Chapter XXXIV. Joe The Heartbreaker

pedri ✔

liked by ferrantorres, vivienneleclerc & 3,840,126 others

pedri coming back 🔜 ⚽️

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user1 OMG OMG HE'S FINALLY COMING BACK TO THE GAME

user2 visca barca 💙

user3 thank god he's coming back, we need all of our best players to play and win the next games of the season to ensure victory

pablogavi the legend is back 👏
liked by pedri

user4 so you're telling me that pedri and joão are gonna play their first game TOGETHER?? lmao talk about drama
⤷ user5 fr like i feel like whoever decides the starting line-up was craving ✨drama✨
⤷ user6 i just hope they don't let their personal feelings cloud their mindset

fcbarcelona 🎩🪄
liked by pedri

user7 the best midfielder in the world right now for me

user8 one season pedri, one injury less season is all i'm asking please

user9 THE FUTURE OF BARCELONA!!!
⤷ user10 the new kids are making a strong team

ferrantorres vamos pedri !!!
pedri vamos 💪💪💪

user11 i need to know what was vivienne's reaction to the news of joão joining barca
⤷ user12 same like spill the tea bestie

user13 so handsome 😍

user14 imagine playing alongside ur gf's ex bf nah man i'd kms 💀
⤷ user15 pedri is a stronger man than i am

Pedri doesn't know what to think of João.

He wants to hate the guy for what he's done to Vivienne. He's looking for excuses to justify his irritation with the Portuguese man but João has been nothing but friendly and nice towards  him and everyone else. Despite everyone's initial apprehension, everyone has quickly warmed up to him. He's a nice guy overall and he doesn't seem to hold any sort of ill feelings for Pedri. Not even a single ounce of jealousy can be felt from him. At least that's what Pedri has deduced from their first meeting.

He's doing his routine passing practice with Gavi when he spots João talking with Ansu from his peripheral vision. From the looks of it, the two are engaged in an easygoing conversation.

He's so distracted by João that he misses the pass given to him by Pablo.

"Are you sure he is Vivi's ex and not yours," Pablo snickers while pointing inconspicuously at João, "Because the way your attention is all on him is making me second guess."

"Shut up." Pedri snaps at the younger one but the pink blush that rises on his neck shows that he's embarrassed about getting caught while looking at the newest Barca player.

Pablo raises his hands in mock surrender, "I'll shut up but it won't change the fact that you're still glaring daggers at the poor boy."

"Poor boy?" Pedri raises his eyebrows.

Pablo shrugs, "I just talked to him and it seems like he's keen on keeping this whole season professional and strictly professional which is something that's good and as much as I adore Vivi...I think you should set aside your personal feelings in the game because like it or not, João's now part of the team and as a team, teamwork is the key to winning."

The brunette sighs at his companion's words, knowing that they're right but he can't help but despise João. If Pedri was a bigger man, he would have ignored his personal feelings but he's not and now he has to calm the jealousy and hatred that roars inside his heart whenever he catches sight of João.

"You're right but I can't help hating him." Pedri replies.

"I understand." Pablo nods. "Anyways, enough of this serious talk, let's talk about something else."

"Like what?"

"Like how are things between you and Vivienne? Did you confess?"

"No." Pedri solemnly answers. "I didn't. I couldn't." He corrects himself, "But things are going good. It feels as though its less and less fake between us. She recently went back to Monaco but we've been face-timing each other almost everyday."

"Yeah, she did mention something about starting her tour soon when we last talked." Pablo muses with a hum.

Pedri raises an eyebrow at his words, "You guys talk that frequently?"

A smirk crosses over the younger's face as he regards his best friend.

"Don't tell me you're jealous?" He snorts while pointing a finger at Pedri in an accusing manner.

"I'm not!" Pedri tries to defend himself but it's of no use in front of Pablo's antics who's now mocking him with exaggerated hand gestures.

When he still doesn't gives up, Pedri hits him with the football right now on his shin so that he trips and falls on his rear. Pablo glares at Pedri who's the one who's smirking now.

"What if I had gotten injured, huh?" He huffs while standing up.

"Then our team will have less red and yellow cards." Pedri snickers and dodges the ball thrown at him by Pablo.

The two catch their breath for a moment after messing with each other in silence and then decide that it's time for a break.

"Have you told Vivienne about João yet?" Pablo asks tentatively, breaking the silence, as the two start to make their way towards the water stand.

Pedri hands the younger one a bottle of water before unscrewing his own open and taking a huge gulp before answering.

"I haven't yet." He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

Pablo gives him a pointed look, "You should've told her before the official announcement."

"I know," Pedri sighs, "But I didn't know how to bring it up. I mean, how do you talk about their toxic ex-boyfriend to your fake girlfriend?"

"This will come to bite you in the ass."

"I know that-"

Pedri gets cuts off when another person comes to the take a water break and it's none other than João fucking Felix.

Both of their playful moods immediately drop down but Pablo covers his slip up much more quickly than Pedri who doesn't even bother to acknowledge the other man's presence and instead takes another sip of his water.

"Hola, amigos." João greets with a friendly smile before unscrewing his bottle to take gulps of water.

Pablo greets him back cheerfully but Pedri stays silent until Pablo nudges him in the ribs with his elbow alongside a pointed side eye. Pedri rolls his eyes and begrudgingly says hello back to João who's now looking between the two.

"So, how do you like the club so far?" Pablo clears his throat as he tries to make a small talk.

But it's painfully obvious to anyone that it's painfully hostile and awkward between João and Pedri and poor Pablo is the one who has to suffer this the most.

"It's good. I like it." Is João's short answer as he keeps on staring at Pedri who keeps on glaring back at him.

"I-uh...I think coach is calling me." With that excuse, which is a lie because Xavi is busy grilling Ferran and Frenkie, Pablo rushes away from the two time bombs. Although, he does mutter a prayer for both of their safety before scurrying away like an intimidated little mouse.

The ex and (preferably) her next stand there, sizing each other up in a suffocating silence for a moment before João speaks up.

"I heard you're dating Vivienne." João doesn't waste any time and jumps right into the main topic.

"Yes, and?" Pedri cocks an eyebrow at his statement, "You gonna hand me an envelope of money and tell me to break up with her or something? If that's the case then let me just clarify that I'm not breaking up with her unless she tells me to."

His tone and stance is so defensive that it makes João chuckle a little before he raises both of his arms in mock surrender.

"Woah easy there, tiger." He laughs. "I'm no evil step-mother."

"Then why are you asking me stuff you already know." He snaps at him, completely fed up.

"I just wanted to ask for myself, you know. Get to know you from a closer perspective because we're teammates after all and our personal feelings aside, I'd really get to know you as a fellow player on the field." João says, sincerity dripping from his words.

And then he leaves without listening to any response Pedri might have had but before leaving he does say something that leaves Pedri aghast.

"But outside the field, I'll try my best to Vivienne over again."

Pedri crumples the plastic bottle in his hands at João's words.