Chapter Text
“Everything is fine, mom, I assure you. For the first time, in fact, I think everything is absolutely fine, just the way it is.”
It was a simple answer to her mother's incessant questions that made echo through the cell phone which James held close to his ear. Pilar had been calling him frequently since the whole thing with Cristiano exploded and when James had told her that he'd only return to Colombia to look for his stuff and to say goodbye because he'd go to live in Italy with his alpha and his son, Pilar had gone crazy. She couldn't understand how quickly things had happened and James didn't blame her; his mother never knew who was the father of his son because he decided to keep the secret, but now he was ready to reveal everything. That didn't mean changing his mind, anyway.
"No, mom, really. I'm going back home because I want you all to meet my son and Cristiano, but I can't stay and live there. Now I got my baby back and I'm marked, I have an alpha. My place is with them"
James could watch Junior shoving his toys into one of the moving boxes. Beside him, Cristiano hadn't taken his eyes off him since he had picked up the phone.
“When everything is ready in Turin I'll call you so that we can find a date to see each other. I miss you so much, mom"
"But do you believe that will be soon, son? I think about you all day. Your sister just wants to see you, we all want to have you here with Junior”
“I have told him about you, really. He really wants to meet you all"
"That little thing... I want to hug him, James. And I want to hold you too. I can't believe you've been through all this alone"
James kept silence.
"I deserve it, Mom. I should never have allowed Junior to get away from me, but it won't happen again. I'll never let him go again"
“I know, I know you will. I know you are doing what is right"
James smiled at Cristiano and Junior, who were helping each other to sort the boxes.
"Have the neighbors bothered you?"
"Oh God, you don't know how much. They want to know everything, they cannot believe that you are appearing on TV now and that you're Cristiano Ronaldo's omega, and, to be honest, I still can't believe it either” James laughed.
“Sometimes it happens to me too. But you can't imagine how happy I am. This is what I always wanted”
For a few seconds, Pilar said nothing.
“Well, if you're happy son, then all of us are too. But please don't forget about us, okay? We're here, waiting for you"
“When I go to visit you, you should come with me to Italy, at least for a few days. Cris is going to be happy to meet you" James heard his mom laugh.
"That sounds great"
"It will be," he whispered. "Mom, I have to hang up. We're finishing packing things up for the move. As soon as we settle in, I'm going to send you photos and we can make a video call.”
"No problem. I'll be waiting"
"I adore you"
"So am I, James. Take care, son. Please"
"Yes, everything is fine, mom, really"
"Okay, okay. I love you. A giant kiss for you and my grandson. And send Cristiano a hug” James couldn't hide the smile on his face.
"I'll do it. Loves to everyone”
Then he cut the call; He stared at the screen of his cell phone for a few seconds, his lips curled. James had ever dreamed of this; He had imagined the moment when he would confess to his mother that his son's father was Cristiano Ronaldo, that they were both in love and that he'd no longer return home, because everything he had wanted he had finally gotten. The mark on his neck, which James gently touched without being able to take his eyes off his son and his alpha, reminded him every day that now it wasn't a dream, it was his reality.
He had waited so long for this that it felt almost unreal.
"Pa, come on, help me put my toys away"
James smiled. Junior calling him Pa was the most precious thing he had ever heard.
“But you already have almost everything ready, and did an excellent job" said James, in a whisper, squatting next to Ronaldo and Junior.
"It's all my merit, eh, Junior didn't want to go to Italy" Cristiano was sitting on the floor; A few strands of hair fell on his forehead. James stared at him for seconds: Cristiano had always seemed overwhelmingly attractive to him. And, as incredible as it sounded, that alpha was his.
"Really? Why, Cris? I'll be with you. And now forever" James left a tight kiss on his son's cheek, wanting to feel him, smell him.
"Are you going to help me decorate my room back in Italy?" Junior asked, huddled close. James smiled, as always.
"Of course"
"It will be great," Junior said. "Can my room be next to yours?"
"Of course it can," James replied immediately, ignoring Cristiano's grimace. "You can even sleep the first few nights with us, can't he, Cris?"
Cristiano stared at James, but said nothing about it.
"Hey Junior, why don't you go get the pet stuff? You don't have to forget anything about them either, okay?”
"I'm running already!"
Junior quickened his pace until James could see how he was lost in the hallways. The loneliness and silence in which him and Cristiano sank when the boy disappeared from their sight was quickly broken by Ronaldo's mysterious tone. James watched him carefully. Cristiano had always been incredibly handsome and masculine, so tall and manly that James had long believed that such an attractiveness was almost criminal. But since he had his mark on his neck, since Cristiano was the man he woke up with in the morning, since his hand was the one he felt on his waist every day, James couldn't take it from his mind. Cristiano seemed to him a new man, infinitely more handsome, more protective, more affectionate. He was delighted. Cristiano was everything, everything, everything ...
"What's wrong, Cris?" James decided to ask, without any embarrassment wrapping his arms around his neck. It felt good to have that freedom, it felt like it should have existed all his life.
"You did it?" Cristiano asked right in his ear, hugging him from the waist. James just sighed, enjoying the sensation of the prickling of his alpha's lips on his earlobe.
"I'm not pregnant," he repeated, as he had already done in the morning. He walked away slowly, looking Cristiano in the eyes. "I'm not"
"I'm sure you are," Cris whispered. James didn't take his eyes off him. "It is impossible that after your heat you haven't become pregnant"
"Well, I got pregnant with Junior without being in heat" James smiled, getting close again, seeing Cristiano giggle. They didn't separate, they just couldn't. "I have had 3 tests, all negative"
"I can smell it"
"Well, you must be smelling wrong. I don't even have symptoms. When I got pregnant with Cris, at 3 weeks I couldn't even smell the food my mom made. I was nauseous all the time. But now, nothing, I don't feel different. And all the tests already said no. I'm not pregnant”
Cristiano looked back, but Junior didn't seem to be coming soon.
"And you know what? It's better. I don't want Cris to feel like he has to share me or that I'm going to pay more attention to another baby now if we have another child. I want to dedicate myself to him, completely" James's voice sounded soft, even when Cristiano brushed his cheek with his fingers so carefully.
"I'd love to see you pregnant," he confessed then, his voice hoarse. James laughed slowly, shaking his head. "See your belly grow, see you giving birth, see you breastfeeding our child..."
James sighed joyfully, with just the kiss that Cristiano finally placed on his neck. This was the only life he needed to have, until the end of his days.
"There will be time for that," he assured. “For now, I want to be a good Pa for Cris. I owe it to him ”
"Cris loves you, everything you do is fine for him" Cristiano said mockingly. James'd have wanted to push him slowly, like a game, but he felt too comfortable holding him so close, sniffing him whole. "And do you know what he once said to me?"
"What?" James asked, throwing his arms around his again.
"That he wanted to have six siblings, that is, that I have seven kids, like the number on my shirt... that means we have to start working soon, ah" Cristiano's smile was bright, beautiful. James couldn't help but laugh.
He was so happy, he couldn't remember having been as happy before as he was now.
"You're crazy"
"It was your son's idea, not mine"
They both laughed, but Cristiano didn't want to wait for any response. He kissed him, soft but deep, holding his waist and James loved the sensation of his hands caressing his body and he was also fascinated by his lips and the sound they made when they moved away. Cristiano was everything. James hugged him, only to feel his body pressed against his own. At the end they separated sighing, happy to be together, to feel so in love.
"But at some point..." Cristiano muttered. Their noses were glued together, James felt his breath in his mouth. "At some point I'd like you to make me a father again"
His words sounded sweet and James couldn't help but smile, resting his forehead on his lover's.
"I want that too, for real"
They kissed again, laughing. Unable to separate, to stop touching, to stop loving each other.
James thought this is what paradise must feel like. He thought that this is how it must feel to be with the love of your life, he thought that this was the direction things should have taken since always. He thought that this felt like the right thing and recalled, in Cristiano's arms, his shy arrival to Spain, his tireless desire to recover his son and return to Colombia with him, his eagerness to put aside the pain that Cristiano had caused him that night at that motel.
James had never sought this when he set foot in Madrid. Cristiano wasn't in his head when he walked around Junior's school and he never wanted to become the omega of the man who still continued to hurt his heart with every memory. That wasn't his goal. And although as a teenager he had wanted nothing more than to feel Cristiano's teeth on his neck and proudly wear his mark, James was too hurt by his indifference and cruelty. He had felt used, worthless, replaceable.
And he had hated Cristiano. He had despised all his attempts to get closer when he started to become a part of Junior's life and he had been angry at having given his baby as well and had been angry because Cristiano had seen Junior grow up and he hadn't and, also, had a confused rage because every time Cristiano touched him or was close to him his heart was pounding like crazy and his head seemed to cloud and he simply wasn't him anymore.
But this, being here with Cristiano, feeling him close, feeling him inside, kissing his mouth, touching his body ... James had understood, little by little, that there was no other explanation. It had to be that way. And his initial fear, the wall he had created to avoid being affected by Cristiano could no longer hold firm. He was in love. He had been in love since he saw Cristiano in the complex and although his abandonment had hurt him deeply, he couldn't be indifferent to what it meant to have conceived a child together. Junior was the strongest and clearest proof that neither he nor Cristiano were made to be apart. James had accepted it, and how couldn't? He have never been so happy in life. Cristiano and Junior created in him an incomparable sensation.
He was with the love of his life and with his son and nothing and nobody could snatch them from his side. For the first time in a very long time, everything was fine. For the first time in his life he felt complete.
"I know I have told you many times, but I just want you to know it well" Cristiano whispered, walking away carefully. "I feel like I could never prove it to you enough"
James looked him straight in the eye.
"I love you," he continued saying. “From the first time I saw you in Medellín. And I want you to be sure that now it is forever"
His words were felt there, sweet in his heart.
"I know," James replied. “I know just by looking into your eyes and I hope you also realize that I feel exactly the same way about you. I love you, Cristiano”
The kiss they gave each other, sweet, loving, warm, was broken by Junior's little steps, rushing to get to the living room. James walked away laughing, Cristiano shook his head, unable to stop smiling. Junior said that he had packed all the pets stuff in a bag and that there was nothing left, so when they got to the new house in Italy he could order a room for his dogs and his cat by himself. James couldn't erase the smile from his face, he was so glad. He motioned for his son to come closer, picked him up and kissed his cheek until his lips ached. There was nothing better and what he came to look for in Spain, he had already found. Cristiano's hands on top of his, surrounding him and Junior, told him that that was clear.
-
The press was everywhere and the lights and cameras and screaming were starting to tire James out. It was definitely the odd way out, but James was doing his best to tolerate the questions from the journalists and cameras chasing him and the words of the fans with a friendly smile. Italy was different from Spain and, certainly, Juventus was different from Real Madrid, but James saw Cristiano happy, playing with a ball, demonstrating his talent, taking photos and talking to the owners of the club and knew that, wherever he went, he would be a star. And he couldn't be happier because of that, because what made Cristiano happy also made him happy.
"Doesn't all this sometimes overwhelm you?" However, he couldn't contain himself to ask. Him and Junior had stayed in a corner, along with some of the club leaders, watching Cristiano from afar.
"Sometimes," replied the boy, looking up at him. "But Daddy likes it."
"It's true" James nodded. "Cristiano likes it"
"Does it overwhelm you, Pa?" Junior muttered.
James shrugged his shoulders.
"A little" he accepted. "But I'm trying to get used to it. You could give me some advice, huh?
"All you want" Junior smiled sweetly at him, hugging him around the waist. James held him in his arms and did so during the time Cristiano talked to the leaders and answered questions, until his cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket. James was able to recognize the notification of a new WhatsApp message.
"Sorry" he said to Junior, letting him go. Cris stared at his father; James switched on his phone and frowned. It was a WhatsApp from Arturo.
Confused, he quickly thought whether he should see it or not. Junior wasn't paying attention to him and, among the noise of all the people, James decided to look at the message. It was a small paragraph and he had to bring the phone closer to his face, just to be able to read it clearly.
"Hey James how are you doing? I heard that you're going to Italy and, since you haven't responded to my messages or my calls, all I left is to talk to you around here. I know Cristiano will now play for Juventus and I have also seen how now everyone knows the truth. And I see you happy, boy and you know what? That makes me happy, because now you're with your son, which is what you always wanted and if you decided that Cristiano is the right alpha and accepted his mark, then I'm really happy for you. I wanted to apologize too, just a little? f I was rude at some point… I wanted to protect you only, because I really love you, James, so if at any time Cristiano becomes a son of a bitch and hurts you, call me because I'll be the first to go and put that man instead. Nah, I'm just kidding. I hope everything is fine, really, and well, if I ever travel to Turin I suppose I can go and visit you, right? In a friendly way. Because we are still friends, right? In good and bad, James. I wish you the best in your new life. I adore you"
Even if he had wished not to, smiling was simply impossible. Arturo. Arturo was only Arturo. Arturo was the best friend he had ever had. His message produced a warmth in his chest that he recognized as having again something that had once been his. Arturo had tried to talk to him several times, it was true and after all that had happened, James had preferred to limit the communication to avoid misunderstandings. Arturo loved him and James could understand that this was the reason that had led him to try to take Cristiano's place, but Arturo had never wished him badly. Arturo adored him and James also loved him very much and this was the proof.
Arturo accepted that they could only be friends and James was happy. He didn't ask for anything more.
“We're still friends, Arturito. Cristiano and I will welcome you with open arms in Turin, be sure” he wrote quickly. Arturo saw the message instantly.
"I hope your alpha doesn't kill me if he sees me around you again"
"Oh no, he's not jealous," he answered fast.
Arturo send a smiling emoji back at him.
Nothing, absolutely nothing was wrong in his life now.
James looked ahead. A group of people surrounded Cristiano as they accompanied him to the field. James followed the crowd, holding Junior's hand in his the whole time. The feeling was inexplicable. After living 9 months in loneliness and misery, carrying the son of the best football player in the world in his womb, he was now able to walk beside him, following his destined alpha, allowing everyone to observe what the three of them were. Cristiano had kept this secret under seven keys for years, but now there was no longer any need.
James walked down the bleachers with his head held high, Junior's fingers tangled in his own fingers. He never took his eyes off Cristiano, who was smiling there, with a ball at his feet and with the Juventus shirt on. He looked perfect. And all this, the giant stadium, the lights, the grass, the balls, the people, the laughter, the air of Turin, the Italian spoken everywhere... all this looked perfect too. James gave himself the pleasure of closing his eyes, but only for seconds, to breathe his new life in peace. There was a beautiful sun in the sky, which made Cristiano's face shine tenderly when he looked in their direction. James could see his smile, he could read love in his eyes and with Junior's hand tightly clasped to his and his essence always stuck to his nose, he didn't need anything else. It was a brand new day.