A few weeks passed since all the drama took place. Win looks at the boys all getting in their final training sessions before the competition in a week. He makes sure everything is ready for their trip to K university, checking and double checking. Rider apologized to him and Dean, since then he has been on his best behavior, doing everything the coaches and they ask of him. He is very attentive to the needs of the swimmers once their races are going on, making notes and letting them know once they are done what was lacking in their form and how to preserve energy. He has done a complete turn around. Win still doesn't trust him but he is civil, seeing first hand what trauma can do a person he decided not to judge and just try and help. Hia Waan also calls and checks in on him every now and then making sure he is keeping to his word. The world is at peace again and he cannot be happier. Team has been working extremely hard these past few weeks and Win has been giving him his space, knowing this is an important swim meet, for him especially. If he wins this, he can go on to the national competition for the university students, hopefully there he will be picked up by scouts for the national team. He sees Dean motioning for him to join him, he walks over to his friend.
"What's on your mind Win? You look so serious."
"Just thinking about how Team has to win all his races to advance to the national competition. He is good right? His times are not slacking? He has a full night sleep everyday and I started him on a better diet so his stamina should be better then ever." He keeps stressing because he is no longer in charge of the 1st and 2nd years, he doesn't want to praise himself too much but there is nobody in this team that is a better coach then he is.
"He is great, relax. I used your training schedule on all of them. They have all made amazing progress. Even your diagrams about the positioning of hands and breathing techniques are so well thought out. They are getting the best out of every race. Our team has never been stronger." Dean pats him on the shoulder as an 'Atta boy'. He never knew Win was this good at any of this, he only became involved in the coaching last year and already there has been a few seconds cut off everyone's time. "How come you didn't give this to the team before last year?"
Win thinks for a minute, "Well I have been observing since the first day we joined and was looking for every way for us to improve. I have been trying all these out on myself and nothing seemed to work since you always beat me. But then I realized it was me. I just couldn't get you. You have perfect form, most of my training strategy came from watching you."
"Was that a compliment? Win complimenting me?" He looks amusingly at him.
"Shut up, I always give credit where its due. Dont forget though, I'm the one who trained the junior that ended your swimming win streak." He winks at him and runs after his boyfriend who is headed to the parking lot.
******
He catches up to Team, he looks the boy over and sees him a little worse for wear. "What's wrong with you?"
"I'm so burnt out Hia, I thought I would have break from the intense training since its P'Dean but I swear its like he has a mini you whispering in his ear every second." He pulls Wins jacket so his boyfriend can get closer and he lays his head against Wins shoulder. He closes his eyes needing some recharging. He feels a light kiss on his hair.
Win feels kind of bad but then remembers he needs the training. He grabs him around the waist and gently massages the back of his neck, "I'm sorry. What can I do to make you better? You're such a big baby sometimes."
He groans, "I need a massage, my muscles are so painful. Thankfully we get light training in the days leading up to the competition so we aren't all too dead tired. I need food, I need chips, I need a kiss, hugs, more food." He pulls his back barely able to keep his eyes open at this point. "Can I go home without you? I can grab a ride with Pharm, you can bring the car. I already asked him and he agreed."
He nods at him, "Yeah, I'll bring you home some food, even some chips, okay?" They hear Pharm calling his name, he kisses his forehead. He notices Team look at him strangely but before he can ask, he turns and walks to his friend, turning and waving once he gets to the car. He thinks about a way to make him feel better. Win gets an idea, this will definitely make him feel better. He takes out his Phone and makes a call. "Mr.Win, how can I help you today?" He greets and exchanges a few words with the lady. "I need to book a room for tomorrow, honeymoon suite for 1 night. Please put it on my card." He doesn't have to pay since its his fathers hotel but he always make a point to do so, not wanting his family to be responsible for any cost he incurs for Team, knowing his boyfriend will be mad if he does. He goes back to the club and does what he needs to before dragging his best friend to the mall to get what he needs before going home. He sees Team asleep and gently kisses him on the cheek so not to wake him. He moves a strand of hair off his face and just looks at him for a moment, making sure to get this image tattooed in his brain, nothing has ever looked this beautiful to him before.
******
"Will you hurry up? My dad is waiting for us?" He stands at the door with his keys in hand, getting more impatient by the second.
Team finally walks out the door. He didn't look happy that Win made arrangements to meet his dad on his day off, thinking he was just going to lay in bed all day and rest. But it was urgent so he couldn't refuse. He watches as they pull up to the hotel that their family owns, he gets off the car and looks around at the establishment, you would swear royalty lived here. Everything was so elegant and sophisticated. He looks down at his clothing seeing himself wearing just a faded jeans and a t-shirt that was 2 sizes bigger. He starts to feel a bit awkward noticing everyone in their designer brands. "Hia, why didn't you tell me to dress better?"
"For what? You are dating the owners son so its like you basically own the hotel." He notices the nervous look in Teams eyes, "Relax Team, look at me. I am not dressed any better then you. Don't be put out by the people you see here. You can wear anything and walk into a room with all these people here and still my attention will only be on you." He sees his ears turn red and smiles. So cute.
"Is this the time to be romantic? Uhh lets just go before you make me blush anymore." He feels his stomach fill with butterflies, happiness fills his heart. He follows Win silently to the elevator and to the suite. He isn't paying much attention because he is more focused on calming his beating heart. Such a charmer. He notices Win take out a key card and swipe, when did he get that? He enters the room and immediately sees the scene in front of him. His breath hitches in his throat and he can feel the emotion building up inside him. His chest constricts and he is unable to move.
"You said you were burnt out so I thought I should do something to give you back your strength. I hope you like it. We stay here for one night so you can relax all you want."
Team looks at the room then back at his boyfriend, he sees the unsure look in Wins eyes knowing he hasn't done anything like this before. He turns back to the room decorated with fairy lights, full of picture frames with photos of them together, post it notes attached to every frame, just the way he did. He closes his eyes and tries to calm his racing heart. Win recreated the special day he had planned for him with a few extra touches. He hears him speak again, rambling his words.
"I did all of this myself, shopped for all the stuff myself. I tried to do what you did but it didn't come out as special. I'm sorry. Lets just go home." Win is nervous, feeling stupid in this situation. He is not romantic at all and Team is just quiet. He cant even decipher the look on his face.
Team walks over to Win and places his hand on his heart, he looks at him, "This is perfect Hia." He says on a whisper. He can feel the tension release from Win when he says that. He smiles at him widely and kisses him gently. Team starts feeling his face burning again, not sure how to react either. He kisses him again and walks in to see all the pictures and read all the notes. All of them different and all of them telling the story of Win&Team. From their first meeting to their ups and down, their fights and make ups, every special moment they ever experienced. He notices one of the frames are bigger then the rest, he walks over and sees the picture they took on Valentines day under the broccoli plush toy. He laughs thinking about their crazy antics, they really were made for each other. He notices this one has an envelope and not a post it note. He opens up the letter, he feels the tears well up in his eyes and he chokes back a sob, never in his life has he ever felt this feeling of over-whelming love and warmth. As the tears stream down his face he reads the words written to him by the man he loves.
Team
Where do I even begin? There is so much I can say about you but I wouldn't know where to start, even if I figured out where to start, I wouldn't know where to stop. I feel myself grow to love you more each passing day. In my world, the sun rises and sets in your eyes. I never understood the concept of loving someone so dearly that you would lose all sense of ones self. I cant sleep without you, I can think without you, I cant breathe without you. You were the broken one but somehow I was the one who got fixed. Not a day passes without me thinking of a life and future with you.
I live for the moments where I see you smile, the moments when you look at me as though I'm all you see, the moments where your kisses melt the insides of my soul. I never believed in anything until I met you, now I even believe in a red thread holding people together through different lifetimes. You taught me love, to laugh, you taught me happiness and compassion. Without you I am nothing special but with you, I am someone worth loving, worth caring for. I live to see your smile, I live to see you happy, I live to watch you grow and become a better man then I will ever be, I live for you...
Thank you for choosing me, thank you for loving me, thank you for giving me the privilege of calling you mine. Be it today, tomorrow or ten years from now, I can honestly say my love for you will never falter, my faith in you will never falter, my respect and admiration for you will never falter. We will be tied together in this life, the next, the one after that and every lifetime to come and its because you are, that I am.
Hia Win
Team wipes his wet eyes, he turns and walks straight to him and buries his face in his neck. Win just holds him close. "Hey, you are supposed to be happy, why are you crying?"
"Because you one upped me Hia." He hears win snicker. He pulls back just enough to meet Wins eyes. He sees the love and sincerity in them. Win wipes his tears, the feel of his fingers sending chills down his spine. How he lived a life before him, he will never know. Team knows he could stay in this moment forever. Nothing matters more then the man standing in front of him, the man he loves, the man he devoted himself to, the man he cant live without. "One day Hia, I will marry you." He watches the intensity in Wins eyes change, "I am yours Hia Win, now and always. Its just me and you, forever..."
******