Catching Feelings Ch. 02

"You really don't need to threaten him more than you already have," Jeremy told Chloe, who had her lips pursed in annoyance after Jeremy had asked his friends to go with him to the football game that night.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I have weapons I could use."

"Honestly, if he was going to fool around with anyone on that team, Jimmy is probably the best of the bunch," Ethan pointed out. "Everything I've heard about him is positive, and it seems like he goes into everything with honesty and being genuine."

"Fine," Chloe huffed. "But I reserve the right to remind him and his entire team if I feel the need to, by flaying the skin off of their bodies if need be."

Jeremy shook his head at his friend. "We need to get you some anger management courses or something. How not to be a murderer?"

"I'm perfectly comfortable with my bloodthirsty side, Thayer," Chloe commented.

"Are you sure we should go to this game tonight?" Ethan asked. "I mean, even here in Ohio, reporters know you. They know us. They could still come sniffing around for more comments about the controversy, and if they hear you cheering for Jimmy?"

"It will be fine," Jeremy said casually, though it was clear to them that he was tense about that idea. "Honestly, we'll just stay in the crowd. I've heard the games here are crowded, so it should be easy enough."

"Alright, but we're going dressed up," Chloe said as she moved forward on the couch so she was sitting on the edge of the cushion. "And this time? I'm dressing us! All of us, Ethan."

Ethan rolled his eyes at that but he knew he would relent eventually. Telling Chloe no was not in Jeremy's best interest, or really his own once Chloe got an idea in her head, so he allowed her to just do her thing.

Friday night brought the team getting ready in the locker room before the game, as everyone tried to get in the zone. The offensive side had seen the kiss between Jimmy and Jeremy for themselves, and it had ended up being the talk of the football team. While the offensive line seemed to be taking it in stride, some of the defensive side were acting colder towards Jimmy than they had before. There were definitely whispers behind his back, and awkward silences when he showed up.

He didn't let it get to him. The coach let him know that he was starting tonight, so he was busy getting focused for the game. He was the Center, so he didn't have the luxury of worrying about what was going on behind his back when most of the other team's line wanted to crush him in order to get to the Quarterback. He warmed up like he normally would and checked with his line to make sure they were cool.

Outside, the stands were getting filled up, and the crowd was huge. Chloe was leading their small group through the crowd, ever the large presence despite her small stature. She had them all wearing the school colors, blue and gold, and had used some face paint, writing things like KSU and making little drawings of black squirrels, the unofficial KSU mascot, on their faces with the paint. She had wanted to do more full face paint but Jeremy had vetoed that, mostly because he didn't want to have to wash his face before he actually spent time with Jimmy tonight. The plus side was that the makeup meant they would be harder to recognize.

"Are you still hoping to get laid by one of the footballers?" Ethan asked as they sat down in the stands, not too far from the fence.

"Depends on them," Chloe said with a wink and a smirk.

They watched as both teams came out onto the field, doing warm ups to get ready to start the game. Jeremy couldn't help but smile when he saw Jimmy out on the field, and Chloe elbowed him in the ribs lightly to tease him about it. He lightly pushed her away and rolled his eyes, his face flushing from having his friends see the way his face had lit up just at the sight of Jimmy.

"Go sportsball!" Ethan called out, earning laughs from his friends, but it also got some attention from some of the football team. Most of those from the offensive side that gave them any attention seemed to be more curious than anything, but Jeremy noticed they were being shot dirty looks by some of the other players.

"Well, jocks talk," Chloe grumbled.

"Those aren't good looks," Ethan pointed out.

Jeremy sighed. "Well of course not. Some guy shows up and turns one of their big players gay? It's not a good thing."

"That's not how it works. You can't just show up with tight jeans and chest hair, and turn a man gay. Either he had the capacity for it, or he didn't!" Chloe complained, and all Jeremy could do was nod that he agreed with her there.

The pre-game warmups were over and the coach was irritated. He pulled Jimmy aside. "Sparks, what the hell is going on?"

"Sorry Coach, they saw me kiss a guy the other night and I guess it's got some of them distracted," Jimmy told him.

Coach blinked at him, as if reassessing his estimation of his player, then gruffly told him to get back in line. He didn't say anything about it right away, but Jimmy suspected if folks didn't focus up before halftime, Coach was likely to have some words for them. He gave them their typical pre-game pep talk with a warning about the opposing team's Offensive Line being particularly aggressive before sending the Kickoff Return team onto the field to get the game going.

The first quarter went okay, though the Offense on the other team seemed to be chewing up the Flash Defensive Line and spitting them out. Jimmy managed not to get injured himself, but only barely. The opposing team's Defense was particularly focusing on the center and Jimmy suspected they were probing for weak spots elsewhere on the Line as well. He let the QB, which was Wayne, know at the next huddle and his best friend nodded and made the necessary adjustments with some audibles on the next play.

No one scored the entire first quarter, but the constant pressure from the other team's Offense got them a Touchdown just before Halftime. Coach threw his clipboard as the Defense tried to prevent a two-point conversion and failed miserably. It seemed like the players who had a chip on their shoulder toward Jimmy weren't pulling their weight. When they got back to the Locker Room, Coach lit into the entire Defensive Line and told them to "figure their shit out or stay in the Locker Room." He also swapped Jimmy out with the second-string Center, so Jimmy caught him up on how the other team's defense was playing. He hated riding the pine again but he saw the necessity.

Coach had no sooner left the room to chat with the Defensive Coach when: "Maybe Sparks is too distracted by his fucktoy in the stands," one of the defense said, which managed to travel enough through the locker room that both Jimmy and Wayne heard it.

"No more than I was when your mom came to watch me play, Jones!" Jimmy said in response. "Seriously, why does it matter to you who I'm interested in?"

Jones rolled his eyes. "No, no, I see why you like him. He's very feminine. I bet so long as he's shaved recently, you'd never know the difference."

"Dunno for sure, to be honest. If he grew a beard I may mistake him for your sister. Her dick isn't as big, though," Jimmy answered back, smiling. He knew Jones had declared his Freshman sister off-limits to the team earlier this season, so she was definitely one of his hot buttons.

Jones, of course, looked pissed off, and seemed to have run out of things to say, but one of the other members of his little group, Foster, gave a rather wicked smile. "I guess you'd just better hope no one else decides to take him for a ride. They might break him."

Jimmy shrugged, saying, "I don't think he's into the group thing like your dad is, Foster, but I guess you could ask him. Really, guys, like you've never thought about kissing me. Is that why you're so pissed about this?"

Before anyone could respond, Coach hammered on the door and everyone started heading out to the field. Jimmy hung back while the team rushed out and retied his cleats, figuring some second-string Defensive Lineman would want to have words with him, but he was pleasantly surprised to find that standing up to their crap and ribbing back seemed to have satisfied them, for now.

Jones, though, on the way out, made a crude gesture towards Jeremy when he knew the Coach wasn't looking, and Chloe was up before either man next to her realized she was trying to march toward the field. Ethan swore and jumped up to grab her before she could do anything, carrying her back to their seats while she yelled at him to put her down, making everyone around them look at them they were ridiculous. Jeremy blew out a breath that made his hair fly away from his eyes as he watched Jimmy go back over to the bench.

"Ethan, you can't watch me at all times," Chloe grumbled as he put her down back in her seat.

"That's fine," Ethan replied. "Destroy them later, but not in public. Plausible deniability. You learned this too."

"They benched him," Jeremy said softly, so softly they almost didn't hear it.

"I mean, they probably just need to try something different out," Ethan tried to excuse it, but Jeremy was shaking his head. "Help me, Chloe. I don't sportsball."

"You played baseball, dude," Chloe told him.

"Only in high school, and really only because dad made me play a sport," Ethan replied. "So come on, help me."

"I mean, they aren't exactly doing great," Chloe pointed out.

Jimmy sat, fuming inside a little, on the sidelines. He wasn't even paying attention to the game any more and Coach seemed upset with him about it, but why should he care what happens when he'd been benched for homophobia? Just as he was exploring that thought, he heard Wayne, as the QB, call for a snap and then heard a sickeningly juicy popping noise. He looked up and Steve, the second-string Center who had just gone in was down. He was screaming and holding his knee and it did not look like it was in good shape.

"Sparks," Coach barked, "Suit up! And if anyone has a problem with it, they're free to walk off the team!" Impressed, Jimmy put his helmet on. It was time to play some football.

Jeremy and his friends were all on their feet as soon as they saw the injury play out, and Chloe was running her hand on Jeremy's back to try and calm him down. They watched as Steve was taken off the field for medical attention and Jimmy ran in.

"It's okay," Chloe murmured. "He'll be fine, and so will Jimmy."

"This sport seems far more dangerous than I thought it was," Ethan said, which earned him an incredulous glare from Chloe because it wasn't going to help keep their friend calm.

"Yeah, incredibly," Jeremy replied, ignoring Chloe's reaction. "How likely do you think it is that the defensive side will keep him safe with all of this tension?"

"Jer," Chloe tried to sooth him. "Even if they don't do their part, that's not your fault."

"Isn't it?" Jeremy asked, watching as Jimmy spoke with some of his teammates in a huddle. "The dude has never once questioned his sexuality until me, and I make it clear I'm not okay with dating a straight boy who wants to keep the relationship a secret, and now..."

"Stop," Ethan growled. "That's not helpful. He'll be fine. For one, Jimmy is smart, which is why he is the center. Offense will do what needs to be done and so will he. And secondly, the teammates that are assholes are gonna asshole no matter what's going on."

Chloe gave Ethan a sideways look at that. "I thought you said you didn't know anything about sportsball?"

"Oh shut up," Ethan grumbled and looked back out at the field, ignoring the knowing smile that was blossoming on her face.

Inside the huddle, Wayne welcomed Jimmy back and admonished the team to band together to protect each other. It seemed the Defense was out for blood. During the next several plays, the Flashes progressed downfield but each First Down cost them an injury. Finally they scored when Wayne faked a handoff and sprinted through a hole in the Line and got free of the mob. They made their extra point attempt but that left them a point away from a tie game. When Jimmy sat back down, water in hand, to let the Defensive Line do their thing, the last thing on his mind was the blatant homophobia of his teammates. This contest had turned serious.

He didn't sit long, however, as Foster intercepted the ball on the next play. Putting his mouthguard back in, Jimmy headed back out onto the field, high-fiving Foster as they passed each other. It was almost like they'd forgotten their unnamed grievance against him and he was happy to let sleeping dogs lie for the moment.

"Team sports athletes," Chloe groaned with a shake of her head, and then looked at Jeremy. "I don't know how you guys go from being raging dicks to each other, to high fiving or slapping each other's asses that fast. I hold a damn grudge."

"Honestly, it's better for the team if you leave it off the field," Jeremy admitted. "Not to say that issues like this can't ruin games, because they do. I broke my wrist thanks to someone being homophobic on my own team back in New York. He wanted to make sure I didn't get the ball at all and ended up kicking my wrist hard."

"I remember that," Ethan grumbled, cracking his knuckles. "Didn't he get benched for a while for that?"

"You mean after you punched him?" Jeremy asked and then nodded. "Yeah, he was in a ton of trouble. It shouldn't have happened, but alas."

"Well, grudges aside, you should tell your boyfriend--"

"We're not official," Jeremy cut in.

"--to introduce me to that Quarterback," Chloe continued like he hadn't even spoken, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "What? That was a smart play back there! I like guys who can make smart plays. Besides, he's hot. That smile, that beautiful dark skin. Yum!"

The game continued to get more brutal as the third quarter came to a close. The Flashes scored another touchdown but it cost them a running back who got tackled hard in the end zone. The referees finally saw fit to grace that play with a flag but of course Coach waved it away as it would have involved rerunning the play and costing them the TD.

The last few minutes were spent keeping the other team's Offense from scoring, though they generally seemed to be able to do whatever they wanted without fear of flags. Coach was beside himself but didn't want to get thrown out of the game, so he walked the sidelines and swore repeatedly. The last quarter went just as fast, but the other team scored twice and the Flashes had nothing left to give. Both Offense and Defense were exhausted and playing hurt and it was a miracle they only scored twice. There was no chance to make any more touchdowns or even get into Field Goal range.

"If soccer is this dangerous, I'm not watching you play," Chloe grumbled as she kicked at a rock in the stands.

Ethan was shaking his head. "That was bullshit. Though, since they lost, does that mean you get to go and cheer him up now?"

Jeremy looked at Ethan sideways. "Even if I was going to, I wouldn't tell you. You're too invested in who I, and I quote, 'suck off.'"

Ethan just grinned at that, and they watched as the two teams ended up leaving the stadium. People started making their way out, going back to their cars, but the three of them sat there for a while, wanting to let the main crowd leave before they did. Of course, the team would have to shower and get dressed, as well as listen to their coach talk, so it would be a while before any of them were even free for the night. That gave Jeremy some time to use Chloe's makeup wipes to get the face paint off, though he left one of the black squirrels she put to the side of his right eye on there.

There was a little grumbling from the asshats on Defense about Jimmy showering with them and he just shrugged it off and tried not to let it ruin the thought that he was going to hang out with Jeremy after the game. He showered quickly, snapped a towel at Wayne, got dressed, and walked out with the guys on the Offensive Line. He saw the trio standing by the gate and smiled.

"Good sportsballing, guys," Ethan said as they got closer, and Jeremy laughed with a shake of his head before quietly reminding Ethan that they lost. "Oh, then better sportballing next time?"

Chloe was already in prime flirt mode, waving at the Offensive Line. "If it makes you boys feel any better, then dinner is on Jeremy, but drinks are on me."

Jimmy smiled and looked at his teammates. A couple of them were eyeing Chloe appreciatively. Wayne begged off, saying he was too tired, which got a pout toward Jeremy from Chloe that most of the footballers missed, but a couple of the guys seemed up for an after-game shindig. "What's the plan, then?" Jimmy asked.

"We can go downtown," Chloe offered, pointing out that they had their cars with them.

When they agreed on a place to eat, the trio drove everyone over and it didn't take long to get a table. Jeremy didn't want them paying their way into priority seating, but he was willing to pay wait staff well since they had to deal with a big party at the last minute. Jimmy sat next to Jeremy, moving his chair slightly closer before sitting down. He didn't do anything else that could be construed as territorial but he did regularly touch Jeremy's foot with his foot under the table throughout the whole meal, gaining smiles from Jeremy the whole time.

Jimmy's teammates, while competing for Chloe's attention, addressed Jeremy as they would have any potential romantic prospect among their peer group. They asked questions about where he was from and what he liked to do with his time and what he planned to do when he "grew up." They all laughed and joked together like this was normal and that comforted Jimmy quite a bit. If only the Defensive Line were so easy to charm.

Despite playing for vastly different sports, most of Jimmy's friends seemed to appreciate that Jeremy was an athlete too, though no one made Ethan feel bad for calling all of the sports by the same name. At least the ones with balls, and Ethan did in fact make that joke, much to Jeremy's chagrin, and eye roll.

"Forget his sportsball career though," Ethan said to Jimmy. "You need to see him in the water. Guy might as well be a whole ass mermaid. Merman? Merguy?"

"Merdude," Chloe added helpfully.

"Have you two ever been serious a day in your lives?" Jeremy asked them.

"Not one," Ethan replied with a grin.

The meal was soon over and one of the jocks reminded Chloe that she had offered to buy drinks. Chloe, never one to go back on an agreement, happily paid for whatever drinks the group wanted, though Jeremy kept his number low, only having one or two drinks at most because he hated being out of control. Jimmy only had a couple of drinks himself, remembering that he had made a certain desire known to Jeremy the other night and wishing to be sober to enjoy it.

The footballers both drank a fair amount but didn't stagger when they stood up to pee almost at the same time. They must have decided privately in the bathroom to let Chloe decide between them because when they came back they stood around at the table and made it clear that they were ready to get out of there. They looked pointedly at Chloe and the shorter one with the curly hair asked her point blank for her number.

She happily gave it to him, while Ethan looked at Jeremy and said, with Jimmy able to hear him, "I'm not taking her left overs."

Jeremy grinned. "Come on, Morrow. Take one for the team. You were recently talking about my seductive powers for bringing straight guys over to my team."

"And yet," Ethan replied with a shrug before he went to follow them back outside to go back home, though with Chloe, it was likely Ethan would find somewhere else to go if she wanted to have fun for a bit. Jeremy let Ethan take his car back to his apartment, because he could walk over the next day, and Ethan was sober. Chloe was too, so it was up to the two of them to get the other footballers back to wherever they were spending their night.