The volleyball team was average, but very good and strong. Professor Marcos was cool with his students, but strict with his athletes during training. With a sharp look, he didn't miss any details or information inside the court. For someone who has never participated in a volleyball match, Gabriel was grateful to be properly guided.
The sack training sequence was the last exercise of that afternoon's training. By the covered court the echo of the tennis in the wood spread along with the cries of the ten boys who formed the official school team.
Lined up to perform the exercise, Gabriel paid attention to the short boy whose armband pointed as team captain. Unlike the other players, Nicolas would run off to make a big jump and make the cut on the ball over the net. His cut was strong enough that the impact of the ball on the ground was high compared to the others.
There was no way not to be surprised by Nicolas.
― But how the cap is displayed!― Grumbled a tall boy in a grimace.
Nicolas, on the other hand, had only looked over his shoulder with a certain indifference and a sarcastic smile to irritate his team-mate. Which was right, since Gabriel had heard the other grumble as he prepared to do the same exercise.
When the whistle sounded indicating the end of training, Gabriel had thrown himself on the ground trying to catch his breath lost in training. A towel had been thrown over his face, from which he used to wipe his sweat.
― Hey, rookie, you feel part of the team yet?
Lifting the towel to face the charming smile of Milles, Gabriel sat on the floor and wrapped the towel around his neck.
― I can keep up with you.
― Of course it does, it's an alpha. I'm already looking forward to the playoffs, just to see the face of the losers' desperation this year.
Arching his eyebrow, Gabriel shook his head to the sides making it dry with the towel. His attention so brief had been stolen when a blonde hair had become present on the covered court. The two boys watched Theodore go to Nicolas and hand him some papers.
— And the princess arrived. ― The comment was heard by Gabriel, who immediately looked up at Milles. The tall boy with his hands around his waist had already discarded his gallant smile from before.
Theodore had looked in their direction, his gaze having met that of Gabriel. When they exchanged looks they got lost in an unknown and mind-blowing connection. The new athlete waved and smiled at him without any problem, receiving in return only a nod before Theodore left the court.
Receiving the doubtful look of Milles, he was not surprised when he crouched quickly beside him to stare at him shamelessly.
― You... you're on his team?
― What's it like?
― You was waving at him like you knew him.
― We're from the same class, and we work together. Is there a problem with that?
The direct answer was filled with words between the lines, Milles realized. Crossing his arms over his knee, the tall, blond-haired boy had a singing smile as he whispered to his new team-mate.
― Not directly. You probably don't know the story, do you?
The damned curiosity had arisen in Gabriel's brown eyes. From the moment he entered that school he had already realized that Theodore and Mckenzie had a fierce fight. Unfortunately none of the parties had told him the details, just making it clear that the blonde boy should be avoided.
Neither would Gabriel be slow to not realize that this would have to do with his classmate's sexual orientation and class. The question Theodore had asked earlier in class was the biggest test. He had felt in those clear eyes the fear that Gabriel would think something of him.
Now that he was staring into Milles' amber eyes, he was sure the matter could be more serious than imagined.
― I don't know, I'm just the new guy. I was told I should stay away.
― Was it? So you chose to approach him anyway?
― It's not my fight, Milles.
— You're right ― Admitted the alpha scratching his chin, looking away to the ground. ― You're right to draw your own conclusions, but don't say we didn't warn you.
― They told you what?
Milles approached Gabriel's face with a wide smile on his face, full of malice. The new student had not dared to move away, he remained still and neutral just waiting for the movement of the other, who stopped near his face.
― He'll ask to have his ass eaten for you.
Receiving a strong slap on the head, Milles massaged the blonde hair when turning his head irritated. However, not as irritated as the tired, cold eyes of a short captain.
― Is your ass on fire, Mckenzie? Looks like today's practice was too easy for you, since you're so energetic to talk shit.
― The husband has already come to defend his wife.
Throwing the white towel over his shoulder, Nicolas tilted his head as he smiled at Miles.
― Why? You're afraid to have your ass eaten too? No need to worry, Theodore likes people and not donkeys.
Gabriel compresses his lips forcing himself to swallow the laughter. Milles, furiously, stood up farting his team captain who did not recede with the sudden threat of one meter of ninety in front of him. He had even released his pheromones to force the other back.
― You got a dirty mouth for a brat.
― The shit you're talking about must have spilled on me. Don't worry, I'll clean up properly.
― It's yours, it suits you.
Should he intervene? Gabriel questioned himself still sitting on the floor covering his nose with that nauseating smell. As a mere observer, he felt a tense and dangerous aura coming from those two that prevented him from even opining about the discussion. Depending on what he said they would understand that he had taken sides with one of them, which would further increase the fight.
Gabriel then hoped that the coach would show up to relieve the tension.
What had not happened.
Nicolas had just wrapped the towel around the back of Milles's neck, pulling him to bend over and approach him. Such an act hardened the posture of the alpha, who struggled not to be pulled by the lowest.
— Are you scared, Mckenzie? Don't worry, coconuts can fall at your feet, but my Theo has enough brain to know that wasting his saliva on people like you is a waste of time. You're not worth the effort. ― Releasing the alpha's neck, Nicolas again threw the towel over his shoulder keeping all his egocentric pose when he gave his back to the two boys. ― Clean up the court, 'cause it's still got power, you stinking bastard.
Neither of the two alpha boys said anything to that Sea Captain. However, Gabriel could say that his team-mate was, in fact, enraged. He wisely kept silent until he left the court.