Family Matters

Chapter Thirty Four

THIRD P.O.V.

"Guess who got a job!" Ares yelled as he came into the house. He looked around and saw Roman and Lucas on the couches but no one else was in sight.

"You got a job?" Lucas asked with widened eyes and Ares gave a triumphant grin as he walked over to the couches and sat on one.

"Yup! At an antique shop a couple blocks from here. It's small but it's a start" Ares said.

"This isn't a dream, right? Lucas, punch me" Roman said and Lucas frowned in confusion.

"Don't you mean pinch?" Lucas said and Roman shook his head.

"I don't think a pinch is enough to wake me up from this kind of dream" Roman said and Ares frowned.

"Want me to punch you?" Ares asked and Roman sighed.

"Sorry, I guess it's just a little hard to believe. You've been jobless for almost a year now, y'know? And you haven't been showing signs of ever getting another one" Roman said.

"Well, you're not dreaming. I start tomorrow" Ares said and just then the door opened and in walked Ceres, Max, and Kade.

"Welcome home" Roman said and while Kade and Max greeted him, Ceres said nothing as she hung up her jacket and walked to her room.

Everyone looked at her curiously but no one said anything until they heard the sound of her door opening and closing.

"Is she alright?" Lucas wondered and Kade frowned.

"I don't know. She was quiet the entire way home" Kade said and Max chimed in after him.

"Yeah, she looked like that in school too. It's as if something is bothering her" Max said with a sigh.

"Perhaps she's being bullied...?" Roman said slowly. He didn't want for what he said to be true, but they had to consider all and any factors. Ceres hardly ever ignored them, she was always polite even when she was upset.

Well, Roman didn't think they've ever seen Ceres when she was truly upset.

"The only punishment for that is death" Kade said with a dead serious look which scared his brothers knowing that if given the right tools, he might actually carry it out.

"You can't go around killing children" Roman said with a sigh and Kade pouted.

"Why not?" He said and Roman gaped at him.

"How about instead of threatening to kill children, we actually talk to Ceres about what's going on, yeah?" Lucas said.

"And whose going to be the one to do it?" Ares asked.

"Not you Kade" Lucas said before Kade could even speak and Kade huffed.

"What do you people have against me?!" Kade exclaimed.

"You'd just pressure her into giving an answer and that isn't what she needs right now. I think Max should do it" Lucas said and Max gained a surprise look on his face.

"Me? No way, I'm not good with that kind of stuff" Max said frowning and Roman nodded.

"She'd probably be more comfortable with you. You're closer in age and she might feel that you can relate to her" Roman said and Max sighed.

"Fine" Max grumbled before heading up to Ceres room.

"I still think you guys should have let me do the talking" Kade said as he crossed his arms.

"Kade, did you know that Ares got a job?"

"WHAT?!"

~ With Max and Ceres ~