Telling Everyone
Jamie lifted his leg up and reached out to touch his toes, stretching his hamstring and calf. Roy grunted at him.
"Morning, grumpy."
Roy grunted again. "Stop showing off."
Jamie laughed and stretched even more, then swapped sides. "We still going to yoga tonight?"
"Yes, they'd kill me if I didn't take you."
Jamie rolled and kissed Roy. "They love you."
Roy rolled his eyes, and yanked Jamie back in so it could tuck his head into the other man's neck and nuzzle into the soft skin there.
"I don't wanna keep us a secret," Jamie blurted.
Roy tensed.
"I wanna tell the team, yeah? Doesn't even need to be anyone else just the rest of the team but there's so rush, yeah? Want to be able to tell them I love the grumpy fucker who I live with, and I intend to be very fucking happy with him for as long as he'll let me."
"My dad isn't very open-minded," Roy said. "And I'm not ready to come out properly yet but yeah, we can tell the muppets."
"You love the muppets, don't act like you don't."
Roy grunted. "Don't wanna talk about the fucking team."
Jamie laughed and twisted his hips to show off his flexibility some more.
-)(-)(-
A few days later, Roy was standing in front of the team after their Champions League win.
"Well done," he offered, looking around at everyone on the team. "You all played well."
Jamie felt the blanket of Roy's praise wash over him. He'd assisted with two goals and made an absolute epic goal of his own and he was still riding on the happy drugs running through his brain.
"Yeah," he yelled, grabbing Roy around the waist and hoisting him. "We're gonna fucking win the Champions League."
Jamie felt something twitch against his chest and grinned up at Roy who looked stunned then blushed.
"Fuck," Roy whispered.
Before Jamie could finish thinking that reaction through, the rest of the team surrounded them and Jamie had to put Roy down while everyone jumped up and down and celebrated.
"Whistle!" Roy yelled.
The team calmed down and settled back in front of their cubbies. Roy's hand wrapped around Jamie's wrist and kept the other man from getting away, Jamie frowned in confusion.
"Shut up," Roy said. The room grew quiet. "I love Jamie, who I live with, and I intend to be very fucking happy with him for as long as he'll let me."
"Oi," Jamie grunted, he pointed at Roy. "That was what I fucking said when I told him I wanted to tell you," his finger swept around the room and back to Roy, who he poked in the chest. "Don't be a prick."
Roy flushed. "I liked your words better, I just woulda said we're dating or some shit, wouldn't have been fucking enough to make this group of idiots know it was fucking serious."
Jamie beamed. "Aw, fuck man, I love you and I'm serious too."
"Yes!" Colin said. "A few more of us and we can all be gay together and go on Oprah."
Sam laughed. "I don't want to disappoint you, Colin, but I do not believe that will happen."
"Nah, bruv," Isaac said. "I'm gonna date Roy's fit sister."
"No!" Roy grunted and took a step towards Isaac.
"Isaac," Jamie said. "You best treat her well or Phoebe and I will fuck you up."
"No!" Roy said again. "No one is fucking dating my sister."
"Why?" Jan Maas said. "Is she not a fully independent adult capable of making her own choices about her life and autonomy?"
"Fuck," Roy said. "It's not that, it's that…oh, fuck you, Jan Maas, Ruth can do whatever she wants."
"We are happy for you," O'Brien said, changing the subject. "I remember when you tried to kill one another so this is better."
"I think so," Jamie said. "He's still really fucking passionate."
"Fuck," Roy grunted.
"Jamie," Higgins said. "It might be best if you don't share details of your sex life."
"Why, I know that Richard likes having sex in laundries, this ain't no different."
"Yes," Higgins said. "But this is a little different since both of you are-"
"Is it true about the bend in your penis?" Richard asked.
"I wondered that too," Jamie said. "But he does th-"
"No!" Roy yelled. "This is the very last time I will be anywhere near you fuckers when you're discussing anything like this. Jamie and I are dating, if you feel that there is any sign of nepotism see Higgins, Beard, or Nate. It will be fucking well taken seriously."
"More nepotism, you mean," Bumbercatch asked. "Or new nepotism?"
"What?" Roy grunted, looking at Moe.
"You were training him more than us already."
"That was like foreplay, innit," Jamie said.
"Jamie!" Roy grunted. "Yes, he and I still train at 4am every morning. If you want to join us, you can."
Moe nodded. "I don't want to, but I appreciate the opportunity."
Roy nodded. "Right, get to warming down and treatment. Good job today."
Roy walked away.
Jamie waited until Higgins, Beard, and Nate had all followed him and closed the door before he turned back to the team.
"He's the best fucking boyfriend," he said.
"I owe my wife a week of foot massages," O'Brien said with a laugh. "She said there was something going on between you at the pool party we had."
"Nah, mate, only hooked up the day after I came out. Before that I was just fucking pining after him like Anne fucking Elliot."
"Who?" Richard asked.
"The protagonist from Jane Austen's Persuasion," Isaac said. "Good fucking book, I was recommended it recently."
Jamie smirked, he and Ruth had been talking about the book a week before and she'd mentioned it had been a while since she'd read it but now would need to read it again. How interesting that someone should have recommended it to Isaac so soon after his conversation with Ruth. He could see them being a good couple and he knew Roy wouldn't care at all so long as Ruth was happy. Roy was all grumble and bluster, but Jamie knew that man would do anything to ensure the happiness of the people he loved.
"Can't believe he stole your speech, my friend," Dani said, coming over and hanging his arm over Jamie's shoulders.
"It was hella sweet that he thought me words were better than his, yeah?"
Sam smiled brightly. "You're in love."
"I am!" Jamie said, doing a little excited hop. "And he was willing to tell ya all, thought we mighta had ta be a secret…not that that wouldn'ta been hot for a while but this is better."
"It is," Colin said quietly.
Jamie hugged Colin to him, giving a tight squeeze. "I'm sorry, man."
"Why?" Colin asked.
"I just feel like I should, dunno."
Colin hugged him tightly. "Everyone's journey is different, and you don't need to justify it to anyone."
"I weren't judging ya."
"I know," Colin said, bumping his hip into Jamie's. "I'm happy for you and Roy, I'm happy for me and Michael. It's all journeys to being happy."
"Fuck yeah, journeys to the same end."
"Yes," Dani said. "My journey is different to Sam's, Jamie's journey involves Roy Kent, and Isaac's involves Ruth Kent."
"Ruth O'Sullivan," Jamie corrected.
"Ain't nothing going on with me and Ruth," Isaac said.
"It's none of our business," Jamie said. "And you know Roy loves ya."
Isaac grunted and shook his head.
"I mean, not as much as he loves me," Jamie said, changing the subject. "I'm the fucking best thing that ever happened to the old grump."
"And I bet he agrees," Sam said. "He is lighter than he has ever been."
"All me doing, he's such a fucking marshmallow but like one of those really fucking good ones you do on a camp fire where the outside is burned and the inside is goo and once you eat the burnt bit you get to eat the inside…this got dirtier than I meant it ta be."
Cockburn snorted he was laughing so hard. "In love's a good look for you, better than fucking walnut mist."
"Fuck you," Jamie grunted. "Me hair looked good, me mummy said so."
Cockburn rolled his eyes with a bright smile.
TBC...
