* please, if you're reading my book, vote for few chapters, it would make me very happy!
(edit) - longer chapter
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The air in the Barcelona locker room buzzed with nervous energy. It was the start of the new season, and the squad was being shuffled around, new faces appearing alongside familiar ones. For Gavi, this meant one thing: a new roommate.
He'd been sharing a room with Ansu for the past two seasons, a comfortable arrangement that felt like a natural extension of their friendship on and off the pitch. They had fallen into a routine—early mornings, late nights, and plenty of shared laughter. But now, Ansu had been promoted to a bigger room, leaving Gavi with an empty space and a growing sense of unease. He had never been one to enjoy change, especially when it came to his living situation.
As Gavi adjusted the contents of his locker, the coach, Xavi, called out a name, sending a wave of excited murmurs through the room. "Pedri, you'll be sharing with Gavi."
Gavi's stomach did a flip. Pedri. The boy wonder, the maestro of the midfield, the one who seemed to glide across the pitch with an effortless grace that Gavi could only dream of. The idea of sharing a room with him was both thrilling and terrifying. Pedri was everything Gavi admired—talented, quiet, and composed. But Gavi had always felt like he was trying to catch up to Pedri's calm, his maturity, his ability to be unfazed in any situation.
He caught Pedri's eye across the room, and their gazes locked for a moment. A shy smile flickered on Pedri's lips, and Gavi felt his heart skip a beat. He quickly looked away, his face heating up. Was Pedri nervous too, or was it just him?
Later that afternoon, Gavi found himself staring at the empty bed in his room. The space felt oddly hollow, and despite the piles of clothes and gear he had hastily unpacked, something about it was missing. Ansu's absence weighed heavily on him, and he missed the familiar rhythm of their shared routine. He was about to grab his phone and send a message to Ansu when a knock on the door startled him.
Pedri stood in the doorway, a suitcase in one hand and a shy smile on his face. His hair was slightly messy, as if he'd just finished a training session, and his wide eyes seemed to take in everything at once, scanning the room before locking onto Gavi. "Hey," he said softly, his voice melodic in the otherwise quiet room.
"Hey," Gavi replied, his voice sounding a little rougher than he'd intended. He felt his palms go clammy, and he quickly gestured toward the bed. "Want to put your stuff down?"
Pedri nodded, stepping inside and glancing around the room. "This is nice," he said, setting his suitcase on the floor. "It's a bit smaller than Ansu's room, though."
"Yeah," Gavi agreed with a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "But it's still pretty good." There was an awkward silence as they both stood there, unsure of what to say next. Gavi cleared his throat. "So, uh, what do you think about sharing a room?"
Pedri shrugged casually, as if the idea didn't bother him in the slightest. "I don't mind," he said. "I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm used to sharing rooms."
Gavi nodded, trying to ignore the small flicker of disappointment that shot through him. He had hoped for a bit more enthusiasm, some sort of shared excitement. Maybe it was just him. Maybe he was overthinking things. "Right," he said, his voice sounding a little flat. "Well, I guess we should get settled in. Do you want to unpack?"
Pedri smiled, a warmth spreading across his face. His eyes crinkled at the corners, and Gavi couldn't help but feel a little lighter. "Sure," he said, his voice suddenly brighter. "But maybe we can grab some food first? I'm starving."
Gavi's stomach rumbled in agreement. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until the mention of food. "Sounds good to me," he said, offering a grin that felt a little more natural now. "Let's go."
As they walked out of the room, Gavi found himself glancing at Pedri from the corner of his eye. The way Pedri's stride was so effortlessly smooth, his relaxed demeanor, the way he seemed to fit into the world around him—it made Gavi both admire and feel insecure. They were so different, yet there was an undeniable pull between them. They hadn't even spent a full day together, and already, Gavi found himself feeling like there was more to this than just a shared room.
"So," Pedri said as they reached the elevator, breaking the silence, "how do you think this season is going to go?"
Gavi hesitated for a moment, then shrugged, trying to sound confident. "I think we'll do great. We've got a strong team, and we've all been working hard."
Pedri nodded thoughtfully, his gaze distant for a moment as if considering Gavi's words. "Yeah," he said quietly, "I think so too."
As the elevator doors closed and they descended to the cafeteria, Gavi's nerves began to settle. The future seemed uncertain, but one thing was for sure: sharing a room with Pedri was going to be a whole lot more interesting than he'd ever imagined. And maybe—just maybe—it would help him find a sense of peace in the chaos that was Barcelona.
The cafeteria was bustling with energy as players, coaches, and staff all gathered for a quick bite before the evening training session. The chatter filled the air, and the smell of freshly prepared food seemed to heighten the anticipation of the upcoming season. Gavi and Pedri stood in line together, the tension between them lingering in the air like a subtle hum, but neither said much as they made their way toward the food counter.
"Do you want the pasta or the chicken?" Gavi asked, trying to break the silence.
Pedri glanced at the options and shrugged. "Pasta sounds good. Can't go wrong with that."
Gavi grabbed two plates of pasta and handed one to Pedri. They moved to an empty table in the corner, where they could watch the rest of the team mingle. As they sat down, Gavi couldn't help but notice how effortlessly Pedri fit into the group. He was always surrounded by people, always smiling, always at ease. Gavi, on the other hand, often felt like an outsider, even among friends.
"Thanks," Pedri said, his eyes meeting Gavi's as he took a bite of his food.
"No problem," Gavi mumbled, his thoughts momentarily drifting. He wondered if Pedri was aware of how much he stood out. Maybe he didn't even realize how his presence affected others, how his quiet confidence drew people in. Gavi wasn't sure how to keep up with someone like that.
Pedri seemed to sense the shift in the atmosphere, his gaze softening. "You okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.
Gavi blinked, startled by the question. He hadn't realized how lost in thought he'd become. "Yeah," he said quickly, shaking his head to clear the fog. "I'm fine. Just thinking about... everything, you know? The season, the changes."
Pedri nodded, looking thoughtful. "I get it," he said. "It's a big shift. New teammates, new dynamics. But we'll figure it out. We always do."
There was a calm assurance in Pedri's words, as if the uncertainty didn't bother him at all. Gavi admired that, even if he couldn't fully grasp how Pedri was able to maintain such composure. Maybe it was something he could learn from him. Maybe they could learn from each other.
The conversation drifted easily after that, the tension melting away as they found common ground in their shared love for the game. They talked about training, tactics, and even joked about some of the more ridiculous moments from last season. Gavi laughed more than he expected to, his nerves slowly easing with each passing minute.
When the meal was over, they headed back to their room together, the buzz of the cafeteria still ringing in Gavi's ears. It was strange, walking back to the room with someone new, someone who was so talented, so different from Ansu. But there was something calming about Pedri's presence, a steadiness that seemed to radiate without effort.
Back in the room, Pedri began unpacking his things, moving with a quiet efficiency that reminded Gavi of the way he played on the field. It was like everything had a place, like there was no rush, no need for hurry. Gavi watched for a moment before turning to the small desk in the corner of the room, trying to focus on his own task.
"You know," Pedri said, breaking the silence again, "I was a little nervous at first too."
Gavi turned to him, brow furrowed. "About sharing a room with me?"
Pedri shrugged, the corners of his mouth tilting up slightly. "I mean, not exactly. Just... the idea of things changing, you know? Being with a new group of people, settling into a new rhythm. It's always a little unsettling, no matter how many seasons you've had."
Gavi nodded slowly. He hadn't expected Pedri to feel the same way. He'd assumed the calm, collected midfielder would always be in control of everything, that change never bothered him. It was a strange relief to hear that Pedri was human after all, that he had moments of uncertainty too.
"Yeah," Gavi said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I guess I get that. I just... sometimes I feel like I'm not quite where I should be, you know? Like I'm always trying to catch up."
Pedri stopped for a moment, his hands stilling as he looked at Gavi. "You're doing great, Gavi," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "Everyone has their own pace. You don't have to be anyone else but yourself."
For a second, the room felt still, the air thick with the weight of Pedri's words. Gavi didn't know what to say to that. It wasn't the kind of thing he expected to hear, especially not from someone as accomplished as Pedri. But it resonated with him, deep down, in a place he didn't let others see.
"Thanks," Gavi said, the words slipping out more easily than he expected. "That means a lot."
Pedri smiled softly, and the tension in the room seemed to dissipate entirely. They might have been different in many ways, but in that moment, Gavi felt a sense of understanding between them, something he hadn't expected to find so soon.
As they finished unpacking and got ready for the evening training session, Gavi felt lighter. He still didn't know what the future held—how sharing a room with Pedri would change things—but for the first time that day, he wasn't so afraid of it.
Maybe, just maybe, this would be the beginning of something new—not just for the team, but for him as well.