Disclaimer:I do not own anything Ted Lasso, it is all the property of NBC, Apple TV, Warner Brothers, the show's creators. I make no profit, it is all just for fun.
Warning: Strong Language and Sexual Content
.
When It's the Heavens That Go and Out You
.
It was too fucking bright.
That was the thought going through Roy Kent's mind as he sat behind the wheel of his shiny black Mercedes G-Class. The former footballer and current grouchy assistant coach for the AFC Richmond Greyhounds was currently on his way into work for another day of overseeing training and all around him was the brightness of a completely cloudless morning over Richmond. Clad in his usual combination of different shades of black in the form of a t-shirt, jeans, boots, and one of his favorite leather jacket, Roy sat in stark contrast to the golden brightness around him.
After several days of dark, thundering clouds and on and off again rains, today had dawned in stark contrast. It was absolutely perfect and everyone else was pleased. Roy Kent on the other hand felt a sense of unease. He weren't the happy, chipper type to begin with and had only greeted one of his neighbors, Mrs. Greenly, back half-heartedly when she had wished him a giggly "Good morning Roy!" just twenty minutes earlier. As he had driven towards Nelson Road, Roy had observed that the giddiness he had observed in his neighbor was not an isolated event.
All about people were greeting each other warmly and going about their morning with a pep in their step. Hell even an older gentleman and his adorable wifey were almost skipping along hand in hand.
Roy had allowed himself a small, fleeting smile at that sight before he was back to scowling.
It just weren't for him, no really, it weren't.
Thankfully the football club was right up ahead and Roy wasted no time in smoothly turning of the main road and into the parking lot. As he cruised about to his usual space, he saw that many of the Greyhound lads were there getting out of their cars and heading into the main building. Roy rolled his eyes and bit back a fond smile when Colin Hughes rolled up in his ridiculous lime green Lamborghini that he had nearly burned the keys to and could still just barely manage to drive.
The moment Colin was safely parked and out of the high-speed vehicle he was warmly greeted by Isaac McAdoo and Richard Montlaur in a honestly adorable three way hug. Roy glowered extra hard as he climbed out of his own car and was set upon by the three.
" Morning Coach!" They all said in perfect unison with bright grins on their faces, grins that seemed only to grow wider the more Roy glared at them as he greeted them back with a gruff "Mornin'" in return.
As the four of them started to head towards the main doors, the low rumble of another car engine drawing near had them all turning to see a sleek black BMW M8 Gran Coupe with gleaming silver star rims glide into the parking lot and take up the empty spot beside Colin's limey Lambo.
Out of this car climbed the one and only Jamie Tartt, Richmond Striker and resident "Prince of Pricks".
As he came around his BMW Jamie smiled warmly at the four of them, genuinely pleased to see them. Roy felt his heart give a pesky little stutter as he took in the young lad that had once been his most bitter foe. He had his dark hair neatly slicked back with the sides stylishly shaved, the little notch in his right eyebrow standing out in the morning light. He was dressed in grey jeans that showed of well-built legs, his favorite light grey long-sleeve Henley, and over this all he had on a new black hoodie with deep, blood-red roses all over the sleeves. It was a little more toned down than his usual full floral tracksuit combos, but it made him no less striking.
" Mornin' lads." Jamie greeted as he made his way over to his team mates and coach as he adjusted the little satchel he had slung across his chest.
Colin, Isaac, and Richard all greeted Jamie warmly and traded hand shakes and shoulder slaps with him before Jamie's dark blue eyes landed on Roy.
" Hiya Coach." Jamie greeted with a nod.
" Tartt." Roy greeted back simply with a nod of his own.
Colin, Isaac, and Richard started leading the way towards the door with Jamie and Roy following after them. They all bantered lightly with each other, but unbeknownst to the three players in the front, Roy and Jamie mutually stepped a bit closer to each other than was necessary, their shoulders brushing lightly every now and then. In a subtle move, Roy reached out his hand and gently hooked Jamie's pinky with his own, giving it a fleeting squeeze and earning a rather shy but happy grin from the younger man who squeezed back before they let their hands silently drift apart again. Roy allowed himself the tiniest of smiles as he met Jamie's dark blue eyes.
The eyes of his boyfriend of nearly five months.
This seismic shift in his and Jamie's relationship happened about three months after Roy and Keeley had amicably parted ways as a couple.
They had been away to Vicarage Road for a pre-season match against Watford and the Greyhounds had all played brilliantly, none more so than Jamie. In the second half when they were tied with Watford 2 to 2 and time was of the essence, Ted, Roy, and Beard had pulled out the signature signal for Jamie to unleash the Prince of Pricks and he had done so in spectacular fashion, getting under the skins of multiple opposing players with a smirk and distracting them enough to make a smooth pass to Dixon, who blasted it off to Sam who then sent it perfectly into the corner of the opposing team's net. In the chaos of following where the damn ball was going, no one really saw Jamie get tripped up by one of the Watford players immediately after he had passed the ball to Dixon. Jamie had gone down hard, but popped right back up onto his feet and assured the Referee that he was alright. Jamie had run off to join the rest of the team in their thunderous celebrating both on the field and then in the locker room.
It was during a calm moment that he, Ted, and Beard had noticed that Jamie had been no where to be found among the many youthful bodies yelling and screaming. The three coaches had gone off in search of their Striker. It had been a little difficult since this had not been their familiar Nelson Road and found him in one of the smaller boot rooms, pale as a sheet with his jersey hiked up and off his arm, Will Kitman pressing an ice pack to his side looking more anxious than he usually was and quietly urging Jamie to let him go get a medic if not Coach Lasso.
The choice had been taken out of Jamie's hands when the three of them had descended on him. Ted had knelt down next to Will, Roy sitting down on the bench next to Jamie, and Beard had stayed standing, towering over everything grimly with his arms crossed. Ted had gently ordered Will to pull away the ice pack from Jamie's rib cage. The moment Will had done so, not even Beard could keep his jaw from falling open at the sight of the massive angry red bruise that was rapidly forming over Jamie's lower ribs.
Ted had immediately taken the ice pack from Will and gently reapplied it to Jamie's ribs, the young man had groaned softly and promptly buried his face right into the side of Roy's neck. Roy had instinctively wrapped his arms around the lad, being careful of his injury. He had distantly heard Ted ordering Will to go get Derek and Liam, the team doctors while he and Beard had both gently urged Jamie to just breathe.
Once Derek and Liam had come rushing in with their med-kits in hand, the three of them had gently wrung the truth out of Jamie, that he had been tripped up and landed hard on his lower ribs only to roll back up onto his feet and join in the celebrating of the win. As Derek had prodded the injury as carefully as he could Jamie had groaned and Ted had taken his hand, all the while Roy had refused to let go of him for even a second.
Derek and Liam had declared that thankfully, nothing had appeared to be broken but they recommended taking Jamie to hospital to get properly looked over. All three coaches had nipped any protest from Jamie in the bud with a combined look of sternness he had stood no chance against.
Roy had reluctantly let go of Jamie and headed out into the main locker room where the celebrating had effectively ceased the moment the lads had seen Will rush in asking for Liam and Derek. They had immediately crowded around him asking what had happened and Roy explained that Jamie had taken a hard fall and needed to get checked out at hospital just to be sure. The lads, such good lads, had then immediately gone about packing Jamie's things up for him, Sam getting Jamie's clothes while Dani had his duffel bag. Roy had taken the items and given the boys his best complements, reassuring them again that Jamie was okay, if in pain, and that they should still be super happy with the win they had picked up.
Roy had ducked back into the smaller boot room to see Jamie already with his color improved and a tired little smile on his face as he listened attentively to whatever Yankee nonsense Ted were spouting while Liam had been applying a pain patch over his bruise.
Once Roy had presented Jamie with his things, Ted had sent Will and the medics away to the main locker area while the three of them had ducked out to give Jamie some privacy to change out of his kit. They made some calls ahead to the hospital and also to Rebecca to let her know the situation regarding one of her players while they waited for Jamie. Once Jamie had stepped out of the room changed into his regular clothes, Ted had promptly taken his duffel bag from him and handed it to Roy, declaring that Roy would be taking Jamie to the hospital.
Roy hadn't even grumbled once while Jamie had nodded mutely, honestly looking a little shy.
With Beard leading the way and Ted and Roy flanking him, Jamie had been effectively escorted out to the main locker room where the Greyhounds had converged on him, albeit carefully. Jamie had received gentle hugs, pats on the back, many a question about what had happened and if he was okay, and also a pack of jaffa cakes courtesy of Dani Rojas. Jamie had assured everyone that he was okay, that it had just been landing wrong after being tripped up.
After a little more affection from the lads, Ted and Beard had sent Roy and Jamie off, the former quickly packing Jamie up into the car Rebecca had sent over in record time. Instead of climbing in the front passenger seat, Roy had simply slipped into the back beside Jamie. Roy had chided Jamie for not telling them immediately that he had been hurt, but he'd done so with a little less of his usual gruffness. Their conversation had turned naturally to the game they had won, Roy asking Jamie just what he had said to rile the other team up so badly and when Jamie had shared it, they had both busted out laughing until Jamie had groan softly at aggravating his ribs. Before he could have stopped himself, Roy had gathered Jamie to him once more and held him steady against his side. The rest of the ride to the hospital had been made in charged silence, and something irrevocably changed to a tenderness beyond just friendship between them.
Roy was torn from his thoughts on the past when the sound of the door opening caught his ear along with the banter of the four players he was accompanying. Roy quickly forced himself to refocus and go into Coach Kent mode. These were all his players, and especially the young man walking right beside him. Jamie Tartt was not his boyfriend when they were here in this building, he was Jamie Tartt, one of the Strikers for Richmond. That was it.
But even as they all headed into the already buzzing locker room and Roy broke off to head into the to the little changing area with lockers reserved for coaches and club staff, Roy still found his heart humming with fondness as he remembered how as they had waited to be seen by the doctors at the hospital in Watford, Jamie had not hesitated to share the pack of jaffa cakes Dani had given him. Thankfully, once Jamie had been put through a battery of medical tests, the doctors had surmised that Jamie had suffered a bruised rib and a sprain of the muscles around it, nothing broken or torn.
A little while later, out in the gloriously bright morning...
" I am tellin' y'all this has got to be the brightest morning I have ever experience in all my time here in Richmond. I mean, yesterday the skies were rollin' in grey and even last night there were rumblin' and now it's just picture perfect, I mean even the grass is more blindin' than usual. Is this normal?" Ted asked as he stood flanked by Roy and Beard out on the pitch.
" Actually consulted the local meteorological database, this turn about is unusual even by Richmond standards bey bey." Beard replied without missing a beat, while Roy just grunted.
Before them the AFC Greyhounds were already spread across the field after the warm up, sectioned off into groups and hard at work running the various drills.
Roy's dark eyes traveled over the field, observing forms and techniques as well as overall morale. To put it simply, everyone appeared to be in tip top shape, doing things right, and enjoying themselves in the brilliant sunlight after so many days of training under gray clouds and rain.
Even Roy could admit that he was glad the rain had let up and he wouldn't have to run the risk of slipping and sliding about in the mud, especially with his fucked up knee. Of course seeing Jamie and the lads all look like drowned rats whenever they came in from one of those watery days of training had been quite humorous.
Coach's privilege, he got to have a nice big umbrella alongside Ted and Beard... who liked to share one.
" Your boy-toy's having a real love-fest out there." Beard said lightly, Roy frowning at his fellow coach before turning his eyes back to the field and sure enough, Jamie was really packing on the platonic PDA with both Sam and Dani and the three of them jumped about celebrating Dani's first practice goal earned for the day against O'Brien.
While Roy and Jamie had mutually agreed to keeping things hush hush about the true nature of their relationship, there were some people they naturally couldn't keep out of the loop.
Mainly Rebecca, Higgins, Ted, Beard, Dr. Sharon, his sister Nora, and Keeley.
Obviously Rebecca and Higgins because she was the fuckin' boss and he was the HR Man, Ted and Beard because they were his fellow coaches and he was involved with a player, Dr. Sharon because she was part of the senior staff, and Nora and Keeley because both he and Jamie had wanted to live plain and simple. Roy had nearly gone grayer than Nate the Not So Great stressing over whether or not he would be allowed pursue a romantic relationship with Jamie. Rebecca had been quick to assure him that while it might be frowned upon, there actually weren't any rules strictly prohibiting a romantic relationship between a coach and player. Roy being Roy had still wanted to sign something, so Rebecca had roped in Keeley to come up with a super cheesy yet legally binding promissory note, that had him vowing to not show any kind of favoritism towards Jamie, to be professional unless the circumstances allow for exception, and to just be the best boyfriend possible. Roy had signed said document in Rebecca's office with Rebecca, Higgins, Ted, Beard, and Keeley all in attendance as witnesses, and most importantly, Jamie by his side.
Jamie had teased him relentlessly later that night while they had been enjoying their first official dinner date at this surprisingly quaint little bistro by the edge of town where no one had blinked an eye at The Great Roy Kent and Jamie Tartt the "Prince of Pricks" having dinner together. Roy had grumbled good-naturedly, but then Jamie had grown serious and actually thanked him for the promises he had put down in writing. It had been the most serious Roy had seen Jamie be in a long time, and Roy's belief in Jamie's commitment was truly solidified when the very next day Roy had been asked to Rebecca's office, this time to witness Jamie signing his own promissory note to be the best professional player he could possibly be under Roy as his coach, and to cherish him after hours as his Big Gorgeous Hairy Baby Twat. Yes, Jamie had asked for that to be put in officially. Roy was now most affectionately his Big Gorgeous Hairy Baby Twat. Roy had allowed himself a teeny tiny smile at Jamie's long and slightly changed nickname for him before he had gone back to grumpily glaring at all the smiling faces of his pseudo family as Jamie had happily hugged him and given him a quick peck on the lips.
They had barely begun dating for real and already it had felt like they were down at the courthouse.
Roy was brought out of his musings by a series of groans as Sam had executed a perfect blast into the right upper corner only for the ball to bounce off said corner and go sailing past everyone towards an empty patch of the pitch.
" I got it!" Jamie called out as he trotted off after the wayward ball while Dani and Colin were quick to console a mildly disappointed Sam.
As he ran, Jamie looked across the pitch his dark blue eyes found Roy's deep brown. The whole world seemed to slow down for a moment as their gazes lingered on each other over yards of green and many moving bodies. Roy allowed his usually harsh brow to ease a little, while Jamie's smirk became a fleeting, genuine smile. They shared the tiniest of nods before breaking their mutual gaze. Jamie continued towards the ball while Roy turned in time to see Dixon looking a little off in his dribbling.
" Dixon, tighten up that form!" Roy shouted sternly. Dixon looked up and nodded, gaining better control of the ball while Ted and Beard nodded in approval.
Jamie was just about six feet from the errant ball when he felt the hair on the back of his neck and his arms stand on end, and why did there suddenly seem to be a low hum in the air?
With a frown Jamie turned to look at the rest of the team and see if they too were feeling this strange sensation. Then everything suddenly went stark white and he knew no more.
KRRRRRAAAAAAAACKKKKKOOOOOOOMMMBBB!
Multiple screams and yells were drowned out by an earth shattering boom, a flash of pure white blotting out everything in sight.
" Fuck!" Roy roared as he hit the deck hard.
" Holy Mackerel!" He distantly heard Ted exclaim beside him.
Roy's ears were ringing violently. For several long moments everything was frozen, no one moved, not even the world seemed. Then royal blank and let out a harsh gasp for shaking his head and doing a quick self-assessment of himself. He found himself to be with his heart hammering hard against his sternum but otherwise whole and able to wiggle his toes and clench his fingers.
" Roy?!" He heard someone call out to him distantly, so royally creamed his head up to see a wide eyed Ted Lasso looming over him on his knees.
" Roy are ya OK?" Ted asked as he reached out and gripped Roy's shoulder tightly.
" Yeah, I'm good. Where's Beard?" Roy asked as he and Ted looked about for him.
They spotted Beard just a few feet away, he was sitting upright on his butt with his hands behind him bracing him up. The man looked utterly stunned and sat unblinking.
Ted and Roy quickly scramble to their feet and rushed over to him.
" Beard, buddy are ya okay?" Ted asked as he knelt down beside his best friend while Roy stood behind them both, trying to get is own heart to slow down with deep yoga breaths like he had learned with the girls.
Beard finally blinked and looked up at Ted, then slowly shifted his gaze to Roy, and then settled back on Ted as he spoke.
" L-Lightning strike." He said dazedly before his gaze turned to the pitch and widened.
Ted and Roy turned their gazes to the pitch to join Beard's, and the sight that greeted them was something that would haunt them for a very long time.
Utter chaos.
The lads were scattered throughout the field. Some were still huddled to the grass covering their heads, some on their knees, and still others sitting stunned just like Coach Beard was. Those that were on their feet were either standing still in a daze or walking about aimlessly trying to make sense of it all.
" Ted! Ted! Teeeeeeed!" A banshee shriek behind them had Ted, Roy, and Beard all turning to see a completely distraught Rebecca Welton running towards them from the tunnel that led into the training pitch from the main building, a frantic Higgins following well behind her but running as fast as he could too.
She had on a lovely silky looking green long sleeve blouse with a puff at the wrists, a black pencil skirt and as Roy looked down he were stunned to see that she had no shoes on, just her stocking clad feet pounding the ground beneath her, either having ditched her signature heels or run clean out of them. Ted and Roy quickly pulled Beard to his feet before Ted took off running to meet Rebecca as she got onto the grass. Higgins was in one of his signature suits in a deep navy color that made how pale his face was stand out even more starkly as he too reached the pitch.
" Noooooooo! Dios mio noooooooo!"
Roy turned sharply back to the pitch as this frantic wail in Spanish caught his ear and his eyes zeroed in on a completely terror-stricken looking Dani Rojas, who was staring at something off to the far side of the field with Sam Obisanya slowly climbing to his feet beside him and looking off in the same direction, his dark eyes slowly growing wide in terror as well.
Then Sam was breaking out into a run, Dani a step behind him. When Sam opened his mouth wide to yell, Roy felt his pounding heart finally slam to a complete stop inside his chest as the single word, the single name registered to his shell-shocked mine.
" JAMIE!" Sam screamed with seemingly all the force in his whole body as he ran.
" Oh no! No mi hermano por favor Dios! No mi hermano!" Dani pleaded hysterically with tears in his eyes as he ran with Sam.
Roy turned his gaze sharply in the direction Sam and Dani had looked at, and when his looked to the far side of the field Roy felt his jaw fall open with a soft, shaky breath and his ears suddenly ceasing too work like God themself had pressed the mute button.
There by the far part of the pitch, a lone familiar figure clad in Richmond training gear and pink trainers lay face down and unmoving on the bright green grass with wisps of white smoke wafting around him.
Roy was completely still and deaf for what seemed a life age of the whole planet, and then as if The Maker decided to press the button to unmute, Roy was assaulted by the sound of everything as more people started screaming Jamie's name and also for Liam and Derek the team doctors who were scrambling about the field assessing everyone they could reach. Roy was riveted to the sight of Jamie where he lay, the sound of his own breathing loud in his ears. With a rattling exhale Roy was finally able to speak but all he could manage was a strangled whisper.
" J-Jamie."
Then he was running, running as fast as his feet could carry him, as fast as his jacked up knee could allow. There was only the sound of his own harsh breathing in his ears as he sucked in lungful after lungful and ran as though he were still the world-class footballer of his youth. He was about a third of the way to Jamie when the inevitable happened as his bum knee gave out with a soft crunch.
" Fuck!" Roy roared as he stuttered to a limp for several moments before with a growl he reached down and gripped his knee, yanking it back into place with a snarl and a loud click. He then took off again at as fast a speed walk as he could manage.
By the time he reached where Jamie lay, Sam and Dani were already kneeling beside Jamie's prone form, to afraid to touch him, or to turn him over and see his face in lightning struck death.
" Rebecca call 911 or whatever the heck you guys have here for emergencies!" Roy heard Ted yell some distance behind him as he finally reached Jamie, crashing down onto his knees before him.
There was smoke in the air all about Jamie who's face was entirely obscured by his arms stretched out and crossed limply in front of him from when he had fallen, and yet as Roy wracked frantic eyes over the younger man he could see not a single mark on him, no blood, no burns. Even the little black headband he always wore to keep his hair back was perfectly in place. Jamie just wasn't moving, not even breathing it seemed.
With Sam, Dani, and now Isaac, Colin, Jan Mass, Richard and Zoreaux and others gathering around looking to him in silent askance, Roy steadied his frayed nerves and finally reached out. There was a fainted tremor to Roy's hand as he closed the remaining inches of physical distance between him and his seemingly departed boyfriend. Scarcely breathing, Roy slowly lowered his hand with his index and middle fingers extended and pressed the tips to the side of Jamie's neck to feel for a pulse.
Roy's heart gave a painful lurch when he felt how warm Jamie still was.
There was nothing against his fingertips though.
In that moment, Roy felt his very soul give an all consuming death-knell. But just as he was about to let loose a roar of agony and loss that would effectively destroy all of the Richmond Greyhounds, the body beneath his fingers gave a small jerk. Then there was a soft gasp and suddenly Jamie's head popped up like a jack in the box. Roy yanked his hand back with a startled gasp of his own. Shocked dark blue eyes met equally shocked onyx ones as Jamie and Roy gawked at each other and everyone gawked at them in turn.
" Not cooked." Roy heard Beard say softly with clear relief from behind them somewhere.
Jamie blinked and finally broke his gaze with Roy, his dark blue eyes rapidly darting about taking in the many familiar faces surrounding him and Roy. With a shaky breath and looking utterly confused, Jamie turned his attention back to Roy and finally spoke.
" Roy are we all fookin' dead or somethin'?" He asked dazedly.
Roy blinked, letting the voice of his very much not dead and roasted boyfriend wash over him for a moment like a warm wave of the ocean, and then he let out this extraordinary, inarticulate roar and lunged across the ruler's length of distance between them. Everyone in the crowd watched as Roy tucked his hands under Jamie's armpits and somehow had no problem lifting him, a grown man of five foot nine inches and well north of a hundred pounds, up like he were still a child and pulling the striker straight into his lap. The next thing the Richmond fam knew, Roy Kent was crashing his lips over Jamie Tartt's in a deep, unrepentant kiss, one that Jamie completely melted into without hesitation and returned with equal fervor as he wrapped his arms around Roy's shoulders.
The Greyhound players that were gathered were stunned by the sight, while Ted shared a look with Rebecca, Higgins, and Beard and then smiled wanly since the jig was up. It was Richard who finally spoke among the players.
" Ils sont litteralement ennemis des amis des amants. C'est de la vraie magie." He said in his usual French with his voice a little shaky and emotional.
At the many looks of askance leveled his way, Thierry Zoreaux translated for his fellow French speaker.
" He said Roy and Jamie are literal enemies to friends to lovers. It's actual magic." He said with a smile coming to his lips.
The smiles spread as they all turned back to Jamie and Roy in time to see them break apart with a soft gasp from Jamie. Roy looked up and Jamie, who gazed back down at him, the older man's expression going stony as he clenched his jaw tight enough to look painful. Then without saying a word Roy promptly buried his face right into the center of Jamie's jersey covered chest and just squeezed him tight. It was a testament to how relieved Roy Kent was... and how scared he had been. They watched as understanding spread over Jamie's pale face and many could swear they saw Jamie Tartt's lower lip tremble for a second before he leaned in and pressed his lips to the top of Roy's dark haired head, one of his hands reaching up to cradle the back of it, pressing several kisses to the dark curls over Roy's crown before turned his head and pressing his cheek over the same spot, tightening his hold around Roy even more as he shut his eyes tight against the sting of salt.
It was this unguarded, raw moment of tenderness between Roy and Jamie, so very different from that dreadful day in the locker room at Wembley after James Tartt Sr. had been kicked out, and yet also the same. Pure love, uncaring of what others might think, just what was truly necessary at the moment.
The moment was broken however when Jamie sniffed and then frowned as an acrid smell caught his nose. He drew his head back from Roy and sniffed the air again, wincing as he spoke.
" Wha's burnin'?" He asked as he looked about.
With a murmur of concern going through the crowd, everyone looked about until Dani finally spotted the source of the smell and the smoke from earlier.
" Mio dios, look it's our futbol!" He said as he looked between Sam and Jamie and pointed a few feet away.
All eyes went in said direction and there was a collective hiss at the sight of the very ball Jamie had been going to retrieve right before everything had literally shattered around them. The thing was a completely black, charred, and deflated mess. Even a little bit of the grass around it was cooked.
" I-I was gonna get tha'... I just about 'ad it when everythin' started buzzin' and I were feelin' tingly all over, an' not in a good way." Jamie said as he started wide-eyed at the roasted ball.
A chill passed through everyone as they realized just how close Jamie had come to sharing the same fate as this football, but before anyone could say anything further, the still cloudless looking skies suddenly roared once more.
A warning that its rage had not yet abated.
" Alrighty the Almighty is still mighty mad. INSIDE NOW!" Ted roared the last part and then stepped over to Jamie and Roy, yanked them clean up onto their feet and giving them both a quick, tight double hug before he ushered them off the pitch towards the tunnel. He then rushed over to Sam and Dani, pulling them up too and tucking them under his arms, and then pulling Mo Bumbercatch and Arlo Dixon in close for good measure, like he were a Jacana bird or something, shielding them with his own body as he let the way off the field. Beard followed suit, gathering players to him and ushering them towards the tunnel with Rebecca and Higgins rounding up any stragglers.
As they all ran to shelter, Ted spotted the team doctors Liam and Derek and Will Kitman with an unconscious Tom O'Brien hammocked between the three of them, Derek with Tom's upper half while Liam and Will each had a long leg in their hold.
The emergency was ongoing.
Ted ushered the players he was shielding with his own body the rest of the way towards the tunnel and took off running towards the two doctors.
" What's wrong with O'Brien? Was he hit?" Ted asked as he scooped his arms under O'Brien's back and lifted, taking some of the burden of the young goalkeeper's six foot three frame off of Liam, Derek, and Will, frantically looking his unconscious goalkeeper over.
" He's goin' ta be alright, poor lad just fainted when the lightning hit." Derek explained as the four of them finally got off the pitch and into the tunnel.
More chaos ensued after that as everyone freaked out at seeing O'Brien unconscious and the true weight of what had just happened outside began to register.
Freak lightning strike out of nowhere that nearly fried everyone, with Jamie being the one who had been right on the razor's edge, just six feet from near certain death.
A few minutes after they had ducked into the locker room, emergency services arrived with Higgins leading them in. It was like a war zone with an army of medics descending on the Greyhounds with Liam and Derek assisting in any way they could. O'Brien was up and okay after a whiff of smelling salts with Will and Bumbercatch hovering over him. Everyone had their blood pressure checked, including Rebecca. Dr. Sharon had come down and was walking several of the boys through some calming breathing exercises. Several medics were looking Jamie over on one of the physio tables since he had been the one unfortunate enough to be closest to the lightning strike.
Roy was off in a corner with his arms crossed and a glower on his face as he watched Ted do his best to stave off his own anxieties and coordinate with Rebecca and the lead medic. He was buzzing under his own skin, wanting to rip the lockers clean out the walls, to scream as loud as he could, to punch something, to punch himself in the face really. On top of that his bad knee was really, really upset with him at the moment and weren't about to let up anytime soon.
After all these months of being so careful and private about his and Jamie's relationship and in one fell swoop, one moment of fear and wanting to make sure Jamie was okay, he had blown their cover most thoroughly. After they had all gotten through the tunnel and into the locker room, Roy had barked for Liam and Derek to see to Jamie, who had immediately refused and told them to tend to O'Brien first seeing as to how the other man was not even conscious. Roy had glared, Jamie had not even blinked as he had stared back defiantly and refused again, insisting that O'Brien get treated first. Roy had finally acquiesced and then stepped aside to his current corner once the medics finally came to check Jamie over.
Despite how angry he was at this whole clusterfuck of a situation, Roy felt a rush of pride go through him as his dark eyes inevitably went to Jamie across the room. The Jamie Tartt of a few years ago would have seemed unlikely to have done such a thing, but then again Roy himself had not really taken the time to know Jamie then, despite the glimpses of a hidden depth he had showcased, like when they were all doing the group burning of stuff important to them to get rid of the curse in their Recovery Room and Jamie had actually shown up with the boots his mum had bought him and shared shit about his parents. The Jamie of now, who he loved, didn't hesitate at all to put a teammate, and more importantly a friend before himself.
Roy was pulled from his thoughts by a light throat clearing and a familiar presence beside him. Roy turned his gaze to the said to see Isaac McAdoo with his resting serious face.
" You doin' alright Isaac?" Roy asked immediately, glad to see the team captain already up on his feet after he'd gotten physically checked by the medics.
" M'good Roy. Go' checked out an' cleared." Isaac answered dutifully before he seemed to grow even more serious as he continued.
" Pa'don me for sayin' but, yer standin' in the wrong spot yeh?" He said quietly.
Roy frowned deeply, confused by what Isaac was saying.
" What d'you mean 'm standin' in the wrong spot?" Roy asked gruffly.
" Yer spot's over there so why ya standin' all way ova 'ere?" Isaac said as he pointed in front of him, right at the physio table where Jamie was still being looked over.
Roy felt a small jolt go through him at that as he looked intensely at Isaac, gauging his expression. Isaac met Roy's stare head on, and the older man could see that there was only sincerity and acceptance in those younger dark eyes.
" Prob'ly missin' ya a bit innhi?" Isaac asked as he tilted his head.
Roy turned his eyes back to Jamie and felt his heart lurch a bit when he saw that his man was stoically answering one of the medic's questions while his hands were twisted under the hem of his jersey, a tell-tale sign of his nerves.
" Yeah, yer right. Thanks." Roy said with a curt nod to Isaac.
" No problem coach." Isaac said with a small, quiet version of his usual winning smile.
As Roy stepped forward, successfully holding back a wince as the movement aggravated his knee, he could feel several eyes on him as he made his way across. Roy forced himself to straighten his spine as he walked and came to stand beside Jamie where he sat over the edge of the physio table. Jamie looked up at his arrival, immediately perking up. He kept himself from fully grinning and offered Roy a tired but genuine smile. Roy nodded to the medics and then wordlessly reached out and placed his hand over Jamie's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze and instantly feeling the younger man relax under his palm.
Roy took a look about the room, seeing the many eyes that were trained on him and Jamie. All Roy Kent could see in the eyes of the young lads he coached over was relief, warmth, acceptance, and maybe just a little bit of awe because it were him and Jamie, after everything they'd been through since the beginning. Ted looked on with clear pride for all of his boys in his face and even Beard allowed himself the barest hint of a smile.
What they had inadvertently revealed about the true nature of their relationship had not lost Roy and Jamie anyone.
For the remainder of the time the medics were there checking everyone over, Roy never left Jamie's side. Of course Jamie, after being given the all clear by the medics that checked him over, stayed glued to Roy's side after he set them on the older man to take a look at his busted kneed and make sure Roy was okay himself.
While Roy was getting looked over, Jamie was soon set upon by Dani Rojas who all but American football tackled him into a painfully tight hug, alternating between English and Spanish, just utterly relieved that his hermano was alright. Dani's hug started a chain reaction as Sam followed, then it was a full on gentle almost dog-pile of all the boys who were cleared by the medics. Roy bit back a smile and Ted had an indulgent one on his face with a relieved Rebecca beside him. Beard was as unreadable as ever but his eyes had approval in them.
Finally the medics took their leave with Higgins guiding them out, assuring them that they had all medically checked out, although Roy had been ordered to ice his knee to try and calm his aggravated injury. Liam had gone ahead and tied an ice pack around his knee with one of the knee braces they had on hand, loose enough to fit the pack into, tight enough to keep it in place. Roy just had to favor his other leg a bit as he walked.
Training was obviously cancelled for the day, but not a single person actually went home just yet, understandably. The skies were nice and bright, and still completely unpredictable. No one wanted to risk going out as of yet.
Ted led the way to the canteen when lunch time came around, everyone starving by that point. Roy sat with Ted, Beard, and Rebecca, watching Jamie tuck into lunch with his teammates. Instead of regaling everyone with the story of how he almost got fried to a crisp, Jamie insisted on hearing from everyone else, wanting to know what they had all been doing and feeling before and just as the lightning had come out of nowhere and struck.
Isaac recounted how he and Winchester were just passing a ball between them when the lightning had sent them both to their knees, arms over their heads in cover. O'Brien recounted how he was just getting ready to do some practice dives when the lightning had crashed down and his whole body had gone numb, a low buzz in his ear before the lights had gone out. The medics explained that his blood pressure had nearly bottomed out from the shock of what happened, hence his loss of consciousness. Other teammates had similar accounts, they were just training and suddenly the heavens disrupted them in spectacular fashion.
" Jamie man, that thing came down right behind ya. Did you actually feel any of it?" Colin asked quietly, everyone tuning in to Jamie who shrugged and let out a deep breath as he spoke.
" Lit'rally I were jus' goin' after the ball when me hair on me arms stood on end, and then I turnt 'round to see if any of ya were feelin' this tinglin' in the air like I was and then just... boom. Everythin' went white for a sec, it got really hot behind meh, and I were falling flat on me face. I didn't pass out or nothin', just laid still 'cause I 'ad no clue wha' were goin' on. I could hear Dani and Sam shoutin' but I couldn't get meself to move, and then Roy were there pokin' me neck an' I finally looked up to seen all yah 'round me. Though' I were straight in the after-life or somethin'." He explained with a shake of his head in disbelief at what had happened.
There were some nervous chuckles at that before Isaac spoke with a good-natured smirk.
" So you think all us togetha's Heaven then?" He teased, earning some giggles from the lads as Jamie's cheeks turned pink for a moment before he looked up and met everyone's gaze with one of his own signature smirks as he spoke.
" Well the place sure woulda been borin' as fuck withou' you lot now wouldn't it?" He said with a shrug, trying to be nonchalant.
The Richmond Greyhounds all understood Jamie's meaning loud and clear. They were the Richmond fam, and they were loath to part from each other no matter what, even in death.
Roy heard Jamie loud and clear too and felt that fiery deep pride again for the man he loved.
Roy turned back to his sandwich, content to let Jamie just go on enjoying the company of his team when he felt eyes on him and looked up to see Ted, Beard, and Rebecca all giving him a knowing look.
" There somthin' on my face?" He asked gruffly.
" Naw Roy, just as proud of all of them as you are." Ted said warmly without missing a beat before going back to his own burger with a smile. Rebecca looked proud herself, and there was a definite glisten to her striking blue eyes before she turned back to her chicken strips. Beard just gave him a nod and the momentary upturn of the corner of his lips before resuming in eating his chicken salad. If Roy felt his throat tighten a little, he said nothing and just took a huge bite of his turkey and Swiss.
After lunch Rebecca headed back upstairs to her office to check in with Higgins and make a myriad of phone calls with the heads of the various departments like the PR team and Legal to deal with how to explain to the public why there was such a rush of emergency medical personnel to Nelson Road.
Without breaching the subject of actually leaving the club building just yet, Ted declared a movie afternoon. They all piled into the room they usually used for review game footage. Beard picked the movie, and he went with a hidden gem from Hong Kong called Shaolin Soccer with English dubbing.
As the opening credits started to roll, Roy sat behind the boys with Ted and Beard but movement beside him had him turning to see Jamie wordlessly sink into the empty seat next to him. In the semi-darkness, onyx eyes met those of dark blue, understanding between them. Before in the locker room Roy had been sent to where he should have been, now it was Jamie's turn to do the same. They said not a word and turned their attention to the movie, their hands slowly drifting towards each other and their pinky fingers entwining like they had done just a few hours earlier when they were heading in to what they thought would be just another day of training with good weather. However, unlike in the morning, their fingers stayed entwined throughout the entire film. Silent reassurance for them both.
The movie itself was a totally cheesy, campy, ridiculous, and uproarious experience filling the whole room with unrestrained guffaws. Even Roy burst out laughing with Jamie guffawing next to him when in the climactic final match with the evil illegally performance enhanced team the lead guy told his suddenly bald lady friend who was stepping in as the back up goalie that she looked like E.T. and that she should phone home and go back to Mars because she didn't deserve to live.
It really was just what they all needed after the morning they'd had.
Hours passed, everyone spending time together and doing things like working out or talking new strategies and plays with Ted, Beard, and Roy. Roy and Jamie called up Nora and Keeley respectively to tell them what happened and receive and loud and long earful from them. Roy and Jamie were able to convince them not to rush over to Nelson Road and to come by in the morning to have breakfast together instead. Nora and Keeley had both understood that tonight would be just for Roy and Jamie together, to assure themselves that they were both okay. Inevitably the sun began to sink under the horizon and what they had been putting off was now upon them.
Actually going home, which meant having to go outside to their cars.
There was an air of unease and somberness in the dressing room as everyone changed into their regular clothes with only a few hushed whispers between people here and there. Once everyone was changed and packed, Ted stepped out of the gaffer's office with one of his warm smiles and quiet determination in his eyes as he spoke.
" Okay people I know y'all understandably have your reservations about going back out there with what was honestly the most freaky weather I think any of us have ever experienced in all our lives, but we can't just suddenly all move in here." Ted said with his usual chipper ton.
" Would be massively convenient though." Isaac said matter-of-factly while several of his teammates chuckled and nodded in agreement. Beard snorted and Roy rolled his eyes good naturedly while Ted smiled and shook his head.
" Yeah, yeah you're absolutely right Isaac, but we are all gonna face this and we've come up with a plan." Ted said with a look of determination.
The Greyhounds all shared a look with each other, Jamie looking to Roy in silence askance and getting a grimace and a shrug in response.
About ten minutes later they were all standing in the locker room, clad in heavy dark blue raincoats with the AFC Richmond Greyhound logo emblazoned across the back. These had only just come in last week, they hadn't even been properly unpacked but the occasion definitely called for it. Freaky weather and these were legit heavy duty bad weather garments.
" Alright guys, let's head home." A raincoat clad Ted announced before leading the way towards the back exit that lead to the parking lot.
The plan was that Ted, Roy, and Beard would each escort one player at a time to their car and then the player were carefully drive out of the parking lot and head home. God forbid should anything else happen, Ted would legit hoist whoever was with him over his shoulder and come running back inside and they would just have to figure out sleeping arrangements in the club for the night.
So far the skies had not rumbled once in the hours since that last rumble that has sent everyone running as fast as they could inside. It was not reassuring.
When they reached the back doors, Ted took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open.
They were greeted by the sight of sunset over the parking lot, nothing out of place, their cars waiting.
Completely normal, as if a terrifying act of God hadn't happened just a few yards away out on the field.
" I'll go first yeah? Be the lightnin' rod since I already dodged it once?" Jamie said as he stepped forward, only to find himself yelping lightly as he was yanked back and held firmly between an outraged Sam and Dani while the other Greyhounds voiced their vehement veto of the idea of Jamie acting as their security. From where he stood Roy let out a small grumble at his boyfriend's newest display of selflessness.
Fool of a Tartt. His though, as he sent Jamie his own unhappy glare.
" No way amigo, you go last." Dani declared with uncharacteristic sterness before he started muttering in Spanish and rubbed at Jamie's back.
" That's right man, no need to go tempting fate. There are plenty of us to see if the skies are still angry." Sam said with a nod before he gave Jamie's shoulder a squeeze.
" Besides, if you did get killed this time we would need to find another striker just as good as you. It would take forever." Jan Maas said with his usual Dutch bluntness, earning the usual verbal beat down from his teammates while Jamie just rolled his eyes as he remembered that Jan Maas was not being rude, just Dutch, and there was a complement in there about his skills as a striker.
" I'll go first Coach." Will said quietly as he stepped forward, blushing shyly as all eyes turned to him in disbelief.
" I am actually parked the farthest away so maybe it'd be good to see if we can go all the way across the whole lot?" The young lad suggested.
Ted sighed and smiled at the young kitman who's last name literally was Kitman and then nodded.
" Rather none of us have to even be goin' through any of this but you got a great idea Will. We'll go when your ready, I just gotta speak with Beard and Roy." Ted said as he gave Will's shoulder a squeeze and stepped over to his fellow coaches while the team descended on Will, equal parts trying to talk him out of it and commending him for being so brave.
Higgins and Rebecca appeared, looking tired but whole and smiling. The boss lady even had her heels back on. They greeted the boys warmly and got the gist of what was happening from Ted, Roy, and Beard. Rebecca looked none too pleased that Will was going to be the first to step out but she understood why it was so, he was the best positioned to gauge how it was outside now.
A few minutes later and with countless words of encouragement, Will Kitman stepped over the threshold out into the parking lot with Ted Lasso basically glued to his side. They started walking at a sedate pace, not saying much at first before Will softly commented on how wonderful Beard's movie selection was with Ted concurring. They talked about the scenes they liked best while the sunset skies above them stayed blessedly silent. After what seemed like hours, they reached Will's little blue Hundai.
" Thanks for walking with me coach. See you tomorrow!" Will said with a nervous smile at Ted as he quickly climbed into his car.
" You're most welcome Will, just get home safe and send me a text on the group chat when you get there. Drive safe now ya hear?" Ted asked as he shut the door for his kitman.
" You got it Coach!" Will called before he started the car, slowly backed out of his spot and then turned and headed out through the gate onto the street.
Ted watched until Will disappeared around the corner before he turned and gave two big thumbs up to everyone who was watching with bated breath back inside.
" Alright lads, I'll escort the next one of you lot that's closest to the gate, then Beard." Roy barked, all business.
The lads that parked the farthest broke off from the main group and Roy started with Winchester while Beard got ready with Richard. Before he left, Roy caught Jamie's worried eyes on him and just gave him a silent nod that Jamie returned, looking pensive as he watched Roy step out with Winchester. Ted made his way back quickly, giving Roy and Winchester quick reassurances before he got back to the building and escorted Dixon after Beard left with Richard. On and on it went this way with the coaches escorting their players to their cars, working their way from those parked farthest, to the middle, until finally getting to those lads who were parked the closest. It was halfway through that Ted got a message from Will to the team group chat that he had gotten home without any issues, much to the relief of all.
Jamie was parked in the middle but even then his teammates were wanting him to hang back, both for himself after his close call... and for Roy. Even though not a single one of them had actually brought up the startling revelations about the true nature of the relationship between him and Roy, their coach, they were all still being considerate of it in a subtle way. They just silently conveyed to him that they didn't want him and Roy to have to go to their cars at separate times and then have to worry the whole time, because they all knew Roy, Ted, and Beard would be among the last ones to leave out of their bunch.
The group dwindled until only Isaac and Jamie were left, the whole thing had been nerve-wracking but the heavens had stayed totally silent and normal throughout.
" See you lot tomorrow yeah?" Isaac said with a smile as he shared hand-clasps and hugs with Jamie, Roy, and Ted before being escorted away by Beard.
This left Roy and Jamie with Ted, Rebecca, and Higgins.
" Definitely not the way you thought you'd ever come out to the team eh?" Ted said warmly while Rebecca and Higgins both chuckled and shook their heads.
" High voltage outing for sure." Jamie said with a small chuckle while Roy just huffed before he turned to Ted.
" They didn't have no problem with us, accepted it just like that." Roy said quietly while Jamie smiled and nodded.
" More surprised that it was you two, and that you haven't straight up killed each other." Ted quipped.
" This one still might send me to an early grave yet." Roy said grumpily as he sent Jamie a mock-annoyed look.
" Oi! I were just goin' about my day, not my fault the sky lit'rally sent down a lightenin' bolt outta the blue. I ain't fookin' Thor or some shit!" Jamie shot back without missing a beat.
Ted, Rebecca, and Higgins all just shared a look and a knowing smile.
These two were made for each other.
Soon Beard was back after safely seeing Isaac off.
" Alright, are the two of you ready?" Ted asked looking between Roy and Jamie.
Roy and Jamie immediately understood, they could drop whatever pretext of professionalism they were holding up as Coach Kent and player Jamie Tartt, and could just be Roy and Jamie who were finally heading home after a truly unrepeatable day.
" Yeah, ready as we'll ever be." Jamie said as he looked to Roy warmly.
Roy took a deep breath before he nodded.
" Alrigh' let's do this." He said gruffly, nodding to Rebecca and Higgins, Jamie waving to them before they both adjusted their raincoats and bags and then headed outside with Ted flanking Jamie and Beard flanking Roy.
It was fully dark now, the stars twinkled against a clear night sky. The air was cool as Roy and Jamie both breathed it in. Roy wanted nothing more than to reach out and take Jamie's hand as they walked, wanting to reassure his love and be reassured himself but they were still at the club and who knows whether any paps were lurking about, especially if they had found out about what had gone down today with the lightning , so they had to make due with their hands occasionally brushing against each other as they calmly walked towards their respective cars.
Jamie's BMW was closer so he and Ted had to break off. Roy felt his heart give an almighty lurch at the nervous look Jamie sent his way before the younger man straightened his spine and grew determined.
" I'll see you at yours yeah." He said steadily.
Roy wanted to just lunge and take his scared boyfriend into his arms, kiss away his trepidation and tell him that everything would be okay, but he couldn't do that for many reasons. Instead he met Jamie's gaze without fail and nodded as he spoke.
" See you at mine Jamie, just drive safe and don't wait for me outside yeah?" He said gruffly, feeling his own throat go tight. "I love you, please be there inside safe and whole for me when I get home Jamie." Were what Roy implied.
" I will. You do the same Roy." Jamie said. " I love you too, please come home to me safe and sound as well Roy." Were implied by Jamie before with a final nod, Jamie and Ted broke off from the group and headed across the lot to where Jamie's black BMW was waiting.
All throughout the skies stayed silent and only the light pings as their phones received messages on the group chat filled the air.
Roy and Beard watched as Jamie fished out his keys and unlocked his car with a light chirp before he was pulled into Ted's arms for a full bear hug. Roy pursed his lips at the sight while Beard sighed next to him, the two of them knowing just how scared Ted had been for not only Jamie but all of his Greyhound lads. When Ted and Jamie finally drew back, Jamie turned and actually blew both Roy and Beard a cheeky little kiss, earning an eye roll from Roy and a half-huff from Beard before he quickly climbed into his car.
Ted had his hands buried in his coat pockets as he quickly rejoined Roy and Beard, the three of them watching as Jamie pulled out of his spot and then drove past them with a lingering look from the driver's seat before he was slowly gliding across the parking lot, then out the open gate, and then making a left and disappearing into the night.
" You guys can take the day tomorrow if you want." Ted said as he and Beard escorted Roy to his G-Class.
" Nah man, we'll both be in bright an' early. Besides that, I just know if we stay home the little prick's gonna milk his almost dyin' for all it's worth, get me to cook and wait on him 'and an' foot." Roy grumbled, allowing a little half smile as Ted and Beard both nodded in agreement.
" See you tomorrow Coach." Beard said quietly, allowing some of his own tiredness to shine through.
" Bright and early." Ted added with a smile and a light pat to Roy's shoulder.
" Yeah." Roy said before with a final curt nod to his fellow coaches, he climbed into his G-Class.
A few minutes later he was finally driving out of Nelson Road and heading home.
If at a red light, something warm and wet escaped Roy's eye and carved a trail down his cheek before he stubbornly wiped it away, no one was around to see it.
It were a torturous half-hour drive home for Roy, taking all he had in him not to just floor the gas. Eventually he was turning onto his street and his townhouse was coming into view. He turned into his driveway, glad to see Jamie's BMW already parked ahead. There was no sigh of Jamie anywhere, which Roy took to be a good sign, that the little twat had obeyed him and gone inside like he had asked. Roy quickly parked and got out, pulling his bag with him and sending a quick text to the group chat to let everyone know he had gotten home without incident before making his way to his house as fast as his knee would allow. He pounded up the steps and was through the unlocked door within seconds.
Jamie looked up sharply from where he had been sitting in Roy's living room, still wearing his heavy raincoat, in a bit of a daze when the front door burst open and Roy rushed though.
For a moment they just stared at each other, the whole world coming to a stand-still, and then Roy was dropping his bag to the floor. Jamie was shooting off the sofa with a soft gasp and Roy was rushing forward. They crashed into each other like two rogue waves, a tangle of limbs. They didn't even kiss, just held onto each other tight and breathed harshly together. Roy blindly reached out behind him and swatted the door shut, clawing about till he found the lock and shut it before burying his hand into Jamie's hair.
" Are you okay Jamie?" Roy asked softly, urgently.
" Yeah, yeah I am. Betta now that yer 'ere." Jamie said against Roy's collarbone.
Then Jamie was leaning up and crashing his lips to Roy's in a desperate kiss. Roy let out an inarticulate sound of his own as he returned the kiss with equal want. The moment their lips touched, the air around them grew charged and it had nothing to do with any actual lightning . With a low rumble, Roy tucked his hands under the lapels of Jamie's raincoat and pushed the garment off his boyfriend's shoulders. It fell to the floor with a light rustle, Roy's raincoat following a few moments later. Then they were shuffling away from the front door and towards the stairs, never parting from the kisses they were sharing as they went upstairs.
As they reached the second floor, Jamie's rose-sleeved hoodie fell forgotten to the floor, then Roy's leather jacket dropped a few steps later. They stumbled over the threshold of Roy's bedroom and Jamie kicked the door shut in their wake. They finally came up for air as they stood by the foot of Roy's bed. Roy gripped Jamie's hips tight in his hands, while Jamie had his hands splayed over Roy's chest, the two of them breathing hard with their pupils blown wide. It was Jamie who spoke and he trailed his hands up to cup the sides of Roy's neck and pulled his head down to press their foreheads together.
" We don't gotta do nothin' more Roy, don't want ya to hurt ya knee anymore than ya already did today." He said softly.
" Shut it Tartt, my knee's fine. Nothin's stoppin' me from feelin' ya and you are gonna feel me." Roy growled as he pulled Jamie's hips towards his own so that they ground together so Jamie could feel Roy's desire for him himself.
" Well alrigh' then." Jamie whispered shakily before he and Roy were coming together in another soul searing kiss.
Clothes were shed fast and strewn about the floor, and even though they were both sticklers for neatness they really didn't give a shit at the moment as they fell into bed with nothing but skin to skin. Roy's hand were like fire over Jamie's skin as he trailed them over the side of the striker's ribs, down his stomach, and then past his navel to touch the most intimate parts of him. Jamie gasped against Roy's lips as his whole body arched up and writhed against him. With a lingering kiss, Roy set to work on gnawing at Jamie's neck while Jamie trailed his hands over Roy's back, reveling in the feeling of the powerful muscles coiling and rippling beneath his palms.
Then with a low growl Roy had Jamie flipped onto his front in the blink of an eye. Jamie shivered and sighed as Roy started pressing open mouth kisses all down the length of his back, while one of his hands snaked under him to play with his chest. Roy kissed his way back up Jamie's back, earning soft moans and sighs from his lover before they came together in a deep kiss and Jamie turned onto his back once more. Roy buried his hand in Jamie's hair, finally dislodging his headband and tossing it in the general direction of the bedside table. Jamie reached up and cupped Roy's face as they finally broke for air.
For a moment everything stilled and they just stared at each other with a million unsaid things between them. Jamie took his hand from Roy's face and reached for his hand, bringing it up and pressing Roy's palm to the center of his chest right over his heart.
Roy let the feeling of the steady beat beneath his palm wash over him, something still tightly wound up inside him finally loosening as he spoke.
" You ready Jamie?" He whispered.
" Y-Yeah Roy, want to feel you. Need to feel you." Jamie whispered before he craned himself up and pressed his lips to Roy's and then started peppering his face in more kisses, earning a rumble of approval from the older man. They kissed and nuzzled at each other for a moment before Roy reached over to the bedside table and pulled open the first drawer to get out the items he would need. Once he had them, he set about preparing Jamie for him, his lover's soft groans and sighs filling the bedroom.
A few moments later Jamie's breathy moan was mixing with Roy's rumbling groan as they finally came together in the most intimate of ways.
" F-Fuck." Roy growled as he held Jamie tightly in his arms and sank deeper into his willing body.
" That's the whole idea innit?" Jamie whispered with a breathless little laugh that ended in a loud groan as Roy promptly sank his teeth into one of his pecs, right around the sensitive little bud there.
They came together in a sloppy kiss and surrendered to their passion, truly happy to be safe and alive and still have each other.
After what felt like hours...
" Roy!" Jamie screamed as release washed over him, his toes curling as he had his legs wrapped tight around Roy's waist, his fingertips digging into Roy's powerful back.
" Jamie." Roy whispered as he went stiff on top of Jamie just a few moments later.
With a shared sigh they let the tension fully leave their bodies, collapsing together in a boneless heap.
Roy hummed softly as he and Jamie rode out the after-shocks of their shared pleasure, Jamie's heartbeat steady and a bit fast in his ear as he rested his head over the center of the younger man's chest. The sound was divine in a way Roy could never describe. When Jamie regained some of his wits about him he stroked his hand languidly across Roy's shoulders and finally spoke.
" I'd never leave you, not like tha'. Never willingly." He said quietly.
He felt Roy sigh against his chest and then slowly push himself up with a small grunt so that he and Jamie were eye to eye as he spoke.
" I know Jamie, I'll not ever leave you willingly either. That were an act of God out the blue that came down like six or seven feet from you, not on you directly." Roy reciprocated.
" Guess the boss man upstairs were tired of us keeping things under wraps." Jamie said with a grin.
" Yeah, hell of a fuckin' way to come out to the lads." Roy said with a small huff of his own before he leaned down and pressed his lips to Jamie's in a chaste kiss.
They lounged about in bed for about half-an hour more, sharing kisses and heavy caresses, Jamie even giving Roy an impromptu back rub that the former Captain of the Greyhounds deeply appreciated.
Eventually they dragged themselves out of bed and into Roy's en suite bathroom. They shared a nice long hot shower, holding each other close and sharing deep kisses but going no further. They shared intimacy in other ways, like Roy cleaning Jamie's back for him and Jamie washing the shampoo suds out of Roy's hair. If Roy and Jamie's eyes lingered on each other longer than normal, neither commented on it. After today it weren't all about the physical contact, just drinking in the sight of each other went miles to reassure them both that the other weren't going anywhere.
When they finally stepped out of Roy's bathroom with his large fluffy blue towels wrapped around their waists they made their way over to Roy's large dresser. Roy fished out a dark grey t-shirt and black track pants for himself from one drawer while Jamie fished out a white t-shirt and dark blue sleep-pants from the drawer Roy had designated for him to keep some of his clothes in for whenever he stayed over.
Jamie gave Roy a playful wolf-whistle while they were getting dressed, earning a snort and a mock glare from his perpetually grumpy boyfriend. All the while on the inside Roy allowed himself to preen since his fucking gorgeous boyfriend always eyed him like he were still a catch. It did things to him, the way Jamie's eyes would always quietly light up whenever they caught sight of him. It sent another chill through him, that if today had gone a different way by a mere six feet, he would have had to go through the rest of his life never seeing this dark blue eyes light up for him ever again. Roy quickly stomped down on those honestly horrifying thoughts and focused on the here and now.
Jamie was okay, the doctors had cleared him, they and the rest of the Richmond fam had all gotten home in one piece with no other electrifying incidents, they had had the full life-affirming love making, and were now well showered and dressed comfy.
Then Roy's stomach let out a loud groan, making it's need for sustenance known loud and clear.
" Is my big furry man hungry?" Jamie said as he came up on Roy and hugged him from behind, pressing a kiss between his shoulder blades and smiling.
" Definitely, did have a proper work out didn't we? Especially when I did that thing with my hips." Roy replied proudly, his voice a low rumble that sent a thrill up and down Jamie's spine as the older man reached up and covered Jamie's hands on his chest.
" Do you wanna order in or shall I make us somethin'?" Jamie asked, Roy turning his head to look over his shoulder at Jamie.
Usually it was Roy who cooked, but something very few people knew about Jamie Tartt was that he was a very good cook himself.
" Could you make that awesome tomato and pesto chicken with pasta you made for me the first time we had dinner at your place?" Roy asked, trying not to sound too eager.
Jamie's face just about lit up like it were Christmas already at Roy's request.
" Aw I'd love to Big Man!" Jamie said with a happy little laugh before he leaned in and pressed his lips to Roy's.
Roy turned in Jamie's arms, draping his arms around his boyfriend's shoulders and deepening the kiss, cherishing every second he could feel Jamie warm and alive in his arms. When they broke apart, the kept their foreheads pressed together for a moment and just breathed, sharing a tender look just between them before Roy spoke.
" Why don't you go get started downstairs, lemme just put some new sheets to the bed and tidy up before I'll come join you yeah?" He said quietly.
" Okay." Jamie said with a smile before he gaze Roy a quick peck on the lips and took his leave, feeling Roy's eyes on him as he went.
Roy watched Jamie go until the young man disappeared down the stairs, and then he quickly went about stripping his bed of the soiled sheets and going to his linen closet for some fresh one. He allowed himself a half-smile when he pulled out the pack containing the super pricey set of sheets Jamie had gifted him with just because he could, something with a really high thread-count and shit that Roy could care less about but honestly did feel nice. Roy had been more touched by the fact that it were something Jamie had gotten for him just because, no special occasion or nothing, just a man getting something nice for his boyfriend.
Roy quickly refocused himself and got the bed made up to pristine condition before he went about gathering his and Jamie's clothes strewn about the room. He put away his leather Jacket and Jamie's hoodie before taking the rest of the items of clothing and the dirty sheets to the hamper in his bathroom. He smiled when he saw that Jamie's headband had landed perfectly on his nightstand, so he left it there. With a final look over his once again tidy bedroom, Roy eagerly made his way downstairs.
He found Jamie already hard at work in the kitchen. There was a pot of water on it's way to boiling on the stove for the pasta and Jamie was currently slicing up some tomatoes. He looked up at Roy's arrival with a winning grin.
" Want me to chop up some onions for ya?" Roy asked as he eyes the ingredients Jamie had laid out on the kitchen island.
" Yes please." Jamie said with a nod before turning his attention back to slicing up the tomatoes.
They set to work in the kitchen with a comfortableness that came from having cooked together often.
A little while later the two of them were sitting side by side in the tall chairs at Roy's kitchen island, two plates of steaming hot pasta and grilled chicken breasts smothered in pesto and tomato before them. Roy had a glass of red wine for himself, while he had opened up a bottle of fizzy black current soda for Jamie. While Jamie had gotten him luxury bed sheets, Roy had taken to keeping several non-alcoholic drinks in his fridge for his non-alcohol inclined boyfriend. Jamie watched with a warm smile as Roy took his first bite and savored it unashamedly, sending Jamie an appreciative look that had the usual confident "Prince of Pricks" ducking his head shyly.
They were half-way done with eating when they were both startled by a loud crackling rumble. Then the sound of a whole lot of rain filled their ears. Before Roy could stop him, Jamie was out of his seat and hurrying over to the windows at the back of the townhouse.
" Jamie!" Roy hissed as he rushed after his boyfriend, irrational fear gripping him as the skies rumbled outside.
He came to stand beside Jamie, watching as the young man looked out the window up at the sky, just as a brilliant bolt of bluish white lightning lanced through the suddenly cloud-filled heavens. Jamie stood with a look of wonder on his face, awed by the power of nature before him. Roy on the other hand, wasn't looking at the skies, but at him. As he gazed at the young man next to him, Roy remembered the words he had said to Rebecca when he and Keeley had gone on that awful double date with her and the lackluster suitor who was just 'fine' according to Rebecca herself.
" You deserve someone who makes you feel like you've been struck by fucking lightning - Don't you dare settle for fine."
Now as he watched Jamie standing in wonder at the very same force that had nearly done him in earlier today out of the blue, Roy could feel the truth of his own words. His whole body felt like it had a live-wire running through it.
" It's really comin' down." Jamie said as he turned his gaze to Roy, pausing when he saw the way Roy was looking at him so intensely.
" Roy?" Jamie asked in concern.
With a rumble of thunder outside, Jamie found himself gasping softly as he was promptly yanked forward and then kissed breathless. Jamie could do nothing but return Roy's kiss fervently. They broke apart with a soft gasp, Roy taking Jamie's face into his hands as he spoke.
" God help me, but I love you and I ain't ever lettin' go of you Jamie Tartt." Roy said with conviction.
Jamie looked into those dark onyx eyes, saw that Roy meant his words with every fiber of his being. It made Jamie remember that no one he'd ever been with had ever made such declarations, not even Keeley. It had always been fun and casual, but nothing of substance, nothing deeper.
This, right here and now with Roy holding onto him was deep, it was profound. It was something that Jamie dared to hope would be maybe for forever. Taking a deep breath, Jamie reached up and gripped Roy's wrists as he spoke.
" Good then, 'cause I love you too and I don't wanna let go o' you either Roy Kent." He said quietly before he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Roy's forehead, earning a throaty chuckle from the older man.
Grinning shakily, Jamie then pressed a kiss to the tip of Roy's nose and then finally his lips, wrapping his arms around Roy's back and just losing himself in the older man's lips. Roy deepened the kiss with a low hum, cherishing every second while the storm still raged outside the window. When they finally broke apart they shared a pair of unguarded, full smiles before Roy pulled Jamie away from the window and back to their dinner before it grew cold. As they walked hand in hand, Roy looked back out at the skies through the window and shook his head with a light huff of disbelief.
Outed by fucking lightning. Of every way that were possible, what were the odds?
The End
Once again a special shoutout to Cuppachar on Tumblr
Couldn't find the specific prompt but it was a freak lightning strike happening on the field, everyone thinking Jamie is dead and roasted only to be okay, and Roy then proceeds to give him the best snog of his life! Hope you like it!