HeartBLOOD

Chapter sixty-one

Special delivery!, Magnus smirked as he walked into the kitchen, some sweaty hair strands stuck to his face.

Hey! What are you doing here?, Alec exclaimed, trying to get up, but Magnus softly pushed him back into his seat.

Dont bother., he chuckled, bending down to kiss him.

I picked up your meds., he added with a grin, putting them onto the kitchen counter.

Thanks., Alec sighed in relief-just the thought of having to go to the pharmacy to pick them up had given him a headache- that staircase in front of it was no joke.

Dont thank me, thank Izzy for noticing you were running out., Magnus chuckled.

I appreciate it., Alec smiled weakly, But how come Valentine let you go earlier?

He didnt, I just left.

Mags!, Alec exclaimed, but Magnus immediately interrupted:

Whats he going to do? Its May, seniors can only be expelled until April 30th. Were safe.

The fucking irony., Alec laughed, Id argue were in the unsafest place of our careers right now, yet this kind of makes me feel better.

I get you., Magnus grinned, Let me tell you, I walked out of there like a total badass- I swear, the power this expulsion deadline is giving me cannot be healthy.

Who cares about healthy?, Alec chuckled, massaging his knee- the swelling had only gotten worse.

Right, as long as theres tape, were good., Magnus grinned, checking his watch, But as much as Id want to skip the rest of rehearsal, I think itd be best for me to get back.

Yeah, for sure. Besides, Ive got to get ready for work, too., Alec said, standing up and limping to the sink to pour himself a glass of water, flushing down another painkiller.

Are you sure? Babe, you cant even properly walk., Magnus frowned.

I know, but Ive got to do it. Theyre counting on me, so I better pull it together. Besides, this is my life now, so I better get used to it., Alec replied with a bitter chuckle- it hurt to admit it, but it was the truth.

***

Okay, everyone, warm up!, Alec commanded when he walked into the room- he was trying as hard as possible to suppress his limp, but his knee was really acting up. To his disadvantage, it was too swollen for his brace to fit, so he needed to go with bandages instead, which were not even close when it came to stabilization and decompression. But at this point, he was going to take any amount of relief.

Overseeing his students, he noticed some changes- Vicky had really worked on her back flexibility, he could tell she had really improved during the last month. Tristans shoulders seemed broader, Maddies posture was upright, Arizona wasnt even shaking anymore during planks.

Listen, guys, I just wanted to let you know that I see the extra effort youve put in- it shows that some of you have gone out of their ways to get better. Im proud of you for working towards your goals, its not for nothing, and I can tell., he said in acknowledgement- no one had come to brag or show off, all of them had worked in private to shine in public.

Truly, I appreciate the dedication. Thats what makes a good dancer. Youre nothing without a fighting spirit., he swallowed, talking more to himself than to them- it was his time to fight, too. He was committed to BDA, he was dedicated to that competition, and he was going to make it work, even if that meant that hed have to clench his jaw even tighter.

Okay, everyone go to the barre, lets quickly run through our basic exercises before moving on to the combination., Alec said in approval after the conditioning was done- he really needed to watch the clock, because he had a lot of stuff planned for that lesson.

Can you do the plies with us just one more time? I forgot the combination., Maddie asked- Alec seriously asked himself where her thoughts were at when they rehearsed. After all, theyve been doing the same variation for a month by now.

Actually, I cant today. But, does anyone feel up to the challenge?, Alec asked, a bit proud of his solve.

Accepting Vickys offer to volunteer, he stepped aside- she was really pulling herself together and putting in the work. Which, by the way, was also reflected in her demonstration.

Good job., he congratulated her and looked at Maddie, Is it clear now?

Yes, sir., she said- it was embarrassing to have one of your classmates demonstrate for you, especially someone less experienced like Vicky.

But, why arent you demonstrating today? Youre not one of those passive coaches and you seem really reserved today- do you just not see a purpose with us anymore?, Vicky asked, seeming genuinely insecure.

No!, Alec replied immediately, Anything but that. Im actually having some issues with an old injury right now, so Ive got to take it easy. But it doesnt have to do anything with all of you, I promise.

In relief, Vicky exhaled: I swear, I was convinced youve given up on us.

Id never give up on you guys., Alec grinned, If I could, I would do anything to help you succeed.

Doesnt an injury mess with NYABM?, Arizona asked with a frown- that was one of the moments when Alec regretted having told them to ask everything they wanted. It still wasnt a topic he liked to discuss.

Its a fine line., he chuckled, trying to navigate into a less personal direction, The harder we push our bodies, the further theyll take us. Until one day, theyll throw us over the edge because weve pushed too hard.

***

Half an hour later, Alec felt just as exhausted as the kids- he had forgotten how draining standing over long periods of time was during a flareup. Looking around, he saw the bench behind him- considering the fact that his painkillers were starting to wear off, he decided to just sit down – he didnt have to stand to correct his students, after all.

During the next break, Alec made his way out of the training room to get to Cats office- he needed to talk to her about his shift tomorrow. If he was being realistic, he was in no condition to teach, and knowing that his flareups were usually at their worst on the second day, he hoped to be able to get a day off tomorrow.

Come in!, she exclaimed after he knocked.

Walking in, he saw Cat sitting at her desk, about a hundred files scattered across the floor.

Sorry, its a bit of a mess., she said, not even looking away from the computer.

No worries., Alec grinned- it had always been messy in here.

Whats up?, she asked, finally looking at Alec- Cat looked tired, which didnt make it any easier for him. He knew how complicated and exhausting competitions were, especially from the perspective of a head coach, who needed to deal with all of the bureaucracy as well.

I hate to say it, but I need to ask you for a favor., Alec said, biting his lip- she had been so generous with even offering him this job, he couldnt believe he was letting her down.

Anything!, she said, looking at him with worry.

Uh, well,, Alec stuttered, I wanted to ask whether its possible for you to cover my shift tomorrow? I know its last minute; but the routine is completely ready; they just need someone to oversee them while they rehearse.

I mean, sure- but do I need to be worried?, she asked, knowing Alec would never ask someone to cover a shift unless it was serious.

No, its just my knee., Alec sighed, Its been killing me all day, and my flareups are usually at their worst on the second day, so Im not sure if Ill be able to come in tomorrow. Im so sorry, I know its shitty timing, but-

Dont apologize!, Cat exclaimed, Its okay, Ill cover for you! And if you need to extend your time off, let me know.

Thanks, I appreciate you understanding., Alec smiled weakly.

Of course! Youre my little star.