Archive of Our Own ^beta

It's been nearly a year since the accident that nearly took esteemed uma, Hot Guy's life. Nearly a year since the Takarazuka Kinen that she had so happily beat Pesky Bird, her ultimate rival, by 3 horse lengths.

It was something to be proud of-something she was happy about. The two of them had always been close since they'd entered Tracen. Naturally, being a late surger, Hots always had her eyes on Bird every time they'd raced. Be it in training, or in actual races, she had only ever wanted to catch up to her.

"Racing against you was the most thrill I've had in my life," She remembered Bird telling her one day after training, both girls sitting on the seats looking towards the track. Hots had agreed, back then. To her, racing against Bird was all she'd ever want to do.

It was only her own carelessness that she hadn't noticed herself wheeze as she crossed the finish line, hadn't noticed herself sag against the turf, collapsing in a mess of limbs. All she could remember from then was seeing Bird, and her personal doctor, Cub, above her, both concerned for her health.

She'd always been weak. She knew that, and that's why her best friend growing up dedicated his life to helping weaker umas strengthen their cores. She knew he wouldn't be able to understand life as an uma, being a human himself, and yet…

Despite all the care he put into helping her improve her condition, allow her to run like she'd wanted, she knew that she was destined to never be a race uma. It's in her blood, in the way her muscles will spasm and no longer hold her weight, in the way that her joints would ache, in the way the only reason she'd kept on running was to run by Bird's side. It was in the way anytime her trainer, Lizzie, would ask her to do endurance training, that she'd come out of it coughing and wheezing, and having her roommate Cosmic escort her back to their room.

It's after that she was bound to a wheelchair. It wasn't uncommon for an Uma to be on one, with Professor Sugar Lights having her own as well. But for an Uma who was still racing, an Uma whos career had yet to finish… Hots saw it as a shame to herself. She embraced it, sure! Got her friends to help bedazzle the chair in sequins and customised it to her own liking.

Still, it didn't make her any less upset. She was pitied by her peers, most of them knowing how much she enjoyed running, enjoyed feeling the wind on her face, her feet on the dry turf floor.

She really doesn't remember much from when she was hospitalised. Friends coming and going, Cub and Bird always by her side. Yet, she was fading in and out constantly, unaware of what was going on around her. She vaugely remembered being told she was in a coma… And nothing else.

Yet, one thing struck to her mind the most.

She doesn't know when it was, just that she'd been sleeping for a while. Her legs ached, joints sore. As much as she yearned to wake up, to run again, she felt fatigued. Despite all of this, the warmness radiating from the body beside her helped quell her mind of any negative thought.

She could recognise Bird anywhere, recognise the other uma's touch and voice no matter what. The bond the two girls shared was irrefutable, not just because they were rivals but also that their trainers were dating, and this naturally meant that they trained together a lot. Bird's smooth hands gripped Hots own calloused one, holding it close to her chest.

Hots could feel the trickle of Bird's tears down her skin, each drop burning her, scarring her permanently. Though, would it really be that bad to have scars that Bird left on her displayed on her body? Her ever prominent collection could be added to, proud that someone she cared for so much could mark her till the day she died.

"Don't cry, Birdie," Hots wanted to say, wanted to scream at the other girl. She never enjoyed the look on Bird's face while she cried, never cared for the despair felt by the other. Unlike their seniors, who loved making their rivals cry and scream, Hots wanted nothing but the best for Bird.

It was emotions like these that were unresolved, (was it that bad for Hots to keep it all to herself?) and it was moments like these where Bird was spilling her heart out to the other girl that told Hots how much she meant, even if Bird always teased, was always mean and dismissive to her, she knew that Bird wanted to stay here with her as much as she herself wanted her there.

"We'll race again, I promise." Was what Hots wanted to tell the other girl. She had no way of saying it, no way of making sure it came true. But deep in her heart she would uphold this. Would always make sure Bird was never alone.

Hots remembered when she woke up, that all her friends were there. Cub, Bird, Mumbo, Lizzie, Jimmy… Even Cosmic, Joel, and Clock were there, the three of which somehow had an intense rivalry together, personalities never mixing well. Slab, Slayer, Moon, Tango, Big B, Impulse, Skizz, and Cleo were there too. Hots had never felt so loved, seeing everyone she cared about in the academy there for her.

She cried, that day. She still remembers the feeling of everyone crowding around her, giving her a group hug. All her friends, everyone she cared for, waiting for her to wake up.

Which leads her to the present. Bird had always been fascinated with marine life, and the aquarium was a spot that she and Hots had frequented after their trainings with Joel, Lizzie, and Jimmy, the five of them often getting ice cream at the palour nearby. This was their first time back there since Hots' incident as she'd spent most of her days in Cub's lab with checkups over checkups, constantly seeing if theres any way that she could run again.

Cub had designed for her a pair of leg bracers, meant to help support her legs without any augumentation. Hots would need physical therapy to use it, and she definitely wouldn't be able to professionally race again but… It's a start. She'd kept this a secret from most people aside from Lizzie and Jimmy, with Lizzie helping her do simple exercises to ensure her joints and muscles were always used.

This was the day she'd wanted to tell Bird though. As much as the other girl had always dismissed Hots and said that it'd be better if they never ran together again, Hots knew her well enough to see the pain in her eyes whenever she said that.

They'd race together again. Even if Bird didn't hear it, Hots promised. And Hots never, ever, goes back on a deal, or a promise, or anything she says. She's trustworthy, and anyone else who says otherwise was lying!

(Well… That's maybe an understatement. She may or may not have exaggerated a little, but the promises she made to Bird were always true, at least. No one needs to bring up how the two girls tried to sell sand from the beach they went to during summer training, at the training grounds itself.)

"Hello? Hotshot? Anyone there?" Spotting a hand waving in front of her, Hots turned around to see a very bored Bird currently looking annoyed and impatient, most likely waiting for Hots to respond to her. Well, don't blame Hots for getting distracted! She was just thinking of Bird's really, very cool and amazing and not at all attractive scrapped race outfit that she'd tried to get her to put on. A near replica of her own, with pink and red instead of Hots iconic orange and blue.

And yes, just the outfit, and not how Bird would have looked so charming in it, or how Bird looks charming all the time.

Case in point- Bird was currently wearing a pink miniskirt with her iconic red sweater, with white boots and stockings up to her thighs. Her glasses had hearts dangling off them today instead of her usual beaded chains. (Secretly, Hots thought about how nice it'd be if those clothes were off. Wondered how Bird would look under everything.)

It wasn't a "date", per say, but it was just Hots and Bird for once, and Bird had definitely dressed up for the occasion. In her defence, Hots was too, she donned a green off-shoulder dress with gold embellishments, with earrings and a necklace, complete with bangles that would make any man fawn. Though, she only wanted Bird to fawn over her. It's not her fault the other girl was just so cute and adorable! She was just like a cute little lava cake, exploding in gooey excitingness whenever she was pressed.

"- I swear, it's always like this. You never listen when I'm saying anything and you probably wouldn't even hear this so I don't know why i bother! I don't even know why I like you,-" Bird tattled on, but there was only one thing that caught on to Hots.

Gods. She likes me too?

Oh, this excited Hots so much. Man, maybe she had a chance. But that wasn't the earthshattering confession she wanted to have today, and it took her a while to arrange her thoughts while Bird yapped in her ear, probably more and more about how annoyed she was.

Who names an uma Bird anyways? Hots didn't want to doubt her future mother-in-law (Oh geez, she was already thinking far into the future. She doesn't even know if Bird would accept her confession even if she felt the same!), and Bird was indeed pesky and light as a bird. But she was a horse girl! Horses are totally different from birds! If she could give Bird another name, she'd probably name her Grain. Like a grain of sand, or grain in bread. Her, Joel, and Jimmy had that whole rebellious bad boy era when they ran their bakery back in middle school, anyways. It wouldn't be too far off from real life.

She snorted a little, adjusting the cannula sat below her nose, before Bird gave her a quizzical look.

"Uhh… Hots? You good there, buddy?"

"Yep! Fit as a dandy right there, Bird!"

"Hots, I'm sure it's not fit as a dandy… Don't you mean fit as a fiddle?"

"Fiddle or dandy, same thing," she shrugged, looking towards the seasonal exhibit where she assumed Bird had been explaining to her, sea otters staring back at her.

"Anyways, as I was saying, did you know sea otters eat up to 25% times their body weight? They're even more gluttonous than Clock at an all-you-can-eat buffet, I'd reckon."

And… Hots got distracted again. It really wasn't her fault, Bird's facts were nice but her voice was just so soothing- and the sea otter that just swam by looked so much like the cat she had snuck into her dorm-

"Bird, doesn't that one look a lot like Jellie?"

The short girl squinted, disappointed that her train of thought had been ruined but quickly realised that it did, indeed, look like the american shorthair.

"The one next to it looks like Pearl too!"

"Your cat or Moon?"

"Both. Duh."

It's a known joke that when the siblings were younger, Bird and Jimmy would always call Moon by Pearl, and even now their parents still did.

It all changed when Bird adopted a cat and decided to call her Pearl too, just as a joke to her younger sister. Jimmy joined in the fun, and she was annoyed enough to make everyone exclusively call her Moon, tired of the nonsense between her and the cat.

Or at least, thats what Hots heard. She didn't know her when that happened, having only met the group of friends in middle school, but she trusted the recountings of it that both Bird and Jimmy bragged about, saying it's Moon's fault for being the youngest out of the three.

(Though, Hots was sure that Jimmy was the youngest. She could never tell, with them being twins and all, but Moon had older sibling vibes- Jimmy was… Jimmy)

Hots reached behind, where Bird's hand was resting on the handle of her wheelchair, and pulled it down to rest on her chest, before the hand was grabbed away from her, a very flustered Bird angrily looking at her.

"HOTS! What on earth are you doing! We're in public, that's indecent!"

Hots flushed, forgetting that her very respectable and prideful chest size was a sensitive topic for most. It really wasn't her fault she was well endowed! She just wanted to hold Bird's hand in her own.

The girl cheekily giggled, before reached out to lace her hand in Bird's, holding the smaller girl tight.

"Hey you two, don't cause a commotion here. If you wanna yell, do it elsewhere. There's guests other than the two of you, y'know." A security guard came up to the two, and Hots looked down in shame, as if it was all Bird's fault.

"B-but- hey, it really w- Hots! It's all your fault, again!"

"Jeez Louise, Bird. Don't blame a girl for wanting to hold hands with her friends!"

The security guard was impatiently tapping his feet, waiting for the two umas to leave. Hots could see the other girl's tail start swishing around, a sign that she was, for once, genuinely agitated. She sighed, and looked up to Bird with the biggest, most adorable puppy dog eyes anyone could master.

"We're sorry, we'll go somewhere else-" Bird quipped, untangling herself from the mess of limbs Hots had somehow gotten her tangled in, and took the lead to push Hots and herself away, leading them to Bird's favourite corner of the aquarium.

Surprisingly, even though she'd wanted to study marine biology before getting scouted by Tracen, and would probably proceed to getting a degree in that after her graduation instead of being an umadol or continue like most others, Bird was passionate about going back into the field, and Hots couldn't blame her. She'd wanted to open a zoo when she was younger, too! (And a bargaining store… and a theme park… She was a girl with dreams alright! And she could still open her own theme park, themed after no one else but her and Jellie, thank you very much.)

And yet, despite all that, Bird's favourite section of the aquarium was about ancient antiques and artifacts found in the deep ocean. Hots and all their friends have heard this spiel before, on how enchanted books exist and how she'd be able to find one that would mend her energy, much like how wit training was… just a bunch of studying and time for them to rest.

They all thought she was crazy. Though, Slayer had agreed to take Bird to a fishing trip one day where they wouldn't leave until she'd found what she wanted.

(And if that didn't make Hots jealous, she'd be a madman if not.)

There were new things on display at the artifacts section, and Bird was just going on about how its a large deal for not just her, but also the world that these were being displayed. Something about fishing… And Hots was kind of lost on the way. Though, Bird did say something about some artifacts being relevant in uma history. Now that was something that excited Hots.

Hots hadn't thought much about uma history, being one herself you'd think she would think more of her own kind. Though she did try to pay attention in classes, she'd much rather someone else teach her things she could learn. Like Bird! It's a pity she's a year younger than her, or Hots would probably end up being tutored by the girl.

She isn't dumb per say, contradictory to popular belief. She can get a little ditzy at times but if she tried hard enough she's really smart! (And that's on somehow managing to get her whole middle school class to buy colored glass that were "magic crystals". Blame the placebo effect for it working.)

The more Bird talked about the artifacts that were part of uma history, the more Hots began to think about how much she'd die to get to run against her again. It's really been a year, huh, she thought to herself. Another 6 months and Hots would graduate Tracen. Another 6 months and she'd leave Bird for a year.

Sure, they could always race when Hots got better. But it wouldn't be the same as running the specially prepared Tracen track, the turf simulating that of a real course. They could always join the uma racing club together in uni… But that's really if Hots could get better, or if either of them didn't find something else to do.

Uni has been on the tip of their minds, for a good number of their friends. For people like Lizzie who was in the special trainers course, it's time for them to think if they want to continue on to train more umas. Lizzie herself had asked both Cleo and Impulse why they had stayed on doing trainer work, and instead of anything else. For Cub, someone so passionate about his craft and even on scholarship to work in the school labs while recieving his education, he would probably continue on working part time in the academy while doing his uni education, and go on to get a doctorates.

Hots had always assumed that she would still be racing by then. That she'd compete overseas, and be a well known uma. It isn't that she didn't get her chances in her first two years. It's just that… she wished she had a longer career on the track.

She'd been looking into getting a degree in horticulture and landscape design, not only is it in the same faculty as the course Bird wanted to go to, it's also something she could see herself doing. And if it all works out- she and Bird could be roommates. A gap year to rest and recuperate would be good, it's something Cub had suggested before to her, and surely she'd be able to do more in that year. Staying around in the same city unnerved her, and travelling all over the world while she could elicited so much joy out of her.

Startled out of her own thoughts by Bird moving her chair to the next structure, she looked to what had gotten Bird's attention- It was a shoe, specifically one that looked like an ancient prototype of what uma-specific racing shoes look like now.

"It's said that this shoe was apparently magic, and could help any human run as fast as an uma- it was fished up on an island, and apparently the guy who did fish it up managed to find a book buried under the sand stating that the shoes could make humankind evolve."

"You really believe in these kinds of magic stuff, huh, Songbird?" Hots glanced up at Bird, admiring the way that Bird herself stared at the artifact in awe. If she could capture this moment forever- but alas, they were in a corner of the aquarium that didn't allow photos to be taken. It was partially a museum, this area, and Hots assumed that it was all just a capitalistic ruse of "come over to see our cool shiny stuff instead of looking at pictures online and no you can't save any mementos of you being here either".

Hm. Maybe she should consider working here instead of opening her own zoo. Or greenhouse. Or theme park.

"Well, not exactly. It's just that it could really be a possibility, huh?"

Hots thought back to middle school. When she'd just heard from Jimmy that his older sister had gone missing, and the group of them finding her for days. Back when it was just her, Jimmy, Moon, Joel, Lizzie, Mumbo, and Clock.

It's crazy to see how far they've come.

But even so, back then Hots had never come across Bird. They'd always just manage to miss each other at friend meetings, and they'd talk occasionally over Umastagram, and like each others posts, yet they never knew each other well enough to be able to have a full conversation.

They didn't find her for over a month. Police were called, everyone had thought she was dead- and when she came back she was… Different. Didn't seem the same.

Hots was sure she had never ever heard of Bird mentioning the occult or any of the like even once while they'd chatted online. Only after going missing was when Bird started to get interested in everything.

Hots even remembered a time where, right after finding her, Bird was convinced that she was being watched in every corner, at every given moment.

She never wanted Bird to feel such unrest ever again.

"Well… If there was a way that someone who couldn't move could run as fast as one of us… Would you believe it?"

"Is this really your way of telling me that magic is lame? Of course I believe it, Hots. Anything could be real, you never know."

Bird slowly wheeled Hots out the exit of the artifacts exhibit, and the aquarium as a whole, that being the last section of it. The hot, crisp air hit Hots the moment she exited, feeling the way that the mid-noon summer sun would just hit you. God, it really is hot outside today. She took the air conditioning of the aquarium granted, quite literally.

"Well Birdie, I'm just saying! You know I don't believe in that stuff. Even if you enjoy it, it's a bit too much for little ol' Hot Guy's brains to handle."

"Gee, Hots, you really aren't that old. You're just a year older than me, any more of that and I'll be growing white hair too."

"Hey, at least my white streaks are natural and not because of old age! These have been growing out of me since I was a baby!"

The pair squabbled all the way to the ice cream store, conversation changing so fast about incessant things in their day to day lives yet always something the two would disagree on.

But really, If Hots' days could always be like this… bickering all day with Bird could be her forever and she'd appreciate it.

Getting their usual flavours and sitting at their usual seats, it's almost like nothing has changed and this was just their monthly adventure with friends, and not Hots' first time being out of bed in a year, or not the fact that it was just her and Bird together, no one else.

And we definitely ignore the horrible transfer that was made to get Hots into the booth, and how she started whining about it hurting her and "Bird, can't you be more careful"s, and "I can't control the way you sit, Hots!!"s.

"Bird, do you remember when I asked if you'd believe it if I told you that someone who lost all mobility could run again- especially as fast as an uma?"

Bird's face was stuffed full with ice cream, the girl getting a whole stack of 5 waffles and multiple scoops. She says that Clock is a glutton, when she herself has her gluttony activate when sweet things are involved. It looks that today, most of her ice creams were flavours that were her safe choices and nothing experimental.

Hots internally shuddered remembering the time that Bird ordered pickle ice cream. That was a story she'd never stop telling to people around her.

Hots herself had 3 scoops- again, flavours that she'd enjoyed the most. Blueberry, chocolate, and raspberry. Cub told her she couldn't eat much solids, but it wasn't really solids if ice cream melted, was it?

Besides, they didn't have raw chicken ice cream. That mess of a concoction that she'd made while half awake would always, always, haunt her in a good way.

"Yeaaaaaah?" Slightly muffled by the food that she's putting into her mouth at the moment, Bird nodded, though Hots could already figure out what she was saying even without that.

"So Cubby and I were working in the lab- and you know how hard he works!"

"Mhn-"

This was it, this was where she'd break the news to Bird. But Hots just… couldn't do it. She didn't know why. It's like her words were stuck against a wall."

"Hots? Hotshot?"

"Yeah, give me a moment-"

And before she could speak again, tears started rolling down her eyes. Plus point for dramatics, when she just wanted to tell Bird and be done with it. She didn't expect it to be an emotional moment.

"You good there, buddy?"

"I just, oh boy, I think…"

Without hesitation, Bird moved from the seat opposite Hots to the seat next to her, taking her hand. Bird drew circles around the back of Hots' hands, an action she knew calmed the other down and she'd done a million times before.

"Take your time, Hots. I'm here for you, whatever you say." Bird soothed Hots on the back, trying to make the other girl feel more comfortable."

"Gods, Bird, I really want to run with you again- I really do. I promise I'll race with you again. I'll make sure of it. I won't let you end your career without a final race from me."

There, she said it. It wasn't everything, but she had at least wanted to tell Bird the promise she'd silently made. That they'd run together again.

Bird enveloped her in a hug, the smaller girl silently sobbing as well. Hots knew that Bird hadn't managed to perform her best in most of the races she'd been in since Hots' accident, even though she still came in the first 3 places, she'd been significantly slower, and even Hots could tell from videos that the other girl wasn't giving it her all.

"You-you don't have to, Hots, you need to focus on your own recovery and- and not me. I'm fine, I'm fine, and I'm so worried about you, please take more care of yourself, especially now." Bird took in a few deep breaths, Hots could feel against her shoulder, and she hugged the girl back tighter, making sure that they could feel each others heartbeats.

"You've always been so careless, and I'm always so scared that your next breath could be your last," Bird continued, "I'm so scared that you'd finally leave us. I know you're strong but I don't want you to push yourself any further than you already have."

"No, Bird, I- Cub and I found a way, I'll have bracers to support me."

"What?" Bird yelled in shock, pushing Hots back so that the other girl could look her in the face.

"Cub managed to make bracers with some tech to support my joints and muscles- I'll just need a bit more energy to be able to use them to run again." Hots explained to the other, as calmly as she could while her face was full of tears.

"You… What? You didn't have to do that, you should be resting!"

Hots sighed, looking at Bird with the most earnest eyes she could muster.

"Birdie, I need you to listen to me here. I would do anything to be able to run with you again."

"But I'm not that worth it! Surely there's someone else out there, someone you'd rather not risk your life for!" Bird said in an exasperated tone, clearly in disbelief.

"There's no one else more important to be than you are." She held the other girl closer to her as her own tears started to flow down once more, accompanied by Bird's ones too.

The girls sat there hugging each other for a bit, and for a moment everything was okay. For a moment, they were okay.

The near future,

"Our contestants are ready, lined up next to one another! On the left we have everyone's favourite occult fisher, Pesky Bird! And on the right we have the campus' own goddess, Hot Guy!"

A group of both Hots and Bird's friends sat at the track, with Jimmy carrying a cheap knockoff bluetooth microphone that he'd found off Umazon, announcing the race between the two rivals. Everyone cheered for both the girls as they got into position, ready to take off at any moment.

The girls donned their race outfits, and though Hots had long graduated, it was Bird's last race in school before the URA finals. The last chance they'd ever get to do this.

Bird had never expected her out of everyone to be the one with a successful racing career. After qualifying for the URAs, she'd shrieked out in joy and immediately gone to tell Hots, before telling everyone else she knew.

She never thought she'd enjoy racing as much as she did. And in part, that's due to having Hots next to her the whole time.

Though, she definitely struggled, She'd celebrated a little too early during the semifinals, passing Slayer and thinking she'd gotten first place before she found out that Littlewood, another fellow uma, had actually outran her by a significant amount. Hots even had the audacity to laugh at her for her own situation, though 2nd place qualified her for the finals anyways.

She's gonna beat that uma in the finals. She's never felt such a motivation to run against anyone else other than Hots, but she'd argue that her motivation to run against Hots wasn't madness or competitiveness, but rather passion and love. And it was much higher than however much emotion she possessed to beat Littlewood.

"Ready, Hots?" Bird turned over to the other girl, determination in her eyes. This time, she was gonna beat her. This time, she was gonna get revenge for the Takarazuka Kinen that happened years ago.

The same race that had nearly taken Hots away from her.

"Ready as I'll ever be, Songbird." Hots smirked, a signature expression of hers. She heard the voices go off for their countdown, and…

3

2

1

…

"MUMBO! BLOW THE WHISTLE!"

…

The whistle was sounded, and the girls ran as fast as they could across the tracks, kicking dust up from the turf floor as they went.

-

("HOTS! You weren't putting in effort!"

"'Course I was, sweetheart. You don't know how much these bracers take out of me, man."

Bird pouted, having felt that Hots practically served her her win on a silver platter. She knew that Hots was lying, that the other girl just wanted her to feel better. And yet, she couldn't feel a tinge of pity. It wasn't the bracer, but running itself that took energy out of Hots. She already had her cannula back on, taking in air as she drank water to quench her thirst.

"Fine, but next time we do something, we're going to be even competitors. Alright?"

The easiest way to shut a bird up? To grab her by the cheek and pull her down for a kiss.)