Work Text:
[Dybala and Ronaldo]
1 am
No timeframe
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Dybala: Ronaldo, that match... it's like everything we did was for nothing. 😞
Ronaldo: I know, Paulo. It hurts. We gave it our all, but it slipped away.
Dybala: My ankle is KILLING me. That tackle... ugh
Dybala: We tried so hard. I feel like I let the team down.
Ronaldo: You didn't, Paulo. We fought together. It's just... sometimes, it's all for nothing. And we have to learn to deal with that.
Dybala: It's just so fucking frustrating
Ronaldo: I know. These moments make you question everything, but that's not where we should focus. Remember why we're here, why we love this game.
Dybala: You're right. It's just hard when we put in so much work and it feels like it amounts to nothing.
Ronaldo:I've been there, Paulo. More times than I can count. You remember that night in Lisbon? Portugal vs. France, Euro 2016?
Dybala: Yeah, of course. You had to come off injured, lost the final.
Ronaldo: Exactly. I was devastated, lying there on the pitch. I thought I'd let down my country. But it wasn't for nothing. We came back stronger, won the Euro in 2016 and the Nations League. It's not about one game; it's about the journey.
Dybala: I guess you're right. It's just tough to see the bigger picture right now.
Ronaldo: I get it. Pain clouds our judgment. But we can't forget the moments that make it all worthwhile—the goals, the celebrations, the fans chanting our names. We play because we love it, not just to win.
Dybala: Yeah..
Ronaldo: Life's full of ups and downs, Paulo. Remember when I joined Man United again? It wasn't all glory.
Dybala: Yeah, those early struggles at United were something else. But look at you now, back in your prime haha
Ronaldo: It took time, patience, and hard work. We're not defined by one match, one injury, or one defeat. We're defined by how we respond to everything.
Dybala: You're right. We'll bounce back, stronger and more determined.
Ronaldo: That's the spirit!
Ronaldo: Let's heal up, train harder, and show the world what we're made of.
Dybala: Thanks for being there, Cristiano. You're a great friend
Ronaldo: Anytime, Paulo. We're in this together, on and off the field. 💪
—
Dybala smiled at the screen.
He turned off his phone with a click and sighed, closing his eyes and throwing his head back. The wall against his back, even with the jersey on, felt cold and unwelcoming.
To be fair though, most people didn't sit on the floor of their house with their back against it.
He looked down again, staring at his feet which were on the floor in a straight line and he caught sight of his left foot yet again.
His ankle was a swollen, angry mess of purples, blues, and blacks, resembling a grotesque canvas.
The pain was excruciating, a relentless throbbing ache that seemed to pulse in rhythm with each heartbeat in Dybala's chest.
Every movement sent sharp, stabbing sensations shooting up his leg, as if tiny needles were being driven into the tender flesh.
Even the slightest pressure, a feather-light touch, sent waves of agony. Walking was hell as well, each step feeling like a merciless assault on the joint. Which explained his current position.
Dybala was just thankful he had three day
s for recovery. Because he knew he couldn't play like this at all.