Page 104 of Futbolista
“You know it’s not always going to be easy though, right? People are going to have a lot to say about us. About you. And it’s only going to get louder the further I go.”
“Then we’ll fight for each other.For us.”
“For us.”
This time when we kiss, it’sallabout how much I want him. How I want to make up for every day I haven’t been able to kiss him. Every time I’ve dreamed about it but couldn’t. And I—
A loud, rowdy cough comes from behind me, making both of us jump. And then, through the coughing, Pérez’s muffled voice says, “Blow Vale’s back out now.” And then more coughs as he’s all, “Sorry. Allergies. North Carolina’s got lots of allergies. Think I brought them back with me. Need some Benadryl or something.”
“Go to your fucking room, Pérez.”
Vale laughs, bringing my attention back to him. The way he looks at me, his eyes drinking me in, his hand rubbing my shoulders and going down to my chest, he’s got me thinking my teammate might be on to something here.
And that I want him to look at me like this for a long, long time.
“Actually, I heard you got MVP or something like that?”
“MOP, technically. Most Outstanding Player.”
“Well, I can think of a couple ways to congratulate you, show you how outstanding I think you are, but it’d probably be better we go up to your room.”
“Oh yeah?” I say, my brow perking up as my hands head back toward his ass. “What about … would you want to stay the rest of the weekend? I think an achievement this big might need a couple days to really celebrate fully.”
“You going to remember to lock the door this time?”
“Yes. Definitely. Will be locking that door. Will put a chair and my desk and dresser and all my books in front of it too.”
“Dick him down, papi!”
“Rock his world, Gabo!”
“Pérez.Fucking—Ahmed. I swear to—when I do, multiple times between now and Monday morning, I’m not apologizing for anything y’all hear.”
Vale lets out ahmmas his arms fall and one of his hands takes mine. And, damn, that feels good. I can’t wait to hold his hand all the time. Everywhere. In front of everyone.
“And that paper that’s due Monday?”
“Just finished and sent it to Coolidge. Solid A material. I’m officially done with Intro Philosophy.” I know he can see how relieved I am to finally be saying those words. And, when I come closer, my lips at his ear, the way his hand grips mine tighter nearly has me too impatient to keep talking. But—“Now it’s time to show my tutor how much I appreciate him. All weekend. Maybe celebrate the future A by you handing over your A and I’ll give you this—”
“I get it,”Vale groans, acting like he’s not into where that was going. “All y’all futbolistas are the same. You’re really no better than Orlando, you know that?”
“You hate it because you’re into it,” I say back, biting my lip while I smirk. “But I’m your favorite futbolista still, right?”
Vale shakes his head, tugging on my arm as he starts walking toward the stairs. “Come on, National Champion, MOP. And favorite futbolista.”
Not to boost my own ego too much, but I do rock Vale’s world. Got his eyes rolling back and toes curling until he’s barely able to speak. The feeling of being inside him again is so good I can’t help theI love yous that come out of my mouth. Iwanthim to hear them. I want him to know that I mean those words.
And, afterward, when we hear an “¡A huevo, Gabo!That’s my boy!” coming from underneath us, Ahmed cackling from across the hall, and Nguyen’s“Shut up!”I can’t help but laugh into Vale’s neck while catching my breath, resting on top of him, inhaling that cologne, arms wrapped around him as I pull him with me so we’re lying on our sides, legs tangled together. He turns around to face me and my hands go right to his ass that I just got through lovingly wrecking and am already looking forward to lovingly wrecking again as soon as possible. I kiss that spot on his neck, gently sucking it, slowly making a mark on his skin, the sound of his quiet moans going straight from my ears to my dick.
I’m going to be so annoying about it later.Yeah,Idid that. Tomyboyfriend.
And give me a solid five minutes and some water, and I’ll do it all over again. At least twice today. All weekend too. And when we’re not, I’ll fall asleep sharing a pillow with him and wake up cuddling him. I’ll get him those flowers—I don’t know what kind of flowers they have for sale right now besides poinsettias, but I’ll find some. I’ll watch him walk around in just his underwear and one of my kits. We’ll binge episodes of that X-Men series where they’re all in high school. Maybe I’ll even finally take him to the beach. I’ll bring my boys and my Pops back a story that will top any romance ever told.
“I can’t wait to hold your hand everywhere we go,” I say as my lips softly press at his. “And kiss you when I walk you to class. And see you wear my jacket anytime you want. And take you out.” In between each line, another kiss. “And go through lots and lots of lube.”
He chuckles into my lips, kissing me back. “I like the sound of that.”
If this is what it’s like to have it all, to have my worlds so close and be worried that they might violently collide, only torealize they can coexist; if this is what I have to look forward to for the next semester and next year or even the next three and a half years (and, who knows, maybe forever after); if this is what greatness looks like—Vale, naked on my bedandmy Most Outstanding Player trophy on my desk, only a couple feet away—if this is existing in the sun and never looking back, the romanticandthe dreamer in me will happily take it.
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” Vale whispers back, his lips coming to my cheek, my nose, my forehead, my lips. “I love you, mi futbolista.”
