Paris / Ted Lasso

64. Rom-Communism

Different kind of beautiful / Larys strong out now!

"What do you think?" Poppy questioned. 

"That was the best christmas in a long time."  Ted agreed kissing her. 

Birdie had fallen asleep on the couch facing the twinkling christmas tree and Poppy was going to put her to bed when she got an email from Dubia Air and their new branding deal. 

"Work on christmas?" Ted tsked kissing POppy's neck, she smiled tipping her head back. 

"Just a quick email." Poppy agreed. 

"I got Birdie." Ted whispered as Poppy reached for her laptop. Birdie had drawn some stickers for poppy for her laptop and had promptly decorated it after Poppy opened up the gift. Poppy smiled touching the stickers as her computer loaded. 

Ted picked up Birdie and she snuggled into him arms draping over him as she shifted into his chest. Poppy glanced back at them, she loved how ted fit into their world. He was their world now.

"I hope you are having a post supper cocktail," Poppy said into Rebecca's voicemail. "But you know me, Becca, I'm forwarding the emails and getting things ready for the next game. "Bantr is going to pay big for this spot on the uniforms. Good thing to or else we were going to have to fire someone." Poppy teased. "Alright, I will get things started, I will see you monday, love you." 

"Not just an email huh?" Ted realized.  Poppy looked up from her screen. 

"Bantr is going to sponsor Richmond." Poppy answered. "I need to get things started."

"On Christmas?"

"I need to get everything in order for boxing day." All the uniforms and spares, and away games, so it will be ready for the next game. Every game they go black out we lose money and that money takes away from our staff's bonuses and raises." Poppy remarked. 

"You are really good at this." Ted realized. "I mean i already knew that but... you really are good at this." 

"I think its because I have been in and around the game my whole life. I started playing when I was little and before Rupert was an ass I adored him. He treated Becca like a princess and me like a princess to, he doted on Birdie when she arrived and he took care of us. He brought me to meetings and he... was great." Poppy remarked. "He taught me a lot about the world of managing football. I felt like his daughter until things turned sour... but before that." Poppy declared and Ted saw the pain in her eyes remembering what was. "So I paid attention and now... I'm hoping to keep Richmond at the top just to spite him." 

"Well I will let you get back to work, you want a drink while you work?" Ted questioned. "Candy cane liquor."  he pulled it out from under the tree. 

"I love edible gifts." Poppy agreed. 

"I will make us up something yummy," Ted agreed. He mashed up candy canes and added them to the rim as poppy worked efficiently. When he came back with two martini glasses Poppy put her laptop aside for a moment to cheers to the end of a wonderful christmas together. 

+

"Gentlemen, believing in rom-communism is all about believing that everything's gonna work out in the end. Now these next few months might be tricky, but that's just 'cause we're going through our dark forest." Ted remarked looking around the team. "Fairy tales do not start, nor do they end in the dark forest. That son of a gun always shows up smack-dab in the middle of a story. But it will all work out. Now, it may not work out how you think it will or how you hope it does, but believe me, it will all work out. Exactly as it's supposed to." Ted went on. That mirrored his own life very much, he didn't think things would have ended up like they did but he wouldnt change this. He wouldnt change his life with poppy and Birdie, he just wished that Henry was here too. He wished they could have been a family together all along. But meeting Poppy, falling for her, loving her, spending every day and night by her side, that was a happy ending that just never stopped.  "Our job is to have zero expectations and just let go."

"Now, you heard him! We need to stop playing like shit!" Isaac shouted.

"Yeah, not exactly what I said, but I appreciate you, Isaac." Ted corrected. "Okay, let's watch the second half. Come on, Coach."

"here is the schedule." Poppy remarked. "I know you like a hard copy." Beard smirked back at her as he put it up on their white board and started transferring it over. 

"What a nice surprise! The guys looked great with the new uniforms, did I tell you that? Because they do." Ted remarked kissing poppy. 

"Thanks." Poppy agreed. "Did you notice all the Bantr banners along the pitch too circling around, that took longer than the jersey's." Poppy admitted. "Tech guys are either geniuses are clueless." Ted chuckled wrapping an arm around her. 

"This the line up?"

"Yep." Poppy agreed. 

"Wait a second, we play Sheffield Wednesday?" Ted questioned.

" Saturday."

"Oh, we're playing Sheffield Saturday?" Ted agreed.

"Sheffield Wednesday, Saturday." Beard corrected.

"We gotta play 'em twice in the same week?" Ted countered, his brow narrowed. Beard pinched the bridge of his nose.

"The club is called Sheffield Wednesday." Beard clarified. "We play them on Saturday. They're called Sheffield Wednesday because they used to only play on Wednesdays. But nowadays they play on whatever day they feel like, including, but not limited to, Saturdays, which, again, is the day we will be playing them."

"This Saturday? I can't. I got plans Poppy." Ted teased.

"I'm leaving." Beard grumbled, Poppy laughed out wrapping her arms around Ted's neck.