Work Text:
“And we’re heading into the last twenty minutes. A riveting head-to-head between AFC Wimbledon who are putting up a valiant defence against AFC Richmond’s symphony of attacks. Obisanya and Rojas are relentlessly on the ball and their opponents can’t seem to get it off them.”
“That’s right, we’re still at a 1-1 draw after 70 minutes. Oh-what’s this? Arlo, I do think we might have a rogue player on the field.”
The referee blew the whistle and the players on the pitch who hadn’t been aware yet realised they had a visitor. An orange tabby cat had found its way onto the green. The crowd started cheering as the players started to either catch it or herd it off the field.
The cat wasn’t interested in either of those options, and alternated between wild zigzags and incredible sprints between the players and referees.
“I would not enjoy to be a cat on a football pitch.” Dani said as they tried a softer approach of trying to coax the cat to come up to them, to avoid stressing it out even more.
The crowd seemed thoroughly entertained as a pitch full of grown men tried to make friends with the instantly beloved ball of fur.
Jamie happened to be closest when the cat was disoriented by another round of cheers. It didn’t hear him come up and he was able to scoop it up into his arms, holding it tightly as it tried to scratch him, but was soon placated by having its head stroked.
“Sorry mate, there ain’t room for two handsome lads like us out here.” Jamie joked as he carried it towards one of the stadium entrances to let it go outside, still petting the cat that was starting to melt into him. “That was scary, ey? So many people?” He murmured.
Meanwhile, on the side of the pitch, Roy rolled his eyes at the show, of course fucking cats loved Jamie too. They all waited and soon Jamie was back, running onto the pitch and waving to the cheering crowd.
Except he wasn’t alone.
The cheers changed into ‘aw’s and Jamie was confused for a moment, looking around just to see the tabby had followed him back in.
“Aw, nah mate, you can’t be here.” He protested, crouching down to scoop the cat back up, much to the crowd’s amusement.
“You don’t gotta go home, but you gotta be good, yeah?”
“What’s he doing?” Ted asked Coach Beard as Jamie approached the coaches, but the question was answered soon enough.
“Stop messing around with the fucking- what are you doing?” Roy protested as Jamie came up to him and handed him the bundle of fur. “The fuck am I meant to do with that thing?” Roy protested, taking it more out of instinct than anything.
“I don’t know, Coach. He’s grumpy like you, so you’ll find something to bond about I’m sure. We can name him Roy.” Jamie grinned, running off back to join his team.
“Oh, I don’t think Human Roy likes that idea.” Ted chuckled, looking over at his assistant coach’s face where a war between running after Jamie to kill him and just accepting his fate seemed to be going down.
“Looks like Jamie Tartt has found a minder for his new furry friend, did you ever picture Roy Kent as a cat lover, Chris?” The commentators cackled as the crowd made their approval known.
“I don’t suppose so, Arlo, but then again he does look like that grumpy cat, doesn’t he.”
The cat, shockingly, had no issue being held like a baby in Roy’s arms, spreading red fur all over the front of his black sweater, and worming itself into his jacket as the game continued.
About five minutes in, the thing started purring on him like a motor boat and Roy shook his head, he’d done nothing to encourage this, and he probably ought to have just carried it outside himself, but he hadn’t wanted to miss any part of the game. So by the time the final whistle sounded on a draw, the cat was fast asleep against him. Roy looked down at it, grumbling without saying anything, just to have Jamie jog up to him with his stupid big grin, and then he had the nerve to look at the cat and look all touched and happy instead of smug.
“Aww, he actually likes you.”
“How do you know even know it’s a ‘he’?” Roy grumbled.
“Cos he’s got those fat cheeks that guy cats get when they’re not fixed.” Jamie explained, stepping closer and lifting the lapel of Roy’s jacket to the side so he could see the sleeping cat. Roy could only imagine the cameras on them and the fucking commentary they’d get off this footage.
“Yeah, well, you can have him back. Put him outside.” Roy reasoned, trying to push the thing back into Jamie’s arms.
“What if he ain’t got a home though? If he weren’t fixed then maybe he doesn’t have any humans.” Jamie protested, stepping aside. “I gotta go shower, I can’t just walk out with him like this, can I?” And he might have had a point there, but Roy sure didn’t like it.
“Fine…” He growled, following the players into the locker room. “Stop cackling.” He warned Ted and Beard over his shoulder.
“This must have been someone’s pet at some point.” Nate reasoned, falling into step with Roy. “No feral cat would be okay with that. I’d known, I tried to make friends with a local stray by the Taste of Athens, but it gets really angry when I don’t bring lamb kebap.”
“I’m sure when we put it outside it’s gonna run right home.” Roy told him. “Oi, anyone in here allergic to cats?” He hollered through the locker room before entering. A chorus of ‘no’s had him stepping inside and putting the cat down so it couldn’t run off into the corridors of the Dog Track to piss everywhere.
There was some general cackling when he did and Jan Maas helpfully spoke up to explain. “It looks like your chest hair, only orange.”
Roy looked down and saw that he was completely covered in red fur.
“Tartt, this is your responsibility, you got that?” He called to where Jamie was stripping out of his kit, quickly looking away when he saw the shorts and underwear drop.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll look up a vet after the shower.” He tried to placate Roy. “No need to be such a grumpy cat.”
Roy glared at him, following the coaches into the meeting room to actually debrief. Still, he couldn’t help glance out the window to watch as the damn cat started making friends with the players and sleepily letting the guys pet it.
“Too bad we’re the Greyhounds and not the Handsome Kittens.” Ted mused, watching the same interactions Roy was watching. “He’d make a cute mascot. Nothing against Earl though.” He added quickly.
“Pundits would have a field day with that statement.” Roy warned him and forced them back on track regarding the debrief.
They actually managed a solid 10 minutes of focus, and then decided to call it an evening. Ted and Beard stayed behind, but Roy packed up his bag and started to head out, only to stop short in his tracks when he saw Jamie sitting on the bench by his locker, the cat in his lap, purring up a storm as he was petting it.
“What are you still doing here?” Roy asked, not as annoyed as he wanted to sound.
“Well, I called about the local vets and all, and one of them can see us today, but they only got an appointment in half an hour, so I’m just …” He indicated the cat.
“Passing time.” Roy supplied, coming over to sit down on the bench next to him, putting his bag down.
“Yeah. You don’t like cats?” Jamie asked, looking at Roy with what Roy supposed was an attempt not to look judgemental, but he wasn’t hiding it that well.
“I didn’t say that.” Roy protested. “Phoebe’s got a cat. It’s alright.” He lied. Phoebe’s cat was fucking adorable, and if he didn’t love Phoebe so much he’d steal it.
“I hope Roy’s got owners as nice as Phoebe.” Jamie mused, looking down at the cat and petting it with both hands, massaging its big cheeks and earning himself massive purrs.
“You’re not naming it Roy!” Roy protested and Jamie snorted, clearly having waited for the reaction when he had called the cat that.
“Fine… “ He gave in. “Would have suited him though.” He smiled at Roy. “Wanna come along to the vet, see if he’s got a place?”
Roy looked at his watch as if he might have had plans, which definitely wasn’t the case, but Jamie didn’t need to know that. “Yeah, I can tag along.” He gave in. “Go on then, hand him over and get your shit. I’ll drive you.”
Since they had started their 4 AM trainings, Jamie jogged into work for a pre-training shower and breakfast more often than not, so he probably didn’t have his car today either.
“Mint.” Jamie smiled, and fuck it shouldn’t make Roy so happy to see him like that. He took the cat when Jamie handed it to him, and the cat seemed only mildly perturbed by the change in backrub providers.
Jamie packed up his stuff and Roy scooped the cat, who definitely wasn’t named ‘Roy’, up against his chest again. The sweater was already ruined anyway, what were a few more hairs.
“He’s real sweet though, ey?” Jamie asked as they walked out into the parking lot.
“Can I keep him if he’s not got anyone?” He asked, and Roy looked at him in disbelief.
“Why the fuck are you asking me for permission?” He asked.
“Well…” Jamie trailed off, shaking his head. “I dunno, you’re around a fair bit.” He said uncertainly. “Don’t want you to stop staying over cos you hate me cat.”
“You make it sound like we’re like… fucking or something.” Roy protested, and that was a mental image he really shouldn’t have conjured.
Jamie didn’t answer and Roy looked over at him quizzically.
“What?”
“Well, nothing. I got it.” Jamie deflected, waiting for Roy to unlock the car before taking the cat.
Roy felt his heart sink. He might have overshot the tone there. After all, he didn’t have much of a leg to stand on. He’d spent the weekend at Jamie’s, Friday night to Sunday night. There had been an extended unwillingness to go to bed. They had been having a good time, watching shows, playing Fifa, and somehow they had ended up sleeping on Jamie’s sofa together, rather than heading up to the bedrooms.
Roy got into the driver’s seat, putting the seatbelt on, a low rumble in his chest as he tried to find something to say. “That cat isn’t gonna keep me from being around.” He said, softer now, and only glancing at Jamie for a second to see that he seemed to relax again.
“Cool.” Jamie said quietly, and started fumbling with his own seatbelt while trying to keep a hold of the cat. So Roy reached over to help him, belting Jamie in and petting the cat’s big head.
“You tell me where we’re going.” Roy suggested, and together they navigated the way to the veterinarian.
Half an hour later, they had a verdict. “No chip.” The cat was otherwise mostly healthy, but he needed to be dewormed and ideally fixed to help regulate the local stray population.
Roy wasn’t surprised when Jamie immediately volunteered to pay for both. What he hadn’t really expected was that Jamie would ask to adopt it right there on the spot.
The vet tech got the paperwork ready.
“You sure I can’t name him Roy?” Jamie teased, earning himself a light elbow to the ribs and cackling at the response. Roy read over his shoulder though, and he had already put down a different name.
“You named him Cherry Tartt?” Roy asked him, snorting despite himself.
“Yeah, cos get it… Tom and Jerry? Kinda sounds like Cherry.” Jamie reasoned.
“Jerry is the mouse, you muppet.” Roy corrected him.
“So? I did the chasing today, it all fits.” And it kind of did, didn’t it. Roy clapped his shoulder, letting him get on with filling in the paperwork.
Cherry Tartt couldn’t come home with Jamie that day, he needed to be treated and fixed, and Jamie had no supplies for him anyway. So instead they left with a list of things Cherry would need and somehow there wasn’t even a discussion about whether or not Roy was coming along to help get all the supplies for him.
It felt… nice… walking through the pet store aisles, Roy pushing the cart and Jamie excitedly looking through the options and running the ones he liked best by Roy for approval. It was fucking adorable of him, and Roy had trouble looking away from him at all.
By all accounts, Jamie should have been knackered and grumpy, wanting to go home, but he was seemingly determined to be the best cat owner in town and after an hour and a half spent in the store, they were loading up enough supplies to ensure Cherry would have the most spoiled life any cat south of his sister’s place could ever wish for.
Roy had been to Jamie’s place plenty now, and between them, they barely had to discuss where all of Cherry’s shit would go, there were natural places a cat tree, various beds and the toilet should go, and once they had unloaded all the supplies, Roy was thinking how strange it was that Jamie hadn’t had a single pet or plant in that big house of his.
“Could add those cat stairs and hammocks and stuff to the walls there, that’d look good, I think, just kind of around the art so he can climb around…” Roy mused.
“I dunno how to do that.” Jamie admitted. “… fuck, my decorator’s gonna kill me if I ask too.”
“I can get some stuff.” Roy offered. “Bring it over on the weekend.”
And just like that, it was decided. Roy took out the packaging trash, like he lived there and when he came back to say good night, Jamie hugged him, real tight. Roy hugged him back, and neither of them let go for what was probably too long of a time.
The next morning, Jamie brought the cat carrier they had bought to work with him and Roy offered to drive him around to the vet after training to pick Cherry up.
Jamie was obviously excited, bouncing off the wall with energy and crushing it at training, all smiles and glee. During a break, he came to find Roy again.
“Did you see this?” He asked, pulling out his phone and showing it to Roy. It had an article pulled up. ‘Kitten love at the Dogtrack’ and it featured a picture of Jamie petting the cat while it was curled up in Roy’s jacket and another of Jamie carrying it off the pitch. It was a fluff piece, nothing more, wholesome football player interaction with nature.
“First family photo.” Jamie said gleefully. And Roy raised his eyebrows. “You know what I mean. New little Tarttlet.” Jamie grinned. “We look mad fit together, don’t you think?”
“Give me that, you’re not meant to have your phone on you.” Roy reprimanded him, but it was half-hearted.
“I just wanted to show you.” Jamie protested, but he did hand the phone over without making a fuss. Roy pocketed it for the rest of the training, feeling like an overly strict headmaster. He wasn’t sure how he felt about having that kind of role in Jamie’s life. Watching him on the pitch though, it seemed that everything they had been doing had really paid off. Jamie was faster, stronger and more agile and quick with his tricks than he ever had been. It made even practice games fun to watch. The pang of pride and love that was increasingly growing in his chest every time he looked at Jamie was almost too much for Roy to really cope with though. What was he meant to do with that? It wasn’t like he could start just… hugging Jamie all the time now, though it did seem to be happening more and more. It wasn’t even him initiating it that much, though he did. Jamie just reached for him and Roy gave in, hands on Jamie any time he could get away with it, patting his back, squeezing his shoulders, bumping him with his elbow. The hugs were more for wins, but… last night hadn’t been a win. And Saturday night hadn’t been a win either, but Roy had still woken up with his arm wrapped around Jamie’s middle.
He shook his head, trying to focus on practice again, and somewhat succeeded. His mind was on heading out with Jamie though, and Roy hung back to wait for him while he showered and got ready to leave.
“Can we go, please?” Jamie appeared in his office door when he was done, the carrier in his hand and excited like Phoebe on the way to get ice cream.
“Yeah, let’s go get that little Tartt.” Roy agreed, getting up and grabbing his jacket. He tried to ignore the inquisitive looks of the Diamond Dogs that had assembled to talk about Nate’s girlfriend or some shit.
“The cat.” He told them. “The fucking cat, he’s adopted it.” Receiving a chorus of more or less understanding ‘ah’s and ‘oh’s as they left.
“You know they think we’re fucking yeah?” Jamie asked as they walked down the corridor towards the cars.
“Don’t be daft, why would they think that?” Roy huffed, and there was that mental image again. And it suddenly became really hard to keep his eyes above Jamie’s waistline with him walking in front of Roy.
“I know it’s what some of the lads think. Personal coaching sounds like code for fucking.” Jamie pointed out and he had that tone about him that Roy knew he only really used when he wanted to get something out of Roy, a rise or a reaction.
“Ah it’s much worse. This is some fucking domestic-ass shit.” Roy huffed, thinking of the cat climbing struts and wall-mounted cat-hammocks he had picked up on his way home the day before, all of which were on his back seat.
Jamie gave him a strange look over his shoulder, but seemed disappointed to not have gotten more of a rise out of him. Did he know what Roy thought about him sometimes? Was he trying to call him out? Get him to back off? Or did he have no idea and just tried for some outrage… no, he wouldn’t. Not with Colin freshly out, the team didn’t do those kinds of jokes anyway. So what did Jamie want here?
“Why? Is 4 AM training messing with your sex life?” Roy asked.
“I mean.. yeah, obviously.” Jamie didn’t even hesitate to respond. “Imagine if I brought someone home and then you’re standing at the end of the bed at 4.” He chuckled at the thought. “Not like I got time to meet anyone though, spending all my time with you, big guy.” He fell into step with Roy when they were outside, bumping into his side.
That was weirdly reassuring and good to know. Jamie wasn’t seeing anyone. Why was he so damn happy to hear that?
Roy had no response for him and just got into the car wordless.
“Whoa, what’s all this?” Jamie asked, looking at the boxes in the back.
“Stuff for your walls.” Roy told him gruffly, starting the car while Jamie got his seatbelt on, but he could see Jamie was still looking at the sheer amount of stuff Roy had gotten, and yeah, maybe it was a bit much, but Roy had a vision and he knew it would look good and the cat would like it. Or at least Roy would like it if he had been a cat.
“You got all that last night?” Jamie asked, disbelief in his voice, though they had spent 4 AM to now together, only parting ways for Roy to go shower after the workout, so really there hadn’t been another time Roy could have gotten it.
“You don’t want it?” Roy asked, insecurity roaring in his chest like the ugly beast it was.
“No, I love it!” Jamie assured him quickly. “That’s… thanks Roy. I’ll pay you back, yeah?”
“No you’re not.” Roy protested. “You didn’t even pick it.”
“Yeah, but it’s for my cat.” Jamie reasoned.
Roy paused, not immediately coming up with an argument against that. “ ’s rude to try and pay for a present.” He finally said and Jamie fell silent long enough that Roy started to worry again. When he looked over though, Jamie had that smile on him, the one that was all genuine and soft that made his chest feel tight.
The drive to the vet wasn’t long and they didn’t really speak again until they got there, and by the time they got out of the car, Jamie was back to looking so excited.
Cherry was all ready to be picked up, having had surgery in the morning. He was also drugged out of his mind, staggering around his little cage until Jamie opened it and with the vet tech’s help lifted him out so he wouldn’t damage the incisions and stitches. The cat started meowing at him immediately like he was trying to tell Jamie all that had happened to him, and Roy watched as Jamie baby talked back at him, all sweet and patient as he held him and petted his head.
“I know buddy, I know, I’m sorry, that was so much yeah, and you’ve never had painkillers like that before either I’d bet.” Jamie reasoned, holding the cat like a baby. The veterinarian gave him detailed care instructions and medication for the cat.
Why they had brought the cat carrier was beyond Roy, because Jamie wasn’t putting that thing down. Instead, the carrier was abandoned on the backseat while Jamie, who had wrapped the cat up in his jacket like a newborn baby, held Cherry all the way home, letting him meow at him.
“That cat talks as much as you do.” Roy said, and it came out gruff, but Jamie seemed to know he didn’t mean it in a bad way.
“Well obviously, he’s mine.” Jamie pointed out, leaning his head against the headrest and grinning at Roy.
“Stay there, don’t get out yet.” Roy told him when they arrived at Jamie’s place.
He pulled out his phone, opening the camera app. “Alright then, smile.” He instructed, and Jamie did. The picture was adorable, it almost made Roy want squish his phone.
“Send me that?” Jamie asked, still beaming and getting out of the car now. Roy did, getting out and grabbing the cat carrier and some of the boxes from the back to follow Jamie inside.
For a few minutes, he lost track of them as he went in and out to bring in the supplies for the weekend, so he could just bring his tool box and drill and get everything all neat for the cat, but when he finally went looking for Jamie again, he found him on the sofa with the cat in his lap.
Cherry had gone back to sleep, seemingly overwhelmed by everything that had happened, and no doubt tired from the medication and surgery.
“Want something to drink?” Roy offered.
“Would you make us a cuppa?” Jamie asked, clearly not about to move again, now that the cat had fallen asleep on him.
Roy didn’t mind, and he’d been around enough to find everything quickly. He also found that he knew exactly how Jamie liked his tea. When he came back and set their mugs down, Jamie patted the space next to himself on the sofa, and Roy didn’t hesitate getting comfortable, putting his leg up on the coffee table to help his knee and resting his elbow on the back of the sofa so he could look down at Jamie’s lap, a low hum escaping him.
"He’s a good cat.” Roy admitted and Jamie smiled at him, all sunshine now that Cherry was home.
“Yeah, I think we’ll get on.” He agreed, turning to look at Roy. Through some miscalculation on Roy’s part, their faces were only inches from each other when he did that, and Roy’s breath caught in his chest. Jamie seemed equally startled for a moment, and both of them seemed frozen in place for a second.
Jamie was the one to lean in and kiss him, pulling back immediately. “You can’t punch me, I’m holding an injured cat.” He said immediately and a little desperately.
Roy looked at him, stunned and not sure for a moment if it had really happened. But he could still feel Jamie’s lips on his. “I’m not gonna punch you.” He said, almost offended, but then again they’d gotten into fistfights before over less. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt, and a weird sense of pride, because if Jamie thought he might punch him and still went for it, that must have meant it was worth the try.
“Sorry… “ Jamie said softly. “I thought we were kinda going there… I shoulda taken the hint earlier.”
“What hint?”
“That you don’t wanna be fucking.” Jamie reminded him of the earlier conversation, and now Roy finally understood what he had been trying to get out of Roy when he had thrown that at him.
“Damn right I don’t wanna be fucking.” Roy huffed. “Is that what it’d be? Getting your rocks off cos I’m convenient?”
“What? No!” Jamie protested, immediately lowering his voice when the cat stirred a little. “No, fuck… I like you, you dumb twat.”
Roy huffed a laugh despite himself. “Right… so… what was that then?”
“I dunno, I already wanna spend all of my time with you, and I thought you liked me too, cos you were all cuddly and stuff last weekend.” He looked at Roy uncertainly. “If you don’t wanna be me boyfriend we can just say this never happened.” He said quickly.
Boyfriend. Fuck. Of course that’s what Jamie would call it. It made Roy’s chest tight with affection.
“That’s what you want? Me, as a boyfriend? I’m shit at that.” Roy pointed out.
“No you’re not. You’re already doing everything a boyfriend does except for fucking me and kissing me.” Jamie pointed out, gesturing towards the kitchen, where Roy knew his way around so well because he had could for them dozens of times after workouts, and then towards the cat tree Roy had assembled last night, and the boxes he had just brought in.
“Oh…” Roy looked around some more, finding his little stack of books they had been reading together on the shelf, and the jacket he had forgotten at Jamie’s weeks ago still on the hanger near the door. One of his cook books on the counter, next to the fruit bowl he kept refilling because he spent most of his free time here, and not at home where his own fruit bowl had stood empty for two months.
He looked back at Jamie who was looking somewhere between terrified and hopeful.
“Can we try that again, and this time I don’t freak out?” Roy asked, watching Jamie relax and nod.
This time, Roy was the one who closed the distance, reaching up to rest his hand on Jamie’s jaw to guide him into a kiss.
Once he allowed himself to have it, Roy couldn’t believe it had taken him so long to realise this was even a possibility. Jamie kissed him like he’d been waiting for the chance for weeks, and the only thing keeping things innocent was the cat asleep in Jamie’s lap.
It was better that way too. They had a lot to talk about, and so they did.
Roy didn’t go home that night. The two of them set up camp on the sofa again, a cat bed set up on the far end so they could keep an eye on their patient. In a borrowed set of Jamie’s pyjamas, Roy got to fall asleep with Jamie’s head on his chest, and a future so palpable it smoothed itself over Roy’s heart like a balm.
Jamie really wanted him, wanted to keep him by the sound of it. This was not the time to talk about forever, of course, but just knowing that this wasn’t some way to pass the time, or something convenient was enough to assuage any worry. Jamie Tartt wanted him, properly wanted him, for dates and cuddles, and morning runs… other morning activities. That would be fun to figure out with a guy. Somehow he wasn’t worried though. Jamie had taught him how to ride a bike, and that had been way more humiliating, they could figure things out together, Roy had no doubts about it.
In the middle of the night, while Jamie was snoring softly on Roy’s chest, puffy little breaths coming out in staccatos as he dreamt, Cherry woke and came to investigate his surroundings.
Roy watched him as he carefully approached, sniffing at Jamie and then at Roy’s arm around him before climbing over Jamie’s back and coming to rest on top of Roy’s chest, looking at him with those big eyes that seemed to shine in the dark.
“We’ll share, okay?” Roy asked quietly. It got him a soft meow, and then the cat turned and curled up with his butt tucked under Roy’s chin and his face snuggled up against Jamie’s arm.
The purring started up again almost immediately, and Roy couldn’t help but think how nicely this could work. This could be really good.