Imagines/oneshots Book 1

82. Lance Tucker - tired eyes (part 1)

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This has been sitting in my drafts for too many months

Sad af, implications of infancy death across all three parts

Song: grenade jumper by fall out boy
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I walked down the busy street, watching the hustle and bustle of the small towns wild life. The creatures wandering around doing their daily routines made me curious. There were mother's treating their children like the heathens that they were, and father's teaching them the basics of small town life. I kept walking though, despite the many stares of the gawking town folk as I grabbed my usual coffee from the corner store. Truth be told this wasn't an odd occurance, I took a four mile walk around town almost daily and ignored the stares of the wandering people around me. I walked through town and down past the old gym, the one that hope used to train in, as well as my younger self. I'd then turn and walk all the way back home, two miles down and two miles back. I started doing it the day Lance fucker got his gold medal, maybe it was a way to punish myself for not making trials. Or maybe it was me trying to help myself in a failed attempt at staying fit.

When I got to the gym my coffee was empty like it usually was when I got there. And normally I would throw it away in the can by the road but this time something clicked in me to walk inside. I hadn't been in the gym since the rumors spread of someone new training for the upcoming Olympic games. I believe her name was Maggie but since I hadn't talked to hope since she got her bronze I didn't care to find out. I stepped inside the doors and was met with the familiar smell of gym mats. It felt like home again, or at least home away from home. All my old memories came flooding back as I looked around at all the equipment and smiled to myself at the thought of hope and I sharing routines. I stopped for a second and clocked the trash can across the room and walked to it. It was over by the office and when I went over I could her someone yelling on the other side of the door. I wasn't quite sure who it was at first but when his voice calmed i realized who it was and wanted to vomit, die, or run out of there as fast as I could but I didn't do any of that. I stood, frozen as even more memories came flooding back to me. Bad memories that I never wanted to think of ever again.

Suddenly the door clicked and there was Lance tucker looking down at his phone, walking forward out of the room. I looked to the floor for a second before running my hand through my hair. I didn't want to say anything, hell I wanted to be invisible but we all know that's not possible. I looked up to see him staring at me with a dazed expression. He must have had the same thoughts that I did because when I caught him looking at me he looked shocked, almost like he wanted to run away too. I coughed a little and waved at him. He waved back to my surprise.

"Wow. You're the last person I expected to be here."

"I could say the same, didn't you get gold like ten years ago?"

He smirked at me and moved to hug me but I flinched and backed away from him. He pretended like he did nothing and put his hands on his hips.

"I'm training someone, or at least trying to. If hope could get her ass into gear for once."

"You are not training hope right?"

He looked at me funny.

"God no, if anything I'm trying to get her out of the way. She doesn't want to see anyone thrive but herself."

I crossed my arms and walked past him in the direction of the door.

"As long as you don't get this one pregnant right?"

I looked back at him from over my shoulder and he was squinting at me.

"You know that wouldn't happen."

"Again."

I stopped but didn't turn around. I covered my face with one hand and tried not to show as many emotions as I was feeling. I felt him grab me from behind but he didn't hug me, he still remembered how much I hated that, his hands just rested on my hips like they used to. I uncovered my face and looked up, turning slowly to see his head hung low. I touched his face with my cold hand but he didn't flinch away at it.

"I always wondered if it was your personal goal to snatch every girl in towns v. I figured you'd stop eventually but you always liked to fuck pretty much anything with a vagina and a pulse."

My face was stern when he brought his gaze to mine and he gripped my hand tightly.

"How many times do I have to tell you I'm sorry."

"Maybe I'll forgive you when you go see your little girl and ask for her forgiveness."

He stiffened visibly and got an expression as stern as mine.

"You know why I can't do that."

He let go of my hand.

"Cause if the press found out you have a deceased daughter it will damage your rep?"

I let out an exasperated laugh and crossed my arms again. He finally dropped his right hand from my waist and shook his head at me. He was angry now but he needed to hear what I had to say.

"Why are you still on about this?!"

"Why am I still on about this? Gee I don't know Lance maybe because you ruined my life and left me to care for a sick baby by myself?!?"

I turned and walked faster towards the door but he ran in front of me before I could leave.

"Look, I'm sorry I left you, but while you were busy being pregnant I was busy getting gold."

He shrugged at me and all I could do was scoff at him.

"But you could have come back when the games were over hot shot. You had no real reason to leave me and our kid other than the fact that you knew it would be a tough job. I think it's time you grew up Lance!"

I pushed him out of my way and stormed out the door, back up the sloped parking lot and down the street towards home.