Work Text:
1
The first time Coach Beard notices something it’s in front of his office, everybody was in the locker room changing and Roy was standing in front of the door, talking to Jamie.
Nothing really strange, but it seemed different. Roy did not have his usual glare he reserved for Jamie, his brows were not furrowed and his expression was softer and his jaw unclenched. Jamie on the other hand, looked apologetic, gesturing with his hands and looking everywhere but directly in Roy’s eyes. Roy was unclenching and clenching his fist but not in a way that alarmed him that they could possibly get into an altercation but almost yearning to reach out? To reach out to Jamie possibly?
He doesn’t dwell on it too long as Ted saunters between them clasping both men on their shoulders before asking.
“You guys good?”
Roy straightens his postures, Jamie on other hand, turns to his side not facing the other man anymore and if he had been distracted he would’ve missed the look that flashes on Roy face before turning to face Ted, he grunts. “Yes coach, was ‘bout to go change.” Jamie says before scurrying away to his post.
“Alright Royo, I can see your gears turning up in there.” Ted says.
“See you on the pitch Ted.” Roy says before leaving Ted and walking out.
“Well.” Ted says finally in the office looking at Beard.
He doesn’t pay it no mind, it was probably a disagreement between the two and Jamie was a different person than the one he and Ted encountered at first so apologizing for his wrongdoings wasn’t an idea so farfetched anymore but he swore he saw something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
He doesn’t think too much of it before he’s up and ready to coach the guys for the day.
2
Jamie calls in sick some days later, Jamie never called in sick. He figures he must’ve caught a cold, it was no secret that Roy and Jamie trained at four in the morning and the weather was not particularly kind in those early hours so it doesn’t arouse suspicion or anything. But Roy was mad, and not the anger everyone was used to. He was seething, hand in a fist and even Ted noticed how sour his mood was.
“Roy you alright? You seem a little tense.” Ted says pointing out the obvious, well Ted was Ted.
“Fucking fine.” Roy was on his phone, typing away. He sat there, not really paying attention and his eyes fixed on the phone while Ted was setting up a new formation and tactics, and while beard was listening and giving Ted feedback, whenever he glanced at Roy he was still tense, angry and typing on his phone, until he smiles, it was almost imperceptible but his eyes light up and look upwards.
“I have to go.” He announces.
“Now?” Ted asks confused at the other man leaving in the middle of their meeting.
“Gotta get Phoebe and my sister is at work.”
“I mean I can’t argue with that. Just- Alright go get her and tell her Ted says hi.”
“I won’t.” Roys says already wearing his jacket and halfway out the door.
“Great, see you Roy.”
“Bye.” Beard simply adds.
The next day both Jamie and Roy are missing, Jamie still sick and Roy calling out for a family emergency. Ted did say he visited Jamie later that day, and he wasn’t doing any better than what he had announced. He found out Roy was there with Phoebe, who according to Ted was reading Jamie a story as he was wrapped up in a blanket as the other man was in the kitchen cooking. They chatted a bit before he had to go home and leave Jamie in Roy and Phoebe’s care.
And Beard was still in shock at the news but Ted seemed to be happy about it, maybe Roy training Jamie to make him a better player than Zava wasn’t such a bad idea after all, they seemed to be getting along much better, there was still some shouting as expected from Roy and some cussing thrown at each other but it wasn’t the same in the way they were in the beginning and he figures this might just be what they need for the team.
3
They lose another match, with Zava now retired and morale down, the high of their winning streak was now wearing off but Ted always had the right words, they were able to do it once, they could do it again.
It’s late, people pouring out of the stadium and all of them were almost done. The coaches where alerted that a certain James Tartt tried to get in, but after proper precautions the man was not allowed anywhere Richmond was playing if they had any input, much less near Jamie.
So it takes them off guard when somehow he’s there, where the team bus was parked Ted urging the players to get in the bus.
“Jamie, my son, you can’t avoid me forever, you are blood of my blood.” The man says laughing, Beard did not find it amusing or funny, just a pathetic attempt at riling his son up for no reason.
“You want us to deal with him?” Isaac asks coming to a halt, the rest of the team that was yet to get in the bus agreeing with him.
“Nah mate, I got this.” Jamie says, not really sure of the words coming out of his mouth but tried his best to not let his worry show.
Roy nods towards the bus and they let him be, giving Jamie a nod before getting on the vehicle.
“What do you want?” Jamie asks tense just like the last time he was in his father’s presence.
Except, this time Roy’s hand was Jamie’s bicep thumbs making small circular motions, and his best guess was that he was trying to calm the younger boy down.
“You and the lads lost the match again, a shame really ain't it?”
“You’re a disappointment. A fucking cun-“ He doesn’t get to finish the sentence before Roy punches him in the guts leaving the man folding in pain.
It’s unclear what threats Roy whispers in the man’s ear because next thing he knows, he turns around telling Jamie “You’ll pay for this.” before scurrying away.
“Roy?” Ted calls.
“Got this. You can go.” And with that both Coach Beard and Ted get in the bus leaving behind Roy with Jamie who assured them they’d get home on their own.
What Beard doesn’t know is that they did not go home after the altercation, Jamie still shaken up and somehow feeling unsafe to go back to his and Roy decided to go to a hotel where he booked two separate rooms for discretion but spent the night in one.
How Jamie almost picked a fight with Roy, him almost reacting until he realized he was acting out because of his dad and hugged him, got changed and spent the night watching romcoms rocking a crying Jamie (in part because of the movies and in part because of his dad) until they both fell asleep.
4
He is now sure he’s not seeing things when after a match, in one of the stadium hallways he sees them, Jamie and Roy, talking with smiles on their faces. Jamie excitedly gesticulating and Roy listens with a smile, and not any smile, it reaches his eyes.
“I was fucking fantastic on that pitch today.”
“Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever you fucking say.” Roy says rolling his eyes but Jamie doesn’t seem to take offense, instead he takes it as a reason to move even closer to Roy into his very own personal space.
“I want to hear you say it.” Jamie says very much in his face, and Roy doesn’t seem fazed or bothered by the proximity, raising his eyebrow almost in a challenging manner.
“Roy.” Jamie says again, now resting his hand on the other man’s bearded cheek and cupping it.
“Fine, you were amazing, the fucking best. Happy?” Roys says giving in and Jamie let go, a smile still plastered on his face as he moves away from Roy.
“Yes coach.”
“Now go change or the others might think I’m talking your head off for being a prick.”
“Please, it won us the match didn’t it?” Jamie scoffs and laughs.
“Go!” Roy says, slapping Jamie’s behind who skips at the impact, a smile still on his face as he walks to the locker rooms yelling a “Whatever you say grandad!”
And it’s not the physical that shocks him, it wasn’t uncommon to see playful pat or a smack between men in sports, but their body language said so many things, how intimate they seemed with one another. Roy never let anyone in his personal space like that, and maybe he and Jamie were becoming friends after all but it was much more intimate and it’s not like he was following them closely just happened to stumble upon them and observe the fascinating evolution of their relationship with one another.
5
He’s waiting on Jane hence why everybody was almost gone and he was still there outside. It’s not like he was hiding really, the corner of the building was just where Jane would wait for him so he’d wait there till she made her presence known.
The door opening and a laugh could be heard followed soon after by a grunt that unmistakably came from Roy Kent. Jamie ahead of him, his hair still wet from showering, Roy just behind. He was almost certain there was something going on between them, something more than a friendship, something romantic, so palpable and yet it could go unnoticed if not paid attention enough. The day Roy punched Jamie’s father and threatened him with only god knows what pretty much made it clear the man cared for Jamie a great deal and not just only for the sake of the team, especially after offering to take Jamie home himself.
“Cook for me tonight?”
“You can cook for yourself.”
“I’ll just get take-away.”
“You’re not having that shit, not in my house.”
“So you’ll cook for me?”
Jamie says now fully pressed on Roy who was leaning against the car door. Roy rolls his eyes and Jamie smiles, pressing a gentle kiss on his lips that much despite himself he kissed back.
“You’re driving yourself tomorrow.” He says pulling away and opening the car door and getting inside the vehicle.
“Come on, me car’s still at my place!” Jamie protests before walking to the other door.
“I told you!” Roy says out loud.
“You’re still scratchy.” He hears before the door is shut and they drive off.
He shouldn’t have been surprised he has been getting to this conclusion for a while now and yet it still left him wide eyed and open mouthed at the scene that unfolded in front of him.
He jumps out of his skin when a hand touches him and it’s Jane.
+ 1
He comes in early today, he notices Roy’s car in the parking space, to which he presumes Jamie must be with him considering they still trained early in the morning.
It’s confirmed when it’s only their two voices he hears in the locker room.
“No Tartt, I’m not kissing you after you puked.” Roy says.
“No Tartt, I’m not kissing you after you puked.” Jamie mocks, in what could be defined as a terrible impression of Roy.
“Come on man, I brushed my teeth, even showered and I got training again in a few don’t be an arse.” He adds in a pleading tone.
He is not surprised when he walks in on them kissing and Roy cupping Jamie’s cheeks with his hands. The sound of footsteps making them break apart and jump like kids caught in doing something they shouldn’t and Beard wanted to laugh seeing the famous Roy Kent flustered, but he didn’t, to not put them in further embarrassment. He knew he could’ve.
“Beard.” Roy was the one to break the silence as he greeted the man who was making his way towards the office.
“Coach Kent, Jamie” He says back.
“Does he know? How?” Jamie tried to say low but failing miserably as Coach Beard could still hear him, he snickers as put his feet up on his desk, hands crossed behind his head.
“I do.” He shouts from his office. “I pay attention. I doubt anyone else does.”