User blog:SodaCat/Reality

this is a really short, on-the-spot one-shot about Gianfranco, since I love him but I haven't written about him. Uhhh ok context

THE BULLWORTH BULLHORNS have just entered gianfranco martinez's hospital room for the first time since he was injured on the field. standing at the front of the group are ted thompson & damon west. they bring flowers.

"What the fuck you expect me to do, man?" Gianfranco roared, smacking the flowers out of Ted's hand. "Go stick on one of those white button downs and pretend to be one of Russell's guys? Eh? You want me to bully kids by what--running over their toes with my wheelchair? That it? That sound good to you, you fuckin' pretty-boy?"

Ted stared back at him, not even having to look to know that the guys behind him were taken aback by Martinez's outburst as well. "I just... I..." he mumbled, for the first time in his life at a loss for words.

"'I, uh, I, I don't, I just'", Gianfranco mimicked, a furious expression on his face, "what, can't talk to me anymore because I'm a cripple? Thought it'd just be easy to come 'ere and tell me to go take a hike now that I can't run around catching a fucking ball in some tights every Friday night for you? It's a little harder than that to throw six years of friendship down the drain, man."

He slumped back down onto his hospital bed, letting out a deep sigh and glaring up at the ceiling above his head.

"Yo, we didn't come here to tell you to fuck off, man," Damon interjected suddenly, stepping in for Ted, "we came here to see if you was alright. You don't gotta act like a dick right off the bat."

Gianfranco turned to look at Damon, a little surprised by the sudden maturity in him. He opened his mouth a little, though no decipherable words came out.

"Yeah, dude," Ted added, suddenly finding his voice, "we came to tell you not to worry about anything. You've been a valuable guy on the team. We're here for you man. We're playing for you. We're not gonna leave a man behind. We're here for you."

Gianfranco let out a long sigh, looking up at the guys with a different mindset. "This is just so hard," he breathed out, fighting to keep from breaking out into sobs, "I can't fucking walk, man. I can't fuckin' walk."

The guys all looked at each other, unsure of what to say to him. There wasn't any use assuring him that things would be okay; none of them even knew if that was true. Instead, they all stood, silent, until a nurse ushered them out, claiming Gianfranco needed rest.