Chapter Text
Manuel was aware how tightly he was gripping the steering wheel. The sharp feeling made him regret his choice. He was almost certain that Eddie wouldn’t call, the way he walked away from them. He didn’t even want to look at Manuel anymore. Manuel knew that it wasn’t being with a man. The way he treated Harry after his news about Thomas, he was still just as vibrant, overjoyed for Harry. It had to be him; Eddie knew he was interested and didn’t know how to tell him gently to leave him alone.
He was snapped out of his thoughts by Harry poking at his side. Looking at the younger man,
“What?”
“I tried to get your attention three times now. I’m sure ‘e’ll call. I mean, ’ave you seen the way ‘e looks at you? I know most fans look at you with admiration but this. Eddie looks at you like you’ve hung the moon.”
Manuel shook his head. It wasn’t anything more than Eddie being a Bayern fan.
“He was fourteen when I joined. He’s watched me basically his whole life.”
Manuel saw Harry shake his head out of the corner of his eye.
“The way ‘e looks at me is just being a Bayern fan. The only other time I’ve seen that look is Thomas at me. ‘e deflated when you asked for flowers. I think you both ‘ave your wires crossed. ‘e likes you, Manu. Like how Tommy and I are. And I think that he thinks that you don’t like him.”
Whatever else Harry was going to say was cut off by the small sound of ‘Mia San Mia.’ Harry got to his phone before Manuel could.
“‘Ello?”
Manuel watched as a slow smile crept over Harry’s face.
“Eddie! It’s wonderful to ‘ear from you! Are you feeling better?”
Manuel's eyes widened. He reached for the phone, only for Harry to shift the phone to his other ear. Manuel’s horror drowned out the conversation. Worried that he would tell Eddie how he felt. Manuel knew that Eddie was calling to answer him, but he didn’t want to give Harry any more ammunition. Also, he wanted to learn through Eddie, not Harry, what his answer was. Reaching across Harry’s body, only for him to block his hand with his shoulder. He continued to talk to Eddie. With a laugh, he turned it on the speaker phone.
“‘Ere ‘e is.”
Manuel's face flushed. His voice stuttered a bit.
“Hi, E-eddie. I’m, uh, glad you called.”
“Hi Manuel. Is this a bad time?”
“Kinda. I’m still driving. But, uh, do you have an answer?”
“Oh, right. Sorry. And, um, yeah. I mean, yes. My answer is yes.”
Manuel flushed at Harry’s cheer. He could imagine what Eddie was going through. Manuel swatted at him.
“Umm. is this the best number to reach you at? So, I can call you back when I’m home. Can I call you when I get home?”
“Yeah, this is my cell number. You can call it whenever you want. And when you get home, yeah. I mean, you can call me when you get home. Yes, that's fine. That's great. And if I don't answer, I'm just with a customer. But I can, um, call back. I mean, I will call back. If that happens. Um, yeah.”
“Okay. Um, thank you. I’ll call you in a few. I’m, I’ll talk to you later. Um, bye.”
Harry hung up. The barely contained laughter came bursting out of him, the rich sound filling the space. Manuel didn’t think his flush could get any deeper. He was finally able to get his phone away from Harry, the other man handing it back. Manuel dropped it into the center console, tempted to pick it back up and mute it.
“That was almost painful to listen to.” The laughter was still present in Harry’s voice.
Manuel fought off the urge to flip him off.
“If you hadn’t answered my phone, you wouldn’t have had to hear it.”
“You're driving. I was just trying to be helpful.”
Harry grinned at him.
“Besides, I still would have had to listen to you.”
Manuel chuffed a bit at that.
“Like I didn’t listen to you and Thomas.”
“You were so shy and nervous. Look at you; you're even blushing.”
Harry poked lightly at Manuel’s cheek. As if Manuel needed to be reminded about that. He was surprised that he kept his blush at bay when he ordered the flowers. Harry continued talking as he lowered his hand,
“I've never seen you like this before. It’s cute.”
Manuel was grateful for the red light as he hid his face. Harry wasn’t wrong; he hadn’t felt like this in a long time. The same rush of nerves and newness and then why he was so shy and nervous. He knew that Thomas told him that he was divorced, but he didn’t know what happened between him and his ex-wife. Didn’t fully understand why this was hard for him. The blast of the horn behind him snapped him back to his drive. As he applied the gas, he thought more about his date with Eddie. With a deep breath,
“I was thinking of taking him to Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg. I think he’ll like that. Then, maybe to dinner.”
Harry’s soft smile brought the flush back.
“Yeah, I think ‘e'll like that alot. Honestly, I think ‘e'd be happy anywhere you take him. With the way ‘e looks at you.”
Harry gripped Manuel’s upper arm.
“Do you know where you'll go for dinner?”
“I think I’ll just ask him. I’m not sure what he eats. Other than the walnuts that he seems to always have on his counter.”
Manuel parked next to Harry’s car. Harry gripped the back of his neck, a small gesture of comfort before he exited. Manuel watched as he put the flowers carefully in the car.
The quiet of his car gave him time to think. He hoped he wasn’t making a mistake, that he wasn’t reading too much into the looks Eddie always had for him. That Harry was right, that it wasn’t just because he played for Bayern. That this wouldn’t blow up in his face.
The creeping doubts of Eddie just wanting to be by his side because of what he could do for the profile of his shop. The kind of international attention that he could bring. Manuel shook those thoughts clear. If that was all Eddie wanted, he could have long since posted that him and Harry come to his shop. Harry had even offered to showcase his flowers on his Instagram. Eddie though, he said that it was fine, just to leave his shop out of it. So, it couldn’t be that.
Getting home, he toed his shoes off. Getting a drink of water, then pulling some pasta out of his cupboard. He realised he was stalling… but his nerves. His nerves were making his hands shake. Eddie was one of the more beautiful people he had met in a long time. Manuel almost felt like used goods, not good enough to keep his wife loyal. Not worth the love that comes from intimate relationships. But Eddie already said yes. Already agreed, so why was he still unsure, still thinking that this would end poorly…
While he waited for his water to boil, he fished his phone out of his pocket. He added Eddie’s number to his contact list then hit dial.
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Eddie paced the length of his living room, back and forth, pausing every so often to check his phone or maybe chew on a fingernail while he stared blankly at the wall. He still had a few minutes before Manuel was supposed to pick him up, but he'd been ready for a while now. And now that he had time to think, doubt began trickling in.
What if Manuel didn't show up? Changed his mind or something and decided Eddie wasn't worth the bother.
But no, that couldn't be right. Eddie had to shake that thought before it settled. Manuel had called him earlier today to confirm, and that hadn't too long ago actually. A thrill passed through him at seeing Manuel's name pop up on his phone, looking over at Stone to see him rolling his eyes at Eddie's goofy smile. Their conversation was brief, just like the ones from yesterday, filled with uncertain pauses and nervous tripping over words. But he could listen to Manuel's voice on a loop and never tire of it. Soft and understated, Eddie listening intently to every word so as not to miss a single one. It wasn't an effort though; he loved the sound of it. And he couldn't help but notice that Manuel didn’t seem as confident as he was before, when Eddie had first met him, and Eddie couldn't fathom why. He was just an owner of a flower shop, nobody special.
He wasn't anyone special…
And he didn't even have anything nice to wear. What if Manuel showed up looking even more perfect than he normally did, while Eddie just… He glanced down at his jeans and boots.
But they were nice jeans and nice boots. He tugged at the sleeves of his blue sweater. It was nice too. Plus, Manuel had seen him enough times to know what he looked like and how he dressed, and he had still asked him out. So, it must not have bothered him too much. And he'd asked him to the botanical garden. Obviously, Manuel liked him enough to take him somewhere he'd enjoy.
And Eddie was excited and nervous and the minutes wouldn't go by fast enough and… His head shot up at the sound of the doorbell downstairs. Oh shit, he was here. Eddie just needed to act normal; that's all. That should be easy. Maybe.
Manuel looked at himself one more time in the mirror. His hair was neat; the forest green sweater fit his frame well. Checking his jeans one more time for any holes, tears, that they weren’t too faded, he drew in a deep breath. Casual flirting was one thing, but when he realized that he felt something more, his nerves made him hesitant. A worry of who he was colored their interaction, then thinking of what happened between him and Nina. He knew he was good looking, knew what he was, but what happened between him and Nina…
It left him broken. The way she walked away still stung.
But Eddie seemed eager, if not a bit shy. Both of them nervous over the phone. The same kind of stuttering conversations. But he seemed excited to go out with him. Manuel could admit to himself that he was too. It's been a long time, and he hoped he remembered how to do this right. One more deep breath, he made sure he had his phone, wallet and keys. He pulled on his best sneakers and made his way to the shop Eddie called home.
It seemed odd to see the shop dark, always such a bright and vibrant place, Eddie bringing his own unique light to it. He touched the lettering on the window as he made his way to the back door that would lead him to Eddie’s home. Scrubbing his hands on his jeans, he rang the doorbell.
Okay, he could do this. He could do this. It was just a date. Forget about the fact that he hadn't been on a date in at least a few years, probably longer. Not to mention, the first date he'd had in years was with Manuel Neuer. But Manuel was just a person. Eddie was just a person too. They were just two people going on a date, getting to know each other better.
But… he wasn't even sure if he knew how to act on a date anymore. Like was there proper etiquette he was supposed to follow? Topics he needed to steer away from?
And this was Manuel Neuer. Hell, it wasn't a secret that he'd been pining away over Manuel since he was a teenager. He would have never dreamed in a million years that he'd actually be going out with him.
What if he did something stupid?
What if Manuel decided he didn't actually like him all that much?
What if he hated him?
Damn it, get it together, Eddie.
He'd made it this far, down the stairs. All he had to do was open the door. It was easy. He could do this.
Tucking his hair behind his ears, he smoothed his hands down his shirt, shaking his body out some. A deep inhale, a slow exhale. Just getting it together. Everything was good. His hand was now on the doorknob, baby steps.
Just fucking open the door.
His heart was pounding in his chest, on the verge of bursting through, as he turned that knob. Even so, his smile came naturally when he saw Manuel on the other side of the door, hands in his pockets, the light from the entryway highlighting the blue in his eyes. Yesterday hadn't been a perfect day, although it was close. Today though, today was a perfect day.
“Hi,” Eddie said.
Manuel felt the tightening in his stomach increase at each step. He could do this; he played in front of thousands of people week in, week out. It was just a date. Just a time to spend with Eddie, outside of his shop.
Putting his hands in his pockets to ward off the cold, he waited. Waited for the other man, his chance at something positive. Then, the door opened. And Manuel’s breath caught in his throat. He was beautiful.
The blue of his sweater brought out the stunning blue of his eyes, and the backlight seemed to give him a halo. It took him a few heartbeats to realize that he was staring. Then, Eddie spoke, his deep voice filling the space. Manuel smiled, then spoke to him,
“Um, hi. Are you ready to go?”
“Um, yeah, let me just…” Eddie had his phone, his wallet. He stepped outside, pulling his keys from his pocket to lock the door. “Okay, I'm ready.”
Manuel watched as Eddie double-checked himself. The sound of the lock seemed to twist his stomach further. It was real; they were going. Eddie was really with him, really wanted to be with him. Mentally counting to five, he let out a deep breath.
Okay. You can do this. Manuel reminded himself he has gotten the better of both Ronaldo and Messi. A date should be easy enough.
When Eddie turned to him,
“Can I, would you..”
Get it together, Manuel. Another deep breath.
“Can I hold your hand?”
Eddie's eyes drifted down to Manuel's hands, still hidden in his pockets. And he was reminded of yesterday, when he'd taken Eddie's hand in his. It was only for a few heartbeats, and he'd thought that was the closest he'd ever be to Manuel, a brief touch that left him aching to somehow prolong for as long as he could. If only he knew how.
It was something so simple but not, at the same time. He half expected to wake up at any moment and realize this was all a dream, and he wanted to savor every second until his eyes opened and found that to be true.
“Yeah, I'd, um, I'd like that.”
Getting his left hand out of his pocket, he took Eddie's right hand. Taking all of this as a cue to get moving, he led Eddie to where he parked.
“So, um. Well, we mostly talk about flowers and football. Day jobs. Our day jobs. But, uh, you have a bit of an advantage over me. I don't know your last name.”
Manuel did his best to level his heart. The feeling of holding Eddie's hand has his heart racing. But he figured if they could get talking, maybe things would smooth out between them.
A laugh slipped through at Manuel's question. He was right though; Eddie probably knew quite a bit more about Manuel than he did him. But this would be their time to get to know each other better, for Eddie to learn more about who Manuel was outside of football.
Although, it was hard to concentrate with Manuel’s fingers intertwined with his own. The size of his hands were even more evident with theirs joined together. His own looked so small in comparison, tucked away in Manuel’s, his slightly crooked fingers pressing into Eddie's skin.
“Müller. Um, that's my last name. It's Müller.”
He felt the absence of Manuel's touch when his hand drew away as they got into the car, and he wanted to reach over, maybe take his hand again. Keep them that way while Manuel drove, trying to think of things to say to overcome the fluttering of his nerves.
“You look nice. Not that you don't always look nice. I mean…” Eddie stopped, scratching the side of his head. “I haven't been on a date in a really long time.”
Well, there went his goal of not sounding stupid.
“You look amazing. But I really always thought that. Your eyes are the first thing I noticed.”
Manuel snapped his mouth shut, a bright blush decorating his face. Focusing on the road for a few heartbeats, he spoke again. Hoping to not embarrass himself or Eddie anymore.
“I, uh, haven't either. I've been a little hesitant too. I, um, never asked you if you would like to go to dinner after this? Or maybe I can cook for you? If you would like to…”
Manuel trailed off. God, what must Eddie think? Manuel hoped he didn't think that he just wanted sex. Oh, that must be what he thought, inviting him back to his home.
Manuel flipped the radio on, quietly, in case Eddie still wanted to talk. If not, the silence wouldn’t choke them.
Eddie wasn't sure if his face could get any redder, but he was starting to realize there were different layers to his blushes when it came to Manuel Neuer. Tonight was going to be a test as to how red his face could actually get. Because Manuel thought he looked amazing? And Eddie wondered if something was wrong with the vision in those blue eyes of his. But he knew that couldn't be the case because otherwise Manuel would have never been able to catch that penalty kick from yesterday.
So, maybe he should just take the compliment instead of trying to dissect it.
“Yeah, I'd love to have you for dinner. I mean, uh, have dinner with you. It would be great to have dinner together.” He blew out a breath from his mouth as Manuel pulled into the parking lot of the garden. What the hell was wrong with him? “Um, we could do either one. I am a, uh, I'm a vegetarian. Do you like to cook?”
Manuel laughed at Eddie’s slip up.
“Sorry. I shouldn't be laughing. We are both kind of bad at this, aren't we?”
“No, it's, uh, it's okay.” Eddie smiled, Manuel's laughter loosening the tension caused by first date jitters. “I guess we're not very good at this. I know I'm not.”
Manuel got out, getting around the car to get Eddie's door open and offering his hand to him. His heart skipped a beat when Eddie took it. Without letting go of Eddie's hand, he closed the door.
Doing his best to remember to shorten his stride so Eddie could keep up, he gave a light tug to Eddie’s hand to get them moving.
“Yes, I do like to cook. I would cook for Nina. If you want, maybe we could go to the market together. We can get something together, let me cook for you.”
Eddie felt the blush coming back, although maybe it never fully went away. And he was having a hard time not staring at Manuel. His eyes kept trailing up to study Manuel's face, the soft curve of his nose, his lips moving as he spoke, his eyes catching the blue of the sky as they turned to meet his. Then, they'd travel down to where their hands were joined between them, Manuel's hand encasing his own, the warmth from his touch sinking into his skin.
And he took a second to hope his palm wasn't sweaty.
The thought didn't last long though. Because Manuel wanted to cook for him. At his house. As if he needed more confirmation that this was a perfect day.
“Okay. Yeah, we can do that. And I would offer to help, but, uh, cooking is also something I'm not very good at. You'd probably end up kicking me out of your kitchen.”
Getting to the gate, Manuel paid for them.
“I've been told they have one of the best orchid collections in Germany.”
“It does. Have you never been here before?”
“Well, I never had much interest in flowers until I met you. Your passion makes it easy. The way your eyes light up…”
Manuel blushed a bit. He took a moment to observe the tall trees that shaded the entrance. The crunch of the gavel path filled the silence between them while Manuel gathered his thoughts. Manuel figured the best approach would be the most direct. It’s served him well before. With a deep breath,
“If I can be forward, with how beautiful you are, how are you still single?”
Eddie's flush deepened at Manuel's words. He didn't know how many compliments he could take before his face reddened to dangerous levels. Because he was pretty sure that no one had ever referred to him as beautiful before, at least not to his face. And coming from someone like Manuel, someone who was so beautiful that it bordered on physically hurting, it sent a warmth that radiated through him and caused his smile to grow.
This was becoming one the few moments in his life where he was having trouble focusing on flowers.
“Um, well, I've been busy, I guess, trying to get the shop going and stuff for the past few years. I spend most of my time there, and, uh, most people come in there for flowers, not to ask out the owner.”
Laughing as he slowed in front of a display of pitcher plants, he wanted to show them Manuel. They didn't typically grow in Germany, being native to America, so he figured he may not have seen them before.
He turned to Manuel. “What about you? You're one of the most beautiful people I've ever seen. Not just on the, uh, outside. I mean, I know you were married, but, um, have you dated any since then?”
“It seems a shame, but it’s to my benefit. I was surprised when you told me you were still single. You truly are more beautiful than any flower you sell.”
Manuel felt his heart get heavy. Though it was a few years ago, the divorce still stung.
“It was…hard to watch Nina walk away. I thought, well, I guess it doesn’t matter. I hid in my career and never really came out of it.”
Manuel let out a rueful chuckle.
“Sven made a few off hand comments. But I didn't pay them much mind. Then I saw what happened to Thomas and it didn’t seem worth it.”
Manuel rubbed the back of his neck.
“You light up every space you're in. After Thomas had to hear about you for the fourth time, he told me to get it together.”
Finally looking at the plants Eddie stopped them in front of, Manuel stared for a few beats before asking,
“What the hell are those?”
Eddie's laugh fell free at Manuel's abrupt question. It eased the blush he still wore, although he still felt the lingering heat on his cheeks. He faced the plants, pointing at the trumpet-shaped leaves with his free hand.
Because Manuel still held his other hand, and Eddie wasn't going to let go anytime soon.
“Those are pitcher plants, or, um, sarracenia leucophylla. They're carnivorous plants. Like insects and things. They use the shape of the leaves to help them catch their prey. See, they naturally they grow in soil that's kind of poor in nutrients, so they rely on catching insects because of that. Pretty interesting, aren't they?”
Eddie stopped, scratching the side of his neck when he saw Manuel watching him with a smile.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to, uh, go on about it.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. Your whole face lights up, and it’s beautiful. I didn’t even know plants ate bugs. Wow.”
Manuel stared at the plants for a bit longer, still in awe that bug-eating plants existed, before pulling him down the trail again. The easy way that Eddie was able to talk to him, the laugh at his shock made Manuel feel like he was doing this right. That it was going to be okay. When they hit a crossroad, he pulled up the map he downloaded on his phone. He showed Eddie, as he pointed to the left path.
“We need to go this way, right? Like I don’t have this upside down or something?”
Eddie glanced down at Manuel's phone then back up to Manuel with a grin, shaking his head. “No, we need to go the other way. See, we're right here,” he said, pointing to the map. “And if we're heading to the orchid house, then we need to go this way.”
Giving a slight tug on Manuel's hand, he led them towards the opposite path.
Manuel blushed. His inability to read maps was a constant cause of brotherly harassment by his teammates.
“Just as a heads up, when we travel, you are going to be the navigator. As you can see…”
Manuel waved to the path they were walking down.
Eddie stopped so abruptly that he thought Manuel might trip when their linked hands jerked him back. He looked back at Eddie, eyebrows raised in a silent question.
But Eddie’s mind was suddenly swimming with visions of the two of them taking vacations together like an actual couple, so he had to know what Manuel meant by that.
“Do you mean traveling together here or somewhere else?”
“Well, I would love to travel with you. I’ve had the luxury of being able to see most of Europe. There are things I’d like to show you.”
“Yeah? Maybe we can do that sometime.”
More images of the two of them together on trips to various locations filtered through his head. And it was hard for him to get past the rush he felt at having their hands laced together, but he wanted to get to know Manuel better. And yeah, he knew about his career, how he felt about football. They knew those types of things about each other, small talk when Manuel visited his shop, but he wanted more than that. He had this instinctive feeling that Manuel was worth knowing.
“So, you said you haven't dated at all since your divorce? What happened between you two?” Then, came the mental curse at being too intrusive. “Shit, that's too nosy, isn't it? I'm sorry.”
Why couldn't he just ask normal questions?
“No, it’s not. I know that our divorce was kind of public. My lawyer forced a gag order, for both of us. She cheated, got pregnant with another man’s kid.”
Manuel rubbed his hand over his face. It was a painful chapter, and it was still a lingering wound, but Eddie needed to know about it if they were going to be together. He hoped that this would become more; the last time he felt this spark was with Nina. His voice lowered as he confessed the most painful part,
“The club traded the father away. She went to Italy with him. The gag order extends there as well. It’s a lingering wound, and I worry it’s going to color what we can be. I worry that I’ll be mistrustful and possessive of you. That’s not a healthy way to run relationships, so I hope…”
Manuel rubbed the back of his neck.
“I hope you can forgive me if I do something dumb.”
“Oh shit. I'm sorry to hear that. It's– I don't blame you for not wanting to date after that. The guy was… you played with him?”
“Yeah, he was one of our backup keepers. The official statement was that he wanted more minutes but the club gave him an ultimatum. Either leave on his own or they would just cut him.”
Manuel shook his head.
“What about you? I doubt I’m your first relationship. And I want to ask if you are related to Thomas, but Müller is such a common last name. Have you been in Munich your whole life? And something I’ve been wanting to ask you, but why did you start your flower shop?”
“I was in a relationship through most of college. We kind of went our separate ways after graduation. He got a job in Berlin, and I stayed here. Um, other than that, I had a girlfriend in high-school. I never really dated around much,” Eddie said.
It was never something he was interested in, dating around. He preferred to develop connections with people, not just fleeting encounters. And the type of hurt Manuel was dealing with, he hoped that it would heal with time. Maybe not fully, but enough for him to know that there were still people worth his time and effort. That he could still find that type of connection, of love, that they all were searching for.
Maybe even with someone like him… maybe…
“As far as I know, I'm not related to Thomas. Müller is my step-dad's last name. He, uh, adopted me when I was young. I never knew my real father.”
That was the lingering wound for him, an ache that he would never know him. The chance for that had long since passed, but the hurt and the constant wondering of why his dad had decided he wasn't worth knowing had faded. And it didn't hurt him quite so much anymore.
Manuel wanted to soothe away the hurt that clouded Eddie’s face. He didn’t know the pain that Eddie was feeling; his dad loved him deeply. Pulling Eddie a bit closer, feeling his hip against his, hoping to provide some comfort to the smaller man. The birds chirping and the soft sound of the gravel filled the space. It was comfortable though; it felt pleasant to be in Eddie’s company. There wasn’t an expectation of how he was supposed to behave; he could just be himself. Just be loose.
He looked up at Manuel, and the sky that filled his eyes was so beautiful that Eddie forgot to breathe for a second. How someone like himself caught Manuel’s attention, he'd never understand, but he hoped it lasted.
And he also realized that he was supposed to be talking, not staring at Manuel.
He shook his head. “No, I'm not from here. We moved here when I was ten. My step-dad has family here, but, um, I'm from the States. We lived in Illinois and California before moving here. And actually, we visited here,” he said, waving his arm out, “not too long after we got here. That's when I fell in love with it. I just found something special, almost healing about it, in a way. Therapeutic, I guess. Anyway, it kind of became a passion of mine, and I decided that's what I wanted to do a long time ago. My step-dad and mom helped me get the shop going, and, um, it's been kind of hard at times, but I think things are really starting to come together, you know?”
That damn blush came back once he noticed how much he was rambling again.
“What about you? I mean, I know you like to cook and you have a bad sense of direction.” He nudged Manuel with his arm, biting his bottom lip to hold in his laugh. “But what kind of things do you like to do?”
Manuel snorted a laugh. It was funny, almost forty and couldn’t find his way around. The greenhouse that they passed had brightly colored flowers in it. Hydrangeas and few more he knew from around the places he’s been.
“Oh, hey, you recognize these, right?” He pulled Manuel towards the hydrangeas.
“Yeah, my mom grew them. Marcel and I got into so much trouble for stepping on them. When he was helping me train, I accidentally rolled into them.”
Manuel couldn’t control his wince, remembering his mother yelling. With a smile,
“She yelled so much that day. I’ve also never done so much yard work in my life. She made me weed, till, and replant them.”
Manuel felt his brow pinch, remembering that summer day.
“She made me put something in the soil, and they grew back blue. I asked her, but she just told me to stay the hell away from her flowers.”
Eddie had a feeling his smile was even more goofy than the one that Stone had teased him about yesterday. Listening to Manuel talk, telling him stories about his childhood. He wouldn't mind if Manuel spent the whole night talking, and Eddie could just listen and watch his mouth shape the words as he spoke. And it struck him then, how much it would ache if this turned out to be their one and only date.
“Yeah, and they're also in the arrangement you had me make for myself.” He laughed before adding, “I thought they were for someone else.”
That seemed like a long time ago now, when he'd been sitting at that desk crying over Manuel Neuer and the arrangement he'd made for their date. And here they were now, standing in front of a colorful array of hydrangeas, his hand still interlaced in Manuel's.
“You know, hydrangeas get their color based on the acidity of the soil they're in. So, what your mom had you put in there, it would have changed the PH level of the soil. Anyway, I bet you stayed away from your mom's hydrangeas after that, yeah?”
Manuel laughed a bit.
“So, embarrassing childhood stories aside, I like to hike, climb. Just try and keep active. I’ve been skiing my whole life. Do you like to ski? I jog every morning. Things like that.”
Manuel scrubbed at his jawline.
“Any siblings? Marcel is my younger brother.”
“I have two younger half brothers. They stop by the shop every once in a while. I don't think they were ever there when you were though.”
Hell, his brothers would have been as bad as Timo if they saw Manuel and Harry in the shop.
“I've never been skiing before. Maybe I can go with you sometime. Um, I mean, if you want,” he said, not wanting to just invite himself along.
Although, the thought of Manuel showing him how to ski was a nice one. He had a feeling Manuel would be a good teacher, patient and thorough.
“I like hiking and climbing too. And I have to say, I'm a pretty good climber.” He nodded at Manuel with a smile. “I play guitar. Probably would have tried to do something with music if my shop hadn't worked out.”
He thought for a moment, running his fingers down his jaw.
“Oh, and I surf. We took a lot of vacations to California, and I picked it up there. Then, I discovered river surfing here. It's a lot of fun too. But anytime I can make it to the ocean, that's what I'll be doing. Surfing. Have you ever tried it?”
“No. No surfing for me. I, uh, well, no offense, but I don't understand the appeal. Aleks does; he really enjoys it. But the next time you go, will you invite me along? I would like to see you.”
He pulled Eddie out of the way of the worker that came bustling past them. Keeping Eddie close, the smell of his cologne filled his nose with Eddie so close. He spoke again,
“I would love to take you skiing with me.”
Eddie didn't bother trying to hide his excitement, squeezing Manuel’s hand, smiling as he nodded through his enthusiasm. “Yeah? That would be… that would be amazing. Maybe you can show me how. You'd have to help me figure out what to get first and…” he trailed off, his laughter sounding more like an uncontrolled giggle. “And you can come surfing with me anytime. You should try it too. I can help you. And the river's great, but there's nothing like the waves in the ocean.”
Manuel thought how cute Eddie would look all bundled up. He thought a weekend on the slopes with Eddie would be wonderful. Being able to share a cherished hobby with him. Perhaps Eddie would find the same enjoyment. Manuel felt a blush creep up his face as pictures of Eddie stretched out in front of the fireplace of his favorite lodge flashes through his mind.
Giving a light shake of his head, he held the door open to the orchid house. The first thing he noticed was the humidity. Then, the heat. Fuck, it was hot.
Eddie, though, was breathtaking. His passion for the flower was written all over his face, eyes shining, his free hand moving as he explained about the flowers. There was a flush of pleasure on his face that accented the blue of his eyes. He lost Manuel after the first question, but his passion made him want to learn.
He watched as he moved on, pulling Manuel along with him, pointing out this and that. Telling him about the many varieties and how they grew. Where they lived. Manuel found himself blurting out,
“Can I kiss you?”
Whatever Eddie was talking about left his mind immediately at Manuel's question. And he almost asked him to repeat it on the chance that he misheard him. Eddie very well may have made that request if he hadn't lost the ability to speak. It wasn't every day that Manuel Neuer asked to kiss him. Never, actually. This was a first for Eddie, and he couldn't even form words to answer.
Manuel Neuer wanted to kiss him.
Yes, of course he could kiss him.
He would've said something along those lines too if his brain allowed him to, but all he could manage was a nod as he stared up into Manuel's eyes. Blue like the bluest sky. They were even more beautiful than that, and he was beginning to think that might be his favorite color. The exact shade of Manuel's eyes.
Eddie's eyes slid shut as Manuel lowered his face closer to his, tilting his own up higher on reflex to meet him halfway. His hand tightened around Manuel's at that initial brush of their lips, because he still hadn't let go. He never wanted to let this go. This feeling that swept across him with the briefest press of their lips. It wasn't just a fleeting encounter; it was a connection. He could feel it reaching all the way through to his marrow.
It joined them together even after Manuel drew away, close enough that the tips of their noses were still touching. His exhales fanned over Eddie's face, and he wanted to breathe him in, eyes closed, until it filled him up and became the air he needed to survive. It was fitting, in a way, since Manuel's eyes held the sky.
Manuel felt himself blush at his rash words. Worried he had misstepped with Eddie when he froze up, then he stared into Manuel’s eyes and nodded. The breath that had caught in his throat came out through his nose as he leaned down to Eddie.
God, his lips really were as soft as flower petals. As delicate as those pink ones. Warm and wonderful under his. A warm feeling filled him. It never felt like this before. Something felt right in his soul when their lips met. Pulling away to catch his breath, he found himself unable to go too far.
Tracing along the strong jaw, to just behind his ear. He couldn’t fight off the urge to get his fingers into Eddie’s hair anymore. Running his fingers loosely into the beautiful waves, sighing in pleasure at the silky texture. He whispered lowly,
“Can we do this again?”
Eddie's eyes were still closed, but he felt Manuel’s words ghost across his skin, and somehow he found his voice to answer this time. “The kiss or the date?”
Manuel smiled, getting his forehead against Eddie’s.
“Both sound good to me.”
"Yes… yeah, both sound good to me too.”
And Eddie was still facing him, his eyes still closed in a show of trust. He said yes, to them. Them dating, them kissing. Manuel reconnected their lips. Craving the closeness again. It made his heart speed up, feeling Eddie’s hand move up his shoulder. Then, to his neck, a slight pressure, but Manuel had no intention of going anywhere. And while his nerves made this day start shaky, it shaped up into something beautiful, something perfect. A perfect day, really.
Hesitant fingers grazed along his jaw, under his ear, weaving into his hair. And he thought he heard a sigh, maybe a whimper pass through his lips when their mouths connected once more. Maybe it came from both of them; he didn't know. But Manuel's lips were soft against his, and he found himself stepping closer at the curl of Manuel's fingers in his hair. Eddies hand glided up Manuel's arm, over his shoulder, curving to the shape of his neck, his pulse underneath the palm of his hand. His other hand was still wrapped around Manuel's, and he wasn't going to let go. Not until he had to.
The kiss was longer this time, but somehow not long enough. And Eddie knew he was smiling when they finally parted, his eyes the last to catch up to the kiss being over. But when he opened them at the sensation of Manuel's forehead resting against his, he was greeted with a beauty he'd never known existed before now. His favorite shade of blue was all he could see.
And he was right; today truly was a perfect day.