Paris / Ted Lasso

103. Winner, Loser

"Congratulations, Ted. That's eight wins in a row." Trent remarked.

"Oh, come on now, Trent. You know I don't care about winning or losing." Ted assured, Trent smirked back at him. "No, the truth is, only way I could be happier is if my arm-feet were covered in barbecue sauce."

"How you feeling about the win streak, Roy?" Trent questioned.

" No way. Do not come near me with that shit." Roy barked. " You never talk about a streak." roy corrected. "My grandparents were happily married for years 'cause they never said a fucking word to each other. Scram."

"Yep that's what makes a happy marriage." Poppy mused.

"Alright I'm pooped, you ready?"

"Dont you have a press conference?" Poppy countered as she linked her arm with his. "NOt that I'm complaining." 

"Roy said he wanted to do it." Ted answered. "I'm thinking take out and an early night."

"That sounds perfect." Poppy agreed grabbing Birdie's bag. 

You two are like an old married couple Rebecca wanted to tell them. But she was so happy for them. She wanted children of her own, Poppy was forced into a child from a man she hated so much but Birdie was the best thing in the world. Rebecca married a man that she knew was no good and yet she thought he was forever. She was happy her little sister was so happy, so in love. 

"Well done, gentlemen. Congrats." Roy remarked walking into the conference room. " You got me today." Roy barked taking a seat in front of the press room. "Any questions?" all hands rose up.  "Fucking hell. You. Five-o'clock-shadow head."

"Coach Kent, do you or the organization condone what Isaac McAdoo did today?"

"What a stupid fucking question." Roy countered. "Course we don't. What Isaac did was awful. He was lucky he only got a red card."

"Okay. So why'd he do it?"

"Welton." 

Poppy knew that voice and it shook her to her core. She tensed her grip on birdie tightened. Ted noticed her freeze and confused he glanced back, as friendly as ever. 

"Welton I thought that was you."

"Rumlow." Poppy breathed back, he shouldnt have such power over her but if she didnt remain calm she would punch him, she might kill him and she didnt want birdie to see that. 

"Rum... oh.'' Ted knew who this man was and suddenly he hated this man even more. His usually smiling face turned into a scowl. 

"You still working for your sister? I guess we can't all cut it in the big leagues." Rumlow remarked. 

"I guess not." Poppy agreed. "Come on Birdie, what do you want to eat?"

"Shes a cute little thing. She play?"

"For fun." Poppy agreed not looking at him. "I would like a-" she cleared her throat looking to the cashier. "combo mean with fries and..."

"Send her my way if she is ever ready for the big leagues, I will treat her right." 

Torment her all he liked but bring Birdie into it and Poppy snapped. 

"When I was first coming up through Sunderland, there was an old-timer on the team. Local guy. He and his wife were about to have their first kid, so during training one day, I made a joke that, statistically, I was probably the real dad. And the boys fell about laughing, but he went fucking nuts." Roy explained calmly. "He battered me. Properly. I had a black eye, chipped tooth, three broken ribs. I couldn't play for six games. He got booted off the team. After that, no club would go near him. Then in the summer, after I could breathe again, I bumped into him in a pub. And I got the chance to say sorry for my stupid fucking joke. And he got to tell me... " Roy swallowed thickly. " ... he and his wife had lost the baby..."  roy added. "a month before all that went down. He hadn't told anyone. Kept it all inside. Look, I get that some people think if they buy a ticket, they've got the right to yell whatever abusive shit they want at footballers. But they're not just footballers. They're also people. And none of us know what is going on in each other's lives. So for Isaac to do what he did today, even though it was wrong... I give him love. And as for why he did what he did... that's none of my fucking business.  Next question." the new reporter from the independent rose his hand. "Yeah, New Trent."

"Uh, Coach, let's talk about Colin Hughes."

"Yeah, he's a hell of a player and a great man. I think we've underused him." Roy remarked.

"I think you're right."

" Glad we agree.  I prefer you to Old Trent."

Ted didnt know what happened but suddenly Rumlow was on his back Poppy's heel centimeters from his eye. 

"You come near my daughter or me again and I will kill you." Poppy rasped. "I will bury you in a place where no one will find you." She saw true fear in his eyes past her heel before she scooped up biride claiming she wasnt hungry anymore. Ted wished he was the type of man that could throw a punch and get into a brawl but he was more calculated then that, he didnt just jump when his heart begged him to take action and stand up for Birdie and poppy. BUt Poppy wasnt someone that needed protecting, she could protect herself.