Simon's PoV

Since Kieran was gone all weekend, I was able to focus solely on finding Nikolai and his coven. What I didn't take into account when I started was how many places there were for them to be hiding in. He could be renting an apartment with money he stole from his victims, hiding in an abandoned building, or even just living on the streets or in some park. The sewers are also an option but knowing Nikolai as I did, there was no way he would be there. The smell alone would bother his delicate sensibilities. Fuck. I decided to head out and look around that very night, only at the last minute remembering Kieran asking me to buy groceries. Between scoping out places and working my second job at the cafe, I had very little time for anything else. Like sleep.

Kieran came back very late Sunday evening. Him being back so soon was odd as I could have sworn that he'd mentioned working tonight but I was much too tired to think much of it. I cleaned up halfheartedly, stuffing away my notes on Nikolai's location. I had looked everywhere I could think of in the time that I had and had found no hide nor hair (or blood) pointing to him or his group. Once I got everything together, I was able to focus on Kieran. "You're back early. I thought y-" I turned to him and froze, "What the fuck happened to you!?" The poor man looked terrible. He had dried blood on his forehead, a black eye, and a busted lip. And that was just his face! He looked like he'd lost a fight with a metal battering ram.

He was obviously exhausted as well. "It was nothing, Si. Look, I called in sick for work so I'm just gonna head to bed, yeah?" I shook my head and made my way over to him, lifting his chin so I could better see his face in the light. "S-Si?"

"Who did this to you, Kieran?" I asked softly, tilting his head to the side to expose more bruises and dried blood matting the hair as it met his neck. I checked the other side to find a large bandage darkened with blood. He didn't answer so I straightened his head and forced him to make eye contact with me, something he had been avoiding since he'd walked in. His eyes were red-rimmed, he had obviously been crying, and bloodshot with fear and exhaustion. "Who hurt you? Was it Nikolai and the others?" He shook his head as well as he could with me still gripping his chin. "Who hurt you?" I repeated, gritting my teeth. "Tell me who did this and I can make them regret it."

He shook his head again, as stubborn as ever. "It's fine, Simon. I just need a nice warm shower and some sleep, that's all. Then I'll be right as rain. I guarantee it." He tried to pull away with a reassuring smile. I tightened my grip on his chin warningly and he froze. "Si, let go. That hurts." I paid no attention to his words and just kept looking at the marks on his face. "Simon. Let me go. If you hurt me, you know you'll be as bad as him. I'm more than capable of defending myself without your assistance." He grabbed my wrist and I let go, letting him move my hand back to my side. "Thank you." He grabbed some clothes from his dresser and went to leave.

Finally, I spoke again. "Clark did this to you, didn't he." Kieran didn't respond but his silence speaks volumes. "It makes the most sense. If you were mugged and didn't know your attacker, you would've admitted it. Clark is the only one you're protecting with your silence. You seemed afraid of him when he came to class." I pause in my reasoning but the only response I receive is the soft click of the door closing as Kieran heads for the communal showers. How could Clark do this to his own brother? How could Kieran still want to protect him and why did he think he needed to protect Clark from me of all people? There weren't any defensive wounds that I can see and even though I'd have to see Clark to prove it, I bet there weren't any at all. He still rose up and defended himself from me. It doesn't make sense.