InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I love fandom."

This was the usual weekly routine to get in a game of one on one of basketball every week. Most of the muggle sports that Maddock like to play were introduced to him by Jason, and he was perfectly happy to continue the practice and play other sports with his muggleborn teammate.

In lieu of the usual gym that Maddock and Jason went to to play basketball, Maddock suggested the brilliant idea of playing outside instead. It was snowing, and Maddock was in a good mood, and well time to be a kid and go play in the snow right? The outdoor court was clearly abandoned, and after making sure there were no muggles in sight, they’d cleared the court off enough so that the basketball could still bounce off the pavement now laid bare.

It was cold outside, but Maddock wasn’t about to give this up as a bad idea. He was only wearing a t-shirt and a pair of jogging pants, but running up and down the court and making jumps to the basket at least helped to warm him up. He just managed to get past Jason and scored on the hoop which of course deserved celebration.

“Wooo! Got to catch up King!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Jason brushed his shoulders, shaking some of the snowflakes loose. He didn’t mind the cold. As long as they were running, it wasn’t that bad. Plus he was trying to build his tolerance ahead of the cold and long broom races he had in the next three months. And also quidditch, but his mind was now so very focused on Thursday. The cold kept him focused, and not overthink the impact of his recent fashion choices.

“All talk, I know this well.” Jason took the ball back, sprinting out of the paint and set up for a three point shot. He could sink these all day. “Game to 10, by 1, threes for 2? Winner picks breakfast?” It was a common sort of wager, easy enough that it didn’t really matter, but gave them some sense of competition.

See, so Maddock was actually being very helpful by suggesting outdoor Basketball so Jason could get used to the cold. That, and he was still on a bit of a rebel high from his letter to the editor and was very hyper that morning. When he’d read Hamish’s letter in the prophet the day before, Maddock immediately wrote out his response and owled it off. He wasn’t one for thinking things through first, but Maddock was definitely confident that he’d said and done the right thing. He shook the snow out of his hair but went right back to watch Jason who had the ball now.

He nodded at the rules and game stakes. “Sounds fair,” Maddock agreed. It was something typical for them though sometimes Jason won, and sometimes he won. He moved into place try to anticipate Jason’s play to try to block him. “Your opening went well this weekend I saw,” he said making conversation, but just their typical small talk. It also helped with distraction. No matter the game, it was Maddock’s best play.

The distraction game, didn’t really work with Jason. At least not when it was idle chatter and small talk. And not when it was a weekly event since they both moved back to Montrose. Plus, today he was fueled in part by a different sort of fire with yesterday’s Prophet and the forthcoming response too fresh in his mind. Political mindfields the whole bit. Easier to just focus on the other parts.

“Aye, we had a good turn out. Hopefully, some of those people who signed up for consults will also place orders, keep Jamie’s family well fed and watered,” he said with a grin. Then he juked to one side, then snap-pivoted to the other to go up for another shot.

The ball hit the rim for a rebound. “It’s been a busy month.”

Maddock moved when Jason did but didn’t get a change to block the shot properly. But it didn’t go in. He grabbed it on the rebound, and dribbled past Jason to try to go for his own three point shot. “If I hadn’t gotten a new broom at the beginning of the season, I’d consider placing an order,” he said. A new broom had been necessary to come back to Quidditch as his last one… didn’t fair so well after he’d been fired.

“It has been busy: being a star quidditch player, businessman, and leading a political and social movement. Overachiever there, Ravenclaw,” Maddock teased him as he went for the jump shot and threw the ball towards the net. Which Maddock was apparently getting himself involved in now too with his own letter that morning. “Did you read the Prophet yesterday?” he asked merely testing the waters there.

“What can I say? It helps me sleep at night,” he said. Jason went for the ball as it went through the hoop. He passed the ball to Maddock in appropriate make it-take it rules. “Dawn and I spent a few hours going over her response,” he said with a shrug. “So it keeps me busy.”

Jason got low to the ground, in a crouch. He was ready to move with Maddock and hopefully steal the ball and get on board. “My therapist thinks I’m overcompensating, and I need to be careful to not let these roles replace more intimate relationships.”

“Ha. To each their own. Better than booze,” Maddock said with a laugh and gave a celebratory hoot when he got the ball in the hoop. He caught the ball when Jason tossed it back to him and dribbled it as he thought about what to do next. “Oh I saw it,” he observed about Dawn’s response. “Hamish is just one opinion anyway. You just have to see the crowd at the matches to see that way more people are receptive.”

Maddock watched as Jason prepared for him, and he was quick into a run as he tried to dribble the ball past Jason so he could make another shot. “Are you letting those things replace your social and intrapersonal relationships?”

Jason jumped up to block the shot, he got his fingers on it, but not enough to stop it. At least it seemed to shift the trajectory to hit the backboard and not the hoop. He went up for the rebound and made a fast break for a three-pointer. It was his style on and off the pitch.

“I don’t think so,” he said as the ball rolled off his fingers toward the hoop. “But I’m also pretty sure that was therapist speak giving me approval and a nudge to return to the vast and terrifying dating world.” Which was weird that he was being told to have sex again, but that was part of the recovery process and there really hadn’t been anything since...since well before the war started.

“Nice,” Maddock said. He could appreciated a good block and rebound. Jason was moving fast to go for the shot, and Maddock moved to try to get between him and the net to try to block. “Oh. Therapy speak,” he said with an arched eyebrow and figuring he knew what Jason was implying. “So… is there anyone you want to ask out? Or you starting from scratch here?”

Jason mentally ran through a list of single women in his life. A few eligible for that list were also conflicts of interest. And if the goal was to just back into that game, then -- “Maybe it’s best we start from scratch, it’s been...a while.”

Maddock had asked the question because if there was someone that Jason was really interested in, that would be the first place to start. After he and Ellie had separated, he’d gone on for almost four years for with other women and had other ‘relationships’… only to find himself coming back to Ellie again now. And the thought of that made him smile too.

“Nothing to be ashamed about,” Maddock said with a shrug. He might have had a bit of a reputation to losing shirts to hookups… but that didn’t mean everyone had to be like him. But a thought was brewing anyway and Maddock grinned as he looked to Jason. “I could definitely be your wingman.”

All the while the game went on. If only they were dancing, this could be a Jane Austen novel. Although some might argue basketball could be like dancing. “And what, pray tell, Maddock, are your qualifications to take on such a noble and fine position?”

Basketball could be dancing. Definitely a noble elegant sport. And they were doing it justice by playing it outside in the snow and cold. The Canadians invented it after all. Maddock was keeping up with Jason trying to block his shot. “I have experience. And I’m not looking for myself and thus won’t be distracted from helping you.”

Jason laughed as he went up for another shot, this time off his own rebound. “Well, I mean, sure, but aren’t you still married to MacFusty?” There was no doubt that Maddock could be a bastion of knowledge when it came the dating world and his forever depleted shirt supply, but he wasn’t exactly the role model Jason was looking for.

While Maddock was usually good to keep playing without distraction, even when they were talking, that did make him pause. “No. We got divorced,” he said and then kind of frowned at that. “Well… separated.” Jason could easily get a shot past him now. “Though I suppose… if we’re kind of together again… then we’re not really separated. Are we?.” So, if Maddock managed to stay married AND get back with his wife after they’d separated, that had to count for something in advice.

Respecting the pause, Jason held onto the ball, not taking the easy shot. He did have morals afterall. “So, you don’t know if you’re divorced, but you might be separated, certainly dated and slept with other women, but now may be together again.” Jason gave him a look, wanting to make sure he was getting the whole story, although maybe Maddock didn’t know it. “You can see my hesitation on why you might not be the best wingman.”

Maddock shook his head of the all things. This wasn’t about him and relationship status, this was about Jason and having no relationship status what’s so ever. “Well I dated and slept with other women because we were separated,” he said that with some certainty. “And I will admit, you have some right for hesitation. Still, I have always been a one woman at a time kind of bloke. But look at it this way, I can be the best wingman because I can lead by an example of what NOT to do. Or what to do if you’re not ready for something serious,” he said with a shrug. “Look, worst case scenario, I’m someone to keep you company while you look for who is out there!”

“Fine,” he said and checked the ball to get the game back up again. With the snow and the brisk winter weather - quite nearly reaching over the zero degree mark as the sun tried to come out - it was too cold to be standing still. “I will accept these terms on a two week trial basis, and should to fail to live up to the most serious and sacred duty of wingman, you will be released.”

Yes, standing still too long was a good reminder about how cold it was. He kept his focus back on Jason again as he got back into the game. “Deal. We can start simple and check out the pubs here in Montrose first,” Maddock said already having a plan of action.

“But either way, you should be fine. You’re a famous quidditch player and social revolutionary now,” he said with a chuckle. “Why pink anyway?”

Jason laughed. He didn’t think either of those would earn him the attention he wanted, but baby steps, right? Best to start somewhere than not at all. “What? Am I not pulling it off?” He said going up for another shot. “But honestly? It wasn’t my choice, but it’s certainly not a wizarding color, and it’s bright enough not to be ignored or just overlooked.”

“The goal is to be visible, to be seen, and I think the neon pink is doing that. And if in being visible, I can show to any other young witches or wizards struggling with having grown up thinking magic was just fantasy, that they are not alone. I certainly want to do that too.”

“I didn’t say that. A manly man can pull off pink,” Maddock said with a laugh and joked back. He had never really thought about it before that pink wasn’t really a colour you saw in the wizarding world. “I get it though. It stands out. Was more so curious about specific colour pink. But anyway, it might be early days, but people are taking notice. I think it’s great,” Maddock said. “Did you see the Prophet today?”

“Not yet. The struggle to get out of bed this morning was real.” He was both dreading and looking forward to what sort of response might be mounted. There was only a small amount of hesitance. It was enough to cause him to miss the next block and let Maddock get the next shot. “I have been reaching out to some non-quidditch muggleborns to really coordinate our efforts. This is bigger than me, bigger than all of us, and I’m sure we’ll have a place for you among our ranks should want that too.”

While Maddock did take the opportunity to get the next shot, he was still noticed Jason’s hesitation. “Well that’s good! Who did you reach out to so far?” Maddock asked because this whole thing did seem to be getting bigger quickly. “You always got my support, and I’ll do whatever you need to help.”

“I’ve actually had some interesting conversations with Mary Cattermole and one very curious exchange with Donaghan Tremlett.” Jason wasn’t naive to think that Quidditch gave birth to the movement. It just made things more visible and he was eager to meet more of the players already involved and better able to navigate the political arena.

“That’s a good start though,” Maddock said and was impressed anyway. “Just wait, you’ll have people from all over coming to you,” he said as he went to take another three point shot. “So you know what would make that even better? If you had someone you were dating that could help you with all your political ambitions,” he said with a smirk as he tied it back to that conversation. “We should go out sometime before you get too busy again.”

Jason was ready this time. He jumped and smacked that ball clear out of the air, celebrating such a massive D with a very intense raw and some well timed trash talk - Not in my House.

“Well, my dance card is booked until the twenty-first.” Jason didn’t respond to the comment about having a partner to help him with his political ambitions. He wasn’t even really sure he had them. But here they were. “But after? Sure.”

“Damn,” he said to Jason’s block but not with that much annoyance since it had been good and deserved the celebration. Maddock did a mental tick in what was going on the twenty first and then remembered. “Ah! Your race! But that’s a prime opportunity to get some very wanted attention and to chat up some girls.”

It went back to the concern if adoring or fanatic fan hook up was what he wanted. Although if Quesada showed up, there was an unfinished conversation from the Carrera Escombra Catalonia to follow up on. “But that all depends on how the race goes.” Jason was sure he would perform well. He didn’t have any illusion he would win, Sjögren would be racing, and she was leading world champion for three years.

“Confidence King! You’re going to be great and you’re going to show off that new racing broom,” Maddock said and took another jump shot at the net. “And really, that’s the secret to it all. Just be yourself but be confident while you do it. Any girl that’s not interested in that is not worth it.”