Work Text:
It all starts with a phone call three hours after the midnight.
“Cris, sh-she is lea-leaving me. Sh-she asked for d-divorce...”
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First few weeks are tough.
Daniela is moving to California to study there on a volleyball scholarship and pursue her modelling carrier. James and Daniela both agree that it is better for Salome to stay in Madrid with her father where she has stable home and loves her pre-school and has many friends. Besides Daniela will be very busy pursuing her dreams. She will fly over to Madrid as often as she can or sometimes Salome will fly over to Daniela. Of course Salome will miss her mama but she is a smart girl and she wants her mama to be happy and to study new things and play ball with her new team. And of course they can talk on Skype every day!
James and Salome keep up happy faces but Cristiano can see in their eyes how scared they both are. James is distant in training, he makes mistakes in the games, he smiles a lot less. First few weeks after Daniela is gone James is always worried, always checking his phone, calling Salome`s nanny. When Cristiano asks, James answers that everything is under control. When Cristiano pushes, James admits that he never understood how much Daniela got done until now…
James is late for the training for the first time ever. And he isn`t answering his phone. Trainer is angry. Cristiano is worried. Iker and Sergio exchange looks and Iker says: “Go and find him!”
And Cristiano goes of course. He had never before exceeded the speed limit by that much.
James is a train wreck when he opens the door.
“Maria… her sister is sick. She-she went to… I don`t even… I never listened where her sister lives…” James explains without Cristiano even having to ask.
Maria is Salome`s nanny
“Ana Sofia and children are visiting Ana`s parents.”
Cristiano knows what a great friends Daniela and Ana Sofia are and Pepe told him that sometimes Ana Sofia looked after Salome when Daniela was busy.
“And I can`t leave Salome with Martin or Jorge…”
Martin and Jorge are bodyguards/drivers/James` friends. Cristiano agrees – they are great guys but Cristiano would never leave Junior with them.
“And it`s a fucking Saturday and la guardería is closed… And game is tomorrow and I am late, so late… But I just don`t know what to do… I don`t know what to…”
And the only logical thing for Cristiano to do in this situation is to hug James. So he does just that. James immediately buries his face in the crook of Cristiano`s neck. Cristiano can hear whimpers and feel wetness of James` tired tears on his skin.
“Papi?” Worried Salome comes to check on her father. She hugs James` leg.
“Papi, are you okay?”
It shows how tired James really is when he doesn`t even react to his worried daughter.
One hand around James and the other petting Salome`s curly head Criatiano promises:
“It`s gonna be fine. You both are gonna be fine. I promise.”
And that is how Cristiano takes Salome and James to his house, his sanctuary for the first time.
Dolores is happy to look after Salome and Junior is happy to have a playmate. Cristiano is not even a bit surprised how fast Junior is accepting Salome. That little girl has her father`s charm and smile and in difference to her father she is not shy at all.
James is pliant and quiet. He lets Cristiano usher and manhandle him without any protests. And soon James is sound asleep in a guest room. Cristiano doesn`t ask, doesn`t consult with James. When Cristiano goes back to the training he tells everyone that James is sick and won`t be able to participate in today`s training and tomorrow’s game, but next Monday he will be back and there won`t be any problems like today again. No one asks for the details and Ancelotti doesn`t send medical personnel to check on James. Team knows, team understands and team stands behind one of their own. Official protocol says that James is not participating because of manager`s technical decision. Madrid barely wins with 1:0 and later James apologizes to everyone for missing the game. That is later but for now James gets a much needed sleep and rest.
Turns out Maria`s sister had a stroke and she has to quit her job as Salome`s nanny. James is in panic for just a moment before Dolores says: “I will be looking after Salo. Together with Cristianinho.”
And it`s not like anyone can say no to Dolores Aveiro.
From then on things get better – it doesn`t happen in one day, not even in one month. Things change gradually.
Madrid wins the next game 5:0. James scores twice and assists to Cristiano`s goal.
They make a chart with all the activities of James, Cristiano, Dolores, Junior and Salome. There is always someone to take Salome to kindergarten and Junior to school and always someone to get them after. On the weekends Salome is at Cristiano`s house most of the time. James and Salome stay for the dinner more and more often. When there is an away game, Salome always stays with Dolores and Junior.
There are those life-changing moments Cristiano keeps close in his memories.
That time when Salo made them go to the shop so she could choose color for her new bedroom in Cris` house.
And that time when Cristiano went Christmas shopping for Junior and bought eleven pink dresses and a dozen pairs of sandals and ballerinas for Salome because he just couldn`t stop himself. And all of those were made by famous designers.
At the beginning of January when Cris received his fourth Ballon d'Or and James was part of the team of the year, Salo ran on stage pulling Junior by the hand with her.
In January James got injured but went to watch Madrid`s home game on Sunday afternoon with Salome, Junior and Dolores and cameras caught Salome wearing Madrid`s shirt with number 7.
Cristiano`s 31st birthday not in the club with the team and friends but home with Junior helping him to blow out the candles and Salome giving him the sweetest kiss.
Getting two cards on father`s day.
Salome`s third birthday just a day after winning La Undecima. Cris can`t even decide which party was crazier, more tiresome and fulfilling of those two.
Cristianinho`s sixth birthday in Kartagena on the secluded beach with private surfing lessons.
Whole July of missing Salome like crazy when she was with Daniela and Daniela`s family and of all the possible people it was James who was consoling him and dialing Salome so Cris could at least talk to her. It didn`t make him miss her any less but it somehow made it a bit easier to know that his little girl was missing him too.
New season started with new people in the locker room and a lost game. For the first time in his footballer`s carrier Cristiano wasn`t worried at all. Madrid always starts slow. Just one La Liga game and Valencia has always been a tough opponent. But the press conference before the next game was tough. So many hard questions but Cristiano could dodge them easily. After all it definitely wasn`t his first rodeo until that question came:
“Are you dating someone or are you still single?”
Almost two years after Irina, countless false rumors about him dating this or that model and questions – usually more considerate and tactful but this time direct and outright. Cristiano opened his mouth to answer his practiced “no comments” when the reporter who had asked the question in the first place continued with: “Since your former girlfriend Irina Shayk got married just a month ago and today announced that she is expecting her first child it is obvious that she has found her happiness after the breakup. There have been many rumors but it seems like you still haven`t gotten over the break-up. Are you upset because the baby girl Irina is expecting could have been yours?”
No, Cristiano didn`t know that Irina is pregnant, he hadn`t even heard about her getting married. And why would he want to be the father of Irina`s child when he already… And before Cristiano can stop and rethink, he says:
“Why would I want to be Irina`s daughter`s father when I already have a daughter?”
There is a sudden silence in the room for half a minute and then suddenly the room erupts in the chaos.
“You already have a daughter?”
“When was she born?”
“Who is her mother?”
“Is her mother the same woman who gave birth to Cristiano Ronaldo Jr?”
“What is her name?”
What the fuck has he done? He needs to get out of this somehow. The only option is to pretend that it was just a joke, just a stupid joke. But before Cristiano can even try to say anything someone asks:
“Have you finally adopted Salome officially?”
And it`s like someone punched all the air out of Cristiano`s lungs.
Cristiano doesn`t answer, doesn`t say anything. He leaves and goes straight to the restroom. His phone is ringing non-stop. After some time just looking at the screen he finally picks up. It`s Jorge – of course it is Jorge.
“Hi, Cris. So, we need to give an official statement. I talked with James and he agreed with me that…”
“You talked to Ja-James?”
“Sure I did. Anyway, listen. Game is tomorrow and the press is going crazy. You are trending on all the sites. Crismes is real!”
“Crismes?”
“Yes – Cristiano and James. Together – Crismes! So, back to the business – James agreed that you should post your joint statement on both your and his Facebook and Twitter tonight.”
“What statement?” Cristiano was more and more confused.
“Confirming your relationship, of course. Simple, tasteful but heartfelt. My people will come up with something, don`t worry. And I think we should clear up the confusion – you haven`t adopted Salome yet officially but you consider her to be your daughter just like James considers Junior to be his son. And later you can give an exclusive interview together. I don`t know – TV or magazine. Maybe both or whoever offers more. Football`s golden couple and first openly homosexual couple – we are talking People magazine and Oprah coming out of retirement big. So for now don`t give any comments, okay? Good! Anyway, I`m very happy for both of you and you have all my support and love and I expect to be invited to the wedding!”
“Wedding?”
“Oh, sorry for spoiling the surprise. Okay, talk to you later and go talk to James. Bye!””
And Jorge is gone leaving Cristiano even more confused than before. Jorge said to go and talk to James. Where is James? Training has already started so he is probably on the field or in the gym.
Right at that moment Cristiano receives a text from James.
Waiting for you in the locker room…
Good, Cris needs to talk to James now, needs to see James…
Just two minutes later Cristiano enters the locker room, barely managing to escape from people in the hallway.
The locker room in Valdebebas is empty except for James who, true to his text, is waiting for Cristiano.
“So?” James asks, looking as insecure as Cristiano feels.
And it is just stupid. James is Cristiano`s best friend, James is his teammate, James is family. James is his everything… James is… Oh my God… James is…
“Jorge wanted to make sure we`ll invite him to the wedding.” Cris finally says.
James blushes and looks away.
“Well, apparently you are father of my baby so you should probably make an honest man out of me…”
There is a silence because Cristiano needs some time to process, to understand.
“James…” Cristiano`s voice breaks. “Are… are you proposing?”
James finally looks up, still blushing but as determined and persistent as only James Rodriguez can be: “Y-you haven`t so I-I thought maybe you wa-want me to…”
And here is that moment. Another life-changing, defining moment but on the other hand this moment couldn`t be compared to any other in the history of ever – moment when you see the light, when you see possibility of your whole future laid in front of you. The future you didn`t know you needed but now you suddenly understand that it is the future you want the most and the best thing is you actually can have it. You can have this beautiful, tender, compassionate man. And with him comes the most beautiful little girl – his (and apparently yours, too) daughter.
“O foder!” Cris exclaimed as he moved and enveloped James in his arms and kissed him for the first time.
James melts into the kiss and answers enthusiastically, making little satisfied noises which makes Cris` private parts down there feel all tingly and quite uncomfortable in the confines of his tight jeans. How could he have been so oblivious for so long?
When Cris finally interrupts the kiss to get some much needed air, James asks: “So, was it a yes or…”
“Yes, I`m gonna marry you!” Cris exclaims. “And you are moving in today. And we are setting the date tomorrow. And we are having sex tonight. And I`m adopting Salome as soon as possible. And I`m gonna buy you the biggest, most expensive ring tomorrow and you are gonna wear it! And next week we are gonna…”
But here Cris gets interrupted because happy, laughing James shoves his sweet, sneaky tongue into Cris` wide open mouth.