#Muse of Bobsleigh

[giantsorcowboys]

Czech Mates 🇨🇿💪🏻🧔🏻‍♂️💪🏻🇨🇿

Members Of The Czech Bobsled Crew Get Down To Basics. 🙌🏻🙌🏻🛷🔥🔥🔥🔥

Woof, Baby!🌶🌶🌶🌶

[jimlingss]

Chess of Ice 3 [Finale]

Read the Original 

Read the Sequel

➜ Words: 14.9k

➜ Genres: 70% Fluff, 30% Angst, Sports!AU

➜ Summary: Jeon Jungkook is a star, aka. a valued member of one of the best mixed curling teams in the world. He has everything he could’ve ever asked for and more — a family in the sport that he’s grown to love, his beloved girlfriend whom he adores, and the fact that made it. He’s finally here at the Olympics. All his dreams have been fulfilled. But when he comes face to face with the people of the past, he comes to question if this what he imagined his dreams to be like.

➜ Warnings: implied smut

He keeps himself going.   The roars pierce through his muffled hearing, the audience going wild. The coldness of the ice wafts over, making the air frigid. His breath is seen each time he exhales, cheeks becoming rosy in the cold. He can’t feel anything, not his hands or the tip of his nose. The edges of his fingers tingle, mind tickling pleasantly. This is where he’s meant to be, where he worked so hard to get to.   The neon lights are flashing, reminding him of strobe lights at a club and it blinds his vision completely, but Jungkook welcomes it. The cheers are loud in the stadium, echoing in every corner and leaving no space untouched with sound. The music is deafening as well and he feels like a world famous superstar stepping out like this. There’s so much going on that Jungkook can barely focus, but he forces himself to keep walking and not freeze up on television like some idiot.   He can’t believe he’s here.   “Oh my god.” Yoonji is rapidly blinking, rendered speechless and it’s not like her to be like this.   Taehyung’s mouth has dropped to the floor, welcoming flies on the palette of his tongue. “This is amazing.”   “Wave, you guys!” You’re chirpy, grinning and jumping on the spot. The camera pans over, announcing your country over the intercom and everyone gives big waves. Yoonji jumps on top of Taehyung like she’s tackling him and she looks the happiest she’s ever been. Everyone’s laughing and waving their arms over their heads, bubbling with excitement and as eager as Jungkook is, he muses how cute everyone else is being.   The parade continues. The ice-skaters ahead are holding the country’s flag, letting the fabric flutter in the air. Jungkook keeps walking, trying to let it sink in that this was indeed the opening ceremony, that he was in Beijing, that this was the Olympics.   He knocks his head back, staring up at the stars that are almost drowned out by the lights, how there are millions of people surrounding him, how he can’t seem them all individually. Their screams are passionate, full of vigor, and everything is breathtaking. But for a moment, something catches in Jungkook’s peripheral vision, a group of guys that are familiar, that he used to know well, standing a few meters away. He looks away in a millisecond, afraid to confirm his suspicions.   Instead, Jungkook focuses on you.   “I can’t believe we’re here.”   “I know, it’s amazing, isn’t it?”   The boy has the urge to kiss your soft lips, wrap his arms around your waist, lean you back till you’re on a single foot and grabbing onto him not to fall, and he’s smothering your yelp, relishing how tightly you’d latch onto him. But he resists and reaches over to hold your hand instead.   Your palm immediately welcomes his, fingers lacing together as normal and you squeeze, coming to stand with your country.   Namjoon and Adora are standing by as well, equally enthusiastic and bursting with awe. All of you are only able to stand here after two years of top performance, shedding blood, sweat and tears. It was through hard work that you scrapped a victory at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships, coming out as the winner.    It wasn’t easy in the least bit and unfortunately, the men’s and women’s curling team got cut a few months beforehand. Another group outside of Namjoon and Adora’s coaching was representing the country instead in those categories. But they still rooted for you, some at home and others here sitting in the stadium. There was a lot of pressure to give it your best shot and while Jungkook was excited, he was scared.   Only by standing next to you are his nerves eased.   “Take a look at that,” Taehyung’s leaning over to shout above the ear-piercing music. No one can hear well, but he points to a lean figure skater from Finland standing ahead of you.   “What?” Yoonji screams above the celebratory music and building snare drum. “I can’t hear you!”   “I said take a look at that!”   “Take a load of what?!”   “Take a load of that! Wait- no, take a look!” Taehyung’s throat is straining in blood-curdling shouts, veins popping out as his face reddens. “She’s hot!”   “You’re feeling hot?! You have a fever?!” Instead of being concerned, Yoonji is pissed off like his potential illness will inhibit the team’s performance. “What the fuck!”   “No!”   Adora leans over. “Can you guys shut up?!”   Namjoon who’s standing right beside her turns his head towards her. “What?”   “I said shut up!”   “What?!”   “Shut up!” The female coach is shrieking and the ski jumpers look over at the ruckus.   “What?” This time, Namjoon accidentally lets his grin slip, making it known that he’s purposely playing dumb. Adora stands back, rolling her eyes and probably mumbling a thousand curses. In the meanwhile, Yoonji and Taehyung are still confused and Jungkook exchanges an expression with you. The pair of you burst into laughter.   Once the parade is over, everybody takes their seats and the performances continue. It’s definitely entertainment, watching skaters glide on the ice, dancing to songs while mascots coming out to greet everyone. When it’s time for the fireworks, Jungkook slings an arm around your shoulders and you cuddle into him, watching the magnificent show.   He’s proud, content. All of you finally made it.   //   It’s an unusually relaxed atmosphere. It’s simple to assume that everyone would be at their most tense, surrounded in their competitors, so close yet too far from their victory. But it’s not like that at all — for most athletes that’ve had intense lifestyles up to this point, hours of practice and restricted diets. The Olympic village is the most freedom they get.    No reporters. No family. No prying eyes.   It’s Disneyland and summer camp combined into one.   Athletes can roam however they choose without many constraints. Everyone made it this far after all, they deserve to relish in every bit of it. And it’s not like much practice can be done once you’re here. Even Adora and Namjoon are at ease, savouring this moment of paradise.    You and Yoonji take the liberty of wandering around and checking out all the facilities that are available in the village. There’s shopping centers, stores, a beauty salon and a million condom dispenser machines— “You gotta cover your stump before you hump,” Yoonji passingly comments and when you make a disgusted expression, she scoffs. “Don’t act like you and Jeon don’t go at it.”   You mumble how it’s not anyone’s business what your private relationship’s like and she gives you a look of disbelief as you enter the grand dining hall. Quickly, your attention is brought back to your surroundings and you’re amazed once more.    Yoonji, on the other hand, has eyes for something else. “Oh lord, would you take a look at that hunk over there.”   She’s not even whispering, openly ogling and she has to suck back in her saliva pooling in her mouth. Yoonji’s staring directly at the male Chinese bobsleigh team like a tigress about to pounce on a group of antelopes. They’re gathered in a group by a cafeteria table, laughing and goofing off like a normal bunch of guys, but testosterone is practically emanating off their muscular biceps, aura amplified by ten when they’re together. Everyone who likes a little dick is staring at them with half-lidded eyes, nearly bumping into pillars and chairs.    “Yoonji,” you roughly mutter her name in embarrassment. “We’re not here to window shop for guys.”   “Damn straight we’re not.” She rolls up the sleeves of her black tracksuit jacket to her elbow as if she’s about to do some laborious work. “I’m about to make a purchase.”   You ignore her. “Yoonji.”   She crosses her arms and turns to you with a scoff. “Don’t act like you’re so innocent, Miss. how-many-times-can-you-have-sex-in-a-day.”   Your entire face heats like a furnace. “I’m never letting you google anything on my phone again.”   “You should learn how to erase your history, it might help.” Yoonji is amused, wearing an endeared and humoured expression much to your dismay. But she doesn’t allow the topic to change and nudges you. “C’mon. You gotta admit there’re hunks everywhere. And you know they’re in great shape and got great bodies underneath all that clothes too.”   It’s not a myth that a lot of sexual intercourse happens at the Olympics — you’ve heard your fair share of stories and it seemed like some people were already getting a head start on it. It’s obvious with the way some are pulling others along and there are a handful who have stopped by the free condom dispenser.   “I guess….that guy seems nice.”   Yoonji follows your line of sight towards a snowboarder who caught your eye earlier at the parade. He’s lean and tall, cute face with big, doe eyes. “You got a type, don’t you, Y/N?” she muses with a smirk and scans him from his head to his toes. “But I can appreciate this. What is he? Six feet two? And what are those colours? Sweden? Damn. I bet he has a big coc—”   “What’s going on?”   The two of you are interrupted by your boyfriend who slings an arm around your shoulders.   “Hey.” Your entire face unintentionally lights up at the sight of him and he grins. Jungkook’s chest feels warm and instead of responding to you in words, he leans in to plant a chaste kiss in your lips as a greeting. It’s soft and fast, saving any real intimacy for later.   Yoonji’s nose wrinkles and she looks like she bit into a lemon. “Ugh, right in front of my salad?”   The pair of you ignore her and Jungkook looks straight ahead to see what you were both intently staring at. “What were you talking about?”   “Y/N was just saying how hot that Swedish snowboarder is.” Her chin motions to the poor, unsuspecting athlete who’s just picking out some chicken breasts at the buffet table to snack on.   “I didn’t say he was cute!” you defend. “I said he was….nice.”   “He’s a whole damn meal, you got that right.” She slyly smirks and nudges you again. “You should go talk to him.”   “What?” You’re shy, directing your vision away from the snowboarder wearing his blue and yellow tracksuit that seems all too tight in all the right places. “I’m not going to talk to him, Yoonji.”   Her brows lift. “Why not?”   Jungkook clears his throat obnoxiously loud and pulls you closer, arm still on your shoulder and now the side of your body pressing into his comfortingly. “Excuse me, I think you’re forgetting I’m standing right here.”   “No one cares about your possessiveness, Jeon. Let your girlfriend play a little. This is the Olympics for god sakes. What happens here stays here. Better yet, if you want to join in the fun so badly, just have a threesome. Don’t you want to be a little more adventurous in your relationship?”   “No, thanks,” you interrupt.   “We have all the adventure we need.” With his free arm, his hand slips into his jacket pocket and out comes two condoms between his fingers as if he’s revealing his secret weapon. Jungkook glances at you and winks, making you sheepish.   Yoonji is not impressed. “Ew, can you guys be gross somewhere else?”   “Fine by me. We’re going back to the apartment then.” Jungkook lets you lead the way, cutting through the ginormous dining hall and while he holds you close and a few seconds pass, Yoonji hears him mumble, “You really thought that dude was cute?”   Your voice is fading off but Yoonji sees your smile. “I think you’re cuter.”   Yoonji scoffs. If there was anyone disgustingly cute, it was the two of you.   Of course the both of you were too oblivious to notice how a handful of girls around are openly disappointed when they find that Jungkook has a girlfriend, and how that snowboarder you commented on was staring at you from the corner of his eye before Jungkook came along.    The female curler pushes away her jealousy and psychs herself up before sauntering to the bobsled team she chose earlier.   //   “What are you doing here?”    She is not entertained whatsoever and her spitting image scoffs. “What do you mean ‘what am I doing here’? What do you think I’m here for?”   “I don’t know. Speed skating.”   “I’m here to support my lovely sister.”   “Bullshit. You’re here to pick up chicks.”   In the midst of their banter, Taehyung’s mind is boggling as he looks back and forth between the two. They’re so similar, almost like they’re the same person or like they’re talking to their own reflection. More importantly, the intimidating aura emanates in the air and sends goosebumps all over his arms. “Hey...I think the match is starting.”   They ignore him.    You approach, clad in your uniform, tracksuit jacket in the color of your country and matching the others. “Hey, Yoongi.” You smile at him and he greets you. “How was the fight?”   “Crowded, but not bad. I’m staying at a nearby hotel.” He points off in the distance as if the walls aren’t blocking the view. “So I’ll be able to catch all your matches. Since my parents couldn’t come, I have to be the Min family representative, right?”   Yoonji scowls. “Nobody asked.”    You smile, glad she has some outside support here for her. Your own parents and Jungkook’s, as well as Taehyung’s family and his entire extended family with his millions of cousins, are probably up at the stands. Namjoon and Adora are on the lower, ready to cheer you all on.   You wonder how Yoongi managed to wander into this restricted area or if he smooth talked his way in. But there’s no time to dwell as you look off at her. “You ready?”   “Course I’m ready.”   “Let’s do this then.” Taehyung bounces on spot. “Figure skating starts in two hours and I wanna make it!”   The three of you and Jungkook step out onto the ice. Seven trials in four days, two games per day, and going against seven other teams representing their country was not going to be easy. The first game was versus Norway and luckily, they were a friendly bunch who chatted about the games last time in Seoul and how the sheet seemed bumpier than usual then.   But as nice as the atmosphere was, the pressure was still on as people cheered on passionately. It wasn’t like any other game. The stakes were much higher. And these were fans that truly cared about the sport, intense. Yoongi was also rooting loudly in the stadium, voice heard all over and making people turn around to stare. His husky voice moves up to shrill screams, sounding as if he’s being murdered, taking full advantage of the situation to embarrass his sister. It’s to the point where the cameraman has to walk over and politely ask him to be quieter.   It starts off with guard shots and they also place their own guard shots, blocking a clear direct path towards the house. “Right up! Right up! Okay. Right off!”   Yoonji and Jungkook stop sweeping. The stone bumps one of the opponents off the house and cheers erupt from the stands, applause and screams, the flag lifted in the air. “That was really good, Taehyung.”   He grins, prouder of getting a compliment from you, the skip, than from spectators. “Thanks.”   He and Jungkook switch places and you exchange a serious expression with your boyfriend, gathering close to strategize. The other team goes, doing a takeout of your stone and getting their own cheers. It’s a close match. But you and Jungkook decide to continue on your defensive strategy, and to organize a draw shot.   He gets down onto one knee, positions himself and with a deep inhale, throws the rock straight towards the target. You’re low, next to him, eyes narrowed in. “Hard! Hard! Harder!”   “C’mon, Taehyung,” Yoonji encourages.   “Got this,” he mutters back, sweeping hard with the broom and putting muscle into it. It reaches the house and you scream for them to stop. The stone halts right on the button.   There’s a whole wave of cheers and you and Jungkook exchange grins.   After eight ends, the match finishes and it’s a victory for all four of you.   Finland shakes your hand, acknowledging that it was a good play.   //   “We were so good,” Yoonji emphasizes.   Taehyung adds on, “We crushed it.”   “Yeah.” Her expanding grin dies at once, lips pursing in a tight line and her eyes drooping to be half-lidded. “So I don’t get why we have to go to the gym.”   “Just cause we won a game doesn’t mean we can let our guard down.” You drop the ten pound dumbbells back onto the rack. It doesn’t help that she’s complaining incessantly when you’re trying to do some reps. Your best friend is the opposite of a motivator. “We gotta keep in shape. And haven’t you noticed? Namjoon and Adora’s been side-eyeing the two of you for piling fried chicken on your plates during dinner.”   Taehyung pouts. “It just tastes so delicious, I can’t help myself.”   “This is supposed to be paradise.” Her little body is sweating already, bob-haircut gathered into a tiny low ponytail. She’s using three pounds, grunting as she curls her arms, on her first set of them. “N-not hell. Not everyone’s like your muscle rabbit boyfriend.”   “What?”   Jungkook’s busy doing pull ups on the nearby equipment and he lands on his feet swiftly, not even breaking a sweat yet on his count of thirty four. Taehyung and Yoonji glare at him for making them look bad.   He’s a gym rat, probably the only curler with actual abs and muscular arms. It’s his hobby to workout and he relishes how exhausted his body feels after — Yoonji just says he’s a masochist who thrives on pain and a freak of nature. But you don’t mind. It’s cute how much he likes to work out and you like it if he likes it.    “Jungkook?”   The four of you are suddenly interrupted by three tall, lean males. They’re in tight tank tops and Yoonji’s brows lift. Jungkook, on the other hand, visibly pales. He turns like a robot, cranky and stiff, swallowing hard only to find his mouth dry. “J-Junmyeon?”   “Oh, dude.” Without thinking twice, he reaches over to give a half-hug and then lets go, fist-bumping Jungkook. “Thought that was you!”   “How’s it going, man? Jeez, it’s been a while.”   “I know. I’m good.” He laughs tensely and goes over to do an elaborate handshake with one of them that makes Taehyung offended and jealous that they don’t have their own special handshake. “How about you?”   “Busy, I guess.” The princely male has a sharp nose and eyebrows, but a rather kind smile.   The puppy-like boy beside the stranger has brown, ruffled hair, but a leery gaze as he scans you up and down, making you uncomfortable. “And this is…?”   “Oh, this is my curling team. Taehyung, Yoonji, and Y/N.” It’s an awkward introduction and he never thought his new world and old world would be colliding in such a way. “And these are some of my old hockey teammates I used to play with. Junmyeon, Sehun, and Baekhyun.”   “Why so formal, Jeon?” Sehun barks with laughter, rather handsome with his distinct features and dark hair, but his loud voice startles you. He throws an arm over Jungkook’s shoulder. “When was the last time we called him Junmyeon? Might as well call him Mr. Kim.”   The one in question is unamused. “Can you please stop calling me Suho? I’m not going to sue any hoes.”   He wears a shit-eating grin. “You’re not, but they’re going to sue you.”   “I thought that joke was dead.” Jungkook laughs and looks off at you three who are completely confused. He explains the joke, “He...uh...went out with a girl named Irene once and she threatened to sue him after he dumped her. Got a court order and everything. It was crazy.”   “She wasn’t just a girl.” Sehun corrects, “She was a psycho hoe.”   It’s easy to talk to them. For a second, Jungkook doesn’t know why he was so afraid of confronting his old teammates. When he speaks to them now, it’s like no time has passed.   Like nothing has changed.   “Okay, okay.” Baekhyun tries to placate the other, but he still wears a mischievous grin. “Don’t get our captain mad.”   Jungkook stands straighter, put on alert as he looks at his old friend. “Oh, you’re captain now?”   “Yeah.” Junmyeon’s smile softens, maybe even sadly. “You should come watch us at the preliminaries. We have one tomorrow at three.”   “I’ll see what I can do. But I think...uh...I have practice that day.”   Yoonji exchanges a knowing look with Taehyung at Jungkook’s remark.   “Okay, enough talk about hoes.” Sehun’s hasn’t moved on, still hung up on the other topic. He leans down slightly to whisper, as if you, Yoonji and Taehyung aren’t awkwardly standing there. “Have you seen the chicks around here, Jeon? They’re thirsty for some good dick after spending their entire lives practicing. They’ll hop on you and bend over whenever, wherever.”   “Can you guys not?” Junmyeon is once again not impressed.   He rolls his eyes. “Don’t act like you didn't break the back of that figure skater, dude. She was so fucking loud last night, I thought you were killing her.”   “Killing her with his dick, if anything,” Baekhyun snickers and then muses, “great choice though. That ass was nice. Aren’t those skaters flexible too?”   “I..ummm….” Jungkook glances at you. He doesn’t want to say anything or announce you’re his girlfriend — for one, it’s nobody's business and he doesn’t want them to call him a pussy or whipped or for them to stare at you and bombard you with a million questions. Then again, Jungkook has nothing to hide and he’s not ashamed to be in a committed relationship with you…...but the pressure gets to him and he decides playing along is just easier. “....yeah.”   You wear an impassive expression, but Yoonji’s left eye twitches.   “I know someone you’d really like,” Sehun mentions with roaring laughter. “Super cute, a little timid and innocent. Your type, right? More importantly, she got those double Ds.”   “I...I’m good.”   “What?” He smirks. “Don’t act like you don’t like that, Jeon. We saw you with Lee Soongyu.”   “She had a great body,” Baekhyun agrees. “Too bad she was clingy, huh?”   “You don’t even know. You wish you had a piece of that ass.” It tumbles out of his mouth on instinct, making the others baffled. Jungkook’s slowly getting into the flow of it again, remembering how he used to respond to these things.   Baekhyun grins, making a jab back, “At least I wouldn’t hit up her younger sister the day after. That’s just cold. Should’ve just convinced them both to go at it at the same time.”   Jungkook begins sweating, not sure how to respond to that one. At the remainder of his past self, he shifts in discomfort, feeling gross. Luckily, Junmyeon saves him. “You’re disgusting, dude. No wonder Nayeon dumped you and slapped you in front of the entire team.”   Junmyeon glances at him with a smile and Jungkook grins.   Baekhyun bites back, “At least I don’t get threatened with court orders by crazies. Listen, you gotta have some fun, Jungkook. Before—”   “C’mon.” The captain interrupts while checking his phone. “We have practice to get to.”   “Alright, alright. See you around, Jeon.”   “Bye.” He waves as they walk away and disappear after turning the corner to the men’s locker room.   There’s silence.   “I didn’t know you were in a frat, Jeon,” Yoonji enunciates his name sharply and then struts past him, making sure to purposely bump into his shoulder.   “I’m not.” He turns, voice following after her. “They’re just my old hockey team.”   You feel distant from him, disconnected, like he’s universes away and you don’t understand who it is that’s standing beside you. But once they’re gone, Jungkook’s back. He’s looking at you, lost, and you smile at him, opening your hand for him to take. “C’mon. I’ll spot you if you need me to.”   Jungkook sheepishly smiles, happily holding your hand. “Okay.”   //   The arena is cold, ice far away, but still making the air frigid.    The frost lightly nips at Jungkook’s nose as he sits on the bench. Rarely does he get to observe or be a mere spectator, but tickets were nabbed by Namjoon and Adora who are also watching and writing down jot notes on strategies. It helps to take an outside point of view and watch other people’s skills to improve his own. The men’s curling game was impressive too, people getting wrapped up in it, cheering, clapping, shouts echoing.   It would be a great game to watch….if Jungkook wasn’t so uncomfortable.   Yoonji's plopped herself beside him and made you sit next to her brother, who only came for fun. But while she blocked him from being with you and had made a visible effort to sit beside him as if she had something important to say, she wasn’t speaking whatsoever. Instead, Yoonji was giving Jungkook the cold shoulder, pouting, frowning.   “Hey, if there’s an issue, can you just tell me?”   He’s annoyed. He didn’t do anything to piss her off and yet he feels like he’s been put in timeout.    “You wanna know what the issue is, Jungkook?” Yoonji uses his full first name for once and turns to look at him, arms crossed, keeping her voice low so no one else can hear in the midst of the roars. “It’s the fact that you’re a completely different person when you’re with those guys.”   He connects the dots. “How?”   “You’re an ass.”    She’s blunt and straightforward, sinking her words that have sharp talons into his skin. Yoonji continues while he’s speechless, “When you’re with them, you’re everything I thought you were. A prick, an asshole, a fuckboy. Thought you proved me wrong, but guess not.”   Jungkook scoffs. “I didn’t even do anything.”    “Exactly,” she spits out with narrowed pupils boring into his own. “You didn’t defend Y/N when you should’ve. You didn’t even mention her. You acted like you weren’t in a long-term serious relationship, that you haven’t been dating her for a goddamn year now. Talking about fucking bitches too.” She rolls her eyes, making him feel small. “Are you kidding me?”   “I didn’t talk about that,” he defends. “They did.”   “And you didn’t stop them.”   “What did you want me to do?” His voice is moving up octaves, increasing in volume but you don’t notice, preoccupied with Yoongi. “To tell them to fuck off?”   “Yes!”   “They’re old friends that I haven’t seen in a long time and…” He’s at a loss, stressing, “It’s not that simple.”   “Obviously. You didn’t want to go to their game.” She softens around the edges and sighs. “Look, Jeon. I don’t know what your issue is with them, with having to pretend like you’re someone you’re clearly not, with having to lie about practice, but don’t be an idiot and hurt Y/N.”   “I won’t,” he mumbles.   “And don’t be an ass. It doesn’t suit you. Makes you uglier.”   There’s a moment of serene quietness. But Taehyung leans over with the bucket of popcorn in his lap almost spilling out. “Is everything okay?”   In the meanwhile, Yoongi is watching the game and chatting with you. “—tickets were cheaper than the other events and I wanted to see another curling game, so I can actually gauge how good you guys are. Yoonji keeps telling me you guys are the best.”   “Well, I don’t know about the best….” Your voice trails off. It’s nice to talk to Yoongi like this. It’s normal and you’re no longer nervous. The two of you are good friends and that fact puts you at ease, enough to turn and say, “Hey, Yoongi. Can I ask you something?”   “Depends on what it is.”   “D-Do guys prefer double Ds?”   The dark-haired man whips his head around, no longer watching the match. “What?”   “N-nevermind.” A long sigh squeezes out of your lungs. Yoongi doesn’t push, but he tells you that you can talk to him about anything if you want, that it’s okay. With that in mind, you nod and brace yourself. “Do you….ever….get….bored in the bedroom?”   Yoongi’s doubtful Jungkook would ever say that to you. So, he doesn’t know where this is coming from, but he still chooses his words carefully, “Sometimes. When I was dating, of course things became pretty regular after a while. I think that happens to everyone at some point and it’s not a bad thing. We kept things exciting by changing them up every once in a while.”   “Changing...things up?” You wait patiently for him to elaborate. The last thing you wanted to discuss with Yoongi was this, but you figured he had the most experience out of all people you knew.    You just want to keep up with Jungkook. It might be petty and dumb, but you have a desire to be better than his past relationships and be the best.   “Yeah.” He nods awkwardly and leaves it a bit vague. “Sometimes we introduced toys, different positions, or someone took charge. Made things more fun.”   There’s a long pause as the both of you watch the curling game, how the Switzerland team does a smooth takeout of the opponent's stone. For a moment, you forget about the conversation, cheering with everyone else. But once it dies down, you look back at him. “How...how does one take charge?”   Yoongi smirks, the corner of his mouth tugging as he realizes he could give you any advice, but he decides to play nice and be real, “You just gotta be bold. Take what you want. Don’t think twice about it.”   “And...that’s not weird?”   “Nope.” Yoongi shakes his head. “Jungkook would probably like it. Or you could always ask him to make sure.”   You’re flustered, but you nod. “Thanks, Yoongi.”   He hums a note to acknowledge your gratitude, acting casual, but he makes a mental note that Jungkook owes him one for the fun he’s about to have.   //   His feet are flat on the pedals, riding the bike forward, but he stops for a moment, letting the built momentum carry himself forward. It’s sunny, the warmth of the rays kissing his cheeks, cool breeze carding through his hair. He hums a song underneath his breath, enjoying the surroundings.   “So slow, Kook.” Taehyung grins, riding past and disrupting the peace when he puts his arms in the air and hollers, waking up the entire block. “Can’t remember the last time I did this!”   “You should be careful,” Jungkook shouts above the wind. “If you get hurt, Coach and Yoonji will kill you.”   He looks over his shoulder, giving a cheesy smile. “You’re beginning to sound like Y/N.”   “Well, she’s always right so…”   They both ride downhill, moving past a group of female cross-country skiers walking together and Taehyung winks at one of them, making her swoon. Jungkook scoffs with a grin.   It was nice to be out with his best friend, renting bikes and cycling through the village. It was like the pleasantville universe was encapsulated in one tiny space, contained by these walls and kept safe from the chaotic world. Jungkook could spend the rest of his life like this. Everything was perfect here.    Until….he makes it down a block and spots two figures walking side by side.    Jungkook slows down and spots you in an instant. “Y/N?” And you’re with someone else that he recognizes.   He stops meters ahead, delayed and he turns around. Taehyung ahead has noticed too and halted. “Jeon!” Junmyeon is grinning, lightly jogging up to him. “I see you’re enjoying yourself.”   “Yeah...ummm…” The boy glances at you and then his old friend.   “I was looking for you and I ran into him,” you explain, “He was just telling me some stories about you.”   It’s strange and he stares at his old friend skeptically. “What...kind of stories?”   “Nothing bad, I promise,” he laughs. “Just how you used to sign hockey pucks and toss them over the glass barrier to kids, even though coach told you not to. Oh, also that time you fell on your ass on the ice and bruised your tailbone and you had to sit on one of those donut pillows for like five months—”   “That hurt, you know,” he exhales in defeat. Taehyung approaches with his bike at his side, grinning from the story.   Junmyeon smiles. “You guys should come watch us at the hockey quarter-finals. It’s happening later today.”   “You guys passed the preliminaries?”   His grin widens. “By a landslide.”   “C-Congratulations.” Jungkook genuinely means it, slightly surprised but mostly proud.   His old friend’s smile softens and he repeats, “You should come to the quarter-finals, Jeon. I could get you tickets no problem. It would be nice to have you there...for old times’ sake.”   “Oh, we have practice.” Jungkook looks at Taehyung who slowly nods, deciding to back up his claim while you don’t say anything at all. “So I don’t know if we can make it…”   “Then you should come to the after party,” he suggests. “It might be a celebration or a pity party, but either way, it’ll be nice to have you there. The team actually misses you a lot and they’ve been hounding me to invite you. So if you guys have time, you should swing by.”   It takes a delayed second for him to nod and when he doesn’t say anything, you step in. “Good luck. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”   “Thanks.”   “We’re rooting for you,” Taehyung cheers and starts singing the national anthem much to the hockey captain’s amusement who ends up joining the sing-along.    There are a few more words exchanged before Jungkook makes an excuse to go. Taehyung rides off while Jungkook convinces you to get onto the back of his bike on the rear seat. With your legs lifted on the side and your arms wrap around his abdomen, Jungkook rides off, leaving Junmyeon in the dust.   He won’t go.   Jungkook doesn’t want to. Yoonji’s words ring inside his mind. And he doesn’t like himself very much when he’s with them either. If his memory hasn’t failed him, he was indeed an ass and he doesn’t need that in his life. It’s all in the past and should be left there. Plus, he much prefers hanging out with Taehyung in the gaming lounge.   The two of them end up winding down with controllers in hand. “Go, go….”   Jungkook is quiet, concentrated, brows furrowed and even more serious than when he curls. Taehyung, on the other hand, is louder, shouting and getting wrapped up in it. He’s making a ruckus that’ll probably warrant someone stomping in and telling them to shut up. But for now, the round ends and with the loading screen, he leans back, giving his vocal cords a slight rest.   “You know, I wouldn’t be mad if you ditched me to go,” Taehyung mumbles.   He sips on his banana milk that he found in the vending machine. “Go where?”   “To the party.”   Jungkook glances over and their eyes meet. “I wouldn’t ditch you go to a dumb party, Tae.”   “But you should.”   He frowns. “Why?”   Taehyung shrugs. “You and I always hang out. When do you ever get a chance to hang out with those guys anymore?”   “I don’t want to hang out with them,” he mutters and spams the buttons on his controller. For some reason, the loading screen is taking excruciatingly long. “Goddammit…” Jungkook ends up sliding off his beanbag chair and he pounds his fist at the top of the console. He considers resetting it, but doesn’t for the sake of not losing all progress made.    “I still think you should go, Kook.” It’s out of the blue and he’s being oddly insistent. “They used to be your friends, right? If it were me and I hadn’t seen you in a long time, I’d want you to come.”   The dark-haired boy remains quiet and Taehyung continues, “Just saying, we always hang out. A chance to go to a party doesn’t come often. Should take advantage of it. You know, so you won't regret it later on. At least check it out.”   “I know what those parties are like. It’s nothing exciting.”   “Then there’s no harm in going,” the brunette points out. “We’ll have many times like this again. Trust me, Kook, I have lots of plans of crashing your apartment and raiding your fridge and couch surfing and playing video games with you till early morning and our eyes are burning.”   The corner of his mouth threatens to tug. “I’m not letting you in.”   “Too bad, I’ll get you a copy of your key. I know you keep the spare in the potted plant.”   Jungkook scoffs and turns around to face his friend instead of trying to run away again. “Why don’t you come with me then?”   “Nah, I don’t know those guys like you do. Plus, I’ve made some friends with a few short track kids. I’ll be fine.”   A small smile plastered on his face. “Are you trying to ditch me so you can go hang out with your new friends?”   “Don’t expose me,” Taehyung quips mischievously.    Jungkook takes a deep breath. He wants to stay, but another part of him tells him to go….so he braces himself and gets up, deciding to just give it a good ten minutes. He can always come back here and play for the rest of the night.   The curler ends up marching across the village to a different apartment area where loud music is already beginning to rumble the ground and the walls. It’s deafening and there are a bunch of people he doesn’t recognize around, girls and guys from every nation giggling and leaning against each other.   It’s déjà vu.   It feels like he’s stepping in a time machine, going back years ago when he didn’t know much, when he didn’t know loss or pain, only passion and hard work and this….   “Holy fuck! Is that Jeon Jungkook?!”   There’s howling and roaring from the team as he steps into the room and immediately, a grin spreads into his face. He’s bombarded and body slammed. “Fuck, Chanyeol. Chill, dude.”   “Thought I’d never see you again!”   Yixing approaches, shoving Chanyeol out of the way to engulf Jungkook an in a drunken hug, slurring something barely coherent, “—disappeared off the face of the fucking earth. I missed you so much, bro.”   “I- uh...missed you too.”   “I’m glad you could come.” Junmyeon pushes himself out of the dancing crowd, holding his red cup in hand, wearing a smile towards him.   “Glad I could make it,” he responds with his own smile.   “Hey! Someone go get Jongin, he’s gonna cry when he sees Jeon!”   “Someone get this man a drink,” Minseok shouts above the crowds.   “On it!” Jongdae holds his red solo cup over his head, cutting through the masses. There are a bunch of eyes pinned on Jungkook, wondering who he is for this many to be catering to him. There are girls interested in him too, coming closer, but he doesn’t notice them, focusing solely on his friends.   There’s barely time to breathe, much less to allow anyone to chat him up. Jungkook drinks, plays a few rounds of beer pong and takes the shots shoved into his hands. And he’s passed around from buddy to buddy, having never been touched so much. Literally. They’re handsy when they drink and sentimental. Jungkook is pulled into half-hugs, full-hugs, fist bumps, rough pats on the back, fancy handshakes he barely remembers and obnoxious team cheers.    It’s a whirlwind. He stays longer than intended. But it’s fun.   Jungkook forgot it was like this and he doesn’t know why he was so afraid of this atmosphere, afraid of confronting his old teammates. In fact, he misses it. Then Jungkook remembers that he never chose to leave this, never voluntary. It was ripped away from him, by the injury he caused himself...   There’s finally some peace when Baekhyun decides to do keg stands and Sehun holds him up while the rest of the idiots cheer them on. Kyungsoo is leaning against the wall, wearing a poker face as he drinks. It’s quiet and nice, allowing Jungkok to regain his energy. “You’ve been doing….curling?”   “Yeah. It’s cool.”   “Heard you were good.”   “Really?” He’s pleasantly surprised. “From who?”   Kyungsoo shrugs. “Just around. You like it?”   “I do.”   He hums, wearing a kind and small smile. “I’m glad you’re doing something, Jungkook.”   “I would never leave the ice for the world,” he says and they exchange knowing smiles.   “Coach was right.” Kyungsoo sips his vodka-mixed drink and their private conversation isn’t tense or wistful, but filled with the shorter male’s admiration. “No matter what you do, you’d be good at it. There’s no one else who can survive like you can.”   “That’s not true.”   “You don’t think so?” His cup motions over to the group. “If Baekhyun or Yixing ever went through what you did, I doubt they’d be able to cope. Probably would be laying in bed somewhere, wasting their lives away...not that they already aren’t wasting their lives away.”   But Jungkook doesn’t feel powerful, resilient, or strong.   Once he’s overcome his fear of confronting his teammates, he’s filled with sadness.   He’s getting glimpses back into the life that should’ve been his.   Jungkook drinks and drinks, doing shots, taking anything Jongin gives him, what Minseok passes into his hands. He takes it in to smother the emotions in the pits of his stomach, to drown them away.    Eventually, when the party dies down, some of the members go off with girls and others pass out on the floor. He, on the other hand, waves his hand and rejects the offer of sleeping on the couch.   Instead, Jungkook stumbles around Olympic village at two in the morning.   He feels like singing, but keeps quiet with his mission in mind. There’s something he wants to do badly, someone he wants to see.    Jungkook’s vision warps and he leans on the wall for leverage, heavy breaths drawing out of his lungs. He barely remembers going into the apartment and up the elevator, but here he is, staggering down the hall.   He finds the door and begins to pound his fist on it, letting the sound boom down the corridor. From the deepest part of his voice, Jungkook shouts your name. “Y/N! Y/N!”    He’s not sure how long he does it for, but soon, the surface his fist is smashing against moves away from him. The hinges creak and he greets the dark room. You’re clad in your pajamas, bed-head and all, sleepiness making it hard to muster the energy to be angry. “Jungkook? What are you doing here? Yoongi’s asleep! Are you drunk?”   The boy doesn’t say anything and you don’t need a verbal answer when he reeks of alcohol.   But you’re unable to say any more when he falls forward, arms wrapping around your shoulders, abruptly hugging your body. His own frame overtakes yours, covering you fully like a shield. Jungkook holds you tightly as if he’s too afraid to let you go and while you’re caught off guard, you ease into his grasps. Your own hands lift up to his back, patting him gently as he squeezes you.   Jungkook’s black mop of hair shags down over his red eyes, downcast head slumped onto your shoulder and he whispers, “I missed you.”   You smile softly, feet bare on the carpet and not ready to greet the cold temperature in the hall, but you’re warm from his embrace. “We saw each other a few hours ago.”   You underestimate Jungkook’s current state, not aware of how emotional he’s feeling. So it’s another surprise when he suddenly begins to cry into your shoulder.    Soft sobs break out of Jungkook’s body, making your pajamas wet, but you hold onto him, letting him quietly cry into you. You pat him gently, soothing him and listening to his soft, drunken sobs as he lets it all out.    “I...I miss hockey.” Broken words tear out of his constricting throat and you realize he’s not just hugging you, but you’re cradling him in your arms, providing him comfort and security that he’s desperately seeking.   “I know,” you murmur back.    The pair of you stand there for a long moment, halfway between the bright hallway and the dark room. It’s quiet with people sleeping in their quarters, peaceful as you hold Jungkook, bodies pressed together, and he drunkenly cries on you. You can hear his heartbeat and the way he eventually quiets and hiccups. But even when he finishes, Jungkook doesn’t want to let go.    You’re not just his teddy bear. You’re his person.   Someone who stays by his side through thick and thin, someone that is not said but promised, the human being that is closest to him of all human beings, unconditional. You go beyond being a best friend for Jungkook, beyond a mere girlfriend or partner. You are everything that really matters and that fact won’t ever change no matter what form your relationship takes.   “C-can I come in?”   “You have to be quiet, alright?”   “Okay.” He nods and you let go while still holding his hands, shutting the door and helping him slip off his shoes. You lead the drunken boy into your room with Yoonji on the other side meters away, curled up in her lump of blankets, snoring and oblivious to what’s happening.    You bring your boyfriend to your bed, not letting him stumble into the furniture and you tuck him in, pulling his blankets up. But he still tugs you into him, cuddling your body, nuzzling into your hair and the pair of you fall asleep with arms and legs tangled together.   //   Morning comes with blinding sunlight, stirring him awake to a massive headache. You’re still asleep, so Jungkook carefully crawls over you, rolling his way to the washroom. He grabs the new toothbrush that the accommodation gave, tearing the plastic to open it and he squeezes out your toothpaste……….all while Yoonji is glaring at him in the mirror, standing next to him at the sink.   He’s not allowed in here and thus, when she woke up and saw him across the room, Yoonji was not amused. But Jungkook doesn’t particularly care that she’s glaring with him. He’s too busy nursing a hangover and that’s not even the worst part — he remembers how he used you and cried on you pathetically without providing much context, also nearly waking up the entire goddamn apartment building.    Yoonji spits out her toothpaste, rinses her mouth and splashes water on her face. She brushes her hair roughly while Jungkook finishes up himself. “You guys didn’t have sex when I was sleeping a foot away, right?”   “No,” he answers honestly.   “Good.” Relief overtakes the female curler. “I don’t want to be involved with you freaks in any shape or form.”   It’s true that he didn’t do anything to that extent, but the bar is set low. He still showed up unannounced banging on your door. If he had woken up Yoonji, he probably wouldn’t be alive anymore. But even if that didn’t happen and the only punishment he has for last night’s bad decisions is a hangover, he still feels like an ass — for irresponsibly going out drinking and making you take care of him afterwards, for treating you the way he did in front of those guys, for not talking much these days or telling you what’s wrong with him. Not to mention, he hasn’t been out on a date with you in the recent weeks leading up to getting here.   So he slips out before you’re awake, going down to the shopping center for overpriced flowers.    Jungkook’s stared at by many, wondering who he was buying them for, overhearing that it’s a sweet gesture no matter who it could be, but he knows it’s not enough to make up for these past few days. Yet somehow, you still grin when he hands them to you and it’s infectious enough to make him smile too.   “What are these for?”   “It’s Valentine’s today.”   “It is?” Your surprise morphs into dread. “I...didn’t get you anything!”   “It’s okay.” Jungkook laughs. “We agreed we weren’t going to do it this year, so it’s okay. You didn’t forget anything.”   “Then what are these for?” You dig your nose into the bouquet, smelling the pink tulips.   “It’s just something I got when I was thinking about you.”   Your smile is sweet, but eyes have a glimmer of mischief. “Not as a thank you because I let you in last night instead of kicking you to the curb?” You don’t mention the crying part as if it’s too intimate to poke fun at and make him embarrassed about.   “No.” He pouts. “But maybe that too.”   “If Adora or Namjoon saw me sneaking you in after hours, he’d give us another earful. Remember last time when we were at WMDCC?”   “It’s not like the others aren’t doing it.” He plops down, sitting on the edge of your bed that still hasn’t been made, sheets ruffled with your nice scent clinging onto them. Jungkook watches as you put the bouquet down on the nightstand, propped up against the lamp. “Taehyung banished me from the room. He’s off with some figure skater he met in the dining hall.”   You hum. “Yoonji’s having fun with some cross-country skier, I think. So...we have the room to ourselves.”   He smiles, nose wrinkling slightly, teeth shown. “What are you insinuating?”   “That we celebrate Valentine’s properly.” You shove Jungkook’s shoulder and he falls back onto the mattress, allowing you to come up and straddle his hips. His smile wipes off, brows lifting, entertained at the new change of pace.   “I don’t have a cond—”   “It’s okay. I have some. Took them from the dispenser machine.” You sit right where his cock is hardening, letting your weight sink onto his bulge and he chokes on air, hands coming up to hold your waist. It’s supposed to be him making it up to you and rather than feeling guilt, he’s beginning to feel more rewarded.   “Is everything okay?” Jungkook has to ask, too curious for his own good. Usually you’re more coy, but he doesn’t mind as long as it’s you.   It’s a question you should be asking him, but it seems like an afternoon where things are happening the other way around.   “Why?” You’re on slight alert, apprehensive and watching his reaction. “Is this weird?”   You’ve taken Yoongi’s advice, trying to be bolder, but deep down you’re still self-conscious. Thankfully, he shakes his head. “No. I like it. I like you. It’s just different.”   “Y-yeah.” Your fingers tremble as they play with the hem of his shirt, lifting it slowly like you’re trying to steal a peek and as if it’s not already meant for only your eyes in the first place. “Just wanted to try something...different.”   “Different isn’t bad,” he comments and you reach down to kiss him. Jungkook grabs the back of your neck, deepening the kiss until it’s wet and warm and good enough to make your toes curl. His kisses aren’t as shy as they used to be — it’s more comfortable and practiced, knowing you well enough to eagerly welcome you on his tongue.   And once you break apart, your lips are swollen and red in the same shade. “I wanna be better than those girls,” you admit thoughtlessly in a whisper, playing with the zipper on his jeans and wanting something underneath it.   “What girls?”   Jungkook blinks, sincerely having no idea what you mean. In the meanwhile, you continue to fumble with pants again, a bit more nervous. “No one. Never mind.”   “I love you,” he confesses quietly. Those words have only been said a handful of times before, so he means it. Jungkook’s past relationships were derived from peer pressure, reckless and immature. It’s so much nicer to be with someone, to touch someone when there’s that emotional intensity. And as he mulls over such thoughts, he pulls you down to kiss you again, gentler this time. “You know that.”   “I do.” You smile once you pull away. “And I love you back.”   Jungkook’s grin could make his cheeks burst. “Good.”   His declaration makes you happier than you’d like to admit. And once you rip off Jungkook’s pants once and for all, he’s also happier than he’d like to admit.   //   “Alright, gather up!” Namjoon’s voice roars in the empty space, sound echoing loudly even when all four of you are standing just meters away. Adora is placed beside her partner in crime, hands on her hips as she wears a stern expression. “We realized recently that we’ve been too lax with you guys here. There’s been too much slacking.”   “Oh, please.” Yoonji rolls her eyes. “You don’t need to lie to motivate us. We know we’re the best team you guys have — that’s why we’re the only ones here, right?”   Adora points her clipboard at the female. “That kind of arrogant talk will make you get bronze.”   She gasps, wholly offended by the idea. “Bronze? I’d rather get nothing.”   “At this rate, you’ll get nothing,” Namjoon interrupts with a sigh. “We might have passed all seven trial games, but we need to focus for the semi-finals. We’re going up against the Beijing team. This is their home turf, so we can’t let our guard down. Got that, Yoonji?”   She mumbles with a pout, “Yes…”   “There’s just a few pointers we need to go through. Remember to take advantage of the free guard zone.” All of you have watched videos of the opponents, taking notes on their techniques and strategies, and they have it down solid. “They’re good. We should make it tough for them. Make them play pressure shots. And if we get the hammer shot, then aim to get multiple points. But sometimes, it’s okay to take the single.”   He continues to elaborate as you listen and then Adora steps in. “You guys already make eighty five percent of your intended shots. Majority of the shots are made and as much as we go over strategies, it’s difficult since decisions have to be made in the moment. So for today, I think we should practice some takeout shots and do a defensive play and make sure we get that fifteen percent that you guys are missing.”   “Aye-aye, captain!” Taehyung grins, saluting the coach much to her dismay.   Yoonji goes first as usual.   She gets down, feet a few inches apart with her slider foot slightly forward and her weight put on the hack foot. Her shoulders and hips are level and she feels the weight of the stone, pulling it back to the toe of her hack foot. She moves her slider foot straight back, weight transferred onto it and her hips raise. The weight moves back and she pushes out, releasing the stone in a smooth motion.   It curls down the sheet, heading closer to the button of the house. Your eyes narrow and you begin to shout encouragements. Jungkook and Taehyung both begin to brush, arms working fast and once they stop, the stone halts right on the button…   ….   The crowd erupts in cheers.   The team members on the opponent side grin, nodding and talking amongst themselves, obviously impressed with the play.   The semi-finals should be nerve-racking.   Your body should be slick with sweat, hands trembling, mind numb as you consider this is one of the most important games of your entire career. But instead, you find yourself having a lot of fun. While the opponents have tricks up their sleeves, surprising you every so often, you have your own.   The crowd also hypes the players up. Their howling, cheering, chanting sets the perfect mood for the game. It’s hard to find people as passionate about curling as you are, but here, everyone cares about the sport wholeheartedly and their applause is music to your ears.    Taehyung swaps with Yoonji and they high-five each other as they pass.   “You got this, Taehyung,” you encourage him, glad that practice went well enough to give him more confidence. It was going exactly as planned.   He smirks, arrogantly even and you muse how Yoonji must be rubbing off of him. “I know.”   The brunette makes you scoff, but his remark is well deserved when he manages a double takeout of the opponent’s stone. It’s still a close game, but Taehyung’s following plays remove their stones from the house and Jungkook sets up the perfect draw shots for you.   In the heat of the moment, you decide to take on a bold tactic, continuing to score despite inadvertently giving them the hammer. It’s risky, but you’re still ahead. And with eight ends finishing and only one more, your breath is bated, watching as their last stone takes only one of your own out.   It’s a steal in your end.   The people around the stadium stand in cheers, sound erupting. Jungkook runs over, nearly tumbling on the ice but he catches balance and engulfs you in a hug, swinging you up and squeezing laughter out of your lungs. Namjoon and Adora are losing their minds, grabbing their hair and mouths dropped in disbelief. Taehyung and Yoonji are in a similar state, screaming with their arms in the air. The China team claps, having tried their best and giving you a minute before they go over and shake your hands.   The four of you are going to the finals, taking silver or gold home.    Either way, you’re guaranteed winners.   //   “You think my dad would like this shirt?”   You hold up the white sleeveless tee with the brown bear mascot printed on it. It’s horribly obnoxious and makes Jungkook grin. “No. But if you bought it for him, he’d still wear it. He’d wear anything you buy him.”   “Yeah, but he’d secretly hate it and I’d feel bad.” You smile, putting it back on the rack properly.   The two of you are walking through the shopping center aisles together, looking at knick-knacks and souvenirs to bring home. Jungkook’s following along — and you muse that you’re not the only one who steals clothes from him. He’s wearing your oversized pink hoodie, three sizes too large for you that fits him perfectly. It’s a bright, cute colour that makes him soft and you have to resist the urge to hug him; lest Yoonji somehow show up and mutter something about how gross you two are.   “Hey, what do you think about this?”   “About what?”   Jungkook gingerly plops a headband on your head and you turn to glance in the mirror, finding yourself with bear ears. When you turn back to Jungkook, he’s wearing the cheesiest smile, endeared by you. “It’s cute.”   You grab another headband on the shelf, reaching up to put it on his own head. “You’re cuter.”   “I doubt it.” Jungkook pulls you in to share a discreet kiss between the shopping aisles. It’s short, but enough to make your toes tingle and he smiles against your mouth before pulling away. A group of girls walking past and peeking down the aisle are disappointed, having been using him as eye candy.   You continue walking with him, wearing the headband and deciding to buy them before you leave. “Hey, Jungkook…”   “Hmm?”   “You know I’ll support you in whatever you want, right? That includes if you want to continue curling or try hockey again.” You turn to him, serious, lips fallen into a straight line.   “I...I can’t—”   “You haven’t tried yet,” you tell him. “We both know there are athletes out there who come back after injuries that are supposed to end their careers. I know there’s not a lot of them out there and chances are slim. But if there’s anyone who can do it, it’s you.”   There’s suddenly heavy pressure placed upon his shoulders.   Jungkook begins to break out into a sweat. He doesn’t know what he wants anymore. And his lips part to say something, but you continue, beating him to the punch.   “If you give up curling, that doesn’t mean you’re losing me. I’m mutually exclusive from it. You know that, right? That it doesn’t matter to me — curling or hockey or anything else. Even if you wanted to retire from sports. You’d still be my best friend.”   He smiles softly. “What about being your boyfriend?”   “That too.” You continue walking with him alongside you. “If you miss the ice, we can learn how to skate together again. If you want. But one thing’s for sure, you can’t be as bad as I am.”   “You’re not that bad.”   “Really?” Your expression is overcome with disbelief and it makes him laugh which in turn causes a smile to pull up into your cheeks. “I want you to be happy.”   He assures you, “I am happy.”   “Happier, then. I want to help you achieve whatever you want.”   Jungkook’s heart feels warm. It goes quiet for a few minutes, you checking out the snow globes while he’s leaning against the shelves, staring. It makes you self-conscious, palms clammy and you’re about to ask him to stop looking at you like that, but this time, he’s the one to speak first.   “Do you want to come with me? I...heard the hockey team has their semis tonight.”   You smile, elated at the invitation. “I’d be happy to.”   The promising words that draw out of your lips might not seem much to you, but for Jungkook, it provides him relief that you’re here to stay — a constant in his life.   //   It’s crowded.   There are more people here than in curling games, understandable considering hockey is a popular sport, but it’s a whole nother category of passion. There are people wearing the player’s jerseys, faces painted in their nation’s colours, carrying signs with them and even holding hockey trading cards.   A few people recognize Jungkook, gasping when they see him, and he smiles meekly, mumbling a few ‘hellos’ as he shuffles past. The roaring music and cheers make goosebumps run up his arms. He has an urge to turn around and book it out of the stadium, but with you by his side, he’s able to muster enough courage to keep going.   Jungkook expects to sit there, watch the game and then leave when it’s over. But what he doesn’t anticipate is to run into a familiar man on his way up the stands. “J-Jungkook?”   “Coach...”   “Oh my god.” The old man’s mouth has fallen open and then he chuckles deep within his chest, grinning and coming over to hug Jungkook, wrinkling his own suit in the process. “They really weren’t lying. I didn’t know I’d see you here. I...I can’t believe it.”   The boy laughs as he’s being let go. “Well, believe it, old man.”    “You made it. You’re at the Olympics.” He pats him on the back, radiating pride. “I knew you could make it, Jeon.”   Jungkook grins. “Thanks for believing in me.”   Coach looks over to you. “This is….?”   “Y/N.” The boy happily announces, “My girlfriend.”   The older male shakes your hand firmly. “Nice to meet you.”    “This is my old coach,” Jungkook introduces to you.   “The one and only.” He smiles before looking at the former hockey player. “You should come say hi to the team.”   “Oh…” Jungkook glances at you who encourages him to go. But, he still hesitates. “Aren’t they going out soon?”   “In a little bit, but I think seeing you will help motivate them.”   He nods and while you go up to the stands to save your seats, Jungkook goes to the back locker rooms. The other members greet him with hugs and fist bumps while he wishes them good luck. They end up dragging him to do the usual chant, huddled up together, heads down, jumping in a circle as they hype each other up. It’s nostalgic. The smiles are infectious too but as they go out one by one, Jungkook’s left behind.   After a moment, their backsides disappear beyond the doorway and he strolls back to join you at the stands. It’s a good spot, overseeing the entire rink. Jungkook’s also comforted that you’re here and he’s not alone. But before the game officially begins, the national anthem plays and the players skate around, exchanging hand shakes with their opponents. Jungkook takes the time to teach you the game.   “So the line in the middle is called the centerline and the blue lines divide the rink into three zones. There’s the neutral zone in the middle and two end zones, and the red lines at the end are the goal lines. The dots are the face off spots—”   “I know,” you laugh, saving him from having to explain the rules. “I’ve been to hockey games a couple times before.”   “You have?”   “Yeah. I watched you play before.”   “You have?” Jungkook’s more surprised than before, not knowing that you actually saw him.   “I...was your fan actually,” you admit sheepishly.   “Well, I knew that.”   It’s your turn to be shocked. “How?”   The boy in the blue toque and red mittens shrugs playfully. “Just a feeling. But I didn’t know you actually came to my game. Why didn’t you ever approach me or talk to me?”   “Why?” You giggle, the answer obvious. “You didn’t know who I was and I doubt you would’ve given me the time of day.”   Part of Jungkook wants to say that you two could’ve started your relationship sooner instead of meeting you for the first time when he joined curling. But then again, he was an ass back then — exactly what Yoonji had initially assumed about him. He played around a lot, but he’s certain that…   “I still would’ve liked you.”   You smile, appreciating his sentiment.    The game begins and the two of you watch intently — three periods that are twenty minutes each and two intermissions where you and Jungkook stretch your limbs, waiting. But during that time, he ends up getting caught up in some fans who knew him, signing someone’s jersey and taking a few pictures. It’s cute...until a stranger asks him for his number and that’s when you make your appearance, scaring her off much to Jungkook’s amusement who considers you too adorable to actually frighten someone.    Jungkook feels like a retired celebrity and he channels his cockiness which makes you roll your eyes. The game eventually continues and he loses his annoying persona.   It goes twenty minutes into overtime until Junmyeon scores straight into the opponent’s net.   Everyone watching in the stadium stands on their feet, cheering, hollering and clapping. Your boyfriend screams out his friend’s name loud enough that the hockey planner actually spots him and waves.    It’s strange. Jungkook doesn’t feel burdened or jealous. He’s proud.   //   The stadium slowly files out, people leaving one by one.   You’re off, meeting with Yoonji and Taehyung down the street for the hockey team’s after party that all you were invited too, but Jungkook stays behind. Just for a moment to himself. And he finds himself walking down closer to the rink until he’s leaning on the railing, staring at the surface that’s no longer smooth, intricate grooves and designs made from the skates.   He looks up, allowing the bright lights to shine into his eyes and burns his vision. Jungkook imagines the stadium filled with people again. In his fantasy, this time it’s him who’s skating on the ice. He can still remember when he was the one to shoot the winning goal, how his friends piled on top of him and his coach stood proud amongst the crowd, his parents clapping at the stands while people screamed his name.   It’s different now — but also very much the same.   There’s still people clapping, shouting his name, parents and coaches cheering for him. He’s still on the ice with the lights shining down and his friends always pile on top of him in hugs of victory….   “Hey, you alright?” Junmyeon exits the locker room, clad in his dark tracksuit, and he drops his duffle bag on the floor, throwing the towel from his shoulder down to join him.   “Congratulations, dude.” They both fist bump and half hug each other, patting one another on the back.   “Thanks.” The shorter male grins. “You looked like you were deep in thought. What’s up?”   “Nah. It was nothing. Maybe just considering that you were great on the ice. It was a good game and fun to watch. I never got many chances to just watch back in the day.” Jungkook musters up the courage to deliver the words he’s been thinking, “You deserve to be captain, Junmyeon.”   He smiles softly and they both lean on the railing, looking out to the rink, cheeks cooling down from the cold temperature. “I don’t know about that, Jeon. I had big shoes to fill. I still do.”   Jungkook smiles. “That’s not true.”   “It is. You’d be surprised.” The hockey player glances at him. “When you left, it was a huge loss. It was hard for us and we couldn’t even imagine how you were feeling. I’m glad you’re doing well, Kook.”   The curler takes the words in somberly. “I’m sorry I avoided you guys. I….didn’t want to see you or talk and I ended up shutting you all out.”   “Hey, man…” It’s an awkward heart to heart, but Junmyeon sympathizes and pats him on the back before retracting his arm. “...that’s understandable….”   “I was scared of coming today, you know that?” Jungkook knocks his head back to stare at the fluorescent lights again. They don’t seem so dazzling right now. “Of watching a game. Of that stupid party. I was scared of all of this….scared that I would miss it. Of missing hockey.”   “Do you?”   “Yeah,” Jungkook answers after a second of consideration and he looks at his friend. “I was mad, you know. I was angry and upset about that injury that I caused myself.”   “You didn’t cause it yourself—”   “I was the one who pushed myself. I should’ve….” There’s so many things he should’ve done differently, he doesn’t know what to start with. Jungkook wonders at what point he started to harbour so many regrets. “Should’ve known better.”   It’s one thing to retire. It’s another for it to be taken away from him.   It’s so goddamn unfair. Jungkook wants to cry again.   “Don’t blame yourself. It was us who should’ve helped you. We’re a team,” Junmyeon says with his brows furrowed, “But we don’t act like it.”   He sighs, running a hand over his face, other arm dropping over the railing as he leans over with his entire body weight. “I don’t feel like a survivor, Jun. Everyone has so many expectations for me, even now. It’s a miracle that I’m here...that I made it in another sport. But I don’t feel like I’ve beat the odds or that I’m some kind of genius golden boy who’s good at everything he does.”   “You are a survivor.” Junmyeon grins, looking at his friend. “I know people’s expectations might seem a lot to handle, but you still made it, dude. Your injury was supposed to stop your hockey career, but here you are. Anyone else who was in your position, they’d be broken.”   “I was broken. I was lost.”    “But you’re standing at the Olympics. You did it through hard work, not just luck or natural skill. Or by some miracle. You worked your ass off to learn a new sport, to keep the name you had for yourself. You deserve the praise. You’re fucking amazing.”   “I’m not.”   “Just take the fucking compliment.” He laughs quietly. “It doesn’t have to be that deep. If you’re feeling pressured about expectations and how people see you, then stop giving a shit.”   He scoffs. “Easy for you to say.”   The hockey player smiles. “You might not be a hockey golden boy anymore, Jungkook. But you’re still an incredible person. You’re still you with or without hockey. Nothing was lost.”   Jungkook scoffs again, but this time his vision is blurred with tears. He rubs his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket and if Junmyeon notices then he doesn’t say anything.   He continues, “You know, I’ve noticed something about you these days, Kook. You seem a lot happier. I don’t know about you, but the days leading up to your injury, everyone was worried. The pressure was real, but you were especially tense and stressed. I know how it can get when you’re captain, trust me, I know now. It feels like everyone’s riding on your shoulders. But back then, I could tell it was getting to you and the entire team...we were all drifting apart and growing distant from each other. But you seem a lot better now. Healthier. Happier. Back to your old self.” Junmyeon smiles. “If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought that you willingly retired from hockey because you it got too easy for you and you told the rest of us to fuck off.”   Jungkook laughs, sound ringing from his chest. “I’d never do that.”   “I’m not so sure.” Junmyeon stands straighter. “You were real intense back in the day and man, could you imagine the media outlets freaking out that one of the best players said the sport sucked? That would’ve been a real power move. Big dick energy right there. Like Albert Einstein saying physics is for idiots. Damn. Would’ve made the rest of us look like fools.”   He grins, finished wiping his eyes. “Do I really seem happier than before?”   “A hundred percent,” he responds without a beat of hesitation. “That’s what Kyungsoo told me too. That injury should’ve ruined your life but here you are, riding bikes and shopping and you learnt a whole fucking sport in two years and made it to the Olympics. You came out on top with a smile. Happier than before. Fuck. If I didn’t know you, I’d be freaked out. You’re a beast.”   “You’re not just saying this shit to make me feel better, right?”   “No. I fucking suck ass at comforting people, you know that. I speak only truths.”   Jungkook smiles again and then he exhales softly. “Well...it’s not like I can change what happened to my injury.” The road to acceptance is long and instead of running away like he’s been doing, he’s slowly coming to terms with it. Even if it’s painful. “I had to make do with what I had.”   “And this is where you are. Better than before, I might argue.” There’s an extended moment of quiet, both looking out to the rink. Junmyeon pipes up, breaking the silence, “If there’s one thing I learnt ever since stepping up as captain — it’s that it’s not about the sport, Jungkook. It’s about the people too.”   “Are you still listening to those podcasts trying to be woke?”   “A little,” he admits with a grin. “But I’m serious. Don’t get me wrong, those guys on the hockey team are hard workers and they’re great, but they’re also a toxic wasteland. It’s easy to be swept up in their idiocy. The pressure gets to you sometimes and you know that best.”   “Yeah….” Jungkook hums a note, feeling oddly introspective. “That was actually something I had to get used to when I joined this new team. They’re not like us, Jun.”   “Not like a frat house on fire?”   Jungkook laughs and nods. “They’re family.”   Men’s, Women’s, Mixed — everyone greeted and welcomed him warmly. Maybe because they’re older folks that are wiser, knowing what’s important in life and not concerned with partying or status. Jungkook always felt like they were dependable people. People who wouldn’t judge him wrongfully. Who saw him as one of their own, a son, a friend, not someone to be competed with.    It’s joining the curling team that Jungkook learnt what teamwork meant and knew what it’s like when everyone truly cares for each other.   “Wow,” Junmyeon exhales. “Are you trying to make me envious right now? I told you I was already intimidated by your hard work, okay? No need to make me jealous too.”   He lightly scoffs. “I’m not.”   The conversation simmers down and the curler takes a deep breath, tiny smile placed on his features as he stares out at the ice, less bitter than he was before. It was nice to talk like this, to have someone know his predicaments and not only lend a listening ear, but comforting words.   Jungkook thought that it would be hard to go to a game, to see his old friends again. But it wasn’t. Not at all. It was easy even. Sure, it brought up bad memories he wanted to run from, made him feel nostalgic and regretful and sad, but Jungkook also realizes that it wasn’t as great and grand as he had previously remembered.   He wasn’t that happy in the face of fame, of intensive struggle with people who encouraged and fueled his bad behaviour. It was only when he got away did it occur to him that he didn’t like the person he was and the person that he was becoming.   And it was only coming to this game did Jungkook realize that things weren’t so different now. He was still drowning in a sport he loved. He was still playing. He was still in a team. He was still under the fluorescent lights with people cheering him on. He was still on the ice.   “She’s a good fit for you, y’know,” the hockey player suddenly pipes up, interrupting his train of thought. “Y/N. She’s a nice girl.”   “I know.” Jungkook’s smile to himself softens.   “The moment I got a chance to talk to her, I thought ‘fucking hell, Jeon has it all, doesn’t he? He finally has his perfect girlfriend too.’”   “Perfect girlfriend?” The curler’s brow lift, tone less threatening and more mischievous.   “Perfect for you,” the hockey player clarifies with a grin, trying not to step on his friend’s toes by coming onto his girlfriend, “not for me.”   “How’d you know she’s my girlfriend?”   Junmyeon shrugs. “I just knew. Seemed like your type and you both looked happy as shit when you saw each other. It was actually pretty obvious. Damn. Now I’m really jealous of you. You’re just oozing with joy and happiness, aren’t you? Fucking rubbing it in all our faces that you’re better off without us.”   Jungkook bursts out laughing and pats him on the back. “I’m sure Irene would take you back.”   “Fuck no! Are you crazy?! I’d rather date car-keyer Jisoo than her again!” He visibly shivers and the Jungkook laughs again.   “You guys should come watch me curl,” he invites. “We’re having the finals in two days. And it’s not as dumb as some people might think. The sport’s pretty intense actually.”   “I heard.” Junmyeon smiles. “I heard you were good too. That true or just another rumour about the Great Jeon?”   “You have to come check out for yourself.”   //   The stadium is roaring.    People are stomping twice and then clapping once, letting the beat echo as they create their own music and drown out the commentators on the intercom. He can barely hear his own thoughts and Adora is wearing earplugs while Namjoon is relishing it, pretending he’s the king of this sport.    There are flags swirling, held up by people. Singing, cheering, hollering, blood-curdling screams, there’s everything. It feels more like an MMA fight than a curling game. And it’s scaring all four of you. Taehyung is shocked, mouth dropped wide open. But more importantly, the colour of red and white fills the crowd.   “Damn Canadians,” Yoonji mutters, knowing full well how crazy Canada is about curling.   “It’s kind of fun, huh,” you muse with a laugh, smiling towards the Canadian team that nod in acknowledgment.    Taehyung comes over, flinging his arm over your shoulder and Yoonji’s. “Well, let’s make the best of it. Either way we’re leaving with gold or silver.”    “If we win gold, what if they riot?” Yoonji asks with raised brows.   “Nah, they wouldn’t. Canadians are too nice for that.”   “You haven’t been to a hockey game in Canada,” Jungkook comments before catching someone up on the stands.    It’s his old coach and the rest of the hockey team, sitting awkwardly at the center of the stands, all too out of place. The visual makes Jungkook grin. “Is it always this crowded?” Minseok leans over to ask Junmyeon as if he knows.   Yoongi, beside them, turns his head. “You have a lot to learn around here.”   “This is a legit sport, huh?” Jongin is amazed, blinking twice as he gawks.    “Course it is. What did you expect?”   “I don’t….know.”   Chanyeol leans over to Sehun, shouting when the music begins again. “I don’t think any of our hockey games had this many people!”   “Oh shit!” Baekhyun is screaming, looking down at the curling sheet as players begin to move. “What’s happening?!”   “It’s a coin toss,” Yoongi says loudly, unimpressed by their stupidity. “Winner goes first.”   “Jeon’s going!” Yixing yells and then all of them stand up, screaming from deep in the pits of their stomach. Their competitive fire ignites inside of them, trying to beat the Canadian spectators in their cheers.   “Let’s go, Jeon!” — “Get that fucking coin toss!” — “Beat them, JK! You fucking got this man!”   The group is so loud that Jungkook notices in the midst of the noise and turns, waving to them with a ginormous grin. Junmyeon laughs his head off as the spectators in the stands continue to cheer, audience going wild.   The coldness of the ice wafts over, making the air frigid. His breath is seen every time he exhales, cheeks becoming rosy in the cold. He can’t feel anything, not his hands or the tip of his nose. The edges of his fingers tingle, mind tickling pleasantly. This is where he’s meant to be, where he worked so hard to get to.   The moment is perfect.   Taehyung and Yoonji are by his side, holding their brooms. More importantly, you’re here too, giving him a firm nod to go ahead. And Jungkook flips the coin, tossing it in the air and letting the surface shine against the bright lights.   The game ensues.

[Epilogue]   The door opens.   You barely have time to take off your shoes, running towards the tiny fenced area in the living room. “Where’s my baby?”   Jungkook enters, flicking on the lights in the foyer to shed the darkness away. In the meanwhile, you’re reaching down, arms holding his tiny body to Jungkook’s slight amusement. You’re cooing at it, apologizing for going out for dinner and leaving it alone for so long.   “We’re not going to keep the bunny, Y/N.”   “Why not?”   “Because we found him in front of our apartment and he could have rabies.”   “That’s why I set up a vet appointment on the weekend. And he’s not a wild rabbit. He’s a domesticated bunny that was in a cardboard box. Can you really let this fella go?”    Suddenly, the rabbit is shoved in his face. It’s ears are perked in the air, rounded eyes completely black, nose vibrating as it sniffs his scent. It’s a furry brown thing. Kind of cute. But he won’t let himself be swayed.   “Yes, I can.”    Jungkook moves away from the rabbit, stepping to the side, preferring to stare at you.   Your love for animals since childhood extended into adulthood and now you had enough money and independence to build your own zoo in the apartment without your mother saying ‘no’. On the bright side, at least capable of taking care of them. Jungkook still doesn’t like the bunny though.   It had to go.   “But it looks just like you. It’s adorable.” You’re squealing, gazing at the rodent with endearment that leaves Jungkook speechless. “I can’t let him go and risk Yoonji finding him and throwing him on a barbecue.”   “That was a joke,” he reminds and muses that Yoonji’s dark sense of humour finally matched with his own.    You’ve been spending so much time with that damn rabbit. More than him. At this point, Jungkook can’t help but look at the animal and think that it knows exactly what it’s doing. He wouldn’t be surprised if one day the damn animal was cause for you to kick him to the curb.    Mr. Steal Your Girl was very real and it came in the form of a disgustingly cute bunny.   “You know I don’t appreciate that joke.”   He sheds his taupe coat off and you put the bunny down in his large fenced area, petting him once before allowing Jungkook to help take off your own coat to hang up on the rack. “Who’s gonna watch it when we’re on our honeymoon?”   “Since when are we having a honeymoon?” You move to the fridge, looking for the celery. “You’re going to need to propose to me first before that happens. And if it ever happens—”   “When it happens,” he corrects.   “—Taehyung can watch him for us.”   “Taehyung can’t wipe his own ass.”   “Hey,” you twist around to defend your friend. “That only happened once because the men’s washroom ran out of toilet paper. What else was he supposed to do?”   “That’s what he says.” Jungkook grins, nose wrinkling. “I think he just forgot to wipe.”   You tottle over with celery in hand, leaning over the fence to feed the rabbit. At the same time, Jungkook’s phone lights up and he looks over the screen. “Namjoon just texted the group chat. He wants us to meet him at the rink.”   “But we just got home.” You pet the rabbit before leaving it alone, standing straight to pout at your boyfriend. Then, your expression lights up and a new idea spills from your lips— “Should we ditch?”   “Little Miss. Goody Two Shoes wants to ditch?” Jungkook grins and throws his phone on the couch, abandoning it to circle his arms around your waist. “Unheard of.”   “Only cause I’d rather go to bed and cuddle with you right now.”   “Sounds like a plan.” But before anyone moves, Jungkook can’t resist the urge to kiss you. He leans down, softly sealing your lips with his, gentle and saving more for later. It subtly takes like that vanilla ice-cream you two had for dessert and your smile against his mouth. Jungkook eventually pulls away and in the quietness of your shared apartment, except for the damn animal a few meters away still nibbling on a celery stalk, he whispers, “I’m so glad….”   “For what?”   “I don’t know. That I got to meet you. That you decided to actually talk to me instead of ignoring me.”   “I already apologized for that,” you sulk. “And it was because you were so insistent on getting to know me.”   He laughs and sighs softly, leaning his forehead on yours. “I’m just...happy to be here.”   There’s a pause. “You’re not proposing to me right now, are you?”   “No…” Jungkook moves away, knowing he’s treading on dangerous territory. He’s uncertain as he reads your expression. “...unless I should be….”   You giggle, poking his chest and he lets go of you. “You probably need a ring first. And please don’t bring Taehyung or Yoonji when you go ring shopping. She’d make you get something outrageous just to see you go broke, and don’t tell Taehyung but he...kind of has bad tastes.”   “What do you mean? I love that vase he got us during our housewarming party.” The pair of you look over to the coffee table where the flesh colour vase is. It’s a swirly shape, slightly curved and reminiscent to an erect dick — that’s what art is apparently. “I mean...the vase he made us.”   You tear your eyes away from the show stealer of the room, going back to the main conversation at hand. “Bring Junmyeon. He’s sensible and reasonable and he’d follow the budget. Or maybe Yoongi. I feel like he’d have a solid opinion.”   “Okay. But who says I don’t already have it?”   You step back in surprise, eyes wide. “Really?”   The phone abruptly rings. The sound is loud, interrupting the intimate moment. One glance at the screen and you two find Adora calling, probably angry that you’re ignoring the messages.   “We should probably go before she gets mad. Unless...you were serious about ditching.”   “No. Yoonji or Taehyung might end up breaking down our door. C’mon.” As tempting as it is to just curl up in bed with Jungkook, you have tomorrow and the next day and the next day after that to be with him. Years and years, in fact. So you muster up energy, walking over and tossing him his jacket. “Let’s go.”   Jungkook walks out the door, fingers laced together, holding your hand tightly. You leave together, perhaps to prepare for another competition, another match, another game. No matter what it is, he feels at ease that you’re here — chest warm, the regrets harboured no longer important.   Jungkook could take on anything.   Before the front door shuts, the lights in the hallway catch the display case by the television.    The two gold medals inside glimmer.

[jayniebear321]

You’ve got a point

AN: This fic is a long time in the making and is written for my friend @weaponized-glitter. I hope you enjoy love. I own nothing.

It was a dreary day in Paris when Marinette Dupain-Cheng awoke to a small bug like creature shaking her awake as an alarm blared in the background.

“Marinette! You need to get up, school starts in 10 minutes!” the small creature urged.

“Crap!” she yelped, jumping out of bed. “Tiki, you have to help me get ready!”

Resembling a small tornado, Marinette hurriedly dressed while Tiki assisted by passing her items like a hair brush and socks. Once she was dressed, and passable to attend class, Marinette grabbed her bag and ran down the stairs, with Tiki safely tucked away in her purse.

Marinette arrived at Dupont Academy just as the bell was ringing for the day to start. Running up the stair, skipping every other one, she arrived just as Miss Bustier was closing the door to the classroom. After sliding in her seat next to Alya, she heaved a great sigh of relief realizing that she made it in time.

“Hello class,” Miss Bustier smiled, “Has anyone given any thoughts on the project I assigned you all to research last night?”

“Yes Miss Bustier”, the class replied in unison.

“Good! Yesterday I asked you all to research an Olympic sport and to decide on one you would like to present on. Would anyone like to discuss what they found?”

“I don’t understand why this even matters,” complained a young blond girl sitting in the front of the class. “The Olympics aren’t even for another year and they aren’t being held in Paris either.”

“It’s wonderful that you brought that up Chloé,” Miss Bustier calmly replied.

“Principal Damocles was speaking to Mr. D’Argencourt and they both agreed that with the summer arriving, it was time to have a school wide sports festival. Everyone is welcome to choose an event to perform in. Each class will compete against each other and the class that has the highest overall score will be crowned school champions and will be rewarded with a dance at the end of the event.”

The class began to whisper excitedly about the prospects of a school wide competition.

“Miss Bustier, when will the sports festival take place?” Alix excitedly asked.

“In about two weeks.”

“What events will we be able to compete in?” Kim called from the back of the class.

“Well, that’s what your research homework was about last night. What sporting events are typically held at the Olympics?” Inquired Miss Bustier.

“I know!” yelled Max “In the winter Olympics, athletes can compete in skiing events, snowboarding, ice skating, bobsleigh, and speed skating!”

“Nice going, dork. How are we going to have winter sports when we are having this competition in honor of summer?” Chloé snapped.

“There are summer events too, Chloé. No need to be harsh.” Alya shot back with a glare.

Chloé opened her mouth to argue back, when Marinette stepped in with her arm in front of Alya to prevent any more fighting.

“You’re right Chloé, we can’t do winter sports at the end of spring, but we can still have speed skating with rollerblades.” Marinette pointed out, with Alix and Kim high-fiving in the back of the class. “Also, there are many summer events like running, discus, archery, swimming, and fencing.”

“Yeah the school even has a fencing team, it’s a lot of fun.” Adrien added.

“Adri-kins, I didn’t know you were so into athletics!” gushed Chloé. “If it’s something you enjoy, then it must be amazing.”

“Well it seems like you all did research last night, since you are so responsive. Okay class, we will put it to a vote. All in favor of competing in the school festival say ‘aye’.

“Aye,” chorused the class!

“Good, then let’s begin today’s lesson with your French homework from last night.”

“Awwww!”

___

The school day came and went with the class whispering excitedly about the upcoming sports festival. At lunch, Mr. D’Argencourt posted the events that would be held at the festival. Apparently, Miss Bustier took Marinette”s suggestion to heart and mentioned it to the PE teacher because the list included; speed roller skating, track events like hurdles and a relay races, discus, archery, swimming, and fencing.

Below the list of events, Mr. D’Argencourt included a sign-up sheet that would allow students to choose which event they wanted to compete in. The slots so quickly that Principal Damocles and Mr. D’Argencourt set a rule that each student is only allowed to compete in two events to allow every student to have the opportunity to participate.

Once the day was over, Alya, Nino, and Marinette walked home together discussing what sports they wanted to try.

“I think I’m going to try archery and swimming.” Mused Alya, walking hand in hand with Nino.

“Man, I’m terrified to see what you could do with a weapon like a bow and arrow.” Nino replied with a mock shudder.

“Would you rather me with a sword?” Alya laughed, nudging him with her shoulder.

“No ma’am!” Nino said quickly, with real fear in his eyes. “I mean if it’s something you really want to do, I’ll support you, but I fear for your opponent’s safety.”

“Nah, I think Mari’s going to be the one to choose fencing, isn’t that right girl?” Alya teased, poking Marinette out of her silent musing.

“Huh? Me? Fencing?” Marinette stammered. “No way, why would I choose fencing, I’d do better at hurdles or discus.”

“As if girl! With your luck and clumsiness, you’d either trip over a hurdle or hit someone with the discus. Anyway, after Ladybug and Chatnoir fought with Darkblade, didn’t you take up an interest in sword fighting?” Alya pointed out.

“You are right,” Marinette said slowly. “But I don’t even know how to fence!”

“Don’t sweat it Mari! Adrien is a great guy, he would be more than willing to teach you.” Nino added.

“Plus this way you can hang out with your boy Adrien some more!” Alya grinned sharkishly.

“Ha ha, no. I can’t even form a coherent sentence around him.” Marinette argued.

“Don’t worry, you can do all your talking with a sword. Plus you both will have those goofy masks on so you won’t be able to see him long enough to be nervous.” Alya reasoned.

“Look, I’m interested learning how to fence, but I’ll find another way to learn that isn’t a lesson from Adrien.”

“Fine, but I’m holding you to it. Tomorrow you have to sign-up at lunch.”

“Deal.” Marinette and Alya shook on it. “Well, here’s my parents shop, I better get going. I’ll see you both tomorrow!”

“I’ll text you later, girl.” Alya hugged her friend, and continued down the street with Nino.

Marinette waved to her friends and entered the shop.

“Hello mama, papa!”

“Welcome home, Mari! How was school?” asked Sabine.

“It was fine. The school is hosting a sports festival event in two weeks and the winning class receives a dance.”

“Sounds like fun! What events are you going to compete in?” Tom smiled gently at his daughter.

“Fencing, and maybe the relay race.”

“Fencing? I didn’t know you were interested.” Sabine replied. “I used to fence as well when I was young and my old gear would fit you.”

“Mama, I didn’t know that you fenced!”

“Oh yes Mari, your mother was a fierce competitor!” Tom beamed at his wife.

“Would you be able to teach me?” Marinette asked hopefully.

“Sorry love, I haven’t fenced in years, you’d do better learning from your friend Adrien.” Sabine suggested.

“Thanks but no thanks, mom.” Marinette groaned. “I’m going to go upstairs and start my homework on the balcony.”

“Ok Mari. We’ll call you down when it’s time for dinner.” Sabine smiled.

___

The night continued without much ado. Marinette was brushing her hair before bed, when a knock on her window startled her from her task.

“Quick Tiki, hide!” Marinette whispered as the kwami hid in her bed. “Who’s there?”

“Just a lonely cat, won’t you let me in my Princess?” A dark figure called from the balcony.

Marinette ran to the balcony door and a teenager clad in a leather cat suit slinked into the room.

“Good evening princess, I was on patrol tonight and I saw your light on so I figured I’d take a paw-se and say hello.” Chatnoir smiled.

“Hello, Chat.” Marinette smiled back. “How is Paris this evening?”

“Quiet. It’s a nice night out, better now that I have a friend to talk to.”

“Isn’t Ladybug on patrol with you tonight?” Marinette asked, fully well knowing that it was Chat’s turn for patrol and tomorrow she’d be on duty instead.

“Nah, I imagine my bugaboo is getting her beauty sleep, not that she needs it.” Chat mused.

“What about you, kitty?” Marinette replied, hiding her face so he didn’t see her blush. “Don’t you need a cat nap sometimes?”

“You wound me princess!” Chat sighed dramatically, clutching his chest. “Are you implying that I’m not already beautiful?”

Marinette giggled and covered her face at his antics.

“Oh kitty, you are just as cute as a cat should be.”

“I guess I can let your insult slide this time, since you said I’m cute.” Chat said with a wink.

“Not what I meant, kitty, but ok.” Marinette grimaced.

“So what’s new princess? Anything interesting going on? How’s school?” Chat asked, settling down in a chair.

“Don’t you have a patrol to finish?” Marinette asked with a huff, settling down on her own bed.

“I already did a few rounds, I was heading home before I stopped here. I haven’t visited you in a while, so I wanted to check in and say hi. You are my favorite civilian, you know.” Chat mopped. “You aren’t going to kick me into the streets like some stray are you?”

“No, I guess not. School’s going well. We have a sports event starting soon and I was hoping to try fencing but I don’t know how.” Marinette sighed. “I want to help my class win, but I won’t be any competition if I don’t know the sport.”

“Oh really, princess? I think I can help you out. I know how to fence, and even protected my partner once when we had to face an akumatized knight.” Chat stretched. “It would be easy to tutor you if you’d be interested.”

“Are you sure Chat? What about fighting akumas and patrols? Will you have enough time?” Marinette asked breathlessly.

“Sure, we could meet up every other day and I’ll give you lessons. You’ll have to practice on your own when we aren’t together, but I can make it work. The competition is in two weeks right? I can at least get you to an intermediate level by then.” Chat grinned.

“Thank you, Chat!” Marinette ran up to hug the boy hero. “This means a lot to me. In return, I’ll make sure to bring you baked goods from our bakery.”

“Your family’s chocolate croissants are the cat’s meow.” Chat laughed, as Marinette shuddered at the pun. “Well princess, it’s time for me to get home and for you to go to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow evening at 6:00 pm at the Dupont academy’s school yard?”

“Definitely! Be safe chat and I’ll see you then.”

“Good night Princess.” Chat patted her head and with the stretch of his baton, was lost in the night.

As Marinette shut the door and climbed into bed, she thought about her conversation with the cat themed hero.

“Tiki, I’m so thankful Chat is willing to teach me how to fence, but I wonder how he knew that the sports festival was in two weeks.”

_____

The two weeks leading up to the sports festival moved quickly. Between patrols, lessons with Chat, school and work at the bakery, Marinette barely had any time to think. By the night before the competition, Marinette was thankful that the day was upon them that she could put her skills to the test.

Marinette thought back on the lessons she had with her kitty. Chat was a patient and kind teacher, though he was quick to make use of a mistake to disarm Marinette during practice. To avoid embarrassment, Marinette quickly learned Chat’s tricks and was soon able to hold her own against his attacks. By their last day of training, Marinette was able to beat Chat at his own game with a move she created herself.

To avoid being disarmed by Chat, Marinette would side step Chats strike, while staying within the lines. Once off balance, Chat would stumble forward since he carried more weight than her, and she could quickly either disarm him or tap him with her saber for a point.

Chat was proud of how fast she was able to learn how to best him, and encouraged her that she would do amazing at the competition. Slowly their trust had grown and they had become friends. Marinette confided in him that her interest in fencing came from his battle with Darkblade and since one of the students in her class had a keen interest in fencing himself. Chat nearly smiled when Marinette told him the student’s name, and said that he was sure that Adrien will be impressed with her ability to fence.

Finally the day of the sports festival was upon them. Marinette made sure to wake up on time so she could get her gear together and make it to school with plenty of time. Marinette ate a quick breakfast, fed Tiki a few cookies, packing some in case of an emergency later and left for school.

Most of the other students had the same idea as Marinette and arrived at the school early so they could warm-up before the events. Alya waved her over to where she was stretching out by the pool.

“Hey girl!” Alya smiled warmly. “Ready to kick fencing butt?”

“You know it!” Marinette said confidently.

“That’s my girl. You’re events are later in the afternoon right?” Alya asked.

“Yeah and you have all morning events so we can support each other.” Marinette confirmed.

“Awesome, our class will definitely win. I have to go get ready for the swimming race.”

“I’ll make sure Nino and I are cheering the loudest for you!” Marinette gave her friend and encouraging hug. “I better go meet the rest of the fencing team and warm up.”

Marinette turned to go find her teammates, when she ran directly into Chloé.

“What’s your problem Marinette? Can’t you watch where you’re going?” Chloé snapped.

“Sorry Chloé, I was just trying to find the fencing team for our class.” Marinette replied, trying to keep her annoyance out of her voice.

“Don’t tell me you’re fencing too? Ugh, why can’t you do something else and let me have time with my Adri-kins.”

“I have no interest in getting in your way Chloé. I just enjoy fencing and wanted to try it out.”

“Whatever. Come on, Sabrina. We don’t have time to deal with pathetic losers.” Chloé stalked off with Sabrina hot on her heals.

Marinette shook her head to clear it. I hope she gets her attitude in check, otherwise we might have an akuma on our hands later today.

With that thought the school bell run and the sport festival officially began.

_______

The morning events went off without a hitch, with Alix winning the speed skating event, Alya winning archery much to Nino’s fear. Discus, hurdles were won by the opposing class leaving the score tied 2-2.  With only three events left after lunch the competition was heating up along with the Chloé’s hopes of securing the dance for their class.

“All I want is to be able to wear a beautiful dress and have Adrien ask me to dance.” Complained Chloé.

“You’ll definitely get that chance.” Sabrina assured her friend. “We just have to make sure we win 2 of the 3 remaining events.”

“Oh don’t worry, I have some ideas on how we are going to ensure our victory and my victory dance.”

After lunch, the fencing event was scheduled to begin. The first match was Chloé versus a member of the other class named Matt. Matt was a kind student, but tough when it came to competitions. He easily bested Chloé at fencing and knocked her out of the competition, with his next opponent being Adrien. Marinette was set to fight another student from the opposing class, but her competitor forfeited after suddenly being hit with food poisoning.  

As Matt and Adrien chatted before their match, both of them being friends from the fencing team, Chloé snuck up behind Matt and put honey in his mask.

“This will prevent him from seeing, and attract bees to his helmet. This way he won’t be able to beat my Adri-kins,” Chloé chuckled. “Come on Sabrina, let’s go watch from the crowd so we don’t get caught.”

The boys shook hands, put on their gear and got into their positions for the match.

“En garde!” cried Mr. D’Argencourt.

The two boys slid toward each other quickly and began to dual, but soon it was noticeable that Matt was struggling with the match. It didn’t take long for the score to add up on Adrien’s side, with the winning point being scored by Adrien when Matt ran off the field with a horde of bees following him until he jumped into the pool. Scrambling out of the water, Matt ran off into the locker room hiding his face in shame. Removing and throwing his mask to the side, Adrien ran after his teammate to find out what happened, but was stopped by Chloé.

“Adrien, you won!”  Chloé cried, “I’m so proud of you, I knew you could do it. Now you just have to face Marinette who I know you can definitely beat and you won this event for our class!”

“Yeah, Chloé I’m not worried about that. I need to find Matt.”

“I’m sure he’s fine. He’s probably just getting changed so that he can compete in the next event. You’re last opponent is Marinette and you have to beat her so you can be the class hero.”

“I guess you’re right.” Adrien conceded, picking his mask off the ground. I can’t wait to see what Marinette is able to do after those lessons with Chatnoir.

Returning to the fencing platform, Adrien walked up to Marinette and offered her his hand.

“Whatever happens during this match, it was an honor facing you Marinette,” Adrien smiled. “No matter who wins our class get the victory, but we both should do our best, right?”

“Uh…of course, A-Adrien.” Marinette stammered, as she put her mask over her head. “Best of luck to you and let the best swordsperson win.”

The two classmates turned and walked to their respective sides, and at Mr. D’Argencourt’s command, the match began.

Marinette kept all of Chat’s advice in her head as she faced off with Adrien. As much as she was uncomfortable talking to him, she was much at ease competing with him at fencing. I guess this is Ladybug’s confidence and competitiveness coming through, Marinette thought with amusement. If only Chat knew who he was teaching to fence these past two weeks.

The match continued until there was a loud roaring at the back of the crowd. Screams soon followed the roar as a tall beast stepped forward, clad in a ripped fencing suit with an intact mask.  

“Behold, I am the Gardeian, student of Darkblade. Adrien Agreste, I thought you were my friend, but you have cheated me! My defeat was not a fair battle and I demand that you repay this dishonor with your head.”

“Woah, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” cried Adrien, taking off his mask and putting his hands out to try and calm his akumatized teammate. “We’re friends and I would never cheat to win a competition.”

“Lies! If you didn’t cheat, then you had one of your classmates do it for you!” The Gardeian screamed, “if you won’t tell the truth out of your free will, then I’ll force it from you!”

The Gardeian swung his sword and cut the fencing platform in half. Adrien and Marinette jumped separate directions. Marinette was able to escape to the girl’s bathroom, but she lost sight of where Adrien went.

“Tiki, we have to get out there and fix this before someone is hurt,” Marinette worried. “ I don’t think Adrien would cheat, but I can imagine one classmate who may be bitter enough in her defeat to cheat for him.”

“You’re right Marinette, but there’s nothing we can do about it now other than stop the akuma.” Tiki replied grimly.

“Tiki, spots on!”

One magical girl transformation later, Ladybug was running through the crowd to find Adrien and the Gardeian. It didn’t take long to find the akuma. Unfortunately he had both Adrien and Chloé cornered against the side of the school.

“Now which one of you cheated!”

“Ok, fine it was me.” Chloé admitted, “it wasn’t like you’d be able to beat Adrien anyway.”

“You will pay for the dishonor you brought me,” cried the Gardeian, raising his sword.

As he brought his blade down, a yo-yo wrapped around the Gardeian’s sword and pulled it away from the two students.

“Hey pokey, watch where you swing you’re blade. You could poke someone’s eye out with that thing,” Ladybug teased.

“Ladybug, stay out of this. I’m trying to serve justice and keep things fair.”

“Not going to happen big guy. If you want to fight them you have to go through me,” she challenged.

“No problem. I always wanted to skewer a bug.” With a roar the Gardeian charged towards Ladybug.

“Lucky charm!” A saber appeared from the lucky charm and landed gently in Ladybug’s hand.

“Figures,” she muttered darkly. “En garde, Gardeian.”

“With pleasure.”

Adrien watched in horror as Ladybug did her best to fend off the Gardeians attacks. Matt was already a powerful swordsman, and with Hawkmoth’s additional power from the akuma, he was a force to be reckoned with. The last time, Ladybug had to fight a swordsman, Adrien was able to protect her has Chatnoir. Now he was trapped between a wall and the sword fight. To his surprise, Ladybug was able to fend off the Gardeians attacks until he charged forward to try and score what would be a point in normal fencing. In this case, it would only end in Ladybug being skewered.

In a move that was so familiar to Adrien, Ladybug side stepped the attack and as the Gardeian tripped forward, she disarmed him in a single swipe. Off balance, the Gardeian hit the ground with a crash, allowing Ladybug to remove the mask and break it in half.

“Bye bye little butterfly,” she smiled as the now purified butterfly flew away. “Miraculous ladybug!”

A swarm of ladybugs cleared the damage and reverted Matt back to his original form.

“What happened,” the teen groaned, rubbing his head.

Adrien lowered his hand and helped his teammate up.

“Don’t worry about it man. Are you ok?”

“Yeah, just bummed because I lost.”

“You didn’t lose. The matched was fixed, so it wasn’t a fair fight. You can go to the finals instead. I didn’t earn this spot and it’s only fair you get another chance,” Adrien placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“Are you sure?” Matt asked.

“Yeah, but there’s no guarantee you’ll win anyway. You still have to fight Marinette and she’s one heck of a swords person.”

“Speaking of which, where is she?” Alya asked, appearing from the crowd.

“I’m right here!” Marinette called, as she ran from the school building. “I hid inside the school when the akuma attacked. Is everyone ok?”

“Yeah! Hey Marinette, I’m going to forfeit my spot to Matt since he didn’t get a fair shot earlier. Are you ok with facing him?” Adrien asked with a smile.

“O-of course Adrien.”

“Cool! Good luck to both of you,” Adrien turned to join the crowd with Alya, but stopped. Slowly Adrien walked over to Marinette and spoke softly so only she could hear. “Good luck my lady, I believe in you. And you might want to close your mouth so bugs don’t fly in.”

Marinetted just stared at Adrien, as his grin grew wider.

“Chat got your tongue my lady?”

“Chat?”

[giantsorcowboys]

Godspeed!

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