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nadja-antipaxos · 2 years ago

Text

two - mirrorball

Previously - One || Masterlist || Next - Three

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: swearing

Note: Please enjoy this next chapter and leave feedback if you'd like! Still takes place before 2x05.

Word Count: 1,113

They walk to the parking lot and see Roy and Keeley talking as he drops her off.

“Hi, boys.” She smiles.

“Mornin’, Keeley. Mornin’, Roy.” Ted smiles back.

“Don’t forget. We gotta pick up Phoebe.”

“Oh, right. Play date with that Kokoruda girl.”

“Her name is Diya, Roy. Not that hard especially for an Indian name.”

Ted looks at Beard before walking closer to them.

“We just met a little girl named Diya.”

“Her mom is Priyala Kumari. She got us coffee.” Beard chirps up causing Ted to give him a surprised look.

“That’s her. She goes to Phoebe’s school. Roy coached her.” Keeley’s eyes lit up with recognition.

“Fucking beast. Best kid on the team—besides Phoebe.” Roy nods. “Just threw her whole body into it.”

“I can see that. She knows what she wants.” Ted smiles.

Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Ted looks Priyala up online after training. He restricts himself from looking up anything personal because that felt weird. He just wanted to know more about her books. One of her books is going to be made into a movie and she’s writing it. She’s pretty popular and mostly writes romance novels, but the kind with a brassy female protagonist and not the ones with ripped shirts and washboard abs. It had a man and woman who hate each other, but are forced to work together on a project. They’re both cutthroat ad executives. Ted bought the ebook to check it out. It was funny, thoughtful, and romantic. She’s a great writer. He couldn’t put it down until he finished it. He decides he’s gonna buy the one that Beard is reading next.

Beard wants to go back to the coffee shop and Ted suspects he’s psyching himself up to getting his book signed. They get in line. Diya waves wildly and Priyala gives a small smile as they move ahead. Priyala nudges Jaya who then looks up and gives a weak wave.

“Good morning, Coaches.” Diya has a long ponytail today. It swings back and forth as she skips to the waiting area.

“G’morning, ladies. Y’all looking snappier than a Mercedes.” Ted smiles.

“Good morning.” Priyala laughs.

This time they didn’t rush off right away. Instead, they walked with them down the streets. Ted hopes no one calls him a wanker while he’s walking with children. They haven’t done it in a while, but now that they’re losing again, who knows? Diya tells them about a book she’s reading in class while Jaya trudges along in silence. Ted looks at Beard. Beard clears his throat and stops making Priyala look back at him.

“Ms. Kumari. I didn’t wanna say this yesterday, but I love your books.”

“Why? Are you embarrassed?” Priyala teases.

“No. Never. I just didn’t wanna bother you.” Beard explains, a little flustered.

“He reads your book at the club. If he was embarrassed he wouldn’t do it in front of all that unbridled testosterone.” Ted adds with a gentle eyebrow raise.

Priyala laughs and Beard relaxes. He pulls the book out of his backpack.

“Could I get your autograph?”

Diya rolls her eyes and Jaya hands their mother a Sharpie pen from her bag. She must get this enough to warrant such a reaction.

“Of course.” Priyala scrawls a message on the inside and gives it back. “What do you think so far?”

“Ah ah ah, don’t tell me. It’s next on my list.” Ted puts his fingers in his ears.

“Okay, is there a Richmond book club or something?” Priyala chuckles.

“No, no. I read one of your books last night. Couldn’t put it down. I was gonna ask Beard if I could borrow his, but seeing as you just made it a collector’s item—I’m gonna be getting my own.”

“Which one did you read?”

“All or Nothing. It was like You’ve Got Mail but with politics instead of book stores.”

“I love Nora Ephron.”

“You must be the heir apparent then. You had those perfect touches, but it was definitely your own voice.”

Her eyes grow wide as she stares at him. She’s clearly thinking. He doesn’t say anything and just stares right back. Beard shares a look with Diya and Jaya.

“Mummy, Coach Lasso said something nice.” Diya tugs her sleeve.

“Uhh. Wow. That—I haven’t heard that before.” Now she’s flustered.

“Say thank you.”

“You’re right, baby. Thank you, Coach Lasso. That was very kind.”

Jaya rolls her eyes in a way that puts Roy Kent to shame.

“See, Mummy! They came.” Diya jumps up and down clearly not needing any pick me up the next morning.

Before Priyala can do it, Ted picks up their orders. She looks at him in a way he can’t place. Is she suspicious? Grateful? Bored?

“I didn’t see your book on, eBay, Coach Beard. You must’ve kept it.” Priyala smiles as Ted holds the door open for her.

“Oh, trust me, that’s a prized possession now. Right up there with the Payton jersey,” Ted tells her.

“I don’t know what that means, but okay.” Priyala shrugs.

“Walter Payton. Chicago Bears.” Beard adds.

Priyala looks at both her daughters to shed any light on the situation. No such luck.

“Where are our manners, Coach Beard?” Ted asks as they walk down the street.

“What?!” Beard makes a show of looking around. He pats down his jacket and turns up empty.

“We haven’t offered these fine ladies tickets to the match on Saturday.” Ted shakes his head.

The scream that erupts from Diya’s mouth is so high and so loud you’d think she was telling every dog in London the 101 Dalmatians were missing. Jaya cups her hand over her little sister’s mouth. She bounces up and down silently instead. Despite the ringing in her ears, Priyala looks at Ted.

“That’s very nice of you, Coach Lasso, but please don’t go to any trouble. Especially after Diya punctured your ear drums.”

“Sorry, Mummy. Sorry, Coaches.” Diya frowns making an upside down triangle with her mouth.

“We’re all good, Robin Hood. We’d love to have ya. Wouldn’t we, Coach?” Ted looks over at Beard who nods. “You don’t know him well enough yet, but that was a very rare nod.”

Priyala chuckles and looks at her children. “Would you like to go?”

“Mummy, please just get Mr. Lasso’s mobile before Diya kills us.” Jaya pleads.

Ted pulls out a business card out of his wallet after realizing they could’ve just exchanged phones. She types it in and shoots off a text.

“We’ll see you Saturday. Thank you, Coaches.” Priyala raises her eyebrows expectantly at her daughters.

“Thank you, Coaches.” They sing back in unison.

#ted lasso #ted lasso x oc #ted lasso x ofc #oc: priyala kumari #mirrorball #fan fic

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