tennis slash - Free Coffee (4)
Title: Free Coffee (4)
Author: Kris S.
Fandom: Tennis RPS
Pairings: Richard Gasquet/Andy Murray; Marat Safin/Juan Carlos Ferrero
Rating: R
Disclaimer: This did not happen.
Summary: Richie is in hiding during the suspension so ends up at Andy’s London home. During Wimbledon. Yeah, that’s not asking for trouble.
Author's Note: Okay, at this point, I do know where I've hidden Mario and that's all I will say on the subject.
Chapter 4 - Ready for the First Round
Marat was probably assuming he'd have at least a decent run after the surprising success from last year. Not to lose first round to an American who Marat towers over in every way possible. So that Marat chucks his cell phone at Juan Carlos en route to leaving the locker room, instead of breaking anything, was a bit of a surprise.
Juan Carlos shakes his head in disbelief when he finds out the score. "If he'd stop planning everyone's social life and focus on his damn opponent instead of the retirement tour... idiot."
Now Juan Carlos will likely have to suffer through days of Marat complaining about the clouds, the grass, the bad bounces. Marat is planning to stay in London for the long haul this time, since he has personal interest in both Dinara's and Andy's runs here. Or, maybe even Mario's housemate, since for all Juan Carlos knows, this could be an arrangement for Roger to get number 15. Although he doubts it's Roger, Marat does have long-reaching power.
Juan Carlos has a printout of the French Open draw, which he unfolds and inspects. Okay, so Berdych is out, obviously. Rafa, cross out, since he's recovering in Spain.
Marat did hint the guy did better than expected at the French, but is not Soderling. So that clearly eliminates Novak.
Novak's opponent that day, Kohlschreiber? He doubts Marat would continue to support an arrangement that also knocked Juan Carlos out of the French. But Marat's logic is iffy so... Question mark.
Hmm, Del Potro. Definite possibilities there. Circle. No, star.
Cilic? That would be so simple that he wouldn't put it past Marat to make the arrangement sound tawdry. He doesn't remember hearing anything regarding Marin at the French but, according to this, he did make the second week easily. Question mark.
Verdasco? No, blitzed by Davydenko would not qualify. Cross Out.
Roddick? Well, he didn't lose first round, so that does exceed expectations. Plus, easy to convince. Circle. Two stars.
There are a whole lot of marks on the draw by the time Juan Carlos' coach enters the locker room. He stuffs the paper back in his bag.
* * * * *
Richie stares blankly at the television. He's trying not to tune in to Andy's first round match so Punch-Drunk Love is the alternative. He'd never heard of the film but thought he'd be okay with it because of the word Love in the title, having classy Emily Watson as the lead, and guessing alcohol would be involved. But since Adam Sandler's character is prone to, well, punching and general rages, it is actually a horrible choice for Richie's mood right now.
He feels this need to punch something right now. Probably himself because this is nobody's fault but his own, but that doesn't quite work. Andy has been using boxing as training and, if they stay in this house together long enough, will likely want to put those skills to good use.
This means, logically, there is literally a punching bag in this house. As opposed to figuratively being a punching bag, which Richie knows he needs to stop being.
In the back of his mind, Richie has always been a sucker for romance. He just hasn't really parlayed that into real-life experience. What he imagines happening and what has actually happened are two very different things.
With such lofty expectations in his tennis game at such a young age came others similarly holding him to that level in his personal life. Andy may have had a crush on him back then, but he also never gave in to the hype regarding Richie. Well, until Richie may have began believing the hype himself and had in mind pursuing Roger Federer, brought on after surprising everyone by defeating the number 1 player when he wasn't really started in the pros yet.
This is the kind of garbage that leads to phone calls like the one he received that he's trying to forget. Fortunately for him, the caller got interrupted before being able to unleash his anger at Richie. It is a conversation that will happen, can't be avoided.
Just as the movie is over, noise fills the house. The happy commotion tells him the same as if he'd watched. Andy must have won his first round match.
Richie tries to fall asleep through this, knowing Andy is too keyed up to enter the bedroom anytime soon, but he's anxious about everything. He now realizes why Marat gave him that bottle of vodka as a "housewarming" gift before coming to the house; he needs to calm the fuck down and not burden Andy.
Andy had thrown the rest of that bottle out in the garbage. Except for a few bottles of wine (Kim's inventory, Richie believes), there really isn't any alcohol in the house. Just as well; Richie deserves to be tortured by Andy's happiness anyway.
Richie pulls the covers over his head, staring at the wall. Tomorrow, he will need to do some investigating, maybe check if he's right about that punching bag and get a few shots in - not that he has the faintest clue what to do but nobody will be around judging his technique either.
* * * * *
It is a few hours later when Andy finally sneaks into the room. "Richie?" he whispers.
He didn't really expect an answer, whether the Frenchman is awake or not.
"I'm going to guess you weren't watching. Then again, you can't stand when I play well." Andy turns away and begins to change for bed. When he finishes, there's no change in the mound's position under the blanket. Andy glares defiantly at the bed, continuing, "It wasn't easy, never is in the first round, but it was a match of survival. I'm just glad everything has finally started and I didn't fall flat on my face for these people. The expectations are so high this year, you know?" Andy shakes his head, the last sentence sounded stupid to his ears. "Of course you know all about that. Well, knew. Right. Knew." He pulls up the blanket and crawls in behind Richie, his body pressing against his back. "I don't understand you. What were you thinking, hanging around that club with that girl... No, I have no right to judge. Probably just needed someone who didn't know who you were for one night and it backfired. I wish you wouldn't hide. Not literally, uh, right. Forget it."
Andy never notices that Richie hears every word. Richie waits until Andy is asleep before burying his face in the pillow.
Chapter 5
Author: Kris S.
Fandom: Tennis RPS
Pairings: Richard Gasquet/Andy Murray; Marat Safin/Juan Carlos Ferrero
Rating: R
Disclaimer: This did not happen.
Summary: Richie is in hiding during the suspension so ends up at Andy’s London home. During Wimbledon. Yeah, that’s not asking for trouble.
Author's Note: Okay, at this point, I do know where I've hidden Mario and that's all I will say on the subject.
Chapter 4 - Ready for the First Round
Marat was probably assuming he'd have at least a decent run after the surprising success from last year. Not to lose first round to an American who Marat towers over in every way possible. So that Marat chucks his cell phone at Juan Carlos en route to leaving the locker room, instead of breaking anything, was a bit of a surprise.
Juan Carlos shakes his head in disbelief when he finds out the score. "If he'd stop planning everyone's social life and focus on his damn opponent instead of the retirement tour... idiot."
Now Juan Carlos will likely have to suffer through days of Marat complaining about the clouds, the grass, the bad bounces. Marat is planning to stay in London for the long haul this time, since he has personal interest in both Dinara's and Andy's runs here. Or, maybe even Mario's housemate, since for all Juan Carlos knows, this could be an arrangement for Roger to get number 15. Although he doubts it's Roger, Marat does have long-reaching power.
Juan Carlos has a printout of the French Open draw, which he unfolds and inspects. Okay, so Berdych is out, obviously. Rafa, cross out, since he's recovering in Spain.
Marat did hint the guy did better than expected at the French, but is not Soderling. So that clearly eliminates Novak.
Novak's opponent that day, Kohlschreiber? He doubts Marat would continue to support an arrangement that also knocked Juan Carlos out of the French. But Marat's logic is iffy so... Question mark.
Hmm, Del Potro. Definite possibilities there. Circle. No, star.
Cilic? That would be so simple that he wouldn't put it past Marat to make the arrangement sound tawdry. He doesn't remember hearing anything regarding Marin at the French but, according to this, he did make the second week easily. Question mark.
Verdasco? No, blitzed by Davydenko would not qualify. Cross Out.
Roddick? Well, he didn't lose first round, so that does exceed expectations. Plus, easy to convince. Circle. Two stars.
There are a whole lot of marks on the draw by the time Juan Carlos' coach enters the locker room. He stuffs the paper back in his bag.
* * * * *
Richie stares blankly at the television. He's trying not to tune in to Andy's first round match so Punch-Drunk Love is the alternative. He'd never heard of the film but thought he'd be okay with it because of the word Love in the title, having classy Emily Watson as the lead, and guessing alcohol would be involved. But since Adam Sandler's character is prone to, well, punching and general rages, it is actually a horrible choice for Richie's mood right now.
He feels this need to punch something right now. Probably himself because this is nobody's fault but his own, but that doesn't quite work. Andy has been using boxing as training and, if they stay in this house together long enough, will likely want to put those skills to good use.
This means, logically, there is literally a punching bag in this house. As opposed to figuratively being a punching bag, which Richie knows he needs to stop being.
In the back of his mind, Richie has always been a sucker for romance. He just hasn't really parlayed that into real-life experience. What he imagines happening and what has actually happened are two very different things.
With such lofty expectations in his tennis game at such a young age came others similarly holding him to that level in his personal life. Andy may have had a crush on him back then, but he also never gave in to the hype regarding Richie. Well, until Richie may have began believing the hype himself and had in mind pursuing Roger Federer, brought on after surprising everyone by defeating the number 1 player when he wasn't really started in the pros yet.
This is the kind of garbage that leads to phone calls like the one he received that he's trying to forget. Fortunately for him, the caller got interrupted before being able to unleash his anger at Richie. It is a conversation that will happen, can't be avoided.
Just as the movie is over, noise fills the house. The happy commotion tells him the same as if he'd watched. Andy must have won his first round match.
Richie tries to fall asleep through this, knowing Andy is too keyed up to enter the bedroom anytime soon, but he's anxious about everything. He now realizes why Marat gave him that bottle of vodka as a "housewarming" gift before coming to the house; he needs to calm the fuck down and not burden Andy.
Andy had thrown the rest of that bottle out in the garbage. Except for a few bottles of wine (Kim's inventory, Richie believes), there really isn't any alcohol in the house. Just as well; Richie deserves to be tortured by Andy's happiness anyway.
Richie pulls the covers over his head, staring at the wall. Tomorrow, he will need to do some investigating, maybe check if he's right about that punching bag and get a few shots in - not that he has the faintest clue what to do but nobody will be around judging his technique either.
* * * * *
It is a few hours later when Andy finally sneaks into the room. "Richie?" he whispers.
He didn't really expect an answer, whether the Frenchman is awake or not.
"I'm going to guess you weren't watching. Then again, you can't stand when I play well." Andy turns away and begins to change for bed. When he finishes, there's no change in the mound's position under the blanket. Andy glares defiantly at the bed, continuing, "It wasn't easy, never is in the first round, but it was a match of survival. I'm just glad everything has finally started and I didn't fall flat on my face for these people. The expectations are so high this year, you know?" Andy shakes his head, the last sentence sounded stupid to his ears. "Of course you know all about that. Well, knew. Right. Knew." He pulls up the blanket and crawls in behind Richie, his body pressing against his back. "I don't understand you. What were you thinking, hanging around that club with that girl... No, I have no right to judge. Probably just needed someone who didn't know who you were for one night and it backfired. I wish you wouldn't hide. Not literally, uh, right. Forget it."
Andy never notices that Richie hears every word. Richie waits until Andy is asleep before burying his face in the pillow.
Chapter 5