Chapter Text
Pedri González and Pablo Martín Páez Gavira—known to the world as Gavi—stood on opposite sides of the fiercest football rivalry: Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. From the moment Pedri transferred to Madrid, their animosity was palpable.
Pedri, the golden boy of Spanish football, had traded the blue and claret for the pristine white of Madrid. Gavi, young and fiery, saw this as a betrayal, a slap in the face to everything he held dear about Barcelona. Their clashes on the pitch were nothing short of legendary, with every match between their clubs dripping with tension and a hint of something more.
When the Spanish national team called them up for international duty, the news was met with a mix of anticipation and dread. Both knew they’d have to put aside their club rivalries for the sake of their country, but neither was prepared for what happened next.
“Room 304,” Gavi mumbled, reading his room assignment. He trudged down the hall of the training facility, suitcase in tow, mentally preparing for a week of cohabiting with whoever his roommate was.
When he opened the door, his heart sank. Pedri stood by the window, looking out over the training grounds. He turned, and their eyes met. The room’s tension thickened instantly.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Gavi muttered, slamming the door behind him.
“Not my idea of fun either,” Pedri shot back, his voice cold.
Gavi threw his bag onto the empty bed, avoiding Pedri’s gaze. “Just stay out of my way, and we won’t have any problems.”
Pedri scoffed, crossing his arms. “Funny, I was about to say the same thing to you.”
They spent the rest of the evening in a tense silence, each lost in their thoughts. Pedri tried to focus on the view outside, but his mind kept drifting to Gavi. He remembered their fierce battles on the field, the way Gavi’s eyes burned with intensity. It was hard to believe they were now expected to function as teammates.
Gavi, meanwhile, couldn’t shake the feeling of betrayal. He’d looked up to Pedri when they both wore the same colours, admired his skill and dedication. Seeing him in that white jersey had felt like a personal insult. Now, being forced to share a room with him was like salt in the wound.
As the night wore on, the silence became unbearable. Gavi couldn’t take it anymore. “Why did you do it?” he blurted out, unable to hold back.
Pedri turned to him, surprised. “Do what?”
“Leave Barca for Madrid. How could you just... switch sides like that?”
Pedri's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing. "You really don’t know anything, do you, Gavi? You think everything is black and white, Barca and Madrid. But there’s more to life than your little world of football."
Gavi’s face flushed with anger. "What the hell are you talking about? You betrayed us, Pedri. You betrayed Barca."
Pedri's jaw clenched, his temper flaring. "Betrayed? You have no idea what you’re talking about, Gavi! You’re just a naive kid who can’t see beyond his own damn ego."
Gavi's eyes blazed with fury. "Don’t you dare talk to me like that, Pedri! You’re the one who turned his back on everything he claimed to stand for!"
Pedri rose to his feet, his fists clenched at his sides. "I had my reasons, Gavi! Reasons you wouldn’t understand because you’re too busy playing the victim!"
Gavi slammed his hands down on the nearest surface, his voice rising with every word. "I am not playing the damn victim, Pedri! You think you’re so damn special, making decisions without considering how they affect anyone else!"
Pedri’s temper reached its boiling point. "You know what, Gavi? Screw you! I don’t owe you any explanations. You’re just a self-righteous brat who can’t see beyond his own damn nose!"
Gavi’s face twisted with rage, his fists clenched at his sides. "Fine! Maybe I don’t want to understand! Maybe I’d rather hate you than try to make sense of your bullshit!"
With that, Gavi stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him. Pedri stood there, chest heaving with anger and frustration. He knew he should feel guilty for lashing out, but in that moment, all he felt was a burning resentment towards Gavi and everything he represented.
Pedri stormed into the bathroom, his anger still boiling beneath the surface. He turned on the shower, the hot water pounding against his skin as he tried to wash away the tension and frustration. Each drop felt like a release, but it wasn’t enough to extinguish the fire burning inside him.
As he stood under the steaming water, his mind raced with thoughts of Gavi, of Barca, of everything he’d left behind. He knew he should feel guilty for his outburst, but part of him couldn’t bring himself to care. Gavi had provoked him, pushed him to his limits, and Pedri wasn’t about to apologize for defending himself.
After what felt like an eternity, Pedri turned off the shower and stepped out, feeling slightly more composed but still seething with anger. He wrapped a towel around his waist and made his way back to the room, his jaw set in a hard line.
Meanwhile, Gavi stormed down the hallway, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. He needed to vent, to find someone who would understand his anger. Without a second thought, he knocked on Alejandro Balde's door.
The door swung open, revealing Balde with a curious expression. "Gavi, what’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."
Gavi pushed past him, his agitation palpable. "It’s Pedri. He’s impossible to deal with. I can’t believe I have to share a room with him."
Balde frowned, concern flickering in his eyes. "What happened?"
Gavi paced back and forth, his hands clenched into fists. "He’s so damn arrogant, Alejandro. Thinks he’s above everyone else. Thinks he can just do whatever he wants without considering how it affects anyone else."
Balde listened quietly, his mind racing with his own thoughts. He knew there was more to Pedri’s departure from Barca than met the eye, but he wasn’t about to share that with Gavi. Not when the wounds were still so fresh.
"Gavi, I know it’s frustrating," Balde said finally, his voice gentle. "But maybe there’s more to Pedri’s story than you realize. Maybe he had his reasons for leaving."
Gavi scoffed, his anger flaring anew. "I don’t care about his reasons! He abandoned us, Alejandro. He abandoned me."
Balde sighed, knowing there was nothing he could say to ease Gavi’s pain. "I know it’s hard, Gavi. But sometimes, we have to try to understand each other, even when it seems impossible."
Gavi shook his head, his resolve hardening. "I don’t want to understand him, Alejandro. I just want him out of my life."
With that, Gavi turned and stormed out of Balde’s room, leaving Balde alone with his thoughts. As he watched Gavi disappear down the hallway, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the story than either of them knew. But for now, it was a mystery he was content to leave unsolved.
Gavi returned to the room, his anger still smoldering beneath the surface. As he opened the door, he saw Pedri lying on his bed, already asleep. Normally, he might have tried to be quiet, not wanting to disturb his roommate. But tonight, Gavi didn’t give a damn.
He let out a frustrated sigh and began to rummage through his bag, not bothering to be quiet. Clothes rustled, zippers zipped, and the noise echoed through the room.
Pedri stirred, the sound of Gavi’s movements pulling him from his sleep. He groaned, rubbing his eyes and sitting up in bed. "Gavi, can’t you be quiet? Some of us are trying to sleep."
Gavi shot him a venomous glare. "Why should I? You didn’t give a damn about disturbing me earlier."
Pedri blinked, his irritation growing. "I was pissed off, Gavi. You were the one who stormed out, remember?"
Gavi scoffed, his frustration boiling over. "Oh, I remember. I remember you being a condescending asshole, as usual."
Pedri’s temper flared. "And I remember you being an entitled brat who can’t handle the fact that the world doesn’t revolve around him."
The room fell silent, the tension between them thickening with each passing second. Gavi glared at Pedri, his anger radiating off him in waves. But Pedri met his gaze head-on, his own anger simmering just below the surface.
Finally, Gavi broke the silence, his voice low and filled with bitterness. "I can’t wait until this is over. I don’t know how much more of you I can take."
Pedri clenched his jaw, his fists tightening at his sides. "Believe me, Gavi, the feeling is mutual."
With that, Gavi turned away, climbing into his bed without another word. Pedri lay back down, seething with frustration and resentment. The room was filled with an oppressive silence, broken only by the sound of their breathing as they lay side by side, each lost in their own thoughts.