Cray stood across from me like a man already preparing to lie in his deathbed. His gloves trembled. I didn’t need Mana Vision to see the fear leaking off him like steam from a cracked valve. I could practically see the prayers tumbling from his lips behind his mouthguard.

  From behind me, Meredi cupped her hands and roared, “GET HIM, TIM! TAKE HIS LEGS, TAKE HIS DIGNITY, TAKE HIS WILL TO LIVE!”

  I flexed my fingers. With a woman like that roaring for me, how could I ever calm down?

  “Begin!” Ervon called out. “Go for it, guys!”

  I blitzed forward.

  One clean, dramatic haymaker—telegraphed enough to be a stage performance. Cray was an even lower difficulty encounter than I thought. He flinched, closed his eyes, tucked in, and raised his guard.

  Idiot!

  I dipped low, and swept him off his feet.

  He went down as easily as a child would, limbs flying out, and hit the mat with a thump. I followed instantly, one knee on his chest, my fist cocked and aimed for his nose.

  His eyes bugged out. His whole body locked.

  Meredi shrieked from the side, “FINISH HIM, TIM! DO IT! ABSOLUTE DOMINANCE!”

  My fist flew. Cray whimpered. And then it stopped a few inches from his nose.

  I looked up, and over my shoulder at Ervon.

  “He needs work,” I said, loud enough for the room to hear. “Doesn’t matter how crazy I am if this guy’s going to shut his eyes and miss it.”

  Ervon’s brow lifted. “You saying you’re done?”

  I stood and extended a hand to Cray while still looking at Ervon. “I’m saying I want to spar with you.”

  That startled more than just Cray. Meredi let out an audible “Huh?”

  Ervon chuckled. “You want me, big boy?”

  “Never been more sure of anything in my life.”

  He studied me silently. Then nodded. “Alright. You catch your breath, get some water. I’ll get ready.”

  I helped Cray to his feet. “You did fine,” I muttered. “Next time, fight the instinct to flinch.”

  “Th-thank you,” Cray whispered.

  “Flinching will never help you.”

  I limped off to the edge of the gym, toward my bag. The crowd buzzed behind me.

  I crouched, unzipped the side, and palmed two vials: one translucent blue, the other a flickering red-gold.

  Focus Formu. Reflex Surge.

  Both high-potency, custom mixes, and a little unstable when used together. I kept them in case a random event popped up. If my body didn’t handle it well, I’d either be puking a few hours from now, or suffering from a terrible migraine.

  With just intention and a held breath, the vials vanished. I drank the contents—

  Anything for the muscle goddess.

  —and went and drank water to wash down the taste.

  Heat bloomed inside my chest. Muscles tightened. My eyes felt like they could track lightning. I instantly understood why a migraine could be one of the aftereffects.

  Meredi was waiting at the ropes. “Tim…” Her voice was quieter this time. “Ervon’s no joke. He might come at you seeking revenge for how badly you whupped his rookie. Because, man, that was so embarrassing. Even the Saints refused to watch that one… Don’t push yourself too hard, okay? No shame in tapping.”

  I gave her a nod, slipping past.

  “Tim, I don’t want you to get hurt,” she said.

  But I was still ticked off, and now, my focus was trained on that irritation.

  Handsome Ervon had gotten close to her. Touched her. Used sparring as an excuse. He smiled too much, stood too close, and talked to her like they were in on something. And that—that—was a disgusting abuse of the holy gym.

  Of course, I did something simir when we were working out. I had no right to judge.

  Did that stop me?

  Absolutely not.

  I knew what I was about, and that was the Momma Goddesses.

  I climbed into the ring.

  Ervon was waiting with that grin that said, “Yeah, I touched her. What’chu gonna do about it, beanpole?”

  We squared off in the center. Raised our gloves.

  “You sure?” he asked. “Still time to change your mind.”

  “Never gonna change,” I said, sliding the mouthguard in.

  He smirked. “I know what you’re about.”

  I gred. “What?”

  He leaned closer. “Meredi.”

  I blinked. “...What?”

  He didn’t crify further. Just bumped gloves.

  The match started before I could process it.

  Ervon held his ground, gesturing for me to come at him.

  I didn’t. I watched.

  “Fine,” he muttered. “I’ll lead this dance.”

  Then he rushed me—arms extended, palms out.

  What a strange approach—it could only mean one thing… he wanted to make a point!

  We met. I responded instinctively, locking my palms against his. It was a pure pushing contest. Teeth bared. Feet sliding. Arms burning.

  He grinned inches from my face. “I know you’re not fond of the whole ‘stepson’ thing,” he whispered.

  I kept my face calm. “Who says that?”

  “Your eyes,” he said. “You’re not subtle,” he added. “You look at her like a man starved for affection.”

  My arms pushed harder. My heart pounded. I gave a cocky smile. “You think I’ll admit that?”

  To me, he was the rival. The guy who’d wrapped himself around Meredi without hesitation. The guy who had the size, the confidence, the ugh—I wanted half of everything he had. Then, I could convince Meredi to take a chance on me!

  “Want a hand?” he whispered.

  My brain faltered. “What?”

  “You know… advice. A nudge in the right direction from a concerned onlooker. I can give you some tips, Timaeus,” he said with a wink.

  I stared. “I don’t understand your game.”

  “No game,” he said. “I just like seeing the sparks fly. I’m a sucker for true love that knows no bounds. And I love matchmaking.”

  I opened my mouth, then closed it. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  Behind me, Meredi cheered again, her voice radiant. “Push him back, Tim! You’re doing so good! Don’t give up! There’s a ton of stew for you at the end of this!”

  My heart thumped. Ervon chuckled.

  “Bet that gets under your skin, huh? Is she cheering for her little alchemist stepson? Or for you as someone in a different dimension of affection?”

  I grit my teeth. “Shut up.”

  “I see your winces. You wear your doubt like I wear my heart.” He leaned in closer, voice soft. “You don’t know where you stand with her, but you know better not to hope. And you probably won’t ask.”

  “Heh, you a diviner or something?”

  I activated Mana Vision on instinct.

  No unusual flux. Just a normal circutory pattern. Not a person with weird abilities like Mava or that soldier. Just... freakishly perceptive.

  He smiled. “Nope. Just observant.”

  “I believe that, unfortunately.”

  “If you can surprise me,” he said, “really nd a blow, I’ll back you up. You want to pursue Meredi? I’ll help.”

  I raised a brow. “Why?”

  He grinned. “Because I think she’d be happier if she were loved properly. That and, I’m a fan of hers.”

  I groaned, irritation reignited. “I’m her number one fan!”

  “Haha, and I think I’m going to end up being your number one fan!” His smile widened. “You gonna take me on?”

  “Alright,” I said. “I’m gonna surprise you!”

  “Great,” he replied. “Show me what you’ve got.”

  Then he grabbed me and lifted me over his goddamn head.

  “What the fuck?!” I blurted.

  The whole gym gasped. I saw the rafters. Then the blur of motion as he tossed me across the ring.

  I hit the ropes and rebounded hard, hitting the ground and rolling.

  I sucked in a breath. My ribs ached.

  “Timaeus!” Meredi screamed. “Get up! Get up! Don’t let him stomp you!”

  “Come on, kid!” Ervon bellowed. “Show me what you’ve got! Let the beast out!”

  I surged up, and ran at him full speed. Another telegraphed punch—like I’d done with Cray.

  He braced.

  I dropped low again—it was predictable. He kicked, expecting the sweep.

  But I twisted, pushed sideways harder than I thought possible. My ankle fred in pain. Something strained.

  Didn’t matter. For the Moms!

  With all my borrowed speed, I ran up the ropes—

  The first! The second! The third!

  — jumped off them, twisted, and came down with a fist-turned falling star.

  His eyes screamed Whoa.

  My fist smmed into the crown of his head with a crack. He stumbled and bent forward, his head lowering.

  I spun on my heel, pivoting with everything I had. All that momentum nded right on the head—a critical blow like no other.

  It’s nice having a body that listens again…

  But I struck him with the ball of my foot, not the heel. I didn’t want to mess the guy up that much after what he proposed.

  He reeled back, arms wide, and fell against the ropes. He barely held himself up.

  Silence cimed the gym.

  Then Meredi exploded.

  “FINISH HIM, TIM!” Meredi screamed, manic and delighted. “FINISH HIM OFF! NO MERCY!”

  I could’ve died happy right there.

  But no, this was not the time. I trained my eyes on Ervon.

  He stood up on his own two feet, chuckling and holding his head. Then, he smiled too, blood at the corner of his mouth, eyes bright with interest.

  “That one really rattled the old brain,” he said. “Cray, did you see that? That’s the sort of craziness you’ve got to expect.” He ughed once more. “I give, Timaeus! You got a good couple of blows on me!” he procimed, causing the hall to explode into cheers and appuse.

  Above all that noise was Meredi’s cheer:

  “TIM!” she screamed, pumping both fists in the air. “WHO SAYS ALCHEMISTS ARE PUNY? YOU KICKED HIS ENTIRE SOUL OUT OF HIS BODY! I’M SO PROUD I COULD RIP A MAN APART! Huh? Why are you all backing away?”

  My vision was still overtuned, my ribs throbbed, and I was pretty sure one of my mors had shifted from the fall, but gods help me, I smiled.

  I staggered toward the ropes and slipped off the ring. A few folks cpped my shoulder, and someone yelled “Holy crap, alchemist’s deadly!” but it all blurred under the sunbeam of Meredi charging toward me.

  “You destroyed him,” she said, breathless and grinning. “That was so cool! Like—like that one move? You jumped off the ropes and just let him have it!. How long have you been able to do that?”

  She reached me and full-body shook me by the shoulders. I nearly fell over.

  “I’m serious,” she grinned. “That was so cool, Tim! You want stew? You’re getting stew. The best stew. Like, champion stew!”

  “I—thank you,” I coughed. “You’re gonna give me a concussion at this rate.”

  She backed off with a ugh, eyes dancing with energy. “Stew’ll fix that too.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “Hey, just—hold that thought. I need to check on Ervon.”

  “Sure!” she beamed. “We’re all friends here! Go on, go on, go talk to your new friend! You’re so cute.”

  I nodded and peeled off toward Ervon, while feeling the sting of how Meredi just made me feel like I was a kid in grade school.

  He was holding his temple, still dizzy, still ughing like a man who’d just been brutalized by a squirrel. A part of me winced. I didn’t want to hurt him that bad. Even if he’d been sparring with Meredi with… impure intentions. But I was still justified in my reaction, yup. Mhm.

  Just as I opened my mouth to say something, I heard thumping. For some reason, the image of a charging bull formed in my mind.

  Then I saw him.

  A massive man, bald as a cannonball, with biceps that looked like they had abs of their own, and a glorious curled blond mustache that seemed to glisten with oil and power. He wore a vender tank top two sizes too small and pants that were just holding on for dear life.

  “ERVON!” the man bellowed, charging like a juggernaut.

  “Oh, no—” Ervon braced a moment too te as the muscle-mountain scooped him up into a spinning bear hug.

  The man’s voice boomed with all the panic of a stage actor during a tragedy. “ERVVYY! MY SWEET BATTLE BUNNY! Are you okay?!”

  I stared in dawning horror.

  Ervon looked up and smiled. “Hey, musclecake. I’m fine, promise.”

  The giant man swept him into a crushing hug, lifting Ervon’s feet off the ground. “My precious love! My tender cinnamon bun! You weren’t okay! That strike was so powerful it wobbled you and froze me in sheer horror! I’ll suplex that twig when I find him!”

  “That was me,” I said, meekly.

  He slowly turned his head down toward me. We locked eyes. His were so blue.

  “Oh,” he said, blinking. “Well you’ve got lovely form, sweetie.”

  Ervon wheezed. “I’m—Vallo, I’m okay! I’m okay!”

  I stared. Mouth slightly open. Brain buffering.

  “He’s gay,” I whispered. “Fuck, he’s gay.”

  Vallo turned back to Ervon. “Baby, talk to me! You’re bleeding!” Vallo gasped and dabbed at Ervon’s lip with the hem of his tank. “Is it bad? Do we need to go to the emergency hot springs?!”

  I raised a brow. “There are hot springs? Are they gay too?”

  “I’ve had worse stubbing my toe,” Ervon said with a giggle, pushing Vallo’s face back with one hand. “It’s fine.”

  “Don’t you downpy this!” Vallo cried. “Your beautiful brain was rattled!”

  My soul left my body briefly.

  Ervon turned to me from Vallo’s arms. “Timaeus, this is Vallo. My husband.”

  “H-Hey,” I managed.

  Vallo looked me over, then beamed. “Oh, but you’re so adorable! How can I stay mad at a little guy like you?”

  I looked down at my arms. “I’m a little guy,” I whispered, totally consumed by the shadow of this behemoth.

  “Vallo,” Ervon sighed fondly, “stop scaring him. He’s here for advice.”

  Vallo quieted down and bent down a little. “Advice? You don’t need advice with moves like that, little guy.”

  “I’m 32,” I whispered, unwilling to look this guy in the eyes. “I keep telling everyone I’m 32.”

  Ervon coughed politely. “He wants advice about Meredi.”

  “You mean,” Vallo whispered. “That sort of advice? “Oh my gods, I love this.” Vallo cpped his giant hands. “Okay. I am here. I am present. I am emotionally ready.”

  Ervon patted Valo’s chest. “Let’s let him talk.”

  I swallowed the sudden embarrassment I was feeling. “So… uh. I… I know I’m not much right now,” I admitted. “She’s amazing. I’ve just been thinking… if I were at least half your size, maybe she’d… notice… me. And give me a chance to make her happy.”

  This was horrible. Why was I just telling them?

  No, I knew why. I felt guilty and awkward and was bbbing to make up for it.

  “Oh, sweetie,” Vallo said, genuinely touched. “You don’t need glorious biceps to be worthy of love.”

  Ervon’s smile didn’t waver. “That’s noble. But I don’t think Meredi’s swayed by bulk as much as you think. You’ve fixated on the wrong thing, Timaeus.”

  I met Ervon’s kind gaze, and Vallo’s encouraging smile.

  “You think so?” I asked.

  Ervon smiled warmly. “Meredi’s pretty straightforward, Tim. If you want her to see you differently, you’ll have to say it. It has to be direct, and you cannot leave any room for doubt.”

  “The room will end up crushing you,” Vallo added.

  “We… don’t know much about Meredi when she was with your father, but we do know the woman who has been coming here for the st decade,” Ervon said. “You can trust us on this.”

  “Just the straightforward approach?” I asked, only now realizing how much the prospect made me nervous.

  “Yeah,” Ervon nodded. “She’s honest. You should be, too.”

  “Meredi’s like a bowl of stew,” Vallo said sagely. “Warm, hearty, and exactly what she looks like on the surface.”

  I blinked. “That’s actually kinda profound,” I said.

  “I am profound,” Vallo said.

  I looked down. “It’s just—I don’t think I’m ready. My life’s… got a lot of things in it. I’ve already gotten lucky with what I’ve already been able to tug at. I feel like I’d be appealing to luck I don’t have if I try to reach for Meredi… I really do think she needs someone spectacur. And I’m not there yet.”

  Vallo pced a hand on his heart, and let out a kind “Awww.”

  Ervon leaned in. “Then start with what you can do. But don’t wait forever.”

  “Also, spar with her,” Vallo chimed in. “Just casually. At home. She won’t read into it.”

  Ervon nodded. “Good idea. It’s close contact, it’s trust-based. If nothing romantic happens, it’s still quality time. And if something does spark, well, you’ll both feel it. Your grappling for her heart will speak what your mouth cannot.”

  Vallo pointed a finger. “She might not pick up on the vibes right away, though. Be prepared for her to just get really into the workout.”

  I flushed. “God, I’m nervous already. How embarrassing.”

  “Love usually is,” Ervon said. “And hey—if muscles help you feel confident, then I’ll train you. Come by when you’ve got the time.”

  “I’ll help too!” Vallo added, striking a dramatic flex. “We’ll have you strong in body and heart!”

  I ughed despite myself. “Okay. But you both gotta tell me about your diet and supplements. I want the whole routine.”

  They both ughed. I suddenly realized I liked them. A lot… And I appreciated them. Getting to put this into words, reminded me just how invested I was becoming. Every day, I was learning how deep my fondness could go.

  “Sorry, I was rude,” I said, rubbing my neck. “And cursed at you. A lot.”

  Ervon blinked. “You never cursed at me.”

  “No, I did. Believe me.”

  “Ahh,” Ervon grinned. “Well. Love makes monsters of us all. I think I’m an even bigger fan of you now.”

  I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. “Damn it, Ervon, you’re so cool!”

  Vallo ughed. “I totally agree!”

  I walked back to Meredi with a heart at least six pounds lighter. She cocked her head.

  “You three have a good talk?”

  I squinted at her. “Did you know Ervon and Vallo are a thing?”

  Meredi rolled her eyes like I’d asked if water was wet. “Of course. Ervon likes muscles so much, only a man could meet the quota.”

  I blinked.

  “That’s fair,” I admitted, letting out a sigh a moment ter.

  “You tired?”

  “I mean, yeah… But I can also be an idiot sometimes.”

  She gave me a radiant grin and reached out to ruffle my hair. “Come on, champ. Let’s get you some super nutritious stew. We’ve got to keep you going!”

  Stew with Meredi never sounded so romantic.

  Sebas_Guzman