Fic: Ever After
Title: Ever After
Author: shana
Dedication: For zimena because she asked for this in ficmas.
Disclaimer: They do not belong to me. Also, not true. I made it all up.
Pairing: Jorge Gonçalves/Rodolfo Arruabarrena
Rating: PG
Notes: Set on December 15, 2013. The morning Nacional fired Arrubarrena.
He can't believe it when he hears that Nacional has fired Rodolfo. He wasn't expecting this. He knows Rodolfo hasn't had the strongest showing this season and doesn't have the best record, but such things sometimes have to be forgiven. There's only so much a coach can do, and sometimes the forces of luck and fate conspire to make sure victories aren't has numerous as anyone on the team would like.
So though Rodolfo wasn't going to win the Apertura, he still had a decent season. Besides that, not every season can be a championship season. It simply costs too much money to retain the players needed for such a feat, even if luck or fate didn't have a say. He's not stupid enough to believe that most footballers don't play as much for the money as for love of the game. And many coaches as well.
So it seems grossly unfair to him to punish Rodolfo for something that seems to be a natural part of a football club. He's not sure exactly what to say to his lover. How can he possibly explain how he feels about this?
It's the wrong thing to do right now, and not just because Rodolfo is his lover. He's faced a lot of coaches during his career, and Rodolfo brings something special to the teams with which he works. It's more than simple tactics and training methods.
He can inspire and lead his players and staff without losing himself. It seems like it should be easy, but it's not. So many coaches lose their way and break under the pressure to achieve the results their clubs demand from them.
Not Rodolfo.
He hasn't back away from their friendship despite his former position as Nacional's coach. He hasn't lost his easy smile or quick grin or the way he treats his players as valuable and individuals.
He hasn't tried to become someone he's not to be more successful with Nacional's leadership. It was really admirable. Of course, he can't say that to Rodolfo today. It wouldn't come out properly, and Rodolfo isn't ready to hear it.
The day a rival club has fired Rodolfo is not the day he should talk about how he feels Nacional are stupid. Rodolfo is a very patient and kind man, but such a thing might be too much even for him.
He lets Rodolfo drift from room to room, a sort of silent sorrow draped around his shoulders. They haven't just fired Rodolfo. They have also asked him to leave behind months of work when it comes to forming connections and relationships with players and staff.
More than anything, he feels that is an unfair thing to ask anyone to do. He'll admit he probably wouln't deal as well as Rodolfo has. He can understand why some coaches prefer to work with the same group of assistant coaches. It's hard to form a good connections with people on a professional level.
Rodolfo comes to stand over him. He has information about Peñarol's next opponents spread out in front of him. Despite Rodolfo losing his job, he still has to do his job. He feels a moment of panic though where he wonders if he should gather the papers together, hide what he's doing.
He waits for Rodolfo to say something, but he doesn't.
Finally, he breaks the silence. "You all right, Rodolfo?"
There's silence for a moment before his lover answers.
"It wasn't all about the rivalry between us, was it?"
"Of course not. I won't deny that added some thrill to everything. It was always nice to have the excitement of doing something so many would think was wrong. Something that might get us in trouble, like when you're sneaking a cookie from the jar as a child."
"And without that thrill, Tito?"
He pushes his chair back, rising to stand beside his lover.
"Without any of that, we're still us, Rodolfo. I would like to think that we're more than what we are on the sidelines of a football pitch. We're still men outside of that, and it is as men we entered this relationship."
"Yes, of course."
"Then we will be just fine no matter who you coach for or don't coach for."
"You're sure, Tito?"
"As sure as I can be. We don't know the future. I certainly didn't see this coming, after all. I would not have expected Nacional to be so stupid."
Rodolfo smiles a little, not his normal happy grin, but something a little closer to normal. "You have to say that. You're my lover."
"I don't have to do anything, expect perhaps win my next match, or perhaps we'll both be unemployed by the end of the season."
Rodolfo smiles. "Then Peñoral would be just as stupid, Tito."
He lays a gentle kiss on Rodolfo's lips. They're in a good place. Despite Nacional or maybe to spite Nacional. That's what he does best after all. Take victories from his rivals.
Fini.
And a second one for zimena
S
Author: shana
Dedication: For zimena because she asked for this in ficmas.
Disclaimer: They do not belong to me. Also, not true. I made it all up.
Pairing: Jorge Gonçalves/Rodolfo Arruabarrena
Rating: PG
Notes: Set on December 15, 2013. The morning Nacional fired Arrubarrena.
He can't believe it when he hears that Nacional has fired Rodolfo. He wasn't expecting this. He knows Rodolfo hasn't had the strongest showing this season and doesn't have the best record, but such things sometimes have to be forgiven. There's only so much a coach can do, and sometimes the forces of luck and fate conspire to make sure victories aren't has numerous as anyone on the team would like.
So though Rodolfo wasn't going to win the Apertura, he still had a decent season. Besides that, not every season can be a championship season. It simply costs too much money to retain the players needed for such a feat, even if luck or fate didn't have a say. He's not stupid enough to believe that most footballers don't play as much for the money as for love of the game. And many coaches as well.
So it seems grossly unfair to him to punish Rodolfo for something that seems to be a natural part of a football club. He's not sure exactly what to say to his lover. How can he possibly explain how he feels about this?
It's the wrong thing to do right now, and not just because Rodolfo is his lover. He's faced a lot of coaches during his career, and Rodolfo brings something special to the teams with which he works. It's more than simple tactics and training methods.
He can inspire and lead his players and staff without losing himself. It seems like it should be easy, but it's not. So many coaches lose their way and break under the pressure to achieve the results their clubs demand from them.
Not Rodolfo.
He hasn't back away from their friendship despite his former position as Nacional's coach. He hasn't lost his easy smile or quick grin or the way he treats his players as valuable and individuals.
He hasn't tried to become someone he's not to be more successful with Nacional's leadership. It was really admirable. Of course, he can't say that to Rodolfo today. It wouldn't come out properly, and Rodolfo isn't ready to hear it.
The day a rival club has fired Rodolfo is not the day he should talk about how he feels Nacional are stupid. Rodolfo is a very patient and kind man, but such a thing might be too much even for him.
He lets Rodolfo drift from room to room, a sort of silent sorrow draped around his shoulders. They haven't just fired Rodolfo. They have also asked him to leave behind months of work when it comes to forming connections and relationships with players and staff.
More than anything, he feels that is an unfair thing to ask anyone to do. He'll admit he probably wouln't deal as well as Rodolfo has. He can understand why some coaches prefer to work with the same group of assistant coaches. It's hard to form a good connections with people on a professional level.
Rodolfo comes to stand over him. He has information about Peñarol's next opponents spread out in front of him. Despite Rodolfo losing his job, he still has to do his job. He feels a moment of panic though where he wonders if he should gather the papers together, hide what he's doing.
He waits for Rodolfo to say something, but he doesn't.
Finally, he breaks the silence. "You all right, Rodolfo?"
There's silence for a moment before his lover answers.
"It wasn't all about the rivalry between us, was it?"
"Of course not. I won't deny that added some thrill to everything. It was always nice to have the excitement of doing something so many would think was wrong. Something that might get us in trouble, like when you're sneaking a cookie from the jar as a child."
"And without that thrill, Tito?"
He pushes his chair back, rising to stand beside his lover.
"Without any of that, we're still us, Rodolfo. I would like to think that we're more than what we are on the sidelines of a football pitch. We're still men outside of that, and it is as men we entered this relationship."
"Yes, of course."
"Then we will be just fine no matter who you coach for or don't coach for."
"You're sure, Tito?"
"As sure as I can be. We don't know the future. I certainly didn't see this coming, after all. I would not have expected Nacional to be so stupid."
Rodolfo smiles a little, not his normal happy grin, but something a little closer to normal. "You have to say that. You're my lover."
"I don't have to do anything, expect perhaps win my next match, or perhaps we'll both be unemployed by the end of the season."
Rodolfo smiles. "Then Peñoral would be just as stupid, Tito."
He lays a gentle kiss on Rodolfo's lips. They're in a good place. Despite Nacional or maybe to spite Nacional. That's what he does best after all. Take victories from his rivals.
Fini.
And a second one for zimena
S