A/N: Sorry this took so long, I'm really bad at this updating thing. This chapter is really sporty(?), so please brace for a lot of track and field stuff.
The bus ride to the stadium took a little under twenty minutes due to traffic, but the team made it there with enough time for the athletes to relax and settle in before the competition officially began. The after being assigned their meet numbers and ensuring that the rectangular papers were secured to their uniforms, the relay team had spread out their warm-up mats at the back of one of the two tents that the team's sponsors provided, prepared to spend their downtime laid on the grass.
Luke was using his track bag as a pillow, using his arm to keep the morning sun out of his eyes. He had half an hour before his first event, which was enough time to catch back up on the sleep he missed from the morning's early start. Calum was in a similar position, limbs stretched out beside the blonde as he propped against his track bag. Unlike Luke, Calum was turned on his side watching as Michael and Ashton warmed up together.
The other boys were not as lucky as their teammates who had downtime in the morning. Ashton's high jump event started immediately after the opening ceremony of the meet, as did Michael's first race. Amongst the four, the sprinters had the most downtime; high jump would continue throughout the day until there was one athlete left standing and Michael was entered for a more preliminary races more than the rest of them. Altogether boys knew it would be a long day, but that was why they spent so much time preparing.
Luke finally peeked out from beneath his arm when a stray cloud came to block the sun, the boy's blue eyes following Calum's gaze to the practice track where Michael and Ashton were jogging beside each other giggling about something that he couldn't make out. A smile came to both boys' faces when as they watched the pair, the two of them understanding what each of their teammates had gone through respectively before getting to nationals.
Luke couldn't help to be proud of Michael; it wasn't just a competition for the older boy, he was facing a fear at had stayed with him for years and Luke was there to support him and see his friend overcome it. The teen couldn't forget how much of a pain in the ass he had been to Michael that term and he didn't think he would ever forgive himself for being so much of a brat to everyone around him. Despite all that he'd said Michael gave him a second chance and he wasn't going make the boy regret it.
The boy was pulled out of his thoughts due to a snort from beside him. Luke couldn't keep in the eye-roll that came when he noticed Calum looking at him with a smug smirk, his attention no longer on their teammates. Luke hid behind his arm once more, rolling over so that his back was to the dark-haired teen, earning a genuine laugh from the boy beside him.
"What?" Calum chuckled whilst nudging the younger's shoulder only getting a groan in response, "I didn't even say anything yet."
Luke moved onto his back, head falling to the side so he could look up at the other. Seeing Calum beaming down at him he couldn't help but miss the times when all they did was scowl at each other. He sighed, non-verbally urging the tanned boy to continue. Calum opened his mouth to begin his teasing, but then quickly decided he didn't feel like teasing Luke. It'd be hypocritical of him to tease the other about Michael when he had spent half of his school life pining for Ashton. Instead, he just shook his head, brushing the bits of lint that stuck to his sweats before going over to Ashton, leaving Luke alone.
The teen let out a content sigh, already feeling happier with Calum gone. He tried to close his eyes once more, and find some relaxation before his day officially started only to be disrupted by yet another voice. Though it was hard to get mad when it was Michael talking to him.
"Aren't you going to wish me good luck too?" Luke opened his eyes to find Michael knelt beside him, organising his track bag before he'd have to line up with the other athletes in his race. Michael nodded over to where Calum and Ashton were, Calum's arms wrapped around his boyfriend's waist as Ashton tried to do the same as Michael with his own gear. Of course, Calum clinging to his side did make it harder but the curly-haired boy didn't seem to mind, easily working around the boy's weight.
Luke chuckled at the couple's cuteness, before turning his attention back to Michael. He sat up so that they were eye to eye, his expression softening even further when he saw the worry still running through his friend's features, despite how hard Michael was working to hide it behind a small smile.
Luke's fingers twitched at his side, he wanted to reach out and hold the older boy, keep the older in his arms until it was time for him to go. For a moment he wondered if he should move even closer and run his fingers through the other's bleached strands until he was calm again.
Luke knew couldn't do that, but he could offer the boy a reassuring smile and a shoulder to lean on if he got overwhelmed throughout the day. Maybe someday he'd have permission to hold Michael like wanted to, but for now, he'd just be a good friend.
"I know you're 'gonna do great out there. You're one of the most amazing athletes I've had the chance to work with— one of the most amazing people I've gotten to meet. I'm cheering for you, we all are." Luke hoped the boy felt the sincerity in his words. "Good luck Mikey, you don't need it, but if you want to hear it then—"
Luke froze when Michael's lips met his cheek. The action was quick and caught him off guard, but the lingering warmth left again his cheek and blooming in his chest felt right. He tried to say something else but all his thoughts fizzled out and nothing was coherent.
Michael bit his lip shyly as he slung his bag over his shoulder, not quite sure why he was being so impulsive. The flush that ran from Luke's face down his neck was worth it.
"Thanks, Luke."
The blue-eyed teen nodded dumbly as he watched Michael walk away to join the other athletes for his race. At his age, a quick kiss on the cheek shouldn't get such a reaction out of him, but then again, Michael was different. Luke watched the boy's platinum blonde hair disappear into the crowd of athletes grouped by the officials' tent.
In a couple of seconds, Michael would walk through the tunnel into his first real race since he was a child. If someone had told him at the beginning of the term he would be competing again he knew he would have laughed. Starting to walk through the dim tunnel his worry transformed into disbelief.
This was never his plan for high school. Michael's position in school was to stay below the radar, being a good student was enough for him. Yet as he emerged from the tunnel into the sunlight track-side, there was the sudden comfort of familiarity despite the time he spent away. The noise filtering down from the stands was a bit jarring at first, but looking up to them into the mass of colours and spotting the few supporters for his team, Michael couldn't help the smile that came to his face. As the week progressed the stands would fill more as most schools only allowed students to attend the final days of competition. The crowd was most likely made up of old scholar's, parents, college scouts and a few random track and field fans but it was good enough.
Process of getting from track-side to the start of the event was no different. He left his sweats in the numbered baskets underneath one of the numerous tents on sidelines, an overly cheery volunteer promising to keep his things safe, before following another onto the track once the girl's race had been completed. Michael's eyes followed them as they moved back and fro across the starting line triple checking that everything was good and then signalling the announcers to introduce the athletes, each of them indicating their presence on the track with a raised hand.
Michael tried his best to focus on the race as the first whistle sounded for the competitors to move onto the waterfall start line. He took a deep breath in an attempt to centre himself. There were eleven other athletes in this race, all of them vying for at least the top three. Everyone knew that the top two in each heat would make it into the semifinal races and that was their goal.
The boy tried to visualise himself moving onto the next stage, using Luke's advice to aim for the best outcome, but all could he focus on was the sound of his own erratic breathing. Where was the calm he felt before he made it onto the track? How could it disappear so quickly? The boy closed his eyes feeling the breeze against his face, concentrating on that instead of the mess inside his head.
He'd spent months getting ready for this, there was no need for him to stress. He knew that his coach was somewhere on the infield ready to offer support and Ashton has promised to cheer him on even during his own event. Others believed in him, he just needed to believe in himself.
A whistle sounded and silence settled over the stadium. In the stillness, Michael swore he could hear his own heartbeat. He tried to focus on his plan for the race, the coach's words before stepping onto the track and the image of himself winning.
Michael opened his eyes as a crooning, "Set..." was called and all the athletes moved forward. He trained all term for that moment, all he needed to do was his best.
He took one last deep breath and the race finally started, the smoke of the starting pistol floating upwards as the athletes began.
They had three laps to complete and Michael had a plan for each of them given to him by the coaches. At the moment was stuck in the middle of eleven athletes. Usually, it'd be a good enough spot for him to stay for the majority of the first lap but it was cramped, some persons already trying to push their way to the front despite how early in the race it was.
Michael was boxed in as the group made it across the back straight for the first time. He needed to get out of middle and towards the front where five athletes were already starting to break apart from the main pack.
Wanting to get away from the middle and stick to the plan Michael slowed a little, letting those around him run ahead until he had a comfortable amount of space around him. He was now four athletes behind his previous position and seven behind where he needed to be.
Entering lap two the boy knew he needed to move ahead if he stayed too far behind from that point on he wouldn't qualify for any races thereafter. Michael made his move in the first bend passing the group that had locked him in before, placing himself in the small gap between them and the leaders. The laboured breathing of those behind him let him know that there would soon be a bigger gap between him and the trailing group but he knew he couldn't take them off his mind just yet.
On the in-field Ashton watched the race, having completed his first jump already. The boy watched as his friend moved into fourth place, doing his best to be louder than the cheers of his competitors beside him. Despite having run almost two laps of the track Michael still seemed comfortable in his stride. Of course, Ashton understood the physical conditioning and training it took to get to that point but he was still in awe of the way Michael always managed to make it look so easy.
"Mikey!!" Ashton called out, screaming at the top of his lungs when the boy got nearer to him moving into third position as the athlete once there began to tire. He knew Michael probably didn't hear over the noise coming from the stands, but he'd continue cheering for his friend anyway.
The bell lap came and the pace of the leaders sped up. After the two laps, Michael knew he couldn't just sprint the final lap like the athlete in the lead was attempting to do. The pain in his joints was building and he could feel his muscles growing tired. He couldn't falter now, he had a goal to complete.
Looking ahead he sees the agreed point for him to move to the lead. He could hear Coach Tomlinson's voice explaining the whole manoeuvre to him, but as he approached the end of the back straight and saw the growing lead of the other athlete he wondered if he could really do it.
Michael wasn't much of a sprinter. His technique was based on his strides and endurance, not pure speed. He wasn't meant to be quick like Luke or Calum. Still, he needed to complete this race his own way.
Sticking to plan, Michael quicked his stride covering as much ground as he could, moving past another competitor into second place. He knew that he needed to close the gap between him and the boy in first position but his tired body complained as he tried to push it further. Still, he tried, taking a deep breath out and trying even harder until he met up the first place competitor, entering the final corner of the race, running stride for stride with them.
He could hear the crowd's excitement as they moved onto the last one hundred metres beside each other, both aiming to be the first to cross the line. Michael noticed the boy next to him being to falter in his stride, probably tiring out from his choice to sprint the final four-hundred metres. This was his chance to get ahead and finish the first race of the day with a win for his team— for himself. Despite the exhaustion he felt, Michael knew he could make it to the end. With one final push, he dug inside himself using the little power he had left, listening to the insistent voice in his head that told him to keep going.
Ashton couldn't stop himself from screaming as he watched his friend move into first, not caring for the glares he got from the people around him. It was a small gap but it was clear enough to see that Michael was the winner when the boy made his way over the finish line. Perhaps at that moment, Ashton should have been focusing on his own event but the joy he felt as he watched the determination on Michael's face turn into relief and then pure elation from where the boy was hunched over on the track catching his breath was more important to him than what was going on nearby.
Michael could feel his tired limbs shaking under his weight as caught his breath and the reality of what just happened finally sunk in. The adrenaline coursing through his veins kept his mind abuzz making it hard to focus with all the stimuli around him. Absentmindedly he felt the congratulatory pats on his back from the runners that made it to the finish after him and the noise filtering down from those cheering was difficult to miss.
But, all of that didn't compare to how he felt inside. Happy tears pricked his eyes for the first time in a long time and there wasn't the crippling feeling of sinking into the ground when his name was announced.
Michael was a winner. Of course the competition wasn't over yet and there was more for him to do but what he had just done was greater than anything he thought he could acchieved. The last memories he had of competition all left him feeling broken and alone. This time he knew there was a team supporting him and friends he could depend on. Everything as different this time.
~•°•*•°•~
Even when Michael finally made his way back to the athletes' area his eyes were still watery and of course Luke was the first person to notice. The younger was immediately at his side when he emerged from the tunnel pulling him into a tight hug. Michael found himself instantly melting into his friend's hold, not knowing how grounding a simple hug could be. It wasn't something that he thought he wanted but he was thankful to have it. Luke only noticed the few tears that had managed to streak down Michael's face during the embrace as he stepped away, blue eyes staring down at him with concern; no doubt silently trying to figure what was wrong, or rather what he did wrong.
Before Luke could start interrogating him, Michael shushed the younger, looking up at with a beaming smile even though his cheeks showed the remnants of his tears.
"I'm good. Just happy." Michael paused a moment to think, "Overwhelmed maybe?"
Michael shrugged not really sure how to quantify his emotions but he knew they were good ones. He watched as Luke's expression settled into the jubilation he approached with earlier. The younger boy was about to spout his excited play-by-play of Michael's race, and Michael was ready to stand there and listen to him as if he wasn't the one that ran it but Calum's hand on his shoulder stopped him. Both boy's turned to Calum, Michael trying his hardest not to giggle at the clear annoyance on Luke's face.
"Not that I enjoy breaking this up but we have to be track side in five minutes." The brunette reminded, handing Luke his bag that was left behind when he came over to Michael.
Michael bid the two farewell settling on the warm-up mats that the sprinters had left vacant. It would be a while before his next race so Michael pulled out the book he'd brought along with him though it was hard to focus with all the activity around him. The large screen further ahead of the athletes' area showed what was happening on the track and found himself focusing in when the time for Luke and Calum's first race came. It wasn't long before the names for the first sprint heat for their section came up on the screen. Luke would run in the first set of athletes while Calum was with the fourth and final group.
It was a one hundred metre race, something that both boys had run countless times but Michael couldn't help but wonder if they felt nervous like he did before his first race. The sprints always gathered more attention from the crowd than distance races. It was the last national's event of each their school track careers and two seasoned athletes like Luke and Calum would no doubt want to prove themselves even more just because it was the last time they'd be able to do it.
As camera panned to the pair the determination written on their faces could not be missed, not a shred of worry was apparent. For a second Michael found himself envying the boys but quickly rid himself of the thought. The diversity of thought in their friend group is what made them unique, if he acted exactly like Calum or Luke everything that happened throughout the term would gone differently and Michael was fine with how things were.
A track bag dropping beside him pulled Michael out of his thoughts. He watched as Ashton made himself comfortable on Calum's mat before reaching into his boyfriend's bag for the chewy granola bars that the younger boy packed. Michael watched the other in amusement but didn't comment as the boy started munching on the snacks. If Ashton was doing it, it was most likely fine with Calum, there was no reason for him to ponder on his friend's snack stealing habits.
"I didn't miss anything, right?" Ashton question finally tuning in to what was on screen, only to see the replay of him failing the last jump he attempted. Michael cringed along with his friend.
"What height was that?"
"1.96 metres." Ashton pouted still chewing on his granola bar. 1.93 metres was his personal best for that year but it wasn't good enough to break the meet record or get the gold. He'd settle for bronze and a spot in the semifinals. Thankfully there was still a little time for him to improve and from mistakes he made that day.
Finally the screen switched over to track once more, clearly showing the athletes for the one hundred metre event. Those in Luke's heat were finally done setting up their starting blocks and waiting for the beginning of their race.
Luke was in lane seven fidgeting with the lane number stuck to the side of his track shorts. Michael knew it wasn't the boy's favourite lane to use as Luke would rather be somewhere in the centre. This early in the competition he hadn't earned himself a spot in any of the centre lanes yet but Michael didn't doubt he would.
Silence moved over the stadium as the announcer called for the start of the race. Michael and Ashton found themselves leaning forward in anticipation. They understood the bragging rights that came along with the sprint races, thought Michael would never truly understand it given his preference for long distance. Someone had to be dubbed the fast student of that year and everyone competing wanted that title and of course, the gold medal.
"Set..."
Tension grew around the stadium as all eyes focused on the boys. In the few seconds between then and the start things could go wrong, no one wanted a false start at this point. Michael found himself pulling his bottom lip between his teeth, only releasing it when the race started cleanly.
The announcers voice instantly filled the speakers, giving a play-by-play of the race as it happened but all Michael could focus on was Luke. It was clear that the boy had gotten a great start, seeming to be up and out of his blocks in an instant. There was no doubt that Luke would be winning the race after the first thirty metres, the teen had a clear lead on the others, easily slowing down to a comfortable finish.
Michael released a breath he didn't know he was holding as the camera panned to a victorious Luke walking towards track side. The boy finds himself clutching his chest wondering why his heart was beating so fast.
"It's because you care." Ashton somehow answered his unspoken question, no longer watching the screen.
Ashton watched as Michael's expression grew into one of realisation a small, barely audible, "Oh..." leaving the boy's lips as he considered Ashton's statement.
Amused, Ashton nudged the boy beside him but said nothing further. Instead the curly hair boy hummed knowingly, turning back to the screen to take in yet another race, leaving Michael to mull over his thoughts.
It took two more races before it was Calum's turn, the brunette raising his hand and stepping forward when his name was announced. Ashton tried contain his excitement when his boyfriend appeared on screen, but his bouncing on the spot didn't hide his feelings very well. Just like Luke, Calum ended up being a lane that he didn't really like, but it was only the prelims. He had two more competition days to earn himself his preferred spot on the track.
Sitting with his fingers crossed at his side, Ashton watched as Calum moved into starting position. The stillness that came with each start hung over them and Ashton's stomach grew queasy. The boy sucked in a breath hoping to calm down, it wasn't his race to complete, there was no reason for him to be nervous.
Thankfully, only one shot sounded as the race started telling of a good start. Calum left his blocks cleanly, quickly moving ahead of the majority of runner. Within the last fifteen metres another athlete tried to close the gap between them but it wasn't enough as Calum made it to the finish first, securing a spot in the semi-finals.
Ashton let out a squeal quickly covering it up with a cough when Michael began to chuckle. He watched as Calum walked to track side, brows furrowing when he watched the boy grip his left hamstring. It was a quick movement but Ashton easily caught it before the camera panned away.
For Calum's sake and also for the team he hoped it was just a cramp. Injuries weren't something they could afford that early in the competition and he knew that Calum would be broken if he had to sit out during his final year of nationals because of one.
The day wasn't over yet for any of them, each boy still had alot left to do. There was no telling how the first competition day would end but Ashton hoped that all they did would be worth it.
A/N: And it was and they all made it to the semi-finals. Please use your imagination for the awesome sprints, long-distance races, and relays that the team ran during that prelim that I was too lazy to write.
TMI: I took a cat claw to the thumb when writing this cause my one of my cats was chasing the cursor/ my finger. It freaking hurts.