𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 / 𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐣𝐫

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤

vinis pov:

training didn't feel the same.
every pass, every shout, every camera flash — it all felt heavier. because i knew what i had to do, and i knew how much it could cost me.

rodrygo was the first to notice. he always was.

"you've been quiet, irmão," he said, tossing his boots into his locker.
"since when are you not talking?"

"since i began thinking too much," i muttered.

he laughed. "that's dangerous for you."

then he looked at me properly. "it's about annalise, isn't it?"

i didn't answer. i didn't have to.

⸻

we sat in the corner of the changing room — the kind of spot where you can speak quietly without being overheard.

"i'm going to talk to HR," i said finally.

rodrygo froze. "what?"

"i'm going to tell them. about me and annalise."

he stared at me like i'd lost it.

"bro, that's career suicide."

"maybe," i said. "but she's walking around every day thinking we're a risk. that we're something to
hide. i made her a promise — that i'd never make her feel small for loving me."

he sighed. "and what if they fire her? or fine you? or worse?"

"then i'll deal with it."

rodrygo leaned forward, voice softer now.

"does she know your doing this?"

i hesitated. "not yet."

"vini..." he ran a hand through his hair. "if you go to HR, you can't take that back. once you say it,
it's real. it's not rumours or whispers anymore — it's written down. and if she loses her job because you wanted to be brave..."

"then i'll make sure she gets it back," i said, too fast.

he gave me that look — the one that meant he understood but didn't agree.

"you can't protect her from everything. not even this."

i swallowed hard. "yeah. i just can't keep pretending."

he nodded slowly. "then go. but tell her first. she deserves that much."

____________

annalises pov:

he was distant all day. not cold
just somewhere else.
his texts were shorter, slower.

vini:
long day. can we talk tonight?

is everything okay?

depends how you define okay.

vin, you're scaring me.

don't be scared. just... trust me, okay?

the typing bubbles appeared, then disappeared.

⸻

that evening, i went to his apartment. he opened the door like he'd been pacing for hours.

the silence between us was thick.

"you're doing that thing again," i said quietly. "where you hold something in until it eats you."

he exhaled, eyes dropping to the floor.

"i spoke to rodrygo."

"about?"

"us. and what i'm about to do."

my heart skipped. "vini— what are you planning?"

he met my eyes, and his voice was steady when he said it: "i'm going to HR tomorrow. i'm going to tell them."

the whole world seemed to stop.

"what?"

"i can't keep living like this, lise. hiding, lying, watching you get scared every time someone sends an email. i promised you I'd fight for us.
this is me doing it."

"but if they fire me—"

"then i'll make it right."

"you can't promise that."

"i can promise i'll try."

and then i stopped arguing against it.
because the truth was, i was tired of pretending too.

__________
vinis pov:

when she left that night, i sat on the edge of my bed, heart pounding.

for the first time, the fear didn't outweigh the promise.

because loving her was the risk —

and i'd already chosen it.