I do not own MIOBI nor its characters

PINGUIN

Love like this may come once, Baby it's fate like a soul mate. He's your penguin, Baby it's fate not luck

He had been a lot of types in his life, from rebel to trusting friend, but he had never been a romantic. Payson made him that. He would buy her flowers, make her dinner, let her watch a movie wherein there's absolutely no fighting whatsoever. He would do anything to make her happy.

Loving her was something he noticed suddenly. If he thinks about the last couple of years he should have realized sooner. The moment he set foot in the Rock it should have been obvious, her bright smile immediately mesmerizing him into staying. When he went away he thought that it was the right thing to do. Smiling at himself he thinks back at how foolish he had been. Sure, he could have run, run away from her and never come back, but she would never leave him alone. Her existence forever embedded in his memory. He should have known better than to leave Payson Keeler. Looking next to him to the person laying in their king-sized bed he can't help but be grateful. She never gave up on them, and in the end he's happier for it. The moment he came back to her she never left his side, this week she had spent every single minute with his and he could get used to this. They'd talked to Kim and Mark, but they'd been so happy to see their daughter as she used to be that they really didn't care what the reason was.

'You know it's creepy to stare at somebody while that person is sleeping, don't you?'* He hears her whisper, interrupting his thoughts.

'Hmm, yeah. Don't care.' He smirks and then pulls her closer for a some good morning smooching.

'Sasha, stop it. We have to get to the gym.' She protests, although her attempts are pointless.

'In a minute. I have some serious business I have to attend to now.' He murmurs before pinning her under him. The giggle that escapes her lips ensures him he has won.

In the end they have to get up though, Payson quickly takes a shower, while he makes sure breakfast is on the table the minute she walks downstairs. When he hears her talking he sighs. 'That must be MJ again.'

'So I guess there still isn't going to be any actual practice today.' He asks when she finally hangs up. She sheepishly shakes her head. 'Not after lunch. MJ has some more interviews she want the team to do. The individual interviews are over though so it shouldn't take to long, I already told her this was the last day I'm going to waste.'

'And she agreed to that?'

'Ooh I don't know, it wasn't a suggestion.' Her serious attitude has him laughing out loud. 'Hmm, I don't think she'll like that.' A shrug from her shoulders is all she gives him.

'Come on, we can't be late again.' She pushes him to his car and walks to his passengers seat. Ever since nationals they dropped all pretences. They will not hide any longer, everybody at the Rock knows, all the parents know, everybody they care about. The media is another story of course. They still have to watch out nobody outside their family ever finds out, but it's a risk they're willing to take. When they first told the other he knew Payson was scared for the reaction, but in the end everybody had been very understanding. Everybody seemed to have already realized what was going on and they were glad to have it out in the open now.

When they arrive at the Rock it's immediately clear something's very wrong. MJ is already at Payson's door before the engine is out. 'They know.' Are the only words coming out of her mouth, over and over again. Sasha keeps his eyes solemnly on Payson, watching for the first sign of panic, but as they enter his office he still can't find any. She calmly sits down on the black leather couch, looking at him to join her.

'Payson, are you even listening?' MJ nearly shouts at her.

'Yes, I am. I just don't care that they know.' That answer leaves MJ speechless, Sasha has known her for years, heck nearly half his life, but he never saw her speechless before.

'You.. you don't care?' She manages to choke out a couple of minutes later.

'No I don't, it doesn't change anything.'

'It changes everything Payson, this could ruin your career.'

'How? I became the National Champion without Sasha.' He tenses next to her and feels her hand squeeze his arm. 'I did all the hard work, I medalled at all the events, Sasha had nothing to do with that.' The look she gives him tells him something different, it tells him he had everything to do with it, because of her feelings for him she could perform like that, but MJ doesn't need to know that.

'He's your coach.'

'Yes, and that won't change. Everybody at the Rock knows, they don't care. They know Sasha is the best coach their kids will ever have and they see that what we have is real. The NGO cannot touch us on this, he isn't the national coach or anything. And if you're worried about my reputation I can understand that, but this is me, and I won't change because sponsors don't like what they see.' And with that see leaves the room to join her teammates. He watches her go, walking tall, looking as confident as he ever saw her, and falls in love with her even more.

The slap on the back of his head brings his eyes back to the woman in front of him. 'Belov, how could you be so stupid?' She fumes. 'You are ruining her career.'

'I don't think I am MJ, she's the best in the country, nobody is going to bench her. As long as I'm not the national coach nothing is harming her and I'm pretty sure that will never happen anyway so…'

'I cannot believe this, you're actually going through with this?'

'Why wouldn't I? I love her.' The look on MJ's face changes. Comprehension finally falling down on her. 'You really do love her.' She looks at him oddly. 'I never thought I'd see the day were you'd admit you love somebody.'

And with that he understands her anger, she thought he was using her, enjoying the young innocence of a naïve girl.

After a moment of silence, Sasha remembers something he wanted to ask the minute they found out they'd been exposed.

'How did they find out?'

'You two became sloppy, the media's been all around Payson, they followed her to your house, they send me the pictures of you two kissing in front of your house.'

He nods, she's right, they should have been more careful, but they have to deal with the consequences. 'What now?'

'I guess that leaves us with only one thing.' She muses, a careful smile playing on her lips. 'We have to convince the media.'

'How are we going to do that? And don't say interview.' Sasha nearly begs.

The devilish smile on her face tells him that's exactly what will happen. 'Come on gorgeous, let's get your girlfriend and put on your media smile. This is going to be very interesting.'

A few minutes later the entrance hall is fully packed with media. Sasha is standing in the shadows, messing with his dress shirt. 'Here let me.' She softly tells him, her hands working magic to his mess. 'I don't think this is the smartest thing to do.' He whispers to her. It may be the fastest and the easiest way, but he sees the people, the look on their faces and for the first time in a very long time he's actually scared.

'Why not?'

'Because you are the American dream, the young girl with her eyes set on the Olympics. I'm going to be the creepy dude who's destroying your life and corrupting your mind. They'll lynch me if they get the chance.'

'Creepy dude?' Is her only reply. This brings a smile to his face and she mirrors him. 'It's going to be alright, remember what you promised me. You're here because you want to be with me. No matter what happens next. The is the 'next' part of that.'

'Payson, Sasha, they're ready when you are.' MJ tells them. They both take a deep breath, Sasha presumes Payson is only doing it to make him more relaxed and he quickly pulls her in his arms, pulling strength from her embrace. 'Come on love, let's show them the creepy dude you are.' She jokes. The smile it produces on his face still visible when she pulls him with her in front of the media.

'This morning the news got out about the relationship between Payson Keeler and Sasha Belov. There will be no questions, only a statement from Payson regarding to her relationship with Sasha.' MJ tells the media, the look she adds with it warning everybody off to dare and ask. The media seems annoyed but stay quite none the less.

'The relationship Sasha and I have isn't something simple.' Payson starts. He has to admire her confidence, she looking at the media and not a single hesitation is visible in her appearance. Then he sees her looking at her team mates before continuing her explanation. 'The bond between a gymnast and coach is very strong and intimate and most normal couples don't reach that level of intimacy. It's some kind of love, platonic, but it's love and that's because we see our coach more than we see our family. You can ask any of my fellow team mates what I'm talking about, and I'm sure every one of them will agree.' The cheers she gets back ensures the media Payson is telling the truth. 'When I recovered from my injury I had Sasha to rely on, I trusted him with my life and he expected that, but he always let me in control. I hope you will understand that there is absolutely no reason for concern. I was not forced into this relationship, I asked for it myself. People tend to forget that I'm not a little girl anymore, I'm an adult in every sense of the word, except for my age, but this has nothing to do with the way I feel. I love Sasha. When he asked me to trust him when he first came to the Rock I did, and he made me grow in the sport we both dedicated our lives to. He was the coach I needed to achieve my dreams, because he was willing to take the same risks I always took. Over the years though he became more, he became my friend and confidant, the person I could rely on to listen to me without judging. Because of everything that had happened our bond grew stronger and slowly the line between gymnast and coach and… well more, became blurry. After my injury he was the shoulder to cry on if I needed one, the one to laugh with after a silly joke. And during this process I fell in love with him, not the man you see coaching on the sidelines. I love him for the man he really is, the man I see. The man who makes me smile with just a single word. The man who takes me in his arms when I need him the most without even having to ask for it. The man who loves me for me. Not for what I do, or what I could achieve. He understands what I need, what I want and what I want is Sasha. He loves me and will do anything in his power to make me happy and I willingly return this to him. I know my feelings. I will not deny myself what I want most in life. Sasha is the man I love and will love with or without your approval.'

They make way to leave, but despite MJ's warning somebody does dare to ask a question.

'Sasha, why her?' MJ is gesturing to keep walking, but this is a question Sasha wants to answer.

'That answer is fairly easy actually.' He tells the man, looking down at the girl next to him. 'Through the years I got to know a side of her that fits mine perfectly. She became my one true friend and for a long time this friendship was everything to me. The day she kissed me I left because it was the right thing to do. That was the biggest mistake I ever made and I'm not planning on leaving her ever again. She has bewitched me body, mind and soul, and I love her. I love Payson. It's as simple as that. It's love, nothing more and nothing less.' Now he faces the whole crowd, making sure they hear every word of what he says next. 'If you want to condemn me to hell for this I will willingly burn in the flames if that means I get to spent my life with her. I cannot change your minds on this matter, only you yourselves can. But I ask you this; Look and see what we have. Don't judge of what the circumstances are, but judge on what you see.'

And that is what everybody did. They looked and saw two people in love. How bad the odds might have been, their age and their positions. After a while all of this didn't matter anymore, for the couple convinced the world they belonged together and would stay as one for the rest of their lives.

THE END

A/N The title may seem a bit odd, but the italic sentence at the beginning to me is so incredibly sweet that I couldn't help myself. and of course an happy ending for Payson and Sasha (not really happy with how things went, but here you have it anyway). I know it didn't really have a plot or anything but I hope you all still liked it. Please R&R, would mean a lot if you did!

* I watched Bridget Jones too many times, Bridget is staring at Mark in the second movie when he says something similar to this.

* The interview may be similar to that of other authors (probably JCI, for I have read all your stories too many times).. it's just that this isn't something you can be really original in, so warn me if it looks to much like something and I'll credit!