One Shot: Don’t Be A Stranger
Title: Don’t Be A Stranger
Authors:
fernedakki
Pairing: Steven Gerrard / Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard / Xabi Alonso, Daniel Agger / Steve Finnan, Daniel Agger / Fernando Torres (and also Daniel Agger / Martin Skrtel, Sergio Ramos / Fernando Torres)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU/Romance/Angst
Word Count: 3,824 Words
Disclaimer: This is not real.
Summary: It was a student football club reunion...
A/N: Another one-shot (with sooo many pairings ;P)
The pub was quite packed but everyone in there was well acquainted to him when Fernando stepped in the front door. That sooth was proven by their lively hellos, slight punches on his shoulder and ruffles on his short dark hair. They greeted him with: "What had you done to your blond tress? Where is it?" or "I know you dyed it because you want to look older and stern, yeah? Tell you what, it's an utter failure. You still look like a kid with that babyface." And Fernando laughed it off good-humoredly and shot comments back at his old friends on their new looks, too.
It’d been almost five years since the last time he met them. He just realized how much he’d missed them all after all that time.
"Fernando, except for that dark hair which I think it looks hideous, you don't change a bit," Pepe said and Fernando chuckled.
"You look a bit balder, don't you?" Fernando tilted his head, feigning curiosity. Pepe snarled, his hair would everlastingly be his inferiority complex.
"You bastard!" He locked the other Spaniard's neck with tight arm and faked an angry fight. It ended up in a tickling war which sent them both laugh so hard.
It was like they were young again.
Pepe accompanied him to the bar. They encountered Álvaro and Ryan, and they babbled merrily like old-parted friends do.
"I miss you guys, always think of the times when we’re still young and reckless, ditching classes to play football at that pitch behind the Engineering Department," Álvaro said, his eyes got lost in the nostalgic remembrance.
"We should hold a reunion like this more often," Ryan said. "I mean, it's been five years already since I graduated, four years for Fernando. The Student Football Club had never held any reunion up until now. We've been apart for too long, mates."
"Aww, you miss me so much, don't you?" Pepe teased and they kept on bantering like old times. Five years just couldn't change anything; they're all still young at heart.
"Where's Stevie?" Fernando asked finally and swept his eyes over packed crowds. He knew most of the people here and still had so many of them to greet.
"You haven't met him yet?" Pepe asked incredulously. "He should be around the dais, he's quite busy, though. Of course, since he's the organizer of this reunion."
Fernando excused himself in search of Steven. He met the guy near the dais, blabbering with Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson.
"Fernando!" He stopped short upon seeing the Spaniard approaching, then his lips curled up into a wide warm smile. The Spaniard greeted him.
“Hola, Stevie.”
"Fernando, I haven't seen you for ages! Look at you! You looked so...well, not that thoroughly grown up, but still grown up quite a lot, if you know what I mean." Fernando laughed along with Jamie and Glen. He greeted the other two amicably so.
"Wow, how long haven't I heard from you?" Steven asked, looked so enthralled by the Spaniard's advent.
"Five years." Fernando smiled coyly. "How have you been?"
"Okay, I think I'll leave you guys alone," Jamie cut off after seeing that he and Glen had been completely left out of the conversation now. He winked at Fernando knowingly which sent the others laugh off cheerfully.
"See you then, Stevie, Fernando," Glen said and left with Jamie, leaving the other two alone together.
"How are you?" Steven asked, sipping his beer contentedly while looking at the Spaniard.
"Good." Fernando shrugged, smiling comfortably, too. "I'm now working in car decoration business; it's fun there."
"Seriously?" Steven laughed. "I really can't imagine how a kid like you can work."
"Why not?!" Fernando yelled but his cheeks flushed red in shyness and amusement. Steven smiled, holding his hand out to ruffle the Spaniard's short dark hair lovingly.
"You'll always be just a kid in my eyes."
Fernando pouted. Then the DJ changed the song, playing on the subwoofer now was 'When You're Mad' by Ne-Yo. "Wow, that's our song." Steven was captivated. Fernando snickered.
"Remember that time we fought?" The Spaniard asked good-humoredly. Stevie guffawed.
"Of course! How couldn't I?" He sipped his beer again, his eyes had already drifted to the beautiful old memories. "You got mad at me and bawled out that I loved football more than you." He chuckled. "So I hugged you and told you 'how could I love anything more than my baby?'"
"And at that moment, DJ played this song on the radio." Fernando giggled while thinking of the past. "And you started singing this song to me. It was so funny because I've never heard you sing before."
"Could it be the little wrinkle over your nose, when you make your angry face?" Steven crooned along. "That makes me wanna just take off all your clothes and sex you all over the place."
Fernando laughed while looking at the Englishman with a wide smile. Steven locked eyes with the Spaniard and kept on singing teasingly, "Could it be the lil' way you storm around that makes me wanna tear you down? Baby, I ain't sure, but one thing that I do know-"
Then Fernando sang, too, "-is every time you scream at me, I wanna kiss you. Baby, when you put your hands on me, I wanna touch you. And when we get to arguing, just gotta kiss you. Baby, I don't know why it's like that but you're just so damn sexy, when you're mad."
Then they both guffawed at their own childishness and good old memories. Steven smiled. "That's why I'll always remember you as the way we were. You always acted like a kid to me."
They were silent for a minute, both sipping their boozes. Without saying, they knew that the other was ruminating about their pasts which once had intersected: when they were together on Steven's senior year in the university.
"Don't get me wrong," Steven said. "But are you with anyone right now?"
"Yeah," Fernando answered, smiling sheepishly. "I...already have a new boyfriend. He's working in the same business as me."
"He's good, right?" Steven's voice was full of concerns. "I mean, don't let anyone treat you bad, though. Make a good choice when you decide to get together with someone, choose wisely," he murmured and Fernando chuckled.
"Yes, he's good," he mumbled, smiling. "Thanks for your concern, though. And sorry to make you so worry about me."
"You reckless kid." The Englishman ruffled his dark hair again.
"Stevie, that's Xabi." Fernando stared at a guy walking and chatting cheerfully not far from them. Steven instantly turned around and Fernando felt that the Scouser's body suddenly stiffen. "You...didn't know that he's already been back from the States, right?" Fernando asked uncertainly in a low voice. Pursing his lips, Steven shook his head slightly in denial.
Xabi was with Maxi and were about to walk past them. He definitely didn't notice Steven or Fernando so the Scouser decided to-
"Xabi."
Xabi Alonso turned around and stopped short upon seeing who had just called him. Steven smirked. "Don't be a stranger, Xabi. Say hi to me," he teased. And Xabi suddenly smiled, though a bit hesitantly. He strode towards them while Maxi caught some other friends and separated to the other side of the floor.
"Stevie, how are you? And you, too, Fernando," he greeted, looked quite uncertain like he didn't know what to say or do after those six years of absence and non-communication between him and the other two: Steven particularly.
"I'm fine, thanks." Fernando smiled sincerely yet suddenly feeling like being a third wheel. "I'll go get some boozes then." He showed them his glass which had only a quarter of liquid left. Steven and Xabi nodded; they knew that Fernando simply gave a polite excuse but were more than willing to let him go.
"So," Steven started after Fernando had left. "When did you get back from the States?" He didn't even dare locking eyes with the Basque.
"Just last month," Xabi murmured, sipping his drink unsettledly. "Álvaro told me about this reunion," he added.
"How's the States?" Steven leaned against a table, seemed a bit more comfortable now. "Did you graduate?"
"Of course!" Xabi laughed good-humoredly. "It's good, life there. And yes I graduated my doctorate degree, just finished my graduation ceremony then flew back here."
"Good to hear that." Steven gave him a sincere smile. "You must have worked so hard on it. Harvard. Wow. That sounds so cool, and so much like you."
Xabi laughed. "Yeah, it's really not easy. But I did it and finally got the degree." He smiled complacently. "What are you up to these days?"
"I'm a coach at my hometown junior-football club," Steven replied. "Just really can't quit football."
"That sounds so you, too." Xabi snickered. "You're good, right? I mean your life, at large."
"Yeah, I'm happy with it. My job, my friends, vacations to tropical islands once a year." Steven shrugged. "Just the same happy routine."
They were silent for a moment, an uncomfortable silence, though. "It had been six years since the last time we talked," Xabi murmured.
"Yeah." Steven nodded, thinking back to that day they fought - and talked - for the last time. "And it's really not a decent goodbye." Steven laughed at the memory.
"Yeah, I yelled at you," Xabi murmured, "saying that our dreams were too different and you had to let me go because mine was at the States: at Harvard. I couldn't stick with you over here for the rest of my life, I had my own path to walk, and you, too," he said in a low voice. "And the next day you didn't show up at the airport and I left England without ever bidding you goodbye."
"I'm sorry," Steven murmured. "I was too angry, and doleful. I kept on thinking why you couldn’t wait just a year more, until we both graduated our undergraduate degrees. But you just wanted to go right then the moment you knew you won the scholarship, it was like you were so eager to leave me."
"I know," Xabi mumbled. "I'm sorry, too. At that time, I was so excited about my upcoming life at one of the best law schools in the world and didn't care about anything else."
They fell silent once again. Songs on the subwoofer were old, back about 4 years at least, combined with those boisterous noises of their old friends, they made them muse about the past, their pasts.
"Are you...with anyone now, Stevie?" Xabi asked uncertainly. Shaking his head, Steven felt his heart race from the Spaniard's question.
"No," he answered in a low voice. "You?"
"No." Xabi smiled coyly. "Do you still use the same number?"
"Yes." Steven smiled, his heart was drumming in his chest like it had actually gone crazy now. Xabi smiled wider.
"I think we'll have loads of things to talk about after those six years," he said.
***
Daniel got into the pub with Martin Škrtel. He's late and the pub was already packed with his old friends from their unofficial Student Football Club when he's studying at the University of Liverpool. It had been four years since he graduated. Time really flew by so fast. He found loads of acquainted faces that he hadn't seen since their graduation day.
"Martin, are you sure you wanna get inside with me?" Daniel turned around. Martin wasn't a member of this football club, he's not even a student at the University of Liverpool. The Slovak just accompanied him here.
"Yep." Martin ruffled the Dane's hair. "I don't have anything to do tonight anyway so I'll just be around here. I'm not gonna get in your way, promise." Daniel laughed.
"It's not that. I'm just afraid you'll get bored."
"Of course, I won't. I would like to know your friends, too," he assured.
So they got in together. Daniel greeted everyone and everybody received him cordially so like old times. He introduced Martin and they welcomed him amicably as well. He was chatting with Jamie and Dirk when someone approached.
"Hey."
Daniel turned around and his lips curled up into a wide smile. "Hey, Steve." It was Steve Finnan.
“How are you?” The Irishman asked, smiling at him cheerfully.
“Good,” Daniel replied. “You?”
“A bit busy these days, but that’s definitely a good sign, no?” He grinned.
“What are you up to these days? “Daniel asked. Steve smiled, looking around.
“Here.”
Daniel didn’t get it. “What do you mean?”
“Steve is the owner of this Irish pub and restaurant, you idiot,” Jamie said. Daniel’s shocked.
“Are you for real?” He gawked at the Irishman incredulously yet excitedly. “I mean, it’s always your dream: opening an Irish pub and restaurant! I couldn’t believe you actually made it. Oh, my God, Steve. Congratulations! I-I’ve never known this. I’m so sorry, I was just-”
“Nah, Daniel, don’t be bothered.” Steve waved his hand dismissively. “You didn’t know it then but you know it now. So stop by sometimes, okay? I’ll cook you Stobhach Gaelach, I know you like it so bad.”
“You’re the chef yourself?!” Daniel’s eyes widened, looked even more surprised by that information. Steve pouted.
“Why do you have to say like it’s so impossible for me being a chef?! You know I can cook. You ate the meals I cooked every day when we were together. I recall you said that I was a really good cook and that you would like to have me as your housewife for the rest of your life!” Steve quirked his brow up. “Or did you lie to me that time just to please me?”
“No!” Daniel guffawed. “It was just…wow, I just didn’t think you would take this seriously. We couldn’t imagine that our lives would be like what we actually are now when we were still sophomores back then, yeah?”
“We all grow up, Dan.” Steve smiled. “So, will you come over here sometimes? I’ll cook you full courses I know you like the best.”
“Nah, Steve, actually I…,” his smile faded a bit.
“No, no, Dan. I didn’t mean it in that sense!” Steve forestalled him. “Just drop by, have lunch and chat. We are no strangers so we definitely can be good friends, right?” He sincerely smiled at the Dane and this time Daniel smiled back.
“Sure.”
***
They needed a new round of boozes so they headed to the bar. Daniel suddenly stopped short upon seeing a very familiar figure approaching the counter, too.
He pursed his lips and spun around to the Slovak. “Martin, could you please give me just…fifteen minutes?” He asked in a low voice. “In private.”
Martin raised his brow but respecting the other’s privacy enough to ask nothing. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll be at the other end of the bar then.” He ruffled the Dane’s hair encouragingly before walking in the other direction.
Daniel strode towards that spot at the bar where the guy had already occupied. He called out, “Fernando.”
Fernando’s body suddenly stiffened and Daniel knew the Spaniard had already known it was him before he even turned around.
“Daniel.” Fernando smiled, a bit uncertainly. Daniel stepped over him.
“Do you still like tequila-coke?” The Dane smiled softly, though a bit wryly. “Make it two then,” he gave an order to the bartender. Fernando snickered.
“I thought you didn’t like it.”
“I don’t.” Daniel grinned while paying for them both. “I just want to make it our reconciliation drinks.”
“Okay.” Fernando giggled and took his tumbler. He looked more comfortable now. “How are you?”
“Good,” Daniel replied, sipped his drink and made a face. Fernando snickered harder, he knew Daniel didn’t like it at all. “How about you? And Hattrick, too, is he still okay?”
“Yeah.” Fernando smiled. “He’s quite old now but still good at barking at random things.” Daniel chuckled softly.
“Does he still love eating chocolate?”
“Yeah, but I don't give him much. It's not good for a dog to have sweet tooth.” Fernando fiddled with his glass of tequila-coke awkwardly then said uncertainly. “You can drop by my house if you miss him. Well, I mean you’re one of his official owners, too, you did pay half of his price when we bought him. But I’m not sure whether he could still remember you after four years…,” his voice trailed off.
“I would like to see him, too. I’ll definitely find some time to drop by.” Daniel smiled.
They were silent for a minute.
“I just cleaned up my room.” Daniel’s the one who broke the silence. “Found our pictures when we went to Paris together, and also this.” He fished something out of his pocket. “I think it's yours.”
"Oh, yes." Fernando’s eyes widened before taking that bracelet from Daniel's hand. "I thought I had left it at your room, too, but I didn't think I should go back to fetch it. Thanks anyway for returning it to me." He smiled softly and tried to wear it on his wrist, fumbling with the hook with one hand.
"Let me do it." Daniel helped, it's easier clasping it properly with two hands. Fernando smiled a bit wider while looking at the Dane hooking his bracelet for him.
"You always did that for me," he murmured.
"And you always pecked me on my cheek every time I finished it." Daniel smiled. He finished it and Fernando grinned back coyly.
"I don't think you'll need that kind of reward after these four years."
Daniel laughed good-humoredly. "I do miss it, too. But you're right. We can't do anything like that now." He tore his eyes away from the Spaniard and looked at the counter surface awkwardly.
Fernando was silent, too. And when Daniel looked up again, he was a bit taken aback by the Spaniard’s watery brown eyes. “What's wrong?” The Dane asked faintly though he kinda knew what’s going on.
“Nothing.” Fernando wiped away those droplets of tears at the corner of his eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, though, I’m okay with our break-up, it’s been four years already. I just…think about when we were together and tears just oozed up in my eyes.”
Daniel pursed his lips. “We haven’t talked much after we broke up, no?”
Fernando simpered. “We haven’t talked at all!” He corrected, swallowed down a lump his throat and tried to compose. “So…you’re good, right? Are you with anyone at the moment?” His faint yet sincere voice made known that the question didn’t imply anything of that sort.
It was a simple question that old-parted friends would ask when they met again.
“Yeah.” Daniel smiled sheepishly, gestured to a guy at the end of the bar who’s observing them quietly. The Dane waved his hand to Martin reassuringly. Fernando turned in that direction, and when he caught the Slovak, too, nodded at him in greeting. Martin nodded back at him with a soft smile.
“That guy?” Fernando asked. Daniel smiled softly as an answer. “That’s good for you,” the Spaniard commented sincerely.
“Yeah. Well, you know that sometimes I’m quite cantankerous. Despite looking like a thug, Martin knows how to cool me down.”
“Things that I’ll never know how.” Fernando chuckled. “I still remember that time when we had a fight - about that girl from Accounting you flirted with, if my memory doesn’t trick me. You’re driving and we kept shouting at each other until you said-”
“-that, ‘if you really have that much problem with me, would you like to die together right fucking now?’” Daniel interrupted, grimacing. “And you suddenly shut up.”
“What else could I say?!” Fernando laughed. “That time I was so scared that you would overturn the car and we would actually die together. It does sound romantic, but, yeah.”
“We’re still alive anyway, yeah?” Daniel laughed. “How fucking reckless I was back then.”
“It’s not only you,” Fernando murmured, averted his gaze to the counter surface. “It was me, too.”
“But I even beat you up at times when I was too enraged.” Daniel pursed his lips. “Fernando, I’m sorry for everything I’ve ever done to you,” he murmured.
“It’s a long time ago, I already forget about it.” The Spaniard was fiddling with his glass again. “Now I can recall only good memories between us.” He smiled wryly.
“I still remember so well the scene of the last time you gathered your stuff and got out of my room with Hattrick,” Daniel murmured. “It replayed in my head over and over again. Do you know that…- well, this is embarrassing - I cried every day for almost a month after you had left me?” He pursed his lips.
“Really?” Fernando’s voice was faint despite the surprise. He didn’t dare locking eyes with the Dane. “I was like that, too. There were so many times that I almost couldn't resist from calling you and asking if we could get back together. But, you know the rest of the story already, I had never done that,” his voice trailed off.
“It might be really better that we separated,” Daniel mumbled. “You're fuel and I’m a fire, we're too dangerous together.” Fernando laughed.
“You’re right,” he murmured. “So, are we cool now?” His eyes smiled with him this time.
“Of course.” Daniel grinned then mumbled, “I think I’ve gotta go.”
“Okay.” Fernando nodded. “Just call me if you wanna drop by to visit Hattrick. I still use the same number.”
“Me, too.” Daniel smiled softly and stood up. “You can call me anytime if you need anything. You’ll always be my baby, Fernando.”
***
When Sergio picked him up, it’s almost 2 a.m.
“How’s the reunion?” Sergio asked while driving them back home.
“Cool.” Smiling contentedly, Fernando leaned the back of his head against the backrest. “Sergio.”
“Hmm, what’s up, babe?”
“I don’t mean to say this to ruin anything. I do love you, but…,” Fernando inhaled deeply. “Just in case that we actually break up, when you see me next time, don’t act like a stranger, okay?”
“Why are you saying something like that?” Sergio’s voice was suddenly rigid.
“Because life is not a fairytale, and love doesn’t always last forever like we always think,” he mumbled. “If we actually break up, please remember how much we used to love each other at a moment in time. Even though we’re already separated, please keep the beautiful memories of the time when we’re together everlastingly in your heart. And if we ever meet again, which should definitely be like that…,” Fernando leaned over the car console to kiss Sergio on the corner of his mouth, “…please don’t be a stranger. When you meet me next time, do say hi to me, okay?”
Sergio chuckled. “Okay,” he relented. “But you know that at this minute, I love you so much, right?”
Fernando snickered before kissing him. “I love you, too.”
The End.
.
Authors:
fernedakki
Pairing: Steven Gerrard / Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard / Xabi Alonso, Daniel Agger / Steve Finnan, Daniel Agger / Fernando Torres (and also Daniel Agger / Martin Skrtel, Sergio Ramos / Fernando Torres)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU/Romance/Angst
Word Count: 3,824 Words
Disclaimer: This is not real.
Summary: It was a student football club reunion...
A/N: Another one-shot (with sooo many pairings ;P)
The pub was quite packed but everyone in there was well acquainted to him when Fernando stepped in the front door. That sooth was proven by their lively hellos, slight punches on his shoulder and ruffles on his short dark hair. They greeted him with: "What had you done to your blond tress? Where is it?" or "I know you dyed it because you want to look older and stern, yeah? Tell you what, it's an utter failure. You still look like a kid with that babyface." And Fernando laughed it off good-humoredly and shot comments back at his old friends on their new looks, too.
It’d been almost five years since the last time he met them. He just realized how much he’d missed them all after all that time.
"Fernando, except for that dark hair which I think it looks hideous, you don't change a bit," Pepe said and Fernando chuckled.
"You look a bit balder, don't you?" Fernando tilted his head, feigning curiosity. Pepe snarled, his hair would everlastingly be his inferiority complex.
"You bastard!" He locked the other Spaniard's neck with tight arm and faked an angry fight. It ended up in a tickling war which sent them both laugh so hard.
It was like they were young again.
Pepe accompanied him to the bar. They encountered Álvaro and Ryan, and they babbled merrily like old-parted friends do.
"I miss you guys, always think of the times when we’re still young and reckless, ditching classes to play football at that pitch behind the Engineering Department," Álvaro said, his eyes got lost in the nostalgic remembrance.
"We should hold a reunion like this more often," Ryan said. "I mean, it's been five years already since I graduated, four years for Fernando. The Student Football Club had never held any reunion up until now. We've been apart for too long, mates."
"Aww, you miss me so much, don't you?" Pepe teased and they kept on bantering like old times. Five years just couldn't change anything; they're all still young at heart.
"Where's Stevie?" Fernando asked finally and swept his eyes over packed crowds. He knew most of the people here and still had so many of them to greet.
"You haven't met him yet?" Pepe asked incredulously. "He should be around the dais, he's quite busy, though. Of course, since he's the organizer of this reunion."
Fernando excused himself in search of Steven. He met the guy near the dais, blabbering with Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson.
"Fernando!" He stopped short upon seeing the Spaniard approaching, then his lips curled up into a wide warm smile. The Spaniard greeted him.
“Hola, Stevie.”
"Fernando, I haven't seen you for ages! Look at you! You looked so...well, not that thoroughly grown up, but still grown up quite a lot, if you know what I mean." Fernando laughed along with Jamie and Glen. He greeted the other two amicably so.
"Wow, how long haven't I heard from you?" Steven asked, looked so enthralled by the Spaniard's advent.
"Five years." Fernando smiled coyly. "How have you been?"
"Okay, I think I'll leave you guys alone," Jamie cut off after seeing that he and Glen had been completely left out of the conversation now. He winked at Fernando knowingly which sent the others laugh off cheerfully.
"See you then, Stevie, Fernando," Glen said and left with Jamie, leaving the other two alone together.
"How are you?" Steven asked, sipping his beer contentedly while looking at the Spaniard.
"Good." Fernando shrugged, smiling comfortably, too. "I'm now working in car decoration business; it's fun there."
"Seriously?" Steven laughed. "I really can't imagine how a kid like you can work."
"Why not?!" Fernando yelled but his cheeks flushed red in shyness and amusement. Steven smiled, holding his hand out to ruffle the Spaniard's short dark hair lovingly.
"You'll always be just a kid in my eyes."
Fernando pouted. Then the DJ changed the song, playing on the subwoofer now was 'When You're Mad' by Ne-Yo. "Wow, that's our song." Steven was captivated. Fernando snickered.
"Remember that time we fought?" The Spaniard asked good-humoredly. Stevie guffawed.
"Of course! How couldn't I?" He sipped his beer again, his eyes had already drifted to the beautiful old memories. "You got mad at me and bawled out that I loved football more than you." He chuckled. "So I hugged you and told you 'how could I love anything more than my baby?'"
"And at that moment, DJ played this song on the radio." Fernando giggled while thinking of the past. "And you started singing this song to me. It was so funny because I've never heard you sing before."
"Could it be the little wrinkle over your nose, when you make your angry face?" Steven crooned along. "That makes me wanna just take off all your clothes and sex you all over the place."
Fernando laughed while looking at the Englishman with a wide smile. Steven locked eyes with the Spaniard and kept on singing teasingly, "Could it be the lil' way you storm around that makes me wanna tear you down? Baby, I ain't sure, but one thing that I do know-"
Then Fernando sang, too, "-is every time you scream at me, I wanna kiss you. Baby, when you put your hands on me, I wanna touch you. And when we get to arguing, just gotta kiss you. Baby, I don't know why it's like that but you're just so damn sexy, when you're mad."
Then they both guffawed at their own childishness and good old memories. Steven smiled. "That's why I'll always remember you as the way we were. You always acted like a kid to me."
They were silent for a minute, both sipping their boozes. Without saying, they knew that the other was ruminating about their pasts which once had intersected: when they were together on Steven's senior year in the university.
"Don't get me wrong," Steven said. "But are you with anyone right now?"
"Yeah," Fernando answered, smiling sheepishly. "I...already have a new boyfriend. He's working in the same business as me."
"He's good, right?" Steven's voice was full of concerns. "I mean, don't let anyone treat you bad, though. Make a good choice when you decide to get together with someone, choose wisely," he murmured and Fernando chuckled.
"Yes, he's good," he mumbled, smiling. "Thanks for your concern, though. And sorry to make you so worry about me."
"You reckless kid." The Englishman ruffled his dark hair again.
"Stevie, that's Xabi." Fernando stared at a guy walking and chatting cheerfully not far from them. Steven instantly turned around and Fernando felt that the Scouser's body suddenly stiffen. "You...didn't know that he's already been back from the States, right?" Fernando asked uncertainly in a low voice. Pursing his lips, Steven shook his head slightly in denial.
Xabi was with Maxi and were about to walk past them. He definitely didn't notice Steven or Fernando so the Scouser decided to-
"Xabi."
Xabi Alonso turned around and stopped short upon seeing who had just called him. Steven smirked. "Don't be a stranger, Xabi. Say hi to me," he teased. And Xabi suddenly smiled, though a bit hesitantly. He strode towards them while Maxi caught some other friends and separated to the other side of the floor.
"Stevie, how are you? And you, too, Fernando," he greeted, looked quite uncertain like he didn't know what to say or do after those six years of absence and non-communication between him and the other two: Steven particularly.
"I'm fine, thanks." Fernando smiled sincerely yet suddenly feeling like being a third wheel. "I'll go get some boozes then." He showed them his glass which had only a quarter of liquid left. Steven and Xabi nodded; they knew that Fernando simply gave a polite excuse but were more than willing to let him go.
"So," Steven started after Fernando had left. "When did you get back from the States?" He didn't even dare locking eyes with the Basque.
"Just last month," Xabi murmured, sipping his drink unsettledly. "Álvaro told me about this reunion," he added.
"How's the States?" Steven leaned against a table, seemed a bit more comfortable now. "Did you graduate?"
"Of course!" Xabi laughed good-humoredly. "It's good, life there. And yes I graduated my doctorate degree, just finished my graduation ceremony then flew back here."
"Good to hear that." Steven gave him a sincere smile. "You must have worked so hard on it. Harvard. Wow. That sounds so cool, and so much like you."
Xabi laughed. "Yeah, it's really not easy. But I did it and finally got the degree." He smiled complacently. "What are you up to these days?"
"I'm a coach at my hometown junior-football club," Steven replied. "Just really can't quit football."
"That sounds so you, too." Xabi snickered. "You're good, right? I mean your life, at large."
"Yeah, I'm happy with it. My job, my friends, vacations to tropical islands once a year." Steven shrugged. "Just the same happy routine."
They were silent for a moment, an uncomfortable silence, though. "It had been six years since the last time we talked," Xabi murmured.
"Yeah." Steven nodded, thinking back to that day they fought - and talked - for the last time. "And it's really not a decent goodbye." Steven laughed at the memory.
"Yeah, I yelled at you," Xabi murmured, "saying that our dreams were too different and you had to let me go because mine was at the States: at Harvard. I couldn't stick with you over here for the rest of my life, I had my own path to walk, and you, too," he said in a low voice. "And the next day you didn't show up at the airport and I left England without ever bidding you goodbye."
"I'm sorry," Steven murmured. "I was too angry, and doleful. I kept on thinking why you couldn’t wait just a year more, until we both graduated our undergraduate degrees. But you just wanted to go right then the moment you knew you won the scholarship, it was like you were so eager to leave me."
"I know," Xabi mumbled. "I'm sorry, too. At that time, I was so excited about my upcoming life at one of the best law schools in the world and didn't care about anything else."
They fell silent once again. Songs on the subwoofer were old, back about 4 years at least, combined with those boisterous noises of their old friends, they made them muse about the past, their pasts.
"Are you...with anyone now, Stevie?" Xabi asked uncertainly. Shaking his head, Steven felt his heart race from the Spaniard's question.
"No," he answered in a low voice. "You?"
"No." Xabi smiled coyly. "Do you still use the same number?"
"Yes." Steven smiled, his heart was drumming in his chest like it had actually gone crazy now. Xabi smiled wider.
"I think we'll have loads of things to talk about after those six years," he said.
***
Daniel got into the pub with Martin Škrtel. He's late and the pub was already packed with his old friends from their unofficial Student Football Club when he's studying at the University of Liverpool. It had been four years since he graduated. Time really flew by so fast. He found loads of acquainted faces that he hadn't seen since their graduation day.
"Martin, are you sure you wanna get inside with me?" Daniel turned around. Martin wasn't a member of this football club, he's not even a student at the University of Liverpool. The Slovak just accompanied him here.
"Yep." Martin ruffled the Dane's hair. "I don't have anything to do tonight anyway so I'll just be around here. I'm not gonna get in your way, promise." Daniel laughed.
"It's not that. I'm just afraid you'll get bored."
"Of course, I won't. I would like to know your friends, too," he assured.
So they got in together. Daniel greeted everyone and everybody received him cordially so like old times. He introduced Martin and they welcomed him amicably as well. He was chatting with Jamie and Dirk when someone approached.
"Hey."
Daniel turned around and his lips curled up into a wide smile. "Hey, Steve." It was Steve Finnan.
“How are you?” The Irishman asked, smiling at him cheerfully.
“Good,” Daniel replied. “You?”
“A bit busy these days, but that’s definitely a good sign, no?” He grinned.
“What are you up to these days? “Daniel asked. Steve smiled, looking around.
“Here.”
Daniel didn’t get it. “What do you mean?”
“Steve is the owner of this Irish pub and restaurant, you idiot,” Jamie said. Daniel’s shocked.
“Are you for real?” He gawked at the Irishman incredulously yet excitedly. “I mean, it’s always your dream: opening an Irish pub and restaurant! I couldn’t believe you actually made it. Oh, my God, Steve. Congratulations! I-I’ve never known this. I’m so sorry, I was just-”
“Nah, Daniel, don’t be bothered.” Steve waved his hand dismissively. “You didn’t know it then but you know it now. So stop by sometimes, okay? I’ll cook you Stobhach Gaelach, I know you like it so bad.”
“You’re the chef yourself?!” Daniel’s eyes widened, looked even more surprised by that information. Steve pouted.
“Why do you have to say like it’s so impossible for me being a chef?! You know I can cook. You ate the meals I cooked every day when we were together. I recall you said that I was a really good cook and that you would like to have me as your housewife for the rest of your life!” Steve quirked his brow up. “Or did you lie to me that time just to please me?”
“No!” Daniel guffawed. “It was just…wow, I just didn’t think you would take this seriously. We couldn’t imagine that our lives would be like what we actually are now when we were still sophomores back then, yeah?”
“We all grow up, Dan.” Steve smiled. “So, will you come over here sometimes? I’ll cook you full courses I know you like the best.”
“Nah, Steve, actually I…,” his smile faded a bit.
“No, no, Dan. I didn’t mean it in that sense!” Steve forestalled him. “Just drop by, have lunch and chat. We are no strangers so we definitely can be good friends, right?” He sincerely smiled at the Dane and this time Daniel smiled back.
“Sure.”
***
They needed a new round of boozes so they headed to the bar. Daniel suddenly stopped short upon seeing a very familiar figure approaching the counter, too.
He pursed his lips and spun around to the Slovak. “Martin, could you please give me just…fifteen minutes?” He asked in a low voice. “In private.”
Martin raised his brow but respecting the other’s privacy enough to ask nothing. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll be at the other end of the bar then.” He ruffled the Dane’s hair encouragingly before walking in the other direction.
Daniel strode towards that spot at the bar where the guy had already occupied. He called out, “Fernando.”
Fernando’s body suddenly stiffened and Daniel knew the Spaniard had already known it was him before he even turned around.
“Daniel.” Fernando smiled, a bit uncertainly. Daniel stepped over him.
“Do you still like tequila-coke?” The Dane smiled softly, though a bit wryly. “Make it two then,” he gave an order to the bartender. Fernando snickered.
“I thought you didn’t like it.”
“I don’t.” Daniel grinned while paying for them both. “I just want to make it our reconciliation drinks.”
“Okay.” Fernando giggled and took his tumbler. He looked more comfortable now. “How are you?”
“Good,” Daniel replied, sipped his drink and made a face. Fernando snickered harder, he knew Daniel didn’t like it at all. “How about you? And Hattrick, too, is he still okay?”
“Yeah.” Fernando smiled. “He’s quite old now but still good at barking at random things.” Daniel chuckled softly.
“Does he still love eating chocolate?”
“Yeah, but I don't give him much. It's not good for a dog to have sweet tooth.” Fernando fiddled with his glass of tequila-coke awkwardly then said uncertainly. “You can drop by my house if you miss him. Well, I mean you’re one of his official owners, too, you did pay half of his price when we bought him. But I’m not sure whether he could still remember you after four years…,” his voice trailed off.
“I would like to see him, too. I’ll definitely find some time to drop by.” Daniel smiled.
They were silent for a minute.
“I just cleaned up my room.” Daniel’s the one who broke the silence. “Found our pictures when we went to Paris together, and also this.” He fished something out of his pocket. “I think it's yours.”
"Oh, yes." Fernando’s eyes widened before taking that bracelet from Daniel's hand. "I thought I had left it at your room, too, but I didn't think I should go back to fetch it. Thanks anyway for returning it to me." He smiled softly and tried to wear it on his wrist, fumbling with the hook with one hand.
"Let me do it." Daniel helped, it's easier clasping it properly with two hands. Fernando smiled a bit wider while looking at the Dane hooking his bracelet for him.
"You always did that for me," he murmured.
"And you always pecked me on my cheek every time I finished it." Daniel smiled. He finished it and Fernando grinned back coyly.
"I don't think you'll need that kind of reward after these four years."
Daniel laughed good-humoredly. "I do miss it, too. But you're right. We can't do anything like that now." He tore his eyes away from the Spaniard and looked at the counter surface awkwardly.
Fernando was silent, too. And when Daniel looked up again, he was a bit taken aback by the Spaniard’s watery brown eyes. “What's wrong?” The Dane asked faintly though he kinda knew what’s going on.
“Nothing.” Fernando wiped away those droplets of tears at the corner of his eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, though, I’m okay with our break-up, it’s been four years already. I just…think about when we were together and tears just oozed up in my eyes.”
Daniel pursed his lips. “We haven’t talked much after we broke up, no?”
Fernando simpered. “We haven’t talked at all!” He corrected, swallowed down a lump his throat and tried to compose. “So…you’re good, right? Are you with anyone at the moment?” His faint yet sincere voice made known that the question didn’t imply anything of that sort.
It was a simple question that old-parted friends would ask when they met again.
“Yeah.” Daniel smiled sheepishly, gestured to a guy at the end of the bar who’s observing them quietly. The Dane waved his hand to Martin reassuringly. Fernando turned in that direction, and when he caught the Slovak, too, nodded at him in greeting. Martin nodded back at him with a soft smile.
“That guy?” Fernando asked. Daniel smiled softly as an answer. “That’s good for you,” the Spaniard commented sincerely.
“Yeah. Well, you know that sometimes I’m quite cantankerous. Despite looking like a thug, Martin knows how to cool me down.”
“Things that I’ll never know how.” Fernando chuckled. “I still remember that time when we had a fight - about that girl from Accounting you flirted with, if my memory doesn’t trick me. You’re driving and we kept shouting at each other until you said-”
“-that, ‘if you really have that much problem with me, would you like to die together right fucking now?’” Daniel interrupted, grimacing. “And you suddenly shut up.”
“What else could I say?!” Fernando laughed. “That time I was so scared that you would overturn the car and we would actually die together. It does sound romantic, but, yeah.”
“We’re still alive anyway, yeah?” Daniel laughed. “How fucking reckless I was back then.”
“It’s not only you,” Fernando murmured, averted his gaze to the counter surface. “It was me, too.”
“But I even beat you up at times when I was too enraged.” Daniel pursed his lips. “Fernando, I’m sorry for everything I’ve ever done to you,” he murmured.
“It’s a long time ago, I already forget about it.” The Spaniard was fiddling with his glass again. “Now I can recall only good memories between us.” He smiled wryly.
“I still remember so well the scene of the last time you gathered your stuff and got out of my room with Hattrick,” Daniel murmured. “It replayed in my head over and over again. Do you know that…- well, this is embarrassing - I cried every day for almost a month after you had left me?” He pursed his lips.
“Really?” Fernando’s voice was faint despite the surprise. He didn’t dare locking eyes with the Dane. “I was like that, too. There were so many times that I almost couldn't resist from calling you and asking if we could get back together. But, you know the rest of the story already, I had never done that,” his voice trailed off.
“It might be really better that we separated,” Daniel mumbled. “You're fuel and I’m a fire, we're too dangerous together.” Fernando laughed.
“You’re right,” he murmured. “So, are we cool now?” His eyes smiled with him this time.
“Of course.” Daniel grinned then mumbled, “I think I’ve gotta go.”
“Okay.” Fernando nodded. “Just call me if you wanna drop by to visit Hattrick. I still use the same number.”
“Me, too.” Daniel smiled softly and stood up. “You can call me anytime if you need anything. You’ll always be my baby, Fernando.”
***
When Sergio picked him up, it’s almost 2 a.m.
“How’s the reunion?” Sergio asked while driving them back home.
“Cool.” Smiling contentedly, Fernando leaned the back of his head against the backrest. “Sergio.”
“Hmm, what’s up, babe?”
“I don’t mean to say this to ruin anything. I do love you, but…,” Fernando inhaled deeply. “Just in case that we actually break up, when you see me next time, don’t act like a stranger, okay?”
“Why are you saying something like that?” Sergio’s voice was suddenly rigid.
“Because life is not a fairytale, and love doesn’t always last forever like we always think,” he mumbled. “If we actually break up, please remember how much we used to love each other at a moment in time. Even though we’re already separated, please keep the beautiful memories of the time when we’re together everlastingly in your heart. And if we ever meet again, which should definitely be like that…,” Fernando leaned over the car console to kiss Sergio on the corner of his mouth, “…please don’t be a stranger. When you meet me next time, do say hi to me, okay?”
Sergio chuckled. “Okay,” he relented. “But you know that at this minute, I love you so much, right?”
Fernando snickered before kissing him. “I love you, too.”
The End.
.