Page 63 of Scattered Glitter

I step up, placing my hands near the bar as he lifts. I know I hit a nerve, but this is Alaric. He’ll never admit it.

“It’s good,” I say softly. “That you’re coming out of your room again.” He halts mid-rep, tension creeping into his shoulders that has me briefly hesitating before I push on. “We don’t have to talk or anything. I only wanted to let you know that I noticed when you went silent, and I’m glad you’re not anymore. I’m glad to have you back. You’re like a brother to me. I was worried that our family was falling apart there for a second. I can’t handle losing any of you after losing him.”

The words hang in the air for a moment, and that old familiar ache for Oscar hits me in the chest.

Fuck, I miss him.The way he could fix things without even trying or say the right thing when the rest of us stumbled over our own broken pieces.

He would have never let Alaric retreat like that.

I have to do a better job of being there for him.

Alaric’s face is unreadable, but there’s something in his eyes before he starts back up with the reps. “How come we’re getting all emotional today?”

“You know me, I’m an emo.” I give a half-smile. “And repressed feelings go to the cellar to lift weights, only to come back on a random Tuesday and punch you in the face.”

He huffs out a breath. “Sure, but still.”

I crook a smile. “That random girl they’re trying to push on you…” Alaric huffs, his arms shaking under the weight, so I pause as he finishes another rep before I speak again. “You know she’s not going to replace you, right?”

Alaric huffs again in answer, more dismissively this time.

“It’s like Dove told you. She’s here because you don’t have the tits for the job.” He laughs, the sound genuine, if not a little surprised, and I chuckle with him. “She’s going to do this job,” I continue. “Then we’re going to pay her whatever she wants in return, and she’ll be gone. She comes and goes. You… you’re never leaving, okay? You weren’t here because of the plan. Oscar brought you here because you belong here. Because you’refamily.”

Alaric’s breath hitches, and when he looks up, his eyes are brimming with unshed tears, even if he’s obviously trying hard to suppress them. “You think so?”

I meet his gaze again, holding it steady. “Iknow so. Now come on, five more.”

He grunts through the last five reps and then sits up, wiping the sweat from his brow. He doesn’t meet my eyes right away, but when he does, his voice is quieter, almost raw. “I’m sorry, Sy. I was just… hanging on, trying to survive. But I think… I think I’m ready to try and start healing now.”

The relief I feel is instant, but I don’t let it show too much. I simply nod, stepping closer and almost clapping him on the shoulder before thinking better of it. “Heal out loud, man. We almost lost you in that silence.”

Alaric’s lips twitch into a small smile. “I’ll try. Right now, all I can give is about ten percent. And you know I wasn’t one hundred percent when I met you guys in the first place.”

I crouch down next to him. “If you give ten percent on a day where you’ve only got ten percent in you, then you’ve still given a hundred percent. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

He nods, the tension easing from his body if only a little. “Okay.”

I grab Alaric’s hand, pull him to a stand, and hug him. “I don’t know how right now either, but we’re going to make it. It’s going to be okay as long as we stick together.”

Alaric is stiff as a board, and I think I’ve fucked up the little progress we made because I can’t seem to respect his boundaries. Then he relaxes into the hug.

Oh my God.

It only lasts a few seconds, but when he steps back, he looks me over, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as he eyes my cropped shirt. “You don’t have any shirts that are long enough for you, you tall-as-fuck idiot?”

I chuckle, clapping my abs for emphasis. “You’re just jealous of this build.”

Alaric huffs and pulls up his shirt, revealing a set of abs. He was broader a few months ago, but even now, he’s still fucking ripped.“Oh yeah? I can have it and not be a show-off. I’m not a stripper.”

“Please,” I scoff. “You’re not pretty enough to be one, dickhead.” He laughs again, shaking his head as he racks theweights. “All right,” I say, ready to leave while we’re on a high. “I’m off to get a shower. Maybe find myself arealstripper.”

The only stripper I’m interested in.

Just as I’m heading for the door, Koen, Levi, and Ezra walk in.

Great. So much for leaving on a good note.

Koen’s gaze lands on Alaric. “Ric, I—”

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