he’s stronger than me if i was martin odegaard and declan rice was commenting things like this on my instagram after he knocked us out of the world cup i would kill him
‘Joining the arsenal had been, initially, the perfect idea. It fit into the plans and ideas he had for his career so perfectly. His friendship with Bukayo had only solidified his expectations.
Bukayo has been the guy at arsenal for long enough that it gave Declan the perfect in, not only for the squad but for captaincy.
The squad was built and established enough that, with the right timing, the team could easily achieve greatness. Declan wanted to be the one to lead them to it.
He’d been so sure Bukayo understood that it was just the way it worked and that he wouldn’t hold it against him. He hadn’t commented when he made his first hint in the media that he wanted to be captain, even if it was with the condition of something happening to Martin.
The last thing he expected was, somehow, Martin.
Martin, Declan quickly found, is a great man. A great player, a great friend, a great captain.
He’d been mad about the comments Declan had made, he said as much, but continued to treat him the same. He didn’t have the same warmth, not unless they were caught up in the moment on the pitch, but he wasn’t unfair.
Declan hated him for it. He hated that he couldn’t even give Declan a reason to be so infuriated. He hated that he kept the team in line through it all. He hated that he never tripped or floundered.
But worst of all, he hated how it made him admire him.
“Martin,” he’d started one day, stopping him on the way to training. “Uh… I just wanted to say I’m sorry. You know, for the-“
“I know,” Martin interrupted. He’d smiled, grabbed his shoulder and gave a squeeze. “It is ok. You have been very professional. I appreciate it. Thank you for the apology.”
They hadn’t become immediate friends after, but the warmth slowly came flooding back. The change was painfully obvious.
“You two are getting on,” Bukayo had commented a couple weeks later. He’d had a slight smirk, a knowing look that made Declan squirm. “Didn’t take long.”
“What? It’s not like we hate each other.”
“Don’t you?”
“No, of course not. Did you think we did?”
“Eh, it was fifty-fifty.” Bukayo eyed him again, leaning back slowly. “You’re the one who sent those flowers, aren’t you?”
“Shut it,” he’d mumbled. “It’s not like that. He just- he said he liked sunflowers, alright, and I feel guilty and- stop laughing, I’m being serious!”
Bukayo had simply continued to laugh. He had snorted when he noticed how Declan perked up at Martins arrival, covering his mouth with his hand.
