fic: blue skies are calling [Pep Guardiola, Leo Messi] (PG)

[stickmarionette]

Title: blue skies are calling
Characters: Pep Guardiola, Leo Messi (also featuring Xavi, Gerard Pique, Eric Abidal, Luis Figo and Andoni Zubizarreta)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Made up, except for the parts that aren't. See end notes.
Summary: "What - " His voice comes out hoarse. "What do you do if what you love most in the world doesn't love you back

Comments

[meretricula]

getting it out of the way first: A+ NOAH AND THE WHALE REFERENCE. FISTBUMPING YOU ALL THE WAY FROM AMERICA. right. moving on...

omgggggg Leo I HAVE TOO MANY FEELINGS. like, this is how we can tell that his conquest of my heart is complete, right? that I read this and even though I'm all PEP GUARDIOLA YOU FLAWLESS MAN LET ME TAKE YOU HOME AND FEED YOU COOKIES mostly I just want to grab Leo and squeeze and never let go. HE IS TOO PRECIOUS FOR THIS WORLD. after the Copa final, crying in the corner and Masche and Gabi and and and ;_;

I can't even really face post-international duty Leo, the wound is too fresh. and the last lie Leo told Gerard, oh god. I've only got the one heart, how many times are you going to break it. ABI.

but also:

He can picture Gerard being dazzlingly brilliant at any number of things, and that right there is the biggest difference between them, even more than being introverted or outspoken, tall or short.

YES EXACTLY. and Pique knowing how to have a conversation around Leo's attention span, and hugs! never too many! and Leo's conversation with Xavi, oof. Xaviiiiiii ♥

references to all of Pep's boyfriends (even the one who didn't work out) lovingly noted. especially Manuel having to tell him about Abi (;_; again) and Luis being maybe jealous of Mou! I think I am actually incapable of talking about Pep's relationship with Leo in any manner other than keyboardsmash but aslkdjskdjakldgj HOW SO PERFECT HOW???

okay and finally, this:

In midfield, the stretch of pitch in front of Leo looks massive, the distance to goal filled with white shirts.

It doesn't matter, none of it, because when Busi receives the ball and makes the return pass, even though Leo's still got a long way to go, what happens next suddenly seems like the easiest thing in the world.

He can see the entire play unfolding in his head.

all I can really say is that it gives me the same feeling as this. specifically the moment at 0:43 where Leo starts to run, and even knowing what's going to happen in advance and having watched it about a million times, I get chills. different game, same genius at work. Swarbrick got it across in colors and movement and music but you managed with just words.

things that are flawless: Leo and you. seriously, this is amazing and I am ridiculously proud that my name gets to be in any way associated with it. (and thanks for putting up with me.) ♥ forever

PS: your footnotes are, as always, a work of art.

[stickmarionette]

♥

If not for you, I wouldn't have discovered those earlier Noah and the Whale albums, so I thought it was fitting.

I just read some comments from Leo taking about how hurt he was by the Copa elimination and just...oh God I can't. I'm glad my many, many ~feelings came across in the story.

With Gerard, we always hear about how he's really good friends with Leo, and can get through to him even when he's not happy, and I just wonder how they interact, you know? Especially since Gerard thinks Leo's a smart mouth. And Xavi, well, every day I realize anew how he should never ever leave us.

Pep's boyfriends are legion! That recent documentary where Manuel's talking about how he felt when Pep had his back problem, oh my heart.

I'm so glad you liked the Pep-Leo relationship here. What Pep said about Leo right after the CL win this time really changed my view of their bond, and I wanted to explore that.

And and and what an amazing compliment to be told that I could convey a bit of Leo's magic in words. <3

Thank you very much! And on the footnotes, can you believe they were almost 1000 words? *g*