A/N: Sorry for taking so long to write this... I was distracted. Thanksgiving and all. *grins* A whole week off, how cool is that? Anywho, this is a longer chapter, but I wanted to post it today and couldn't think of anything else to write, so this is all you get for now. I'll try to get ideas on what to do next time.
***^^***
The snow shredded as the twelve boards ripped through it, several jumping to leave a patch of untouched snow and to pull a few light tricks, getting ready for the run.
"Hey you all out on the slopes!" the DJ shouted cheerfully into their headsets, "You're listening to Radio BIG! So, I've got an update on the newly-arriven - arrived? - SSX riders! Seems the pack is out headin' towards Snow Jam, so get your asses to the stands and check it out."
"Well, shit, now we're gonna have to perform!" Oni said, but there was no annoyance in her voice.
"Weather update: Seems like the snowfall we had last night was God's gift to all snowboarders, with fresh powder just aching to be ridden on!"
"God, he sounds like a bad porno advert," Moby exclaimed over the sound of the snow. Psymon nodded.
"We're getting up to the entrance to the course - freeride?"
"Hell yeah. I'm not competing against any of you guys without knowing how you ride," Viggo said, crouching down slightly and speeding up.
"Now, how about some tunes?" the DJ spoke again. "We've got here some Placebo for y'all, so let's spin them!"
"Oh my GOD I love this song," Oni shouted, grinning as Bitter End came on. "The guy's got good taste, I'll give him that. We ready?"
The response was the whooshing of air as boarders jumped off the small incline and onto the course.
***
Psymon growled ferally, looking back at Griff, who was hot on his tail. "Goddamn it, small fry, back off!" Griff just shot him an annoyingly smug grin and then reached forward, slamming his hands into the Canadian's back. Psymon lurched forward, and then smoothly whacked Griff - or at least, where he was supposed to be.
He looked to the side, only to see two hands come at him quickly.
"Whoa!" Mac was just minding his own business, cruising past Psymon, when said Canadian slammed into him, thrown off kilter by the small red-headed boy. Psymon fell, but Mac veered off course and right into Viggo, who was a few feet away, secretly trying to get in next to Psymon to help Griff take him down. The two landed with a "whumph," and Viggo stared at the sky dazedly.
"Sorry, man!" Mac exclaimed, trying to shift off of the other - which is very hard to do with a snowboard strapped to your feet. Viggo shook his head.
"No problem," he murmured vaguely. Mac had gotten to his knees, still half on top of the Swede, and he leaned over, looking down.
"Are you okay?" The Swede's piercing blue eyes looked up into Mac's soft blues, and he instantly thought that the Powers That Be really did like him.
"...I'm okay now." He sat up, causing Mac to fall back, and shook his head, "Sorry. I got a little dazed. This body of mine is pretty fragile, y'know. Don't go knocking me around."
"It's not my fault!" the American whined, "Psymon fell into me."
"...Oh, shit!" Viggo started to slide to his feet. "I better go make sure he didn't mutilate poor Griff."
"Don't worry. Psymon wouldn't hurt him.
Physically. He prefers to taunt, than actually fight."
"Really?"
"Oh, he can kick all of our asses to next Tuesday, don't get me wrong." Viggo grabbed Mac's arms and hauled him up, drawing them almost as close together as they had been on the ground.
"Really, now...?" Mac blinked slowly, his head rushing, and blushed lightly, noticing the lack of space between them.
What the hell is he doing? Mac thought blankly, looking into the other's eyes, trying to figure out what he was up to. I should definitely turn away now. Like, move a few feet back. Seriously, legs, move. Move! Before this turns into one of those awkward romantic comedy things! He frowned, and watched Viggo lean in, just a smidge, Placebo pounding in his ears. Why did I think of a romantic comedy? Romantic? There's nothing romantic at all about this! Other than his unnaturally blue eyes. Those are kinda pretty. Viggo leaned in a bit more, until they were only a hairsbreadth away. He's going to kiss you, Mackenzie, move the fuck away! But he leaned in too.
"We'd better get going," Viggo said easily, letting go and moving a little from Mac, who blinked.
"Y...Yeah. We should." Viggo grinned, then leaned in by Mac's ear, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.
"Did you want me to kiss you?" he whispered. Mac blushed furiously.
"No way, man!" He pulled away, and Viggo smirked, raising an eyebrow.
"So hasty. Don't worry, you probably taste bad anyways." He licked his lips, and Mac gulped quietly, his heart pounding oddly. "Besides, you're with that cute little Kaori, aren't you?" Mac shook his head quickly.
"No I'm not! We're just friends."
"Really, now?" Viggo grinned wolfishly, "Well. That's a twist. C'mon, we'll be the last by now." They started off, but then Viggo looked at him, slowing to his pace. "Dude, I was just playing with you, so don't freak out. And... um, could we kinda, pretend I wasn't play-flirting with you just now?"
"Dude, why would I want to tell anyone? I let you do it, didn't I?" Viggo nodded, thoughtful.
"Then, that says something about you, doesn't it?" He grinned, "Admit it, you want my hot bod. Everyone does."
"How was the bartender chick?" he asked, avoiding the previous topic. Viggo grinned.
"Now, now, Mac... If I said something, I'd be tarnishing her reputation."
"Man, Viggo... that's just insane."
"You wanna know what's more insane?"
"What?"
"The jump ahead." Viggo leaped up, and Mac looked down, only to see the land disappear and fog take it's place.
"Holy shit!"
***
The course had ended some ways back, but the twelve boarders didn't even slow down, passing the finish line and heading through some tunnels. The song ended, and the DJ announced that they were heading straight for Metro City. They skidded to a halt in front of the lodge, and Griff instantly found Psymon, who looked pretty pissed off, arms crossed, board at his side.
"I'm really sorry, Psymon!" Griff said quickly, "I didn't mean to shove you down!"
"Shit, better go help out the kid," Viggo muttered to Mac, who was by his side. Said American grabbed the other's wrist.
"Hold up, dawg. Give 'em a chance."
Psymon stood from his seat on the steps of the lodge, and looked down at Griff, eyes narrowed.
"I'm really, really sorry!"
Psymon raised an eyebrow, then shook his head and smirked. "That was nothing." Oni came up to them, curious, and Psymon looped an arm over her shoulder. The two started heading up the steps, but Psymon stopped and looked over his shoulder. "You're not so bad, kid." Oni grinned.
"Awww, is my shnookie-wookie being nice to the wittle kiddy?"
"Shaddup woman. Oh, by the way, Griff, tell Nate that the room's off limits for a few hours." He waggled his eyebrows at Oni, who leaped onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She winked at the confused Griff behind them, and they disappeared into the lodge.
***
Elise looked up from her magazine as the phone rang, and then rolled over the bed and grabbed the phone. "Hello?"
"Elise? Is that you?" The blonde grinned, and sat up.
"JP, long time no talk. How are you doing?"
"You mean other then the broken leg and Luther downstairs watching football on the big screen with surround sound?" Elise laughed, and heard the Frenchman chuckle. "I'm fine, considering. How are you?"
"I'm pretty good. I hear Luther's lost some weight?"
"Yes... He decided to diet because he saw a rather nice girl in London he would like to woo."
"All the luck to him." She blinked, and looked at the bathroom door as it opened, steam coming from the room. Odette stepped out in a fluffy white robe, her hair up in a white towel. "Oh, yeah. You're probably calling for Odette," she spoke into the phone. The French girl looked up curiously.
"Oui. Could you put her on?"
"Hey, Odette, it's for you!" the blonde sing-songed, handing the phone to the girl.
"Hello?"
"Bonsoir, mon amour. Comment allez-vous?" The girl broke out into a grin and quickly started conversing with her boyfriend in French. Elise smirked and fell back against the bed, picking up her magazine.
"God I love that language," she muttered, before flipping to the page she had been on.
***
When Viggo came up the stairs to go to his room, he first noticed Moby and Zoe. They were leaning in the doorway of said room, Zoe pushing a few dreads out of Moby's face.
"Are you sure you're gonna be alright, babe?" she asked softly, "I mean, we could re-arrange the roomies..."
"I'll be fine, love," Moby responded, gently grabbing her hand and holding it.
"I just... It's really close to that time, and I don't know if Viggo could handle it."
"I'll keep in check, don't worry. It'll be fine," he said, looking much more sure about whatever they were talking about than Zoe did. He kissed her hand. "Viggo's an alright guy," he assured her, "He'll be able to handle it. If not... Well, I can fork out a few more bucks for a single room." Zoe sighed, and looked down at their feet. Viggo frowned, and took this moment to come up to them, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing.
"Well, well, you two are so cuddly it's gonna make me puke." Moby rolled his eyes, and smirked.
"Find yourself a lady like Zoe and you'll understand the cuddly part," he responded, moving to the side to let Viggo in. The Swede headed to the bathroom, to take a shower, and Moby looked down at Zoe, kissing her lightly. "Don't worry," he murmured, "It'll be fine."
"If you say so. Night, Mobes." She started down the hall.
"Night, love. Sleep tight." The door closed, just as Mac was coming up the steps, Kaori in tow.
They reached Mac's door, and he grinned. "Night, Kay."
"Um... Mac?" The boy blinked, and pulled off his beanie.
"Yeah?"
"We... we are just friends, right?" Mac raised an eyebrow.
"As... far as I know... Why?"
"Oni said that I should make sure that you do not like me because
of all the flirting we do." He grinned, and shook his head.
"Leave it to that chick to get you to be straight up. Nah, Kay, we're just friends."
"Good... It would be weird if you liked me."
"Same with you. It's too..." They both shrugged. "Besides, you had that thing for Brodi."
Kaori blushed, and didn't respond.
"Aw, c'mon Kay. I could totally see it. He was pretty cool." She looked around to make sure no one was listening, then nodded.
"I liked him a lot. I'm sad that he's gone."
"Me too. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Yes, tomorrow." Kaori hugged him. "Oyasumi, Mac!"
"Night, Kay." Mac went into his already trashed room and shut the door, Kaori skipping down the hall to an empty room.
***
"So, what was all that lovey-dovey worried crap I saw written all over your faces?" Viggo asked, sitting in his bed on his laptop, waiting for his e-mail to load. Moby looked over at him.
"Nothing."
"Oh, come on, Moby." Viggo frowned, closing the laptop, and folding his hands on top of it. "I heard you both say my name. Is there something I should know, before I get comfortable?" Moby shook his head, eyes returning to the TV, where a football game was on. "Dude, don't act like there isn't. Tell me."
"It's nothing, alright?!" Moby snapped, glaring at the Swede, who cringed.
"Sorry," he murmured, looking down. "Just worried."
"Bah, what do you have to be worried about? You're perfectly normal and safe. Stop trying to nose your way into my business, unless you want me to kick your ass." Viggo opened the laptop again, then closed it and put it down on the bedside table, turning off his lamp and rolling over.
"Sorry," he murmured again, closing his eyes.
"Fucking newbies," he heard Moby growl, the TV being shut off and the room suddenly plunging into darkness. "Better learn their places."
Viggo wisely chose not to say anything.
***
Meanwhile, outside of Nate, Griff, and Psymon's room stood the first two owners, grumbling.
"This is so not cool," Griff muttered.
***^^***
A/N: Yeah yeah, I know, bad, crappy, and too focused on Viggo and Mac. But I like that, so tough! XD Psymon and Oni sure don't know the meaning of sharing, do they?
Reviews are very much appreciated, and they tend to make me write a little faster. Tell me what you want to be in the next chapter - Mac and Viggo and the Sexual Tension between them? Psymon and Oni? Psymon bonding with Griff? Moby's problem? Tell me what you like... that usually helps me out!