Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Time, Fault and Out ❯ Chapter 55 ( Chapter 55 )

Disclaimer: I don't own the G'boys, I just borrow them from time to time to play with and return them a whole lot happier, ne?

 

Rating: NC 17

 

 

Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4

 

Warnings: AU, OOC, Lemon, Yaoi, Angst, Fluff, Sap, Vet themes.

 

Summary: Set 2 years after Equinity. Heero is now riding for the Kushrenada stable as well as attempting to qualify Zero for the Nations Cup team and ultimately his dream of riding at the Olympic games. But life is never an easy ride.

 

Notes: All the information on showjumping, horses, etc is taken from my own knowledge of the sport having been a competitor and now judge for many years and is written from an Australian perspective. The rules and regulations are courtesy of the E.F.A Handbook. (Equestrian Federation of Australia) Should you have any questions just e-mail me.

 

Fic 2 in the "Equine Intervention" Arc.

 

Dedication: To Klingonpoodle who gave me the plot bunny for the first fic and has since supplied my muse with its own plot bunny farm, and to 'Teddy Bear' my own courageous little showjumper whom Zero is based upon.

 

 

"Time, Fault and Out"

 

November. 2005 ShenLong

 

Chapter 55

 

Friday morning dawned clear and bright, the promise of a warm day ahead. Duo stretched and yawned; beside him, Heero rolled over and crinkled his nose, burrowing deeper into the pillow and snoring lightly. Duo couldn't help the soft smile that graced his face as he watched his lover sleep. Heero's face was smooth, all worry lines gone and replaced with a boyish innocence. Dark lashes lay against tanned skin, lips parted slightly as breath was drawn in and then expelled. Duo drank in the sight, enjoying the relaxed look of his lover. The bedside clock read eight, but Duo was in no hurry to get up. Joe would have fed Zero for them and Heero's coaching session with Noin wasn't until one that afternoon so they had plenty of time to indulge in a little lie-in.

 

Treize would be competing in the A grade championships that morning, the event scheduled to start at ten thirty once the C grade championships had finished. Duo and Heero were both planning on attending and giving the ginger haired man all the support they could. There were a few of the other teams' members entered as well and Heero was looking forward to getting a proper look at what some of those riders could do.

 

Noin had managed to find out a little on their opposition, the South African team was still a bit of a mystery, no one seemed to know much about them at all. The Germans and the Kiwis were still the ones to beat though, the information Noin had dug up on the Germans had been quite interesting. Two of their riders were past Olympic medalists while the other two were rising stars and apparently sweeping the board on the European circuit. The Kiwis were slightly different, none of their members had been to the Olympics, but that didn't mean they should be underestimated. In a lot of ways the Kiwis were similar to the Aussies, sheer determination and will power could get them through when it appeared the odds were firmly stacked against them.

 

Heero shifted and blinked open sleepy blue eyes so Duo pushed his thoughts away and leaned in for a morning kiss.

 

"Mmm... Nice," Heero commented. "What time is it?"

 

"Eight fifteen."

 

"Ah." Heero stretched and scratched his belly. "Suppose we should get up."

 

"I'd rather stay here and snuggle for a bit."

 

Heero gave a soft laugh and pulled his lover into his arms. Feathering kisses over Duo's neck and jaw he murmured softly, "I guess we can snuggle for a few minutes."

 

* * *

 

By the time Heero and Duo made it to the breakfast buffet most of the team had already eaten and left. Noin looked up at them as they sat down with loaded plates. "Good morning," she greeted.

 

"Morning," Heero replied, Duo nodded, a piece of toast stuck in his mouth.

 

"How is your horse settling in?" Noin asked.

 

"So far he's doing really well. He appears to have accepted everything okay and was quite fresh when I worked him yesterday afternoon," Heero said as he poured milk over his cereal.

 

"That's good. We're going to need them all sharp and alert if we are to stand a chance of winning this cup. From what I've seen so far of the German team, they're pretty strong."

 

"What about the Kiwis?"

 

"Also a good team, although not quite as refined as the Germans." Noin took another sip of her coffee.

 

"Any ideas on the rest of the team entries?" Duo asked as he swallowed his toast.

 

"I haven't been able to see a lot. The French seem to be a fairly inexperienced team this time around, but a lot of their 'older' riders are retiring so this is a new lot coming through the ranks. South Africa hasn't done much, but again, they're a new team too. Japan seems to be a mixture of seasoned and less experienced riders, as are the Italian and Swedish teams. The English team does have a couple of strong riders and one unknown. I'm still thinking that it will be the Germans and Kiwis we will need to watch."

 

"Hn," grunted Heero.

 

"Your team is in a similar situation, Heero," Duo pointed out. "Out of all the members, Treize and Zoe are the only ones who have competed before at international level. I know Alex is good and Zero is fast approaching his peak too, so all in all I guess you could say it's a pretty even match up."

 

"That it is, Doctor Maxwell," Noin stated with a smile. "If nothing else it will be a very exciting competition. I'd say it's going to come down to the team that can work best under pressure."

 

"Knew I should have packed the Valium," Duo quipped with a wide grin.

 

"Who for? The riders or the horses?" Heero was quick to retort and felt a little smug at finding such a witty comeback.

 

"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of for the grooms and the chief coach!"

 

Heero gave his partner a 'look'.

 

Noin broke into laughter. "I think I'm going to need more than Valium to recover from all this. Maybe a nice, quiet nursing home would do the trick."

 

"Either that or a swig of the medicinal brandy," Duo snickered.

 

"I'd better be off. I want to walk the course with Treize before he jumps and then watch how he goes. Don't forget our coaching session later, Heero." Noin finished her coffee and stood up.

 

"I hadn't forgotten. We will probably see you later as we're also coming to watch," Heero replied.

 

Noin gave them both a wave and then departed.

 

* * *

 

Duo looked around the arena full of jumps and let go a long sigh. "I'm glad you're not jumping in this."

 

"Why?" The course didn't look all that intimidating to Heero. All the jumps were well within the A grade height and width and there wasn't anything he could see that would give Zero any problems.

 

"Somehow I don't think Zero would be able to cope with competing in this and having to do a Nations cup event tomorrow." Duo gave his lover a smile. "And I don't think my nerves could stand it either."

 

Heero laughed. "In all honesty, I'm glad I didn't enter Zero for it. I think he's going to have enough to cope with as it is. Treize has had a bit more experience, and Tall Geese is also a well seasoned horse so it shouldn't affect him too much."

 

Duo nodded and craned his neck to see if he could see anything going on outside. His lips quirked into a grin as he spotted Joe with Duck standing to the side of the main entry. The mini pony looked out of place amongst all the bigger horses, but what he lacked in height, he more than made up for in character. Duo chuckled as he recalled their short stop by the stables to wish Treize good luck.

 

Treize had been preparing to mount and ride Goose down to the warm up area. He'd walked the course with Noin and planned out his tactics. Goose had already been loosened up on the flat and Treize wanted to keep the stallion moving and warm before popping him over a couple of practice fences. They had followed along, intending to leave Treize in the warm up area and find a seat inside to watch the competition. Joe had been leading Short Duck along when a rather large warmblood appeared coming from the opposite direction. The warmblood had laid back his ears and bared his teeth at Goose. Before Joe knew what was happening, Duck had barreled forward, dragging Joe with him and put his own ears back, facing off with the warmblood that threatened his 'mate'.

 

What happened next had been hilarious to say the least.

 

Confronted by a mini pony, the warmblood had taken a step back, confusion on the horse's face. Duck had snorted and pawed the ground, the warmblood gave a loud blow through his nostrils and hesitated. Duck stepped forward, ears back and a threatening look on his face. The warmblood had jumped, whirled around, turned tail and fled!

 

Duo had been in fits of laughter, Heero chuckling beside him. Even Treize and Joe both had smiles on their faces. Duck simply rubbed noses with his 'mate' and then puffed himself up before leading the way to the warm up area. No one messed with him!

 

They had found good seats inside with a view of most of the arena and jumps. The competitors had finished walking the course and the stewards were getting into place. A heavy silence fell over the spectators as the microphone hummed and the commentator's voice announced the first competitor.

 

The course was set with plenty of room between the fences, but the tricky part came when negotiating from fences seven to eight: the wall and following double. Both jumps were set at five foot with there being one stride in-between the two elements of the double. It soon became apparent that a rider needed to have his horse's full attention if they were to clear both elements successfully.

 

The first three entrants all came to grief at the double, sending poles crashing to the ground and scoring penalties. The fourth rider concentrated hard and managed to clear the wall and both elements of the double. He seemed to be stunned by the fact that he'd cleared them, promptly lost concentration and completely demolished the next two fences. Two more riders attempted the course and both ended up with faults before the seventh rider managed the first clear round of the competition.

 

"How do you think Treize will go?" Duo asked Heero as the eighth competitor was busy refusing the gate.

 

"He should go clear. Goose has jumped harder courses and Treize is a good tactician," Heero replied as the rider in the ring was eliminated.

 

"At the rate these other riders are wracking up the penalties, I'd say Treize has a damn good chance then. All he needs to do is go clear and he's in with a chance at finishing in the top three."

 

"Don't count your chickens, Duo. The better riders are yet to come," Heero stated. "There's still one of the Kiwis, a Swede, Italian and two German riders yet to go and three of them are after Treize," Heero added as he consulted his program.

 

Duo sighed. “Guess you're right. It ain't over until the fat lady sings, right?”

 

“Exactly.”

 

Duo returned his attention to the ring and competitor number ten. His eyes narrowed and he glanced at his program to confirm that this was the first of the two German riders entered in the competition. Beside him Heero was completely absorbed in watching the man currently in the arena. With minimal knowledge on their opposition it was to Heero's advantage to get a good look at what he would be up against in the Cup.

 

The German rider started off slow, gradually letting his mount build up momentum while still keeping the horse focused. Even Duo could see the skill the rider possessed. By the time they reached the wall, the rider had his horse perfectly balanced and executed a beautiful turn to come into the double just right. Seconds later the pair were through the finish flags to the sound of applause and the second clear round.

 

"Ooo - kaaay," Duo muttered. "That's two through to the jump off."

 

Rider eleven didn't have much luck and left with four faults, he was followed by the Swede who also went clear. Heero studied the Swedish rider with interest, the style of riding wasn't all that much different to the German's and Heero could clearly see the experience showing through. The next rider entered the arena and appeared to be making a clear round when he hit the top rail on the last fence. The rail bounced in its cups before deciding to fall. The crowd groaned in sympathy.

 

Then it was Treize's turn. Goose pranced a little as he entered the arena and tossed his head as he headed for the start. Muscles bunched and flexed underneath his glowing coat, Goose was fit and eager to be off. Treize sat astride his horse, reins held lightly in his fingers, body poised and balanced, ready to give the slightest aid. He saluted the judge and turned his horse waiting for the bell. It rang and Treize was off.

 

Both Heero and Duo held their collective breath as Treize and Goose began the course. Jump after jump was approached and cleared, Treize allowing his horse to stretch out and gain momentum as they made their way around the various obstacles. Goose was traveling well, enjoying himself as he approached the wall. Heero's practiced eye saw Treize sit down a little and collect his horse, subtly shortening the stride and giving Goose more impulsion.

 

The bay sailed over the wall and was immediately turning and listening to his rider as Treize brought him around and lined him up perfectly for the double. Goose stretched out, cleared the first element, landed, took a stride and then launched himself over the second element. Landing safely on the other side, Goose changed leading legs and cantered towards the next fence, a smattering of applause following.

 

Duo's hands were sweaty, and as the tension built, he began to rub them along his thighs, willing Treize and his horse to a clear round. Next to him, Heero was almost riding the course with Treize, his muscles moving slightly, fingers closing and opening as the few remaining fences were cleared and Treize flashed through the finish flags to the sounds of cheers and applause as he made the fourth clear round.

 

"Go Treize!" Duo shouted and punched the air.

 

Heero let go of the breath he'd been holding and slumped back into his chair. He turned his head to see sparkling violet looking back at him.

 

"He's through, he made it to the jump off," Duo exclaimed.

 

All Heero could do for the moment was nod.

 

The remaining eleven riders all passed through the arena, Heero's concentration really only fixed on the remaining international competitors The Italian rider was unlucky, something in the crowd spooked his horse and the animal went to pieces, giving his rider two refusals and being eliminated. The other German rider miscalculated the oxer and brought down the entire fence, his horse lost its footing and they were both lucky to escape a fall. The Kiwi rider went exceptionally well, his horse took a liking to the course and despite coming into each fence at what appeared to be a crawl, the horse had a tremendous jump on it and literally sprang into the air, clearing everything.

 

By the time the last rider had finished there were seven through to the jump off; Treize, the German, Swede and Kiwi amongst them. The stewards came out and began to adjust the course, raising some fences and placing poles across those that were not a part of the jump off course. Once the adjustments had been made, the commentator announced the jump off course and welcomed the competitors back into the arena to walk the course. Heero spotted Noin walking with Treize, the pair locked in discussion.

 

"How do you think they will go?" Duo asked as he watched Noin and Treize pacing out the jump off course.

 

"Hard to say," Heero began as he studied the jumps, his mind figuring out what line and track he would follow if had been him and Zero in the jump off. He had a good idea of what Treize would be planning, having worked for the silver medalist for some time now it wasn't hard to get to know how the man thought. "Going on what I can see from up here, I'd be betting the jump off will be won or lost on fences five, seven and eight."

 

Duo glanced back at the arena, the commentator had said the jump off course would consist of fences one, three, five, seven, eight, ten and eleven. Five was the oxer that looked even more intimidating to Duo since it had been raised; seven was the wall and eight the double. "How so?" Duo questioned.

 

"Look at how five is positioned, once you jump that you have the option of turning either left or right to come into the wall and following double. It's still going to require the horse to be completely listening to its rider for a successful jump over seven and eight, just as it did in the first round." Heero pause to see if Duo was following.

 

He was.

 

"If you turn right after the oxer, you give yourself a few more strides to bring your horse into the wall straight and have a good chance of clearing it; however, more strides means more seconds added to your time. If you turn left you can pass on the inside of jump two and be on the wall with less strides, but it's also bringing your horse in on a slight angle which could prove detrimental when you have the double immediately after."

 

"Ah. I think I get it. Turn right after five and add seconds to your time but be pretty much guaranteed of clearing seven and eight. Turn left and while you'll save time, you risk dropping a rail due to the horse not being straight or balanced. Correct?"

 

"Got it in a nutshell, Duo."

 

"What do you think Treize will do?"

 

"I'd say he'll go for the faster option. Goose is pretty quick to turn and can re-balance fast. Either way is a risk, but I'm betting Treize will go short on that one."

 

Duo shook his head. "If he does, I sure hope he pulls it off."

 

"You and me both, Duo."

 

* * *

 

Silence settled over the arena as the commentator announced the first competitor in the jump off. The bell rang and the bay horse was on its way. The rider started off fast, breaking the electronic timing beam and heading for the first fence.

 

"Too fast,” Heero muttered. "His horse is going to lose impulsion and not have the energy it needs to finish clear."

 

The bay landed over the oxer, the rider choosing the short option and completely messing it up. As Heero had said, the horse didn't have enough energy left to clear the wall and sent bricks showering everywhere. The rider seemed to regain his concentration and collect his horse, narrowly missing collecting another four faults at the double. They finished the course a little slower but without further penalties.

 

The German rider came into the ring, saluted and then collected his horse. The bell rang and the horse passed between the timing beams heading for the first fence. “This will be a good round,” Heero said as he watched intently.

 

Even Duo could see the difference between the German rider and the previous one. He appeared to be more at one with his horse, concentration never faltering as he steadily increased his pace around the jump off course.

 

Landing over the oxer, the German rider took the short option, turning his horse to the left and riding it together.

 

“Shit!” Heero breathed out as the horse sank low on its hocks and turned, straightened, and within four strides was clearing the wall.

 

“Damn fine piece of riding,” Duo muttered. Experience was clearly showing through.

 

The double was cleared easily, the German's horse beginning to stretch out a little as they bore down on the hog's back. That was also cleared and all that remained was the fancy gate and the finish flags. The gate was taken in similar style and as soon as his horse landed, the German rider turned towards the finish, gave the horse its head and galloped through.

 

“Clear round in a time of 43.57 seconds,” came the announcer's voice. “Herrman Schultz from Germany is our new leader.”

 

“That's going to be hard to beat,” stated Heero.

 

“You're telling me!” came Duo's reply.

 

“There's going to be some interesting riding now. The gauntlet has been thrown so let's see what the remaining riders come up with.” Heero's tone held a touch of amusement to it.

 

“Geeze, I hope it isn't going to be this close in the Nations cup event,” Duo said.

 

Heero quirked an eyebrow.

 

“I'm afraid I'll need CPR if it is!”

 

Heero couldn't help himself - he laughed.

 

Silence fell again as the Swedish rider entered. The bell rang and the big chestnut was off. Determination was evident in the set of the Swede's jaw as he drove his horse's hind legs underneath and asked for all the horse had. Jump after jump was cleared, spectators' eyes switching between the electronic timer and the rider in the ring; it was close. The oxer was cleared and the Swede jammed the brakes on and spun his horse around to the left. The horse tried to make the turn but was traveling a little too fast. It stumbled, regained its footing and tried to rebalance for the wall.

 

The crowd all held their breath.

 

How the horse managed to clear the wall was beyond Duo's comprehension, but it did. Luckily, the chestnut had regained most of its balance by the time it reached the double and finished the course without any penalties but the stumble had cost the pair valuable seconds.

 

“Clear round in a time of 45.32 and now sitting in second place. The time to beat is still 43.57, can our next rider do that? Riding Tall Geese and representing Australia, Treize Kushrenada.”

 

The applause was deafening as Treize rode into the arena. Heero looked closely at the man who had been his mentor for so long and noted the concentration on his face, the determination in his eyes and Heero knew Treize was out to win. Silently he sent a prayer to any god listening that Treize would remain safe and Goose would give his all.

 

The beam broke and began counting down the seconds as Treize passed through and set his horse at the course. Goose was moving fast, but perfectly balanced, Treize keeping the power of the bay like a coiled spring beneath him. As they approached the oxer they were a fraction of a second in front of the German's time.

 

Heero held his breath.

 

Goose stood well back from the oxer and cleared it effortlessly. He landed and immediately dropped his hind quarters as Treize sat deep in his saddle and applied his legs and seat to get the horse to turn. To Duo it looked like Goose sat down and swiveled on the spot, the turn was that quick. No sooner had Goose spun, his hocks were driving back under and propelling his body forward. Three strides and they were clearing the wall.

 

The double followed - also clear and you could almost cut the air with a knife, the tension was so thick in the arena. As much as people wanted to cheer their 'local' hero on, they daren't say anything lest they distract either horse or rider from their task.

 

Goose swung sharply for the hog's back and then turned for the fancy gate. The bay was picking up speed as he sensed the finish coming up. Landing clear over the gate, Treize gave the bay his head and dug the heels in, Goose galloping flat out through the finish and halting the clock.

 

The crowd went wild; Treize slowed his horse and patted the sweaty neck, a grin plastered to his face. Heero released the breath he'd been holding and sucked oxygen back into his lungs. Duo was frantically trying to calm his own breathing that was bordering on hyperventilating.

 

The electronic clock stared back at the many faces in the arena.

 

43.50

 

“Oh fuck, I think I'm gonna pass out with the excitement,” Duo muttered.

 

Heero looked at his partner and grinned. “He did it, he's in the lead!”

 

“I really hope he can stay there too. Heero, I don't think I can watch any more, my heart can't take it. Mind if I start looking for that fat lady now?”

 

Heero shook his head and rolled his eyes.

 

“Ohhh, lookie, there's one over there. Think she'll mind if I ask her to start singing now?”

 

Heero broke into laughter. “Somehow I think she might take offense. I also think the remaining riders might object too. It's certainly going to be a tough time to beat.”

 

Duo simply grinned back. At least he'd managed to ease the tension a touch.

 

* * *

 

It was proving a tough time to beat. The Kiwi rider went next, equally as determined to give the course his best shot. He tried hard and came out clear with a time of 44.03, putting him in third place. The sixth rider was sensible and knew his own horse's limits and as such, took the longer route from the oxer to the wall. He went clear but his time was slow - 47.25. The last rider to go set off fast and maintained the pace. Landing over the oxer, he tried to spin his horse, the animal making the turn but coming in too short to the wall. The horse didn't have a hope in hell of clearing the wall and so refused. When presented at the jump the second time, the horse cleared it and finished the remainder of the jumps without any further faults.

 

As the last competitor left the arena so the buzz of chatter increased in volume, everyone was pretty sure Treize had won. But until it was confirmed by the judge and announced they would have to hold onto their excitement.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, the winner and place getters for the open Grade A championship are as follows: First place, in a time of 43.50 seconds. Representing Australia, Treize Kushrenada on Tall Geese.”

 

The crowd went wild, cheering and clapping as Treize entered the arena, Goose walking with easy strides. The rest of the commentator's words were drowned out by the cheering but the German rider came in second followed by the Kiwi and then the Swede. Presentations were made, Treize taking the rather large, silver cup and holding it high above his head, much to the crowd's delight.

 

Once all the rosettes were given out, the steward took the cup from Treize and the riders did a lap of honor around the arena. Goose snorted and threw in a buck, Treize laughed and rode the horse forward.

 

Duo and Heero scrambled out of their seats and headed outside to congratulate Treize in person. They found Joe holding Short Duck just to the side of the main collecting area, tears shining in his eyes as he watched his 'charge' exit and immediately be swamped by well wishers and the press.

 

Noin managed to fight her way through and gave Treize a hand with answering the many questions fired at him from the reporters. Fortunately they didn't last too long. Duo took Duck from Joe so the groom could tend to Goose, Joe taking the stallion from Treize and leaving his boss to continue his little press interview. The girth was loosened, stirrups run up and a light rug thrown over the stallion's sweaty body. Joe began to walk the horse around, Duo and Duck joining him while Heero waited patiently to offer his congratulations to Treize.

 

* * *

 

The rest of the afternoon passed at a furious pace for Heero and Duo. They'd both given Joe a hand with Goose and Duck, settling the pair back into their respective stables after a thorough grooming and spoiling with carrots. Goose had looked smug, accepting all the praise heaped upon him with good grace. Zero began to get a little jealous at all the attention his stable mate was getting and let his annoyance be known by banging his hoof against his stable door - loudly.

 

Duo had taken pity on the gray and went to make a fuss of him, feeding Zero carrots and telling the stallion all about Goose's success. Zero really didn't care, just as long as the carrots kept coming and someone was paying him a little attention.

 

Heero had saddled up and joined Alex for their coaching session with Noin at one. Both Zero and Firefox worked well and Noin was pleased with them. She scheduled another session for the following day, that one would be brief though with just a few jumps in it to sharpen both the horses and riders wits before the first round of cup competition that afternoon.

 

With Zero brushed down and back in his stable, Heero and Duo grabbed a couple of hamburgers from one of the many food vans and returned to the main arena to watch Zoe and Periwinkle in their Hit and Hurry event. Joe and Treize joined them and the four found a good place to watch.

 

“What exactly is a Hit and Hurry event?” Duo asked around a mouthful of hamburger. Heero only jumped in the graded events so the speed events were something totally alien to Duo.

 

“Put simply, Duo, you have a course set to jump and a certain time limit in which to jump it, in this case 45 seconds. In that time you have to jump as many jumps as possible and you score two points for every jump cleared and one point if you knock one down. At the end of the 45 seconds, the bell is rung and you jump one more jump. That jump doesn't score you any points but the timer officially stops when the horse's forelegs hit the ground. The winner is the rider with the most points in the fastest time.” Treize looked at the vet to see if he'd understood his explanation.

 

“Thanks, Treize.”

 

“No problem.”

 

“How do you think Zoe will go?” Heero asked. He knew the mare was quick on her feet, but Heero hadn't really seen Zoe and her mare jump much in competition. Zoe lived in the opposite direction to Salsbury, roughly a hundred miles away and therefore didn't compete in many of the same shows as Heero.

 

“She should have a good chance,” Treize replied. “That mare of hers is as clever as a cat and can turn on a dime.”

 

The competition started and the four were held spellbound as each competitor gave it their all. By the time Zoe entered the arena, Treize had calculated that the English rider was in the lead, closely followed by an Italian with a South African in third. He couldn't be sure though. The points he could calculate, it was the timing that was a different story. Although he was using the stop watch function on his wrist watch, his time could be out by anything up to five seconds from the judges.

 

Zoe started off fast and it soon became apparent that the mare knew what she was doing. Zoe asked for spins and turns followed by seemingly impossible jumps a few strides later. Periwinkle rose to the occasion, spinning on her hocks and clearing everything her mistress put her at. It was certainly a very exciting competition and Duo was almost turning blue trying not to yell out encouragement.

 

Finally the last rider went and then the longed for announcement came.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, the results of the open Hit and Hurry competition...”

 

Four people all held their breath.

 

“In first place, from Italy, Luigi Den'zo. In second place, from England, Mark Broome. In third place, from Australia, Zoe Lang...”

 

The four didn't wait to hear any more, they joined in with the cheers from the rest of the crowd as the place getters entered the arena for the presentation.

 

As with Treize, once Zoe exited she was swamped by the press, all wanting to know how she felt amongst other things. Duo gave Carol a sympathetic smile. He knew the groom just wanted to take care of the mare, but until the 'interviews' were over with there wasn't much she could do. Noin appeared and assisted Zoe in her appeasing of the press so Duo, Heero, Treize and Joe all headed back to the stables to check on their own horses and settle them for the night ahead.

 

Walking into the stable block, Treize suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, Heero walking into the back of him.

 

“Treize?” Heero asked as the ginger haired man remained still, his eyes fixed ahead.

 

Three sets of eyes followed where Treize was looking. Heero grunted, Joe smiled while Duo snickered.

 

“About time you returned,” came the smooth voice. “I was beginning to wonder if I'd missed you and you'd gone back to the hotel.”

 

“Zechs,” Treize murmured, his voice lit with pleasure.

 

~ * ~

 

tbc...