tennis/baseball fic - Too Much Publicity
Title: Too Much Publicity
Author: Kris S.
Fandoms: Tennis/Baseball RPS crossover
Pairings: Roger Federer/Andy Roddick, Derek Jeter/Alex Rodriguez plus mention of Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This did not happen.
Summary: Roger is suddenly very interested in baseball.
Author's Notes: So you've seen the new Gillette commercial. You've seen Stan beat Roger just a few hours earlier. I tried to convince y'all to write it and got me going instead. DAMN YOU. At least I didn't do the Roger/Derek I threatened but, well...
Andy has tried for years to get Roger interested in baseball. America's past-time, even though football (well, American football) has likely surpassed it by now. So he was shocked when Roger eagerly asked him today if he could turn on the game.
He assumed that Roger just needed a distraction from losing earlier in the day to Stan. So much has been happening, what with Roger's honeymoon on hold and his own planning of nuptials going on. Andy took this tournament off on purpose and Roger would have been better off doing the same.
But back to the baseball thing. Andy obliged when Roger asked him to get the game on. Lovely having access to satellite at a time like this. Andy tried to get him interested in the game, explaining about players on the Yankees roster, but Roger seems distracted as soon as the leadoff batter comes up in the bottom of the first.
"So they're supposed to win since all this money was spent on players and a new stadium but... Roger? You okay?"
"Er, yeah. Fine." His focus is on the batter. Derek Jeter, shortstop. But not in a way in which he's learning about the game. More, 'anguished' is likely the right word.
"Rog? Didn't you shoot a commercial with him?" Andy doesn't want to think too hard about this.
"Yeah."
"Should I be concerned? I mean, isn't he with A-Rod? Er, not me, the other one."
"Got dumped. Alex has been getting too much publicity lately. Derek figured it was only a matter of time before they were discovered."
"If Derek thinks they're still a secret, he clearly doesn't read the newspapers. They've been calling their headlines "lovers' spats" for years. Not even Madonna can hide that truth."
Roger gives a forced smile, but he's clearly waiting for something to happen and it's not anything involving the game itself. Some time passes, Andy focusing on the game instead of Roger's reaction to the game until he hears "Staying Alive" and the resulting exhale of breath from Roger.
Andy then sees it's the commercial. He's got an amused smile on his face at first. Until he sees Roger's role. When it's over, there's nothing but the sounds of the game filling the room. Finally, Andy says, "I hope they paid you more than Jeter because you're going to need that for the therapy bills alone."
"It... it didn't seem so... bizarre at the shoot. Actually, Derek dared me to put those shoes on and... oh dear God. I'm never going to hear the end of this one in the locker room."
Andy gave a light chuckle before adding, "I think Derek managed to deflect the publicity of Alex kissing himself in the mirror." At Roger's confused look, he explained, "Let's just say that if Derek tried to hook up with someone else even, just as an example, you, I doubt Alex would notice it."
Roger nodded but there's a part of Andy that wonders if this is out of relief. "Good to know."
"You didn't, right?"
"Didn't what?"
"Roger, you did not hook up with Derek Jeter, right? The fact I even have to ask that question..."
"No," Roger said a little too quickly. Then replied in a calmer voice, "No, I didn't."
"Oh." Andy tried to read the look on Roger's face. He's probably not lying. Surprising. "So what's with the sudden interest in baseball?"
Roger turned away, his face reddening. "I ran into Alex at the shoot. Well, I think he believed I would make a move. He kept making these comments, so loud that even Tiger started paying attention, which was funny since he spent every other moment of the shoot on the phone with his wife. I just disregarded him and Derek was getting annoyed, they were arguing as they were walking down the hallway. Next thing you know, I head down there so we can finish the ad and I see them... I see them all over each other in the end of what was likely makeup sex. As far I know they are now done for good but I wouldn't be surprised..."
Andy's jaw dropped, then his eyes widen. "Wow. So you..."
"It's been on my mind. You think Rafa works out a lot? He's got nothing on them, especially Alex."
"See, I would imagine it would be creepy to witness that since they kind of look alike from a distance. Like looking directly at the sun. No, it'd be like watching Bob and Mike doing it." When Roger doesn't answer, Andy gasped, "Oh, wow. You really do have fantasies about them together. All hot and sweaty after a day-night doubleheader just needing the comfort..."
As a response, Roger hit Andy in the arm, then leaned over and surprised him with a kiss.
Andy rubbed the spot where Roger caught his arm. "Ow, do I need to call a press conference?"