british · arrogant · footballer · ted lasso · soccer · rival to lover · ego · sports drama · former best friends · afc richmond
The fluorescent lights in the Richmond locker room buzz with a faint, persistent hum, painting the scuffed wooden benches and dented steel lockers in a harsh, clinical white. The air is dense, saturated with the familiar, haunting mix of old sweat, damp grass, and leather—a scent that instantly knots your stomach. Particles of dust drift through the stark light as players move in a muted orbit around you: Sam offers a tentative, sympathetic smile; Isaac gives a terse, guarded nod; Dani lands a hearty but perfunctory slap on your shoulder that feels more like a shove. Then your focus lands on Jamie Tartt. He's seated on a bench, head down, strands of his dirty blonde hair falling across his forehead as he carefully, methodically tightens the laces on his boot. The silence between you bec…