Distance ~ {David Wright/Jose Reyes}
Title: Distance
Pairing: David Wright/Jose Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Don't know them. Don't own them. I'm not making money. This only happened in my head.
Notes: My fics alway seem to have one word titles. *lol* Anyways...a little background on this one. I tried to be as accurate on things as possible. David went to the DR in mid January right after Mini-camp. Him and Jose had planed on hanging out while he was down there, but Jose kind of stood him up. :P Jose was in New York in late January because he had a few charity events, and to get the "Toast of the Town" award along with David at the Baseball Writers Association dinner. This takes place while Jose is in NYC. Enjoy! ;)
“I’m in New York.”
Silence echoes back at him over the phone, drowning out the hum of the taxi that is taking him over the bridge into Manhattan. Jose shifts uncomfortably, leaning his head against the window. The lights of the nightime city sky reflect back off the glass.
“You there?”
“Yeah. When’d you get in?”
“On my way over from JFK right now.”
“On your way over…?”
“Yeah, can I crash with you at your new place while I’m in town?”
There’s another long pause before David’s voice returns. “24 East 21st.”
*
Confrontation was something Jose never liked. He’d much rather just pretend everything was okay and fall back onto his smile to defuse any type of tension. Usually, it would work. Tonight, however…
David dropped the bags he had helped carry up as soon as he reentered his apartment. He hadn’t said a word to Jose. Unless and mumbled “’Sup?” counted as a word. He continued walking and disappeared into a room down the hall.
“Nice place.” Jose call out after him. “Thanks for letting me stay here. Would’ve stayed at my place in Queens but I need to be a thing in Manhattan pretty much everyday I’m here. Plus you know I go crazy when I’m alone.” He said with a laugh, but started to get the feeling he was talking to himself. “So, you got a big king size bed back there?”
David reappeared with a blanket rolled up under his arm. “Yup.” He walks up to him and holds it out. Jose studies his face. There’s no anger there. No sadness either. Just a blank expression. Indifference. “Guest room’s down the hall.”
Jose reaches out and takes it from him. “Thanks.”
David turns and heads back in the direction of his bedroom. “Night.” He says, closing the door behind him.
*
Jose watches him from a distance. He’s got a group of kids standing around him as he teaches them the right way to field a ground ball. Their eyes are wide, in awe that they’re learning baseball from the David Wright.
They’re all at a charity event at Chelsea Piers. A fantasy camp for about 300 kids.
“Winters in New York aren’t quite nice as the summers.” He hears a voice from behind him say. Jose turns to see Johnny Maine and Aaron Heilman walking toward him.
“Tell me ‘bout it. Freezing out there.” Maine says rubbing his hands together to get warmth back into them. “Oh, hey Reyes.”
“Hey guys.” Jose greeted the two pitchers with a smile. After a few “How’ya beens?” they headed off in the direction of El Duque, who was already showing some of the kids a few pitching moves.
Jose returns his gaze to David. He was caught in a fake run-down between two of the little kids. They laughed and squealed with delight as he finally let them tag him out. “There ya go! Good job!” David’s smile beamed. He genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself. But David was always good with kids.
Jose’s thoughts went back to the time be brought Katerine to the clubhouse before one games late last season. The two year-old had instantly fallen for David, who didn’t mind riding her around on his shoulders the whole afternoon. She had hugged onto his head tight and called out directions of where she wanted him to go in a mix of baby talk and Spanish. The look on David’s face as he tried to figure out what she was saying had been priceless.
Jose feels a knot in his stomach and he turns and jogs off to where Paul Lo Duca was running batting practice.
*
Jose wishes he would just yell at him. Curse him out and tell him he can go sleep somewhere else. But David kept up his cold silence and he grabs a Vitamin Water out of the refrigerator and goes to take a seat on the couch, turning on the TV.
Being ignored was another thing Jose never liked. He makes his way around the couch and stands directly in front of David. He looks up at him, slightly annoyed that his view of SportsCenter is now being blocked.
Instead of backing down, Jose settles himself onto the couch, straddling David’s lap. “Hi.”
David just tilts his head to the side to see around the side of Jose’s body.
“Look at me.” When he doesn’t Jose bring a hand up to his check and turns his face toward him.
“What do you want?”
Jose leans in to kiss him but David’s lips remain still and unresponsive. He pulls back a bit and smiles, “Come on, Dave. Don’t be like that.”
“Be like what?” David was trying to keep his cold front up, but a bite had found its way into his words.
Jose sighs, knowing he needed to explain himself. But how could he? How could he make him understand that when he was home he couldn’t be that same Jose that he was to David. Things couldn’t be the same as they were when they were in New York or on the road with the team. When he was home, he wasn’t a baseball player anymore. He was someone’s son, someone’s boyfriend. Someone’s father.
“I missed you too much.” Jose says finally, “I knew that if I saw you, if I was around you, I wouldn’t be able to,” He pauses and closes his eyes, leaning his forehead down onto David's shoulder, “To not be like this with you.”
Jose can feel David’s body rise and fall with each breath.
“I know what I did was shitty. I’m sorry.” Jose lifts his head up and stands. “I shouldn’t even be here. I’ll go stay at my place in Queens.” He turns and walks off in the direction of the guest bedroom. “I’ll just take a taxi into the city to get that stupid award tomorrow night.”
Jose starts tossing items into his bag, but stops when he hears the TV turn off and footsteps behind him. He keeps his back to the door.
“Not stupid.”
He glances over his shoulder. “Huh?”
David was leaning up against the door frame. “The award. ‘Toast of the Town.’ It’s not stupid.”
“Yeah, okay.” Jose says sarcastically with a half laugh, returning his attention to his things on the bed.
“It’s important to me. I’ve wanted to play in this city my whole life, I love it here. This award, as corny as it may be, means the city love me back.”
Jose hears footsteps once more and David crosses the distance between them. Arms come up and wrap around him and chin rests on his shoulder. He leans into David. To Jose, it feels like forever since they had been like this.
“It means they love us both. Plus,” he feels lips brush the side of his neck, “Winning it with you means something too.”
“You’re right.” Jose closes his eyes and lets himself take in the moment. “So, this mean you forgive me now?”
David contemplates the question. “It means I understand you now.”
Had that been all? It made sense to Jose, though. Even when they had first met, with Jose’s English minimal and David’ Spanish non-existent, they had somehow always been able to understand each other.
Jose turns himself around in David’s arms, facing him. He leans in to kiss him, and this time is rewarded with a response. Lips that felt new, yet still so familiar.
“Your country is beautiful, by the way.” David said as Jose traced kisses down his neck.
“It’s not as cold as New York, that’s for sure.”
David tightened his arms around him, “Yeah, but I think we can find a way to keep warm.”
Pairing: David Wright/Jose Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Don't know them. Don't own them. I'm not making money. This only happened in my head.
Notes: My fics alway seem to have one word titles. *lol* Anyways...a little background on this one. I tried to be as accurate on things as possible. David went to the DR in mid January right after Mini-camp. Him and Jose had planed on hanging out while he was down there, but Jose kind of stood him up. :P Jose was in New York in late January because he had a few charity events, and to get the "Toast of the Town" award along with David at the Baseball Writers Association dinner. This takes place while Jose is in NYC. Enjoy! ;)
“I’m in New York.”
Silence echoes back at him over the phone, drowning out the hum of the taxi that is taking him over the bridge into Manhattan. Jose shifts uncomfortably, leaning his head against the window. The lights of the nightime city sky reflect back off the glass.
“You there?”
“Yeah. When’d you get in?”
“On my way over from JFK right now.”
“On your way over…?”
“Yeah, can I crash with you at your new place while I’m in town?”
There’s another long pause before David’s voice returns. “24 East 21st.”
*
Confrontation was something Jose never liked. He’d much rather just pretend everything was okay and fall back onto his smile to defuse any type of tension. Usually, it would work. Tonight, however…
David dropped the bags he had helped carry up as soon as he reentered his apartment. He hadn’t said a word to Jose. Unless and mumbled “’Sup?” counted as a word. He continued walking and disappeared into a room down the hall.
“Nice place.” Jose call out after him. “Thanks for letting me stay here. Would’ve stayed at my place in Queens but I need to be a thing in Manhattan pretty much everyday I’m here. Plus you know I go crazy when I’m alone.” He said with a laugh, but started to get the feeling he was talking to himself. “So, you got a big king size bed back there?”
David reappeared with a blanket rolled up under his arm. “Yup.” He walks up to him and holds it out. Jose studies his face. There’s no anger there. No sadness either. Just a blank expression. Indifference. “Guest room’s down the hall.”
Jose reaches out and takes it from him. “Thanks.”
David turns and heads back in the direction of his bedroom. “Night.” He says, closing the door behind him.
*
Jose watches him from a distance. He’s got a group of kids standing around him as he teaches them the right way to field a ground ball. Their eyes are wide, in awe that they’re learning baseball from the David Wright.
They’re all at a charity event at Chelsea Piers. A fantasy camp for about 300 kids.
“Winters in New York aren’t quite nice as the summers.” He hears a voice from behind him say. Jose turns to see Johnny Maine and Aaron Heilman walking toward him.
“Tell me ‘bout it. Freezing out there.” Maine says rubbing his hands together to get warmth back into them. “Oh, hey Reyes.”
“Hey guys.” Jose greeted the two pitchers with a smile. After a few “How’ya beens?” they headed off in the direction of El Duque, who was already showing some of the kids a few pitching moves.
Jose returns his gaze to David. He was caught in a fake run-down between two of the little kids. They laughed and squealed with delight as he finally let them tag him out. “There ya go! Good job!” David’s smile beamed. He genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself. But David was always good with kids.
Jose’s thoughts went back to the time be brought Katerine to the clubhouse before one games late last season. The two year-old had instantly fallen for David, who didn’t mind riding her around on his shoulders the whole afternoon. She had hugged onto his head tight and called out directions of where she wanted him to go in a mix of baby talk and Spanish. The look on David’s face as he tried to figure out what she was saying had been priceless.
Jose feels a knot in his stomach and he turns and jogs off to where Paul Lo Duca was running batting practice.
*
Jose wishes he would just yell at him. Curse him out and tell him he can go sleep somewhere else. But David kept up his cold silence and he grabs a Vitamin Water out of the refrigerator and goes to take a seat on the couch, turning on the TV.
Being ignored was another thing Jose never liked. He makes his way around the couch and stands directly in front of David. He looks up at him, slightly annoyed that his view of SportsCenter is now being blocked.
Instead of backing down, Jose settles himself onto the couch, straddling David’s lap. “Hi.”
David just tilts his head to the side to see around the side of Jose’s body.
“Look at me.” When he doesn’t Jose bring a hand up to his check and turns his face toward him.
“What do you want?”
Jose leans in to kiss him but David’s lips remain still and unresponsive. He pulls back a bit and smiles, “Come on, Dave. Don’t be like that.”
“Be like what?” David was trying to keep his cold front up, but a bite had found its way into his words.
Jose sighs, knowing he needed to explain himself. But how could he? How could he make him understand that when he was home he couldn’t be that same Jose that he was to David. Things couldn’t be the same as they were when they were in New York or on the road with the team. When he was home, he wasn’t a baseball player anymore. He was someone’s son, someone’s boyfriend. Someone’s father.
“I missed you too much.” Jose says finally, “I knew that if I saw you, if I was around you, I wouldn’t be able to,” He pauses and closes his eyes, leaning his forehead down onto David's shoulder, “To not be like this with you.”
Jose can feel David’s body rise and fall with each breath.
“I know what I did was shitty. I’m sorry.” Jose lifts his head up and stands. “I shouldn’t even be here. I’ll go stay at my place in Queens.” He turns and walks off in the direction of the guest bedroom. “I’ll just take a taxi into the city to get that stupid award tomorrow night.”
Jose starts tossing items into his bag, but stops when he hears the TV turn off and footsteps behind him. He keeps his back to the door.
“Not stupid.”
He glances over his shoulder. “Huh?”
David was leaning up against the door frame. “The award. ‘Toast of the Town.’ It’s not stupid.”
“Yeah, okay.” Jose says sarcastically with a half laugh, returning his attention to his things on the bed.
“It’s important to me. I’ve wanted to play in this city my whole life, I love it here. This award, as corny as it may be, means the city love me back.”
Jose hears footsteps once more and David crosses the distance between them. Arms come up and wrap around him and chin rests on his shoulder. He leans into David. To Jose, it feels like forever since they had been like this.
“It means they love us both. Plus,” he feels lips brush the side of his neck, “Winning it with you means something too.”
“You’re right.” Jose closes his eyes and lets himself take in the moment. “So, this mean you forgive me now?”
David contemplates the question. “It means I understand you now.”
Had that been all? It made sense to Jose, though. Even when they had first met, with Jose’s English minimal and David’ Spanish non-existent, they had somehow always been able to understand each other.
Jose turns himself around in David’s arms, facing him. He leans in to kiss him, and this time is rewarded with a response. Lips that felt new, yet still so familiar.
“Your country is beautiful, by the way.” David said as Jose traced kisses down his neck.
“It’s not as cold as New York, that’s for sure.”
David tightened his arms around him, “Yeah, but I think we can find a way to keep warm.”