Dreams Jnr. 9
Football's perfect protege, beloved worldwide phenomena. Legendary striker. The model player: charismatic and wickedly talented. Heir to father Dreams Snr's overpowering legacy. One of football's worst ever injuries on the field, and controversial foul by Tamlin Rose, cost him his knee and explosive pace, and forced him into premature retirement at 30 which is largely considered one of the greatest tragedies in football history. Retirement led him to inherit ownership of Velaris FC after his family's gruesome and shocking death in a high-speed car crash. A friendly reuniting him with ex-colleagues and current friends is estimated to be one of the highest grossing friendly matches, but it remains to be seen whether the Dream Team would ever come together and assemble again on the pitch, though they frequently meet off it. Rhysand Dreams is happily married to Velaris's striker Feyre 'Cursebreaker' Archeron and with her raises their boy, Nyx, in Night.
Temperamental, hot-headed, foul-mouthed Prythian’s Bad Boy. Named by all football stars as the hardest defender they've gone up against in their careers.
Illyria FC captain, brief contract in Summer FC before being banned
Valkyrie Junior League coach after retirement from professional football
Worst PR, most popular
Cassian vs. Bryaxis; only player to ever get in his head and rattle him so bad his performance tanked in a match. Had to take paid leave afterwards and set his head straight.
Grew up in the Prythian system
Ambassador for childcare around the world, especially Illyria
Internet troll, chronically online, deep in the trenches of the web.
Notoriously a beast on the pitch and a sweetheart off it.
random snaps; Azriel's contemplations when faced with Elain's whimsy salads, Astrid growing into a bookworm like her moma, Rhys going to fetch Nyx's bag from the car and disappearing for an hour, Elain's random but striking gifts, Nyx putting on uncle Az's helmet when running around in their house, Cassian following in Elain's beautiful food steps and making an effort, some of the cutest galoshes to be found in the world for Elain's two little helpers in her garden Astrid and Nyx, Azriel baking and decorating a lemon poppyseed cake to celebrate Elain's The Garden Club reaching 30k followers, Elain's annual teaparty for her niece and nephew and Feyre being glued to her job even on nights off.
So Shayla (harrenhal) wanted Bucky and Steve as rival FIFA players being awkward sorta friends whilst stuck in an elevator. This is probably not at all what she wanted, but I hope she still likes it.
(Please note that I know very, very little about FIFA so if something is wrong or just stupid, please do let me know. )
Bucky Barnes approached the hotel elevators tired and sweating like a pig. All he wanted was to go up to his room, shower, and sleep until the game the next day. There was a group of people milling about in front of the elevators. Bucky used his right hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead before it dripped into his eyes. Fuckin Brazillian heat. He thought. Fuckin crowds. Bucky was not a fan of either of these things, and when they combined, like they would in a small elevator, it made Bucky want to crawl out of his skin. So when the first elevator doors opened, he waited as the crowd flooded in. Less than a minute later there was a ding, and another elevator opened. Bucky stepped into the blissfully empty car and slumped against the mirrored back wall. And just as the elevator doors were going to close, someone stuck their hand in the middle and jumped on. Bucky was seriously considering growling at the man when he realized who it was.
Bucky shrugged. He wanted to say that it was fine, but he couldn’t force the words out. He just felt so awkward around Rogers. The guy was just so…. so nice. Rogers had joined the American team around the same time Bucky had joined Belgium’s, so the two had exchanged brief words at past World Cups, Bucky’s usually of consolation and Roger’s congratulatory. Which was part of the whole ‘too nice’ thing. Rogers was the farthest thing from a sore loser a guy could be. He was always polite and smiling. And to top it off the guy was an honest to god decent human being. Since the accident, Bucky hadn’t really known what to do with decent people. He never knew which way they would jump, would they ignore the arm or apologize or do that fake, too-large smile? Not knowing made Bucky nervous, hence the awkward. Thankfully, Rogers said nothing. Just leaned against the opposite wall and looked down at his feet. After a couple floors, it looked like he was going to say something. He’d raised his head and opened his mouth when the elevator doors dinged open on the 5th floor, the floor full of reporters. The two men whipped their heads towards the doors as Alexander Pierce walked in. Pierce grinned as he looked between the two of them. Bucky immediately shrunk back a little. Pierce was not a decent human being. He was nosey and pushy and most of teams’ managers had banned their players from speaking to him. Bucky avoided eye contact and hoped Pierce wouldn’t say anything.
Of course Bucky would never be that lucky, not when it came to Pierce.
“Bucky Barnes,” Pierce said, “ and Steve Rogers, my lucky day.”
“Don’t call me Bucky, that name is reserved for friends, one of which you are not.”
Pierce narrowed his eyes. “So how does it feel to be a cheater, Bucky?” he asked. Bucky jerked and looked at Pierce, mouth hanging open in shock. “I mean, after the accident most of us didn’t think you’d come back. And now they’re saying you shouldn’t have. With an advanced prosthetic like that, its really an unfair advantage, isn’t it?”
Bucky was speechless. Of course he’s heard the nasty things people had been saying, but no one had had the balls to say it to his face. Anger coursed through him, red and scorching. He opened his mouth to rip Pierce a new one, but Rogers was already talking.
“Are you kidding me? Not only are you being incredibly insensitive to guy who literally lost his arm saving someone else’s life, but your logic is so flawed it’s not even funny. This isn’t volleyball, it’s soccer. Its a game you play with your feet. I mean maybe, maybe, your logic would be a tiny bit less flawed if he was the goalie, but he’s not and you’re still an ass. No one with a functioning brain actually thinks he has any kind of unfair advantage. So if I were you, I would get out and go report on something factual.” While he was talking Rogers had hit the button for the next floor and was therefore able to shove Pierce out when the doors dinged open. Rogers kept his back to Bucky as the doors slid closed and the elevator started upwards again. Slowly, he turned to face Bucky. Ruefully, he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Uh...sorry if I uh...stepped on your toes their. I know you can defend yourself or whatever… that guy is just… “
Bucky stopped Rogers with a wave of his hand. “Pierce is an ass and he’s had it coming for a long time. I’m glad you gave him the verbal smack he deserved. Really Rogers, I should be thanking you, I was thinking about hitting the guy.” Rogers grinned goofily and dropped his hand to his side, sticking his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his heels. He’s like a golden retriever Bucky thought, a giant, ridiculously built, golden retriever.
“You can call me Steve if you want,” Rogers said. “My friends do.” Bucky nodded. He was about to say something when the elevator stopped again, Steve glanced up. “This is me,” he said. He waved, “See you at the game tomorrow Barnes.”
“Steve,” Bucky called after him. Steve spun around and stuck a hand out to stop the doors from closing. “Me and Natasha usually do drinks after the game. You wanna come?”
Steve smiled. “Yeah! Can I bring Peggy?”
"Sure. The four of us can drink to Belgian victory.”
“What if we win?”
“Then we shall drink to my sorrows, and to hell froze over.”
Steve laughed and began backing down the hall. “We’ll be there Barnes,” he said.
“It Bucky!” Bucky yelled as the doors began to close. Down the hall, Steve grinned.
