Chapter Text
21/05/2021
The first time Jude met Erling, he was 28 and Erling was 20. Jude thought he was calm, diligent and hardworking. But that didn’t last very long. After 3 months of training with him, Erling became irritating, then 2 months later, annoyingly clingy. Every training, every important meeting, Erling was always clinging to him, standing right beside or behind him, even holding his waist as if it was his.
Jude thought that he was only acting like this because he didn’t have a girlfriend, but it wasn’t like that. Every time, when him and Erling went on a walk together (After Erling’s endless begging), a beautiful woman would ask for his number, but he’d reject them saying the same thing; “Sorry, I already have my eyes on someone.”
Who is this someone and why are you flirting with me if you already have them? Jude thought
…But he never realized that that someone was himself.
…
Erling would text him unnecessarily, send him flowers and little gifts, compliment him everyday, but Jude always ignored it. Why? you may ask. Because how can he accept any of it when Erling already had an alleged ‘someone’? It makes him guilty already that he enjoys it, but he can’t keep indulging himself in something someone else deserves. So he locks his selfish desires away and refuses to be alone with Erling.
Erling didn’t even care and that’s what bothered him the most. He kept the same routinely complimenting, sending flowers (his favourites, might I add) and even fixing random things for him. How can you keep doing this for me even though you’re with someone else? Is there even this someone?
There wasn’t. But he’ll never know.
Present day
Jude loved seeing his players play and actually having a chance of being the best in the league. It reminds him of himself when he was younger. Working hard, winning championships, losing them, having fun. He kind of misses it. Sometimes wondering if the inevitable didn’t happen, if he would be named the best player in history. But he can’t dwell in the past. He has to move forward. And moving forward, is giving these players the opportunity to be what he couldn’t have been. A star, loved by everyone and praised by legends. And if he has to be a little strict on these players, he will. But he does give them one important thing. Freedom.
…
After a long day of training in the hot weather, Jude decided to let his players go home to rest. He was about to leave when suddenly, two recognizable hands wrapped around his waist.
“What are you doing? Shouldn’t you be heading home?”
“Can’t I show a little appreciation to my coach?”, his hands going a bit higher.
“You can show it without touching me like that.” Jude shoves Erling’s hands away and walks off.
Erling followed right behind him.
If Jude knew being a coach at such a young age would be this annoying, he would have listened to his mother and leave the football life. But that’s never happening.
Jude turned on his phone to see a message that would ruin his plans of avoiding a certain player
Mom❤️: Sorry baby, I can’t come pick you up right now, my appointment is taking longer than expected x
”Great. Just great.”
”You need a ride?”
…
Jude can’t believe he actually got in this man’s car. It’s not inherently a bad thing, but being in the same vehicle as someone who is constantly flirting with you while having someone special will cause misunderstandings. So that’s why he’s currently trying to make the biggest space possible between them. Every time Erling tried small talk, he’d act uninterested just so the conversation doesn’t turn into something more.
After a few minutes, they arrive at his place and Jude hops out of the car with quickness.
“Thanks for the ride.”
“No problem.”
Jude turns towards his door when he hears Erling call out to him.
“Can we go somewhere together? When we’re not busy?”
“…I’ll think about it.”
Then he leaves.
Erling’s POV
To say that he wasn’t disappointed was a stretch. After almost a year of trying to make Jude see that he likes, no, loves him, it seems like what he’s doing isn’t enough. Yes, he’s been slacking off a bit to get Jude’s attention during training, but he also does more than required every session. He knows how important it is for the team to win to Jude, so he pushes further. And obviously it’s normal for a player to want to win for his coach, but this is different. He wants all the attention, he wants his coach to only focus on him being the best in the team.
His teammates thinks he’s being arrogant and attention seeking, but is it really a crime to love someone so much that you don’t want his eyes on anyone else?