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If Roy Kent made a Bantr account, what would his username be? (Well, more likely if Keeley and/or Jamie made an account FOR Roy, what would his username be?)
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daydreaming about writing: 🥰😍🥹❤️😊🌺✨😘
the act of actually writing: 😭😰😵‍💫😭😰😭☹️😖
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Seriously!! When I saw him do a show before, we were like in the balcony, and my husband said I was furiously blushing THE ENTIRE SHOW.
So being so close- close enough to see the veins in his biceps?!- I was just a freaking puddle 😭
Saw Brett do comedy last night (no pics ugh but trust me he looked GORGEOUS). My friend decided we needed to sit in the front row. Mo Welch was great and I want Beth Stelling to be my best friend.
Made eye contact with Brett like four times. Plans for my funeral will be announced soon because I am dead.
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Will you tell us the story of how Brett pissed his pants?
So I need to preface with the fact that he managed to be incredibly funny and sexy while telling this story-
He was saying he gets distracted easily and that he's been crazy busy lately. So he was on a phone meeting while heading to another meeting and he stopped to pee. He was still talking on the phone while peeing, and he THOUGHT he was finished so he zipped up his pants, not realizing he was STILL peeing and it was all over his pants- all of this while he was STILL ON THE PHONE.
(And at the end of this story I was still sitting there thinking how hot this man is so yeah it might be real love.)
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Everything Will Bring a Chain of Love
Request: "It would be so fun if you name it after me!" "No, it wouldn't." where it’s one of the Greyhounds other than Jamie trying to convince Roy and the wife of your choosing
I already miss Roy and Bucky, so this is a little blurb about their sweet future together!
0.8k words Warnings: Language, pregnancy, absolute fluffffffffffff
Something There Masterlist
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“To Baby Kent!” Jamie called out at the end of his little speech- the one Roy begged him not to do and Bucky insisted on- and raised his glass.
“Baby Kent!” everyone gathered in the Kents’ backyard echoed, amid shouts of laugher and little cheers.
It was a bit of an unconventional baby shower, Roy admitted to himself. Rather than a party populated by women in summery dresses sipping lemonade and cooing over baby clothes, Bucky’s baby shower was attended by athletes who drank beers and took the shower games a bit too seriously.
Roy turned to his wife now, wrapping an arm around her. “How is Baby Kent?” he hummed as he pressed a kiss to her temple.
Bucky smiled and dragged Roy’s hand down to her round belly. “Kicking up a storm,” she said with a playful eyeroll. “She’s already training for the 2040 Olympics.”
“I am never going to win an argument again,” he growled playfully, “when both of you have Olympic gold.”
Her laughter warmed his heart. “Would you have it any other way, Kent?”
Before Roy could assure her that no, he absolutely fucking wouldn’t, the couple found themselves dragged over to a corner of the yard where several Greyhounds and Whippets were gathered. Roy felt got a fuzzy little feeling in his chest as he gazed at the assembled group, his weird little family. This was the life he and Bucky had built together, a life filled with these big smiles from people who were tied together by a love of football. A life where these same people came over for dinners, travelled to matches and holidays together, and now came to his and his wife’s baby shower. It was something he wouldn’t have imagined before Bucky, and something he now couldn’t imagine his life without.
Isaac spoke up, interrupting Roy’s musings. “Alright, we’re tired of waiting,” he announced. “Coach Buck said you guys still don’t have a name for Baby Kent, so we’ve come up with some ideas for you guys.”
“Oh, this should be good,” Bucky snorted, tugging Roy close to herself. Roy simply chuckled and wrapped his arms around her.
The group took turns offering up their ideas- foreign names neither manager could pronounce, trendy names that the couple had already privately wrinkled their noses at, book and movie characters that meant nothing to them. Every suggestion was met with polite nods and tight smiles from the new parents, both secretly waiting to be alone so they could tell the other one little word: “No.”
Finally, Dani stepped forward, looking particularly proud. “Dani,” he said simply.
Bucky shot Roy a quizzical look before turning back to the Greyhound. “That’s your name,” she reminded him.
“I know,” he chuckled, all smiles and sunshine. “It would be so fun if you name her after me!”
“No,” Roy said flatly. “It wouldn’t.” His voice brightened. “Besides, she’s already got a name.”
Before the group could ask what it was, Bucky whirled around to look at Roy with narrowed eyes. “Oh, she does, does she, Coach?” the very pregnant coach scoffed at her husband.
The footballers braced themselves for a fight, remembering the bickering they’d witnessed before the two managers finally got together. They were ready for the shouts and swears, and a good heaping of sexual tension. A few of them were already grimacing at the memories of the arguments that echoed around the Dog Track during those first tumultuous months.
“’course she does,” Roy hummed, reaching down to rub Buck’s belly. “It’s Brandi. For Brandi Chastain,” he clarified unnecessarily.
There it was, that wide, red-lipped smile, the one that still sent Roy’s heart into overdrive. She wrapped her arms around Roy, pulling him as close as her stomach would allow. He chuckled and returned the embrace tightly.
“We like the name?” he whispered into her hair, allowing himself to forget about the fact that their teams were watching them. All he wanted to think about right now- alright forever- was his little family.
Bucky pulled back, revealing the tears in her eyes- a rare sight. “We fucking love the name,” she assured him. She tugged him towards herself so she could kiss his lips. “She’s got no choice but to wear the number six now.”
The two held each other, lost in their little world, thinking of the precious little girl that would be coming soon, whose first word would be ‘fuck’, who’d be kicking a football the moment she could walk, who’d grow up on the pitch, with the loudest parents in the world. A little girl who would be so loved- by her parents, by two football squads- it was ridiculous.
Dani cleared his throat, bringing the new parents out of their daydreams. “Or,” he said pointedly. “Maybe we could revisit the name Dani?”
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From the pregnancy prompts, can you please do #12 where it’s one of the Greyhounds other than Jamie trying to convince Roy and the wife of your choosing?
I used your request as an excuse to spend more time with Roy & Bucky! I hope you like it ❤️
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Everything Will Bring a Chain of Love
Request: "It would be so fun if you name it after me!" "No, it wouldn't." where it’s one of the Greyhounds other than Jamie trying to convince Roy and the wife of your choosing
I already miss Roy and Bucky, so this is a little blurb about their sweet future together!
0.8k words Warnings: Language, pregnancy, absolute fluffffffffffff
Something There Masterlist
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“To Baby Kent!” Jamie called out at the end of his little speech- the one Roy begged him not to do and Bucky insisted on- and raised his glass.
“Baby Kent!” everyone gathered in the Kents’ backyard echoed, amid shouts of laugher and little cheers.
It was a bit of an unconventional baby shower, Roy admitted to himself. Rather than a party populated by women in summery dresses sipping lemonade and cooing over baby clothes, Bucky’s baby shower was attended by athletes who drank beers and took the shower games a bit too seriously.
Roy turned to his wife now, wrapping an arm around her. “How is Baby Kent?” he hummed as he pressed a kiss to her temple.
Bucky smiled and dragged Roy’s hand down to her round belly. “Kicking up a storm,” she said with a playful eyeroll. “She’s already training for the 2040 Olympics.”
“I am never going to win an argument again,” he growled playfully, “when both of you have Olympic gold.”
Her laughter warmed his heart. “Would you have it any other way, Kent?”
Before Roy could assure her that no, he absolutely fucking wouldn’t, the couple found themselves dragged over to a corner of the yard where several Greyhounds and Whippets were gathered. Roy felt got a fuzzy little feeling in his chest as he gazed at the assembled group, his weird little family. This was the life he and Bucky had built together, a life filled with these big smiles from people who were tied together by a love of football. A life where these same people came over for dinners, travelled to matches and holidays together, and now came to his and his wife’s baby shower. It was something he wouldn’t have imagined before Bucky, and something he now couldn’t imagine his life without.
Isaac spoke up, interrupting Roy’s musings. “Alright, we’re tired of waiting,” he announced. “Coach Buck said you guys still don’t have a name for Baby Kent, so we’ve come up with some ideas for you guys.”
“Oh, this should be good,” Bucky snorted, tugging Roy close to herself. Roy simply chuckled and wrapped his arms around her.
The group took turns offering up their ideas- foreign names neither manager could pronounce, trendy names that the couple had already privately wrinkled their noses at, book and movie characters that meant nothing to them. Every suggestion was met with polite nods and tight smiles from the new parents, both secretly waiting to be alone so they could tell the other one little word: “No.”
Finally, Dani stepped forward, looking particularly proud. “Dani,” he said simply.
Bucky shot Roy a quizzical look before turning back to the Greyhound. “That’s your name,” she reminded him.
“I know,” he chuckled, all smiles and sunshine. “It would be so fun if you name her after me!”
“No,” Roy said flatly. “It wouldn’t.” His voice brightened. “Besides, she’s already got a name.”
Before the group could ask what it was, Bucky whirled around to look at Roy with narrowed eyes. “Oh, she does, does she, Coach?” the very pregnant coach scoffed at her husband.
The footballers braced themselves for a fight, remembering the bickering they’d witnessed before the two managers finally got together. They were ready for the shouts and swears, and a good heaping of sexual tension. A few of them were already grimacing at the memories of the arguments that echoed around the Dog Track during those first tumultuous months.
“’course she does,” Roy hummed, reaching down to rub Buck’s belly. “It’s Brandi. For Brandi Chastain,” he clarified unnecessarily.
There it was, that wide, red-lipped smile, the one that still sent Roy’s heart into overdrive. She wrapped her arms around Roy, pulling him as close as her stomach would allow. He chuckled and returned the embrace tightly.
“We like the name?” he whispered into her hair, allowing himself to forget about the fact that their teams were watching them. All he wanted to think about right now- alright forever- was his little family.
Bucky pulled back, revealing the tears in her eyes- a rare sight. “We fucking love the name,” she assured him. She tugged him towards herself so she could kiss his lips. “She’s got no choice but to wear the number six now.”
The two held each other, lost in their little world, thinking of the precious little girl that would be coming soon, whose first word would be ‘fuck’, who’d be kicking a football the moment she could walk, who’d grow up on the pitch, with the loudest parents in the world. A little girl who would be so loved- by her parents, by two football squads- it was ridiculous.
Dani cleared his throat, bringing the new parents out of their daydreams. “Or,” he said pointedly. “Maybe we could revisit the name Dani?”
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Ted Woods
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Bedroom Eyes Like a Remedy
I'm Bright Baby Blue, Falling Into You
Chelsea!Roy Kent x Coach's Daughter!Reader 3.6k words (kind of a long one!) Warnings: Language, lying/sneaking around, no Ted Lasso characters except for Roy, fluff & flirting, some spice, mentions of drinking, "locker room talk", protective dad
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Staying up all night with a professional footballer sounded good at the time, you reasoned with yourself as you stifled a yawn. But now, walking down the hall to grab one of the coaches a breakfast sandwich, you were almost regretting it.
Almost.
You were nearly at your destination when a hand grabbed your wrist. When you whirled around, Roy was smirking at you.
“You busy tonight?” he murmured in place of a greeting.
Melting at the sight of him, you leaned against a wall and batted your eyes flirtatiously. “Depends, are you making me an offer?”
Roy bit his lip and shrugged. “Homemade dinner. Horribly expensive bottle of wine.” He leaned in close to whisper in your ear, “Finish what you tried to start last night.”
He definitely noticed the way your thighs pressed together at his suggestion. “Sounds like a plan, Kent.”
He opened his mouth to say something else-
“Oi, Kent!”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Your dad was striding down the hall, head tilted at the sight of you and Roy clearly in the middle of a conversation. Oh hell, did he notice the way your eyes were wild for the midfielder? Did he catch Roy’s tiny step back to put distance between you? Shit, did he see Roy whisper suggestively in your ear?
Roy stood like a soldier at attention as your dad approached. “Weight room,” your dad said sharply.
“Coach.” With a nod to your dad and not a second glance at you, Roy walked briskly down the hall in the direction your dad instructed.
You tried to sidestep to get back to your task, but the sound of your dad clearing his throat had you freezing like Roy did. “What were you and Kent chatting so intensely about?” The question came out slowly, as though he was dreaded your answer.
“A book he recommended to me,” you blurted out quickly. Roy and you suggested books to each other from time to time; your dad knew that well. “Kent wanted to know how I was enjoying it.” You shrugged. “Sorry for keeping him from training,” you added, hoping your face was innocent enough to convince your dad.
He nodded, a slow nod, processing your words. “You two seem to be quite chummy lately,” he observed. “Smiling at each other, whispering in corners.” He narrowed his eyes. “Anything you need to tell me?”
You were thrown back to being a teenager, caught coming home past curfew, caught with a boy in your room, caught with alcohol on your breath. Each of those times, you had been honest with your dad. Each of those times had concluded with a firm but loving conversation, a hug between father and daughter, a better understanding of each other.
But not this time.
“No,” you lied. “Just being friendly. But I won’t distract him from work anymore, I promise. We’ll save our chats for after practice.”
A small shove from your dad told you that you were off the hook. “Alright,” he conceded. “But be careful with Kent, alright? I don’t have to tell you about his reputation. Not that he’d be daft enough to go out with you.” He let out a light chuckle, one you returned with a weak smile. When he caught the absolute mortification on your face, his own grin dropped. “Because you’re my kid,” he clarified firmly. “And Roy Kent knows better.”
Apparently not, you thought to yourself. “Dad…” You cleared your throat. “D’you think it would really be so bad if I… if we…”
“Don’t.” Your dad’s voice was a sharp knife to your abdomen. “Come on, love. You know how these guys are. Talented as hell, but not boyfriend material.” He shook his head. “I know you probably think he’s a nice guy, he’s good-looking and famous, but you’ll only wind up hurt, and I’ll wind up in an awkward situation here.” He smiled at you. “There’s plenty of other fellas you can go after. Leave Roy Kent and the rest of them on the pitch.” He pressed a kiss to your forehead, missing the distressed look on your face. “Think you could grab me a breakfast sandwich too?”
You pretended you weren’t struggling for air as you nodded. “Sure, Dad.”
The knots in your stomach from your conversation with your dad were still there that night as you stood in front of your closet. No one likes lying to their parents, you reminded yourself as you pulled out your favorite dress, the one you usually saved for clubs and birthday dinners. But sometimes, a girl had to do what a girl had to do. And what you had to do was dress yourself up and go see Roy Kent at his flat, even if it meant looking your father in the eye and lying through your teeth about going out with your girlfriends.
As you drove the now familiar route to Roy’s, you were struck by the realization that your alibis had one thing in common: your recently neglected friends. Shit, you thought. You needed them to be in on your secret if you were going to keep this up. You fished your phone out of your bag and quickly dialed the friend whose name had slipped out of your mouth a lot lately.
“She’s alive!” Angela shrieked when she answered.
The chuckle you let out was tinged with guilt. “Hey,” you greeted. “Sorry for falling off the face of the earth.” You cleared your throat, trying to figure out where to start. “See, there’s uh, this guy-”
“He must be fit to have you forgetting your friends,” she teased.
A dreamy smile crossed your face as you thought about the sight of Roy in the changing room. “He is,” you assured her. “But… he’s also kind of a secret.” You sighed. “And I’ve kind of been using you as my excuse to leave the house to see him.”
Angela tsked at you jokingly. “Dating a guy Mum and Dad don’t approve of? Naughty girl.”
“Well, Mum might approve if she got to know him.” You paused for a long moment. “But Dad-”
“He’s not a footballer, is he?” Angela laughed. “Let me, guess, you finally shagged Roy Kent?”
She’d meant it as a joke; all of your mates knew how much you drooled over the midfielder. They teased you constantly. But they also knew your dad’s feelings about his players, having heard his warnings first-hand once you had all grown up and found yourselves looking at his team in a new light. They knew his one rule for hanging around Chelsea FC was staying away from the fellas. And here you were, his own daughter, completely breaking that rule.
“I mean…” You let out a deep exhale. “I haven’t shagged him yet,” you explained pathetically. “I’m actually on my way to his flat now for…” Your face was burning hot. “That.”
A choking sound came through the phone. “I’m sorry,” Angela scoffed. “You’re sneaking around with Roy Kent?”
You paused for a moment. You could tell her you’re joking, that you’re seeing some nobody and you just want to keep things private. But shit, you had to tell someone. “Yes,” you quietly confirmed.
There was a long silence on her end; for a moment, you worried that she’d hung up to call your father and tell him everything. Finally, her voice returned. “Well shit,” she laughed. “Good for you, girl!”
The breath you’d been holding flew out of your mouth. While Angela promised to help keep your secret, you arrived at Roy’s place. After agreeing to get together soon so you could give her all the details, you hung up, satisfied that you had at least one person in your life who was happy for you and your relationship with Roy Kent. Not that you considered this a relationship relationship, you quickly scolded yourself. Maybe fling was the better word. No, that didn’t quite cover the way Roy looked at you while eating hot dogs the night of his photoshoot. Romance? Sure, you told yourself. This romance with Roy Kent.
Roy was certainly feeling romantic, it appeared. He greeted you with a slow kiss in the doorway before taking your coat and purse from you and ushering you inside. A couple of candles were lit in the otherwise dim living room, and from his stereo you could hear soft music playing. He took your hand and led you to the dining room, which up to this point was just the room you passed through on your way to the kitchen. Tonight, however, the table was set for two, with candles and wine and a vase of flowers sitting on a white tablecloth. You eyed the tablecloth carefully; you wouldn’t have thought of Roy Kent as the type of man to own a tablecloth, if you were being honest.
He must have caught the way you blinked in surprise at the setup, because Roy cleared his throat as he held out your chair for you. “Figured, my first time making you dinner, might as well do things properly,” he mumbled as you sat down.
“It’s lovely,” you assured him. You stared at him, with his hard expression and twitching fingers. “Thank you. Really.”
A pleased look twinkled in his eye as he turned to the kitchen. “I hope you’re hungry.” He returned with a pair of plates accompanied by a heavenly smell. “It’s, uh, a pesto gnocchi,” he explained as he set the plates on the table.
As the two of you tucked in, you stole a glance at him. He had a hard look on his face, stony and expressionless as he stared at his plate. But when you looked at his hands, you caught the way they twitched and fidgeted, betraying how… nervous he was? Excited? You hoped happy was somewhere in the jumble of emotions it looked like Roy was feeling.
Just as you were trying to decide what to say to break the quiet, Roy looked up at you, eyebrows scrunched. “The fucking candles aren't too much are they?” he blurted.
A soft smile graced your lips. Nervous, you decided. Roy was definitely nervous. “Everything is perfect,” you murmured, feeling bold enough to touch his hand. “Especially this food. Holy shit, who knew Chelsea’s superstar could cook?” You smirked at him. “I bet you learned to cook just to impress women, Kent.”
He rolled his eyes as the corner of his mouth curled upwards. “Fuck off, I actually enjoy cooking.” He chuckled and added, “But yeah, it does seem to be…” He bobbled his head. “Impressive.”
You decided to shove down the pang of envy at the idea of other women, gorgeous models and famous actresses, sitting in this same spot, eating this same dish and drinking the same wine from the same glass. Instead, you focused on the warmth of Roy’s eyes as he gazed at you. “Well, consider me impressed.”
You tried to think of the last time you had such a perfect date. It wasn’t as if you went out with losers; the guys you dated were always good-looking enough, smooth enough, smart and clever enough. Most of them were decent enough in bed. They knew the right places to go and the right things to say. They were fine. Hell, some of them were even great.
But none of them were Roy.
Roy who rolled his eyes playfully and told stories that made you laugh and made faces at you when you called him a prick. And gazed at you with the softest brown eyes known to man and offered up small smiles when he listened to you talk. And asked about a million times if you liked the food and made sure that you had enough of the wine that you knew the campus pub would never carry.
Roy Kent was nothing short of the perfect date.
The empty plates lay in front of you for a long time, ignored in favor of chatting about football, university, mates, books, everything and anything either of you could think of. While telling you about being a kid in Sunderland, Roy eventually trailed off, clearly preferring to lean his elbows on the table and smile gently at you in the candlelight. You wondered if you had the same look on your face, a look full of fondness and bliss that carried words that felt far too scary to even entertain.
“Thanks again for visiting me last night,” you murmured, tracing the rim of your wine glass. “I think you should climb through my window more often.”
 He chuckled lightly and reached out for your hand. “Well, if it gets me more dinners like this, I might have to.” He leaned forward, his rapidly moving eyes betraying the calculations he was doing in his mind. “Especially if… you want to continue from last night?”
Every inch of your skin burned in anticipation. “That… sounds like a good idea,” you breathed. You bit your lip gently. “You’ve seen my room. Guess it’s only fair you show me yours, right?”
“Right.”
This wasn’t the first time Roy Kent had taken a woman to his bedroom. Not by a longshot. Just like this wasn’t your first time letting a guy lead you to his room. But something about this felt… different. There was something in the air, something you couldn’t quite put your finger on, as you held Roy’s hand and walked through his posh apartment. Something thick and heavy that you could feel in the tips of your fingers and the pit of your stomach.
But you didn’t dwell on whatever that something was. Not when Roy Kent was lying in bed on top of you, his mouth on yours, demanding your full attention. Your hands pulled and tugged at his shirt, already desperate to get him out of his clothes. He seemed to be thinking the same thing, because his own rough hands were shifting the skirt of your dress upwards. In a tumble of soft moans and even softer giggles, the two of you managed to remove each other’s clothing until you were both down to your undergarments. With only his boxers and your favorite pair of panties between you, Roy’s hardness rubbed against your heat sinfully, providing you with more of the friction he’d begun to give you the night before in your bedroom.
“Fuck,” you groaned as he bit and licked at your neck, not caring if he left little marks on your skin. He rocked against you lazily, a preview of the pleasure you knew you were in for. When his tip brushed against your clothed clit, you let out a sharp gasp. “Fuck, Roy.”
He stilled for a moment, smirk against your skin. His chuckle hit your ears like music.
Shit, had you done something wrong? “Everything alright?” you breathed.
Roy lifted his head, smile wide on his face. “I’ve just realized… I haven't heard you say my name since the day we met.”
Confusion flooded your face as you tilted your head at him. “What the fuck are you on about?” You couldn’t help but return his grin with a quizzical smile of your own. “I say your name all the time.”
“Nope.” He shook his head emphatically, his scruff tickling your bare skin. “You always call me Kent. You never call me Roy.”
The two of you blinked at each other, both trying to remember an instance, any instance, where you’d used his first name. Hell, now that you thought about it, you didn’t think he ever said your name either; it was always ‘princess’. It was nothing short of ridiculous, now that you thought about it properly. You were in bed with the man, practically naked, and you’d never even spoken his given name before or heard him use yours. As if you both came to the realization at the same time, you burst into fits of laughter, pressing your foreheads together the way you had in your bedroom the night before.
Once your giggles died down, Roy stole a kiss, a long, affectionate one. “I like how you say my name,” he mumbled against your lips. As he spoke, his hand snaked between your bodies, travelling down your figure until he reached your panties. With a smirk, he began sliding them down your thighs. “Bet I can make you say it again.”
For once, you didn’t tease or playfully argue. Because for once, you had to admit that Roy Kent was completely and utterly correct.
~
Once you’d caught your breath, you glanced up at Roy, whose chest you were resting on. He looked so blissful and gorgeous like this, with his bare chest and flushed face and dreamy eyes. Some part of you- alright, all of you- wished you could just stay like this all night, curled up against him.
But you didn’t think that was an option.
“I should get going,” you murmured, starting to sit up. “You've got training tomorrow and all.”
Roy’s firm grip around your middle pulled you back down to him. “You can stay,” he urged. He narrowed his eyes at you teasingly. “Unless now that you’ve gotten me in bed, you’re done with me,” he joked, as if he knew you were fighting not to suspect the same thing of him. “Because I don’t know about you-” His arms pulled you close. “-but I would like to repeat that a few times, princess.” He planted a kiss to the top of your head. “The whole date, I mean,” he clarified. “Good food, good conversation, good sex…” He raised his eyebrows at you. “Not a bad deal.”
Although his voice was light and full of teasing, you didn’t miss his meaning: Roy wanted to keep seeing you. While you weren’t totally sure what that would entail- going public, being exclusive or not, putting labels on things, telling your dad- you knew you were in. You would be in for anything this man suggested so long as it involved the two of you spending time together, in and out of the bedroom, sharing smiles and kisses and jokes and your bodies. Whether or not it was smart, you knew you were seriously falling for him. And the realization was equal parts thrilling and terrifying.
“Yeah, Roy,” you hummed, kissing his bare chest as he held you tight. “It’s a pretty good fucking deal.”
~
It was nearly four in the morning when you tiptoed back into your house, thanks to the alarm Roy had been thoughtful enough to set for you. It had been a challenge to remove yourself from his arms and his warm bed, and an even bigger challenge removing yourself from his lips when he insisted on walking you to your car. It was almost silly; you’d be seeing him in a few hours, but he kissed you like he was a soldier saying a final goodbye before shipping off into the unknown. Then again, it wasn’t like you could act like this during training, not under the gazes of an entire football squad and coaching staff and one very protective father.
Later that morning, that protective father walked down the hall beside you with a pensive look on his face, as if he wanted to say something, but never opening his mouth. He’d done it the night before, when he watched you walk out in your little dress and giant heels. And he’d done it this morning, before finally asking what time you’d come in and if you’d had a good time with the girls.
Roy wasn’t in the changing room when you began organizing your father’s desk for the day. He’d mentioned something to you about going in extra early, since he was already awake, so you assumed he must be in the weight room already. Perhaps it was better; no chance of your dad seeing you exchange goofy smiles this early in the morning.
Your dad was reading over a report when you saw him perk up at a conversation going on in the changing room.
“-Kent totally got some last night,” a young striker was saying.
“He say with who?” the defender he was speaking with asked, his voice dripping with gossipy curiosity.
A soft chuckle wafted into the office. “Nah. He didn’t even say anything happened,” came an admission. “But you knew Kent. He’s got that dopey smile and he keeps stretching his back, the way he always does after- ahem- strenuous activity.”
The defender laughed. “If he’s not saying anything,” he mused, “it must either be someone really fucking famous, or it’s something serious. Kent always kisses and tells.”
“Just don’t tell Coach’s girl.” Your dad tensed at the mention of you. Your eyes remained trained on his desk, as if you couldn’t hear a word from the changing room. “She’s been mooning over Kent more than usual lately, poor kid.”
“I think she’s a great gal,” the defender countered. “If Kent wasn’t… Kent, then maybe she’d have a shot.”
The two players continued their coarse chatter as they left the changing room, speculating who the mystery woman could be and recalling some of Roy’s more memorable conquests. Your dad looked over at you, mouth in a straight line and eyebrows raised. You simply blinked at him, refusing to be the first to say something, lest you betray yourself.
“See?” he finally said softly. “Leave. Him. On. The. Pitch.”
“Yes, sir,” you murmured as he turned back to his report. You quickly tugged at the sweater you wore, hoping its high neckline would hide the hickeys Roy had left you with the night before.
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Taglist:@gee72sstuff@book-of-roses@kissykissymouth@emmy2811 @hart-kinsella @klaine-92@dearvoidgoodnight@misshall14@issieruby@royal-sunflower@kissmekent @itswhateveripromise@slaymybreathaway@darkmagazineblaze@larascorneroftheworld@infinetlyforgotten@caught-the-feels@rae4725@sisinever@cskidjgsjaoaknayan52782 @dd122004dd @veryprairieberry @spacecluster
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Oh and he told a story about how he recently pissed his pants, and I still find him sexy, so I think this is true love.
Saw Brett do comedy last night (no pics ugh but trust me he looked GORGEOUS). My friend decided we needed to sit in the front row. Mo Welch was great and I want Beth Stelling to be my best friend.
Made eye contact with Brett like four times. Plans for my funeral will be announced soon because I am dead.
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Saw Brett do comedy last night (no pics ugh but trust me he looked GORGEOUS). My friend decided we needed to sit in the front row. Mo Welch was great and I want Beth Stelling to be my best friend.
Made eye contact with Brett like four times. Plans for my funeral will be announced soon because I am dead.
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Bedroom Eyes Like a Remedy
I'm Bright Baby Blue, Falling Into You
Chelsea!Roy Kent x Coach's Daughter!Reader
3.6k words (kind of a long one!)
Warnings: Language, lying/sneaking around, no Ted Lasso characters except for Roy, fluff & flirting, some spice, mentions of drinking, "locker room talk", protective dad
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Staying up all night with a professional footballer sounded good at the time, you reasoned with yourself as you stifled a yawn. But now, walking down the hall to grab one of the coaches a breakfast sandwich, you were almost regretting it.
Almost.
You were nearly at your destination when a hand grabbed your wrist. When you whirled around, Roy was smirking at you.
“You busy tonight?” he murmured in place of a greeting.
Melting at the sight of him, you leaned against a wall and batted your eyes flirtatiously. “Depends, are you making me an offer?”
Roy bit his lip and shrugged. “Homemade dinner. Horribly expensive bottle of wine.” He leaned in close to whisper in your ear, “Finish what you tried to start last night.”
He definitely noticed the way your thighs pressed together at his suggestion. “Sounds like a plan, Kent.”
He opened his mouth to say something else-
“Oi, Kent!”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Your dad was striding down the hall, head tilted at the sight of you and Roy clearly in the middle of a conversation. Oh hell, did he notice the way your eyes were wild for the midfielder? Did he catch Roy’s tiny step back to put distance between you? Shit, did he see Roy whisper suggestively in your ear?
Roy stood like a soldier at attention as your dad approached. “Weight room,” your dad said sharply.
“Coach.” With a nod to your dad and not a second glance at you, Roy walked briskly down the hall in the direction your dad instructed.
You tried to sidestep to get back to your task, but the sound of your dad clearing his throat had you freezing like Roy did. “What were you and Kent chatting so intensely about?” The question came out slowly, as though he was dreaded your answer.
“A book he recommended to me,” you blurted out quickly. Roy and you suggested books to each other from time to time; your dad knew that well. “Kent wanted to know how I was enjoying it.” You shrugged. “Sorry for keeping him from training,” you added, hoping your face was innocent enough to convince your dad.
He nodded, a slow nod, processing your words. “You two seem to be quite chummy lately,” he observed. “Smiling at each other, whispering in corners.” He narrowed his eyes. “Anything you need to tell me?”
You were thrown back to being a teenager, caught coming home past curfew, caught with a boy in your room, caught with alcohol on your breath. Each of those times, you had been honest with your dad. Each of those times had concluded with a firm but loving conversation, a hug between father and daughter, a better understanding of each other.
But not this time.
“No,” you lied. “Just being friendly. But I won’t distract him from work anymore, I promise. We’ll save our chats for after practice.”
A small shove from your dad told you that you were off the hook. “Alright,” he conceded. “But be careful with Kent, alright? I don’t have to tell you about his reputation. Not that he’d be daft enough to go out with you.” He let out a light chuckle, one you returned with a weak smile. When he caught the absolute mortification on your face, his own grin dropped. “Because you’re my kid,” he clarified firmly. “And Roy Kent knows better.”
Apparently not, you thought to yourself. “Dad…” You cleared your throat. “D’you think it would really be so bad if I… if we…”
“Don’t.” Your dad’s voice was a sharp knife to your abdomen. “Come on, love. You know how these guys are. Talented as hell, but not boyfriend material.” He shook his head. “I know you probably think he’s a nice guy, he’s good-looking and famous, but you’ll only wind up hurt, and I’ll wind up in an awkward situation here.” He smiled at you. “There’s plenty of other fellas you can go after. Leave Roy Kent and the rest of them on the pitch.” He pressed a kiss to your forehead, missing the distressed look on your face. “Think you could grab me a breakfast sandwich too?”
You pretended you weren’t struggling for air as you nodded. “Sure, Dad.”
The knots in your stomach from your conversation with your dad were still there that night as you stood in front of your closet. No one likes lying to their parents, you reminded yourself as you pulled out your favorite dress, the one you usually saved for clubs and birthday dinners. But sometimes, a girl had to do what a girl had to do. And what you had to do was dress yourself up and go see Roy Kent at his flat, even if it meant looking your father in the eye and lying through your teeth about going out with your girlfriends.
As you drove the now familiar route to Roy’s, you were struck by the realization that your alibis had one thing in common: your recently neglected friends. Shit, you thought. You needed them to be in on your secret if you were going to keep this up. You fished your phone out of your bag and quickly dialed the friend whose name had slipped out of your mouth a lot lately.
“She’s alive!” Angela shrieked when she answered.
The chuckle you let out was tinged with guilt. “Hey,” you greeted. “Sorry for falling off the face of the earth.” You cleared your throat, trying to figure out where to start. “See, there’s uh, this guy-”
“He must be fit to have you forgetting your friends,” she teased.
A dreamy smile crossed your face as you thought about the sight of Roy in the changing room. “He is,” you assured her. “But… he’s also kind of a secret.” You sighed. “And I’ve kind of been using you as my excuse to leave the house to see him.”
Angela tsked at you jokingly. “Dating a guy Mum and Dad don’t approve of? Naughty girl.”
“Well, Mum might approve if she got to know him.” You paused for a long moment. “But Dad-”
“He’s not a footballer, is he?” Angela laughed. “Let me, guess, you finally shagged Roy Kent?”
She’d meant it as a joke; all of your mates knew how much you drooled over the midfielder. They teased you constantly. But they also knew your dad’s feelings about his players, having heard his warnings first-hand once you had all grown up and found yourselves looking at his team in a new light. They knew his one rule for hanging around Chelsea FC was staying away from the fellas. And here you were, his own daughter, completely breaking that rule.
“I mean…” You let out a deep exhale. “I haven’t shagged him yet,” you explained pathetically. “I’m actually on my way to his flat now for…” Your face was burning hot. “That.”
A choking sound came through the phone. “I’m sorry,” Angela scoffed. “You’re sneaking around with Roy Kent?”
You paused for a moment. You could tell her you’re joking, that you’re seeing some nobody and you just want to keep things private. But shit, you had to tell someone. “Yes,” you quietly confirmed.
There was a long silence on her end; for a moment, you worried that she’d hung up to call your father and tell him everything. Finally, her voice returned. “Well shit,” she laughed. “Good for you, girl!”
The breath you’d been holding flew out of your mouth. While Angela promised to help keep your secret, you arrived at Roy’s place. After agreeing to get together soon so you could give her all the details, you hung up, satisfied that you had at least one person in your life who was happy for you and your relationship with Roy Kent. Not that you considered this a relationship relationship, you quickly scolded yourself. Maybe fling was the better word. No, that didn’t quite cover the way Roy looked at you while eating hot dogs the night of his photoshoot. Romance? Sure, you told yourself. This romance with Roy Kent.
Roy was certainly feeling romantic, it appeared. He greeted you with a slow kiss in the doorway before taking your coat and purse from you and ushering you inside. A couple of candles were lit in the otherwise dim living room, and from his stereo you could hear soft music playing. He took your hand and led you to the dining room, which up to this point was just the room you passed through on your way to the kitchen. Tonight, however, the table was set for two, with candles and wine and a vase of flowers sitting on a white tablecloth. You eyed the tablecloth carefully; you wouldn’t have thought of Roy Kent as the type of man to own a tablecloth, if you were being honest.
He must have caught the way you blinked in surprise at the setup, because Roy cleared his throat as he held out your chair for you. “Figured, my first time making you dinner, might as well do things properly,” he mumbled as you sat down.
“It’s lovely,” you assured him. You stared at him, with his hard expression and twitching fingers. “Thank you. Really.”
A pleased look twinkled in his eye as he turned to the kitchen. “I hope you’re hungry.” He returned with a pair of plates accompanied by a heavenly smell. “It’s, uh, a pesto gnocchi,” he explained as he set the plates on the table.
As the two of you tucked in, you stole a glance at him. He had a hard look on his face, stony and expressionless as he stared at his plate. But when you looked at his hands, you caught the way they twitched and fidgeted, betraying how… nervous he was? Excited? You hoped happy was somewhere in the jumble of emotions it looked like Roy was feeling.
Just as you were trying to decide what to say to break the quiet, Roy looked up at you, eyebrows scrunched. “The fucking candles aren't too much are they?” he blurted.
A soft smile graced your lips. Nervous, you decided. Roy was definitely nervous. “Everything is perfect,” you murmured, feeling bold enough to touch his hand. “Especially this food. Holy shit, who knew Chelsea’s superstar could cook?” You smirked at him. “I bet you learned to cook just to impress women, Kent.”
He rolled his eyes as the corner of his mouth curled upwards. “Fuck off, I actually enjoy cooking.” He chuckled and added, “But yeah, it does seem to be…” He bobbled his head. “Impressive.”
You decided to shove down the pang of envy at the idea of other women, gorgeous models and famous actresses, sitting in this same spot, eating this same dish and drinking the same wine from the same glass. Instead, you focused on the warmth of Roy’s eyes as he gazed at you. “Well, consider me impressed.”
You tried to think of the last time you had such a perfect date. It wasn’t as if you went out with losers; the guys you dated were always good-looking enough, smooth enough, smart and clever enough. Most of them were decent enough in bed. They knew the right places to go and the right things to say. They were fine. Hell, some of them were even great.
But none of them were Roy.
Roy who rolled his eyes playfully and told stories that made you laugh and made faces at you when you called him a prick. And gazed at you with the softest brown eyes known to man and offered up small smiles when he listened to you talk. And asked about a million times if you liked the food and made sure that you had enough of the wine that you knew the campus pub would never carry.
Roy Kent was nothing short of the perfect date.
The empty plates lay in front of you for a long time, ignored in favor of chatting about football, university, mates, books, everything and anything either of you could think of. While telling you about being a kid in Sunderland, Roy eventually trailed off, clearly preferring to lean his elbows on the table and smile gently at you in the candlelight. You wondered if you had the same look on your face, a look full of fondness and bliss that carried words that felt far too scary to even entertain.
“Thanks again for visiting me last night,” you murmured, tracing the rim of your wine glass. “I think you should climb through my window more often.”
 He chuckled lightly and reached out for your hand. “Well, if it gets me more dinners like this, I might have to.” He leaned forward, his rapidly moving eyes betraying the calculations he was doing in his mind. “Especially if… you want to continue from last night?”
Every inch of your skin burned in anticipation. “That… sounds like a good idea,” you breathed. You bit your lip gently. “You’ve seen my room. Guess it’s only fair you show me yours, right?”
“Right.”
This wasn’t the first time Roy Kent had taken a woman to his bedroom. Not by a longshot. Just like this wasn’t your first time letting a guy lead you to his room. But something about this felt… different. There was something in the air, something you couldn’t quite put your finger on, as you held Roy’s hand and walked through his posh apartment. Something thick and heavy that you could feel in the tips of your fingers and the pit of your stomach.
But you didn’t dwell on whatever that something was. Not when Roy Kent was lying in bed on top of you, his mouth on yours, demanding your full attention. Your hands pulled and tugged at his shirt, already desperate to get him out of his clothes. He seemed to be thinking the same thing, because his own rough hands were shifting the skirt of your dress upwards. In a tumble of soft moans and even softer giggles, the two of you managed to remove each other’s clothing until you were both down to your undergarments. With only his boxers and your favorite pair of panties between you, Roy’s hardness rubbed against your heat sinfully, providing you with more of the friction he’d begun to give you the night before in your bedroom.
“Fuck,” you groaned as he bit and licked at your neck, not caring if he left little marks on your skin. He rocked against you lazily, a preview of the pleasure you knew you were in for. When his tip brushed against your clothed clit, you let out a sharp gasp. “Fuck, Roy.”
He stilled for a moment, smirk against your skin. His chuckle hit your ears like music.
Shit, had you done something wrong? “Everything alright?” you breathed.
Roy lifted his head, smile wide on his face. “I’ve just realized… I haven't heard you say my name since the day we met.”
Confusion flooded your face as you tilted your head at him. “What the fuck are you on about?” You couldn’t help but return his grin with a quizzical smile of your own. “I say your name all the time.”
“Nope.” He shook his head emphatically, his scruff tickling your bare skin. “You always call me Kent. You never call me Roy.”
The two of you blinked at each other, both trying to remember an instance, any instance, where you’d used his first name. Hell, now that you thought about it, you didn’t think he ever said your name either; it was always ‘princess’. It was nothing short of ridiculous, now that you thought about it properly. You were in bed with the man, practically naked, and you’d never even spoken his given name before or heard him use yours. As if you both came to the realization at the same time, you burst into fits of laughter, pressing your foreheads together the way you had in your bedroom the night before.
Once your giggles died down, Roy stole a kiss, a long, affectionate one. “I like how you say my name,” he mumbled against your lips. As he spoke, his hand snaked between your bodies, travelling down your figure until he reached your panties. With a smirk, he began sliding them down your thighs. “Bet I can make you say it again.”
For once, you didn’t tease or playfully argue. Because for once, you had to admit that Roy Kent was completely and utterly correct.
~
Once you’d caught your breath, you glanced up at Roy, whose chest you were resting on. He looked so blissful and gorgeous like this, with his bare chest and flushed face and dreamy eyes. Some part of you- alright, all of you- wished you could just stay like this all night, curled up against him.
But you didn’t think that was an option.
“I should get going,” you murmured, starting to sit up. “You've got training tomorrow and all.”
Roy’s firm grip around your middle pulled you back down to him. “You can stay,” he urged. He narrowed his eyes at you teasingly. “Unless now that you’ve gotten me in bed, you’re done with me,” he joked, as if he knew you were fighting not to suspect the same thing of him. “Because I don’t know about you-” His arms pulled you close. “-but I would like to repeat that a few times, princess.” He planted a kiss to the top of your head. “The whole date, I mean,” he clarified. “Good food, good conversation, good sex…” He raised his eyebrows at you. “Not a bad deal.”
Although his voice was light and full of teasing, you didn’t miss his meaning: Roy wanted to keep seeing you. While you weren’t totally sure what that would entail- going public, being exclusive or not, putting labels on things, telling your dad- you knew you were in. You would be in for anything this man suggested so long as it involved the two of you spending time together, in and out of the bedroom, sharing smiles and kisses and jokes and your bodies. Whether or not it was smart, you knew you were seriously falling for him. And the realization was equal parts thrilling and terrifying.
“Yeah, Roy,” you hummed, kissing his bare chest as he held you tight. “It’s a pretty good fucking deal.”
~
It was nearly four in the morning when you tiptoed back into your house, thanks to the alarm Roy had been thoughtful enough to set for you. It had been a challenge to remove yourself from his arms and his warm bed, and an even bigger challenge removing yourself from his lips when he insisted on walking you to your car. It was almost silly; you’d be seeing him in a few hours, but he kissed you like he was a soldier saying a final goodbye before shipping off into the unknown. Then again, it wasn’t like you could act like this during training, not under the gazes of an entire football squad and coaching staff and one very protective father.
Later that morning, that protective father walked down the hall beside you with a pensive look on his face, as if he wanted to say something, but never opening his mouth. He’d done it the night before, when he watched you walk out in your little dress and giant heels. And he’d done it this morning, before finally asking what time you’d come in and if you’d had a good time with the girls.
Roy wasn’t in the changing room when you began organizing your father’s desk for the day. He’d mentioned something to you about going in extra early, since he was already awake, so you assumed he must be in the weight room already. Perhaps it was better; no chance of your dad seeing you exchange goofy smiles this early in the morning.
Your dad was reading over a report when you saw him perk up at a conversation going on in the changing room.
“-Kent totally got some last night,” a young striker was saying.
“He say with who?” the defender he was speaking with asked, his voice dripping with gossipy curiosity.
A soft chuckle wafted into the office. “Nah. He didn’t even say anything happened,” came an admission. “But you knew Kent. He’s got that dopey smile and he keeps stretching his back, the way he always does after- ahem- strenuous activity.”
The defender laughed. “If he’s not saying anything,” he mused, “it must either be someone really fucking famous, or it’s something serious. Kent always kisses and tells.”
“Just don’t tell Coach’s girl.” Your dad tensed at the mention of you. Your eyes remained trained on his desk, as if you couldn’t hear a word from the changing room. “She’s been mooning over Kent more than usual lately, poor kid.”
“I think she’s a great gal,” the defender countered. “If Kent wasn’t… Kent, then maybe she’d have a shot.”
The two players continued their coarse chatter as they left the changing room, speculating who the mystery woman could be and recalling some of Roy’s more memorable conquests. Your dad looked over at you, mouth in a straight line and eyebrows raised. You simply blinked at him, refusing to be the first to say something, lest you betray yourself.
“See?” he finally said softly. “Leave. Him. On. The. Pitch.”
“Yes, sir,” you murmured as he turned back to his report. You quickly tugged at the sweater you wore, hoping its high neckline would hide the hickeys Roy had left you with the night before.
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rewatched this ep last night
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Little Bright Baby Blue sneak peek, new chapter coming later today 🥰
~
You were nearly at your destination when a hand grabbed your wrist. When you whirled around, Roy was smirking at you.
“You busy tonight?” he murmured in place of a greeting.
Melting at the sight of him, you leaned against a wall and batted your eyes flirtatiously. “Depends, are you making me an offer?”
Roy bit his lip and shrugged. “Homemade dinner. Horribly expensive bottle of wine.” He leaned in close to whisper in your ear, “Finish what you tried to start last night.”
He definitely noticed the way your thighs pressed together at his suggestion. “Sounds like a plan, Kent.”
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We've Been On a Winning Streak
I'll Write Your Name Chapter 6
Roy Kent x Latina!Popstar!Reader
7.9k words
Warnings: Language, alcohol, kissing, let the pining begin...
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I yawned as I padded into the kitchen, pulling a sweatshirt on. Normally, Sydney would have already pulverized my door open until I gave her attention, or, more importantly, food. This morning? Nothing but silence from the needy cat. All I could do was hope she hadn’t gone and bothered-
“Morning.”
Roy Kent was sitting on my kitchen floor, Sydney on his lap. He blinked up at me, tiredness on his face as he stroked the cat’s fur. All the memories of the night before- his song, kissing him, the pride on his face as he watched me sing ‘Nothing New’- came flooding back. All I could do was offer him a little wave before opening a cupboard to get Sydney’s breakfast.
Roy cleared his throat. “I fed your cat,” he announced when he saw me grab the canned food. “Hope that’s alright. She kept meowing and shit, so I figured…”
I replaced the can and offered him a tight smile. “Thanks, Kent.” I eyed the cat, who looked far too comfortable in the footballer’s arms. Traitor. “No wonder she’s in love with you.”
“She’s pretty cool,” he chuckled, eyes on the kitty, who was staring up at him like he was catnip. His gaze flickered back to me. “D’you need me to start taking off? I’m sure you’ve got shit to do.”
Some part of me wanted to say yes, to kick him out and have my house to myself to relax after a long night.
Instead, I shook my head and leaned on the kitchen counter.
“You hungry? I can call April and have her bring us some breakfast. She usually comes over the day after the karaoke party, just to check in.”
Roy set Sydney down and joined me at the counter. “Sounds great, sunshine.”
Ignoring the nickname that was apparently mine now, I tapped away on my phone. When it started ringing, I put it on speaker, tapping my foot as I waited for her to answer.
“Hello?” April’s voice was groggy and tired. I felt kind of bad and wondered if I’d woken her up; but she was usually an early riser, I reminded myself.
“Morning, April,” I said. Roy looked at me with raised eyebrows. “Are you coming over, babes? I was hoping you’d bring me and Kent some bagel sandwiches or something.”
She yawned in response. “Um, yeah, yeah.” Something in her voice sounded on edge, as if she was dreading something. “Let me, er, shower and, um, I’ll be there in about thirty-”
“Babe, where d’you keep your kettle?”
While I was still processing the familiar voice that came through the speaker, Roy’s eyebrows nearly flew off his face. He grabbed my hand roughly and pulled it close to his face so he could bark into the speaker, “Is that fucking Tartt?”
Oh. Oh shit. I covered my mouth with my free hand to stifle my giggle. Why was Jamie Tartt at April’s place so early in the morning? The morning after the karaoke party, where they’d been flirting all night?
As if it wasn’t completely obvious.
“Oh shit,” Jamie’s voice came through the phone. “Did I just hear Roy?” His voice was louder, as if he was closer to the phone now. “Mornin’, Coach!”
Roy rolled his eyes with a massive growl. When he caught my eye and noticed the way I was desperately fighting laughter, the corner of his mouth ticked upwards in a little smirk, the kind I was quickly becoming used to. “Yeah, it’s me,” he grumbled, still holding my hand in his. “And you better not get yourself a bagel sandwich, you’re in fucking training, pretty boy.”
I quickly said goodbye to April, struggling not to chuckle at the stammering and wavering of her voice. As soon as the call disconnected, Roy let go of my hand, as though he was just noticing that he was still gripping it gently. He hopped onto the counter, his eyes playful, the way they’d been the nights we played darts and scrabble.
“So, Tartt and April,” he hummed, shaking his head.
“Tartt and April,” I repeated with a chuckle. “Good for her, honestly. She deserves a sexy little plaything. God knows I work her hard enough.”
Roy’s eyes narrowed as he stared at me. “You really think Tartt’s sexy?” There was an edge of teasing in his voice, cut with something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
I shrugged, curious where this conversation was headed. “I guess. He’s a good-looking guy, you know? Talented and charming. And really cocky. Honestly, he’s the kind of guy I would normally go for.”
“What about me?”
My mouth went completely dry as I blinked at Roy and his raised eyebrows. What the fuck was he asking me? “What about you, Kent?”
He shrugged, shifting his gaze to my wandering cat. “D’you think I’m sexy?”
A scoff flew out of my mouth as I scooped Sydney up. “Do you ask your real girlfriends if they think you’re sexy?”
“Fuck no,” he snorted, reaching out to pet Syd behind her ear. “I know my real girlfriends think I’m real sexy.”
“Well then.” I smirked at him, tugging Sydney out of his reach. “Guess as your fake girlfriend, I’ll say I find you fake sexy.”
A loud laugh flew out of Roy’s mouth, filling the kitchen with a full, joyful sound. “Break my fucking heart, why don’t you?” He shook his head and moved to pull down some coffee from a cupboard; it was strange how quickly he was getting to know his way around my kitchen. “April didn’t have to bring breakfast, you know.” He shrugged. “I could’ve made something.”
“Oh, Roy Kent can cook?” I jeered.
He narrowed his eyes at me as he prepared some coffee. “Wow. First, I’m not sexy, now I can’t cook. That’s it, sunshine. Next sleepover, I’m making you dinner. Then you can eat your words and my famous risotto.”
~
Roy sighed and took a sip of his beer. He should’ve known this Jamie-April thing would find a way to bite him in the ass. Going on a double date with Tartt was most definitely not his idea of a good time, but some begging from his ‘girlfriend’ to give April the opportunity to spend time with the striker and get their own pictures taken had him sitting in a club with his arm wrapped around the beautiful popstar.
“Did you want to dance?” he asked over the music, dipping his head slightly so he could bring his lips to her ear.
She shook her head and gave his arm a little squeeze. “I’m good,” she replied. “If we were out there, April wouldn’t be able to be a dirty little dancer with Jamie. She knows I’d give her such a hard time if I saw her grinding on him.” She winked at Roy. “She’s down bad for your boy, you know that?”
Roy rolled his eyes, instinctively tugging her closer. “Do not call Tartt ‘my boy’,” he scoffed.
Her eyes were bright as she opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by April, hurrying over in her sparkly dress and high heels. Her expression looked less like the infatuated girl Roy and Jamie had picked up and more like the harried assistant he’d met when setting up his fake relationship.
“Apes? What’s wrong?”
April pulled the popstar to her feet and said something into her ear. He saw an eyeroll and annoyance on that pretty face, before she turned to face Roy with a pout on her lips. He stood before she even started waving him over, bringing her the drink she’d left behind and ignoring for the millionth time how good she looked in the tiny black skirt and boots she wore.
“Roy, you need to act like you’re in love with me.”
Roy furrowed his brows and cocked his head at her. “Isn’t that… the plan?” he asked stupidly.
She sighed and gave her hair a stressed little touch. “Everett’s here,” she huffed. “My Everett.”
Something tugged in Roy’s stomach at those last two words. “That ratty little wannabe rockstar you used to run around with? The prick that sucker punched that poor bloke and sent him to hospital?”
A tiny smile returned to her face. “Is Roy Kent really judging someone else’s violent tendencies? Didn’t you once fight Jamie- your own teammate- on the pitch?”
“I’m not averse to violence,” he chuckled, pleased to see her grinning again. “What I am averse to is picking a fight with someone whose back is turned.” He finished his beer with one final swig. “Seriously, sunshine. You sure know how to pick ’em.” When he saw her raised eyebrow, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. “Alright, fine, doting boyfriend reporting for duty.”
He swore he saw something grateful on her face as she leaned into his touch. This was part of being a good friend, Roy decided as his thumb stroked the little peek of skin between her skirt and top, smirking a little when he felt her involuntary shiver. He wondered if maybe he could tell her the truth about Keeley… she seemed like she’d be up for some conspiring. Maybe help him make Keeley jealous, if the confident blonde was even capable of such an emotion. Or at least show his ex that Roy was still a very, very good boyfriend, maybe help her consider giving him another chance-
“Fuck, there he is,” April groaned, gritting her teeth and narrowing her eyes. Roy was amused, realizing once again that the two women were more than boss and assistant; there was a genuine, intimate friendship between them. “I can’t even look at him. I’m gonna go find Jamie and get all of us another round of drinks.”
Roy was so busy watching April storm off he almost missed the approaching ex-boyfriend. But he definitely saw the dark sparkle in the man’s eye as he approached, as well as the too-tight jeans and unbuttoned shirt the man wore. Even before the guy opened his mouth, Roy knew he was going to be an absolute prick.
“Hey, beautiful,” the man hummed, waggling his eyebrows at the woman Roy now tightened his grip on. “How’ve you been? Alright after hearing about me and Cam?” His simpering little pout had to be one of the most obnoxious things Roy had ever seen, barring anything Jamie had ever done.
She sighed and looked up at Roy, holding his gaze like an anchor. “Roycito, this is Everett,” she said simply, using what Roy assumed was supposed to be her nickname for him; there was something sweet and homey about it, he thought. He wondered if he’d have to get used to hearing it. Clearly holding back a grimace, she turned back to the singer. “Ev, this is-”
“Oh, I know who you are,” Everett interrupted with a laugh, nodding at Roy. “Only been watching you my whole life.” The smirk on his face was so fucking punchable. “I think I was just learning to walk when you retired, Kent.”
Roy was used to old man jokes. Hell, he made them himself sometimes. He didn’t always mind them, not when they came from Keeley or his sister or even Jamie. But he sure as hell minded when the joke came out of such a weaselly-looking guy- Roy couldn’t bring himself to think of this as a man- who kept sneering at the popstar on Roy’s arm.
“Oh, I get it.” Roy let out a fake little laugh, as though barely registering the joke. “You’re younger than me.” He gestured towards Everett’s unbuttoned shirt. “Is that why you haven’t grown any chest hair yet, hmm? Still waiting to hit puberty then?”
A stifled giggle hit Roy’s ears as his ‘girlfriend’ buried her face in his shoulder. He fought the urge to smile, feeling a smidge of pleasure that he’d managed to make her laugh, despite the discomfort her ex obviously brought with him. Deciding to really commit to the bit, he planted a small kiss to the top of her head while stonily holding Everett’s gaze, the way he definitely would be doing if he was trying to stake his claim on her.
“Heard that new song of yours.”
Roy bit back a groan; could this guy really not take a fucking hint?
Her voice was patient. “It felt good to finally release it.” She cleared her throat. “Roy here liked it, didn’t you, babe?”
Before Roy could gush about how brilliant he thought it was- not a single fucking lie on that front- the skinny prick opened his mouth. “Guess you’ve run out of ideas, hmm? Releasing something you wrote almost a decade ago instead of something new?”
It was a good thing Roy’s hands were occupied, because he wanted to knock this guy’s lights out. Fucking really? The woman shares this personal, vulnerable song, something she’d apparently been mulling over and returning to for years, and that was what he had to say about it?
Once again, Roy marveled at her choice in men.
“I thought it was fucking brilliant,” Roy growled through gritted teeth. He’d have to apologize later for the nail marks he was probably leaving on her waist. “Probably one of the best songs I’ve ever heard, actually.” He cocked his head at the rockstar. “I’m sorry man, I can’t think of a single song of yours. Something whiny and shitty I assume?”
Everett puffed out his chest, surprisingly confident for a guy half Roy’s size. Annoyed by the mere sight of that this guy’s face, with his weak attempt at a mustache and the bags under his eyes, Roy let go of his ‘girlfriend’, ready to come to blows; maybe he was too old for this shit, fighting in a club over a girl, but he was also too old to let anyone insult the people he cared about.
And yeah, he admitted, he kind of cared about her.
Instantly, her hand was on his shoulder. “Roycito,” she said in a quiet voice with raised eyebrows. “Come on. Let’s go find April and Jamie.” She slid her hand down his arm until her fingers intertwined with his. Her eyes found the skinny rockstar, nothing but ice behind her gaze. “Tell Cam I said hello,” she said coolly. She turned and walked in the direction April had disappeared in, not letting go of Roy’s hand or looking back at the rockstar that Roy noted was definitely still watching her.
Still holding hands, the two of them maneuvered through the club and to a dark side exit. Roy allowed himself to be led out of the club into a tiny, surprisingly clean alley, the kind of spot a younger Roy Kent would definitely have taken a pretty girl like her for some heavy kissing and dirty whispering before inviting her to continue things at his place. Instead, he gulped a little as she whirled around on Roy, gazing up at him expectantly. The look on her face let Roy know that she was waiting for him to speak first.
“I could’ve taken him,” Roy grumbled, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “Probably be good for the prick, a little vacation to hospital, some time to reflect on how to not be a piece of shit.”
She was clearly fighting the urge to laugh as she shook her head at Roy. “And then you would’ve been in the papers for fighting my ex in a club, and I’d be back to square one trying to find a new fake boyfriend.” She gave Roy’s hand a playful squeeze. “He’s not worth it, Kent.”
Her words had Roy frowning harshly. “Then why’d you date him?” he blurted out without thinking. “Why the fuck would you put energy into someone who’s ‘not worth it’?”
He regretted his judgmental words almost instantly when he saw the way her face fell and turned thoughtful. He’d meant to insult Everett, not her. But he could tell she was taking his words to heart as she finally opened her mouth, eyes on the sidewalk instead of Roy. “Because the guys that are worth it,” she said slowly, “never seem to think I’m worth it.” She nodded, more to herself, meeting his gaze again. “And guys like that-” She gestured back towards the club. “-tend to be the ones I’m left with.”
Before he could consider his words, Roy spoke softly. “I can’t imagine any fella not thinking you’re worth everything.”
Time froze in that little alleyway as she gazed at him, her hair all haloed by the light above them and her eyes reflecting his own. Roy was suddenly incredibly aware of how close she stood to him, how tightly she held his hand, how badly he wished he could make her feel better, back to the laughter they’d shared before her ex interrupted their evening.
How blurry all the lines were becoming.
“Well,” she finally said, a soft chuckle slipping past her lips. “Maybe when this is all over, you can help me find one of those fellas.” She gave Roy’s hand another little squeeze. “That’s what friends are for, right, Roycito?”
Something tugged in Roy’s chest, the same tugging that he felt when Jamie expressed interest in the popstar, the same tugging he felt seeing her ex in the club. He didn’t know what it came from, or what the fuck it meant, but he knew this probably wouldn’t be the last time he felt it.
But instead of dwelling on figuring out what it was, Roy cleared his throat and offered what he hoped was a friendly grin. “Yeah, sunshine. That’s what friends are for.”
~
Roy stared at me with wide eyes when he opened the door and found me on his porch. “You… didn’t get my text.”
“Hello to you too, Kent,” I chuckled, brushing past him as I walked into the house. “What text?”
“OH. MY. GOSH!!”
On Roy’s living room couch sat a now screaming and bouncing little blonde. I recognized her from the photos I’d seen on previous visits to Roy’s house, as well as the lockscreen on his phone. While I had a ton of nephews and nieces to keep track of, assuring Roy that he didn’t need to learn their names until he met them later that summer, he only had one sweet little human to remember: Phoebe.
Phoebe, who was now sprinting over to me with a smile so large I was surprised it didn’t bounce off her face. “You’re here!” she shrieked, bouncing on her toes. “Uncle Roy, she’s-”
“You want some water?” Roy asked me pointedly, eyes shifting towards the little girl. “Pheebs can get you a glass.”
Taking the hint, I cleared my throat and nodded. “Oh, yes, that would be great.” I offered what I hoped was my kindest smile. “Thank you so much, Phoebe.”
She looked as though God himself had spoken to her. “She knows my name,” she murmured, turning towards the kitchen in a little daze.
Immediately Roy whirled around on me. “Her mum got called into work,” he whispered quickly. “She’s with me for the night.” He glanced towards the kitchen; we could hear her rummaging around for a glass. “I… hadn’t planned on introducing you two,” he admitted. “So I had texted you asking about canceling tonight.”
My mouth was dry. Meeting each other’s friends, coworkers, and exes was one thing. But we hadn’t exactly discussed our families. Families weren’t supposed to happen, at least not until my niece’s quince. And by that time, we’d have had ample opportunity to discuss how it would go, plus the attention would be on the birthday girl rather than us. We were absolutely not ready for this.
“I can go.” It was the proper thing to offer. The right thing.
Roy held my gaze steadily, the gears in his head clearly spinning. Finally, he sighed and waved me into the house. “It’s too late now,” he chuckled wryly. “Your little fan already saw you. She’d murder me in my sleep if she found out I let you leave.” He shrugged as he led me to the couch. “Already bought everything for that risotto I promised you anyway,” he added as Phoebe padded in, holding up a glass of water like it was a sacred object.
“Thanks, Phoebe,” I said with a wink to the little girl, immediately reminded of my own nieces. “Hope it’s alright if I hang out with you and your uncle Roy tonight. I heard he’s making risotto for dinner.”
Her squeal could wake the dead. “Really? That’s perfect. We can watch a movie, Uncle Roy said we could watch the old Freaky Friday.”
I cocked an eyebrow at Roy, whose eyes sparkled ever so slightly as he took in the joy and excitement on his niece’s face. “Freaky Friday, huh?” I grinned. “I love Jodie Foster.”
Phoebe’s face wrinkled in confusion. “No, the old one. With Lindsay Lohan.”
A snort flew out of Roy’s mouth when he saw the way my face paled. “Welcome to being old,” he teased, shooting me a wink. “I’ll be sure to order you a walker and a hearing aid. Should make your concerts loads of fun.”
“Don’t you have risotto to make?”
Within a half hour, the three of us were comfortable on Roy’s couch, risotto in hand and Lindsay Lohan on the television. Phoebe sat between us, that big smile never leaving her face. She kept glancing up at me, as if she wanted to say something, but then she’d glance at Roy and then direct her attention back to the movie.
Finally, about halfway through the movie, words came out of her mouth. “Are you and Uncle Roy really dating?”
I nearly choked on my risotto. Those little eyes were gazing up at me with pure curiosity, begging me to answer the question. I looked over her head at Roy, who was staring at me with the tiniest smirk on his face, clearly nothing short of amused.
This was his niece. Why was I answering her question?
“Did your uncle Roy tell you that?” I asked slowly.
Phoebe shook her head. “My friends at school were talking about it,” she explained simply. “They’ve all been asking if it’s true and if I’ve gotten to meet you yet.” She turned to Roy. “Am I allowed to tell them we had dinner together?”
Roy nodded at me as he swallowed a bite of the ice cream we’d all grabbed after dinner. “Up to her.”
Immediately, Phoebe whirled back to me. “Sure,” I chuckled. What else was I supposed to say to those wide eyes and that chocolate-covered smile?
As soon as the movie ended, Phoebe had the remote in her hands and was queuing up another one. “Can we watch Parent Trap now?”
“It’s getting late,” I murmured, my eyes flickering to Roy. “I should be heading home.”
“You can sleep over.” Phoebe’s face was bright with excitement. “And Uncle Roy can make us pancakes in the morning!”
I blinked at Roy, who did not seem at all concerned about this idea. “Oh, well-”
“You can stay.” Roy shrugged casually. “I don’t mind.”
Clearly we were not at the point in our friendship where we could read each other’s minds yet. “Phoebe,” I said slowly, “could you go get me some more water?” The little girl scurried out with my glass, leaving me with her uncle. “I assume Phoebe sleeps in the guest room when she spends the night?”
Roy nodded. “Yeah, of-” Realization finally hit that bearded face. “Oh.” He nodded. “Fuck. Right.” He shook his head. “Sorry, I didn’t even think about that.” He scrunched his face for a moment. “You can stay,” he repeated softly. “In my room. I’ll… I’ll sleep on the floor.” He shrugged, looking up at me again. “For the job, right?”
Something in my stomach tightened at the idea of sleeping in Roy Kent’s bed. But still, I swallowed hard and nodded. “You don’t have to sleep on the floor, Kent.” His eyebrows flew up. “I mean, your knees are already messed up. Would hate to ruin your back too. Besides-” I spoke quickly as Phoebe’s footsteps approached. “-we’re adults. We can manage ourselves.”
Neither of us said another word about the matter as we settled back in for the second movie. Somewhere in the middle, Phoebe fell asleep, her head pressed against my shoulder. When Roy caught sight of his niece, he immediately cleared his throat.
“Sorry about that,” he whispered as he moved to scoop her into his arms.
I quickly shook my head and helped him gather her sleeping form. “It’s fine,” I assured him. “Want some help tucking her in?”
Roy nodded and gestured for me to follow him to the guest room, the room I’d slept in a couple times now. I quickly tugged back the blankets so Roy could lay Phoebe down on the mattress and pull them back over her. I lingered by the door, watching him make sure she was snugly in bed. When he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead, my mind wondered about later in the summer, when he’d come with me to California. How would he be with my nieces and nephews? The boys would flip out over him, that was for sure. But wow, Roy Kent had a gentleness with Phoebe that I didn’t expect. Would he be this sweet with my nieces? I rarely introduced men to my family, and on the couple occasions I did, they didn’t interact much with my nieces and nephews. Roy would be a nice change of pace-
What the fuck? I took a step back, tearing my eyes away from the sight of Roy Kent making sure a night light was plugged in near the bed. Nope, nope. Roy would be civil and polite, maybe a little friendly with my family, but that was it. Anything more would just be confusing for them when the ‘relationship’ ended.
And we didn’t want to confuse anyone, right?
Once the guest room light was off, Roy nodded to me. “I’ll grab your bag.” He backtracked to the living room and picked up the overnight bag I’d brought, the one I usually took straight to the guest room. Instead, Roy carried it to his bedroom while I followed at a small distance.
On the few times I’d been over, Roy’s bedroom door had remained firmly shut. Now, I walked in, trying not to stare at his neatly made bed, the bed I’d be sleeping in, next to Roy. Instead, I focused on his dresser, his nightstand, his laundry basket, literally anything but the bed.
At least Roy looked just as uncomfortable as he handed me my bag. “You can change in the bathroom,” he mumbled, nodding to another closed door.
“Thanks.”
It felt way too soon when I came out and stood next to his bed, pretending not to notice the way he glanced at my bare legs. We both silently climbed into the bed, taking care not to move around too much or get too close to one another. After a pair of rushed “good nights”, we turned our backs to each other and remained silent until sleep claimed us.
I expected awkwardness. I expected silence and not being able to make eye contact.
But I didn’t expect Roy’s arm to be so warm wrapped around me in the morning.
My back was still to him, the way I’d laid the night before, but he had shifted during the night into a spooning position. And I’d apparently allowed myself to scooch back into his embrace, resting my arm on top of his.
Before I could figure out the least perceptible way to remove myself from his grip, Roy stirred, waking slowly at first, but quickly realizing the position we were in.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, removing his arm and taking his warmth with him. He sat up, rubbing his tired face with his hand. “I didn’t- I mean-”
“It’s cool,” I assured him, tightening the blankets around myself. “Don’t worry about it.”
Roy nodded absently, staring down at me for a moment. “I…” He cleared his throat and shook his head. “Pheebs is probably waking up,” he murmured, as though that was what he meant to say in the first place. “I’ll go make some pancakes.” He climbed out of bed, shaking his head, reminding me of my grandmother’s dog. “You can, uh, get dressed in here. Come out when you’re ready.” With an absent little nod, he was gone.
I laid in bed- his bed- and stared up at the ceiling. Why was my heart pounding so fast? And why was my stomach in knots? And why couldn’t I stop picturing Roy, all tender with his little niece? Why couldn’t I stop imagining the way his arms felt wrapped around me, on our dates, when he kissed me, when I woke up-
“Shit,” I groaned, grabbing one of his pillows and smothering my face with it.
Was I falling for Roy fucking Kent?
~
Roy sat on his couch, staring at the television but not really noticing the show that played on the screen. His mind was at Nelson Road, running through his lineup and plays and everything he knew about the team they’d be facing the next day. They’d had a good season, he reminded himself. Jamie and Sam were at the top of their game, and the rest of the fellas followed their lead. They were going to win, he assured himself with an absent nod. Surely, they’d win. With tomorrow’s victory they’d win the whole fucking thing.
His mobile vibrated next to him, interrupting his racing thoughts. Sunshine, the screen read. He smirked to himself, remembering when she’d grabbed his phone and changed her contact name after taking a selfie together at the Crown and Anchor, the selfie that was now her contact photo. Something in him liked seeing it light up his phone.
“Hey,” he greeted, his voice soft and gruff.
“Kent,” she hummed. “What’re you up to? Relaxing before tomorrow’s game?”
He slouched onto his couch, realizing he’d spent the last hour with a reality show playing on his screen while he paid zero attention to it. “Something like that. Yourself?”
Sydney meowed somewhere in the background. “Resting up before tomorrow’s celebrations.” Her voice was light and teasing; Roy could practically see her smile. “I’ve been partying with you Greyhounds for weeks. I can only imagine how wild you’ll all be after the big win.”
“Assuming we win,” Roy grunted.
“You’re going to win, Roycito.”
That little name brought a wide smile to his face; he wondered if she was picturing it. “You sound pretty fucking confident for someone who still calls it ‘soccer’, sunshine,” he teased.
Her twinkling laughter rang in his ear. “I’ve been watching you guys for weeks, remember? The guys are incredible, even I can see that. And I don’t know much, but from what I hear you’re a pretty amazing coach.” Her voice was gentle as she spoke. “I believe in you, Roy.”
Those five words were still flittering in Roy’s mind the next day, for the ninety minutes his team ran themselves ragged on the pitch. His voice was nearly hoarse from the nonstop shouting he’d been doing, and his eyes hurt from scarcely blinking. And fuck, his knee was starting to kill him, but he refused to sit for even a second.
But the moment the referee blew his final whistle, it was all worth it. He jumped around the pitch with his team, knee be damned, surrounded by the shouts and cheers of their ever-loyal fans. After hoisting the trophy in the air and watching the Greyhounds pass it around, Roy found himself back on the ground, wondering where Keeley had gotten to. Surely, she’d want to congratulate him, he thought. Surely-
“Roycito!”
His heart stopped for a second, seeing the most famous popstar in the world jogging towards him, confetti in her hair and a smile on her face. She threw her arms around him and pressed close to him, engulfing him in the now-familiar scent of her fruity perfume. He squeezed her tight, chuckling at the feeling of her custom Greyhounds jacket, the one with the giant number six on the back. She’d been excited to show it to him, sending him photos the moment it arrived. He had to admit- it looked damn good on her.
Knowing that there were cameras everywhere, many of them trained on him and the woman in his arms, Roy cradled her face in his hands and pulled her towards him, pressing his lips to hers gently. She smiled into the kiss, so sweetly he almost believed it. She tasted like the beer she’d probably been drinking all game long and felt so warm pressed against him. For a moment, he forgot all about the cameras, the cheers, everything but her and her taste and her smiles.
Fuck, he thought as her tongue flickered for a brief moment against his lips. If Roy wasn’t careful, he might actually start believing that this was love.
~
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~
The club was pulsating with music and people dancing and drinking. Roy’s arm was loose and casual around my shoulder as we entered the party. He was clearly on cloud nine, walking lighter than I’d ever seen him. We were greeted with shouts and cheers from the Greyhounds who spotted us, who’d clearly already begun drinking. Someone shoved a shot in my hand; when I glanced over, I saw Roy had one too.
With a wide grin, the kind I didn’t know Roy could have, he tapped his little glass to mine and downed the alcohol. Unable to contain my own smile, I followed suit, shivering a little as the tequila slid down my throat.
After a few dances together, I found myself sitting in a little corner with Roy, who looked incredibly relaxed as he sipped yet another drink. He smiled at me, a little sloppy with his crooked smile and dreamy look in his eyes, and chuckled at nothing in particular.
Fuck, he was doing nothing to help this stupid little crush.
Maybe it was the alcohol in my system, or maybe it was my way of distracting myself from how damn good the man looked, but I couldn’t help the way my mouth opened and I blurted out, “Hey Kent, I’m sorry you have to spend tonight with me.”
His face was almost cartoonishly confused. “The fuck are you on about?” he scoffed, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees as his eyes bore into mine.
“I mean…” I shook my head. “This is a big night for you, you know? And instead of spending it with- with a real girlfriend, or someone special, you’re spending it pretending with me. It must… kind of suck. Not getting to celebrate with someone who matters to you.”
Roy frowned, thinking for a moment before opening his mouth and speaking slowly. “I’m fucking glad you’re here,” he said plainly. “You and I… we’re friends. Real friends, I think. And that means you matter to me.” He placed a hand on my knee and gave the tiniest squeeze. “So, I am celebrating with someone who matters to me. Alright?”
Thankfully, the dark lighting hid what I was sure was a furious blush. “Alright,” I conceded. “For what it’s worth, you matter to me too, Kent.” I covered his hand with mine. “I’m glad we’re friends.”
“Me too, sunshine.” He planted a kiss on my cheek. “Me too.”
~
Roy couldn’t believe how fucking happy he was. He was on top of the world, taking shots with his team, wearing these stupid matching tracksuits Keeley insisted on ordering for them, dancing with a beautiful singer. It felt like nothing could touch him; his knee could fall off for all he cared, and the next season felt ages and ages away. Hell, even the fact that there were cameras all over the place didn’t bother him. It was probably the alcohol, but for the first time he didn’t feel like he was putting any effort into the PDA he was expected to partake in. He pulled her close for dances, kissed her forehead freely, kept giving her what he was sure was the stupidest smile. And it just. Felt. Natural.
He sat with his arm around her, laughing and rolling his eyes at something stupid Jamie was saying. He snuck a glance at her, taking in the sight of her throwing her head back as giggles tumbled out of her mouth, a sight he was finding he really enjoyed.
“You two’re adorable,” Jamie slurred, shaking his head at the pair. “Seriously, don’t know the last time I saw Grandad this happy.”
Those bright eyes sparkled at Roy. “Roycito, are you happy?” she purred, peppering kisses on his warm face. Her laughter twinkled in his ear. “Shit, got some of my lipstick on you.” She reached up to wipe his cheek, but he caught her wrist.
Not knowing quite what came over him- probably the alcohol, he reasoned- he offered her his most flirtatious smirk, the one he hadn’t worn in a long fucking time. “Why don’t you add some more, sunshine?”
It was almost invisible, the way her smile faltered. For a moment, Roy sobered up, wondering if he’d gone too far, flirted too hard. But the tiny, almost imperceptible waver in her bravado quickly faded, giving way to a coy smile and batting eyelashes. “Anything for my champion.” She returned to his cheek, leaving a trail of kisses down his bearded face.
“Alright,” Jamie groaned, standing up with a slap to his thighs. “’m done being a third wheel. Gonna go find April before you two decide to put on a live sex show, ya perverts.”
Neither one of them acknowledged Jamie’s departure. Instead, she giggled in Roy’s ear as he tried not to react to how admittedly good her lips felt against his skin. After a couple firm kisses to his jaw, she pulled back, laughter tumbling past her now smudged lips.
“You’re a fucking mess,” she declared. She pulled out her phone and turned on the camera, pulling him close to show him her handiwork. Sure enough, his face was covered in her lipstick kisses. If he didn’t know any better, he’d be incredibly turned on by the idea of being marked up so brazenly. As he tried to hold back laughter, she made a silly little face and snapped a couple of pictures. Roy made a mental note to ask her to send them to him later.
They had fun together, Roy thought as he watched her giggle at the photos. And not just while drinking and taking selfies, either. Even just sitting in parks reading side by side made Roy feel… happy. Fucking content. Maybe they could try hanging out like normal people now that the season was over. No tweets or Instagram posts, no paparazzi, just two friends, enjoying each other’s company. Surely, she’d say yes, right? She agreed, they were friends now. Friends who spent the night at each other’s houses and covered each other’s faces with kisses and pretended to be in love, but friends nonetheless.
“You better post that.” Keeley plopped down beside him, smiling at the popstar. “Fucking adorable and hot. And it looks candid.” She winked at Roy. “You two’re doing a great job.”
Job. For some reason, that word hit Roy like a punch to the gut. Right, this was a job. They were going through this whole charade- because that’s what this was, a charade- for their careers. Sure, they were making the best of it by enjoying each other’s company, but at the end of the day, he needed to remember that this was work. That in a few months, they’d part ways and… what? Never speak again? Remain distant friends? Watch each other move on to real relationships? He wasn’t sure why the idea left him with a dry mouth and a twisted stomach.
Deciding he needed to shake that feeling out of himself, he gazed at Keeley, who was still grinning at him. Fuck, she looked happy, her hair wild and her face flushed from all the drinking, that Greyhounds tracksuit hugging her the way Roy wished he could. What the fuck did Keeley think when she looked at him? Did she feel the same pang, the same wistfulness? Did she see nothing but something she was glad to be done with? Or, fuck, something she wished she’d never done at all?
Keeley’s smile faltered as she glanced behind him, at the popstar who probably wasn’t used to being ignored. “You two should dance,” she suggested, nodding to the singer. “Be real cute, yeah?”
Fuck. He was so damn obvious, it was embarrassing. “Right, yeah.” Roy turned to the singer, who quickly dropped the frown she had been wearing. “Want to dance, sunshine?”
She plastered on that smile- not the cute, natural one she often wore when they hung out, but that too big, bright one that he saw when the paparazzi were around. If something was wrong, she sure as hell wasn’t talking about it. At least not with Roy.
“Let’s go, Kent,” she said flatly. “Publicist’s orders.”
No matter how silly Roy tried to be on the dancefloor, he couldn’t quite bring back her real smile. And for some reason, it was fucking killing him. After a couple of songs passed without much change, Roy felt tired of seeing this mask she wore. He excused himself and made his way over to the DJ, mumbled a few words over the music, and returned to a curious-looking popstar. At least curiosity was better than the fake smiles.
“You make a request?”
Roy shrugged, tugging her back to himself. “My guilty pleasure song,” he answered. “Whenever Phoebe plays it, i get it stuck in my head for fucking days.”
She scrunched her nose at him as she tilted her head. “What song-”
When a twangy pop tune blasted and filled the club, she threw her head back and rolled her eyes, laughter spilling from her lips.
“Kent. You fucking didn’t.”
 You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upsetShe's going off about something that you said'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do
“What can I say?” Roy chuckled. “I fucking love this song.”
Whatever negativity she seemed to be feeling dissipated, giving way to soft giggles as she danced close to Roy. He couldn't help the way he gripped her hips and sang along to the song his niece frequently requested in the car; he knew every fucking word. However many times he’d heard it, he never in a million years imagined he’d be here, holding its singer close and drunkenly shouting the lyrics at each other.
And he especially never imagined he’d like it so damn much.
~
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~
For the second time in the past few weeks, I sat on Keeley Jones’s couch with sunglasses on my face and coffee in my hands. This time, however, I didn’t feel an ounce of regret. Instead, I relished the fact that Roy looked as miserable as I felt after a night of drinking and dancing and celebrating with the Greyhounds. He slouched beside me as Keeley yammered on about how we’d trended on social media during and after the match, with videos and photos of us floating around on every major platform. As she gushed over a particular clip of Roy and me dancing at the team celebration, he reached over and took my coffee, helping himself to a generous gulp before slipping it back into my hand with ease.
It was scary how natural it felt.
“Now, it wasn’t all positive,” Lanie interjected. Always the optimist, my publicist. “There were of course some people that were all over that photo of Roy and Keeley-”
“The photo I took and posted,” I snorted.
Roy nudged me. “Not jealous, are you, sunshine?”
I smirked back. “You wish, Kent.”
Before he could open his mouth and retort, Keeley snapped her fingers. “Oi. There’s also the little issue of people thinking this whole thing is a PR stunt.”
“It is a PR stunt,” Roy and I said in unison.
A playful snort flew out of Lanie’s nose. “Spending enough time together, you two?” She shook her head and turned her attention back to her tablet. “Now, obviously, we know this is PR. But we need everyone else to believe this thing is the real deal.” She paused, biting her lip. “Now that Roy’s season is over, we’d like to see you two go on holiday together. Something cute, somewhere you could take lots of photos. Preferably somewhere you could be seen.”
Roy raised his eyebrows at me. “You’ve got somewhere tropical and fabulous in mind, I assume?”
I shook my head. “You pick, Kent,” I urged. “You had a long season, you just won your championship, you deserve this.” I shrugged. “Just tell me where we’re going so I know what to pack.”
A look passed between Roy and Keeley, something unreadable that made me blush and look away. Finally, Roy cleared his throat and nodded at me, a ghost of a smile on his face.
“Yeah, thanks.”
Doing my best to not stare at that little smile, reminding myself that I had no reason or excuse to kiss him in Keeley’s office in front of our publicists, I turned back to Lanie and cleared my throat. “Alright, so vacation together. What else?” I smirked. “Want me to write him an album or something?”
Instead of chuckling along like Lanie and Roy did, Keeley perked up, eyes bright and mouth wide. “That’s an amazing idea, babes!” she declared.
In an instant, Roy’s brows were furrowed. “You’re fucking joking. You can’t possibly ask her to write an album- that’s insane-”
“She doesn’t have to write one for real,” Keeley quickly clarified. “At least, not a new one.” She turned back to me. “You don’t release every song you write, I assume? Some of them stay in, like, a vault of some kind?” When I nodded tentatively, she went on, “You could take some of those songs, rework them, play with them a bit, and bam, one love album dedicated to Mister Roy Kent, proof of your undying love for him.”
Before I could even comprehend what she had just proposed, Roy sat up, shaking his head. “Keeley. She doesn’t have to do that.” His mouth was in a straight line as he shifted to face me. “Your songs, they’re probably personal, about your life. You absolutely do not have to butcher them for me, for any of this.”
The look on Roy’s face had my tense shoulders relaxing. His voice was so firm and reassuring at the same time. With his fists balled and his face stony, he looked… protective. Protective of me and my work. It felt good, having a man in my corner- especially this man. I didn’t think anyone I’d dated before, at least recently, would shield me like that. A warmth bubbled in my chest, bringing a smile to my lips that I couldn’t quite bury.
“I can do it,” I assured him. Quickly reminding myself of the other people in the room, I directed my gaze to Lanie and Keeley. “Gimme some time. I’ll get a few songs recorded, and we can release it during the tour. I can make it work.”
While Keeley’s smile was wide and excited, Lanie’s expression was more guarded, her eyes scanning my face knowingly. “You’re sure?” she asked in that skeptical voice I knew too well.
Stealing one more glance at Roy, taking in the concern in his eyes, I nodded firmly. “I’m sure.”
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roy kent x professional!volleyballplayer!reader? Like olympic volleyballer? One shot or headcanons work! Thank you so much i love your writing to death!
This took a minute, but thank you so much for your request! I loved getting to write fluffy, supportive Roy! ❤️
Hope you like it!!
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Now Baby I'm Sure
Roy Kent x Professional!Volleyballplayer!reade
0.5k words
Warnings: Language, fluff
A/N: This was such a cute request! I just love seeing Roy be supportive of his girl ❤️
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Roy smiled to himself as he threw another shirt into his suitcase. You lounged on his bed and watched him, ignoring the magazine you held in your hands.
“You’re sure you can come?” you asked for the umpteenth time. “I know you’ve got your own games and you'd be going back and forth so much and-”
He chuckled as he grabbed a pair of jeans from his dresser. “Just try to fucking stop me.” After tucking the jeans in with the rest of his clothes, he paused to press a kiss to your forehead. “My girl’s gonna win Olympic gold,” he growled gently. “And I’m going to be there for it.”
Warmth spread across your cheeks as you ducked your head bashfully. You’d been seeing Roy Kent for a few months now, a few really good months, if you were being honest. He was surprisingly sweet and loving, probably the most thoughtful boyfriend you’d ever had. And it was a nice change being with a former athlete rather than an active one; he never seemed to mind watching you take the limelight, letting you be the star of the show. Very different than some of the sports stars you’d dated before.
He sat on the bed now, cradling your face in his hands. Those brown eyes scanned yours for a moment before he gently kissed your mouth. A content little sigh slipped past your lips as you melted against him. Slowly, he leaned you back onto the bed, finally breaking the kiss so he could lay beside you and smile, one of those soft grins that always felt like an absolute privilege to receive.
“You’re going to be so fucking amazing,” he murmured, shaking his head at you. “You know that, right babe?”
Feeling flustered by his outright praise, you rolled your eyes and tugged him back on top of you. “I bet you say that to all the Olympic volleyball players,” you huffed. You ruffled his curly hair teasingly.
His nose brushed against yours as his breath ghosted over your lips. “Only the ones I love,” he countered breezily.
Love. Oh fuck, Roy just said he loved you. Roy Kent, the king of scowls and master of the eyeroll, loved you. Mister Million-One-Night-Stands, saw more naked models than a fashion designer, loved you.
“I love you too,” you managed to choke out, blinking rapidly.
If you thought the smile he wore a moment ago made your heart race, the one he had now could probably kill you. It was wide, full of joy and that little four-letter word you’d just shared. It made you feel giddier than any gold medal could make you feel. He closed the gap between your faces with a deep, tender kiss, the kind that had your body melting against his. Just as you started to tighten your grip on him, he pulled back, pausing only to give one last tiny peck to your lips.
“I better finish packing,” he hummed, climbing off of you. “My girl’s got a fucking medal to win.”
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