Hello Dear Readers! Yes, I'm updating again. Honestly, these stories are a result of me following AJ and Gavin around, and they've been quite demanding these days! Truly, these tales are so fun to write. I hope you are enjoying them.
Anything that smacks of Glee is not mine. Anything that doesn't is.
Enough of that! Let's get on with the show!
~oOo~
"I forgot how tired school makes me!" Michael exclaimed. The first day of classes at Dalton was officially finished, and the three roommates were in their dorm, blazers tossed aside and ties loosened.
"We do this every year," Jacob said, shaking his head. "We shouldn't stay up so late the night before first classes! I think I'm going to take a nap before dinner. The only homework I have is…"
"Physics!" all three boys said in unison. Their physics teacher, Mr. Jance, was notorious for assigning homework on the first day. Most of the other teachers understood the transition and let the boys ease into school. Not Mr. Jance.
AJ stood up and headed for his dresser, where he pulled out shorts and a t-shirt. "Well, I have soccer tryouts in thirty minutes, so I'll meet you guys back here before dinner. Has anyone seen my shinnies? Never mind, found them," AJ said, as he unearthed his shin guards from the bottom of a drawer.
After gathering his soccer ball and water bottle, AJ swung by Gavin's room to see if he'd be trying out. Gavin was just about ready to head to the field when AJ knocked on his door. "Hey! You are trying out! Cool. Let's get out there; I need some time to stretch," AJ said, hurrying Gavin along.
The September weather was completely cooperative that day, with a few rain showers in the morning and sunny, blue skies all afternoon. As the boys walked to the sports complex on campus, AJ asked, "How was your first day at Dalton? You are still alive, that's a good sign!"
Gavin laughed and said, "I'm just hanging on by a thread! No, really, it went pretty well. I found my way around and my classes seem okay. Hey, what is with the physics teacher assigning that huge reading for tonight?"
AJ said, "He was the discussion in room 208 right before I left. Mr. Jance is notorious for piling on the work. I had him for chemistry last year, so I'm kind of use to it. He's a nice teacher and we'll all learn a lot, but not without paying the price of a freaking mountain of homework."
Moments later, they joined the other boys who gathered for soccer tryouts. In small groups, they stretched, talked, kicked a ball around, and warmed up by running. After stretching, AJ asked, "Hey, what position do you play?"
"Keeper is my primary spot, but I can play backfield or even center forward if I need to," Gavin replied.
"Want me to warm you up in the goal?" AJ asked.
"Sure!" Gavin replied. Giving Gavin a minute to get situated, AJ sent him his best shot, high and to his right of where Gavin stood in the goal. Gavin flew to his left and easily snagged the ball, saving the shot.
"Holy crap, you are good!" AJ called. Gavin waved him off and continued to block, catch, ricochet, and capture any shot AJ sent his way.
Only one shot, AJ's specialty "sinker" move, was missed by Gavin. From Gavin's perspective in the goal box, it looked like the shot was going to fly over the net. Gavin was fully prepared to hold up both hands like a football referee and yell, "It's good!" to tease AJ for confusing his sports. At the last possible second, the ball dipped and sailed right under the bar. Gavin made a valiant effort to claim it, but he missed.
"Nice shot, Harry Potter. Are you magical or what?" Gavin called.
"If the Harry Potter thing is a crack about my hair, not appreciated. And yes, I am quite magical, thank you very much!" AJ yelled, a bit of Kurt-like defiance in his voice. Gavin's laughter rang across the field, which made AJ laugh too. At that moment, they heard the coach's whistle and they assembled with the other players on the field.
~oOo~
An hour and a half later, twenty tired and muddy boys walked from the sports complex to the dorms. "Guess I should have worked out more over the summer!" Gavin said to AJ, who was equally exhausted.
"Coach really put us through the paces, didn't he?" AJ said. "Still, I love the game! I never feel tired until I stop playing. Hey, how's that cut on your leg?" he asked Gavin.
"Dunno. I can't see it," Gavin said, trying to look at the back of his leg. "It stings, that's for sure." Another boy's cleat slid across the back of Gavin's calf when they both went for the ball in a scrimmage, leaving an impressive scrape.
AJ stopped and said, "Let me look at it." He crouched down and examined the wound on Gavin's leg. "It's a big one, but not very deep. It's full of dirt and grass, so you'll want to clean it up well."
"Eh, it's not big deal," Gavin said, "it will stop stinging soon."
"Dude. Seriously, you need to clean it out really well, or you're going to end up with an infection. Promise me you'll go see the nurse."
"Dude. Seriously, it will be fine," Gavin said, grinning at AJ. As they approached the dorm, Gavin asked, "Want to go to dinner?"
AJ stopped in his tracks, looked at Gavin and smiled. "Are you asking me out on a date?"
"No! No, I meant…oh man, that came out wrong, I meant…"
"Relax, I was just joking," AJ said, nudging Gavin's shoulder with his own.
"Oh, well, not that taking you out to dinner would be a bad thing, I just meant, you know, dinner, like, in the dining room, just like every night…"
"Seriously, I said relax…"
"Well, maybe sometime we could go to dinner. I mean out to dinner. Like…out."
"Gav, you should probably just stop talking," AJ said.
"Good plan. So…"
"I'll meet you in twenty minutes for dinner. Here at Dalton. Not a date. In the dining hall. Like every night," AJ said, cutting his eyes towards Gavin and grinning.
~oOo~
Twenty minutes later, AJ and his wet hair knocked on Gavin's door. "I come bearing gifts!" AJ said, holding up a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, some gauze, tape, and a pair of tweezers.
"Oh no, no, no you don't!" Gavin said, backing away from the door. "My cut is just fine. I cleaned it out in the shower."
"And just as I expected, you didn't see the nurse. Excuse me Mr. O'Keefe, but I had the pleasure of viewing your war wound up close and personal, and some of the debris was in too deep to be washed off in the shower. Lift up your pant leg." AJ took a step in the door.
"Sorry, these are my skinny jeans. Won't be able to help you out there," Gavin said, giving AJ his best "you're out of luck!" look.
"Then drop 'em," AJ said.
"AJ! No way, man. Come on, trust me. It's going to be fine. Let's head to dinner…" Gavin attempted to move towards the door, but was blocked by AJ.
"Nu-uh. Wounds first, dinner later. Now hurry up. Once Michael and Jacob get down there, the food will be gone." AJ's tone was serious and Gavin didn't see a way out.
"Fine," Gavin conceded, "but you hurt me, I cannot be held responsible for the injuries you sustain due to my reflexes." He stripped to his boxers, and stood there, defiantly.
"Okay. Lay down on your stomach…" AJ pointed to Gavin's bed.
"AJ!" Gavin pleaded! AJ held his ground.
"Fine, but if I kick you…"
"I know, I know, you can't be held responsible for…" AJ climbed up on Gavin's bed and sat down just above Gavin's ankles.
"What are you doing?" Gavin asked, trying to look behind him.
"Protecting myself from your flailing reflexes. Now, be a good patient, or there will be no balloon for you when we are done!" AJ said.
Sure enough, Gavin's cut held all kind of dirt, grass, and sand from the soccer field. "This might tingle a little," AJ said, as he poured a little hydrogen peroxide over the cut.
"HOLY CRAP!" Gavin yelled, "Is 'tingle' just a euphemism for 'stings like hell'? Dammit, AJ, that hurts!"
"Ten dollars for the correct use of 'euphemism' in a sentence! And yes, by the way, it was. Now hold still," AJ said. "Okay, now I can see what going on here. Looks like a few pieces of grass and a little bit of sand. This shouldn't take long. I'm going to use the tweezers now. If you move, you'll make it ten times worse."
Gavin held his breath, bracing for pain, but was pleased to find that AJ had a steady hand and was quite good with the tweezers. "Okay! I got the grass out. Three tiny pebbles to go," AJ said. Moments later, AJ taped a piece of gauze to back of Gavin's leg and pronounced him fixed.
"Remind me not to get wounded in your presence again!" Gavin said.
"You're just lucky I didn't need to bring out my stitching kit!" AJ said, joking.
"You have one?" Gavin asked, not sure if AJ was being serious.
"Yes! I used it just this morning to sew a loose button on my blazer!" AJ said with a grin.
"Oh I get it: doctor and stand-up comedian. With those skills, you'll go far in life!" Gavin said.
"I plan to," AJ said.
~oOo~
The next Monday, the soccer team roster was posted in the commons. AJ made the team as a center forward and Gavin made it as keeper and back up defender. Practice started on Tuesday, right after classes and the first game was schedule for two Saturdays later.
As Gavin and AJ approached the field, Coach Martin stopped his conversation with the athletic trainer and yelled, "Hummel-Anderson! It's good to see that you got your head back on straight and returned to the one true sport. Good to have you back in the fold, son!"
"Thanks, Coach!" AJ returned.
"And O'Keefe! Where in the world did you come from?"
"California, sir," Gavin said.
"Coach, not sir. And I don't care if you came from Mars! My prayers were answered when I watched you work the goal box. Welcome!"
"Thanks, Sir…Coach…Sir."
"Enough chit-chat. Laps. Both of you!" Coach Martin barked.
AJ and Gavin took off, jogging first and then adding speed. Their strides matched almost perfectly, which made staying together easy. "I double dog dare you to call Coach Martin 'Sir Coach' at any opportunity available," AJ said.
"Messing with coaches is one of my favorite things to do," Gavin said. "What's in it for me?"
"Well, I'll continue to stay on as your personal physician, no extra charge…"
"How gracious of you," Gavin smirked.
"…and I'll take you to dinner and a movie."
Gavin stopped running. Three paces later, so did AJ and he turned around. "What?" AJ asked, arms akimbo.
"AJ Hummel-Anderson, are you asking me out on a date?"
"Keep running you two!" Coach Martin yelled across the field.
"Do you want it to be a date? I mean we could call it a…" AJ was cut off.
"Yeah, I think I do want it to be a date," Gavin replied. He smiled, turned towards his new coach and yelled, "No problem, Sir Coach! Sorry, Sir Coach!"
"O'Keefe, I don't appreciate a smartass, just so you know!" Coach Martin yelled across the field. AJ broke out in a fit of giggles and Gavin followed suit.
When they'd caught their breath and started running again, AJ said, "Okay, so, this Saturday, we have 6:00 reservations for dinner. I hope you like Greek food. Movie is at 8:00. I'll pick you up at your room at 5:30," AJ winked at Gavin and sprinted ahead, leaving a sputtering and delightfully surprised boy from California in his dust.
~oOo~
Hear that noise? It's the sound of yet another AJ/Gavin induced cavity as it takes up residence in your teeth. Do know that there be angsty (is that even a word?) waters ahead, but not quite yet. It's all just so cute right now, so why muck things up?
GirlFromTheWest xxoo
