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Stefan and Michi were about to go to bed the day they arrived in Engelberg, when a loud knock at their door made them freeze in their movements. They both looked at each other in confusion, sure that there most certainly was no one that would need anything from them this late. The person outside knocked again, louder this time. ,,Michi, Stefan?", the person outside asked loudly. Michi and Stefan looked at eachother with confusion. ,,Hille?", Michi mumbled. ,,Go open the door before he has punched through it.", said Krafti and sat down on the bed. Michi nodded and opened the door. Hille almost darted past him. ,,I need your help! Stephan and Andi exasperate me.", he stated and dropped onto the desk chair. Michi sat down beside Krafti. ,,Ok, what's the matter?", Stefan asked and tilted his head. He still was confused and rather wanted to go to bed, but since Hille really looked desperate he decided to not be bothered to much. Hille sighed. ,,I need them to talk. I rather want to just call them oblivious idiots and then run off, but that won't help. So I...we need to make them talk and be a couple.", Hille explained. Stefan chuckled. ,,So you are asking us to help because we are the only gay couple?", he asked. Hille grinned. ,,Kinda. In all honesty I thought and hoped that you two might see what I and some of the other jumpers my age see.", Hille answered.
,,Wait, the other guys on the german team don't see it? They really don't see the heart eyes all the time?", Michi asked and looked at Hille in utter disbelief. ,,I think Pius knows, but I am not sure and Adrian asked me about it, so he see's the obvious. I am absolutely unsure about Karl and Markus as well as our staff, but I don't think they see it.", Hille replied. Stefan sighed. ,,They must be blind then.", he said and looked around, lost in his thoughts. ,,But what are we going to do now?", Michi asked after a moment of silence. Hille took a deep breath. ,,I really want them to get it sorted out before the end of the year, before the Vierschanzentournee at best since I have a feeling they think about the 'what if' so much that it affects their performances. The problem is that right now it is not set in stone who of the team has to leave for the upcoming period, since we loose a spot.", Hille answered and sighed. To say, he didn't feel presure to deliver a good result this weekend, would be a lie.
,,But Andi is set, isn't he?", Stefan asked. ,,Without a doubt I'd say.", said Michi. Hille nodded. ,,So if Stephan is going to be the one who has to sit out the tournament and has to do the COC instead, we at least could try to talk to Andi and see where this leads us. I don't know who of us would be the best for this, but we can think about that some other time.", Michi suggested. Stefan and Hille both smiled. ,,And if he doesn't have to sit out, we'll or more likely, you two will talk to both of them?", Hille added. ,,Sounds like a plan. As long as Stephan is there, we'll talk to both of them and if not, we are only going to Atalk to Andi and hope.", said Stefan. They talked some more until Hille went back to his room and to bed.
The weekend went by fast and so did Christmas and soon they found themselves in Oberstdorf. Despite the stress especially the germans and the austrians felt, Michi was able to catch Andi in a quiet moment, away from the others. ,,Do you by chance have a moment? I need to talk to you about something.", he asked quietly, so that only Andi would hear it. ,,Yes, but...Is it something private or not?", Andi asked, looking back at the dining hall were some jumpers still sat at their tables. Michi nods slowly. ,,Let's go to my room. Stefan is still busy anyways.", Michi suggested as they walked towards the elevators. ,,Okaaaaayyy.", said Andi and followed Michi until the door to the Kraftböck room closed behind them. ,,Sit down.", said Michi and pointed at the small seating area in the corner of the room. Andi sat down. ,,So, what's going on?", Andi asked and looked at Michi who had sat down opposite of him. Michi grinned. ,,I want to get to know something and if what I think is true, you should talk to someone else.", he said, well aware, that Andi probably won't understand what he means. Andi looked at him with expected confusion. ,,You are talking riddles, Michi.", Andi exclaimed. Michi chuckled and didn't know how to say what he wanted without fully losing it.
,,You know that...if you are in love with someone from the same gender as you and don't know what to do, you could just talk to me and Stefan, don't you.", Michi stated and smirked slightly. Andi's eyes widened. ,,How...what...shit, is it that obvious?", Andi asked and blushed. ,,I wouldn't say it's full blown obvious for everyone yet, but I think if you don't do something about it, it might become more obvious.", Michi answered. Andi sighed loudly. ,,But I can't just walk up to Stephan and...wait, did I just say his name out loud?", Andi muttered and got even redder. Michi grinned. ,,Yes you did. And I know that you can't just walk up to him and drop this bomb out of nowhere. Nonetheless, I'd really advise you to talk to him and tell him how you feel. Hille, Stefan and me all see how the uncertainty affects you.", he said. Andi nodded slowly. ,,The uncertainty kills me.", he muttered. ,,But I am scared that if I tell him now or the next few days, it will affect my performance too much if he reacts badly.", he added. Michi sighed. ,,You don't have to believe me, but I can promise you, that he is not going to react negatively.", said Michi and petted Andi's knee. Andi sighed loudly. ,,But how can you know for sure?", he asked. ,,Gay intuition.", Michi countered and grinned.
Andi looked at Michi with a lot of visible confusion, but decided to neither question what Michi said, nor get to hopeful that Stephan might like him back. ,,So, when do you think is a good time to tell him?", Andi asked after silence was hanging between them. ,,My suggestion would be to do it before the new year starts. I just know that given the circumstances we are in, it's easier said than done, because of the busy schedule. In the end it's up to you, but I personally would at least try to do it before the new year starts.", Michi suggested. Andi nodded to himself. ,,I might try that and if it doesn't work out, I'll do it another time.", said Andi and looked up at Michi. Once Andi left the room, Michi immediately messaged Hille about the conversation and told him how he was confident that Andi would actually let actions speak.
Two days later, Andi was pacing up and down the room he shared with Stephan, only wearing his dressing pants, while Stephan was in the bathroom. He had buried even the tiniest thoughts about telling Stephan how he felt, in the back of his mind, but over the last few hours they were coming back up again and he knew, he had to do it. Andi just still didn't know how. ,,Andi, is everything alright, you look lost.", Stephan suddenly said behind him. Andi stopped in his tracks. ,,I...No...Yes...I don't know.", Andi mumbled and suddenly really felt the need to continue getting dressed. ,,You don't have to tell me what's going on, but if I can help, I want to help.", said Stephan and sat down on his side of the bed. Andi sighed. ,,I need a moment.", he said, avoided looking at Stephan and put his shirt on.
As Andi was done, he rubbed his face. ,,I need to tell you something and I hope you are not going to hate me afterwards.", he said and turned around to face Stephan. Stephan looked at him, confusion visible in his facial expression. ,,I could never hate you...", he mumbled and kept looking at Andi with a more serious expression. Andi sighed. ,,I am...gay. And...I...", he stated and took a deep breath. Stephan's eyes widened in surprise. It suddenly was hard to hide the hope. The hope that maybe, just maybe, Andi would like him the way he did like Andi. ,,Thank you for trusting me with this. You don't have to say more, if you don't feel ready to do so.", said Stephan. He really wanted to know what's on Andi's mind apart from this, but he also didn't want to pressure him into telling. Andi sighed. ,,Over the last few months I came to the conclusion that I can't deny my feelings for you anymore. They've gotten so much and so strong that I even am overwhelmed by them.", Andi confessed and looked down at the bedsheets below him.
Stephan needed a moment to process Andi's confession. ,,You are...you...oh my...", Stephan stammered and grinned awkwardly. Andi looked up at Stephan and the shimmer in his eyes didn't make sense to him. ,,Yes, I am. Have been for years, actually. I just was too scared to admit it for a long time and then you were in a relationship and I was hopeless, but...I just love you so so much.", said Andi and stared at Stephan. Stephan's grin widened and he had a hard time forming a coherent sentence. Was this real? Was Andi really confessing his love just now? ,,You...I...Fuck, I love you too. So much, so so much. But this feelings scared me for a very long time.", Stephan confessed. Andi jumped up from the bed and smiled. ,,Oh my godness, is this real! Am I not having one of those annoying dreams again?", he asked himself. Stephan chuckled and got up from the bed as well. He walked over to Andi and stopped in front of him. ,,I certainly hope that this is real.", said Stephan and pulled Andi closer. Stephan slowly closed the gap between their lips, giving Andi enough time to pull back. But instead of pulling back, Andi placed a hand at the back of Stephan's head and closed his eyes.
The kiss was shy and slow at first, both feeling overwhelmed by the new found sensation of kissing eachother. After some moments, Stephan deepend the kiss, pouring all the pent up love into it. ,,Holy shit.", Andi whispered against Stephan's lips. Stephan just smiled and blushed more. ,,It feels good, doesn't it?", he asked and just kissed Andi again. They shared a few more kisses in close embrace when suddenly someone loudly knocked at their door. ,,Andi, Stephan. you two are late.", they heard...Michi...say on the other side of the door. ,,Shit.", Andi mumbled and immediately let go of Stephan. ,,Do we really need to go there?", Stephan asked and sighed. ,,Yeah I think so. But we are going to be fine and at midnight we sneak away and kiss, okay?", Andi suggested and opened the door. Stephan blushed and nodded. He'd be able to get through this somehow, but it already felt hard to go without kissing Andi for some hours.
,,Don't you want to question why we get you and not someone from your team?", Stefan asked, after both Stephan and Andi had stepped out of their room. ,,I assume you two were running late as well and someone messaged you to get us on the way.", said Stephan while trying his hardest not to be too close to Andi. Michi and Stefan both nodded. ,,Yes, but also...did you two talk?", Michi whispered. Stephan and Andi both blushed, a confirmation to Michi and Stefan. ,,See, it wasn't bad.", said Stefan and petted both Germans on their shoulders. Michi just smiled beside them and said:,,I'm so happy for you two. And Hille will be too when you tell him." ,,And the others will be too once you are ready to tell them.", Stefan added. Stephan looked at them with a hint of confusion as they stepped into the elevator. ,,What's going on?", he asked. ,,Hille was exasperated with you two and that lead to me talking to Andi about his feelings and I guess that conversation helped for you two finally getting together after so long.", Michi explained. ,,Yes. Thank you and I think I...we also need to thank Hille then.", said Andi and gave Stephan a quick kiss just before the elevator doors opened. ,,See you two outside later.", Michi and Stefan both said and walked to the room their team would eat and celebrate in. Andi and Stephan walked into the opposite direction and after they sat down with their team the little new years eve party started.
During some down time, Stephan whispered into Andi's ear. ,,How about we send Hille a picture later? Our hands or a selfie or something else.", he suggested. Andi grinned. ,,Yes, that sounds good.", he said and put his hand on Stephan's knee under the table. Some minutes before midnight, everyone went outside. While the others were busy talking and setting up sparklers, Stephan and Andi stood a little away from their team and some of the other nations. ,,You know...", Stephan started after they had watched their teammates in silence for a while. ,,Yeah?", Andi whispered and turned a little to face Stephan fully. ,,I think my new years resolution is that I want to make sense of us, develop our relationship, be with you and be true to myself. And finally tell more people that I am not straight.", Stephan explained and smiled. Just a few seconds before it was midnight, Karl handed them sparklers and lighted them up.
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Andi and Stephan managed to walk around the corner of the hotel.
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They heard a lot of Happy New Years in different languages and some fireworks, but it all felt distant for the moment.
Stephan stepped closer to Andi who immediately put a hand at the back of Stephan's head and kissed him. The kiss was long, deep and full of emotion and love. ,,I love you so much.", Stephan whispered barely audible. ,,I love you too.", Andi whispered. For a moment they just looked at eachother. ,,We should probably head back now.", Stephan mumbled after some seconds and sighed. Andi sighed just as loud and they took a step back to the others. ,,Wait, let's take a picture for Hille.", Andi said and quickly pulled out his phone. They leaned against eachother and took a selfie, their hands intertwined in the middle of it. "You can stop being exasperated now :D" Andi sent the picture to Hille and put his phone away.
Back with the others no one really questioned why they were gone for some minutes. Not long after they came back it was time to go to bed anyways. There was a comp to jump in tomorrow after all.
,,Hille sent an audio.", Andi said as they were sitting on their bed. ,,Let's listen to it.", said Stephan. Andi tapped play and after they heard an undefinable sound, Hille started to talk:,,I am so happy for you two and so happy that my efforts helped you two to finally talk about what has been evident for ages now. You two have been oblivious for way too long. I had the feeling you'd never be true to your feelings. Congratulations and happy new year."