Weightless

8) Bruised Knuckles

A/N: In case anyone is confused by this alternate universe, the brothers were not adopted but they did have the drama with Matilda - who still doesn't belong to Cal.

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5th of February 2017

Pushup after pushup, sit-up after sit-up, he carries on. Ethan's forehead is dripping with sweat and his lungs are struggling to accept air. He stops for one reason which is that he just physically cannot continue.

Well, the few slices of apple he had forced down for breakfast are definitely burnt off now.

Ethan gets to his feet. Instinctively, he grips the kitchen counter and ignores the shake of his legs. It's all worth it, he knows this.

"Right," Ethan mutters to himself. He takes out his tape measure and wraps it around his middle half. Then he smiles - he's lost more weight from the last time he checked. "That's good."

"Ethan, you in?"

He jumps in shock at the sound of the front door swinging open. Goddamnit. Cal's home to distract him, just when Ethan was thinking about perhaps making a small snack. Or maybe it's a sign from above - he doesn't need a snack.

"Yes, I'm home!" Ethan calls back.

It's only then he realises that he is dressed in jogging trousers and a t-shirt drenched with sweat. Before he has time to hide this, Cal has wandered in.

"Hey, what are you-" Cal looks at Ethan strangely as he walks into the kitchen. "Are you sweating? What've you been up to now?"

Ethan racks his brains for an excuse. He knows full well of the consequences if Cal finds out he's been exercising - an hour long lecture about how their parents used to do so much of it and 'you don't want to end up like that, Ethan'.

No. He decides to do what he always does - lie.

"Uh, yeah, I am. I just woke up, actually. Had a nightmare and woke up drenched with sweat," Ethan says, doing his best to sound truthful despite his words being the opposite of this. "Weird. I must've eaten too much cheese or something. That gives you bad dreams, doesn't it? I'm sure there was a study on it, anyway-"

"Alright, nerd, I believe you." Cal holds his hands up in mock surrender. "As long as you haven't been doing the dirty in my bed with someone then I couldn't care less."

"As if I would," Ethan laughs in a fashion that he hopes isn't too nervous sounding. "Anyway. Why are you home? I thought you were working."

Cal looks at the floor rather sheepishly. "Okay, so I may have got the dates mixed up. Turns out I've actually got the day off. I really wish Connie would've told me that, rather than letting me get paperwork done, as now I've wasted almost half my day off!"

"Seriously?" Ethan can't help but smile. "I can't believe that. Well, I actually can, knowing you."

"And what's that meant to mean?" Cal chucks a tea towel at his brother, and then crosses his arms, whilst leaning against the kitchen counter. "I'm responsible and organised."

"Completely, yeah." Ethan nods sarcastically, catching the tea towel and smiling. "Of course you are."

Cal shakes his head with a smile. "Whatever..." He clears his throat. "Anyway, don't suppose you'd like to do anything today? If you can clear your obviously busy schedule for me, that is."

Ethan jumps at the chance. Finally - a distraction from his mind. This'll be fantastic. "No, no, I'm not busy."

"Good. Where'd you want to go?"