Meant To Be (An Antoine Griezmann Fanfiction) [BoyxBoy]

Woebegone Penumbra

Chapter Thirteen

The media went crazy the night after Antoine, Caleb and Erika went out. People started digging in Antoine's past and demanding explanations, that they obviously didn't deserve, but asked for them anyways. Antoine's teammates were supportive and ranted on the media about respecting Antoine's privacy and intimacy. Even Simeone showed his support and help towards him unconditionally, highlighting his performance as a footballer and a top scorer for the Atleti.

Antoine committed the number 1 sin of being-a-celebrity-101: never google yourself. He scrolled desperately looking at all the newsletters and websites taking about him. He looked at articles, blogs and surveys that questioned his sexuality and debated whether they knew already if Antoine was gay — 98% said they already knew it.

"Yeah, sure" he snarled at the computer.

"Stop looking at yourself on the web" Erika rolled her eyes. "People will forget it."

"It's not that Caleb and I kissed or something" Antoine argued. "It was just the defamation of a drunk prick, but this is all Caleb's fault. He shouldn't have taken me there ever."

"Have you talked to him?" Erika asked concerned.

"No" Antoine snapped. "And I won't, he literally exposed me in front of all Madrid."

"You're being petty" Erika snapped back. "Do you know that he could loose his job if the hospital dig in a little bit in all that drama?"

Antoine gulped. "Whatever."

"Why are you doing this?" Erika crossed her arms. "Let me remind you that I'm only talking to you because you don't have anywhere to go."

"What?" Antoine frowned.

"You let me humiliate myself in front of Caleb when you perfectly knew he was gay" Erika said angrily. "I have all the right to be mad at you, but I won't be because I want to believe that you didn't do it on purpose."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but at that time I didn't even know what I wanted" Antoine explained. "I was going through so much stuff, I would have exposed not only me but Caleb too."

"You could have told me" Erika said.

"I didn't know you were going to be so supportive and caring" Antoine shrugged. "You don't tell your ex that kind of stuff."

"We went to his house, god damn!" Erika exclaimed. "I feel so stupid right now."

"Caleb play it cool, though" Antoine patted her in the back.

"Yeah, he is so nice" Erika sighed. "I wish he was straight, so he could be mine."

"Hey!" Antoine protested.

"Are you —maybe— jealous?" Erika laughed.

"Whatever" Antoine rolled his eyes.

"You have to talk to him" Erika insisted. "He's been calling and sending you messages nonstop."

"I'm not talking to him" Antoine said firmly.

The knocks on the door stopped Erika from arguing with Antoine. She opened the door and saw Caleb with some bruises on his face, he had a superficial cut on his lip which Erika found very sexy. Caleb was a very pacific guy, but if somebody messed with him, he could be very harsh.

"Hi Erika, sorry for coming unannounced, but I saw Antoine's car parked down there and I was wondering if I could have a word with him" Caleb asked slowly.

"Of course" Erika nodded and invited him in.

He awkwardly made his way through the foyer and got to the living room where Antoine was sitting. Caleb noticed that Erika's place had been fully transformed since the last time he was there. Caleb spotted Antoine and waved at him insecurely, once Antoine saw Caleb, he teared up a little bit by seeing how bruised he was.

"What happened to you!" Antoine exclaimed jumping from where he was sitting to check on Caleb's bruises.

"Nothing" Caleb shook his head and avoided Antoine touching his face.

"Nothing?!" Antoine repeated outraged.

"I was in a fight" Caleb shrugged.

"What? Why? With whom? When?" Antoine demanded worriedly, Caleb smirked at Antoine's concern.

"After you left, I confronted the guy who exposed you over the microphone and we just ended up fighting" Caleb said.

"Why would you do that, Caleb?" Antoine sighed. "Look at you all bruised and battered."

"He messed with you" Caleb stated looking at Antoine into his hazel eyes. "I wasn't going to let him get away with it."

"You shouldn't have done that" Antoine said.

"I think he learnt his lesson" Caleb stated.

"Sure, whatever" Antoine shrugged.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Caleb asked softly, trying not to sound too harsh. "I didn't know something like that would happen. If I knew it, I wouldn't even have suggested to go out that night."

"I get it" Antoine said. "I just don't feel prepared for the spotlight and the whole coming out thing."

"Well, sooner or later you will have to face it" Caleb replied. "It would be better if you didn't do it alone."

"I'm not alone" Antoine scoffed. "Erika has my back."

"Oh, t-that's nice of her" Caleb stammered. "Then, if you ever want to talk or something, you know where I live."

"Caleb, I don't think this will work" Antoine uttered.

"I'm not asking you to be my boyfriend" Caleb said. "I just want to help you through all of this."

"I don't want your help" Antoine snapped.

"Fine" Caleb sighed. "But you don't have to be a dick about it."

"Whatever" Antoine snarled.

"Antoine, I didn't plan this if that's what you're thinking" Caleb explained. "I would never do anything to hurt you."

"You won't hurt me even you try" Antoine said sassily. "You mean nothing to me."

Caleb didn't respond. He nodded slightly and made his way towards the door, feeling very gloomy and desolated. Erika stared and listened to the whole scene silently, words couldn't explain how surprised she was at Antoine's ruthlessness, it was as if she didn't know him.

"You didn't have to treat him like that" Erika said.

"I can't give him what he wants" Antoine replied. "It's better if we are apart from each other."

"According to you, what exactly he wants?" Erika asked incredulously.

"Somebody that can unconditionally love him back..."