Chapter Text
Booker cornered Joe in the changing room.
"Promise me, Joe," Booker said. "That you'll keep your eyes on the football and not your boyfriend's ass."
Joe and Nicky both played football, but on different teams, and today their teams met in the season's final match for the trophy.
"You don't need to worry, Book," Joe replied. "I broke up with Nicky this morning."
"Wait, what?" Booker asked. "What did you do this time? And more importantly, why did you have to break up hours before the match, because there's no way in hell your head will be in the game."
"We just had a stupid fight about whether we should go to my parents' silver wedding together," Joe replied. "Nicky said he was ready to go together, but I'm not, and when Nicky asked why I wasn't, I said he should stay out of it, and I left after I said we're done."
Booker rubbed his face in frustration.
"Can't believe I'm about to say this, and I'm only doing it because I want to win that match," Booker said. "Get your head out of your ass, Joe. Nicky is the best thing that has ever happened to you, so when the match is over, and we have won, you will get down on your sorry knees and say sorry to him for being an ass."
Joe looked at his oldest friend, who had never been known for speaking about emotions. It was a strange thing to watch, and what was even stranger was that his oldest friend was trying to fix his relationship.
"And if you can't figure that out, I'll lock you both into a closet or something," Booker said. "Now, let's win that match."
Before Joe could say anything, Booker pushed Joe to get him going.
Out on the football pitch, Joe saw Nicky talking with one of his teammates. Nicky looked briefly over at Joe, and Joe could tell that he had hurt Nicky for real this time. They had only known each other for four months, and during those four months, they had been dating, breaking up, or fighting more than Joe had ever done with any of his previous boyfriends. Suddenly, someone hit Joe's nape with a slap that brought him back to the moment.
"The match, Joe," Booker said. "Please keep focus."
"I promise," Joe replied. "And Book, try not to hit Nicky's face when you aim for the goal."
They both knew that Nicky was the goalkeeper on the other team, and Nicky had only let in four goals for the last ten matches. If they could get past Nicky, they would win because all they needed were two goals, but during the first half of the football match, Nicky didn't let in any goals at all, and his team was ahead by one goal.
"It's your bloody tactic that is the problem, Le Livre," Keane accused. "If you let me..."
"You follow the plan, Keane," Booker warned. "Or else you can find yourself a new team to play for."
Booker looked over at Joe, who, for once, didn't put any effort into the match.
"Listen, Joe," Booker said when he sat down next to Joe. "If you want to stay on the bench, I understand."
"No, that will only make me think more," Joe replied. "I promise to do better."
"Okay," Booker replied. "Do me a favour. Stay close to Keane. He is up to something."
Booker's predictions about Keane became a reality 25 minutes into the second half of the football match. When Keane got the football, he purposely aimed for Nicky, who got hit hard in the stomach and got the air knocked out of him, so he dropped to the ground while the football hit the goal. Joe saw it all happen in slow motion, and he couldn't do anything to prevent it from happening. Without thinking, Joe ran over to Nicky.
"Nicky," Joe said as he kneeled next to Nicky. "Are you okay? And more importantly, are you still alive? I need you to be alive, so you can tell me what an idiot I was this morning. I'm so sorry for it all."
Nicky held up a hand and placed it on Joe's cheek.
"Yeah, alive," Nicky groaned in pain while holding his ribs. "If you want to apologise, kiss my ouchie."
"Sure," Joe replied. "Anything for you."
Nicky had actually said the part with his ouchie as a joke, but before he could tell it to Joe, Joe kissed his ribs.
"You're silly," Nicky said. "And an idiot."
"I know that, but I'm your idiot," Joe replied. "And as the idiot I am, I'm going to kiss you again."
Booker, who had been yelling at Keane for the dick move before kicking him off the team for good, finally made his way through the big crowd gathered around the goal, where he saw Joe and Nicky kissing each other in the mud.
"Not that I'm not happy about that you worked everything out," Booker said. "But guys, we're playing football."
It wasn't until the referee whistled that Joe and Nicky broke apart.
"As the man said before, we're playing football," The Referee said. "Can you resume the match, Nicky?"
"No, I think my ribs might be bruised or worse," Nicky replied. "Sorry, Sonny."
"That's not your fault," Sonny replied. "Let's get you checked over, and I promise we'll win the match."
Booker huffed.
"In your dreams, Sonny," Booker said. "Joe, staying or going?"
Joe looked at Nicky.
"Finish the match, and then we'll talk later," Nicky said. "And Sonny, I'm counting on our team winning."
Nicky was carried off the field while the match was resumed.