𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄

⋆ 𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗞 ― 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟮 ──────── 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 .ᐟ

[lorelai-danes]

SADIE SINK attending the photo call for Spider-Man: Brand New Day in NYC (July 2026)

[oliver-ssstark]

ha, i can ask her but she does have her hands full with her 35 year old son-in-law. i think she is doing it because she thinks keeping me well feed will keep me from running off again. which she is not completely wrong. on a serious not though, i feel really lucky that she loves me and loves to make me feel included in the food she makes. you are the second person to suggest chocolate chip cookies, so i will have to ask her.

[sadlesink]

Tell her I'm no trouble, I clean up after myself and everything, but seeing as you has her hands full, I understand. Running off again? She really said, "not on my watch." So she's bribing you with sweet treats? Not a totally bad decision. In fact, it's pretty wise now that I think about it. I'm really happy for you. Sounds like a really lovely dymanic you have. Cookie chip cookies are the OG for a reason, right? Everyone loves them.

[ferrantcrres]

i heard through the grapevine that you and a certain soccer player, someone i've already had to go up against on the pitch more than once, went out together after the england vs france match. this has officially become personal. i really thought you were going to back spain, at least after the states were eliminated on the round of 16. i hope jude is happy about argentina losing though, because we got our revenge for them! ( @sadlesink )

[sadlesink]

Okay, how do you even know that happened? It's not like there were any photos of us. Are you stalking me, Farran? This is scary territory. Should I start considering getting a restraining order? No, I'm sorry. You know how much you mean to me and I was so excited for that win. I don't know, I've been spending a lot of time with Jude and it's hard not to root for him when he looks at you with those big, puppy dog eyes. Don't worry though, we were both cheering so loud when you won and I think I actually damaged my vocal chords by how loud I screamed when you scored that goal. So proud of you. Please tell you you've been celebrating. You deserved that. Argentina were sore losers.

[pgavis]

you're telling me that while spain were busy being absolutely brilliant at the world cup, you were at a completely different match cheering for england? what happened to loyalty? what happened to believing in spanish football? we're out there giving everything we've got and you're off waving an england flag somewhere. i don't know if i should take this personally or not. actually, i do know, i'm taking it personally. start explaining yourself.

[sadlesink]

Here you go, always with the dramatics. You can't see me, but I'm rolling my eyes right now. Come on, you can't be too mad at me, can you? I mean, you didn't even invite me to a single Spanish game. It wasn't like I wasn't rooting for you and I cheered so loud when you guys won, but I don't know... there's something, or should I say, someone special in the England squad. You were incredible though and fully deserved that win. Only conceding one goal in the entire tournament? Talk about talent. How did you feel raising that trophy?

[judbellingham]

for a moment, jude simply stared at her. the hotel suite, the skyline glowing through the massive windows, the disappointment that had followed him from the stadium, all of it seemed to disappear. standing there with her hand resting against his neck and that smile reserved only for him, the world felt smaller somehow, simpler, easier to breathe in. a quiet laugh escaped him at her comment about being treated like kings, his hands settling naturally at her waist. "trust me." he murmured, his eyes never leaving hers. "if you saw me trying to survive on my own for a week, you'd realise they've got the wrong lad." the joke lingered between them for a second before his expression softened again. looking at her felt dangerous in the best possible way, every wall he'd spent years building around himself seemed to crumble whenever she was this close. "you know…" he began quietly, his thumbs brushing absent circles against her sides. i thought tonight was going to be one of those nights i'd remember forever because of football." his smile turned faint, thoughtful. "i thought I'd either be celebrating one of the best moments of my life or trying to process one of the worst." his gaze searched hers. "turns out the thing i'm going to remember most isn't the match." the admission hung in the air between them. "it's this." the room fell silent around them, neither seemed in any hurry to move. jude could feel the warmth of her hand against his skin, could see the way her eyes softened every time they met his. it made his chest ache in a completely different way than it had a few hours earlier, a better way. "you know..." he said quietly, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, "when you said you had a thing for me…" his laugh was soft, almost nervous. "i don't think i answered properly." his eyes dropped briefly to her lips before finding her gaze again. "truth is, sadie, i've liked you for a while now." the confession felt strangely easy, like something he'd been carrying around for too long. "probably longer than i should admit." his hand slid gently from her waist to rest against her cheek, his thumb brushing softly across her skin. "every city got better when you were there, every day felt easier when i knew i'd see you." he shook his head slightly, smiling at himself. "and every time you left, i spent the next few hours wishing you hadn't." the honesty in his voice was impossible to hide. "so yeah." his eyes warmed. "i like you too." for a second neither of them spoke, they simply stood there, impossibly close, the air between them charged with everything they hadn't said until now. jude's heart was beating faster than it had during any match he'd played all tournament. the realization made him laugh softly under his breath. then, before he could overthink it, before doubt could creep in and convince him to stay quiet, he leaned forward, slowly, giving her every opportunity to pull away if she wanted to. when she didn't, his smile softened. his forehead brushed hers one final time before he closed the distance between them completely. he kissed her, his hand remained against her cheek as he kissed her, the other still resting at her waist, holding her close as though she was the one steady thing left in a world that had felt upside down since the final whistle. when he finally pulled back, he didn't move far. his forehead rested against hers again. "well..." he murmured. "i think i've been wanting to do that for a while too." the grin that followed was brighter than anything she'd seen from him all day. "definitely longer than i've been wanting the room service."

[sadlesink]

Time seemed to still. Or prehaps, here, in the hallway of an overpriced, overdressed hotel suite that carried his intoxicating scent, time had never really existed to begin with. Sadie could hear her heart pounding in her ears, her blue eyes entirely focused on him, the shape on his face, those expressive eyes and the two toned gradient of his lips. Her gaze flickered down then moved right back up. The words he spoke, powerful enough to catch her breath and remove the air from her lungs. When she met him months ago, she could never in her wildest dreams have imagined they would end up here, but sometimes fate has a way of throwing the unexpected in your direction. His delicate touch left an invisible mark, one she could never rid herself of, but wasn't entirely sure she would want to given the chance. Jude looked at her like she was worth something, like she was more than just a pretty face in the crowd. Her smile grew wide at the confession that he liked her too, his warm gaze settling on her lips and suddenly she felt like a teenager again. The option to pull away had never even entered her mind and then his lips were pressed against her own. With her eyes fluttering closed, she brought her other hand up, circling her arms around his neck as she lost herself in the taste of him. Grateful for every moment that lead to this, Sadie briefly pressed herself against his body, the harsh contrast of his lean chest paired with the soft fullness of his lips became a welcome distraction. All too soon, he pulled away and she had to physically stop herself from pouting at the betrayal. "You could have done it sooner." She muttered, eyes opening to find his own, their foreheads pressed together and the gentle fan of his breath bushing against her mouth. "Maybe your appetite has been refinded to something more rare than what you'll find on the hotel menu. " The smile on her face impossible to ignore. His lips were slightly swollen, a little more pink than they had been prior to their kiss and Sadie couldn't look away. Cupping the fullness of his cheek in the palm of her hand, she brushed against the highpoints of his face with the pad of her thumb. "You know, I was didn't know what to expect coming back to your hotel room." The confession fell straight from her tongue with very little thought. "I'd been told by some people to watch out for soccer players, apparently some of you have horrible reputations." Rolling her eyes back as the words continued to fall, her obvious annoyance at people thinking they knew better than she did, when she was the person involved with the situation. "But I knew you, back when I was some idiot tourist back in London, who didn't know her pennies from her pounds." Laughing now, she could see the funny side in that, at the time, she'd been mortified. "I don't know, I guess I always thought to myself that you were meant to be in my life. At the time, I couldn't have possibly predicted this." As she took a tinny step back, already missing his warm, her fingers trailed down from his cheek towards his chest, where she playfully and with a distinct grin, began to pull the zip of his jacket down his torso, only to gently tug him towards her when the two halves separated at the end. "But I'm happy, for the first time in a long time, and a lot of that is due to you." Sadie almost whispered, pecking his lips quick enough to have him questioning if that had actually happened.

[limelightstevens]

How did your first run on the West End go? And doing Shakespeare, too! Really getting the full English acting experience. @sadlesink

[sadlesink]

It went well, thank you. Since I've been doing Broadway since I was a kid, the West End didn't feel so scary. Yeah, truly, I don't think it gets more English than that, does it? It helps that a lot of people in my life are English too. I felt like I fit right in.

[perrieedwavds]

has anyone ever told you that you kind of look like joey king a little bit? you have similar features? also please don't be offended if this question is a bad one, but is your red hair natural? because it is fucking beautiful, wish I had that colour and is it hard to maintain and keep on top of it? hiya me names perrie lovely to meet you. || @sadlesink

[sadlesink]

I've never been told I look like her, but since she dyed her hair gingee, people have mentioned that she looks like me. Not sure how she would feel about that, but hopefully she isn't traumatised. Wow, not offended at all. Yeah, my hair is natural. People ask me all the time if I'd ever change it and I don't want to do that, you know? I like my hair. The upkeep is easy since it is naturally. Nice to meet you too.

[sadleslnk]

SADIE SINK

for Spiderman: Brand New Day press in New York

[milliebubbybrown]

babes, i loved seeing you at the match! can't believe it happened way before we had anticipated, seeing each other i mean. i really thought we were gonna drag this 'i wanna see you' and 'i wanna see you too' until the end of our lives. my heart is still in pieces, i still can't wrap my head around argentina taking that final away from us! but oh well, all the luck in the world to spain bringing the cup home! when you're done being busy with the press tour... or, you know, with a certain english boy, you know where to find me. come see me, and don't let go like you already promised!

[sadlesink]

Thrill of my life. Still can't believe it happened. I'm telling you, we are soulmates, it was meant to be. We can't stay away from each other for too long, it's been decided by the laws of the universe. Next time, we'll see each other for more than a couple hours. I'm talking full blown sleep over because one day is never enough. Yeah, I was so upset for you guys. I know how much the team and the fans wanted it. Guess we just have to cheer extra loud for Spain this year. Wow... can't believe you would call me out like that. Am I really so obvious? But you know me, I cling to you like glue. You're stuck with me in this life and the next, no one coukd never take your place.

[oliver-ssstark]

the best part of having a mother-in-law that loves you, beside them loving you, is the bake goods that she makes! the vegan lemon loaf that she made this morning, gone. lets just say i'm going to be getting the most out of my gym membership while she is out here. now she might have asked me what i else would like so if any of you have suggestions, please give them to me! i need all the baked goods. maybe you will get some...probably not, you never know. @limelightblvdstarters

[sadlesink]

Does your mother-in-law want to adopt a twenty four year old red head? Asking for strictly professional reasons, of course. No, that's seriously so sweet though. She must think the absolute world of you to go our of her way and start baking these sweet treats. Those things take time and if she's willing to put in all that effort, she loves the hell out of you. As far as suggestions go, I don't think you can ever go wrong with a classic chocolate chip cookie, right?

[hiddlestontcm]

TEXT:: Sadie

Tom: Im still drawn back to your work on the West End and was reminded of our brief exchange in London. You should know you were incredible in Romeo and Juliet your performance was utterly rivoting.

[sadlesink]

SADIE: You're always so kind to me. Thank, Tom. I've been a huge fan of your work for years now and admired so many of your perfomances. If you're even the slightest but impressed with my work, I know I must have done well.

SADIE: Are you still in London these days?

[judbellingham]

jude felt his chest tighten with every word she spoke. not in the painful way it had after the final whistle, but in a way that left him feeling exposed, seen. nobody had ever been particularly good at comforting him when it came to football, most people either treated him like he was invincible or rushed to tell him why everything would be fine. sadie did neither, she simply listened, she understood. somehow, despite never growing up in dressing rooms or stadiums, despite not living and breathing the sport the way he had since he was old enough to kick a ball, she understood exactly what this loss meant to him. he found himself staring at her while she spoke, hanging onto every word as though they were the only thing keeping him from sinking completely into his disappointment. the mention of murals and children carrying his name made him let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "that sounds insane when you say it out loud." his smile grew slightly. i still feel like the same kid who used to annoy everyone by kicking a football against the garage door for hours." he looked down briefly, his thumb tracing absent circles across the back of her hand. "it's strange. i spend so much time focusing on what i haven't done yet that i forget about any of that." his voice softened. "i forget that there are people watching, kids watching. i don't know if i'm half the role model people think i am, but hearing you say all that…" he paused, swallowing hard. "it helps a whole fucking lot." his eyes never left hers as she confessed how invested she'd become because of him. the admission made something warm bloom in his chest, cutting through the disappointment that had followed him since the match ended. a small grin tugged at his lips when she called him the pretty boy she met in london. "pretty boy?" he repeated, feigning disbelief. "that's all i am now?" the teasing only lasted a second before his expression softened again. he reached up and gently brushed his knuckles against her cheek. "for what it's worth, london would've been a lot lonelier without you too." his voice dropped lower. "i don't think i have ever told you that." when she admitted she had a thing for him, his smile widened despite himself and he ducked his head slightly as if suddenly embarrassed. "a thing for me?" he murmured. "good. because i was starting to think i imagined all those signs." the joke was quiet, but the affection behind it was impossible to miss. he shifted closer after settling into the seat, immediately wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him.

the kiss she pressed against his jaw nearly unraveled him. after everything that had happened, after the pressure, the heartbreak, the endless noise inside his own head, that small gesture felt more comforting than any speech his manager could have given. he closed his eyes briefly and rested his head against hers. "you know..." he said quietly, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them. "i almost didn't ask you to come." a soft laugh escaped him. "not because i didn't want you here. quite the opposite, actually." he tilted his head back against the seat. "i was terrified." his confession hung in the air between them. "i kept thinking you'd say no or that it'd be weird or that you'd think i was being too much." he looked down at her with a sheepish smile. "turns out i was being too much. i just got lucky." his fingers squeezed her shoulder gently. "and now i can't imagine this tournament without you being part of it." the honesty came easily tonight, maybe because he was too exhausted to hide it anymore, maybe because she had earned it. "every city felt better when i knew you were there. every win felt bigger because i got to celebrate it with you afterwards." his eyes drifted over her features, lingering for a moment. "and somehow, even this loss feels easier because you're sitting here beside me." by the time the car pulled up outside the hotel, the ache in jude's chest hadn't disappeared, but it no longer felt quite as unbearable as it had when he'd walked out of the dressing room. eventually, he climbed out first and immediately offered his hand to her, refusing to let more than a second pass before their fingers found each other again. together they made their way through the hotel's grand entrance, greeted by polished marble floors, soft golden lighting. a few heads turned the moment they stepped inside, some guests recognized him instantly, their expressions shifting with sympathy after the match, while a couple of people subtly reached for their phones. normally jude would've smiled, stopped, maybe even taken a photo or two, but tonight he barely noticed them, his attention remained fixed on the woman beside him. his arm settled comfortably around her shoulders as they crossed the lobby, pulling her slightly closer as if he could somehow shield himself from the rest of the world through her presence alone. the elevator arrived quickly, and the second the doors closed behind them, cutting off the noise and curious stares, he released a slow breath and leaned back against the mirrored wall. his eyes found hers through the reflection before he finally stepped forward, wrapping both arms around her waist and pulling her against him without a word. resting his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes and allowed himself a rare moment of peace. "if you'd told me this morning that i'd end the night hiding in a hotel with you and enough food to feed an entire football team, i probably would've called you crazy." when the elevator reached their floor, neither of them noticed at first, too caught up in the comfort of simply being close, and it wasn't until the doors began sliding shut again that jude laughed and guided her into the hallway. when they finally reached his suite, he pulled the keycard from his pocket and glanced over at her, a softness settling across his features that hadn't been there all day. the lock flashed green, the door clicked open, and warm light spilled out into the hallway. jude pushed the door open wider before turning toward her with a small smile. "come on." he said quietly, his fingers brushing against hers once more.

[sadlesink]

A warmth grew in her chest and Sadie couldn't help but wonder when the constant echo of his presence became so comforting, not that she minded, of course. In fact, she quite liked it and that alone was a unique feeling. Jude wasn't simply a man she knew, he had become extremely real, very quick. A person who exposed his emotions and spoke so freely, he had burrowed his way into her heart so naturally, she had barley felt the impact until he was looking at her with those expressive features and suddenly, she realised she was done for. Seeing him tonight, all that passion and then the ultimate loss had humanised him so much that she realised, she wanted to be the one he ran to with things grew difficult. If he wanted that too, she wouldn't run or hide away. She'd stay and she'd continue to hold his hand through the good times as well as the bad. A soft laugh fell from her lips, eyes sparkling when she realised her words had made an impact. "Beyond the trophies and the titles, I'm pretty sure soccer started as a game made to unite people." She shrugged, never once taking her eyes from him. "That's what you do and you are still that kid who used to annoy everyone by kicking a football at the garage door." She admitted with a small, teasing grin, her hand squeezing tightly around his own. "And you know what? It paid off, you're living that little boys dream right now." Sadie voice softened, her eyes wide and full of hope. "I know you said you remember watching the tv and wanting to play for England." She reminded him, moving closer into his orbit and sharing the heat from his body. "There's going to be future soccer players doing the exact same thing with you, Jude." She promised. "So for the future Jude Bellingham's of the world, be a little kinder to yourself, okay?" The words fell freely from her tongue, so full of honesty she could only hope he would carry with him for as long as he needed it. "You inspire and you teach... you might not always see it, but it lives in you, Jude." Now that she was speaking so openly, Sadie found it impossible to stop. "I'm so proud of you. Not just for today, but for every day I've known you." Her eyes softened. "You taught me that kindness isn't conditional." As he repeated her own words back to her, Sadie's cheeks flared with a scolding heat. Embarrassment lingered and her eyes suddely found the ground beneath their fear extremely fascinating.  "Not just a pretty boy." She all but whispered, looking at him through her lashes, wondering if he knew how much his gentle touch effected her. "But you have to admit, you are easy on the eyes... I can barley look away." The boldness of the words shocked even Sadie, but she smiled innocently and brushed her hand over his chest, right where his heart lay. "No, you never told me." She confirmed after he said London would have been lonier if she hadn't been around and her heart blooming with hope at his confession. "Next time either of us decide to take a trip to London, let's promise to invite the each other." She proposed. "Wouldn't want to know the city without you." Her smile brightened. "Shut up." Sadie could feel her cheeks burning scarlet and ducked her head to avoid his gaze. "This is the part where you're supposed to say you like me too, but I guess that can wait." She laughed, leaning into his touch. "Really? That would have been a shame. I've loved being here." His head against her own, all her defences fell away. With his arms creating a barrier around them, Sadie had never felt so safe. "For what it's worth, I'm really glad you invited me." There was no hesitation in what she said. "Not only have I discovered my new favourite sport, but I've loved spending all this time with you."

Not wanting to break the fragile moment they'd created, Sadie simply wrapped an arm across his waist where they sat and fell victim to the fresh scent that lingered on his clothes, no doubt from whatever products he'd used earlier in the shower. Her eyes closed for a breif second as the world around them continued to move, but time in the car stood still. "Maybe I was the idiot here. All those times you asked before, I don't think I realised what it meant until now." She spoke truthfully. "Being able to share your excitement and you sorrow... I'm really glad it was me you wanted near when everything grew loud." The second the car pulled to a stop, her blue eyes opened right back up, but she was shocked to learn that despite reality calling out their names, their little bubble was still in pristine condition. It took a long minute for either of them to react, but all too soon they were untangling their limbs from one another and she watched as he stepped out the car, her heart leaping as he offered his hand which she wasted no time in accepting the gesture as she shuffled out beside him. The walk into the hotel lobby was a blur. She saw the shiny, granite flooring and her eyes registered the small crowd watching as Jude made his way inside, but her focus hadn't been on that, it had been on him. The sharp line of his jaw, the stuble exhaustion lingering in his stance. As soon as his arm fell over her shoulders, she wrapped her own around his waist, wanting nothing more than to protect him from whatever judgement fell across a the room. Jude moved so naturally, with a sort of grace she had never been blessed with, but admired all the time. Sadie followed him to the elevator without any protest and entered alongside him. As the doors closed behind them, she recognised the relieved sigh that fell from his lips and reached out to brush her hand against his cheek. "You're safe." She promised, their reflection staring back through the mirrors. With a quite laugh, she relished in the close proximity, her forehead against his own, arms carelessly slung over his shoulders to keep him near. From where she stood, she could feel his heart beating a slow, steady rhythm and quickly discovered it to be her favourite sound. "Yeah, well, dare to dream." She joked. "We could order the entire menu if it makes you happy." Time inside the elevator didn't seem real. It played out like a silent melody, so much so that the doors opening hadn't registered until Jude's laugh reached her ears. Sparing a breif glance over her shoulder, Sadie finally noticed the doors attempting to close and her eyes grew wide. Shocked that she'd been so caught up in the moment, their surroundings had become background noise. Joining in with his laughter, there was no hesitation as she followed him down the hallway. The anticipation built up, soft eyes watched his hands move and all too quickly, and somehow not soon enough, he'd pushed the door open and invited her inside. Fingers tangling with her own, Sadie stepped inside the threshold of the suite, the door closed behind them as her breath hitched. She'd been in her fair share of hotel rooms, she was taken great care of by her team, but this was something else. Large and open, the windows bigger and providing a beautiful view. She turned to him, lips curved into a teasing grin. "Wow, they treat you like kings." Stepping out, she positioned herself to stand in front of him, her free hand moving to rest against his neck, thumb tracing delicate circles along the exposed flesh while her eyes found his and refused to break contact. "Finally, I have you all to myself." She spoke playfully, brushing her nose against his and smiling the way she had specifically reserved for moments shared with him. "I've been hoping for this."

[sadlesink]

SADIE SINK POSTED ON INSTAGRAM

sadiesink_: match ready. ⚽️ @judbellingham

[judbellingham]

judebellingham commented: mine. 😍🤤

[sadlesink]

↳ sadiesink_: my goal scorer ❤️

[sadlesink]

SADIE SINK POSTED ON INSTAGRAM

sadiesink_: match ready. ⚽️ @judbellingham

[judbellingham]

jude let out a quiet laugh, but there was no real humour behind it. the sound was hollow, weighed down by exhaustion and disappointment. his shoulders sagged as they continued walking, his fingers tightening around hers as though he needed the contact to keep himself grounded. around them, people continued moving through the stadium grounds, but everything felt distant, blurred together into meaningless noise. for the first time in weeks, maybe months, football wasn't the only thing occupying his mind and somehow that made everything hurt even more. he listened carefully as she spoke, hearing every word, appreciating every attempt she made to pull him out of the darkness threatening to swallow him whole. but it was difficult, god, it was so difficult. "everyone keeps saying that..." he murmured after a long silence. "that i'm young, that i'll have another chance, that i'll be back." his jaw tightened slightly. "and maybe they're right, maybe i will be." he shrugged helplessly. "but nobody knows that for sure, do they?" his eyes drifted toward the pavement beneath their feet. "4 years is a long time, sadie. people act like it's guaranteed, but it's not. players get injured, managers change, teams change, everything changes." he swallowed hard before continuing. "i've watched enough football to know that some players spend their entire careers chasing moments like this and never get another opportunity, some never even get one." a humourless smile touched his lips. "so when people tell me not to be upset because i'll have another world cup, it almost makes me angrier. because what if i don't? what if this was the best chance i ever get?" he exhaled sharply through his nose and shook his head. "i know that probably sounds dramatic." his gaze lifted toward her, finding comfort in the familiar blue of her eyes. for a few seconds he simply looked at her, taking in the softness of her expression, the concern she wasn't even trying to hide. "the worst part isn't even losing." he admitted. "it's knowing how good we were. knowing what we could've done." his voice cracked slightly before he looked away. "i keep replaying everything in my head. every pass, every mistake, every moment i should've done something differently." a small laugh escaped him, bitter and frustrated. "i've probably replayed the entire match a hundred times already." he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, exhaustion finally beginning to show through the composed exterior he'd maintained all evening. "when i was a kid, i used to sit in front of the television and imagine what this would feel like. playing for england, hearing the anthem, walking out in front of the whole world." his eyes softened slightly at the memory. "and i always imagined winning. nobody dreams about getting knocked out, nobody dreams about sitting in a dressing room afterwards wondering where it all went wrong." he paused, his gaze drifting toward the stadium towering behind them. "when that whistle blew..." he stopped himself for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "i don't know. it felt like somebody ripped something away from me. it sounds stupid because it's only football, but it doesn't feel like only football right now."

they finally reached the car, but instead of immediately opening the door, jude stopped walking. he turned toward her completely, his hand still holding hers. "you know what i was thinking about in the dressing room?" he asked quietly. "not football, not the match, not even the tournament." a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "i was thinking about finding you." his expression softened considerably. "the whole time i was sitting there, listening to everyone else process everything, i just kept thinking that if i could get out of that room and find you, maybe i could breathe again." he laughed under his breath, slightly embarrassed by the confession. "pathetic, right?" without waiting for an answer, he shook his head. "i don't care." his thumb brushed gently across the back of her hand. "because every time i looked into the crowd tonight, i looked for you." a warmer smile appeared, the first genuine one she'd seen since the match ended. "and every time i found you, for a second everything felt a little less overwhelming, you have no idea what that means to me." the noise around them seemed to disappear entirely as he reached up and carefully tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "everyone else sees the footballer, they see england, they see expectations and headlines and trophies." his voice softened further. "you're the only person here tonight who's looking at me like i'm still just jude." for a moment he simply stood there, studying her face, letting the comfort of her presence settle into the cracks left behind by the loss. then he leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss against her forehead and allowing himself to stay there for a second longer than necessary. when he pulled back, his expression looked lighter than before. "i don't think you're ever going to understand how much it means that you came here." he admitted. "you could've been anywhere in the world tonight. instead you're stuck babysitting a miserable footballer who's about two bad questions away from starting a fight with a reporter." he finally opened the passenger door for her and rested one arm against the frame, his eyes never leaving hers. "that room service idea might be the smartest thing anybody has said to me all day." a faint chuckle escaped him. "i want burgers, fries, ice cream, cake, whatever ridiculous desserts they have hidden on the menu. then maybe we can sit in the hotel room, watch something completely unrelated to football and pretend the world cup doesn't exist for a few hours." his fingers squeezed hers once more before he finally let go long enough for her to get into the car. "right now, being with you sounds a lot better than winning any interview battle with those vultures back there."

[sadlesink]

For the first time in a long, Sadie found herself lost for words. Here was this brilliant man, walking side by side, holding her hand, airing out his truth and all she wanted was to hide him from the tragedy that taunted every fiber of his being. It took a minute, but eventually she gathered her thoughts well enough to begin a conversation she hoped would help. "Jude, it's not dramatic to allow your emotions to present themselves. This isn't just a job to you, it's your world" She assured softly, needing to validate his emotions now more than ever. "You're allowed to be hurt and it's okay to be frustrated with the outcome of something that matters to you." She continued, brushing her thumb against the back of his palm. "People aren't machines. If you're sad, showing it only means your brave enough to allow me to see it and believe me, I'm honoured that you feel safe enough to speak so freely with me." Her blue eyed gaze met the dark irises she'd grown to adore and she offered him a gentle smile. "There are no easy answers here." She confessed with a sigh. "As much as I want to, I can't fix this for you and I certainly can't tell you what's going to happen in the future." Sadie continued, kicking the ground beneath her feet. "I don't know where you'll be in four years time or if you'll be playing in another world cup." She shrugged. "What I do know is how much of an impact you've made this time around." Her gaze turned soft, gentle and calm the more she spoke. "I knew nothing about soccer until you entered my life, but since meeting you, I've noticed a shift." Like day at night, the thoughts hit so suddenly, she almost physically stumbled from the impact. "People are painting murals of you on buildings. Grown adults are having children and giving their baby your name." A soft laugh fell between them. "You inspire people. You made your country proud. There's a reason people were so quick to join in and sing Hey Jude. That doesn't go away because of one game." She willed him to believe it. "You might not be raising that trophy this year, but somewhere in England, there are going to be kids kicking a ball around and they're going to be pretending they're you." Eyes shining with pride, Sadie could truthfully say she had never met a man like him before. He was one of a kind and she could hardly believe he was still holding her hand like a lifeline. "The wound is fresh and I know you might not feel this way, but you did your best and you guys have the talent." Pausing for a moment, she looked around, the blue sky still beaming down golden sun rays. "Not every success is measured by first place."

Taken back by the abrupt pause in his step as they neared their ride away from the stadium, Sadie turned towards him with her brows pinched in concentration. With their hands still teathered like intricate writes refusing to seperate, she listened to the words he spoke and shyly averted her gaze to her own shoes before bravery took a hold and her eyes found his again. "It's not pathetic." Shaking her head, she draw nearer. "You know, there were so many players on that pitch, but I couldn't keep my eyes off you." She laughed at how ridiculous her confession sounded, even to her own ears. "I kept thinking to myself that this couldn't possibly be my reality. My dad has tried to be me into sports my whole life and I could never focus." She sheepishly confessed. "And then you entered my life and suddenly I'm fully invested." As he brushed her hair back from her face, Sadie instinctively leaned into his touch and sighed in relief. "You're Jude to me. Not Bellingham, not number 10. Just the pretty boy I met in London who kept me company when the city felt so isolating." The universe had a funny way of placing the right people in your life exactly when you need it. Sadie hadn't realised how important Jude was until she found herself craving his presence in the odd times they spent apart. She watched him in awe, his soft lips pressed against her skin, breathing new life into her lungs. Her heart fluttered impatiently against her chest and she couldn't recall when her smile had widened, but she knew it definitely had. Seeing him look an air lighter released the tention from his shoulders. "There is no where else I would have been today. Babysitting a miserable footballer isn't so bad when that player happens to be you." Sadie laughed in a lighthearted manner. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I kinda have a thing for you." Embarrassed by her wording, but unwilling to take it back, she thanked him briefly as he opened the car door and slid inside, patiently waiting for his entrance. The loss of his hand in her own stung more than she would allow herself to admit, but she hardly had time to dwell on the absence when seconds later, he was sitting beside her and she was leaning in against the warmth of his broad frame. "We can even get a whole pizza if you want it. All the rules are off the table tonight. I know you must have a strict routine, but you should enjoy yourself for a few hours. We can watch whatever movie you want and I'll sprawl myself all over you so you don't let those thoughts consume you." The car began to roll away from the stadium, the game now nothing more than a memory as Jude's driver began to navigate their way back to the hotel. Leaning up, Sadie pressed a lingering kiss to the sharp hinge of his jaw and slowly pulled back with a sparkle in her eyes. "Thank you for your persistence. I know it took a while for me to say yes, but I'm really glad I accepted your invitation to these games. Getting to know you has changed so much for me."

[judbellingham]

being at the world cup was a dream come true. jude had never felt happier in his life. he was meeting people from all over the world, sharing the pitch with players he had admired for years and representing his country on football's biggest stage. on top of that, he was surrounded by his closest friends every day. it felt like he was living the life every young boy dreamed of, and he knew how lucky he was to be there. but that was before the match against argentina. jude had known it would be difficult. any world cup knockout match was. what he hadn't expected was how helpless it would make him feel, from his perspective, everything seemed stacked against england, every decision felt like it went the wrong way, every break seemed to favor the opposition, and with tens of thousands of argentine supporters filling the stadium with deafening noise, it often felt as though england were fighting an impossible battle. that night, everything that could go wrong had gone wrong. being eliminated from the world cup was painful enough, but knowing how talented this england squad was made it even worse. he genuinely believed they could have won it all. he had imagined lifting the trophy, bringing it home, celebrating with his teammates and with the supporters who had believed in them from the very beginning. watching that dream disappear in a matter of minutes felt devastating. the atmosphere inside the dressing room was unlike anything he had ever experienced. nobody was shouting, nobody was angry, the silence was worse. a few players sat with their heads in their hands, others stared blankly at the floor, the occasional sound of a locker door closing echoed through the room, only making the silence that followed feel heavier. nobody knew what to say, there was nothing to say. jude stepped out of the shower and quietly dried himself off, he hadn't spoken a single word since the final whistle, he got dressed mechanically, barely paying attention to what he was doing. when he finished, he shut his locker with a dull thud and left his england shirt hanging inside. normally, he would have folded it carefully, normally, it would have meant something. tonight, he couldn't bring himself to care. maybe one of the staff members cleaning up later would take it, maybe it would end up in storage somewhere, maybe someone would keep it as a souvenir. at that moment, none of it mattered, his thoughts were a mess and he wasn't even sure what he was supposed to feel anymore.

as he walked out of the dressing room, he immediately spotted a crowd of reporters waiting outside. cameras were already pointed in his direction. jude let out a slow breath, the last thing he wanted was to answer questions. what was he supposed to say? how was he supposed to explain the disappointment written all over his face? how could he apologize to millions of supporters when he felt like he hadn't even processed the loss himself? part of him wanted to be brutally honest about everything he was thinking, but he knew better. the headlines would be everywhere by morning and the last thing he wanted was to create controversy when emotions were already running high, so he kept walking. then he saw her, for the first time all evening, something inside him softened. sadie stood a short distance away, patiently waiting for him. she didn't have a camera in her hand, she wasn't looking for a quote, she wasn't expecting explanations, she was just there. a small smile appeared on jude's face despite everything. ignoring the reporters calling his name, he headed straight toward her. the moment he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. for a few seconds, he simply held her there, as if the rest of the world had disappeared. he pressed a gentle kiss against her cheek before placing another on her forehead. "thank you for being here." he said quietly, offering her a tired smile. his voice was softer than usual, weighed down by exhaustion and disappointment. reaching for her hand, he intertwined their fingers and looked down for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "want to get out of here?" he asked, taking a deep breath as he bit lightly on his lower lip. "i don't think i can listen to another question tonight."

[sadlesink]

When she'd been invited to the world cup, the last thing Sadie had expected was for her to have actually become so invested in the sport. It wasn't exactly the soccer that caught her attention in an iron clad grasp, but more so the person on the pitch giving his all to the game. She saw it in the small moments he felt no one was watching, how his eyes shined brighter and a small smile always threatened to break free against his lips. This match was different to the one she's watched days prior, the odds weren't swayed in his favour and when the final whistle blew, signaling the end of the game, she felt the exact moment her heart shattered. Before now, she hadn't cared about goals, fouls or red cards, there had been no need. Then suddenly he entered her world and all of that stuff seemed to matter again. From the crowd, she watched as the look of anguish washed over his sharp features and all she wanted was to run out from the stands and wrap him up in a protective embrace and comfort him, but she couldn't. It wasn't allowed and even if it had been, Sadie highly doubted he would have wanted such an emotional moment to play out on such a public stage. As everyone began to leave, she took that as her queue to follow and walked through the stadium, passing by loud fans and tired workers. Her mind focused on one goal and one goal only: she had to find Jude. As much as he loved the team he'd played with, the atmosphere that surrounded the players would be one of sorrow. An inescapable, terrible mood would hover over the England team for the next few days, at least. He needed a friendly face to remind him that while it might not feel like it right now, this wasn't the end of the world. He would continue to play and he would go on to do amazing things, but it was more than okay if he needed a moment to grieve the game he'd been so optimistic about winning only a couple hours ago. Sport was competitive and everyone who played faced the same outcome should the sun go down on their one bight day. Logically, she knew that, but logic didn't matter when the person you cared for was hurting so deeply. Sadie felt it in her bones and hated the thought that she couldn't necessarily fix this for him. All she could hope now was that he would be open to her presence. So she weaved through bodies and pushed past people with an absentmind "sorry." entirely unphased by the disgruntled protests, none of it mattered. She needed to get to him.

Outside the dressing room was chaos, opportunistic press surrounded the space, eager for their latest headline. Standing a small distance away from the hungry crowd, Sadie allowed her blue eyed gaze to shift towards the door and then almost like the Gods were granting her a small mercy, out walked the very man she wanted to see. Freshly showered and wearing a mournful expression, Jude had never appeared so lost before. Standing at over six foot tall, yet somehow looking smaller than ever. Like a wounded animal, he appeared lost for a moment as he looked towards the vultures that wanted to pry on his weakened state, but he continued to move forward and then his eyes found her own. Deep brown with a glimmer of gold in the right lighting, she lost herself in him as he approached and reciprocated the same small smile he had offered her. With little thought, her arms tangled themselves around his body, melting into his embrace. It didn't matter that someone might be looking, or that she was almost an entire foot shorter than him. She didn't care about any of that, she just wanted him to realise his worth wasn't determined by a game. Even with the loss, he remained so kind, the soft kisses against her skin brought along a subtle blush across her cheekbones, but now wasn't the time to acknowledge it. Sadie looked up towards him and showed a bright smile, her hand gently cupping the fullness of his cheek. "There's no where else I would rather be." She confessed, a softness to her voice she hoped he would pick up. Tangling her fingers with his, Sadie squeezed the palm of his hand and nodded quickly to his suggestion. In that moment, she would've pretty much agreed to anything he wanted. "Of course. Let's get you out of here." She agreed, not needing him to elaborate as she began to move her feet. Step by step, leaving a sea of interviewer behind in their wake. It wasn't important right now. "Want to go back to your hotel? We can stay safe from prying eyes and order as much room service as you want." Sadie tried to keep the conversation light, hating the thought of him hurting so deeply and not being able to do anything to fix it. As they approached the car, she chanced a small glance in his direction and noticed the sadness still lingering. "You know, I'm really proud of you." She started, swinging their hands back and fourth between them. "Twenty three and having your name in the same conversation as the big dogs. You should take pride in that."

[sersh]

SADIE SINK Wearing Chanel, hair styled by Anthony Campbell, makeup by Mary Wiles and styling by Molly Dickson for the A Sacrifice press tour day 1, June 13th 2024