Ted Lasso OneShots

My Hero

TW: Abuse, Child abuse, mentions of self harm

'JAMIE!'

'My disgrace of a son...'

'....I didn't raise you to be like this.'

'...fucking soft bastard.'

Nine year old Jamie finally escaped to his room, slamming the door shut behind him and stuffing a jacket underneath it to stop his Dad opening it. Not that the older man made any such attempt, he'd dragged Jamie's Mum out of the house to get a drink. So Jamie sat alone, covered in fresh bruises, cuts and blood from his father's hands and various objects.

He was weak, every inch of him hurting as though his body had been set on fire. His lungs and throat burned from screaming and crying, from trying to breathe as his father strangled him. Drained, Jamie crawled to sit in the middle of his floor, knees tucked up to his chest despite the pain. He broke down in fresh tears, hugging himself, begging for some kind of relief, some kind of comfort. He looked up at the poster of his hero- Roy Kent. Jamie's favourite football player and idol glared down at him, trademark frown written on his face.

'Please, Roy... please save me.' Jame pleaded to the poster, tears streaming down his blood-covered, bruised cheeks. 'Get me out of here, please. I can't... I can't take it anymore.' He begged, like he had done so many times before. Like he had done the night before. But Roy didn't move, didn't speak. He just kept glaring at him.

'HOW DARE YOU?!'

'You are no son of mine!'

'...soft, bitch-arse twat, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!'

Thirteen year old Jamie bolted up the stairs, slamming his bedroom door behind him. Despite the obvious ache of bruised ribs and potentially fractured fingers, he jumped onto his bed, face in his pillow. He could practically feel his clothes sticking to the blood on his skin, could feel the bruises forming on his chest, back, legs and face. So he cried. He cried because of the pain, because he could never please his Dad, because it was his fault this happened.

Maybe he deserved this pain? Maybe his Dad had been right all along, maybe that's why he beat him so often. Jamie never succeeded enough. He always passed the ball too much, never scored enough goals. The ones he did score were scored the wrong way. He was too soft, too much of a team player. Maybe his Dad was right, he did deserve this pain.

Jamie wiped his tears as he remembered the blade in his bedside drawer. He took it out and held it to his bruised wrist but, as he went to make the first cut, he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye- his Roy Kent poster. Roy Kent, Jamie's favourite footballer and idol, glaring down at him from his place on the wall.

'What do I do, Roy?' He asked tearfully. 'You can't save me, I'm too weak to save myself, Mum can't do anything, the police never do anything... what do I do, Roy?' Jamie knew exactly what Roy would say. He'd tell Jamie to fucking man up and wait for the right fucking moment to beat the ever loving shit of of his Dad. It was the thought of that when Jamie nodded and put away the blade that had only made a small mark on his wrist.

'RICHMOND?'

'...Absolute disgrace, I don't know how you DARE!'

'Loyalty, my arse, fuck you and your club, soft pussy.'

Nineteen year old Jamie was hoping to be long gone by the time his Dad heard about him being scouted for AFC Richmond. He'd been scouted for a few, had spent some time with others, but Jamie chose Richmond, the furthest away from his father and the place he felt most at home. He was leaving for Richmond in two days, and was hoping to escape his father finding out. Of course though, the media had gotten wind of Richmond taking on a practical newcomer and his Dad had seen their reports.

Now, baring fresh bruises and marks, Jamie sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees and head bowed, a few stray tears making their way down his cheeks. As usual, he looked up at his poster of Roy Kent. 'I'm coming, Roy.' He whispered. Just a year ago, Roy had joined the Richmond team and was made captain just over a month before Jamie joined the team. Jamie couldn't wait to finally be free, to escape his father and to play football with Roy Kent.

'Jamie... my son. My own flesh and blood.'

'...made it easier for Man City to kick you to the curb!'

'Don't turn your back on me, you PUSSY!'

Jamie couldn't believe what he'd done. His father, laid on the ground after twenty four year old Jamie had punched him in the face. Finally. All those years of built up anger, pain and resentment had gone into that punch. And his father was getting dragged away by Beard, furiously screaming something Jamie could barely hear. Then the room was silent again. Jamie felt everyone's eyes on him as he felt the familiar tension in his throat, the stinging behind his eyes. He was still poised to defend, heart going a mile a minute and breathing heavily.

Then someone was walking towards him. Jamie saw it out of the corner of his eye and, fearing another attack, he flinched. But he was hugged. Jamie stood still for a moment, too surprised and still anticipating pain. But then he smelled a familiar smell... Roy. Roy was... hugging him. Jamie didn't even question the uncharacteristic act, he just wrapped his arms around Roy's waist and buried his head in the older man's shoulder.

Any animosity between Jamie and Roy disappeared in that moment when Jamie let the tears fall out of his eyes, small sobs escaping him as he and Roy held each other tightly. All he had wanted his entire life was for Roy to be there after his Dad had done a number on him, to be there to tell him it was all gonna be okay and comfort him. When he joined Richmond and realised Roy hated him, it broke Jamie's heart but he carried on as though it didn't, until now.

Roy didn't know it, but he had always been there for Jamie. From the poster on his wall as a child to here, hugging him as everyone else quietly left the locker room. Once everyone had gone, Jamie cried harder. It took all his strength to stop his knees buckling underneath him. Roy, as though he sensed this, held him tighter.

'Hey, Jamie?'
Jamie quietened his cries slightly in response to Roy's whisper.
'I'm sorry I didn't know.' Jamie nodded, burying his head further into Roy's shoulder.
'It's gonna be ok. He's not gonna hurt you again.'

Roy's gruff whisper was all it took to send Jamie downwards. He collapsed into the bench, Roy instantly kneeling in front of him despite his bad knee. Jamie still leant on Roy's shoulder, clinging to his jacket and crying until there was nothing left for him to cry. Once he calmed down, he let go of Roy and leant back on the bench, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Roy hoisted himself up and sat on the bench on Jamie's left, their shoulders touching.

'How long has he been like that?' Roy asked gently.
'My whole life.' Jamie replied, his voice hoarse. 'He's an addict, left my Mum when I was fourteen but he comes back every now and then.' Roy nodded, giving a disapproving hum.
'How are you doing?' He asked. Jamie shrugged.
'Dunno. Didn't think he'd ever do it here, he usually only does it at home.'
There was a pause, both of them sat in silence, the only noise being Jamie's occasional sniffle.
'When was the last time he...?'
'Beat me? Properly, 'bout a year ago. Don't really see him that much anymore 'cause we're so far apart.'
'Fucking hell, I had no idea.'
Another pause, then Roy gave a slight chuckle.
'That was a solid punch though, I gotta say.'

Jamie scoffed and smiled, and the two men relapsed back into silence. Jamie's entire life had been leading up to this moment, to the day when he would tell Roy Kent what his Dad had done. To have him be there to hold and reassure him. To have him say it was all going to be ok.

This is my first Ted Lasso fic and tbh, I think it went better in my head XD. I wasn't planning on adding the extra bit at the end, but I was on a roll so here we are.
Reviews and requests are always welcome :)
Thanks,
Alexander :)