[fanfiction] usmnt rps
This is from the March training camp and I desperately wish that I had gotten it done before the Gold Cup roster was announced. Most of it has been sitting in a notebook since the middle of April, when these boys were infinitely more interesting than finding out what I needed for my Poli Sci final.
Farewell
Football/Soccer RPS, Michael Bradley/Benny Feilhaber, PG
425 words
I fully (and reluctantly) admit that these are not my boys.
Michael refuses to have a long and drawn out goodbye (they will see each other again; this is what he’s been drilling into Benny since just after they met) but he still quietly helps Benny pack his bags. They do not say anything at all, not even bothering to apologize when their fingers collide over a dirty shirt. They hold back grins and consider falling into the bed together to see what would happen instead of regretting what they didn’t do and pretending to possess more confidence than they do.
(The air between them is light as they successfully avoid thinking about the game that ended with frustrated grimaces instead of joyous smiles, muffled curses into towels as they consciously avoided touching one another for fear that they would do the one thing they knew they couldn’t. Touching then would have begun with a head pressed against a sharp collarbone while fingers furiously tugged through hair and would have ended with broken promises and hands moving where they shouldn’t.)
Benny’s eyes dance and Michael can see the repressed laugh, the desire to break the silence with “Remember when. . .” as though their history is far greater than it is. Michael is willing to give him this except the immediate past is becoming blurry in his mind, hurtling towards new memories to make. (Rushing ahead to what they’re both afraid will not happen.)
The last pair of shoes is packed and the bags are closed. There is no moment of hesitation, no awkward What do we do now? Benny calmly leans across the suitcases and kisses Michael. Michael’s hands rise to Benny’s bent elbows, trying to gently pull him closer even if such a thing is not possible. He lets his fingers tap lightly there as his mouth presses against Benny’s for longer than the other time, longer than he expected it would ever last. Teeth clatter together as awkwardness sets in with the passage of time and Michael finds himself quickly pulling back.
Benny grins, the arch of his lips not as wide as it was before. Michael will not let this stand, will not let it end this way. He leans forward with determination and stops just short of kissing Benny. No elaborate goodbyes. A definitive rule. He can defy this or-
He pulls back for the second time and shakes his head, a wry grin on his face. He tilts his head and will not say We’ll pick up from here next time but he hopes Benny gets the message anyway.
And he does.
A/N: This may not fit into the current time so well but I have been missing no more than a sentence for a week and I only just got it done. I'm hoping for more re. China and the Gold Cup. (Anyone else like Gooch/Beas?)
Farewell
Football/Soccer RPS, Michael Bradley/Benny Feilhaber, PG
425 words
I fully (and reluctantly) admit that these are not my boys.
Michael refuses to have a long and drawn out goodbye (they will see each other again; this is what he’s been drilling into Benny since just after they met) but he still quietly helps Benny pack his bags. They do not say anything at all, not even bothering to apologize when their fingers collide over a dirty shirt. They hold back grins and consider falling into the bed together to see what would happen instead of regretting what they didn’t do and pretending to possess more confidence than they do.
(The air between them is light as they successfully avoid thinking about the game that ended with frustrated grimaces instead of joyous smiles, muffled curses into towels as they consciously avoided touching one another for fear that they would do the one thing they knew they couldn’t. Touching then would have begun with a head pressed against a sharp collarbone while fingers furiously tugged through hair and would have ended with broken promises and hands moving where they shouldn’t.)
Benny’s eyes dance and Michael can see the repressed laugh, the desire to break the silence with “Remember when. . .” as though their history is far greater than it is. Michael is willing to give him this except the immediate past is becoming blurry in his mind, hurtling towards new memories to make. (Rushing ahead to what they’re both afraid will not happen.)
The last pair of shoes is packed and the bags are closed. There is no moment of hesitation, no awkward What do we do now? Benny calmly leans across the suitcases and kisses Michael. Michael’s hands rise to Benny’s bent elbows, trying to gently pull him closer even if such a thing is not possible. He lets his fingers tap lightly there as his mouth presses against Benny’s for longer than the other time, longer than he expected it would ever last. Teeth clatter together as awkwardness sets in with the passage of time and Michael finds himself quickly pulling back.
Benny grins, the arch of his lips not as wide as it was before. Michael will not let this stand, will not let it end this way. He leans forward with determination and stops just short of kissing Benny. No elaborate goodbyes. A definitive rule. He can defy this or-
He pulls back for the second time and shakes his head, a wry grin on his face. He tilts his head and will not say We’ll pick up from here next time but he hopes Benny gets the message anyway.
And he does.
A/N: This may not fit into the current time so well but I have been missing no more than a sentence for a week and I only just got it done. I'm hoping for more re. China and the Gold Cup. (Anyone else like Gooch/Beas?)