Fic: Love Him or Hate Him... -- Sports Night, Dan/Casey (for sportsbackinsn)
Title: Love Him or Hate Him...
Author: starfishchick
Notes Part One: For the 2008 sportsbackinsn (Putting the Sports Back in Sports Night) challenge. The prompt was: Tony Joiner kisses Tim Tebow on the sidelines. (More notes at the end.)
Length: ~1600 words
Disclaimer: I own nothing, Sports Night belongs to people far more talented than me. Tim Tebow and Tony Joiner belong to themselves. I am absolutely not able to refer to Tim Tebow by only his first or last name. He is "Tim Tebow".
"We have to go with it," said Casey as Dana walked into the meeting room.
"I don't think we should," argued Dan.
"Danny," Casey insisted.
"Casey, no," countered Dan.
"What in the world are you two arguing about now?" asked Dana. "If only you had, a, what would you call it, producer? She could make these kinds of decisions for you. What's the issue?"
"Tim Tebow got kissed, on the sidelines, during a game."
"The Gators QB? By whom? His mother? A streaker - because if it's a streaker it'll depend on the angles - a cheerleader? Who?"
"His strong safety," said Natalie.
"His WHAT?"
"His strong safety. Kid called Joiner," said Dan.
"He kissed him?"
"Yes," said Natalie.
"He kissed him."
"Yes."
Dana turned to Jeremy. "He kissed him?"
"Yes."
"He kissed his quarterback."
"Dana..."
"I'm just clarifying, Jeremy, that superstar Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was in a football game?"
"Yes."
"And then?"
"He threw a touchdown pass, came off the field, walked up the sideline--" explained Jeremy.
"And then his strong safety came over, went up to him, Tim Tebow, his quarterback--" said Dana.
"His totally cute, wholesome, son-of-missionaries quarterback," interjected Natalie.
"His possible future Heisman-trophy-winner quarterback," added Casey.
"--AND KISSED HIM?" Dana was screeching by this point.
Jeremy nodded. "That is what I'm telling you."
"And we have video?"
"CBS showed it about eight hundred times, Dana," said Dan. "Everyone has video."
"It's already on YouTube," crowed Jeremy. "Edited, with music! God, I love the internet!"
Dana pursed her lips and tapped her foot. Then she said, "Let me see it."
They all crowded around so they could watch it. And watch it again.
"Arguments for?" Dana asked.
"Dana," said Casey. "He kissed his quarterback."
"I see your point, Casey. Arguments against?"
"This could destroy him. Destroy them both," said Dan. "I can hear the "Gay-tor" chants already."
"That's not our concern, Dan," said Dana. "And if everyone else already has it, we'll look out of the loop if we don't, too. Sorry, but you're overruled."
"Dana--"
"Dan," said Casey, "this is their job, being a student athlete is their job, they play football. They're co-workers. You don't kiss your co-workers - at least not during work. At least not on camera," he clarified, shooting a look at Natalie.
"It's not like Dave and Elliot make out after a good field report. Natalie and Jeremy don't screw on the craft services table after a perfect show." This got some raised eyebrows, but Casey was on a roll now. "I don't lean over and plant one on Dan after a no-hitter or something. Do I?"
And then he did. Suddenly he leaned over and reached for Dan, grabbing his face and planting one on his lips. He could hear Kim and Elliot whooping as he waited for the inevitable retaliation from Dan - a retreat, a deke, a fist to the solar plexus. But nothing came. And then something happened. Dan was kissing him back. Casey opened his lips, ready to softly touch his tongue to Dan's, and then he pulled away. What was he thinking? How had this joke gone so far? Was Dan going to punch him in the face? He looked at Dan. Dan was looking back at him, lips red, eyes full of ... need.
"Danny?" breathed Casey.
Dan blinked and the look was gone. "Excuse me, guys, I'll be right back."
* * * * *
Dana was the one who tracked him down. Not that he was hard to find, sitting in his office. "Danny?" Dana stuck her head around the door of the office. Dan was sitting on the sofa, looking out the window.
"It's fine, Dana."
She eased into the room and closed the door, then sat down on the chair opposite Dan.
"Are you OK?"
"Fine. It won't come up again, I swear."
"Well that sounds healthy."
"Exactly," said Dan. "Better for everyone."
"I came to say congratulations. I just want you to be happy."
"What about Calvin?"
"Doesn't matter."
"What about the network?"
"Calvin is the network."
"What about the viewers? The market share?"
"Danny, I'll be honest. I'm not saying wear a placard or anything, but people have thought you were vaguely gay for years. Do you think the viewers will be able to tell the difference? It's fine, Dan. It is."
He finally looked at her, and smiled. Then the smile faded and he said "What about Casey?"
"What about Casey? Casey's fine."
"Dana--"
"He's fine." She stood, strode across the room, and pulled the door open. "Casey! Get in here and tell Dan you're fine!"
Casey must have been hovering outside the door; he appeared almost immediately.
Dana pulled him into the room, shoved him at Dan and said, "Work it out."
Then she walked out and closed the door behind her.
Casey stood, unmoving, for a few seconds, then sat down in the chair she'd vacated.
"I'm sorry, Dan."
"It's fine. I know you didn't mean anything by it."
"Good. I'm glad you know that."
"You never do," finished Dan under his breath.
"That's right," said Casey, "I never -- I what?"
"Never mind, said Dan, "nothing. It's fine." He made a move to leave, but Casey blocked his path and put a hand on his forearm, then pulled his hand away when Dan flinched.
"What do you mean, I never mean anything by it?" Casey said softly, as unthreateningly as he could.
"Casey, don't," said Dan. "Just let it go."
"Dan, no. Whatever else is going on, you're my best friend and my partner. Talk to me."
Dan sighed, sat down, put his head and his hands and sighed again. "Sit down, Casey."
Casey sat and looked at Dan expectantly.
"This isn't the first time," he started.
"This isn't the first time," repeated Casey. "The first time what?"
"This isn’t the first time," Dan took another deep breath, looked up and said "This isn't the first time you've kissed me."
"Ok, what?" Casey sputtered. "Dan, this isn't funny! I thought you were going to say something serious here, and now you're going to get your payback by making up crazy stories about our long-running affair?"
"I'm not trying to be funny, Casey. You've kissed me before. And more."
"Give me one example."
"That night at the St. Paul Radisson? The Jaegermeister? You did more than recite the Saint Crispin's Day Speech, if you get my meaning."
Casey stopped sputtering and sat stock-still.
"When we got up to our room, you kissed me, you groped me, you licked my neck, you let me suck your cock..." Dan sighed again. "And then you passed out, woke up straight as ever, and told me if you'd done anything stupid because of the booze, you didn't mean anything by it."
"Danny, I--"
"The night before Dana's wedding?"
"We went to the Mets game, we had some beers, did some shots, I stayed over at your place to watch the Dodger game on the late-night feed... right?"
"Right."
"Good," said Casey.
"Plus, you kissed me, sucked on my collarbone, and jerked me off through my boxers."
"Oh," said Casey.
"Then you fell asleep on the couch, woke up straight, and danced with every single woman at the wedding."
Casey looked chagrined. "Shit, Danny, I'm sorry." Then he grinned. "Apparently Drunk Casey is totally hot for you."
"Well, Sober Casey is my straight best friend." Dan folded his arms over his chest. "And that's fine."
"Dan, no, it's not fine."
"Casey, it's fine."
"But what about Bobbi? What about Rebecca?"
"It's called bi-sexual, Casey. I like guys, I like women. But not all women, and not all guys. I'm quite attracted to some women, and some I'm not. Same for guys. I'm not attracted to them all."
"But you are attracted to me."
"Yes. But you're not, so that's OK. It's out there now, I'm out there, and it's over, and it's fine."
"You need to stop saying that it's fine. It's not fine. The Dan part of the equation is resolved, but the Casey part is totally out there, unresolved."
"The Casey part? What Casey part? This isn't about you, Casey. It's my issue, and I'll deal with it."
"It is about me! Inebriated Casey things you're hot, Sober Casey barely notices your attractiveness. What's up with that? Drunk Casey wants to manhandle you, Sober Casey chases skirt. That's not right."
Dan shook his head. "Casey, it's OK, seriously."
"But here's the thing, Danny. Just now, that was Sober Casey who kissed you."
"As a joke!"
"To start, yes. But then it wasn't a joke. It was -- it was good. It was nice, OK? It was hot. So I say let's try again and see what happens when Sober Casey kisses you for real."
"Casey."
"Dan, are you going to be any more uncomfortable if we do this? Relative to all the shit we've apparently been doing that I was too drunk to remember or appreciate? Just let me try, Danny."
"Casey, this is the worst idea you've ever--"
Casey grabbed him by the belt, pulled him close, and kissed him. His other hand snaked around to the back of Dan's skull and his thumb stroked the side of Dan's neck. Dan made a helpless noise and kissed him back.
After a few minutes, Casey pulled away. "Jesus, Danny. I'm sorry."
"It's OK."
"No, it's not."
"It's OK, Casey."
"Ask me what I'm sorry for."
"Casey."
"Ask me."
"What are you sorry for?"
"For waiting this long. For making you wait this long."
And he kissed him again.
* * * * *
Four months later...
"Stupid Tim Tebow," complained Casey, as they watched the Gators lose the Capital One Bowl.
"Leave Tim Tebow alone," said Dan. "He's my favourite player. Heisman winner, you know."
"I hate him right now," said Casey. "Stupid Tim Tebow just lost me fifty bucks!"
"I'll always have a soft spot for Tim Tebow," announced Dan, "no matter how much money he loses you."
"And why is that?" Casey asked, smirking.
Dan reached out for Casey, who leaned into his touch. "He got me you."
Notes Part Two: With thanks to minervacat for running the challenge, and to marginalia who beta'ed and kept telling me to keep going with it.
You can see the Joiner/Tebow YouTube video right here. And read more about them here. They're roommates! They love cereal! Hee.
And yes, Tim Tebow is the son of missionaries, and did win the Heisman. (He is, as of this writing, the only underclassman to have ever won the Heisman Trophy.) And his team did lose the Capital One Bowl that season.
Author: starfishchick
Notes Part One: For the 2008 sportsbackinsn (Putting the Sports Back in Sports Night) challenge. The prompt was: Tony Joiner kisses Tim Tebow on the sidelines. (More notes at the end.)
Length: ~1600 words
Disclaimer: I own nothing, Sports Night belongs to people far more talented than me. Tim Tebow and Tony Joiner belong to themselves. I am absolutely not able to refer to Tim Tebow by only his first or last name. He is "Tim Tebow".
"We have to go with it," said Casey as Dana walked into the meeting room.
"I don't think we should," argued Dan.
"Danny," Casey insisted.
"Casey, no," countered Dan.
"What in the world are you two arguing about now?" asked Dana. "If only you had, a, what would you call it, producer? She could make these kinds of decisions for you. What's the issue?"
"Tim Tebow got kissed, on the sidelines, during a game."
"The Gators QB? By whom? His mother? A streaker - because if it's a streaker it'll depend on the angles - a cheerleader? Who?"
"His strong safety," said Natalie.
"His WHAT?"
"His strong safety. Kid called Joiner," said Dan.
"He kissed him?"
"Yes," said Natalie.
"He kissed him."
"Yes."
Dana turned to Jeremy. "He kissed him?"
"Yes."
"He kissed his quarterback."
"Dana..."
"I'm just clarifying, Jeremy, that superstar Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was in a football game?"
"Yes."
"And then?"
"He threw a touchdown pass, came off the field, walked up the sideline--" explained Jeremy.
"And then his strong safety came over, went up to him, Tim Tebow, his quarterback--" said Dana.
"His totally cute, wholesome, son-of-missionaries quarterback," interjected Natalie.
"His possible future Heisman-trophy-winner quarterback," added Casey.
"--AND KISSED HIM?" Dana was screeching by this point.
Jeremy nodded. "That is what I'm telling you."
"And we have video?"
"CBS showed it about eight hundred times, Dana," said Dan. "Everyone has video."
"It's already on YouTube," crowed Jeremy. "Edited, with music! God, I love the internet!"
Dana pursed her lips and tapped her foot. Then she said, "Let me see it."
They all crowded around so they could watch it. And watch it again.
"Arguments for?" Dana asked.
"Dana," said Casey. "He kissed his quarterback."
"I see your point, Casey. Arguments against?"
"This could destroy him. Destroy them both," said Dan. "I can hear the "Gay-tor" chants already."
"That's not our concern, Dan," said Dana. "And if everyone else already has it, we'll look out of the loop if we don't, too. Sorry, but you're overruled."
"Dana--"
"Dan," said Casey, "this is their job, being a student athlete is their job, they play football. They're co-workers. You don't kiss your co-workers - at least not during work. At least not on camera," he clarified, shooting a look at Natalie.
"It's not like Dave and Elliot make out after a good field report. Natalie and Jeremy don't screw on the craft services table after a perfect show." This got some raised eyebrows, but Casey was on a roll now. "I don't lean over and plant one on Dan after a no-hitter or something. Do I?"
And then he did. Suddenly he leaned over and reached for Dan, grabbing his face and planting one on his lips. He could hear Kim and Elliot whooping as he waited for the inevitable retaliation from Dan - a retreat, a deke, a fist to the solar plexus. But nothing came. And then something happened. Dan was kissing him back. Casey opened his lips, ready to softly touch his tongue to Dan's, and then he pulled away. What was he thinking? How had this joke gone so far? Was Dan going to punch him in the face? He looked at Dan. Dan was looking back at him, lips red, eyes full of ... need.
"Danny?" breathed Casey.
Dan blinked and the look was gone. "Excuse me, guys, I'll be right back."
* * * * *
Dana was the one who tracked him down. Not that he was hard to find, sitting in his office. "Danny?" Dana stuck her head around the door of the office. Dan was sitting on the sofa, looking out the window.
"It's fine, Dana."
She eased into the room and closed the door, then sat down on the chair opposite Dan.
"Are you OK?"
"Fine. It won't come up again, I swear."
"Well that sounds healthy."
"Exactly," said Dan. "Better for everyone."
"I came to say congratulations. I just want you to be happy."
"What about Calvin?"
"Doesn't matter."
"What about the network?"
"Calvin is the network."
"What about the viewers? The market share?"
"Danny, I'll be honest. I'm not saying wear a placard or anything, but people have thought you were vaguely gay for years. Do you think the viewers will be able to tell the difference? It's fine, Dan. It is."
He finally looked at her, and smiled. Then the smile faded and he said "What about Casey?"
"What about Casey? Casey's fine."
"Dana--"
"He's fine." She stood, strode across the room, and pulled the door open. "Casey! Get in here and tell Dan you're fine!"
Casey must have been hovering outside the door; he appeared almost immediately.
Dana pulled him into the room, shoved him at Dan and said, "Work it out."
Then she walked out and closed the door behind her.
Casey stood, unmoving, for a few seconds, then sat down in the chair she'd vacated.
"I'm sorry, Dan."
"It's fine. I know you didn't mean anything by it."
"Good. I'm glad you know that."
"You never do," finished Dan under his breath.
"That's right," said Casey, "I never -- I what?"
"Never mind, said Dan, "nothing. It's fine." He made a move to leave, but Casey blocked his path and put a hand on his forearm, then pulled his hand away when Dan flinched.
"What do you mean, I never mean anything by it?" Casey said softly, as unthreateningly as he could.
"Casey, don't," said Dan. "Just let it go."
"Dan, no. Whatever else is going on, you're my best friend and my partner. Talk to me."
Dan sighed, sat down, put his head and his hands and sighed again. "Sit down, Casey."
Casey sat and looked at Dan expectantly.
"This isn't the first time," he started.
"This isn't the first time," repeated Casey. "The first time what?"
"This isn’t the first time," Dan took another deep breath, looked up and said "This isn't the first time you've kissed me."
"Ok, what?" Casey sputtered. "Dan, this isn't funny! I thought you were going to say something serious here, and now you're going to get your payback by making up crazy stories about our long-running affair?"
"I'm not trying to be funny, Casey. You've kissed me before. And more."
"Give me one example."
"That night at the St. Paul Radisson? The Jaegermeister? You did more than recite the Saint Crispin's Day Speech, if you get my meaning."
Casey stopped sputtering and sat stock-still.
"When we got up to our room, you kissed me, you groped me, you licked my neck, you let me suck your cock..." Dan sighed again. "And then you passed out, woke up straight as ever, and told me if you'd done anything stupid because of the booze, you didn't mean anything by it."
"Danny, I--"
"The night before Dana's wedding?"
"We went to the Mets game, we had some beers, did some shots, I stayed over at your place to watch the Dodger game on the late-night feed... right?"
"Right."
"Good," said Casey.
"Plus, you kissed me, sucked on my collarbone, and jerked me off through my boxers."
"Oh," said Casey.
"Then you fell asleep on the couch, woke up straight, and danced with every single woman at the wedding."
Casey looked chagrined. "Shit, Danny, I'm sorry." Then he grinned. "Apparently Drunk Casey is totally hot for you."
"Well, Sober Casey is my straight best friend." Dan folded his arms over his chest. "And that's fine."
"Dan, no, it's not fine."
"Casey, it's fine."
"But what about Bobbi? What about Rebecca?"
"It's called bi-sexual, Casey. I like guys, I like women. But not all women, and not all guys. I'm quite attracted to some women, and some I'm not. Same for guys. I'm not attracted to them all."
"But you are attracted to me."
"Yes. But you're not, so that's OK. It's out there now, I'm out there, and it's over, and it's fine."
"You need to stop saying that it's fine. It's not fine. The Dan part of the equation is resolved, but the Casey part is totally out there, unresolved."
"The Casey part? What Casey part? This isn't about you, Casey. It's my issue, and I'll deal with it."
"It is about me! Inebriated Casey things you're hot, Sober Casey barely notices your attractiveness. What's up with that? Drunk Casey wants to manhandle you, Sober Casey chases skirt. That's not right."
Dan shook his head. "Casey, it's OK, seriously."
"But here's the thing, Danny. Just now, that was Sober Casey who kissed you."
"As a joke!"
"To start, yes. But then it wasn't a joke. It was -- it was good. It was nice, OK? It was hot. So I say let's try again and see what happens when Sober Casey kisses you for real."
"Casey."
"Dan, are you going to be any more uncomfortable if we do this? Relative to all the shit we've apparently been doing that I was too drunk to remember or appreciate? Just let me try, Danny."
"Casey, this is the worst idea you've ever--"
Casey grabbed him by the belt, pulled him close, and kissed him. His other hand snaked around to the back of Dan's skull and his thumb stroked the side of Dan's neck. Dan made a helpless noise and kissed him back.
After a few minutes, Casey pulled away. "Jesus, Danny. I'm sorry."
"It's OK."
"No, it's not."
"It's OK, Casey."
"Ask me what I'm sorry for."
"Casey."
"Ask me."
"What are you sorry for?"
"For waiting this long. For making you wait this long."
And he kissed him again.
* * * * *
Four months later...
"Stupid Tim Tebow," complained Casey, as they watched the Gators lose the Capital One Bowl.
"Leave Tim Tebow alone," said Dan. "He's my favourite player. Heisman winner, you know."
"I hate him right now," said Casey. "Stupid Tim Tebow just lost me fifty bucks!"
"I'll always have a soft spot for Tim Tebow," announced Dan, "no matter how much money he loses you."
"And why is that?" Casey asked, smirking.
Dan reached out for Casey, who leaned into his touch. "He got me you."
Notes Part Two: With thanks to minervacat for running the challenge, and to marginalia who beta'ed and kept telling me to keep going with it.
You can see the Joiner/Tebow YouTube video right here. And read more about them here. They're roommates! They love cereal! Hee.
And yes, Tim Tebow is the son of missionaries, and did win the Heisman. (He is, as of this writing, the only underclassman to have ever won the Heisman Trophy.) And his team did lose the Capital One Bowl that season.