Chapter Text
CW: Brief mention of a loss of a child and mentions of infidelity
For all his life, Daniel “Dani” Eduardo Rojas Guevara knew one thing for certain. He was “el chico suertudo”, the lucky boy. When he was born, he was the twin who survived in his mother’s womb. The odds were not good for him because he was small and skinny compared to his brother. Still, Dani lived and thrived as the years went on.
With his boundless energy and infinite curiosity, Dani should have died at least forty times, according to his grandmother. However, the most he got was a scratch or a sprained ankle. The continual need for Dani to move drove his mother to desperation. How was she to get her overly energetic son out of the house and away from making a Dani-shaped hole in the wall? So she signed him up for football.
From the moment Dani tapped the ball with his foot, it became apparent his feet had been kissed by the angels. Despite only being three years old, his coach of the pequeño team said no other child could make the ball dance the way Dani could. From then on, Dani lived and breathed football. In short, football was life.
Throughout his childhood, Dani went through elite youth training programs and played football every day for several hours. At first, Dani’s mother worried that the expense of her son’s footballing journey would be too much to bear. There were four other children in the house plus an ailing mother and widowed mother-in-law. Football at this level would be dreadfully expensive. However, Dani’s skill and talent did enough for the clubs to shoulder the expense of paying for kits, boots, travel, and other fees. It was pure luck the boy had energy to spare after going to school, studying, and then going to four hours of practice.
As he grew up, Dani began fast moving up the ranks through the training academies. At the age of sixteen, he signed on with his boyhood team, CD Guadalajara, and went straight to the senior squad. In less than five months, Dani went from being a bench player to starting in every match. Dani’s name was on every sports pundit’s lips on being “the one to watch”. In Mexico, Dani became the equal of a saint. Then, the ultimate stroke of luck came at the age of twenty-five. Dani had been offered a transfer to the Premier League from El Tigres. Since Dani began to play football, it had been his dream to play in England someday. Though the club was small and what could charitably be described as a mid-table team, it was still England. Dani took the chance and did not look back.
Life in England treated him well. Though he has had his share of injuries, he remained a top player and was forever fielding offers from bigger and more influential clubs. In England, he made enough money to let his parents retire early, set up football foundations and charities in poorer areas of Guadalajara, buy his family a new house, and still have enough for himself and his two girlfriends. Yes, life was good for Dani Rojas. So long as he had football and his luck, everything was better than he dreamed of.
Until one day it was not.
The seed of bad luck began when he went to Jamie Tartt’s birthday party. As always, the team all showed up to a swanky club and danced until Isaac said it was time to go home. If there was one thing that people knew about parties hosted by Jamie, it was the number of fitties that would be there. There were at least four women to one man. Additionally, the alcohol would be flowing plentily. They had just won an important match against Man United earlier in the day. It was further cause to celebrate.
Though Dani’s love life raised more than a few eyebrows, he and his girlfriends were happy. Dani believed strongly in being fair and ethical with both women. Dani prioritized open communication and active listening. The arrangement had worked well for three years so far. Even though Dani was fully committed to both partners, strangers had the impression that he did not take the relationships seriously. After all, he was a young and talented football player. Why would he want to settle down so young? And who could handle two girlfriends at once? But Dani knew what he wanted and so long as his girlfriends were happy, then he did not care what others thought.
All night of the birthday, Dani had to gently tell the ladies dancing up on him that he was not available for anything more than dancing. If they got too carried away in trying to grind on him, Dani excused himself. Due to his charming and upbeat nature, most of the women couldn't be upset with the football star for turning them down. As always, Dani's girlfriends were well aware of his doings. Being transparent and above board was too important to Dani.
The party lasted until the wee hours of the morning when Isaac had to tell the blokes it was time to go home. They still needed to keep their sleep regimens and not overdo it with alcohol, even if they had the next two days off.
Everything had been fine until the morning of practice. Dani arrived on time as always and chatted amiably with the staff and employees. Making friends was something that came easily to him, yet another facet of his luck. It wasn’t until Dani had free-kick practice that he noticed something amiss. At the last practice, Dani made every free-kick. Today, however, he missed every single one. Roy stood on the sidelines, arms crossed over his chest, and watched Dani with a stern expression. Dani tried not to let it get to him. It was only practice and maybe he was still a bit sluggish from the days off.
During game practice, Dani could not get a whiff of the ball. He was slow, ungainly, and seemed lost on the pitch. His performance was so bad that the play stopped for his teammates to come to his side and ask what was wrong. Dani tried to smile and say he should have rested better the day before. Roy shook his head and muttered, “Get your head out of your arse for tomorrow, mate. You better not do this again.”
Jamie jogged up to him and threw an arm around Dani’s shoulder, “Alright, muchacho?”
“Sì! Just had a little too much fun at your party and didn’t sleep well.”
"I mean, we all did, mate. But you know, back to real life, yeah?”
Dani paused over Jamie’s odd reaction but brushed it off. He didn’t think about it again until that night when he took Sabrina on their scheduled solo date night. She acted as if she did not want to be here. For weeks, she had been begging him to take her to Kitchen Table. Even as a footballer making a reservation, he still could not get a table on short notice. After six weeks of waiting, they finally got a table. Dani absolutely loved spoiling his girlfriends. He did feel a bit guilty for being away so much. He tried to make up for it by giving generous gifts and being as attentive as possible. Only, Sabrina was cold and distant. She barely spoke during their meal and she kept pulling her hand away when he would try to reach for it under the table. No amount of cajoling or pleading would get her to tell him what was the matter. On their way home, she finally snapped.
“Why don’t you tell me what’s the matter, prick?”
Dani, for the first time in years, was at a loss for words. Jessica, his other girlfriend, was no better. She was outright hostile to him and packed a suspiciously large bag for just sleeping at a friend’s house. Sabrina told him if he knew what was good for him, he would leave her alone. Dani could not sleep that night. From his abysmal football practice to his girlfriends being angry with him, he could not understand what was wrong.
The next day, before practice, Isaac was waiting for him and took Dani aside. He looked at the floor first before squaring up his shoulders and taking a deep breath.
“Bruv…do you need a reminder about Greyhound Code again?”
The Greyhound Code was sacred for the coaching staff and players of AFC Richmond. When Roy took over the job, he did not want any primadonnas or dramatic antics in his locker room. He nearly growled that the only thing Richmond players would get press about was their football talents. Drama and scandal could wreck the team in seconds. Anything talked about in the locker room stayed in the locker room. Players were expected to be discrete and careful with public interactions, especially with the media. Social media had to be approved by Richmond’s PR firm. They had to be on high alert that anyone could sell a story about them to a gossip rag.
Dani’s furrowed brow and uncharacteristic frown made Isaac sigh before he pulled out his phone. He handed it to Dani and what he saw made his heart drop.
A scantily clad woman was walking down the steps of the club. A large red circle was drawn around her hand clasping the wrist of Dani standing behind her. The headline was in all red and in capital letters.
“Rojas’s Red Hot Romance with Only Fans Model Makes Us Say Ay Caramba!”
Dani was too mortified to be irritated by the casual racism of the headline. The byline was even more damning. “He’s insatiable…he’s a real Latin lover.” His eyes scanned the article and each word he saw alarmed him. It was all lies! He didn’t even know the name of this woman, let alone spend a night with her. But he saw a line that made his mouth taste sour. The woman claimed she still had his watch from their night together. Dani had thought he lost it at the club and even went back to look for it but couldn't find it again. He foolishly reasoned someone needed it more than him.
“Isaac…amigo, you have to believe me! I do not know her. I never met this woman in my life. She grabbed my hand because she nearly tripped down the steps. I didn’t want her to fall so I helped her. She must have taken my watch then. She went to her car and I went to mine. That’s it.”
Isaac’s shoulders sagged and sighed with palpable relief. “Fuckin’ Daily Mirror and their shit stories. Don’t worry about it, Dani-boy. I’ll tell Roy it’s shit and they’re fuckin’ with ya. They’ll shut up when they see you score a goal, yeah?”
Dani nodded half-heartedly but he was very rattled now. He had to go home. He needed to explain to Sabrina and Jessica this was not what they thought it was. Coach Beard didn’t need an explanation and told Dani his girls came first. Dani nearly fell out of the cab, trying to run into the flat, Sabrina and Jessica had packed all their belongings and left. No matter how many times he called or texted, neither woman picked up. He sat alone in their big empty flat. Three years. Not even a chance to explain or give his side of the story. Their whole relationship had been built on strong trust and openness. Did none of that matter anymore because of a picture taken out of context?
The bad luck continued. Two days later, Dani’s youngest sister called, sobbing into the phone. Their elderly grandmother finally succumbed to old age and poor health. “You have to come home, Dada. Mama needs you.”
The death of his grandmother hit hard. Had it not been for his grandmother’s insistence, football never would have come into his life. She was the one who told his mother to sign him up in the first place. She cried with pride when Dani made his debut with the national team. He was given time to go to the funeral but as soon as he returned, a loss against Arsenal and Jamie tearing his ACL made Roy demand that Dani start right away. He was the only striker left. It was as if football became allergic to him. Within twenty minutes of playing, Roy subbed him out with a youth player when he lost the ball four times and got outrun every single time. Richmond was right in the middle of the table by Christmas.
Dani had to turn off his social media because the comments began to stress him out. He had never dealt with this sort of vitriol before. It stung badly when he was told to go back to where he came from, kill himself, or that he deserved to have his legs broken so he could never play again.
Then came The Article.
Dani was in the process of selling his old flat and looking for a new one. Not having his partners home with him anymore rocked him badly. Dani had not slept alone in those three years until the breakup. He was used to living in homes full of chatter and laughter. Now it was just cold and unfeeling silence. To effectively move on (per Jamie’s advice) it was better to completely start over and get a place without the memories of his old life to bog him down.
As he was on his way to meet the estate agent, Colin sent him a text message. “We’re all with ya, boyo. We don’t believe it.” Then more messages from his teammates came in, all pledging support and friendship. Dani was about to phone Isaac when Roy’s number flashed across the screen.
“Come to the kebab shop near my place. We need to talk.” Roy abruptly hung up.
When Dani sat down, nervous and twitchy over what Roy had to say. Roy looked tired and unwell himself. He ran a hand down his face.
“What’s happened to you, mate? What's going on?”
Dani stammered that things had been fine for a while. Things started going south after Jamie’s birthday. Roy nodded slowly.
“Look, you know I wanted to give you time after your gran. I felt like a right arsehole for making you play but that whole fuck-up for Jamie made us do it.”
Roy pulled out his phone. Oh no…every time someone pulled out a phone in front of Dani, he knew it was bad news for him. Roy’s mouth was drawn into a tight line and he crossed his arms after he slid the phone across the table.
Dani’s ex-girlfriends gave a tell-all interview about their relationship over the years. Dani’s blood ran cold as he read. He was mocked for being a “mummy’s boy” and “being overly close with his sisters”. The tone implied something was inappropriate in the way he talked to them. Heat spread unpleasantly across his face when his religious beliefs were called into question over his “living in sin” and partying lifestyle. The worst part was the graphic details the article went into over their sex life and what Dani liked in bed. He wanted the ground to swallow him whole then. The truly damning thing in the article was when Sabrina implied that this was not a lifestyle she wanted and she felt “coerced” at times.
“I mean, he is a big-time footballer. They are not used to being told no. Sometimes you do things you don’t really want to because you end up relying on them for everything.”
This line genuinely crushed Dani. He looked up at Roy, who still looked grave and tired.
“Coach.” Dani choked out. The room felt hot and stuffy. He needed air but more than that, Dani desperately needed Roy to believe him.
“I would never. I wouldn't push anyone into something they didn’t want. I know they are angry with me but it was never like that. I love them both and–”
Roy held up a hand. “You’re a good one, Dani. You’re not a dirtbag. The club stands behind you a hundred percent. The PR team is making a statement for you to look over. Rebecca wants to know if you want to take legal action.”
Dani shook his head emphatically. Even though his exes caused him an unfathomable amount of pain, he still loved them too much to put them through the difficulty of going to court. Roy raised an eyebrow at first but eventually sighed. “See, this is further proof that this is all bullshit. But you gotta realize they definitely caused damage. You know that, right?”
Damage was an understatement in his mind. Dani reached into his pocket and began thumbing his rosary beads. He needed to feel the cool and smooth wooden beads to recenter him. Since that terrible practice, he had been trying to stay positive and think only of good things. When his girlfriends left, he tried to see it as a new chapter in his life. When his grandmother died, he considered himself fortunate that he had a grandmother who lived this long and got to see him play for the national team. His poor form of late was just a gentle reminder that he needed to give more generously to his childhood church. But this…there was no way he could find the good in this.
"I’ll do anything! I promise, I’ll go to Doc Sharon five days a week, twice a day. You say it and I'll do it!”
Roy lowered his head and muttered, “We need another striker. We had discussed this at the beginning of the season since you and Jamie were the only ones we had.”
Dani’s voice became uncharacteristically small. “W-who are you getting?”
“Azayza.”
Dani slumped in his seat. Shit. This was going to be the end of his footballing career. The striker Roy had spoken about was considered a football prodigy. He was ten years younger and had been written as the “It Boy” of football. On top of his brilliant footballing skills, Azayza was noncontroversial and had a childhood sweetheart whom he idolized. No unconventional lifestyle or scandal to taint the club’s reputation.
Roy went on, “The club is not letting you go but until you get back into form, we need a replacement. You gotta sit on the bench.”
For a moment, it felt like Dani could not hear anything. All he heard was a strange pounding in his ears. Roy’s lips were moving but he could not hear a word. Whatever noise was in his head was so loud. Too many things were going wrong for him. Usually, it was only one aspect of his life that went sideways. But for his personal and professional life? How was he supposed to overcome this?
Roy’s growly voice cut in. “A Dani with a thing to prove is the most dangerous kind of Dani there is. No matter how good Azayza is, we won't push you out. You have my word.”
The meeting ended with a hug and a handshake. He supposed he should consider himself lucky that he was not being outright sold.
Two weeks later, Dani was in a new flat. It was even nicer than his old one at Richmond. He spent most of the afternoon putting all the photographs, gifts, and small possessions that belonged to either Sabrina or Jessica into a box. Dani knew it was crazy to hold onto these things. But maybe his home wouldn't feel so lonely if he kept them all in a foot locker. Dani didn't know what to do with himself. He missed his old flat. He knew the neighbors well and got on wonderfully with the landlord. The plain white walls and sterile grey floors just felt soulless.
His old flat had been such an eclectic and wildly decorated place. Jessica favored bright colors and antique pieces while Sabrina liked neutral colors and modern design. Dani just liked anything that reminded him of home. The hodgepodge of color and design was chaotic but he liked it that way. In a way, it was symbolic of the relationship. It didn't make sense to others but it worked for them.
After he moved the footlocker into a spare room, Dani finally convinced himself that he needed food. He hadn't gone food shopping or set up his flat. Earlier, when he looked out his window, he saw a small hole-in-the-wall Chinese takeaway across the street from his flat.
Like many footballers, Dani was obsessed with food. Of course, he was immensely careful with what he ate during the season. On holidays or special occasions, however, Dani ate as if someone starved him for days. In his opinion, there was no food better than his mother’s cooking. In general, he maintained that Mexican cuisine was proof of God's existence. But…Dani also had a weakness for Chinese takeaway. He knew very well most takeaways in England were inauthentic but he couldn't help but love it anyway.
Was it stupid of him to eat so much food that broke his nutrition regimen? Yes. But honestly? Sod it. Dani was tired and stressed. So what if he ate a comfort meal just once? No one could begrudge him for that.
With his mind made up, he walked across the street and pushed open the door of the takeaway restaurant. The fluorescent light flickered above him, humming in an annoyingly loud way. The floor was not the tidiest and there were sticky and dirty white plastic chairs stacked in the corner of the restaurant. At the desk, a young woman was reading from a large red leather textbook. She looked to be his age or a few years younger. Her hair was piled on top of her head messily. The thick black glasses were nearly falling off her nose. If she didn't have her book, Dani would have thought she looked dreadfully cross with her furrowed brow and downturned mouth.
She looked up when she heard him walk to her. Dani felt mild guilt for startling her.
“Hello! Are you still open?”
The girl pushed her thick black glasses up her nose. She did not reciprocate his friendly and joyful demeanor. She gestured quietly that he could take a seat wherever he wanted. Dani purposely picked a seat nearest the counter. Eating by himself felt strange. Her frown made him almost reconsider but the seat wasn't taken. For a brief second, the girl could have been pretty if she didn't look like she was going to be sick over a customer. Though the girl was not saying much, he could probably get her to warm up to him. People always did.
“Do you know what you want?” she asked as she handed him a menu. “Or do you need time to decide?”
Even though Dani was going through a terrible time, he still had to chat with anyone he met and be as friendly as possible. Regardless of the lack of joy in his life, he had to give it to others. The girl looked as if she could use some cheering up herself.
“What’s your favorite thing to eat?”
She stared blankly at him for a moment. “What?”
Dani smiled wider, “If you ate here, what would you eat?”
The waitress began to look around. Her brows furrowed and she scratched the back of her neck. Dani got the distinct impression she thought he was trying to set her up for a cruel prank.
“Um…I wouldn’t really eat here.”
It was probably not nice of Dani but he began to laugh. The honesty was unexpected but refreshing just the same. It was the first time he smiled or laughed in days. The waitress did not smile but her shoulders loosened.
“What does the staff eat when dinner is over? Don’t you all have a big meal together when the customers are gone?”
Once again, she cast him a look that made him think he had grown another head. “There are only two people here. We go home after we clean up.”
“So what do you eat at home?”
The waitress’s mouth twitched and she sighed impatiently. “Will you order or not?”
“Yes but I want to eat what you like best. The real food.” Dani answered cheerfully. He realized that may have sounded insulting to food. “I mean, the food on the menu sounds good too but I know restaurants have a secret menu. That sounds fun, no?”
She regarded him seriously before nodding like he was an idiot. He now began to feel the prickle of discomfort. Usually, people responded very well to his enthusiasm and excitement. It threw him off when they seemed to want him to go away. Still, Dani encountered far less friendly people and they ended up becoming his best mates. Jamie hated him at first and now he was one of his closest friends on the team. It just took persistence, which Dani never ran out of.
“Just a minute. Let me ask my dad.” The waitress muttered. She went back to the kitchen, calling out to her father. The waitress was gone in the kitchen for a long time. Dani thought about getting up to leave because he was getting hungrier and hungrier. Just as he was about to say he needed to go home, the waitress pushed open a heavy door with her shoulder.
She came bearing a large steam basket. The glasses she had been wearing had been removed and now hung from the collar of her shirt. Her cheeks were even a little flushed, even though she held the basket away from her. The waitress gave him a tight smile and placed the basket in front of him. There were twelve identically shaped dumplings in the basket arranged neatly in a circle. The waitress came back with a small dish of dipping sauce and handed him a pair of chopsticks.
“Wait! What are these called?”
“Dumplings.”
She was probably tired from the cooking, especially if she made something that wasn’t on the menu, which was why she wasn’t chatting much. He beamed at her. “No, what is it called in your language?”
The waitress bit her lip. She held his expectant stare before quietly answering. “It is called zhengjiao. They’re steamed dumplings with pork filling. ”
Dani repeated the name but his tongue tripped over the syllables. The waitress helped him sound it out correctly after he asked her to teach him how to say it. Dani took a bite and he nearly fell back in his seat. He could never go back to eating anyone else’s Chinese takeaway again. The pork was flavorful but not overloaded with heavy sauces, salt, or sugar. Dani usually didn’t like cabbage all that much but it complemented the pork nicely and added a pleasant texture. The dough was not soggy but it was wonderfully soft and cooked through.
He somewhat forgot his table manners as he tucked in. He didn’t even thank the waitress again because he couldn’t stop eating. If the hour wasn’t so late, he would have asked if he could order some more for home.
“Excuse me? Can I talk to the chef and thank him for the food? It was the best thing I have ever eaten. Well, not compared to my mother's food but very close."
The waitress, who had gone back to her reading, looked at him skeptically but called her father to come out. An older man appeared, wiping his hands on his apron. The second he saw Dani, both hands flew to his mouth.
“Rojas? Dani Rojas? In my shop?”
It was hard to tell who was more excited. Dani happily told him how nobody could make dumplings as well as he could and he couldn’t wait to eat more. The waitress looked aghast when her father ran into the back and grabbed a football from his office. Dani signed it and readily agreed to take a photo with him. When Dani asked how much it was, the older man shook his head emphatically.
“It is an honor to have you eat in my restaurant. You can eat for free whenever you want.”
Dani, however, was having none of that. He paid as if he ordered several of the most expensive things on the menu. He smiled warmly at the waitress and pointed at her.
“Your daughter is very kind to bring me such delicious food. It was her all her choice. She's very clever.”
The father looked as if he could die from happiness over his daughter being acknowledged by a football star. The daughter in question, however, lowered her eyes to the ground and said nothing. Dani promised he would come back again soon and said goodnight.
As he was leaving, he saw the chef still looking like a child who got all his birthday wishes come true. His daughter, however, barely cracked a smile. She went back to her book and her shoulders sagged. She must have sensed something because she looked up and saw Dani near the window. He waved goodbye and smiled good-naturedly. She only gave a brief nod and went back to her textbook.
After a rough month, it felt nice to eat a “home-cooked” meal and meet people who didn't think the worst of him. When he drove to his new flat in the morning, a few people saw him driving and they honked and shouted vulgar things at him.
God, he wished he could forget the day his mother called when the tell-all was released. She cried and cried, beyond embarrassed that her friends, neighbors, and coworkers all knew what her son did. Some of them hatefully asked what kind of man did she raise to do such outrageous and inappropriate things. No matter how Dani tried to explain, his mother was far too upset. It took days before she finally spoke to him again. Even then, her language and tone were stilted and forced.
But at this unassuming restaurant, Dani felt normal again. Even if he was not a public figure, they went out of their way to accommodate and feed him well. It just felt…nice to be cared about even in a small way.
Jiang felt so old. She was only twenty-four and her bones were at least seventy-five. Restaurant days were the worst. She was on her feet from three AM to nine pm, carrying heavy pots and pans, doing prep work, washing dishes, and cleaning the floors and tables. Most people ordered takeaway and dining-in guests were rare. The restaurant didn't make much money. They broke even every month but Baba didn't seem to mind. He was just happy they could afford to pay their bills on time each month.
Jiang knew better than to argue but she wished her father could make more money. Not for material purposes but so that he could afford to pay employees to take over his workload. She tried to help as much as she could but Baba insisted she focus on her studies, her tutoring jobs, and then the restaurant. But she always pretended she did not have much to do and had time to help.
As she locked up, Baba was still chattering eagerly about the customer who came in. Dani something. Jiang didn't care or know much about football but her father and uncles loved it. She supposed she could tolerate it because it was one of the few things that brought her father any happiness.
“He's a wonderful striker! He runs so fast and has such a strong shot. Dani Rojas! In my restaurant!” Baba crowed to her uncle over the phone. “So well mannered and generous too! He loved Jiang's cooking. He said he'd come back.”
As they took their train home, Baba was calling anyone awake that a famous footballer had come to eat. Jiang didn't understand why her father was acting as if the Royal family came to eat. He was just a man.
Jiang shook her head subtly. He was probably never going to return. He may have said that to be nice to Baba. But people never did what they said would and it was so easy to give false hope. Her father might have believed him but Jiang didn't. Besides, this footballer probably wanted good press over being “A Good Lad” by visiting a junky restaurant like theirs. He'd expect to be praised and flattered for being nice to “the poors”.
Arsehole, she muttered to herself. Jiang hoped she'd never see him again.
For those of you who like visual things, Jiang looks like singer/actress Zhao Jiamin.
Since this fic is also very food-heavy, I will be sharing the recipes of the foods mentioned in here. This is the link for https://tastycooking.recipes/zheng-jiao-steamed-pork-dumplings/