Chapter Text
Tapping shoes and rumbling basketballs echoed through the gym between sweaty teens. Jfk caught a ball, then went into a throwing position to hit the basketball hoop.
He turned to the tribune seats where a freckled painter had taken a seat in. They waved at each other. Again John‘s stomach shook, making his knees turn to butter.
His teammates called out for him he went back to shooting hoops, throwing little glances at his artsy friend in between. Vincent had already shifted his focus back to his drawing pad in which he had sketched a few poses of the playing students.
He had drawn mostly caricatures of Jfk. He drew him often the last days. He couldn’t put his finger on it but something fascinated him about the jock. Vincent got back to observing him. He had to admit, that guy was a good player, succeeding in almost every throw.
Now the artist payed attention to his figure, studying it well. The forms, skin tone, shadows. He had already planned a painting in his head and imaged how he drew the jock‘s burly figure onto it. He analyzed the clothes folds and strands of hair. Yea, that would be a nice painting.
Jfk had scored yet another ball and payed a so often glance to his drawing friend. His mind was carried away in a hazy fog when he caught the dutch viewing him. Their eyes met once again and John‘s heart skipped a beat.
Suddenly his view changed as his back hit the floor. Jfk had crashed into another teammate. The other players quickly surrounded them, throwing questions their way.
Joan kneeled down. „Are you okay?“
„Er uh...“ The jock rubbed his forehead, feeling confused and out of his mind. „I, er uh, think I should sit down for a while.“ He quickly threw another look at his teammate. „Er, sorry about that.“
„No worries.“ he replied, standing up like nothing happened.
„But are you hurt? Does anything ache?“ Joan asked in a worried tune.
„I, er uh, think I‘m good. Just need a break.“
Jfk got up and climbed the tribune seat’s stairs until he reached Vincent. He sat down next to him.
The dutch put his pad aside. „Hey, are you okay?“ he asked worriedly.
„Uh, yea. I‘m fine.“ he said and the dutch released eased sigh. „Have you, uh, talked to the coach yet?“
Vincent shook his head. „No, not yet. I guess I‘ll wait until basketball is over.“
Jfk nodded reassuring. „I, er uh, think it‘s awesome that you wanna join the cross country team.“
Vincent sheepishly tucked on his bandage like he did so often. „Thanks. I‘m still a little nervous.“
„You don‘t have to.“, John said with delight. „It’s gonna be, er uh, awesome. And I‘m there too.“
„It better be awesome. I‘m joining because of you.“
What was that feeling? „Oh, really?“ John couldn’t exactly tell why but hearing that Vincent had followed his advice filled him with a pleasant proudness.
„Yea. I mean, you told me to try something new. So, I thought I‘d take a step in another direction and do something else than just.... art.“ Vincent gazed upon his sketch pad.
„But you, uh, you‘re not gonna stop, right? That art thing.“
Vincent shook his head again. „Of course not. I love painting.“ He took a moment to form his words. „But I just kinda felt, uhm, burned out, you know? I need a distraction.“
John understood. Sport always helped him. The exercise would do Vincent good. „So you‘re, er uh, gonna stare at me again?“ John chuckled.
„Oh.“ The dutch flushed, his freckled vanishing behind a red hue. He had noticed. How embarrassing. „I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.“ he stuttered. „You just have a, uh, well...“ Vincent gestured heavy-handed, struggling to put it in words. „You just have a nice to draw figure. You know. Art stuff.“
The Jock felt flattered, yet didn’t quite understand that art stuff. „Hah, I get it. I mean, I am, er uh, irresistible.“
„Shut up.“ Vincent prodded Jfk with his elbow holding back a nervous chuckle. „That’s not- I- You gotta see it as, uhm..“ and again he struggled to explain. „I‘m viewing you through an artistic lense! Art stuff!“
„I, er uh, dont understand your art stuff!“
„You don’t need to.“ Vincent hoped they could finally chance the subject. It was embarrassing enough to be caught staring.
„But I want to.“ John begged. „Explain that art stuff.“
Vincent sighed. „Okay, I‘ll try.“ He took his sketchpad and opened a page that was filled with various drawings of different objects. „You see...“, he said. „I‘m seeing things and I draw them. And, uhm, there’s different traits in each one.“
John nodded, listening carefully.
Vincent continued. „Traits like shape and color and shadow and where the light comes from.“ He flicked through more pages. „I study it so I learn how to draw these objects. Or bodies.“
Now he had opened a page that held a portrait of John. „Oh, is that, er uh, me?“ Vincent nodded hesitantly.
„You can have it.“ He ripped the page out and folded it a few times.
„Thanks, man.“ John accepted it.
„Yea, it’s fine. Just take it.“
John carefully stuffed it in his pocket. „So, is there any other reason you‘re joining?“ he then asked.
„Not really actually.“ Vincent answered quick. „But how about you? Why did you join in the first place?“
John‘s lips formed a warm smile. „I, er uh, just like sports, I guess. Makes me happy, ya know?“
„I can see that.“ Vincent chuckled. „Have you always been so athletic?“
Jfk eagerly nodded. „Oh yes. My, er, dads always say that I, er uh, was a wild kid. I, uh, constantly got into trouble.“ He grinned at that memory. „But they never stayed mad for long. They, er uh, rather put me into a sport club so I, er uh, can get that energy out. And then I began to really like that.“
„Sounds fun. I was never very fond of sport but that might change, hah.“ Vincent said smiling.
The coach blew into his whistle, signaling the basketball training was at it‘s end and sent off the playing clones. All those sweaty teens vanished behind the locker room‘s door, cheering exhausted about the training finally being over.
The coach remained, collecting the left behind basketballs.
That was his turn. Vincent remembered what he was here for, stood up and walked down the tribune seats. He turned to John one last time who gave him a thumbs up and a look that said „don‘t worry, I‘m right here.“
Vincent took a deep breath and approached the coach. They talked a minute. The coach gestured and Vincent nodded, showing that he listened carefully.
After another minute Vincent returned.
„And?“ John asked. „What did he, er uh, say?“
„He told me to stop by next training so I can look into it.“
John, again, have him thumbs up. „Awesome. Some, er uh, exercise is gonna be good for ya.“
„Yea, I guess.“ Vincent bowed to grab his bag. „I‘m gonna wait for you outside.“
Jfk nodded. The dressing room was still pretty full since many clones took their time and chatted with each other.
John hurried. He‘d usually take his time too but he didn’t want to keep Vincent waiting. The portrait he had received had already crumbled a bit in John‘s pocket. He felt a little bad but the few wrinkles weren’t able to ruin Vincent’s artwork.
Jfk still carefully put it between pages of a book to keep it from crumbling further. Then he quickly packed up and left.
Vincent and Joan were waiting for him. Vincent held a lit cigarette and the goth, as the convinced anti drug protester she was, gave him judging looks of disapproval. Which he ignored. Vincent knew she meant well but he wouldn’t let her dictate on how he lived his life and what he did with it.
When John exited the school‘s front door Vincent took a last puff, then put the cigarette out on the nearest trashcan.
The trio left the campus.
„I , er uh, didn’t know you smoked.“ Jfk noted.
„I don’t do it often. Just occasionally.“
Joan sighed. „Yea and it’s still bad for you!“
Vincent shrugged it off. He wouldn’t fight with her. „If it bothers you I wont do it near you anymore.“
„I‘d be better if you wouldn’t do it at all. You know what that does to your lung-”
„I‘m fully aware of what it does to my body. You don’t need to lecture me.“ Vincent said confidently. He was surprised by himself, but as well just shrugged it off. „Anyway, what are you guys doing now?“
„We, er uh, meet up with some guys at the grassy knoll. Wanna join?“
„Another time.“ Vincent replied.
The trio stopped at a crossroad that would separate their ways and Vincent said goodbye, then crossed the street and vanished on the other side behind driving cars. Joan noticed the jock‘s look of slight disappointment. Of course she would, even her Grandpa notice.
„So...“ she said as they walked to the diner. „Anyone on your mind recently?“ Joan looked at Jfk like she already knew the answer.
Jfk shrugged. „Er uh, I don’t think so.“ he answered.
„Are you sure there isn’t someone? Like a good friend?“
Jfk scratched his chin as he thought. He couldn’t think of any girl he‘d be wanting to ask out. Neither could he figure a friend. So what kind of answer did Joan expect?
„Uh, no. There’s no hot girl I like.“
Joan had this smirk, mocking him with it. „It doesn’t necessarily have to be a girl.“
Now that confused John. Why wouldn’t it be a girl? Unless she meant- „Wha, you think I‘m, er uh, gay or something?“
„No, no, just, are you really sure there isn’t someone?“ Her gaze expectantly pierced through John.
„No, I, er uh, really don’t know what you want me to say.“
Joan sighed. „Do I have to spell it out for you?“
Jfk gulped. Joan was a smart girl. And watchful. She always knew what was going on. Now she seemed to know more then he did, knew about feelings he wasn’t even aware of himself yet. So Jfk nodded. Would he regret this talk?
Joan spoke. „Vincent! You obviously like him!“
This caught the jock off guard. He didn’t quite understand.
The image of a red haired painter flared in Jfk‘s head. Again he had to think about those soft looking locks, complimented by the countless freckles gathering around his nose.
Could it really be? No it couldn’t. Vincent was just a good friend, nothing more, right? John just liked him for that, right?
He shook his head in denial, hoping she would let it go. She didn’t.
„Don’t play dumb.“ Her grin grew quiet terrifying to him. „It’s okay, man. Vincent’s a great person.“
He already knew that. Despite his awkwardness Vincent was great friend. A friend who‘d grow on you fast and close. Someone to count on, someone who listens, who nods and understands. Someone John could talk to for hours or just be with. Vincent was just a good friend. He had to be just that.
„Er uh, Vinnie‘s just a good friend!“
Jfk was confused. That was the truth. Or was it? Jfk liked Vincent. A lot actually. He felt safe around him and understood and warm and giddy and- he wanted to be a good friend too.
This thinking made John‘s stomach turn and unwitting he began to question his desires. He wished he could just shrug it off but his mind would not let him.
„Hey, it’s okay. I think he likes you too.“
„I don’t- wait?“ John‘s chest was pounding lightly. He couldn’t help it. This entire thing was weird. He felt weird, somehow hopeful too. Hearing that Vincent might like him made him feel unsettlingly happy.
Now he‘d luckily get a break from this conversation. They had arrived the grassy knoll.
Jfk held the entrance‘s handle, but hesitated. He glanced at Joan. „Can we, er uh, drop this please?“
She shrugged. „Just saying.“
Jfk rolled is eyes. They entered.
Caesar and Jesús were expecting them. They‘ve already picked a table and waved.
Jfk and Joan joined.
„Welcome, dear friends.“ Caesar greeted.
They had a small conversation before Joan finally mentioned Van Gogh.
„Say, Caesar.“ she said. „You‘re good friends with Vincent, right?“
She shortly glanced at Jfk who suppressed an angry sigh. He just hoped she‘d leave him out of this.
Caesar nodded. „Oh, indeed. I‘d actually describe him as one of my closest friends.“
Huh, Caesar and Vincent were close. John didn’t know.
„Well, I could need your advice.“
„Oh, whatever you need, Joan of Arc.“
In his head Jfk had already laid out hundred of questions she could ask now.
„So, I‘m currently befriending Vincent and, well, sometimes I just don’t know how to approach him.“ Her gaze shifted back to the jock. Now he was quite nosy. She was asking his questions for him.
Caesar let escape a muffler sigh. „Oh, I am sorry to hear that. He had never been the, uhm, most social person. But he doesn’t mean bad.“
„No, no, it’s fine. Just, how does he usually act around you, if you get what I mean.“
„Hm, what a question.“ The roman man scratched his chin. „He indeed needs some time to open up. Approaching people takes quite an afford to him.“
Jfk noticed that, how Vincent tucks on his bandage or fiddled with his thumbs.
Caesar continued. „But once you get to know each other he will be a magnificent person to be around. Just give him time.“ he concluded. „It might be frustrating at times, but I‘d ask you to not give up on him. I am very glad he‘s making new friends, and such admirable ones like you, Joan of Arc.“
Jfk felt a pinch of jealousy he couldn’t quite allocate. For some reason a tireless need to prove himself as a good friend began to gush in him.
He didn’t get much out of this conversation. He could have already guessed himself that Vincent wasn’t too much of an extrovert. But he still seemed nice nevertheless.
„Another thing.“ Joan continued. „Is he single?“
Dammit. The teasing glance she threw at John didn’t make it better.
„Well, yes. I don’t remember him seeing someone. But why the question?“
„Oh, nothing important. But I think there might be someone interested in him.“ There it was again. That nagging glance. It made Jfk wanna sink through the floor in embarrassment. It wasn’t like he was embarrassed by Vincent but rather caught off guard with these confusing thoughts he got as Joan began to tease him.
„Then I hope they find happiness together.“ Caesar noted.
Joan nodded. „I‘m sure they will.“
Why couldn’t she just shut up? But it actually didn’t sound so bad.
Where did that though come from?
Just more confusion laid itself onto Johns mind, more confusing ideas popping up with it. Maybe if he just ignored them they would go away. Then he could finally feel normal again.
The last time he had felt so confused was when Joan had dressed up as a guy to secretly play in the basketball team. In the end Jfk figured since she‘s always been a girl there was never anything different with his attraction but now that confusing feeling couldn’t lift.
Because behind Vincent‘s face was no girl hiding. It was always just Vincent.
No it was okay. John was okay. Vincent was just different from every other friend he had so far, Jfk figured. He couldn’t exactly tell what was different about him but that wouldn’t matter.
With that last thought he headed home. The entire meal he had wrecked his head over this.
Throwing himself on his bed, Jfk viewed his reflection above him. Then he remembered the drawing he had received earlier. John sat back up and carefully removed the pencil portrait from the book he put it in.
Vincent had captured his features well. It wasn’t perfect but Jfk could definitely see himself in those lines.
And his head jumped back to the freckled Dutch. Tomorrow he would ask him to hang out. John hoped this gut twisting feelings would finally disappear until then.
It had to. It didn’t mean anything, right?
It had to be meaningless.