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       This was not how Pedri had planned to spend his day off from the gruelling schedule, away from the prying eyes of the media, a much awaited moment of relaxation. Don't get him wrong, he loved his friends and enjoyed their company, but right now all that his brain did was make continuous trains leading to thoughts of the younger and a certain someone he didn't even wanna mention.

His imagination went all over the place, doing somersaults and backflips in his head of all possible scenarios, the most prominent one being him dying old, grey and alone, while Gavi marries Oscar in matching white suits and equally matching bright smiles lighting up the wedding Chapel, the room turning brighter and brighter with each passing moment untill all he could focus on was Oscar and how his wide smile slowly turned into an evil smirk.

"Pedri .. Pedri...Pedri.." He woke up with a startle as Eric shook him gently.

"The pizza's just arrived. Do you want to nap a little longer or eat now? " He asked, concern evident on his face.

"Yeah, I'll um...eat." he answered, stifling a yawn as he moved to a sitting position on the sofa he had been stretched out on.

"DAMN...Come on, Pedri, we're clearly not THAT boring for you to sleep on us ..." Ferran exaggerated as they walked to the kitchen counter where Ronald and Balde were opening up the pizza boxes.

"Or are you just missing Gavi... Hm?" Ansu followed, with a smirk and a mischievous glint in his eyes as he passed them their cans of soft drink.

Ansu's words caught him off guard, completely waking him from the light traces of his slumber.

"Who cares about him...." he mumbled, quickly regaining his composure and even he could recognise the insincerity in his voice.

"But really... Who's Oscar? Have you guys know him for a long time?" Ferran asked taking a bite of his pizza, referring to the La Masia graduates .

"Yeah...  You see, we're all close childhood friends,  Balde knows him too"  he made a quick gesture at the boy and the mentioned nodded his head in agreement, "but he's just always been closer with Pablo. And as kids, they were inseparable; they did everything together, went everywhere together. Wherever Pablo was, so was Oscar, infact the names 'Oscar and Pablo' were never treated as two different individuals in La Masia. "

Pedri's hand involuntarily tightened around his coke can, the contrast of the freezing metal against his burning skin;  caused by the heat of the summer sun and maybe, something more...

He  quickly gulped down the cool liquid, a miserable attempt to calm his fuming head.

Suddenly Alejandro started laughing, "I just remember when all the boys in the Masia used to joke about how beautiful of a couple they were and should definitely get married someday.."

The Canarian immediately choked and spurted out the contents of his drink, and coughed violently making desperate attempts to inhale air into his lungs , while the image of his dream earlier and Balde's current words tattooed into his brain.

The boys turned to him in surprise.

"Woahh.... Slow down." Ferran said, as he sternly patted him on his back, easing his struggle.

"I'm..." *cough* "I'm fine" *cough* 

Pedri's eyes stung with unshed tears, the acidic drink still burning at the back of his throat and chest... Not because of Gavi... Not at all.

"Clearly..." Ansu rolled his eyes.

The group of six eventually cleared up the food and returned to casual talk as they cleaned up their mess.

"Should we continue FIFA?" Ferran asked as he wiped the kitchen island with a tablecloth.

"No please. We're barely getting turns, probably the reason why Pedri fell asleep.." Ronald sighed.

"Why don't we play actual football in the backyard?" Eric suggested.

"Or Futnet?" Ansu chimed in.

Somehow, the boys concluded to playing  futnet/football tennis and it wasn't even surprising how they chose to do something they already do everyday .

The game that had initially started in all playfulness soon evolved into a long competitive streak, eventually tiring out the boys. Because of which, they decided that the best way to end the day was a quick swim in the pool, serving as a faux recovery session.

                                    ••••

The orange sunset sky was patiently turning a deep blue as Pedri drove back home. He knew he'd gone insane the moment he stopped by a florist to get a bouquet of white roses for the younger, his favourite kind. As if on autopilot, he took the turn to the younger's house and before he could even process it, he was already standing in the doorway waiting, as he pressed the buzzer.

The younger opened the door with a smile drawn on his face, but as soon as his eyes met Pedri's, he froze as his smile died down,  surprise painted all over his features.

'What was that reaction? Was he expecting someone else?' Pedri removed all such thoughts from his stressed out brain. The same brain that had already done enough damage the entire day.

"Here", Pedri rashly pushed the bouquet into the younger's arms, he awkwardly scratched the back of his head, looking down as he whispered, "I'm sorry..."

In all honesty, he didn't even know what he was apologizing for, maybe it was for breaking his heart when he had confessed months ago, or for not realising his feelings earlier or for that morning when he'd left him alone.

Gavi stood and stared silently at the older with  a slight frown , contemplating his bipolar behaviour, before muttering a soft, "It's okay..."

His simple words didn't sound like he meant it, but it still made the older's heart flutter with the warmth of relief as he recalled how Pablo always found a way reassure him with his words even when actions failed .He couldn't believe he had been blind to all these small yet evident gestures this entire time.

However, as Pedri stood by the doorway, he half-expected the younger to invite him in. He wasn't used to being treated like an outsider in the younger's home, infact if there was a place he spent more time than his own appartment, it was Gavi's place.

So right now, he couldn't help but frown as the younger stood his ground, looking at him with an almost apologetic expression etched on his face. He took that as a cue to leave him alone and nervously fiddled with his fingers,

"Are you busy? I think I should leave." He began, while his right foot already made the decision to move backwards.

"Ye-.."

Gavi's reply was cut off by the sound of shuffling feet and someone approaching from behind the door.

- "Is there someone at the door?" -

An unfamiliar voice...

The second Oscar's face appeared behind the door, Pedri felt his blood run cold and his heart dropped to his stomach . The urge to land a hard punch across the blonde boy's face for absolutely no reason was increasing by the second.

But he didn't ...

He couldn't...

Not when he knew that if he really went along with that plan , the younger would never as much as look at him again.

But right now, as he stood behind Gavi leaning on the door frame, and opening the door wider, he felt it impossibly hard to refrain from said action plan.

The moment the unwanted boy's eyes landed on the Canarian, his face lit up with what was definitely admiration and enthusiasm,

"Oh Gosh... It's Pedri!! I'm a huge fan, I absolutely love your style of play." He extended a hand which Pedri shook unwillingly.

"Honestly, I really think you're gonna be one of the best midfielders of our time and your goal against Sevilla this season was a masterpiece! I have your-"

"Oscar,  Pedri was just leaving..." Gavi cut him off, " I think you two can catch up some other time."

Gavi's eyes looked pleadingly at the Canarian, silently begging him to leave and  not create a drama of the mess that had already started.

"Oh.. I'm so sorry, I just kept blabbering..." Oscar broke the silence, waving his hand, " It was great to have met you though."

"Actually..." Pedri answered, with a serious tone but his eyes beheld a playful, teasing glint as he continued, " I'm not busy at all! And if you don't mind, I'd like to join you guys..."

"No!"

"Ofcourse!"

Gavi and Oscar answered in unison, with the Sevillan's absolute rejection and the contrasting approval by the blonde.

"Ofcourse, you can..." Oscar gave a quick confused glance at his best friend, "We were just watching a movie."

" Come in ..." sighed Pablo, as he stepped back for the older to walk inside. Only then, did Oscar seemed to have noticed the bouquet of flowers from the Canarian to the younger, but even if he suspected something, he didn't question it.

Gavi headed towards the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase while the two boys walked into the living room making small talk and made themselves comfortable on the sofa in front of the large television screen playing the movie.

As the Sevillan entered the living area, he realised the horrible predicament he was caught up in. Pedri and Oscar had sat on the same couch with just enough space for him to squeeze in between, none of them opting for the armchairs on the side, and he would've sat on them if Oscar hadn't immediately waved at him to sit right in between, grabbing his arm and forcing him down.

Gavi could feel the tension radiating off Pedri as their shoulders brushed against each other. He awkwardly tried to pull the thin blanket over his legs so a to distract himself from the current horrifying situation.

The only person invested in the movie was Oscar, gasping and reacting at all the right scenes. Gavi and Pedro, on the other hand, were becoming conscious of every single detail, even their breathing and slight movements. Their eyes were fixated on the screen in front while internally, they were completely mortified by what they were going through; they had so much to talk about, so much to clear up, in private, but right now, all they could do was act normal and pretend to enjoy whatever was playing.

The younger's breath hitched as soon as he felt Pedri's fingers brush against his thigh under the blanket. His breathing increased steadily as he tried to remain calm.

The older's fingers drew slow circles climbing higher along  his inner thigh. Gavi could feel his skin break out into goosebumps as his member started to grow with sheer excitement.

He felt sick down to his guts for getting hard at the situation, especially because the thought of being caught excited him beyond his own reasoning.

As soon as Pedro's hand landed right on his member over his shorts, he turned to him with a pleading look.

"Please no..." He mouthed, grateful that Oscar was already dozing off  beside him.

The older simply smiled at him innocently before grabbing him harder, shooting pleasure down the younger's spine.

Gavi bit into his cheek as he desperately restrained a moan, while his own hand reached down in an attempt  to push off the older's  from his short.

Pedri, instead of removing his hand, simply reached out to the younger's who had other objectives and intertwined their fingers, holding his hand under the blanket.

The Sevillan turned to him again, an angry frown but a cute pout planted on his face.

"Pedri, don't-" he began.

"Please..." the older leaned into his ear,  "I missed you."

He gently stroked his thumb over the back of younger's hand as he whispered the words that had been driven mostly by jealousy and desperation to keep him close. And even though the younger gave him an unconvinced expression, he didn't move away.

Pedri had successfully emotionally manipulated the younger once again, it was not the first of many times and definitely not the last.

Don't blame him though, he was in love afterall...

The movie ended before they could even process what had happened and Oscar shifted in the sofa as he woke up from his slumber.

"I can't believe I slept for half of it..." Oscar yawned sleepily as he rubbed his eyes.

Gavi broke away from the older to stroke Oscar's messy hair into place, and it left the Canarian flexing his hand over and over at the absence of the younger's warmth.

"Don't worry, we can re-watch it some other time..." the younger answered fondly.

Pedri flinched at his tone and the look in Gavi's eyes as he spoke, he had no idea that the two friends were so affectionate with one another.

"We really should... But right now, I need to be heading home." Oscar said, finally straightening up.

The Canarian almost audibly sighed with relief at that.

"Can you drive by yourself? You look very sleepy." Pablo argued and Pedri couldn't be more disappointed.

"Ofcourse I can....  I'm fine... " answered the youngest, smiling gently.

Finally, after what felt like forever (only for Pedri) and an endless farewell by the doorstep, Oscar FINALLY left them alone in the appartment, as it should be.(according to Pedri)

"Aren't you leaving as well?" Gavi asked as he closed the door behind him.

"Do you want me to?"  the older answered with a question instead.

"Regardless of what I want..." Gavi replied, coming closer and standing right in front of him, "Would you listen to me?"

Pedri thought for a while but the best he could come up with was,

"Depends..."

Disappointed with the answer, the younger moved away, walking into the kitchen.

"Gavi, stop..." Pedri followed him like a lost puppy as the Sevillan poured a glass of water for himself, "What I meant was, you know I'd do anything for you, you just have to say the word and I'll be on my way... But, if you're going to push me away, I'm sorry but I'm not doing it .."

The younger emptied his glass and placed it on the sink, silence ensued between them as he looked at nothing but the white marbled wall, his back turned to the older.

"Say something, love..."

He could feel the older's body heat draped over his back, his breath fanning gently at his nape. Without fail as always, Pedri's arms wrapped around the younger's waist out of habit. He rested his chin on his shoulder and clung onto him, breathing in the scent of the younger.

"What if..." Pablo sighed, he could feel himself tearing up, and he couldn't afford that, he couldn't give himself away like that.

"What if, I want things to end between us... Pedri, we were so good as friends and teammates before any of this complicated mess, before feelings got involved. So now, while it's still not broken beyond repair..." his throat ached in pain  at  his own words, "We should, just be friends...."

"No..." Pedro's arms around him tightened as he pressed his lips on the side of his neck, making his skin erupt with the all too familiar goosebumps.

"Does a friend do this to you?" the older rasped, kissing the soft skin on his neck before running his tongue over it and  sucking intently untill a mark  formed, making the younger tremble desperately.

"Do all your friends make you like this?" He asked, as he slid his hands under the younger's shirt, fingers dancing over the goosebumps formed on every patch of skin available.

Pedri grabbed him by the hips and turned him swiftly to face him.

He held Gavi's face in his hands and leaned in for a hesitant short kiss, pulling away almost as soon as it began, making the younger whine before pushing forward to meet the older's lips in an equally desperate kiss, both craving to lose themselves and every burdensome thought in the taste of each other once again.

Their lips danced in motion to the erratic beating of their hearts, minds becoming clouded and souls intertwining into one.
Their breathing synchronised just as their bodies wanted to, selfish to move away for even a second.

The kiss was sloppy and wet, lips on lips, tongue on tongue and saliva dripping from the sides of their mouth, no it wasn't a delicate sight, it was rather desperate and anguished.

Lately, all their kisses felt like it was the last time.

Pedri was the one to pull away first, one glance into those brown eyes and he was in love all over again...

He reached up his hands to pull at the younger's soft hair, making him bare his neck to him submissively.

"I'm going to fuck you senseless tonight and then you tell me, we're just friends ..."

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A/n: I KNOW I TOOK FOREVER..😭😭😭 I'm soo sorry guys, I was on vacation and I got really distracted and this chapter isn't even convincing enough for y'all to forgive me... I hope you understand me and I'll try to update soon again..🥺🤧