In which Gage and Nix have it out

"Gage!"

In the hushed air that settled on the slums like dust, that voice rang out clear, as a challenge.

Luk looked to Gage but he waved him on before turning around to face Nix.

He was flanked by five other guys and adorned with a black eye, gash on his cheek, disheveled dark hair, although that had less to do with whatever fighting he had been up to, and a makeshift knife made of scrap metal tied to a piece of wood by a harsh rope.

"You're a little late aren't you?" Nix sauntered closer to they were nearly toe to toe and he had to look up a little to meet Gage's eyes. The height difference didn't seem to inhibit the threat in his expression.

Gage met his gaze but let it show nothing. He thought this would have been easier because he had already gone through it once with Shea; but, he was wrong. Shea had, in her own way, always known.

"And here I thought you had slinked off to white with my girl and left me here to rot." He grinned, all malice and not enough Nix. "Now I'm just trying to sort out if you being Silver makes that better or worse!"

Gage said nothing. The least he could so was let Nix vent his anger, he had every right to.

"So you think you're better than us! Always did didn't you! You are like those Silvers that watch the segregation but you are worse because you had to take it one step further. You had to watch our pain from our level!" His fist were clenched at his sides, one still bearing the knife, his whole body trembled like an earthquake wanting to split open a chasm in the ground. "You watched us suffer! You knew what would become of us! You bastard, how could you just sit their quietly and know we couldn't be together? How could you share our food when you must have feasted at home and we hardly had enough to go around?

"Shea always said you were cold but I used to thin with us it was different, but it wasn't. You hate everyone don't you? I suppose in your misery, you wanted to spend time with others just as miserable," he trailed off and dropped his gaze to the cracked earth.

Gage sighed, not even bothering to defend himself, and that was when the punch landed hard on his cheek. It was unexpected and he staggered back. He may have not been willing to defend himself with words but sticks and stones was a different matter.

This was not Gage's first fight. Often when he had returned from a day of study and hanging out with Nix and Shea he would come across Silvers his own age in his compound. It pissed them off that he would both going to the undecideds and when they tried to call him on it, Gage would shrug it off and keep walking. Whoever said just ignoring a bully was the way to stop them was never bullied; but then again, Gage hardly considered it bullying when he always came out on top. They never learned and continued to fight which suited him for he like the impact of their arrogant faces against his knuckles. He didn't think his knuckles would enjoy Nix's face as much.

He took a step back and assessed Nix who had one hand raised with the knife and the other before his chest to defend himself. Gage had two options: pull out his own knife, or, he raised his own fists and then kicked out, twisting his eight to put enough force behind the high kick that connected with his opponent's hand and the weapon was dropped.But his intentions were now not just made for disarming. Continuing the fluidity of the kick he landed and stepped in and undercut Nix to the gut and that was where any grace of the battle had, ended.

Nix would swing and Gage would grab it and return fire but then ignoring the pain that was being inflicted on him, Nix would grit his teeth and withstand the punches and throw a few of his own while Gage's hands were too busy to defend. Gage was more skilled but Nix was more determined to hurt.

Nix jumped back and aimed a kick to Gage's knees but it was swept which would have sent him to the ground had he not grabbed to collar of Gage's collar to off balance him to they both crashed to the ground. Nix landed more or less on top of Gage and straddled him so he could land a few punched to his face before Gage recollected and bucked him off so now the resembled little more than a heap of equally grueling fists, kicks and grabs.

It was when Nix raked his fingers against Gage's face, leaving ripped skin and red snares, that Gage got pissed enough that he shot to his knees and pinned Nix to the ground with one hand around his neck while his other hand groped for his knife and found his gun first. He seized it at the exact moment that every part of his body screamed stop!

He obeyed and went limp. Nix saw his opportunity and scrambled fro the ground to lunge at Gage but the punches became less and less passionate as he realized Gage wasn't fighting back.

They collapsed on the hard dirt, panting and gasping for breath.

Luk swan into Gage's vision but he shook his hand and with a raised hand sent him off.

"You were right about almost all of it."

"Course I was."

"Except I would have given Silver up to stay with you two."

There was a bit of silence before Nix sat up and glared at him, "your face is a mess."

Gage laughed, "and yours isn't? But that has far less to do with me kicking your ass."

Nix made a face but then looked lost in thought as he continued on his original tangent, "It's easy for you to saw when you had Silver to go home to at night." He took a sudden interest in his discarded knife and began carving shapes into the earth.

"Maybe." How could he disagree when he didn't know? "But I would give it up for you and Shea to be together. If beating the crap out of me would fix it I'd let you punch me all day."

"Yeah well, contrary to my earlier belief, that did not work. But it sure felt good." There was Nix again. In those dark grinning eyes.

Gage smiled at him and nodded, from where he still lie on the ground.

"I have a plan you know," Nix looked to his followers who had backed off and sat on the pile of rubble that was their home.

Gage sat up and look expectant.

"Black has tried you know. Tried to set up some form of structure." Gage nodded, this seemed to be the reoccurring theme of the day. "But every time they do the leader is killed off. Last year it was some girl. She came in with a plan, always hoped for black for the chance to change it but then she got blown to bits." The Nix that had smiled at him a moment before retreated into the the coldness that he seemed to be adopting. "I want to be that."

"What? Dead?"

"There are worse ways to die." Nix looked around him, to the wall on their right and then the pathetic skyline of the rubble that was the black compound. "I'm gonna make this an okay place and then find a way to get Shea here."

Gage admired his determination as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the letter.

"You've seen her?" Nix's eyes glistened as he took the paper from him.

"Yeah. She's doing okay."

Gage sat silently as Nix scanner it, then eyed it slowly, and scanned it again before folding it up and pocketing it. "Thanks."

Gage shook his head.

"I know you wouldn't try anything with her and I'm sorry."

"No you don't get to say sorry." It was Gage who was at fault.

"If it was between you and being alone," Nix paused and hugged his knees. "You."

Gage didn't need to say Shea wasn't his type, he would never go for his best friend's girl.

"Gage?" Luk approached and nodded at Nix, "ready to go?"

No, Gage thought, but that wasn't an option so her gingerly got to his feet trying not to cringe at the pain everywhere. It felt a little bit good to feel something though. The moments that passed between seeing the two of them were spent feeling somewhat numb. He reached down to help Nix but he ignored the hand and pushed himself off.

"Take care of yourself." He put his hand on Nix's shoulder who defiantly looked away.

"It's okay. It's still early enough in the year for there to be enough food. They haven' turned to us yet."

Gage knew what Nix was trying to do and he deserved to but still he flinched a little and dropped his hands at the thought of the people caged in here.

"Tell her I love her."

Gage nodded.

"Bye Gage," It wasn't until the last moment when Gage was about to turn away and give up did Nix finall meet his eyes and present the weakest of smiles.