Post by Robb (Owner) on Nov 27, 2024 0:03:29 GMT -8
It had been a few days since Xavier Young, legendary trainer at Nightfall, was found unconscious backstage at the Crucible show. Since the assumed attack, his status had gone relatively unknown, so one of his most recent students, Maya Hardy, made the decision to drive to the hospital to check on him, and his son, Zxavier.
As Zxavier was sitting next to his dad’s bed, there was a light knock at the door before it opened and Maya walked into the room. She was carrying her purse and a few reusable bags as she quietly walked in and greeted Zxavier with a warm smile.
“Hey…”
Maya slowly approached Zx, setting the bags and her purse on the ground in front of him as he stood up and the two embraced in a warm hug. They had known each other since before Crucible, and while they may not have ever gotten super close, there was always a shared bond because of Zx’s dad, Maya’s trainer, Xavier.
“I brought you a few changes of clothes, and some snacks and drinks. I know these vending machines are expensive and yeah… I wanted to do something.”
Her voice was quiet, somber, and sympathetic as her eyes remained on Zx.
“I brought some Skittles too, you know, for when he wakes up. I know how he feels about them.”
Her eyes moved to the bags before she turned to look at Xavier. It was hard seeing him like this; she could only imagine how Zxavier was feeling.
“Have they said anything? When he might wake up? What the extent of his injuries are?”
Zxavier’s fingers were loosely interlocked as he sat in the chair beside his father’s hospital bed, staring at the steady rise and fall of Xavier’s chest. His eyes were heavy with exhaustion, and the dark circles beneath them spoke to sleepless nights spent in this room. The knock at the door startled him slightly, and when Maya entered, her warm smile managed to chip away at the emotional armor he’d built up over the past few days.
“Hey…” he said softly, standing to meet her as she approached with the bags in hand. The hug they shared was a much-needed reprieve from the weight pressing down on him, and for a moment, he let himself lean into the comfort of it.
When she pulled back and explained what she’d brought, he glanced at the bags, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Thanks, Maya,” he said, his voice thick with gratitude. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
Her mention of the Skittles made his smile falter for a moment, a mixture of fondness and pain washing over him. He nodded, swallowing hard as his eyes flickered to his father. “Yeah… he’ll appreciate that when he wakes up.”
Zxavier returned to his seat, gesturing for Maya to take the other chair. Her questions hung in the air for a moment as he stared at his father, his expression unreadable. Finally, he exhaled, his voice quiet but steady. “The doctors… they’re not giving me much. Just that it’s a waiting game. They said he’s stable, and that’s good, I guess, but they don’t know when he’ll wake up.”
He rubbed his hands over his face, the exhaustion etched into every movement. “They’re still trying to figure out exactly what happened. The scans didn’t show anything life-threatening, but there was… a lot of damage. They think it was blunt force trauma, probably a weapon.”
Zxavier’s hands fell to his lap, and he shook his head, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “I just don’t get it. Who the hell would do this? And why? He doesn’t mess with anyone. He’s… he’s just Dad, you know?”
He looked over at Maya, his eyes searching hers as if hoping she had answers. “I’ve been sitting here trying to make sense of it, but nothing adds up. It just feels… wrong. Like there’s more to it than what we’re seeing.”
“I don’t even want to guess who would do this. We’ve both seen some crazy stuff lately, but even for that world… it doesn’t add up.”
Maya could see the confusion, pain, the exhaustion all over Zxavier’s face. He exuded helplessness, but truly there was nothing he could do, and it wasn’t his fault. The sad reality was that this was now a waiting game.
“Your dad is strong. He’s going to bounce back.”
She tried to comfort him, something that Z would see was coming from a genuine place inside Maya. He acknowledged her with another faint smile, but even that seemed drawn out and forced.
“I can’t say I know how you feel. He’s your dad, but I do know he means a ton to me, and to so many people, so you aren’t alone. Everyone has been worried about you too.”
Maya knew Zx had had a rough go since joining Crucible—going through a losing streak, doubting himself, and feeling like he was letting himself and his teammates down. This was the last thing he needed right now, but this superseded any in-ring struggles.
“I know you don’t want to leave his side, but why don’t you let me take a shift tonight? I brought you some clothes. You can keep them here, go home and take a shower and sleep in a bed for a night, and I’ll stay here. Make sure no one comes in here unless they are Zxavier-approved.”
Maya scooted her chair closer and rubbed his shoulders. She could feel the tension and knots all over.
“I promise I won’t let anything happen to him. You need to take care of yourself too.”
Zxavier leaned back in his chair, his hands gripping the armrests tightly as he stared at his dad’s still form. Maya’s words had done their best to comfort him, but they couldn’t touch the storm brewing inside him.
“It’s not that I was trying to live up to him,” he said after a long silence, his voice barely above a whisper. “I was mad at him, Maya. For so long, I thought he wasn’t there for me. I convinced myself he was just a deadbeat who cared more about Nightfall, the Gavins, Rayvens, and training everyone else than being my dad.”
His jaw clenched, and he shook his head, frustration bubbling to the surface. “I thought he was building this legacy for himself, for his ego. I didn’t see it for what it was—something for us. I was so caught up in what I thought he wasn’t doing that I couldn’t see what he was trying to do.”
Zxavier looked down at his hands, his knuckles white from the tension. “And now I’m sitting here, wondering if I’ll even get the chance to tell him that I was wrong. To apologize for all the anger I wasted. He doesn’t deserve that from me.”
His voice cracked, but he pushed forward. “I can’t leave him now. I’m scared, Maya. What if this was Division? What if Julian sent someone to send a message, or one of them decided to do this on their own? What if they come back?” He finally turned to look at her, his eyes filled with pain and uncertainty.
“I was wrong about him. I wasted so much time being angry, and now… now I have to make up for all of it. I can’t leave his side. Not until I know he’s going to be okay. Not until I get the chance to tell him.”
Maya leaned closer, her voice soft but firm. “We’re going to find out who did this to him. I promise you, but… the hospital has an amazing security staff. No one is getting to him. Not with them, not with you… and not with me here.”
Zxavier raised an eyebrow; it was all he could muster to raise at the moment with everything going on.
“You’re staying?”
Maya nodded, her expression resolute. “I brought enough snacks for two. I figured you would say you weren’t leaving. I don’t blame you; I wouldn’t want to leave if it were my dad here either. But just in case, I brought some extra snacks. When he wakes up, you’re going to be here. And I hope I am too. I’m spending the night.”
She reached into her purse and pulled out two Nintendo Switch Lites, a grin on her makeup-less face.
“I know you’re tired and I’m not trying to get an unfair advantage or anything buuuuuttt…” Maya trailed off, holding up the console with a teasing smirk. Zxavier hadn’t seen anything outside of these walls since the show, so seeing a familiar face AND video games? It was a morale booster. It wouldn’t take away his anxiety or worry, but it could be a welcome distraction for a little bit at least.
“I have to admit I’m pretty good at Mario Kart.”
Maya held the light blue console out toward Zxavier. “Wanna play?”
Zxavier’s tired eyes widened as the Nintendo Switch Lite was handed to him, a spark of excitement breaking through the heaviness of the last few days. His face lit up with a grin—one that hadn’t been there since his dad’s attack—and for a moment, it felt like a weight had been lifted.
“You brought Mario Kart?” he asked, his voice filled with disbelief and genuine enthusiasm. He cradled the light blue console like it was a treasure, his fingers already moving to power it on. “Maya, you don’t even know—this is my favorite game. Like, the game. You don’t stand a chance. I’m gonna destroy you.”
His grin widened as he navigated through the menus, his energy shifting completely. The exhaustion and anxiety that had weighed him down were momentarily replaced by the familiar comfort of something he loved.
“This is exactly what I needed,” he added, almost to himself, his fingers tapping away as he selected his character. “I hope you’re ready, because I’m about to put on a clinic. No one beats me at this game.”
He let out a small laugh, shaking his head with mock arrogance. “Seriously, though. I’m warning you now—if you pick Toad, we can’t be friends anymore. Toad players are shady. That’s just facts.”
Zxavier leaned back in his chair, the controller steady in his hands as his competitive streak kicked in. For the first time in days, his shoulders relaxed, and the smile on his face wasn’t forced. It was the smallest thing, but in this moment, it was everything.
Maya laughed, taking the controller in her hands and sitting back in her chair, mirroring his energy. “Toad is the best, and you just don’t want to admit it. But fine, I’ll pick Luigi or something so you don’t cry when I lap you three times.”
She glanced over at him, her smile softening for a moment. “I’m glad you’re smiling, Zx. I know things are tough, but it’s okay to have moments like this, you know? To breathe. You’re allowed to enjoy this.”
As the race began, Maya couldn’t help but feel a flicker of relief. It wasn’t much, but if she could give Zxavier even a moment’s escape from the weight he was carrying, it was worth it. Even if she was about to get destroyed in Mario Kart.
As Zxavier was sitting next to his dad’s bed, there was a light knock at the door before it opened and Maya walked into the room. She was carrying her purse and a few reusable bags as she quietly walked in and greeted Zxavier with a warm smile.
“Hey…”
Maya slowly approached Zx, setting the bags and her purse on the ground in front of him as he stood up and the two embraced in a warm hug. They had known each other since before Crucible, and while they may not have ever gotten super close, there was always a shared bond because of Zx’s dad, Maya’s trainer, Xavier.
“I brought you a few changes of clothes, and some snacks and drinks. I know these vending machines are expensive and yeah… I wanted to do something.”
Her voice was quiet, somber, and sympathetic as her eyes remained on Zx.
“I brought some Skittles too, you know, for when he wakes up. I know how he feels about them.”
Her eyes moved to the bags before she turned to look at Xavier. It was hard seeing him like this; she could only imagine how Zxavier was feeling.
“Have they said anything? When he might wake up? What the extent of his injuries are?”
Zxavier’s fingers were loosely interlocked as he sat in the chair beside his father’s hospital bed, staring at the steady rise and fall of Xavier’s chest. His eyes were heavy with exhaustion, and the dark circles beneath them spoke to sleepless nights spent in this room. The knock at the door startled him slightly, and when Maya entered, her warm smile managed to chip away at the emotional armor he’d built up over the past few days.
“Hey…” he said softly, standing to meet her as she approached with the bags in hand. The hug they shared was a much-needed reprieve from the weight pressing down on him, and for a moment, he let himself lean into the comfort of it.
When she pulled back and explained what she’d brought, he glanced at the bags, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Thanks, Maya,” he said, his voice thick with gratitude. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
Her mention of the Skittles made his smile falter for a moment, a mixture of fondness and pain washing over him. He nodded, swallowing hard as his eyes flickered to his father. “Yeah… he’ll appreciate that when he wakes up.”
Zxavier returned to his seat, gesturing for Maya to take the other chair. Her questions hung in the air for a moment as he stared at his father, his expression unreadable. Finally, he exhaled, his voice quiet but steady. “The doctors… they’re not giving me much. Just that it’s a waiting game. They said he’s stable, and that’s good, I guess, but they don’t know when he’ll wake up.”
He rubbed his hands over his face, the exhaustion etched into every movement. “They’re still trying to figure out exactly what happened. The scans didn’t show anything life-threatening, but there was… a lot of damage. They think it was blunt force trauma, probably a weapon.”
Zxavier’s hands fell to his lap, and he shook his head, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “I just don’t get it. Who the hell would do this? And why? He doesn’t mess with anyone. He’s… he’s just Dad, you know?”
He looked over at Maya, his eyes searching hers as if hoping she had answers. “I’ve been sitting here trying to make sense of it, but nothing adds up. It just feels… wrong. Like there’s more to it than what we’re seeing.”
“I don’t even want to guess who would do this. We’ve both seen some crazy stuff lately, but even for that world… it doesn’t add up.”
Maya could see the confusion, pain, the exhaustion all over Zxavier’s face. He exuded helplessness, but truly there was nothing he could do, and it wasn’t his fault. The sad reality was that this was now a waiting game.
“Your dad is strong. He’s going to bounce back.”
She tried to comfort him, something that Z would see was coming from a genuine place inside Maya. He acknowledged her with another faint smile, but even that seemed drawn out and forced.
“I can’t say I know how you feel. He’s your dad, but I do know he means a ton to me, and to so many people, so you aren’t alone. Everyone has been worried about you too.”
Maya knew Zx had had a rough go since joining Crucible—going through a losing streak, doubting himself, and feeling like he was letting himself and his teammates down. This was the last thing he needed right now, but this superseded any in-ring struggles.
“I know you don’t want to leave his side, but why don’t you let me take a shift tonight? I brought you some clothes. You can keep them here, go home and take a shower and sleep in a bed for a night, and I’ll stay here. Make sure no one comes in here unless they are Zxavier-approved.”
Maya scooted her chair closer and rubbed his shoulders. She could feel the tension and knots all over.
“I promise I won’t let anything happen to him. You need to take care of yourself too.”
Zxavier leaned back in his chair, his hands gripping the armrests tightly as he stared at his dad’s still form. Maya’s words had done their best to comfort him, but they couldn’t touch the storm brewing inside him.
“It’s not that I was trying to live up to him,” he said after a long silence, his voice barely above a whisper. “I was mad at him, Maya. For so long, I thought he wasn’t there for me. I convinced myself he was just a deadbeat who cared more about Nightfall, the Gavins, Rayvens, and training everyone else than being my dad.”
His jaw clenched, and he shook his head, frustration bubbling to the surface. “I thought he was building this legacy for himself, for his ego. I didn’t see it for what it was—something for us. I was so caught up in what I thought he wasn’t doing that I couldn’t see what he was trying to do.”
Zxavier looked down at his hands, his knuckles white from the tension. “And now I’m sitting here, wondering if I’ll even get the chance to tell him that I was wrong. To apologize for all the anger I wasted. He doesn’t deserve that from me.”
His voice cracked, but he pushed forward. “I can’t leave him now. I’m scared, Maya. What if this was Division? What if Julian sent someone to send a message, or one of them decided to do this on their own? What if they come back?” He finally turned to look at her, his eyes filled with pain and uncertainty.
“I was wrong about him. I wasted so much time being angry, and now… now I have to make up for all of it. I can’t leave his side. Not until I know he’s going to be okay. Not until I get the chance to tell him.”
Maya leaned closer, her voice soft but firm. “We’re going to find out who did this to him. I promise you, but… the hospital has an amazing security staff. No one is getting to him. Not with them, not with you… and not with me here.”
Zxavier raised an eyebrow; it was all he could muster to raise at the moment with everything going on.
“You’re staying?”
Maya nodded, her expression resolute. “I brought enough snacks for two. I figured you would say you weren’t leaving. I don’t blame you; I wouldn’t want to leave if it were my dad here either. But just in case, I brought some extra snacks. When he wakes up, you’re going to be here. And I hope I am too. I’m spending the night.”
She reached into her purse and pulled out two Nintendo Switch Lites, a grin on her makeup-less face.
“I know you’re tired and I’m not trying to get an unfair advantage or anything buuuuuttt…” Maya trailed off, holding up the console with a teasing smirk. Zxavier hadn’t seen anything outside of these walls since the show, so seeing a familiar face AND video games? It was a morale booster. It wouldn’t take away his anxiety or worry, but it could be a welcome distraction for a little bit at least.
“I have to admit I’m pretty good at Mario Kart.”
Maya held the light blue console out toward Zxavier. “Wanna play?”
Zxavier’s tired eyes widened as the Nintendo Switch Lite was handed to him, a spark of excitement breaking through the heaviness of the last few days. His face lit up with a grin—one that hadn’t been there since his dad’s attack—and for a moment, it felt like a weight had been lifted.
“You brought Mario Kart?” he asked, his voice filled with disbelief and genuine enthusiasm. He cradled the light blue console like it was a treasure, his fingers already moving to power it on. “Maya, you don’t even know—this is my favorite game. Like, the game. You don’t stand a chance. I’m gonna destroy you.”
His grin widened as he navigated through the menus, his energy shifting completely. The exhaustion and anxiety that had weighed him down were momentarily replaced by the familiar comfort of something he loved.
“This is exactly what I needed,” he added, almost to himself, his fingers tapping away as he selected his character. “I hope you’re ready, because I’m about to put on a clinic. No one beats me at this game.”
He let out a small laugh, shaking his head with mock arrogance. “Seriously, though. I’m warning you now—if you pick Toad, we can’t be friends anymore. Toad players are shady. That’s just facts.”
Zxavier leaned back in his chair, the controller steady in his hands as his competitive streak kicked in. For the first time in days, his shoulders relaxed, and the smile on his face wasn’t forced. It was the smallest thing, but in this moment, it was everything.
Maya laughed, taking the controller in her hands and sitting back in her chair, mirroring his energy. “Toad is the best, and you just don’t want to admit it. But fine, I’ll pick Luigi or something so you don’t cry when I lap you three times.”
She glanced over at him, her smile softening for a moment. “I’m glad you’re smiling, Zx. I know things are tough, but it’s okay to have moments like this, you know? To breathe. You’re allowed to enjoy this.”
As the race began, Maya couldn’t help but feel a flicker of relief. It wasn’t much, but if she could give Zxavier even a moment’s escape from the weight he was carrying, it was worth it. Even if she was about to get destroyed in Mario Kart.