#jackson!fencer

There was one thing you were sure of: Jackson Wang was irritating.

Your unspoken rivalry had started at the ripe age of ten, when you had moved cities in order to pursue a fencing career. By that time, Jackson had made a name for himself  in amateur competitions, his skill talked about through whispers and longing stares.

You had paid no attention, focusing simply on yourself and the hard work you had to put in to become someone in the athletic world. 

You trained day in and day out, spending your evenings not at home on the couch but in the training rooms, sweat drenching your clothes as you practiced attack after attack.

You’re able to avoid the “almighty Wang” for a solid amount of time until you’re both set to compete against each other a few years later. By then, you had multiple wins under your belt, placing first in the women’s division three straight years in a row.

He’s not cocky, you couldn’t stand over confident assholes that thought they were better simply because you were a female. He was overly friendly when he finally introduced himself as you were packing up after an excruciating day of training. At first, you chalked your sour attitude to sore muscles, just a simple ‘hello’ in exchange for his compliments on your fencing skills. He had looked surprised at first, the look evident on his face as you brushed off his attempt at being civil. 

It’s after a few more failed endeavors that he starts to get irritating. He teases you and how you hold your sabre, scoffs when you recover and your footing is off. You’re unable to focus when he’s in the room and when you lose your first match since you were a kid, the reason for your blood boiling is Jackson fucking Wang. 

Now, both of you older and completely uncivil towards each other, you find yourself in the one place you couldn’t stand to be:

In a car with Satan himself.

In the time you had grown up in the fencing world, you had made one friend: Shan. She was the only one at school that didn’t treat you differently, something you were seriously grateful for. Her only downside? Her choice in men. And even though Park Jinyoung was handsome and smart and quite funny, his best friend was none other than your archenemy. 

So even when you could no longer fence, your broken bones from a freak accident never healing just right, you had to see Jackson’s stupid face almost everyday. 

Being stuck in a moving vehicle with five more hours of open road ahead was Hell and you wished you could burn up and die. 

“Too hot? I can turn up the air.”

His voice is quiet, a decibel you’re not used to. Even though it was almost three in the morning, you expected him to be as annoyingly vibrant as he would be at one in the afternoon.

“...no. It’s fine.”

He nods, lips set in a thin line as his hands return to the steering wheel. The road ahead is dark and you opt to turn towards the quick moving scenery outside your window. 

Your stomach feels off so you can’t sleep, wishing that your eyes would close so that you could eat up the time by dozing off. Instead, you’re stuck cursing at Shan and Jinyoung in your head, chastising them for their inability to keep their hands off each other.

“Who would’ve thought those losers would get caught skinny dipping on their vacation?”

You want to groan at his small talk, Jackson’s voice still slightly muted from the exhaustion he was most likely feeling.

Four straight competitions in a row on two different continents would make even you tired. 

You shuffle in your seat, pulling your sleeves up and around your hands, “I’m not really surprised. They’re always being gross and stupid in love. It was only a matter of time before the police would catch on and arrest them for how damn horny they constantly seem to be.”

He chuckles, it’s so quiet you almost miss it, but when it reaches your ears, it reminds you of how loudly he’d laugh when you were kids, dressed in his fencing gear while he was surrounded by other athletes. 

There’s suddenly a bitter taste on your tongue... ....and a sudden noise coming from the engine.

You sit up in your seat as the car starts to slow down, panic setting in as Jackson tries to maneuver his car into the nearest parking lot.

The motel sign flashes brightly at you when you get out, cold air hitting exposed skin as he opens the hood up to inspect the damage.

“What the hell, this car is fucking brand new,” he murmurs under his breath, hand wrist deep in the machine. You know nothing about cars so you leaned against the door as he muttered obscenities under his breath. You’re tired, eyes feeling like they’re about to shut, and you can’t believe you’re still in this situation with Jackson Wang.

You know what’s most likely going to happen. But you pray to God it doesn’t have to.

“We might have to stay the night Y/N.”

Dammit.

Jackson continues, unaware of the mental breakdown you’re internally having, “We can grab two rooms and find somewhere to fix the car in the morning. I’ll shoot a text to the lovebirds and let them know they’re gonna have to get comfortable in their jail cell until we can come and get them...Y/N?”

You turn towards him, scowling, “Yes?”

He frowns at you, “I know that look. But we don’t have a choice. I don’t know what’s wrong with the damn thing and it’s three in the fucking morning and I’m exhausted. So we’re grabbing rooms, getting sleep, and you’re gonna have to deal.”

You don’t answer, just angrily making your way to the front desk... ...where you discover there’s only one room.

Of. Course.

The bed is oddly comfortable, for a cheap motel in the middle of nowhere. But you’re too focused on the body in the bed across from yours to settle your racing heart. You want to sleep. Need to. You required energy to yell and de-friend Shan when the sun was finally up. But having Jackson right there, sleeping, was causing your stress level to drastically rise. Clutching the thin sheets, you try and find a comfortable position, keeping the noise to a minimum.

“You can move. I’m not asleep and it won’t bother me.”

Heart seizing quickly, your head turns to see that yes, his eyes were indeed open, staring at the ceiling like it held all the world’s secrets.

“I thought you were asleep. I...didn’t want to disturb you.”

He snorts, “That’s a first.”

“And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

He gets up, scooting back until he was propped up against the headboard, “You’ve hated me since we were kids. It’s a surprise that you wouldn’t just rustle around to keep me awake.”

“Jackson Wang, I did not hate you when we were kids.” “Bullshit Y/N. Stop lying. It’s not a good look on you.”

Your mouth snaps shut, cheeks on fire at the tone of his voice. It’s quiet, save some movement outside from other patrons, before you say, “I didn’t...I didn’t hate you. And anyway, let’s say I did. You’re the one that started it!”

He turns towards you so fast, you’re afraid he snapped his neck, “Okay. What in God’s name are you talking about? I tried to be your friend. I introduced myself and tried to get to know you and you just...brushed me off like I wasn’t worth your time! You even blamed me when you lost that one match all those years ago!”

“Because it was your fault! You kept bothering me, teasing me. I lost focus whenever you were around! So of course I lost!”

“People tease me constantly Y/N. And sometimes the words are alot more painful than anything I’ve ever said to you! Don’t act all high and mighty just because you can’t fence anymore and you need someone to blame!”

His eyes widen when he stops talking, your expression shutting him up real quick. Your eyes swell and though you hated crying, tears slipped down your cheeks as you turned away and buried yourself under the covers.

“Oh shit...Y/N I didn’t...I didn’t mean...dammit.”

Your shoulders shake with the memory of your accident, the pain shooting up your arm still to fresh even though it’s already been two years. When your bed dips, you look over your shoulder to see him sitting there, eyes laced with concern.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t...I didn’t mean that. I let my frustration out and it was cruel.”

“But you’re right aren’t you,” you whisper, tears slowly falling, “I can’t fence. It’s too much for me now. And you...you can compete. You’re so good and you keep winning and you can still do it. I can’t anymore and I don’t...I don’t know why I’m so angry at you. Or maybe I do. Maybe...maybe you’re exactly what I don’t want to see. Fencing. It’s painful now Jackson. Not just my arm. It hurts to remember.”

You let him gather you into his arms, heart pounding as he rests is his chin on your head. You’ve never been this close, this intimate, and you’re unsure about what you’re feeling right now.

“I won’t let you forget.”

You look up at him, “What? Why?”

He smiles, “It was who you were. I introduced myself that night because I heard of this young kick ass athlete that was new to the training facility and didn’t have friends. I knew how tough that would be in the long run. The other athletes there stick to themselves. Sure, we hangout sometimes after training and whatnot but you and I were the only youth division fencers. I wanted to have you by my side so that we both weren’t lonely. And then...you kept pushing me away. And I thought it was because you were just a little too focused. And then I thought it was because you hated me. Saw me as competition. So to continue talking to you, somehow, I started to tease you. Your spiteful comments were the only way I could still be there for you.”

“Jackson...Jackson why didn’t you try harder,” you wail, burying your wet face into the fabric of his shirt.

He splutters, “I tried okay! No offense, but you’re kind of a bitch!”

You smack him and he laughs, eyes filled with a little more mirth, “I was not a bitch. I just...you teased me. I hated it. And then I lost that match. My first one since competing and...and I blamed you. It wasn’t your fault. I was being childish. But you were right. I wanted to blame someone. Sadly, you were an easy target.”

“Since we’re all about confessing...I’m just going to tell you that I used to have a crush on you when we were kids.”

You almost choked on your own spit.

“I’m sorry, you what now?”

He shifted on the bed, now leaning against your headboard with you somehow between his legs. Shrugging, he played with your fingers, “Even though you hated me, I liked you. You were dedicated. Badass. You had major fencing skills. Smart. Funny. And even in your training gear, you looked pretty. Who wouldn’t like you? Well, besides the attitude.”

He chuckles again as your palm comes in contact with his thigh, “Watch it Wang.”

“In all seriousness, you don’t hate me, do you?’

“No.”

“So all these years were wasted? We could’ve been falling in love and getting freaky in the training rooms when it was after hours?”

“Yah. I said watch it.”

“And I said in all seriousness.”

You think for a moment, remembering all the times your heart would beat quickly at the sight of him before you’d have to remember that oh yeah, you didn’t like him. 

“Maybe. You should’ve tried harder. I’m like an onion.”

“A pretty onion,” he whispers, breath hot against your skin.

“No onions are pretty, you weirdo.”

“I’ve got one right here, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Jackson,” you whine, the rumble of his laughter pressed against your back.

“Fine. I’ll save the embarrassing compliments for the long ride home. Let’s get some sleep. We still have to pick up the law breaking duo.”

“Stay here,” you ask quietly.

“I’ve always wanted to be right here stupid. Now sleep.”

To say Jinyoung and Shan were surprised to see you both making out in the parking lot of the police station was an understatement. 

They asked too many questions, voices raised in the backseats. You let them be, no longer angry that they were the reason for the impromptu road trip.

You had Jackson’s hand in yours, his smile sent your way, and you didn’t think there’d be another moment in your life where you’d be angry.

And a week later, when you’re cheering him on at his competition, you say goodbye to the pain fencing brought you, welcoming the sport like it was an old friend.

“It is an old friend babe. You used to fence, remember?” “Shut up Jackson Wang. Don’t you make me stab you with your sabre.” “...kinky. Okay, okay ow! Damn sorry.”