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There’s a Difference Between Swords and Blades
Seung Gil glances at the scoreboard and Michele can see the other skater’s eyes narrow: Seung Gil isn’t likely to medal no matter how well he skates the following day, but if he does, it’ll be by tenths of a point.
“You skated well!” Sara comes up behind Mickey, put her hands on his shoulders, and offers a small smile at Seung Gil. “You were robbed.” Sara’s hands tighten. “Mickey… there’s been a trend lately… you should… I could help… and…”
“It’s not fair.”
Michele doesn’t necessarily like Seung Gil or how he interacts with other people (especially his precious sister Sara), but Mickey’s not heartless, and he knows an unfair score when it comes up on the big screens and the little South Korean flag icon drops into the appropriate slot. Last. Unsurprisingly, Seung Gil doesn’t look distraught, but Mikcey can see his hands tighten around the Husky plush sitting in his lap.
“I feel a bit bad for him,” Sara murmurs. “Mickey, do something! He didn’t deserve that!”
“Do what?” Mickey replies. “I can’t change his score, Sara.” His voice softens as the arena offers a soft clap as Seung Gil gets up. “I would if I could.”
Sara’s already skated and her hair is slipping from it’s chignon bun. Her jacket is wrapped firmly about her shoulders to ward off the chill of the rink, and both violet eyes with slightly smeared makeup around them are filling with tears. It makes Mickey’s heart ache.
“Mickey!” Sara whines. “He’s still human! Comfort him!”
Precious, perfect Sara. Michele nods, snags a Samoyed from a pile of other canine related plush animals, and then beelines for Seung Gil. Seung Gil stops walking, eyes Michele, opens his mouth, and then closes it when Michele offers the fluffy white dog with apparent disinterest.
“Here,” Michele says while he stares at the ceiling. “You deserved better.”
Michele thinks that Seung Gil isn’t going to take the Samoyed for a second, that his chivalry is going to be wasted, but Seung Gil grabs the dog and holds it alongside the Husky.
“Thank you,” Seung Gil says.
Michele just nods. “Cute Husky.”
“It’s a Malamute.”
A muscle by Michele’s eyebrow twitches at the curt tone, but he quickly stomps down his irritation. “Of course it is.”
Seung Gil glances at the scoreboard and Michele can see the other skater’s eyes narrow: Seung Gil isn’t likely to medal no matter how well he skates the following day, but if he does, it’ll be by tenths of a point.
“You skated well!” Sara comes up behind Mickey, put her hands on his shoulders, and offers a small smile at Seung Gil. “You were robbed.” Sara’s hands tighten. “Mickey… there’s been a trend lately… you should… I could help… and…”
“What are you talking about?” Seung Gil demands while Michele’s eyes widen in sudden understanding.
“Haven’t you seen all the other skaters who’ve forfeited or been disqualified?” Michele says. “They use their skate time to show off a talent.”
“What talent could you possibly have?” Seung Gil remarks, not entirely unkindly, but’s he’s blunt by nature and Sara and Michele immediately bristle.
“I’ll show you!” Michele challenges. “Sara, can you-”
“On it, Mickey!”
Seung Gil sits with his stuffed animals and waits. While the sentiment of having someone give up their program for him is… interesting… he doesn’t entirely understand it. Why would Michele give up precious points and medals just to give a middle finger to the judges? He doesn’t get much out of it, unless of course he does something truly amazing. Yuri’s Bonaly and Yuuri’s wall routine are still making headlines. If Michele did something equally impressive, that could be a benefit of throwing the competition.
“You’re lucky there were junior competitors here,” Michele says hotly as stands in front of Seung Gil and crosses his arms. “One of them brought their entire high school team here to root for him. They had just come from a meet and they were more than happy to let me borrow their gear. And Sara.” Michele points a finger at Seung Gil. “Watch this!”
The stadium is a buzz as Michele and Sara, still in their skating outfits, place a large gym bag on the floor as Michele’s name is called.
“Swords?” Seung Gil says in confusion while Sara and Michele pull out the blunted weapons and head for an open strip of space alongside the rink.
“Blades!” Michele corrects. “I may be an amazing ice skater-”
“Debatable,” Seung Gil says to himself.
“-but I’m also a decent épée.” Michele puffs his chest out. “Sara is a foil.”
The pair raise their swords, salute, and then shout “en garde!” The stadium erupts when the pair begin to fence. They’re clearly just playing with one another, but the speed and precision is real.
“You’re lucky we’re not wearing uniforms,” Michele tells Seung Gil. “Or electrified.”
Sara begins to laugh when she and Michele continue to fence. “Mickey, you’re rusty!”
“I just don’t want to hurt you!”
Sara frowns a bit and stabs Michele in the center of his chest. “It can’t be worse than skating bruises!”
There’s a murmur in the stadium as people search their phones and tablets for fencing. Seung Gil watches, inwardly admits that the gesture of Michele giving up his skate is nice and appreciated but not needed, although it’s clear that Michele just wants to show himself and Sara and their fencing skills off.
The pair finish their bout and then wave to the arena. People are clapping and cheering and demanding another round. Michele loops an around Sara’s shoulders and then offers a wink at Seung Gil. Seung Gil just rolls his eyes, but he can’t help but grin: news about international skaters who can also fence is going to be the next big headline. Seung Gil hopes he can come up with something just as dazzling and showy as fencing.