Chapter Text
The stadium roared.
Thousands of voices merged together, the yelling, the flags waving proudly as the ninety minutes of football came to an end.
"GOOOOOOAL!"
The commentators voice echoed through the speakers as Jude slid across the grass, laughing breathlessly. His teammates chased after him , almost reaching but Haaland reached him faster.
"Not bad,"
Haaland laughed, wrapping an arm around his shoulder as Jude tries to catch his breath.
"Not bad?"
Jude scoffed between laughs.
"I scored from outside the box!"
"I know."
"It was brilliant!"
"It was lucky."
He gasped dramatically.
"Lucky?"
"Mmh."
"You passed me the ball!"
"I did."
"So technically it was your assist."
"It was,"
"And you're still saying it's luck?"
Haaland shrugged with a grin.
"I never said whose luck."
Jude shoved his shoulder, unable to stop smiling.
"You're impossible."
"I've been told."
Their teammates finally caught on, surrounding them in loud cheers and playful shouts. They wrapped their arms around each other, the stadium was filled with laughter and exhausted smiles.
The camera were fixed on Haaland and Jude , always finding each other.
No matter who scared , no matter where they were , they always find each other.
Whenever Jude scored, Haaland would find his way towards him.
_______ᓚᘏᗢ_______
Later that evening, the locker room buzzed with conversation. Everyone grouped together. Someone had music playing from a speaker.
Another player was dancing terribly enough to make everyone laugh.
"You're embarrassing yourself,"
Jude called out.
"I'm entertaining you."
"No, you're embarrassing yourself."
Haaland sat on the bench nearby , unlacing his shoes, without looking up, he nudge Jude's shin with the tip of his own shoe.
"Leave him alone."
"I'm telling the truth."
"So am I."
Jude crossed his arms , looking at Haaland like he got offended.
"You're taking his side?"
"I like peace."
"Liar."
"I am."
The room erupted into laughter again, Kane walked past, shaking his head.
"Y'all act like a married couple, always arguing."
Jude nearly dropped his towel at the comment.
"We do not."
"No?"
"No."
Kane walked away with a smile planted on his face. Jude looked at Haaland who stared at him,
"They're weird.."
Haaland hummed in response
"They've been saying that often."
"They need hobbies."
"They're footballers."
"Exactly."
Haaland chuckled quietly. That laugh..it was rare. Not because he never laughed, but because he never laughed this freely. Most people knew him calm but also crazy, let's not forget the crazy part. But laughing like this?..he wasn't cold..that laugh was just..reserved. Except around Jude.
Around him, the corners of his mouth lifted more often. Around him, conversation came easily. Around hi, silence never felt awkward. It simply felt comfortable.
Haaland protecting him when the others tries to jump him in a match.
Helping him get up when he's laying on the grass , tired.
It's the little things.
Things that nobody paid attention to.
Except for Jude.
He noticed everything.
Sometimes he wondered if Haaland himself realised what he was doing.
Their club corners eventually took them in different directions. They're not in dortmurd anymore but Jude cherished these moments alongside with Haaland.
They were in different leagues, playing for different countries, in different Jerseys.
But even so, whenever they saw each other across the training pitch..Jude would grim first while Haaland would shake his head. Sometimes , they'd meet halfway , for a pause , they started a conversation even if it was only for a minute. Some things never really changed.
Does it though?
Jude smiled.
He joked, trained and laughed with his teammates. Everything looked normal but Haaland noticed it. He knew Jude better than anyone else.
He noticed that Jude laughed a little less than before. That he lingered after training instead of rushing to tease anyone. That there were darker circles beneath his eyes. That he stirred his dinner around his place more than he actually ate. Tiny things. Easy to miss but impossible for Haaland to ignore.
"You look tired."
The words slipped out naturally as he came closer to him. Jude looked over.
"Hm?"
"You haven't been sleeping."
"I have."
Haaland raised an eyebrow.
"You have a terrible poker face."
Jude laughed softly.
"I'm just adjusting to the timezone."
"...that's all?"
"..yeah."
Haaland looked at him again for another second before nodding.
"Alright."
He let the conversation end there, not because he believed him but because he knew Jude. Pushing too hard would only make him retreat.
He heard some teammates of Jude calling him over , Jude waved to Haaland before retreating himself towards the team. Haaland stood there, watching Jude.
The question sitting quietly in the back of his mind..what's hurting you Jude?..
______ᓚᘏᗢ______
The morning arrive too quickly,
Jude had barely slept.
He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling as pale as the sunlight slipped through the curtains. The digital clock beside his bed blinked 06:13 am. His alarm wasn't sue for another seventeen minutes.
He didn't bothered closing his eyes again, knowing the sleep won't come. With a tired sigh, he pushed himself up, rubbing both hands over his face before reaching for the phone resting in the bedside table. The lock-screen lit up, thirty-eight notifications. He looked at them for a long moment, them.. he locked the phone again.
Not today.
He told himself.
He couldn't do it today.
____________
The dining room buzzed with sleepy conversations, most of Jude's teammates were already eating breakfast. Some laughed over yesterday's training, others argued about tactics for the upcoming match. Everything sounded distant. Like he was underwater.
"Jude!"
He looked up.
Kane waved him over.
"There you are."
Jude forced a smile and carried his tray across the room.
"Morning."
Kane looked at him for a moment.
"You look terrible."
"...Morning to you too."
"You slept?"
"A little."
"Liar."
Jude let out a quiet laugh.
"You're annoying."
"So I've been told."
Kane studied him for another second, but only for a second.
"You should eat."
"I will."
"You said that yesterday too."
"I'm saying it again today."
Kane didn't push, he simply nodded and returned to his breakfast. He'd learned something about Jude over the years, whenever he was overwhelmed, questions only made him retreat further.
________ᓚᘏᗢ________
Several blocks away..
Haaland sat at the table with his own national team.
His teammates as just loud as they look, just as Impossible before coffee.
Someone threw a piece of toast across the table. Another player complained about the coach's fitness drill. The room erupted into laughter. Haaland smiled politely. As always of course, but his attention drifted elsewhere.
"You've checked your phone fives times already."
Haaland looked up.
"Hm?"
One of his teammate raised an eyebrow.
"Waiting for someone?"
"...Maybe."
"You going to tell us who?"
"No."
His teammate grinned knowingly,
"You've got that worried face."
"I don't have a worried face."
"You absolutely do."
Haaland glanced at his phone once again.
No messages.
Nothing from Jude.
_______________
Training began an hour later. The two national team were sharing the same complex, using neighbouring pitches before the international fixture.
From a distance, Haaland spotted Jude.
He was warming up, stretching, jogging, talking to a teammate. Smiling.
He looks alright..
It should've reassured him but it didn't.
Something felt off..
Again.
_____________
The whistle blew, training began.
Jude move beautifully. Just as always.
His first touch was flawless, his passes were sharp.
His footwork was quickk enough to leave the defenders chasing shadows. The coaches nodded approvingly.
Commentators watching from the sidelines praised him.
"That's why he's one of the brightest young talents in football."
"Only twenty years old."
"The future is his."
Jude heard every word, none of them felt comforting anymore.
_____________
The session became more intense.
Small-sided matches. High pressing, quick transitions. Bodies collided. Studs scraped across damp grass, the ball reached Jude.
He turned, accelerated until a defender slid in. The tackle caught the ball but also took Jude's legs with it. He hit the ground hard.
A whistle echoed across the ground, the coach stopped the training.
Declan hurried over,
"You alright?"
Jude stayed on one knee. His breathing felt uneven, his bones were crushing against themselves. His chest felt tight.
"I'm fine."
The words came out automatically. Declan offered a hand, Jude stared at it. For a second, everything around him became too loud. He could hear his own heartbeat, people whispering , eyeing him.
Another hand rested gently on his shoulder.
"You sure?"
Something inside him finally snapped.
"I said I'm fine!"
He stood up and pushed Jordan. The words rang across the training ground. Jordan stepped back immediately.
"..Sorry."
Jude's eyes widened
No..
No, no, no.
"I didn't-"
The apology caught in his throat,
He nearly stumbled as he tried to move forward to Jordan.
"I'm..going to the locker room."
No one stopped him. They simply watched, confused but only Sancho seemed to know something, he always do. He was concerned, everyone was.
______________
Haaland had already started following him from behind.
"Jude."
No response.
"Jude."
Again, no answer.
He kept walking forward, the corridor leading to the changing felt strangely empty. Only the sound of footsteps echoed between them. Jude reached his locker first, he pulled it open harder than necessary. His hands trembled as he yanked his training shirt over his head. Haaland stopped a few steps away.
"You scared everyone."
His voice remained calm.
"You've never shouted at your teammate before."
Still, Jude didn't give out an answer or an explanation.
"Jude."
The younger man kept stuffing clothes into his bag. His movements were rushed, unsteady. Haaland noticed.
"You don't have to tell everyone what's wrong,"
He said quietly.
"But..tell me."
He was met with silence.
"I know something's been bothering you,"
Still nothing.
"You haven't been yourself,"
The zip of Jude's sports bag stopped halfway.
For a brief moment..neither of them spoke.
Then, Jude whispered,
"Please.."
Haaland frowned.
"What?"
"Just.."
Jude swallowed hard.
"..leave it."
"I can't."
"You can."
"Jud-"
"I said, leave it!"
The words came out louder than either of them expected. Jude turned around, his eyes turned red, not from anger but from exhaustion.
"Why won't you stop asking?.."
His voice cracked. Haaland blinked.
"I'm worried about you."
"I don't need you worrying!"
"You've barely slept."
"So what?"
"You hardly eat, you got skinny"
And it was the truth, Jude did got skinnier and Haaland couldn't go unnoticed.
"So what?"
"You keep saying you're fine."
"I AM FINE!"
The room echoed with the shout.
Haaland stared at him, for the first time in years..he didn't know what to say. Jude's breathing grew shaky, he saw the hurt in Haaland's eyes. He saw the way Haaland instinctively took half a step back.
"Haaland.."
His voice cracked.
"..I-"
The words wouldn't come, he wanted to apologise, to explain, to take everything back. Instead, he lowered his head.
"I'm sorry."
It was barely louder than a whisper. Haaland remained silent for a long moment, he nodded once.
"...alright,"
There were no anger in his voice but the sadness could be heard.
"I'll give you some space."
He turned and walked away. The locker room door closed with a quiet click. Jude stood frozen. The silence that followed was unbearable. He slid onto the bench, elbows resting on his knees as he buried his face in his hands.
"..What did I do?.."
His voice broke.
He had just shouted at the one person who never expected perfection from him.
The one person who had always celebrated beside him.
The one person who waited for him after interviews.
Who noticed when he skipped meals.
Who remembered the little things everyone else forgot.
And he'd pushed him away.