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“Whats that, Jamie?”
Dani breaks the silence with such suddenness that some people jump; the quiet game is over! The coaches look over to see who the culprit is, and shrug that it’s Dani. They go back to whispering something in their office, eyes on Ted who is holding out a phone. As long as the team keeps it down they can talk.
Dani stares at the long stick in Jamie's mouth as Jamie chews, the long chocolate covered thin twig slowly becoming shorter and shorter until Jamie puckers his lips, and sucks the rest in at the nib. “It’s pockeh, want one?” Jamie says while taking another one from a red box, and puts it into his mouth.
Jamie sucks the chocolate off like he’s holding wheat in his mouth, and only bites down when the cookie becomes soft. Jamie shakes the box towards Dani who takes one and studies it, eyes narrowed.
“Is this chocolate?” Dani asks, twirling the stick in hand before taking a small lick. Jamie nods at him, shaking the box around the room for anyone else. Jan Maas stares at the one in Jamie's mouth, watching it twist and flick up and down; he's only ever heard of it but never tried it. Jamie catches Jan Maas’ interest, and moves his outstretched hand to Jan Maas, shaking the box at him.
It's an invitation Jan Maas cannot say no to, and takes one, immediately biting down on it with a loud crunch.
“Huh, not much flavour… But it's nice,” Jan Maas says with a little disappointment, finishing the stick within seconds. Dani takes a small bite at the tip, surprised how crunchy it is.
“I like it!” Dani exclaims, and bites it all one in one go. Dani sticks his hand out at Jamie, and Jamie lets him have another.
“Pocky? Like from the animes?” Now Colin's coming over like a little shark, his eyes on the red box in Jamie's hand. Jamie offers him one, and Colin greedily takes three, ignoring Jamie's little ‘hey!’. Laughs surround them for that moment but die down when the coaches whip their heads at them with stern faces.
Whatever they’re whispering about is important yet not important enough to close the door...
“Yer lucky I have more,” Jamie says between chews and licks, watching Colin place all three in his mouth. A snap rings out in the quiet locker room followed by Colin's obnoxious chewing of lips smacking and teeth grinding. Everyone gives him a look but Colin's far in his own bubble to care.
“Hmmm, now I see why Japan has the best snacks–”
“It’s mid at most,” Jan Maas cuts off Colin.
“I think it’s good!” Dani says and wants another but the box is empty when he grabs it from Jamie. “No more for Dani Rojas…” and Dani has his head down now, box clenched in his shaking hand.
Jamie hops up from his seat with a ‘ah!’, and slams his fist against his cubby door for it to swing open; Roy looks over, ear still on Ted who’s gesturing something, and Jamie gives him a tongue. Inside Jamie’s cubby are dozens if not dozens of various coloured boxes, mainly red, neatly stacked on one another. When Jamie said he brought more, he meant more of everything.
“Whoa, dog, that's a lot,” Isaac says, curious at what the pink box contains. Dani roams the possibilities yet unsure what to decide at that moment.
“We got og chocolate, strawberreh, banana, cookiehs and cream, plain, salty–” and Jamie goes on and on while pointing at the corresponding box. The team moves along, and linger at the ones they’re interested in.
“Banana sounds interesting!” Dani says yet isn't his final decision, just a statement. “I am simply too overwhelmed my friend… I will have another chocolate!” Dani says with a point of his finger to the red stack; there are 10 boxes seen and probably more from behind.
Jamie grabs the red box that leaves a gap, throwing the balance of harmony off in his snack cubby. To the majority of everyone's relief, Jamie moves a box from the back to the front, the gap no longer more. Jamie did like to keep it neat and tidy; especially when it came to showing off to others and keeping peace of mind.
Jamie closes his cubby with another slam, and Roy snaps out to keep it down, eyes on Tartt. Jamie ignores him, cracking the box to reveal little baggies inside. Jamie tosses one over to Dani who's eyes can't get any wider.
“All for Dani Rojas?” Dani says as he feels the little baggie of goodies; he feels 6 sticks, possibly more or less, broken or whole.
“Yea, muchacho. And fuck off, Colin, ye not gettin’ anymore you fucking greedy pig,” Jamie snaps playfully at Colin who scoffs with a hand on his chest. Jan Maas has his hand up, and Jamie throws him a bag, and then to Isaac who decides then and there if it’s free, he’s down. Jamie throws the last bag at Colin in a surprise attack who fails to catch it a second too late.
“Thanks, now mine are broken!” Colin sighs. Jamie laughs, and offers the rest of the team who have their hand up.
Box after box, little bags thrown around, everyone in the locker room is having a stick in their mouths. Some enjoy it, some eat to eat it, and some aren’t too impressed. Jamie is addicted, and happy to have a stick lounging in his mouth.
“Say, ever play the pocky game?” Colin’s looking at Jamie when he asks it, and Jamie shakes his head.
“What’s that? I just bought these on whim. Never watched the weird shit you do, Colin,” Jamie says, playing with the plastic empty bag.
“You just haven't found the one! You would like Naruto, Jamie. That's yer shit,” Colin says, trying to defend anime, and whatever honour it had in this era.
“Na…Ro….Toe? Colin? Are you having a stroke, mate?” Jamie is fucking with him; can't tell Colin he watches anime or else Colin's going to start sending him weird art and memes. Colin huffs, eating the last stick in his bag.
“You'd probably lose anyway,” Colin starts with a smirk and the team knows they're in trouble. Colin said Jamie's trigger word–
Lose.
“The fuck you on about, pretty boy?” Jamie says, leaning in with a fire in his eyes. Jamie believed he's never lost a game on his own accord.
Jamie was one out of eleven, if not hundreds. If Jamie ever lost it was because the team made him lose. That was a fact set in stone. Jamie got the goals, played his part, always won at every tabletop since the moment he could comprehend the world.
Jamie Tartt was not a loser, not a quitter.
Colin leaned in as well with a smirk on his face. “It’s simple, Tartt. Take this here,” Colin grabs a pocky out of Jeff's bag still full, and holds out the stick for everyone to see. “Place it in your mouth and the other person takes the other end. Both of you must eat piece by piece until either one backs away first or,” Colin moves his brows up, and kisses the air. The team breaks out in quiet mummers. Some are down to play, others willing to watch.
Jamie huffs, “That's fucking it? Baby game, I'm on. What's to lose?” Jamie says, confident he'd win.
“The winner gets 100 from each loser,” Colin says and Jamie thinks this is the easiest way he's made money.
Isaac agrees because why not, he'd kiss Jamie without the pressure, and captains gotta play. Dani wants in as kissing another friend is a norm but shy about it. Jeff, Richard, and even Arlo join because Jamie's playing, and the money's a bonus. Sam surprises others when his hand goes up, and even Jan Maas is questioned why his hand is up with Sam's.
“You? The fuck, Jan Maas, said it was mid,” Jamie says, his face a shade of pink; he wasn't expecting this many people to play. Regardless, Jamie was still sure he would come out on top with a fat stack. Only Richard was a challenge; Colin would never dare touch the lips of another man when he had one at home, and Dani would crumble from just a glare alone. Jan Maas was a mystery. Isaac was too deep in the closet. Everyone knew, quite obvious really, but they kept their mouths shut and their gossip nonexistent.
“Sounds fun, why not? I like money,” Jan Maas says with a shrug. Jamie can't argue with that!
“Alright, anyone else?’ Colin looks around, no one else attempts to put up their hand. The ones playing are in the middle with nervous or content faces. Jamie's definitely nervous inside yet his face carries his usual smugness. Side smirk with a flick of his chin.
“Since you're so confident Jamie, you and Isaac go first,” Colin says with a pat on Isaac's back as a show of support. Isaac cracks his neck, says a little prayer, and takes a pocky from the bag Colin holds up to him.
Jamie looks unfazed by Isaac's mean mug, and fake confidence. “Well, going to stand there all day, captain?" Jamie taunts, hands on his hips. Isaac swallows loudly, and slowly approaches Jamie, trying his best to keep a gentle hold on the pocky stick.
“Jesus, Isaac, hurry the fuck up!” Jamie's actually getting annoyed. Issac is delaying the game by walking in slow motion with everyone suppressing their laughs at how ridiculous Isaac was being. The coaches, who have finished their little meeting, watch on, confused on how the events before them came the way it did but welcome it with curious eyes.
All but for one who focused on a certain player.
“Should we stop it?” Nate says, finding the situation a little silly yet hopes anyone other than Jamie wins. Beard shrugs, enjoying the show before them. Better than whatever they were discussing before.
“I think it’s a great bonding activity! Glad to see the guys getting along with Jamie,” Ted says, phone still in hand. Rebecca's voice chimes in from the speaker phone–
“TED! Hold me up so I can see!” She says. All Rebecca can see is the ceiling and parts of the wall; she's a little upset they forgot she was there but it was her fault for being lazy to go down. Ted says a small opps, and holds the phone so the screen is pointed towards the glass window looking in the locker room. “Thank you!” Rebecca sings.
Roy watches with his a scowl, “Who's gonna win?” He asks the four, eyes locked on Jamie. The four hum in thought before saying Jamie's name at the same time. Even Nate cannot deny that.
Roy just laughs, Ted laughing along because why not, and all watch the scene before them unfold.
When Isaac doesn't attempt to go faster, Jamie walks over less than a second, filling the space between them. Isaac stops, and looks down at Jamie who sticks out his tongue with a wink at Isaac. Isaac grips at the pocky hard, and it breaks. He taps out, and sits at his cubby in shame; can't go on from the way Jamie's tongue stuck at him like it wanted something from Isaac who couldn't deliver.
“Well, that was quick. Who's next?” Jamie says. His eyes stop at Colin who already has a pocky in his mouth, making his way to Jamie. As if to wave at Jamie to come take a nibble, Colin flicks the pocky up and down without breaking it. Jamie licks his lips, rubs his hands together, and dives at it, biting half off. Colin yelps, and pulls back instinctively, cheeks red. Realizing what he did, Colin glares at Jamie who just gives him a little wink. It was a quick and swift death of the lad who would have backed up anyway.
“You lose,” Jamie laughs, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. Colin wants to fume, yell cheater, but decides it was harmless fun, and accepts he was never going to win anyway; not with Michael at home.
“Fine, you win, cheater,” Colin says, with a shake of his head. “Dani, you're up, mate,” Colin says, holding up the bag to Jamie who takes a stick that isn't broken.
Dani jumps on his feet and jumps towards Jamie, shaking with an excitement that Jamie could feel it rub off on him. Dani looks hungry, and Jamie's slightly worried for a split second to only remember the glare. And the glare did it because the moment Dani put his lips around the other end, and stared Jamie in the eye, he ran off. The glare was too intense, too passionate for friends to kiss! Dani's words exactly.
Jamie chuckled, three down, 5 more to go.
Jeff and Arlo never made it to the other end of the pocky stick. They were too red, and tapped out the moment Jamie licked the whole stick seductively before holding it between his lips. That brought them to the edge, Jeff having to excuse himself with claps and laughter following him out. No longer did anyone care to stay quiet anymore when they realized the coaches were now watching as well.
Jan Maas backed out without getting up. Apparently, he might have a mouth allergy because his mouth was numb, and tingly. They decide it’s a fair excuse, and Jan Maas can keep his money.
Jan Maas was lying though; he wanted to play but a certain coach was staring a little too intensely at a certain player. Jan Maas decided it was easier to keep to himself than to cause drama. Maybe another time.
Sam almost won but broke at the last bite. While kissing Jamie was a nice thought, Sam didn't want his first boy kiss to be from a silly game. Jamie saw the stare in Sam’s eyes, and gave the same look back.
“Dinner first then a kiss,” Sam joked, and the locker room laughed, knees and hands clapped. Jamie shrugged but gave a wink different than the rest he gave today; as if to say, I’m down. Sam nods at him with a wide grin, and sits back at his cubby, wondering how to word his text tonight to the young man if he didn’t get cold feet; he probably would as Jamie’s too intense for someone as sweet as Sam.
“Well, Richard, you’re the last one,” Jamie says, and turns over to Richard who had two sticks in his mouth, ready for Jamie.
“Whoa, two?” Jamie gasps, fanning himself to add a little drama. “That’s too much for a single man to handle, Ricky,” Jamie says, and Richard scoffs at the nickname.
Richard says something in French aggressively, and everyone turns to Zorro who coughs into his hand before translating, “Said if you call him that again, he will show you who’s boss tonight.”
Everyone oh’s and Jamie just rolls his eyes. “Okay, if you win, it’s your place,” Jamie says with a tilt of his head, his voice dropping to sound a bit more seductive than intended. Well, it seemed to do the trick because Richard’s face went red, ears giving off steam if one looked close enough, and his hands went into his pockets. Jamie smirked, made his way to Richard, and bit at the two sticks that stuck out of Richard’s mouth.
Richard holds his ground and takes a small bite back. Oh, he has a strategy, Jamie thinks. Jamie’s next bite is just as tiny; his is to let Richard come to him, and not the other way around. Richard hums, and takes a bigger bite. Their lips aren’t close but aren’t far either. Jamie stares into Richard’s eyes that are looking at Jamie’s nose; he would lose if his eyes landed on Jamie’s intense green ones. Jamie takes another small bite; either Richard has to kiss him or he backs away now. Either way, Jamie is a wall that won’t break from a pair of lips.
Richard smirks around the pocky and before he decides to go for it, his eyes glance at the coaches.
Everyone, even Jamie, is confused when Richard backs off instantly and sits at his cubby without a word. Jamie has two pocky sticks in his mouth now, and a pocket of cash coming his way.
“Richard, you okay man?” Colin asks, sure that Richard would have tied that round with Jamie. Everyone around Richard mutters their questions towards the Frenchmen. Richard just shrugs, eyes avoiding everyone’s.
“Does it matter? I WIN!” Jamie puts his hands up and munches on the rest of the pocky in his mouth. The team claps and congratulate him—
“The game's not over, Tartt.”
Jamie freezes at the voice. The locker room goes dead quiet.
Slowly, Jamie turns around, and comes face to face with a gaffer who has his arms crossed, and a look on his face that Jamie can’t place.
“Roy? You fucking want to play? Why?” Jamie asks, his stomach doing flips and his face hot. Roy Kent of all people would never be caught playing a childish game like this but there he was, pocky in mouth.
“YOOOOO ROY?” Ted is ecstatic at the change of events. He saw Roy walk out but never thought it would be for this twist of events. Beard’s glasses are off; shit was getting good now.
“My, this is getting heated!” Rebecca says with a mouthful of biscuits that Ted dropped of earlier. “Who’s gonna win this time around?” She asks. Ted and Beard look at one another, the answer obvious. Even Nate gives a side eye, knowing exactly who the winner was going to be. Rebecca took their silence as a response that she already knew the answer to herself.
”Roy, fuck off, you joined too late and my tummies full,” Jamie said with a pat at his belly. He was honest about being full, and the amount of sugar he consumed under the hour was a little concerning. “Next time, gaffer—“
”A thousand says you back out,” Roy says with confidence. The locker goes crazy, people jumping up from their spots, and others throwing things into the air. Jamie stares in shock.
“Fucking thousand— Roy, are you fucking mad?”
”Are you in or backing out?” Roy says with one step towards Jamie who takes a step back. The team is chanting do it and Jamie can’t think properly with the way Roy looks at him, how his eyes are trying to pull him in. The voices yelling at him don’t help, and those eyes are all on them—
“Fuck you— I won already. Don’t need a thousand when I make more than that in a fucking minut—“
”Sounds like someone’s afraid to lose!” Nate shouts out from the office much to everyone’s surprise but it adds to the excitement. Jamie shoots Nate a glare, Nate just waves with an innocent smile. The trigger word has been said, and now Jamie has to go through with it or else he really is a loser. With his hands up, Jamie just nods much to everyone’s amusement.
Roy held the pocky between his lips, and waited for Jamie who was inching slowly towards him. Now, Jamie understood what Isaac felt in those moments he was making his way to Jamie. Here was Jamie delaying what he thought was the most embarrassing thing he’s ever done, and he’s fucked on TV!
“Jamie, walk any slower and practice is over!”
”Hurry it up! We want a show!”
”You know, I see it—“
”Come on, Jamie. Your boyfriends waiting~”
The team snickers out their little jokes that fly around, and each one makes Jamie get redder, and redder. “I’m just waiting for me stomach to settle… That’s all” Jamie says, his excuse weak. Jamie gave his face a little slap and shake of his body to get rid of the nervousness. Finding a moment of confidence when Jamie reminds himself that this was Roy fucking Kent, a man who tolerates him to a extent, that the money would be easy peasy because Roy would never in a million years actually kiss Jamie. Roy just wanted to scare the young man.
Yea, that was it exactly.
Jamie does a little hop, and walks right up to Roy. He hesitates for a second before sticking his tongue out, and gently bites at the nib, lips puckered. The only thing Jamie couldn’t put his finger on was why Roy would even play a game like this in the first, especially with Jamie in the mix. To mess with him was one thing, this was beyond that.
The team sucked in their breaths. The coaches and Rebecca looked on wide-eyed. Everything was dead quiet except for a distant sound of something slapping somewhere. Both men stared, eye to eye, with a want. Jamie wanted to win money, that was all, and Roy wanted to win Jamie, unknown to Jamie, obvious to most, and Richard who saw the way Roy looked like he would kill Richard if he went through with it.
Roy took the first bite. It was really a nibble but Jamie flinched, almost breaking the stick. Roy smirked at him and Jamie just glared, taking a big bite in retaliation. Roy tilted his head, and took another nibble, eyes never leaving Jamie’s. Jamie swallowed, regretting taking such a big bite because Roy’s nose was pretty long, and Jamie could almost feel it brush the tip of his.
Jamie never realized how handsome Roy looked up close; how his eyes were a nice brown that looked like dark honey when the light hit his face— Jamie reminds himself what’s at stake; money and his dignity, and pushes on. Think money, not horny, Jamie thinks, and does the same as Roy, nibbling just a piece for Roy to chomp down half way right after, their noses now pressed against one another.
Their lips were right there.
Jamie was going to fucking faint from the blood rushing to his head, and Roy seemed unfazed yet his cheeks were dusted red.
”Kiss… Kiss… Kiss…” Dani whispered while he held up his fingers and pretended to push their heads together. Colin was biting at his nails, sweating at the two men, and Isaac couldn’t look, wishing he was that brave and confident in himself. Everyone was whispering, encouraging really, for them to go for it.
Jamie ignored them all. Whatever the fuck they thought this was wasn’t that. Jamie was here for the big bucks, the easy peasy money. He wasn’t a quitter, wasn’t a loser! Roy was fucking with him and while Jamie could admit Roy got him, Jamie was confident that Roy would never—
Roy, growing impatient at Jamie taking fucking forever, twists his head and takes the rest of the pocky into his mouth along with Jamie’s lips, biting down hard. Jamie yelps loudly at the sudden pain, and shoves Roy off who doesn’t let go right away, pulling the lip back.
Jamie is breathing heavily, tasting blood when he licks his lips and looks down; there’s blood dripping down onto his jersey and floor, and his bottom lip feels like they’re on fire. Roy just stares with a sly smirk, blood on his own lip but doesn’t lick it away. The team is quiet, coaches are dumbstruck.
Rebecca can only see so much, and assumes what just happened was insane judging how quiet everything got.
“Did you just FUCKING BITE ME?” Jamie asks, shocked.
Roy shrugs, still smirking.
They stand, eyes locked, unmoving.
Before anyone can utter a single word on the matter, Jamie lets out a growl with his hands grabbing at Roy’s head, and pulls him down for a kiss, their lips colliding and teeth tearing into one another. Everyone gasps, watching the aggression grow between the two men.
Roy grabs at Jamie’s waist to pull him in closer, thrusting his hips right on Jamie who leans into it. Jamie’s hands are gliding up and down from the nape of Roy’s neck to his head, loving how soft yet rough his hair felt under his palms.
Jamie gasps when he feels Roy’s cold hands slip under his jersey; Roy wants to feel Jamie’s flushed skin against his calloused fingers, firmly groping at the tensed muscles that relax under his touch. As the kiss deepens, Jamie’s soft tongue was no match for Roy’s hard one that asserted its dominance the moment Jamie opened his mouth; Jamie would admit his defeat, and take the L because Roy Kent was fucking worth it.
Their heads twist with their eyes closed, lost in a dance of a brutal lust. There was no longer self control in the room; was it ever there to begin with?
The team sits in silence for a moment to watch and listen to the two men go at it passionately in the middle of the locker room before erupting in cheers. Some grab water and pour it over them, yet it doesn’t stop the two men, their lips glued to one another.
“LETS GOOOOOO!” Ted shouts out along with the team while Rebecca is busy getting dizzy from how hard Ted shook the phone in hand.
“HOLD STEADY, TED! I can’t see!” Rebecca yells out, trying to make out what was happening.
“I love this bonding time. Look at them go!” Ted says, holding his hand as still as he can, and Rebecca just laughs,
“Well, I owe Keeley some money…” She whispers, needing to send Keeley a screenshot of the action.
Beard looks at his wrist, it’s past 10. “Hate to ruin the fun but now it’s work time,” Beard says, and the two coaches nod.
“Well, who wants to break them apart?” Nate asks because it wasn’t going to be him.
“I say we leave it! Look at them! Not often you see them get along,” Ted says, waving a bye to Rebecca before hanging up. Beard nods in agreement, and walks out the office, blowing his whistle. Roy breaks away from the kiss to say something but Jamie pulls him back in with another growl, uncaring at that point.
”PRACTICE! You two, um, take your time?” Beard isn’t sure what to exactly say to two men kissing, and walks to the exit right after. The team congratulates the winners, the losers leaving their dues on the benches in front of their cubbies, and walk out. Once everyone’s gone, Ted and Nate step out, watching the two go at it for another minute.
Roy’s at it on Jamie’s neck with bites and licks along the curve, and Jamie’s head is up, mouth panting and hands clawing along Roy’s back through the fabrics. Ted whistles loudly, only Jamie looking over with half lidded eyes as Roy is too lost on Jamie’s skin.
“I am so happy to see you two are getting along. My desk is opened to ya’ll, just ask to move anything breakable off. Hope to see you guys out but if not, that’s okay too!” Ted says with a smile, and tips his visor at them before leaving for the field with a Nate following behind.
”Are we really going to—“ Nate begins, looking back to see Jamie and Roy lock themselves in the office with a loud slam, blinds going down.
“Yup! It’s very important for fellas like them to bond. I just hope—“ Ted stops when he hears something break, and a loud FUCK following, and knows exactly it was his mug judging how the fuck was said with panic.
“Well, I just hope they stay friendly after this. We should plan more activities like this… But for now, let’s keep it a little more PG,” Ted sighs, thinking of an excuse to tell his son how his #1 dad mug broke.