Work Text:
Summer 2025. Barcelona
"Why you can not?" Gavi asked begging he lowered Pedri's feet.
"We already talked about this" "we can't Pablo. It will be a lot of pressure" exclaimed Pefri walking from one side to the other. Desperate for all the pleas that Gavi asked during these two weeks and hints for a year.
"Isn't that enough?" Asked a frustrated Pedri kneeling next to Gavi, taking his hands with his and wiping away the tears that ran down his cheeks and jaw.
"no!" "I want it all, Pedro" "I can't anymore!" he replied, hugging Pedri as tightly as he could. Trying to make him understand how much he wanted him.
Pedri cradled his face on his chest. They talked about this before, before starting this clandestine relationship. Pedri being so practical since he was a child and after the little scandal with Tania, the only thing he wanted most besides football and Pablo, was to have a quiet life, without controversy, without any attention.
He knew that in the current environment it was almost impossible to have it. He and Pablo were the stars of the team and in recent years the attention was more on them than the rest of the team.
If they knew...
And it is that Pedri never imagined falling in love with his teammate, two years being friends but they could not stop the inevitable. An unstoppable force that prevented you from being separated for more than two days. Pablo said that they were destined and Pedro could not agree more even though said thought was ridiculous.
Nevertheless. What Paul asked for; Pedri felt that he could not give it to him.
Also.
How will everything get worse and how would Pablo take it with how tired the fans and the press had him? He wondered every time Gavi insisted.
Pablo wanted their relationship to be in public, without pretending, in full view of everyone. Without lies. No fear, no rumors of others friends being taken for fake love interests and dating.
But Pedri was more rational and countered the withering passion that Gavi radiated.
Pedri knew the undeniable truth of the current football world. They would be merciless with them at the slightest mistake in their game. Pedri couldn't stand it and he doesn't think Pablo could stand it either, even if right now he swore he would do everything for him.
"Pablo..." "we will continue to be us" he whispered in the ear of the life of him massaging Gavi's scalp. He already felt the moisture seeping through his sweater to his skin. Moisture from Gavi's tears.
Gavi got out of his grasp.
"It won't be enough for me." "I love you" he shout to Pedri's face
"I want to be yours in full view of all". " because you can not!?" "Or don't you love me enough?"
Pedro did not answer.
"you are hurting me!"
Hearing Gavi's last words broke him inside. The pleading words turned into claims and anger.It destroyed Pedri that Gavi told him that.
If they both didn't want the same thing in this relationship they would end up hating each other. That's what his mother told him when he told her about Gavi's hints.
Surrendered. Unable to look Gavi in the eye and after half an hour of conversation and minutes of discussion; Pedri would pronounce the words that he never believed he was going to vocalize.
"I think we should finish" the drops coming from Pedri now mixed with those from Gavi. The Sevillian did not respond. Pedri felt the look of pain and hate piercing him completely.
Pedri heard a deranged giggle from Pablo. He stood up, wiping his tears away. And from a high profile...
"You're nothing more than a coward" Pedri looked up to find Gavi's icy eyes filled with nothing.
"I hate you" he spat as he headed for the door.
-do not do it-
"Take this" Pedri looked up again to see an object being thrown by Gavi and falling next to him. He heard the sound of the door impact.
He opened the small box and seeing what was inside made him even more collapsed if that was the possible reason for Gavi's insistence.
He ended up on the ground hugging the last gift that Gavi had given him still coming from his contempt.
...
"Maybe... Maybe we can talk and fix this" was Pedri's last thought before falling asleep in a fetal position embraced by the cold of the floor.
_______________
Pedri had already been waiting a week for Gavi in pre-season training. Every time he went to his house he was told to go to hell by Aurora every time she opened for him.
Gavi also blocked him on his mobile but not on social networks. But he never responded to the messages. His name never appeared hanging around the locker room until he heard the rumors inside two weeks later.
Gavi was not going to renew and had asked for his departure...
Pedri ran to the locker room bathrooms to corroborate the source and credibility of that information. He made sure the place was desolate to take all the pain out of him by beating himself up.
Wanting the physical pain to overcome the pain he felt deep within him, in his soul.
He did not succeed....
__________________
Gavi traveled to Munich in complete silence. He knew that his decision was hasty and influenced by frustration.
He knew that he was being childish. But the truth is that Gavi was exhausted. He was really tired of not being able to be fully happy with an incomplete relationship.
Pedri was clear at the time, he believed that he could handle it. He believed that as long as he had something from Pedri, it was already a lot and enough for him.
But it was never enough, after two years of loving relationship he thought that Pedri would want more, like him.
Gavi wanted to kiss him all the time; fuck anywhere anytime without anyone being surprised and asking why they always asked for a room for one when they went to other cities for matches.
After trying for a year and listening to Pedri's last words he realized that he was wasting time trying.
Gavi was sure that he couldn't live without Pedri having him by his side, seeing him every day in every training session. So he called his representative and in a matter of three days he already had possible destinations. He took things from him without hesitation despite the pleas of his family that they did not understand the sudden decision of the youngest of the family.
He told his sister what had happened and she understood his motives. He didn't ask for advice but he was sure that at that moment she possibly hated Pedri more than he did.
-he lied-
And so he left the city that saw him grow up, he fled for love. He was running for a guy who didn't have the balls to fight for him.
- Pathetic-
Gavi thought for both of them.
One for fleeing and the other for cowering.
-------------------------------------------------
Summer. 2031
Munchen.
Over time towards his work, Gavi was gradually forgetting his pain, however all the memories he had with Pedri he still kept deep inside him. Even the photos. He did not deny that he watched the Barcelona matches whenever he could, not only because of Pedri but also because after all it was the club of his life.
He sometimes wondered if he had done the sensible thing, he left part of his heart in that city but now he enjoyed a calm environment in Germany.
The press was more respectful with the footballer players; Free from the harassment of the Madrid cave, Gavi escaped uncomfortable questions about how he did see himself as King of Spain.
He made some friends and the atmosphere was very calm. Even the affairs he had went unnoticed and he even currently had a girlfriend who didn't make much noise, only in Spain.
It had been three months. He liked her and felt that if he did his part, he would be able to love her even twenty percent of what he once did.
Professionally, Gavi was doing the best, champion of champions league and absolute dominance in the Bundesliga. He couldn't complain.
And Pedri...
Gavi saw him in the calls every few months. He must confess that the first time he saw him he felt his heart break again as well as a feeling of frustration that he thought he had forgotten.
But six years had already passed, he was already close to twenty-eight years old, and each meeting they had had cooled down.
The first looks of resentment disappeared.
Gavi could see it, the look and the smile that always melted him had an effect even if they weren't as bright as years ago. It wasn't until recently that they were able to converse without any problem. They asked how they were doing in their clubs. Pedri told him about Ansu's antics and Dembele's skids.
Even Pedri asked about his courtship, Gavi responded timidly but he did not dare to ask the same question.
Pedri was a grave, he still kept a low profile of him since he met him and there were no rumors of a couple or anything like that.
And so he wanted to be...
He didn't want to know and he had the thought that Pedri would be there for him... At some point.
"I'm glad you're okay" was the last sentence he heard him say taking his shoulder.
And Gavi knew that everything that Pedri managed to overcome he would knock down with a simple sentence...
He kept loving Pedri and he would never stop but now at least they had this... A fledgling friendship that they seemed to have resumed.
_______________
Winter, 2034.
Paris.
He was in front of everyone receiving the ovation of those present, his first Ballon d'Or from Messi. He saw Pedri in front that he was also nominated, but he had already won one two years ago.
He was giving the words of thanks to him, looking from one side to the other through as much noise as the time he won the golden boy. His legs were shaking.
Pedri was on his feet clapping, shedding tears and giving him a brilliant smile. Smile with his wrinkled eyes that he hadn't seen since Pablo told him that he loved him.
He felt his heart burn from him, during these years he thought why Pedri had acted that way. Always the same scene with a different outcome.
He looked at the prize, the present golden reflection of it rumbling above him. He too was crying.
And he understood everything... All this.
The quiet life in Munich, his total focus on his professional career; individual and collective awards.
Reach the pinnacle of recognition in the soccer world with the most important award he could receive.
All this..
All this thanks to the -cowardly-decision that Pedri had made for both of them.
That's why he cried, he owed a great deal to him.
Probably the 23-year-old me of him hadn't understood it. After all, he wasn't the smart one in that young relationship.
He turned his gaze and responded in the same way, showing his teeth with a gesture mixed between joy and sadness. "And I thank Pedri, Pedro for this, without your deci-" Gavi took a breath retracting "without your help and advice, I would not have succeeded"
He wiped away his tears, went downstairs to hug his family to finally reach the person he never forgot.
They both melted into a hug, a hug like in the past. With their souls united and their breaths synchronized. With Gavi surrounding his shoulders and back and Pedri around his waist.
And he knew that Pedri never left him.
---------
Two months later Pedri looked for Gavi in Munich after Gavi told him that he still loved him by cell phone; Ten months later Gavi returned to Barcelona carrying on his finger the gift that he himself had given to Pedri.
Four years later both withdrew from the club of their loves before an ovation at the Spai Camp Nou; in front of all his fans.
A month after his retirement they were already married and been totally free.
And Gavi wouldn't change anything he'd been through. Despite all the suffering and knowing how it ends. He welcomed it...
He took the present and his life with Pedri with joy, without any remorse.
Because after all they had to wait for the right moment.
Because after all, his full life with Pedri was only a matter of time.