I have a lot of feels about Kaladin and hugs. A lot of feels. So platonic-fic-with-hugs-for-Kaladin was born. Here it is for your reading pleasure.

This has more angst then I thought.

"Bridgeboy!" Adolin bounds down the empty corridor as he spots Kaladin, beaming cheerfully. Kaladin watches him, a bit warily. The prince is an exceedingly cheerful person, always ready with a smile or joke. He's one of the most genuine people Kaladin has met - but he can't help wondering, how long will it be? How long before Adolin shows his true colors? He can't really care that much about everyone as much as he seems to.

Adolin finally catches up with Kaladin, immediately pulling him into a hug. Kaladin stiffens, instinctively flinching from the sudden contact. "Bridgeboy?" Adolin asks, frowning. "You okay?"

What does Adolin want, Kaladin wonders. He feels like he's about to panic, the warmth and kindness of the touch warring with everything he knows about lighteyes. He's never been touched kindly by a lighteyes, there's always some ulterior motive. They don't hug in public, and they certainly don't hug darkeyes, so what does the prince want from Kaladin?

He almost pulls away, head spinning, but Adolin hums, guiding him to the floor before he can fall. "Careful there, Bridgeboy. Don't want you cracking your head open and dirtying that fancy long hair of yours."

Kaladin huffs a laugh at that, pushing the 'fancy long hair' out of his face. It has been getting long, he notes. He should do something about that. He jerks in surprise as Adolin sits down against the wall next to him, immediately moving to the side to give the prince more space. "Ah, ah, ah," Adolin warns, holding up a hand. Kaladin stops moving, suspicion rising. This is the part where Adolin tells Kaladin what he wants done. Strangely, it leaves a little hollow in his chest. He had almost thought he might be able to count Adolin as a friend.

That's silly, of course. Lighteyes aren't friends with darkeyes.

"Look, if you want space, that's fine," Adolin says. "But you are kind of undermining my plan to give you what seems to be your first hug in a very long time."

Kaladin blinks in confusion. What? The words throw everything he understood on it's head. Adolin is doing this - for what? What benefit will it serve him? "I'm sorry?"

"Don't be," Adolin says quickly, hands flapping in the air as he talks. "I know I surprised you - I'm sorry about that - It's my own fault, really, for not asking if you were okay with me doing that, I know it's not really something you Alethi do - oh, there I go again, talking like I'm not half Alethi myself."

Kaladin blinks again, sorting out the words in his head. Adolin is apologizing - for hugging him? Because he thinks Kaladin is uncomfortable with it? "No, you're fine," he says carefully. He won't say how much he wants Adolin to do it again, he won't. He's fine.

But he's not.

"It's okay, Bridgeboy," Adolin says quietly as Kaladin leans his head back against the wall, trying to blink back tears - why are they there? Why is he about to cry? It's not like Adolin's touch and kind words have opened some deep, aching wound, sending shocks of loneliness across his skin - the prince's arms are around him again. Kaladin closes his eyes, taking a shuddering breath. The aloneness disappears, leaving something timid and raw, something that's afraid of being hurt, but wants the touch, wants the comfort, desperately. He leans against Adolin, soaking it in.

He's warm. He hadn't noticed how cold he had been before. Not cold physically, but somehow, cold in the deepest fibers of his spirit. But this feels right. So right.

This is what we're supposed to do, he thinks numbly. Humans, we're designed to fit together.

Adolin laughs softly. "Not so grumpy deep down, hmm?"

"Oh, shuddup," Kaladin mumbles. "'s nice. Been a while."

"Since someone hugged you?"

"Since it didn't hurt," Kaladin whispers, surprised at his own words. When did he decide to say that? It's something that's not safe to tell. It causes too many questions, questions that end poorly for him.

Adolin stiffens. "Since what didn't hurt?" There's worry in his voice. Kaladin doesn't know what to think of that. A lighteyes, worried about him? It makes no sense.

"Lighteyes - " oh no. He'll be in trouble now, Adolin won't take kindly to Kaladin insulting him, but in for a chip, in for a broam, so Kaladin braces himself and blunders on. "Lighteyes, they knew. Knew I couldn't fight back. Knew I couldn't do anything to them, but they could do everything to me, because who would believe a darkeyed slave over a lighteyes? Kindness - I think I forgot what it was. Didn't understand what a touch meant if it wasn't meant to hurt. That's what there was. Hurt. It wasn't gentle."

Adolin doesn't speak, and Kaladin waits, anxiously. What will the prince do? Strike him for disrespect? Shove him away and ignore him? He rubs his chest, wondering why the thought of Adolin ignoring him hurts so much.

"I - Kaladin -" here it is - "Storms, Kaladin, I'm so sorry."

What?

"You shouldn't have had to go through that," Adolin continues, and Kaladin twists his head to the side, looking at Adolin with a frown. What is he doing? "No one should. I promise, I'll figure out a way to make things better."

Kaladin lowers his head, struggling to process. His hair slips in front of his face, and he lets it, hiding him from Adolin. He doesn't know what to do. What can he say when everything he knows has been thrown away? He has no framework for this. No scaffold to fall back on. Pain he can deal with, abuse and beating and scars, he can deal with abandonment, but support? Comfort? He doesn't know what to do, and he presses his hands against his head with a soft noise - not a whine, it's not.

"Hey now," Adolin catches his hands. "Don't hurt yourself."

"Why?" Kaladin manages as wariness rushes back. "Why are you doing this?'

"Because you're my friend," Adolin says instantly.

"No, that's not -that's not how it works," Kaladin snaps, springing to his feet as he shakes himself out of Adolin's hold. "You don't - People don't defend me, that's not how it works, they want something, that how it is, so what is it you want, Adolin," oh, he's in even more trouble now, he's not using the proper titles or respect at all, "Please just tell me and get this over with." The tears are back, why?

Adolin gets to his feet, studying Kaladin's face. Kaladin stiffens his posture into parade rest, staring at the wall as he waits. "Come on."

Adolin takes his elbow and guides him down the hallway. "What?"

"You don't get to have a breakdown in the hallway," Adolin explains calmly. "That's no good for anyone. Has a detrimental effect on self-esteem." He pulls a door open. "Here. My rooms. No one's going to walk in and see the mess we both are."

"What?" Kaladin asks, wondering if his mouth is broken. Is that all he can say?

Adolin guides both of them to the floor again, sitting against a sofa. "It's okay, Kaladin." Kaladin, not bridgeboy. "It's okay to be upset." He pulls Kaladin into another hug, and this time, Kaladin doesn't even try to fight it. It feels so good, he thinks dizzily, to be the one being protected from the world for once.

"Now," Adolin continues, and this time around, Kaladin is too wrung out to stiffen up and prepare for whatever's coming. "There's a lot you said back there that we can get into, but I'm not going to, not now. Just know, Kaladin, that I will never, never lift a hand in anger against you. And if anyone does, lighteyes or dark, you have my full approval to hit them right back."

"Do you even have that authority?' Kaladin asks, eyes half closed. He really is quite comfortable. Adolin laughs, shoulders shaking.

"I'm fairly sure. But if I don't, Father does."

Kaladin feels a little bit of anxiety come back, but he's too tired and comfortable to really do anything with it. Adolin trusts Dalinar about this, so Kaladin will too. He can't help saying, "Please don't start something about this."

"I'm not going to, even though I probably should," Adolin promises. He begins running his fingers through Kaladin's hair, gently untangling it. It feels even better that the hug, if that's possible. He never really does anything with it, never having the time, so it's often a snarled mess. Adolin apologizes as his fingers catch on a particularly stubborn knot. "You could do some impressive styles with this," he remarks. 'You've certainly got enough of it."

"Don't have the time," Kaladin says quietly. "Anyway, don't know how."

"I'll teach you how to do a braid some time," Adolin promises. "Not right now though, okay? This is just safety time. You can feel anything and say anything. You're safe."

And strangely enough, Kaladin believes him. Held in warm, comforting arms, hair being stroked gently, he believes Adolin. He's safe.

There will be a second chapter in a few days. If you have any questions or comments, leave a review or PM me and I'll do my best to answer! Stay safe and stay positive!