Fortified -Pau Cubarsí-

15 - pre game

Cesca's pov:

The morning light filters through the curtains, painting Pau's room in soft gold. His arms are snug around my waist, his chest warm against my back. Everything feels so quiet, so right, I almost forget the rest of the world exists.

"You're thinking too loudly," Pau mumbles, his voice husky from sleep.

I laugh softly. "You can hear my thoughts now?"

"Mm-hmm," he says, tightening his hold. "And they're saying you're going to leave. Don't."

I tilt my head back to look at him, catching the slight pout on his lips. "You have a meeting, remember?"

"Meetings are boring. This is better."

I smile, brushing my fingers lightly over his jawline, careful to avoid his stitches. "I'd stay if I could, but Celeste will lose her mind if I don't show up soon."

He groans, burying his face in my hair. "Fine. But only because I don't want her hunting me down."

When I finally wriggle free, Pau flops onto his back, his hair a messy halo against the pillow. Boira hops onto the bed and pads over to him, her green eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"She's judging you," I say, watching as she sniffs Pau's hand before flopping onto his chest.

"She loves me," he counters, stroking her fur. "Right, Boira?"

Boira lets out a lazy purr, clearly agreeing. I roll my eyes playfully, grabbing my bag and heading for the door. "Text me when your meeting's over," I call out.

"Only if you promise to miss me," he teases.

I laugh as I close the door behind me, the sound of Boira's purring following me out.

Paus pov:

The door clicks shut, and the room feels emptier without Cesca. Boira stretches across my chest like she owns the place, letting out a dramatic yawn.

"You're just here for the warm spot, aren't you?" I say, scratching behind her ears. She nips at my fingers in response, her version of affection.

I shift her gently onto the bed and get up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The meeting is in an hour, but all I can think about is Cesca—how her laugh fills the room, how natural it feels to wake up beside her.

It's still surreal. We're really doing this.

Cesca's pov:

When I step through the door of our house, the first thing I hear is Celeste's gasp. She's perched on the kitchen counter, a mug of coffee in her hands, her wide eyes locking onto me like a heat-seeking missile.

"You weren't home last night," she says, her tone dripping with curiosity.

"Good morning to you too," I reply, setting my bag down and trying to slip past her.

"Uh-uh," she says, hopping down and blocking my path. "Spill. Where were you?"

I sigh, knowing there's no escaping her. "I was with Pau."

Her jaw drops, and for a moment, she just stares at me. Then, as if a dam has broken, the questions start pouring out. "Wait, what? Like, you stayed over? You two are a thing now? Since when? Oh my god, Hector's going to freak!"

"Celeste, breathe," I say, holding up my hands. "It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" she exclaims, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the living room. Regaliz follows us, hopping onto the couch with a flick of her tail. "You've been pining over him for months, and now you're dating? This is huge!"

I sit down, letting her excitement wash over me. "It's new," I admit. "But... it feels right."

Celeste squeals, hugging me tightly. "I'm so happy for you! You deserve this."

Regaliz lets out a disapproving meow, clearly annoyed at being squished between us. Celeste laughs, scratching under her chin. "Even your cat's a little love bug."

Pau's pov:

The meeting room buzzes with energy as the team gathers, the tension of the upcoming game against Valencia thick in the air. Coach launches straight into strategy, his voice sharp and commanding.

I try to focus, but my mind keeps drifting back to Cesca. The way she smiled at me this morning, the soft kiss she pressed to my forehead before leaving—it's all I can think about.

"Pau," Coach snaps, pulling me back to reality. "Stay with us."

I nod quickly, jotting down notes as Coach continues. This is important. The team is counting on me.

Cesca's pov:

The rest of the day passes in a blur of Celeste's chatter and Regaliz's antics. She insists on hearing every detail about Pau, grilling me like a detective.

By the time evening rolls around, I'm curled up on the couch with Regaliz, scrolling through my phone. A text from Pau pops up: Meeting's over. Coach wasn't happy with me zoning out, but I couldn't stop thinking about you.

I smile, typing back: Focus, star player. I'll see you after the game.

Regaliz stretches across my lap, her green eyes meeting mine as if to say, "You're hopeless." I laugh, scratching behind her ears. "Yeah, I know."

Pau's Pov:

As I head to the stadium for the pre-match warm-up, I feel a strange mix of nerves and excitement. The game is important, but so is everything happening outside of football. For the first time in a long time, it feels like my life is balancing out. And Cesca is at the center of it all.

Lunette yaps:

sooo, how we liking the dual pov chapter? i like it and its easier to write than a normal one, but idk.

also who watched Eurovision jr?? i literally voted from every device in my house🤭🤭and tbh, i think the Spain song is kinda good, like idk what some people say.

Word count: 900

😘😘