would you guys kill me if i just happen to appear after almost two years of inactivity as nothing happened and continue to update my series as if the lastest one was yesterday? be honest
miss seeing your posts, hope youāre doing well š
hey my beautiful darling <3 i miss posting as well. i've been taking a long mental health break from writing and posting all along, but i miss interacting and writing for you guys :(
when people are like "i didn't come here to make friends" i'm like thats sooooo unrelatable. i am always on the look out for some girl friends. I would be in that hunger games cornucopia like "your ex boyfriend did WHAT."
the arsenal college au, āfor the first timeā: chapter 1 ā leandro trossard.
series genre: fluff, pining, drama, some comedic elements.
series summary: leandro finds more than heās bargained for when he switches colleges.
warnings: none.
ļæ¼word count: 5.3k
welcome to my new series! my pride, my joy, and quite honestly, itās my baby. iāve been working on it the last few months and only found my way back to it in october, deciding to officially start posting it now. this is the first official chapter of the au series with spin-offs pending! enjoy and leave some feedback (or donāt, iām kinda scared! šµāš«).
Leandro didnāt get nervous about many things.
He was calm, cool, and collected; never one to get bent out of shape about things he couldnāt change, taking it all as a learning experience and moving on, despite his hardened exteriorāwhich was just his face.
He didnāt find himself being a worried person, at least, not until his first day at his new university. Of course, like clockwork, it felt as if he forgot every single minute detail about himself. He could barely speak English for a moment when he approached the secretary in the main campus building, having to stop himself from speaking in Dutch to her, before he finally forced himself to relax.
āUm, Leandro Trossard,ā He murmured his name to her, and he winced when she told him that he was early for his move-in day. He knew that already, but he was hopeful that sheād let him go in anyways, and perhaps, sheād actually taken pity on him; he wondered if she saw him shaking like a scared little dog, and thatās why she gave him his dorm room key. Leandro took the key with a half-smile, unable to get the other side of his lips to force a grateful grin, and he walked out of the office to find the dorm room building.
The walk to the building wasnāt long at all, and he was thankful that the campus had scenic views: settling the nerves that rested at the pit of his stomach, just from the sight of trees that he couldnāt wait to sit near while he did his work, enjoying the peace and quiet before the start of the semester. He was pleasantly surprised at the dorm room building too, seeing the completed bulletin boards that he assumed the Resident Assistant had done, and it had gotten a quiet giggle out of himā he wasnāt big on the internet, not seeing a use for social media, but he understood the humor of the bulletin board and couldnāt ignore the comfort he felt already.
As if he really belonged here, like this was his place.
Heād have his own roommate, with no distractions or drama, and everything was going to be okay.
Leandro was sure of it.
Until he turned the key to open his dorm room and found two other men staring at him with puzzled looks, making the grin on his lipsāthat he didnāt even know he hadādrop slowly as he stared back.
āWho the hell are you?ā
āBenjamin!ā The other one yelled in anger quietly at Benjamin (apparently), who simply glared at him, and turned back to Leandro with a sympathetic grin before he spoke. āMy nameās Aaron and Iām sorry about him, but um.. what he said, who are you?ā
Leandro blinked rapidly as he tried to find the words, not expecting to be in this situation as quickly as he found himself in it. He stammered while looking at his dorm room information paper, meeting their gazes once more with a stressed expression.
āLeandro, my nameās Leandroā¦ this is supposed to be my roomā¦ā He trailed off awkwardly as he looked back down at the paper again, trying to ignore the scoff of annoyance that came out of Benjaminās mouth, wishing that he was anywhere but here now.
The two men before him were silent, but he could practically feel the fumes blowing out of Benjaminās ears, and he didnāt know what else to do besides stand there like an idiot. Neither of them were offering a solution and it was beginning to make him feel uncomfortable, so he tried to fix it: looking at the room door again, then back at the paper, then at the number on the door again before he looked at the two of them and awkwardly laughed quietly.
āUm,ā He murmured, motioning to his paper and the door. āYeah, I guess this is my room too.ā
Benjamin sat up in his bed with a huff before getting out of the comfortable sheets to slide on his slippers, and his slippers smacked against the wooden floor as he stalked over to Leandro. He held a hand out, taking the paper from Leandro, eyes squinting for dramatics as he read it, and his head flew back in annoyance when he finished reading. He turned to Aaron and nodded; his own silent way of stating that this was, indeed, Leandroās room too.
āWell, uh, welcome to our rooā,ā Aaron began to speak, before he was cut off by Benjamin.
āWhat do you mean āwelcomeā, Aaron? This is our room and someone needs to fix this, now.ā Benjamin grumbled angrily towards his friend, ignoring Leandroās presence, which made Leandro feel like more of a burden than he thought heād be. Benjamin rolled his eyes at Aaronās silence and pushed past Leandro out of the room, disappearing down the hallway as he called out for someone named Amina.
Leandro awkwardly turned back towards Aaron, who sent him a sympathetic smile as he twiddled with his thumbs uncomfortablyāunsure of how to fill the unpleasant silence.
āDonāt pay Ben any mind,ā Aaron finally spoke up, trying his best to make Leandro feel comfortable. He knew that Benjamin could be too much at times for someone who didnāt know him, especially since he experienced firsthand himself the sharp attitude of Benjaminās when they first met almost three years ago. He stood up from his single bed, shocking Leandro with his tall stature, and he walked over to him with his hand out, wanting to properly greet his new roommate. āHeās always like that with people he doesnāt know, but donāt worry; I think weāll become good friends really fast.ā He held his hand out for Leandro to shake, and he smiled when he took it.
Leandro smiled, releasing a quiet breath of relief that Aaron didnāt share the same sentiment as Benjamin. His nerves were shot and from the little bit of kindness that he only now experienced, they finally began to settle, and he hoped itād stay that way. He felt much smaller than Aaron, literally and figuratively, as the man practically towered over him, but there was a comfort that he exuded and it made Leandro feel okay for once. His lips parted to speak, feeling all of his thoughts that he needed to speak out dance on his tongue, but the sound of Benjaminās voice and a woman bickering with him made his mouth shut quickly.
āBen, youāre just as annoying as Emile right nowāthereās nothing I can do about the room.ā The woman stressed as if sheād repeated it to him multiple times, scoffing at Benjaminās huff of annoyance. Their voices got closer and closer to the room before the two finally appeared: Benjamin, with a sour look on his face, and the woman, who Leandro could only assume was Amina. She smiled at Aaron, who quickly sent a toothy grin her way, before she turned to Leandro and stuck her hand out to shake his.
āIām Amina, the resident assistant for this dorm.ā She introduced herself, rolling her eyes at Benjaminās quiet mutters of displeasure as she shrugged it offāit was nothing she hadnāt dealt with before, especially with the people Aaron and Benjamin happened to surround themselves with. She tucked a curly strand of her hair behind her ear and the soft grin on her lips never left, even when Leandro introduced himself to her. āLike I explained to Ben many times right now, Iām not in charge of the rooms; any mistake made isnāt mine, so letās not blame me.ā Amina sent a pointed look in Benjaminās direction, who rolled his eyes this time. āMove-in day is tomorrow and from the look of my list, along with the lists for the other dorms, Leandro has to be here. Thereās no space anywhere else, so youāre gonna have to live with it, Ben.ā
Benjamin sighed and nodded, no longer in the mood to argue about the stupid dorm room. He walked past three of them back into their dorm and laid on his bed, facing his side of the wall away from them. Leandro tried his best to ignore Benjaminās obvious frustration, like Amina and Aaron were doing, but to no avail; he hoped that as the semester moved along, heād be able to adapt the ability to ignore him.
āDonāt worry about any of this,ā Amina reassured Leandro, noticing the obvious look of discomfort on his face. āIāll make sure there's another bed put in here in a little bit.ā
Leandro murmured a soft āthank youā and watched as she walked away before turning back to Aaron, who beckoned Leandro to follow him into the dorm room. He followed him inside, looking everywhere except at Benjamin, and he took note of all of the decorations that the two men had in the room. A multiple of posters of various footballers, a confusing selection of funko pops that he couldnāt figure out on Aaronās shelf, and an assortment of skincare items in a shower caddy that rested on Benjaminās desk. He was lucky that the room still had enough space for the extra bed that would be his, and for a moment, he was glad that he was smart enough to pack lightāLeandro wasnāt one to need much, he was able to make do with what he had, and suddenly, he didnāt feel so bad about this messy arrangement.
āSo um, what classes are you guys taking?ā Leandro spoke meekly, trying to make conversation. He wanted to make the air in the room less tight and release the uncomfortable tension that lingered behind. The two men peered up at him, and he tried to hide his shock when Benjamin actually sat up to engage.
āBiology,ā Benjamin muttered, which made Leandroās eyebrows rise. The thought of Benjamin taking Biology classes, let alone that major, was unexpected to himāhe wondered just how smart Benjamin really was. He nodded and murmured about how interesting it was, not wanting to step on his roommate's toes than he already had, but he didnāt expect the question to be returned back to him. āWhat about you?ā
Leandro blinked, at a loss for words from the soft tone of Benjaminās voice.
āWell, Benjamin, Iām aā,ā
āDonāt call me that, call me Ben.ā
A soft smile found its way onto Leandroās rosy lips and he nodded, murmuring the nickname to himself. āWell, um, Iām in the Physician Assistantās program, but uh, I still have some Biology classes to complete since mine didnāt transfer over from my last collegeā¦ā He trailed off, before he found the right words, and he hoped he didnāt come off as too excited. āMaybe weāll have the same classes! Are you taking microbiology?ā
Ben nodded and was about to speak before Aaron interjected with a cheesy grin.
āI am, Leo!ā He beamed, not noticing the nickname heād given Leandro. āIām an Exercise Science major!ā
Leandro didnāt realize how much larger the grin on his lips grew until he finally felt his cheeks hurt. He tried to stop himself from smiling, but he couldnāt believe the difference in the last forty-five minutes that heās spent with his two roommates: it finally seemed as if he was making some rapport with them, that they were actually interested in being cool with him, especially Ben. He scratched the back of his neck, feeling silly for being overcome with such glee that it made his cheeks flush with a red tinge.
He didnāt even care that it felt like everything had to go wrong just to get to this moment: he felt liked, and that was the most important thing to him right nowāwhether it was forced, on Benās part, or not.
The three men talked for what felt like hours, and theyād even helped Leandro settled in when his single bed arrived: helping him put on his bed sheets, telling him ways to make the bed more comfortable, and theyād even went back to his car with him to grab the remainder of his things.
Before they knew it, it was nearing ten pm, and thatās when Ben decided that he was going to get ready for bed. āIām going to the bathroom to get ready for bed; Leandro, you know where that is, right?ā He spoke, his own indirect way of asking if he needed a tour of the dorm buildingāconsidering it was basically Leandroās first time at the college, ever.
Leandro perked up and shook his head, silently grateful that Ben had asked him that. He was still figuring his way around the campus, and not knowing where the bathroom was kind of a nightmare to him. He stood up and followed Ben out of the dorm room, the two of them walking down the quiet halls together. He was in disbelief at how quiet it was; move-in day was tomorrow, so the rest of the students wouldnāt be in until then, and he wondered if it would ever be this quiet again. He didnāt think it would be, but he hoped heād be surprised as the semester progressed.
āWhat made you pick this college?ā Ben suddenly asked, staring straight ahead as he didnāt want to face Leandro. He wasnāt always this nosyāstraightforward, yesā as he mostly kept to himself and the group of friends that he had, but the curiosity was killing him a bit. As much as he hated the thought of Leandro rooming with him and Aaron in the beginning, Ben found himself wanting to know more about the new guy. And it wasnāt often that he said this quickly, especially when he met Aaron, but he was starting to consider Leandro a friend.
Leandro shrugged, trying to get used to having the hotspot on him so much, and he knew it was only going to be harder to get out of the spotlight as a foreign-transfer student. āThis college has a better program than my other one did, so I just transferred.ā He was truthful, a relaxed expression on his face as there really was nothing juicy about his background.
He was justā¦. normal.
Ben hummed, āSo, youāre just a nerd then.ā
āI guess so.ā Leandro laughed quietly to himself.
The trip to the bathroom was a short one: Leandro felt incredibly silly for being captivated by the cleanliness of it, but also by Benās extensive skincare routine. Heād never seen someone put so many acids and face masks on their face, but clearly it worked for Benāhe looked as if heād never had a blemish on his face, ever. Leandro stood against the wall awkwardly as he waited for Ben to finish.
āSo, um,ā Leandro began to speak lowly. āDo you have other friends on campus besides Aaron?ā
Ben looked at him through the mirror and nodded, as he applied the last product in his routine. āYeah, thereās a whole group of usāyouāll like them, maybe not. Maybe some of them. I donāt know, they piss me off sometimes, so.ā
Leandro blinked in response, not expecting the blunt response from Ben, but he also didnāt know what he was expecting from him either. He chuckled to himself softly, thinking it was a fair answer, and shrugged; he couldnāt blame the honesty, in fact, Ben was shaping out to be someone who he could trust quickly. Quicker than he couldāve ever imagined.
The two eventually left the bathroom, talking amongst themselves about the group of friends that Leandro was itching to meetānot knowing what heād eventually be getting himself into.
āāāāā
The peace and quiet Leandro had the night before move-in day was long gone when students started to trickle into the dorm building, bringing in shouts and excited hollers that he didnāt expect. He didnāt know much about the culture at the college, but from his experience back home: not everyone liked the school, and it seemed like they actually did here.
Leandro was thankful that his professors had begun to email him and the rest of his classmates, already assigning work that was due the second week of class, and although he didnāt need to start it, it gave him a well-needed break from all the noise that he didnāt want to hear. He collected his book bag and made sure his laptop was in it before sliding the bag onto his shoulder.
Ben and Aaron were still asleep, which he still couldnāt believe, even though it was almost twelve in the afternoon. He didnāt want to bother the two and left the room quietly, leaving the building to walk over to the library; where of course, heād find the peace and quiet heād been yearning for. He found a table and made himself comfortable, pulling out his laptop as he began to access the schoolās website that his assignments were posted on.
Leandro was so focused on reading the material and completing his assignments, way ahead of the curve this early, that he didnāt notice that he wasnāt alone anymore in the library. His eyes were trained on the girl that caught his attention, and he didnāt mean to look at her so hard, but he was captivated by her. Her dark brown, short and slightly curly locks, and her figure that made him know she had to be just a few inches shorter than him, which he couldnāt help but blush at. He was so used to being the short one, the thought of being with someone shorter than him made his stomach do backflips.
He thought she was beautiful, a sweet creation, and her standing in the medical articles section made his heart skip a beat too.
āYou should talk to her.ā A voice next to Leandro made him jump, his eyebrows furrowing shortly after when he recognized the accentāScottish. He looked up, noticing a guy with lazily-styled brown hair standing next to his chair, and he opened his lips to object to the company, but didnāt. āKieran, by the way.ā Kieran introduced himself, pulling out a chair to sit next to Leandro, who was still trying to understand what just happened.
āUm, Leandro,ā He responded, raising his eyebrows as he looked over at Kieran and watched as he began to study without a care. He didnāt know who Kieran was, and sure, he knew some people were more forward than he was, but he still couldnāt believe the audacity that he had to just sit next to him. Especially, without asking.
āYou gonna look at me and say nothinā like you did with her?ā
Leandro did a double take at Kieranās comment, not expecting the sarcastic remark, but of course; if Kieran could insert himself in Leandroās business, he certainly shouldāve expected that the mysterious weirdo could dish it out to him. His hand laid on his neck, scratching it awkwardly, as he turned away from Kieran. āSorry, uh, just didnāt know why you sat here.ā Leandro tried his best to not sound rude, hoping that it didnāt come off that way, even if Kieran was a bit of a sarcastic prick.
āYou donāt own the library, mate,ā Kieran laughed, scrunching his eyebrows together as he looked at Leandro. āJust wanted to sit here. I saw you looking at Eden and thought it was funny, just like that grey stripe in your hair.ā
Leandro rolled his eyes at the insult, but quickly shook it off when he finally got a name for her: Eden.
It suited her, it was pretty just like her, and if he wasnāt so bothered by Kieran already, he wouldāve asked him more questions about her.
He didnāt though.
In turn, Kieran was the one asking him more questions.
āYouāre new here, right?ā He asked, not looking up from his laptop. Leandro, however, kept his gaze on him. He sighed quietly at the question, wondering if he had a sticker on his forehead that stated to others that he was new or if he was just like a car and had some sort of new student smell that he didnāt know about.
āYeah, howād you know that?ā Leandro murmured meekly, his voice quieting as he spoke in confusion. Still, not liking being the center attention: especially, if it was coming from Kieran.
āIāve never seen you around before,ā Kieran shrugged, āI know almost everyone that goes here.ā
Leandroās head leaned back as he looked at him quizzically. He didnāt know the total number of students at the college, surely it had to be in the thousands, so he wondered just how literal Kieran was being. There was no way he was that charming to people for him to know everyone, let alone one single person here. His face spoke for himself, making Kieran laugh and roll his eyes: heād already known what Leandro was thinking.
āI know your little girlfriend,ā Kieran teased, referring to his newest crush, Eden. He then nodded over to the other part of the library, making Leandro turn his head after he rolled his eyes at the joke and noticed Ben, along with Aaron, walking up to the two of them. āI know those two idiots too.ā
Aaron walked over with a wide smile tugging the corner of his lips, while Ben stuck with his same old expression: a resting bitch face that would make even the most self-assured person in the room cower in fear. The pair walked over to Kieran and Leandro, not bothering to take a seat as they were only there to get their roommate.
āYou met Kieran, thatās great!ā Aaron gushed, skipping the pleasantries as there was no need. He was thankful he had one less person to introduce to Leandro, especially knowing the acquired taste that Kieran could be to some. Kieran rolled his eyes at Aaronās excitement, finding it no big deal. āWe were going to introduce you to the lads, Leandro! Theyāre outside on the pitch, kicking about.ā
The invitation made Leandro release a breath, happy enough to get out of the awkward conversation with Kieran āthat he was still figuring out if it was his fault, Kieranās, or both of theirsāand leave the library. He collected his things and put them in his book bag, trying to not seem so eager to leave, although he truly was. Heād only met Aaron and Ben yesterday, but from what heād heard about the rest of their friends: theyāre a tight knit group, and thatās something he couldnāt wait to be a part of. As he slung his book bag onto his shoulder, he noticed that Kieran hadnāt done the same and was still typing away on his laptop.
āYouāre not coming?ā
Kieran shook his head, grabbing his airpod case that sat next to his laptop. He opened the case and put one earbud in, holding the other as he licked his lips slightly before responding to him. āNah, maybe later.ā
Leandro shrugged in response, thinking a relieved āthank goodnessā before turning to Aaron and Ben, who had a soft smirk on his lips this time. He knew what his friend had to have been thinking, sharing the same sentiment about Kieran without uttering a single word. He began to walk alongside the pair, talking about the awkwardness that Leandro experienced around Kieran, and it made the walk across the courtyard to the field a quick one.
Aaron was kind enough to fill Leandro in what heād be getting himself into: talking about all the boys, what they were like, and how to approach each of them. Heād already received the rundown from Ben last night, but he appreciated the extra information as he was now starting to get nervous at the thought of meeting them all. Luckily, Aaron made it a point to note that it didnāt take much to impress any of them.
Well, except for Granit, who Leandro found out wasnāt afraid to hurt someoneās feelings.
Or, hurt someone too.
The trio made it onto the pitch, watching as the men were playing a full-fledged game with each other. None of the twenty-two men on the field were afraid to pull their punches, full of aggression as if the game was full of stakes that no one wanted to lose. Leandro watched with quiet amazement, noticing the speed of some of them, and he let his mind run with silly thoughts about how differently he wouldāve done things to not lose possession like heād seen happen multiple times in the few minutes that he caught the game.
āThatās Granit standing over there, heās theā,ā Aaron whispered over to Leandro, pulling him away from his thoughts, and he pointed to the man that turned to them with an angry expression. Leandro could hear the two other men beside him gulp, and he wondered if he should be afraid too.
āWhere the fuck have the two of you been?ā Granit shouted to Aaron and Ben, and when the trio walked closer to him on the pitch, he motioned towards Leandro. āWhoās this?ā
āLeandro, our new roommate!ā The smile on Aaronās face slowly dropped as he answered, bracing himself (and Leandro) while he awaited the worst of Granit.
Granitās eyebrows raised and he looked at Leandro with an unreadable expression.
āYou play?ā He asked him, crossing his armsāwhich was far more menacing than he intended, but he didnāt care either.
āUh, a little bit, yeah.ā Leandro replied meekly, trying to look behind Granit, so he didnāt have to meet his tense gaze. Granit shrugged with a nod, kicking the ball over to him softly, and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes when Leandro looked down at the ball stupidly.
āKick it,ā Granit said in exasperation, rolling his eyes. āFrom right here.ā
Leandro was taken aback, not expecting the order to be given to him, but of course, Granit was everything that Ben and Aaron said he was: tough, serious, and kind of a dick. The position in which Leandro stood in had to be 13 yards away from the goal post, and even though there was no keeper in front, he still felt his legs shake with slight fear as he prepared to take his shot. He looked over at Ben, who nodded at him to go ahead, and released a quiet breath before his foot connected with the ballāchipping it with a moderate amount of force and the curvature of the ball was far more satisfying than he'd ever seen.
Much to his, and Granitās surprise, the ball kissed the back of the net: it was more than a perfect shot. The cheers from the other men were loud enough to blow out his ear drum, louder than the applause heād ever heard when he played back home, and it made a tiny smile lift the corner of his lips.
Granit turned to look at him. āThat didnāt look like a little bit.ā
Leandro laughed softly, scratching at his cheek nervously.
āI used to play, yeah.. not anymore.ā
Granit walked up to him and stuck his hand out towards Leandro, surprising the other men that surrounded them.
āWelcome to Arsenal, then.ā
Leandro took his hand, making sure to grasp it firmly, and the two of them shook handsāmaking it a done deal. He didnāt know exactly what Arsenal stood for or why it was such a big deal to the men, especially Granit, but he knew one thing for sure: that it was much more than what all of them left on the pitch at the end of the day, and he was going to be a part of something meaningful. Which is what heād been looking for when he decided that he was transferring colleges.
He released Granitās hand, and braced himself for the impact of all his other teammatesāwho were now his new friendsāas they all jumped on him with excitement. The chatter on the pitch was loud, something that would usually bother Leandro, but it didnāt this time around. Instead, he was happy to be around it, and it made him feel even better knowing that they actually wanted to get to know him.
The combined stress of being new and the semester that awaited him began to lift off of Leandroās shoulders like nothing, a distant feeling that he never thought would be fleeting. He looked over at Aaron and Ben, smiling at the pair before looking down at the ball that had been kicked over to his feet.
āWhatāre we waiting for, lads?ā Leandro grinned, āLetās go!ā
āāā
Leandro couldnāt count how many games theyād played in the last few hours, let alone how many hours it had been. He only knew to call it quits when the sun was beginning to set, a smile tugging on his lips as he watched it go down on his walk back to the dorms. He walked by himself until footsteps sounded loudly behind him and he turned around to see Aaron, Ben, Emile, and Bukayo there with sweaty grins (minus Ben, of course) on their lips.
āThe rest of the guys decided to stop playing too, so we wanted to walk back with you.ā Aaronās grin didnāt falter as he explained their sudden appearance, walking together with Leandro back to their building, and Leandro didnāt mind it one bit.
The boys walked down the hallway of their dorm room floor, chatting amongst themselves, and Leandro let out a gauwf of laughter at a stupid joke that Emile had made, making the youngster feel pleased with himself. He was used to feeling like a nuisance often, so to make someone that wasnāt Aaron or Bukayo laugh made him feel as if he'd hit the jackpot.
Emile fixed his lips to speak again, a smirk rising on his lips as another joke danced on his tongue, and he knew it was going to be a riot. His lips parted, but instead he called out for Amina, who stood near her room door and rolled her eyes at the sight of the group of men. He ran up to her, making Leandroās eyebrows raise as he smirked, while Aaron and Bukayo began to tease them like school children.
āOoooh okay, Ems!ā Bukayo cupped his hands around his lips as he yelled, as Aaron egged him on in a fit of giggles. Ben rolled his eyes at the antics, nudging Leandro to let him know that he was going inside their dorm room, and Leandro was about to follow him in until he noticed her again.
He watched as Eden laughed with another girl, maybe her friend or her roommate, as she unlocked her room door. He was fixated on her, watching her with a small smile that he didnāt notice he had on his lips because he was too focused on her and the fast pace of his heart that had everything to do with her, and not with the game of football that he just played. He could hear bits and pieces of their conversation, her room not too far away from his, and he felt weird for invading their privacy from afar, but the softness of her voice had captivated him.
āCanāt believe him.. no, Granit.. such a cunt..ā He heard her friend say, smiling to himself at the statement, but also at the sound of Edenās melodic laugh. The more he looked at her, the more he noticed things about her that he hadnāt when he first saw her earlier: the little dimple that dipped in her cheek, how gently carved out her side profile was, and the little curls that swooped on her forehead. He didnāt think many people could pull off short haircuts, not even himself, but he believed that the style was made for her. He was sure of it.
Leandro didnāt know how long heād stood there looking at her, growing embarrassed when she met his eyes and smiled at him softly before walking into her dorm room with her friend. His back pressed against his door, a little breath escaping his lips while his mouth curled into a slight smile. He didnāt even know her, never uttered a word to her.. and yet, Eden already had him wrapped around her finger.
tag list: @afterpills @diabloguapos @fallinforerling @oh-saints
a = affection + activities (how affectionate is he? how does he show affection?/ how does he spend his free time with you?)
heās a little koala bear from all you know
thereās not a moment while youāre together where he isnāt hugging, kissing, or just resting some of his body weight on you
his favorite way of showing affection is rather kissing you to oblivion or just playing with your hair
he loves to take you on long walks where you talk about everything that comes to mind
if youāre not on a walk with him, youāre probably playing games or at the gym (he tricked you into going)
b = beauty - what does he admire about you? what does he think is beautiful about you?
he loves your waist
thereās something about how it looks on the slim tight dresses or workout clothes that make him go crazy
he also adores your neck
but apart from it, he also loves your laugh
so he makes it his personal mission to make you laugh (and that means a real laugh) most of the time youāre with him
it comes to the point where youāre ugly laughing at the most inconvenient times and places
c = cuddles + comfort (does he like to cuddle? how would he cuddle you?/how would he help you when youāre feeling down?)
since he likes hugs, he def loves cuddles
he likes to be the big spoon, so he can be able to kiss your neck or bury his face on your hair as long as he wants
and ever since you felt comfortable enough to not use a bra around, he puts his hands up your shirt, embracing your breasts in a very non-sexual way that makes you giggle
every time he sees the tiniest of grimaces on your face, he hurries to make you your favorite drink, interrogating you to no end until you are pouring everything from your chest
his advices are always the best part
heās a great support when youāre feeling down
d = domestic + dreams (does he want to settle down? how does he picture their future together?)
he hasnāt tell you yet, but he def daydreams about a house with two kids running around in a couple of years
it hasnāt been a day since you two started dating were he doesnāt picture you being his longtime partner
thereās no one like you for him
he canāt wait to stay up taking care of the kids, or coming home and being welcomed by the result of the love you have for each other
itās cheesy, but his goal is being the next messi and antonella of football
e = equal (is he the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?)
heās very dominant, but he only shows it more when youāre in the bedroom
in your daily life, thereās no such thing as a loud tone or something that might be disrespectful towards you
as i said, this guy is having 24/7 dreams about making you his wife
he wonāt say the word āproposingā in front of you, fearing that he might spoil it for you
he secretly spies on your taste in jewelry and bribes your bestfriend to tell him which type of engagement ring you prefer
if everything goes according to his plans, you will be mrs. bellingham in three years
g = gentle + gratitude (how gentle is he, both physically and emotionally?/ how grateful is he; is he aware of everything you do for him?)
heās the most gentle soul youād ever met
he treats you with such care that you catched yourself more than enough times tearing up a bit
heās very aware of the beautiful connection you two have, and tries his best to keep it as healthy as possible
he knows how much you care about him, about the two of you
heās aware that despite you having your own life and a strict job, youāre still giving your best, supporting him even though his work makes him travel and move very often
he couldnāt ask for someone better
h = honesty (does he have secrets he hides from you? or does he share everything?)
he only hides his embarrassing secrets from his early teen years
jobe tells you everything nonetheless
you are both very open and honest with each other, knowing how communication is key for any relationship
the only secret he keeps from you is how badly obsessed he is with you (heās failing)
i = i love you (how fast did he said the L-word?
he knew it way before saying it, he just couldnāt jump right in and tell you, that couldāve been a bit scary for you
you were just the perfect girl, every little thing you did made him think again about how much he was starting to love you
but even he, with a good amount of willpower and self control, couldn't help the words slipping out his mouth one random night at his place
you were both shocked and happy, kissing him senseless until his toes curled
he didnāt doubted you felt the same
j = jealousy (how jealous does he get, does he get jealous easily? how does he deal with it? what does he do when heās jealous?)
as much as he tries to be the bigger person, he canāt help to get jealous from time to time
and it has nothing to do with you, but more with the fact that youāre so gorgeous, itās inevitable for other guys to stare at you longer that he would like
he mostly smirks at them, knowing they can look all they want, but youāre his, and his only
but just to make it clear, his hands stay on your waist, your neck or thighs, his lips leaving kisses that last longer than usual
you know, just to make sure they get the message
k = kisses (what are his kisses like? where does he like to kiss you? how was your first kiss like?)
his kisses always feel like the last one heās giving you
his hands are always holding your jaw or neck, making you smirk against his lips
he loves to kiss your hand anytime you meet, itās a little inside joke about englishman manners
heās also addicted to the way the skin of your shoulders feel against his lips
your first kiss was as consuming as the others that followed. there hasnāt been a kiss between you two were you didnāt felt the butterflies on your stomach
you often feel like youāre still on the honeymoon phase
l = love language (whatās his love language? is it compatible with yours?)
heās all in for physical touch
he just loves to know youāre always at arms length, it relaxes him
and you love it as much as he does
you usually catch yourself reaching to touch him without even looking at his direction, smiling when your hand touches the warmth of his body
yes, youāre that annoying couple that is hugging all the time in public, so what?
m = morning (how are mornings spent with him? whatās your morning routing like?)
he usually wakes up way earlier than you
but ever since you started living together, you slowly adapted to his sleep schedule, making it impossible for you to be on bed past 9
on days where he needs to be up before the sun rises, you drag yourself away from the covers, happy to enjoy a cup of tea before he leaves the house
besides his work days, youāre both working on sleeping in from time to time and enjoy a good breakfast in bed
the mornings are peaceful and quiet, comfortable in the silence of your bedroom while you finish waking up
n = nicknames (what does he call you?)
heās good at making up disgustingly cheesy nicknames to call you in public
he loves to see how your cheeks get redder by the second while other people stare with raised eyebrows at things like āmy honey plumā or ācutie patootieā
besides that, he sticks to āloveā or ādarlingā, knowing how much you like his accent when he says those
o = on cloud nine (what is he like when heās in love? is it obvious for others? how does he express his feelings?)
oh, heās obvious, thereās no way of denying that
he kept smiling at his phone, even when he wasnāt texting you, because when he wasnāt, he was staring at a photo of you
he still does that two years later
all of his friends and family noticed the changes, wondering who was the person that was making him all giddy
when he had you around his friends, wanting to keep his feeling a secret for a bit longer, he still managed to be transparent
he couldnāt stop hugging your waist or playing with your hair while listening to you or chatting with someone else
even when he was still denying his true feelings, he kept giving you flowers, sending you meals from your favorite restaurants while at work or just sending a car to pick you up
p = pda (is he upfront about your relationship? does he brag about you with others? or he rather shy to kiss, etc. when others are watching?)
heās open about anything that has to do about you; if it is about bragging, jude bellingham will be the first one to do so
heās so proud of you, and even more about having you as his girlfriend
he talks non-stop about your job, your talents, your hobbies, the way you laugh or even how beautiful your hair looks in the mornings
he also loves to soft-lauch you from time to time on insta, driving his fans absolutely insane, which leads to them tryin to figure out who you are
he also loves pda, and heās not shy about how much he loves you
thereās nothing in the world that will stop that man from kissing you in public
q = quizzes (how many little things does he remember about you?)
he has a game with himself about how many times he can guess what are you going to say next
heās so enamored with you that he has memorized all the gestures you make and what they mean
it gets to the point where you canāt hide your real thoughts about anything
he also annoys you (in a very good way) with how often he gets to imitate you to perfection
r = romance ( how romantic is he? what would he do to make you happy? what is your favourite moment in your relationship?)
heās a romantic at heart, even if he likes to deny it
and itās also the little things that proves your point: from having a tiny pack of your favorite snack on his pocket to the way he has your coffee order memorized
he also loves to gift you things that arenāt that expensive, but actually mean a lot to your relationship in general, making you know that he pays attention
to this time, you canāt erase from your mind that time when he gifted you a handmade book with photos and little stories about every single day you had spent together. itās your most beloved possession
you still canāt figure out how did he managed to take photos for about a year and a half and remember silly details to put below them
s = security + support (how protective is he? is he helping you achieve your goals?)
he likes to make sure youāre okay
heās always by your side, especially in occasions were he knows you donāt feel the most comfortable in
he also knows how much of an independent person you are, so he backs up whenever he feels like heās crossing a boundary
but he also likes to help you just a bit when it comes to a goal you had set for yourself
t = try (how much effort would he put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)
the perfect example of how much he cares about special dates itās the handmade book
he also fights to outdo himself every time a big celebration comes around
youāre not into big expensive gifts, but you love jewelry and he knows it
he thinks hard about which one can be the perfect addition to your little collection of rings and necklaces
and the same effort he puts into giving you the best celebrations possible, he also makes his best to make your life together healthy and happy
thereās unspoken rules you have at home, and different chores each one do, and heās more than eager to do them next to you every sunday
u = understanding (how well does he know you? is he empathetic?)
as i said, he knows you like the palm of his hand
thereās not a single expression or tone in your voice that he doesnāt know
he loves to surprise you with things you were already thinking of getting
he also understands you better than anyone else, finding more than enough to look into your eyes to know if youāre needing some time alone or a good hug
heās your best friend, after all
v = value (how important is the relationship to him? what is it worth in comparison to other things in his life?)
youāre his top priority
he doesnāt play around when it comes to you and your relationship
he likes to give little hints about how soon youāre becoming an official member of the family, so for him, youāre already in the same place as his parents or his brother
although he loves football and couldnāt ask for a better thing, he loves you more, but the sport and you are in different schemes of his life
heās always going to choose you
w = whole (would he feel incomplete without you?)
absolutely
thereās been times when he had to travel for extended periods of time without and itās been hell
he doesnāt consider himself needy nor attached in an unhealthy way, but god, he really loves you
he just prefers to have you close to him, and thereās nothing wrong with it, heās just in love
x - xtra (a random fluff headcanon)
in times of stress, he braids your hair
yes, itās very uncommon and he doesnāt even know where he learn to braid hair, but he does and you find it amusing
but youāre fine with it, so you let him be
it has come to the point where he looks through pinterest for new things to try every time a big game or important interview comes around the corner
he made you keep it a secret between you two
you just laugh it off
y = yearning (how would he cope when heās missing you?)
itās difficult for him due to the little time you actually spent apart. if thereās the possibility to avoid it, heāll take it
but when itās absolutely necessary, he takes pieces of you with him
like your favorite shirt to use around the house (which was once his)
he also grabs the well-used hairband to put around his wrist during games
and his lockscreen, which is a photo of you, next to a countdown of how many days he has left until he sees you again
z = zeal (is he willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? if so, what kind of?)
heās willing to burn down a city if necessary
he knows how much you had sacrificed for the relationship, especially since moving with him to spain
he is totally fine with doing the same if the opportunity calls at your door
he wants the best for you, and heās going to take every opportunity to make it happen
been feeling SO guilty for not updating/giving signals of being... you know... ALIVE. i want to tell you all (new and old followers) that iām very grateful for the constant notifications i receive every day despite not being active.
