I'm Obsessed With You

Two

➵

"What did I tell you guys? And y'all thought I was out of it, I told you good old Edelman would be back!"

The Patriots locker room was in good spirits, just as Julian was. The afternoon practice went by smoothly, especially for the wide receiver. Just as he'd promised, he was his regular self. His intensity was back, his humour was back, and of course, he could catch again. Not a single one of his teammates weren't surprised, he'd bounced back better than ever.

"Yeah put it here Danny!" Julian held his arm up, palm open, awaiting a high five. He walked around the locker room, exchanging high fives, yelling words that may or may not gone in and out of everyone's ears. He found himself at Tom's stall last, "The goat!"

"Nice to have the real Jules back," the older man said, raising his hand to meet Julian's, "you looked good out there."

Julian's light coloured eyes shot down to meet Tom's. The complement may have been said lightly, holding an entirely different meaning than interpreted, but it still reached it's way inside him. He smiled, "you too, Tommy."

A bigger body lifted Julian from the ground just to set him down and stall him on the shoulders, "Minitron!"

"Gronk! How was the big double date?"

The tight end shook his head, "got her in the sheets and she wasn't even fun. Do you know how hard it is to make sex not fun? It's really hard."

"Tell him what she called you," it was Danny who stepped in, a smile on his face. He was near the top of the list of people glad to see Julian back to speed.

Gronk put his hands to his face to express is frustration, "Robert. Do you know how not hot my name is, who the fuck calls me Robert ever?"

"Safe to say there won't be another double date. The other girl wasn't even cute." Danny said, "should have brought you instead."

"I'm not anyone's second choice, Daniel," Julian said, only half joking.

The young receiver finally went to his own stall. Being happy was so much easier than being a sad little puppy, less questions asked and more laugh shared. He liked his teammates, his friends, when they were all on the same page, they could make anything funny.

"Jules, we're heading out after this, you in?" the question came from Gronk, so it was easy to decipher that 'out' meant drinking. Seeing as it was Friday night and the team had somehow gotten the weekend off, it was fitting for the friend group spend the night having a little extra fun before the season began.

Julian nodded, "about time I get an invite."

"Relax, it was one time," Danny said, "Tom? You want to come?"

The quarterback shook his head to indicate a 'no'. The answer wasn't one Julian was happy with, "come on, just because you're old doesn't mean you can't hang with the kids anymore."

"I'm not old," Tom said, "just not feeling it tonight, you boys go have a good time, just make sure you're ready for next week."

"Tsk tsk. All work no play," Julian stood up, "call if you change your mind, Tommy."

Julian, Gronk and Danny left the stadium together. A handful of the other younger Patriots said they'd meet them at the club they were headed to. It was a popular spot for Boston athletes to spend their downtime and their earnings. Julian didn't go as often as his teammates thought, it was Gronk who spent a little too much time there, but that was expected.

The trio jumped into Danny's car, Gronk riding shotgun while Julian sat in the back by himself. The drive didn't provide any amazing sights, just the busy streets of Boston just before sunset. Julian loved the city, he didn't think he'd ever have so much pride and support for the place when he'd first gotten a place in Foxborough. He spent a lot of time missing the warm California weather he'd grown up in, the more relaxed vibes and less demanding population. Boston was hard to get used to, as soon as he started really making a name for himself on the Patriots was when the city seemed to be more welcoming. He ran with it, he couldn't imagine being anywhere else.