I hesitate for a moment, then speak.
"I spent two months in county jail, and I miss martial arts training. I was wondering if I could invite either my cousin Veyron, who I used to spar with, or my friend Archer from college, depending on who is available."
Silence. He just stares at me.
I clear my throat.
"I noticed there is a wooden deck by the pool, and there are some mats there, kind of like yoga mats. I saw them rolled up under the canopy. Maybe I could train a bit?"
Blue studies me carefully, as if weighing whether to allow it.
Finally, he nods slowly.
"There are actually four gyms in this building, and on the first floor there is even a fitness club where you would probably find classes like kickboxing. But if you want, you can invite him here. Axel and I will play."
"I hope it won’t interrupt your game."
"No, it can even be a bit of entertainment. We usually sit near the pool and play outside for a good two hours. Axel is a state runner-up, so he's a decent challenge, but he takes his time to think. So having you sparring may provide some distraction."
"Thank you," I say curtly. I know I should not get into any longer discussion, so I do not.
But then he adds, "Besides, I also have a treadmill. It’s in that small storage space behind the wooden panels by the pool. You can pull it out and use it whenever you feel like you need some extra daily exercise, no problem."
"Oh? Really? Good to know, thanks," I nod politely.
That evening is not much different. Blue stays quiet, and the boundary between us remains in place.
There is no room for familiarity, and the tiny opening I noticed before is still too narrow to significantly change our interactions.
As I sit at the table, staring at Blue as he consistently maintains this guarded air around him, I keep questioning my own motives for doing what I did, my thoughts circling back to my attempt to touch him. Crazy, how did I even dare to do that? I just can’t wrap my head around it. It was almost entirely instinctive, something that surfaced from deep within me. It’s also kind of interesting that I never had the courage to do something like that with Marcel, despite my feelings for him.
Later that evening, I text Archer, asking if he has time for sparring, but he replies that he has several matters related to a house he inherited some time ago and needs to meet with a notary.
So I call Veyron.
Of all my cousins, he's one of my favorites. Easygoing, relaxed, always cheerful, and willing to help.
While many of my cousins on Uncle Aiden’s side have routinely treated me with a degree of condescension or even ignored me completely, he has been consistently kind and friendly. We used to spar more often in the past, but later, after Veyron got a yacht from his uncle and started a billboard company, it became more occasional.
To my surprise, Veyron agrees.
He says his new office is two buildings down, and since he has business there on Saturday anyway, he can stop by after he finishes, around 2 pm.
After I hang up with Veyron, I sit there for a while, mindlessly turning my phone in my fingers.
I feel this urge to talk to someone on a deeper level, and my father comes to mind. I want to vent to him, but when I finally dial his number and hear the heaviness in his voice, the mood slips away.
He immediately starts firing off anxious questions about my living situation, my job, my working relationship with Blue, and I can feel everything I wanted to say getting stuck in my throat, my nervousness rising.
In the end, the conversation is even shorter than the one with Veyron. I tell him everything is fine, and that for now I have no problems at work, which is kind of a lie.
But my father somehow senses my mood and hands the phone over to Dad, who immediately starts asking me questions in Russian.?? ???????[10] Do I have everything I need? Am I eating properly? Do I still have time to study? Am I logging into my classes?
And of course, the most important question of all: have I started looking for asuitable omegayet?
It’s his favorite topic, right alongside the massive pack of grandchildren he’s impatiently waiting for.
He even suggests lending me hiscyan talismanto boost my luck a little, but I politely refuse. I know he’s very attached to the small gem.
