Heartless || •OG• ✔️

Chapter 21 - Jericho

All Jericho wanted was a fucking coffee.

He was sipping from it, breathing in the scent of the stale coffee Charlotte kept here from the maybe two times she stocked the place up. It was delicious, and the kitchen was the perfect setting to drink in peace. However, as soon as Kayden sat across from him at the counter, Jericho wanted nothing more than to replace his coffee with liquor. He didn't care what kind. Even Vodka despite his intense disliking of all Vodka variants.

The military base had its own generator, which meant they had electricity. The water worked too, so they could shower. Jericho spent half an hour in the shower when he heard that news. The water was perhaps too hot, but he basked in it and let the cuts on his body heal from the soothing liquid.

"Black?" Kayden asked, Jericho drinking from the cup and ignoring him.

The counter was made of a wood Jericho didn't know the name of, but it was lighter than the average wood. There were specs of darkness that invaded what otherwise was a bright and welcoming surface. The bottom half of it was white, the stools matching that. Two were on one side, and two on the other. Jericho was planted on the top of one seat, Kayden directly across from him much to his dismay.

Cupboards filled with rationed snacks were behind Jericho. There was also a working fridge that had nothing of note in it. The single burner for the stove they had worked, just like the fridge and water. The idea that they had to leave the hideout for more safety was appalling. Any place with coffee was a place Jericho didn't need to leave. The only thing that would make the hideout better was a frozen glass filled to the brim with foaming beer. Or, with the way their lives were going, Jericho preferred a shot.

"You were right," Kayden said, and Jericho stiffened at the quiet acceptance hiding behind the man's words. There were layers inside each syllable that Jericho craved to pick apart, but Kayden cleared his throat and started again before Jericho could process it. "This whole time, you've been right. I'm sorry I haven't realized it until now."

Jericho took a long swig from his coffee. Light danced around Kayden's eyes, the bags under them seemingly the largest marks on his body. Considering Kayden had scars all over his neck and arms, that was quite a feat. There was an angle to his shoulders that made him seem frail. Physically, Kayden was always one of the strongest. In their profession, he had to be. He wasn't one for working out, though. He opted to eat healthier and let the missions do the exercise.

There was still no answer from Jericho. He was much too busy cherishing each droplet inside the glass. In a minute's time, he was sure his drink would disappear, so he milked it for all it was worth. Kayden was smart enough not to interrupt the coffee break. Jericho wasn't sure if he should be thankful or not.

His theory was correct. The coffee left him in a minute at most. When he set it down, it made a clunk against the counter that shook Jericho's fingers. He fiddled them, biting on the nails of his left hand before he found it within himself to meet Kayden's gaze. It was unwavering, peering through Jericho's dark eyes.

"Can you say something?" Kayden asked, his voice scratching as it came out. For a moment, Jericho swore it wasn't a question. It was a plea.

"I don't have much sympathy for those who try to kill me. As much as I'd love to hear you sit there saying I'm right, I'd rather go back to my room and take another shower or two. Don't play this game, Kay." The nickname slipped by his tongue without his brain approving it. They both went still from that. Jericho stuck to his guns and pretended he intended to say it, but Kayden would see through that in a heartbeat.

"I had one goal in life. It was to protect you. Every day we were on those streets, I only thought of helping you," Kayden said, Jericho standing and going to the sink while he spoke. "What we had meant the world to me. I'm sorry I made it seem like it was anything less than that. Trying to kill you was unforgivable, but I'll apologize for it anyway. I'm really sorry, Jericho. Maybe one day we can forgive each other."

Jericho snorted without meaning to. He cleaned his dish in the sink, the liquid coming out admittedly not the clearest water he had ever seen. The metal curve shooting out the moisture was covered with scratches and cracks, the actual depth of the sink itself filled with dishes the others were too lazy to clean. By too lazy, Jericho meant Charlotte and Asa. Charlotte hated cleaning more than her past, and Asa didn't care enough and left it for literally anyone else to do.

"Why should I take anything you say seriously? You left me," Jericho said.

"You left me first."

Jericho's hands were quivering when he stopped his movements. Water bounced out of the overflowing dish and into the chasm below, the gray, crusted walls in front of him turning several shades darker because of the way his vision was fading in and out. It didn't help that when he looked up at the light to attempt to combat that, the ceiling was a white shade that made his eyes hurt.

"Excuse me?" Jericho asked. The words were more like a grunt than an actual sentence.

"I was jealous of the power."

"We would have ruled together."

"Not of the power you would have. I was jealous of the idea of it," Kayden replied, Jericho slowly going back to his routine. It was a subtle sign for Kayden to explain. He picked up on it and took the invitation. "I did everything I ever did for you. You did everything you ever did for power and disguised it as doing it for the greater good. You're a terrible fucking person, Jericho. You signed kill orders on kids so you could get in power. Not even Charlotte did that and she's in the same position you are."

"Comparing me to my rival? Really?"

"Of course that's all you took out of that. My point is that you're not anyone. You're not a person. You're just a cog in the machine of power. There's no identity. No sense of self. Do you even know who you are?" Jericho's silence was a terrifying answer for both of them. "I didn't leave you. How can I leave what isn't there?"

His task was finished, and he placed the cup on the makeshift drying rack that was really a couple layers of paper towels folded up to absorb any liquid. It was damp from other dishes, but not in desperate need of replacement yet. There was a plate there, medium in size. Not a spec of food remained. It was funny how Jericho chose to focus on the cleanliness of a plate over the man who he had once considered his best friend.

They grew up on the streets together, and they were brothers in every way except by blood. Jericho rose through the ranks by doing unspeakable acts. Monster was a kind word used to describe him. There were much worse he deserved to get called.

Jericho got his place as leader 5 years prior. His boss died out on a mission he decided to take personally. Something about their rivals tracking them, so he wanted to confront them while he was on that mission. Jericho offered to go, but since he signed the kill order on it, he was benched. Apparently he had already done enough for the mission and wasn't needed. It was a total failure. Jericho had an inkling that he knew why, but he wasn't completely convinced. Or maybe he was in denial. He was sure he'd find out soon enough if he were to stay with this group.

After he got his place as leader, he was going to make Kayden his right hand. That was when Kayden left. Stormed out and was never to return. Little did Jericho know at the time, Kayden went into hiding in Charlotte's mafia. He was sure Kayden's skills allowed him to move up the ranks fast. Whether that was Kayden's plan or not was knowledge Jericho wasn't privy to. If Jericho had to guess, Kayden didn't want the power but was forced into it. It wasn't like you could say no to the mafia, after all.

"I don't hate you," Jericho finally said. Although he wasn't looking, he knew Kayden's jaw was dropped. "I don't know how I feel about you, but I've felt hate before. This isn't hate. What I do know is that I can't forgive you yet, but I am sorry for making you feel the way you did."

"It's not like you ever cared enough to ask me how I was feeling. Sounds trivial, doesn't it? Talking about feelings. Looks like we crashed and burned because we couldn't communicate, and that's on both of us no matter what your perfect little ego wants to tell you. You fucked up. So did I, but I'm willing to own up to it. Are you?"

At Jericho's reluctance to answer, Kayden stood and raced out of the room. His booming footsteps receded, but it took longer than it probably should have. Jericho turned around and, for some reason, was surprised Kayden wasn't there. He heard the entire departure. He could practically hear the disappointment radiating off Kayden's body.

So why was he surprised?

~~~

Remember to vote/comment/follow for more! Thanks for reading!