* ˚ ✦ sidelines then skateparks (sk8 the infinity x male oc) * ˚ ✦

the fated tournament

"Look who's in the first group!"

"I'm in a heat with Shadow?"

"Hey, I don't see your name."

"Neither of us are facing Adam upfront." Joe acknowledged.

"I'll get there. I just have to keep on winning." Cherry said.

"If you're in the top two of your group, you'll be able to move on to the main tournament." Miya said.

"That sounds easy enough."

Slow footsteps came from behind Miya. He turned around and saw Ayaka walking up. "Ayaka."

At the sound of his name being called, Ayaka spun around to face the direction of the voice. Miya took a step back when he saw the look in Ayaka's eyes.

Despite the unsettling expression on Ayaka's face, he made his way towards Miya, skateboard in hand. With each step, his movements seemed almost robotic. Miya couldn't help but feel concerned as he watched his friend approach, wondering what could be causing this sudden change in his demeanor.

"I thought Reki would be with you, but I guess he decided not to enter the race after all." Miya put out.

Ayaka looked down at his shoes. "Yeah." he sighed out.

Miya picked up on the obvious distress Ayaka displayed. "What happened?"

"We uh..."

"I bet he's just being a wiener about Adam." Shadow laughed. "You can only take so much before it gets too much!"

Ayaka's eyes widened as he gaped at him. His frown deepened as he grit his teeth and clenched his hand into a tight fist, walking up to Shadow.

As he raised his fist, ready to strike the side of Shadow's head, a rough hand suddenly stopped his movements. The unexpected intervention caused Ayaka to jump.

He turned to the side as Joe was clutching his wrist in his hand with a disapproving look on his face. When Shadow realized what was going on, he clicked his tongue and laughed.

"And what's got your panties in a twist? Sad your slave isn't here to serve you?"

Ayaka tried to get out of Joe's grip to no avail. "Reki is not my slave, you-!"

"Ayaka, back down. Shadow, go. You're making it worse." Joe said, roughly turning Ayaka away from the clown punk.

Shadow smirked and walked off, whistling a tune.

When Shadow got out of Joe's point of view, he let go of Ayaka, watching him calm down again.

"Yo, kid. What was that?" Joe asked.

Miya walked up to them with Ayaka's skateboard in his hand, giving it to him. "Yeah. Never took you for one to get mad like that—or at all."

Ayaka took the skateboard and huffed. "It's nothing. I-I'm sorry, guys."

————

The first group of the qualifiers lined up at the start, Adam and Miya front and center.

"What a lovely first." Adam said. "Skating along side you."

"Except I'm not one of those slimy little troll boys. And I won't be taken out easily."

"'Taken out'? What do you mean by that?"

"You're not that dumb."

"Sweetie, love is not dumb. And I always fall hopelessly in love with my skating partners."