Work Text:
Trent
Trent is enjoying a cappuccino and a blueberry scone while reading a book at his favorite coffee shop when he senses someone approaching his booth. He looks up to see Jamie Tartt approaching with an iced coffee in hand. It’s a pleasant surprise, as the last time he saw Jamie was months ago at Beard’s wedding. (What wasn’t surprising was finding out from Roy a few weeks later that he and Jamie were dating. That young man had looked at Roy like he was Jamie’s groom rather than Beard’s Best Man the entire ceremony.)
“Oh, hello, Jamie,” Trent says as Jamie drops into the seat across from him.
“Hi,Trent. You alright?” Jamie replies.
“I’m well, and you?” Trent inquires.
“Yeah, I’m good. I was just on my way to run a few errands, but I saw you on my way out and thought I'd pop over and say hi,” he answers. Jamie motions to Trent’s book, which he’s set down on the table with the front cover facing up, “Oh, hey! Roy just finished that one! You should ask him about it once you’re done reading; he had lots of opinions about the ending,” Jamie says.
“Did he?” Trent replies, raising his eyebrows. “I didn’t know Roy was a reader.” He recalls Roy’s reaction to Ted’s gift of a copy of A Wrinkle in Time, and how utterly unimpressed Roy seemed to receive it during Ted’s first season at Richmond. Then again, Roy didn’t seem impressed by much of anything back then, so maybe Trent shouldn’t make assumptions. Roy might have reacted in exactly the same way if the gift had been a brand new luxury car or a fancy vacation. In fact, he probably would have, considering he could easily afford to buy those things for himself.
“Oh yeah, he’s a proper bookworm, Roy is. Has been ever since he was just a wee lad–his Grandad loved to read, and so he instilled that in Roy from a young age. He reads any chance he gets. Usually it’s at night, just before we go to bed. But he likes to read on rest days too, and anytime I want to watch something on the telly that he doesn’t care about, he tells me to go ahead, and he’ll get some reading done. Whenever he has a shit day and needs cheering up, I just drag him to his favorite bookshop, and then I follow him around the store with a shopping basket and buy him whatever he puts in it. Works like a charm,” Jamie informs Trent.
Trent is a bit surprised by this information and says as much without really thinking. “Well, that’s rather…unexpected,” he admits.
“Why’s that?” Jamie asks immediately. “Roy’s smart, you know,” he adds, and though his tone isn’t hostile, Trent detects a definite warning edge in Jamie’s voice.
Fuck, he didn’t mean it like that. Trent knows Roy is smart; he contributes just as many correct answers for the team on their Diamond Dogs pub trivia nights as he, Beard, Nate, or Higgins do.
He’s quick to clarify his comment to Jamie, agreeing with his assessment of Roy’s intelligence, and citing their trivia nights as one of several examples. “I’m sorry if it seemed I was implying otherwise,” he apologizes. “I only meant that I can’t recall ever seeing him reading, and he’s never mentioned anything he’s read to me,” Trent explains.
Jamie seems mollified by that. “Well, last year you mostly saw him while he was coaching. Couldn’t very well read a book during training or a match, could he? He’d probably read on the bus to away matches if he could, only it makes him car sick, poor lad. And I’m not sure what the Diamond Dogs get up to, besides pub trivia, but I reckon if you’d formed a book club, Roy would’ve mentioned it by now,” Jamie says reasonably.
“Right then, I suppose I can see why it never came up. Thank you for mentioning it, though, Jamie. I’ll be sure to ask Roy to share his thoughts with me once I’m finished with the book. I’m always happy to talk about books with a fellow reader,” Trent says.
Jamie smiles at him in response, and then they say their goodbyes, but the encounter sticks with Trent for a while afterwards. He’s glad that Roy, whom he’s come to consider a friend, has someone who is so ready to stick up for him and who would get offended on his behalf if his intelligence were insulted. He’d never be so bold as to say so to Roy, but he imagines it’s exactly what Roy wants, needs, and deserves from a partner. His conversation last year with Roy at Stamford Bridge, in which Roy revealed just how deeply the article Trent wrote about his Premier League debut affected him, made Trent realize that Roy’s gruff exterior hides a more sensitive heart than most people would ever suspect, but Trent has a feeling that that same heart is quite safe and protected in the hands of one Jamie Tartt.
Sam
It’s their last night in Monte Carlo for Jeff’s stag party. Most of the lads were planning on one more night out since their flight isn’t until early afternoon tomorrow, but Sam and Jamie both begged off in favor of heading back to the suite they’re sharing for a more chill evening in.
Sam has just gotten out of the shower, and realizing that the sun is about to set, he decides to head out onto their balcony to watch, but once he opens the sliding door, he realizes Jamie is out there on his phone, probably talking to Roy. He starts to backtrack, but Jamie spots him and mimes for him to stay and have a seat, so Sam does.
Jamie tells Roy that Sam has just come outside to join him, and then Jamie turns to him to say, “Roy says hi.”
“Hey, Roy,” Sam answers, and Jamie passes on the greeting before continuing the conversation they were having before Sam stepped outside.
“Are you sure you don’t mind picking me up from the airport?” Jamie asks, and Sam can tell from Jamie’s smile that Roy has just assured him he doesn’t mind. “Okay, I’ll text you when the plane lands. I can’t wait to see you. Love you, babe,” he says as he wraps up his phone call, and Sam surmises from the way Jamie’s smile grows even wider that Roy has probably just responded to Jamie’s sentiments in kind.
Jamie lowers the phone from his ear and comes to sit in the chair next to Sam’s. “This has been fun, but I’m so glad we’re going home tomorrow,” Jamie admits.
“Ugh, me too,” Sam replies. “Yes, this has been a good trip, but I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed and check in at Ola’s.”
“I really miss Roy,” Jamie says as he fidgets with the hem of his t-shirt.
“I know, my friend, but just think, by this time tomorrow, you’ll be home,” Sam tells him,
“Yeah, I know, but I wish I were already there. I reckon this trip is the most nights in a row we’ve spent apart since we moved in together. I know it’s probably needy and clingy, but I don’t like sleeping without him,” Jamie confesses.
“I kind of thought he’d come with us,” Sam admits. “Not because I think the two of you can’t spend a few days apart,” he clarifies. “But Jeff and Roy were pretty friendly when he was still playing, and I know Jeff invited Roy to come.
“He did, but Roy hates it here,” Jamie says.
“Oh?” Sam says enquiringly. He’s been having a great time. He can’t help but wonder what Roy’s beef is with Monaco.
“Yep, he swears he’ll never come back if he can help it. I don’t think he’d want it to be common knowledge, but I’m pretty sure he wouldn't mind if I told you this, so just between you and me, he’s never had a good time in Monte Carlo. He came here a few times when he was at Chelsea for stag dos and vacations during the off-season. One trip, he got his wallet stolen by the woman he took home from the club. Another time, he passed out drunk on a yacht and got the worst sunburn of his life. The final straw was the time he lost a lot of money at the casino. I don’t know what he was thinking, gambling in the first place; he hates wasting money. Anyway, Roy has negative associations with this city. I kind of wish Jeff would’ve picked Ibiza or something instead. Then maybe I could have talked Roy into coming with,” Jamie concludes wistfully.
Sam chuckles, though not mean-spiritedly, at Roy’s previous misadventures. He forgets sometimes that Roy used to be such a partier, when that lifestyle is such a far cry from the Roy he knows.
“You really do miss him, don’t you?” he asks his friend.
“Yeah, I really do,” Jamie answers.
They both sit silently and watch the sunset after that, and Sam can’t help but think that the next stag party he goes on with his teammates might just be for Jamie.
Mummy
Georgie can tell something is on Jamie’s mind. She’s always been able to sense when something is. They’ve been chatting for a few minutes now, but Jamie’s been quieter than usual. She reckons it’s time to turn the conversation to Jamie’s favorite topic and see if that gets him talking. “And how’s Roy?” Georgie asks Jamie.
That gets her baby to perk right up. “Oh, he’s great! Just got named Manager of the Month, and he really deserves it, Mummy. I was so excited when I found out. Phoebe and Ruth are doing good, and the four of us are going to see a matinee and then out for dinner to celebrate Ruth’s birthday next weekend,” he tells her. She smiles to herself, happy that being with Roy and feeling like a part of his little family makes Jamie so happy.
“Simon and I heard about Manager of the Month, of course! We both texted Roy our congratulations. I’m glad he and his sister and his niece are all doing well. Please be sure and tell everyone we said hello. What else is new with you boys?” she asks.
“Oh, just the usual stuff. Can I ask you a question, Mummy?” Jamie asks, sounding a bit nervous, but determined.
“Of course you can, baby!” she answers, hoping she can help with whatever is bothering her sweet boy.
“How did you know when to ask Simon to marry you?” he asks.
Oh, so that’s what this is about. She had kind of assumed Roy would be the one to propose, but she should have known that once her son has decided what he wants, he’s going to pursue it with the same dogged determination he has every other goal he’s had his entire life.
She knows this is an important question for Jamie, so she thinks for a minute, wanting to give him the thoughtful response he deserves.
“Well, we had talked about marriage before, and how it was something we both wanted, eventually. We had been together long enough for me to feel confident that we were a good match, and that we had similar priorities and values. He liked you, and he was kind to you from day one. It’s a bit corny, but I realized he was my best friend, and the person I had the most fun with, and that I always felt comfortable and safe with him. It was honestly harder to imagine not being married to him after a certain point. So I asked him, and I’ve been thankful every day since that he said yes,” she answers truthfully.
“That’s exactly how I feel about Roy,” Jamie says, his voice soft and very nearly choked up. Georgie feels her eyes begin to water sympathetically. She knew her baby loved his Roy, but he sounds like his heart is full to bursting with adoration for his sweetheart.
“Oh, baby,” she says gently. “I can’t tell you what to do. You’ll have to follow your heart, but if you want to ask him, and you think you’re both ready, you have my full support and approval. That man looks at you like you’re his whole world, and I know how strongly you feel about him. You never know until you ask, but I can’t imagine him telling you no,” she assures him.
“I’m going to,” Jamie says with conviction. “I’m not sure exactly when–I need to get a ring, and I want to make it special for him–but I’m going to go for it. Keep your fingers crossed for me?” he asks.
“Of course I will. And I better be your first phone call when he tells you yes,” Georgie insists.
Keeley
Keeley is enjoying a leisurely afternoon of shopping when she spots a familiar walnut mist head through the window of the high-end men’s boutique she’s passing by on the sidewalk. She decides to take a quick detour on her way to Versace and pops in to say hello to Jamie.
At first, Jamie doesn’t notice her as she’s approaching, as he’s deep in conversation with a shop employee. He holds up several pieces, including jeans, trousers, and jumpers, all in black, and asks for the sizes he wants brought to him in each style. He then hands another jumper back to the employee, saying, “Oh, sorry mate, I’m not gonna take this one after all. Didn’t realize it was angora, but if you have the same cut and color in cashmere, I’ll take a look at that,” Jamie says.
The man Jamie’s speaking to nods, “Of course, sir. I’ll be right back with those for you.” Jamie smiles and thanks him, and then Keeley sidles up next to Jamie.
“Didn’t realize you weren’t a fan of angora, babes,” she says.
Then Jamie turns around and spots her, greeting her as cheerfully as always, “Keels! Hi, what are you doing here?” he asks.
“I was out shopping and spotted you through the store window, so I came in to say hi. Are you experimenting with a more monochromatic look or something? That was an awful lot of black,” she observes.
“Yeah, cos I’m shopping for Roy. That’s why I sent the angora jumper back. It would make him itch,” Jamie explains.
Keeley raises one perfectly arched eyebrow. “Oh, what’s the occasion?” she asks, mildly curious since Christmas and Roy’s birthday are both months away at this point.
“Oh, these aren’t going to be gifts. I mean, I guess they sort of are. I’m not going to ask him to pay me back or nothing. Roy just needed some new things, and he hates shopping, so I’m doing it for him. I usually do,” he explains.
“That’s…really sweet, actually,” Keeley replies, surprised but also not, that Jamie would do Roy’s clothes shopping for him. “I just assumed you must be shopping for yourself, the way you knew exactly what styles and sizes to ask for, but the all black color palette makes a lot more sense now,” she acknowledges.
“Oh yeah, I’ve got Roy’s go-to pieces and what sizes he needs in each all up here,” he says, pointing to his head. “Didn’t even need to put in my Notes app or anything,” he elaborates.
“Well, I’m sure Roy appreciates it,” Keeley says.
“He does! He even lets me sneak in some navy and dark grey pieces, as a treat. I’m also allowed to mix in some new styles as long as they’re black and fit his aesthetic. Anyway, I left him in the bookshop up the road. I just have to make one more stop at ALLSAINTS to buy out their entire stock of Roy’s favorite black t-shirt, and then I’ll meet back up with him there, and he’ll take me out for an early dinner. Do you wanna come?” Jamie asks.
Keeley really does not, though she genuinely appreciates being invited. She considers both Roy and Jamie friends these days, and they do hang out from time to time, but she draws the line at being a third wheel on what she suspects is a romantic date night for the newly engaged couple.
“Oh, thanks, Jamie, I really appreciate the offer, but I’ve got a few more stores to hit, and then I might meet Rebecca for a drink after that. You boys have fun though, and tell your fiancée
that I said hello,” she answers.
Jamie promises he will, and then the store clerk returns with a huge armful of black clothes that Jamie is apparently going to purchase for Roy, so Keeley leaves him to it and gets back to her own shopping.
Ruth
Ruth wasn’t the least bit surprised when Roy told her Jamie had proposed. She was even less surprised when he told her that Jamie wanted to have a joint stag party with Roy and all their friends and family together. Of course, he wasn’t going to have a party without his best friend.
If that weren’t tooth-rottingly sweet enough, Jamie had also planned the Noon Year’s Eve equivalent of a stag party for him, Phoebe, and Roy. (She was invited to tonight’s party too, of course, but they knew there’d be no way she’d last until last call.) Roy and Jamie took Phoebe out earlier this afternoon for their own little celebration, which of course ended with going out for ice cream.
So yeah, her big brother and his fiancée are gross, but she’s actually quite happy for them anyway. She can’t imagine anyone better for Roy than Jamie, and she’s glad they found their way to one another.
Speaking of Jamie, she spots him winding his way through the crowd assembled at Ola’s, which they’ve rented out for the night for an evening of dinner, drinking, and dancing. He smiles and waves as he spots her standing alone by the bar, where she’s just ordered her second gin & tonic of the night, and comes to stand beside her.
“Hey, Ruth!” Jamie greets her enthusiastically, as always. “You having fun?” he asks.
“Of course, what about you?” she replies.
“Yeah, this is mint! I can’t believe how many people made it,” he answers.
He’s right, they have a great turnout. Not just their immediate families, friends, and teammates from Richmond, but also Roy’s yoga mums, a handful of Jamie’s childhood mates, and some of Roy and Jamie’s friends from their time playing for Chelsea and Man City.
Roy and Jamie are eloping the day after tomorrow. They’re planning to fly to Italy and get married, spend a couple of weeks on their honeymoon, and then come back to London in time to get ready for the upcoming season. So this stag party is also kind of serving as a wedding reception of sorts.
“Any pre-wedding jitters?” she asks.
Jamie laughs. “Not at all. I’ve been ready to marry Roy for a long time,” he admits.
Ruth expected as much. “Congratulations, Jamie. I’m happy to have you as a brother-in-law, and I hope you can continue to put up with Roy as he inevitably gets older and grumpier,” she jokes.
Jamie’s expression turns more contemplative at that. “I can’t wait,” he says, and she can tell he means it. “He’s gonna be a good husband to me. And he’ll be proper fit as an old man, too. Just like your Grandad,” he says with a cheeky wink.
Ruth snorts in surprised amusement.
“What?!” Jamie asks. “Roy’s shown me all the pictures he has, and Roy looks a lot like him. The man aged like a fine wine. If that’s what I have to look forward to, then I consider myself one lucky bastard,” he says.
Ruth knows for a fact that Roy thinks he’s the lucky one, but doesn’t say so. And rather than continue the conversation about her hot Granddad, she pulls her soon-to-be brother-in-law out onto the dance floor to do the Cupid Shuffle.
Rebecca
Rebecca looks up when she hears a knock at her office door. She’s expecting Roy–it’s nearly time for their weekly check-in meeting–but when she looks up, she realizes it’s the other Mr. Kent here to see her instead.
“Oh, hello, Jamie. Please, come in. How can I help you?” Rebecca asks as Jamie enters, looking uncharacteristically shy.
Rebecca motions for Jamie to take a seat, then waits for him to reveal the purpose of his visit. She appreciates that he gets right to the point. “I need your help. I’ve spent so much time working on my speech for Roy’s induction ceremony, but I don’t know if I’ve got it right. I just want to make sure I do him justice. What if he hates it? What if he wishes they asked Mourinho or Ted or one of his old teammates to give it instead? What if…” Rebecca normally wouldn’t interrupt a player who’s come to speak with her, but she knows the beginning of a spiral when she hears one.
“Jamie. He won’t, and he doesn’t. I can promise you that if nothing else. Is that it?” she asks, motioning to the notebook Jamie is holding in his hands. He nods. “Why don’t you practice it on me, then. I’m a friendly audience,” she suggests.
“Yeah, okay,” Jamie says, steeling himself with a deep breath before opening his notebook and beginning to read aloud. “When I was a lad, my mummy surprised me with a Roy Kent poster for my eighth birthday. We hung it up on my bedroom wall, and it’s still there today. I didn’t know this until later, but the first time my stepdad met Roy, he told him that many other footballers’ posters have come and gone over the years, but that Roy Kent always remains. Still can’t believe he told on me like that, but it’s the truth,” Jamie begins.
His voice grows more confident as he continues his speech. Rebecca wasn’t sure what to expect when Jamie began talking. He has a gift for gab, but that doesn’t always translate to a way with words. However, he hits exactly the right notes, covering all the ground one is supposed to in a speech like this, summarizing the highlights of Roy’s career as both a player and a coach, and honoring his legacy and impact on the sport. He talks about how Roy was an inspiration to Jamie as a young player hoping to make it the Premier League himself one day, he but doesn’t shy away from the fact that when he finally got the chance to share the pitch with Roy Kent, an opportunity he could only dream about as a young man, that it wasn’t exactly what he imagined or hoped it would be.
In typical Jamie fashion, he’s blunt as he references not getting along with Roy at first, but it provides a moment of levity and keeps the speech from becoming too saccharine sweet before he gets back to recognizing Roy’s accomplishments and contributions to football and the three Premier League clubs where he spent his career.
It’s a lovely and heartfelt tribute to Roy Kent, the footballer, and if Jamie had left it at that, his speech would have successfully paid homage to Roy, but Jamie doesn’t stop there. He continues on with elaborating a bit more about how Roy has positively impacted him personally as a player. Jamie shares how Roy trained him privately during Ted’s last season as Manager, and how that led to them first becoming friends, then falling in love, and eventually getting married.
Through it all, Jamie’s love and admiration for Roy Kent is obvious, but by the end of his speech, it’s apparent that above all, Jamie adores Roy the man even more than Roy Kent the footballer.
He concludes his remarks by saying, “It’s a pleasure and honor to induct Chelsea legend and Richmond Manager Roy Kent, and my best friend and husband Roy, into the Premier League Hall of Fame,” he concludes, looking up at Rebecca expectantly, and perhaps a bit nervously.
She pauses from dabbing at her eyes with a tissue to break into an enthusiastic round of applause. “Jamie, that was absolutely perfect. I wouldn’t change a single word; Roy is going to absolutely love it,” she assures him.
Jamie smiles, looking more bashful than she’s ever seen him. “Thanks, Rebecca. That makes me feel a lot better. I know you wouldn’t say so if you didn’t mean it,” he replies.
She dips her head in acknowledgement. “It’s a beautiful tribute to Roy. I doubt there will be a dry eye in the house at the ceremony. But speaking of your husband, he’ll be here for our weekly check-in any minute now, so not to kick you out, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to kick you out now, Jamie,” she says.
“Oh, right. Guess I’d better run, then. Thanks again for your help, Rebecca!” Jamie says.
“Anytime. See you later, Jamie,” she replies.
Jamie beams at her and turns to go, and not even a full minute later, Roy enters with suspiciously misty eyes.
Rebecca pushes the tissue box towards him. “How much of that did you hear, then?” she asks.
“Fucking all of it,” Roy answers, not even trying to pretend otherwise, as he plucks a tissue from the box. “I was running early for our meeting, so I came up to see if you were free to go ahead and get started, and the muppet left the door to your office wide open, so I was already almost over the threshold when I saw him. I turned to go, but then I realized he was talking about me. I know eavesdropping is wrong, but I just froze. I ducked out of view, and then I listened to the whole speech. It was…” Roy trails off, at a loss for words.
“It certainly was,” Rebecca affirms. “Did he see you on his way out?” she asks.
“No, I hid. Stood behind the office door, and he went the opposite direction toward the stairs,” he answers.
Something about the mental image of Roy skulking behind her door so he won’t be caught out by his husband tickles Rebecca’s funny bone, and her laughter is contagious.
Roy chuckles along with her, and once they finally pull themselves together, she promises she won’t tell if Roy won’t.
“Thanks,” he says. “He obviously worked really hard on the speech, and I’d hate for him to think it means any less to me on the day of the ceremony that I heard it already. I’m not gonna pretend getting inducted doesn’t fucking mean anything to me, mostly because I know you’ll call me out on my bullshit, but it’s nothing compared to knowing that’s how he feels about me,” Roy admits.
“He most certainly does,” Rebecca agrees. “And aren’t you glad you didn’t settle for fine, Mr. ‘I just want to be left alone.’?” she asks.
(Roy just growls in reply, but she can tell it’s his “yes” growl.)