Page 8 of Jockstraps & Newspapers
She felt inspired.Hyped.Ready to go…until the fatigue set in, and her body reminded her she spent eight hours on a field in a pencil skirt and push-up bra.
“First I need to refuel, then I need to sleep.”Cass ran her fingers through her hair.Her curls needed a wash and she wasn't looking forward to standing for another moment.She'd have to just survive with crusty curls another day.Not that anyone would notice.First, aloe vera, next, food, then sleep.Shuffling through the apartment, she'd have to make it up to Lily for putting all her clothes away.Cass ripped her clothes off, donned a tank-top and shorts, and drenched the back of her neck and cheeks in aloe vera.Then, she dumped cold leftover noodles with chicken and broccoli into a bowl and shoveled it in her mouth.The idea of bringing anything hot near her face was agonizing.After throwing the dishes into the dishwasher and wishing her roommate a good night, she crawled into bed.
Morningcameviciouslyearly.Prying herself out of bed, Cass did her best not to complain too loudly.Lily was off today, and she deserved all the rest she could get.Cass plopped herself in the shower and made the grave mistake of washing her hair.Without a second braincell to correct her behavior, she washed and conditioned her hair while scrubbing off the caked-on grime of her body.Then, painstakingly did her best to dry it without noise.Cassiopeia Darling, for the first time in a long time, wished she'd been born a caster like her sister.Andromeda was a realm class healer with awards to her name.She'd cured an ailing prince in the Maylor Kingdom, been shipped off to the Badlands to help heal an allied group of adventurers, and was a proud member of the emergency healer's guild.
And Cassiopeia was hoping that she could get away with a mop of damp curls in a ponytail.To give herself extra luck, she pulled out a bandana and tied it in a bow over her head, keeping all her curls contained behind her head.Likely gonna be on the field again, best not worry too much about hair.She'd learned her lesson.Instead, opting for thin slacks that were breathable, a silk camisole under an easily unbuttoned blouse, and her prettiest hiking boots.She didn't own sneakers.When she glanced in the mirror, smearing sunscreen on her cheeks this time, she repeated her mantra."You got this.You can write this.You're a realm class journalist."
Chanting it in her head all the way to the coffee pot then out the door.However, as she was leaving, she did order lunch for her roommate, a small appeasement.A ‘forgive me for being kind of a fuckwit about SportsBall and leaving you with a giant mess’gift.Lily's favorite food was spicy anything.If it was garlic and fish, even better.
She hiked down the steps, considering taking her car this time.When she rounded the rust bucket of her car, however, she decided against it.Despite how on fire her calves were, she didn't know how long or how far she was going today.Best not chance the death trap.When she was a rich and famous journalist, the first thing—other than hanging the writers award in her parents’ house—would be to buy a new car.One that didn't break down if you blew on it too hard, definitely.
Opting for a tote bag today, a water bottle, her notepad, her crystalpad, and her bottle of sunscreen, she strode into the early morning light.Cass couldn't help but soak in the sharp breeze of wind.Even though the air was frosty, the warmth of the sun rising over the treetops left her in that perfect middle ground.A blessing and a curse, the wind had started to dry her curls.They were bouncy as she came out of her second portal next to King's Fall Daily.The curse was she caught her reflection in the shiny windows of the building.The mixture of her naturally pink cheeks, blonde ringlets, and the bandana, from the collar up she looked like the model of the latest cover ofCutsey Farm Babes!
"Well… these are the lumps you take for washing your damn hair, Cassiopeia," She hissed to herself, stomping up the steps to the lobby.The receptionist peeked up and gasped.Cass froze in her step.
"Oh, my, word!"The receptionist, Tilly according to her name tag, swooned.Two hands clasped to the side of her gorgon cheek, all her red scaled, corn snake hairs sighed and hissed dreamily."You're so cute!"
Fuck.My.Life.Cass laughed sheepishly, striking a goofy pose with her tongue out for a second."It's the curls, they get me every time."
"I love them, you look just like that actress in that one movie about the cowboy from Thistlewhip!"Tilly wiggled enthusiastically before waving her over with flapping hands."Come, come, let's get you checked in.I just, I saw those curls and thought they were so cute.I bet everyone talks about how pretty you are, huh?"
Cass didn't want to be pretty.Or cute.Or some model on display.She wanted to be taken seriously.Her heart sank in her chest as Tilly rambled on and on about how cute she looked in that baby voice everyone gave her.Infantilizing at its best.She tried not to grimace or to take it too hard to heart.People thought it was a compliment.But, as Tilly gave her a badge and baby-talked her how to get up to Mr.Pearson's office, she could see all the other people in the lobby glance at her.That's when the nasty doubt set in.Feeling their eyes on her, she imagined them snickering to themselves.That's the journalist?She ought to be out taking selfies at coffee shops!Look at that baby face!Awww, isn't she so cute?Cass did her best not to snatch the badge fully from Tilly."Yeah, thanks, I know where it is; I remember from yesterday."
Tilly waved at her and wished her good luck.Cass got to the shimmering silver doors of the elevator and nearly collapsed.How embarrassing.She saw her wavering reflection in the silver.Could I just go bald?Would that make it worse or better?I could shave it, right?Ideas of flattening her hair were shot down by the ache in her arms.She'd barely survived a day on the field yesterday, she did not have the mental fortitude to straighten her hair and keep it that way for days.Her resolve was weakening as she stepped inside the elevator.Thankfully, alone, she sank against the wall and let out a heavy sigh.Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry.She swallowed a hard lump in her throat.
"This is why I need a corner office…people don't treat you like a kid when you're an award-winning journalist," she snarled, ready to snap.
To her family, she was invisible.Overshadowed by her regal older sisters and outmatched by the selflessness of her younger sisters, she was see-through.
To strangers on the street, she was some cute little fairy needing her cheeks pinched.A short, curly-haired Fae who was too cute to take seriously.
As the doors to the elevator dinged, she scraped what little pride and resolve she had left.It's gonna be fine.She took a deep breath in as the doors slid open.You can do this.Stepping out into the hall, she squared her shoulders.They'll respect you when you've got awards on your shelf and your face in the paper.
Chapter five
Going directly to the field
Elliot
Elliotwoketothedulcet screaming of his phone.Slapping it didn't do anything but force him out of bed.Once he'd addressed the shrill, mechanical tone, he stared at the four walls around him.Groggy and half-awake, he stumbled hoof over tail toward his bathroom.He'd showered last night, but he'd slept so hard he felt like he needed another.Opting to scrub his fluffy face instead, Elliot felt refreshed after a splash of cold water.His nose was usually damp, but when he woke in the mornings it often had dried out.He applied balm to his nose and around the base of his horns.Scrubbing his teeth, he then sprayed deodorant onto all his pits.Arm pits, knee pits, crotch pits; all pits sweat and get gross the same.After a solid brush of the rat’s nest on his head, he gave himself a nod.A fine looking minotaur, if he did say so himself.He ducked back into his room and worked his body into fresh clothes.Morning wood was his worst enemy because nothing went over it till he could get it to calm down.Minotaur problems.He chuckled to himself as he found himself stroking his cock tenderly.
At first, it had just been to ease the blood flow.No reason to get hot and heavy, he was about to get a light breakfast in and jog to the field for warm up.However, as he wrapped his fingers around himself, he couldn't help but groan.It's…it's been a hot minute.Hard to take care of business when it's go-go-go twenty-four-seven.A quick one, it's fine.Just to clear his mind.He sank back onto his bed, head lolled back as he stroked his heavy shaft slowly.His balls were already tingling.Hooves scraping against the floor, he was inches from a sweet release…and then he saw her face.Saw her caught in his arms, the feel of her body clutched against his.If only for a second, he saw her dipped before him.Elliot didn't even have the time to shake away the image.His imagination lingered on the clench of her thighs in that tight pencil skirt and he came with gusto.
Fuck, it's been too long.Embarrassment burned through him like wildfire in a forest.Cassie didn't deserve to be disrespected like that.She'd neither offered nor flirted with him.And yet, his dirty mind put her in his thoughts.It was just…one orgasm.He swallowed the heavy lump of embarrassment in his throat."Not like I…specifically rubbed it out to her?Right?"
His question went unanswered as he glanced down to the sea of cum between his hooves.Right, you never do learn, do ya?He grumbled to himself as he got up to find the mop and a towel.Elliot felt dirtier for having orgasmed to just the memory of her thighs.But they're pretty thighs.It was back and forth.He was fine, it was just a fantasy, nothing to be done.They happen.But it wasn't fine.He'd violated some code between them, she wasn't even interested.If she ever knew, she'd be horrified.
Elliot chalked it up to exhausted cock brain.The first sexy thing popped into his head while he was touching himself, that's all.She was sexy, no doubt about it.He'd already combated with himself over keeping professional and he'd do his best.Just don't do it again.Fantasizing about a person led to tangled emotions.Tangled emotions led to pinning and unrequited affections.Which all would end in heartbreak.Honestly, he knew better.And yet, as he got dressed the thought floated in his brain.Will she be there today?
He got himself in a pair of mesh shorts and sweatpants to go over, his wrist cuffs, a mesh tank, and his bag for the field.Elliot smashed back a pre-work out shake he'd made in advance.Stepping out of his townhouse, he met Toad at the front steps.Toad was already stretching."Getting lazy on me, are ya, Cap?"
Elliot chuckled, "No, just took a minute for the juices to get flowing."
Toad didn't need to know.Bros tell bros a lot of things…but that stuff was too much information.Toad and Elliot stretched their calves and hamstrings, their arms and shoulders, and all the tiny bits in between.Then, hoof to claw, they jogged toward the pitch.Arms pumping, heads up; the cool spring air was delightful.Sunshine had breached the horizon.Elliot basked in it.The two teammates spread their arms wide, running like children toward the pitch.Soon, a gentle jog turned into a race and they were beating the ground with their stampeding feet.Toad was always faster, getting his knees into the gate a mere breath before Elliot.A long green tail twitched behind Toad with satisfaction as the Dragos flashed a toothy grin at Elliot."Gotta be faster than that, Cap."
"And this is why you always play chasing formations!"Elliot panted, hands on his hips.
"Like you're not a flying bull in the wind, Elle."Toad nudged him, "I've seen you book it before."
