This Strange World Needs a Kicking! Ch. 25

To say that he was uncomfortable was too little to describe what he was going through. It was nothing but pure torture to watch the boy he liked so much, so close, and yet so far away. Like was an inadequate word, but Sebastian preferred to use this strange world's language as whatever he truly felt was infinitely more dangerous for the state of his mind and soul. The dream couldn't have been happenstance, he thought and touched his cheek where a shadow of pain still lingered. Reya had been clear on his having to let go of Milo and end the impossible situation he was in. She didn't have to use her ice goddess's abilities to reach for him in his sleep. He wanted nothing more but to return to his rightful place. What she had said, about Ifigia being in danger, troubled him.

What made things appear a little less bleak was that Kai's body was adjusting to the new training routine as if it were made for it.

"Have you been working out?" Beatrice felt his arm and threw him a strange look.

"Yes," he replied, unable to stop the gloom making his eyebrows knit into a frown.

"Your boyfriend is so handsome," she said with a chuckle and pointed at Milo. "And he's one of our best players, you know?"

There was no need for anyone to remind him of how exceptional Milo was. Yet, when one of his mates sent a ball in his direction, Milo missed it and had to run after it. The crowd went from cheering to booing, and Sebastian began experiencing an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Milo hung his head low, chin in his chest, eyes down. The opposing team had the upper hand, it seemed.

"Milo looks a bit off today, isn't it?" Beatrice asked. "What's it all about?"

"How should I know?" Sebastian replied brusquely.

"Well, you two are together, right? Who else should I ask?"

Sebastian pursed his lips. "We're not together anymore. We broke up."

"What?" Even over the noise around them, Beatrice's voice was annoyingly loud. "Why?"

"We aren't meant to be," Sebastian said thickly.

On the court, Milo was failing to send the ball through the hoop for the third time.

"I suppose that explains it," Beatrice said.

"What?" He was getting increasingly aggravated with her.

"That he's a mess today," she replied promptly. "And what's with the tattoo?" She pointed at his arm.

"It is a measure I had to take against my enemies."

"Fuck, your life sounds so damned complicated. Are you sure about you and Milo, though? I'm sure he didn't agree to your breaking up by how messed up he is."

It was true, but why was Beatrice so preoccupied with it? Sebastian wasn't used to people getting into each other's business like that and found it incredibly irritating.

"Our team will lose today," Beatrice added. "I really hope you had a good reason to break up with Milo."

"Don't blame me," Sebastian said.

But it was the truth. He was to blame for Milo's poor performance on the court. So, in a way, he had done nothing to protect the boy's love for basketball.

"He'll get over it," he murmured.

Beatrice surprised him by hooking an arm over his shoulders. "I think you're full of it, Kai. Unless Milo cheated on you or something --"

"He did nothing of the sort. He's perfect in every way," he blurted out.

It was painful to watch their team getting beaten into a pulp. The coach called Milo and yelled something at him, but upon his return to the game, nothing changed.

And Sebastian couldn't help feeling anything but guilt as he watched and watched.

TBC