The Degradation (translation)

Two months

Louis' pov

Two months. We've been together for two months. Two months, during which we got to know each other, felt each other. I never thought a relationship could be like this. I guess I just spent too much time with my parents, who didn't have a very good marriage. Or just seen enough of these couples from the University, in which the guy is literally a prisoner, and asks permission even to take yogurt. The girl reads his messages and throws tantrums every five minutes, goes to the same lectures with him, constantly sticks. Relationships have always seemed like a high-security prison with free, bonus sex and the obligation to buy chocolates with flowers every Friday. I don't know if Harry doesn't like chocolate or doesn't know how to enter the password on his iPhone, but it's not like that at all. We're good together. Yes, we stick to each other worse than others, but this does not bother anyone. We don't strangle each other. We no longer pretend we don't know each other when we run into each other in the hallway. At first, many people whispered, but I honestly expected something worse. Nothing but a couple of gay jokes and sidelong glances that disappeared a few weeks later. I thought I'd react badly to this, but... I didn't care. I looked at Harry, the guy who's been sick since he was a kid, who hates his father, and whose ex-girlfriend jumped off a bridge, and the rumors seemed tiny in comparison. People have a habit of calling the most insignificant events the end of the world and falling into depression because of them, without even trying to imagine that they are still lucky. He taught me to be strong. Pay attention only to important things. Was I called a faggot? Well ... cool. And then what? The sky fell? The oceans dry? My story with Harry is too important to let some assholes ruin it. I just need to touch him, just feel his eyes on me, to know that he loves me.

Yeah, well, I couldn't help myself once. It was fun.

The coach was yelling at us, saying we didn't know how to do anything and that we were going to crash in two weeks, that we were still on the field. It's ten o'clock in the evening, he's long gone home, and we're still practicing our punches and strategizing. I'm really tired, but I like it. The atmosphere is light, and it's nice to know that after all this, we are still a close-knit team. My relationship with Harry was responsible for some tense situations, but not for long. The guys noticed that I was still the same Louis, only I preferred not to fuck anything that moved, including Eleanor. Even between Liam and Josh, things are kind of quiet. They are not friends, no, but during the game all quarrels fade into the background. I've loved football since I was a kid, so I'm really glad that nothing has changed. It's already dark outside, big street lights illuminate the pitch, and we practice penalty kicks. I'm getting ready to hit the ball when I hear someone else's laughter behind me.

"So, faggot, are you still here?"

Everyone turns almost simultaneously. The boys from Manchester University come up to us with their hands in the pockets of their football jackets. What an irony. It is against them that we play in two weeks. They won every game of the season, and in the "We-think-we-are-the-kings-of-the-planet-we-are-the-coolest" category, they have no equal. I snort as I head over to the captain of their team. The guys are coming for me. I cross my arms.

"What do you want, Lucas?"

I look at him superficially and notice that we are all standing opposite each other and measuring our eyes. They often provoke us, and it has come to blows many times before. He examines me carefully, not lowering his gaze. He shrugs indifferently. This does not promise anything good.

"We just came to see the gay team that we're going to smash up in two weeks."

Guess what word he emphasized? Before I can say anything, someone behind me starts laughing heartily.

"Really? Did you come to our field to harass our captain because of his orientation? What's wrong with you?"

I turn and look at Dan in surprise. I thought the only person who would stand up for me would be Liam. But again, before I know it, I hear another laugh from the left. Ethan.