This Is Me

Part 47

Sean followed Mark to the booth to make sure that his new music could be switched out. The DJ played it privately in his headset, while Rasputin's routine came to an end. Sean's heart began to race in his chest. He was up next, and the pressure was on. He couldn't afford to miss a jump now. If he did, he wouldn't be in the top three. Only top three were to advance on. The thought started to overwhelm Sean until he had to take a seat on the bench by the wall. Taking deep breaths wasn't helping to calm him down. Mark saw his distress and dropped to his knees in front of him. Cupping his face, Mark pressed his forehead to his and told him in a deep buttery voice. "Hey, what are you doing? Breathe. Relax. Losing this isn't the end of the world. We're here to have fun, remember?" Sean nodded, but his heart wouldn't slow down. Mark placed a hand on his chest, clearly feeling how fast his heart was beating. The crowd cheered as the scores came up on the board, causing Sean to look up.

Before he got to see where Rasputin ranked, Mark cupped his face and forced him to look him in the eyes. Sean's hands shook as he placed them on Mark's shoulders, whispering to him anxiously. "Mark... I don't know if I can do this. I'm feeling sick..." Mark smirked, pulling him into a hug as he told him confidently. "Good. It means you are ready. Take a deep breath and hold it. Count down slow from five and release it." The DJ raised the empty CD case, telling them nicely. "The original song is still present. So, I can approve it." Sean sat back, hefting a sigh of relief at that fact at least. Mark ruffled his hair, sweetly telling him. "You're not alone out there. I'll be right there with you." Nate casually walked up, giving him a warm smile as he told him. "And I'll be at the gate. You've got nothing to worry about. Let's just go give them a show." Sean leaned back against the wall with a soft chuckle. Nate was still dressed in his cowboy attire. The sleeves were still missing, but the vest was buttoned back up.

The announcer called Sean's name and Sean quickly leaned forward to grab Mark's shoulders. Squeezing his shoulders, he told him with a shaky confidence. "I'm doing this next one for you, Mark. So, don't look away from me. I'm going to make a fool of myself..." Sean blushed a deep red and Mark leaned in to kiss him lovingly. When their lips parted, Mark purred out to him in a lusty dare. "Are you going to try to seduce me?" Sean chuckled, shaking his head a little as he playfully told him. "No... I'm going to drive you crazy." Mark chuckled loudly with the brightest grin on his face. Mark's laugh melted Sean's stress away. Patting his thigh, Mark playfully shot back. "Fine. Make me jealous then." The announcer began to inform the crowd as they waited for Sean. "We've just been told that there was a slight change to Sean's music. After what we've seen between Nate and Sean, I can't help but wonder if we can expect more from their side show romance." Nate rolled his eyes, extending a hand out for Sean to take.

Grinning, Sean took his hand and let Nate pull him up into a hug. Nate pulled up his black bandana over his nose again, playfully regaling to Mark. "Don't wait up." Mark shot Nate a light glare, grumbling back. "Don't push it, Nate." Mark handed Sean his bat prop and he took it. Nate chuckled, then pulled Sean toward the gate. Together they rushed out onto the ice to circle around the covered cage to the loud cheers of the crowd. Back to back they did a spread eagle before the crowd with their weapons raised. Nate held up his two pistols and Sean held his bat behind his neck. In unison, they did a small turn and then quickly sank into a couch with a free leg extended out as they looked around. This was nothing more than a practiced skit before the start of his routine, but the crowd loved seeing them together. They acted out the idea of being tailed like the criminals they were. Then Nate took his hand and spun him around before the cage to make him face him. They held hands like lovers that had escaped.

Then across the area, cop sirens began to play and Felix stepped out from the covered cage in a cop uniform. The crowd gasped and cheered as Felix aimed a gun at Nate, shooting a few shots to scare him off the ice. Sean whirled around to run away, but Felix snatched his wrist. Sean turned to hit him with the bat, but Felix dropped his gun to grab his wrist and hefted Sean over his shoulder. Felix spun with him briefly, before the cover opened enough to let Felix slip in with him. In the cage, Felix quickly set him down, kissed his cheek and slid back out with his bat prop to get his gun before leaving the ice. Shaking his head, Sean let one of Stacy's crew help him into the ring. He felt silly, but the crowd liked it so far. The second he was good to go, the crew slid out, taking the cage cover with them. Sean swung on the ring as he waited for them to get off the ice. Once they were, Sean arched back and sent the ring into a circular spin as the music started. If they thought that they knew this routine... They were about to be shocked.