oh hell this isn't a paper
It is, however, a very short bit of fic where Freddie tells Jens about his going to Japan.
“Japan.”
“Japan.”
Jens nodded. He should be pleased, at least, that Freddie came out to Berg to tell him, that they’d spent a week together, actually in person, before he’d dropped that information. That he’d waited until they were sitting out by the lake like this. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” Freddie nodded, looking across the water. “The club has ambitions, I like what the manager has to say. The pay’s good. The boss always liked Japan.”
For Freddie there’s only been one boss, and Jens has watched him struggle through others. “Have you talked to him?”
“No.” Freddie shrugged. “But he’d probably approve.”
“You should call him.”
Freddie nodded and kicked his legs, swinging them back and forth under the dock. “I will.”
It was too far. It was too many hours ahead, or behind, Jens couldn’t even remember. It was strange and far away when Jens just wanted Freddie here, wanted Freddie home, or at least close like London. He wanted Freddie to stop. “How long?”
“Well, you never know for sure, but I’ve signed through 2013.” Freddie was hesitant to meet Jens’ eyes.
“Good contract.” The problem was, Freddie had to play. He was so unwilling to accept the possibility that it might be over, and Jens didn’t know how to get him to accept it without pushing him away. He had no right to tell Freddie to give in. He’d un-retired himself.
“Yeah.” Freddie looked down at his hands, folded and fidgeting in his lap. “Yeah.”
“And an adventure.” Jens smiled. He couldn’t do anything else. “Should be fun.”
“I hope so.” Freddie tipped to the side, resting himself on Jens’ shoulder.
“You can always come here, if it isn’t. For any reason.” Jens wrapped his arm around Freddie’s waist and squeezed gently. “I’m always waiting for you.”
“Japan.”
“Japan.”
Jens nodded. He should be pleased, at least, that Freddie came out to Berg to tell him, that they’d spent a week together, actually in person, before he’d dropped that information. That he’d waited until they were sitting out by the lake like this. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” Freddie nodded, looking across the water. “The club has ambitions, I like what the manager has to say. The pay’s good. The boss always liked Japan.”
For Freddie there’s only been one boss, and Jens has watched him struggle through others. “Have you talked to him?”
“No.” Freddie shrugged. “But he’d probably approve.”
“You should call him.”
Freddie nodded and kicked his legs, swinging them back and forth under the dock. “I will.”
It was too far. It was too many hours ahead, or behind, Jens couldn’t even remember. It was strange and far away when Jens just wanted Freddie here, wanted Freddie home, or at least close like London. He wanted Freddie to stop. “How long?”
“Well, you never know for sure, but I’ve signed through 2013.” Freddie was hesitant to meet Jens’ eyes.
“Good contract.” The problem was, Freddie had to play. He was so unwilling to accept the possibility that it might be over, and Jens didn’t know how to get him to accept it without pushing him away. He had no right to tell Freddie to give in. He’d un-retired himself.
“Yeah.” Freddie looked down at his hands, folded and fidgeting in his lap. “Yeah.”
“And an adventure.” Jens smiled. He couldn’t do anything else. “Should be fun.”
“I hope so.” Freddie tipped to the side, resting himself on Jens’ shoulder.
“You can always come here, if it isn’t. For any reason.” Jens wrapped his arm around Freddie’s waist and squeezed gently. “I’m always waiting for you.”