Friday night and the lights were low, looking for a place to go. And that place was a run-down looking house… or warehouse it looked like to Mac Romano, he wasn't terribly sure what to call it from where he was standing at from a distance looking, down at his destination. The building of the precious WVBA championships. Back when it was just starting and quickly gaining speed in popularity, and with popularity came more money and they were able to quickly update over the years for better facilities and rings.
Little Mac slid down the freshly muddied hill from the earlier day's rain and dashed quickly to the pseudo-warehouse. Looking for an entrance in the dark was about as easy as he thought in the dark, mildly kicking himself in his head for not taking even a small flashlight for a quick bearings check, stealth be damned even if was for a few seconds of light. Though some would tell that even then would be a risky move, just in case he was caught by someone, security or Louis himself, thinking that he still had some edge after all of these years. Frowning at the thought at Louis still being there.
"That's crazy. No one's been here for years. Right?" Mac thought
Narrowing his eyes for any sort of entrance that he could use, Mac saw what looked like an open window near the roof of the building and a nicely place tree for him to climb on to get to said window.
"That is my ticket in." Mac thought giving a fairly goofy grin.
A quick dash over the tree and a climb later gave the window that he wanted. It wasn't the largest window that he saw, but it was long enough for him to squeeze through when lying on his back and shimmying along as best as he could. Once he hit the balcony below, he hit with a very audible clang that ran out in the building. A little too loudly for Mac's taste as he gave the area a good look around. And from the looks of things he was right in thinking that no one had been here for a very long time, it was very empty and looked hadn't been looked after in several years, a cold feeling surrounded him, grabbing the metal ladder to climb down to the lower floor wanting take a look at that area first. Cold, poorly lit and damp. Nothing new about it, other than some run down equipment and it was a lot colder than it was up on the metal balcony, so it was nothing terribly new in the long run that he could see. Walking around the lower floor showed that there was nothing much else to see in terms of anything new or interesting for him to see, feeling more than a little disappointed in that fact he turned around to face that balcony once more to make his exit. That was, until a noise caught his attention and he spun back to where he used to have his attention and from the sounds of things that it was not something small. Getting into a defence stance, Mac slowly walked up to where he heard the noise came from, but found out that he didn't have to walk that far to find out what created that noise. A very, very large person came wandering out of a hidden door, then Mac panicked. A fist flew out so fast and connected with a chin, sending the man in front of him damn near flying in the opposite way, hitting the wall and slowly sliding down and eventually went limp. Giving a look at who exactly he hit, Mac felt a panic come up his throat, despite making a few attempts not to feel it.
The man who was in front of him and who he suckered punch was the infamous and old Doc Louis, ex champion of the boxing ring so many years ago, known simply as The Leopard to those in the boxing ring. To many he was considered one of the best at the time, the one on top, unbeatable and the guy to beat or to look up to. Until he actually was beaten, and from there he seemed to have lost his 'magical' touch as it were, starting a small streak of losing after that, all because of one loss from one fight, he didn't know who did it. Despite all of that, it still didn't quell the panic and anxiety that he had felt at that moment, fearing what would have happened if and when Doc Louis woke up and he was still there.
Eventually a groan told Mac that the other was awake, if still needing a moment to get his bearings. Mac's breathing starting go get faster as it happened, seeing the older, larger man regain consciousness and get up. Rubbing the side of his face and moving his hand across one of his eyes, his gaze fell onto Mac and he froze to just stare at the incredibly smaller kid. A confused look then followed that had a small side of glare in it, more or less in a sense of trying to get a better sense of the situation that was in front of him.
"How long was I out for?" Louis asked
Mac only held up a single hand that indicated the amount of time that had passed since the punch and the eventual waking up.
"Five minutes?" Louis again asked, sounding more impressed than angry. "And that came from you? A little guy like you!"
A genuine laugh came from the older man that rang throughout the building, leaving Mac very confused.
"How old are you son?"
Mac flashed up two hands, then used one of his hands to put up a thumb and pointer finger to indicate his age with the same flashing motion, shaking as he did so. Doc putting two and two together on how old he was, looking at him in amazement.
"Seventeen? You're seventeen?"
Mac nodded in response.
"And you're already throwing punches like that. Son I think you've got some real talent there. But I have to ask, why are you here in the first place?"
This time there was no response from Mac, despite Louis looking more expectant for an answer as some time passed, eventually stepping back as he realized that he was not going to get a response from the kid, mostly in confusion, and worry as he thought he scared the kid into becoming mute.
"All right, you don't have to answer me straight away. I'm sure you'll tell me in your own way eventually. And now I think I have to ask another couple of questions; Do you have anywhere to go? Any parents?"
Mac shook his head in answer to both of those questions, Doc Louis closing his eyes, easing his posture and taking a half step backwards at the depressing situation that was quite literally in front of him. It even punched him in the face, something he was sure will amuse him in the many, many years to come.
"How would you like to stay with me?"
The look on Mac's face was in all honesty, surprise. Maybe the look of shock and the want to burst into tears. But also, an overwhelming look of yes and he dove into Louis to give him a big hug for his answer.
"I'll take that as a 'yes'. And also, we've gotta foster that punch of yours. With the right direction, I think it'll take you far kid."
Mac pulled away and looked at him in legitimate confusion at what Louis had just said to the kid.
"I'm serious, with some training I'm sure you can take on, let's say the WVBA?"
The kid merely looked down, and his face turned into something that said he never considered anything like that before. Or the fact that he never needed to in the first place, not until he hit a previous heavyweight boxing ex-champ so hard, he was out for a full five minutes.
"But I think I need your name before we proceed with anything else. Think you can write it down?"
Mac nodded, making Doc grin at this, but still give a thought of worry in the back of his mind as he went to go grab a pad and a pencil from the room he just came out of. The thought still weighing on his mind as the kid wrote eagerly on the pad and handed it over.
"Mac Romano? That's a nice name. I think Little Mac has a nice ring to it too, don't ya think?"
The only thing that Mac gave in response was in indifferent shrug at it.
"Humpf, Little Mac it is then. Well we might as well get you something to eat first and then we'll talk about training you in the morning after a good long sleep. Okay?"
Little Mac nodded in response and was led away by the older man through a small maze of hallways and rooms until the duo came into a decently sized room that looked like a fairly run down, if still surprisingly semi-functional kitchen, fate willing. Several questions exploding Little Mac's mind, mainly as to why in the world someone like the infamous Doc Louis would disappear here out all places, instead of training someone to be the next big champion, like he promised Mac. Something was up, whatever the reason was, Mac made a note to himself to eventually figure it out someday, right now what he was more interested in was the prospect of food. Going to the first cabinet that was in his sight and popping it open revealed a cavalcade of chocolate bars, to the shock of Little Mac and the inevitable embarrassment of Doc.
"Those… those ain't mine…" Doc tried to say rather sheepishly.
Mac giving him a glare that said that he was nowhere near believing him, only getting a half-hearted attempt at a chuckle from the older man. The duo continuing to search for anything that would be deemed eatable for that night only managing to scramble up some macaroni noodles, with some water bottles from no current indoor plumbing at the time being, and a small power generator coming in to save the day for the two's dinner. Little Mac immediately digging into his portion of food when it was all ready, with Doc Louis looking at him on occasion as he ate his dinner more slowly and methodical.
"He seems to have a healthy appetite." Doc thought "Makes me wonder why… I really don't like the looks of it."
He only shook his head at that thought, continuing eating his firsts as Little Mac charged at the pot that they made their macaroni, not feeling that hungry this night, worried with thought about the younger's potential safety. Afterwards it really wasn't hard to get the kid to the low key 'bedroom' that really was just made up of a very old couch, a sleeping bag and a pillow. The kid almost immediately falling asleep when he hit the pillow, Doc taking the couch looking over at the other as he slept, soon rolling onto his back to stare at the celling, getting lost in thought. Eventually and finally falling asleep for the night.
The next morning was the start of a new and slow day for the two, with Doc Louis getting up first. Looking at his watch it read six in the morning the average time for most boxers to get up to train, if not an hour earlier. Louis was use to the crazy early hours, but Little Mac was another story. Thinking that the later would be better for the growth of a seventeen-year-old, letting him sleep later would be better for him in the long run. On the other hand, if the kid was going to be serious about being a boxer, he did have to get up really early in order to get everything on the schedule on a regular basis. It was a situation that tore at him a bit, both sides having good points to them. Louis brainstorming some ideas on his sleep schedule for a few minutes among other things.
He looked back at his watch; 6:04 AM. Then he looked back at Little Mac sleeping oh so very nicely, despite being on the ground. Then back at his watch. A smile then growing on his face as a very evil thought crossed his mind, slinking off into the so-called kitchen. Sneaking back into the sleeping area with a frying pan and a wooden spoon, the grin not leaving his face, holding the items precariously over the sleeping Little Mac, slamming the wooden spoon on the pan as hard as he could. Mac jumping out of the sleeping bag at the noise and very quickly looking around the small room at what in the world was making that sound. Panting as he tried settling down as Doc stopped his little noise party.
"Time to get up kid! Run first, then a bite to eat and we'll go through what other exercises you're gonna do." Doc Louis explained, the grin calming down. "You good for that?"
Little Mac nodded, once he caught his breath and calmed himself down from the brief heart attack, scrambling up and changing into his workout outfit. Giving Doc Louis a questioning look as he walked towards him holding a pink hoodie.
He gave a little sheepish shrug "It was the only thing I had that was close to your size."
Little Mac rolled his eyes at his explanation and threw it on. Colour aside, he knew that Louis was doing his best and it was better than nothing, especially in this sort of weather and this time of day. Louis coming from behind a small pile of junk with a bike, rolling it up beside Little Mac. Who was rightfully giving him a very worried look at the potential situation.
"Don't worry, it's you're first time running. The first week or two I'll go slow so you can keep up, then I'll start pushing you to go harder." He explained
When the kid nodded slowly at the explanation, clearly still worried that Louis was going to leave him behind, even by accident.
"Ready?" Doc Louis asked
Little Mac nodded enthusiastically at this and gave a wide smile. Following Doc Louis when he brought the bike out and laid out the track that they were going to take the first two weeks. A small track that was around a manmade lake not that far from their location, the first day being mostly a test to see how the kid would do. With that, they were off. It was a rough start for the both of them, the older man going slowly like he said, making sure that the kid was all right as he huffed his way, especially when the two were winding down near the end of the lake. Doc encouraging Little Mac the whole entire way, riding beside him the entire time.
When the run was over Little Mac was more then happy and willing to collapse on the chair at the kitchen table when Louis made his way towards the oven to make oatmeal. He was also more than happy to have something more to feed the kid then mac and cheese. Chuckling the very hungry kid chowed down while he laid out the rest of the day he had planned, the rest of the weekend and what he had planned for the rest of the week, with school being a factor. Little Mac enthusiastically skipped over to the punching bag as Louis looked over his way as he rubbed his hands, giving him a worried and sad look, remembering what he 'said' about his parents and living situation. Or lack of. It didn't sit right, of course, how could it not?
"Looks like I have some investigating to do this Monday." Doc Louis thought as he got up to help out Little Mac with his punches. "This week is gonna be one hell of a week."