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As soon as Leo came out of the showers clad in nothing but a towel, his phone started ringing from within his locker. He raised an eyebrow as he walked towards it. The dampened sound got a bit clearer as he got closer. When Leo swung the locker door open, he discovered that it was his personal number that was being called given the special ringtone. Immediately, alarm bells rang in his mind and Leo fumbled to retrieve his phone from his training bag. Those with his personal number knew not to call him at certain hours unless it was an emergency. So, Leo took this as an indication that something serious was happening.
He huffed as he finally got his phone out of the pocket it was wedged in. Leo hurriedly sat down on the bench in his cubicle and read the caller ID. It was Lisandro. If Leo remembered correctly, his boyfriend was supposed to be playing a Europa league match against Sevilla. Or perhaps it had already finished. He couldn't remember the starting time at the moment considering that Licha was calling his personal number. Leo quickly swiped accept and brought his phone up to his ear.
"Licha?" he said, his voice filled with worry, "Mi amado are you okay?"
"Heeeeyyyyyy," Lisandro said, his syllables slurring together and a breathy laugh following them, "I don't h've much time so 'm gonna make this quick."
"What?!" Leo asked, raising his voice slightly. His teammates nearest to him briefly turned their attention to him. Confusion and budding concern evident in the looks they shot Leo.
"Mhm," Licha hummed, "the doctor's goin' to come back soon and I have to tell somebody this."
"The doctor? You're injured?"
"Yes but you already knew that," Licha continued, "You and... Acuña carried me off earlier."
Leo's face morphed into an expression of complete and utter confusion at that statement. What the hell was Licha talking about? Did he even know that he called Leo rather than the person he intended? By the sound of it, the younger meant to call another one of their national teammates. Most definitely one who plays for Sevilla aside from Acuña.
"Licha," Leo said calmly, "Are you okay nene?"
"Mhm," Lisandro hummed before giggling again, "Of course 'm fine. The doct'r gave me m'phine f'r my 'nkle. But that's not what I called about."
His ankle? What happened to his ankle?!
Leo's worry quickly turned into panic as thoughts of just how badly Lisandro's ankle was hurt for him to need morphine. Is that what he was referencing when he mentioned getting carried off the pitch by Acuña and their other national teammate? His ankle got hurt so badly that he couldn't walk on it?
"I called to tell you that I'm going to surprise Leo!" Licha said, laughing before muttering every term of endearment under the sun.
Oh no.
Leo clearly wasn't supposed to be hearing this. But what could he do? Lisandro hadn't picked up that it was him despite the affectionate nicknames Leo had used and the sound of his voice. It seemed that Licha's morphine addled brain couldn't process anything outside of his goal in making this phone call. He's going to be so devastated when he realizes what he's done.
"Since 'm out f'r the rest of the season because of my 'nkle, 'm going to fly ov'r and spend time with him while I recov'r," Licha continued, "Also 'm goin' to go to... 'm gonna... Um... I don't r'member what it's called, but that award in May. 'm going to attend with Leo and g've him the biggest kiss when he wins. But don't tell him any of this!"
Leo hummed in response and Licha giggled in delight. The sound of exam table paper crinkling then crackled over the line as the younger shifted his position. Licha then sighed contentedly and Leo could perfectly envision his boyfriend's small smile and crinkled eyes. He almost smiled himself at the mental image.
"I really love him, you know?" Licha said, his voice dripping with fondness.
"I know," Leo replied softly.
Lisandro giggled and then shifted his position again. The exam table paper crinkled and creased loudly over the phone. A door creaked open and footsteps gradually got louder. Licha let out a breathy laugh as a second voice that Leo couldn't understand echoed faintly.
"The doct'r is back," Licha said, "I h've to go but we'll talk soon. Leo is goin' to be so surprised!"
Leo hummed again, not having the heart to try and tell his boyfriend that the surprise was already spoiled. One more of Lisandro's little laughs graced Leo's ear before the younger man hung up. Leo slowly removed his phone from his ear and looked down at the call ended screen. He then stared at the goofy picture Licha had set for himself in Leo's contacts and let out a long exhale, shaking his head slightly.
"What was that about?" Marco asked, suddenly hovering beside Leo fully dressed. He sounded very confused and looked like it to. The parts of the conversation that those in the locker room could hear only served muddle his limited understanding of the unprecedented call. Especially the sudden tonal change towards the end.
"Licha's high on morphine."
"What?!" Marco asked, his reaction similar to Leo's earlier, "Is he okay?"
"He will be," Leo answered standing up to tuck his phone away again and finally get changed into some clothes after his shower, "physically at least."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I'll tell you on the way out of here."
Leo rushed out of the bathroom, his hands still wet, as his ringtone echoed from the living room. It was his personal number and, much like the day before, he wasn't expecting a call at this time. So once again, Leo expected the worst. Although, considering how things turned out yesterday he probably had nothing to worry about.
"Hello?" Leo asked, as he managed to swipe accept just before it went to voicemail.
"Leo..." Lisandro said, his voice low and slightly strained, "I need you to answer me honestly."
"Licha?" Leo said, surprised that his boyfriend was calling as he didn't have time to check the caller ID before answering, "S-sure. What is it?"
"I spoiled the surprise when I was high on morphine yesterday, didn't I?" Licha asked.
Leo bit his lip and let silence fall over them through the phone. He knew this was coming but he didn't expect Licha to realize what occurred so soon. A full day since the morphine incident hadn't even passed yet and Leo knows from experience how hazy the narcotic could make one's memory. And honestly, Leo wasn't looking forward to breaking this to Licha. Or rather confirming it based on how upset the younger sounded.
"Answer me Leo," Licha said, his voice wavering like he was on the verge of tears.
"Yes," Leo answered simply. There was no point in beating around the bush. The truth hurts much more when it's deliverance is delayed.
"Fuck!"
Leo winced at the way his boyfriend's voice cracked. He then frowned as Licha's breath hitched and he sniffled. A small sob soon followed and Leo's heart hurt. Lisandro was crying.
"Oh nene," Leo said in a soothing tone, "It's okay. Surprise or not, you know I'll enjoy spending time with you."
"I know but that's not it," Licha said, trying and failing to keep his voice from cracking.
"Then what is it nene?" Leo asked, "Talk to me."
"It's just... You always do such nice things for me," Licha began with a sniffle, "You always find new ways to surprise me and make me feel special and loved. I've been wanting to return the favour for ages but my plans have never worked out. You remember how badly that surprise party I tried to throw you for your birthday last year failed."
Leo did remember the surprise party his boyfriend tried to throw him last year, but it hadn't been ruined. Yes, the whole point of a surprise party was for it to be a surprise but Leo didn't care that the secret got out before it was supposed to. He was more focused on the fact that Licha had done such a kind thing for him rather than the surprise being spoiled.
"I didn't expect to get another chance to try so soon, especially since it's due to injury," Lisandro continued, "but I was so excited regardless. I just had to tell somebody. But of course I had to go and spoil it, didn't I?"
"This isn't your fault Licha," Leo said softly, "Morphine is known to cause confusion and haziness when too much is given. I would know."
"But-"
"No buts," Leo cut him off, "It wasn't your decision to get too high a dose. That's on the doctor, not you."
"I still could've-"
"Lisandro."
"Fine," Licha said with a sad sigh, "It wasn't my fault. I'm still upset that it happened though."
"And that's okay," Leo assured, "I can't give you much comfort over the phone but I can see how much this means to you. Surprising me I mean. You'll get your chance. I know it."
Lisandro hummed to let Leo know that he understood but it sounded sad. That was to be expected though. Leo knows just how badly Licha can beat himself up over things going wrong. Especially things like this that means so much to him. God, Licha couldn't get to Paris quickly enough.
"Are you going to keep your promise?" Leo asked, hoping that a slight change in topic would temporarily cheer up his boyfriend.
"What?" Licha asked, sniffling slightly, "What promise?"
"That you'll give me the biggest kiss if I win the Laureus award next month."
"When you win, you mean?" Licha corrected. Leo could hear the smile in the younger's voice which made him smile as well.
"There's mi amado."