Title: Hunter and his prey
Summary: Who's the predator now?
Rating: T ... I think?
Pairing: Michael/Johnny. Presents one-sided Michael/Emily.
Warning: People getting gay with each other? Oh, and some foul language.
Disclaimer: Beyblade and it's characters still do not belong to me, I'm just borrowing them to amuse myself. Possibly the others too, but I doubt it.
Beta: Nancy. Poor dear, she probably thought that she'd never have to beta-read my stuff again. She was wrong. Oh, so wrong...
A/N: I'm back! ... Not that anyone probably noticed me being gone, but still. I'm back!
6 months pause. Wow... What can I say? Writer's block, summertime... Let's just say that I most likely started writing again because right now, I should be doing rather different things. Like studying philosophy, for example.
Oh, I should probably say something about the story. Riiight.
This story is somewhat connected to my other story, The Truth. However, you don't need to read that one to understand this one. But if you happen to like Enrique/Oliver, go ahead and check it out. ... I feel so evil, advertising my other stories. Gahh.
Oh, and the pairing... A random pairing, I admit, but still. Michael/Johnny just seemed amusing to me. They both have interesting personalities. I hope people will at least give it a try. Also, I know that someone has most likely done this pairing before me, but I'm curious. Do you know any other Michael/Johnny –fics?
As always, reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated.
It was going to be a perfect, 2-point throw, right through the basket. Michael knew this the very second the ball left his hands. He had known it already when he had decided to try. That was the problem, really. There were no more challenges in his life. Interestingly, he succeeded in pretty much everything he wanted to, and, quite frankly, that made him an extremely bored individual.
It was a sunny morning in Las Vegas, and one of the city's many basketball-courts had been empty. Team All Starz, united for couple of weeks, surprisingly early on the move and equally bored as Michael, had taken over it. Eddy had been carrying that damn basketball with him anyways.
The game had started out as Eddy vs. Rick and Michael, but after seeing Michael's phenomenal success with the ball, Rick had suggested he should team up with Eddy instead to make the teams more even. Eddy, being the resident master of basketball in their little group, had looked nothing short of devastated. It was then when Michael remembered that staying popular meant that you had to be worse than your friends in some ways. After that, he had toned down his play to the level of an average guy on the streets. It seemed to take a lot more effort than just deciding he was going to win the game.
"Finally! I thought that you had lost your abilities altogether!"
Michael threw a charming smile to Steve, who was, due to the condition of his leg, forced to sit back on a bench and yell everyone how they should play the game. Emily wasn't taking part in the game either, her reasons being pure disinterest and the fact that she had brought a good book along with her. Michael had tried to lure her into playing at first, but during the years spent together in the same team, she had built up some resistance to Michael's charms in these kinds of situations.
Rick noticed Michael's lapse in concentration, took the chance and stole the ball. He passed it on to Eddy, who shot the ball right through the basket.
"Yeah!" he shouted, slamming his fist in the air. "Still the man!"
Rick joined in shouting, him being on the winning side with Eddy now. Steve seemed happy about the result too and, with a bit of an effort, rose to his feet.
"I think we should head back to the base now. I declare Eddy and Rick winners, with the score of 18-12. Michael, stop looking so pouty."
"I was just about to beat these guys", Michael whined, to make the winners feel even more happy about themselves. It seemed to work. Eddy was positively beaming with joy, and Rick, who had come to stand next to Michael, slammed him on the back with a hearty grin.
"Nice try, Mikey. I guess this just isn't your sport after all."
"Just wait till we start playing baseball."
Rick laughed and moved next to Eddy and Steve, who were having a conversation about the best moments in the game. Emily tried to make eye contact with Michael. The boy, knowing where that might lead, discreetly looked elsewhere.
"Michael?"
Now he had no other choice. He turned to look at Emily and smiled.
"Yeah?"
"I feel like taking a walk. Do you want to come with me?"
Michael glanced at his fellow teammates to get some help. However, all the other males were aware of the situation between the two of them, and felt like it should be handled more adultly than Michael did.
"Hey Em, that's a good idea! You and Michael go on a walk, we can go and get ourselves some ice cream. We'll meet you guys later", Rick said and threw Michael a "don't you dare to back out of it now"-look. Michael could only glare.
"Yeah, sounds really good. Sure Emily, I'll come with you", he muttered, trying to sound happy about it. Emily packed her book and other stuff on a small back-bag and hurried next to the resigned-looking boy.
"See you guys later!" she shouted to others and gave Michael a bit nervous smile.
"Have fun, you two!" Eddy shouted. Michael was able to hear the well-hidden irony in his voice.
"And Michael, remember the talk us guys had last night", Steve said with a light tone, waving his hand to Emily. Only his frowning eye-brows told Michael that things had better work out this day, one way or another.
Emily and Michael started walking towards the park, Emily trying to make Michael stop limping along and speed up a bit. The other boys stayed in the court for a while, looking at each other, shaking their heads a bit. They had witnessed the situation getting worse over the last weeks, without interfering. Now they all hoped that there would be a way to end it peacefully. None of them really believed that there was, but it was good to hold on to your hopes as long as you could.
It was surprising how little people really were outside and in the park. Michael and Emily had been walking almost 20 minutes now, and they had only seen about 10 other people; some sweet old ladies, a couple of dog-owners and few other early-rising people. Basically that meant that nothing disturbed Michael and Emily's peace, and that he was once again bored. Emily was doing most of the talking. Michael made various different adaptations of "umh" to make it look like he was listening.
"Have you read the newest Disc? It had an interesting article about aliens living among us. I know, the subject seems rather ridiculous, but it had some really amazing points."
"Uh?" Michael's voice suggested that he tried to be polite but didn't really care. Emily failed to notice.
The thing about Emily, Michael mused, was that the girl was really smart and noticed a lot of things around her only a few others did... as long as they didn't concern herself. She noticed easily how other people felt about things, but never whether someone, for example, had a crush on her or not. Michael knew some guys who would have given everything to take the girl on a date, but she didn't even notice them. Michael, who considered Emily as some sort of annoying yet lovable little sister, had somehow ended up to be the subject of her bridal fantasies. To Michael, this only proved that if there was a God, he had a enviable sense of irony.
When bored, people are prone to start doing stuff to cheer themselves up. One may try to see how long they can hold their breath, imagine the passers-by being naked or even be as bold as try how loud they can make strangling-noises without being heard. Michael organized his inner memo.
Article 4: At some point, say you need to use the bathroom. Call Lee and ask for advice. Maybe he knows what to do with Emily. He has a sister after all, some information about the female-species must have rubbed into him.
"Michael, I have the feeling that you aren't really listening to me."
"Uh... huh?"
"What are you thinking of?" Emily asked, sounding curious. She had a bit weird, teasing smile on her lips.
Michael stopped thinking about the article 6 (Mix salt to the morning coffee as a revenge to the other guys.) and tried to come up with a filling answer.
"Uh... the game we just played?"
Emily's eyes grew bigger and it looked like she was about to say something, but then changed her mind. She seemed to settle with the fact that Michael had obviously lied.
"Fine, keep your secret. I'll probably find it out at some point anyway. Oh, hey, are you doing anything special this evening? I thought that we could go and catch a movie or something, I heard that this new movie is really good and maybe –"
Article 9: Find out why Robert has been calling me. The "I just called to ask how you and your teammates are doing"-excuse seemed awfully suspicious. If he suggests a date, kindly decline.
Michael vaguely realized that Emily had stopped walking a couple of steps ago. He stopped too and shot a questioning look at the girl.
"What is it?"
"What is he doing here?"
Michael turned to look at the direction Emily was staring.
True enough, there was a young guy, studying a large map and looking extremely lost. The guy looked somewhat familiar, but Michael couldn't quite recognize him. He stared at the hair of this not-so-stranger. Hair. Something wrong there. Something...
Suddenly, he realized who the guy was.
"Oh, I know him. Almost didn't realize, with the hair down. He's that European guy, from Robert's team, whatshisname –"
"Jonathan. Johnny."
"Johnny. Right. Why are you staring at him like that? Do you have a crush on him?" he added hopefully. Emily gave him an ugly stare.
"No, but I've heard a lot of things about him."
"From who?"
"From the girls."
Michael rolled his eyes. He had come to a conclusion that "the girls" was a conspiracy, a group of people who seemed to know everything about anything and whose knowledge was undeniable and not to be questioned.
"Ah, so the Glorious Inexplicable Reporter of Ladies Suspicions strikes again", he muttered. Emily ignored him.
"They say that he's the typical hunter-type. Flirts with girls for fun, leaves them when he feels like it or when it starts getting serious. He collects girls to his résumé, Michael", Emily spat out and glared at the currently innocent-looking fellow some distance apart from them. Michael felt only a bit guilty about the fact that this European interested him a lot more now.
"Mathie told me that Johnny had played with her emotions for a while and then just started acting like nothing had ever happened. The poor girl felt bad for weeks, just because of that one idiot over there! She couldn't even tell her own teammates how bad she felt because she didn't want to ruin the friendship between the European teams. And they say that no one ever seduces him, he always picks the girls he wants. Julia tried to, to get back at him for what he did, but he just shrugged her off."
"He looks a bit lost. Should we go and ask if he needs help?"
Emily stared at Michael in disbelief.
"Did you listen to me at all? Johnny is an ass. He doesn't deserve our help, heck, he doesn't deserve anyone's help! We'll do the world a favor if we leave now and let him wander lost and alone for the rest of his life. In fact, let's leave this place. Now, before he sees us. Come on."
Emily turned around to head back the route which had led them there. Michael didn't move a muscle. Words raced through his mind.
Hunter... no one ever... flirts for fun... just shrugged her off... collects...
"Michael?"
"I think it is m – our duty to help him."
Emily's eyes seemed to change. Something lightened in them, and then instantly darkened.
"I see. So that's the case, huh? You do as you please, Michael. I think I'll take this as my cue to leave. See you later."
Michael barely even noticed her walking away as he started his own journey towards the other guy. Deep inside he knew that he probably should have gone with Emily and solve the issues they had. He wasn't entirely sure why he hadn't pleased the girl by leaving with her. He wasn't even sure what he was currently doing. All he knew was that Johnny seemed interesting enough, and Michael wanted to know whether he really was the kind of person Emily had described him to be.
The other boy was still staring at the map. When Michael got closer, he could hear the guy also muttering to himself. Michael noticed that he was almost expecting Johnny to start taking pictures of pigeons any moment now.
"Hello."
Johnny's eyes left the map and bore into Michael. Michael waved his hand, to repeat the message.
"Hi. I think I know you. Jonath –"
"Johnny", came the sharp reply.
"Johnny McGregor. Yeah. We are both in beyblading circles, I'm –"
"I know who you are, Michael."
Michael beamed. This was going better than expected.
"So... what is a British boy like you doing so far from the isles?"
He admitted later on that it had been one of the lamest lines you could possibly say to a person that interests you. Johnny just stared at him.
"I mean, why are you here? Are you looking for something? I couldn't help but to notice your map."
Johnny seemed to recall the presence of the map and glared at it.
"Damn these Yankee maps. I should have brought one from home."
"Doubt that they would have been any better. What are you looking for?" Michael asked good-humoursly.
"My hotel, it's..." Johnny started, and then glared at Michael. "It's none of your business."
"Fine then", Michael shrugged, "but you could at least tell me why you are here. I doubt that it's that much of a secret. Unless you are meeting some girl and don't want to cause a media fuzz. I heard that this one actress just broke up with –"
"Do you always talk this much?"
"Do you always interrupt people when they talk?"
Johnny stared at him for a while and then seemed to mentally give up.
"I'm here to do a favor for Robert. That idiot promised to deliver a custom-made dress to some ladyfriend of his. The dress, for some reason, had to be made in Las Vegas instead of, oh, let's say, Paris, Milan or some other European city. And the dress needs to be picked up in person, because the tailor is a weirdo like that, doesn't believe in posting things over the seas. Then, all of the sudden, Robert calls me that he's 'not feeling well' and tells me to get the dress and deliver it to the lady or", his voice received a mocking German accent. "I swear Jonathan , I'll tell everyone what your mother told me about your funny incidents during pre-teenage."
Michael grinned apologetically.
"Robert seems to be an interesting fellow."
Johnny snorted the way only people who complain about others but still love them can.
"You know, you really should get yourself a guide. Otherwise you might end up sleeping in the park. You wake up tomorrow with trashy clothing and immediately start asking for change. I've seen that happen to people."
Johnny looked at him for a while, as if trying to determine whether all of this was some kind of weird joke. He seemed to come to a conclusion that Michael just happened to be a bit cuckoo in the head.
"I don't need you", he pronounced clearly, taking another look at the confusing map.
"Who said anything about needing me, I said you needed a guide. But now that you mentioned it, I do happen to know the area rather well and I'm –"
"A jerk?"
"That too, possibly. But also familiar with the hotels. Especially the kinds you'd most likely be staying at. So. Just make this easier for yourself and tell me the name of your hotel."
The sheer enthusiasm Michael was showing towards his unappointed mission made Johnny crack.
"Plaza."
"Great, I know the place! We'll just head right there, it's not that far away. Are you tired, can you still walk?"
Johnny seemed to realize that he wasn't getting rid of his unwanted companion any time soon. He hesitated for a second.
"No, it's fine, I can walk. And it's really not the hotel that gives me trouble, it's mostly the..." and he grew silent. Michael realized that it was the closest thing of an asking for help he was going to get.
"The shop where you should pick up the dress? Don't worry, we can go there after we locate the hotel. I'm sure it's somewhere downtown. Most of them are. And if there are any other places you'd like to visit during your stay here, just let me know, I'll take you there. Your wish will be my command", he said and gave Johnny a charmful smile.
"Uh... Okay then. Thanks."
Michael had a feeling that huge masses of energy had been used to create those words.
The odd silence between them was demolished by Michael's cellphone. Without a word, he picked the phone from his pocket, flipped it open and stared at the name on the screen.
Well well well... This should prove out to be interesting.
"Hello?"
There was a silence at the other end. Then there was a cough.
"Michael Parker? This is Robert Jurgen speaking. May I require a favour from you? My friend, known by the name of Johnny McGregor, is currently traveling somewhere around there, and he might use some company and guidance. You might consider not telling him that I called you, these sort of things seem to bother him, just tell him something about newspapers being quick and having a lot of sources. So if you'd be so kind, I'll give you his number and –"
"That won't be necessary", Michael said slowly, steadily keeping his eyes on Johnny, who, to his own annoyance, seemed quite interested about the caller's identity.
"Pardon?"
"He's right here next to me."
"What?!"
The shout didn't come from the other end of the line. Johnny grabbed the phone from Michael and pressed it against his own ear.
"Robert, please don't tell me it's you."
After that, he just shouted a lot.
Michael observed the angered Scotsman. There was something graceful about him, something which gave him an aura of elegance. He seemed angry and indifferent, but Michael had a feeling that beneath all that, there would be a rather different kind of person waiting for its chance to come out. And Johnny was good-looking, too. He looked quite different without his hair up in a punk-ish manner. His eyes and face still told everyone that he wasn't someone to mess around with, yet the same time he seemed somehow more vulnerable. Something about the guy's posture told Michael that he probably was just like Emily had described him: the hunter-type. Not invincible, oh no, but most certainly not easily over-powered.
Michael grinned.
"Robert, I swear, this is the last time I'm ever doing anything for you! Damn you sneaky Germans! Damn you and your leather trousers!"
Michael considered himself neither straight nor gay. He just liked challenges.
Johnny flipped the phone shut, ending the call, and tossed it back to Michael.
"Inconvenient. It seems that I won't be needing your help after all, I'm not doing anything for that German bastard now. 'rry for the bother he caused."
Michael noted that the other boy had swallowed the 'so'-part of sorry, as if the whole word might have torn his throat apart.
"If you'd like, I could still show you around", Michael tried.
"No thanks."
The park was still surprisingly abandoned. Only a few people had walked by them during the whole time, and none had paid any attention.
"I know some good restaurants too".
"I'm sure I'll find decent ones myself, thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll walk a bit – alone – and then order a taxi. Goodbye", Johnny said quickly and turned to walk away.
Michael was startled for a moment, but recovered magnificently. He tried to come up with something to stop the fleeing Scotsman. He decided to use the ultimate, the most dangerous way. Wrong tone, wrong way of saying it, wrong reply, many things could destroy the whole thing and then there was nothing left to do. Michael wished himself good luck and yelled his final motion:
"I could show you the best gay clubs!"
Johnny stopped. His hands twitched visibly. Michael moved next to a tree close-by, rested his back against it and waited.
Slowly, the leaving boy turned to stare at him.
"... what?!"
Michael guessed it had supposed to come out as an angry yell, but it sounded more like a panicked squeak.
"Just kidding."
It didn't matter whether he had really meant it or not. Michael had seen the faint blush on the cheeks and almost completely but not quite hidden uncertain look in the eyes.
Gotcha.
"Did you... did you just blush?"
As any other guilty ones have noticed, mentioning the fact makes you even more guilty. The blush became more radiant.
"Wha-what? No!" Johnny yelled and instantly turned his face away from Michael. But he didn't go away, Michael noted with glee. All that mattered was the subject not going away.
"I think you did. It suits you, though."
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Johnny snarled and covered his face with his hand, as if he was severely annoyed. Michael was sure it was really done to cover the ever increasing redness of the face.
Soon the Scotsman cautiously started moving closer to Michael. Apparently he was worried that someone might overhear their conversation if they would have to raise their voices to be heard. When he saw that he was close enough, he stopped and crossed his arms
"And I suggest you don't say stuff like that. The press could be anywhere, I don't want rumors spreading around me just because of an idiot like you."
Michael loved rumors. He was one of those people who truly believed that any publicity is good publicity, and even fed those rumors about himself from time to time. Of course he was bound to know a few ones running around Johnny, too. The first rumor was that Johnny changed girls like underwear. The second, a bit more controversial one, was that he was, in fact, gay and just incapable of telling so to everyone and thus playing with girl's hearts to keep up the hetero facade.
The beauty of absurd rumours, of course, is that sometimes they are absolutely true.
"You know, it isn't something to be ashamed of."
Johnny was distracted enough to fall for it.
"Huh?"
"Being gay, I mean."
Michael suppressed a chuckle. Johnny's eyes had widened to comical proportions.
"I am not... that!"
"That", Michael repeated with a snicker.
"Heck, I don't even know what I'm still doing here!" Johnny said in a frustrated manner, raising his hands and glaring at Michael venomously.
And still you aren't going away, Michael pointed out softly in his mind. Which only stood to reason. If you keep a big secret from everyone, eventually you will want someone to know, anyone. Johnny obviously wanted someone to know. Was he aware of it or not, Michael couldn't tell.
"Besides..." Johnny started. Michael raised his eyebrows, ready to receive the shocking info the other one was about to deliver. "If I were... gay, I'd be man enough to tell people about it."
Michael waited a while, for the drama-effect, and then snorted.
"No you wouldn't."
"And what makes you think that?"
"Well, the fact that you're a chicken", Michael said with a straight face. Johnny, a tough guy known to fear no opponent, a sarcastic daredevil born with strong competitive instinct, just stared at him, trying to define what the hell was going on in here.
"A chicken?" he finally managed to ask.
"No way you'd tell. You would probably just hang around with girls and hope no one notices how you twitch when you kiss their lips, or how you like to keep your eyes closed when in bed with your girlfriend."
Johnny's mouth fell open, his eyes were wide and he looked at every possible direction, possibly waiting for Robert to jump out of some bush laughing at this complex joke he had come up with.
"I... I wouldn't."
Michael just smiled.
"I mean it. I wouldn't."
"Yes Johnny, you would."
"No! I would not. Definitely not!"
"Then prove it", Michael said with a sly grin. Johnny was too confused to notice it.
"Uh, how should I prove it to you, then?" he said, clearly seeing that there was a fault in his sentence, but unable to figure it out. Michael's eyes gleamed at the 'you'-word and he flashed a toothy grin.
"So you are gay."
Johnny blinked a couple of times. Then he facepalmed.
"What did I do to deserve this?"
"Don't you worry, I won't tell... well, at least to that many people. Em might wish to know. Press would be interested too, I'm sure, but I guess I'm fair enough to not tell them. Bladers should stick together, you know? And I'm sure I wouldn't want some idiot to tell my secrets to anyone if –"
"Don't you... ever... stop... talking?" Johnny said slowly, shaking with anger.
"Eventually, yes. When I run out of breath. Anyway, as I was saying, if I'd tell someone that I was gay and still in the closet –"
He never managed to say the rest as he was shut down by surprise. Johnny had, with a speed of lightning, lifted him up and was now pushing him against the tree, looking like he was about to kick his ass. Instead, however, for reasons Michael could only guess, he received a kiss.
The kiss wasn't one of those typical, long, wet Hollywood-kisses where heroine surrenders to the main male character with etheric music playing on the background. This one was driven by anger and some other deep feelings, possibly lust and longing. It came with great power, lips where tightly pressed against one another. Then, a small moment of uncertainty arrived. Michael felt a different, slight, soft, wet pressure on his lips. Johnny was obviously willing for more, if only for that moment, but really didn't know if it was appropriate. Michael, feeling quite satisfied with the situation, answered by greeting the tongue with his own and then carefully placing his hands on Johnny's shoulders. As the kiss grew more passionate, to Michael's own delight he could feel two hands a bit shyly finding their place on his back.
The magic was broken when a dog barked nearby. The park was still mostly empty, but one of the rare people around had managed to bump into them. The owner of the dog, a young woman approximately a few years older than they were, gave them a long and calculating stare. Michael felt Johnny froze next to him.
Then the women smirked. She shrugged, as if she was advising them to carry on as they were, and moved on. The dog stared at them suspiciously but soon followed its mistress.
There was a small moment of trees whispering in the wind and echoes coming further away from the park.
"Oh, hell..."
Michael glanced at the boy next to him, who had just came to realize how he had spent the last few minutes. The thought had given him a nice colour combination of paleness and blush.
"Oh, hell..."
Michael gave him one of his famous grins.
"That was interesting. Wanna try again?"
Johnny stared at him silently for a few seconds, eyes full of panic, and then ran. He didn't bother to say anything, not even goodbyes. He just fled the scene. Michael considered going after, but thought better of it. Instead he just shouted to the further moving figure:
"I'll see you this evening!"
Michael could have been mistaken, but it seemed like Johnny started running even faster.
A bad hunter runs after the prey. A good one knows where to go and wait for it to show up.
Johnny was bound to go to his hotel at some point. There hadn't been much luggage with him, so they must have been brought at the hotel by the airport. So even if the boy would be desperate enough to actually change to hotel he was staying at, he would most likely go and get his things from the hotel himself. We was probably the kind of person who didn't trust strangers handling his baggage.
Also, Michael hadn't been kidding when he had said that he knew Vegas. He knew the area very well, and that gave him an edge as far as the hunting goes. And this time, he was really determined to win.
Michael started walking with slow pace. He knew where to go. He probably had hours to come up with a proper plan.
A bit later, he walked past the same dog owner who had previously caught them off guard. The girl winked at him. Michael grinned sheepishly and then searched down his cellphone. He looked at his mobile calender and noticed that his day was completely free. He decided to add a new section to his to do-list.
From 04:30 pm To 10:00 pm : Seduce Johnny
He grinned again. The game was officially on. He wished Johnny the best of luck, because tough opponents only made it more interesting to himself. And a good, hard challenge was all he longed for right now.
Poor Johnny. He was about to learn what it meant to be the prey in a world of predators.
People are going to kill me now, aren't they? I messed with the hair, and I messed with the name.
I apologize for the use of the name Jonathan, if there are people who find it offensive that I didn't just stick with Johnny all the time. –ducks flying objects-
Also, I apologize for not believing that Johnny's hair is naturally like it is in the anime. In my story, he ran out of hair spray.
Also, I'd like to point out that I do not suggest that all Germans wear leather trousers. Johnny just likes stereotypes.
Hn. I guess that's it.
Review me, please?