Chapter Text
Erling woke up in the morning, the familiar weight of sleeping Jude pressed against him. He pressed a small kiss into Jude's hair, his hand drawing circles on Jude's back. Erling closed his eyes, breathing Jude in, still in disbelief at how lucky he was, calling Jude his. Suddenly Jude stirred in his hands, and Erling brought him closer. Jude opened his eyes slowly, head pressed into Erling's chest.
“Good morning, love,” Erling whispered into the space between them.
“Good morning.” Jude lifted his head, pressing a kiss to Erling's lips.
“You slept well?” Erling asked, moving his hand around Jude's shoulders.
“I haven't slept this well in a long time.”
“Must be the company,” Erling laughed, kissing his temple.
“Pretty sure it is.” Jude agreed.
Last night, Jude called his doctor to schedule an appointment for this morning, after he and Erling decided that it was safer if Jude went to the doctor than the doctor coming to Erling's house. Erling wasn't happy about Jude going alone, but Jude reassured him that he'd be just fine.
“We should get up. You need to eat some breakfast before you go to the doctor. What would you like?”
“We both know anything you make is perfect. So allow me to spend just 10 more minutes right here,” Jude said, giving Erling a small kiss and burying his head back into Erling's chest.
In the next 10 minutes, Jude fell back asleep, cuddling Erling close. Erling slowly untangled himself from Jude, getting out of bed and spreading out the curtains. He opened the window, breathed in some fresh air, and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Then, he went downstairs to make some breakfast and coffee for Jude and himself. Fifteen minutes later, Jude came downstairs wearing only Erling's hoodie. After breakfast, Jude got ready and went to the doctor. Erling decided to prepare something for dinner, since Declan was supposed to come for a visit. He thought about what to cook and decided they could have a BBQ.
So, Erling started preparing everything they needed. He prepared a few steaks just the way he liked them, and then put some chicken breasts and thighs into a honey marinade, since he wasn't sure if little Jude liked steak. He cut the potatoes into chunks and boiled them briefly before tossing them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Put them on a foil tray, ready to go on the grill. Once they were ready, he'd finish them on the barbecue until they were crisp around the edges. The sausages went onto a plate, ready for the BBQ. Just as he was about to prepare salad, the front door unlocked and opened, Jude walking in.
“Erl, I'm home,” Jude shouted from the hallway, and something so domestic about the situation made Erling's heart jump. He walked toward the living room, leaning against the wall, facing Jude, who was taking off his shoes.
“Hi baby,” Erling said, smiling at him. Jude lifted his head, smiling back at Erling, as he made his way towards him.
“Hi yourself,” he said, kissing him. “What is that smell? Are you cooking something?” Jude asked, eyes lighting up, as Erling put his arms around Jude's waist.
“Yes, but that's for our guests. Come sit down and tell me what your doctor said.” Erling said, pulling Jude towards the couch. Erling sat down and pulled Jude on top of him, Jude's knees pressing into the couch beside Erling, hands finding their way around Erling's shoulders.
“Guests? I thought only Dec was coming over,” Jude asked.
“J. Don't try to change the subject.”
“I'm not trying to change the subject. I just want to know who my boyfriend invited over to our house.” Jude replied, knowing exactly which words to use. Erling looked at him unbelievingly, pulling him closer and giving him a deep kiss.
“Declan texted earlier, he is bringing little Jude over.”
“LITTLE JUJU IS COMING?” Jude exclaimed.
“Juju?”
“YES! I love that kid! Has a very cool name too, of course. I spent a lot of time with him recently, with Declan's hotel room being next to mine. We also spent a small vacation together last summer. That’s when we gave him the nickname. He’s my little bestie.” Jude laughed, fondness glinting in his eyes. Erling just looked at him, a smile on his face.
“Well, that's our special visitor today. Little Juju. Now, tell me what the doctor told you,” Erling replied, a smile forming into concerning face, hands tightening around Jude's waist.
“There's nothing to worry about, Erl. Everything is fine.” Jude said, his finger running alongside Erling's face. “Just the usual - getting rest, and no hard physical activity for at least a week to avoid more head injuries,” he finished with a sigh.
“Good. I can take care of that. I'm gonna make sure the only thing you are doing is lay in bed.” Erling said, giving Jude a small peck on the cheek, which Jude seized to whisper into Erling's ear.
“We can do more fun things in bed than just laying,” he said, a mischievous grin on his face.
“You heard the doctor, no hard physical activity,” Erling replied, his cheeks red.
“I'm pretty sure I can have some exceptions,” Jude said, kissing Erling's lips hungrily. Erling returned the kiss with just as much hunger, exploring Jude's mouth with his tongue, enjoying the little whimpers slipping out from Jude's mouth. Erling moved from Jude's lips to his cheeks, leaving a small trace of kisses all the way to his neck, while Jude played with his hair. He connected their lips again, while slowly lying on the couch and taking Erling with him. Erling caught himself against the cushion, not wanting to crush Jude with his whole weight, lips never leaving Jude's. They became just a tangled mess of limbs, at the point where you couldn't tell where Erling began, and Jude ended. When they parted to take a breath, Erling moved his lips to Jude's neck, sucking and licking the skin, leaving purple marks behind. Just as he was about to connect his lips to Jude's again, the doorbell rang. He laughed, leaving only a small peck, while Jude groaned in frustration. Erling was about to get down from the couch, but Jude stopped him.
“What if we pretend we are not here?” he said, a wicked grin on his face.
The doorbell rang a second time.
“Jude, we can't invite people over and then pretend we're not here.”
Jude’s grin turned into a pout. “I need to talk to Declan about his fucking timing.” He mumbled. Erling chuckled, kissed the pout away from Jude’s face, and got up to open the door. He quickly tried to fix his hair, while Jude picked up a few pillows that fell from the couch in the heat of the moment.
When Erling finally opened the door, he was met with Declan, baby bag on one shoulder, and a smiling Jude in his arms.
“Hey guys, welcome,” Erling said, stepping aside so they could come in.
“Hi man, we arrived an hour early, hope you don't mind, Jude couldn't wait to see -”
“JUJU!” Jude appeared in the hallway suddenly, grinning wildly.
“UNCLE JUDE!” Little Juju got out of his dad's hands and ran towards Jude, who picked him up, spun him around, and gave a kiss into his fluffy hair. “How are you, buddy?” Jude asked the four-year-old.
“I'm good! I was excited to see you!” The little boy replied, settling onto Jude's hip.
“I am happy to see you too, buddy. Hi, Dec, welcome.” Jude said, giving Declan a side hug.
“Thank you, mate. Are you sure we are not interrupting?” he asked, a grin on his face, pointing to Jude's neck, a fresh, purplish mark already created on the skin.
“Let's just say we need to talk about your timing, you seem to struggle with that a little,” Jude replied, his smile matching Declan's.
“Okay, come on, Dec, you can put your things into the guest room, Juju can cake the nap there later too. We can finish preparing food for the BBQ, and if you're hungry, we can also start cooking the meat.” Erling ordered.
“Yes, we can definitely start with that. With Lauren out of town, I barely feed this little monster in the morning, he must be hungry, and so am I,” Declan laughed, looking at his son adoringly.
“Daddy, can I go play football with Uncle Jude?” Juju asked after they moved to the living room, ready to storm out into the garden the second his dad gives him permission.
“I don't know, honey. Uncle Jude hit his head recently, he should be resting.”
“It's okay, Dec. I can handle a match with Juju.”
“Jude-” Erling started, but Jude cut him off.
“Erl. It's okay. We'll be in the garden, everything will be fine. Besides, I am sure Juju knows how to play fair, right, Juju?”
“Yes, uncle!”
“Okay, let's go then!” Jude said, carrying Juju, who was already dressed in his Arsenal jersey, “JUDE 41” written across his back, into the garden. Jude prepared the nets that were on the side, while little Jude picked out the ball from the basket.
“Okay, so where do you want me?” Declan asked Erling after he put his and Jude's things into the guest room. They weren't staying the night, but Declan knew his son, so he needed to take him some spare clothes.
“Well, I was about to make some salad, but Jude came home from the doctor's and I've never got the chance to finish it,” Erling smirked when he remembered the reason why, “so you can do that and I'll go pre-heat the grill. Everything you need is either on the kitchen counter or in the fridge.” he finished, and Declan just nod his head before dissapearing into the kitchen.
Erling went into the garden to prepare the grill. While it was heating up, he went back inside to bring out all the food he prepared. After carrying everything to the table outside, he put the tray of potatoes on the grill. Then, he added the chicken and closed the lid, so everything could cook.
Erling looked over at Jude and Juju still playing football together. Juju kicked the ball between Jude's legs, and the ball went straight to the net. Jude dropped to his knees in defeat, and Juju jumped right at him, throwing his arms into the air victoriously, while Jude hugged him tightly. Erling smiled at the sight. He could easily imagine this being their future.
“You like what you see, Erl?” Declan came out of the house with a bowl of salad in his hands.
Erling felt his cheeks turning red.
“Yes. Yes, I do. I just - It's so easy to imagine moments like this- a future like that with Jude. It feels like that's exactly how it's supposed to be.” He said to Declan, smile never leaving his face.
“That's super cheesy, man,” Declan laughed. “But I'm glad you two found each other. I think this,” he pointed to Jude and Juju running after the ball, “is exactly what waits for you two,” he said, clapping Erling on the shoulders, reassuring smile on his face.
“I've never got to say thank you, btw,” Erling said suddenly.
“For what?”
“For calling me when Jude was in the hospital. I don't know why you did it or how you knew, but I'll forever be grateful that you did. That night -” Erling sighed, “I thought I was going to lose it. I didn't know what was happening, and nobody could tell me which hospital Jude was at, and getting that call from you was like all my wishes coming true. And besides, that's where our relationship began, so you can give yourself little credit too,” Erling chuckled.
“You know, I went to the hospital right after the match. We didn't want him to be left alone, and since Harry had some things to take care of, I said I would take care of Jude. The whole ride to the hospital, I was thinking about who to call. I knew that when Jude wakes up, he's gonna need some familiar face by his side. Someone who feels like home, someone he can feel safe with, someone who can give him that “everything is going to be okay” feeling. And as much as I love the guy, I knew it wasn't me. His family was here in England, so I was really desperate. And then I remembered how he often talked about you. I'm not sure if some guys talk with that kind of admiration about their girlfriends, to be honest,” Declan said, looking at Erling, who felt his cheeks heating up once again.
“I thought about how he told me about his Dortmund days, and how you were part of every story. And about the call he gave me when he found out the quarter-final game was against you. At first, he was excited about sharing the pitch with you again, but when he realized one of you was going home after the game, I swear I heard his heart break through the phone. That's how I knew that you guys are something more than just former teammates. So, I shot a message to Martin, asking for your number, and called it the second I received it,” Declan finished, looking at Erling, who couldn't hold his tears. “So yeah, I am taking all the credit,” he said with a laugh. Erling didn't know how to react, so he just pulled Declan into a hug, whispering a soft “thank you” again.
“I'm going to get us some drinks, can you take over the grill?” Erling told Dec after he wiped his tears.
“Yes, of course,” Declan replied simply, already stepping in front of the grill.
Erling came to the kitchen and started making the lemonade. He also got out some juice boxes for Juju, and a few bottles of cold sparkling water from the fridge. After squeezing the lemons, he was ready to pour them into a jug filled with water and sugar when he heard small steps behind him.
“Mr. Erling? Could I - have some - juice box, please?” Juju said, almost breathless, and Erling figured he had run all the way from the garden.
“Yes, of course. You want an apple one or a strawberry one?”
“Strawberry, please.” Juju responded, and Erling handed him the box ready to drink. Juju took a few big gulps and spoke again.
“Thank you, Mr. Erling!”
“You're welcome, Juju. And you don't have to call me “Mr. Erling”, “Erling” is just fine.”
“Okay, Erling. Can I ask you a question?” Juju asked, voice small. Erling crunched down so Juju could look at him without his neck hurting.
“Yes, of course.”
“Do you like Uncle Jude?”
The question caught Erling off-guard. He didn't expect to be interrogated by a four-year-old when he woke up this morning. But there was no reason for him to lie to little Jude.
“Yes, I do. I like him very much.” Erling replied, smiling at the boy.
“And what do you like about him?” Juju asked, with pure childish curiosity in his voice.
“Well, there are quite a few things that I like about Uncle Jude. I like his eyes, I like his smile, and I like how he can make me smile. I also like that he plays football like me.” Erling answered, knowing well that he could spend days and days talking about the things he liked about Jude.
“So,” Juju said, thinking hard and continuing, “you like him the way my daddy likes my mommy?”
Erling smiled to himself.
“Yes. I like him exactly that way.”
“YAY!” Juju screamed, throwing his arms into the air. “So are you going to be husbands?”
The question got a laugh out of Erling.
“I can't tell you that, buddy, I don't know if it's something that Uncle Jude would want. But maybe one day, we will,” he said, a fond smile on his face.
“But Uncle Jude likes you too! I know, I asked him! So maybe you should just ask him if he wants to be your husband!”
“Juju!” Declan shouted, coming into the kitchen. “I sent you here for a juice box, not for asking Unc Erling a million questions,” he laughed, ruffling his son's hair.
“It's okay Dec, I don't mind,” Erling chuckled in response.
“So, will you ask him?” Juju looked Erling deep in the eyes, and Erling felt like he could see right into his soul.
“One day, buddy. Until then, it's gonna be our secret, okay?”
“Okay, Uncle Erling!” Juju yelped and threw himself into Erling's arms.
“Ask who? What?” Declan asked curiously.
“IT'S A SECRET, DADDY! Just me and Uncle Erling!” Juju replied, untangling from Erling's arms and running into the garden.
“Wow, he's only four and already keeping secrets from me,” Declan sighed.
“Pretty sure it only gets worse from here, man,” Erling laughed.
They carried the prepared drinks outside, Jude taking care of the grill, while Juju was sitting in the hammock, sipping on his drink.
“How does it look?” Erling asked Jude, hugging him from behind, giving him a small peck on the temple and laying his head on Jude's shoulder.
“Chicken and potatoes are already done, pretty sure Juju ate half of it already. I just put the steaks in, so maybe you should take over from here,” Jude said with a chuckle.
“I will,” Erling said, “How are you feeling?”
“I'm okay, Erl. You really think a match with Juju could hurt me?”
“No, but I have to take care of you. Someone has to. Now go grab something to eat.” He said, pushing Jude toward the table, where Declan was already eating the chicken.
“Where's Juju?” Jude asked Declan, who was enjoying his food.
“Fell asleep in the hammock. I guess the match wore him out. It's like that with kids - they are a bundle of energy one second, falling asleep the next. You'll see when you have your own.”
Jude felt his cheeks heat up at the thought, eyes immediately finding Erling. “Yeah, I guess I will.”
“So, how are things going between you two?” Dec asked, putting sausages on his plate. Jude sat down and took some chicken and potatoes himself.
“It's great. Perfect, even. We spend a lot of time together in America, and I'm planning to stay here until I leave for Madrid.” Jude replayed.
“And when is that?” Declan asked.
“Next week,” Jude said with a small smile, taking a bite from his food.
“So that's why u have that depressed look on your face.”
“I don't have a depressed look”
“Yes, you do. You don't have to lie to me, J.”
Jude hesitated. He swallowed the chicken and thought about what to say to Dec. He wasn't sure if he wanted to talk about it, with Erling standing a few steps away.
“It's just... I'm worried. I love Erl, and I wish I could stay here forever. But that's not how it works. And I'm scared that when life gets in the way, when our careers get in the way, it will be just too difficult for us and we won't be able to handle it. And I... I don't want to lose him. But I also know how hard we both worked to get where we are, and it's just-”
“Too much.” Declan finished for him.
“Yeah.” Jude sighed.
“I get that, Jude, and I'm sorry. I've known Lauren forever, but I was afraid of what would happen to us once my professional career started. I wasn't sure if she was willing to sacrifice parts of her life for me. But she loved me enough to understand my passion for football. And she stayed by my side. Of course, it's more difficult for you and Erl, since you both are basically at the beginning of your careers, but where there's a will, there's a way. And when I look at you and Erling, I can see a lot of will. You love each other so much, and always find your way back to each other. Just don't give up, Jude, never. No one said it's going to be easy, but you two can get through it. Together.” Declan said, a soft smile on his face. “And besides, after the talk I had with Erling earlier, I am pretty sure he's not letting you go that easily, mate,” he added with a little laugh.
Jude smiled at that. “Well, thank God he isn't. Thank you, Dec. I am ready to fight anyone and anything, as long as I can keep Erl by my side,” he finished, just as Erling approached them with perfectly cooked steaks.
“The steaks are cooked to perfection,” he said with a proud smirk.
“I'm sure they are,” Jude replied as Erling gave him a small peck on the lips, taking a seat next to him.
“Get a room, you two.” Declan laughed, taking one of the steaks.
“So, what were you guys talking about?” Erling asked. Jude hesitated for a second, looking at
Declan, who quickly saved the day. “It's a secret.”
“A secret?” Erling raised one eyebrow. “What is this, some kind of revenge?”
“Revenge?” Jude said curiously.
“Yes, it is. For your information, Jude, Erl here is keeping secrets from me, with my own son.” Declan said, putting a hand over his heart dramatically.
“You have secrets with Juju?” Jude asked Erling, mouth open in surprise.
“Yes. But you will find out what the secret is one day, don't worry. So, can I know what you two were talking about now?” Erling tried again.
“You know, the usual,” Dec said again. “I was trying to convince Jude to join Arsenal.”
The three of them laughed at that, Erling immediately saying that if Jude's coming to the Premier League, he's joining him at Man City.
The evening went by quickly. Erling, Jude and Declan ate, talked and laughed. Little Juju woke up twenty minutes later, ready to play another round of football, and insisted that Uncle Jude play on his team, so Declan and Erling played against them. They let little Juju win, even though Jude argued that it was pure talent. Around 8 pm, Declan decided that it was time to go home, since Juju needed to take a bath and go to sleep.
“C'mon Juju, we need to go,” Declan sighed.
“But I don't want to, Daddy!” Juju protested, holding onto Erling's leg as much as he could.
“I know, sweetie, but Uncle Jude and Erling need to rest too.”
“Hey, Juju,” Erling said, picking little Jude up, “how about we make a deal, okay? You go with your daddy now, and anytime you want, you just ask your daddy to give me or Uncle Jude a call, and you can come over to play, okay?”
“Really? Anytime?” Juju asked, staring at Erling.
“Yes, anytime. We love having you around, 'kay, little man?” Jude jumped into the conversation.
“You promise?” Juju asked, tears in his eyes.
“Pinky promise,” Jude replied, sticking out his pinky for Juju to take it, with Erling following.
“Okay then!” Juju said happily, giving a kiss on the cheek to each of them, and reaching for his dad to take him into his arms.
“Okay, lads, promises were made, secrets were shared. Thanks for having us, we had a lot of fun, right, Juju?” Declan said, a smile on his face.
“YES!”
“Thank you for coming. We should do this more often,” Erling replied, pulling Declan into a hug.
“Yes, thanks for being here with us. And just for everything. For taking care of me in the hospital, and calling this geezer,” Jude laughed, pulling Declan into a hug as well.
“You're welcome, mate. Take care.” Declan said, taking his bag and heading out.
Jude and Erling spent the next hour cleaning the house, and after they finished, they decided to just put on a movie and cuddle on the couch in the living room. Jude was pressed against Erling's side, his head resting on Erling's chest. They lay in comfortable silence, Erling drawing small circles into Jude's back, when he suddenly remembered something.
“Jude?”
“Hm?”
“Can I ask you something?” Erling said, hesitation in his voice. Jude was half-asleep, but the tone of Erling's voice woke him up.
“Yes, of course,” he said, looking up at him.
“What were you talking with Dec earlier?” Jude tensed a little at the question. He knew that the conversation must've happened sooner or later, but he wasn't sure if he could do it now.
“Why are you asking?”
“It's just... You had a worried look on your face. If there's something that's worrying you, I want to know.”
Jude felt the tension leave his body. He was still anxious to talk about his and Erling's future, but this simple comment reassured him that Erling was willing to hear him out and work it out. He took a deep breath before answering.
“We were talking about us. I was telling Declan that I'm worried about what is going to happen to us once I move back to Madrid. I know that we still have a whole week before us, and this isn't a conversation for today, but I was thinking about it for a while, and I get that it sounds riddiculous because we've been together shortly but I still can't help it and Dec asked me about us and I couldn't help myself so I-” Jude was cut off by Erling putting his lips over Jude's.
“J, you're rambling,” Erling said when they parted, taking Jude's hands into his.
“Sorry.”
“No, don't apologize. I understand what you're trying to say. I thought about it too.”
“Really?” Jude said, sitting down, and Erling pushed himself up too.
“Yes. But here's what I know, Jude: I love you. I love you, and I never want to lose you again. I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else but you. So, I will wait for you, and I will fight for you against anything that comes our way. I'm not letting you go until the day you tell me that you want me to let go. And I pray that day never comes.” Erling said, looking into Jude's eyes that were filling up with tears.
“It will never come.” Jude started. “I love you, Erl, and I know this is going to be one of the most difficult parts of our lives, but I am willing to do everything and anything to spend it with you. If there is anyone on this Earth who is worth it, it's you, Erling.” Jude said, seeing Erling's tears falling from his eyes, and feeling his own cheeks wet as well.
“So that's it then. It's a deal. We are going to get through this together. And who knows, maybe in a couple of years, I'll get you to sign for Man City, and we will be sick of seeing each other all day every day.” Erling finished with a wet laugh.
“I could never get tired of seeing your face,” Jude whispered, taking Erling's face into his hands.
“I love you, J,” Erling said against his lips.
“I love you more, Erl,” Jude responded and connected their lips. The kiss was a sweet confirmation of everything that was promised.
“Soo, since I told you about what Dec and I talked about, can you tell me about that secret of yours and Juju's?” Jude asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. Erling laughed.
“Hmmm, let me think about it,” he said, pretending to think hard. Jude started peppering kisses all over his face, to the point where he couldn't breathe, so he gave up.
“Okay, okaaay, I'll tell you.” Erling knew he could overpower Jude easily, but he kind of wanted to know what Jude's reaction would be.
“Juju gave me some advice.”
“Advice? What kind of advice could a four-year-old give to the great Erling Haaland?” Jude chuckled.
“He asked me if I like you. And when I said I do like you, he told me I should ask you whether you want to be my husband.”
Jude's breath hitched. He was waiting for some kind of football secret, or maybe a secret girlfriend from preschool, but not this.
“What did you tell him?”
“That one day, I will. But until then, it's going to be our secret.” Erling finished with a fond smile, looking directly into his eyes.
“Well... then you should know that I cannot wait for that day to come,” he said, and threw himself into Erling's arms.
Erling took them both back down to the couch, giving Jude one last kiss before he settled right back onto his chest. Here, wrapped in Erling's arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, he was sure of one thing: he was ready to fight the whole world for the rest of his life if it meant coming back home to Erling.