Rainbow Connection, AFTG ✔️

2.20

CHAPTER TWENTY
PORTER

Because USC lost both semifinal games back-to-back, the ERC canceled the third semifinals match. There was no point in pitting the Foxes and Ravens against each other when they had both already qualified for finals. Instead, the two schools were given a week off to rest, recharge, and fend off a story-hungry press.

The Foxes sounded confident whenever they had a microphone in or camera their faces, and it wasn't always an act. Their all-consuming hatred of Riko helped smooth out the jittery edges of their nerves. The Ravens had little to say about the Foxes, but that was probably because they were dealing with fallout from Jean's abrupt transfer. Jean was the most sought-after athlete in NCAA news these days, but he refused to announce his current whereabouts or speak to the press. His silence did the Ravens no favors so soon after Kevin's bold interview, and the speculations and rumors were starting to get a little wild.

On Monday afternoon Wymack told his team the final game would be hosted at Castle Evermore. It wasn't welcome news, but it wasn't a surprise, either. Because it doubled as the national team's court, Edgar Allan's stadium was half-again as large as Palmetto State's. They needed every seat they could get. Wymack still didn't think it'd be big enough for a showdown like this, but there definitely wasn't room in South Carolina to accommodate a championship finals crowd. Porter saw James' face darken, but he still didn't look that shocked.

On the tail-end of that announcement, Wymack passed around a clipboard. Edgar Allan was going to reserve a "friends and family" section right behind the Away bench. They were given twenty-two seats to divvy up between the eleven of them, and Wymack needed a list of names so he could get those seats reserved as soon as possible and start working on travel arrangements from the airport to Edgar Allan.

Twenty-two didn't sound like very many, but the Foxes couldn't fill them. No one in Andrew's group needed any, and Allison passed the clipboard on without hesitation. Renee needed one for her foster mother, and Hayden would be on the court as a Vixen, so James didn't need one. Matt invited both of his parents and his father's newest mistress. Dan went last so she knew how many spare seats she could steal. Several of her stage sisters had moved on from their old club to quieter jobs, but the few who were still there were unlikely to get approved for a Friday night off.

When Kevin passed the clipboard, it was obvious that he expected Porter to pass it without a second thought. When Porter grabbed the pen and steadied the paper on his knee, every Fox that cared (everyone but the twins) was watching him with part confusion, part shock. Kevin was the one who could see the board as Porter wrote. Oliveira Faye, in black pen, Porter's messy handwriting spelled. A shot in the dark, but Porter hoped he would somehow miraculously hit the bullseye and get him to come.

He passed the clipboard and looked at Kevin, who was raising his eyebrows at him. Porter let out a long exhale and muttered, "Worth a shot at this point." Kevin didn't argue the point.

That night Nicky and Aaron showed up to evening practice uninvited. Kevin must have known to hold back his "too-little, too-late" speech this close to championships; he put them to work immediately. On Wednesday, the upperclassmen tagged along too. A week and a half wasn't enough time to make anyone an expert on Raven drills and scrimmages, but Kevin tried his best. His caustic attitude and rude dismissal of his teammates' abilities earned him no favors during the day, but at night the Foxes submitted with a silent and grim determination. Matt was the first one to realize Kevin played left-handed at night, since he was the one getting in Kevin's face to block him. Having a secret weapon against the Ravens buoyed their spirits.

Aaron and Andrew canceled their Wednesday session with Dobson to come to practice on time, but Kevin skipped Thursday night's practice. He had no real explanation aside from, "I need to take care of something," and he left Neil in charge. Porter wondered if it had anything to do with Wymack wanting Neil to be the Foxes captain eventually. Personally, Porter would have put James in charge, but James had vanished too, something about Hayden.

That night, they didn't leave the court until after one, and when he returned to his dorm, he was too wound up to sleep. Tomorrow, he played Riko on his territory. He would play Vincent. Maybe he would meet Oliveira. Anything could happen tomorrow. Really, he should have slept, but Porter found that he couldn't.

He was still awake when there was a light bang in the hallway, and Porter could hear Hayden speaking before he opened the door. "James--James, stop--Kevin, no--" Porter opened the door, and Hayden's eyes snapped to him like he had been caught in a crime. He grimaced, "Hey."

"Oh my god," Porter looked at James and Kevin, both half-slouched in Hayden's arms, and he rushed to help Hayden. He snuck an arm around Kevin, holding him up and studying the new white bandage on his face. James had one too.

Porter thought it was too much to hope for, possible too impossible to believe. Either way, he started smiling unconsciously, "What did you two do?"

Kevin reeked so strongly of alcohol that Porter had smelled it the second he'd opened his dorm room door. Up close it was suffocating, but Porter didn't have any complaints in him at such a celebratory time.

James was very loud when he spoke, practically yelling, "We said fuck Riko!" He stomped his right leg and leaned further into Hayden, who was desperately shushing him. It was nearly half to three, and it would be lousy if they woke anyone up.

Kevin's stare was bleary, and that seemed to be about all he could manage. He looked at Porter, and Porter smiled. Gently, he dug his fingertips under the corner of Kevin's bandage and pulled it off. It was hard to describe the levels of joy and pride that swelled up in his chest, and adrenaline flooded his veins. Kevin had worn a "2" since his first days in the Moriyamas' cruel care. Riko and Kevin used markers for years, writing over their numbers any time they threatened to fade. As soon as they were old enough they'd switched to a more permanent ink. Now that number was gone, covered up by the jet-black image of a chess piece. It was a queen.

Porter knew that James knew about them. His teasing stare followed them every time they breathed in each other's direction, but the cabin confession had been enough confirmation to solidify it. And outwardly, Hayden certainly seemed like a blabbermouth, but Porter had known him for enough months to know that he had many secrets of his own. Any sibling of Renee's, foster or not, was terrifying enough. Hayden's grimace from seconds before had made Porter wonder if he had killed a man before. Either way, Porter didn't hesitate to cup Kevin's face in front of the couple. They knew how to keep their mouths shut.

"I'm so proud of you," He whispered, "You've never looked better."

Kevin opened his mouth, but all that came out was a drunken noise in place of words. He leaned his head on top of Porter's, and Porter laughed and hugged him. With Kevin in his arms, Porter turned to Hayden and asked, "What did James get?"

"The horse thing," Hayden shrugged nervously, "I'm really bad at chess."

"It's a knight!" James emphasized, dragging out words and sounds. Porter had seen James drunk before when they were 18 -- Riko and James wanted to get drunk and drive James' car -- but it hadn't been as intense as this. If Porter had to guess, he would've thought they had taken straight vodka for at least 10 shots to get this blasted. "Isss obvious."

He reached up and ripped off the bandaid, not flinching at the clear sting it left on his skin. He was probably too drunk to get off his energetic high. Sure enough, there was a black knight on his cheek, and Hayden blushed as he said, "He got a shoulder blade tattoo that says 'Fuck the Perfect Court'."

"He did not," Porter gasped and started laughing again.

"Don't call my bluff," James slurred, "Because...I--I am not bluffing." He was thoroughly sloshed, for lack of a better term.

Hayden sighed, "I'm going to get him to sleep. Can you?" He gestured to Kevin, who was already half-asleep in his arms. Porter smiled and nodded, happy to relieve Hayden the stress of two drunk ex-Ravens.

He opened the door to Kevin's dorm to find Neil still awake. As an explanation, Porter shrugged Kevin off of him and leaned him against the wall -- Kevin slid down and sat there. "You won't believe what he's done," Porter grinned, "Just get him to bed, alright?"

Neil looked between Porter and Kevin like he couldn't believe his eyes. Then, he nodded and approached Kevin.

Porter closed the door behind him and went back to his room. Hayden was leaving, and James was fast asleep already. When Porter did sleep, he dreamt of chess, a match to death. And Porter survived.