wasting time » lh ; mc

four

:: 04 ::

If Michael told you that his dad's sudden athletic interest in a certain blonde boy didn't bother him, or make him the least bit jealous, he would be telling the biggest lie of his life. Even with his father being a coach for almost ten years, Michael was always told that he possessed the most ability of any of the kids his dad had ever coached. But now, with Luke in the way and taking his dad's attention away from him, Michael didn't get that attention anymore. Luke had made everyone doubt his real talent, the one thing he was actually good at.

It's not that he wasn't sure of himself and his abilities, Michael was well aware of all of that; now he just has to prove it prove it prove it since Luke was making even the people who saw the most in him, start doubting how well he actually did on the ice. Everything was fine until Luke showed up.

This boy shouldn't be getting him so worked up, but the smallest thought of Luke made Michael angry because the kid hasn't probably ever had to work for anything in his life because of who his father is. Then again, a lot of people don't even pay attention to hockey's existence so maybe Michael is wrong. But he still hates Luke. He's got all the attention in the world from hockey's greatest players and all the press conferences his dad has most likely had to attend.

Luke shouldn't be taking Michael's dad away from him.

Michael heard his little rival talking about going to the baseball field during lunch to practice before meeting with Coach Clifford, so of course he's going to sneak around and spy on just how skilled Luke is - if he is at all, that is.

It was beyond hot outside today, making Michael regret wearing a snapback today and not just dealing with the intense bedhead he woke up with this morning. Luke looked like he was suffering even more than Michael was, though. Not because of the heat, but because the technique he was using was cringe-worthy - Michael almost felt surprised.

"You're doing it wrong, Hemmings," he called out as he walked through the empty dugout, leaning a shoulder against the entrance. "Feet are supposed to be shoulder width apart, but yours are so large I'm sure you'll be fine with halfway." And yeah, that was incredibly lame but it got Michael a middle finger from Luke, so he's satisfied with himself.

"If you're so good at everything you do, Michael, why aren't you on the baseball team?" Luke replied, though his focus on batting the leftover baseballs never faltered for that of the hockey player.

"I figured my ass would outshine anyone else's in those pants," Michael shrugged. "Wouldn't want to show-up any of the other players, would I?"

He was sure Luke could hear sense the smirk on his face, Michael being able to hear the small scoff that left the blonde's lips as he said, "Yeah, because you obviously care about that on any of your other teams."

"It's not my fault I'm a better player." It honestly wasn't, as many times as he's had to say it since Luke just can't seem to understand that Michael possesses natural talent in the world of anything sport related.

"If you gave them a chance on the field, I'm sure they'd prove you wrong."

And suddenly Michael remembered his idea of getting closer to Luke so he can say he knows Andrew Hemmings personally, that he's had a conversation with the man. So, the skunk-haired boy of course straightens his act up and attempts to get on the good side of Luke. Though he doesn't necessarily think he's completely on the bad one - not yet, anyway.

"You sure you don't need help with practicing?" Michael asked Luke, with a tone that hopefully didn't give away that he truly didn't give a shit about his baseball skills' benefit.

Even if it didn't, Luke still looked at him suspiciously and questioned, "You're kidding?"

"Dead serious," Michael smirked. He said he wasn't going to do this, but now he's got the perfect opportunity to, and the only reason he's not feeling as guilty as he would usually is because he's convincing himself that it's a good thing. This situation was beneficial for both Michael and Luke; Luke had a father who was one of the great fucking hockey players ever, and Michael wanted to meet him, so why not try to do that through helping Luke with his most likely unsalvageable baseball skills?

"I'm sure your dad'll help me," Luke said. His forehead was slightly sweaty and he stood in front of Michael at the dugout now, elbow leaning on the bottom of his upright baseball bat. "So, thanks; but no thanks."

"My dad sucks at playing, he only knows how to call the shots," the dark-haired boy shot back. He couldn't let Luke get away like that, he was going to accept this offer and they were both going to get good things out of it and Luke really didn't even have to know about what Michael was doing because it doesn't matter, and it's not like they're friends at all. It's human mutualism, in his mind.

"Something we have in common, then, I guess," Luke sighed a quiet chuckle. Michael didn't understand, his eyebrows furrowed in a silent, "what?" and again, Luke let out a breath and shook his head. "Nothing."

When they'd situated themselves in the shade of the dugout, Michael was sat on the fence wall across from Luke and watching the boy wipe the sweat off his forehead and pull the hair off of his face. "Have you ever played a sport before, Luke?" Michael wondered. Though he had an idea of what Luke had done, it was only based on who his father was and his own personal observations. Maybe they were something to go by, but to get this whole, 'being friendly,' thing going, he's going to ask anyway.

"I played a little bit of rugby when I was, like, ten," Luke said, "but I wasn't on a team or anything." Rugby.

"I've always wanted to play that," Michael said, frowning a little when he continued, "the team was just cut, though."

"I heard."

Michael then remembered his previous offer to help the boy across from him and he asked, "So, uh - are you going to take up my offer to help you out?" He scratched at his neck, looking over at Luke. He couldn't decline Michael's offer, there's no way - Luke had to take his word for it that Michael's father couldn't help him and only the boy himself could.

Luke hesitated, avoiding Michael's gaze for a moment before looking back up and shrugged. "I guess," he agreed.

After that, there wasn't any talking between the two at all. Michael was picking at patches of grass sticking out on the sandy bottom of the dugout while Luke was resting his head on top of his arms that were laying on his knees. Michael guessed it was because he didn't want to go back into lunch smelling like the burnt tater tot he is.

"You know what I think?" Michael wondered aloud, with this mischievous grin that no doubt made his new 'friend,' nervous. Luke hummed in acknowledgement. "We should try to bring the rugby team back." More like I should, is what Michael wanted to say. But he's sticking to the friendship thing right now.

Luke shrugged, "If they cut the sport, I'm sure they had a reason." Yeah, nonexistent school budgeting because this school is rich as fuck and doesn't even need to budget themselves in the slightest. "Probably sucked," he added, just for extra measure to get under Michael's skin just a little today.

"No, they didn't, actually," Michael explained, smirking. "Ashton Irwin was on the team and he was one hell of a player. We're going to get it back and he's going to have something to do with his life other than fall on his face tripping over wind." That fact always made him laugh, because how can someone so agile and skilled on a sports field be so uncoordinated when simply walking on the sidewalk?

"Yeah, okay, Michael. I'd like to see you try," Luke let out a laugh through his teeth, one that made Michael roll his eyes at the blatant sarcasm the boy was radiating. But Michael was going to do it. He could do it, he's Michael Clifford and Michael Clifford is great at everything, and that includes persuasion.

Not only was Michael determined to get noticed by a hockey legend, he was going to be known as the one who brought back the only thing this school has to be proud of besides ice hockey.

• • •

LIKE THREE PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THEY STARTED WATCHING HOCKEY BC OF THIS GOD BLESS also this kind of died at the end i apologize

i post on ig too much and then i stop for a week and then go back its an endless cycle