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Everything is going to change..
The words kept echoing in his head. Ever since the rumors of the Portuguese legend joining their team started to spread around, it seemed like nothing else was worth talking about.
And when the rumors turned into confirmed facts, and these facts morphed into real life in the form of a massive "welcome to the club, CR7!! " celebration; it was indeed the only thing worth talking about.
The only thing that was being talked about.
Except for a certain Argentian boy named Paulo, it was a little bit more than talk. He was living through these events, experiencing them in real time through his eyes.
Everything is going to change..
Everyone on his team, including the coach and the manager and even the fans, kept repeating this phrase whether with spoken or unspoken words. The superstar was bringing along not only his talents but a massive share of spotlight, and his own army of fans... It was a good change, but overwhelming, nonetheless.
Little did Paulo know, though, just how overwhelming it was going to be for him, personally.
** "....Cristiano, over here!"
One of their teammates shouted asking for Ronaldo to pass him the ball, and it snapped Paulo back to reality. He was in training- well the rest of them were, he was just standing there letting the breeze brush his soft chocolaty hair, while his gaze danced around with Cristiano's movements, watching him dribble with the ball so smoothly like he does. And he felt a smile curle on his lips, his younger self who spent his childhood watching the football superstars in awe -inlcuding the Portuguese legend- would have never believed this was his destined future. Never.They've played two games already, been through a few training sessions and yet he still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact tha-
"Has anyone seen Paulo today? " He did not miss the sarcasm in Federico's voice, and shot him an annoyed glance."..Oh great, you're here with us!"
- "Shut up.." Paulo muttered as he received the ball with his foot. - "You need to up your concentration level, kid. If I had to chant your name on the field for you to hear me then oh Lord help us. " - "Why don't you worry about yourself?" He said with a playful smile, throwing the ball back at Fed. "And why the fuck d'you keep calling me a kid when we're almost the same age?!"
- "Nothing wrong with being a kid." The voice that came from behind him was unmistakable. Speaking in Spanish with his heavy Portuguese accent, Ronaldo continued with a smile, his hand on Paulo's back. "You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age. I'd give everything I have to never leave these 'prime' years."
- " Wha- YOU'RE saying that?" Paulo's eyes widened, so did his smile. "you're still at the top of your prime!"
Ronaldo's affectionate chuckle confirmed to Paulo just how childish he sounded saying that. He almost hated it but then decided he didn't, when Ronaldo's radiant smile lingered on his sculpted face.
- "I know I am, but thank you anyways. " He ruffled his hair, then looked at Federico. "Paulo è un giocatore perfetto. He's got more concentration on the field than all of us, we need not worry about that."
Paulo could not believe his ears. And not because of the bit of Italian that Cris threw in there so casually, so fluently. Did THE one and only Cristiano Ronaldo just admit someone was better than him at something?!
The quick wink that Cristiano shot at him before walking away did just enough to blur any thoughts he had in his mind. And he felt a damn blush heating his cheeks, and that damn smile widening on his lips.
He also felt like an absolute fuckin idiot, standing there smiling instead of thanking the older man for his comment, but this has happened too many times already: Ronaldo appreciating him, in his own ways, defending him, and every time he's lost for words; and every time that "funny" feeling he's been having whenever his eyes fell on Ronaldo's chest muscles and chiseled abs gets more and more uncontrollable.
It was a matter of time before this "funny" feeling became less and less funny, and more and more serious... And Paulo feared that day. Cause they were getting closer, their "bond" and chemistry on the field was being noticed and appreciated by the coach. And it would be too damn bad to ruin that, wouldn't it, because he's such a little boy who couldn't control himself?
As if Ronaldo read his previous thoughts, he took off his shirt and started to spill water from his bottle all over his head and face. It was a hot day, in his defense, but it seemed to Paulo it was getting hotter and hotter by the second.
Then their eyes met, and he realized they never left in the first place. Cristiano has been glancing at him, and he held the eye contact; that wasn't entirely new.
The smile that followed was new, though. He wasn't sure whether that was a smile or a smirk, but he was sure of one thing: the older man could read minds. And he liked what he was reading.
