Pairing: Erling Haaland × Reader
Request Prompt: Maybe something where they have a huge argument, but make up in the end :)?
Summary: One conversation with Erling's ex at a team gala leaves Y/N questioning whether the night meant as much to him as it did to Y/N.
Note: I had so much fun writing this one, thank you for your request!
I shifted uncomfortably and adjusted the tight blue dress I wore.
I wasn't used to dressing up for big events like this. Erling had brought me to his team gala. This'll be the first time I'm meeting his teammates and their families along with sponsors.
It made me nervous as hell. My stomach has been in knots since we arrived.
Erling gently led me through the crowd of people. He kept a reassuring hand on the small of my back throughout the evening his thumb occasionally tracing circles on the exposed skin of my back.
"Doing okay, love?" He asked having pulled me over to a tall decorative table.
I nodded up at him with a reassuring smile. "I'm okay, don't worry about me."
I didn't want him to focus on me when this evening is about him and his team.
He chuckled, "Can't help it, love. I'll always be worried about you."
Erling leaned down pressing a soft kiss to my lips. He always knew how to calm my nerves, his touch alone had calmed the butterflies erupting in my stomach.
We both turned to find Jack, one of Erlings teammates standing beside us.
"Erling, mate, we need you," He said, waving his hand in the direction of the rest of his teammates.
He sighed, turning to me. "I'm sorry, love. Five minutes," he promised kissing the top of my head.
I smiled, "I'll survive."
The moment he was gone, that knot in my stomach crept back in.
I sighed, trying to ease the anxiety and took a small sip of the champagne he had brought me.
I glanced around the gala, admiring all the people laughing and talking together as if one big family when a soft voice spoke beside me.
I turned, finding a beautiful and elegant woman beside me.
Her dark curly hair was tucked high into a pony tail every curl perfectly in place. There wasn't a wrinkle one could find in her long floor length dress.
She gave me a warm smile.
She was the kind of woman that belonged in a room like this.
I didn't recognize her but offered a small smile in return, "Yes, I am."
"It's nice to meet you, I'm Maya," She said, reaching out a long slender hand.
Her name clicked instantly and suddenly I found myself in a situation that I so desperately wanted to run from.
We stared at each other for a moment as I slid my hand into her's. She held it in her firm grip, her warm smile never faltering before I pulled away with an awkward one.
"First gala?" she asked, swirling the pink champagne in her glass.
I nodded laughing nervously while I resisted the urge to readjust my dress once more. "Is it that obvious?"
My confidence dipped at her words. I was hoping to blend in or at least try to.
She smiled to herself, her gaze drifting around the ballroom.
"I remember my first gala."
I shifted awkwardly. "Oh yeah?"
She hummed looking over at me with the corners of her lips lifting.
"Erling brought me here."
"He introduced me to everyone. Teammates. Coaches. Sponsors." She laughed softly. "By the end of the night, I felt like the luckiest girl in the room."
I didn't know what to say as her words hung in the between us. My throat constricting,
She glanced toward the crowd where Erling had disappeared only minutes earlier and my gaze instinctively followed.
I spotted him laughing with one of his teammates while they shoved each other playfully.
My chest tightened as I watched him.
"He has a way of making you feel like you're the only person he sees."
She was quiet for a moment before murmuring, "Funny how quickly things change."
Silence settled between us as we continued to watch Erling's interaction.
"Anyway..." she said lightly, setting her empty champagne flute on the table. "It was nice meeting you."
She turned to leave taking a few steps before stopping.
Looking over her shoulder, she offered one last smile on her perfectly painted lips. "I hope it's different for you."
Before I had the opportunity to even react, she disappeared into the crowd of people leaving me alone to wonder what the hell just happened.
Her words hung in the air taunting me and planting a seed of doubt.
Erling had introduced me to everyone, same as he did with Maya.
Had he introduced other girlfriend's this way?
Is this what he did with every relationship?
I couldn't help the questions swirling in my brain and my stomach twisted.
I squeezed my eyes shut taking a slow breath. I'm not going to give her the satisfaction of having this evening unraveled by one conversation.
I glanced around, trying to find the nearest exit sign to hopefully get out of this stuffy ballroom.
I nearly jumped when two familiar hands wrapped around my waist. "Sorry that took so long, love." His voice was warm against my ear.
"I'm yours for the rest of the night," He whispered, pressing a small kiss to my head.
Normally, the action would make me melt into his arms but I couldn't help but stiffen slightly against his touch.
Had he held her like this?
Had he whispered the same words?
The questions followed me the rest of the evening, each one settling a little deeper than the last and soon it all passed in a blur.
I smiled for photographs I couldn't remember taking. I shook hands of those whose names I immediately forget. Every time Erling reached for my hand or wrapped an around my waist, Maya's words echoed a little louder.
He has a way of making you feel like you're the only person he sees.
By the time we climbed into the car, the knot in my stomach had become impossible to ignore.
The car ride home was silent other than the soft music from the radio.
I kept my hands folded tightly in my lap, my gaze fixed on the passing streetlights outside the window.
I could feel him looking over at me every so often.
He didn't ask what was wrong.
I think he already knew something was.
I should've said something. Anything to help him understand.
But every time I opened my mouth, I could feel the tears threatening to spill over. If I started talking now, I wasn't sure I'd be able to stop them.
We approached a red light, the car coming to a slow stop.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Erling shift in his seat before his warm hand found mine. His thumb brushed gently across my knuckles before giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.
Normally, I would've laced my fingers through his without thinking. But tonight, I couldn't bring myself to squeeze back.
His hand lingered for another second before he quietly let go.
Neither of us spoke for the rest of the drive home not until the tires crunched against the gravel of the driveway.
Erling shut off the engine, the silence seeming louder than it did the entire drive home.
"I'll grab your bag," He said quietly.
I nodded, unable to trust my voice.
Inside, I kicked off my heels and made my way to the bedroom. My fingers trembled as I began fiddling with the zipper on my dress.
The bedroom door creaked open a moment later and my heart dropped into my stomach.
My gaze found his in the floor length mirror, we stayed like that watching one another until his soft voice broke the silence.
"Talk to me, love," he pleaded.
My eyes dropped and my fingers playing with the edge of my dress.
"I'm okay," My voice came out just above a whisper.
He stepped further into the room shaking his head, "No you're not."
I swallowed hard, not wanting to look into his blue eyes.
"I'm just tired, it was a long night."
I felt him get closer, the warmth of his body just inches from mine and the familiar scent of his cologne washed over me.
"You've barely looked at me since we left."
My chest tightened with guilt. I hated making him feel this way, but how was I supposed to talk about these doubts suddenly crowding my mind?
"I know something happened," his voice was gentle and concerned.
I shook my head, every bone in my body wishing the floor would swallow me whole.
"Did someone say something to you tonight?"
I hesitated, what do I tell him?
I picked nervously at my dress, slowly turning to face him before lifting my gaze.
Concern filled his blue eyes as he stared down at me and waited.
Every trace of confusion had disappeared from his eyes as I stared up at him, his jaw slightly flexing.
I looked back down to the floor shaking my head.
"It clearly does." His voice held more urgency now.
All the feelings from the night came rushing up and I swallowed roughly.
"She told me... she told me you brought her to the gala."
He didn't answer right away and my gaze shot to his once more. His silence confirmed what I already knew but I needed him to say it.
"Did you?" My voice threatened to crack.
He let my question hang there, the silence deafening.
He rubbed a hand at the back of his neck before nodding.
My heart hammered and my eyes burned.
"And you introduced her to everyone?"
He took a deep breath before answering once more.
Tears threatened to spill at his confession.
Erling ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "It's true, I brought her. That was years ago, love."
My voice was hoarse. "That's not what I'm asking." I stepped around him making a beeline for the en suite bathroom.
I couldn't do this right now.
He caught my arm as I stepped away and gently pulled me to face him.
"What are you asking?" He frowned.
Hot tears began to roll down my face.
"Tonight you held my hand, introduced me to everyone and you kept telling me how proud you were to have me there." My voice cracked. "How am I supposed to know that wasn't just... something you do with every new girl?"
His expression fell as my confession hung in the air between us.
His voice was rough as he spoke, "Is that all that you think tonight was?"
I shook my head, "I don't know anymore."
The words spilled before I could stop them.
"I don't know what any of it meant."
He took a step towards me, his hand still gently holding my arm.
"You think that's all this has been to me?"
I opened my mouth but nothing came out at first.
He sighed, "You could have come to me."
How was I supposed to tell the love of my life how humiliating it was to stand there while another woman made me feel like just another number?
Another girl on his arm at a gala.
"I was embarrassed!" My voice echoed through the room, louder than intended and I pulled away from his grasp.
"So instead... you spent the rest of the night pulling away from me?"
I froze and my eyes snapped to his.
He had noticed, of course he did.
His voice became quiet again.
"I'd kept wondering what I'd done wrong."
A fresh wave of guilt crashed over me.
"I didnt want to feel like this," I whispered, wiping away at the tears rolling down my cheeks.
"I've been trying to convince myself she was wrong from the moment she walked away."
He scrubbed his hand over his face.
"I hate that one conversation was enough to make you doubt us."
Anger buzzed through me. "I'm not trying to!"
"You weren't there, Erling," I said, shaking my head.
"You didn't have someone look you in the eyes and tell you that tonight wasn't special."
He stilled, the frustration on his face melting away as he gazed at me.
He was looking at me. Really looking at me.
Understanding settled across his face.
"Love..." his voice was quiet, pulling at my heart.
Every nerve in my body urged me to go to him, fall into his embrace and let go of every seed of doubt that had been planted.
"I can't do this," I whispered, slipping into the bathroom where a wave of fresh tears began to spill.
It was quiet for awhile as I cried in the bathroom. No sound came from the bedroom, I couldn't tell if he was even still in there.
God, this is not how I thought the night would have ended. Instead of being cuddled up with the love of my life, I'm curled up in ball crying on the bathroom floor.
I don't know how long I sat in there on the cold bathroom floor letting my thoughts drift to the man in the other room.
My body ached from the position I sat in on the floor and my eyes burned from all the tears.
I slowly stood up, letting my body stretch out before washing my face with cold water.
Not one sound had come from the bedroom, I could hardly tell if he was even in there anymore.
I took a deep breath, easing the bathroom door open and peering out into the darkened room.
I expected to find the room empty or see him laying fast asleep.
Instead, he sat at the edge of the bed still in his suit. The sleeves had been rolled up and his tie hung loose around his neck.
He had his phone in his hand, sitting completely still as he stared at the screen.
I quietly stepped out of the bathroom, expecting him to turn his head but he continued to stare.
"Erling," My voice was quiet, just above a whisper.
He lifted his head up, his eyes softening as he took me in.
"Come here." He waved me over to him and I slowly sat down beside him.
My body ached to climb into his lap with his arms wrapped around me and to forget about this entire evening but I held back.
His shoulder brushed mine as he showed me his phone.
My heart pounded as he showed me what he had been looking at.
It was a picture from the gala, one of his teammates had taken it of us and a few others. We were both smiling, our arms intertwined as we posed for the picture.
I remember feeling so nervous, but the feel of his arm wrapped around me had melted away that anxiety.
I felt safe beside him, tucked into the crook of his arm like there was no one else in the room but us.
I studied the photo and one thing caught my attention.
Erling wasn't looking at the camera.
He had been looking at me.
He wore a soft smile, his head tilted down as his blue eyes watched me.
"Why this one?" I asked. We had been in lots of photos throughout the evening.
Why was he looking at this one?
He looked back down at his phone, a soft smile playing on his lips.
"Everyone was looking at the camera," he said turning to meet my eyes.
His fingers brushed gently along my jaw.
My lips trembled as we stared into each other's eyes.
He gave me a soft smile. "Tonight wasn't about introducing another girlfriend."
He reached out intertwining our fingers.
"It was about introducing the woman I hope is beside me for every gala after this one."
I stared at him for a moment, my eyes filling once more with fresh tears.
I looked back down at the photo softly whispering, "I'm sorry."
Erling shook his head, "Don't apologize."
I wiped another tear away. "I hated that I couldn't stop thinking about what she said."
Erling wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulders, gently pulling me into his chest.
"It's okay, love," he murmured, resting his chin lightly on the top of my head.
I shook my head against him.
His fingers slowly rubbed comforting circles into my arm as he waited for me to continue.
"She took what was supposed to be one of the happiest nights..."I whispered. "And I let her."
Erling was quiet for a moment.
I frowned looking up at him from my place against his chest.
"She doesn't get to decide what tonight meant."
His thumb brushed across my cheekbone.
He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead.
"I chose you. Tonight. Tomorrow. And every gala after this one."
The knot that had been twisting in my chest since Maya walked away finally unraveled.
I leaned up, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck.
His arms immediately circled my waist, holding me against him as if he never wanted to let go.
I buried my face against the warmth of his neck, breathing in the familiar scent of his cologne.
"I love you," I whispered.
He pressed a lingering kiss against my temple.
I smiled through the last of my tears, tucking a strand of hair out of my face as I pulled away to look at him.
I could hardly believe I got to call this man mine.
I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile.
I leaned forward, brushing my lips softly against his.
When we pulled apart, I rested my forehead against his.
"I'm really glad you weren't looking at the camera."
