Catch and Release by eternal_elenea (R)

[krisherdown.livejournal.com]

Fandom: MEN'S PROFESSIONAL TENNIS RPS
Pairing: Daniel Vallverdu/Andy Murray
Length: ~5000
Author on LJ: eternal_elenea
Author website: wanderingawake
Why this must be read: I wavered back and forth about whether to rec this.  The fic is amazing, there's no doubt about that, but it is a tough fic to read.  First of all, for the casual fan, let me explain who Dani Vallverdu is: you know when you watch any Andy Murray match, there's that young guy in his players box who looks nervously on (nowadays, usually sits next to Ivan Lendl)?  That's Dani, Andy's best friend dating back to his teen years in Spain who has become his hitting partner/scout.  So now that's established, the fic is about what it means to be basically the hired help for the friend you'd do anything for so he'll succeed, no matter what the consequences are for you.  The fic does paint Andy in a rather harsh light but I have to admit this fic probably works best if you're already a fan of his; it is painfully in character at times.

Excerpt:

He gives in too easily when Andy's like this. He's tired and it's been hours on the court, hours of missed balls and curses mumbled just under Andy's breath, hours trying to snap Andy out of it before slumping his own shoulders and resigning himself to the fact that it's just one of those days. It happens sometimes – sometimes it doesn't click, the seams show, they all wonder what the hell is going on (and he keeps handing Andy balls to serve). He'd have thought it would get easier over time, that Andy would learn not to beat himself up over one bad day, but it's gotten harder instead. (It's hard to convince Andy that he doesn't have to be perfect to be, well, perfect.)

By the time they get back to the hotel, Andy's strung tight, teeth clenched, snapping at every word, scratching his fingernails over his newly shorn scalp until Dani can almost see the raised skin, see where Andy's bloodied his knuckles against the strings of his racket. It's just at the edge, where Andy doesn't want to admit how far gone he is, but it's buzzing under his skin and he half-stomps through the lobby, stabbing at the button for the elevator. Dani waves Matt and AI aside as soon as the car stops, telling them to disappear for the evening, and follows behind Andy. He doesn't speak, stands beside Andy in the elevator and watches the set of Andy's shoulders as they heave. He swipes the key card to open their suite and shoves Andy inside, bodily. The door's barely begun to swing closed before Andy's pushing him against it, fists knotting against Dani's t-shirt, backwards until the door clicks soundly, until Dani's breathless, until the blood on his knuckles has dripped onto Dani's collar bone, the carpet.

There's a moment, just a moment, whether neither of them are quite sure what will happen next: blood thrumming through Andy's veins and Dani's powerless, won't do anything until Andy either punches him or kisses him.

Catch and Release on LJ and AO3