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Troy felt the wind rushing past him, the cold air filling his lungs and making his face dust red.
He heard cheering, cheering for him.
Adrenaline ran through his veins, he needed to go faster, he needed to be first.
Seeing a ramp up ahead he took his chance, pulling a small lever that made even more steam propel out of the exhaust of his steamsled as he accelerated toward the ramp.
Crashing into it, he went flying into the air, a lot higher than he meant to, but he thought nothing of it.
He waved to his fans mid-air, basking in the attention and praise.
But just as he looked back to the track he saw a rockier area of ice getting closer before he heard a crash and felt an aching in his arm and head.
He tried to ignore it and reach for his sled but it had already begun slipping down the slope, he went to sit up and grab it but as soon as he propped himself up on his arm he collapsed back down.
His head spun, it was so bright, and way too loud. Was that blood? No it’s just his suit. Wait no that’s definitely blood.
Despite the strain on his eyes he kept them open, or as open as he could, watching the racers fly past him, some gave glances but a concerning amount passed by before someone stopped, he couldn’t tell who it was.
All he knew was that this person wasn’t on his team, so he closed his eyes to save himself the embarrassment.
He heard them talking, concern in his tone, yet he couldn’t find himself making out any of their words.
Feeling a set of hands on him he flinched back, he was lifted over the racers shoulder, and as she spoke to him, he realized who it was, oh god it’s Mai...
“You’re gonna be alright! You’re gonna be okay.” Troy couldn’t tell if she was talking to herself of him.
As much as he told himself he hated this, that he should be yelling at her to put him down, she was warm, and her touch didn’t seek to harm him, so despite everything in his head that told him not to, he let himself rest.
The next time Troy opened his eyes he felt like he was being flash-banged, fluorescent lights blinding him.
Previously he felt like his skull had cracked open and as if his arm had been stabbed repeatedly, but now it was just a dull ache.
“Troy! Thank god you’re awake.” Mai said from a chair by his bed.
He looked at her for a moment, dazed. “What are you doing here…” He didn’t bother hiding the distain in his tone.
“I was worried! You broke your arm after that stunt you pulled.” She exclaimed, prompting him to look down to his arm, which was now in a cast.
Worried, it had been a while since somebody had worried for him, sure his fans loved him, but nobody liked him, nobody really cared that much unless they were a fan.
“How am I gonna race like this dude…” He groaned, letting his head fall back against his pillow.
Mai sputtered for a moment, baffled about he could still being thinking about racing in this condition. “That doesn’t matter. Are you okay?”
This felt odd. He hadn’t been asked that in a while, and when he was the people asking never really wanted to know the answer, but this felt genuine.
It made Troy feel nauseous.
“I’ll live dude.” He replied dryly, he wanted her out already, he didn’t need her pity or company, he had other people to talk to.
She got the message, she reached her hand out for a moment but pulled back.
“Right…” She muttered. “I-I should be getting to class about now. It was nice seeing you.”
She stood up and grabbed her bag before stepping out of the room.
He wasn’t bothered, he didn’t need her. Other people would come talk to him, his whole team was probably getting ready to line up outside his door!
So he waited. The first few hours were boring, but he kept himself occupied, the few times that he talked to the nurses were because he was told to sit back down, apparently apart from the broken arm he had managed to get a concussion.
He kept thinking, someone else had to being coming! If not today then tomorrow. Yeah, he’ll just sleep through it.
The next day he thought the same thing, he was allowed to wander around the hospital but he still had to be there for two more days, he tried to keep conversations with the nurses, but all their conversation felt hollow and rushed.
The third day of his stay, around 8PM, he felt a strange sorrow, why hadn’t anyone come to visit, sure he understood his father and his brother, but not his team? Not even Lint?
It hurt.
So obviously he ignored that and instead occupied himself with magazines and tried not to be left alone with his thoughts.
After what felt like an eternity someone knocked on his door, and he definitely didn’t get excited just at the prospect of someone talking to him, nah, he was too nonchalant.
“Come in dude!” He said looking to the door wondering who it would be.
As the door opened Mai stepped in, looking a little weary as she went to sit down.
Troy felt like he should tell her to leave, but the boredom was killing him. “Why are you here?” He asked, half genuine half seething.
“If you want me to leave thats fine but I just wanted to check on you.”
He sighed, patting the chair by this bed begrudgingly, but she looked happy to be wanted there.
“So, what’s like, going on and stuff, with the racing team?” He asked, hoping that she would give him an answer that would quell the sadness he was hiding.
She hesitated, trying to figure out what to say. “To be honest… Nothing, the team was a little shaken up when they first heard the news but then everything just kind of went back to normal.” Her tone was sympathetic and it filled Troy with a primal rage, he didn’t need her pity, he didn’t need anything - anyone for that matter!
But despite the boiling anger it was muffled by a heavy sadness weighing on his mind, no one had worried, no one had thought to visit.
“Are you… crying?”
He hadn’t even noticed the tears welling in his eyes, but as soon as he realized they were falling he wiped them away.
“No! I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about! You’re- You’re being crazy!” He snapped, turning the other way.
Mai’s expression shifted from pity to understanding, her gaze softening as she reached out her hand as if he was a feral dog.
He looked at the hand for a long moment, his cheeks reddening as he reluctantly took it, every fiber of his being and soul screaming at him that she was his rival, he shouldn’t even be talking to her.
“Why did you bother coming here?” His voice cracked uncharacteristically, refusing to make eye contact out of embarrassment
.
“I thought I told you? I wanted to check up on you.”
“Not why you came; why you put the effort in to visit. Not even my family vi-“ He stopped himself, he was getting too vulnerable for gods sake he was crying and holding her hand.
Pulling away he wiped the last remaining tears, keeping himself focused on the anger so he didn’t start bawling again
“Because you’re a person! If anyone else got hurt I would have done the same thing.”
There was a long silence, but Mai was the one to break it, sighing and pushing her hair back.
“I’ll strike you a deal. You’re getting discharged today? If so then let’s go get some food, drinks, I don’t care, and we can talk this over without the lights giving me sunburn…?”
“I hate these lights dude.” He muttered under his breath.
“Is that a yea?”
“Fuck, yeah fine I guess.” He hissed, letting himself fall back against his pillow.
Mai smiled softly, silently celebrating her success.
“It’s a date!”
“It is?”