A/N : I have the weird impression I'm starting every chapter in the same manner… O.o;;… oh well. By the way... Bryan WILL come back hehe... I mean, he has to Oo;;. The whole bet was his idea, and Craig still hasn't got his money. Not much else to say here… so yep. Go read and enjoy! n.n
Chapter 14 : And the King of Iron Fist Tournament Four Is…
That day had begun like any other day to the rest of the world. To Craig Marduk, it wasn't "any other day". It was the day where he'd face Heihachi Mishima, CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu, in order to gain control of the said company. Millions – billions maybe – of dollars… just for him and Hwoarang. After all, a house in Hawaii or some other tropical place could be possible. It wouldn't even seem as a big expense. He'd make sure the kid get "proper" education as well. A year or two in college should be fine if he actually liked it.
That is… if Hwoarang would still be with him then…
Craig's dark brown eyes looked around the hallway. This time he couldn't escape the journalists and reporters, armed with their cameras. And from what it looked like, they had new stuff to talk about... 'Damn you Lee Chaolan. Damn you.'
"Is it true that you and Taekwondo master Hwoarang Doo San are a couple?"
"What are your views on same-sex weddings?"
"You are one of the rare homosexual pro fighters out there. How did it affect your career?"
"Does your family know that you're with another guy?"
'I got a question for you too. How about all of you just shut up and let me through before I kick all of you back in your original countries?'
How could TV stations send so much people? Shouldn't there be an official broadcaster or channel from the Tournament? A limit on the mass media representatives? A better choice of the questions? Anything but that… 'Don't know why people are so stuck on others' sexual lives…'
'This is gonna be a long, long day…' Craig sighed and shook his head as he looked once again in the hallway. As if it wasn't long enough without those guys… To cheer up a bit, he told himself that Bryan Fury wasn't there. Nope, the ex-cop wasn't "missing much" things today. Thoughts of the first day in the Mishima Hotel came back floating in his head… him accepting the bet without any single idea… the redheaded Korean bumping into him… their first kiss, which was surprisingly good…
Reality hit him hard once again. Reporters. With cameras. One of them labeled CNN. "Holy shit… mom was right, they ARE everywhere for every occasion… it's either that, or because an American got in the Iron Fist Tournament finals."
"What does it feel to be on top of THE fighting tournament?"
The fighter was about to lunge at the cameraman, take the camcorder from his hands at hit the reporter's head with it. Bad side of popularity. He finally made his way out of the crowd, walking toward the fighting area, who were a few meters down the hallway. Just a few meters more and he could escape it all. No turning back. He really would've walked up to there… if it hadn't been of those two arms wrapped around his waist. "Trust me kid, you don't want to hug me right now…"
"Now that all the reporters are after Mishima Heihachi, yes…"
"Even CNN?"
"Even them."
What a relief for Craig. He petted the youth and kissed him on the forehead, as usual. "Seems it gets me good luck hehehe."
A smile crept on Hwoarang's face as his lover had said that. "Wow, I actually bring luck to someone. This is probably the first time it happens in my life… so it kinds touches me." He looked around him and showed the man his bag of popcorn and orange soda. "Oh yeah… This time, you won't have to give me money!"
"I won't mind giving you more after this fight, kid. Because with the ton of money I'll make from the Zaibatsu, I have no idea what I'd do with it…"
"Hmmmm… could give some to your parents."
"Not a bad idea you got there."
"Think they'll be watching?"
"Of course… but I bet they started watching before. Like when all those guys were here…"
The redheaded youth turned his head around. "Yeah, well your parents learnt it by a weird way… Think they'll care a lot?"
Craig laughed at his mate's comment. "They still stood by side when I was accused of that pro wrestler's "murder"… so I don't think they'll have a hard time dealing with that. I can actually hear my father say "The habits you pick up in prison… when they tell you to watch your soap, boy, watch it." But now, the thing I have to focus on is to kick that old fart's ass so I can get his company."
"And the King of Iron Fist Title!"
"Wish me luck, kid. Although… don't worry about me. I'll win that just for you." With that, the American left the hallway to get in the fighting area, as Hwoarang headed for the audience seats, first row. If Craig was to win, he'd be close. And now that the media seemed to have gotten the info that they were together, he could make a scene out of his win… Yep, a big scene.
The Vale Tudo fighter almost chocked when he saw Heihachi Mishima coming toward him. For a 70-year-old, he seemed to be in a damn good shape. Like Kazuya and Jin, the elder had spiked hair (grey, though) and some facial features could be recalled in his descendants' faces as well. After fights with different people, he knew that appearances didn't mean a single thing. So even though Heihachi was old… he probably was even stronger.
The crowd was cheering much louder than usual. This was the last fight of the tournament; of the last nights the contestants would sent in the Mishima Hotel. 'Maybe tonight is one of the last nights I spent with Hwoarang… in my entire life...' In a few minutes, one man would be "Crowned" King of Iron Fist Tournament, while the other would awaken in a hospital bed, probably hooked to different machines. Craig hoped he wouldn't be in the last position…
Both men faced each other, waiting for the referee to tell them when to start the fight. And once he did…
Heihachi just stood there, wise enough to let his opponent make the first move. The thing is that Craig knew so. Still… someone had to start… 'That's exactly what he wants me to do' he thought. As he started to run forward, the CEO didn't move much. Breathing calmly, gathering energy, Heihachi waited for the taller fighter to be close enough to him, and then sent a series of well-aimed, painful punches… electric punches…
'FOR FUCK'S SAKE… is he cheating or what???!! ELECTRICITY??!! Something's fucking wrong with that family, I swear… after volcanoes, demons and internal problems, electric bodies…' Craig backed off right away. The pain he felt in his chest was bad, but still bearable. He retaliated with a powerful kick, but the older man blocked and countered by grabbing the back of his head, hitting it on his own. Craig could once again feel the electric forces there, and he was shocked for a second. He managed to block the upcoming uppercut and to send him on his back with a powerful backhand slap. Not wasting his time, he ran up to the Japanese and as soon as he got up, caught him by the throat and sent him flying "around the world", just like a yoyo. And even there…
Just like Lee Chaolan did the day before, the Mishima elder got up, affected by the hit, but not showing it.
'Why won't you just give up, old man…? DIE ALREADY!' On the opposite, Heihachi jumped at him, kicking at the same time. Craig only blocked the second and as his opponent hit the ground, spun him by the shoulders, destabilizing him at the same time. He prepared his next move, arms and hands acting like a massive flail, and launched it straight at Heihachi's head, who groaned because the pain and fell on the ground.
One round down, one more to go.
Once the Mishima gained his senses back, the fight resumed. Unleashing a punch, a kick, then two punches and an uppercut, the older fighter gave no sign of flinching. More kicks followed, and while Craig recovered, he focused on his next attack. The Vale Tudo fighter could literally see the electricity running through his body, and nope, this wasn't a good sign… The older man spun around, fist in uppercut position. To avoid it, Craig simply sidestepped… and got hit nonetheless.
He felt terrible at the sound of the referee's voice, who decided that round two was over. Heihachi Mishima would pay for that in the final round, oh yeah… he would…
There was no holding back for both parts. The Mishima Karate Fighter backed off enough to run at the American, jumping and kicking him once again. Craig, this time, saw the hit coming and trapped his foot, literally jumping on him at the same time, punching on his face. He was pushed off by a knee in his stomach and got up, annoyed at the old man's perseverance. Other charged kicks hit him, followed by an uppercut. The American still stood and launched two strong jabs at his opponent, and then a powerful kick right in the chest.
The crowd stood speechless when Heihachi fell on the ground, just has Craig's last moves were replayed on the big screens in slow-motion. He couldn't really believe he had won over Heihachi Mishima, one of the best fighters in the world.
"AND THE KING OF IRON FIST TOURNAMENT FOUR IS......... CRAIG MARDUK!!!"
'It's a dream and I'll wake up in my bed, Hwoarang snuggling against me. Just like the past two weeks.' He closed and opened his eyes; there was a lot of people ON the stage, Hwoarang included. The redhead was tugging on his arm, a huge smile across his face… one that could melt anybody's heart, including Craig.
"Do you actually believe it? You just won!!!!" This time the youth wasn't just tugging. He had jumped on him and hugged him tight, the smile not wearing off.
It still somewhat couldn't be true to the American fighter. After all, the Mishima was the CEO of the zaibatsu. Would he really let it go that way? Wouldn't he try to make the thing unofficial and preventing him to get the company? And has for his sons, Lee and Kazuya… maybe one would want it… at what price?
Craig relaxed now that he was alone with his lover. Cameramen had stopped following him around because the Tekkenshu didn't allow the cameras up the fighters' floors. They would have a "day off" tomorrow until dinner time (official dinner, which both men weren't excited much about), and then it would be their last night in Japan. As promised, Craig would pay Hwoarang's one-way ticket to the United States, at the redhead's pleasure.
"What a day… for a while, I got scared…"
"You were scared for me?"
The youth nodded shyly. "When he hit you with those electrified roundhouses and you went down after… you have no idea on how much I wished that you'd be ok."
'Whoa… he really cares about me…'
"It was the first time I've seen you in such a position. Knowing Heihachi… y'know, he wouldn't have hesitated before killing you. He doesn't care much about his own sons… imagine with strangers… that want his own company…" Hwoarang seemed so… innocent with those eyes… those gorgeous hazel eyes…
The older man lifted his chin and traced the lips with his fingers; Hwoarang gently bit him. Once again he got that smile that could have driven off anybody from doing anything to him, and soon after he bent down to cover the youth's lips with his own.
… To be continued…
A/N 2 : To tell the truth, I have no idea how much chapters I'll add until the end, but it should be two or three. Maybe more… who knows with me? O.o;;. One thing is that – I repeat it again – it's going to end soon (and there will be a lemon next chappie!). Thanks for the reviews, and JA NE! n.n