“Wow. This has to be the most viewers I’ve ever had on my livestream. I feel loved, and I’m going to pretend that you guys aren’t only here to see my gorgeous boyfriend. Someone has to be in here for me, right?” Kit looked around the skate park as he aimed the camera to himself. “As you know, today is the big day. I’m here in Vegas at the XCM thingy with Benny and he’s dead last in the rotation. It’s alphabetical order based on surname type of deal. So, I figured I’d catch you all up on what’s been happening.”
Comments scrolled so quickly up Kit’s screen that he was having trouble catching most of them. He licked his lips and turned the camera to the bike he was sitting on.
“What do you guys think? Red Bull gifted Bae this brand-new FIT 2016 Benny 3 matte-purple bike. He won’t shut up about it so I thought I’d show you first. I mean… it looks like the one he bought that day he walked into his uncle’s shop to me, but he insists there’s a difference.”
One of the commenters typed LOL at the fact that the bike Bentley rode was a ‘Benny 3’ and that he also drove a Bentley. Kit snorted.
“I hadn’t even realized that. I hope he doesn’t think we’re naming all our kids Bentley like George Foreman or something.”
The crowd was already packed into the park, and some riders had completed their second-round tries. Bentley was walking around and stretching, and he looked great in the Pink Floyd tie-dye shirt he wore with ripped black jeans. Kit wanted to kiss him, like, a lot, but he also wanted to let him do his job.
“Bentley’s in the lead after round one. I’m sure no one is surprised by that. I’m not. Some of the other competitors seem really nice. A lot of them spoke to me.” He read the comments and shook his head. “Well, no, not Simon Dubois, but some of the others. And the judges seem professional as well.”
Bentley walked over and wrapped his arms around him from behind. Kit smiled, continually talking to the live stream.
“Here’s the man of the hour – stop it,” he said, smiling as Bentley began kissing his neck. “I see you all asking me to do a live stream when Bentley goes, but he decided to use my phone to finish catching up on Yuri!!! on Ice on our ride over here so my battery won’t hold up. I’ll post as much as I can, though.”
“You offered me your phone,” Bentley said.
“I literally would not do that. I know how you are when you say you want to watch ‘one’ episode. That means seven in your language.”
Bentley kissed him again. “He loves me.”
“I do,” Kit said.
So many in the crowd were wearing Team Benny merch that Kit wanted to burst from excitement. He designed those shirts, caps, water bottles, and backpacks. There were so many people that wanted to support Bentley despite some influencers in the media calling him cocky, and spoiled, and ‘a gay’ as if that were some sort of insult. There were even people in the crowd that wanted to meet Kit, and he tried his best to come out of his shell and talk to them occasionally. It felt strange, just sharing casual conversation with these sports fans who he had next to nothing in common with beside their adoration for Bentley. But, it was also an amazing feeling.
Simon Dubois’ round-two turn came and went. There was an instant where he came close to falling, but he caught himself before his face could connect with the pavement. Kit thought he did decent, but compared to some of the other guys that went before him, he was just plain okay. He understood what Bentley meant when he called Simon Dubois ‘mediocre’ every chance he got.
An older guy in the crowd shouted out that he liked Bentley’s shirt, earning him Bentley’s attention. He also knew that Brian wore the same shirt in one of the major competitions he’d won, and Bentley smiled proudly at Kit as he told the guy he was there to make his father proud. Kit didn’t want to get tears all over his new Team Benny merch, but it seemed like that was exactly where this day was headed. He sat down with some of the other riders, their plus ones, and Bentley, and together they had a good time watching everyone get their chance on the ramps.
??
Bentley mounted his brand-new bike on top of the vert for the final round. Tightening his gloves, he looked out at the crowd and smiled as they began chanting his name. There were a couple Simon fans booing, and Bentley smirked at them, too. He’d make them believers in a few seconds.
He looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. His father was looking down on him, he just knew it. This was the moment he’d make him proud.
“On your mark,” the announcer began.
Bentley grabbed at the handle bars and turned his attention to Kit. Kit looked so fucking nervous, and Bentley wanted to laugh, but he winked instead.
“Go!”
Bentley faced forward and dropped down the ramp. He flew across the park, jumping one ramp and landing onto the next, and as he felt the wind rushing at him, he finally landed his first 360. The crowd had died out. There was nothing but silence as Bentley took air and flipped upside down, landing perfectly on the ground. He pedaled hard, did a hand plant against the wall, and remembered what his father told him when he was only 13.
“If it feels like work, then this isn’t for you.”
He smiled to himself, double-peg grinding down a stair rail and tailwhipping before landing. Bentley was in love with this sport. Most people take years and years to find what they want. The universe dealt him one of the luckiest hands. He continued to ride and do trick-after-trick, ending the round with a Cork 720 – one of the moves his father invented.
The crowd went absolutely insane – even his competitors were hyping him up. Bentley pulled his helmet off his head and held it in the air, thanking the fans. The “Benny” chants continued. He grinned at Kit who seemed to be the one leading them before kissing a finger and pointing up at the sky. As the round-three scores came back, Bentley couldn’t help but be proud of himself. He’d kept his word and done what he promised to do. Now, all that was left was to take Kit back to their hotel room as the XCM Champion.
THE END