by me
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own major league baseball players. This is fake.
Pairing: Tim Hudson/Mark Mulder (for now...)
Series: 1/?
Summary: Just some set-up conversation.
Notes: I'm going to try this. We'll see what happens. These guys are fun to write, though. They're adorable.
Barry put his arms around the shoulders of his two fellow pitchers as the three of them headed out of the locker room after a 2-1 loss to the Yankees. "Good game, Timmy."
"It was," the starter of the game agreed. "I felt good. I wish we'd gotten more offense. We had a chance to win."
"You always give us a chance to win," Barry grinned, patting the head of his older teammate. "And anyway, we'll beat them tomorrow."
"We better," Mulder replied. He was the more soft-spoken of the three, at least in public. "We're expected to be big, the A's are. Mostly because of us. Not that I'm helping much."
Hudson nodded in agreement. "We're the fab, uh 2.5. Until Mark's arm decides to cooperate."
"Cory counts as a fourth," Barry said.
"Four, then. Like the Braves."
"Ooh, I get to be Smoltz," Zito said. "He has the coolest clubhouse pranks."
Tim suddenly smiled. "Fine, then Mark and I get to be Maddux and Glavine."
"Yeah, or how about we just be Hudson and Zito and Mulder-with-a-screwy-arm?" Mark rolled his eyes.
"I suppose that would be ok, too," Barry said, still grinning. "Speaking of which, you'll never guess what I heard from David-"
"Bar, is this gossip that should not be mentioned within earshot of reporters?"
"Um..."
"Want to get a beer?" Mark interjected, while Barry pondered the appropriateness of his information.
"I'll drive, Tim offered, and Mark immediately called shotgun, leaving Barry to fold his 6'4" frame into the backseat.
"So what's this thing you've got to tell us, Z?" Tim asked, starting the ignition.
"Well, you know how he used to be a Brave-"
"No shit. He, like, won them a World Series."
"Tom Glavine won the World Series," Barry responded automatically. "But anyway. He told me that Maddux and Glavine are gay."
There was no response from his friends. "Aren't they married?" Tim finally said. Barry didn't miss the look Mark gave Tim.
"Yeah..." Barry said. "But Just said he saw them in the locker room once."
"What do you care, Z?"
"I don't, that much..." Barry frowned. "Why are you so touchy?"
"No reason," Tim muttered, shooting a dark look at Mulder.
"Ok...whatever."
Much later, after Barry was home, Tim and Mark sat in Tim's car in the otherwise deserted player's parking lot. "We should tell him."
"I don't want to tell him."
"You're scared."
"That's a perfectly logical excuse for not telling him."
"Mark, I know you want him. It's ok."
"It isn't...he's...he's like straight."
"If that kid is straight, I'll...I'll..."
"I get the point, Timmy."
Hudson sighed. "You can't help but love him, Mark. He's just...Barry."
"I'm IN love with him, Tim. And I'm in love with you too. How did that happen to me?"
"I don't know," Tim said, reaching over to ruffle Mark's hair. "But it'll be ok."
"Ok," Mark sighed. "Goodnight."
"Night, Mark." The younger man leaned over, and Tim kissed him deeply. He watched as Mark's car rumbled to life, then pulled out of the lot.