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alfredosauce50 · 2 months ago

Text

One more night

[Boxer! Denmark x reader] 13

Wordcount: 11, 807 Rating: R18+ for violence The reader is referred to as she/her.

One more night - 13

Finale part II

Mathias cruised through the next two matches like nothing, steamrolling his opponents in landslide wins that took the town by storm; whoever this rookie was, he was certainly making a name for himself.

He ghost-stepped forward and knocked the guy out in a single jab, getting him to fall down to the ground as stiff as a board. The arena went completely nuts over the spectacle, immediately erupting in cheers.

“One. Two. Three. Four. Five...” With every passing second the referee counted that the downed boxer stayed limp, bringing his hand down to signal each count, the crowd only grew more and more wild.

Did he just win the match with a single punch?

“… Nine. Ten!”

He did.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the winner by total knockout is Mathias Densen!” The ring announcer exclaimed furiously into the microphone, causing the audience to go up in another uproar of unchecked hysteria.

His arm was raised as he was declared the winner, and Allen leapt out of his seat to cheer his heart out.

To see Mathias K.O someone literally seconds into a match was just insane. In fact, he was still reeling over it in the moments well after it happened, raking his hands through his hair and talking unintelligibly.

After which, he’d go back to clapping as hard as he could while yelling ‘woo!’ with the biggest smile on his face. It was the happiest you and Amy had seen him, but when he noticed you two beaming at him, he stopped immediately and just clapped in the most composed manner possible. The sudden switch was downright hilarious, but as hard as he tried to play it off then, by the last match, he didn’t care anymore.

When Mathias won again, he jumped up in his seat to cheer like a maniac. He even turned to Amy to shake her back and forth by her shoulders until she got visibly annoyed by the sheer force of the movements.

“These guys are like peanuts to Mathias. How has he not gone pro yet?” Allen grinned under his shades. And on his cheeks were two Danish flags that you painted for him, which made for quite the cute look.

You, him, and Amy were standing just outside the arena’s canteen after getting some refreshments, mentally preparing yourselves for the grand final that was due to commence in less than twenty minutes.

And he was more excited than he cared to admit.

He hasn’t had this much fun in ages, but the same could be said for all of you. Aside from the once in a blue moon vacation, everyone was always either at work or looking after Bob. Then came along your boxer boyfriend, who decided to spice that all up.

Ever since Mathias upset the system, everything changed so much, he couldn’t believe it sometimes.

And he knew he changed.

“Going professional is actually really easy. You just have to pass a medical check,” You took a sip from your drink and gulped. “So he’s not worried about that. I think he just wants to feel like he earned it.”

“Like winning his first tournament, you mean. He’s a good sport,” Amy chuckled, slinging an arm around your shoulder with cheeky grin. “Tell me, (F/N). How does it feel to have a sporting star as a boyfriend?”

“I don’t know, exhilarating? It’s like he’s shooting for the stars right now,” You said, smiling so hard that it hurt. Now that she mentioned it, you never thought of Mathias as anything remotely close to a celebrity.

It was only until recently did he get a taste of fame.

Now that he did, it was undeniable that he’d always been meant for the stage. You’ve always known that somehow, that he was meant to be known, and if not for his incredible boxing, for his magnetic presence.

“I’m really proud of him, but I’m also starting to get crazy about him — sorry if that’s kind of TMI.”

Amy made a ‘pssh’ sound, and only because that was a lot tamer than how she would’ve gone about it.

“Nah, I was actually thinking you’d say that it’s really freakin’ hot. So you’re more media-trained than me.”

“Jeez, Ames.” Allen shot her a look.

“Wow.” You gawked.

“You know I’m only kidding,” She closed her eyes for a contented look. “He’s not really my type, anyway.”

“And thank fuck he isn’t. I wouldn’t be able to handle another Mathias in the house.” Allen opened his eyes wider as he envisioned the thought, and never would he ever want to do the last few months over again.

Meeting your boyfriend, immediately getting off the wrong leg with him, then beating him up, it all sounded kind of crazy now that he thought about it.

But that only went to show how far he’d come.

“No, you wouldn’t.” You chuckled nervously.

“Yeeep. Mat’s a pistol.” Amy pursed her lips.

“Damn straight. If we were ten seconds late to that last round, we would’ve missed the whole fight,” Allen blew out his cheeks, raking his hands through his hair before dropping this ever so casually.

He didn’t think it was a big deal at the time, and it really wasn’t. But you two could make a mountain out of a mole hill if it meant messing with him. “Mathias is kinda like the Danish Mike Tyson.”

His brows went up, surprised by himself.

“I can’t believe I just said that.” He mumbled.

“Is this what they call a Freudian slip?” You asked.

“Only if he made an error in speech, which he didn’t.” Amelia looked your way like he wasn’t even there.

“I am right here.” Allen exclaimed, clearly unamused.

It was so like you two to talk about him like this, but to do it in front of him? That had to be a new low.

However, his outburst ended up backfiring because you both turned to him to stare at him for a hot minute. He darted his eyes furiously between you two, catching the hint of mischief on your faces.

What were you two up to now?

You and Amy stared holes into him as if to stir a reaction from him, and react he did. Allen started to crumble under your scrutiny, heating up with an embarrassment for something he couldn’t quite figure until you did the honors of saying it out loud.

“Allen has a crush on Mat!” You said in a sing-song voice, getting his eyes to fly out of his head.

“No I don’t.” He hissed.

“Allen has a crush on Ma—ahh!”

You squealed with laughter when Allen lunged at you to cover your mouth. His face had gone so red with embarrassment, it looked like he was constipated.

Him, having a thing for Mathias?

He only just got to the part of not minding him.

“Hey guys--” Gilbert showed up at the canteen you three agreed to meet him at, and he had his entire face painted with the Danish flag. “--wow, okay. That’s totally not what I thought we were doing.”

You all stopped and turned to him at the same time. And the way Allen froze with your mouth in his hand was comical, his teeth still clenched in an expression that had ‘c’mere you little shit!’ written all over it.

All jokes aside, he hoped the exchange student didn’t overhear what you just said. And so damn loudly.

Fortunately, it was the last thing on his mind when he saw the way you all did your faces. Sure enough, none of you went the extra mile like he did, with only two tiny Danish flags painted on each of your cheeks.

Talk about a misunderstanding.

“Woah,” Amy mouthed, raising her brows.

“Now I feel kinda dumb.” Gilbert cringed.

“No, don’t feel dumb! You look great,” You lit up, taking his arm encouragingly. Swaying it back and forth, you pulled him along to the arena’s entrance, much to his dismay. “Mat is gonna love this.”

“Yeah, he seriously has a thing for his flag.” Amy took his other hand.

Now that he had a woman on each arm, he looked like quite the stud, but that was the last possible thought that could occur to him. You two were strong for your size, especially Amelia, so it was like getting carried away by a current. And it was a current he couldn’t fight.

“I dunno, maybe I could go to the bathroom and wash it off? I wanna fit in with you guys, okay?” He frowned with his tone raised.

“No way! Represent your patriotism, Gil.” She hummed.

“I’m not even Danish!” He exclaimed.

“We all are today.” You mused.

“And you, my dear, will be the first person he sees when he looks into the crowd,” Amy smiled cheekily from ear to ear.

“Now I just have conflicted feelings about this,” He said sheepishly.

Now that you pulled away from him, Allen was able to walk off and order the food you all wanted. After the server went off to the side to prepare some popcorn and hot dogs, he was left to his own thoughts.

Drumming his fingers on the counter, he stared off to the side with an unreadable expression, eyes unfocused and a little spaced.

He couldn’t believe it, but this was him shying away from a perfectly fine conversation. Embarrassment and shame he knew all too well, however, for him to be so mousy was just unheard of.

But then again, it wasn’t like him to speak fondly of another man when he spent his whole life practically hating them.

That was when Gilbert’s face contorted with a look of accusation.

“Hey, I wanted to buy something from the canteen!” He blurted.

“We already have more than enough to go around,” You hummed, glancing back at Allen with a knowing smile as if to tease him for his quick retreat. He just caught up with you all with two full trays of food in his hands, so it wasn’t like he could back out of this again.

He sighed, his face a little flushed.

You were having way too much fun with this.

“Yeah, you’re welcome,” Allen grumbled under his breath.

Everyone got to their seats, and there, you could all immerse yourself in the hypnotic atmosphere of a packed sporting arena.

There were noticeably more people than in the previous matches, filling the room with an excited chatter.

“I can’t believe it’s really the grand final. It only feels like yesterday that Mat told me about this,” You said, staring out into the arena with a wistful expression. However, it wasn’t as though the memory in question was something you’d want to revisit by any means.

Back then, you two were always fighting and fucking, so you couldn’t say you missed that phase at all.

“Tell me about it,” Amelia murmured without looking at you, giving her head a shake. And her eyes, slightly unfocused, like she was deep in thought. “Life comes fast, but we all find a way to get through it anyway.”

“Yeah,” You softened your gaze.

Speaking of living life in the fast lane.

Mathias felt trapped whenever he wasn’t constantly moving forward, which was both a blessing and a curse, and bringing you with him happened to be non-negotiable. It was either you went along with the ride, or faced the wrath of his passion. Fortunately, you were sat for the long haul, and truth be told, you couldn’t wait to finally start living with him. Seeing him day and night, just like he had always wanted.

“Things really do change in the blink of an eye, huh?” You glanced over to Allen, who was watching the ring more intently than anybody else in the group.

Amy followed your gaze and laughed breathily.

Her brother was a case study, that was for sure.

“But there are definitely things that’ll never change.” She grinned, and without elaborating any further.

But she didn’t have to.

“Definitely.” You beamed.

That was when the man of the hour walked out into the arena, getting the audience to erupt in cheers.

Mathias Densen, the one-man show and reason for you all being here. Everything dimmed, giving way for a small spotlight on the Dane. He waved at the crowd with a gloved hand, much to their delight. As a new, attractive amateur making some serious waves in the boxing scene, he was like a celebrity in town, where his entrance alone electrified the whole room.

And you didn’t hesitate to give in to it.

“Yeah! Go, Mat!” You screamed, jumping on the spot while holding up a poster. It read ‘beat em’ up, Mat!’ in big red letters, but also had funny cutouts of his face and body plastered all over it as per tradition.

“Ohhh, fuck. Here he comes.” Allen’s eyes slowly grew as he raked his hands through his hair.

“You know how Michael Jackson used to get old ass Romanian dudes passing out on the street?” Amelia cupped a hand around your ear, yelling over all the cheering. “Allen is the old ass Romanian dudes.”

You two laughed the hardest you had in a while.

After which, you gave her a side of your poster so you could hold it together, jumping on the spot in sync.

“Go, Mat!” You both chorused.

“That’s my best friend!” Gilbert roared at the top of his lungs, getting several heads to turn to him.

But he was way past giving a damn.

The atmosphere in the arena was insane, and he let himself fall right into it. All of a sudden, deciding to paint his whole face with a Danish flag turned out to be the best idea he had in a while. “Yeah, Densen!”

The starting bell rang three times.

Mathias was in the ring again, the place where he’d let everything unheard and unseen about him have its moment. All his ferocity, relentlessness, and thirst for the world, he’d communicate them with his fists.

Only this time round, the stakes were higher than ever.

He jogged on the spot, getting his signature red boxing gloves to bounce along to the rhythm.

His pecs rippled as he moved, and the same could be said for the rest of his body. Mathias was the perfect specimen of peak athleticism, which you weren’t a stranger to at all. Especially with the last few days of one incredible win after the other, it was starting to feel as if he was carved out of stone.

But as impressive as his physique was, it still wasn’t what mesmerized you the most.

It was his attitude.

He stopped jogging, raising his gloves in front of his face while holding a cold stare on his opponent.

He was so calm, as if he had everything figured out. This fight was already his, and it was unnerving for his opponent to fathom. He just radiated so much confidence like nothing could throw him off his feet.

Not even this.

A right hook swung over his head in nothing but a quick blur, and he narrowly dodged it by dropping to his knees. His opponent may have been fast, but he was even faster, getting the crowd to go buck wild.

“Holy fuck,” Allen exhaled, whipping his head to Amy for a brief moment before turning back to the ring, because in the blink of an eye, Mathias would rise to his feet to jab at his adversary. “Did you see that?”

“I almost didn’t.” She gaped, just as amazed as him.

The Dane landed three jabs in loud, sharp ‘bams’ before pulling his fists back, packing them tightly in front of his face to shield himself. He took a few hits to his forearms, absorbing them like nothing before he shuffled backward to establish some distance.

The calm just ended for a storm.

But the lightning was just about to strike.

That was when he broke his defense, separating his forearms to start pounding the other man square in the face. And while he did, he charged at them like a bull, closing up the distance he just established.

There it was, the ‘peek-a-boo’ style that could always keep opponents—and the audience—on their toes.

Explosive, unpredictable, and exciting.

“Yeah, Mat!” Gilbert cried like he was really about to start bawling his eyes out, but what could he say?

Seeing him dominate in the ring was epic.

After a few more times of alternating between a state of assault and defense, Mathias changed the pace with a sudden left hook. He brought his arm back and swung it into his opponent as hard as he could.

The impact sent a shockwave through their face before throwing their head to the side, spit flying.

“There’s no way Mat didn’t just shake his brain.” Gilbert gawked as he held onto his own head for moral support, because seeing a boxer’s get flung like that was enough to make him uncomfortable.

Being so close to Mathias, it wasn’t in his nature to see him as the adrenaline-fueled badass he was now.

After all their highs and lows together, it was in his own right to regard him as a bit of a dork. But it was becoming undeniable that this had always been his calling — a boxing star and menace in the ring.

The way he moved was inhuman, ghost-stepping back and forth with his gloved fists raised.

And whenever he took a punch to the face, he just kept staring back, eyes wide and unfazed. Blood was even trickling from his nose, but that didn’t deter him in the least from beating the shit out of his opponent.

“Your boyfriend’s a badass.” The albino mused.

“I know.” You smiled as wide as you could, eyes twinkling as you stayed fixed on Mathias in the ring.

He was plunged into the zone, which was reflected in his sharp gaze that he kept trained on his opponent. He was like a predator about to strike, a lion caught in the hunt, and that in itself was so carnal, it made you weak to think he was the man that loved you.

But he was yours.

He was yours because you tamed him all those nights ago in the quaint neighborhood laundromat. Back then, you never would’ve imagined him to be as wild as he was now. And he was so shy then.

But right now, ‘shy’ was the last word you’d use to describe Mathias.

When a fist was thrown at him, he didn’t have to think before tilting his body at an angle to dodge it. He went on to land more explosive punches that the entire arena could feel, like the cracking of thunder.

He was a beast, fierce and unstoppable.

You were all witnessing a Southpaw in their prime, a difficult opponent by nature, and that set the odds massively in his favor.

“10-8? 10-fucking-8?” Allen blurted the results of the round once they were announced by the judges.

He brought his hands up to his head to hold it for emotional support, gawking at the ring.

The landslide win was uncommon enough as it was on TV, but to see it in person was something else. And to think it was one of his own that pulled it off, he couldn’t even begin to hide his amazement anymore.

“Mat destroyed him!”

“Well, it’s not every day a pro gets mistakenly put in an amateur tournament,” Amy shook her head as she put that casually, getting you to crack up in laughter beside her. “Mat is gonna eat him alive.”

“Aw, you think?” He squinted like he was staring at the sun, mouth agape as he reveled in the moment. “Man, he’s insane.”

“Okay, reel it in, reel it in,” She chuckled.

It wasn’t every day he would get so riled up, and in a good way.

When Allen was angry, he could kill a man, but when he was happy, he could get so excited that you had to go out of your way to calm him down. He was the most emotional person any of you had ever known, no matter which end of the spectrum he decided to fall on.

“You really want Mat to win, huh?” Amelia gave him a side smile. With how sharp and blunt she could be, it usually would’ve come off as a teasing remark, but that was the last of her intentions right now.

Allen deserved to be happy.

He really did.

And she was so glad to see him in such a good mood, even if it came from the least expected place. Mathias. But it was rare for him to be like this because he was moping about something more often than he wasn’t, so to see him like this was a welcome change of pace.

“Of course I do,” He frowned, brows coming together sharply before scoffing. Was it just him, or did the subject keep coming back to how he felt toward him? He just couldn’t seem to catch a break. “Don’t you?”

“Well, yeah.” Amy made the exact same expression, her own brows coming together before she laughed out of her nose. “I just wouldn’t die if he didn’t.”

“I think I would.” He pursed his lips into a straight line as he stared down at his feet, deep in thought.

“And I think,” She crashed into Allen’s shoulders for a hug from the side, leaning on him with all her weight and getting him to sway. Then, with the biggest grin, she went, “You like Mathias more than you let on.”

He rolled his eyes, stifling a steadily growing smile.

Not this again.

To make matters worse, you also joined in on the fun, wrapping your arms around his torso. But the way you smiled at him was an image he’d never forget. You were so proud of him, it radiated to him in waves.

“And as important as this match is to all of us, I think it matters the most to you,” You put it in the gentlest way possible, figuring he wouldn’t exactly be thrilled to hear it. “Looks like we’ve finally come full circle.”

“I didn’t realize you two were gonna gang up on me today.” Allen chuckled faintly through a tired grin.

“It’s fine to like Mathias, you know. He happens to be very likable.” Amy diverted his attention to the said man’s college boxing club. Sure enough, all of them were cheering him on like the loyal fans they were.

They even made sure to get first row seats to watch their esteemed classmate fight in their first official tournament, something you should’ve done. Only Mathias insisted you didn’t in case he got distracted.

“Sure.”

“In fact, I think it’s quite likely he’d end up having a male-dominant fanbase. Take exhibit A, for example.”

“Yeah, yeah. So I don’t mind the guy. So what?” Allen asked as a genuine smile broke out across his face.

“Nothing.” She pursed her lips.

“Nothing?” He raised his brows, unconvinced.

“I’m just relieved. You two are important to me, so it really sucked seeing you two at each other’s necks.” Amy looked down at her drink and fiddled with the straw. “So it’s nice to see you finally acting right.”

‘Acting right,’ she said. ‘Finally,’ she said.

Allen looked weirdly happy for something put so passive-aggressively, but he knew it wasn’t her intention at all.

It was just the way she spoke to him.

Besides, with the nature of their relationship, he came to appreciate the breadcrumbs of affection wherever he could find them. And after a lifetime of fuck-ups and disappointments, he finally got some approval. So he’d wear those words like a fucking badge of honor.

“C’mere.” He grinned, pulling her in for a sudden headlock so he could rub circles into her hair.

“Oi!” She threw her arms up to push him away.

The starting bell rang again.

The two boxers were back in the ring, circling each other like a pair of wild dogs. They were more roughed up and worn out than before, and their eyes, intensely fixed on each other in a cold, unrelenting gaze as if to say, you’re going down.

They weren’t throwing practice swings at each other anymore either, too fixated on the brewing tension to even consider any foreplay.

Things were starting to pick up.

And neither of them could let down their guard.

“Come on, Mat.” You whispered, resting your fingertips on your lips to somehow stave off the suspense.

Just as you all expected, Mathias would be the one to break the stalemate by throwing the first punch. He jabbed forward a few times, to where the other responded by blocking them with their forearms.

They then retaliated with two jabs, which he dodged by bobbing down to the side. But when he rose to his feet again, he got swung at and decked in his jaw.

“Aw.” Allen squinted, nose wrinkling as he watched his head get thrown in the direction of the punch.

Amy pulled back and cringed with virtually the same expression, gritting her teeth.

Fortunately, Mathias shook it off and recovered fast.

He went on to hit back with a few swings of his own, colliding his gloved fist into the side of their head before pulling them back to shield himself. This rally of assault and defense went on for a while until his opponent suddenly decided to pick up the slack.

It looked like that blistering loss was more than a good enough motivator to get their shit together, because it was now their turn to return the favor.

And it would change the whole tone of the fight.

They unleashed a ruthless series of punches on the Dane, wailing on him to the point that he had to keep his forearms up to shield himself the whole time. Then, they brought their arm around for a quick right hook, slamming it into the side of his head. That left him briefly disoriented, letting them land more jabs.

“Fuck me.” Allen let out.

Mathias’ head was flung to the side once, then twice as he moved back to establish some distance.

It was a jarring sight to behold, to witness him retreat for a change. However, his predicament had only just begun and was about to make a turn for the worse. While he fought to get his head back in the game, blocking the assault of punches that just wouldn’t stop, he felt his back come up against the barriers.

His heart sank as he realized his position.

Dread flashed in his eyes, and it wasn’t long before the crowd would see why through the gnarly mess about to unfold. Now that he was stuck on the ropes, he had nowhere to go. He was like a sitting duck.

For that, he was forced to take another beating.

And it was brutal.

He kept his arms up to shield his face, but even that couldn’t stop many of the punches from landing.

Mathias gritted his teeth as he took hit after hit, eyes screwed shut as a pair of fists pounded at him like a never-ending rain. But he had to snap out of it soon, or else he’d stake the whole round on this misstep.

He couldn’t just lose it now.

But was that blood he felt trickling down his face?

“Get off the ropes, Mat!” You exclaimed, face warped with worry as you watched him get pummeled.

By then, your poster was long forgotten on the floor somewhere, which went to show how fast the fight suddenly went downhill. It was starting to look like Mathias was losing, and you weren’t sure how to feel.

Shock, or just plain dread.

Eventually, he managed to shove the guy off, but he didn’t escape unscathed. He jogged to the middle of the ring again, and with his brow bone busted open. It bled profusely into his eye, so that explained it.

That left him no choice but to close it, putting him at such a disadvantage, even Amy was getting worried.

“Oh, boy.” She whispered.

“Oh, I can’t watch this.” Allen held onto his head, and yet, he kept staring at the ring through a strained look.

The odds were actually shifting against him, as if Hell itself was freezing over. To fight with one eye was no different from having an arm tied behind his back, and it readily showed in his steadily-waning performance.

Mathias wasn’t able to dodge as well, nor as accurately, taking more and more blows to the face.

And he could only absorb so much damage.

Slowly but surely, it began to drain his condition.

He was slower and more sluggish in his movements. Even his punches were landing with less impact. Nevertheless, you refused to call it a day, holding up your poster again as if that would change the tide.

“Come on, Mat!” You yelled.

But your faith could only do so much.

In the short break during that round, Mathias was sitting in the corner to get doused with water to wash off all the blood on his face. He even had it in his mouth, which he spat out in profuse amounts before rinsing. The transparent red liquid landed on the ground in less-than-graceful splats, but it didn’t bother him in the least.

What did, however, was the searing gash on his brow.

A medic rushed in to sew it.

While they put in one stitch after the other, he gritted his teeth and shook his leg violently to offset the pain. As the string pulled against his skin, more blood would ooze out and trickle down his face. When his coach reached out to wipe it off, he slapped their hand away.

“I’m fine, Jason.” He frowned.

What he did was so out of character, the other couldn’t even react.

But he was getting frustrated, and when he was frustrated, he turned cold. It wasn’t a part of him that he was proud of, but this round wasn’t going anything like expected. And his brow hurt like a bitch.

Meanwhile, you watched the whole exchange from the crowd, eyes round with remorse. That was when Amy rubbed your shoulder comfortingly, but you couldn’t spare her so little as a glance.

Seeing him get beaten down like this didn’t suit him at all.

He was usually so on top of his fights, persevering through anything and everything. Nothing could ever bring him down.

It reflected his attitude toward life, which was to face all trials and tribulations head-on like the bullheaded man he was. And for all twenty-two years of being alive on this planet, it worked.

But this match proved to be a complete 180 on the last, leaving him in such a rough state you could hardly believe it.

“Oh, come on. That’s bullshit!” Gilbert yelled, seeing the final score of the round come to 10-9, and not in Mathias’ favor.

It was his first loss in a while, making for quite the twist of events.

“Bullshit, I tell you!”

Amy shook her head, gravely disappointed, but the first thing she did was check on her brother, who had fallen strangely quiet.

He was just watching with no reaction, a far cry from how he acted after the first match. She would’ve expected him to start crashing out by now, but he was as calm as a Hindu cow.

Whatever it was, she would deal with it later.

“Are you okay?” Amy asked you, her gaze softened.

“Yeah, just a little worried,” You smiled weakly to hide your growing anguish. You saw the way Mathias acted, and knowing him, this was only the start of a slippery slope that had yet to see an end.

He didn’t do well when he was shaken.

And that was only because when something got to him, a rare enough occurrence as it was, it was actually a big deal.

“Would it be bad for me to say that I’d be happy for Mat to just pull out now?” You asked sheepishly, not liking how selfish that sounded.

“Not really. That last round was just really unlucky,” She shook her head, sighing. As great as it sounded, the importance of Mathias’s well-being completely overshadowed the importance of winning.

It was just a bonus at this point, especially when you’ve all moved past the drama of you moving out. Amy then turned to her brother, hoping to stir some reaction from him with this statement.

“If you’re done spazzing out, we could use some emotional support.”

I’m not spazzing out, Allen would’ve scoffed.

And yet, he didn’t respond, keeping his eyes dead set on the ring.

Little did she know, he was no longer in that over-excited state of mind that he’d put Mathias on a pedestal. He was his usual self again, having discovered a sobering sense of clarity. And even though it took seeing Mathias take a ruthless beat down to realize this, it was a firm wake-up call that he wasn’t so invincible after all.

That perfect image of him was shattering.

He could fail, and he could lose.

He was vulnerable just like everybody else, and the harsh grip of that reality changed the atmosphere to something jarring.

Allen couldn’t put his finger on it, but he had a feeling that this was only the beginning. He just never imagined how right he would be.

The third and final round finally came.

Mathias was back in the ring, jogging on the spot to mentally prepare himself. His eyes were closed in a slight look of defeat, and it took a lot for him to get to the point that his morale would take such a hit.

But he was exhausted, his face and body pulsing with so much pain that he felt it in waves.

A drop of blood trailed slowly down to his eye, stopping just above his lashes. His wound opened again, meaning he wouldn’t be able to see properly for this fight. That only made him all the more nervous, which was far from ideal.

In that same breath, all of your excitement had tapered off into grave silence. Everyone was so nervous, none of you could say a thing and only watch the stage with bated breath.

This was the tie-breaker where Mathias would make his last stand and give it his all, so what would go down in the next minute was for the history books.

Rather than circling each other, they stayed perfectly still.

Then, one by one, they raised their gloves.

Blood and sweat remained on both their faces from the previous matches, and with that, they carried with them a burning grudge even the crowd could feel. If not from the tension in the air, then from the way they looked at each other.

Their hard eyes were locked in a fierce stare down, a momentous pause before they would break out into a bitter fight to the end.

And one swing was all it took to break the ice.

His opponent went straight for his wound, throwing hard punches at his freshly-sewn brow bone until it bubbled with blood. Mathias’ mouth fell wide open from pain as bright red splattered all over his face like a canvas, his head whipping to the side at every hit.

Bam.

The crowd was awed by the gruesome blows, collectively going ‘oooh’ as they watched him get pummeled in the worst way possible.

But you?

You brought both hands to cover your mouth, horrified.

“Now that’s just fucking low,” Allen murmured through a dark glare.

While Mathias was disoriented by the searing ache in his face, and not to mention all the blood that covered his eyes, he took more swings to the head, each even harder and louder than the last.

And it hurt so bad.

His knees buckled, and he fell forward on them as if he were crawling, getting blood to drip profusely to the ground below.

Bright red dotted the white floor, which he saw as nothing but a blur.

Your hands were still on your mouth, and seeing him down on the ground didn’t help. In all his boxing matches, you’ve never once seen him collapse like this, so it scared you more than you could fathom.

Your heart was pounding, and you had a lump growing in your throat that wouldn’t go away no matter how many times you swallowed.

For the first time in the ring, Mathias wasn’t okay.

He wasn’t just losing, he was getting crushed.

His face warped with agony as he came to grips with how dizzy he was, like he was about to pass out right then and there.

And he was about to until he reminded himself what he was even doing this for. For you. Everything was for you, but truth be told, it wasn’t even about winning anymore.

It was that he couldn’t bear for you to see him like this.

He knew he was breaking your heart when he was down on his knees, especially when you always looked up to him for being so strong.

And he refused to let a dirty boxer be the reason.

So he got up onto his feet, albeit with slow, labored movements.

You all watched, eyes growing with anticipation as he rose, tottering from side to side. Once he was standing upright with his gloves raised, ready to fight again, the audience cheered wildly for him.

The Mathias you all knew was back.

A relentless and unbreakable man who never gave in.

Both of them came together for one last bitter fight, swinging on each other with absolutely nothing held back. They were now neck and neck with each other, a true reflection of what two finalists looked like as they battled it out for the title. Mathias was now in survival mode, where he was driven by nothing but pure adrenaline.

And someone had to break the stalemate.

That was when Mathias grimaced with his teeth, and combined with the blood on his face, a stark contrast to his cold blue eyes--

--it made for his most fearsome look yet.

And for good reason.

In a flash, he would pull his fist back and release it in a ruthless series of punches, letting out a long, guttural scream as he pounded the other’s face in like a jackhammer.

The explosive crack of his fist at collision filled the arena, the sound of him turning the fight around like the undefeated champion he was meant to be, much to the spectators’ raging excitement.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” Allen roared.

“Woo, Mat!” Amy hooted.

Gilbert bounded on the spot, screaming.

Meanwhile, you held up your poster, smiling widely for Mathias, who found his groove again.

But just when he had the upper hand, his opponent took it all away by doing the unthinkable — they swung around the side to target the back of his head, rabbit-punching him in the base of his skull. It was an odd move, but none of you reacted, continuing to cheer for him.

Except for Allen, who just froze.

Did they just do what he think he did?

Sure enough, they did it again, then again, all until Mathias winced. He was suddenly hit with a wave of nausea, hunching over to rest his hands on his knees.

Allen stood up, eyes as wide as he could get them.

The effects set in almost immediately, a surefire sign that something was wrong. But of course, the Dane merely brushed it off, giving his head a shake before jogging on the spot, gloves raised.

Only as time went on, the worse he felt, blinking once for a few seconds before completely shutting his eyes in another wince when a ringing headache came in out of nowhere.

As excited as you all were, that was more than enough to pull you out of your spells.

“Woah, what’s going on with Mat?” Gilbert frowned, watching the man stop moving altogether. It looked like he was about to faint, and while he remained on his feet, he was breathing heavily to try and fight it.

“He just got rabbit-punched, that’s what.” Allen said it in a low whisper while he glared at the ring.

At that very second, he was working up an immense amount of courage to lay out the reality of what you were all witnessing, because there was no easy way to put it.

A dastardly cheap, and not to mention, illegal blow that could put the receiving end’s life in danger.

“Is that allowed?” The albino faced him slowly, but something about the other’s demeanor told him he already knew the answer.

Allen was furious, but he was also getting more anxious by the second.

“It isn’t. A hard enough blow to the base of his skull and he’ll have brain damage for the rest of life.”

The second he said it, you and Amy turned your full attention to him, alarm bells going off in your heads.

“Are you serious?” She raised her brows.

“Then why aren’t they stopping the fight?” You let out, never having been so afraid in your life.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Allen whispered, finally summoning the will to break out of his fear-induced spell. He pushed through the people in his row with a devil-may-care attitude, marching down the aisle like there was nothing in the world that could stop him.

Then, he ran down to the ring, grabbing the attention of security and officials alike. A man approached him to keep him away from the stage, but he just barreled past them to get to the referee, who stood at one corner of the ring. “Hey!” He roared. “Stop the fight!”

They didn’t even spare him a single look, too focused on the two boxers to even consider anything else.

“Sir, I’m gonna need you to back away from the ring.” The guard instructed with one hand raised at him.

“Can’t you see that’s illegal?” Allen yelled.

“Sir!”

Seeing that he was ignored again, and that Mathias was still in the ring, he gritted his teeth and spat out a ‘fuck’ under his breath before resorting to doing what he promised to never do again.

It was now or never.

He turned to face the guard who’d been hounding him just then, jaw slack as he breathed heavily. Because if there was one thing in his power that he could do to stop the show, it was definitely this.

He punched them so hard, the officials would’ve been tempted to make him a contender for the finals.

“What. The. Fuck.” Amy hissed, eyes round.

Words couldn’t even begin to capture the brewing storm of emotions inside her. But visibly, she was fuming. Right when she said he was finally acting right, he went off and pulled that same stunt again.

“Oh my God.” You covered your mouth.

It all happened in slow-motion, the poor bastard’s head getting thrown back from his fist, then their coworkers raising their hackles, eyes flying open as they witnessed a sucker punch unfold before them.

Maybe he’d regret it later.

Socking someone in authority at a major sporting event.

But as of that moment, he would fight as long and hard as he had to until he made such a scene that the match had to be stopped.

A second guard lunged at him, then a third, but he just dodged them before throwing them to the ground. A three-person brawl turned to four as another joined, then five as he mowed through one after the other. As an ex-marine, there was just too much of a gap between their skill, so he didn’t break a sweat as he took them all down.

In fact, things got so out of hand, it got the attention of the whole arena, but more importantly, it began to distract the boxers in the ring. Even in his poor state, Mathias could see Allen on the side, beating guys up.

What the hell was he doing?

“Okay, time out. Time out.” The referee relented.

Now that the two boxers had decided to go on a water break, Mathias’ coach immediately rushed onstage.

Allen saw, so he stopped right then and there, letting himself get subdued. He got pinned to the ground like a dog, but he didn’t care.

Things couldn’t have gone better.

He probably just saved Mathias’ life.

While he got escorted away by two men, he followed the Dane with his gaze, watching him get taken out of the arena to what he assumed to be the sick bay. That was when he made a second, less-than-rational decision to resist, yanking his arms from the pair.

Then, he split, running as fast as his legs could carry, and to the last place any of you could’ve expected.

“Oi!” One of them yelled.

“Get back here!” The other shouted.

Allen found you in the crowd and grabbed your hand, much to your shock. However, you were in no state to resist, letting him pull you through the aisle.

“What are you doing?” You exclaimed.

“We’re getting Mathias!” He looked back at you.

You both ran as fast as you possibly could to the sick bay because he’d always been faster than you. At one point, he resorted to taking your hand to speed up the process, pulling you down a labyrinth of halls.

Something was wrong with Mathias.

Allen had you convinced that he had one foot in the grave, but knowing him, he’d still do everything in his power to get back out there in the ring. Those fears were proven right when you spotted him leaving the sick bay, closing the door behind him with a sigh.

“Mat--!” You ran up to him.

“(F/N).” He opened his arms for you on instinct, eyes gleaming with relief the second he saw you. His voice was soft and breathy like he was exhausted, but he was putting in the effort to seem otherwise.

“It’s so good to see you,” You let out shakily, plowing into his arms and hugging him as tightly as you could without hurting him.

“It’s so good to see you too,” He screwed his eyes shut, squeezing you back and kissing the top of your head.

After the first round, everything seemed to take a nose-dive, but like a Godsend, you came in to lift him up when he needed it.

That was what he thought, anyway.

“You were just incredible out there! You’ve completely blown us all away,” You kept going in an excited ramble.

“Did you like what you see?” The Dane hummed into your neck, smiling from ear to ear with a rosy blush.

The answer was clear as day, but he just wanted to hear it again.

And he got exactly what he hoped for.

“I loved it. You were so hot,” You gushed, getting him to chuckle lowly and cover your face in a frenzy of kisses.

How happy he was to see you, the very reason for all the pain he just put himself through. Everything was worth it the instant you talked to him that way, but he only seemed to reach a new high when you smiled so tenderly at him to say this.

“You’re gonna be a world-famous boxer one day, I just know it. You’re gonna sell out all the Las Vegas stages and everyone’s gonna be flying in to see you.”

However, that was when your expression faltered, remembering what it was you really came for.

“But that’s not gonna happen if you go back out there again.” You said faintly, brows furrowed.

“What?” His face fell.

It was like taking a kick to the gut, to have you, of all people, turn your back on him the moment he needed you most. You weren’t giving up on him, were you?

“What do you mean?”

“Allen told me all about it,” You uttered, lowering your gaze to the ground because you couldn’t bear to look at him when he looked at you like this.

Meanwhile, Mathias lifted his eyes to Allen cautiously, who stood behind you with the most telling glare on him as if to say, don’t you dare lie.

“He said he rabbit-punched you, and you’ll risk a serious brain injury if you take another punch. So don’t go back out there.”

Yet, he didn’t think twice before doing exactly that.

“Don’t worry about that! I feel fine now, I promise.” He assured, taking your shoulders.

“But that’s what you always say,” You let out.

“That’s not true.” He frowned.

“Yes, it is. And you probably have your doctor convinced too, but I know you.”

Mathias closed his eyes in defeat, knowing there was no way he could keep fronting on you anymore.

“Don’t go out in the ring, Mat.”

“I have to,” He whispered. “You know I have to.”

“No, you don’t!” You were exasperated, feeling yourself start to lose composure all over again now that he was no longer trying to lie to you about his condition. You hugged him again, this time harder than before. Closing your eyes for a desperate look, you implored him to see reason. “You’ve done more than enough. You’re not losing out on anything if you concede now. You should be proud, I know I am.”

“But I’m almost there. I’m so close,” He screwed his eyes shut for an agonized look. It was like he didn’t have a choice, a slave to his own passions. Only he did, he just refused to see it. “I can’t just quit now.”

“It’s not about quitting, Mathias.” You sighed, but it sounded like you were on the verge of crying, and you were. You were already at a loss, knowing that everything you were saying would fall on deaf ears.

And yet, you kept trying, anyway.

“It’s about knowing when you can’t win, and you can’t. Not like this.”

“Kæreste.”

“You’ll have a million other opportunities, and you can have them all if you just pass this one up.”

“You know I don’t work that way.”

“You’re so stubborn,” You cried, wiping the tears that came.

That was when you did the unthinkable, hitting his chest because you were so frustrated that it overcame your immense worry for him, an almost impossible feat, but Mathias could pull anything off, it seems.

While you pounded your fists into him, he took every hit with dignity, never once faltering. Not that any of them affected him anyway.

He let you go as long as you had to, all until you tired yourself out and leaned against him for support. And he embraced you once you did.

“I’m so scared for you, but you don’t even care.”

“I do care, that’s why I’m telling you nothing is gonna happen to me,”

“You don’t know that.” Your face contorted.

“I do know that, because I’m so stubborn I’d never give you up,” Mathias let his brows come together for a bittersweet smile.

Deep down, he knew nothing he was saying was making any sense, but God, did he wish with every fiber of his being that it was all true. To have what he wanted simply because he wanted it hard enough, to have you simply because he didn’t want a life without you.

“And if something happened to me, someone else would have to take my place.”

“That’s not how it works,” You sobbed, knowing that nobody could ever take his place. But you never mentioned it to not take the focus away from his backwards logic, which was sure to put him in the grave one day.

If that was the case, why couldn’t you fight harder to get him to stay?

You were stuck, just like you always were, beaten down by his passion. Had Mathias conditioned you to such a profound level that you would always be powerless before him?

He had.

“That’s how I work,” He answered, kissing you until you were all but subdued to him. Mathias ruled over you with his love, where you gave in to him time and time again. “I’m gonna turn this around, I promise.”

“But what if you don’t?” You cried again.

“I will. I’ll always find a way,” Mathias smiled gently, eyes creasing for the most tender expression. Things had finally come full circle, where it was your word against you. “Isn’t that another thing I can’t change about myself?”

He began making his way back out into the arena, heart heavy with everything he said to you, because someday, when he’d finally fly too close to the sun, you’d be the one to pay for it for believing in him.

He just hoped that wouldn’t be today.

And the thing was, Allen saw right through him.

Mathias may have had you all fooled, you, his coach and even his doctor, but he knew what it was like to go too far. To be so blinded by short-term rewards, he’d sacrifice something he could never get back.

The ten second glory just wasn’t worth the lifetime of regret. He learnt that the hard way, but that definitely didn’t mean Mathias had to too. For that, he felt as if every moment up until now boiled down to this one.

This crucial moment and turning point where he was able to turn everything around. To right past wrongs, so that all his grief, along with yours and Amelia’s, wouldn’t have to be for nothing. To save Mathias.

Some he once hurt, and hated.

So he followed him down the hall, determined to do the downright impossible. Convince Mathias to change his mind, and on the most important thing to him at that.

But he’d rather die than just let this go.

“I know you’ve got her wrapped around your finger,” Allen grimaced, but there was not a single dash of mirth in his expression to speak of. Only a strained look like he was about to explode. “But not me.”

The boxer, who once had his back to him, faced him with a slight frown. Allen was almost a little too on the nail, and it wasn’t every day that he got called out for his behavior with you. But if there was one person in the world who would always be on his case, it was him.

“And I’m not letting you go back out there.”

“That’s not your decision to make,” The Dane said calmly, averting his eyes to hide the growing anguish behind them.

“Maybe. But it’s the right thing to do,” He said as-a-matter-of-factly, “You know you’re not in the condition to take another punch.”

“I am. I’ve always been able to get back up when I get knocked down,” Mathias hardened his gaze on him, which burned with so much certainty he almost caved. “And that’s not gonna change.”

Almost.

The boxer may have had one hell of an attitude and was impossibly thick-headed to boot, but he was one of the same.

And he wasn’t about to give in.

Especially if it meant saving his life.

“Don’t be so fucking naïve.” Allen spat, storming over to say this to his face. “He rabbit-punched you. Three-no, four fucking times. That’s not something you just get back up from, Mathias.”

“Yet here I am.”

Sometimes, the ex-marine wished he could have just one ounce of his optimism. This burning certainty that never left him and pushed him to shoot for the stars, which he himself lacked. But he’d be damned if he wound up this stubborn. This arrogant. Mathias was just too ambitious, and to the point that he was selfish. Especially to all the people who cared about him, namely, you. Even just thinking about you getting heartbroken led him to have a visceral reaction.

“You bastard.” Allen seethed, his eyes narrowing at the man for the most poisonous glare. Veins popped around his neck, and he would’ve grabbed his collar if he had one. “Don’t get cocky with me. ‘Cause if you do, you’re getting cocky with (F/N). Think about her.”

Mathias closed his eyes for another sigh.

“What is she gonna do if she loses you? She needs you!”

“That’s why nothing is gonna happen to me,” The blonde whispered shamefully, knowing he was the last person in the world to buy it.

And sure enough, he bit back with this jarring reply.

“That’s what I thought once, but that’s not how it fucking works.”

Usually, it was Mathias who would have the last word in all of their arguments after all the shit he pulled in the past.

But right now, he was as quick as a whip.

And what did Mathias do when he couldn’t win an argument?

He did what he wanted anyway.

“Don’t go back into the ring, Mathias.” Allen let out. But the Dane just brushed past him, having already made up his mind. That left the ex-marine spiraling with a furious kind of anxiety. “You’ll die, you know?”

And yet, the man just kept walking, getting further and further away at every passing second. Getting ignored like he was nothing but a breath of wind was what drove the nail in, especially when he couldn’t help but take it personally, no matter how he looked at it.

After everything that happened to him--

It was a thought that got him to snap like he never did before.

--did his word really mean nothing to him?

Blood rushed up to his face as he felt the hot lashes of anger and humiliation, but above all else, was his gripping fear.

“Goddammit Mathias, would you just fucking listen to someone else for once?!” Allen roared, finally getting the other to stop. But only because they wanted to humor him. “I don’t know what point you’re trying to prove here, but I know exactly how this one goes.”

“I can do this.” The boxer closed his eyes.

“No.” He shook his head quickly. “You can’t.”

Mathias heaved out a sigh, looking back at him with a frown. Nothing could shake his resolve, and it had nothing to do with what the other failed to say since they were about to say everything there was to say.

“All your life, you’ve got this fucking delusion that you can do anything and everything, and that’s done miracles for you,” Allen ranted, eyes wide and reeling. “But now is not the time to be throwing it all away.”

The way he spoke was passionate and with a cutting conviction, but also with an unintelligible sadness.

“There are things you can earn back, and there are some things you can’t,” He lowered his voice at that, “After what happened to me, you think I’m just gonna sit back and let you make the same mistake?”

Mathias grimaced, albeit with his expression a little strained. He was right, but he knew himself all too well. There was no going back, where the only thing to do was to let the chips fall where they may.

“We all care about you. And you’re my friend, alright? I can’t watch you go down the same path as me.”

“You’re my friend too,” The Dane smiled back calmly, his eyes gleaming with untold joy. It was the most cathartic moment in their relationship, to finally be able to call each other brothers like God intended.

But on Allen’s end, this only caused him more grief.

Just when he was starting to like the dumb bastard, he was throwing everything away for a boxing title.

“But there’s nothing you can do to change my mind.” Mathias continued, hoping that what he said could release him from the weight of his crushing guilt. “You can say you tried to stop me, because you did.”

Allen’s eyes grew as he came to the realization that he failed, watching the other turn their back on him.

“And that’s all that matters.”

“Goddammit, Mathias. Don’t do this!” He cried out, but the boxer had already jogged off. “Fuck!”

Nobody in the world could bend the will of that man, not even you, but Allen took this as a personal failing. He of all people knew what it was like to ruin his own body, and in turn, lose so much of his livelihood.

Yet, he still couldn’t manage to do this for him.

Allen leaned on the wall with his forearm, and there, he confronted the fact that he just let Mathias walk into his own demise. His expression contorted with so much agony, it looked like he was in physical pain.

He was going to be sick.

Against all of your wishes, Mathias was back in the ring.

By then, his ears were ringing so hard that he could hardly hear the roar of the arena. He could barely see his opponent in front of him, either. His vision was phasing in and out of focus, all of which left him in no condition to move, much less engage in a fight he so stubbornly wanted to finish. But it was too late to back out of his fate.

He took a punch to the face.

Then another.

His head flung to the side as his face contorted with so much pain, it looked like he was about to die. He felt like he was going to die, and maybe he was. He was losing touch with his senses, like his soul was departing from his body. And he could all but barely stand.

If that really was the case, then God, he pleaded.

Let me go out with a bang.

That was when he decided to put his all into one final move, bringing his arm back. Launching it at his opponent’s chin, he gave him the most powerful uppercut he’d ever let loose in his entire career.

And he sent him flying.

When his opponent hit the ground with a heavy thump, his eyes had rolled to the back of his head. He was down and out.

But Mathias?

He was still standing. Swaying.

Against all odds, he won the fight with a killer knockout, and you were all ecstatic beyond your wits. Jumping, screaming, and crying from relief, hugging each other like all was right in the world.

Allen never cheered so loudly in his life.

Mathias won. He actually won.

Even after a near loss, he cheated death, turned everything around, and stole the show. He couldn’t have been more impressed.

But the celebration ended up short-lived.

Just when you all thought victory was in the palm of his hand, it was stolen in a way that not even a trophy could restore.

Mathias collapsed in the ring, falling onto his back in such a heavy thump, it was as if he’d never get up again. And there he lay, deathly still with his eyes wide open in a pool of his own sweat and blood.

His vision was giving out, but not into darkness like when you close your eyes. It was more of a distinct nothingness, as if he’d lost his senses entirely. And his ears, ringing until the hush of the screams tuned out into a buzz. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t hear.

And he could barely feel the ground beneath him.

Was he awake, or was he dreaming?

In those final slithers of his consciousness, the Dane wondered if this was all worth it in the end. Winning, and against Allen’s desperate pleas for him to forfeit.

The question really boiled down to this.

If he never woke up again, could he look back on this moment and be truly happy with himself? He didn’t know.

And maybe, he wouldn’t stick around to find out.

His pupils dilated until he looked to be in a mania, having reached a nirvana never to be returned from again. He was at the final stage of enlightenment. Nothing mattered anymore as he was free from all his attachments, which ironically, he was never really able to let go of in the past. You, boxing.

You.

But he was finally letting everything go.

Mathias woke up after what felt like the deepest sleep of his life. He was lying in a bed, and as feeling returned to his body, he didn’t recognise it to be his own. Where was he? He blinked his vision back and sat up with a groan, overcome with a pounding headache.

Through a squint, he came to realize the room he was in.

A sterile white and mint hospital room.

A few minutes later, a nurse walked in, immediately lighting up.

“You’re finally awake! I know a lot of people who will be very happy to hear that,” She began, coming over to do some routine check-ups.

He hadn’t noticed until she mentioned it, but when he glanced around his bed, he was bombarded with piles and piles of gifts.

Bouquets of flowers, Lego sets, teddy bears, and even Danish snacks that were hard to come by in the States. They surrounded his bed on the floor, which normally would’ve been a tripping hazard if it weren’t for him being bedridden. That only left him with one biting question.

How long had it been since he came?

“How long have I been out?” Mathias frowned, pressing the bottom of his hand to his eye to rub it. He was exhausted and sore all over, so he wasn’t planning on moving anytime soon--or so he thought.

“About a month, actually.”

“A month?” His eyes flew open as he was overcome with full-blown shock, followed by an overwhelming sense of urgency.

He’d been down for that long?

He could only imagine how worried to death you all were, and how you probably did think he was dead, so his first thought wasn’t to keep staying in bed like he ought to. It was to find you.

“Where are my clothes?”

“They’re in that cupboard next to you, but you shouldn’t worry about them. You won’t be needing them until you get discharged,” The nurse answered, not at all expecting him to go against her advice.

After leaning over and fishing out his silken boxing shorts, he rocked back on the bed to pull them on. And the other watched on, clipboard in hand, not knowing what to think. If that wasn’t enough to clue her in on what he was planning, the next thing he did certainly might.

Mathias threw his blanket off and planted his feet on the ground, bringing himself to a stand like he normally would.

“Wait, don’t stand up!” She exclaimed, but it was too late.

He was already standing upright.

His legs were a lot weaker than usual, and he swayed a bit before finding his footing, but he could stand. And it was a marvel in and of itself. Just when she thought his legs would give out and he’d fall over, he didn’t, and just stared at her like she was the strange one.

“Why not?” He frowned.

And she was frankly dumbfounded.

“No, it’s just--it’s just patients usually can’t stand without help in the first few days,” She remarked faintly, taken aback with amazement.

“Oh,” Mathias blinked. He wasn’t her usual patient, that was for sure, just like how he wasn’t a very normal person, either. No normal person would wind up in the hospital for the reasons he did, after all.

A knowing smile graced his lips as he said this.

“Then you must not know who I am.”

“You’re that boxer who won that tournament, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yeah. I did win, didn’t I?” He scratched his head, squinting as he did. Everything was so foggy -- the fight, going under -- but if there was one thing he could always remember, it was how to find you.

He glanced at the clock, which read eight-seventeen PM. Depending on the day of the week, you were either at home or bartending.

“What day is it?”

“Thursday.”

You were bartending, then.

That was when Mathias bolted out of the room, much to her panic.

“Oh my God,” She ran after him and stopped by the door frame, watching him dash through the hall with little to no trouble. Aside from the occasional stumble or two, he never stopped once.

Usually, she would have chased after him or called attention to a patient on the loose, but he was actually running.

Just who was this guy?

While Mathias ran down the street, he would stumble, and he would even fall, but his condition was the least of his concerns right now.

He just hoped you didn’t meet anybody new.

Maybe it was silly of him to worry about -- you moving on after only just a month. But the smallest possibility of it happening got him sprinting like this after a coma. Or did he just not want you to even entertain the idea, which you likely had already done once or twice?

He ran faster and faster.

He couldn’t have you thinking that way for even another second.

Mathias finally got to the bar you worked at, jogging in with his mouth agape and chest heaving as he scanned the place.

You were behind the counter, polishing a glass and talking to some random. The random in question was a young man with sandy blonde hair, rectangular-framed glasses, and the audacity to speak to you during your shift.

This was exactly how he met you, and to see this scene play out with another guy in his place was like taking a knife to the heart.

He knew it wasn’t your fault that he felt this way; it was more the universe playing a cruel joke on him. To get him to see what it was like if he were out of the picture. If he really never came back to save you from the company of another man, who just dropped the inevitable, do you have a boyfriend? It was meant to be an innocent question, and yet, it looked like you were on the verge of tears.

But he was about to put an end to all of this now.

He came over, gaze softened for a tender, yet knowing look.

When you saw him in the corner of your eye, you turned to him, not expecting him to be anybody of importance. Only it was.

It was Mathias, alive and well.

Glass shattered, the sound of you dropping the cup in your hand.

Next chapter: Coming soon

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