Coming Out
Jamie didn't mean to do it.
They were doing another one of those pressers where it was Sam, Roy, and Jamie – it had been happening a surprising amount this season. There was a murmur from the back and Sam froze, it took Jamie another minute for his brain to decode the words.
Reporter…photos…outed as gay…
Jamie's heart clenched because he and Colin had discussed this and Colin's not ready – might never be ready and Jamie knew that that was okay; Colin didn't fucking owe anyone anything of his private life and he'd told the Welshman the same but if some fucker had outed him. Jamie wanted to fucking murder someone.
"Yeah, New Trent?" Roy called, his hearing wasn't bad, but he obviously hadn't heard what had been mumbled between some of the the reporters.
"It's just come to light that a reporter has outed a member of the Premier League," New Trent said after introducing himself.
Before he could finish, Jamie lent forward and spoke clearly and loudly into the mic. "You twats finally worked out I'm bisexual?"
There is a bit of laughter, but Jamie's eyes are glued to the guy from The Independent who looked gobsmacked for half a beat and then remembered he was a reporter. "Jamie Tartt, are you coming out as bisexual?"
"Yeah," Jamie said, he could feel that Roy was granite next to him and Sam was staring at the side of his face. "I like guys and girls and I'd be happy to date a trans…umm…person? If I met one I liked, no never mind to me what your bits are."
The reporters went mad. He heard Roy mumble…pansexual but Jamie can't be bothered to work out what the fuck that meant.
"Jamie, Jamie, do you like anal sex?"
"Jamie, do you have a boyfriend?"
"Jamie, do you have a girlfriend?"
"Jamie, are you going to march in the Pride parade?"
"Right," Roy bellowed, "you, with the stupid hair and green glasses, get out."
The woman looked confused.
"None of your fucking business what type of sex he likes and if you can't keep it nice in this press room you can get right the fuck out."
She rolled her eyes and stayed seated.
"I'm not fucking playing games, you either get out or this press conference is over, and you lot can fuck right off."
Every reporter turned to her. Jamie realised she was the one who asked about anal sex. Which he did enjoy, thank you very much, no matter the gender of the person doing it to him, but Roy was fucking right and that was a shit question. She mumbled something, stood up and walked out. As Jamie watched her, he saw Keeley and Higgins slide into the room in a rush; Rebecca following behind much more composed. Keeley smiled brightly at him.
"Right," Roy grunted. "Any questions? The blonde with the new hair."
She rolled her eyes. "You know my name," Roy shrugged. "Sam, how do you feel playing with a bisexual person on the team?"
Jamie felt like grinning when Sam leaned forward. "I am heterosexual," Sam started. "And I do not believe anyone needs to share that information unless they want to. I am an ally to Jamie, and I am proud to play on a team with him. I support all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual and other sexually or gender diverse football players, fans, and humans. My parents taught me the power to learning about the person someone is and I do so for them and for friends like Jamie. I feel the same playing with Jamie now as I did ten minutes ago; lucky to be able to play with him on our team and proud to call him a friend."
Of course, Sam would know what the whole aneurism stood for. "Fuck, thanks mate," Jamie said. "You know he means it, I used to be a right prick to him, yeah."
Sam smiled back at him widely. "That is also true."
"I'll answer three questions," Jamie mumbled to Roy.
The other man looked at him for a long beat and then nodded.
"Travis?" Jamie said.
"Is there a reason you decided to tell us today?"
"Did the other player choose to come out?"
Travis shook his head. "Someone had photos and sold them."
"That fucker shouldn't be allowed to do shit like that, they don't know anything about that player's life or choices, and they took away something that should only be a personal choice. It annoys me that people feel like they deserve to know so I figure that I'll say it today because I want that other player to know they aren't alone as a footballer or as a person, and they don't have to be alone in this either. I know the people who matter, me teammates, me coaches, me family know who I am and love me and I think Roy here will stand with me."
"Roy?" Travis called out.
"Jamie's a greyhound and greyhounds are allies."
Jamie grinned at Roy and turned back to the reporters. "Dipanshu?"
"What do you say to the people who don't think bisexual people should be role models?"
"I'm a role model?" Jamie asked, looking at Roy. Roy grunted at him and Jamie grinned. "That was his way of saying, of fucking course, I don't think my ability to play footy is changed by my sexual orientation and to all the kids who might have someone in their life who tells them there is something wrong with being soft or not fitting into someone else's idea of what a man or woman or whatever is then I hope they know that I'm a fucking amazing footy player, yeah, and that didn't change from yesterday's match to next week's."
"Ben?"
"Do you think this will impact on your future football career?"
"It better fucking not," Roy grunted.
Jamie shrugged. "Am I still the same player I was yesterday?"
Ben nodded. "Yeah."
"Exactly, so if Richmond aren't going to treat me any different then I'm still going to be out there as the guy leading the league in assists, and some epic fucking goals, and if other people choose to treat me differently, that's on them."
All of a sudden, Rebecca was coming in front the side and standing behind Jamie.
"Richmond may not be solely owned by me anymore but I and everyone here at Richmond stands with Jamie Tartt and any other member of the LGBTIQA+ community and anyone who doesn't like it is welcome to resell their tickets to me and the team. Thank you for your time today."
They stood and worked away, Jamie knew Sam and Keeley, and everyone else, would want to talk to him but he set off for the change room ignoring all that. He could hear Rebecca and Keeley's heels behind him. He pushed the door open and stepped in, everyone was sitting there looking at him.
"Was it you?" Jamie asked, walking over to Colin.
"What?" Colin asked bemused.
"The outing thing, was it you?"
Colin froze. "What?"
"Some footballer was outed," Jamie said. "Was it you?"
Colin looked down at his phone dumbly.
"Nah, mate," Isaac came in front the left. "It's that new recruit at Everton; the one everyone's been panting to sign."
"You did that for me?" Colin asked, looking at him with wide eyes.
Jamie shook his head. "Not really, a bit, but I did think it was you and did want to make sure you weren't alone."
"Are you really bi?" Colin asked.
"Of course," Jamie said. "Pretended for a long time I weren't because of me dad but mummy always knew."
Jamie's phone rang out loudly from his locker – the ringtone he had for Ted. He grabbed it and answered, putting the other man on speaker.
"Hi, Ted, you're on speaker, I'm in the locker room."
"Jamison," Ted boomed. "I'm proud of you, son, are you doing okay?"
"Yeah," Jamie said. "Might stress out a little tonight but I'm not really worried none. I'm the best fucking player in the Premier League, fuck any twat who says something bad about me. I've got a room full of brothers in this room and Rebecca is fucking fierce."
"She is," Ted said. "And you have Roy too."
Roy grunted.
"And a kick-arse publicist who will eviscerate anyone who fucks with my favourite Manchurian."
"Oh, thanks, Keeley, that's fucking mint."
"Then you're in good hands," Ted said. "And Jamie, I know at least one little boy who insists on playing with the number 9 because you're a role model and a damn fine one."
Jamie's chest constricted with joy and he felt his eyes sting. "Thank you, Ted."
"I'll let you get back to it, call if you need to talk."
"Yeah, bye."
The team called out their byes and when Ted's call disappeared Jamie saw a heap of notifications – he hit the button and ignored them all, he'd worry about that later. He turned around to look at the team.
"I'm bi," he offered.
Roy grunted. "No shit, fucking hell, Jamie, you just came out to every fucker in England and the world who watches fucking football. Why the fuck…I can protect you in this damn room but there are a lot of fuckers out there who I can't protect you from."
Jamie's breath caught somewhere in the middle of his throat. Roy wanted to protect him, he thought about protecting him and Jamie didn't know what to do with that except offer his heart on a platter and beg Roy to look after it.
Rebecca stepped forward before Jamie did something unwise, like throw himself at Roy and kiss him. "I can assure you, Jamie, that you will always have a place here on this team should you choose to stay."
"Until you can't play anymore," Jan Mass said.
Everyone turned towards him.
"Well, she isn't going to keep you on the team when you actually can't play at a premier league level."
Jamie didn't know what to say to that – thinking of your career ending was like soul-death to a footballer. He didn't know what he was going to fucking do apart from being a fucking rich prick. Roy reached out and pressed his hand against Jamie's shoulder blade and Jamie could breathe again. Roy had retired, and for a while he had lost his way, but now he was the second best coach in the league…no offence to Roy but Jamie couldn't put him above Pep even with everything that he felt.
"Then I'll retire a Greyhound," Jamie said stiltingly. "Now, who wants to go to Roy's and make the grumpy fucker feed us all pasta and celebrate me?"
"Fine," Roy said, not moving his hand.
"Yes," Sam said. "Though I can also ask Simi to provide food too."
"And my mother will make something, yes?" Dani offered. "She will be glad to support my friend, Jamie, who I am very proud of."
"Thanks, amigo," Jamie said, he would normally have stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the other man, but he didn't want to step away from Roy's hand.
"Anyone who wants to bring something can, if you're not bring food then bring some beer or a fucking houseplant."
"It is wonderful," Dani said, walking over and pressing his forehead to Jamie's, "to know you are loved."
Jamie nodded, it really fucking was.
TBC...
