stutter

08. - team building

RORY

At the end of practice coach asked us to stay for a bit. I went rigid as soon as I heard that because I knew what he wanted. We were a complete mess for a while now, played catastrophically and I should've done something about it as a captain but I never did. I was way too focused on Mark in the past few days.

"Okay boys!" Coach Morgan started. "With all due respect, what the fuck is wrong with y'all?" That's why I liked him. He was never afraid to say what he actually thought and always gave honest feedback.  

The rest of the team looked at me instantly, not wanting to take the hits. I stood there thinking very hard when I got the idea.

"I guess I know what we need," I said, trying to look serious before saying every coach's favorite words. "Team building."

"Team building?" Coach Morgan asked back with a soft hum.

"Yes. Think about it. When was the last time we did anything together? As a real team, not just some guys who happened to play in the same school," I explained while nodding. "And actually I've noticed this too."

"Of course you do. That's why you're the captain."

"I even started working on a solution but you noticed before I could start, I apologize for that," I heard the others snickering and I was pretty sure Oliver murmured "bullshit" under his breath. 

"Rory you're a good kid but don't forget, as your coach it's also my responsibility that you guys play good," explained the coach. "What's your plan?" he asked.

"Just a little get together, watching today's match. I asked Mike, he said that we can crash at his."

"Excellent! Thank god somebody's thinking about the team's future. Now go! Don't want to see you."

In the locker Mike punched my arm. 

"You stole my idea!" he said in a fake-mad tone. I grinned back at him while the others were laughing their ass off. 

"Gotta do what I gotta do. Sorry," I said even though I looked anything but as I stripped from my sweaty top.

"You know what I forgive you," Mike said. "If you get your ass there too. And drink too. Not negotiable."

"You want to kill me," I groaned. 

"Nah it'll be funny," Adam smiled widely. "Remember the last time you drank? And we needed to come up some bullshit excuse to your mom? It was hilarious."

I couldn't hold my liquor for the life of me. Usually once I started drinking I never stopped until I passed out which was even more annoying with my mother who was super against alcohol. I always made a fool of myself, saying too much about stuff I shouldn't have. 

"For you," I mumbled. "It's not my fault. I'm not trained for this."

"So dramatic. You only got drunk like what, twice before? You just haven't drunk enough yet."

"Train Rory for alcohol plan is on!" shouted Paul making the whole team scream.

I'm gonna die.

. . .

Adam and I were walking out of practice together. We were walking towards mine to put down my stuff first. Also I wanted my mom to let me go to this team building thing and I was sure she wouldn't say no to Adam.

"I was thinking," started talking Adam after a while. "Remember the last time you drank-"

"Stop," I cut him off. "I don't want to remember," he rolled his eyes.

"You told everyone that you once accidentally asked out your crush's parent instead of them," he continued anyway making me cringe. "Now that I actually think about it, was that crush a boy? Are you like full-on gay?"

"I am. Can we not talk about my past mistakes?"

"The point is that... You told everyone the most embarrassing thing that could ever happen to anybody. Without hesitation. You even seemed proud of it," I gave him a pointed look. "Yeah sorry. I was just thinking... Now that you're like crazy obsessed with Mark and it's not just a hallway crush, I guess, do you think that you'd tell the others about having feelings for a boy while you're drunk? Assuming that you don't want to come out, of course."

I couldn't say anything right away because fuck. He was right. He was so right. 

"I'm so fucked," my voice was shaky, just slightly above a whisper. If I come out, would they believe that I was just joking? Everybody says weird shit while drunk right?

"No you're not. Because I'm the bestest friend like ever."

"What? Adam I know that you love your ego but this is different. I cannot do this," I started spiraling.

"You're so stereotypically gay with all this drama," Adam said shaking his head. "I'll say that I won't drink because I'll be the DD. Nobody will say anything. They would rather have one sober guy to drive than having to walk or get a taxi or whatever."

"Would you really do that?" 

"Yeah. I got you don't worry," he shrugged like it was nothing. Well maybe it was nothing to him but it made me incredibly happy. I couldn't help but think about the time when I was frightened to come out to him... And now he was full on supporting me, doing everything he could without question just to make me feel safe.

"Thanks. I owe you one."

"Yeah you do."

a/n: i kinda ship adam and rory sorry not sorry