Chapter Text
Cooper
Cooper Flagg could honestly say he had never been the desperate type when it came to relationships. Not that he was so self aware, but he knew he was tall and handsome with a somewhat interesting personality. In college, he could practically get anybody he wanted, despite not being the outgoing, overtly flirtatious type. But now, he was desperate. He was so fucking desperate for him, it made him downright irritable. The 6’5 object of his ire and desire? Dylan fucking Harper.
This had been festering over the course of a few months that felt more like decades to Cooper. He could recall his first time seeing Dylan on draft day, as he strided across the stage as the San Antonio Spurs second overall pick. Watching him on the internet with his new teammates. There was no denying that Dylan was handsome. Brown smooth skin, tattoos on his arms, a mustache, tall, but not taller than Cooper. He was everything Cooper never knew he needed in his life, and from that day on, he knew Dylan had to be his. No doubt about it. Luckily, Mavericks played the Spurs for the first game in the season, which meant Cooper got some extra time with Dylan face-to-face. Even if it was just them playing basketball the whole time, Cooper took it as a win. Although, there were long term problems to his plan to court Dylan, the largest one being distance.They were on two different teams, giving Cooper less time with Dylan, and more time for the girls (and guys) in San Antonio to take Dylan away from him. He could only thank his lucky stars that they were at least in the same state, and even then, they were nearly five hours away from each other. But distance be damned! That’s never stopped any two people in love before (even if he and Dylan weren’t exactly “in love” yet, Cooper would have to work on that). There were only a few days before the Spurs traveled up northeast to Dallas, and Coach had them practicing extra drills and going over plays, for the start of the season. After a particularly rough practice, Cooper usually went home, took a bath, and scrolled on his phone until he fell asleep. But tonight, he had other plans. He had made up his mind to text Dylan before the game. Nothing flirty, just something to create friendly banter before the game, even if the last thing he wanted was to be “just friends”. After entering his apartment, Cooper, like the suave, smooth charmer that he isn’t, spends ten additional minutes wracking his brain trying to find an appropriate message to send to Dylan, even though talking to him was all he could think about the entire day. He typed up some rough drafts.
Cooper: what’s popping?
It is 2025.
Cooper: yooooo wassup
Could be better.
Cooper: yooo wsg u wanna fuck?
Cooper immediately hit the backspace button. Way too fucking desperate.
Cooper had no clue why he was having so much trouble with this. It was basically like texting a friend, and yet he felt like he was back in high school texting a girl he liked for the first time. After a minute, Cooper stared at his phone, typed three letters, and sent the message praying for a response.
Cooper: Yoo
As the message went through, Cooper placed his phone face down and tried to distract himself for an hour or two. Took a shower, made a salad, and sat down to check his phone again. A new message from Dylan had popped up on his home screen.
Dylan: Yoo wsg?
Cooper told himself to calm down and respond smoothly, suave.
Cooper: Nun much, wbu?
Dylan: nun much, putting in dat work for the season.
Cooper: yeah, us too.
Dylan: y’all rdy to lose?
Cooper: ain’t happening so nah
Dylan: alr we gon see mr first overall pick
Cooper knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t deny that his heart skipped a beat seeing Dylan call him “Mr.” He paused, debating whether to tease Dylan on being the second overall pick or just send a thumbs-up. He didn’t want Dylan to read it as an insult, but he wanted to keep the conversation going at least a little bit longer. Cooper exhaled and stared back down at his phone in his hands. Smooth and suave, smooth and suave, smooth and suave.
Cooper: Liked “alr we gon see mr first overall pick”
A bit basic, but it would work for now.
—
The buzzer had never sounded off louder in Cooper’s head than after the first loss to San Antonio.
125-92, Spurs. It had been a strong start to Cooper’s personal stats as an official NBA player. He had a double double with ten points and ten rebounds. Whatever. Didn’t make the loss taste any sweeter. Cooper slumped down in the chair of his apartment as he mentally prepared to take a long, hot shower. He checked his phone, the internet was obviously reporting on the Maverick’s loss, but people were praising his performance as a newcomer. He shut the phone off and quickly pulled off his hoodie and his sweats to take his shower. As Cooper stepped into the glass shower, he couldn’t help but think about his earlier conversation with Dylan. He was probably out at some sketchy club in Dallas living it up and partying with all types of people around him, all types of people Dylan was probably more interested in. Cooper ran his hand through his wet hair and stroked his soapy chest with his other hand. Thoughts of Dylan, how good Dylan looked out there tonight, and suddenly his hand was on his dick, cupping his hand to create a small hole to fuck through. He imagined it was Dylan’s mouth, taking him deep until his dick reached the back of his throat. Suffocating on it, begging for air-
Cooper tugged on himself a few more times and bucked his hips forward with a deep moan as he came. Thick strands of cum shot out onto the white floor and mixed in with the running water swirling down the drain. Fuck, how was he gonna get through the season like this? Thirsting over the guy that’s supposed to be on the opposing team? He could have any girl in Texas and here he was hung up over one guy? Pathetic, Cooper thought to himself as he turned the shower knob to stop the water. He stepped out and grabbed a white linen towel to wrap around his waist, wiping his hands in the process and grabbing his phone to check for any new messages. New messages had popped up, mostly family and friends congratulating him on his performance and trying to console him after the loss. But the message that stood out immediately was the one not from his family or his friend. It was an Instagram message from Dylan. He hurriedly tapped the message notification and read with his hand.
Dylan: wht happened coop? off ur game tn?
Cooper let out a chuckle at Dylan using his nickname, the first thing to make him smile after the loss. It shouldn’t make him smile, nothing about it should make him smile. But it did. And Cooper feared that it wasn’t what the message said specifically that made him happy, it was the fact that even after he won, Dylan was sending it. Dylan was thinking of him. The ground work had been set.
Now it was time for Cooper to make a move.