Blood, Sweat and Tears Part 20
"You're shitting me!" Wufei cried, his hands instantly pausing in their tightening his shin guards. "You really mean to tell me that Maxwell just told Yuy that he was coming along and he agreed!? Just like that!?"
Trowa just grinned and shook his head to his wide-eyed friend. "I saw it for myself," he replied. "It knocked Heero back enough that he didn't have much of a choice but to accept it. He looked like a deer caught in headlights."
Chuckling deeply, the receiver shook his head, "I'll be damned. All this time that was all we had to do." The smile on his face faded and he shrugged, "But then again, he does have until tomorrow night to back out, so let's not consider it a done deal yet."
Gently clearing his throat, the tall center gestured with his head to the door as Heero and Duo entered. Both drenched from the downpour outside, they headed to their lockers and removed their light windbreakers. Smiling brightly as he wrung out his braid, the American greeted his teammates, "Hey guys. Lovely day for a practice."
Wufei and Trowa smiled in agreement. All of the players preferred when it rained to see how they adjusted to the different weather conditions. Not every game was going to take place on a clear, comfortable day. The real test would be when it turned cold again. Between the hard ground and blinding snow, anything could happen during a game.
Throughout the entire locker room, the excitement was building for the challenge that lay ahead. It'd been a long time since Pittsburg had seen such a heavy rainfall. Smiling like children, the team strapped on their gear as Zechs and the coaching staff entered wearing rain ponchos.
"All right, everyone," the tall blonde began, "Let's use our heads out there and have a safe practice. This is a great opportunity to see what you've got, but be careful not to get killed out there."
Howard turned to give Duo a pointed look and stated, "That means you too, Maxwell. I appreciate your heart out on the field, but there is no sense in getting hurt out there. As slick as the ground is, it'd be real easy to end your season before it even begins."
With a reassuring smile, the braided running back nodded firmly, "Got it, Pops."
Satisfied with that, Zechs grinned to his team, "Let's go." Cheering, the young men stormed out of the locker room with their helmets in hand. Just behind, the head coach shook his head in amusement.
* * * * * *
The day wore on and the blinding rain had yet to let up. Mud caked the athletes both on the field and on the sidelines from their jogging and skirmishes. From wading around in the thick slop all around, the fatigue was finally sinking in towards the end of the practice.
Panting after running back from the sidelines, Heero announced to his huddled offensive team, "Zechs just gave the word that we only have two more chances to score before he calls it a day. Pops wants the ball on the ground the first time then in the air if we need a second shot."
Rain bouncing off of their helmets, the others nodded and gave their affirmatives to what lay ahead. Clapping their hands together, they broke the huddle and got into position. Duo readjusted his chin strap to tighten the hold as he took his spot right behind the quarterback.
Trowa's hunched over and his long hand wrapped over the grimy, slick football. Mueller and the blockers dug their cleats into the soggy ground for better leverage as they bend over to stare into the fierce eyes of the defensive team. A fog was beginning to settle as the sky darkened with thicker clouds that were rolling in. Even the lampposts shining down on the field stood in rapt attention to what would unfold.
"Set!" Heero cried over the deadening pelting against his helmet. His hands clenched and opened in anticipation. "Set! Hike!" At the signal, Trowa snapped the ball back through his spread legs and grunted as he held off the defender charging forward onto him.
Gripping the football, Heero turned quickly to hand it to Duo and the running back was off. Somehow finding a gap in the mass of bodies, he charged through and headed for the end zone. Dodging and weaving through the hands that tried to grip him, he kept his eyes on the prize just ahead. Every step kicked up a high splash of mud that made the next movement even more difficult and weighed down.
Just when he was three yards from scoring, the braided athlete's right foot could not get a good grip and went out from under him. On his way two the ground, two of his pursuers fell atop of him to make certain that he stayed down. Crashing to the ground, Duo felt the wind get knocked out for a brief second as it was forced out in a rush.
On the sidelines, Sally gasped sharply with wide eyes. Zechs, Howard and Trent all held their breaths as they anxiously watched for any movement from the down players. Heero, Wufei and the others on the field ran up just as the defenders finally rolled off the running back with worried faces.
Sliding to a stop on his knees beside his teammate, Heero shouted over the drone of the rain, "Duo!?" Groaning, the American pushed himself from the sloppy earth and looked up to the concerned cobalt watching him.
Quickly turning his head to see that he was two yards short of the end zone, Duo laughed loudly. "Two more fucking yards and I would have had it! But noooo... I had to go and slip! Son of a bitch!"
Blinking in shock, Heero's own mud-splattered face lit up with a relieved grin. The rest of the team on the field joined in on the laughter. It was just typical that the running back be more concerned with how close he was to scoring as opposed to how he narrowly missed being badly injured.
All around, sighs were breathed. Howard snickered and shook his head, "That bastard just about gave me a heart attack." Sally chuckled deeply and patted his shoulder. Zechs and Trent shared a relieved look.
The head coach cupped his mouth and called to his players, "All right, guys. Let's make this last play and get the hell out of this storm."
Heero offered his hand to Duo and helped him back into his feet as the others took their places. Leaning close when his housemate was standing, he asked softly, "You sure you're all right?"
"Just catching my breath after a good knock back there," the running back admitted. "Other than that, I'm just dandy." Nodding, Heero patted his back and together, they situated themselves behind their offensive line.
Bending over once more, Trowa held onto the football placed at the spot where Duo had gone down. "Set!" Heero yelled behind him. Holding his hands out, the quarterback cried, "Set! Hike!" In a blink, the ball was snapped back into his hands.
Mueller and the blockers held back the initial shock wave of the defenders charging into them, but they were losing the fight quickly on account of the slick ground. Looking left and right to the end zone, Heero tried to see through the thick rain for anyone from the offense to catch his throw.
The seconds seemed like hours as the defenders were nearly through the line protecting the quarterback. Darren, one of the wide receivers, broke free into the end zone and waved his hands to the team captain. His eyes narrowing on his target, Heero hurled the football with a grunt of effort just before he was taken down by a defender that he never saw coming from the side.
Darren had to jump high into the air to catch the ball intended for him as his opponents did the same to try and bat it away. Having managed to get a few more inches in altitude, the wide receiver caught the football easily before coming back down to the earth. Heero, Duo, Wufei, Trowa and the entire team stopped what they were doing to watch the final unfolding of the play from their spots on the field.
Just as Darren's right foot touched the ground, it stuck roughly into the ground in a bad angle and he folded down onto it. A loud, sickening snap filled the air and the wide receiver screamed in pain. Time stopped as the rest of the team froze in shock at having witnessed such a gruesome thing fall upon one of their own. The cries ran chills up every spine.
By the time everyone was alert once more, Duo was already at Darren's side and squeezing his shoulder. Quickly removing his fallen comrade's helmet, along with his own, the braided running back soothed, "Hang in there, buddy, Sally's almost here." Biting his lip, the wide receive rolled onto his back carefully with his teammate's help and sobbed through the agony.
In the calf of his right leg, there was a large pump pushing against the skin like a second elbow. A few of the athletes had to turn away as their stomachs wretched at the sight. Heero was close by, his own helmet gone as he kept the remainder of the team a safe distance for Sally to work as she ran into the scene with her medical bag. From the sidelines, Zechs, Howard and Trent were shouting orders for some of their charges to get the med vehicle.
Taking up Darren's right side, Sally worked her fingers tenderly over the wide receiver's calf. When he moaned, she urged gently, "It's going to be all right, Darren. We're going to move you inside to examine this." Just as she said that, the med vehicle pulled up. Moving in, Heero and Wufei assisted Duo in gently lifting their injured teammate onto the wheeled flat bed.
Zechs, the panic and concern clear in his eyes, was at the wheel and Sally took up the little space that there was beside him. Once Darren was secured, they rolled off towards the entrance beneath the stadium. Those with their helmets still on slowly removed them as they watched their friend being taken away. Eyes wide and filled with worry, they looked from wet and muddy face to the next for some sort of optimism that everything was going to be all right.
There was no such relief to be found.
* * * * * *
After an examination in her office, Sally had Darren rushed to the hospital for further assistance. Due to the lack of space in the waiting room, most of the team had to stay behind save for a few. Those that did stick around never even bother to clean themselves up, their only concern being their teammate. The whole of the coaching staff remained as well, waiting for Sally to return with the final word on Darren's condition.
Even Dorothy dropped everything to so that she would be available for the news firsthand. The moment that she arrived, she stayed close to Darren's pregnant wife-Aubrey.
Howard had been beside himself, the guilt of being the one to make the call for the ball to be thrown weighing heavily on him. It had taken some time for Zechs, Trent and Dorothy to reassure him that what happened to the wide receiver was not his fault. Those players still around all told Pops that he made the right call. Finally, the old man was beginning to feel at ease with his remorse. Still, the worry over Darren's condition kept him on edge.
After Wufei had called her about what happened, Relena rushed to the hospital and all but ran into the waiting room. When she found her shaken boyfriend, she just embraced him tightly and comforted him as best she could. Quatre arrived to keep his own lover company, leaving Heero and Duo to sit together in silence on the opposite side of the room in their own corner.
More than an hour after their arrival to the hospital, Sally entered the waiting room at last. Everyone rose from their seats in anticipation.
Looking tired and deeply saddened, the braided young woman frowned deeply, "It's a double fracture. Several tendons and muscles were torn that will need to be operated on as soon as his cast is removed. There will be weeks of recuperation and therapy to follow just so that he will be able to move normally again." She took a deep breath and announced, "I'm afraid that Darren is going to be out for the whole of the season."
With a sharp gasp, Aubrey covered her mouth and closed her eyes against the tears filling her blue eyes. Dorothy wrapped her arms around the brown-haired young woman and whispered reassurances to her.
A heavy silence fell on the room as the devastating news took its tall. There wasn't a person on the team or in the organization that didn't like Darren. He always gave everything he had and his heart made of gold. To hear that he was going to be sitting on the sides for the entire football season shook everyone to the core. All around, there were only wide-eyed expressions of shock, disbelief and sorrow for the young man.
The first to break the long stillness, Dorothy inquired gently, "May we see him?"
"Of course," Sally sighed deeply. "I know that he'll appreciate seeing all of you." Turning on her heels, she led the way from the waiting room as the others filed in behind.
When they reached the patient room at the end of the hall and slipped in, the lot stepped aside for Aubrey to enter first. She let out a sharp cry when she found her husband sitting up in a wheelchair, his whole right leg encased as he finished slipping his brown T-shirt back on.
Smiling sadly, the brunette embraced his wife tightly and gently whispered, "Shh, A. I'm all right." Despite the reassuring words, the disappointment was heavy in his voice. Reluctantly, the young woman pulled away with a nod as she wiped her eyes.
Zechs cleared his throat past the rough lump that had formed there. "Darren," he greeted as he squeezed his player's shoulder. "I'm so sorry that this happened to you."
Looking from the head coach to Howard, the wide receiver shrugged, "It's not your fault, coach." He kept his eyes on the old man and smirked, "And I'm sure you've been beating yourself up over this too, Pops. No one's to blame for what happened. It's just... shitty luck." Howard gave a watery smile of appreciation for the sentiment.
Dorothy walked ahead of the group and told her fallen athlete, "I have already advised the staff to forward any and all medical bills and future care to me. And your salary for this year will not be lost for this."
Both Darren and Aubrey's eyes widened at the announcement. Sputtering, the wide receiver protested, "B-but... but I'm going to be sitting out of the whole season. I'm useless to the team like this."
Shaking her head, the team owner smiled, "Not as an assistant coach to Wufei and the other wide receivers. We can really use someone with your nerve backing and mentoring them from the sides." A wide smile spread on the said Chinese player and he nodded fervently.
His mouth opening and closing, a few tears filled Darren's eyes. "I don't know what to say," he breathed. All around, there were wet gazes as a few of the visitors wiped their own tears away in knowing what this generosity meant to the young man and his family.
"Just say yes, Dorothy. I'll be more than happy to accept," Dorothy grinned.
Laughing, the wide receiver nodded, "Yea, Dorothy. I'll be more than happy to accept." He reached a hand out and said sincerely, "Thank you."
Graciously accepting the offered hand and shaking it firmly, the team owner winked, "I'm the one who should be thanking you. Now, I am sorry, but I must be leaving. Catch up with your friends, here and rest up." That said, she turned and headed from the room.
Blinking in shock as he watched her depart, Trowa whispered to Wufei, "She really does care about us." His friend nodded numbly. If neither of them had seen it for themselves, they never would have believed it. It was nearly unheard of for a team owner to go that far in looking out for one of their own.
* * * * * *
Later that evening, the rain had finally died down to a light drizzle. Heero and Duo discarded their mud-caked shoes and clothes and shuffled into their showers. Once they were cleaned, they reheated the meal that Lady Une had made that had to be stowed away until their return home. They ate in silence, replaying the events that led up to Darren's injury over and over again. Sounds of those bones snapping and their friend's screams rang through their ears.
Once their meal was finished and their dishes cleaned, the quarterback and running back parted ways.
It was nearly midnight before Duo decided to finally get to bed. Turning off the television, he pushed himself up from the sofa and left the dark, empty living room. From the hallway, he turned to the only source of light in the whole house that was coming from the back patio. Frowning deeply, he followed the soft glow.
Heero was staring out into the darkness past the screened doors, listening to the soft pitter-patter of the drizzle falling on the roof overhead and the greenery outside. Finding his teammate like that, Duo greeted quietly, "Hey, `Ro." He walked towards the couch and asked in concern, "You all right, man?" Much to his shock, he found red-rimmed eyes looking up at him and he barely suppressed the gasp at the sight.
Taking a deep breath, the quarterback looked away and whispered bitterly, "If I hadn't thrown the ball that high, Darren never would have had to jump for it. He wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for me. I'm the one who should be held accountable."
Violet eyes widening, the running back replied quietly, "Whoa, hold up a sec, pal." Quickly sitting beside his housemate, he reminded, "Darren said, himself, that there is no one at fault. It was just shitty luck. It beyond sucks that it happened; but we make risks like this every time for this job." Heero just bit his lip and remained quiet.
Leaning in, Duo stated, "You did what you had to in that situation. So did Darren." With a shrug, he smiled, "Besides, look at it this way, he's not going to miss a game or paycheck. If you're going to beat yourself up over this, consider the fact that you gave him an easy season of sitting back and watching the rest of us get our asses kicked. Who wouldn't want that job!?" He actually won a laugh from the quarterback.
"I guess I never looked at it that way," Heero snickered as he shook his head in amusement. In the end, he had to agree with his teammate that maybe he was being a little hard on himself. Honestly feeling much better simply because of his teammate's presence, he flashed him a small grin and a quiet but sincere, "Thanks."
The small smile that he returned faded quickly as Duo shook his head, "I'm sorry that I didn't catch onto your feeling like this sooner. Some friend I am, huh?"
Wincing a bit, Heero shrugged, "I'm pretty good at hiding my emotions." He met the violet eyes watching him and commented softly, "We're both really good at hiding things."
Roughly swallowing at that, the running back whispered, "Yea." It was his turn to look away as he rubbed his arm from a chill that settled on him. A heavy guilt fell on his shoulders and his heart actually ached at still not bring able to open up to the quarterback.
"I just... need time," he heard himself say in little more than a breath. "I've been burned before by people that I thought that I could trust." Slowly, he looked back to the cobalt eyes that shined in the dim light from the lamps spread throughout the room.
Even that confession had taken a toll and Heero knew it as a genuine smile spread on his face. "It's all right," he reassured. "I understand."
Nodding his appreciation, Duo cleared his throat and looked down for a moment before asking, "I'm sure you want to be alone again. I'll get going."
It took an effort on the team captain's part not to sound desperate as he replied quickly, "You could stay if you want." A bit at unease in having to open up a bit, himself, he admitted, "I could use the company."
A brilliant grin lit Duo's face at that. "Sure thing," he responded quietly.
Sitting there on the back patio until the wee hours of the morning, the two athletes put aside the difficult events of that day by finding a silent, calming comfort from each other.
TBC...
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