FIC: Baseball & Centaurs (Sports Night, Dan & Casey, G)
Sports Night?!? Revisited an old fandom yesterday. Was lots of fun (and thank you so much, scrunchy for reassuring me that it was good enough to post! LOL). This one is also a result of Caro telling me what to write (as those who know her will recognize easily enough...). Slashy if you squint a bit, but really it's gen.
Baseball & Centaurs (552 words) by
Shellah
Fandom: Sports Night
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dan Rydell, Casey McCall
Summary: Casey likes to push Dan's buttons.
Notes: Thanks to Caro for the idea and Scrunchy for the read-through!! This story was inspired by this video clip, this story, and is set at this game (the Yankees' 2010 home opener).
-----
“Remind me again why we’re sitting in these terrible seats when we could be in the luxury box the network keeps?” Casey looks at Dan expectantly.
“Because sitting in the stands, with the crowd, is an authentic baseball experience. As opposed to up there.” Dan gives a derisive snort and waves vaguely in the direction of the luxury boxes. “Up there you’re separate, aloof, in a sterile environment. Baseball should never be sterile, Casey.”
“Aloof. Really?”
“Yes indeed. Aloof. Apart. Not a part of the crowd. Half the fun of baseball is the crowd!”
Casey glances around him dubiously. “If you say so.”
“I do, my friend, I do. Besides, it’s the Yankee home opener after they just won the WORLD SERIES. Of course we should be out here with the crowd. Oh! Here comes everyone for the ring ceremony.“
-----
“Wow,” Casey sighs. “That was amazing. One tiny red hat in a sea of blue.”
Dan grins at him. “Who knew the Yankees had it in them to be so magnanimous?”
“Oh come on, Danny, you’re the one with the abiding faith. I’m just along for the ride.”
“Along for the ride? But you like baseball! Or at least you always said you do...”
“Danny, Danny. I meant that I’m ‘along for the ride’ with you, the Yankees fan. I love baseball.” He glances away briefly. “I just don’t...love the Yankees.”
“Oh, come on, how can you not love the hometown team?”
“Well, in the first place, New York is not my hometown. In the second place, you have TWO hometown teams and hate one of them while loving the other. This, my friend, is irrational. It makes no sense.”
“Casey, we’re talking about baseball. There is little less rational than the choice of favorite baseball teams.”
Casey considers the statement and, reluctantly, has to agree. “Touché.”
They stop talking for a moment, watching the activity on the field. Then Casey turns toward Dan again, “I do kinda like A-Rod, though.”
Dan frowns at him. “You-- Wait. What? Why?”
Danny’s looking at him like he sprouted an extra head and Casey laughs. “What’s not to like? He’s a good-looking guy--”
“An arrogant good-looking guy!”
“Are you jealous?” Casey raises an eyebrow and Dan sputters. “Anyway. 1) He’s good-looking, 2) He’s a great ballplayer.” He glances at Dan, knowing he can’t argue with that one. “And 3) how can you not like a guy who has paintings of himself as a centaur overlooking his own BED?” Casey cracks up.
“Centaur? Why do you even believe that, Casey? What happened to Mr. Skeptical, the ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’ guy, as if you’re from Missouri?” Dan looks like his worldview is being crushed.
“Oh, come on, why not? It’s too ridiculous not to be true. Who would make that up?” Casey could relent and tell Danny he doesn’t really believe it, but sometimes it’s more fun to push his buttons. Think of it as payback for making him sit in the cheap seats.
Dan shakes his head and mutters something Casey can’t quite make out, but he thinks he hears the words “asshole” and “partner” thrown liberally about. Finally, he simply resorts to, “Oh my god. Shut up and watch the game. Look, Pettitte is about to throw his first pitch.”
Baseball & Centaurs (552 words) by
Shellah
Fandom: Sports Night
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dan Rydell, Casey McCall
Summary: Casey likes to push Dan's buttons.
Notes: Thanks to Caro for the idea and Scrunchy for the read-through!! This story was inspired by this video clip, this story, and is set at this game (the Yankees' 2010 home opener).
-----
“Remind me again why we’re sitting in these terrible seats when we could be in the luxury box the network keeps?” Casey looks at Dan expectantly.
“Because sitting in the stands, with the crowd, is an authentic baseball experience. As opposed to up there.” Dan gives a derisive snort and waves vaguely in the direction of the luxury boxes. “Up there you’re separate, aloof, in a sterile environment. Baseball should never be sterile, Casey.”
“Aloof. Really?”
“Yes indeed. Aloof. Apart. Not a part of the crowd. Half the fun of baseball is the crowd!”
Casey glances around him dubiously. “If you say so.”
“I do, my friend, I do. Besides, it’s the Yankee home opener after they just won the WORLD SERIES. Of course we should be out here with the crowd. Oh! Here comes everyone for the ring ceremony.“
-----
“Wow,” Casey sighs. “That was amazing. One tiny red hat in a sea of blue.”
Dan grins at him. “Who knew the Yankees had it in them to be so magnanimous?”
“Oh come on, Danny, you’re the one with the abiding faith. I’m just along for the ride.”
“Along for the ride? But you like baseball! Or at least you always said you do...”
“Danny, Danny. I meant that I’m ‘along for the ride’ with you, the Yankees fan. I love baseball.” He glances away briefly. “I just don’t...love the Yankees.”
“Oh, come on, how can you not love the hometown team?”
“Well, in the first place, New York is not my hometown. In the second place, you have TWO hometown teams and hate one of them while loving the other. This, my friend, is irrational. It makes no sense.”
“Casey, we’re talking about baseball. There is little less rational than the choice of favorite baseball teams.”
Casey considers the statement and, reluctantly, has to agree. “Touché.”
They stop talking for a moment, watching the activity on the field. Then Casey turns toward Dan again, “I do kinda like A-Rod, though.”
Dan frowns at him. “You-- Wait. What? Why?”
Danny’s looking at him like he sprouted an extra head and Casey laughs. “What’s not to like? He’s a good-looking guy--”
“An arrogant good-looking guy!”
“Are you jealous?” Casey raises an eyebrow and Dan sputters. “Anyway. 1) He’s good-looking, 2) He’s a great ballplayer.” He glances at Dan, knowing he can’t argue with that one. “And 3) how can you not like a guy who has paintings of himself as a centaur overlooking his own BED?” Casey cracks up.
“Centaur? Why do you even believe that, Casey? What happened to Mr. Skeptical, the ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’ guy, as if you’re from Missouri?” Dan looks like his worldview is being crushed.
“Oh, come on, why not? It’s too ridiculous not to be true. Who would make that up?” Casey could relent and tell Danny he doesn’t really believe it, but sometimes it’s more fun to push his buttons. Think of it as payback for making him sit in the cheap seats.
Dan shakes his head and mutters something Casey can’t quite make out, but he thinks he hears the words “asshole” and “partner” thrown liberally about. Finally, he simply resorts to, “Oh my god. Shut up and watch the game. Look, Pettitte is about to throw his first pitch.”