RUN! [Muke/Cashton]

Chapter Thirty-Three.

A/N: Sorry this took so long, I'm really bad at this updating thing. This chapter is really sporty(?), so please brace for a lot of track and field stuff.

The bus ride to the stadium took a little under twenty minutes due to traffic, but the team made it there with enough time for the athletes to relax and settle in before the competition officially began. The after being assigned their meet numbers and ensuring that the rectangular papers were secured to their uniforms, the relay team had spread out their warm-up mats at the back of one of the two tents that the team's sponsors provided, prepared to spend their downtime laid on the grass. 

Luke was using his track bag as a pillow, using his arm to keep the morning sun out of his eyes. He had half an hour before his first event, which was enough time to catch back up on the sleep he missed from the morning's early start. Calum was in a similar position, limbs stretched out beside the blonde as he propped against his track bag. Unlike Luke, Calum was turned on his side watching as Michael and Ashton warmed up together. 

The other boys were not as lucky as their teammates who had downtime in the morning. Ashton's high jump event started immediately after the opening ceremony of the meet, as did Michael's first race. Amongst the four, the sprinters had the most downtime; high jump would continue throughout the day until there was one athlete left standing and Michael was entered for a more preliminary races more than the rest of them. Altogether boys knew it would be a long day, but that was why they spent so much time preparing.

Luke finally peeked out from beneath his arm when a stray cloud came to block the sun, the boy's blue eyes following Calum's gaze to the practice track where Michael and Ashton were jogging beside each other giggling about something that he couldn't make out. A smile came to both boys' faces when as they watched the pair, the two of them understanding what each of their teammates had gone through respectively before getting to nationals. 

Luke couldn't help to be proud of Michael; it wasn't just a competition for the older boy, he was facing a fear at had stayed with him for years and Luke was there to support him and see his friend overcome it. The teen couldn't forget how much of a pain in the ass he had been to Michael that term and he didn't think he would ever forgive himself for being so much of a brat to everyone around him. Despite all that he'd said Michael gave him a second chance and he wasn't going make the boy regret it.

The boy was pulled out of his thoughts due to a snort from beside him. Luke couldn't keep in the eye-roll that came when he noticed Calum looking at him with a smug smirk, his attention no longer on their teammates. Luke hid behind his arm once more, rolling over so that his back was to the dark-haired teen, earning a genuine laugh from the boy beside him.

"What?" Calum chuckled whilst nudging the younger's shoulder only getting a groan in response, "I didn't even say anything yet."

Luke moved onto his back, head falling to the side so he could look up at the other. Seeing Calum beaming down at him he couldn't help but miss the times when all they did was scowl at each other. He sighed, non-verbally urging the tanned boy to continue. Calum opened his mouth to begin his teasing, but then quickly decided he didn't feel like teasing Luke. It'd be hypocritical of him to tease the other about Michael when he had spent half of his school life pining for Ashton. Instead, he just shook his head, brushing the bits of lint that stuck to his sweats before going over to Ashton, leaving Luke alone.    

The teen let out a content sigh, already feeling happier with Calum gone. He tried to close his eyes once more, and find some relaxation before his day officially started only to be disrupted by yet another voice. Though it was hard to get mad when it was Michael talking to him. 

"Aren't you going to wish me good luck too?" Luke opened his eyes to find Michael knelt beside him, organising his track bag before he'd have to line up with the other athletes in his race. Michael nodded over to where Calum and Ashton were, Calum's arms wrapped around his boyfriend's waist as Ashton tried to do the same as Michael with his own gear. Of course, Calum clinging to his side did make it harder but the curly-haired boy didn't seem to mind, easily working around the boy's weight.