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“Dude, your captain is a faggot?” A burly brunette from the opposing team spit out in disgust.
Roland glances over his shoulder where the Captain and his dork are smiling away and having their usual ‘good luck’ session. Cap ducks in for a quick kiss before heading onto the field leaving his boyfriend a glowing ball of nerves.
It’s sweet, as usual, and while some of the team had their initial concerns, the Captain is still the Captain. Pushing the whole team to run faster, aim better, and push harder. The same Cap who was obsessed with his bike and pulled out all the equipment single-handedly before practice every day. Same Cap who would have it out with the local sleeze-ball but looked down on bullying.
Roland looked back at his no name opponent and took in the disgust across his face. This wasn’t the first time he’d come across someone like this and it sure as hell wouldn’t be the last. He could get angry, shout him down with all the reasons Cap was the best. Belittle him for his ignorance and baseless derision. But, that never worked; only pissed off the bigots until the game got too rough and fouls were called left and right. No, he won’t try to shout him down.
The team knows by now that the best way to stand by their Captain, is to win.
“Our Captain,” Roland starts, bringing the attention back to himself, “is a damn fine man and it doesn’t matter who he’s with.”
He faces the team and ignores the litany of ‘it’s wrong’ being sprouted behind him – they’ve all heard it so many times. He meets eyes with Tim, then Cole, then Carson. Feeling the attention of their teammates shift, the rest focus in on Roland and the nameless opponent standing behind him, giving the same demeaning taunts. And finally, Roland looks Ed in the eye. Cap’s boyfriend is his best friend and with his unnatural strength, the other team is in for it.
There are no words exchanged – no need at this point. They all know, in the silent camaraderie that makes them a family, that they’re going to win this. They’re going to show that their Captain isn’t week, isn’t a pansy, isn’t unnatural – isn’t any of that bullcrap they try to throw.
He’s their hardworking, stalwart Captain. He’s the team’s leader and big brother and today, just like every other game where his worth is questioned: they refuse to let him down.
Cap makes it to their loose cluster and reads the tension in the air. He doesn’t say anything. He never has and he never will but, the steady nod he gives them shows just how much he appreciates them having his back. And more than that, his dork’s back.
And maybe that’s part of it. His dork has really become the team’s dork. Always helping with homework or suggesting different health regimens or doctoring them up during practice. Being the easy target that he is, one can’t help but be protective of him.
Roland’s never talked to the team about it but, he’s fairly sure they’re in agreement that if someone from the other team tried to get violent, it wouldn’t be against the Captain.
So, as they settle into formation for play 12, Roland meets the derisive eyes of his opponent with rock-solid determination. They’re going to show him, show all of them, just what kind of team the Captain leads and why no one is going to mess with them – especially not Double D.
None of them want to bail their Captain out of jail.