Cin had never hugged Kaden, not in all his living memory. She'd hauled him off the couch when it was time for him to go home and she'd shoved him out of the way when he and the other younger Warmoths were clogging up the kitchen, and if she wasn't pissed off at him she would high five him if he initiated it (but only if all she had to do was raise her hand, she wouldn't cross a room for him or anything.)
And she'd hit him before too. He had a smart mouth and he knew the rules; talk shit get hit. That's just how families were.
Not that he ever thought of her as family, even though she'd been dating Barak forever. But some things are true whether you think them or not, and Cin had been the closest thing Kaden had to a mother since his own mom died when he was seven.
He clung on so hard when she hugged him, wanting way more than she was going to give, but knew better than to hang on after she pulled back. The smack sent a bolt of shock and shame through him (you let a girl hit you, you deserve worse than just getting hit by a girl, Barak would've said) and he lifted his hand to cover the spot. "Fucking hell Cin," he said, staring at her, heart racing, hoping the hoodie and shadows were enough to keep his scars well hidden. "None-none've your business, is where," he stuttered, wishing he sounded stronger.