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The exhilaration of post-match adrenaline surged through the turf, an energy of relief and anticipation under the stadium lights. The other team had quickly made their way off the pitch, leaving Milli Takim to mingle amongst one other and share their happiness. A hug here, a ruffle of the hair there, Arda could feel the affection and pride from every single one of his teammates.
Playing for Turkey held a different weight to it than playing for Real Madrid. He was cast aside in one club, yet cherished in the other, and nobody let him forget it. He held onto every single hug on the pitch, making a mental note of the words of congratulations his older brothers whispered in his ears through tight embraces. It was nights where he lay alone in Madrid, so far from home, where he would run those moments through his head like a film reel on repeat, or standing on the pitch watching the other players cheer, standing at a distance. He had a place here, home.
He absentmindedly wandered through the pitch, weaving between players towards Çalhanoğlu, outstretching his arms up to him as he sprinted over. He wrapped his arm around the captain's neck, tiptoeing as he said through a smile, 'Well done abi.' Çalhanoğlu pulled Arda in front of himself, gripping onto both shoulders as he looked dead-set into the grinning boy's eyes.
'You saved the match, all this is thanks to you.' Arda only laughed shyly in response, shaking his head. He playfully slapped Arda's cheek gently, before quickly pressing the back of his hand onto his face.
'You're freezing, go. The jackets are in the changing rooms, wrap up and join us for pictures.' Arda put his own hand up to his cheek, surprised at how numb his face felt under the Icelandic cold. He jogged over to the stadium entrance, wanting to get back to festivities as fast as he could.
OUF.
He slammed straight into a wall, rounding the corner to the changing rooms, knocking his smile and the wind out of his lungs. Laying sprawled on the floor, he shook his head and looked up at the 'wall', only to be met by a wide grin. Kenan.
Arda hurriedly got up to his feet, dusting off the back of his shorts as he patted Kenan on the arm, 'Sorry I was in a rush.'
'What's the rush?'
'Pictures' Arda said with a beam, 'You have to join us.' Kenan turned, trailing behind Arda as they pushed into the changing rooms. Arda seemed erratic, you could almost feel the excitement bouncing off him.
'So are we not going the wrong way? Unless you're taking pictures with Ferdi's sweaty towels.' Arda whipped around, scowling a little at the accusation.
'It's freezing out there, I need a jacket. Then we can take pictures.'
Kenan amusedly watched Arda dig around in his bag, pulling out his spare clothes hurriedly before yanking out the jacket and slipping his arms through. He flopped his arms against his sides, tucking his hands up into the sleeves, a little penguin.
'Now I'm ready for pictures.' He turned to leave, tilting his head to gesture at Kenan to follow along. He reached for the door handle before spinning around to face Kenan, who stood with his arms folded, an amused smirk on his face.
'Are you not coming?' Kenan shook his head, laughing a little as he made his way towards Arda. His grip loosened on the handle, arms falling to his sides as Kenan loomed over him.
'Is the jacket not too big for you?'
'Huh?'
Kenan lifted Arda's arm, showing how far the sleeve extended past his fingers. Arda peered over Kenan's shoulders at the bag he had just rootled through. His own was left untouched, zipped up neatly with his shoes piled up next to them, Kenan's was the opposite. His socks were balled up on the floor with his shorts pooling out of his bag, as if he had gotten robbed.
'Oh.'
Arda moved up from the door to clean up the mess he had unknowingly made with Kenan's bag but he was pushed gently back against the door.
'Don't worry, I'll sort it, and besides, it suits you.' He tugged at the hood and pulled it up over Arda's head. It was so oversized it covered his eyes, leaving his pink-tinged nose and pouty mouth peeking out for underneath, curling into a shy smile.
There was a prolonged silence between the two under the hum of the changing room lights, a distant muffled commotion of distant partying continuing on the pitch. Arda trying to lean his neck back far enough to look Kenan in the eyes, the hood shifting further down his face the further he tilted his eyes. He huffed and pulled it back, furrowing his brows as he finally met Kenan's eyes.
He looked unreal, the cheap tube lights lighting a halo around his head, it illuminated the tips of his hair a golden-blonde, an angel. His face was expressionless except from his eyes that scanned Arda's, passing his eyes then back down to his lips for a split second, shifting back up his eyes again. It was like all the air had been sucked up between them and they couldn't avert their eyes for fear of interrupting this moment.
He cupped Arda's cheek in his palm, rubbing his face with his thumb as his eyes continued searching Arda's face. Arda had always had some sort of naivety in his eyes, a hesitation that couldn't quite be read. It was in the way he smiled, or more so the way it faltered every time Kenan swiped his thumb against his cheek. Or the way he blinked quickly, as if to break the eye contact as much as he could.
Kenan leaned towards Arda, trailing his hands down his jacket. He held his breath, staring at the taller man lean further over him, as he zipped up Arda's jacket.
'Oh, thank you.' Arda mumbled. He felt a little stupid at what he expected of the situation, berating himself for thinking deeper than a friendly banter between teammates. His ears tinged a bright pink, spreading across his cheeks as he looked down at the zip of his jacket.
Hoping the ground would swallow him whole.
He felt the warmth of Kenan's hands again, tilting Arda's chin up to face him yet again. His eyes were shifty, bashfully staring over Kenan's shoulders so as to avoid looking at him again.
'You make it so hard to get you alone you know?' Kenan murmured in hushed tones.
'Hm?'
'I said, we better get back to the pitch before it ends.'
'We should,' Arda whispered, aware of the way Kenan's face inched closer to his ever so slightly.
'We won't,' Kenan breathed, pressing his lips against Arda's.
Arda breathed out, lifting his sleeves up to Kenan's face, returning the kiss, lingering and soft. Kenan stepped back, still holding Arda's face as he peppered soft kisses along his jaw, leaving one on the tip of his nose.
He tugged at the zip further, zipping it up past his chin before turning back towards the bags, pulling Arda's mis-sized jacket over his broad frame with a shy grin.
'Ready for those pictures?' Arda stared with glassy eyes, dazed and unresponsive. He giggled as he clasped Arda's hand in his own, shoving it in his pocket as they both left the changing room, jogging onto the pitch towards Çalhanoğlu and Irfan.