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“I understand…” Pablo sighs again into the phone, he has been walking from one side to the other in the small apartment since he answered the call a few minutes ago, leaving Pedri nauseated as he tries to follow his movements. “Te quiero mucho, mama.”
"What happened?" Pedri asks when the boy throws himself on the sofa, his arms crossed in front of the chest, which combined with his frown only reinforces his discontent. Pablo shakes his head, as if to say it's nothing important, but Pedri knows this is him trying to avoid talking about the subject. “Come here.”
Gavi doesn't fight when the older one puts his arm around his shoulders pulling him lightly against his body until his cheek is resting on the canary's lap. Legs pulled against his chest before curling around Pedri who slides his fingers gently against Gavi's brown strands helping to relieve some of the tension building up in his muscles.
It's been a horrible day, but Pedri's presence makes everything easier.
“They won't come anymore.” Pablo whispers softly, his voice shaking with sadness, taking a deep breath before speaking again, his voice more controlled. “There was a snowstorm in Seville, all flights were cancelled.”
It never snows in Seville, but of course on Christmas Eve the city would be hit by a massive snowstorm never seen before. Pablo's family had been at the airport since early morning trying to board any available flight to Barcelona after theirs was canceled due to bad weather, but now with the moon shining high in the sky and the day running into its final hours they have finally accepted that they would have to spend Christmas apart.
“I’m sorry, Pablito.” Pedri really does, he knows how much his friend likes Christmas and the chance to get the whole family together to celebrate helps him forget that he is famous, that he doesn't see them as much as he would like. “Is there nothing they can do?”
“The roads are dangerous, papa doesn’t want to take any chances.” Frustration bathes his words. “And with my injury, driving is impossible. I'm going to be alone for Christmas. ”
"You can come with me!" Pedri is quick to offer, his voice cheerful as he thinks about having Gavi with him during this time of year. “Come with me to my house, we can spend Christmas with my family.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea…they came from Tenerife for you.” He had already messed up a lot by keeping Pedri in his apartment in the middle of Christmas Eve, just because he needed company and a little help until his parents and Aurora arrived, all in vain. “I don’t want to intrude.”
Pedri looked at him as if he had just said the biggest nonsense, which he did. “My family loves you, and mama always makes more food than we can eat.”
Pablo thinks he can't accept it, he's fine with ordering a burger at McDonald's and watching some silly Christmas comedy. It's not the ideal Christmas, but it would be enough. But there's something about the sparkle in Pedri's eyes, the way he seems genuinely happy to be able to welcome Gavi into his home, to spend more time together.
There's nothing that Pedri doesn't ask with his giant brown eyes that Pablo wouldn't do.
That's how he ends up standing at the entrance to Pedri's house, without gifts, without anything. Just him and his stupid crutches.
Fer is the first to see them. He doesn't seem at all surprised to see Gavi practically attached at the hip to his brother. He and Fer can be considered friends, but the mischievous smile he sends Pablo's way makes him think that nothing good will come out of his mouth.
“Mommy, my Christmas wish was answered!” Pedri's brother nudges his mother, pointing to the two players standing under the entrance door. The woman sitting next to her son on the sofa lets out a small, happy giggle, looking at something above the heads of the two Spaniards who don't understand such commotion.
Pablo may start to think there is something wrong with his face.
“I see we already have the first lovebirds.”
Pedri's father is walking into the room with two glasses of wine, and the knowing smile he gives them triggers something in their minds. Gavi's neck hurts from how quickly he looks up, over their heads a small mistletoe hangs, the small red berries bright in the yellowish lighting, he swears the plant could be mocking them. Gavi feels like his face must be the same color as the damn berry, shame coursing through his veins for being caught in such a silly game, at least Pedri shares the same shame blushing at his side, his hand still resting against Pablo's lower back when he helped him balance to take off his shoes and countless layers of clothing.
"Papa!" Pedri screams mortified, his big brown eyes widening at the man who just shrugs, not at all bothered by his youngest son's shyness.
“You know the rules, darling, whoever stops under the mistletoe has to kiss.”
People always say that Gavi is very impulsive and that some situations require a little more caution and delicacy, but that's who he is, it's in his DNA. So it's not very impressive when, guided by the light pressure of Pedri's hand on the thin fabric of his blouse, he leans in to place a delicate kiss on Pedri's cheek, well he tried to aim for the cheek, but a slight slip took him kissing the corner of the canary's lips.
The light from a camera's flash illuminates the side of their faces, letting him know that someone has just captured the moment, but he doesn't really care, the feeling of his lips barely on the soft skin of Pedri's is good . Really good .
The rest of the night passes without further incident, Pablo fits perfectly into the González López's chaotic dynamic, Pedri can't help but look enchanted at his friend, thoughts racing about how good Gavi looks there, how he belongs next to Pedri and in his family celebrations. His brown eyes shine when he sees how Gavi laughs at his father's silly jokes, sings Christmas songs with his mother and responds to Fer's childish teasing about the polaroid photo of the kiss.
They play board games, drink the best wines, have dinner and share childhood memories snuggled on the living room sofas under the lights of the huge Christmas tree.
It's familiar, it's perfect.
It's past midnight when his parents get up from the couch stating that it's very late and that everyone needs to sleep, with a complaining and slightly drunk Fer being dragged to the second floor with them. It doesn't take long for the two players to follow them either, slowly heading down the hallway that leads to Pedri's room, since the guest room was occupied.
It's not the first time they've shared a bed, but this time it feels different.
“Sorry about earlier…” Pedri mumbles embarrassedly, his fingers scratching the back of his neck in nervousness. “The kiss, I mean, you didn’t have to-”
"I wanted." Before he can stop it the words have left his lips, interrupting Pedri who freezes, something nameless shining in his eyes. "Kiss you; with or without mistletoe.”
“Are you saying what I think you are?” Pedri needs to be sure, he needs to know if it's not his feelings speaking louder. “Tell me I’m not confusing things.”
“Well, if you think I'm in love with you and I spend most of my time stopping myself from kissing you…” Gavi doesn't know where the courage to finally declare his feelings comes from, maybe it's the magic of Christmas. “You are completely right.”
“The only thing I wanted this Christmas was to have you with me, to be able to show you the full extent of my love…” The canary's cheeks are beautifully pink, his lower lip trapped between his teeth. “It looks like my wish has been fulfilled.”
“At least the blizzard brought something good…” His voice is low, it seems wrong to use a normal tone to say these things. “Being with your family, with you, was nothing but perfect.”
A warm and cute smile adorns Pablo's face, his eyes shining as he processes the information that Pedri loves him too. His mind is covered in a happy haze as the canary takes a few steps forward, his cold hand rests on the back of Gavi's neck sending shivers of anticipation running through his body.
"Can I kiss you?"
It's extremely easy to close the distance and let your lips touch. The first kiss spreads like an electric current through Gavi's blood when they finally do what they've been longing for. Pedri smiles into the kiss as he chases the gentle pressure of the Andalusian's sweet lips.
The cold of Pedri's fingers against the back of his neck only makes everything more perfect, reminds him of the domesticity that exists between them, the complicity and familiarity. Suggestions of honey from the dessert remain on Gavi's tongue, eliciting a soft moan from the older man. He wraps an arm around Pedri's waist, pulling him closer as they kiss in the empty hallway.
When they manage to separate without a groan of dissatisfaction filling the air, eyes bright and lips pulsing red, all Gavi can do is snuggle into the other man. “We are very stupid, we need a Christmas tradition to realize our feelings…” There is no bite to his words, just happiness and love.
“We are idiots in love.” Pedri whispers against Pablo's brown hair, his arms closing tightly around his body. “Who would have thought that I would be the target of Pablo Gavi’s love…”