Chapter Text
“Virgil and Ali sitting in a tree!”
“Robbo…” Virgil sighed
“K-I-S-S-I-N-G-”
Ali hid his face with his hands just as Klopp decided to tell the man that was enough. Telling them was a massive mistake, wasn’t it?
Or well..
Virgil didn’t want to do it as it was, but it kind of just came out of him by accident. Virgil was trying to explain himself as he and Ali were walking down the hall and Robbo and Trent somehow managed to get an earful of Virgil’s words. As did Klopp. But Klopp wasn’t bothering him and Ali about it unlike Robbo.
Trent was quiet but he too was smirking at Virgil.
“Oh come on, gaffer, look at them! He called Ali cute! I can’t just LET it go, this chance comes once in a lifetime!”
“I’m sure you’ll get other chances, like when Ali isn’t around so he doesn’t explode.”
Ali WAS pretty red, they could see it even as he hid away behind his palms. Virgil wanted to wrap his arms around him and hide him away from the eyes of others-
Why was he thinking like this-?
“I-I should get going..” Ali mumbled out, his hand slowly moving away from himself so he could now stare at the ground instead. Still flustered. Virgil’s heart clenched at the adorable sight.
“Awww really?” Trent asked and Klopp couldn’t help but chuckle, it almost sounded like Trent was a 5 year old kid sad to see their best friend go home after a sleepover.
“Yeah.. I told Eddy I’d come back to the cafe in a bit. It’s already 3, I can imagine he’s already tired from all of the work he had to do. Alone.” Ali looks a bit worried, “I already felt bad asking, I don’t want to leave him alone for any longer. Especially since business started growing.”
Oh if only he knew.
Virgil perked up, “You’re free to go, just text us so we know you’re safe..”
Alisson smiled at him
But Robbo had to ruin it, with a smirk he replied “Yeah, let your boyfriend know you’re home-”
If Virgil wasn’t captain he would be locking Robbo up in the janitor’s closet.
Actually, y’know what, maybe he should do it anyways-
“Actually maybe we can come along with you to the cafe. Me, Robbo, Virg, gaffer and… a few others? We could use a small break.” Trent decided to finally speak up, turning to Ali with a FAKE angelic smile the bastard-
But poor sweet Ali fell for it. He smiled at Trent, blush almost disappearing and leaving his skin yet again without any red. Virgil didn’t know if he was exactly happy seeing him without it.
“Sure, I don’t mind. But I’d just have to let Eddy know that he should reserve a few seats for us.”
“Sounds great!” Trent smirked at Virgil before looking back at Ali, “I’ll tell everyone to get ready-”
Klopp cleared his throat..
Trent slowly and almost hesitantly turned his head to the coach, eyes wide..
Whoops.
“And who’s letting you do this? I don’t remember you asking me.” but the lack of a frown eased everyone’s hearts, Klopp was smiling at his player. He was just asking to remind him he had to ASK to go, they couldn’t just leave without telling anyone. Especially Klopp.
Trent cleared his throat and then proceeded to turn his whole body to the coach with a serious expression on his face, “Can we go? Please? We’ll be back in a bit.”
“No.”
… what?
The shock on everyone’s faces didn’t last long however-
“Not without me anyways.”
Ali grinned, “You’re coming too?”
Klopp chuckled, “Well I have to see where my fantastic coffee was made now, don’t I?”
Ali nodded his head and Robbo could’ve laughed at the utter starstruck look in Virgil’s eyes when he looked at the man. But thankfully he lives to not go into the janitor’s closet for yet another day.
“I’ll go call Eddy.” Alisson took out his phone out of his pocket and swiftly put in his password, “You all get ready.”
“Got it!” Robbo replied and dragged Trent off with him, Klopp following after them with an amused chuckle leaving him. Virgil stayed however, smiling at the other man..
Ali didn’t notice him at first, stuck looking for Eddy’s number, but in all of his excitement it was proven to be quite difficult..
“Here.”
“What?”
“Here, look..” Virgil stepped just a bit closer to Ali and he extended his hand, pointing to a contact on his phone, “You’re looking for his number, but he’s already under a name.”
Ali blinked.. “Oh, right..” he chuckled, “I’m just so happy, I’m not used to-” Alisson looked up, smiling at Virgil, “Having… friends…” his voice came to a quiet stop and his eyes widened.
Virgil stared back at him, a gentle look in his eyes. Ali had never seen the man look like that. He had never seen him without the furrow in his brow. He had never seen him look so calm, so..
He was looking at Alisson like he was special. Like he was perfect. Like..
The Brazilian blushed..
Virgil chuckled..
“I like it..”
“Like what?” he uttered out somehow.
Virgil just hummed, “I like red on you. It suits you.”
Alisson could feel his heart quicken at those words.. “Oh?”
“Mhm..”
He was so close.
So close..
Ali cleared his throat and looked back at his phone, “I should call Eddy..” he managed to miss the slight look of hurt on Virgil’s face. “To.. let him prepare for everything.”
Virgil pulled back, taking a step away from the brazilian and putting on a strained smile, “I’ll leave you to that then.”
Alisson looked up, watching as Virgil walked away. After all, he also needed to dress up and get ready.
And Alisson knew that there wasn’t anything wrong with what he did. Well.. he didn’t do anything, really, he just said he had to call Eddy and.. didn’t really answer to what Virgil said but he still somehow felt compelled to say something.
He still felt like he should tell Virgil something.
Alisson didn’t know why, he didn’t know what Virgil was thinking, He couldn’t know.
Yet somehow words decided to leave him before his brain could think much of it.
“I think red suits you as well.”
Virgil stopped.
That’s when Alisson realized, not for the first time, his heart was doing all the thinking.
And he wasn’t upset by it one bit.
The other man turned around, looking surprised, but then a smile crossed his lips and his eyes lacked the sadness it had for a moment, “Well I play for Liverpool. I’d be surprised if it didn’t.”
Alisson smiled, “Even if you didn't, I think red is your color.” he said, “People like to say red is an angry color, you know. A negative emotion. But I think red is excitement. It’s passion, energy. And you have a lot of passion for the game you play, it’s evident every time you walk onto the pitch. Your kit is red, yes, but there is so much more red about you than you realize. You give off red energy. Your aura is red. Everything is just red about you. And I think that’s-” ‘Beautiful’, Alisson almost said, but he caught himself before he could, “- amazing. About you. It’s amazing.”
Virgil looked at him, something Alisson couldn’t read on his face. But it looked almost contemplating, like Virgil was thinking if he should say something.
Alisson hesitated for a second before he chuckled awkwardly, looking back to his phone “Heh, sorry.. I just.. thought I should say something.. It was rude of me to just- Sorry..”
He should’ve just kept quiet, what was he thinking? Why did he try to say something? God, he’s such an idiot-
“No, it’s okay.” Alisson looked up yet again, a bit shocked, but Virgil was now yet again smiling at him, so much brighter than before. “Thank you, I’m glad you see me that way. It’s nice that you don’t see red as anger even if many people consider it that.”
Virgil paused..
“I see red as love.” the man adds, “The colour red is connected with the heart, no? The centre of love. And, yes, passion, but.. for me it’s just love.”
Alisson was afraid the silence when Virgil paused was going to swallow him whole. The silence was loud but Virgil’s voice was perfect for silencing it. Alisson wanted to hear more. He wanted it.
Virgil stared at the ground before looking back into Alisson’s eyes. The eye contact, for once, felt different. It felt warm, gentle. It felt like the room was gone and only they remained, just them surrounded in red.
Red..
Virgil presses his hand to his stomach, like he was pointing to his shirt, but Alisson couldn’t break the eye contact they were holding, “I love my club, I love where I am, I want to stay here for as long as it is allowed..” he says, “By that logic what do you think I think of your blush?”
Alisson’s cheeks burned and Virgil chuckles, but it’s so light and quiet, like it was simply huffed out, “Yes, that blush, what do you think?”
Alisson gulped..
“You.. love..”
Virgil nods his head, “I love..”
Alisson paused.. “You love-”
“Oh come on you two will we get to it already?!?” Robbo burst in, “We’re WAITING- Virg, you’re not even dressed!”
Virgil and Alisson stared wide eyed at Robbo.
Alisson then watched as Robbo dragged Virgil off, so he could finally get dressed, the words he was going to say left hanging in the air, unspoken, but they were there. They were GOING to be said.
It was almost there.
So close.
Alisson cleared his throat and focused on his phone yet again..
Oh well.
Better luck next time, huh?
After all..
When that time comes, red will still be their color.