This Is Me

Part 41

Sean staggered out of the mens room, feeling like he had stepped out into a blur. The people here just looked like blurs of bright lights that were painful to look at. Making his way through the crowd, he tried to get to the exit, when Mark suddenly grabbed his arm to stop him. Sean jerked at his touch, until Mark cupped his face to question him with concern. "Sean? What's wrong? Are you ok?" Sean put a hand on Mark's chest, telling him sternly. "They're here... I can't be here." Mark pulled Sean to a corner, pulling him up against him. Sean snuggled into Mark's warm arms, slowly relaxing to the comfort he brought him. Against his ear, Mark asked him discreetly. "What did they do? Did they say anything to you?" Sean nodded, wrapping his arms around Mark. He was going to sum the whole exchange up for Mark, when Rasputin's thick accent broke through the crowd. The music died down for a bit as the D.J. went on break, allowing Rasputin to draw everyone's attention. Strutting through the crowd, Rasputin raised a glass and chuckled out to Mark. "Fischbach! Saw your dance on the news. How much do we owe you?"

A few younger skaters began laughing. Mark's body tensed, but he said nothing. From the dance floor, Felix blurted out with a chuckle of his own. "Probably as much as it cost your mother not to use protection." The veterans in the room began to burst out laughing and highed fived Felix. Rasputin took a calm sip of his champagne, before turning to face Felix. Felix strutted forward, locking eyes with Rasputin as he added out loosely. "Before you run your mouth off, maybe you should consider this. People actually pay to see him. They don't just pay for an admission ticket to sit through acts like you to get to the good stuff." Nate chuckled, announcing aloud. "Now that is what you call a savage burn!" Rasputin set his empty glass on the table, coolly asking Felix. "Is that the best you got, Felix? Tell me... If Sweden is so great... Why do you live in the U.K.? Did you think some of their 'has been' talent would rub off on you? After all, Sweden has never won anything... Ever. You've never even gotten past Regionals. So really... all you've got is your big mouth. And it's never gotten you anywhere."

Felix squared his shoulders defensively, while Rasputin took another glass off a tray and added to him with a grin. "Maybe you should take a page from Mark. Put your mouth to service. I hope it swallows as well as it spews." The room fell into a dead silence. Rasputin took a sip of his drink, then cooed out wickedly. "Oooo, did that burn? Good." Mark slipped from Sean to intervene with a bitter tone. "That's enough, Rasputin." Rasputin's grey blue eyes turned onto Mark, his voice sneering out as cold as ice. "No. It's not. It never made any sense to me why the ISU allows you to even be here. How do we know you won't sabotage any of us for your... fuckboy to win? You're a cheat and a whore. You belong on a street corner. Not teaching that has been how to disgrace the sport." The younger skaters all shot Mark sudden unsettled glances. Rasputin downed his glass as he took a few steps closer to Mark. Lowering his glass, Rasputin locked eyes with Mark and announced aloud. "We should all be careful. I wouldn't be surprised if the veterans are here to help this whore cheat his way back to the top."

Mark smirked, telling Rasputin in a calm dark tone of voice. "You should ask your own coach about how he cheated his way to the top. Hell, I bet you didn't get this far without... HIS help." Rasputin shook his head calmly, before stating casually. "You would say that. But anyone worth their metal knows not to trust the word of a costly whore. Their paid to lie... and lie well." Rasputin pulled a fifty dollar from his pant pocket, holding it up in front of Mark as he smirked out devilishly. "Now... why don't you do what you do best... and dance for us. Will this cover it?" Mark took a single step back, muttering out sternly. "I'd kick your ass... but I'd rather watch Sean take the gold from you. Cause when he does... I'm going to enjoy the look on your face when you realize... You are all alone." Rasputin flicked the money at Mark, telling him in an icy undertone. "If that is how you want to play. I'm going to enjoy watching that broken fuckboy of yours make a fool of himself." Rasputin dropped his empty glass to the floor, causing it to shatter before he started walking away.