chaoticfoxes

[chaoticfoxes]

Along with the stinging in his cheek, Mateo's knuckles ache when he actually makes contact with Grant's jaw. That'll definitely bruise later, but it's worth it to get a hit in. Fights aren't meant to be clean.

He barely has time to recover or make his next move before Grant uses his weight against Mateo and shoves him back, causing him to stumble hard enough that he can't block the next punch that sends him colliding into a desk.

All the air leaves Mateo lungs from the hit, and he wheezes pitifully as he clings to the desk. It's probably a sign he should give up, but he's already pushing off the desk to try again. He doesn't get too far when their coach appears in the doorway and steps between them. Wymack throws out a hand to stop Mateo mid-lunge.

"What the hell is this? Day one? Cut it out!" Wymack orders, shoving Mateo further back from Grant but not hard enough to make him fall. "Don't let me catch you two trying that again."

Mateo doesn't bother making any promises or apologies. He merely rolls his eyes at Wymack and steps around him to get out of the room. He needs some fucking ice.

#lol this feels very wymack #and that's a wrap! #finished #mm:gr #mm:gr001 #thread: mateo #mateo

[chaoticfoxes]

Charlie learns the hard way that punches hurt almost as much throwing them as they do receiving them. As he lands a hit right on Kent's face, he's pretty sure he feels his knuckles split open against his cheekbone. That'll bruise nicely, right along with his mouth.

It doesn't take Kent long at all to advance on him, and Charlie thinks for a split second that even if he barely walks away from this fight, he won't regret it. Hitting Kent felt good. He always tries to take the higher ground and walk away when he realizes he won't win their arguments, but something about stooping to Kent's level is so damn satisfying. He should've punched him a year ago.

That feeling vanishes almost entirely when he hears a very familiar voice ordering them to stop. It feels like a bucket of cold water just dumped over him as he freezes entirely, his gaze shifting wearily to his ex-girlfriend as she steps in between them.

Forget trying to kiss Casey at the banquet, this might be the most humiliating moment of his life.

Charlie notices the way she checks on Kent first, and it's a harsh reminder of why she dated him in the first place--to get to her half-brother. With her attention on Kent, he flexes his fist and hisses at the sting. His knuckles are bleeding just like his lip.

It's all so much worse when Bianca turns her attention on Charlie next, and her expression says it all. He looks like a disaster. Refusing to be mortified by the most dysfunctional duo in the world for another second, Charlie averts his gaze from her and spits out a simple, "I'm fine."

Wiping blood from his mouth, he pushes past her to make his way towards the front door, determined to clean himself back at the Fox Tower and far away from Bianca.

There's a commotion around them—drunken protests as people move out of their way, cheerleaders rushing over to see what's going on—but Kent's not paying attention. At first, that's because he finally got to punch Charlie in his smug face.

Then, he's distracted with the fact that Charlie actually got a punch in too. Kent would bet good money that Charlie's never been in a fight before, but that doesn't stop the goalie's fist from colliding with Kent's face. It stings, but Kent's drunk enough that it doesn't truly hurt. Maybe that'll come in the morning, his bruises amplified by a hangover and wounded pride.

But it's just one lucky hit. Kent knows he can fight better than Charlie.

As he advances though, intent on grappling Charlie, the crowd of Vixens finally catch his attention. More importantly, one of the Vixens—because of course they'd send Bianca in to break up this fight.

She cups her hands around her mouth, pitching her voice loud enough to be heard above the music as she tells them to stop it.

And, hell. For a moment, Kent considers shoving her back, too. His grudge with Charlie has evolved into its own beast, but it all started with Bianca. She's the unwelcome presence in his life; the person clinging to his coattails no matter how hard he ignores her.

He hesitates, though, and it's enough time for Bianca to step in between them. Evidently, she doesn't realize how close Kent came to involving her in this fight, too.

"Stop it," Bianca repeats, sounding more confident now that no one's actively throwing punches. "We will kick you guys out." She glances between the two of them, before her gaze lands on Kent. "Are you alright?"

Predictably, Kent doesn't answer. His face does hurt now, the ache in line with his heartbeat in a way that signals this will definitely bruise tomorrow. Still, he gingerly prods the skin, busying himself with inspecting the damage instead of responding to Bianca.

She must be used to him by now, because Bianca doesn't miss much time as she turns that question to Charlie next. Kent pretends he isn't trying to read her facial expression as soon as she's looking away.

Bianca winces at Charlie, which hopefully means he looks worse off than Kent. "What about you?" Bianca says. "Are you alright?"

#cs:kc #cs:kc005 #thread: charlie #charlie #i think this works as a wrap? though feel free to do more with kent and bianca!

[chaoticfoxes]

Marley is a comforting presence. It makes Claudia feel like she's back in her dorm and not in this sad hotel. Claudia hates losing regardless, but it's always a little extra disheartening when it happens at an away game and no one wants to taking advantage of being somewhere different.

"Yeah," Claudia agrees with a sigh as Marley joins her on the bed. She scoots closer to the headboard in case her roommate wants to settle fully.

The Jackals would've been hard to beat regardless. In their defense, no one in their district other than the Ravens seem able to do it, but Claudia doesn't like to use excuses. It doesn't just make it easier to accept. She wants to be better and beat the odds, not just play moderately better than they did last year.

When Marley turns her own question back on her, she gives a shrug, trying not to seem as disappointed as she is, but she's sure it's written all over her face.

"Frustrated," she admits eventually. "I think I signed up for that though. I knew the chances of winning tonight were low, but what kind of captain would I bet if I just accepted that?"

Marley had no designs on leadership. It felt obvious that it should be Claudia—and when Claudia chose Glory, that made perfect sense too. Still, she wishes there were more she could do tonight, especially for Glory and Claudia. Claudia believes in the Foxes, and Marley believes in her. That doesn't mean Marley thinks it would be easy to shoulder the responsibility of captain of the Foxes.

Every team loses sometimes, but the Foxes lose more than most. People act like it means more when they lose: not a temporary setback, but their default setting.

There's only so much any one person can do for a team, even if that person's the captain. Knowing Claudia though, she's likely carrying the weight of tonight's loss heavier than most. It isn't a surprise, then, when Marley finds Claudia tucked away in her hotel room, rather than out with any of the other Foxes.

"Of course," Marley says. "Tonight was a rough match, but knowing who we were up against? I sort of figured it would be," she continues, coming to sit on the edge of the bed. The Jackals are known for a certain sort of game, after all. That, and winning. "What about you, captain? How are you feeling?"

#cj:mr #cj:mr004 #thread: claudia #claudia

[chaoticfoxes]

Glory doesn't make any promises, but Sterling still hands her the bottle. She's not the problem anyway. He's not into authority, but if anyone is invested in them winning then it's the captain and vice captain. He hasn't seen Claudia since they came back to the hotel, so she's probably locked away in her room making a PowerPoint presentation on how not to suck.

Sterling know they still have an entire season ahead of them, and they're already doing better than last year with that first win. Colin is in his head though, making him wonder if they'll just do it all over again but in reverse. That was their one win, and now they'll lose the rest.

He can't let himself actually believe that or he'll just throw the season away, but when he's pissed off and drunk it's easy to spiral.

Being a fifth year just...sucks. Most students probably can't wait to graduate, but not Sterling. Every lost game will feel like he's also losing out on his future. He'd stay here another five years if it meant he had any chance on bettering his odds.

He can't be a 27 year old Fox though, and he can't make it so the Foxes win through sheer will, so all he can do is drink and try and forget tonight happened.

"Yet," Sterling grumbles in response, pausing to take another swig from his own bottle. "This is my fifth year. You know how many Championships I've played? None. Maybe if Wymack would stop trying to be everyone's savior and actually recruited people who want to play the fucking game, we'd actually get somewhere."

She wanted to believe that the Jackals were beatable. She wanted the Foxes to go out there and make a statement, take the Jackals and everyone else who underestimated the Foxes by surprise—but they didn't do that. They lost.

But now they have to take it and move on. Try and win the next one.

Because the Foxes may not have beat the Jackals, but it's not like anybody else can beat them, either—in the Foxes' district, it was only the Ravens who beat the Jackals last year. The Foxes lost to them, but so did seven other teams. And then the Jackals went and won their way through the playoffs until the Lions stopped them in their tracks.

And the Foxes are better than they were last year, but they're not the Big Three.

That stings in a different way. Losing is hard, but it can be harder when there aren't even things you can point to, singular mistakes that turned the tide of the game. Mistakes that—if fixed—could mean that they won the next one. Losing is hard when the other team is just—better. When it was never an even playing field to start with, when they hardly had a chance.

It wasn't all bad. There were things that they did right. Maybe, against another team, that would've been enough.

She could've guessed that, out of everyone, Sterling would take it hard. Even if his way of expressing it—lashing out with insults and blame—isn't exactly productive. But she knows she isn't going to convince him of that, at least not tonight when he's drunk and on edge. She can take it from him, at least. As Vice Captain, it feels like she should be the one to.

But taking it would be a lot easier if she were a little drunk, too, so she holds her hand out expectantly. "Give it here." And then, because she can't help herself, she adds: "We're only two games into the season, y'know. It's not over yet."

#sw:gh #sw:gh002 #thread: sterling #sterling

[chaoticfoxes]

Jasper tries not to appear too visibly relieved that Grant takes him up on his drink offer instead of escalating things further. He still can't help but smile though, because he's drunk, and his self-control isn't at its best right now.

He really doesn't know what he's supposed to think of their new goalkeeper. It's really obvious that Grant isn't here to make friends, and also just isn't happy to be here. It wasn't like River was particularly friendly when they joined either, but at least Jasper could hold a conversation with them.

"Vodka and orange juice. Got it," Jasper echoes before making his way to the drinks. He isn't sure what Grant's preferred ratio is, so he goes a little heavier on the orange juice, but doesn't skimp out on the vodka either. He refills his own drink too before passing Grant his cup.

"Uh--cheers," Jasper says awkwardly, and makes it even more awkward when he doesn't actually try and clink their cups together. That just feels like a bad idea. He busies himself with taking a long sip of his mixed drink as he searches his brain for something to say.

"What do you think of the party?" He asks finally.

It's stubbornness alone that makes Grant nod. He could be taking this as an out, but now it feels like doing so would be accepting defeat—to himself, if not to Jasper. Grant's not going to spend the rest of the night off-kilter because of Jasper. Because of any of the Foxes, frankly.

It's bad enough that he's surrounded by people known for both their histories and their colossal failures on the court, two things Grant wants to avoid for himself at all costs. Bad enough that being a Fox has so thoroughly burrowed under his skin already, before the season's even begun. He's not going to stalk off and lick his wounds now, because there's nothing to nurse. He's fine; he can enjoy the party.

And anyway, he could use another drink. If Jasper wants to make himself useful and grab Grant one too, who is Grant to say no? "Sure. Fine," Grant says. "I was drinking vodka and orange juice."

#jl:gr #jl:gr001 #thread: jasper #jasper

[chaoticfoxes]

HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY AMBER! WELCOME TO 30!! 🥳🎈🍰

@foxespsu

[chaoticfoxes]

A loud laugh escapes Mateo when Grant's immediate comeback is to insult his Exy skills. Apparently, his roommate is pissed about his growing collection of red cards, which fills Mateo with a feeling of smug satisfaction. It only makes him want to earn more if it really annoys Grant this much.

Mateo doesn't get why Grant has such a chip on his shoulder. He's playing for the worst team in Class I Exy, and Mateo isn't suddenly going to fix that by playing nice. With his history, no one else is going to take Grant anyway, so he might as well get used to it or spend the next five years about to explode.

It's hypocritical of Mateo to judge someone else's anger issues, but at least he recognizes where he is and doesn't expect a fairytale happy ending where the Foxes suddenly come on top. Underdog sports movies are fucking boring anyway.

Mateo doesn't know how he's supposed to survive until graduation with Grant and Kai. They're both equally insufferable, which is impressive, because he didn't think it was possible to be more annoying than Kai. Next year, he'll definitely be pushing for a different room. He'll buy him and TK an apartment near campus if he has to.

"Maybe that is my plan," Mateo counters with an amused smirk. "I'm pretty good at it, right? What're you going to do then? Whine at me for the next five years? Get a fucking drink, dude. You might be five percent more tolerable when you're drunk."

The one silver lining tonight is that Grant doesn't need to deal with his normal roommates—so, of course, here Mateo is. Fucking perfect.

At the end of the day, Grant knows how to keep it together on the court. He's angry, yes. Furious, some of the time. But if he let that boil over into red cards, he'd miss out on the one thing that matters—Exy. He hasn't come this far—fought this hard—to end up benched all the time.

Clearly, Mateo feels differently. If Grant includes the scrimmage, then they've played three games. Mateo's earned himself a red card in two of them. It's exactly the kind of track record people expect from a Fox.

But they're teammates now, for better or for worse. People are going to look at Grant and Mateo, and people are going to assume they're the same. In reality, there's no camaraderie between them. Why's Mateo even here, if he doesn't give a shit about playing?

Grant ignores Mateo's comments about Greensboro. There's nothing here Grant cares about. Nothing he's desperate to defend. And anyway, even if he knew somewhere to go, why would he invite Mateo?

"You could spend tonight brushing up on how to play Exy," Grant says, instead. Mateo might have proved in his first real game that he can land a point every now and then, but what good is that if he's never on the court? "Or any night, really. Unless your plan is to get kicked off the court every other game. You're doing a great fucking job at that."

#mm:gr #mm:gr002 #thread: mateo #mateo

[chaoticfoxes]

Jen hopes the flask comes back quickly, because it looks like there's a lot more of this game left, and they doubt it'll suddenly become exciting. They grew up as a jock, but it was only towards one sport, and they spent the last few years of high school doing whatever they could to escape it. They'd much rather watch a play or like--Disney On Ice. This is dumb.

Would the administration make the football team do this for them? Jen doubts it. The Foxes may have won one game, but it's not like their Palmetto's pride and joy. The football team should be so lucky anyway, at least their games are exciting to watch.

As River points out, football isn't complicated, so Jen doesn't see why so many Americans dedicate their lives to this sport or why the Superbowl is such a big deal. The puppy bowl is better.

Needless to say, Jen's fickle attention span and need to multi-task is quickly kicking in. They aren't good at sitting in one spot for so long like this, and their leg starts bouncing impatiently as they twist their rings around their fingers.

"Grass is definitely softer," Jen snorts with a disapproving shake of their head. He knows realistically that football players get injured all the time, but they wear so much damn padding and have some kind of cushioning when they fall.

"We should play a game," Jen decides suddenly, because they're bored. "Truth or dare. We even have alcohol...sometimes."

River snorts out a laugh—sure, it's not how any of them would have chosen to spend their weekend, but when they've got a slight buzz going in the late afternoon and their teammates around them, it's not all bad. Even if it is a football game, where the players on the field are wearing more padding than the Foxes do but, as Jen pointed out, aren't even allowed to punch each other.

River grew up in a household filled with violence, and their escape from that was the Exy court. Maybe that shouldn't have made sense—Exy was a sport filled with violence, after all, one where people seemed to pack into the stands for the red cards and the fights just as much as the goals—but everything felt different on the court.

The court was a level playing field. On the court, opponents entered equally matched, equally armored, and faced off for the win. In life, there were no referees waiting to break things up, hand out red cards. There were no rules and, the way River grew up, no way for them to win.

On the court, if they got hit, they could hit back.

And, on the court, River was in the goal. Their box was their kingdom that nobody was supposed to enter, a level of protection that no one else got. They stood tall, and they defended it.

There are no goalkeepers in football. Just a big, wide-open zone at either end of the field.

"Football's not that complicated. They're just trying to get the ball into the end zone," they say with a shrug as they look down at the field, where neither team is very close to the end zone at all. "And, in between, there's a lot of tackling. I bet that grass is way softer than the court floor, though." Not to mention the fact that they don't have Plexiglas walls, either.

#thread: jen #jen #jb:rt #jb:rt005

[chaoticfoxes]

It's true. Wymack doesn't make a habit of being seen after a game. What's he going to do? Drink with them? She'd probably be more worried then than she is now. Still, she's afraid of disappointing him--making him regret his decision to put his faith in her.

Claudia doesn't see him as a dad despite what Indigo thinks, but she cares about what his opinion. Of course she does. He's her coach. He's the one who gave her a contract when she barely had any experience, and then he chose her to be the Captain. So yeah, Wymack's opinion matters.

She doesn't think one game will make him question his choice, she's not a miracle worker, and he knows that, but she's still disappointed. If this becomes the theme of the season again, she doesn't know what she's going to do. She won't run away like Byrce did, she won't even quit the position, but it'd suck.

Claudia knows Colin cares too. He's just the type that will try to keep the party going even when no one's in the mood. She can't help but appreciate him when they all need a push to stop wallowing.

"You're not wrong," she says coyly and places her tablet to the side, holding a hand out. "Pass the bottle and distract me then. What's it like having two boyfriends? Seems like a lot of work when I don't even have time for one girlfriend."

Claudia doesn't really want to hear about the details of Colin's relationship, but if she isn't going to spend the night pouring over all their mistakes then she needs to think about literally anything else.

This feels like what he was afraid of when he tried to tough it out at the Vixen Den after their last game despite the ache in his head. He was afraid that he was wasting a victory party when he didn't know how many more of those he'd get with the Foxes—and here he is in a hotel after another game with nothing to celebrate.

But if his five years as a Fox have taught him anything, it's how to party through a loss. If his life has taught him anything, it's how to keep smiling, to always keep spirits high.

So he pulled out the bottle he had stashed in his gear bag—stolen from a party at the Vixen Den, naturally—and fought for the right to put on his preferred playlist. He's not one to waste a night moping, he's not one to let anyone else around him get away with it, either.

He's not the Captain—despite how much he might have wanted to be, a want that he kept close and secret because he knew he wasn't likely to get it, that it was going to be someone like Claudia, someone that people took seriously in a way that Colin never has been, because he's never really known how to let himself be—but that feels like something a Captain should do. Keep morale high.

"Well that's no different than usual, he never wants to look at us after a game," he says, taking the invitation Claudia extends him and stretching it just a little bit further, throwing himself on top of her covers with enough force to make himself bounce a little bit before propping himself up on one elbow.

"But I don't think he's looking at game tape, I think he just needs more beauty sleep in his old age," he says, and then continues, pointedly: "You don't need beauty sleep. And the game will be just as shitty when you look at it tomorrow."

#claudia #thread: claudia #cj:cj #cj:cj005

[chaoticfoxes]

Sterling doesn't know exactly how Colin was going to finish that thought, but he can imagine. He can't say he's being stupid or whatever he thinks he's being when he has those same thoughts. He's having them now. But it's not going to help either of them if Sterling kicks Colin while he's down. He has to at least try and believe they have a chance to like--manifest it or some shit. That's a thing, right?

"You're not being anything," Sterling finishes for him and drops a kiss to the top of his head lightly. It's not like a kiss will rattle Colin's brain, but he still wants to be extra careful with him right now.

Sterling's relieved when Colin finally agrees to let him take him home, though it won't be in the usual way after a party. He's planning on putting him to bed and placing a cold washcloth on his forehead, like a good nurse. If Colin insisted on staying, he would've left him, but he would've annoyingly hovered around him all night.

"You guess," Sterling teases him with a snort and draws back to take Colin's hand instead. "Let's see if we can get Kent on the way out. Then you won't be suffering from fomo all night."

Sterling doubts Kent wants to hang around the Vixen Den with Bianca around and him and Colin back at the dorm, so he doesn't think it'll take much to persuade him. Colin will probably still have fomo, because he actually likes spending time with rest of the team, but there'll be more parties--whether they're victory ones or depressing ones.

Colin's been playing Exy—a team sport—his whole life. But, before coming to the Foxes, deep down he always felt like a team of one. Because, when it came down to it, he was. He'd show up in a new city, in a new school, on a new team, and he'd pull on a jersey and hit the court like he was one of them, but he knew it was all temporary. That, any day, he'd be gone, and he wouldn't be in control of when.

Before that very last year of high school in Las Vegas, before the Foxes, he never knew if he was going to be able to see a season out to the end. And so there was never any reason to be anything but selfish on the court—to do anything he could to get the most time on the court, to go for individual glory and showy plays.

Everything feels different now. Sterling says you and me, and it feels true. It feels good.

Sometimes it's harder, to not just be out for himself, because it feels like there's so much less he can control, so much more that he has to rely on others for. But, then again, it's not just him anymore, either. He has Sterling. He has Kent, too, who might not be fanatical about Exy in the same way the two of them are, but who knows how to fucking score when he feels like it.

"You're right," he says. "We won't let it be the last one. I was just being—" pathetic, but he still doesn't quite say it, cuts it off with a shrug that jostles his shoulders into Sterling's where they're all tangled up.

Colin doesn't know if he and Sterling can be the ones to whip the team into shape. Most of the time, Colin feels like he's backed himself into the corner of being something more like a team mascot than a team captain—not someone to be taken seriously. Sterling is someone people take seriously, but that doesn't mean that they always like him, or that his brand of motivation goes very far with their teammates.

But it's still a nice thought. No matter what, at least, he knows they'll both be trying their best. Wanting it, working for it.

"I'm not brain damaged," he protests. "But I guess I'll let you take me home. Since you insisted."

#i think this one is a wrap! #sw:cj #sw:cj008 #thread: sterling #sterling

[chaoticfoxes]

Charlie tries to take comfort in Casey's reassurance, but it's hard when he's wound himself up so much. They have a good point--scouts won't only look at this year or even last, but it's not like he has much to show throughout four years either. The Foxes have never made it to the Championships since he's been here, so why would anyone pay any attention to him?

Of course, Charlie thought about where he wants to go. He thinks everything a thousand times over, doesn't he? As a kid, he had big dreams of playing for a Big Three team before moving onto US Court, but that's nothing but a childish fantasy now. There isn't a chance in hell he'd get drafted there, and he won't even begin to fool himself otherwise.

Casey's question doesn't exactly make his room worse or anything, since he's accepted that ages ago, but it's still stressful to think about. Most of his thoughts are stressful these days anyway.

"I mean, at this point, I'd go anywhere," Charlie admits with a humorless laugh. "I used to want to be on US Court like...everyone else, but more realistically, I'd want Empire or Renegades. They're pretty close to home still, so I could visit easier when I have a break."

When it comes to advice, Casey doesn't have much. For much of their suspension, they held onto the hope that the Buckeyes would take them back. When it became clear that wouldn't be the case, they moped. It felt like their entire future was crashing down around them, and signing with the Foxes only barely dented that feeling.

Being a Fox is many things, and some of those are better than others: Casey knows that now. It doesn't change the fact that Foxes aren't known for landing pro contracts. Of course, the only graduate they've personally seen was Grayson, and he didn't seem interested in continuing after Palmetto—but even if he had, would it have mattered?

Charlie's a better player than Grayson was, though. More dedicated. He's got last year's injury looming large in his history, but he's got proof that he can recover and hit the court again now too. Casey wants to believe all that counts for something. For their own sake as much as Charlie's, if their honest.

"You have the whole season," Casey says. And then—because they both know that the Foxes season might well be shorter than some, they add—"and the last four years stand on their own, too. You don't have to prove everything this year." They pause, uncertain if the next question will make things worse. They don't often get much choice in the draft, even on teams with more prestige than this. "Have you thought about where you'd want to go? If you had a choice."

#thread: charlie #charlie #cs:ch #cs:ch008

[chaoticfoxes]

"I can imagine, yeah," Jasper bopped his head. He didn't know from experience, though he always wanted to. He just never mustered up the courage to ask his parents to stay behind for a break, because he didn't want them to think he wanted to avoid them. His parents weren't the problem, but it wasn't like they were going to kick out Derek. He didn't even want that from them.

Coming to Palmetto wasn't necessarily an escape from Derek either. Not when he had to play against him, answer questions about him during interview and get flown out to see his game. Not this year though. He wasn't pretending anymore.

"Not really," Jasper answered honestly, even though it was kind of a downer of an answer. He never felt the need to put on a facade for Marley. "I spent a lot of time in my room mostly. Home is just...tense as always, especially after he wont the Championships."

Marley laughs, shaking her head. "No, it was pretty calm all summer. It's quiet here without everyone else." Not that she was completely alone. She had Glory—and partly through the summer, Olivia too.

But Marley doesn't mind quiet. She had to get used to college parties when she joined the Foxes, but she had to adjust to the calm of the summers too. Silence was tense, back home. It meant waiting for the other shoe to drop; holding her breath, just so that she could avoid notice a few hours longer. It was always the calm before the storm, and never the genuine safety and peace she can find in her dorm in Palmetto.

Of course, while she was fortunate enough to experience that all summer, not all Foxes are in the the same boat. "What about you? Hopefully you had some fun over the break—wild or otherwise," she adds, with a smile.

#thread: jasper #jasper #jl:mr #jl:mr004

[chaoticfoxes]

Jen's ankle is still sore from his fall and carefully wrapped thanks to Abby. They're grateful it's not serious enough to bench them another game, but it doesn't feel great. They're really not planning to do much tonight other than watch movies in their room and elevate their ankle.

It's hard to be surprised by a loss anymore, but this one hits a little harder than usual when they had such a good debut game for the season. Jen didn't think that meant they'd win the rest of them too, that'd be a miracle, but two in a row would've been nice. The Jackals are always hard to play though, so it sucks, but it's a realistic outcome.

Jen has no idea what to expect for the rest of the season. At least they have a Captain and Vice Captain this year, but they're not sure if that'll be enough to finally make it to the Championships. They really want to actually play a game in the spring, so they don't spend another semester living vicariously through the twins.

Hobbling through the lobby, they're on the way back to their room, but Grant stops them. Jen wishes they had a better answer for him, but the teams' mood is pretty grim, so sulk around the hotel sounds about right.

"Yeah, kind of," Jen answers with a small shrug. "Well, you can drink and sulk. Most of the team definitely brought alcohol." They also have a bottle of cheap vodka in their duffle bag.

Location: The Hotel Date: Friday, September 17 Time: Post-Game (open​)

Win or lose, press duty has its purpose. Grant knows that. For the next five years, it's yet another way to distinguish himself as an athlete. To convince pro teams that he's worth the gamble, even as a Fox. That doesn't stop his gritted teeth in front of the press tonight, or the way he returns to the hotel feeling almost more exhausted from the media and their questions than the shitty game tonight.

Of course, he's pissed about the game, too. He'd expected losses, as a Fox. Six to two, though? That hurts—hopefully, it hurts everyone else as much as it does him.

But Grant hadn't expected press duty to feel so much like standing around in Freeport, listening to comments that all had the same meaning in the end—the same undercurrent of aren't you so brave for playing Exy? As if there was any difference between him and the rest of his teammates. As if they knew anything about him, just because they'd heard the gossip or read a newspaper.

What did he expect, though? He's a Fox. On this team, his past is more interesting than his present. Hell, he's got teammates who invite that scrutiny—his roommate tonight being one of them. That would be River's bad idea and thus their problem, except that it spilled over into Grant's life at press duty tonight.

God, he's going to sleep like shit tonight. If Grant's particularly unlucky, he'll wake in the middle of the night from some nightmare. If there's any justice in the universe, River won't notice.

He skips the room for now, then, choosing instead to collapse into one of the chairs in the hotel lobby. Wymack's nowhere to be seen, but he's not the only Fox around. Grant needs to do—something. "So, what. Do we all just sulk around here?"

#jb:gr #jb:gr001 #thread: jen #jen

[chaoticfoxes]

Charlie knows it's coming the moment he straight up invites Kent to punch him, but he still doesn't manage to block his fist or duck in time. That's the thing about fights--everything happens so fast in the moment that there's not much to do but let instinct kick in or scramble helplessly.

Kent's knuckles make direct, hard contact with his mouth, and he immediately tastes blood as his head whips to the side from the force. His entire face hurts so bad that it's tempting to just stop and deal with that, but he knows if he hesitates too long then Kent will be free to get even more punches in.

Spitting blood on the floor, sorry Vixens, Charlie reels his fist back and lunges, needing the momentum to actually reach Kent's face as he aims a punch at his cheek.

He tries to channel all his frustration into it as if that'll somehow help him come on top, but Kent's better at this than him, so he'll probably get beat to a pulp. He'll at least try and give it his all though.

For a moment, Charlie's response takes Kent by surprise. He's so used to Charlie being, well—an easy target, just like Charlie says. At this point, hating Charlie is practically a reflex. It's familiar, but tonight is the most energy he's put into that hatred in months. Kent's had better things to care about, honestly.

Charlie's words crystallize that feeling though, reminding Kent why he doesn't like the other man. Maybe Kent's a coward, but he doesn't have to let Charlie call him that. And he definitely doesn't want to listen to Charlie's opinion on Kent and Bianca. Kent's faced reality; he knows Bianca exists. The simple fact of her existence doesn't earn her a place in his life.

Speak of the devil, though: somewhere, Bianca's at this party, no doubt close enough to hear the argument. Kent can almost feel her gaze on the back of his neck, and he resists the urge to scan the room for her. If she looked pathetic before, what kind of expression would she have now?

Kent snorts. "Well, shit. If you wanna fight, we might as well," he drawls, as if he hasn't been the one pushing Charlie since day one. Still, Charlie normally storms out before this point.

So. Kent can't miss this chance, can he? At Charlie's invitation, he throws a punch.

#back to same issue as before aka how do i write a fight lol #cs:kc #cs:kc005 #thread: charlie #charlie

[chaoticfoxes]

Sterling raises a brow at Kent and smirks. He thinks Kent has a pretty good chance at actually being able to hold him up, but they're both tall, muscular guys, so there's also a good chance he'll end up on the ground. He's not afraid to take a risk on that, as long as he doesn't break a bone and get benched for the season.

It just shows there's really not a big difference between them as best friends and them as boyfriends. They still get into stupid shit, they just also kiss and hookup now...and have feelings for each other, but he's pretty sure those were always there.

"Alright," Sterling says as he pushes himself to his feet. "How much do you bet then? I bet ten dollars you drop me."

If Kent can carry him, he'll happily cough that money up. He waits for Kent to get up to and tries to get into some kind of easy to lift stance.

For all that the three of them have in common, Exy's where it falls apart: Sterling and Colin on one side, Kent on another. Kent plays Exy for fun, but he could live without it. When he graduates, he'll play in some local league, but he won't worry if no one drafts him—just like he never worries if they win or they lose, as long as he's enjoying himself. Maybe Colin and Sterling judge him for that, but it's never felt like that.

But Kent's aware of the timeline. Five years on the Foxes; five years of second chances. That's the deal. Once you graduate, even Wymack can't guarantee you another shot. Once you graduate, it's out of his hands.

By the end of this year, Colin and Sterling will be pros or they'll see that dream fade away. Whatever Kent feels about Exy, he knows how important it is to them. Suddenly, winning sounds a lot more important than it has in the past.

"Wanna try it?" Kent says, latching onto the distraction—for Sterling, mostly, because it isn't lost on Kent that he went straight into anything to win. If Kent's worried about the end of the year, how must Sterling feel? Kent can't fix that, but he can make Sterling laugh. "I bet I can carry you on my shoulders. And, if I drop you, we're far enough away from the fire that you'd be fine," he adds, with a grin.

#sw:kc #sw:kc005 #thread: sterling #sterling #we can probably wrap this here unless you want to write kent trying to pick him up lmao

[chaoticfoxes]

Jasper wishes he just brought his own flask, so he wouldn't have to wait for the one they're all sharing to make its rounds. He gets why people get so drunk at football games now, but he's pretty sure they're actually enjoying themselves.

He remembers homecoming games at high school and how important those used to feel back then. Everyone would dress up for occasion, meet in the school parking lot beforehand and gather together in the bleachers with their cheap popcorn.

That was so tiny compared to big college game, but it's just not the same. Maybe because he wasn't forced to go that one, and the school's Exy team wasn't almost treated like their rivals.

Jasper wonders what would happen if they just...left. Obviously the whole team can't, but would anyone really notice if he and River snuck out? It's not worth risking it and making the Foxes look bad, but it's tempting.

He can't help but laugh when River realizes how much time they still have before the game ends. They don't feel long when they're fun, but this feels like hours and hours of just sitting there.

"I really don't know. I think my butt is going numb though," he says, shifting a little on the bleachers to get some feeling back. "There's no reason we can't walk away to look at food, right? Maybe they have like--triple layer sundaes or chicken tender burgers." Or whatever aggressive food combos stadiums serve.

This whole thing feels like a big joke. A hoop that they have to jump through, showing up and smiling for the cameras, maybe taking a picture with the football team once the game's over, selling a story that only seems worth selling now that the Foxes have won something.

And they can do it, show up and watch a football game on a Friday night while getting lightly and furtively buzzed, but it all just feels so fake.

They used to live their life in parts: there was the world that existed inside the double wide, and then there was the life they lived outside of it, the one that had good things in it, the one that revolved around Exy. Not that that divide was ever perfect: in Indiana, everyone knew about the the Tates, even if no one ever said anything to River's face about it or did anything about it. River still had to make choices that they didn't think anyone else on their team ever had to make: about whether it was worth it to go to parties, stay out past curfew, do things that they wanted to do but knew they'd pay for at home.

They still play Exy, but it feels so different now that they've left home, and now that they're a Fox. They don't have to separate their life and their self into parts, they just get to be their full self, all the time.

And if their full self right now is a little bored with the evening's proceedings, at least they've got their teammates around them to gripe about it with, and to pass the flask around.

"Well we've only got—" they say, looking up to the scoreboard, which is currently paused while something goes down on the field below. Exy can be stop and go, especially if there are cards and fights, but football feels like something else. "—three quarters left. Why are football games so long?"

#jl:rt #jl:rt006 #thread: jasper #jasper

[chaoticfoxes]

"Hm. Maybe paintball," Claudia muses as if she'd actually consider competitive paintball instead. It'd honestly probably be a good stress reliever, and she'd walk away with just as many bruises as she does from Exy. She'll keep that in the back of her mind for her next birthday party.

She likes most things competitive--she could probably turn a puzzle into a competition, but she's loyal to Exy, and she wouldn't want to dedicate all her time to anything else.

It's a relief knowing she gets to do this for another two years, because she's not ready to figure out what comes next yet. She feels for the fifth years. They must be feeling the pressure constantly.

It feels a little unfair that she'll have to go through some kind of life crisis when she already had one as a teenager. Finding out the truth meant figure out a whole new identity for herself, and if Exy doesn't work out, she'll have to do that all over again.

She'll make it work though. She always does.

"I second that. I do like seeing what I'm doing on the court," she laughed before reaching for her gear. "Ready to go back in? Maybe we'll actually score this time."

"I don't think too many people would be linin' up to watch competitive laser tag," she says with a laugh and grin, one that feels like it comes easier and stays longer than it would have just a few short years ago. "Too dark."

It sounds silly, to think of herself and Claudia as anything other than Foxes, anything other than Exy players. But she knows that, for herself, it was a winding path that led her to Exy, one that led her to the sport a lot later than many of her teammates. She knows it was the same for Claudia, too.

She was aimless in Louisville. She'd gotten what she wanted—she'd gotten out of Owls Bend—but her freedom was a lot lonelier than she ever thought it would be. She was angry, she was grieving, and she was lashing out. She wasn't looking for anything to love, to be a part of. She was just existing, just scraping by.

The way she was existing led her to an ultimatum: Exy—and cleaning up her act—or expulsion. And she didn't have anything left, so she gave it a try.

And look at her and Claudia now: Captain and Vice Captain. She's not sure if she's ever really been proud of herself before, but she sure is now. Because of that one decision, she has more than she could have ever dreamed of.

"If you ask me, we picked the right sport."

#i think this is a wrap! #cj:gh #cj:gh005 #thread: claudia #claudia