Tony and Harm sat on the bleachers on the football field together, watching the cheerleaders as they did their routine for the freshman to try and learn. Harm chuckled as he leaned back and looked over at Tony with a smile.
"You so got this babe, you're even better than some of the varsity cheerleaders." Harm said quietly as he reached over and slid his hand underneath Tony's shirt, nimble fingers caressing across the small of Tony's back.
Tony sighed as he leaned into Harm's touch just slightly "I don't know if my routine is good enough though." Tony whispered sadly as he twisted his hands together nervously.
Harm sighed as he sat up and leaned closer to Tony's ear, gently kissing the shell of his boyfriend's ear, "You got this Tony. Your routine is solid, and believe me, I know a good cheer routine when I see one… Been watching cheerleaders cheer me on since I was in sixth grade." Harm said confidently as he kissed Tony's temple then leaned back again, relaxing across the bleachers.
Mandy – The cheer captain – bounced up the bleachers happily "Hey Harm!" Mandy said in a chipper tone as she looked up and down the length of the football player's body, winking flirtatiously at him, then turning to Tony "Come on Tony, it's time for try-outs." Mandy said, holding her hand out to the younger man.
Tony rolled his eyes slightly as he stood up and walked past Mandy and down onto the football field, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited patiently for the try-outs to start.
"Jeez, what's with him? Did I do something wrong?" Mandy asked, oblivious to her own actions as she looked down at Harm with puppy dog eyes.
Harm shook his head as he tipped his sunglasses off his nose and looked up at Mandy "Nah, you didn't do anything wrong. Go down there and whip those newbies into shape, Mandy, they certainly need it." Harm said, yawning into his shoulder as he nudged his sunglasses back up to cover his eyes and keep his gaze fixed on Tony superstitiously.
Mandy bounced back down the bleachers and hopped in front of the line of twenty females ranging from the freshman class to the junior classes, "Alright ladies! And Tony! Let me see what you got!" Mandy demanded as she sat in the pink director's chair on the running track that surrounded the football field.
Tony moved out onto the field first and stood at the thirty yard line, breathing deeply and glancing over at Harm who was giving him the thumbs up. Tony nodded as he started off at a dead run and began doing cartwheels and flips down to the fifty yard line, when he stopped and stood on the Major's mascot head in center field he looked directly at Mandy. Tony inhaled deeply as he slowly lifted his head up to look skyward, he glanced over at Harm and shook his head as he ran off the field and past the bleachers, leaving a shocked Mandy behind and Harm who was scrambling to get down the bleachers and chase after Tony.
When Harm finally caught up to the younger man, he was pacing back and forth in front of the front gates of the football field entrance, his arms wrapped tightly around his chest, "Tony! What happened?!" Harm asked, stepping closer to his boyfriend with a frown on his face.
Tony shook his head as he turned and looked up at Harm with tears in his eyes "You! You didn't even stop her flirting! Not even attempting to rebuff her advances!" Tony shouted, his voice echoing in the empty breezeway leading to the football field.
"Tony… I… I wasn't even paying attention to her! Jesus Christ, you think that I appreciate when every chick in this school openly flirts with me?!" Harm shouted back, clenching his fists and shoving them into his pockets, "I don't like it Tony… I really don't… I already told you, I'm in this relationship, with you, one hundred percent… Mandy and everyone else who wants to flirt with me can kiss my ass! I don't care about them, I care about you!" Harm stated, furrowing his brows slightly as he kicked a rock across the walkway.
Both men turned when they heard someone gasping behind them "Oh gosh! Tony, I didn't… I didn't know that you and Harm were dating! I wouldn't…" Mandy sniffled slightly as she walked closer to the two men, "I wouldn't have sat there flirting with him, if I knew he was your boyfriend!" Mandy stated adamantly, frowning as she looked at the younger man's discomforted posture.
Tony sighed "Yeah, well we are… I mean, I thought that was kind of obvious… Why else would he be at cheer tryouts with me, if we weren't some sort of item?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Mandy.
Mandy shrugged slightly "I don't know, I just kind of always thought that Harm was doing that whole 'big-brother' routine with you, kind of like what he does with the younger guys on the football team…" Mandy said softly, crossing her arms over her bare midriff.
Harm shook his head as he stepped behind Tony and wrapped his arms over the younger man's shoulders "Nope, we're an item, have been since this past summer… So, you think he can get another shot?" Harm asked, grinning as he rested his chin on top of Tony's head.
Mandy shook her head, smiling softly "He doesn't need another shot, cheers or not, he had the spot from the beginning. I just wanted the other girls to see what I saw in Tony!" Mandy said, winking as she linked her arm through Tony's arm and tugged him forward slightly "You are hawt stuff, Tony and the Majors Cheer Squad would be honored to have you on our team… If you're still willing?" Mandy asked, hopefulness in her tone as she looked over at Tony.
Tony shrugged dramatically "I don't know. I'd have to talk to my talent manager about it!" Tony exclaimed as he tilted his head back and grinned up at Harm.
Harm laughed as he bent his head and kissed Tony's forehead "Your talent manager thinks it is a great opportunity and that you should absolutely go for it. Not many people get offered first-string cheer squad right out of tryouts, Tony." Harm said as he ran his hands from Tony's shoulders down to the younger man's hips, tickling into the trim muscles there.
Tony giggled, squirming against Harm's chest "Okay! Okay! I'll do it!" Tony squeaked out as he bounced out of the circle of Harm's arms and turned around, looking up at him, "Are you gonna stay here with me, or do you want to take off?" Tony asked, fiddling with Harm's hand in his own.
Harm smirked as he kissed the tip of Tony's nose "I've gotta stay here with you, I'm your ride home, remember?" Harm asked as he slid his hand into Tony's and then offered his bent arm to Mandy "Now, let's go Majorettes, we've got cheerleaders to teach!" Harm exclaimed as he led Tony and Mandy back out onto the football field.
Harm leaned back in the bleachers once he delivered Mandy and Tony back out onto the field, watching as the squad – including Tony – sat through and watched each and every other girl tryout, a shadow blocked the sun that was beating down on Harm, so the man looked up to see two people standing above him, and he grinned slightly, "Hey guys, you missed Tony's try out!" Harm stated, nodding down towards Tony who was sitting next to Mandy and whispering something in her ear.
Sarah 'Mac' MacKenzie – Harm's best friend since sixth grade – sighed as she sat down next to him, "We tried making it on time, but the debate club meeting ran into 'overtime' as you football people would call it – By the way, Mr. Womack said if you missed another debate you'd be out of the club…" Mac said as she leaned back on her elbows.
"Leave him alone Mac, he's the star quarterback, do you really think he needs the debate team?" Jimmy Palmer – another good friend – asked as he sat down on the other side of Harm and looked out on the football field, grimacing at the movements that all the girls on the field were attempting.
"Uh yeah! If one day he wants to go to Law School, he does need the debate team!" Mac exclaimed, reaching over Harm's head to slap Jimmy on the back of the head, huffing out a breath of air as she rolled her eyes, "Seriously Harm, if you're not careful, you could lose everything…" Mac added as she looked up at Harm with furrowed brows.
Harm shrugged "My everything is out there on that field, Mac… And not to mention, I've already got three college offers… Harvard, Charleston and Georgetown are basically beating down my front door to try and get me into their schools." Harm said nonchalantly, licking his lips slightly.
Mac sighed dramatically as she laid her head against Harm's shoulder "Have you decided which school you're going to yet? I mean, I know it's still a couple months away, but you really need to have a good idea of where you're going before it's too late!" Mac asked, looking up at Harm with pleading eyes.
Jimmy shook his head "Don't listen to her Harm, you know you don't have to make that decision until the end of the school year, and a lot is riding on your decisions… I mean, you have to think about yourself and if you want to be separated from your grandmother, and Tony… God, I couldn't imagine if Breena and I had to choose different schools…" Jimmy said, shaking his head slowly as he looked out at his girlfriend in question, a shy smile crossing his face.
"Guys, you both need to relax… I've got a full ride to Georgetown, and that is what I need. Plus not to mention it's a dual scholarship, both for football and law… So, why would I go anywhere other than GTU?" Harm asked curiously, looking between his two best friends with a raised eyebrow.
Mac giggled as she bit her bottom lip back "You're going to be a Hoyas! That's really kind of funny." Mac exclaimed, gigging even more as she looked out at the field, then back up at Harm "Does he know what you've decided yet?" Mac asked, pointing in Tony's direction.
Harm shook his head slowly "Not yet, but it's not like it'll be a big shock… He knows I want to stay in the state, I… I have to stay in the state, and not just for Tony, although part of my decision is based on him… My grandmother still needs me, while my mother and Frank travel the world without a care in the world." Harm stated, rolling his eyes as he slowly stood up, bouncing down a few of the bleacher seats and turning to face his friends, "I'm so sick of her shit! I mean, my grandmother is practically on her deathbed as it is, and my mom and Frank are off in… Belize? Or was it London this month? I don't even know where the hell they are half the time!" Harm growled out, flexing his fists together as he turned back around, crossing his arms over his chest.
Mac and Jimmy both frowned as they looked at each other and then up at Harm, "Dude, don't even worry about your folks, they aren't what matters when it all boils down to the nitty gritty! This is your life and you have to live it the way you know how – Sure, it's tough but… You're making it work… Aren't you?" Jimmy asked, raising his eyebrow questioningly.
Harm shrugged as he sat down, cradling his head in his hands "I'm almost eighteen Jim, I should be hanging out with friends, partying until I can hardly walk straight, instead I have to split my time between being a caretaker from my ailing grandmother, playing football, and being with Tony… And on top of that, the debate team, which apparently I'm close to being kicked off of… And don't get me wrong, I love all of those things… but I would like to just be a regular teenager for once in my life!" Harm said angrily, fisting his hair in his hands.
Mac sighed as she slid down the bleachers and wrapped an arm around Harm's back, snuggling into his side "This is going to be a weird question… But, have you thought about maybe putting her in a home?" Mac asked, looking up at Harm with a frown on her face.
Harm shook his head slowly "Can't afford it, gratuity from my father's and grandfather's deaths are almost nil, and then her social security check covers whatever else I can't pay with the gratuity checks… And after they stop, well… Then I'm in the shitter completely… So no, I haven't thought about a home." Harm said, rubbing at his eyes tiredly "Look, I don't wanna talk about it anymore… Tryouts are almost wrapped up…" Harm added as he stood up and headed down the bleachers, shoving his fists into his pockets.
Mac and Jimmy both frowned as they watched Harm walk away, a defeated look to his body, "We need to do something for him Jimmy." Mac said quietly as she rejoined him on the bleachers.
Jimmy shook his head "And what the hell are we supposed to do Mac? Rob a bank?" Jimmy asked, looking at Mac with a slight scowl on his face as he stood up "I know where he's coming from… and believe me, help is nice… But there isn't much we can do for him." Jimmy said as he hopped down the bleacher stairs with Mac following after him.
"There has to be something we can do… I'm going to talk to a friend of mine…" Mac said as she bounced down the bleachers and then took off down the breezeway at a dead sprint. Jimmy shook his head as he walked over to the track field, leaning against Breena's back and sighing noisily.
Harm was walking around the track after tryouts were finished up, waiting on Tony and thinking about everything said on the bleachers, he sighed as he kicked a rock across the track field. Tony frowned as he jogged up to Harm, "Hey, what's wrong?" Tony asked softly as he linked his arm through the bend of Harm's arm.
Harm shook his head as he looked over at Tony "Just thinking… You did great out there today. Can't wait to see you at the football game next weekend." Harm said, quickly changing the subject as he plastered on a fake smile.
Tony sighed as he laid his head against Harm's shoulder, "Jimmy told me what happened Harm… You know that my dad and I are here for you, right?" Tony asked, looking up at his boyfriend with sad, understanding eyes.
Harm nodded as he bent his head and kissed Tony softly on the lips "Yeah, I know babe. And I appreciate it, but there really isn't much you or anyone else can do…" Harm said quietly as he slid his arm around Tony's shoulder, hugging the shorter man close to his side, "Probably won't be playing basketball this year though, have to think about getting a job instead…" Harm added, just as quietly, staring up at the slowly darkening sky.
Tony shook his head as he stopped Harm and turned to stand in front of him "People can help you Harm, there is something that we – everyone – can do for you. You just need to let this… macho tough-guy 'I can handle it' pride shit go and accept help from those who are willing to help you!" Tony said, his tone edging on annoyance and anger as he stared up at Harm.
"And what the hell are you – or anyone else – going to do Tony?! It's not like you can make the mortgage disappear, or the electric, water, all those bills disappear!" Harm questioned, his own temper flaring as he clenched his fists together tightly, "I really don't want to fight about this, not with you, Tony… Please! This isn't your battle, and I don't want you taking on the burden of my family problems…" Harm pleaded, sagging his shoulders slightly as he looked down at the ground.
Tony sighed as he stepped closer to Harm, nuzzling into the taller man's chest and resting his head underneath Harm's chin "I love you Harm… and we'll figure this out… You are my family, and your problems are my problems… Now, let's get out of here before the rain comes… I really don't feel like playing in the rain today." Tony said softly as he cupped Harm's clenched fist as he pulled the taller man towards the exit of the field.