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More Than Just a Game

(Fic #2)

"I'm proud of you, you know."

Dallas's fingers threaded through her boyfriend's wavy hair, gently massaging his scalp as they cuddled on the couch. Drayton nestled his cheek against her upper thigh, his body stretched out between her legs.

He didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the football game flickering across the tv screen. He was lost in his own thoughts, wrestling with the emotions her words had stirred up. Dallas continued to play in his hair, understanding his silence. The gentle hum of the sports commentators filled the space between them as a comfortable buffer.

“Did you hear me?” She asked softly.

His eyelashes fluttered, and he turned slightly to look up at her with a half-smile. "Yeah, I heard you." Then he turned his attention back to the game.

Dallas watched him for a moment, biting the inside of her lip. She knew better than to push him when he got like this - sometimes Drayton needed time to process words he didn't feel he was worthy of.

“Do you know why?”

He let out a sigh. “Honestly no, I don't.”

The USC home football game the day before had been a disaster - at least that's how Drayton saw it. While the team had managed to pull off a narrow victory against their rivals, Drayton had fumbled two crucial passes and missed a touchdown opportunity in the fourth quarter. No matter how many of his teammates tried to tell him otherwise, he was convinced he'd nearly cost them the game and had let everyone down.

Dallas let her hand rest on his shoulder. "I’m proud of how hard you work, how dedicated you are - one game doesn't change that." Her voice was gentle but firm.

Drayton shifted uncomfortably under her touch. "Apparently not enough." He spat out.

Dallas noticed the tension in his shoulders hadn't eased, but she kept her hand there, steady and reassuring.

“I don't get to mess up like that Dallas, I can't. It was an embarrassment, and there's no way you don't think so too.”

"If I was embarrassed by you then I wouldn't have gone down onto the field to kiss you right in front of everyone. I wouldn't have worn your jersey number proudly in the stands, and I definitely wouldn't be here right now, trying to convince my incredibly stubborn boyfriend that one rough game doesn't define him."

Drayton was quiet for a long moment, his eyes fixed on the TV screen but not really seeing it. Finally, he turned over onto his back, looking up at Dallas with a vulnerability in his face that made her heart ache. "I just..." His voice cracked with emotion. "I hate disappointing people. I hate failing," he admitted.

Dallas reached down to cup his cheek, her thumbs brushing across his skin. "The only person you're disappointing is yourself by being so hard on yourself," she whispered. “And that's not fair to you.”

“I know, I know.”

Dallas leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, letting her lips linger there for a moment.

"You do?" She raised an eyebrow, her tone skeptical. She pulled back slightly to study his face, searching for any hint of sincerity in his expression. "Because it sounds more like you're just saying what you think I want to hear."

"Okay, okay," he conceded with a small sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I'm working on it.” He paused, his voice growing softer.

“Mhmm I thought so.” Dallas shook her head with a fond smile, tapping his nose gently. "That's progress."

"And…” Drayton added. “Thank you for coming down to me after the game. I really needed you."

Dallas leaned to kiss him again. "I'll always be there." The warmth of her words settled over him like a blanket, and for the first time since the game, his shoulders truly relaxed.

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