Chapter 111 - Morning Chores

Chapter 111: Chapter 111 - Morning Chores

Dusk.

Stepping out of bed first, Dusty clicked the television on for ambient news chatter, brewed a fresh pot of coffee, and walked out the front door in his morning clothes to drag the wheelie bins down to the curb.

Across the asphalt, two chatty middle-aged female neighbors stood by their garden gate, waving boisterously at him.

"Oh! Good morning, Dustin!" one of them called out with a happy grin.

"Hey, we’re organising the local ’Single Parents & Divorcees Get-Together’ at the community center this weekend! You really should drop by. A few of the lovely ladies in the neighborhood have been asking about you!"

"Good morning, ladies. I appreciate the invitation, but my hands are full with the kids right now. I’ll have to pass."

"Oh, come on, Mr. Winters! Don’t be a stranger!" the other neighbor chimed in. "If you change your mind, you know where to find us!"

"Will do. Thank you, and have a good day," Dusty replied smoothly, turning around and heading back inside.

Back in the kitchen, he poured a pinch of multi-colored food flakes into a sleek glass aquarium sitting on the counter. The tank housed a vibrant, glowing little blue fish.

The fish popped its head out from behind a miniature resin castle and started chomping on the floating flakes.

"Looks like your boy finally found his way back home, Dusty," a refined female voice echoed softly from inside the tank.

Dusty took a slow sip of his black coffee. "And good morning to you too, Levana. Yeah... arrived yesterday."

Levana paused as her fins flared with a subtle, shimmering blue light. "I felt a strange energy oozing off his skin when he walked past the kitchen yesterday..."

"You mean his divine power? That’s because successfully awakened his mother’s blood."

"No, you fool!" Levana grumbled in distaste, her tail fin slapping the water. "I’m talking about that disgusting, foul aura of an Ebony. The tyrant king’s bloodline. Why on earth does your son smell like that Ebonspirian?!"

Dusty casually leaned against the counter. "Ah that... Because Vinny got summoned as a Familiar to the Fourth Princess of Ebonspire, Maelle Ebony."

Levana freaked out completely, her fins thrashing so hard that water splashed over the glass rim.

"ARE YOU INSANE?! AN EBONSPIRIAN PRINCESS?! They’re backstabbing, ruthless, bloodthirsty vipers! They cut their own family’s throats for fun!"

"Relax, Levi," Dusty reassured her with a gentle wave of his hand. "If Vinny and Mari trust the girl, so do I. Besides... Apparently, the two of them are already lovers. Who’d’ve thunk?"

"THEY’RE WHAT?!!!"

"More importantly," Dusty looked toward the hallway. "I’m just happy he and Katherine are finally getting along again like they used to. Speaking of which... I better go wake her up for school."

"WAIT! DUSTIN! COME BACK HERE AND EXPLAIN THIS INSTANT!"

Dusty ignored her and continued walking up the stairs.

Passing Vincent’s bedroom first, he knocked twice and pushed the door open – only to find the room empty and the bed sheets undisturbed.

"Did he go out already? Unless..." His eyes widened slightly. "Oh, no."

Walking down the hall to Katherine’s room next, he skipped knocking and pulled out his spare key, unlocking the deadbolt, and pushing the door open.

There, he stood at the doorway and sighed.

Vincent and Katherine were fast asleep on her mattress, completely tangled together in a messy pile of blankets – limbs interlocked.

Dusty pinched the bridge of his nose in tired disbelief. "I’ve forgotten since I haven’t had to deal with this in years... Some bad habits never die."

Dusty stepped over their scattered clothes on the carpet, reached down, and delivered an affectionate BONK onto both of their foreheads.

THWACK! THWACK!

""OW!""

Still groggy and half-asleep, both of them popped their heads up, rubbing their bumped foreheads and blinking sleepily up at him.

"Mmm... Dada...? Wha..."

"Hmmm... Daddy... five more minutes..."

"Wake up, you two. You’re not seven years old anymore. Change your clothes and get down to breakfast."

Consciousness hit both of them at the exact same second.

Vincent looked down, realizing he was fully tangled in his sister’s bedsheets. He winced, rubbing his forehead. "O-Oops, haha..."

"Why’d you hit us, dad?! You could’ve just shook us!"

"Not with how heavy and messy you two sleep." Dusty offered a dry smirk, turning toward the door. "Five minutes. Food’s on the table."

As the door clicked shut, Vincent got up and muttered under his breath, "Yeah... no more sleeping in the same bed with you, Kathy."

Katherine smiled brightly, throwing her arms around his neck from behind in a warm morning hug. "Good morning, V!"

"Yeah. Morning."

"Hehehe~"

.....

Down in the kitchen, over plates of fresh buttered toast, crispy bacon, and eggs, Dusty looked across the table at his son with a serious expression.

"So... what are your plans for university? Classes started weeks ago and you’re technically still enrolled."

Vincent looked down at his mug with doubt clouding his green eyes. "Uni. Honestly... Now that I’m actually back, I don’t know if I should even go. With everything that’s happened... and the whole situation with Hannah..."

"Want my advice? Go. Not for her, but for yourself and the new life experiences you’ll gain. Besides... it’s not like you two are bitter enemies. She even came by the house once to check on you after she noticed you weren’t attending."

"She did?"

"Mmhm."

He thought it over for a long moment, watching the steam rise from his mug before nodding slowly. "It’s gonna be hella awkward... but alright. I’ll go back. For myself."

Dusty offered a warm, proud smile. "Good man."

Suddenly, Katherine came sprinting downstairs, dressed in her school track uniform and blazer. She snatched a slice of buttered toast in her mouth, grabbed Vincent’s hand, and yanked him toward the door.

"V! Come on! Walk me to school!"

"Sit down and eat properly, Katherine."

"Can’t, Dad! I have early morning practice with the track team!"

Vincent stood up, letting her pull him along. "You do track? No wonder you ran so fast yesterday."

Katherine giggled, dragging him out into the morning sunshine.

"Later, dad!"

As they stepped onto the concrete sidewalk, Vincent’s eyes instinctively drifted toward the house right next door.

Katherine noticed his subtle glance and squeezed his hand.

"She doesn’t live there anymore."

Vincent looked down, surprised. "She doesn’t?"

"No. She moved in with her boyfriend about a week after uni started."

"Huh... guess she was really serious after all."

Looking up at his face, Katherine’s green eyes were filled with worry, searching for any sign of heartbreak. Seeing her concern, Vincent gave her a bright smile and squeezed her hand back.

"Hey, don’t look at me like that. I’m totally fine. I genuinely hope she’s happy."

Katherine studied his face, and after seeing only sincerity, she smiled brightly, nodding in relief. "Okay!"

For the rest of the walk, they shared lighthearted, playful banter all the way down the neighborhood streets to the iron gates of her high school.

As they reached the entrance, several of her track teammates noticed her walking alongside a handsome young man. Katherine suddenly stopped, turned on her tiptoes, and gave Vincent a sweet peck on his cheek.

"See you after school, V!" she giggled, sprinting off into her group of friends.

Within seconds, the teenage girls swarmed her, squealing, giggling, and teasing her incessantly as Katherine turned bright red, looking back over her shoulder at him with a proud grin.

Vincent laughed warmly, waving back at her before turning around to head home.

......

Back in his bedroom, he prepared for university.

"And wallet check... Alright That should be it." He slung his backpack over his shoulder, pulled out his smartphone, and finally scrolled through his unread text messages which were mainly from one person:

Hannah.

Hannah: Hey V, are you okay? Your dad said you were taking time off...

Hannah: Classes started! Professors are asking for you...

Hannah: Just wanted to let you know I moved into an apartment with Jethro, my boyfriend. Hope you’re doing well, text me back!

As Vincent stared at the screen, a quiet thought passed through his mind.

’Can we really still be friends...? I should at least show my face so she knows I’m alive. After that, I’ll keep contact minimal – don’t want to upset Mr. Boyfriend.’

Pocketing his phone, he walked downstairs.

"Have fun," Dusty called out from the living room.

Before leaving, Vincent stopped right in front of the blue fish tank, squinting at Levana suspiciously.

The blue fish swam casually in circles, blowing dumb bubbles and acting like a completely normal, brainless pet.

"Levi. I know what you are... I’m an EX-Rank Familiar too, you know."

*Bloop, bloop.*

Levana just blew bubbles.

"Hey. Levi."

"You’re gonna be late, Vinny," Dusty called out dryly.

"Right... right." Vincent backed away slowly, keeping his eyes locked onto the fish until he pushed the front door open and stepped outside.

Inside the house, Dusty looked at the tank. "Still suspicious about the Ebony?"

*Bloop, bloop*

The fish just continued to blow bubbles and act brainless. Dusty sighed, shaking his head.

.....

Walking down the neighborhood street toward the bus stop, Vincent passed the convenience store from yesterday.

He noticed a young man sitting on a sleek, beautiful black-and-crimson sport motorcycle parked by the curb, strapping his helmet on. Surrounded by two aggressive delinquents, the guy looked visibly uncomfortable.

’Damn... that ride looks sweet.’

Suddenly, the two delinquents attacked the young man.

One shoved him hard off the seat, sending him crashing onto the asphalt, while the other snatched his keys, mounted the motorcycle, and revved the engine.

"GAHAHA! THANKS FOR THE RIDE, LOSER!" they cackled and sped off down the avenue.

"NO! MY BIKE! DAMMIT!"

BANG!

The young man slammed his helmet onto the pavement in despair and tears in his eyes.

Vincent’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t make a big speech or walk over to comfort the guy. Instead, he simply vanished into a blur.

Tapping a subtle surge of divine power, he leaped onto the brick rooftops like a shadow ninja.

He easily cut off the stolen motorcycle at the next intersection, landing silently on the pavement and standing directly in front of the speeding bike.

"OH SHIT! SLOW DOWN! LOOK OUT!"

"I– I CAN’T–"

SWIISH!

With an effortless flick of his wrist, Vincent caught the handlebar. The motorcycle came to an abrupt stop without a single scratch, the rear wheel lifting slightly into the air.

"WHAT THE FU–?!"

"Quiet."

With a quick tap of his hand, Vincent knocked both delinquents off the bike, sending them tumbling into a pile of roadside garbage bags. He snatched the keys out of the ignition, leaving the two thugs groaning in sheer terror.

"F-Fuck this! Let’s get outta here!!!"

"WAAAHHHH!!!"

"Hmph. Cowards."

Realising he didn’t actually know how to ride a motorcycle, Vincent simply grabbed the handlebars and pushed the heavy bike back up the street on foot.

Back at the store, the young man sat on the curb, his head buried in his knees, feeling utterly hopeless.

Then, a shadow fell over him.

He looked up... and saw a brown haired green-eyed stranger standing there, holding his motorcycle by the handlebars and tossing him the keys with an easygoing grin.

"Hey. Merry Christmas. "Here’s your present."

The young man caught his keys, staring wide-eyed in absolute disbelief at the stranger who had just brought his stolen motorcycle back within three minutes flat from when it was stolen.