Flashes of Light
By AlantisB
Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer Applies
A/N: Hiya! Well I posted this yesterday but I had one review after three hours and the person said it was a little too fast moving so I made it much longer. What was now an 8 page story it's now 12 pages long! Mwahaha! Well, please review and tell me what you think.
Warning:
Duo Point of View! ^.^
******
"I may run and hide
When you're screamin' my name, alright.
But let me tell you now
There are prices to fame, alright.
All of our time spent in flashes of light."
Larger Then Life, Backstreet Boys
******
My name is Duo Maxwell, and I'm the most well known figure skater in the world. I live in Colorado USA and I have no family. I love to skate and I've been doing it for about nine years now. But I haven't gone big, if you know what I mean. See I'm kind of a small time skater. I enter community championships and tournaments for money to give to the church, which I have special attachment to. I met this guy named Quatre Raberbra Winner about a year ago and he's cool.
He came to one of the tournaments and saw me skating. He's one of those kids of the major corporations from around in the Middle East called the Winner Foundation (he lives down south in Texas at the moment cause that's where the USA company is stationed at). But he isn't one of those snobby guys that stick their noses up at you and call you names. He's really nice, if a bit naive. Anyway he suggested that I should enter state and I agreed. Mind you, I didn't think I would win. But hey, as the Maxwell luck pulls though and I'm in the big leagues now. I've been invited to go to the United States Championship and after a serious talk with my best friend, I agreed.
We trained a whole lot over the year, and you know, I never thought that a kid who grew up in the Arabian Desert could swim, and hadn't even dreamed he could skate. He said he was the Middle East champion until he decided to quit so he could move to the USA. I think he's screwed in the head but that's just my way of thinking.
******
The lights were focused all on me as I went through my routine just like I practiced. My body was pumped up to the beat of the music and I was lost in my own little world of fantasy. I forgot everything that was around me; I was totally focused. It was just me and the ice. I ignored everything but the ice beneath my skates. I ignored the audience and the judges and the cameras of all the news stations in the nation were not even in my thoughts as I went through the motions of what I loved to do best, what I had dedicated myself to since I was seven years old. I was in my element.
The song that my body was tuned to was coming to the end as my dance on ice was coming to an end. When I posed to finish my routine, there was absolute silence in the audience for a couple of seconds. I slowly came out of my little world and could feel my body heaving for breath and the sweat running down the sides of my face. I'm telling you, having finished that performance in front of national TV was the most exhilarating experience of my seventeen years of life. I never felt more alive before that moment.
The ice rink suddenly erupted with enthusiastic applause and I swear I must've had the largest, most stupid grin on my face but I didn't care. I had figured skated for the United States Championship and if I didn't win, it didn't matter because I had performed at the US Championship! THE Championship of the good old US of A. I bowed to the audience with more grace then I had ever done when not skating. God, I felt I was on top of the world and to think, my teachers never thought I'd amount to anything! Life is funny that way, isn't it?
I grinned as I skated around the rink to work up the crowd while grabbing the roses from the ice that were thrown at me from the audience. My trainer motioned me to come to the little booth that allowed me to exit the rink. I skated over ignoring my heaving breath. I grabbed him in a largest hug I ever gave anyone and I started laughing in relief as I smiled at him. That was so cool! I didn't fall flat on my face or anything! My trainer grabbed a black blanket from the side as soon as he detached himself from me and wrapped it around me. Oh, I didn't notice I was shivering. Good thinking man!
"That was good Duo, you did great!" My trainer smiled at me warmly.
I swear to God, no trainer is cooler then Quatre Winner! The fact he is my bestest friend in the world helped him train me better because I listen to him. Wait, is bestest a word? Oh well, it didn't matter!
Quatre helped me sit down as I grabbed my blade covers from the side and slipped on the black plastic so the ice blade on my skates wouldn't ruin the carpet. My braid fell over my shoulder and I flicked it behind my back so I wouldn't accidentally chop off my hair. I'd never skate again if that happened! Well, maybe I'm overexerting but my hair is my best feature! I would never show my face in front of a camera again if that happened.
I sat there nervously as I waited for my scores to show up. I was sweating buckets right then, I had never been so nervous. I then thought, 'What was taking the judges so long'? I mean you would think they could just give me my damn scores now so I won't be a nervous wreck for ten minutes. But no, they like to see you sweat a little in front of cameras.
"Shhh," said Quatre trying to get everyone around us to quiet down. The judges were about to announce my scores. I crossed my fingers and looked up at the scoreboard.
"Duo Maxwell of Colorado's score is: 9.8, 9.9, 8.7, 9.8, and 9.9." The audience cheered and everyone around me was shocked then suddenly my best buddy and trainer, Quatre, gave me a huge hug as I stared at the scoreboard. My score was higher then the other skaters by three points. Just three little points! My mind had shut down in the overload, this couldn't be happening to this poor little orphan boy out of Colorado. My dream had come true; I was the United States Champion figure skater.
I won.
"Oh my god! I won!" I cried out in shock. Then I laughed out loud and hugged Quatre back and I was too excited to sit and talk to news reporters who started to crowd around me to get an interview. My yard long chestnut braid swung behind me as I hugged everyone I knew around me in my excitement. The only thing that could make this even better was if Father Maxwell and Sister Helen were here to see me now. The only two people who thought I had talent for figure skating and started training me when I was seven. But I can't hope for more miracles right? One is enough for today.
"I won the US Nationals!" I yelled. Today was the best day of my life and at that moment I decided it couldn't get any better then this. But you know the funny thing about that is I think maybe my luck might hold out.
******
I stared out the window of the black limousine watching the buildings fly past me. It's been a little over two months since I had won the United States Championship in figure skating. My trainer Quatre sat across from me in one of the seats drinking some nice hot tea and sitting there comfortably. We were heading to our hotel somewhere in Tokyo so we could get some well-earned rest. I tried to remember how I had gotten here.
After we went home that night for some sleep, the championship was all over the news in the morning. It was cool to see myself on TV. I was one of those skaters that kind of come out of no where so the news people play me all day as the head story. It was cool, to say the least. But then the phone rang around two o'clock in the afternoon and Quatre got up to answer it. I heard the mutterings of a low voiced conversation then Quatre had said a cheerful goodbye to whoever was on the other side of the line. I sat up from the couch and looked over at him.
"What's up, Q-man?" I raised an eyebrow at the cheerful blonde boy who practically bounced into the room. His face was in a wide smile, the kind that went from ear-to-ear.
"Duo, that was just the head organizer of the World Championship Figure Skating. He called to ask if you would like to participate this year in the World Tournament."
I think I had my mouth open in shock because Quatre walked over and sat down next to me. "You don't have to decide right now, Duo. It is a big step in skating."
"What are you nuts?" I grabbed him by the shoulders and grinned. "Of course I would like to go to World! Man, you have no idea how cool that would be! To get a gold metal in world would be like, the best thing to ever happen to me! You better call that dude up again and tell him I'll go!"
Quatre had laughed and agreed. He got up and went to call the World Championship again. That was how my American butt landed in Japan. Japan was where the World was taking place in two months so Quatre had the bright idea of heading here two months early so I could practice here instead in the USA. To get a feel of the place, he said.
If you ask me, I think he just wanted me to turn into a human popsicle. I had no idea Japan had such cold winters, but just because I had no idea of the weather didn't mean I wanted to experience it first hand! Plus leaving all my cool friends behind made me kinda sad. The only thing I could see I had going for myself is that I knew Japanese. I had taken Japanese as my language in High School so I was okay, I guess. It was iffy at best, but living in Japan for the next few months should help me with it.
I sighed as I watched the sky open up and snowflakes started to fall. I pulled my coat tighter around me and blew my hot breath into my hands then rubbed them together.
Did I mention I was failing Japanese?
******
Oh joy. You know what I hate most about being a figure skater? It's the moving part. Sure, seeing other parts of the country is cool, but leaving behind my friends hurts. The other thing I don't like is the packing everything into boxes! I have a lot of stuff. Just ask Quatre and he'd tell you I'm a pack rat. Since I had lived on the streets until about seven years old, I didn't have a lot of things to call my own. Now it seems I never want to part with any of my stuff. They all hold a special meaning that gives me a lot of memories. I'm sure people could relate to me. I just haven't found anyone! The worst thing is having a best friend who is a neat freak. He gets made when I don't clean my room every week. Why should I? It'll just get messy again right? Besides I wouldn't be able to find any of my stuff unless it's all spread out for me. It just makes it easier for me.
When we got to the hotel last night, I collapsed right into the bed without even saying goodnight to my best bud. It wasn't my fault, I swear! I've just never had such serious jet lag before. Going over the country of America is find for me, just about three to four hours. But spending sixteen hours on a plane then two more getting into Tokyo in a car isn't good for me. I need my beauty sleep! Plus it totally screwed up my internal clock. But hey, I wanted to go world and I have to pay the price.
There was a major traffic jam around the Nerima district when we tried to get into Tokyo in the car. The driver said that one of the martial art fights got a little out of hand when this one guy named Ranma Saotome left town. Don't ask! I don't even want to think about how a few punches and kicks could demolish three city blocks. I'm just the figure skater, not the scientist. All I know is that the martial arts gang in that district is called the Nerima Wrecking Crew, interesting nickname right? But it's probably well deserved.
I woke up the next morning a mess. My hair was all out everywhere and way and I didn't even want to think about all the knots in it. Having hair down to the knees is a pain in the ass, I'm telling you right now. But if someone asked me to cut it, I'd never do it. My hair has been with me since, well, forever! I would feel like I lost a limb or something. Besides, I can't picture myself with short hair.
Quatre then comes into my room, all cheerful and all wide-awake. It wasn't fair I tell you, I wasn't a morning person so he shouldn't have the right to be very uppity and I'm dragging my ass out of my bed all tired and stuff.
"Duo, you should take a shower and get dressed. We're going to unpack today." He said to me while I'm tried to process this through my still sleeping brain.
"Huh? Yeah, okay Q-man." I replied sleepily.
Having ice cold water blasting on you is a very effective way of waking someone up. Since I was still half-asleep when I climbed into the shower I forgot to turn on the hot water. Let me tell you, that woke me right up. I spent about thirty minutes in the shower, mostly washing my beautiful hair. I got dressed, braided my hair, I then ran downstairs for coffee and pancakes. Yummy, caffeine to my heart's content.
We spent a total of two days unpacking everything from the boxes. My arms and legs were so sore afterwards that I think they would fall off. Then Quatre gets the bright idea that he should call the school so I can "get an education".
Man! This sucks; why do I need to go to school? I won't pay attention anyway. It's just mostly stuff I won't ever need, like Algebra. Why do I need to know what the letter stands for? I'll only need to know that if I want to get into computer programming. I don't need to take computer programming; I have skating. Geez, you would think Quatre would KNOW that. I mean, isn't that the reason we're in zero-below Tokyo?
******
The halls were empty of students which was a good thing because I don't feel like being pushed around for autographs or something today. I had my school schedule in my hand and I glanced up from it every once in a while to check the room numbers above the door. My homeroom was 604 and I think I'm really lost because none of the rooms are near the six hundreds. But that was just a guess. Maybe I was reading the kanji wrong or something. God knows that I'm not very good in Japanese. I'm from America and the only language I can pass is English, and that is just barely making it. Pathetic huh?
I was walking down the hall with a little bounce in my step. Since Quatre was eighteen he didn't have to go to school so I was pretty much on my own. Not that I minded really, I needed to be around other people then Quatre. He was a nice guy and all but he was a worry wort.
He had called the schools and got me enlisted in a Japanese school not too far away from the hotel. I had complained and complained that I hated school and that I didn't want to go, but eventually the blonde had convinced me I should. He said that even if I was the USA champion I had to have something to fall back on in life if skating doesn't work out. Sometimes, I hate when he was right.
I looked up from the paper again and I noticed I wasn't the only one in the hall. There was another guy who was about my height and had the most craziest hair I had ever seen. It was all over the place! Maybe he stuck his finger in the wall socket one-to-many times. I almost laughed at the thought and I grinned as I ran over to the guy as he shut his blue locker.
"Hiya! I'm Duo Maxwell and I'm kinda lost, can you tell me where room 604 is? I'm new in this school." I tried to say it in my best Japanese but I think it sounded a little funny because the guy just turned to look at me and started to stare at me. He had the most enticing blue eyes I had ever seen. I think I was lost in more ways then one.
I stood there for a few minutes waiting for him to respond. I felt like an idiot after a while. I mean this guy probably didn't understand a word I just said because I must've fucked it up so bad its not even understandable. "Heero Yuy. That is my homeroom. Follow me." He said in a monotone and I shrugged and followed the guy around the corner and to the end of the hall. Maybe my Japanese wasn't as horrible as I thought! Or maybe he just guessed at what I said. I'll have to ask him later.
I cheerfully walked behind Heero and looked around the hall. Japanese schools weren't much different then American ones, the only difference was there were Japanese kanji written everywhere and not English words and lettering. Japanese Schools and American Schools have one major difference, I noted. Japanese students, like Mr. Heero Yuy in front of me, all are stiffs. At least American students like me being an example know how to have fun other then school. Sure the Japanese kids get more of an education and learn more, but they become boring stiffs for the rest of their lives working for the emperor while American kids become party animals and get more money from the government and tax cuts. It's a fair trade, right?
We entered the classroom and I looked around with wide eyes. Damn, this room was huge! How can anyone concentrate on the teacher speaking if the room echoes? Okay, so I was stretching that a little but it was pretty big. The guy who led me to the room walked up some steps and slid into a two-seat desk. I noticed he was by himself and that a lot of the girls were drooling over him while the guys were glaring at him. Oh ho! A ladies man. I guess even Japan has them around.
I snapped back to reality and walked over to the teacher's desk. "Excuse me, I'm a new student here." I said in English. No point in embarrassing myself in front of my homeroom teacher if I say something stupid in Japanese and not know it, right? I could always do that later. "Duo Maxwell."
The teacher looked up at me then smiled pleasantly. "Welcome to my class, Maxwell-san. Please take a seat next to Yuy-san and the class will begin shortly." Wow, she had pretty good English for a Japanese woman, except for the san part. But other then that it was pretty good. I nodded and grinned and I bounded up the steps and slid into the seat next to Heero.
Ugh, classes were just as boring as American ones, just more hard. I tried to understand the teacher, really I did! But she talked so fast in Japanese that it was hard for me to catch up. But every once in a while when I looked totally lost; Heero pointed out to me what I did wrong. Or he would explain it to me slower in Japanese so I understood. We became fast friends.
At lunch, he let me sit next to him and this Chinese kid named Wufei. I had fun teasing the guy; he doesn't know how to take a joke. I mean, Wu-chan isn't such a bad nickname right? That's what I thought. He was eatting some rice balls while Heero was eatting dim sum. Myself? I was having a turkey on rye. You should've seen the look on Wufei's face when I pulled it out of my (super) cool Dragonball Z lunchbox (with SSJ Vegeta and Goku on the front!). He was gawking at me like I had two heads or something. I couldn't help myself and I cracked up.
"What's so funny?" Wufei glared at me. I managed to control my laughing and noticed Heero across from me was smiling a tiny bit but then it slipped back into the statue face. You know the kind of face that looks like it was made of stone? I grinned at him and started to eat my sandwich then started drinking my Cocoa Cola (while Wufei told me I had a very unhealthy diet).
We headed back to class and since the school was semi-private, all the classes you took were in one classroom from homeroom till eighth period. So for the rest of the day I had people glaring holes into my back and sometimes a paper balls thrown at me by most of the girls. I think they were jealous Heero was giving me attention. I guess my first day was okay if you don't count that I almost choked on a paper ball that was thrown into my mouth when I turned around to yell at one of the girls. They got more jealous after that when Heero patted my back to help me not choke. But he glared at them and they stopped. It was pretty interesting, to say the least.
When school was over I headed back to the hotel and changed into a pair of black sweats and grabbed my black duffel bag and put on my black baseball cap. That's a lot of black right? But I can't help it if it was my best color. I stopped at one of the fast food places and had a little ramen noodles while spending 10 minutes figuring out how to hold the damn chopsticks (it's not as easy as it looks). I then headed over to the World Champion ice rink that Quatre had said I could practice at if I felt up to it today. Well I did, so I headed over across town on foot for warm up and then entered the building.
I changed into my skating skintight clothes and put on my black skates. I came out and noticed someone else was on the ice. I sat in one of the seats and my eyes became slightly larger as I stared. No fucking way! That is not Mr. I-know-everything-Yuy doing a triple axial way better then I could! I must have been seeing things but it was right in front of my eyes. I rubbed my eyes and blinked and looked again to make sure. Yeah, it was Heero. That very same Heero from class that was now sporting a skintight blue outfit and looking very sexy. I shook my head of the thoughts and looked around the rink.
I noticed that there was another guy who was on the ice too but he looked to be correcting Heero's form. He had weird bangs that covered one of his green eyes and he had blue jeans and a green turtleneck on. Every once in a while he would stop Heero and show him what he did wrong. That must be his trainer, but if that is a trainer and this is the World Champion ice rink. I couldn't stop the next thought that popped into my head.
Was Heero Yuy the Champion of Japan?
******
Classes went on as normal while I tried to forget what I saw at the rink. I couldn't believe it, my first friend was my rival for the gold metal? It was insane to think about. I didn't want to think about it, yet every day he was there again when I went to practice. And every day for a week I watched Heero practice.
After that first day his trainer was no longer with him but I didn't really notice because I think I was too absorbed in the Japanese boy. His form was perfect, so perfect I gave him his own little nickname in my mind, The Perfect Skater. It was so fitting because I knew my form couldn't be as good as his routine. He glided on the ice with grace I never possessed and his technique was so unusual he would get the judges appeal in the World.
How could I have ever thought I would be able to reach World? I'm just a poor kid out of Colorado that had a streak of luck in winning the USA Championship. I could never match him in figure skating. It was kind of depressing to think about. I always knew there could be people so much better then me, but for my first friend being better then me, it hurt.
By the seventh day of watching, I was sick of myself. Why should I care that Heero could skate better then I can? Skating was never for the prizes; I wanted win for myself. I will not let Mr. Heero Yuy cloud my thoughts of the subject. I would skate only for the joy it brings me. At least, I hope I'll be able to keep that in mind while I'm facing off him in the World Championship.
I arrived at the ice rink earlier then usual to get onto the ice before Heero could. I glided onto the ice and started my new routine I had spent all week working up. I spent hours on what tricks should go when and what song I would skate to. I swear I had bags under my eyes for two days before I got it all right.
I blocked out the rest of the world and closed my eyes as I performed. I ignored everything, the lights and anyone who could be watching because it was just me and the ice under my skates. I had a few mistakes here and there, but it was my first real practice in a week and I think I did pretty well. To add that I didn't have the music playing also screwed me up but I didn't want to blast music in the whole rink for one small practice.
This routine was my best because it was the one I knew could make it in World's Champion Tournament. I called it "Dancing with Death" because that was what it seemed like. Ice was considered cold, hard, and could kill you. So in a way as I glided over the ice like this, my body in tune with the music in my mind, I was dancing and the ice was Death. So I thought I was dancing with Death. Clever isn't it? I thought so too.
When I finished, I came back to reality and felt eyes boring into the back of my head. I turned around and noticed Heero standing there with his arms folded. We stared at each other for a while not really saying anything. Heero skated over and stopped about a foot in front of me. It was the first time he saw me skate. I think I shocked him but I couldn't tell. It was hard to see what changes there was in stone called his face.
I was nervous but I didn't show it to him. I wonder if he felt me staring at him all those times when he performed this whole week? If he did, he never showed it, much to my relief, because that would be embarrassing to get caught. But it also was frightening because he would know I was watching him in those skintight clothes.
"Your good." He said in English. I was shocked, and I knew he saw it because he smirked some and then he skated away leaving me alone in the middle of the rink. I stood there for what seemed like for hours playing the scene over and over in my mind. I grinned cheerfully and I skated over to the booth, changed into my sweats and took off my skates.
I thought over what I've been doing over the last week. Although my Japanese had improved a bit, I still didn't learn much else in school. I was too busy ducking paper balls and thinking about Heero. I swear that was all that was on my mind these days. Heero Yuy, the Japanese boy that was my rival for the gold metal in World.
Was I becoming obsessive? Nah, not in a million years! I just wanted to show up Heero in World and see the look on his face when he comes in second. I wanted to prove my self to him. For what you might ask? I don't know but I just did. That would be awesome to do, but I got to admit, I don't think I would ever get the gold. It was too impossible. But hey, since when did Duo Maxwell worry about the little details like impossibility?
******
I frowned at myself when Heero and Wufei weren't looking since I had a reputation to keep up of being the school joker. I was thinking about a lot of stuff today like the World Championship was only a week away. I had a major problem though. Over the course of about two months I've been sinking down. Not in grades, why would I care if my grades suck? But I mean I was falling for Heero Yuy. You know what type of falling right? I was in love with the champion of Japan.
I started to notice it when I would wake up from my dreams with Heero's name on my lips and when I would see little things in Heero that no one else figured out. Like, how his mouth would twist upwards a little bit if I said something funny or in gym how he has the most amazing figure in a towel (for a short guy he really has a nice six pack). I started to shy away from him because of it and I think it hurt him some. I mean I'm the not brightest light bulb in the box but I can tell when the guy won't look me in the eyes anymore.
I knew I couldn't fall for Heero Yuy for two reasons. One, we both live in two different countries and long distance relationships don't work. Two, because I wasn't gay. At least, I don't think I was. I mean I never really had time to think about my sex life because I had none. Training and going around the country never gave me an opportunity for a relationship. Plus what would Father Maxwell say? Didn't the Catholic Church hate homosexuality? Would that count me out of heaven? I don't know but it makes me worry. I shook those thoughts from my mind as I ate lunch with the guys.
"HEEEEROOO!" Yelled a girl's voice.
There was one last reason I couldn't like him: Relena Peacecraft, the most popular girl in school, was his girlfriend. Doesn't that just suck? To top it off the girl doesn't know the meaning of playing hard-to-get. She hangs on him all the time and just won't leave the poor guy alone. I feel sorry for him because having an annoying girl around you with such a loud decimal voice range must kill his poor eardrums.
Not that I care; I wasn't jealous or anything of Relena. Nope, not me!
I sighed and took a swig of my coke. I was head over heels for Heero and he doesn't know. I was jealous of his girlfriend, and she doesn't know. But I still go to the ice rink and watch him practice even though he probably felt it. I just wanted to be near him even if I couldn't have him. That's a crazy thing to think isn't it? It is, I guess. But I was never sane to begin with.
******
It got worse towards the end of the week. Relena would hang around with us all the time and just plain ignored Wufei and I. I tried to get her attention but when I did she would glance at me like I was a bug to be stomped then go back to talking to Heero.
I was insulted but I pretended to shrug it off but Wufei knew I took serious offense to it. We would after school talk about Relena. Things like how she was annoying to how she was annoying. Oh, and did I mention to how she was annoying?
Every time we left to go somewhere alone, just the three of us, she would instantly find us. We have a word for that in America; it was called stalking! Geez, she had no sense of privacy. Maybe she suspected I liked Heero but that was silly. How could she know? I mean she wasn't very observant around us, maybe she had radar or something that detects gay people from far away.
Soon it was the night before the tournament and I was so nervous I think I was even making Quatre nervous. He finally had enough of it around six o'clock.
"Duo stop pacing." I looked over at him and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry Q-man, but I can't help it!" I said and Quatre had sighed and then smiled at me tiredly.
"Why don't you go take a bath to help relax?" I nodded and got up from the couch and headed to the bathroom. Quatre would always say that. You don't feel good? Take a bath. You are nervous? Take a bath. Geez, he likes to take a bath for everything. But me, I'm the same except I say "have a party". I grinned to myself and I got ready for the bath.
******
It was the day of the World Championship Figure Skating Tournament.
I was nervous so I took a deep breath as I skated onto the ice and got into my ready poisson. I had watched Heero Yuy before my turn, and I knew my luck was slim in beating his routine. It was good, perfect actually, almost no mistakes. But I wouldn't give up hope because my chance was just as good as his chance. I focused on my skating and I left the world behind me as I started my Dancing with Death routine. God, I never felt so in tune with the ice as I did at this moment. It was incredible. I forgot everything but my skates touching the ice in an elaborate dance.
I believe I never worked so hard in a routine in my entire life. I wanted the gold; I wanted to win. The hell with Heero being better then me, I knew I could win. I was working hard; my body was heaving with effort as I put my heart and soul out for everyone to see as I danced. I knew Quatre was staring at me as if I grew another head, because I've never performed as good as I was before tonight. I was smiling, I was working the crowd as I got them to cheer and clap at every trick I did. It was amazing! The thrill of commanding the audience and the dance made me addicted to the attention.
It would be so much better if I could have Heero here with me, dancing to my song. But a guy could only hope, right?
The song came to a close as I posed for the end of my dance. My chest was moving up and down as I gasped for breath. My cheeks were flush and my hair was coming out of the braid. My arms and legs felt so sore but I didn't care. I looked up at the audience and gave them my 100watt grin. The noise was deafening as everyone clapped and cheered. Some people even threw roses like they did for Heero. I glided over toward the wall and grabbed some of the roses, waving to the crowd as I glided over to the booth.
"That was great Duo! Wow! When did you learn to do that so well?" Quatre asked as he helped me in and wrapped the blanket around me. I just gave him a weak smile and took a sip of my water bottle that was next to me.
"Just practice, Q-man!" I replied. The crowd around me grew quiet as the judges got ready to announce which country had won. You know, winning didn't seem too important to me anymore. I'm just glad I got this over with. But winning would be nice, I wouldn't pass up the gold metal for anything.
A man's voice blazed through the loud speaker. "Duo Maxwell of USA's score is: 9.8, 9.8, 9.5, 9.2, and 8.7." It was in Japanese, so I had to wait for Quatre to translate for me then I promptly shouted in glee and laughed. Wow! I got such a high score! This was the best day ever! Oh wait, the judge was saying something else. "-Maxwell is the winner of the World Championship figure skating."
After Quatre excitedly translated for me, my mouth dropped open and I knew I looked silly but damn, I won? How the hell had I managed to get lucky twice? It was like, impossible! Geez, I must have lady luck as my mother in order to pull this off.
I just hugged everyone and grinned cheerfully as I answered reporter's questions on 'What will you do now that you won the Gold.' I felt like replying "I'm going to Disney Land!" But that was too cliche. Besides, I'm sick of Micky Mouse since I live in the USA and seeing him in Japan wouldn't be too exciting.
I noticed a figure making his way toward me and my eyes widened when Heero smirked slightly and handed me a banquet of red roses. He then leaned over and whispered in my ear.
"Congratulations, Duo." He said softly in English.
I turned to him and his lips grazed mine softly. My eyes were wide, I mean really wide, as I stared into the Japanese boy's eyes in shock. Heero just kissed me. HEERO just kissed me. Heero just KISSED me! I felt like shouting out loud for everyone to hear that my crush kissed me. But I would just look silly on international TV doing that so I held myself back. I just grinned at him cheerfully and gave him another kiss. When we broke apart again (after a much longer kiss), cameras were flashing all at once and I lost his intense gaze in the flashes of light.
******
This is my longest one-shot to date. I hope you liked it and remember, Review!
-AlantisB
By AlantisB
Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer Applies
A/N: Hiya! Well I posted this yesterday but I had one review after three hours and the person said it was a little too fast moving so I made it much longer. What was now an 8 page story it's now 12 pages long! Mwahaha! Well, please review and tell me what you think.
Warning:
Duo Point of View! ^.^
******
"I may run and hide
When you're screamin' my name, alright.
But let me tell you now
There are prices to fame, alright.
All of our time spent in flashes of light."
Larger Then Life, Backstreet Boys
******
My name is Duo Maxwell, and I'm the most well known figure skater in the world. I live in Colorado USA and I have no family. I love to skate and I've been doing it for about nine years now. But I haven't gone big, if you know what I mean. See I'm kind of a small time skater. I enter community championships and tournaments for money to give to the church, which I have special attachment to. I met this guy named Quatre Raberbra Winner about a year ago and he's cool.
He came to one of the tournaments and saw me skating. He's one of those kids of the major corporations from around in the Middle East called the Winner Foundation (he lives down south in Texas at the moment cause that's where the USA company is stationed at). But he isn't one of those snobby guys that stick their noses up at you and call you names. He's really nice, if a bit naive. Anyway he suggested that I should enter state and I agreed. Mind you, I didn't think I would win. But hey, as the Maxwell luck pulls though and I'm in the big leagues now. I've been invited to go to the United States Championship and after a serious talk with my best friend, I agreed.
We trained a whole lot over the year, and you know, I never thought that a kid who grew up in the Arabian Desert could swim, and hadn't even dreamed he could skate. He said he was the Middle East champion until he decided to quit so he could move to the USA. I think he's screwed in the head but that's just my way of thinking.
******
The lights were focused all on me as I went through my routine just like I practiced. My body was pumped up to the beat of the music and I was lost in my own little world of fantasy. I forgot everything that was around me; I was totally focused. It was just me and the ice. I ignored everything but the ice beneath my skates. I ignored the audience and the judges and the cameras of all the news stations in the nation were not even in my thoughts as I went through the motions of what I loved to do best, what I had dedicated myself to since I was seven years old. I was in my element.
The song that my body was tuned to was coming to the end as my dance on ice was coming to an end. When I posed to finish my routine, there was absolute silence in the audience for a couple of seconds. I slowly came out of my little world and could feel my body heaving for breath and the sweat running down the sides of my face. I'm telling you, having finished that performance in front of national TV was the most exhilarating experience of my seventeen years of life. I never felt more alive before that moment.
The ice rink suddenly erupted with enthusiastic applause and I swear I must've had the largest, most stupid grin on my face but I didn't care. I had figured skated for the United States Championship and if I didn't win, it didn't matter because I had performed at the US Championship! THE Championship of the good old US of A. I bowed to the audience with more grace then I had ever done when not skating. God, I felt I was on top of the world and to think, my teachers never thought I'd amount to anything! Life is funny that way, isn't it?
I grinned as I skated around the rink to work up the crowd while grabbing the roses from the ice that were thrown at me from the audience. My trainer motioned me to come to the little booth that allowed me to exit the rink. I skated over ignoring my heaving breath. I grabbed him in a largest hug I ever gave anyone and I started laughing in relief as I smiled at him. That was so cool! I didn't fall flat on my face or anything! My trainer grabbed a black blanket from the side as soon as he detached himself from me and wrapped it around me. Oh, I didn't notice I was shivering. Good thinking man!
"That was good Duo, you did great!" My trainer smiled at me warmly.
I swear to God, no trainer is cooler then Quatre Winner! The fact he is my bestest friend in the world helped him train me better because I listen to him. Wait, is bestest a word? Oh well, it didn't matter!
Quatre helped me sit down as I grabbed my blade covers from the side and slipped on the black plastic so the ice blade on my skates wouldn't ruin the carpet. My braid fell over my shoulder and I flicked it behind my back so I wouldn't accidentally chop off my hair. I'd never skate again if that happened! Well, maybe I'm overexerting but my hair is my best feature! I would never show my face in front of a camera again if that happened.
I sat there nervously as I waited for my scores to show up. I was sweating buckets right then, I had never been so nervous. I then thought, 'What was taking the judges so long'? I mean you would think they could just give me my damn scores now so I won't be a nervous wreck for ten minutes. But no, they like to see you sweat a little in front of cameras.
"Shhh," said Quatre trying to get everyone around us to quiet down. The judges were about to announce my scores. I crossed my fingers and looked up at the scoreboard.
"Duo Maxwell of Colorado's score is: 9.8, 9.9, 8.7, 9.8, and 9.9." The audience cheered and everyone around me was shocked then suddenly my best buddy and trainer, Quatre, gave me a huge hug as I stared at the scoreboard. My score was higher then the other skaters by three points. Just three little points! My mind had shut down in the overload, this couldn't be happening to this poor little orphan boy out of Colorado. My dream had come true; I was the United States Champion figure skater.
I won.
"Oh my god! I won!" I cried out in shock. Then I laughed out loud and hugged Quatre back and I was too excited to sit and talk to news reporters who started to crowd around me to get an interview. My yard long chestnut braid swung behind me as I hugged everyone I knew around me in my excitement. The only thing that could make this even better was if Father Maxwell and Sister Helen were here to see me now. The only two people who thought I had talent for figure skating and started training me when I was seven. But I can't hope for more miracles right? One is enough for today.
"I won the US Nationals!" I yelled. Today was the best day of my life and at that moment I decided it couldn't get any better then this. But you know the funny thing about that is I think maybe my luck might hold out.
******
I stared out the window of the black limousine watching the buildings fly past me. It's been a little over two months since I had won the United States Championship in figure skating. My trainer Quatre sat across from me in one of the seats drinking some nice hot tea and sitting there comfortably. We were heading to our hotel somewhere in Tokyo so we could get some well-earned rest. I tried to remember how I had gotten here.
After we went home that night for some sleep, the championship was all over the news in the morning. It was cool to see myself on TV. I was one of those skaters that kind of come out of no where so the news people play me all day as the head story. It was cool, to say the least. But then the phone rang around two o'clock in the afternoon and Quatre got up to answer it. I heard the mutterings of a low voiced conversation then Quatre had said a cheerful goodbye to whoever was on the other side of the line. I sat up from the couch and looked over at him.
"What's up, Q-man?" I raised an eyebrow at the cheerful blonde boy who practically bounced into the room. His face was in a wide smile, the kind that went from ear-to-ear.
"Duo, that was just the head organizer of the World Championship Figure Skating. He called to ask if you would like to participate this year in the World Tournament."
I think I had my mouth open in shock because Quatre walked over and sat down next to me. "You don't have to decide right now, Duo. It is a big step in skating."
"What are you nuts?" I grabbed him by the shoulders and grinned. "Of course I would like to go to World! Man, you have no idea how cool that would be! To get a gold metal in world would be like, the best thing to ever happen to me! You better call that dude up again and tell him I'll go!"
Quatre had laughed and agreed. He got up and went to call the World Championship again. That was how my American butt landed in Japan. Japan was where the World was taking place in two months so Quatre had the bright idea of heading here two months early so I could practice here instead in the USA. To get a feel of the place, he said.
If you ask me, I think he just wanted me to turn into a human popsicle. I had no idea Japan had such cold winters, but just because I had no idea of the weather didn't mean I wanted to experience it first hand! Plus leaving all my cool friends behind made me kinda sad. The only thing I could see I had going for myself is that I knew Japanese. I had taken Japanese as my language in High School so I was okay, I guess. It was iffy at best, but living in Japan for the next few months should help me with it.
I sighed as I watched the sky open up and snowflakes started to fall. I pulled my coat tighter around me and blew my hot breath into my hands then rubbed them together.
Did I mention I was failing Japanese?
******
Oh joy. You know what I hate most about being a figure skater? It's the moving part. Sure, seeing other parts of the country is cool, but leaving behind my friends hurts. The other thing I don't like is the packing everything into boxes! I have a lot of stuff. Just ask Quatre and he'd tell you I'm a pack rat. Since I had lived on the streets until about seven years old, I didn't have a lot of things to call my own. Now it seems I never want to part with any of my stuff. They all hold a special meaning that gives me a lot of memories. I'm sure people could relate to me. I just haven't found anyone! The worst thing is having a best friend who is a neat freak. He gets made when I don't clean my room every week. Why should I? It'll just get messy again right? Besides I wouldn't be able to find any of my stuff unless it's all spread out for me. It just makes it easier for me.
When we got to the hotel last night, I collapsed right into the bed without even saying goodnight to my best bud. It wasn't my fault, I swear! I've just never had such serious jet lag before. Going over the country of America is find for me, just about three to four hours. But spending sixteen hours on a plane then two more getting into Tokyo in a car isn't good for me. I need my beauty sleep! Plus it totally screwed up my internal clock. But hey, I wanted to go world and I have to pay the price.
There was a major traffic jam around the Nerima district when we tried to get into Tokyo in the car. The driver said that one of the martial art fights got a little out of hand when this one guy named Ranma Saotome left town. Don't ask! I don't even want to think about how a few punches and kicks could demolish three city blocks. I'm just the figure skater, not the scientist. All I know is that the martial arts gang in that district is called the Nerima Wrecking Crew, interesting nickname right? But it's probably well deserved.
I woke up the next morning a mess. My hair was all out everywhere and way and I didn't even want to think about all the knots in it. Having hair down to the knees is a pain in the ass, I'm telling you right now. But if someone asked me to cut it, I'd never do it. My hair has been with me since, well, forever! I would feel like I lost a limb or something. Besides, I can't picture myself with short hair.
Quatre then comes into my room, all cheerful and all wide-awake. It wasn't fair I tell you, I wasn't a morning person so he shouldn't have the right to be very uppity and I'm dragging my ass out of my bed all tired and stuff.
"Duo, you should take a shower and get dressed. We're going to unpack today." He said to me while I'm tried to process this through my still sleeping brain.
"Huh? Yeah, okay Q-man." I replied sleepily.
Having ice cold water blasting on you is a very effective way of waking someone up. Since I was still half-asleep when I climbed into the shower I forgot to turn on the hot water. Let me tell you, that woke me right up. I spent about thirty minutes in the shower, mostly washing my beautiful hair. I got dressed, braided my hair, I then ran downstairs for coffee and pancakes. Yummy, caffeine to my heart's content.
We spent a total of two days unpacking everything from the boxes. My arms and legs were so sore afterwards that I think they would fall off. Then Quatre gets the bright idea that he should call the school so I can "get an education".
Man! This sucks; why do I need to go to school? I won't pay attention anyway. It's just mostly stuff I won't ever need, like Algebra. Why do I need to know what the letter stands for? I'll only need to know that if I want to get into computer programming. I don't need to take computer programming; I have skating. Geez, you would think Quatre would KNOW that. I mean, isn't that the reason we're in zero-below Tokyo?
******
The halls were empty of students which was a good thing because I don't feel like being pushed around for autographs or something today. I had my school schedule in my hand and I glanced up from it every once in a while to check the room numbers above the door. My homeroom was 604 and I think I'm really lost because none of the rooms are near the six hundreds. But that was just a guess. Maybe I was reading the kanji wrong or something. God knows that I'm not very good in Japanese. I'm from America and the only language I can pass is English, and that is just barely making it. Pathetic huh?
I was walking down the hall with a little bounce in my step. Since Quatre was eighteen he didn't have to go to school so I was pretty much on my own. Not that I minded really, I needed to be around other people then Quatre. He was a nice guy and all but he was a worry wort.
He had called the schools and got me enlisted in a Japanese school not too far away from the hotel. I had complained and complained that I hated school and that I didn't want to go, but eventually the blonde had convinced me I should. He said that even if I was the USA champion I had to have something to fall back on in life if skating doesn't work out. Sometimes, I hate when he was right.
I looked up from the paper again and I noticed I wasn't the only one in the hall. There was another guy who was about my height and had the most craziest hair I had ever seen. It was all over the place! Maybe he stuck his finger in the wall socket one-to-many times. I almost laughed at the thought and I grinned as I ran over to the guy as he shut his blue locker.
"Hiya! I'm Duo Maxwell and I'm kinda lost, can you tell me where room 604 is? I'm new in this school." I tried to say it in my best Japanese but I think it sounded a little funny because the guy just turned to look at me and started to stare at me. He had the most enticing blue eyes I had ever seen. I think I was lost in more ways then one.
I stood there for a few minutes waiting for him to respond. I felt like an idiot after a while. I mean this guy probably didn't understand a word I just said because I must've fucked it up so bad its not even understandable. "Heero Yuy. That is my homeroom. Follow me." He said in a monotone and I shrugged and followed the guy around the corner and to the end of the hall. Maybe my Japanese wasn't as horrible as I thought! Or maybe he just guessed at what I said. I'll have to ask him later.
I cheerfully walked behind Heero and looked around the hall. Japanese schools weren't much different then American ones, the only difference was there were Japanese kanji written everywhere and not English words and lettering. Japanese Schools and American Schools have one major difference, I noted. Japanese students, like Mr. Heero Yuy in front of me, all are stiffs. At least American students like me being an example know how to have fun other then school. Sure the Japanese kids get more of an education and learn more, but they become boring stiffs for the rest of their lives working for the emperor while American kids become party animals and get more money from the government and tax cuts. It's a fair trade, right?
We entered the classroom and I looked around with wide eyes. Damn, this room was huge! How can anyone concentrate on the teacher speaking if the room echoes? Okay, so I was stretching that a little but it was pretty big. The guy who led me to the room walked up some steps and slid into a two-seat desk. I noticed he was by himself and that a lot of the girls were drooling over him while the guys were glaring at him. Oh ho! A ladies man. I guess even Japan has them around.
I snapped back to reality and walked over to the teacher's desk. "Excuse me, I'm a new student here." I said in English. No point in embarrassing myself in front of my homeroom teacher if I say something stupid in Japanese and not know it, right? I could always do that later. "Duo Maxwell."
The teacher looked up at me then smiled pleasantly. "Welcome to my class, Maxwell-san. Please take a seat next to Yuy-san and the class will begin shortly." Wow, she had pretty good English for a Japanese woman, except for the san part. But other then that it was pretty good. I nodded and grinned and I bounded up the steps and slid into the seat next to Heero.
Ugh, classes were just as boring as American ones, just more hard. I tried to understand the teacher, really I did! But she talked so fast in Japanese that it was hard for me to catch up. But every once in a while when I looked totally lost; Heero pointed out to me what I did wrong. Or he would explain it to me slower in Japanese so I understood. We became fast friends.
At lunch, he let me sit next to him and this Chinese kid named Wufei. I had fun teasing the guy; he doesn't know how to take a joke. I mean, Wu-chan isn't such a bad nickname right? That's what I thought. He was eatting some rice balls while Heero was eatting dim sum. Myself? I was having a turkey on rye. You should've seen the look on Wufei's face when I pulled it out of my (super) cool Dragonball Z lunchbox (with SSJ Vegeta and Goku on the front!). He was gawking at me like I had two heads or something. I couldn't help myself and I cracked up.
"What's so funny?" Wufei glared at me. I managed to control my laughing and noticed Heero across from me was smiling a tiny bit but then it slipped back into the statue face. You know the kind of face that looks like it was made of stone? I grinned at him and started to eat my sandwich then started drinking my Cocoa Cola (while Wufei told me I had a very unhealthy diet).
We headed back to class and since the school was semi-private, all the classes you took were in one classroom from homeroom till eighth period. So for the rest of the day I had people glaring holes into my back and sometimes a paper balls thrown at me by most of the girls. I think they were jealous Heero was giving me attention. I guess my first day was okay if you don't count that I almost choked on a paper ball that was thrown into my mouth when I turned around to yell at one of the girls. They got more jealous after that when Heero patted my back to help me not choke. But he glared at them and they stopped. It was pretty interesting, to say the least.
When school was over I headed back to the hotel and changed into a pair of black sweats and grabbed my black duffel bag and put on my black baseball cap. That's a lot of black right? But I can't help it if it was my best color. I stopped at one of the fast food places and had a little ramen noodles while spending 10 minutes figuring out how to hold the damn chopsticks (it's not as easy as it looks). I then headed over to the World Champion ice rink that Quatre had said I could practice at if I felt up to it today. Well I did, so I headed over across town on foot for warm up and then entered the building.
I changed into my skating skintight clothes and put on my black skates. I came out and noticed someone else was on the ice. I sat in one of the seats and my eyes became slightly larger as I stared. No fucking way! That is not Mr. I-know-everything-Yuy doing a triple axial way better then I could! I must have been seeing things but it was right in front of my eyes. I rubbed my eyes and blinked and looked again to make sure. Yeah, it was Heero. That very same Heero from class that was now sporting a skintight blue outfit and looking very sexy. I shook my head of the thoughts and looked around the rink.
I noticed that there was another guy who was on the ice too but he looked to be correcting Heero's form. He had weird bangs that covered one of his green eyes and he had blue jeans and a green turtleneck on. Every once in a while he would stop Heero and show him what he did wrong. That must be his trainer, but if that is a trainer and this is the World Champion ice rink. I couldn't stop the next thought that popped into my head.
Was Heero Yuy the Champion of Japan?
******
Classes went on as normal while I tried to forget what I saw at the rink. I couldn't believe it, my first friend was my rival for the gold metal? It was insane to think about. I didn't want to think about it, yet every day he was there again when I went to practice. And every day for a week I watched Heero practice.
After that first day his trainer was no longer with him but I didn't really notice because I think I was too absorbed in the Japanese boy. His form was perfect, so perfect I gave him his own little nickname in my mind, The Perfect Skater. It was so fitting because I knew my form couldn't be as good as his routine. He glided on the ice with grace I never possessed and his technique was so unusual he would get the judges appeal in the World.
How could I have ever thought I would be able to reach World? I'm just a poor kid out of Colorado that had a streak of luck in winning the USA Championship. I could never match him in figure skating. It was kind of depressing to think about. I always knew there could be people so much better then me, but for my first friend being better then me, it hurt.
By the seventh day of watching, I was sick of myself. Why should I care that Heero could skate better then I can? Skating was never for the prizes; I wanted win for myself. I will not let Mr. Heero Yuy cloud my thoughts of the subject. I would skate only for the joy it brings me. At least, I hope I'll be able to keep that in mind while I'm facing off him in the World Championship.
I arrived at the ice rink earlier then usual to get onto the ice before Heero could. I glided onto the ice and started my new routine I had spent all week working up. I spent hours on what tricks should go when and what song I would skate to. I swear I had bags under my eyes for two days before I got it all right.
I blocked out the rest of the world and closed my eyes as I performed. I ignored everything, the lights and anyone who could be watching because it was just me and the ice under my skates. I had a few mistakes here and there, but it was my first real practice in a week and I think I did pretty well. To add that I didn't have the music playing also screwed me up but I didn't want to blast music in the whole rink for one small practice.
This routine was my best because it was the one I knew could make it in World's Champion Tournament. I called it "Dancing with Death" because that was what it seemed like. Ice was considered cold, hard, and could kill you. So in a way as I glided over the ice like this, my body in tune with the music in my mind, I was dancing and the ice was Death. So I thought I was dancing with Death. Clever isn't it? I thought so too.
When I finished, I came back to reality and felt eyes boring into the back of my head. I turned around and noticed Heero standing there with his arms folded. We stared at each other for a while not really saying anything. Heero skated over and stopped about a foot in front of me. It was the first time he saw me skate. I think I shocked him but I couldn't tell. It was hard to see what changes there was in stone called his face.
I was nervous but I didn't show it to him. I wonder if he felt me staring at him all those times when he performed this whole week? If he did, he never showed it, much to my relief, because that would be embarrassing to get caught. But it also was frightening because he would know I was watching him in those skintight clothes.
"Your good." He said in English. I was shocked, and I knew he saw it because he smirked some and then he skated away leaving me alone in the middle of the rink. I stood there for what seemed like for hours playing the scene over and over in my mind. I grinned cheerfully and I skated over to the booth, changed into my sweats and took off my skates.
I thought over what I've been doing over the last week. Although my Japanese had improved a bit, I still didn't learn much else in school. I was too busy ducking paper balls and thinking about Heero. I swear that was all that was on my mind these days. Heero Yuy, the Japanese boy that was my rival for the gold metal in World.
Was I becoming obsessive? Nah, not in a million years! I just wanted to show up Heero in World and see the look on his face when he comes in second. I wanted to prove my self to him. For what you might ask? I don't know but I just did. That would be awesome to do, but I got to admit, I don't think I would ever get the gold. It was too impossible. But hey, since when did Duo Maxwell worry about the little details like impossibility?
******
I frowned at myself when Heero and Wufei weren't looking since I had a reputation to keep up of being the school joker. I was thinking about a lot of stuff today like the World Championship was only a week away. I had a major problem though. Over the course of about two months I've been sinking down. Not in grades, why would I care if my grades suck? But I mean I was falling for Heero Yuy. You know what type of falling right? I was in love with the champion of Japan.
I started to notice it when I would wake up from my dreams with Heero's name on my lips and when I would see little things in Heero that no one else figured out. Like, how his mouth would twist upwards a little bit if I said something funny or in gym how he has the most amazing figure in a towel (for a short guy he really has a nice six pack). I started to shy away from him because of it and I think it hurt him some. I mean I'm the not brightest light bulb in the box but I can tell when the guy won't look me in the eyes anymore.
I knew I couldn't fall for Heero Yuy for two reasons. One, we both live in two different countries and long distance relationships don't work. Two, because I wasn't gay. At least, I don't think I was. I mean I never really had time to think about my sex life because I had none. Training and going around the country never gave me an opportunity for a relationship. Plus what would Father Maxwell say? Didn't the Catholic Church hate homosexuality? Would that count me out of heaven? I don't know but it makes me worry. I shook those thoughts from my mind as I ate lunch with the guys.
"HEEEEROOO!" Yelled a girl's voice.
There was one last reason I couldn't like him: Relena Peacecraft, the most popular girl in school, was his girlfriend. Doesn't that just suck? To top it off the girl doesn't know the meaning of playing hard-to-get. She hangs on him all the time and just won't leave the poor guy alone. I feel sorry for him because having an annoying girl around you with such a loud decimal voice range must kill his poor eardrums.
Not that I care; I wasn't jealous or anything of Relena. Nope, not me!
I sighed and took a swig of my coke. I was head over heels for Heero and he doesn't know. I was jealous of his girlfriend, and she doesn't know. But I still go to the ice rink and watch him practice even though he probably felt it. I just wanted to be near him even if I couldn't have him. That's a crazy thing to think isn't it? It is, I guess. But I was never sane to begin with.
******
It got worse towards the end of the week. Relena would hang around with us all the time and just plain ignored Wufei and I. I tried to get her attention but when I did she would glance at me like I was a bug to be stomped then go back to talking to Heero.
I was insulted but I pretended to shrug it off but Wufei knew I took serious offense to it. We would after school talk about Relena. Things like how she was annoying to how she was annoying. Oh, and did I mention to how she was annoying?
Every time we left to go somewhere alone, just the three of us, she would instantly find us. We have a word for that in America; it was called stalking! Geez, she had no sense of privacy. Maybe she suspected I liked Heero but that was silly. How could she know? I mean she wasn't very observant around us, maybe she had radar or something that detects gay people from far away.
Soon it was the night before the tournament and I was so nervous I think I was even making Quatre nervous. He finally had enough of it around six o'clock.
"Duo stop pacing." I looked over at him and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry Q-man, but I can't help it!" I said and Quatre had sighed and then smiled at me tiredly.
"Why don't you go take a bath to help relax?" I nodded and got up from the couch and headed to the bathroom. Quatre would always say that. You don't feel good? Take a bath. You are nervous? Take a bath. Geez, he likes to take a bath for everything. But me, I'm the same except I say "have a party". I grinned to myself and I got ready for the bath.
******
It was the day of the World Championship Figure Skating Tournament.
I was nervous so I took a deep breath as I skated onto the ice and got into my ready poisson. I had watched Heero Yuy before my turn, and I knew my luck was slim in beating his routine. It was good, perfect actually, almost no mistakes. But I wouldn't give up hope because my chance was just as good as his chance. I focused on my skating and I left the world behind me as I started my Dancing with Death routine. God, I never felt so in tune with the ice as I did at this moment. It was incredible. I forgot everything but my skates touching the ice in an elaborate dance.
I believe I never worked so hard in a routine in my entire life. I wanted the gold; I wanted to win. The hell with Heero being better then me, I knew I could win. I was working hard; my body was heaving with effort as I put my heart and soul out for everyone to see as I danced. I knew Quatre was staring at me as if I grew another head, because I've never performed as good as I was before tonight. I was smiling, I was working the crowd as I got them to cheer and clap at every trick I did. It was amazing! The thrill of commanding the audience and the dance made me addicted to the attention.
It would be so much better if I could have Heero here with me, dancing to my song. But a guy could only hope, right?
The song came to a close as I posed for the end of my dance. My chest was moving up and down as I gasped for breath. My cheeks were flush and my hair was coming out of the braid. My arms and legs felt so sore but I didn't care. I looked up at the audience and gave them my 100watt grin. The noise was deafening as everyone clapped and cheered. Some people even threw roses like they did for Heero. I glided over toward the wall and grabbed some of the roses, waving to the crowd as I glided over to the booth.
"That was great Duo! Wow! When did you learn to do that so well?" Quatre asked as he helped me in and wrapped the blanket around me. I just gave him a weak smile and took a sip of my water bottle that was next to me.
"Just practice, Q-man!" I replied. The crowd around me grew quiet as the judges got ready to announce which country had won. You know, winning didn't seem too important to me anymore. I'm just glad I got this over with. But winning would be nice, I wouldn't pass up the gold metal for anything.
A man's voice blazed through the loud speaker. "Duo Maxwell of USA's score is: 9.8, 9.8, 9.5, 9.2, and 8.7." It was in Japanese, so I had to wait for Quatre to translate for me then I promptly shouted in glee and laughed. Wow! I got such a high score! This was the best day ever! Oh wait, the judge was saying something else. "-Maxwell is the winner of the World Championship figure skating."
After Quatre excitedly translated for me, my mouth dropped open and I knew I looked silly but damn, I won? How the hell had I managed to get lucky twice? It was like, impossible! Geez, I must have lady luck as my mother in order to pull this off.
I just hugged everyone and grinned cheerfully as I answered reporter's questions on 'What will you do now that you won the Gold.' I felt like replying "I'm going to Disney Land!" But that was too cliche. Besides, I'm sick of Micky Mouse since I live in the USA and seeing him in Japan wouldn't be too exciting.
I noticed a figure making his way toward me and my eyes widened when Heero smirked slightly and handed me a banquet of red roses. He then leaned over and whispered in my ear.
"Congratulations, Duo." He said softly in English.
I turned to him and his lips grazed mine softly. My eyes were wide, I mean really wide, as I stared into the Japanese boy's eyes in shock. Heero just kissed me. HEERO just kissed me. Heero just KISSED me! I felt like shouting out loud for everyone to hear that my crush kissed me. But I would just look silly on international TV doing that so I held myself back. I just grinned at him cheerfully and gave him another kiss. When we broke apart again (after a much longer kiss), cameras were flashing all at once and I lost his intense gaze in the flashes of light.
******
This is my longest one-shot to date. I hope you liked it and remember, Review!
-AlantisB