Fic: A Lot Like Breathing (WNBA RPF, Lauren Jackson/Sue Bird)
Title: A Lot Like Breathing
Fandom: WNBA RPF
Pairing: Lauren Jackson/Sue Bird
Rating: PG
Disclaimers: Obviously not mine
People call them the dynamic duo. They praise the pair for their ability to work together, chalking it up to circumstance and good coaching. But the truth is, playing with Sue Bird is a lot like breathing. It happens naturally, without thought. It's so natural that people assume that they're the best of friends off court. They're not, but Lauren doesn't bother to correct anyone. Best to just let some things be.
Lauren isn't even sure if she likes Sue. She doesn't have a reason not to... there's just something about her that makes Lauren a little bit crazy. Maybe it's the way she heads off to her room after every victory and every defeat. She could be spending time with her teammates, but Sue seems content to spend her time alone, behind closed doors. And even though Lauren can remember what it feels like to be the new kid, she takes Sue's behavior as a slight - every time. It isn't long before she grows tired of the game, and just stops asking.
...
She's not sure who asked, or what prompted her to say yes, but Sue is out having drinks with the team, and she's not having a bad time. She might even admit to having fun, if pressed. But no one's asking, and she's just enjoying the moment. She's sure she's had a bit much to drink when she picks up the pool stick, but she's not sure she cares. She can't remember a time when she's been this genuinely happy so far from home. Perhaps she's a little bit smug when she beats Betty, even more so when she beats Tully. Her teammates are congratulatory, calling her a shark.
"You'd better watch it, Loz, she'll be coming for you next," Tully teases at the bar as she buys Sue a beer for winning.
Lauren is less than amused. "We'll see about that," she says, taking a longer than necessary pull on her beer.
"Do you want to play?" Sue asks.
"Not tonight." Lauren is short, dismissive. Sue doesn't push her luck. She thanks Tully for the beer and joins a few of her teammates at a table across the bar.
...
Sue becomes a regular fixture at the pub after games, much to Lauren's chagrin. She does her best to ignore Sue, doing a pretty good job of it until one night. They've come in after a particularly brutal loss to the Sparks, and Lauren is doing a masterful job of getting sufficiently drunk. She's been running the pool table all night, and is caught off-guard when her next opponent is everyone's favorite rookie. Not that Sue's a rookie anymore, but Lauren can't think of anything else to call her. "It's all yours, rook." She'd much rather sit this one out.
"Aw, come on, dude," comes Sue's light-hearted response. "Afraid to let a rook beat you?"
Lauren curses herself silently for being so fucking competitive. "No, mate. Rack 'em up."
The first game had to have been a fluke. Lauren isn't one to brag, but she's actually very good at pool. She blames the game and the alcohol for losing. "Again," she tells Sue, ignoring the queue for the table. She knows that there are few who would dare cross her when she's like this. Sue can only shrug and rack 'em up again.
The second game is very much like the first, and Lauren can't bring herself to be made a fool of again. "It's all yours," she says with a slight bow. She's halfway to the bar and another pint when she feels someone grab her arm. She turns around a little too quickly, nearly losing her balance. The hand on her arm is strong, and steadies her. "Thanks." The word is out of her mouth before she can think, and she finds herself face to face with none other than Sue Bird. Sue, who is the last person Lauren wants to see. Sue, who looks very serious, and Lauren isn't sure she can handle serious right now. "Do you have a minute?" Lauren can only nod. Despite what people think about her, Lauren is not good with confrontation, and Sue is looking very confrontational at the moment. Sue grabs Lauren's hand and pulls her into a small room - no, a closet. A janitor's closet from the look of things. There's a makeshift bench, and Sue sits, pulling Lauren down with her.
They sit in silence for what seems like an eternity. Sue is staring at Lauren, and Lauren is staring at her feet. A sharp intake of air, and Lauren stares back, expecting... she doesn't know what she's expecting, but it's most definitely not what she gets. Sue's eyes are soft, there's a crease on her forehead that Lauren has the fleeting urge to smooth with her thumb. She doesn't, and Sue opens her mouth to speak. "What is your problem?" Again, not what Lauren was expecting. A weak "What?" is all she can manage.
"On the court, we're amazing. You know it, I know it. Hell, everyone knows it. But off the court, I don't know what we are. We're not amazing, I know that much. I just... I feel like you hate me sometimes, and I can't figure out why. Have I done something? I must have... what did I do? Please, tell me."
Lauren looks down. Her hand is still in Sue's. She pulls it away slowly, and places it in her lap before looking up again.
Sue's mouth is open. She's going to speak again, Lauren muses. "That's it - that look!" Sue hisses. "I swear sometimes I don't know whether you want to hit me or kiss me!"
Lauren isn't sure she heard right. "I... no, I - what?" Lauren is sure she's never sounded so stupid. There's a beat, she's looking at her hands again, and suddenly there are lips pressed against hers. They're not moving. They're just there, waiting. Lauren can't do anything but respond.
Kissing Sue Bird is a lot like breathing. It's one of those things that just sort of happens. Best not to think about things like that. It's best to just go with it. And Lauren does, eyes shut tight. When it ends, she doesn't open her eyes. "Is there anything you're not good at?"
A chuckle, a sigh, and Sue's head is on her shoulder. They spend an hour in the closet, shoulder to shoulder, just talking. They have more in common than Lauren could have imagined, and she feels like she's known Sue for an eternity.
If anyone notices a change in the pair at practice the next day, no one is talking. And when they win the championship the next year, everyone chalks it up to circumstance and good coaching. But Lauren knows, winning championships is a lot like breathing.
Fandom: WNBA RPF
Pairing: Lauren Jackson/Sue Bird
Rating: PG
Disclaimers: Obviously not mine
People call them the dynamic duo. They praise the pair for their ability to work together, chalking it up to circumstance and good coaching. But the truth is, playing with Sue Bird is a lot like breathing. It happens naturally, without thought. It's so natural that people assume that they're the best of friends off court. They're not, but Lauren doesn't bother to correct anyone. Best to just let some things be.
Lauren isn't even sure if she likes Sue. She doesn't have a reason not to... there's just something about her that makes Lauren a little bit crazy. Maybe it's the way she heads off to her room after every victory and every defeat. She could be spending time with her teammates, but Sue seems content to spend her time alone, behind closed doors. And even though Lauren can remember what it feels like to be the new kid, she takes Sue's behavior as a slight - every time. It isn't long before she grows tired of the game, and just stops asking.
...
She's not sure who asked, or what prompted her to say yes, but Sue is out having drinks with the team, and she's not having a bad time. She might even admit to having fun, if pressed. But no one's asking, and she's just enjoying the moment. She's sure she's had a bit much to drink when she picks up the pool stick, but she's not sure she cares. She can't remember a time when she's been this genuinely happy so far from home. Perhaps she's a little bit smug when she beats Betty, even more so when she beats Tully. Her teammates are congratulatory, calling her a shark.
"You'd better watch it, Loz, she'll be coming for you next," Tully teases at the bar as she buys Sue a beer for winning.
Lauren is less than amused. "We'll see about that," she says, taking a longer than necessary pull on her beer.
"Do you want to play?" Sue asks.
"Not tonight." Lauren is short, dismissive. Sue doesn't push her luck. She thanks Tully for the beer and joins a few of her teammates at a table across the bar.
...
Sue becomes a regular fixture at the pub after games, much to Lauren's chagrin. She does her best to ignore Sue, doing a pretty good job of it until one night. They've come in after a particularly brutal loss to the Sparks, and Lauren is doing a masterful job of getting sufficiently drunk. She's been running the pool table all night, and is caught off-guard when her next opponent is everyone's favorite rookie. Not that Sue's a rookie anymore, but Lauren can't think of anything else to call her. "It's all yours, rook." She'd much rather sit this one out.
"Aw, come on, dude," comes Sue's light-hearted response. "Afraid to let a rook beat you?"
Lauren curses herself silently for being so fucking competitive. "No, mate. Rack 'em up."
The first game had to have been a fluke. Lauren isn't one to brag, but she's actually very good at pool. She blames the game and the alcohol for losing. "Again," she tells Sue, ignoring the queue for the table. She knows that there are few who would dare cross her when she's like this. Sue can only shrug and rack 'em up again.
The second game is very much like the first, and Lauren can't bring herself to be made a fool of again. "It's all yours," she says with a slight bow. She's halfway to the bar and another pint when she feels someone grab her arm. She turns around a little too quickly, nearly losing her balance. The hand on her arm is strong, and steadies her. "Thanks." The word is out of her mouth before she can think, and she finds herself face to face with none other than Sue Bird. Sue, who is the last person Lauren wants to see. Sue, who looks very serious, and Lauren isn't sure she can handle serious right now. "Do you have a minute?" Lauren can only nod. Despite what people think about her, Lauren is not good with confrontation, and Sue is looking very confrontational at the moment. Sue grabs Lauren's hand and pulls her into a small room - no, a closet. A janitor's closet from the look of things. There's a makeshift bench, and Sue sits, pulling Lauren down with her.
They sit in silence for what seems like an eternity. Sue is staring at Lauren, and Lauren is staring at her feet. A sharp intake of air, and Lauren stares back, expecting... she doesn't know what she's expecting, but it's most definitely not what she gets. Sue's eyes are soft, there's a crease on her forehead that Lauren has the fleeting urge to smooth with her thumb. She doesn't, and Sue opens her mouth to speak. "What is your problem?" Again, not what Lauren was expecting. A weak "What?" is all she can manage.
"On the court, we're amazing. You know it, I know it. Hell, everyone knows it. But off the court, I don't know what we are. We're not amazing, I know that much. I just... I feel like you hate me sometimes, and I can't figure out why. Have I done something? I must have... what did I do? Please, tell me."
Lauren looks down. Her hand is still in Sue's. She pulls it away slowly, and places it in her lap before looking up again.
Sue's mouth is open. She's going to speak again, Lauren muses. "That's it - that look!" Sue hisses. "I swear sometimes I don't know whether you want to hit me or kiss me!"
Lauren isn't sure she heard right. "I... no, I - what?" Lauren is sure she's never sounded so stupid. There's a beat, she's looking at her hands again, and suddenly there are lips pressed against hers. They're not moving. They're just there, waiting. Lauren can't do anything but respond.
Kissing Sue Bird is a lot like breathing. It's one of those things that just sort of happens. Best not to think about things like that. It's best to just go with it. And Lauren does, eyes shut tight. When it ends, she doesn't open her eyes. "Is there anything you're not good at?"
A chuckle, a sigh, and Sue's head is on her shoulder. They spend an hour in the closet, shoulder to shoulder, just talking. They have more in common than Lauren could have imagined, and she feels like she's known Sue for an eternity.
If anyone notices a change in the pair at practice the next day, no one is talking. And when they win the championship the next year, everyone chalks it up to circumstance and good coaching. But Lauren knows, winning championships is a lot like breathing.