was busy writing some things down on a pad.

"Sure, let me see it," the nurse said and dropped what she was holding. Alex dragged Raphael and when they went to where she was sitting, he pulled out the hand and showed her. "This?" She asked him in surprise.

"Yes, treat it," Alex requested, not minding how surprised the lady looked.

"But it's not that bad," she said and Raphael shrugged his shoulders in agreement with her.

But Alex didn't care. "But it could get infected," he persisted, and seeing how he was determined to get the wound treated, the nurse finally agreed.

After cleaning the wound and dressing it, she sighed. "I'm done," she said to Alex who thanked her and left with Raphael walking closely behind him. "What a powerful dark energy I sense inside of him," she mumbled after the boys had left and then picked up her phone to make a call.

When the boys got outside, Raphael tapped Alex on the shoulder, and the two of them stopped. He placed his hand on his stomach and it growled that instant.

"You are hungry?" Alex asked him and he nodded. "Oh, so which way is the canteen?" He asked him while looking around for any description.

Raphael signaled him to follow him and then turned around and began to head in a particular direction. Alex followed behind and the two of them soon arrived at the school canteen. They went in and ordered their meal before joining the other kids who were on the table.

It was a long hall with a large table in the middle, and about forty chairs were placed around it for the students. Alex and Raphael found two empty chairs and went over to sit there but before they could sit down, the boy who had insulted Alex stood up from where he was sitting and made his way to them.

"What are you doing here? This place has no space for you!" He said to Alex.

"What do you want?" Alex asked him.

"Take your food and leave! You aren't welcome here!" The boy replied and spat away.

Irritated by him, Alex turned and began to walk away silently. Unknown to him, Raphael was silently following him until he heard the boy yell again in anger. He halted and turned around only to see the boy's hand on Raphael's collar.

"What are you doing with that boy? He almost killed you, right?" The boy yelled at Raphael, jerking him as he spoke. He knew very well that Raphael could not talk freely like them but he kept jerking him and yelling at him the same time. "Answer me!"

"M-my friend!" The boy muttered and as soon as he spoke, he coughed out a mouthful of blood that spilled over the boy and the food he was also carrying.

"What—" The boy yelled furiously and raised his hand to hit him but before his hand could touch Raphael, someone caught it, halting his action immediately.

The sound of plates smashing on the floor filled the air and when they turned, it was Alex's own.

"Don't touch him," Alex said to the boy while holding his hand.

"Guys, did you see him leave that spot?"

"No, I didn't. I only heard the sound of his plates shattering."

"How did he—"

"I won't touch him only if you agree to fight with me now!" The boy replied to Alex as he slapped his hand away from his.

Alex has been trying to avoid this so much but from the way things are now, he could no longer continue. He glanced at Raphael who nodded at him, telling him to go ahead, he was quite taken aback that he also agreed with the fight but then, who wouldn't? Especially when your opponent is as proud as the one before him.

"Okay," he muttered. Turning to Raphael, he showed him three of his fingers and a smirk curved up at the end of his lips.