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I nod my head, getting in line. We order three bags of popcorn before heading into the gym, finding a good spot in the stadium. We’re right in line with the net, giving us a great view of both sides.

“So how do you know Thane? No offense, but you seem a bit old to be a student at the university. Are you a teacher? Oh lord, what has Thane gotten himself into?”

I can’t help but chuckle. “I’m not a teacher. I met your brother on move-in day when he brought his roommate into the health center at the university. I’m a doctor.”

Bax hums to himself. “Interesting. That kinda makes sense.”

“It makes sense?”

“Mhmm.” Bax eats his popcorn, pointing down at the court. “I think they’re starting soon. This is going to be hilarious.”

I look around the gymnasium, noticing there’s only a handful of monsters present. It’s strange. I’m so used to being surrounded by monsters in Creelin that it’s almost a shock to see so few. I know Thane has mentioned this being a small town, but seeing it now puts a lot more things into perspective.

Down on the floor, Thane towers over all the students and parents. It draws a tiny smile to my face. There’s exactly one monster family down there, a cyclops girl with her father and mother on either side of her.

“And now, we have to give a huge thank you to the parents who were able to be here,” someone says over the sound system. There’s a woman standing at the ref table holding a mic.

“That’s their coach,” Bax tells me, shoving more popcorn into his mouth.

“To celebrate, our girls are going to set for their parents to show where they get their skills from.” Then she quickly adds with a cheeky grin, “or show off how far they’ve come despite their parents.” That gets a chuckle from the crowd.

It makes something twinge inside my chest, watching all these parents be present for their children. Everyone has at least one adult with them.

Bax and Blaire deserve that as well. I’m so fucking glad they have Thane, but Thane is not their parent. He’s been put into an impossible position, one that weighs on him heavily. I can see it all so clearly now. I can see the way these two kids have shaped Thane into the man I know today. I can see everything he’s put aside for himself so he could provide for them.

He had to grow up so quickly and it’s not fair and yet he does it, without a single complaint.

My hands tighten around my popcorn bag as something solidifies itself within my chest. It’s a feeling I’ve been doing my best not to think about, one way or another. One I’ve been putting off dealing with but it looks like I can’t keep putting it off because this feeling is here and it’s here to stay.

Bax snorts beside me, pulling me from my thoughts. I look down, watching as a human man almost trips right into the net as he tries to spike the set his daughter threw up for him.

“Jesus. I should be recording this.”

“Be nice,” I say but I’m grinning just the same as him.

“Right. Gotta pretend not to be a little shit. Good shout.”

“That’s not even close to what I said.”

“It’s what I heard,” Bax says with a grin.

Thane and Blaire come up to the net next. Blaire has long, dark hair that’s pulled back into a tight bun. Blaire and Bax look so similar I would be hard pressed to tell them apart if it weren’t for their different hairstyles.

Blaire grins as Thane tosses her the ball. She sets it up for him and he does a running jump, slamming the ball down on the other side. It’s honestly kind of impressive, a thin string of arousal warming my stomach. Thankfully, it’s easy to ignore with everything else going on around us.

Thane and Blaire hug before she runs over to her team and Thane makes his way up into the stands to where Bax and I are sitting. He squishes himself between us.

“Here,” I say, handing him the popcorn I got for him.

Thane’s face softens. “Thanks, Maverick.”

“Excuse me? He might have paid for it but I’m the one who told him to get you a bag. Where’s my thanks, huh?”

“You’re such a little shit,” Thane says, putting his arm around Bax’s shoulders and shaking him.

“Oh my goodness gracious! Thane, is that you?”

Thane turns around and I follow his gaze, finding an older man standing behind him.