Work Text:
Roy groans as the alarm goes off. He can feel his age any time of day, but in the mornings it's the worst. His body is protesting more and more against the early mornings, and surely it's his age only. It can't be because there is now someone else sharing his bed, sharing his space, making his bed a way more comfortable place to be than it ever was before.
Sadly that person is now moving away from him, taking the heat with him and Roy feels as if a cold wind rushes over him.
“Fuck,” Jamie swears, voice still thick with sleep. “My phone didn't charge.”
Roy yawns and rubs his eyes before rolling over to look at Jamie's screen.
“Huh,” he says eloquently. “Maybe your cable's broken?”
“Must be. Can I charge it in your office when we go in?”
Roy presses a kiss to his shoulder.
“Of course.”
“Thanks,” Jamie replies as he turns around. They kiss Roy deeply and show their thanks in a way that can't be mistaken for anything else. Or their love. Or both. Roy's not picky.
He's just there to enjoy the ride and give as good as he gets.
Maybe the other person in his bed is a reason he isn't as good at getting up anymore, after all.
Sadly, it sometimes mean they end up running a bit late. Lazing around in bed and morning sex are things that have quickly become some of Roy's favorite pastimes, but on workdays it's not always as convenient.
They've got a system, though. They've become very good at rushing and getting out the door on time without getting in each other's way all the time.
Today, however, their smooth rhythm is interrupted by a panicked "FUCK" coming from downstairs.
“Everything alright?” Roy shouts down after spitting out the toothpaste.
There's no answer, only silence. It tells Roy something's seriously wrong, so he quickly rinses before rushing down the stairs to the laundry room.
He finds Jamie standing there looking completely lost in panic, staring at the dryer.
The dryer, that is blinking a red light at them.
The dryer, that still has their underwear practically floating in water.
Fuck, indeed.
“I have no more underwear, Roy. That's why we put the dryer on during the night, so I'd have clean and dry underwear for today. I don't have anything else to wear. I can't wear yours as it doesn't fit right and it's uncomfortable and chafes, and I definitely can't go commando because could you fucking imagine, and there is no way we can get this dry in time,” Jamie rambles, hands starting to shake.
“Jamie.”
“I don't know why I'm freaking out so much, Roy, I'm sorry, I can just borrow one of yours and deal with it for a day, I'm-”
Roy grabs Jamie's hands and stills them, waits for Jamie to look at him. Because Roy knows why Jamie's freaking out.
“First of all, no apologizing. Fuck that shit.” Jamie's lips twitch. “Secondly, Jamie...” Roy trails off. “You do have something else to wear.”
Roy watches as Jamie's eyes widen in fear.
“I can't,” they whisper.
“No one would care, Jamie. It's just pants. Richard's definitely worn something frilly and lacy before.” A tiny smile starts pulling at Jamie's mouth. “You've been thinking about telling the team for a while now. Maybe wearing clothes you feel comfortable in could be a first step?”
“I feel comfortable in many things,” Jamie huffs, and Roy breathes out a chuckle.
“You know what I mean, dipshit.” A twinkle in Jamie's eyes, his panic receding more and more. “Look, I would be the very last person to push you. This is your call. My underwear is at your disposal if you want it. But if you decide to wear your feminine panties, I've got your back.”
“Thank you,” Jamie mutters against his chest as they hug him. “I'll think about it.”
-.-.-
Roy is pouring their morning shakes into to-go cups when Jamie walks into the kitchen. Roy think his heart might have just stopped.
Jamie's looking shy in their soft floral sweater, sleeves twisting between his fingers, and it tells Roy all he needs to know. He's so fucking proud of them, and if anyone even looks at Jamie the wrong way, he will make sure they regret it.
He holds out his hands for Jamie, and holds him tight when he steps into him.
“I love you so much. You ready?”
Jamie looks up at him with so much fear and trust in their eyes, and Roy's heart breaks for them. The team better not let him down. Jamie nods and Roy lets go to twist the lids onto their cups.
“Let's go then.”
-.-.-
The team barely bats an eye at Jamie's crowded but less bright and softer sweater. They've seen weirder things; they're a motley crew after all. All that happens is Dani running his hand over one of the sleeves and marveling at its softness. So everything goes smoothly and Roy can see Jamie relaxing as training is underway. The game always gets their mind off things, and Roy is glad to see today's no different.
When the final whistle is blown however, Roy can see some tension bleeding back into Jamie's shoulders. He gives them a squeeze as Jamie walks past and makes sure he isn't far behind.
When he walks in, the changing room is chaos; with shirts being thrown around and towels being grabbed and the team ribbing each other. Just an ordinary day.
Except for Jamie, who's only taken his shirt off so far. Roy catches their eye and gives them an encouraging smile. The team hasn't noticed Jamie's hesitance yet, and Roy knows that the second they do, Jamie's gonna walk out without taking off his shorts. There's no way they would show their pants with the whole team watching.
Luckily it seems like Jamie's had the same thought, as they just took a deep breath before pushing down their shorts. Roy can tell every movement is tense and carefully thought out, but he's proud nonetheless. He can't even imagine how scary this is when it's something that matters.
He's keeping a close eye on the rest of the lads, but so far no one's noticed anything yet and before he knows it Jamie's on his way to the shower. Roy can see a sliver of black peeking out from their bag. He wonders if Jamie's done that on purpose.
Roy can't think about it too much before Beard calls his attention away. He keeps glancing out into the room, though. Roy knows he's protective, he always has been, but Jamie really brings it out in him. He knows the team is incredibly supportive and open minded, but he also knows they're football lads who might not mean any harm, but cause some nonetheless. He only has to think back to how Isaac handled finding out about Colin to know that.
So when Jamie walks back into the room, Roy's on high alert. He hums to Beard but is barely listening anymore. Not that it matters; Beard's stories are always random and hardly ever require to be remembered later.
It happens when Jamie pulls the pants back on.
“Ohh, those look shiny!” Dani exclaims. “Where'd you get those? They look soft!”
Now everyone's looking and Jamie seems to shrink back into themselves. Dani seems to be the only one to not have clocked the supposed gender of the pants, which, if Roy's honest, tracks. Roy's about to step out, when Jamie squares their shoulders and looks up. His voice is a bit shaky, but he's determined and Roy adores them for it.
“They are! Ten out of ten, would recommend.”
Jamie quickly dresses the rest of the way. The room is subdued, a huge fucking elephant in the room no one apparently knows how to handle.
Scratch that.
Dani bounds up to Jamie to walk out with him, asking more detailed questions about the underwear out of genuine interest. The rest of the guys look at each other, a bit confused, but they shrug and move on, slowly filing out one or two at a time.
Roy releases a breath and quickly gathers his things. He nods a goodbye at Beard, who's looking at him with a fond and almost proud smile, and strides out to go and catch up with Jamie.
-.-.-
As soon as they get home, Jamie collapses in his arms. Roy just holds them and tells him he's proud of them.
-.-.-
“That didn't go too badly, did it?” Jamie asks later that night, when they're in bed. Roy'd just turned off the light, and he supposes the dark is making it easier for Jamie to talk. Jamie's so confident right up until the moment they're not, that Roy sometimes forgets those moments do happen. “I didn't freak them out too much?”
“I think they were just surprised and weren't sure what to say. Except for Dani, that is.”
Jamie laughs.
“He's a good bloke. I gave him the website and he didn't even blink.” A beat. “I'm lucky to have him as a friend.”
“I'm sure he'd join me in making the others' lives hell if they were to give you shit.”
“No doubt,” Jamie says, clearly smiling.
“Seriously, though, Jamie. If anyone gives you shit, let me know. Even if it's meant as a joke. If it makes you uncomfortable, you tell me, yeah? As coach, I can't let shit like that fly.”
Jamie grabs his hand and holds tight. Roy sees it for the silent promise of 'I'll try' that it is.
“I'm still glad my normal work pants are dry, though. The other ones weren't all too comfortable to play in actually. I'll stick to non-work days for those.”
Roy laughs and turns his head until he finds Jamie's skin. He presses a kiss there.
“Goodnight, Jamie.”
-.-.-
The following days are not quite awkward, but it's obvious there's something hanging in the air. Jamie's trying his best to not let it effect them, but Roy can tell it's becoming harder.
So the next day, joins them for part of their training. Joins them for a shower.
And makes sure everyone can see him parade around in hot pink lacy underwear.
Everyone's staring at him, and Roy's emanating his fiercest 'don't you dare say a fucking word'. Jamie's stare is different from the others. They knew he was going to do this, helped him pick out this pair, though they warned him not to play in it. Jamie's staring at him in full adoration.
After the past few days, Jamie decided he wasn't quite ready to tell the others yet about being non-binary and using they/them pronouns as well as he/him. He said this had been so exhausting, he couldn't handle their questions, well meaning as they would be. “Soon, though,” he said, and Roy could tell they weren't just saying that. So for now all he could do, was try and break the tension.
He shouldn't have been surprised when Dani ends backing him up.
“Jamie wasn't kidding, guys! These are great!” he exclaims in his usual excitable fashion while holding up a pair of the same pants Jamie had worn the other day. The only difference was that Dani's were green.
Jamie looked near tears, but his entire face was shining. Their gratitude and love for Dani rolling off of them in waves.
It worked. The team broke out in murmurs. Dani gave out a clean pair for everyone to touch and some of the guys went over to Jamie to ask how he'd found them.
“Google,” Jamie scoffed, rolling his eyes. A quick tensing of his mouth before: “Trial and error, mostly.”
Roy left the team to their feminine underwear discussions to get dressed.
-.-.-
A week later, the whole team was wearing them, in a wide variety of patterns and colors.
-.-.-
The next day, Jamie hung up a small non-binary flag in their locker.