Six drabbles; Team: Manchester United
Title: (Last) Time
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Gary Neville/David Beckham
Rating: PG-13
***
Three weeks after Gary’s retirement, Becks came over for his testimonial. Summer, hot out; Gary felt sweat trickle
down his spine even before kickoff. United beat David’s team 3-2. It was a good goodbye.
They waited after, until the laughter and champagne died down, then left together. Phil arranged dinner with the old
lot, lads’ night out. Becks’ hotel after, to say their own goodbye.
It’d been months, a year; Becks had new tattoos Gary didn’t recognise but his body hadn’t changed. He still knew
him, every inch.
Gary left for Malta, Becks for LA. This would never be again.
***
Title: Time (After Time)
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Cristiano Ronaldo/Owen Hargreaves
Rating: PG
***
When Owen came to Manchester, Cris didn’t know what to make of him. His accent was weird for someone playing for
England and he smiled all the time for reasons Cris couldn’t fathom. He fit right in. Everyone loved him. Cris
resolved to find out why.
When Owen kissed him, he didn’t object. He didn’t know what he’d done to make him do it except maybe he’d watched
him too close. A misunderstanding. He tangled his fingers in Owen’s curls anyway and kisses him back.
Now when Owen smiles, he can’t help but smile too. Then he kisses him again.
***
Title: (First) Time
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Petr Cech/Carlo Cudicini
Rating: R
***
The first time was awkward, all elbows and knees and blushing when they saw each other naked, touched that way they never had before. He bed was too small for two men their size and squeaked as they moved. Petr didn’t know what he was doing and Carlo spelled it out, flushed and desperate beneath him. They kissed then Petr pressed inside him, unsteady, hesitant.
They lay together after, less flushed but no less awkward. Carlo talked and they relaxed; they showered and changed, went to bed, smiled as they turned out the light. First time but not the last.
***
Title: (Wrong) Time
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Frank Lampard/John Terry
Rating: PG
***
His fingers brush the back of John’s neck and José hugs them both like that’s expected of all managers in these
circumstances and isn’t just a tiny bit odd. The loss wrenched at him and he pressed closer to John, arm around his
waist.
It’s not been like this lately. John confessed he wanted more than they had and Frank couldn’t, just couldn’t say
yes. It’d stood between them for two weeks now, unsettling.
But now, pressed to the crook of John’s neck, he knows he’s wrong. Epiphany, and John notices, tenses, looks at him.
"Not now," Frank says. "Later."
***
Title: (Extra) Time
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Edwin van der Sar/Dimitar Berbatov
Rating: PG
***
Dimitar doesn’t like to lose, and more than that, he hates not to score. It’s what he does or what he’s supposed to do, not just running around like an arse for ninety minutes, almost scoring. The ball was meant to be in the back of the net, full stop, end of discussion.
Pity Edwin van der Sar had other ideas.
He’s like a spindly giant with magnetic gloves, designed to frustrate strikers. Which is just what he did, over and over, until Dimitar wanted to scream. Beaten.
But from the look that Edwin gave him, it’s not over yet.
***
Title: (Not Enough) Time
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Nicklas Bendtner/Theo Walcott
Rating: PG
***
He’s not playing again, and it pisses him off. But all he can do is watch and whine and wonder what he’s doing wrong, like there’s anything. He should be out there. He knows he’s good enough.
Theo says he understands. He sounds sure, too, quiet but he always is and Nick finds it easy to ignore him, not just because he’s so damn small. He knows Theo hates it when he looks straight over him but does it anyway.
Theo pushes him, kisses him, anything to distract - tells him it’ll work out fine. But Theo’s playing. He can’t understand.
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Gary Neville/David Beckham
Rating: PG-13
***
Three weeks after Gary’s retirement, Becks came over for his testimonial. Summer, hot out; Gary felt sweat trickle
down his spine even before kickoff. United beat David’s team 3-2. It was a good goodbye.
They waited after, until the laughter and champagne died down, then left together. Phil arranged dinner with the old
lot, lads’ night out. Becks’ hotel after, to say their own goodbye.
It’d been months, a year; Becks had new tattoos Gary didn’t recognise but his body hadn’t changed. He still knew
him, every inch.
Gary left for Malta, Becks for LA. This would never be again.
***
Title: Time (After Time)
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Cristiano Ronaldo/Owen Hargreaves
Rating: PG
***
When Owen came to Manchester, Cris didn’t know what to make of him. His accent was weird for someone playing for
England and he smiled all the time for reasons Cris couldn’t fathom. He fit right in. Everyone loved him. Cris
resolved to find out why.
When Owen kissed him, he didn’t object. He didn’t know what he’d done to make him do it except maybe he’d watched
him too close. A misunderstanding. He tangled his fingers in Owen’s curls anyway and kisses him back.
Now when Owen smiles, he can’t help but smile too. Then he kisses him again.
***
Title: (First) Time
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Petr Cech/Carlo Cudicini
Rating: R
***
The first time was awkward, all elbows and knees and blushing when they saw each other naked, touched that way they never had before. He bed was too small for two men their size and squeaked as they moved. Petr didn’t know what he was doing and Carlo spelled it out, flushed and desperate beneath him. They kissed then Petr pressed inside him, unsteady, hesitant.
They lay together after, less flushed but no less awkward. Carlo talked and they relaxed; they showered and changed, went to bed, smiled as they turned out the light. First time but not the last.
***
Title: (Wrong) Time
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Frank Lampard/John Terry
Rating: PG
***
His fingers brush the back of John’s neck and José hugs them both like that’s expected of all managers in these
circumstances and isn’t just a tiny bit odd. The loss wrenched at him and he pressed closer to John, arm around his
waist.
It’s not been like this lately. John confessed he wanted more than they had and Frank couldn’t, just couldn’t say
yes. It’d stood between them for two weeks now, unsettling.
But now, pressed to the crook of John’s neck, he knows he’s wrong. Epiphany, and John notices, tenses, looks at him.
"Not now," Frank says. "Later."
***
Title: (Extra) Time
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Edwin van der Sar/Dimitar Berbatov
Rating: PG
***
Dimitar doesn’t like to lose, and more than that, he hates not to score. It’s what he does or what he’s supposed to do, not just running around like an arse for ninety minutes, almost scoring. The ball was meant to be in the back of the net, full stop, end of discussion.
Pity Edwin van der Sar had other ideas.
He’s like a spindly giant with magnetic gloves, designed to frustrate strikers. Which is just what he did, over and over, until Dimitar wanted to scream. Beaten.
But from the look that Edwin gave him, it’s not over yet.
***
Title: (Not Enough) Time
Author: fangirl_lizzie
Team of Choice: Manchester United
Prompt: Time
Pairing: Nicklas Bendtner/Theo Walcott
Rating: PG
***
He’s not playing again, and it pisses him off. But all he can do is watch and whine and wonder what he’s doing wrong, like there’s anything. He should be out there. He knows he’s good enough.
Theo says he understands. He sounds sure, too, quiet but he always is and Nick finds it easy to ignore him, not just because he’s so damn small. He knows Theo hates it when he looks straight over him but does it anyway.
Theo pushes him, kisses him, anything to distract - tells him it’ll work out fine. But Theo’s playing. He can’t understand.