christmas '10 (2)
all of our moments stolen
Christmas is for family. Or the people who've become family.
For darkblue who asked for: one Christmas Jon and Luca spent together. Sequel to Won't You Be My Solid Ground?.
Christmases spent in Madrid are probably the furthest from normal their lives ever get. Usually, they spend them in San Sebastián and São Paulo with their respective families, but sometimes, life gets in the way and they don't make it out. And sometimes, relatively rarely, both their families are stuck in Madrid at the same time. It's different, but a good kind of different.
This time, this time though, their parents choose not to leave, although they don't explicitly tell them that. It's been a strange couple of weeks, and they decide that maybe it'll be best for all of them to stay in one place, and stay together, through the holidays. Maybe if they experience something normal and comforting like this, everything else will start feeling normal and comfortable again too.
Cristiano turns up in a Ferrari at around noon on Christmas Eve. He's glowing, like he'd been partying all night with swimsuit models, or like he'd stopped by a children's hospital on his way there to spread some Christmas joy and receive some of his own - and knowing him, he's probably done both.
Luca's still pretty intimidated by him. He's always sort of been, even before he knew who he was, really. He knows his dad has some videos somewhere from when they first came to Madrid and were moving into their house. There's a moment in one of those where he'd absolutely refused to go over to Cristiano at his parents' encouragement. Then he'd turned and practically flung himself back into his father's arms. He'd warmed to him more after that, though, so Cristiano's good track record with kids was pretty much maintained. He still regularly boasts that babies always love him more than their own parents - and he's not entirely wrong, really. Jon, especially. Jon's always adored him.
He opens the passenger door of the car and presents literally spill right out onto the driveway. Ricky looks scandalised. Like he always does. He's done this for years. Ricky always pretends to be disapproving, but he's never really been any good at that. He's still half-convinced, though, that Luca and Jon thought Cristiano was Santa Claus in disguise when they were younger. Maybe they still kind of do.
Cristiano persuades Caroline (while Ricky's conveniently in the bathroom) to take the boys out for a spin in the car, and it's only when he's alone with them that he brings up the reason they're still in Madrid at all.
"Kind of a shame. I was looking forward to setting you two up with some pretty senoritas."
(Luca thinks he would have probably passed on that anyway.)
They laugh at that, but then he looks at them with genuine fondness and says that he's happy, really happy. But -
"How are your parents taking it though?"
"As good as could be expected," Luca says.
And Jon adds, "They've been great, really. Luca's just um, cynical." He shoots him a look and Luca frowns and rolls his eyes.
Cristiano laughs. "That's a useful trait though. Sometimes. I think you'll realise that."
Then he says, "I think you're good for each other." He smiles a little smile, almost to himself. And then says, "We should head back. Before Ricky's head explodes."
He has a couple drinks when he gets back, catches up some more with Ricky and Caroline. Then, he says he has to leave to catch a flight to Madeira, because that's still who he is - always on the move, always living in the moment, always smiling in an almost Santa-esque kind of way. He's still Cristiano Ronaldo, although he's not, not anymore.
He offers an extra apology to Jon personally, kisses him on the cheek, and Jon accepts (and does not even rub his face off after), because it's Christmas and because it's Cristiano.
Iker turns up at Xabi's mid-afternoon. He hasn't started drinking yet so that's a good sign. Xabi says he gets lonely sometimes, especially around Christmas. Iker is Luca's favourite though. When he was little, he used to crawl into Iker's lap and they'd just sit there, not saying anything, not doing anything. Maybe he'd sensed his loneliness, through the silence, the way children sense things sometimes. They'd always had a connection though, and Luca likes having someone he can just be quiet with sometimes. He thinks Iker just likes knowing someone else is there. And he's the same, really. Maybe it's easier to stop thinking so much when you're not alone; it's easier to just be calm, and stay still, for a moment. Maybe Iker's happy in that moment, too. He hopes.
Jon tells him once, "You two are way too alike. You're both complete weirdos."
Luca shakes his head though. Says, "No, he reminds me of you. Kind of rough around the edges but a total sap underneath."
Jon objects, of course ("I am not."), but Luca just keeps smiling.
Sergio calls from Sevilla while Iker's there. It's kind of impossible to not be happy while talking to him. Fernando calls and gives them his best from Olalla and the kids. Cesc calls from Barcelona, slightly tipsy, to regale them with tales of the excellent party he's throwing - typical, really.
Iker calls David, and makes plans with the boys for the next time they're in Madrid. He perks up significantly after that. Maybe this Christmas was looking up, after all.
Iker ruffles Luca's hair, tells Jon he'll see him at the club when training starts again, hugs Xabi and Nagore and leaves around six. Luca promises himself he'll try to spend some more time with him next year.
Xabi makes some phone calls to England. He always leaves Steven for last, for some reason. It's just one of those Xabi-things. Jon always wonders why he doesn't call him more, call him first, because he always seems happier, younger, when he's talking to him.
They're curled up on the couch drinking wine out of plastic cups. Ricky and Carol had consented to Luca staying over with the promise that they'd both join them at church in the morning.
"Are you worried?" Jon asks.
"About what?"
"I don't know. Everything. About tomorrow. And next year. And the year after."
"Am I worried about being lonely?"
"Yeah, that too, I guess."
"No, not really. Not now, anyway. And being alone is different from being lonely."
"It's nice," Jon says, "being here with you."
"Merry Christmas, Jon," Luca says in response, sliding his free hand into Jon's.
"Merry Christmas, Luc."
(It doesn't matter where they are though. Every Christmas Eve when they're not together, just before midnight, they call each other to say Merry Christmas as the clock strikes twelve. And they always will.)
Christmas is for family. Or the people who've become family.
For darkblue who asked for: one Christmas Jon and Luca spent together. Sequel to Won't You Be My Solid Ground?.
Christmases spent in Madrid are probably the furthest from normal their lives ever get. Usually, they spend them in San Sebastián and São Paulo with their respective families, but sometimes, life gets in the way and they don't make it out. And sometimes, relatively rarely, both their families are stuck in Madrid at the same time. It's different, but a good kind of different.
This time, this time though, their parents choose not to leave, although they don't explicitly tell them that. It's been a strange couple of weeks, and they decide that maybe it'll be best for all of them to stay in one place, and stay together, through the holidays. Maybe if they experience something normal and comforting like this, everything else will start feeling normal and comfortable again too.
Cristiano turns up in a Ferrari at around noon on Christmas Eve. He's glowing, like he'd been partying all night with swimsuit models, or like he'd stopped by a children's hospital on his way there to spread some Christmas joy and receive some of his own - and knowing him, he's probably done both.
Luca's still pretty intimidated by him. He's always sort of been, even before he knew who he was, really. He knows his dad has some videos somewhere from when they first came to Madrid and were moving into their house. There's a moment in one of those where he'd absolutely refused to go over to Cristiano at his parents' encouragement. Then he'd turned and practically flung himself back into his father's arms. He'd warmed to him more after that, though, so Cristiano's good track record with kids was pretty much maintained. He still regularly boasts that babies always love him more than their own parents - and he's not entirely wrong, really. Jon, especially. Jon's always adored him.
He opens the passenger door of the car and presents literally spill right out onto the driveway. Ricky looks scandalised. Like he always does. He's done this for years. Ricky always pretends to be disapproving, but he's never really been any good at that. He's still half-convinced, though, that Luca and Jon thought Cristiano was Santa Claus in disguise when they were younger. Maybe they still kind of do.
Cristiano persuades Caroline (while Ricky's conveniently in the bathroom) to take the boys out for a spin in the car, and it's only when he's alone with them that he brings up the reason they're still in Madrid at all.
"Kind of a shame. I was looking forward to setting you two up with some pretty senoritas."
(Luca thinks he would have probably passed on that anyway.)
They laugh at that, but then he looks at them with genuine fondness and says that he's happy, really happy. But -
"How are your parents taking it though?"
"As good as could be expected," Luca says.
And Jon adds, "They've been great, really. Luca's just um, cynical." He shoots him a look and Luca frowns and rolls his eyes.
Cristiano laughs. "That's a useful trait though. Sometimes. I think you'll realise that."
Then he says, "I think you're good for each other." He smiles a little smile, almost to himself. And then says, "We should head back. Before Ricky's head explodes."
He has a couple drinks when he gets back, catches up some more with Ricky and Caroline. Then, he says he has to leave to catch a flight to Madeira, because that's still who he is - always on the move, always living in the moment, always smiling in an almost Santa-esque kind of way. He's still Cristiano Ronaldo, although he's not, not anymore.
He offers an extra apology to Jon personally, kisses him on the cheek, and Jon accepts (and does not even rub his face off after), because it's Christmas and because it's Cristiano.
Iker turns up at Xabi's mid-afternoon. He hasn't started drinking yet so that's a good sign. Xabi says he gets lonely sometimes, especially around Christmas. Iker is Luca's favourite though. When he was little, he used to crawl into Iker's lap and they'd just sit there, not saying anything, not doing anything. Maybe he'd sensed his loneliness, through the silence, the way children sense things sometimes. They'd always had a connection though, and Luca likes having someone he can just be quiet with sometimes. He thinks Iker just likes knowing someone else is there. And he's the same, really. Maybe it's easier to stop thinking so much when you're not alone; it's easier to just be calm, and stay still, for a moment. Maybe Iker's happy in that moment, too. He hopes.
Jon tells him once, "You two are way too alike. You're both complete weirdos."
Luca shakes his head though. Says, "No, he reminds me of you. Kind of rough around the edges but a total sap underneath."
Jon objects, of course ("I am not."), but Luca just keeps smiling.
Sergio calls from Sevilla while Iker's there. It's kind of impossible to not be happy while talking to him. Fernando calls and gives them his best from Olalla and the kids. Cesc calls from Barcelona, slightly tipsy, to regale them with tales of the excellent party he's throwing - typical, really.
Iker calls David, and makes plans with the boys for the next time they're in Madrid. He perks up significantly after that. Maybe this Christmas was looking up, after all.
Iker ruffles Luca's hair, tells Jon he'll see him at the club when training starts again, hugs Xabi and Nagore and leaves around six. Luca promises himself he'll try to spend some more time with him next year.
Xabi makes some phone calls to England. He always leaves Steven for last, for some reason. It's just one of those Xabi-things. Jon always wonders why he doesn't call him more, call him first, because he always seems happier, younger, when he's talking to him.
They're curled up on the couch drinking wine out of plastic cups. Ricky and Carol had consented to Luca staying over with the promise that they'd both join them at church in the morning.
"Are you worried?" Jon asks.
"About what?"
"I don't know. Everything. About tomorrow. And next year. And the year after."
"Am I worried about being lonely?"
"Yeah, that too, I guess."
"No, not really. Not now, anyway. And being alone is different from being lonely."
"It's nice," Jon says, "being here with you."
"Merry Christmas, Jon," Luca says in response, sliding his free hand into Jon's.
"Merry Christmas, Luc."
(It doesn't matter where they are though. Every Christmas Eve when they're not together, just before midnight, they call each other to say Merry Christmas as the clock strikes twelve. And they always will.)