Work Text:
2011
When it is announced that Manuel Neuer comes to Munich, Thomas Müller is curious.
Thomas being curious is nothing special - he's curious about everything all the time. But now, he's really curious. Because this is Manuel Neuer, one of the best keepers they'll ever get their hands on. They played together at the World Cup, and Thomas saw enough. Manuel is a legend in the making.
They talked a bit during the World Cup, but Thomas mostly hung out with the guys he already knew from the U21. Manu seemed like a really cool guy though, and he definitely regretted not talking to him more. So the goalie actually coming to Bayern, and making it possible for them to hang out every day feels like a gift from heaven.
Especially because becoming friends with Manuel may be a bit harder than with someone else. Thomas already knows Manu’s too shy for words. But it’s just the challenge Thomas likes.
"Hey, Manuel!", he says cheerfully when Manuel appears in the Bayern locker room on a Tuesday morning, and shakes his hand.
"Hi", Manuel says with a soft smile and he's indeed still a bit shy – just like Thomas remembered. And he’s also very tall. Thomas thinks he looks way taller than at the World Cup, which doesn’t make sense at all because Manuel definitely looked pretty tall then. But still - so tall! Sort of funny, Thomas thinks. He remembers that he’s read something about Manuel almost not becoming a goalkeeper because he was too tiny as a kid somewhere - you have to read about who’s joining your team after all.
"So, you're our new goalkeeper then. You're feeling good here, in Bayern? I can teach you some words and show you around; I can introduce you to the guys you don’t really know yet too! And if you still need help moving in, I can do that too!"
Manuel looks sort of frightened and Thomas starts blushing.
"Oh. I'm getting a bit overwhelming, aren't I? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I just get excited when there are new people around, and I love to help them. But if you're more of a secluded type, that's fine too."
Manuel's cheeks have gone pink too and he shrugs. "I'd love to get your help, Thomas."
And when Thomas looks back at that moment now, he realizes that's where it all really started.
—
2012
He loves Lisa a lot, he's loved her since they were both sixteen. But sometimes she feels more like a sister than his girlfriend.
"Shouldn't I just break up with her?", he asks Manuel when they're sitting in the goalkeeper's garden one day after training.
They quickly became best friends on the team, quite unexpectedly according to their teammates. But was it unexpected, Thomas wondered? How could the loud, outgoing guy and the shy, private guy not be a more perfect match?
Manuel's eyes almost bulge out of their sockets when he hears Thomas' words. "Thomas... are you serious? I thought you were going to ask to marry her?"
Thomas sighs and puts his head in his hands. "Manu, I don't know. That was more a thing my parents encouraged me to do. And a year ago, I thought it was the best idea ever. But it’s not really what I want at the moment. I love her, but not in a romantic way. She's still my best friend, but that's it."
Manuel sighs and rubs his best friend's back soothingly. "I'm sure it will be alright. Listen to your heart. You'll feel horrible and really alone at first, but you'll get over it. I'm sure of it. I'll always be here for you, you know that."
A tear rolls down Thomas' cheek and he puts his head on Manuel's shoulder.
"Thank you, Manu", he says and wipes the tears away with a tentative smile.
They just sit on the grass in silence for a while, enjoying the beautiful evening. Manuel keeps his arm around Thomas the whole time.
"So, where did you get that breakup advice from? You've been here for longer than a year and you still haven't told me about that secret girl in Gelsenkirchen. Suspicious", Thomas says with a smirk and Manuel laughs. But his eyes don't look happy.
—
2013
Thomas finds out that the secret girl isn’t a girl, but a boy.
They’re the last ones in the locker room after a lazy morning training, the day after playing (and winning) their Bundesliga match against Wolfsburg. Manuel asked Thomas to wait with him in the locker room until all the others were gone, saying that he wanted to tell him something in private and that it just couldn’t wait any longer.
“Can’t we just drive to the Isar and chill there? It stinks in here.”
Manuel rolls his eyes as he puts on his shorts and his pink T-shirt.
“It’s not exactly private at the Isar, is it?”, he says and Thomas shrugs.
“We could’ve just driven to one of our places?”
Manuel sighs and shakes his head. “Thomas… I really want to tell you about this right now. I should’ve told you a long time ago, and I need to get it off my chest. You’re my best friend,” he says and Thomas grins, “and you need to know this.”
“Come on, Manu, don’t make me all curious and then keep me on the edge!”, Thomas quips and Manuel laughs.
“You love talking too much. Way too much.”
“And you love me for it. Now go on!”, Thomas says and looks at Manuel as if he’s going to tell him the biggest rumor that will be a talking topic for weeks.
“So… You know that girl I had in Gelsenkirchen, right?”, Manuel asks softly and averts his eyes from Thomas’.
“Yeah?”
“Well. Maybe I sort of lied about that”, he says honestly and looks to see Thomas’ reaction. But Thomas just looks confused and frowns.
“What do you mean?”
Manuel clears his throat and then goes on: “I should rephrase myself. I didn’t exactly lie, I just changed a small part of the story. Everything I said about us breaking up and getting my heart broken for the first time ever is true.”
Thomas grins. “Of course it’s true. It almost made me think someone was as good at telling a story as I am! And that wasn’t a great feeling.” He looks at Manuel and then realizes he’s blabbering again. “Oh, I’m sorry Manu! Please say what you want to tell me!”
Manuel shakes his head fondly and smiles. “Okay. So what if that girl wasn’t actually a girl-”
“You had a relationship with a mom?”, Thomas asks, completely shocked and Manuel’s eyes grow big.
“Thomas! What kind of person do you think I am?”
Thomas starts laughing and punches his best friend’s shoulder. “Manu, I’m kidding. I think that I know what you want to say. I think I’ve already known for a couple of months.”
“Oh”, Manuel just says. He’s a bit surprised, Thomas notices.
“You weren’t together with a girl, but with a boy, weren’t you?”, he asks and smiles encouragingly.
“Yeah”, Manuel confirms immediately and looks at the ground.
“Hey, Manu. Look at me”, Thomas says and softly turns Manuel’s head around with his hand. Manuel looks as shy as he did the first time they met, Thomas thinks. He never thought he’d ever see Manuel like that again - when they’re alone of course. Manuel has had plenty of shy moments in public where Thomas made it less awkward by talking like he always does.
“Why would I care that you like guys? I don’t even know if I’m straight myself”, he says and puts his arm around Manu.
“You’re not even straight?”, Manuel asks, sounding a bit surprised.
“Who knows”, Thomas answers, “the only person I’ve ever been with is Lisa. And who can blame me if I’m not? Being in locker rooms with some of the hottest guys on the planet sort of makes you realize you’re not so straight when you’re not.”
“Yeah, it does. I don’t like girls by the way. Not my thing”, Manuel admits and Thomas laughs.
“Already sort of noticed that. Women practically throw themselves at you and you are either oblivious or not interested at all”, Thomas says playfully and his best friend blushes.
“Yeah, it’s the latter, definitely. The attention is kind of nice”, he says with a grin.
Thomas squints his eyes playfully and says: “I always knew you liked the attention. Leading all those poor women on.”
“Heeey! I’m sorry, alright. But I always buy them a drink anonymously, isn’t that nice?”
“You’re so weird”, Thomas says and laughs. “And I’m really glad you told me this.”
He puts his other arm around Manuel too and hugs him tightly. Manuel hugs him back and Thomas can feel him smiling into the crook of his neck.
“I’m glad I told you. I should’ve done it a long time ago. Especially since you suspected something.”
“It doesn’t matter”, Thomas says once they’ve disentangled themselves from each other.“But can we at least finally get out of this stinky room now?”
—
2014
“Maybe we should go to a club together?”, Thomas suggests on a Friday night after training. They’re hanging out at Manuel’s house, watching a new series Manu discovered a few days ago and really wanted to share with Thomas.
Manu frowns. “What do you mean? A club? Did you forget we’re sort of popular and pretty famous around here?”
Thomas rolls his eyes and pauses the series. “Manu, we’ve both been single for over a year now. And I could ask Poldi, he knows some good clubs for famous people. Not that I call myself famous of course.”
Manuel shrugs and takes a sip from his drink.
“You don’t want to go? If you really don’t want to go, we don’t have too. I just thought you could be my wingman”, Thomas says with a wink and Manuel tilts his head.
“Who says I don’t want you to be my wingman, Thomas?”
“We’re going to a gay club, then?”, Thomas asks with a smirk and Manuel pushes him playfully.
“You were really going to take me to a normal club to attract women and then redirect them to you?”
“Maybeeee?”, Thomas sing-songs and then starts laughing in his typical Thomas way when Manuel reaches over to push him again. “Of course I wouldn’t take you to a club with straights only, honey!”
“Good. Because I wouldn’t come. There are limits to my love”, Manuel says and smiles.
“Oh, love, it is? You’re too sweet, Manu”, Thomas grins and Manuel blushes. It makes him look endearingly adorable. “But let’s choose a good outfit for you. I’ve brought mine with me. I knew I’d be able to convince you after all.”
“What do you mean, ‘a good outfit’?”, Manuel asks, genuinely confused. “You really can’t talk, with your dad outfits and all.”
“We’ll have this conversation another time. Because right now, there’s no time to waste! Please tell me you still have that pink T-shirt?” He looks very good in it, in Thomas’ humble opinion.
“Of course. It’s my favorite T-shirt, you know that.”
Half an hour later, they’re all dressed up and ready for their night out. Well sort of, in Manu’s case. Like always when they’re together, he’s driving and they arrive at the club way too soon for Manu’s liking.
Thomas hesitates. “Manu, we don’t actually have to go inside if you don’t want to. I just thought it’d be fun.”
Manuel sighs and puts his head on the steering wheel, making the car honk. Thomas chuckles at that and comfortingly puts his hand on Manu’s back. “Let’s go back?”, he proposes and Manuel shrugs and sits upright again. Thomas moves his hand to his best friend’s neck and slowly rubs it.
“I don’t want to ruin the fun. It’s just that… I don’t really feel like flirting?”, Manuel admits in his soft voice.
“Oh”, Thomas says, “we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Let’s go back to your place. We’ll continue that series. Do you want me to drive?”
Manu immediately shakes his head and Thomas laughs in his typical Thomas way again. He removes his hand and he swears he can feel Manuel leaning into it when it’s moving away. He’s flattered because of it in some way, he didn’t know his neck rubbing was that good. Or maybe it’s just a thing Manu really likes.
“I actually don’t mind being single that much. We have so many fun things coming up, like the World Cup. There won’t be much time for love anyway”, Manuel says and Thomas smiles.
“Yeah. Being single isn’t half that bad in my opinion. I just thought you were looking for someone. I wanted to do this for you”, Thomas admits with tinted cheeks.
Manuel lets out a laugh and looks at Thomas. “I wanted to do this for you! You seemed pretty keen on going to this club.”
Thomas grins and then shakes his head fondly. “We’re both so dumb! We actually wasted time choosing that outfit and driving here when we could’ve been chilling and eating cheat food on your way too comfortable couch!”
“I know! Let’s go, before someone recognizes two football players sitting in a car together, on a pitch-black Friday night. People might get thoughts”, Manu says with a wink and quickly drives off.
Thomas doesn’t even know why he’s blushing.
—
2015
Thomas doesn’t feel like himself anymore. It’s as if he’s this completely different person. And the thing is, that he didn’t even realize that he’s changing at all.
It may sound stupid, but he never thought he’d be that okay with being single. After breaking up with Lisa - which is already three years ago, and feels like a small eternity - he’s had some casual flirts and some one night stands, with both men and women. But being in a relationship with them never felt like the right thing.
Which confuses the hell out of him. Because he is a family guy. And he can’t put his finger on the fact why he doesn’t want to pursue a relationship with any of the lovely people that did seem open to a relationship with him.
And he doesn’t like it.
Thank god football exists. There is nothing like winning the World Cup with your best friends, and especially your number one best friend. Thomas was so busy with winning and being excited that he didn’t even have the time to properly think about anything else but football.
Maybe he should tell Manu, he thinks. Maybe his best friend can help him. But said best friend is still single for an unknown reason as well. Thomas doesn’t get that either - because have you seen Manuel Neuer? He’s practically an angel, just based on his looks. And then you haven’t actually gotten to know the lovely person underneath.
And who knows if Manu even tells him everything. He waited two years to even tell him he was gay - yes okay, Thomas didn’t exactly tell him he was bi either, but still. Manu could be shagging anyone on the team and not tell Thomas. What did he think? That they’d be discussing all the handsome men together after they had come out to each other, like two school girls?
But Manu isn’t like that. He doesn’t do one night stands, which Thomas knows because he told him. Because Manu always tells him everything. And they actually did talk about handsome men together - when they were suddenly discussing who was number one on their ‘who’d you rather fuck from the team’ list. Which led to some awkward moments and giggles in training the next day.
Maybe he should call Lisa. They weren’t exactly friends after their breakup, but then slowly became friends again and Thomas knows he can tell her everything, just like she can tell him everything as well.
But it feels a bit weird to call her now, after she’s gotten engaged to her boyfriend just a month ago. He was so happy for her when he read the message she’d sent him. He knows it could’ve - and probably would’ve - been him. But something wasn’t right about that.
And so he just doesn’t call anyone.
—
2016
He finally realizes why he couldn't put his finger on it when he calls Lisa half a year later.
“Hey”, she greets him in her typical happy Lisa way, and Thomas smiles. He always smiles when he hears her voice. She’s the personification of happiness.
“Hey, Lisa”, he says and she chuckles.
“It’s been ages since we called! You haven’t forgotten that I’m getting married this month, right?”, she asks and he can practically feel her smile through the phone.
“Of course. How could I forget that?” he teases.
“I suspect that isn’t the reason why you’re calling me though”, she says and Thomas laughs.
She’s always had a knack for sensing what’s going on, being able to read him like a book. And so Thomas tells her everything. Every single confusing thing that has kept him awake at night.
But in the end, he gets even more confused when Lisa just replies with one short sentence to his whole story.
“Call Manuel, Thomas.”
“What do you mean? What does anything of this have to do with Manuel?”
She laughs and fondly says: “Just call him, and tell him what you told me. Everything will be much clearer after that, I’m pretty sure. And oh, don’t forget to bring a plus one to my wedding!”
“Lisa, I’ve literally just told you-”
“I’m pretty sure it won’t be a problem. Just call him.”
And then she hangs up. Typical Lisa style.
So the only thing Thomas can do is actually call Manu. He doesn't understand why, but Lisa is usually pretty damn good at giving advice, so he trusts her with his whole heart.
Manuel picks up quickly and seems happy that Thomas is calling him.
“Can we talk? I know this sounds super serious and it actually kinda is, but it’s not like the world is going to perish if we don’t talk about it.”
Manuel laughs and says: “Sure. I’ll come to your house, no problem. I'll be there in ten minutes.”
Thomas doesn’t know why he’s stressing so much. But his hands are sweaty when he goes to open the door for his best friend and he quickly wipes them off on his pants before coming face to face with Manu.
“Hey”, Manuel says with that little half-smile of his and follows Thomas into the living room. Thomas grabs a drink for the both of them and puts it on the coffee table, in front of Manu who’s already made himself comfortable on his couch.
“So… I hope this isn’t too awkward, but I kind of want to tell you something.”
Manu nods and encourages him to go on.
“Well. Ever since I sort of broke up with Lisa, something just doesn’t feel right. I don’t mean that I want to get back into a relationship with her, don’t worry”, he says when he sees his best friend’s frown. “It’s just that I’ve been single for such a long time, and it’s not that I really care about it, but I’ve met some awesome and lovely people that wanted something more… but it just didn't feel right? And I sometimes feel really alone, and mostly really confused. I just don’t get it. I’ve had so many chances to be with someone, but I don’t take them? Something must be wrong with me, because who denies a relationship with someone they’re attracted to when that someone also wants a relationship with them? And I really didn’t know what to do. Like I wanted to tell you, but what if you were with someone and would just think that I was weird? I don’t know why I didn’t call you first, but I decided to call Lisa and she just told me to call you, so I did? And I still don’t get it why she told me to call you after I’d told her the full ten-minute story of my random thoughts on love?”, Thomas blabbers and when he’s done, he looks at Manuel with such an honest frown that the older man feels like crying.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”, Thomas asks, that confused look still on his face. Manuel has this sad look on his face, and Thomas can’t stand it.
And then, out of the blue, Thomas realizes what’s going on in Manu’s head. And he also realizes what’s been going on in his own head for the last who-knows-how-many years.
“Holy fucking shit,” he just says and it sounds more like a breath, “I’m in love with you.”
Manu’s eyes grow big and suddenly a huge grin appears on his face. “Holy fucking shit, you're in love with me”, he says softly.
And at that moment Manuel is the most beautiful thing Thomas has ever seen.
—
2017
Turns out Manu is more than a bit in love with him too. More like ‘I’ve been in love with you ever since you started blabbering to me in this very you way the first moment we met’ in love with Thomas.
Which lead them to where they are now.
“You look beautiful”, Lisa says with a proud look and Thomas can see tears forming in her eyes.
“Hey, don’t cry!”, he says and gives her a hug.
“I’m just so proud of you”, she says and hugs him even tighter.
Thomas looks at himself in the mirror after they’ve disentangled themselves from each other and smiles, taking in his suit, his artfully tousled hair and the flower pinned to his lapel.
“You look quite handsome, don’t you?”, Lisa says with a grin and Thomas shrugs. “Thomas Müller, I can’t believe I’d ever see you so timid!”
“Hey, I’m getting married after all! I need to look good for my man.”
Lisa rolls her eyes and says: “Thomas, Manuel fell in love with you when you were twenty-one. I don’t think your looks are going to be a problem.”
“And what do you mean with that?”, Thomas asks, slightly offended and Lisa just laughs.
“Honey, it doesn’t matter. I just mean that Manu is your soulmate and best friend. Don’t be nervous! He asked you to marry him after all, the romantic sap.”
“True”, he says with a big goofy grin and checks his suit in the mirror one last time. “I can hear the music. The moment of truth.”
He takes a deep breath and Lisa opens the door. They link arms and slowly step outside, on the freshly mown grass. Choosing a beautiful garden with hundreds of flowers everywhere was definitely a good idea for their wedding venue.
They follow the path that leads them to a long white carpet with petals scattered all over it. Thomas is already becoming emotional, just seeing their closest friends and family sitting alongside each other, watching everything with a smile.
And then he sees Manu standing there, his handsome man.
Thomas feels like the luckiest person on earth.