Chapter Text
Leo expected to find a text waiting for him. But there was none.
It took him about fifteen minutes to get everyone to leave him alone, even if just for a few minutes so he could take a shower and check his phone.
It had been amazing to hold that cup again. It was amazing to think he’d be going home to be greeted by proud fans. He had honored Barça’s name and uniform, like he always had and always would.
But he knew that maybe he wouldn't be going home to a happy boyfriend.
He knew Cristiano was proud of him, happy that he was happy. But Real Madrid wasn’t the team Leo had been playing against. That was still to come, one day.
And when Leo didn’t find a text, or a missed call, he knew what was going on. Cristiano only got silent when he lost against Leo, somehow. Not after Clásicos, because they were always on the same city. But this time Leo was on the other side of the world, 6.000 miles away from him.
Leo was upset, despite the win. He hated when Cris behaved like this. It was childish of him, since they had already talked about it. Winning or losing would never change a thing between them. And Leo really wasn't up for another fight. Not that they fought much, but, every time they did, it usually ended with them not talking for a couple of days and then having angry sex on the shower or couch.
But that was not the way Leo wanted things to go down when he finally got home. He was worried about Cris, with his silence, wondering and wondering until he found himself resting against the comfortable seat of the bus that would drive him and his teammates to the airport.
On one hand, Leo couldn't wait to get home. His beloved team is now the world's best. He had made Barcelona proud. He couldn't wait to see Cris, find out what was going on with him. And, on the other hand, he really didn't want to arrive. He knew Cris' silence wasn't a good sign, not in the slightest.
Leo knew it couldn't possibly be so bad, but he couldn't help but dread the moment he'd finally see the love of his life again. Being with Cris meant so much to Leo that he couldn't even describe it, but he really hated the moments when he knew something was off with his boyfriend and he wasn't able to do anything about it. Being in Japan wasn't of much help.
Those were the worst days. And, today, one of the best days of his professional year, had to be one of those days, it just had to.
Leo tried to sleep, finding it to be a very difficult task. But he had a long way and there was nothing else he could do. Having free time, when the last thing you want to do is think, is like torture for the brain.
As for Cristiano, he had seen the game. It was late, but he didn't care. He still could remember the day Real had been kicked out of the Club World Cup. He had been dating Leo for about a year, a few weeks after their anniversary. Leo hadn't said anything, just allowed Cris to curse and scream until his voice cracked and his lungs started to burn from the sudden use.
Cris felt like it was his job as boyfriend to be there in case Leo needed. Cris didn't consider himself the romantic one in their relationship, since the two of them always had some sort of surprise going on for each other, but this was massive. He knew it was important.
Ever since he had first seen Leo play, he had known the man had everything to be one of the best. And that was exactly what he witnessed Leo become: the best football player in the history.
And, somewhere along the way, Cris fell in love with him.
Cris couldn't really pin point when he discovered he had fallen for Leo, but he had and his life was changed when they first kissed. And today, after almost two years, it was still very painful to be apart from the Argentinian.
But, once again, Leo didn't need Cris to wish him luck, simply because Barça is the champion again. He watched as the camera focused on Leo's wide smile and that one second when Leo looked straight into the lense... Cris knew it was for him.
'Just in case you're watching', that's what that look said. And his smile would've brought Cris to his knees.
Cris sat in front of the tv until Leo left the pitch. Cris knew Leo would be expecting a call or something, but he really didn't know what to say. Cris wasn't good with words. He wrote many things, but never hit 'Send'.
And, just like that, the time passed. And no massages arrived for Leo. He checked his phone a couple of hundred times, until the flight attendant told him his phone needed to be turned off.
Cris, on the other hand, had wanted to prepare something nice for Leo. The man had been away from home for days now, had gone through tough things alone before the final and Cris knew how terrible that could be.
Leo had talked him through the process of waiting for the treatment for his colic pain to become effective. Leo believed it would and Cris feared his man had played based on the simple belief that the pills had worked, without any actual proof they had.
But Leo seemed to be fine, so, threfore, Cris was fine too.
He had wanted to send a massage, but he knew Leo would be in the plane. Eventually, Cris decided it'd be better if he kept it simple. Dinner, a nice bubble bath, a glass (or two) of wine. He was proud of Leo; not as Cristiano Ronaldo, but as Cris, Leo's boyfriend.
Cris wasn't the best cook in town, but Leo seemed to like his cooking for some reason, so that had always given him inspiration. What would Leo like? He knew Leo wouldn't want to eat anything heavy after such a long flight, but still Cris wanted to prepare him something.
And before he knew it, he was running out of time. He left the news on, the television incredibly huge for Leo, a man who watched very little of anything. Cris loved to look around Leo's house, knowing the man had accepted his help when decorating it. Many of the objects in that place were there because of Cris, in fact. Including a framed picture of their first date. Well, that had been a gift, but it still counted.
And, in the kitchen, Cris felt as comfortable there as he felt in his own. He spent a lot of time in that place, with Leo sitting on the island, laughing while spilling wine everywhere, kissing his lips whenever Cris tried to take the glass away.
He saw the paps gathering outside. Leo's arrived. Cris made sure every window was closed, knowing how much his lover cherished his privacy.
Leo didn't know what to expect when he landed. He knew there would be people waiting, but not so fucking many. Things got out of hand pretty fast, but no fan seemed to want to back off, even when security urged the team into the players' respective cars.
There was a car waiting to take Leo home, but he preferred to drive it himself. He was tired, yes, but he also didn't want anyone to be in the car with him.
Leo wanted to listen to some music, drive at his own speed. He wanted to take the fastest way home. No, he still wasn't done wondering. He still didn't know what he would find when he finally faced Cris again.
But never in a million years had Leo expected this.