Chapter Text
IT'S NOT A REAL RICHMOND PRACTICE WITHOUT JAMIE TARTT HOGGING THE BALL. Even with Sam wide open and calling his name, he continued on like the superstar he believed himself to be. And, though she hated to admit it, Jamie was a superstar. Even with the incredible players on his team, he continued to shine brighter than the fiery sun in the sky. Which could be his own doing. Hogging the ball and all that, you know?
Bear stood back, hands wrapped around her camera, sunglasses covering her eyes to protect her from the sun. It was scary how much she resembled Beard in that moment, all but his stoic stance. Unlike him, she stood with her weight on one leg and her head tilted to one side. Standing for so long after a terrible night's sleep always made her feel like jelly.
Just as Jamie kicked the ball, Ted intercepted it with ease. He was getting quicker, learning more. Jamie looked angrily at their coach, throwing his hands at his sides. "What are you doing? That was going in," he stated. Ted propped the ball in his elbow and against his side, his lips pressing to a thin line. "Well, we'll never know," he replied nonchalantly. "Jamie, how many times I gotta tell you to make the extra pass?"
Bear stood up straighter, raising her camera to capture a fine coaching moment that she was sure Ted would love to have. Click. "Come on. Sam was more open than the jar of peanut butter on my kitchen counter." She grimaced from behind the device, finger hovering over the capture button. Confused looks spread across the players' faces. "What?" someone asked. "What's he talking about?"
"Oh, that's right. Y'all don't know I like to keep the peanut butter open," Ted said. Bear made a small gagging noise. "That way, whenever I walk by, I can just stick my finger in there." Bear almost shuddered at the thought of the open jar. Bacteria and the like probably partied in there. "It's a fucking good idea, to be fair," Roy said. Ted nodded his head, a hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. "Yeah, it is."
Ted's eyes went back to Jamie as he rested his hands on his knees. "Now look, when Sam is that open, you gotta pass to him, okay?" Jamie looks stunned. But the mischief that twinkles in his eyes is still obvious. "But why? Even when Sam's open, Sam is still shit," he retorted. Her camera made contact with her stomach. "It may be hard to see with your head shoved up your ass, so we're gonna let that remark go," she said, startling Nate beside her.
"I heard my name. What did he say?" Sam asked after jogging up to them, all smiles. "Don't worry about it," Beard replied. Bear glared at the superstar still working air into his lungs. "Oh, okay." Sam's eyes fluttered over to the brunette, his smile growing. She returned the smile with a shy wave. "Guys, we gotta play like a team tomorrow. Otherwise we're gonna get our butts kicked. Extra passes. We're gonna keep doing this until we get it right. Let's go."
The ball was rolling back toward the team when a small voice was heard. Both Ted and Beard turned to the sound, spotting the youngest Lasso at the gate. Bear looked around their bearded friend and noticed the arms waving their way. "Practice is canceled," Ted declared, starting off in a run toward his wife and child. Bear was already pulling off her camera. "Nate, I need you to know that I will murder you if anything happens to my camera, okay? But I need you to hold it for me—"
"I've got it," Sam spoke up, hands moving between them. Nate looked appreciatively over at the footballer. He never really was too great under pressure. She set the precious object in his grasp. "Thanks, Sammy," she exhaled before bouncing once or twice on her feet. An excited squeak left her smiling lips and then she was off. Her feet pounded against the grass after her brother. The players all stopped and watched, brows furrowed in confusion.
Bear clapped her brother on the back encouragingly. "Come on, big brother. We're almost there," she cheered, waving excitedly at the two guests. She couldn't wait to wrap Henry up in a big hug. Ted kept up with her for the most part, but she didn't steal his time. Instead, she continued to encourage him until they finally reached their end goal.
"Daddy!" Henry cheered. Ted spluttered a laugh, slowing to a walk. "I kinda thought y'all would meet me halfway, but hey, that's alright. Hey, buddy!" Ted was quick to bend down and hug his son, following his demand as he lifted Henry off of his feet and began to spin. "Two spins. How about that? Boy, you're gonna be a dizzy fella there."
Bear wrapped her arms tight around Michelle's neck. "Hey, 'Chelle," she greeted the blonde, happy to see her sister-in-law. The hug was reciprocated full force, arms heavy around her waist. "Hey, Bear," she replied, smoothing down the wild strands of chestnut hair from her own face. Once they pulled away, she opened her arms for Ted. "Slower helicopter," she joked. "Aunt Bear!" Henry cheered, throwing himself against the brunette.
She fell to her knees, holding the boy as tight as she could without crushing him. Tears tickled the backs of her eyes, a lump slowly growing in her throat. "Hey, Henritto. I missed you, buddy," she hummed, holding his head to her. "I missed you, too," he replied with a laugh, squeezing her just as tight. After a moment, Bear pulled back and held Henry arms length away. "Ambush group hug?" she asked.
His head bounced in an excited nod. He helped her to her feet before they flanked the parents. "Group hug!" the cheered, falling into a chant as arms encircled everyone. Ted sniffled, blinking away the tears threatening to spill. Seeing his family together again felt so crazy. He ran a hand over Henry's hair, breaking away from the ambush. "Hey, big guy. Look how tall you got. What the heck?"
"I'm almost Aunt Bear's height," Henry declared, flashing a devious smile toward the brunette. She snorted, waving her hand in dismissal. "In your dreams, kiddo." Ted was taking a knee, chuckling as he examined his son more. He wanted to imprint his image in his mind to hold onto forever. "Look at this. I mean, you, what-- You got teeth now?"
"I already had teeth!" Henry said.
"And you can talk!"
"Alright, okay," Bear laughed. "I will meet you guys later. I have some pictures to capture, and what not." Ted glanced over at Bear with a smile. His eyes were dazzling with adoration. "But I do want to get a picture of you three on the pitch. Think you can do that, Henrisaurus?" He laughed at the nickname, nodding his head. She snapped, pointing two fingers at him. "I knew you could. Let me get my camera."
Michelle looked between the Lasso siblings. "Is it... Is it okay if we do that?" she asked. Bear was already jogging away, Ted wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders. He beamed over at her. "Yeah, it's okay," he replied. "We'll just be quick, you know?" She didn't seem convinced, but it seemed like that was enough of a confirmation for Henry to start sprinting. His shrill voice echoed over the green as he ran, arms spread out like an airplane.
Bear's eyes were locked with Sam. He didn't risk running with her camera and instead chose to meet her halfway by walking. By the time she had reached him, she was more than halfway past the center line. "Your child was safe with me," he joked, passing over the camera with two hands. She laughed and looped the strap around her neck. "Glad to see I've found a competent babysitter," she replied. "How much for the five minutes?"
"Oh, you probably couldn't afford me," he replied. "So, I did it for free." She snorted, pushing at Sam's shoulder. He giggled. He looked at her like she hung the moon and the stars. If only she had realized it. "I need to get this picture," she sighed. "Thank you for keeping him safe."
Sam's brows furrowed for a moment. He stored that thought for a later date. She saluted him jokingly before turning on her heels. "Alright, Lassos! Get ready for your close up!" she shouted. She could see Michelle squirm under the all of the attention. Henry was thriving, running to meet his parents excitedly. Her steps became quicker as she met them, already lifting the camera to get a good feel for the shot.
The bleachers surrounded them like giants. Henry hugged Ted's side, smiling big while the couple got comfortable. Ted's arm snaked around her waist, gripping her side gently while her hand moved to the back of Henry's head away from the prying lens. "When I count to three, I want to hear you say football, alright?"
Bear's knees hit the grass. Her finger hovered over the capture button. Unbeknownst to her, Sam joined her in her counting, amused by the whole experience. One... Two... Three. "Football!" the three cheered in unison, the camera shutter closing as it captured their faces. Click. She grinned, chuckling to herself. Click, click. "Beautiful!" she assured them before turning the camera vertically.
Michelle laughed, not at all surprised by Bear's persistence. "Football!" Ted exclaimed again, Henry a beat after. Click. She could sense that Michelle was getting even more uncomfortable, so she put her camera down. "Looks good! See you guys later!" Ted and Henry waved at the brunette, both with matching grins. She mimicked their frantic actions. "Bye, Aunt Bear!"
"Bye, Henrico!" she replied. Michelle pulled away slightly, holding her opposite hand out for Henry to take. From where she stood, they looked happy. They were a perfect family reunited. But with her knowledge, she knew that wasn't the case. She just hoped things would get better the longer they're in England.
A FEW HOURS LATER . . .
Her small corner of the office was starting to become like home. It was decorated perfectly and she had even bought herself a nice and comfortable chair that she could lounge in. She was downloading her newest pictures onto her laptop, snacking quietly on a bag of Galaxy Minstrels. Her legs were thrown onto Ted's desk as she leaned back into her seat.
"Knock, knock." Beard was the first to turn in his seat, lowering his book. "Sam," he greeted the player. Bear swallowed the half piece of chocolate in surprise, turning her head toward the door. Her wide, doe like eyes stared down the player for a split second, lips parting in slight surprise. "Hey," she exhaled with a smile. He waved, leaning against the doorframe. "Are you doing anything?" he asked.
"Just downloading pictures," she replied with a lift of her brow. His cheek pressed against the doorframe, his lips pursing. There was a beat of silence as Beard looked between the two expectantly. Almost as if he was waiting for her to say something, or for Sam to say something. But in reality, he was waiting for Bear to admit her feelings. Like a romantic comedy, or something of that sort.
When she made no move, or no notion that she was going to do just that, Beard returned his eyes to his book. He'd get a proper confession there instead. "Can I come see?" Sam finally asked. Ever since the first time, he had grown interested in her work. She had proven to be an excellent photographer. The way she made them all look was incredible. "Yeah. I actually have something to give you," she admitted.
Beard's eyes flickered up, following Sam's smooth entrance. He sat down next to her on the floor, hands excitedly shaking. She turned to her bag, digging around a bit until she came across her portfolio. "You remember how you were feeling pretty homesick?" she asked. He nodded, humming softly in response. She set the navy blue folder onto her desk and cracked it open. "Well, I got to thinking about that... And it made me realize that since you felt homesick, maybe your parents felt Sam-sick. So, I printed off this picture of you so you could send it back home."
She plucked the picture from the lot and held it out for Sam to take. It was a bit smaller than the rest, small enough that you could fold it twice and put it in your wallet. She wasn't sure if his parents used photo frames or hung anything up around the house, so she wanted to make sure they could still have it. Sam looked down at the photo of him smiling, the sun raining over him and giving his skin a pretty glow. The ball was sitting pretty in the net behind him with Thierry on the ground having missed it by a couple of inches.
Isaac and Bumbercatch were approaching him, their faces expressing the same joy he did but not as bright. Bear didn't think anyone could shine as bright as Sam Obisanya. "You really know how to get my good side," he joked. His finger stroked the green of the grass and the blue of the sky. "It's not exactly hard," she replied, her tone just as teasing. He pressed the photo to his chest, finally looking up to meet her eyes. "Thank you for this. My parents will love it."
She waved him off, color crawling up her neck. She could feel the apples of her cheeks start to warm. "It's no big deal. We're both foreigners here, you know? We have to look out for our own." He laughed, but her words struck deep with him. Though a lot of the players have been accepting of him, some haven't. He's an outsider, much like Bear and her American friends. It only made sense for her to look out for him and for him to do the same. "I have a question."
Her eyes pushed him to ask as she leaned back into her seat once more. The original discomfort finally washed away as the two fell into a safe place. She didn't feel like she had an appearance to keep up anymore. "Have you never been the subject of your own pictures?" he asked. Her brows fell curiously. "Oh, no," she replied, rather quick. "Oh, no, not really. I prefer being behind the camera as much as possible."
"Why?"
"What--? I just, I don't feel like the camera particularly likes me as much when I'm in front of it," she replied honestly. Sam sat there, looking up at the brunette as she fought to find something else to focus on. She still had tons of photos to download on their shitty wireless internet. She didn't want to focus on her snacks or else she'd eat them too fast, and make herself feel like a growing pig. "I can teach you how to befriend the camera," Sam offered. "I'm already teaching you football."
She scoffed. He couldn't be serious. "It'll be like when we took pictures at the banquet. And, in return, you're teaching me how to take beautiful photographs." She grimaced. She'd love to teach him a thing or two about the camera, but she wasn't sure being his model would be a fair trade. If she could only clone him, then he'd be set for a positive experience. "C'mon. It'll be fun. We can go explore and maybe get something to eat."
Beard choked on his breath. Wide eyes remained on his black and white world sitting in his hands, struggling to ignore the two sets of eyes glancing his way. "I dunno, Sam. I'm not the photographing type," she tried to argue, but he wasn't having it. He suddenly stood, his hand stretched out between them. "My treat. And if you hate it, we'll just find something else to do. Photograph the scenery."
"Grey skies are super interesting," she joked. Sam beamed. Her hand slipped into his, and she allowed him to help her to her feet. They paused. Bear desperately wanted to intertwine her fingers with his. In a split second, she could lock their hands and pull him out, but she wouldn't. Instead, she withdrew her hand and turned back to her bag. "Hey, Beard.. Do you mind keeping an eye out for the download process?" she asked, packing her portfolio back into her backpack and then her phone charger. He nodded without a word, still avoiding their eyes.
"Alright. Well," Bear sighed, turning back to face Sam with her backpack now over her shoulders. A smile grew across her face. "I'm ready to rock. What about you?" He matched her smile, chuckling to himself. It always amused him to see how similar the two Lasso siblings are sometimes. "Ready to rock," he replied.
AWAY FROM NELSON ROAD . . .
"It feels weird," Bear exhaled. She felt naked without her camera. But she had to admit that it looked great sitting in Sam's hands. His were a bit bigger than hers and he held the device so delicately. It made her wonder. Would he hold her just as delicately? Or would that aspect of his life be scarily different? "You're doing great," Sam reassured her. He could understand now why she loved looking through a lens so much. "Smile."
She huffed. Her hands lay flat against the side of the bridge, the stone cool to the touch. An awkward smile crossed her features, her eyes giving away just as badly she hated this. Sam snorted, the sound drowning away in the air. "Okay, don't smile," he directed her. "Turn toward the water and look out."
"This isn't working."
"You complain a lot," he replied with ease. She rolled her eyes, but followed his directions anyway. Her stomach pressed to the stone as she leaned into the bridge. Her head turned toward the horizon, eyes looking out over the water. Click. The soft sound of the shutter was as familiar to her as breathing. It was like the sound of truck tires on gravel when her father would return home after a long day at work. Or crickets late at night while she lay awake, looking up at the moon and stars. It was an extension of her in a way.
Click.
Sam let out a soft breath, withdrawing the camera from eye level. Her fingers drummed against the stone, lips pursing in thought. "Turn to the camera," he directed, returning the camera to its rightful place. The soft wind toyed with her chestnut hair. She cast a glance over her shoulder. Click.
A bright smile graced her face. It had her eyes crinkling and her face beaming. It reminded him of the sunshine. His finger hovered over the capture button, eyes glued to the woman in the lens. His heart thrummed in his chest. Click. He believed her to be crazy to think the camera did not like her. He thought her to be crazy to think she's not liked by any thing, living or not.
"Are we done now?" Bear asked, tilting her head toward the water. She rest one elbow over the side, resting her cheek in her hand. Click. Sam set the camera down and gave her a nod. "Yeah," he replied. "Hungry?" She pushed off of the wall with a bright smile. "Oh, definitely," she said, happily. "What are you thinking about?"
She bounded toward him, hands clasping together behind her back. Being out from the camera's lens changed her attitude quick. "Whatever you want," he answered. She looped her arm with his, tugging him along. "Well, we might as well get the full British experience, right?" She glanced toward the man on her arm, meeting his eyes almost immediately. His brows furrowed, a confused look present on his face.
"Fish and chips are pretty British. You hear it on all of the shows." Sam didn't respond. He didn't feel like he needed to. Bear's presence alone was enough to fill in the gaps, and he'd go forward with anything she suggested anyway. So, he nodded. "Do you like fish?" she asked. Once again, he nodded with a hint of a smile. It never seemed to leave when around the youngest Lasso.
She nodded in return. She had grown up a fish fan. Being raised around a Catholic family on her dad's side kind of solidified that for her. And she loved fish sticks. The ones you pop in a toaster oven? Chef's kiss. Despite not knowing where she was going, Bear lead the way. The sights continued to bless them, and every once in a while, Sam would take a picture of a sight that really made him feel warm inside.
"You know what this reminds me of," Bear spoke up, their arms still intertwined and their bodies brushing against one another. It was the most comfortable they had been in a while, even out and about. Sam hummed, turning the camera toward Bear with a grin. She poked out her tongue. Click. The shutter sent a twitch to her lips. "It feels like we're in a movie," she continued. "Like a summer fling type of movie. Without the fling."
"Fling?" Sam echoed, brows furrowed. Bear's face contorted into an expression of complete shock. "Wait, you don't know what a fling is?" she asked. He shook his head. Her reaction made him feel a bit silly. "Okay, uh... Well, a fling is kind of like... It's when two people are intimate with one another, but don't really plan on starting a future together. So, no dating and all that stuff. But they usually do in the movies. Kind of inevitable."
He looked forward about midway through her explanation. His face felt hot, his throat tight. The mere mention of a sexual relationship had his head spinning a bit, especially as it pertained to the woman beside him. The woman he felt a connection with in more than one way. He felt connected to her spirit, to her mind, and to her heart. He wanted nothing more than to make her feel happy and adored, and to help her love herself more than she ever had.
Sam felt strongly. That's what he does in everything. His emotions built bridges and cities, and he thrived. But it hurt him, as well. Some bridges burn and cities fall, but they always rise up again in the end. He glanced back at the brunette, his face burning to the touch and a flush coating his rich skin. She was avoiding his eyes, her own face touched by her body's flush. "Whoa, how about that place?" she suddenly asked, tearing him away from his thoughts.
He followed the direction her finger pointed in to notice a small shop. It was a family owned business with many people coming and going. "That's a cone of fries," she stated in surprise. "Fries sound amazing right now. What do you think?"
"I agree," he replied, finding his voice. She blinked and that adoration returned to her bright eyes. She hadn't really expected to settle with fries considering they're a delicacy back home, too. But she didn't mind it. The experience alone would make it memorable. "Alright, well, I will order. And I will meet you back out here, okay?" His smiled faltered ever so slightly at the idea of letting her go. But he nodded, anyway, and watched as she left his side to enter the small building.
He waited, patiently, snapping more pictures than he probably should have. In all honesty, he felt like he was getting a hang of taking pictures. Sure, not all of them may be good, but he was getting more comfortable and he was starting to understand what she meant by knowing when to take the right shot. He pointed the camera toward the building and captured just in time to see Bear exiting with two cones in her hands. One was drizzled in brown sauce, the other in red. She beamed, excitedly, and approached him.
"I am not going to lie to you and say that I know what this stuff is, but I am dying of anticipation," she admitted. A second click and she was smiling at him, holding the cones close to her. The sun was reflecting off of the silver bracelet dangling from her left wrist. Her eyes were half closed, maybe from a blink or from how big she was smiling. He wasn't really sure. "Pick one," she huffed, jiggling the cones. "We'll probably share anyway, if that's okay with you."
He nodded, accepting the cone with the red sauce. The camera sat against his stomach as the two stood there. Her eyes never left his. "Take a bite on three?" A chuckle rumbled from deep within him. "On three," he agreed. She had already picked a fry and coated it with more brown sauce, Sam deciding to follow her lead. If she was going all out, he was, too.
"One," she counted with a nervous smile.
"Two," he added, looking between the food and the woman between him.
"Three," the two said in unison before popping the whole fry into their mouths. Bear hummed, surprised by the flavor a bit. But she liked it, a lot. Sam nodded his head. It was only ketchup. "Okay, switch," she hummed, holding out her cone and her other hand, making grabby hands.
They decided to skip the countdown this time, dipping their fries and plopping them in their mouths. Sam grimaced at the taste for a moment before it settled on his tongue. "Not like it?" she asked, sucking some of the ketchup from her finger. He shrugged. He didn't hate it, but he didn't love it, either. "It's new," he admitted.
She snorted. "New is good sometimes," she reminded him. His eyes sparkled. "Yeah," he agreed. "Yeah, I know."