The Twilight Twenty-Five
thetwilight25 dot com
Prompt: #7
Pen Name: RockRaven244
Pairing/Character(s):
Rating: T
Word Count: 500
Photo prompts can be found here:
thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts
Quiet.
Deep breaths.
The early morning air and drizzle feels good.
All week I've been training, running, training, watching tape.
I've not had any time with Bella or my little man.
I'll see them tonight though.
I'll see them tonight and make them proud. I'll get into the ring and do what I do.
For Bella.
For Nate.
For me.
I have to prove myself; prove that I'm the best.
To me.
To my family.
To the world.
It's four a.m., the sky is dark and the path I'm walking on is hidden in the trees. I feel like I can breathe. I feel alive.
I stop walking and lift my face to the sky.
The ring.
The lights.
Ice.
Water.
Vaseline.
Leather.
Jab, jab, hook.
Combination.
Uppercut.
Knock down.
Knock down.
Knock down.
I jump up and down visualizing the outcome.
Winning.
WBC Welterweight Champion of the World.
I smile and jog back to the house.
The Irish National Anthem is sounding over the speakers.
The televisions in my locker room are showing the singer and the crowd.
The camera stops on a brown haired beauty and an auburn haired mini-me. They are so beautiful; my wife and four year old son, Nathan.
They are singing the anthem, Amhrán na bhFiann.
I sing with them and when the song is over, Bella and Nate smile at the camera and wave their fists.
"I love you, daddy!"
I jump up and down, waiting to be announced.
This win is for them.
My father is talking to me.
Focus.
Keep moving.
Jab, jab, hook.
Protect yourself.
Body shot, then go upstairs.
Don't let him relax.
Make him work.
We walk into the arena and the crowd goes wild.
I raise my fist in the air and move to the beat of the music. I don't even recognize what song is playing, my ears are buzzing from the crowd noise.
I'm in the ring, the ref is going over the rules, we bump fists ... tunnel vision.
We're four rounds in when it happens; he drops his left hand.
Double jab, right hook ... he's down, the ref is pushing me into the corner.
4, 5, 6, 7 ...
I want to look for Bella, but I don't want to get distracted; he could still get up.
8, 9, 10.
I'm vibrating and the ref is waving his hands over my opponent.
My corner is going crazy.
I'm on someone's shoulders and I'm waving and there's Bella.
I gesture to her, come up here.
"I want Bella and Nate," I yell down at anyone listening.
Then she's here and I'm on my feet and I kiss her while my gloves are being removed, and when my hand is free, I take Nate from her.
"Hi Daddy, I missed you," he says.
"Me too, buddy."
"Is that guy okay?"
I look over to where my opponent is standing, "Yeah."
"Nice knock out," he says, and I laugh.
"Thanks, kid."
"Can we go home now?"
"Absolutely."
a/n: can you tell I live in a house full of men? I made this little family Irish, sorry if I got the anthem wrong. I did search a few different sites for this though. :)