Let Me Love You | Toni Kroos

Chapter 13 - Wake Me Up When May Ends

How are your final assignments going? I'm sure you'll do really well in them, and I'm sure you'll ace your final exams, you smarty-pants. I wish I could be there to massage your stiff neck. Study hard, okay? And remember to drink lots of water and take your meals regularly. Don't fall sick!

I know you're tired, but don't give up! It's the last lap, and then you'll have completed your first semester. Whenever you feel like giving up, just remember that in the end, it'll all be worth it. I'll always be there in spirit.

I love you so much.

Toni

~

Dear Toni,
My finals just ended two hours ago, and I just talked to you on the phone an hour ago, but I miss you already. The next time you leave, you should make a recording of your voice so I can play it every day.

Okay, wait, that's really creepy. Don't do that.

I changed your sheets today, because they began to smell more like me than you :( I'll wash them for you. I'll make such a good wife, amirite? How are you going to reward me?

Bertha scored a date with a guy today. She just went up to him and invited him to a post-finals party (which obviously didn't exist before she mentioned it to him). I guess she'll be dragging Elisa and I down with her. I wish you were here, then I could drag you along, too. To make it a double-and-a-half date.

Remember the colour of the seawater on the beach in Greece where we watched our first sunrise (like, the literal sunrise, you pig)? Your eyes are the exact colour of the seawater. And it's my favourite colour, because it's the colour of all the things I feel happy thinking about.

With all my love,
Gabi

——

APRIL
Dearest Gabi,
April's birthstone is the diamond. And you are the brightest diamond I've ever seen, the shiniest star in my sky. You are the most heavenly view in the entire of this universe, and in every other universe that exists. Don't ever stop shining, Gabriele, my beautiful Gabriele.

We're halfway there! I can't wait to see you again. I hope the flowers you planted along my driveway are already blooming. I'm sure they will, as long as they're taken care of by you and your cute green thumbs.

Happy birthday, darling. I'm sorry I can't be there to celebrate it with you. I hope you have a great day with your family and your friends. You'll get your present from me when I'm back, okay? Also, I feel it's really fitting that your birthstone is the diamond. You're the most precious diamond I'll ever own.

Don't stop smiling, Gabi baby. I want to see you smile as brightly as the summer sky when I'm back.

I love you.

Toni

~

My dearest Toni,
I love it when you do your spectacular debut thing. I'm so proud I saw your first assist and your first goal. Don't you dare say that it took too long – it was worth the wait. And I'm sure it's only the tip of the iceberg. More great things are on their way.

I've been sneaking into my dad's study to watch your matches whenever you play at the same time as Bayern. Although it means I'll miss the Bayern matches, I'm really happy that you're playing so frequently. But don't get too attached to them, okay? ;)

Bertha's guy kissed her today. Or perhaps, she kissed him. Anyway, they kissed each other, and I'm really happy for her. I wish you were here, so I could kiss you.

As I'm writing this, we're more than 75% done. I'm so excited. It's as if I'm waiting for my phone to finish charging. Except the battery of our love will never run out, because I'll love you forever.

Yours,
Gabriele

——

MAY
Gabriele darling,
The month of May was named after Maia, a Greek goddess who was associated with the Roman goddess of fertility, Bona Dea. I don't know why that was relevant, but the word fertility reminds me of you, and right now I'm just really sleepy, so...

Once you've reached this letter, I'll be back really soon. I really can't wait, Gabriele. I hope your summer is going well, and that everything is fine with your final results. I'm sure you'll do really well, because you're my cute little smartass.

And your ass is cute, too.

Okay, I'll stop here, my brain doesn't work anymore. I'll see you really, really soon, Gabi. Please take care of yourself. I miss you so much, even though right now you're just behind me, sleeping in my bed. I can't imagine how I would have survived four months.

I'm going to climb in bed beside you now. I'll see you in a while, beautiful.

With all my love,
Toni

I put the letter back in its envelope, and the envelope back in the box. I couldn't believe four months had passed, just like that. I couldn't believe that in just two days, I would be able to see my Toni again. I just had to get through tomorrow, and then everything would be fine.

The season had officially ended. Less than a day ago, I'd watched Toni play his first cup final, and lose it. He'd called me, and quietly told me that he was just happy he could have stepped onto the pitch. And that was enough for me.

Exhausted, I crawled into his bed in the jersey he'd given me. The last thought on my mind before I fell asleep was how I would wake up tomorrow, write him the last letter, clean up the mess I'd made of his house, and then it would be just one more sleep before he would be standing in front of me once again.