CHAPTER 214: CHAPTER 201: FAMILY

The late summer breeze rolled gently across the streets of Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. The air was fresh, the sun a little too bright, and the world seemed... lighter.

Ethan Albarado stood in front of the house he hadn’t seen for days no, weeks, depending on how one counted time that bent under pressure. But now, with his discharge papers finally signed and the scars of the past battle slowly healing, it was no longer just a return...

...it was a homecoming.

Beside him, his mother Elle Albarado beamed with soft warmth, the kind only a kindergarten teacher could master. And next to her, Anna—his 10-year-old little sister clung to his hand like she’d never let go again.

"Ready?" Elle asked gently.

Ethan nodded.

He stepped forward, opened the door

"WELCOME BACK!!"

The shout exploded like a full-court buzzer-beater. Streamers flew. A huge banner that clearly hadn’t been hung by professionals read:

VORPAL’S HEART HAS COME HOME

Inside stood the entire team, Vorpal Basket, Ethan’s brothers on and off the court.

Lucas Graves was the first to move. The shooting guard, Ethan’s closest friend, wore his usual stoic expression... but there was a twitch at the corner of his mouth. Relief. Gratitude. Life.

"Ethan," he said simply. "We missed you."

Ethan smirked, "Took you long enough."

Behind him, Evan Cooper leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. "You better not think you’re starting without earning it back," he teased.

Louie Davas burst into a run and hugged Ethan tight. "MY MASTER RETURNS!! The chosen one!! The point god!!"

"Alright, alright—let him breathe," Ryan Taylor said calmly, guiding Louie back while smirking. "You’ll break him again."

Brandon Young gave Ethan a quiet nod, his presence solid as ever.

Josh Turner gave a respectful fist bump. "Good to have you back."

Aiden White stood by the window, offering Ethan a warm glance. "The court missed you."

Even the bench guys were there Coonie Smith, his hands in prayer... Jeremy Park, already analyzing Ethan’s walking gait... and Kai Mendoza, who had clearly set up the entire welcome party based on the glitter on his face.

And at the back, leaning against the doorframe with folded arms and quiet pride...

Alfred Albarado. Ethan’s father. Former star. Still a giant in his son’s eyes.

"Welcome back, son," he said in that calm, deep voice.

Ethan felt a lump in his throat. He clenched his fists slightly. "Thanks... I’m home."

Anna tugged on his shirt. "Big brother... are you going to play again?"

Ethan knelt and ruffled her hair. "Not just play..."

He looked around at his team, his family.

"...We’re going to win."

The smell of grilled chicken, fresh rice, and warm home-cooked dishes filled the yard as the team gathered around the long wooden table in front of Ethan’s house. Plates clinked, laughter echoed, and for the first time in a long while, there was peace.

Ethan sat in the middle, a soft smile playing on his lips as he watched his teammates talk over each other, brag about the game, and argue over who was the MVP. Lucas raised a piece of fried chicken like a trophy and said, "I swear, this one gave me power during the final quarter."

Louie Davas nearly choked on his rice laughing. "No, no, it was the soup! It unlocked my second form!"

Ryan shook his head, rolling his eyes. "You guys are hopeless."

Anna sat beside Ethan, clinging to his arm. "Big brother, they’re loud."

Ethan ruffled her hair gently. "Yeah... but they’re family."

His mother, Elle, watched from the doorway with a warm gaze, her apron still dusted with flour. Alfred Albarado leaned back against the fence, arms crossed, a small smirk on his face as he listened to the chaos.

As the sun dipped low and the plates were nearly empty, the laughter began to quiet. The team lounged under the shade of the trees outside Ethan’s home—some sitting on the grass, others on the porch.

Ethan leaned back against the wall, holding a cold glass of juice. Beside him, Lucas stared at the fading sky, his expression serious now, the smile gone.

"...We’ll face even stronger ones," Lucas said quietly. "That Elijah guy? He was just the beginning."

Ethan didn’t respond right away. He looked at the sky too, the orange light reflecting in his eyes. "Yeah," he finally said. "There are players out there... faster than us. Smarter. Monsters who live and breathe basketball like it’s war."

Lucas nodded. "Some of them aren’t even in middle school ordinary anymore. Some are pros, and beyond... And we’re just rookies."

Ethan chuckled faintly. "Rookies with scars."

There was a long pause before Lucas added, "But we have something they don’t."

Ethan looked at him.

"You," Lucas said. "Your vision. Your will. You changed everything for us. Even when you were in that hospital bed... you were still guiding me. That Triangle Shift? That plan? That wasn’t luck."

Ethan looked away, humbled. "I just want us to win. To protect this team. All of us."

Lucas nodded. "Then we keep going. We keep training. Because sooner or later..."

"...We’ll have to face them," Ethan finished.

"Yeah," Lucas said. "The real monsters. The ones who don’t care about friendship, or stories, or comebacks. Just domination."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed, his tone cold yet burning with purpose. "Then we become something greater than monsters."

Lucas smirked. "Vorpal... won’t fall."

They fist-bumped in silence as the stars began to appear, the light breeze carrying the promise of a battle yet to come.

Meanwhile – Graves Residence

Inside the quiet luxury of the Graves estate, Charlotte stood by her bedroom window, gazing out at the distant skyline where Ethan’s house was barely visible beyond the trees.

She sighed and leaned her forehead against the glass.

Charlotte’s thoughts:

(I didn’t go to Ethan’s house... Tsk, just how busy am I these days?)

She clenched her fist slightly.

(I wanted to see him. After everything he’s been through.)

Charlotte:"Just a little longer, Ethan... I’ll catch up."

To be continue