[1] ᴄᴏᴍᴀᴛᴏꜱᴇ, ʟᴇɢᴀᴄɪᴇꜱ.

56.| Do All Malivore Monsters Provide This Level of Emotional Insight?

Ethan pulls his brother into a tight hug.

"I've missed you too, buddy." Lucas chuckles as he pats his back.

The two brothers pulled away and they both took a seat. Ethan sat across from Josie and Lucas who were seated next to one another side by side.

"When did you transfer here?"

"Uh, just today," Lucas announces. "How's football going?"

Ethan's smile slowly falters. "Uh— I- I just got cut."

"Oh, shit, E." Lucas sighs.

"It's nothing. Things happen." Ethan says with a soft force smile.

Lucas clears his throat. "Hey, uh, come over for dinner tonight."

"Really?" Ethan smiles.

Josie nods. "Yeah, Lucas has been talking about you for the past week so this would be a perfect time for you two to catch up."

Ethan nods. "Okay, yeah! That'd be awesome."

The Trio talked for the rest of lunch, they caught up and laughed about things. Everything felt normal for once. Josie noticed Lucas seemed happier than he had been in the Salvatore School. But that was something that Lucas wouldn't admit.

Now it was time for gym, and the coach was something that no one expected— but they did see coming.

Alaric blows the whistled loudly. "Alright let's uh, stretch the hammies."

Lucas and Josie exchanged a look before stretching.

"Paranoid, huh?" Josie sighs out.

"Okay uh, I knew Ric was overprotective but I didn't think it was this bad," Lucas huffs, he glances up at the man. "What's worse is his taste in athletic apparel."

"He's a total spy!" Josie quirky exclaims before calming herself. "But whatever, it's fine. He can spy all he wants if there's nothing to see. So, no more Nephilim speed or strength to try and impress people. Promise?" she says holding out her pinky.

Lucas glances down at Josie's pinky then back up at her. "Are we three?"

Josie coldly states him down. Lucas sighs, he wrapped his fingers around her. Alaric begins to start letting out; out of breath groans. Lucas's eyes fall on the man and he cringes.

"Stop looking," Josie whispers.

"It's really hard not to."

"Stop."

"Okay, okay."

The two go back to stretching. Ethan and Lucas messed around to see who could do the most pushups. But their brotherly moment was interrupted when Alaric orders for them to do jumping jacks.

"Gotta go easy on that arm. Oh, that's right, I need to." Blake, one of the students, says to Ethan. "Unless you need a bandaid for that cut, QB none."

Ethan scoffs. "Oh, knock it off, Blake. We can't all go 12 seasons without taking a snap like you."

Those words seemed to have triggered Blake. Which only made Lucas stay alert and watch closely.

"It's only been 3."

"Who am I to question your math?" Ethan laughs, he tries walking away.

"Yeah, go ahead, bail. Like you bailed on your family." Blake calls out. "Worked out, right?"

Ethan clenched up his fist. Lucas let out a sigh knowing what was about to happen, from there just as they all thought—Blake and Ethan break out into a fight. Josie glances at Lucas with a look telling him to go stop it. Lucas notices Ethan had the upper hand and didn't want to interrupt his brother's moment.

So he waits for a few.

Josie nudges the Nephilim who sighs, then decides to break up the fight before things for pretty dirty. As he tried breaking them up but the two kept fighting while he was in the middle. Lucas inhales deeply before pushing the two back.

"Hey! Stop it! Stop!" Lucas shouts as he holds his brother back.

"Alright everyone go take a couple of laps around the school!" Alaric orders walking towards them. "I said go!"

All the students—including Ethan— began to walk away.

"Not you," Alaric says, holding Ethan back. "Go pick up some of those cones and cool off."

Ethan rolls his eyes and kicks the soccer ball in anger.

"After you go pick that up," Alaric adds.

Ethan glances at Lucas before running away.

"What was that about, Ric?" Lucas scoffs.

"I don't know, you tell me."

Josie shrugs. "We don't know. Everything's fine here, better than fine—it's perfect."

Alaric laughs. "It doesn't seem that way to me."

"School fights are normal."

"Yeah well, he's your brother so you should know what this was about."

Josie and Alaric's attention both shift onto Lucas.

Lucas lets out a sigh. "E just got cut off the football team and he's not taking it well."

Alaric slightly nods.

The sound of a large semi-truck horn was heard. The three both look to the street and notice Ethan who was standing in the middle of the street distracted by the soccer ball. The truck was speeding straight and it seemed to have not noticed Ethan yet. In a panic, Lucas uses his speed to run and push Ethan out of the way.

"Holy crap, how'd you just move that fast?"