Chapter Text
Germany was a different climate to the UK.
The airport was relatively small, considering they had travelled privately. It gave Jude a moment of pause, to let it sink in fully that this was his reality and that Borussia Dortmund did want him on their team. The flight could feel like it would take five hundred years and he’d still want more time to be reflective and giddy.
No matter. He had plenty of time to reflect on his life up until this point. It just gave more ammunition to think of other things now, such as how unbelievable it is to finally be here.
He wasn’t sick of the feeling at all. He knew it was just a bunch of emotions piled into one but all positive.
The feelings he experienced had been broken into several small stages in the weeks coming up to the eventual move to Germany with his mother, Denise. He remembered the shock upon hearing he was being transferred to such a great team at a very high price for his age group.
He was happy to know that he was that valued by the scouts and from the CEO himself, Watzke. The thought of the CEO visiting him personally was so invigorating. He couldn’t stop grinning for weeks.
His performances in the club and their leagues did not falter because he had accepted this offer.
The world knew it then, and he had to deal with a lot of attention, positive and negative. He paid it no mind, focused on what this new opportunity would bring.
He remembered the slow unease as the time crept closer, realising he had to leave his father and younger brother, Jobe, behind. They were also his family – his source of comfort. He couldn’t fathom being separated from them for such a long time, even when he knew these things happened in his profession. Still, the excitement was high, and they all shared it in an equal swim of a bittersweet remedy. Mark had repeatedly congratulated him in a manner of ways embarrassing or sweet, and Jobe had ensured he spent as much time he had left with his older brother before he left for Germany.
Nonetheless, he had made the decision, packed up his bags and now he was here and all he was feeling were butterflies in his stomach. The opportunity to play in the Bundesliga was such a high honour. He finally was making it into the big leagues, bigger than what his previous club could bring. He was grateful for everything that had built up to this moment.
Jude smiled sadly at the memory of his brother trying not to cry too much upon their departure. He missed him so much. He made a mental note to call him as soon as he was able to.
His hand was currently supporting his head by the window of the car, silence enveloping him and his mother while they made their way through Dortmund. Various vehicles of different sizes and colours all became a blur, and it didn’t startle him much whether they passed them at a concerning speed or not. It didn’t concern him at all that they were still about twenty mins away until they got to his new home for the next few years.
No, he wasn’t worried at all.
He was ecstatic. He broke into a soft smile and glanced at his mother, who smiled back in turn before refocusing on the road ahead.
He tried to learn more about the current team and their playstyle, envisioning where he would fit in. He knew he was scouted as a midfielder, so he wanted to understand how his position-mates would behave on the pitch. He felt like he got so obsessive over it, but he was seventeen years old. Let him have this.
Finally, they got to the stadium, and he could not take his eyes off it. It was huge, with yellow pillars holding the stadium together like it was destined to match the team colours. Jude hadn’t gone inside but he could tell that this stadium was going to overwhelm him when he got into the pitch. The infrastructure was modern, suggesting it had either been built recently, or it was refurbished a few times. Nonetheless, it was a noticeable upgrade from the stadiums he played in at Birmingham.
There were multiple parking spaces, where Denise had parked close enough to the entrance and he perked up from his seat. He was finally here.
At the door, he could see Watzke waiting for him, alongside an assistant of his. Beside him, there was a player in training apparel. Jude looked on. Tall, Blond, looked like he could ram you into a wall and win. Seemingly bored, probably because he might have ben standing for a few minutes.
Yep, that was Erling Braut Haaland.
Jude grinned. This was the player he was the most excited to play and talk with.
Erling Haaland. From his debut, he’d been a very prolific goalscorer and a presence on the pitch that players on the opposing side had to strategize around. Intimidating and intelligent, he would touch a ball for a second before knowing where it would land. His debut landed him with his first hat-trick with Dortmund, a very impressive feat that proved his intelligence on the pitch. His statistics were amazing for someone his age, and he kept getting better and better.
Jude admired him greatly.
He was obsessed with his playstyle - the way Haaland commanded the game once he could envision a goalscoring opportunity. There were multiple things such as the way Haaland defended himself and his teammates from opposing players who were looking to commit more fouls than play the game correctly. The way he celebrated or didn’t celebrate, knowing that there was a better chance at a better goal soon. The very fact that he had scored seven times by his first three matches. His pace, his attacking, his everything – he was mesmerised by this giant who decided he would be in an attacking position and supported it very well, when he could’ve chosen any other position.
“Well, aren’t you the daydreamer today?”
Denise’s voice made Jude startle slightly, looking at his mom while grinning awkwardly. “Mom, I don’t even know how to feel”
“You’re excited” she replied, leaning over to kiss her son on the cheek. Jude hugged her, feeling everything and nothing all at once but in a positive manner.
“I feel like excitement is not the right word anymore. I’ve got butterflies in my throat now; I can’t speak.”
Denise smiled warmly at her son, holding back the tears she knew she couldn’t shed at that particular moment. She was so proud of him for making it this far and his journey was only beginning. Her tears can wait only a tiny bit. Her son’s happiness shone brightly in her eyes and she wanted to bask in it forever.
“Alright, young man. Out of the car now.”
They both exited the car, closing the doors in varying degrees of held back excitement. Jude accidentally slammed the car door too harshly out of his giddiness, but Denise couldn’t find it in her heart to scold the young man.
The bags in the car waited for them in the car boot but Jude was only here for a moment for a quick tour of his new team home.
Watzke grinned, opening his arms wide and Jude ran to embrace him, eliciting a cackle from the older man.
“My boy, welcome! It’s even better to see you here! How was the flight for you both?” He tried to scruff up Jude’s hair as much as his hair would allow, to which Jude laughed and swatted his hand away before he could touch it, trying to keep his hair as tidy as possible. He didn’t want anyone touching his recently made hair. It takes patience! He took the older man’s hand and shook it rapidly, grinning like he won the stars.
It might as well have been that.
“It was great, sir. I couldn’t sit still.”
Denise laughed, holding up her iPad to her chest after making sure of a few things on it. “I tried to get him to relax at least but he wouldn’t stop feeling jittery. He’s so happy to be here. Thank you so much, once again.”
Watzke smiled at her warmly, putting an arm around Jude’s shoulders. “You’re welcome. Jude here is an extraordinary talent. I’m very keen to see how well he will fit in my team.”
Jude startled, which made Erling smile at him. Jude only realised that he hadn’t acknowledged him yet, which made him pull out of Watzke’s arm and sheepishly scratch at his neck. Watzke and his mother continued to speak as Jude turned to face Erling, who had been watching the interaction with interest. He must’ve been happy to finally be acknowledged by Jude because Erling immediately grinned at him.
“I’ve watched so many of your matches, you know.”
Jude blinked. “You did?”
Erling brought his hand out and Jude shook it immediately. “You play very well. I want to see you play in person, though. Give me assists and that.”
Jude laughed. “I can’t wait for that. But you’ll give me the assists too, yeah?”
Erling grinned. “Don’t get too cocky. You’re a newbie.”
“Still made a great impression on you though, mate.”
“Yeah, you did.”
Their conversation came to a slow halt, while Watzke realised that they were already conversing and smiled at them.
“Erling, take the boy. Show him around the place. Make him feel at home. I’ll speak to Mrs Bellingham for a bit longer. Let him get used to you.”
Jude turned to his mother and gave her a hug. Denise kissed him on the cheek.
“Go have fun, and we’ll reconvene here.”
“Okay, ma. I love you!” Jude waved at Denise and laughed, while turning around to start walking ahead of Erling.
They continued to walk down the hallway, seeing rows of photos and trophies that had Jude very intrigued and enthusiastic to contribute to the team. Erling turned to look at him, seeing the seventeen-year-old unable to contain himself as he was staring at one photo of one of the previous teams, his eyes widening in awe of what he was seeing and the continual reminder of where he was. Erling knew that he was looking at a one-of-a-kind talent, the kind that would make you want to follow every stage of the journey it took to be the best of the best.
Erling wanted to contribute to his new teammate’s eventual climb to stardom. He knew they would be such an inseparable pair. Erling had observed enough matches of Jude to know that Jude would be a perfect person to compliment him, and he would be able to compliment Jude too well. Like twin stars.
They continued to walk on, talking very little as Erling showed him around the stadium. The toilets, the locker rooms, the rehabilitation area, the gym and eventually, he was leading him towards the pitch. Training was not being held at that current moment, but there were a few players still lingering around the pitch, talking amongst each other or having a moment to themselves to hydrate and relax.
Erling suddenly felt too restless with the knowledge that he would eventually have to share Jude to the rest of the available squad, and he wanted to have more of a headstart. He wasn’t sure where this feeling came from, but he pushed it to the very back of his mind and rationalised that it was very normal to want to take care of someone. He knew acknowledging it could bring trouble. He coughed.
“How was your flight? Good?”
Jude, who had been staring out at the pitch in wonder, turned to look at him with his eyebrows raised slightly. His lip pouted out slightly in thought.
“You was right there with the gaffer when he asked us that. Have you forgotten everything so quickly?” He quipped back, his lip turning upward slightly in a smirk. Erling scoffed.
“It’s one thing to talk to an elder. Another if it’s me.”
“You’re basically older than me.”
“By three years.”
Jude rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. When is training anyway? What else are you willing to teach me other than how to make me laugh?”
Erling smiled and followed the teenager out, who had started to run backwards onto the pitch.
“A lot, hopefully.”