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“Hear me out, please and then I promise if you want I’ll never talk to you again.” The older man catches Curtis' wrist holding on in an attempt to force him to listen to what he has to say.
“Why the fuck should I listen to you after everything you’ve done to me?” He try to fight against him yanking his arm out of his grasp and turning beginning to walk away.
“Because I’m in love with you.” Curtis stops and it’s like he's forgotten how to breathe as he stares at nothing.
“You’re lying, if you loved me you would’ve defended me! You would’ve protected me from all of that shit!” He turns to face the older man and watches as he falters.
“I love you, more than you know. I risked everything for you and you don’t even know it. People called for your removal Curtis! Someone gay so high up in a premier league team seeming so close to their 'golden boy' so physically affectionate. They were threatened and I put my career on the line defending you, told them they were a bunch of bigoted idiots and they should rethink their ideals. There was a vote over whether I should be removed from the team all together, they wanted to ban me and revoke my contract and you know what? Through it all I didn’t care because at the end of the day I was protecting you. Someone I was in love with even thought you didn’t know it.” He pauses and Curtis wipes the tears that fell without permission.
“Why didn’t you-“
“Because I didn’t want you to know. I was protecting you. They figured out my weakness, you. They made me their little puppet in return they kept your career protected you were allowed to flourish and that was the only thing that kept me going. Then I snapped, they threatened you and I couldn’t take bending to their every will and they took it out on you and there was nothing I could do but stand and watch because I felt broken. I wanted to help but I had nothing left to offer, they had taken everything I had.”
“Trent. You didn’t have to, you should’ve just, you don’t-“ He pauses the words still not feeling right. “I love you too.” Trent stares at him blankly almost like he doesn’t understand and then Curtis notices the tears rolling down his cheeks.
“I’m truly sorry Curtis. I just hope that one day you can forgive me and maybe we can start again.”
“I don’t want to start again.” Curtis pauses and he sees Trent's heart visibly break behind his eyes. “Trent I don’t want to start again because I want to start right now. My future looks like you and it has for a very long time."
Trent lets out the breath he didn't even realise he was holding and shoves Curtis' shoulder with a laugh. "Prick! You scared me!" Then reality seems to hit both boys.
"I hear Madrid is real pretty." The words hurt Curtis, his eyes watering.
"My family is here, I'll visit whenever i can. We have england camp!" Trent is desperate to find a solution to see each other.
"Stay at mine? Tonight. Please." Curtis doesn't beg, but right now he's willing to get on his knees if that's what it takes.