Bit of a long burner, first fic I’ve ever done. So guess we’ll see how it goes kinda iffy I think idk. Any improvements welcome xx
Summary- When your dad and his friend work with the national team it gets you closer to a couple of the players, one more so than the others.
Having a dad who’s apart of the England International coaching team was always exciting to you when you were younger, always dreaming to be like him or someone who he would work with. However, having a dad thats close friends with the one and only Gareth Southgate was like a dream come true to you. When you were younger your dad had signed you up to play in a local team and you loved it, he’d take you along to training with the players to help you improve. But as you get older you began to loose interest, you still kept up to date with your dad and Gareth as well as the teams and results but your life plans changed so you focused more on those.
You used to frequent your family house regularly for dinner and those days Gareth would also attend so that you could all catch up on each others everyday lives. Recently, you hadn’t been round but after hearing the news through your family’s group chat that your dad was considering retirement after the season you decided you needed to help lift his spirits to keep him doing what he loves.
After a short day at uni you sent your mum a message asking if you could join with Gareth for dinner that evening. With a heart warming ‘yes we’d all love that I’ll make the usual’. You headed off to St Georges park to see the end of training. You walked onto the field as the players were all stood round Gareth who was talking to them all about something, as they all started to disperse you began to walk towards your father and the coach. Gareth having seen you walking towards them gave you a smile and asked one of the players to give him the ball they had hold of, upon this your dad as well as a few players noticed you giving you welcoming smiles causing a blush to appear on your face.
With only a handful of players staying around the field kicking and joking around with one another. Gareth pulled you into a hug whilst your dad spoke ‘well this is a pleasant surprise, what do we owe the pleasure?’ Which you replied with a glint ‘maybe just dinner tonight at yours’. You stole the ball and with a smirk they both chuckled with a nod to your silent question of a game. The three of you began kicking the ball between one another every so often one of you doing some sort of trick before you passed it until you decided to start trying to steal the ball from one another. All of you laughing and tackling each other round the pitch until the younger boys who stayed called over ‘hey gaffer! Do you mind if we all joined?’ to which Gareth looked to you before calling back to the boys, ‘don’t you all have recovery to be doing?’ Before you cut him off with a smirk ‘oh come on grouch let us show up the big future stars’ erupting laughs from all the men with a couple muttering ‘as if’ ‘she wishes’. After Gareth giving you quick introductions you all got into a little game. You cant deny all the players are good looking lads, but only one caught your eye. Mason Mount. And he would agree that you had also caught his eye, giving you little glances as they’d walked over and a big smile as you were both introduced. Your dad giving a little chuckle at both of yours’ reactions. During the game you were both passing little comments to the other always aiming to be near each other, whether that was racing up the pitch or tackling one another with him always holding his hands out near you when he’d tackle you.
During one tackle he had tripped you, whilst preparing to brace for impact you never felt it, only breath next to your ear as you heard a quiet ‘shit sorry, you alright?’ mumbled into your ear. Releasing a breath of release you turned around with a small smile mumbling ‘all good’ Until you all heard Gareth shout out an ‘alright you lot good game, but bugger off now we’ve all got dinner waiting for us’ as he shot your dad a knowing look who only returned a big grin causing another blush to arise on your face as Mason released his grip from your waist. You collected the ball and headed towards the edge of the pitch with Gareth to collect your things ready to head home with the older men for a long awaited meal.
Unbeknownst to you Mason stood back as he watched you walk away from him, until he was joined by your dad who gave a laugh as Mason tried to apologise and seem as if he wasnt just watching or holding you. ‘She’s a quiet girl to start Mase’ and with a pat to the young midfielders he strolled off after you and the coach leaving the player with a love struck smile across his face.
Both your father and his friend had noticed you frequently visiting the park both enjoying your company even if they knew deep down you weren’t there for them. You’d began to get friendly with all the players getting to know them all but spending most of your time talking and getting to know Mason. A few of the boys, as well as Mason had followed you on Instagram, after posting a photo of you dressed up for your graduation you had two private message notifications that shocked you whilst you were returning from a celebratory meal.
‘Congrats brains’ ‘You look beautiful by the way’. Replying with a ‘thank you superstar, well done on your game last night’ with a big smile on your face, you went to close your phone before seeing the bubbles to show he was typing. A reply popping up on your screen almost immediately of him asking if he can take you out to celebrate with a blush you replied with a ‘course we can just let me know the details and I’ll be there’ After locking your phone and leaving it on the side before joining your family only returning to it later that evening to see a another message. ‘Ice cream tonight?’
Later that evening you found yourself sat in Masons passenger seat parked at a viewpoint, both of you holding a mcflurry whilst you made jokes about him breaking his strict diet plan which he made you promise not to tell anyone. Everything felt so natural with him, conversations flowing with him asking you what you plans were for the future now that you’d finished uni to where your dream holidays would be. During the drive back to your flat Masons hand unconsciously fell to your thigh causing goosebumps, as he stroked his thumb against your skin. The car is filled with unspoken truths about your feelings that neither of you were brave enough to say. Once you arrived outside your flat Mason parked the car before facing you with his massive grin before he shyly asked ‘can I walk you up? Its okay if you dont want me to’. Cutting off his rambling by placing your hand on his cheek you smiled back nervously whispering a ‘stop panicking, you can walk me up’. You both exited his fancy car as he jogged over to your side to walk next to you with both your arms singing into each other causing you both to giggle at one another. Mason took it upon himself, when it happened again to slip his fingers between yours before looking over to see your shy rose cheeks erupting a laugh from him making you knock into his shoulder with a shake of your head causing his laugh to increase in volume. Once you both arrived outside your flat you turned to him with a smile before saying ‘I’d invite you in but dad and Gareth told me I had to keep you waiting’ With a shake of his head he kissed your cheek before looking you in the eyes ‘youre worth the wait’ With a rush of confidence you leaned forward pecking your lips onto his. As you pulled away and opened your eyes you saw the grin growing on his face as he pulled you back into him for another kiss filled with passion and all the unspoken feelings.