The next morning, Natalia awoke next to a very naked Thomas Müller. Memories from the previous night flooded back to her, and Natalia recalled the night they shared, blushing in the process.
"Morning, pretty," Thomas' husky voice disturbed her reminiscence, and he moved a stubborn strand of hair out of her face.
"Morning pretty," Natalia echoed, turning to face him, very much naked herself.
Thomas smirked devilishly and pulled her closer to him, placing large sloppy kisses all over her neck, clavicle and poking her sides in the process, to which Natalia squealed and tried to squirm out of his grasp.
Eventually they stopped, and he held her close, their breathing in unison, examining how their hands fit together.
"I never want to leave here, you, this," Thomas muttered quietly.
Natalia turned her head to face him, leaving little room between them, and kissed him briefly, sharing the same sentiment in the quiet pale sunlight.
"Oh!" Thomas said a sudden realization coming over him.
"What?" Natalia said leaning away from him, as he turned to move out of her bed, and he tugged on his underwear.
"Where are you going?" Natalia called after him, sitting up on her elbows, pulling the sheet to her chest.
"Idiot," she whispered with a smile, checking her phone to about 10 missed calls from Cat.
"This!" Thomas bounced back into her bed, holding a small velvet box, and laying on top of her.
"Thomas," Natalia started to say seriously.
"I have to stop getting you nice things, blah blah blah, just open it," Thomas said dismissing her arguments.
Natalia opened the box to reveal a small circular gold charm, with a date engraved on one side and N.K. and T.M. engraved on the other.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" Thomas asked seriously, propping his face up on his hands.
"Thomas...yes, of course," Natalia said quietly, pulling his face closer and kissing him again.
"Is this...today's date?" Natalia said looking at the charm more closely, and then back to his face.
Thomas nodded a mischievous look playing in his cerulean eyes.
"You smug bastard," Natalia said jokingly, "You knew I'd say yes!" she said lunging at him, causing the sheet to slide away from her body, which was helped by Thomas wrapping his arms around her once more, and putting a hand into Natalia's mane, connecting their lips once more.
He kissed her deeply for a moment, placing his other hand on Natalia's lower back, sending shivers down her spine. She moaned, unintentionally into the kiss, and felt Thomas' mouth form his familiar smirk.
She pulled away blushing, suddenly very aware of her skin pressed against his and recalling that this was Thomas. Sweet, dorky, talkative Thomas who was making her feel like this.
"God you're gorgeous," Thomas said seriously staring at her face, before Natalia buried her head in his chest, "Seriously," Thomas said holding her closely, "I can't believe I finally get to kiss you for as long and as often as I want," he said his voice barely above a whisper, moving his hand to the side of her face and reconnecting their lips. Natalia's heart thumped loudly, as he eased her back onto the bed, settling his hand firmly on her waist, and moving his kisses down her neck, to her collarbone, and between her breasts. Natalia giggled, and Thomas moved back up to reconnect their lips, this time with Natalia smirking into the kiss.
Natalia heard her phone ring again, and pulled away from Thomas, who pursed his lips.
"It's Cat, she's called me about 10 times," Natalia said glancing at her phone.
"Pick up, I'll get breakfast started," Thomas said pecking Natalia once more, and pulling on sweatpants.
"Hello?" Natalia said picking up the phone, running her fingers over the small charm.
"Natalia Klein," Cat said seriously, "I have a very important announcement to share with you,"
Natalia sat up suddenly, anticipating what was about to come out of Cat's mouth.
"Catherine," Natalia said quietly, "Please tell me. Now."
"Natalia. You are currently speaking to the future Mrs. Durm," Cat said hardly being able to contain her excitement.
"You're getting married?!" Natalia squealed, somehow knowing this was a long time coming.
"I want pictures of the ring immediately," Natalia said quickly.
"He took me out to breakfast this morning, and asked in that quaint part of the park by my place?" Cat explained quickly
"Anyway, I'm just making the calls before anyone hears from Bild or something ridiculous," she explained.
"How was your night?" Cat asked suddenly focusing on Natalia. She loved this about Cat. She was so in love with Erik but prioritized her friends very very close behind.
"Well we had sex," Natalia said quietly
"SEE! And you were nervous!" Cat yelled so hard Natalia had to move the receiver away from her face.
"And he asked me to be his girlfriend this morning," Natalia finished, tugging on underwear with one hand, the word still foreign on her lips.
"That is adorable," Cat said dreamily
"Alright go call everyone else," Natalia said excusing her from an extended conversation, "I love you!"
"Love you too!" Cat said loudly before hanging up the phone.
"Hi," Natalia greeted a still shirtless Thomas, who was in the process of making crepes for breakfast.
She had attached the new charm to her bracelet and was wearing it, a gesture that Thomas noticed, and he lifted her wrist to his eye level and kissed her hand.
Natalia blushed again, and pulled out some fruit, cheese, and nutella for the crepes.
"So Cat and Erik are engaged?" Thomas asked as they dug into their breakfast.
"How did you know?" Natalia asked, surprised that Thomas could be so perceptive.
"I just guessed," Thomas said not meeting Natalia's eyes.
"Mhmmm,"
"Erik talked about it during the international break," Thomas said meeting Natalia's raised eyebrows.
"Ah," Natalia responded, ecstatic for her friend, but still a million things running through her head.
"I actually have another question for you," Thomas asked, this time looking more anxious.
"Okay," Natalia said putting down her fork and knife, and taking a long sip of her tea.
"What do we tell Naomi?" Thomas asked digging into his own plate, but keeping his eyes on Natalia.
"Do you think they'd fire me?" Natalia said genuinely weighing her options, "I mean they don't have a problem with our friendship,"
"Right, but you're in charge of my body," Thomas pointed out which brought a huge smirk to Natalia's face, "You know what I mean," Thomas said trying to ignore Natalia's face.
"Well what if we don't tell them," Natalia suggested, "We'll tell the boys we're friends with, but not Naomi and Pep," she said thoughtfully.
"You wouldn't have a problem keeping us a secret?" Thomas asked raising an eyebrow.
Natalia shrugged, "Public displays of affection make me anxious anyway," she said standing up to put her plate in the sink.
"I can't grab your ass in public?" Thomas asked, still seated dumbfounded.
Natalia walked over to him and placed a kiss on his head, "Not if you don't want to make me uncomfortable,"
"But at home?" Thomas said standing up and grabbing Natalia by the waist as she tried to walk to the kitchen.
"Well we're not in public now, are we?" Natalia said devilishly, trying to maintain her grip on the plate, as Thomas squeezed her sides and blew air on her neck causing her to laugh.
"You know this means we can't go on dates," Thomas said later that night after they had spent most of the day lounging on Natalia's couch, kissing, and generally reconnecting after a month apart.
Natalia nodded glancing up from her phone where she was textng her sister, "Yeah, I don't love that part," she admitted as they sat next to each other, their feet extended on the newspaper table in front of them a blanket draped over their legs.
"Me neither," Thomas said staring down at their entangled fingers.
Natalia sighed, as she reread her exchange of messages with Tanya
N: Thomas and I are "official" but were not telling people...but you're not people so this is me telling you!
T: FINALLY.
T: You're keeping your relationship a secret?
N: Yeah we don't want trouble—and its all new
T: Hmmm...be careful, love...
N: What?
T: Keeping your relationship a secret might be more trouble than it's worth, that's all. I don't want to see you get hurt.
"Well tomorrow is the big first day back, we'll see how it goes," Natalia said sighing and leaning against him.
"Not touching your butt will be hard," Thomas said with a straight face, to which Natalia shoved him.
"Telling Bastian he can't tell anyone will be hard," Natalia corrected, to which Thomas nodded.