Page 33 of Wisteria and Cloves
"He's being modest," Miles interjected, tearing off another piece of bread. "Chris is ranked third nationally in his weight class."
"And Miles is too humble to mention he's one of the main reasons his team made it to the championships and won the last four years.” Christopher countered, his affection for his packmate evident.
I found myself genuinely interested, leaning forward slightly. "Do you all train together?"
"Sometimes," Julian replied, his voice warm as he watched me engage with the conversation. "We have a gym on the lower level with equipment for each of our sports. Miles and I sometimes run together in the mornings, and Christopher spars with his coach there a few times a week."
"Nicolaus prefers to swim at the university pool," Miles added. "Says our lap pool isn't long enough for his training regimen."
Nicolaus shrugged, unapologetic. "Proper training requires proper facilities."
"What about you?" Christopher asked, his eyes bright with curiosity. "Did you play any sports growing up?"
The question caught me off guard. No one had ever asked about my athletic interests before. "No," I admitted. "My motherbelieved physical exertion wasn't... appropriate for an Omega of my standing. I had dance lessons, but those were focused on grace and poise rather than athleticism."
"Dance is absolutely athletic," Miles countered immediately. "The control, the endurance, the strength required—it's incredibly demanding."
"What kind of dance?" Christopher asked, leaning forward with genuine interest.
"Ballet, primarily," I replied, a hint of nostalgia coloring my voice. "And ballroom, of course, for social functions. I actually... I enjoyed it, even though the purpose was just to make me more appealing at formal events."
"Do you miss it?" Julian asked quietly.
The question made me pause. Did I miss dancing? I'd never considered it before—whether I actually enjoyed the activity itself separate from its purpose in my parents' grand design.
"I think I do," I said slowly, surprising myself with the realization. "Not the structure or the criticism, but the movement itself. The feeling of... freedom, I suppose, even if it was within strict parameters."
Nicolaus nodded thoughtfully. "There's a dance studio on the second floor of the community center a few blocks away. They offer adult classes without the competitive pressure you might have experienced in your training."
The casual suggestion—as if my interests were worth accommodating—caught me off guard. "You would... let me take dance classes?"
Julian's expression shifted, something between sadness and determination crossing his features. "Lilianna, you don't need our permission to pursue activities that interest you. If dancing brings you joy, we'd encourage it."
"We could convert one of the spare rooms into a small studio," Christopher suggested, his enthusiasm building. "It wouldn't take much—some mirrors, a barre..."
"Let's not overwhelm her with options," Miles cautioned gently, though his smile was warm. "One step at a time."
I felt heat rise to my cheeks at their consideration. "I'm not sure I even remember the techniques properly. It's been years since I actually danced for pleasure rather than evaluation."
"Muscle memory is powerful," Nicolaus observed, finally setting aside his tablet to give the conversation his full attention. "And relearning something you once loved can be profoundly therapeutic."
Christopher practically bounced in his seat. "We could find you some classes! Or if you prefer privacy while you're getting back into it, we really could set up a small studio space here."
The enthusiasm in his voice made something warm unfurl in my chest. When was the last time someone had been excited about something I wanted to do?
"I..." I started, then stopped, overwhelmed by the casual way they discussed reshaping their home to accommodate my interests. "You would really do that?"
"Of course," Julian said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "This is your home now too, Lilianna. We want you to be comfortable here.
I bit my lip, “Can I think about it?”
"Of course you can," Julian said immediately, his voice warm with understanding. "There's no rush to decide anything right now."
Christopher nodded eagerly. "Take all the time you need. The offer stands whenever you're ready—or not at all, if you decide you'd rather explore other things."
I finished my soup in comfortable silence, listening to the easy conversation that flowed around me. They discussedtheir upcoming training schedules, a charity event Julian was committed to attending, and Christopher's plans to experiment with a new bread recipe. Normal, domestic concerns that felt both foreign and appealing.
"What about you, Nicolaus?" I asked during a lull in conversation. "When do you train?"
