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It was on a bright Tuesday morning when Leo found out about it.
He and Cris had had a long, fervid night after the success of Cris’ conference at Allianz Stadium. His transfer to Juventus hadn’t been an easy process, from the moment the news aired until Cris and his agent had to deal with so many bumps along the way. So after having a long boring day of presentation, facing the press and all those professional stuff, they had decided to fly back home and spent the rest of the night in the warm weather of Madrid’s evening.
The digital clock on the bedside table showed ‘09:15’ when Leo heard Dolores and Junior’s faint noise from the kitchen that forced him to wake up and find something to put on. Of course he wasn’t going to face his boyfriend’s son and mother stark naked.
Leo rummaged through Cris’ side of their wardrobe and found an old white training sticking out of the pile of clothes. He mindlessly pulled out the piece of garment (it was an old Real training!) which caused the pile to fell out scattered. That’s when he found the small dark blue velvet box sitting innocently at the back of the wardrobe.
He didn’t realize he was frozen in his place until there’s a knock on the door followed by Dolores telling them that she’ll be waiting in the dining room and both Cris and Leo better show up in a decent state.
“Yes, Mãe, yes,” a muffled voice from under the CR7 blanket was heard. It snapped Leo from his dumbfounded state and he hastily stuffed the clothes back into their place with a pounding heart. He wasn’t supposed to find out about that, was he?
He decided to get out of the room first to calm his racing heartbeat.
Was Cris going to do it anytime soon? When and where would he do it? Has he had a plan on how it’s going to be?
“Good Morning, Leo, you are smiling! Did Papa allow you to eat more sweets? Can I also have an ice cream after breakfast then?” Junior barged him as he entered the dining room. Leo truly missed the little guy, especially when he and Cris were in Turin yesterday. He had wished Junior was with them to see the beautiful metropolitan city. Cris only laughed and kissed him then.
“No ice cream in the morning, little guy. Your Papa would be so mad and it’s also bad for your tummy.”
“But you get to eat sweets, Leo!”
“I am not getting sweets, Nino, I’m just so happy today. Am I not allowed to smile then?” Leo asked while lifting the boy up.
“Of course you are allowed to smile, silly Leo! But if you are getting sweets and I am not, you are not allowed to smile anymore because I will be sad!”
Just when Leo’s about to reply, he felt familiar hands circling his waist and a pair of wet lips on his left shoulder.
“What is all this fuss about?” Cris asked with a raspy waking-up voice.
“Papa, is Leo getting more sweets now?” Junior demanded an answer.
“What? No, no one is getting any more sweets. We are all sticking to the healthy diet and that includes Leo and you.” Leo chuckled at how Cris managed to sound somehow offended.
They stopped short when Dolores appeared from the kitchen with a really good smelling Baked Eggs. “Now, now, boys, enough with the group hug you didn’t invite me to and eat your breakfast,” she said.
After breakfast, Cris insisted on doing the dishes because, “No, Leo, I do the dishes, you go accompany Mãe,”—along with Cris lifting up the dirty dishes away from Leo’s grasp. Leo gave Cris a little pinch to the Portuguese’s side because it was annoying when Cris was acting taller.
Leo saw Dolores watching the TV with Junior sprawled on the floor playing game in his iPad as he entered the living room.“Leo, here, sit here,” Dolores invited him to sit beside him. They fell into a conversation after that, just a little chat about the currently on going TV series and catching up about recent events, but it was comfortable. Dolores had been nothing but kind and caring to him ever since Cris introduced Leo to her. And what Leo likes about her was her honest acceptance. Shy, quite Leo remembered how awkward he had been when he first met Dolores. He had called her ‘Mrs. Aveiro’ with a bashful formality just to be scolded and followed by, “I’ve heard so much about you from Cristiano, son. You are all he talks about whenever he visits me. Please, don’t be so formal with me.”
In the middle of their conversation, Junior decided to climb up Leo’s lap and settled himself there.
Without Leo realizing, Cris watched him quietly from the doorway with feelings the man couldn’t put his words unto. It was as if Cris had found the last missing piece of his puzzle yet it felt like it wasn’t complete yet.But the image of Dolores laughing with and telling Leo latest gossip on her neighborhood whilst Junior engrossed in his own little world on Leo’s lap,‘I’d like that. For days to come, for as long as I’m allowed to have it.’ Cris thought with a smile that hurt his cheeks.
.
Leo almost forgot about the ring incident—he knew that weirdly sound like an American horror movie he once saw with Ney and Luis—when one day Cris came up to him with a dinner date idea while he was playing FIFA. When Leo asked him why with the all of suddenness, Cris replied, “I don’t know. Do I need a reason to invite you to a romantic dinner, Messi?”
Leo giggled and said yes he needs a reason.
“Well, let’s see, I’ve been spending all my time in Turin recently, searching for a new house I will have to live in, while you here have been taking care of Junior alone. And soon enough you will have to go back to Barcelona. I guess I just miss you a little bit too much.”
Leo felt warmth spread from his chest. He gave Cris a peck and agreed to the dinner.
.
Leo was completely reminded of the innocent box sitting at the back of their wardrobe—now it probably wasn’t there but somewhere in someone’s pocket—when they arrived on the restaurant which was where their first date took place.
No, don’t get him wrong. Leo had known Cris for such a long time to recognize the taller man’s gesture when he was feeling nervous. Cris would chew his lower lip and scratch the back of his neck, but he’d still try to keep his cool while failing miserably. Which now that’s exactly what he was doing. And for what reason Cristiano Ronaldo had to be nervous right now when they’re just having an ordinary dinner night?
Leo tried his best not to be nervous too because Cris would immediately know and how would Leo explain that “I’ve known about the ring you hid for a while now and I can’t stop thinking about it,”?
Leo managed to suppress his nervousness until the waiter brought their empty plates away. He was in the middle of telling Cris about Junior’s last day of schools and how gloomy the kid had been when Cris suddenly said, “Thank you, querido,” with those eyes staring directly at him.
“Oh? Yeah, of course, Cris, you’re welcome. But what for?” Leo coughed, taking a sip of his wine.
“For taking care of Junior, for accepting him, for everything, basically,” and ugh, the love Leo could feel just from Cris’ words was overwhelming, it was so clear and sincere.
“I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you, Leo. But what I know is that I want to spend tomorrow and days ahead, still with you,” he continued. Cris took Leo’s hand in his.
“Leo, I—” Despite a pregnant pause between them, Leo could hear his own heart beat getting louder and louder every second passed.
“I—
—I will have to go to China tomorrow. Nike’s agent called me yesterday about rescheduling my tour, so, I—sorry, Leo, I promised a good week before the training starts,”
What?
Leo blinked his eyes a few times before he actually understood the words coming out of Cris’ mouth.
“Oh, I—yes, it’s okay, Cris. It was the football school program they always talk about, wasn’t it?” he managed to swallow a lump in his throat.
They talked again after that, with Cris not knowing Leo was trying so hard to ignore the disturbing feeling inside him and Leo not knowing Cris suddenly felt the breast pocket of his suit jacket became heavier by each minute passed.
.
No matter how hard Leo tried to forget about the dinner, he just couldn’t. It’s always there, at the back of his mind. Sure it could’ve been him just being stupid, maybe Cris wasn’t even going to propose to him from the first place, but it’s still there when he sent Cris and Junior off at the airport, when he’s doing medical check-up with the club’s doctor, it’s even there right now as he hung out with Geri and Luis.
“—seriously, Milan actually did that! Can you believe it, Leo? Hey, Leo!” Geri threw a cushion at his face when he realized Leo was spacing out.
Leo was just about to protest when Luis spoke up, “Geri, take it easy with little Leo. He’s missing his ‘Italian’ boyfriend,” he said with a laugh.
“Aw, come on, Leo, we’re here to cheer you up! Besides it’s not like you will not see Cris ever again,”
“I know, it’s just—I don’t know, guys, I,” Leo stopped, trying to find the right word to represent his current feeling.
The two Blaugranas then realized Leo’s distress from the doubt in his voice.
“Leo, what’s wrong? Are you and Cristiano okay? Are you okay?” Luis asked.
“It’s nothing, guys, I’m fine,”
“As if we’ll believe you with that kicked puppy look on your face, Lionel. I know it’s not nothing and you’re far away from a ‘fine’, but remember, Leo, me and Luis are here when you need us to be, yeah?”
Leo hesitated for a second, then decided to tell them about everything—about the ring, the dinner, his feelings, which was hard because whether he felt sad, anxious, or embarrassed, Leo honestly didn’t know.
Both Geri and Luis, they were speechless.
“Who the fuck think it was a great idea to hide such an important secret inside a shared wardrobe,” Geri broke the silence.
“No, Geri, I wasn’t supposed to find out, also it was his side of our wardrobe. It was entirely my fault,”
“Leo, no.I think it’s obvious I’m with Geri here. It was a ridiculous idea from Cristiano and you Leo, shouldn’t have thought that it was your fault,”
While Luis looked calmer, Geri looked like he’s ready to square up fight the Portuguese for his denseness. Of course Leo would found out eventually, it was their shared dresser.
But what he said next earned him a hard punch to his arm from Luis and a stunned look from Leo.
“Maybe it wasn’t that important if he didn’t try hard enough to actually hide it, Leo.”
.
What Geri had said stuck in Leo’s mind for days now. Luis had interfered, saying that Geri didn’t mean it and he told the Geri to cool down before the gigantic man made any more stupid remarks. Luis also explained how it wasn’t his fault with careful words and that he’s the one who understood Cris more than anyone to even listen to what Geri had said.
Leo knew Luis was right but thinking about it made him wanted to cry. Not because of what Cris had done but because Leo thought about doubting Cris. The former Madridista had been nothing but the sweetest, hopeless romantic whenever it came to his feelings towards Leo, he knew because Cris had never been embarrassed to show it to Leo.
“Leo,” he was in the middle of warming up when Geri came up to him. “I’m really sorry about what I said last week, man. I—I know Cris wasn’t that kind of person. I was just mad, seeing you upset like that, but I really have no right to say what I said,”
“It’s okay Geri, I understand, I just—,” he replied, “I don’t know, when he calls at night for a small talk, even with the words spoken between us, the worst possibilities always made it through my mind. And it drives me mad how I even thought about ever doubting him,” Leo admitted.
Silence proceeded to fall between the two Blaugranas. Geri really felt like an asshole right now, even though Leo didn’t explicitly say he blamed Geri for his words, Geri knew it was all him to blame.
And what made him felt even guiltier was that he had unintentionally accused Cris.
They were sitting down in the middle of the training ground, Barcelona’s morning breeze and warm sunshine keeping them company.
“If you could meet him right now, would you go, Leo?” Geri suddenly asked him.
“I would, even in the middle of this mess I’ve made, I fucking would, Geri. I miss him, I miss Junior. But that would be impossible, especially now as the season’s starting soon,”
“What if I say I talked with the manager, managed to persuade him to give you a break for the upcoming match and I also already booked you a ticket to Turin, would you still go, Leo?”
.
Leo had always known Geri as a mischievous person, occasionally joking and being playful. That was why he didn’t believe his best friend’s words at first. But here Leo was, in Turin Airport the next day.
There were no reporters or paparazzi around, probably because his absence for Barça’s first match hasn’t even been announced yet.
It was Saturday, which meant a day off training. So Leo decided to give Cris and Junior a surprise visit. There was a weird excitement in his chest when he opened the letter Cris had sent Leo two days ago—a picture of a house, an address and a key.
.
There was a car parked on the driveway when Leo arrived.
Instead of ringing the bell, Leo decided to use the key Cris had given him. Once inside, Leo sat took on his surroundings. This house had a contrast difference with the one in Madrid, with Mediterranean styled interior, light brown brick wall on one side of the room, nude color here and there.
Then, “—I wasn’t sure, man,” he heard a faint familiar voice from across the hallway. That peaked Leo’s curiosity. He walked quietly, wasn’t sure whether he should interrupt or not. He peered into the room that turned out to be the living room and saw Cris with the one and only James Rodriguez, their back against Leo, sitting beside each other on the sofa with the TV on but ignored.
And if someone said Leo was a bit irritated by the Colombian being here in Turin, on the sofa beside his Cris, Leo would’ve laughed out loud because no, he wasn’t.
(That kiss had only meant to flare Leo’s jealousy back when he and Cris were still clueless, but James “accidentaly” overdone it by straddling Cris in front of everyone.)
“What do you mean, Cris? You were so confident about it the last time we met, what happened since then?” James responded, making Leo confused with first, ‘Confident about what?’’ and second, ‘Last time they met?’’ When was it, why did Cris never said anything about meeting James?
“You prepared for everything, the dinner, the yacht, the fucking diamond ring, Cris, what the hell,” the Colombian continued with exasperation that made Leo couldn’t believe his own ears.
He really, really shouldn’t have found out about it, should he?
As he was just about to turn around, he heard Cris sighed loudly.
“I—no, James, I don’t think I should do it. I love him, I do, but it will only be a burden, won’t it?” Cris replied, desperation was clear in his voice.
And just by those words Leo’s heart immediately sank and he felt his eyes getting warm. A burden.
He turned fast, heading towards the front door with blurry vision.
Once he reached the front door, he opened it just to bump into a small body by the other side of the door.
“Leo!” Junior exclaimed excitedly while hugging him, “Why didn’t you tell me you’re coming here—Leo? What’s wrong, Leo?”
“Hey Junior,” a sob, “What’s up little guy? Where have you been?”
“Leo you are crying,” Junior replied, the little guy’s face show genuine concern, and Leo felt more tears threatened to fall down his face.
“Nooo, I was watching a sad movie on the way from the airport, I’m okay, Nino,” he forced a smile.
Junior stared at his face for a while then a smile appeared on the 8 years old again.“Leo is such a crybaby! But it’s okay Leo, I cried too when I watch sad movies,” he said playfully. “Have you meet Papa, Leo? Let’s go inside together! James is inside too and Papa had told me to play outside for a bit, but now you are here, we can go surprise Papa together!”
“I- no, Junior,” Leo was trying to find an excuse, anything, so he wouldn’t have to face Cris now. “I was planning to surprise your Papa later tonight, but not now, okay? I have my keys here, see,” he managed to say while showing Junior his key, “I’m going to hide now and you, little guy, are not allowed to say a thing to your Papa,” he tapped Junior’s nose with his finger.
“A secret?”
“Yes, a top secret,”
“Okay, I won’t say anything!” Junior promised while gesturing a mouth zip.
.
“A burden?! Okay, Cris, explain before I beat the life out of you because I don’t know who is this douche sitting beside me right now,”
“No, no, not him, James, but me. I’m afraid what I’m about to do will just chain him down. He’s a very committed person, you know it, hell, the whole world knows it,” Cris rubbed his face, chasing away the tension in him.
“Here’s what I mean; Junior adores him, James, and Leo, he’s so so fond of Junior, and I wouldn’t ask for anything else because they are honestly the most beautiful thing ever happen to me,”
“But God help me, Junior always wanted Leo with us, well, I am too of course. While I do understand that he couldn’t, Junior doesn’t yet. He asks Leo to come over to Madrid like 3 times a week, ever since he’s 5, and Leo, he didn’t know how to simply refuse the little guy. And it became a habit. That seemed like a simple matter when it’s actually not,”
“And now imagine I’m tying him with that ring, James. I don’t want to take his freedom from him, I won’t allow myself to. His tomorrows are his,” Cris finished with another loud sigh. He felt heavy, his own heart weighed him down.
James was speechless though. He knew Cris was a careful person, behind that arrogant persona, he’s actually very emotional.
“I don’t know what to say, Cris. But that’s marriage, a new step where you both have to live it together. His tomorrows will be yours and yours be his, too. Have faith yourself and in him,”
.
After James had gone to ‘enjoy his rest of vacation’, a FIFA, lunch and a nap, Cris and Junior were getting ready for their night out.
Cris wanted to take Junior to the famous Piazza San Carlo tonight (Junior was more excited about the gianduja mousse Cris promised they would try later, though).
While Cris settled for casual attire, Junior seemed like he was ready to hit the town with a pair of black aviator on his eyes.
“What are you doing with that, you realize it’s almost dark outside, right?” Cris asked, amusement filled his voice.
“No worries, Papa. I look cool with this, Leo said so,”
“You do, big guy,” Cris smiled with uncontainable fondness.
.
They both had fun, Cris was taking pictures of the night time scenery around him—and selfies, of course, and of Junior standing in front of the Emanuele Filiberto monument, he was going to show it all off to Leo.
Damn Cris missed the small Blaugrana already.
They shopped around for a bit and had pizza for dinner then proceeded to visit the famous Guido Gobino for the promised chocolate dessert.
Then, as if suddenly reminded of something Junior said, “Papa, let’s go home now!” with his hands full with bags of chocolate desserts (Cris needed to do something with the healthy diet plan later).
“Already? You sure you don’t want to visit any other place? It’s not late yet,” he replied which earned him a head shake from his son.
On the way home though, Cris saw Junior fidgeting on the passenger seat, checking the clock and bouncing up and down in his seat.
“Okay, spill out, big guy, what are you up to?” Cris asked with a hint of smile in his voice.
“Nothing,” his son replied, stopped the bouncing for a while. “Drive faster, Pai,”
Cris laughed at that. “Sir, yes sir,” he responded.
.
Junior took his key ran from the driveway once the car stopped, forgetting his bags of desserts. That’s weird. Cris picked up his shopping bag and Junior’s chocolates.
Junior eagerly unlocked the front door then ran inside to the living room. Cris himself continued towards the kitchen to put the desserts away. He wasn’t even finished yet when he saw Junior running to the kitchen, looking like he was trying to find something. Nil, the 8 years old continued to run towards the stairs.
“No running on the stairs, Nino!” Cris yelled just to be ignored by his son.
And he was just about bring his shopping bags to the bedroom when Junior appeared with slumped shoulder on the doorway. Now Cris was starting to get worried.
“What’s wrong, Junior?” he asked, crouching down so he could see his son’s face.
Junior hesitated for a while then, “I’m not supposed to tell you, Pai,” he said with a small voice.
“And why is that? Did you do something that’s going to make me angry?” “No,”
“You don’t want to tell me?”
“I can’t, Pai, I promised not to tell you,”
Cris had always taught his son about honesty, and he’s happy that his son was being honest about that.
“Okay but if it’s still bothering you, you must talk to me. Now go clean yourself and get ready for bed,”
“I don’t want to,” Junior mumbled slowly, but Cris managed to catch that.
“What do you mean by that, Cris?” Cris was honestly starting to get chapfallen. It was usually Leo who dealt with this kind of complicated situation. Junior went silent after that. His dad calling him ‘Cris’ was a rare occasion, it was either his dad was upset or angry.
“I want to wait for Leo, Pai,” Junior said after a long pause, looking down as if his socked toes were the most interesting subject right now.
Well, it was no joke that it shocked Cris. What was his son talking about?
“Leo said he’s going to come again tonight, but he’s not here yet, so I want to wait for him,” Junior continued as if he could read his dad’s mind.
“Again? So you already met him before, Nino?”
“Yes, Papa. This noon, Leo was walking out the door and I bumped into him,” Junior answered, “but don’t tell Leo I told you, Pai, Leo will be sad,” he continued.
“I—no, I won’t tell him and I will look surprised when he come, okay? But now you have to take shower first then you can wait in the living room, how about that?” Cris found it hard to form those words. But his son nodded at that, walking languidly towards the bathroom on the second floor.
That wasn’t Cris’ main worry though, it was the information his son had given him. Leo was here this noon. Meant it was when James had been over and they had been talking about it.
“Shit,” Cris cursed under his breath. He reached for his phone on the island counter and dialed Leo’s number.
.
Leo stared at his reflection in the mirror and he looked like shit. His hair were sticking up into different directions and eyes puffy from crying. But he didn’t drink though, getting drunk won’t help with anything. He had spent the last 8 hours weeping on the bed in his hotel room, of course with a nap and a long hot bath between, but that didn’t seem to help him to feel better.
He was startled by his vibrating phone, the name ‘Cristiano’ showed up on it’s bright screen.
Leo hesitated for a while. He honestly didn’t know what to do, his heart was broken, yet he didn’t want to break his promise to Junior. Well surprise, he did remember.
So he decided that he’s going to pretend he know nothing, before he get to think more clearly about what would happen next.
“He—,“ a cough, “Hello, q-querido,”
[“Leo, why didn’t you tell me you’re here in Turin?”] So Junior had told his Pai then. But Leo honestly couldn’t catch what was that in the Portuguese’s voice. It sounded like a surprise, but not in a good way.
“I wanted to surprise you, Cris, I—“
[“Where are you now? I’m going to pick you up, Leo,”]
Cris voice held no space for argument it made Leo’s heartbeat increase. Hundreds of what ifs fell upon his head, asking him would he be ready to face the man he fell in love with and the man who said marrying him would just be a burden.
[“Leo, please,”]
At that plead, Leo gave up and gave Cris the name of the hotel he was staying. Even in the middle of this mess, he didn’t even come close to ever think about stop loving the Portuguese.
.
Cris drove the car in high speed, almost never hit the brakes and if there were cops, he was pretty sure he’d get pulled over.
He had to bribe Junior with promises of more sweets and less diet menu first to get the boy to stay at home. He needed to see Leo alone.
Once he reached his destination, he parked his car hastily on the roadside and ran towards the open lift. Cris almost knocked the service lady over as he ran across the hallway of the 5th floor. Room number 532.
And he did realize he knocked the door a little too hard but he couldn’t care less, all he thought about was how much he wanted to see Leo.Seconds later the door clicked open and there he was with his dimpled smile greeted Cris.
“Hey,” was Leo’s first word, and he didn’t let Cris reply by continuing, “You’re here already. I haven’t tidied up my stuff, but it won’t take more than two minutes.”
Leo walked inside, casually picking up his discarded shirt and trousers. Cris trailed behind him, speechless, this wasn’t—
“Do you want to drink anything, Cris? We can order something from the room service,” Leo asked while walking towards the bathroom.
“Leo,” Cris called, with small voice, barely heard. Leo’s smile felt wrong.
“How far is this hotel from your house? Is this place hard to find?” Leo continued, already finished with checking the bathroom.
“Leo, I—“ Cris tried again, this time trying to get near the Argentine.
“Wait, Cris, you should check the balcony out. The scenery from up here’s very beautiful,” the other replied, walking towards the open balcony, obviously avoiding Cris.
There were no I miss yous, no longing embrace, no asking about Junior, nothing.
And Cris knew it, Leo had heard some but clearly not the whole thing.
He followed Leo towards the balcony. “Leo, please, I—“
“You see over there Cris, it’s Allianz Stadium, your stadium,” Leo cut him off. Even his excitement felt off.
Cris couldn’t take it, Leo using the ‘Messi mode’ on him, being calm and all smile. The Portuguese wasn’t stupid, he noticed the vague puffiness in Leo’s eyes and how the younger man had blatantly ignored him.
So he did what he never thought he would be doing it this way, in the middle of a clear misunderstanding. But Cris would never forgive himself if he lost Leo because of his own cowardice.
Cris reached over his back pocket, taking out the damned small velvet box as Leo still ‘enjoying’ the view, clearly oblivious.
“Fuck, Leo, you deserve so much more than this, but please,” he said, getting down on one knee that caught Leo’s attention.
“Will you marry me?” Cris eyes stared directly at Leo’s, who had astounded expression on his face.
Heavy silent fell between the two, only the sound of the city’s nightlife filled in.
“Why, Cris?” was the only words that came out of Leo’s mouth after minutes of silence.
“What do you mean by ‘why’, Leo?”
“You—,” Leo stuttered, then sighed loudly, exhaustion suddenly appeared on his face. “Don’t do this Cris, please. Don’t force yourself for me.”
Cris was taken aback by that. He did kind of have a small clue about what had happened, but never in his mind Leo, his Leo would think about it that way and Cris felt sick of himself because he was the one who caused Leo to think that fucking way.
“I don’t blame you, Cris, I really don’t. I only wished you talked to me about it; my flaws and the annoying habits I have, so I can change it. I love you, Cris, you know I do, but please don’t force this just to make me happy, I’m nobody and you should be following your happiness,” Leo continued, his gaze fell down into the ring.
Cris couldn’t take it anymore, he took the ring out and stand up, towering Leo. He used his free hand to hold Leo’s arm so the Argentine couldn’t go anywhere.
“Look at me Leo,” his voice shaking a bit. “This ring is the ring I sincerely want to see wrapped around your ring finger,”
“But I am a coward, Leo. That one time, I prepared everything just to back off last minute,” no, he wouldn’t get Leo to interfere because he will only blame himself while it was all Cris’ fault.
“And earlier today, when James had been over, you heard my words. But that wasn’t it. So let me tell you what I told James afterward, the part you may have missed out; I’m afraid this ring would cause a burden, not for me but for you. I’m afraid I’m going to tie you down with it, querido,”
“There’s nothing about you I would want you to change. I had seen that you are perfect and so I loved you. But then I saw that you’re not perfect and I love you even more, mi amor. And you are far from nothing to me, you are my happiness, Leo. I am forcing myself yes, but it’s not something I don’t want to do, it’s more about what I should’ve done long time ago. I’m sorry for making you think this way, for making you think that you were nothing to me, for making you want to change yourself for me. So I will ask you again, Lionel Andrés Messi, would you do me a favor of spending the rest of your tomorrows with me?”
Leo was staring at his face with both eyes wet already, tears ready to slide down his cheeks. Cris waited, his heart hammering in his chest with each second passed.
Just when Cris was starting to lose hope, he heard a faint noise from Leo’s mouth.“I’m sorry, what was that?”
“Yes. I said yes, Cristiano,” Leo said louder and finally with that sincere dimpled smile Cris always loved.
Cris gave Leo the ring then caught those lips he loved the most with his own and embraced him tightly, not wanting to let the Argentine away ever again.
“I’m sorry, Cris—“
“Shh, no more talking. Just hug me,”
So they hugged, until Leo seemed like he realized something and parted himself away.
“Cris, where is Junior?”
There's his Leo.
Cris could feel his cheeks hurting from his smile.
“Stop that creepy smile and answer me, Cristiano,”
“I left him at home,” still smiling.
“Alone?”
“Sí,”
“What?! It’s getting late you lunatic, what were you thinking?” Leo got back to tidying up his stuff in a hurry.
“Honestly, I wasn’t thinking, Leo. I drove like a madman earlier, knowing you had heard my stupid words,”
“I’m really sorry, Cris. I misunderstood, and I—“
“No more of that, Leo, okay? It’s done, and now we have to hurry because I left Junior alone with free access to the refrigerator full of chocolates. Let’s go, fiancé,” Leo literally went red by that, shy smile appeared on his face.
.
“Cris, I had a confession,”
“What is it?”
“I, I actually knew about the ring since the morning after your Juventus press,”
“I failed so hard, didn't I? Such an idiot,”
“Well, you are my idiot, then,” Leo smiled at the Portuguese then at the diamond ring on his finger.