This Is Me

Part 68

Sean couldn't watch Tony last routine. He was too distracted by the way Mark held him and kissed his neck. The relief of having his part of the competition over with was relaxing. He was exhausted, but he had so much fun. Mark nibbled his ear, whispering to him sweetly. "I'm proud of you, Sean. You did amazing out there." Sean turned to face Mark, wrapping his arms around his neck as he purred out. "You did good too. I could barely focus with you on the ice." Mark smirked, then pressed his lips to Sean's tenderly. Pressing against Mark, Sean kissed him like there was no one else in the room. It wasn't until Nate nudged them that they stopped. Blushing Nate gestured to the ice, mumbling out reluctantly. "Sorry to break up your moment... but they'll be calling us out soon." Stepping back from Mark, Sean blushed and tried to cool himself down with the chilly rink air. Tony exited the ice looking exhausted as he made his way to the Kiss & Cry. It was clear by his face that he knew this was over.

Beside him, Nate informed him gently. "Pressure buckled him. He fell twice on some of the easier jumps... Then tried to make up points just to get by. He'll be lucky if he breaks into the hundreds." Sean leaned on the rink wall, saying a bit empathically. "The kids an arrogant arse... but I feel bad for him." Nate leaned his hip on the wall, lightly replying. "True... but we all buckled under our first Finals... He'll probably be back and do better." Sean nodded, watching Tony hug his coach as the scores came up. A flat 98.2. Tony would be ranked third even with his boosted score. His falls had cost him from taking second from Nate. Nate grinned, then swatted Sean to say excitedly. "Guess who just won Championship?" Sean blinked; he was going to say that Nate had just because he didn't feel like a winner. However, as the scores flashed over the monitor, Sean gawked at them as said in awe. "Holy shite... Did I really just win the gold?" Nate nodded as the crowd cheered loudly. The staff brought out the podium and rolled out the red carpet.

Sean backed away from the wall in shock. People shook his hand and members of his crew hugged him with loud cheers. He could only stare blankly at them all. This was everything he wanted and, in the end... he just didn't believe it. He felt like he was dreaming this. Nate coaxed Sean into removing his boots and lead him out across the red carpet to the podium. Stopping before the rise, Sean swallowed. Before he stepped up, Tony tapped his arm. Turning to face him, Tony extended a hand with red eyes and told him respectfully. "Congratulations. I'm sorry about what I said... I..." Sean accepted his hand, smiling warmly to him as he told him. "It's ok. You were going up against veterans... That's not easy. But... tone back your trash talk a bit. At the end of the day, we're all we have." Tony nodded with a small smile. Sean stepped up to the center rise. Then Nate stepped up into the second place rise, before Tony stepped onto the third rise. A staff member with a bronze medal and a single rose stepped forward as the announcer called out the Tony as the third place winner.

Draping the medal over Tony's head, the staff then handed him the rose and the crowd applauded. Sean glanced behind him as the staff moved on to Nate. Behind each of them was their nations flag. In all the years of his skating career... He'd never seen Ireland's flag sit so proudly by the winner stand. It brought tears to his eyes to think of all the people that supported him at home. This didn't feel like his moment. It felt like theirs. The staff finished give Nate the sliver and a small bouquet of roses. Then the staff member moved up to him. Over the speakers the announcer declared. "And last but not least. I give to you the winner of the 2020 World Championships... Sean McLoughlin of Ireland. Congratulations!" The stadium erupted as Sean bowed to let the staff drape the gold medal around his neck. The gold medal was so shiny it glinted in the flashing lights of a thousand cameras. The man handed him a large rose bouquet and together they stood proud for the cameras. After the first minute or so, Nate set down his flowers on the podium and gestured for his flag.

Sean raised an eyebrow and Nate chuckled out. "Fuck this flower crap. Come on! Get your flag and follow me." The staff rushed to remove the flags carefully for them. Setting down his flowers, he took Ireland's flag carefully in his hands and climbed down off the podium after Nate. Nate flipped out the U.S. flag and draped his across his shoulders like a cape. Tony laughed and did the same with the Canadian Flag. Rolling his eyes, Sean draped the Ireland flag across his shoulders, mumbling out. "Now what?" Nate moved closer to rest his arm on Sean's shoulder with a smile. Chuckling, Sean pulled Tony closer and together they bowed to the roaring crowd.

After the Championship, Sean and Mark flew back to Ireland and received a warm welcome in his hometown. In the months that followed, Stacy flew in to congratulate them with Rasputin and Roslyn accompanying her. Roslyn soon was hired on at the rink to help with teaching classes to skaters. While Rasputin and Stacy became the new talk of the town. Everyone was gossiping when they could expect to see them engaged. Sean had even placed bets with a few people at the local coffee shop. Sean managed to have a small wedding in Ireland that all their friends and relatives could attend. However, when talk of him moving to Los Angles came up... Sean avoided the subject. He loved Ireland too much leave and Mark understood that. So, Mark decided to move in with him. They agreed to try a few years in both place before making any final decisions. When the 2020 Winter Olympics kicked off... Sean turned it down. Allowing Nate to compete and that time... Nate took home the gold.

Which lead up to the year 2027. The year before the next Winter Olympics that would be held in Los Angles in 2028. Sean leaned against the Los Angles skating rink, eating a donut as he watched the young man on the ice. Shaking his head, he shouted out to the lad. "Wrong! Reset. Do it again. Bring those arms in! You're losing speed for the transition! Jesus Christ..." A familiar hand smacked his ass, chuckling out as they sat down on the bench behind him. "Go easy on him. He's under a lot of pressure." Sean huffed, taking a small bite of his donut as he retorted. "Ya. Well, his parents are putting pressure on me to make him a champion... So, He'll just have to learn to listen better." Mark wrapped his arms around Sean's waist, yanking him away from the wall to force him to sit on his lap. Sean never took his eyes off the kid, shouting out. "Ethan! For fucks sake! Pop another jump and I'll make you wear a harness!" Ethan gave a playfully salute and then slid straight into the guard wall.

Ethan flipped over the wall and Sean jumped off Mark's lap with worry. Ethan bounced back up though, chuckling out. "I'm ok!" Sean dropped back down on Mark's lap, running a hand through his hair as he shakily mumbled out. "This kid is going to be the death of me... I swear, Mark." A deep chuckle left Mark, before he purred against Sean's neck. "Relax... He'll get there." Sean gestured to Ethan, discreetly muttering out. "Mark, the kid has the attention span of puppy! He's distracted by everything. He's got talent and no focus..." Mark smiled, licking frosting off Sean's cheek. Sean blushed, listening to Mark purr into his ear. "He's young. And if I recall... You weren't very focused either." Sean blushed a deeper red, saying under his breath. "I feel bad for my coach now... I put him through hell." Mark bit Sean's ear lovingly, whispering out. "You put me through hell. Let the boy have his fun. He'll learn... Eventually." Sean huffed, handing the rest of his donut to Mark as Ethan slid up to the wall.

Being gentler, Sean got up and ran Ethan through the routine one more time for the day. This time Ethan did better. After Ethan packed up to leave for the day, Sean found himself starting at the ice. It pained him a little that he was too old to compete now. Opening the rink gate, Sean closed his eyes to relieve a few memories. Mark's hands brought him back out of them though, whispering into his ear lovingly. "Skate with me?" Sean looked over his shoulder, grinning out. "Always." Pulling on their skates, they slid out onto the ice together. They had the whole rink to themselves and they spent hours chasing each other around the ice. Their laughter filled the rafters and later when they were tired... They slow danced on the ice to music from Mark's phone. Wrapping his arms around Mark's warm body as the music faded out, Sean rested his head on Mark's shoulder and contently told him. "Thank you, Mark." Mark kissed his head, asking sweetly. "For what?"

Lifting his head to look Mark in the eyes, he answered lovingly. "For coming to get me. For reigniting my passion. For... For being there for me when I needed you." Mark stroking his knuckles along Sean's cheek, bringing his lips closer as he whispered wholeheartedly to him. "I'll continue to be here for you. I love you." Closing his eyes, Sean whispered back just as wholeheartedly. "I love you too." As the lights kicked on to keep the rink lit in the darkening hours of the day, Sean kissed Mark passionately. He had loved him then and he loved him more now... and he would continue to love him for the rest of their lives... and whatever laid beyond forever. The End.