tennis slash - Smart People (14)
Title: Smart People (14)
Author: Kris S.
Fandom: Tennis RPS
Players: Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Ernests Gulbis, Marin Cilic, Evgeny Korolev, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: This did not happen.
Summary: College AU. Richard and Rafael are geniuses who are roommates in a suite, though they’re different as could be. Inspired by the movie Real Genius. This chapter: Richie's plotting helps Marin regarding Evgeny but gets ruined thanks to Professor Federer; Andy worries about Rafa while Feli doesn't really help matters.
Chapter 14 - Confessional
When Chemistry class lets out on Friday, Marin prepares for doom. He normally rushes out of class or goes to speak to Professor Federer but, figuring Richard would be waiting in the lobby, Marin takes his time gathering his belongings.
“Marin.” He tries not to smile at the sound of Evgeny’s voice. Since Marin ended his role in the tutoring, their paths have rarely crossed. He wouldn’t have been surprised if that had been enough for Evgeny to move on. Evgeny waits for Marin to make his way up the stairs then follows in step with him and talks quickly. “I’m glad to catch you. I’m taking that required English class and an assignment for the semester is to fill up a journal. I was having trouble with this so the professor recommended attending a poetry reading. Leo laughed at the idea but I was thinking maybe if you weren’t busy…”
“Ye…” Marin catches himself just before immediately jumping to say yes. He doesn’t actually know if he can accept. “Actually, Richie is cashing in on the tutoring favor right now so I have no idea what my plans tonight will be.”
“Oh. Okay.” Evgeny opens the door to exit the lecture room, then waves to Roddick sitting in a chair, muttering, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him outside of the dorm.” To Marin, he says, “It starts 8 o’clock at Harriman. Hopefully, he’ll let you go. Got to get across the campus for a meeting.”
Roddick had been observant enough to see them walk out together and his jaw drops. When Evgeny is gone, Roddick rushes over and holds his hand out for a high-five. “Way to go!”
Marin shakes his head but he can’t hold back a smile. “I wish.” He gives a faint tap to Roddick’s palm then looks around. No sign of Richard. “Hmm, that’s strange. He’s not here.” Marin turns back to Roddick, asking, “What brings you out here? I thought you didn’t have class on Friday.”
The question has Roddick realizing it seems strange to be waiting here with everyone already gone from the Chemistry class. “I have absolutely no reason for being here. None at all.” He has his cell in his hand, an earlier text on the screen, but he shakes his head. “I was just passing the time and found this seat… Looking for someone?”
“Yeah. You?”
The RA says reluctantly, “Yeah. Don’t know where he is.” Roddick looks back at his cell then walks away to make a call.
Professor Federer exits the lecture hall and calls out, “If it isn’t Andy Roddick.” Marin stays back, not sure if it should be known he knows Roddick or not.
Roddick shuts his phone. “Hello, sir,” he mumbles, his eyes shifting around. Marin ducks in the doorway of the lecture hall on the opposite side of the lobby. Roddick has always seemed so confident so this change in attitude is a confusing sight. “Was just waiting for someone.”
“I haven’t seen you around this semester. I assumed you had graduated.”
“No, your class pushed back my graduation to December.”
Federer nods. “It is a pity that you feel that I deliberately tried to hold you back.” The professor looks around, sees the area has cleared out, then places a hand on Roddick’s waist and closes the space between them to whisper, “But if you believed throwing yourself at me was going to solve your poor grades issue, I am sorry. I did think we had something but, to me, it wasn’t about grades as much as an attractive guy throwing himself at me. I’m only human.” Federer backs up, gives a smile, then walks away.
Roddick lets out a loud sigh, then turns and remembers there’s an audience. He cringes, watching as Marin hesitantly approaches. Marin says, “Are you okay? You look shaken.”
“I’ll deal.” Roddick lets out a deep breath, then says, “I hate that guy.”
Marin stares down at the floor. He doesn’t really know the RA very well but he’s been told enough regarding Professor Federer from others in the suite and it just might help get rid of the awkwardness. “Were you recruited?”
Roddick tilts his head, surprised by the question. “No, I’m not a pet like you. Needed a C in the class to get accepted into another class, got a D, went to his office to argue my case. He tells me that he imagines I’d do a pretty good striptease and, well…”
Marin imagines he probably should have let Roddick finish - especially since the details could be quite seedy - but a word thrown in captures his attention. When Marin attends Federer’s evening lectures, he keeps hearing the upperclassmen calling him Federer’s new pet. “I keep hearing that word and it’s getting rather weird. Do you mean as in teacher’s pet?”
“Sort of. It… who are you waiting for?” Marin is thrown by the change in subject but it only makes Roddick angrier as he growls, “I should have fucking figured.”
“What…” Marin doesn’t get the question out as Roddick sees Richard enter the building and storms toward him.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Roddick snaps.
“Er, sorry I’m late,” Richard says, trying to deflect the anger. “This is very important and you should know…”
Roddick cuts him off, “I should have figured it out sooner. You are so fucking manipulative. You wanted me to run into Professor Federer and make sure that Marin heard everything so that there’s a source other than you to say that he shouldn’t be in that honors program.” Richard shakes his head furiously but Roddick presses on. “I would never use someone the way you just did to me. You don’t care, never did, and I can’t believe I was so damn stupid.”
Roddick tries to storm off but Richard grabs onto his arm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about but I would never do that to you. Yes, I wanted you and Marin both to be here but not…”
“Thank you for at least being honest about something. Now let go of me!”
Richard grabs on tighter and finishes his sentence. “But not for a run-in with Professor Federer! You’re calling me manipulative and you,” nodding toward Marin, “think I boss everyone around and he,” gesturing to the lecture room in reference to Professor Federer, “has nearly the entire chemistry department thinking I’m delusional because everyone believes he is so great!”
“We bonded over that idiot and we’re supposed to plan payback but maybe you’re setting me up in the process for this ultimate plan and I never meant anything to you…”
Richard drops Roddick’s hand as if he’d gotten scalded. “Are you kidding? Do you really think I’m still with you because of him?”
Roddick looks to Marin, then says sarcastically, “I cannot believe you even admitted you were with me in front of one of your friends.”
“He’s not one of my friends,” Richard says automatically, then bows his head and slumps his shoulders as he mutters apologetically, “Not the point and not what I meant, either.”
The RA takes two steps back, glares coldly at the Frenchman and snaps, “Then what the hell do you mean?!” Roddick crosses his arms; his whole demeanor is frosty, demanding answers that Richard has likely dodged before. When a minute passes and there’s no response, Roddick says, “Forget it. I guess I’m not worthy of getting any response from you,” then heads toward the exit.
Marin turns to Richard, who watches Roddick leave as he tries to get the words out. When the doors open, Richard says softly, “I have trouble trusting anyone, not just you.”
However, Roddick is too far away to hear that. Marin can, though, and it is automatic when he rushes toward the exit and shouts out, “Stop!” but Roddick ignores him. It’s not the voice Roddick had wanted to hear so Marin is hardly surprised.
Richard looks toward the lecture room that had been full just minutes before. He storms into the room, the door hitting the wall hard. Marin follows him inside. Richard stops in place as he notices the room is empty, all the anger dissipating.
“Why am I here?” Marin mutters to himself. That is clearly a fight he shouldn’t have heard. Then it clicks exactly what he can do. He walks over, standing in front of Richard, and asks more firmly, “Why am I here? You need a favor from me which apparently somehow involves Roddick. What was the favor?”
Richard looks up at Marin, looking so lost, and utters, “I let this go too far.”
“Does it have some connection to Professor Federer hitting on him?”
“He what?!” Richard sits down in a seat in the back row, shaking his head. “I really shouldn’t be surprised by anything that man does. No, not about that but at least I know why Roddick believes I set this up. It’s a good thing Federer isn’t here or else… I don’t know what I’d do but he would pay!”
Even though Richard seems stunned by Federer’s action, it’s not the same type of shock Marin felt minutes earlier witnessing that conversation. Marin has a hunch and says so. “But you seem to have known that something has happened between them before, which is why you started the rumor regarding Stan.”
Richard nods, then lets out sigh and runs his fingers through his hair as he mutters, “I should have told him. I wanted to tell him today and for you to be there when I did.”
“Look, obviously, Federer is not exactly good about… wait, what?” Marin sits down next to Richard, carefully watching him.
“That was the favor. See, there are two different problems but both have the same solution. I need to be honest about the past but, as you just witnessed, I can’t seem to quite get there.”
“No, that’s not the favor,” Marin says rather insistently. It is time to bring out a plan that might make sense to Richard. “How about the favor is that Roddick has to hear what you say to me? Record it.”
“Are you serious?” Richard tilts his head toward Marin, eyeing him with trepidation. “I don’t think so…”
“You said to Rafa that if he tried to record you, then he would no longer be your friend. You just told Roddick that I am not your friend. Therefore, I can record you with no problem.” Marin realizes in this moment that the suite has rubbed off on him more than he would like because he's amazed he came up with such a weird idea.
Richard calculates if what Marin just said fits in a logical sense, then shakes his head. “If you ever take computational logic, you will realize that is not quite how… would you mind if I get drunk to have that conversation with you? I’ll bring it to the room while everyone else is at Marat’s party tomorrow night. I’d say tonight but you have a poetry reading to attend.”
“I suppose that’s okay…" Marin stops talking as he realizes something. "How do you know about the poetry reading?”
“Somebody may have been complaining about poetry at the tutoring session and, once the rest of the group left, somebody else may have said that you would have time tonight to suffer with that someone.”
“Wow. You couldn’t resist meddling again.”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t meddle just because you told me not to meddle?”
“You’re complaining about my logic?”
Richard chuckles at how put-upon Marin sounds at that, then accurately answers, "If I didn't meddle, you would still be hiding from him and Evgeny would still think he did something wrong. In other words, you're welcome."
* * * * *
Novak has known Andy long enough to know when something is nagging at him. Ever since he was forced by Rafael to go to Marat’s next party, Andy has been preoccupied. He hasn’t gotten up early to work out for two consecutive days, not even doing sit-ups in the room. When it gets later in the semester and there’s more homework, Andy has been known to slack off but not an issue yet. Novak appreciates getting the sleep but is aware this isn’t quite right.
The last straw comes on Friday evening. Novak is on the couch, watching the news for an assignment, when Andy walks in with a pint of ice cream. Rich ice cream, not some healthy frozen yogurt, but something with caramel and nuts and chocolate… this is bad. While it is sometimes possible to convince Andy into unhealthy habits (such as the birthday cake), for Andy to do it unprovoked is cause for concern.
“What are you doing?” Novak says, inspecting Andy carefully as he sets the container down then looks for a spoon in the main drawer.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Andy snaps, even though he can’t see since his back is to Novak. “I just need a quiet evening. I’ll be okay tomorrow.”
“Rafa is at work and Richie hasn’t been home yet so the video games are off-limits.” Novak suspects that had been Andy’s plan, even though the ice cream throws everything off. He doesn’t usually eat and play.
Andy nods in reply, then collapses down on the couch at the far end and stretches his legs out. Novak shakes his head, then asks, “What’s wrong?”
“Rafa is too interested in this damn party.”
“Is he your date for that evening?”
“Of course he is. Rafa has been teasing about the video of Marat and me kissing. I can’t help that it exists but I wish he would shut the hell up. It doesn’t help matters that Robin has been needling him for weeks.”
Novak narrows his eyes, trying to interpret this sudden mention of Robin to this conversation. “Why do you care what Robin says about anything?”
Andy shrugs. “I don’t care in general, Nole. I care about Rafa getting provoked and doing something he shouldn’t.”
"Rafa's got David. Maybe now that he's occupied…”
“David is not in the picture.” Andy finally takes a bite of the ice cream, the dripping syrup tempting Novak to lunge at him right now.
Novak waits for Andy to grab a second spoonful - and for his own mouth to stop watering - before asking, “Are you certain about that? They’re working late tonight…”
“Yeah and they’ve worked together late shifts for nearly a year. If they are together, it doesn’t matter regarding the party.”
“Oh really? You don’t get jealous over all of the hot Spanish guys Rafa has dated…”
“So? Rafa is one of those guys as well. They all fit together. Even David, despite being less occupied with his appearance than Rafa's previous guys, is in excellent physical shape.”
Novak grins. “You think Rafa is hot?” For as long as Novak has known Andy, he's tried to get Andy to admit anything regarding Rafael. Andy claims he's not interested but Novak doesn't really know what it would look like if Andy was interested.
“I can admit that he is good-looking without it meaning anything. You are drawn to guys with goofy curly hair. Thankfully, I was excluded from that when I had that look last year…”
“What I mean is that I have no idea what you consider hot. You know everyone else’s type…”
Andy continues on. “Richie seems to like those in position of power. Ernie is drawn to crazy guys, clearly.”
Novak mock-protests, “Hey!”
“Marin probably gravitates towards pretty popular jocks if Evgeny is any indication and Rafa likes dramatic Spanish guys.”
“And you?”
Andy lets out a loud sigh then says, “I’m drawn to guys who are nothing but trouble. This Marat situation has trouble written all over it.”
* * * * *
“I appreciate that you came to the reading,” Evgeny says as he and Marin walk back toward the dorm. “Everyone else thought it was dumb…”
“No, it is good to experience something different. As long as I didn’t have to get on that stage.” Marin cringes at that slip of the tongue. He’d been able to keep Evgeny from remembering their last time hanging out, when Marin showed just how much a dork he was.
Evgeny smiles at Marin’s reaction. “Yeah, you know, there’s something I’ve been meaning to say to you regarding Karaoke Night. You left so fast I never did get the chance to wish you a happy birthday.”
It takes Marin about two blocks of walking - nearly reaching the dorm building - to recover from that surprise. He tries to play it off. “Oh. Don’t worry about that. It was one of those birthdays it would be best to forget anyway.”
“Now that’s not fair. Turning eighteen is a big deal. Believe me, it could have been worse.”
It is easy for Marin to forget that he and Evgeny are the same age. Both are freshmen equally out of place in a new school. “How?”
“My birthday is on Valentine’s Day.”
Marin blurts out, “Seriously?”
“My friends thought it would be funny to make everything in my bedroom pink. It took a month before I was able to get all of it out of the room.”
Evgeny digs for his ID card to enter the dorm while Marin says under his breath, “That just might be worse.”
Once inside, they head toward the mailboxes. Evgeny deals with the lock as he says, “But you’re right. College is a time to experience something new.” He pauses as he looks through the mail, dumping a piece of junk in the garbage, then says in a small voice, “I think I’m going to stick with the poetry readings. I don’t know about speaking in front of everyone but it felt kind of… nice, being there. Calming.”
When Evgeny raises his head, Marin quickly turns to his own lock. “Yeah, um, I agree. My English professor may end up asking for poetry as well…”
“Hey, man,” Ernie calls out from the first floor hallway, then rushes over. “I was wondering where the hell you were.” Evgeny glances toward Marin, then chuckles lightly at the interruption. “Novak is being a pain by associating with Andy again…”
* * * * *
Rafael is working on his homework during his shift in the computer lab. It is a quiet evening and David has just ducked out for a snack run to the vending machine downstairs.
He glances at the hand signing in and immediately looks up. As he suspected, it was Feliciano's hand. Damn it.
“Hi," Rafael squeaks out, then quickly glances back to the computer monitor.
Feliciano smiles brightly. “Hola, Rafa. I thought David was working tonight."
"He'll be right back," Rafael says curtly.
"Rafito, don't be like that..."
"Don't tell me what to do. After all, I'm apparently too immature to deal with someone like you."
Feliciano mutters under his breath, "I was such an idiot to put up with this."
"Excuse me?"
"I really should have figured out how young you are. Juanqui once told me about Professor Federer's interest in you. At the time I thought it was cool because you're in the comp sci department, not chem, but it was really a dead giveaway. Federer likes his prodigal pets after all."
Rafael doesn't want to look at Feliciano. He realizes at this point that he was the idiot for believing Feliciano cared about him. That he can picture Fernando's arm wrapped comfortably around Feliciano right now, the perfect image that was never quite the case when Rafael was involved.
Feliciano does eventually get the message and changes the subject. "Oh since you're here though, there's something else. The last time I walked into the office, Juanqui was grilling Richie about your friend Andy."
Rafael chuckles, having forgotten about the chemistry department knowing about Marat's kink. "Oh yeah. Strange combination."
"So Andy is going to Marat's next party with you as his date?"
"I'm basically a buffer. Marat's sister begged him to attend."
Feliciano shrugs at that information. "You know it's going to take a lot to keep Marat away from him, if that's the goal. You have to be quite suggestive..."
Rafael snaps, "You mean I should tease Andy the way you teased me? No, how about if I spout romantic nonsense and see if Andy will swoon over that the way I did over you?"
Rafael's anger drains when he sees David standing at the door, awkwardly holding two bottles of water and two bags of corn chips. Feliciano also looks that way. David ducks his head, setting the water and chips on the table before heading to his post in the back of the lab.
"David?"
David mutters, "I don't want anything to do with the games you two are playing any longer."
Author: Kris S.
Fandom: Tennis RPS
Players: Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Ernests Gulbis, Marin Cilic, Evgeny Korolev, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: This did not happen.
Summary: College AU. Richard and Rafael are geniuses who are roommates in a suite, though they’re different as could be. Inspired by the movie Real Genius. This chapter: Richie's plotting helps Marin regarding Evgeny but gets ruined thanks to Professor Federer; Andy worries about Rafa while Feli doesn't really help matters.
Chapter 14 - Confessional
When Chemistry class lets out on Friday, Marin prepares for doom. He normally rushes out of class or goes to speak to Professor Federer but, figuring Richard would be waiting in the lobby, Marin takes his time gathering his belongings.
“Marin.” He tries not to smile at the sound of Evgeny’s voice. Since Marin ended his role in the tutoring, their paths have rarely crossed. He wouldn’t have been surprised if that had been enough for Evgeny to move on. Evgeny waits for Marin to make his way up the stairs then follows in step with him and talks quickly. “I’m glad to catch you. I’m taking that required English class and an assignment for the semester is to fill up a journal. I was having trouble with this so the professor recommended attending a poetry reading. Leo laughed at the idea but I was thinking maybe if you weren’t busy…”
“Ye…” Marin catches himself just before immediately jumping to say yes. He doesn’t actually know if he can accept. “Actually, Richie is cashing in on the tutoring favor right now so I have no idea what my plans tonight will be.”
“Oh. Okay.” Evgeny opens the door to exit the lecture room, then waves to Roddick sitting in a chair, muttering, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him outside of the dorm.” To Marin, he says, “It starts 8 o’clock at Harriman. Hopefully, he’ll let you go. Got to get across the campus for a meeting.”
Roddick had been observant enough to see them walk out together and his jaw drops. When Evgeny is gone, Roddick rushes over and holds his hand out for a high-five. “Way to go!”
Marin shakes his head but he can’t hold back a smile. “I wish.” He gives a faint tap to Roddick’s palm then looks around. No sign of Richard. “Hmm, that’s strange. He’s not here.” Marin turns back to Roddick, asking, “What brings you out here? I thought you didn’t have class on Friday.”
The question has Roddick realizing it seems strange to be waiting here with everyone already gone from the Chemistry class. “I have absolutely no reason for being here. None at all.” He has his cell in his hand, an earlier text on the screen, but he shakes his head. “I was just passing the time and found this seat… Looking for someone?”
“Yeah. You?”
The RA says reluctantly, “Yeah. Don’t know where he is.” Roddick looks back at his cell then walks away to make a call.
Professor Federer exits the lecture hall and calls out, “If it isn’t Andy Roddick.” Marin stays back, not sure if it should be known he knows Roddick or not.
Roddick shuts his phone. “Hello, sir,” he mumbles, his eyes shifting around. Marin ducks in the doorway of the lecture hall on the opposite side of the lobby. Roddick has always seemed so confident so this change in attitude is a confusing sight. “Was just waiting for someone.”
“I haven’t seen you around this semester. I assumed you had graduated.”
“No, your class pushed back my graduation to December.”
Federer nods. “It is a pity that you feel that I deliberately tried to hold you back.” The professor looks around, sees the area has cleared out, then places a hand on Roddick’s waist and closes the space between them to whisper, “But if you believed throwing yourself at me was going to solve your poor grades issue, I am sorry. I did think we had something but, to me, it wasn’t about grades as much as an attractive guy throwing himself at me. I’m only human.” Federer backs up, gives a smile, then walks away.
Roddick lets out a loud sigh, then turns and remembers there’s an audience. He cringes, watching as Marin hesitantly approaches. Marin says, “Are you okay? You look shaken.”
“I’ll deal.” Roddick lets out a deep breath, then says, “I hate that guy.”
Marin stares down at the floor. He doesn’t really know the RA very well but he’s been told enough regarding Professor Federer from others in the suite and it just might help get rid of the awkwardness. “Were you recruited?”
Roddick tilts his head, surprised by the question. “No, I’m not a pet like you. Needed a C in the class to get accepted into another class, got a D, went to his office to argue my case. He tells me that he imagines I’d do a pretty good striptease and, well…”
Marin imagines he probably should have let Roddick finish - especially since the details could be quite seedy - but a word thrown in captures his attention. When Marin attends Federer’s evening lectures, he keeps hearing the upperclassmen calling him Federer’s new pet. “I keep hearing that word and it’s getting rather weird. Do you mean as in teacher’s pet?”
“Sort of. It… who are you waiting for?” Marin is thrown by the change in subject but it only makes Roddick angrier as he growls, “I should have fucking figured.”
“What…” Marin doesn’t get the question out as Roddick sees Richard enter the building and storms toward him.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Roddick snaps.
“Er, sorry I’m late,” Richard says, trying to deflect the anger. “This is very important and you should know…”
Roddick cuts him off, “I should have figured it out sooner. You are so fucking manipulative. You wanted me to run into Professor Federer and make sure that Marin heard everything so that there’s a source other than you to say that he shouldn’t be in that honors program.” Richard shakes his head furiously but Roddick presses on. “I would never use someone the way you just did to me. You don’t care, never did, and I can’t believe I was so damn stupid.”
Roddick tries to storm off but Richard grabs onto his arm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about but I would never do that to you. Yes, I wanted you and Marin both to be here but not…”
“Thank you for at least being honest about something. Now let go of me!”
Richard grabs on tighter and finishes his sentence. “But not for a run-in with Professor Federer! You’re calling me manipulative and you,” nodding toward Marin, “think I boss everyone around and he,” gesturing to the lecture room in reference to Professor Federer, “has nearly the entire chemistry department thinking I’m delusional because everyone believes he is so great!”
“We bonded over that idiot and we’re supposed to plan payback but maybe you’re setting me up in the process for this ultimate plan and I never meant anything to you…”
Richard drops Roddick’s hand as if he’d gotten scalded. “Are you kidding? Do you really think I’m still with you because of him?”
Roddick looks to Marin, then says sarcastically, “I cannot believe you even admitted you were with me in front of one of your friends.”
“He’s not one of my friends,” Richard says automatically, then bows his head and slumps his shoulders as he mutters apologetically, “Not the point and not what I meant, either.”
The RA takes two steps back, glares coldly at the Frenchman and snaps, “Then what the hell do you mean?!” Roddick crosses his arms; his whole demeanor is frosty, demanding answers that Richard has likely dodged before. When a minute passes and there’s no response, Roddick says, “Forget it. I guess I’m not worthy of getting any response from you,” then heads toward the exit.
Marin turns to Richard, who watches Roddick leave as he tries to get the words out. When the doors open, Richard says softly, “I have trouble trusting anyone, not just you.”
However, Roddick is too far away to hear that. Marin can, though, and it is automatic when he rushes toward the exit and shouts out, “Stop!” but Roddick ignores him. It’s not the voice Roddick had wanted to hear so Marin is hardly surprised.
Richard looks toward the lecture room that had been full just minutes before. He storms into the room, the door hitting the wall hard. Marin follows him inside. Richard stops in place as he notices the room is empty, all the anger dissipating.
“Why am I here?” Marin mutters to himself. That is clearly a fight he shouldn’t have heard. Then it clicks exactly what he can do. He walks over, standing in front of Richard, and asks more firmly, “Why am I here? You need a favor from me which apparently somehow involves Roddick. What was the favor?”
Richard looks up at Marin, looking so lost, and utters, “I let this go too far.”
“Does it have some connection to Professor Federer hitting on him?”
“He what?!” Richard sits down in a seat in the back row, shaking his head. “I really shouldn’t be surprised by anything that man does. No, not about that but at least I know why Roddick believes I set this up. It’s a good thing Federer isn’t here or else… I don’t know what I’d do but he would pay!”
Even though Richard seems stunned by Federer’s action, it’s not the same type of shock Marin felt minutes earlier witnessing that conversation. Marin has a hunch and says so. “But you seem to have known that something has happened between them before, which is why you started the rumor regarding Stan.”
Richard nods, then lets out sigh and runs his fingers through his hair as he mutters, “I should have told him. I wanted to tell him today and for you to be there when I did.”
“Look, obviously, Federer is not exactly good about… wait, what?” Marin sits down next to Richard, carefully watching him.
“That was the favor. See, there are two different problems but both have the same solution. I need to be honest about the past but, as you just witnessed, I can’t seem to quite get there.”
“No, that’s not the favor,” Marin says rather insistently. It is time to bring out a plan that might make sense to Richard. “How about the favor is that Roddick has to hear what you say to me? Record it.”
“Are you serious?” Richard tilts his head toward Marin, eyeing him with trepidation. “I don’t think so…”
“You said to Rafa that if he tried to record you, then he would no longer be your friend. You just told Roddick that I am not your friend. Therefore, I can record you with no problem.” Marin realizes in this moment that the suite has rubbed off on him more than he would like because he's amazed he came up with such a weird idea.
Richard calculates if what Marin just said fits in a logical sense, then shakes his head. “If you ever take computational logic, you will realize that is not quite how… would you mind if I get drunk to have that conversation with you? I’ll bring it to the room while everyone else is at Marat’s party tomorrow night. I’d say tonight but you have a poetry reading to attend.”
“I suppose that’s okay…" Marin stops talking as he realizes something. "How do you know about the poetry reading?”
“Somebody may have been complaining about poetry at the tutoring session and, once the rest of the group left, somebody else may have said that you would have time tonight to suffer with that someone.”
“Wow. You couldn’t resist meddling again.”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t meddle just because you told me not to meddle?”
“You’re complaining about my logic?”
Richard chuckles at how put-upon Marin sounds at that, then accurately answers, "If I didn't meddle, you would still be hiding from him and Evgeny would still think he did something wrong. In other words, you're welcome."
* * * * *
Novak has known Andy long enough to know when something is nagging at him. Ever since he was forced by Rafael to go to Marat’s next party, Andy has been preoccupied. He hasn’t gotten up early to work out for two consecutive days, not even doing sit-ups in the room. When it gets later in the semester and there’s more homework, Andy has been known to slack off but not an issue yet. Novak appreciates getting the sleep but is aware this isn’t quite right.
The last straw comes on Friday evening. Novak is on the couch, watching the news for an assignment, when Andy walks in with a pint of ice cream. Rich ice cream, not some healthy frozen yogurt, but something with caramel and nuts and chocolate… this is bad. While it is sometimes possible to convince Andy into unhealthy habits (such as the birthday cake), for Andy to do it unprovoked is cause for concern.
“What are you doing?” Novak says, inspecting Andy carefully as he sets the container down then looks for a spoon in the main drawer.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Andy snaps, even though he can’t see since his back is to Novak. “I just need a quiet evening. I’ll be okay tomorrow.”
“Rafa is at work and Richie hasn’t been home yet so the video games are off-limits.” Novak suspects that had been Andy’s plan, even though the ice cream throws everything off. He doesn’t usually eat and play.
Andy nods in reply, then collapses down on the couch at the far end and stretches his legs out. Novak shakes his head, then asks, “What’s wrong?”
“Rafa is too interested in this damn party.”
“Is he your date for that evening?”
“Of course he is. Rafa has been teasing about the video of Marat and me kissing. I can’t help that it exists but I wish he would shut the hell up. It doesn’t help matters that Robin has been needling him for weeks.”
Novak narrows his eyes, trying to interpret this sudden mention of Robin to this conversation. “Why do you care what Robin says about anything?”
Andy shrugs. “I don’t care in general, Nole. I care about Rafa getting provoked and doing something he shouldn’t.”
"Rafa's got David. Maybe now that he's occupied…”
“David is not in the picture.” Andy finally takes a bite of the ice cream, the dripping syrup tempting Novak to lunge at him right now.
Novak waits for Andy to grab a second spoonful - and for his own mouth to stop watering - before asking, “Are you certain about that? They’re working late tonight…”
“Yeah and they’ve worked together late shifts for nearly a year. If they are together, it doesn’t matter regarding the party.”
“Oh really? You don’t get jealous over all of the hot Spanish guys Rafa has dated…”
“So? Rafa is one of those guys as well. They all fit together. Even David, despite being less occupied with his appearance than Rafa's previous guys, is in excellent physical shape.”
Novak grins. “You think Rafa is hot?” For as long as Novak has known Andy, he's tried to get Andy to admit anything regarding Rafael. Andy claims he's not interested but Novak doesn't really know what it would look like if Andy was interested.
“I can admit that he is good-looking without it meaning anything. You are drawn to guys with goofy curly hair. Thankfully, I was excluded from that when I had that look last year…”
“What I mean is that I have no idea what you consider hot. You know everyone else’s type…”
Andy continues on. “Richie seems to like those in position of power. Ernie is drawn to crazy guys, clearly.”
Novak mock-protests, “Hey!”
“Marin probably gravitates towards pretty popular jocks if Evgeny is any indication and Rafa likes dramatic Spanish guys.”
“And you?”
Andy lets out a loud sigh then says, “I’m drawn to guys who are nothing but trouble. This Marat situation has trouble written all over it.”
* * * * *
“I appreciate that you came to the reading,” Evgeny says as he and Marin walk back toward the dorm. “Everyone else thought it was dumb…”
“No, it is good to experience something different. As long as I didn’t have to get on that stage.” Marin cringes at that slip of the tongue. He’d been able to keep Evgeny from remembering their last time hanging out, when Marin showed just how much a dork he was.
Evgeny smiles at Marin’s reaction. “Yeah, you know, there’s something I’ve been meaning to say to you regarding Karaoke Night. You left so fast I never did get the chance to wish you a happy birthday.”
It takes Marin about two blocks of walking - nearly reaching the dorm building - to recover from that surprise. He tries to play it off. “Oh. Don’t worry about that. It was one of those birthdays it would be best to forget anyway.”
“Now that’s not fair. Turning eighteen is a big deal. Believe me, it could have been worse.”
It is easy for Marin to forget that he and Evgeny are the same age. Both are freshmen equally out of place in a new school. “How?”
“My birthday is on Valentine’s Day.”
Marin blurts out, “Seriously?”
“My friends thought it would be funny to make everything in my bedroom pink. It took a month before I was able to get all of it out of the room.”
Evgeny digs for his ID card to enter the dorm while Marin says under his breath, “That just might be worse.”
Once inside, they head toward the mailboxes. Evgeny deals with the lock as he says, “But you’re right. College is a time to experience something new.” He pauses as he looks through the mail, dumping a piece of junk in the garbage, then says in a small voice, “I think I’m going to stick with the poetry readings. I don’t know about speaking in front of everyone but it felt kind of… nice, being there. Calming.”
When Evgeny raises his head, Marin quickly turns to his own lock. “Yeah, um, I agree. My English professor may end up asking for poetry as well…”
“Hey, man,” Ernie calls out from the first floor hallway, then rushes over. “I was wondering where the hell you were.” Evgeny glances toward Marin, then chuckles lightly at the interruption. “Novak is being a pain by associating with Andy again…”
* * * * *
Rafael is working on his homework during his shift in the computer lab. It is a quiet evening and David has just ducked out for a snack run to the vending machine downstairs.
He glances at the hand signing in and immediately looks up. As he suspected, it was Feliciano's hand. Damn it.
“Hi," Rafael squeaks out, then quickly glances back to the computer monitor.
Feliciano smiles brightly. “Hola, Rafa. I thought David was working tonight."
"He'll be right back," Rafael says curtly.
"Rafito, don't be like that..."
"Don't tell me what to do. After all, I'm apparently too immature to deal with someone like you."
Feliciano mutters under his breath, "I was such an idiot to put up with this."
"Excuse me?"
"I really should have figured out how young you are. Juanqui once told me about Professor Federer's interest in you. At the time I thought it was cool because you're in the comp sci department, not chem, but it was really a dead giveaway. Federer likes his prodigal pets after all."
Rafael doesn't want to look at Feliciano. He realizes at this point that he was the idiot for believing Feliciano cared about him. That he can picture Fernando's arm wrapped comfortably around Feliciano right now, the perfect image that was never quite the case when Rafael was involved.
Feliciano does eventually get the message and changes the subject. "Oh since you're here though, there's something else. The last time I walked into the office, Juanqui was grilling Richie about your friend Andy."
Rafael chuckles, having forgotten about the chemistry department knowing about Marat's kink. "Oh yeah. Strange combination."
"So Andy is going to Marat's next party with you as his date?"
"I'm basically a buffer. Marat's sister begged him to attend."
Feliciano shrugs at that information. "You know it's going to take a lot to keep Marat away from him, if that's the goal. You have to be quite suggestive..."
Rafael snaps, "You mean I should tease Andy the way you teased me? No, how about if I spout romantic nonsense and see if Andy will swoon over that the way I did over you?"
Rafael's anger drains when he sees David standing at the door, awkwardly holding two bottles of water and two bags of corn chips. Feliciano also looks that way. David ducks his head, setting the water and chips on the table before heading to his post in the back of the lab.
"David?"
David mutters, "I don't want anything to do with the games you two are playing any longer."