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He had known that everything would be new and unfamiliar for him.
A new country. A new town. A new language.
New teammates, a new trainer, a new style of play.
He had taken everything into account, eager to make his experiences, to play for a top-club, to improve. To have fun on the pitch, to score.
Nothing had taken him by surprise, neither the new surroundings he now lived in, nor the style of play he had to internalize.
Nothing except for a certain blond midfielder that had knocked him off his feet slowly but, thoroughly.
Auba gazed over to him, looked at his face that was focused on the screen because the other one hated it to lose, even in Fifa. Then, he heard his pleased chuckle, the chuckle he loved so much, the chuckle that always came along with the crooked smile that revealed the midfielder’s handsome dimples.
„I won!“ Marco exclaimed, proudly, jumping up from the sofa and laughing with pure bliss. He enjoyed his victory like a little child, undisguised and so sincere.
Auba knew him for what felt like an eternity now and he had understood after only a couple of days that Marco was one of the most loyal and honest people he had ever met. One could read his mood from the way he behaved, like an open book.
„Yeah, but you scored the winning goal with me!“ the striker gave back. Marco always bought him for his Fifa team, awaking a strange sensation in his guts, and Auba had to laugh, as well.
It was so easy to laugh in Marco’s company, to feel happy and carefree.
But, there had also been dark days, very dark ones, and he had tried to help his friend through them as best as he could.
When he had arrived in Dortmund, Marco had suffered from a severe lovesickness, trying to forget that he had been betrayed and left behind.
He had regained new strength, but then, a horrible injury had stopped him from taking part in the World Championship, a tournament the German’s won without him. He had overcome this trauma just to find himself with a plaster on his other leg after another opponent had fouled and injured him - again. Apart from that, the team had lost match after match, standing at the bottom of the table.
And still, Marco hadn’t lost his hope, his humor and his faith. On the contrary, he had renewed his contract, not hiding his love for the team and the city he lived in.
If only he would feel the same love for him.
Auba was quite sure that winning Marco’s heart wasn’t easy, at all, but once someone had managed to find their way into it, the midfielder would give everything he had for that lucky man.
„Revenge?“ the blond asked, that damn cheeky smile still upon his face and who was Auba to say no?
„Yeah but let’s change places. The sun is blinding me if I keep sitting on the left side of the sofa,“ the striker pretended when in fact it was Marco who blinded him with his mere presence.
„I won’t move,“ Marco stated, stubbornly, and God, how Auba loved him for his defiance. He had his own will, proud and strong, and he defended everybody and everything he was convinced of.
Sometimes - okay, probably oftentimes - they teased each other and Marco always was an equal partner, quick on the comeback and full of surprises.
The Gabonese nudged him in the side. „Come on, give way for me,“ he made another attempt, now challenged. „I can’t play properly with all the sun rays upon my face.“
As an answer, Marco pulled the brim of Auba’s cap down and over his eyes so that he couldn’t see anything anymore. „Better?“ he asked and the striker could hear the amused grin in his voice.
„Damn it, Marco, do you want to play hide and seek?“ Auba stretched his hands out, groping the air in front of him.
„You should see yourself,“ the midfielder snickered, „you look as if you want to stroke a ghost. I’m over here, catch me if you can!“
Marco jumped up from the couch and darted to the other end of his living room. Auba didn’t need to think twice, after all, he was the fastest player in their team for a reason. He threw his cap away and ran after his friend, catching him in the kitchen and trapping him between his body and the counter.
„What now?“ he breathed into the blond’s ear, „how do you want to escape?“ Auba was taller than the midfielder and he strengthened the grip of his hands around the countertop, Marco wedged between his arms.
The blond tried to duck away but Auba had seen his move coming, blocking the way. „Come on, is that all you have to offer?“ he mocked, winking at his friend.
Marco suddenly laid his hands upon the countertop behind him and with a quick motion, he jumped onto it, sitting at the workspace, sticking out his tongue triumphantly. Auba had stumbled backwards in surprise and Marco took the chance to escape, flying upwards the stairs to the second floor of his house in a frantic pace.
„Lame duck!“ he shouted, using the advantage to disappear into his bedroom where he was out of sight for Auba.
The striker followed him within a few seconds, darting into the room and flinching in the very next second because Marco had shouted „boooo!“ right into his ear, hidden behind the door. He burst out into laughter while Auba still tried to recover from his shock.
However, Auba gained his senses back faster than his friend, running towards him and crushing him onto his bed. The blond apparently hadn’t expected this attack and it was easy for Auba to straddle him, pressing his wrists down onto the mattress.
Marco tried to free himself, wriggling on the sheets, scuffling with the Gabonese.
„Na-ah,“ Auba whispered, tightening his grip, and suddenly, the whole atmosphere changed.
Auba could see it in Marco’s vivid eyes that became big, he could read it in the reaction of his body. Both breathed heavily but, it wasn’t because of their playful fight anymore. The striker bent forward, coming closer to Marco’s face, amber-golden depths meeting warm-brown ones.

„What?“ the blond whispered, biting onto his lips but, he made no attempt to escape anymore.
„Marco,“ was all Auba could utter, lost in the midfielder’s amazing eyes.
He was aware that it was all or nothing now, if he would try his luck, he might lose everything. And yet, he had waited for so long for this moment, not knowing if it would ever come. He had always been brave, he had never flinched from taking new challenges.
He had settled in a new country and a new town, learning a new language.
He had come to treasure his teammates, his trainers and their style of play.
And he had fallen for a certain blond midfielder.
„Marco,“ he repeated, bending over the beautiful being in front of him, finally uniting their lips for the very first time. The midfielder closed his eyes and Auba did the same, savoring the gentle touch to the uttermost, gasping in pleasure when Marco used his tongue to deepen the kiss, his arms flung around his neck.
Auba caressed the blond’s face, his thumbs circling over his soft stubble, everything falling into place.
He might have made brand-new experiences during the last months and years, but, kissing Marco was by far the most overwhelming and mind-blowing one.
And hopefully he would make many more new experiences in the future, together with the man he loved.