Playing for Keeps

The locker room reeked of sweat and broom polish. That was one thing Robin had never really understood about the mechanics of the professional level league. That they spent millions on lighting and stadiums to wow the fans but couldn't seem to afford a single janitor. It irritated Robin to no end, and yet he still bore his annoyance in relative silence rather than do anything about it. Besides, the stench was probably embedded into the woodwork by now, far beyond any hope of being saved.

Robin's Quidditch bag sat on one of the benches and contained his robes, knee pads, bat, and a very special necklace. The small ruby had become quite precious to him, not for it's retail value but for the leverage it had given him with Ms. Swan. It was not a rare occurrence to get the pleasure of her company but it was much less common to have her spend an entire day with him. Not that they would exactly be making small talk, no, the distance from the broom to the stands would far from allow that. But the fact that whenever he looked over she would be sitting and cheering for him was enough of a picture to put a grin on Robin's face.

He had won, even if he didn't get the jewels.

Teammates were scattered around, everything from running late to being in the bathroom before getting ready. This left the locker room surprising empty and Robin took the opportunity to unzip his bag and pull out the necklace that had caused Audriana so much panic. It was a pretty little thing and he admired it for a moment, observing the way the stone caught the light at just the right angles. With a grin he unclasped the latch and brought the chain around his neck, re-clasping it and letting the jewel fall on his chest. He tucked it under his shirt and turned, walking out of the locker room door. If no one was there he might as well go get some popcorn before the game began. It was going to be quite the show.

The Team

Jack was ready. Quidditch was what she did, and the pre-game state was Jack at her peak. The combination of calm and adrenaline, the anticipation and the focus on the present. Jack was the Captain of one of the hardest working Quidditch teams Europe had ever seen. The worked harder, hit harder, and wanted it harder than anyone else in the league. They were at underdog standing at the beginning of the season, but the analysts had seen their scrimmages, had snuck into their practices, and they had named the Falcons a favorite for this seasons. They were at peak performance - and Jack had the responsibility of leading them. But she had led before, and the stakes here were not life and death, happiness or misery. It was a point for the season or no point. She could handle this. She had done it before. She intended on doing it again.

"Kelly! Let go of Caroline." Kelly had seized Caroline by the middle and was spinning her around in circles. Kelly was smiling happily, and he put his hands up. "Sorry." His lips dropped into a serious expression. "I'm serious. I am." Brett crossed his arms and glared at Kelly. "Oh, sod off, Tuley!" Caroline said, glaring at Brett. "You're not perfect."

Jack put up a hand. "Stop. All of you. Finish getting rest, then we'll do a stretch, go for our run, and begin our warm ups. Alright?"

Robin Ivanov was heading out. Jack turned, staring at the back of his head with a deep set glare. "Ivanov. Be quick!" she called after him.

If he gave her reason to kick his ass, she would not hesitate.

Of all the stupid things...

Today had to be one of the worst days in Audriana's memory. There she was, walking into a ruddy Falcons Quidditch match. Don't get it wrong, she was alright with the team, not that she followed them. It was the circumstances, really, that infuriated her.

With a frown etched on her face, she stormed towards the lockers, hating her appearance though she couldn't see herself. She was wearing the team colors, had white ribbons in her hair - one of the rare times her cloak didn't cover her head. She wasn't wearing it at all, actually. She felt completely wrong and out of place. It had been years since she'd been to a game. As much as she had loved playing Seeker at Hogwarts, it was no career path for Audriana.

If it weren't for her refusal to fail when it came to a job, and her obsession with beating Robin, she would not have attended. At least the match was free, she grumbled to herself. Rounding a corner she practically ran right into the man himself, pulling back to avoid hitting him. She momentarily regretted not walking right into Robin, just to annoy him.

Looking up at him, she rested her hands on her hips and cleared her throat. "I've arrived. Are you happy now? I even wore the colors." Audriana pointed out, rolling her eyes.


Outfit

Today was just the best day.

Robin could hear the building commotion of arriving fans in the stadium and the excitement of the crowd tickled his mind with adrenaline for his upcoming spotlight. But even more than the game he was practically bouncing with the anticipation of seeing Audriana for the second time this week. As Robin headed out of the locker room he head Jack's sharp call behind him, to which he rolled his eyes slightly and continued on anyways.

Audriana appeared out of nowhere from around a corner and nearly ran him over. It was clearly as unexpected for her as it was for him and they both pulled back slightly, Audriana placing her hands on her hips and Robin letting an easy smirk fall across his face. She spoke and Robin had to hold back a laugh of delight at just how aggravated she really sounded. Was it really so bad? He had been kind with his request and she knew it. But Robin knew better than to think she would be pleased until she had received her prize.

"That's the spirit!" Robin grinned, clapping a hand on her shoulder. "But I've got just the thing. I'll be right back." assured her before turning around and quickly going back into the locker room and grabbing a second bag out of his locker. He exited just as quickly as he had entered, before Jack could speak up and stop his exit. Within seconds he stood before Audriana again, at which point he extended his arm and handed her the bag. "For you. I thought you might need some help."

Earlier that day Robin had packed the bag with a Falcons hat (shaped like, yes, a falcon head), a giant grey foam finger, two silver and white pom poms, an identical copy of his jersey with his name and number across the back, face painting kit, several noisemakers, and a confetti gun. Robin was rather proud of the ensemble. It had taken him an entire morning to gather from around the house. "You're welcome." he added, completely and utter cheer in his voice.

Audriana scowled at his hand as it retracted from her shoulder. "What-?" She started, mouth remaining parted in surprise as he turned and made his way back into the lockers. She let out a rather frustrated sigh and waited.

Upon his return, she reluctantly took the bag he offered her. His happy 'your welcome' was rather like a sign that she should start to worry. Opening the zip on the bag, Audriana nearly dropped the offending object in shock.

"Are you entirely mental? Or just mostly?" She snapped, eyebrows raised as she lifted her eyes to stare at him again. Aud reached inside and pulled out what appeared to be a jersey, unfolding it. Letting out a scoff, she rolled her eyes and stuffed it unceremoniously back inside.

"I do this, and you give me the necklace at the end of the game?" Aud asked harshly, wanting to waste as little time as possible on the entire affair.

"Of course, dearie. Have I ever broken a promise to you?" He responded, a tone of slight offense in his voice. Of course he probably had, but the details and dates of such an event had been lost on him. But now he really did mean what he said. Although he had enjoyed the time it had been in his possession, Robin wasn't sure the color was quite right for his skintone.

He wasn't too worried but Jack's irritated call stuck in the back of his mind. He wasn't scared of the redhead (he could take her in a fight, and that was one girl he would feel okay hitting) but she was the captain and therefore had the ability to stop him from playing and put in an overeager substitute. Not that they could afford it he thought with a scoff, momentarily admiring his own abilities at the sport. Not to mention the substitute from beater could barely tell his left from right.

Turning back towards the locker room, Robin looked back over his shoulder at the last second. "Enjoy the game." he called back, unsure if he genuinely meant it or if it was sarcastic.

Robin walked the short way down the hall and re-entered the locker room to where the team was getting ready. He gave Jack a million-dollar-smile and a "Did you miss me?"

Jack didn't know where Deano was - their coach had a tendency to wander off when he was most needed, so she supposed he was getting a hot dog from concessions or was sitting under his desk, praying. Whatever it was, it left her to do some of the basic tasks, like making sure Gavin's forearms were properly wrapped - he had a tendency to throw them out as blocks and injure himself - and check the straps on everyone's goggle's. They might have been the league favorites, but they did not yet have the funding of favorites.

She spotted Robin re-enter and bristled - she thought she had seen him return already, but it seemed he had been even more irresponsible than she had given him credit for. If there was one person on this team who needed a good punch in the eye, it was the Ivanov boy, alright. "I counted the seconds," she said through her teeth, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Get your shoes on. We're stretching first." The boots didn't come on until after stretches and a light jog. Then they got ready.

As Jack led the team in their pre-game warmups, Sunny Dyllan led the way in the bleachers, casually face painted with grey and white. Not a spot was missed on her pink face, and she wore an oversized jersey sporting Jack's last name and number. In her hands was a hotdog almost bigger than herself, smothering and suffocating in relish. She sat herself down and began rifling through a sad bag, pulling out noisemakers and firecrackers. She was prepared to celebrate the right way.

She looked about. She seemed to have lost her chaperone.

Robin pulled his sneakers and warmup clothes on and ran out with the rest of the team. He was towards the back of the pack, not due to lack of physical strength but more because of lack of motivation to get to the front. As they moved around the stadium they passed Audriana. Robin gave a smile so large it was clearly mocking and waved his arms in the air as if he were silently cheering. He called out "Look at her! She knows what she's doing!" and pointed towards the front where a fully decked out Sunny Dyllan proudly paraded.

Robin vaguely wondered if anyone besides Jack was there to watch her. For a child so small he could probably squish her, she was looking awfully fierce wielding that firecracker.

- - -

Max has lost her again. The girl had a real talent for making him look completely incompetent when watching her. Sometimes Max was sure that she was appearing and disappearing out of thin air the way she moved. His eyes scanned the slowly growing crowd and saw her exactly where he would have expected - leading the team warmup. With a mental groan he apperated across the field next to her.

"Sorry, Jack." He apologized, feeling worse to be interrupting the team chi than having had actually lost Sunny in the first place. Jack was used to that by now.

"C'mon, Sunny. Lets go harass the Holyhead fans."

This was Sunny's team - she had won it in a particularly fierce game of Go Fish to Dino. She was good friends with Jack's coach, as she occasionally watched Quidditch practice when Max or Charlie were unable to watch her. Dino, though grumpy, seemed to adore the little redhead girl, and had even written it down that she did own the Falcons. So, she felt no qualms in marching the team out, while her aunt ran back to grab the water jugs that Brett had so foolishly forgotten.

Jack jogged back to see that Sunny was doing jumping jacks, screaming at Gavin to move his legs. She glared at her niece a second before Max appeared. Jack smiled and said, "Enjoy the game you two. Come on team! Let's see those fast feet. She's right, Gavin, move those legs. Ivanov, pay attention to practice, not the pretty girls. If you need to stare at someone's ass, stare at Brett's."

Brett frowned.

After Robin headed back into the lockers, Audriana pulled out the ticket he had sent her by owl beforehand to figure where she would be sitting. Just as she started heading for the proper entrance which would lead her to her seat, the team passed by her. Robin, of course, was flaunting his practically controlling her actions for the rest of the game.

"Oh, shove it." She muttered, though it was clear he couldn't hear her from where he was. As long as she got what she wanted by the end of it all, Aud decided she could probably handle whatever was thrown at her. Next time, she wouldn't offer him the option of choosing their deal.

Glaring at him, she almost didn't catch his teammate's comment about staring at her. Groaning, Audriana reluctantly headed into the stands to locate her seat. Digging through the bag she had been given, she grumbled to herself as she shed her jacket, and pulled the jersey on over her white tank-top.

Face paint? Was he completely mental? Looking over to the young girl Robin had pointed out, Audriana was rather terrified to find that she was seated right in front of Aud's spot in the bleachers. Merlin, help her.