ERIS

The next day when Eris arrived at the court, she was greeted by everyone else, all sitting on the benches waiting for her.

Last night had been particularly long. A meeting that had gone into the late night and afterwards she hadn't gotten any sleep, by the time that she had gotten back home to be able to sleep, her mind was too loud. Every time she closed her eyes she saw it.

"Woah Eris you look like shit," Nicky gasped, he was the first to notice her presence and the other's heads snapped in her direction.

She flopped down on the home bench, resting her head on Nicky. Too tired to even argue, she just hummed in response. This was the second night in a row she had gone without sleep.

"How much did you sleep last night?" Kevin raised an eyebrow with a scolding look.

"None. I don't need sleep. Sleep is for the weak," She clucked her tongue, she didn't even feel like lifting her head from Nicky's shoulder, it felt too heavy and took too much effort.

"And the night before?" Nicky asked, sounding like a worried mother.

"Same answer. Why do you guys ask these questions if you already know what I'm going to say?" She asked irritably, shutting her eyes. She felt like she was about to doze off, but as soon as she did her eyes shot open again.

Her heart rate picked up and she jumped to her feet, reaching for inside her combat boot and grabbing onto the pistol inside.

She could see a dead body, standing before her when she shut her eyes, staring up at her in shock and fear, but it didn't matter; the life behind his eyes had already been drained. The deed had been done.

She blinked harshly, there was no man. He was dead, long gone by now. She was standing upright in a fighting position with her pistol in her hands, holding onto it with a death grip. Kevin, Nicky, Andrew, Aaron, and Neil were all watching her.

She let out a ragged breath that she hadn't known she'd been holding in. She dropped back down to her seat, putting her gun back in her combat boot and burying her face in her hands.

"Eris?" Nicky asked nervously, setting an all too cautious hand on her shoulder.

"Everyone but Eris go get changed. Now." Kevin demanded, everyone was out of their sight in a flash, besides Andrew.

"You're not practicing today. You're going to lay down and sleep, right here right now. You're in no state to play," Kevin ordered her, pushing her shoulder down roughly onto the bench so she was laying down.

In any normal instance she would flat out refuse, but right now Eris wasn't quite sure if she could even pick up a racquet without falling asleep on it.

She felt Kevin put something under her head, something soft. She didn't know what it was, nor did she care. She didn't have the time or energy to look because as soon as her head hit the surface she fell asleep.

Thankfully, with no dreams.

When she woke up, it must have been hours later. It no longer was noon, the sun looked like it had just set. It was probably nearing nine at night.

Nine hours had past, but she still felt like she could sleep another nine. In the distance she heard a ball bouncing off of a racquet, echoing off the court walls, Andrew was in goal guarding it heavily while Neil took shots at it. She yawned, stretched, sat up, and tried to rub the sleep away from her eyes.

When she looked through the glass wall at the court, she didn't see anyone in it, Nicky and Aaron must have already left. She knew Kevin had to be somewhere around, there was no way Andrew would have let Kevin be somewhere else if Eris or Kevin weren't with him.

She glanced down at herself, she had marks and imprints on her face from sleeping on a hoodie. That must have been what Kevin had put under her head before she fell asleep. Draped across her as a blanket was Aaron's Exy letterman jacket, which she found a little hard to believe that Aaron had put there. It most likely had been Nicky.

She stifled a yawn and startled a little when she noticed Kevin sitting on the ground not to far away, with one knee brought to his chest. His eyes landed on her.

"Good. You're awake. You look like shit. Drink this, now. I'm betting you haven't eaten or drank anything today," Kevin said shortly, tossing his refilled bottle at her once more. It hadn't been drank from at all, she could tell by the weight.

She caught it, and drank but stared at Kevin suspiciously while she did so. "So you just didn't drink anything at practice today?" She asked, scrunching her nose in disgust, red Gatorade again.

This man had no taste.

Despite not liking the flavor, she kept drinking. She hadn't even realized how dry her mouth was until she started. Kevin watched her under a scrutinizing eye, "I did, I brought a separate one. I knew you wouldn't, you don't have enough brain cells to remember to do all of that."

Eris sent him a glare and finally set down the bottle after she had downed about three quarters of the bottle. She wiped her mouth with the corner of her sleeve and shivered at the chilly night air, wrapping the letterman jacket around her shoulders.

"You're going to run yourself too thin Eris, you can't keep doing this. What are you going to do when school starts? You're going to be failing your classes, it's just going to be another thing that you have to worry about. You need to get your shit together," Kevin said.

Eris grew a dark grimace, that spark of anger rushing through her again as she sent him an angry glare.

"It's not that easy. I can't just say that to him. Do you know what will happen to me if I do? I'll die Kevin, that's what. What will happen to your precious Exy then?" Eris snapped. Kevin went quiet and white faced, avoiding her eyes and staring instead at Andrew and Neil.

"This is no way to live," He said quietly.

"Well I've been doing it for the past eleven years. What's a little bit longer?" She grumbled, Kevin didn't answer. It went quiet again and she shivered, she was only wearing a tank top and shorts, and growing up in the south had made her cold blooded.

"You're cold." Kevin noted tossing her a protein bar.

"Good observation, have you ever thought about becoming a detective? Ooooh Detective Jackass, it's got a nice ring to it don't you think?"

Kevin rolled his eyes as she ripped open the package of the protein bar and took a bite out of it. He stood up and grabbed the clumped up hoodie that she had been using as a pillow and tossed it at her, motioning for her to put it on.

She glanced down at it with narrowed eyes and furrowed eyebrows, before looking back up at him cautiously trying to see if she understood correctly. He gave her an impatient raise of his eyebrows.

She huffed and put the hoodie on, still clutching the letterman jacket close to her. Kevin remained silent as she finished off the protein bar.

"How'd he do today?" Eris asked, referring to Neil.

"Shit. He needs a lot of work. Broke up a fight between Nicky and Andrew, Andrew had a knife to Nicky. He didn't really interfere, just got them out of it with a distraction. Nicky probably thought he was dead meat since you weren't there to stop him," Kevin said, staring off onto the court with a faraway look on his face.

"What'd Nicky say to make Andrew do it?" She wondered aloud, she really wasn't expecting him to know or answer.

"Joked about fucking Neil. Aaron said that Nicky was scheming to rape him and Nicky didn't deny," Kevin answered, Eris was a little startled but eventually nodded.

"He deserved it then. Nicky needed a little threatening. I only would've intervened if Andrew drew blood," Eris spoke bitterly, a dark look cast over her face, another shiver going down her spine, but this one not of chills.

"He deserved it for a joke?" Kevin asked, finally turning away from the court and to Eris. She shot him a look that wasn't exactly a glare, but it was of a bad place.

"You wouldn't understand."

Kevin went quiet again, seemingly accepting that he really wouldn't. Eris's attention was brought back to Neil and Andrew, Neil had just fallen on the ground.

"Oh my god. What did you do to him?" She snapped at Kevin, not waiting for a response as she threw the jacket aside and raced inside the court where Neil lay on the ground.

Andrew was in the goal laughing hysterically while Eris dropped down to her knees beside Neil. He was out of breath and shaking, she was worried that he would faint at any given moment.

"What did they do to you? Are you ok?" Eris asked him, unclipping his helmet and tossing it to the side so he could breath easier. His face was a bright red from exhaustion and his hair was stuck to his forehead from sweat.

"I'm fine," Neil choked out from his ragged breathing, his voice hoarse. She didn't believe that for one second.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kevin walking towards her, Aaron's jacket, her backpack, and his duffle bag in his hands. Her face contorted in fury as she took the few steps to him and pounded a fist on his chest.

"What the hell! You talk all this shit about wanting the best and only the best in Exy, yet look what you do to someone who is willing to give you that. You try to break him! You're an absolute utter piece of shit, exactly how many brain cells did you lose when you broke your hand? Was it all of them?" Eris screamed, pounding another fist on his chest.

"He should've known better," Kevin said blandly, unfazed by her outburst, which only fueled Eris more.

"No he shouldn't have! This is his second day, what did you expect? I'm done putting up with your bullshit, this might have flown at Evermore but we are not the Ravens. We are the Foxes. You should know better by now what that means. Stop being like them, because I won't tolerate it another minute," Eris pointed a finger at his chest. Kevin froze at the mention of his past team, his face going still with fear and anger.

He was trying to tune her out, wait until her anger had receded, but she was going to make him listen. She dug a finger in his cheek and forced his head back so he could meet her furious eyes.

"You were the one that said you loved listening to me so much. Well then read my lips. I joined the Foxes, not the Ravens, or did you forget? I remember specifically saying no to both the Ravens and you and Riko when you came for Andrew and I. Multiple times. So listen carefully, if you ever pull this shit again, I'm off the team."

Kevin stared at her face, searching for some sign that she was bluffing, but came up empty handed. Her hatred burned inside of her for him even more. If Andrew wasn't right beside her she would've driven a fist through him right then and there.

She huffed and shoved his shoulder on her way out of the court, snatching her backpack from Kevin's hand on her way out of the stadium, and climbing onto her motorcycle in the parking lot.

In her fury filled haze, she didn't even realize that it was Kevin's PSU hoodie with his last name and jersey number on the back that she was wearing until she had gotten to her apartment.

It was a small place, and Eris normally didn't stay at it, instead opting for Abby's, but right now she couldn't bring herself to face Kevin again.

The apartment was small in size and in beaten shape, one that she had bought herself. Normally, she would just have her dad pay for everything. But this apartment was her little escape from him as he didn't know of it.

She could've gone to Wymack's, but she didn't want to do that to him, he was already housing Neil. The only other two options were her father's or her apartment.

And there was no way in hell she was going to her father's.

Over the course of the next two weeks, Kevin toned it down.

Whether that had to do with something Wymack said, Eris's outburst, or the fact that Andrew told Kevin he wouldn't stop her if she tried to leave, Eris didn't know.

Of course Kevin still slid Neil harsh disapproving looks that said that nothing Neil did was good enough, but Neil was going to have to get used to that. Kevin gave those looks to all of the team, especially the strikers.

Even the normal night practices that Kevin and her did together (with Andrew watching), she didn't go to. She didn't even participate most of the time, only if she had a large amount of anger that needed releasing. To her, it felt like everyday she hated him more and more.

She was just thankful her father hadn't asked her to work again, otherwise it would've driven her over the edge.

After two weeks of Kevin infuriatingly sending her those disapproving looks, she couldn't handle it anymore. She needed to get out of her apartment and do something, maybe go for a run, or maybe even go to the court to practice.

In the end, she decided on both, running to and from the court and practicing while there. She threw on some shorts, running shoes, and a tank top and was out the door in a minute.

She ran at a steady pace, not wanting to use all of her energy before she even got started practicing. When she arrived, she was startled to see the cousin's car in the parking lot.

After entering the stadium, and unlocking the doors along her way, she finally made it to the court with her racquet in hand. She shouldn't have been surprised to see Kevin on the court practicing, but she still was.

Kevin had always invited her to night practices, yet apparently not this time.

He was focused so intently, throwing ball after ball at a specific point, working on his aim on his right hand, that he hadn't even noticed Eris at the door to the inner court with her racquet slung over her shoulder.

She decided whether she would let her pride win over. Kevin openly invited and welcomed her to practices, but she rarely participated. Silently, she contemplated whether she was angry enough to want to practice or if her anger towards Kevin enhanced her pride enough to make her not.

In the end, anger won out over pride.

"I don't know if I should feel hurt or overjoyed that you've stopped inviting me to night practices," Eris called over, now only a few feet behind him. Kevin froze mid shot and turned around to face her with a scowl. She had on a smirk, sure she hated Kevin but one of her favorite past times was making him mad, and she hadn't done it in a while. She was in the mood to aggravate him.

"Didn't think you'd want to come. You've been avoiding me like the plague," Kevin said, turning back around and throwing the ball again.

"You are the plague, I'm afraid if I'm around you too much I might catch your absolute shithead disease. I already have a few symptoms. You infuriate me. Every time I see you I want to start a fight. Andrew said that if we fight anymore we are being forced together, so forgive me if I want to avoid that at all costs," Eris said as Kevin flicked her a ball.

Kevin went silent for a moment, staring intently at the goal before saying, "Why do you hate me?"

Eris raised her eyebrows, a little thrown by the question.

"The reasons I hate you are the same reasons I can't hate you and that makes me hate you more. You're arrogant but you were always taught that you were the son of Exy, that you were one of the best. You're demanding, you expect only the best from everyone, but you hold yourself to higher of expectations than anyone else because that's what you were taught.

"Your whole life revolves around Exy. Haven't you realized that the only reason you've been helping or been concerned for me were because of Exy? Knowing that doesn't feel good. But I also pity you because you were raised to believe that that was all that matters in life is some sport.

"But the biggest reason that I hate you is that despite being the best Exy player I've ever seen you refuse to see it yourself. You still think you're only number two and that's all you'll ever be, but in reality I've never seen anyone better than you. Including Riko. But again that's all you were taught, that you were second and nothing more," Eris finished.

Kevin lifted his gaze off the goal to Eris, his expression blank and unreadable.

"Why do you hate me?" She asked, throwing the ball that Kevin had tossed to her into the goal, hitting it on the same mark Kevin had been aiming at.

"I don't. You hate me."

Eris froze before whipping around to face him, but Kevin's eyes were back on the goal. She gave him a bewildered look that said she needed further explanation.

"When I first came to the Foxes and when I came to recruit you, you made it clear that you hated me. I'm not going to like someone if they hate me, so I started hating you too," Kevin shrugged, his face a steely mask.

"That can't be the only reason, you hate me too much for that to be the only reason," Eris said with a frown. Kevin seemed to contemplate it for a moment.

"Okay, fine. That's still the main reason, but maybe it's also because you waste your talent. You could be something, yet you choose to not give your all to Exy. You could be court, yet you choose what? Chemistry over that? It's unthinkable."

"So? Andrew is the same way, and you don't hate him like you hate me. There has to be something else."

"Did you not hear the first time? It's because you hate me."

"And I said that's not enough of a reason to hate me as much as you do."

"Every action has an equal opposite reaction. The more you hate me, the more I'll hate you. Maybe if you hadn't been the bitch that you were the day that we met, it wouldn't be this bad."

Eris stared at him with the tilt of her head, curiously.  She still felt like that wasn't the full story, but decided to drop it for now. "To be fair when we first met you were a no good bitchass Raven," Eris smirked slightly, Kevin didn't laugh but she could've sworn the corner of his lip twitched in the slightest. She decided it was a trick of the light because half a second later it was gone.

"But now I'm a Fox. And you still hate me."

Eris sighed deeply, "Look. I'm willing to start over with you, but only if you try and work on accepting yourself as the best there is. Also I will still be trying my best to aggravate you, it's fun to see you mad. And as long as you know that this is only for Exy, if we aren't getting along then it will be hard to work as a team on the court. Deal?"

"Trust me, I wouldn't have done it for any other reason. Deal." Kevin nodded as Eris rolled her eyes.

"Oh I know you wouldn't have, neither would I. Does that mean you'll start inviting me back to night practices?" Eris raised an eyebrow. Kevin rolled his eyes, gave an exasperated sigh and nodded.

For the next thirty minutes they practiced, exclusively on aim which was Eris's best quality, she always had impeccable aim, so she was surprised that during this practice she was actually helping him more than he was her.

But after about thirty minutes she stopped and stretched, "I'm leaving a bit early, I need some sleep. I never know when I'll have to work again. Plus wouldn't want performance anxiety, looks like we just got an audience." Eris nodded towards the stand and Kevin followed her gaze, Neil stood there having just entered.

She just took a step away when she stopped and called over her shoulder, "Don't think you're home free, I believe those two reasons aren't the only two. I expect to hear the third hidden reason why you hate me at some point."

"And perhaps some day I'll tell you."

Kevin returned back to the goal without another